Heroes Rush in When Fools Crumble

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two memorable days for totally different reasons; April Fool’s Day, and National Armed Forces Day in Burma. So this week’s recipes are fit for heroes and fools alike. They are Cardamom Plum Fool, Beef Wellington, Mushroom Wellington, Beef & Red Wine Stew, Wake Up Callcocktail and the herb of the week is Lemon Verbena.

April Fool’s Day is celebrated in the Western world on the 1st of April of every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, 1st April is not a legal holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day which tolerates practical jokes and general foolishness. The day is marked by the commission of good humoured or funny jokes, hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, teachers, neighbours, work associates, etc.

Traditionally, in some countries such as New Zealand, the UK, Australia, and South Africa, the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool". It is for this reason that newspapers in the U.K. that run a front page April fool only do so on the first (morning) edition. Elsewhere, such as in France, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Canada, and the U.S., the jokes last all day. The earliest recorded association between 1st April and foolishness can be found in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392). Many writers suggest that the restoration of the 1st of January as New Year's Day in the 16th century was responsible for the creation of the holiday, but this theory does not explain earlier references.

In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392), the "Nun's Priest's Tale" is set Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two. Chaucer probably meant 32 days after March, i.e. 2nd of May, the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia, which took place in 1381. However, readers apparently misunderstood this line to mean "32nd of March," i.e. 1st April. In Chaucer's tale, the vain cock Chauntecleer is tricked by a fox.
In 1509, a French poet referred to a poisson d’avril (April fool, literally "April fish"), a possible reference to the holiday. In 1539, Flemish poet Eduard de Dene wrote of a nobleman who sent his servants on foolish errands on the 1st of April. In 1686, John Aubrey referred to the holiday as "Fooles holy day", the first British reference. On 1st April, 1698, several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to "see the Lions washed". The name "April Fools" echoes that of the Feast of Fools, a Medieval holiday held on the 28th December.

In the Middle Ages, New Year's Day was celebrated on the 25th of March in most European towns. In some areas of France, New Year's was a week-long holiday ending on the 1st of April. So it is possible that April Fools originated because those who celebrated on the 1st of January made fun of those who celebrated on other dates. The use of the 1st of January as New Year's Day was common in France by the mid-sixteenth century, and this date was adopted officially in 1564 by the Edict of Roussillon.

In the eighteenth century the festival was often posited as going back to the time of Noah. According to an English newspaper article published in 1789, the day had its origin when Noah sent his dove off too early, before the waters had receded; he did this on the first day of the Hebrew month that corresponds with April.

The Burmese Armed Forces Day, in Myanmar Tatmadaw Nay, is celebrated on March 27 in commemoration of the start of Burmese army's resistance to Japanese occupation in 1945. However, countries all over the world have different days when they celebrate their own Armed Forces Day, here in the UK we celebrate our day on 25th June.
The day is an annual opportunity for those nations to show their support for the men and women who make up their Armed Forces community ranging from currently serving troops to service families, and from veterans to cadets. Across the world people get involved in community held events along with businesses to show their support.

My first recipe is Cardamom Plum Fool courtesy of Good Food Channel Website

Serves 6, Prep time is 15 mins, Cook time is 25 mins.

1kg x Plums, stoned and chopped 
125g x Caster Sugar
3 x Cardamom Pods, husks discarded and seeds crushed 
Juice of 2 Lemons
150g x Ready-Made Custard
500g x Greek Yoghurt
Mint leaves, to garnish 
Amaretti Biscuits

Simmer the plums with the sugar, cardamom and lemon juice for about 15 minutes. Leave to cool. Drain the plums (reserving the syrup) then puree the plums until smooth. Re-heat the syrup and reduce by half. Stir the reduced syrup into the plum puree. Mix the puree with the custard and yoghurt, folding together well. Spoon into dessert bowls, cover and chill until required. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve with amaretti biscuits.

My next recipe is Beef Wellington Recipe by Gordon Ramsey, courtesy of BBC Good Food Website

Serves 4, 10mins to prepare, takes 1hr and 30mins plus chilling time to cook.

