Bread and Butter Pudding

Bread and Butter Pudding

I was in Waitrose the other day and saw they had some Hovis bread on offer. I decided to buy some I know I don`t normally buy shop bread but I really fancied some Bread and Butter pudding. But homemade bread doesn't work for Bread and Butter Pudding so had no choice I had to buy it and well it was so easy but so tasty and yummy you won't buy it from a shop again so I had to post the recipe.

I used a 9 inch by 12 inch oven proof dish.

Ingredients

10 slices Thick or Medium bread (your preference really i used thick)

Butter (for greasing and buttering the bread)

sultanas (I used a few hand fulls again its up to you how much you want)

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

600ml Full fat milk

300ml Double cream

4 Eggs (Medium)

4 Tbsp Light brown sugar plus some to sprinkle over the top before baking

Method

• Grease the Dish cut your bread to fit the bottom of the dish (I used the crusts for the  bottom) Then i sprinkle 1 tsp of  Cinnamon and the first handful of sultanas over the bottom layer.
• Next cut the remaining slices into triangles buttering one side of the triangle then layer them over lapping each other to make a second layer.Then sprinkle another 1 tsp cinnamon over it followed by another handful of sultanas
• Now we make the simple custard (no cooking here) simply just add the Milk, Double Cream, Eggs and Sugar and simply give it a whisking so its nicely mixed.
• Now pour the egg custard mix over the layers of bread and press down and leave it in the fridge for 30 mins for the custard to soak into the bread layers. Preheat the oven to 180c
• Once the 30 mins has passed take your Bread and butter pudding out the fridge sprinkle with some more sugar and place it in your preheated oven and it will take about 30 - 40 mins or until the custard has set and the top is golden brown.

Once the Bread and Butter pudding is baked sit back and enjoy this wonderfully simple delicious pudding and never buy shop brought again.

White Tin Load/Bloomer Loaf

This is my full proof Bread recipe which i make everyday takes nearly three hours but well worth it and while its raising you can be getting on with other bits. The dough this will make is for the Bloomer on the left and the White Tin loaf on the right of the pic the loaf in the middle is a fantastic Jewish Challah Bread Three Braid the recipe for that will follow in a few days i must say its well worth the wait.

so on with the ingredients

Ingredients

560g Strong Bread Flour
10g Sea Salt
20g Rapeseed Oil
300g Warm/tepid Water
5g Instant Yeast

(you will notice here for the oil and water i have given it in grams rather than ml's i just find it much easier to do it this way when i am weighing out all the other ingredients)

Now there are two ways you can do this you can way one is the traditional method which i find in this modern day is out dated but you can use it if you prefer to mix your dough that way i personally like the way of using a free standing mixer to do it as i have a lovely Kenwood Chef which takes all the real hard work out of it for me. so i will talk though the latter method using a free-standing mixer

Steps

1. Place the ingredients in the mixer bowl in the order they are listed if you put the salt in after the yeast you will kill the yeast so you must put it in the right order.
2. Turn the mixer on slowly to start to bring the dough together and slowly increase when the dough is together increase the speed some more and leave the mixer to kneed your dough for 10 mins after this time it should be smooth and elastic
3. Turn out the dough onto some marble or granite preferably or a floured work top.
4. Now form the dough into a ball shape and place it into a bowl and cover with a damp towel or cling film but a shower cap is the best but the others will do. leave the dough in a warm place to double in size or for a hour which ever comes first.
5. After the dough has risen knock it back and shape the dough into your desired shape weather its for a bloomer or tin etc...
6. Now flour your loaf and cover again to prove again for another hour or till its doubled in size in a warm place. While its finishing proving set your oven temp to 220c
7. Place your loaf into the oven at 220c for 10 mins then turn the oven down to 200c for 20 mins after the half and hour has passed take the loaf out and give the bottom a knock and it should sound hollow when its read if not pop it back in for another 5 mins and check it again.

This is nice and simple takes time but as i said you can get on with other buts while the doughs proving

hope you try this and it come out as well for you as it does for me.

