Chefgarfy's Recipe Blog

Rowling From One Potter to Another

2012-07-27T04:34:00.002-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two of Britian’s most famous authors, who’s birthdays are remembered this week J. K. Rowling OBE and Beatrix Potter. Seeing that Britain’s Summer has finally arrived, this week’s recipes are ideal for summer barbeques and lazy lunches in the sun, they are; - Waldorf Salad,Lemon Chicken Salad & Oven Roasted Aromatic Ribs with a Bourbon & Orange Glaze.

J. K. Rowling OBE, FRSL (born 31 July 1965), is a British novelist, best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series. The Potter books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, sold more than 400 million copies to become the best-selling book series in history and been the basis for a popular series of films, in which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts as well as maintaining creative control by serving as a producer on the final instalment. Rowling conceived the idea for the series on a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990.

Rowling has led a "rags to riches" life story, in which she progressed from living on social security to multi-millionaire status within five years. As of March 2011, when its latest world billionaires list was published, Forbes estimated Rowling's net worth to be US$1 billion. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £560 million ($798 million), ranking her as the twelfth richest woman in the United Kingdom. Forbes ranked Rowling as the forty-eighth most powerful celebrity of 2007, and Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fans. In October 2010, J. K. Rowling was named 'Most Influential Woman in Britain' by leading magazine editors. She has become a notable philanthropist, supporting such charities as Comic Relief, One Parent Families, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain, and Lumos (formerly the Children's High Level Group). On 12 April 2012, Rowling announced that her new adult novel The Casual Vacancy would be published in the UK by Little, Brown and Company on 27 September 2012.

Beatrix Potter (28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943) was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit which celebrated the British landscape and country life.

Born into a privileged Unitarian family, Potter, along with her younger brother, Walter Bertram (1872–1918), grew up with few friends outside her large extended family. Her parents were artistic, interested in nature and enjoyed the countryside. As children, Beatrix and Bertram had numerous small animals as pets which they observed closely and drew endlessly. Summer holidays were spent in Scotland and in the English Lake District where Beatrix developed a love of the natural world which was the subject of her painting from an early age.

She was educated by private governesses until she was eighteen. Her study of languages, literature, science and history was broad and she was an eager student. Her artistic talents were recognized early. Although she was provided with private art lessons, Potter preferred to develop her own style, particularly favouring watercolour. Along with her drawings of her animals, real and imagined, she illustrated insects, fossils, archaeological artefacts, and fungi. In the 1890s her mycological illustrations and research on the reproduction of fungi spores generated interest from the scientific establishment. Following some success illustrating cards and booklets, Potter wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter Rabbit publishing it first privately in 1901, and a year later as a small, three-colour illustrated book with Frederick Warne & Co. She became unofficially engaged to her editor Norman Warne in 1905 despite the disapproval of her parents, but he died suddenly a month later, of leukemia.

With the proceeds from the books and a legacy from an aunt, Potter bought Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey, a tiny village in the English Lake District near Ambleside in 1905. Over the next several decades, she purchased additional farms to preserve the unique hill country landscape. In 1913, at the age of 47, she married William Heelis, a respected local solicitor from Hawkshead. Potter was also a prize-winning breeder of Herdwick sheep and a prosperous farmer keenly interested in land preservation. She continued to write, illustrate and design spin-off merchandise based on her children’s books for Warne until the duties of land management and diminishing eyesight made it difficult to continue. Potter published over twenty-three books; the best known are those written between 1902 and 1922. She died on 22 December 1943 at her home in Near Sawrey at age 77, leaving almost all her property to the National Trust. She is credited with preserving much of the land that now comprises the Lake District National Park. Potter’s books continue to sell throughout the world, in multiple languages. Her stories have been retold in song, film, ballet and animation.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Waldorf Salad Courtesy of Slimming World.

Serves: 4, Prep time: 20 - 25 mins

For the dressing
10 tbsp x Extra Light Mayonnaise
2 tsp x White Wine Vinegar
1 tsp x Dijon Mustard
A pinch of Artificial Sweetener

For the salad
1 x Medium-sized Celeriac
Juice of 1 lemon
2 x Apples, cored
2 x Ripe Pears, cored
4 x Celery Sticks, finely sliced
2 x Little Gem Lettuces, leaves separated
25g x Chopped Walnuts

To make the dressing, place the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard and sweetener in a bowl and blend to combine. Season to taste and set aside until needed.

For the salad, peel the celeriac and cut into manageable chunks. Using a mandolin, slice the celeriac pieces into thin strips. Place them immediately into a large bowl with some of the lemon juice and just enough water to cover. Prepare the apples and pears in exactly the same way.

Drain the celeriac, apples and pears and toss them in the dressing along with the celery. Season. Line a large serving bowl with the lettuce leaves and top with the salad. Scatter with the walnuts and serve.

My next recipe is Lemon Chicken Salad recipe by Lisa Harris Courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk/food

Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 12 mins

2 x Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
1 tbsp x Olive Oil
1 x Lemon, zest and juice
4 x Sprigs thyme, leaves removed from stalks
1/2 tsp x Dried red chilli flakes
70g x Rocket, or Mixed Salad Leaves
A Handful of Basil, torn into shreds
2 x Sprigs of Mint, chopped
1/2 x Red Onion, thinly sliced
A Handful of Black Olive, chopped in half lengthways

Put the chicken breast strips, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, thyme and chilli flakes into a sealable food bag. Season with salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake to cover the chicken breast with all the flavour. If you have time you can leave the chicken to marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes at this point.

Heat a frying pan and tip the contents of the bag into the pan. Fry chicken for 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Meanwhile, spread rocket, basil and mint onto two plates and sprinkle with sliced onion. Add the olives to the chicken, and stir through to warm. After 1 minute, spoon the chicken onto the salad. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the pan and warm through, stirring all the time to create a lemony sauce. Drizzle over the leaves to finish and serve with crusty bread or new potatoes.

