Meals to appeal to young cooks

After Mary Berry said every child should leave school knowing how to cook 10 meals, we ask the region’s leading chefs and food writers for their suggestions.
Colin McGurran and Millie preparing vegetablesColin McGurran and Millie preparing vegetables
Colin McGurran and Millie preparing vegetables

Posh fish fingers:

Andrew Pern, The Star at Harome and The Star Inn the City, York.

Everyone loves fish fingers and these ones are a real treat.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

1tbsp unsalted butter

350g mashed potato

450g hot-smoked salmon, skinned 
and flaked

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1tbsp chopped garden herbs (parsley, chives and chervil), plus extra to garnish

½ tsp unwaxed lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2tbsp plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

100g breadcrumbs, flavoured with a pinch of fennel seeds

Olive oil for shallow frying

Method

Lightly sweat the shallot with the butter, without colouring, then add to the mash with the salmon, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and season, if required. Let the mixture cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Put the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs to coat the fingers in three separate bowls. Mould the smoked salmon mixture into approximately 6cm x 2cm x 2cm lengths. Pass the fish fingers through the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat the egg and breadcrumb coatings for a second time to ensure a good coating. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Shallow-fry the fish fingers until golden brown and finish in the oven until hot through. This takes just a few minutes.

© 2008 Taken from Black Pudding and Foie Gras by Andrew Pern

Bread and butter pudding:

Stephanie Moon, consultant chef, Rudding Park, Harrogate.

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This is a classic dish and served with custard or ice cream, it’s one to warm the heart.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

9 slices white bread

60g plump sultanas

Sprinkle mixed spice

100ml double cream

300ml milk

3-4 drops of vanilla essence

3 Yorkshire free range eggs

30g granulated sugar

30g butter

method

Grease an oven-proof dish with the butter. Use the remaining butter to spread on the bread, then cut into quarters on the diagonal. Whisk the eggs and stir in 20g of sugar. Place the first triangles of bread into the dish, add the sultanas and a sprinkle of mixed spice on top. Repeat until all the bread has been used.

Warm the milk, then whisk this into the egg and sugar mixture.Pour onto the bread and allow it to soak in for 10 mins. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top.

Place in an oven at 180C and cook until golden and crunchy on top – this should take about 30mins.

Minestrone soup:

Tim Bilton, The Spiced Pear, Hepworth.

This is a great hearty soup, jam-packed full of goodness.

Serves 4

Ingredients

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100g each of onions, carrots, celery, leek, celeriac, butternut squash. All washed, peeled and chopped.

50g cabbage, shredded

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 can plum tomatoes

1tsp tomato puree

100g haricot beans cooked

40g spaghetti broken into small pieces

500ml vegetable stock

Handful fresh thyme and parsley

Drizzle olive oil

method

Warm the pan on the stove. Drizzle in the olive oil, then add the onion, carrot, celery, and leek and gently cook for a couple of mins. Add the celeriac and butternut squash and again cook gently for a few mins. Stir in the garlic.

Add the pasta, tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then add the cabbage and haricot beans. Bring back to the simmer, adjust the seasoning to taste and add the thyme and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb crumble:

Joan Ransley, Ilkley-based food writer.

A classic Yorkshire dessert, simple to make, but tastes delicious.

Serves 4

Ingredients

600g rhubarb

50g caster sugar

One or two springs of sweet cicely (optional)

200g plain wholemeal flour

75g caster sugar

100g cold unsalted butter cut into 1cm cubes

25g hazelnuts, roughly chopped

method

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Preheat oven to 200C. Place the rhubarb in a medium sized saucepan with 100ml water, caster sugar and sweet cicely if using. Simmer gently for five mins until the fruit begins to soften. Spoon the rhubarb into an ovenproof dish measuring approximately 30cm by 20cm.

For the crumble topping, place the flour and sugar in a bowl and add the cold butter. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs either by hand or by blitzing in a food processor. Add the chopped nuts to the crumble mixture and mix well.

Spread the crumble topping over the rhubarb and bake for 20 to 30 mins or until the fruit is bubbling. Serve with ice-cream or Greek yogurt.

Lamb casserole:

Adam Smith, The Burlington at The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel, Bolton Abbey.

