Mouthwatering Main Course Recipes

[Mirabelle]

These main course recipes are family favourites gathered over time, often enjoyed every week. With any of these, please post your comments because it's always nice getting feedback.

The first of our favourites is Chettinad Chicken, a fine recipe from Rick Stein's India.



This recipe by Rick Stein is as good as it gets for home cooking, but originated from the Taj Gateway hotel in Madurai where he was filming. This recipe has one of those ingredients that is transformational but quite hard to get hold of. It’s the lichen off a tree, known as dagarful, kalpasi or stone flower, with a flavour like cinnamon. Locally you may be able to find it in a good Asian grocery shop, but if it proves elusive, just add a little more cinnamon.

Notes: for spices and herbs, a mortar and pestle is more gentle than an electric grinder. A good way with garlic I find is mashing it under a fork. Its skin slips off more easily. If using dagarful, sort through it and remove and discard any pieces of bark first.

Recipe serves 4

For the spice blend
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder

For the chicken
50ml vegetable oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
5cm piece cinnamon bark
1 tbsp very roughly chopped dagarful or an extra 3cm piece cinnamon stick
150g shallots, diced
Handful of curry leaves
700g skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 5cm pieces
20g/4 cloves garlic, finely crushed
20g/4cm ginger, finely grated
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
100ml water
Boiled basmati rice to serve

Grind the spices down and process to a powder.

For the chicken, heat the oil in a sturdy frying pan or karahi over a medium heat, add the fennel, cinnamon and dagarful and fry for 1 minute. Add the shallots and curry leaves and fry for 10 minutes until the shallots are softened and golden.

Add the chicken and stir around for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the garlic, ginger, sugar, salt and all of the spice blend, and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the water, and cook for about 10–15 minutes, stirring often and adding more splashes of water if needed to stop it sticking to the pan, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thick and reduced and clinging to the chicken. Serve with boiled rice.

[¯|_(ツ)_|¯]

I really like how you posted the history of the dish as well, such as where it originated. I would try this if I had others to try it with me, or if I reduce the ingredients to serve just me.

I agree that it is cool that you added the history of the dish. This is something I'd love to try.

[Mirabelle]

Originally Posted by Onism.

I really like how you posted the history of the dish as well, such as where it originated. I would try this if I had others to try it with me, or if I reduce the ingredients to serve just me.

Dez, I think it would be better if you kept the quantities and had it next day, by which time the chettinad chicken would taste twice as good because time allows the flavours to marry. Then you freeze down the rest for a rainy day.

Originally Posted by ~Abibliophobe~

I agree that it is cool that you added the history of the dish. This is something I'd love to try.

I always look for the history of a recipe, but also I'm a stickler for facts. That chettinad chicken taste even better the next day, and if you can find a good Asian grocery store, so much the better. While I was sat with a list of spices, the proprietor's wife gave me a glass of lovely mint tea - and this hospitality is indicative of Asian grocery shops - they like making their customers feel appreciated and want to keep your custom.

[Mirabelle]

Not everyone likes fish - but they love a good fish cake! Put some tomato ketchup on the plate and tuck in, and after making this Fishcakes recipe, you'll be back for more!

Fishcakes are one of my favourite comfort foods. These can be made with any good quality fish, some chopped parsley and an equal weight of nice buttery mashed potato. We usually make ours with un-dyed smoked haddock, obtained from our market, but sometimes bass or cod if it's available or even mackerel which always is cheap and plentiful. This recipe will make 12 fishcakes and they freeze well and can be cooked from frozen. Also included is my recipe for lovely mashed potatoes to use for either these fishcakes or any other recipe.

For the fishcakes:
100 g undyed smoked haddock fillets or sea bass if in season
600 g mashed potato (see below)
1 tbsp chopped parsley and half of snipped chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
A chunk of lemon for squeezing over

Put the fish in a pan, cover with boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the fish, and when it's cool enough to handle, skin it and flake into a large bowl. Add the mashed potato and parsley and/or snipped chives, then mix it all together with your hands. Check the seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste, adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Shape the mixture into 12 cakes, then chill to firm up for at least an hour.

Beat two eggs in a bowl and put breadcrumbs in a separate dish. Pass the fishcakes first through the egg and then through the breadcrumbs. (I save sourdough breadcrumbs and toast them lightly for extra crunch).

