many aeons ago, there was a thread on here about making bread .... it died, perhaps because man shall not live by bread alone ..... anyway, there seem to be a fair number of people on this site who enjoy cooking, so i thought to start a thread for recipes and associated topics.

i'm assuredly no expert, but i reckon i cook tolerably well, and i know that any recipe i paste here, genuinely works - even for those who can only shop from supermarkets!

a starter recipe follows ......

A comment was made the other day by a politician who questioned why we eat ready meals instead of continuing to buy a sunday joint and making it stretch through the week, but of course people want convenience now rather than time preparing food.
I had a french MA student staying with me last year & she couldn't cook at all, so it's not just the english who lack cullinary skills!

there's certainly no o'night remedy, and indeed it has to take a least a generation to change ingrained attitudes and ignorance .....

however, it should not be forgotten that all supermarkets now stock tinned and very acceptable pulses and even "instant" rice and "fresh" pasta that takes only 3-5 minutes to cook ..... 20/40 years ago, pulses had to be soaked o'night and rice was considered "difficult" to cook well

thus, a number of important, basic building blocks are already in place ..... i wonder how difficult it would be for schools to teach children how to use these to make very simple but nourishing meals, rather than just concentrating on baking cakes and other "treats" with relatively little nutritional value

It used to take me ages to make a decent stock from the bones of whatever I had cooked. I hardly ever bother now except for the Christmas turkey; the stock in those little plastic pots is acceptable, though I wish they would let the consumers put their own salt in!

personally, i find turkey stock far too strong, but if you have a local butcher, i'm sure he'ld give you plenty of chicken bones (and wing tips etc) for free .... to make a batch of good strong chicken stock is easy-peasy, and it's something i always have in my tiddly freezer above the fridge

interesting that you'll happily buy supermarket stock at say £1.50 a small tub, whereas making your own, costs nothing apart from some gas ..... rather makes the point of earlier

It's called being lazy cynic!!

the days of learning to cook in school are long gone, health & S, won't allow children to use the ovens, not enough time to prepare and cook plus boy's aren't invited to do it at my local secondary school.,.

kim - that was self-apparent :-) but where families are tight for cash, they'll still be unnecessarily profligate, albeit through ignorance

bb - WsM - oh alright, north bristol - obviously doesn't get the news about cookery courses becoming mandatory once more in secondary schools

I'd ban BOGOF deals if I could!

Why not just make the product on offer cheaper? Drives me mad!

it's a ploy to encourage people to buy more than they need and thus keep hungry dustbins from begging!

supermarkets need BOGOF as they can force buying prices lower through bulk buying.

they would only buy more if they feel they can con the customer into buying more (unnecessarily)

braised beef cheeks recipe
it was my first effort at this, and i've now given the recipe a little tweak and it is now very much better

LAMB BREASTS
LAMB BREAST – à la Ste. Ménéhould

I have no idea who Sainte Ménéhould was, and even Google has drawn a blank. However, there is small, nondescript town in Marne of that name, so perhaps the idea of mustard and breadcrumbs was thought up there, though it is more usually associated with pigs’ trotters rather than breast of lamb.

Anyway, lamb breasts are ridiculously cheap and should cost you no more than £1.50 each and may even be free if you’re a good customer of your local butcher – don’t expect to find them in an English supermarket!

Yes, they are rather fatty, but that makes the meat all the more juicy, as lovers of lamb shoulder rather than far more expensive leg will already know. Nevertheless, with some gentle and very easy cooking, you’ll be amazed at how much meat is yielded and how many can be fed.

From 4 breasts, there was enough to make for 4 people:
A la Sainte Ménéhould - Very rich, so good as a starter or a light supper
Shepherd’s Pie
Stock - An excellent base for real Scotch Broth

In addition, there were enough bits and pieces to add texture and flavour to a Subzi Dalcha (ginger, split pea and vegetable curry).

The ingredient quantities will be the same for 2 breasts as for 4, though for 4 you will need a large casserole.

Ingredients in the order required
2 tbsp Vegetable oil
2 Medium onion – chopped
2 Large carrots – diced
2 Bulbs of garlic – cut in half horizontally
1 Small bunch fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried
3 Bay leaves
2-4 Lamb breasts
1 litre Cheap white wine
4 tbsp English mustard – ready-made is fine; I think Dijon lacks sufficient bite for this
100gm Breadcrumbs – homemade of course!


Preparation and initial cooking
Turn on the oven to 140 degC.
Heat the oil in the casserole, add the onions and carrots and cover.
Allow them to cook gently for 10/15 minutes, ensuring that they do not stick or colour.

Meanwhile, cut the lamb breasts into pieces that will just fit into your casserole.
Though there is some bone along one side, if you cut down between the ribs to that, you can then almost break it in two with your hands. Of course, you could always get the butcher to do it for you.

