There's a kind of #Hash

Later that evening we were to watch the original Terminator Movie starring, among others, Mr Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger. With the exception of a few bits in Terminator 3, for me there were only ever two Terminator Movies; the first one and the second one. Sometimes the first two films suffer from over-familiarity . However watching the first one again with the lights off on a dark January evening with no interruptions made me realise how dark, chilling and in some ways prophetic the film was when taking into account our over dependence on technology today. The film is therefore just as relevant then as it is now. 

Seeing as Arnie is originally from Austria I decided to make something that is popular in his native country and I went for a Tiroler Grostel that's popular in the South Tryol Region of Austria. The recipe a kind of hash that is a little more exotic than some of our native hashes. 

The soundtrack today was more Zappa this time a live album released in 1991 called "Make a Jazz Noise Here". It is a deft mix of musical dexterity, strong guitar work, tight playing and sardonic humour. It is one three live albums that Zappa culled from his last world tour in 1988. 

The Ingredients

3 Small White Potatoes sliced as thinly as possible. 
3 Banana Shallots, peeled, topped, tailed and sliced width-ways. 
250 grams of Diced Beef.
250 grams of Diced Pork.
5 tablespoons of Rapeseed Oil or as needed. 
A tablespoon of Black Pepper. 
5 tablespoons of freshly chopped Parsley. 
1 tablespoon of dried Marjoram. 
1​ tablespoon of Caraway Seeds.
2 Eggs.
Salad leaves, such as Rocket, to serve on. 

The method

1. Heat the Oil in a frying pan and add the Potatoes. Fry until they are golden brown and fairly soft. 

2. In a separate frying pan fry the Shallots until they are translucent. 

3. Add the Beef, Pork and herbs to the pan with the Potatoes and fry until the Beef and Pork are cooked fully. Add the Shallots and then continue to fry on a low heat stirring very regularly. 

4. In the pan which contained the Shallots fry the two eggs for around five minutes while trying to make sure the Yolks remain runny. 

5. Serve the meat and potato mixture on a bed of Salad Leaves and divide this between two serving plates. Add a Fried Egg to the top of each serving.

There's a real earthy yet light taste to this recipe and it had the feel of something very different but is also comforting on a chilly Winter's Evening. For me it is the Diced Shallots, Pork and Caraway Seeds that really make the meal.

1. 

   A fried egg sitting pretty on top of the meal. 

   
   

   
   

The Empire Bites Back

The second week of January 2020 was as intense and action-packed as expected but also much more rewarding than expected. It mixed moments of intellectual excitement, clean-hitting during Cricket training and compromising body postures at a local village hall. 

Some comfort food was on the menu by the time Saturday 18 January rolled round. During the morning The Dogg and I discovered a new route through a familiar local wood and for our troubles were chased by a strange wolf-dog. The Dogg also succeeded in flushing an exotic-looking Mandarin Duck at a pond we walked passed. It was so muddy round and about that by the time we got home we were dirty enough to resemble some of the iconic pictures of mud -painted Rugby Union players from the 1970s, where every game seemed to take place on a a very damp day in January. 

Once we were cleaned up I searched my memory and recalled a retro biscuit recipe for something known as Empire Biscuits. These were the sort of biscuits your Gran might have made when she was a kid in the days when the United Kingdom genuinely had an Empire. 

Some inspiring music was playing in the background in the form of Frank Zappa's 1988 album "Guitar". The album is exactly what it says on the cover; a long collection of Zappa's guitar solos culled from various sources over the years. It succeeds in holding the listener's fascination for its entire length, as Zappa is such an accomplished an eclectic axe man that he keeps the music totally fresh throughout the album's duration. 

The ingredients of  this recipe are as follows:

Biscuit Base

• 130 grams of Caster Sugar
• 250 grams of Unsalted Butter
• 1 Egg, beaten. 
• 500 grams of  Plain Flour

Filling 

• Jar of Strawberry Jam. 

Topping

• 200 grams of Icing Sugar
• Few teaspoons of  water
• Glace Cherries.

