Tomato, Mascarpone and Lobster Linguine

Jo's Tomato, Mascarpone and Lobster Linguine

SERVES TWO

As we are running way low on funds, I have been trying to use up some of our cupboard/freezer odds and ends and would you believe it? We had some lobster tails in the deep freeze and following a recent visit to Piccolo Amore, there came the inspiration.  Well the inspiration was "lobster" plus "italian".  They have a lobster dish on their menu that will set you back almost £30.  We got our tails from Aldi for under a tenner and as far as I can make out, no lobsters were harmed in the making of this as it was uncooked for a start!  It is worth mentioning now, that Monkfish appears to be exactly the same as lobster at a fraction of the price.  Once it is chopped up, there would be no telling.  

The sauce is for once not a heavy one, I opted for delicate flavouring rather than all out garlic city.  Originally my post didn't include a creamy feel, but it worked so well in the end.  It is also worth noting that this can never be a health-conscious dish also fresh herbs are best - we didn't as it was a store cupboard meal.

A handy tip is to get your other half to de-shell the lobster meat.  I for one couldn't have eaten this if I was left to do that job.  So we have our lobster chopped into small chunks, lets go with the sauce ... 

All hail Aldi - it may look like a mean portion but it is more than enough for two!

Tomato and Mascarpone Sauce (each ingredient goes straight in the pot)

1 x Passata

2 x deseeded green chilli's (blend them if you have to)

2 x Garlic Cloves (no more than 2 blend also if needs be)

Handful of basil

Handful of Oregano

Tsp Majoram

2 heaped tbsp Mascarpone (or more if you want more creamy decadence) 

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Black Pepper

Glug of white wine

Tsp sugar (if required)

Blend together over a low heat for about 10 minutes before switching off the hob.  Add the lobster and leave to cool.  I don't recommend any salt be added to this sauce as the lobster flavour is great on its own. 

Simmering Sauce

Altogether now!

After the sauce has cooled, place back on the lowest heat possible whilst boiling your water for the pasta.  Allow 90g of pasta per person and add salt to the boiling water.  Whilst cooking, prepare a nice green or tomato salad with olives and balsamic.  Slice your fresh, crusty bread or garlic bread.  

By this time the sauce will have been cooking slowly for 15-20 mins and will be cooked perfectly at the same time as the pasta.  

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how well this went.  I had never had lobster before and I was most impressed.  We shall be using monkfish until our financial situation improves!  There is no wastage with this one - I have converted the rest of the sauce into a lovely tomato and lobster soup with a little stock.  Bargain!!!!

Goulash-ish

More than Your Five A Day!

 Anyone who knows me well, knows that although I am a salad fiend, vegetables are my nemesis.  Whole chunks of blandness such as carrot, suede and parsnips unless flavoured to the max will stay defiantly on that plate.  Even days of fasting would not get me eating that fowl plate - sprouts?? They taste like what shit smells of and smell like shit as does cauliflower and broccoli.  Dexter's farts are more tolerable.  The best way to get me eating this stuff is to disguise it.  No ordinary stew will do, ever so don't go there.  Finely chopped veg that has softened and lost its flavour by slow cooking is the best way.

So onto my loosely named "Goulash".  most will recognise the basics but this is a super version in terms of veg and additional flavouring.

Again, to reiterate, it is my opinion that the amount of ingredients that go in are down to the individual tastes of your household and regular tasting should be your best guide.

More Than Your "5 a day"

Finely chop the following and place in a large dish:

A leek
A large red onion
A red pepper
2 carrots
Small punnet of baby mushrooms
2 handfuls of frozen, sliced green beans
2 handfuls of black olives
1 red chilli (seeds in)
3 minced garlic cloves
(3 bean salad left over from bbq!)

(2 packs of tomato passata to be used before cooking)

Final Prep:

Lightly brown a large pack of diced beef (butcher is best) in olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika.  Add the veg and sweat down on a low heat.  Be generous with your glug of red wine then add the packs of passata.  Be generous with herbs de Provence, garlic salt, basil and even more so paprika. 

You shouldn't need any cornflower as if slow cooking over a few hours should remove a lot of moisture.  How long to cook? How long is a piece of string? Minimum of 45 mins in the oven to hours and hours in a slow cooker ... it's essentially cooked before it is cooked!!

Serve with brown rice, bread or mash - again your choice.  Ours is currently cooking away to itself nicely and smells great!

Easy Tips For Making A Good BBQ

Not A Good Way To Start - Safety First!

It's no secret that we at the Sandy-Goodey house love a good barbecue.  Veggie or Carnivore, all tastes are catered for here!  I personally like to pick at many different things rather than a huge portion of one thing.  My absolute favourite food is salad in all its many guises.  I just love it.  I get bored with bland flavours and too much of the same thing.  That is why an Alex/Jo barbecue is so well received.  Something for everyone and the best bit is that after all my preparation, Alex takes over with the cooking - I am allowed nowhere near the sacred barbecue!  Here follows some of our recipes and marinades that make it so special.  As you can see there are no complaints!

