We don't eat a lot of red meat in our house. We mostly eat chicken or fish, with an occasional piece of beef, lamb or pork. I have thought about stopping eating meat altogether, but I do admit, I really enjoy the occasional steak or chop, and we both enjoy good sausages every now and then!
I can remember when I was growing up and my mother cooked pork chops for our supper, you could have used them to shingle your roof. They had the mistaken idea back then, in the olden days . . . that you really needed to over-cook pork.
Whilst pork does need to be cooked through, you don't need to overcook them, and cook the flavour out of them. Brining is a good way to keep them nice and moist. Also bone in chops have less of a tendency to dry out than boneless chops.
I also find that oven braising them, after an initial browning on top of the stove, also helps to maintain their delectability and flavour.
In this recipe I am sharing with you today, the chops are browned quickly in a skillet and then oven braised on a bed of sweet potatoes and onions to finish them off.
This is a dish I really love to serve in the Winter months when we don't mind the oven being on, and we have heartier appetites.
The chops/potatoes/onions are braised in a mixture of apple juice and maple syrup, which also adds some lovely layers of flavours.
I like to brown my onions really well, before layering them in the pan. This lends a bit of sweetness to the dish . . . sticky golden fried onions are a real taste bud tingler! And the smell . . . it can't be beat!
You don't need to use apple juice . . . orange or pineapple juice would also work very well . . .
as would hard cider . . . or even just some chicken stock. Its really up to you. Myself, I like the flavour that the apple juice lends to the overall dish.
Simple ingredients done right. This is a fabulous one dish meal. I like to serve some petit pois on the side and of course applesauce is another tasty addition!
Yield: 2
Pork Chops Baked with Sweet Potatoes
prep time: 15 minscook time: 50 minstotal time: 65 mins
This meal in a dish supper is adaptable to many flavours. You could use sage or summer savoury instead of thyme, or crushed seeds like fennel, coriander or juniper. Honey instead of Maple Syrup would work well also.
ingredients:
- 2 TBS sunflower oil
- 250g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced (1/2 pound)
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium brown onions, peeled and sliced
- the leaves from 3 - 4 sprigs of thyme
- 2 pork loin chops, fatty edge slashed
- (this helps to prevent the chops from curling)
- 1 TBS pure Maple Syrup
- 75ml apple juice (1/3 cup)
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a shallow oven baking dish. Set aside.
- Prepare your vegetables. Spread the sweet potatoes in the baking dish, sprinkling them with salt and pepper and a bit of thyme.
- Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onions and fry them until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and spread over the potatoes. Sprinkle wit a bit more thyme. Season the pork chops and brown them quickly on both sides in the skillet. Place them on top of the vegetables in the casserole dish and sprinkle with any remaining thyme. Whisk together the maple syrup and apple juice. Pour over all and then cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Uncover. Reduce the oven temperature to 150*C/300*F/gas mark 2. Return the dish to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes to let the chops and potatoes brown slightly. Spoon onto heated plates to serve. I like to serve a green vegetable with this.
Created using The Recipes Generator
You can double or triple this recipe by increasing the quantities accordingly and baking in a much larger gratin dish. The cook time should stay the same.
Of course a good set of knives is probably the best tool you can have in the kitchen. I was sent these Taylor's Eye Witness Rose Gold Knives recently to use and try out. They are really nice knives, with an attractive rose-gold coloured bolster and finger guard. They also boast comfortable soft-grip handles. They have a hard titanium plated blade, with super-sharp hollow ground blades, which are difficult to blunt and come with a 2 year no-quibble guarantee. Whilst they are dishwasher safe, hand washing is recommended,using a plastic dish brush in hot soapy water, and drying with a soft cloth immediately after. It is not recommended that you use anything abrasive to wash them with. Regular sharpening will help to keep the edges sharp. There is nothing more dangerous in the kitchen than a dull knife. I found them to work very well and was very impressed with their ability to cut my onions and sweet potatoes into lovely thin slices with no effort at all. This set is the Brooklyn Rose Gold 2 piece kitchen knife set, containing a 6 1/2 inch Santuko knife, a 5 inch all-purpose knife and a 4 inch paring knife. I have been very impressed thus far with their performance and I know I am really going to enjoy using these in my kitchen!
