This was one of the first recipes I ever invented. It works wonderfully for a summer lunch for dinner.
Feeds 4-6, ideal for a casual dinner
* 1 Butterflied Leg of Lamb fat trimmed off (or 4-6 Lamb Fillets – if you feel like a real treat)
Marinade
* Bunch of Mint (coarsely chopped)
* The Juice of 2 Lemons
* 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
* 1 Tablespoon of Worcester Sauce
* 3 large Cloves of Garlic (coarsely chopped)
Dip
* 1 small Cucumber (grated & juice squeezed out)
* 1 small/medium clove of Garlic (crushed)
* A sprinkle of Mint (finely chopped)
* Juice of 1/2 a Lemon* 300g of Greek Yogurt
Salad
* 180g of Creamy Feta (I like Danish or Bulgarian but Greek will do)
* 500g of Green Beans (trimmed)
* 1 Red Pepper (cut into thin strips)
* 2 Avocadoes (I scoop the flesh out with a teaspoon creating teaspoon sized chunks)
* 100g of small Black Olives
* 1 Spanish Onion (sliced thinly)
* 1 bag of Spinach (optional)
* Chopped mint
- Cook lamb in an 180-200 degree oven for approx. 30mins till browned on the outside and pale pink in the middle then cut into bite size strips (it is also excellent cooked on the BBQ)
- Place spinach on a large platter followed by green beans, cucumber, red peppers, lamb, avocado, spanish onion, olives, feta and then garnish with mint
- Dress with lemon juice, balsamic and olive oil
- Serve buffet style with dip on the side!!
Sunday 28 February 2010
Friday 26 February 2010
Asian Tuna Quiche
An Asian flavoured quiche may sound a little strange but believe me it is delicious. This is lovely lunch food with a light salad but also excellent for a picnic.
* 4 eggs
* 300ml Crème Fraiche
* 1 tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
* 1 tin Tuna
* 1 Large Spanish Onion (diced)
* 1 large Red Pepper (diced)
* ( 6 Spring Onions (finely chopped)
* Handful of chopped mint
* Handful of chopped coriander
* Chilli Flakes (optional in you want it hot)
* 200g Mild Cheddar Cheese
* 1 packet of ready rolled Puff Pastry
* Salt to taste
- Heat oven to 160°C
- Cook both types of onion and red pepper in a little bit of olive oil till soft.
- Combine eggs, crème fraiche, sweet chilli, cheese, tuna and herbs together in a bowl, then once the onions and peppers have cooled add them to the mixture and combine all ingredients well.
- Place rolled pastry in either a tart tin (30cm) or a ceramic baking dish ensuring base and sides are covered.
- Pour in quiche mixture till full then place in oven for about 40mins till pastry edges are golden and centre is solid.
- Serve with Salad Greens and Asian style dressing
Note: Alternatively you could use this mixture to make about 30 mini frittatas (just forget the pastry and use a mini muffin tin).
* 4 eggs
* 300ml Crème Fraiche
* 1 tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
* 1 tin Tuna
* 1 Large Spanish Onion (diced)
* 1 large Red Pepper (diced)
* ( 6 Spring Onions (finely chopped)
* Handful of chopped mint
* Handful of chopped coriander
* Chilli Flakes (optional in you want it hot)
* 200g Mild Cheddar Cheese
* 1 packet of ready rolled Puff Pastry
* Salt to taste
- Heat oven to 160°C
- Cook both types of onion and red pepper in a little bit of olive oil till soft.
- Combine eggs, crème fraiche, sweet chilli, cheese, tuna and herbs together in a bowl, then once the onions and peppers have cooled add them to the mixture and combine all ingredients well.
- Place rolled pastry in either a tart tin (30cm) or a ceramic baking dish ensuring base and sides are covered.
- Pour in quiche mixture till full then place in oven for about 40mins till pastry edges are golden and centre is solid.
- Serve with Salad Greens and Asian style dressing
Note: Alternatively you could use this mixture to make about 30 mini frittatas (just forget the pastry and use a mini muffin tin).
Wednesday 24 February 2010
Petite Fours
These are great for a picnic or after dinner if you just want to serve something small and sweet!!
· 1 roll of Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
· 300ml of Custard (you can make your own but shop bought is fine—Waitrose does a delicious vanilla bean one in the cream section)
· Punnet of Strawberries
· Jar of strawberry jam no (seeds)
Equipment
· 1 mini muffin tin
· Round pastry cutter to fit tin
- Roll out pastry till evenly thin all over then cut into rounds and press down into each muffin spot
- Heat oven to 150 degrees
- Snap freeze pastry for approx. 30mins
- Remove from freezer and cook in oven for approx. 15mins till pastry is lightly golden
- Remove from oven and allow to cool
- Spoon the custard into the tart cases till 90% full
- Bake in the oven for approx 15mins till custard turns slightly golden on top
- Remove from oven and allow to cool and custard will harden
- Decorate the tops of the custard with your strawberries
- Warm jam in saucepan till runny then paint the top of the strawberries with the jam to create a sticky glaze
- Cool in fridge till glaze hardens
- Then eat!!
These will last about five days but best eaten 0-2 days after making.
· 1 roll of Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
· 300ml of Custard (you can make your own but shop bought is fine—Waitrose does a delicious vanilla bean one in the cream section)
· Punnet of Strawberries
· Jar of strawberry jam no (seeds)
Equipment
· 1 mini muffin tin
· Round pastry cutter to fit tin
- Roll out pastry till evenly thin all over then cut into rounds and press down into each muffin spot
- Heat oven to 150 degrees
- Snap freeze pastry for approx. 30mins
- Remove from freezer and cook in oven for approx. 15mins till pastry is lightly golden
- Remove from oven and allow to cool
- Spoon the custard into the tart cases till 90% full
- Bake in the oven for approx 15mins till custard turns slightly golden on top
- Remove from oven and allow to cool and custard will harden
- Decorate the tops of the custard with your strawberries
- Warm jam in saucepan till runny then paint the top of the strawberries with the jam to create a sticky glaze
- Cool in fridge till glaze hardens
- Then eat!!
These will last about five days but best eaten 0-2 days after making.
Tuesday 23 February 2010
Pork Fillet with Apple & Mustard
This is a lovely winter dinner and is fairly quick to whip up if you have limited time.
· 1 Pork Fillet (trimmed)
· 1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
· 1 Tablespoon of Cider Vinegar
· 1 Tablespoon of olive Oil
· 1 Bunch of Sage
· 1 Green Cabbage
· 1 Granny Smith Apple
· 8 medium sized New Potatoes
· 4 Spring Onions
· 50g of Salted Butter
Meat
- Marinate pork with mustard, vinegar and olive oil for at least ½ an hour (preferably 2 hours)
- Sear all sides of the pork in a fry pan then place in the oven at 180 degrees and cook for approx. 30mins (but if the fillets are thin you may need only 20mins). Pork should be pink in the middle but not overly bloody.
- Slice each fillet into approx 6 pieces just
before serving
Potatoes
- Peel and then boil potatoes till they are very soft
- Simultaneously place butter and sage in a pan and cook till sage is lightly crispy
- Mash cooked potato with sage/butter mixture and spring onions till smooth
Cabbage
- Finely chop the cabbage into thin strips
- Then part boil and part fry the cabbage in a saucepan (with a lid) with approx 100ml of water and 50g of butter till soft but not over done and too smelly
Sauce
- Peel then chop apple into chunks then lightly fry in the pan, till it starts to go translucent, then add the remaining marinade and simmer till the sauce reduces and the apple is soft and falling apart.
- Place mash on each plate followed by cabbage, decorate with pork and then drizzle with sauce, finally garnish with a sprig of sage.
· 1 Pork Fillet (trimmed)
· 1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
· 1 Tablespoon of Cider Vinegar
· 1 Tablespoon of olive Oil
· 1 Bunch of Sage
· 1 Green Cabbage
· 1 Granny Smith Apple
· 8 medium sized New Potatoes
· 4 Spring Onions
· 50g of Salted Butter
Meat
- Marinate pork with mustard, vinegar and olive oil for at least ½ an hour (preferably 2 hours)
- Sear all sides of the pork in a fry pan then place in the oven at 180 degrees and cook for approx. 30mins (but if the fillets are thin you may need only 20mins). Pork should be pink in the middle but not overly bloody.
- Slice each fillet into approx 6 pieces just
before serving
Potatoes
- Peel and then boil potatoes till they are very soft
- Simultaneously place butter and sage in a pan and cook till sage is lightly crispy
- Mash cooked potato with sage/butter mixture and spring onions till smooth
Cabbage
- Finely chop the cabbage into thin strips
- Then part boil and part fry the cabbage in a saucepan (with a lid) with approx 100ml of water and 50g of butter till soft but not over done and too smelly
Sauce
- Peel then chop apple into chunks then lightly fry in the pan, till it starts to go translucent, then add the remaining marinade and simmer till the sauce reduces and the apple is soft and falling apart.
- Place mash on each plate followed by cabbage, decorate with pork and then drizzle with sauce, finally garnish with a sprig of sage.
