Recipes..

[Puss]

I've been thinking about this for a while and today (as I'm supposed to be studying ) seemed to be the most opportune day for it so...

Fish Pie a la May
*disclaimer* This has not actually been through the test kitchens of the House of Puss, but I reckon it will work OK. *hopes*
The quantities are very approximate so you might want to bear that in mind. I have tried to keep it as close to the one James makes in the F-word as possible but it was a bit tricky,so if anyone has any suggestions or improvements, don't hesitate to say.

You will need.

Pie filling
400g Undyed smoked haddock
400g Some white fish - uncooked white fleshed fish
500 - 1000ml milk
A few whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
plain flour
peeled cooked prawns - 15 or so
parsley finely chopped
50g butter
Peas - to decorate
Salt & pepper to season

Multicoloured mash
500g floury potatoes peeled and chopped and cooked until tender
500g red sweet potato or yam peeled and chopped (to inform the flavour of the mash ) then cooked until tender
Additional milk and butter

Several bottles Chablis, chardonnay or other dry white wine.

What you will need to do:

Pour a large glass of wine and drink it.

Then, add bay leaf & peppercorns to milk and pour into a saucepan or deep frying pan. Bring the milk just about to the boil and then add the uncooked fish and smoked fish and poach gently until cooked though. Add prawns to warm through also.

Remove fish and prawns from milk and retain the milk. Flake fish into large chunks and set aside.

Drink a second glass.

To make a roux and then the white sauce... (that's R. O. U. X.) lol

Melt the butter in saucepan and add a small amount of chopped parsley. Remove from heat and stir in 1 -2 tablesthingys of plain flour. You should have a thickish paste. Add to this the warm milk in which the fish was poached (remove bay leaf and peppercorns) and whisk over a medium flame until the whole mixture thickens.

Add the fish and prawns to a pie dish and pour the white sauce over them.

Mash your potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add a little butter and milk to the mash to make it creamier and then add this in a layer on top of the fish mixture. Don't be afraid to use your hands, I mean how many non chefs have a pastry bag.

Use peas to spell out COCK on top.

Bake in a medium oven until the top is golden brown (20 -30 mins approx.)

Finish bottle while pie is in oven. Then open another without delay.

Eat.

Additions: You could add a handful of grated cheese to the fish mix or to the mash. The later will give you a lovely golden crust.

[lew]

;D.....mmmm very nice, like the amount of wine ;D

[maibee]

Good idea, I was thinking we needed this sort of thread when Wy and MF were discussing a sauce MF needed to make the other day and also when Wy was talking about the rognard/clafoutis dish.

Perhaps someone will closely watch James creating his spam campfire meal and write the recipe for that, all in the spirit of sharing, nothing to do with watching the man himself of course!

[Eclair]

;D...."test kitchens of House of Puss"....LOL you are cracking me up Puss... ;D


We'll have to dig up the italian pie thingo he made on SFTW....

*tries to remember other James culinary creations*

Yum tom soup cabonara without cream...oh! WA hangover cures! Cheesy pasta...sardines with salad cream on rye toast...I've forgotten the third one...can't check it out as I am at my mum's place with no reference tools .

I'm sure all Mayhemers will supply promptly ;D

[Mayfayre]

Wasn't the third one fried spam & beans?

[Puss]

I can't wait for a spam and beans recipe, personally. The only thing that might induce me to eat it was if James made it for me personally. Yes, that might to the trick.

[lew]

James's Le Spam avec beans (ok spam and beans ;D)
According to James a traditional hangover cure that has been handed down for generations and is very popular in the Hammersmith region of England, especially before church on a Sunday....quote ;D

serves two

1 large tin of spam, 2 large tins of beans, 2 small chillies, HP brown sauce, no garlic.

basically add chopped chillies to hot oil (extra virgin or lard) and fry in a swallow pan for 2 mins, you could be a ponce and cut the corners off thus being aesthetically correct, then cut into 8mm intervals, and again carefully turning spam cut again at 8mm (by this time you have lost the will to live) or like me chop it any old how, add to frying pan stirring frequently until nice and golden. Empty two tins of beans into a small saucepan, cook to a gentle simmer, then add cooked spam and fold in brown sauce. Eat.

