I suppose you’re all like us racing to get the boat in the water once we get a decent spell of weather. We all depend very much on staples like tins, rice and pasta etc., and I have been looking at new recipes using some of these ingredients. Alternatives can be substituted in most cases so they are really a sort of basic recipe you can fiddle about with. They will serve two people as there are usually only two on the boat but can be doubled up to serve four when necessary.

Moroccan Style Pasta                                                          Serves 2

1 small onion chopped                                     250g (8oz) lamb, beef, turkey mince
1 stalk celery chopped                                      1 clove garlic crushed
1 tsp coriander                                                  150 ml (5 fl oz) stock
1 small tin tomatoes                                          1 courgette cut into chunks
1small sweet potato chunked                            175g (6 oz) tagliatelle or other shapes
Olive oil

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the minced meat over a high heat until brown, breaking up any lumps. Remove from the pan and reduce the heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and spices for 4-5 minutes until the onion is soft then return the meat to the pan. Add the stock, potato and celery and the tin of tomatoes. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes partially covered. Then add the courgette and cook over a medium heat for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
I have found it best to give the mixture a stir from time to time to prevent sticking. Cook the pasta according to the directions and serve with the meat mixture.

Substitute: Tinned mince for fresh mince. Remove any fat and adjust cooking time.
Rice or couscous for pasta.
Any other vegetables instead of potato, celery and courgette.

 

Peruvian Duck                                             Serves 2

2 duck breasts                                               1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed                                   2 tsp grated ginger
2 tomatoes chopped                                      110g (4 oz) squash chunked
150g (5 oz) long grain rice                           350ml (10fl oz) chicken stock
Salt and pepper                                             Fresh coriander or mint to serve.

Heat a large frying pan or skillet. Score the skin on the duck breasts and rub a little salt into the skin. Dry-fry the breasts skin side down for 5-6 minutes to release some of the fat and to crisp it up. Do be careful whilst doing this as the fat will splutter and fat burns are not pleasant! Remove the meat and pour off all but about 1 tblspn of the fat. Return the duck to the pan and fry meat side down for 3-4 minutes until brown. Remove to a board and slice thickly and then place into a dish.  Sauté the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until soft and stir in the ginger and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further minute stirring all the time. Add the squash and stir-fry until it begins to soften. Cover the pan and simmer for 3-4 minutes then stir in the rice and cook until the rice is well coated. Return the duck to the pan and add the stock and season to taste. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for roughly 30 minute or until the rice is tender. Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander or mint if desired.

You can speed this up be partially cooking the rice whilst doing the rest and then adding the rice to the duck. Be careful not to over cook the rice though.

Substitute: Chicken or Pork fillet for duck.
Sweet potato, carrots or courgettes instead of squash
Noodles or ribbon pasta for rice.

 

Look at the recipes you use onboard and see what substitutes you can make. I’m hoping by doing this I will cut down on some of the stores brought home at the end of the season. Anyway – Good Luck.

Noreen Pearson

 

MOA Web Recipe March 2011

MOA Web Recipe December 2010

 

MOA Web Recipe November 2010

As the weather seems to become a lot colder and the days are now shorter I prefer more substantial food than I did a month ago. It’s not quite winter but it’s certainly not summer! This month I’m bringing you a few recipes I enjoy and I hope you will enjoy them too. The first two are very quick and easy while the next ones take a little more time to prepare.

 Beef Fillets with a Whisky Sauce                                   Serves 4

4 fillets of beef                                           Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 glass good red wine, port or Madeira      1 tin of beef  consommé soup
Slaked arrowroot or cornflour                     4 medium sized mushrooms

50g (2oz) diced cooked beetroot (opt)
2 tblspns whisky     

Heat a frying pan or griddle until it is very hot. Lightly oil the steaks on both sides and cook to your particular liking. You can, of course grill the steaks if you prefer.

Once the steaks are cooked remove them and keep them warm. Fry the mushrooms, remove and also keep warm. In a pan heat the beef consommé together with the wine and whiskey, reduce by half. Should the sauce need thickening, add a little arrowroot or cornflour. Mix in the diced beetroot, if using and gently heat through. Top the steaks with a mushroom and spoon the sauce around. Serve with croquette potatoes or sautéed potatoes and a selection of vegetables.
This is also good with venison fillets and the addition of the beetroot works extremely well with the venison.

 

Escalope of Turkey or Chicken with a Cranberry & Chilli Jam.         Serves 4

4 turkey or chicken escalopes                                           4 slices Parma Ham
Olive oil

For the Jam
25g (1oz) butter                                                              1 red onion finely chopped
1 crushed clove of garlic                                                1 red chilli finely chopped
200g (8oz) cranberries, fresh or de-frosted                    ¼ piece of a cinnamon stick
1 star anise                                                                      ¼ piece of a vanilla pod
Zest and juice of 1 orange or 2 satumas                          2 tblspns sugar
2 tblspns red wine vinegar

Wrap the Parma ham around the turkey or chicken escalopes, wrap in clingfilm and chill until required. Gently melt the butter in a pan and sauté the onion, garlic and chilli until tender but not browned. Then add all the remaining ingredients and give all a good stir. Bring the mixture to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool. Preheat an oven to 180C/375F/Gas 4.  and a frying pan or griddle until hot. Brush the escalopes with oil and fry for 2 minutes each side to sear the meat. Transfer to the oven and roast for another 7 minutes making sure that the juices run clear when pierced. Serve with vegetables of your choice.

Lamb or Beef Crumble                                                  Serves 4

500g (1 lb) lean minced lamb or beef                                   1 tblspn oil
300ml (10 fl oz) lamb or beef stock                                      1 onion chopped
1 leek sliced                                                                           1 carrot chopped
½ swede chopped                                                                   1 parsnip chopped
1 tsp dried herbes de Provence or mixed herbs                      1 tblspn cornflour slaked
1 can cannelli or butter beans drained                                    Salt and pepper
25g (1 oz) butter                                                                      25g (1oz) rolled oats
50g (2oz) fresh breadcrumbs                                                   75g (3 oz) cheese grated

Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the meat in batches until it is browned. Drain and remove. Add the vegetables to the pan (except the beans) and cook these for 3 or 4 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add the stock, herbs salt and pepper and the beans. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5, Stir the slaked cornflour into the mince mixture and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a casserole. Melt the butter in a pan and add the breadcrumbs and oats. Mix in the cheese and spread evenly over the mince. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the crumble is golden brown.
I often add a sprinkling or grated Parmesan cheese to the top just to give it a little more ‘kick’. I also add a dash of Worcester sauce to the mixture before transferring to the oven.

 

Mixed French Vegetable Gratin                                         Serves 4

2 tblspns olive oil                                         2 garlic cloves chopped
2 red onions each cut into 8 wedges             3 courgettes cut into thick slices
Ground black pepper                                     1 red pepper cut into 8 slices
250g (8 oz) cherry tomatoes                          1 green pepper cut into 8 slices
125g (4oz) button mushrooms                       50g (2oz) breadcrumbs
1 tsp herbes de Provence                                 Dash of salt
125g (4 oz) grated hard cheese                       2tbspns tomato puree.
Preheat the oven to 200F400F/Gas 6. In a large pan heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Gently sauté until transparent and soft. Remove and keep warm. Raise the heat under the pan to medium and add the courgettes and peppers. Cook until they begin to colour, and then add the mushrooms. Season and mix in the herbs and the tomato puree. Transfer to an ovenproof dish. Mix together the breadcrumbs and the cheese and spread evenly over the vegetables. I sometimes add some Parmesan cheese grated over the top. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 20 minutes, after which remove the lid or foil and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes to brown the top. This is substantial enough to eat on its own but could be used as a side dish for sausages or gammon steaks etc. 

Next month I will bring you a few recipes I often use over the holiday period. But until then keep warm and safe.

Noreen Pearson

 

MOA Web Recipe October 2010

Shorter days and cooler weather herald more comforting food than we have enjoyed throughout the summer season. However, I don’t think this should necessarily mean more complicated recipes – after all some sail their boats all year round depending on the prevailing weather. Even if we only use the off season as a maintenance period we still don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen so here are a few dishes I’ve tried out and tweaked here and there.

If you like stuffed marrow here is an interesting variation from the usual mince and onion stuffing.

Stuffed Marrow with Roasted Vegetables                                 Serves 4

1 marrow, cut into 4 slices and cored                             1 onion finely chopped
2 sticks of celery finely chopped                                    50g (2 oz) sweetcorn
1 red, yellow or orange pepper finely chopped              50g (2 oz) peas.
100g (4 oz) cheese (Cheddar or Leicester) grated          50g (2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
1 tblspn chopped chives                                                   2 tblspns oil
2 tblspns Parmesan cheese grated                                    
Salt and Pepper 

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Lightly brush a large baking tray with some of the oil. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion, celery and pepper for 3-4 minutes until they are soft. Add the peas and the sweetcorn. Reserve 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and add the remainder to the pan together with the cheese and chives. Mix well and season to taste. Place the marrow slices on the baking tray and pack the cavities with the vegetable and cheese mixture. You may have to keep pressing the filling down to avoid any air pockets. Mix together the reserved breadcrumbs and the parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the stuffed marrow slices. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil covering and return the tray to the oven and continue baking for another 10 minutes when the tops of the slices should be brown and crisp.
This is nice served with either a crisp winter salad or salad potatoes and halved beefsteak tomatoes grilled or baked.

Chicken with Lemon and Garlic                                          Serves 4

4 large chicken quarters                                            1 tblspn chopped rosemary leaves
3 fairly large sweet potatoes                                     6 tblspns olive oil
6 garlic cloves                                                           2 lemons sliced
2 red onions cut into wedges                                     Salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Into a roasting tin pour 4 tablespoons of the oil and heat for 5 minutes. Wash the potatoes but leave the skin on, then cut into fairly large chunks (about 2cm or ¾ of an inch) and place into the heated oil together with the onion wedges Sprinkle over the salt and pepper and the rosemary leaves. Mix well so that the vegetables are well coated. If you prefer you can leave the rosemary in sprigs and just tuck them in amongst the vegetables. Roast for 20 minutes and then tuck in 3 of the garlic clove. Return the tin to the oven and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes taking care not to let the potatoes and onions burn. If necessary cover loosely with foil. Meanwhile put the chicken quarters into another roasting tin or shallow casserole. Season well and tuck the remaining garlic and the lemon slices around the chicken. Drizzle the rest of the oil over all and roast for 30-35 minutes or until the juices run clear. Once the potatoes and onions are cooked drain off the oil, sprinkle with salt and return to the oven for 5 minutes to crisp. Serve the chicken together with the potatoes and onions.

 The last recipe is for a fidget pie. Every county in the country seems to have a different recipe for this old autumnal pie using bacon and apples and sometimes minced meat and dried fruit.

Huntingdon Fidget Pie                                                 Serves 4

 

1 pack of readymade shortcrust pastry                      250g (8 oz) bacon chopped
1 onion finely chopped                                              ¼ pt medium cider
250g (8oz) chopped apples                                        1 beaten egg
1 tblspn chopped fresh parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas5. Roll out the pastry and line a greased pie dish with pastry. Put the bacon, onion and apples into the pie dish, add the parsley and season with a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Blend the cider with some cornflour to thicken in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until thickened. Allow to cool slightly and pour over the pie filling. Cover with a pastry lid. Cut a cross into the lid and turn back the pastry to form a square opening. Glaze with the beaten egg and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Serve either with mashed potatoes or large chips and peas. You can omit the pastry bottom of the pie if you wish.

I have a few of these old fidget pie recipes from other counties and will bring them to you from time to time as I feel sad that so many of the traditional recipes our parents and grandparents cooked seem to be dying out. If anyone has a traditional family recipe they would like to share with the rest of us do please e-mail me through the MOA website and I will gladly put it on-line with all due credit.

 

Good cooking. Noreen Pearson

MOA Web Recipe September 2010

Where has the summer gone? Everywhere in the U.K. we seem to have had lots of heavy rain with the odd day of sunshine. Earlier this week the burn in the garden resembled Niagara Falls but thankfully all has returned to normal. Salads are out at present when we want warm meals, quickly made and not too heavy. I often turn to Asian or Caribbean dishes so I thought I would share some of my favourites with you this month.

 

Spicy Chow Mien from Guyana                              Serves 2 generously

115g (4 oz) fine green beans                         225g (8oz) noodles
1 small red pepper chopped                           2-3 tblspn vegetable oil
1 small green or orange pepper chopped       2 garlic cloves crushed
2 celery sticks finely chopped                        1 onion chopped
½ tsp Five spice powder                                 1 tblspn soy sauce
1 vegetable stock cube crumbled                    ½ tsp black pepper

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and cool. Blanch the beans, drain and cool. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat and stir fry all the vegetables for a few minutes until they are just tender but still crisp. Add the Five spice powder, the black pepper and the crumbled stock cube, stir well and stir fry for 4-5 minute. Stir in the noodles and the soy sauce. Taste and add some salt and a little water if necessary.
A shredded omelette or some sliced hard boiled eggs could be added at this stage for vegetarians whilst meat eaters could add a handful of cooked prawns or some shredded chicken or beef.

Sweet Chilli Prawns                                                           Serves 4

1 kg (2 lbs) raw medium prawns de-veined and tails left intact.
1 tblspn soy sauce                                                5 spring onions cut diagonally
1 tsp cornflour mixed with water                         1 tsp fresh ginger grated
1 tblspn sweet chilli sauce                                    1-2 garlic cloves crushed
2 tsp fish sauce (opt)                                             1 tblspn vegetable oil
1 pack mangetout or sugar snap peas                    1 tblsp lime juice

Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan and add the ginger, garlic and spring onions. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the prawns and cook for 2 minutes until they are pink. Remove from the pan. Add the sweetcorn and peas and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes then add the soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce and lime juice if using. Stir in the slaked cornflour and return the prawns to the pan. Stir-fry gently for 1-2 minute until all is heated through. Serve with rice or noodles.

American Corned Beef and Sunny-side Egg Hash       Serves 4

1 green pepper, seeded and diced                               2 tblspns oil
2 cooked baking potatoes, diced                                 25g (1 oz) butter
1 large can Corned Beef, cubed                                1 onion finely chopped
¼ tsp nutmeg                                                             4 large eggs
¼ tsp paprika                                                              Salt and pepper

Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan or skillet and add the onion. Sauté gently until the onion has softened and is transparent. In a bowl mix together the green pepper, potatoes, corned beef and the spices and season well. Add the mixture to the pan and stir gently until the onion is well mixed in.. Press down gently and fry without stirring on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until a golden brown crust has formed underneath the mixture. Then stir through and repeat this process until the mixture is well browned. Make four hollows in the has and crack an egg into each hollow. Cover the pan with a lid or foil and cook gently for 4-5 minutes until the egg whites have set and the yolks are still runny. Serve immediately on warmed plates.

I sometimes add a sprinkling of grated cheese to the top of the mixture around the eggs and then sprinkle with a little more paprika. You can also add finely sliced tomatoes to the top instead of the eggs or even spread around the eggs if
you’ve got four very hungry mouths to feed. Chopped mushrooms added when you sauté the onions can also add variation to the basic recipe.

Let’s hope for better weather during September so that we can make the most of the remainder of the sailing season.

Bon Appetite.

Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe August 2010

Whilst the south of the country has been enjoying hot sunny weather, we unfortunately, in more northern climes such as Argyle have had lots of rain and cool weather. This led me to thinking that once the sun goes eating in the cockpit in the evening is sometimes not such a great idea. Despite this we still want quick light food which doesn’t take long to rustle up. Try some of these recipes which don’t take long and in the main use ready to hand ingredients.

Smoked Salmon Pasta in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce                Serves 4 generously

450g (1 lb) pasta (any sort will do)                            1 clove garlic crushed
300g (11oz) mushrooms finely chopped                    2 tbspns chopped flat leaf parsley
225g (8oz) smoked salmon in strips                           3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Splash of white wind (opt)                                          25g (1oz) butter
100ml (4 fl oz) double cream                                      Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. While that’s cooking heat the butter and oil in a frying pan and sauté the garlic, mushrooms and white wine over a moderately high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and then add the salmon. Reduce the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve with the cooked pasta.

