Category: Leeks

Pot Roasted Partridge with Parsnips, Perry and Pearl Barley

January 24, 2015

If you follow my cooking regularly then you may recall just before christmas I was eating quite a bit of Game, as it is in Season, well, I still am! Although we don’t have much longer left of the game season, until early February if Im not mistaken?

So, one Sunday, there was a dish that I cooked that absolutely blew myself and my Fiancé away and the great thing about it is that there were hardly any ingredients or cooking to it;  Just great flavours. Also, there were no herbs in this which I always cook with, so that amazed me.

   Anyway, We had been given two Lovely Partridges and two Pheasants from my Father who lives up in Yorkshire. I decided to Pot roast the Partridges this particular Sunday as being a Chef I know that being a small bird it can easily dry out, so occasionally I prefer to pot roast Game and of course when one is cooking on a Sunday afternoon, there is more time to sip at a lovely Red wine and read the 17 supplements of the Sunday Paper.

  I had some Perry knocking about in the pantry so instead of Wine I thought this would make a lighter touch, maybe add some pears also but in the end I didn’t need to even add the fruit it was that flavoursome and so quick for a Sunday Lunch/Dinner. However the perry added a really nice Flavour.
  If you are a meat eater and you aren’t sure about Game, please try cooking Partridge first as its lighter than Pheasant. It is a great little, versatile Bird.
  
 This recipe is a keeper for myself and my family now and I hope this one will travel through our generations.  It was one of those dinners that you just sat back and smiled for about an hour after! Oh and I just had to call my Father to tell him how nice they were.
  It has also received a nickname that we find rather quirky, called “All the P’s” .
Which I can see my Partner shouting one Sunday morning, “What’s for dinner darling?” …”Oh All the P’s today”… “Brilliant!”


Pot Roast Partridge with Parsnips, Perry and Pearl Barley:
(“All the P’s”)


Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

(We did one Partridge per person but there were some left for sandwiches the next day)



–  2 Oven ready Partridges 
–  1 Tbsp of plain Flour to dust the Birds
–  1 Tbsp Rapeseed oil
–  Couple of Knobs of Unsalted Butter
–  50g Pearl Barley
–  250ml of Perry (Pear Cider) You may not need it all as season to taste
–  1 Large leek sliced 
–  2 medium sized Carrots chopped fairly chunky
–  1 Onion diced 
–  Homemade chicken stock or 1 gel pot of chicken stock to roughly 800ml water ( depending how big your partridges are) 
–  1 large parsnip chopped the same size as your carrots
–  Cracked Black Pepper to taste

* I served my dish with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Spring Cabbage.

Method:

*  Cook the Pearl Barley first in a separate pan with a bit of chicken stock to packet instructions. When Halfway through, add Carrots, then after 5 minutes the Parsnips. Less washing up all in one pan and guaranteed not to overcook the Partridge this way.

*  Preheat Oven to 180c-190c

*  Dust the Partridges in flour, add rapeseed oil and a knob of butter to a Casserole/heavy bottomed pan and place Partridges in, searing off (Browning) each side for a minute or two.

*  Take the Birds out and place onto a plate. Add onions to the hot pan, cook for a couple of minutes. Add 250 ml of Perry and stock so when the Partridges are placed back in, it just covers them.

*  Place into the oven with pre cooked veg from earlier, adding the leeks. Put a lid on and cook for 20-30 minutes. Any more than this will dry the bird out.

*  After 20 minutes, check that the partridges are cooked thoroughly, cover over juices.

*  Season to taste as you may not need salt, just the cracked black pepper.

*  And Serve…

This recipe was great served with creamy buttery mash and some Spring cabbage as the thick juices just tumble over. 





Going "WILD" For Wild Garlic

May 28, 2014

Last year when the lovely season of the Wild Garlic came upon us, I didn’t actually find any until, sadly, the end of the season.  I tried my best with what I did find but it had grown a bit too far on and the true flavour wasn’t there anymore.
  However, this year I found a great spot, practically on my doorstep! I was thrilled as you can imagine.
  However it has come to that time of the year where it has either gone, grown too big or has overgrown weeds over it.  I almost feel quite sad as there’s so much you can do with Wild Garlic, I absolutely LOVE its unique flavour and the prettiness of the flower buds. So now it is fizzling away till next year, if you can get hold of some still around. Do try a pesto with it. It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks at least, or even do a pickle/vinegar?
  I realise that many people will have done this with Wild garlic and rightly so as we do it with other leftover herbs, so why not this? 
  Here is just a couple of things that I did with mine this year.  I do plan another recipe if my last batch lasts! 

