With the bank holiday just around the corner, why not treat yourself and friends to a tuna steak and fine bean  rocket salad.

We all have had the tuna sandwich, now try a tuna steak, simple and easy

enjoy

Heat a frying pan on a medium heat with olive oil and wait till the pan slightly smokes, place the tuna onto the pan away from yourself to prevent possible splashing of hot oil. Cook for two minutes on either side, season the steaks when cooked to reduce drying out effect, remove from pan and add lime or lemon juice.

Cook the green beans in saucepan of boiling salted water for six minutes, when done, remove beans and place in iced cold water to cool down.

Place the tomatoes on a tray, sprinkle wit olive oil and season, retain tomatoes on the vine to add to the flavour and presentation of the dish.

add to the salad, green beans, olives and rocket leaves, dress with pesto, balsamic vinegar or oils of your choice.

The French eat croissants by the ton. The crescent shaped bread has been with us since the middle ages and some people say it is in worship of the moon; sounds a bit silly to me. The modern croissant dates back to 19th century Paris.

Fish-farers breakfast.

Sardines are an oily fish and therefore, a fantastic source of omega 3.  There is really no better way to start the day than this dish, it will keep you going until lunch.



 Sardines
 Olive oil
 Salt Pepper
 Smoked bacon

Heat a pan and add olive oil. Wait untill the pan is nice and hot before adding your fish.  Cook for 3 minutes on each side . You can cook the bacon at the same time as the fish and in the same pan. Serve with soda bread, yum.

New Potatoes
Wild Rocket
Creme Fraiche
Lemon Juice
Salt Pepper
Capers
Wholegrain Mustard
   
 
 Pork Chops
 Thyme
 Garlic
 Lemon juice
 Salt & Pepper
  


Pork chops these can be marinated in the morning before going to work. Place the new Potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 min. Add cooked potatoes in to a mixing bowl with creme fraiche, lemon juice, wholegrain mustard with capers and rocket; mix together and serve.  Cook the pork chops for 3 min on eachside before serving.

When we think of Jellied Eels we think of the Eastend of London and Millwall FC . Eels and mash shops have been with used since the 18th century which was a great source of cheap fastfood for the working class of London. The eels were cut up in to small pieces and cooked in spice, water, chillies and mustard seeds. When the water has cooled down the water will set and preserve the Eel meat. Chilli vinegar, traditional vinegar and black pepper are traditionally used for seasoning. You can used balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and herbs like chervil for seasoning as well.

4 Large Duck legs
100g of rock salt
900g of duck fat 
Bulb of Garlic
Fresh Thyme
Whole Orange
Handful of Peppercorns
Cooking time 2 1/2 hours

I have a feeling that people think that duck confit is a bit too cheffy. Well it's not, give it a go, this dish comes from Gascony in France.

Make the Duck Confit at least 24 hours before you want to serve this dish.

Sprinkle with a little of the rock salt turn over and do the same again with the Duck legs .  Add a bulb of Garlic and fresh Thyme .Cover and leave inthe fridge for 24 hours don't leave any longer or the Duck will become to salty.



Wash the salt off the Duck legs and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Add the Duck legs to casserole dish with whole orange cut in half and a handful of peppercorns and make sure they are completely submerged; cook on the lowest heat you can.  Bring the Duck fat to a gentle simmer.






You can also serve with braised red gabbage or frisee salad




Enjoy!

This is a traditional Greek method of cooking chicken and is quite delicious. You can't have too much lemon for this dish.  

1. x 1.3 kg Chicken
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 large onion cut in half
1 Celery stick finely sliced
 Lemon Thyme
2 Lemon
300 ml Hot water

Cover and cook slowly for 70 minutes at electric 200C gas mark 6
 
Heat the olive oil in a casserole pot and brown and seasoned Chicken all over . Remove the Chicken and saute the onion until it becomes transparaent. Add all the remaining vegetable and the lemon thyme and saute for a few minutes. Return the Chicken to the pan on top of the vegetables and pour over the juices of the Lemon.  Cut the Lemon rind into very thin strips and add to the dish. 

        

  Yum, finger licking good!!!

                               

After the fast of Good Friday time to slaughter porky pig for breakfast...squell little piggy!

Happy St George's day the sun has got it's hat on so let's talk about drinks.  Since it's St George's day and nothing is more English than Pimms.  Pimms has a long illustrious history going back to before the reign of Queen Victoria.  From humble beginnings all the way to the modern depictions of it, as a hooray Henry drink with the tag line Pimms O'Clock.  Here's our tribute to Pimms;

• 1 part Pimms to 3 parts Lemonade (a part can be as big or as little as you like)
• Add all the following to a punch bowl / jug
• Sliced cucumber
• Halved or sliced Strawberries
• Small piece of honey dew melon
• Whole Raspberries 
• Whole Blackberries
• Sprig of mint
• Best served over lashings of ice

So get all over it like a tramp on chips!!! ;)

1. Put oven onto the required temperature. Weight your 8oz of white flour and 4oz of brown flour.  Place them both into a good sized mixing bowl.  Add all the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix the ingredients vigourously with your clean hands.  Continue to do this for several minutes until all the mixture is in one ball of dough and there is no dry ingredients left.
2. Once this is done place your ball of dough onto a clean floured work surface and sculpt into desired shape (this is usually a ball shape).  Once completed score knife in a cross about 1cm thickness into the bread, as shown below.  Place onto greased proof paper will a dusting of flour and place in oven.