Saffron Butterflies                               Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter

225g (8 oz) dried farfalle                                              1 tsp saffron threads
125ml (4 ½ fl oz) double cream                                    Grated parmesan
25g (1 oz) butter at room temperature                           Salt to taste.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.  Once it is cooked drain the pasta thoroughly and return it to the warm pan. Stir in the butter, cream and saffron and mix well. It should take on a warm golden look. Season to taste and serve in bowls sprinkled with the parmesan cheese. You could add some finely chopped flat leaf parsley with the parmesan or some cooked sliced mushrooms or steamed asparagus if you liked.

A poussin is always a good idea if you want a quick roast, usually one between two people. They cook even quicker if you spatchcock them. This is easy to do as all you do is to turn the bird breast side on  a board and with a sharp knife or  a strong pair of scissors, cut down the backbone and press firmly. The bird should flatten out into a butterfly shape. Place in a small roasting tin together with an onion cut into wedges, some potatoes cut into small chunks and carrots cut into discs. Drizzle with some oil and tuck in some herbs. Roast at 230C/450F/Gas 8 for roughly 25-35 minutes. Do make sure the bird is cooked all the way through.

The last recipe is Swedish and while it would stand well on its own, would go beautifully with a roast poussin.

Mushroom Vegetable Bake                                             Serves 4

 

250g (9 oz) broccoli in florets                                       25g (1 oz) butter
250g (9 oz) carrots sliced into discs                              2 tbsp flour
200g (7 oz) mushrooms cut in half if large                   Salt and pepper
150 ml ( ½ pt) milk                                                       2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
150 ml ( ½ pt)  cream                                                     pinch of paprika

Preheat the oven to 175C/340F/Gas 3.  Lightly grease an ovenproof dish. Heat the butter in a frying pan and sauté the carrots and broccoli for a few minutes. Dust the mushrooms with flour, shaking off any excess and add these to the frying pan. Cook for a minute or so before adding the milk and cream. Season to taste and allow the liquid to thicken slightly. Transfer to the ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the cheese and a little paprika. Bake for about 10 -15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the top is a golden brown.

Hopefully these recipes with give you some ideas for warming quick meals. Until next month let’s hope for warm sunny weather and fair winds.

 

Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe July 2010

This month as promised I’m suggesting some light summery puddings which are quick and easy to prepare on the boat. All the ingredients, apart from one or two will most likely be found in the galley stores. The first one is a very old British recipe that my Mother used to make and while there are numerous recipes this is the easiest to make.

 

Whim Wham                                               Serves 4-6 depending on appetites.

 

1 pack of trifle sponges or                          6 peaches or nectarines of

6 thick slices of Madeira cake                    or a can of tinned fruit well drained

2 tablespoons brandy                                  Juice of 1 orange plus the zest

1 large carton of Double Cream                 Grated chocolate (opt)

 

Cut the sponges or cake into pieces and either place in one large bowl or individual bowls. Mix together the brandy, orange juice and zest and pour over the sponge. Leave as long as possible to soak, the longer the better. Peel and chop the peaches and place on top of the sponge. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and spread over the fruit. Sprinkle the grated chocolate over the top.

 

If you are using tinned fruit you can use some of the syrup in place of the brandy.

 

This next one is basically a variation on the French classic Croque Mamzelle and while I have given the recipe for 4 people you can vary the amounts depending on how many you want to make.

 

Pineapple French Toasties                               Serves 4

 

8 thick slices of white bread or                  50g (2oz) butter softened

Brioche or fruit bread                                  1 small can crushed pineapple drained well

2 tsp mixed spice or coriander (opt)           3 tblspns light brown sugar

4 large eggs beaten                                      1-2 tblspns rum (opt)

150ml (5 fl oz) single cream                        icing sugar (opt)

 

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Mix together the well drained pineapple, a little of the spice if using and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Divide between the slices of buttered bread and top with the remaining slices of bread buttered side down. Press the edges together to form a seal.  Tip the beaten egg into a shallow dish and soak both sides of each sandwich until well coated Heat the remaining butter in a large frying pan until sizzling and fry each sandwich for about 1 minute each side until golden brown. Remove and keep warm. Repeat until all the sandwiches are cooked.

Serve the sandwiches cut into triangles and sprinkle with either a mixture of the remaining brown sugar mixed with the spice or just dredged with icing sugar. Very good with ice cream!!!

 

Citrus Fruit Posset                                        Serves 4-6

 

Again a very old British recipe which is lovely after a heavy meal or on a hot sunny day.

 

Juice of 2 lemons, oranges, limes or                      500ml (18fl oz) double cream

A combination of the above                                   140g (5 oz) caster sugar

 

In a large pan mix together the cream and the sugar. Bring slowly to the boil and boil for 3 minute. Remove from the heat and add the citrus juice whisking well until well amalgamated. Pour into glasses and chill for about 2-3 hours. Sprinkle with some zest from the fruit or some grated chocolate.

 

This last one lends itself to many variations but takes a little more effort than the previous recipes.

 

Fruit Marzipan Tarts                                         Makes 4-6 depending on size.

 

1 pack of frozen puff pastry                           1 block marzipan

2 tins of pear, peach, pinapple, mango halves   2 tblspns honey

Whipped cream or ice cream to serve

 

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas7. Roll out the puff pastry until it is large enough to give either 4 or 6 equal sized squares. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and cut a border inside each square without going right through. Soften the marzipan slightly and cut into pieces large enough to fit inside the border of each square. Drain the fruit well and place equal amounts on top of the marzipan. Drizzle over the honey and bake for about 15 minutes or until the pasty is well risen and golden. Remove from the

oven and serve with the whipped cream or ice cream if you prefer.

 

I wish you fair winds and convivial company until next month.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe June 2010

June is traditionally the month when Asparagus and Jersey Royal Potatoes come onto the market and they are certainly at their best then. While they are both best served as simply as possible, possibly just drizzled with butter and seasoned with salt and pepper, there is a place for variations on this theme.  The following recipes are warm light dishes suitable for lunch or part of an evening meal either as a starter or as a main course.

Asparagus and Smoked Bacon or Smoked Salmon Frittata          Serves 4

150g (5 oz) diced smoked bacon or salmon                                 Oil for frying
250g (9oz) bunch asparagus                                                         1 onion finely sliced
Some fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped                                 6 large eggs beaten
Freshly grated parmesan cheese                                                   Salt and pepper

 

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion gently until transparent. If using bacon add this to the pan raising the heat slightly and cook until beginning to brown.
Trim the asparagus and cut into small slices, keeping the spears intact. Cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and drain well. Then add the asparagus and parsley to the pan and also the beaten eggs. Season well stirring to combine all the ingredients. Reduce the heat a little and cook until the eggs are nearly set and the bottom of the frittata is a golden brown. Scatter over some parmesan cheese and place under a hot grill to brown quickly. If using cooked smoked salmon add this when you add the eggs. Serve with warm buttered Jersey Royals and some watercress.

Variation: Omit the bacon or salmon and quickly add some sautéed wild or chestnut mushrooms when you add the eggs.

Salmon, Asparagus and Leek Parcels.                            Serves 4

125g (4oz) asparagus tips                                                  50g (2oz) butter
125g (4oz) baby leeks or leek whites only finely sliced    Grated zest ½ lemon/lime
4 x 150g (5oz) skinless & boneless salmon fillets             Salt and pepper
4 tblspns dry white wine                                                    Chopped fresh dill/parsley

Beat together the butter, zest and dill or parsley and season.. Form into a square and cut into four. Set aside. Trim the asparagus and baby leeks if necessary and blanch for 2-3 minutes in boiling water. Drain and refresh in cold water to stop the cooking process and pat dry. Cut four sheets of baking parchment or foil into squares large enough to accommodate the salmon fillets. In the middle of each one place one quarter of the asparagus and leek mixture and top with a salmon fillet. Place a square of the flavoured butter on top of each fillet and season well. Bring the sides of the parcels together folding them and squeezing together similar to making a pasty. Leave a small opening in the top and pour a tablespoon of wine into each parcel,. Reseal tightly and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve as above with new potatoes and some green beans or a side salad.

Lastly a variation on a dish by the doyen of English cookery, Jane Grigson and Nigel Slater.

Asparagus, Spring onions or Peas and Eggs                              Serves 4

225g (8oz) asparagus tips                                                 8 large eggs beaten
4 large slices of bread                                                       a large knob of butter
110g (4oz) frozen peas defrosted or                                  2 tblspns double cream
110g (4oz) thinly sliced spring onions                               Salt and black pepper
About 10 gratings of nutmeg

Cook the asparagus tips and peas or spring onions in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain well and pat dry. Toast the bread and butter it if desired. Melt the butter in a large heavy (preferably non-stick) pan and tip in the eggs and nutmeg. Season well and scramble them over a gentle heat and stirring all the time until they are soft and very creamy. Stir in the cream and mix well. Remove from the heat. Reserve 4 asparagus tips and place the rest on each slice of toast. Top with the creamed eggs and garnish with an asparagus tip. Serve immediately.

You  could vary this by omitting the peas or spring onions and adding some finely chopped smoked salmon or crispy chopped bacon or some lightly sautéed wild mushrooms.

Next month I shall have some recipes for quick summer puddings. Happy Sailing.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe May 2010

Looking at the weather forecast over the past few days those of you in the south seem to be regaling in warm sunny weather – lucky you!!! Unfortunately those of us in more northern climes are still in quite chilly and often wet weather. Oh well c’est la vie! Hopefully our turn will come but until it does I’m still looking at meals for cooler days which are lighter but still a little comforting.

 

Chicken and Mango Stir-fry                                     Serves 4

500g (1 lb) skinless chicken breasts in strips           2 tsp corn or vegetable oil
1 small mango peeled, de-stoned and chunked        2 garlic cloves crushed
1tspn fresh ginger chopped finely                            4 spring onions sliced
½ red pepper cut into strips                                      150g (5 oz) mangetout
150g (5oz) mushrooms sliced                                   2 tbspns soy sauce
2 tbspns white wine vinegar                                     75ml (3floz) chicken stock
2 tblspns sweet chilli sauce                                       Black pepper
1 tblspn cornflour

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Gently sauté the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds and then add the chicken strips stir-frying until cooked. Once cooked remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Add all the vegetables to the pan and stir-fry until tender. Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, stock, and one tablespoon of the chilli sauce. Stir in the cornflour and add to the pan. Cook until the sauce has thickened. Add the chunks of mango and cook for a few minutes, adding more water if the sauce becomes too thick. Season with a dash of pepper and taste. Stir in the remainder of the chilli sauce if desired and serve either with cooked rice or noodles.

 

Roast Vegetable Iranian Omelette                                    Serves 4

1 red onion, halved in cut into thin wedges                 2 tblspns oil
450g (1 lb) sliced new potatoes                                   150ml (5 fl oz) milk
8 small ripe tomatoes                                                   2 garlic cloves chopped
A handful of chopped fresh mixed herbs                     1 tblspn balsamic vinegar
200g (7 oz) broccoli in small florets                             Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 190C/350F/Gas 5. Grease and line a shallow baking tin i.e. a Swiss roll tin. In a frying pan heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté the onion gently for 3 minutes. Meanwhile cook the potatoes in boiling water until just tender then drain well. Add them to the onions and fry for 3 minutes. Whisk together the eggs, milk in a bowl and season well. Add the herbs, potatoes and onions to the bowl and mix well. Pour into the baking tin and even out. Bake for 20 minutes. In another tin place the tomatoes stalk side down and cut a cross in the tops. Divide the chopped garlic between the tomatoes pushing it well down into each one. Add the broccoli and season well. Drizzle over the remaining oil and bake for 15 minutes. This can be done at the same time you are cooking the omelette. Once cooked turn out the omelette and cut into four triangles. Sprinkle the balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and serve with the omelette

 

Catalan Mussels                                                               Serves 4

1 kg (2 ¼ lbs) mussels , cleaned                            1 tblspn olive oil
400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes                         1 onion finely chopped
1 red chilli de-seeded and chopped                        2 garlic cloves crushed
Chopped fresh parsley                                            Salt and pepper
A good pinch paprika (smoked if possible)

In a large pan heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic, chilli and paprika over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until soft. Stir in the tomatoes and season. Cover a simmer for a few minutes over a low heat. Stir in the mussels and increase the heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until the shells open. Discard any closed shells. Serve in warmed bowls sprinkled with chopped parsley.

This amount would probably only serve 4 as a starter so if you want the mussels as a main course I would double the quantities. This is really good with warm garlic bread and a fresh green side salad. Together with a good white Spanish Rioja to wash it all down with and it’s heaven!

That’s all this time; hopefully we’ll all have some sailing in by next month so until then bon appetite.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe March 2010

It was good to renew old friendships and make new ones last weekend at the AGM in Bracknell. David and I had the privilege of meeting Topsy and Geoff Godfery who started the MOA some 25 years ago. We spent a most enjoyable evening with them and their friends.

We still seem to be in the throes of winter despite the snowdrops being out in my garden, so perhaps warm comfort food will still help to cheer us up a little. This month I’ve got three soup recipes for you – everyone loves a bowl of hot soup don’t they? They will cheer us up now and prove useful on the boat when the weather isn’t as good as we would like it to be.

Cauliflower and Coconut Soup                                       Serves 4

450g (1 lb) cauliflower in small florets                          2 tblspns oil
1 eating apple peeled, cored and diced                          2 carrots diced
1 large can coconut milk                                                 1 onion chopped
2 tblspns chopped fresh coriander                                   1 tblspn curry powder
1 garlic clove chopped                                                     Salt and pepper
1 large can borlotti or cannelloni beans                         
570ml (1 pt) chicken or vegetable stock

Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the vegetables for about 3-4 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for a further minute. Stir in the apple and beans and then add the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the coconut milk and reheat gently. Serve hot sprinkled with the fresh coriander.

You can omit the beans and either puree or liquidise the soup if you prefer.

Spicy Celeriac Soup                                                          Serves 3

1 ltr (1 ¾ pts) chicken or vegetable stock                         2 onions chopped
4 tblspns cream or crème fraiche                                      2 tblspns oil
1 large celeriac peeled and finely chopped                       2 garlic cloves chopped
½ tsp chilli powder or 1 tsp curry powder                        1 tsp cumin
2 medium potatoes peeled and finely diced                      1 tsp ground coriander
Salt and pepper.

In a large pan heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until soft. Add the spices and fry for 1 minute stirring all the time add the vegetables and cook for a few minutes to soften them. Add the stock and seasoning and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Now you can either leave the vegetables diced or puree or liquidise the soup whichever you prefer. Add the cream or crème fraiche but if you are using crème fraiche ensure that the soup doesn’t come up to boiling point or it will curdle. Serve hot as it is or sprinkled with some toasted cumin seeds.

This last soup is one of Simon Hopkinson’s. He is a chef I greatly admire as, like Nigel Slater he is a no nonsense down to earth writer whose recipes are so easy to follow.

Mint and Green Pea Soup                                      Serves 4 generously.

900g (2lbs) frozen peas                                           Salt and pepper
1 tsp concentrated mint sauce                                  a pinch of sugar
275ml (½ pt) single cream                                     900ml (1 1/2 pts) light stock

Cook the peas in the stock with the mint sauce and pinch of salt and pepper, covered for about 10 minutes. Either puree or liquidise the soup and return to the pan with the cream. Bring back to the boil and remove the pan immediately. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary and add a pinch of sugar if needed. Serve with croutons. 

Sometimes you might need a little more mint sauce - it depends on the brand I find. There is no need to de-frost the peas as they melt in the hot stock.

Hopefully next month we will be looking at recipes for warmer weather. Take care and keep warm!

 

Noreen Pearson. 

MOA Web Recipe February 2010

How many of you were singing “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”? We certainly had that didn’t we? Up here the hills surrounding Loch Fyne are free of snow at last, but in all honesty I don’t think we fared as badly as those further south in England. Mind you, I remember far worse winters such as 1963 and a couple in the ‘70’s and 80’s not to mention some during WW11 but then I’m very old!!!!!

On to this month’s recipes and we are still into comfort food and these are one pot meals to cheer us up. Thai food is very popular but sometimes you don’t want to be bothered with getting the wok out and just as Delia cooks a risotto in the oven you can cook a Thai dish in the oven too.