Garam Masala Chicken & Eggplant Salad
I made this for Sunday lunch a couple of weeks ago and it was a real success not just with the adult members of the party but also with my 2 year old nephew.
* 6 Chicken Breasts
* 1 pot of Garam Masala Paste (this can be bought at Waitrose)
* 600g of Natural Yogurt – choose a creamy style such as Greek
- Combine Yoghurt and Paste together in dish then place chicken in the Marinade, ensuring the pieces are completely coated
- Put in fridge and Marinate for between 8 & 24 hours
- Remove from fridge about 30mins before cooking to bring up to room temperature
Bake in over for between 20 & 30mins till Chicken is cooked through
- Serve alongside Spicy Eggplant Salad
Spicy Eggplant Salad
* 3 large Eggplants (cut into rounds about ½ cm thick)
* 300g approx. of Cherry/Baby Plum Tomatoes (chopped in half)
* Handful of loosely chopped Coriander
* Handful of loosely chopped Mint
* Juice of 1 Lime
* 2 small red Chilli’s (finely chopped) or a couple of teaspoons of Chilli Flakes
* Olive Oil
* Salt to taste
- Drizzle chopped Eggplants in a little Olive Oil (do not saturate), then grill till lightly browned on each side, then place in bowl and cover immediately with cling film to keep heat and therefore moisture in (by doing this you need far less Olive Oil and it makes for a far lighter and tastier dish).
- After about 10-30mins, remove cling film and cut Eggplant rounds into quarters
Mix your Eggplants with the Tomato, Chilli, Mint & Coriander, then dress with the Lime Juice
Serve the chicken and salad with a dip of yoghurt and finely diced cucumber.
* This salad also is a great accompaniment to firm white fish (ie. Bara, Cod, Sword Fish) dressed Moroccan Spices. Enjoy!!
Note: If you want to Bulk up this meal and make it more substantial I suggest serving with either Jasmine or Basmati Rice, which you can flavor with a bit of Curry Powder and if you have the time fry some Egg and Spring Onions and serve through!!
* 6 Chicken Breasts
* 1 pot of Garam Masala Paste (this can be bought at Waitrose)
* 600g of Natural Yogurt – choose a creamy style such as Greek
- Combine Yoghurt and Paste together in dish then place chicken in the Marinade, ensuring the pieces are completely coated
- Put in fridge and Marinate for between 8 & 24 hours
- Remove from fridge about 30mins before cooking to bring up to room temperature
Bake in over for between 20 & 30mins till Chicken is cooked through
- Serve alongside Spicy Eggplant Salad
Spicy Eggplant Salad
* 3 large Eggplants (cut into rounds about ½ cm thick)
* 300g approx. of Cherry/Baby Plum Tomatoes (chopped in half)
* Handful of loosely chopped Coriander
* Handful of loosely chopped Mint
* Juice of 1 Lime
* 2 small red Chilli’s (finely chopped) or a couple of teaspoons of Chilli Flakes
* Olive Oil
* Salt to taste
- Drizzle chopped Eggplants in a little Olive Oil (do not saturate), then grill till lightly browned on each side, then place in bowl and cover immediately with cling film to keep heat and therefore moisture in (by doing this you need far less Olive Oil and it makes for a far lighter and tastier dish).
- After about 10-30mins, remove cling film and cut Eggplant rounds into quarters
Mix your Eggplants with the Tomato, Chilli, Mint & Coriander, then dress with the Lime Juice
Serve the chicken and salad with a dip of yoghurt and finely diced cucumber.
* This salad also is a great accompaniment to firm white fish (ie. Bara, Cod, Sword Fish) dressed Moroccan Spices. Enjoy!!
Note: If you want to Bulk up this meal and make it more substantial I suggest serving with either Jasmine or Basmati Rice, which you can flavor with a bit of Curry Powder and if you have the time fry some Egg and Spring Onions and serve through!!
Summer Fish Pie
One of my husbands favourite winter dinners is Fish Pie so I decided to create a dish that had all those flavour combinations but was cold and perfect for Summer eating.
Feeds 4 hungry men or 6-8 ladies who lunch!!
* 1Kg of Baby new Potatoes (boiled till soft—fine to leave skin on)
* 3 tablespoons of Egg Mayonnaise
* 2 Spanish onions (finely diced, then cooked in a little Olive Oil till soft and tender)
* Bunch of Dill (chopped)
* 4 Spring Onions (chopped)
* 300g Flaked Hot Smoked Salmon or Trout
* 300g cooked Prawns/Shrimps
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Mix cooked potatoes, mayonnaise and salt and pepper in a bowl till well covered
- Lay potatoes out onto a platter or open bowl
- Sprinkle 50% of the cooked onions & dill over potatoes
- Distribute the salmon flakes (evenly) next
- Followed by the prawns
- Then cover with remaining cooked onions, spring onions and Dill and dress with some cracked pepper.
- Serve on it’s own or with a green salad or something like Asparagus (as it’s in season at the same time as the potatoes).
Feeds 4 hungry men or 6-8 ladies who lunch!!
* 1Kg of Baby new Potatoes (boiled till soft—fine to leave skin on)
* 3 tablespoons of Egg Mayonnaise
* 2 Spanish onions (finely diced, then cooked in a little Olive Oil till soft and tender)
* Bunch of Dill (chopped)
* 4 Spring Onions (chopped)
* 300g Flaked Hot Smoked Salmon or Trout
* 300g cooked Prawns/Shrimps
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Mix cooked potatoes, mayonnaise and salt and pepper in a bowl till well covered
- Lay potatoes out onto a platter or open bowl
- Sprinkle 50% of the cooked onions & dill over potatoes
- Distribute the salmon flakes (evenly) next
- Followed by the prawns
- Then cover with remaining cooked onions, spring onions and Dill and dress with some cracked pepper.
- Serve on it’s own or with a green salad or something like Asparagus (as it’s in season at the same time as the potatoes).
Winter Nicoise Salad
I love salads and miss them terribly in the winter months, this recipe satifies my salad cravings whilst also been suffiently hearty and warm.
Feeds 4
* 4 Tuna Steaks
* 1 Bag of new potatoes
* 300g green beans (steamed or boiled)
* 1 punnet of cherry or baby roma tomatoes (halved)
* 4 hard boiled eggs (cut into quarter’s length ways)
* 8 anchovy fillets
* Small tub of black olives
* 1 table spoon of sweet chilli
* 1 table spoon of olive oil
* 2 cloves of garlic (coarsely chopped)
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Sprinkle of sugar
* Sprinkle of mixed herbs
Place tomatoes on a baking tray with baking paper and dust with salt, pepper, sugar and mixed herbs, then place in a hot oven and cook for about ½ hour till well roasted. Set aside to cool.
Marinate the tuna in the sweet chilli, garlic
and olive oil for about 1 hour.
Boil potatoes till cooked but solid, once cooled chop in halves then pan fry till golden in shallow vegetable oil.
Place the tuna in a hot fry pan and brown lightly both sides before adding some of the marinade mixture and then cooking to your liking.
Decorate on plate, beans on the bottom, then potatoes, tomatoes, eggs and anchovies, add the tuna to the top and drizzle some of the cooked marinade on top and finally toss on some black olives as a garnish!
Feeds 4
* 4 Tuna Steaks
* 1 Bag of new potatoes
* 300g green beans (steamed or boiled)
* 1 punnet of cherry or baby roma tomatoes (halved)
* 4 hard boiled eggs (cut into quarter’s length ways)
* 8 anchovy fillets
* Small tub of black olives
* 1 table spoon of sweet chilli
* 1 table spoon of olive oil
* 2 cloves of garlic (coarsely chopped)
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Sprinkle of sugar
* Sprinkle of mixed herbs
Place tomatoes on a baking tray with baking paper and dust with salt, pepper, sugar and mixed herbs, then place in a hot oven and cook for about ½ hour till well roasted. Set aside to cool.
Marinate the tuna in the sweet chilli, garlic
and olive oil for about 1 hour.
Boil potatoes till cooked but solid, once cooled chop in halves then pan fry till golden in shallow vegetable oil.
Place the tuna in a hot fry pan and brown lightly both sides before adding some of the marinade mixture and then cooking to your liking.
Decorate on plate, beans on the bottom, then potatoes, tomatoes, eggs and anchovies, add the tuna to the top and drizzle some of the cooked marinade on top and finally toss on some black olives as a garnish!
San Choy Bao
I don't know anyone who doesn't like San Choy Bao, there is something about the tasty slightly sweet meat and the refreshing taste of the lettuce cup that just hits the spot. This is my version, I love to serve this as a starter for an Asian themed dinner party or as a light lunch when I have my girlfriends over.