Here's a handy kitchen tip, when I am slicing anything with rounded edges like an onion, or a potato, I find it very helpful to slice a thin edge off on one side so that the vegetable can sit on the cutting board without rolling around.
It works a charm and is a much safer way to cut things into thin slices.
Taylor's Eye Witness have been making quality knives in Sheffield since 1838. Beautifully designed, yet affordable. You can buy these lovely knives from the Bakewell Cookshop.
Note - although I was sent these knives free of charge to use, any and all opinions are my own.
Marmite . . . it is a love it or loathe it type of thing. My husband enjoys it just spread on buttered bread. Myself, I have never quite warmed up to the idea of simply spreading it on bread, although I do quite enjoy it cooked into things. I used to add it to stews and things when I lived in Canada, and I also do that here.
Spaghetti with Marmite is one of my favourite things to eat, and at Christmas I enjoy Twiglets, which are like marmite flavoured wheat sticks. Having said that, however . . . if my husband has been eating Marmite on bread he is not allowed to kiss me. I can't just can't do it . . .
As you all know, February is the month of celebrating Love and Lovers and a time when many of us like to gift the special person in our life with something really unique and special.
Marmite, one of Britain's most iconic condiment has had a makeover this year just for this purpose. Renowned for dividing the country between lovers and haters, the famous marmite jar is available for lovers this year with a very unique and special twist, created for specifically for lovers by the Engraver's Guild of London.
In short, it's a beautiful solid silver Marmite lid from Engravers Guild, made in England, engraved with a Valentine's scene and personalised with your lover's name (£79).
For the person who has everything, it really is the ultimate luxury for foodies.
Isn't it beautiful? This solid silver lid showcases a unique Valentine's design that has been engraved using special Diamond Tip Cutters.
Showcased in the centre of the lid is your marmite lover's name, along with a baby cupid shooting a cloud of floating hearts, whilst around the edge is a simple statement which says . . . "I Love you even more than marmite!"
This reusable Marmite lid is solid 925 sterling silver and made in England, featuring the hallmark of the Birmingham Assay Office.
Available from Engravers Guild of London, the personalised gifts retailer, the lids are £79 and can be previewed with your lover’s name online.
Elliot Bishton, the founder of Engravers Guild of London, said:
“Marmite is famous the world-over for inspiring strong emotions and we thought it would make the perfect expression of love this Valentine’s Day. The silver Marmite lid is a truly unique piece and will be treasured for very many years.”
The Valentine’s Marmite Lid can be viewed and purchased here: https://www.engraversguild.co.uk/silver-marmite-lid-engraved/valentines-silver-marmite-lid-250g/
Each silver lid comes complete with the 250g jar of Marmite. If I had been thinking, I would have had Todd's name engraved on the lid, however no matter . . . he will just have to ask me for access to its contents!! 😁
As I said, the way that I enjoy marmite most is in cooked and baked things. To me that is where it's unique flavour really shines.
Hello Cheese & Marmite Scones! YUM!
These are a savoury scone as opposed to a sweet scone, and are perfectly at home alone as is, or served along side a delicious soup or salad.
They are created using a combination of plain self raising flour and whole meal/whole wheat flour, which to me means they are a tad bit healthier than the norm. Added fibre is a good thing.
Just look at the lovely rise of these scones, and that beautiful texture . . .
In addition to some Marmite for flavouring there the flavour of strong cheddar cheese, both in the dough for the scones themselves, and then sprinkled on top prior to baking . . .
I served them warm and spread with butter, along with some Branston's pickle and more cheese . . .
Cold meats would also be lovely . . . think ham, or smoked turkey . . .
Smoked salmon would also be nice with these. They would be great taken on picnics or in lunch boxes.
They would be excellent alongside a hot bowl of soup . . . mmmm . . . tomato immediately springs to mind! That would be so delicious!
No matter how you choose to enjoy them, I can make you this promise . . . you WILL enjoy them! I am certain of that!