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This recipe is perfect for autumn, but you can change the vegetables to suit the seasons -–in the summer I add peas, broad beans and wild garlic. As this is for children, permission must be sought to open a bottle of wine, but it does add to the flavour.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 lamb middle neck fillets

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

2 carrots

1 large turnip

½ swede

1 parsnip

1 bay leaf

Sprig of thyme and rosemary

1 tbsp tomato puree

75g plain flour

250ml white wine

1.5ltr lamb stock*

4tbsp chopped parsley

method

First peel and wash all of the vegetables, finely dice the onion and garlic. Slice the lamb into 2cm thick slices and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy bottomed casserole pan on top of the stove and add a little cooking oil. Once hot, seal the lamb on both sides. It is important to have a good colour for the flavour.

Remove the lamb from the pan, then add the onions and garlic, continually moving so not to colour. Cook until soft, then add the root vegetables along with the thyme, bay leaf and rosemary. Cook for a further 5 mins.

Next add the tomato puree, cook for 2 mins before deglazing with the white wine – deglazing means adding the wine to ‘clean’ all the tasty bits that have stuck to the pan.

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When the wine has totally evaporated sieve in the flour and pour in the stock. Once the stock has come to the boil, simmer for 5 mins then place the lamb back in.

Cover with a lid and place into a pre heated oven at 175C for 90mins. Allow to rest for 10 mins out of the oven. Finish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Beef stew and dumplings:

Simon Gueller, The Box Tree, Ilkley.

Heart-warming, filling, a dish everyone should know how to cook.

serves 4

Ingredients

700g stewing steak

5 potatoes

2 large onions, diced

4 carrots sliced

1/2 swede, cubed

200g mushrooms, sliced

1-1.5pt beef/vegetable stock

2tbsp tomato paste

2tbsp HP Sauce

2tbsp olive oil

1tbsp plain flour

2 cloves garlic

1 bouquet garni

2 bay leaves

For the dumplings

140g butter

280g self-raising flour

method

To make the dumplings, rub the butter and flour together with fingertips until the mixture forms fine breadcrumbs. Pour in 150ml water and stir. Shape into golf ball size, leave in the fridge until needed. For the stew, cube the potatoes, with the skin on, wash and place in the casserole dish.

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Heat the olive oil and fry the onions until golden, add to the potatoes in the casserole dish. Cut the meat, if required, wash, and brown lightly on all sides – place in the casserole dish. Add the flour, to the juices in the frying pan, mix well to avoid any lumps and gradually stir in the stock, tomato paste and HP sauce (the chef’s wife adds this to her recipe to enhance the meaty flavour). Bring to the boil and pour over the meat. Add the sliced mushrooms, carrots, suede, garlic cloves, bouquet garni and bay leaves. Cover and cook in the centre of the oven for 1-1½ hours; 20 mins before serving add the dumplings and return to the oven uncovered. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.

Chicken fajitas kebabs:

Colin McGurran, Winteringham Fields, North Lincs.

Mexican food is great for getting kids involved in the kitchen.

serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

2 green peppers, finely diced

2 medium onions, finely diced

145g sour cream, to serve

8 tortilla wraps, corn or wheat based

200ml lime juice

1 garlic clove, chopped

10ml Tabasco or other hot sauce

10g chilli powder

100ml vegetable oil

Pinch sea salt and pepper

Method

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, hot sauce, vegetable oil and chilli powder in a large sealable freezer bag. Season with salt and pepper. Shake the bag to mix it all together. Mix 1tbsp with the sour cream, place in the fridge until ready to use. Now add the pepper, onion and chicken to the bag. Place in a large bowl (in case it leaks) and rest in the fridge for 1½hours.

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 mins before using. Remove meat from the fridge and rest for 30 mins to allow it to come up to room temperature.Pierce the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. Cook under the grill until the meat is nicely charred, approximately 3-4 mins on each side.

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Lay the tortillas onto plates. Remove the meat and vegetables from the skewers, garnish with sour cream and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of www.greatbritishchefs.com

Chilli filled Yorkshire pudding:

Elaine Lemm, York-based food writer.

Two recipes in one and a treat any time.

Serves 4

For the Yorkshire pudding

4 large, fresh eggs, measured in a jug

Equal quantity of milk to eggs

Equal quantity of plain flour to eggs

Pinch salt

Lard, beef dripping or vegetable oil.

