Full English for Sunday Lunch!

I suppose it had to make an appearance here one day, so here it is: "The Full English Breakfast".  Okay, so the word "full" is debatable, as various other components can be considered "essential" to a cooked breakfast, depending on where in England you live, your family or community history and your personal tastes, but in general the term "full English" simply relates to a cooked breakfast along the lines of the one pictured here.

Now, for non-natives of England, please let me explain that this is not (seriously, NOT) what English people eat for breakfast every day ... heaven forbid!!  There may be the odd person who does, but they are very few and far-between.  For the vast majority of us, the "full English" is part of our culinary tradition (like roast beef and fish & chips) that we have as an occasional treat ... especially when staying in a hotel or guest house.  It's seen by many as part of the experience, when taking a British holiday or weekend break; those whose work takes them away from home during the week don't indulge every morning, either, as all B&B establishments also offer more widely-preferred breakfast options, such as fruit, yogurt, cereal and toast.  It must be said, however, that a decent "full English" breakfast will satisfy you almost for a whole day, meaning you only need a small meal in the evening and rarely any lunch at all.

Yesterday, we chose to have a "full English" instead of a roast Sunday lunch.  Consisting of (oven baked) pork sausages and bacon, sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes, fried bread and a couple of fried eggs, it was rather scrummy and, as expected, filled us up for the rest of the day.  We had a light snack during the evening, but there was certainly no need to cook anything else!

(Note: Although bacon and fried eggs are the traditional "bare bones" of a British cooked breakfast, there are no set rules about what else can be on the plate.  Our choices yesterday represent our preferences, but they can be substituted or supplemented by any of the following: poached or scrambled eggs, baked beans, any of the various meat "puddings" - black pudding, hog's pudding, groat pudding, etc - hash browns or potato waffles, bread & butter ... we even once had a neighbour who liked to include a beefburger!!)

V  Making a vegetarian version of this meal (whether for a breakfast treat or at any other time) couldn't be simpler, as the meat is only one aspect of it ... indeed, when we had vegetarian B&B guests to stay, in the Cornish inn we once owned, I frequently provided a cooked breakfast for them.  Simply swap the sausage and bacon for your favourite meat-free sausages (Linda McCartney, vegetable, Quorn, etc) and add as many other components as you like.  These can include any or all of the following: tomatoes (grilled, fried or tinned), mushrooms, fried bread, fried or poached or scrambled eggs, baked beans, hash browns, potato waffles ... the only limitations are your taste buds and your imagination!

Chilli with added veg

I've never been much of a recipe-user, preferring to have a go at most dishes using my own taste buds and a smidgen of common sense ... yes, there have been a few minor disasters along the way, but mostly its been a triumphant journey of discovery.

Chilli con carne is no exception to this; like most people, I guess, I just throw in the basics, add a few flourishes of my own and hope for the best!  Sometimes I stick to the main ingredients (onion, garlic, lean minced beef, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, seasoning, beef stock, chilli flakes and kidney beans) but on other occasions I like to add a few "extras".  Last night, I decided to chuck in some extra vegetables that were lurking in my fridge (mushrooms, red peppers and some leftover baked beans), a few flavouring tweaks (Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce, paprika and dried mint) and piled the delicious mixture on top of a jacket potato.

A dressed side salad added some freshness and a balance of flavours ... oh yeah, and we do like a couple of side dishes with our chilli: grated cheese and soured cream.  Phwooaarrr !!

V  Very easy to make this a vegetarian meal: simply make a non-meat chilli.  Either use one of the meat-free mince varieties (Quorn, soya, etc) or create a scrumptious vegetable chilli (this would be my preference) using all your favourite veggies.  Mine would probably include onions, peppers, mushrooms, butternut squash, carrots and courgettes (zucchini), all chopped fairly small (except the mushrooms and squash) and sauteed with garlic and seasoning, before adding the flavourings, tomatoes, etc.  Gorgeous!!

Roast chicken dinner

The great British Sunday roast ... but chicken, rather than the traditional beef.  Actually, beef would come way down my list of favourite Sunday roasts, with chicken, lamb and pork all coming higher for me.  (I'm also very partial to our latest "discovery" of stuffed butternut squash, for a vegetarian Sunday roast - yum!)

