Alice's Cook Book

carol · Alice's Cook Book

Alasdair please do share with us what delights you have Wink

Alasdair

Coming soon ... I'll need to dig them out Wink

Blackadder

I'm waiting on the delights that say "Eat me" and "Drink me!"

You still got those, Alice?? Very Happy

carol

can anyone remember the sctratch and sniff t-shirts? oh so fruity Wink

mairead · Alice's cook book

Smoked Haddock with Rice.
( a good way to use up odds and ends of veggies)

Ingredients.
Rice for two.
Two smoked filleted Haddock
Half each of red, greeen and yellow peppers
3 syboes
4 closed cup mushrooms
2 desertspoons olive oil
creme fraiche

Method.
Boil off the rice to taste
Into heavy frying pan or wok place Olive oil and haddock and cook off slowly
Chop up all vegetable ingredients into very thin strips and add to pan or wok. Turn heat up a bit and stir till veggies are soft then remove from the heat.
Add sufficient Creme fraiche to thicken mixture and mix well. Put back on to the cooker at low for a minute or so till it's all warmed through. season to taste

Plate up the rice and add the smoked haddock mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and serve (with garlic Bread) Sometime I slice up mushrooms. Really you can use whatever bits of veg. which is left in the fridge for this according to taste

Note. I use any green veggies which can be sliced into thin strips, even a wee bit of cabbage or tiny florets of cauliflower.

Rinty

I am editing a recipe book for a charity right now and there be some of you who are amused that a republican like me is working on a book that includes a contribution from the Prince of Wales, his granny's recipe for gingerbread! Embarassed

carol

ich dien

let us know when the book is available, what charity is it?

Rinty

It's a local church round here. I am doing it for free, more or less, as my mother (my favourite writer) is behind the book. Prince of Wales is involved through the historical connection to the marquis of bute who built the church. Charlie is involved in the Dumfries House project in Cumnock that was previously the Marquis' family home. Apparently the old biddie (his gran) loved a bit of her gingerbread after the races, probably baked by servants to her recipre Smile

Blackadder

Here is a recipe from Baldrick's family. His great grandmother (Sloppy) would have appeared to be the only lucid one in more than 500 years, so she wrote it down ...

Rat au Vin

3 to 3 1/2 lb. cut-up 2 large brown rats
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 slices bacon
6 sm. onions (1 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter)
1/2 lb. mushrooms, washed, trimmed and quartered
4 carrots, halved and cut into 2-inch lengths
1 c. beef broth or dissolved beef bouillon cube in 1 c. boiling water
1 c. red burgundy wine
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 shallots, minced
Bouquet Garni

BOUQUET GARNI:Tie 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, 1 bay leaf and 2 large sprigs parsley in a cheesecloth bag or place into a tea ball.:
If desired, bone rat parts. Wash rat parts and pat dry. In a large skillet, saute bacon on medium heat to render fat. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside.
Mix flour, salt and pepper. Coat rat parts with flour mixture. Brown rat in hot bacon drippings. Push rat to one side; add carrots and onions. Stir until onions are tender, adding garlic and shallots after 2-3 minutes of cooking. Do not allow garlic to brown.
Drain off fat. Add bacon, broth, wine, and the Bouquet Garni.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add mushrooms and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes more or until rat is tender.
Note: As an alternative for bacon, trim the bone from a 1/2 pound pork shoulder steak and cut the meat into 1/2 inch cubes, or use pancetta.
In a wide frying pan, cook pork in its own fat over medium-high heat until the meat is very well browned and crisp; set aside.
In the pork drippings, brown the rat. (Can also omit the carrots.) Alternatively, add 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard when adding the wine (instead).
TO SERVE: Remove rat, onions, carrots, and mushrooms to a heated platter with a slotted spoon. Remove and discard Bouquet Garni.
Thicken cooking liquid by stirring in 1 to 2 tablespoons flour and simmering for a few minutes. Spoon some sauce over rat.
Serve remaining sauce as an accompaniment. Skim off excess fat. Serve in pan in which Rat Au Vin was cooked or a large shallow serving dish.
If desired, sprinkle rat with snipped fresh parsley.