500g x Button Mushrooms , stalks removed and finely chopped
Olive Oil
1 x Sprig Thyme, leaves stripped off
600g x Beef Fillet, choose a centre cut piece
1 tbsp x English Mustard
500g x Pre-made All-Butter Puff Pastry
3 x Parma Ham Slices
1 x Egg Yolk, beaten

HERB CRÊPES
50g x Plain Flour
½ x egg
125ml x Milk
1 tbsp x Mixed Herbs, such as chervil, chives and tarragon, chopped
½ tbsp x Melted Butter

To make the crêpes, whizz the flour, egg and milk with a pinch of salt in a blender or processor until smooth. Pour into a jug and stir in the herbs and some seasoning. Leave to rest.

Fry the mushrooms in a little oil until they give up all their moisture and it has evaporated, leaving you with a thick paste. Add the thyme leaves and some seasoning and keep cooking for a few minutes. Cool.

Stir the melted butter into the crêpe batter, heat a 15cm crêpe pan and oil it lightly. Pour in enough batter to make a thin layer on the base of the pan, cook until the top surface sets and then turn over and cook briefly. Remove and repeat with the rest of the batter. This will make a couple more than you need so choose the thinnest ones for the recipe.

Sear the beef all over in a little oil in a very hot pan. Brush with the mustard, season and allow to cool. Lay a large sheet of clingfilm on a kitchen surface and put two crêpes down on it, overlapping a little. Lay over the Parma ham. Spread the mushroom mixture over the ham and put the beef in the centre. Roll the clingfilm up, taking the crêpe with it, to wrap the beef completely into a nice neat log. Chill for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 4. Roll out the pastry, remove the clingfilm and wrap the beef in the pastry like a parcel, with the ends tucked under. Trim to keep it nice and neat. Brush with egg, score with shallow lines across the top and chill for 20 minutes. Cook for 20 minutes. The best way to test if the meat is done to your liking is to neatly and carefully stick a skewer into the beef, count to three and then test it against your inner wrist. If it is cold the beef will be raw, if it is warm then the beef will be rare and if it's hot, it'll be cooked through. Leave to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

An Alternative to this carnivore’s delight, try this recipe for any vegetarian diners:-

Mushroom Wellington, recipe by Barney Desmazery, courtesy of BBC Good Food website.

Serves 4, prep time 30mins, takes 50mins to cook.

4 x Large Field Mushrooms
4 tbsp x Olive Oil
1 x Garlic Clove , chopped
Approx. 400g x Spinach Leaves
A dusting of flour
1 tbsp x Thyme Leaves (no stalkes)
500g x Read-made All-Butter Puff Pastry
140g x Stilton, sliced
1 x Egg, beaten

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan and sizzle the mushrooms for 3-4 mins on each side until golden and cooked through - add a drop more oil if needed. Lift the mushrooms out onto kitchen paper to drain. Place the same pan back on the heat with the rest of the oil. Fry the garlic for a moment, add the spinach to the pan, then cook for 2-3 mins over a high heat until completely wilted. Season with salt and pepper, then tip the spinach into a large sieve to drain thoroughly.
On a lightly floured surface scattered with the thyme leaves, roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a saucer and a larger-size plate, cut out 4 circles about 5cm wider than the mushrooms (for the bottoms) and 4 circles about 10cm wider (for the tops), re-rolling the trimmings if you need to. Place the 4 smaller circles on a baking tray and top each with a quarter of the spinach, making sure the pile of spinach isn't wider than the mushrooms. Top the spinach with a slice of cheese, then a mushroom, smooth-side up, and top the mushroom with another slice of cheese. Brush the border to each circle with egg, then gently stretch the larger circle over the mushroom, trying not to trap any air, then press the edges together with a fork. Trim the edges with a knife if you want, then brush each generously with egg. Bake for 40 mins until golden, then leave to cool for a few mins before serving.

Herb of the week – Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) 
Lemon Verbena is a deciduous perennial shrub, which is killed to the ground with hard frost, though it springs anew from the roots where the ground has not frozen; in mild, frost-free gardens, such as in the west of Ireland, it may attain heights of 25 feet (7.6 meters). It grows to a height of 3 to 7 metres and exudes a powerful lemony scent. It prefers full sun, a lot of water, and a light loam soil. It is sensitive to cold, losing leaves at temperatures below 0°C although the wood is hardy to -10°C. Lemon Verbena, if covered with some straw, cut down and kept free from very moist conditions, will also withstand up to a -15°C frost and will make new leaves in spring. The light green leaves are lancet-shaped, and its tiny flowers bloom lavender or white in late summer.

