Shredded brussels sprouts with pancetta & wholegrain mustard

 

I love, love, love brusells sprouts. And I know many people hates them. Perhaps serving them in a shape that is not similar to their natural one could help some people to overcome their fear of sprouts? This however is very classic combination with a little twist added by me and sprouts flavour is still there. So if you just hate it - sorry I can't help you!

serves 2 

about 250g brussels sprouts

about 60g pancetta, diced 

1 tbsp of sunflower oil (optionally)

¼ level tsp of turmeric

pinch of chilli powder

1 level tsp muscovado sugar

1 tsp of wholegrain mustard

salt

freshly ground black pepper

few drops of lemon juice

5 tbsp of water

Trim the hard ends and shred the sprouts finely using chopping blade in your food processor, or mandoline or just sharp knife.

Place pancetta cubes in a pan and fry until slightly browned. Remove from the pan using slotted spoon and set aside.

If your pancetta was quite lean then you better use little more oil - put 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in the same pan and add the turmeric and chilli - stir fry for about 30 seconds to infuse the oil with aromatic flavours. Next add shredded sprouts, muscovado sugar, water, lemon juice and little salt and pepper. Stir well and keep over a medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next add the mustard and stir and at the same point you can add pancetta cubes and stir or just sprinkle them on the top of the sprouts in a serving dish.

Red cabbage with black pudding, apples & hazelnuts

Recent recipe, so sorry I am late again with English version, two more to come that should have been done ages ago and every so often I wonder if I should stop writing this blog. :/

***

This is a recipe from some ancient "Good Food" magazine and today I am not even entirely sure if this is exactly how I should have made it. I also wasn't too sure if it looked good enough to photograph it. As much as I love the ingredients and these all seemed like a perfect harmony to me, when I plated this dish I thought to myself: what a mess. I took photographs, we sat and ate our dinner, really enjoyed it and after couple hours I went back to my computer to see the photographs and decided I was too harsh at first. Considering this is a cabbage dish and they never look in as fantastic as some Michelin starred and styled ones (well not in my kitchen anyway!) this is actually quite attractive looking one. It is surly great Autumnal dish whether you like the way it looks or not, you should try it.  

Serves 2-4

1 small red cabbage, core removed, cabbage shredded not too finely
2 small sharp apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
4 bacon rashers (I used smoked streaky)
4 slices of black pudding
handful of hazelnuts
pinch of brown sugar
1 tbsp of sunflower oil
1 tbsp of butter 

1 tbsp cider vinegar
2tbsp olive oil
1 level tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp of honey
salt
freshly ground pepper

In a large pan heat the oil and add shredded cabbage with little salt, stir fry for about 5 minutes and then add 3-5 tbsp of water, stir, cover and simmer for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave covered so I doesn't cool down too much.

Prepare the dressing. Whisk olive oil, cider vinegar, mustard, some salt and pepper in a bowl, then set aside.

Dry roast the hazelnuts in a frying pan until slightly browned and then set aside on a chopping board. Chop roughly and leave them to use later.

In the same pan fry bacon witout adding any extra fat until browned and crispy. Move the bacon on the side of the pan (or just spoon it out, I didn't want to use another dish), and in the bacon fat fry black pudding slices - British black pudding needs about 2-3 minutes each side.

Meanwhile in another pan melt the butter, add apples and sprinkle with sugar. Fry until slightly browned, caramelised on the edges (about 5 minutes).

Place warm cabbage into the bowl with the dressing and mix. Adjust the seasoning - add some salt and pepper if required. Divide between warm plates, sprinkle with bacon, add caramelised apples and top with slices of black pudding. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. 

You can serve it as a starter or like us add some potatoes roasted in duck fat and eat it as a main course. 

My favourite sandwiches

This is one of them and there will be some more coming up some time in the future.

I like bacon & avocado sandwich, but Hugh came up with an idea of putting cheddar and mayo into this duo. I skipped mayo and added vintage cheddar to bacon and avocado and guess what? This is my new favourite sandwich. I used my everyday bread that I shared my recipe for some time ago, but this time made with white and wholewheat flour (and as usual rye starter).

