General Chat

As promised I am back to submit the fish dishes. have to admit they are not mine as such but from a book about fish from around the British Coast. there may be the occassional variation.

1. The easy one


Shellfish Soup

1. 2 tablespoons of olive oil
2. 2 medium onions peeled and diced
3. 2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
4. tin of chopped tomatoes with basil , you can add your own basil if you have simple tinned tomatoes.
5. half a pint of dry white wine, youcan drink the other half whilst cooking!
6. 12 oz of mixed shellfis, mussels, scallos, prawns ets. you can use frozen or fresh.If using frozen defrost before using, rinse and lightly dry.
7. French stick or crusty bread


Method

Heat the oil in a Large saucepan and soften the onions and the garlic.
Add the tinned tomatoes and the wine and cook for 5 minutes
Add the shelfish and cokk for a further five minutes

Meanwhile heat the French stick or similar and serve

Serves 4 people


Scarborough Fish Cobbler

Ingreidients.

1/ 12 lbs of Cod or Haddock
1 pint of milk
1 bay leaf
2oz butter
2oz flour
1Onion, skinned and diced
4 oz parawns
1 tbls of fresh parsley. Juice of jalf a lemon
salt and bpepper

Scone topping
8 oz self raising flour
Pinch of salt
1 level teaspoon of baking paowder#1 level teaspoon of dry mustard powder
2 oz butte
3 oz of Wensleydale or similar cheese grated.
1 egg
Half a pint of milk.

Method

set the oven at 425 F or Mark 7

cook fish in a pna with half of the milk and add the bayleaf. DO NOT overcook.
Reserve the liquid, skin and flake the fish, but leave so that there are small pieces of fish.
Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook without browing,stirring all the time for no longer than 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat, add the fish liquid and remaining milk. Return to the heat and stiring bring to the boil.
When the sauce thiskens add the onion and cook gently for a further 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the fish, prawns, parsley and the lemon juice and seasoning.
Put into a 2 1/2 pint ovenprove dish.

Scone topping

!. Place all the dry ingredients except the cheese in a bowl, rub in the butter, stir in the cheese, add the egg, and sufficient milk to make a soft dough. Knead slightly, roll out to about 1/2 an inch thick and cut into scones then arrange them overlapping slightly around the edge of the fish mixture.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the scones have risen and are golden brown.

Serves 4 to six people.


This is not as fiddly as it sounds and can be prepared quite qickly.

A quicky!!

Buttered Crab


2 large crabs or crab meat.
2 Anchovy fillets, tinned are fine.
1 glass iof white wine
1 cup of breadcrumbs
3 teaspoons of melted butter, DO NOY USE MARGARINE!
Pinch of nutmeg
salt and Ppper
Slices of buttered toast.


Method

Mash teh Aanchovy fillets and add the breadcrumbs and nutmeg, make sure that they are thoroughly mixed
Add the wine and season to taste.
Bring the mixture gentley to the boil in a saucepan and then simmer for 5 minutes.

Flake the meat from the crabs, mix with the mellted butter and add to the hot wine mixture.
Gently cook for a further 4 minutes and then serve on a hot dish surrounded by the strips of buttered taost

Serve with a side Salad of your choice.


Point of Interest. Every year a blessing of the first whitebait catch is held at Southend. This fish is still caught in fairly large nubers along the South essex Coast.
My first MIL used to make this and they lived near Southend in a placelled Hullbridge.

Essex whitebait.