Lemon verbena leaves are used to add a lemony flavour to fish and poultry dishes, vegetable marinades, salad dressings, jams, puddings, and beverages. It also is used to make herbal teas and can be used to make a sorbet. In addition, it has anti-Candida albicans activity. In European Union, Verbena essential oils (Lippia citriodora Kunth.) and derivatives other than absolute are prohibited when used as a fragrance ingredient (Commission Directive 2009/164/EU of 22 December 2009).

Very little scientific research examines the lemon verbena herb as a medicinal plant, though it has a long history of use in folk medicine for treating a variety of ailments. One of its most popular uses is masking the flavour of bitter or less-palatable herbs in medicinal teas. Lemon verbena tea, however, has its own claim to fame. Herbalists and natural healers often prescribe the lemony beverage for treating digestive upsets, nerves, depression, headache and fever. In addition, it is one of the most effective natural remedies for colic and indigestion. The tea may also benefit sufferers of colds, bronchitis, congestion, cramps, sore or tired muscles, and nausea.

The intense citrus taste and aroma of lemon verbena contribute to its popularity as a culinary herb. The plant’s fresh and dried leaves are commonly used to flavour rice dishes, teas and beverages, fruit salads, custards, steamed puddings, cold soups, gelatine, jams and jellies, cakes, liqueurs and homemade ice cream. Lemon verbena is sometimes used in place of mint or lemon balm, though it takes only half the recommended amount because of the herb’s strength. Lemon verbena tea makes a refreshing drink after eating a heavy dinner.

My next recipe is Beef & Red Wine Stew, this is my variation on a recipe which first appeared in Slimming World Magazine.

Serves 4, takes 20mins to prepare & approx. 2.1/2hrs to cook.

900g x Irish Beef Fillet – chopped into chunks
2 x Garlic Cloves – peeled and crushed
6 x Small Sweet Shallots – peeled and halved
2 x Celery Stalks – chopped into 1” pieces
6 x Carrots – peeled and chopped roughly
400ml x Beef Stock 
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
175ml x Red Wine
Fry Light 
5 tbsp x Beef Gravy Granules
2 x Bay Leaf
2 tbsp x Flour
2 tsp x Paprika

First of all, season your flour with a salt, black pepper and 1 tsp of paprika, then coat your beef chunks with it ensuring that all the beef is covered. Preheat your oven to gas mark 3. Spray a large frying pan with fry light and place over a medium heat. Add the beef and stir fry until browned on all sides. Next add the vegetables, wine, stock, paprika and gravy granules. Season well and add the bay leaves. Bring to the boil, transfer to a lidded casserole dish and cover. Cook in the oven for 1.1/2-2hrs or until the beef is tender. Serve with potatoes.

My final recipe is a cocktail especially for the start of British Summer Time (BST) Which starts on 27th March this year.Wake Up Call. Recipe by Andy Pearson, courtesy of BBC’s Something For The Weekend website.

35ml x Gin
1 tbsp x Orange Liqueur
25ml x Grapefruit Juice
1 x Pink Grapefruit, peel cut into a spiral

Pour the gin, orange liqueur and grapefuit juice into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake hard to combine. Strain into a tall glass full of ice and garnish with a spiral of pink grapefruit peel

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D

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Aye Chihuahua, food to get your taste buds dancing!!....

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two days of national celebrations, in totally different countries; Benito Juarez Day in Mexico, and National Independence Day in Greece. So this week’s recipes have a distinctly Mexican and Greek flavour to them. They are Chicken Enchiladas, Flour tortillas, Souvalaki, Chihuahuacocktail and the spice of the week is Mastic.

