Author: Menu Mistress

Cooking has always been something I've enjoyed, I have an extensive collection of cookbooks, some are well thumbed whilst others collect dust on the shelves; I can’t bear to get rid of any cook book, just in case one day I might use it for that one obscure recipe - light on a rainy day! I enjoy eating out and discovering new flavours, whether it’s just a local haunt or a ‘dress up’ to dinner restaurant - food is my hobby! In my opinion food is the one of the most important pieces of knowledge you need to know about any culture in order to really understand it, so when we go away, it’s not the local sights that I’m googling but the best place to eat! I'm not one of those fortunate cooks who can throw something together by looking at the contents of their fridge, I need a plan to work with, then I organise my fridge around the recipe. I am however a very organised person, you might even call me a control freak! I love the orderly fashion of a recipe, I find it soothing to have a plan in front of me, so the thought of trawling through my recipe books and trying new recipes is my idea of a perfect afternoon. But I realise that this is not everyones idea of fun, hence the birth of this blog. This blog is essentially for people who adore food but don’t have the time, patience or energy to search through cook books to find that winning recipe – that’s the job of Menu Mistress!

March 2025

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I don’t need to tell you that I adore cookery books. I could happily while away time flicking through my cookbook library, unfortunately there are never enough hours in the day and I always end up feeling rather guilty for having ‘wasted’ time… even if these days I have the excuse of ‘research for Menu Mistress’. Anyway, one advantage for my family is that it’s always easy to choose a present for me! Unsurprisingly I received quite a few new additions to my collection last Christmas, so since the new year, I’ve been enjoying ‘trying and testing’ them.  One of those books is  ‘Agak Agak’ which is a cookbook of everyday recipes from Singapore. It was an inspired gift as this month, for the first time, I’m visiting Singapore and Malaysia. This cookbook by Su Han Lee has been whetting my appetite for the authentic food which I’m looking forward to trying. The cookbook itself has lots of inspiring recipes, I’m gradually making my way through the book but one recipe which I’ve made and particularly liked is ‘Hainanese Pork and New Potato Curry’. So this month I thought I’d share this so that you too can escape with me, at least for an hour or two, to South East Asia!…

This month’s Menu One is the aforementioned recipe, ‘Hainanese Pork and New Potato Curry’. It’s a sweet and mild dish with a depth of moreish fragrant flavours. It’s one of those curries which the whole family will love – they’ll be wanting second helpings so you might want to double the recipe! Menu Two has totally different flavours but is none the worst for it. ‘Peppered Rack of Lamb with Creamed Flagelolet Beans’, is perfect for making the most of the new season’s spring lamb. It’s a recipe which I found in an old cookbook, ‘5th Floor Harvey Nichols’ by Henry Harris. The original recipe was made with a rump of lamb but I prefer a rack, however, feel free to use the cut you like, just adjust the cooking times. The creamed flageolet beans should be noted as a ‘stand-alone-recipe’, as they make a great side for lots of other dishes and are super easy to make!

Menu One

Hainanese Pork and New Potato Curry (Serves 3- 4)

This recipe, from the Singaporean cookbook ‘Agak Agak’, is a sweet and mild dish with a depth of moreish fragrant flavours. It’s one of those curries which the whole family will love – they’ll be wanting second helpings so you might want to double the recipe!

500g pork shoulder, cut into 3cm chunks

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

2 lemongrass stalks, bashed lightly

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

200ml coconut milk

About 250ml water

250g baby new potatoes, unpeeled, left whole, larger ones halved

3 tablespoons light soy sauce or to taste (gluten-free if required)

2 teaspoons light brown sugar or to taste

For the spice paste:

100g shallots, roughly chopped

15g piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Big pinch of sea salt

  1. For the spice paste, pound the shallots, ginger and garlic using a pestle and mortar or whizz in a blender until you get a smooth paste. Then mix in the ground spices and salt. Coat the pork chunks with the spice paste and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
  2. In a wok or shallow casserole, fry the whole spices and the lemongrass in the oil over a medium heat for about 1 minute, to help release their fragrance.
  3. Add the marinated pork, scraping in all the spice paste, then fry for about 10 minutes until the pork browns.
  4. Next stir in the coconut milk and enough water to just cover the pork. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to low and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  5. Gently tip in the potatoes and season the curry with soy sauce and sugar. Pop the lid back on and cook for another 20 minutes, or until the pork and potatoes are very tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce or sugar if you like. Serve with rice.

Menu Two

Peppered Rack of Lamb & Creamed Flageolet Beans (Serves 4)

This is a recipe which I found in an old cookbook, ‘5th Floor Harvey Nichols’ by Henry Harris. The original recipe was made with a rump of lamb but I prefer a rack, however feel free to use the cut you like, just adjust the cooking times. The creamed flageolet beans should be noted as a ‘stand-alone-recipe’; they make a great side for lots of other dishes and are super easy to make!

