Beef, Mushroom, Tons of Thyme and Red Wine Casserole

Equipment

• Large Pan
• Chopping Board
• Sharp knife
• Measuring Jug
• Grease proof paper disc to fit on top of large pan (Cartouche)

Ingredients

• 500g Diced Stewing Beef
• 1 Red onion diced
• 1 medium parsnip cut into medium chunks
• 1 medium carrot cut into medium chunks
•  12 whole button mushrooms
• 1 Large glass of red wine
• 400 ml of beef stock
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce
• 1 tsp of beef bouillon
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (400g)
• 1 heaped tbsp of tomato puree
• 4 whole sprigs of fresh thyme
• 10 sprigs of fresh thyme just the leaves
• A small bunch of fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tbsp of plain flour
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper
• 1 knob of butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

• lay beef out on a plate and season with salt and pepper and evenly coat with the plain flour
• Heat olive oil in the pan to a medium high heat
• Add the seasoned beef and fry on all sides until browned
• Remove beef and set aside in a bowl
• Add onions and fry for a couple of minutes stiring occasionally
• Add knob of butter
• Add mushrooms and fry for a couple of minutes stirring occasionally
• Add tomato puree and fry for 2 minutes stiring occasionally
• Add parsnip and carrots for 2 minutes and stir occasionally
• Add the glass of red wine and stir well so all caramelised bits are removed from pan base
• Simmer for 5 mins
• Add tomatoes, beef stock, Worcester sauce, beef bouillon, thme leaves and sprigs and stir
• Cover and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours stirring3 or 4 times
• Preheat oven to 200
• Remove pan and stir and add grease proof paper disc on top of stew
• Place in the over for 30 mins
• Remove and stir in chopped parsley and your done
• Serve with mash potato or potato gratin

Fillet Steak with red wine sauce

Fillet steak with red wine Jus is always a winner. Just make sure the fillet steak is good quality from a good source and to use a fairly good red wine. Serve it up with some boiled or hassleback potatoes and some steamed green veg. After making this we decided to remake it over the weekend for 2 friends we had round. Although we were a bit drunk it still went down a treat again and we all had a lovely evening.

Serves 2

Equipments:-

• 1 Griddle pan
• 1 Sieve
• Small bowl or dish

Ingredients

Fillet steaks

• 2 Good quality fillet steaks at room temperature
• 300ml of red wine
• 2 tbsp of garlic infused olive oil
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of brown sugar
• 1 onion peeled and slice roughly
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Heat the griddle pan until medium/high
• Brush the fillet steaks with the garlic infused oil on both sides
• Season the fillet steaks with salt and pepper on both sides
• Quickly sear the fillet steaks on all over
• Cook the fillet steaks for 2 minutes on each side
• Set them aside in a warm place

Fillet Steak

• Add the olive oil and onions to griddle pan and fry until browning
• Add the brown sugar and stir fry for 2 minutes
• Add the red wine and simmer until reduced to by about 90% leaving a nice red win reduction
• Strain the onion and wine mix through a sieve pushing through as much liquid as possible out of the onions.
• Serve up the steaks and drizzle with the Jus.

Fillet steak with red wine sauce

Fillet steak with red wine sauce Done!!!!

Prawn Salad (Prawn Cocktail)

Here we have a prawn salad or a prawn cocktail if you want the starter version. It is more of a salsa based prawn cocktail than the traditional 70s and 80s variety. We originally done this with Lobster instead of prawns last Christmas and was so good we wanted to make it again this year but we could not get hold of a lobster. We got some good quality prawns and tried it with them instead. It turned out pretty amazing and at half the cost. So if you fancy prawn salad, prawn cocktail, lobster salad or lobster cocktail give this one a try.

Serves 2 prawn salads (4 prawn cocktails)

Equipment:-

• 1 large bowl
• 1 small bowl
• 1 chopping board
• 1 sharp knife

Ingredients:-

• 250g cooked and peeled prawns
• 2 tomatoes de seeded and finely chopped
• 1/4 cucumber de seeded and finely chopped
• 1 red pepper de seeded and finely chopped
• 4 spring onions finely sliced
• 1 small green medium chilli de seeded and finely chopped
• A bunch of coriander roughly chopped
• 1/2 juice of a line
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• A few drops of Tabasco sauce 
• 1 Avocado diced
• black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce

Method:-

• To a bowl add tomato, red pepper, spring onions, cucumber, lime juice, olive oil, salt and coriander.
• Mix well and then set aside the salsa in fridge for 30 mins
• In a small bowl make the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, ketchup and Tabasco together
• In 2 medium serving bowls serve up. There will be 2 layers of each ingredient in each serving dish so roughly evenly serve it out based on that. Layer up in the following order
• Salsa, lettuce, prawns, dressing, avocado, Salsa, lettuce, prawns, dressing, avocado.
• Season with black pepper and it's done.
• You can alternatively make 4 smaller versions as a prawn cocktail and serve up in some glasses or smaller dishes.

