Stargazing

 When night is dressed in

Diamonds bright,

The sky sings softly 

Through the night 

Beneath this quiet 

Gentle sky 

Let your dreams like 

Stars drift by

Courtesy of the B & B Challenge on Channel Four in the UK.

For pork chop lovers

Take two pork chops (or more) and place in a freezer bag containing a mixture of brown sugar, salt and water. Leave in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to cook, cut slits into the rind with scissors. Using tongs, fry the fat in a griddle pan (skillet). Then fry the chops in the oil, adding some olive oil if required.

Serve with mashed potatoes and ratatouille.

Ajja, from Tunisia

 

Ingredients

4 coloured peppers (green and yellow perhaps, but any ones will do) sliced
half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
salt and pepper to your taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 chorizo sausage, sliced
2/3 crushed garlic cloves
2 chopped tomatoes (with skin removed if you can bother)
some cold water
6 beaten eggs
chopped onions (optional) 

Pour the olive oil into a non-stick frying pan and add the chorizo sausage.  Stir with a wooden spoon occasionally and when the red coloured oil comes out of the sausage, it is time to add the cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper, garlic and fry for two minutes. Add the tomatoes, a dash of water, followed by the beaten eggs.  

Now is the time to add the sliced peppers if you want them not overcooked.  However if you prefer them a bit mushy, you could add them right at the beginning with some chopped onions.

Stir the eggs and mess it around.....it is more scrambled than omelette.

You can vary this according to taste.....swap the chorizo for minced meat, change the cayenne pepper for harissa paste (just a touch) or tabasco sauce, or if you like HOT food, use all three!

Alioli

The origins of alioli are varied. Apparently it was known to the Romans 2,000 years ago.  The Spanish claim that France copied the recipe and named it mahonaise. They changed it by excluding the garlic and increasing the lemon juice.  According to one story, the Duc de Richelieu visited Mahon in Menorca in 1756 where he enjoyed the alioli and egg sauce so much, he took the recipe back to France.

Jambalaya

 

Ingredients

1 boneless chicken breast for each person cut into chunks
1 chorizo sausage, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 white cooking onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
250g of long grain rice
350ml of chicken stock
A small glass of white wine 
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp of paprika
1 tbsp of Cajun seasoning
200g of frozen okra
1/2 a teaspoon of salt and few grinds of black pepper

Method

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan and add the chorizo until the oil turns red.  Add the onions and slowly fry for about 5 minutes until they are translucent.  Then add the chicken chunks and turn until browned a little on the outside.  Add the crushed garlic, paprika, salt, Cajun seasoning and pepper.  Add the rice.  Give it all a good stir.  Then add the chopped tomatoes and a little white wine.  Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes before adding the okra.

Cover the pan with a lid or tin foil and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.