Recipe help

noeltone
noeltone Member Posts: 878
edited 6. Sep 2010, 15:16 in Community Chit-chat archive
I cooked my partner spag bol and she gave me 4 out of 1o saying there was not enough in it i put in beef onion and herbs i mean what else is there to put in it any suggestions would be welcome and i might score more and would not have to do the washing up as well and be in the dog house again mind you when she chewed on a bit of plastic wrapping i was not helped in my cause of trying to please her. tonight i will do cold chicken and potatoes, runners and carrot now surely that cant go wrong if you hear some virtual squeals at about 6 15 you will know what it is and i have got a low rating whats that burning smell yipes i better check on the veg????

Comments

  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Chrisov
    Garlic thats what you need, and my secret is daddys sauce, I use it in chilly has well.
    Good Luck
    Barbara x
    PS think we may need Elna on this one, our resident cook :)
    Love
    Barbara
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I, too, always put garlic in. What about tomato puree and/or a tin of tomatoes. I also put in a beef stock cube and seasoning. Some red wine would make it richer too.

    Hope this helps.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,832
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Garlic (not too much - test it) and tomatoes - tinned and chopped like lida said.

    Also the herbs need to be things like oregano...

    If a bloke cooked for me I would NEVER complain :wink:

    I might pass out though :lol:

    Love

    Toni xx
  • lululu
    lululu Member Posts: 486
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You come cook for me Noeltone - I won't complain -hope for you that your partner enjoys her supper!


    lulu
  • trisher
    trisher Member Posts: 9,263
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    #'christov

    Your meal sounds very nice just add a little garlic. As Linds said put some wine in it.

    If I were you I would have a couple of bottles of wine to have with your meal. Surely that would be 10 out of 10

    Enjoy it :P

    Trish xxx
  • whalewatcher
    whalewatcher Member Posts: 90
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    There was a chef on daytime TV a week or so ago (given away my viewing habits there!) who did spag bol. He used beef and pork plus a carrot & a stick of celery with the onions & garlic, a splash of red wine & some passata (sieved concentrated tomatoes) & cooked it slowly for 2 hours.
    I would suggest that a large splash of red wine goes into the chef and I dare anyone to complain after all that hard work.
    Egg & chips anybody?

    Whalewatcher
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Lots of tinned tomatoes thrown in with the fried mince, a small piece of garlic chopped up or crushed,onion, a few herbs or bay leaves, even a chop pepper(but I prefer not).

    Add chunky bread and cheese grated on top.


    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tkachev wrote:
    Lots of tinned tomatoes t......Add chunky bread and cheese grated on top.

    Elizabeth

    Good one Elizabeth. I forgot the cheese, doesn't have to be parmesan, we use Red Leicester sometimes.

    I off for some of Whalewatcher's egg and chips now t1941.gif

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • gickygawky
    gickygawky Member Posts: 478
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My spag bol always consists of equal measures of beef and pork mince and a couple of grated carrots in addition to the usual bits. I put oregano in whilst cooking and basil at the end.
    I also tend to brown everything on the hob and then throw it in the oven on a low heat for about 2 hours.
    On of our favs and is regularly on the menu 8)
    A x
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Chrisov,

    hey she shouldn't give you a mark!

    I don't eat meat and quoin is fairly tasteless with out seasoning but for me Worcester sauce as I am not so keen on garlic and red wine help and I use a veggie stock cube as well. So think Val, Toni and legs have nailed it and it should work.

    Hope your doing ok and have they done your neck? They are going to use botox on mine... will let you know if it helps... Luv Cris x

    Hey Val,

    You got any more egg and chips please :D ((( ))) xx
  • ichabod6
    ichabod6 Member Posts: 843
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Forget the spag bol.

    Give her a dish of black puddings and vanilla ice cream with
    a slice of marmite toast to dip in. DONT add garlic.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 2. Sep 2010, 03:16
    Beef mince, diced onion, diced carrot, finely sliced celery, small clove of garlic (crushed), tin of tomaotes, a little tomato puree, a dash of paprika (for colour and depth) and a decent slug of red wine - a thick red, 12.5% or thereabouts. Optional flavours are beef OXO and worcester sauce - not much of either.