From top left, clockwise:  chicken drumstick, breast meat, roasted red onion, roast potatoes, curly kale, carrots, leeks in cheesy sauce, roast parsnips ... all topped off with a little chicken gravy.  The chicken was a British free-range one, which I stuffed with a quartered red onion and herbs, then sprinkled with salt, black pepper and smoked paprika.  The onion, potatoes and parsnips were roasted in the same tin and the gravy made from the juices (fat skimmed off).  The carrots were simply boiled, on this occasion (although I prefer them steamed, but they were still very nice) and the kale "steamed" over a little water and butter.

The leeks were sauteed in butter and black pepper, plain flour added to the pan when they were almost cooked (to make a roux), then milk and brought to the boil (stirring constantly) and finally grated cheese.  It was all then put into an ovenproof dish for the top to brown - a delicious accompaniment to almost any dish, particularly a roast dinner like this one.

A Taste of the Sea

Hubby and I had a big shopping day yesterday (checking out large appliances for our new kitchen) so we decided to have lunch out and stopped at a food pub in Exeter ... what a disaster!  Yes, it was edible (just) but that's about the best you could say for it.  Definitely NOT one to visit again.

So ... to give our bodies a nice light, healthy treat after subjecting them to rubbish food at lunchtime, we made a lovely mixed seafood salad for tea last night.  Not everybody's "cup of tea", I'm sure, but we absolutely loved it ... not only did it taste delicious and feel quite "virtuous", it also reminded us both of our childhoods by the sea!

Making use of our brand new salad spinner (£14.99 from Argos) to dry off the lettuce and rocket, we constructed a basic green salad, adding chopped cucumber and herbs, quartered tomatoes and a lovely dressing made with  olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, salt & pepper and herbs (fresh parsley, thyme, basil, coriander and dried mint).  We topped this off with hard-boiled eggs, tinned tuna (caught by by rod and line, of course!!) and a pack of mixed seafood (prawns, mussels and squid rings).  With a few sliced olives and some lemon wedges, this made a deliciously light supper ... although we did also have a bit of french baguette with taramasalata on the side!!

Absolutely gorgeous!

Stuffed chicken breast

Another experiment last night ... and another triumph!

I split a couple of free-range, organic chicken breasts (almost right through, making a nice big "pocket") and filled them with black pepper and herbs, crushed garlic and a slice of processed cheese (I'd have preferred something like mozzarella, but didn't have any), then wrapped each of them tightly in Parma ham slices, so the filling wouldn't seep out too much.  (Streaky bacon would work just as well, but would give a stronger, saltier flavour - I prefer the more delicate, unobtrusive taste of Parma ham in this dish, so it doesn't overpower the chicken.)

I then fried the breasts in a little oil for about 5 minutes on each side (plus a few minutes on the thickest "edge") then transferred them to an oven dish and finished them off in the oven until cooked through ... maybe, say, another 10 minutes or so.  I served it with some veg and potatoes and, even though some of the melted cheese had escaped, it was LUSH!

Cheap and cheerful pork dish

As well as cutting down the amount of meat in my diet, I am also happy to use some of the less popular cuts - which are often cheaper to buy and, as long as they are cooked correctly, make an excellent meal.

In this case, we had some belly pork slices that I simply doused in black pepper and smoked paprika, then placed in a hot, dry frying pan (this allows much of the fat to cook off) for about 5 minutes or so, before turning and doing the same on the other side.  I then cut each slice in two, drained the fat from the pan, then added some gravy (just made-up granules on this occasion) and allowed to simmer for a few minutes more.  (This is where you could get creative - maybe sautee some onions, mushrooms and/or sliced peppers in another pan, make a sauce with tinned tomatoes, alcohol or cream and add to the meat at this stage ... or even add a ready-made sauce if you prefer.)

The pork was tender and tasty, making a delicious accompaniment to some re-roasted vegetables left over from Sunday, spruced up with a few french beans.

Happy beef burger memories!

Many years ago, Warren and I used to run a folk club in Plymouth, Devon, which was very well supported and gave us innumerable happy times, not to mention a huge number of great new friendships.  Very often several of us (performers and non-performers alike) would "go on" after the musical evening, a favourite venue being a cafe/bistro on North Hill called "The Load O' Bull", which specialised in beef dishes - homemade burgers in particular!

