The HOP cook Book

Mince and Spinach Tart

Ingredients:
225g puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon oil
450g lean ground beef
1 onion chopped
½ cup mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
Chopped parsley to taste
1 teaspoon butter
225g package fresh spinach

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
2. Line a 25cm pie plate with half the pastry.
3. In a skillet, heat oil and cook meat, then set aside.
4. Using the same skillet, cook onions, mushrooms and garlic, add meat, sprinkle with parsley and set aside.
5. In a separate skillet heat 1 teaspoon oil and gently sauté spinach.
6. Spoon meat mixture onto puff pastry, cover with a layer of spinach and top mixture with second pastry shell.
7. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 175 degrees Celsius and bake 15 minutes longer.

Experimented and came up with this yesterday. I assure you it's good.

Tomato Chicken Parmesan Bake

Ingredients:
-650 to 700g chicken breast fillets, sliced length wise, each fillet into 3 or 4 subfillets each.

- 1 tin SPC Basil Oregano chopped tomatos

- 1 big scoop of Kraft cream cheese

- 1 tablespoon minced garlic

- grated parmesan

- black pepper

- olive oil

- jasmine rice (precook- dry is better than mushy.)

Method

1. Heat some olive oil til smoking, sear all chicken subfillets til mostly white, lightly salt.
2. Pour in tin of Basil/Oregano chopped tomato.
3. Add coarsely ground black pepper to taste.
4. Stir and mix well.
5. Make space in centre of pan, add cream cheese, and garlic, and stir til cheese mixes well with garlic.
6. Turn on oven grill.
7. Stir garlic cheese into rest of pan, still on high heat. Keep stirring sosauce doesn't burn to bottom.
8. After about 7 minutes of cooking, transfer fillets to baking dish, layer with grated parmesan for each layer of fillets, pour sauce over, and put a generous layer of parmesan over the top of dish.
9. Grill til crispy brown crust forms.
10. Serve with jasmine rice and/or salad

PS. I have just Googled and Yahoo'd it to no results- I've invented the word 'subfillet'.

subfillet is an excellent word, i cut up some chicken like that the other day and didn't know what to call it.

However, i think you like rice too much (you just keep a great big bowl of pre-cooked rice in your fridge don't you?) That'd go really well with pasta methinks, sounds itallianish to me...

Hmmm, sub fillets eh? Nice one. If a whole breast is cur into strips lengthways, then they are called strips. If it is throughways if you get what I mean, (by placing the breast on the board and holding the knife in the same plane as the board) then they are actually just called fillets, if it is crossways, ie across the grain, then have either never seen a technical term for it, or there isn't one.

Either way you are making me hungry!!

meh, sub fillets works for me.

so if you stuck them all together could you make uberfillets?

I know I gave this recipe to Gidg but I don't think I posted it in here before.

Chocolate Truffles

1lb good dark chocolate
6 fl oz Double Cream
1 oz ground almonds
1 oz cocoa powder
Flavouring such as 2 table spoons of rum, brandy, coffee liqeur, orange/lemon zest.
small paper cases


- Break the chocolate into small peices
- Gently heat the double cream in a pan until it almost comes to the boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the chocolate pieces until they melt and the mixture becomes smooth
- add your flavouring & the ground almonds.
- Chill in the fridge for 3 hours
- Dust your palms with cocoa powder
-Scoop out teaspoons of the truffle mix and shape with your hands into a ball.
- roll each truffle in cocoa powder and then place in a small paper case.
- decorate with curls of chocolate or orange zest strips.
- Keep refrigerated and eat within 7 days.

Sarah: I was thinking of it more in terms of a ricebake (like having rice under a tomato based meatdish, topped with cheese and baked), though with the rice served separately so it wouldn't become too mushy in the sauce..

I'm not sure how well pasta tends to go with big chunks of meat, but if anything, I'd rather feel guilty about all the cream cheese and parmesan that goes into the dish, than the accompanying filler..

But yes, I do love my jasmine rice. Pasta's good, but tends to make me feel a bit bloated after. And by precooked, I meant prepared before the dish is ready, so it's had a chance to cool down (and excess moisture's evaporated) and ready to serve soon as the dish is done. If rice is stored in the fridge, if it's on it's own (as in, not in a quickly zappable container with meat and sauce etc.). I don't think it'd be too nice to have with a new freshly made dish. But fridge rice is super for frying though! All you need is an egg, sweet soy, ketchup, and a couple of cucumbers... budget cooking hehe.

Marf: You know that urban legend about KFC and their technology to farm boneless chickens? If it were true, I think they'd be uberfillets

Mmmm chocolate........