Wild Garlic Pistachio Pesto:
(Makes 1 small Jar):

One thing I must add about this recipe is that pretty much whenever I do pestos’s I always like to use either pistachios or cashew nuts rather than Pine nuts. I find the pine nuts are more bitter, but that’s just my preference.

Ingredients:

(These ingredients depend on the size of your jar and also your taste) – Be as Flexible as you want with it! 

–  50g of Wild Garlic Leaves
–  20g of Pistachio nuts (shelled )
–  20g of Parmesan Cheese
–  Sprinkling of Pink sea salt (any good sea salt will do) and cracked black Pepper
–  1 Tbsp of Fresh lemon juice
–  2 Tbsp of Rapeseed oil ( olive oil can be bitter )

– Simply Place all ingredients into a Blender/Processor and Blitz! Add extra seasoning, oil or cheese if you need to.

This Pesto is great in all sorts of recipes, the list is endless! Once you have done this, you will never turn back.

And the result of this pesto? An obvious choice to pair with Pasta but this dish is what I keep devouring myself with lately. I am eating bucket loads of it as I love it! It’s such a quick Pasta dish to rustle up when you’ve had a busy day and can kick back with a large Glass of Wine. Perfetto!

Creamy Tagliatelle with Chicken, Mushrooms and Wild Garlic pesto:

(Serves approximately 1-2 people)


Ingredients:

–  Approximately 200g of Tagliatelle Pasta
–  1 Tbsp of Rapeseed oil (no more as there is oil in the pesto)
–  2 Spring Onions finely chopped
–  1/4 of Leek finely sliced
–  3-4 Chestnut mushrooms sliced
–  100-150g of Cooked Roast chicken shredded 
–  1/2 chicken stock cube crumbled into sauce
–  1 Tbsp of the Wild Garlic pistachio Pesto (as above ) more if you like it to be more of a garlic Flavour.
– A Good Splash of Dry White Wine (100ml)
–  150ml of Double cream

Method:

–  Cook the Tagliatelle to packet instructions.

–  Fry off the leeks and mushrooms until starting to soften.

– Add the Shredded Chicken, Spring Onion and chicken stock and cook for a further couple of minutes. 

– Add the Pesto, coating all of the mixture.

– Pour in the Wine, reduce a little and then add the cream. 

–  Drain the Pasta but use maybe 2 Tbsp of pasta water into the sauce. Place Pasta into the sauce and serve into warm bowls.


Finally, You may recall my recipe for St George’s Day when I made the Wild Garlic and fennel bread. 
 That bread actually lasted me a full week, which was great. They were some leftover and I didn’t have much room in the freezer so I decided to do a Panzanella, which is a traditional Tuscan summer salad.  There have been many different versions of this and mine isn’t very traditional, I added meat, mine was more dry and I added Wild Garlic, a kind of Italy meets Leicestershire’s Hedgerows! However it was a very lovely Lunch the day I made it.

Panzanella with Salami and Wild Garlic:




Ingredients:

(Approximately for 2 people)

–  A couple of slices of Wild garlic and fennel bread, torn into chunks for croutons
–  A handful Selection of Peppery Salad leaves (Rocket, Mizuna, Red Chard etc…)
–  1 Yellow Bell Pepper 
– 1 Red Bell Pepper
–  120g of Ripened well baby plum tomatoes
–  1-2 Tbsp of baby capers from a Jar 
–  Few slices of Italian Salami torn into pieces 
–  3-4 Basil leaves torn
–  1 Tbsp of Good quality Extra Virgin Olive oil
–  10 Wild Garlic flower Buds (already started opening) 
–  Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to season

Method:

–  Take your Bell peppers and either Roast in the oven until skins are starting to turn black or Burn onto a Gas flame (If confident) *Note, as I am a qualified and trained chef, I have done this many a time*

– Once black, peel off the skins revealing a lovely soft sweet flesh and slice lengthways 

–  Coat the Bread for croutons in a little Sea salt, Black Pepper and olive oil and either pop in a dry frying pan to toast or again you could place in the oven.

–  Arrange all of the ingredients in a bowl, drizzle with Olive oil and Serve. A simple, But impressive salad.























Saturday Night Food…Dinner Party anyone?

March 26, 2014

Following on from a great day I had with Ben Jackson for Food Friday, Saturday came and I was still so full of cooking energy and immediately wanted to come up with something new again! 
  Now, not always does this happen straight off when recipe developing and with a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc being in my system (evening by this time),  I didn’t think I was going to be as pleased as I was with this recipe.  
   This may not be everyones “Cup of tea” I realise that, but I felt it was the nicest risotto I had made in a long time. I am yet to cook this for my fiancé as he was away at the time and I am intrigued to see what he thinks also, he’s always honest! 

