There's the rub...

As we’re coming into the summer here in England, assuming the rain stays away it will be well and truly barbecue season.  Many shops sell pre-seasoned and marinated meat but it really is just as easy – not to mention cheaper and more fun – to make your own.

Here are recipes for three different dry rubs that I put on chicken drumsticks put which could have easily gone on steak, pork chops, ribs, whatever.  I personally prefer to use the dry rub rather than a sauce, as generally the sauce will burn and that is what usually blackens the food.  Sauces can be put on afterwards if necessary.

All you have to do is simply rub the meat all over with the mixture and set it aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the meat to really absorb the flavours.  If you have the time, put it in the fridge overnight.

The method is the same for all these rubs… simply mix together with your fingers.  It is that easy.

Eastern Rub

This is the only one that requires a little bit of prep that isn’t measuring ground spices out into a bowl.

Ingredients

20 star anise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
10cm cinnamon stick
12 cloves
1 ½ tablespoon golden caster sugar
1 ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon rock salt or sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon mango powder

The prep

1.      Take the star anise, mustard seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves and dry fry them for 30 seconds or until the seeds start popping.

2.      Grind them up to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle (which will take about 15 minutes) or you can use a dry mill or grinder.  The Bamix has a dry mill attachment that is perfect for this task and it takes about 15 seconds.

The method

1.      Mix all the powders together with your fingers, breaking up any clumps of sugar or large salt flakes.

2.      Rub all over the meat and set aside for at least half an hour before cooking.

The “four-by-four” rub

This is called the four-by-four as it uses four ingredients in four equal quantities.  The method is the same as above and there is no prep other than to measure the spice and seasoning.  This is the rub I used in the Beer Can Chicken recipe.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon rock salt or sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground ginger

Mexican Rub

As before… no prep, just measure and mix.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon rock salt or sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Midweek Pasta Sauce

Kids generally love pasta.  However, the tastiest sauces that you can buy commercially aren’t cheap and the ones that are contain all sorts of rubbish.  This sauce is made for them after school of an evening and takes 10-15 minutes max, including all the prep.  In fact, get the pasta on first and you'll havce finished the sauce by the time the pasta has cooked. It’s quick, cheap and healthy… plus it tastes so much nicer than the bottled or packet sauces.  There is absolutely none left on the plate once the kids have wolfed this lot down and very rarely is there anything left over for us!

Ingredients (serves 4 children or 2-3 adults)

500g fresh tomatoes (you could use canned chopped tomatoes in an emergency but using fresh is just so much better)

1 clove garlic

A good pinch of salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Worcester sauce

50g Parmesan cheese

Several fresh basil leaves

1 tblsp Olive oil

The Prep

1.      Bung the tomatoes in the food processor and whizz for a few seconds until they are very roughly chopped.  You want to be able to see some lumps in there, so don’t make it a puree!  Cherry tomatoes are particularly good for this recipe.

2.      Peel and crush the garlic clove

3.      Grate the cheese

4.      Tear or finely chop the basil leaves, setting some aside for garnish

The Method

1.     Put the olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic.  Heat on medium for about 30-40 seconds.

2.     Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.     Add most of the chopped basil, the salt, pepper and a dash of Worcester sauce (or to taste – but it is very overpowering if you use too much).

4.     Continue cooking for a further 2-3 minutes, making sure the seasoning is well stirred in.

5.     Pour over the pasta, sprinkle some of the grated Parmesan on top and add the remaining basil leaves.

Voila!  A simple, basic pasta sauce the kids will love and which can be totally prepared while the pasta is cooking.

(Tip – For something with a spicy kick, add a chopped chilli in to the mix. Don’t be afraid to experiment with seasoning either… for instance, Oregano goes extremely well with this dish too.)

Beer Can Chicken

Just recently I discovered this BBQ recipe for chicken which is sweeping across the USA.  BBQ’s are big business over there and they have “Grill Shops” that even sell contraptions to keep the chicken from falling over during cooking (the picture at bottom explains that statement).  I’ve yet to find one in the UK although to be fair I haven’t looked very hard.

What I have done though is made this on the BBQ and Dawn thinks it’s probably the nicest chicken she’s ever tasted.  The principle is that the chicken is cooked upright, sat on a beer can that is half full of beer.  The heat makes the beer evaporate with the steam keeping the chicken moist inside, and the fact that it is upright stops it laying in its own juices, especially if you can find a way of keeping it vertical. 

