Thanks to all of you who sent in your cookery questions. Here are my answers to some that were sent in, check to see if yours is included. Sorry I couldn’t answer them all, but keep them coming in.
Nick from Weston-Super-Mare asked:
Tom, I am on a limited budget and on a diet, I love fish but the majority of fish that you use are way out of my price range. Could you recommend some recipes for me to try that are tasty and healthy using the cheaper fish if there is such a thing. Loving your programmes, have to be very careful as I am an uncontrolled epileptic but nobody is going to get me out of the kitchen, just have to have someone else around.
Fish is something that unfortunately is expensive, especially great quality, fresh fish. My tip for less expensive fish to include in a diet would be tinned tuna in brine, you can use this to make it into fish cakes, salads, pasta and lot’s of other dishes.
Also check out frozen fish, as it can be on the cheaper side. Frozen at sea means that it will be good quality after its defrosted slowly.
Oliver from Woking asked:
Hey Tom I’m trying to cut down on sandwiches for lunch and replace them with salads. My only issue is that they can get a bit boring and repetitive. I’d like to jazz them up with some dressings, do you have any suggestions or recipes for quick and easy dressings?
Add crunch and texture by adding seeds and nuts, roast and toast them to add additional flavour. For dressings look for great quality oil – cold pressed rapeseeds oil, extra virgin olive oil or use flavoured vinegars.
You can also try adding spices or citrus fruit to the dressing.
Andrew from London asked:
Hi Tom, I’ve been trying to cook the perfect rolled pork belly, I’ve tried lots of different methods and I can never get the meat in the middle to be perfectly soft and tender with the skin on the outside puffy and perfect for crackling, I always seem to get one or the other. How would you recommend cooking it for the perfect mix of both?
First off you will need a good quality pork belly, with a firm dry skin, get your butcher to score it for you. Make sure the pork has a good ratio of meat to fat (60/40).
Before you cook the pork, take it out of the fridge and leave to come up to room temperature.
Start the cooking off with your oven set at around 220c and cook for around 30 minutes to start crisping the skin, then turn down to 160c and cook for 3 to 4 hours,. The crackling will be like glass and the meat will be super lovely.
Adele from Bishop Burton asked:
Hi Tom, I cook a lot with dried herbs and spices. Where can I purchase the best ones, which company or brand is best.
To be honest all brands of spices are generally produced in the same location so you won’t find much different between them.
It’s really down to your preference.
Dan from Berkhamsted asked:
I consider myself an experienced cook and one of the things I love cooking is a good steak. Can you recommend the best way of resting steak – some say cover it with foil, others not…and then serving it hot. Would you blast it in the oven after resting?
Pop the steak directly on your oven rack with your oven at 50c. Leave to rest for five to eight minutes, this way you won’t need to flash it through a hot oven.
Elizabeth from Cardiff asked:
I made your flourless chocolate cake from ‘Tom’s Table’, it separated, please, were did I go wrong?
It is possible that the chocolate may have got too hot, this can depend on the fat solids of the chocolate too.
If needed, next time increase the amount of cream used by 100g, the cake may turn out to be slightly softer set but it shouldn’t split on you.
Lisa from Cheltenham asked:
My question is about good old fashioned beef dripping! Nan used to make the BEST chips using dripping, crunchy on the edges with that distinctive smile causing taste! Mine turn out soggy, what am I doing wrong??
Firstly, selecting the correct type of spud for this is key, nothing too waxy as it contains a lot of sugar which burns and won’t go crispy.
Try a Maris Piper which generally has the right balance needed for great chips and roast potatoes.
A few other tips for the best chips –
- Cut your chips the same size, this will keep them more consistent during the cook.
- Wash your cut chips under cold running water for five to ten minutes to wash off any excess starch that may contain sugar.
- Blanch chips in salted simmering water, until just soft, remove them carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon and lay onto a cooling wire or perforated tray. Then pop in the fridge to chill and form a crust.
- If possible, deep fry them at 140c for 10 minutes. Remove, drain and chill again.
- When ready, deep fry at 180c for a good five minutes or till golden and crispy.
- Remove from the fryer and season with salt straight away.
Donna from Rayleigh asked:
Hi Captain Tom, how do you make the best toad in the hole? Mine never comes out right.
I always make my batter the day before, then take it out of the fridge in the morning and leave to come up to room temperature.
At home, I make a dead easy batter, a mug of each flour, eggs and milk and whisk together don’t worry about a few lumps, they will break down when left in the fridge overnight.
During the cooking process don’t be tempted to open the oven, if you do it will only cause it to sink.
I bake my Yorkshire puddings for long than most recipes tell you to. Just to ensure the pudding is properly cooked and crispy.