For the chilli

2tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, peeled, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped

450g lean, minced beef

2tsp dried chopped chillies, or to taste

400g can peeled, chopped tomatoes plus juice

400g can red kidney beans, drained

1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1tbsp tomato ketchup

1tbsp chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Tabasco sauce (optional)

method

Pour the eggs and milk into a large mixing bowl and add the pinch of salt. Whisk thoroughly until foamy. Leave the batter to rest for at least 10 mins.

Sieve the flour into the mixture and beat again to create a lump-free batter. Finally pass the batter through a sieve into another bowl or a jug. Leave to rest.

In a large pan, gently heat the oil, add the onion and cook until softened - about 5 mins. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 mins. Raise the heat and add the minced beef. Stir continuously until all the meat is browned. Add the chillies and stir again. Add the tomatoes followed by the kidney beans. Stir again and cook for about 5 mins, then add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato ketchup. Lower the heat and cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

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Heat the oven to the highest temperature possible, but do not exceed 230C or the fat may burn. Place a pea-sized piece of lard or ½tsp oil into 4 individual Yorkshire pudding tins. When the fat is smoking, give the batter another good whisk adding 2tbsp of cold water. Fill a third of the tin with batter and return quickly to the oven. Cook for 20-25 mins or until the pudding is golden.

Add the parsley to the chilli and, if you like, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Cook for a further 5 mins. Put the Yorkshire pudding on a dinner plate and fill with the cooked chilli.

Posh risotto:

James MacKenzie, The Pipe and Glass, South Dalton.

People think risotto is difficult to make, it’s really not, so why not start young?

Serves 2 large portions or 4 small

Ingredients

2 fillets of natural smoked haddock

200g Arborio risotto rice

½ onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 leek finely chopped

100g pearl barley

500ml fish stock

100ml white wine

300g grated fresh parmesan

2 handfuls of baby leaf spinach

Method

The pearl barley should be soaked in cold water for 12 hours. then cook in boiling salted water until tender, drain and reserve.

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Dice the fish into chunks, then heat the stock in a pan. Sweat the onion and the garlic in a little oil in a pan until translucent. Add the rice and cook for another couple of mins stirring constantly.

Add the white wine to the rice and cook out for about 1-2 mins then start to add the fish stock a couple of ladles at a time over a medium heat. When it has absorbed add some more – this should take about 10 mins. Now add the leeks, pearl barley and haddock. Cook for 2 mins, then add the spinach and cook until it starts to wilt, check the consistency as you may need a little more liquid, finally finish with a dash of cream and season.

Bring the cream to the boil with the grain mustard and blitz with a hand blender. (I like to serve mine with a poached egg on top drizzled with a little whipping cream mixed with grain mustard.)

Cottage pie:

Mehdi Boukemach, Fodder, Harrogate.

A British classic which everyone should know how to cook.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3tbsp rapeseed oil

1.25kg beef mince

2 onions, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3tbsp plain flour

1tbsp tomato puree

850ml beef stock

4tbsp Henderson’s Relish

Sprig thyme

2 bay leaves

1.8kg potatoes

225ml milk

25g butter

250g cheddar

Method

Heat 1tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan and fry the mince. This might need to be done in batches, but once it is browned, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan with the vegetables and cook on a gentle heat until soft (approx 20 mins).

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Increase the heat and add the garlic, flour and tomato puree. Cook for a few mins longer before adding the cooked beef. Next add the stock, Henderson’s Relish and herbs. Simmer for 45 mins but check after 30 mins. If there is still a lot of liquid, increase the heat slightly to thicken the gravy. Season well and discard the bay leaves.

While the beef is cooking, place the potatoes in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until tender, then drain well. Mash with the milk, butter and two thirds of the cheese, then season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the meat into an ovenproof dish and cover with the mash. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and cook for 25–30 mins at 220C, Gas mark 7 or until the topping is golden.

Chance to share your top dishes

If that’s whetted your appetite, we want to hear your suggestions for the recipes everyone should know how to cook. They could be Yorkshire specialities, dishes from abroad that have become part of Britain’s culinary map or just an old family favourite.

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There are three ways of getting in contact. Comment on this story at www.yorkshirepost.co.uk, email [email protected] or write to us at Readers‘ Recipes, Yorkshire Post, Features Department, No 1 Leeds, 26 Whitehall Road, Leeds LS12 1BE.

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