There are two other tricks; the seasoning, which is detailed below and is one of several dry rubs that I use for BBQ meat (I call this one a 4-by-4 as it is 4 spices/seasonings in 4 equal measures) and the fact that it is cooked using “Indirect Grilling”, which takes longer to cook the bird but doesn’t make it burn or char.  A kettle BBQ with a lid is essential for this and a meat thermometer is extremely useful.

Aside from that, it's probably the easiest BBQ chicken ever.

Ingredients –

1 whole chicken (without giblets)

1 can of beer (any type) – 440ml

1 tablespoon rock salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon ground ginger

The Prep

1)      Combine the salt, pepper, paprika and ginger in a bowl and mix well to make a dry rub.

2)      Remove the Parson’s Nose (if necessary) to ensure there is a large cavity opening at the south end of the bird.  Cover the chicken in the dry rub and rub it in well – that’s why it’s called a rub - putting some of the seasoning in the cavity of the chicken. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

3)      If using a gas BBQ, light the outside burners only.  If using charcoal, light the coals and then, when smouldering and turning white, move into two piles at the edge of the BBQ.  We basically want no heat in the middle.  Charcoal users may find this tricky as there are no fats or juices fuelling the flames and unless watched and tended the BBQ may go out.

4)      Empty half the beer from the can into a glass.  You can drink this bit. Enjoy!

The Method

1)      Place the half full beer can on a baking or roasting tray and stand the chicken on it,  pushing the can into the cavity (see picture).

2)      Make sure BBQ is as hot as it can be and then place the tray with the chicken in the middle.

3)      Close the lid.

4)      Wait between 1 and 1.5 hours.  Hopefully the bird will still be upright and the juices will be in the tray.  The skin shouldn’t be burnt or charred and to make sure the bird is cooked, insert a thermometer into the deepest part of the breast.  You are looking for a temperature of around 80 degrees.

5)      Once done, using an oven glove with one hand and BBQ tongs with the other, gently lift the chicken off of the can and put on a plate or board to stand for 10 minutes.

6)      Carve and enjoy!

Pecan Pate (V)

Mark made this vegetarian pate for the guests on one of Dawn’s Yoga retreats and to say it was a hit is an understatement.  We were all licking the bowl and more had to be made!  It is incredibly tasty and is another oft requested recipe.  Like regular pate, it goes extremely well on crackers, toast or oatcakes. Add to it tomato, some lettuce tossed lightly in oil and lemon with seasoning for a delicious snack or light lunch.

Making a pate for vegetarians/vegans is always a bit of a challenge as the consistency can sometimes be a bit tricky.  Make sure the liquid quantities are spot on or it could be a little sloppy.

To be a purist and make it vegan, substitute Vegemite with Vecon. Carnivores can replace with Marmite or Bovril for a more meaty taste.  Personally we LOVE the vegetarian option best.

Ingredients

120g breadcrumbs

120g Pecans

1 large or 2 small carrots

1 small onion

25g fresh parsley

2 tblsp Tomato puree

2 teaspoons of Vegemite (Vecon for Vegans, Marmite or Bovril for Carnivores)

1 tblsp hot water

The prep

1.      Finely chop the parsley

2.      Peel and roughly chop the carrots and onion

3.      To make the breadcrumbs, cut the crusts off 3 or 4 slices of bread, weigh the slices and then whizz in a food processor

4.      Put the Vegemite (or Vecon/Marmite/Bovril) into the hot water and stir until it dissolves

5.      Grind the pecans.  We would use the Bamix dry mill or this is an easy job for a mortar and pestle.

The method (This is the really tricky part)

1.      Put all ingredients into a food processor.

2.      Blend until the consistency is as smooth as it can get.

3.      Garnish with a fresh herb (I used Basil), cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours although the flavours develop further the longer it is left.

Yes, that’s it.  Very difficult.  Be prepared to make lots as this is really tasty and tends to just disappear.

Pear and Pecan Delights

On one of our recent wet Bank Holiday weekends (take your pick!), Dawn was bedbound with a nasty flu-death-plague-monia type illness, so with all the kids off out doing something I decided to spend the afternoon in the kitchen.