 

Oven-baked Thai Chicken and Rice.                                     Serves 4

400g (1 lb) chicken cut into bite sized pieces            1 tbspn oil
4 tbspns Thai green curry paste                                  1 onion chopped
250g (9oz) either Thai or Basmati rice                       Juice & zest of 1 lime
1 red pepper de-seeded & cut into wedges                 1 large can coconut milk
1 green pepper de-seeded & cut into wedges              Fresh coriander (opt)
100g (4oz) mushrooms sliced                                     1 garlic clove crushed

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180F/Gas Mk 6. In a large frying pan heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic gently until transparent. Add the curry paste and fry for a couple of minutes and then add the chicken stirring all the time to coat the chicken. Turn the heat up slightly and cook for a few minutes to sear the meat. Then add the peppers, rice and the lime juice and zest. Give all a good stir and add the coconut milk and about the same quantity of boiling water. Again give the mixture a good stir and transfer to an ovenproof casserole. Cover and bake for 20 minutes when the rice should be cooked. Serve with chopped coriander if desired.

I would check on the amount of liquid in the casserole at some point during the cooking and add more liquid if necessary.

 

Cannelloni with Prawns & Crème Fraiche                              Serves 4

400g (1 lb) cooked peeled prawns                         Grated rind of 1 lemon
100g (4 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs                    4 tbspn fresh chopped chives
4 tbspns crème fraiche or quark                            Pinch of dried chilli flakes (opt)
450g (1lb) pasta sheets or cannelloni tubes          1 carton Passata sauce
2 tbspns grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese.      Pinch paprika (opt)

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180F/Gas Mk. 6. In a bowl mix together the prawns, breadcrumbs, lemon rind, crème fraiche and chilli flakes if using. Season well and set aside. Boil the pasta in a large pan for 2 or 3 minutes until almost tender. Drain well and separate the pasta. If you are using cannelloni tubes fill each tube with the prawn filling and seal the ends firmly. If you are using lasagne sheets half each one and place some of the filling down the centre of each one. Roll up and again seal the open ends firmly. Pour a little of the passata into a shallow ovenproof dish and lay the filled cannelloni making sure the joins in the cannelloni are underneath. Pour over the remainder of the passata and sprinkle the top with the cheese. You can also sprinkle some paprika over the top to give some colour. Bake for 30-40 minutes until completely hot and bubbling.

 

Gnocchi Puttanesca                                                             Serves 4

1 small red onion finely chopped                       4 tblspns olive oil
4 garlic cloves finely chopped                           1 large tin chopped tomatoes
1 red chilli de-seeded & finely chopped            ½ tsp dried oregano
6 anchovy fillets in oil chopped (opt)                1 tblspn rinsed capers
100g (4 oz) black olives pitted & halved           2 tblspns fresh parsley chopped
2 x 400g packs ready made potato Gnocchi

 

In a pan heat the oil and sauté the onion, garlic and chilli gently for 5 minutes. Add the anchovies, tomatoes, oregano and capers and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce is thick. Meanwhile bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes or until they rise to the top. Drain and return to the pan. Add the sauce, olives and parsley and mix together. Sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

You can vary the sauce ingredients adding sautéed chopped peppers, sliced mushrooms and omitting the anchovies and olives if you don’t like them.

Hopefully next month will see some warmer weather  - fingers crossed! Until then take care and keep warm.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe January 2010

Happy New Year to all you MOA Galley Slaves wherever you are. I hope you’ve had a very enjoyable festive season, and while it was really great to have a White Christmas for once it has certainly posed problems for many of us.

One of the problems, of course, is that no matter how many good intentions we have not to over cater over the holidays, we still manage to acquire a mini mountain of vegetables, fruit, cake etc. which needs to be used up. We all have tried and tested methods of using them up but I thought you might like some new ones.

Soup, obviously, is a favoured method and here are two new ones to me which I have enjoyed at Christmas Dinners over the holiday.

Cauliflower, Smoked Cheese and Mustard Soup                     Serves 4

400g (1 lb) cauliflower in florets                                         1 leek cleaned & chopped
1 medium onion chopped                                                     50g (2 oz) butter
2 sticks celery chopped                                                        1 tsp mustard powder
1 ltr. (2 ¼ pts) vegetable or chicken stock                            small bunch thyme
100g (4 oz) smoked cheese                                                  Salt and pepper
100ml (4 fl oz) double cream or crème fraiche

In a large pan gently heat the butter and sauté the onion, leek and celery until soft but not coloured. Add the cauliflower, stock, mustard powder and thyme, simmering gently for about 30 minutes. Liquidise or blend thoroughly and return to a clean pan. Stir in the cream and the smoked cheese (either grated or chopped) and season to taste. Gently warm through stirring to melt the cheese and serve with croutons.

Chestnut Soup                                                             Serves 4

½ can of unsweetened chestnut puree                 40g (1 ½ oz) butter
2 small onions finely chopped                             1 small carrot diced
1 stick celery chopped                                          1 ltr (2 ¼ pts) stock
Salt and Pepper

Melt the butter in a large pan and gently sauté the onion, celery and carrot for a few minutes. Add the seasoning and the chestnuts. Bring to the boil and gently simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Liquidise the soup and return to a clean pan. Re-heat gently and serve with croutons.

You can easily double the quantities to use up the whole can of chestnuts as this soup freezes well.  A small glass of sherry stirred in before serving with a dollop of cream swirled on the top and then sprinkled with finely chopped parsley make a soup fit for entertaining.

Here’s something decedent to use up the odd unused bottle or gin or vodka and that packet of fresh or frozen cranberries still lurking in the freezer.

Cranberry and Orange Gin or Vodka.        Makes 1 ltr or 2 ¼ pts

1 ltr bottle cheap Gin or Vodka                  Zest of 2 oranges
250g (8 oz +) cranberries                            175g (6 oz) caster sugar

Put the cranberries in a dish and prick them with a sharp fork but still keep them whole. Put them into two wide necked jars with lids (Kilner preserving jars are ideal) with the orange zest and sugar. Pour in the spirit, seal and give a really good shake. Leave in a dark cupboard for 2 weeks or so – shaking every now and then –until the sugar has dissolved.  Strain through some muslin into a clean jug and then pour into sterilised bottles, seal and label. Leave for 4-6 weeks before drinking. It will keep for a long time but will need checking occasionally. If you’ve a sweet tooth you might need more sugar initially. Taste before you bottle.

I hope these have been of help. Next month I’ve got some warm comforting recipes to share.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe December 2009

How the year has flown! It seems only yesterday when it was Easter and chocolate eggs and here we are preparing for the Yuletide Merry-go-Round. Anyway, for better or worse here are a few recipes which DO work (all too often I have tried a recipe at the last minute and catapulted myself into a disastrous failure) and which are useful all though the year.

Sweet Potato and Apple Soup                                                       Serves 4

2 onions peeled and sliced                                               Olive oil
1 kg (2 ¼ lbs) sweet potatoes peeled and chopped          4 chopped cloves garlic
4 medium potatoes peeled and chopped                          1 small baguette
2 large cooking apples peeled and chopped                     4 tblspns mango chutney
1 ½ litres (2 ½ pts) chicken or vegetable stock                 200ml (7 fl oz) double cream
150g (5 oz) Cheddar type hard cheese grated                 Salt and pepper

In a large heavy pan heat enough oil to sauté the onion and garlic until transparent and soft. Add the potatoes, apples and stock and season well. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 35 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Either sieve, mash finely or blitz in a blender until smooth. Return to a clean pan and add the cream and the chutney. Check the seasoning at this stage and keep warm. Cut 8 diagonal slices from the baguette and toast on one side. Turn over and top with the grated cheese. Return to the grill and cook until the cheese is bubbling. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the cheese slices

You can substitute the cheese slices with chopped bacon fried until crisp and sprinkled on the top of the soup.

Roasted Poussin with Fennel and Cream                                       Serves 4

4 poussins                                                                             200g (4oz) butter
50g (2 oz) chopped fresh herbs (your choice)                      juice and zest 1 lemon/lime
4 bulbs fennel trimmed and quartered      or  )
4 celery hearts trimmed and quartered  )                       1 glass white wine
50 ml (2 fl oz) chicken stock                                             Salt and pepper
125 ml (4 ½ fl oz) double cream                                        Fennel/Celery leaves

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Soften the butter slightly and mix together with the chopped herbs. Smear liberally all over the birds including the cavity. Bring a pan of water to the boil and simmer the fennel or celery for about 3 -4 minutes until slightly softened and then drain. Put the fennel or celery quarters on the bottom of a roasting tin and place the poussins on top adding any leftover butter herb mixture. Season with salt and pepper and pout over the wine, stock and cream. Oven cook for approximately 40 minutes or until the juices run clear from the breast and legs. If they are becoming too brown cover loosely with foil. Once cooked remove to a warm dish and keep warm. Bring the cream and juices to the boil, stirring all the time and strain. Place a poussin on a warmed plate and serve with the fennel or celery and pour over the creamy sauce.

Chestnut and Mushroom Pie with Cranberry and Port Sauce            Serves 4

450g (1 lb) mixed mushrooms roughly chopped                          knob of butter
25ml (1 fl oz) red wine                                                               Salt and pepper
1 red onion peeled and quartered                                             2 tsp dried sage
1 white onion peeled and quartered                                             
.175g (6oz) dried prunes or apricots roughly chopped
½ large can chestnuts roughly chopped                                         Ready made pastry

For the cranberry and port sauce

2 small shallots peeled and finely chopped                                   knob of butter
125g (4 ½ oz) cranberries, defrosted if frozen                              ½ cinnamon stick
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) Port                                                                  2 cloves
1 level tsp light brown sugar                                                         Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Melt the knob of butter in a heavy saucepan over a low heat, and then add the garlic and chopped mushrooms. Cook gently, shaking the pan occasionally and season to taste. Add the wine and cook for a further 3 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, retaining the butter and then fry the onions until softened and then add the sage and the dried fruit.. Grease a round 20cm (8 in)  spring-form tin and line with pastry letting some pastry hang over the rim. Place a layer of mushrooms over the base, followed by a layer of chestnuts, then a layer of onions. Repeat finishing with a layer of mushrooms. Press down lightly and top with a pastry lid, sealing firmly with the excess pastry hanging over the edges. Brush with a beaten egg and cut a cross in the centre of the lid and peel back the corners. Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 1 hour, covering the top loosely with foil should the pastry become too brown.

To make the sauce, heat half the butter in a pan and add the shallots. Soften on a low heat and then raise the heat to brown them. Add the remaining ingredient except the rest of the butter and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Turn up the heat and reduce the sauce by half. Stir in the remaining butter, and then check the seasoning. Serve with the pie.

Pears Poached in Saffron and Ginger Wine                                   Serves 4

4 large pears peeled with the stalk left on                             Lemon juice
150g (5 oz) sugar                                                                    Good pinch saffron
150ml (5 fl oz) ginger wine                                                     1 tsp cornflour
250ml (9 fl oz) water.

Bring the water, wine, sugar and saffron to the boil in a heavy pan. Turn the pears in the lemon juice to prevent them discolouring and place in the boiling liquid ensuring that they are covered. If necessary add more wine and water. Cover with either a smaller pan lid or weighted greaseproof paper to keep them submerged. Simmer gently for approximately 25 minutes or until the pears are soft. Remove the pears and reduce the liquid to half the original volume. Thicken with a little diluted cornflour if necessary. Serve with slivers of stem ginger if desired.

Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe November 2009

The weather hasn’t been good for the past few days and after a very mild spell it’s become a lot colder. It’s the time of year for comfort food and thinking about dishes we can use during the Christmas and New Year. With that in mind the recipes this month could be used as starters or as a light lunch.

 

Smoked Salmon or Trout with Cucumber and Avocado                 Serves 4

250g (8 oz) smoked salmon or trout                           10cm (2in) piece cucumber
2 avocadoes                                                                 juice 1 large lemon
2 punnets salad cress                                                   Salt and black pepper

Skin the salmon or trout and remove any brown pieces. Flake the fish into chunks and place in a large bowl. Cut the cucumber into pieces and add to the bowl. Halve the avocadoes, remove the stone and skin. Cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl with the lemon juice and cress. Season well and mix gently keeping the fish intact. Divide between four plates and serve with some Melba toast or thinly sliced brown bread and butter.

Your can use packs of smoked salmon pieces very successfully in this recipe.

 

Bacon and Cream Cheese Danish.             Serves 3 as a light lunch or 6 as a starter.

1 pack ready rolled puff pastry                                     100g (4 oz) cream cheese
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives                                         2 tomatoes thinly sliced
6 rashers back bacon                                                    1 beaten egg

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. If using a fan oven pre-heat to 200C. Cut the pastry into 6 squares and set aside. Mix together the cheese with the chives and season well. Spoon the cheese diagonally across the centre of each pastry square and top with tomato slices. Remove any fat from the bacon and place a rasher on top of the tomatoes. Fold over 2 of the corners of the pastry so that they meet in the middle. Pinch firmly together so that they stick and place on a greased baking tray. Brush with the beaten egg and bake for 20 minutes until they are golden and well risen. Serve hot with a green salad.

Herb or flavoured cream cheese can be used instead of adding chives and I have made these using salmon pieces or blanched sliced leeks instead of bacon.

 

Prawn Piperade                                                                  Serves 4

4 large eggs                                                                  4 tbsp milk
2 tbsp light olive oil                                                     16 cherry tomatoes
350g (12oz) large cooked prawns                                Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley or chives to garnish (opt)                 Buttered toast.

Beat the eggs, milk and seasonings together. In a large frying pan heat the oil and tip in the cherry tomatoes and fry over a high heat until they just begin to burst. Tip in the prawns, (de-frosted if frozen) and heat gently through. Pour in the beaten eggs and let them sit for about 20 seconds. Fold over the eggs from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and let them set again. Stir once more and when softly set spoon the mixture over slices of hot buttered toast scattered with chopped parsley or chives.

 

If you don’t have cherry tomatoes just roughly chop some larger vine tomatoes.

Next month I shall have some festive recipes for you that are quick and easy or can be made ahead.   Until then keep warm and well.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe October 2009

I expect by now most of you will have either lifted your boat or are considering doing so. David took Enchantress up to Ardfern yesterday with a couple of friends, having a cracking sail with an excellent wind behind them. In fact they left Loch Sween at 10.00 a.m. and were in Ardfern by just after 2.00. p.m. Food wise we are now looking for warmer dishes, so with that in mind these month’s recipes are for quick and easy dishes suitable for autumn. They also have an international theme which I hope you will enjoy.

 

French Pork Steaks topped with Brie.                              Serves 4

4 lean pork steaks                                                 1 tblspn olive oil
1 onion thinly sliced                                             200g (8oz) Brie
1 eating apple sliced                                             Fresh sage leaves torn.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion gently until softened. Add the apple slices and a few sage leaves and cook for a few minutes to soften the apple. Heat the grill to a medium-high heat and season the steaks to taste. Grill them for 4-5 minutes each side. Cover each steak with slices of Brie and top with the apple and onion mixture. Grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted and the apple and onions mixture is golden.

You could use goat’s cheese or indeed any soft cheese instead of Brie.

 

Jamaican Jerk Chicken                                                        Serves 4

4 chicken quarters                                                     1 red chilli de-seeds and chopped
1 tsp red wine vinegar                                               1 tblspn runny honey
2 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning                                   ½ tsp dried rosemary
4 spring onions chopped                                           lime or lemon wedges

Blend the onions, chilli and vinegar in a food processor until smooth and then stir in the jerk seasoning, honey and rosemary. Season to taste.  Place the chicken in a shallow dish and coat in the marinade and leave in a cool place for 15-30 minutes.
Either grill or pan fry the chicken, turning occasionally for 20-30 minutes or until completely cooked. Garnish with the lime or lemon wedges and serve with a green salad.

Jerk seasoning is very easy to make. All you need is ¼ tspn each of allspice, garlic powder and turmeric and ½ tspn of chilli powder and paprika. Mix thoroughly and place in a small jar. It will keep for ages.

