The Best Stew - Cajun Style

Here's a tasty stew.

Being a “clever” shopper!!! I noticed that there was an amazing  special at the supermarket... about 12 mixed coloured peppers, for only $3.99. That is really cheap at this time of the year
Also there was beef on special, close to use by date, but that's fine, planning to use it straight away.
Plus I found an organic chicken cheap as chips,  sectioned that and straight into the freezer.

Peppers are very much part of Cajun cooking,
They form part of The Trinity,  Onion, Peppers and Celery
The main base of Gumbo, Jambalaya Or anything your Cajun heart desires.

Perfect, so I found some Cajun seasoning in my pantry and started work on this very tasty stew
Which we ate with mashed potatoes
The rest of the peppers, I roasted, marinated them in olive oil, and they are in my fridge
They will last for ages

There was some Pinot Noir remaining in a bottle
Good, wine such a good addition to any meat dish

Ingredients

500 gms Beef chopped into 1 inch pieces
2-3 tablespoons flour, seasoned with sat and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 x onion roughly chopped
3 Capsicums seeds removed and chopped
2 sticks celery
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
Slosh of wine
1 can Chopped Tomatoes
Water to cover

Toss the chopped beef into the seasoned flour
Heat the olive oil in a pan till it its hot
Add the beef and brown the pieces
Place in an ovenproof dish
Add the onions to the pan and they will pick up the nice crispy bits
Cook till soft but not browned
Add the capsicum and celery
Continue to cook until they are soft as well
Add the Cajun seasoning
Keep cooking for about 5 minutes to cook the spices out
Add the wine. this will help to deglaze the pan
Add the tomatoes
Stir well and then pour over the meat in the dish

Rinse out the pan with some hot water, so that all the lovely flavours are not lost
Add to the meat
Make sure that everything is just covered
You may need to add some more water

Bake in 170C oven for about 2 hours
The meat should be tender and the sauce thickened

I served with mashed potatoes
Perfect for a Winter Night

Of course There was too much for two people and there were left overs
The mashed potatoes were turned into fish cakes
And the stew into a lasagne
Which was layered with Bechamel and some of the roasted peppers

You could use some of those peppers in the jar, bought from the Supermarket
Up to you the amount you use

So, first, I made a béchamel sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

Melt the butter in a small pot
Add the flour to make a roux
Cook for 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour
Season with salt and pepper
Infuse the milk with the bay leaf
I just pop it into the microwave for about1 1/2 minutes to heat it

Pour the hot milk onto the roux
Stir, till it is smooth
Let it simmer away for about 3-5 minutes
Add the cheese and set aside
Drain the oil off the peppers
Open a packet of lasagne sheets
I like to use these Barilla Sheets, no need to pre-cook

So to assemble the lasagne
A spoonful of béchamel
Lasagne sheets
The stew

Lasagne
Roasted peppers

Lasagne
Béchamel
Lasagne
Stew
Lasagne and top with the remaining Béchamel

Cover with oiled foil
Cook in a 180C oven for 30 minutes
Take the foil off and finish off for another 15 minutes

The top should be golden and the sauce bubbling
The aroma. so inviting

What a really tasty dish. Just like a bought one

Stretching Your Dollar - Simple Fish Pie - Don’t Waste Food

We entertained last night and I over catered a little.

I peeled too many potatoes, chopped too much parsley. Our friend George, brought up freshly caught Trevally which I cut into Sashimi pieces.
It was delicious, so so fresh, we just dipped into soy sauce.
There was quite a lot, so I quickly put the overs in the fridge.
Now, a day older, I decided I should do something else with it.
What quickly came to mind. Fish, Potatoes?
How about a fish pie for dinner tonight?

I constructed a Bechamel Sauce, popped in the chopped Parsley
The zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Next I added the fish

Find a nice little pie plate to cook in

Meanwhile I brought the potatoes to the boil, added some hot milk mashed them up
Beat it some cold butter

Spread it over the top
Voila
Ready to go into the oven

Dinner done
That's tonight sorted

Tomorrow night the actual leftovers : Lamb, Tomato and Potato Bake with Leeks and Peas
Tastes a lot better that it looks

Before we cut into it. Very tasty. tender lamb

French Toast Roll Ups - What a Great Idea. Kids Love these

When I saw this recipe, I know I had to make it. Kids love French Toast and Churros
This is, you may say... a "poor man's" Churro.
I made this for dessert, if you wanted to make them for breakfast, maybe just drizzle over some Maple syrup
So you tust turn your Nutella filled French Toast into cigar shapes,  and dip in egg and milk.
Shallow fry in butter
Dust with sugar,  flavoured with cinnamon and orange zest
Dip into a warm velvety chocolate sauce and
Voila Heaven
Mine is right!

I grabbed this recipe off a friends Face book page and she got it from the Cinnamon, Spice and All 
Webpage. I have made a couple of changes
Reeni the host, suggested that you could use other spreads, but our kids adore Nutella
I thought it could be nice, filled with grated cheese, like the Southland Cheese Rolls
When they were cooked you could shake them around in finely grated Parmesan perhaps
Maybe a few herbs?
I will try that
Once again, this is the time when only the plastic white bread, will do
2 per person and sometimes you could almost eat more


10 slices white sandwich bread
2 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
Zest of a medium Orange
Butter, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS:
Trim the crust from the bread and flatten it out with a rolling pin.
Spread the Nutella over the bottom 3/4 of the bread

Roll the bread up and repeat until they're all filled.

In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs and milk until well combined.
In a separate bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon and orange zest
In a skillet set over medium heat melt a tablespoon of butter.
Add the rolls to the egg turning to coat on all sides then place them in the pan seam side down.

Cook in batches until golden brown, turning them to cook and brown on all sides.
Add butter to the pan as needed.

Add the hot rolls from the pan to the orange and cinnamon sugar and roll until completely covered in sugar.

Meamwhile whip up this very simple sauce to dip them in

100 gms choc chips
50 mls cream
50 mls milk
1/1/2 tbs golden syrup

Place everything in a small pot
Heat gently till melted
I think everyone needs their own little bowl of sauce
SO
Dip your French toast into the yummy warm Chocolate

Yum

By the way not just for kids. We loved them too