Great Kitchen

Cheesy Creamy Mash Ingredient ·       4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks ·       Large pinch of salt ·       Knob of butter ·       1 tablespoon mascarpone  ·       Handful of grated cheddar cheese ·       100ml milk ·       1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper  Method :  1.     Put the chopped potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil on a medium to high heat. Boil for 20 mins then drain the water from the pan.  2.   Mash the potatoes whilst still steaming hot, then add the butter, cheese, mascarpone and mash some more. Put the pan back on the hob on a low heat, add the milk and pepper, and stir with a wooden spoon until hot and creamy. Serve.

Mushroomy Spinach Ingredient ·       6 Mushrooms (closed cup or chestnut), sliced ·       2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves ·       Small knob of butter ·       2 tablespoons olive oil ·       100g spinach (about 1/2 a large bag) Method: 1.     Melt the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil together in a pan (on a medium heat), then add the garlic and fry off for about a minute or so.  2.   Add the mushrooms with another tablespoon of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for around 3-4 minutes.  3.    Add the spinach to the pan and switch of the heat whilst constantly stirring the spinach until it has wilted.  4.   Drain off any excess liquid from the pan and serve immediately. 

Spicy Lamb Steaks Ingredient     ·       4-6 lamb rump steaks (around 700g) ·       1 heaped teaspoon oregano ·       1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary ·       1 heaped teaspoon paprika ·       1 teaspoon cumin ·       Salt and pepper to season (after cooking) Method: 1.     Mix together the oregano, rosemary, paprika and cumin, and sprinkle over the lamb steaks. Use the back of a teaspoon to spread the rub into the steaks and leave in the fridge for at least an hour. 2.   Add a drizzle of olive oil to a griddle pan on a medium-high heat and leave for a minute or so to heat up fully. Add the steaks to the pan and cook for around 4-5 minutes on each side so that the steaks are charred like they would be on a BBQ, whilst still pinkish in the middle. Rest for 5 mins (I wrapped mine in foil to reserve the juices), then serve. 

. Butter Fried Parsnips Ingredients: 2 large or 4 small to medium sized parsnips fine sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste 3 TBS butter, divided 1 TBS of honey Instructions: Peel your parsnips and then slice into rounds. If they are very large, take the largest part and cut in half down the centre and then into half moons.  (About 1/4 inch thickness.)  Cut the smaller parts simply into rounds. Melt 2 TBS of the butter in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium low heat.  Once it begins to foam add the parsnip slices in a single layer. (You may need to add them in batches, moving cooked ones to the side as you go.) Season lightly all over to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook until beginning to turn golden brown on the underside and then flip them over, seasoning the other side lightly.  Cook until fork tender and golden brown.  Add the remaining TBS of butter and the honey, stirring to coat them all. Remove from the  heat and serve immediately. Delicious! source :  theenglish

Strawberry Cake Pie Ingredients: 190g caster sugar ( 1 cup, fine granulated sugar) 140g plain flour (1 cup) 1/4 tsp salt 120g butter, melted (1/2 cup) 2 large free range eggs 1 tsp of vanilla extract 1/2 tsp almond extract 350g  quartered fresh strawberries, divided (2 1/4 cups) 2 TBS granulated sugar icing sugar to dust vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream to serve Instructions: Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Spray a 9-inch glass pie dish with some cooking oil spray.  Set aside. Whisk together the melted butter, eggs and extracts in a beaker. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl.  Add the wet ingredients and whisk together to combine thoroughly.   Carefully fold in all but 45g (1/4 cup) of the berries.  Spread in the prepared pie dish.  Arrange the remaining berries on top decoratively. Sprinkle with the regular granulated sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.  (Start checking at 35.)  It is done when golden brown and a toothpick ins

   Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken Ingredients: 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp whole fennel seed fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 80ml extra virgin olive oil (1/3 cup) 1 whole lemon, plus the juice of one lemon 1 onion, peeled and then sliced into half moons 2 large cloves of garlic, minced 1 (4-pound) roasting chicken, backborn removed, and spatchcocked 120ml dry white wine (1/2 cup) (Pinot Grigio recommended) Instructions: Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 7.  Have ready a  deep oven proof skillet (or baking dish), large enough to hold everything. (I used my 10-inch cast iron skillet.) Place the fresh thyme leaves, fennel seed, 1 TBS of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper into a mini food processor or spice grinder.    Process until ground. I did mine very fine. You can leave it a bit coarser if you want.  Measure out the olive oil and then stir the herb mixture into it. Slice the whole lemon in half from top to bottom.  Lop off both ends and discard.  Cut the halv

Easy Jam Tarts Ingredients: For the pastry: 140g all purpose flour (1 cup) 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 TBS butter 2 1/2 TBS lard 3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water You will also need: jam to fill them (I used apricot, cherry, plum and strawberry) Instructions: First make the pastry. Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard, until you have pieces of fat in the flour about the size of peas. Add ice water, one TBS at a time, tossing it in with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball, flatten, wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Have ready some tart tins. I sprayed mine with some canola cooking spray to keep anything from sticking.  As I was using individual tins, I placed them onto a baking sheet. Roll your pastry out, using a floured rolling pin, and on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness.  Using a 2 inch cutter (I used a flower shaped one) stamp our rounds and use them to line yo