 

Hungarian Pepper Pasta                                                          Serves 4

1 onion halves and cut into thin slices                        3 tblspns olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed                                                 1 red pepper cut into large pieces
225g (8 oz) closed cap mushrooms sliced                  6 tsp paprika
1 yellow pepper cut into large pieces                         Salt and pepper
Handful of fresh parsley rou9ghly chopped               275g (10oz) dried tagliatella
1 x 284ml carton soured cream                                    Torn parsley to garnish

Fry the onion in half the oil until soft and golden then add the garlic and the peppers. Lower the heat and cook for 8 minutes until the peppers have softened then add the remaining oil. Add the mushrooms and paprika and cook until the mushrooms are cooked. Add some of the parsley and season to taste. Simmer for 6 minutes. Cook the pasta and toss in the pepper and mushroom mixture. Stir in the cream and garnish with the remaining parsley.

I hope you will enjoy these and look forward to next month.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe September 2009

We’ve had some wet and windy days up here on the West Coast of Scotland during August so we’re hoping September will be better. This month I’ve got some cheats recipes for you. As I’ve said before Delia and Nigella are not alone in being able to cheat successfully – we Galley Slaves are past masters at the trick.

Cheat’s Coq au Vin.                                                  Serves 4

4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts               1 tblspn olive oil
150g (5 oz) streaky bacon                                    1 tblspn chopped fresh thyme leaves 
225g (8 oz) mushrooms                                                            or
or                                                     1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tin button mushrooms                                        2 garlic cloves chopped
150ml (5 fl oz) red wine                                        1 pt chicken stock
Salt and pepper                                                       1 bay leaf (opt)
1 onion roughly chopped

Cut the chicken into pieces and marinade in the red win for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile remove the rind from the bacon and chop. In a large pan add the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until golden. Remove and add the bacon, cooking it until browned. Remove and quickly sear the mushrooms for a few seconds. Remove these and drain the chicken, reserving the wine and cook that in the oil until golden. Return the onions and bacon to the pan and add the herbs, wine and stock. Bring to the boil and season. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the meat is cooked. About 5 minutes before the end of cooking add the seared mushrooms to the pan to heat through. Adjust the seasoning and if the sauce is too thin add a little slaked cornflour to thicken it. This is nice with sliced baguettes toasted and rubbed with garlic or with mashed potatoes and green beans.

I have made this with white wine and also added a drained small tin of cooked potatoes to heat through.

Cheat’s Stroganoff                                                    Serves 4

450g (1lb) quick frying steak/pork fillet                 225g (8oz) long grain rice
1tsp peppercorns crushed                                        1 tblspn olive oil
150g (5oz) sliced mushrooms                                   2 tsp paprika
284ml cream fresh or sour or crème fraiche           Chopped fresh parsley (opt)

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. Slice the beef or pork fillet thinly and put into a shallow dish. Add the peppercorns and toss to coat. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan and sauté the onion until soft and transparent. Add the mushrooms cook for a few minutes. Remove them and turn up the heat slightly. Add the meat strips and fry until the juices have evaporated and the meat has browned. Add about 2-3 tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan allow it to bubble for a few seconds. Return the onions and mushrooms to the pan and lower the heat. Stir in most of whichever cream you are using, remembering that if you are using crème fraiche not to allow the mixture to boil. Heat gently until thoroughly warmed through. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with the rice and top with the remaining cream and sprinkle the paprika and parsley over the top.

I often add a few tablespoons of brandy during the cooking which can just lift the mixture a little.

Next month I will try to bring you some cooler weather recipes which still can be cooked whilst sailing so until then bon appetite.

Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe August 2009

August, hopefully, is the month of high summer and during the first half, children from all parts of the U.K. are on holiday. It isn’t surprising then that Mum doesn’t have time to prepare complicated meals, especially with one’s offspring on a sailing holiday! Quick and easy menus are necessary and salads come into that category. I’ve put together for this month some alternatives to the usual typical British salad and I hope you will give them a try and inspire you to invent some of your own.

The first is inspired by oriental cuisine and is quite substantial.

Steak and Noodle Salad                                     Serves 4

300g (12oz) lean rump or sirloin steak               1 red pepper de-seeded and diced
300g (12oz) pak choi                                           1 yellow pepper de-seeded and diced
2 tblspn sunflower oil                                          3 x 150g packs of egg noodles
2 x 150g sachets stir-fry sauce                             small bunch spring onions

Slices the steak into thin strips and cut each head of pak choi lengthways into four. If they are large cut across each quarter. Slice the spring onions diagonally into pieces. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and fry the peppers for 1 minute. Then add the steak strips and fry until browned all over and almost cooked. Tip in the spring onions and the pak choi and stir-fry until the pak choi starts to wilt. Stir in your choice of stir-fry sauce with 3 tablespoons of water. If you are using no-cook noodles then stir these in and keep stirring until all is warmed through and the noodles are loose and coated in the sauce. If you are using noodles which need to be cooked you will have to do this first before embarking on the cooking, and add them after the pak  choi. Serve immediately as this is one salad which will not keep.

N.B. If you can’t get pak choi try using a butternut, romaine or cos lettuce instead.

The next recipe is one which doesn’t have any salad leaves in it.

Summer Vegetable Salad                                          Serves 4

2 small carrots grated                              1 bunch radishes thinly sliced
1 small red onion finely chopped             2 small courgettes thinly sliced
1 tomatoes de-seeded and chopped         1 stick celery from the middle of the head
A small handful of mixed herb leaves      Some raisins or sultanas
ie. mint, basil, coriander.                         1 few pine nuts
1 yellow or orange pepper sliced              Salad dressing of your choice

If you are using a stick of celery from the outside of the head take a sharp knife or vegetable peeler down lengthways to remove the tough strings before slicing thinly.
Mix all the vegetables together in a large bowl and season. Drizzle over the dressing of your choice and sprinkle over the raisins and pine nuts. This goes well with cooked chicken. You could also use a sweet Thai chilli sauce as the dressing.

That’s all for this month so good sailing and sunny warm weather.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe July 2009

Are you getting used to the sizzling weather yet? Even up here in Argyll it is beautifully warm and sunny so this month’s recipes are really quick and easy. After all who wants to slave over a hot stove at a time like this? In July the British asparagus is at its best and cheapest. Quick to prepare and cook it’s ideal for those days when we just want to laze around.

Asparagus and Parma Ham Wraps.                                          Serves 4

16 large asparagus spears                                         1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
3 tblspns extra virgin olive oil                                  8 large basil leaves roughly torn
1 large or 2 small spring onions finely chopped       1 tblspn fresh chopped parsley
16 slices Parma Ham                                                 a few extra basil leaves to garnish

Remove the tough ends of the asparagus and peel the stems if necessary. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the spears in it for about 2-3 minutes depending on their size. Remove and refresh in a bowl of ideally iced water or alternatively cold water. You may have to change this if the water becomes warm.
Drain and pat the spears dry. In a bowl mix together the oil, herbs and spring onions. Lay the asparagus in a shallow dish or plate and pour over the spears. Mix well and leave to marinate for about half an hour.  Roll each spear up in a slice of ham and grill, turning over from time to time until the ham is crispy. Divide between four plates and serve garnished with a few whole basil leave and some warm crusty bread.  You could also add some watercress or rocket leaves with some goat’s cheese or Brie if you wanted a more substantial dish.

Summer Chicken and Asparagus Pie                                  Serves 4

4 chicken breasts cut into pieces                                Knob of butter
100g (4 oz) asparagus cut into pieces                       100ml crème fraiche
100g (4 oz) chestnut mushrooms quartered             50g (2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
100g (4 oz) Mixed peas and sweet corn                   100g (4 oz) cooked ham torn

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken until almost cooked then add the mushrooms and continue cooking until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. In a pan of boiling water cook the peas, asparagus and sweet corn, if not already cooked, until tender then drain. Lay the chicken and mushrooms in a casserole and cover with the ham and the peas, sweetcorn and asparagus. Pour over the crème fraiche and season to taste. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Grill for about 5 minutes  until the topping is crisp and the pie heated through.

Asparagus, Watercress and Egg Salad                                  Serves 4

4 Large Eggs, free-range if possible                         1 bag watercress
16 large asparagus spears, more if small                  2 tblspns extra virgin olive oil
100g (4oz) Parmesan cheese shavings                      Salt and pepper

Boil the eggs for 4-5 minutes, then remove and cool in cold water. When they are cool peel and quarter them. Prepare the asparagus and cook in boiling water until just tender. The time will depend upon the size of the spears.. Divide the watercress between 4 plates and place the asparagus on top. Add the eggs and season well. Drizzle over some oil and sprinkle the parmesan over. Season to taste.

You could add torn ham or prawns to this and replace the watercress with salad leaves. I have also replaced the olive oil with either an Italian or French salad dressing. The secret is not to overpower the delicate taste of the asparagus.

Happy sailing.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe June 2009

Friends in the south of England have been catching up with us before heading off on their summer jaunts and it has made us, up here in Argyll quite envious. The weather has not been good over the Bank Holiday here but hopefully we just might be getting some summer warmth this weekend. If that happens we shall go for our first cruise of the summer this weekend.

This month I have decided to do something different to the usual recipes. We all carry some salad dressings and sauces etc. on board but sometimes it is nice to try something a wee bit different and so I have gathered together some of my favourite dressings for salads, meat or fish. They are all very easy and most of the ingredients used we already have onboard.

Cumin and Coriander Dressing.

This is a robust spicy dressing, excellent with any seafood, pasta or chicken.

1 tsp finely chopped garlic                                          ½ tsp ground cumin
2 tblsp sherry vinegar                                                  ½ tsp ground coriander
4 tblsp olive oil

Mix the garlic. Cumin, coriander and vinegar into a paste and then gradually add the oil until the mixture has a smooth consistency.

Basil and Almond Dressing

Great drizzled over tomatoes or goat’s cheese.

1 tsp grain mustard                                                     3 tblsp white wine vinegar
25g (1oz) finely chopped basil leaves                        275 ml (10 fl oz) olive oil
25g (1oz) finely chopped toasted almonds                 Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk the mustard, vinegar, basil and almonds together and then gradually beat in the oil until well blended. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Three Citrus Dressing.

Delicious drizzled over shellfish.

The grated rind and juice of:-
½ a lemon, lime and orange                                        ½ tsp sugar
8 tblsp oilive oil                                                          ½ tsp salt

Combine all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously to blend. Season with pepper to taste.

Redcurrant and Mint Sauce

Goes well with lamb, potatoes, avocados and courgettes.

1 tblsp redcurrant jelly                                        2 tblsp red wine vinegar
4 tblsp olive oil                                                   10g (½ oz) finely chopped mint leaves

Warm the jelly and vinegar in a small pan until the jelly has dissolved. Allow to cool and then whisk in the olive oil until you have a smooth consistency. Add the mint and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Finally a recipe for Cajun Seasoning which is so useful for Caribbean recipes.

1 tsp crushed dried chillies                                        2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried oregano                                                     1 tsp ground cumin
A good pinch or ground allspice                                ½ tsp paprika
A good pinch of dry mustard powder

Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight jar.

I hope these will be of some use during the coming months. Until next month I hope the weather goes well for you all and with it hopefully good sailing.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe May 2009

We’ve had some good weather up here in Argyll and that set me thinking about salads and lighter meals for a change. One problem with salads I find is you can get stuck in a rut with the usual lettuce, tomatoes, spring onions and radishes etc, so I started to look for some unusual salads and came up with these for you to try over the coming months.

The first one is one of Paul Gayler’s recipes which I have adapted to boat cooking.

Peppered Brie Crostinis with a Mango and Avocado Salad                    Serves 2

½ a ripe mango peeled and sliced                         200g (4oz) ripe Brie
½ a ripe Avocado peeled and sliced                     2 tbsp Olive Oil
4 slices French bread                                            1 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
75g (3oz) Salad Leaves                                         Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

Toast both sides of the bread and leave to cool. Cut the brie into 1cm (½ in) slices and place on a plate. Pour over the olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Place the slices of brie on top of the toast slices making sure the cheese reaches the very edges of the bread. Cook under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. Arrange some salad leaves on two plates and pour over a little honey and mustard dressing. Arrange the hot crostinis on top of the leaves and serve.

You could add some peppercorns along with the thyme leaves and use any soft cheese such as Cambanzola or Goats Cheese instead of the Brie.

The second recipe is one from John Murray’s book Around the World in Eighty Dishes and is one of the easiest salads I know.

The Emir’s Jewels

2 large onions peeled and thinly sliced                                1 tbspn lemon juice
1 large orange peeled and thinly sliced                                1 tbspn salad oil
1 green pepper deseeded and cut into thin rings                  ½ tsp sugar
12 black olives stoned                                                          mustard

Mix the onions, oranges and green peppers together on a flat dish and add about 12 black stoned olives. Make the dressing by mixing the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together with a dash of mustard and the sugar. Stir vigorously. Pour over the salad and serve as cold as possible.

This goes well with and any hot or cold roast meat, especially chicken, duck or pork

A Quick Throw-it-Together Greek Salad

6 roughly chopped ripe vine tomatoes                     1 finely sliced red onion
½ a peeled and roughly chopped cucumber              Handful of olives
3 roughly chopped celery sticks                                Handful torn basil leaves
Small handful oregano leaves                                    1 tbspn red wine vinegar
Handful roughly chopped flat leaf parsley leaves   200g (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, celery, onions and the herbs together in a large bowl. Drizzle over enough red wine vinegar and olive oil to taste but not drown, and top with scattered olives and feta cheese.

Until next month when I hope to have some more quick and easy boat recipes for you to try out – Bon Appetite.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe April 2009

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, or so the old saying goes. For the last few days the lion has certainly roared up here in Argyll, and the weather has not been very Spring-like. Just to remind us that Winter still had a sting in it’s tail we had a power cut for a couple of hours or so last night that extended all the way up the west coast of Scotland so its not quite salad days yet.

This month’s recipes are ‘quickies’ – something that can be rustled up when you need something warm and light.

Piedmont Peppers                                                                 Serves 2

2 red peppers                                               2 plum tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced                        3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Handful fresh basil, chopped                       1 tbsp fresh oregano or marjoram, chopped.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds and the white pith but leave the stalks on. Place skin side down on an oiled baking tray and put some slices of garlic inside each half with half a tomato on top cut side down. Drizzle with some oil and season. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 200C/400F/Gas6 and continue baking for a further 15-20 minutes or until tender. You can top with grated cheese or a mixture of grated cheese and breadcrumbs about 10 minutes before the end of cooking. This will give a crunchy top to the dish.

Thai Vegetable Omelette                                            Serves 2

2 tbspns oil                                               2.5 cm (1 in.) piece of root ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed                             60grms (2 ½ oz) bean sprouts
4 spring onions, sliced                             2 tbspns light soy sauce
1 carrot, cut in julienne strips                  3 tbspns fresh coriander, chopped
110grms (4oz) mushrooms, sliced           4 large eggs, whisked

In a frying pan or skillet heat half the oil and stir-fry the ginger and garlic for one minute. Add the spring onions, carrot and mushrooms and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Then add the beansprouts and stir-fry for one minute and then add half the soy sauce and half the coriander. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Add more oil if necessary and tip in half the eggs to make one omelette. Fold in half the mixture into the centre of the omelette and fold over. Repeat for the second omelette and top with the remaining soy sauce and coriander.

For meat eaters you could add cooked prawns or shredded chicken to the mixture.

Prawn Piperade                                                       Serves 2

4 large eggs                                                    2 tbspns milk
1 tbspn olive oil                                             175g (6oz) large cooked prawns, thawed
8 cherry tomatoes, halved                              

Beat the eggs, milk and a pinch each of salt and pepper and nutmeg if desired and set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the tomatoes for a few seconds before adding the prawns. Cook until the tomatoes are just about to burst. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and let it set for a few second then fold over the eggs from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the mixture sit again for a few seconds and stir again. When softly set, spoon the mixture onto slices of hot buttered toast and scatter some parsley on top. Serve immediately.

Lastly something for those who have a sweet tooth.

