GLORIOUS BANGERS AND MASH WITH ONION GRAVY

FABULOUS BANGERS AND MASH WITH ONION GRAVY

 

 

INGREDIENTS

Good quality butcher sausages

2 glug's of ooil

2 large onions sliced
2 tsp un-refined brown sugar

300ml water (ish)

1 knorr chick jelly (optional)

4 large King Edward potatoes

100g butter

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp vinegar optional

First peel the potatoes and place in seasoned water and boil for approx 20 mins until knife tender, meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan, add a tsp of ooil and cook the sausages gently turning regular until cooked.

At the same time heat a pan, add the rest of the ooil and pan fry the sliced onions and pan fry gently for 15 minutes, add the sugar and caramalize for another 5 minutes.  Add the water, a knob of butter and reduce to the consistency you require for your gravy, sometimes I add some chicken stock to deepen the flavour, season to taste.

Once the potatoes are ready, push them through a ricer for a smoother texture back in to a warm pan, add lots of butter and seasoning, I like to add some vinegar, this is what my nan always did and it adds a lovely taste to the mashed potatoe, well not that my dad agrees!

JERK CHICKEN WINGS GATOR'S USA STYLE

GATORS USA JAMAICAN JERK & MOLASSES CHICKEN WINGS

INGREDIENTS
1 kg wings

50-70ml molasses or honey

1 tsp all spice
2 habaneros fine chopped
1/2 lime zested
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp ginger paste
salt & black pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large glug ooil
BLUE CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE
250g blue cheese
200ml double cream

JERK MARINADE
Put all the ingredients except the wings and molasses in a large pestle and mortar and pound all the ingredients to a paste, once sort of smooth add the molasses and pour over the wings and rub in well.  Place the wings if you can in the fridge for a min of 30mins but the longer the better, I usually marinate in the morning and cook in the evening.  Place the wings in a roasting tin and cook for approx 30 minutes at 180 degrees.  They are now cooked, but i like to now follow Gators cooking for added depth and flavour, I take the wings and now griddle or BBQ for a few minutes to dry out the marinade and seal extra flavour into the wings, also crisping up the skin, then you can serve now or have a additional wet stage where you toss the wings in more of the marinade and serve.  I love my wings with blue cheese dipping sauce.

BLUE CHEESE SAUCE
Bring the double cream to just a simmer turn off the heat and add the blue cheese crumbled, stir till melted, if you feel the sauce is too thin add more blue cheese.

FANTASTIC CORN, CHILLI & CORIANDER SOUP

SOOOOO SWEET AND SUMPTUOUS CORN, CHILLI AND CORIANDER SOUP



INGREDIENTS

3 corn on the cob

1 ltr chicken stock (or veg)

1 small onion diced

1 bunch coriander chopped

2 red chillies sliced

1 stick celery fine diced

dash ooil

1 large knob of butter

Salt and pepper

Heat a non stick frying pan to a high heat and sear the corn on the cob for a few minutes on each side catching some of the kernels, once done slice off the corn kernels in to a saucepan, add the onion and chillies, add a glug of ooil and a large knob of butter and pan fry medium for approx 7 minutes, not colouring the onions.

Add the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a simmer for approx 5 minutes, add the coriander and then take off the heat and blend to a smooth consistency, if if feels too thick add some water or stock, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

EXCELLENT CORN TACOS WITH PULLED PORK AND CHIPOTLE DRY RUBBED CHICKEN

POUNDED ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

TOPPINGS FOR THE TACO'S, PICO DE GALLO, ROASTED TOMATO SALSA, GRATED CHEDDAR, CRISPY ICEBERG LETTUCE, SOUR CREAM AND GUACAMOLE

DRY PAN FRIED CORN WITH CORIANDER

BBQ PULLED PORK BUTT

CHARGRILLED CHICKEN WITH CHIPTOLE DRY RUB SEASONING

THE TRADITIONAL WHITE CORN TORTILLAS

OVER STUFFED TACO YUMMY...

INGREDIENTS

1/2 iceberg lettuce shredded

1 pot sour cream

1 avocado

1 onion fine diced

3 tomatoes de-seeded and fine chopped

2 tomatoes roasted and peeled

1 bunch coriander chopped

1 lime

Salt and pepper

200g cheddar or manchaego

1 corn on the cob

50g butter

1 chicken breast

DRY RUB INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp BBQ spice or blackened spice

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 pinch garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

BBQ PULLED PORK

1 pork shoulder

50ml liquid smoke

2ltr coke cola

1 pack BBQ spice mix

water to top up

WHITE CORN TORTILLAS

225g masa harina

1 pinch of salt

1 tbsp ooil

300ml hot, not boiling water

TO MAKE THE BBQ PULLED PORK BUTT

Take the pork and rub with the BBQ spice and liquid smoke, place in a deep roasting tin, pour in the coke and water to cover the pork, cover the roasting tin with tin foil.  Place in the oven at 160 degrees for 2-3hrs.  Once cooked, peel off any fat and discard, using two forks pull the meat apart, this should fall apart with no effort, if it is resistant, cover and place back in the oven for another 30-60 minutes.  Let the pulled pork soak up all the cooking BBQ juices, if you feel the juices are too loose pop tray back in the oven with out a lid and on 200 degrees reduce the stock to the required thickness.

