Chorizo Skillet Supper

This recipe showcases Capellini pasta.    Capellini is not something which I have had a very easy time finding here in the UK actually.

Capellini, or angel hair pasta traditionally cooks in a fraction of the time as regular pastas.  I decided to do an all in one pan dish, with the pasta actually cooking in the sauce.  I thought Capellini would be perfect for this because of it's shorter cooking time.

I used fresh chorizo sausage, which was easily crumbled and gave the sauce a bit of a kick.  Feel free to use the dried version as well.  Both are good.

Some tinned chopped tomatoes, a tin of drained borlotti beans, some frozen peas along with onion, garlic and stock and I had a very delicious entree indeed, and all in one pan.

I like it when I can cut back on the washing up don't you???   All in all it made for a lovely and fairly quick supper.  A scattering of grated cheddar on top and we were good to go.  The pasta worked very well and the whole dish was very tasty and colourful.  A pleaser all round!

*Chorizo Skillet Supper*

Serves 6 to 8

Printable Recipe 

A quick and simple supper that is not only easy to make but quite, quite delicious! 

1/2 pound chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces if it is the dried chorizo, skins removed and crumbled if it is the raw sausage like chorizo

1 TBS olive oil

340g of capellini pasta (12 ounces angel hair) or thin spaghetti, broken in half

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and finely chopped (or to taste)

1 (400g) tin of beans (black bean preferred, or your favourite will do) drained and rinsed.  (15 1/2ounces)

1 (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes in juice, undrained (14.5 ounces)

675ml of chicken stock (3 cups)

1 TBS dried oregano

a coffee mug of frozen petit pois

120g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the oil.  Heat and then crumble in the chorizo.  Cook for 3 to five minutes, until golden Scoop out and set aside.  Reduce the heat to medium.   Add the pasta and cook in the drippings for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta begins to toast.   Remove and set aside with the sausage.  Add the onions and garlic to the drippings.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to soften and very fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and oregano.  Return the  pasta and sausage to the pan.   Stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 8 to ten minutes, until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Stir in the frozen peas and heat through.   Season to taste.  Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.

Now THAT'S what I call a Baked Potato!

It's no secret.  I love, LOVE potatoes.  Low carb doesn't work for me.  I cannot live without potatoes.  It's as simple as that.  They are my favourite vegetable.   I love them any way I can get them . . . boiled, mashed, steamed, fried . . . but my favourite of all is BAKED!  I just adore baked, or jacket potatoes as they are sometimes called.  In fact my very first meal here in the UK back in 2000 was a jacket potato topped with cheese at a little cafe in Euston station whilst we were waiting to catch our train up here to Chester.  

So as you can imagine I was thrilled when the Bannisters' Farm people asked me if I would like to try some of their frozen potato products.  I am no stranger to the 4 ready baked potatoes packet.  I've been buying them regularly since I first spied them in the shops a couple of years ago.  I just adore them.   You can have one baked and on the table in 6 minutes, which is pretty handy, but if you are like me, you wil love, LOVE them baked in the oven until the skin gets all crispy (the skin is the best part of a baked potato in my opinion).

From their page:

 4 Ready Baked Potatoes

Cross cut and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil

A perfectly baked potato which can be taken out of the freezer and microwaved in a few minutes to give that deliciously traditional baked potato taste.
Our Baked Potatoes are the perfect staple for your freezer – fabulous for a meal for one with some beans, some chilli left over from entertaining friends at the weekend or as an accompaniment to a good old roast chicken and some steamed vegetables to ensure that your family have had a great hearty meal, rich in fibre, low in fat and highly nutritious.

• Traditionally Oven baked
• No nasties added
• Gluten Free
• No added Salt
• Suitable for vegetarians

You can have them on the table in six minutes if you use the microwave and 35 if you use the oven.

 

Fresh out of the oven . . . looking so tasty.  I can't wait to dig my fork in . . . .



Just perfect.  Nice and fluffy inside.   Nice and crisp on the outside.  To me that is the perfect canvas.   One that you can paint on with whatever your little heart desires.    Baked beans . . . cheese . . . baked beans and cheese . . . tuna mayonnaise . . . chili con carne,  curry chicken . . . I can't think of anything savoury that would not go on a baked potato.   Heck, even just sour cream, chopped chives and a bit of salt and pepper is fab . . . add crumbled bacon and I am in heaven!



