Today we bring you a recipe from YMB poster Matt Loving who was handed this down from his grandmother. Thanks to Matt for sharing – it sounds delicious and while I’ve yet to try I’ll queue it up for this Sunday. I’ll report back next week.

Ingredients

• 2 to 2 1/2 lb fryers (normal sized chicken)
• 1 cup raw rice
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup minced celery
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes and 2 cups water (or use canned chicken broth and no water)
• 1 cup sour cream (optional)
• Paprika and parsley (optional)

Method

1. Brush chicken lightly with butter sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Broil slowly first with skin down – then up until lightly brown (not done)
3. Heat oven to 325 degrees F / 190 C / Gas 5
4. In skillet heat rice in º cup butter 10-15 minutes.
5. Add chopped celery, onion, salt, and pepper.
6. Dissolve bouillon cubes in warm water (or chicken broth) and pour over rice in casserole dish.
7. Place chicken skin up in the rice.
8. COVER and bake for 1 hour (or shorter depending upon how much the chicken was browned)
9. About 15 minutes before it is done, sprinkle with paprika and remove cover.

To celebrate that most wonderous of spicy comfort foods, and the edgy new direction for the Emerald Archer, I present Oliver “Green Arrow” Queen’s own Chili Recipe.

If you try it, please let us know how it is.

Its still winter(ish) so more comfort food is appropriate I think. This is a great dish to use with leftovers for example if you’ve cooked a lot of rice one day and keep it in the fridge. Its a bit indulgent with double cream, but what the hell you need the extra fat to keep you going over the cold nights.

Ingredients

• 350g of undyed smoked fish (haddock works)
• 100ml of double cream
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons mild curry paste
• 250g rice (cooked in advance)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
• 2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
• Butter

Method

1. Place the fish into a microwavable bowl and pour over the cream. Cover with cling film, pierce some holes in it and cook on full power for 5-6 minutes.
2. Flake the fish and remove the bones
3. Heat butter in a wok or heavy based frying pan and gently fry the onion
4. Add the peas and stir together for 4-5 minutes until onion is soft and peas are cooked
5. Stir in curry paste and cooked rice and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add cooked fish and cream mixture, lemon juice, chopped eggs and parsley
7. Mix together and serve

As it is Shrove/Pancake Tuesday, its time for my favourite pancake recipe. This is from The Joy of Cooking and I make these every Sunday morning. Serve with fruit of your choice (berries are good, especially blueberries), maple syrup if you like and bacon if you eat meat.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of plain flour (wholemeal is very tasty)
• 3 tbsp of sugar
• 1.5 tsp of baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1.5 cups of milk
• 3 tbsp of butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• a squirt of vanilla flavour/essence (latter much stronger)

Method

1. Take 2 bowls – one for dry ingredients and one for wet ingredients
2. In the dry bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
3. In the web bowl, mix together the milk, eggs, butter and vanilla
4. Pour the web into the dry and stir together well
5. Heat a little butter in a shallow frying pan
6. Turn down the heat to low
7. Drop a ladel full of batter into the centre
8. Swirl around until you get the size you want
9. Return to low heat and wait until lots of bubbles form and burst (about 1 minute)
10. Flip over the pancake and pat down
11. Leave for a further 1-2 minutes (depending on thickness) and check underneath to ensure it is cooked
12. Remove from the heat and butter when warm
13. Repeat from 7 until all pancakes are made

Tips:

• I usually use the first pancake as a tester. Its usually fine and can tide people over until they’re all ready
• Keep the pancakes warm in the oven until all done – quickly open the door and pop the next buttered one in each time
• To speed things up, I usually remove a cooked pancake and then spoon in mixture for the next before i go back and butter the cooked one
• If you want to add fruit(eg strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas),  chop them up and add them to the wet bowl

Macaroni and Cheese is a very simple dish to make. However, it can be bland and to be honest anyone serving poor Macaroni and Cheese should be punished severely. With that in mind, and to help eradicate corporal punishment for bland cooking, here is my favourite recipe for this cheesy pasta classic.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 cups milk
• 1 small onion, grated
• 3/4 pound shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (3 cups)
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F, 190°C, Gas 5
2. In saucepan over medium low heat melt 4 tablespoons butter
3. Blend in flour and seasonings, stirring until smooth and bubbly
4. Gradually stir in milk; cook and stir until thick and smooth.
5. Stir in grated onion and cheese.
6. Place cooked drained macaroni in a buttered casserole dish.
7. Pour sauce over macaroni and gently mix to blend.
8. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with the bread crumbs.
9. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the macaroni.
10. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Sometimes I like to put some sliced tomatoes on just before I add the breadcrumbs. You can experiment with other toppings as well, but the breadcrumbs are important.

These cookies come from the remarkable Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who isn’t so much a British chef but an exponent for self sufficiency. Over the years his River Cottage series have shown him raise his own produce, and help catch and cull various animals and fish to prepare for his family’s plate, or as part of a banquet to those local heroes he so loves. 

When I make these, I often mix things up by having a batch of dark chocolate and a batch of white chocolate or both in one. These really expand to create huge cookies so ensure you leave lots of space between the blobs of sweet goodness before they go in the oven.

Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz good dark chocolate
• 125g/4½oz unsalted butter
• 100g/3½oz granulated sugar
• 75g/2½oz soft brown sugar
• 1 free-range egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g/5¼oz plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Chop the chocolate into little chunks and set aside.
2. Heat the butter in a small saucepan very gently until it has just melted. Meanwhile, put the two types of sugar into a mixing bowl.
3. Pour the melted butter on top of the sugars and beat well with a wooden spoon.
4. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat until well blended.
5. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixing bowl and stir them in, then add the chopped chocolate.
6. Dot heaped pudding spoonfuls of the mixture over the lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of space in between them–they really spread out while baking.
7. Put the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are just turning golden brown.
8. Leave the cookies on the baking sheets to harden for a couple of minutes, then carefully lift up the baking parchment and transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
9. You can eat these cookies warm, but they are also good cold, and they store well in an airtight tin.

Serve, of course, with a tall glass of chilled milk.

As Winter continues to grip our unmentionables with its frozen, school nurse-like hand, thoughts wander to warmer, more filling and comforting foods. This recipe is a cheap, warming and tasty solution for the long nights. I like to substitute the bacon for pancetta to give it a more smokey flavour. Also, remember to thoroughly drain and rinse the beans  because not doing so can take away the awesome.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 12 good free-range pork sausages
• 6 rashers of bacon or some chopped pancetta
• 1 med red onion
• 2 cloves garlic peeled & chopped
• 1 red chilli (or more to taste) chopped
• 1 tablesp dark soft brown sugar
• 2 x 400gr tins plum or chopped tomatoes
• Dash of red or white wine
• 2 410 tins cannellini beans drained and rinsed.
• 1 410 g tin kidney beans drained and rinsed.
• Leaves from fresh parsley.

Method

• Place a large heavy based saucepan on the hob and heat the oil.
• Add the sausages and fry over a medium heat, turning them over until they are browned.
• Take them out of the pan, halve them and set aside.
• Add a little extra oil if necessary, turn the heat to low and add the bacon and the onion and fry gently for about 10mins stirring from time to time so they don’t stick to the bottom.  They will pick up the lovely sausage goo from the saucepan.
• Add the garlic and chilli and fry for another couple of mins then add the sugar.
• Pour in the tomatoes, wine and 275 ml of water. Stir in the sausages and the beans.
• Bring to the boil then cover and cook for 15 to 20 mins over a low to medium heat until the sausages are well cooked through.
• To Serve taste and season and sprinkle with the parlsey.
• Serve with fresh crusty bread or mash potatoes.

Brussel Sprouts

Oh, they are so awesome! Really. If you don’t like them, fine. You know what though, how have you had them? Boiled until they are a soggy, stinky mess? Highly probable, and if that’s the case you OWE it to yourself to give them another go, cooking them simply and deliciously. Since Day 37 is a Tuesday, which is also designated here at The Smorgasbord as Recipe Tuesday, here’s how to make the brussel sprouts awesome for your holiday table (and beyond):

Wash the sprouts, taking off some of the external leaves

Cut a cross at the bottom of the sprout

Now, either steam them for 7-9 minutes or pop them in a microwaveable dish with a little water and microwave for 5 minutes.

When done, toss with a little butter and for a festive twist add some grated nutmeg.

You could also toss them in the pan with some pancetta and maple syrup if you like. It’ll add some richness and sweetness.

A delicious, warm, homely dish which is perfect as we head towards the winter months.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 450g/1lb minced lamb
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp anchovy essence
• 1 small tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 225ml/7 ½ fl oz chicken, beef or lamb stock
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 700g/1½lb potatoes
• 55ml/2fl oz milk
• 75g/3oz butter
• 1 free-range egg yolk

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2.  In a large non-stick pan heat olive oil. Add the onion and cook for five minutes. 
3.  Add the mince and fry the mince until browned all over. 
4.  Add the flour and stir.
5. Add the bay leaves, thyme and the anchovy essence and stir. 
6. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and Worcestershire sauce. 
7.  Bring the mixture to the boil, adding a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper and let it simmer for about 45 minutes.
8. For the mash, boil the potatoes, then drain them in a sieve and place into a clean bowl. Add the milk, butter and egg yolk, and mash together. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Pour the meat into an ovenproof dish and spread the mash on top, smooth over and mark with a spatula. 
10. Put the dish into the oven and cook until the surface is bubbling and golden-brown.

Another delicious recipe, ideal for those following the South Beach Diet, but fantastic for everyone really. Just add more veggies or some rice on the side for quite a full meal.

Ingredients

• 1 boned, skinned chicken-breast half (4 oz)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (or a couple of balls of frozen spinach defrosted for 2 minutes in the microwave)
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas Mark 6.
2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a medium skillet.
3. Add spinach and sauté until wilted.
4. Remove from heat
5. Stir the spinach into the parmesan cheese and add salt and pepper.
6. Cut a lengthwise pocket halfway through center of chicken breast.
7. Stuff the spinach/cheese mixture into the chicken pocket then secure with oiled wooden toothpicks.
8. Brush chicken with remaining 1 tsp oil and sprinkle with pepper.
9. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
10. Remove toothpicks and serve.