All posts by Heather

Italian Meatballs

Family Favourites, Holidays, Pork, Side Dishes, Starters

  • 1 small aubergine
  • 450g/1lb minced lean pork
  • 1 level tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1/4 level tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 level tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tbsp red wine
  • Oregano leaves to garnish

Preparation time: 15 minutes plus cooling
Cooking time: 50 minutes

1. Pierce a whole unpeeled aubergine in several places and bake at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 40 minutes or until it’s soft. Allow to cool. Remove the stalk, strip off the skin and chop the flesh.

2. Put the aubergine and remaining ingredients into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix together, using your hands, until thoroughly combined.

3. With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls. Line a grill pan with foil, shiny side up, and oil lightly. Cook the meatballs under a preheated grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with a tomato sauce and noodles and garnished with oregano.

Serves 4

Hot Chicken Salad

Chicken, Main Courses, Salads, Starters

  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp minced onion
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • Crushed crisps
  • 1/2 cup American or Cheddar cheese, grated

Combine all the ingredients except crisps and cheese. put in a pyrex dish and top with crisps and cheese. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 450F for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm over a salad. Freezes well.

Serves 4

Pork Steaks with Cheese Crust

Holidays, Main Courses, Pork

  • 4 ready sliced pork escalopes, about 125g/4oz each
  • Ground black pepper
  • 11/2 slices white bread, processed into breadcrumbs
  • 50g/2oz strong, tasty, hard cheese, mature cheddar or Gruyere coarsly grated
  • 25g/1oz butter, melted
  • 75g/3oz soft goat’s cheese, such as Chavroux
  • Slice of lemon to serve

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

1. Put the escalopes between two sheets of clingfilm and bat out with a rolling pin. Season with plenty of pepper.

2. Mix together the breadcrumbs, grated cheese and melted butter.

3. Grill the pork for 3-4 minutes, fairly close to the heat, until it changes colour and feels firm. Spread the goat’s cheese over the pork, leaving it thick in places. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top and pop under the grill, slightly further away from the heat, for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden. Serve with a slice of lemon.

Serves 4

Tomato & Pepper Tarts

Family Favourites, Starters

  • 4 red peppers
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 150g/51/2oz large cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 375g/13oz puff pastry
  • 1 egg yolk mixed with
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • 100g/31/2oz dolcelatte, cut into 1cm/1/2in dice

1. Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Remove the cores and seeds from the peppers and cut into quarters. Place on a roasting tray, pour over some olive oil and season. Cover with foil and roast for 2 hours, then remove the foil and roast for a further 30 minutes. For the last hour of cooking, place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a separate dish, pour over some olive oil, season and roast. Remove the vegetables and allow them to cool.

2. Turn up the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Roll out the pastry thinnly, cut out 4 x 13cm/5in circles and place them on a baking sheet. Arrange the peppers on the circles, skin side up, with the tomatoes on top, leaving a small rim. Brush the edge of the tarts with the egg and milk mixture and bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and risen at the edges.

3. A couple of minutes before the end of the cooking scatter the thyme and cheese over the tarts then return to the oven. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4