Three cheese stuffed mushrooms

As a child one of the things I thought worthy of a dip into room 101 was mushrooms. However, with most things you had an immediate dislike for (girls, good music, alcohol) you soon grow to love over the years, and 'la funghi' is no exception.

Cultivated mushrooms are available throughout the year. The most common three are the same, but are picked at different ages. Button: the youngest, small perfectly round closed cup; Cup: lipped, slightly larger and flatter; Flat: large, older, stronger and the ones that we are using for the purpose of this recipe.

The quantities for this recipe were for three mushrooms; adjust them for smaller or larger amounts. You can see how much stuffing you have, add a little more cream cheese or cheddar to bulk. I have used a plain cream cheese by a famous producer, who also have various flavoured products you could experiment with.

50g Butter, softened
Bunch flat leaf parsley
1 clove of garlic, crushed
3 large flat mushrooms, peeled, stalks removed and finely chopped
1/2 Red onion or 1 small shallot, finely diced
1 large heaped Tbsp of cream cheese
25g Red Cheddar, grated
Handful of breadcrumbs
25g of Parmesan Cheese or Grana Padano, grated
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

1. Take half of the butter, finely chop some of the parsley, garlic and mix to make a garlic butter. Using a pastry brush, brush a baking tray lightly with the butter, the outside of the mushrooms and more generously inside the cup of each one. Season the cup with salt and pepper.

2. Take the other half of the butter and melt over a low heat in a small pan, add the diced onion and mushroom stalk. Sweat until the onion the onion is transparent. Meanwhile, in a bowl, add the cream cheese and cheddar, then when they're ready the onion/mushroom mix. Season with salt & pepper.

3. Spoon the mixture between the mushrooms, being careful not to over fill them. The mushrooms with shrink when cooked and the mixture with spread. Fill only slightly over the lip of each. Take the breadcrumbs and mix with the Parmesan, some more finely chopped parsley and bind with the olive oil a little at a time. When you squeeze the mix it should hold together. Pat the crumb on to each mushroom.

4. Place in the oven at 180c for 15-20 minutes or until the crumbs has turned golden brown. Good as a light lunch with rocket salad or to accompany steaks.

February: Savoy Cabbage

A trio of savoy cabbages came into work last week, heavy and fresh, with luscious outer leaves, no leathery wrinkles attacked by pesky invaders. They were perfect in every way, instantly you knew these were not long from the earth, the first crop of the year, straight into the kitchen, straight in the pan. 

The savoy cabbage, strong and bold, handles the harsh winter frosts and emerges in February providing a splash of green nourishment.The benefits read like a health store till receipt, providing fibre, vitamins A,C,K and B6, folate, potassium, manganese, thiamine, calcium, iron and magnesium. Alex James once wrote about how you could "actually eat yourself thin" by eating only cabbage soup, recommended by a heart surgeon. 

It's my favourite cabbage to cook, it has a wonderful nutty flavour, requires very little preparation and cooking to get the most out of it. The key word being 'little'; savoy or any cabbage should not be overcooked. Cut the stalks from the thicker outer leaves and shred (across the grain of the leaves) as fine as possible. Make sure you buy them whole and use them as you need them, pre-shredded packs will have a diminished vitamin content. 

1.Garlic and nutmeg savoy side 

This is a very simple recipe and is good for accompanying meats, particularly roast dinners. Other green brassicas, and white cabbage work well here but white must be finely shredded. The secret here is to soften the cabbage gently, not to saute (to brown) at high temperature, so the results are al dente and buttery. 

1Tbsp Olive oil

25g Unsalted butter

1/4 Savoy cabbage

1 small clove garlic

Whole nutmeg

Salt & Pepper

1. After shredding and rinsing the cabbage, finely crush the garlic. Heat the oil and butter over a low heat and  add the garlic. Sweat for 2 mins. 

2. Add the cabbage, coat in the butter well by stirring or tossing, and season with salt. This will help draw out moisture and prevent browning. The rest of the cooking time will depend, keep stirring or tossing, if your pan has a lid this will speed up the process, but after around 7-8 minutes the cabbage should be done. 

3.Grate about 1/4 tsp of nutmeg into the pan and a generous punch of freshly ground black pepper. Taste, and see if it requires further seasoning or nutmeg. Taste again. 

