Potato Balls Ragout

Who doesn't love anything potato?  I've mentioned in previous posts that you can find over 4000 different varieties of potato in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.  Sounds brilliant to me.  Remember the purple potato craze some years ago?  Purple chips or mash?  Sure, why not? :=)  

This recipe is from A Distant Feast by Kiwi writer/historian Tony Simpson.  He tells us about the origins of New Zealand's cuisine, and provides lots of recipes including this one from Dr William Kitchener's The Cook's Oracle (1817).  Apparently, this was a best-seller back in the day!

yep, we ate these with sausage and salsa :)

Makes around 2 dozen:

ingredients:

900g./2 lb potatoes, boiled and well-mashed  see Notes

30g./2 Tbs butter   see Notes

1 cup/145g. ham + 1 mushroom or 1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped

1 large brown or red onion, finely chopped

2 large egg yolks

1/2 tsp sea salt flakes

1 dozen grinds black pepper

1/4-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 

panko breadcrumbs (tho' the recipe says to use brown)

clarified butter, or a mix of oil and butter to fry - I started off with 3 Tbs olive oil and 3 Tbs butter, but used a fair bit more butter and oil as I went along

Method:

Well, cook up your spuds and mash 'em first off

Put all the ingredients except the breadcrumbs into a large bowl, and combine well

Roll this mixture into small balls and chuck 'em into your bowl or shallow tray of breadcrumbs, to coat 

Heat up your frying medium of butter and oil, and fry away till golden-brown, turning once - I gave them 5 minutes on each side

That's it for Dr Kitchener's instructions!  He says this dish is "an agreeable vegetable relish, to be served with meat."

So serve with a protein, or a salad, or whatever you fancy

Notes:

You need tender, well-done potatoes - so you boil them, or microwave or steam them till soft - then mash 'em with gusto

NZ tablespoons were/are the same as U.S. and U.K. spoons so 15g. per tablespoon

Obvs. if you are a vego., go with the mushrooms rather than ham 

(Just FYI, the mushroom killer's trial has ended, and they are weighing up the evidence before we get a verdict.)

ingredients gathered

mashed!

chop that onion

get ready to mix, and shape into balls

covered in panko, and ready to fry off

and get Mr P. to fry 'em

and turn 'em till golden

served with sausage and salsa :=)

It's a wee bit hilarious that Dr Kitchener calls this a ragout, isn't it?  When clearly they are potato fritters.  Goodness knows what he was thinking, trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  But they were fun to make, and pretty tasty.  Well, fry anything in butter and oil and you're set.  Deep-fried Mars bar anyone?

Rainbow Bob guarding his fritters

potatoes

baby potato says "Please don't eat me!"

brown onion

mushies

Mushroom Stroganoff

I love mushrooms (who knew some folk don't feel the same?), so this recipe from The Irish Countrywomen's Association Cookbook was calling my name.  I used to make a similar dish which is a mushroom and paprika soup, also an Irish recipe.  Maybe there's foraging to be done in those Irish landscapes :=) - but grab yourself a mycology handbook first!

Well, now you know I'm going to have to mention The Mushroom Killer!  There is a murder trial going on at present, where a Victorian woman has been charged with poisoning four relatives (three died) with a Beef Wellington dish (recipe from Nagi/Recipe Tin Eats can you believe?).  There's so much circumstantial evidence pointing to her guilt, but we will have to wait to see what the jury thinks.   

But you definitely won't get ill when you eat this delicious 'shroomy dish, my friends.  It's vegetarian, of course, but I added some chicken to pump up the protein factor.  Maybe add some marinated tofu steaks instead ...

butter makes everything better :=)

Serves 4:

ingredients:

450g.-500g./16-18 oz mushrooms, chopped into quarters  see Notes

2-3 Tbs olive oil

50g./1.8 oz butter (more or less, as you see fit)

2-3 Tbs brandy, sherry, vodka (optional) - a splash of water if needed

1 large red or brown onion, finely chopped

1 Tbs sweet paprika

1-2 tsp dried garlic granules  (optional)

