Little Foodies Disastrous Pigs Cheek #2

I'm not going to be beaten by this. During our time spent in Spain over the Summer, Hubby had a delicious meal of pigs cheek. We all tried it, we all loved it. I didn't think to ask how it had been prepared or cooked. Being a cooking dish and not baking, I thought I'd easily be able to re-create it at home... WRONG! You may remember my first go with pigs cheeks didn't even make it to brining. Click here and read the third paragrah for my admission of what happened to the first lot of pigs cheeks I bought.. This second lot of pigs cheeks were very kindly brined by our butcher. I collected them on Wednesday and cooked them on Thursday (3 different styles). Here's what I did... At the end I'll tell you what I should have done!


Pigs Cheeks in Stones Ginger Wine (keeping with the British theme)
One whole very large onion (we used red) peeled and chopped
One carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
One parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil
2 Pigs Cheeks (brined and prepared by your butcher)
Pinch of mixed herbs
6 black peppercorns
1/3 bottle of Stones Ginger Wine
2 pints of boiling hot water

In a very large pan, gently fry the onions in oil for a few minutes until starting to colour, add the carrot and parsnip. Add the ginger wine and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Place the pigs cheeks on the top and add the mixed herbs, peppercorns and boiling water. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Let it bubble for a few minutes then place in a pre-heated oven (medium heat) for approximately 2 hours.


Pigs Cheek with Tomato and Herbs
Half a large onion peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Half a carton of Sieved Tomatoes/Passata
11/2 pints of boiling water
Good pinch of mixed herbs (I used dried)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Few grinds of black pepper
1 Pigs Cheek (brined and prepared by your butcher)

In a large pan, fry the onion and garlic. Place the pigs cheek on top then pour in the passata and hot water. Add herbs and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover with a tight fitting lid and let it come to boil for a few minutes, then cook in a pre-heated (medium heat) oven for approximately 2 hours.

Pigs Cheek in Pedro Ximenez (an intensely sweet dessert wine / sherry)
Half a large onion peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup of Malaga Virgen Pedro Ximenez
2 pints of hot stock (I used chicken)
1 pigs cheek (brined and prepared by your butcher)
2 tablespoons of olive oil

In a large pan, fry the onion and garlic. Add the sweet wine/sherry and bring to boil. Place the pigs cheek on top then pour over the hot stock. Bring to boil for a few minutes. Cover with a tight fitting lid then cook in a pre-heated (medium heat) oven for approximately 2 hours.

My MISTAKE - I only rinsed the pigs cheeks. I should have steeped them in water and changed the water regularly to get rid of some of the salt from the brining process OR alternatively I should have boiled them in water and thrown that water away prior to cooking them. Hubby thinks we had salt poisoning as we both felt like 'you know what' the next day. That's a score of one all, he once made me a dish which, ever we talk about, usually starts with... "Do you remember the salty pork?" Let me tell you Hubby's salty pork has nothing on mine!

A little like my very hot cheat's tom yam soup, which I made for my in-laws once. Whenever they now have something really hot, the heat intensity is always compared to that tom yam soup with the usual response of.... "It's not as hot as Amanda's tom yam soup.' How come your cock ups are so much more memorable than the great things you achieve?

p.s. I hasten to add, the children didn't eat the pigs cheeks. I dread to think what it would have done to their systems. The next day I kept getting a terrible taste in my mouth, it felt like I'd been swimming in the sea, hit by a big wave and swallowed a lot of it.

Little Foodies Britain

Loving Britain!! We spent the weekend painting the kitchen diner and talking English (chortle chortle)!! Do you call it kitchen/dining room or kitchen diner? Whatever, it certainly needed it. We've lived with it for nearly 2 years now, bits of new plaster, bits of ancient wallpaper, bits of old plaster, bits of tiles - all such a mess. The walls could have done with being re-plastered before we did it but still the fact it's now all one colour is great, the difference is staggering! I'll post pics another day. We said a fond farewell to the ghost which I drew on the wall last Halloween, using an area where we'd torn some of the ancient wallpaper off, at least 20 million layers, that's to say it felt like 20 million layers. So I'm now writing from a very white, bright kitchen, though we didn't get to the ceiling, that's still bare plaster. Tomorrow, or maybe next week, or next year? I've come over all Spanish!

Food.... We've had a lovely Melton Mowbray Pork Pie. At least, I enjoyed it, it was a little too peppery for the children! Bought I'm afraid, I don't think I could make a Melton Mowbray pork pie that tastes as good as a decent bought one. Not something to be eaten everyday - I could feel my arteries hardening with each mouthful!

Creamy Broccoli and Stilton Soup
One medium size Broccoli head, washed and cut into pieces
4oz/100g Stilton, crumbled
One small onion, peeled and finely chopped
One medium size potato, peeled and cut into very small rough cubes
1 pint Hot Chicken Stock
Half pint of Milk
1 Small tub of cream
1 tablespoon of oil

Gently fry the onions and potato for a few minutes, add the broccoli and chicken stock and bring to boil for a couple of minutes. Add the crumbled stilton and milk, bring back to boil, then simmer for 5-10 minutes. Blitz with a stick blender, add the cream, let it heat through for a minute, then serve. We mostly like our soup to be quite thick so you may want to add some more stock or milk.

Note: We used Cropwell Bishop Creamery - Blue Stilton, which was also delicious with some crackers.


Chicken Casserole and Horseradish Dumplings (Serves 4 easily)
This was on the table in 45 minutes, which for a hearty and warming meal from scratch was great!

6 chicken thighs (cut into 2 cm pieces)
1 large onion (peeled and finely chopped)
4 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)
4 carrots (peeled and cubed)
3 parsnips (peeled and cubed)
1 pint Chicken Stock
Half of bottle of white wine (because I had some left over from the girlie night!)

