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Stromboli

17th April 201817th April 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 4-6

My husband loves pizza. I donâ€™t think itâ€™s too much of an exaggeration to say it was his main food source prior to our meeting; in fact he got through two thirds of a pizza before realising he was meeting me at an Indian restaurant for our second date!

Now, above all other pizza, this Stromboli has become his favourite, helped in part by it being cooked only very occasionally. I can even stuff it full of vegetables he canâ€™t normally stand (courgettes are normally a no-go!) and he wolfs it down, declaring it to be utterly delicious!

Now, I make this a vegetarian Stromboli, because, quite simply, I prefer it. But there is nothing to stop you adding whatever filling you desire. In order to satiate my meat-loving husband, I serve it with a selection of Parma ham and salami on the side, so he can add what he likes as he eats, but I like it served with a large green salad.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
450g strong white bread flour
50g semolina
7g fast action dried yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
325ml warm water

For the pizza sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
500g passata
1 dsp caster sugar
1 dsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

For the roasted vegetables:
1 red onion, halved and sliced
1 white onion, halved and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 courgette, cut lengthways in to thin slices
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Youâ€™ll also need:
Flour for kneading and rolling
250g grated or fresh mozzarella
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Olive oil

Step 1: Make the dough by combining the flour, semolina and yeast in a large bowl.

Step 2: Separately combine the water, salt and oil.

Step 3: Using either a wooden spoon, or an electric mixer, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to form a smooth dough.

Step 4: Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and cover with a tea towel or clingfilm, and leave to rise, until itâ€™s doubled in size (this should take 30-45 minutes).

Whilst the dough is rising, roast the vegetables and make the pizza sauce.

Step 5: Combine all the ingredients for the roasted vegetables and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven at 180c for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Whilst the vegetables are roasting, make the sauce in a frying pan. On a medium heat, soften the onion for 5-10 minutes and then add the garlic and soften for a further 2 minutes.

Step 7: Stir in the chilli and oregano, then add the passatta, sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium-low heat. Season to taste.

Step 8: Remove the vegetables from the oven and the sauce from the heat and allow both to cool.

Step 9: Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out the dough in to a large rectangle (about 30cm x 45cm).

Step 10: Spread about half of the cooled pizza sauce onto the dough, leaving a 2cm gap around the edge. (The remaining sauce freezes well and can be used on pizza or stirred through pasta).

Step 11: Spread the cooled roasted vegetables over the sauce and then top with whole fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle over 200g of the mozzarella.

Step 12: Fold and tuck the short ends of the rectangle and then roll the dough lengthways, like a Swiss roll, and ensure the end is underneath to help it stay sealed.

Step 13: Leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Step 14: Rub 1 tbsp olive oil over the top of the stromboli and top with the remaining 50g of mozzarella.

Step 15: Using a baking sheet or pizza stone, place in a preheated oven (200c) and cook for 30-35 minutes until crisp and golden.

Serve with a green salad, and if you like, cured meats, such as salami and Parma ham.

Breakfast Pancakes with Berries and Yogurt

13th April 201813th April 2018
by thefoodwife

An indulgent breakfast is sometimes called upon and American-style thick fluffy pancakes ticks the box. I love these with crispy streaky bacon and lashings of maple syrup but if I pretend Iâ€™m being healthier, then topping them with berries and yogurt is my go-to.

This mix makes roughly eight pancakes, and so could serve eight or four… but sometimes, you just need to stack them high! So it can feed just two ~~pigs~~ people.

Ingredients for the pancakes:
200g self-raising flour
1 Â½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp caster sugar
Salt
3 large eggs
25g butter (melted)
200ml milk
Melted butter or oil for cooking

Ingredients for the compote:
300g frozen mixed berries
Caster Sugar

Greek yogurt to serve

Step 1: Mix together the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the centre and add the eggs, 25g melted butter and milk. Whisk together to make a smooth batter.

