Carrot Courgette & Parsley Flan

Memory Lane…

Don’t you love when you rediscover an old favourite? Although it has been more than two decades I clearly recall making this for a friend & his slightly eccentric sister who was visiting him from San Francisco while we were staying at his picturesque red brick schoolhouse hidden away at the end of an overgrown leafy laneway on the banks of the River Nanny… JJ

Ingredients & Costing…
Filling
Spanish Onion x 1 diced	0.33
Carrot x 125gm diced	0.15
Courgette x 125gm diced	0.33
Butter x 25gm	0.12
Cream x 125ml	0.58
Milk x 125ml	0.12
Eggs x 4 beaten (free range)	0.96
Fresh Parsley x 2 tblsp chopped	0.50
Nutmeg x pinch	0.05
Maldon Sea Salt	0.05
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
Pastry
Wholemeal Flour x 150gm	0.08
Plain Flour x 200gm	0.10
Butter x 175gm	0.88
Cold Water	0.00
6 Hearty Servings	€4.30

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Heat the butter in a heavy based saucepan and sauté the onions & carrots for approximately 10 minutes until the onions are translucent, add the courgette & cook for a further 5-10 minutes, allow to cool slightly

æ      To make pastry sift the flour into a bowl tipping in any bran left in the sieve, add the cubed butter, using your fingertips work together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, make a well in the centre & add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water. Mix to a soft dough adding more water if required, roll out the pastry & line a 9” greased flan case

æ      To “Blind Bake”  the pastry place a circle of greaseproof paper on top of the pastry (ensuring it comes up the sides of the flan case) & fill with dried or ceramic beans, place on the centre shelf of a preheated oven (gas mark 5) for 15 minutes, remove beans & greaseproof paper & bake for a further 5-10 minutes, (save the beans as they can be reused)

æ      Pile the vegetable mixture into the hot flan case

æ      Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream & pinch of nutmeg in a bowl, add the parsley & season well with salt & freshly ground black pepper. Pour mixture into pastry case

æ      Place in the top half of a pre heated oven (gas mark 5) for 30 minutes until golden brown & set. Allow to cool slightly before serving

Tip Off…

Swapping recipe tips with one of our kayaking instructors on a recent weekend away she commented that having made the “Roast Red Pepper, Carmelised Onion & Goats Cheese Quiche” with wholemeal flour she was pleased with the results which has prompted me to use the wholemeal version for this flan… JJ

Nut Roast

Nuts & Bolts of Vegetarian Cuisine…

Sharing a house with a vegetarian shortly after leaving college gave me plenty of opportunity to experiment with vegetarian cuisine. A general misconception at the time was that vegetarians only ate salad or steamed vegetables, it did not take me long to discover that using the right ingredients & a little imagination you can recreate the essence of almost any meat or fish dish. For a number of years a variation of this nut roast complete with a layer of fresh herb stuffing served with homemade cranberry sauce took pride of place on our Christmas table….  JJ

Ingredients & Costing…
Spanish Onion x 1 finely diced	0.33
Fat Clove of Garlic x 2 crushed	0.10
Butter x 25gm	0.12
Pine Kernels x 50gm toasted	0.88
Hazelnuts x 75gm toasted	0.67
Walnuts x 50gm ground	0.44
Cashew Nuts x 50gm ground	0.88
Wholemeal Breadcrumbs x 100gm	0.20
Mixed Herbs x 2 tblsp	0.10
Nutmeg x pinch	0.05
Egg x 1 (free range) beaten	0.24
Vegetable Stock x 250ml	0.18
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
Maldon Sea Salt	0.05
4 Hearty Portions	€4.29

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Melt the butter in a medium heavy based saucepan, sauté the onion & garlic for 5 minutes, remove pan from the heat & allow to cool

æ      Toast the pine kernels & hazelnuts (this enhances their flavour), allow to cool & grind the toasted nuts in a blender

æ      In a mixing bowl combine the pine kernels, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, breadcrumbs, dried herbs & nutmeg, stir well to ensure ingredients are thoroughly mixed

æ      Add the onion & garlic, stock, beaten egg & season generously with freshly ground black pepper & sea salt

æ      Pile the mixture into a greased, lined loaf tin & press down well. Place on the centre shelf of a preheated oven (gas mark 4) & cook for 30 minutes – a knife inserted in the centre of the loaf should come out clean

æ      Serve with  steamed vegetables, roast potatoes & red wine jus

Seed of Doubt…

Although it is generally agreed that eating nuts is healthy for you there appears to be a lot of conflicting information regarding exactly “how” healthy. Also, surprisingly most “nuts” are actually seeds surrounded by a very hard stony or woody wall… JJ

