Paul Peacock's Recipes

Making Hot Water Crust Pastry

So, to make your hot water crust you need equal amounts of flour and water and half the fat. Then you need some more flour at hand to top up the paste to make sure the thing doesn't fall to pieces in your hands.

Don't be tempted to use butter or margarine - you really do need lard.

For a big pie you need:

• 500 g flour - I use plain
• 5g salt
• 220 ml water
• 200 g lard.

Put your water and lard on the heat and bring to the boil so the lard is all melted.

Sieve your flower and salt and make a well to receive the liquid.

Pour in the boiling water / lard mixture and stir like mad with a wooden spoon.

Allow the paste to cool enough to handle and then knead the pastry for ten minutes. You will get a feel of the consistency of the pastry and you should add a little more flour if you are not confident of it staying together.

When you make your pie, with a dolly or otherwise, give it a wash with a little egg and milk and this will give you a shiny brown finish to the pie. You'll notice that I didn't bother - I prefer the looser texture.

Pork, Sundried tomato and chicken

This pie is awesome! You may enjoy it so long as you raise a glass/teacup to the Fat Man in the Kitchen - otherwise I might just make a charge.

You need to make a pie that in a 20cm pie dish. I use one with a clipped quick release edge so I can get the pie out without messing around.

For a 20 cm pie you need:

• 750g diced pork
• 1 jar sundried tomatoes
• 500g diced chicken

You need to drain the tomatoes of olive oil - unless you have made your own.

First of all the pork needs to be salted, so sprinkle 5g - a level teaspoon, into the pork mixture and mix well.

Layer this in the bottom of the pie.

Having drained your tomatoes, layer them on top of the pork and then layer your chicken on top of this.

In order to avoid filling the gaps in the pie with jelly, place a clean plate in the pie and press down hard. This can be prolonged for quite a long time with weights if you like.

A word about salt...

My only claim to fame is that I once judged the British Sausage Sandwich competition with Carole Thatcher. It taught me a lot. One sandwich was too salty. Every part of the mouthful was salty. The winner had a slightly salty sausage and the rest of it was blandish. The overall effect on the tongue was perfect.

So, we have already seasoned the pork, no need to do the rest - so leave the chicken layer unmolested by salt.

When you have put the lid on, this pie is a solid brick, so it needs to cook slowly. Two hours in a moderate oven - Gas 3 or 4 around 170oC.

Cooked...

You will know if the pie is cooked by piercing the meat through the steam holes in the lid. Firstly you can feel the knife to see if the blade is really hot. Secondly, when you pull the blade out there should be no streaks and certainly no bloody liquid or anything like that.

Serving...

Believe me, this pie is a meal in itself. You can serve with salad and bread, but they won't eat the bread because they'll be too full. Try boiled new potatoes, but you won't need many either.

Lemon is often associated with cold cures and this is ideal for the times when you feel far from being in tiptop condition. The tea is especially good for soothing a sore throat during a cold. It can also be drunk whenever you feel like a refreshing pick me up.

Lemon, Honey and Thyme drink

Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel (be careful to get only the zest, not the pith as this is VERY bitter)
• 1-2 tablespoons of honey
• 1g dried or 2g thyme leaves
• 100ml boiling water

Method

1. Put thyme, juice and peel of lemon in jug.
2. Pour over boiling water and stir well. Sieve into a cup or mug.
3. Add honey to taste, this needs to be sweeter than the others due to it being a cold soother.

Drink while comfortably hot

Makes approximately 2 x 500g pots

• 750g tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• 1 stick celery, chopped finely
• 1 small red pepper, chopped
• 180g caster sugar
• 150ml white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes or a chopped fresh chilli
• 1 tsp salt

1. Heat the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds and salt in a pan gently stirring until all the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the onions, pepper and celery and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to simmering and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 20-25 more minutes or until the mixture thickens.
4. Stir and pot immediately.

Leave to cool completely before eating.

These are a tasty alternative to beef burgers and smell wonderful when fried or grilled, but best when they are barbecued. This mixture can also be made into meatballs and fried before being served with a tomato sauce. And some couscous.

