What's your 'amateur cook' signature dish ?
Discussion
I expect there are some pretty nifty cooks amongst us lot on here, who like to have a go. I reckon there's some pretty average kitchen staff lurking too, one of which is me. 
But I reckon some of us amateurs have a special dish we like to call our own.
Here's mine..
Masala Fish with Chips, side salad and dip.
1) Purchase suitable fish such as cod, in fillet form.
2) Cover in maranade 24 hours in advance. (specifically this Mumtaz masala fish maranade) ETA - Refrigerate in a covered bowl for 24 hours to let the powder coating soak into the fish - VERY important for maximum taste.
Do not cake it all over unless you like your food excessively hot. It may take a few attempts to find your perfect covering/strength.
3) To cook, put a covering of olive oil in a frying pan, and heat oil to a medium/hot temp.
4) Place fish in oil and fry between one and two minutes per side, depending on the size of portion.
5) Serve with chips, a touch of lettuce (side salad) and a dip such as sour cream and chive.
6) Eat it and savour the taste.
Absoulutely delicious. Period.
But I reckon some of us amateurs have a special dish we like to call our own.
Here's mine..
Masala Fish with Chips, side salad and dip.
1) Purchase suitable fish such as cod, in fillet form.
2) Cover in maranade 24 hours in advance. (specifically this Mumtaz masala fish maranade) ETA - Refrigerate in a covered bowl for 24 hours to let the powder coating soak into the fish - VERY important for maximum taste.
Do not cake it all over unless you like your food excessively hot. It may take a few attempts to find your perfect covering/strength.
3) To cook, put a covering of olive oil in a frying pan, and heat oil to a medium/hot temp.
4) Place fish in oil and fry between one and two minutes per side, depending on the size of portion.
5) Serve with chips, a touch of lettuce (side salad) and a dip such as sour cream and chive.
6) Eat it and savour the taste.
Absoulutely delicious. Period.
The maranade can be purchased from HERE
Edited by lazyitus on Wednesday 26th August 15:44
I do nut encrusted roast pork served with wild mushroom pearl barley risotto and sautéed asparagus.
For the pork I roll a tenderloin inside a large rolled piece of belly and then tie up. I then encrust the joint with chopped mixed nuts and roast untill crisp.
For the rissoto I pre steam the pearl barley then cook as a normall rissoto with lots of butter, thyme and home made stock. mixed wild mushrooms are fried in butter and then added just before the end and finished with a couple of morrells and a little truffle oil.
The asparagus is cooked in a hot pan with a little garlic and some finely chopped fatty bacon.
It is always served with some quality chilled ale such as Sharps reserve!
For the pork I roll a tenderloin inside a large rolled piece of belly and then tie up. I then encrust the joint with chopped mixed nuts and roast untill crisp.
For the rissoto I pre steam the pearl barley then cook as a normall rissoto with lots of butter, thyme and home made stock. mixed wild mushrooms are fried in butter and then added just before the end and finished with a couple of morrells and a little truffle oil.
The asparagus is cooked in a hot pan with a little garlic and some finely chopped fatty bacon.
It is always served with some quality chilled ale such as Sharps reserve!
Signature dish for me would likely be my roast chicken thighs with tarragon and pancetta, served with potato/sweet potato mash and tray of roasted veg. Super-calorific-expialidocious. 
Comfort food extraordinaire. Fat b
d Extravaganza.
Or perhaps my homemade giant sausage rolls. Meat-loaf in pastry, basically. One is enough.
Or maybe my slow-smoked pork (only done in the summer in the smoker outside...)
Some of my soups are good.
Otherwise I'm a cook, not a chef.
Comfort food extraordinaire. Fat bd Extravaganza.Or perhaps my homemade giant sausage rolls. Meat-loaf in pastry, basically. One is enough.
Or maybe my slow-smoked pork (only done in the summer in the smoker outside...)
Some of my soups are good.
Otherwise I'm a cook, not a chef.
No photos, and I won't be making either 'til the autumn, but:
Chilli Lasagna.
Your best beef Chilli, as hot as you like it.
Standard Bechamel with mustard and cheese.
Lasagna sheets.
Procedure as normal. Serve with chips or fresh bread for dipping, or salad if you must. A nice twist.
Chicken Wellington.