Anchoiade

En Provence…

Relaxing with friends over a glass of red wine in the warm evening sunshine outside a rustic French Auberge has to be one of the most idyllic ways to spend a summer evening, these delicious “Anchoïade”  infused with the flavours of Provence will help recapture the moment even in the wintry Irish sunshine….  JJ

Ingredients & Costing…
Anchovy Fillets x 45g tin	0.89
Onion x 1 small finely diced	0.15
Fat Clove of Garlic x 1 crushed	0.05
Tomatoes x 2 skinned & chopped	0.33
Tomato Puree x 3 tsp	0.25
Black Olives x 8 chopped	0.10
Dried Herb de Provence x 1 tsp	0.10
Fresh Parsley x 1 tblsp chopped	0.33
Wine Vinegar – a few drops	0.05
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
Croutons - Giant
Vienna Roll x 6 slices diagonally cut	0.50
Fat Clove of Garlic x 1 crushed	0.05
Olive Oil x 2 tblsp	0.05
3 - 6 Portions	€2.90

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Using a pestle & mortar pound the anchovies & their oil to a pulp

æ      Add the diced onion, crushed garlic, chopped tomato flesh, tomato puree, chopped olives, herbs & a few drops of wine vinegar to the anchovies – stir well ensuring all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper (you will not need salt as the anchovies are quite salty). Allow to stand giving the flavours time to infuse

æ      Helpful Tip – to skin the tomatoes place them in a bowl of boiling water for approximately 30 seconds, remove them & make an incision with a sharp knife in the skin, it should instantly peel back making it easy to remove

æ      Meanwhile make the “giant” croutons as follows – cut Vienna roll on the diagonal into 1” slices, drizzle the olive oil onto a heavy based baking tray & sprinkle with crushed garlic. Press both sides of the bread onto the tray coating with olive oil & garlic. Place the tray on centre shelf of a preheated oven (gas mark 4) & bake for 20-25 minutes – keep a close eye on them towards the end as the can become overdone very quickly

æ      To serve pile the anchovy mixture onto the croutons, drizzle with olive oil & toast under a preheated grill for a couple of minutes to heat through, garnish with fresh basil

Size Matters Not…

This mixture is equally delicious served on smaller croutons as canapes… JJ

Chocolate Biscuit Cake - Individual

Health Warning…

Don’t you love when you discover a new twist on a favourite recipe? I misread part of this recipe given to me by my sister & added a tablespoon of honey in place of the teaspoon called for resulting in a mixture that did not quite set but retained a fudge like texture - I would not have believed there could be anything more scrumptious than the original & for any of you who thought the “kladkakka” should come with a health warning this is definitely one to be avoided….  JJ

Ingredients & Costing…
Dairy Milk Chocolate x 250g	1.89
Butter x 100g (unsalted)	0.54
Double Cream x 5 tblsp	0.40
Honey x 1 tblsp	0.05
Digestive Biscuits x 250g (broken)	0.25
Maltesers x 2 pkts	1.78
White Chocolate x 50g	0.32
6 Individual Portions	€5.23

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Melt the milk chocolate & butter in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water

æ      Stir in the honey & gradually add the double cream

æ      Combine the biscuits & Maltesers in a mixing bowl, stir in the melted chocolate ensuring the biscuits are well coated

æ      Double line individual tartlet cases with cling film & divide the mixture evenly pressing down well

æ      Place in a refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 2 hours

æ      Melt the white chocolate in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water, remove the chocolate biscuit cakes from their individual tartlet cases & drizzle with the melted chocolate, allow to cool

æ      Store in the refrigerator until required, remove & allow to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving

æ      Serve with whipped cream & fresh strawberries or raspberries

It’s a Rocky Road…

Experiment with the basic recipe - try adding mini marshmallows & roasted hazelnuts in place of some of the biscuits… JJ

Roast Chicken, Crunchy Roast Potatoes

Height of Indulgence…

Taking advantage of the fact that my usual Sunday activity had been moved to Saturday we decided to indulge ourselves with a traditional Sunday lunch – a rare occurrence in our household. We were rewarded with the most delicious crispy skin, melt in the mouth stuffing & my favourite, crunchy roast potatoes….  JJ

Ingredients & Costing…
Whole Chicken x 1.5kg (free range)	5.69
Potatoes x 1.5kg	0.29
Olive Oil x 3 tblsp	0.10
Maldon Sea Salt	0.05
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
Stuffing
Spanish Onion x ¼ very finely diced	0.08
Butter x 30gm	0.15
Soft Brown Breadcrumbs x 80gm	0.10
Fresh Herbs x 1 tblsp (parsley, basil)	0.25
Dried Mixed Herbs x 1 tsp	0.05
Egg x ½ beaten	0.12
Lemon x ½ juice & zest	0.12
Maldon Sea Salt	0.05
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
3-4 x Hearty Portions	€7.15