2 slices of bread, slightly toasted

½ avocado, flesh scooped out and sliced or mashed

2 bacon rashers (I used back and unsmoked bacon), grilled in the oven or fried

2 slices of mature (or vintage) cheddar

I don't have to give you a method, do I? ;)

Have a lovely Sunday!

I fight my demons, vol. 4

Knödel or semmel knödel (Germany and Austria), knedlík (Czech Republic) or knedel (Poland). This round, poached potato or bread dumpling (made without yeast) was giving me a right headache for a long time. I love this kind of food, not so keen on making it though. I was afraid something will go wrong, as I only had a general directions from one of my knedel guru I met on internet culinary forum. It probably took me more than two years to prepare mentally before I got round to make my own. Silly me. This wasn't difficult at all. The main thing is not to make the dough too wet, because it will be difficult to form the dumplings and adding more flour will make them too dense and unpleasant. These are even more delicious when reheated next day.

So my next culinary demon is officially defeated now and bread dumplings are going to be on my menu more often.  I am sorry about not posting an exact recipe for the bread knödel, you have to work your own quantities, as they may vary - depending on what bread you use. I only give you general directions for the dumplings but exact recipes for my pork goulash and beets that work so well with knedel. 

So you definitely need some stale bread, preferably rustic baguette or some good quality crusty bread. No cotton wool like sliced supermarket bread - forget about it! I used three ciabatta rolls and one large white homemade bread rolls - all 2-3 days old. Dice the bread and place in a bowl. Fry one diced onion in a little butter until soft. Add to the bread together with approximately one cup of milk mixed with two eggs, add lots of chopped fresh parsley, season with salt and pepper, optionally add some dried marjoram. Mix it with your hands, leave it to soak for about 30 minutes. Next add 2-3 tbsp of all purpose flour and  mix again with your hands. If you found the mixture too loose and too wet to form the dumplings add some breadcrumbs or some more diced bread - never add more flour. I ended up with 16 dumplings of a size roughly about a tennis ball.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and using wet hands form dumplings about size of a tennis ball and add to the boiling water. Don't shake the pan, leave it, until they start to flow on the surface. From this moment boil them for about 10-12 minutes, then remove with slotted spoon. The bigger dumplings are the longer you have to cook them.

We had them with simple pork goulash and some beets cooked with orange juice. If you are not afraid of gherkins in salty brine called ogórki kiszone (as some people are, as they think they too sour or even gone off), popular in Central and Eastern Europe give them a go with dumplings and meat - they work perfectly well together. 

Pork shoulder goulash 

Serves 4

3 tbsp sunflower oil

about 800g diced pork shoulder
few tbsp all purpose flour

some salt

some freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 

3 tbsp sweet paprika

pinch of chilli powder

about  800ml vegetable or chicken stock, or lager or water

2 anchovies (optionally, I used them, because I had some leftovers)

small handful of dried marjoram

Place flour with some salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the meat and shake so it is covered with flour. Shake the excess of the flour and fry the meat in batches in a pan with sunflower oil. Do not overcrowd the pan, do it in 3-4 batches. Remove the meat from a pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining sunflower oil in a pan and add the onion. Fry for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for minute or so. Next add the paprika and the chilli and fry for a minute or so before adding the meat and any juices released when it was resting. Stir, add anchovies if used, stock or lager, marjoram, bring to the boil, low the heat to simmer, cover and cook fro about 1 hour.

Beetroots (roasted and finished with orange juice)

Serves 2

4-5 medium beets, washed and unpeeled
1 tbsp sunflower oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
juice of one fresh orange 
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
1 tbsp butter

Heat the oven to 180 C. Place beets onto a baking tray lined with some kitchen foil, drizzle with sunflower oil, sprinkle with salt and roast until soft. Remove from the oven, leave it to cool down slightly, then peel and grate on a coarse grater.

Heat the orange juice in a pan and boil until slightly reduced. Add the grated beets, butter, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and cook for about 3 minutes.

Serve dumplings with goulash and beets on the side sprinkled with some chopped fresh parsley. To reheat the dumplings next day simply add them to the gravy and simmer for 5 minutes, or slice and fry in a pan with some butter.

Summer dinner & please keep your fingers crossed!