The filling
* The mince of 2 chicken breasts (approx. 500g)
* 2 teaspoons of vegetable or sesame oil
* 1 Red Chilli finely chopped
* A handful of chopped coriander
* 2 cloves of crushed garlic
* A handful of chopped spring onions
* 1 finely diced Spanish onion
* 1 finely diced small red pepper
* 1 tin water chestnuts finely diced
* 1 table spoon of soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce
* 1 table spoon of oyster sauce
The cups
* 4 baby gem lettuces or mini Witloff lettuces
Put oil in a hot pan then add all the herbs, spices and vegetables and cook till becoming fragrant, then add your minced chicken and toss around ingredients till covered and browning. Finally add the water chestnut, sweet chilli, soy and oyster sauce and stir till mixture has reduced.
Finishing touches
*4 Baby Gem or mini Witloff Lettuces separated into cups
* 2 limes cut into 1/8’s
* Crushed roasted cashews
* 200g bag bean sprouts
Empty portions of the chicken mixture into lettuce cup and arrange on platter or plates.
To the side have a bowl of cashews, lime wedges and bean sprout for people to add their own garnish to taste.
Note: I have used Chicken here but they taste equally good using Pork or Prawns
The filling
* The mince of 2 chicken breasts (approx. 500g)
* 2 teaspoons of vegetable or sesame oil
* 1 Red Chilli finely chopped
* A handful of chopped coriander
* 2 cloves of crushed garlic
* A handful of chopped spring onions
* 1 finely diced Spanish onion
* 1 finely diced small red pepper
* 1 tin water chestnuts finely diced
* 1 table spoon of soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce
* 1 table spoon of oyster sauce
The cups
* 4 baby gem lettuces or mini Witloff lettuces
Put oil in a hot pan then add all the herbs, spices and vegetables and cook till becoming fragrant, then add your minced chicken and toss around ingredients till covered and browning. Finally add the water chestnut, sweet chilli, soy and oyster sauce and stir till mixture has reduced.
Finishing touches
*4 Baby Gem or mini Witloff Lettuces separated into cups
* 2 limes cut into 1/8’s
* Crushed roasted cashews
* 200g bag bean sprouts
Empty portions of the chicken mixture into lettuce cup and arrange on platter or plates.
To the side have a bowl of cashews, lime wedges and bean sprout for people to add their own garnish to taste.
Note: I have used Chicken here but they taste equally good using Pork or Prawns
Greek Chicken Balls with Pomegranate Glaze & Yoghurt Dip
I invented this dish for a Greek themed coctail party I had on my last trip to Melbourne and they were delicious, my Mum had this wonderful shop bought pomegranate glaze that she put over them that really gave them and edge, I have not been able to find this over here so I have started making my own.
Chicken Balls
* 600g of chicken mince (or diced breast meat)
* 4 grated * Courgettes (grated then squeezed to remove excess juice)
* 3 cloves of garlic
* 1 Teaspoon of ground Cumin
* 1 Teaspoon of ground Coriander
* Handful of chopped mint
* Bunch of spring onions (trimmed and chopped)
* Bag of bread crumbs (fresh is best)
* 2 eggs
* Salt and Pepper to taste
Glaze
* 2 tablespoons of shop bought Tomato Relish
* 300ml of Pomegranate Juice
- Place juice and relish in a small saucepan and simmer on a low heat for about 15mins till reduced and starting to go sticky
- Blitz all the ingredients in food processor till combined but not smooth.
- Then roll mixture into little bite size balls
- Bake in the oven for approx 15mins or alternatively BBQ the balls till cooked through
- Place balls on tray or platter and drizzle with the pomegranate glaze
- Serve with Greek Style Yoghurt Dip—you can make your own (see below) but shop bought is fine - add a little bit of chopped Dill to the dip for a refreshing edge.!!
Note: This recipe would be equally nice with lamb mince instead of the chicken if you feel like a change.
Yoghurt Dip
* 1 large tub of good quality Greek yoghurt
* 1 cucumber grated with the juice squeezed out
* Handful of chopped mint
* 2 crushed cloves of garlic
* Salt and pepper to taste (cayenne pepper is a good alternative too)
Mix all ingredients together and that’s it!!
This makes enough for a large lunch party or dinner for 2 with left-over's for the week (it’s a great snack).
Note: Yoghurt dip also goes Brilliantly with my Easy Lamb or Mediterranean Salad
Chicken Balls
* 600g of chicken mince (or diced breast meat)
* 4 grated * Courgettes (grated then squeezed to remove excess juice)
* 3 cloves of garlic
* 1 Teaspoon of ground Cumin
* 1 Teaspoon of ground Coriander
* Handful of chopped mint
* Bunch of spring onions (trimmed and chopped)
* Bag of bread crumbs (fresh is best)
* 2 eggs
* Salt and Pepper to taste
Glaze
* 2 tablespoons of shop bought Tomato Relish
* 300ml of Pomegranate Juice
- Place juice and relish in a small saucepan and simmer on a low heat for about 15mins till reduced and starting to go sticky
- Blitz all the ingredients in food processor till combined but not smooth.
- Then roll mixture into little bite size balls
- Bake in the oven for approx 15mins or alternatively BBQ the balls till cooked through
- Place balls on tray or platter and drizzle with the pomegranate glaze
- Serve with Greek Style Yoghurt Dip—you can make your own (see below) but shop bought is fine - add a little bit of chopped Dill to the dip for a refreshing edge.!!
Note: This recipe would be equally nice with lamb mince instead of the chicken if you feel like a change.
Yoghurt Dip
* 1 large tub of good quality Greek yoghurt
* 1 cucumber grated with the juice squeezed out
* Handful of chopped mint
* 2 crushed cloves of garlic
* Salt and pepper to taste (cayenne pepper is a good alternative too)
Mix all ingredients together and that’s it!!
This makes enough for a large lunch party or dinner for 2 with left-over's for the week (it’s a great snack).
Note: Yoghurt dip also goes Brilliantly with my Easy Lamb or Mediterranean Salad
Lamb, Minted Peas & Feta
Prep: 15mins.
Cooking: 10mins.
Serves 4
Lamb
* 12 lamb cutlets (you could also use fillet or neck fillet)
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 bunch Oregano (finely chopped)
* Juice of 1 Lemon
Mashed peas
* 4 cups Frozen Peas
* 3 Spring Onions, white and pale green (chopped )
* 2 tablespoons chopped mint
* 1 small clove garlic (chopped )
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
To serve
* Lemon Wedges
* 200g fresh Feta (crumbed)
- Place lamb in a dish and marinate with
lemon juice, oil and oregano (make sure all of the lamb gets coated) then leave to rest for 30-60mins.
- Place peas in a bowl, cover with boiling water and stand for 3-4mins. Drain, then transfer to a food processor.
- Add green onions, mint and garlic then whiz until coarsely minced.
- While machine is running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons oil.
- Transfer to a heated bowl and keep warm.-
-BBQ or grill the lamb, cooking for approx. 2mins on each side
- Place peas on plates, top with lamb cutlets and crumb some feta on top then serve with lemon wedges.
Cooking: 10mins.
Serves 4
Lamb
* 12 lamb cutlets (you could also use fillet or neck fillet)
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 bunch Oregano (finely chopped)
* Juice of 1 Lemon
Mashed peas
* 4 cups Frozen Peas
* 3 Spring Onions, white and pale green (chopped )
* 2 tablespoons chopped mint
* 1 small clove garlic (chopped )
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
To serve
* Lemon Wedges
* 200g fresh Feta (crumbed)
- Place lamb in a dish and marinate with
lemon juice, oil and oregano (make sure all of the lamb gets coated) then leave to rest for 30-60mins.
- Place peas in a bowl, cover with boiling water and stand for 3-4mins. Drain, then transfer to a food processor.
- Add green onions, mint and garlic then whiz until coarsely minced.
- While machine is running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons oil.
- Transfer to a heated bowl and keep warm.-
-BBQ or grill the lamb, cooking for approx. 2mins on each side
- Place peas on plates, top with lamb cutlets and crumb some feta on top then serve with lemon wedges.
ANZAC Biscuits
* 200g rolled oats
* 150g caster sugar
* 150g plain flour
* 2 tbsp golden syrup
* 125g butter
Heat the oven to 180°C then melt the butter in a saucepan with the golden syrup.
Put the oats, sugar and flour into a bowl and mix in the melted golden syrup and butter until well combined.
Place tablespoon of the mixture onto a greased tray, leaving space between each one to allow them to spread out.
Put the biscuits in the oven and cook them for 10-15 minutes until light golden.
Remove the biscuits from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes - they are then ready to heat.
The great thing about these biscuits is they last so long and you can even send them by post as a present just like what was done for the ANZAC’s!!
* 150g caster sugar
* 150g plain flour
* 2 tbsp golden syrup
* 125g butter
Heat the oven to 180°C then melt the butter in a saucepan with the golden syrup.
Put the oats, sugar and flour into a bowl and mix in the melted golden syrup and butter until well combined.
Place tablespoon of the mixture onto a greased tray, leaving space between each one to allow them to spread out.
Put the biscuits in the oven and cook them for 10-15 minutes until light golden.
Remove the biscuits from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes - they are then ready to heat.
The great thing about these biscuits is they last so long and you can even send them by post as a present just like what was done for the ANZAC’s!!