One of the first things we did to our house on moving in was make the garden a nice place to have a barbecue.  We ripped out the grass, shrubs and have two dining areas, the decking with the chiminea and the patio area.  Come rain or shine, our parasols do their job.  This is an early development photo.

So, onto those recipes!

Carrot and cheese
Such a complex recipe but it's worth the toil! Grate carrots and strong cheddar.  Thats that one done (thanks for the recipe Aussie Nana!)

Green Salad

Rocket, diced cucumber, diced green pepper, thinly sliced spring onions

Tomato Salad

Beef tomatoes (sliced) black olives (whole) ripped basil leaves, cubed feta, sliced red onion and balsamic vinegar

Laurens Potato Salad

New Potatoes, sliced.  Thinly Sliced Gherkin, wholegrain mustard, mayo and white wine vinegar - fit as a butchers dog!

Yummm!

Chicken In Various Marinades

Having a brother and sis in law in Australia has it's clear advantages.  Let's face it, the aussies know a thing or two about barbies!  Whether you marinade in your own favourite flavours - Our is garlic and chilli butter (well Pure to be precise) or find something else you like, we like these "Outback" marinades for an authentic taste.  

Good luck sourcing this little lot!

Ribs

Best ribs, already marinated ... the prize goes to Peter Goss.  Spot on, not much fat and not much emphasis on bones.  Awesome!

Prawn, Pineapple and Chorizo Skewers

Does what it says on the tin, once on the skewer drizzle with sweet chilli sauce.  It is a me creation but boy its good!

Chinese BBQ Pork

Yum all the way.  Use a shop bought bbq sauce - Nando's do a good one and marinade over night.  Before putting on the barbie cut into strips.  After cooking, serve in a pitta bread with spring onions, iceberg and cucumber with a drizzle of Hoisin Sauce. Simple but totally yum!

Easy!!!

Paneer Skewers

Nobody is left out at one of our affairs.  Paneer is most a most versatile of cheeses.  Can't get paneer then use halloumi.  Alternate the cheese, pineapple and red peppers with a drizzle of soy sauce

General Veggie Stuff

The best sausages and burgers available in my opinion are Linda McCartney Mozzarella Burgers available in the freezer section in most decent outlets and Tesco's meat free sausages.  These compliment all the sides very well.

Burgers and Sausages

I urge you to spend that little bit more.  The supermarkets cannot compete with a good burger or sausage from the butcher.  Barbecues are not, in my opinion, a cheap feed.  Quality is everything and you won't find a substandard piece of meat/horse find it's way onto our barbie ever!  If you are really pushing the boat out try cooking a good rib eye.  

BBQ Sides

Stick some corn on the cobs, salted asparagus and make caramelised onions on to cook.  Buy the best buns and hotdog rolls - we like seeded ones and try melting brie or roquefort on the burgers to add that special touch!  Taking the time to make garlic mushrooms using minced garlic and cream adds that special touch

Condiments

How long is a piece of string?  Salad dressings a must.  Aldi do an exceptional range including relishes like chilli, burger sauce and onion.  Blue Dragon are great for the oriental flavours and of course the obligatory French's mustard and Heinz Ketchup - your choice!!

All that remains is to make sure the booze/shots flow - get your guests to invent cocktails!  Power to your garden is a bonus, as it is your bbq, your guests have to endure your tunes, as do the neighbours.  

HAPPY BARBIE'ING EVERYBODY!!!!

 

(Fake) Pork Thing - Sung Choi Bao - sort of

Thank you to my Sis-in-Law for the inspiration ..... tastes better with pork, but quorn is an acceptable substitute! 

Simple Blend of Fresh and Store Cupboard Ingredients

Preparation Time:  Depends how fast can you chop + add 10 minutes cooking time!  

Ingredients:

Pork Mince or Quorn for 2
1 Diced Onion
1 Diced Pepper (red or green)
Squirt of Ginger (Gourmet Garden)
Squirt of Chilli (Gourmet Garden)
3 tbsp Oyster Sauce
3tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Five Spice
Small Tin of thinly sliced Water Chestnuts

Stirfry in Wok on medium heat whilst preparing the paste

1 Seeded Green Chilli (into hand blender pot)
4 garlic cloves
Handful of Coriander Leaves
Slug of Olive Oil

Blend and add to the wok

Finished Mixture

That is pretty much it.  Slice Spring Onions and Cucumber with a generous helping of hoisin sauce this goes well in wraps or for a more healthy option use iceberg lettuce in the place of a wrap.  We are going for wraps tonight ... simple, not too high in fat or calories but totally scrummy!!

It looks a bit like this - don't forget the salad garnish and Hoisin Sauce!

Nadia's Takeaway

It's latest name is Nadia's

This place, situated on quiet Southwold near Tesco has recently raised it's game.  The place is inviting from outside with its lovely interior design with its mood lighting and cushions. 