250 mL/8.5 oz stock  (chicken/veg./whatever)

150-200 mL (5-7 oz) crème fraîche or double cream

sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

a handful of parsley (or chives, or dried oregano), chopped

To serve:

Brown rice   (I get Mr P. to cook up the rice, as he has the knack)

mushies

red onions

Method:

Once you've chopped the mushrooms, add half the olive oil and butter to a large frying pan

Tip the mushies into the heated oil/butter mixture, and cook over a high heat for a good 5 minutes or more till tender (stirring frequently)

Add the brandy, etc (or water), and stir in well for a minute or two

Then spoon them into a dish, and put aside while you make the sauce

Turn down the heat to medium, and add the rest of the olive oil and butter to the same frying pan

Now fry up your chopped onion till nicely golden and smelling oh-so-good (I'll have to air the house out again)

Stir in the paprika and garlic granules for 30 seconds, and add the stock

Let it come to a boil, and reduce it by a third

Stir in the crème fraîche, and simmer for a couple of minutes

Spoon the mushrooms back into the creamy sauce 

Season with salt and pepper

Serve up on brown rice, and strew chopped parsley over the top

Add some marinated chicken or tofu to the plate, if you are inclined

parsley

Notes:

Use whichever mushrooms you fancy, or a mix, and chop into quarters or whatever size you like (depends on the size of your mushroom too)

Can be served with chicken tenderloins or breast fillets, marinated in olive oil, herbs and seasoning for about 20 minutes, then baked or grilled till cooked thru

(Thanks to Norah McDermott of Kildare, who supplied this recipe to the ICA)

smiley mushies

gather your ingredients  (darn, I bought the wrong parsley!)

marinate your chicken or tofu

yep, delicious butter about to sizzle

put aside while you make the sauce

smelling delicious!

about to stir it all together

throw on your herbs!

I'm ready to eat!

(Joining in with Jo from BKD Cookbook Club; this month's theme is Comfort.)

cheeky little 'shroom

Red Salmon, Basil And Parmesan Fish Cakes

I love a good fish cake, and you can always rely on Belinda Jeffery to give you a good recipe - for anything!  This is from Belinda's book In Belinda's Kitchen.  I've mentioned before (probably more than once) how I went to one of her cooking classes with a friend; she was waving her knife around and I was waving my hand around, and the two met mid-air.  Blood and swooning all over the place!

And then I went to another class with a different friend.  No blood this time, but I came over all faint and had to lie down for a while.  Who knows why?  So odd.  Belinda no longer holds classes, but does demos at food festivals, etc.  No, not my fault ...  :=)

add a bit of salad and some mash

Makes 9 or 10 small patties: (Belinda says this feeds 2-3)

ingredients:

1 x 415g./15 oz can of red salmon (or use 2 x 210g./7.5 oz cans)

40g./1.4 oz of cold smoked salmon (optional)    see Notes

2 large spring onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup (c.25g./1 oz) celery, very finely diced

2 Tbs of basil (either fresh or lightly-dried), finely chopped if using fresh

2-3 tsp chives, finely chopped (I used lightly-dried)  (optional)

1/2 large red chilli (or one small), finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon of Tabasco (or your fave hot sauce)

1/2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup (75g.) of mayo

sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

2-3 Tbs panko breadcrumbs, or regular if that's your fancy

extra panko breadcrumbs (about 4-5 heaped Tbs) or plain flour, for coating

2-3 Tbs EV olive oil, for frying 'em up

basil leaves and wedges of lemon, for serving

A green and/or a potato salad to go with ...

Basil mayo:

Make your own mayo if you have the time or inclination, otherwise use good quality bought stuff (Kewpie is my fave) - 2/3 cup - around 200g./7 oz

1/3 cup (30g.) parmesan, freshly grated - or more!