They were very happy, fun times and have a treasured place in our shared memory ... mostly because of the people and laughter involved, but also because of the great food we enjoyed there.  (They used to do a "kitchen sink" type dessert, including sparklers, which was called "Custer's Last Stand"!)  We usually plumped for a burger, with one of their delicious toppings, and last night we relived those times a little, with our own version of a "Load O' Bull" burger!

Using best quality, British lean steak mince, the burgers were formed with nothing more added than a sprinkle of Cajun spices and a shake each of Lee & Perrins (Worcestershire sauce) and light soy sauce - although they could, of course, be flavoured with whatever you like.  They were then fried in a little oil, leaving the first side alone to get well-sealed and begin to blacken before turning over (this prevents sticking and falling apart ... don't fiddle with it!!).  Total cooking time should be no longer than 10 minutes, absolute max.

We toasted the inside of a split sesame seed bap, then added our favourite two toppings - garlic mushrooms (just sliced and cooked in a bit of butter and garlic) and a blue cheese sauce (Stilton crumbled into sour cream).  We served it with a small side salad, drizzled with balsamic glaze, and a dollop of coleslaw.

It certainly brought back some precious, happy memories.  The only things missing were a few old friends, a glass of chilled beer and a sexy waiter!!

V  For a vegetarian option, just substitute the beef burger for your favourite veggie burger ... and pretend you have some great memories of a place called "The Load O' Veg" !!

Cajun chicken breast & spicy wedges

Regular readers of my blog might have noticed that, although I enjoy good quality food homemade from scratch, I do like meals to be fairly quick and simple to prepare whenever possible.  So occasionally we have a meal that includes some convenience foods, such a this tasty plateful we enjoyed last night.

We threw a bagful of lightly spiced potato wedges in the oven (currently £1.00 a bag in Tesco!!), while we prepared the rest of the meal.  First, we "butterflied" the chicken breast (cut almost right through the thickest part, then fold out and secure open by threading through with a skewer), coated it in oil and rolled it in Cajun spices and black pepper.  This was then fried for a few minutes on each side (skin side down first) and finished off in the oven until cooked through but still moist.

Meanwhile, we put some frozen french beans in a microwavable bowl with a little butter and a sprinkling of sesame seeds, ready to cook on a high setting for about 3 minutes.  We also mixed a little black pepper and some chives into soured cream to have on the side.

It could hardly have been a quicker and easier dish to prepare and, as we only used one chicken breast between us (corn fed, organic & free range) it was pretty cheap, too!  BUT ... it was absolutely delicious!  The wedges were far nicer than any frozen oven chips, the moist and spicy chicken was simply gorgeous, and the green beans and soured cream were the perfect accompaniments.  I would have happily eaten the same again tonight ... but we have some veg that needs using up!

Warren's Wonderful Fish Pasta

It was inevitable that this dish would show up on my blog before long ... it's SO very delicious that we have it quite frequently.  It's also quick and easy to prepare, quite wholesome and fairly easy on the purse, too!  An all-round success, then ... and created entirely by my lovely hubby, clever man!

Fry a chopped mild onion (he used a red onion here) and a crushed garlic clove in some oil in a large (lidded) pan - don't allow to brown.  When softened, add half a fish stock cube, black pepper, some dried tarragon, a wine glass of dry vermouth (eg. Martini) and a wine glass of water.  Simmer for about 5 minutes or so, to infuse flavours and soften tarragon.

Place some chunks of mixed fish, such as salmon, smoked haddock and coley (we use a pack of "fish pie mix" sold in supermarkets) on top of the sauce, put the lid on the pan and cook gently for another 5-10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked (try not to overcook it).  Now, take off the lid and carefully move the fish to one side of the pan while you finish the sauce (this prevents the delicate fish from breaking up too much, so you get some nice big chunks).

Add some cream (single or double - be fairly generous, but don't drown the fish in sauce!!) and a little cornflour (about 2 teaspoons mixed into in a small cup of cold water).  Heat and stir until the sauce is thickened. then carefully bring the fish back in.  Serve immediately over cooked pasta - our favourite is linguine - accompanied by a lovely fresh salad.  It's gorgeous!!