To cook immediately, pour half an inch of oil into a large frying pan and place over a moderate heat. When the oil is hot, carefully lay the fishcakes in the pan and cook for four to five minutes, until golden brown underneath, then carefully turn them over and fry for four minutes on the other side. Drain on kitchen paper, and serve with a nice crispy salad dotted with halved cherry tomatoes.


For the mashed potatoes (recipe serves 6):

Serves 6

900g King Edwards, or Maris Piper
250g diced unsalted butter
120 to 250ml whole milk, brought to boil and kept hot
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Starting with cold water, boil unpeeled potatoes until a fork meets barely any resistance (this may take 30 minutes or more). Peel the potatoes while still hot. Mash the potatoes in the pot and stir over a very low heat until steam no longer escapes (about 5 minutes). We don't want gloppy mash.

Now add the butter, vigorously stirring the potatoes until incorporated. Add 120 ml of milk in a slow stream while vigorously whipping the potatoes with a wire whisk, incorporating air into the mixture. Add salt and more milk as necessary.The mash should be nice and fluffy by now and deeply buttery and well seasoned. Yum!

[Mirabelle]

Rendang originated in Indonesia and is now made throughout the country, and in the hundreds if not thousands of street food marketeers in Bankok Thailand. When Rick Stein went filming in Malaysia, he set about making his own version, but it's much too fiery for me! So I went in search for a tamer version and happened upon a lovely adaptation by 'spaulyseasonalservings' as shown here:

https://spaulyseasonalservings.com/2...endang-recipe/

Like the recipe author, I like spicy heat in my mouth, but not in my throat though your heat threshold may differ from mine so use less chillies according to preference. This morning I made this recipe. It smells good and tastes marvellous!

Beef Rendang

Ingredients (serves 4)

Rendang Paste

• 100g grated fresh coconut (can use desiccated)
• 4 dried Kashmiri chillies
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 225g shallots or onions, roughly chopped
• 30g garlic, roughly chopped
• 50g peeled galangal or ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 large fresh red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped

For the Curry

• Glug of oil. I used rapeseed
• 1kg of braising steak chunks (also known as chuck steak)
• 1 quantity of rendang spice paste – as above
• 2 tins of coconut milk
• 4 fat lemon grass stalks – bruised – (just bash them lightly)
• 12 dried kaffir lime leaves – crumbled (if not, use curry leaves)
• 2 x 7.5cm cinnamon sticks
• 125ml Tamarind water – all you do is soak the 60g of pulp in 125ml of hot water and leave for 5 minutes. Break up the pulp with your fingers and then strain the syrupy mixture through a fine sieve, discarding the fibrous material and seeds. (- Instead, I used a heaped teaspoon of tamarind paste)
• 1 tbsp of palm sugar or you can use brown sugar, palm sugar will taste better in this dish.

For the paste

1. Heat a dry, heavy based, frying pan over a medium heat. Add the coconut and stir for a few minutes until it is richly golden – don’t let it burn.
2. Tip into a food processor and leave to cool.
3. Meanwhile, put the dried Kashmiri chillies, coriander seeds and cumin seeds into a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
4. Add this to the processor with the cooled coconut add the rest of the spice paste ingredients and 100ml of water. Blend to a smooth-ish paste.

For the curry

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy based frying pan. Add the beef in batches and fry briefly until it has changed colour but not browned, set aside in a bowl. Add the spice paste to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Return the beef and add the coconut milk, lemon grass, lime leaves and cinnamon sticks and 1 and a half teaspoons of salt.
2. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, add the tamarind water and leave to simmer, uncovered for 2 and a half hours, stirring occasionally, and more frequently towards the end of cooking, until the beef is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
3. Remove the lemongrass from the rendang and stir in the palm sugar and season to taste.
4. Serve straight away with some wild rice, cooked to packet instructions. Enjoy.

Edited to add: Wild rice is actually a grass and in the UK can cost quite a lot. Instead, I'd use basmati or a long grain rice, finely chop a couple of scallions or some mild green salad chillies to jazz the rice up and put a bit of colour in it. Or, a nice chunk of crusty sourdough bread to mop up the delicious juices!

