Steaks with Mixed Herbs

Serves 4

4 striploin steaks, about 3/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 oz. butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 oz. mushrooms, wiped clean and finely chopped
2 fl. oz. double cream

Place the steaks on a board and sprinkle them with the salt and pepper.  Set aside.

In a frying pan large enough to hold all the steaks in one layer, melt the butter over moderate heat.  When the foam subsides, add the garlic, parsley, chives, chervil, tarragon and mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Increase the heat to moderately high and add the steaks to the pan.  Fry them for 2 minutes on each side.  Reduce the heat to low and cook them for a further 2 minutes on each side.  This will produce rare steaks - double the time for well-done steaks.

Remove the steaks from the pan and transfer them to a warmed serving dish.  Keep them hot while you finish making the sauce.

Pour the cream into the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the mixture is hot but not boiling.

Remove the pan fromt he heat.  Pour the sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves 4

1 onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 carrots, peeled
1 celery stalk
6 rashers streaky bacon, rinded
1 oz. butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb lean minced beef
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 can chopped tomatoes
1/4 pint red wine
1/4 pint beef stock
few sprigs fresh oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
8 oz. dried spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle

Finely chop the onion and garlic; dice the carrots and celery; chop the bacon.

Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and bacon for about 5 minutes.  Add the minced beef and fry until browned all over, stirring all the time.

Stir in the tomato puree and tomatoes.  Mix together the wine and stock and add to the frying pan.

Add the oregano, bay leaf and sugar to the frying pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Simmer uncovered, for 35-40 minutes, stirring the sauce occasionally.

About 15 minutes before the end of cooking time, start cooking the spaghetti.,  Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and add the remaining olive oil to the bubbling water.

Place the spaghetti in the pan and, as the pasta softens, gently push it into the hot water.  Cook for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is tender but still has a bite to it.  Drain well.

Remove the bay leaf and oregano from the sauce.  Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Serve the  spaghetti on warmed serving plates and spoon the sauce over.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top.

Éamonns Tagliatelle Carbonnara

Tagliatelle
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 rashers per person, rind removed and chopped
2-3 fl. oz. double cream per person
1-2 eggs per person
Parmesan cheese
cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the tagliatelle in a large pot of boiling water and set aside.

Mix the eggs, Parmesan, cayenne, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Heat the oil and fry the bacon until cooked.  Reduce the heat and add the double cream, cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add the tagliatelle to the bacon and pour the egg mixture over.  Mix and heat until the eggs are cooked.

Tomato and Herb Sauce

1 head garlic - peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large cans chopped tomatoes
2 cans water
1 teaspoon black pepper, finely ground
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Chop the garlic until fine.  Heat the oil on high heat in a large saucepan.  Add the garlic and cook until light brown.  Stir in the tomatoes, juice and 2 tomato cans of water.  Add the pepper, parsley, basil, sugar and salt.  Stir again.  When the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat.  Simmer, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes.

Fionas' Chicken Parmagiana

Use 2 eggs in one bowl as batter.
In another bowl mix 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Cut chicken breasts into chicken tender sized slices.
Dip in egg mixture and then roll it in breadcrumb/cheese mix.
Fry in olive oil until golden brown on each side and ten put in oven at 300 for approx 20-30 minutes.

Balti Chicken

Serves 4-6

800g chicken
1 onion - chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
3 garlic cloves - crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoons crushed cardamom pods
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon saffron strands
1 teaspoon lemon juice
150ml natural yoghurt
150ml water
150ml cream
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Melt butter and oil in deep pan.  Add chicken and fry until brown.  Remove chicken from pan and put into casserole dish.  Do not discard fat and juices left in the pan.   Add chopped onion and fry for a minute or so over a medium heat.

Meanwhile mix together in a bowl the garlic, spices, yoghurt, almonds, lemon juice, salt and saffron strands.  When onions are brown add spice mixture to the pan and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.  Add water and simmer.  Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish and cook for 30-35 minutes at 180C.

When cooked, stir in cream and most of the chopped coriander.

Serve with basmati rice and garnish with the rest of the coriander.

Pork Stroganoff

Serves 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
10 oz. minced pork
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 oz. flour
2 tablespoons tomato puree
3/4 pint vegetable stock
3 oz. button mushrooms, wiped and halved
1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. white long grain rice
3 tablespoons sour cream

Heat the oil in a frying pan.  Add the mince to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in the chopped onion and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in the flour and tomato puree, continue to cook for 1 minute, then add the vegetable stock, button mushrooms and pepper slices.  Season well with salt and ground black pepper.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook the long-grain rice in salted boiling water for 15 minutes, or until tender.  Drain well.  Stir the soured cream into the stroganoff and continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Spoon the cooked rice around the edge of a warmed serving plate, then spoon the stroganoff into the centre of the rice.   Serve with extra soured cream, if liked.