Summer dinners can be so light and easy to make especially if you are lucky to live in a place where temperatures are more likely to remain you summer rather than late autumn. Summer dinner for me are vegetables and sometimes something extra such as egg. 

 This is my last recipe before taking a short break. I am going to take this break because I want to focus on something else for a little while. I want to focus more on myself. I was selected from many girls and invited to a casting for new project of the British company offering underwear and clothes for woman who have large breast and curves. I am not even dreaming about getting this job but I would love to do my best at the bra-fitting, interview and photoshoot on 19 June so please, please keep your fingers crossed. This does not mean that I am going to go on the diet and try to loose some weight. No way! I am just trying to eat well for my skin, I want my eyes to be sparkling and my mind to be calm and focused therefore I need some time just for myself, not for searching new recipes, spending time cooking and photographing. I hope you will understand and wish me luck. I will be back with new ideas and new energy - I love challenges and getting new experience so I am sure no matter what the result will be I will get more positive energy. 

And now please enjoy one of my favourite summer dinners. Peas with mint, asparagus, pancetta and poached egg.

Serves 2

about 500g garden peas (fresh or frozen, if frozen defrost it in the colander)
10 green asparagus spears, wooden parts removed, each spear halved 

10-12 thin pancetta rashers

1 tbsp olive oil  

2 eggs

salt

freshly ground black pepper 

handful of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

Fry the pancetta rashers in dry pan and set aside. Using the same pan fry the asparagus in the olive oil for about 4 minutes then add the peas and fry for about 2-3 minutes until just warm but still bright green and firm. Next add fresh mint, mix well and divide between two warm plates.

In the meantime crack the eggs into two small separate bowls, boil some water in a small pan and add some salt. Remove from the heat, add the eggs and place back on the heat. Boil for about 90 seconds. Drain the egg gently, using a slotted spoon.

Arrange fried pancetta on the plates with vegetables and top with the poached eggs. Serve immediately.

Fennel & corriander roast leg of pork and how to make gravy

I absolutely love Sunday roast. This was one of those things I fell in love with when I first came to UK. This dinner just seems perfect to me: selection of roast meat, roast potatoes (preferably in goose or duck fat), veg and gravy. Oh yes, and my favourite bit – Yorkshire pudding that I can use to wipe a plate clean.

Today I show you my favourite roast pork. I think those that I found in the pubs so far were slightly too plain, I like it with a hint of spices and herbs. Sometimes I let myself go on a wild side and have some pork crackling as well (wink, wink!). 100% cholesterol, but sooo tasty!

I have to say I am terrified by the amount of gravy granules or other instant gravy that people buy in supermarkets. There is nothing easier than to make tasty, homemade gravy in no time, while the meat is resting. Is this laziness? Is this lack of knowledge? I don’t know, but it made me prepare a photo tutorial, how to make gravy in few easy steps.

Talking about the lack of knowledge I remember once when we went to one of the local pubs and one of the members of the staff who happened to be Polish warned us that under no circumstances we should go for this dark sauce that it is served with the roast meat, because chef makes it using all burn bits of meat and veg leftovers from roasting. [sic!] Do you find this not funny at all? Then you should definitely read the recipe below and then read this paragraph again. 

I hope you will enjoy it, as much as I enjoyed homemade Sunday roast (I will show all the trimming another time…) 

Serves 6-8

about 1.8 leg of pork, boned and rolled

few tbsp olive oil

1 tsp of fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar

1 tsp of coriander seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar

1 tsp of dried thyme

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 carrots, cut into big chunks (no need to peel, just wash them thoroughly)

2 parsnips, as above

2 pieces of celery, cut into big chunks

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 onions, unpeeled, quartered

bay leaf

Heat the oven to 230 C.

In an ovenproof dish arrange all the veg.

Score the pork skin in about 1cm intervals (unless your butcher did it for you already). Rub in the oil and then all the spices and herbs, as well as salt and pepper. Place the meat on the top pf the veg.

Place in the oven and leave it for about 20-30 minutes until the skin starts to crack. Then turn the heat down to 180 C. If I roast pork with the fat and skin on I roast it for about 20 minutes in hot oven and then turn the heat down and roast it 20 minutes for every 400g of meat. If it has a bone I add extra 20 minutes. Therefore this piece of meat spent 1h 40 minutes in the oven.

