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.
Will from Alness asked:
Please give me a few ideas what I can stuff with Chicken mousse.
The first one I’d recommend using chicken mousse for is for making a beef wellington, just mix in the dry duxelles mushrooms and use this as a coating for the fillet of beef. Using the mouse in making ravioli or cannelloni is also great.
Lesley from Ryall asked:
It’s a really basic thing but drives me nuts! I like to cut coleslaw by hand but never know which way to start slicing so I don’t get large pieces from the stalks on the leaves.
I would always start away from the core, cut the cabbage into quarters and with your knife work your way along until you begin to hit the core edge. Just stop slicing at this point, failing that, just grate on a box grater.
Michelle from Fillmore asked:
I recently bought beautiful, very large Pork Chops from my local Farm Shop. When I cooked them the rind did not crackle completely 😢. How do I ensure this will happen.
Firstly, I would score the skin, then salt evenly, lay the chop skin side down in a pan over a medium heat. Be patient, cook on the skin side for way longer than you think, once you have the crispy skin, lay the chop flesh side down and cook as you normally would.
Neil from St Albans asked:
Do you have a favourite ‘quick’ pickling recipe for red onions (for when you forget to plan in advance and only have a couple of hours to make them) that you could impart onto a Pirate cook who needs to plan his Mexican dinner party dishes a little more carefully !
Our pickle liquor recipe from the Hand and Flowers cook book will work a treat for your onions. Just cut the onions finely so they pickle quicker, also, pour the pickle on hot and then leave to cool. This will speed things up.
Pickling liquor – Makes 800ml
Ingredients:
- 500ml white wine vinegar
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 1 clove
- ¾ tsp white peppercorns
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 250g caster sugar
Method
- Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan, heat to dissolve the sugar and bring to the boil.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse with the spices until cool. Then pass through a sieve into a jug.
- Use to pickle your ingredients as required.
Alice from Hereford asked:
With summer holidays pending with an enthusiastic 8 year old and hungry 6 year old what recipe would you recommend to cook together?
Check out my Real Life recipe book, absolutely loads in there for the kids to try, from pasta to pies! Or my Full Time meal recipes, 52 pocket friendly and seriously tasty recipes that you and your children can cook.
Kelly from Manchester asked
My husband is never impressed when I dish up salad for dinner, can you recommend a recipe that might change his mind about salad being dull!!
That’s easy, try my chicken, tomato and mozzarella salad, easy to make and super tasty.
Please keep you questions coming in.
