It's not for nothing I'm called Murphy y'know. I love spuds! They are not, repeat not, boring! From the top then…
• CRISPY ANCHOVY POTATO CAKE •
2 large potatoes
1 onion
1 tin anchovy fillets
4 tablespoons double cream
You can vary the quantities here; just use common sense. When ... Read recipe
Advantages: Potatoes aren't boring! Disadvantages: Um... they're distracting me from book opinions!
It's not for nothing I'm called Murphy y'know. I love spuds! They are not, repeat not, boring! From the top then…
• CRISPY ANCHOVY POTATO CAKE •
2 large potatoes
1 onion
1 tin anchovy fillets
4 tablespoons double cream
You can vary the quantities here; just use common sense. When I say large potatoes, I mean large! I mean those huge bakers weighing about a pound each. So y'know… ... ...onion needs to be a decent size too, so if yours are tiny, use two. It's not 'ard! Tins of anchovies, in my experience, are generally pretty uniform, so you should be ok there. Grin!
Get out a large frying pan. Open the tin of anchovies and drain off the oil into the pan. Turn the hob on at a low heat, and while you're chopping up your onion – little, weensy pieces are best – let the anchovy oil warm through. Once the onion's chopped, ... more
It's not for nothing I'm called Murphy y'know. I love spuds! They are not, repeat not, boring! From the top then…
• CRISPY ANCHOVY POTATO CAKE •
2 large potatoes 1 onion 1 tin anchovy fillets 4 tablespoons double cream
You can vary the quantities here; just use common sense. When I say large potatoes, I mean large! I mean those huge bakers weighing about a pound each. So y'know… if yours aren’t that big, use four medium-sized ones. The onion needs to be a decent size too, so if yours are tiny, use two. It's not 'ard! Tins of anchovies, in my experience, are generally pretty uniform, so you should be ok there. Grin!
Get out a large frying pan. Open the tin of anchovies and drain off the oil into the pan. Turn the hob on at a low heat, and while you're chopping up your onion – little, weensy pieces are best – let the anchovy oil warm through. Once the onion's chopped, add it to the pan and allow the onions to sweat, or fry very gently, while you make a start on the spuds. Peel them. Then cut them into long, thin matchstick shapes, about the size of carrots when they're done julienne. For the Philistines amongst you, that's bigger than a matchstick, but not much, and smaller than a cigarette, but not much. Easiest way to do that is to quarter the potatoes (half them if they're little ones) and to chop first one way, then t'other. You can manage that, right?
In the five or so minutes that will have taken you, your onions will have sweated nicely. It wouldn't have hurt if you'd swished them about a bit in the pan once or twice. Add the potatoes, and swish. Turn on the oven to 200 degrees, or Gas Mark 6. Or thereabouts. While the mixture is continuing to sweat, go get a baking dish, a fairly large but shallow one. Grease it – either oil or butter is fine. Get the cream from the fridge. Rescue the anchovies from their oil-free can and chop them into tiny, tiny pieces. Chile, now's the time to wash yo' greasy hands. Swish the potato mixture around once more and take it off the heat. Add the chopped anchovies and four or five tablespoons of cream. Give it a really good stir about. Then tip it all into the baking dish and shove it in the oven. Go away for half an hour to forty minutes.
When you return, your dish will have cooked to crispy, heavenly perfection. I swear it! It all ends up like a kind of Rosti-of-the-Seaside. The potatoes are crunchy on top and soft underneath, the onions make it slightly sweet, but not too sweet, the cream makes it just a little bit rich but not too rich, and the anchovies lend the subtlest of fishy flavours. It's gorgeous. Good enough to eat on its own, it will feed two greedy people. As a side dish, it goes wonderfully well with any fish dish – we like it with fried mackerel – and will be sufficient for four of you. I know it doesn't sound great, but it tastes great, honestly.
• ROAST POTATOES WITH MARMITE •
Potatoes Marmite Oil, Lard or Dripping
Ah yes. Marmite. You're either with it, or against it, aren't you? Well, not so here. Even if you're the most rabid of Marmite's detractors, you'll still like spuds roasted with it. You will. If you don't believe me, ask Fiona (Blobbyqueen). It's her idea I've snitched for this opinion. Thanks Fiona!
Ok, so you peel and parboil your potatoes. I like my roast potatoes in a small, genteel size. I don't like those horrid cannonball things. I also like them crispy, not soggy. To this end, cut large potatoes into at least four, if not six, pieces. And small ones into two. Boil them in water – no need for salt – for 8-10 minutes. Drain them into a colander. Ooh, just before you do this, remember to get your oil, lard or dripping into your baking tray and get it hot in the oven (which is heated to 180 or 190 degrees, or whatever temperature whatever else you're cooking needs). Shake the excess water from the spuds and it's time to add your Marmite.