(Thawed frozen, normally) puff pastry, rolled out.
Chicken liver pate, spread on the pastry.
Chicken breast on top.
Cut pastry to size, wrap up, turn over, egg wash if you must, and bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes at 200°C. Great with potatoes and vegetables. Handy if you've got to cook for a white-meat 'veggie'.
Chilli Lasagna.
Your best beef Chilli, as hot as you like it.
Standard Bechamel with mustard and cheese.
Lasagna sheets.
Procedure as normal. Serve with chips or fresh bread for dipping, or salad if you must. A nice twist.
Chicken Wellington.
(Thawed frozen, normally) puff pastry, rolled out.
Chicken liver pate, spread on the pastry.
Chicken breast on top.
Cut pastry to size, wrap up, turn over, egg wash if you must, and bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes at 200°C. Great with potatoes and vegetables. Handy if you've got to cook for a white-meat 'veggie'.
Pferdestarke said:
Tempura prawns are another favourite.
Ah, prawns. How could I forget ?My signature starter is a Prawn (Gambas) Pil Pil.
Dead simple. Heat some virgin olive oil in a saucepan to quite a hot, pre-bubble temperature.
Add:
Chopped chille (green and red), chopped garlic. Let cook for a mo and then add the king prawns.
All you need to do is heat them.
Pour into small dish, food submerged.
Enjoy with warm french bread, buttered.
ETA picture:
Edited by lazyitus on Wednesday 26th August 23:00
For guaranteed results I normally go for 5 hour lamb.... Fry to brown the shanks with any combination of onions, garlic, peppers etc that you can think of (I normally throw in mustard, a little chilli, lots of garlic & some bay leaves too) then add in the respective amount of stock & wine and throw in the oven @ 120 or so for 5 hours+ with the lid covered. Guaranteed beautiful tasty lamb falling off the bone, simply remove the stock and reduce on the hob for a sublime super tasty gravy.... serve with something complimentary: its fantastic with cous-cous & roasted aubergine &/or mango if you've gone for middle eastern flavours, mustard mash or roast potatoes with a more traditional blend of flavours, or a good old simple crusty baguette if a more mediterranean flavour is in the offing. 5* food at home & easy to make
Butter & Thyme Chicken is pretty special, as is lemon Sea Bass cooked in newspaper
Butter & Thyme Chicken is pretty special, as is lemon Sea Bass cooked in newspaper
Steak and saute potatoes. And possibly a tomato if I'm feeling organic.
Wash down with a decent red wine and feed the scraps to the cat! (woe betide the little bugger if she pulls them off onto the Chinese rug)
A good splash of Worcester sauce was also compulsory
Wash down with a decent red wine and feed the scraps to the cat! (woe betide the little bugger if she pulls them off onto the Chinese rug)
A good splash of Worcester sauce was also compulsory
Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 26th August 23:41
Plotloss said:
The fry up.
Good shout actually, another failsafe altough I'm too selfish to serve to others 
Good sausages, thick fatless bacon, fried eggs, mushrooms fried in the bacon fat with butter & pepper, fried cherry toms, some beans, and (essential this) black pudding. Feeling super indulgent/unhealthy? Fried bread, otherwise toast. Served with a huge dollop of Brown sauce & washed down with a mug of black coffee.... perfect 1. Grate/slice/rip apart a nice bit of blue cheese
2. Lightly fry in olive oil some chopped fresh chillis, onion, mushroom, garlic.
3. In another pan cook a steak slightly less than you would normally have it.
Put as much of 2 as you can fit on 3 and then cover with 1.
Slam under the grill for a minute.
Serve with whatever you like for a taste overload of meaty, firey, cheesy taste. For ease and simplicity serve on a bed of noodles, or with a bit of steamed broccoli, mash, whatever you like.
Serve with a bottle of red wine per person.
2. Lightly fry in olive oil some chopped fresh chillis, onion, mushroom, garlic.
3. In another pan cook a steak slightly less than you would normally have it.
Put as much of 2 as you can fit on 3 and then cover with 1.
Slam under the grill for a minute.
Serve with whatever you like for a taste overload of meaty, firey, cheesy taste. For ease and simplicity serve on a bed of noodles, or with a bit of steamed broccoli, mash, whatever you like.
Serve with a bottle of red wine per person.
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