The other day I had some leftover baked ham and so I used my mom's barbeque sauce recipe, added a tin of pineapple chunks and we had that ladled over the potatoes . . .

 

A bit of grated cheddar and it was just gorgeous . . . fluffy potatoes, crisp skins . . . salty ham . . .



that tangy spicy sauce, with a hint of sweet from the pineapple . . . that gooey rich cheese, melting down into all of that tastiness . . .

What's not to love about that????   (This sauce recipe is one of THE many recipes included in my Recipes to Keep Cookbooklet.  Check it out under the Cookbooklets heading above.)

 

*Mom's Barbeque Sauce*

makes about 3 cups

Printable Recipe    

This is the barbeque sauce my mom has always made.  We always loved it when she would cut up leftover ham into cubes and then bake them in this sauce in the oven.   We would have it with rice and it was really, really good.  You can also add a tin of pineapple chunks, replacing some of the water in the sauce with the juice from the pineapple  That's really good too!  If you do the ham thing, it's really tasty spooned onto a baked potato.  Hot dogs are good in this as well, ,chicke, pork.  It's good with most things! 

225ml tomato ketchup (1 cup)
450ml water (2 cups)
(I used less than that most times, about 1 1/2 cups)
60ml cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
60ml Worcestershire sauce (1/4 cup)
50g of soft light brown sugar
(1/4 cup packed)
(I like a bit more than this.  taste and adjust as desired)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp salt few drops Tabasco sauce
Mom's notes:  I add some soy sauce, chopped or minced onion, chopped celery and a bit of oregano 

 

Basically you just mix together all of the ingredients and pour them over some spareribs, chicken, ham, or whatever in a casserole with a lid, cover tighty and bake in a slow oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  (160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3)


They also sent me a package of their Littl'uns, same as the bigger ones, except smaller, just right for pint sized appetites.  Only 88 calories a piece, they're great for when you want just a taste of potato and don't want to go whole hog!  Or for those wee ones in the house who aren't quite up to eating a large baked potato.   Just perfect in only 3 minutes in the microwave.



Also included were these tasty Potato Skins, baked and filled with Cheese and Jalapeno

From their page:

Our baked potato skins are best cooked in the oven. But if you can't wait for 20 minutes, then you can use your microwave instead. They'll be a little less crispy, but still equally tasty. These are simply fantastic cooked on your barbeque too, particularly as a starter while your friends wait for the rest to cook! 

I confess I am no stranger to these either.  LLLLLUVERLY.  Not too spicy.  Just right.

To find out more about the Banister's Farm potato products check out their page.

Follow them on Facebook
Check out their tasty recipes. 

The Bannister's Farm potatoe products are available at most of the main supermarkets here in the UK.. 

In all honesty, I feel they are superior to the other frozen ones on offer in the shops.  Seriously.  Two thumbs up from the Rayner Family.  Closest to homemade you can find, in a fraction of the time that it would take to do from scratch.  Many thanks for sending me these to review.

Note - Although I was sent products free of charge to try out, my opinions are honest and my own.

Cheese and Caraway Sables

 

A few weeks back the people from Barber's 1833 Vintage Cheddar sent me a pack which included everything in it to make Spinach and Cheese Souffles.   I love it when that happens.   I made the soufflees the very next day.  I just could not wait to make them.  Everything was so fresh and looked so good.



I am a very experienced cook as you know.   As I was making them I queried a part of the recipe, which didn't quite look right and I almost  went with my gut feelings and did it the way I thought it should be done . . . but then I thought  to myself, no . . . you need to do this the way "their" recipe says to do it and so that is what I did.



What I ended up with was some very tasty failures as soufflees. They were more like omelettes, and they took twice as long as the recipe stated to bake . . . they were not soufflees.  We ate them anyways, and they were good, but not near what they should have been.

 

I should have gone with my gut instincts and done what I thought in the first place, but live and learn.  I will not give you their recipe as it is in error.  I didn't have any spinach left to do more and had in mind to  buy some more and try again, but I just haven't gotten around to that, so today I picked another recipe from out of their booklet and made these . . .



Cheddar Cheese and Caraway Sables from on the Barber's 1833 Vintage site.   I thought they would make the perfect pre-dinner nibble for Valentine's Dinner.



They turned out beautifully.   The dough was quite sticky.  I ended up freezing it prior to slicing it for baking and that worked perfectly.  I used a very sharp knife.