  So, from the recipe that I had done the day before, I had bits and bobs left over in the fridge including some of the lovely Pearl Barley I had pre cooked. There were bacon opened as I fancied a BLT for breakfast, anyway you get the gist!
   This is what I came up with in the end.  It took me a long time to figure out a title name for the recipe as theres a lot going on in it, but it came to me that the title for this is right really. Its leftover ingredients but not with Potato in this instance. Even though it doesn’t have specific Springtime ingredients in this, It did make me think of Spring when I dived into it.


My 2 Grain Bubble and Squeak Risotto with Bacon,  Poached Egg and vegetable crisps.

 Ingredients:

(Serves 2 as a large portion or may stretch to 4 for starters)

–  1 Tbsp Olive or Rapeseed oil
–  2 Knobs of Butter
–  1-2 Garlic cloves chopped
–  1 small Onion diced
–  2 rashers of Bacon
–  2-3 leaves of Savoy Cabbage sliced thinly
–  3-4 Chestnut mushrooms chopped small
–  1/4 of a leek sliced thinly
–  100g of cooked Pearl Barley
– 150g of Arborio Rice
–  175ml of Dry White Wine ( 1 Glass for yourself also! )
–  500ml of Chicken stock keeping hot.
–  Sprig of fresh Thyme
–  Eggs for Poaching
– 1 Parsnip and a small amount of Butternut Squash for the Vegetable Crisps
– Vegetable Oil for the frying of the Crisps
–  Sprinkle of caster Sugar for the Crisps
–  Salt and Cracked Black Pepper for seasoning 
–  Grated Parmesan Cheese to finish




Fry off the Onion and Leek in some olive oil, then when starting to sweat down a little, add the butter.

 Add the Bacon, Mushrooms, 1/4 of the Cabbage first, Garlic and Thyme.


 Once cooked down a bit add in the risotto rice, stir gently and add your wine. Once the wine has almost evaporated you can add your Hot Chicken Stock a bit at a time.

 Whilst the Risotto is cooking away, Peel your Parsnip and Butternut Squash very thinly like so and fry off in oil. I have used a Wok but if you have a Deep Fat Fryer, great! 

 They only take about a minute. Once starting to brown, bring them out onto Kitchen Paper. Sprinkle with a tiny amount of Caster sugar.

 Add the rest of your Cabbage and Pearl Barley to the Risotto, Poach your egg and finish with another knob of Butter, parmesan Cheese and any seasoning required.

Top with your Poached Egg and add Your Vegetable Crisps for Sweetness and Crunch.

More Yummy Comfort Food.

February 20, 2014

It was, I quote, WAS a lovely, sunny morning today in Leicestershire.  I am not sure if It was the same where you are in the Uk? Or even in the World for that matter?  Please do not rub it in if you are lounging on a sun stretched beach somewhere in the Seychelles or somewhat close to that Idilic thought!  Mind you If you are, I would like to know about the Food you are eating?   Anyway, going off topic…
  I looked out of my conservatory and starting thinking of Spring, flowers, fresh linen and a little thought of “Holiday food” as the Sun shone through and actually made it feel quite warm as I sipped at my cup of tea looking at how much the Garden needed a “Spring Clean.”
 These thoughts didn’t last much longer though as a Grey cloud came over above my house and dampened my thoughts with yet ANOTHER wet, heavy shower of rain. I then had to pull on a cardigan and turn the heating back on! 
  My thoughts then of food quickly changed and of course I then wanted, Yummy, comforting, wholesome food.  Which brought me back to a couple of weeks ago…One Sunday afternoon when I didn’t fancy cooking a Full Roast and was wanting something different. I didn’t expect this dish to be so Yummy and a great Family recipe, which I failed in taking many pictures, so I do apologise for this! 
 I had to share this recipe though because I feel If you want a wholesome dish, maybe a Pie, but you cannot be bothered with making or even rolling out some Pastry as I know some of us sometimes think.  Then this is ideal.  I cannot wait to do it again to be honest.


