Spicy Tomato Pork Tenderloin and the Slow Cooked Challenge is back!

It's been a pretty miserable summer here in Scotland and I've been making many more Slow Cooked dishes than I would usually.  The Slow Cooked Challenge has had a bit of a break over the summer, but as we head into September, it's time think about slowly cooked stews, soups, curries and cakes.

I'm delighted to announce that I have a new co-host for this challenge, the very talented Lucy of Baking Queen 74. Lucy is the queen of baking in her Slow Cooker and will be hosting the Slow Cooked Challenge every other month.


If you are not familiar with the Slow Cooked Challenge, it is a monthly blog challenge dedicated to making recipes using a Slow Cooker/Crockpot or by slow cooking in the oven, aga or other slow method of cooking. Each month there will be a theme e.g. soup, dessert, vegetarian  or an open challenge.



This month it's an OPEN challenge, so you can enter any Slow Cooked recipe.

If you would like to take part, then please:

• Make your recipe in your Slow Cooker or other slow cooking method and post a photograph and the recipe, or a link to a recipe, on your blog
• Link to Farmersgirl Kitchen and Baking Queen 74
• Use the Slow Cooked Challenge logo in your post
• If you use twitter, tweet your post with @FarmersgirlCook @BakingQueen74 and use #SlowCookedChallenge and we  will re-tweet it to our followers AND post your picture on the dedicated Pinterest Board. 
• A round up of all the entries will be posted on the host's blog.

Rules:

• Please do not publish recipes from cookbooks on your blog without permission, they are copyright.
• If you are using recipes from another website, please link to the recipe on the website rather than publishing the recipe.
• One entry per blog.
• Recipes must be added to the linky by the 28th of each month and a round up will be posted on the host blog. 

Spicy Tomato Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
450g pork tenderloin (fillet)
Salt and pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
400g can of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 clove garlic crushed

1. Place pork tenderloin in bottom of slow cooker 
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir together the canned tomatoes, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, chilli powder and garlic  in a small bowl and pour over the sauce.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
5. Check seasoning before serving. 

Labels: challenge, chilli, Pork, slow cooked, Slow Cooked Challenge, slow cooker, spicy, tenderloin, tomato

posted by Janice @ 07:00 14 Comments

Recipe Clippings May Round up and June Linky

It's been a bit of a funny old month, I've been incredibly busy at work and also had some family matters that have taken up a lot of my time, so I've sadly neglected Recipe Clippings.

I have two recipes in the round up and I heartily thank Jane at Onions and Paper and Anukampa at A Pinch of Salt Make it all for joining me for Recipe Clippings this month.


Jane shared a very well used recipe clipping shared with her over 30 years ago by a Nepalese friend: Aludam, Nepalese Spiced Potatoes.  The recent earthquake in Nepal got Jane thinking about her friend and this recipe again.  Along with Jane I hope her friend was not hurt and did not lose any family in the earthquake.  This tasty recipe is definitely worth trying.

Anukampa has 'clipped' this recipe for Sweet and Savoury Pie from another blog and then altered this Russian recipe to suit the ingredients available in India, where she lives. The 'pies' are  made with a bread dough and stuffed either with vegetables or with a sweet mixture of sugar, coconut and raisins.  Both versions look delicious and were enjoyed by Anukampa's children.

It's an open theme for June - so any recipe clipping you have cooked up can be added to the Linky.


There are a number of different ways you can join in and cook up the recipes from your
#RecipeClippings.

Make a recipe from a magazine/newspaper clipping or note: 

• post a photograph and the recipe, or a link to a recipe, on your blog and add to the InLinkz linky at the bottom of this post. Link to Farmersgirl Kitchen in your blog post and include the #RecipeClippings logo OR
• post a photograph and description on Instagram tagging FarmersgirlCook and using #RecipeClippings OR
• post a photograph and description on Twitter tagging @FarmersgirlCook and using #RecipeClippings OR
• like and post a photograph and description on Farmersgirl Kitchen Facebook page using #RecipeClippings

YOU ONLY NEED TO DO ONE OF THESE, BUT YOU CAN DO MORE IF YOU WISH

Rules: 

• You may post recipes you have clipped from magazines, newspapers or have written down from friends and family.Please credit the author of the recipe or ask permission.
• Please say where the recipe came from.
• Three entries per month.
• I will re-share any posts and/or photos that are tagged
• Recipes must be added to the linky by the 28th of each month.

Labels: cook, Food, Linky party, Nepal, pies, potatoes, Recipe Clippings, share, spicy

posted by Janice @ 21:05 3 Comments

A Spicy Slow Cooked Challenge for March

Many thanks to everyone who took part in the February Slow Cooked Challenge. There were lots of great slowly cooked recipes so check out the ROUND-UP.

• Make your recipe in your Slow Cooker or other slow cooking method and post a photograph and the recipe, or a link to a recipe, on your blog
• Link to Farmersgirl Kitchen
• Use the Slow Cooked Challenge logo in your post
• If you use twitter, tweet your post with @FarmersgirlCook and #SlowCookedChallenge and I will re-tweet it to my followers AND post your picture on the dedicated Pinterest Board. 