Amongst other things, I came up with this; dead simple to make and very tasty.  You could substitute any soft fruit and nut for variation; Apple and Walnut, Peach and Almond, even Pineapple and Macadamia for a tropical edge… hmmm… that last one I’ve just thought of!  Guess what I’m doing this afternoon…

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter

200g light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 medium sized pears

100g pecan nuts

Icing sugar, for dusting

The Prep

1.      Leave the butter at room temperature for a while so that it’s soft

2.      Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/ gas 4

3.      Grease and line a 20cm/8 inch square cake tin

4.      Crack the eggs into a cup and lightly beat with a fork

5.      Peel and core the pears and chop finely

6.      Roughly chop the pecans – not too fine though.  You want lumps of pecan in the cake.

The Method

1.      Mix the butter and sugar together thoroughly.  It should feel quite light to move about.

2.      Add the vanilla extract to the cup with the eggs, stir and then add gradually to the mixture, beating well after each addition

3.      Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the mixture in stages.  Make sure it is completely mixed in before adding the next lot.

4.      Throw in the pears and pecans a few at a time and again, mix well.

5.      Transfer the mixture to the baking tin with a spoon and smooth it off level with the spoon back.

6.      Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until golden in colour.

7.      Set aside to cool in the tin and then dust with the icing sugar before cutting into squares.

Apple and Stilton sauce

For a quick, homemade variation of Apple sauce as an accompaniment to roast pork, try this.  It takes about 15 minutes and is just as nice hot or cold.  I have to say it is particularly good the following day with some left over pork in a sandwich.  Yummy!

Ingredients

2 apples - any variety although a cooking apple will give a slight tartness
25g Stilton cheese
100ml water
1 tblsp lemon juice
2 tblsp brown sugar


The Prep

1.  Peel and core the apples, then cut into slices
2.  That's it!


The Method

1.  Put the apples in a small pan with the water and sugar, cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the apples have broken down to mush
2.  Crumble in the Stilton and cook until it melts and becomes stringy, which won't take long... maybe 30 seconds or so.
3.  Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Ta-da!

A Lovers Banquet

So last Sunday our house turned into a kid free zone, which is almost unheard of.  A WHOLE DAY TO OURSELVES!  What to do? 

You guessed it - after a nice long lay in and a bracing 2 hour walk (in the rain!) we decided to spend the afternoon cooking up the food of lurve in the kitchen.  One of our great pleasures is to make each other something yummy to eat so an afternoon with some wine, some sounds and some food is our idea of heaven.  The resulting banquet was so delicious we are happy to share it with you folks. So enjoy working together in the kitchen, the banquet is truly easy and time-wise the whole thing took about 2.5 hours including all the prep and cooking time and washing up.  Dawn is an obsessive "wash and wipe" type o' gal.  So, a little tip -  to avoid marital disharmony, decide ahead of time who is cooking what and then, by working together, you can get to the point where you actually have finished everything and you are just waiting for the meal to cook!   Below, we've listed a suggested order which kind of brings everything together just right... and we're sure you won’t need any suggestions as to how to fill your spare time here… it is called a lovers banquet after all!

Menu

Starter – Spicy Squash Soup

Main – Sausage in caraway and mustard batter, served with steamed carrots and broccoli and a caramelised onion gravy

Dessert – Strawberry shortcake towers

Note – the following quantities will produce enough to serve 4.  This makes sense from an economic point of view and also means you can enjoy the meal twice… although you could always wow another couple by inviting them over for dinner and sharing it with them.  The dessert is particularly impressive!

Ingredients

For the soup

1.5 kg butternut squash

3 tblsp olive oil

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 tsp dried thyme (or some fresh thyme if you can get it)

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 large onions

1 large garlic clove

400ml chicken stock (vegetable also works well)

1 knob of butter

2 slices of bread (to make croutons)

For the main course

2 eggs

150g plain flour

300ml milk

2 tsp French or Dijon mustard

1 tsp caraway seeds

8 good quality sausages

1 red onion

2 tsp olive oil

For the gravy

2 onions

Knob of butter

500ml stock (we used lamb but beef, chicken or vegetable would work)

