Bangers in onion gravy with Mash

1 onion
Sausages
Small amount of oil
Stock cube/gravy granules
Gravy browning (if using stock cube)
Flour
Boiling water
Mushrooms if you wish


Potatoes
1 teaspoon of salt (optional)
Flora
Milk

• Peel potatoes and cut into small pieces.  Place in a pan and cover with cold water, adding 1 teaspoon of salt if you really have to 
• Boil the potatoes until they are soft when poked with a knife.
• Put sausages in a frying pan over a medium heat with a little (very little) oil
• Peel onion and cut into small pieces, add to pan with sausages.
• Clean and slice mushrooms if you are using them and add to pan
• Continue to cook the sausages turning frequently to ensure even browning.
• Push the onions around in the pan from time to time so that they don't burn.
• When the sausages are browned, lift them out of the pan and put them on a plate for a while
• Sprinkle a scant tablespoon of flour over the onions and stir in well.  Cook for 1 minute then add boiling water from the kettle, a little at a time with the heat turned up until the gravy is the consistency you like,
• Turn the heat down, add stock cube/gravy granules to the gravy.  If using a stock cube you need to add some gravy browning - just a touch - as grey gravy never ever looks appetising!
• Now put the sausages back in the pan and let them simmer away for a while.
• When the potatoes are soft to the knife, drain off the water, then mash and add a knob of Flora and a splash of milk and stir in well.

Quick cook Pizza

A simple home made pizza which tastes great and doesn't take a long time to cook.  


For the base

• 6oz self raising flour
• 1/4 level teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1oz flora or other spread
• 5 tablespoons of milk

The topping
1 tablespoon cooking oil 
1 onion
1 can tomatoes
1 teaspoon of mixed herbs (or Italian seasoning)
Ketchup
Salt & pepper
Any toppings you wish to have or have laying around in the fridge - ham, mushrooms, tuna etc
Grated cheese

• Peel and finely chop the onion
• Heat the oil in a small pan and add the onion, cook gently until soft
• Open the tomatoes, drain them well  and cut the stalk end off each one.  
• Add to the onion, along with the herbs, salt and pepper and a good squirt of ketchup.
• Simmer for around 5 minutes.

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• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl
• Rub the flora into the flour with your fingertips until there are no lumps left and the mixture resembles find breadcrumbs.
• Add the milk and mix with a round ended knife.  This will make a soft and fairly sticky dough
• Knead it gently for a couple of minutes and then roll out into a circle approximately 10 inches in diameter
• Place a frying pan over a low heat and let it heat up, then place the circle of dough into it.  Do not add oil to the pan at any stage.  Let the dough cook over a medium heat for around 3 - 5 minutes to brown the underside.  
• Using two spatulas turn the pizza over.and cook the second side for 3 - 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile turn on the grill to heat up
• Remove pizza from the frying pan and turn the heat off
• Spread the tomato mix over the pizza base, add any other toppings you wish - ham, mushrooms, tuna, whatever you like - then sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
• Place the pizza under the grill until the cheese is melted and browned a little.

To make this go further -do not drain the tomatoes.  When the onions are cooked add around a dessert spoon of flour to the pan, stir it into the onions and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and their juice, plus the herbs, salt & pepper and ketchup.  Bring to the point of just boiling, then turn the heat down and simmer for a minute or two. 
If you double up the quantities of the pizza base mix and make two bases, cooking one after the other, then with the extra topping mix you can either have two pizzas at once or eat one and freeze one.

Pork Goulash

This was another request from Mark.  It is an easy meal cooked in one pot - which saves on the washing up.  


Potatoes - 1 - 2 medium sized ones per person.
Pork approx one loin chop per person
1 - 2 onions sliced
Sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 can of tomatoes
Chicken stock
Mixed herbs
Paprika - lots of it

• Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. 
• Cut the pork into bite size pieces & slice the onions.  Put them into a pan to brown until the onions are soft.  
• Cut the stalk end off the tomatoes and remove the seeds from the middle, add to the pan with the meat and onions.  
• Fill the can with cold water and crumble a a chicken stock cube in.  
• Add a pinch of mixed herbs and lots of paprika.  Remove the pan from the heat before adding the paprika.  Paprika is not a hot spice so don't be afraid of it, it just imparts a lovely smokey flavour.
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• Cover and simmer for around 1 1/2 hours, then add the potatoes and cook for a further hour.
• When cooked this should be thick.

Beef Stroganoff - Especially for Mark

This recipe is by special request.  It is a dish which sounds complicated but really couldn't be simpler.