Salmon en Croute

Serves 4-6

plain flour, for dusting
500g pack of all-butter puff pastry
800g salmon fillet, bones removed
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp black olive tapenade paste
a small bunch of fresh basil
2 ripe tomatoes
150g ball of mozzarella cheese
1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.  Dust a large, flat baking tray with flour.  Dust a clean work surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll out the puff pastry, dusting as you go, until it's the same size as the baking tray (about 30cm x 15cm).  Place the pastry on the floured tray.   Drizzle the salmon fillet with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Transfer to the pastry, skin-side down, then spoon the black olive paste over the top, spreading it out into a thin layer.  Pick the basil leaves and place them over the fish.  Slice the tomatoes and place them over the basil.  Tear the mozzarella into pieces and scatter these on top.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.  Gather up the sides of the pastry and pinch and push them together.  Crack the egg into a cup and beat it with a fork, then use a pastry brush to paint this egg wash all around the pastry edges.

Place the baking tray at the bottom of the preheated oven, with an empty baking tray on the shelf above to protect the top of it from getting too much heat.  Cook for 35 minutes.

Belgian Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Serves 8-10

225g (8oz) good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 dessertspoon caster sugar
225g (8oz) unsalted butter
2 tbsp raisins, soaked in boiling water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
225g (8oz) plain biscuits, broken
25g (1oz) walnuts or toasted almonds, chopped

I dont add raisins or nuts and put in quite a few more Rich Tea biscuits.

LIne a 13 x 20cm (5 x 8in) loaf tin with non-PVC clingfilm.

Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl placed over a bowl of hot, but not simmering water, or in a very cool oven.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Melt the butter and while it is still hot whisk it into the egg and sugar mixture.  The mixture should thicken slightly.  Next stir in the melted chocolate, drained raisins and vanilla extract and finally the broken biscuits.

Press into the prepared loaf tin.  Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and allow to set in a cold place for a couple of hours or until firm enough to cut.

Spicy Pork Appetizer

Serves 4

4 tbsp vegetable oil
125g/4oz shelled peanuts, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 coriander roots, finely chopped
450g/1lb minced port
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 Little Gem Lettuces, broken into leaves

Heat oil in a wok.  Add peanuts, stir-fry for 2 minutes or until they start to colour.  Add garlic, shallot, coriander root and stir-fry a further 1 minute.

Add pork and stir-fry for 5 minutes.  Add sugar and fish saue.  Season with freshly ground black pepper and fish sauce to taste.  Serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with chopped red chillies.

Special Chow Mein

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine/dry sherry
1 tsp chilli sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornflour
325g/11oz egg noodles
2 sticks celery
175g/6oz mushrooms
2 carrots
100g/4oz mange tout
spring onions
75g/3oz ham
4 tbsp vegetable oil
75g/3oz peeled prawns

Thinly slice chicken.  Mix the soy sauce, rice wine, chilli sauce, sesame oil and cornflour.  Stir in chicken, cover and marinate for 20 minutes.  Put noodles in a bowl of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim and diagonally slice the celery.  Clean and slice the mushrooms.  Peel the carrots and cut into thin matchsticks, halve the mange tout, trim and chop the spring onions and dice the ham.

Heat half the oil in a wok.  Stir-fry the celery and mushrooms for 1 minute.  Stir-fry the carrots, mange tout and spring onions for 2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok.  Add the chicken and marinade and stir-fry for 5 minutes.  Stir in noodles, prawns, ham and cooked vegetables.  Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until hot.  Serve.

Vietnamese Pork with Lemon Grass

Serves Four

450g/1lb boneless pork loin, cut into slices about 21/2 cm/1 inch wide, 3 mm/1/8 inch thick and 5cm/2 inches long
1 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)
1 tsp cornflour
1 stick fresh lemon grass, bottom knot removed, then sliced finely for about 15 cm/6 inches and these slices then chopped finely
3 tbsp peeled and very finely chopped shallots or onions
2-3 fresh, hot green chillies, such as bird's eye, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp corn, peanut or olive oil
1/2 tsp hot curry powder

FOR THE STIR-FRYING
3 tbsp corn, peanut or olive oil
90g/3 oz shallots or onions, peeled and thinly sliced
5 tbsp coriander leaves

Put the meat slices in a bowl with the marinade ingredients, mix well, cover, and refrigerate for an hour, and up to 2 hours if desired.

Pour the oil into a large wok or frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the shallots or onions.  Stir and fry until the onions are slightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Put in all the meat, together with its marinade, increase the heat to high, and fry, stirring continuously, until the meat is just cooked through.  Garnish with the coriander leaves.

Caribbean Peanut Chicken

Serves four

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
225g/80z/generous 1 cup white long grain rice
30ml/2 tbsp groundnut oil
15g/1/2oz/1 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and sliced
60ml/4tbsp smooth peanut butter
450ml/3/4 pint/scant 2 cups chicken stock
lemon juice, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
lime wedges and sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish

For the marinade
15ml/1tbsp sunflower oil
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
5ml/1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
25ml/11/2 tbsp medium curry powder
juice of half a lemon

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and stir in the chicken.  Cover loosely with clear film and set aside in a cool place for 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until tender.  Drain well and turn into a generously buttered casserole.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.  Heat 15ml/1 tbsp of the oil and butter in a flameproof casserole and fry the chicken peiees for 4-5 minutes until evenly brown.  Add more oil if necessary.