Monday 22 February 2010
Spicy Chicken Sausage Rolls
Filling
* 800g of Chicken Mince
* 2 small spicy Red Chillies (finely chopped - seeds removed if you only want the rolls mildly spicy)
* 6 Spring Onions (the whole stem) copped finely
* Dessertspoon of finely chopped Lemongrass
* Handful of chopped Coriander
* 2 large cloves of Garlic finely chopped
* 1 bags of fresh Breadcrumbs
* 2 eggs
Casing
* Puff pastry (pre-rolled)
* Sesame seeds
* Milk (for painting pastry)
* Flour (for dusting pastry)
- Combine all Chicken mixture ingredients with your hands or magimix till well blended.
- Roll out puff pastry and cut into long strips about 12cm wide (or 3-4 strips per sheet)
- Place chicken mixture along the centre of each pastry strip
- Paint the edge of the pastry strips with milk and roll over pasty to enclose chicken in the middle
- Paint the top of the pastry with milk and decorate with sesame seed
- Place complete rolls in fridge to cool
- Cut rolls into bit size pieces and cook on baking paper for approx. 15-20mins until pastry is golden and chicken is cooked.
- Serve fresh or from frozen and re-heat in the oven
Tastes good accompanied with a spicy chutney or relish!
* 800g of Chicken Mince
* 2 small spicy Red Chillies (finely chopped - seeds removed if you only want the rolls mildly spicy)
* 6 Spring Onions (the whole stem) copped finely
* Dessertspoon of finely chopped Lemongrass
* Handful of chopped Coriander
* 2 large cloves of Garlic finely chopped
* 1 bags of fresh Breadcrumbs
* 2 eggs
Casing
* Puff pastry (pre-rolled)
* Sesame seeds
* Milk (for painting pastry)
* Flour (for dusting pastry)
- Combine all Chicken mixture ingredients with your hands or magimix till well blended.
- Roll out puff pastry and cut into long strips about 12cm wide (or 3-4 strips per sheet)
- Place chicken mixture along the centre of each pastry strip
- Paint the edge of the pastry strips with milk and roll over pasty to enclose chicken in the middle
- Paint the top of the pastry with milk and decorate with sesame seed
- Place complete rolls in fridge to cool
- Cut rolls into bit size pieces and cook on baking paper for approx. 15-20mins until pastry is golden and chicken is cooked.
- Serve fresh or from frozen and re-heat in the oven
Tastes good accompanied with a spicy chutney or relish!
Baked Salmon Steaks
* 4 Salmon Steaks
* 4 Baby Fennels
* 20 Baby Leek Steams
* 1 Punnet of Cherry Tomatoes
* 1 Lemon (cut into slices)
* Bunch of Basil
* Bunch of Dill
* Olive Oil
* Salt & Pepper to taste
- Heat oven to 180 degrees
- Line a baking dish with baking paper and add a drizzle of olive oil over paper
- Place baby leeks and fennel into 4 equal stacks inside dish and sprinkle with a couple of dill springs and basil leaves, then drizzle with some more olive oil and grind some salt and pepper over
- Place vegetable in the oven for 20mins to soften, then remove from oven
- Place a salmon steak over each vegetable pile
- On top of the salmon place a sprig of basil and dill then cover with a slice on lemon
- Drizzle salmon and lemon with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top
- Distribute cherry tomatoes evenly throughout the dish
- Place back in oven, turn down heat to 150 degrees and cook for 20-30mins depending on how you like your salmon cooked
- Place fish and vegetable piles on each individual plate with a egg flip and sprinkle some of the roasted tomatoes over the top
- Serve immediately
The beauty of this recipe is that is only uses one dish, so it wonderful to save time on washing up, which is always great when you have friends over on a weeknight!!
* 4 Baby Fennels
* 20 Baby Leek Steams
* 1 Punnet of Cherry Tomatoes
* 1 Lemon (cut into slices)
* Bunch of Basil
* Bunch of Dill
* Olive Oil
* Salt & Pepper to taste
- Heat oven to 180 degrees
- Line a baking dish with baking paper and add a drizzle of olive oil over paper
- Place baby leeks and fennel into 4 equal stacks inside dish and sprinkle with a couple of dill springs and basil leaves, then drizzle with some more olive oil and grind some salt and pepper over
- Place vegetable in the oven for 20mins to soften, then remove from oven
- Place a salmon steak over each vegetable pile
- On top of the salmon place a sprig of basil and dill then cover with a slice on lemon
- Drizzle salmon and lemon with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top
- Distribute cherry tomatoes evenly throughout the dish
- Place back in oven, turn down heat to 150 degrees and cook for 20-30mins depending on how you like your salmon cooked
- Place fish and vegetable piles on each individual plate with a egg flip and sprinkle some of the roasted tomatoes over the top
- Serve immediately
The beauty of this recipe is that is only uses one dish, so it wonderful to save time on washing up, which is always great when you have friends over on a weeknight!!
3 Onion Tart - a wonderful Brunch or Sunday Supper
• 1 pack for ready rolled Shortcrust Pastry
• 1 Spanish Onion (cut into thin wedges)
• 1 Brown Onion (cut into thin wedges)
• 4 Spring Onions (thinly sliced)
• 300ml of Single Cream
• 3 large Eggs
• 100g of grated Mature Cheddar
• 1 dessert spoon of Dijon Mustard
• Handful of chopped Thyme
• Knob of Butter
• Dollop of Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• 3 rashers of Bacon (optional)
- You will need shallow tart tin about 30cm diameter, but you could improvise with something similar
- Heat oven to approx 180degrees
- Cover the base & sides of your tin with the Shortcrust Pastry and flash bake for around 15 mins
- Melt Butter & Oil in a large frying pan, then add Bacon (if using), the Onions & Thyme and fry on a low heat until the Onions are very fragrant, translucent & starting to brown, then set aside
- Meanwhile combine Eggs, Cream, Cheese, Mustard & your Salt & Pepper
- Cover the base of tart with the Onion Mixture, then pour over the Creamy/Egg mixture and sprinkle with Pepper
- Bake in the oven for approx. 35mins until top of the tart becomes golden.
The tart is best eaten warm and last time I served alongside a salad of Wild Beet Leaves and Rocket with Roasted Butternut Squash, which I drizzled in a dressing of Balsamic, Olive Oil, a teaspoon of Honey (you don’t need this if the Balsamic is good quality) and some Wholegrain Mustard. This combination worked wonderfully and was a lovely balance of flavours.
• 1 Spanish Onion (cut into thin wedges)
• 1 Brown Onion (cut into thin wedges)
• 4 Spring Onions (thinly sliced)
• 300ml of Single Cream
• 3 large Eggs
• 100g of grated Mature Cheddar
• 1 dessert spoon of Dijon Mustard
• Handful of chopped Thyme
• Knob of Butter
• Dollop of Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• 3 rashers of Bacon (optional)
- You will need shallow tart tin about 30cm diameter, but you could improvise with something similar
- Heat oven to approx 180degrees
- Cover the base & sides of your tin with the Shortcrust Pastry and flash bake for around 15 mins
- Melt Butter & Oil in a large frying pan, then add Bacon (if using), the Onions & Thyme and fry on a low heat until the Onions are very fragrant, translucent & starting to brown, then set aside
- Meanwhile combine Eggs, Cream, Cheese, Mustard & your Salt & Pepper
- Cover the base of tart with the Onion Mixture, then pour over the Creamy/Egg mixture and sprinkle with Pepper
- Bake in the oven for approx. 35mins until top of the tart becomes golden.
The tart is best eaten warm and last time I served alongside a salad of Wild Beet Leaves and Rocket with Roasted Butternut Squash, which I drizzled in a dressing of Balsamic, Olive Oil, a teaspoon of Honey (you don’t need this if the Balsamic is good quality) and some Wholegrain Mustard. This combination worked wonderfully and was a lovely balance of flavours.
Thai Beef Cucumber Cups
* 3 large Cucumbers
* 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
* 500g Fillet Beef (cut into 2cm-thick slices)
* 1 small Spanish Onion (finely chopped)
* 1/4 cup Mint Leaves (finely chopped)
* 2 tablespoons Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
* 1 tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
* 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
* 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
* 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
* Extra Coriander leaves, to serve
- Cut cucumbers into 2cm-thick slices, then using a melon-baller or teaspoon, scoop out seeds, leaving cucumber 'cups'. Place onto a tray or platter
- Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium to high heat until hot.
- Cook steaks for 2 minutes each side or until cooked as you like (rare is best for this recipe as they go on cooking in the dressing)
- Leave Steaks to cool for 10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain.
- Combine steak, onion, mint and coriander in a large bowl.
- Whisk sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar together in a jug until well combined then pour over salad and toss gently to combine.
- Spoon beef salad into cucumber cups and garnish with coriander leaves
* 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
* 500g Fillet Beef (cut into 2cm-thick slices)
* 1 small Spanish Onion (finely chopped)
* 1/4 cup Mint Leaves (finely chopped)
* 2 tablespoons Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
* 1 tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
* 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
* 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
* 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
* Extra Coriander leaves, to serve
- Cut cucumbers into 2cm-thick slices, then using a melon-baller or teaspoon, scoop out seeds, leaving cucumber 'cups'. Place onto a tray or platter
- Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium to high heat until hot.