 

They were crisp, and buttery and filled with lots of beautiful cheese flavours.  Success!   The caraway went very well with the cheddar.   We love these.

*Cheddar Cheese and Caraway Sables*

Makes about 4 dozen

Printable Recipe

A recipe adapted from the Barber's 1933 Vintage Reserve Cheddar site.

100g Barber's 1833 Vintage Reserve Cheddar, grated (3 1/2 ounces)

100g butter, softened (scant 7 TBS)

100g plain flour (16 TBS)

1 medium egg yolk, beaten with 2 TBS cold water

caraway seeds to garnish  

Place the cheese, butter and flour into a food processor and blitz until it forms a dough.  Shape into a roll about 1 1/2inches in diameter. 

Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.   Line several baking sheets with baking paper.   Slice the well chilled roll into very thin discs.   Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets.

Brush the tops of each with some of the egg wash and sprinkle with a few caraway seeds.

Bakein the heated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until pale golden brown and slightly puffed.  Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Note:  You can also freeze the dough, wrapped tightly in freezer proof paper.  I was able to cut it quite easily with a sharp knife from a frozen state, and they baked in the same amount of time.   They are so thin that the dough was completely thawed by the time I had sliced, brushed and sprinkled.



The Barber family have been farming and making cheese at Maryland Farm in Somerset since 1833.   It is always matured for a minimum of 24 months.  I do so hope that they are ok with all the flooding that's been going on in Somerset.

I found the  Barber's 1833 Cheddar   to be an exemplar product.It had a lovely flavour, intense, with a delicious depth to it.  It is kind of brittle with a somewhat crunchy texture from little crystals which are scattered throughout.  These are a result of it's long slow aging and only added to this lovely cheese's charm.



I would buy this cheese in a heartbeat!   It was easily one of the best cheddar's I have eaten since coming to the UK, and I have been able to try quite a few different ones.     This was to be perfectly honest . . . simply beautiful.

Knorr Gravy Pots, Award Winners!

I got a fabulous hamper  in the post the other day. I love it when that happens.  Nestled inside was .this!!


Everything that anyone could possibly need to cook a delicious Roast Beef Dinner, with fresh carrots, potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, a joint of beef, a lovely porcelain gravy boat and these gravy pots from Knorr!



I have long been familiar with the Knorr stock pots and use them frequently, but I have not had a lot of experience with the gravy pots.  I was interested to learn that Knorr Gravy Pots have wond the Gravy/Stock category in the product of the year awards for 2014!  Exciting news for Knorr!

Launched in 2012, and now available in three flavours . . .  Beef, Chicken and Onion . . . these gravy pots provide a quick and easy accompaniement to any roast dinner.

 

Igor Zago:  (Knorr Professional Chef and mastermind behind Gravy Pots)

"Myself and the team that created this fantastic product are extremely proud of winning this award.  I love the Gravy Pots because they provide an authentic consistent result every time."

I am no stranger to the powdered gravy mixes that are out there.  I have used them from time to time. Their results however can often be mixed, and you end up with either lumps, or little specks of undissolved gravy mix throughout the gravy. I often have to seive it so that it is smooth.  My mother never used gravy mixes.  She always made her own from scratch using the meat juices, and flour and water.  Her gavy was always pretty good and that's basically how I have always done it myself, unless I am in a rush.



Today however, I used the Knorr Pots, well the beef ones anyways and I was pleasantly surprised.   It was dark in colour, compared to my homemade stuff, which I rather liked and the flavour was really nice without being overly salty.  I like that.  I did add some of the juices from cooking my roast to the pot with the gravy pot.  The instructions were easy to follow and the end result was quite tasty.    I give them 10 out of 10 and am not surprised in the least that they have won an award.  I think they should be very proud of this indeed.   Innovative, easy to use, good flavours and perfect results.  You can't ask for more than that.

 

I used my method for cooking the perfect roast beef, which you will find here.  It always ends up with the perfect roast beef.  Seriously.  Trust me on this.

Many thanks to Knorr and the Unilever kitchen people for sending me these to try out.  Although I was sent this lovely hamper for free, any and all opinions are my own.

Knorr Gravy Pots are readily available in most Grocery shops here in the UK, at a very reasonable price.

Strawberry Filled Brioche Rolls

 

I do get sent the nicest things.   I am sure you get quite tired of reading about the latest things I have been sent to try sometimes, but I do try to make my posts more interesting by creating something tasty with whatever it is that I have been sent!



