Thread: Recipe Suggestions?

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone would like to share some tried and tested tasty meal ideas and recipes? - I know there are lots and lots of recipe websites out there on the internet, but it's much nicer to try a dish that someone else recommends!!

Suggestions please? just tell us your favourite! Or your speciality, you know the dish that you serve for all your friends at dinner parties, the one that everyone talks about.

xx

WARNING

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My favourite is home made shepherd's pie. Though I'm afraid I don't know how to make it- I just eat it all up when others do

Yum - lovely choice - especially with the cold weather we're getting now! xx

Oh I love cooking. My current fave is macaroni and cheese made with pork stock and peas with pancetta on the side. Yum

Being half Italian, my specialities tend to be ummmm...well, Italian! One crowd-pleaser coming up!

Melanzane - for four Italian-sized servings....or a gazillion posh London restaurant ones! :winkgrin:

3 large aubergines
2 large tins chopped tomatoes (or you could use fresh plum toms if you want)
2 medium/large onions (I prefer red ones but it's up to you)
Garlic - I like to use a lot but again, it's personal preference. At the very least, I'd say 2 large cloves
Basil, oregano, thyme - up to you how much but don't overdo it. You could always use a dried 'Italian herbs' mixture - you can get these from most supermarkets...but only use 1-2 tsp
3 balls mozarella - get the best you can afford. You can use the low-fat versions but they're not as nice as a good buffalo mozarella
Parmigiano - if you don't want to grate it yourself, you can buy it ready done in pouches
Olive oil - extra virgin. No questions, no arguments - nothing else will do! Use a good one!
Plain flour - enough for coating the aubergine
Black pepper - freshly ground if possible. Just enough to season
Salt - for preference I use Maldon sea salt but you could use bog-standard table salt. Not too much though!

Equipment:

Lasagne dish - for this amount, I use one that's about 10" long
Spatulas
Ladle
Colander
Side plate
Saucepans or other heavy-ish weights
Sharp knife
Plate or large shallow dish
Kitchen roll
Clean tea towel
Wok/frying pan, large pan/wok

OK, first thing's first - you need to slice your aubergines into pieces around half a centimetre thick. It's up to you whether you do it width or lengthways - I prefer circles to slices! Cut as close to the stalk end as you can because you don't want to waste any; chuck the stalk away (or compost it) but use the 'bum' end!

Once you have your sliced aubergine, put it all into a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt (don't worry, you won't taste it later!). Put a side plate upside down over the aubergine slices and then put a few saucepans on top to weight it all down. Make sure the colander is in the sink or a bowl, or else you'll get icky aubergine juice all over the place!

Right, you can go and do your hair, practise your routine or watch a couple of DVDs if you like, because this has to be left for a few hours!

A bit later.....

Let's assume that it's now been several hours since you did the aubergine thing - you need to now rinse them thoroughly under cold water (this is why they won't taste salty), and then lay them out on a clean tea towel or several layers of kitchen roll to dry. You can even pat the tops dry if you're so inclined!

Switch on the oven to around 175c - not sure what it is in gas or F....google it!

Whilst they are drying, prepare your ragu:

Chop your onions and fry them gently in a little olive oil, add the garlic (which should at the very least be chopped very finely, if not crushed). Don't do this the other way around because the garlic will burn and become bitter. We don't want that! Give the onion and garlic a little stir occasionally just to make sure it's not burning, and then when they start to brown a little, add the tomatoes. If it all starts hissing and spitting at you, your heat is too high, so turn it down a bit...and clean up the mess!

Add your chopped fresh herbs (saving a little of the basil for later), or your dried ones, and stir in. You can add a little black pepper at this stage if you want but don't worry if you forget, you can always do it later! Turn the heat down so that the ragu is gently simmering, and leave it for about 15 minutes.

Now, it's aubergine time again! You might want to open a window or door, or switch on your cooker hood if you have one because it's time to seal the slices!

In a large frying pan or wok, heat a few more tablespoons of olive oil. Then take each aubergine slice, dip it in the flour (which you will have cleverly already put onto a plate or in a large bowl!), and then place in the pan. It helps if you have cooking tongs but if not, a couple of spatulas (not plastic ones!), or metal slices will do. Actually, I tend to use a wooden spatula and a large knife. When the slices begin to brown underneath, carefully flip them over to brown the other side.

Some people advocate deep frying them, which whilst it is easier, is less healthy. I've tried grilling them but TBH the taste and the texture of the finished dish is a bit meh. Shallow frying, I've found, gives the best of both worlds.

Anyway, as you remove the sealed aubergine from the pan/wok, place it on several layers of kitchen roll just to get rid of the excess oil. Nice as olive oil is, you don't want your food swimming in it! Once it's all done, leave to cool for a few minutes while you sort out the cheese.

Rinse the mozarella under cold water and dry with kitchen roll. Tempting as it may be to practise your juggling skills with the three balls of cheese, don't...didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?!!!

Once the cheese is drier, slice it so that each piece is about the size of the aubergine slices. Yes, I know it's a bit squidgy but if you use a large knife and wiggle it about it a bit, it makes life easier.