[Mirabelle]

Last year on a trip to Reims we stopped to park up and walk to our favourite brasserie, Café Le Gaulois and there we enjoyed a wonderful lunch. In my opinion and I know family feels the same way, but there really isn’t another dish that is as comforting as Tartiflette on a cold winter’s day. Or even a miserable rainy day anytime of the year. The combination of soft potatoes, crisp lardons, golden onions all bound in a silky cheese sauce with a tasty, crunchy golden-brown topping is absolute heaven in a bowl. It’s well worth the effort hunting out a large Reblochon cheese too, although Brie or Camembert will work if the cheese hunt proves fruitless. We like to enjoy ours with a large bowl of salad, cornichons and an acre or two of crusty bread.

Disclaimer: Be sure to follow any laws regarding alcohol purchase where you live. Do not purchase alcohol if you are under the legal age. Also, the alcohol is used for cooking purposes only and is not intended for abuse. Use discretion when purchasing alcohol. (Recipe uses 150 mls dry white wine)


For my vegetarian friends, you can of course omit the lardons (bacon) if you wish, and add some fried mushrooms maybe? The dish can be part-cooked (as in the potatoes boiled and the onions and bacon fried) and assembled, but it can then be popped in the fridge until you need to bake it – just remember to take it out half an hour beforehand to bring it to room temperature – this makes it an absolutely fabulous recipe to have prepared for any family supper, especially handy for after work or over the weekend. This recipe which I was allowed to watch being made will serve 4.

Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 25 min
and total time, 40 mins

What you need:
1.2kg potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
200g smoked lardons (or smoked streaky bacon cut into small pieces)
2 large pink or red onions, peeled and diced (or 10 pink shallots which I prefer)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
150 mls dry white wine
1 x 500g Reblochon cheese (I double the amount for loving the cheese!)
6 tablespoons crème fraiche
butter
salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6 and butter an oven-proof gratin dish or shallow casserole dish.

Boil the potatoes until just soft. Drain them and allow them to cool before cutting them into slices. Meanwhile, fry the lardons (or bacon pieces), onions and garlic until the lardons are crisp and the onions and garlic are soft and translucent.

Add half of the wine to the lardons and onion mixture, turn the heat up and de-glaze the wine for 2 to 3 minutes until half of it has cooked down with the other ingredients. Add the cooked potatoes to the lardon and onion mixture and gently mix together. Spoon half of the mixture into the prepared dish.

Cut the Reblochon cheese in half through the centre, and the cut the two halves into cubes. Scatter half of the Reblochon cheese cubes over the lardon and onion mixture, crust side up, then spoon the remaining lardon and onion mixture over the top. Pour over the remaining wine and spoon the crème fraiche over the top. Season with salt (not too much as the lardons are salty) and pepper.

Scatter the rest of the Reblochon cheese cubes over the top, crust side up again, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the tartiflette is golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot from the oven with salad, cornichons (gherkins), pickled onions, charcuterie and crusty bread.

[¯|_(ツ)_|¯]

Do you think the bacon would be good replaced with red peppers in the Tartiflette? I'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat pork.

[Mirabelle]

Originally Posted by Onism.

Do you think the bacon would be good replaced with red peppers in the Tartiflette? I'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat pork.

I don't see why not. I can't see every Frenchman liking pork, either. I should think even small bits of meat could go well, such as beef. Never tried it, but it's always worth experimenting. Peppers sound good.

[Mirabelle]

Mejadra, a delicious and very moreish vegetarian dish by Lebanese chef and food writer Yotam Ottolenghi

This comforting Levantine dish is a family favourite and if you ever visited Lebanon, would find it served by street vendors and highly popular in restaurants. Whether eaten hot or cold, the combination of sweet spices and bitter-sweet onion is as comforting as can be. Spoon over some Greek yoghurt and tuck in, but watch out – it's not easy to stop. Serves four.



250ml sunflower oil
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
250g green or brown lentils
2 tsp cumin seeds
1½ tbsp coriander seeds
200g basmati rice
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp ground allspice
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
Salt and black pepper
350ml water

Heat the sunflower oil in a medium-size heavy-based saucepan. When very hot, carefully add a third of the sliced onion. Fry for five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until the onion takes on a nice, golden-brown colour and turns crispy. Use the spoon to transfer the onion to a colander and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with two more batches of onion.

Meanwhile, put the lentils in a small saucepan, cover with plenty of water, bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the lentils have softened but still have a little bite. Drain into a colander.