Ps makes for WONDERFUL toast with homemade jams recipes to follow soon so keep an eye out.

Sausage and bake bean casserole

Allow two sausages person the ingredients listed with 6 sausages will serve 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil 
2 cloves garlic, crushed 
4 Medium Onions, sliced 
2 red peppers chopped 
6 or 8 Free Range Pork Sausages 
400g can Chopped Tomatoes 
400g Heinz baked beans 
200 ml chicken stock 
200 ml dry white wine (only if you leave beans out) 
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 
1/2 tsp of oregano,marjoram,parsley,basil 
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
300g frozen Garden Peas 
Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C 
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the garlic, peppers and onions over a low heat for 5 minutes until softened and lightly browned. 
3. Nestle the sausage in the middle of the casserole dish to Brown. 
4. Add the tomatoes, stock, baked beans(add white wine if not using baked beans), paprika, herbs and Worcestershire sauce season and bring to the boil and place in the oven for 1 hour. 
5. Five minutes before serving, stir the peas into the dish, cover and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Check seasoning and serve.

This is a lovely hearty Autumn/winter warming dish. Goes best with creamy smooth mash.

Rich Caramelised Onions

Caramelised Onions

Soft, richly flavoured caramelised onions are a wonderful accompaniment to cold meats, pates and terrines, and make a great base for savoury tarts. Lets not forget hotdogs, burgers and some wonderful Mature cheddar cheese. Also they're very easy to make at home - you simply cook the onions slowly to caramelise their natural sugars, while the brown sugar and balsamic help the process along. I always make a nice big batch so I have extra left over to enjoy for a few weeks, cover tightly and they'll keep for up to three weeks in the fridge.

This list of Ingredients will make enough for three people to enjoy in burgers and hotdogs. You can always double up the quantities to make extra scrummy yummy rich caramelised onions
                               
Ingredients (enough for three)
                   

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 3 large red or brown onions, sliced
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 1-2 tbs balsamic vinegar

This recipe only takes two simple steps.

                                   

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt and cook very slowly for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from catching. Don't be tempted to turn the heat up, as you don't want the onions to burn (and as we know burnt onions are never nice) so take it nice and slow.

2. When onions are softened and tinged golden, add sugar and balsamic - this will start the caramelisation process. Cook onion over low heat for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sticky and caramelised. Use immediately, or store in the fridge, in a sterilised jar or plastic container, and use when required. (I use sterilised jars as I have lots of them from my Jam and Chutney making)

Enjoy these wonderfully well with soooo many wonderful food.

Onion Scramble

Well I was just wondering what to make for breakfast/lunch so guess I should say brunch lol.

So decided to make scrambled eggs with some added extras hence the name onion scrambled.  Also I made a basic tomatoes sauce and some sweated down mushrooms.

Ingredients

6 Large Eggs (depends or more depends how Many people or Hungary you are)
6 Tbls of milk or cream for a more luxury version
1 small onions finely chopped
Chopped tarragon to taste
3 medium size tomatoes
Worcester sauce to taste
Tarragon to taste
250g mushrooms which ever type you want

Method

basic tomatoes sauce

Wash and chop the tomatoes into quarters and put in a small pan and turn the heat up and leave to sweat down stir every now and then once the tomatoes have sweated down add the Worcester sauce and tarragon and turn the heat down and leave to simmer.

Mushrooms 

peal the mushrooms and put in a dry pan just to sweat and colour once they have coloured a little bit add some butter and leave to soften

Onion Scramble

Now get the onion and peal and finely chop then put in a pan with some butter and a pinch of salt and soften and leave to get a little brown colour. Next break 6 Large eggs into a bowl and whisk together add a pinch of salt the tarragon 6 tbls of milk and the onions. Give the egg mix a stir to mix the onions into the eggs well.

turn the heat up on the pan and add the eggs stirring all the time taking off the heat ever now and then and giving a good stir and back in until it starts to come together you should have a light fluffy creamy texture.
once the egg is light soft and creamy your ready to plate up and Enjoy.

