Coq Au Vin

So I got a new toy for the kitchen. The time saving slow cooker! For my first outing, I decided to make Coq Au Vin.

Serves 4

600ml Red Wine
300ml Chicken Stock
4 Large Chicken Thighs
150g Smoked Bacon Lardons
2 Bay Leaves
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Sprigs Rosemary
2 Sprigs Thyme
150g Baby Chestnut Mushrooms
4 tbsp Plain Flour
8 Shallots, peeled and left whole
2 Carrots, chopped
25g butter

1. Put the flour in the bag with the salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs to the bag and shake well till the thighs are covered.

2. Take the pot out of the slow cooker and put on a medium heat add the butter till melted and covers the base of the pot. Add the chicken thighs and flour and fry to seal the chicken (all sides should be white). Add the bacon to the pan and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, return to the slow cooker and put on a low heat for 7 hours. If the sauce is too watery then add flour and leave for 20 minutes.

4. Serve with mashed potatoes

Movember 4 Course - Main Course - Lamb Shank with Mo Sauce

So the Main course I am serving delicious fall from the bone lamb shanks with Mo Sauce (well Mint Sauce but we are going with the Movember theme)

Serves 2

2 Lamb Shanks
Olive Oil
3 Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Onion, diced
2 Garlic Cloves
125ml Red Wine
500ml Lamb Stock
Sprigs of Thyme
2 Bay Leaves

Mo Sauce
Bunch of Mint
Salt and Pepper
5 tbsp Hot Water
5 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1  tbsp Caster Sugar

1. Preheat the oven for 200c/180c fan assisted. Take a large casserole dish or large roasting tray and place on hob. Heat the olive oil in the dish/tray. Add the shanks to the dish and add salt and pepper. Brown the shanks all over. I would recommend doing this one shank at a time. Remove from pan

2. Fry the onions and carrots until softened (should take 5 minutes). Add the thyme, bay leaves and garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.

3. Add the stock and wine. Add the lamb shanks to the dish. Then add the lid to the pan or cover with fin foil tightly. Then cook for 2 hours so the lamb is tender. When finished leave on the side for 10 minutes to rest and serve with mashed potatoes.

Mo Sauce

1. Grind the salt and pepper on the mint and roughly chop and add to small dish. Then add the hot and let it cool. Once cooled add the white wine vinegar and caster sugar and mix well. You only need a bit of mint sauce on the lamb.

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Eyeball Truffles (V)

Happy Halloween! Keep your eye out for these.

I have my eye on you

Makes about 20-22 (Depending on the size of the eyes)

200g Plain Sponge (eg Madeira or Victoria Sponge)
150g Oreo Biscuits
150g Dark Chocolate
50g Butter
250g White Chocolate

Decoration
Red Gel Food Colouring
Black Gel Food Colouring
Strawberry Laces
Sugar-coated chocolate confectionery (don't want to say brand, but we all know what I mean)

1. Blitz the sponge and biscuits together, in a food processor,  until they resemble crumbs.

2. Add the melted butter and milk chocolate to the food processor. And blend until the mixture sticks together.

3. Form the mixture into balls and place on a plate and put in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

4. Boil some water in a pan and place a bowl on top with the white chocolate in it. Reduce the heat of the pan and melt slowly so the chocolate doesn't end up grainy.

5. Cover the chocolate balls in the white chocolate and place on a cooling rack so the excess drips off (put a piece of grease proof paper to make it easier to clean up).

6. For the sugar-coated chocolate confectionery put a drop of black gel for the pupils. While the white chocolate is still warm place the sweet on the truffle. Then leave the balls to cool.

7. For the laces, this will be the veins. Take 3 laces and wrap one them around the other two. Snip them so they are approximately 5cms in length. Warm up a teaspoon (I placed it in a mug of warm water and dried it) then melt the side which is opposite the sweet and place the laces on the chocolate and allow it to cool off.

8. Finish off the look by making the eyes blood shot, by using the red gel food colouring. If you run out and want to make the eyes gory, squeeze the tube and the remains will splatter over the eyes giving it a bloody effect.

Spicy Bean, Mushroom and Pepper Quesadillas (V)

2 Vegetarian Dishes in a row.... Wow I am on a roll. This one is Mexican in origin with plenty of spice and flavour. Have it as a main meal with some rice, guacamole and sour cream or for lunch

Serves: 4
Dash of Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely sliced
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
1 Red Pepper, diced
5-6 Mushrooms, sliced
Coriander, roughly torn
100g Cheese
Can of Red Kidney Beans
Can of Pinto Beands
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chilli Powder
8 Tortillas
Salt and Pepper
200ml Salsa, Plus Extra
Guacamole (Or Make Own Here)
Sour Cream

1. Heat the oil in the frying pan. Fry the peppers and mushrooms in the pan for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2.  Add extra oil if it needs it. Add the onions and garlic to the pan until they begin to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the paprika, cumin and chilli powder and stir in. Add the beans with a dash of water and heat through for about 5 minutes. Get a masher and mash the beans, onions and garlic together. Taste and Season. Mix with the pepper and mushrooms.

3. Take a tortilla and spread the bean mix on the tortilla. Add a bit of salsa to the top. Add the cheese and coriander. Top with another tortilla. Wipe the frying pan and dry fry the tortilla on each side for a couple of minutes. Repeat this 3 times. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Lasagne

The Garfield classic. A dish which is common among the micro meals but tastes far better when you make it yourself. Can be made in advance and cooked later.

Serves 6

Meat Filling

700g Mince Beef
Pack of Back Bacon
1 Medium Glass of Red Wine
2 Bay Leaves
2 tsp of Dried Oregano
4 tbsp Tomato Puree
Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
2 Onions, finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Salt And Pepper
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
400ml Beef Stock
Olive Oil

Cheese Sauce

50g Butter
800 ml Milk
250g Strong Cheddar (use the good stuff as the cheap stuff dosent taste nice)
4 tbsp White Flour
1 tsp Nutmeg

Lasagna Sheets

1. Get a large frying pan, put over a medium heat and add olive oil. Fry the onions and garlic until they begin to soften. Add the bacon and fry for 5 minutes.

2. Add the mince beef and fry until it begins to brown.

3.  Add stock, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, oregano, lemon juice and tomato puree. Leave to boil until the stock had reduced.

4. While the stock is boiling, prepare the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in the pan. Gradually add the flour to the melted butter until it thickens. Then add the milk to the pan and whisk. Leave on a low heat for about 5-10 minutes. If the sauce hasn't thickened add more flour. Once thickened add the cheese and nutmeg.

5. In a large oven proof dish layer the meat ragu, then lasagna sheets and some cheese sauce. Repeat this until the meat ragu and cheese sauce runs out. Then on the top grate more cheese.

6. Either refrigerate until needed or put in the oven and bake for 40 minutes at 200c/180c fan assisted. Serve.