Marjorie’s Kitchen

For

Mid-West Radio

 

September

 What’s in Season

 

Meat, Game, Poultry

Grouse, other Game Birds, Duck, Lamb, Goose, Chicken, Beef, Veal, Pork

 

Fish

Wild Salmon, Brown Trout, Sea Bass, Mussels, Oysters, John Dory, Swordfish, Brill, Halibut, Plaice, Lobster, Prawns

 

Vegetables

Onions, Broccoli, French Beans, Runner Beans, Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Leeks, Parsnips, Watercress

 

Fruit

Plums, Damsons, Apples, Blackberries, Blueberries, Rosehips, Sloes

 

 

Recipes this Month

Tasty Beef Stew with Parsley Dumplings,

Blackberry and Apple Crumble

Blackberry and Apple Jam

 

Web: www.marjorieskitchen.net

Web: www.midwestradio.ie

Email address: marjoriesThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone No: 087 2304986

Midwest Radio Facebook

 

 

Marjorie’s Kitchen

Tasty Beef Stew with parsley dumplings

Ingredients:

680g/1 ½lb. chuck steak – trimmed of fat and cut into 1”/ 2.5cm pieces

28g/1 oz. flour

Seasoning

28g/1 oz. butter

30ml/2 tablesp. Oil (olive)

30ml/2 tablesp. Finely chopped parsley

Pinch of cayenne pepper and coriander

1 onion, chopped

2 large carrots – sliced

2 celery stalks – sliced

10ml/ 2tsp. tomato puree

Approx. 425g/ ¾pt. beef or chicken stock

Juice of one orange

2 parsnips – sliced

1 sweet potato

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

 

Method:

1. Put flour and seasoning into a polythene bag, add cubed meat, secure end, shake bag until meat is coated in flour.
2. Heat butter and 15ml/1 tbsp. oil in a large flame-proof casserole. Add meat and fry over brisk heat for 3 minutes, stirring until browned all over. (Fry meat in batches, if necessary)
3. Remove meat from the pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Heat remaining oil in casserole, stir in the onion, carrots, celery, parsnip and sweet potato for 3-4 minutes.
5. Return meat to pan, then add the tomato puree, parsley, cayenne pepper, stock, orange juice and seasoning.
6. Bring to the boil and stir well, scraping any sediment from bottom and sides with a wooden spoon.
7. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours until meat is tender. Alternatively, bake in a preheated oven at 180^oC/ 350^oF/ Gas 4

• Add extra stock if required

 

Parsley Dumplings

Ingredients:

113g/4 oz. Self-raising flour, sieved and a pinch of salt

57g/2 oz. Shredded suet or Atora

15ml/ 1 tbsp. fresh parsley – chopped

60ml/ approx. 4 tbsp. water

 

Method:

1. Place flour and salt in bowl and stir in suet and parsley.
2. Gradually stir in water with a knife and mix to a soft (not sticky) dough.
3. Knead lightly and form into 8 balls.
4. Add to stew about 15 minutes before the end of cooking time.
5. Place on top of stew, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes until dumplings are puffed up.
6. Serve at once, straight from casserole.

 

 

Blackberry & Apple Crumble (Serves 6-8)

 

Ingredients:                                                     Toppings

 

680g/ 1 ½ lb Cooking Bramley Apples                       170g/6 oz Flour

           340g/ ¾lb Blackberries                                            57g/2 oz Brown Sugar

   57 g/ 2oz light brown sugar                                     113g/ 4 oz Butter

                   15ml/ 1tblsp flour/Cornflour                                    40g/ 1 ½ oz Flaked Almonds

            Juice of ½ Lemon                                                  57g/ 2 oz Porridge Oats

5ml/1 tsp Cinnamon

 

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 190^oC/375^oF/Gas 5
2. Prepare the fruit – Peel and finely slice the apples, pick over the cleaned blackberries. Squeeze over the juice of the lemon.
3. Lightly grease an oblong dish (like a lasagne dish) with butter. Add the apples, blackberries, sugar and spice in layers.

 

To make the Crumble:

1. Sieve the flour into a bowl. Rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar, oats and flaked almonds.

Scatter the crumble over the mixed fruit and bake in the pre-heated oven for approx., 30 – 35 mins until cooked through and lightly coloured on top.

Delicious with vanilla ice-cream or cream,

Enjoy.

 

Blackberry & Apple Jam

 

Ingredients:

90g /2 lbs blackberries                                  454g/1 lb apples

1.36kg /3 lbs sugar (warm)                            A little Water

Knob of butter

 

Method:

1. Wash, peel, core and chop the apples.
2. Wash the blackberries in a colander or large sieve shake well and pick over.
3. Place blackberries and apples in a large preserving pan and stew gently over a low heat until soft. (with 2 ½ fl oz/1/8 pt water.)
4. Add sugar and butter stir until dissolved.
5. Boil rapidly for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until setting points is reached.
6. Pot in sterilised jars, cover and seal.

 

Marjorie’s Kitchen

Tips for successful slow cooking:

Cooking in a slow cooker is very versatile from cooking soups, stews, curries, rice, poaching fruit, making hot punch to baking cakes etc.

Marjories tips:

You can come home to a home cooked meal after a long day.

• Cooking low and slow, is basically fool proof.
• Keep the lid closed, by continuously lifting the lid, it reduces cooking time by 20 minutes each time.
• Add dairy, herbs, and frozen veg at the end of cooking, last 35 minutes.
• If using wine or alcohol, only add a dash, as it doesn’t have a chance to boil off and could leave a raw boozy taste.
• If using an ordinary recipe reduce the liquid you add by 1/3 as the liquid will not cook off.
• Brown meat before adding to the slow cooker to seal, then deglaze the pan with wine or stock, add to the slow cooker with any brown bits.
• If you have too much liquid, simply transfer the extra liquid to a saucepan and reduce over a medium to high heat, Use as a sauce for your dish or if wished make up a paste with a little cornflour and water, stir into the liquid, cook on high for a few minutes to thicken.

Huge time saver, cooking and cleaning up.

A week’s worth of meals out of one cooking session, most recipes freeze well.

Always cover the vegetables with stock or water.

If wished line with the slow cooker bowl with tin foil, spray with 1 cal spray before adding the food.

Bake potatoes in the slow cooker.

1. Score the potatoes with a fork several times.
2. Rub each potato with oil, sprinkle with salt lightly, then wrap in tinfoil and place in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 4½ – 5 hours or on low for 7½ to 8 hours until tender.