Friday 29 January 2010

Margarita


I love this cocktail as it's refreshing rather than rich and gluggy.

1 1/2 parts Tequila (gold or white, you choose)
1 part freshly pressed lime juice
1/2 part Triple Sec or Cointreau

ice cubs
salt for the rim of the glass
lime wedges

Cover a dessert plate or saucer with salt. Run a lime wedge around the edge of the glass and dip the glass rim into the salt.

Pour all the ingredients into a shaker with a few ice cubes and shake. Drain into the glasses. Garnish with a slice or wedge of lime. Serve immediately.

Monday 25 January 2010

Vegetarian Chilli


Serves 8-10.

As with the chilli con carne, I've kept this on the mild side. It can be spiced up by each guest as preferred.

1 fennel bulb (optional), chopped
500 g potatoes, diced
1-2 sweet potatoes, diced
1 small butternut squash, diced
500 g mixed peppers, cut into bite-size chunks
500 g mushrooms, halved or quartered (depending on size)
2-3 carrots, diced
2 large onions, finely chopped
2-3 celery sticks, finely sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 red chillis, finely chopped
2-3 tins of organic kidney beans (no salt or sugar added), drained and rinsed
3 tins of chopped tomatoes (a mix of tomatoes in tomato juice and tomatoes in thick sauce)
250 ml red wine
1 packet of passata (if needed to thicken the sauce)

pepper
salt
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp Hungarian paprika (csemege or csípős csemege)
1 tsp ground chilli powder
olive oil

chopped fresh coriander to serve (optional)

1. Sauté onions, garlic, celery, fennel at a medium to low heat in olive oil for 5-10 nminutes to soften but not brown them.

2. Add the vegetables and sauté for a few more minutes until the vegetables are coated with the oil/onion/garlic mix.

3. Then add tomatoes and wine. Season and cook until the vegetables are soft but not mushy. Check the taste and add more seasoning as necessary.

4. Serve with crusty bread, soured cream, paste of Birds Eye Chillis and optionally, freshly chopped chillis and chopped fresh coriander.

Chilli con Carne


Serves 15-20.

This is a fairly mild (2 chillis) to medium (4 chillis) chilli con carne and caters for different tastes. Those who like it really hot can add additional chillis or paste of Birds Eye Chillis.

1.5 - 2 kg beef mince (or a mix of pork and beef mince, e.g. half and half)
500 g potatoes, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
1 medium sized sweet potato, diced
1/2 small butternut squash, diced
500-750 g mixed peppers, cut into bite-size chunks
3 large onions, finely chopped
1 bulb garlic (or less, to taste), finely chopped
1/2 bunch celery, finely sliced
1/2 fennel, (optional) finely chopped
2-4 red chillis, finely chopped
2-3 tins of organic kidney beans (no salt or sugar added), drained and rinsed
4-5 tins of chopped tomatoes (a mix of tomatoes in tomato juice and tomatoes in thick sauce)
1/2 bottle of red wine
pepper
salt
2-3 tsp ground cumin
3-5 tsp Hungarian paprika (csemege or csípős csemege)
2-5 tsp ground chilli powder
olive oil
chopped fresh coriander to serve (optional)

1. Sauté onions, garlic, celery, fennel tops at a medium to low heat in olive oil for 5-10 nminutes to soften but not brown them.

2. Add the vegetables and sauté for a few more minutes until the vegetables are coated with the oil/onion/garlic mix.

3. Meanwhile brown the mince in a separate frying pan, if necessary in batches, seasoning it with pepper, salt and half the paprika.

4. Add add tomatoes and wine to the veg. Season and cook until the vegetables are almost ready. Now add the meat and cook for a little longer until the veggies ar soft but not mushy. Check the taste and add more seasoning as necessary.

5. Take off the heat, move the lid to allow the steam to escape. Reheat when ready to serve.

6. Serve with crusty bread, soured cream, paste of Birds Eye Chillis and optionally, freshly chopped chillis and chopped fresh coriander.

There's also a recipe for a vegetarian chilli on this blog.

Paste of Birds Eye Chillis


200 g Birds Eye chillis, topped, but not deseeded
Pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic bulb, unpeeled, cut in half

1. Select a roasting tray to accommodate all the chillis and garlic in one layer. Season with pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

2. Cook in a preheated oven at gas mark 7 (220 °C) until the chillis have browned. Turn and reduce heat to gas mark 4 (175 °C) and roast until the chillis and garlic have softened.

3. Remove the peel from the garlic. Transfer everything to a beaker (for use with handheld blender) or food processor and blend.

4. Transfer to a sterilised jar or bowl and cover with a thick layer of olive oil to seal. Keep in the fridge until ready to use. Stir in the oil before serving.

Any remaining past can be topped with oil and kept in the fridge for a few days.