    Or buy a jar of sauce. And don't tell. DD

    Thinking about this in the early hours I realised I had forgotten the foliage: herbs that work well are basil and oregano.
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • cthornley
    cthornley Member Posts: 627
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    bacon or pancetta mixed in with the mince, red wine and a strong stock, i prefer veg but others prefer beef,
    Cook for a while to reduce the liquid and then add a bit more wine and reduce again....the more you do this the richer the sauce should be
    Herbs and garlic will also add to the mix
    Hope she likes it...you deserve points for making the effort
    Chrissie
  • noeltone
    noeltone Member Posts: 878
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    thanks for all your suggestions about spag bol my next one will be better hopefully althou even me did put tin of tomatoes in plus some home grown ones.
    No points for trying my partner expects tip top meals from me and my last effort left me with some criticism of dishing up stringy runner beans home grown ones I reminded her but that did not cut any ice although the chicken was quite tender and I gained some marks for that. Next I want to cook some decent gravy mine is usually quite watery and lethargic any tips btw i have lots of sage growing what can I do with it except for making a stuffing mix. When I said I might be able to make a living cooking for others Tam just laughed.
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I usually make onion gravy by putting a bit of olive oil in a pan and putting in a chopped onion with a teaspoon of sugar. I cook until it browns and start to caramelise then add vegetable water (or plain water) a stock cube, a dessert spoon of red wine vinegar and then meat juices. I liquidise with a couple of tblsps of plain flour to thicken.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • carola
    carola Member Posts: 786
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Stick some tomatoes in the oven with a little garlic olive oil for 20 mins.
    Meantime, fry some chopped onions, chopped garlic and brown the mince.
    Throw in a tin of tomatoes and the roasted tomatoes from the oven, sprinkle a beef oxo cube, salt, pepper and some torn basil leaves.
    Simmer for as long as you can as the flavours get stronger the more it simmers.
  • noeltone
    noeltone Member Posts: 878
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Great tips one and all I have a glut of tomatoes atm can you freeze them I have red ones and a plant with loads of yellow ones btw i made some gravy after recomendations from peeps on here and it was OK even Tam thought so but I must go as I am cooking fish fingers and yet more runner beans now even i cant foul up or can I ??
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Ooooh, we had fish fingers last night! My favourite. White grape juice too. Yum-yum. Yours, a sophisticated DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • noeltone
    noeltone Member Posts: 878
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi DD whose fish fingers do you eat i notice some just go mushy and flat and sticky in oven (could be i get cheap basic ones) or do you fry them then perhaps they are more crisper very sophisticated indeed and talking of sophistication i will get a fish finger sandwich ;later with ketchup
  • coco67
    coco67 Member Posts: 2,374
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    yum, fish finger sandwiches, one with red sauce and one with brown. got to cover both options hahaha
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    noeltone wrote:
    Hi DD whose fish fingers do you eat i notice some just go mushy and flat and sticky in oven (could be i get cheap basic ones) or do you fry them then perhaps they are more crisper very sophisticated indeed and talking of sophistication i will get a fish finger sandwich ;later with ketchup

    Just oven bake them a little bit longer to see if that crisps them Crisov.


    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • noeltone
    noeltone Member Posts: 878
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Elizabeth I will give that a try I either get impatient and rush them or foeget them and burnm them Chrisov
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The Husband (who does our shopping for reasons too boring to discuss) knows he is in dire trouble unless he buys Bird's Eye. They are the best. I do them in the oven, for at least 20 minutes at 225 degrees. Lovely and crispy and dry. Gorgeous. Cor - I want some now!

    For some foodstuffs non-brand or generic is OK, and sometimes better, but for the things one really enjoys then it's worth spendng the extra (if one can) and buying the proper enjoyment. A rare treat is far better than regular not-so-good. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I checked and ours our birds eye too. I tend to forget I am cooking them and over do them at times.

    Hope you flip them over Chrisov half way through. I do that even though I have a fan oven.

    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • tonesp
    tonesp Member Posts: 844
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    No Garlic bacon fried onion carrot and celery best minced beef Chicken livers white wine stock tomato puree Perfecto