Makes 4 large or 6 medium sized burgers

• 600g lean, minced lamb
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint or 1⁄2 a teaspoon dried
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 level teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and use your hands to mix the mint and cumin into the meat.
2. Form into burger sized rounds, use a food ring if you want to make a more regular shape.
3. Fry the burgers lightly before cooking on the barbecue so they don t break up or continue to cook in the frying pan for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Serve with bread buns and some salad or some spicy potato wedges.

This is a delicious way to serve potatoes and goes really well with lamb cutlets.

Serves 3-4

• 1kg potatoes
• 400g onions, sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 level teaspoon dried
• 150ml milk
• 100ml single cream
• 1 tablespoon plain flour, seasoned with a little salt and black pepper
• 75g butter

1. Peel and slice the potatoes very thinly.
2. Butter an oven proof dish and layer potatoes and onion, sprinkling the rosemary, dots of butter, a little of the flour and salt and pepper as you build the layers. Finish with a layer of potatoes.
3. Combine the milk and cream together and pour over the potato and onion mixture.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 1-11/2 hours at 180C/gas mark 4 until the potatoes are tender.

Serves 4

• 1 medium sized marrow
• 1 onion, chopped
• 250g minced beef
• 1 200g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 50g breadcrumbs
• 50g butter
• Salt and pepper

1. Cut the marrow lengthways, cutting the top quarter of the vegetable. Scoop out the seeds.
2. Fry the onion in half of the butter for a few minutes and add the garlic and minced beef. Cook until the meat is brown.
3. Put the meat mixture in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, basil and the can of tomatoes. Season and stir well.
4. Fill the inside of the marrow with the meat filling and dot with the remaining butter.
5. Place in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 180 degrees C/gas mark 4.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g strong flour, white, brown or wholemeal
• 1 level tsp salt
• 1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
• About 300ml warm water
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

METHOD

1. Sift the flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir in the yeast and any seeds that you may wish to add.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in 3⁄4 water and the oil. Use a wooden spoon to mix it together adding more water as necessary.
4. Use your hands to bring the dough together and start to knead in the bowl.
5. Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes.
6. Oil a baking tray and shape the dough as you wish. Lay it on the baking tray, cover, and leave in a warm place to prove for about 40 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F, Gas 7).
8. When the dough has doubled in size bake the bread for about 15-25 minutes depending on the size. If the bread has been left in a large loaf, it will require a longer cooking time. Turn the heat down after the first 15 minutes to 190°C (375°F, Gas 5) for the rest of the cooking time.

by Stuart Redpath

Serves 6

• A red onion and some garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 Butternut squashes (diced)
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• Sweetcorn
• 1 small chilli (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg or cumin

Cook the onion and garlic until soft, adding the chilli with either the cumin or nutmeg.

Add the diced butternut squash & sweetcorn, then the stock giving everything a good old stir.

Bring to the boil, then simmer until the squash is tender. Blend with a hand mixer and await the taste of an incredibly delicious creamy soup. (Add more water if the consistency is too thick.)

Whatever soup, casserole or meat sauce you are making, you will often reach for a stock cube to help the flavour of your dish. You can buy very expensive ready made stock and some high quality stock cubes, but why not have a go at making your own. Make a large batch and then freeze in ice-cube trays or small containers until needed. Make sure you label each type of prepared stock or you might end up using fish stock in a chicken soup.

• Any chicken or turkey leftovers, skin, bones, giblets, cooked or raw
• 1 large onion, sliced thickly
• 1 carrot, unpeeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 stalks and leaves of celery, chopped roughly
• 1⁄2 teaspoon each of dried thyme, parsley, sage and tarragon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• White or black pepper, a shake or two to taste
• About 3 litres of hot water

1. Put the meat scraps and bones in a pan, break the carcase if necessary, and cover with the hot water. and stir in the herbs and seasoning.
2. Bring slowly to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently with the lid on partially, for 1 1⁄2 hours.
3. Remove the lid and add the vegetables. Replace the lid and continue to simmer gently for a further 1 1⁄2 hours, checking the water level doesn't drop too rapidly, if it does add a little more.
4. Check the flavour for seasoning if the flavour isn't strong bring to the boil and evaporate off some of the liquid. This will take about 15 minutes of boiling.
5. Skim of any white foam if you wish, but this is only protein so it doesn't spoil the flavour. Strain the stock into a large clean bowl or pan, using a sieve rather than a colander as the holes are bigger and will allow bits of bone and debris through.
6. Allow to cool completely.

