by Sarah Cooper | Jan 31, 2021 | Recipe Ideas, Side Dishes
Apple sauce is a fantastic accompaniment to Roast Chicken and Roast Pork. The subtle tang of the apples is complemented with the sweetness of the sugar. It’s very easy to make and only has three ingredients. Bramley apples, sugar and a splash of water.
Ingredients
You will need
- 3-4 large Bramley apples, peeled. cored and chopped into pieces around 2cm or 1 inch diameter.
- Sugar to taste
- A splash of water
Method
Put the prepared apples into the pan with a splash of water
Using a low-medium heat, gently cook the apples until they are the consistency you prefer. Keep stirring them all the time to ensure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once they are at the right consistency, remove from the heat and using a clean teaspoon, taste the apples. This gives you a good starting point for knowing how much sugar to add. It’s a good idea to add some sugar a little at a time, tasting it regularly. This means you can get the sugar levels right for the apples you’re using.
Once the apples are at the right level of sweetness tip the hot apple sauce into a dish and leave to cool
Storing Apple Sauce
Once cool the apple sauce can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen in a tub or bag for around a month.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with Sausages and mash
Serve with roast chicken, turkey or pork
Use as the basis for apple crumble, apple charlotte or an apple pie
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by Sarah Cooper | Jan 2, 2021 | Chicken Dishes, Recipe Ideas, Slow Cooker
Slow Cooked Chicken is one of my favourite lazy Sunday dishes. The chicken can be put in the slow cooker in the morning (or afternoon if you have less time) and left to gently cook whilst you do something more interesting. Towards the very end of the cooking time you can give it a quick blast in the oven to crisp up for 15-20 mins and you’re done.
Some people like to use a foil sling under the chicken whilst it cooks but I never bother. I simply put the chicken into the slow cooker, add a splash of water (you could use stock or wine if you prefer). It goes on low if I have all day and on high if I only have the afternoon.
When it goes in the oven you could cover it in honey, or you could add a little salt, salt and freshly ground pepper
Ingredients
- A medium/large chicken
- A splash of water/stock or white wine
- Herbs or spices to taste. Rosemary and Thyme go well with chicken. If you were wanting something a little more spicy you could sprinkle the chicken with a little hot paprika before cooking instead of the herbs.
- A little sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- A splash of oil
Method
Remove all packaging from the chicken. If you’ve bought it from a butcher check inside it to ensure that they haven’t left you a little bag with giblets in. If they have, remove and discard the giblets.
Place chicken in slow cooker. Some people like placing the chicken breast side down as they feel it helps keep it moist. Personally I don’t think it matters too much either way.
Add the liquid (some people don’t use liquid, but I would always use a splash of liquid a) as an insurance policy as I have heard (albeit rare) tales of ceramic slow cookers cracking without any liquid in them and b) because it helps to keep the meat moist.
Sprinkle with any herbs or spices you might be using and replace the lid.
Cook on high for the afternoon or low all day. If you’re at home with the slow cooker it is worth keeping an eye on the chicken as chicken is a very soft meat and can cook quicker than you’d think.
Towards the end of the cooking time or if it starts looking like it’s going to drop to bits take it out, transfer the chicken to an oven proof dish and cook at about Gas mark 7 (200oC) for about 20 mins until it’s golden and crispy.
Ideally you want to remove it BEFORE it starts dropping to bits. The first time I cooked one I left it in all day and spent hours trying to fish out bits of chicken, skin and bone. If this happens to you, try cooking it for one hour less next time and see if that helps.
Each slow cooker is different and so the important thing to consider is how long your slow cooker is going to take to cook your chicken! Always ensure it’s piping hot throughout before serving and that the juices run clear.
As you get to know your slow cooker you will see how long your slow cooker takes to cook the size of chicken you normally buy and be able to adjust your timings accordingly.
To Serve
Serving suggestions include homemade Yorkshire puddings and Cauliflower Cheese
What to do with the leftovers
- Use in sandwiches or a wrap with a little salad, salad cream or mayo for lunch the next day
- Cook and cool some pasta twists or bows, drain carefully, add salad and a little pesto. Add some chunks of leftover chicken and stir
- Make into chicken noodle soup
- Make into chicken pie
by Sarah Cooper | Apr 11, 2020 | Recipe Ideas, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes
Delicious, hot, bubbly Cauliflower Cheese, a perfect side dish to serve alongside a Sunday Roast Dinner, or with Gammon or just enjoy on its own as a Vegetarian Dish. .
If you have some Broccoli you can add that too (or if you want to make Broccoli cheese just use Broccoli in place of the Cauliflower)
Ingredients
- A Cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons of Plain Flour
- 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine (NOT the low fat/low calorie stuff)
- Milk (I use whole milk but semi-skimmed or skimmed would work equally well)
- Mature Cheddar Cheese
- Salt and Ground White Pepper
- Half a teaspoonful of Dijon or English Mustard to taste *optional
Method
Cut the Cauliflower into small florets (‘trees’)
Boil water in a large pan along with a pinch of salt
Carefully add the cauliflower to the pan of hot water and simmer for about 5-10 mins until tender but not soft
Drain and add to an oven proof baking dish
To Make the Cheese Sauce
Put the butter/margarine in the pan with the flour and some salt and pepper
Over a low heat stir the flour/butter until it forms a golden coloured paste this should take a few minutes
Let it cook for a few mins, stirring constantly so it doesn’t stick
Slowly add milk, stirring all the time. It should start to thicken. Keep stirring
Once it starts to bubble remove from the heat
Stir in a couple of handsful of grated cheese to taste along with the mustard if using
Taste to check the seasoning, if it needs more salt and pepperor cheese add them in and stir using a clean spoon
Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the cauliflower and sprinkle with a little extra grated cheese
Cook at around 180oc for about 15-20 mins until the cheese is bubbly and golden in colour.
