Efests Recipe Book

[The Nal]

Anyone one got a good easy to make vegetarian curry recipe?

I've tried a few but can't seem to get enough flavour into them. It's probably my poor cooking skills rather than the recipe.

Yeah what are you after? A Thai sort of thing?

I do versions of this and this, both can be veggie.

2nd one, fry the paste for a couple of mins, add a tin of coconut milk, splash of fish sauce, sugar, small amount soy sauce and the veg and cook till the veg is done. Throw in some basil/coriander at the very end.

Edited June 8, 2015 by The Nal

[the_hedge]

Yeah what are you after? A Thai sort of thing?

I do versions of this and this, both can be veggie.

2nd one, fry the paste for a couple of mins, add a tin of coconut milk, splash of fish sauce, sugar, small amount soy sauce and the veg and cook till the veg is done. Throw in some basil/coriander at the very end.

More Indian than Thai. just a really good flavoured (not too hot) veggie curry. I tried this one but it tasted a bit bland http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lentil-sweet-potato-curry

Edited June 8, 2015 by the_hedge

[The Nal]

More Indian than Thai. just a really good flavoured (not too hot) veggie curry. I tried this one but it tasted a bit bland http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lentil-sweet-potato-curry

You'd need a little more added spice than that to bring the flavour up really. Indian - think tumeric, garam masala, cayenne, ground coriander etc. Something like this maybe.

[t8yman]

More Indian than Thai. just a really good flavoured (not too hot) veggie curry. I tried this one but it tasted a bit bland http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lentil-sweet-potato-curry

Homestly, try the Jamie Oliver veg curry from 30 (or 15) minute meals, uses cauli and chick peas quite a bit, starts with a rogan josh bought paste iirc, it's surprisingly good, especially with homemade mint yoghurt/raita

[the_hedge]

Cheers guys I will check them out.

[The Nal]

I highly recommend this BBQ sauce. Real easy. I've made a load of different sauces over the last year or two and I think this is the best one. The dry rub mix is essential, as is the extra cayenne and liquid smoke.

 

The dry rub is great on everything, even spuds.

 

Also, can't over emphasise the importance of a meat thermometer. I was over cooking meat (poultry in particular) for years. Cooked a chicken as soon as I got it, butcher would tell you 1 hour 45 at 180c. Cooked in just over an hour!

Edited July 20, 2015 by The Nal

[viberunner]

 

Cooked a chicken as soon as I got it, butcher would tell you 1 hour 45 at 180c. Cooked in just over an hour!

 

 

Hell really is British catering, isn't it?

 

A good-sized chicken should always roast in under an hour if you do it right. And no you don't need to stick a rod up it's arse.

 

Get a decent high-brimmed roasting tray. Roughly chop - very large pieces - the likes of carrots, leeks, celery, onions, enough to create a bed so the chicken won't touch the metal base. Add a good amount of stock, I use Bouillon powder, a pint of white wine won't hurt. You can also add a pint of white wine to the stock. (*boom* *tish*)

 

Wrap it tightly in foil. I mean with ZERO ability for any steam to escape. NONE. Put the tray on the hob and bring to the boil. You have to listen to it. Give it a strong simmer for five minutes.

 

Pop into a preheated the oven. About Gas 6 / 200 C. Give a large chicken takes about 45 minutes, a 5 kg turkey give it about 2 hours. Yes, really.

 

Then remove and check if the juices are clear. If not, put it back in for 10 minutes (chicken) or 20 minutes (turkey).

 

After the juices are clear brush with oil, butter, whatever, turn the oven up, and give it a 15 minute browning, depending on your oven. (A fan oven won't need that much to brown a chicken).

 

The trick is (1) you have brought immediate heat into the cooking atmosphere via the hob, it would have taken a considerable length of oven time to get the initial heat going and (2) the tight foil wrap. (If steam escapes just give it another 10-20).

 

The benefits are a very quick cook and very moist meat.

 

PS, the liquid in the tray makes for peerless gravy, just thicken with cornflour.

