Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree

I love Kedgeree but I have never made it with curry powder or smoked haddock instead I like to make it with smoked mackerel, turmeric, cumin and chili powder, it's very delicious.

Basmati Rice
Smoked Mackerel
Frozen petite pois
Onion
Free-range eggs
Turmeric
Chili Powder
Cumin
Salt

It's so simple to make, just cook your rice, fry the chopped onion in the spices and hard boil your eggs and peas. Mix it all together and flake the mackerel in near the end and that's all there is to it.


Lovely Peppered smoked mackerel


Free range eggs from my Mum's chickens, look at the lovely pale blue one!





There is a very noticeable contrast in the photo's I have taken as the brighter ones are in my kitchen and the softer looking ones were in my living room under my lamp whilst I was eating the kedgeree but I can assure you it's the same kedgeree!

Beef and Red Wine Stew with Cheese and Chive Dumplings

Ive had a sad couple of days as I had to attend the funeral of a beautiful friend who was taken far to soon and far to young but it was a very fitting service with the soundtrack to 'Back To The Future' playing as we entered the church which could not have been more perfect for him. He was such a huge character with an amazing Mohawk, an amazing laugh and more friends than anyone I know because he genuinely cared about people and was interested in what they had to say no matter who they were.
people had to sit on the floor of the church and a big crowd gathered outside the doors which is testament to the man he was.
After a hugely emotionally draining day followed by a 10 hour shift at work starting at 5am the next day I needed something warm and comforting and what's more warm and comforting than stew and dumplings? I have used Jamie Oliver's recipe for the dumplings.

Beef and Red wine Stew with Cheese and Chive Dumplings

For the Stew you will need:

400 Grams Stewing steak
Glass of Red Wine
2 large Carrots
1 Onion
1 Leek shredded discarding the green end
Beef stock
Seasoned flour
Knob of butter
Salt and Pepper

Dumplings
170 Grams of Flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes
mature cheddar, grated
1 small bunch of chives, chopped
Pinch of salt
60ml of milk

Cover the steak in the seasoned flour and brown off in a pan in the butter and a dash of oil. Remove from the pot once browned and add the chopped onion, leeks and carrots and fry for around five minutes before putting the steak back in. Next add the glass of red and stock and leave to simmer for around three hours on top of the stove or you can put in the oven covered. I like adding shredded leeks to my stew for the gorgeous flavour and the texture it gives to the stew.


For the dumplings mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and butter. Rub the mixture between your fingers like when you make a crumble until it looks a bit like large breadcrumbs.


Add the grated cheese and the chives and mix together with a fork before Pouring in the milk bit by bit. You may need extra milk but just make sure your mixture doesn't get to wet.

Divide the mixture in to balls and plop on top of the stew around half an hour before the three hour cooking time is up.

They seriously swell up and I had some mixture left over!

I finished my stew under the grill so the dumplings would brown a bit on top.

I served mine with mash and peas and it was lovely and much needed, sorry for the lack of stew photo's I just concentrated on the dumplings more!

Butternut Squash, Ginger and Coconut Soup

What a lovely mini Summer we just had but now we are back to what October should be like and I'm glad! Cold and windy with leaves falling off the tree's and crunching underfoot which always puts me in the mood for soup and what could be more autumnal than a big bowl of golden butternut squash soup with the addition of creamy coconut milk, fiery chilli's and warming ginger. I am another of those weirdo's who actually prefer the Autumn and Winter months to the summer.
I love all the food the colder months bring especially Autumn with all those gorgeous vegetables and I can't deny that Christmas is my favourite thing in all the world but enough about that (for now)...

Butternut Squash
Tin of Coconut Milk
2 small Red Chilli's with seeds
Knob of Ginger Grated
1 Diced Onion
Chicken Stock
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper


Peel and chop your butternut squash




Saute your onion, chili and ginger in a pan with a glug of oil


Add the butternut squash and cook for around five min's


Next add the coconut milk, chicken stock and leave to cook until the squash is tender


Blend the soup, season to taste and it's ready to eat, yum indeed.
I have to say this is a very rich and gently warming soup and I think it stands up really well on it's own and you don't need bread but of course you can do whatever you want and have tons of bread of bread with it but don't blame me if you feel sick after....