Pizza Toast

Yesterday we were both tired and we felt like doing a speedy dinner. So we decided to do Pizza Toast!! We have been calling it like this for ages, my brothers and I used to get this prepared by our mom just after we came back from school as a quick snack. Well basically to avoid  the daily 'mom I'm hungry' moan from the three of us :) You can do a myriad amount of fillings when it comes to toasties (closed toast). I must say this is my favourite and Amanda loves it as well known. For me it's like one toastie leads to another as I can never get tired of eating them. Try them out, something different and delicious! You will need...

• Sliced bread
• Tomato purée/paste
• 1 can tuna, drained
• Green olives, pitted & sliced
• Cheese slices, like Edam or Cheddar
• Dried oregano

How to...

1. Preheat the sandwich toaster.
2. In the meantime spread the tomato puree on the sandwich bread. Put some tuna, some olives, sprinkle some oregano and cover with a slice of cheese. Cover with another tomato puree covered piece of bread.
3. Press gently with the palm of your hand and put into the sandwich toaster.
4. Cook to your liking.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Chicken & Mushrooms in a Creamy Sauce

I want to share with you this recipe that reminds me of my brother Stephen, reason being that when he was a little kid he used to lick the plate empty, nearly eating also the bones. He absolutely loves this recipe and is one of our favourites as a family. My mother used to do this a lot, it is one of the brilliant recipes from a 1970's recipe book written by the great Marguerite Patten which was/still is an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of cooks around the world from Mediterranean housewives (my mother) to world renowned chefs like Jamie Oliver. Simple home-made food, that is what Marguerite Patten was all about! The peas and sweetcorn add texture to this creamy chicken dish. My favourite part of this dish (apart from eating it) is getting a chicken and jointing it into pieces but obviously feel free to use thighs, breast or whole legs even to prepare it. Give it a go and you will do it again. You can serve it with crusty bread (that's what we did) or even mashed or roast potatoes. For about 4 people you will need...

• 3 large chicken breast, cut into large chunks
• 4 tablespoons flour
• salt & pepper
• 300g white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can sweetcorn
• 100g frozen peas, defrosted
• 250ml whole milk
• 250ml water
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• Vegetable oil, for frying

How to...

1. Start by tossing the chicken pieces in 2 tablespoons of flour seasoned with salt & pepper. Shake off any excess flour.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy based frying pan and fry the chicken pieces turning frequently until nearly cooked and brown. This will take about 20 minutes.
3. Take the cooked chicken pieces out and put on a plate with paper towel.
4. Add some more oil and cook the mushrooms, covered for about 2 minutes.
5. Now add the cooked chicken, peas and sweetcorn. Add the sherry and stir well.
6. In a measuring jug, mix the milk with the water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix well to avoid any lumps and this mixture to the mushrooms, chicken and simmer whilst stirring until the mushroom sauce thicken to your desired consistency.
7. Season with salt & pepper. Serve hot with potatoes & salad.

Enjoy!!
R&A

#Ramandalicious

Qagħaq tal-Ġunġlien (Maltese Biscuit Rings with Sesame Seeds)

Served with a sweet cup of tea creamed with evaporated milk, these Maltese biscuits have been very famous amongst the Maltese people. They can be found in any bakery and supermarket all over the island. So, I felt like a nice cup of tea but had no biscuits and considering today was quite cooler than usual, I decided to make these delicious beauties. Once you get the preparation done, they only take minutes to prepare and bake, but unfortunately seconds to devour! Give them a go and share them with your friends (or not). Oh well, give them our recipe at least. For 8 large rings (you can always make more by making them smaller) you will need...

• 250g plain flour
• 100g sugar
• 7g baking powder
• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch ground aniseed
• Pinch ground cloves
• 85g butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• Grated lemon rind
• Grated orange rind
• Sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In a mixing bowl mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and spices, add the butter and rub into the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. In a separate bowl crack the egg, add the oil, water and lemon and orange rinds and mix them well.
4. Add to the flour/butter mixture and mix by hand until you get a soft dough. Shape into a ball.
5. Put the sesame seeds in a plate.
6. Dust your hands with flour and get some dough (about the size of a golf ball) and roll into a long fingerlike shape, carefully place the dough into the sesame seeds and turn slowly to coat. Shape into a ring and transfer to a buttered and floured baking tray.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool down and serve.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Corned Beef & Tomato Pasta Sauce

This sauce has been a staple in Maltese cooking since the 1940's when canned corned beef came to prominence during WW2. The traditional version of this recipe uses only corned beef and peas (traditionally canned marrowfat peas) but our take on this recipe is really tasty and delicious and full of flavour. We use medium curry powder but you can use mild or hot, depending how spicy you would like it. Serve on top of your cooked pasta or mix it all up just like we do, so all the sauce goes into the pasta. Give this version a go and let us know how it turns out for you! For 4 people you will need...

