Epic Fireworks Blog

Archive for the ‘Bonfire Night Recipes’ Category

There are not many people who can say hand on heart that they truly love their job but I am one of those privileged few.  I have worked for Epic Fireworks now for a little over a year and a half and I love it.

I have just come out of the other side of my second ‘mad season’ and as the person in charge of the internet orders, it has been completely manic.  Organizing orders from one end of the UK to the other has never been easy but with our busiest season yet, it was a little more stressful this year but we survived and now, the calm before the Xmas and New Year rush is upon us.

As anyone who has dealt with Jimmy and the family over the years, they will know that they love to cook and being a big foodie fan myself, it is torture to come to work when Jimmy is cooking one of his delicious curries, kebabs or tandoori chicken.

I was therefore absolutely delighted when he said that he was going to pass some of his expertise onto me.

So, Saturday is upon us and Jimmy walks into the office with bags of all manner of different things from chicken to chapatti flour and fenugreek to garam masala ready for my cooking lesson.

Today, lesson one is about making chicken tandoori, spicy lamb seekh kebabs, chapatti and yoghurt sauce.

Under normal circumstances, it is usual to add tandoori powder to yoghurt beforehand but Jimmy (from years of practice) believes it better (and healthier) to use olive oil.  Create a sticky paste using 3 tablespoons of tandoori powder, 1 tablespoon of garam masala, ½ cup of olive oil, several (handful of) green chillis and a teaspoon of salt.  Take 8 chicken legs and remove the skin and score the flesh and rub the paste mixture into the meat and leave to marinade for 1 hour +.

Once you are ready to cook, simply place the chicken legs on a trivet tray and cover with foil and cook at 200c Gas Mark 6 for 50 minutes and then remove the foil and turn the meat and cook for a further 10 minutes.  Serve with natural yoghurt mixed with mint sauce and fresh lemon juice.

Next lesson, kebabs….. now we are talking.

Take 2lb minced lamb (or mutton) 1 medium onion finely chopped and 6 chillis 1tbs garam masala, I tsp of fenugreek seeds and 1tsp salt. Mix together and then divide into smaller burger shapes.  Cook under the grill (or on the barbecue) for around 15-20 minutes turning regularly.

Then chapatti.  Take 1lb of medium coarse chapatti flour and a small amount of water to create a stiff dough.  Knead thoroughly and leave to rest for around 10 mins (covered in the fridge).  When you are ready to cook, take a skillet (or a chapatti pan if you have one) or a heavy bottomed frying pan and heat gently.

Meanwhile, remove the dough from the fridge and divide up into around 10 small pieces. Roll into balls and then using a rolling pin, roll thinly into circles.  Once the pan is hot, drop the first of your rolled out chapatti onto the pan and leave it until the top changes to a darker colour.  Then, simply flip over to cook the other side.  Once cooked, leave on the side covered up until you finish the full batch.

Serve all your food on platters with the yoghurt sauce, a green salad and some fresh cucumber.  Beautiful.

So, what did you do at work today!!!

There are few occasions nowadays where masses of people gather together as they did when I was a child and Bonfire Night is one in particular.

Bonfire Night is all about cosy comfort food which is easy to prepare and will keep them warm on even the coldest night. It can be difficult in determining what your gathering of family and friends will like but these are some tried and tested ‘yummies’ to get them munching away:

Hot Sausage and Onion Wraps

Ingredients:

tortilla wraps
sausages
onions
olive oil
salt and pepper to season
tomato and brown sauce to serve
grated cheese

Method:

Finely slice onions and slow fry with a little oil, salt and pepper until soft and golden brown.

Grill sausages until cooked through – you don’t want any sick relatives on your conscience.

Cut the tortilla wraps in half.

Wrap a couple of sausages with some fried onions and cheese with the sauce of your choosing and enjoy.