If you need to, grate the parmigiano and put into a bowl. If you bought the ready-grated stuff, empty the pouch into a bowl. Remember the basil I told you to leave aside? Right, chop it finely and then mix into the grated cheese.

Now you're ready to put it all together - exciting eh?!

Place a layer of aubergine slices in the bottom of the lasagne dish. Ladle over half of the ragu, spreading it evenly, then arrange half of the mozarella on top of that. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients, so you have two layers of aubergine, ragu and mozarella. Finally, top with the parmigiano/basil mix and pop in the oven for about 40-45 minutes until it is light brown and bubbling.

Clean up the kitchen and then sit down with a glass of your favourite wine!

I usually serve this with garlic bread and a simple green salad (not iceberg lettuce....go wash your mouth out now!). I often make ice cream for dessert - do you want the recipe for that too?

If anyone tries this, please let me know how you get on!

i would like the ice cream recipe please i don't have an ice cream making machine though but im sure ive seen chefs on telly make it in a tub. these brownies are very yummy:

Chocolate brownie cake recipe - BBC Good Food

im not very good at creating new dishes, if i don't have detailed instructions it tastes rank my b/f does all the cooking he makes lovely macaroni and mince and tatties yum!

Well, Madame le strange ,you are giving me loads of wonderful advice and info today! I will definitely try this one, as I absolutley love Italian food (I spent 4 months in Italy for a student exchange when I was doing my degree) Yum!

I'll let you know how I get on! xx

Heheh, glad to be of assistance, BDR!

Righty-ho.... ice cream - be warned that this probably isn't suitable for pregnant ladies because it does have raw eggs in it.

Ice Cream for 4 average eaters or two piggies! :eyebrows:

(Halve this amount if using an ice cream maker, otherwise it won't freeze properly and you'll get a horrible icky mess all over the worktop!)

2 large free-range eggs (yes, you could use battery eggs but let's not eh?!)
2 cups double cream
1 cup milk (if you're using cream you may as well use full-fat!)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence or 1 vanilla pod (sliced open lengthways, seeds scraped out and put in ice cream mix. Put empty pod in airtight jar of sugar for a couple of months to make delicious vanilla sugar)
1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Optional freezing method:

Lots of ice
Lots of salt
Two large bowls

Whisk the eggs until they are light, fluffy and creamy.
Gradually add the sugar, continuing to mix until it is light but thickened.
Whisk in the cream and then the milk.
Whisk in the salt if using (trust me, it works really well).
Stir in the vanilla.

If you're using an electric ice cream maker, pour the mix in the bowl and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

If not, you can make it one of two ways:

1) Pour into a freezerproof container and freeze for a couple of hours. Remove, whisk and return the to freezer. Check again after a couple of hours and repeat if necessary. Whisking should remove the chance of ice crystals forming. Once it is frozen, if it's really hard, remove from the freezer and leave for ten minutes to ripen before serving.

2) The old-fashioned method; pour the mixture into a large bowl and then put this inside a larger one. Pack this out with ice and salt and whisk the mixture as you rotate its bowl. It's laborious, and really the only advantage is that you won't get ice crystals forming as it freezes. Your end result should be very similar to ice cream made in an electric maker, i.e. very soft and yummy!

If you want to add fruit, make sure you've added sugar to it before putting it in the mixture, and don't add until about 3/4 of the way through freezing. Strawberries and raspberries will need to have had the sugar added at least half a day before putting in the mix.

If you want to add chocolate, melt it over a double boiler first (or a bowl on top of a pan of boiling water), add a little milk or cream to relax it slightly, and then trickle into the mix (or fold in if not using an electric maker).

One of my favourites is to make lime syrup. It's really easy; just gently melt some sugar in a heavy pan over a low heat, and then add some lime juice to the syrup. How much you add is entirely down to personal taste. Either drizzle this syrup into the ice cream mixture as it's being churned or sparingly fold it in if using the freezer method.

Oohh, I've just thought of another! Add some cinnamon (about 1/2 tsp) to your basic mix and serve the finished cinnamon ice cream with hot apple pie or crumble! Mmmmm! :eyebrows:

Oooh Ice cream - I don't eat Ice cream myself - (I don't like cold things) However, My boyfriend can't get enough of the stuff!! And he's moving in on Saturday! - So perhaps I'll have time to make him a little moving in Treat, thanks xx

Bella,
I would delight you with my Beans a la Lord T:
one can of baked beans
a good splosh of worcester sauce
combine the two, throw in the bin and then give me the moonlight......


(oh as for ice cream-doesn't seem to agree with me now...shame)

one of the nicest things I've ever had is wardens in syrup-poach your pears in red wine sweetened with honey, flavoured with juniper berries, blackberries, cinnamon and nutmeg. The longer you poach them the better the flavour-done over an open fire in autumn its a wonderful experience. The syrup should be reduced so that you have to coax it out of the saucepan...I suppose you could have cream or mascapone cheese with them.