[inky]

Jun 22, 2008 13:51:59 GMT lew said:

James's Le Spam avec beans (ok spam and beans ;D)
According to James a traditional hangover cure that has been handed down for generations and is very popular in the Hammersmith region of England, especially before church on a Sunday....quote ;D

serves two

1 large tin of spam, 2 large tins of beans, 2 small chillies, HP brown sauce, no garlic.

basically add chopped chillies to hot oil (extra virgin or lard) and fry in a swallow pan for 2 mins, you could be a ponce and cut the corners off thus being aesthetically correct, then cut into 8mm intervals, and again carefully turning spam cut again at 8mm (by this time you have lost the will to live) or like me chop it any old how, add to frying pan stirring frequently until nice and golden. Empty two tins of beans into a small saucepan, cook to a gentle simmer, then add cooked spam and fold in brown sauce. Eat.

Vomit smiley anyone?

[lew]

Looks sadly no inks , not that I've ever tried that recipe beans yes, spam yes, not sure about that ^^^^^

Maybe after i said eat, then should have said vomit ;D

[Spud's back!!!]

Jun 22, 2008 14:22:35 GMT inky said:

Jun 22, 2008 13:51:59 GMT lew said:

James's Le Spam avec beans (ok spam and beans ;D)
According to James a traditional hangover cure that has been handed down for generations and is very popular in the Hammersmith region of England, especially before church on a Sunday....quote ;D

serves two

1 large tin of spam, 2 large tins of beans, 2 small chillies, HP brown sauce, no garlic.

basically add chopped chillies to hot oil (extra virgin or lard) and fry in a swallow pan for 2 mins, you could be a ponce and cut the corners off thus being aesthetically correct, then cut into 8mm intervals, and again carefully turning spam cut again at 8mm (by this time you have lost the will to live) or like me chop it any old how, add to frying pan stirring frequently until nice and golden. Empty two tins of beans into a small saucepan, cook to a gentle simmer, then add cooked spam and fold in brown sauce. Eat.

Vomit smiley anyone?

My msn vomit smiley is on standby hahaha

Jillian xx
Spanner Convenor
Operation Spanner Ping 2009

[lew]

Shame we can't have that maybe the lips sealed one is the nearest ;D

[inky]

The thought of the Spam and beans is putting me off the lovely Roast Chicken, Jersey Royals, cabbage, carrots and peas I am currently cooking for dinner

[Wyvern]

I like spam and beans, although the way I make it is slightly different (must be a regional variation). I don't put chillies in mine (though a splash of chilli sauce sometimes goes it if I have a hangover) but I fry my chopped spam with a chopped onion, then throw the beans on top with a blob of brown sauce if I've got any. I think the all-in-one method of sticking inappropriate things together in a frying pan is a skill I inherited from my dad who once created this culinary horror that makes spam and beans look like haute cuisine:

Wy's Dad's Culinary Disaster Dinner (I have no idea what was going on in his head at the time)

1. In a large frying pan or wok put a very large blob of beef dripping, or failing that, lard.
2. Drain a large tin of new potatoes (it is essential that all the key ingredients come out of cans), chop them up a bit and throw them into the hot fat until golden (sounds all right so far...).
3. Add a large tin of that well-known-for-its-frying-capability classic, Shippam's Chunky Chicken. Stir well.
4. Stir in a large tin of beans.
5. Wonder what Tabasco is like.
6. Decide to find out what Tabasco is like by pouring about a dessertsthingyful into the pan.
7. Simmer until heated through. When ready, there should be a dubious lumpy mess in the centre of the pan surrounded by excess grease.
8. Attempt to convince two highly doubtful children that this will be delicious.
9. Discover dish is actually inedible.
10. Go to Chinese Takeaway...

PS: Forget the Spam & Beans the way I've always done it... I've just tried Spam avec Beans a la May and it works better without the onions Careful with the chillies though!

PPS: I am a non-chef (my repertoire involved Spam & Beans and fishfinger sandwiches long before Mr May began extolling their virtues in public) and I have a pastry bag. I intend to attempt the fish pie later this week, so watch this space...