Wipe clean the saucepan in which you fried the onion and drop in the cumin and coriander seeds. Place over a medium heat and toast the seeds for a minute or two, until they release those distinctive aromas. Add the rice, olive oil, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, half a teaspoon of salt and plenty of black pepper. Stir to coat the rice with oil, then add the cooked lentils and water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on very low heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, lift off the lid and cover the pan with a clean tea towel. Seal tightly with the lid and set aside for 10 minutes. Finally, tip the rice and lentils into a large mixing bowl. Add half the fried onion and stir gently with a fork. Pile up in a shallow serving bowl and top with the rest of the onion.

These all look so good! Do you have any Thai Dishes? Maybe a curry dish or something like that? Thai food is one of my favorites but I can never find a recipe that is really good.

[Mirabelle]

Originally Posted by ~Abibliophobe~

These all look so good! Do you have any Thai Dishes? Maybe a curry dish or something like that? Thai food is one of my favorites but I can never find a recipe that is really good.

Yes! I've got about 10 Thai recipes and will look them out, but a bit later this evening if that's okay? I've got to finish an important dissertation. Once it's sent off, I'll be back.

[Mirabelle]

Here are some super Thai meals we've enjoyed - hope you like them, ~Abibliophobe~

"Shrimps" in England are those tiny little brown things usually fished from Morecame Bay, but are best really for potted shrimp, a traditional British recipe that I'll look for later; it's excellent. Otherwise, shrimps in Europe are large, but Thailand's are pretty enormous though not quite as eye wateringly expensive as lobster.

Recipe 1 was written by food writer and cook Nigel Slater. And recipe 2 came from Nick Nairn, TV chef and food writer for BBC Good Food. Both Thai recipes are authentic.

Green prawn curry with fresh dill - Recipe version 1

Fresh dill, sometimes referred to as Laotian coriander, is widely used in Laos for fish or other seafood dishes. The dill fronds are added at the last minute as a garnish. Eat this with steamed sticky rice.

Serves 4

3 tbs vegetable oil
5 tbs Thai curry paste
1 tbs shrimp paste
1 tbs palm or granulated sugar
500ml thick coconut milk
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
4-6 kaffir lime leaves, bruised
fish sauce to taste
2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces
675g raw tiger prawns, peeled and de-veined
1 bunch of dill

Heat the oil in a pot over a moderately high heat and stir-fry the curry paste for about 2 minutes or until just golden and fragrant. Add the shrimp paste (breaking it up) and palm sugar, and stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Reduce the heat and add the coconut milk, stock, kaffir lime leaves and fish sauce to taste. Add the potatoes, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Add the prawns and stir well, then cover again and cook for about 5 minutes or until they turn pink. Serve hot, garnished with dill fronds.


Green curry of prawns with aubergines and basil - Recipe version 2

Prep time less than 30 mins
Cook time 10 to 30 mins
Serves 1

Caution: Recipe uses Scotch bonnet chillies -very hot!

For the prawn stock
8 tiger prawn, shells and heads only
100ml/3½fl oz boiling water
15g/½oz root ginger

For the aubergines and prawns
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 baby aubergines, cut into wedges
1 scotch bonnet chilli, sliced
30g/1oz root ginger, cut into batons
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tiger prawns
2 spring onions, chopped

For the curry paste
large handful fresh coriander
2 tbsp double cream
1 lime, zest only
large handful fresh mint
1 scotch bonnet chilli, chopped

To garnish
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
fresh coriander leaves

For the prawn stock, place the prawn shells and heads, boiling water and ginger into a saucepan and boil for ten minutes.

Strain the mixture into a clean bowl. Discard the shells and ginger.

For the aubergines and prawns, heat the oil in a wok until smoking hot. Add the aubergines and cook for two minutes. Add the chilli, ginger and garlic to the wok and cook for one minute.

Add the prawns and spring onions to the wok and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns are coloured on all sides and are cooked through.

For the curry paste, place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and blend to a paste.

Add the paste and the prawn stock to the aubergines and prawns in the wok and cook for three minutes.

To serve, stir in the basil and pour into a serving bowl. Garnish with the Greek yoghurt and the fresh coriander leaves.

[Celyn]

Don't like sea food lol

[Mirabelle]

Thai continued.