My final recipe is Oven Roasted Aromatic Ribs with a Bourbon & Orange Glaze recipe by David Broom Courtesy ofwww.bbcgoodfood.com

Serves 4

3 x 500g Packs of Pork Ribs (about 16 ribs in total)
A Herby Green Salad, to serve

For The Glaze
140g x Orange Marmalade, preferably shredless or fine shred
2 tbsp x Dark Muscovado Sugar
150ml x Bourbon
100ml x Fresh Orange Juice
5cm x Piece of Fresh Root Ginger, peeled and coarsely grated
5 tbsp x Tomato Ketchup
2 tbsp x White Wine Vinegar

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C. Put the pork ribs in a large roasting tin and pour over cold water until they are barely covered. Carefully place in the oven and cook for 1 hour. This tenderises the meat and removes much of the fat, but it makes the ribs look grey and unappetising at this stage. Don't worry - they'll be dark and glossy once they are roasted.

Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the glaze in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the marmalade has dissolved. Turn up the heat and allow the mixture to bubble until it has reduced by about one quarter.

Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the temperature to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Tip the ribs and liquid into a colander in the sink and give the colander a good shake to remove any excess liquid. Return the ribs to the roasting tin, pour over the glaze and turn them until they're evenly coated. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes until the ribs are covered in a sticky glaze, turning and basting at least twice. Serve hot, with a herby green salad.

It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends. – J K Rowling

Tune into my Sunday Morning show 8am-10am on 6townsradio “UndertheCovers with TheRealTonyc” athttp://6towns.co.uk/ It's what your Sunday's were made for.

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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The Pink Panther Can't Get Any Satisfaction

2012-07-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two British legends, household names the world over who’s anniversaries are remembered this week Mick Jagger and Peter Sellers. This week’s recipes are Spiced Thai Beef Salad with Wild Rice, Chicken, Leek and Sweetcorn Lasagne & Strawberry & Rhubarb Fool.

Mick Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the lead vocalist and a founder member of The Rolling Stones.

Jagger's career has spanned over fifty years. Allmusic has described Jagger as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of rock & roll". His distinctive voice and performance, along with Keith Richards' guitar style, have been the trademark of The Rolling Stones throughout the career of the band. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Rolling Stones.

Jagger gained much press notoriety for admitted drug use and romantic involvements, and was often portrayed as a counterculture figure. In the late 1960s Jagger began acting in films (starting with Performance and Ned Kelly), to mixed reception. In 1985, Jagger released his first solo album, She's the Boss, and was knighted in 2003. In early 2009, he joined the eclectic supergroup SuperHeavy.

Peter Sellers CBE (8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980), was a British comedian, singer and actor who was perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther series of films. He is also notable for his appearances in the BBC Radio comedy series The Goon Show and for his many comic songs which he performed frequently during his 50-year career.

Born in Portsmouth, Sellers made his stage debut at the Kings Theatre, Southsea, during his infant years and later appeared at the Windmill Theatre. Sellers began accompanying his parents in a variety act which toured the provincial theatres. His theatrical abilities were dismissed by his father but encouraged by his mother and he later built on his abilities as an improvisational performer whilst attending college in his teenage years. Sellers became interested in stand-up comedy, but was initially unsuccessful and so planned on a performing career on radio. In 1948 his made his radio debut in Much Binding in the Marsh eventually becoming a regular radio performer, appearing in Starlight Hour, The Gang Show, Henry Hall's Guest Night and It's Fine To Be Young.

During the early 1950s, Sellers, along with Michael Bentine, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe, took part in a series of recordings known as the Goon Show; a collaboration which ended in 1960. His ability to speak in different accents along with his talent to portray a wide range of characters to comic effect, contributed to his success as a radio personality and screen actor and earned him national and international nominations and awards.

In the 1950s, Sellers began to appear in films and scored some considerable success with his roles. His film output was frequent and he displayed a versatile ability to perform in different film genres. Perhaps the most famous of these were The Pink Panther series of films, Dr. Strangelove, Lolita and Being There. Actress Bette Davis once remarked of him, "He isn't an actor—he's a chameleon." Despite his professional success, Sellers struggled with depression and his behaviour was famously erratic. Sellers' private life was characterised by turmoil and crises, and included emotional problems and substance abuse. Sellers was married four times, and had three children from the first two marriages. He died as a result of heart disease in 1980.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Spiced Thai Beef Salad with Wild Rice Courtesy of www.Goodtoknow.co.uk

Serves: 4, Cooking time: 55 - 60mins

198g x Dried Wild & Long Grain Rice
397g x Lean Frying, Sirloin or Fillet steak, cut into thin strips
2 x Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1tsp x Finely Grated Ginger
1tbsp x Finely Chopped Lemongrass
4 x Kaffir Lime Leaves, finely shredded
2 x Spring Onions, finely sliced
2 x Red Chillies, deseeded (optional) and finely chopped
1tbsp x Dark Soy Sauce
100ml x Beef Stock
½ x Cucumber, finely shredded
2 x Limes, juice only
1tbsp x Nam Pla (Thai fish sauce)
½ tsp x Artificial Sweetener (optional)

Cook the rice according to the packet instructions, drain and transfer to a wide mixing bowl.
Heat a non-stick frying pan or wok over a high heat and when hot, add the beef strips, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, spring onions and red chillies. Stir-fry over a high heat for 5-6 mins or until the beef is sealed and lightly browned.

Add the soy sauce and stock and bring to the boil. Cook over a moderate heat for 8-10 mins, stirring often until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside. Toss the cucumber with the reserved rice and divide between four serving plates or bowls.

Mix together the lime juice, fish sauce and sweetener, if using, and stir until dissolved. Spoon this mixture over the beef and toss to mix well. Spoon the beef mixture over the rice and serve immediately.