[Wyvern]

And now something more edible

Cheat's Flognarde

1 packet batter mix
1 Egg
Water (according to packet instructions) (or replace these ingredients with your favourite Yorkshire pudding recipe, omitting any seasonings)
Veg oil
Sugar (about a tablesthingy)
Fruity alcohol of some description (I used a fruit brandy, but as I drank the rest of it I can't remember what it was) - optional, or brandy or whatever would work. Probably not Tia Maria though. Or Baileys. Or beer.
A couple of handfuls of whatever fruit you like (but if you use cherries it's going to be a cheat's clafoutis, not a flognarde)

1. Put oil in a suitable sized ovenproof container and stick it in a hot oven
2. Mix batter as per instructions on packet.
3. Add sugar and alcohol (if using) to mix and allow to stand for a while (it's a bit of an inexact science, this cooking malarkey - at least, it is the way I do it).
4. Cut fruit to uniform sizes. Pretty much anything should work, I used strawberries and rhubarb but the next one I do may well be tayberry. Apple might be interesting (stick some cinnamon in the batter and use brown sugar), and apricot would be excellent (you could even put apricot brandy in the batter).
5. Get hot fat out of oven, sprinkle fruit in an even layer over the bottom of the dish and fill with batter.
6. Cook for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until well risen, puffed and golden. Again, because of the fruit, it's a bit of an inexact science, but if you pull it out and it looks a bit anaemic, shove it in for another 10 minutes.

And that's it. I like it cold, but it would be nice hot with some decent vanilla ice cream, or maybe some créme chantilly (which you could even make with matching alcohol!)

[Puss]

Oh er, Wy! I've never in my life heard of a Flognarde, but it sounds delish! I'm also very impressed, that as a non-chef you have a pastry bag. I had one once but have never had the occaision to use it, so it went mouldy and I threw it out.

[Mayfayre]

Jun 22, 2008 12:10:13 GMT @maibee said:

Good idea, I was thinking we needed this sort of thread when Wy and MF were discussing a sauce MF needed to make the other day...

And here's the resulting, adapted recipe:

Ingredients
150g/6oz Fresh Raspberries
150ml/5fl.oz. Lamb Stock
2 tbsp Port
4 tsp Runny Honey
1 tsp Rosemary
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Cornflour

Instructions
Place the raspberries in a food processor and process until relatively smooth. Strain into a saucepan then add the stock, port, honey and herbs.
Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring constantly then allow to boil rapidly to reduce the sauce by half.
In a small bowl, blend the cornflour with a little cold water then stir into the sauce.


The original recipe is here.

[maibee]

Nice one, MF

[Wyvern]

Inexact cake

People seem to think that making cakes is difficult and requires a great deal of care. It doesn't. It's just a question of proportion, and once you get that right, everything else falls into place. You don't even need scales to make a sponge cake, just a tablesthingy.

Tablesthingys are rounded.

Ingredients for one quantity

1 medium egg (preferably free range, because even if you don't particularly care about food welfare, they do taste better)
2 tablesthingys self-raising flour
2 tablesthingys caster sugar
2 tablesthingys oil (sunflower, vegetable or similar. Definitely not olive oil though, that would be weird)
A generous pinch (I scoop out a little heap on the handle of the sthingy) of baking powder

(this quantity will make about 6 good sized cupcakes. For a sandwich cake use two quantities, and for novelty tins, etc., judge it. If a two-egg mix isn't enough, make some more!)

To these basic ingredients, add flavourings, any combination of

A couple of teasthingys of coffee powder (instant)
A handful of chopped walnuts
About a tablesthingy of dried fruit
Chopped cherries
A splash of rum, brandy or whatever else you may have about (experiment! It's only a cake, and if it goes wrong you can always make another one. I like chocolate and absinthe)
A few drops of vanilla extract
Melted chocolate
A handful of fresh raspberries/blackberries/tayberries/blueberries
A tablesthingy of dessicated coconut

Conventional wisdom says that if you use a dry ingredient like cocoa powder, you should reduce the flour. I never bother, but I might shove in a bit more baking powder to stop it being too heavy.

Anyway...

