New York-style Breakfast Potatoes

Brunch seems to be the new normal at the moment in lockdown, and I’m loving it! Slow days are something I’ve dreamed of.

I had these delicious tasty potatoes on my first trip to New York, some 25 years ago. All the delis and cafes served them with whatever eggs you desire. They are a win-win potato dish. I asked the guys what was in them and have made them ever since.

So, the recipe is just what I worked out from what I was tasting, and as with most things I put up, you can add whatever you wish, either to the dish or on the side, such as bacon, roasted tomatoes or chorizo, to name but a few.

Recipe for 2 people

• 500g floury potatoes peeled washed and diced into 1cm cubes

• 25g butter

• A little cooking oil

• 1 onion finely chopped

• Red pepper diced

• 1 clove of garlic minced

• 1 heaped desert spoons of smoked paprika

• Salt and pepper.

• A few sprigs of parsley.

Method

Set the oven to 180 degrees C or gas 4

Peel, wash and dice the potatoes into 1cm cubes

1. Dice the onion and pepper.

2. on a medium heat in a roasting dish or frying pan (one you can use in the oven — mine is a low, thick bottomed 25cm x 6cm pan) add a little oil and fry the onion until golden-brown. Keep them moving with a wooden spoon or spatula.

3. Add the butter, minced garlic and potatoes and continue to fry on a medium heat until the potatoes start to go slightly translucent and pick up colour. Again, keep them moving. You want them to colour all over.

4. Turn the heat down low and add the peppers and the smoked paprika. You may need to add a little more butter. If they are catching you could turn the heat down very low and add a little water. It depends on how ‘floury’ the potatoes are. Keep them moving and ensure all the potatoes are coated in the lovely red paprika.

5. Season with salt and pepper, and put in the oven on a middle shelf for a further 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Test one to check they are cooked through properly.

7. Add a little parsley for colour before serving. Not essential.

While they are roasting you will have plenty of time to make any eggs or accompaniment you wish.

Beef & Basil Ragu with Linguine

It’s a classic. A very simple supper … Beef and Basil Ragu (Bolognese) with linguine. I remember when this was seen as very ‘continental’.

When you make a dish on a regular basis you take it for granted. When I’m training young people in the deli, I constantly have to remind myself — not everyone knows this stuff.

The luxury of lockdown is time to make and put this down on paper.

Far from plain, this take on a ‘spag bol’ is delicious.

Prep time: 20 mins. Cooking time: 1 hour (2 if you have time).

This recipe will feed 4 to 5. I make it in a batch of this size to freeze half or save for another day.

Ingredients

• 500g Minced Beef

• 100g streaky bacon

• 1 large Onion chopped

• 250g mushrooms (any)

• 2 cloves of garlic minced

• 1 tin of tomatoes any

• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree

• level dessert spoon of demerara sugar

• 175ml red wine

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• small bunch of fresh basil

• beef or vegetable stock (strong… 250ml to one cube or stock pot or a desert spoon of powder)

• S&P

• a little oil for frying

• a little olive oil

• 150g linguine or spaghetti (enough for 2 people)

Braised Beef & Cheddar Burgers in a Mushroom Sauce

During lockdown I lost track of time and the days of the week so easily. I forgot it was Saturday until the butcher was already closed and we ended up with no joint for Sunday lunch — practically a criminal offence in my house.

I usually have a pack of mince in my tiny freezer as minced beef is my go to emergency staple and has been since forever. Burgers are so easy to make and I’ve no idea why anyone would buy them readymade and they don’t deserve to always be in a bread bun.

Ingredients

• 450g minced steak

• 50g mature cheddar grated

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 1 egg

• 2 tsp mustard powder

• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup

• 100g mushrooms (any) sliced

• 25g butter

• 25g flour, plus a little extra for patting your burgers out.

• 1 pt strong beef stock

• 1 dsp tomato purée

• 6 tbsp vinegar — any white wine, cider, malt or anything you have.

• 6 tbsp Worcester Sauce

• S&P

Method

Make the patties first.

1. In a bowl, place the mince, cheese, one of the chopped onions, the mustard powder (or any mustard you have) ketchup, salt and pepper and an egg. Mix all the ingredients together. (You could dry-up the mixture with breadcrumbs if you wanted to make the mince go further.)

2. Flour your work surface and your hands, then split the mixture into four. Pat each one out into burgers using extra flour, if required. If you have time, chill for 30 minutes. They will hold together better.

3. Put the oven on at 180 degrees C or gas 4.

4. Choose a low casserole pan with a lid that you can put in a hot oven. I use a 25cm x 6cm.

5. Put a little oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. When the oil is hot add the burgers. After a minute or two, turn the heat down for another minute or two to allow the burgers not just to brown but to set. Then, gently turn each one over with a fish slice or palette knife, and repeat for the other side. Be very careful and gentle. They may stick because of the cheese and fall apart if not properly set.

6. Take the burgers out of the pan and put them on a plate. Do not wash the pan.

7. In the same pan add a little more butter to the remaining oil, onions and mushrooms.

8. Gently fry the mushrooms and onions until they take-on some colour.

9. Turn the heat down low and add the flour and mustard powder to make a roux. Cook the flour out to burst the starch, stirring constantly.

10. Add the tomato purée, Worcester sauce and the vinegar. Stir constantly and start adding the stock slowly. If you add the stock too quickly and do not continuously stir, you will end up with a dull, lumpy sauce. Stir constantly and add the stock slowly.

11. Season with salt and pepper, then return the burgers to the pan with the sauce. Place in the oven for around 30 minutes.

Serve with potatoes or rice and vegetables of your choice.

Just as good as a roast.

Enjoy!

Blog Post Title Four

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