My next recipe is Chicken, Leek and Sweetcorn Lasagne Courtesy of www.goodtoknow.co.uk

Serves: 6 Prep time: 25 mins Cooking time: 45 mins

1tbsp x Vegetable Oil
600g x Skinless Chicken Breasts, chopped into small chunks
1 x Large Leek, sliced
100g x Frozen Sweetcorn, thawed
500g jar x Any Prepared Red Sauce for Lasagne
6-8 x Lasagne Sheets (weighing about 100-135g)
470g jar x Any Prepared White Sauce for Lasagne
25g x Grated Mozzarella cheese
Fresh salad, to serve

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / fan oven 170°C / Gas 5. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the chicken, stir-frying it over a high heat until seared and browned – about 3-4 minutes. Add the leeks and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Tip in the sweetcorn and the red sauce, stir and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.

Tip half the mixture into a large rectangular baking dish, measuring about 26cm x 20cm. Arrange half the Lasagne sheets on top, then spread half the white sauce over them. Repeat the layers, then sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the surface. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cooked and golden brown. Allow to stand for a few minutes, then serve with a fresh salad.

My final recipe is Strawberry & Rhubarb Fool Courtesy of www.slimmingworld.com

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins No cooking Time

113g x Strawberries
113g x Rhubarb, canned in syrup, drained
113ml x Skimmed Milk
142g x Low Fat Ready-Made Custard
4 tbsp x Fat-Free Natural Fromage Frais
1 tsp x Vanilla Essence

Hull the strawberries. Reserving 4 for decoration, place the rest in a food processor along with the rhubarb and blend to a smooth puree. Place the skimmed milk in a bowl with the ready-made custard, fromage frais and vanilla essence and mix.

Pour a little of the custard mixture into the bottom of 4 tall serving glasses, top with a little of the fruit puree and continue to layer up to the top finishing with the custard. Chop the reserved strawberries and arrange on top of the fool to decorate. Serve.

You see, there is no me. I do not exist ... There used to be a me, but I had it surgically removed. - Peter Sellers, The Muppet Show, February 1978.

Tune into my shows on 6townsradio "The Thursday Morning Show with TheRealTonyc" every Thursday from 10-12 & my Sunday show “UndertheCovers with TheRealTonyc” at http://6towns.co.uk/ It's what your Sunday's were made for.

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
www.chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
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The Good and The Bad Faces of ManKind

2012-07-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two men who personify the good and bad sides of mankind who’s anniversaries are remembered this week Nelson Mandela and Billy the Kid. And in honour of the great South African Statesman this week’s recipes are have an Afrikaans theme, they are Bunny Chow, Safari Eggs andBobotie.

Nelson Mandela is a South African politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, the first ever to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before being elected President, Mandela was a militant anti-apartheid activist, and the leader and co-founder of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). In 1962 he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and other charges, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Mandela went on to serve 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island. Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela led his party in the negotiations that led to the establishment of democracy in 1994. As President, he frequently gave priority to reconciliation, while introducing policies aimed at combating poverty and inequality in South Africa. In South Africa, Mandela is often known as Madiba, his Xhosa clan name; or as tata (father). Mandela has received more than 250 awards over four decades.

Billy the Kid or William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr.), better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier outlaw in the American Old West. According to legend he killed 21 men, but it is generally believed that he killed between four and nine. He killed his first man at 18.

McCarty (or Bonney, the name he used at the height of his notoriety) was 5'8" (173 cm) tall with blue eyes, a smooth complexion, and prominent front teeth. He was said to be friendly and personable at times, and it's been said that he was as lithe as a cat. Contemporaries described him as a "neat" dresser who favoured an "unadorned Mexican sombrero". These qualities, along with his cunning and celebrated skill with firearms, contributed to his paradoxical image as both a notorious outlaw and beloved folk hero.

Relatively unknown during most of his lifetime, Billy was catapulted into legend in 1881 when New Mexico's governor, Lew Wallace, placed a price on his head. In addition, the Las Vegas Gazette (Las Vegas, New Mexico) and the New York Sun carried stories about his exploits. Other newspapers followed suit. After his death, several biographies were written that portrayed the Kid in varying lights.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Bunny Chow Recipe by Alan Coxon, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk/food

Serves:4 Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 35 min

15ml x Oil
1 x Onion, chopped
1 x Garlic Clove, crushed
1/2 tsp x Turmeric
1/2 tsp x Garam Masala
1/2 tsp x Salt
1 x Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp x Fresh Grated Ginger
1/2 tsp x Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp x Curry Powder
1 x Chilli, finely diced
250g x Minced Beef
2 tsp x Tomato Purée
150ml x Beef Stock
1 x 400g tin of Butter Beans
A Loaf of Crusty White Bread

Heat the oil over a gentle heat, add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic followed by the turmeric, garam masala, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, curry powder and chilli and cook for a couple of minutes.

Increase the heat and add the meat, stirring until browned. Add the tomato puree and then the stock, stir and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the butter beans and cook the dish gently on a low heat for about thirty minutes. When ready, cut the bread in half lengthways, scoop out the middle and set aside. Fill the hollowed-out bread with the curry mix and serve.

My next recipe is Safari Eggs Recipe by Jason Atherton, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk/food

Serves:4 Prep time:10mins Cook time:15mins

4 x Large Tomatoes
4 x Eggs, at room temperature
250g x Soft White or Brown Breadcrumbs
2 tbsp x Chopped Parsley
8 x Rindless Rashers of Bacon
Vegetable Oil, for frying
Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Cut a slice off the top of each tomato and remove the pith and seeds. Season the inside of the tomato with salt and pepper and set aside to drain, cut side down.

Meanwhile, soft boil the eggs: place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, then switch off the heat and allow to stand for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the yolks in the middle.
Lift the eggs from the water, plunge into cold water to cool, and then remove the shells.

Place the eggs inside the tomatoes and stand in a baking dish with the tomato ‘lids’. Mix together the breadcrumbs and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle onto the tomatoes and bake for 10 minutes. While the eggs are baking, fry the bacon in a little oil in a frying pan. Serve the eggs piping hot with the bacon alongside.