Ingredients.
1lb whitebait washed and dried.
4 tablespoons of flour
2 teaspoons of curry powder.
1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
Black Pepper
Lemon wedges
Oil for frying.
Good Brown Bread

Method

Put the flour with all the other dry ingredients into a bowel and mix well.
Heat the oil until very hot but not burning!
meanwhile coat the whitebait in the seasoned flour and fry in the oil a few ata time.
Drain them on crumpled kitchen paper.
Keep the cooked whitebait in the oven to all are cooked
Serve with the thick Lemon Wedges and buttered Brown bread

Serves 4 people



I have more if you want them for exampl Cullen Skink
Lobster or Crab Pie
Norfolk Fish Soup, given to me bye an elderly Norfolk famers wife!
Crab Cakes
Smoked Haddock
More Fish soups
Fish loaf
Fish casserole

remember Fish is one of the most nutitious things we can eat, doesn't take long to cook and is delicious.
Bye for now

bridget

Bridget, I must say that I have never had Guinness to drink only used it for cooking, my preference is a glass or two of wine.

Another one for the sweet tooth!!
Sorry can't find fractions on this computer!!

This is my daughter's flop-proof recipe.


BROWNIES.

Melt 250g Butter

Stir in 2 cups sugar

Beat in 3 eggs, one at a time

Add 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Beat in 0 .5 of a cup of cocoa powder
1.5 cups unsifted cake flour

Pour into greased swiss-roll tin

Bake at 190 degrees C for 20 minutes.
(They are supposed to be moist in the middle and not dry).


Val in SA.

Oh Val

This brought back many memories.

I think this is a variation of what I used to cook when there were myself and husband, 6 children and one set of parents all living together, with the other set of parents visiting frequently!

No wonder we needed such a big house and enormous amounts of food. We used to call it Guiness Dinner, and yes we often had a guiness or two to drink as well!

Will be putting several fish and seafood recipes on here later today. All this talk has made me realise I have not eaten today so going to have some toast with local honey and a fresh coffee. Then prepare this evenings measl which is a pasta of some sort, won't know until I look in the store cupboard etc to see what is there!

Bye for now.

Bridget

SLOW COOKED CHUCK.

Serves 4-6


2 Tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
2 Teaspoons sea salt
3 Teaspoons dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon thyme leaves
7 Cloves Garlic, peeled
175 g soft dark muscavado sugar
3 Teaspoons olive oil
l kg Chuck
55 g Butter
2 Onions roughly chopped
13 stoned prunes
1 can Guinness.


- Blend the first 7 ingredients in a food processor.

- Rub the chuck all over with the paste, cover and refrgerate overnight,
turn the meat from time to time.

- Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

- In a heavy casserole dish heat the butter until foaming, add the onions
and fry them. Remove and set aside.

- In the same casserole dish add the chuck and any marinade
and brown the meat on all sides

- Return the onions to the dish together with the prunes and the
Guinness. Bring to the boil, cover and put into the oven
for 3 hours.

- Remove the meat to a serving plate carefully as it will be very
tender.

- Reduce the cooking juices to a coating consistency and then pour
over the meat.




Val in SA.

Any fish will do Bridget, I love fish.

I have just found some fish recipes that I used to use in the UK. If anyone is intersted I will put some on this thread. If you ahve a favourite fish just let me know and I will see what I can do.

Bridget

no recipes today!


bridget

Lindy evaporated milk yes is ideal milk.
copied to here.

Ohh.. Bridget,

Looks GOOD,

I'll copy & paste those Salad dishes.

Looks pretty as well....
Thank you so much ,off down to super market tomorrow for some salad goodies.

Marilyn x

Everything sounds sooo good!

Lindy, glad you found some Tennis Biscuits, and I thought Marmite at R32 for a 250g jar was pricey!! I'll be waiting for the chocolate mousse recipe,


PECAN PIE.

Crush: 16 Salticrax Biscuits ( this is a salted cracker)
100 grms Pecan Nuts

Meringue: 2 Egg Whites
1 Cup Sugar

Beat the egg whites until stiff (not dry)

Add the sugar slowly, beating well between each addition.

Add the crushed Salticrax and Pecan nuts.

Put into a pie plate and bake at 180 degrees C for about 20 minutes.

Decorate with cream and pecan nuts.,





Val in SA.

