Classic potato soup

Also added bacon and two stalks of finely chopped celery. Didn't add milk. Tasty.

Serves 6. Cooking time 10 to 30 mins. Prep time 30 mins.

A comforting classic, this easy potato soup uses a handful of store cupboard ingredients to great effect.

Ingredients

• 55g/2oz butter

• 425g/15oz potatoes, peeled and diced to 5mm/1/3in

• 110g/4oz onions, diced to 1/3in

• 1 tsp salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 900ml/1½pt home-made chicken stock or vegetable stock

• 120ml/4fl oz creamy milk

• freshly chopped herbs to garnish

Preparation method

1. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them in the butter until well coated.

2. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover with a butter wrapper or paper lid and the lid of the saucepan. Sweat on a gentle heat for approximately 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring the stock to the boil. When the vegetables are soft but not coloured add the boiling stock and continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

4. Add the milk. purée the soup in a blender or food processor. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Serve sprinkled with a few freshly chopped herbs or some of the following garnishes.

BBC Potato Soup recipe

Courgette and leek frittata

Ingredients:

• 3 medium courgettes
• 1 leek
• An onion
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup of cheddar
• 3 rashers of bacon
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Fry up the potatoes in butter. In a separate pan fry up the leeks, bacon, courgettes and onion in a separate pan. When the potatoes are cooked, arrange them over the base of the pan and remove the rest. Layer the veg and bacon mix with the remaining potatoes and the cheddar. Whip the eggs with seasoning and pour over the top. Put a lid on the pan and cook over a medium heat until the egg is set and cheese melted.

Colcannon

Very very very tasty :) I added three rashers of bacon, chopped up finely and fried with the onion. A Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe from the BBC recipe store.

Ingredients

500g/1lb2oz mealy potatoes, cooked
250g/9oz cabbage, shredded and lightly steamed
2 tbsp cream
salt and black pepper
1 large or 2 small onions, sliced
thinly
a little bacon fat, beef dripping or other frying oil

Method

1. Sieve or mash the potatoes and mix with the cabbage and cream. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Fry the onion in the fat over a moderate heat until it is soft and beginning to brown.
3. Using a spatula, press half the potato and cabbage mixture in an even layer on to the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until it is well browned and crispy underneath.
4. Cut the mixture into 4 quarters with the spatula or palette knife and turn them over carefully so that the crispy bit is uppermost. Press the remaining potato and cabbage mixture on to the first layer and after a few more minutes, cut and turn again.
5. When the bottom is again browned, you will have a crispy top too, a crispy bottom, and a crispy layer in the middle.

Curry night with Sarah and Clare

Cooked 4 curries for Sarah and Clare in Nov 09. 3 were from the internet and 1 was from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food- Vegetarian Jalfrezi. It was served with naan and Jamie Oliver's the ginger and lemon rice (ministry of food). The jalfrezi wasn't great, but we used jalfrezi sauce rather than paste without reducing the amount of tinned tomatoes put in which might have been the main problem with it. The Brussels Sprouts curry was the most interesting and most distinctive but the amount made was small so I then made a second batch before serving. The potato and aubergine was also good but I cooked it too early so it turned to mush- cook it later next time.

Brussels Sprouts Curry Serves 1-2. (V small portion- double the recipe)

By Phil Vickery BBC Food

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/brusselssproutscurry_84938

Ingredients

dash olive oil

100g/3½oz Brussels sprouts, halved

large potato, chopped and blanched in a pan of boiling salted water for five minutes

pinch turmeric

tsp cumin seeds

pinch paprika

1 cardamom pod, crushed

pinch ground cinnamon

2 tbsp white wine

chicken stock cube

squeeze orange juice

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp sesame seeds

To serve

large handful coriander, chopped

1 orange, peeled, chopped

2 tbsp plain yoghurt

Method

1. Put a dash of olive oil in a large saucepan and add the Brussels sprouts and blanched potatoes and cook for about four minutes until browned all over.

2. Add all the spices and cook for a further two minutes or so, until the spices give off a deep aroma.

3. Add the white wine, stock cube, orange juice, red wine vinegar and sesame seeds and cook for a couple more minutes. Stir to ensure the stock cube dissolves fully.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the coriander and orange.

5. Pour the curry into a serving bowl and top with the mixed coriander and orange. Spoon over the yoghurt just before serving.

Aubergine and Potato Curry Serves 4-6

http://www.recipezaar.com/aubergine-and-potato-curry-392613

Ingredients

2-3 medium potatoes, peeled, diced

2 medium aubergines, peeled, diced

2 teaspoons turmeric

1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon coriander seed

2 teaspoons mild curry powder or garam masala

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup approx oil (for frying)

2 cups approx hot water

1 teaspoon hot red chili powder (optional)

Method

1. Heat oil in deep frying pan or wok for about 1 minute, add diced potatoes, stir in until edges go transparent (about 2-3 minutes) and add aubergine cubes. Stir and cook until aubergine squares start to brown.

2.Add turmeric, stir, then crush cumin and coriander seeds in mortar or grinder and add, stir in, along with chili pepper, if used.

3.Add salt, then about half the water (1 cup), to just cover the aubergine and potato cubes. Squeeze in lemon juice and bury the rind in the middle of the mix (this gives the curry a slightly bitter flavour).

4. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring occasoinally. Add more water as needed to keep mix just covered. Add and stir in curry powder or Garam Masala just before serving.

Aloo Gobi Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 lb Potatoes

1 Cauliflower

5tbsp Vegetable oil

1 tsp Cumin seed

1 tsp Ground cumin

1/2 tsp Coriander

1/4 tsp Ground turmeric

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 Green chile - chopped

1/2 Ground cumin - roasted

1 tsp Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

This is the kind of comforting 'homey' dish that most North Indians enjoy. It has no sauce and is generally eaten with bread. I like to serve Shahi korma or Tandoori chicken with it.

1. Boil the potatoes in their jackets and allow them to cool completely. (Day-old cooked potatoes that have been refrigerated work very well for this dish.) Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3/4 inch (2cm) dice.

2. Break up the cauliflower into chunky flowerets, about 1-1/2 inches (4cm) across at the head and about 1-1/2 inches (4cm) long. Soak the flowerets in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. Drain.

3. Heat the oil in a large, preferably non-stick frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the whole cumin seeds. Let the seeds sizzle for 3-4 seconds. Now put in the cauliflower and stir it about for 2 minutes. Let the cauliflower brown in spots. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 4-6 minutes or until the cauliflower is almost done but still has a hint of crispness left. Put in the diced potatoes, ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, green chile, ground roasted cumin, salt, and some black pepper. Stir gently to mix. Continue to cook uncovered on low heat for another 3 minutes or until potatoes are heated through. Stir gently as you do so.