Crispy Chicken, with Rice and Peas

 A simple chicken dish, made while I was waiting on a Wimbledon match starting a couple of days ago. A bit like a Louisiana Gumbo. Made with roasted chicken thighs, which then were chopped up and refried. Last time I had a real Louisiana Gumbo was actually in the British Embassy compound in Abu Dhabi, in the mid 90s. They served quite a lot of it, and it was pretty good.

Abu Dhabi is one of the original Trucial States, which signed a deal with the UK to allow British access to territory for the protection of the states. So Britain has access to harbour facilities, as does the US, who signed up later (we have the bigger embassy compound :-). I mention this, since it is likely that the chefs who cooked the Louisana gumbo were American, and knew what they were doing. 

Smoked Haddock with Hash Browns

Steamed skinless haddock, served with garden peas and hash browns, along with a dusting of freshly ground black pepper.
 

Smoked Haddock Risotto

Smoked Haddock, baked in the oven for sixteen minutes at 150 deg C. Broken up with a fork, and mixed with basmati rice and garden peas, stir-fried in a little olive oil.
 

Breaded Haddock Fillets

My favourite way of serving shop bought breaded fish fillets, whether cod, haddock, basa fish, etc. Really easy to prepare. 16 to 18 minutes in a roasting tray on the middle shelve of an oven preheated to 180 deg C. The (semi-skinned) potatoes were boiled for twenty minutes on the hob, These peas came from a can, and were heated in a small saucepan. Served with a little black pepper.

 

Cumberland Sausage, with Peas and Chopped Tomato

A relatively simple winter dish, made with Cumberland sausage, peas, tomato, and a pork-flavoured onion gravy.

I used to love Cumberland sausage, because it was loaded with herbs, and the flavour infused the added gravy. You have to be careful about your choice of sausages now, because most manufacturers use fewer herbs.Which is why I added extra Sage to this dish. The coiled ones are probably best. 

The sausages were cooked at a medium heat for about twenty-five minutes, turning them every seven minutes or so. I made up the basis of the gravy in a jug (onion gravy granules and the stock). All cooked together in a separate pan. I added the chopped tomato and the peas. Cooked under glass for another twenty minutes. Delicious!

 

 

 

Ham Hock soup, with Leek and Peas

Ham hock soup, with leeks and garden peas. Utterly delicious. The ham was cooked for an hour and a half in water, and then I added a diced leek. Cooked for another hour, and then I added half a can of garden peas. Cooked for another forty-five minutes. No added salt, no added spices, no added stock. Just delicious as it is!
 

Smoked Haddock poached in Milk

A dyed smoked haddock block poached in milk in a lidded omelette pan at a low heat, for about 8 minutes.

Transfer the fish fillets to a plate dusted with black pepper, and spoon some of the milk from the pan over the fish.

Serve with semipeeled boiled potato pieces, and garden peas. Fabulous dish! Fish from the freezer, bought in Morrison's about six weeks ago.

Mince, Peas, and Potatoes

A traditional British dish, particularly liked in Scotland, where it is known as 'mince an' tatties'.

The mince was browned in a drizzle of sunflower oil for twenty minutes, beginning at a high heat before the heat being turned down. I added half a large leek, cut into strips lengthwise, and then diced. Stirred frequently, and cooked at a low heat for another twenty minutes. Often an onion is used instead of a leek.

After that boiling water was added to the pan, plus the beef stock. Allowed to simmer under glass for an hour or so, by which time the leek has begun to dissolve and thicken the dish (stirring will speed up this process).

Served with garden peas, and boiled potatoes (peeled red rooster potatoes in this case).

That's it. No herbs used at all. Sometimes diced carrot is added in addition to onion or leek.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie, made with ground lamb mince. The lamb was browned in its own fat for twenty minutes or so. After that the fat was drained into a small pan via a metal sieve.

Leave to drain for for twenty minutes, before returning the lamb to the pan. Add chopped carrot, onion, courgette, and stir fry together for three minutes at a medium heat. Add boiling water, and simmer under glass for an hour and a half to two hours. At the end of this period, add the lamb and vegetable stock. Stir together for at least five minutes. 

Allow to cool, then decant the lamb filling to a ceramic or pyrex vessel (I used a casserole dish). You can store it in the fridge for a couple of days before adding the potato topping.

The potatoes were cooking in boiling water for thirty minutes until soft. Decant to a bowl, and add a little salted butter and sunflower oil. Mash together, and allow to cool.

Once the mash is cool, add it to the top of the lamb filling. Texture the mash with a fork.

Place the pie on the middle shelf of an oven preheated to 200 deg C, and cook for between 45 and 60 minutes. After 35 minutes, check the appearance of the pie, and the extent to which it is browning. Watch it carefully until it is ready.

Serve immediately, with a side-serving of garden peas.

Breaded Haddock with Garden Peas

Supermarket bought breaded haddock fillets. Cooked on the middle shelf of the oven preheated to 180 deg C for twenty minutes.Watch the fish closely in the last five minutes, since the efficiency of ovens varies quite widely.

Served with garden peas, boiled in slightly salted water, and white pepper. Also good with tartare sauce.

This is fast, healthy food!

Breaded Haddock with Mayonnaise and Garden Peas

Breaded haddock fillets from the local Co-op at a good price. Served with roasted potatoes, cooked for fifteen minutes at 200 deg C in a roasting tray by themselves. They were dusted with some Rosemary. and brushed with sunflower oil (as was the roasting tray).

Then I added the two haddock fillets to the roasting tray, and cooked them for 18 minutes along with the potatoes.

I heated some garden peas, and added a dessert spoonful of mayonnaise. Not much preparation needed! Dusted with freshly ground black pepper.