Ann in Glos

I use evaporated milk

Bridget

Salads for Marilyn


Tomato and Mozarella

8 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove of garlic

Beefsteak tomatoes. Mozzarella chees 225g
12 to 18 cherry tomatoes
2 shallots peeled and finely chopped can use ordinary onion instead.
black olives which are stoned
4 large hard boiled eggs

Basil leave or chives to garnish


1. Slice the tomatos and arrange in a circle on a large round plale
Slice the Mozzarella and tuck a piece between each tomato

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them on the cheese and tomatoes.
Scatter the olives and shallots or onion all over the dish
Quarter the eggs and arrange in the centre of the plate
Garnish with the herbs

Drizzle a little oil all over 30 mins before serving


Easy to make.



Watercress, spinach and Parmesan salad.


" bunches of water cress, make sure it is washed and dry.
Baby spinach leaves also washed and dried.
Parmesan, try to use fresh grated otherwise buy in a pack.
Put everything in a large bowl and mix well, Dress with a well known brand of Mustard salad dressing or make your own by

Put one teaspoon of caster sugar into 2 Tablespoons of cider vinegar. and heat gently to allow sugar to dissolve.
Mix one whole egg and one extra egg yolk in with the vinegar. when cool.
Dribble in 300ml of groundnut oil or olive oil gently whisking until all mixed together.

Simple salad

Have bags of mixed leaves and any other salad ingredients that you like, Mix them together with grated carrots and add for colour,
Slice cucumber finley and overlap around the salad,

You can really add anything you like, from eggs, radishes, croutons, grated cheese, herbs, of cuts of smoked salmon, ham, anchovies., chopped nuts,..just do not use all of them!

I am sure you wouldn't.

Let your imagination run wild. and enjoy.


bridget

Bridget,

You are very welcome!.

Hiya Ann,

I was verbally given the recipe with condensed milk. However, on reflection I do agree that it is thicker and sweeter. To be honest it never crossed my mind to replace the condensed milk with evaporated milk. Is that the same as the Ideal Milk that we used to buy in a can in the RSA. On the other hand I don't ever remember seeing it on sale over here, but then nor have I looked.

I have a fantastic recipe for CHOCOLATE MOUSSE if anyone is interested. ( no condensed milk...lol..)

Lindy ;)))))))))))))))))

Lindy, just checking, if I make a mousse with jelly I use evaporated milk, do you actually use condensed milk which to me is different, thicker and sweeter?

Merlin, I take it from your message that you have invited us all to join you.

Thanks! from

Bridget and all the other participants, it is very generous of you!


Lindy, these sound absolutely great...Thank You.

AManda, anything with condensed milk is yummy, I have been known to sneak around and eat it from the tin!!!!! Oh the calories


Bridget

I got a BBQ on Wednesday...

Now who can give me a recipe for a bowl of salad....A bit different from the usual, something with a bit of cheese in. or something else ?

I'm doing Debbie's french bread with Garlic Toms & Onions

I have all the usual Chicken & Spare ribs but I want to show off a bit !! LOL

Marilyn x

Recipe for a delightful evening meal, you should all like it. 1st.pick up phone and call best restaraunt in your area,next book the best table there. Shower Shave ( Where Neccessary )and shampoo.Get a Taxi there and enjoy the best they have,No worries about Prep.Cooking.Washing up etc, or having a few too many glugs of wine etc.Then pay the bill and go home after a very enjoyable evening. You cant beat that.**M**.:o)>xx

Afternoon Ladies,

Hiya Val,

Guess what? I just came back from a shop that sells SA goods, which is in the next city and came back with a packet of tennis biscuits..lol..I went there especially to buy a bottle or marmite as I have been craving for ages. They had one big one that would last me a year or more for 7 euros and 50 cents which I was not going to pay and to add insult to injury it expires next month. Oh well! I shall keep looking.