Preheat the oven to around 200 degrees Celcius

In a large bowl, sieve the flour and the baking powder. Add the sugar, oil and egg and beat until smooth. Don't overbeat it and don't worry if it looks a bit lumpy. If it seems too stiff, you can add a drop of milk. Don't do that if you're using soft fruit though, because that will make the mixture more slack when you mix it in.

Now add your flavourings. Vanilla is always a good starting point, no matter what else you're putting in. If using soft fruit, beat it well into the mixture to break up the berries and spread them through the mixture. If using coffee, dissolve it in a little water.

If making cupcakes, line the cake tins with paper cases. A useful tip for this is to wet the tin before you put the cases in as this will make them stick to the tin while you put the mixture into them (otherwise, especially if you're using muffin cases, they tend to escape a bit). As the cakes cook, the cases will dry out and come unstuck from the tray.

If making a sandwich cake, grease and flour a pair of cake tins.

For other shapes, grease and flour tins as appropriate.

Put mixture into tin(s) of choice and bake for approx half an hour, depending on your oven. Check after 20 - 25 minutes. Remember, if you're using soft fruit, the juices will colour the cake, so it may look a bit darker than you expect when it is ready. Test for done-ness by pressing gently into the top of the cake with a fingertip - if it springs back, it's done. Alternately, poke it with a metal skewer. If it comes out clean, it's done.

It's worth remembering that every oven is different. What takes 40 minutes in my oven may take 30 in yours. Also, big cakes take a few minutes longer than individual cupcakes.

Anyway, when it's done, turn it out onto a rack to cool and assemble and decorate however you like.

Another use for this basic batter is to make a quick sponge pudding. Make the same mixture, flavouring with vanilla and add dried fruit or melted chocolate, or else put a tablesthingy or two of jam or golden syrup in the bottom of a microwave-proof bowl and dollop the batter on top. Put it in the microwave on full power for about 2 minutes, but check it after 1 minute, especially if it's a one egg mix. It might take a little longer, depending on your microwave.

Serve with custard. As well as being nice with sponge pudding, it also hides the fact that a cake cooked in the microwave will be disturbingly anaemic-looking.

(the microwave method works best with a one- or two-egg quantity)

[maureen]

Bailey's Chocolate Milk

Here's an easy drink recipe which only take a couple of seconds to make. Take a large glass (preferably a stein). Pour Bailey's Irish Cream to fill the bottom quarter of the glass. Fill it up the rest of the way with milk. Now you're ready to drink.

I wish I had my grandmother's Irish Soda Bread recipe, but I think it died along with her. I'll have to ask Mum when I get back from the states.

[Shortie]

It is very early in the morning and I would now kill for a piece of cake. Somehow the usual yogurt and banana seem a bit lacking!

Here is a very easy cake which works a charm. I discovered the recipe written in my filofax - no idea when or where I found it originally, but decided to make it when I had a lot of people round and they were very keen. I've done it several times since then with the same reaction - there is obviously some magic in the mix somewhere.

Carrot and Orange Squares

Cake
225ml/ 8 fl oz sunflower oil
225g /8 oz caster sugar
3 large eggs
250g /9 oz carrots - grated
225g / 8 oz self-raising flour
1 tsp orange flower water (or orange juice)

Icing
50g /2oz butter
200g Philadelphia Cream Cheese ('Light', if you are feeling virtuous)
40g/ 1 1/2 oz icing sugar
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange



Method

Heat oven to 180C
Grease and line a 7x11x1 inch tin (approximately 18mm x28mm x3mm tin)

Cake
Whisk oil and sugar together, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the carrots, the self-raising flour and the orange flower water. Pour into the tin and bake for about 40 minutes. Leave in the tin for about 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Icing. Beat the butter and Philadelphia till fluffy. Beat in the icing sugar, orange zest and juice. Spread ¼" deep over the cold cake. Decorate with more orange zest. Cut into squares.

[Puss]

Hmmm... a bake off.
Despite being hideously hung over one day, or perhaps becasue of it, I turned out the most scrumptious banana cake.
I was a bit lax in my measurements (as usual) so some of the below might be a bit hit & miss so use your best judgement and taste as you go.