Step 2: Using a large frying pan (preferably non-stick) heat a little butter or oil over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour the batter from a jug or ladle into rounds roughly 10cm wide. Cook the pancakes on their first side for about 1-2 mins (youâ€™ll see little bubbles popping on the surface). Use a spatula to turn the pancakes over and cook for a further minute on the other side. Once cooked, remove and keep warm whilst you prepare your berry compote.

Step 3: Place your frozen (or fresh!) berries in a pan and put on a medium heat. Add sugar to taste (1tbsp per 100g makes for a sweet compote, adjust accordingly). Stir every so often until the berries have defrosted and given out their sweet juice, and the sugar dissolved.

Step 4: Stack your pancakes on a plate and top with the berry compote and a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

Lamb Three Ways

10th April 201810th April 2018
by thefoodwife

In Spring, British lamb is so delicious and is a real favourite in our house. So today, I bring you a trio of lamb dishes. Essentially itâ€™s one main recipe and then three meals you can get out of it – always good!

The first is where the ~~hard~~ work comes in. To be honest it is so easy and takes 10 or so minutes and then you can get on with your day whilst the lamb cooks low and slow in the oven, perfect!

This is a recipe for a Moroccan dish called Mechoui Lamb. We had it on Easter Sunday as something a bit different to the traditional roast. The meat is so tender and doesnâ€™t need to be carved as it simply breaks up with two forks. The outside has a beautiful spicy crust and the juices are full of flavour from the lamb, butter and spices.

I served this with mashed potato and roasted vegetables. If you have an Instant Pot you’re going to want to check out my quick and easy mash recipe here.

Slow Roast Mechoui Lamb

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
100g softened butter
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin or whole cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2-inch piece ginger, finely grated
Salt
2kg – 2.5kg leg of lamb
4 cloves of garlic, cut into thin slices
4 onions cut into 1cm slices
1 cup water

Step 1: Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C. Make the spiced butter by mixing the butter with the spices and ginger and season with Â½ tsp salt (I used my hands to ensure it was blended well).

Step 2: Use kitchen paper to pat the lamb leg dry. Use a sharp knife to cut incisions all over the flesh of the lamb, and insert the slices of garlic so the lamb is dotted with white flecks.

Step 3: Rub the spiced butter all over the lamb (both top and bottom should be coated), and then season with salt.

Step 4: Put the sliced onion rings across the bottom of a roasting tin and sit the lamb on top. Pour a cup of water into the roasting tin and then cover with a double-layer of foil, then place in the oven. Cook for 5 hours, then take the foil off, turn the oven up to 190C/fan 170C, and cook for another Â½ hour.

Step 5: Remove the lamb from the oven and leave to rest for at least 20 minutes, then use two forks to shred the lamb into chunks.

The onions and juices make a lovely accompaniament to the mashed potato and roasted vegetables if you are serving these.

The next two meals use the leftover lamb, and in one case any leftover mash you have from meal one (or you can just make some specifically for the meal).

The first is so simple and easy to put together and requires no recipe. You simply serve the shredded lamb cold or you could heat it (I just zapped it for a couple of minutes in the microwave) with couscous, salads and Greek yoghurt with fresh or dried mint swirled through it.

The final meal is a hark back to my childhood and would always be served a day or two after a roast lamb. If youâ€™ve never tried lamb rissoles (they were an alien concept to my husband before I first served them to him) then you must. The version I’ve given you here is the one I had growing up, however whilst researching other recipes I cannot find one quite like this that uses mashed potato and instead they contain breadcrumbs. My version is so tasty and wonderful served with a salad or vegetables of your choice. Well worth giving a go!

Lamb Rissoles

Makes 4

Ingredients:
270g mashed potatoes
270g diced roast lamb
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tbsp chopped rosemary
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp plain flour
1 beaten egg (optional)
Oil for frying

Step 1: Combine the mashed potatoes, diced lamb, chopped herbs and tomato ketchup in a large bowl. You should not need to add seasoning if the mash and lamb were previously seasoned. The mixture should be fairly sticky and stay together when pressed. If it is crumbly then add the beaten egg to help combine the mixture.

Step 2: Divide the mixture into four and shape into burgers/patties.