Roosters is better than KFC, cheaper but just as great tasting

Eek. No way. We've got a Red Rooster next to where I live, and once I had a strip sub, and it had a bug in it! I think KFC original's so much tastier.. but that being said, I haven't had KFC in about 2 years?

Anyway.. back on topic with something I came up with a while back:

Tangy Grilled Mango Salmon (Serves 4)

Ingredients
4 x Salmon cutlets (150g-180g each?)
3/4 cup Mango Passion yoghurt (Ski D'light? Can't remember.. but I know it's
Mango Passion, white text on a small purple label, in a mostly red cup)
Extra virgin olive oil
Cayenne pepper (optional)
3 long green chillis (deseeded)
1 1/2 Lemons
Ground nutmeg (optional) or Paprika.. personal preference
Freshly ground pepper
Mint leaves (optional garnish)
1/4 mango (optional garnish)
Wine recommendation: Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling 2002

Pre-preparation
Sauce - mix the following in a bowl.
- Zest of 1 1/2 lemons (each piece roughly about 1 cm long and 1/2 cm wide)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 long green chillis, deseeded, washed and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Dash of ground pepper
- Dash of Cayenne
- 3/4 cup of mango yoghurt

Line a baking tray with alu foil

Preheat ovengrill (top heating), max heat


Preparation
- Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil (preferably nonstick- in a nonstick pan,
you'd want to add more olive oil) in a large pan at full heat
- When oil is hot, sear 4 salmon cutlets for about half a minute
- Transfer oil to alu foil-lined baking tray
- Lay salmon cutlets evenly spaced on baking tray
- Spoon the prepared sauce onto the cutlets, getting as much of the chunky
bits on the fish (any leftover can go in the inside gap of each cutlet)
- Very lightly sprinkle nutmeg or paprika on top
- Place baking tray in grill for approx. 8-10 minutes
- Transfer to serving dish, garnish each with a mint leaf and small slice of
mango
- I'm not a wine person, but it was pretty good accompanied by a Leeuwin
Estate Art Series Riesling 2002 (but I'm guessing any fruity white will do)

KFC gave me found poisoning, not once, not twice but all three times that I have tried it.

First time I was five and my whole family got so sick from it, third time I tried I was about 14 and about two years ago I tried it again, each time, same result, head over toilet bowl.

cheap, tastey soup

I made this basically with the last of the food in the house

serves 4/5?

4 x cans of chopped tomatos
one large onion
3 cloves garlic
2 peppers
1 x fresh chilli (optional)
rosemary / oregno / basil
3 slices of diced bacon (optional)
50 grams of 1" snapped spaghetti


fry bacon for 5 mins, add diced onion and peppers, fry till bacon is nicely cooked and onion is transucent. add shredded chilli and garlic, fry for a minute. add the cans of chopped tomatos, spaghetti and herbs, let simmer untill thick and pasta is cooked.

WARNING, this soup is missleading and fills you mroe than you up imagine ! It keeps very well and tastes better each tiem its reheated.

So. I just tried making some white choc chicp cookies.

Ever reach the point while shaping batter into individual cookies you just think this is a bit fiddly in'it. Then decide to spread all the batter in one large rectangle, and leave the cutting/shaping later?

Just took it out and I seem to have a really tasty, large white chocolate sponge cake . Think I'll put it back in the oven.

Funny how everything ends up being sponge cake..

Not wise to do one big cookie as the edges get burnt while the middle remains soggy. Unless you're looking to eat the cookie off the try with a spoon....

Anyway cookies don't need shaping. Just spoon them onto the baking tray in dollops. Any shaping automatically turns them into BISCUITS!

Did you try that Satay Chicken Kebab recipe from ages ago?

Yeah.. batter was a bit thick, and there was lots of it..

So it was in the oven about half an hour longer.. it's quite edible now, but somewhat.. odd.

Didn't get to try that recipe because I didn't have the peanut butter.. but the recipe's not going anywhere .

The absolute best way to deal with green veg EVER
I'm a tad lazy to check through everything here, but seeing as its all recipies proper, i'll hope this hasn't shown up already.
now, many of us will have experienced such things as cabbage, broccoli peas and the like as overcooked slightly grey mushy bits with little in the way of taste or redeeming features, not very appetising.

here's how i do it.
chop up veg
put it in a jug
add a little salt
put enough water to fill the jug in the kettle and boil it
chuck it straight in the jug and lid it with something (like a saucer... or lid)
leave it for 10-15 mins
drain it and enjoy, stays nice and crisp, holds onto some flavour, is great and can be done while you get on with making the rest of breakfast

Ryan's Steak Tartare Recipe. Raw meat at its best. *flogs portions eagerly to random vegetarians.. *

