ONION TART TATIN

I'm really enjoying the new series of The Great British Bake Off, it makes a big difference being able to relax and watch someone else get stressed about their soggy bottom.

This week is all about tarts and it's inspired me to bake some of my own.  I'm starting with a savoury Tart Tatin.  Traditionally it is sweet and made with apples but if there is something that the Bake Off has taught me - you don't have to stick to tradition.

I'm using shallots for my Tatin and it's great hot or cold, not complicated and to make it even easier I've used bought puff pastry (Ssh).

500g Shallots, peeled
25g Butter
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp  Light Brown Sugar
Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
Salt & Pepper

250g Puff Pastry

Cook the onions in boiling water for 10 minutes then drain well while you heat the butter and oil in a heavy based frying pan.

Once the butter starts to sizzle add the shallots and fry gently for 10 minutes, turning the onions to colour all over.

Season with salt and pepper and add the fresh thyme then sprinkle over the sugar.  Cook for a further 5 minutes so the shallots are well coloured.

Roll out the pastry to form a round a little bigger than the pan then pop it on top to form a lid and tuck the edges of the pastry down the side of the pan.





Bake for 20-25 minutes at 200C.  Once the pastry is golden and cooked remove it from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before inverting it onto a plate to serve.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed eating this and so pleased to have tried something a little different.  We had it with a very simple salad of spinach, goats cheese and the most delicious Sweetfire Baby Beetroot with a drizzle of garlic infused olive oil

VENISON STEW WITH CHILI & CHOCOLATE

To continue with my scottish menu I have chosen this gorgeous dish which has been adapted from a Thomasina Miers recipe and is guaranteed to melt any heart along with the chocolate that goes in it.  There are a lot of ingredients but that doesn't mean it's difficult to put together.  Juniper berries are always good with venison and there is just enough chocolate to give it an earthy richness without it tasting like chocolate sauce.

Once you've marinated the meat it is more or less a case of slow cooking and it can be made a couple of days in advance to make your life even easier.  There's nothing like bung it in the oven cooking.   We went out for a bracing and invigorating walk then came back to this hearty warming stew - proper comfort food.  This should serve 4 people.

MARINADE                  
1/2 Bottle Red Wine
2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
1 Sprig Rosemary
2 Sprigs of Thyme
1 Red Chili Deseeded and finely chopped  
5 Juniper Berries Crushed
1 tbsp Olive Oil
S&P

700g Venison
1 Onion Chopped
1 Carrot Diced
1 Parsnip Diced
2 Celery Stalks finely Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves
Pinch of Dried Chillies
300ml Stock
1/2 Bottle Red Wine
1 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly
50g Chocolate in small pieces

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and add the meat.  Leave it over night if you can or as long as possible.

Next remove the venison from the marinade but reserve the marinade for later.  In a casserole, brown all the meat in a little oil and put to one side.  Next soften your onions,  when they become translucent add the carrot, parsnip and celery.  Cook for a further 10 minutes allowing them to brown.  Lastly add the garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Now return the meat to the casserole along with the reserved marinade.  Bring everything to the boil and once it's bubbling turn off the heat, add the redcurrant and chocolate and stir till melted.  Put the whole casserole in the oven at 190C for 1 1/2 hours.  That wasn't complicated was it.

SAVOY MASH

Even my children don't mind eating cabbage when it's done like this.  While you're boiling 250g Spuds, blanch 4 leaves from a Medium Savoy Cabbage.  You don't want the first outside leaves but the next ones in.  Blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes then immediately put them into cold water to stop them cooking further.  Finely shred the remaining cabbage and saute in a little Butter till tender.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and mash them along with 40g of Cheddar.  Stir in your shredded cabbage and season with Salt and White Pepper.

Now divide the potato between the cabbage leaves and gather each leaf to form a parcel.  To help them keep their shape, I have rested them in a deep muffin tray ready for the oven.  Sprinkle over a little more cheese and cook at 190C for 10-15 minutes till the cheese is bubbling and brown.

Stay tuned for the pudding! x

W.K.F.C - West Kirby Fried Chicken

Oh my word, who can resist a bit of southern fried chicken or North West fried chicken as it would have to be in my house.  No! not deep frying I hear you call but there's nothing wrong with it every now and then or on special occasions like it's Tuesday perhaps.

To make it as authentic as the popular take away I also made coleslaw and added barbecue sauce to baked beans.  All that was missing was the cardboard bucket.