Method 

• Pre-heat your oven to 180°c (or 160°c for a fan assisted oven). If using a Gas Oven pre-heat to Gas Mark 4. 
•  Line two baking trays with greased cooking foil. 
• Cream the Unsalted Butter and Sugar until it is very fluffy.
• Add the egg and mix until combined.
• Gradually add the Self-Raising Flour until a dough is formed. Knead the dough into a ball and then place in the fridge for around twenty minutes. 
• Roll the dough on a floured surface to around 1cm thick. Using a round cutter, cut the biscuits out and transfer them to the greased baking trays. 
• Bake for around 20 minutes until the biscuits become solid and golden. 
• When the biscuits are totally cool add the jam to the underside of half of them and attach them to the other halves to form a sandwich. 
• Prepare the icing by stirring the icing sugar and water slowly together until you have a thick paste. Spread the icing evenly over each of the biscuits and add the glace cherry. 
• Put the biscuits in the fridge for twelve hours to ensure the icing solidifies. After twelve hours remove from the fridge and serve once at room temperature. 

As the winter sun rolled into the lounge last Sunday Afternoon I took the time to chomp on one of the biscuits and reflect on how far that we'd all come in the last fifteen months. We had made a memorable start but the best was coming.

Flat Turk

Last Sunday was a bit of rush. After the Dogg and I had returned from the park there was a lot of pressure to prepare meals for the forthcoming working week as I knew I would have limited time. The reason for this was that there were a number of important matters that were to come to a head prior to some calmer weeks later in the month. 

I was inspired by a visit, back in the Autumn Season, to a Turkish Restaurant in the City where I practise. The restaurant has to be the best in the area for authentic and quality Turkish Food. I make no apologies for name checking it in the shares of this post on social media. 

There are a number dishes that Turkish Cuisine is known for. These include kebabs and pine seeds wrapped in vines. There are also a number flat breads that are most delicious. As something quick needed making for Sunday Tea I went for a flat bread recipe. 

On the player was the Grateful Dead's 1987 comeback record "In The Dark". The album was a strong return to form after the quality of the band's album output went off a cliff at the start of the 1980s. Highlights include the MTV Staple "In the Dark". Jerry Garcia's guitar meanwhile twangs like he's stolen the licks of a few Dire Straits songs. However being one of the greatest guitarists of all time, his unique, inimitable style remains underneath. This is made all the more remarkable by the fact just a year before he fell into a diabetic coma that caused him to lose his memory and have to relearn the guitar. 

To the recipe now, the ingredients were as follows:

For the Topping:

4 Tomatoes cut into cubes. 

1 Red Pepper de-cored, de-seeded and sliced thinly. 

1 Red Onion topped, tailed and sliced very thinly. 

1 Tablespoon of Ground Coriander.

1 Tablespoon of dried Ground Cumin. 

Olives

Several Cubes of Feta Cheese. 

For the Flat Bread

200 grams of Self-Raising Flour. 

2 Cups of Water.

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.

Method

1. Fry the ingredients for the topping on a medium heat in Rapeseed Oil for twenty minutes stirring regularly. Once cooked take off the heat and leave to one side. 

2. Stir the Flour, Olive Oil and Water together with a wooden spoon until a thick paste is formed. 

3. If necessary use some extra flour for extra grip and knead the ingredients until you have a thick, pliable ball of dough.

4. Place the Dough in the fridge for thirty minutes. 

5. Roll the Dough out into four pieces.

6. Fry the Dough Pieces on a medium in a frying pan using rapeseed oil for around fourteen minutes using some Rapeseed Oil.

7. Put some topping on each of the Dough Pieces and grill on a low heat for around five minutes before serving. 

The beauty of this bread is that it is relatively quick and easy to make and also filling. A tasty meal for anybody in a hurry with a love of Turkish Food. 

A complimentary piece of Sea Bass sits atop the Flat Bread while some Salad Leaves are underneath.

Sugar Free Parkin

The Smiths once sang that "rain falls down on a humdrum town". The days before Remembrance Weekend 2019 neatly fitted that particular bill as I piloted the freshly MOT'd and serviced Panda through storms and floods and along roads linking several forgotten ex-mining villages. 

On the evening of Remembrance Friday a trip to a local venue to see a first rate Rush tribute band with equally first rate company was equally dark and damp, but certainly much more enjoyable than the drives through floods the previous day.

