In the summer months when we want something that little bit heartier for our dinner, the slow cooker becomes my best friend. If I don't want to be heating up the kitchen, the slow cooker is the way to go! I have three slow cookers. One in a large size for making dishes large enough to feed over 4 people, and two smaller ones which are perfectly sized for two people, a round one and an oval one, because a small round one doesn't always cut the mustard when it comes to slow cooking. A small oval one is perfect for small roasts, hams, etc.
Slow cooking lends itself perfectly to creating delicious dishes like this Lamb Tagine I am showing you here today. A Tagine is traditionally a Moroccan dish. I love the flavours of Moroccan food.
Moroccan cuisine is a delicious mix of Arabic, Andalusian, Mediterranean and Berber cuisine with a dash of European and Subsaharian influence thrown in for good measure. Think what we traditionally see as warm baking spices . . . cinnamon, ginger, mace, nutmeg and cloves . . . with some heat through in from cayenne and black pepper . . . and lemon. They love to use preserved lemons . . . leafy things like coriander . . . rose petals. And this is by no means a complete list, but merely a hint of the deliciousness involved.
They also love using tomatoes, dried apricots, dates, prunes . . . I love savoury dishes with dried fruit involved, and this one is just wonderful using both apricots and prunes . . . and zest of oranges . . .
The sauce is fragrant and delicious . . . sweet and savoury at the same time, with a tiny bit of heat, but not overpoweringly so . . .
The sauce/gravy is thickened with ground almonds or what you might know in American as almond meal, which lends a slight nuttiness into the mix . . . and then there is the sweetness of that oh so tender lamb . . .
Lamb was not something I had ever eaten a lot of before I moved over here to the UK. My only experience with it had been my mother cooking lamb chops once for us when I was a teenager. They smelled like burning wool when she was cooking them, and none of us would eat them. The thought of eating burning wool was not very appealing.
I can only think now that they were not very good lamb chops . . . because I have never had lamb over here that smelled like burning wool, or tasted like it for that matter. I truly love the taste . . . young tender lamb has a delicate almost sweet taste. Older lamb can taste a bit gamey, but its not bad either.
*Lamb Tagine*
Serves 2
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp runny clear honey
I hope you will take advantage of your slow cooker this summer and make this delicious Moroccan stew! I think you will love it! Bon Appetit, or as they say in Morocco, بالصحة و العافية! Now that's what I would call a tongue twister, lol Serving it with peas and rice is so, so . . . well, English. In Morocco you would probably have it with couscous!
Oh, I do so love fresh berry season, don't you? We grow our own Strawberries, Blueberries and Raspberries, and the Strawberries are coming fast and furious at the moment! Oh, there is nothing more delicious on earth than a freshly picked strawberry with the warmth of the sun still burnishing its sweet flesh!
This is a beautiful way of using them during berry season. Its a simple recipe which I adapted for use from the cookbook entitled Supper For a Song, by Tamasin Day-Lewis. I love her recipes. They are always well written and they always turn out. I know she is largely unknown in North America, but she is a great cook and writer.
You are probably more familiar with her brother, Daniel Day-Lewis. Ah-ha! See, I knew. Anyways, this recipe is a real gem. It is perhaps a bit faffy in a way in that you make a sabayon sauce to cover the berries with before glazing them under the grill.
A Sabayon is not difficult to make, just time consuming. You do have to stand whipping it over simmering water for quite a time, but its so delicious when done. I had to bring in the extension cord from the shed that Todd uses to plug our mower into because I don't have an outlet near my stove that I can plug into.
Not a problem. Eggs yolks, sugar and lemon juice get whipped in the top of a double boiler until they are creamy, thick and rich, and then you continue to whip them until the mixture cools, upon which you fold in very softly whipped double cream. Take care not to over-whip the cream or it won't fold together properly. Softly, softly is the best. You can do this the night before if you want, and refrigerate it until you want to grill the berries. This makes it a great last minute dessert for entertaining.
A mix of berries is macerated in some sugar and liqueur and then popped into a gratin dish, napped with the sabayon and then gilded beneath the grill/broiler until golden.
This does not take very long . . . only a minute or so. If you do it for any longer you risk the mixture separating . . .
Just long enough to burnish the cream mixture, but not long enough to cook the berries, maintaining the shape and integrity of their deliciousness.
Altogether this is quite, quite lovely and so very delicious. Mmmm . . . I could eat that sabayon on its own by the spoonful!