2.Belting braised gammon steaks and savoy cabbage

A classic combination, cabbage and bacon. In this instance I have used whole gammon steaks and braised them, and finished the final cooking liquor with cream. Braising allows the meat to cook 'slow n low', basically cooking at a lower temperature, for a long time. The result is tender meat, that falls apart at the touch and melts in the mouth. This method of cookery is particularly good for cheaper cuts meat, and would work equally as good with ham hocks or a whole joint of gammon.

4 thick smoked gammon steaks, any rind/fat trimmed off. 

Mirepoix, finely chopped. 

1 onion

2 sticks of celery

1 medium carrot

500ml chicken or vegetable stock

150ml double cream

50g butter

1 small savoy cabbage (half a large), finely shredded

500g baby/new potatoes peeled & left whole

oil

Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 150 C. You will need a large heavy based casserole pan, preferably with a lid. Heat some oil in a pan over a high heat and fry each steak 1/2 at a time until browned, and put aside.   

2. Reduce the heat of the pan, melt the butter and add the Mirepoix of vegetables. Sweat them down for 10 minutes. Once the vegetables are soft and translucent, put the steaks back in the pan. I doesn't matter if they overlap a little, add the stock (making sure not to cover the steaks, you may not need all of the stock) and some salt & pepper. Place the lid or foil lid on top and place in the oven (or on very low simmer on the stove) for an hour & half. Add the potatoes for the last half hour of cooking. 

3. Remove the gammon and potatoes and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquor and place back in the pan, discard the Mirepoix. Bring the liquor to the boil and add the savoy cabbage, simmer (about 10 minutes) until the cabbage is al dente (don't boil the cabbage). Stir in the cream, return the potatoes and correct the seasoning. 

4. In large bowls, using a slotted spoon, place the cabbage & potatoes first, and then perch your gammon steaks on top. Ladle the creamy cooking liquor over the top and serve with fresh crusty bread.  

Seasonal Update: February

"February is a suitable month for dying. Everything around is dead, the trees black and frozen so that the appearance of green shoots two months hence seems preposterous, the ground hard and cold, the snow dirty, the winter hateful, hanging too long. " - Anna Quindlen, One True Thing. 

It’s the shortest of our twelve months, maybe rightly so, frightful weather and the bridge between winter and March spring. However, in a culinary sense February has more to offer than commercialised heart shaped boxes of chocolates and pancake batter.

The land begins to emerge from its sleepy doldrums, with a stretch and groan; there are hints of spring to be found, but these are few and far between.  Historical English terms appropriately describe it as ‘Solmonath’ (Mud Month) and more importantly ‘Kale-monath’ because of the tough post frost sprouting brassicas kale and savoy cabbage.

Savoy is the jewel in the February crown, but other seasonal treats include chicory, carrots, and rose pink forced Yorkshire rhubarb. Combine these with the on-going availability of potatoes, and other root veg mean there are some comforting meals to take the mind off the unforgiving conditions outside.

There is little in the way of meat coming in, venison is still good and rabbit will be available for stewing, but really focus should be turned to the sea. Mussels are in season from September until March so should be sought out before it’s too late. Scallops are available all year round, but the native scallop is best in these wintery months and if you’re a Valentinus lover not a hater then there’s the aphrodisiacal Oyster. 

'Colombo' Pork Curry

The Colombo curry powder,
from the French Caribbean

A melting pot: a statement that both describes the structure of this dish and the origins from which it was born.  The Caribbean is a divine mixture of African, Native American, Spanish, British, Dutch, French, Indian and Chinese influences. All of them vying for the various trade routes and in this case, spice. Add these to the wonderful array of produce already available in the region and you have some fantastic food.

The ‘Colombo Curry’, you could be forgiven for thinking, originates from the streets and homes of Sri Lanka’s largest city, and you wouldn’t be far wrong. This curry originates from the French Caribbean, where Sri Lankan workers were brought there to work on sugar plantations, bringing with them the spices most common to the sub-continent.

The central ingredient to this curry is the Colombo Curry Powder (Poudre de Colombo), which I found several different versions of, containing a myriad of different spices. The central spices are cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, black mustard seed, and fenugreek (Methi) seeds. Other versions I found contains allspice, nigella seed, aniseed, cinnamon, cloves, and toasted white rice which will give you a nutty flavour.