Gently sweat the onions then add the chicken to brown. Add the rest of the veg and the white wine, bring to the boil, then add hot chicken stock, simmer gently while you prepare the dumplings.

For the dumplings
50g/2 oz Atora vegetable suet
100g/4 oz Self Raising Flour
2 teaspoons of creamed horseradish
5 tablespoons of water
salt and pepper to season

Add the flour and suet to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix the water with the horseradish sauce and then add to the suet and self raising flour - mix. It should all come together to form a pliable dough. Divide and shape into 8 balls. Check there is plenty of liquid still in the casserole (if not add a little more water), then place the dumplings on the top of the bubbling casserole and cover with a tightly fitting lid. Cook for 20 minutes, serve immediately.

Rhubarb and Apple Crumble (Could serve a small army, well, not quite!!)

You could make this in one very large ovenproof dish or divide it between 3 or 4. Eat one and freeze the rest, which is what we did. You can also have more fruit than crumble or vice versa. It's up to you.

350g Rhubarb (about 6 stalks) Washed and chopped into 1cm pieces
750g Cooking Apples (About 6 large apples) Peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces
2 Cups Apple Juice
100g soft light brown sugar (I use whatever we have)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

For the crumble mix (I did this with the scales on grams, e-mail me if you want me to convert it)
300g Plain Flour
150g Unsalted Butter, cubed
150g Sugar (we use whatever we have in the house)
Pinch of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 5
Crumble - Rub the butter and flour together until it becomes like fine breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar and cinnamon and mix well, without it sticking together.
Layer the fruit in an ovenproof bowl. Mix the 100g brown sugar with the teaspoon of cinammon and then sprinkle over the fruit. Pour over the apple juice. Then sprinkle on the crumble. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 35-40 minutes.

Mmmmm, delicious with double cream!

I also made some really good lemon drizzle cupcakes which I'll post about during the week. They were possibly the best lemon drizzle cakes I've ever eaten which is saying something as I used to be quite partial to Marks and Spencers lemon drizzle cake!

Little Foodies Britain

What could be more British than soup and a sandwich? Hubby has taken to work a rare roast beef sandwich with creamy horseradish and a bowl of this soup! I feel like the perfect wife - she says suddenly spluttering and coughing as though something is stuck in the back of throat!

Comfort Soup (Could feed 6-8), excuse the poor pic!
3 large potatoes
2-3 large carrots
2 large parsnips
1 medium size swede
1 large onion
a handful of greens, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon of oil
2 pints of good chicken stock
Half pint of extra creamy full fat milk

Peel and chop into small rough cubes all of the vegetables.
Sweat the potatoes and onions in a little oil. Then add the rest of the veg and the chicken stock. Boil for 10 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for further 20 minutes. Puree the soup with a stick blender then add the creamy milk,it may need a little more, you could put more milk or more stock or just water. Heat through, season if you wish, and serve with some good bread.

I love this soup because it's so easy. Also peeling and chopping veg can be quite therapeutic (if you're in the mood), which makes it comforting in itself before you've even started to eat it.

Hubby is out tonight so I'm having some friends round for a bite to eat. I think I may do some mini toad in the holes, not sure what else. Off to ponder my cookery books. If I wasn't on a cookery book diet then I'd probably buy some more. There seems to be a real glut of very good books on British food. Rightly so, we do have some wonderful dishes that we should be shouting from the rooftops about!

British Cuisine is something to be proud of not ashamed of. As I've said before, we have our own wonderful foods and then we're open enough to embrace other cultures and their cuisines. I think I mentioned this before when Sam of Becks and Posh held her fantastic event 'Fish and Quips', where she asked the world to prove why English food is not a joke. That was one of my first blogging events and I was staggered as I still am today just how lovely the food blogging community is. I remember being a little in awe that THE Sam responded to my e-mail too and that I was allowed to be included in the event. Err, hello?? I realise now that's what blogging events are about and that it's not some exclusive club that you have to be wearing the right clothes for, or be in with the right people to join in... Of course I still think Sam is rather cool and having just read her post from this Monday, it's an example of why I still think that.

Not sure how or why I went off on this tangent today. Call it therapy. I'm watching the clock for when I can go and pick up Small. The house is feeling super empty. Little said "There used to be 6 in this family and now there are only 5." That could change, yesterday I phoned up about some puppies. I warned Hubby not to be surprised if he came home and found a puppy here. He said "Don't you mean, don't be furious?" I said "Well both, don't be surprised or furious."

Little Foodies Japan - Ginger pork and Sushi

Buta no shogayaki with Kimpira - Ginger pork with sauteed green beans (we had broccoli too). This was absolutely delicious and as Hubby had to come home early to take the cat to the vet (long story) we were all able to have dinner together. We all had seconds!

There are a few versions of these dishes, but we decided to do our own take on these two from The World Cook Book Collection - Japan. It's part of a collection of books sold in conjunction with The Times newspaper back in 2005. I never saw the series then but found it in a discount bookshop a month or so ago, and knew we would be doing Japan at some stage. It cost me the grand sum of £1.00 and for the above meal alone it was worth it.

Ginger Pork
1 large pork loin, very, very thinly sliced (I must get some new knives!)
1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger, finely grated (I used a microplane)
4 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and bashed about a little (This wasn't in the recipe but we wanted garlic!)

Mix the soy sauce, ginger and garlic - pour over the sliced pork. Mix it up and let is sit for 15 minutes. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and then tip the pork and the juices into the frying pan. Lay the pork pieces out flat and turn after a few minutes. Cook through. Because it is so finely sliced it shouldn't take long to cook. Serve with rice (we used sushi rice, prepare and cook as per instructions on the packet) and the green beans and broccoli below.

Sauteed green beans and broccoli
1 large bag of green beans, cleaned and trimmed
We also used broccoli spears
2 tablespoons of sunflower or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix the sake, soy sauce and sugar, stir until the sugar dissolves.
Gently saute the green beans and broccoli for 2-3 minutes.
Turn the heat up and add the sake and soy mix. Let it bubble for a minute then add half a cup of water. Put a lid on and let it bubble away for approximately 4-5 minutes.