Banana French Toast                                           Serves 2 generously, or 4 smaller

3 large eggs                                                      a few drops vanilla essence (opt)
50ml (2fl oz) milk                                            4 tbspns soft light brown sugar
4 large thick slices white bread                        25grm (1 oz) butter
Pinch ground cinnamon                                    dash of lemon juice
1 tbspn rum (opt)

 

Mix together the eggs, half the sugar and the vanilla essence in a large bowl. Lay the slices of bread in a shallow dish and pour over the egg mixture. Set aside for about an hour or until the bread has soaked up the liquid. Turn the slices from time to time.
Melt half the butter in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and add two slices of the soaked bread. Cook until one slide is golden brown and then turn and cook the other side. Keep the slices warm whilst you repeat the process with the other two slices..Meanwhile in another pan melt the remaining butter, adding more if necessary, and gently cook the sliced bananas for 1 minute. Add the remaining sugar, cinnamon and a small dash of lemon juice. Cook for a further few minutes until the bananas have caramelised and are tender. Serve the French toast topped with the bananas and drizzle some rum over the top of each slice if desired. You could substitute the rum with honey or maple syrup or even both if you’re feeling really decedent!

Hopefully next month will see better weather and a warm start to the sailing season. Until then eat well and stay warm.

Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe March 2009

Are you still in the ‘Comfort Zone’ of eating?  As the weather recently has been a trifle chilly to say the least a warming bowl of soup is very welcome. It is very tempting to buy a tin or packet of soup rather than contemplate all the chopping and preparing, but some soups are just as quick to make and certainly taste a whole lot better than most of the bought ones. Here are three which are just a little different to the mass produced ones so do give them a try.

Stilton, Roasted Garlic and Watercress Soup                                   Serves 4

6 large unpeeled cloves garlic.                                   2 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 chopped onion                                                         175g (6oz) diced potatoes
2 x 85g packs watercress                                            1 ltr (1 ¾) vegetable stock
175g (6oz) Blue or White Stilton crumbled               100ml (4 fl oz) single cream
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Put the garlic cloves on a tray and roast for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and very soft. Remove and leave to cool. Meanwhile heat the oil or butter in a large saucepan and sweat the onion over a low heat for about 5 minutes until soft and transparent. Add the potatoes, watercress and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20-30 minutes then remove from the heat. Skin the garlic and add to the soup. Liquidise or sieve until smooth and return to the pan. Whisk in the Stilton and cream and season to taste. Reheat gently until very hot but DO NOT BOIL. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve.

Roscoff Cream Soup                                                                        Serves 4

1 medium cauliflower cut into florets                          ½ ltr (1 pt) vegetable stock
2 sticks celery finely chopped                                      ½ ltr (1 pt) milk
1 onion finely chopped                                                 2 egg yolks
1 bay leaf                                                                      1 tbsp olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper

In a large pan cook the onion and celery in the butter or oil until soft and transparent. In another pan cook the cauliflower in the stock until soft. Remove the cauliflower and add the onions, celery and bay leaf and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and add the cauliflower to the pan together with the milk and egg yolks. Cool slightly and liquidise or puree and return to the pan. Reheat gently until hot but not boiling. Boiling would cause the eggs to scramble. Serve with croutons if desired and sprinkled with a little paprika.

Bulgarian Leek and Lemon Soup                                                      Serves 4

1 kg (2lbs) leeks, washed, trimmed and finely sliced.   1 small onion finely chopped
500g (1lb) potatoes chopped into small pieces.             1 clove garlic crushed
250g (8oz) bacon chopped                                             2 tbsp oil
1 ltr (2pts) chicken or ham stock                                   1 sprig parsley or 1 tsp dried.
1 small carton creamy or Greek yoghurt                        1 sprig thyme or 1 tsp dried
2 egg yolks                                                                      1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the bacon for a few minutes until nearly cooked. Add the onions and garlic and continue cooking until the onions are transparent. Add the leeks, potatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 2-25 minutes. Chop the herbs if using fresh and add half the herbs to the soup. Then stir in the yoghurt, egg yolks and the lemon juice. Once the yoghurt and eggs are added make sure the soup does not boil. On serving sprinkle with the remaining herbs and season to taste.

Hopefully the weather will have taken a turn for the better by next month and we will be looking forward to lighter meals. Meanwhile I hope you enjoy these soups.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe February 2009

This is the time of year when game is at its’ best. We are very lucky up here in Scotland with such abundance and I have just returned from north Norfolk where it is equally good. I realise to some people the taste of game is too strong but often that is due to the recipe. When game birds are getting old it is better to casserole them, roasting should be left for the young ones. Venison also improves in a casserole and can often be substituted with beef. When in Sweden and Germany we ate reindeer and even David who isn’t partial to venison liked it. Unfortunately all my attempts to buy it in the U.K. have been relatively unsuccessful so if anyone out there knows a source of this delicious meat I would be very grateful.

To encourage those of you who are wary I have given some of my favourite recipes below. Do try – you will never know what you are missing until you do!

Venison Steaks in a Bonnet.                        Serves 2 but easily doubled

2 good sized venison steaks                         1 medium carrot finely diced.
About ½ a pack of puff pastry                    1 small leek finely sliced
1 wineglass of red wine                               4 juniper berries crushed
1 tblspn redcurrant jelly                                 a small handful cranberries or blueberries

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Roll out the pastry fairly thinly and cut out a round disc large enough to top each steak. Brush with an egg wash and score a criss-cross pattern on the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes until well risen and golden. Remove and set aside.

In the meantime heat a little oil and butter in a skillet or frying pan and fry for about 3-4 minutes each side. The length of frying time rather depends on how you like your steaks. Remove and keep warm. Sauté the carrot and leek until they are soft and then add the wine and the juniper berries. Turn the heat up and reduce the liquid by half, scraping up all the meat juices left by the steaks. Strain into a clean pan and stir in the redcurrant jelly. Add the cranberries or blueberries and simmer gently for a minute or two. Place each steak on a warm plate and pour a little of the sauce over and around each one. Top each with a pastry bonnet and serve with vegetables of your choice.

Pheasant Casserole                                           Serves 4

2 pheasants cleaned and halved                        110g (4oz) bacon chopped
25g (1oz) butter or oil                                       225g (8oz) shallots
25g (1oz) flour                                                   2tblspns redcurrant/cranberry jelly
270ml (1pt) stock                                              100ml (4fl oz) white wine
110g (4 oz) chestnut button mushrooms           Bouquet garni
Salt and pepper.

Pre-heat the oven to 160F/375F/Gas5. Melt the butter or oil in a large roasting tin and brown the pheasants all over. Remove and keep warm. Sauté the bacon and the shallots for a few minutes and remove them to keep warm with the meat. Add the flour to the tin and scrape up all the meat juices mixing well. Slowly add the wine, stock and redcurrant jelly until a sauce is formed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil stirring all the time to thicken. Return the pheasant, bacon and shallots to the tin and add the bouquet garni. Cover either with a lid or a foil cover and cook for about an hour. Check that the pheasant juices run clear and if they don’t return to the oven for a little while longer. Add the mushrooms to the tin 10 minutes before the estimated end of cooking.

You can drain the sauce from the birds and add some crème fraiche or cream to make a richer taste, making sure everything is kept warm and that you do not boil the sauce.

Grilled Partridge.                                           Serves 2 but easily doubled

2 partridges cleaned and halved                    1 tblspn cumin seeds
Zest of small lemon 50g (2oz) butter
Salt and pepper to taste                                   some small sprigs of thyme

Press the partridge halves as flat as possible so that the legs lie flat and don’t burn under the grill. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for a few second until you begin to smell their aroma but don’t let them burn and they become bitter. Remove to a pestle and mortar and grind coarsely. Mix in the butter and some thyme leaves until a soft paste is formed. Rub the paste over the partridge halves and season well. Heat a grill until it is fairly hot and cook the halves for about 10-15 minutes turning them all the while so that they don’t burn. The skin should be quite crisp and the birds a golden brown. Insert a skewer into the breast to ensure the juices run clear. Serve with sauté potatoes and a green vegetable.

Should you find that the legs are beginning to burn tuck a little foil over them making sure it does not catch the grill. This is a very quick and easy recipe and can be used for any type of small bird. You could serve a sauce if the birds appear dry but generally I find that the butter will do the trick especially if you baste them half way through the grilling time.

I hope this will encourage those of you who are less confident cooking game and that you will enjoy trying these recipes. 

Bon Appetite.
Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe January 2009.

Happy New Year to you all. If, like me you had lots of relatives and friend over the festive season you might still have ingredients to use up. I’ve found however organised I am there is still the odd jar of mincemeat or lemon curd lurking in the cupboard and the remnants of the bird etc consigned to the freezer just waiting to be used once you find you can face them again. So this month is Use Up Month!

The first recipe is a good one to use up the remains of any chutney or jar of cranberries and any leftover cheese in the fridge.

Cheese and Chutney/Cranberry Wheels.

110g (4oz) butter diced and chilled            150g (5 oz) plain flour
110 (4oz) any hard cheese                          1 tbsp chutney/ thick cranberry sauce

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs or use a food processor. Mix in the grated cheese and add enough cold water to form a dough. Try not to make the dough too soft. Wrap the dough in clingflim and chill for at least 20 minutes. At this stage preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6 and grease a large baking sheet. Once chilled turn the dough out onto a floured board and roll the pastry out into a rectangle about the thickness of a pound coin. Spread the chutney or thick cranberry sauce over the pastry. You might need to use more chutney etc to cover the pastry. Roll up the pastry starting from the longest side to form a log. Using a serrated knife cut the log into slices and arrange them on the baking sheet. You can sprinkle over some sesame seeds if you like. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack and serve either warm or cold.

Lemon Curd Cake

1 jar lemon or orange curd                                         185g (6 ½ oz) caster sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon or orange                           3 large egg whites
125g (4 ½ oz) plain flour                                           1 rounded tsp baking powder
25g (1 oz) ground almonds                                        pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Using a large bowl mix together the lemon or orange curd, 75g (3oz) of the sugar. The lemon/orange zest and half the juice. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and then gradually add all but 2 tbsp of the remaining sugar, beating constantly. Sift the flour and the baking powder together and add the ground almonds. Stir the flour mixture into the curds and gently fold in the egg whites. Pour into a greased and floured cake tin, smooth over the top and bake for about 45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool slightly in the tin for 10 minutes. Mix together the remaining juice and sugar and carefully pour over the top of the cake. Leave to soak in and carefully remove from the tin and allow to cool.

This is a lovely cake to serve with cream as a pudding. I have also made this with the remnants of a jar of lime marmalade and the zest and juice of a lime. 

Chicken/Turkey and Cream Cheese Kromeskies.

110g (4oz) cooked chicken or turkey                 75g (3oz) cream cheese
2 tsp finely chopped onion                                  Pinch of salt
2 tsp grated hard cheese i.e. parmesan                Pinch of paprika
110g (4 oz) shortcrust or puff pastry                   Oil

Either mince or finely chop the chicken or turkey and mix with the cream cheese.
Add the onion, hard cheese and the salt and paprika and mix well. On a floured board roll the pastry out thinly and dived into 4 squares. Put a quarter of the fill into each of the squares. Dampen the edges of the squares and fold over into triangles pinching the edges firmly together. Chill for a few minutes to firm up. Heat oil in a deep pan or deep fat fryer to 190C/380F and fry the kromesties a few at a time. Remove them when they rise to the surface, puffed and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.

A variation on this recipe is to use pate instead of cream cheese.

Until next month eat well and keep warm. Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe December 2008.

In the words of an old Bing Crosby song ‘It Certainly Feels A Lot Like Christmas’ with the roads and trees white with hoar frost. My apologies to those youngsters who don’t remember The Old Groaner but to those of us of a more mature vintage Christmas and Bing go together.

There seems to be so many magazines telling us how to make Christmas even more spectacular with recipes and illustrations of culinary feasts which I’m sure would have me cooking non-stop until the big day, so here are some cake recipes two of which can be frozen and brought out to de-frost when necessary.

The first is one I often make – not as heavy as Christmas Cake and it keeps well.

Jamaican Fruit Loaf                                             Makes 10-12 slices

85g (3oz) butter                                                    113g (4oz) brown sugar
3 tblspns clear honey                                             2 medium eggs beaten
227g (8oz) S.R. Flour                                            1 heaped tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp bicarbonate soda                                          ½ tsp salt
3 medium peeled bananas                                      227g (8 oz) raisins

Preheat the oven to 180c/350F/Gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and stir in 2 tblpns of the honey. Mash the bananas and add to the mixture together with the beaten eggs. Sieve the flour and add the allspice, salt and the bicarbonate of soda, mixing well. Fold the flour mixture and the raisins into the cake mixture and pour into a greased and lined loaf tin. Bake for about an hour or until the cake is well risen and firm to the touch. Allow to cool slightly and then remove from the tin. Glaze the top with the remaining honey and leave to cool.

This cake will freeze and I have substituted golden syrup for the honey and mixed fruit for the raisins with no ill effects. 

The next one is the easiest cake recipe I have ever come across. It is also probably one with the least number of calories.

Alpenbuttertorte

2 eggs                                                      75g (2 ½ oz) icing sugar
1 egg yolk                                                50g (2oz) flour

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas5. In a large bowl whip the eggs, extra egg yolk until thick and creamy. Sift the flour and very gently fold into the egg mixture. Have ready a greased, floured and lined cake tin and bake on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the tin and cool on a rack. When cold split open and fill with either jam or cream, or both and dust the top with icing sugar.

Unfortunately this cake will not keep very long. It can be frozen and then decorated.

Chocolate Refrigerator Cake.

Weigh out equal quantities of chocolate, butter and either digestive or petit beurre biscuits. Then weight out half that total quantity of blanched and peeled nuts. Don’t use peanuts. Toast the nuts in a low oven and chop roughly. Chop the biscuits into small pieces and mix with the nuts and any biscuit crumbs. Melt the butter over a low heat and break in the chocolate. Stir gently until the mixture is smooth. Beware of overheating or the chocolate will become very grainy. Mix in the nuts and biscuits and pack into a lined Swiss roll tin. Cool and chill and then slice into fingers and store in a closed box in a cold place or the fridge.

Very rich and very more-ish. Don’t freeze.

All that remains is for me to wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas with lots of good cheer and pleasant company.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe November 2008.

The cold weather has certainly set in with a vengeance. We can see snow on the tops of the hills on Aran already and we’re being told it is only so many weeks to Christmas! Some comfort food is in order I think, so with that in mind this month’s recipes are for comfort puddings that are fairly easy and could be used during the holiday period.

 Pear and Marzipan Tart.                                            Serves 4-6

 500g (1lb 2oz) ready-made shortcrust pastry.      175g (6 oz) caster sugar
350g (12oz) softened marzipan                              1 tsp almond essence
3-4 pears, peeled and sliced                                    lemon juice
1 tin Dulce de Leche or Carnation Caramel Sauce.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.  Line a baking tin with foil and grease slightly. Roll the pastry out to an oblong about 12 in x 10in and place on the foil. Roll the marzipan out into an oblong slightly smaller than the pastry. Mix the pears with some lemon juice to stop them turning brown and lay them on neatly on top of the pastry. Sprinkle over the sugar and about half of the almond essence. Roll the edges of the pastry over to make a raised border and press down slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes and then lower the heat to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and continue baking for another 20 mins or until the tart is a golden colour. Warm the caramel sauce gently and stir in the rest of the almond essence. Either drizzle some over the tart or serve in a jug alongside.

Apricots, peaches, apples or mango could be substituted for the pears. The lemon juice would only be necessary for the apples.

Lime or Lemon Puddleduck Souffles                                 Serves 4

50g (1 ¾ oz) butter plus some for greasing               100g (3 ½ oz) caster sugar
Grated rind and juice of 1 lime or lemon                   2 large eggs separated
50g (1 ¾ oz) sifted self-raising flour                         300ml (½ pt) milk
lime or lemon rind strips to decorate

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Lightly butter four small oven proof dishes holding about 250ml (9 fl oz).  Beat the butter, sugar and rind until pale and then beat in the egg yolks and flour. Stir in the lime or lemon juice and then the milk. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and then gently fold into the soufflé mixture. Divide between the greased dishes. Carefully place the dishes onto a metal baking tray and cook for 15 mins, Increase the oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and continue cooking for another 2 mins when they should be puffed up and a light golden colour. Decorate with some rind and serve at once.

Next month I hope to have some recipes for the holiday season – hopefully slightly less guilty than the normal ones.
Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe October 2008.

October already! Where has this year gone? Enchantress is now high and dry and being put to bed for the winter. While this last week we have had beautiful weather in Argyll thoughts of summer salads are all but gone, so this month I’m thinking about warmer food. Offal is something you either like or dislike – there doesn’t seem to be any half measures. The recipes for this month are for three types of offal – all very tasty and relatively cheap.