Once the onions and carrots are soft, add the halved garlic bulbs and herbs and a little salt and lay the lamb on top.
Pour over the wine.
Turn up the heat just to bring it all to the boil.

Make a good, tight seal to the casserole with two sheets of foil and then put the lid on top.
Put it into the oven and let it cook gently for perhaps 3 hours.
Check about half way through to ensure the liquid is not evaporating too much.
It shouldn’t do, but if necessary, add a bit of water.

Once cooked, the meat will be almost falling apart.
Lift the meat gently from the casserole and put on a serving dish to cool.

Once it is cool enough to handle, you’ll be able to pull out the bones and the cartilage bits easily enough – don’t let it get cold, or it’ll be impossible – but do it gently and carefully as you want the meat to be in as large pieces as possible.

While you’re about it, pull off and discard the bits of fat remaining.
Re-stack the meat on the serving dish in even piles.
It’s not strictly necessary, but the dish ultimately works even better if you place another plate on top and compress it with some weights.

Allow to cool and then put in the fridge (covered with clingfilm please!) and allow to chill for at least a few hours, though it’s actually be fine for a day or two.


Next Bit
By now, the meat should have set firmly.
Turn on the oven to 200 degC.
Lightly oil (merely to stop sticking) a shallow baking tray – you’ll want to be able to get the finished meat out without it falling apart.

Depending on how hungry you are – but do remember this is rich – sort out some nice large and thick (about 1cm) pieces.
Lay on a chopping board and give a good spread of mustard over the top.
Press the breadcrumbs in as you want to finish with a nice crispy crust.
With a sharp knife, cut the meat carefully into 2cm fingers and lay them on the baking tray.

They’ll probably take 15/20 minutes to heat through and for the top to turn crispy.


Serving
Plain boiled new potatoes will be fine, and certainly mash will be too rich, but you may prefer just good French bread.

A rocket and watercress salad with a sharp dressing will be just the thing to cut through the richness of the lamb.

Personally, I would drink a decent Chianti with several years bottle-age, but a Cotes du Rhone or even a Rioja will match well enough.

A slow cook to get the meat nice and tender. Lamb sounds better than the pigs trotter. I read a piece , from what you say above - the cook left the oven on by mistake over night with the pigs trotter in and it came out (I'm not a cook) is the word I'm looking for ''tender'' and soft.

Shepherd's Pie
This was a great success, made from pulled rather than chopped or minced meat remainders from the above lamb breasts + stock also therefrom

apart from being very flavoursome, the texture is good too, there being something to chew on rather than just "patients' mince"

HAM HOCK – Jambon Persillé (parsleyed ham hock)

Although this takes quite a long time to cook, it’s actually very easy and makes a great “party piece” especially if you are doing a buffet for quite a lot of you – e.g. part of that summer (hahaha!) barbecue gathering.

In my recipe, I have used trotters to make the gelatine, but if you can’t get them (Mike nearly always have them for free or near enough) then you could of course use leaf gelatine.

I have also used unsmoked ham hocks. If you can only get the smoked ones, they’re fine, but you really should soak them for at least 4 hours to get rid of some/most of the saltiness – obviously you then need to change the water for cooking - as you will need the stock for your gelatine base.

You could do this with a single ham hock, but in that case, you’ll need only a single large trotter, or you’ll end up with a rubber ball of a jelly, or far too much of it!


Ingredients
The largest saucepan you have, preferably about 6 litres!
A container (moud) - preferably plastic for ease of decanting - to hold about 2 litres.

2 ham hocks Unsmoked – they’ll weigh perhaps 2kg together
2 trotters (large) If small, use 3 – split (Mike will do this for you)
2/3 carrots
2 onions
2 leeks
6 cloves
12 peppercorns
2/3 bayleaves
Bottle white wine Something cheap and cheerful is fine – stock or water if you prefer

3 shallots Finely chopped – use onion if no shallots around
2 cloves garlic Finely chopped
Parsley Large bunch fairly finely chopped – put the stalks in with the hocks


Method
Put all the ingredients bar the last 3 listed in the saucepan – quite a tight fit is fine.
Pour over the wine or stock and top up until the ingredients are nicely covered.

Bring to the boil, but ensure you skim off any scum as it rises to the surface.
Apart from anything else, if you don’t, it’ll all boil over and make a nasty mess!

Once to the boil, partially cover and leave to simmer very gently for about 2½ hours, or until the hock (and trotters) are really tender.

Remove the hocks to a dish and then strain but keep the cooking stock.
Give the saucepan a quick clean, and then pour back in the stock and the trotters.
Bring to the boil and reduce the liquid rapidly to 1 litre.
Strain through a sieve and set to one side to cool.

By this time, the ham hocks should be cool enough to handle – don’t let them get totally cold, or you’ll never be able to get the skin and fat off.
Remove all the skin and fat and bones and discard.

Chop up the meat into decent (but sensible) chunks and put in your mold, along with the chopped shallots, garlic and parsley.
Mix well – hands are easiest.
Cover and put in the fridge.