Chicken and Pumpkin Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb pumpkin (cut into cubes)
1 aubergine (cut into cubes)
1 large onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (crushed)
2 courgettes (sliced)
1 red pepper (sliced)
2 green chillies (finely chopped)
2 tbs curry paste
1 tbs garam masalla
1 lb chicken breast
1 tin chopped tomatoes
½ pint veg stock
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp cornflour
1 tub natural yogurt
Chapatti or naan bread to serve
Chopped fresh coriander to garnish

To a deep pan, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic, garram masalla and chillies. Cook until softened and then add the chicken and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin and cook for a further 5-mins. Add the remaining vegetables and the curry paste and cook for a further 5-mins and then add the chopped tinned tomatoes, stock and soy sauce and cover with a lid and simmer for about 30-minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

Mix yoghurt and cornflour and add to the mixture – stir until cooked out.

Finally, warm the bread of your choice (naan, chapatti, roti etc) and serve with a big bowl of beautifully tasty curry.

Jacket Potatoes

Not a hard one I know – but its what your choice of fillings are that are the main focus. Ideal potatoes for baking are King Edward, Red Desiree and Maris Piper.

Potatoes – wash them dry them and put them in the oven – JOB DONE.

Fillings:

Coleslaw – if you have a grater, make it yourself. You will need cabbage, onion, carrots and mayonnaise. Grate your cabbage, grate your carrot and finely slice your onion. A good sprinkle of black pepper and combine.

Cheese savoury – grated cheese, onion, finely chopped chives and mayo – mixed together.

Spicy Prawn (my own favourite) ½ lb tiger prawns. 100gm cream cheese, 1 red chilli 1 garlic clove (finely chopped) black pepper and rocket or watercress 1tbs olive oil.

Method: gently heat the oil and soften the garlic and chilli (2-3 mins)– add the prawns and heat through (about 2 minutes) add the cream cheese and allow to melt, salt and black pepper and serve with rocket or watercress (something quite peppery is really nice but if you prefer, you can use any green salad leaf).

Creamy Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken breast (sliced into strips)
Shallot (finely chopped)
Button mushrooms (sliced)
Oil for frying
Dijon mustard
Cream (or crème fraiche)
1 garlic clove (crushed)

Heat the oil, add the shallots and garlic and gently cook until softened – add the strips of chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until softened and add the mustard and cream – warm through taking care not to over-heat as you may split the cream and serve. This is also a great recipe with rice.

Whatever you have to eat this Bonfire Night, make sure you keep warm and safe. Come along to see Epic for all your firework needs. We will ensure that you have a set up plan, safety instructions and everything you will need to have the perfect night with your family and friends.

I’m on a diet at the moment, so in the spirit of the season, lets talk about sweet stuff! It’s more of a treat when its rationed, as well – so something to think about for the 5th of November – Bonfire Toffee!

In England its usually Bonfire Toffee, sometimes the rather odd sounding Cinder Toffee – although to me, Cinder toffee tends to be less dense, and a touch more crunchy – like the inside of a Crunchy Bar. In Scotland it can be Claggum or Clack, and Wales calls it Loshin Du. I also understand that in the late 19th century it was described as “Tom Trott,” although the name seemed rather outdated even back then.

Essentially, bonfire toffee is a thick, sugary dark sweet, hard enough to chew and bite, and sticky enough to – leave a mess! Tradition probably says that it should be cut from a big sheet, and served in chunks, although I think it now comes in lolly-pop form as well. But I’d go for the homemade style - sugar, molasses, Treacle and butter! Proper Northern Bonfire Food. And Southern, too, probably.

Here is a recipe if anyone fancies trying it!

Ingredients:

300g / 12oz Demerarar sugar
100g / 4oz butter
2 level tablespoons of golden syrup
1 level tablespoon of black treacle
4 tablespoons of water

Method

(1) Put all the ingredients into a pan.

(2) Heat slowly, stirring until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.

(3) Bring to the boil. Cover the pan, and boil gently for 2 minutes.

(4) Uncover the pan, and continue to boil for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

(5) Test by dropping a little of the mixture into a cup of cold water. It should separate into brittle threads.

(6) Pour into a buttered 15cm / 6in square tin, and leave to set.

(7) Turn out on a board, and break up with a small hammer.
Makes about 500g / 1LB of Toffee.

Below is a video i found on youtube which might be helpful

Article by Moonlight Shadow