Pineapple glazed chicken

• Ingredients
  1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup 1/4-inch cubes fresh pineapple
• 3 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canned sliced jalapeño chillies, drained, coarsely chopped
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin (1 3/4 pounds total)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring pineapple juice, brown sugar, and mustard to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil until glaze has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix pineapple, red pepper, cilantro, onion, and chillies in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Line baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on sheet and brush with glaze. Bake 15 minutes. Brush again with glaze, then broil until cooked through and golden, watching closely to avoid burning, about 5 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes.

Spoon salsa over chicken and serve.

MONGOLIAN BEEF

 

Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon ginger (minced)
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
½ cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 green onions (sliced)
1 medium onion (sliced)
Oil (for frying)

Preparation

Step 1: To make the sauce- in a sauce pan heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Add garlic and ginger, stir fry 10 seconds. Add soy sauce, wine and water. Add brown sugar and dissolve into the sauce. Add red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 2: Slice the flank steak against the grain into ¼” thick slices. Tilt the knife blade at a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak to get wider cuts. Toss the steak slices with cornstarch and let the beef sit for 10 minutes (this is very important, do not skip).
Step 3: Heat up about a cup of oil in your wok to about medium heat. Add the beef slices to the wok and cook for 3 minutes (or use a deep fryer).

Step 4: Remove the meat from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drain all of the oil from the wok expect about a tablespoon. Add onions to the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the steak back to the wok and pour in the sauce. Cook while stirring until the sauce began to bubble.
(Makes 2 Servings)

HOT & SPICY BEEF SALAD

Ingredients

2 x 100g sirloin steaks, trimmed
a little vegetable oil for brushing
100g/ 4oz green beans, trimmed
75g/ 3oz cucumber, deseeded
3 small tomatoes, quartered
handful coriander leaves
1 (150g) bag Bistro style leaves (eg Red Chard, beetroot
and lamb’s lettuce)
For the dressing:
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 tsp caster sugar

Method

Preheat the grill to high. Brush the steak on both sides with the oil, then season well. Cook under the hot grill for 8-10 mins, turning once until the steak is cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest for 3 mins, before slicing.

Cook the beans in boiling salted water for 3 mins or until just tender. Drain, refresh in cold water and drain again. Cut the cucumber into thick slices then mix with the beans, tomatoes and coriander leaves. Scatter over the salad leaves.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Toss the vegetables, sliced steak and salad leaves together and divide between two plates. Drizzle a little dressing over each, and serve straight away.

Cooks tip: As an extra why not serve this recipe with crusty bread.

Been Too Long

It has been a year since I last posted on this blog. Many things have happened in the meantime. Three of my internet friends have sadly died and I have had a few health scares myself. Wendell is all all grown up now and my little granddaughter is growing fast.I am inserting a couple of photos to show the changes. Off to prepare lunch after.

Beef Cobbler

 

Ingredients

900g (2lb) Stewing Beef, trimmed
600ml (1 pint) Beef Stock
600ml (1 pint) Red Wine
2 Onions
2 Large Carrots
1 Small Leek
1 Large Stick Celery
1 Small Parsnip
1 Clove Garlic
6 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
½ tsp Caster Sugar

Cobbler
225g (8oz) Flour
225g (8oz) Cheddar Cheese
25g (1oz) Butter
2 Eggs
2 tbsp Milk
1 tbsp Parsley
1 tsp Prepared Mustard
1 tsp Horseradish

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 220°C: 425°F: Gas 7.
Trim any excess fat from the beef and cut into chunks.
Peel and chop all of the vegetables.
Heat half the oil in a large saucepan.
Season the flour with salt and pepper.
Lightly coat the pieces of beef and fry in batches until golden brown.
Remove and place into a casserole dish.
Add the remaining oil and brown the vegetables adding the caster sugar,
Remove and add into a casserole dish.
Add the stock to the saucepan to deglaze, pour into the casserole.
Add the wine and bay leaf.
Cook and covered for 1¼ hours.
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
Rub the butter and mustard into the flour
Add the parsley and three quarters of the grated cheese.
Mix the egg, milk and horseradish together.
Fold into the flour mixture.
Remove the casserole from the oven, adjust seasoning and thicken with a paste made from flour and butter if desired.
Divide the cobbler mixture into 8 portions and place on top of the casserole .
Top with the remaining cheese.
Increase the oven heat and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Fig Bread and Butter Pudding

For my good friend Sharilyn. (sourced from archives on the net)

 

 

Ingredients

200g/7oz butter
1 ready-made brioche loaf, sliced
200g/7oz Demerara sugar, plus icing sugar for sugaring the dish
150g/5oz figs, halved, soaked in brandy for at least one hour (preferably overnight)
500ml/17fl oz double cream, plus extra to serve
3 free-range eggs, beaten
3 free-range egg yolks, beaten
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
100g/3½oz caster sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Butter the brioche slices generously, then cut the slices in half diagonally to create triangles.
3. Grease a 30cm x 20cm/12in x 8in ovenproof dish, then sprinkle with a little Demerara sugar. Place the brioche slices into the dish so that they fit together snugly, layering until you have added all of the brioche.
4. Sprinkle over half of the Demerara sugar, then add the figs. Finish by sprinkling over the remaining Demerara sugar.
5. Place the cream into a saucepan and place over a medium heat until just boiling, then remove from the heat.
6. Place the beaten eggs and egg yolks into a large heatproof bowl. Gradually add the hot cream, whisking constantly.
7. Add the vanilla seeds and caster sugar and stir to mix well.
8. Carefully pour the cream mixture over the brioche slices, until the dish is almost full, then leave to stand for at least 30 minutes.
9. Place the pudding dish into a large roasting tin, as deep as the pudding dish. Add water to the roasting tin until it is halfway up the sides of the pudding dish, then carefully place into the oven to bake for 40 minutes, or until the custard sets.
8. Serve in the dish at the table dusted with icing sugar and with double cream poured over.

Baked Pork Chops With Parmesan Crust

 

 

Baked Pork Chops With Parmesan Sage Crust

Ingredients -

1-1/2 cups Italian Flavoured Breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese
1 tablespoon Dried Rubbed Sage
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon grated Lemon Peel
2 Large Eggs
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
4 Bone-in Centre-Cut Pork Loin Chops (each about 1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Add Italian flavoured breadcrumbs, grated fresh parmesan cheese, dried rubbed sage, cumin, and grated lemon peel in glass pie plate.

3. Stir to combine.

4. Add eggs to medium bowl, whisk with fork until well beaten.

5. Place flour in shallow bowl or on plate.

6. Season flour with salt and pepper.

7. Dredge pork chops in flour. Shake off excess flour.

8. Dip chops in breadcrumbs.

9. Add pork chops to breadcrumb mixture and roll to coat all surfaces.

10. Add butter and olive oil to heavy ovenproof skillet. Heat over medium high heat.

11. Add breaded pork chops to hot skill. Cook 2 minutes per side until well browned.

12. Place skillet in preheated oven.

13. Bake 20-25 minutes, until pork chops are crispy on the outside.