Benito Juárez (March 21, 1806 - July 18, 1872) was born Benito Pablo Juárez García, a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872. Benito Juárez was the first Mexican leader who did not have a military background, and also the first full-blooded indigenous national ever to serve as President of Mexico and to lead a country in the Western Hemisphere. He resisted the French occupation, overthrew the Empire, restored the Republic, and used liberal efforts to modernize the country.
Today Benito Juárez is remembered as being a progressive reformer dedicated to democracy, equal rights for his nation's indigenous peoples, lessening the great power that the Roman Catholic Church then held over Mexican politics, and the defence of national sovereignty. The period of his leadership is known in Mexican history as La Reforma (the reform), and constituted a liberal political and social revolution with major institutional consequences: the expropriation of church lands, bringing the army undercivilian control, liquidation of peasant communal land holdings, the separation of church and state in public affairs, and also led to the almost-complete disenfranchisement of bishops, priests, nuns and lay brothers. La Reforma represented the triumph of Mexico's liberal, federalist, anti-clerical, and pro-capitalist forces over the conservative, centralist, corporatist, and theocratic elements that sought to reconstitute a locally-run version of the old colonial system. It replaced a semi-feudal social system with a more market-driven one, but following Juárez's death, the lack of adequate democratic and institutional stability soon led to a return to centralized autocracy and economic exploitation under the regime of Porfirio Díaz. The Porfiriato (Porfirist era), in turn, collapsed at the beginning of the Mexican Revolution.
March 21 is a day set to commemorate Juárez. This date has become a national holiday in Mexico, which has continued to grow in acceptance within Mexican culture.

The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1830, with later assistance from several European powers, against the Ottoman Empire, who were assisted by their vassals, the Eyalet of Egypt and partly the Vilayet of Tunisia.
Following the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Empire, most of Greece came under Ottoman rule. During this time, there were frequent revolts by Greeks attempting to gain independence. In 1814, a secret organization called the Filiki Eteria was founded with the aim of liberating Greece. The Filiki Eteria planned to launch revolts in the Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalities and Constantinople. The first of these revolts began on 6 March 1821 in the Danubian Principalities, but it was soon put down by the Ottomans. The events in the north urged the Greeks in the Peloponnese in action and on 17 March 1821 the Maniots declared war on the Ottomans. By the end of the month, the Peloponnese was in open revolt against the Turks and by October 1821 the Greeks under Theodoros Kolokotronis had captured Tripolitsa. The Peloponnesian revolt was quickly followed by revolts in Crete, Macedonia andCentral Greece, which would soon be suppressed. Meanwhile, the makeshift Greek navy was achieving success against the Ottoman navy in the Aegean Seaand prevented Ottoman reinforcements from arriving by sea.
Tensions soon developed among different Greek factions, leading to two consecutive civil wars. Meanwhile, the Ottoman Sultan negotiated with Mehmet Ali of Egypt, who agreed to send his son Ibrahim Pasha to Greece with an army to suppress the revolt in return for territorial gain. Ibrahim landed in the Peloponnese in February 1825 and had immediate success: by the end of 1825, most of the Peloponnese was under Egyptian control, and the city of Messolonghi—put under siege by the Turks since April 1825—fell in April 1826. Although Ibrahim was defeated in Mani, he had succeeded in suppressing most of the revolt in the Peloponnese and Athens had been retaken.
Following years of negotiation, three Great Powers, Russia, the United Kingdom and France, decided to intervene in the conflict and each nation sent a navy to Greece. Following news that combined Ottoman–Egyptian fleets were going to attack the Greek island of Hydra, the allied fleet intercepted the Ottoman–Egyptian fleet at Navarino. Following a week long standoff, a battle began which resulted in the destruction of the Ottoman–Egyptian fleet. With the help of a French expeditionary force, the Greeks drove the Turks out of the Peloponnese and proceeded to the captured part of Central Greece by 1828. As a result of years of negotiation, Greece was finally recognized as an independent nation in May 1832.
The Revolution is celebrated on 25 March by the modern Greek state, which is a national day.

My first recipe is Chicken Enchiladas courtesy of www.cook-eating.com.
Take 20mins to Prep and 20mins to cook.
700g x Shredded Chicken-no skin
200g x Sliced Black Olives
1/2 tsp x Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp x Dried Oregano
Salt & pepper to taste
1 x Med Onion, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp x Garlic Powder
1 x Bunch of Coriander, chopped
1 x Jar of Ready-Made Enchilada Sauce (or see recipe below for home made recipe) 
340g x Cheddar Cheese, grated
10 x Corn Tortillas (see below for home made recipe) 
Cooking Spray

Mix together in a bowl the chicken, olives, cumin, oregano, garlic powder,1/2 of the onion, and 1/2 the coriander, this is your filling for your tortillas. These can be cooked in oil or they can be coated with a food spray.