If you make too much cauliflower cheese
Cauliflower cheese can be frozen successfully in an oven proof dish if well wrapped up and will be fine in the freezer for up to one month.
by Sarah Cooper | Apr 11, 2020 | Recipe Ideas, Side Dishes
Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
Light, Crispy Yorkshire Puddings are the perfect accompaniment to any Roast Dinner. They’re also wonderful served with Savoury Mince or turned into Toad in the Hole. The best thing about them is they can be cooked in advance and frozen in a tub until needed and are cheap to make.
Ingredients
- 5 heaped tablespoonsful of Plain Flour
- A pinch of salt and ground white pepper
- 2 large eggs or 3 medium ones
- Whole milk (about a regular mugful)
- Sunflower oil or Dripping
Method
Put the oven on to about 230oC or Gas Mark 8
In a bowl put the flour the salt and the pepper and stir well
Carefully crack the eggs into the bowl with the flour and add a splash of milk
Using a whisk, an electric whisk or a fork mix well
Once it looks like a thick paste add another splash of milk and whisk well
Repeat this until the batter is the right consistency. It needs to be fairly runny but still thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you find that it’s too runny add a little flour slowly and whisk until smooth, if you find it’s not runny enough add a little extra milk and whisk.
Leave to rest whilst you heat up the oil in the oven.
In the bottom of muffin trays or a 4 hole Yorkshire Pudding tin add either a drizzle of sunflower oil or a knob of dripping
Put the tins in the oven until they’re smoking hot
Take the pudding tins out of the oven and carefully pour the Yorkshire Pudding mix into the trays
Put back in oven and cook until risen, golden and brown.
If they’re looking like they’re starting to go too dark coloured turn the heat down to about 200-220oc.
Try not to keep opening the oven door as it will let all the hot air out and the puddings won’t rise properly.
What to do with left over Yorkshire Puddings
If you have any puddings left over you can cool them and freeze in a tub for up to one month. When needed put them back in the pudding trays and heat in a hot oven for 4-6 mins or so until they’re piping hot.
Recipe Variation: Toad in the Hole
Make the Yorkshire Pudding Batter as described above and leave to rest.
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 7 or 22OoC?
Instead of oiling pudding trays put sausages and a drizzle of sunflower oil? into an ovenproof dish. Prick the skins of the sausages. If you don’t have many sausages chop them up into 3 or 4 pieces each and scatter into the baking dish
Place into the oven for 10-15 mins, until the sausages are starting to look golden brown
Pour the pudding mix over the sausages and put back into the oven until golden brown and nicely risen. If it looks like it’s getting too brown too quickly turn the heat down a little bit.
Serve with gravy, mashed potatoes, swede and carrot mash and cauliflower cheese.
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by Sarah Cooper | Apr 11, 2020 | Meat Dishes, Recipe Ideas
How to cook Roast Silverside of Beef
Silverside lends itself to being cooked in the oven. This recipe has only a few ingredients as the flavour of the Beef should speak for itself.? If you have a traditional roasting tin with a lid, then great use that but if not, just use a deep-sided ovenproof dish preferably made from metal.
You will need
- A joint of Silverside Beef
- A splash of water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh Thyme and Fresh Rosemary (optional)
Method:
- Pre-heat the oven to 220oC or Gas Mark 7
- If the packaging states the weight of the meat on it, make note of the weight so you can use this to calculate approximate cooking time. Otherwise you may need to weigh the meat on scales.
- Remove the packaging from the meat and place in the deep dish with a splash of water
- Sprinkle Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper on top of the meat
- Pop in oven for 20 mins
- After 20 mins turn the heat down to 180oC or Gas Mark 5
- Cover with foil and cook for a further 25-30 mins per 500g/llb
Towards the end of the cooking time check if it’s cooked to your taste, if it looks like it needs longer, cook it for longer and if it looks like it’s done it’s probably done. Just cut through it to double check. Silverside can be served slightly pink depending on your personal taste.
Once it’s cooked to your liking, lift out of the dish, wrap in fresh foil and leave to rest for 15-20 mins. This will help the meat relax a little and make it tender.
This can give you time to make Yorkshire Puddings etc. if needed.
Make Gravy from the meat juices from the roasting tin
Save any meat juices that’s in the bottom of the roasting dish and use that to make gravy out of. I normally pour it into a pan and bring back to the boil, adding a little extra water if necessary. I slowly add gravy granules and stir until it’s the right consistency.
There are other ways of making gravy but life is short and gravy granules are a quick way to make gravy. If you like add a sprinkling of celery salt (but NOT if you’re allergic to celery) and stir in.