Making a sauce from scratch

[neave]

Urgent help needed here. A ladyfriend of mine is coming up tomorrow for her tea after I foolishly told her I could cook after a few too many. (In reality, my cooking skills are at about the same level as when you're playing the Sims and you get your guy to study cooking to two levels so he only very occasionally sets the place alight).

 

Now, I can prepare a dish or two, but only with the help of Mr Dolmio or the Uncle. I've been talking to her tonight and apparently using sauce is 'cheating'. When she asks if I'd be making everything from scratch, instead of coming clean I, naturally, lied to impress her further and said I would be. Normally, I would lie more and say I'm preparing it from scratch and just use a tin of sauce and hide the evidence, but with a kitchen-come-living room, this obviously isn't possible.

 

Does anyone have any quick, easy (and I mean easy) recipes for a decent tasting sauce to go with chicken or beef and probably some stir-fried vegetables or something? Needless to say, nookie could be at stake here.

 

Cheers, women and borderline gays of KB

[Boris]

Shame on you Neave.

 

Harry Palmer you ain't.

[I.J]

My advice Neave is to break your arm so that you can't cook and order a takeaway in.

 

Hope that helps.

 

[Super T]

could you not try and get away with a tin of campbells condensed mushroom soup to go with the chicken, or is that also classed as cheating.

[Ivan Drago]

whisky sauce is easy. whisky sauce would go well with chicken. whisky sauce has whisky in it.

 

thats as far as my culinary knowledge goes though im afraid. google knows the recipe for whisky sauce. which has whisky in it.

[neave]

could you not try and get away with a tin of campbells condensed mushroom soup to go with the chicken, or is that also classed as cheating.

I think that'd be worse than using a jar of sauce to be honest.

 

Awright darlin', here's some shoddily-cooked chicken and a tin of soup to go along wi' it. Get it doon ye!

[hughesie27]

You always ask for help regarding the ladies on KB Scott. Come on, MAN UP!

[neave]

You always ask for help regarding the ladies on KB Scott. Come on, MAN UP!

You've seen me in real life, Stevie, son. Is it really any wonder to you why I ask other people for help with burds?

[hughesie27]

Oh aye I forgot you went to Auggies.

[Boris]

Mrs B say:

 

Heat olive oil in pan.

 

Fry onions (sliced thinly) until soft. Then add some chopped up bacon, chopped mushrooms and some yellow or red peppers (chopped up also - remember and de-seed)

 

Add tin of chopped tomatoes.

 

Salt & pepper.

 

teaspoon of sugar

 

dod of red wine (or white)

 

tablespoon of tomato puree.

 

Should see you on for a good pasta sauce.

 

NB - don't forget the sugar!

 

simmer on a low heat for ten mins and you should be good.

 

[neave]

Mrs B say:

 

Heat olive oil in pan.

 

Fry onions (sliced thinly) until soft. Then add some chopped up bacon, chopped mushrooms and some yellow or red peppers (chopped up also - remember and de-seed)

 

Add tin of chopped tomatoes.

 

Salt & pepper.

 

teaspoon of sugar

 

dod of red wine (or white)

 

tablespoon of tomato puree.

 

Should see you on for a good pasta sauce.

 

NB - don't forget the sugar!

 

simmer on a low heat for ten mins and you should be good.

 

Peppers have seeds?

 

That sounds easy enough, though. Thank your other half for me, Boris. Think I'll give that a try.

[deejpee]

Peppercorn sauce should do for either dish...

 

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons diced onion

2 tablespoon green peppercorns

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

 

Some recipes say used crushed peppercorns but we use whole in my work. Also we use onions instead of shallots..

 

Anyway- Melt butter in a medium pot, dont burn it. Add your shallots and peppercorns, saute untill onions are soft. Add brandy and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with abit salt and pepper and then add your chopped dill. If no dill available id say chopped parsley would work just as well

 

Wont take long atall to make, could even make before you cook your meal if you arent too sure and reheat when your dish is almost done.

[portobellojambo1]

Urgent help needed here. A ladyfriend of mine is coming up tomorrow for her tea after I foolishly told her I could cook after a few too many. (In reality, my cooking skills are at about the same level as when you're playing the Sims and you get your guy to study cooking to two levels so he only very occasionally sets the place alight).

 

Now, I can prepare a dish or two, but only with the help of Mr Dolmio or the Uncle. I've been talking to her tonight and apparently using sauce is 'cheating'. When she asks if I'd be making everything from scratch, instead of coming clean I, naturally, lied to impress her further and said I would be. Normally, I would lie more and say I'm preparing it from scratch and just use a tin of sauce and hide the evidence, but with a kitchen-come-living room, this obviously isn't possible.

