Yum. That is all: Pork Noisettes with Prunes

Now this was an experience. I have never cooked or even eaten prunes before and have only ever seen pork medallions/ noisettes cooked in the restaurant so cooking this recipe was new ground for me. I will definitely be cooking it again though. The prunes were so juicy and complimented the pork beautifully while the sauce was luxuriousness at its finest. I used non-soak prunes but if you can't find them simply place the prunes in cold water, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

8 Pork Noisettes or 2 x 400g Pork Fillet (chopped)

16 Prunes (pitted)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

50g Butter

1 Onion (finely chopped)

150ml White Wine

280ml Chicken Stock

1 Bay Leaf

2 Sprigs Thyme

250ml Double Cream

Method:

• Trim excess fat from the pork, making sure to get rid of any membrane (which will cause the pork to shrink)
• Heat oil in a frying pan & add half the butter. Once the butter is melted & foaming, add the pork (in batches if needed) & fry on both sides until cooked. Transfer to a warm plate, cover & keep warm. 
• Pour off excess fat from pan. Melt remaining butter, add the onion & heat until softened (but not browned). Add wine, bring to boil & simmer for 2 minutes.
• Add stock, bay leaf & thyme & bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half. 
• Strain stock into a bowl & rinse the pan. Return liquid to pan, add the cream & prunes & simmer for 8 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add the pork back into the pan & simmer until heated through.
• Enjoy

Can I have some chewing gum: Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

No you read that correctly, forty (40) cloves of garlic. I have to admit I did wonder was it a typo in the recipe but a quick google search revealed that it is a common recipe and a traditional French bistro dish. You might be afraid that you will stink of garlic for months after but the taste of roasted garlic cloves is so mellow and sweet you will wish you had used more cloves. This is a really lovely recipe. I wouldn't say it is a show stopper or I would serve it on "Come Dine With Me", but it is a really fragrant and moreish recipe that is easy to make and can be served with anything from rice to roasted potatoes or chips. Another idea is to toast a baguette and squeeze the flesh of the garlic onto the warm bread.

Ingredients:

2 Celery Stalks (chopped roughly)

2 Sprigs Rosemary

4 Sprigs Thyme

4 Sprigs Parsley

1 Whole Chicken

40 Cloves Garlic (unpeeled)

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Carrot (chopped roughly)

1 Onion (cut into 4 wedges)

250ml White Wine

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Put a chopped celery stalk & 2 sprigs each of rosemary, thyme & parsley into the chicken cavity. Add 6 cloves of garlic. Tie the legs together.
• Brush chicken with olive oil & season. Scatter 10 cloves over the base of a cassarole dish along with the remaining herbs, chopped celery stalk, carrot & onion. 
• Put the chicken in the cassarole dish. Add the remaining garlic cloves, a drizzle of oil & the wine. Cover and bake for 1hr 20 min or until the chicken is tender & the juices run clear. 
• Once cooked, carefully lift the chicken out of the cassarole dish. Strain off the juices into a saucepan. Pick out the garlic cloves from the strained mixture. Spoon the fat off the juices & boil for 2-3 minutes to thicken up slightly. 
• Carve the chicken as normal, pour the juice and scatter with the garlic. 
• Enjoy

What have the Germans ever done for us? : Chopped Pork Black Forest Style

This is another recipe I collected when I was living in Amsterdam. We were having a pot-luck dinner, where everyone brings something from their own country to eat. As far as I remember I brought bread and butter pudding, which went down a treat with all my friends.

My friend Felix then brought in this dish and I begged him to email me the recipe because it was so delicious. I waited until I came home to Ireland to make it. Luckily you can buy Black Forest Smoked Ham in ALDI supermarkets so it keeps the cost of the meal down. This dish can be served with anything from rice to potatoes or just on its own.

Ingredients:

600g Pork (chopped into strips)

200-250g Mushrooms (chopped)

1-2 Onions (finely chopped)

200g Black Forest Smoked Ham

500ml Beef Stock

200ml Cream

200ml Milk

Salt & Pepper

Paprika

1 tbsp Flour

Method:

• Fry mushrooms & onions until the onions are translucent. Put aside.
• Season pork with salt, pepper & paprika. Fry in the same pan used to fry the onions & mushrooms.
• Add beef stock & half of the ham. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Add cream, milk and the remaining ham. 
• Mix flour with a water until dissolved. Add to the sauce & heat until thick & creamy.
• Enjoy

3 Winter Warmers: 3) Potato Soup

 Potato Soup

This recipe could easily be renamed a Student Winter Warmer because it is so cheap to make and is perfect as a hangover cure on those cold winter afternoons (when you wake up, also nice to offer food to whoever you brought home with you but that's up to yourself). As a student, two things that I always made sure I had in the kitchen were potatoes and onions. So versatile and they last for ages. This is an easy to make soup that really works well with garlic bread as a side.

Ingredients:

50g Butter

2 Large Onions (finely chopped)

675g Potatoes (diced)

1.75L  Chicken Stock

Milk

Salt

Ground Pepper

Chives (to garnish)

Method:

• Melt butter. Add onions & stir. Cover & leave to sweat over a low heat.
• Add potatoes. Season, cover & cook for 10 minutes. Add stock, a splash of milk & bring to the boil.
• Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Remove from heat & allow to cool.
• Once cooled, pureé in a blender.
• Reheat over a low heat.
• Serve with chopped chives as garnish.
• Enjoy

3 Winter Warmers: 2) Pea, Mint & Courgette Soup

Oops. I got a bit sidetracked my Christmas and not having any water. Forgot to post the other two winter warmer recipes. But seeing as it's still feels like winter. Here are the other two recipes.

Pea, Mint & Courgette Soup

Now this was a surprise! I like peas but every time I think of pea soup I think of the Exorcist and the thoughts of my head turning 360 degrees and me spewing pea soup was a slight turn off to making it. But when I did, I found it one of the more refreshing and tasty soups I have ever made.

Ingredients:

Butter

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion (finely chopped)

1 Stalk Celery (chopped)

250g Courgette (chopped)

750ml Vegetable Stock

 250g Peas (frozen or fresh)

10g Mint (chopped)

100ml Single Cream

Salt & Pepper

Method:

• Melt a knob of butter with oil. Add onion, celery & courgette. Season with salt & pepper and cover. Cook gently for 10 minutes until soft. 
• Add stock, bring to simmer, then add peas & continue cooking for 10 minutes. Stir in mint at the very end. 
• Blend in a food processor then stir in the cream. Season to taste.
• Enjoy