Devilled Kidneys                                                                  Serves 2 

6 lamb’s kidneys, cleaned the white core cut out and cut into quarters
1 glass sherry, Madeira or Marsala (opt)
1 tblspn white wine or cider vinegar
2 tsps redcurrant jelly
2 tsps Lea & Perrins sauce
2 pinches cayenne pepper
1 tblspn made mustard
1-2 tblspns double cream or crème fraiche
chopped parsley.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and sauté the kidneys for 1-2 minutes to brown them. Add the sherry and let it bubble for a moment before adding the wine or cider vinegar. Give the mixture a stir and add the redcurrant jelly stirring until it has dissolved. Then add the Lea & Perrins, mustard and cayenne . Season to taste and add one tablespoon of the cream. Taste and if the mixture is too spicy add more cream. Let the mixture simmer for a minute or two until the sauce has thickened slightly and has taken on a glossy hue. Serve with fried bread (if you’re not on a diet) or on slices of toast. I often serve this on rice. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley

Heat with a Citrus Sauce                                                      Serves 4

If you’ve never cooked ox or lamb’s heart before do try it. Ox heart has a similar texture and flavour to duck. The citrus flavour balances the richness of the meat. Do trim the meat of any fatty sinew or ask the butcher to do is for you.

1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented, the rind cut into matchsticks.
1 orange, peeled and segmented, the rind cut into matchsticks.
675g (1 ½ lbs) ox heart, trimmed and cut into  ½ inch slices lengthways
1 large onion chopped
300ml (½ pint) orange juice
1 tblspn cornflour
Salt and pepper

HHeat some oil in a frying pan and briskly fry the ox heart until it has sealed and is brown. Add the onion, orange juice and 1 tablespoon each of the grapefruit and orange peel. Season and bring to the boil. If the frying pan or skillet has a lid cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes until the meat is tender, otherwise transfer to a pan and cover. Once the meat is tender add the fruit segments and heat through for a few minutes. Transfer the meat to a dish using a slotted spoon and blend the cornflour into a little cold water and stir into the sauce. Bring back to the boil and simmer for a minute or two until it has thickened. Pour over the meat and serve with mashed potato and vegetables. I sometimes add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of redcurrant jelly.

Sweetbreads with Soured Cream and Onion Sauce.               Serves 4 generously/p>

900g (2lbs) calves sweetbreads
½ tsp salt
1 tblspn lemon juice

 For the sauce: 

 275ml (½ pt) water                                                2 large onions, sliced very thinly
50g (2oz) butter                                                      15g (¾oz) flour
½ tsp mustard powder                                             150ml (5 fl oz) soured cream
Salt and black pepper                                               Squeeze of lemon juice
Fried croutons and chopped parsley to garnish

Soak the sweetbreads in cold water for about 2 hours, changing the water from time to time. Drain and place them in a saucepan with another 1.25 litres (2 pints) of cold water and add the lemon juice and salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Drain the sweetbreads and douse with cold water. Then split them into pieces, removing any bits of tubes and tough outer membrane. Cover and put aside while you make the sauce.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and when it is frothy sit in the sliced onions and cook them over a very low heat for about 15 minutes until they are soft without being coloured. Stir in the flour and mustard and cook for about 2 minutes and then gradually stir in the water. Bring back to the boil, still stirring, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the soured cream and the seasoning and finally stir in a squeeze of lemon juice.pan style="mso-spacerun:yes">  Return the sweetbreads to the sauce and heat through gently. Serve on slices of toast or on boiled rice garnished with the croutons and chopped parsley if desired

I hope these recipes will encourage those of you who have not tried offal before to ‘have a go’ All three are old British recipes and well worth trying...

Until next month , bon appetite.
Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe September 2008.

August hasn’t been the best of months for sailing has it? Much cooler than one would have expected for high summer, and indeed up here in Argyll some of the leaves have already begun to turn a soft gold. It all looks very pretty but it brings home the prospect that the sailing season is beginning to wind down. With this thought in mind I have chosen three recipes which might bridge this transitory period.

 

Mushrooms in a Brandy Sauce                                                        Serves 4

350g (12oz) button mushrooms, chestnut are best                           25g (1oz) butter
125ml (4fl oz) brandy                                                                     a little flour
125ml (4fl oz) double cream                                                           Salt and pepper
1 tblspn chopped parsley                                                                Toast or rustic bread

Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes stirring all the time. It the mushrooms are large half or quarter them. Sprinkle a little flour over them and cook for another 30 seconds or so stirring constantly. Add the brandy and turn the heat up, cooking for another 1-2 minutes to cook the flour. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, parsley, and season. Lower the heat and return the pan to the hob to warm up the sauce. Don’t let it boil. Divide between four bowls and serve with the toast or some warmed rustic bread.

Pan-fried Fillet of Pork in a Mustard and Maple Sauce.                Serves 4

2 large or 4 small fillets of Pork                                                  1 tblspn plain flour
1 large red onion thinly sliced                                                     2 tblspns olive oil
200ml (7 fl oz) pork or chicken stock                                           2 tblspns maple syrup
2 tblspns wholegrain mustard                                                     Juice of 1 lemon
Watercress to garnish

 Remove all sinews and skin from the fillets and cut into thick slices. Season and coat them with flour. In a large frying pan or skillet heat the oil and quickly fry until they are browned all over. Cook them for about 5 minutes and then remove them and keep warm. You may have to do this in batches adding more oil if necessary.

To make the sauce, fry the onions until lightly coloured and soft. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cook at a rapid boil for a couple of minutes to reduce the stock a little, and then add the maple syrup, mustard and lemon juice, giving the sauce a good stir. Return the pork to the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce is cooked and the pork warmed through. Garnish with sprigs of watercress and serve with a mixture of vegetables.

Spicy Fruit Salad                                                            Serves 4 generously

450g (1lb) ripe plums                                                    2 firm but ripe sweet pears
3 firm but ripe peaches or nectarines                         150g (5oz) blackberries
2 sweet apples                                                          150g (5oz) raspberries
110g (4oz) granulated sugar                                          1 stick cinnamon
1-2 pieces of ginger in syrup                                         1 large lemon
1 tsp ground coriander                                                  Pinch of mixed spice (opt)
150ml (5 fl oz) water

To make the syrup remove 2 or three pieces of rind (without any pith) from the lemon. Put the sugar and water in a pan with the cinnamon stick, lemon rind, the spices and the ginger and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Once there are no granules left in the liquid, raise the heat slightly and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once cold add the juice of the lemon and strain into a large bowl. You can leave the cinnamon in if you want a more pronounced flavour. Prepare the fruit by halving and de-stoning the plums. Peel and quarter the pears and apples, removing the centre core and cut into wedges. Cut and de-stone the nectarines and cut into wedges. If you are using peaches you will need to scald them to remove the skins.. Add all the fruit to the spiced syrup and let the salad marinate for an hour or so before serving. Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice-cream, or crème fraiche. You can substitute apricots for the nectarines or peaches. Another twist is to warm the salad up slightly just before serving and add a little of the ginger syrup from a jar if you want a more spicy version.

Good food, good companions and good sailing for September. Back next month with some new ideas.

 Noreen Pearson

MOA Web Recipe August 2008

Sorry I'm late this month but we have been taking advantage of the excellent weather up here in the West of Scotland to get in some sailing. We had five days of hot sunny weather and then just as the West Highland Week drew nigh the weather changed and it was rain, wind and fog!

Three different recipes for you this month all reasonably quick and easy to produce in the limited space onboard.

Long Island Bake                                                       Serves 4 or 2 if you’re famished!

25g (1oz) +1 tsp butter                             300g (10oz) sweetcorn
275ml (10fl.oz) double cream                    225g (8oz) prawns or shrimps
3 eggs                                                         1 tin clams drained
½ tsp salt                                                  50g (2oz) grated cheese
¼ tsp pepper                                             25g (1 oz) dry breadcrumbs
Dash of cayenne                                           1 tblspn chopped fresh chives

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Grease a large soufflé dish or four ramekins. Beat together the cream, eggs and seasonings.Add the chives, sweetcorn, clams and prawns or shrimps and mix gently. Mix together the breadcrumbs and the cheese. Spoon the fish mixture into the soufflé dish or ramekins and top with the cheese and breadcrumbs. Dot with the butter left over from greasing and bake until the top of the mixture is golden. The time cooking will depend on whether you are using one large dish or four small ones – anything from 20 mins to 40mins. Eat at once whilst still hot.

Lamb or Pork en croute                                                   Serves 4

4 lamb or pork fillets trimmed of fat and membrane         1 tblspn olive oil
1 pk ready-rolled puff pastry                                           4 fresh sage leaves chopped
1 egg yolk lightly whisked 

For the Sauce

1 jar redcurrant jelly                                                         200ml (7 fl oz) port
2 sprigs fresh rosemary 

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 7. Season the fillets well and heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the fillets for about 5 minutes until seared, turning once. You may have to do this in two batches. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Whilst the meat is cooling spread the pastry out on a floured board and cut into four rectangles, making sure these are larger than the fillets. Brush each rectangle with a little of the egg and turn the rectangles so that the short side is facing you. Place a fillet on each rectangle and top with the chopped sage. Fold the long sides in to cover the ends of the meat and brush with egg mixture to seal. Roll the pastry around the fillets, finishing with a seam underneath. Brush with the remaining egg and snip a few incisions in the top of each parcel . Bake for 25mins until golden brown. Remove from the oven and rest in a warm place for 5-10 mins. Warm the redcurrant jelly, port and rosemary in a small pan. To serve place each parcel on a plate and slice. Pour a little sauce around each.

 N.B. If fresh herbs are not available, use a small amount of dried herbs in their place.

Nectarine Cheesecake                                                     Serves 6-8

150g (5oz) petit-buerre biscuits crushed                        4 nectarines stoned and skinned
65g (2 ½ oz) butter melted                                           1 packet peach jelly
150ml (¼ pt) hot water                                              350g (12oz) full fat soft cheese
150ml (¼ pt) fresh cream whipped

Mix the biscuit crumbs and the butter together and press into the base of a greased loose bottomed 20.5 cm. (8 in) tin. Chill for 30 mins until firm. Dissolve the jelly in the hot water and cool slightly until it is just beginning to thicken. Stir into the cheese.

Finely chop 2 of the nectarines and add to the mixture. Pour into the tin over the biscuit base and chill until set. Remove from the tin and decorate with the other two nectarines finely sliced and small sprigs of mint (opt).

 Variations: Fresh or defrosted raspberries or fruits of the forest with raspberry or blackcurrant jelly. Tinned mandarin orange segments, drained with orange jelly. Strawberries with strawberry jelly. Tinned pineapple, drained with pineapple jelly or lime jelly with sliced kiwi fruit. If using tinned fruit, use the juice and make up to the required amount with boiling water. I have used this recipe with frozen tropical fruit salad in a citrus jelly. You can, of course, substitute peaches for the nectarines.

I will try to be on time next month, but until then good sailing.

Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe July 2008.

 We are well into the sailing season and while we have had some good weather up here in Argyll, today it has reverted back to normal and is raining once again. Those of you in the South and West also seem to have had a mixed bag - let’s hope for better weather to come.

This month sees the end of our Round Britain Recipe Trip with some English recipes which I hope may be of some interest to you. The first one comes from Dorset very near to where David and I lived for some 26 years.

Lyme Bay Fish Pie.                                                      Serves 4 Serves 4

 225g (8oz) shortcrust pastry                                 50g (20z) butter
1 bunch spring onions                                           25g (1oz) flour
110g (4oz) mushrooms                                          275ml (1/2 pt) fish stock
225g (8oz) white fish                                            275ml (1/2 pt) white wine
225g (8oz) scallops                                               4 firm tomatoes
225g (8oz) prawns                                                1 tblspn chopped parsley
Salt and pepper 

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mk5 Wash and trim the spring onions and slice. Wipe the mushrooms and slice. Skin and de-seed the tomatoes and also thickly slice.  Wash the fish and dry on kitchen paper. Skin the white fish and cut into chunks and if the scallops are large half them. Peel the prawns and remove the black thread down the back. Also if they still have heads and tails remove them. In a deep skillet or frying pan melt the butter and gently sauté the onions and mushrooms for a couple of minutes then stir in the flour and cook for another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually add the stock stirring all the time to prevent lumps. Return to the heat, add the wine and bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Add the fish, scallops and prawns, the tomatoes and parsley and season well. Put into an oven-proof dish and top with a pastry lid. Cook for 25-30 minutes.  Serve with either a green salad or a selection of vegetables.

 T is for a biscuit an old Aunt of mine used to make when I was a child (i.e. when Noah was a lad!!)

 Empire Biscuits

 25g (80z) Self-raising flour                                 110g (4oz) caster sugar
110g (4 oz) butter                                                  1 egg beaten
Rind and juice of ½ a lemon                                    Icing to glaze
Raspberry jam.

 Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mk 4. Mix the flour and butter together in a bowl until it resembles breadcrumbs, and then add the sugar. Add the grated lemon rind and the egg and lemon juice. Mix well into a stiff paste. Roll out to the thickness of a pound coil and cut into rounds. Place on a greased baking tray and bake for about 10-15 minutes. They should be a pale golden colour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cold sandwich two together with jam and glaze with some icing. Add a halved glace cherry or a small jelly sweet if desired.

 You can add some currants to the original mixture to make Shrewsbury Biscuits, omitting the jam and icing.

The last one is for an old English dish which I came across in Jane Grigson’s English Food – a book I can recommend for all types of British classics.

Whim-Wham

 For each person take

1 sponge finger biscuit                                          2 large tblspns double cream
½ tsp chopped roasted hazelnuts                            1 tablspoon sweet sherry or dessert wine
Small pieces of angelica

Break the biscuit into pieces and put into a wine glass. Pour over the wine or sherry and leave to soak. Whip the cream and pile it on top. Decorate with the nuts and angelica. You could use chopped candied peel instead. Double the quantity for each person if you are feeling indulgent.

Hope you enjoy trying these recipes and until next month, good sailing and good company.

Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipe June 2008.

For once we, in the west of Scotland, seem to be getting the best of the weather. Despite the dreaded Mozzies it is a welcome change and long may it continue!!!! As I suggested last month I have found some recipes from the Isle of Man this time. There were quite a number very similar to Irish, Scottish and Welsh ones, so I have tried to pick ones different to those used from the other regions.

Carrot and Parsnip Soup                                                      Serves 4

225g (8oz) carrots finely diced                                             Salt and black pepper
225g (8oz) parsnips finely diced                                           Single cream
1 onion finely chopped                                                         Pinch of nutmeg
50g (2 oz) any hard cheese i.e. Cheddar                               Knob of butter
570mls (1 pt) milk                                                               Plain flour
570mls (1 pt) vegetable or chicken stock                              Oil

Melt the butter and some oil together in a frying pan or a heavy pan. Lightly coat the vegetables with flour and gently fry until just beginning to soften. Drain the vegetables and if using a frying pan transfer to a saucepan. Add the stock, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until quite soft. Remove from the heat and if you can, liquidise – if not press through a sieve and return to the pan. Now add the milk and gently re-heat. Before serving swirl a little cream on top, sprinkle with some grated cheese and a pinch of nutmeg.

Scallops with a Cheese and Onion Sauce                             Serves 4

12 scallops                                                                          1 small onion diced
300ml (1/2 pt) fish stock                                                     Salt and Pepper
110g (4 oz) Cheddar cheese                                                 Knob of butter
1 scant tblspn plain flour                                                      A little white wine (opt) 

In a frying pan or skillet heat the stock over a medium heat and poach the scallops until just cooked – two or three minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Melt the butter in a pan and gently sauté the onion until golden and soft. Remove from the heat and add the flour and the milk at intervals to make a roué sauce. Return to a low heat to cook for a couple of minutes and then stir in the cheese. If using wine add this after the milk. To serve pour a little on each plate or dish and place the scallops on top

N.B. Frankly on board, I would use a packet of cheese sauce and add a little wine and cream.