I give no guarantees with it ... because you couldn't pay me enough to even sip it! Evil or Very Mad

Rinty

RATatouille ?

Blackadder

No ... I said ... RAT AU VIN!

However ... if you're not on a diet ... you might like to try ...

Deep Fried Field Rat

4 mature rats or 8 small rats
10-15 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Skin and gut the rats, removing the head and toes. Mix garlic, salt, and pepper into a paste, spread on the meat, then place in direct sunlight for 6 to 8 hours, until dry. Fry in deep vegetable oil for about 6-7 minutes, until crispy and yellow in color. Serve with sticky rice, sweet-sour sauce, fish sauce, or a hot chili paste, and raw vegetables.

Baldrick says he was raised on this sh*t!!! I believe him ... but for me ... it's a case of ...

Blackadder

Rinty .... Baldrick came up with this ...

Roast Ratatouille

Traditional ratatouille is a mix of garlic, onions, peppers, courgettes and aubergines braised with
lots and lots of olive oil. It's very healthy, but not exactly low-fat.
To cut down, roast the vegetables in a hot oven with just a hint of olive oil.
Stir in a further tablespoon of your very best olive oil at the end, for flavour and richness.

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
Total time : 40 minutes

Ingredients
3 medium courgettes, sliced on the diagonal
1 large red onion, peeled, halved and cut into thin wedges held together by the root
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
1 medium aubergine, halved lengthways and sliced into half-moons
3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp olive oil
6-8 ripe tomatoes, cut into large chunks
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7.
Put the courgettes, onion, peppers, aubergine and garlic into a non-stick roasting pan large enough
to fit them in one and a half layers (if the vegetables are more crowded, they'll steam, not roast).
Toss with 1 tsp olive oil (or spray lightly with oil from an atomiser).
Roast for 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times.
Remove from the oven, stir in the tomatoes, and cook for 10 minutes more, till the tomatoes are soft
and all the vegetables cooked.
Remove from the oven, stir in the extra virgin oil, season to taste.
Serve the dish with deep fried field rat (see above) and stir in fresh basil and toss with pasta for a simple
supper.

You could add chopped olives and capers to create a flavourful accompaniment for fish.

For some unknown reason, Baldrick has quite taken to you ... Shocked

Alasdair

Orange and almond cake recipe

What you’ll need:

1 medium orange
175g / 6oz butter
175g / 6oz light muscavado sugar
3 eggs
175g / 6oz self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g / 2oz ground almonds
icing sugar, for dredging

What you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 190C / gas 5 / fan oven 170C. Butter and line the base of a 23cm/9in round deep cake tin.

Cut the whole orange -skin, pith, flesh, the lot - into pieces. Remove any pips, then whizz the orange pieces in the food processor to a finely chopped puree.

Tip the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, bicarbonate of soda, and almonds into the processor and whizz for 10 seconds, until smooth. Pour into prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the cake is risen and brown. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack.

Dredge thickly with the icing sugar before serving.

my wee boy has requested this for his birthday cake the last couple of years, there's a photo below ... it tastes better than it looks Wink

Blackadder

Very nice Alice. I'll ask Chef to try that.

Baldrick wants to know if you have any turnip or rat recipes.

kathyv

He's a cutie Alasdair! The cake sounds good as well.

blacky, get a cat, then YOU won't have to eat the rats, really , McDonalds is better. . .

Blackadder

I don't eat the damn stuff, woman!! Evil or Very Mad

That's Baldrick's disreputable lot are into rats!

carol

I followed a Ratatouille recipe years ago and it tasted fine, I did one on spec without a recipe not so long ago and it was awful. Don't think I would add olives and capers, never tasted capers and olives are bowfing.

