"Bangers and Mash"

This is a traditional English Breakfast. Great for cold winter mornings.
I have used pre-cooked sausages but you can use any type, just as long as you cook them properly.
I used Bisto gravy powder to make the gravy. You can either use Worcester sauce or Balsamic Vinegar to caramelize the onions.
Enjoy!

Bangers and Mash with Caramelized Onions

Equipment

Potato peeler

Pot and lid

Sharp knife & chopping board

Potato Masher (1 per table)

Fry pan

Tongs

Measuring cup/spoons

Oven tray (for sausages)

Sieve

Ingredients

Mash

Potato's, 2-3 medium size, washed, peeled and chopped into chunks

Salt, pinch

Parsley, 1 tsp, chopped finely

Cheese, grated, 1 Tbsp

Butter, 1 tsp

Bangers

4 sausages per pair

Oil for frying

Caramelized onions

Onion, 1 sliced

Balsamic vinegar/ Worcester sauce, 1/2 tsp

Brown sugar, 1 tsp

Oil for frying, 1 tsp

Gravy

Bistro gravy, 1 tsp

Water, 50ml, hot

Method

Potatoes

1.    Wash, peel and chop up potatoes.

2.    Place in pot and bring to boil (enough water to cover the potato's).

3.    Add a good pinch of salt.

4.    Boil until potatoes are soft (when a fork can go through them).

5.    Drain and let sit in hot pot (off the heat) for 5 minutes.

6.    Mash until fluffy.

7.    Add butter and chopped parsley/cheese and mix through.

8.    Season with salt/ pepper.

Sausages & Onions

1.    Fry the sausages in a little oil until they are brown all over. Remove from pan, put on tray and place in oven on a low heat to keep warm.

2.    Fry onion in the same fry pan until they have gone soft and begin to brown. 

3.    Add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, stir through the onions and simmer (low heat) for 5 min.

Gravy

1.    Mix bistro gravy powder into the hot water.

2.    Microwave for 30 seconds, stir again and let stand for 2 min.

Serving

Place a dollop of mash in the centre of the plate.

Arrange sausages lying on the mash on an angle.

Top with the caramelized onions.

Drizzle the gravy around the mash and over the sausages/ onions. 

Food Academy- Mexican Beans

Who said vegetarian food is bland?
This vegetarian dish certainly isn't.

Mexican Beans & rice on Tortillas with Guacamole.

Mexican Bean Ingredients

·      Red kidney beans, ½ can

·      Onion, ½, diced

·      Garlic, 1 clove, crushed and chopped

·      Tomato paste, 2 tsp

·      Lemon juice, ½ tsp

·      Salt, ½ tsp

·      Cumin powder, ¼ tsp

·      Tabasco sauce, ¼ - ½ tsp.

·      Hot water, ½ cup

·      Oil for frying

Method

1.    Fry the onions and garlic in the oil until soft.

2.    Add the beans to pan and heat through.

3.    Add the tomato paste, hot water, Lemon juice and cumin powder. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes until thick.

4.    Add the salt and Tabasco sauce to taste.

Rice Ingredients

·      White rice, 1 cup, washed

·      Hot water, 2 cups

·      Salt, pinch

Method

1.    Wash the rice in a sieve.

2.    Add the rice to the water in a pot.

3.    Add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil.

4.    Boil for 5 minutes and simmer for 15 minutes.

5.    Drain through a sieve ready to mix with Mexican beans.

Guacamole Ingredients

·      Avocado, 1, flesh removed

·      Lime juice, 1 Tbsp

·      Tabasco, 1/4 tsp

·      Garlic, 1 clove, crushed and finely chopped

·      Salt, a pinch to taste.

Method

1.    Remove the flesh from the avocado.

2.    Quickly chop.

3.    Add the Lime juice and Tabasco.

4.    Mix in finely chopped garlic and salt.

5.    Mash into puree.

Tortillas Ingredients

·      Tortillas, 4 per pair

·      Lettuce, ¼

·      Carrot, 1, grated

·      Cheese, 1 ramekin, grated,

·      Mexican beans and rice

·      Guacamole

Method

1.    Fill a tortilla with a selection of the above ingredients.

2.    Fold from the bottom and from the sides to form a nice packet.

Banana and Chocolate chip Muffins

A simple recipe but you can add other ingredients to it (berries, fruits etc)
I use half wholemeal and half plain flour for this recipe.
Try to find some old/mushy bananas as these have lots of sugars and liquid.
Remember to cream your butter and sugar first, before adding the egg and banana. And don't overmix the final muffin batter before spooning into muffin tins.

Banana & Chocolate Chip Muffins

Equipment

Large bowl

Small bowl

Masher

Wooden spoon

Measuring cups/spoons

Sieve

Muffin tray (silicone or metal)

Spatula

Whisk

Ingredients (makes 6 large muffins)

Butter, 25g, soft

Brown sugar, 1/2 cup

Egg, 1

Wholemeal flour, ½ cup

Plain flour, ½ cup

Baking powder, ½ tsp

Baking soda, 1/2 tsp

Salt, small pinch

Milk, 1/4 cup

Banana, mashed, 1 small

Chocolate chips, 1 ramekin

Method

Oven on to 175⁰C

1.    Cream the butter and sugar in a small bowl.

2.    Beat in the egg, then add the mashed banana.

3.    Sift the wholemeal flour, plain flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add in the chocolate chips.

4.    Dissolve the baking soda in the milk in a measuring cup.

5.    Add the contents of all bowls and measuring cup together.

6.    Fold gently together. Do not over-mix!

7.    Spoon into large muffin tray (use 6).

8.    Bake for 15-20 minutes or until risen and soft, not mushy.

9.    Remove from oven and let cool down before removing from muffin tray.

10. Dust with cocoa and icing sugar to finish.

Beef Sausage rolls.

A simple Kiwi classic.
Use this recipe to make your own sausage rolls.  Once you have tasted these, you will never buy any frozen rolls from the supermarket again.
You can use any type of meat (or vegetarian), as long as it is minced.

Beef Sausage Rolls

Equipment

Sharp knife

Wooden chopping board

2 Bowls

Wooden spoon

Measuring cup

Whisk

Basting brush

Oven tray

Ingredients

Beef mince (or spinach if vegetarian), 1 ramekin

Onion, ½, diced finely

Breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup

Egg, 1, whisked up

Tomato paste/sauce, 1 tsp

Seasoning (salt, pepper, herbs etc)

Flakey puff pastry, 1 sheet

Parsley, 1 tsp, chopped finely

Flour for rolling

Method

Oven on to 200⁰C

1.    Combine beef mince, diced onion, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, chopped parsley and whisked egg into a bowl and mix well with wooden spoon.

2.    Season and mix again.

3.    Sprinkle some flour on to the clean bench, divide the mince into half and roll out mince mix into 2 long sausages.

4.    Set out the sheet of puff pastry and cut in half.

5.    Roll the mince onto the middle of each pastry sheet and roll up the pastry, sealing the edge by brushing with egg/water mixture.

6.    Brush more egg/water mix over the sausage roll.

7.    Cut the sausage rolls into 10cm lengths.

8.    Place on the oven tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

9.    Serve with a small amount of tomato sauce.