My final recipe is Bobotie Courtesy of Good Food Magazine February 2008.

Serves 6 Prep 30 mins Cook 40 mins

2 x Slices of White Bread
2 x Onions, chopped
25g x Butter
2 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
1kg x Lean Minced Beef
2 tbsp x Madras Curry Paste
1 tsp x Dried Mixed Herbs
3 x Cloves
5 x Allspice Berries
2 tbsp x Mango Chutney
3 tbsp x Sultanas
6 x Bay Leaves

For The Topping
300ml x Full-Cream Milk
2 x Large Eggs

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour cold water over the bread and set aside to soak.
Meanwhile, fry the onions in the butter, stirring regularly for 10 mins until they are soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic and beef and stir well, crushing the mince into fine grains until it changes colour. Stir in the curry paste, herbs, spices, chutney, sultanas and 2 of the bay leaves with 1 tsp salt and plenty of ground black pepper.

Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Squeeze the water from the bread, then beat into the meat mixture until well blended. Tip into an oval ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5-6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill 1 day ahead.
For the topping, beat the milk and eggs with seasoning, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35-40 mins until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.

“For seventeen days, they are roommates. For seventeen days, they are soulmates. And for twenty-two seconds, they are competitors. Seventeen days as equals. Twenty-two seconds as adversaries. What a wonderful world that would be. That's the hope I see in the Olympic Games.” - Nelson Mandela

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
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Anna and The Two Kings

2012-07-06T04:36:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two famous “kings” who birthdays are remembered this week, the “King of Siam” Yul Brynner and the King of “china” Josiah Wedgwood. This week’s recipes are Easy Peasy Lentil Curry, Italian Rice with Chicken and Mexican Beef Chilli.

Yul Brynner (July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985)was a Russian-born stage and film actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times onstage. He is also remembered as Rameses II in the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille blockbuster The Ten Commandments, General Bounine in Anastasia and Chris Adams in The Magnificent Seven. Brynner was noted for his distinctive voice and for his shaven head, which he maintained as a personal trademark long after adopting it for his initial role in The King and I. He was also a photographer and the author of two books.

Josiah Wedgwood (12 July 1730 – 3 January 1795) was an English potter, founder of the Wedgwood company, credited with the industrialization of the manufacture of pottery. A prominent abolitionist, Wedgwood is remembered for his "Am I Not a Man And a Brother?" anti-slavery medallion. He was a member of the Darwin–Wedgwood family. He was the grandfather of Charles Darwin and Emma Darwin.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Easy Peasy Lentil Curry Courtesy of Good Food magazine February 2002.

Serves 4, Prep 5 mins, Cook 45 mins

2 tbsp x Sunflower Oil
2 x Medium Onions, cut into rough wedges
4 tbsp x Curry Paste
850ml x Organic Vegetable Stock
750g x Stew Pack of Frozen Vegetables
100g x Red Lentils
200g x Basmati Rice
Turmeric
Handful of Raisins & Roughly Chopped Parsley
Poppadoms & Mango Chutney, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook over a high heat for about 8 minutes or until they are golden brown. Stir in the curry paste and cook for a minute. Slowly pour in a little of the stock so it sizzles, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Gradually pour in the rest of the stock.

Stir the frozen vegetables, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lentils and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables and lentils are cooked. While the curry is simmering, cook the rice according to the packet instructions, adding the turmeric to the cooking water. Drain well. Season the curry with salt, mix in a handful of raisins and chopped parsley, then serve with the rice, poppadoms and chutney.

My next recipe is Italian Rice with Chicken. Recipe by Leslie Walters, courtesy of Good Food magazine, October 2005.

Serves 2, Prep 10 mins, Cook 30 mins

2 tbsp x Olive Oil
2 x Skinless Chicken Breast fillets or 4 x Boneless Thighs, cut into strips
1 x Red Onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 x Orange Peppers, halved, deseeded and sliced thickly
1 x Garlic Clove, crushed
100g x Long Grain Rice
1 x 400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
300ml x Organic Chicken Stock

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large, shallow ovenproof pan, add the chicken and cook for 3-4 mins until golden all over. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the onion and peppers, and cook for 3 mins or until lightly golden. Tip in the garlic and fry for a min. Stir in the rice, then the tomatoes, stock and reserved chicken. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil before transferring to the oven to cook, uncovered, for 20 mins. Season to taste and serve.

My final recipe is Mexican Beef Chilli. Good Food magazine, January 2012.

Serves 15, Easily doubled, Prep 15 mins, Cook 2 hrs 15 mins

Up to 6 tbsp x Sunflower Oil
4kg x Stewing Beef
4 x White Onions, sliced
2 tbsp x Chipotle Paste or 2 tbsp x Cajun Mixed Spice
8 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
50g x Fresh Root Ginger, grated
1 tbsp x Ground Cumin
2 tsp x Ground Cinnamon
1 tbsp x Plain Flour
2ltr x Organic Beef Stock
3 x 400g Cans of Chopped Tomatoes
1 tbsp x Dried Oregano
5 x 400g Cans of Pinto Beans, drained

Heat a small drizzle of the oil in an extra-large flameproof dish. Brown the meat in batches, adding a drop more oil, remove from the dish and set aside. Add 1 tbsp oil to the dish, then the onions, and cook for 7-10 mins or until caramelised.

Stir the chipotle paste (or Cajun Spice), garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and flour in with the onions and cook for a couple of mins. Gradually add the stock, stirring all the time, so it's fully mixed in with the other ingredients. Add the tomatoes and oregano, season and simmer for 10 mins. Now tip in the beef, cover and simmer very gently for about 1 hr 45 mins until tender, removing the lid and adding the beans for the final 15 mins. If the sauce is thin, let it boil down for a further 5-10 mins with the lid off. Before serving, adjust the seasoning. Serve with the garlic bread and salsa.