1lb (450g) beef
1 tsp salt
Pepper
2 Onions
4oz mushrooms
2oz butter
small splash of oil
1 tbsp plain flour
Tomato puree
1/2 pint stock (stock cube and hot water - from the kettle, not the tap - will do)
1 carton sour cream

• Cut the meat into small strips, approximately 1/4" x 1"   sprinkle it with salt & pepper
• Melt butter & oil, fry onions and mushrooms for 4 minutes
• Add meat - cook for further 5 mins
• Stir in flour, cook for 2 mins
• Add tomato puree and stock, bring to boil stirring continuously. 
• Cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent it sticking.
• Stir in cream
• Serve on a bed of rice.

Cottage Pie using up left over brisket

Let's start with the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie.  Many people make no distinction between the two, and interchange the names at will.  The important difference is in the meat - the name gives it away - Shepherd's Pie is made with Lamb, Cottage Pie is made with beef.  Simples


Cooked brisket
1 onion diced
1 or 2 carrots
2 - 3 mushrooms sliced (optional)
Knob of flora
A tablespoon of frozen peas
Stock cube or gravy granules
1 tablespoon flour or cornflour
15 fl oz boiling water
Tomato ketchup
salt & pepper to taste


Potatoes

If you don't have any left over brisket then just use minced beef.  Brown it in a frying pan and then drain off the fat by putting it into a sieve - place the sieve over a basin, or the packaging the mince came in, to drain.  When it has stopped dripping (leave at least 15 minutes) put it back into the pan and continue the recipe. 

Do NOT let the fat drain into the sink as it will clog the drainage pipes requiring expensive remedial action and that will incur the loss of the deposit you paid for your room.

• Peel and cut the potatoes into small pieces, then put them into a pan of cold water, add salt if you wish. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 0 20 minutes, until a knife inserted into a potato meets no resistance.
• Either mince or chop the meat into very small pieces.  
• Dice the onion and the carrots
• Melt the flora in a medium sized pan, add the onions and fry until translucent.
• Add the meat and mushrooms (if using), stir to mix together well
• Sprinkle flour over the mixture and cook for a minute, then add water and stock cube/gravy granules stirring all the time.  If the mixture is too thick add more water
• Squeeze in about 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup then add the carrots & peas and stir in.
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, put a lid on the pan and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
• When the potatoes are ready, drain the water off and mash. 
• Add a knob of flora and some milk, but just a little at a time and stir in.  This will help to make the potatoes creamy and sufficiently pliable to move on top of the liquid filling.
• Put the meat mixture into a pie dish
• Add the mashed potatoes and spread out over the meat mixture with a fork.
• Put in the oven at 200 deg gas mark 7  for 25 mins or until golden brown on top. 

If you  want to you can grate some cheese over the top of the potatoes

To go with your Yorkshire Pudding - Roast Beef on a budget

Pot Roast Beef

This would be most appropriate if all the people in a flat are sharing a meal - perhaps a Sunday lunch. 

In the butchery department choose the leanest piece of brisket you can find.  Brisket is a cheap cut of beef but that doesn't mean that it is nasty, in fact it can be the most succulent and tender meat you could find.

• Rinse the meat under the cold tap and pat dry with kitchen roll.
• Melt a little oil in a large pan on the hob and brown all sides of the meat.  (This step can be omitted if you don't want to do it)
• Place the brisket in a deep casserole dish (or slow cooker if you have one) and cover with water.  I use boiling water just to speed things up.  Add a bay leaf if you have one, at this stage you can add a stock cube if you wish or you can leave it until you are making the gravy.
• Put the lid on the dish and place in the oven at about 180 deg Gas Mark 4 for 2 -3 hours, the longer you leave it the better it will be.  If using a slow cooker it is best to put it in the previous night and let it cook overnight. (If it is for Sunday lunch, if it is for an evening meal put it on in the morning)  You can switch it off when you get up and just leave it in the pot until you need it.
• About 20 minutes before you need the meat (i.e. when you put the vegetables on to cook) remove it from the pot, place on a plate and cover with foil.*

* Once the meat is covered in foil, if you invert another plate on top of it and then stand something heavy on it to press it down a little, the meat will slice better and will therefore give more servings.  This however is optional, I personally prefer not to do it as the meat loses a lot of its succulence.

To make gravy

place some of the stock into a pan, with a stock cube (or gravy granules if you prefer) if you haven't used one earlier, bring tUo the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring until the stock cube is dissolved. 

If you are using gravy browning add that now 

Put one tablespoon of cornflour into a cup and add a little cold water, stirring to a loose paste, if the cornflour feels resistant to stirring add a little more water until it loosens up.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow any bubbling to subside, then add about half of the cornflour mixture stirring all the time, return to the heat and bring back to the boil.  If the gravy isn't thick enough repeat the process with the rest of the cornflour mixture always remembering to remove the gravy from the heat before adding the cornflour otherwise it will go lumpy.

Remember that gravy is not scary - if it goes lumpy you can either whisk the lumps out or you can put it through a sieve.  If it is too thick, add more water, if it is too thin, make more cornflour paste and add that.