Now, Fiona hadn't told me how to do this bit, and I've experimented with various different ways – using a pastry brush, melting the Marmite slightly in the microwave – but this method seems to work best for me. For four people's worth of tatties, you'll need a heaped teaspoon of Marmite with a little bit extra for good luck. Scrape the Marmite from the teaspoon with a knife, directly on to the just drained potatoes. Shake the colander about briskly. Not so briskly though, that your potatoes leap to the floor. Duh. The Marmite will melt and spread itself all over the hot potatoes. Keep the colander/strainer on top of the saucepan to catch any drips. And get as even a coating of Marmite as you can. You can then add the potatoes to the fat they're going to roast in. Before you baste them though, make sure to get a knife, pick up the drips of Marmite from the bottom of the saucepan – it'll be quite runny – and spread it on any bare areas of potato you can see. Then baste. Then roast in your usual way.
Ooh, you know, the first time I took Fiona's advice and tried this, it was a revelation! The potatoes DON'T taste strongly of Marmite, but they do take on a wonderfully savoury flavour. The closest I can get to is to compare roast tatties done in boring old sunflower oil to roast tatties done with the best of beef dripping. They taste wonderful! And NOT Marmite-y at all! I think to put Marmite on roast potatoes done with the full regalia of a good piece of sirloin and in the dripping from another good piece of sirloin would probably be pointless. But it makes such a difference to roast potatoes done with what I'd call a "quick gravy dinner" – um… chops, pork tenderloin, that sort of thing – you'd not believe it. I've cooked them also for vegetarian friends who thought they were marvellous. Even if you hate Marmite, try these. Fiona's right. She always is!
Erm… I was going to do a warm potato salad with watercress and a mash thing with parsnips, swede and cheese. But I seem to have gone on long enough already! I told you I like spuds! I'll put 'em on Woggle instead!
[PS. The list of books I should be reviewing grows ever longer. Among those I've read or re-read recently and want to tell you about are: Crabwalk, Gunter Grass; The Fire Eaters, David Almond; Private Peaceful, Michael Morpugo; A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving; Millennium People, J G Ballard; Hey Nostradamus, Douglas Coupland; The Road to Nab End and Beyond Nab End, William Woodruff; The Sewing Circles of Heart, Caroline Lamb… the list goes on. Someone give me a quick kick up the jacksie, eh?]
Advantages: dairy free, taste lovely, rise perfectly every time Disadvantages: none
...that there are a few recipes on here already but mine is a little different and will hopefully help a few people. My boyfriend is lactose intolerant so the little old Yorkshire pud makes him feel quite ill, even though he loves them, life's cruel isn't it? Being a Yorkshire lass myself the situation was just unacceptable!
My first couple of attempts of making a dairy free version were not successful, think pancakes. All I had done was substitute ... ...all. Then someone suggested I use half water and half soya milk, no better I'm afraid. I then found this, at first glance it looked exactly the same, then I noticed it only used half the amount of milk. So I gave it a try the following Sunday. I followed the instructions, put my Yorkshires in the oven and waited.
15 minutes I looked through the glass oven door and was greeted by perfectly risen Yorkshire puds! Very proud of myself I presented my ...
rachael23 18.04.2008
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Recipes for Side Dishes
Advantages: Adds zest and flavor to your baked beans Disadvantages: Well, the standard disadvantages associated with beans
Among the surprising discoveries made during my travels in the UK is that you Brits have a propensity for consuming Heinz baked beans on toast and for breakfast. I admit to being taken aback the first time I witnessed this phenomenon. I mean, really, for breakfast? And what is this thing about beans on toast? I further admit that, much as I've found to admire about British life and British food in particular, the thought of consuming Heinz beans ... ...still has little appeal.
Mind you, I have nothing against Heinz or their beans, though I tend to favor vegetarian preparations to the old-fashioned Heinz pork and beans that are standard fare for breakfast in the UK. (Indeed, I regard the requisite single chunk of pork fat included in each can as decidedly off-putting.) Still, I think I could even warm to the idea of a good, rich, complex baked bean dish served with breakfast. For your consideration ...
BawBaw 05.07.2003
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Recipes for Side Dishes
Advantages: Quick, easy and nutritious Disadvantages: Fattening if eaten too often
...looking for new and exciting recipes to make for my husband. He is Italian descended like me, but every now and again we like to try something different. Luigi consults his mom when he needs something new, well, surprise, surprise, so do I!
I wanted something American, so Mary, my mom, asked if Luigi likes seafood. Does he! When he worked in Baltimore, MD, for 3 months, he told me that he used to eat all kinds of different seafood. So mom suggested ... ...Mom told me she was once given a recipe from a friend of hers from Louisiana, but never done it. Here’s the recipe, which we had last Friday, our day for not eating meat:
Southern Style Shrimp
Serves 2.
