Tears of Joy – Spicy Pork Stiry Fry with Chilli Oil: There is, apparently, a traditional Sichuan recipe called ‘Tear in Eye’ which comprises rice noodles, chillis, crumbled peanuts sichuan pepper and scallion. I’ve googled. I can’t find it. But I can find reference to a dish served in a Chinese restaurant in the US which looks […]
Clonakilty Black Pudding Recipe – Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Pork Tenderloin with apple and Clonakilty black pudding served with cider gravy: Are you a fan of black pudding? Or is it something you shove to one side of the plate when it arrives with breakfast? Me, I love the stuff. A full English breakfast isn’t complete without a slice of black pudding and I particularly […]
Low Calorie Bolognese with Vegetable Spaghetti
Cutting Calories for the 5:2 Diet – Spaghetti Bolognese: I’m back in the UK after a couple of trips abroad and on the 5:2 diet trying to lose some of the weight I’ve gained and to continue to lose a bit more. For me, restarting a diet is the hardest time, so I try my […]
TheJuciest Burger Ever Recipe from Hellmanns
The Story of a Home Made Burger: Do you ever get a craving for a burger? One that just won’t go away… That need to sink your teeth into something meaty, juicy and incredibly tasty. The sort of craving that just doesn’t equate to a ready-made meat pattie or (heaven forbid) a fast food takeaway. […]
Roast Tarragon Chicken Supremes
Roast Tarragon Chicken Supremes Recipe Given half a chance I buy my meat from a butcher or from the local farmers’ market rather than from the supermarket. In the case of the butcher, I have rather a good ‘almost local’ butcher a few stops south on the tube. But, that’s a special journey, which only […]
The Meat Elite – Steak made Simple
Flat Iron, Picanha, Onglet and More: If you regularly buy your meat from a supermarket, you may have noticed a raft of labelling on meat packaging. And a raft of new cuts of meat – Flat Iron, Hanger and Picanha. It appears there is a connection between the two, as I learnt at a recent […]
The perfect casserole for a chilly spring – pork, chorizo and white bean:
Pork, chorizo and white bean casserole: Right now it seems to be colder than it has been for the whole of winter. It’s March – the daffodils are in full bloom in the park and I’m itching to ditch my winter clothes. That seems to be unlikely, I’m sitting here with one of those big, […]
The Taste of Greece – Lamb Casserole with Kalamata Olives
Greek Lamb Casserole with Kalamata Olives: What is it that makes a particular dish taste authentic? I’m not sure there’s one specific thing though of course that lovely term ‘terroir’ does cover quite a lot of things which may contribute. Everything from the minerals in local water, the climate, the soil on which the crop […]
My Perfect Valentine with Scotch Beef
Beef Wellington – with Scotch Beef from Alex Mitchell: There are certain recipes I’ve always hesitated to try. Beef Wellington is one such dish – if I’m honest I’m still not brave enough to try the real thing. A proper beef Wellington is made with a whole or half fillet of beef (depending on how […]
The Perfect Steak Sandwich
Classic Steak Sandwich – a Scrumdowner Special: Cooking from scratch (or nearly from scratch, because I don’t propose baking your own bread especially for these steak sandwiches) couldn’t be easier. I’ve been experimenting with thin cut rump steak, making quick and delicious snack, lunch or supper dishes in the form of steak sandwiches. Perfect to […]