For my recipe I chose several which I thought represented the sub-continent and the Caribbean, (there is a readymade version, I couldn’t find it in the shops) but, the beauty of it is you can design the powder to your taste and have a play, which is part of the fun. I marinated the meat overnight, which will help tenderise the meat, and give the curry another dimension of flavour. It can be done for a few hours beforehand but is not essential. All this as well as another important ingredient, sweet potato, means it breaks down into a stew like constancy and the potato almost becomes part of the sauce.

The rest of the vegetables for this also lead the way for experimentation, using types that are going to break down well like, carrots, bell pepper, courgettes, aubergine, potato and Okra. I wanted to keep the Caribbean theme going using classic ingredients such as Scotch Bonnet chillies, allspice and thyme.  I used 2 Scotch bonnets because I like a lot of heat, but you can change to suit your taste. Remember you will also get heat from the mustard seeds and peppercorns. Here goes:

For the marinade:

600g diced pork

Juice of one lime

1 garlic clove, diced

1 onion sliced

½ tsp of cumin

2tbsp oil. Groundnut or Rapeseed is good.

Mix all the ingredients together, cling-film and place in the fridge.

For the curry powder:

2tbsp white rice

2tbsp coriander seeds

2tbsp cumin seeds

1.5tsp black mustard seeds

1.5tsp of black peppercorns

1.5tsp fenugreek seeds

2tsp nigella seeds

1tsp allspice

2tbsp of turmeric

Get a small Skillet or small heavy based frying pan and place on a high heat, when the pan is hot add the white rice and toast for 2 minutes, they must be golden brown, if the pan is too hot turn the heat down. Add all the seed ingredients (not turmeric) and toast for a further 2 minutes again until golden brown. Place the ingredients into a coffee grinder, or if you’re feeling strong a good heavy pestle & mortar and grind to a fine powder and mix with the turmeric. This will give you enough for two curries; place the rest of the powder into an airtight container.

For the curry:

1 large onion

2 garlic cloves

1-2 sweet potatoes

2 potatoes

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

2-3 carrots

3-4 tbsp of Colombo curry powder

Bouquet-Garni : bunch  thyme & parsley, 2 bay leaves.

1 litre of chicken stock

2 scotch bonnet chillies

1tsp corn four mixed with 2tsp of water

Salt.

1.       Clear most of the marinade off the meat as best you can, and fry on a high heat until coloured all over. Add you chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  During this time slice your onions, peppers, and dice your garlic. After the 10, add them to the pot with the curry powder.

2.       Bring the pot to the boil, and simmer on a high heat for 15 mins. Now, large chunk your sweet potato, potato, and slice the carrots. When the 15 is up add these to the pot with the herbs and chillies, salt to taste and a little water to cover the veg if necessary. Simmer for 45 mins.

3.       After the cooking time remove all the ingredients from the pan with a slotted spoon, into a dish. Stir the corn flour paste into the sauce and boil rapidly, it will thicken instantly. Check seasoning, add little salt if needed and Turn right down. Add the solid ingredients back to the pan. 

4.       Serve with nice fluffy white rice.

5.       Why not…

·         Substitute the pork for lamb, mutton or even goat or rabbit!

·         Omit the meat altogether, this would make a fantastic vegetarian curry. 

Spicy, Pacey, Pesto!

The great thing about a Pesto is it makes life so easy. It can be prepared hours, even days before and can be that go to ingredient which will help create a quick tasty meal when time is of a premium. The classic way to enjoy it is to run it through some pasta, but it can also be spread on fish or meat and grilled or baked.


1 Large bunch of Basil
1 Clove of Garlic
75g Grated Parmesan Cheese
25g Nuts (Traditionally Pine Nuts but not essential, I like using Walnuts).
1 Red Chilli
Olive Oil
Ground Black Pepper

1. If you have a food processor throw all the ingredients in except the olive oil and blitz. When all those have been ground down nicely, slowly add your olive oil to bring it together to form a  paste, and its ready to go.

2. Alternatively, a Pestle & Mortar will do just as good a job. Firstly, grind the nuts (not too fine, some texture is needed). Next add your Basil and Garlic and give a good thorough pounding to make sure you get that paste consistency, the ground nuts will help as an abrasive to break down the rest of the ingredients. Finely chop your red chilli, and fold it in along with the cheese. Bring together with a big lug of olive oil, (trust your judgement!) and add the black pepper.