This makes a cooling drink or can be served as a dessert on a hot, lazy day.

Serves 4

• 300g blackcurrants
• 12-15 mint leaves
• 100ml water
• 2 level tablespoons honey
• 600ml milk
• 3 tablespoons natural yogurt
• 4 scoops vanilla ice-cream
• Sprigs mint for garnish

1. Wash the blackcurrants and put them in a pan with water and mint leaves.
2. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes until the currants begin to burst.
3. Push the fruit through a sieve catching in a jug or bowl all the juices and pulp that comes through.
4. Stir the honey into the juices and allow to cool completely. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
5. Whisk or blend the juices with the milk and yogurt and add the ice-cream. Blend in the ice-cream and pour into hi-ball type glasses. Decorate with sprigs of mint before serving. Add a few ice-cubes if you want it extra cold.

This was a recipe my grandma would make usually with leftover vegetables from the roast the day before. She used to buy 1⁄2 lb minced beef specially for Monday's Cottage Pie. I use slightly more meat in this recipe though and have added a clove of garlic.

Serves 4

• 350g minced beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small turnip, peeled and chopped
• 50g frozen green beans
• 50g frozen peas
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 clove garlic
• 1⁄2 tsp dried marjoram
• 150ml beef stock
• 2 tsp plain flour or gravy powder mixed with 4 tsp cold water to make a paste

For the potato topping:

• 800g potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1 small leek, chopped
• 30g butter
• Salt and pepper
• 50g mature cheddar cheese, grated

1. Heat the oil in saucepan and fry the onion gently for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the meat, garlic, tomato puree and marjoram and fry until the meat changes colour.
3. Add the stock, carrots and turnip and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the peas and beans and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Stir in the flour paste and stir until it the gravy thickens. Cook for 3 minutes more, then pour into a deep pie dish.
6. To make the potato topping boil the potatoes until tender, drain and season well with salt and pepper. Leave back in the pan.
7. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5. In a frying pan melt the butter and fry the leeks until soft but don't brown them.
8. Stir the leeks into the potatoes and mash them together.
9. Spread the potato mixture over the meat and sprinkle with the cheese.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and if you like the top brown, either raise the heat to 220C/gas mark 7 and cook for 5 more minutes or place under a hot grill for a few minutes.

I usually serve this with a sliced tomato and pickled onions, but a green salad would be good.

There are no better sausages than the ones you make yourself - you can make a few kilo's of sausage when you need to and pop them in the freezer to store them.

To make your own sausage you will need:

• 1kg of pork shoulder
• 200g sausage making rusk, or breadcrumbs if you prefer
• 200ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1⁄2 tsp pepper
• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 grinder or food processor
• 1 sausage stuffer (or a grinder with a sausage making attachment)
• 1.25m sausage casing (hog casings are easiest to use for first-timers)
• 1 tray to collect the filling sausage
• 1 knife to cut the links

METHOD

1. Open your packet of skins (never mind the smell) and place them in a bowl of clean water. Replace the water several times until the smell goes away.
2. Rinse the skins under running water, both inside and out.
3. Chop your meat into 1cm cubes and then grind or mince them. If you have to use a food processor, pulse the machine to avoid it becoming like soup.
4. Add your other ingredients to this mix, depending on the size of your food processor. It is important that you mix everything as thoroughly as you can. I tend to mix the dry ingredients first, then mix this with the meat products. Another way of mixing is to add the smallest quantities to the water first and then use this to mix the stuffing.
5. Once you have created your sausage mix and are ready to stuff your casing, you can fry a small amount to check that you are happy with the seasoning.
6. Find the end of your casing. If you don't fall about laughing you are better than me! Usually the casings are attached to a piece of string which when you lift out of the water the casings attached to it fall under gravity like an alien. Moisten the delivery tube or nozzle of your stuffer and carefully push the casing on.

