BONFIRE BANGERS

The kids love these fun nibbles. The hot dogs are meant to resemble rockets - the firework kind, as I invented them for bonfire night (hence the name). I use pizza dough to wrap around the hot dog sausages, but you could use puff pastry instead if you wish.

INGREDIENTS

1 jar/pack or can of 8 hot dog sausages.
400g of pizza dough (I’ll post my recipe for this soon) or ready made puff pastry
8 wooden bbq skewers, (soaked in water for an hour, if possible)
Small pots of Tomato ketchup and American mustard (for dipping)

METHOD

1] Heat oven to 190⁰C
2] Roll out pizza dough into rectangular shape, then cut into strips, around 1 cm wide, 20 cm long. (Reserve any remaining dough for other recipes).
3] Carefully insert skewers into one end of the hot dog sausages,

and gently push until it’s around ½ way inside and the sausage is securely held.
4] Starting at the stick end of the sausage, spiral a strip of dough around the sausage, pinching it together at either end to ensure it will stay put.
5] Lay wrapped sausages on baking tray (allowing enough space for the dough to expand), and if using puff pastry, brush with a little egg wash.
6] Wrap lower end of tray with foil (to cover the skewers – this is especially important if you haven’t soaked them for long enough).
7] Bake in oven (middle shelf) for 10 minutes, (if using puff pastry, until dough is golden brown).
8] Serve with dips. I usually put them skewer down in a pint glass to serve, the kids like to pick their own, whilst watching the fireworks.

KIDS RATING – 8/10. “Yummy!”

Deep Fried Mozzarella

I'm sorry I've been too busy to blog recently. Nothing's changed actually, but that's another story. The days have been draining through my fingers at a rate of knots, but I've been determined to get at least get one entry done in July, so here it is!

I was making tapas a little while ago and one of the recipes I came across was deep fried Manchego cheese. When I saw the price of the Manchego however, I decided this was off the menu, at least for the time being (if I'm going to pay that sort of money, I want fillet steak!!!) Then I had a brain wave, I thought 'if Camembert can be deep fried, why can't Mozzarella?' (It is certainly much cheaper than Manchego). In my usual throw away the recipe book style, I decided how I'd like these little beauties to look and taste, and this is what I came up with. Each Mozarella ball makes four chunky bites, so this recipe makes 12, but you can tailor the amounts to suit your own needs. I'd allow one or two each for tapas, or more if being eaten as a snack. The aren't authentic tapas, but they certainly didn't look (or taste) out of place in this environment. I think they would also be a perfect nibble accompanied by a nice cold glass of white wine.

INGREDIENTS

3 lrg mozzarella balls
2 oz pl flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 x egg (beaten)
Dried breadcrumbs to coat (approx 4 tbsp)
Hot oil to deep fry

METHOD

1] In a small plastic bag, mix flour/garlic powder/salt/pepper & oregano.
2] Cut the mozzarella balls into quarters and one piece at a time, drop into the plastic bag and thoroughly coat with the flour mix.
3] Whisk the egg in one bowl and put dried breadcrumbs in another.
4] One at a time, coat the mozzarella pieces in the egg, then the breadcrumbs.
5] Fry about 6 at a time in hot (about 200 degrees) oil, for one or two minutes until breadcrumbs are just turning golden. The cheese should maintain its shape and not ooze out - DON'T OVERCOOK (or they'll turn to a mushy mess).
6] Drain on kitchen paper and continue until all mozzarella is cooked. Serve warm.

MR.T RATING - 9/10. 'Simple, but tasty!'