By the time the weekend proper had rolled round and the parents had dropped the Dogg off at mine thoughts turned towards making some seasonal comfort food. My mind turned back to my childhood and dark November Nights after tricky days at school where I would often binge on bonfire toffee while watching Champions' League Football on the TV. It's funny how certain flavours and tastes stick in your mind from days gone by. The burnt and earthy taste, punctuated with shards of sweetness, of that bonfire toffee was something I wished to replicate. 

This said I decided to make a type of Parkin that would resurrect this taste of the past. On the player while making this recipe was Kiss' 1975 breakthrough live album "Alive!". Kiss' first three albums are a marvellous mix of catchy, hard rocking numbers that cover a surprising amount of different territories. However at the time of their release they barely sold enough to recoup their advertising costs. "Alive!" changed all that, sold millions and set them on the road to stardom. The performances, which take the pick of the tracks from the first three albums, sound fresh, energetic and have lots of warmth. 

So to the recipe. When I do baking I tend to divide the ingredients up into "dry" and "damp" ingredients:

Damp Ingredients:

200 grams of Golden Syrup.
85 grams of Treacle. 
200 grams of Unsalted Butter, melted in a saucepan. 
1/8 of a pint of Whisky. The whisky used was a supermarket own brand blend. My followers from the Highlands will be pleased to know I didn’t waste a genuine single malt on this recipe.
1 beaten Egg. 

Dry Ingredients

200 grams of Self-Raising Flour. 
100 grams of Ground Almonds.
1 tablespoon of Ground Ginger.
100 grams of Oats. 

Method

1. Stir together all the Dry Ingredients in a mixing bowl until they are combined. 

2. Add the Melted Unsalted Butter, Whisky and Egg and stir into the Dry Ingredients until you have a thick paste. 

3. Stir in the Treacle and Syrup. 

4. Place the mixture into a greased baking tin that is too high sided. 

5. Bake for one hour in the oven on Gas Mark 3 (170 degrees) for one hour. Then bake for a further half an hour on Gas Mark 5 (190 degrees). Pierce with a skewer to ensure it is cooked and not runny in the middle. 

6. Remove from the tin, leave to cool then cut into cubes prior to serving. 

The combination of the Treacle and Whisky in this recipe gave it the tar-like and fiery taste I was looking for and the Syrup and Ground Almonds made it sweet and almost taste like freshly produced fudge. A baking project to bring back long lost memories. 

South Coast Cod

At the end of September I joined the parents on their tour of the South West Coast. While there the Dogg and I uncovered the mysteries of an Island containing much War History, two prisons and lots of quarries. We also discovered lots fine seafood including oysters and crab. 

Perhaps the most remarkable dish we discovered however was at a pub hidden in a valley near the South West Coast Path where we helped my mum celebrate what she reckoned was one of her most memorable birthdays. 

That area of the South West Coast has numerous links with the Smuggling Trade of years gone by and the name of this pub referred to these often romanticised links. 

The pub in question served me a tandoori Hake on a bed of Potatoes, Shallots and Spinach. It was that dish that inspired me to make recently my own take on this recipe which used fresh Cod Fillets in lieu of Hake. 

The ingredients were as follows: 

Two Large Cod Fillets.
Two tablespoons of Turmeric.
Two tablespoons of Fenuguk
Three Carrots, peeled, topped and tailed and cut into baton shapes. 
Three Shallots, peeled, topped and tailed and cut into halves. 
One White Potato, peeled and cut width-ways into circles. 
One White Onion,peeled, topped and tailed and cut into pieces width-ways. 
Five Lettuce Leaves. 

On the player was one of the discs of Fleetwood Mac's Epic collection of Live Radio Broadcasts known as Gold Dust Radio 1975-1988. The collection showcases a number of incarnations of the band and illustrates that whoever was in the band at the time each gig was recorded, they were always a top drawer live act. 

The method to make this dish is:

1. Marinate the Cod in the Turmeric and Fenuguk using Olive Oil to bind the spices to the Cod and a plastic brush to ensure the Cod is covered in the mixture. 