Starting to stuff the casings can be a daunting task, but is actually quite simple. You will benefit from an extra pair of hands, one to crank the machine (or start it working if it is electrical, or to push your meat down the funnel) and another to manage the flow of sausage from the other end.

You can control the thickness of the sausage by gently holding back the casing as it fills with mixture; this will allow more meat per centimetre of sausage, and consequently you get a thicker sausage.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 onions
• 125 g butter
• 500 ml water
• 500 ml beef or veg stock
• 200 g Cheddar Cheese - grated
• 1 tsp salt

Melt the butter and finely chop the onions. Sweat them in the butter on a low light. Add your liquids and bring to a boil.

When boiling reduce heat to a simmer and keep for 15 mins Season to taste and serve with grated cheese.

As an alternative, add a little sesame oil and a hand full of noodles.

This is wonderful served with vegetable soups of all kinds, or try it with a cheese and salad lunch.

NGREDIENTS

• 30g butter
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• Pinch of salt
• 500g strong flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp onion seeds
• 1⁄2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 300ml warm water
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil

METHOD

1. Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onions until they are soft and begin to caramelise. Sprinkle over the salt and stir. Leave to cool.
2. Sieve the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast, onion seeds and thyme.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour and stir in half of the water and the oil. Stir with a wooden spoon and add more water until it is all incorporated and is beginning to form a dough.
4. Use your hands to bring the dough together and add a little more water if it is too dry - it needs to be soft but not too sticky. If it becomes too sticky, dust in a little more flour.
5. Knead the dough well for 10 minutes - be as vigorous as you can to ensure a light loaf.
6. Shape the dough into two small (or one large) oval-shaped loaves. Place them on an oiled baking sheet and flatten down slightly.
7. Leave to prove for about 35 minutes in a warm place, then make three slits in the top about 5mm deep.
8. Spread the top or tops of the loaves with the onions. Press them down gently into the top of the bread and into the slits.
9. Leave to prove for 10 more minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F, Gas 7.)
10. Bake the loaf, if it is just one, for 15 minutes, turning down the heat to 190°C (375°F, Gas 5) and cook for 20 more minutes. Ensure the centre of the loaf is cooked by tapping the base of the bread whilst holding it in a tea towel or oven glove. It should make a thudding sound rather than a tapping sound if it is cooked, if not, cook for 10 more minutes. If you are cooking two smaller loaves, cook for 15 minutes at 220°C (425°F, Gas 7) then reduce the heat to 200°C (400°F, Gas 6) and cook for 10-15 more minutes.
11. Transfer to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

To turn this into cheese and onion bread, before topping with the onions, place very small pieces of cheese into the slits before spooning on the onions.

When you eat this heart-warming soup you just know it is good for you.

NGREDIENTS

Serves 4-6

• 700g of any cheap cut of lamb or mutton, with any excess fat removed. If the meat has some bones in, use 100g more
• 1.5 litres water
• 130g pearl barley
• 150g dried peas, soaked overnight
• 25g butter
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced thinly
• 1 small turnip, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, diced
• A handful of shredded cabbage
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 2 sprigs thyme
• Salt and pepper. I prefer white pepper because of the kick it gives to the broth

METHOD

1. Place the meat in the water with the salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 2 1⁄2-3 hours until the meat is tender. Skim off any fat from the surface.
2. When the meat is cooked, lift it out and pour the stock into another vessel for later. Remove any bones and chop up the meat into small chunks about 1cm in size.
3. Melt the butter in the pan used for cooking the meat and fry the onion, leek, carrots and turnip gently for 5 minutes.
4. Add the barley, herbs and drained peas, and pour over the stock from the meat.
5. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour until the peas are tender.
6. Add a little more water if the soup is too thick during the cooking time. This is delicious served with soda bread.