Pour a 1/4 enchilada sauce in pie tin and coat both sides of the tortillas with the enchilada Sauce. Spoon some of the mixture and a small amount of cheese inside, then roll and place in a baking dish, seam side down. (If you want to freeze your enchiladas now is the time - before sauce and cheese). Repeat this until all of the tortillas are rolled, then pour the remaining sauce over top, add the remaining coriander & onions. Bake in a preheated 180C gas mark 4 for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5mins then serve.

To make your own Enchilada Sauce, you will need:-
2 tbsp x Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp x All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsp x Mild Chili Powder
1/2 tsp x Ground Cumin
230g x Passata
½ Litre x Water
1 tsp x Salt
1/4 tsp x Garlic Powder

Heat the oil in a large 2.1/2 litre saucepan, stir in the flour and chili powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. This recipe makes approximately 750ml of enchilada sauce.

My next recipe is Flour tortillas recipe by Gino DiCampo, courtesy of GoodFood Channel website.

Makes 12, takes 30mins to prepare, and takes 25mins to cook.

500g x Plain Flour, sieved
1/2 tsp x Baking Powder
A Pinch of Salt
100g x Lard
120 ml x Warm Water

Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, rub in the lard. Add the water in a steady stream, and combine, until the mixture becomes a stiff, but pliable dough. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces and roll each piece out to form a 30cm circle. Cover with cling film to prevent them from drying out. Warm a heavy frying pan or griddle and cook each tortilla for 1 minute on each side, until the surface bubbles and has turned a light golden colour. Wrap the tortillas in a clean tea towel to keep them warm and pliable until you have cooked them all and are ready to use them.

Spice of the week – Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)
Mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). In pharmacies and Nature shops it is called "arabic gum" (not to be confused with gum arabic) and "Yemen gum". In Greece it is known as the "tears of Chios," being traditionally produced on that Greek island, and, like other natural resins is produced in "tears" or droplets. Originally liquid, it is sun-dried into drops of hard brittle translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum. The flavour is bitter at first, but after chewing releases a refreshing, slightly piney or cedar flavour.

The word mastic derives from the Greek verb mastichein "to gnash the teeth", origin of the English word masticate. The word for mastic is a synonym for "gum" in many languages. Within the European Union, mastic production in Chios is granted Protected Designation of Origin because, although the tree is native to the Mediterranean region, only the mastic trees of southern Chios "weep" the mastic resin when their bark is scored. The island's mastic production is controlled by a co-operative of medieval villages, collectively known as the 'Mastichochoria', which are also located in the southern part of Chios. There is even a small Museum of Mastic in the village of Pyrgi.

The harvest takes place from July until the beginning of October. First, the area around the tree is cleared and sprinkled with inert calcium carbonate. Then incisions in the bark are made: 5-10 on each tree, every 4–5 days. The resin flows from the incisions, falling on the ground where it solidifies. The pieces of dry mastic, can then be collected for cleaning and eventual sale. In addition to mastic, mastic oil is also produced.

Mastic has been used as a medicine since antiquity and is still used in traditional folk medicine of the Middle East. In Ancient Greece it was given as a remedy for snakebite, and in India and Persia was used to fill dental cavities. The first century Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides mentions the healing properties of mastic in his book De Materia Medica. Hippocrates wrote that the mastic is good for prevention of digestive problems and colds and Galenus suggested mastic was useful for bronchitis and improving the condition of the blood. For more everyday applications, mastic was highly valued in medieval times by sultans' harems, as a breath freshener and tooth whitener.
Mastic contains antioxidants, and also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. A Nottingham University study published in the New England Journal of Medicine claims that mastic can cure peptic ulcers by killing Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Other studies have indicated mastic has only a modest ability to eliminate H. pylori, but also suggested that refining mastic by removing the polymerpoly-β-myrcene may make the active components, in particular isomasticadienolic acid more available and effective. Mastic may also have some value in preventing tooth decay and gingivitis as chewing mastic reduces oral bacteria levels.
Regular consumption of mastic has been proven to absorb cholesterol, thus easing high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks. Mastic oil is widely used in the preparation of ointments for skin disorders and afflictions. It is also used in the manufacture of adhesive bandages.