This treatment also works for a chicken and bacon base (see a similar dish in the January archive) or for a V vegetarian alternative, try using sliced mushrooms, peppers & courgettes.

I made a dessert last night, too ... which is most unusual!  I'd been fancying something like a chocolate cake for a few days and finally got round to making this moist, surprisingly light and scrummy Dark Chocolate Torte, which we had (as you can see!) with some fresh, sliced strawberries and a big dollop of extra thick double cream.  Heaven on a plate!

Finally, I made a batch of chocolate cornflake cakes for our grandchildren, as Warren is visiting them today, so he's taken a tubful with him to Plymouth ... hope he doesn't eat them all on the way!

I've never made Paella before ...

... in fact, I've never even eaten Paella before!  But I've always rather fancied it and, understanding a little about Mediterranean flavours, thought I could put a reasonable variation of it together.  Hubby and I had been shopping yesterday afternoon (late-ish) and had picked up some great fish counter bargains: mackerel fillets, salmon trimmings, scallops and mixed fish (for hubby's glorious fish pasta dish) all went in the freezer and we were left with some squid and a few langoustine.  We had decided whilst still in the supermarket that we would give it a go, so had also bought some chorizo and spicy cooked chicken breast.

It wasn't a classic Paella, nor was it even an authentic variation ... but it was my Paella and it was totally delicious!

So this is how I achieved the above result.  First, I fried some chopped onion, chorizo and crushed garlic in oil, then added some long-grain rice and stirred it about for a few minutes, throwing in the raw langoustine at this stage as well, so that they started to cook.  I then added plenty of paprika and black pepper, some chicken stock, a tin of chopped tomatoes with herbs and a good glug of white wine, all of which I brought to the boil (whilst stirring) then lowered the heat and put the lid on the pan.

Hubby had been hard-boiling two eggs in the meantime, which I now plunged into cold water, shelled and quartered lengthwise.  He was also preparing the squid (cutting it into "goujon" shapes, sprinkling with lemon juice and dusting with seasoned flour) and when the rice was almost cooked, he started to shallow fry it separately.  I popped a few frozen peas into the Paella at this stage, followed by the chopped chicken breast and a few leftover olives, and gave it all another good stir.  When the rice was tender and the chicken re-heated, the squid was thrown in and the eggs arranged on top, sprinkled with a little more paprika.  (We didn't have any fresh parsley, but that would have looked and tasted good as well.)

It's worth noting that although there seems to be a lot of (protein) ingredients here, there wasn't a large amount of anything - half a pack each of chorizo and spicy chicken, a small-ish pack of squid, 4 langoustine and 2 eggs.

Anyway, it was quite a "special" sort of meal without being overly rich or heavy ... definitely one to do again!

Variation on Fish Pie

I haven't been to the shops much this week ... in fact, I've hardly been outside the door this week!  So I've been getting creative with what I could find in the house to cook and last night was a triumph!  Using my newly re-awakened skills, I came up with a rather delicious variation on the more traditional fish pie: plaice & prawn pie with a lemon and tarragon sauce.

Some plaice fillets that my husband had bought for me a couple of months ago (he's not a fan of flatfish) were lurking at the bottom of the freezer, along with some prawns and other seafood.  I defrosted the fish and a bag of raw prawns during the day, then cooked the plaice in the oven (in milk and tarragon, covered with foil).  Meanwhile, I peeled and sliced four large potatoes and boiled them in lightly salted water until almost cooked.

When the fish was almost done, I sauteed the prawns in some oil and butter, then squeezed the juice of half a lemon over them.  I turned down the heat, added some flour to make a roux, then slowly added some cold milk while stirring the mixture.  I took the fish from the oven and added the cooking liquid to the prawns, along with some more tarragon, then brought it to the boil, still stirring with total commitment!  I turned down the heat again when the sauce had boiled and thickened, added a few frozen peas and the flaked plaice fillets.  (Oh yeah, I also added a tiny tin of Weight Watchers tuna in "coronation-style dressing" that I had in the cupboard, which was disgusting in sandwiches!!)

