Please post your recipes that just work

[Crosc]

I’m so sick of hit and miss recipes. Can people post recipes that they have tried and tested. A couple things recently did not work and it’s put me off trying new recipes. The waste of effort and money is so disheartening. Literally for anything as long as it works. Hoping for some low risk inspiration.

For me:

Raymond Blanc’s coq au vin

Delia’s English style pancakes https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/eggs-recipes/basic-pancakes?amp

Madhur Jeffrey Rogan Josh
https://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1667.0

Choc chip cookies:
joyfoodsunshine.com/the-most-amazing-chocolate-chip-cookies/

BBC Good Food for banana bread but reduce butter

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/smoked-haddock-buttered-spinach-mustard-sauce

We don't have the potatoes and have it with broccoli instead.

Really nice and doesn't require any adjustments I don't think.

I use the cheese sauce in BBC Good Food’a ultimate macaroni as my go to cheese sauce

Nigella's Potato Potato Gratin (pretty much the same as Dauphinoise Potatoes but quicker and you never end up with the odd al dente potato)

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/creamy-potato-gratin

and her Easy Sticky Toffee Pudding

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/easy-sticky-toffee-pudding

Carbonara:

Forget where it from - possibly River Cafe

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
150g sliced pancetta, cut into thin matchsticks
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 red onion, finely chopped
200g freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
4 medium egg yolks
300g spaghetti

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add the pancetta with a pinch of black pepper and fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add the onion and fry for 5 more minutes until it is golden.
4. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. In a bowl, use a fork to mix the parmesan with the egg yolks.
6. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
7. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente.
8. Drain, reserving 250ml of the cooking water.
9. With the frying pan still off the heat, mix the hot spaghetti in with the pancetta and onion using a wooden spoon.

10. Warm the egg mixture by stirring in a spoonful of the reserved pasta water. 11. Add the egg mixture and the remaining reserved pasta water to the pasta. 12. Mix well until it forms a creamy sauce. 13. Serve immediately with extra grated parmesan on top.

These have never failed me.

Chocolate brownies:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/best-ever-chocolate-brownies-recipe

Yorkshire puddings (recipe towards end of article):
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/feb/16/how-make-perfect-yorkshire-puddings

Cheesy creamy garlic pasta sauce

In wok/ deep frying pan, fry up a bit of protein (we usually have chorizo, bacon or occasionally leftover roast chicken) and set it aside
2 tbsp butter into same pan, add a bit of oil if your meat/protein didn't render out any fat on its own.
Soften as much garlic as your heart desires in the melting butter/fat
2 tbsp flour whisked in and let cook for a few mins
Gradually stir in 350ml chicken stock until thick
Add small pot of single cream, 100g parmesan, cooked meat, chilli flakes and let simmer.

We usually serve with tagliatelle, or sometimes fresh tortellini.

Done in about 15 mins total. Serves 3-4 people

If you like the Harissa Pasta at Zizi here you go:

https://www.zizzi.co.uk/recipes/casareccia-pollo-piccante-pasta

Flatbreads - RecipeTinEats

French apple cake - once upon a chef

These 2 websites I have found to be reliable, other recipes from there have turned out great too.

Diana Henry Chicken with Apples ,Leeks and Cider (telegraph Website)or Delicious Magazine . do it in slow cooker and its lovely!

Jamie Oliver's courgette carbonara from Jamie at Home

Mary Berry Tortilla Bake - everyone asks for the recipe

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mexican_tortilla_bake_28158/amp

We do this in the air fryer and it's the most delicious thing I've had this year. Serves 2 - we have a mixed salad with it.

Slice 2 red peppers and put in an oiled dish. Air fryer for 10 mins at 190C.

Add on top a punnet of baby plum tomatoes, sliced in half vertically, cook for another 10 mins.

Put sliced halloumi on top, increase heat to 200C and cook until beginning to go brown.

That's it! Trust me, it's more fabulous than those simple ingredients suggest. You might want some nice bread to soak up the juices.

Delia's Cheat's Hollandaise is good too.
I've now switched to blender Hollandaise which <touches wood> has always worked, but for ages I was scared of trying it after a disaster with the traditional method and found Delia's a good alternative:

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/cheat/asparagus-with-nearly-hollandaise

I'd given up on spag bol until I tried this recipe - game-changer! It's honestly brilliant and works every single time. I use vegan 'bacon' and 'mince' and it's STILL nice. I also don't cook it for as long as mostly don't have the time and it's also STILL nice :)

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/best-spaghetti-bolognese-recipe

This delicious carrot and lentil soup, which is more like a stew and incredibly moreish, especially with grated cheese on top
www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/carrot_and_lentil_soup_50261

Another one.

Steam a whole broccoli cut into florets until its soft.

Lightly fry garlic and chilli flakes, add the broccoli and smash it down. Stir until the water has evaporated. Add a small amount of pasta water if you want. Add pasta and grate parmesan over. Lush.

Following!

IMHO

Anything Delia Smith. She tested her recipes to a level I havent seen in many other cook book authors

If you like the reasons why cooking works some ways and not others, as well as reliable recipes, then … seriouseats.com

Mary Berry’s fork biscuits, especially if I need something quick. I add half a teaspoon of raspberry jam on top to tart them up a bit:

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/fork-biscuits/

Victoria sponge based on the 225g butter/self raising/caster sugar and 4 eggs all in together. I add a teaspoon of vanilla and bake for 30 minutes at 165 degrees.

This never fails either:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/homemade-custard

https://www.hairybikers.com/recipes/view/spanish-style-chicken-bake Easy and delicious - no notes!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGen71ebU/ - Marry Me Chicken Orzo - so good. I use light cream cheese instead of the double cream at the end.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGen7eN9P/ - baked feta pasta - I stick a small head of garlic in with the tomatoes and feta at the start and squeeze it in after rather than adding at the end.

Second this, the fork recipes are a regular here. If I ever need a decent pudding quickly I use Mary Berry’s sticky toffee pudding recipe. In a separate mould if you want to be posh. The sauce with vanilla ice cream is decadent but incredible

Anything from here
I've never cooked one that hasn't worked and I've done maybe 15 of his recipes so far
The slider to adjust quantity and cook mode to stop the screen going black is genius!

www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk

The Rogan Josh recipe works because of the 10 tablespoons of oil!

I read some tips from restaurant chefs once as to the secret of a tasty dish, one said “we cook for you like we hate you”. Make sense when you know it’s the oil, salt, sugar that make the dish!