Yield: 8
Cheese & Marmite Scones
prep time: 15 minscook time: 12 minstotal time: 27 mins
The perfect savoury scone to have with a hot bowl of soup, or with some cold sliced meats and cheese. Perfect for in the lunch box too! Healthy and whole meal.
ingredients:
- 140g self raising flour (1 cup)
- 140g wholemeal flour (1 cup)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 50g cold butter, cut into small cubes (3 1/2 TBS)
- 85g mature cheddar cheese (1 cup)
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 TBS Marmite
- 2 TBS Greek yogurt
- 3 TBS milk, plus more to glaze
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the self raising flour, wholemeal flour, and baking powder in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and quickly rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in half of the cheese. Make a well in the centre.
- Whisk together the egg, marmite, yogurt and milk. Pour this all at once into the well in the centre of the flour mixture. Stir together with a fork to make a soft dough. If you think the dough is too dry, you may add a bit more milk. You want a soft, but not sticky dough.
- Turn out onto a floured surface, Pat out to about 1 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, stamping it straight down and lifting it straight up, re-rolling the scraps as necessary, until you have 8 rounds.. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with some more milk and then sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool..
Created using The Recipes Generator
Many thanks to the Engravers Guild for sending me this beautiful and unique gift. It is truly lovely. I do think it would make a beautiful gift for the marmite lover in your life this Valentines day!
Note - although I was sent this silver lid free of charge I was not required to write a positive review. Any and all opinions are entirely my own.
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.
After captivating France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain, Dietbon is coming to the UK! The Dietbon plan consists of a gourmet, calorie-controlled home delivery service, with 4 meals a day, for 6 days a week. This allows for a person to lose weight without feeling hungry or frustrated. Support is also provided in the form of telephone consultations and online meetings from a team of dieticians. Most customers tend to lose up to a healthy 2 pounds a week.
Before I even started the plan I had a telephone consultation with one of their dieticians who answered any questions I might have prior to beginning my week.
I was sent everything I needed with the exception of dairy and fresh fruit/veg for six days, including 12 main courses, 6 breakfasts, 6 snacks, 6 desserts and 28 Day Detox Tea ‘’Morning & Night”. there was also a really in depth guide to the program included along with extra recipes for you to cook for yourself on your "Free" day. I purchased fresh vegetables and fruits for snacks and additions to the regular meals along with some fat and sugar free yogurts. As for the meals themselves, you can choose for yourself what appeals to your own tastes, and requirements. The dishes are all 100% natural, containing no additives, preservatives or colourings, and without any GM ingredients, artificial sweeteners or palm oils.
For breakfast each day I enjoyed a lovely cup of their Vitalize tea along with some pancakes and some fruit. I really loved these herbal teas. (They were also in silk bags.)
The pancakes taste not unlike any other storebought pancake that you can buy and came in single serving packets. They were quite nice.
For my mid morning snack I enjoyed some of their tasty chocolate chip cookies and a small glass of skimmed milk. I really liked these cookies.
Lunches and suppers consisted of one of their Diet Ready-made Meals along with a salad or vegetable of my own choice.
This was the Chicken with Lemon and Thyme and baby vegetables. It was really quite delicious. I actually had no complaints about the flavour of any of their meals.
One of my favourites was the Mexican Meatballs with pasta, vegetables and Tomato Sauce. I enjoyed that along with some of their applesauce dessert. The meals are literally ready in minutes and are all heatable in the microwave, and I found them to be really quite delicious!
Unfortunately by about day 4 my Diverticulitis kicked in and I had to stop, as I was in quite a lot of pain. I do have to say however, that this is not representative of most people's experience in using this diet plan. For me, I don't think I was able to tolerate the high quantities of legumes/peas, etc. I really do need to be careful with these things because I do suffer if I am not.
Even so I did manage to lose 2 1/2 pounds during that week, which I was really pleased about, and I did learn a lot about portion sizes, etc. I thought it was easy to stick too and the food was really tasty. It didn't really feel like a diet. There was no calorie counting, or figuring out what to combine with what. It was quite simple really, and I wasn't starving, like you can be on some other plans. I felt that it was quite maintainable, especially in the long term.
If you would be interested in trying it out for yourselves, I have a special promo-code which can give you a 20% discount on a 1, 2 or 3 months Diet plan. Just use the code KITCHENDB at the checkout.
