Sirloin Steak With Peppercorn & Soy Served With Cheesy Mash

The Aggs came round for dinner the other day. We were blood thirsty after Vodka Martinis at the new "Off Broadway" Bar on Broadway Market, Hackney and the typical new year discussions about changes to be made. (There is a nice crowd and atmosphere in there).

As well as the Chicken Soup which tastes full of health, we had steak and mash cooked to perfection.



Ingredients

Sirloin/ Fillet/ Rump Steak (Can't go wrong when you buy it from M&S)
Peppercorns
Garlic
Soy Sauce
Potatoes - Milk, Butter, Cheese
Lemon

Marinate Steak in Peppercorns, Olive Oil, Crushed Garlic, Soy Sauce & Squeeze Of Lemon
Peel & Boil the Potatoes.
When potatoes are nearly ready to be mashed:
In hot pan, fry steak. About 2 mins on both side - I like it rare/ medium.

Rest for 5 mins
Make mash with Milk, Butter, Cheese or however you like it.
Serve with Mash. Add veg or salad.

We could not decide which dish to eat and ate everything at once, together, this then that! It was all soooo good!

Chicken Soup With Carrots, Parsnips, Courgette & Corriander/ Parsley

This is a great soup for days when you are feeling under the weather or even when you are feeling just fine. Easy and quick to make - you will really win if you make it for an ill loved one. Save some for the dogs - they love it! Its a real treat - (but don't use ginger/ garlic or onions if you are going to do that)


Ingredients

Chicken - I use thighs or legs and remove all the skin and fat.
Chicken Stock - what the chicken was cooking in.
Knorr Chicken stock cube
Carrot
Courgette
Parsnip
One clove of garlic - optional
Ginger (optional - great for curing colds though)
Pasta eg penne, shells, twists, or those mini soupie ones
Fish Sauce

Boil the chicken. I put a lid on and leave it at a low/medium heat and it boils slowly and gets done in about 20 mins.

Take out the chicken and shred one thigh for one portion. Put the bones back into the stock to add flavour.

Boil some pasta. You don't need much for one person as there are all the other vegetables in the soup.

Cut one courgette, parsnip, carrot.
Then put it all the soup to continue cooking, adding the courgettes last as they do not take long to cook. Add the stock cube.
Add some ginger and garlic if you wish. Or even a chilli if you are like Thilo and wants everything hot! Season with fish sauce.

Bring to a slow boil. In less than 10 mins the carrots and parsnips should be soft, then add in the courgettes and the shredded chicken pieces.

When your pasta is done, place as much as you want to eat in a bowl and pour the soup over it. Garnish with parsley or corriander.

Mill lots of black pepper onto it.

Get lots of love. x

Omlette With Vietnamese Salami - Lac Xung & Spring Onions

When my mother ran out of money she would whip this one up. No matter what, it always used to cheer my brother and I up. There is always a packet of Vietnamese Salami in the fridge in case of hunger emergencies. It has always been great as a midnight snack too as there was always a pot of rice on standby.

Ingredients

Vietnamese Salami
Eggs
Garlic
Spring Onions


Slice the salami into half centimetre pieces and fry in a pan without any oil on medium heat. The fat in the salami will come out with the heat. Then add the garlic.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs. I use 2 per person.
Watch that the salami does not burn. Fry only about 2 - 3 mins
Add the eggs and chopped spring onions.
Turn
Turn again

(if you want, you can scramble it all up)

Serve With Rice
Season With Soy sauce at the table. The flavour of the salami fills the omlette so I don't usually add it.

The Aggs has dreams about this dish and I have given it to her since we were little children. It takes 5 mins and its the best comfort food. Now its more like a special treat.
I have not tried it with any other salami - let me know if that works.

Pancetta & Pea Penne

Another one from Bela's kitchen I bought back from Zurich

Ingredients

Penne
Pancetta or Ham - Chopped into squares
Peas
Single Cream
Parmesan
Onion
Garlic


Fry Onions and Pancetta until slightly brown
Add Peas (you can also use courgettes)
Add Cream
Add Garlic
Add Parmesan
Season With Salt & Pepper

Serve immediately

I have been naughty and used frankfurters & courgettes. Its also amazing. It was all that was in the fridge at the time. Agnieszka couldn't believe her luck and probably uses frankfurters more often than pancetta.

Roasted Aubergines With Sweet Caramelised Spring Onion Soy Sauce

Coming soon

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Coming Soon...

Breast Of Duck Sliced With Ginger & Garlic Fish Sauce Served With Congee

Coming Soon...