Thai Squash & Pineapple Curry from BBC Good Food



Prep: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins

1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
1 onion , chopped
4 tsp Thai red curry paste
medium butternut squash (about 500g/1lb 2oz) peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
½ x 400ml / 14 fl oz can reduced-fat coconut milk
200ml vegetable stock
140g frozen green beans
237g can pineapples chunks in natural juice, drained
coriander leaves, chopped, and leaves to garnish

Heat the oil in a wok or pan. Fry the onion for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the red curry paste, then add the squash, coconut milk and stock. Simmer for 15-20 mins until the squash is tender. After 10 mins cooking, tip in the green beans.
Stir in the pineapple and coriander, cooking for just a few mins until the pineapple heats through. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves and serve the curry in bowls with noodles or rice.

Making it meaty or Indian

Fry 4 chopped chicken breasts or thighs with the onion. Or add shredded cooked chicken 5 mins before you're ready to serve. Or, switch the Thai curry paste for Indian curry paste and serve with rice.



Aubergine Curry

This aubergine curry could be classified as Thai as it uses Thai ingredients. This is quite hot and spicy. All of the ingredients can be picked up in a decent supermarket, though you may have to go to a Chinese or Thai shop for the fresh lime leaves. Dried are passable, but will have lost some of their magic. Serves 4 with rice.

for the spice paste:
5 small, hot chillies (bird's eye)
5 spring onions
4 cloves of garlic
a lump of ginger about the size of a golf ball
6 lime leaves
1 tbsp coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seed
2 green cardamom pods
1 tbsp groundnut oil
a small handful of coriander

for the curry:
2 large aubergines
6 medium-sized tomatoes
a can of coconut milk
more fresh coriander
to serve: steamed white rice for four

Make the curry paste: cut the chillies in half, scrape out the seeds and discard them, then put the chillies into the bowl of a food processor. Roughly chop the spring onions, discarding the darkest of the green shoots as you go, then add them to the chillies together with the peeled cloves of garlic.

Peel the ginger and cut it into thin slices. Remove the thick central vein from the lime leaves, roll the leaves up tightly, then shred them finely. Add them with the ginger, coriander and cumin to the food processor.

Crack the cardamom pods open and smash the seeds to a powder in a pestle and mortar, then add it to the chilli mixture with the oil.

Blitz till you have a rough paste, pushing the mixture down from the sides of the bowl as you go. Add a good handful of coriander leaves and stems. You can add 8 or 10 roots, too, clean and scrubbed. Blitz again.

For the curry, slice the aubergines in half, then cut each half into thick wedges. Cut each wedge in half. Grill the aubergines, without any oil, over a hot grill or on a ridged griddle pan until they are tender and marked black by the bars of the grill. Remove each one as it becomes ready. Chop the tomatoes.

Warm 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan or wok, then add the spice paste. Let it sizzle, stirring to prevent it colouring or sticking, then add the tomatoes and let them soften. You want them to be really squishy and collapsed. Stir in the grilled aubergine then the coconut milk. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, until tender.

Roughly chop a good couple of handfuls of coriander leaves and stir them in. Serve with rice.

[Celyn]

Never even tri3d Thai lol

[Mirabelle]

Mandy made us Fragrant Chinese Hotpot one evening last winter. It was so wonderful that she made it again for us next day. She found the recipe on an Asian site, but can't remember the author.

Delicious, aromatic dish to try on a wintery night. The miso soup adds a subtle nuttiness, enhanced by the water chestnuts' crunch. Miso soup is also said to offer much sought-after anti-ageing and digestion-boosting properties.

Serves 4

20 tiger prawns, cooked and peeled
4 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp tomato puree
3 star anise, crushed
½ bunch coriander, leaves chopped, stalks separated
Juice of 1 lime
2 litres chicken or vegetable stock, or water
200g soft, cooked noodles
1 tin water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1 carrot, peeled then ribboned with a peeler
100g mangetout, halved
100g baby corn, sliced
50g pickled ginger, sliced

1. Put the miso paste, tomato puree, star anise, coriander stalks, lime juice and stock/water in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Strain through a sieve into a clean saucepan and bring to the boil.

3. Add the prawns and noodles and gently heat for a couple of minutes, then add the vegetables and ginger, allowing them to warm through for 2-3 minutes more. Serve immediately, garnishing with the chopped coriander leaves and fresh lime juice squeezed over the top.