After having two below average deliveries (yes we get them to deliver despite only being five minutes away) and abstaining from their services, the curry urge took hold.  After the disappointment of Shakil's and their failure to compensate anything, we thought enough is enough.  

The original meal plan was to be a homemade pasta and salad.  Nope.  Walking past Nadia's with Dexter-Woof sealed our fate.  We popped in and reminded them of the 20% discount owed and ordered when we got home.  Alex went for the biryani which is loaded with saffron, so I couldn't try it and I ordered a korma sauce with a garlic nan to dip into it.  The popadums were ok, the red sauce wasn't a patch on Shakils, but they went down well with some of Alex's gorgeous mango chutney.

The food exceeded expectation and I would say that their garlic nan was the best I've had so far in Bicester.  It would have been nice to know if they had changed their kitchen staff, but with the hefty discount we received I decided it would be rude to start enquiring.  We let the food do the talking.  

They have the makings of a most competitive restaurant, if they had the space.  Such a shame they don't as I think they would do well.  For us, to be able to walk somewhere local that isn't the Bure Farm, would be amazing.

Well done, Nadia's, our faith is restored.  just deliver that same quality a few more times and I will mourn Shakil's no more!

Thai Green Curry

My Thai Green Curry With Jumbo Prawns

I first learned of it in Bangkok and here is my UK version ....

GREEN PASTE

Forget the pestle and mortar get a mini food processor!

• 3 Green Chilli's
• The Zest of One Lime and it's juice (keep what is left)
• 1 onion
• Fresh Coriander
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 4 lime leaves
• 1 chopped Lemongrass stalks
• 2 inches of ginger stalks
• 1 inch of chopped Galangal
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• Half a Tsp Of Tamarind Paste
• A generous slug of Olive Oil

Feel free to experiment with the above ingredients as nothing is set in stone!

Whizz it to within an inch of its life in a blender!

THE REST

• Pack Of Raw Jumbo King Prawns or Diced Chicken
• 2 Tins Coconut Milk (light or full fat - you want it to be more soup like add veg stock and extra Milk)
• Green Pepper (diced)
• 3 Handfuls Of Frozen Sliced Green Beans
• Cooked, Thinly sliced new potatoes (about 6 will suffice)
• The Lime Leftovers 
• Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• Straight To Wok Noodles

Using a large wok and a small amount of oil on a high heat, stir fry the prawns/chicken with the pepper and soy sauce then add your homemade paste.  Chuck in the lime then the two cans of coconut.  Bring the temperature of the wok right down and simmer.  Add in the green beans and potatoes.  Add more chilli and garlic (of the lazy variety) if needed.  After simmering for 20 minutes or until the flavours have fused add your noodles and serve!( Don't eat the lime!!!!!)

Shakil's - The End Of A Love Affair

Since this is about a restaurant, why did I originally post this review on my personal blog? Alex asked me to put this one on here so as to not come across like every place we frequent is amazeballs.  

Since Shakil's opened I have been a great fan of the interesting dishes on offer, the quirky table wear, the corny entertainment nights and the delivery service.  I haven't been able to fault the place up until recently.  I compare it to the great establishments up North in Rusholme.  Rusholme has not been a suburb but a collective name for literally hundreds of curry houses spanning over a mile for decades.  As you can imagine, the competition is so great that the food has to be outstanding.  Shakils is up there with the best.  

What is the problem? You may ask.  I think it stems from them losing their head waiter to Mehfil (which in my opinion is a very poor establishment) and getting more competition locally.  I still can't fault their specials.  The Jolphoy Chicken is mouth-watering as are many dishes off that particular menu.  Their more traditional dishes aren't as good.  I have found this as a result of going vegetarian although the spinach and paneer balti goes down well.

My two last visits have been disappointing at best.  Rushed service, errors with orders, tricking us into having complementary shots whilst we wait to pay due to the machines not working then being charged and dishes just not coming out up to scratch.  

It is all very well creating a great reputation for yourself but it makes it all the more obvious and disappointing when standards slip.

Not content with giving us a poor experience in the restaurant, it seems that the takeaway service is starting to fail too.  Alex and I try to have one takeaway a fortnight when money is tight and so Shakil's comes top of the list more often than not.  It started off good but these are our experiences of late:

• Ordering at 6:30pm, food arrives at 8:15pm with an apology and food that is stone cold.  It was their error, they admitted it yet no compensation was offered
• Ordering two curries and 2 nans, checking the amount that is to go off the card to find we have an extra curry and some rice which they refused to collect and refund.  We didn't want three currys.
• Nan Bread missing.  No apology or offer to rectify the situation
• Sauces missing for the popadom section of our meal.  Again they didn't care.  
• The online site is crap.  For example it is impossible to use their online discount since there are no options to switch paneer for meat.

Wake up call for Shakils.  Bicester is changing.  It is evolving and you need to keep up or go under, we have so much choice these days and loyalty only goes so far!

 Best save up and hit Cabbages and Condoms ...