Crispy Potato Roast

I did us some lovely Lamb Chops for our New Years Eve Supper last night.  I simply rubbed them with a mixture of rosemary, thyme, garlic, sea salt, white pepper, olive oil and a bit of  good balsamic vinegar that I mashed together with my mortar and pestle.   I let them macerate for a good hour or more while these delicious potatoes were baking and then I quickly grilled them in a hot skillet with a bit of butter for about a minute and a half per side.   They were done perfectly!




These lovely potatoes were the perfect side dish!  Simple to make, yet very impressive to look at.  I had found a similar recipe on  Joyously Domestic earlier this year and had pinned it.  But as you know, I cannot leave well enough alone and so I made a few changes and I think they turned out even more fabulously than hers did, if I don't say so myself!



I cut down on some of the fat mixture, using half the amount in her recipe and I added extra flavour by using  a bit of worcestershire sauce,  garlic powder, thyme and paprika.  



Cutting the potatoes in half lengthwise cut down on the cooking time needed.  I also covered them with foil for the first half hour or so, which also cut down on the cooking time.   I uncovered them for the last half of the cooking time, which afforded them plenty of time to crisp up on all of the edges.  I did not use any bacon.

 

These were just gorgeous  . . .  just buttery enough, with plenty of flavour . . .  nice and tender inside, but there were also plenty of lovely crisp golden edges to satisfy.   They went wonderfully with the lamb chops and I am thinking they would also go very well with a steak or even grilled chicken or fish.   I was very happy with how they turned out!

*Crispy Potato Roast*

Serves 4 

Printable Recipe

A deliciously different and very attractive side dish for those times when you want something just a tiny bit special!

2 TBS butter, melted

2 TBS olive oil

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into thin slices

8 medium potatoes

 

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter a 9 inch round baking dish very well.   Set aside.

Peel your potatoes and cut them into half lengthwise and then cut each half into very thin slices.  Keep them together.   Slide a knife under each potato half and place them into the buttered baking dish.  Stick some onion here and there in between the slices, wedging it in here and there. NO need to put it in between every slice.  Divide it more or less equally amongst the potatoes.   Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour them evenly over top of the potatoes.  Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.  Place into the preheated oven.   Roast for about 45 minutes.  Uncover and roast for a further 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are done through and the are golden brown on top with crispy edges here and there.



Serve hot with your favourite meats.  Steak and Lamb go especially well.

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Counting Down the Top Ten for 2014 . . .

 It's hard to believe but here we are at the end of 2014!  I hope you have had a lovely Christmas or whatever holiday it is that you celebrate at this time of year.  I thought it would be fun to close the year out sharing the recipes which have been the ten most popular recipes in The English Kitchen this year!  I know which ones have been my favourite and some of them are in the list, but there are a few surprises as well.   Which one was your favourite?   I'd love to know but without further adieu, here we go . . .



In 10th place we have . . .



Butter Baked Cod.  I am surprised that this is in the top ten, but not altogether surprised that it's a favourite.   This is fish at it's best.  Tender, delicious and buttery, and one of my favourite ways to cook fish.  You can use this recipe for any mild flavoured, firm fleshed white fish.

In 9th place . . .



Black Currant Drizzle Cake.  This delicious moist cake is a real favourite around here.  You don't have to top it with black currants.  You can top it with an equal amount of whatever your favourite fruit is or what is in season.   Perfect for celebrating, tea parties or just enjoying with your mid morning cuppa.

In 8th place  . . .



Cauliflower, Potato and Cheddar Bake.  Simple to make too . . . boiled potato, cauliflower and onion, layered with cheese and thyme, with a bit of stock added. Proof positive that it is often the simple things in life which bring us the most pleasure.

In 7th place . . .



Nigel's Sweet and Hot Plum Chutney.  No surprise here.  Anything associated with Nigel Slater is sure to be fabulously tasty.  Perfect with cold meats and cheeses or the ever popular Ploughman's Lunch.

Coming up in 6th place . . .



Sticky Toffee Cake.  Unlike the pudding of the same name, this sticky date cake is slathered with a delicious caramel frosting rather than a sticky sauce.   Every bit as delicious however . . .



Eaten out of hand or with a fork and spoon.   Scrumptious!

Halfway there are number 5 . . .



Another chutney.  Spicy Plum Chutney.   Slightly different than the other one, this version is no less pleasing.  Delicious.

Coming up at number 4 . . .



Baked Corned Beef Hash.  Not surprised this is so popular.  Delicious.  Economical.   Family pleasing.  Simple to make.

Sitting at number 3 . . .



Beans on Toast.  Now this comes at a complete surprise.  Not because it isn't good.  It's a real favourite of ours, but that it's also popular with you all.  I think it must be the cheesy toast that tips it over the edge!

Number 2 . . .



The very British Toad in the Hole.   With it's yorkshire pudding base, meaty sausages and onion gravy, this is a real family pleaser.  We like it with mashed potatoes and a vegetable on the side.


Coming in at Number 1  . . .  can we have a drum roll here?



