Leek and Cheese Topped Shepherd's Pie

A Shepherd's pie, pimped with a crispy leek and cheese topping. A good winter warmer.

450g Lamb mince
olive oil
2 onions
75g Carrot
75g Kumara, turnip or other root veg
big pinch cinnamon
tsp fresh thyme
tbsp fresh parsley
tbsp flour
275ml Lamb stock
tbsp tomato puree
salt pepper

Topping
100g Cheese grated
2 leeks sliced
50g butter

Cook and mash potatos with the butter. Brown meat. Fry onion till browned add spices and vegetables cook for 5mins. Add meat, stock, puree and flour. Season well.

Put meat mix in a pie dish. Top with mashed potatoes and top these with leeks then cheese.

Bake for 25 mins at 200 degrees, till topping crispy and golden.

Eat. A large portion!

Chinese Cucumber Salad

1 x telegraph cucumber (chopped into thick chunks chopped lengthways)

3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

3 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)

2 chilli pepper (chopped finely)

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

5 tablespoons of soy sauce

First chop your cucumber, then bung the pieces into some salted water. Leave for 30 mins then drain. Next mix together all the different sauces a bowl, add the chili and garlic and serve!

Yum. I lived on this salad when I was in China.

Bolognese from scratch...

When people say they can cook, and I ask them what they cook best, and they say 'Bolognese', I (perhaps unfairly) judge them. The reason for this is it is a dish with many variants, the majority of them being shitters pulled from student cookbooks, or worse (and probably most commonly), poured from a purchased jar labeled 'Bolognese' onto a pile of mince and a chopped onion, served onto a 99 cent bag of pasta

I'm sure many a woman has been served the Bolognese equivalent of a Justin Bieber album during one of those 'home dates' you inevitably have after meeting in a public space a few times. The Dolmio grin is one to be worn alone, or at least at the stage of a relationship where there are hole ridden underwear hanging in the bathroom, and you are comfortable enough with each other to wear ludicrous combination's of warm sleepwear for the five hours leading up to bedtime.

A good Bolognese is hard to beat, and here is a recipe I swear by, and one of the dishes I cook most often. I believe, as with any recipe that calls for stock, you are not really doing the recipe any justice if you purchase said stock. Take the time to make up good homemade stock, ideally in bulk for further recipes...


Bolognese Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

* 1 onions, finely chopped

* 1 stalk celery, finely sliced

* 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 400 g minced beef or veal

* 100 g pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, chopped

* 2 teaspoons plain flour

* 1/2 cup dry white wine

* 1 to taste salt

* 1 to taste fresh ground black pepper

* 1 to taste freshly grated nutmeg

* 2 cups veal stock or chicken stock or tomato juice

* 400 g ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped or peeled tomatoes with juice, pureed

* 2 tablespoons tomato paste

* 1 sprig thyme

* 1 bay leaves

Directions:

Prep Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 1/2 hrs

1. 1 Saute onion, celery and garlic in oil in a large saucepan until softened.

2. 2 Add minced meat and pancetta and fry until meat breaks up into small lumps.

3. 3 Sprinkle in flour, then stir well.

4. 4 Add wine, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

5. 5 Mix well, then increase heat and boil to evaporate liquid.

6. 6 Add stock, tomato, tomato paste and herbs.

7. 7 Reduce heat again and simmer for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.

8. 8 Taste for seasoning.

Boiled Water.

SERVES ONE.

Ingredients:

Cold Water

Preperation:

Some people swear that this recipe tastes best from the kettle, though I argue that in this instance a microwave will do just fine. Really it is up to you and your tastebuds!


Method One: (MICROWAVE:)

Fill some kind of heat resistant container (I find a mug is normally best) with ALL of the cold water.

Set the microwave on HIGH power for two and a half minutes.

Start the microwave.

You will know when it is ready to serve because the cold water will now be boiling.


Method Two: (JUG or KETTLE - either way works fine)

Fill up the jug with enough water to cover the elements (you will know how much this is by looking into the jug as you fill it, though more modern kettles often have an level indicator visible from the exterior).

Note! When preparing your boiling water using in the jug, don't be afraid to fill the jug with more cold water than you actually need for one serving - it keeps very well, even unrefrigerated.

Turn the jug on (you may have to consult the user manual for instructions specific to the make and model you own).

Wait until the jug switches itself off (most makes and models produced after 1972 will do this, otherwise be look for the common signs of boiling, such as steam and/or bubbles, before manually powering down the appliance.)

Serve in a heat resistant container (as with the microwave version, I think a mug works best).

Enjoy!!!

* If you live life on the move, try substituting hot water for the cold water listed in the ingredients. A slow cook is always preferable, though those busy days are often unavoidable!!!

** For an Eastern spin, try adding a Tea Bag after cooking.

Bayerischer Obazda

Obazda is a cheese spread from Bavaria

Ingredients

caraway	1/2 teaspoon
butter	1 tablespoon
camembert	220 gram
cream cheese	200 gram
little onion	1				(chopped)
chives	1 bunch				(chopped)
dark beer	5 tablespoon
paprika powder (sweet)	2 teaspoon
paprika powder (hot)	2 teaspoon
salt	1 dash

Preparation

Crush and mix butter, camembert and the cream cheese using a fork. Add the chopped onion. Season to taste with beer, paprika powder, salt, pepper and caraway.

Have Obazda with Beer, Brezn or any other bread. Don't share it with Preißn (northern Germans).

Many kitchens.

The recipe exchange post!

Beetroot. I love it.

According to my mum I used to eat entire jars of it when I was i kid. I prefer fresh rather than pickled now, though pickled still has its place.

This is a simple and versatile recipe. I like it on a dark rye bread or in a baked tattie.

Beetroot Smash
One large beetroot (cooked, roasted or raw) grated.
100g Cream cheese
Tea spoon Wasapi ( or creamed horseradish)
Table spoon or herbs (dill or parsley is nice)
salt and pepper

Mix it all together adding more cream cheese or wasapi as you like..