• 1 large tin of corned beef, diced
• 500ml tomato passata
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 150g frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

How to...

1. Heat the oil in a thick based pan and fry the onion until transparent and just started turning brown, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
2. When onion is cooked, add the curry powder, pepper & cinnamon and cook for a minute until spices are fragrant, stirring well.
3. Add the corned beef and stir well with the onion/spice mixture. Now add some Worcestershire sauce (about 1 tablespoon) and stir well. Cook for a further minute.
4. Add the passata, sugar and peas and stir well. 
5. Simmer on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. (Make sure you keep stirring frequently because the corned beef will stick to the pan).
6. Turn off the heat and serve with cooked pasta, sprinkled with grated Kefalotiri cheese.

Enjoy!!!

R&A

Spaghetti with Cauliflower & Garlic - Spaghetti con cavolfiore e aglio

I love this pasta dish, it is so good and filling. It is a recipe that comes southern Italy and has been a favourite in my family for a few years. It is very easy to prepare. Cauliflower is one of my favourite vegetables and it is highly nutritional. In fact, it is low in fat and carbohydrates and high in fibre, Folic acid and Vitamin C. Some people prefer broccoli to cauliflower and this dish may be prepared with broccoli instead. A top tip when it comes to cooking cauliflower, broccoli or other veg for that matter, always try and avoid boiling them! Steam them or microwave them instead as boiling reduces the vegetables' nutritional content quite drastically. So, do give this a go, it is very tasty and you will definitely love it! For 4 people you will need...

• 1 small cauliflower, broken down into small florets
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• Extravirgin olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper, to serve
• 300g spaghetti

1. Cook the spaghetti al dente and meanwhile start preparing the cauliflower florets by steaming them on the hob for about 6 minutes or in a microwave for about 3/4 minutes until tender but not soggy.  Roughly mash the cauliflower.
2. Put about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the mashed cauliflower and the crushed garlic in a shallow frying pan, turn on the heat and stir fry on a gentle heat until cauliflower starts getting golden in colour. 
3. Turn off the heat and set aside. Add to the cooked pasta and toss slowly to mix. Add extra olive oil and as much grated Parmesan as you want. 
4. Serve hot with extra Parmesan and fresh ground pepper.

    Enjoy!!

    R&A

Mango Delight

We absolutely love exotic fruit and mango is gorgeous with its distinctive flavour. This dessert is very quick to prepare and it is delicious. Mango is a native fruit from South Asia and is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and  The Philippines. When ripe, it is a very refreshing fruit and is used as an ingredient of cool summer drinks such as Mango lassi and Panha. This quick and delicious concoction turned out to be delicious and so refreshing. So do give it a go, maybe to finish off a great summer BBQ. For 6 people you will need...

• Flesh of 2 large ripe mangoes, chopped into pieces
• 300ml sour cream or fromage frais, straight from the fridge
• 70g caster sugar [optional]
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Fresh basil leaves, to serve
• Flaked almonds, to serve

How to...

1. Blend all ingredients apart from basil leaves and almonds in a blender until smooth.
2. Pour into serving glasses and decorate with the basil leaves and flaked almonds.
3. Serve super chilled!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas

We love Mexican & Tex-Mex food and in fact it features quite frequently  on our menu. (More like an obsession haha. We make our own tortillas too using our tortillera (tortilla press). Burritos, Enchiladas and  Tacos are certainly one of our favourites. I love very hot food and Amanda likes it medium, so I always add more chilli sauce to my tacos. Enchiladas are so delicious as they are baked so you have the delicious golden melted cheddar, that bit of crispy tortilla...oh dear...drooling right now...we love serving them with sour cream and fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves as they add a fresh contrast to the chilli. So give them a go...you will love them...you will need...

