Thick Chicken and Leek Soup

 One whole leek was diced and fried at a medium heat, along with a chopped carrot for about twenty five minutes. While that was going on I diced a whole chicken breast. 

The vegetable and chicken components were added to another pan, along with about three quarters of a pint of water and a chicken stock cube, broken into four. Simmered under glass for an hour, after which the soup was blitzed with a moulinex blender for about five minutes. 

I added the chives, a teaspoonful of paprika, a large pinch of ground coriander, a pinch of sage, and some black pepper. Stirred together, and allowed to simmer for another twenty minutes. Delicious!

Grilled Cumberland Sausage with Baked Beans

 Cumberland Sausage used to be strongly flavoured with sage and other herbs. Hard to find instances of those any more - they taste pretty much the same as other pork sausages. 

These sausages were grilled until browned (judge by eye), and served with baked beans infused with some sage (to make up the flavour deficit of the modern product). Also good if served with a sage flavoured gravy. 

Pork and Leek Stew, with Red Peppers

Stir fried diced leek, cooked until it began to brown a little, then boiling water was added. The pot was covered and simmered gently for an hour and a half.  Add two red chillies. The pork stock and herbs were added ten minutes before serving.

The pork loin steak was diced and stir fried in a separate pan until the pieces began to brown. Then the pork pieces were added to the leek sauce and stirred through. The diced red pepper was added after an hour and also stirred through. 

Served with boiled basmati rice. 
 

Potato, Spinach, and Polish Sausage Casoulet

A simple casoulet begun as a stirfry of diced polish sausage, diced potato, spring onion, quartered button mushrooms, chopped green beans. I used a drizzle of olive oil. 

Cooked for about an hour at a medium heat. Then I added boiling water, along with some vegetable stock, plus chopped spinach, and the herbs sage and tarragon. Cooked for a further forty-five minutes. 

 

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!

 

 

 

Chicken and Brussels Sprout Soup, with Herbs

Fabulous soup made with roasted diced chicken breast (one half). Plus water, chicken stock, and three Brussels sprouts, diced Italian style. Plus one julienned white onion. Cooked together for at least forty-five minutes. Thickened with a teaspoonful of arrowroot.  The herbs tarragon and sage were added ten minutes before serving. 

The chicken breast was cooked with two others in a casserole dish for at least 45 minutes at 180 deg C on the middle shelf of a preheated oven. 

 

Christmas Lunch with Chicken

A stripped down Christmas lunch for 2020. Brussels sprouts cooked for about seven or eight minutes in a steamer, roast potatoes, pork sausages wrapped in bacon (pigs in blankets), boiled carrots and parsnips, a whole chicken breast roasted for thirty minutes in a lidded casserole dish, then for another fifteen minutes without the lid (judge by eye). The pork and bacon sausages could have been cooked along with the pork, but I did them separately since the sausages cook in half the time the chicken takes. Doing them separately means you don't have to stand around the hob the whole time, watching progress. 

A gravy was made  with the stock from the boiled carrots and parsnip, with chicken stock and some cornflour, plus a pinch of sage. The chicken breast was dressed in a pinch of coriander leaf. 

What did I skip this year? Chestnut stuffing, and cranberry sauce. I used no onions at all (those would have been a component in the pork and chestnut stuffing). 

As I've said before, the trick is to have all the ingredients ready at the same time. The entire dish was prepared by lunchtime on Christmas Eve, put into the fridge overnight, and reheated in a casserole dish the next day. 

I've discussed the making of good roast potatoes here. 

Ham Hock with Peppers, Spinach and Rice

The first dish I made with the ham hock was a soup. Once it had cooled in the pan, I removed most of the fat from the suface, and spooned out some of the meat and vegetables (peas, leek and carrot). I added them to a flat pan with some lightly fried red and orange pepper strips, cooked in olive oil. Then I added two handfuls of undiced spinach leaves. Plus two squirts of tomato puree, and 200 mls of boiling water. 

