________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | introduction | \________________________________________________________________________________/ welcome to my recipe file and cooking notes. These are the recipes that I've tried/made up myself in my eternal quest of the gourmand. The primary goal of this quest is to find the best food experience the world has to offer, with the restrictions that it has to be easy to make and cheap. I refuse to admit that even the most expensive restaurant can beat the humble pizza. The recipes in this file are either made up by myself, or my take on other peoples recipes, which makes giving credit a bit vague. For example, the paella recipe was a mishmash of a dozen different versions of the traditional dish, so it would be hard to work out who to accredit the recipe to. Some recipes that I use I haven't added to this file because I use them 100% from a commercial recipe book and I won't add them until I've modified them enough to call them my own dirivitive work. If you recommend your own recipe for me to use, I will definitly give credit for it though. ________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | cooking notes | \________________________________________________________________________________/ general food notes *buying expensive pasta is pointless. sainsburys 70p for 1.5kg is excellent *good snackage sainsburys 32p chocolate cookies are teh ubar sainsburies fruit digestives mc vities plain chocolate coated digestives sainsburys chocolate digestives are ok, but not much cheaper asda 60p garibaldi biscuits asda 40p fig rolls *bad snackage tescos and asda chocolate chip cookies *sainsburys/armada centre reduce prices on baked goods at 6pm (6.30pm?) *home made food is generally more expensive and takes a lot longer *at £1 a box, a bowl of cereal costs about 10p+milk *wine for sauces can be frozen in ice cube trays *cheapest stuff *rice,pasta *lentils,potatoes *chopped onions can be frozen if you need only half an onion major errors *cheap ovens don't get hot enough and have uneven heat spread *do not leave frozen fish under the grill unsupervised. *use chilli's sparingly *The enemy of melted chocolate is water. *add a dash of milk to a tomato sauce to take away the sourness meat has the same effect, eg: bolognese things to do *technical stuff *convert file to? *xml *wiki *plain database *take photos *convert to engineering models *fix the index *try more desserts *find a good sauce for salmon *recipes to try *pizza dough balls *chicken tikka *soya? microwave sponge cake+mandrin oranges, apple slices etc. *fruit dipped in stuff *savoury strudel ?add honey to mince etc when cooking *marinade stuff and stick it on a kebab *culloden *rice cooked with ginger and pinapple ?add to standard egg fried rice mouse stack thingies desserts things to stick in rice sweet chilli sauce tomato and basil soy sauce frozen vegetables try flavoured shredded chicken, stick in freezer in small portions sophisticated breakfasts crepes baguette+? croissants vegetable stock *prawn provencale chilli baked stuffed onion honey and cinnamon roasted plums ocean pie italian baked pancake leek bacon and mashed potato baked mushrooms (small mushrooms+marinady stuff) chick pea burgers butternut squash lasagne mushroom lasagne Leek and chickpea soup italian style celery mushroom and spinach white pasta sauce spanish ommlette, but with something else instead of potato (maybe squash) slow roasted tomoatoes (needs 8 hours in oven) mushrooms on toast mushroom and mozzarella calzones http://carmencooks.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/calzones/ mexican lasagne (use tortillas instead of pasta and mexican stuff instead of italian) irish stew home made gnocchi *recipes to add to the file *chocolate roulade *butterscotch sauce also apples with caramel sauce *vegetarian spagetti *oven/bbq mediterainian vegetables *shepards pie *lentil and tomato goo *tikka paneer *tuna burgers *jamies leek and bacon soldiers *baked cod wrapped in bacon *hazelnut dacquoise *garlic butter and sweet chilli fish sauce pies chicken and leek chicken and ham creamy garlic mushroom sauce bacon cheese rolls yorkshire pudding tumbet mediteranian vegetable stack fried courgette, onion, bacon, tomato and rice savoury pancakes ingredients to use more of odd mushrooms pearl onions (the little tiny ones) Collard greens, kale, okra, tofu have lots of calcium good ready made food *iceland char sui chicken Things I've made main courses spagetti bolegnese creamy bacon and mushroom pasta sauce sweet and sour 0.8 quiche jambalaya egg fried rice paella tumbet ratatouille polenta gratin tomatoey lentil bolegnese like thingy tuna burgers shepards pie (and vegetarian versions-lentils/various beans) lasagne (optionally with mushrooms) tuna and pasta bake gnocchi in tomato sauce side bits grilled mushrooms potato bread stuffed tomatoes cod wrapped in bacon oven/bbq mediterainian vegetables jamies leek and bacon soldiers onion gratin bacon and cheese roll barley with pesto frankfurters in puff pastry desserts grilled pears with chestnut mousse ________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | Sauces | \________________________________________________________________________________/ ______________________________________ //// spaggetti sauce 1.1 \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 1 tube of tomato puree 30p olive oil/water herbs-italian herb mix ===========extras=========== 1 packet bacon peppers mushrooms onion ===========instructions=========== mix everything in a bowl and add to meat/vegetables mix. watery is good, otherwise it won't cover much area ===========notes=========== *tangy flavour from puree must be countered with salt (from the bacon) *other cheaper vegetables *add cream? *when using chopped tomatoes, simmer to allow them to break down? _________________________________________ ////creamy bacon and mushroom pasta sauce\\\\ _____________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== single cream/(milk and flour) cheese white wine vegetable broth bacon garlic mushrooms cheese ===========extras=========== add to seafood, sweet peppers (yellow and red) etc. garnish with corriander ===========instructions=========== fry bacon, followed by the garlic, then the mushrooms and white wine add the herbs, milk/cream and cheese, serve on pasta once it comes to the boil ===========notes=========== *sauce will thicken when it cools. really really thickens. ______________________________________ //// sweet and sour 0.8 \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 1 can of pinapple chunks with natural juice 30ml/2 tbsp sunflower/olive oil 1 or 2 carrots 1 or 2 peppers 30ml/2 tbsp tomato puree 45ml/3 tbsp soy sauce ground ginger 60ml/4 tbsp malt vinegar 10ml/2 tsp cornflour ===========extras=========== serve with rice ===========instructions=========== 1-cook chicken, then take out and put on a plate 2-except flour,chicken and peppers, stick everything else in the wok 3-mix cornflour with a little water and then add to sauce to thicken 4-add chicken back in ===========notes=========== *correct balance of ingedients? *cornflour vs regular flour for thickening? ______________________________________ //// stir fry sauce A v1.0 \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== -sweet chilli sauce -honey ===========extras=========== -standard stir fry ingredients ===========instructions=========== just add honey and sweet chilli sauce to stir fry ===========notes=========== -go easy on the honey -make sure to add the sauce just before serving -add slightly cooked rice just when chicken is about 80% done -combine with sesame chicken (cut chicken into smaller chunks) ________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | main course | \________________________________________________________________________________/ ______________________________________ //// quiche \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== pie crust filling leek and bacon gooey filling 1 cup double cream 2 or 3 eggs a dash of milk optionally cheese ===========extras=========== fillings include leek and bacon mediteranian vegetables ===========instructions=========== bake pie crust cook filling whisk together goey filling and add with filling to pie crust bake for bloody ages (about an hour at 180) ===========notes=========== pie with no lid shrinks for no apparent reason... ______________________________________ //// jambalaya \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== pork 1 medium onion, chopped 1 small green bell pepper, chopped 1 large celery rib, chopped 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped 1 can diced tomatoes in juice, drained 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz) 1 1/4 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 2 cups long-grain white rice 1/2 cup chopped scallion greens ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== -fry onion and celery until brown -add garlic -add broth, meat, cyenne, salt, water, tomatoes -bring to boil and add rice -add pepper and scallions before serving ===========notes=========== a little cayenne goes a loooooong way. a lot of cyenne goes chernobel ______________________________________ //// egg fried rice \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 2 eggs per persons worth of rice (250g ish) rice whatever vegetables you want in it peppers, sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms etc. soy sauce ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== cook the rice normally, but with some soy sauce in the water meanwhile stir fry the vegetables once the vegetables are cooked, put them to one side and use the frying pan to fry and scramble the eggs bung the vegetables and the cooked rice into the wok, along with more soy sauce etc. fry for a bit tomake sure everything is heated through and serve ===========notes=========== when and how should the egg be fried? how to actually fry the rice? ______________________________________ //// paella \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== garlic saffron paprika 10fl oz chicken broth little white wine shrimp/prawns/various seafood shredded chicken onions peas peppers rice ===========extras=========== garnish with? ===========instructions=========== saute garlic, onions +chicken +rice,wine,chicken broth, seafood, ground saffron until liquid absorbed +peas +peppers ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// tumbet \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== potato aubergine red pepper passata,garlic,onion ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== make a tomato sauce from the passata,onion and garlic fry the slices of potato, then aubergine, then pepper layer the slices in a casserole dish and pour over the tomato sauce bake at a medium to low heat (160C) ===========notes=========== make sure all slices are properly cooked how to stop solid bits of tomato staying on top and liquid dropping through? ______________________________________ //// sesame chicken \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== chicken sesame seeds eggs ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== cut chicken to sensible size dredge chicken in sesame seeds dip chicken in whisked egg whites dredge again fry ===========notes=========== frying seems to seal the chicken and keep the juice inside ______________________________________ //// ratatouille \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 1 augergine 1 or 2 courgettes some peppers loads of chopped tomatoes/passata garlic and oregano ===========extras=========== serve on a baguette orin cous cous ===========instructions=========== fry the courgette sliced for a bit, same with the augergine stew everything in a big pot on a low heat for as long as possible (4 hours) ===========notes=========== don't let it get too hot or the tomato starts to seperate and it gets thin ______________________________________ //// potato bread \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== potato flour butter ===========extras=========== any other interesting vegetables that might go in it sweetcorn, peas,carrots ===========instructions=========== boil the potatoes, mash them with the butter in add flour until you have a dough consistancy fry until browned ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// polenta gratin \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== firm polenta bolegnese type sauce mozzerlla ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== prepare the polenta and sauce layer the polenta and sauce in a dish top with mozeralla and bake until golden ===========notes=========== polenta needs to be firm and possibly slightly flavoured ______________________________________ //// lentil goo \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== lentils tomatoes (chopped, passatta etc.) pretty much any vegetables pretty much any herbs ===========extras=========== add extra bean types for awesome flavour variety ===========instructions=========== boil lentils as normal, with tomoatoes instead of some of the water fry vegetables, then once both cooked, fire both into the same pot ===========notes=========== good flavouring combos black pepper and soy sauce indian curry spices serves well on toast or poppadoms ______________________________________ //// butternut squash lasagne \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== real lasagne sheets 1 butternut squash passata peppers mozzarella ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== cook the butternut sqaush and mash microwave/oven/chop into cubes and fry chop the peppers up small and gently fry them add herbs and the passata to the peppers layer the lasagna sheet on the bottoms have sauce touching each sheet put in oven without cheese on top, wrapped in tinfoil uncover, sprinkle with cheese and cook for another 8 mins ===========notes=========== ________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | desserts and sweet stuff | \________________________________________________________________________________/ ______________________________________ //// apple crumble \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 200g flour 100g butter 50g sugar 3 or 4 cooking apples cinnamon or cloves ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== core,peel and slice the apples and put them in a bowl with 25g of sugar and some cinnamon/cloves rub butter into the flour until it reaches a breadcrumb consistency pour breadcrumbs over the apples and pat down cook in an oven at ~170-200 C for about 45-90 minutes (until apples are cooked and breacrumbs are golden) ===========notes=========== for speed of creating breadcrumbs, pick up a handfull and rub between hands in knife hand position ?grate the butter into the flour ______________________________________ //// sponge pudding \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 1 egg 50g flour 50g sugar 50g margerine 1 tbsp milk ===========extras=========== for chocolate version +1 tbsp cocoa +1 tbsp milk ===========instructions=========== -beat all ingredients together -microwave for 3-4 mins, stand for 1 min ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// fifteens \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 15 glace cherries 15 digestive biscuits 15 marshmallows 200ml condensed milk dissicated coconut ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== break up the digestives, cut the cherries and mix the whole lot in a bowl smoosh into a log, roll the log in the coconut then wrap in cling film and chill until set (3 hours ish) ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// flapjacks \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 200g unsalted butter 200g demerara sugar 200g hiney 400g porridge oats ===========extras=========== raisins, nuts, any dried fruit ===========instructions=========== melt the butter in a pot, dissolve in the sugar add the oats and anything else stick in a cake tin and bake for 20 mins at 180C ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// butterscotch sauce \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 50g butter 50g brown sugar 1 tbsp honey 1/4 pint double cream ===========extras=========== vanilla ===========instructions=========== melt butter, sugar and honey until they start tocaramelise add cream cook to thicken ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// chocolate dipped strawberries \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== strawberries chocolate ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== melt chocolate dip strawberries in chocolate stick in fridge ===========notes=========== try adding a little peanut oil to the melted chocolate to give a better consistency ________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | quick snacks | \________________________________________________________________________________/ ______________________________________ //// flavoured rice \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== rice seasoning whatever vegetables are lying around ===========instructions=========== cook rice with seasoning dissolved in water ===========notes=========== microwaving/steaming works well ______________________________________ //// toast pizza \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 1 slice of toast pizza sauce cheese whatever vegatables are lying around ===========extras=========== pizza sauce can be made on the pot in small enough quantities with tomato puree ===========instructions=========== toast bread in toaster add pizza sauce, cheese and vegatables stick under frill until cheese has melted and vegatables cooked ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// chilli, tomato and chicken \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 1 can chopped tomatoes 1 chilli (mild-ish, change to taste) 1 onion 2 shredded chicken breasts cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin to taste ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== saute onion with chopped chilli add tomatoes, herbs and simmer for ages add shredded chicken ===========notes=========== makes an awesome sandwich filling ________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | side dishes, accessories etc. | \________________________________________________________________________________/ ______________________________________ //// pastry \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== 2 parts flour 1 part butter ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== mix flour and butter to make breadcrumb mixture add water (carefully!) to make a thick dough knead, roll out and cook. ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// almost tortillas \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== flour water olive oil salt ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== make dough, allow to sit for 30 mins roll into flat disc fry ===========notes=========== how much oil? how to make not cracked? ______________________________________ //// sesame prawns \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== sesame oil prawns dill ===========extras=========== skewers ===========instructions=========== marinade prawns in sesame oil cover with dill, skewer and grill ===========notes=========== make sure marinading is done in the fridge how long to marinade for? what to do with leftover marinade beware of food poisoning ______________________________________ //// stuffed tomatoes \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== tomatoes stuffing ===========extras=========== optional cheese topping ===========instructions=========== cut a tomato in half, scoop out the seeds put in stuffing optionally top with grated cheese cook in an oven/grill for 10-20 minutes ===========notes=========== ?other things to stuff it with cous cous something lentil based other fruit cranberries cheese and basil ______________________________________ //// pepper piedmatise \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== whole tomoto whole papper garlic, herbs etc. ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== slice the top off a pepper and remove seeds skin a tomato and put inside pepper along with garlic and herbs bake in oven for a bit (optionally put tops back on peppers) ===========notes=========== ______________________________________ //// grilled mushrooms \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== portabello mushrooms ===========extras=========== olive oil onion/garlic/herbs top with bacon, tomato relish, a grilled slice of tomato and cheese ===========instructions=========== drizzle the oil and herbs over the upturned mushroom and sit for 20 minutes grill for a bit ===========notes=========== ________________________________________________________________________________ / \ | templatey bits | \________________________________________________________________________________/ ______________________________________ //// title \\\\ ________________________________________ ===========main ingredients=========== ===========extras=========== ===========instructions=========== ===========notes===========