[Celyn]

Don't like Chinese much either lol

[Mirabelle]

Some of the best meatballs I've ever eaten came from humble little bistro in the Rhône district of France. The owner let me watch her make the delectable things, so once I came home, I made a batch for the family's evening dinner. Remembering how popular the meatballs were with us, I doubled the recipe.

Meatballs

This recipe has been reduced to serve 4.

500g good-quality minced beef steak (ground beef in America)
1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
50g white sourdough breadcrumbs
about 30g cheddar, grated
2 generous handfuls chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to finish
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbs olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
120ml dry white wine
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
100ml water
1-2 tbs caster sugar
sea salt and black pepper


To make the meatballs, mix the minced beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley together in a large bowl until combined. Season well and add the beaten egg to bind, mixing with your hands. Break off a small piece of the mixture, shape into a ball and fry in an oiled pan until cooked, then taste for seasoning. Adjust the seasoning of the uncooked mixture as necessary. With damp hands, shape the mixture into about 16 meatballs, trying not to press them too tightly. Place on a large plate, cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes to allow them to firm up.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently until lightly golden. Increase the heat slightly and pour in the wine. Let it bubble until reduced by half, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, water and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft, then remove the pan from the heat.

To cook the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a large, wide pan. Add the chilled meatballs and fry for 5 minutes, turning frequently, until browned all over. Pour the tomato sauce over them and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.

Divide the meatballs and tomato sauce among warm bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

I appreciate you taking the time to post the Thai Recipes. Thai is probably my favorite. I also like the other dishes. When I have the time, beginning of May probably, I am going to go through and copy these recipes so I can keep them and try them out. I am actually excited to give it a try too.

[Kintsukuroi.]

Originally Posted by Mirabelle

Some of the best meatballs I've ever eaten came from humble little bistro in the Rhône district of France. The owner let me watch her make the delectable things, so once I came home, I made a batch for the family's evening dinner. Remembering how popular the meatballs were with us, I doubled the recipe.

Meatballs

This recipe has been reduced to serve 4.

500g good-quality minced beef steak (ground beef in America)
1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
50g white sourdough breadcrumbs
about 30g cheddar, grated
2 generous handfuls chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to finish
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbs olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
120ml dry white wine
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
100ml water
1-2 tbs caster sugar
sea salt and black pepper


To make the meatballs, mix the minced beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley together in a large bowl until combined. Season well and add the beaten egg to bind, mixing with your hands. Break off a small piece of the mixture, shape into a ball and fry in an oiled pan until cooked, then taste for seasoning. Adjust the seasoning of the uncooked mixture as necessary. With damp hands, shape the mixture into about 16 meatballs, trying not to press them too tightly. Place on a large plate, cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes to allow them to firm up.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently until lightly golden. Increase the heat slightly and pour in the wine. Let it bubble until reduced by half, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, water and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft, then remove the pan from the heat.

To cook the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a large, wide pan. Add the chilled meatballs and fry for 5 minutes, turning frequently, until browned all over. Pour the tomato sauce over them and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.

Divide the meatballs and tomato sauce among warm bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

This recipe is really good so thanks for sharing it! I found this recipe in Gordon Ramsay's book years ago and it's the one that I use with a few modifications! I use ground round (vegetarian) or sometimes mushrooms or lentils depending on the day, dairy free cheddar cheese and an egg substitute.

[Mirabelle]

Originally Posted by .:Bibliophile:.

I appreciate you taking the time to post the Thai Recipes. Thai is probably my favorite. I also like the other dishes. When I have the time, beginning of May probably, I am going to go through and copy these recipes so I can keep them and try them out. I am actually excited to give it a try too.

Hey, I appreciate what you said so once we come home, I'll find another Thai recipe, try it out with Mandy and see if it passes muster.

But do you like Indian cuisine? I do, but not too hot! We made Indian butter chicken which was lovely, and also Indian Gorchi which we made using king prawns, and another Gorchi usinhg tandooried chicken. I don't have a tandoor, but quite a high oven setting which was great.

Originally Posted by Ayurnamat.

This recipe is really good so thanks for sharing it! I found this recipe in Gordon Ramsay's book years ago and it's the one that I use with a few modifications! I use ground round (vegetarian) or sometimes mushrooms or lentils depending on the day, dairy free cheddar cheese and an egg substitute.