When I am dead and buried, on my tombstone I would like to have it written, "I have arrived." Because when you feel that you have arrived, you are dead. – Yul Brynner

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
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Flights of Fancy

2012-06-29T06:00:00.002-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two pioneers in the field of aviation whose birthdays are commemorated this week Louis Blériot and Amy Johnson. And your “in-flight meals” are Chicken Cacciatore, Easy Sweet & Sour Chicken and Oriental Duck Salad.

Louis Blériot (1 July 1872 – 2 August 1936) was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. He developed the first practical headlamp for cars and established a profitable business manufacturing them, using much of the money he made to finance his attempts to build a successful aircraft. In 1909 he became world famous for making the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier than air aircraft, winning the prize of £1,000 offered by the Daily Mail newspaper. Blériot was also the first to make a working, powered, piloted monoplane, and the founder of a successful aircraft manufacturing company.

Amy Johnson CBE, (1 July 1903 – 5 January 1941) was a pioneering English aviatrix. Flying solo or with her husband, Jim Mollison, Johnson set numerous long-distance records during the 1930s. Johnson flew in the Second World War as a part of the Air Transport Auxiliary where she died during a ferry flight.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Chicken Cacciatore Courtesy of Olive Magazine October 2005.

Serves 6, Prep 20 mins, Cook 30 mins

1 x Onion, finely chopped
2 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
Olive Oil
2 x 400g cans of Cherry Tomatoes
4 tbsp x Mascarpone
A Handful of Basil
6 x Skinless Chicken Breasts

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until softened but not coloured. Add the tomatoes, season, and then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thick and glossy. Take off the heat and stir in the mascarpone and half a handful of basil, roughly torn.

Heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the chicken breasts on both sides until golden. Transfer to a baking dish and pour over the sauce. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Scatter over the remaining half handful of basil. Serve with a short pasta, like fusilli, or a big bowl of potatoes roasted with olive oil and rosemary.

My next recipe is Easy Sweet & Sour Chicken Courtesy of Good Food Magazine February 2004.

Serves 4, Prep 5 - 10 mins, Cook 15 mins

9 tbsp x Tomato Ketchup
3 tbsp x Malt Vinegar
4 tbsp x Dark Muscovado Sugar
2 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
4 x Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks
1 x Small Onion, roughly chopped
2 x Red Peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
227g x Pineapples pieces in juice, drained
100g x Sugar Snap Peas , roughly sliced
A Handful of Salted, Roasted Cashew Nuts, optional

In a large microwaveable dish, mix the ketchup, vinegar, sugar and garlic thoroughly with the chicken, onion and peppers. Microwave, uncovered, on High for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is starting to cook and the sauce is sizzling.
Stir in the pineapple pieces and sugar snap peas and return to the microwave for another 3-5 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then stir in the cashews, if using, and serve.

My final recipe is Oriental Duck Salad Courtesy of Good Food Magazine September 2007.

Serves 2 but easily doubled, Prep 10 mins, Cook 15 mins

2 x Duck Breasts, skin on
100g x Rocket & Watercress salad (pre-bagged)
250g x Cherry Tomatoes, halved
A Bunch of Spring Onions, sliced diagonally

For The Dressing
1 x Garlic Clove, grated
1 tsp x Fresh Root Ginger, grated
2 tbsp x Soy Sauce
3 tbsp x Honey

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Score the skin of the duck breasts and season. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add the duck, skin-side down, and cook for 4 mins or until the skin is crisp. Turn it over and quickly brown the underside, then transfer to a baking tray.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and spoon all but 2 tbsp of it over the duck. Roast the duck for 10 mins for pink, longer if you prefer. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 4 mins, then slice into strips. 3 Toss together the salad, tomatoes, spring onions and duck slices. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve.

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
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Game, Set and Match

2012-06-22T06:50:00.002-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to the annual British spectacular better known asThe Wimbledon Championships. The recipes this week celebrate this event with all things strawberry, they are Eton Mess, Strawberry & Orange Cheesecake and Strawberry Flan.

The Wimbledon Championships, or simply Wimbledon (25 June – 8 July in 2012), is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors being the Australian Open, French Open and US Open. Wimbledon is the only Major still played on grass, the game's original surface, which gave the game of lawn tennis its name.

The tournament takes place over two weeks in late June and early July, culminating with the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles Final, scheduled respectively for the second Saturday and Sunday. Each year, five major events are contested, as well as four junior events and three invitational events.

The hard court (Plexicushion) Australian Open and clay court French Open precede Wimbledon in the calendar year. The hard court (DecoTurf) US Open follows. For men, the grass court Queen's Club Championships, also in London, as well as the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany, serve as warm-up events. For women, the AEGON Classic in Birmingham and 2 joint events, the UNICEF Open in S-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands and the Eastbourne International serve as warm-up events to Wimbledon.

Wimbledon traditions include a strict dress code for competitors, the eating of strawberries and cream by the spectators, and Royal patronage. The tournament is also notable for the absence of sponsor advertising around the courts. In 2009, Wimbledon's Centre Court was fitted with a retractable roof to prevent rain delaying and interrupting Centre Court matches during the tournament.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Eton Mess,Recipe courtesy of Olive magazine, May 2012.

Serves 4, Ready in 15 mins

150ml x Whipping Cream
150ml x 0% Fat Greek Yogurt
1 tsp x Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp x Icing Sugar
300g x Small Strawberries
50g x Ready-Made Meringues, crushed

Whip the cream and yoghurt with the vanilla and 1 tbsp of the icing sugar. Put half the strawberries in a food processor with the other tbsp icing sugar and whizz to a purée. Quarter the rest of the strawberries. Layer up the cream mix, crushed meringue, strawberries and purée in glasses, ending with some strawberries and purée.

