cured, pickled and spiced

Yesterdays weather was a belter, winter must be over. Last opportunity to use up the season's jarred and preserved goodies before the fresh varieties start popping up all over the place again. All that said, it'll be freezing and wet again by the weekend, but in readiness for the cold hard moths later in the year, the time to start stockpiling has as good as begun! I'm starting with my favourite - proper pickles...roasted nuts next week.

Dill pickles

Before buying pickles from the grocery store, consider making your own extra crisp kosher dill pickles. Making your own dill pickles is inexpensive and will save you money over the years. Homemade kosher dill pickles also make great gifts for friends and family members. Add your favorite spices and seasonings to the pickles to make them suit your tastes. Patience is required when making kosher dill pickles. Canning the pickles will not take a lot of time, but the pickling process will take two to three weeks.

4 to 8 lb pickling cucumbers (4 inches)

2 cups white vinegar

6 cups water

1tblsp kosher salt

1 tblsp pickling spices

Large garlic cloves

Jalapeno chillies, chopped

Bay leaves

Grape leaves

4 heads fresh dill weed

Choose firm and ripe pickling cucumbers. The cucumbers used for pickling need to have plenty of warts and they should be bright green in colour

Wash the pickling cucumbers thoroughly. Remove any excess dirt and debris from the cucumbers, and lay them on a paper towel to dry.

Decide to leave your pickles whole or cut them into halves. Depending on how large your canning jars are, it may be necessary to cut the cucumbers lengthwise. Do this step before preparing the pickling solution so that the cucumbers are ready to be soaked in the brine solution.

Add the vinegar, water, salt and pickling spices to a large pot. Bring the brine solution to a rapid boil.

Place the remaining ingredients in the canning jars. Add one large, peeled garlic clove, one chopped jalapeno chilli, one bay leaf, one head of fresh dill weed and one grape leaf. The grape leaves are what make the dill pickles extra crisp.

Pack the pickling cucumbers into the jars. Do not force the cucumbers into the jar, but ensure that they fit tightly into each jar.

Pour the brine into the sterilised pickling jars. Fill the jars with the brine, leaving only 1/2 inch of space at the top.

Place the canning jar lids on the jars. Secure them with the canning jar rings.

Shake the jars to remove any leftover spices. Sit the kosher dill pickles out of sunlight in a cool and dry environment. Let the pickles ferment for at least seven days.

Taste the dill pickles after seven days have passed. Continue to pickle them for another 7 days until they reach your desired tastes

Refrigerate the pickles after opening

dumplings - little pillows of happiness

Wherever you've lived, visited, even fantasised over, there'll always be one or two resounding features in your memory bank that can take you back there in a nano second. For me it's the East and the dumpling. I've eaten not nearly enough in my life, served up just as many again, and dreamt of a disturbing figure in between the two. 

I'm not going to profess to having an ultimate recipe for any dumpling either, I know way too many people who can wipe the floor with me there, and there's as many again who are serious food experts who still leave it to a small handful of professionals. But in the odd occasion where you're too far away from that fantasy place and the need is great, this'll do fine.

Dumplings

Makes 100 

670g plain flour
330ml cold water
1 bai-cai (Chinese leaf, also called pak choi), very finely chopped, sprinkled with salt, left for 30 mins then squeezed dry
225g extra-lean minced pork, organic or free range
10-12 tiger prawns, peeled and finely chopped
4 spring onions, using both the white and green parts, very finely chopped
15g ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
sunflower oil
2 eggs, beaten
soy sauce
Chinese cooking rice wine
sea salt
sesame oil 

Suan zhi (garlic sauce) 

5 cloves garlic
Chinese dark rice vinegar
sesame seed oil 

Put the flour in a large bowl and drizzle water onto it, mixing the flour. Then use your hands to form a large ball. Leave to rest for 30 mins. For the stuffing add the bai-cai to the pork, prawns, spring onion and ginger. Heat 2 1⁄2 tblsp of oil in a wok and when the oil is smoking add the eggs, moving briskly until they are golden and crispy. Add to the pork mixture with 2 tblsp of soy sauce, 7 tblsp of sunflower oil, 3⁄4 tblsp of rice wine, three pinches of salt and a drizzle of sesame oil. 

To make the skins take a handful of dough, make it into a sausage 2.5 cm in diameter and cut into pieces 2.5 cm long. Form each piece into a ball, then flatten, making a disc about 3.5 cm in diameter. Then roll them (all 100) into circular dumpling skins about 7-8 cm in diameter (you can buy these if you must). Put 1 1⁄2 tsp of stuffing mix into the centre of each skin and press the edges together to form a half moon shape with the middle pushed together and the ends open. 