Children can make sushi...

Our first attempt at making sushi wasn't as adventurous or neat as the shop bought supermarket variety - see below. But it was fun!The boys have both tried sushi before. Little will eat it sometimes, Small has never liked it! They seem to like the rice and the other bits but they don't like the seaweed wrapper. It was fun to try and make our own but I was the only one who liked the taste. In the end we only did the fish sticks sort as they didn't want to waste the smoked salmon. Little struggled with rolling it so I didn't get Small to attempt it (you have to manage expectations when cooking with children). I let him play with some sticky rice and bits and pieces though - I'm still finding bits of rice all over the house this morning. We might attempt making some more but with the egg wrappers or toasted sesame seeds around the outside.

Little Foodies Japan

Chicken Ramen

I mentioned that our next virtual visit was going to be Japan. We started today with chicken ramen for lunch, the recipe followed almost exactly from the Wagamama Cookbook (pg 68). It's a really simple dish using sliced chicken breasts, noodles, stock, pak choi or seasonal greens, tinned bamboo shoots and spring onions. It's great for children as nothing is over powering, it's just a good noodle soup. I admit that I have to add something to mine once it is served as I like LOTS of flavour. If you're interested in quick, fast food that's healthy then I'd urge you to get the book. I think I would happily eat everything in it and if you've never been to a Wagamama restaurant give that a try too. I sound like I'm on the payroll!

Wagamama's first restaurant opened in London, behind the British Museum. It was an immediate hit, modelled on the old ramen stalls of Japan, and a totally different take on fast food restaurants. With it's obvious success (voted London's most popular restaurant), more were bound to open. There are now branches around the world and over 50 in the UK. Click wagamama.com for details of locations and sample menus. I don't know why I'm banging on so much about it, I haven't been to one for years. I guess because my first experiences were such good ones. The children have never been but we're going to try and take them this week. Our nearest one being in Guildford, about 20 minutes away. I'll let you know if it lives up to my memories.

So moving on swiftly before you think I have shares in Wagamama... I have a few other Japanese cookbooks too, so what should we cook this week...? We'll definitely be making sushi (no raw fish as it's for the children and I can't guarantee the freshness to take the risk).
But what else - teriyaki chicken, tempura, tonkatsu..? Little is desperate to make yaki soba, as he loves the name, it's a chicken and prawn noodle dish. I'd love to make some gyoza (dumplings), one of my favourite things.

I'll admit to buying every type of bottle and jar in the Japanese section of Waitrose (without forward planning of what we might cook - note to self: work on that frugal thing you were talking about) and when I've looked through the cupboards I think we'll be okay for anything I may have forgotten - take a look! This shows things relating to Japanese cooking and doesn't include all the other Asian food bottles and packets we have, a very expensive on-line shop at Wing Yip and a bad habit of buying exotic ingredients as and when I see them! Really looking forward to this visit.

Little Foodies Spain - Pan

I love Pan con tomate, bread with tomato. I think it's one of the nicest ways to eat bread. Whenever we're in Spain we have it for breakfast, with lunch or for a snack. It's just really GOOD! I like the whole ritual of toasting the bread, then rubbing the tomato on, spooning oil over the bread and then I very naughtily sprinkle with a little salt. When it's the weekend we rub the bread with garlic before the tomato, now that's goodness indeed. When we come home I forget about pan con tomate and don't make it so much. Why? I don't know. I guess because the tomatoes are in the fridge and there isn't the sun or the warmth. It's still really very good though! Especially with a few slices of Jamon Serrano, or Chorizo, or even Manchego Cheese.

To make some yourself. You will need a few thick slices of decent, rustic white bread
1 large very ripe tomato or a few smaller ones (must be very ripe as you need the juice)
1 clove of garlic (optional)
A little olive oil (the better quality the better it will taste as you're not cooking it)
A tiny sprinkle of salt (optional)

So feeling relaxed and happy with your lot, lightly toast the bread.
Cut the garlic clove in half and using the cut sides rub it over the bread several times
Cut the tomato in half and rub this over the bread several times
Drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and eat.

I say feel relaxed and happy with your lot while you make it because I'm sure it adds to the flavour.

Little Foodies Spain

One of my favourite vegetable dishes is

Patatas Pobres / Poor Man's Potatoes
It's simply potatoes, garlic and olive oil
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6
Peel and thinly slice 3 large potatoes
Peel and crush 2-3 cloves of garlic (you can use more or less)
A cup of olive oil
Mix the oil with the garlic and in an ovenproof dish layer the thinly sliced potato with the garlic and olive oil. Pop it in the oven for about half an hour. It may need longer, just check that the potatoes are cooked through. You can also fry it but I prefer the taste when it's done in the oven. The garlic seems to stay soft and like I said I think the taste is better.

Edit: Please note: I cooked this in a large shallow ovenproof dish, if you stack the potatoes high, it will require a longer cooking time.

Also you can cook this with a lot less oil. If I'm being really good I mix a lot less oil with the garlic and use a pastry brush to get it on the potatoes.

And... I start it off without tinfoil but if it starts to brown too much I cover it with foil.

We had this with lamb chops and veg from the garden the other evening. Delicious!

Little Foodies Spain - Arroz al horno

It was lovely to drive off the tunnel at Folkestone to find warm weather last Sunday. Since then of course it's been a little mixed. With wistful thoughts of packing up and heading off on that round the world tour, I needed hearty food, I think we all did. So I made...