Sausages Italian Style

Sausages Italian style 

Serves 4

Well tonight I was faced with a dilemma for dinner and though oh what am I going to have. I looked in the fridge to see what was there and I was faced with some peppers, onions and some sausages so grabbed them and then went to the store cupboard grabbed the garlic, chopped tomatoes and some oregano. Then started to have a little play. 

INGREDIENTS
5 sausage links (sweet, hot, or a couple of each which ever flavour you have)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
1 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into strips 2-3 inches long
4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers
1 large sweet or yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
1 large can of chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp of dried oregano
1/2 cup Marsala or red wine (optional)
Salt to taste

Method 

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly. If they sizzle and crackle too much, turn the heat down. You want a gentle browning, not BLACK. Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside and either leave whole or cut into chunks. 

2. Increase the heat to high and add the onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil in the pan and sear them as well as you can, stirring every so often. You want some blackening. Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them. Once you get some searing on the onions and peppers, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

3. Add the Marsala or red wine if you are using, and with a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned and blackened bits. Let the wine cook down by half.

4. Add the tomatoes, oregano and stir well to combine. Add the sausages  back in. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Sausage, peppers and onions could store keep in the fridge for a few days.

Serve over polenta, or with penne pasta, or if you keep the sausages whole maybe serve as a hotdog loaded up in a hotdog roll. Any leftover sauce makes a great sauce for pasta. 

Sweet and Sour Pork Balls

I have always wanted to try and recreate the wonderful sweet and sour pork balls and chicken balls. After along time messing about in the kitchen trying to work out and make it.

The luscious textures of the Pork Belly are well complemented by a simple easy to make sweet sour sauce creating a dish that simply oozes with flavour and is mouthwatering to look at. Pork belly is now turning into an extremely popular cut of Pork in Chinese cooking and in fact all over the world.

So this is how to make it. By the way I make this to serve three if you want to serve more just add more pork belly and add adjust the sauce amount.

Ingredients for Sweet Sour Pork Belly Recipe

750 gm Pork Belly
2 Tbsp Chinese Rice Wine
Oil for frying
1 Egg, beaten
5 Tbsp Cornflour
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Oil
1/2 Tsp Salt
Water

1 Onion, medium, cut into chunks
1 Green Bell Pepper (Capsicum) cut into small cubes (remove seeds first)
4 Spring Onions (Scallions) cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tbsp Tomato Puree
3 Tbsp Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Cornflour, mixed with a little cold water to form a paste
2 Tbsp Pineapple cut into small chunks
1 Pinch of salt

Method

1. Cut the Pork Belly into 1 inch cubes and cut off any excess fat plus the rind and put into a large bowl with the Chinese Rice Wine. Stir well. Set aside for 2 hours or overnight in a refrigerator is best if you have the time.

2. In a Large bowl, blend the beaten egg, 5 Tbsp Cornflour, Baking Soda, Tomato Puree, 1 Tsp Oil, 1/2 Tsp Salt. Add water gradually to form a stiff batter.

3. Add the Pork Belly cubes and mix well ensuring all the pieces are covered with the batter.

4. Heat the oil in a wok or large pan. Use sufficient oil to cover the Pork cubes. Add the Pork Belly cubes and fry for about 3 minutes.

5. Now Remove the Pork from the pan using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels.

6. Reheat the oil and return the Pork pieces to the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until the Pork is golden brown. Remove the Pork with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen towels and set aside.

7. You can either Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of the oil or in a separate pan add 1Tbsp of oil and reheat. Add the onions and bell pepper. Fry until the onions are golden brown. Add the spring onions (Scallions) and fry for 30 secs. Remove the onion, bell pepper and spring onions with a slotted spoon and set aside.

8. In a wok or a large pan, add the wine vinegar, sugar, tomato puree, soy sauce, sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil. Add the onion, bell pepper and spring onions (Scallions). Add the cornflour paste to thicken the sauce. Add the Pork Belly cubes and stir well making sure all the pork pieces are completely coated with the sauce. Add the pineapple and serve.