• 400g Lean beef mince
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 8 corn or wheat tortillas
• 100g mature cheddar, grated
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mild (eg. Ancho) or hot (eg. Habanero) chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (regular oregano will do)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Sea salt & ground black pepper.
• 200ml water

For the sauce

• 300ml passata
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vegetable oil

To serve

• Sour cream
• Chopped coriander leaves

How to..

1. Start by preparing the sauce. On low heat, heat the oil and add the garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and stir well until fragrant. About 45 seconds. Add the passata, vinegar and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. In a shallow pan on high heat, heat some vegetable oil and add the lean beef mince and brown well until dry. Add the bell pepper, the chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder, sweet paprika, oregano and the water and cook until mixture dries out. Turn off the heat.
3. Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 45 seconds. Fill the tortilla with the mince mixture, roll them up like pancakes and line them up in a rectangular oven dish. Pour the sauce on top and grate the cheese. Put in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
4. Serve with some sour cream and chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Amanda's Potato Salad

I remember when back in Malta we used to do a lot of BBQ's at our place or our friends' place and we (well Amanda) always used to prepare this delicious potato salad for everyone. It was our specialty and everyone loved it. My brother was one of its massive fans. Needless to say that it will be a great accompaniment to every BBQ dish whether it's a delicious steak or some crispy grilled veggies. It also can be made up to to 2 days in advance and stored covered tightly in the fridge. Give it a go and you will definitely try it again! You will need...

• 500g potatoes
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
• 180ml (1/2 cup) mayonnaise
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and chop them up into equal pieces (so they cook evenly). Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the chopped potatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer goes through. Drain, set aside and let it cool down to room temperature (we spread them on a tray and put them by an opened window to speed up the cooling process).
2. In a blender or food processor, add the mayonnaise, egg and vinegar and blend until you get a smooth mixture. Transfer it into a large bowl. Add the potatoes and chopped onion to the large bowl and mix slowly until the all the potatoes are covered in the mayonnaise mixture.
3. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley just before serving.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Iraqi Lamb & Aubergine Stew - Merqat Kharuf Baytinjan - خروف العراقي والحساء الباذنجان

Yet another Arabic recipe. This sweet and tangy stew is delicious. It comes from Iraq and the two ingredients that definitely make the difference are the pomegranate molasses also known as pomegranate sauce and the Baharat spice blend. The pomegranate molasses is basically reduced pomegranate juice and you can buy it from Middle Eastern markets/shops or the world food aisle at the supermarket (in England). The Baharat spice blend is a complex spice blend that varies from family to family, shop to shop and/or country to country that can be bought online but we do our own. We also used fresh local lamb bought from our butcher as it is tastier and more tender but frozen lamb would do just fine. So do give it a go. You will need...

• Coarse salt
• 1 large Aubergine (about 600g), sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 cup (60ml) plus 2½ tbsp vegetable oil
• Half leg of fresh lamb, cut in large pieces
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup (about 120ml) pomegranate molasses/sauce
• 1/2 cup (about 80g) dried yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 12 hours
• 4 dried red chillies
• 2 tsp baharat spice blend (see recipe below)
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 8 small pita breads, warmed, to serve

Baharat spice blend 

• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves        

Mix the spices in an airtight jar and store in a dry and dark place.

Method

1.  Put the aubergine cubes in a colander & sprinkle with the rock salt & leave for about 30 minutes until the bitter juices run out.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, turning once, until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 10 minutes. Add 3 litres of water, the pomegranate molasses, split peas, dried chillies, baharat and coriander and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming and stirring a few times.

3.  Rinse the aubergine and pat dry. In a large non-stick pan, heat 11/2 tbsp of the oil. Fry the aubergine in 3 batches, adding more oil if necessary. Add the aubergine to the lamb and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the lamb is tender, about 45 minutes.

4.  Transfer the lamb onto a plate and remove the meat from any bones and cut into 1-inch pieces. Boil the stew over high heat, skimming, until the liquid has reduced to about 750ml, this will take about 40 minutes or less.

5.  Return the lamb to the stew, season with salt and pepper and give it a good stir. Serve with the pita bread or boiled rice.

Enjoy!!