Seal the corners by creating little concertina-like folds as you press the edges together: it is crucial they don't open during the cooking process. 

To make suan zhi chop the garlic and add to the dark rice vinegar with a drizzle of sesame oil. I also add a tsp of brown sugar, 1 tblsp of soy sauce and 1⁄2 tsp of chilli oil. 

To cook the dumplings boil a pan of water and carefully add 20 at a time - they will sink. Using a spoon stir the water (not the dumplings) to create a whirlpool which will encourage the dumplings to float. When they are floating put the lid on and let them cook for 2 minutes. When the water is really boiling add a little cold water and bring it back to the boil. Do this twice more then add a final drop of water. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon. Eat with the sauce - pick up your dumplings with chopsticks and bite off the end to let out the steam.

mushrooming about the time of year

There isn't much you can do wrong with a mushroom. Some love them (me) some can't get past their apparent sliminess (weirdos) some just go with the flow. As their true wild season comes to a close, one last blast today is in order. Mushrooms on toast for breakfast and a slow braised beef casserole with fat handfuls of every variety I'm able to get my hands on is a fitting Sunday any which way you look at it.


Sunday breakfast has to be where the weekend makes any sense, and filling the house with the smell of sauteed mushrooms, toasted bread and fresh coffee cannot fail to get the day rolling just nicely as in Plan A. Lightly toasted focaccia just because it soaks everything up like the most delicious edible sponge. A pile of evenly sized of the harder mushrooms like pied bleu, hedgehogs and even buttons and chestnuts. Butter, a tiny splash of cream at the end. A fat pinch of really good salt and plenty chopped parsley and black pepper.

Beef will go on shortly and cook throught the day. I'm looking at a fist full of ceps to go with diced shin and a load of garlic, shallots and thyme. A decent bit of red wine in nice and early, maybe spiked with a hit of chilli, and probably farted about with a bit more still. More on all that as soon as I've snoozed off breakfast and pretended to read the Sunday papers.

Croquettes. Oxtail for now but anything will do

Post Christmas there's always bits and bobs of leftovers lying around in various pots and bags in the fridge. Once the ubiquitous Boxing day sandwiches have been presented, the curry has been made, the soup and the risotto, there's only so much left to do with all those half portions of random. Kroketten are a traditional Dutch snack food, often served with French fries. This authentic recipe takes some time but the results are far better than anything you can buy ready-made. I'm not for once suggesting many people have a handy little pot of beautifully braised oxtail spare at home, but this as a guide works with almost anything blended through a thick béchamel and deep fried "til perfectly crisp. Happy New Year!

Oxtail Croquettes

Makes 20 pieces

For the stock

900g/2lb oxtail .

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

100g/3½oz butter

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 tblsp salt

2 bay leaves

Bouquet garni

6 coriander seeds, crushed

1 beef stock cube

For the ragout

6 gelatine leaves

100g/3½oz butter

150g/5½oz plain flour

1 tsp curry powder

few drops Worcestershire sauce

1 litre/1¾ pint beef stock

Oxtail meat, from the stock

For the finishing

4 free-range eggs, beaten

100g golden breadcrumbs

50g plain flour

Vegetable oil, for frying

For the stock, season the oxtail with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the butter in a pan and fry the seasoned oxtail until browned all over. 

Add the onions and carrots and continue frying until the onions are softened and beginning to brown. 

Add 2.5–3 litres/4½-5¼ pints of cold water, the tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, bouquet garni and, if using, the crushed coriander seeds. 

Bring to a boil, then immediately turn down the heat and leave to simmer on the lowest possible setting for a few hours. The longer this cooks, the better it tastes.

Very carefully, sieve the hot stock through a clean tea towel, then transfer the oxtail bones to a plate and leave them to cool. Discard the onion and carrot. 

Check the seasoning of the stock and add salt or a beef stock cube if you like. Remove the meat from the bones when they are cool and throw away the fat.

Next, make the ragout. Place the gelatine leaves in a small bowl in a little cold water to soak. 

Melt the butter in a saucepan, but don’t let it brown. Add the flour, curry powder and Worcestershire sauce and stir until crumbly. 

Start adding the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. At first, the mixture will form a smooth ball, but gradually it will become a thick sauce – the mixture has to be really firm and thick to make the kroketten.

Add the meat and stir into the sauce then squeeze out the gelatine leaves and mix them thoroughly into the ragout.

Season the ragout to taste with more salt, freshly ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce or curry powder.

Leave the mixture to cool in the fridge until it is really cold. Put the beaten eggs in a low, wide bowl and the breadcrumbs and flour in separate bowls alongside. Take a spoonful of ragout and roll it in your hands into a sausage shape. 