The East India Company recently sent me a couple of their products, a pot of Strawberry and Pepper Jam and a jar of Chocolate Island Cane Sugar.   I had not heard of the East India Company before they contacted me but what I learned about them was very interesting indeed.

Granted a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, The East India Company was founded to explore the mysteries of the East. As The Company grew, it mapped trade routes through unchartered territory and changed social customs, tastes and ways of thought to influence the very fabric of our lives today.




The Company’s pioneering spirit and sense of adventure created British India, founded Hong Kong and Singapore and introduced tea to Britain and India. Their warehouses were places of wonder, stocking never before seen silks, chintzes, calicos, porcelain, coffees, chocolates and spices from around the world. They played a pivotal role in writing our history by planting the first teas in Darjeeling, causing the Boston Tea Party; holding Napoleon captive; and generating the fortune of Elihu Yale, founder of Yale University.



Strawberries and Black Pepper are a beautiful combination.  I often sprinkle my berries with black pepper, and in fact shared a recipe for you a while back for  Strawberry Shortcakes with Black Pepper and Elderflower Cream, which was fabulous.  So I was really excited about trying this Strawberry and Pepper Jam.   It was wonderful.   We love jam in this house and there is just the right combination of sweet, with a nice burst of peppery.   Ten out of ten!  You can buy this jam on their page.  At £6.95 it's a tad bit pricey, but that is often the case with speciality goods and this is definitely a speciality good.



I was also sent a jar of their Chocolate Island Cane Sugar.  From their page:

 A blend of organic hand-grown and harvested sugar combined with the irresistible flavour of cocoa. A dash of this artisan chocolate sugar will breathe devilish goodness into any recipe.

Presented in an attractive jar, with a cork lid and red seal on the top, it looked quite nice and there was a nice burst of chocolate scent when I opened the jar.  It also tasted very chocolatey, and left a nice coating of cocoa on my fingers after I ran them through it.   It, too, is a bit pricey, at £10, but once again, it is a speciality item.   You would and should expect to pay more for something like this.   This would make a fabulous gift for the chocolate lover in your life.



I was able to use some of each to create these delicious breakfast brioche rolls.  Using tender and buttery  French Milk Brioche Rolls that I usually have in the house and some eggs, and just a bit of each ingredients these rolls made a wonderfully different breakfast roll that was a treat and not so hard to make as you would think.



It's as simple as gently tearing a hold in the centre of the rolls, dipping them into beaten egg and then rolling them in cinnamon sugar . . .



Spooning some jam down the centre into the hole you have torn . . . sprinkling them with the chocolate sugar (or regular demerara sugar if that is all you have), placing them in a baking tin, dotting some butter around and then  baking them for several  minutes.



The end result being a moreishly butter bun, with a crunchy cinnamon sugar coating and a delicious jam filling.   What's not to like about that I ask?    Absolutely nothing I say !  These were simply quite quite fabulous.

 

*Strawberry Filled Brioche Rolls*

Makes 6

PrintableRecipe 

Kind of like a jam bread and butter pudding, except it's enclosed . . . in buttery brioche rolls that are dipped in cinnamon sugar and baked with butter around them.  Decadently delicious breakfast treat.

2 large free range eggs, beaten with a fork

6 TBS granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 small French Milk Brioche Rolls

12 tsp of strawberry preserves

4 TBS of cold butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Line a baking dish with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl, mixing thoroughly.  Beat the eggs together in another shallow bowl.    Take the brioche rolls and gently tear them apart in the centre so that you have a hollow down the length of the roll, leaving them intact at either ends, without removing any bread.  Just gently tear and press an opening into the centres.   Dip the rolls into the beaten eggs, letting it soak in a bit to the interior, and then allowing any excess to drain off.   Roll the tops of the rolls into the cinnamon sugar and then place into the prepared baking dish.   Spoon 2 teaspoons of jam down the centre of each.   Sprinkle with the extra granulated sugar evenly over top.  Drop the small cubes of butter around and between each roll and the sides of the pan.

Bake for about 10 minutes in the heated oven until the butter has melted and soaked into the rolls and the rolls are golden brown and lightly crisped and the jam is bubbling.   Allow to cool slightly before eating.  These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

If you are looking for something just a little bit unique and special for that foodie in your life, I would highly recommend the East India Company.  You can order from a fairly extensive line of fine foods online, and they also have some retail stores that you can shop in the London area.  (Mayfair, Blue Water and Covent Garden)  You can also find their products in Selfridges, Harrods, The British  Library, Mitsukoshi, and the National Maritime Museum.  (Again all in the London area.)

