Scrambled Heuvos Rancheros Bowls. I wanted to make us something Tex-Mex the other day for our brunch/supper. (More often than not we eat our big meal of the day at noon.)
I quite like Tex-Mex flavours.
Cooking Tex Mex can be somewhat of a challenge over here in the UK, because we can't always get the right ingredients. Its getting better though, thank goodness.
Its improved vastly since Tomasina Miers won Master Chef. She is a huge proponent of Mexican and Tex Mex Flavours and has inspired Brits to want to try them also.
If we could get canned chopped green chilies or green enchilada sauce I would be one very happy camper! Oh how I miss the canned green chilies.
I tend to just buy the jalapenos and roast them myself. Much more work than simply opening a tin I have to say and I am not sure they are quite the same.
I had some leftover cooked potato. So I chopped these up along with some onion and fried them in a bit of oil, seasoning them with salt, pepper and mild chili powder until golden brown.
They smelled delicious when they were frying. Oh, I do so love a fried potato.
I heated some cooked pinto beans with some salsa in the microwave.
You could use a small tin of refried beans in their place if you wanted to.
Then I scrambled some eggs along with some cheddar, green Tabasco sauce and milk. Delicious!
If you haven't tried the Green Tabasco Sauce, you really need to. I would not be without it now.
I also warmed some tortillas in my favourite way of doing so. I just hold them over the flame of a gas burner until the bubble and turn golden brown.
I had all of my other ingredients ready to go, or mise en place as it is called in restaurants.
Once everything was heated and cooked, I was set to go and go I did . . .
So easy . . .
Each bowl got a layer of browned potatoes, topped with some of the beans, and finally the scrambled eggs.
I sprinkled cheese over top, which melted perfectly from the heat of the eggs . . .
A scattering of crumbled back bacon, some spring onions and a nice splash of green Tabasco sauce and we were good to go!
Yield: 2
Scrambled Huevos Rancheros Bowls
prep time: cook time: total time:
Tex Mex Flavours served in individual bowls along with your favourite accompaniments! Makes a great breakfast or even a light supper.
ingredients:
- 2 tsp light olive oil
- 175g cooked potato cut into cubes (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp mild chili powder
- 1 small can of pinto beans (250g/7 1/2 ounces), drained and rinsed
- 90g grated strong cheddar cheese (3/4 cup, divided)
- 120ml tomato salsa (1/2 cup)
- 2 corn or flour tortillas (heated)
- 1 spring onion, trimmed washed and thinly sliced
- 1/2 TBS butter
- 3 large free range eggs, beaten with a fork
- 1 TBS milk
- 1 tsp green Tabasco sauce
Optional accompaniments:
- cooked bacon or sausage, crumbled
- chopped or grilled fresh tomatoes
- green or red hot sauce
- salsa as desired
instructions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the potatoes and onions. Season with salt, pepper and chili powder, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove and keep warm.
- Heat the pinto beans in the microwave along with the tomato salsa. Keep warm.
- Wipe out the skillet. Beat the egg together with 1/3 of the cheese, the milk and the green Tabasco sauce. Heat the butter in the skillet until it begins to foam. Tip in the egg mixture. Let sit for about 30 seconds and then with a wooden spatula start to scrape the cooked egg from the outside into the centre of the pan, folding and stirring as you go. Don’t rush it. You don’t want to over cook them, neither do you want to under cook them. You just want to cook them until they all pull together into soft creamy lumps, not dry curds. This should take several minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Bear in mind that they will continue to cook as they sit.)
- Scoop the cooked potato mixture into two heated pasta bowls or serving plates. Top each with a portion of beans. Divide the hot scrambled eggs between the bowls. Top with cheese, then spring onions.
- Serve immediately with your hot tortillas and any desired accompaniments.
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This was simple, hearty and delicious. I served some extra salsa on the side and I had grilled some tomatoes that we ate along with them as well. Yummy yummy!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
This fabulous "small-batch" slow cooker meal is big on flavour but very light on prep and it destined to become a family favourite.