Alasdair, bril recipe. My yougest 5th birthday is shortly, I think I'll stick to an Asda cake Wink

Hey Kath be honest, Alasdair looks tasty as well Razz

Blackadder

Look out Alice ... Carol is looking for a fifth hubby to knock off already ... and she's not married her fourth vict ... er ... husband yet!

carol

I'm innocent on all accounts Wink

Blackadder

Alasdair

Gladly i don't look like that now ... the hair's cut - it used to be in a pony tail - and the reconstructive surgery has been more-or-less successful and now I only look a little like this ...

Alasdair

Ma maw's cheescake...

… comes out of a packet. Fortunately I’m somewhat more sophisticated than that, which is just as well following a recent boast to the ladies at the local playgroup that I would make a cheesecake for all the adults when it was next my turn to do snack for the kiddies … me and my big gob!

Anyway I did and I did, so I couldn’t not … here’s the recipe and the reason why you should make it for all your friends:

Yer gonnae need:

500g packet of plain digestive biscuits
250g butter, melted
750g cream cheese (philedelphi or shops own will do, but better cheese = better cake)
3 eggs
220g caster sugar
180g sour cream
2 tsps finely grated lemon rind
60 ml lemon juice

22cm springform tin (that’s one that the bottom comes out of … but you already knew that didn’t you!)

What yer gonnae dae:

Yup, how to make friends and influence people through the power of cheesecake!

Oh! and unless you have a particularly large family this really is one for friends and not a pudding for a family of four … not considering it’s 12 decent sized portions, if you run a nice wee cafe maybe serve it with fresh figs.

Blackadder

Cheesecake is my favourite sweet, Alice. I'm having this recipe tomorrow! Very Happy

kathyv

kathyv

Alasdair, thanks for the cheesecake recipe, I've coped it off and plan to practice it! A lot!!!!!

Alasdair

Alice's Cookbook ... It aims to please Wink

carol

carol

Blackadder

Alasdair

Blackadder

Baldrick doesn't get near the kitchen. The new chef has threatened to disembowel him if he even steps foot near the kitchen door.

My compliments to the originator of the cheesecake recipe. It was very nice indeed. I'm having another one made on Sunday next.

carol

I'd prefer for Alice to be my chef Wink

note no bunnies in a stock pot thank you Smile

Blackadder

There's nothing wrong with Rabbit Pie or Stew.

Rabbit Pie Recipe with Rabbit, Flaky Pastry, Ham or Bacon, Butter, Onions and Stock.

INGREDIENTS

1 Rabbit
8 oz (225g) Flaky Pastry
8 oz (225g) Ham or Bacon
2 oz (25g) Butter
Salt & Pepper
4 oz (100g) Onions
1/2 pint (300ml) Vegetable Stock
A Little Milk

METHOD
Cut the rabbit into joints and the ham or bacon into very thin slices. Melt the butter in a saucepan , and fry the ham and rabbit joints in it for five minutes together with the onions. Sprinkle well with salt & pepper, add the stock, and simmer gently for forty five minutes.

Leave until cold. Then fill a pie dish with the meat. Add the stock, cover with the pastry, and bake in a moderate oven (375F, 190C, Mark 4) for about one and a half hours. Brush over with the milk when nearly done.

Enough for 6 people.

carol

I've had rabbit stew many years ago. Now that I have 4 of them as pets I prefer not to eat rabbit, or use them as target practice on the country roads of Perthshire

Blackadder

Skinning Rabbits Twisted Evil

As this part of the operation can be messy, you can elect to do it outside (weather permitting), and it should be carried out on an impervious surface such as polythene or a worktop. Do not use newspaper as the print is very difficult to remove from the meat. A plastic 'builders rubble' type bag can be used.

Lay the rabbit on its back, head towards you and on the left side of the opening that it was gutted through, start to separate the skin from the meat ... it's not that dissimilar from opening a book. Work round to the other side until you have separated the meat from the skin right round.