Manx Buttermilk Scones

775g (1 lb 8 oz) flour                                                            13g (1/2 oz) bicarbonate of soda
50g (2 oz) butter slightly melted                                             7g (1/2 oz) cream of tartar
Pinch of salt and pepper                                                        Buttermilk

Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and the salt and pepper into a bowl and pour in the beaten eggs. Add the buttermilk little by little until you have soft scone-like dough. Lightly flatten out on a floured board and cut into rounds. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes at 240C/475F/Gas 9.

Serve whilst warm with some good cheese.  

Noreen Pearson. 

MOA Web Recipe May 2008.

I hope you enjoyed the recipes from Wales last month. This time I thought some from Ireland would continue the British Isles theme, and as potatoes always seem to be associated with the Irish here are some other than Colcannon and Champ.

O’Brien Potatoes                                                    Serves 4

50g (2 oz) butter                                                1 large onion finely chopped
1 green pepper seeded and finely chopped           2 large cooked apples cooled and cubed
1 red pepper seeded and finely chopped              ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper                                            1 tblspn chopped fresh parsley.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan or skillet over a moderate heat. Add the onion and the peppers and fry, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and golden but not brown. Then add the potatoes and cook for about 5-7 minutes turning them over until they are hot and crisp. Sprinkle over the salt, pepper and parsley and remove from the heat. Serve immediately.

This is a good way to use up left-over boiled potatoes.

Boxty Pancakes                                                      Serves 4

 250g (8 oz) potatoes                                          2 eggs
250g (8 oz) cooked mashed potatoes                   2 tblspns plain flour
1 small onion finely grated                                  1 tsp salt
2 fl oz milk                                                         ½ tsp black pepper
50g (2 oz) butter

Peel the raw potatoes and coarsely grate them. In a clean cloth wring them to extract as much moisture as possible and then put them into a large bowl. Add the mashed potatoes and then beat the eggs. Stir these together with the remaining ingredients except the butter until well combined. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a moderate heat and drop 2 or 3 spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes on each side or until, the pancakes are golden and crisp around the edges. As each batch is cooked remove from the pan and keep warm. You may have to add more butter if needed.

These are excellent served as a brunch with bacon or sausages and black pudding.

Fruit Bannock

 350g (12oz) plain flour plus some extra for sprinkling.    1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda                                              1 tsp cream of tartar
100g (4 oz) sultanas or raisins                                       50g (2 oz) sugar
3300ml (1/2 pt) milk

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/ Gas 4. Sift together the flour, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and stir in the salt, sugar and dried fruit. Make a well in the centre and add the milk. Stir with a broad bladed knife until the mixture forms slightly soft sticky dough. You may need a little more milk if the dough is dry but don’t overwork the mixture as it will become tough. Place the dough in a lightly greased deep 20cm/8 in. cake tin and level out. Lightly sprinkle with a little flour and mark a cross on the top with the back of a knife. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes until well risen and crisp and brown on the top. The bannock should sound hollow when tapped and a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean. Serve with butter once cool

Well folks, that’s all for this month. Next month we might take a trip to the Isle of Man. Until then, Plain Sailing.

Noreen Pearson

MOA Web Recipe April 2008.

Hasn’t the weather been awful? After a few days of spring-like sunshine the rain is now descending in a deluge. We also had quite a bit of snow on the hills during Easter and Arran is still wearing a white cap. As a result there will be no mention of salads etc., rather some comforting recipes from Wales this month, which hopefully will please my Welsh friends.

The first is for an alternative recipe for Welsh Rabbit which serves 2 people and would make an excellent starter, just double the quantities for 4.

125g (4oz) Cheddar type cheese                                1 egg beaten
125g (4oz) butter                                                     1 tblspn cream
Seasoning to taste

Cut the cheese into slivers and put into a small heavy pan together with the butter and the cream. Melt over a gentle heat, stirring all the time until you have a creamy constituency. Remove from the heat and whisk in the beaten egg. Season to taste and if you like you could add a dash of sweet sherry or brandy. Pour the mixture into ramekins and brown under the grill. Serve with fingers of toast. Alternatively you could pour the mixture over some slices of toast and then grill until it bubbles.

Brithyll a Chig Moch  (Trout with Bacon)

1 good sized trout per person (remove the heads if you wish)
2/3 rashers of smoked streaky bacon for each trout
Butter for greasing
Salt and pepper
Mixed fresh herbs (opt)

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease an oven-proof dish. Stuff the fish with the herbs if you are using them. With the back of a knife slightly stretch the rashers of bacon and then wind them around the trout spiral fashion. Season well and place close together in the greased dish. Dot with some butter and bake for 15-20 minutes. The edges of the bacon should be turning brown but be careful not to overcook.

Cacen-gri                                                  Makes about 8

500g (1 lb) flour                                       175g (6 oz) butter
1 level tsp baking powder                           ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
28g (1oz) sugar                                         1 large egg
3 tblspns milk                                           56g (2 oz) currants

Mix the flour and raising powders and rub in the butter. Add the sugar and currants. Beat the egg and milk together and mix into the flour to make a dough. Should the dough be very stiff add a little more milk. Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly. Divide the mixture into 16 pieces and roll out each one to the size of a tea plate. The dough should be quite thin. Heat a greased griddle or heavy frying pan and when fairly hot cook the rounds on both sides – they will rise slightly. Once cooked cut into halves. Best eaten warm with lots of Welsh butter.

Next month the recipes will come from Ireland. I hope you will enjoy the ones I have chosen for you this time. Bob Appetite.

Noreen Pearson           

MOA Web Recipe March 2008.

Once again it is cold, windy and ‘chucking it down’! David and I however, got a very warm welcome from the Scottish Branch when we went down to the A.G.M. I was taken to task by Branch Captain Graham Crawford for omitting to put recipes for Stovies and Cranachan either on the web or in the Compass magazine. So, just for you Graham (and for some others south of the border) here they are.alic        

 

Once again it is cold, windy and ‘chucking it down’! David and I however, got a very warm welcome from the Scottish Branch when we went down to the A.G.M. I was taken to task by Branch Captain Graham Crawford for omitting to put recipes for Stovies and Cranachan either on the web or in the Compass magazine. So, just for you Graham (and for some others south of the border) here they are. south of the border) here they are.

Stovies                                                                    Serves about 4

Stovies are very similar to a dish from my neck of the woods called Panhaggerty. It originated as ‘use up’ dish for a Monday.

750g/1 lb 10 oz, peeled and thinly sliced               1 or 2 onions peeled and sliced
2 tblspns dripping, lard, or butter                         Stock, gravy or water
Salt and pepper                                                   Sliced cold meat (opt)

Melt the fat in a large saucepan and remove from the heat. Build up layers of potato, onion and d meat of you are using it, taking care not to break up the potato. Once they are all used up cover with the gravy, stock or water and season well. Return to the heat and cook gently for about 30 -40 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the liquid is absorbed. You can add a splash or water if they seem to be getting dry. During the cooking shake the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.

Clapshot                                                              Serves 4

500g/1 lb 2oz potatoes                                    50g/2oz butter
500g 1lb 2oz swede                                          1-2 tblspns chopped chives
Salt and pepper

Cook the potatoes and swede until soft, then drain, add the butter and mash until smooth. Stir in the chives and season well. Serve piping hot.

NOTE: Sometimes swede can be very watery so dry it out before mashing.

Cranachan                                                         Serves 4

Sometimes known as Cream Crowdie this originally was a very basic recipe which many chefs have prettied up over the years. I’ll give you the basic recipe first and additions later on.

50g/2oz pinhead oatmeal                                   300ml/1 ½ pts double cream
25g/1 oz sugar

Over a low heat toast the oatmeal and sugar in a frying pan taking care not to let it burn. Keep stirring it and when it is slightly brown remove from the heat and allow to cool. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Layer the toasted oatmeal alternately with the cream in four glasses and top with a sprinkling of sugar.

Additions can be a liqueur such as Glava or Drambui added to the cream or soft fruit, traditionally raspberries added to the layers. Some chefs use brown sugar or part mascarpone cheese instead of all the cream and I have even come across one slimming recipe using low fat yoghurt or quark instead of cream. The variations are endless.

Well, that’s  all for this month – I hope you are pleased with me Graham, three for the price of two!

Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe February 2008.

Hello Folks! The North Wind doth blow and we shall have snow – and in Argyll we have had a few flurries this morning. It has, however, mainly turned to sleet and rain, but it is quite cold. In this weather I love soup, (mind you I can have soup at any hour and at any time of the year). This month’s recipes then are for soup.
 
The first one is a Breton recipe which is quick and beautifully creamy.
 
Roscoff Cream Soup                                                 Serves 4
 
1 medium cauliflower divided into small florets.         2 sticks celery chopped finely
570 ml (1 pt) vegetable stock                                    1 onion chopped finely
570 ml (1 pt) milk                                                     1 bay leaf
2 egg yolks                                                                Salt and white pepper
Knob of butter or oil for frying                                    Paprika (opt) 
 
 In a large pan cook the cauliflower in the stock until just tender. How long will depend on the size of the florets. In the meantime melt the butter or oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion and celery for about 5 minutes or until just tender. Once the cauliflower is cooked add the sautéed onions and celery to the pan along with the bay leaf and some salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, take off the heat and cool. Liquidize and return to a clean pan. Add the milk and bring to just UNDER boiling point. Remove from the heat and whisk in the beaten egg yolks. Re-heat gently. Do NOT boil as the soup will curdle. The soup should be creamy. Sprinkle with paprika if desire
 
The second recipe is good for using up any left over cheese.
 
Stilton Soup                                                                Serves 4
 
1 onion finely chopped                                          100 g (4 oz) Stilton cheese crumbled
2 celery sticks finely chopped                                50g (2 oz) Cheddar cheese grated
1 heaped tblspn plain flour                                    Salt and pepper
3 tblspns dry white wine                                        4 tblspns double cream
850 ml ( 1 ½ pts) chicken stock                             250 ml (1/2 pt) milk
50g (2 0z) butter
 
In a large pan sauté the vegetables until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook gently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the wine and the stock. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the milk and both cheeses. Season and blend. Return to a clean pan and add the cream. Re-heat gently and garnish with chopped parsley or chives if desired.
 
Third recipe is for a fruit soup which can be served either as a starter or as a dessert and either chilled or hot whichever suits.  As a dessert it is good served with ice-cream or decorated with a swirl of cream or crème fraiche. The recipe originally called for blackberries but it is equally good made with any other soft fruit and especially fruits of the forest.
 
Red Berry Soup                                             Serves 4-6
 
700g (1 ½ lbs) soft berry fruits                                 5 tblspns sugar
450 ml (3/4 pt) full bodied red wine                          1 cinnamon stick
2 strips of orange zest
 
Clean and pick over the berries. Put all the ingredients into a large pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 8 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and taste for sweetness, adding a little caster or icing sugar if still tart. Serve either hot or chilled.
 
Hopefully next month will see a change in the weather but until then Bon Appetite.

Noreen Pearson.

Jan 2008

Happy New Year! My wish for 2008 is for a better sailing season then we had in 2007. However long before that I’ve got some Festive Food to accommodate. I don’t suppose I’m alone, and it’s always the same every year, however much I try.
 
The first recipe is what I call:

Use-up Soup.

2 large carrots                                 1 Swede
1 large potato                                  1 cauliflower
2 tblspns butter                               1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper                          1 tsp crushed caraway seeds (opt)
230 ml (8 fl oz) milk                       1 tblspn creamed horseradish
230 ml (8 fl oz) crème fraich
 
Peel and dice the root vegetables and break the cauliflower into small florets.
Heat the butter in a large pan and fry the caraway seeds, if using, for a few minutes. Then add all the vegetables and the salt and pepper. Stir over a low heat and allow everything to sweat for about 10 minutes or so. Then add just enough water, stock, even the remainder of the gravy to just cover the vegetables. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the milk. Check the seasoning and puree the soup if desired. If it is too thick add more liquid. and re-heat. To serve add a swirl of crème fraiche and a small
dollop of horseradish sauce.

This is not so much of a recipe as a Put together !

I tried this one year using a box of shop bought meringues, a jar of sticky toffee sauce and a jar of brandied peaches I’d been given. Melt the toffee sauce over a very low  heat and drain the peaches. Assemble the meringues on plate and place some fruit by the side. Spoon over the warm toffee sauce and serve. It tastes just as good using chocolate sauce and bottled clementines.
 
Any recipes for left-over sprouts please keep!!!!     Until next time - Noreen Pearson.

Dec 2007

Once again the Festive Season is almost upon us. I do admire those organised souls who have everything ready by the first of December – I’m still getting around to writing cards and buying presents, perhaps 48 hours in a day might just help!
 
To help things along here are three recipes for nibbles or ‘Hand Arounds’ as I once heard them termed.

Chicken, Bacon and Pineapple Kebabs                 Makes about 20

2 large chicken breasts                                          2 tblspns olive oil
1 dessert spoon chopped sage                                1 dessert spoon chopped rosemary
6-8 rashers streaky bacon                                       some wholegrain mustard
1 small tin pineapple rings                                      Cocktail sticks or bamboo skewers
 
Dipping Sauce
 
1 cup crème fraiche                                                1 tsp tomato puree
Mustard to taste                                                     2 spring onions finely chopped
 
Remove any membranes or fat from the chicken breasts and cut each into at least 10 finger width lengths. Place the oil and herbs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken strips and leave to marinate for as long as possible. De-rind the bacon and stretch each slice out with the back of a knife and spread with a little mustard. Cut each slice into 4 lengths and roll up with the mustard inside. Soak the cocktail sticks or skewers in hot water for about half an hour. Cut the pineapple rings into bite sized pieces. To assemble thread a piece of chicken, then a piece of pineapple and then bacon roll onto a stick and chill until ready to cook.
 
To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients, season to taste and pour into a small bowl. Heats the grill until it is very hot and place the kebabs on a baking sheet. Wrap the visible parts of the sticks in foil and grill for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked. Do check that the juices from the chicken run clear. Arrange on a warmed dish with the dipping sauce.

Chilli Lime Prawns                                              Will serve about 15

½ kg ( just over 1 lb) cooked and peeled tiger prawns        Grated zest of 2 small limes
75ml (1/8 pt) sweet chilli sauce (Econa is good)                 1 tblspn lime juice
1 tblspn chopped fresh coriander                                       Lime wedges
Fresh coriander and cocktail sticks to serve
 
Dry the prawns and place in a bowl adding the lime zest and plenty of black pepper. Leave to marinate in the fridge for as long as possible.  Mix the chilli sauce, lime juice and chopped coriander together in a bowl and season to taste with salt. Just before serving, toss the prawns in the dressing and serve on a large dish garnished with lime wedges and sprigs of coriander. Serve the sticks separately.

Mini  Xmas Melting Moments                                                Makes about 25

110g (4 oz) block margarine or butter                               30g (1 oz) cornfour
45g 1 ½ oz) icing sugar                                                    1 tsp ground ginger
155g (5 ½ oz) plus 1 tblspn plain flour                               Pinch of salt
110g (4 oz) butter                                                            Juice & zest of ½ lemon
2 tblspns icing sugar, plus some extra to dust.
 
Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Cream the 4 oz of block margarine or butter together with the icing sugar until soft. Sift in the cornflour, flour, ginger and salt and stir until it forms a soft dough. Shape the dough into small balls about the size of a walnut and arrange on a greased baking sheet.  Don’t put them too close together as they can spread out during baking. Gently press down on the tops with the back or a fork and chill for 10 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm but not brown. Leave on a rack to cool. Cream together the remaing butter, lemon juice, zest and icing sugar. When the biscuits are cool, sandwich two together and dust with icing sugar
 
My Mother used to make these substituting the cornflour with custard powder and deleting the ginger. She then called them Custard Creams. You could also press some small pieces of preserved ginger into the tops before baking or into the filling.
 
I hope you all have a really wonderful Christmas with not too much hassle. Noreen Pearson. 
 

Nov 2007

Winter seems to be fast approaching and we’ve now got some windy and showery weather up here in Argyll. Added to that, it wasn’t the best of sailing seasons either so probably some comfort food is in order. These recipes are easy and quick to produce and suitable for informal entertaining.
 
The first recipe is a sort of South American fish braise.