Transfer the chicken to a plate.  Add the onion to the casserole and fry for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned, adding more oil if necessary.  Stir in the chopped tomatoes and chilli.  Cook over a gentle heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat.

Mix the peanut butter with the chicken stock.  Stir into the tomato and onion mixture, then add the chicken.  Stir in the lemon juice, season to taste, then spoon the mixture over the rice in the casserole.

Cover the casserole.  Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until piping hot.  Use a large spoon to toss the rice with the chicken mixture .  Serve a once, garnished with the lime wedges and parsley sprigs.

Savoury Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients
225g/8oz/generous 1 cup basmati rice
15ml/1 tbsp sunflower oil
30ml/2 tbsp ghee or butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
5ml/1 tsp ground cumin
2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground coriander
4 green cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
1 small green pepper, seeded and diced
300ml/1/2 pint/11/4 cups chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put rice in a bowl and pour over boiling water to cover.  Set aside for 10 minutes, then drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.  The rice will still be uncooked but should have lost its brittleness.

Heat the oil and ghee or butter in a flameproof casserole and fry the onion and garlic gently for 3-4 minutes until softened and lightly browned.

Stir in the cumin and ground coriander, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Fry for 1 minute, then add the diced peppers.

Add the rice, stirring to coat the grains in the spice mixture, and pour in the stock.  Bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan tightly and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed.  Spoon into a bowl.

Creamy Cheese Dip

2 Pounds Dip

16oz. Cottage cheese
8 fl. oz. sour cream
5oz. Philadelphia or Roquefort cheese
8 spring onions, chopped
4 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

In a large bowl, mix the cottage cheese and sour cream together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is creamy.  Put the Roquefort cheese in a small bowl and mash it well with a fork. 

Mix the Roquefort into the cream cheese mixture and stir well.

Stir in the spring onions, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.  Chill in the refrigerator before serving.

Maureens Coffee Cake

Cake
8oz. Stork Margarine
8 oz. caster sugar
4 eggs, large
8 oz. self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder

Icing
5 oz. Stork Margarine
10 oz. icing sugar
2 tbsp. coffee essence

To make cake.  Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and beat with wooden spoon until well mixed (2-3 mins).  Divide mixture evenly between two greased and bottom-lined round 8" cake tins.  Bake in centre of pre-heated oven (325F, Gas No. 3) for 45 mins.  Turn out and cool.

To make icing and decorate cake.  Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and beat together until well mixed (2-3 mins).  Sandwich cakes together with a little icing, and spread remainder over sides and top.

Asian Seared Salmon

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

grated rind and juice of 1 lime
15ml/1 tbsp soy sauce
2 spring onions (scallions), sliced
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2.5cm/1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
1 lemon grass stalk, finely chopped
4 salmon fillets,  each about 175g/6oz
30ml/2 tbsp olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
45ml/3 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), to garnish

For the noodles
250g/9oz medium egg noodles
30ml/2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, cut into fine strips
1 red (bell) pepper, seeded and cut into fine strips
1 yellow (bell) pepper, seeded and cut into fine strips
115g/4oz mangetouts (snow peas)
15ml/1 tbsp sesame oil

Put the grated lime rind in a jug (pitcher) and pour in the lime juice.  Add the soy sauce, spring onions, chilli, ginger and lemon grass.  Season with pepper and stir well.  Place the salmon in a shallow non-metallic dish and pour the lime mixture over.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet.  Drain well and set aside.

Brush a griddle pan with 15ml/1 tbsp of the olive oil and heat until hot.  Remove the fish from the marinade, pat dry and add to the griddle pan.  Cook the salmon fillets for 6 minutes, turning once.

When the salmon is almost cooked, add to the remaining marinade in a separate pan and heat through.

While the fish is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a wok or large frying pan.  Add the carrot and stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Add the drained noodles, pepper strips and mangetouts and toss over the heat for 2 minutes more.  Drizzle the sesame oil over and season well.

Serve the salmon on a bed of noodles and vegetables.  Garnish with coriander.

TIP
Fresh root ginger freezes successfully and can be shaved or grated from frozen.

Wellington Squares

Base

12oz / 350g self raising flour

8oz / 225g unsalted butter

4oz / 110g caster sugar

Filling

8oz / 225g caster sugar

8oz / 225g unsalted butter

5 tablespoons golden syrup

vanilla essence

13 fl oz / 397ml nestle full cream condensed milk

Topping

12oz / 340g good quality chocolate

3oz / 85g butter

Preheat oven to 180C or 350F or Gas Mark 4.

Rub flour, butter and caster sugar together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Press into a 24cm x 38cm x 4cm swiss roll tin. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Place all the ingredients for the filling into a saucepan over a low heat. Stir until sugar is dissolvedf. Boil for 7 mins approx, stirring all the time. Allow to cool. Pour over base.

Melt chocolate and butter. Pour over filling.