R&A

BBQ T-Bone Steak with Potatoes & Cherry Tomatoes

BBQ season is upon us! In my honest opinion nothing beats a good cut of beef on the BBQ. T-Bone steak is  my favourite cut because being on the bone, leaves it so succulent and it basically it's a combination of beef fillet and sirloin steak. When I cook it, I usually do not serve a lot with it a lot of stuff but this time I decided to marinate it and accompany it with a quick potato & cherry tomato 'stir-fry'. We used a good quality BBQ sauce to marinade the steak in, which gave it its smoky caramelised taste. SO if you feel like something different on your BBQ, give this a go! :) For 2 people you will need...

• 2 T-Bone steaks, about 500g each
• Good quality BBQ sauce or marinade

For the stir-fry

• 1 large potato, diced and parboiled
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp BBQ sauce
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt & pepper
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Marinate the steak the day before and leave it in the fridge. The longer the marination time the better the taste.
2. Prepare the stir-fry. In a wok or a deep frying pan, heat the oil and add the potato, cherry tomatoes, thyme and salt & pepper to taste. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and lower the heat. Add the BBQ sauce and toss to coat the veg. Mix well and cook for another couple of minutes.
3. You can serve this stir-fry hot or cold.
4. Before cooking the steak, get the steak out of the fridge and leave to rest, it is important that before cooking the steak gets to get to room temperature so it cooks evenly! Fire up the BBQ or grill pan if you like and oh high heat, cook the steak to your liking. If you have a meat thermometer, rare meat is cooked at about 48°C, medium rare is cooked at about 51°C and medium at about 54°C. I strongly suggest you do not cook the cut of meat well done as it will dry it out. When done cooking let the steak to rest for 5-10 minutes.
5. Serve with the hot or cold stir fry!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Zorza Gallega - Marinated Diced Pork Loin Galician Style

Zorza is a very famous dish in the Northwest Spanish region of Galicia. Basically, it is similar to the meat mixture used in the production of chorizo. One of the differences is that for Zorza the meat is chopped in coarser pieces. The impressively delicious taste of this pork dish comes from the long marination period. It is usually left to marinade for 24 hours in the fridge. The ingredients are quite basic but I did use proper Spanish pimentón (paprika) which gives the dish its distinctive red colour and above all a delicious flavour. If not available you can use normal paprika but make sure it is fresh as 'old' paprika tends to lose its flavour. Worth mentioning also the fact that Zorza is traditionally served with deep fried diced potatoes and fried eggs. One thing is for sure that your family and friends will love it no matter how it is served. We recently prepared a lot of it and we took it to a Spanish fiesta and our friends (Spanish and not) loved it and the Zorza was the first of the tapas to disappear from our table!! So do give this a go. The amounts below are for 6 people (if served as a meal) or 10 people or more if served as a range of tapas!!

• 1 kg pork loin, chopped into small dice (about 0.5 cm cubes)
• 3 tbsp sweet pimentón (paprika)
• 1/2 tbsp hot pimentón (paprika)
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• A large zip-lock bag

TWO TIPS: 

1. Make sure the meat is cut in equal pieces so as it cooks evenly.
2. If using 1 kg of meat cook it in two batches.

How to...

1. Put the meat and all the remaining ingredients in a large zip-lock bag, partially close and let all the air out. Now close the bag entirely and start mixing the meat and the ingredients by gently massaging the back. Keep doing this for about 10 minutes until the meat turns red and all the other ingredients are mixed in.
2. Put in the fridge and leave to marinade for 24 hours.
3. When it's time to cook your Zorza, heat up a wok or a  shallow pan on high heat and carefully start stir-frying the Zorza quickly, make sure your stir continuously to avoid it from sticking to the pan. Zorza takes less than 10 minutes to cook.
4. Serve warm with deep fried potatoes (cut the same size of the meat) and a fried egg per person. You can also put in a bowl for everyone to help yourself when you do your Spanish fiesta. Tapas are awesome!!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Chicken Marsala

It was our first time doing this recipe and we loved it, actually Amanda adored it. The recipe, is presumably Southern Italian, considering it uses Marsala wine, an exceptionally wonderful aromatic fortified wine that hails from the Italian city of Marsala, Sicily. It is in the same line of Sherry, Madeira and Port and its creation as a fortified wine dates back to the late 18th century. Anyhow, this recipe is very quick and easy to prepare, quite foolproof I must say. To keep the chicken breast moist and succulent we turned the chicken breast into cutlets. This makes the chicken breast cook quicker. So give it a go and am quite sure you will love it :) You will need...