Breakfast Scones

Strictly speaking these scones were not something out of one of my notepads (but they are now). I invented them whilst faffing about in the kitchen (for a change) last Saturday morning. Knowing Mr.T would come in starving after a gruelling mountainbike ride, I needed to make something quick, tasty and filling. These savoury scones ticked all three boxes! In fact, they were so popular with everyone in the family that my children have asked if I can make them some to take to school for lunch instead of sandwiches. It is for this reason that I decided this should be the next recipe I share with you. This recipe makes a bakers dozen (13) medium sized scones and as well as being a fabulous breakfast snack, they could also be served at buffets and picnics. Good cold, but great hot - let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS

200g SR Flour
Pinch Salt & freshly ground black Pepper
1 tsp Mustard powder
1/2-1 tsp Cayenne (depending how much of a kick you like)
2 Eggs
3 tbsp Milk (or slightly more - to bind into a sticky dough)
5 Spring onions (or chives), sliced finely
100g thick lean bacon, cubed (lardons will do as long as they aren't too fatty)
1 tsp sunflower oil
75g strong cheddar, grated (plus a handful for sprinkling over scones, if wished)

METHOD

1] Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius (gas 7) or 200 degrees if a fan oven.
2] Fry bacon in sunflower oil until cooked, but not crisp. Allow to cool.
3] In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together, then add spring onions & cooled bacon and mix through.
4] Add 1 egg and enough milk to mix to a sticky dough.
5] Turn out onto a floured surface and roll until about half an inch (1.5 cm) thick.
6] Using a circular pastry/cookie cutter, cut out the scones and place on an oiled baking tray. (Re-roll the offcuts together and continue, but do not re-roll pastry too often as it will spoil the texture of the scones).
7] Using the yolk only of the remaining egg, whisk in a teaspoon of water, then brush over the top of the scones. Sprinkle the tops with more grated cheese (if you wish).

8] Cook for about 10 minutes, until nicely golden, then serve hot as they are or split in half and buttered.

MR.T Rating 9.5/10
I'm not normally a fan of scones, but these are light as a feather and really delicious. Please can I have some more?

Mind the Gap

Apologies everyone (anyone?), I have had to concentrate my efforts in other directions recently, so haven't had time to put any new entries on my blog for a while. It hasn't been far from my mind however (food never is) and every time I've cooked something particularly yummy, I've had to rap Mr.T on the knuckles to keep him away from it until I've taken a photo. Whereas most people have a mobile phone full of photo's of their kids, mine's full of foodie pics (there is the odd one of the kids too, one has to show willing).
As a result, I have amassed quite a few recipes ready to post, some of which really are humdingers! So watch this space...

Snow White and the oversized Dudhi’s

Haven’t we been blessed with gorgeous weather over the past week!! On Thursday, the sun was blazing and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Having just dropped the children off at school, I was driving through the beautiful Surrey countryside when a squirrel darted out into the road in front of me. It looked up and seemed to smile as I waited patiently for it to amble across (nothing’s too much trouble when the sun shines, is it?). ‘Nice Day’ (Stereophonics) began to play on the radio. How fitting, I thought, admiring my surroundings. Rabbits frolicking around yonder field, tiny birds warbling as they playfully flitted from tree to tree – perfect! I was in danger of imagining myself the star of some bizarre production of Snow White.

Dare I throw open the sunroof and head for the south coast? I cook, clean and graft hard for my family, was it too much to ask – just one day to myself?

Engine ticking over, I hesitated at the next junction. In my rear-view mirror I could see a car had pulled up behind me and its driver was tapping his steering wheel impatiently. It’s now or never, I thought.

Sighing, I turned right and headed for the supermarket.

Unfortunately we don’t have one of those great little ethnic mini-marts around here. You know the type; alluring unsuspecting passers by with its artful display of strange, exotic (and sometime amusingly shaped) fruits and vegetables. Then inside, stuffed to the gills with colourful packets, boxes and tins of fabulousness, stacked floor to ceiling. If only we had such a shop, I wouldn’t need to travel so far to pick up ingredients ‘a little less ordinary’. But would I make it to the beach? Probably not; I’d be at the mini-mart, sniffing the pungently spiced air and smiling politely at the shopkeeper as I squeezed his oversized Dudhi’s.