 

Does anyone have any quick, easy (and I mean easy) recipes for a decent tasting sauce to go with chicken or beef and probably some stir-fried vegetables or something? Needless to say, nookie could be at stake here.

 

Cheers, women and borderline gays of KB

 

If you are doing the sauce tomorrow try and make sure it is finished while you are on MSN or Champ 01/02, definitely before you start w*nking, could be a disaster if you get things muddled up.

[I P Knightley]

If you are doing the sauce tomorrow try and make sure it is finished while you are on MSN or Champ 01/02, definitely before you start w*nking, could be a disaster if you get things muddled up.

 

Chef's secret ingredient...

[rossi_1983]

If you really want to impress her, then this recipe for Chicken Cacciatore is really tasty, and not very tricky, although it does take about an hour to cook. Its basically an Italian stew, but that means you can prep it all before she arrives, then leave it to do the cooking while you chat and drink some wine!

 

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs

1 onion

1 red pepper

2 carrots

1 tin tomatoes

1 glass white wine

 

Cut skin off chicken thighs. Put some plain flour on a plate, and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Coat chicken pieces in flour, then brown chicken, in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil...Give chicken about 4-5 mins a side. Once that's done, take chicken out and keep aside on a plate. Add a little more oil if necessary, then fry onions, pepper and carrot for a few mins. Add chicken, then the wine, and simmer for about a minute. Chuck in tomatoes, and then leave it to cook for about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and your done!

 

You could use a couple of chicken breasts instead of the thighs, but I prefer it with the slightly darker meat and the bone

[neave]

If you really want to impress her, then this recipe for Chicken Cacciatore is really tasty, and not very tricky, although it does take about an hour to cook. Its basically an Italian stew, but that means you can prep it all before she arrives, then leave it to do the cooking while you chat and drink some wine!

 

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs

1 onion

1 red pepper

2 carrots

1 tin tomatoes

1 glass white wine

 

Cut skin off chicken thighs. Put some plain flour on a plate, and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Coat chicken pieces in flour, then brown chicken, in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil...Give chicken about 4-5 mins a side. Once that's done, take chicken out and keep aside on a plate. Add a little more oil if necessary, then fry onions, pepper and carrot for a few mins. Add chicken, then the wine, and simmer for about a minute. Chuck in tomatoes, and then leave it to cook for about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and your done!

 

You could use a couple of chicken breasts instead of the thighs, but I prefer it with the slightly darker meat and the bone

That sounds good too actually. But won't the peppers etc get really soggy if you fry them for 45 minutes?

[Boris]

That sounds good too actually. But won't the peppers etc get really soggy if you fry them for 45 minutes?

 

Nah.

[The Mighty Thor]

If you are doing the sauce tomorrow try and make sure it is finished while you are on MSN or Champ 01/02, definitely before you start w*nking, could be a disaster if you get things muddled up.

 

Neave after you've safely negotiated sauce making and dinner you could then regale her with your er 'Hadron Collider'......and tell her the world's about to end....

[rossi_1983]

That sounds good too actually. But won't the peppers etc get really soggy if you fry them for 45 minutes?

 

Its not really frying it for 45 mins, as the can of tomatoes is there so they get stewed. They will go soft, but they taste really nice.

 

Forgot to add, that you will probably need to add some water after it has cooked for a bit, to keep it nice and saucy. How much is just down to judgement.

[Boab Mugabe]

If you are doing the sauce tomorrow try and make sure it is finished while you are on MSN or Champ 01/02, definitely before you start w*nking, could be a disaster if you get things muddled up.

 

Best advice I've seen on this forum!

 

Any bird should think herself bloody lucky she gets any scran fae me. I mind once when I was 18 I made arrangements to go out on a date on a Saturday night. Cue the bird getting all dressed up and hours of putting on make-up etc. To say she wasn't too happy is understatement of this millennium when I revealed the meal was at Burger King.

 

Don't get what she kicked up such a fuss about. The XL Bacon Double Cheeseburger meal is sensational!

[Cigaro]

Sweet and sour sauce.

 

White wine

Sugar

Red vinigar shizzle

Cup of water.

 

Mix together and thicken in a pot with cornflower.

 

Fry some diced chicken until light brown and pour the sauce on.

 

Howzat?

[The People's Chimp]

i wrote this out ages ago for a girl i cooked for who can't really cook herself, and wanted the recipe. it goes down well. it's lifted straight off an email, so please excuse the idiots guide language and patronising tone...it was needed...

