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.

Coffee and Walnut cake

Yummy Scrummy i don't like coffee as a drink yet as a cake i love it nice moist this is the simplest coffee cake recipe i have ever seen easy as 1,2,3

This recipe will never fail to come out perfect.

Ingredients

• 175g/6oz butter
• 175g/6oz golden caster sugar
• 3 large free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz flour
• 1 tsp baking power
• 2 tsp instant coffee granules
• 65g/2¾oz walnut pieces
  
  

To make the filling

• 600ml/1 pint double cream
• 1 tbsp instant coffee powder, dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
   
2. Line the base of two 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed sponge tins with baking parchment.
   
3. Beat the butter and caster sugar until light, pale and fluffy. You could do this by hand, but it is far easier with an electric mixer.
   
4. Crack the eggs into a bowl, break them up with a fork, then add them a little at a time to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition.
   
5. Combine the flour and baking powder and gently mix into the butter and sugar, either with a hand-mixer on a slow speed or by hand, with a large metal spoon.
   
6. Dissolve the coffee granules in a tablespoon of boiling water, then stir into the mixture.
   
7. Chop the walnuts and fold them in gently
   
8. Divide the cake mixture between the two tins, smooth the top lightly and bake for 20 to 25 minutes - the cake should be springy to the touch and a skewer inserted inside should come out clean.
   
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
   
10. For the topping and filling, whip the double cream and add the coffee mixture.
    
11. Spread half the coffee cream over one of the cake halves and sandwich the cakes together. Smooth the remaining coffee cream over the top.
    
    
    have fun with this recipe it and hope it turns out perfect for you to

Chutneys

Well during my down period of baking i have moved into the WONDER FULL area of chutneys/preserves and have found a love for these as long as you have enough time to make them it well worth it.

you don't really need a awful lot do make them if you making a small quantity you mite be able to get away with a large saucepan but a Preserving pan is well worth the investment around £40 if you intend to make them in some quantity/regular. The only down side to making chutney is to really enjoy it at its best you have to leave them alone for really at least THREE months.

Look out for the Chutney Recipes to follow soon