One for the Kids (Big or Small)

Halloween Gingerbread

Here’s a lovely quick recipe you can make with the children over the holiday, although they disappeared as if by magic from my work when I took a box in the other day...
I’ve made these several times using gluten free plain flour and brown rice flour as the latter gives a nice texture, but all plain flour will work for those with no allergies. The ginger taste is stronger than some bought gingerbread so you may want to adjust a little for a child’s taste.
Makes about 50 small cookies.




Ingredients

175g brown rice flour
450g plain flour (plus extra for rolling out)
175g soft brown sugar
100 butter
1 egg
4 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp dried ginger
Pinch sea salt
Fun cutters of your choice
Icing and sweets to decorate

Method

• Add all dried ingredients and mix to ensure all lumps are removed.

• Melt butter and golden syrup and add to mixture, add beaten egg and mix thoroughly. The dough should be firm and quite dry.

• Leave to chill in the fridge for about an hour before rolling out to about the depth of a £1 coin. Sprinkle with additional flour if the mix sticks to the rolling pin.

• Cut out shapes and place on greased baking tray. I like the reusable silicone sheets you can buy in most cookshops (nothing ever sticks).

• Place in a preheated oven at 180 for about 8 minutes, remove from sheet when warm and leave to cool.

• Decorate as you like and enjoy.

The Wig and Pen

19 St Giles Street, Northampton

Needed to do a spot of birthday shopping this week so combined a mooch around the shops and lunch with a friend. The Wig and Pen is one of a handful of freehouse pubs left in Northampton town centre and it’s concentration on a wide selection of beers and good quality food are just two reasons why they seem to be thriving in terms of customer numbers during a difficult time for many food and drink retailers.
It’s a historic and interesting building, what my mum would call 'a proper pub' with a good sized outside space, lovely for summer eating, drinking and enjoying the live music sometimes on.

Anyway, on to the food. The menu is varied from simple sandwiches, classics like fish and chips, pies to tasty deli boards strewn with delicious cheese and meats. The simplicity of the menu belies the actual dishes appearing from the kitchen, having eaten here several times before I have been impressed by the consistency and quality from a quick snack to a more substantial meal.
An excellent example of this is the sausage and mash ordered on this visit. The locally made sausages are enormous, full of meaty herby flavour, served on a generous portion of well-seasoned mashed potato, surrounded by a moat of light but flavourful onion gravy, then topped with a mass of parsnip crisps. Okay, enough description as I am now salivating as we near tea-time, here’s the picture.



My friend’s choice was a beef sandwich, once again a simple description of a much tastier meal and she has written her own comments below.



Very nice hot beef sarnie with a little pot of gravy... yum!
The Beef inside was very generous in terms of amount and of superb quality. You can tell that this place prides itself on its food, I have never had a bad meal and the place is always busy! Real ales brilliant here too.

In conclusion, a lovely place to eat but it does get very busy and retreating to the outside area may not be an option as the weather turns cooler. They have a very popular and reasonably priced steak night on a Wednesday that I haven’t yet had a chance to try but intend to very soon.

Highly recommended

Chorizo and Chickpea Soup

This is such a simple recipe, so cheap to make too I hesitated to add it to the blog but as I await my online shopping delivery the contents of my fridge is currently somewhat limited, half a chorizo sausage, onions, garlic and tomatoes. With a few basic ingredients you can cook this up in under 30 minutes and it costs about £0.50 per portion, perfect for a not-quite-pay-day-recipe. Top with some grated cheese of your choice and eat, it's delicious, warming and for my non chilli eating friends, deeply flavoured with smoked paprika rather than my kick-ass levels of chilli.