2. Steam the Carrots and the Potato for twenty minutes. 

3. Fry the Shallots and Onions on a medium heat in Olive Oil in a Le Cresceut Dish for ten minutes until they are translucent. Stir them regularly to stop them sticking to the bottom of the dish. 

4. Add the Carrots and Potato ,once they have been steamed, and fry the ingredients for a further five minutes. 

5. In the meantime wrap the marinated Cod loosely in foil to form a parcel and cook in the oven for twenty minutes on Gas Mark Four. 

6. Place the Lettuce Leaves on a plate. Add the Shallots, Onion, Carrots and Potatoes by placing them decoratively atop the Lettuce. Then place the Cod Steaks on top of everything else. 

This dish was a clash of exotic near eastern flavours with the Cod while the fresh vegetables were more at home on a traditional Sunday Roast Menu. Either way this contrast made this a varied an enjoyable dish that revived memories of some wonderful adventures on the South West Coast. 

Mystery; Pumpkin

I woke up on the morning of 12 October feeling a little tired. It had been an action-packed week. 

After I drifted to the hairdressers, to celebrate my twentieth anniversary as a customer there, the Dogg and I ran to the hills. Ever since I was a teenager it's something that I've always done to regain my energy with I'm faced with challenges.

In the hills I saw in the middle distance an old classmate and her young family silhouetted against a high rocky outcrop. They appeared to have been harvesting pumpkins at a nearby farm; no doubt for the children to carve into lanterns. Still not feeling like much the Dogg and I drifted on and thoughts turned to a visit being made to a  house in the suburbs of a midland city for a murder mystery night that evening.

By the evening I had brightened up and we set off in our fancy dress costumes, which mixed glamour, comedy and surreal subversion, along the well-lit roads which cut through the city buildings frozen by mellow, artificial electric light. Surveying the scene as the Panda sped along the gridiron roads I noticed tall blocks of flats and offices that formed the local university buildings. It put in mind depictions of this part of the twenty-first century that are often found in the 1980s action films of my childhood. I almost felt that were like time travellers on this journey.

We arrived at the house hosting the party and found lots of wonderful company, tasty homemade fajitas, high drama, intrigue, enthusiastic acting and capital memories. 

Waking up a little fresher the next morning I realised that it was time to create something seasonal and new. I had recently been provided with a large Pumpkin acquired from a rudimentary farm shop in a former mining town that possesses a controversial cricket team. 

In spite of intense warnings from a close family member that Pumpkin might have been for display and not consumption; I soldiered on and used it as a key ingredient in a flavoursome but seasonal casserole. 

On the player was an album by an artist, some might say that's a loose term for this gentleman, who has enjoyed massive success in 1980s but also polarised individuals. The album was the formerly ubiquitous Phil Collins' 1985 smash hit "No Jacket Required". For my generation Collins is quite a divisive figure as when we were younger we often dismissed his work as bland and uncool pap that our equally uncool parents listened to. 

However, as happens so often when we grow up and review our relationships with our parents, a reappraisal of opinions has taken place. I recently saw some footage of Collins' current tour and his voice was still in good nick. However he cut a sad figure with the way he walked to the stage with his cane and sat down on a special chair to sing his songs for the duration of the set. He is a similar age to my parents and his slowing down and health difficulties struck a chord with me that we are all getting older and he, like my parents, is no longer as invincible as he appeared to me when I was a child in 1980s.

Despite some very dated production and synthesiser sounds  "No Jacket Required" holds up well and has some surprises. "Sussudio" with its uptempo funk and oblique lyrics is entertaining enough. However although "One More Night" was a massive hit it is by no means the best track on the record and when you look passed this you'll find the catchy "Inside Out" and "Long Long Way to Go". Both are well arranged and have a good depth. 

However the highlight is "Take Me Home" which is all about a dementia patient who can understand all that is happening to them but cannot communicate this to those around them. It reminded me of a summer visit to a family member. She was once a sharp, witty lady who kept me on my toes when I was an earnest misfit of a youngster. When I saw her in the summer I sat next to her. Initially she stared at me from her wheelchair with a look of puzzlement and a half-smile as if she didn't recognise me. However on closer inspection it was almost as if that half-smile really was meant to convey to me "don't worry; underneath all this it's still me and I still recognise you". Since that day "Take Me Home" has had a real resonance with me as no doubt it has to others in this age of longer lives and the resulting rise of dementia. 

