Big Jim’s Italian Sausage and Pesto Baguette
Came up with this the other day and it’s absolutely coorrrrr!!! Never tried Italian sausage before and was very impressed. Foreigners aren’t all bad.
Ingredients:
Baguette for one, halved
2 Italian sausages
A few slices of fresh mozzarella
Finley sliced tomato
Handful of basil
Handful of pine nuts or walnuts
Half a clove of garlic
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Oven on 180c fan.
For the pesto, grind up the nuts and the garlic in a pestle and mortar then add the basil. Really mush them up and season well. Towards the end add the olive oil. You’ll need a few tbsps. Add Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pesto, done!
Butter the baguette. Lay the tomatoes and mozzarella on one half.
Fry the sausages in a medium heat frying pan until cooked through. Remove them and slice them in half, lengthways.
Place the sausage on the tomato and mozzarella side of the baguette, spoon over some pesto and close it with the other half. Place in the oven until the cheese melts. Should take about 5mins.
It’s bloody luvleh!
Came up with this the other day and it’s absolutely coorrrrr!!! Never tried Italian sausage before and was very impressed. Foreigners aren’t all bad.
Ingredients:
Baguette for one, halved
2 Italian sausages
A few slices of fresh mozzarella
Finley sliced tomato
Handful of basil
Handful of pine nuts or walnuts
Half a clove of garlic
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Oven on 180c fan.
For the pesto, grind up the nuts and the garlic in a pestle and mortar then add the basil. Really mush them up and season well. Towards the end add the olive oil. You’ll need a few tbsps. Add Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pesto, done!
Butter the baguette. Lay the tomatoes and mozzarella on one half.
Fry the sausages in a medium heat frying pan until cooked through. Remove them and slice them in half, lengthways.
Place the sausage on the tomato and mozzarella side of the baguette, spoon over some pesto and close it with the other half. Place in the oven until the cheese melts. Should take about 5mins.
It’s bloody luvleh!
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Minced Beef and Onion Pie
A working-class British classic. Simple, affordable and delish. There’s no excuse to buy a ready-made pie when Big Jim makes it this easy!
Ingredients:
500g minced beef, 10% fat
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp tomato purée
A good, hard man glug of Worcestershire sauce (don’t be shy)
Half a glass of red wine
500ml beef stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
For the pastry:
200g plain flour
100g cold butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp cold water
1 tsp cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
To make the pastry, get a large bowl and grate the butter into the flour and add a pinch of salt. Using your hands, crush the mixture together until it resembles breadcrumbs then add the egg, cider vinegar and water and work it in. Knead it well on a clean, floured work surface until it’s firm and smooth. If it’s too sticky or wet, just did a bit more flour. Wrap it in clingfilm and place it in the fridge for an hour. Big Jim is a poet and he didn’t know it.
In a large frying pan, on a high heat, add the olive oil and a knob of butter. Fry the mince until nicely browned. Take your time. At some point the mince will release its water and it will begin to boil. Keep the heat high so that water evaporates and the mince begins to fry again. You will hear it. This is when you brown it. Add salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.
Lower the heat to low-medium and fry your onions, with a pinch of salt (add a little more oil if needed). Once soft, add your garlic and fry for 1 min. Then add the tomato purée and fry for a further 3mins. Return the mince to the pan and add the flour and stir it in. Now, add your wine and reduce. Pour in the stock and cook on a low simmer for about 45mins-1hr, topping up with water if necessary. You want it at a nice thick consistency but not too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaves and let it cool down.
Oven on 180c fan.
Take your pastry out the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface using a rolling pin or a wine bottle. You want it slightly thicker than a pound coin (3mm).
Gently place your pastry into a lightly greased baking dish, using your knuckles to mould it into the corners, then add your filling and then your pastry lid, pressing it down, gently. Brush the pastry with a beaten egg, make whatever pattern you want with a fork or a knife, and brush it again with egg. Stab a hole in the middle and cook for 35mins or until the pastry is golden brown and delish!
Serve with mustard mash and peas and tuck in. By all means, you can chuck in some rosemary or chilli flakes but this is the traditional version. Cheers.
A working-class British classic. Simple, affordable and delish. There’s no excuse to buy a ready-made pie when Big Jim makes it this easy!
Ingredients:
500g minced beef, 10% fat
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp tomato purée
A good, hard man glug of Worcestershire sauce (don’t be shy)
Half a glass of red wine
500ml beef stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
For the pastry:
200g plain flour
100g cold butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp cold water
1 tsp cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
To make the pastry, get a large bowl and grate the butter into the flour and add a pinch of salt. Using your hands, crush the mixture together until it resembles breadcrumbs then add the egg, cider vinegar and water and work it in. Knead it well on a clean, floured work surface until it’s firm and smooth. If it’s too sticky or wet, just did a bit more flour. Wrap it in clingfilm and place it in the fridge for an hour. Big Jim is a poet and he didn’t know it.