- Cook steaks for 2 minutes each side or until cooked as you like (rare is best for this recipe as they go on cooking in the dressing)
- Leave Steaks to cool for 10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain.
- Combine steak, onion, mint and coriander in a large bowl.
- Whisk sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar together in a jug until well combined then pour over salad and toss gently to combine.
- Spoon beef salad into cucumber cups and garnish with coriander leaves
Australian Style Chicken Sandwiches
If you have never had an Australian Chicken Sandwich you don't know what you are missing!! They are delicious and way more sofisticated then the ones you get in England.
* 8 chicken breasts (skin off)
* Dried mixed herbs
* 1 stock cube
* 1 jar of egg mayonnaise (I like Helmans full fat)
* 2 bunches of chives (finely chopped)
* Bunch of Spring Onions (finely chopped)
* Cracked black pepper
* Sea Salt (to taste)
* Bag of spinach (optional – use this if you want to bulk up the mixture or make it a little more salady)
* 2 loaves of sliced soft white bread (give or take depending on your generosity of filling)
* Butter (but I think it is fine without)
- Poach the chicken breast in boiling water with the stock and herbs, then allow to cool
- Then dice the cooked chicken and combine with all the other ingredients (use only one bunch of the chives)
- Put a good amount of mixture in each sandwich.
- Cut of crusts with an electric knife (these are wonderful and very cheap to buy) as this is quick to do and creates an even finish
- Cut into triangles
- for an extra finishing touch if you are using them for a cocktail party, spread one edge of the sandwich in mayonnaise and then roll in chopped chives (one bunch)
* 8 chicken breasts (skin off)
* Dried mixed herbs
* 1 stock cube
* 1 jar of egg mayonnaise (I like Helmans full fat)
* 2 bunches of chives (finely chopped)
* Bunch of Spring Onions (finely chopped)
* Cracked black pepper
* Sea Salt (to taste)
* Bag of spinach (optional – use this if you want to bulk up the mixture or make it a little more salady)
* 2 loaves of sliced soft white bread (give or take depending on your generosity of filling)
* Butter (but I think it is fine without)
- Poach the chicken breast in boiling water with the stock and herbs, then allow to cool
- Then dice the cooked chicken and combine with all the other ingredients (use only one bunch of the chives)
- Put a good amount of mixture in each sandwich.
- Cut of crusts with an electric knife (these are wonderful and very cheap to buy) as this is quick to do and creates an even finish
- Cut into triangles
- for an extra finishing touch if you are using them for a cocktail party, spread one edge of the sandwich in mayonnaise and then roll in chopped chives (one bunch)
Bacon Bites
This handsdown is the most popular canape with the boys they love it!!
* 1 packet (10 slices) of thin cut smoked bacon - cooked and cut into 1/4’s
* 1 Avocado
* 1 French style baguette (cut into bite size slices)
* 1 punnet of Cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes (cut in halves)
* 1 heaped tablespoon of good quality Egg Mayonnaise
* Salt and Pepper to taste
Mash together in a bowl avocado, mayonnaise, salt (you won’t need too much as the bacon is salty) and pepper till you form a paste.
Dress the slices of bread with a generous quantity of avocado, then top with bacon and finally a 1/2 tomato.
Lay out on plate and dress with black pepper and or chopped chives/basil to add some vibrant colour.
* 1 packet (10 slices) of thin cut smoked bacon - cooked and cut into 1/4’s
* 1 Avocado
* 1 French style baguette (cut into bite size slices)
* 1 punnet of Cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes (cut in halves)
* 1 heaped tablespoon of good quality Egg Mayonnaise
* Salt and Pepper to taste
Mash together in a bowl avocado, mayonnaise, salt (you won’t need too much as the bacon is salty) and pepper till you form a paste.
Dress the slices of bread with a generous quantity of avocado, then top with bacon and finally a 1/2 tomato.
Lay out on plate and dress with black pepper and or chopped chives/basil to add some vibrant colour.
Crab Pasta
This recipe for crab pasta is a simple one and can be whipped up for dinner in just 15mins! Plus I'm not a big pasta eater but this is a lovely light dish!
(feeds 4 people)
* 3 tins of white crab meat (you can use fresh but the tins taste just as good)
* 5-6 normal size Courgettes grated
* 1 bunch of Basil (the size you buy from the supermarket) coarsely chopped
* 1 teaspoon of chopped chilli (I use Waitrose cooks ingredients, which lasts forever in the fridge) or alternatively 1 chopped hot red chilli would work just as well
* Zest of a lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
* 2 extra large garlic cloves or 3-4 smaller ones crushed
* 4 tablespoons of olive oil (give or take)
* 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (give or take)
* Salt and Pepper to taste
* 1 bag of rocket (optional)
* 1 Bag of fresh spaghetti (fresh is best but otherwise make sure you use thin packet spaghetti – I don’t know why it just tastes better and is very quick to cook which makes sense as this dish is so simple to make)
Put half the oil in a fry pan and let it get hot before adding 1/3 of the basil, the garlic, the lemon rind and the chilli – stir together and let it simmer for around a minute before adding your grated Courgette, you may need to add this in parts depending on how big your pan is!!
Now is also a good time to add some salt and pepper for seasoning. Stir in your courgette and then add the additional oil and lemon juice and leave to simmer for a couple of minutes. Finally drain your crab and add it in to the mixture and stir though till all hot. Then place on top of your spaghetti and decorate the top with the left over basil and some rocket leaves.
Enjoy!!
Note: If you want to make this recipe for less or more people I go by these rules;
- 1.5 courgettes per person
- Slightly less than 1 tin of crab per person (though if cooking for 2 use 2 tins)
- Just adjust the other ingredients more or less accordingly.
You can’t muck this dish up!!
(feeds 4 people)
* 3 tins of white crab meat (you can use fresh but the tins taste just as good)
* 5-6 normal size Courgettes grated
* 1 bunch of Basil (the size you buy from the supermarket) coarsely chopped
* 1 teaspoon of chopped chilli (I use Waitrose cooks ingredients, which lasts forever in the fridge) or alternatively 1 chopped hot red chilli would work just as well
* Zest of a lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
* 2 extra large garlic cloves or 3-4 smaller ones crushed
* 4 tablespoons of olive oil (give or take)
* 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (give or take)
* Salt and Pepper to taste
* 1 bag of rocket (optional)
* 1 Bag of fresh spaghetti (fresh is best but otherwise make sure you use thin packet spaghetti – I don’t know why it just tastes better and is very quick to cook which makes sense as this dish is so simple to make)
Put half the oil in a fry pan and let it get hot before adding 1/3 of the basil, the garlic, the lemon rind and the chilli – stir together and let it simmer for around a minute before adding your grated Courgette, you may need to add this in parts depending on how big your pan is!!
Now is also a good time to add some salt and pepper for seasoning. Stir in your courgette and then add the additional oil and lemon juice and leave to simmer for a couple of minutes. Finally drain your crab and add it in to the mixture and stir though till all hot. Then place on top of your spaghetti and decorate the top with the left over basil and some rocket leaves.
Enjoy!!
Note: If you want to make this recipe for less or more people I go by these rules;
- 1.5 courgettes per person
- Slightly less than 1 tin of crab per person (though if cooking for 2 use 2 tins)
- Just adjust the other ingredients more or less accordingly.
You can’t muck this dish up!!
Thai Beef Salad
Meat
* You will need approx 150-200g of beef per person, the best and most affordable way to do this I feel would be to buy thin steaks and cook them briefly on each side till warm through but nice and rare in the middle, then cut them into thin slices and set aside
(alternatively if you want to splash out) buy fillet of beef and thinly slice and marinate beef for about 1/2 hour in some lime juice, chopped red chilli and chopped garlic, the lime will virtually cook the beef so you will just need to toss it quickly in a fry pan and set aside)
Salad – you will need to take a guess at quantities depending on how many people you are cooking fo (I like to slice my vegetables in long thin slices, but chop as you prefer )
* Cucumber
* Red pepper
* Spanish onion
* Bean sprouts
* Finely chopped iceberg lettuce
* Chopped mint (Vietnamese is best but I’ve not been able to find that in London so if you can't find it just use ordinary mint)
* Chopped coriander
* Rice vermicelli noodles (not necessary, infact I'd rather not use them, but good when you are feeding boys and want the dish to go that bit further….)
* Chopped chilli (if you like it extra spicy – otherwise the dressing should give you a gentle amount of spice)
Dressing
* ½ cup of premade sweet chilli sauce (Ihave already sent you my recipe)
* ½ cup of lime juice (about 3 limes usually)
* 1 teaspoon of fish sauce (this stuff stinks but really enhances the flavour so it is worth it!!)
* Or alternatively (for the sauce) use Palm Sugar (about 2 tablespoons), a handful of chopped red chillies, fish sauce and lime juice as above.