• 4 large chicken breasts or 8 drumsticks
• 400g white mushrooms, sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 120ml (1/2 cup) Marsala wine
• 100ml single cream
• Olive oil or vegetable oil
• Salt & pepper

How to...

1. Heat some oil on medium heat in a large frying pan and cook the chicken turning occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add half of the Marsala and cover with a lid. Turn twice until they are golden from both sides and meat juices are running clear. This process takes about 15-20 minutes.
2. Now take the chicken out of the pan and keep warm (we leave them in the oven on the lowest temperature possible (which usually is about 50-60°C). Add the mushrooms, spring onions and the rest of the Marsala. Cook until the mushrooms wilt down (make sure you do not over cook them as they will turn into a sloppy mush), this will take around 5 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream. 
4. Time to plate up, put a chicken on a plate (make sure they are still warm), top up with a large spoonful of mushrooms and pour over some sauce. Serve with roast veg & mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Nicoise Salad - Salade Niçoise

Salade niçoise comes from southern France and it is one of our favourite salads. The main ingredients that make up this wonderful salad are tuna and anchovies. We always try to find fresh tuna but sometimes here in England is hard to find and when you find it, it can be very expensive. So we use good quality canned tuna fillets. Also it is usually made with niçoise olives, which are small black olives but any small black olives will do if these are not available. As per every salad there is a myriad versions of the actual recipe so it very hard to find out exactly what goes in a proper salade niçoise. Cucumber, preserved artichoke hearts, radishes, new potatoes, raw green peppers, sweet shallots are all different vegetables that are used...depends where you get the recipe from! Hard boiled eggs are a must as well. Our version for a substantial meal for two people is as follows...

For the salad

• About 100g mixed salad leaves
• 2 ripe but firm tomatoes, sliced
• 8 new potatoes, boiled
• 2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
• A handful of black olives
• 100g French fine green beans, cooked
• 2 tuna steaks (about 150g each, grilled to your liking and left to cool down slightly) or 2 cans of tuna chunks
• 8 anchovy fillets

For the dressing

• Red wine vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper

1. This has to be the easiest method ever. Just arrange all the salad ingredients onto the serving plates, leaving the tuna and anchovies for last.
2. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. The amounts are entirely up to you.
3. Dress the tuna and salad leaves.
4. Serve.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Tortilla con Patatas - Spanish Tortilla

Spanish tortilla easily makes it my top 10 easy delicious recipes of all time. My mum used to do this for us as a snack after we came back from school. All you need is 3 ingredients, eggs, potatoes and onions. It is definitely a Spanish staple and one of the most famous dishes in Spain. In fact nearly at the start of every Spanish meal there is a tortilla cut into small portions for everyone to nibble on. :) Try it out and you will definitely do it again...the ingredients listed below are for 4 people (or more if served as an appetiser).

• 8 large eggs, beaten
• 2 red onions, sliced
• 10 small potatoes, parboiled and sliced
• Olive oil, for frying

Method

1. Heat about 1 cm of olive oil in a large deep frying pan and fry the onion slices until soft and transparent.
2. Add the sliced potatoes and cook for about 5-10 minutes.
3. Lower the heat and pour the beaten eggs on the potato/onion mixture. Make sure you distribute the eggs evenly.
4. Cover and cook gently until the eggs are set. If eggs are still a bit runny on top, put under a hot grill for 30 seconds or so.
5. Now here comes the tricky bit, get a large serving plate (we use a large pizza plate) and put it on top of the pan. Holding the plate and pan tightly invert them upside down (use a tea towel to hold the pan as it could be hot) so as the tortilla transfers itself to the plate. 
6. Serve warm or cold. :)

Enjoy!!

R&A

Pak Choi with Sichuan pepper & Oyster sauce

I would like to share this quick recipe that I prepared at 6 o'clock in the morning as part of my pack up. It is super quick and if like us, you stock up on Asian ingredients, it will be done even faster. It is spicy so you can adapt the ingredients to your taste, you can eat this as part of a typical Chinese communal meal or as a meal on its own with boiled rice. Give it a go and you will try it again. Sichuan pepper can be found in Asian stores or online. These ingredients are for 1 person but you can multiply the ingredients...