Preparation: 5 mins.
Cooking & waiting: 30 mins.
++ Ingredients ++
½ cup / 4 fl-oz (120ml) Extra virgin olive oil (Bertolli preferred)
½ cup / 5oz (142g) Unsalted butter
1 tsp (6g) Garlic, minced (fresh, if possible)
½ tsp (3g) Basil (fresh, ...
Caprina1 16.06.2002
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Recipes for Side Dishes
Advantages: Easy, tasty, healthy, cheap, quick Disadvantages: Rice isn't too good for you, Thai style doesn't go with everything
Okay, time for more recipes methinks, so how’s about a nice rice side dish, Thai style. A change from plain boiled or special fried rice. It uses a combination of flavours unique Thai cooking to create a distinctively light and very fragrant dish. Incredibly tasty, either on its own as a light meal or snack, or as the main rice dish in a full meal. One thing I will say – I find that due to its distinctive flavours (that special combination of lime, ... ...milk), Thai cooking only really goes with Thai cooking, but feel free to try some fusion, see what happens (and make sure to let me know of any positive results =] ).
The dish is very convenient when cooked as part of a meal, as once you’ve set it going, you can really just leave it to do its thing and get on with the rest of your stuff. It’s also very healthy (although I must admit that rice isn’t too good, being a fast carbohydrate) – cumin, coriander ...
digitalburn 02.03.2002
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Recipes for Side Dishes
Advantages: You can eat it yourself or give it away as a present. Disadvantages: None.
...sure nobody knows how many recipes exist, there's a rich sweet tomato chutney which simmers away for a couple of hours, and a sour green chutney, made freshly in a matter of minutes with fresh coriander, green chili and yoghurt. There's chutney of mint leaves, lemon juice, and apple, a sweet and sour one made with tamarind, cumin seeds, and banana, and another with grated coconut, root ginger, and coriander, in fact, many, many different kinds of ... ...cook can experiment to their liking. Ah, the power of mind over matter, excuse me for a sec, I'm salivating, I'm just popping into the kitchen to fetch a piece of dry bread!...
...There're some shops in Germany now which sell Asian food, but I've never ventured into the typical Indian chutneys, I make my chutney myself with 100% German plums. A positive aspect of globalisation is that we get to know new things, alter, adapt and finally integrate ...
MALU 18.09.2002 (23.08.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Recipes for Side Dishes
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Advantages: Great way to get kids to eat Veg Disadvantages: Didn't find any
in boiling, salted water for about 4 minutes, then drain.
Beat the eggs and cream together in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Then place the courgettes over the bottom of the ovenproof dish. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the courgettes and sprinkle the grated cheese on top.
Place in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the egg mixture has set and the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
Then serve.
***** Overall *****
This recipe is quick and easy to prepare and cook. It is great to eat on it's own or as a sidedish with something else. My family thoroughly enjoy this recipe and the boys now don't hide their courgettes. Even better is the fact the my hubby who really isn't a veggie eater also enjoys this!
I definitely recommend trying out this recipe. It's so easy, and if it manages to get ...
This dish can be used as a main dish, a starter, or a sidedish. However you decide to use it, it tastes lovely - especially if you love mushrooms like me! Here's the recipe.....
MUSHROOM SALAD
~~~~~~~~~~~~
150g/5.5 oz firm white mushrooms
4 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
5 canned anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
1 tbsp fresh marjoram
salt and pepper
1) Gently wipe each mushroom with a damp cloth or damp kitchen paper in order to remove any dirt.
2) Slice the mushrooms thinly, using a sharp knife and place in a bowl.
3) To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice.
4) Pour the dressing mixture over the mushrooms. Toss together so that the mushrooms are completely coated with the lemon juice and oil.
5) Stir the chopped anchovy fillets into the mushrooms. Season ...
Advantages: Cheap and cheerful meals. Disadvantages: Not Haute Cuisine.
and serve fresh.
To make a more elaborate meal follow the basic steps but in the meantime cook some chicken breasts in the oven or under a grill. Instead of the passata use a tin of mushroom or asparagus soup. Place the pasta on the plates, top with chicken breasts and pour the soup over the chicken. Garnish with fresh tomatoes and use the tomatoes and courgette as a sidedish.
Bellisisimo!
I have tried to make to make these recipes as easy as possible, most can be cooked in about half an hour but the stew can simmer away while you are revising or downing a few beers.
I thought I had finished but I remembered that I promised someone else I'd do a quick Chinese recipe. Chinese food is one of the easiest to make and is far superior to those you can get from takeaways.
One of my favourites is beef chow mien, a dish so simple that you ...