Take a look few time and when the veg seem a bit dry or start to burn add little splash of water. (not on the meat)

When ready remove from the oven and set on a chopping board. Remove the string and carefully lift the fat and the skin. Remove the fat and discard, and set the skin on a baking tray. Turn the heat back to 220 C and place it in the oven.

Cover the meat loosely with some tin foil and leave it to rest. Prepare the gravy.

Extras for gravy

2 tbsp plain flour

a good splash of dry sherry, dry white or red wine

about 1l vegetable or chicken stock

salt

freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the gravy first get rid of any excess of fat from a roasting tin. Place it on a hob over a medium heat. Add the four and stir – do not worry if it goes bit clumpy, you will sieve it later. Keep it on the heat and stir for about 1 minute, then add the splash of alcohol (it will evaporate, but you can skip it if you wish to do so, however it gives the gravy an extra flavour) and then warm stock. Stir and let it bubble.

Then using a potato masher press the veg firmly. Try to mash them to get as much flavour as possible out of them. Boil for about 5 minutes.

Next sieve it using a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Season with salt and pepper and let it boil until it thickens to your likeness.  I also add the juices released by the resting meat.

I often add my secret (not anymore, sic!) ingredient – redcurrant or mint jelly (about tsp of it). I did not have it this time, but a pinch of sugar does the trick as well.

In this time meat should be ready for carving and the pork cracking should be nice and crispy. I also prepare veg and potatoes while the meat is roasting. I will write about this another time.     

Pork ribs braised in mead & sauerkraut

I am one leg in our old house and one leg in the new one. We still have plenty of things to pack and move, some cleaning to do in both places before we definitely change the address. Not much time to cook anything decent, but we cannot survive all week on the bowl of pasta with pesto (well, I can… My well built man seems to struggle on this kind of diet), so I try to cook one pot dishes that are suitable for reheating and keep us going in this busy time.

This is one of the Polish dishes that join two very popular in Poland ingredients: cabbage (in this case sauerkraut) and pork. I am sure there is quite a lot of different ways to make this dish, but this is my own and favourite way to cook ribs in sauerkraut – with a hit of sweetness from mead (honey wine) and prunes.  Also the fennel loves pork as much as the cabbage. This time I did not use the caraway seeds, typical for Polish cuisine. Hope you will enjoy it.

I hope to be back on the track soon, when everything gets sorted with the new home (end of February hopefully!).   

Serves 4-6

1.5kg pork ribs

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp smoked paprika

freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp goose or duck fat

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 tsp fennel seeds, slightly crushed

¾ cup of mead (honey wine - I used Polish dwójniak variety)

6 prunes, sliced into thin strips

2 bay leaves

2 all spice  

few whole black peppercorns

1.2kg sauerkraut, drained, about cup of fluid reserved

salt

First marinate the ribs, preferably overnight, or at least for 2 hours. Mix the soy sauce with chopped garlic, smoked paprika and pepper and rub into the ribs, cover and leave in a fridge.

When ribs are marinated, season them with little salt, heat the duck or goose fat in large heave bottom pan and fry the ribs on both sides until browned. Do it in batches, do not overcrowd the pan, so they actually fry not cook. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and fry for few minutes until slightly softened, then add fennel seeds and fry for about a minute, stirring all the time. Next add the mead and leave it to reduce slightly, using a spatula or wooden spoon scrap all the bits from the bottom of the pan – they have lots of flavour.

Next add the drained sauerkraut to the pan, as well as the marinate used for rinbs (if any left) prunes, bay leaves, peppercorns, some salt and all spice. Mix well; add the ribs and any juices they released during the resting, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it seems a bit dry and starts to catch at the bottom of the pan during the cooking, add some fluid reserved from the sauerkraut.

Serve with some mash potatoes or a generous slice of good bread. It definitely tastes better when reheated and cooled down several times.