Put your left hand under the skin and grip the rabbit. It should be quite easy using the other hand to peel off the rest of the skin.

You will find that it is still attached at the head, legs and tail. These can be removed with a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Do be careful, as unless you remove the legs at the joint not only the knife, but the bones will also be very sharp. The head is best removed by cutting round the neck with a sharp knife, then dislocating the vertebrae with a twisting motion.

You should now wash your rabbit to remove any blood and fluff that is sticking to it, and finally dry it using kitchen paper or a cloth.

Butchering Rabbits Twisted Evil

You can now put your washed and dried rabbit on a chopping board, and you will notice that there are two flaps of loose skin either side these which can be removed and put to one side. Run a sharp knife round the back of the rabbit just below the ribs, and you can quite easily separate the two pieces by twisting in opposite directions. Next remove the front legs, you will find that the front legs aren't in fact connected to the skeleton and can be removed with your knife, without resorting to bone breaking.

If you now take the rear half and lay it on your board belly up, legs facing you, you will see a hole where the connections from the rabbit's insides got to the outside. Your knife should be laid along this and, by pressing on top, you should be able to break through it, and any remaining yucky bits can be removed. Run your knife round the back just in front of the rear legs, and once again this can be removed using a twisting motion. Finally, the rear legs can be separated down the centre using your knife. Watch your fingers.

You should now have six pieces of rabbit. However, the rib cage can be put with the pieces removed earlier. If you want to use these pieces they can be boiled to make stock, but for the methods used here the amount of meat on them is minimal and they can be discarded leaving two rear legs, two front legs and a section of back.

Now THIS is how I prefer "bunny rabbits". Being prepared for eating! Twisted Evil

carol

you you rabbit hater Twisted Evil

I hate seeing fish in a fishmongers with heads and tails on them, prefer the flesh. Also if anyone was to gut a fish in front of me I would run a mile! If I had to fend for myself in the wilderness I'd be a vegetarian!

Blackadder

Alasdair

On the subject of rabbits. here's one I skinned earlier Twisted Evil

more details here

a wee rabbit recipe from my blog:

carol

yuk yuk yuk

what about toasted goolies Evil or Very Mad

Alasdair

You're right carol.

We're now so detached from our food sources that the notion of eating what were once considered delicacies is often recoiled at. As a rule 'we' only generally eat a small percentage of the animals we butcher and create huge amounts of waste, perhaps as we move from this time of plenty into a time of great need we'll once again discover that there is far more to eat on the animals we consume than most people really appreciate.

I sometimes wonder why people are more disgusted at eating rabbit than cow or sheep or chicken.

carol

I relate rabbit to my fluffy bunnies, so hence won't eat. I've eaten some game; venison, duck, phesant etc (would never skin or gut them). Although would be upset if I ran these animals over. Anything I don't like the look of ie prawns, mussels, squid etc etc I will not eat. On my part a lot of it is down to choice, whereas if I did have to fend for myself and had to eat something disgusting looking, I would shut my eyes and hope for the best!

Alasdair

I know what you mean, I wouldn't eat a dog or cat, they're pets. Everything else is fair game though ... around here rabbits are vermin that eat your veg, you can see hundreds of them just by looking out the window.

kathyv

My kids raised rabbits in 4-H for market. They always sold them then the nice buyers would return the poor bunny to the supposedly upset child so they could take their 'pet' home again. It really bothered the girls because they raised the rabbits for meat, just like the kids who were doing sheep, swine and beef. We took more home to our freezer than any other family at the fair. I know some kids in the 4-H program who raise chickens for the same purpose, once they even offered to butcher and wrap for the buyer, the person who bought the birds told them to keep them. While I appreciate the generosity of the buyer, I wish there was more education regarding where food comes from, so many urban kids think milk and meat come from the store. We always taught our kids the difference between food animals and pet animals, food animals were no different than the apples we picked from the tree or the potatoes we grew in the garden.