The dish was allowed to simmer under glass for half an hour, after which the spinach shrivels (as it does). 

Served with basmati rice cooked in slightly salted water, and a little sage mixed through.

 

Cumberland Sausage in Gravy with Chervil

Cumberland sausage is a favourite dish, though I've noticed the level of herbs diminishing in the actual sausages over the past ten years.

The sausages were fried in a skillet for twenty minutes or so at a medium to high heat, in a drizzle of sunflower oil, and turned frequently.I prepared the onions and the gravy in a separate pan, cooking the onions first, before adding the pork stock, water, and the gravy granules.

The gravy was added to the pan of sausages, and allowed to simmer under glass for another twenty minutes. The herbs were added last (sage, chervil) 

Served with boiled potato pieces.

Cumberland Sausage in Gravy

A favourite dish. Pricked pork sausage with sage, cooked in a large flat pan for twenty minutes at a medium heat. Drizzled with some sunflower oil. The sausages were turned regularly until they browned, and then were cooked with julienned onion under glass for another fifteen minutes at a low heat.

I made up the gravy (in this case with gravy granules and some pork stock) in a measuring jug, and added hot water (it doesn't need to be boiling).

The gravy was added to the pan and the sausages were stirred around. Cook for another twenty-five minutes under glass, moving the sausages around occasionally.

Served with a dressing of freshly ground black pepper.

Roast Pork Casoulet, with Smoked Paprika

Roast pork from the freezer, cooked in a tomato and red wine sauce for an hour. Plus diced spring onion, and a white onion.

The wine was an Artusi Merlot, which is both delicious and cheap.

 I added a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.  I also added pork stock, plus the herbs sage and tarragon.

I added potatoes and strips of yellow pepper. Plus the herbs oregano and basil, plus a quarter teaspoonful of smoked paprika. Cooked for an hour before serving, and dressed in dried coriander.

Roast Pork Stew, in a Red Wine Sauce

Roast pork from the freezer, cooked in a tomato and red wine sauce for an hour. Plus diced spring onion, and half a white onion.

The wine was an Artusi Merlot, which is both delicious and cheap.

 I added a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.  I also added pork stock, plus the herbs sage and tarragon. A simple and delicious dish.

Serve with potatoes, pasta, or rice if you prefer. Served in this case just as it is.

Potato Rosti Patties, with Pork Stew

A pork stew, accompanied with potato rosti patties.

The patties were made with potato rosti, one egg, two tablespoonfuls of cornmeal (cornflour will do just as well), and several pinches of the herb sage. I used an ice-cream scoop to shape the patties. Cooked under glass in a little olive oil,  until they were ready (about twelve minutes).

The pork stew was made with chopped selections from a roasted joint of pork. Cooked with tinned tomato, mushrooms, leek,vegetable and pork stock,  and numerous herbs (oregano, tarragon).

Roast Pork in a Leek Gravy, with Sweet Potato, Green Beans, and Red Pepper.

Pork crackling joint cooked on the middle shelf of the oven at 190 deg C for two hours and fifteen minutes (1.6kg). The joint sat in a casserole dish on a bed of diced leek, vegetable stock, and some olive oil. Cooked unlidded.

Served with sweet potato (cooked first), green beans and red peppers, boiled or steamed. The sweet potato will be ready in twenty minutes, but the beans and pepper strips take about ten minutes, so they should be added later.

I added sage to the leek gravy, and dressed the plate in some more. Delicious!

Pork and Sage Meatloaf, with Salad Leaves and Olives

Made with one grated carrot, half a grated apple (Pink Lady), two diced spring onions, three quarter cups of oats, four hundred grams of pork sausagemeant, four cloves of finely diced garlic, and one egg (for binding purposes).

The sausagemeat came from the freezer, and was allowed to thaw completely before use. The main ingredients were added to a pyrex bowl along with a dessertspoonful of olive oil,  and mixed together by hand (very therapeutic) for between five and ten minutes,

Half a teaspoonful of sage was then added, plus a quarter teaspoonful of coriander leaf. I also added a quarter teaspoonful of salt, and the same measure of paprika. Mix once more for about two minutes.