*A Gratin of Summer Berries*
Serves 4
Put all of the berries into a large bowl. Gently stir in the sugar and the liqueur. Leave on the countertop to macerate for about 25 minutes, gently turning after 15 minutes.
To make the sabayon, put the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in the top of a double boiler and set over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the double boiler isn't touching the water. (Alternately you can use a large heat proof bowl that will fit over top of your saucepan of simmering water without falling in.) Using an electric whisk, whisk on medium high speed until th mixture has doubled in volume and thickened so that the mixture leaves a trail over top when you lift the beaters out of the pan. Remove to the countertop and place onto a kitchen towel to keep the pan from moving about. Continue to whisk with the electric whisk until the mixture is completely cold.
Using clean beaters, whisk the cream just to the point where it forms very soft folds. You want it slack, and not beaten stiff. It won't fold into the other mixture properly if you over beat it. Gently fold the cream into the cold cooked mixture. At this point you can continue on to finish the recipe or put it in a covered dish in the refrigerator overnight. (If you are doing it overnight, then don't macerate the berries until about half an hour or so before you want to make the dessert.)
I really hope that you will take the opportunity to make this with your summer berries this year. I think you will really enjoy it! Bon Appetit!
I love chicken wings and I know I am not alone in this. They are always the first thing to disappear on buffet tables, and I know that at the Chinese All You Can Eat Buffet back home, they are really hard to get your hands on. People just inhale them!
Chicken wings are a relatively inexpensive cut of chicken to buy. You can usually but big packs of them for not a lot in comparison to other cuts. Mind you they are mostly bone, but that's okay. The meat on them is succulent and delicious.
I used to buy lots of large packs of chicken wings when my children were growing up. It was one way of feeding my hungry lot for not a lot of dosh! I used to just season them all over and bake them long and slow and they were delectable.
This recipe here today is a simple one, and so tasty. It makes a great starter for those summer get togethers with your friends and family. The chicken has a lovely zippy flavour that goes wonderfully with that creamy blue cheese dressing.
You do need to start them the wings marinating the night before you make them to impregnate them with the most flavour that you can. They are spicy but not overly so. I would say they are just right.
I am not a fan of food that bites back. Your food should never be so hot or spicy that you can't tastte what you are actually eating.
These are just right. You get a nice amount of heat and spice without it being over the top. Of course if you want yours even hotter, you can add more spice if you like.
*Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing*
A starter for 4
Put the chicken into a large zip lock bag. Combine the
marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken in the bag. Zip the bag
closed and squelch the chicken around in the bag to coat. Place on a
plate and leave in the refrigerator to marinate overnight, giving them a
squelch around every now and then.
Whick all of the ingredients together for the dressing. Be judicious with the salt as the cheese is salty. Taste and adjust as required. Place into a covered dish and chill until needed.
When you are ready to cook, bring the chicken to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 140*C/300*F/ gas mark 1. LIne a large baking tray with a double layer of foil. Tip the wings out onto the tray in a single layer and poru over the marinade. Cook for 2 hours, turning them every now and again to make sure they don't stick and dry out.
Serve heaped on a platter with the bowl of dressing so everyone can help themselves.
You can also use minced a minced fresh red chili pepper if you want, just discard the ribs and seeds, prior to mincing (and wear gloves!), or you can use crushed chili pepper flakes. All work well. Bon Appetit!
I have another recipe to share with you this morning from Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, of the River Cottage Fame.
I love his recipes almost as much as I love Nigel Slater's. With him, the food is also the star and that is the kind of food and cookery I like to practice and eat!
Unpretentious and unassuming, simple and wholesome, and so, so delicious. When I saw this recipe I thought to myself what a delicious take on the French favourite Tartiflette.
Unpretentious and unassuming, simple and wholesome, and so, so delicious. When I saw this recipe I thought to myself what a delicious take on the French favourite Tartiflette.
Tartiflette is a traditional dish from the savoy region of the French Alps.
Oh, I so love a good toastie. Who doesn't???
Its a dish I quite like, with potatoes, bacon, cheese . . . cream. Rich and comforting. When I saw Hugh's recipe for a Tartiflette Toastie, I knew it was something I wanted to try.
Why not combine one of my favourite potato dishes with the concept of a toastie!
Oh, I so love a good toastie. Who doesn't???
Toasted bread topped with your favourite indulgences and cheese and then toasted under the grill until everything melds deliciously together. Yum!! How much better can you get???