After a while, the stock should have cooled, allowing the fat to come to the surface.
Spoon this off and discard.

Once the stock has “thought about” beginning to start setting, pour it into the mold with all the rest of the goodies, and mix thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate at least overnight.

After an hour or two, take a look and check that the ingredients have remained well mixed.
If they haven’t – and the jelly won’t have really set yet – then give another mix.

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When you’re ready to serve, hold a plate firmly over the mold and jiggle about or do whatever is needed to get it to disgorge.

You can cut the end result into slices with a sharp carving or cook’s knife.

It’s very rich, so serve it with cornichons and/or a rocket or other bitter salad, dressed with a sharp mustardy vinaigrette.

Sounds delightful, as I don't have a Mike I shall have to ask my butcher can he get the trotters, I have never seen them in his shop but I am sure he would oblige. Which cheap wine would you use?

any proper butcher will have trotters as they're an integral part of the carcass; normally the butchers just chuck them away.

as for the wine, i just went into my local wine merchant and paid £5/6 for a south african chardonnay - at least that has a bit of body, rather than pinot grigio or some cheap sauvignon ...... i guess you could chuck in some white vermouth instead if you have an old bottle knocking aroung

PORK LOIN – stuffed with prunes and walnuts

I really enjoyed playing around with this recipe – and eating the end result too!
It owes its provenance to Raymond Blanc (Cooking for Friends) but it is varied a little from that, not least that, to me, roast pork just isn’t the real deal if there’s no scrummy crackling.
Though I say it myself, I felt that adding the walnuts to the sauce improved it hugely, not least because of the variance in texture.

Though some forethought is required, for the prunes ideally need soaking overnight, it’s really not difficult and that includes the trussing …… Not my forte I am afraid, and Mike told me off as it did not pass his professional butcher’s standard …… However, he had to admit that it worked, and that was the important bit!

By the way, Mike’s pork is locally produced and for flavour and texture and quality, it knocks the socks off the stuff you’ll buy in the supermarket.

Remember that pork is at its best when served with a very faint blush, and not overcooked in the “traditional” way which results in meat that is dried out or even stringy.



Ingredients – for 4 “greedies”
3-4 Skewers to secure the meat while you truss
Trussing string – ask nicely and Mike will give you some

24 Prunes d’Agen (preferably), but ready-to-eat ones in any case
2 tbsp Cooking brandy

1.5kg Boned-out pork loin with skin well slashed – you also need the bones
1 pkt Walnut halves (Waitrose)
6/10 Sage leaves (fresh)
1 BIG tomato or a couple of smaller ones
4 Cloves garlic – unpeeled
2/3 Sprigs fresh thyme – used dried if you really have to
200ml Marsala or similar – can be omitted, but it would be a shame
300ml Water


Method
Overnight
Put the prunes in a small bowl with the brandy and set aside.
Shake about occasionally to ensure all the prunes get a decent “drink”.

Next day
Heat the oven to 220 degC.

Brown the bones on the hob in the roasting tin for 5 minutes or so with a little oil.

Ensure the skin is completely dry by patting with some kitchen towel.
Open out the loin onto a chopping board, skin side down.
Carefully (it’s easy) cut between the filet and the layer of fat to create a deep pocket.
In the pocket, put a layer of prunes followed by walnut halves and finally 6/10 sage leaves.
Go steady on the sage as if too much, the taste will be overpowering and rather unpleasant.

Gently roll up the pork and secure it with the skewers.
Truss with 3-5 “circles of string” and then take out the skewers.
Rub some salt into the skin.

Put the garlic and thyme among the bones and then place the loin on top.
Prick the tomato(es) and put them in the roasting tin.

After about 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 200 degC and roast for a further 50 minutes.
Check occasionally to ensure the crackling isn’t burning – cover loosely with foil if necessary.
1h20 should be sufficient cooking time, but check the meat temperature, remembering that it will continue to cook while resting.
Remove the meat to a warmed dish and allow to rest for 15 minutes or so in the usual manner.

Making the sauce
Remove the bones and squish the tomato and garlic.
I like my sauces with a bit of body, so I add perhaps a tablespoon of flour at this stage.
Add the marsala and scrape away the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.
Let it all bubble away until reduced by about two-thirds.
Add the water and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a sieve and return it to the pan adding the remaining prunes and a handful of coarsely chopped walnuts and allow to warm through for a few minutes.
Adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Carving
Hardly rocket science!
Remove the beautifully crispy crackling before slicing the meat, as it makes it all very much easier.

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Serve with mashed potato (perhaps with spring onion or parsley stirred through for a change) and some green vegetable with a metallic hint – e.g. broccoli or savoy cabbage.

An Alsace Gewürztraminer or Riesling goes very well, but failing that, a good Cru Beaujolais is a perfectly adequate alternative.