If you prefer onion gravy, slice an onion and fry it in a little butter and oil until it is translucent.  Sprinkle the cornflour over the onions, stir it in and then add boiling water stirring all the time.  Add stock cube and browning or gravy granules keep stirring until it is boiling and then reduce heat and simmer. 

Yorkshire Puddings, Pancakes,& Toad in the Hole & a Dessert

You can make as much or as little of this as you wish by altering the size of the cup you use.

• 1 cup of Plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup of eggs (crack enough eggs into the cup to fill it) 
• 1 cup of milk (either full fat or semi-skimmed but NOT skimmed - they need to have a little bit of fat in the milk and won't rise without it.)

• Place the flour into a large bowl along with the salt, add the eggs and milk and whisk with a balloon whisk until all the mixture is combined.  Set the bowl aside for an hour so that the liquid can absorb the flour properly.
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• Place a knob of vegetable fat or a little oil into each yorkshire pudding tin hole, or a larger knob into a large tin.  Place it into a very hot oven 200 - 220 deg Gas mark 7 or 8 if you have it, and leave until the fat/oil is giving off a slight haze.   Fill the holes with the batter, there should be a sizzling sound when you put the batter into the oil if it is hot enough. 
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• Place the tin in the hot oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the Yorkshire puddings are risen and golden brown.

It really is that easy!!

Pancakes


You use the same mixture to make pancakes, but because pancake batter needs to be a little thinner, add 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of water to the mix.  
Then:

• Heat about a teaspoon of oil in a frying pan until it is smoking hot,
• Quickly pour in a little of the batter and move the pan to roll the batter around the base of it.  
• When the bubbles have burst and the top looks dry carefully lift the pancake and turn it over in the pan, or if you are a show off you can try tossing it, but why risk losing your pancake.

Toad in the Hole

Grill or fry sausages of  your choice until they are cooked and brown.  Lay the sausages in an ovenproof dish and pour Yorkshire Pudding batter over them, then cook as for Yorkshire Pudding.

Obviously Roast beef is not going to be a regular feature of a student diet but yorkshire puddings go well with savoury mince or stew, and you can make up a batch of batter for one day and then keep some of it to make Toad in the Hole the following day.   Alternatively you can make up a whole batch of Yorkshire Puddings and when they have cooled, put them into a plastic box and put them in the freezer.  When you next need them pop the required number into a hot over for 2 or 3 minutes.

Yet another use for Yorkshire Pudding Batter - Dessert


Add a small amount of sugar to the mixture, icing sugar or caster sugar would be best but if you don't have it use granulated.


Butter a pie dish and either empty a can of fruit (with the liquid drained out of it) into it or use some sliced fresh soft fruit, cherries, berries or peaches etc.  Pour the batter over the top of it and put it in the oven at the same temperature 200- 220 deg. Gas mark 7/8 .  When it is risen and golden remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar.  This is a basic fruit clafoutis
You can serve it on its own or with pouring cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Chicken Curry (for 4 people)

Despite all the boasting and bragging of curry lovers, curry does not have to be hot, the idea is to enhance the flavour, not to incinerate the buccal mucosa.


I usually allow one chicken breast per person, or if I can get them I buy a pack of boneless thigh fillets.  The meat is not as dry as chicken breast, has more flavour and is cheaper.

• 1 Chicken breast per person or a pack of 6 boneless thigh fillets
• 1 onion - sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic - crushed
• 1 tablespoon of Oil
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander*
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger*
• 1/2 to 1 tsp chilli powder*
• 1 can of tomatoes
• 2oz rice per person

*These are the spices which will add heat so take care with them, you can use more if you really want to make your curry hot.


You can also add cardamoms but you need to grind the pods to get the tiny seeds out, I use a cup and the end of a rolling pin rather than a pestle and mortar, but only because I don't have one.

• Cut the meat into bitesized pieces and set aside. 
• Put a large pan (I use a wok) over a high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the oil, garlic and the onions. Turn the heat down and fry them until they are soft and translucent, then add the spices and stir in well.  
• Add the chicken and cook until it has all turned white under the spicy coating it will gain.
• Add the tomatoes, remember to cut the stalk ends off each tomato as they can be unpleasant in the mouth.  Break the tomatoes up with a spatula or wooden spoon.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.

In the meantime wash the rice thoroughly and put in a pan with enough water to just cover the rice.  Bring to boil and then simmer for about 15 mins.  The water should be gone and the rice should be fluffy with separated grains.

If you need to cook more than the quantity given you can add more chicken, onion and tomatoes but don't double up on the spices.  

If you want to make more then add 1 tablespoon of flour at the stage where you have cooked off the chicken, onion and spices.  Sprinkle it over the top of the ingredients in the pan and stir in, then add the tomatoes, including an extra can.  (You can do this without adding extra meat just to make it go further without adding greatly to the cost.)

Serve with naan bread and a dish of yoghurt.