Shopping List
1. 250-300 grams of FRESH raw mince beef (about the physical size of a chunky steak)
2. Capers
3. Cornichon (Baby Cucumbers, about the size of short crayons, each one is about the height

of hmm.. a photo film container.. available in the same section as the capers.. usually in

a jar, in liquid)
4. Tobasco
5. Cayenne Pepper (Optional)
6. An Egg
7. Salt
8. Pepper
9. 2 Shallots (NOT red onion.. the one that looks like garlic, but a bit bigger)
10. 1 quarter of a small red onion
11. A flat tablespoon of finely chopped Parsley
12. Olive Oil
13. Honey mustard seeds (or mustard)
14. Worcestershire Sauce
15. Wholemeal bread, or baguette, or almost any fresh thick slice bread or bun, or crispy

thick french fries as accompanying (optional)

Recipe
(ABCDE can be mixed in the same bowl)
A. Pre chop Parsley, 1 flat tablespoon, finely
B. Pre dice shallots, small but not too fine, picture 3-4mm by 3-4mm pieces
C. Drain and pre chop a tablespoon of capers
D. Drain and chop 6-8 cornichon
E. Dice the quarter of a small red onion same as the shallots

1. Put an egg yolk (just the yolk) in a large mixing bowl.
2. Slowly pour in the olive oil (equivalent of 4 tablespoons.. more or less, til it looks a

nice pastel colour, semi fluffy.. while whisking into a light mayonnaise (You could also

use 2 forks to whisk)
3. Add a tablespoon and a half of worcestershire sauce.
4. Add several dashes (maybe slightly less than a tablespoon) of tobasco
5. Add generous black pepper
6. Pepper enough salt to season the meat into the mixture
7. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup
8. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard or honey whole mustardseed
9. Add ABCDE
10. Mix misture evenly
11. Add meat gradually and mix well
12. Add tobasco, salt or pepper to taste
13. Mixture should look pinkish, and have a consistency like sandwich spread
14. place about 3/4 of the mixture in a ball on a clean plate
15. Using 2 forks, place 1 sideways against the meat and pat the other one down on the top

of the steak, so as to get the other fork at a right angle, shaping the mixture into a

steak, and when shaped, use the fork to scratch light lines on the surface (like grill

marks) of the meat.
16. Garnish with a stalk of parsely
17. Serve with some bread or french fries (popularly with french fries)
18. Bon Apetit!

chinese mushroom soup:

Ingredients:

oyster/shitake mushrooms, torn/sliced respectively, the thinner the better, but not into overly small pieces!
salt
vegetable oil
ginger (chopped into small thin strips)
pork (cut very thin and small pieces)
chopped green chilli (to taste)
chopped spring onions (this is not in the recipe I was shown, but I think it works well: so it's another optional)

warning: this is the way they cook it here: this goes against a lot of safety advice

heat some oil in a wok: (about a few tablespoons worth)

when the oil is hot, pour in a saucepan of water (at arms length, preferably with the wok lid ready in hand in case of fire)

when the water boils put in the mushrooms, a teaspoon of salt and cook for 2 mins

add the pork

when the pork is cooked (it will change colour) add the ginger and spring onions (and any other leafy things you want to add) and cook for about 1min

serve hot.



possible extras:

noodles
beef instead of pork (probably better with shitake mushrooms)
coarse chopped pak choi, or other leafy veg
egg (possibly: I haven't tried this myself, but it's a popular addition to soup in china)

haven't got exact amounts for this one, but: I would recommend you adjust amoounts to taste: I'm not mad about spicy food, so I tend not to put much chili in, if any, but it is nice with a little bite. Also, veggies could leave out the pork.

Bumping this for Georgemc, but also realising that I don't think i've put anything on here yet!

Super Eggplant Parma a la Rougie (vegetarian)

slice eggplant into flat fillets (is it a fillet if it's not meat?) and salt them. Leave for half an hour then wash off the salt and the icky stuff that the salt brings out.

crum eggplant (dip in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs) and fry lightly.

then place on a tray and top with (crap! i have to remember!);
baby spinach
sliced mushroom
fried egg
napoli sauce
cheese

and bake in the oven til the cheese is melted.

serve with chips! (fries/pomme frite/whatever the hell you call them)

Aaah, the HoP cook book! I still haven't got round to copying down all these lovely recipes! Cheers for the bump.