2 x 400g cans flageolet beans, drained and rinsed

250ml whipping cream

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

2 racks of lamb (six cutlets each)

1 tablespoon peppercorns, lightly crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

60g butter

4 tablespoons cognac

250ml strong lamb stock

  1. Combine the beans, cream, garlic and rosemary in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  2. Sprinkle the lamb racks with the crushed peppercorns and press in with the palm of your hand, then season lightly with salt (it’s important to do it this way as if you salt first and then pepper afterwards, the pepper is likely to fall off).
  3. Add the olive oil to a frying pan. When it is hot add the racks and fry briskly until they have a golden crust.
  4. Place the racks on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven (200’c fan) for about 25-30 minutes (if you have a meat thermometer it should register 65-70’c). Rest for 5-10 minutes then slice into cutlets.
  5. Meanwhile, pour off the olive oil from the frying pan. Add the butter, cook for a few minutes until it goes a gentle nut brown. Add the cognac and cook for a further minute or so to drive off the alcohol. Add the stock and bring to the boil and reduce, whisking regularly, until a good syrupy sauce is achieved.
  6. Finally, spoon the beans on to warm plates, arrange the cutlets on top and serve with a little of the sauce.

Menu Mistress will be away for a couple of weeks…

I will be back 25th March with a ‘Tuesday Treat’!..

Cocktail of the Month

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Boulevardier Cocktail (Serves 1)

If you like a Negroni this could well be your new favourite cocktail! It’s a take on the aforementioned but instead of gin its main ingredient is bourbon whiskey so it has a slightly sweeter edge…

45ml bourbon whiskey

30ml sweet red vermouth

30ml Campari

A handful of ice

A twist of orange peel to garnish

  1. Fill a glass with ice and pour over the ingredients, stir well, then top with the twist of orange peel to serve – how simple is that?!

‘Blast From the Past’ Recipe

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Potato and Smoked Mackerel Dauphinoise (Serves 3-4)

I figured that Februrary calls for a quick supper dish, so drum roll please for this months ‘Blast From the Past’… I first shared this recipe back in December 2020. It’s a great midweek supper dish, as you literally throw everything in a dish and leave it in the oven for an hour! I serve it simply with rocket, drizzled with a quality olive oil. The recipe is from one of Nigel Slater’s older cookbooks, ‘Real Food’. If you’re feeling particularly hungry, from personal experience, I think that for four people you should double the recipe and make two dishes – you can always reheat the leftovers for lunch the next day!

450g waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte

225g smoked mackerel fillets

2 bay leaves

300ml double cream

200ml full fat cream

1 tablespoon grain mustard

(Rocket to serve)

Serve with some rocket drizzled with a quality olive oil.

Wash the potatoes, there is no need to peel them, slice them lengthways (about 3mm thick).

Put them in a shallow baking dish about 30cm in diameter. Break up the mackerel fillets into large bite-sized pieces (remove the skin), and toss them gently with the potatoes. Tuck in the bay leaves.

Mix together the cream, milk, mustard and a little salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes.

Bake in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for about an hour until the cream is bubbling and the potatoes are tender.

Tuesday Treat

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Flourless Sour Cherry and Chocolate Cake

This is the perfect Valentine’s Day treat!.. Growing up in the seventies the ‘Black Forest Gateaux’ was my dream dessert. So when I came across this recipe I couldn’t resist! It’s a modern take on my childhood dream and all the better for it; it’s rich with a gooey middle and there’s a hint of sourness from the cherries. However, because it doesn’t contain flour it has a lightness. You can choose to serve it with crème fraiche or in true ‘Black Forest’ style with a good dollop of whipped cream. Thanks to cookbook writer, Ravneet Gill, for this wonderful recipe.

300g 70% dark chocolate (I use Lindt), broken up

225g unsalted butter

5 eggs, plus 1 yolk

4g sea salt

200g golden caster sugar

200g pitted sour cherries, frozen or jarred

Crème Fraiche or whipped cream to serve

*You will need a 25cm round cake tine, greased and base lined with greaseproof paper.

  1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water – make sure that the water doesn’t touch the bowl. Once melted take off the heat.
  2. In a bowl, beat the eggs (and extra yolk), salt and sugar until the mixture has tripled in volume, then carefully fold in the chocolate mixture, followed by the cherries.
  3. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for 45 minutes or until it has started to set on top.
  4. Leave to cool, then turn out, slice and serve with crème fraiche or a dollop of whipped cream.

