[Jim]

looking for some inspiration for something to cook tonight for the family thats slightly different from the norm. Any recomendations of stuff you;ve cooked recently that was delicious?
(Its probably going to end up being the lamb rogan josh recipe that was recomended on here many moons but am after some more ideas)

a couple I did the other week:

Tandoori lamb chops
I can't believe I've never had/made these before, they are so taty!

either make your own tandoori spice mix or buy some spice mix or paste ready made, mix with yoghurt and marinate the chops in it for 24-48 hours
then bake in the oven on a tray for about 20 mins

biryani rice

saw this on a bbc program called economy gastronomy, i've never really thought of cooking rice like this but have made a version of this 4 times in the last week now as its delicious and easy to make and is much better than having just boring old plain rice.
I have used all sorts of different veg in it, whetever we have in.

For the 'emergency biryani'
2 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, peeled, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
100g/3½oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground turmeric
500g/1lb 2oz basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly in cold water before cooking
100g/3½oz fresh peas
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

8. Meanwhile, for the 'emergency biryani', heat the oil in a large casserole that has a tight-fitting lid over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened and starting to colour.
9. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
10. Add the chilli flakes and ground turmeric and cook for a further minute, stirring well, until the spices are fragrant.
11. Add the rice and stir until well combined.
12. Add enough cold water to the pan to reach 1cm/½ in above the level of the rice.
13. Bring the water to the boil in the pan, then immediately cover the pan tightly with aluminium foil and cover with the lid. Continue to boil the rice for 4-5 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the pan on the residual heat for a further 15 minutes (the steam in the pan will continue to cook the rice).
14. Carefully lift the foil covering and add the peas and chopped tomatoes. Return the foil covering and stand on the residual heat for a further five minutes, or until the rice is tender.
15. To serve, fluff the rice with a fork,

[cofe]

i rate the meatballs recipe out of Lord Sainsbury of Tum Tum's Ministry of Log book word. A little different to the norm and well jackson. Made it a few times.

[Falling Down]

I did Chorizo and Chick Peas the other night and it was lovely.  From a Nige Slater book (30 minute cook)

This is for two so adjust amounts accordingly.

1 small onion chopped
1 garlic clove
175g/6 oz of chorizo sausage
2 x 400g tins of chick peas (drained)
6 tablespoons of tomato passata (i didn't have any so just used fresh tomato and a bit of puree)
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley (this really added something so get some fresh)

Fry the onion until brown, say 7 minutes. Add the garlic and chorizo sliced into pieces a bit thicker than a pound coin and cook 'til it sizzles and changes colour.  Drain the chick peas and stir in adding the tomato and chopped parsley. Cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes. 

We ate ours with big chunks of fresh french bread to scoop it out of a big bowl. 

[dave]

There's a quick chilli recipe in nigella lawson's book "nigella express" which i've done a couple of times with modification. got beef mince, chorizo, some spices, chili sauce, tine of beans etc - works really well despite sounding like white-trash dogshit. I'll try and post up the 4-11.

[cofe]

I did Chorizo and Chick Peas the other night and it was lovely.  From a Nige Slater book (30 minute cook)

i likes da sound of dat.

[Jaspersharpe]

I did Chorizo and Chick Peas the other night and it was lovely.  From a Nige Slater book (30 minute cook)

i likes da sound of dat.

The Mrs does a version of this. Fucking awesome stuff.

[dave]

for a very nice and slightly different dal, try this shit:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/slightlysweetbengalg_86576.shtml

[tomtom]

Chorizo's one of those 'make any dish interesting' ingredients.. just sling some in with some pasta sauce and all that great fatty piggy smoky flavourness comes out!
Can't beat it...

[Jim]

Coincidentally there is half a chorizo ring in the fridge, have to get some chick peas

[lagerstarfish]

I did boneless spare ribs (£1.99/500g from Netto) in coke last week

sear either side of the the meat (best to do 1kg, so there will leftovers) in frying pan and placed in slow cooker (not switched on yet)

in frying pan put cola (not gay/diet), tom ketchup, sweet chilli sauce in a 2.1.1 ratio, then a dollop of peanut butter and one of vegimite and a splish of hendersons and cook until it goes thick and gloopy (add brown sugar if you want it sweeter)

drain off any juice/fat that has leaked out of meat and then cover the meat with sauce - shove a few onions in as well. put slow cooker on low and leave for 6 hours.

pour sauce into saucepan, place meat/onions on baking tray/large oven proof dish.
put real oven on at 200 C to get hot
Cook sauce until thick, using cornflour if you need it - test taste and adjust with pepper/chilli/whatever.
put thick sauce on meat and blast in oven for 15 mins
serve with whatever the kids will eat

[dave]

Nice - i think there's a nigella recipe of gammon cooked in cherry coke. I'm looking for a recipe for lamb shanks cooked in Dr Pepper.