Arroz al horno, Hearty Baked Rice
(Serves 4)

1 large potato (peeled and sliced into 1cm rounds)
4 slices of black pudding cut into quarters (This was a large one)
2-3 slices of pork belly
3 tomatoes (2 cut in half and 1 diced)
1 bulb garlic (left whole)
2 1/2 cups of HOT good flavoursome stock (must be full of flavour or dish will be bland)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups paella rice
1 tin of cooked chickpeas
1 teaspoon paprika


Heat the oven to high (Gas Mark 6, 200C, 400F)
First put the slices of pork belly in the hot oven and cook for approx 15-20 minutes. When done, take it out and cut into cubes. It may take longer, our oven can, if left to it's own devices cremate things!
I started this all off in the frying pan as I've cracked a few terracotta pots putting them on the stove but if you trust your pots on the stove, do use them...
Heat the oil in a frying pan, Add the bulb of garlic and potatoes, fry for about 5 minutes then add the halved tomatoes, the black pudding, and the chopped tomato. Fry for a further 5 minutes. Add the paprika, then the rice, stir and add hot stock.
Add the chickpeas and cubes of cooked pork belly. Arrange it evenly in the pan with the garlic in the middle and the potatoes and tomato halves around the edge.
Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. Check the rice is done and serve immediately if it is. It may need a little longer and a tiny bit more stock. Check it near the end of cooking and adjust as necessary.

To change the leftovers slightly for little tummies this evening. Prior to heating I mixed in a few sprinkles of Japanese teriyaki sauce and milk to loosen it and give some sauce. Devoured!

While we were in Spain, Hubby ordered a dish of pigs cheek, it was delicious and while I was in the butchers yesterday I asked if I could order some. It comes in on Wednesday and then I think I'll have to brine it. I've pulled out Hugh F-W's meat book and Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson to swat up on the best way to prepare it. I'll then casserole it, espanol style! (If anybody can tell me in simple terms how to do the squigly sign over N's for Spanish words I'd very much appreciate it).

Little Foodies Sweden - Meatball Challenge

If somebody had told me that I'd feel nervous about a challenge between my home cooked food and bought food I'd have laughed. But nervous I was. I made the Swedish Style Meatballs (recipe below) and bought some ready made Organic Swedish Meatballs from Waitrose. For the purpose of the test only we tried one of each.

Homemade on the left - Bought on the right

Preferences were as follows:
Hubby: Homemade
Little: Homemade
Small: Bought
Me: Homemade, though I did waiver!

So homemade was the winner! Thank goodness for that. Obviously I sulked about Small's final decision but I soon got over it.

The bought ones were really good, they had a nice texture and lots of flavour. But though they were organic they still tasted processed. The homemade ones had a softer texture, but could definitely have done with more salt. I think that's why Small preferred the bought ones, he loves really strong tasting food and as the bought ones were heavily salted, they did seem to have more flavour. Served with all the trimmings of lingonberry jam, pickled cabbage, runner beans and the traditional creamy sauce, the homemade ones won hands down and I think anybody would have come to that conclusion. Really, I'm not just saying that.

The recipe for our Swedish Style Meatballs (made approx 40 meatballs)
250g organic beef mince
250g organic pork mince
1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon of oil for frying the onion
1 cup of double cream
1/2 cup of Wholegrain Buckwheat flour
1 egg
a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper
1 teaspoon all spice
2oz butter and a big splosh of oil for frying the meatballs
Flour on a plate for rolling the meatballs prior to frying

Fry the onion in tablespoon of oil
In a large bowl add the pork and beef mince and mix it together with your hands.
Add in the flour, double cream, egg, all spice, salt and pepper and the fried onion. Again mix with your hands. You need to really get stuck in and mix well.
Form into small round balls and roll in the flour on a plate.
Put on a separate plate until you are ready to fry them.
In a large frying pan add the butter and oil and warm. Add the meatballs and fry gently for about 5 minutes on each side. I finished mine off in the oven as I was getting other things ready. They could have been finished in the frying pan. You'd have to test to make sure they were cooked through.

This was our version as we didn't have things to hand that were needed. Most recipes that I've seen for Swedish meatballs have potato in and rusk flour. Ours were really good. They're very different to Italian style meatballs but equally delicious! It would depend what sort of mood for food you were in to determine whether to go Italian or Swedish.

Swedish Style Cream Sauce
1 cup of double cream
1 cup of beef stock
2 tablespoons Japanese Teriyaki Sauce
1 tablespoon plain flour (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Put the cream, stock, teriyaki sauce and salt and pepper in a pan and start to warm through. Whisk in some plain flour to thicken if required.

Really delicious. I would make this again as a sauce for other things too. Again, it was different to Swedish recipes which all those that I saw said to add Chinese Soy Sauce and not Teriyaki but as we've been using soy sauce a lot recently we'd run out.

Little Foodies Sweden

This is a selection of some of the Swedish things we've bought. I just love the name knackerbrod - I think it's because I always feel like that!

To say things are busy would be a mild understatement. I have a 3 year old birthday party to get ready for tomorrow. Our lucky Little Foodies watched a tree house being built in our garden over the last two days. Blogging is on the list but it's a very long list, and includes food for the wedding in France and packing for our mammoth trip next week, to top (or topple) the list a 6 year old birthday party to be arranged for the day after we get to France (2 days before the wedding). At least I'm keeping busy!

Will report on the meatball challenge - very interesting....!! Were the children sent to their rooms or were they given extra treats for being so lovely about Mama's cooking...?

Note to self: BREATHE!

Little Foodies Sweden

I think we may have to re-visit the Caribbean, the weather just isn't cutting it. Hubby explained something about a gulf stream, something or other weather front. It was completely lost on me but wish I'd paid more attention so that I could recall it now.

So we're moving on, our next virtual visit (before our holiday) will be Sweden. I grew up with a friend whose dear Mum (Lilian) is from Sweden and I've tasted many a home cooked Swedish dish. Thankfully now that we've moved nearer to where I grew up they're not very far away and I will be able to call on them this week to pick Lilian's brains.