Ingredients

100g chorizo, chopped into bitesize pieces
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, grated
3 tsp smoked paprika
1 red chilli, whole, spiked to release flavour without heat
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large potato, cut into chunks
750 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper
Handful of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated cheese to taste

Method

• In a tiny amount of oil fry off chorizo until crispy around the edges and remove from the pan.
• In the residual oil fry off the onion until translucent, then add garlic and smoked paprika, fry for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the cubed potato, whole red chilli, red pepper, tomato puree, chickpeas and tomatoes, cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Add chicken stock and half the chorizo and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are fully cooked.
• Remove whole chilli and discard
• Season to taste, top with remaining chorizo, add herbs and serve in bowls with grated cheese.

Saffron

21 Castillian Street, Northampton

Northampton is not short of Indian restaurants some of which are standard fare, others offer a little more specialising in particular cuisines such as Bangladeshi and Nepalese meals alongside more familiar dishes. Some time ago we had ordered a takeaway from this restaurant but were not impressed enough to switch allegiances from our more local favourites however colleagues and friends suggested we gave it another go.

The restaurant’s own advertising states ‘...you are sure to receive the warmest of welcomes whatever time you dine.’ Unfortunately this proved the first in a series of uncomfortable events throughout our short meal. When asked if they had a table for two advising we hadn’t booked, the waiter seemed unsure before he led us to a table, half-heartedly pulled out a chair and wandered off. We seated ourselves as another server wrestled with pulling ornately folded napkins out of their rings before unceremoniously launching the now unfolded masterpieces vaguely towards our lap areas.

By then we’d had chance to consider the decor which was modern, clean and appealing but we felt, somewhat spoilt by the amount of self serving press clippings bearing the endorsements of past local panto stars; as if no curry could garner our favour had it not passed muster with Bobby Davro having a post show bhaji.

Drink orders were taken and menus provided we settled to choose our dishes, I for one feeling awkward was not inclined towards a starter, already feeling like the uninvited guest turning up at dinnertime.

My partner chose the cinnamon duck with a keema nan, I opted for a dish described as their ‘best selling’, a Chicken Hariyo Khursani, chicken pieces marinated in green chillies and cooked in a spicy sauce with a side of pilau rice. The chicken dish was a generous serving but the flavour was that of a spicy generic tikka masala with a touch of a well known brand of tomato soup to the sauce, albeit the chillies gave it a firmer kick. The duck however was a delight, beautifully spiced and served in a wonderful silky smooth sauce with the excellent keema being both crispy and moist.

Somewhat off putting was the intimacy to the couple next to us, pleasant as they appeared the enforced intimacy hindered conversation, particularly as my next door companion ordered the Naga and with every mouthful of this hot dish sniffed as the inevitable nose run began.
Meal finished we requested the bill. While I was underwhelmed enough with the service to leave just the cost, my partner had enjoyed the duck so we placed our money in the folder on the table. My partner had already walked toward the door while I was putting my coat on so didn’t witness the strangest part of the evening. The server in his haste to retrieve our payment pounced towards our table requiring me to jump out of his way. Horrified I joined my partner outside too stunned to go back and complain.

So would we go back? In short, no. There are very good Indian restaurants providing exciting authentic dishes where the service is as important as the food however I think my partner may find a way of getting the duck dish without me.

Skatnetti Omelette..

A delicious alternative to a basic omelette kindly  submitted by Matt, a lovely supper dish that I can't wait to try, it may even be tonight's dinner if I can get hold of the ricotta.
I'll add my comments when I've made the dish but I can't see what's not to like. Now off to buy some cheese...

Ingredients:
900g or 2lb small potatoes.
1 tbsp olive oil.
1 large onion.
2 garlic cloves.
6 or so sun dried or vine tomatoes cut into small strips.
1x 400g artichoke hearts, drained and halved (definitely optional!)
250g/9 oz ricotta cheese.
4 large beaten eggs.
2 tbsp milk.
50g parmesan cheese.
3 tbsp chopped thyme.
Step 1. Peel potatoes and cut into thin slices, then place in a bowl of cold water to prevent turning brown.
2. Bring large pan of water to the boil + add potato slices and simmer for 5-6 mins until tender.
3. heat oil in large pan or skillet. Add chopped onion and garlic to pan and cook stirring every now and then for max 3-5 mins.
4. Add sun-dried (or alternative) tomatoes and cook for further 2 mins.
5. Place potatoes at the bottom of a deep, ovenproof dish. Top with layer of onion mix, (artichokes) and ricotta. Then repeat layers in same order ending with a potato top.
6. Beat eggs and milk + half of the parmesan, add thyme + salt + pepper to taste and pour over the potatoes.
7. Top it off with the rest of the parmesan and bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 mins at 190 degrees C or until golden brown. 
Serve and then get full up!!!