EDIT: shit i fucking found one!

[Falling Down]

  sounds nice

[tomtom]

I did boneless spare ribs (£1.99/500g from Netto) in coke last week

Thats a great sounding recipe Lagers... but man, thats alot of sugar in there!

[SA Chris]

Current quick pasta sauce fave is tin of chopped tomatoes, with chopped olives (green or black), capers and chopped anchovies, season to taste (a few chilli flakes plus whatever you fancy), reduce, consume with whatever pasta you fancy. Spaghetti actually goes quite well.

[lagerstarfish]

I did boneless spare ribs (£1.99/500g from Netto) in coke last week

Thats a great sounding recipe Lagers... but man, thats alot of sugar in there!

There's is a reason that cheap meat + sugar is so popular. I'm sure that nobody on this forum goes there, but there is a franchise called McDonald's that has done very well selling this combo.

I should have added that you don't need to use all the cook-in sauce to make the topping sauce if you want to keep sugar intake down.

[Jaspersharpe]

Sounds like a fast track to DVT to me. Or gout. 

[Sloper]

Quail with fig and basalmic vinegar

1 -2 quail per person depending on how fat they are
1 fig per quail
50g of chopped pancetta
3 shallots per person
garlic
lots of thyme
50ml of basalmic per person per quail

In a hot pan fry your chopped shallotts in goose / duck fat or lard if you're a prole add the shallots and pancetta and brown, then add the garlic & herbs,  figs sliced in half and face up and quail.  Fry on a low heat for 1o minutes before placing in a hot oven for another 10 minutes.

Remove quail to rest and deglaze the pan with your basalmic

Serve with spring greens or kale and a good red from the Rhone.

Tonight however I will be having Grouse with truffled celeriac mash and suateed savoy cabage.

[tomtom]

Ever considered writing a cook book called tasty treats for the proles Sloper?? 

You know, some choice snacks to take to the picket line? Or Slopers protest brazier special....?

[Bubba]

Cooked this Rick Stein recipe last week - it was spot on (and also simple & pretty quick to cook):

Roast Monkfish with Crushed Potatoes, Olive Oil and Watercress

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 x 350 g (12 oz) pieces of prepared thick monkfish fillet
• 750 g (1 1/2 lb) new potatoes, scraped clean
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 85 ml (3 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 50 g (2 oz) watercress sprigs, very roughly chopped
• Balsamic vinegar, Maldon sea salt flakes and coarsely crushed black pepper, to serve

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Season the monkfish with some salt and set it aside for 15 minutes.
• Cook the potatoes in well-salted boiling water until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, ovenproof frying pan. Pat the monkfish dry on kitchen paper, add to the pan and sear for 3 - 4 minutes, turning it 3 or 4 times, until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 10 - 12 minutes, until the fish is cooked through but still moist and juicy in the centre. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and set aside for 5 minutes.
• When the potatoes are done, drain them well and return them to the pan with the extra virgin olive oil. Gently crush each potato against the side of the pan with the back of a fork until it just bursts open. Season with salt and pepper, add any juices from the fish and the watercress and turn over gently until the watercress is well mixed in.
• To serve, cut the monkfish across into thick slices. Spoon the crushed potatoes on to 4 warmed plates and put the monkfish on top. Put your thumb over the top of the bottle of extra virgin olive oil and drizzle a little of it around the outside edge of each plate. Do the same with the balsamic vinegar and then sprinkle around a few sea salt flakes and some coarsely crushed black pepper.

[Sloper]

Yah, foie gras with a sunny d reduction or road kill kebabs marinaded in Mad Dog 20/20.

PS I do eat road kill, as Houdini can attest to, nothing wrong with it, ethical food y'dig?

[Fultonius]

I did Chorizo and Chick Peas the other night and it was lovely.  From a Nige Slater book (30 minute cook)

i likes da sound of dat.

The Mrs does a version of this. Fucking awesome stuff.

Oh dear, I seem to have quoted to death!

Anyway, if making anything with chorizo and chickpea; red wine, smoked paprika and cumin all really add depth to the flavour! Nice.

[saltbeef]

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/venison-recipes/venison-with-blueberries-shallots-and-wi

made this last night. fucking dynamite.

[lagerstarfish]

I did Chorizo and Chick Peas the other night and it was lovely.  From a Nige Slater book (30 minute cook)

i likes da sound of dat.

The Mrs does a version of this. Fucking awesome stuff.

Mrs Sharpe does a few good Spanish style recipes - get her to post up for everyone's benefit.

[philo]

we had 7up lamb before and it was unbelievable. im going to get some 7up tomorrow and marrinade some lamb chops for 24h mmm

[Bubba]

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/venison-recipes/venison-with-blueberries-shallots-and-wi

made this last night. fucking dynamite.

That's going on my list of things to try.