I made the tortuous journey to Ikea and hit the food section where I stocked up on a few bits and pieces. Little mitts got on the Anna's Pepparkakkor (spicy biscuits) within an hour of them being in the house, there are a few broken pieces left in the bottom of the tin. It's a lovely tin though, one which we will keep and re-use.
Not sure I should say this but the family also taught me how not to be embarrassed about bodies. In England, as I'm sure in lots of places around the world, you go into any changing rooms and you will see lots of females hiding behind whatever they can, flushed red to be in a state of undress infront of other people, even other females. Lilian made me see that, though different, we are all very similar and should not hide or be ashamed of our bodies, they're just bodies... Very free thinking but something I'm grateful for. I should just point out..... I don't advocate parading around in the noddy and you will never see me on a nudist beach - there is a limit!

Looking forward to Swedish meatballs. We're going to do a taste test between our own homemade ones and bought ones (organic from Waitrose). Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Little Foodies Caribbean

This week we've had marlin, tilapia and a West Indies inspired lamb stew. As we're still having torrential rain and flooding throughout the UK the weather has not matched the food, but at least the food had a kick, which has been a welcome warmer, if only for the tastebuds.


Marlin with spicy tomato and onion sauce, with a little white rum, served with potatoes and carrots from the garden and fried plantain. I griddled the marlin steaks, no seasoning, nothing. The spicy tomato sauce was great and we had the leftovers another evening with some salmon steaks from the freezer.
For the spicy tomato and onion sauce with a little white rum...
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped, 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped, 4 large very ripe tomatoes, 1 tin of plum tomatoes, 3 teaspoons of jamaican jerk seasoning, a glug of white rum.
Sweat the onions and garlic, add a glug of white rum and heat on high for a minute or so, add the jerk seasoning and stir through, add the fresh tomatoes. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes then add the tinned tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes. (If you're using tinned tomatoes with lots of juice either drain the juice off or cook for longer, until the sauce has thickened). Little and Small found this sauce a bit too hot so they didn't have much of it.

West Indies inspired Lamb Stew (Serves 4 plus plenty for leftovers)
1 kilo of diced lamb
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 large yam, peeled and roughly chopped (2cm chunks)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons of jamaican jerk seasoning
(Don't go mad - 1 beef and 1 chicken stock cube)
2 pints of boiling hot water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown the meat in a little oil then take out and put to one side.
Gently fry the onions for 5 minutes, add a mug of boiling hot water then the sweet potato and yam, cook on high for 5 minutes. Most of the liquid will have evaporated and if it starts to go completely dry you need to add a little more (don't let it dry so much it all starts to catch on the bottom). Add the lamb back to the pan with the garlic, jerk seasoning and stock cubes and cook for a few minutes. Add the rest of the water and then cook in a low to medium heat oven for approx 1.5 - 2 hours until the lamb is meltingly tender.

We had this as is, no bread or potatoes. The yam had the texture of soft dumplings, delicious! Little and Small devoured this and had seconds.

No pics of the tilapia. I'm quite glad really as I thought it would look beautiful but after I'd cooked it, well, it just didn't look good at all. I baked it in the oven on a bed of sliced onions and then let it cool. The boys had it cold the next day, shredded on a salad. Little was over the moon to be picking so much fish. He's always loved the fish counter, as soon as he was able to talk he would beg to be taken to the fish counter. I was amazed and still very pleased that he's never lost that. Small doesn't show the same enthusiasm for it but he will eat fish. I think his taste for fish will be a developing one.

We also had a snack of some plantain, it was very green so I peeled it then chopped it into pieces, boiled it for 10 minutes, drained, dried, then fried. Sprinkled with salt - very good!

Edit: Sunday evening - We're not going to be around for a few days so catch up with you all when I return. x

Little Foodies Caribbean

Finally - we made a decision. We're going to be learning about the Caribbean Islands and their cuisine. I have been very fortunate to holiday on a few of the islands and 18 months ago we went to Barbados as a family (Hubby, Little, Small and me). Little remembers it but Small was very small so he doesn't remember it at all. They both loved the food though!

The islands snake from Florida to Venezuela. Each island is different in shape and size and what it has to offer. They are an ideal holiday destination for me with verdant green landscapes, golden yellow sands and warm turquoise seas. When I think of the Caribbean I picture dancing in the sand until the early hours, swimming in the sea with turtles, the friendly, happy people and how laid back they are, all I'm sure comes from living in such sunny climes. If you've never been, and you ever get the chance to go, jump at it!

While we learn about the Caribbean, we'll take a definite dip into my friend Cynthia's blog Tastes Like Home (Cynthia is from Guyana but lives in Barbados). To start us off though I thought I'd share this recipe which is a West Indies inspired curry... It was another of my cheating curries...

Chicken & Plantain Caribbean Curry (serves 2)
2 chicken breasts (cut into 2cm cubes)
1 large plantain (peeled and sliced)
1 medium size onion (finely chopped)
1 tin of creamed coconut milk
2 tablespoons of medium curry paste (I used Patak's)
1 heaped teaspoon of cinammon powder

First fry the onion until opaque, take them out (keep to side) add plantain to pan and fry on each side until starting to colour (about 4 mins each side) Take out and keep to side. Then fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes sprinkle the cinammon over and fry for further 2 minutes. Add the curry paste, plantain and onion back to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the cocunut milk and cook for 5-10 minutes. Serve with basmati rice or rice of your choosing. (L & S had a few mouthfuls of this on their way to bed, just prior to teeth brushing ofcourse, and see below for how they had it slightly changed the next day - either way it was great!)

EDIT - Note: Since I made this Cynthia gave me the following advice about plantain. Peel the green ones then boil before fryingt. (I've tried this since and it works well.) The very ripe ones, peel, slice and fry. When it is mid-ripe, it is boiled in its skin and then sliced and served.

Leftovers - If you have any leftover sauce and plantain like we did... this worked a treat as supper for the boys the next day. I cooked 2 chicken breasts. I then added some cream and mango chutney to the leftover plantain and sauce cooked it through for about 5 minutes then poured it over the cooked chicken breasts. Served with some of the leftover rice as I always have plenty of that (I make enough for 10 people)! Little and Small loved it!

I have a little phrase book called Chat Jamaican and we've already started to practice... Yeah mon!

Little Foodies America - Pecan Pie and it's all about MeMe

I wish!

Pecan Pie (or Peecan Pyyy)
Enough shortcrust pastry to line an 18cm (7inch) flan/pie tin.
2 eggs
4 tablespoons of golden syrup
2 tablespoons of soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons of melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
250g pecans (could have used a lot less)


Line the pie tin with the pastry and bake blind in the oven (220C/450F/gas mark 8) for 8 minutes. Take it out and let it cool a little.
In a bowl beat together the eggs, golden syrup, sugar, melted butter and vanilla essence.
Arrange the pecans in the pastry shell. You could easily get away with using 100g / 4oz pecans.
Pour the syrupy mix over the top and bake in the oven on high for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to about 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and cook for a further 25 minutes.

We really could have used a lot less pecans but Little suggested it would taste so much better if we tipped the whole 250g packet in. Having never made or eaten pecan pie I don't know if he's right about it tasting better but it certainly does taste very good.

It's all about Meme...

I've been tagged by two lovely ladies Nora of Life's Smorgasbord and Margaret at Kitchen Delights. So here goes...

1. I've said that I will sort out the food for the evening reception at my cousin's wedding in France (in under a month). That's fine there will only be 72 people! Eeeeeek!

2. Ever since, I've been surfing the internet for ideas of traditional French wedding food and festivities. I've unearthed all sorts of traditions such as the bride and groom should drink from a double handled goblet that has been engraved with their names, etc. but not really anything about food.

3. We're driving and I'm not that keen on being in the car with 2 small children for what may seem like forever. As we're going on to Spain afterwards I fear that we may fall out several times before we return home.

4. My dad's friend taught me to ride my bike without stabilisers when I was about 5 years old. He held the back of the bike and said he was still holding it when in actual fact he'd let go about 50 metres before hand. I turned round to see I was riding by myself and immediately fell off! My dad says he was too scared to do this as he thought I'd hurt myself. (Work that one out!)

5. My childhood was far from conventional - and would make a good TV drama. With a mix of madness, sadness, happiness, love, laughter, rich timesand poor times. It did however teach me that laughter does indeed nourish the soul. It's something I do often, every single day. It's also in stark contrast to my husband's childhood and to now with my own family (Little, Small, Hubby and me).

6. My hair desperately needs cutting!

7. One of my favourite holidays was one I thought would end my relationship with my then boyfriend (now husband) and involved driving from England to Spain in a very old MG Midget. I'm hoping the fears I have about our upcoming driving holiday will turn out the same - unfounded.

I don't know who to tag as so many blogs have been tagged already, so perhaps I'll just tag them too (I know it's a cop out!)
Little and Small at Boys Can Cook Too, (lovely well brought up boys - teehee! who will only participate if I actually do it for them.)
Mum at TOC Aromatherapy, (lovely well brought up Mummy, it's taken me a while (36years) but she's getting there!)
Janet at Janet is Hungry, (fellow mummy - tagged already).
Kelly-Jane at Cooking the Books, (lovely blogging friend who I've tagged before but she's been tagged by Margaret and agreed to do it so sorry KJ but as you were doing it anyway!)
Truffle at What's on my plate (lovely blogging friend who is kind and generous! Currently on a tour of Europe soon to return with lots of wonderful stories I'm sure - tagged already).
Ros at Living to Eat (great blog and as she'll be starting a new job in September, we may see less of her so read while you can - tagged already.)
Patricia at Technicolor Kitchen (absolute sweetheart, also tagged already.)

Meme's - They could be likened to those celebrity magazines that are often trashed but secretly read by many. (I've personally weaned myself off them... celebrity magazines that is.) Take part only if you wish to.

I have a busy few days ahead. End of year school mum's night out today, hen night tomorrow, then Saturday will be the first time ever the boys will be away from us for the whole night. Possibly wont see any of you for a few days.. but plenty to read with the blogs above.

A quick dip in North Africa with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

It's not often that I am away from the children but this last Sunday I was out for the whole day. I gave hubby a kiss goodbye and mentioned that I'd love him to have dinner ready for when I got home. He delivered and very nicely. I'm not sure what I'd been expecting. Maybe a chicken thrown in the oven, but he'd cut the chicken up and made the most wonderful chicken dish from his favourite book The River Cottage Meat Book (loosely based on HFW's Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives - pg 313). I say loosely as we didn't have any preserved lemons or fresh coriander. Hubby almost followed it, except the lemon and fresh coriander part which is probably rather crucial to Hugh's version but Hubby's version was delicious and we had leftovers for dinner last night. In the book HF-W says. If you find yourself hankering after the bitter/salty/spicy tastes of North African cooking, this simple recipe really hits the spot. He is so right. (I'm not sure what the rules are about re-producing the recipe, so I found a rough copy from the Guardian here, if you wanted to give it a try.

He served it with mashed potatoes and carrots, both picked fresh from the garden. I can't remember what variety the carrots are but they're golden yellow. When I see the pictures of all that we've had from the veg patch I feel rather good about it and realise that we haven't done too badly, and we have learned such a lot.

We're going to surf in and out of a few countries (or continents) for the next week while we decide which country we're going to spend more time learning about... How lucky are we?! You could be too.

Little Foodies America - Happy Independence Day

Our July 4th 2007 Menu

Rack of Ribs oven roasted with homemade bbq sauce
served with Homemade Coleslaw, Buttery Corn on the Cob and Anya Potatoes, boiled in their skins.