Salt

For the accompaniments

4 large carrots

8 large florets of broccoli

For the dessert

The pastry

140g unsalted butter

250g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting

85g caster sugar

1 egg plus one extra egg yolk

The filling

200ml double cream

100ml Amaretto

50g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

½ vanilla pod

300g strawberries

The Order

We’ll list this below for each course, but timing wise, do it in the following order. If working together, 1 person could do a, c, e, g, I, k and m with the other doing b, d, f, h, j, l and n

a)      Make the pastry

b)      Caramelise the onions for the gravy

c)      Make the batter and brown the sausages

d)      Make the soup

e)      Cook the pastry and then allow to cool

f)       Make the croutons

g)      Prep the veg for the main course

h)      Make the filling for the desserts

i)       Finish the gravy

j)       Construct the desserts and then chill

k)      Add the batter to the sausages

l)       Steam the veg

m)    Reheat soup and serve

n)      Reheat gravy and serve with main course

For the soup

The Prep

1.      Peel and de-seed the squash, then cut into cubes

2.      Preheat oven to 200 degrees (gas 6)

3.      Dry fry the cumin and coriander seeds for 30 seconds over a high heat and then crush to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.

4.      Peel and slice the onions and garlic

5.      To make the stock, use a stock cube and 400ml boiling water

The Method

1.      Put the squash into a roasting tin and drizzle with 2 tblsp of the oil.  Season and sprinkle with the chilli and thyme. Roast for about 40-45 minutes, shaking tin every 10 minutes or so.

2.      Meanwhile, make the croutons.  Remove the crusts from the bread and then cut into small squares.  Each slice should yield 16 small croutons. Grease or oil a baking tray and lay the bread flat.  Drizzle with the remaining oil and put in the oven for just a few minutes.  Keep an eye on them because they will burn quickly… just a few minutes is enough.  Remove and set aside to cool.

3.      Melt the butter in a large saucepan or stock pot and cook the onions and garlic until softened.

4.      Put the roasted squash, onion, garlic and stock into a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth.

5.      Add the cumin/coriander spice mix to taste (if you use the whole lot it will be quite spicy!).

6.      Serve with the croutons.

For the main course

The Prep

1.      Preheat the oven to 200 degrees/gas 6.

2.      Peel, halve and slice the onions for the gravy.

3.      Peel the red onion and cut into wedges.

4.      Peel and slice the carrots; set aside.

5.      Cut the broccoli into small florets; set aside.

6.      To make the stock, use a stock cube and 400ml boiling water.

7.      To make the gravy, cook the onions over a low heat with the butter and a good pinch of salt.  Keep stirring frequently until the onions go brown, but do not let them burn!  This will take at least 20-30 minutes.  Then add the stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Set aside.  This can be quickly reheated when you serve.

8.      To make the batter, put the eggs and a little of the milk into a bowl.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth, then put the rest of the milk in and whisk.  This can be done in a food processor if you like (use the mixing rather than the chopping blade).  Add the mustard and caraway seeds and stir them in thoroughly.

   

The Method

1.      Put the sausages and red onion wedges into a roasting/baking tin or large ovenproof dish.

2.      Drizzle with the oil, season with salt and pepper and then cook for 20 minutes or until sausages are browned.

3.      Pour the batter over the sausages, return to the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden.

4.      We steamed our broccoli and carrots for 10 minutes in a steamer but you could just boil them if you prefer.  The carrots will take about 15 minutes and the broccoli 10.

5.      Just before plating up, reheat the gravy.

6.      Serve.

  

For the dessert

The Prep

1.      Heat oven to 180 degrees/gas 4

2.      Line 2-3 baking trays with greaseproof paper

3.      Cut the butter into cubes

4.      Beat the egg and yolk together in a bowl.

5.      To make the pastry, combine the butter, flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.  Rub together until it looks like a bowl of breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar.  Add the egg gradually and keep stirring until the dough becomes smooth.  You may not need all of the egg mixture. Make the dough into a ball, cover in cling film and put in the fridge for half an hour.

 

6.      To make the filling, put the cream and icing sugar in a bowl.  Split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream.  Whip the cream, gradually adding the Amaretto until it has all been added and then keep whipping until the cream forms soft peaks. Put in fridge.

 

7.      Slice the strawberries very finely.

The Method

1.      Lightly flour a worksurface and roll out the pastry.  It should be about ½ cm thick.

2.      Using a cutter or small plate, cut out some 8cm rounds.

3.      Place the discs on the baking trays and put in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

4.      Set aside to cool.

5.      When almost ready to serve, set aside the best 4 discs.  These will be the ones that will be on the top.

6.      Take 4 of the other biscuits and lay them flat.  Spread a layer of the cream on each one, and then cover with about half of the strawberries.  Add some more cream on top.  Then add another biscuit and repeat.

7.      Place the previously set aside biscuits on the top, dust with icing sugar and serve.