One of the earliest uses of mastic was as chewing gum, hence the name. Mastic is used in ice cream, sauces and seasoning in Lebanon. In Egypt mastic is used in the preparation of different vegetable preserves, as well as jams with a gummy consistency, and in meats and soups. In Morocco, mastic is used in the preparation of smoked foods.
In Turkey mastic is widely used in desserts such as Turkish Delight, dondurma, puddings like sütlaç, salep, and tavuk göğsü, mamelika, and soft drinks, also in the preparation of Turkish Coffee on the Aegean Coast.
In the Maghreb countries mastic is used mainly for cakes, sweets, pastries, and as a stabiliser in meringue and nougat.
In Greece mastic is used to prepare mastic liqueurs mastic like Mastichato, a spoon sweet known as "vanilla", beverages, chewing gum, cakes, pastries, sweets, desserts, breads, and in cheese production. It is also a binding material or material preparation stabilizer for oriental sweets like "Turkish Delight" or mastic gum ice cream, and is suitable for preparing a pudding. In desserts, as an ingredient of jam or cakes, mastic is used to replace cornstarch and gelatin. It can also be used to stabilize ice creams.

My next recipe is Souvalaki, courtesy of GoodFood Magazine Website, first published Olive Magazine June 2010.
Serves 4 (makes 8 generous kebabs), takes 15-20mins to prepare & 13-15mins to cook, plus chill time for kebabs.

3 x Sweet Pointed Peppers (a mixture of colours is nice)
8 x Flatbreads, to serve
4 x Sprigs of Fresh mint, leaves picked
A small bunch of Fresh Dill, chopped (stalks and all) 
Greek Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 x Lemon, to serve

FOR THE KEBABS
800g x Leg of Pork, shin if you can get it, the best quality you can afford, cut into 2cm chunks
1 tbsp x Dried Mint
1 tbsp x Dried Oregano
Juice of 1 Lemon
100ml x Good-Quality Olive Oil
2 x Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp x Red Wine Vinegar
A Pinch of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
A Pinch of Sea Salt

FOR THE TZATZIKI
½ x Large Cucumber
200ml x Natural Yoghurt
1 x Small Garlic Clove, peeled
1 heaped tbsp x Dried Mint
1.1/2 tsp x Red Wine Vinegar

If using wooden skewers, cut 8 to fit your griddle pan and soak them in a tray of water to stop them burning. Put all your kebab ingredients into a bowl and use your clean hands to mix everything together really well. Cover with clingfilm, then pop into the fridge for 30mins, or longer if you want the flavours to get a bit more intense. Meanwhile, blacken the peppers directly over the flame of your hob, in a hot dry griddle pan or under a hot grill. Turn them every so often and when they look almost ruined, pop them into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and put to one side to steam for 5mins or so – this will help their skins to come off.
Make your tzatziki by coarsely grating the cucumber into a sieve set up over a bowl. Add a few good pinches of alt, then use your hands to squeeze out as much water as you can. Pour the water away, then tip the cucumber into an empty bowl and add the yoghurt. Pound the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt until you have a paste, and spoon that into the bowl with the cucumber. Add the dried mint and red wine vinegar and mix really well. Have a taste to make sure you’ve got the balance right, then put aside.

Preheat a griddle pan or grill on a high heat. Thread the skewers through the marinated pork pieces, leaving little spaces between them so that the heat cooks everything evenly. Cook the kebabs on the screaming hot griddle or grill for about 8-10mins, turning occasionally until done on all sides. Warm your flatbreads in the oven or in a hot dry pan while your kebabs are cooking. Just before your kebabs are ready, peel and deseed your blackened peppers, then tear them into strips and put them into a bowl. Roll up your mint leaves, finely slice them and add to the bowl along with the dill. Add a few splashes of red wine vinegar, a pinch or two of salt and pepper and a lug of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss and mix together, then have a taste to check the balance of flavours. Cut your lemon into wedges. Put a dollop of tzatziki and the meat from one skewer on each warmed flatbread. Top with some of your pepper mixture, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

My final recipe is a cocktail in celebration of Mexico’s Juarez Day, The Chihuahua. Recipe courtesy ofwww.cocktails.lovetoknow.com.

60ml x Tequila
60ml x Grapefruit Juice

Pour tequila into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Add grapefruit juice and stir lightly. Some people like to add a dash of salt, while others like to rim the glass with salt as they would for a Margarita.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D

http://chefgarfy.blogspot.com/
http://chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
www.chefgarfy.com
www.ukfba.co.uk/profile/chefgarfy