At Your Request

 
(Yes, this IS my kitchen.)

I posted a question on my Facebook Page a few days ago asking people what they wanted to see here on the blog.  I was really pleased with the answers I got and happily I had already cooked some of the things you wanted to see so I have created a bit of a round up of those ones here today.  The rest I will have to cook one at a time as my budget and time fits!

Also if you didn't particpate in that survey on my Facebook Page, feel free to post your requests in the comments section at the bottom of this post.  I will endeavor to fulfil them at some point!



Someone asked for a good risotto recipe.   This is a recipe for a really delicious oven baked Chicken and Broccoli Risotto.  Not traditional, but very good.  The recipe for that is HERE.  



Then there is my recipe for a dessert type of risotto . . . Vanilla Risotto with Oven Roasted Pears.   You can find that recipe HERE.  It's really good.  You will want to have small firm pears for this.



This is my recipe for a Traditional Victorian Sponge or Victorian Sandwich cake as it is sometimes called.  You can choose to use all butter in it if you wish, or half butter and half margarine.   All butter will yield a slightly heavier cake.  Both versions are good.  It all depends on whether you are a purist or not.   The cake you see here was made with half and half.  You can find my recipe HERE.



Rice Pudding comes in several different kinds.  This one is one which is cooked on top of the stove and is simply rice and a bit of sweetener and milk.  You can find that recipe HERE.  It is quite simple to make and is really very good, if I don't say so myself.  



Then there is this version, which is a Danish recipe which I clipped out of a newspaper yonks ago and is my absolute favourite rice pudding.  It, too, is cooked on top of the stove, but includes a delicious cherry sauce and is flavoured with almond, cinnamon and cardamon.  You can find that recipe HERE.



Then there is this absolutely delicious version of rice pudding which is baked in the oven.  This is Todd's favourite one.  It too is simple and very creamy.   You can find that recipe HERE.  

Someone asked for a good recipe for Yorkshire Puddings.  Over here you can buy them ready made and compared to homemade they are not quite as good.  Homemade ones are infinitely better.   This is my FIL's recipe.  He was a career cook in the Canadian Military and these are THE best.   Seriously.  But you have to follow the directions exactly.



*Yorkshire Puddings*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

I wonder who it was that discovered that with just a little flour, milk  and eggs you could create something that is so crispy, light and delicious!  Sunday lunch just wouldn't be Sunday lunch without a couple of these on the plate.  These turn out perfect every time, as long as you follow the directions to a "T."  Not hard to do really as they are very simple.

2 large free range eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups milk, at room temperature (315ml)
1 cup flour (140g)
a little oil or dripping

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning.  Beat your eggs together in a large measuring jug until very light.  Whisk in the milk.  Sift the flour into a bowl along with the salt.  Make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients all at once, pouring them into the well, and then whisk them in, slowly incorporating the dry mixture from the sides until you have a smooth batter.  Now, this is the important bit . . . COVER IT AND LET IT SIT ON THE SIDEBOARD FOR ONE HOUR.

Preheat your oven to 230*C/450*F. .  Place a small amount of oil or dripping into each cup of a 12 cup muffin tin.  Place the tin into the hot oven to heat up until the fat is hot and sizzling.  remove from the oven and quickly divide the batter amongst each muffin cup, filling them about 2/3 full.  Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until well risen, browned and crispy, reducing the oven temperature by 10 degrees every five minutes.  Serve hot with plenty of gravy!!


 

Toad in the Hole was a recipe which I posted in the very early days of this blog, hence the picture which is not so good.  I've learned a LOT since then, but that doesn't mean that this recipe isn't delicious.  You can find my recipe for it HERE.   You can't beat a tasty Toad in the Hole with Mash for a super supper, with plenty of bisto gravy.   Stodgy, delicious and comforting!



Then there was Sausage and Bacon Toad in the Hole.   A delicious version made in individual casserole dishes, with sausages wrapped in bacon, wedges of onion and of course that crispy batter pudding base.   Fabulous with mash and gravy.  You can find the recipe HERE.  



A delicious invention of mine called Pundit Pudding, which is a mixed grill served in a plate sized Yorkshire pudding.  There is a piece of tasty rump steak, a grilled sausage, some gammon and a small chop served in each yorkshire pudding, along with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes,  with plenty of gravy, greens and potatoes on the side.  Not for the faint of heart.  Find that recipe HERE.  



Beer Battered Fish.   You can't beat a tasty Friday night supper of fish and chips.  This is a lovely  batter for on fish.   Light and crisp with beautifully flakey and moist fish inside.   Find that recipe HERE. 



And to go with it the tastiest Tartar Sauce you could ever want to eat.   Right HERE.  Rich and creamy and filled with herbs, capers, gerkins and just a touch of horseradish sauce for a bit of a spark!  We love this.  Once you have tried it, nothing else will do!

*Perfect Chips*

Printable Recipe

There are two things you need for perfect chips. One a really good potato.  You want a nice floury one, such as a Maris Piper.  You cannot make good chips with new potatoes.  Old ones are best.  Second you want to start with pure hard fat or dripping, preferably an animal fat.  Third . . . patience.   Good chips require several cookings. The first is a quick poaching in lightly salted water.  .  Let them cool and then fry for about five minutes just until cooked through, then a final fry in hotter fat to brown and finish cooking.  See . . . patience.

200g floury potatoes per person (a scant half pound)

(use potatoes that are good for mashing)

a good solid fat to half fill your pan when melted
a frying thermometer

Peel your potatoes and cut them into chips.  Rinse them well in cold running water and drain well.  Put the cut potatoes into a pot of lightly salted cold water.  Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or just until they give slightly with the prodding of a sharp knife.  Drain well and then dry them on kitchen paper towelling.  Allow to cool completely and then place into the fridge until well chilled.

When you are ready to fry your chips heat your fat to 120*C/250*F.  Add the chips in batches, without crowding the pan.   Blanch in the fat for 5 minutes, just until cooked through.   Remove, pat dry and drain on paper toweling.  Once you have blanched all the chips raise the temperature of the fat to 160*C/320*F.  Fry the chips again until crisp and golden brown.  Drain well, season with some salt and serve immediately.

That's it for this time, but stay tuned as I will be cooking up all of your other requests soon! 

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