20 minutes later I rolled into the car park, it was busy already. The energy seemed to sap out of me as I walked through those automatic doors. Mile after mile of fluorescently lit aisle stretched before me... everything from radishes to bicycle tyres. What seemed like half a day later, I finally reached the ‘World Foods’ section - my oasis in this hellish place. Here I could happily float up and down the aisle with a look of childish wonder on my face. I’d probably read every single label twice when I realised I was attracting strange looks from the guy on the fish counter, who may have begun to suspect I was stalking him.

When I smiled and waved, he blushed and pretended to busy himself with a fillet of John Dory. Job done, I picked up a packet of Chat Masala and began reading it for the third time. As I perused the next shelf, I noticed something strange. It was called Rice Pasta and looked exactly like tri-coloured fusili. This had to be investigated further, so I checked the ingredients and found it was exactly what it claimed – pasta made from rice. Still reeling from this revelation, I noticed another oddity a few packets away. It looked like a bag of rice but had the word Macaroni on it. Having read the ingredients, I realised that what I had in my hand was indeed pasta disguised as rice. Had the world gone mad? Now I can see the merits of the rice pasta, some pasta lovers may be wheat or gluten intolerant, but Macaroni rice? Why? (Yes, I did buy some, to try and fathom this out).

The fish guy withered when he saw me approaching and tried to conceal himself amongst the lobsters. He needn’t have worried though; I was heading for the youngster on the meat counter. Is it so unusual to ask for a single slice of rump steak weighing a kilogram? It certainly perplexed the meat lad. ‘What’s wrong, haven’t you got one big enough?’ I enquired after he’d been rummaging around the fridge for ages. Apparently this was the wrong thing to say to a teenage boy. He instantly developed a stammer and began blushing profusely. The fish guy looked on sympathetically, but when I glanced over, he retreated once more amongst his crustaceans.

Anyway, I got my kilo of steak (well it was almost a kilo, but I won’t go into how the embarrassed the meat boy became when explaining the shortfall), so I intend putting into action an idea I’ve been mulling around for a while. My family will be my guinea pigs and if it turns out as great as I hope, I’ll post my recipe soon.

Steak Pudding

This hearty meal may not be something you'd find on the menu of a Michelin starred restaurant, but it truly is comfort food at its best (especially when served alongside creamy mashed potatoes). Although Mr.T isn't a pie and pudding sort of guy, he's never refused a generous helping of this meatylicious dish. It is pure indulgence, a real winter warmer - and my children absolutely love it! In fact my eldest, 11yrs, insisted we make it together last Sunday; apparently he wanted to be sure he could cook it for himself in the future. (I can only assume he thinks I'm about to shuffle off this mortal coil some time soon, leaving him bereft of steak pudding forever). So here it is for the very first time, released into the blogosphere for everyone to enjoy!

NOTE: I use a large 2 litre pudding basin (about 22cm diameter) which can serve 6-8 adults, but you may halve the below ingredients to use a smaller basin if you wish. Just be sure that your saucepan is large enough to accommodate the dish when all the foil etc is wrapped around it.

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry...
400g self raising flour
175g suet
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
Water (enough to bind to a dough)

For the filling...
2 oxo cubes
800g-1kg braising steak, cubed
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tbsp worcester sauce
1 tbsp mushroom ketchup
3 tbsp plain flour
Salt and pepper (around 1 tsp of each)
Water
2 tsp sunflower oil (for greasing)