So the ingredients of this recipe which were as follows:

Twelve Ounces of Diced Beef.
Twelve Ounces of Pumpkin Cubes.
Three Fresh Tomatoes cut into Cubes. 
One diced Shallot.
One diced Red Onion
Four Ounces of Sun Dried Tomatoes.
Eight Ounces of Pui Lentals. 
A bunch of Fresh Basil. 
A teaspoon of Tomato Puree. 
An Ounce of Garlic Salt. 
An Ounce of Harissa Seasoning
An Ounce of Barbecue Seasoning. 
An Ounce of Paprika.
A can of Butterbeans. 

The method was the following: 

1. Boil the Pui Lentils in water for forty five minutes. 

2. While the Pui Lentils are cooking fry in Olive Oil in a Le Cresceut the Shallot, Red Onion, Tomato Puree, Spices, Half of the Basil for ten minutes on a medium heat on the hob.

3. Add the Diced Beef and stew for a further twenty minutes stirring regularly on a low heat. 

4. Add the Pumpkin, Tomatoes, Sun Dried Tomotoes and remainder of the Basil and cook for another twenty minutes stirring regularly on a medium heat.

5. Introduce the Pui Lentils and the water they were boiled in and simmer for twenty minutes until the ingredients have softened  and the water absorbed.

6. Add the Butter Beans and warm through prior to serving. 

There was a lot of flavour in this recipe and the freshness of the Basil is offset by the smoky fire of the Harissa and Barbecue Seasonings that warmed through a wet Autumn lunchtime. The Butterbeans and Lentils meanwhile, together with the Beef, gave much needed protein while the Pumpkin was strongly enlivened by the strong flavours. 

Satsuma Rhubarb Adventure

The penultimate Saturday in September was a warm, sticky affair. The preceding week I had obtained some Rhubarb from my local dealer, who is a mad-keen horse-rider, at one of our branch offices. 

Having once before made a Rhubarb and Yoghurt Cake I settled upon a similar recipe that involved stewing the Rhubarb with some fresh Satsuma Juice for a unique taste.  

As preparation ensued I listened to "Cookin' at the Plugged Nickel" Miles Davis, excellent live album culled from a mid sixties gig, which was compiled and released officially in 1990. It is interesting to note the much better sound quality in this live Jazz offering than in live Rock albums of the time such as the Kinks' Live at Kelvin Hall and the Stones' Got Live if you Want!. Both the latter albums are a lot of fun and remain listenable but their production is muddy. What sets out Miles Davis' "Cookin' at the Plugged Nickel" is the strong production and clear mix in which typically powerful trumpeting, kick ass drumming and mellow pinging on the piano are all rife. Davis' other sixties live albums "Miles in Berlin" and "My Funny Valentine" are just as good as this one and worth seeking out. 

The Ingredients for the cake are: 

Eight Ounces of Fresh Rhubarb.
The juice of One Satsuma.
Five Ounces of Icing Sugar
Two Ounces of Caster Sugar. 
Five Ounces of Unsalted Butter.
11 Ounces of Self- Raising Flour.
Two Eggs, beaten.

The Method that can be used for this recipe is as follows:

1. Cream the Butter and Sugars until light and fluffy. 

2. Add the Eggs and stir them in gradually to the Butter and Sugar.

3. Stew the Satsuma Juice and Rhubarb in a saucepan with some Butter for five to ten minutes on a medium heat until soft.

4. Add the Satsuma Juice and Rhubarb to the Cake Mix and stir in thoroughly. 

5. Fold in the Flour gradually and stir until you have a fairly thick paste.

6. Spread the mixture into a greased cake tin and cook on Gas Mark Four for one hour.

7. Pierce with a skewer to ensure it is cooked.

Rhubarb and Orange often go together and in this case they went together like Cider and a hot summer night. The Satsuma juice added a sweetness to a cake that felt, much like a peripheral figure in my life, light and fluffy. 

Taking a slice- a cross section of the cake. 

Golden Brown- fresh out of the oven and cooling down.