Just to help reduce the possible high calorific values of this meal, I removed the skin and the chicken was pre-cooked to reduce frying time, this also ensures it's cooked all the way through.  It was poached in milk which help it keep it's moisture and makes the meat more tender.

4 Chicken Portions - Thighs and Drumsticks
1 Litre Milk
1 tsp Salt

150g Flour
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Pinch Smoked Paprika
1 Egg Beaten
Oil For Deep Frying

Put the chicken in a large pan and cover with the milk and salt.  Bring the milk to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer till the chicken is cooked through.  This will take about 20 minutes.  The milk and pan will look quite disgusting and become a skummy mess but this will all be discarded so don't worry.  Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the milk and let it cool so you can handle it.

Next mix the flour with the seasoning.  It you prefer, you could add a ready made chicken seasoning and select your own flavour.  Once the chicken is cool, coat all the chicken pieces in the flour mix.  Now dip each piece in egg and then back in the flour.  this double dip gives it a lovely thick crispy coating.

Once all the chicken has been double dipped, Deep fry in hot oil till beautifully golden.  It should just take a minute or so.  Then serve with your barbecue beans, coleslaw and a handy wipe.

The coleslaw could not be easier.  In a large bowl mix 5 large tbsp mayonnaise with 5 tbsp greek yoghurt, 2 tsp honey and 1 tsp wholegrain mustard.  To this add 1/2 small white cabbage, 1 small red onion thinly sliced and 2 large grated carrots combine everything well.

I'm sure it's not crucial but watching I'm a celebrity seemed to go rather well with this.  Other forms of junk tv are available x

Real Men Do Eat Quiche

We love quiche in this house.  You can have it hot or cold, it's easily transportable for picnics and packed lunches and you can stick anything in it, great for using up left over bits from the bottom of the fridge.

These two were exactly that, I had some bacon, halloumi and sweet potato's in the fridge and came up with these two: Bacon & Samphire and Sweet Potato & Halloumi. 

SAMPHIRE & BACON

200g Plain Flour

100g Margarine

Iced Water to mix

250g Bacon
90g Samphire

Knob of Butter

1 Clove Garlic

3 Eggs

3/4 pt Milk

Black Pepper

Samphire is a vegetable that grows wild in marshy areas or close to the sea.  It's a bit like very fine asparagus and very salty.  I love the flavour and vibrant colour which it doesn't lose when you cook it.  If you're not lucky enough the be able to pick it fresh yourself, Asda sell it as one of their 'Extra Special' ingredients.

Make the pastry.  Rub the margarine into the flour, you can use a food processor or a free standing mixer for this.  When it looks like fine bread crumbs add enough water to form a dough.  Line your quiche tin and pop it into the freezer for 15 minutes while you pre-heat the oven to 160 C.

You need to bake the pastry shell blind so line it with some parchment and fill it with baking beans.  You can use rice or dried pulses instead if you don't have ceramic beans, they work just as well.

Bake it for 15 minutes then remove the beans and parchment and bake for a further 5-10 minutes till it's cooked and lightly browned.

While this is finishing snip your bacon into bite size pieces and cook till browned.  Remove the bacon from the pan and tip in the samphire with the butter and garlic.  Cook this for 2-3 minutes to soften it.

When your shell is baked put the bacon into the base and top with the samphire.  Add some freshly ground black pepper, I like lots especially with this, both the bacon and samphire are very salty so don't add any more salt.

Mix your eggs and milk together and pour over your filling.  Bake for 30-40 minutes till it's set and browned.

SWEET POTATO & HALLOUMI

200g Plain Flour

100g Margarine

Iced Water to mix

300g Sweet Potato

1 tblsp Oil

250g Block of Halloumi

3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

3 Eggs

3/4 pt Milk

Black Pepper

Make your pastry shell as before.  While it's baking cook your sweet potato.  Peel and cut it into small cubes about 1cm square.  Put them in a pan, coat with the oil and add the thyme leaves.  Cover with a lid and cook over a medium heat till soft and lightly browned.  It should take about 20-25 minutes and you'll need to stir it from time to time to stop it sticking.

When the potato is cooked, remove it from the pan.  Cut the halloumi the same size as the potato and cook in the same pan.  It will only take about 5 minutes for the cheese to brown so keep your eye on it.

Add the potato and halloumi to the shell and pour over your egg and milk mixture.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

There was even a little pastry left over to make  a couple of mini quiches with some salami and manchego I found, see what I mean about leftovers!