Rabbit makes really good shish-kabobs, really good cooked on the BBQ!

carol

My kids would be mortified if Flower, Patch, Nibbles and Thumper ended up in the freezer Shocked

Same with Diesel the budgie and the goldfish in the pond it's a no no!

The 12 year old is countryside wise, he's into fishing, hunting cute bunnies etc.

Unlike Alice I'm not game for anything Wink

Blackadder

mairead

My lovely ducks are simply pets and I'd kill anyone who tried to butcher them. It would be like eating my pet dog or cat. Duh
I'd never have made a farmer's wife, even though I come from farmers.

carol

I'm from farming stock ooarr ooarr

My gramps used to manage a farm just outside Dollar Wink

BA me and you are divorcing so just watch your back Twisted Evil

Alasdair

Blackadder

If you're hungry enough, you'll eat anything.

Alasdair

Speaking of which ...

... time for another recipe.

It's a FISH PIE
(see the reply below)

This is a rather fabulous recipe if i do say so myself, not only do the kids like it, but the mrs does too … now, that’s saying something!

What you’ll need:

What you’ll need to do:

Peel the tatties, cook them in unsalted water until tender (but not mush), about 15 - 20 minutes. Drain the tatties and mash to death with a good knob of butter, a healthy dose of pepper, a glug of milk and your grated cheese … keep mashing until your arm is sore and any and all lumps have been obliterated. Lumps make me gag!

Peel the carrots (or not, it’s up to you, at least give them a wash) and dice them before putting on to boil for about 15 mins … five minutes in add the peas, just add some until you have enough, about equal quantities as there is carrot.

While all that is boiling away poach the fish in 3/4 pint of milk until just cooked … drain the fish reserving the milk and removing any skin and or bones (it’s easier if you just bought skinless and boneless in the first place)

melt the butter in the pan before adding the flour and mixing vigorously. Add a splash of the milk and stir and keep doing this until you have a nice smooth white sauce. If it’s lumpy break out the whisk and go for it hammer and tongs … if your arm is still sore from the mashing use the other one, this’ll help develop some muscles.

Now add the parsley and a dash of lemon juice to your sauce and stir briskly … try not to drop the sauce as it will make a mess on the floor and encourage vermin into your home.

Bung the fish and sauce and carrots and peas into a fair sized casserole dish and mix together.

Get your mashed tatties in great dollops and spoon out over the fish and veg, using the back of a fork (no, not a gardening fork you wolly) spread the tatties out and make a pretty pattern on the top. I like to draw a fish or right the lads name …

Pap your casserole dish in a preheated oven (see you should have read it through first shouldn’t you). Ok, wait for your oven to heat up to 190 degrees ‘C’ pap your casserole dish in the oven for 35-ish minutes.
Eat whilst hot, but watch out because it’ll be roasting!

Enjoy!

Blackadder

And what do you call this dish, Alice??

Alasdair

Good question!

Let's go with FISH PIE!!!

look ... I'll edit the post Wink

carol

Even I knew it was Fish Pie!!

Blackadder

I knew that too ... but all recipes should have names. Like Carol's collection, known as "Burnt Offerings"! Very Happy

mairead

Alasdair,
No I don't eat their eggs as such, but I do use them in baking. They make fabulous meringues. The family all love themthough, as do the neighbours.

carol

maybe should change my name to Cinders, that way a charming prince will come along instead of the not so desirable BA Evil or Very Mad

Margaret throwing away the yolk is still discarding potential life is it not? (Not that I'm familiar with the fertilisation of duck eggs)

Blackadder

carol

I was trying to grasp why Margaret doesn't eat the egg yet uses the whites for meringues.

