Preparation time: 5 – 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Skill level: easy
Makes: 6 – 8

Ingredients

• plain flour – 100g
• baking powder – 1tsp
• caster sugar – 1tsp
• 2 free-range eggs – beaten
• milk – 75ml
• sweetcorn kernels (frozen/tinned or ideally fresh) – 350g
• ½ medium red onion – finely chopped
• 1 chilli – finely chopped
• fresh parsley – finely chopped – 2tbsp
• s & p
• a little olive oil for cooking

In a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar along with some salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a jug mix together the milk and eggs.

Gradually stir the milk/eggs into the flour mixture to form a batter.

In another bowl mix together the sweetcorn, onion, parsley and chilli and season well.

Add this to the batter and stir everything together.

Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan and drop in about 3/4 ladle of the mix. Flatten down a little with spatula and cook for a minute or two until nicely browned on the bottom.

Turn over and cook on the other side.

Flip out onto some kitchen paper and keep warm. Repeat until you have used up all the batter – we ended up with an uneven seven.

Serve with whatever takes your fancy.

Verdict: Sweet and succulent with a hint of chilli heat. Experiment with different flavourings and extras.

Drink: Peroni and some left over white.

Entertainment: We’re back on the streets with Homicide.

Snow comes to Yumblog Cottage

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus an hour to set the polenta
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Skill level: easy
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• polenta – 90g
• butter – 25g
• portobello mushrooms – 400g
• rosemary – roughly chopped – 2tbsp
• 2 fat garlic cloves – finely chopped
• gorgonzola – 50g
• olive oil
• s and p

Start by making your polenta.

Bring 500ml of salted water to the boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Gradually pour in the polenta, stirring continuously.

Keep stirring and cook for 5-7 minutes until the polenta is smooth.

Continue cooking over a low/medium heat for 25 minutes – stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and stir in 15g of butter.

Pour into a suitably sized container/tin which has been lined with cling film – you’ll want your polenta to be about 15-20mm thick.

Smooth the top of the polenta and refrigerate for about an hour until cool and set.

Cut the polenta into slices,

Heat some oil in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When the oil is very hot, lay in the polenta slices and fry on both sides until crisp and golden – you may have to do this in batches if your pan is not big enough,

Remove, place on kitchen paper and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat some oil in (another) large non-stick frying pan and when very hot add the mushrooms. Fry for 3-5 minutes until they have started to colour and then add the remaining butter, garlic and rosemary. Fry for another 2-3 minutes until golden in colour. Taste, season and keep warm.

To serve, top the polenta slices with the mushrooms and crumble over the gorgonzola.

Verdict: This makes an excellent evening meal (the polenta could be made a day or two in advance) or an indulgent weekend brunch. The crunch of the polenta contrasts well with the soft mushrooms and the flavours of the 3 constituent ingeredients complement each other perfectly. Thoroughly recommended.

Drink: A pair of G’n'T’s.

Entertainment: Watching the ever familiar help screen of our BT Vision box (they let us keep it when we cancelled the contract, methinks they understand its true value) – the crappiest piece of technology since the Ronco Buttoneer and quaintly the only device this side of 1954 which still requires 5 minutes to warm up.

Preparation time: 5 minutes plus 20 minutes set aside
Cooking time: 20 – 30 minutes
Skill level: easy
Serves: 2 (we ended up with 7 rostis)

Ingredients

• waxy potatoes – 500g
• 2 spring onions – finely chopped
• parsley – finely chopped – 2 tbsp
• 1 free range egg – beaten
• plain flour – ½ tbsp
• 1 small goat’s cheese
• olive oil
• s and p

Peel and grate the potatoes.

Place in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Mix together the egg, flour, onion and parsley, add to the potato mixture and set aside for 20 minutes.

Pour a little oil into a large heavy-bottomed (and very non-stick) frying pan and place over a high heat.

Spoon 1 tbsp of the mixture into the frying pan and squash down with the back of a fish slice to form the pancake and remove some of the liquid. Repeat as many times as you have room in the frying pan – 3-4 probably.

Cook until dark golden on both sides (obviously you’ll need to flip them over).

Place on kitchen roll and repeat until you have used up all your mixture (you should have 6-8)

Preheat your grill to high.

Slice the goat’s cheese into discs and place on top of your pancakes/rostis.

Put under the grill for a few minutes until the cheese has melted.

Serve on a bed of leaves (and a dollop of Oxford Sauce).

… looking a bit like a vegan fried egg (which as you know, like all vegan recipes, is made from a mixture of straw and gluten-free despair)

Verdict: A most enjoyable Sunday brunch. Nice ‘flavour combinations – © Gregg Wallace 2011′ of earthy almost sweet potato with the acidity of the goat’s cheese. The rostis were more ‘stodgy and Teutonic’ than the ones we made a while back.

Drink: K4E with UHT.

Entertainment: Watching Yumblog Junior turn a simple meal into a scene from ‘Dawn of the Dead’.

In the spirit of TGC and because there seems little point in writing up something that is so current, click on this link or scan the ‘Quick Response’ code below for the full list of ingredients and recipe.

We stuck pretty close to the published recipe, the only difference being the use of cherry tomatoes rather than the plums.

Verdict: For such a simple dish with so few ingredients, this packs a powerful flavour punch. Sweet, sweet, sweet (and a little salty). Truly superb

Drink: Tuesday night is temperance night.

Entertainment: The beginning of the 5th season of ‘Ideal’. Utter joy. The soundtrack is excellent too, if you manage to find a copy.

The inverted commas are there because as you can see from the photo, it is more of a schlem than a soup.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Skill level: easy

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 small onion – chopped
• 1 red pepper – deseeded – finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves – thinly sliced
• 1 chilli – finely chopped
• 1 tin of quality chopped tomatoes – 400g
• water – tap – 350ml
• caster sugar – 1tsp
• extra-virgin olive oil – a good slug (about 25 ml)
• smoked sweet paprika – 1tsp
• cumin – ½ tsp
• fresh parsley – finely chopped – 2 tbsp
• 2 free range eggs
• s & p

Pour the oil into a saucepan and place over a medium heat.

Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until soft and translucent (5-7 minutes).

Add the pepper, chilli and garlic, reduce the heat, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has the consistency of jam (35-40 minutes).

Stir in the tomato and water and simmer until mixture has a thick soup consistency (20-25 minutes).

Add sugar, cumin, paprika.

Mix together, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Crack the eggs, one at a time, onto a saucer and gently slide into the tomato mixture.

Cover and simmer gently until cooked to your liking (3 minutes for soft yolks, or 5-6 minutes for well-done).

Ladle into warm bowls and sprinkle with a little extra paprika (optional).

Serve with crusty bread.

Verdict: A tasty and spicy start to the weekend. It’s all about the slow cooking, so make sure you get up in time.

Drink: A strong K4e with condensed milk.

Entertainment: Planning the rest of the weekend meals.

Yumblog Junior plays safely within the containment field.

Preparation time: 2 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Skill level: Easy
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 6 free range eggs
• crème fraîche – 50ml
• butter – 25g
• fresh oregano – 1tbsp
• goat’s cheese – cut into small cubes – 100g
• s & p

Mix together the eggs, crème fraîche, oregano and salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.

Add the egg mixture and cook (constantly stirring) until the consistency of very soft scrambled eggs.

Add the goat’s cheese and continue cooking until it has melted.

Serve on some wholesome wholemeal toast.

Verdict: A goaty and fairly ‘sloppy’ variation on scrambled egg.

Drink: T & K4e.

Entertainment: Collins and Herring on 6Music.

Preparation time: 10 – 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 – 35 minutes
Skill level: easy
Faff level: 3/10
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper – cored and cut into 1cm strips
• 1 yellow pepper – cored and cut into 1cm strips
• 1 large onion – thinly sliced
• 3 ripe tomatoes – roughly chopped
• muscovado sugar – 2 tsp
• 1 chilli – finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme – stripped and chopped
• parsley – chopped – 1 tbsp
• coriander – chopped – 1 tbsp (plus more to scatter at the end)
• cumin – ¼ tsp
• saffron strands – ¼ tsp
• smoked paprika – ¼ tsp
• 4 free-range eggs
• olive oil
• water – up to 125ml
• s & p

First find a large deep frying pan or saucepan.

Add a good slug of oil and sauté the onion for two minutes.

Next add the peppers, chilli, sugar, bay leaves, thyme, parsley and coriander, and cook over a high heat for a couple of minutes until the peppers start to soften and intensify in colour.

Add the tomatoes, saffron, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Stir frequently and add enough water to keep everything loose and moist.

Taste, season, taste, season, etc.

This dish is going to be served in individual pans straight from the hob*, so you need find 2 small frying pans and divide this mixture between each.

Break 2 eggs into each pan (it helps to make indentations in the sauce with the back of a spoon), season, cover and cook over a very low heat for 5 – 10 minutes or until the egg whites have set but the yolk is still soft.

Sprinkle with more coriander and serve up with a few chunks of good bread.

* Obviously you don’t have to do this, you could stick to the one pan and serve up on plates.

Verdict: A sweet gently spiced dish which makes a great weekend brunch treat. The flavourings are only a guide, so experiment with different herbs and spices (riffing around a Middle Eastern theme).