By Matt Ling... 

I promised I'd make it, wow it was tasty but I had to make it difficult for myself. Despite visiting 3 supermarkets I failed to get hold of ricotta. What does one do at times of culinary crisis, I turned to the internet and made my own. 

Really simple too, milk, salt and lemon juice. That's it, oh okay you do need a thermometer but I'd made this in 20 minutes, it was very mild but as it was being used in cooking it worked perfectly.

Matt, here's my finished dish, loved the layered potato and I did add some pancetta as you suggested.

Moroccan Lamb and Butternut Squash Tagine

Whilst doing my latest internet shop I made an error in ordering a very small amount of diced lamb, despite years of cooking, weighing and measuring I still manage to over or underestimate the amount of meat required particularly when I’m trying something new.
However this small amount of meat led me to cook a favourite as when combined with the butternut squash this tiny bit of a baby sheep will go a long long way.
I don’t as yet have the tagine pot (I’ve asked for one for Christmas) but I do this in the slow cooker or in the oven in a casserole with a lid, either way is fine but the tagine will look lovely when taken to the table.
Unlike some of our other recipes the tagine is not too chilli-hot, definitely spicy but warming and comforting.
Serve with cous cous or try with rice, chilli minted peas and flatbreads for a real feast sure to impress.

Ingredients

300g diced lamb (large chunks if possible)
1 tsp cayenne
2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large onions, cut into half moons
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500ml chicken stock, or lamb stock if you can find it
1 tin tomatoes
300g butternut squash, peeled and chopped into large chunks (similar to size of lamb pieces)
2 tsp harissa paste
pinch of saffron strands
Handful chopped flat leaf parsley
½ squeezed lemon
Salt

Method

• Mix the dried spices in a bowl and coat the meat with the mix, cover and put in the fridge to marinade overnight or at least 4 hours.
• In a little oil fry off the meat in batches until browned and add to casserole dish/ slow cooker.
• Add onions, crushed garlic, butternut squash chunks, stock, tomatoes, harissa and saffron. Place lid on casserole/ slow cooker and leave to cook on low oven, medium setting on slow cooker. Oven cooking 2 hours, I leave it simmering for at least 6 hours in the slow cooker.
• Just before serving add lemon juice, parsley and season to taste.

Just a pic of chilli minted peas, they are as easy as it sounds, blanched peas, olive oil, fresh red chilli and finely chopped mint, really refreshing and perfect as a side to this tagine.

Margarita Ice Cream

This is one of those recipes that looked like a complete failure, in fact it was initially supposed to be a mousse not an ice cream but it did not set as expected, largely due to the immense amount of alcohol used. When frozen it became a soft scoop style boozy delight full of citrus and not too sweet, definitely an adult dessert that doesn’t require an ice cream machine..

Beware! There is no cooking involved so the alcohol is potent and the mix contains uncooked egg whites.

Ingredients

50 ml tequila
50 ml triple sec
3 limes zest and juice
90g caster sugar
300ml double cream 2 egg whites

Method

• Mix tequila, triple sec, zest and juice of limes and sugar and stir, leave for about 20 minutes for the sugar to dissolve.

• Mix egg whites until firm peaks.

• In a separate bowl whip cream until it holds its shape.

• Combine tequila mix and cream and gently fold in egg whites keeping as much air in the mix as possible.

• Put in container with a lid and place in the freezer. Leave to freeze for 6 hours or overnight.