 

chicken 2-4 breasts, chopped

soy sauce

honey

ginger

chilli

garlic

baby corn

peppers

onions

carrot

 

 

Take your mixing bowl, throw in a half jar of honey, and a really considerable amount of soy sauce, preferrably dark soy. Then take your chopped chicken and throw it in. Then, chop a chilli, or maybe even two, depending on how hot you'd like it. Chop the chilli into small pieces. Splash in a tiny amount of balsamic vinegar, say half a capful and no more.

 

Then take your ginger and grate a good amount into the bowl. you should be able to smell the difference it makes already. Then grate in at least two cloves of garlic, maybe more if you wish. Stir the chicken up and make sure it's covered by the liquid, which should be quite thick. throw in more soy and honey if you want.

 

Now, if you're adding carrot, you may want to peel it and then cut it into angular, very thin slices - so that it is put in with the chicken raw, retains a little bite, but cooks in the wok.

 

Now chop your onion and peppers as you like them - say one onion and then one or two peppers - and then fire it into the wok and let it soften in a bit of either olive or sesame or even peanut oil.

 

While the peppers are going, put your baby corn (you can half it if you like) into some boiling water for 2 minutes. Now, your peppers should be softer, so throw in the contents of your mxing bowl and make sure the chicken cooks on each side, by this stage your corn should also be more than ready so drain it and fire it into the wok.

 

Get your rice cooking (should take about 12-15 minutes) and then watch your sauce doesn't burn - keep it stirring every 20-30 secs.

[Toggie88]

Is Marta over from Poland, Neave?

 

You're such a man-whore.

[Ulysses]

Neave after you've safely negotiated sauce making and dinner you could then regale her with your er 'Hadron Collider'......and tell her the world's about to end....

 

'Scuse me - it's not just a 'Hadron Collider'. It's a 'Large Hadron Collider'.

[Gershwin]

Beef

Mushrooms

Olive Oil

Bit of pepper

Red wine

 

Easy

 

I usually **** it up though.

[Tynie b]

Ingredients:-

 

1 Small Onion Finely Diced,

6-8 Button Mushrooms, Sliced,

2 Large Glasses of White Wine,

Olive Oil (A Drizzle),

1 Chicken Stock Cube (Knorr)

1 Cup Water,

Corn Flour,

Carton of Double Cream

Cracked Black Pepper,

Salt (If required)

 

Method:-

 

Sweat of the Onion in the olive Oil for 3-4 mins (Without Colour)

Add Mushrooms and cook for 2-3 mins,

Sprinke over Cracked Black Pepper and stir throug (You could add a little FRESH Tarragon if you like it)

Add the Wine Wine and Stock Cube and allow to reduce down (Boil)

Add water and reduce again...Mix Corn Flour with a little water to a paste consistancy and use to slightly thicken, If you thicken too much add milk to thin it down...Simmer and Add double cream!!

 

Lovely sauce with Chicken or Beef!!

[cosanostra]

Tomato / olive oil based sauces are the easiest Neave.

 

Cheese based sauces are more difficult because you have to make a roux first.

 

Curry sauces involve buying lots of ingredients.

 

I'd go with Mrs Boris choice (but stick some fresh chilli in there) or the peppercorn sauce (buy a minature of brandy.)

[Guest Roop]

'Scuse me - it's not just a 'Hadron Collider'. It's a 'Large Hadron Collider'.

 

Not in Neave's case.

[Guest S.U.S.S.]

Urgent help needed here. A ladyfriend of mine is coming up tomorrow for her tea after I foolishly told her I could cook after a few too many. (In reality, my cooking skills are at about the same level as when you're playing the Sims and you get your guy to study cooking to two levels so he only very occasionally sets the place alight).

 

Now, I can prepare a dish or two, but only with the help of Mr Dolmio or the Uncle. I've been talking to her tonight and apparently using sauce is 'cheating'. When she asks if I'd be making everything from scratch, instead of coming clean I, naturally, lied to impress her further and said I would be. Normally, I would lie more and say I'm preparing it from scratch and just use a tin of sauce and hide the evidence, but with a kitchen-come-living room, this obviously isn't possible.

 

Does anyone have any quick, easy (and I mean easy) recipes for a decent tasting sauce to go with chicken or beef and probably some stir-fried vegetables or something? Needless to say, nookie could be at stake here.

 

Cheers, women and borderline gays of KB

 

You should come clean, the fact your lying to her at the beginning of the relationship means its doomed.