Oooh one day I'll take the time to copy all the recipes... I love cooking but I never have any good reccipes =/


Ok, so here's my contribution to the cook book... I've never tried this recipe out, actualy, but my friend gave it to me


Enaile’s Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 tea spoon of (essence of) vanilla
2 and ¼ cups of wheat flour
1 tea spoon of yeast
1 pinch of salt
1 cup of chipped dark chocolate (just cut up a chocolate bar)
¾ cup of butter or margarine in room temperature
¾ cup of fine sugar
¾ cup of brown sugar

How to make:
In the dough mixer/ whisk, in medium speed, beat the butter and the eggs. Gradually add the 2 sugars, the vanilla and beat. Sift the flour, the yeast and the salt (this part is totally DISPENSABLE, lets just say… you can just add everything without sifting, if you want to. ) and little by little add them to the cream in the dough mixer. Mix with a spoon. Add in the chocolate chips and mix. Put spoonfuls of the batter in a form (without butter or anything on it), in pre a heated oven at 180oC. Bake it for about 10 minutes. (This amount of time might not be enough, depending on the oven, so keep checking on the cookies… They should be ok when the chocolate melts!)

Enjoy!


I'm probably going to try it out today... So I'll tell you all what I thought of it

I guess I'm the only one who put up a "junk food" recipe around here

nah, most recipies are for sweets.

actually, I'd like to see more meals being posted - I need ideas!

Please guys?

Creamy Leek and Potato Soup:

Chop up 2 - 3 medium size leeks

Dice one large potato

Make up 1 pint of chicken stock

In a large saucepan, add a few bits of butter and begin frying the leeks on a low-medium heat.

After a few minutes when the leeks soften, add the diced potato and continue to fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring.

Add a pint of chicken stock, turn up heat and bring to the boil.

When the water is boiling, turn down the heat to low-medium and add some milk (about 1/4 pint), so that the liquid covers the top of the leeks and potatoes. Simmer gently for 30 - 40 minutes on a low-medium heat (DO NOT BOIL).

Remove from heat, add a tablespoon of single or double cream and blend with a hand blender until smooth and creamy.

Serve with crusty bread - yummy and filling!

I have a shot load of recipes for anyone who wants them. I finished writing my own cookbook (some of the recipes from it are in this thread already) about a year ago (all recipes that I have either created or altered to my tastes).

Or I could just inundate this thread with the rest of the recipes that aren't already in here.

Short-Cut Meade

(sorry, I'm too lazy to look up the metric equivalent)

1/2 gallon of water
1-1/2 cups raw honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup *Everclear (or vodka, if you can't get Everclear)

Slowly heat all ingredients together--except the alcohol--in a large stock pot. As the honey melts, an oily crust will form on the top of the meade. You can leave it there, for some feel this adds to the full-bodied texture of the meade, while others will tell you to skim it off. Do not allow the meade to come to a rolling boil. When it is well blended, remove from the heat, stirring occasionally until it settles. When it has cooled, add the Everclear and serve.

lol

Can't wait the two weeks til it won't blind you fyrespirit?

To make that sweeter (as I know some who *love* super sweet meade) Apple juice can be substituted for water.
I love making meade, though I do it the long way.
I may have to make it this way though, just to try it. You don't find the Everclear/Vodka to be too...overpowering of the gentle taste of the honey?

Here's two that are lighter, healthy meals and are carb-free for those that avoid them

No Pasta "Spaghetti" and Shrimp:
Boil water in a steam pot, *or* boil in a cooking pot and place a metal collander over it to form a make-shift steamer.

Mince up garlic, finely chop mushrooms and onions and simmer in a jar marinara sauce. I also add ground up eggplant, it helps to simulate "meat" sauce.

Next, julianne zuchini and parsnip into thin straws. Steam just until slightly limp, to resemble pasta.

Next, grab a handful of shrimp and toss into the steamer basket. Steam until pink and cooked, not rubbery (about 5 min or so).
Toss "pasta" with sauce. Top with cheese (I love feta or goat cheese) and shrimp and enjoy.

*Shrimp and Cheese can be removed, substituted for a lovely vegan meal.

Next one : Turkey Burger Florentine on Mushrooms Caps
I prefer to do this on the grill, but a fry pan or the oven can also be used.

Clean portabello mushroom caps. Sprinkle with olive oil and set to cook on low heat on your prefered method. Leave them whole.

Mix 1lb ground turkey with minced garlic, one egg, chopped baby spinach and ground pepper. Make into burger patties.
Cook on preferred method until juices run clear.

Mushroom caps are done when a bit soft but not mushy.

Plate mushroom cap, top side down, so it makes a cup.
Sprinkle with cheese of your choice (we like extra sharp cheddar or feta). Lay burger on top of that and enjoy.

This is such a favorite in our house!

*giggle*...actually, I've not tried it, yet...Pat tried his hand at ginger beer and if he can find somewhere to get bulk honey, he's gonna make some of the real stuff...not the shortcut way...

I got the recipe for the shortcut mead out of one of my Celtic books...a quick way to get honey drunk, I guess?