- Place all ingredients together and cover with dressing and then toss through and serve
- Garnish with some mint/coriander or loosely crushed cashews and a lime wedge.
A wonderfully refreshing dinner or lunch!!
* You will need approx 150-200g of beef per person, the best and most affordable way to do this I feel would be to buy thin steaks and cook them briefly on each side till warm through but nice and rare in the middle, then cut them into thin slices and set aside
(alternatively if you want to splash out) buy fillet of beef and thinly slice and marinate beef for about 1/2 hour in some lime juice, chopped red chilli and chopped garlic, the lime will virtually cook the beef so you will just need to toss it quickly in a fry pan and set aside)
Salad – you will need to take a guess at quantities depending on how many people you are cooking fo (I like to slice my vegetables in long thin slices, but chop as you prefer )
* Cucumber
* Red pepper
* Spanish onion
* Bean sprouts
* Finely chopped iceberg lettuce
* Chopped mint (Vietnamese is best but I’ve not been able to find that in London so if you can't find it just use ordinary mint)
* Chopped coriander
* Rice vermicelli noodles (not necessary, infact I'd rather not use them, but good when you are feeding boys and want the dish to go that bit further….)
* Chopped chilli (if you like it extra spicy – otherwise the dressing should give you a gentle amount of spice)
Dressing
* ½ cup of premade sweet chilli sauce (Ihave already sent you my recipe)
* ½ cup of lime juice (about 3 limes usually)
* 1 teaspoon of fish sauce (this stuff stinks but really enhances the flavour so it is worth it!!)
* Or alternatively (for the sauce) use Palm Sugar (about 2 tablespoons), a handful of chopped red chillies, fish sauce and lime juice as above.
- Place all ingredients together and cover with dressing and then toss through and serve
- Garnish with some mint/coriander or loosely crushed cashews and a lime wedge.
A wonderfully refreshing dinner or lunch!!
Corn Fritters with Smoked Trout
For the Fritters
* 1 tin of Corn (or the corn off one fresh cob)
* 1/2 a Spanish Onion finely chopped
* 1/2 a Red Pepper finely copped
* 1 cup of Milk
* 2 Eggs
* 2/3 cup of Self-Raising Flour
* Handful of chopped dill
* 1 Tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Mix the above ingredients together till well combined and a gooey but slightly runny paste has formed.
- Cook in batches (a teaspoon of mixture per fritter) in a small quantity of vegetable oil in a fry pan. Leave to cool on paper towel.
For the Topping
* 2 Hot Smoked Trout Fillets (or Salmon alternatively)
* 1 tub of Crème Fraiche (or alternatively Sour Cream)
* Dill leaves to garnish
Place a lump of Trout (about 2/3rds the size of the fritter) on each fritter, followed by a dollop of Crème Fraiche and finally sprinkle with Dill for some colour.
* 1 tin of Corn (or the corn off one fresh cob)
* 1/2 a Spanish Onion finely chopped
* 1/2 a Red Pepper finely copped
* 1 cup of Milk
* 2 Eggs
* 2/3 cup of Self-Raising Flour
* Handful of chopped dill
* 1 Tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Mix the above ingredients together till well combined and a gooey but slightly runny paste has formed.
- Cook in batches (a teaspoon of mixture per fritter) in a small quantity of vegetable oil in a fry pan. Leave to cool on paper towel.
For the Topping
* 2 Hot Smoked Trout Fillets (or Salmon alternatively)
* 1 tub of Crème Fraiche (or alternatively Sour Cream)
* Dill leaves to garnish
Place a lump of Trout (about 2/3rds the size of the fritter) on each fritter, followed by a dollop of Crème Fraiche and finally sprinkle with Dill for some colour.
Spinach & Courgette Pie
Serves: 4
Pie
* 4 medium courgettes, coarsely grated * 1 bag of Spinach leaves (steamed then squashed with hands to remove excess water)
* 2 cloves garlic, (crushed)
* 200g Greek Feta (drained and roughly chopped)
* 1 bunch Spring Onions (trimmed and finely sliced)
* 1 tsp ground Cumin
* 400g Filo Pastry
* Olive Oil Spray
Dip to go with pie
* 200g Greek Yogurt
* 2 tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped)
* Pinch Cayenne Pepper
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 200°C
- Place the grated courgette in a clean tea towel , wrap up tightly and squeeze out the excess water.
- Put garlic, feta, spring onions & cumin in a bowl and combine with courgettes, spinach and some seasoning.
- In a square, ceramic 4cm deep dish (or similar), spray a sheet of filo with the oil spray and place oil-side down in the tin. Repeat with 11 more sheets, overlapping to cover the base and sides of the tin, leaving the excess hanging over the edge.
- Spoon in the courgette filling and top with another 8 layers of oiled pastry.
- Spray the top with more oil then trim the edges.
Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
- Combine the yogurt, chopped mint and cayenne pepper and serve as dip to accompany the pie
- Can be served warm or cold and is great with salad or on its own at a picnic
Pie
* 4 medium courgettes, coarsely grated * 1 bag of Spinach leaves (steamed then squashed with hands to remove excess water)
* 2 cloves garlic, (crushed)
* 200g Greek Feta (drained and roughly chopped)
* 1 bunch Spring Onions (trimmed and finely sliced)
* 1 tsp ground Cumin
* 400g Filo Pastry
* Olive Oil Spray
Dip to go with pie
* 200g Greek Yogurt
* 2 tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped)
* Pinch Cayenne Pepper
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 200°C
- Place the grated courgette in a clean tea towel , wrap up tightly and squeeze out the excess water.
- Put garlic, feta, spring onions & cumin in a bowl and combine with courgettes, spinach and some seasoning.
- In a square, ceramic 4cm deep dish (or similar), spray a sheet of filo with the oil spray and place oil-side down in the tin. Repeat with 11 more sheets, overlapping to cover the base and sides of the tin, leaving the excess hanging over the edge.
- Spoon in the courgette filling and top with another 8 layers of oiled pastry.
- Spray the top with more oil then trim the edges.
Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
- Combine the yogurt, chopped mint and cayenne pepper and serve as dip to accompany the pie
- Can be served warm or cold and is great with salad or on its own at a picnic
Cheese Bites
The other day we had surprise visitors and nothing at all in the fridge really, but I did manage to invent something with the scaps which was actually quite delicious and I think worthy of a recipe!! Not sure what to call them but Cheese Bites will do.
Cheese bites (makes about 24)
* 2 eggs
* 200ml of Cream (any type will do)
* 100g of Cheedar Cheese (grated)
* 100g of Blue Cheese (grated)
* I large Onion
* Handful of chopped parsley
You will need a mini muffin tray for this and a frypan to cook the onion.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees
- Cook Onion in fry pan with a dash of olive oil or knob of butter until it starts to become fragrant and translucent.
- Mix Eggs, Cheese, Parsley & Cream together till combined, then quickly stir in the onions
- Place spoonfull of the mixture in a greased mini muffin tray
- Cook in a 180 degree oven for about 15 mins per batch or until golden!!
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste then eat warm and enjoy!!
Cheese bites (makes about 24)
* 2 eggs
* 200ml of Cream (any type will do)
* 100g of Cheedar Cheese (grated)
* 100g of Blue Cheese (grated)
* I large Onion
* Handful of chopped parsley
You will need a mini muffin tray for this and a frypan to cook the onion.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees
- Cook Onion in fry pan with a dash of olive oil or knob of butter until it starts to become fragrant and translucent.
- Mix Eggs, Cheese, Parsley & Cream together till combined, then quickly stir in the onions
- Place spoonfull of the mixture in a greased mini muffin tray
- Cook in a 180 degree oven for about 15 mins per batch or until golden!!
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste then eat warm and enjoy!!
Friday 19 February 2010
Spicy Chicken & Pomegranate Salad
* 16 chicken tenderloins (fat and sinew removed)
Marinade
* 1 small bottle of sweet chilli sauce
* The juice of 3 lemons
* 4 large garlic cloves (loosely chopped)
* Tablespoon of olive oil
Vegetables
* 1 bag of spinach
* 1 large broccoli flower cut into florets (or about 16 broccolini stems)
* 3 large sweet potatoes (cut into pieces approx 5-10cm long and 2cm wide) this is all about presentation
* A dusting of cayenne pepper for seasoning
* Salt to taste
Garnish
* Pomegranate pieces
* Chopped flat leaf parsley or alternatively coriander
- Marinate chicken for at least half an hour
- Roast sweet potato in hot oven with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper- Cook broccoli through (but better to be firm than over cooked)
- Cook chicken with its marinade in a fry
-pan till chicken is cooked through and slightly golden and marinade is reduced and sticky
- Present dish with spinach on the bottom, broccoli, then sweet potato and finally the chicken
- Pour the remaining cooked marinade over the salad
- Dress with pomegranate and chopped parsley/coriander
I always get asked for the recipe every time I make this!! Not only is it light and delicious but also the colours are so beautiful it looks fabulous too!!