Many thanks to the East India Company for sending these lovely items to me.

Note:  Although I was sent these articles to try, all opinions are my own.

Jalapeno Pepper Jam Baked Brie and Valentines Day . . .

I was recently sent a gift pack from Godminster Cheese, just in time for Valentines day . . . their sweet "Heart to Heart" set,   is a tasty combination of a delicious 200g Vintage Organic Cheddar and 150g Heart-Shaped Organic Brie, both heart shaped and presented in their very own unique gift box.



 Godminster Vintage Cheddar is completely organic, containing no preservatives and encased in a ruby coloured wax.  There is no need to remove the wax as it makes the perfect case to keep it in.  You can simply slice the top off and scoop out the cheese and then replace the "lid" when you are done.  Best served at room temperature, this lovely chedddar is rich and creamy.  Quite delicious!

Godminster Traditional Organic Brie, is an organic soft cheese, created using fresh milk from the Godminster Farm.  With it's fresh flavour and creamy texture, this was also quite delicious.



Inclued as well was a round of their lovely Organic Brie which I decided to do something interesting with.   I wanted to make something which would be wonderful as an appetizer for your Valentines Day Celebrations.

Brie cheese is just wonderful baked . . . it melts beautifully and it's delicious flavour and texture are a wonderful canvas upon with to layer other flavours.



I cut it in half whilst it was still really, really cold from the fridge and then place the bottom round, cut side up on a square of Puff pastry.  



I spread the creamy top of the bottom layer with some Jalapeno Pepper Jam that I had picked up at Morrisons at Christmas time but hadn't had occasion to use yet.  It was so pretty and jewel-like . . . and flecked with lots of red jalapeno pepper flakes.  I then placed the other half on top and covered encased the round completely with the puff pastry, sealing it shut.  (You want to do this really well or you could have a blow out!)



I decorated the top with heart cutouts placed in a round to resemble a pretty blossom, with a few little stamen balls in the centre, and then brushed the whole thing with some beaten egg yolk and ater.



Fifteen minutes later we were rewarded with gloriously rich and creamy gooey brie mixed with that hot pepper jam . . . perfect for spreading onto soft slices of a fresh French loaf . . . and topped with a few leaves of rocket . . .

 

Or  onto buttery  pepper crackers, and served with some crisp slices of a sweet red eating apple, it went down a real treat.   We both enjoyed this immensely.  Not only was it attractive, but it was quite simply . . . delicious.  How often do you get an appetizer that is so delicious without having put much effort into it.  I would serve this to anyone . . .

* Jalapeno Pepper Jam Baked Brie*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

This is the easiest and tastiest appetizer.  Everyone loves it.  

1 8-oz wheel of Brie Cheese

1/2 package of all butter, ready roll puff pastry

4 TBS Jalapeno Pepper Jam

1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water  

To serve (optional)

Sliced French Baguette

crisp crackers

rocket leaves
sliced apples  

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper.  Set aside. 

You will want your cheese to be really cold.  Using a sharp knife, cut the cheese in half horizontally through the middle.  Place the sheet of puff pastry onto the lined baking sheet.  Place the bottom half of the brie in the middle.  Spread the Pepper Jam over top almost to the edges.  Top with the other half of the Brie, cut side down.   Cut the corners off the pastry, so you have a rough circle shape.   Brush the edges of the circle with some beaten egg.   Bring the pastry up to cover the round of Brie, folding and pinching to seal.  Using the scraps cut out decorative shapes to decorate.  Brush the outside of the pastry with some egg and then place the cutouts on top of where you have sealed the Brie shut in a decorative manner.  Brush them with egg too.   

Bang the Brie into the preheated oven.  Bake for 15 minutes or so until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.  Place on a serving board and arrange with crackers, sliced baguette, some rocket and sliced apple.




You can purchase the Godminster Heart to Heart set    of cheeses on the Godminster site for £17.45
Do visit their page for information of stockists near you, and other information about their products.

Although I was given this cheese to try out, all opinions are expressly my own.  It was to be perfectly honest . . . quite simply lovely.  Many thanks to Godminster for sending it to us.  I would buy this cheese quite happily for any special occasion.