TOAD IN THE HOLE

This is one of my favourite cooks for when my teenage mates come over for a chill out in my teenage den, it is simple and a one pan cook which leaves me more time with my mates.  I like to serve this with buttery mashed potato, peas and onion gravy.

Cooking Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

(serves 4)

Toad In The Hole

8-12 sausages

200g plain flour

200g beaten eggs

200g full cream milk

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch white pepper

50ml olive oil

4ptn buttery mashed potatoes 

4ptn peas

Onion Gravy 

1 lrg onion sliced

10ml olive oil

1 tbsp sugar

500ml boiling water

2tbsp cornflour

3tbsp water

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees C.  To make the batter I started to whisk the eggs into the flour, I got mum to whisk the mixture to a smooth paste and then asked mum to pour in the milk while I whisked until I had a thick smooth batter, I then seasoned with the salt and pepper.  This I left to rest on the side while I put the sausages in a oiled roasting tin and ordered mum to put the roasting tin in the oven to start cooking the sausages for 20 minutes, next I start to make the onion gravy while the sausages are cooking.

I placed the olive oil and onions in a frying pan and cooked with mum until they were soft around 20 minutes then I added the sugar and water, once the gravy was simmering I mixed the cornflour with the water and mum added this to the gravy to thicken, I seasoned the pan and that's the gravy made,.

Next the sausages, these were now half way cooked so I got mum to take the roasting tin out of the oven and I asked mum to pour in the batter around the sausages, this is needed to be done as fast as possible so I enjoyed giving mum the hurry up stick!  I also pointed out to mum that if the batter did not rise it would be down to something she did not me !!!

The batter will take a further 20 minutes to cook, in this time you must not open the oven door at all or the batter will flop!  When the cooking time is up, I asked mum to serve with the mashed potatoes, peas and my onion gravy this is my friends favourite dinner next to my wood fired pizzas.

POPPERS

A family favourite treat, the trouble with these is after you've eaten one suddenly 10 more have passed your lips!  I was able to be more hands on with the making of these which I really enjoyed.

I got mum to set me up with the base ingredients, I had fresh whole jalapenos sliced in half and the seeds removed and placed in a bowl, then I got mum to mix sharp cream cheese in with the seeds and spoon this mixture generously in to the jalapenos.  Next I had three glass bowls set up with beaten egg, corn flour and breadcrumbs, this is my dipping station.

In order to get a good coating that insulates the cheese so it does not melt when I cook them, you need to toss the jalapenos in the egg first so that the flour will stick, then back in to the egg so that the breadcrumbs will stick.

Mum asked for a smile but I gave her my oh so cheeky face, I found the egg mix my least favourtie in the dipping station, but I was very pleased with myself for making each stage.

Ingredients

10 fresh jalapenos halved de-seeded

500g philly cream cheese

2 eggs beaten

200g corn flour

300g panko breadcrumbs

1 ltr ground nut oil for frying

To cook these lovely poppers mum says, as this bit I am not allowed to do!, heat the nut oil to 180 degrees C and fry in small batches until crispy and light golden brown, drain on paper roll and these are best served fresh and warm.

ONION BHAJIS WITH A CHILLI KICK

My first recipe for my blog is these great spicy fragrant onion bhajis that I wanted to make for dad and as the new kitchen Executive Chef 'O' in the house I have instructed my new Comis Cook (mum)! to follow my instructions.

Ingredients

(makes 12)

2 Spanish onions

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp sea salt 

1/2 tsp white pepper

4 tbsp coriander

2 habaneros chopped

200g gram flour (chickpea)

100ml water

1ltr ground nut oil for frying

Cool Mint Yogurt Dip

Just mix all ingredients together

200ml goat or sheeps yogurt

30 mint leaves finely chopped

1/4 tsp honey

I first got mum to slice the onions thinly and place in a large bowl, then asked mum to add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl except the water.  I needed to smell the curry powders as we had a few to choose from and I choose a mild madras curry powder as I wanted to zing these bhajis up with the wonderful habanero chilli, I love this chilli, I have never eaten it, I'm not that brave! but I love the fresh sweet peachy smell and it was that flavour I wanted to add in to these bhajis along with a hot kick that dad will love.

Next I had a go at mixing the onions together then I got mum to keep mixing the onions by hand squeezing all the ingredients together, this is because I learnt that the salt in the mix will encourage the onions to release their water, this will start to make the batter with the gram flour, so we will need less water in the batter making a better bhajis and ensuring a even mix where no gram flour gets left dry, next I got mum to start adding the water stirring in until I was happy with a thick batter consistency, these are now ready to cook.  I choose to deep fry as they taste better fried, but you can oven bake for 30 minutes.

This mum did, heated a deep pan of oil to 180 degrees C, and dropped in large spoonfuls of the onion batter, cook for 3 minutes each side turning once, remove from the oil and drain on paper, serve warm with a cool yogurt and fresh mint dip, that's for the chilli kick!