Caldeirada                                                                 Serves 4

800g (1 lb 12oz) waxy potatoes thickly sliced            60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
4 large garlic cloves chopped                                   1 tblspn paprika
1 large onion thinly sliced                                        1 tblspn red wine vinegar
4 large firm white fish steaks                                  1 red pepper sliced
100ml (3 ½ fl oz) dry white wine                              400g 14 oz) mussels cleaned
12 large prawns peeled and de-veined                      Seasoning
 
Cook the potatoes until tender then drain and arrange in a serving dish and keep hot in a low oven. Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid and cook the onions for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Add the garlic and pepper and cook for 1 minute stirring. Then add the paprika, vinegar, wine and 2 ½ tablespoons of water and bring to the boil. Add the mussels and cover. Cook for 4 minutes to open the mussels then remove discarding any not open. Reduce the heat to low and put the fish steaks and prawns on top of the onion mixture, cover and cook for 7 minutes, turning them over half way through. Return the mussels to the pan for the last minute to heat through. Season and spoon on top of the potatoes.

Baked Chicken and Rice in White Wine                    Serves 4

2 onions peeled and thinly sliced                            1 red pepper thinly sliced
1 handful basil leaves torn                                     1 yellow pepper thinly sliced
2 tblspns olive oil                                                  2 garlic cloves crushed
4 chicken breasts or 8 thighs                                  25og (9oz) long grain rice
16 pitted olives                                                     500ml (18fl oz) white wine
1 large can chopped tomatoes                                2 tblspns tomato puree
salt and pepper                                                     paprika
 
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole or a frying pan and fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and drain. Saute the onions and pepper until softened and then add the garlic and rice. Give the rice a good stir to coat and then add the tomatoes, olives, tomato puree . Season and stir the mixture. Bring to the boil and if using a frying pan transfer the contents to a lidded casserole. Lay the chicken on top and gently press down. Tuck in the basil leaves, cover and cook for 30 minutes if using breasts or 35-f40 minutes if using thighs. Add a little more water or wine if the chicken is not cooked and return to the oven for a few more minutes. Serve with warm crusty bread.
 
Keep warm and eat well. Noreen Pearson.

 

Oct 2007

October is here and with it comes the laying-up of the boats and all the relevant chores that go with it. However, all is not lost, more entertaining is done and it’s a time to catch up with friends. With this in mind here are some recipes I like to make. They’re fairly easy and cater for keen appetites.

Mixed Fish Chowder                                            Serves 4

1 large potato diced small                                                       1 bay leaf
220g (8 oz) finely sliced mixture of leeks, onions                     2 sprigs fresh thyme
celery, fennel etc, or frozen mixed vegetables                         pinch cayenne pepper
240g (1 lb) firm white fish, either one sort or a mixture           pinch saffron strands (opt)
175g (6 oz) smoked salmon (trimmings do fine)                       2 garlic cloves chopped
175g (6 oz) large prawns                                                         salt and pepper
1 tsp curry powder or 1 tsp chilli sauce                                    150ml (5 fl oz) white wine
25g (1 oz) butter or 1 tblspn oil                                               150ml (5 fl oz) milk
120ml (4 fl oz) cream                                                             Chopped fresh parsley (opt)
 
First of all skin the fish and cut into bite sized pieces and put into a pan with enough water to cover, adding some salt and pepper together with the skin and any bones. Cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat to poach the fish gently until the flesh is opaque. Don’t overcook, it should be still fairly firm. Grain the fish and reserve the liquid straining out any skin and bones. In another pan melt the butter or oil and sauté the vegetables and garlic until just soft. Add the win, milk and some of the reserved stock plus the herbs and spices. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Add the poached fish, smoked salmon and prawns and continue to simmer for another minute or so, until everything is heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Stir in the cream and sprinkle chopped parsley on the top. Serve with warm crusty bread.
 
If you’re using frozen vegetables add these along with the fish.

Tuna Carpaccio with a Mango and Avocado Salsa                   Serves 4

1 loin of Tuna about 6 cms (4 ins) in length                       1 mango
1 avocado                                                                       1 chilli
1 lime                                                                             ½ lemon
½ red onion                                                                     Salt and pepper
Crushed black and pink peppercorns                                   Green leaves
 
To make the salsa skin and dice all the vegetables, taking care not to get any chilli or the seeds near your eyes. Place in a bowl and add the juice of the lemon and time. Season to taste and set aside. Roll the tuna loin in the peppercorns and seer in a dry non-stick pan until the tuna turns from a dark red to a creamy pink on all sides. If the fish starts to stick drizzle a very little oil into the pan and swirl around. Just enough oil to stock it catching but not enough to make it greasy. Remove from the pan and put on a covered plate in the fridge until it is fairly firm. Remove from the fridge and slice it very thinly. Divide between four plates and add some salsa and some green leaves. Serve with added citrus juice if desired.
 
Let’s hope we get some good days this month. Best of luck with the boats.

Noreen Pearson.

September 2007

Hi folks! Sorry I’m late this month; everything seems to have happened at once. A significant party in the family and a grandson with a ruptured spleen who had to be airlifted by the navy to a Glasgow hospital! Great news is he’s out and doing well, so I am now trying to catch up with myself.
 
Three easy recipes either for lunch, or as a starter or even a light supper.

Mushroom Ramekins.                                                Serves 4

15g (1/2 oz) butter                                             100g (4 oz) blue cheese crumbled
225g (8 oz) button mushrooms, sliced              1 egg beaten
6 tblspns single cream or crème fraiche            1 small onion finely chopped
½ tsp dried thyme                                              25g (1 oz) toasted breadcrumbs
Sprigs of parsley and slices of mushrooms to decorate.
 
Melt the butter in a saucepan and lightly sauté the onions and mushrooms. Beat together the egg, cream and thyme. Divide the mushrooms, onions and the crumbled cheese between 4 ramekins and pour over the egg mixture. Put the ramekins into a baking tin containing enough hot water to come half way up the sides of the dishes. Bake at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 20 minutes or until set. Sprinkle over the toasted breadcrumbs and garnish with the parsley and mushroom slices. Serve hot with toast.

Crab with Apple and Celery                                  Serves 4

2 cooked dressed crabs or 2 170g tins of crab drained
2 shallots or spring onions finely chopped            1 dessert apple diced
1 sticks of celery or 1 small bulb of fennel finely chopped
2 tblspns parsley                                                     1 red chilli finely diced
Crème fraiche                                                          Juice of 1 lime
Juice of ½ lemon
 
Turn the dice apple in the lemon juice and leave for a few minutes. De-seed the chilli before dicing if you want a milder mixture. In a bowl mix together the onions, celery or fennel, chilli and crab. Add the lime juice and the diced apple plus the juice. Roughly chop the parsley and add that to the mixture. Mix gently and add just enough cream or crème fraiche to bind. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Place some salad leaves on 4 plates and either pile the crab onto the leaves or, if you are feeling really chef-like, put into round scone cutters, packing the mixture down well. Leave for a little while and then push gently through onto the leaves. Serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

Cheesy Muffins.                                                         Serves 4

4 large Portobello Mushrooms                 4 muffins
2 tblspns balsamic vinegar                         4 tblspns olive oil
225g (8 oz) ham or bacon                          1 tblspn chopped fresh thyme
225g (8 oz) soft cheese, Brie, Mozzarella or goat’s cheese
 
Line a baking sheet with foil and place the mushrooms on top. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with the thyme and leave to marinate for about 10 minutes. Grill or fry the bacon or ham until fairly crisp but not burnt. Grill or gently fry the mushroom until just cooked. Top either mushroom with some bacon or ham and top with thickly sliced cheese. Grill for about two or three minutes until the cheese has melted. Meanwhile toast the muffins and place on four plates. Place the mushrooms, topped with the cheese and ham or bacon on the muffins and serve hot either on their own or with a salad or sautéed potatoes.
 
I hope you enjoy these. Noreen Pearson

 

Hello folks!

MOA Web Recipes for August 2007-07-04

This time of year usually presents us with the best of fresh fruit, and most are easy and quick to prepare in a wide range of dishes. The three I have chosen this month take a minimum of preparation and only one requires cooking.
 
Roasted Fig, Goats Cheese and Parma Ham                       per Person.
 
3 fresh figs                                          ½ slice of Parma Ham per fig
1 tsp firm goats cheese per fig            Sprigs of thyme
Truffle oil                                            Lemon quarter
 
Cut 2 deep slits crosswise on the top of each fig. Stuff the cavity with the cheese and wrap the half slice of ham around it. Push in a sprig of thyme and drizzle with the oil. Bake at 200C/400F/Gas7 for 5 minutes or until the cheese is browned and slightly melted. Put the figs on a plate, drizzle with a little more oil and garnish with flat leaf parsley and grilled lemon.
 
Balsamic Strawberries with Mascarpone Cream                    Serves 4
 
1 large punnet of strawberries cleaned and hulled     1 cup balsamic vinegar
Small tub of Mascarpone cheese                                 1 cup icing sugar
1 vanilla pod                                                               Fresh basil (opt)
 
Whisk the vinegar with the icing sugar until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Taste and add more vinegar or sugar as necessary. Chill in a fridge for up to 12 hours. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the mascarpone cheese and whisk until smooth. Divide the strawberries between 4 glasses and drizzle some of the dressing over. Spoon on the mascarpone cream and garnish with fresh basil and a piece of the vanilla pod.
 
Fruity Bean Salad                                                                  Serves 4
 
415g (14oz) can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained            100g (4oz) bean spouts
220g (7oz) can Kidney beans rinsed and drained         100g (4 oz) radishes sliced
2 oranges peeled, segmented and chopped                  2 carrots chopped
100g (4oz) green grapes halved and seeded                 1 green pepper chopped
1 eating apple cored, chopped and dipped in lemon juice    ¼ tsp ground ginger
275g (10oz) natural yoghurt                                          ½ tsp sugar
2 tblspns fresh mint                                                        Lemon juice.
 
Mix together the chickpeas, beans, vegetables and fruit. Chill. Mix the yoghurt with the ginger, mint and sugar. Chill. Serve the salad with the sauce drizzled over with pitta or naan bread.
 
That’s all for this month – until next time Good Eating . Noreen Pearson.

MOA Web Recipes July 2007

This month I thought some summer puds might be in order. These all have the advantage of being light, easy to prepare and just the thing for warm summer days.
 
Chocolate and Strawberry Mousse Cups                        Serves 6
 
90g (3 ½ oz) plain chocolate                           6 ready made chocolate cups
50ml (2 fl oz) milk                                          200ml (7 fl oz) whipping cream
100g 4 oz) strawberries cleaned, hulled and sliced
 
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Heat the milk to boiling point, then whisk in the chocolate. Leave to cool. Whip 150ml (¼ pt) of the cream until you get soft peaks and then fold in the cooled chocolate mixture. Reserve 6 strawberry slices for decoration and divide the remainder between the chocolate cups. Spoon over the chocolate cream and smooth the tops. Whip the rest of the cream and use to decorate the tops together with the reserved strawberry slices
 
You could use small bought sweet pastry flan cases instead of the chocolate cups and as a variation use white chocolate with raspberries or blueberries.
 
Summer Flan                                                                  Serves 4
 
1 18cm (7 inch) bought sponge flan case             2 tblspns sweet sherry or fruit liqueur
150g (5oz) carton fruit flavoured yoghurt            75g (3 oz) fromage frais
75ml (3 fl oz) whipping cream                             Fruit to decorate
 
Place the flan on a plate and sprinkle over the sherry or liqueur. Beat together the fromage frais and the yoghurt. Whip the cream until stiff and fold into the yoghurt mixture. Spoon into the flan case, smooth over and chill. Decorate with your chosen
fruit.
 
Orange Cups                                                                    Serves 4
 
4 large sweet oranges                                           300ml (1 ½ pts) double cream
75g (3oz) chopped nuts (opt)                               50g (2oz) glace cherries (opt)
50g (2oz) plain chocolate grated                          Drambuie or orange liqueur.
 
Cut a slice from the top of each orange and using a sharp knife cut out most of the flesh leaving a cavity. Chop the orange flesh discarding any pith. Whip the cream with any orange juices and a small amount of liqueur. How much you use depends on your taste. Stir in the chopped orange flesh together with the nuts and cherries if using, and spoon into the orange shells. Chill until needed. Just before serving sprinkle with the grated chocolate. Serve cold.
 
Until next month – enjoy!    Noreen Pearson.

 

MOA Web Recipe May 2007

Summer seems to have arrived up here in Argyll at long last. It is definitely T-shirt weather. We have managed a day sail down Loch Sween in near perfect conditions with beautiful scenery.  I’ve found a couple of stir-fries which are so easy and quick to produce onboard and I hope you will like them too.

Stir-fried Scallops with Sugar Snap Peas                                 Serves 4

Allow 4 to 5 scallops per person                            2 ½  tblspns oyster sauce

2 tspn soy sauce                                                  1 ½ tspns sesame oil

2 tspns sugar                                                       2 tblspns vegetable oil

2 large garlic cloves crushed                                 3 tspns finely chopped ginger

300g (10 oz) sugar snap peas                                2 spring onions cut into lengths

In a bowl combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Heat a wok or skillet over a medium heat and add the vegetable oil swirling it around to coat the pan. Stir fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds or so and then add the peas and continue cooking for another minute. Add the scallops and the spring onions and cook for 1 minute stirring all the time.  Stir in the sauce from the bowl and heat through for another minute or so. Serve with rice or noodles.

Sweet Chilli Chicken Stir fry.                                 Serves 4 generously

375g (12 oz) ready to cook noodles                       4 chicken breasts cut into pieces

1-2 tblspns sweet chilli sauce                                 2 tspns fish sauce

1 tblspns vegetable oil                                            100g (3 ½ oz) baby sweetcorn

150g (5 oz) sugar snap peas                                    1 tblspn lime juice.

Put the noodles into a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Gently separate them and rinse and drain. Combine the chicken pieces with the chilli sauce and the fish sauce. Halve the baby sweetcorn lengthways. Heat a wok or skillet over a high heat and swirl the vegetable oil around to coat. Stir fry the chicken pieces for about 3-5 minutes until cooked then add the corn and peas. Stir fry for another 2 minutes then stir in the noodles and lime juice. Heat through and serve.

Have a good month sailing. Noreen Pearson.

April Web Recipe

It’s nearly April and no doubt some of you are already in the water and others ready to launch. We’re not quite there yet in Argyll but for the past few days we have had the best of the weather in the U.K. (Say this in a whisper in case Someone Upstairs hears). Looking back over the past recipes I seem to have neglected those of you who
are not meat or fish eaters, so I will try to rectify this now. You can, of course, add meat or fish to any of the following recipes should you wish, but they do stand up for themselves without.

Vegetable Tikka Masala                                  Serves 4

350g (12 oz) potatoes cut into wedges                2 tblspns oil
225g (8 oz) cauliflower in florets                        4 tblspns tikka masala paste
2 small onions sliced                                          4 tblspns crème fraiche
2 small carrots sliced                                         1 large can chopped tomatoes
110g (4 oz) peas                                                Salt and pepper to taste
5 fl oz (1/4 pt) water
 
Heat the oil in a fairly large pan and sauté the onions until golden. Add the rest of the vegetables except the peas. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, the tikka masala paste and the water. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir in the peas and crème fraiche and return to the heat. Simmer uncovered for a further 10 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. Serve with rice and chopped fresh coriander.

Vegetable Tagine with Apricots.                                  Serves 4

1 green pepper thinly sliced                                     225g (8 oz) shallots
1 medium sweet potato skinned and chunked           225g (8 oz) baby carrots
450g (1 lb) tomatoes chopped and de-seeded           pinch of cinnamon
110g (4 oz) yellow split peas washed                        pinch of ground ginger
12 fl oz vegetable stock                                          ½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove crushed                                             juice of 1 lemon
4 dried apricots finely sliced                                   1 tsp honey
½ tsp cumin seeds toasted
 
Put the split peas in a pan with the stock, garlic and onions. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes to soften. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 15 –20 minutes. or until the vegetables are cooked. Serve with warm couscous and sprinkle the cumin seed on top.
 
That’s all for this month and hopefully you will enjoy these.

Noreen Pearson

P.S. Celia Bater phoned me the other day to say that John Goode had reviewed the MOA Cookbook favourably in the April issue of Sailing Today. I’ve read it and am very pleased with his comments, so if you haven’t already got one send for one today!