In a large frying pan, on a high heat, add the olive oil and a knob of butter. Fry the mince until nicely browned. Take your time. At some point the mince will release its water and it will begin to boil. Keep the heat high so that water evaporates and the mince begins to fry again. You will hear it. This is when you brown it. Add salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.
Lower the heat to low-medium and fry your onions, with a pinch of salt (add a little more oil if needed). Once soft, add your garlic and fry for 1 min. Then add the tomato purée and fry for a further 3mins. Return the mince to the pan and add the flour and stir it in. Now, add your wine and reduce. Pour in the stock and cook on a low simmer for about 45mins-1hr, topping up with water if necessary. You want it at a nice thick consistency but not too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaves and let it cool down.
Oven on 180c fan.
Take your pastry out the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface using a rolling pin or a wine bottle. You want it slightly thicker than a pound coin (3mm).
Gently place your pastry into a lightly greased baking dish, using your knuckles to mould it into the corners, then add your filling and then your pastry lid, pressing it down, gently. Brush the pastry with a beaten egg, make whatever pattern you want with a fork or a knife, and brush it again with egg. Stab a hole in the middle and cook for 35mins or until the pastry is golden brown and delish!
Serve with mustard mash and peas and tuck in. By all means, you can chuck in some rosemary or chilli flakes but this is the traditional version. Cheers.
Tips for rolling out pastry:
1) floured surface
2) floured rolling pin
3) go in one direction, then turn the pastry, repeat
4) if it tears, don’t try and stick it back together. Instead, break a little bit off and use it to fill the tear
1) floured surface
2) floured rolling pin
3) go in one direction, then turn the pastry, repeat
4) if it tears, don’t try and stick it back together. Instead, break a little bit off and use it to fill the tear
Forwarded from Sean
The mask slips here;
Coronation chicken was invented in Britain but it's labelled on the packaging as Indian, then they simultaneously tell you that Chicken Tikka Massala is British because it was invented here.
Coronation chicken was invented in Britain but it's labelled on the packaging as Indian, then they simultaneously tell you that Chicken Tikka Massala is British because it was invented here.
Pork Chops with Apple and Mushroom Sauce
A very delicious recipe that has a very unique flavour. Pork chops should be cooked like steaks if you want them tender and succulent. There is no other way to cook them.
Ingredients:
12 button mushrooms, sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Tbsp plain flour
Half a glass of white wine
Some sage leaves
300ml apple juice
300ml double cream
300ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Pork chops (obvs)
Season your pork chops well with salt and pepper and make cuts through the fat to stop them from bucking.
Put the cream on a low heat in a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer. If you add cold cream to a hot pan it will curdle.
In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Chuck in the mushrooms, apples and onion. Fry until onions are translucent then add the garlic and fry for 1-2mins. Stir in the flour.
Add the wine and reduce to a syrup. Then add the apple juice and reduce by half. Then add the stock and reduce by half. Now, add the cream, bay and sage leaves. Stir well.
Simmer for about 20mins.
Get a large frying pan to a high heat (so you can see smoke coming off it) and then add a tbsp or so of olive oil. Using a pair of tongs, hold the pork chops fat side down and caramelise the fat for 2mins or so. Then lay them flat out in the pan and cook them for 3-4mins on each side (depending on their thickness) or until each side is caramelised to your liking. You should only turn them once, add a knob of butter at the end and baste them with it. Then, they absolutely must rest for at least half the time you cooked them.
Serve with mash and veg and the delicious gravy poured on top.
A very delicious recipe that has a very unique flavour. Pork chops should be cooked like steaks if you want them tender and succulent. There is no other way to cook them.
Ingredients:
12 button mushrooms, sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Tbsp plain flour
Half a glass of white wine
Some sage leaves
300ml apple juice
300ml double cream
300ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Pork chops (obvs)
Season your pork chops well with salt and pepper and make cuts through the fat to stop them from bucking.
Put the cream on a low heat in a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer. If you add cold cream to a hot pan it will curdle.
In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Chuck in the mushrooms, apples and onion. Fry until onions are translucent then add the garlic and fry for 1-2mins. Stir in the flour.
Add the wine and reduce to a syrup. Then add the apple juice and reduce by half. Then add the stock and reduce by half. Now, add the cream, bay and sage leaves. Stir well.
Simmer for about 20mins.
Get a large frying pan to a high heat (so you can see smoke coming off it) and then add a tbsp or so of olive oil. Using a pair of tongs, hold the pork chops fat side down and caramelise the fat for 2mins or so. Then lay them flat out in the pan and cook them for 3-4mins on each side (depending on their thickness) or until each side is caramelised to your liking. You should only turn them once, add a knob of butter at the end and baste them with it. Then, they absolutely must rest for at least half the time you cooked them.
