Helen's Country Kitchen
November 03, 2008
"Helen’s Crushed Red Potatoes"
Serves 4-6
2lbs red-skinned potatoes
1½ - 2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ -1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fresh chives cut into 1 inch lengths for garnish
Put potatoes in a large pan add water and a teaspoon of salt and bring to boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, reduce heat cover and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. (20-25mins)
Drain well and return the potatoes to the pan
Add the olive oil and butter.
Using a fork or back of wooden spoon, crush the potatoes, breaking them into large fluffy chunks and mixing in the oil and butter
At this stage you could stir in finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, thyme or rosemary leaves
Season to taste with remaining salt and pepper and transfer to a warmed bowl and garnish with the chives
posted by David Walker at 11:20am | link
October 27, 2008
"Helen’s Apple Crumble"
1 lb prepared fruit (apples, rhubarb, tinned fruit etc)
Crumble
2ozs butter
4 ozs flour (plain or self raising)
3-4 ozs white sugar or soft brown dark sugar
Prepare fruit…stew apples with a little sugar
Fruit needs to be firm
Put fruit in casserole dish
Rub butter into flour
Add the sugar and mix around
Sprinkle the mixture over the fruit and press down firmly
Bake until crisp and golden brown
Serve with custard, cream or toffee sauce and ice cream.
posted by David Walker at 11:04am | link
October 20, 2008
"Pork Medallions with Sage and Mustard sauce"
Serves 4
2 pork tenderloins (12oz each)
2tsps salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tsps dried sage
250ml double cream
1 ½ tbsps Dijon mustard
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp chicken stock
Fresh sage sprigs for garnish
Cut the tenderloins crossways into slices about ½ inch thick
Place the slices in a single layer on a sheet of cling film
Use a small bowl and combine salt, pepper, and 1tsp dried sage, stir with fork or whisk
Sprinkle the mixture evenly on both sides of the pork slices
Leave to stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour or cover and put in fridge for 4 hrs
In a saucepan combine cream, mustard and remaining ½ tsp dried sage, bring to boil over medium/high heat and bring to boil and stir until cream is reduced to125ml (about 4 mins) set aside (can prepare sauce 1hr in advance)
Use large frying pan over high heat, warm the olive oil…work in batches if necessary…add the pork slices and cook until golden brown….about 2mins
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 mins longer….turn and continue to cook until the slices are golden on the second side…about 4mins
Transfer to a warm platter/plate and tent with tin foil
Raise the heat to high and stir in the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits clinging to bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream mixture and continue to stir until sauce is reduced to about 3fl ozs….2-3 mins
Pour the sauce over the the pork…garnish with sage sprigs and serve
posted by David Walker at 10:51am | link
October 13, 2008
"Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup"
1 large onion
Olive oil
1 large potato (sliced)
1pt vegetable stock (cube)
1 head of broccoli
100gm blue cheese (stilton)
Use a large pan….Cook the onion in 1tbsp olive oil until soft (5mins)
Add the potatoes and stock and simmer until the potato is tender (10mins)
Add the broccoli and cook for 3-4 mins until just tender but still bright green
Add half the cheese and blend till smooth
Season then serve with the rest of blue cheese crumbled over the top.
posted by David Walker at 10:57am | link
October 07, 2008
"Helen’s Spiced Potatoes and Cauliflower"
Seves 4
6oz butter or 4 tbsp oil
2 lbs potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 large onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp chilli powder
1tsp turmeric
1tsp ground coriander
2tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 pints water
1lb cauliflower florets
2 tsp garam masala
Heat the butter or oil in the wok
Add the potatoes and fry gently for 1 min
Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and set aside
Add the onions and garlic to the wok and fry until soft
Add the spices and seasonings, except the garam masala, and stir fry for a further 3 mins
Return the potatoes to the wok, add the water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 mins then add the cauliflower
Simmer for further 15mins or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick
Increase the heat to boil off any excess liquid if necessary
Stir in garam masala and serve hot.
posted by David Walker at 12:37pm | link
September 29, 2008
"Helen’s Crispy Chilli Beef with Broccoli"
Serves 2
300g minute or thin cut sirloin steak
Slice into thin strips and toss with 3 tbsp cornflour
Broccoli…florets from a small broccoli, sliced
2 Garlic cloves, sliced
Small piece (5cm) of ginger, finely chopped
1tsp dried chilli flakes or dried chilli crumbled
½ bunch of spring onions sliced diagonally
4 tbsp soy sauce mixed with 5 tbsp sugar
2 limes, juiced
Heat a 5cm depth of oil in a wok until very hot
Fry the steak in batches until dark and crisp
Take beef out and let rest for 3 mins… pour off most of the oil and stir fry the broccoli, garlic, ginger, and chilli for 1 minute
Tip in the sweetened soy sauce and lime juice and cook for 2 minutes
Toss in the beef and spring onions and serve
posted by David Walker at 11:17am | link
August 18, 2008
"Helen’s Apple Salad"
Serves 4
3 red eating apples
2 tbls lemon juice
2 tbls single cream
125 g carton natural yogurt
¼ cucumber….washed and diced
3ozs cheddar cheese, diced
1ozs walnuts, chopped
Seasoning
1 lettuce
Wash and core the apples, slice one finely into wedges and dice remainder, then dip in lemon juice
Mix cheese, cucumber, walnuts and diced apple into yogurt and cream…season
Line a nice bowl with lettuce leaves, pile the salad in centre and garnish with apple slices and a sprig of parsley in the middle
posted by David Walker at 11:01am | link
August 11, 2008
"Helen’s Chilli Chicken Fajitas"
Serves 2
Olive oil
2 skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
2 tsp hot chilli powder
I onion, halved and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
100g green beans
400g tin chopped tomatoes
Handful of chopped coriander
Flour tortillas
Soured cream to serve
Heat a couple of tbsp oil in a large pan
Throw in chicken and brown all over
Add the chilli powder and cook for a minute
Scoop out the chicken and add the onion and red pepper to the pan and cook until softened
Tip in the green beans, tomatoes and the chicken, cover and simmer for 15 mins
Stir through the coriander and roll in warm tortillas with a dollop of soured cream
Serve with green salad.
posted by David Walker at 9:57am | link
August 04, 2008
"Helen’s Spanish Chicken "
Serves 4
8 chicken thighs, skin on, or whole chicken cut into 8 portions
600g small potatoes sliced
3 whole heads garlic cloves, separated but not peeled
8 sprigs thyme
125 ml sherry
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide ovenproof pan that can take the chicken in a single layer
Season the chicken well then brown on all sides in batches….just to get a good colour, not cook the chicken through. Remove from pan
Heat the oven.
Scatter the potatoes over the bottom of the pan while it’s still on the hob
Add the garlic, thyme and seasoning and stir to coat everything in the juices
Put the chicken on top, skin up, add the sherry and bring to boil. When it’s boiling put pan in oven, uncovered for 40/45 mins or until potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through
Most of the sherry will be absorbed and the chicken crisp and golden
posted by David Walker at 10:36am | link
July 14, 2008
"Helen’s Potato Salad"
2lb small new potatoes, cooked
4 heaped tablespoons mayonnaise (Hellmanns)
1Small tub soured cream (148g)
1 small tub double cream (148g)
Good helping chopped parsley
Good helping chopped chives
Ground pepper
Parsley to garnish
Cut potatoes into cubes
Mix mayonnaise,soured cream, parsley and chives…season
Add the potatoes and stir gently to coat them
Serve in a nice dish and sprinkle with parsley
posted by David Walker at 10:19am | link
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