Rules: 

• Please do not publish recipes from cookbooks on your blog without permission, they are copyright.
• If you are using recipes from another website, please link to the recipe on the website rather than publishing the recipe.
• One entry per blog.
• Recipes must be added to the linky by the 28th of each month.

Labels: Dhruv Baker, Slow Cooked Challenge, Spice Layers of Flavour, spicy

posted by Janice @ 20:08 3 Comments

Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage and Celeriac Coleslaw

I love Mexican food, there is something about all the layers of  textures and flavours, the tortillas, the chillies, the tomatoes, the sour cream and the cheese.  When they all come together they seem to make a magical combination that is quite delightful.

I've made Mexican dishes with chicken, with beef and with vegetables but never with fish, time to put that right.  If you have been reading my recent fish recipe posts you will know that I've been eating oily fish twice a week but I hadn't had any fresh mackerel.  Mackerel has quite a strong flavour and a solid meaty texture, so it can stand a bit of chilli heat without being overpowered.  It's also No. 2 in the top 30 Omega 3 rich fish, second only to herring, so really good for you.


Mackerel is also really good value for money, I got three medium mackerel for £2.54.  I prepared them myself but if you don't have the stomach for that, then I'm sure you could get mackerel fillets or ask your fishmonger to fillet them for you.

Have you tried these new Stand N Stuff Soft Tacos from Old El Paso? The tortillas have been shaped in the little baskets making them much easier to fill and eat.  The Chunky Guacamole is a good stand by to keep in the fridge too, for those times when you don't have a ripe avocado!

Fish Tacos
Serves 4

3 medium whole mackerel, filleted
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 Old El Paso Stand n Stuff Soft Taco Kit (contains 8 Stand N Stuff Soft Flour Tortillas, 1 Tomato Stir in Sauce, 1 Cool Herb Topping Mix)
3 tomatoes
100ml sour cream
100g grated cheese
1 lettuce
Old El Paso Chunky Guacamole

1. Cut the fillets into chunky pieces and place in a glass or ceramic dish.
2. Mix the spices and salt together and sprinkle over the fish pieces, mix together to cover the fish with the spices.  Place in the fridge and leave for at least 30 minutes.
3. De-seed the tomatoes and chop finely, place in a bowl and set aside.
4. Mix the Cool Herb Topping Mix with 100ml sour cream in another bowl.
5. In a hot pan, add a splash of oil and add the spiced fish mixture until the fish becomes opaque.
6. Turn down the heat and add the Tomato Stir-in Sauce and stir gently for 2 minutes.
7. Add half the grated cheese (50g), stirring until the cheese has melted.
8. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds or on a baking tray, covered with foil in the oven at 165C/Gas 3 for 7-9 minutes.
9. Fill the Stand and Stuff Flour Tortillas as follows:

• Lettuce
• Fish mixture
• Chopped Tomatoes
• Grated Cheese
• Cool Herb Topping Mix
• Squeeze of Chunky Guacamole at each end!

I served the Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage and Celeriac Coleslaw



Red Cabbage and Celeriac Coleslaw
Serves 4-6

1/4 red cabbage, finely sliced
1/2 medium celeriac root, finely sliced into julienne strips
1 large carrot, grate half and julienne slice the other half
1/2 a small onions, finely chopped

Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix.

To make the dressing
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
25 ml olive oil
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp soured cream
salt and freshly ground pepper

Place all the ingredients into a jar or dressing shaker (or you can whisk in a bowl) and shake until completely mixed.  Pour over the vegetables and mix.  Chill until ready to serve.


What a tasty supper dish, we really enjoyed it.  The fish held together well and combined well with the spices.  I loved the Stand N Stuff Tacos, they held the fillings so well and I could see them being really brilliant for buffets and much easier for children to manage than the traditional tortilla.  As long as you don't fill them too full, you can pick them up and the filling will stay in while you bite into them.  I was also pleasantly surprised by the Chunky Guacamole, it definitely tasted of avocado and no obvious artificial flavour, not as much texture as the real thing but handy to keep in the fridge.

Read more about the benefits of eating oily fish at the Fish is the Dish website. 

The mackerel is a really thrifty buy, and the coleslaw is pretty cheap to make too. The meal can also be made with standard tortillas to make it less expensive.  With all these money savers I'm entering this recipe for Credit Crunch Munch, the blog event run by Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food 4 All and currently being hosted by My Little Italian Kitchen 

I was provided with the Old El Paso products for review, I was not paid and all opinions are my own. 

Labels: celeriac, chilli, coleslaw, fish, Fish Tacos, Mackerel, Old El Paso, red cabbage, spicy, Tacos, Tortillas

posted by Janice @ 09:30 7 Comments

Sweet Heat Round-up: Tapas

Fiona, at London Unattached, made 'Gambas pil pil' as part of a Tapas menu for a special dinner.  This takes me back to last family holiday I went on with my parents to Spain, where we had Gambas cooked in salt on a griddle, I can't hear the word Gambas without being taken back there!
At 41 Feasts, Nicola is offering round the nibbles with our drinks.  Wow!  I'd love to try these Sticky spicy almonds

Labels: almonds, calamari, challenge, chilli, lasagne, Patatas Bravas, pork skewers, prawns, salsa, spicy, squid, Sweet Heat, Tapas

posted by Janice @ 08:30 7 Comments