Raspberries, Blueberries and Vanilla Ice Cream...

I did think of making a key lime pie or a pecan pie. I love the name pecan pie it always reminds me of the film When Harry Met Sally when they start talking in silly voices peeecan pyyyyyy.... So I guess I have to make this before we move on to another country.

Hubby, Little and Small are loving all of this meat but I'm feeling a little over indulged in the meat department. Our next country is going to need careful consideration, I want lean and fresh. For a start my cousin is getting married in France in just over a month, we'll be there and then we're heading off down to Spain for a few weeks so I am rather desperate to be feeling a little slimmer. Note, I didn't say to actually be slimmer, just to feel it!

Little Foodies Homemade BBQ Sauce (I hadn't realised the time. I'll post the recipe later as off for a drink in my favourite country pub.)

6.20pm 5 July 07 - Where was I... yes the BBQ Sauce we made this time included...
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon english mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
2 cloves of garlic crushed or crushed with a knife and a sprinkle of salt to make a paste
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup or 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
Mix all together in a medium size bowl and then pour over your chosen food ready to cook.
If you're going to be using this to marinade and cook with don't bother cooking it. However, if you want it as a dipping sauce you need to put it in a pan and cook on a medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Until it changes colour to a deeper red/brown colour.

I like to play with bbq sauce. I've made it with just sugar, mustard, tomato puree and vinegar and I've made it with an even longer list of ingredients to what you see above... The one above was very nice smothered over the ribs but I realise it's a lot of ingredients.

Happy July 4th - Happy Independence Day!

Little Foodies America - Southern Fried Chicken & Cherry Pie

Southern Fried Chicken (our version).
3 eggs, 60ml water, 1/3 bottle of Nando's peri-peri BBQ sauce, 2 cups self raising flour, a good few grinds of black pepper, 4 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons garlic granules, 4 chicken drumsticks, 4 chicken thighs.

First mix the garlic granules, black pepper and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and water and mix in the bbq sauce.
In a separate bowl mix the flour and a few grinds of black pepper.
Pre-heat the oven to 180C to finish cooking the chicken.
We used the large Le Creuset pan and filled it one third full of sunflower oil. We tested it was hot enough by dropping a piece of rocket in which sizzled.
Sprinkle a little of the garlic granules, pepper and salt mix over the chicken pieces (you wont use it all so keep any that you don't use for seasoning something else). Dip the chicken in the egg mix and then coat well with the flour. Place in the hot oil, turning after a couple of minutes. After 5 minutes frying place in an ovenproof bowl and finish cooking in the oven for about 25 minutes. Test the chicken is cooked through before serving.

We saw a few recipes for this which called for hot red pepper sauce and various versions of the pepper and salt seasoning mix. We thought the hot sauce might be too hot for the boys so decided to use bbq sauce instead. It worked well. We served with fine green beans and boiled new potatoes picked fresh from the garden - YIPPPEEEE! Even better my husband cooked it all!

Cheat's Cherry Pie
1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry.
1 tin of Waitrose red cherry fruit filling.
1 jar of Ambrosia custard
Pre-heat oven to 180C
We used a medium size pyrex flan dish. Rolled the pastry over the dish and gently push around the sides. Sliced off any excess around the top of sides. Poured the tin of red cherry fruit filling over the pastry. We cut out little stars from the leftover pastry and placed on top of the fruit filling. Baked in the oven for approx 20-25 minutes, until the pastry was cooked. Served with Ambrosia custard....

Totally cheating, not as tasty as fresh cherries or homemade pastry but we had ready made pastry that needed using up and the tin of cherry filling in the cupboard so it had to be done.

Little Foodies Greece - Moussaka & Dolmas & Pastitso

Egg Custard? No... Moussaka! Excuse the poor pics! This is probably not at all authentic, I'm not sure you're supposed to put potatoes in it but it's how I make it and it gives you a full meal in one pot which I like a lot. Though I do like to have a nice salad with it or some steamed green veg sometimes. Children seem to like this if when you serve it to them you take out the aubergine (eggplant) or you mash it up with the mince so they don't know it's there.

Moussaka
1 kilo (2.2lbs) of good lamb mince
2 medium size aubergines (eggplants) sliced into 1cm rounds
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
large pinch of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
1 tin of tomatoes
2 large potatoes peeled and sliced into 1cm rounds.
Large handful of chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon of mint sauce
1 very large glass of red wine and same amount of water.
1 tablespoon of olive oil for frying onions and garlic
Half cup of olive oil for cooking the aubergines

Note: I don't bother to salt aubergines. Most people are of the opinion that it's not needed nowadays.
Pre-heat the oven to 170C / 325F / Gas Mark 3.
Oil the base of 2 trays then lay the aubergine over. Sprinkle with oil and put in the oven for 10 mins. Take out and turn them over. If any parts look a little dry then sprinkle with oil and put back in the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
In the meantime, gently fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Then add the lamb and brown.
When the lamb mince is browned add the glass of red wine and cook on high for 2 mins.
Add the tomato puree and cook for a further 2 minutes. Then add the tin of tomatoes, water and mint and cook on a medium heat on the hob for 20-30 minutes. You want most of the liquid to have evaporated.
I cooked the potatoes in the micowave by layering them in a pyrex bowl with a little water in the bottom, covered and cooked on high for 5 minutes, then a further 5 minutes.
While that is all cooking you can make the white sauce.

1oz/50g butter, 1oz/50g flour, 3/4 pint of milk, 1oz cheddar grated, 1oz parmesan grated, 4 tablespoons of plain Greek Yogurt
Melt the butter in a pan. Add the flour and cook for a minute. Add the milk a little at a time and whisk to get rid of any lumps. When all of the milk is incorporated add the cheese. When the cheese had melted add the greek yogurt, stir and it's ready for use.

