Category Archives: Family Favourites

Boxing Day Tongue

Beef, Family Favourites

IMG_0984Boxing Day Tongue isn’t really a recipe but more a method of preparation.  It is always a favourite on Boxing Day along with Spiced Beef and Auld Grannie’s Meatloaf.Both these recipes are on HeathersKitchen

Ingredients

2 small salted (these need to be ordered at least 3 weeks in advance so that your butcher can “salt” in the brine)

6 pieces of leaf gelatine

Method  Soak overnight in fresh water, drain and put tongues into pressure cooker with enough water to almost cover.  Cook at full pressure for one and a half hours.  Skin the tongues when still hot and curl into smallest possible container like a straight sided non-stick pot. Taste the cooking liquid and if not too salty, dissolve the gelatine in a pint of the stock.  Pour over the tongue and place a plate and a weight on top and leave to get cold in the fridge. That’s it.

Steaming Eggs?

Family Favourites

IMG_0877I have recently read about steaming eggs instead of boiling them; it really works! Get the steamer boiling, put in your eggs and in 6 minutes you have perfect softly boiled eggs. For hard boiled give them 8 minutes. Easy. This method means there is less danger of cracking as well as a more predictable result.

Monchique Chicken

Chicken, Family Favourites, Holidays

IMG_0834Monchique Chicken recipe is named from an old, ancient hotel in the spa valley of Monchique in the Portugese Algarve. It is one of these really simple recipes that all the family love. The main herb used is Rosemary which grows in abundance in Monchique. It is best served in a bowl with fork and spoon.

Ingredients for 4
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 medium onion cut into wedges
4 medium carrots cut in chunks
Handful of flat green beans in short lengths
4 apple size potatoes chopped in chunks and tossed in oliveoil
Chicken stock
Lots of fresh Rosemary to taste

Method
Put everything except for stock and potatoes into a shallow ovenproof dish, pour over enough stock to come half way up the chicken. Put the olive oil covered potatoes as a layer on top and place in fan oven at 180 for 1 hour.

Christmas Spiced Beef

Beef, Family Favourites

IMG_1021NB,the butcher needs to keep this in the brine for 3 weeks so order early! Also remember this takes a couple of days to prepare and best kept for a week before serving.

Ingredients
1.5 K  Boned salt silverside brisket
Ground black pepper
Soft dark sugar
1 tablespoon Whole Allspice berries
1 tablespoonful Juniper berries
2 teaspoonfuls Whole cloves

Method
Soak the joint in cold water for 3 hours, changing the water a couple of times.  Make several incisions into the beef to allow the spices to get all the way through.  Cover the joint generously with the black pepper then cover thickly with the sugar.  Crush the allspice and juniper berries in a mortar then press into the sugar.  Stick the cloves all over the meat.  Wrap the beef in foil, place in an overproof dish and leave overnight at room temperature.

Set oven at 140C, cook beef for 4 hours.  Pour off juices, seal the foil and place a board and weights on top and leave in a cool place overnight.

Now wrap in fresh foil and store the Christmas Spiced Beef in the fridge for up to a week.

John’s White Beans & Clams

Family Favourites, Fish, Holidays

IMG_0259

This is a take on a number of very typical Portuguese dishes, such as Octopus Rice, White Beans and Shellfish, and Rice and Shellfish.

Ingredients:
500 gm White Beans
1kg of Fresh Clams in Shells
600 gm Tinned Tomatoes
1 Onion Chopped
1 Pint of Chicken Stock
2 Cloves of Garlic Chopped
1 x Small Chorizo – Cubed
3 x Sprigs of Rosemary
1 x Handful of Coriander
1 x Teaspoon of Oregano Flowers

Method:

Fry off the garlic and onions and chorizo for a few minutes, add the tomatoes, and the herbs into the pot, add the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper.  Add the beans either rinsed from a jar or can or drained from soaking overnight. Stew for about 1.5 hours, then take out some beans and mash them up with a fork and add back to the pot.  This will help to thicken the sauce.  Also add a touch of Tomato puree/polpa if you think it necessary . Add clams when ready to serve and simmer gently for 10mins or until all shells appear to be open.