My next recipe is Strawberry & Orange Cheesecake, Recipe courtesy of Slimming World

Serves: 4, Prep time: 20 mins, plus chilling

8 x Ginger Nut Biscuits
28g x Low-Fat Spread
142g x Strawberries, plus a few to decorate
250g x Quark
A Few Drops of Vanilla Essence
1 x Medium Orange
Artificial Sweetener, to taste
2 x Sachets Gelatine
Mint leaves, to decorate

Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and place in a bowl. Place the low-fat spread in a small pan and heat until melted. Mix into the biscuit crumb, spoon into 4 x 3in/8cm pastry rings on a baking sheet, press evenly over the base and chill.

Place 3½oz/100g of the strawberries in a food processor along with the quark and vanilla essence and blend until smooth. Chop the remaining strawberries and half of the orange into small pieces. Add to the mixture, along with the artificial sweetener, and mix well.

Dissolve the gelatine in 4 tbsp water in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Cool, then fold into the strawberry mixture. Spoon over the bases and chill until set.

To serve, run a sharp knife around the inside of each ring and remove the cheesecakes. Place on individual serving plates and serve garnished with the remaining strawberries, orange segments and mint leaves.

Tip: Agar agar can be used instead of gelatine if preferred.

My final recipe is Strawberry Flan Recipe courtesy of www.goodtoknow.co.uk

Serves: 4, Prep time: 15 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins + chilling time.

350ml x Milk
1 x Vanilla Pod, split in half
4 x Egg yolks
70g x Caster Sugar
20g x Flour
22cm x Cooked Pastry Case
500g x Strawberries
3tbsp x Apricot Glaze (or sifted apricot jam), warmed
Extra Fresh Fruit, to decorate

Heat the milk in a pan with the vanilla pod, then remove from the heat. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, add the flour and a little warm milk and mix well. Add this mixture to the rest of the warm milk in the pan and whisk over the heat for 3-4 mins or until thickened and smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Fill the cooked pastry case with the custard.

Wash, hull (remove the green bit) and slice the strawberries and arrange on top of the custard. Brush with the warm apricot glaze. Decorate with extra fresh fruit and glaze again. Chill before serving.

'If' by Rudyard Kipling.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
www.chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
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The Animal Magic of a Former Beatle

2012-06-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to the genius of two men Johnny Morris and Sir Paul Mc Cartney. The recipes this week are Steak with Madeira and Mushroom Sauce, Slow-Braised Beef in Red Wine and Sea-Salted Caramels.

Johnny Morris was a Welsh television presenter. He is known for his children's programmes for the BBC on the topic of zoology, most notably Animal Magic and for narrating the imported, Canadian-produced Tales of the Riverbank series of stories about Hammy the Hamster, Roderick the Rat, GP the Guinea Pig, and their assorted animal friends along a riverbank.

Sir Paul Mc Cartney is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. With John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame as a member of the Beatles, and with Lennon formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century. Following the band's break-up, he began a solo career and later formed the group Wings with his first wife Linda Eastman, and singer-songwriter Denny Laine.
He has been described by Guinness World Records as the "most successful composer and recording artist of all time", with 60 gold discs and sales of over 100 million albums and 100 million singles, and "the most successful songwriter" in UK chart history.[1][2] His Beatles song "Yesterday" has been covered by over 2,200 artists—more than any other song in the history of recorded music. Wings' 1977 release "Mull of Kintyre", co-written with Laine, was one of the best-selling singles ever in the UK. He has written or co-written thirty-one songs that have reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and as of 2012 he has sold over 15.5 million RIAA-certified units in the United States.
McCartney has composed film scores, classical and electronic music, and has released a large catalogue of songs as a solo artist. He has taken part in projects to help international charities, been an advocate for animal rights, vegetarianism and music education, campaigned against landmines and seal hunting, and supported efforts such as Make Poverty History. His company MPL Communications owns the copyrights to more than 25,000 songs, including those written by Buddy Holly, as well as the publishing rights to the musicals Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line and Grease. He is one of the UK's wealthiest people, with an estimated fortune of £475 million in 2010. He has been married three times and is the father of five children.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Steak with Madeira and Mushroom Sauce. Courtesy of www.goodtoknow.co.uk

Serves: 2, Cooking time: 20 mins

2 x Sirloin, rib-eye, rump or centre cut steaks
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
1tbsp x Olive Oil
100g x Chestnut Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
5tbsp x Hot Organic Beef Stock
3tbsp x Madeira Wine
5tbsp x Double Cream
2tbsp x Freshly Chopped Chives

Heat a large non-stick frying or griddle pan, season the steaks, brush with oil on both sides and cook according to your preference. Transfer to warm serving plates and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat under the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock, increase the heat and boil for 3 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the wine and cream and reduce for a further 3-4 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the chives.

My next recipe is Slow-Braised Beef in Red Wine. Courtesy of www.goodtoknow.co.uk

Serves: 4, Prep time: 30 mins, Cooking time: 2 hrs 30 mins

175g x Streaky Bacon, chopped
2tbsp x Sunflower Oil (if needed)
900g x Braising Steak, cut into 4cm/1 1/2in cubes
12 x Small Shallots, peeled
12 x Baby Carrots
1tbsp x Flour
300ml x Red Wine
300ml x Beef Stock
2tbsp x Soy Sauce
100g x Button Mushrooms
1tsp x Dried Herbes de Provence
4tbsp x Chopped Fresh Parsley

Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F/Gas Mark 3. Fry the bacon in a large casserole or pan until crisp. In the same casserole, brown the steak briskly, adding oil if needed. Lower the heat and fry the shallots until golden. Add the carrots, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour, followed by the wine, stock and soy sauce. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Add the mushrooms and herbs, cover tightly and cook in the oven for 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Transfer the 24 rolls to 2 large non-stick baking trays, leaving plenty of room for each roll to rise. Bake for 20-25mins until golden. Serve the lamb rolls with the Piccalilli.