(Don't worry if there are more than two of you, you can easily double or triple the quantities with no problem and it will be cooked in the same amount of time, no problem!)
I have relied heavily on Mediterranean flavours for inspiration here . . .
Fresh green baby spinach leaves . . . briny tangy feta cheese . . . fresh lemon . . . oregano . . . onions & garlic . . .
There is a minimum of prep involved . . .
you just need to soften the onion and garlic in the microwave . . . takes as long as it takes. It all depends on the strength of your oven.
I have used one pouch of the ready cooked long grain rice you can buy at the shops.
I always have several of them in my larder. They are so handy for quickly thrown together meals.
You can use brown rice or regular . . . this gets stirred together in a slow cooker along with the onion and garlic mixture, and a bit of dried oregano.
You could use fresh oregano, but I don't see the point when something is going to be cooking for four or five hours in a crock pot . . .
I have the 1.5 litre Andrew James oval slow cooker. It works perfectly in this. Any smaller sized one will work if you are cooking for two.
Don't be tempted to use freshly made or leftover rice.
It will turn mushy and blow out in the slow cooking process.
Packed, pre-cooked rice IS necessary. It really is.
You nestle 4 smallish boneless skinless chicken thighs down into the rice in the slow cooker.
I season them generously first with some salt and pepper.
That's it . . . pop the lid on and let this cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, just until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
At that point you will remove the chicken and shred . . . with two forks. Does a perfect job does two forks.
While you are shredding the chicken, stir fresh baby spinach leaves, some feta cheese and single cream into the rice and pop the lid on just to wilt the spinach leaves and melt the cheese . . .
Give it all a good stir and then stir in the shredded chicken, lemon zest and lemon juice for a lovely citrussy but not tart, with bold bright fresh flavour notes!
Taste and adjust the seasoning and them pile it onto a nice little platter for serving. You sprinkle some more crumbled feta cheese on top and dinner is served!
Voila! Like magic.
Yield: 2
Lemony Chicken & Rice
prep time: cook time: 5 hourtotal time: 5 hours
This is a smaller batch slow cooker recipe for two, but can easily be doubled to feed more and cooked in a larger crockpot. Tender lemony chicken with lemon, oregano, feta cheese, spinach and cream. What's not to like? Oh yes, only one pot to clean when done.
ingredients:
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1 (250g) pouch already cooked long grain rice (2 cups)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (small to medium in size), trimmed and any fat discarded
- 60g fresh baby spinach leaves (2 cups)
- 85g crumbled feta cheese (3 ounces)
- 60ml single cream (1/4 cup half and half)
- 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
instructions:
- Place the onion, garlic and oil in a small microwavable container. Cook in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until the onion has softened. (Time will vary according to the strength of your microwave.) Remove from the microwave and stir in the oregano. Transfer to a small crock pot. Stir in the rice. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Tuck them down into the rice. Cover and cook on low, until the chicken is tender, 4 to 5 hours.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Cover with a small piece of foil and let cool for a few minutes. In the meantime stir the spinach, 2/3 of the feta cheese and the cream into the slow cooker, stirring to combine all well. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir the chicken meat back into the slow cooker. Cover and let sit until everything is heated through, Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Spoon out onto a small heated platter. Sprinkle with the remaining feta cheese and serve immediately.
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This really is so so SO delicious . . . fresh, colourful and easy peasy lemon squeasy!!! You are going to love it! I double-dog-dare you not to!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan@aol.com
I like to pull the stops out a bit at the weekend and bake a treat for my husband. To be honest, I don't bake much during the week because it gets in my mouth too easily and I need to really watch it.
My husband shouldn't be punished for my transgressions however, so at the weekend, I always like to do something special for him.
He really loves the Bakewell Tarts you can buy in the shop. Small short crust pastry tarts filled with jam and an almond sponge and then topped with a sicky sweet icing and half of a glace cherry.
