#cookingwithles

[benrunnerpants]

Cooking with Les takeover, chickpea & spinach. Nice quick & easy for a mid-week meat free January. But don’t waste the chickpea water, check out the meringues in picture two! #runner #meatfreejanuary #chickpeameringue #cookingwithles #wieghtlossjourney https://www.instagram.com/benrunnerpants/p/BsJVETPgLCo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16huammtwt1ui

[benrunnerpants]

Cooking with Les takeover again. Some great free range belly pork from @websters_butchers for my favourite 70’s Chinese style bbq. I cooked the meat on its own first to render some of the fat down before the onions went in. Belly can be a fatty cut, but this was some of the sweetest fat I’ve had. Almost lamb like. We have a nice piece of beef for tomorrow’s roast so looking forward to that. #runner #cookingwithles #freerangemeat (at The Quay) https://www.instagram.com/benrunnerpants/p/BrI6sNrgvQA/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4kgwp356vryg

[benrunnerpants]

Getting some baking done #sundayscones #cookingwithlestakeover #cookingwithles (at Poole, Dorset) https://www.instagram.com/benrunnerpants/p/BpMNWSkAgLM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bx22ria3nrmt

[benrunnerpants]

#cookingwithlestakeover tonight. Pork loin steak with cream & mustard, cider spaghetti. Start with a large pot & put some water on to boil for your pasta, salt the water well. Finely chop a medium onion & a glove of garlic, then take a frying pan or sauté pan and heat a little oil. Seal your pork streaks, use the highest welfare meat you can get, I have outdoor reared from Aldi. Seal on both sides, giving them good colour. Transfer to a grill pan & put in a hot oven to cook though. If possible don’t use a non-stick pan, you want the steaks to stick to the pan & burn a little. Once the steak is out add the onion to the pan. Turn the temperature down a little, so as to softening the onions. Add a teaspoon of mustard and cook out, don’t take too longs as it is likely to burn. Add about 150ml of good cider. I used thatchers gold, but there are loads out there an if you have a small local cider maker use them. The test of the bottle/can can be drunk as you cook or saved to drink as you eat. The cider deglazes the pan, and all the little pieces of burnt pork & mustard add depth of flavour to the sauce. Season well with salt & pepper, add (less than) half a teaspoon of honey. Lower the heat and reduce the cider to a sticky constantly. Your water should have boiled about the same time as the cider went in and the pasta should take the same time to cook as the sauce needs to reduce. Just as the pasta is almost cooked add 150ml of double cream. Keep the temp low but mix well. Drain the pasta & add to the sauce. The steaks should be cooked through, you do need to be careful with pork, don’t cook pink! I often serve with a couple of pieces of garlic ciabatta, however this time just on isn’t own. I’ve used this sauce in more than one dish, with belly pork and served with rice is a great alternative. Thanks for reading & if you give it a go let me know how it goes #runner #homecooking #cookingwithles #instatakeover #runnersofinstagram #instafood #foodstagram #porkandcider #aldi #thatchers #benrunnerpants (at Poole, Dorset) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn69W6sAUtx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15n6i70c9qhzg

[benrunnerpants]

Another #cookingwithles take over tonight. This time a spinach wheel or a version of a Spanakopita. I used filo pastry, and a Bulgarian feta style goats cheese. I finely chopped an onion & a glove of garlic & softened over a low heat. I wilted the spinach then left both to cool. I squeezed & chopped the spinach & added to the onions, seasoned well, then diced the cheese and added that too. Finally added some pine-nuts & left to cool again. For the pastry, I layered four thick, three wide, & plenty of melted butter ‘painted’ between layers with extra on the joints. I added the mix to the pastry, spread it out to a sausage & rolled up the pastry, then wound it in to a wheel. A little trick, I laid the pastry on cling film, so I didn’t have to fiddle with the pastry to start rolling. I just had to pick up the film and it made rolling really easy. I finished with an eggy wash. I cooked at 180, for about 20 minutes. I served with green veg rice. To be honest four layers might have been too much, but it is a balance to having enough to stop it splitting when wheeled. Being a fairly healthy dinner, I went waffles & ice cream. With peppered strawberries. #runner #foodstagram #instafood #meatfreeaugust #runnersofinstagram (at Poole, Dorset) https://www.instagram.com/p/BmrNr9JAMj1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5xc87xweqgxa

[benrunnerpants]

Champignon en croutes, keeping with the promise for more food posts on here. All the stages on the second picture. I started with some finely chopped red onions, slowly softened over a low heat. I added garlic, a pinch of dried mixed herbs & seasoned with salt & pepper. Once cooked down I added a splash of brandy. I cooked off the alcohol and then set aside, I half cooked the mushrooms, with a little salt to try to draw out some of the water. I then assembled dish, pre-made puff pastry. Which even the tv chefs tell you to never make! A layer of onion mix, the mushroom topped with goats cheese. I wouldn’t use as much cheese as I did. Fold the pastry over seal & give an eggy wash. I did return to the fridge to chill, before going in the oven at 180 fan. Served with new potatoes & peas. #runner #cookingwithles #homemade #instafood #foodstagram #halfmarathontraining #runningfuel #runnerscommunity #homecooking (at Poole, Dorset)

[benrunnerpants]

Mushroom & grilled halloumi burger for the official last meat free meal of meat free January. Going out tomorrow night for belated birthday meal and breaking all the rules. Dry January is ending early too! Well if I don’t go out in January it doesn’t feel like it is for my birthday. #runner #meatfreejanuary #cookingwithles #halloumi (at Pool Quay)