TO MAKE THE CORN TORTILLAS

It is so worth making your own tortillas, they take only a few minutes and taste amazing.  Place the masa harina, salt and ooil in a bowl, add half the water and mix, add the rest slowly while bringing the dough together to a ball.  knead for five minutes until the dough is smooth but still a little sticky, cover with a damp cloth and leave for 30 minutes.  Take a 50 pence size piece of the dough and place on a square of cling film, top with more cling film and roll out in to a 6" circle.  To cook pre heat a non stick flat griddle or pan and place the tortilla, two at a time if you can, cook for approx 30 seconds each side, you want to puff up a little and slightly char each side.  Take a tea towel and warm it in the tumble dryer or microwave and wrap the cooked tortillas in to keep warm while you cook the rest just before serving.

DRY RUB CHICKEN

Take chicken breasts or a whole chicken, and rub the seasoning all over and inside cavities, cook the chicken and shred with two forks.

ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

In a hot non stick pan

PICO DE GALLO

One of my favourites, take the 3 toms chopped and de-seeded and mix with the finely chopped onions, coriander and season with salt and pepper, and adjust the final flavour with lime juice.  You can add anything to this like red and green peppers, diced avocado etc.

ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

Take three tomatoes and roast off on a dry pan, peel the skin off and place in a pestle and mortar.  Add chopped onion, coriander some salt and black pepper corns, a hint of lime juice and dash of ooil.  Pound together well and add some red or green chilli.

GUACAMOLE

Such a simple and gorgeous dip and topping, take a really ripe, (this is really important) avocado, scoop out and place in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, add a squeeze of lime, finely dice some red pepper, a garlic clove maybe and a little onion, I like to really finely dice these and mix into the avocado,  mash together with a fork, I don't like to blend as it becomes one mush of flavour.

DRY PAN FRIED CORN

take a corn on the cob, this maximise the flavour of the corn, in a hot hot non stick pan add the corn and toss, let some of the kernels catch a little as this caramelises the sweetness in the corn, do this for a couple of minutes, turn the heat down and add a generous knob of butter, season to taste, some fresh coriander can enhance this dish further.

LET THE PARTY BEGIN

Take a taco, fill with what ever you fancy and top with what ever you fancy, eat and enjoy and repeat.

BEST EVER CRAB SHACK OLD BAY BAKE EATING EXPERIENCE EVER

THE BEST EVER CRAB SHACK

MY VERY FIRST CRAB SHACK U.S.A, LOVED IT.  FRESH ALASKAN QUEEN CRAB, WHOLE LOBSTER, SHRIMP, CORN ON THE COB, STEAMED RED POTATOES AND ANDOUILLE SMOKED SPICY CREOLE SAUSAGE, ALL STEAMED WITH OLD BAY SEASONING.  JUST FANTASTIC SO JUICY AND THE FLAVOUR I HAVE NEVER EATEN SUCH SWEET CRAB MEAT, I LOVED THE THEATRE OF HAVING A BIB TIED AROUND MY NECK, THE CLAW CRACKERS AND THE CRAB MEAT PICKER, WHICH HAD "STOLEN FROM JOE'S CRAB SHACK" PRINTED ON IT, SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RUDE NOT TO!

THE MEAL IS SERVED WITH THREE POTS OF MELTED BUTTER FOR DIPPING.  THE OLD BAY SEASONING WAS SO FLAVOURSOME THAT I ACTUAL HAD TO SUCK IT FROM ALL THE SHELLS TOO, THIS WAS NOT A PRETTY EATING VENUE, BUT WHO CARES, ALL YOU COULD HEAR WAS MOANS OF SATISFACTION ON EVERY TABLE...



SNOW CRAB, SEARED SCALLOPS AND MUSSELS IN A LIGHT KENDALL JACKSON WHITE WINE SAUCE, WITH HINTS OF GARLIC, PEPPER AND CITRUS NOTES





I WAS SO EXCITED AND LOVED THIS EATING EXPERIENCE, I CAN'T WAIT TO COOK THIS AT HOME, I HAVE BEEN ONTO THE FOOD NETWORK STORE AND FOUND THE STEAM POTS, WHICH HAVE TWO TIERS, THE TOP TIER FOR THE CRABS, WHICH STEAMS TO PERFECTION KEEPING THE DELICATE MEAT AWAY FROM THE WATER TO ENSURE SWEETNESS, NOT SOGGINESS, AND THE BOTTOM LAYER TO CATCH ALL THE JUICES, THIS LAYER ALSO HAS A TAP TO DRAIN OFF THE STOCK WHICH YOU CAN USE FOR CHOWDERS, SOUPS ETC.

OF COURSE ON THE TRIP HOME, I HAD MY SUITCASE PULLED AND INSPECTED, THIS WAS DUE TO HUNDREDS OF SPICE TUBS AND COOKING EQUIPMENT I CAN'T GET OVER HERE, I HAVE SO MUCH OLD BAY I AM STOCKED FOR YEARS!  THE HARDEST PART IS TRULY TRYING TO PROVE TO CUSTOMS THAT THIS WAS ALL FOR PERSONAL USE, I MEAN HAVE THEY NEVER COME ACROSS SOMEONE WHOSE LIFE IS WONDERFULLY OBSESSED BY COOKING, EATING AND SHARING...