The beauty of this dish is that it uses up leftover ingredients – pastry offcuts, chorizo lurking in the back of the fridge, sweet potato lingering in the vegetable rack, and peas from the freezer. While not a traditional empanada in terms of the pastry used – puff – it is full of the flavours you would expect from this dish made so popular in Latin American cuisine. Vary the filling according to what you have available – just remember to add plenty of herbs as well as spices if not using chorizo! INGREDIENTS2 large sweet potatoes, diced to 0.5cm…
Recipes
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Continue ReadingPork shoulder is a great cut of meat and as well as making a mean roast dinner, it also lends itself well to a casserole. Shoulder benefits from slow cooking, but this dish takes just two hours on the hob and results in a meltingly tender casserole to warm the cockles. With some cooked apple slices, green vegetables and potatoes, this makes for a tasty dish. And, as with most casseroles, it tastes even more delicious the next day! INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4 + LEFTOVERS) 1kg Old Hall Farm pork shoulder 1 onion, sliced 2 celery sticks, chopped 2 carrots, peeled…
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Continue ReadingThe ultimate in comfort food, this beef and mushroom casserole has the addition of dumplings, making it a perfect one-pot feast. I used Old Hall Farm’s own Jersey/Angus cross beef in this recipe, and not only did the meat melt in the mouth, the flavour was incredible. Serve with savoy cabbage and greens for a healthy and delicious autumnal dinner. INGREDIENTS 1kg Old Hall Farm braising beef 3 round shallots, sliced 1 celery stick, sliced 2 cloves of smoked garlic, finely sliced 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs rosemary 3 sprigs thyme 200ml red wine Around 20 white peppercorns 500ml beef…
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Continue ReadingWhat better dish to enjoy at this time of year than apple and blackberry crumble, making the most of the fruit-laden trees and hedgerows at the moment. The addition of nuts and oats makes the topping extra special. This winning recipe will keep the chill from your bones as the nights begin to draw in. INGREDIENTS1kg blackberries, washed2 larges / 3 medium Bramley apples, peeled & chopped210g plain flour150g butter80g demerara sugar40g light brown sugar70g rolled oatsA handful of broken walnutsGolden caster sugar to tasteA pinch of saltCream to serve METHODPre-heat the oven to 180 ̊ C / 355 ̊ F…
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Continue ReadingI shall let you into my new little secret – an absolute delight and my new guilty pleasure. Roasted strawberries. And I am sharing them here with a beautiful weekend cocktail sent to me by my friends at Brasted’s – their signature Brasted’s Bramble. The roasted strawberries first… I mentioned them to a friend yesterday , and she was surprised, saying that she has never thought of roasting them. “Do,” I replied. “They are amazing.” Not only are they amazing, they are simple and delicious, and such a good way to use up strawberries that are, perhaps, a little bit…
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Continue ReadingA quick and easy recipe, my dark chocolate and sea salt fudge truffles are perfect for making with children right now. These also make wonderful gifts – wrapped up in a bag and tied with a ribbon – all ready for when lockdown is over and we can visit our families again. INGREDIENTSOne tin condensed milk340g good quality dark chocolate – I use CallebautA dash of vanilla extractMaldon sea saltExtra flavours as desired METHODLine a deep baking tin with parchment paper – it needs to be at least one inch deep and, ideally, rectangular in shape. Empty the condensed milk…
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Continue ReadingThis is a really quick, easy and delicious salad that brings together the flavours of the Middle East in one lovely dish. It is perfect either as a main dish, with some fresh soda bread on the side, or as a side for a family BBQ or get together. INGREDIENTS1 block halloumiA generous teaspoon each of sumac & lime powder*A bag of mixed salad*Pumpkin seeds, toasted*Pine nuts2 lemons1 tsp Dijon mustard (or more to taste)60ml rapeseed oil* plus extra for marinadingFlat-leaf parsley, choppedBlack pepper METHODRemove the halloumi from the packaging and cut into even slices. Put into a bowl, add…
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Continue ReadingTalking to my friends during these interesting times we find ourselves in, there is a common theme of what is getting us through – and that is the moment when the sun is in the right place over the yard arm and we can crack open a bottle, sit down and relax, and try to pretend that we are not currently living in a sci-fi film! With the long weekend upon us (or just another day in lock down if you are cynical), and another at the end of the month, I thought I would ask some of my foodie…
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Continue ReadingOx cheeks – and beef cheeks – are amazing cuts of meat. When slow cooked, the become incredibly tender and melt in the mouth. Although the weather is warming up outside, the evenings are still cool enough to enjoy this delicious meal. This recipe easily feeds a family of four, with leftovers for another day. INGREDIENTS4 ox cheeks – ask your butcher to remove as much fat as possibleYare Valley rapeseed oil3 shallots, quartered3 or 4 bay leaves2 celery stalks, chopped2 large carrots, slicedA generous helping of white peppercornsDried parsley & fresh thyme500ml good red wineA beef stock potBoiling water…
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Continue ReadingRisotto. That simple, comforting bowl of creamy goodness that we all need right now. We all know that we are living in difficult and challenging times – I am not going to use this space as a place to talk about that. Instead, I am offering some light relief from the news – along with a store cupboard recipe that everyone can enjoy. Many people say that risotto is difficult to make. I have never found it to be, and I actually find it quite soothing, gently stirring the grains of rice until they are perfectly al dente. Risotto is…