I'll look out some more for you, and also Vegan if you'd like.

[Mirabelle]

Mandy and I are fishing enthusiasts, not just beach fishing, but from the family boat. Last time we went out, we took a shrimp drag net which yielded so many that we gave a lot away to our neighbour.

Mandy chose a fine recipe called Plantation Shrimp Reserve. It was attached to a tin of plantation demerara sugar from Barbados. I tracked the picture down and though it's very big, here is the image link:

http://www.partyservice-peter-fische.../lightbox1.jpg

What made the dish so delicious were the authentic ingredients keeping the recipe nice and simple. Best of all, it used authentic Thai ingredients.

Ingredients for Plantation Shrimp Reserve

10 jumbo prawns
4 oz Demerara sugar (Barbados Demerara is excellent because it is sweeter)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can coconut milk (cannot be skimmed)
1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
1 tablespoon (level) fresh Thai curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)

Coconut Sauce
Place curry paste in pan and add the sugar and the fish sauce.
Whisk together, add coconut, bring to the boil and reduce until thick (around 10 minutes on medium hear).

Shrimps
Preheat a non stick frying pan until hot, and add olive oil.
Take the sugar coated shrimp and place in the pan, cook until opaque and turn constantly while cooking so the shrimp is a caramel colour.
Serve immediately with the coconut sauce.

[Mirabelle]

More of these recipes soon!

We have a collection of very good fish stews, some of which include lobster and some that contain just sea fish and no seafood at all. Here are a few of our best.

This fish stew recipe is old and originates specially from Marseille. It will take quite some preparation, but will be well worth it.

Note that Metric to Imperial conversions are at the bottom of this recipe.

Although called a soup, this is really a main dish, a full meal in itself and most sustaining.

Bouillabaisse was based on local fish, usually those unsold at the daily market, with other local shellfish added. Bouillabaisse was a "fisherman's" dish, though in the old days never contained any expensive ingredients such as lobster as we have now, although the common small green crabs were often used.

Recipe (8 servings a minimum, considering the variety of fish required)

The dish is prepared in two parts: first a "base" part is made, and then a "bouillabaisse" part, into which the "base" part is added.

Note: some of the fish names are given in French as an aid in purchasing.

Base-part Ingredients:

Assorted small rock fish (1 kg), including: labres (girelles or rouquier [roucou]), serran [partago], very small scorpènes, a mixture of small fish sold as "poissons de roche à soupe".
1 conger eel head [congre, tête]
12 small green crabs [favouille]
8 tomato [tomate]
2 leek small, white [poireau]
4 onion medium [oignon]
2 Tblsp olive oil [huile d'olive]
2 cloves garlic [ail]
1 bouquet garni [(herbs)]
1 orange peel
salt, fresh pepper

Bouillabaisse-part Ingredients:
10 cl olive oil [huile d'olive]
2 teasp saffron [safran]
1 kg potato option [pomme de terre]

* Options:
- use either cigales de mer in the bouillabaisse part if they are available, or favouille (crabs) in the base part, but not both.
- potatoes are used only for a Toulon bouillabaisse

Scale and clean the fish, and rinse the crabs in cold water. Separate out the small fish and the crabs for the base part, and the larger fish for the bouillabaisse part. Then divide those for bouillabaisse part into the firm-fleshed fish and the softer (rascasse and congre).

Prepare the Base Part

1. Into a large stew pot put: the small fish, cut into chunks; the crabs; tomatoes, cleaned and diced; leeks; sliced onions; chopped garlic; olive oil; the tied bouquet of herbs.

2. Warm on low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add 4 lt. boiling water and let simmer for 30 minutes, adding salt and pepper.

Prepare the Bouillabaisse Part

1. In a large frying pan on a medium-low flame, put: the hard-fleshed fish and (optionally) the potatoes, sliced.

2. Remove the bouquet of herbs from the base part, and pour the base part through a sieve into the pan, forcing through the sieve as required.

3. Add in the olive oil and saffron. If necessary, add some boiling water to ensure that the fish are in a good bed of liquid.