10 large basil leaves, finely chopped

a splash or a dash of Tabasco or sriracha  (optional)

Method:

Drain the fish, remove the skin and bones, and place into a large mixing bowl 

Grab a fork or small tongs, and break it up into big flakes

Now add the spring onions, celery, basil, chilli, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, mayo, salt and pepper

Then add most of the panko/breadcrumbs - add more or less according to the moistness of the fishy mixture

Mix it all very gently so as not to break the fish up too much, then let it sit for a few minutes to recover its equilibrium

Shape into 9-10 small patties, about 1.5 cm/0.5 inch thickness

Put them on a baking-paper-lined tray or plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap and whack 'em into the fridge for at least half an hour

For the mayo:

Stir all the ingredients together in a small-ish bowl, taste for seasoning, then place in the fridge till the patties are fried up

The patties:

Take 'em out of the fridge, lightly coat in panko or plain flour, and place into your non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat - don't forget to heat up the EVoo first!

Fry them five minutes each side, or till crisp and brown

Drain on paper towel

Serve with the salad, mayo etc

Will last in the fridge for a few days, in a well-sealed container

Notes:

I just happened to have a slice or 2 of smoked salmon in the fridge so bunged that in as well!

Another funny story about the cooking classes - they were held in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, about 2.5 hours away, so we stayed at a holiday apartment, with our friend.  We were told very emphatically that we had to be super-careful about cooking in the tiny kitchen as the smoke alarm was very sensitive.  And we would have to pay for the emergency services!  

So, we were careful (takeaways for dinner, no cooking), and went to bed - only to be woken up by a screaming alarm, (thankfully not ours), several fire trucks, firies, police, neighbours etc, and had to run out the front in our pyjamas.  A very exciting night!  

ingredients gathered

ready for chilling 

and now ready for frying

stir up the mayo

get Mr P. to fry 'em up - hehehe

aaaaand flip!

and eat!  Where did that mash come from? :)

c. Sherry M.

Lemon, Green Chilli And Cheddar Tart

This recipe is from Easy Wins by Anna Jones, an English cookbook writer, well-known for her focus on vegetarian food.  Yep, another Cookbook Club book!  Mr P. and myself were vegetarian for a decade back in our younger days. 

I became one (at 16) because my friend became one, and she became one because her older brother became one!  Not sure why hubby was one :=)  It was pretty trendy back in the day.  And boy, did we live with a lot of vego and vegan crazies back then.  (He now tells me it's because I was one when he met me! - vego not crazy, hopefully.)

Mr P. had a harem living with him at the time I met him.  He had to teach more than one young woman how to cook, and live as an adult basically.  Thankfully, my mum taught me (and my sister) how to cook when we were wee sprogs.  And I could definitely change a lightbulb already!      

myself and Mr P. when youngsters

I decided to add sliced potato to this tart to make it a bit more substantial!  So slice the tatties, and either steam them, or bake them in the oven till just tender - or both! as in, steam then bake as I (probably) did.

herby, cheesy, potato-ey deliciousness

Serves 4:

ingredients:

(Action your spuds first!)

2 sheets of butter puff pastry, mostly thawed (but not completely)

1-2 Tbs of milk of your choice

150g./5 hefty ounces Cheddar cheese, grated   see Notes

1 red medium onion, finely sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 Tbs EV olive oil

1-2 green or red chillies, finely sliced (heat level of your choosing)

2-3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced, and steamed or baked (optional)

1-2 big handfuls of herbs, chopped or torn - I used parsley (and dried mint)  see Notes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Place the sheets of pastry on a baking paper-lined tray (or 2), prick their little bottoms, score the edge about 1 cm/0.4 inch in, brush the bottoms with a bit of (oat or almond maybe) milk then bake them at 180C/360F for about 20-25 minutes till golden

Let them cool off for a bit (after pressing down gently on the middle to get rid of any puffage), while you grate the cheese and slice up the onion, lemon and chilli

Toss the lemon slices with 1 Tbs of EV olive oil and a big pinch of salt

Up goes the oven to 200C/400F, while you scatter the cheese over the bottom of the pastry, then you add the onion, potatoes, lemon and chilli slices

Bake for about 20 minutes till it's golden and the cheese is bubbling

Throw on the herbs and seasoning, and some olive oil if you fancy

Serve with salad or veg.