No surprise here at all . . .  Fudge Brownie Pie.  Not only is this the top recipe on the blog for this year, but it has consistently been the top recipe on the blog ever since I first posted it back in 2010!  Not only is it one of the most popular recipes on the web, and one of the most pinned, but it is also (in my opinion) one of the most delicious recipes ever!  With it's fudgy chocolate brownie like base . . .  stogged full of toasted nuts . . .  it's marshmallow topping . . .  and crowning touch of chocolate fudge icing, this one pleases full stop!


And there you have it.   The top ten recipes in The English Kitchen as chosen by you the readers.   I can't wait to cook up some more deliciousness for you all in 2015.  Maybe we'll come up with another top ten recipe!

Happy New Year and all the best to you!

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Oven Baked Penne

After all of the turkey, ham etc. of Christmas and the leftovers, we fancied something completely different for our tea tonight.  To be honest I was feeling quite lazy also.  I did a shop this morning and after that, I was pooped.  It's freezing out there today.  The frost of the day has not melted and the sun is now going down. It's going to be a pretty cold night tonight!   Something warm and comforting was in order!



I don't mind saying that I am a more than a little bit frightened at the way food costs are going up.  I didn't buy anything much out of the ordinary and I was shocked at how much my grocery bill came to.  I did score a package of ground beef that was marked down and yet was not out of date either and so I decided to use that to make us a tasty casserole today  . . .  albeit it a lazy one.

 

I browned the beef really well in a nonstick pan along with some Italian garlic seasoning.  (It contains a mix of herbs, salt, pepper and garlic.  Any well flavoured Italian seasoning would do.) Once it was browned I added a couple of jars of pasta sauce and some water . . .



I added some cheese that I had which needed using up before the end of the month . . .  ricotta and mozzarella . . . along with a bit of Parmesa . . . and then I stirred in some dry pasta .   I poured the whole lot into a buttered casserole dish, covered it tightly with foil and then baked it in a hot oven for about 55 minutes, by which time the pasta was all nicely cooked and all the flavours melded together.

 

I sprinkled a bit more mozzarella on top and baked it a bit longer in order to let it get all bubbly and then dinner was served.  All we needed was a nice mixed salad on the side.   Easy peasy.  No hassle and definitely comfort food for a cold winter's day.   The pasta hater did not complain overly much.  Whew!

*Oven Baked Penne*

Serves 4 to 6

Printable Recipe  

A deliciously easy casserole that the family will love.  Perfect for those days when you just want to bang something into the oven and then eat.  

2 400g jars of pasta sauce (26 oz, I use Napolini tomato and basil)

340ml of water (about 1 1/2 cups)

425g of ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)

260g of grated mozzarella cheese, divided (2 cups)

50g grated Parmesan Ceese (1/4 cup)

1 pound ground beef

2 tsp Italian garlic seasoning

226g of uncooked penne pasta (8 ounces)  

Brown the ground beef, breaking it up with a fork in a large skillet along with the Italian garlic seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.   Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.   Set aside.



Combine the pasta sauce, water, 1/2 of the mozarella cheese, the ricotta cheese and the parmesan cheese with the meat.   Stir in the uncooked pasta.  Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 55 minutes.   Remove the foil and top with the remaining cheese.   Bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until nicely bubbling away.   Serve hot.

Quite Simply Delicious!

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Cinnamon Crumble Breakfast Cake

Next to lemon and chocolate I think my favourite flavour has to be cinnamon.  I just adore cinnamon anything and I try often to incorporate it into my baked goods.  There is something about the smell of cinnamon anything baking that just beckons one in . . .  like a warm hug in a comfy place . . .  from someone you really love.

 

I remember seeing something like this on the net made by using those refrigerated cinnamon rolls once upon a time and I had always wanted to create my own version . . .  except using biscuit or scone dough.  With this being the Christmas holidays it was the perfect time to indulge myself.



This uses my mother in laws tea biscuit recipe with butter replacing the usual shortening . . .  for added richness and I'm not altogether sure I like using shortening these days.  It's not a natural fat is it . . . lard would probably be much better for you . . . anyways . . .  I digress.



I patted the dough out into a large rectangle which I then covered with a nice brown sugar/butter cinnamon mixture.  I sliced that into 1 inch wide strips.  I rolled one into a tight jelly roll shape and placed it in the centre of a really WELL buttered 9 inch round pan.   (This is important so that your cake doesn't stick to the pan.)



Then I started adding the remaining cinnamon butter covered strips to the pan, wrapping them around each other until I had what looked like a really big cinnamon roll in the cake tin.  It will not fit the tin the whole way, but that's not a problem.



Once you get them all in the pan . . .  gently press them down with the heel of your hand to fill the pan.  A deliciously buttery cinnamon streusel crumb mixture is then sprinkled evenly over top, and then the whole thing is popped into the oven and baked.