4. Turn the heat up high and boil for 12 minutes.

5. Add the soft-flesh fish (rascasse and congre) and boil for another 6 minutes, then remove from the heat.

6. While the bouillabaisse is bubbling, prepare the rouille.

Serving

1. Remove the large fish and cigales (sliced in two lengthwise) and put on a platter for self-serving.

2. Smear rouille onto slices of bread. Serve the bread-and-rouille and potatoes (optional) into bowls, and pour in the bouillabaisse broth.

Conversions:
30 g = 1 oz = 2 Tbs

225 g = 8 oz = 1 cup
180 g = 6 oz = 3/4 cup,
60 g = 2 oz = 1/4 cup

1 kg = 2.2 lbs
1 lt = 1.06 qt
0.45 kg = 1 lb
0.95 lt = 1 qt
115 g = 4 oz = 1/2 cup
450 g = 16 oz = 1 pint

[Mirabelle]

Rouille for the above recipe from Marseille.

Rouille (rouïo in Provençal) is a spicy garlic sauce used for fish dishes, fish soup and bouillabaisse. When the rouille is prepared, keep it chilled in the fridge until it is served, either the same day or the next day. Before serving, if the rouille is stiff, thin it with a few drops of boiling water.

Recipe (6 servings)

This is an authentic Marseille recipe.

2 chili peppers [poivrons pimenté]
4 cloves garlic [ail]
1 cup olive oil [huile d'olive]
1 egg yolk [jaune d'oeuf]
1 handfull bread [pain]
1 Tblsp rock salt [gros sel]

1. Trim, de-seed and chop finely the peppers.

2. In a mortar, crush the peppers, garlic, rock salt and olive oil (1 teaspoon) together to obtain a thick paste.

3. Crumble the bread, moisten it with hot water (or the bubbling broth if you're preparing a fish soup or bouillabaisse), and press it into a tight lump, squeezing out the liquid.

4. Add the bread lump to the paste and beat, adding olive oil, until you've raised a smooth sauce. If the sauce tends to separate, add another tight lump of bread and hot broth, and keep beating.

[Mirabelle]

How is everyone doing with our recipes? Have you any comments about a particular recipe? Some look hard to make, but really once you have all the ingredients sets out in little bowls, making the meal is actually quite easy. If we don't have an ingredient on the list, then we'll substitute it for what is available in the fridge or pantry. It's all about enjoying, so recipes can be made more flexible to use up any bits and bobs.

Has anyone tried Duck? It can be very nice! Here is a recipe which originated from The Circle of Misse. http://www.circleofmisse.com/wp/

One of my family went on a cookery course to 'The Circle' and had such a wonderful cooking experience, and made us this very lovely meal, called -

Pasta with Slow Roasted Duck

Photo by Elise Bauer - see attachment

This is a sumptuous pasta dish that has its origins in old Venice, where it was done with the Italian version of preserved duck. Despite this, it is an easy dish to make – the only tricky part is getting the garlic browned, but not burned.

Traditionally this is served with tagliatelle, a long, flat pasta both wider and thinner than the more familiar linguine.

Make sure you’ve got everything ready before you start, as this dish comes together fast. Have the water boiling, and give it plenty of salt; you want it to taste of the sea. If you do this right, both the sauce and the pasta will be done at the same time.

1 pound tagliatelle
1 or 2 slow-roasted duck legs* *
4 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons duck fat
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon zest
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

* *To slow roast raw duck legs, first pat them dry. Prick skin all over with needle to help render out fat. Salt all over generously. Place skin side up in a 300°F oven in a casserole dish just small enough to fit them without overlapping. Cook for about 90 minutes or until the skin starts pulling away from the bones and getting crispy. Turn up the heat to 375°F for 15 minutes until duck starts to get light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

1. Pick all the meat off the duck legs and reserve the skin. Tear the meat and skin into smallish pieces.

2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the butter and duck fat and the duck meat and skin. Turn the heat down to medium.

3. Put the pasta in the boiling water. Stir it from time to time.

4. Add the garlic to the sauté pan and mix well. Watch the garlic: The moment it begins to brown turn off the heat.

5. Drain the pasta when it is al dente, or use tongs to take it from the boiling water right into the sauté pan. Turn the heat back on to medium. Toss the pasta in the sauté pan, making sure it is all coated well. Add more duck fat if needed. Add some black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and toss again. Taste and add the second tablespoon of lemon juice if you want.

Serve immediately with the lemon zest sprinkled on top.