World Bread Day - Onion, bacon & thyme fougasse

This year, first time I decided to take part in "World Bread Day". For this special occasion I baked French bread that I have done some many times before however never tried the version with meat. I baked fougasse with different herbs and cheese but this time I decided to go for bacon version. I hope that the vegetarians will forgive me this time and bake it omitting the bacon - the onion version must be as delicious. This bacon, onion and thyme fougasse bread traditionally shaped as a leaf is a great treat during this Autumn weekend.

Makes 2 loaves

500g strong white flour
7g sachet fast-action yeast
300ml water
4 tbsp olive oil + 1 for frying + 2 for brushing
1 tsp salt
1 large onion , peeled and finely chopped
3 rashers back bacon, sliced into thin strips or cubed
1 tsp thyme leaves

Mix 250g of the flour with all the yeast and approx 150ml water in a bowl, and beat together into a thick batter for 3 minutes. Leave to rise for about 2 hours. It should fall slightly after this time. Then add the rest of the flour, salt, water and oil, and mix well. When using your hands turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to a smooth dough. Otherwise use stand mixer. Dough should be quite sticky. Leave it in the bowl to rise for a further 2-3 hours, or like me - overnight in a cool place, covered with cloth.

Next day I fired the onion in the tablespoon of olive oil until soft and slightly browned adding thyme half way trough and placed in a bowl. On the same frying pan fry the bacon until browned, I did not use any extra fat. Set aside to cool down.

Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment. Knock back the dough, then knead to incorporate the onion and bacon - this can be quite tricky as the onions and bacon are covered in fat, however after minute or so they should incorporate into the dough. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, place each onto a baking tray and use a rolling pin to flatten out each piece to about 2cm high, then using your hands shape roughly into a leaf shape. Using a sharp knife cut three diagonal slashes right through the dough down each side and two down the middle to form the shape of a leaf. Brush with olive oil, cover with a piece of cling film, and leave for a further hour to prove.

Heat oven to 210C (fan) and bake the loaves for 15-17 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Chorizo & peas tortilla

Spain vs. Italy or tortilla vs. frittata. I used to wonder what the difference between those two is. I think I have figured that out – tortilla is always made with potatoes, and frittata can contain various ingredients and/or potatoes. Also tortilla seems to be thicker than frittata and made using olive oil, whether the frittata can be made with butter. I am pretty sure that some well skilled chefs would point out much more differences however there is one thing common for those two: that contain eggs and are kind of omelets. I love them both, because they are easy and quick to make, nice hot or cold, so are suitable for the picnics and you can use any leftovers to make them. 

Serves 2-4

4 eggs, lightly beaten

6-8 new potatoes, cooked in skins, peeled and sliced, or any leftover potatoes, sliced or diced

red onion, peeled and sliced

few slices of chorizo sausage

about 200ml of fresh peas, or frozen one, slowly defrosted

3 tbsp olive oil

salt

freshly ground black pepper

some rocket to garnish (optionally)

Heat the oven to 200C (fan)

Use the frying pan that you can place in the hot oven (no plastic elements, I used 25cm) and heat on the hob. Add olive oil and onion and fry until onion is softened. Next add one layer of potatoes, place the chorizo onto the potatoes, then sprinkle with peas and cover with the remaining potatoes.

Season the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the potatoes. Fry for about 3 minutes and place in the hot oven. Bake until the top is golden and firm. Remove from the oven, cover with chopping board and turn upside down. The tortilla should easily come out of the pan.

Divide into portions, serve hot or cold garnished with some fresh herbs or rocket. It goes well with some light salad on the side.

Warm salad of broad beans, peas with chorizo & roast peppers

Today I have another recently tasted salad, this time warm. I am sure it would be as tasty cold, however the aroma coming out of the pan was quite straight: eat it all when warm! So I did. 

I saw similar recipe in “Good Food”, July issue, however it had courgettes and beans and I did not have them at the time. I think they should taste great with all of the salad ingredients, but I decided to stick to less ingredients and I was not disappointed. 

Chorizo sausage with its distinctive smokiness and deep red colour from dried smoked red peppers is one of my favourite ingredients. I hope you enjoy it! 