You can then layer your moussaka. Start with a layer of aubergine, then a layer of meat sauce, then a layer of aubergine, then a layer of meat sauce, then a layer of potato, then the creamy sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in the oven on about 170C / 325F / Gas Mark 3 for about 45 minutes. Take it out and let it rest for a few minutes then serve.

Stuffed Vine Leaves
I've made stuffed vine leaves (Dolmas) before but I couldn't get hold of any vine leaves this time. Saying that, as I type I realise that we have Denbies, a vineyard about 3 miles away. Now I'm sure they could have spared me some vine leaves but I think they have to have something done to them first.. Oh I don't know. Anyway I didn't make my own. I bought two different tins of them and thought they'd probably be disgusting but Elle suggested we try them with extra lemon juice. I'm so glad she did as they were delicious! The children didn't like them but that left all the more for us and we soon polished them off. We had the tin on the left and we will have the tin on the right soon.

A special note of a personal nature as I like to say thank you and it is relevant to Greek Food. After school today we headed back over to near where we used to live to visit friends. My friend C and I both have 2 boys, The first two born within one month of each other and the second two born within a week of each other. The second two we like to joke were a bet made when we'd had one too many gin and tonics late one summer. I think it was just fate! Anyway I'm digressing, I'd like to say a huge thank you because without knowing we've been doing Greek food she'd made Pastitso from the Australian Women's Weekly Greek Food Book. Just another example of how friends can invade each others brain space without speaking! It was delicious, I didn't have a camera on me but believe me it will be made again. The children gobbled it all up. Thanks C! Wonderful food and really lovely to see you all. Also love to D (who was AWOL, well not quite, just out earning the pennies!)

Little Foodies Greece - Souvlaki

Souvlaki - little kebabs, traditionally made with meat. Apparently there is a famous little cafe in Athens that sells lots of different varieties and is the best place in the world to eat Souvlaki. We chose pork and halloumi to make ours and I'm sure they were as good as those served in Athens.

Pork Souvlaki
The pork I got from the butcher and asked him to cut into cubes. I marinated it in a bowl with the juice from one lemon and 2 cloves of crushed garlic some salt and pepper. Threaded onto wooden skewers. I then cooked it on a very hot griddle and put the extractor fan on full as things got a little smokey.

Halloumi Souvlaki
One packet of beautiful salty halloumi, hard cheese, perfect for grilling. Cut into cubes and threaded on to wooden skewers. No messing, just as they are and cooked on a hot griddle, turning regularly so they don't stick and lose the scrummy caramelised outside.

Served with warmed pitta breads, a little cucumber, cherry tomatoes, some greek yogurt and for hubby and I, the last of the jar of Belazu Rose Harissa... This got a very big thumbs up.

What's that coming over the hill is it a monster, is it a monster???!!!! Monster by The Automatic - Sorry this is belting out in my ears while I type, as the boys (all 3, young and old) are bouncing round the kitchen, playing air guitar and pretending to be rock stars.... Boys - LOVE THEM!

Little Foodies Greece - Beef Stifado (Stew)

Beef stew.... Not something I cook very often, Greek or otherwise. Something my husband and children will eat lots of and yet I still don't cook it that often. It's just that I don't really like too much red meat. I love the taste and especially the gravy that it produces. It's the texture I don't like too much of. Anyway this stifado was great and one I will make again. The boys, both big and small loved it, I ate my fair share too!

It can be made with any meat, it's just typical in Greece to have it with beef. If I'm having red meat then lamb would normally be my first choice. Anyway, I decided to use half a bottle of red wine and herbs from the garden. There are lots of versions available on-line but I think you just have to cook what you want to. This was our version served with boiled new potatoes...

Beef Stifado (Greek Stew) - Serves 6-8 or 4 plus leftovers!
1 kilo Stewing steak
1 kilo shallots, peeled and cut in half if big
Half a bottle of red wine
Half a cup of plain flour
2 tins of whole plum tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Stripped leaves of rosemary from 1 small twig, 2 bay leaves
half a small handful of thyme and oregano or marjoram, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 beef stock cube
boiling water in both empty tins of tomatoes

Take the beef out of the fridge a little while before you're going to use it.
Put the oven on a low to medium heat, approx 160C.
Put the flour in a bowl and tip the cubes of beef in. Roll it around to evenly coat each piece.
In a large ovenproof pan (I used my trusty Le Creuset), add the olive oil and over a low heat cook the shallots for about 5-10 minutes.
Tip the onions into a bowl and then brown the beef in the pan.
Put the onions back in and add the tomatoes, sugar, herbs, stock cube and water and cook on high for 10 minutes.
Then place in the oven and cook for approximately 2 hours, by which time your beef should be meltingly soft. You should give it a stir half way through cooking too.

On Sunday, we had a lovely Greek Salad for lunch with Warmed Pitta Breads sliced into 2cm pieces. We served it with a really nice houmous made by Sabra, it had pine nuts in it too which gave it a different flavour. We also had a tub of very pink taramasalata. The sort that you expect to glow in the dark if you turn the lights off. I was the only one who liked the taramaslata. I've always loved it and the cheaper the better. Weird how some things just hit the spot!

I was reminded of something when my mum left a comment on my last post. Something I probably didn't say thank you enough for at the time. My mum and stepdad arranged and paid for me to have my 18th birthday party at a great little Greek Restaurant in Palmers Green (a long time ago now). It was such a great evening and something different to most of my friends 18th's. For a start I don't remember anyone being sick which was pretty unique. It was particularly great because I didn't live with my Mum and Malcolm and it was a real treat for all of my friends to go and visit with me. It was normal to take one friend with me when I visited but not all of them at the same time. We completely took over their house and it was such a special weekend. Not sure if the restaurant is still there as I haven't been in that neck of the woods for a long time. M&M moved back to the North East soon after my 18th. Anyway, THANK YOU M&M. It was a great 18th birthday and I have really fond memories, some great pics too. x