Author: Notnick

Entrecote sauce (for streak)

2 shallots, finely diced
1 clove garlic, chopped, crushed or sliced
4-5 anchovie fillets
1 heaped tsp dijon mustard
handful of Fresh Taragon
handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
butter
small tub (150ml) double cream
1 lemon, juiced
salt & pepper

Vaguely taken from various cafe paris entrecote sauce recipes found on the web, with my twist added (ie I tried making it, tweaked it, and got to this)

Saute the shallots in butter – until soft, bowning and shightly caremelised. Add the anchovie fillets and cook till soft. Add in the garlic – soften but don’t brown.

Add the mustard, cream and herbs and heat till hot but not boiling. Using a stick blender, blend to a green sauce. taste – add salt if needed. Finish with lemon juice to give some tang.

You can addd other things too – maybe some capers, or basil, or chervil – the point of the sauce is a big umami and salt hit of anchoivies – with a taragon and lemon coming in behind that to make it interesting!

Serve with steak – especially fillet. Nom.

Hanan’s Lamb & Chickpea Stew


2 red onions, fine dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
800g lamb cut into large chunks
1.5 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp hot paprika
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp honey
1-1/2 cans chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken stock, hot
600g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
fresh coriander, chopped

Fry off the onions for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for a further 2 minutes, then set aside.

Fry off the lamb chunks for 5-6 minutes until browned. Add the cumin and paprikas and fry for a few minutes. Add the onion & garlic back to the pan, along with the lemon zest, honey, tomatoes, stock and chickpeas.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lamb is tender. Stir through the coriander and serve with couscous. Finish with chopped coriander.

    Chicken Liver Pate

    Ingredients: (can also make a 1/2 batch if you prefer)

    500g chicken livers (Usually I can find frozen in the supermarket)
    250g salted butter
    2 large white onions, chopped
    2-4 garlic cloves
    2-3 bay leaves
    40-80ml brandy
    white pepper and salt to taste

    Melt the butter and saute the onions for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent, but not coloured.

    Add the chicken livers (coarse chop – 1/4rd) and cook on a moderate heat until the livers are cooked. (about 5 minutes?). Season with salt and pepper, add brandy and flambe – stand back – big flame!

    Remove from the heat and let it cool. Remove the bay leavess.

    Once cooler, blend in a food processor/blender until its smooth and spoon into ramekins or a square pan to cool and set in the fridge.

    Once cool, melt some butter and pour over the pate to air-seal the pate until needed.

    This is really nice with oatcakes and maybe a little sweet chutney.