 

Baked until it is nicely puffed and crisp on the edges, with a crisp crumble topping  . . . the insides layered with buttery layer after layer of flakey pastry/dough/biscuit/scone amidst sweet cinnamon deliciousness.  The smell when it is baking is pure heavenly bliss . . .  you want to dig your fork in right away . . .  but it's not done yet, no . . . it's not done yet.




You let it cool for a bit, pop it out of the pan and then you drizzle a delicious cream cheese vanilla drizzle icing all over the top.  Now you can dig in.   Trust me when I say you will be hard pressed to find anything which is more delicious or more comforting or more beloved by whomever you serve it to.  The perfect holiday indulgence for coffee break, brunch or just . . . because.  Quick, easy and quite, QUITE scrumptiously tasty!

*Cinnamon Crumble Breakfast Cake*
Serves 8

Printable Recipe 

Like a big huge cinnamon roll, which you cut into wedges to serve.  I like a lot of cinnamon, but if you are not fussed, decrease the amounts as desired.  I have never had anyone turn a slice of this down. 

For the cinnamon roll base:

280g of plain flour (2 cups)

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

75g of butter, cut into bits (1/3 cup)

160ml of milk (2/3 cup)

100g of soft light brown sugar

1 TBS ground cinnamon

4 TBS butter melted

For the crumble topping:

70g of plain flour (1/2 cup)

50g of soft light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3 TBS softened butter
few drops vanilla

For the glaze:

130g of icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)

1 TBS cream cheese

few drops of vanilla

milk to thin  

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F gas mark 7.  Butter a nine inch round baking tin really well.   Set aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder and salt.   Drop in the butter and then rub it in with your finger tips until you have coarse crumbs.  (Use a snapping motion.)  Stir the milk in with a fork to make a soft dough.  Knead gently a couple of times then turn out onto a lightly floured board and pat out gently to a large rectangle which is approximately 10 inches by 13 inches and about 1/3 inch thick.   Mix together the soft light brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.  Sprinkle this over top of the dough evenly.  Press it gently to help it adhere.   Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 1 inch strips.  Roll one strip into a tight roll.  Place this in the middle of the buttered baking tin.   Add the remaining strips, wrapping them around the centre, moving to the outside, until you have all of the strips used up.  (It will look like a large cinnamon roll)  Press it out gently to fill the pan.   

 

Make the crumble topping by mixing together the flour, sugar and cinnamon.   Drop in the butter and rub all together until crumbly.  Add a few drops of vanilla.  Only enough to give you a mixture that clumps together slightly.  Sprinkle this in clumps evenly over top of the scone/biscuit base.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.  Lower the oven temperature to 200*C.400*F. and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes until risen and nicely browned and cooked through.  If you think it is getting too dark on top, cover lightly with a piece of aluminium foil.



Remove from the oven allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool to just warm.  Meanwhile whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze, only using enough milk to give you a thin drizzable glaze mixture.  Drizzle this over top of the cake while the cake is just warm.  Let set for a few minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.



This is sure to become a new family favourite!  I guarantee!

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A Simple Blackberry and Apple Charlotte

 

This delicious pudding is proof that you can create something totally indulgent and irresistible with just a few simple ingredients.




 

All you need is fruit, day old bread, softened butter, and some sugar.
Simple ingredients that everyone has in their home.  Put together in a simple way.  Anyone can make it, no real skill is involved.

 

So simple and easy to do that even a child could do it with supervision.  If you can butter bread . . . you can make this.



Softened and sweetened fruit, layered between buttered slices of bread . . . dusted with demerara sugar for extra crunch and sweetness . . .

 

Then baked until the bread is golden brown and crisply moreish . . .

 

Serve warm with lashings of cream or custard.

 

This is not a keeper, unless you are a fan of soggy bread, but that is so not a problem as you will have no leftovers.  Trust me on this.



 *Blackberry & Apple Charlotte*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

The best blackberries for pudding and desserts are the ones you pick early in the season.  This is when they are the juiciest.  Older berries have a lot of seeds.  I always pick mine early and then freeze them so that I can make delicious pudding such as this simple one all the way through the winter!  Other berries such as black currants are nice done this way as well.

2 large cooking apples (Bramley)
caster sugar to taste
340g of blackberries (fresh or frozen, about 3/4 pound)
150g of softened butter (2/3 cup)
6 to 8 medium thick slices of day old bread, crusts removed
demerara sugar to sprinkle

 

Peel, core and roughly chop the apples.  Put them into a large saucepan along with 1 TBS of water.  Place over low heat.  Cook gently for about 10 minutes, until the apples are softened, but not collapsed into applesauce.   Add sugar to taste, then gently fold in the blackberries.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. 

Butter the slices of bread well on one side.  Using 2/3 of the bread, line a 2 pint pie dish, placing them butter side down and cutting them to fit.  Spread the apple and blackberry mix over this.  Cut the remaining bread into rectangles and place on top of the fruit, buttered side up, covering it completely.  Sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes, or until the bread topping is golden brown and crisp.  Serve immediately with "lashings" of cream or warm custard!

Simple desserts like this make the Toddster a very happy man.  That makes me a very happy woman.  Win/Win!

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