3. For a quick lunch, I had pan of Penne pasta on the boil. Just before draining the pasta I heated a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, and lightly fried some prawns. Then I drained and added my pasta to the pan, and a good tablespoon of the Pesto and stirred until all the pasta was well coated.

4. Why not?...

• Add some crème fraiche to your pesto for a creamy pasta.
• Substitute the Prawns for Salmon. 
• Mix some of the pesto with some breadcrumbs, and place on a piece of fish such as Cod or Haddock for a nicest crusted fish. 

Zingy Beef & Coconut Noodles

This supper I rustled up tonight is full of classic South-East Asian ingredients, and is extremely versatile, in that you can use chicken, pork or even prawns or squid. In this version I have used some leftover roast beef shredded into thin strips. This recipe caters for two...

The essentials:

Your desired meat or fish.
1 Tin Coconut Milk
Fine/Medium Rice Noodles (pre-cooked & drained)
1 Lime
1/2 Sweet Green Pepper
1/2 Green Chilli
1/2 Red Chilli
Bunch of Coriander (stalks included)
Large Piece of Ginger
150ml Single Cream
2 Inch piece of Lemongrass
1 Garlic Clove
2 tablespoons of Groundnut Oil (or 1tbsp sesame oil)
Few Kaffir Lime Leaves
Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)
Salt
Teaspoon of Sugar


1. In a Pestle & Mortar smash-up your Garlic, a thumb piece of Ginger, Green Chilli, half of the Coriander bunch (the half with stalks), half the zest of lime, and the a decent pinch of salt. The salt is abrasive and will help break the ingredients down.

2. Heat the oil in a Wok or deep Frying Pan, and fry your paste you have just created. Meanwhile, finely dice your Red Chilli, finely slice the green pepper, cut another thumb piece of Ginger into fine matchsticks, and bash your lemongrass with the palm of your hand or a rolling pin. Add these to the pan, along with the Lime Leaves and fry for 2/3 minutes.

3. At this stage I then added my beef and stir-fried it for a couple of minutes. If you are using chicken, pork, or raw prawns also add them at this stage. If you are using cooked prawns add them for the last few minutes of cooking just to heat through (stage 4).

4. Now, Pour in the Coconut Milk & Single Cream, the rest of the zest of Lime, and the juice of the whole lime. Roughly chop some more coriander (but keeping some back for garnish) and add this, the sugar and approximately a tablespoon of fish sauce. Bring to a gentle boil and add your noodles, turn right down and simmer for 2 minutes.

5. Ladle into some bowls, and garnish with some Coriander leaves.

A Sweet Pepper Supper - Peppers Stuffed With Eggs

I Just created this little dish with some ingredients from the fridge, cupboard and windowsill with some real Spanish themes going on.

You will need...

1 Sweet pepper (I used orange)
1 Small piece of Chorizo Sausage
2 Tablespoons of single cream
1 Clove of Garlic
2 Small/Medium eggs
Cayenne pepper (or paprika if you prefer)
Sprig of Thyme (dried if you haven't any fresh)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

1. Firstly you need to prep your pepper. Cut your pepper in half, but leaving the green stalk on, but remove all the seeds inside and as much of the bitter white pith as you can. place them on a baking tray.

2. Finely chop your garlic and sprinkle over the two halves of pepper. Drizzle with a little Olive Oil and season with salt & pepper. Place in a preheated oven on 175C for 10- 15 minutes. You do not want to overcook the pepper, it should still have some firmness to it.

3. When the pepper has blanched in the oven, grab your eggs and crack one in each half. Depending upon the size of your eggs/peppers some of the whites may spill over the edge, but don't worry about his too much. Now, spoon some cream in each stuffed pepper, sprinkle over some Cayenne/Paprika, strip your Thyme sprig of its leaves and also sprinkle on your peppers. Place back in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until your eggs are cooked.

4. While your eggs & peppers are cooking, cut the Chorizo into a small dice. Heat a pan with a drizzle of Olive Oil and fry until its slightly crisp. When your eggs & peppers are ready, spoon the Chorizo and its juices over each half. Enjoy!