 

PPS, the veg is edible but salty and squishy. I don't serve with the roast but keep them for the next day, they work better as leftovers veg with cold meat. IMHO.

 

PPPS, You should let the meat "settle", wrapped in foil, ten minutes for a chicken but an hour for the turkey.

Edited July 21, 2015 by viberunner

[The Nal]

As a general rule, people really don't understand the importance of resting meat when out of the oven.

Makes a massive difference. Especially to beef.

 

Yeah, all meats, very important with poultry. Taking it off a few degrees before before its cooked and resting it. Juicy goodness.

 

But a pricked lemon, a few cloves of garlic and a bunch of fresh thyme and sage do wonders.

 

Truffle oil FTW!

[The Nal]

What are we cooking in autumn?

[mungo57]

here's one I made a few nights ago that (I think) is nice, a different sorta take on traditional pasta sauces:

ROUGH ingredients

1 small onion  (I used red), garlic (to taste), about 100-200ml veg stock (depends how thick you want it), sage (fresh or dried), 1/2 a butternut squash

 

Method

Fry off onions and BNS for 5/6 mins on a medium heat to get a bit of colour on them

Add the veg stock to the pan (veg stock should be at least warm - I used fresh veg stock but you could use an Oxo) and cook for about 10 mins on a low heat

once the BNS has softened transfer contents to a blender and blend to desired consistency (I used a hand blender as I don't have a blender)

you then have what is essentially a slightly thicker version of BNS soup - I added some peas, mushrooms and a few other things to it along with pasta as an alternative to a tomato sauce or bolognese sauce.

 

Sorry for vagueness but I never exactly follow recipes and seem to be a decent enough cook

Edited October 15, 2015 by mungo57

[mungo57]

also a tip for breakfast:

 

scrambled egg - add fresh chives to it. Lovely!

[Thearg]

What are we cooking in autumn?

I'm experimenting with vegetarianism,I found that I wasn't getting my five a day and eating too much meat which isn't healthy,so I decided to expand my repertoire,I'm finding it quite easy and a pleasant change.

Anyway made a great curry the other day,I basically used the Goan fish curry recipe and suplemented the fish with vegetables,One onion sliced and the usual green chillies,garlic,ginger, coriander seeds and cumin seeds toasted and ground,Then after softening all that add coconut milk and turmeric for colour,I knocked down the coconut milk with some stock as it's too claggy with just the milk,then add your veg in the order that they cook,ie,cauliflower and carrots first then green beans and courgettes and some cherry tomatoes at the end and finally I fried a teaspoon of black mustard seeds til they pop and stir in.

It turned out better than any veg curry I've followed from a recipe book.Obviously use whatever veg you want.

[Thearg]

I'm experimenting with vegetarianism,I found that I wasn't getting my five a day and eating too much meat which isn't healthy,so I decided to expand my repertoire,I'm finding it quite easy and a pleasant change.

Anyway made a great curry the other day,I basically used the Goan fish curry recipe and suplemented the fish with vegetables,One onion sliced and the usual green chillies,garlic,ginger, coriander seeds and cumin seeds toasted and ground,Then after softening all that add coconut milk and turmeric for colour,I knocked down the coconut milk with some stock as it's too claggy with just the milk,then add your veg in the order that they cook,ie,cauliflower and carrots first then green beans and courgettes and some cherry tomatoes at the end and finally I fried a teaspoon of black mustard seeds til they pop and stir in.

It turned out better than any veg curry I've followed from a recipe book.Obviously use whatever veg you want.

Forgot to add,the obligatory bay leaf in the mix and a wedge of lime to serve.

I can't seem to find the edit option in the new format.

[micawber]

There are some fantastic Veggie recipes in this book - 500 Greatest-ever Vegetarian Recipes. I particularly like the Parsnip and Aubergine Biryani.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1843095645?keywords=500%20vegetarian%20recipes&qid=1445189945&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

 

[Thearg]

Cheers,I'll pop into the book shop,I like to have a flick through before I buy,If they don't have it I'll keep an eye out.

Infact I never thought about getting a book.Good idea.