METHOD

1] Thoroughly oil the inside of your pudding basin.
2] In a mixing bowl, blend flour with salt, pepper and mixed herbs, then stir in the suet.
3] Add just enough water for the dough to bind without being sticky, then roll out on a floured board into a large circle shape (big enough to line the bowl allowing for a few centimetres overlap).
4] Cut 1/4 out of the rolled dough circle and set it to one side (the piece left on your board should now resemble pac-man).
5] Ensuring there are no gaps, carefully line your oiled basin with the 3/4 piece of dough, overlapping its the edges by a few centimetres.
6] Using the dough you had set aside, remold it into a circle and roll again until it's large enough to form a lid for your pudding, then leave it on the board while you prep your filling.
7] In a mixing bowl, stir plain flour, salt, pepper and oxo cubes together, then toss the meat in it until well coated.
8] Add the onions and distribute evenly through the meat, then tip the mixture into the lined pudding basin.
9] Splash on the worcester sauce and mushroom ketchup, then add enough water to reach 3/4 way up the meat mixture.
10] Fold the overlapped dough back inside the dish, it should form a rim around the edges on top of the meat. Brush the top of the dough rim with water so it'll stick to the lid and seal your pudding properly.
11] Put the dough lid on top, pressing it down firmly around the edges.
12] Pleat a piece of greaseproof paper (to allow for expansion) and secure to bowl with a piece of kitchen string.
13] Top with a double thickness of foil, large enough to well overlap all around the bowl. This needs to be tied with more string (just under the ridged edge at the top of the basin). Allow enough string to tie securely around the bowl twice, then drape the two lengths over the top of the bowl and tie to the string at the other side to form a kind of handle. Please ensure it is very well tied and sturdy, as it will be used for pulling the steaming hot basin out of the pan and injury could occur if it snaps or comes undone.
14] If using a pressure cooker (as I do) put in the trivet then pour in enough water so that it will reach 1/2 way up the sides of the basin when it is put in the pan. Secure the lid, put on the meat setting and steam for 3 hours. If using an ordinary lidded pan, a small upturned sideplate can be used as a trivet, but the cooking time must be extended to around 5 hours. Either way, don't forget to occasionally check if the water needs topping up). Hope you like it!
(Serves 6-8)

MR.T RATING - 7/10

A great winter warmer, sat in front of a roaring fire. Lovely jubbly!

Croque Monsieur

This is my version of the tasty snack that's so popular with hungry skiers all over the French Alps. Great for Sunday Brunch, or just as a quick bite in front of the telly.

INGREDIENTS

2 slices of white bread
1 slice of ham
1 cup strong cheddar, grated
2 tsp butter
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Oil for frying

METHOD

1] Butter each slice of bread on one side, then spread the mustard over the butter.
2] Evenly distribute half the cheese over the mustard on one slice of the bread, then top with ham.
3] Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the ham and cover with the second slice of bread (as though making a sandwich).
4] Season beaten egg with salt and pepper and heat oil in large frying pan.
5] Pour egg into a bowl large enough to fit the sandwich in. Coat the sandwich with the egg on both sides and immediately transfer to the frying pan.
6] Careful not to burn, fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, turn sandwich and continue frying for another 2-3 minutes, or until completely cooked and golden on both sides (turning again if necessary).
(Serves 1)

MR.T RATING - 9/10

The ultimate snack! Discovered when skiing in La Plagne years ago - Ange has made it her own and it's the best ..... in the world!!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Often dubbed Britain's favourite dish, Chicken Tikka Masala really is something very special indeed. Its rich, burnished orange sauce is intensely flavoursome, but not overly hot, so it's ideal for curry lovers from both ends of the spectrum. This sauce was developed alongside my Tandoori Chicken Tikka, so it took me 6 years to perfect, and we absolutely love the result! I have tried to give accurate measurements for the ingredients, but I tend to play it by ear in the kitchen, throwing things into the pot like a thing possessed, so I suggest you follow the recipe to step 6, then before moving onto the final stage, sample the sauce and add a little more of any of the ingredients it needs to suit your own taste.

INGREDIENTS

1kg tandoori chicken tikka (recipe below)
Reserved tikka marinade
3 tbsp lime (or lemon) juice
3 tbsp ground almonds
1/2 pint coconut cream
1-2 tbsp sugar (to taste)
1-2 tbsp Maggi liquid seasoning
1-2 tbsp tomato ketchup (it sounds mad but it works)
10 green cardamon pods
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Salt & pepper (to taste)
Water, as required.

