Italian Style Shepherds Pie

1 large onion
25g butter
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
500g minced beef
2 large cloves garlic
250ml beef stock
2 large tablespoons tomato puree
1 tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano
salt and pepper
800g potatoes
Sauce
20g butter
2 level tablespoons flour
300 ml milk
100g grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the oil and butter together in a frying pan, add the chopped onion and cook gently until the onion is soft and starting to brown.
Increase the heat and add the mince breaking it up as you add it to the pan, fry over a medium heat stirring constantly until the meat has broken into small pieces and is a nice brown colour.
Add the crushed clove of garlic, stir.
add the tomato puree stir until well mixed
add the stock, the herbs and season.
Bring to a very gentle simmer, allow to cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and thickly slice. Cook in boiling salted water for about 10 mins, the should be just tender when pierced with the point of a sharp knife, do not allow to over cook as they will fall apart. Different varieties of potatoes need different cooking times.
When the meat has finished cooking put into an ovenproof dish. Cover with the sliced potatoes, making an even covering.
Make the cheese sauce
Melt the butter gently in a saucepan, add the flour and stir into the butter, cook gently for a couple of minutes but do not allow to brown.
Pour in the milk stirring all the time, either with a wooden spoon or a balloon whisk.
Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth, bring to a gentle boil and cook, still stirring, for a couple of minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese and mustard. Season to taste.
Pour over the potatoes and spread into an even layer.
Bake in the oven at 180 C for approx 1 hour.
Serve with a green salad or peas.

Smoked Mackerel Pate

125g butter
1 packet smoked mackerel approx 250g
juice of 1 lemon
black pepper


Soften the butter - either allow to warm at room temperature or soften in microwave lowest setting for about 1 minute.
Put butter, the smoked mackerel, flaked off its skin into a food processor.
Process for a couple of minutes, scrape down the inside of the bowl and process again until smooth.
Add the lemon juice and a good shake of black pepper and pulse until well mixed.

Serve with fresh bread or toast.

Variation
I like to replace the lemon juice with a couple of tablespoons of horseradish sauce (bought ready made in a jar).

Hummus bi Tahina

This is a wonderfully simple recipe - there is no need ever to buy Hummus it is cheap and easy to make.

225g tin of chickpeas
juice of 2 - 3 lemons
3 cloves garlic
100 mls tahina paste
salt
olive oil
paprika

Drain the can of chickpeas and rince with cold water and allow to drain.
Put the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic and tahina paste into a food processor, and puree until smooth.
If the mixture is too dry add a couple of teaspoons of boiling water and puree again.
Season with salt and mix thouroughly, check for seasoning adding more salt and /or lemon juice.
Spoon into a serving bowl, drizzle a little olive oil over the top and speinckle with paprika.
Enjoy with fresh bread or chopped raw vegetables as a dip.

Gujerati-style green beans

This is a wonderfully simple recipe from 'Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery' I recommend all her recipes. I use frozen green beans rather than fresh and use them straight from the freezer.

450g frozen whole green beans
4 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs whole black mustard seeds
4 cloves garlic - crushed or grated
1/2 - 1 dried red pepper crushed or chilli flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.
When hot add the mustard seeds, as soon as they begin to pop add the garlic
Stir the garlic until lightly golden.
Add the green beans and stir.
Add the chilli flakes, salt and sugar.
Stir fry the mixture for about 4 -5 minutes until the beans have warmed through and the flavours have been absorbed.
Serve either hot or at room temperature

Chicken Liver Paté

This is a wonderfully paté to make, if you are entertaining friends over Christmas a couple of patés served with fresh bread is a simple, tasty and cheap way to feed them. Cheese is also easy but can be very expensive - choose one good cheese and buy a large piece - that with a couple of patés will go further and there will be less waste. Enjoy.


1 small onion
3 large cloves garlic
75g butter
500g chicken livers
mixed herbs
100 ml cream
salt and pepper

Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry very gently in the butter until soft but not coloured.
Increase the heat under the pan and add the chicken livers, stir gently and cook until they have changed colour, continue to cook for a few more minutes they should still give a little when pressed gently with a finger. Don't over cook.

Add a teaspoon of dried herbs and stir, season with salt and pepper.
Allow to cool but not go cold.
Put into a food processor and blend until smooth.
With the processor running add the cream. Add more if necessary, you are looking for a nice thick creamy texture.
Check for seasoning and give a final wizz to ensure that the mixture is light and creamy.
Put into a small bowl or spoon onto small pieces of toast and serve.

Tomato Tarte Tatin

175g plain flour
125 g butter
25g finely grated Parmesan
course ground black pepper
8 tomatoes
2tsp brown sugar


Put the flour, 75g diced chilled butter, Parmesan cheese and black pepper, into the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
Grease either 2 15cm sandwich cake tins or a 20 cm metal flan dish. Put the flour mixture into the tins and spread evenly, firm with finger tips and put into fridge to chill.

Halve the tomatoes lengthwise. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan place the tomatoes in the pan cut side down. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Allow to cook gently until the tomatoes start to soften but have not lost their shape.

place the tomatoes evenly on top of the flour mixture, and pour the butter and sugar mixture over the tomatoes.

Bake in oven at 180c for about 30 mins until the edges of the base start to turn golden.

Serve warm with a green salad.

Victoria Sandwich Cake

This is the basic cake recipe which some of you have asked for it is not difficult but there are a few points to remember. If possible use an electric mixer either free standing or a hand held one it really makes a difference.

200g soft butter
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
200g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
8" cake tin buttered and base lined with parchment paper (cut a disk using the base of the tin as a guide)

Put the butter into the mixing bowl, if it is not very soft, soften in the microwave on the lowest setting for about a minute. You should be able to push you finger through the butter easily but it should not be melted.
Add the caster sugar,using the beater paddle of your mixer, beat until the butter and sugar turn a very light cream colour, almost white and the texture has become light and fluffy. This will take longer than you think even with a mixer. It is important to get the butter and sugar really light at this stage.
then add the eggs one at a time, beating in with the beater each time until the egg has been totally absorbed.
When all the eggs have been added
Stir the baking powder into the four
Add the flour to the cake mixture a tablespoon at a time with the mixer running on its slowest speed (otherwise you will be covered in flour).
Once all the flour has been added scrape the bowl to be sure that all the flour has been mixed through the mixture. Turn up the speed and mix for a few seconds on high.

Pu the mixture into the buttered cake tin smooth the top.
Put into a preheated oven 180c for 30 mins.
Check the cake after 25 mins, using your finger tips press the middle of the cake gently if it springs back it is cooked.
Turn out the cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.

Flavourings
Chocolate Cake
Mix 2 tbs good quality cocoa with 2tbs boiling water and make a paste. Add to the cake mixture after all the eggs have been added.
Coffee Cake
Put 4 tbs ground coffee and 8 tbs water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Allow to brew for about 5 mins and strain the coffee. Add 2tbs coffee to the cake mixture after the eggs have been incorporated and use the remaining coffee to make a butter cream topping.

Fresh Fruit Cake
When the mixture has been put into the cake tin. top with fruit, either sliced apples arranged on the top or half a bag of frozen fruits such as raspberries, blueberries or mixed summer fruits. The cake will take longer to bake - allow an extra 10 - 15 mins. The frozen fruit will sink to the bottom but it makes a lovely moist cake. Do keep in the cake in the fridge as the fruit will go mouldy if it is stored at room temperature.
All cakes freeze well, just allow to thaw and come back to room temperature before serving.