Extras

8 medium all-purpose potatoes
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1 clove crushed garlic
1 cup grated tasty cheese
about 30 grams butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

1. Heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease a 1L pie dish with butter

2. Wash and slice potatoes on to a clean tea towel, then pat the potatoes dry before arranging in layers in pie dish.

3. Dot each layer with a little butter and season with salt and pepper. The top layer should be just below the rim of the dish.

4. Heat the milk and garlic then add to cream. If using nutmeg, add at this point.

5. Stir and pour over the potatoes until the liquid comes to just below the top two layers of potato. Add more liquid if necessary.

6. Press potatoes in to liquid gently with the back of a spoon.

7. Sprinkle top with the cheese.

8. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender.

Cook’s notes

Use all-cream if you like, but not all-milk as it will separate.

This dish holds its heat well and will stay warm for half an hour or while you grill meat or fish.

Leftovers reheat in the microwave but I doubt there will be any.

Breadcrumbs made from 6 slices white bread 2 days old
1 lge onion
a handful of sage leaves or a teaspoon of dried sage
50g (2oz) soft butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 beaten egg (also if using to stuff turkey)

Mix all together to make a firm ball, and place inside meat.

Put a piece of bread crust in last before skewering or tying. This helps prevent the stuffing popping out during cooking.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Take at least three slices of wholemeal bread – stale is best. Chop it up into chunks, then throw into the blender on high until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Spread the breadcrumbs on to a baking tray, about 1-2cm deep. Place into the oven for about 5 mins, keeping an eye on them and stirring once. Turn the oven off, and leave the crumbs in the warm oven for a further 5-10 mins.

Put the crumbs into the blender and blend on high-speed again – this time they will come out very fine, and a lovely golden colour.

1/3 c cornflour
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c flour
1/2 c milk
2 tsp baking powder

Sift dry ingredients, add milk, and mix until smooth.

2 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
2 dsp cornflour
2 tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 c pineapple juice (from a 425g can pineapple chunks)
1/2 c water

In a large pot combine the vinegar, tomato sauce and brown sugar. Stir in cornflour. Add the juice and water. Cook  over medium heat, stirring until thickened.

I will either add precooked chicken or pork to the sauce. The pineapple chunks I use in stir fry veges, serve with rice.