#WrenFamilyFavourites – Week 3

Three weeks into the competition and it’s getting hot in the kitchen, as more foodie bloggers turn up the heat and submit their favourite recipes.

As our quest to reignite the nation’s passion for traditional home cooking continues, we’d like to share with you our pick of the best entries from the past week.

Fancy yourself as a bit of a culinary King or Queen? Step up to the game and into the kitchen with your own recipe by entering here! At the end of the competition, the fabulous Linda Barker will pick out an overall winner, who will be gifted with some amazing foodie-centric prizes!

Recipe 1: Binny from Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries – Egg Curry

Recipe 2: Lauren from The Second Opinion – Spaghetti and Meatballs

Recipe 3: Fiona from Wishes, hopes & dreams – Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe 4: Jessica from The Life of JKS – The Bailey Family Apple Cake

Recipe 5: Charlotte from A life of a Charlotte – Chicken Leek and Bacon Pie

Recipe 6: Kathryn from Kath and Cake – Welsh Cakes

Recipe 1: Binny from Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries – Egg Curry

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 large tomato, pureed
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• handful chopped coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 tablespoon peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons oil

Method

1. Fill a saucepan 3/4 with water and bring to boil. Add a pinch of salt and the eggs and turn down the heat. Let the eggs boil for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your kadai or wok on medium heat.
3. Add the cumin seeds and peppercorns and when they start to sizzle, mix in the onions. It is important to let these cook till they are soft for approximately 10 minutes.
4. By now the eggs should be boiled so take these off heat, drain the water from the saucepan, wash the, with cold water and set aside to let them cool.
5. Now add the garlic, ginger and green chillies to the kadai or wok and mix well. Let this cook for 3 minutes.
6. Pour in the tomato puree, and add the salt, sugar, crushed black pepper and ground spices.
7. Let this cook for around 15 minutes. You will see the gravy becoming darker as it absorbs all those wonderful spices and I can guarantee there will be a lovely aroma in your kitchen too.
8. While the gravy is cooking, peel the shells off the eggs and slice the eggs in half.
9. Add them to the gravy and mix well and garnish with the chopped coriander.
10. Enjoy this dish while hot with rice or naan breads.

Recipe 2: Lauren from The Second Opinion – Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

• 500g lean beef mince
• 250g lean pork mince
• 50g parmesan cheese or Grana Padano
• 2 slices of bread for breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 egg
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• Fresh basil
• 1 punnet of baby plum tomatoes
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 small carton of tomato passata
• 1 small teaspoon of sugar
• Salt and pepper
• Spaghetti or linguini

Method

1. Blitz the bread to create breadcrumbs and finely chop the onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
2. In a large bowl, mix the pork and beef mince (I mix with my hands).
3. Add the Grana Padano/parmesan cheese, the chopped garlic, breadcrumbs and half of the chopped onion.
4. Add 1 egg to the bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix the mixture again.
5. You should feel it starting to come together now, this is when you can start creating the meatballs.
6. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, and fry the meatballs in two batches. Turn for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
7. Grab a baking tray and carefully place the meatballs on to here and then fry the second batch.
8. Heat the oven at around 180º whilst you’re frying the second batch of meatballs.
9. Once all of the meatballs are on the baking tray, place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes to cook through.
10. Whilst the meatballs are cooking, you can start the fresh tomato passata.
11. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan, and add the remainder of chopped onion, the punnet of plum tomatoes, garlic, oregano and cook down for 5-10 minutes.
12. The tomatoes should start softening now, I actually gently crush mine with a potato masher to avoid harsh lumps.
13. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes and sugar. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
14. Season the sauce with a little salt and pepper and some chopped fresh basil (to your own taste).
15. Remove the meatballs from the oven and carefully add to the tomato sauce.
16. Carefully stir in the meatballs and leave on a low heat.
17. Bring some water to the boil and add the spaghetti, again, cooking the pasta to your preferred taste. I usually cook it for around 15 minutes – not too soggy!
18. When ready, drain the pasta and plate up…
19. Bon appetite!