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      To make the stuffing fry the onion in melted butter until golden & allow to cool. Combine the breadcrumbs, fresh & dried herbs, lemon juice & zest with beaten egg in a bowl. Add the buttery onion & mix thoroughly, seasoning well to taste

æ      Peel the potatoes & cut into medium sized chunks. Place in a pan of cold water & bring to the boil, simmering for approximately 8 minutes, drain the cooking liquid & give the pan a good “shake” to rough up the potatoes a little

æ      Prepare the chicken by rinsing under cold running water & removing any giblets. Place the chicken on a heavy based baking tray & dry the skin thoroughly with kitchen paper, fill the body cavity with herb stuffing, rub olive oil into the skin & sprinkle well with crushed sea salt & a generous grinding of black pepper. Pour the remaining olive oil around the chicken

æ      Place tray on the high shelf of a preheated oven (gas mark 5) & cook for 1 hour & 20 minutes (20 minutes per 450g & 20 minutes over). After the first 20 minutes remove the tray from the oven & place the “par boiled” potatoes around the chicken, coating each one in hot olive oil & chicken fat. Baste the potatoes & chicken every 20 minutes during the cooking time

æ      To check the chicken is cooked, pierce the flesh behind the leg – the juices should run clear, when cooked leave the chicken to “stand” in a warm place for at least 10 minutes before serving, this allows all the succulent juices to be reabsorbed by the flesh. Serve with seasonal vegetables & gravy

Picked Clean…

I had great plans for making chicken pie or pasta bake when I stripped the chicken carcass clean of all those tasty shreds of flesh, brown meat & crispy skin I had overlooked the first time around, instead I make the most delicious roast chicken & stuffing sandwich on multi seed low GI bread with baby spinach & mayonnaise, a world apart from the pre packed variety available on most garage forecourts … JJ

Homemade Burger, Green Peppercorn Sauce

Stealing the Show…

Since my sister’s outstanding “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” celebration birthday dinner I have been planning to make peppercorn sauce but somehow as each week went by I managed to forget to buy a key ingredient or they got side tracked into another dish. Finally but not without the assistance of my brother & a last minute excursion to the shop all the ingredients were assembled. While the sauce was delicious & definitely worth the wait it was the onion rings that stole the show ….  JJ

Ingredients & Costing…
Minced Beef x 450gm (95% lean)	2.89
Egg x 1 beaten (free range)	0.27
Fat Clove of Garlic x 2 Crushed	0.05
Parsley Dried x 1 tsp	0.05
Nutmeg x ½ tsp	0.05
Baby Spinach x 50gm	0.49
Spanish Onion x 1 finely sliced	0.33
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
Flour x 50gm	0.05
Maldon Sea Salt	0.05
Floury Bap x 2 large	0.29
Sunflower Oil & Olive Oil for Frying	0.20
Sauce
Butter x 25gm	0.12
Shallot x 1 finely diced	0.10
Baby Mushrooms x 50gm sliced	0.75
Whole Green Peppercorns x 1½  tblsp	0.10
Whiskey x 110ml	1.90
Beef Stock x 150ml	0.16
Double Cream x 150ml	0.77
3 x Hearty Portions	€8.67

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Make the sauce in a heavy based frying pan by melting the butter over a high heat, add finely diced shallots, sliced mushrooms & cook for 2-3 minutes tossing occasionally. Add the green peppercorns & whiskey, to burn off the alcohol touch a lit match to the pan allowing the whiskey to “flame” for approximately 10 seconds before subsiding (ensure it is safe to “flame” your pan or omit this step if you are concerned about safety). Stir in the stock & gradually add the double cream, allow the sauce to simmer until it has reduced by one third, season to taste

æ      Slice the Spanish onion into fine rings, sprinkle with sea salt & allow to stand for a few minutes. Toss the onion rings in flour, shaking off excess & fry in sunflower oil until golden in colour, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to a bowl lined with crumpled greaseproof paper & keep warm

æ      Prepare the burgers by combining the minced beef, egg, dried parsley, clove of crushed garlic & generous seasoning in a bowl, mix thoroughly & shape into 3 even sized patties. Fry the burgers in a little olive oil for approximately 8 minutes on each side until cooked through

æ      Wilt the spinach over a medium heat in a knob of melted butter together with a clove of crushed garlic & the ground nutmeg

æ      Cut the floury baps in half horizontally & toast lightly on each side

æ      Assemble the burger on a bed of wilted spinach placed on ½ a toasted bap, pour over generous serving of green peppercorn sauce & top with a pile of golden onion rings

Actions Speak Louder Than Words…

Each & every plate at the dinner table was wiped clean after this meal – I think that say’s it all … JJ