They really are sweet however . . . and nothing tastes better than homemade anything, so this week I decided to bake him some Bakewell Slices, which closely resemble the tart but I think are a lot nicer.
Bakewell is a town in the Peak District here in the UK.
It is located on the River Rye and is quite well known for its traditional and original Bakewell pudding, which boasts a pastry base topped with jam and an almond custard.
And then there is the Bakewell Tart, which is similar. The pudding uses Puff Pastry and the tart . . . short crust pastry.
The pudding has a custard topping and the tart . . . an almond cake topping.
Both are equally as delicious. My recipe today favours the tart in that it has an almond cake topping
The pastry is a very simple short crust pastry. You will want enough to fill a 12 by 9 inch traybake tin.
I roll it out fairly thin and bring it 1/2 inch up the sides. (I hate it when jam touches the sides of a tin and sticks. It is much easier to remove the finished bake if jam hasn't baked onto the tin.)
This is the tin I use. It has a bottom which slides out, which makes it really easy to remove the cake.
You spread the jam over top of the pastry base. You want to be somewhat generous with it, in that you want the jam not to be lost in everything else.
The base is not sweet in the least and so a nice layer of jam is a must.
I use raspberry jam, but some people prefer strawberry jam. Both are equally as delicious.
A simple almond sponge batter is spooned over top of the jam. It can be a bit fiddly to spread this batter out.
What works for me is to dollop the cake batter over top of the jam in small dollops all over. Then I just spread it out with the back of a spoon.
I then use a fingertip to make sure it gets right to the edge of the pastry.
The top is covered with a nice layer of flaked almonds. They toast while the cake is baking to a lovely golden brown.
Yum . . . I do so love toasted almonds.
To finish them off I have drizzled a thick almond drizzle over top. Not as sicky sweet as the tarts that you buy, but just perfect.
It dresses them up nicely and adds just a hint of sweet on an already perfect slice. You can of course leave this off entirely!
Yield: Makes 24
Bakewell Slice
prep time: 15 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 40 mins
A beautiful slice/square perfect for enjoying with a nice hot cuppa. Do be generous with the jam. No need to line the baking pan with paper as the pastry will not stick. You will need a 12 by 9 inch tray bake tin or roasting tin. (Mine has a removable bottom)
ingredients:
For the shortcrust pastry:
- 175g plain flour (1 1/4 cups)
- 75g butter (6 TBS)
- 2 - 3 TBS cold water
For the sponge mixture:
- 100g butter softened (scant half cup)
- 100g caster sugar (1/2 cup + 1 TBS)
- 175g self raising flour (1 1/4 cups)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 large free range eggs
- 2 TBS whole milk
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
To finish:
- 4 heaped TBS raspberry jam
- flaked almonds to sprinkle
instructions:
- First make the pastry. Measure the flour into a bowl. Add th butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the cold water gradually, mixing together with a fork to form a soft dough.
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle the size of your baking tin. Use this to ine the tin. ( I like it to come about 1/2 inch up the sides.)
- Measure all of the sponge ingredients into a bowl and beat together well until smooth.
- Spoon the jam into the pastry lined tin and spread it out with the back of a spoon. Dollop the cake batter over top and spread it out to cover the jam. (I find this easiest to do it in small dollops all over and then spread it out right to the pastry edge with the back of a clean spoon and finally my finger tip at the end.) Sprinkle flaked almonds over top to cover.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre and is golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin before cutting into slices to serve.
- I often drizzle an almond drizzle icing over top. Whisk together 65g/1/2 cup of icing sugar with a few drops of vanilla extract and just enough milk to give you a thick drizzle. Flick it over the top decoratively.
Created using The Recipes Generator
These really are nice and go down wonderfully with a nice hot cuppa.
I can't think of a better way to enjoy a break on a weekend afternoon, than a hot drink and one of these as I sit at the table with paper and pencil, looking out at the garden and pondering my plans for it in the coming months.
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