Drink: A strong heavily sugared k4e.

Entertainment: Now that I’ve discovered Yumblog Junior finds my dancing hilarious, the entertainment possibilities are endless.

Preparation time: 10 minutes + overnight soaking
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
Skill level: easy
Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the Baked Beans

• dried pinto beans – enough for 2 (about 150g)
• 1 bulb of garlic
• sprig of parsley
• 1 large or several small tomatoes
• olive oil
• s & p

For the Toast

• good bread – 2 slices
• garlic – 1 clove
• 2 very ripe tomatoes
• 2 dried chillies
• oregano
• olive oil
• s & p

Soak your beans in water overnight (with 1 change of water)

Pre-heat the oven to 200c (gas mark 6)

Put the soaked beans, whole garlic bulb, tomato(es) and parsley in a ceramic oven-proof dish. Pour over some water until the beans are covered to a depth of 1cm and then drizzle with olive oil.

Cover with tin foil and pierce with 2 small holes to allow some of the steam out.

Put in the oven and bake for an hour and a half.

Remove from the oven and discard the parsley. Squeeze the pulp out of the tomato(es) and discard the skin. Squash the garlic with a wooden spoon to squeeze out the juice and then discard.

Season with salt and pepper and mix everything together.

Toast some bread. Scrape topside with garlic and then squeeze/rub over the ripe tomato.

Sprinkle with crushed dried chilli and oregano and then drizzle with olive oil.

Season and spoon over the baked beans.

Eat and be happy.

Verdict: A great weekend brunch treat. Better than Heinz. Delicious. Experiment with different bean/herb combos.

Drink: A milky k4e.

Entertainment: Test Match Special on 5Live. Tuffers was off to the O2 to see Lady Gaga.

The recipe below is very tasty … but does it show enough cookery skills …?

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 – 30 minutes
Skill level: Easy
Recipe: Based on a recipe from Wa’Ro magazine

Ingredients

The quantities stated here are vague/non-existent – the balance of ingredients is entirely up to you so just use your imagination.

• mushrooms – halved or quartered depending on size – some
• garlic – thinly sliced – 1 clove per person
• spring greens (or other dark green cabbage such as Savoy) – shredded – some
• good bread – sliced – some
• Lincolnshire Poacher or strong Cheddar – grated – some
• milk – 1 tbsp per person
• grain mustard – 1 tsp per person
• olive oil – some
• s and p

Pre-heat the grill.

Heat a little oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan until very hot.

Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or so until softened and golden.

Remove from the pan and set aside (keeping warm).

Pour a little more oil in the pan and add the Spring Greens. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until softened.

Add the cooked mushrooms, taste, season and keep warm over a low heat.

Toast the bread on both sides.

In a bowl mix together the grated cheese, mustard and enough milk to bind.

Pile the mushroom mixture onto the toasts and then spoon over the cheese.

Place under a hot grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Serve immediately.

Verdict: Garlic Mushrooms? Melted Cheese? There was never going to be any doubt that this would be anything other than very tasty. Makes a great weekend brunch/lunch/greedy snack.

Drink: Beetroot Juice.

Entertainment: Nemone on 6Music.

Freelance Writer Alex, Paediatrician Children’s Doctor Tim and NuDadDhruv fight it out in the final of MasterChef.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 – 25 minutes
Skill level: easy
Serves: 2
Recipe: Wa’ro Magazine

Ingredients

• Ricotta cheese – drained – 250g
• Grana Padano cheese – finely grated – 2 tbsp
• 1 egg
• cherry tomatoes – halved – 150g
• basil leaves – torn – 1 tbsp
• olive oil – 2 tbsp
• 2 slices wholemeal or sourdough bread

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5.

Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, in a small roasting tin, season well and drizzle with olive oil.

Use a little of the oil to grease two 180ml ramekins or similar oven proof dishes. As you can see, we didn’t have anything of the right size so we used three smaller ramekins. It don’t matter none.

Beat the cheeses, egg and basil together with a little seasoning in a bowl and divide between the ramekins.

Bake the Ricotta mixture along with the tomatoes for 20 – 25 minutes, until the cheese is puffed up and beginning to brown.

Run a knife around the edge and turn out of the ramekins.

Toast the bread and drizzle with olive oil.

Top with slices of the baked Ricotta.

Season with a twist of black pepper.

Serve with a salad.

Verdict: A quick tasty soufflé which makes for an easy but special midweek dinner. A whole host of flavour variations could be made.

Drink: A light vinho verde, it’s only 10.5% so you can drink loads of it.

Entertainment: ‘Eastern Promises’ on DVD. A good, tattootastic film with an improbable happy ending. Blogger D enjoyed the naked Viggo Mortensen sauna fight scene.