I would like to thank the people at Dietbon for affording me the opportunity to try out their meals and plan. I really think their food tastes good and I just wish didn't have so many dietary problems so that I could cope with something like this. If you are wanting to lose weight without any of the hassle of counting calories, etc., this plan would work very well I believe. And that's the truth.
Note - although I was sent a selection of meals, etc. to trial, any and all opinions were my own. I was not paid for nor required to write a positive review.
This recipe is one that I found and pinned from this site a long time ago. I finally got around to making it for our Sunday dinner yesterday and it was every bit as delicious as it looked.
Not only delicious, but also very quick and easy as well!
I never used to have time to cook a big meal on Sundays because that was the day I always called my mum.
I really miss those Sunday phone calls (as you can imagine), so it was nice to be busy and cooking so I didn't have time to sit and think. My husband didn't mind. He likes a nice meat and potatoes kind of meal.
I have to admit I am a huge fan of steak and potatoes also. Especially when they are as delicious and as quick to throw together and cook as this one was.
This garlic steak bites and potatoes is an excellent recipe!
The original recipe called for flank steak cut against the grain. Flank can be rather hard to find over here, so I used rump steaks, which worked beautifully.
Rump steaks are also nice and tender when cooked properly. I am not sure what the North American Equivalent is. I think it might be sirloin.
I also used the last of the garden potatoes. They were starting to just show signs of sprouting, so it was really fortuitous that everything was in place to use them up.
The steak is sliced and marinated in a soy/srirachi marinade while you cook the potatoes.
This is a tiny bit spicy and a tiny bit salty. In short delicious.
I cut down on the amount of fat used altogether, and it worked out quite well. The thing with the potatoes, is not to agitate them.
Just bang them into the pan, one cut side down and then leave them (medium heat) for about 6 minutes or so until golden on that side, and then flip them over to the other cut side and do the same on that side.
We can be such impatient creatures sometimes and mither (agitate) things while they are in the pan . . . just leave them, and you will get much better results.
I tend to go off and do something else so I am not tempted to keep flipping things.
The original recipe suggested that you could also par-boil the potatoes if you wanted them to cook quicker.
I didn't think this was really necessary and as you can see I got beautifully golden brown potatoes. My patience was rewarded big-time!
I chose to do the steak in batches, browning only half of the steak strips at a time. I figured that if you tried to do them all at once the first ones you put into the pan would be overcooked by the time the last bits were done.
It was just common sense to do them half at a time . . .
The end result was perfectly cooked bits of steak. There is nothing tougher than an over-cooked piece of steak! Not appealing in the least!
Unless you happen to like your steak well done . . . we don't. Medium rare is how we usually enjoy it!
We both really, really enjoyed this meal. It went down a real treat!
Yield: 3 - 4
Garlic Steak Bites & Potatoes
prep time: 10 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 25 mins
This simple recipe goes together in a flash. You can be enjoying tender juicy and flavourful steak and potatoes in very short time. All you need is a salad or vegetable on the side and dinner is served!
ingredients:
- 650g rump steak, sliced into 1/2 inch strips against the grain (1 1/2 lb)
- 65g baby potatoes, cut into quarters (1 1/2 lb)
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 2 TBS butter, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 tsp each dried thyme, rosemary and oregano
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- crushed red chili flakes (optional)
For the steak marinade:
- 80ml soy sauce (1/3 cup)
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 1 TBS Sriracha sauce
instructions:
- Whisk together the steak marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the steak strips and set aside to marinate while the potatoes are cooking.
- Heat 1 TBS butter and olive oil in a large skillet until the butter begins to foam. Add the potato wedges, one cut side down, and cook for about 6 minutes or so until golden brown on that side, then carefully turn them over and cook for a further 6 minutes or so until golden brown on that side and the potatoes are tender. Remove carefully and keep warm.
- Add the remaining TBS of butter, garlic, dried herbs and red chili flakes if using. Add the steak strips (work in batches if necessary) and cook over medium high heat for about one minute before flipping over and browning the other side. (I did mine in two batches) Pour any reserved marinade over top and return the potatoes to the pan. Heat through. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I dare say this would make a tasty addition to a Valentine's Dinner Menu if you
were so inclined, and were looking for something that was delicious, but not
too time or labour intensive. I have always thought you can't go wrong with steak and potatoes! 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 Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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