Prawn Salad or Prawn Cocktail Done!!!

Lamb shanks in red wine sauce

What a lovely treat for a Sunday afternoon after a busy weekend. Lamb shanks in a red wine sauce with apricots and olives, served with mash potatoes and steamed vegetables. Probably the best lamb dishes when it comes to eating lamb that is extremely tender and juicy. This is the first time I have had this as I was never much of a fan of lamb a few years ago. Carola has always told me we should try her lamb shanks one day and now I have and was very impressed.

Serves 4

Lamb Shanks in red wine sauce

Equipment

• Large pot or dish with cover
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife

Ingredients

• 4 Lamb Shanks
• 1 bottle of Red Wine (cabernet sauvignon)
• 500 ml of Lamb or Beef stock
• 10 black pitted olives
• 10 green pitted olives
• 10 dried apricots roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves diced
• 1 tbsp of sherry vinegar
• 1 Onion sliced
• 2 tbsp of tomato purée
• 8 Anchovy fillets diced
• 1 large sweet potato peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• A few sticks of fresh rosemary

Lamb shanks in red wine sauce

Method

• Heat an oven to Gas Mark 2 / 160C
• Make a few slits in each lamb shank and push in some rosemary sprigs
• Heat the olive oil in a large pan or dish
• Add the lamb shanks and fry, turning occasionally until brown on all sides
• Set lamb shanks aside on a plate and season them well with salt and pepper
• Add to the same pan onion, garlic and anchovies and fry for 3 minutes
• Add the tomato purée and fry for 5 mins stirring often.
• Add the sherry vinegar and the bottle of red wine
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes
• Add the apricots, black olives, green olives and the lamb shanks
• Bring to the boil cover.
• Place all in the oven and cook for 2 hours
• Remove from oven and add the sweet potato and return to the oven with lid off
• Cook for a further minutes
• Remove and season to taste and serve with some mash potato and steamed vegetables

Lamb shanks in red wine

Lamb shanks in red wine DONE!!!

Garlic and Chilli Prawns (Simple)

Here is something very simple and very moreish. Make sure to use good quality prawns and serve with some very fresh crispy bread to soak up the the garlic and chilli oil. Preferably use fresh uncooked prawns in shells, they were out of stock at my supermarket so I had to get them ready cooked.

Serves 2 as starter

Equipment

• Frying pan
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife

Ingredients

• 8 Large fresh prawns

Prawns and Parsley

• 6 tbsp of olive oil
• 5 Garlic cloves diced
• 8 birds eye chillies finely sliced

Garlic and birds eye chillies

• A handful of fresh chopped parsley chopped
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Heat a frying pan to medium/hot heat.
• Add the oil
• Add the garlic and chilli and fry for 1 min
• Add the prawns and fry for 2 mins
• Turn over the prawns
• Add salt, pepper and half the parsley
• Let fry for 2 mins
• Stir and serve up
• Squeeze some lemon juice over and add rest of parsley

Garlic and Chilli Prawns

Garlic and Chilli Prawns Done!

Tomato and ciabatta salad

I know this is not in season at the moment and more of a summer dish but always worth doing so simplicity. This is a very rustic dish and originally from Florentine, known as panzanella or Panmolle . You can't go wrong with it, just make sure you buy some very good quality tomatoes.

Serves 4-6

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

• 600g of good mixed tomatoes chopped

Mixed tomatoes

• 1 ciabatta torn into rough chunks
• Salt and pepper for flavour
• 3 tbsp of small drained capers
• 1 Red onion peeled and sliced finely
• 1 small jar of roasted peppers in olive oil drained and chopped
• 4 tbsp of good extra virgin olive oil
• A bunch of fresh basil leaves roughly ripped
• Juice of half a lemon

Method

• Toast the ciabatta chunks under the grill until just browned and turn over and brown the other side

Ciabatta torn and grilled

• In the mixing bowl add Tomatoes, capers, onion, peppers, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper then mix well

Tomatoes, peppers and onions

• Add the toasted ciabatta chunks and basil

Tomatoes, peppers, onions, bread

• Toss through the salad a few times and sever immediately

Tomato and ciabatta salad

Tomato and ciabatta salad Done!!!