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Intrepid Gourmet
First of all I must advise readers that we are not chefs. We are just one of the many of that reckless breed; kitchen dabblers or hobby cooks. We know what we like to eat, we enjoy cooking and experimenting and occasionally – and not always successfully – we like to show off with our creations or concoctions. If you would like to share your favourite recipes with us please send them to: gourmet@intrepid-optimist.com.
Irish Stew with Crusted Dumplings
I don't like the end of summer, the idea of cold days, brisk winds and dark mornings and evenings really does little to get me out of bed in the mornings. But what I do like about this time of year is the idea of stew. It doesn't have to be freezing outside for me to start assembling the ingredients, a rainy grey day - and it's stew and dumplings for me. Here's a recipe I rather like from the inimitable Delia Smith:
Ingredients
3 lb (1.3 kg) neck fillets of lamb and best end of neck cutlets mixed
2 level tablespoons seasoned plain flour
Swiss Chard with Fettuccine
My friend Jane died suddenly last week. A breast cancer survivor, or rather a "teacher warrior" as she referred to herself while battling breast cancer, she actually died of leukemia. She had a wonderful spirit and zest for life. As a kindergarten teacher in San Francisco, where she chose to live out her years after college, she spent her free time exploring the outdoor world.
Curried Veal Skewers
Where the hell did the summer go? It seems like it just arrived, and now it’s down-hill all the way into autumn. However, the weather is still warm enough to BBQ and drink some summer wine.
Classic chocolate mousse
This classic dessert is fabulous when made properly. There are hundreds of recipes and variations on the original - but it really doesn't need any additions to the simple, basic recipe. Simply delicious.
Fried mackerel fillets with oatmeal
Oatmeal is historically an important ingredient in the Irish store cupboard - we cook it with water or milk and call it porridge and ate it for breakfast. Some people lined their stomachs with a bowl of porridge before a trip to the pub to have a few pints. Here the raw oatmeal is used to cook mackerel fillets to give a crunchy topping.
Key Lime Pie
This is one of those recipes that has gone down in history in my family and circle of friends. When there's a party or 'occasion' they get all excited and wide eyed as they ask, "Can you make that dessert - you know - the one that tastes like a caipirinha?", then they lick their lips and go all dreamy. It's really easy to make and it literally tastes like a dream. Thank you Delia for doing your magic as usual.
Ingredients:
For the base:
12oz (95 g) butter
6 oz (175 g) digestive biscuits
2 oz (50 g) Grape-Nuts breakfast cereal
Tandoori Naan Pizza
We were craving something quick and simple for dinner and immediately thought pizza. But, then we realized we did not have any pizza dough, so instead we opted for the pre-made Tandoori Naan flat bread we had in our pantry. You can purchase Naan at your local grocers. Using Indian Naan bread as the crust instead of traditional pizza crust makes this fun, quick and delicious! Whether you are a meat lover, vegetarian or cheese only guy or gal pizza should be personal and delicious, so don’t be afraid to try new ingredients & toppings.
Green Mango Curry Sauce with Vegetables - Maangai Kootan
You can prepare this dish with pigeon peas or Toovar Dal. or chana dal which are small peeled halved yellow chickpeas, in contrast to Toovar Dal not to overcook this creamy sauce or it will become to thin.