Thanks for the recipe Amanda ;)


The following recipe recipe was given to me exactly as I have typed it..lol..the cooking time and oven temperature I worked out for myself.
I use a 32cm oval ovenproof dish for all my baking. My mugs hold 300ml.

CARROT CAKE

2 milk mugs of finely grated carrots.
2 mugs of self raising flour.
1 mug of sugar.
Half a mug of oil.

Mix everything together and bake at GAS two and a half for +/- sixty minutes.

Once again the following was given to me as is and the yoghurt container is used as the measuring cup...don't you just love these recipes ;).. Years ago I asked my neighbor at the time, who must now be deep in her seventies, why no measurements and nothing written down. Her answer was simple, " Her Mum did not know how to read or write, so the recipes were handed down by word of mouth. " BLESS THEM."

YOGHURT CAKE

4 eggs
1 plain yoghurt ( 120g )
2 full yoghurt cups of sugar
3 yoghurt cups of flour..........( I use half flour half maizena )
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Half a cup of oil

Beat the eggs, add the yoghurt, sugar and oil. Continue beating while adding the flour and baking powder a little at a time.

Beat until the batter is smooth and has lots of air bubbles ..;).. I cheat and use an electric beater.

Pour mixture into a greased cake tin and bake on GAS two and a half for +/- 40 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa ( I use whatever I have on hand which is normally drinking chocolate )
2 teaspoons baking soda ( Ye old fashioned bicarb. )
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk ( freeze the rest for another day )
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup boiling water

Mix everything together at high speed in a mixing bowl until well blended and smooth.
Pour into greased and flour baking dish and bake for one hour on gas one and a half.



I don't do icing, absolutely useless. So if anyone has a simple but delicious, moist chocolate icing that I can smother in grated chocolate..my mouth is watering...I would be most obliged.

BOLA ( Savory Cake )

6 Eggs
1 teaspoon salt ( I use 2 teaspoons salt and a bit of black pepper )
1 cup milk
1 cup oil
3 cups flour ( If I don't have any self raising flour handy, bread flour is just as good )
1 teaspoon baking powder.
200g ham
200g chouriço
100g bacon
100g mortadela

Chop up the cold meats and mix everything together. Bake for +/- 45 minutes on gas 5.

I bake in a bread tin that has been lined with greaseproof paper because you can be sure that it will stick to the bottom and sides. Also, I use two chouriço sausages instead of the other cold meats as well.

CREPES CALYPSO

1 cup flour
2 cups milk
4 eggs
pinch salt
oil for frying
small non stick frying pan

Beat everything together till smooth.
Heat the oil and pour it off, quickly pour in a thin layer of batter.
Fry quickly until crisp and golden.

Repeat the above until all the batter has been used.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE

margarine
oranges
sugar
orange liquor
big frying pan

Melt 2 tablespoons of margarine, add juice of 2 to 3 freshly squeezed oranges, 2 tablespoons of sugar and orange liquor, dissolve sugar and bring to boil. Add one or more of the crepes to the sauce and boil for a few seconds, turn crepe around for a further few seconds, fold in half and scoop into a plate with a bit of the sauce, serve immediately.

The unused crepes can be refrigerated for a few days.

PINEAPPLE MOUSSE

1 packet pineapple jelly, make the jelly and add 1 can of condensed milk. 1 medium can of pineapples cut into squares and add half of the canned pineapple juice. Mix everything together and set in fridge.

More another day!

Lindy ;))))))))))))))

This is nice
Gypsy Tart
10 oz Dark Brown Sugar
Large tin Condensed milk

Whisk sugar and milk together for about 10 mins
Pour into 8 inch cooked pastry case
Bake for 10 minutes in hot oven ,leave to cool

This was given to me by my sister-in-law who was a school cook ,it was a favourite with the school children

Sent you a pm Lindy,

Carn't wait for the cake recipe's
Favorite chef...Delia