Serves 2-4 

200g chorizo sausage, skinned if possible, halved and sliced

2 tbsp red vine vinegar

cup of boiled broad beans (skinned if you like)

2 cups of garden peas, boiled (I actually used petit poise)

2 bell peppers, roasted, skinned and sliced into strips

salt

freshly ground black pepper 

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook for few minutes, until it is cooked through, bit crunchy and has released its oil. Take chorizo out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Take the pan off the heat, whisk in vinegar, put back on the heat, wait until it bubbles and remove from a heat again. Next add broad beans, peas and peppers, season with little salt and some pepper, then add chorizo and mix gently. Keep on the heat for about one minute, until it is warm. Serve immediately. 

It is very tasty and filling on its own, but if you need some more food on a plate you can always add some roast new potatoes on the side or crispy rustic bread or ciabatta.

Warm salad of asparagus, bacon, duck egg & hazelnuts

I know what risk and living on the edge is - I ate duck eggs (should I add juicy: bitch!). Obviously I am kidding, but I have to say after I read all those stories on the internet about poisoning with duck eggs, people dying etc I had a second thought on a recipe that I have found in "Good Food", May issue. I wondered if I should swap duck eggs for hens or quail eggs, I wasn't even sure if I will be able to buy duck eggs locally. I was very tempted because I did not have duck eggs before.

I saw fresh, local, free range duck eggs in local posh delicatessen and I decided to go for it. I have changed the original recipe slightly and I waited about three weeks to publish this post to make sure nothing happened to me. What I imagined after reading all those nasty information about duck eggs was at least diarrhea but I also had a picture of my family and friends mourning at my coffin. So lets be clear: I am alive, and I found duck eggs very, very tasty. As much as this combination of flavours.


Serves 2

2 duck eggs
12-16 green asparagus spears, wooden bottoms removed
4-6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
handful of hazelnuts
little olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

4 tbsp mild olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt
freshly ground black pepper



Heat the oven to 180 C.

Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and place onto baking sheet.

On another sheet place asparagus, drizzle with little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven, together with bacon. Roast until bacon is crispy and asparagus al - dente (about 15 minutes), preferably turning half way.

In the meantime dry roast hazelnuts in a frying pan, until crispy, place in the mortar and crush slightly.

Prepare dressing by mixing all of the ingredients until smooth.

Boil the duck eggs - hard boiled need some more time than hens eggs as they are slightly bigger, about 8-10 minutes. You can cook them little bit shorter for some soft centre. Remove from a pan, leave under cold running water, dry, peel and cut in half.

Arrange asparagus and eggs on the plate, add bacon crisps, hazelnuts and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

Blackcurrant glazed ham

In Poland we eat quite a lot of ham on Easter I know this recipe sound more like Christmas for some people, but I make this ham all year round, when I fancy some homemade aromatic piece of cold meat.

Homemade ham is certainly a good thing. Some of those that you can see in shops have water added or are reformed from various cuts of meat. To buy a decent ham you have to pay bit more, or make your own.

I would love to make many different cold meats and hams for sandwiches or just snacking in the future, so far I only used one recipe that I have found in "Feast" by Nigella Lawson. I followed the recipe and cooked it in cherry coke and it was tasty, however the idea of cooking in coke is little bit controversial. Therefore I swapped it for cider (dry or sweet). Also I add some more things to the stock and use different types of topping - it goes well with blackcurrant jam, as well as cherry jam, and I used redcurrant jelly too.

You can use gammon, or ham. Cooking tip: allow about 1h cooking for every kilogram of meat. Mild cured meat doesn't need soaking, otherwise tip piece of meat in cold water and bring to boil, then drain and start from here.


gammon or ham
onion, unpeeled and halved
bay leaf
2-3 whole allspice
1.5l cider
some whole cloves
2-3 tbsp of blackcurrant jam
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp of smoked paprika

Place meat in a pan with onion, bay leaf and allspice and cover with cider. If you have not enough cider add some water, just to cover the meat. Use small pan, big enough to squeeze the meat in - it will leave less space to fill with cider. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down to simmer and cook accordingly to meat weight (1kg meat = 1h). Drain the meat and place on a chopping board.

Cut off the excess of fat, leaving some fat on the meat. Score the fat with a sharp knife to make diamond shapes, and stud each diamond with a clove. Place the ham on the baking tray lined with some kitchen foil.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 200C and prepare the glazing. Place jam, paprika and vinegar in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer until bubbly and sticky.

