Beef and Beer Stew

Also known as Flemish Beef Stew (Carbonnades Flamandes). This slow cooked stew is very popular in Belgium, for best results use a Blonde Belgian beer and cook low and slow for at least 3 hours.

Ingredients

• 1kg shin of beef, trimmed and cut into 2cm strips
• 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75g  butter
• 2 tbsp oil
• 500g onions, thinly sliced
• 2 bouqet garni bags
• 60cl Belgian blonde beer
• 250ml beef stock
• 60ml white wine vinegar

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Cut the beef into 2cm strips and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the butter and oil in a  pan over a medium heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides (you may need to do this in batches). Remove the beef and set aside.

Add the vinegar to the pan and scrape any bits of beef from the bottom of the pan. (be careful of the fumes)

In a large ovenproof pan with a lid over a medium heat cook the onions until browned, then return the beef and reduced vinegar to the pan.

Add the bouqet garni, beer,vinegar and stock to the bigger pan and bring up to the boil. 

Put the lid on the pan and place in the oven to cook for three hours, or until the meat is tender.

Serve with roasted potatoes or chips and root vegetables.

Chicken Ceasar Salad

Ingredients

• 150g crusty bread (better if one day old)
• Olive oil
• 50g Parmesan cheese
• 2 romaine lettuce or 4 baby gem lettuce, washed, dried and sliced
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, butterflied or flattened
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp red wine or sherry vinegar
• Olive oil
• 50g tin of anchovies in olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed 
• 75g Parmesan cheese, grated
• Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

Recipe

1. Chop the bread into 2cm chunks. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then toss to combine.

Place a large frying pan over a medium heat, add a dash of oil and fry the bread until golden and crisp. Grate three-quarters of the Parmesan over the croutons, toss together over the heat, then transfer to a plate.

3. To make the dressing, put the egg yolks, mustard and vinegar into a bowl and whisk together. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking as you do so, until the mixture emulsifies. Finely chop the anchovies and mix with the garlic to form a rough paste. Add to the dressing and mix well. Stir in the Parmesan, lemon juice to taste, and a little splash of water.

4. Slice the lettuce and put the into a serving bowl, add a squeeze of lemon juice and half the dressing. Sprinkle over half the croutons and mix. Top with the rest of the croutons and finish with the remaining Parmesan.

5. Place a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts on both sides, drizzle with a little oil and cook on the hot pan for 3–4 minutes on either side, until  cooked through. 

Transfer to a plate, sprinkle over some of the remaining dressing and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

6. Slice the chicken into diagonal strips and serve warm, either mixed through or alongside the salad with a little extra dressing spooned over.

Recipe from Gordon Ramsey Ultimate Home Cooking

Chicken Katsu Curry

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, diced

thumb sized piece of ginger, chopped

pinch of chilli flakes

1 tbsp mild curry powder

1 tbsp plain flour

250ml chicken stock

1 tbsp of honey

1tbsp of soy sauce

chicken breasts

1 egg, beaten

handful of plain flour

panko breadcrumbs (but any breadcrumbs will do)

basmati rice

PREPARATION

Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli flakes in a shot of oil for a few minutes to soften.

Add the flour and curry powder into the pan and stir for a minute.

Gradually pour in the chicken stock as you stir, then add the honey and soy.

Simmer for 10 minutes, then blend with a stick blender for smooth consistency.

Beat each chicken breast with a tenderizer until the whole breast is of equal thickness.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper

Then dip into the flour(seasoned with salt pepper and chilli flakes), then beaten egg mixture and finally the breadcrumbs.

Fry the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on each side in a generous glug of oil in a pan over a gentle heat until golden brown and cooked right through.

Cut the chicken breast into strips, double checking that it’s cooked through, then place on the rice, spoon over the sauce and sprinkle with the spring onions if desired.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 can tomatoes pasta sauce
• 3 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated

Directions

1. Working on a large surface lay down the chicken breasts. Using a tenderizer, bash the chicken till the thicker end is equal to the thinner end.
   
   
   
2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and chicken seasoning.
   
   
   
3. In a large prep pan or dish crack 3 eggs and whisk
   
   
   
4. In another large prep pan or dish, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Spread out to cover the whole bottom of the pan.
   
   
   
5. Lay down as many chicken breasts into the eggs first, then into the breadcrumb mixture coating with the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of chicken.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with butter, to coat the pan. Add the chicken breasts in one layer and cook until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and repeat the process for the remaining chicken, adding a little oil and butter to the pan as needed.
   
   
   
7. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Spoon some tomato sauce into a greased baking dish and add the chilli flakes. Layer in the chicken pieces and top with mozzarella. Bake until golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Let rest for at least 15 minutes and serve with pasta.
   
   
   

Sticky Chinese Spare ribs

This take away favourite can be made at home without all the MSG or artificial additives!

Ingredients

4 shallots

8 garlic cloves

5tbsp oyster sauce

200ml tomato ketchup

80ml soy sauce

70ml water

2tbsp worcestershire sauce

2tsp crushed black peppercorns

10tbsp honey

25g butter

As many ribs as you want! :)

Preparation

Saute shallots and garlic in butter till soft.

Then add remaining ingredients (apart from ribs) and gently simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Allow marinde to cool.

Preheat oven to 150C.

Coat the ribs thoroughly in the marinade for a couple of hours, overnight in the fridge is even better.

Place the ribs seperately in a roasting pan and cover with foil.

Cook for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone.

Chicken in mushroom sauce

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs and drumsticks

4 minced garlic cloves

100ml white wine

1 bay leaf

2 finely chopped shallots

100ml chicken stock

20g butter

150g of sliced mushrooms

90ml double cream

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 190c. Season the Chicken with garlic powder, seasoning cube, paprika, salt and pepper and set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat olive oil in an oven proof pot and sauté the chicken till they turn brown, if they cant all fit in, do it in batches.

When all the chicken is browned, set aside.

Add chopped shallots and garlic to the pot till softened.

Add white wine and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes till the liquid has reduced by half. Then pour in chicken stock

Add chicken back into pot. Place pot in oven and cook for 20 minutes.

After chicken is cooked set them aside in a warm plate and reserve the remaining liquid for the mushroom sauce.

In a separate pan, sauté the mushrooms in butter till softened

Add the juices from the pan used to cook the chicken and double cream. Stir and season to taste

Pour sauce over chicken, rice and runner beans and serve.