Blackadder

Yes ... but the nightly bucketful of alcohol obviously got in the way ....

carol

none has touched my lips for about a week

Blackadder

carol

I'd choke

Blackadder

Somehow I really doubt that! Twisted Evil

carol

any healthy recipes I'm trying to slim Confused

Alasdair

nettle soup is very healthy ... looks like snot, but it's healthy Wink

Blackadder

Snot Soup?? Shocked

No thanks!

Try this Carol.

Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs with Noodles

Chunks of chicken, courgette, peppers and mushrooms threaded onto skewers and coated in Yellow Bean Sauce, grilled and served on a bed of spicy noodles. Delicious!

Ingredients
4 Blocks Medium Egg Noodles (65g each )

2 Chicken Breasts, Skinless (approx 150g each)
1 Jar/195g Yellow Bean Sauce, (I used Sharwoods)
4 Button Mushrooms
1 Medium Courgette
½ Yellow Pepper
½ Red Pepper

1 tbsp Olive Oil
4 Spring Onions
1 Red Chilli or 1 tsp EPC Very Lazy Chilli (optional)
NB: You will also need some wooden skewers.

Method
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the noodles, return to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes (or per pack instructions).
Cut the chicken breasts into 1" chunks and place them into a bowl. Add ¾ jar of Yellow Bean Sauce and stir chicken to coat. Set aside.
Preheat grill.
Meanwhile, quarter the mushrooms; slice the courgette into ¼"/½cm pieces; deseed and slice the pepper into 1" squares.
Take each of the wooden skewers and make up the kebabs, starting each with a quarter of mushroom and then alternating chicken, courgette and pepper (as you wish), and ending each with another quarter of mushroom.
Place the kebabs onto the grillpan and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning frequently, until chicken is cooked.
Once kebabs are cooked, heat the oil to smoking point in a wok, carefully add the spring onions and chilli and stirfry for 1 minute. Add the noodles and remaining sauce and stir to coat. Heat through.
Serve kebabs on bed of noodles and eat immediately!

Alternatives
Try other sauces* such as Black Bean or Hoi Sin with Spring Onion - for a tasty alternative.

*Sharwoods have a great range of sauces.

We are here to help you reack size zero, Carol.

carol

reack

Hey bril, I've just got a new BBQ grill Wink

A gas one

The recipe also looks within my capability Wink

Blackadder

Carol, have you looked at The Fat Pig's Diet?

The writer says ...
'If a fat slob like me, who for decades has resisted everything except temptation, who has no known willpower, who has failed every diet I've ever tried, can lose three and a half stone and keep it off - then there's hope for everyone!'
Michael Winner, archetypal eater and restaurant critic, is an inspiration to us all.
'I've had jackets taken in four or five times each as I became the incredible shrinking man. What's more I've not only lost three and a half stone, I've kept it off!'
In the "Fat Pig Diet", Michael shares the secret of his success with the all the good humour of a bon viveur and lover of life.
'On my diet, I eat ice cream, cakes, sugar, potatoes and everything else that is supposedly fattening. I give you a daily note of my food intake in great detail and my weight each morning and evening. Not for a few weeks, as most diet books do, but for months and months! This is the easiest diet ever. And the most pleasant. If a fat pig like me can do it, a man who miserably failed every other diet I tried for twentyfive years, then believe me, you can do it!'

Blackadder

Here's something different .........

Platypus Cacciatore (A traditional Australian favourite.)

1 large platypus, cut into pieces
1 c onions, sliced
1/2 c green pepper, chopped
1/4 c oil
1 md garlic clove
1 lb plum tomatoes
1 tb parsley, chopped
1/2 ts oregano
1/4 ts thyme
3/4 ts salt
pepper, to taste
1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced

Heat oil in large skillet. Add platypus pieces, brown and set aside.

Add onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook until onion is tender. Force plum tomatoes through a strainer. Add tomato liquid, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to skillet. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add platypus; cover and cook over low heat 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add mushrooms and cook uncovered 15 minutes or until sauce is desired consistency.

Alice's Cook Book

Alice's cook book