• 2 baby Pak Choi, leaves split in half lengthwise
• 1 red chilli, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, minced (or 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
• 5 Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil 
• 3 spring onions, sliced

Method

1. In a wok heat the oil and fry the ginger, chilli, star anise, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, about a minute. (Make sure you do not burn the garlic)
2. Add the Pak Choi, soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir fry for a couple of minutes until the leaves are partially wilted but not soggy.
3. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the chopped spring onions.
4. Remove and discard the star anise and serve hot!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Farfalle with Courgettes, Aubergines & Anchovies

We loved this pasta dish. It is quite quick and easy to prepare...proper foolproof! Aubergines and zucchine are two of my favourite vegetables, I could eat them with anything, anytime. The anchovies (as per usual) disappear whilst cooking but they enhance the flavour of this dish substantially. Good quality olive oil finishes off this dish impeccably. So give it a go.You will need...

• 350g farfalle (or other short pasta)
• 1 aubergine (about 400g), sliced into strips
• 2 large zucchine (about 400g), sliced into strips
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 red chilli, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 60g can anchovy fillets in olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Drain the oil from the anchovy into a large pan and heat it up.
2. Cook the onion, chilli and garlic until onion is soft and transparent. Add the zucchine and aubergine slices and cook until they are soft.
3. In the meantime cook the pasta and drain.
4. Into the pan with the veg, stir in the anchovies.
5. Add the pasta and 3 tbsp olive oil and stir carefully (not to break the pasta).
6. Serve warm with grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Cottage Pie

The term Cottage Pie has been around for centuries and the actual name is known to have been around since 1791. Incidentally, this year was when potatoes started being introduced as an edible crop which was available to the poor.  Initially made with leftover meat, this pie took its name from the meaning of the term cottage, which actually means a humble residence for farmers. (Ref: Wikipedia) Cottage Pie has been a favourite in our family for decades and have been loving it since I was a child as my mum prepared it frequently. So this is our take on a classic British dish. Needless to say it is very easy to prepare, I mean the meat mixture is not rocket science and boiling potatoes is quite a low ability task. So this recipe does go with the easy ones. It is the ultimate comforting food and you will definitely ask for seconds. You will need...(this amount of ingredients will make a medium pie)

For the meat mixture

• 500g lean beef mince
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 250ml prepared gravy (I use Bisto Best), this acts as a thickening agent
• ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• ½ teaspoon hot paprika
• ½ tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 beef stock pot/cube
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
• 25g butter, for frying

For the mashed potatoes

• 750g potatoes, boiled
• 40g butter
• A splash of milk, (you want the mash to be quite firm)
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• Sweet paprika, to garnish
• Ground black pepper, to garnish

How to...

1. Start by preparing the mashed potatoes. Boil the potatoes and add the butter, milk and ground nutmeg (if using) and mash to the desired consistency. Set aside.
2. Prepare the meat mixture. In a large frying pan, on a moderate heat, heat the butter until it melts and starts sizzling, then add the onions, carrots, celery and mixed herbs. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until onions, carrots & celery are soft. Add some black pepper if you want to at this stage (We do!).
3. Add the beef mince and stir in to mix in with the vegetables. Now add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock pot/cube more black pepper, hot paprika and cook uncovered until the meat is done and all the liquid has nearly gone.
4. When meat is cooked add the prepared gravy and stir in well. Lower the heat and simmer until the meat mixture for a minute or two. 
5. In the meantime preheat the oven to 180°C.
6. To assemble your cottage pie, you just pour the meat mixture in a deep pie or casserole dish, level the mixture withe back of a spoon and cover with the mashed potato. Use a palette to level the mash on top of the meat mixture. Try and seal it well to prevent it from leaking. You can also prick some holes into the mashed potato topping so as steam can escape.
7. Sprinkle with sweet paprika and ground black pepper and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.
8. Take it out of the oven and leave to cool down for about 15 minutes. It is now ready to serve. 

Enjoy!!