Step 3: Coat the rissoles in plain flour on their top and bottom. If you are making these ahead of time, it is at this stage you could put the rissoles in the fridge until ready to fry.

Step 4: Heat oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Cook the rissoles for a few minutes on each side until crisp and brown and hot all the way through.

Serve with a large green salad or vegetables of your choice.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

10th April 201810th April 2018
by thefoodwife

One of my favourite poems as a child was about mash. It perfectly summed up my love for the creamy, soft mountains of whipped potatoes that would accompany a multitude of meals. We would take it in turns to be the one who would mash and then beat butter and milk into the potatoes, and the prize, or chef’s privilege if you will, was to be able to lick the whisk!

Nowadays, I have a fool-proof, quick and ever so easy way of making mashed potatoes. Itâ€™s done in the Instant Pot, takes a couple of minutes to prepare and then just 15 minutes. Perfect mash with zero effort. But before I give you the instructions I think this poem is worth sharing – itâ€™s short, donâ€™t worry!

Mashed Potato/Love Poem
by Sidney Hoddes
If I ever had to choose between you
and a third helping of mashed potato,
(whipped lightly with a fork
not whisked,
and a little pool of butter
melting in the middle…)
I think
Iâ€™d choose
the mashed potato.
But Iâ€™d choose you next.

Ingredients:
Potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
25g butter
2 cloves garlic (peeled) (optional)
2 sprigs rosemary (optional)
1 cup water (160ml)
Salt and pepper to taste
Milk/cream/creme fraiche/butter

Step 1: Place your prepared potatoes into the Instant Pot (however much you need). Add the butter and water along with the garlic and rosemary (if using).

Step 2: Put the lid on and set the valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to cook manually for 15 minutes on high pressure.

Step 3: Either allow the pressure to depress naturally or do quick release (safely using a tea towel/long handled wooden spoon).

Step 4: Remove the rosemary and mash the potatoes, adding any extra fat (e.g. milk/cream/creme fraiche/butter) to taste along with salt and pepper.

Asian Pork Belly and the Instant Pot

7th April 20187th April 2018
by thefoodwife

The Instant Pot; the current culinary craze which I succumbed to in the summer. Six months later and I have only recently braved using it! Iâ€™m so pleased I have. Iâ€™ve been experimenting and have come up with two mouth-watering Asian pork belly dishes – the sort that would take at least a good hour and a half with regular interference from the cook, but Iâ€™m able to prep in five minutes, let the Instant Pot do its work for 20 minutes or so, and weâ€™re having meltingly soft (I could cut it with a spoon!) juicy pork belly.

So, here are my two dishes; one Chinese, the other Korean. Both require pork belly cut into one-inch cubes (or thereabouts). As much as you would like although bear in mind that this fatty meat is rich. I went for about 300g for two people. Both recipes require high pressure for 20-25 minutes. I was eager to eat so did quick release however you could let it depress naturally.

The Korean recipe requires 1 tbsp gochujang paste added to the pot, then using the Instant Pot cup measure (160ml) fill it to 1/4 with half dark soy sauce and half rice wine vinegar. Add 4 tsp caster sugar and a tsp of sesame oil. Fill the rest of the cup with water and add to the pot. Add another half cup of water. Add the cubed pork belly and set the pressure to high and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once it is cooked and the pressure released, remove the lid and switch to sautÃ© mode. Add 2 tsp of slackened cornflour and stir until pleasingly thickened.

Serve with rice and steamed greens.

The Chinese version is based on the favourite dish of Chairman Mao, red braised pork belly. For this you will need to add 3 tbsp dark soy sauce to the Instant Pot cup and top up with water. Add this to the Instant Pot along with an inch of diced root ginger, 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick or piece of cassia bark, 2 tsp of chilli flakes and 2 tbsp of caster sugar. Add the cubed pork belly and set the pressure to high and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once it is cooked and the pressure released, remove the lid and switch to sautÃ© mode. Add 2 tsp of slackened cornflour and stir until thickened.

Serve with rice and steamed greens.