My final recipe is Sea-Salted Caramels. Courtesy of www.goodtoknow.co.uk

Makes: 20, Prep time: 15 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

150g x Caster Sugar
150g x Light Muscovado Sugar
100g x Unsalted Butter
200ml x Double Cream
3tsp x Golden Syrup
1tsp x Sea Salt Flakes

Grease a 15–17cm square tin with sunflower oil. Place the caster sugar in a deep pan with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Set the pan over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and continue to cook until the sugar has turned to a deep amber-coloured caramel. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth.

Return the pan to the heat and bring back to the boil. Continue to cook until the caramel reaches 130°C/250°F on a sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat, leave to settle for 30 seconds, then pour into the prepared tin and leave until cold before turning out of the tin and breaking into pieces.

In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
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Hail & Farewell to the Sound of Steam & Thunder

2012-06-08T06:15:00.003-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to Reverend W. Awdry who’s birthday is remembered this week and to the memory of Ray Bradbury who sadly passed away last week. The recipes this week are taken from the Good Food Magazine, they are Mustardy Pork & Apples, Blackberry & Apple Loaf and Apple Pie Samosas.

Reverend W. Awdry, OBE (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997), was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, better known as the Reverend W. Awdry and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.

Ray Bradbury (August 22, 1920 – June 5, 2012) was an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man, Bradbury was one of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers of speculative fiction. Many of Bradbury's works have been adapted into television shows or films.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Mustardy Pork & Apples Courtesy of Good Food magazine, March 2006.

Serves 4, prep 5 mins, cook 20 mins.

4 x Pork Steaks, approx 140g each, trimmed of excess fat
1 tbsp x Oil
2 x Eating Apples, cored and cut into eight
1 x Onion, halved and sliced
A Small Handful of Sage Leaves, torn, or 2 tsp x Dried Sage
100ml x Chicken Stock (from a cube is fine)
2 tsp x Dijon Mustard or Wholegrain Mustard

Rub the pork steaks with a little oil and season with pepper and salt to taste. Heat a large frying pan and fry the steaks for 2 mins on both sides until golden. Transfer to a plate. Adding a little more oil to the pan, fry the apples, onions and sage for 5 mins or until the apples have softened.

Pour in the stock and spoon in the mustard, then return the pork to the pan and simmer for 10 mins until the sauce has reduced by about a third and the pork is cooked through. Serve with veg and mashed potatoes.

My next recipe is Blackberry & Apple Loaf Courtesy of Good Food magazine, September 2002.

Cuts into 10 chunky slices, ready in 2 hours, including baking.

250g x Self-Raising Flour
175g x Butter
175g x Light Muscovado Sugar
½ tsp x Cinnamon
2 rounded tbsp x Demerara Sugar
1 x Small Eating Apple, such as Cox's, quartered (not cored or peeled)
2 x Large Eggs, beaten
1 x Orange, finely grated zest
1 tsp x Baking Powder
225g x Blackberries

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/fan 160C. Butter and line the bottom of a 1.7 litre loaf tin (see tip below). In a large bowl, rub the flour, butter and muscovado sugar together with your fingers to make fine crumbs. Measure out 5 level tbsp of this mixture into a small bowl for the topping, and mix in to it the cinnamon and demerara sugar. Set aside.
Coarsely grate the apple down to the core and mix in with the eggs and the zest. Stir the baking powder into the rubbed-in mixture in the large bowl, then quickly and lightly stir in the egg mixture until it drops lightly from the spoon. Don't over-mix.

Gently fold in three quarters of the berries with a metal spoon, trying not to break them up. Spoon into the tin and level. Scatter the rest of the berries on top. Sprinkle over the topping and bake for 1¼ -1 hour 20 minutes. Check after 50 minutes and cover loosely with foil if it is browning too much. When done the cake will feel firm, but test with a skewer.
Leave in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out, then cool on a wire rack. Peel off the paper before cutting. Will keep wrapped in foil or in a tin for up to 2 days.

My final recipe is Apple Pie Samosas Courtesy of Good Food magazine, February 2010.

Serves 4, prep 20 mins, cook 25 mins

2 x Cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
50g x Caster Sugar
1 tsp x Ground Mixed Spice
50g x Sultanas
4 x Filo Pastry Sheets
25g x Low-Fat Spread (we used Flora Light), melted

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the apples, sugar, mixed spice and sultanas in a saucepan with 2 tbsp water and cook, covered, for 6 mins or until the apples are soft, stirring once or twice. Tip into a shallow dish and spread out to cool slightly.

Cut the sheets of filo in thirds lengthways, then brush lightly with the melted spread. Place a spoonful of the apple filling at the top of each strip, then fold over and over to form triangular parcels. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins until crisp and golden. Serve with low-fat yogurt, if you like.

“The sound I hear today is the thunder of a giant's footsteps fading away. But the novels and stories remain, in all their resonance and strange beauty." – Stephen King talking about Ray Bradbury

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
www.chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
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Food for a Right Royal Celebration

2012-06-01T00:30:00.002-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to the memory of The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The recipes this week are all ideal for a right royal celebration Hoisin Burgers with Sweet Pepper Relish,Coronation Lamb Rolls with Piccalilli Style Vegetables and Savoury Beef Cupcakes.

The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II is the international celebration throughout 2012 marking the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952. She is today queen regnant of 16 sovereign states, 12 of which were British colonies or Dominions at the start of her reign. Queen Victoria in 1897 is the only other monarch in the histories of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a few other Commonwealth realms to have celebrated a Diamond Jubilee. Following the tradition of jubilees past, a Diamond Jubilee medal is being awarded in various countries and holidays and events will be held throughout the Commonwealth. Plans were discussed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

My first recipe is Hoisin Burgers with Sweet Pepper Relish. Courtesy of www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk

Serves: 4, Prep Time: 15 mins, Cook Time: 16 mins

450g x Lean Beef Mince
2 tbsp x Prepared Hoisin Sauce
1 tsp x Sesame Oil, optional
1 x Garlic Clove, peeled and crushed
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

For the Sweet Pepper Relish
1 x Small Orange or Yellow Pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
¼ x Red Onion, peeled and finely chopped or 2 x Spring Onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp x Freshly Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley
4 tbsp x Prepared Plum Sauce

In a large bowl mix all the burger ingredients together. Using slightly damp hands shape the mixture into 4 x 9cm/3½inch burgers. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Cook the burgers on a prepared barbecue or preheated grill for 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked and any meat juices run clear.