R&A

Sfiha (Arabic Pizza) صفيحه باللحمه

This recipe which hails from the Middle East, namely Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, is one of my favourites. It is also known as Arabic Pizza. The mixture of spiced meat is just to die for. These are basically like small meat pizzas with spiced meat. As base we use bread dough which turns nice and fluffy when cooked but ready-made pizza dough is fine. The meat mixture was genuinely made with ground mutton but nowadays it is made with ground lamb or ground beef or a mixture of both. So do give this recipe a go as everyone will love it. You will need...

• 600g ready-made bread or pizza dough
• 500g ground lamb or beef
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 70g pine nuts

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C.
2. Roll the dough into two baguette shaped rolls and cut it into slices (about 1 inch thick per slice) or see Note below. Set the slices aside and leave them to rise for about 15 minutes.
3. In the meantime, prepare the meat mixture. Start by frying the onions in the heated oil until soft and transparent, about 5 to 10 minutes.
4. When onions are done, add the meat, allspice, cinnamon, mixed herbs, salt and pepper and cook until all meat cooked through. Make sure that the meat mixture is quite dry. Mix in the tomato paste thoroughly and set aside. Let cool slightly.
5. Now to make the Sfiha, get the dough slices and put into an oiled oven dish next to each other. Press each slice in the centre with your fingers (this is where you will put the meat mixture).
6. Spoon the mixture in the centre of the dough slices leaving some space from the end of the slice (just like a pizza).
7. Sprinkle some pine nuts on each Sfiha and put into the oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked.

Note: You can always make a large one or a couple of medium sized ones, It is entirely up to you.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Gujarati Potato Curry ગુજરાતી બટાટા કરી

This recipe comes from Gujarat, India which is a state in western India. Gujarat cuisine is mostly vegetarian even if there is an extensive coastline from which lot of seafood is harvested. This dish is completely vegetarian andcan be served on its own as a main dish or as a side dish with a pulse dish and rice. Amanda & I enjoyed this with warm naan bread and natural yogurt to contrast the fieriness of the chillies. Obviously, you can adjust the amount of chillies in the recipe to your own taste but do try to find and use all the ingredients so as the produce a genuine Gujarati taste!! Give it a go and your taste buds will definitely come alive!! For 4 people (as a side dish) you will need...

• 450g potatoes, cut in 1 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 3 fresh red chillies, chopped
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 450ml water

To serve

• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Naan bread
• Natural yoghurt

Method

1. Heat the oil on high heat in a wok or large pan and add the cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and asafoetida. Cook for a few seconds until fragrant and mustard seeds start popping.
2. Add the potatoes, turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, chilli powder, chopped chillies and tomato paste. Stir continuosly and cook for around 5 minutes.
3. Add the water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for around 20 minutes.
4. Slowly tip the curry in a warm serving dish, garnish with the coriander leaves and serve.
5. Add the yoghurt to taste after plating. Warm the Naan breads and enjoy!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Salmon Burger served with Fried Onion

I got this recipe from a magazine in Spain last summer. We tried it and it is now a must every other week :) The result was a simply, delicious, succulent burger that was clearly out of the norm. So easy to prepare and unfortunately so fast to disappear from our plates :) We used the freshest salmon fillets that we could find, which here in Britain is not that hard to find as Scottish salmon is absolutely wonderful. If cannot find fresh you can still use frozen salmon fillets, you will still obtain good results. If you do not like gherkins you can use 1 tablespoon capers instead. The secret is not to overcook the salmon as it tends to dry out. We served it with a side of wild rocket leaves, to add some crunch!! So give it a go...you will certainly do it again...for 4 salmon burgers you will need...

• 4 burger buns
• 250g fresh salmon fillet
• 2 gherkins, finely chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 onion, sliced & fried in olive oil
• Olive oil
• Mayonnaise
• Salt, to taste
• Wild rocket leaves, to serve

Method

1. Make sure the salmon fillet is cleaned from all bones and mince with a knife.
2. Put the salmon mince in a bowl, add the chopped gherkins (or chopped capers), salt, lemon juice and mix well.
3. Shape the mixture into 4 patties and in a frying pan on low heat fry in olive oil until brown on both sides. Make sure they are on low heat so they do not dry out.
4. Split the buns in half and toast slightly under a grill.
5. To prepare you juicy salmon burger, put a dollop of mayo, a salmon burger, some fried onion. Serve warm!

Enjoy!!

R&A