Category Archives: Family Favourites

Auld Grannies Chicken Soup

Family Favourites, Holidays, Soups, Starters

  • 3 Medium Carrots Chopped
  • 1 Large Leek Chopped – Include the Green
  • 2 Long Stalks of Celery Chopped
  • 1/2 New Turnip Chopped
  • 2 Medium Potatoes Chopped
  • 1 Medium Onion Chopped
  • 1 Medium Carrot Grated
  • 2 x Chicken Leg Quarters Small or 1 x Large
  • 3 x Chicken Stock Cubes
  • 1/2 – 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 4 Grinds of Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Handful of Chopped Parlsey
  • 1/2 Cup of Rice
  • 2 1/2 Litres of Water

Pour the water into the pan and add the stock cubes and the chicken pieces and start boiling.

Add all the chopped vegetables and the grated and chopped carrots, hold of with the rice just now and also the parsley.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Now add the rice and boil for a further 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken pieces and remove the meat from the bones, chop and put back in the soup.

Add the chopped parsley, adjust seasoning, add more water if it is too thick – remember you want a medium thick texture and the rice will probably puff up more so don’t think it may be too runny.

Christmas Morning Muffins

Cakes and Muffins, Family Favourites

  • Makes about 12 depending on their size. I use a bun tin and cake cases.
  • 200g Plain flour
  • 3 teaspoonfuls of Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Sodium Bicarb
  • 75g Demerara sugar. NOT any other, texture is important.
  • 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 Small Orange or Clementine
  • 50ml Milk (Approx)
  • 60g Unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 Large egg
  • 150g Dried cranberries
  • For the topping
  • 2 teaspoonfuls of Demerara sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

Heat oven to 200C

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Squeeze the orange/clementine and add the juice to a measuring jug. Add milk to the 150ml mark. Add the egg and melted butter to this and beat to combine. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir only to combine.
LUMPY BATTER=LIGHT MUFFINS
Lastly fold in the cranberries and fill the muffin cases. mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the tops.
Put in oven for 20 minutes.
EAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Chinese braised lamb or beef

Beef, Family Favourites, Hot & Spicy, Lamb, Main Courses

  • For eight portions
  • 4 tbsp tasteless oil- I used rapeseed
  • 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 thumbsized piece of fresh ginger peeled and sliced into fine matchsticks
  • 2 red onions halved and sliced
  • 1 red chilli deseeded and sliced fine
  • 1.5kg lamb neck fillets in bite size pieces or ox cheek beef.
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 teasp chinese five spice powder
  • 2 teasp sugar
  • 3 tbsp chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
  • 3 tbsp dark soy
  • 500ml beef stock

Heat half the oil in a large casserole dish. Fry the onions garlic ginger and chilli for a minute or two until softened.Tip onto a plate.
Toss the lamb in the flour and fry in batches until browned using the rest of the oil.Put aside on a plate.
Add five spice and ginger mix to pan and stir then add sugar, lamb and wine ,scraping up any meaty bits.
Pour in soy and stock, bring to a simmer. cover tightly and place in fan oven at 130 for three hours stirring halfway.

Serve with boiled rice and steamed greens. Tenderstem broccoli is real nice with this dish

Mulligatawny Soup

Family Favourites, Soups

  • Quantities here are VERY flexible depending on the size of your pot and the number of portions. I have never been very good at making a half pot of anything! The basic ingredients however are as follows.
  • Oil
  • chopped onion
  • chopped celery
  • chopped carrot
  • curry powder (i have recently discovered schwartz crushed medium madras powder )
  • Chopped apple
  • chopped tomatoes
  • brown basmati rice if possible but white will work
  • a small amount of red lentils
  • chicken stock

Heat the oil in your soup pot. Sweat the onion celery and carrot for a few minutes then add the curry powder. Stir around for a few minutes then add all the other ingredients. Simmer for half an hour then check for salt and pepper. Thats it basically although I have been known to add chopped coriander if available.

Chicken Crisp

Chicken, Family Favourites, Main Courses
  • 1 chicken breast per person
  • butter
  • garlic
  • plain crisps

Crush the crisps as finely a possible-I do it by bashing the packet with a rolling pin! Melt the butter and add the crushed garlic.
Dip the chicken in the garlic butter and then in the crushed crisps.
Put on a baking tray in oven Fan 180 for half an hour.

Quantities are a bit loose but do what seems right to you.