This is a classic.
Coleslaw variations
I have been trying some different variations on the coleslaw I usually make.
One variation was to use savoy cabbage over the pointed or white cabbage I usually use which worked well and looked very nice as well as tasting slightly different.
My latest variation was to use red onion as well as a traditional onion and add some finely grated parsnip to the mix which added a subtle difference to the flavour.
You can add a variety of root vegetables and brassicas to coleslaw so why not try something different to the usual cabbage, carrot and onion.
Spare Ribs
I quite like spare ribs but after eating some from the local chinese last night, decided I much prefer making my own.
The ones from the chinese were nice and meaty, but two major things wrong with them, firsty they were re-heated which means that they certainly don’t taste as good as they could, secondly the sauce was too sweet and lacked flavour.
The ones I have made are freshly cooked and that makes a (huge) difference. I also make my own sauce and that generally can be a lot tastier (and lots less salty) than other sauces you can buy.
My sauce is made from honey, balsamic vinegar, sunflower oil, tomato puree (though ketchup works just as well) and I add spices, usually Cajun to add heat and flavour.
I cook them with some chopped red onion in a hot oven for about twenty minutes.
I do need to find a better source for my ribs as I much prefer meaty ribs.
Tebbit set to be the next big celebrity chef?
Is Lord Tebbit set to be the next big celebrity chef?
Former Conservative chairman Lord Tebbit is writing a book about how to cook game such as pheasant, partridge and rabbit, he has revealed.
Green beans and carrots
One side dish I have been eating a lot recently is a very simple dish of steamed green beans and carrots.
Sometimes I add some olive oil, other times butter, usually though I leave them as is. I find that organic is the most tasty.
Redbush Tea
I am currently enjoying a cup of Redbush Tea, which isn’t really tea at all.
It is made from a plant only grown near Capetown in South Africa. Redbush tea tastes a little bit like normal tea, but with a slightly earthy, naturally sweeter taste.
I drink it with milk, but you can drink it without.
It’s a refreshing change from normal tea.
Bargain
Well I got a bit of a bargain yesterday from the deli counter at Sainsburys.
They had some cooked mini Turkey joints (around 500g) reduced from £9.99 to 99p, a nine pound saving. It wasn’t as though the use by date was yesterday either, bought yesterday on the 29th December, to be used by the 1st January.
It was cheaper than buying a couple of slices of the cooked turkey (which is why I was at the deli counter in the first place).
It wasn’t the best or most tasty turkey, but it works well in sandwiches. Of course we didn’t have turkey at Christmas, so we didn’t have lots left over like those poor people who buy and cook those HUGE turkeys!
Young’s Premium Scampi
Okay so I succumbed to the advertising outside my local supermarket and I went and purchased a bag of Young’s Premium Scampi.
These frozen scampi take seventeen minutes in the oven and are typical scampi to be honest, nothing special and nothing really to write home about (or a blog entry, oops).
I don’t know maybe, my expectations were too high, but I was thinking they would be extra special, but they didn’t really hit the spot, reminded me more of the scampi I would get from the local chippy.
Not going to go on my shopping list again.
Roasting Sweet Potatoes
I like sweet potato and though I know a lot of people mash them, I much prefer to roast them.
My preference is simple to cut into slices and roast in the oven with a splash of olive oil. They then have a natural sweetness which really adds to a meal.
Remember to thaw out the puff pastry…
Just a tip really, when cooking boeuf en croute (beef in puff pastry) remember to get the frozen puff pastry out in plenty of time!
Trying to thaw out puff pastry quickly basically doesn’t work, it will either break into lots of pieces, or go funny in the microwave.
Even if you manage to overcome those problems, it cooks okay, but not perfectly.
So tip of the day, go out and buy fresh puff pastry, make your own, or if you are using frozen puff pastry get it out of the freezer in plenty of time and not thirty minutes before you want to start cooking.