Marinade
* 1 small bottle of sweet chilli sauce
* The juice of 3 lemons
* 4 large garlic cloves (loosely chopped)
* Tablespoon of olive oil
Vegetables
* 1 bag of spinach
* 1 large broccoli flower cut into florets (or about 16 broccolini stems)
* 3 large sweet potatoes (cut into pieces approx 5-10cm long and 2cm wide) this is all about presentation
* A dusting of cayenne pepper for seasoning
* Salt to taste
Garnish
* Pomegranate pieces
* Chopped flat leaf parsley or alternatively coriander
- Marinate chicken for at least half an hour
- Roast sweet potato in hot oven with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper- Cook broccoli through (but better to be firm than over cooked)
- Cook chicken with its marinade in a fry
-pan till chicken is cooked through and slightly golden and marinade is reduced and sticky
- Present dish with spinach on the bottom, broccoli, then sweet potato and finally the chicken
- Pour the remaining cooked marinade over the salad
- Dress with pomegranate and chopped parsley/coriander
I always get asked for the recipe every time I make this!! Not only is it light and delicious but also the colours are so beautiful it looks fabulous too!!
Spinach & Courgette Pie
Pie
* 4 medium courgettes, coarsely grated
* 1 bag of Spinach leaves (steamed then squashed with hands to remove excess water)
* 2 cloves garlic, (crushed)
* 200g Greek Feta (drained and roughly chopped)
* 1 bunch Spring Onions (trimmed and finely sliced)
* 1 tsp ground Cumin
* 400g Filo Pastry
* Olive Oil SprayDip
to go with pie
* 200g Greek Yogurt
* 2 tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped)
* Pinch Cayenne Pepper
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 200°C
- Place the grated courgette in a clean tea towel , wrap up tightly and squeeze out the excess water.- Put garlic, feta, spring onions & cumin in a bowl and combine with courgettes, spinach and some seasoning.
- In a square, ceramic 4cm deep dish (or similar), spray a sheet of filo with the oil spray and place oil-side down in the tin. Repeat with 11 more sheets, overlapping to cover the base and sides of the tin, leaving the excess hanging over the edge.
- Spoon in the courgette filling and top with another 8 layers of oiled pastry.
- Spray the top with more oil then trim the edges. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
- Combine the yogurt, chopped mint and cayenne pepper and serve as dip to accompany the pie- Can be served warm or cold and is great with salad or on its own at a picnic
* 4 medium courgettes, coarsely grated
* 1 bag of Spinach leaves (steamed then squashed with hands to remove excess water)
* 2 cloves garlic, (crushed)
* 200g Greek Feta (drained and roughly chopped)
* 1 bunch Spring Onions (trimmed and finely sliced)
* 1 tsp ground Cumin
* 400g Filo Pastry
* Olive Oil SprayDip
to go with pie
* 200g Greek Yogurt
* 2 tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped)
* Pinch Cayenne Pepper
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 200°C
- Place the grated courgette in a clean tea towel , wrap up tightly and squeeze out the excess water.- Put garlic, feta, spring onions & cumin in a bowl and combine with courgettes, spinach and some seasoning.
- In a square, ceramic 4cm deep dish (or similar), spray a sheet of filo with the oil spray and place oil-side down in the tin. Repeat with 11 more sheets, overlapping to cover the base and sides of the tin, leaving the excess hanging over the edge.
- Spoon in the courgette filling and top with another 8 layers of oiled pastry.
- Spray the top with more oil then trim the edges. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
- Combine the yogurt, chopped mint and cayenne pepper and serve as dip to accompany the pie- Can be served warm or cold and is great with salad or on its own at a picnic
Pomegranate Couscous
This Couscous dish makes a wonderful accompaniment to roast lamb if you to do something different.
feeds 2-4 people
• 1 packet of Waitrose Garlic and Lemon Couscous (or something similar). You could use plain couscous and fry up some lemon rind, garlic and mixed herbs in a pan then add it to the cooked couscous
• 1 packet of pre-peeled pomegranate
• 1 large sweet potato (cut in small cubes and roasted)
• 1 packet of flat leaf parsley – coarsely chopped
- Mix ingredients together and that’s it!
Tip: Sweet potato mixes in better if you have pre-cooked it and it has had time to cool down otherwise it mashes in a bit and doesn’t look so good.
feeds 2-4 people
• 1 packet of Waitrose Garlic and Lemon Couscous (or something similar). You could use plain couscous and fry up some lemon rind, garlic and mixed herbs in a pan then add it to the cooked couscous
• 1 packet of pre-peeled pomegranate
• 1 large sweet potato (cut in small cubes and roasted)
• 1 packet of flat leaf parsley – coarsely chopped
- Mix ingredients together and that’s it!
Tip: Sweet potato mixes in better if you have pre-cooked it and it has had time to cool down otherwise it mashes in a bit and doesn’t look so good.
Mini Chocolate Hazelnut Puddings
• 100g Dark Chocolate
• 125g melted butter
• 400g Nutella or Hazelnut Spread
• 100g of chopped Hazelnuts
• Tablespoon of Frangelico
• 6 eggs
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
- Separate eggs then whip whites till hard but not so hard peaks form.
-
Melt chocolate by surrounding with hot water on the stove.
- Combine Nutella with melted butter till smooth, then add hazelnuts, followed by egg yolks, followed by Frangelico (stirring as you go so mixture combines). Then add melted chocolate and finally the egg whites. Add the egg whites a bit at a time and fold gently into the mixture (this makes the puddings fluffy).
- Butter a set of 8 ramekins then add the mixture into each till about ¾ full.
- Place in oven and cook for 15mins or until the surface on top is hard but it is still gooey in the middle.
- Once cooked dust tops with icing sugar, then serve either on its own but I feel they taste best with scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream and a handful of raspberries!!
• 125g melted butter
• 400g Nutella or Hazelnut Spread
• 100g of chopped Hazelnuts
• Tablespoon of Frangelico
• 6 eggs
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
- Separate eggs then whip whites till hard but not so hard peaks form.
-
Melt chocolate by surrounding with hot water on the stove.
- Combine Nutella with melted butter till smooth, then add hazelnuts, followed by egg yolks, followed by Frangelico (stirring as you go so mixture combines). Then add melted chocolate and finally the egg whites. Add the egg whites a bit at a time and fold gently into the mixture (this makes the puddings fluffy).
- Butter a set of 8 ramekins then add the mixture into each till about ¾ full.
- Place in oven and cook for 15mins or until the surface on top is hard but it is still gooey in the middle.
- Once cooked dust tops with icing sugar, then serve either on its own but I feel they taste best with scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream and a handful of raspberries!!
Easy Roast Lamb
• 1 leg of Lamb
• Bunch of Rosemary
• 1 Whole Clove of garlic
• Drizzle of Olive Oil
• Good quality Salt
- Poke holes in the lamb and stuff each hole with a sprig of rosemary and a thin wedge of garlic (about ½-1/3 of a clove) – I found you will need exactly 1 globe for a large lamb and about ½ a globe for a small one.
- Drizzle the top of the lamb with olive oil and then dress with some good quality salt.
- Place a couple of the left over rosemary stems under the lamb then roast.
- A small lamb takes about 1 hour to cook a large one about an hour and twenty mins – but the good thing about this recipe is that even if you over cook the lamb it still takes succulent as the rosemary and garlic keep it moist.
Yoghurt Dip (to serve alongside lamb)
• 1 large tub of good quality Greek yoghurt
• 1 cucumber grated with the juice squeezed out
• Handful of chopped mint
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste (cayenne pepper is a good alternative too)
- Mix all ingredients together and that’s it!!
This makes enough for a large lunch party or dinner for 2 with left-over's for the week (it’s a great snack).
• Bunch of Rosemary
• 1 Whole Clove of garlic
• Drizzle of Olive Oil
• Good quality Salt
- Poke holes in the lamb and stuff each hole with a sprig of rosemary and a thin wedge of garlic (about ½-1/3 of a clove) – I found you will need exactly 1 globe for a large lamb and about ½ a globe for a small one.
- Drizzle the top of the lamb with olive oil and then dress with some good quality salt.
- Place a couple of the left over rosemary stems under the lamb then roast.
- A small lamb takes about 1 hour to cook a large one about an hour and twenty mins – but the good thing about this recipe is that even if you over cook the lamb it still takes succulent as the rosemary and garlic keep it moist.
Yoghurt Dip (to serve alongside lamb)
• 1 large tub of good quality Greek yoghurt
• 1 cucumber grated with the juice squeezed out
• Handful of chopped mint
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste (cayenne pepper is a good alternative too)
- Mix all ingredients together and that’s it!!
This makes enough for a large lunch party or dinner for 2 with left-over's for the week (it’s a great snack).
Truffles
Dark Chocolate & Whisky
* 225g dark chocolate
* 175ml double cream
* A lid full of Whiskey
* Cocoa Powder (to roll the truffles in)
* Icing sugar (to dust your hands)
Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles
* 225g plain chocolate
* 175ml double cream
* A lid full of Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
* 200g chopped hazelnuts (to roll the truffles in)
* Icing sugar (to dust your hands)
- Put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl
- Then in a saucepan bring the cream to a slow boil then straight away pour over the chocolate.
