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CHEAT’S ROAST BEEF AND YORKSHIRE PUDDING

Serves 8-10

Yorkshire pudding

250ml flour

3ml salt

a grinding of black pepper

4 eggs, beaten

200ml milk

oil for cooking

Beef

750g rump steak

30ml olive oil

salt and pepper

250ml hot ready made gravy

YORKSHIRE PUDDING: Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Add the milk and mix well. Set aside for at least an hour.

Put about 5ml of oil in 24 mini muffin pans and place in the oven at 200ºC until smoking hot. Remove from the oven and quickly divide the batter between the muffin tins. Return to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and puffed.

Remove from the oven and take the puddings out of the muffin tins. They will collapse slightly. Place them on a serving plate. Top with a slice of steak and pour over a little gravy. Serve warm.

BEEF: Brush the piece of steak with olive oil and season well. Put the meat into a searingly hot frying or griddle pan and brown well on both sides.

Remove and place on an oven tray. Roast in the oven at 200ºC for 10-12 minutes until done to your liking. Remove and rest, covered with foil, for 5 minutes. Slice into strips and serve with the Yorkshire pudding.

BEEF AND GUINNESS PIE

Serves 6

60ml seasoned flour

1kg beef shin, cubed

45ml olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

10ml chopped garlic

1-2 sticks of celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

250g brown mushrooms, sliced

400ml Guinness draught beer

375ml beef stock

salt and pepper

2 bay leaves

a sprig of thyme

500g roll of puff pastry

beaten egg for glazing

Put the seasoned flour and the beef in a plastic bag and shake to coat.

Heat the oil in a pot and brown the meat in batches. Set aside. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and mushrooms to the pot and fry gently for 10 minutes.

Return meat to the pot and add the Guinness, stock, seasoning, bay leaves and thyme. Cover and simmer for about an hour or until meat is tender.

If there is still too much liquid, simmer without lid to reduce liquid. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Remove from the heat and spoon the mixture into one large or 6 smaller oven-proof containers. Cool completely.

Roll out the pastry and cut out a lid to fit the container with the meat. Cover the meat with the pastry, using beaten egg to secure. Brush the pastry with egg and bake at 200ºC for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Serve warm.

FISH AND CHIPS

Serves 4-6

Batter

375ml self-raising flour

1 egg, beaten

330ml (1 bottle) chilled beer

Fish

1kg hake, cut into strips

seasoned flour for coating

potato chips for serving

Tartare sauce

250ml mayonnaise

30ml chopped capers

3-4 baby gherkins, chopped

2 spring onions, chopped

30ml chopped parsley

15ml chopped dill

30ml chopped chives

salt and pepper

BATTER: Put the flour into a bowl and add the egg and beer and mix to form a smooth batter.

Dip the fish strips in flour then into the batter and fry in hot deep oil until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on paper towel and serve with tartare sauce and chips.

TARTARE SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Serve with the fish and chips.

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK ROSTI

Serves 4-6

3 potatoes, scrubbed

1 baby red cabbage, shredded

125g streaky bacon, chopped

1 onion, halved and sliced

250ml grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

3 eggs, beaten

sour cream for serving

Drop the potatoes in boiling water and boil for 10 minutes, remove and cool. Add the cabbage to the water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Fry the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Drain and set aside. Add the onion and fry in the bacon fat until soft.

Grate the potatoes coarsely and combine with cabbage, bacon, onion, cheese and seasoning and mix well. Add the eggs and mix.

Spoon half the mixture into a greased non-stick frying pan and cook until the base is golden and crispy.

Place under a heated grill until the top of the mixture is golden and crispy. Repeat with remaining mixture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

BAKEWELL TARTS

Makes 8

Pastry

500ml flour

150g butter

60ml icing sugar

1 egg, beaten

ice water to mix

Filling

125g butter

250ml castor sugar

grated rind of 1 lemon

3 eggs

375ml ground almonds

80ml flour

a few drops of almond extract

125ml raspberry jam

60ml flaked almonds

Icing

water to mix

250ml icing sugar

PASTRY: Put the flour and icing sugar into a food processor. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and enough water to bring the dough together. Remove from the processor and knead gently to a smooth ball.

Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface and cut out circles to fit small loose bottom quiche tins. Line with the pastry and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate until required.

FILLING: Put the butter and castor sugar into a food processor and process until creamed. Add the rind and the eggs and process for a minute. Add the almonds, flour and almond extract and process until blended.

Place a spoonful of jam on the base of each pastry case. Top with a generous spoonful of filling. Sprinkle each with some flaked almonds. Place the tarts on a large baking tray and bake at 160°C for 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is set. Remove and cool. Drizzle with icing before serving.

ICING: Add enough water to the icing sugar to form a stiff icing. Drizzle over the tarts. - The Star

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