The meatloaf mix was decanted into a tray, and spread flat to the edges. After that, it was divided into .six sections with a sharp knife.

Cooked on the middle shelf of the preheated oven at 190 deg C for forty-five minutes, until the surface of the meatloaf is nicely browned (check progress by eye).

Served cold with green and purple lettuce, halved piccolo tomatoes, and green olives stuffed with pimiento pepper.

Roast Pork with Vegetables and Gravy

The pork joint was cooked in the oven for two hours in a casserole dish, and allowed to cool. Carved with an electric knife.

The vegetables were carrot, onion and red  pepper. Cooked in the base of the casserole dish under the joint. I added 100 ml of water to the dish. Middle shelf of the oven, at 180 deg. C.

I made the gravy with some pork stock, and the juices from the joint. I drained the juices into a small dish and put it into the fridge. I removed the pork fat from the top with a spoon before mixing the juices and the stock.

The pork, the vegetables and the gravy were reheated in a flat lidded pan for fifteen minutes before serving. Some sage can be added. Delicious! Could also be served with rice or potatoes, according to choice.

Cumberland Sausage Stew, with Sweet Potato and Spring Onion

Chopped Cumberland (pork) sausages, with a vegetable stew of sweet potato, potato, carrot and spring onion, plus kamut grains, red chilli, chopped garlic, and cardamom seed. What is the best and tidiest way to get cardamom seeds out of cardamom pods? I use a metal garlic press.



The sausages had been cooked for an earlier meal, and came with a spring onion and vegetable stock gravy. They were added to the vegetable stew, which had been simmered for about forty five minutes. Chilli, garlic and cardamom seeds had been added, along with more vegetable stock, and two pinches of oregano and one of sage.

Cooked for at least twenty minutes before serving. Serve hot!

Pork Sausages in a Tomato and Sage Salsa

Pricked pork sausages, cooked slowly (30 minutes) in their own fat, under glass in a ribbed frying pan. Turned four times.

The tomato salsa was made with onion (fried in another pan for about fifteen minutes), and later with diced cherry tomato, sliced mushrooms and diced red pepper. All cooked in a little sunflower oil for another fifteen minutes.

After that a little water was added to the salsa pan, along with two squirts of tomato puree, and a teaspoonful of dried sage. Stirred thoroughly.

The chipped parsnips were dressed in sunflower oil with a pastry brush, and were cooked under the grill for twenty minutes or so (watch by eye!). Turned once. Alternatively you can melt a little butter, and dress the chips in that.

Served with freshly ground black pepper.

Fusili with Chicken, Leek and Fine Beans

Bargain leek and celery from the Co-op, which prompted this dish.

3 centimetres of the head of the celery, finely diced, and one whole leek, cut laterally in half, and then divided into four, and then diced. Boiled for twenty minutes.

The meat from two legs of chicken was added to the pot, along with chicken stock, plus crushed garlic, and 200 mls of tomato passata (tomato puree will do just as well). Stir together thoroughly, and simmer under glass for an hour.

Add chopped fine beans (these were from Morocco), a quarter teaspoonful of paprika, plus the herbs oregano, basil and sage, according to taste. Add black pepper.

The fusili was wheat-free, and from Sainsbury's. Cooks in the same amount of time as standard pasta, but I let it rest after boiling in lightly salted water for a couple of extra minutes before draining. Serve with a dressing of freshly ground black pepper.

Unsmoked Gammon with Sweet Potato and Spring Onion

A 1.3kg gammon joint was roasted in the oven for two hours (at 190 deg C) inside a wrapping of foil. For the last thirty minutes the wrapping was opened to allow the joint to brown.

The sweet potato wedges and the diced spring onion were placed in the base of the oven for the last hour in a lidded casserole dish, after being dressed in peanut oil (ground nut oil).

Served with a gravy made with the juices from the joint, vegetable stock, and some dried sage. Delicious!