This is a very rich stew served in a buttery mustard gravy. The beer in question was meant to be a porter, but I used stout. I also used ~250mL less liquid than the recipe called for. I also used less chicken than called for and a mix of drumsticks and thighs rather than just thighs. I doubled the onions and added a bit of garlic as well.

The resulting stew was excellent! That said, I think it could've used more vegetables. I think I'd put more carrots and potatoes next time and/or add a bit of turnip/swede or something.

Beer-Braised Chicken Stew

Adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp. oil
• 1.2-1.5kg chicken pieces
• salt and pepper
• 6 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 2 onions, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 400-500g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
• 500-600g potatoes, cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 kumara, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 rutabaga/swede, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces (optional)
• 500mL stout
• 500mL chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon or Roman mustard
• 2-3 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/3 c. flour
• 1/2 c. hot water

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear for a few minutes on each side.
3. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
4. Melt 1 Tbsp. of the butter in the pot.
5. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened and beginning to brown.
6. Add the bay leaf, carrots, potatoes, kumara, and rutabaga (if using).
7. Add the stout, chicken broth, brown sugar, mustard, tomato paste, and thyme.
8. Return chicken to pot and bring to a boil.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
10. Mash the remaining 5 Tbsp. of butter with the flour to form a paste.
11. Slowly add 2 c. of the cooking liquid to the flour paste while stirring until smooth.
12. Pour gravy back into pot.
13. Rinse out measuring cup the gravy was mixed in with the hot water and pour that into the pot as well.
14. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
15. Check to make sure chicken is cooked through, season to taste, and serve.

Maggi Packet Knockoffs

The Kidlet has enjoyed making meals from the Maggie packets while she's been over here, so we're sending her home with a bunch. That said, I'd like her to still be able to make her meals even once the packets run out, so I'm going to put some suggested approximations here. I've only done (and tested) the bolognese one so far, but I'll add others as I do them.

Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cornstarch (cornflour)
• 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1-2 bay leaves

To Prepare

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• ~1 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 100-200g mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 500g ground beef
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomatoes
• ~1/2 can (~200mL) water
• 1 c. frozen peas or spinach
• 400g dried spaghetti or other pasta

NB: Reiver likes to add frozen peas. I prefer frozen spinach. We both like to add a few mushrooms. Feel free to simmer a cheese bone in the sauce as well.

Chili con Carne

Stroganoff

NB: The package only calls for 75g of mushrooms; I would recommend using at least 250g. I also recommend using at least 1/2 c. sour cream, rather than the 2 Tbsp. called for. Frozen peas are a nice addition if you have them: 1-2 c. depending on how vegetably you want it.

Deviled Sausages

I didn't love this and probably wouldn't bother making it again. That said, the Kidlet really liked it, so it might be worth keeping the recipe on hand for her sake if nothing else.

Bean Dip

Slightly adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

Dip

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cans (~400mL each) chili beans
• 3/4 c. enchilada sauce
• 1/3 c. sour cream
• 1 c. grated cheese

Toppings

Pick 2-4

• Roma tomato, diced
• avocado, diced
• feta or cotija cheese, crumbled
• green onion, chopped
• fresh cilantro
• lime juice
• sour cream

Directions

1. Melt butter in and oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft and translucent (3-5 minutes).
3. Add beans and enchilada sauce and simmer for another 3-5 minutes.
4. Mash.
5. Stir in sour cream and half the cheese.
6. Top with remaining cheese and broil until melty and bubbling (3-4 minutes).
7. Serve with tortilla chips and desired toppings.

Masala Bhindi Tamatar (Okra and Tomato Curry)

I needed a vegetable curry that I could throw together on short notice with ingredients on hand. This worked. It did not achieve Iyer's result with his students of converting the dubious to okra lovers. But I was a perfectly acceptable vegetable side that got the job done.

Photo goes here.

Masala Bhindi Tamatar

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 dried Thai or cayenne/arbol chilies
• 450g okra, sliced 1-2cm thick
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne (or Kashmiri chilies)
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the cumin and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
3. Add the chilies and toast for 5-10 seconds.
4. Add the okra and cook until skin begins to blister (~10 minutes).
5. Add the coriander, salt, cayenne, and turmeric and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and water and stir to combine.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for ~15 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

The recipe calls these marshmallow puffs, but, according to Reiver, these are basically rocky road. Whatever you call them, they make a surprisingly tasty low-effort dessert.

Marshmallow Puffs

Slightly adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 27-36 marshmallows
• 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions

1. Line a 23cm (9") square tin with baking paper and grease the paper.
2. Arrange the marshmallows in the prepared tin.
3. Combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat gently, stirring periodically, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt over low heat, stirring, until smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture over the marshmallows and allow to cool until set.
5. Remove from tin, cut into squares, and serve.

I've been wanting to make these brownies for a couple of weeks. I finally managed to get it together enough to get the ingredients for them about a week ago, but it took me another week to find the spoons to actually make them.

Having tried it, I'm not sure the raspberry jam really adds anything, but I'm glad I tried it! The brownie itself is excellent. And the jam doesn't ruin it. I'm just not sure it makes it better either.

Photo goes here.

Chocolate-Raspberry Brownies

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 120g butter
• 120g unsweetened chocolate¹
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 300g sugar
• 100g flour
• 1/2 c. raspberry jam

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F) and grease a 20cm (8") square tin.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate over low heat.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and sugar.
4. Mix in the eggs.
5. Stir in the flour.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and dollop with jam.
7. Drag a knife through the batter to create a marbled effect.
8. Bake at 160°C (325°F) until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs stuck to it (~45 minutes).

---

¹ I couldn't find any unsweetened chocolate, so I just got very dark chocolate and used that. I ended up using some good-quality 72% dark chocolate. ^Back

Dhingri Mutter (Mushroom and Pea Curry)

In theory this was meant to be "gucchi mutter" (morel and pea curry). However, morels are not native to New Zealand and getting them here is an extremely expensive prospect. I mean, they're expensive anyway. I've just been spoiled by being able to get them for free from my parents in the past. But, given that getting the required quantity of morels would've cost ~$100 here, I decided that maybe it was acceptable to swap them out for a different mushroom in this case. Especially since white mushrooms were on sale for $8/kg this week.

Dhingri Mutter

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2-4 Tbsp. ghee, divided
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 c. slivered almonds
• 3-4 tsp. garlic paste
• 2 tsp. ginger paste
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2-3/4 c. water
• 250g mushrooms¹
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri garam masala
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 c. frozen green peas
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Melt 1-2 Tbsp. of the ghee over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, almonds, garlic, and ginger and cook until nuts are browned (~5 minutes).
3. Pour 1/2 c. of water into a blender, add the tomato paste and onion mixture, and purée.
4. If the sauce looks too thick, blend in a few more Tbsp. of water.
5. Melt the remaining 1-2 Tbsp. of ghee over medium heat.
6. Add the mushrooms, cover, and cook until they release their liquid or morels look slightly shriveled (~5 minutes).
7. Add the sauce, salt, ground chilies, garam masala, and turmeric and stir to combine.
8. Add the peas, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until heated through and flavours blend (10-15 minutes).
9. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

---

¹ If you're going for the authentic gucchi mutter, then you'll want morels, thoroughly washed and cut in half. Otherwise, Iyer suggests sliced porobellos as a tasty (if very different) alternative. I just used white button mushroom, halved, for my curry and, honestly, they were great! ^Back