It all went into a large Pyrex dish, topped with the drained potato slices, a little melted butter and a sprinkle of grated cheese (made a lovely change from the usual mashed potato topping), then it was popped back into the oven (high heat) while I prepared and steamed some carrots and French beans to accompany it.  The end result looked, smelled and tasted scrummy!  (Plus there was enough left to freeze a portion or two ... which was why I opted to use raw prawns in the first place!)

Oh, and in case you were wondering ... my non-flatfish loving hubby thought it was delicious too and enjoyed a large portion, scraping the plate clean!!

Simple, Quick* and Tasty

* (Quick to prepare, but the potatoes take over an hour to cook)

My cooking seems to have improved over the last few months (apart from the recent little blip), which I think is simply down to thinking about it more and writing this blog.  Don't get me wrong, I've always been a pretty good cook and hubby and I have always eaten well (often too well, I'm afraid!!), but giving a little more attention to what I'm preparing has re-awoken my interest in ingredients, flavours and cooking techniques ... an interest that had been dulled by years of churning out food for unappreciative children and impatient, demanding customers in our two pubs.

Take last night's meal, for instance - simple lamb chops and veg:

For one thing, the vegetables far outweigh the meat content of this plate, which is what I'm aiming towards for health purposes - this presents no problem for me at all, as I love veg!  Now, in the past I would probably have boiled both the carrots and the broccoli, but last night I steamed them so they retained more colour, texture, flavour and nutrients ... not to mention the fact that I would usually add (just a little) salt to the water when boiling.  I would always try to serve vegetables al dente where appropriate, but steaming is still preferable and really takes no longer to do; it just means getting into a different habit.

The lamb chops were simply sprinkled with black pepper and dried mint, sealed in a little oil and finished off in the oven.  However, the star of this show was undoubtedly the potato dish.  Again, once upon a time I might have served a baked potato, or plain boiled pots and a nice rich gravy - nothing wrong with either of those options - but a moment of inspiration made me pour a tin of chopped tomatoes into a small roasting tin, roughly chop some potatoes and a quartered onion on top, throw in some halved garlic cloves and top it all of with black pepper, mixed herbs, rosemary and a drizzle of olive oil.  I bunged this in a hot oven and left it for about an hour, after which I turned it a little (so the potatoes underneath got a chance to brown), added another light drizzle of oil and left it for another half hour.  Absolutely delicious!!

V  To be honest, the potatoes and veg were almost a meal in themselves, but for added protein, vegetarians could serve them with their favourite nut or bean-based entree ... or just grate some cheese over them, that would be nice, too!

Update - I am having the re-heated leftover veg & spuds for my lunch, topped with grated cheese and it is, indeed, very nice!

I think I'm back!!

I've been MIA for a couple of weeks or so; I've been struggling with food and other issues (which would probably have been a good time for me to air my thoughts and feelings here!) but I think I'm getting back on track now.  To be perfectly honest, there have been precious few meals worthy of a photograph and description recently, but I was rather pleased with last night's dinner, so here it is:

The pasta (Tesco's chicken & mushroom tortellini) was a little stodgy (it had been frozen and I may have overcooked it) and doesn't photograph well, but the sauce was scrumptious: sautee a chopped onion, some snipped bacon and thinly-sliced mixed peppers in a little oil until cooked/softened (use a lid to prevent sticking and retain moisture), add a sprinkling of black pepper and paprika, then pour in some cream (single, double, soured - whatever you've got) and simmer until the sauce is the consistency you like (add milk to thin it down if necessary).  Chuck in the drained pasta & stir.

We had ours with a delicious Greek salad (tomatoes, onions, green pepper, cucumber, olives, feta cheese, mixed herbs, dried mint, lemon juice and olive oil), but any fresh salad would complement it well ... add some garlic bread too, if you fancy it!

V Easy to make this a vegetarian version by using a non-meat filled tortellini and swapping the bacon for sliced mushrooms ... equally as delicious!

This pretty much typifies the way I would like to eat all the time: an acceptable-sized portion of something homemade and delicious, accompanied by fresh (raw or lightly cooked) salads or vegetables.  I'm working towards it, but Rome wasn't built in a day ... and my 50-year food addiction will not be conquered in a couple of weeks!!