Recipe 3: Fiona from Wishes, hopes & dreams – Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 4oz of soft butter or margarine (any will work so long as it’s soft)
• 5oz of caster sugar
• 5oz of soft dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (not the essence)
• 5oz of plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt
• 2 packets of chocolate chips
• Buttered and greased baking trays (I use two to have as many cookies in the oven as possible)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C and grease your baking tray(s)
2. In a large bowl measure out the butter and both sugars, then cream together till they resemble the first picture below.
3. Beat in the egg – at this point it will look like the mixture has split but don’t panic it will come back with enough mixing.
4. Add the vanilla extract and mix this in too.
5. In a separate bowl measure out the flour, baking powder and the salt.
6. In small batches sieve the dry ingredients into the mix and beat and until all the dry mix is combined.
7. Do the above until there is no dry mixture left.
8. Mix in the chocolate chips.
9. Spoon out onto the greased baking trays (I find a tablespoon measure works best here) but leave some space as the cookies will spread out when they bake.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
12. Once cooled, enjoy with a cup of tea!

Recipe 4: Jessica from The Life of JKS – The Bailey Family Apple Cake

Ingredients

• 4oz/115g Demerara Sugar
• 4oz/115g Butter
• 8oz/230g Self Raising Flour
• 8oz/230g Cooking Apples
• 1 Teaspoon Mixed Spice
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2/3 Eggs (depending on size)
• 8 Inch Baking Tin
• Greaseproof Paper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Grease the baking tin and line with greaseproof paper.
3. Cream together the Butter and Sugar in a large mixing bowl.
4. Whisk in the Eggs one at a time until combined.
5. Fold in the Flour, Mixed Spice and Baking Powder
6. Peel Apples and chop to roughly 1 cm pieces.
7. Stir in Apple ensuring it is evenly distributed in mix.
8. Spoon into baking tin.
9. Sprinkle some Demerara Sugar on the top.
10. Cook for 45 – 50 minutes until golden brown.
11. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 5 – 10 minutes.
12. Transfer to cooling rack or plate.
13. Leave to cool further, or carefully slice to enjoy warm.

Recipe 5: Charlotte from A life of a Charlotte – Chicken Leek and Bacon Pie

Ingredients

• 400g Chicken mini breast fillets
• 12 Bacon Rashers
• 1 Leek
• 2 Packets of White Sauce
• 1 pint of semi skimmed milk
• 1 packet of pre rolled puff pastry
• 2 Peeled Potatoes
• 1 Onion
• Mature cheese to taste

Method

1. Cut your chicken into reasonable chunks and fry in a pan. You want there to be plenty of filling under that puff. Season your chicken to taste and stir occasionally.
2. Cut your bacon into small rashers and fry in a pan. Season to taste, if you fancy it!
3. Wash and cut your leek. I prefer to have fairly big chunks, but if you prefer, cut into small cubes. Once cut, bring to a simmer in a saucepan.
4. Make your white sauce. Depending on your packet, will depend on how much milk you’ll need. Just stir in your milk and packet mix on a low heat until thick in consistency.
5. Onceyour sauce is thick, chicken is brown, bacon crispy and leeks are soft, combine all in a bowl, making sure the sauce covers all your filling.
6. Pourinto a shallow dish and level across. Place your puff pastry on top and press on the edges of your dish. Make sure it is sealed and pierce two holes in the top. Your pastry will puff so don’t worry if it droops a little. Egg wash to give it a golden bake.
7. Cook in your oven at 190c for 20 – 25 mins.Onto your Rostis :

8. Grate your peeled potatoes, onions and cheese into a bowl. Mix together with a spoon.
9. Place a frying pan on a high heat and splash in some oil.
10. Bind all together in a bowl with one egg. Season to taste and start creating small parcels in your hands. Watch out, this will get messy!
11. Put your parcels straight into the pan. Turn occasionally until lightly brown on both sides.
12. Oncebrown, be ready to plate with your puff pastry pie!

Recipe 6: Kathryn from Kath and Cake – Welsh Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 grams) self-raising flour
• 8 oz (225 grams) margarine
• 6 oz (170 grams) sugar
• 3 oz (85 grams) currants/raisins
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• Little milk

Method

1. Sieve flour into bowl and rub in margarine.
2. Add sugar, salt and fruit and mix.
3. Stir in beaten eggs.
4. Add milk or flour if needed.
5. Knead and roll to 1/2 inch thickness.
6. Cut with pastry cutter (2 inches thickness).
7. Cook on pre-heated lightly greased griddle pan over slow heat until golden and brown on both sides (approximately 3 minutes per side).
8. Cool on wire rack.
9. Serve fresh.