METHOD

1] Whilst grilling the chicken tikka, gently warm the marinade in a pan.
2] Add lemon/lime juice & sugar, simmer gently for 5 mins.
3] Meanwhile, split open the cardamon pods and, discarding the shell, grind the seeds to a powder (with a motar and pestle).
4] Add ground cardamon seeds, tomato sauce and Maggi seasoning to the pan, mix well and simmer for a few more minutes.
5] Mix in the coconut cream and ground almonds and, stirring frequently, simmer again for around 15 minutes. If the sauce looks like it's thickening up too much, add enough water to slacken to the desired consistancy (like gravy).
6] Add salt and pepper to taste.
7] Stir through the chopped coriander and chicken just before serving. It tastes great with rice, chips or naans (or all three together if you're hungry). Enjoy!
(Serves 4)

MR.T Rating - 9/10

Wicked, and some! 100th time lucky. Worth the wait.

Tandoori Chicken Tikka

Few of us are lucky enough to have an authentic 'Tandoor' oven, but once marinated, this chicken can be cooked in a number of ways more suited to the home cook.  Thread it on a skewer then barbecue or grill it, or try roasting it in a very hot oven - provided you don't overcook it, it'll taste delicious every time.  In the summer I tend to barbecue mine, but the rest of the time I grill.  Just ensure the edges of the meat are singed just enough to give the look, taste and texture of the tandoori chicken we all know and love.

This recipe took me six years to perfect and is one the all time favourites in my house.  Even eaten regularly, it still feels like a special treat.  I hope you love it as much as we do.

INGREDIENTS

1kg chicken thigh fillets
500g natural yoghurt
2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped finely
2 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped finely
2 tbsp tandoori paste (from a jar is fine - I use Pataks)
1/2 tsp red tandoori food colouring (optional, but gives a great colour)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground tumeric
2 tsp salt

METHOD

1]   Blend garlic, ginger and 2 tbsp of the yoghurt to a smooth puree.
2]   In a large bowl, add the puree to the rest of the yoghurt, then mix in the food colouring, salt and all the   spices, stirring until thoroughly combined.
3]   Using a sharp knife, slash the surface of each of the chicken thighs two or three times - this helps the marinade permeate the meat more deeply.
4]   Thoroughly coat each piece of chicken as you submerge them in the marinade.  Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  (Overnight is good, but 48 hours is even better).
5]   Thread each piece of chicken on long barbecue skewers.  Grill on high, turning frequently until cooked.
Great served hot with salad and raw onion relish, but can also be eaten cold or used to make chicken tikka masala (my recipe for this will follow soon). 
(Serves 4)

MR.T RATING - 8/10

In the words of our future Prime Minister (Jeremy Clarkson), "BIBLICAL!"

HELLO OUT THERE IN CYBERSPACE!

Mine truly is a MADCAP KITCHEN.  It is filled with delicious smells (well usually), bubbling pans and plenty of laughter.  It is the place where everyone seems to congregate at parties, the room in which I create what I call 'kitchen alchemy', it is the living beating heart of my home. 

The aim of my blog is to share the recipes I've created, tweaked and recorded in a number of dog-eared (but highly treasured) notepads over many (many) years.  I know the internet already contains a wealth of foodie information, I frequently use it to help fulfil many of my own culinary quests, but there's always room for one more isn't there?  I thought it was about time I gave something back, so I've donned my pinny and hereby cut the ribbon on the MACAP KITCHEN PROJECT.

I won't only be cooking though, I'll also be reflecting on some of the brilliant (and sometimes hilarious) times we've had with our wonderful friends and family here over the years. Who knows, maybe some of them will even come and join us in the Madcap Kitchen?

I'm going to work my way through my notepads and share each of my recipe's with you.  Many of my them have already been tried and tested a number of times, but I'll be cooking each one again before I post them online.  My hubby (and guinea pig) Mr.T will do a taste test and mark each recipe out of ten.  (I've promised to lock away my rolling pin while he does this). 

If you do try any of my recipe's, or if you have any of your own you'd like to share, I'd love to hear your comments. 

Right, I'm off to bone, stuff and truss two chickens (it's only the second time I've done this, so I may be some time).  If all goes well, who knows, maybe that'll be my first recipe post.

Wish me luck (I'm gonna need it).

Ange x