Mince with spicy cream

Apologies for my lack of blogging recently, I haven't lost the love but have been trying to concentrate on finishing by book and if I'm really honest finishing several bottles of wine.

I just showed the new blog layout to my mother and she said but you're not a foul mouthed princess, I said, yeah I know I'm not a princess.  

Anyway get some cream and spice it up with one of my bitching personal versions of spicy Thai mince.  

Keep a look out for a future post of Jamie's Thai mince version 2.  

This one is juicy and saucy, version 2 is  much hotter and dryer, I like to think its like Lab Moo which I had in Koh Samet served by a very angry, stressed Canadian guy who owned the restaurant and was clearly struggling to cope.  His wife was Thai so I imagine she cooked it and it was bloody gorgeous despite waiting about an hour for it.  

May as well tell you the story now................ It was our last night on Koh Samet, I had noticed earlier in the week it was a non smoking restaurant, as it was an indoor establishment; on this night though they had one table outside where I could fully embrace my L&MS that cost me about £1.40 a pack (fills me with joy).  

We were warned of the wait but I wasn't bothered, more time for wine and fags I thought.  When he took our order he asked if I'd like any rice with it, being indecisive when it comes to food I paused a little and he bit my head off and said 'It's not hard, I'm busy here' he possibly even clicked his fingers or maybe I imagined that bit; I said yes, I'll have rice.  When dinner finally came there was no rice *Fucknuts* We asked for another beer and he did bring it over, I mean I did get the impression we were in a restaurant not a self service piss hole or a prison, it wasn't a cheap menu; he goes 'Next time fridge is over there, get it yourself'.  

Seriously dude go and learn some fucking customer service skills if you're going to run a restaurant.  Jesus Christ, we both know how stressful it can be running your own business but everybody knows you NEVER EVER take it out on YOUR customers.  He really needed some valium or magic mushrooms or dope or something.  

He did come over when it had calmed down to talk to us but I still haven't really forgiven him for that attitude.  

Right enough of my Thailand tales, depressing myself sat here, get this saved in your fav's.  

Ingredients

1lb mince

Olive oil

1 white onion 

1 ½ peppers

5-6 mushrooms

Spoonful of ginger

Sprinkle of coriander

1 garlic clove

200ml double cream

½ tin chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp massaman curry paste

2 hot chillis    

Cup of rice

I made this one up myself because I’m a tight wad and wanted to use the cream that was left in the fridge.

I got some mince and just used a load of ingredients I already had in the house.

Chop all your ingredients.

Brown off the mince with a bit of olive oil for a few minutes then drain the fat.

Put the mince back in the frying pan and add the massaman paste. 

Stir in the onions for a minute then add the mushrooms and peppers.

Add the double cream and the tomatoes.

Add the garlic and the ginger.

Turn on the rice to boil.

At this stage I tasted the mince to see how hot it was but it wasn’t hot enough for me so I gradually added the chillis until it was.

Enjoy

                    

Pork chops with cream and chive

Ingredients

4 pork chops

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

75g button mushrooms, sliced

50ml white wine

75ml chicken stock

2 tbsp of fresh chives

120ml whipping cream

1tsp French mustard

Fresh chives to garnish 

For the mash

Butter

Milk

6- 7 large potatoes peeled and chopped

Salt and pepper

This is not my recipe it’s an old one I found on a recipe card.   

I find it hard to put a number on how many people my food will feed as it feels like I’ve cooked enough for the whole street most nights.  Me and ‘A’ have big appetites so this is definitely a two person recipe for me but then if you’re a bit of a budgie I suppose one chop with mash will do.

Peel and chop the potatoes and set them to boil.

Fry the chops on a griddle pan if you’ve got one; if not a normal frying pan will do.

Get them browned and partly cooked for around 5-6 mins then remove from the pan and put to one side.

Add the mushrooms and fry for 2 mins. 

Add the wine, stock and chives and gently boil. 

We have fresh chives in the garden so it was nice to make some use of them.

Return the chops along with any juice to the pan and simmer for around 25 mins. 

Turn the oven on a low heat because you now need to remove the chops from the pan and keep them warm somewhere.  Be careful not to dry them out too much while they are keeping warm.

Add the cream and mustard to the pan.

Drain your potatoes and mash with milk, butter, salt and pepper until tasty and creamy as desired.

Serve up your chops and mash with the sauce, decorating with a few strands of chives.

Of course if you fancy some roast potatoes, chips, new potatoes or jacket with this, give it a try. 

Enjoy 

Spicy Tuna with Tomato and Rice

Ingredients

2 tins of tuna (John West in Brine)

Tin of chopped tomatoes

1 onion chopped  

½ tin sweetcorn (small)

Ghost pepper sauce or birdseye chilli’s

1 cup rice

This is a really quick, cheap, tasty, simple recipe that my friend taught me how to cook about 10 years ago. 

After you have chopped the onion combine this with the tuna, tomatoes and sweetcorn.

Turn on the rice and the two should be ready about the same time. 

When it’s nearly ready I add a drop of ghost pepper sauce.   If you have never used ghost pepper sauce, I mean a drop - it’s very hot. 

If you prefer using fresh chilli add this at the beginning.

Of course do it without the sauce /chilli’s if you prefer it plain. 

Enjoy

Conchiglie with bolognaise

For 4 people or 2 greedy ones

Pasta shells

1lb minced beef

Olive oil

1 onion chopped fine

1 garlic clove

Salt and pepper

Tomato puree

Splash Worcester sauce

Tin chopped tomatoes

Mushrooms

1-2 spoonfuls of sugar

2 bay leaves

Cheese (optional)

Garlic bread (optional)

I would say this was my own recipe as it feels like it is but it’s obviously a classic Italian dish.  I have never seen a recipe of this; someone taught me how to cook it and now I am sharing it with you.

Get everything out and get your ingredients chopped. 

I added celery on this occasion as I had some left over but it is not part of the recipe.

The mince takes about 30-40 minutes so I normally put the pasta on a slow cook.  I am putting it in with the mince at the end so if it’s cooked too soon it can always have a little extra heat at the end when it’s combined with the meat.  Alternatively put your pasta on when the meat has been cooking for ten minutes. 

I use a rather large cooking pan as I am going to combine the pasta and mince.

Fry your mince off in the large pan with a bit of olive oil.  When it’s brown, empty it out and drain the fat in a colander.  This can be a bit messy for your sink so if you’re not really bothered I often keep the fat in there.       

Fry off the onion then add the mince. 

Add the garlic and the tomato puree and stir it around so the meat appears red. 

Add Worcester sauce and salt and pepper.

Add the chopped tomatoes followed by the chopped mushrooms.

Stick in a couple of bay leaves (this isn’t essential).

You want to leave this on a medium boil for about 20 mins.  Keep a check on it and your pasta although it’s quite self sufficient once it’s all in the pan.  You’re alright to have a glass of wine while it’s cooking.

Get your garlic bread in the oven.

Add the sugar and give it a taste; this should be just right but if it’s too sweet for you add more salt.

Sprinkle with cheese; parmesan is best but it’s just as amazing with a bit of cheddar.

Last time I cooked this it was so delicious I went back for another plate J

If you want it to go further make a big bowl of salad and serve with garlic bread, salad and sour cream.

Enjoy