February 2025

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With February being the month of Valentine’s Day, I thought that I should tell you about the new love of my life. You may remember that back in November I was broken-hearted to learn that the new frying pan I’d fallen for was coated in PTFE, one of the ‘forever chemicals. However, I wasn’t to be blinded by love, instead, I made it my mission to find a ‘chemical-free’ pan – unfortunately, there are fewer around than you would imagine. Love came to me this time in the form of the ‘Titanium Always Pan Pro’. Before allowing myself to fall, again, head-over-heels I made sure to take it through some stringent cooking steps. The jury is now out – this is an ‘all-in-one pan’ for keeps! Both of this month’s recipes were involved in the testing process for my new pan. And both recipes are worthy of your loved one (and pan!)…

Menu One, ‘Rib-Eye Steak Diane with Rosemary Potatoes’, is a recipe that shouts ‘special occasion’. This particular recipe for this well-known dish is from the cookbook, ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’, the addition of the roasted rosemary potatoes makes it extra special. It’s definitely worthy of a date night. The recipe is for two, however, I see no reason why it can’t be doubled for a family affair. Menu Two has a more casual vibe, yet wouldn’t appear out of place at a romantic supper. ‘Sardine Puttanesca’ from Julius Robert’s cookbook, ‘The Farm Table’, is not your average ‘Puttanesca’ sauce. Along with that zing of spice there’s the addition of tinned sardines – it’s pure store-cupboard heaven! It’s a wonderfully warming pasta dish, perfect for a chilly February evening!

In addition to these recipes, I hope you find lots to love about February! See you next week for my’ Tuesday Treat’…

*Need some tunes for your kitchen, why not try one of my playlists?.. I’m currently revisiting the music from ‘Music to Cook to…MenuMusic Fourteen’.

Rib-Eye Steak Diane with Rosemary Potatoes (Serves 2)

Steak Diane is a recipe that shouts ‘special occasion’. This particular recipe for this well-known dish is from the cookbook, ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’, the addition of the roasted rosemary potatoes makes it extra special. It’s definitely worthy of a date night!.. (The recipe serves two but can easily be doubled)

2 rib-eye steaks (220g each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 sprigs of thyme

30g butter

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Rosemary Potatoes:

400g new potatoes, quartered

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

For the Sauce:

30g butter

2 banana shallots, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

120g baby chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced

40ml brandy

200ml beef stock

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

150ml double cream

1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon or parsley

  1. Take the steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before you intend to start cooking to bring them to room temperature. Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Place the new potatoes on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and roast in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 20 minutes. Take out the tray, sprinkle the potatoes with the rosemary and toss well. Roast for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and crispy.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a high heat. When it is smoking hot, place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½-2 minutes on each side for rare or a little longer depending on thickness. I also like to turn the steaks on their ‘fat’ edge, for 30 seconds, to crisp it up. Remove the pan from the heat and add the thyme, then the butter. Baste the steaks with the butter as it melts. After a couple of minutes, transfer the steaks to a plate, pour over the butter and leave to rest in a warm place.
  4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the frying pan back over a medium heat and add the butter. When it has melted and foaming add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Toss in the garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 3-4minutes . Now add the brandy, flambé if you like, and let it bubble away.
  5. Pour in the stock and simmer until reduced by half. Add the Worcestershire sauce and cream and continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir through the chopped tarragon or parsley. Add the resting juices from the steaks and stir well.
  6. Transfer the steaks to warmed plates, spoon on the sauce and serve the crispy rosemary potatoes alongside.

Sardine Puttanesca (Serves 5)

This Puttanesca’ from Julius Robert’s cookbook, ‘The Farm Table’, is not your average ‘Puttanesca’ sauce. Along with that zing of spice there’s the addition of tinned sardines – it’s pure store-cupboard heaven! It’s a wonderfully warming pasta dish.

1 large red onion, finely chopped

5 tablespoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes

8 anchovies

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes

80g capers, rinsed

140g pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed

30g butter

½ tablespoon sugar

2 tins of quality sardines

500g penne or other short pasta shape

A bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Fry the onion in a pan with the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt until sweet and tender. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and anchovies. Cook gently for a few minutes, squashing the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they melt and infuse into the oil.
  2. Add the tomato purée and cook for another minute before adding the tinned tomatoes. Rinse the tins with a splash of water and add half a tin of this tomatoey water to the pan. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened.
  3. Now add the capers, olives and butter to the sauce. Mix well and continue to cook for a few minutes. Check the seasoning and add the sugar to balance out the acidity.
  4. Drain the sardines and add to the pan and gently break them apart, being careful not to mash them up too much.
  5. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Reserve a mugful of pasta cooking water and add this little by little as you mix the sauce into the pasta. Finish with the chopped parsley, mix again and serve with a drizzle of really good olive oil.