Oxtail is an underrated cut of meat – and a far cry from the soups of our childhoods. One of the cheapest cuts, if not the cheapest, of beef, oxtail is full of flavour and benefits from slow cooking. This recipe easily feeds a family of four, with leftovers for another day. INGREDIENTS1 oxtail, jointedYare Valley rapeseed oil2 red onions, quartered3 or 4 bay leaves2 celery stalks, chopped2 large carrots, slicedWhite and pink peppercornsHalf a swede, dicedDried parsley & dried oregano1 beef stock pot1 bottle Broadside beerTomato pureeAround 5g porcini mushroomsCornflour Add a splash of Yare Valley rapeseed oil to…
Recipes
-
Old Hall Farm sausages are packed full of meat and therefore, are full of flavour. This simple recipe will feed a family of four and it is so easy to do. You can even cook in a slow cooker on low, meaning that you can get on with your day while the pot does its thing! INGREDIENTS8 Old Hall Farm beef sausagesYare Valley rapeseed oil2 small shallots, sliced2 celery sticks, sliced2 bay leaves2 large carrots, sliced2 parsnips, quartered and sliced4 medium potatoes, cut into piecesDried parsleyA beef stock potSalt & pepperA good handful of mushrooms, slicedCornflour You need a large…
-
Who doesn’t love a wrap? The most versatile of ingredients, it can be eaten on the move, sat on the sofa in front of a film (okay, cooking programme!), or even at your desk if you need to work through lunch. You can also use anything to be the ‘wrap’. I love chicken with a homemade Caesar dressing wrapped in a cos lettuce leaf – the ultimate version of a chicken Caesar salad and without the guilt of croutons. The more traditional among us will go for a tortilla wrap. I prefer wholemeal tortilla, lightly warmed in either a pan…
-
Bonfire night. The night that could have dramatically changed the UK had the Gunpowder Plot gone ahead. Instead, people celebrate the macabre execution of Guy Fawkes et al by letting off fireworks into the sky. Over the centuries, the reason for the celebrations has been lost, but the ingrained need for earthy flavours that warm has remained. There is something about November. I find this is the month when all our deep-rooted instincts come to the fore. The darker days signal hibernation, and the need to feed our souls to keep us warm through these months. And the two seem…
-
My favourite ice cream as a child was, without fail, mint choc chip. The lurid green ice flecked with chocolate pieces, it was the stuff of dreams and, no doubt, started what remains a life-long obsession with chocolate and mint flavours together. From the punch Bendick’s Bittermint to the easy going After Eight, combine those flavours together and I am a happy girl. However, being intolerant to lactose means that I can no longer grab a mint choc chip cornetto or, even crunchier, a slice or two of Vienetta for a creamy, frozen, choccie-mint treat. And that could only mean…
-
Good evening, my dear Delicate Diners. How are you today? I hope that you have had a good weekend with friends and family, or equally enjoyed some time just ‘being’. I had a lovely day off on Saturday and went to the Beccles Food Festival, which was being held for the second year. It was a glorious day, with beautiful weather and clear skies. The stalls were plentiful and there was lots of choice available for us Delicate Diners. My favourite was Graze, who have their own restaurant in Beccles in the White Horse pub. Their street food offerings were…
-
Outside, the sun is shining but it is cold! Mother Nature seems to tempt us with a few days of warmth before sending cold winds back to send us racing indoors in search of jumpers and warming cups of coffee. In spite of this weather rollercoaster, nature’s own bounty is plentiful and for that reason, May remains my favourite month of the year. From the cherry blossom dressing the trees to the arrival of fresh Norfolk asparagus in the shops, there are signs everywhere that summer, is at last, unfurling herself and is ready to warm us in her soothing…
-
We had a slice last night – badly sliced and decadent in the extreme, and it was light, flavoursome, aromatic, balanced, indulgent and wickedly delicious, all in one mouthful. I did wonder if a slice late in the evening, before going to bed, was a good idea, but I slept well.
-
Sunday afternoon. The first day of 2016 that has actually felt like spring. And I am doing one of my favourite things – cooking with chocolate. I should point out that this is not as I have been daydreaming about chocolate. After all, it was Easter last weekend and, while I am a great chocolate saver and have only just started to nibble the ears of my dark Lindt bunny (to the horror of my chocoholic friend, Wizzy!), I feel no need to be making anything chocolatey and unctuous right now. So, why the chocolate? In a word – Galton.…