Meanwhile prepare the sweet pepper relish; in a small bowl mix all the ingredients together and set aside. Serve the burgers in buns with salad leaves and the sweet pepper relish.

My next recipe is Coronation Lamb Rolls with Piccalilli Style Vegetables. Courtesy ofwww.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk

Makes 24, Prep 30mins, Cook 20mins

450g x Lean Lamb Mince
25-50g x Sultanas
1 x Small Onion, peeled and grated
2 tbsp x Freshly Chopped Coriander
2 tbsp x Curry Paste, of your choice
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 x 320g Ready Rolled Puff Pastry Sheets
1 x Egg, beaten
2 tbsp x Sesame Seeds

For the Piccalilli Style Vegetables
4 x Gherkins, sliced
1 x 5cm Piece of Cucumber, sliced
75g x Cauliflower, broken into very small pieces or florets
150g x French Green Beans, cut into 2.5cm pieces
½ x Red Pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
4 tbsps x Vinegar (from the Gherkin jar)
4 tbsps x Honey
2 tsp x English Mustard

To prepare the piccalilli; mix together the gherkins, cucumber, cauliflower florets, green beans and pepper. Add the vinegar, honey and mustard. Mix well, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 2hrs or overnight if time allows, for the flavours to infuse.

In a large bowl mix together the lamb, sultanas, onion, coriander, curry paste and seasoning. Place each puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut into two long rectangles, lengthways. You should have four rectangles in total. Place a layer of the lamb mixture down the middle of each pastry rectangle. Preheat your oven to as Gas Mark 6, 200C/400F. Brush one side of the pastry with the beaten egg, fold the other side of the pastry over to meet the egg washed side. Seal the edges with a fork. Glaze the top of the pastry with egg wash. Cut 6 rolls from each length.

Transfer the 24 rolls to 2 large non-stick baking trays, leaving plenty of room for each roll to rise. Bake for 20-25mins until golden. Serve the lamb rolls with the Piccalilli.

My final recipe is Savoury Beef Cupcakes. Courtesy of www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk

Makes 12, Prep 30mins, Cook 45mins

450g x Lean Beef Mince
100g x Beef Sausages, skinned
1 tbsp x Rapeseed or Olive Oil
1 x Large Onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 – 2 tbsps x Dijon or Wholegrain Mustard
½ tsp x Dried Thyme
½ tsp x Ground Nutmeg
2 tbsp x Freshly Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley
2 tbsp x Tomato Ketchup or BBQ Sauce
25g x Stale Breadcrumbs or Crushed Plain Crackers
75g x Peas or Sweetcorn

For the Mash Topping
450g x Potatoes (suitable for mashing) peeled and diced
225g x Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
25g x Butter or Margarine
4 tbsp x Milk or Single Cream

To prepare the mash; boil both types of potatoes in a large pan of boiling water for 20-25mins. drain, season and mash together with the remaining topping ingredients. Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 5, 190C/375F.

In a large bowl mix together the mince and sausage meat. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the mince mixture and cook for 5mins. Add the onion and continue to cook for 3-4mins. Season and add the remaining ingredients. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases then divide the mixture between the cases (up to ¾ full) and densely pack the mince mixture into each case. Place the mash in a piping bag fitted with a plain piping nozzle and pipe a dome shape on top of each cupcake. Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and cook for 15-20mins. Serve the cupcakes immediately with seasonal vegetables or a crisp salad.

God save our gracious Queen Long live our noble Queen God save the Queen.

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

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
www.chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
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A Spirit Now Flown

2012-05-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to the memory of Robin Gibb who sadly lost his prolonged fight with cancer, on Sunday 20th May. The recipes this week are Sizzling Korean-Style Beef, Salmon with Lemon Orzo and Nasi Goreng.

Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE (22 December 1949 – 20 May 2012) was a British singer and songwriter. He was best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his fraternal twin brother Maurice and older brother Barry. He had another younger brother, Andy Gibb, who was also a very popular solo singer.

Born in the Isle of Man to English parents, the family later moved to Manchester before settling in Brisbane, Australia. Gibb began his career as part of the family trio and when the group found their first success they returned to the United Kingdom where they achieved worldwide fame. In 2004, the Bee Gees received their CBEs from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace for their "contribution to music". With record sales estimated in excess of 200 million units, the Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop groups of all time. Music historian Paul Gambaccini described Gibb as "one of the major figures in the history of British music" and "one of the best white soul voices ever".

After a career spanning six decades, Gibb last performed on stage in February 2012 supporting injured British servicemen and women at a charity concert at the London Palladium. On 20 May 2012, Gibb died at the age of 62 from colorectal cancer.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

Chefgarfy's Recipe Blog

Rowling From One Potter to Another

The Pink Panther Can't Get Any Satisfaction

The Good and The Bad Faces of ManKind

Anna and The Two Kings

Flights of Fancy

Game, Set and Match

The Animal Magic of a Former Beatle

Hail & Farewell to the Sound of Steam & Thunder

Food for a Right Royal Celebration

A Spirit Now Flown

A Dinner for a Late Summer Lady

The Chairman and The Candyman

A Fishy Tale of Two Authors

Oh My Fair Lady, What a Calamity?!

Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Menu

A Titanic Menu for The Ship of Dreams

A Titanic Menu for The Ship of Dreams

When East Meets West

The Force Is Strong In This Storyteller

What's Up Doc

A Need for Speed

High Tea and Treason

A Tribute to A Daydream Believing Monkee

Comedy Kings Full of Eastern Promise

Recipes to Make You Quackers