Category: Onions

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.

My warming beef stew with a hint of the med

February 12, 2013

Over The weekend in The Uk…As the “High meets the Low”, and brings in the Snow…I decided to cook a warm Hearty meal again but not too heavy.  I personally Do not mind the snow, as I have mentioned before that I love seasonal change and of course the food brought with it.  But maybe some of my readers would appreciate a bit “more warmth”. As some might have that thought of the Lovely foods abroad as we start looking at those Flights and Hotels and jetting away for summer. (I know You are out there!).

 So My perfect recipe I thought for this is…

 My Warming Beef Stew with a hint of the med.(Half English Stew and Greek Beef Stifado).


ChezJ9 © 2013.



Recipe : 

(Serves 4)

Beef Shin or Chuck diced 400g
Olive oil 
2 Onions roughly chopped
Plain flour to coat the meat
seasoning 
approx 250ml good quality Beef Stock (strong) any questions on this please comment me?
Red wine (Chianti) 250ml
2 tblsps of Tomato puree 
A good pinch of oregano I had dried but if fresh, use half at the beginning and half at the end.
2 or 3 Bay leaves dry or fresh again
Dash of Balsamic vinegar
2-3 Carrots
2-3 Parsnips
1 medium sized Leek sliced very chunky 3/4 inch thick
2 chestnut mushrooms finely chopped
Fresh Basil and Parsley to serve.


Pat Your meat with a good quality kitchen towel or Tea towel as your meat needs to be nice and dry to help it brown.  Then coat it lightly in plain flour with some salt and cracked black pepper. Not too much salt as you can always add later on.
 In a hot Deep stewing/casserole pan start to brown off the meat using the olive oil. Once it has a nice browning around the edges take out and place on Kitchen paper. 
 Start frying of half of the chopped onions until starting to brown. Add the Bay leaves, oregano, Beef, Tomato puree, dash of balsamic vinegar, Beef stock and the Red wine. Give a good stir and keep on a simmering heat. Always keep checking your stew to take off any scum from the flour also in fear of drying out. if so just keep tasting and adding water and if need be more wine and beef stock. 
 Once the meat is starting to become soft add your carrots, then after 8 minutes your parsnips and about 5 minutes after, your leeks and mushrooms go in.

If you find at any point it’s too tart, then add a touch of cinnamon.  When it is ready to serve add the chopped Basil and Parsley.

As this is such a versatile dish, you could serve with Crusty Bread, Polenta, Rice or In my case…Mashed Potato (Maris Pipers). I added Cream, Butter, seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon of Horseradish sauce (The best you can find). 

Please at any point if you feel you don’t understand somethings on this recipe? just contact me? as it sounds a long, complicated dish but once you get the hang of these sorts of dishes…they will come as a breeze to you 🙂