Carefully spread the glazing onto the ham and place in the hot oven for about 10 minutes, until caramelised. Remove from the oven.

Very tasty hot and cold.

Sausage & veg casserole

Recently I did not have a time to cook complicated dinners everyday. Therefore I was flicking through my old magazines cut-outs and cookery books in search of recipes for one pot easy to make and suitable to reheat dishes. I was really exited to try this one (from some ancient Good Food magazine), but I have changed it slightly. I reduced the amount of stock, and added the butternut squash that is in season now and one of my favourite veg - it was very good idea indeed.


Serves 2

4 pork sausages (I used Italian style garlic & herb sausages)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow pepper , deseeded and sliced into wide strips
1 red onion , cut into 8 wedges
half butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite size bits
400g can chopped tomatoes
100ml vegetable stock
handful fresh basil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 200C.

Put the sausages, pepper, butternut squash and onion into a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Then roast for 20 minutes.

Then tip tomatoes and stock over the sausages. Add most of the basil (save some for garnishing) and stir well. Roast for another 20 mins.

I served it with some sourdough bread drizzled with little olive oil and sprinkled with coarse sea salt and then grilled in the oven for few minutes whilst the casserole was getting ready.

Pork sausage & thyme risotto

As I mentioned few times in the past we both love risotto and it is our Friday night celebration to cook risotto and have it with a glass of wine. Our culinary heaven. We prefer vegetarian risottos but few people asked me if I have a good recipe for risotto with meat. I have to admit I was not very keen to make meat risotto but I decided to experiment with this dish few weeks ago.

I have to admit it was nice, but not as nice as any veggie risotto. Even my partner, who is a great meat lover pointed out that we should stick to veggie version of this dish. However I will post the recipe here, so meat lovers cannot feel ignored anymore - at least when it comes to cooking risotto.


Serves 2-3

onion, peeled and finely chopped
200g arborio or carnaroli rice
approx. 25g butter
approx. 150ml dry white wine
approx. 1 l vegetable stock
approx. 200g pork sausage (I used pork and herb sausages from local butcher)
2-3 tbsp fresh thyme, leaves picked
2 handfuls freshly grated parmesan
freshly grated black pepper


Keep the stock hot all the time. In a separate pan heat half of the butter, add the onion and fry very slowly without colouring until softened. Then squeeze the meat sausage out of the casing into about walnut size pieces and fry until browned. Next add rice and turn up the heat.

Fry the rice, stirring all the time. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the wine and keep stirring until alcohol will evaporate.

Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add a ladle of hot stock and turn down the heat to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring – you will notice a creamy starch from the rice. This is why you have to allow each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Season with pepper.

Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter, half of parmesan and most of thyme leaves (leave some for garnishing). Stir well and allow to rest for 2 minutes – this will make risotto really creamy and oozy. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and thyme leaves and serve immediately (as risotto cannot be reheated!).

Sticky pork ribs

There are some recipes that I fall in love from the first sight. It is a picture that grabs my attention first, then just a quick look on the ingredients and I already know this is an ideal recipe really close to the culinary nirvana.

It was similar last Saturday when after a lazy breakfast I was flicking through the latest “Good Food” magazine, that I found in my post box. I could not stop thinking about these sticky ribs. Actually I am not a big ribs lover but my partner says I cook excellent pork ribs in sauerkraut (Polish dish). However I do not cook them very often and only if he wishes to eat some. But this time it was different. I knew I have to cook them as soon as possible.

I was right. It was culinary heaven and I have eaten all the meat leaving dry bones only not even thinking about my manicure that I have done an hour earlier. My fingers were red and sticky. It was a great eating experience. A real feast.

I think this is great recipe also because you can prepare it ahead and just roast it about 40 minutes before dinner, so it is ideal when you have friends coming for a dinner, or you want to prepare you dinner a day ahead.

I have changed the quantities of some sauce ingredients.

Sticky pork ribs

800g pork spare ribs
tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp smoked paprika
½ tsp hot chilli powder
250ml tomato passata
2 tbsp tomato puree
100ml cider vinegar or white wine vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
100g dark muscovado sugar


Preheat the oven to 130 C (fan). Place the ribs in an ovenproof dish, cover with water, cover with kitchen foil and bake for 1.5 hour. Remove from the oven, cool slightly and drain well. You can cover them and place in the fridge until you need them.

