Mushroom, Spinach and Cream Sauce

I don't usually cook with cream but we had a pot of Elmlea lurking in the back of the fridge which I bought when I had friends over and forgot to get out!

Mushroom, Spinach and Cream Sauce

Softened Mushrooms

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• oil or butter
• punnet/tub of mushrooms
• 1/2 a bag of spinach
• cream
• salt and pepper

Chop onion and crush garlic, gently fry until softened.
Throw in the chopped mushrooms, cook until soft. 
Add salt and pepper and cream, heat through gently.
Tip in spinach and stir until wilted.

We had it on some whole wheat pasta.

Luxury version - add walnuts and grated cheese

Spicy Version - add a little smoky paprika

Meaty Version - I think chorizo would overpower this but it might be good over a grilled chicken breast

Rosemary & Garlic Potatoes

As mentioned in the previous post  - cut unpeeled potatoes in halves or quarters, add to a pan with rosemary, garlic cloves, oil and salt. Pop in a hot oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Very tasty 

Roast Potatoes

• A bag of potatoes, not floury ones (read the label it will tell you what the potatoes are good for; roasting, mash etc)
• Olive oil, sunflower oil, butter, lard or goose fat - whichever you prefer
• Salt

Quick Cook

Put enough fat in a large baking tin to just cover the bottom. If you want to use butter use oil too or it's likely to burn. Put in a hot oven.

Cut potatoes unpeeled into quarters or halves depending how big they are. Take out the tray from the oven, put the potatoes in the pan, sprinkle with salt and then turn then over so they are coated with fat. 

Put back in the oven on hot for about 30 to 40 minutes, it depends how hot your oven gets, despite what the dial says they are all different.

These are also lovely with a few cloves of garlic and a couple of sprigs of rosemary thrown in, great with whole small new potatoes too.

Proper Roasties

Peel potatoes whilst fat is getting hot (as above) Put them in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and boil for five minutes. (My other half does them for longer and would argue he does better roasties than me!) 

Drain thoroughly and then put back in the saucepan, sprinkle with salt and put the lid on - give them a big shake to roughen the surface up a bit.
Put in the baking tray as above. Turn once during cooking time.

Classic Sunday Roast Roasties - If you're cooking meat you can just add either of the above to the fat that the meat is cooking in.

Cauliflower Cheese

Cauliflower Cheese

• A cauliflower or cauliflower and broccoli mixture
• Olive oil, marg or butter
• Whole milk
• Cheddar Cheese
• English Mustard
• Plain Flour
• Salt and Pepper

Cut the cauliflower into small pieces, steam or boil until just tender, not soggy.

Drain and leave in the colander.

Heat 3 tablespoons of fat gently and when hot stir in 3 tablespoons of flour. Keep stirring and heating gently until it bubbles. Stir it like this for a couple of minutes to cook the flour. It should look like this for a thick sauce.

Take the saucepan off the heat and add half the milk (you can use skimmed or semi-skimmed but soya doesn't work very well) whisk it until all the flour mixture is mixed in. 

Add salt, pepper and half a teaspoon of mustard. Put back on the heat and keep stirring whilst you heat it. It should thicken up and you can gradually add the rest of the milk. If it boils it will quickly boil over the side of the pan so keep an eye on it. 

When you've added all the milk - or reached the consistency you want - remove from the heat. Add a pile of grated cheese and taste, add more if needed, it will depend on how strong your cheese is.

Put the cauliflower in a shallow oven proof dish, cover with sauce, top with more cheese and bake for about 20 minutes until brown on top. If you're cooking a roast just pop it in with whatever else you have there - it is already cooked you're just browning it up really.

Luxury version - use blue cheese

Meaty Version - My Mum used to sprinkle fried bacon and mushrooms on top!

The Sauce - before you add the mustard and cheese this is a plain white sauce and is really versatile. You can add wholegrain mustard or parsley to make another couple of sauces too. Leftover sauce can be frozen.