‘Quarantine Cook’ shares recipes while locked on the Rock

A local facebook page ‘Quarantine Cook – Locked on the Rock’ has been set up to share recipes for people to enjoy while in lockdown due to Covid-19.

The page launched by an anonymous cooking enthusiast ‘Quarantine Cook’ started the page as a hobby during this isolation period.

“We have all been stuck at home now for over four weeks, bars and restaurants have been shut for five,” Quarantine Cook told the Chronicle.

“I love cooking but living alone sometimes I can’t be bothered, two weeks ago I decided I had to start cooking at home again... a) so I don’t get fat... and b) something to do to pass the time.”

“I started posting these recipes on my personal page and a lot of friends and family, here in Gibraltar and overseas were messaging asking for recipes. So, then I thought I’d create a page... so it’s easier to share and it’s been fun... and again given me something else to focus on other that queuing at the supermarkets and working.”

Now Quarantine Cook plans on continuing the page after lockdown due to local interest.

“It’s also been encouraging me to cook more, be less wasteful and more economic."
Their love for cooking came as a student from working in a Thai takeaway in the UK, and their favourite to cook is a lamb roast dinner with all the trimmings or a white wine Gnocchi.

Quarantine Cook is even planning to host a virtual dinner party, where people can donate fund to the GHA Covid-19 fund.

“Besides that I wanted to set up a positive social network on the rock so we could all share recipes, Gibraltar and its influences are so unique that one day we can be oozing over pinchitos and the next enjoying a steak and ale pie... so it’s good to have a place we’re we can all reference, young and old.”

NORTHERN ENGLISH MINCED BEEF AND ONION PIE
This was delicious and super easy to make...
Cooking time: 50 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
Pastry:
550g of all purpose flour, plus a bit extra for rolling
150g of chopped unsalted butter
1 small cup of water (150ml).
Filling:
1 Tbsp of olive oil
500g of minced beef meat
1 full onion, diced finely
2 beef OXO cubes
2 Tbsp of tomato purée
50ml of Worcester Sauce
Sprinkles of salt & pepper

METHOD
Add olive oil and leave to heat in a wok/frying pan for 2 minutes
Add onions and fry for 1 minute
And minced beef, turning to cook evenly for 4 - 6 minutes
Add oxo cubes and tomato purée... then blend together with the minced beef and onions until it becomes a thick sauce, stirring repeatedly.
Take the minced beef filling off the heat and leave to cool.
Pre-heat your overnight to 190 degrees
Whilst the beef filling is cooling add your flour to a mixing bowl, followed by the butter.
Rub together until it becomes a breadcrumb looking substance
Then, add water... mead together until it all bonds together
Spread flour out on your work surface
Take the dough out of the bowl and roll with a rolling pin until it’s thin, there should be a substantial amount. (If you don’t have a rolling pin, just use your hands - wash them and sing happy birthday first though)
This pie is a ‘whole rounder’.
You need to place the bottom layer into a round baking tray... adding some flour in the bottom of the tray and leave it to drape over the sides
When the beef has cooled scoop it out of the pan and into the pastry base, ensuring that no oil is transferred into it.
Whisk an egg in a small jug and brush the edge of the pastry (around the baking tray) cutting any excess pastry draped over the edges off
Add the top pastry of the pie and press a fork around the edge of the pie co smite it sticks together
Pierce three holes in the middle of the pie so it can breathe.
Pop in the oven for half an hour on 190 degrees. It will be lush and you can freeze the leftovers.