Notes:

Anna says to use a mature Cheddar; here in Australia, we call it a Vintage or Tasty cheese

She also says to use 15g/0.5 oz mint and also of parsley and/or coriander (half a bunch of each) but I was happy with a bit less of the green stuff

Anna also says to first bake the pastry at 200C for 20-25 minutes, then when the toppings are on, to bake at 220C for another 15 minutes, but I found the slower temp. just fine - but you choose

slice up your tatties!

get slicing and chopping, my friends

put that tart together over the pre-baked pastry sheet :=)

and bake again with the cheese, onion, potatoes, lemon and chilli

throw on your herbs and seasoning

eat with a salad or two - we had coleslaw, and chickpea and couscous salad

c. Sherry M.

Fragrant Coconut Chicken

Regular readers know I am a huge fan of Belinda Jeffery's cookbooks, and of her own lovely self.  I've done several cooking classes with her, before she moved to the Central Coast.  Some readers may remember that I sliced into my finger at one of her classes and swooned like a young lady from Pride and Prejudice (or Bridgerton?).  I had to go lie down and recover my senses.

I made her Fragrant Coconut Chicken one night 'cos it's easy and delicious, especially if you use chicken thighs rather than a whole chook!  I have to watch myself when it comes to cutting up a whole bird.  I fear my fingers would not survive - hehehehe.

splosh on some yoghurt and mango chutney ...

Start this recipe the day before (or at least early in the morning) you want to eat it!  It needs to sit and ruminate in the fridge for at least 6 hours but overnight is better (says Belinda using a whole bird).

Serves 4:  

ingredients:

1.5 kg/3.3 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or cut of your choice - wings, drumsticks, etc or a mixture) Or a whole bird if you feel like dismembering it!

Marinade:

1 small onion, roughly chopped

4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

2 Tbs fresh ginger, chopped or grated

2 Tbs Korma curry paste - you choose your fave   see Notes 

1 dessertspoon of tamarind paste = 2 tsp (optional)

250 mL/9 oz/1 cup coconut cream or coconut milk

1-2 small red chillies, finely chopped

2 tsp ground cummin seeds

2 Tbs lime or lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt flakes

Garnish:

freshly torn or chopped herbs (coriander leaves for instance)

lime wedges

Plain Greek yoghurt, for serving

Chutney, for serving (optional)

Method:

Chop your thighs into bitesize pieces and place them into a large food-safe plastic bag

Gather the marinade ingredients and bung 'em into a food processor or blender, and whizz the heck out of them

Once you have a lovely, thick purée, you pour the mixture into the bag with the chicken and give it a good shake and squeeze (make sure the bag is very well sealed first)

Stick the bag into a container, and let it sit in the fridge for as long as you can be bothered to wait, giving it a gentle toss every so often

Take the bag out, and let it come to room temp. (unless your room is sizzling hot or freezing cold)

Your oven goes on to 190C/375F to heat up, while you grab a large baking dish, and spread 1-2 Tbs of EV olive oil over the base

Tip the marinated chicken pieces into the dish, spread them out, cover the dish with alfoil, and bake for 25 minutes

Then take off the foil, and give it another 20 minutes

Take it out of the oven, and let it sit for a few minutes

And serve with the herbs, lime wedges, yoghurt and chutney

Steamed rice could be a goer here too

Notes:

I am giving Belinda's recipe in full, though I halved it for myself and Mr P.  (I used 850g. of thighs - ok so a wee bit more than half)

Belinda suggests Tikka Masala paste though I used Korma - a fabulous fresh paste from Tasmania (those supermarket ones are disgusting!!)

chop up your thighs

pour in the marinade and give it a big shake

spread your thighs and cover with alfoil

smells delicious, my friends!

throw on some herbs

and eat with yoghurt and chutney

(Joining up with Min for her #WWWhimsy linkup on her blog Write of the Middle)

c. Sherry M.