Roll this in the flour, then the egg and lastly the breadcrumbs, making sure the kroketten are well covered all over. 

Continue until all the mixture is used up, then roll the kroketten in egg and breadcrumbs once again.

Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large saucepan to 180°C/350°F, or until a cube of bread turns golden-brown and crisp when dropped in.

Fry the kroketten, a few at a time, until deep golden-brown. If they start to sizzle, take them out of the pan, as this is a signal that the filling is starting to leak. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

Serve immediately, but take care – they will be very hot...

Scallops and sprouts

As its pretty much Christmas and if you haven't yet, better get the sprouts in before the annual panic buying frenzy strips the shelves. Sprouts aren't just for the turkey, I hope we can all agree on that. This is simply a perfect little canape idea for your Christmas eve...

Scallop and Brussels sprouts with Jalapeño salsa

Serves 4

4 large scallops

Sea salt

20 Brussels sprouts

1 tblsp plus 1 tsp grapeseed oil

2 tsp clarified butter

Beetroot strips for garnish

Jalapeño salsa

1 red onion

A few coriander leaves

½ jalapeño chilli

1 tblsp Jalapeño dressing

Start preparing the jalapeño salsa: finely chop the red onion, coriander, and jalapeño. Place all of these in a bowl.

Salt the scallops. Peel away the individual leaves of the sprouts.

Put a small frying pan over a medium heat and add a little grapeseed oil to it. Sauté the scallop in it until very lightly browned on both sides.

At the same time place another larger frying pan over a medium heat and add some oil to that. Salt the sprout leaves and quickly and lightly sauté them. They should remain slightly crunchy. Finally add the clarified butter to the sprout leaves and quickly heat through.

Place the scallop in the middle of the plate and pile the sprout leaves around the scallop.

Finish the jalapeño salsa by adding the jalapeño dressing to the red onion, coriander and jalapeño, and blend swiftly together. Top the scallop with the jalapeño salsa. Garnish with a little beetroot.

Aim to sauté the scallop so it is lightly browned on the outside, but still medium-rare on the side.

The jalapeño salsa ingredients should be mixed with their dressing just before serving, to best enjoy its flavour and piquancy.

Meatloaf is the new foie

No really, it is...  Have a bash at this now it's freezing cold outside, you really ought to trust me. Quite a lengthy ingredients list, but there's nothing over the top and about half should be store cupboard staples anyway. Bit of mash, braised red cabbage and a splash of gravy and all is good with the world again.




Meatloaf

Serves 4-6

50g butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely sliced
1 green pepper, finely chopped
4 spring onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tblsp chilli sauce
1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
125ml evaporated milk
125ml tomato ketchup
750g minced beef
250g minced pork or sausage meat
2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
250g breadcrumbs
Freshly ground salt and pepper 

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, celery, pepper, spring onions, garlic, parsley, chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes.

Add the evaporated milk and ketchup and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Discard the bay leaves. 

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

Place the beef and pork in a large bowl; add the eggs, breadcrumbs and vegetable mixture, and season. Place the mixture in an ungreased roasting dish and bake for 25 minutes. Raise the temperature to 200C/Gas 6 and bake
for a further 35-40 minutes.

Serve from the roasting dish

Wagyu weekend treat

It's the day of rest, and no better time for a deserved weekend treat this evening. Don't hold back on ordering the roast chicken, or pork even, but save any beef urges for later tonight, I certainly will be. This is utterly Cantonese in its inspiration, fun and fresh. Steam a bit of rice, and some greens, then whack this together in your wok. Perfectly comfortable and of course you don't need to go the whole wagyu hog, but it isn't really a treat if you don't.

Pan-fried diced wagyu beef in teriyaki sauce 

Serves 4

600g wagyu beef (cut into dice)

12 stalks of fresh asparagus (peeled and trimmed) cut into 4cm lengths

2 tblsp teriyaki sauce

½ tsp cornstarch, dissolved in a tblsp water

300ml chicken stock

Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a wok and sauté the asparagus for a few seconds, remove with a wire mesh skimmer and drain well

Heat the wok with water, when boiling blanch the asparagus again for a few seconds (remove excess oil) drain well, clean the wok and pour the chicken stock to cook the asparagus for a further 3 minutes. Remove from wok and place on a plate.

Reheat the wok with another splodge of vegetable oil, just enough to coat the surface, place the diced beef in the wok and fry hard until golden brown all over, remove from wok and place on plate.

Pour teriyaki sauce into the wok, add chicken stock and seasoning when boiling, adjust the fire and stir in the dissolved cornstarch to thicken the sauce then spoon over the beef and asparagus and serve.