Classic Beef Stew

Beef Stew taste of nostalgia (for 4)

This beef stew always makes me think of my Nan, who sadly passed away last December. Many a rainy Sunday afternoon was spent with steaming bowls of stew, a stack of buttered bread and a squeeze of either brown or tomato sauce, followed by stewed apple and custard and either a game of Newmarket or Scrabble. Lots of my favourite early memories are spending time with my Nan, who taught me, above everything else, the most important thing to do in life is to be happy.

So to the recipie, this is as simple as you can get, the quicker you can chop the quicker it is to do, and no nonsense of the beef jumping in and out of the pan :). Oh yeah, you will need a BIG pan!

1lb cubed stewing steak

4 medium potatoes

1 small swede

1 medium white onion

1 parsnip

4 medium carrots

(There's other bits aswell but that's mainly store cupboard stuff)

• Finely dice the onion and cook slowly in a splash of olive oil, untill it's really softened, but don't let it brown.
• sprinkle the cubed beef with flour and salt n pepper and add to the pan, add a beef oxo and crank the heat up. You want to seal the beef and keep stiring untill it's just starting to catch.
• Turn the heat down whilst you add all the chopped veg ( chop into bitesize chunks but make sure the potato is slightly bigger or it will break up to easily) 
• Add boiling water just until the veggies are covered, bring back to the boil and then turn down to a low simmer.
• After an hour, add a teaspoon of marmite, half a teaspoon of mustard (I use dijon but whichever) and sprinkle in gravy granules whilst stirring until the gravy is as thick as you like.
• Leave it a bit longer (30 mins) if you can, stir occasionally so it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.

 That's it, serve and enjoy!

Pimpin' Peas

Minty Pea Puree (for 2)

As per a request - it's a quick and easy way to pimp frozen peas and is lovely with fish/scampi or my favourite coke boiled ham ( Click here for the recipe!)

Cook your frozen peas in a pan in vegetable stock (i usually just use an oxo) and when cooked through drain off most of the stock but leave a little in the pan with the peas. 

Add a teaspoon of mint sauce and a heaped desert spoon of cream cheese, then blitz up roughly with a stick blender ( it's best if you leave it with some texture). Add a squeeze of lemon if you're having it with fish/chicken.

Credit for this goes to my mum-in-law Liz :) xx

Red Onion and goast cheese tart

Carmelised Red Onion and Goats Cheese Tart

The one recipie I always get asked for, and it's so easy! There's 10mins of standing and stirring, then 15mins in the oven.

Serves 4 as a starter or two for a main if you're a couple of piggies i.e. me and the hubz!

• 1 pack of pre-rolled puff pastry (the easiest option or you get can the block and roll it out, up to you!) (Asda own brand comes on greaseproof paper, even easier!)
• 2 big red onions (cut in half and thinly slice, thinner the better!)
• Brown sugar (1 table spoon)
• Balsamic Glaze (it's dead cheap from Asda, or you can use balsamic vinegar and add a pinch more sugar)
• Soft Goats Cheese (ideally you're looking for the soft one with the rind and you can get them to slice it into 1/2 cm slices at the deli counter, or do it yourself, or if you've got a block of soft cheese just crumble it over!)
• Milk or an egg to glaze the border of the pastry

• Pre heat the oven 180C/ gas mark 5
• Layout the pastry onto an oven tray (on greaseproof paper or oiled foil) and cut into quarters so you have four seperate tarts (you can cut four circles if you want to be more fancy, but I say lets not waste pastry!)
• With a knife draw roughly a cm border around the inside of the tarts, don't cut all the way through. (this helps the pastry rise).
• With a dab of butter and some olive oil, cook the onions down slowly in a frying pan. Keep stirring so they won't burn. The onions will change over time, going really soft. 

• Add the sugar and the balsamic and stir in till it's all dissolved. Done!
• Split the onions over the 4 tart bases (keep inside the borders) and top with the goats cheese slices (either one big one, or if you're using the soigon (?) cheese I use 2 as it's smaller!

• Glaze the borders with either milk or egg wash, then put in t'oven for 15mins, or until they're all risen and golden.

Gorgeous with a fresh green salad and tasty bread, enjoy!