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.