Chicken and Veg pie with a Potato Cheesy topping:



Ingredients:

(Depending on how big your pie dish is, mine is about 10 inches by 5 inches wide)

Chicken Pie Mix:

–  3 Chicken Breasts, 2 if large , but you could also use thigh meat if you wanted. I used Breast meat for this for a more chunkier meat.
–  1 small onion chopped roughly.
–  1-2 carrots depending on how big, diced 1cm cubes (pre cook these before going in the pie)
–  1 leek sliced 1 cm in width 
–  Dried herbs (I used schwartz schwartz de provence mix)
–  1 Chicken stock cube. My need to add water if your white sauce becomes too thick.
–  Frozen petit pois or peas
–  50g of unsalted butter
–  2 tbsp Plain flour
–  300ml of milk (Mine was semi skimmed but ok to use whole milk)
–  1 tbsp of Dijon Mustard
–  salt and pepper to season
–  Fresh parsley chopped finely.

Potato topping:

–  Approximatley 6-8 Good sized Maris piper potatoes. If you have mash left over, it will go for another meal.
–  100ml of Double cream
–  1 tbsp of  Dijon Mustard
–  A good knob of unsalted Butter
–  Salt and Pepper to season
– Grated Mature Cheddar, you decide on how much on top! 


Preheat your Oven to 180-200c.  
Peel and Boil your Potatoes in salted water until tender. 
Drain the Potatoes well and Mash with a Masher or a Potato ricer along with the Cream, butter, Mustard and seasoning. Cover the pan and leave aside, keeping warm.
  Fry off the onion with your Chicken in One big Pan such as above (Mine was a Cast Iron pot) until starting to colour. 
In the meantime take a small saucepan to make your White sauce to go with your pie. Fry off the butter in the small saucepan, add the flour and use a whisk to make a roux (Equal amounts of fat and flour) to form a paste. Add your milk gradually whisking, do not have on a high heat. Add the mustard and seasoning and you will see a thick white sauce.
  Add your carrots, leeks, peas and herbs to the other big pot with the chicken and onions. Then add all Mixture together like so as above.
 Place into a pie dish and top with the mashed Potato. Bake in the Oven for about 20 mins once starting to brown. Then top with grated cheese and bake for a further 10 minutes or if needed more. 
 A Yummy, Comforting, Chicken and Veg pie with an extra special cheesy Mash. 






A Meat Free and Fuss Free Leftover Gem…

February 10, 2014

I almost forgot to tell you lovely readers out there about this little gem of a dish, of which I never imagined tasting as nice as it did.  I have come up with different versions of this before but not so much with these ingredients, more spicy, such as Mexican style.

  It was in the middle of my “Roast Pork challenge” and by lunch time of the 3rd and final day, I was crying out for something Vegetarian.  I do like my Meat, but I also like variety in a week.  So I took a look into my Fridge and I literally save everything that I can safely put back into another meal the following day.  Here in my fridge were various tubs of cooked vegetables, including the potatoes.  I assembled all ingredients with lids off the tubs and took a glare.  Ok Im going to whack everything together, add Eggs and spices, a bit like Bubble and Squeak and Hope for the best! 

  It was lovely. Warming,comforting and a really nice Lunch that again was very cheap and quick to allow me to carry on writing.  So if you have any of your Veg from yesterdays Roast, why not give this a Go?…




*Not the Greatest looking dish, I know!* but tastes lush.

 Scrambled Veg with Eggs :


Ingredients:


( Baring in mind, you can be as versatile with this recipe as you like. It is your leftovers, these were just mine) … Amounts do not matter in this.


–  Tbsp of Rapeseed oil or the oil you normally fry in?
–  1 Clove of fresh Garlic chopped finely
–  1 Spring onion chopped.
–  A 2 inch piece of fresh Leek sliced finely
–  A Tsp of mild Curry powder
–  1/2 Tsp of smoked paprika
–  Salt and Pepper to season.

–  4 leftover Cooked roast potatoes

–  Some leftover cooked Savoy cabbage
–  A few leftover cooked carrots about 6 pieces, if being precise.
–  Some leftover cooked sugar snap peas 
–  Some sliced, Cooked white onion.
–  2-3 eggs depending on size
–  Salt and Pepper to season.
If you want more spice, Add fresh chilli to heat it up! 


In a bowl, Mash the Cooked roast potatoes roughly.  Add all of the cooked ingredients and mash up with your hands (Fun Part!). 

Whisk the eggs in another Bowl as you would for an Omelette and season a little.

Pop the chosen oil into your frying pan and start to fry off the leeks, garlic, spring onion, curry powder and paprika.

Then add the Cooked leftover Potato and Vegetable mix. Followed by the Eggs and now the world is your Oyster as you can scramble the whole lot as I did or try and flatten like Bubble and Squeak!  Whatever you have chosen to put in this or however you cook it? It is as Versatile as you want it to be.

A lovely Meat Free, Fuss free, thrifty Lunch or Dinner. You choose…