Puss's Best Ever (!) Banana Cake

2 old, brown, skanky, one-step away from the bin, really been hanging around in the fruit bowl too long, bananas
2 tbs butter softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raw sugar
250g plain yogurt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
splash vanilla essence
2 cups self rasing flour

Cream butter and sugar together and add spices (not vanilla). Add eggs and beat together, add yogurt and combine.
In a sperate bowl mash the bananas with a fork and add them to the other ingredients. Add vanilla essence. Make sure all the wet ingredients are well combined.
Sift the flour in with the wet ingredients and stir gently 'till all combined.
Pour into a cake tin (small rectangular one) and bake on 180 degrees for about 35 mins or until cake is cooked. Test by poking a skewer into the cake and if it comes out clean, it is ready.
Enjoy!

[Mayfayre]

Maureen, Baileys works really well when mixed with Dutch Chocomel/Belgian Cecemel. They put our chocolate milk to shame!

For some unknown reason I just happen to have the Chocolate Rum & Rum & Rum & Raisin Cake recipe on my memory stick. Here it is:

CHOCOLATE RUM & RUM & RUM & RAISIN CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
• 150g raisins (or half raisins, half sultanas)
• 80 ml dark rum (and a bit more, then some more…)
• 115g butter, softened
• 200g white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 250g flour
• 1 tablesthingy cornflour
• 2 teasthingys baking soda
• 1 teasthingy ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teasthingy ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teasthingy salt
• 2 tablesthingys cocoa powder
• 50g dark chocolate
• 60g chopped walnuts (optional)
• 250 ml apple puree (from approx 3-4 apples)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all the raisins in a small bowl with 80 ml rum and let sit overnight, if possible
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C, Gas Mk 5). Grease and flour one 9x9 inch baking tin.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the apple puree.
4. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, spices, salt, and cocoa. Beat into the creamed ingredients.
5. Melt the chocolate into a little rum over a pan of hot water & add to the cake mix. Stir in the raisins, along with any rum that was not absorbed, and the walnuts. Add a little more rum.
6. And a bit more for luck.
7. Turn batter into the prepared tin.
8. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C, Gas Mk 5) for 35 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cool on a rack.

[Shortie]

This thread will be the death of me, I get the munchies whenever I look at it, but it's rather irresistable. If I use any of the recipes should I acknowledge them like you have to for an avatar ...

The rum and rum and rum and rum and rum cake looks v good, Mayfayre. Of course, you'd have to come and ice it for me.

Another good tip for Bailey's. Add a slug of it to someone's coffee as you are taking them through the Channel Tunnel. It seems to get rid of their claustrophobia instantly! They then chatter and giggle all the way through, which can be a bit disruptive when you are trying to do the crossword.

[Wyvern]

Baileys is great in hot chocolate too, as is Amaretto

[Wyvern]

I was going to ask if you had that recipe, DD! I hope you'll be adding to this thread as your fic progresses

[Mayfayre]

Jul 3, 2008 12:07:00 GMT Wyvern said:

Baileys is great in hot chocolate too, as is Amaretto

Baileys is also nice in Amaretto!

DD that pork recipe sounds wonderful, I shall have to try it sometime soon!

[maureen]

I'll have to try Bailey's in all those different ways. I especially like the sound of it with Amaretto.

[Puss]

Jul 3, 2008 11:37:56 GMT Shortie said:

If I use any of the recipes should I acknowledge them like you have to for an avatar ...

No need. Just enjoy! ;D

[Shortie]

I am enjoying this thread. DD's pork fillet recipe reminded me of this one, also easy, but it looks quite spectacular. I like it when you have put something together quickly but people think you have slaved for hours!

Chicken with Pesto


Ingredients

4 x boneless, skinless chicken breasts

100g pesto

200g cherry tomatoes, halved or left whole if tiny

20cl Crème Fraiche (half fat is OK for this)

A splash of white wine

Basil Leaves

4 slices of lemon



Method

Brown the chicken in a non-stick pan, add the wine and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the wine has evaporated.

Add the cherry tomatoes and the pesto to the pan and toss them with the chicken. Stir in the crème fraiche until it makes a sauce that coats the chicken.

Serve scattered with fresh basil leaves and a slice of lemon.

[adco]

Shortie, I tried your recipe above and it was wonderful!
Made myself and two 17 year old boys very happy!