Fry the onion in the olive oil until soft, but not browned. Next add garlic, chilli powder and smoked paprika. Fry for another minute. Next add vinegar, tomato puree, passata, muscovado sugar, mix well and simmer over a low heat for about 10 minutes. You can use it straight away or keep it for later.

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Brush all the sauce all over the ribs and place on the baking tray. Roast for about 40 minutes, turning half way.

We had them with rosemary and olive roast new potatoes and spring cabbage cooked with tomato passata and fresh dill.

Rolled crispy belly pork with sage & homemade apple sauce

This is not for those obsessively counting calories. Not for women concerned about their waist, not for men who would only eat fish to maintain their six-pack abs. If you do not like fat it means that you do not like the taste.

I am not encouraging you to swap your diet for fatty one, but if you fancy pork it is better to buy fatty cuts, as they do not dry out during the cooking and are extremely tasty. You do not have to eat fat, you can always leave it on the side of the plate but it is essential to cook pork with some fat as it prevents meat from drying. And this is something that food lovers should avoid.

This is not something that I cook on everyday basis, but I we like to dig in fatty, tasty piece of pork perhaps twice a year, so cook belly pork in two ways and I am going to show one of them.

Serves 2-3

approx. 800g rolled belly pork
2 carrots, roughly chopped
leek, sliced
2 onions, peeled and halved
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
ok. 400ml dry cider or vegetable stock
tsp dry sage
tbsp cider vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 160C. Place all vegetables in an ovenproof dish.

Place the belly pork in a colander and pour some hot water over – James Martin says it will make the skin crispier. Dry and rub cider vinegar all over the belly pork. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sage and place onto a veg, add half of the cider or stock and place in the oven. Roast for 2.5 hours adding rest of the cider after about 1.5hour.

Remove from the oven, cover with tin foil and leave it to rest for about 10 minutes. Remove the string and slice.

We had it with some braised cabbage, new potatoes and homemade apple sauce.




Homemade apple sauce

2 big cooking apples (I used Granny Smith), peeled, cored and diced
2 tsp soft brown sugar
2 tbsp water
juice of whole lemon
pinch of cinnamon
tbsp honey

Place all of the above ingredients in a pan and simmer over a medium heat, pressing apples down with wooden spoon until mashed.

Pork tenderloin & roasted rhubarb

Makes 2-3

400g pork tenderloin
100g pancetta rahers (or streaky becon)
2-3 rhubarb stalks
2-3 tbsp honey
pinch of ground ginger
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 200 C.

Sprinkle the pork tenderloin with some pepper and salt (not too much - pancetta is salty) and wrap in pancetta. Place in a ovenproof dish and put into the oven.

Wash and dry the rhubarb and cut into 5cm lengths on the diagonal. Place the honey into a pan and warm through. Add rhubarb and ginger and toss until rhubarb is covered in honey. Set aside.

After 10 minutes of roasting the meat add the rhubarb together with the honey into the dish. Roast for further 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, set aside and leave it to rest for few minutes. Slice and serve with rhubarb and juices from the roasting dish.

Pork chops with apricot & parsley crust

Serves 2

2 pork loin chops, preferably with side fat and bone
2 tbsp sunflower oil or some lard for frying
handful of fresh parsley
6 dried apricots
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 garlic clove, peeled
zest of 1 lemon
2 white bread slices or big white bread roll, preferably 2-3 days old, crust removed
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
egg
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Fry the shallot in the buttel until soft, but not browned.

Place the parsley, garlic, pine nuts and apricots in a food processor and process until crumbed, then add bread crumbs and pulse again. Add egg, lemon zest, shallot, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Season pork chops with some salt and pepper and fry in the pan both sides, until slightly browned. Using the kitchen tongs fry the fat on the side of each pork chops until crisped. Remove from the pan and place in an ovenproof dish.

Pat the breadcrumb mixture on tops of chops, and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden.

We had it with some watercress dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and wholegrain mustard mashed potatoes.