I used reblochon cheese on mine, because that is what I had and it has great melting properties. It is the cheese we usually use when we do raclette, which comes from the same region of France if I am not mistaken, and please forgive me if I am.
I used reblochon cheese on mine, because that is what I had and it has great melting properties. It is the cheese we usually use when we do raclette, which comes from the same region of France if I am not mistaken, and please forgive me if I am.
Oh I do so love a good raclette supper. A wonderful way to enjoy some simple foods.
You don't have to use that kind of cheese. Hugh says you can even use cheddar which I am thinking would be pretty scrumdiddlyumptious as well!
You don't have to use that kind of cheese. Hugh says you can even use cheddar which I am thinking would be pretty scrumdiddlyumptious as well!
Just so long as it is a cheese with lots of flavour and with great melting properties!
This is a toastie you will find yourself cooking extra potatoes for, I guarantee. What a novel use of a few bits of leftovers and odds and sodds . . .
Hearty
lunch fare inspired by a recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Have
been eyeing this recipe up for years. It combines several of my
favourite things. Potatoes, bacon, cheese and crusty bread!
1 TBS rapeseed oil
2 TBS bacon lardons
1 large cold cooked potato, peeled and thickly sliced
(Boiled, roasted, baked, any work)
1 -2 TBS double cream or creme fraiche
1 large thick slice of bread
3 to 4 thick slices of a semi soft or semi hard cheese with
good melting properties (I used reblochon)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
salad to serve, if desired
Heat
the oil in a medium non-stick skillet. Add the bacon to the pan and
brown all over. Add the potato slices and fry until they begin to crisp
on the edges and turn golden grown.. Stir in the creme fraiche or
cream, and heat through. Remove from the heat and season to taste with
salt and black pepper.
Toast the bread. Pile the potato
mixture on top and then lay the cheese over top of the potatoes. Pop
under a hot grill until the cheese has melted and is bubbling. Serve
immediately and enjoy!
The recipe is geared to one person, but is very easily adapted to feed more people. Just multiply the ingredients according to however many you want to feed or indulge. Bon Appetit!
This is a toastie you will find yourself cooking extra potatoes for, I guarantee. What a novel use of a few bits of leftovers and odds and sodds . . .
*Tartiflette Toastie*
Serves 12 TBS bacon lardons
The recipe is geared to one person, but is very easily adapted to feed more people. Just multiply the ingredients according to however many you want to feed or indulge. Bon Appetit!
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.
My husband is a very simple man with very simple tastes. There is nothing he loves more than a fruit tea loaf, and this is one of the best.
The recipe has been adapted from one I found in the cookery book, Supper For a Song by Tamasin Day-Lewis.
Its a really simple loaf to make but does need some prior planning, as you need to soak the fruit overnight in an amount of Earl Grey Tea, which really helps to plump up the fruit nicely.
I love the flavours of Earl Grey, with the Bergamot . . .
I like to use a really nice fruit when I make a fruit loaf. I use a quality dried fruit mix, with plenty of sultanas, currants, raisins and cherries.
I also added some dried cranberries to the mix, but dried blueberries would also be nice.
Its also very low in fat, in that there is no fat added.
Just the soaked fruit, some dark brown sugar, a beaten egg and some self rising flour. It goes together lickety split!
You can easily make your own self rising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt to each cup of flour.
This is delicious cut into thin slices.
You can toast it or not . . . but a tiny bit of softened butter is also a great addition when you come down to eating it.
Oh boy . . . a lightly buttered slice of this goes down really well with a nice drink at breakfast, or for coffee time, tea time, or just because, just because . . .
just because you fancy something a little bit like this. Oh we are so naughty sometimes!
*Earl Grey Fruited Tea Loaf*
Makes one 2 pound loaf
This
is a moist and fruity loaf that is delicious sliced thinly and
buttered, toasted or not as you please. Plan ahead as you must soak the
fruit overnight prior to baking. I use a luxury mix of fruit, which has
dried currants, sultanas, raisins, dried cranberries and cherries. This
loaf keeps beutifully and freezes well. You can keep it for about a
week wrapped in greaseproof paper, foil or in an airtight tin.
Place the fruit into a bowl along with the sugar. Pour the hot tea over it. Cover with a tea towel and leave to set overnight.
Simple and old fashioned. You can't get much better than this! Bon Appetit!
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.
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