Category Archives: Holidays

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

Spicy Bean & Cucumber Salad

Holidays, Hot & Spicy, Salads, Side Dishes, Starters, Vegetarian

  • 2 cups cooked chopped green beans, about 11oz
  • 1 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber, about 1 medium cucumber
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, 1/2 medium onion
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh hot green chillie pepper or 1/4 crushed red
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 salt

Mix all infredients. cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until chilled

Serves 6

Bean & Mint Salad

Holidays, Salads, Side Dishes, Starters, Vegetarian

  • 420g/1 tin butter beans
  • 175g feta cheese
  • Large bunch of mint
  • 175g baby plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 75g pecan nuts, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation time: 10 minutes

1. Drain the beans and crumble the cheese. Remove the stalks from the mint and chop the leaves.

2. Mix together all the ingredients and serve.

Serves 4

Bobotie for 6-8

Beef, Holidays, Main Courses

  • 1kilo mince
  • 2 lge onion, chopped
  • 1oz butter
  • 2 large slices white breaD
  • 2 tbsp Madras curry paste
  • 2 cloves of crushed garlic
  • 2 tbsp mango chutney
  • 3 tbsp sultana
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • Half tspf ground cloves
  • Half tspf all spice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • Half pint Milk
  • 6 bay leaves

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4/Fan160. Pour cold water over the bread and leave to soak.

2. Fry the onions in the butter, stirring for 10 minutes. Add garlic and mince stirring until colour changes. Stir in curry paste, herbs, chutney, sultanas, spices and a couple of bay leaves. Sali and pepper.

3. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Squeeze the water out of the bread and mix into the meat. Put mixture into an ovenproof dish and press down.  Best made previous day and kept chilled.

4. For topping, beat eggs and milk with seasoning and pour over the meat. Rest of bay leaves go on top and bake for 40 minutes until top is set and beginning to look golden.

na

Kidneys Turbigo

Family Favourites, Holidays, Lamb, Main Courses

This recipe was one of my Dad’s favourites!IMG_0738

  • 5 lambs kidneys
  • 6 chipolata sausages
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 50g/2oz butter
  • 112g/1/4lb button mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 dessertspoon plain flour
  • 1 tsp tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp sherry
  • 71/2 fl oz brown stock
  • 1 bayleaf
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 slices of stale bread
  • oil
  • parsley, chopped

1. Blanch the onions and drain. skin kidneys, cut in half lengthways and core.

2. Heat a saute or deep frying pan, drop in the butter and, when it is foaming, put in the kidneys and saute briskly until evenly browned.

3. Lift out kidneys and put in chipolata sausages, lower the heat and cook until brown on all sides. Take them out, add the mushrooms, shake over a brisk heat for 2-3 minutes, then draw pan aside.

4. Stir in the flour, tomato puree, sherry and stock and bring to the boil; add the bayleaf and season. Slice sausages and kidneys and put in the pan. Cover and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.

5. Make some Yorkshire Pudding cases in which to serve although Classically Kidney Turbigo is served with bread croutes.