Serve with mash and veg and the delicious gravy poured on top.
Melted Camembert
This is my dad’s recipe and I strongly recommend it if you love melted cheese! It’s absolutely delicious and is a great starter or supper.
Ingredients
A wheel of Camembert in its wooden box
Half a sprig onion, chopped
Sprinkle of chilli flakes
1 tsp white wine
Some bread of your choice (baguette, tiger, toasted ciabatta and bloomer work best)
Put oven on 160c fan.
Remove the wooden lid and the wrapping and discard. Return the cheese to its wooden casing (minus the wooden lid). Gently cut around the edges of the cheese in a circle (as shown above) and - using a spoon - gently remove the “lid”. Sprinkle the spring onions and chilli flakes in and add the wine. Return the cheese “lid” you’ve carved out and place in the oven for 20-30mins (keep an eye on it). You want it to be perfectly melted on the inside, for dipping!
Serve with your favourite bread. Delightful.
This is my dad’s recipe and I strongly recommend it if you love melted cheese! It’s absolutely delicious and is a great starter or supper.
Ingredients
A wheel of Camembert in its wooden box
Half a sprig onion, chopped
Sprinkle of chilli flakes
1 tsp white wine
Some bread of your choice (baguette, tiger, toasted ciabatta and bloomer work best)
Put oven on 160c fan.
Remove the wooden lid and the wrapping and discard. Return the cheese to its wooden casing (minus the wooden lid). Gently cut around the edges of the cheese in a circle (as shown above) and - using a spoon - gently remove the “lid”. Sprinkle the spring onions and chilli flakes in and add the wine. Return the cheese “lid” you’ve carved out and place in the oven for 20-30mins (keep an eye on it). You want it to be perfectly melted on the inside, for dipping!
Serve with your favourite bread. Delightful.
Rhubarb, Strawberry and Apple Crumble
A very easy and delicious recipe and the kids will have fun making it with you. Do well to make this one folks! Big Jim will be proud.
Ingredients:
100g cold butter
100g Demerara sugar
200g plain flour
5-6 rhubarb stalks, chopped into chunks
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
A handful of strawberries, halved
Oven on, 170c fan.
In a large bowl, add the flour and then grate the butter in. Mix well with your hands until the texture resembles bread crumbs. If it’s too wet, just add some more flour. Be sure to work it well with your hands! Take your time and enjoy it. Then, stir in the sugar.
Place the rhubarb and apple into an oven proof dish, with a couple tbsp of water, and roast for 12 mins. Remove from the oven.
Add the strawberries.
Cover with the crumble topping and then cook in the oven for 35-40mins or until it’s lovely and golden brown.
Serve with vanilla ice cream! Tuck in!
A very easy and delicious recipe and the kids will have fun making it with you. Do well to make this one folks! Big Jim will be proud.
Ingredients:
100g cold butter
100g Demerara sugar
200g plain flour
5-6 rhubarb stalks, chopped into chunks
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
A handful of strawberries, halved
Oven on, 170c fan.
In a large bowl, add the flour and then grate the butter in. Mix well with your hands until the texture resembles bread crumbs. If it’s too wet, just add some more flour. Be sure to work it well with your hands! Take your time and enjoy it. Then, stir in the sugar.
Place the rhubarb and apple into an oven proof dish, with a couple tbsp of water, and roast for 12 mins. Remove from the oven.
Add the strawberries.
Cover with the crumble topping and then cook in the oven for 35-40mins or until it’s lovely and golden brown.
Serve with vanilla ice cream! Tuck in!
Garlic Butter Baked Salmon in Foil
Ingredients:
salmon fillets
chopped parsley for garnish
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp raw honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp each smoked paprika and basil
1/8 tsp eacn red pepper flakes and black pepper
salt to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Line a baking sheet with a large piece of foil and place salmon in the center.
In a bowl, add garlic cloves, dijon mustard, butter, lemon juice and zest, honey, smoked paprika, basil, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt. Mix everything together until combined.
Pour lemon garlic butter mixture over the salmon and then fold foil up around it to create a tent.
Place in oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until your desired doneness.
Remove salmon from oven and turn grill on HIGH.
Unfold the foil so the salmon is uncovered and grill for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges
Ingredients:
salmon fillets
chopped parsley for garnish
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp raw honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp each smoked paprika and basil
1/8 tsp eacn red pepper flakes and black pepper
salt to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Line a baking sheet with a large piece of foil and place salmon in the center.
In a bowl, add garlic cloves, dijon mustard, butter, lemon juice and zest, honey, smoked paprika, basil, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt. Mix everything together until combined.
Pour lemon garlic butter mixture over the salmon and then fold foil up around it to create a tent.
Place in oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until your desired doneness.
Remove salmon from oven and turn grill on HIGH.
Unfold the foil so the salmon is uncovered and grill for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges