Hello everyone, feels like I am overdue with my next recipe!

This one really appeals to all the blokes in my household, and I love it because you can make it a bit exotic by adding or serving with some lovely fresh oysters...

Steak and Guinness Pie with Oysters
1kg chuck steak
approx 100g seasoned flour
olive oil
2 diced onions
2 diced carrots
2 cups stock
2 diced potatoes
2 sticks diced celery
2 bay leaves
2 tblsp thyme
2 tblsp brown sugar
3 tblsp cidar vinegar
500 ml Guinness (I think stout tastes the best)
salt and black pepper
18 oysters

puff pastry
egg - for egg wash

- toss the steak cubes in the seasoned flour then brown off in oil (if you have a heavy oven proof pan you can cook the 'stew' and just add the pastry at the end and pop in the oven).Remove then
-brown the onion and carrot then put the steak back in the pan.
-Add the stock and stir thoroughly to get any bits off the bottom of the pan then add all the other ingredients.
-Cook gently for approx. 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Correct the seasoning. Now, if you are using oysters, put them into the mixture and cover the pan with the pastry. Glaze with the egg wash and bake at 220c for about 30 minutes or until brown.

This pie tastes wonderful with mashed potato and greens. Personally I love brussels sprouts with black pepper and butter, but whatever you fancy!

Enjoy
Ros

What a great long weekend - just perfect weather to batten down the hatches and get on with some serious eating and drinking!!

Here's a little concoction that's magic with a Coonawarra shiraz:

Spiced chocolate cherry baskets with pink peppercorn

To make the baskets:
beat 4 egg whites until stiff then slowly fold in -
1 cup of caster sugar
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cardamon
1 tblsp sifted cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

form basket shapes on lined tray and bake at 150 for approx. 45 mins.

To prepare the cherries:
Into a pan put
350g Morello pitted cherries and their juice.
Add 1 tsp shredded orange zest (I used zest from brandied cumquat)
approx. 1/4 cup of either brandy, contrioux or grande marnier

Simmer then thicken with a bit of cornflour and water. Sweeten if needed.

Prepare the mascarpone:
250g mascarpone
brandy
scraped vanilla bean
Just keep tasting until you love it!

When everything has cooled you can put it together: baskets with mascarpone then cherries. To finish sprinkle with a little freshly ground pink peppercorns (yes really, this really finishes the recipe) and a drizzle of cherry juice.

Enjoy!
Rosbj

Whats for dinner?

Well it's Centra night and time is short, so here's some fast food:

Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccini - 4 serves

500g chicken fillet - cubed
250g (approx) mushrooms - sliced

sweat off in olive oil then add

garlic
seed mustard

sprinkle some flour into the pan to take up the oil then,

deglaze the pan with a slosh of white wine or lemon juice. Pour in some chicken stock (or stock powder and water) and then some cream. Reduce until the sauce is the correct consistency and chicken is cooked.

Finish with chives, basil and black pepper. You can use dried herbs if fresh are not available.

While this is happening boil a large pan of salted water and cook your fettuccine.

Hope you enjoy your dinner. I usually serve it with a tossed salad and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Fast food - only about 15 - 20 minutes onto the plate!

Rosbj