Ponchmipe

Ponchmipe, or Ponch Maip, is a local dish from North Wales, where I was born. Maip is the Welsh word for turnip/swede. Ponch, as it sounds, means to punch or to mash. So, quite simply, its mashed potato and mashed swede or turnip, mixed together with a little butter and salt and pepper to taste. And to make it a bit more elegant, throw in a few chopped chives. Real comfort food. Lovely .

Minted Lamb Casserole

A warming, tasty family meal that is incredibly easy to throw together. You can use fresh ingredients, or leftover meat and vegetables.

As with most recipes, tweak it to your own taste

400g lean diced lamb or leftover cooked
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
frozen peas
500 ml lamb stock
20g gravy granules
1 Tbsp mint sauce

• Preheat oven to 170c, Gas Mark 3

• Put meat and vegetables into a casserole dish

• In a jug, make the stock. Add the gravy granules and mint sauce to make a gravy

• Pour over the meat and veg in the casserole dish

• Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Wrap

Quick, easy and delicious. Thank you Caramel Living

1/3 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
3 spring onions (scallions), sliced very thin
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
2 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1.5lbs chicken breast
2 cups shredded cheddar or fiesta blend cheese
4 large flour tortillas
 

• Boil chicken until fully cooked, then shred shred. 

• In a bowl, mix chicken, mayo and sour cream. 

• Add coriander, spring onions and mushrooms. 

• Add spices and mix well

• Place one large tortilla on a plate. 

• Sprinkle cheese down the center, avoid getting too close to the edges. 

• Spread chicken mixture down the center over cheese. 

• Fold top and bottom of tortilla up and in toward mixture. 

• Fold sides up and over the mixture and the already folded sections (think… burrito).

• Hold the folded wrap in your hand and spray both sides with cooking spray.

• Heat a skillet over a medium heat, for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

• Place the wrap SEAM SIDE DOWN into the skillet (a very important tip… possible big mess if you do it the opposite way). 

• Cook for approx 3 minutes and flip. Cook for another 3 minutes, till both sides golden brown.

It’s creamy enough you shouldn’t need a dollop of sour cream but a side of shredded lettuce and pico de gallo would be a nice addition.

Italian Salmon and Broccoli Bake

The perfect pasta dish, quick and easy to prepare - bulk up with peas, sweetcorn or a little spinach for a further vegetable boost

250g penne pasta
300g broccoli, cut into florets
25g butter
25g flour
400ml milk
100g mascarpone
4 sun dried tomatoes, sliced
½ red pepper, finely chopped
10 basil leaves
4 salmon fillets, halved
50g mature cheese

• Heat the oven to 190c.

• Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water.

• Just a few minutes before it’s ready, add the broccoli to the water for a few minutes then drain.

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir for a minute before pouring in the milk. 

• Whisk to a smooth sauce. 

• Remove from the heat and stir through the mascarpone, tomatoes, red pepper and chopped basil. 

• Now add the sauce to the pasta and broccoli. Season to taste

• Place the salmon pieces in the base of a 5cm deep dish (20 x 30cm) and spoon the pasta over the top. 

• Scatter with the grated cheese and bake for 30 minutes. 

Truffle Hot Chocolate Balls

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar (optional-omit if you prefer richness rather than sweetness)

1/8 teaspoon salt

•  In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. 

• Microwave for one minute intervals, stirring often, until the mixture is combined and very smooth and silky. It may look grainy and messy to start but after it heats thoroughly and is whisked to combine, it will become smooth. 

• Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate can seize. The trick is to stir often since the mixture will blend together even when it looks like the chocolate chips haven’t melted completely.

• Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature. 

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours until the mixture is firm.

• Scoop out about 1/4-cup spoonfuls of the mixture and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet 

• Place in the refrigerator and let the mounds harden slightly, about 15-20 minutes. 

• Roll the chilled mounds into balls and place on squares of plastic wrap (about 4 inches by 4 inches). 

• Pull the sides of the plastic wrap over to cover the ball and place the balls in the freezer until ready to use.

 

To make the hot chocolate: 

Pour 1 1/2 cups milk into a microwave-safe mug. 

Carefully drop one unwrapped  hot chocolate truffle in the milk. 

Microwave for about 2 minutes. 

Stir well until the chocolate is combined with the milk. 

Serve warm!

 

Spanish Rice

My family love this recipe. Its quick, simple and tasty. I make it in the microwave, but I'm sure it can be done on the cooker top. I don't stick religiously to the ingredient list either, I add what I've got.
It makes enough to use as a full meal, but could be used as an accompaniment

1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2  red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried herbs
2 cups/400g long grain rice
500ml carton Passata
2 cups/500ml Hot stock
1-2 cloves garlic
Choice of cooked chicken, cooked prawns, mussels, chorizo or spicy sausage
50g frozen peas
50g frozen/tinned sweetcorn

• Fry onion, red pepper and green pepper in a little olive oil until softened

• Add paprika and herbs

• Add rice and stir around until well coated

• Add passata and stock and stir well

• Place in dish, cover and cook on high for 5 minutes

• Stir well, then cook for 10-15 minutes on medium until liquid is absorbed

• If there is not enough liquid to cook rice during the cooking time,add a bit more stock or boiling water

• Meanwhile, chop the garlic and heat gently in a little olive oil.

• Add your chopped chicken, chirizo, prawns, or what ever you fancy, and heat through

• Add the peas and sweetcorn and cook for 2 minutes 

• Add to the rice and serve

Nana B's Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire Pudding, the British traditional accompaniment for Roast beef.

This recipe has been handed down from mother to daughter in my family for a few generations, and I must admit, they always turn out amazing

1 cup (140g) plain flour
200 ml milk
4 eggs
salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for cooking

• Heat the oven 230C/ Gas 8

• Pour a little oil into into a 12 hole non stick muffin tin

• Put in the oven to heat until sizzling hot

• Put flour into mixing bowl

• Beat eggs into milk and add gradually to the flour

• Beat until there are no lumps, add salt and pepper to taste then pour into a jug

• Remove tins from oven and carefully pour batter into holes

• Cook undisturbed in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown 

• DON'T KEEP OPENING THE DOOR!

• Serve immediately or if you leave them to cool they can be frozen for later use