[Thearg]

I picked a load of Saffron milkcaps the other day (mushroom),had them with some pasta,can't get more autumnal than that.Never found them before and people rave about them but I found they lacked flavour which is a shame because the woods was littered with them,would of been a nice free source of food.

[The Nal]

Are people Christmas ready? Got a smoked turkey and ham done over the weekend for a laugh.

Used version of this recipe and Ill never be doing ham the same again.

Turkey recipe was great too. Chipotle cranberry sauce and maple chipotle glazed sprouts on the side.

Basically, sauces made from 64% bourbon everywhere.

Edited December 14, 2015 by The Nal

[feral chile]

can anyone advise the best way to advance cook and reheat a humungous frozen turkey?

it follows a midday Christmas lunch request from visitors so they can drive back home afterwards in time for their second Christmas lunch with the other inlaws.

I don't really want to be getting up at silly o'clock then stressing over the turkey being late or underdone.

it has to be the turkey, also on request.

[eFestivals]

8 hours ago, The Nal said:

Are people Christmas ready? G

We're having a bourgeois duck. Or perhaps I really mean a Bohemian duck

On xmas morning, it's going to waddle around our kitchen wearing an Afghan coat and a big floppy hat.

I've not cooked duck before, so that'll be interesting.

[The Nal]

16 hours ago, feral chile said:

can anyone advise the best way to advance cook and reheat a humungous frozen turkey?

Yeah something like this. But I wouldn't recommend it. I make a chili from leftovers. Impossible not to dry a turkey when reheating or make it a bit soggy. 

Anyway, even if its a 15 pound turkey it should only take 3 1/2 hours to cook. Up for 8am is ok!?

Can't recommend a meat thermometer highly enough. About 4 quid. Will reduce cooking times across all roasts. The chicken that the butcher recommends to cook for 2 hours actually cooks in an hour and 10. Advising people to overcook chicken by 50 minutes?! 

 

15 hours ago, eFestivals said:

We're having a bourgeois duck. Or perhaps I really mean a Bohemian duck

On xmas morning, it's going to waddle around our kitchen wearing an Afghan coat and a big floppy hat.

I've not cooked duck before, so that'll be interesting.

Ooh your're in for a treat. Have a look at pouring boiling water on it before you cook it. Tightens up the skin apparently but I've not tried it. Would be interested to know if it works though!

[feral chile]

9 hours ago, The Nal said:

Yeah something like this. But I wouldn't recommend it. I make a chili from leftovers. Impossible not to dry a turkey when reheating or make it a bit soggy. 

Anyway, even if its a 15 pound turkey it should only take 3 1/2 hours to cook. Up for 8am is ok!?

Can't recommend a meat thermometer highly enough. About 4 quid. Will reduce cooking times across all roasts. The chicken that the butcher recommends to cook for 2 hours actually cooks in an hour and 10. Advising people to overcook chicken by 50 minutes?! 

 

Ooh your're in for a treat. Have a look at pouring boiling water on it before you cook it. Tightens up the skin apparently but I've not tried it. Would be interested to know if it works though!

Ah thanks, 8am's fine.

[Thearg]

Made this curry yesterday and it's one of the best I've had,takes a bit of faffing but well worth it

At first I thought the cook had got his fennel mixed up with his with his cumin especially as he adds a tbsp of ground fennel and that seems a lot to me and then says to add just a few fennel seeds but be careful, Ugh? 

But it really works the fennel is there but not overpowering

 

[The Nal]

What are we cooking for XMas? 

Would advise this recipe for bourbon pork belly for a canape. Delish! 

[bunique]

Granny's cooking. My veggie kid asks too many questions these days so may be the veggie option for me this year and a sneaky turkey and spiced beef platter once she's in bed. 

[eFestivals]

21 hours ago, The Nal said:

What are we cooking for XMas? 

Would advise this recipe for bourbon pork belly for a canape. Delish! 

am doing duck again, tho this time we're not dressing it up in an afghan coat, a feather boa and a big floppy hat.

(see last year's post to have that make sense )