- Mix till all the chocolate has melted.
- Then add the alcohol and combine.
- Place mixture in the frige till set (at least 1.5 hours).
- Once set, use a teaspoon (or melon scoop is best) to spoon out bite-sized pieces.
- Then dust your hands with icing sugar to prevent them sticking and roll the pieces into balls in the palms of your hands.
- Then immediately roll the truffles in sifted cocoa powder or finely chopped nuts and place a plate or tray covered in cling film and leave in fridge to set.
These are great to keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks and the other days I experimented further and used Creme de Menthe to make some after dinner mint choc truffles which were sensational!! So do experiment with your booze!!
* 225g dark chocolate
* 175ml double cream
* A lid full of Whiskey
* Cocoa Powder (to roll the truffles in)
* Icing sugar (to dust your hands)
Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles
* 225g plain chocolate
* 175ml double cream
* A lid full of Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
* 200g chopped hazelnuts (to roll the truffles in)
* Icing sugar (to dust your hands)
- Put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl
- Then in a saucepan bring the cream to a slow boil then straight away pour over the chocolate.
- Mix till all the chocolate has melted.
- Then add the alcohol and combine.
- Place mixture in the frige till set (at least 1.5 hours).
- Once set, use a teaspoon (or melon scoop is best) to spoon out bite-sized pieces.
- Then dust your hands with icing sugar to prevent them sticking and roll the pieces into balls in the palms of your hands.
- Then immediately roll the truffles in sifted cocoa powder or finely chopped nuts and place a plate or tray covered in cling film and leave in fridge to set.
These are great to keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks and the other days I experimented further and used Creme de Menthe to make some after dinner mint choc truffles which were sensational!! So do experiment with your booze!!
Spicy Pumpkin Soup
* 1 large Pumpkin or Butternut Squash (peeled and cut into chunks)
* 1 litre of Chicken Stock
* 3 teaspoons of Thai Red Curry Paste
* 1 tin of Coconut Milk
- Boil the Pieces in the chicken stock till tender and falling apart, then add the Coconut Milk and Curry Paste and combine
- Remove from heat and allow to cool before blending into a smooth paste
- Add additional water if the soup is too thick
- Re-heat as required
Very tasty!!
* 1 litre of Chicken Stock
* 3 teaspoons of Thai Red Curry Paste
* 1 tin of Coconut Milk
- Boil the Pieces in the chicken stock till tender and falling apart, then add the Coconut Milk and Curry Paste and combine
- Remove from heat and allow to cool before blending into a smooth paste
- Add additional water if the soup is too thick
- Re-heat as required
Very tasty!!
Chicken and Leek Pie
Pie insides
* 4 Chicken Breasts
* 4 Leeks
* 1 Brown Onion
* 1 300ml tub of Crème Fraiche or normal Cream
* 1 glass of White Wine (approx. 300ml)
* 50g of Salted Butter
* 1 tin of Sweetcorn (completely optional)
* Salt and Pepper to taste (I sometimes use Cayenne Pepper for that extra kick!!)
Pie Top
* Puff Pastry (one pack or ready rolled or one block)
* Milk (for painting the pastry to make it look golden)
* Flour (for dusting the pastry so it doesn’t stick to the rolling pin)Equipment
* Ceramic pie/baking dish
* Rolling pin (if your pastry is not ready rolled
- Dice chicken then place in a buttered fry-pan and brown on the surfaces and remove from heat
- Chop leeks into small rounds and dice onion
- In the same pan used to cook chicken add remaining butter and melt, then add leeks and onion and cook till starting to soften
- Season mixture with salt and pepper
- Add the chicken and combine before pouring in crème fraiche, wine and corn if using, reduce heat and simmer (for about 20mins) till the chicken and leek are in a thick creamy sauce then remove from heat
- Place the mixture in your pie dish
- In needed roll out Puff Pastry
- Place the Pastry on top of the pie dish and trim edges, I usually use the left over to make a decoration like a heart or star to go on top
- Paint the top of the puff pastry with milk
- Cook in the oven covered in foil for about 15mins then remove foil and bake till pastry is golden (approx 25-20min more)
- Serve immediately or once cooled freeze then re-heat in the oven when required
* In the Winter I serve the pie with Spump which is a mashed mixture of Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes with a little Butter and Salt and Pepper, In the Summer it's good with a Green Salad, New Potatoes and a bit of Spicy Peach Chutney!!
* 4 Chicken Breasts
* 4 Leeks
* 1 Brown Onion
* 1 300ml tub of Crème Fraiche or normal Cream
* 1 glass of White Wine (approx. 300ml)
* 50g of Salted Butter
* 1 tin of Sweetcorn (completely optional)
* Salt and Pepper to taste (I sometimes use Cayenne Pepper for that extra kick!!)
Pie Top
* Puff Pastry (one pack or ready rolled or one block)
* Milk (for painting the pastry to make it look golden)
* Flour (for dusting the pastry so it doesn’t stick to the rolling pin)Equipment
* Ceramic pie/baking dish
* Rolling pin (if your pastry is not ready rolled
- Dice chicken then place in a buttered fry-pan and brown on the surfaces and remove from heat
- Chop leeks into small rounds and dice onion
- In the same pan used to cook chicken add remaining butter and melt, then add leeks and onion and cook till starting to soften
- Season mixture with salt and pepper
- Add the chicken and combine before pouring in crème fraiche, wine and corn if using, reduce heat and simmer (for about 20mins) till the chicken and leek are in a thick creamy sauce then remove from heat
- Place the mixture in your pie dish
- In needed roll out Puff Pastry
- Place the Pastry on top of the pie dish and trim edges, I usually use the left over to make a decoration like a heart or star to go on top
- Paint the top of the puff pastry with milk
- Cook in the oven covered in foil for about 15mins then remove foil and bake till pastry is golden (approx 25-20min more)
- Serve immediately or once cooled freeze then re-heat in the oven when required
* In the Winter I serve the pie with Spump which is a mashed mixture of Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes with a little Butter and Salt and Pepper, In the Summer it's good with a Green Salad, New Potatoes and a bit of Spicy Peach Chutney!!
Meg's Burgers
These burgers are super light, moist and tasty
* 1kg of Beef or lamb mince
* 2 carrots (grated)
* 200-300g of cedar cheese (grated)
* Handful of chopped mint* Bag of breadcrumbs
* 2 eggs
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Place all ingredients together in a magimix (or similar) and blend till loosely combined
- Shape in to burgers with your hands and set aside till ready to cook
- Cook in pan, on BBQ or under grill, whatever is most convenient (the cheese ensures they will stay nice and moist)
- Serve with ingredients of your choice, either as a casual make your own burger buffet or with salads
- Alternatively I like to make mini sized burgers and put them in mini rolls with a bit of tomato relish and rocket then serve them as a ‘hearty canapé’ .
* 1kg of Beef or lamb mince
* 2 carrots (grated)
* 200-300g of cedar cheese (grated)
* Handful of chopped mint* Bag of breadcrumbs
* 2 eggs
* Salt and Pepper to taste
- Place all ingredients together in a magimix (or similar) and blend till loosely combined
- Shape in to burgers with your hands and set aside till ready to cook
- Cook in pan, on BBQ or under grill, whatever is most convenient (the cheese ensures they will stay nice and moist)
- Serve with ingredients of your choice, either as a casual make your own burger buffet or with salads
- Alternatively I like to make mini sized burgers and put them in mini rolls with a bit of tomato relish and rocket then serve them as a ‘hearty canapé’ .
Simple Pear Tart
A very simple pudding - perfect for that after-work week night dinner party! (makes 8)
• 1 sheet of Puff Pastry
• 2 Cooking Pears (not too soft)
• 2 teaspoons of Muscavado Sugar
• 8 Scoops of good quality Vanilla Ice-cream
- Heat oven to 150 degrees- Cut pastry into 8 x 8cm rounds (if you don’t have a round cutter you can just cut squares with a knife)
- Paint pastry with milk (this will turn it golden when it cooks)
- Peel pears then cut into thin slices
- Decorate top of pastry with pears slices (be as creative as you like) leaving a little of the pastry showing around the edges
- Sprinkle the pears with sugar
- Cook for around 15mins till pasty is golden and pears browning
- Serve with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice-cream
• 1 sheet of Puff Pastry
• 2 Cooking Pears (not too soft)
• 2 teaspoons of Muscavado Sugar
• 8 Scoops of good quality Vanilla Ice-cream
- Heat oven to 150 degrees- Cut pastry into 8 x 8cm rounds (if you don’t have a round cutter you can just cut squares with a knife)
- Paint pastry with milk (this will turn it golden when it cooks)
- Peel pears then cut into thin slices
- Decorate top of pastry with pears slices (be as creative as you like) leaving a little of the pastry showing around the edges
- Sprinkle the pears with sugar
- Cook for around 15mins till pasty is golden and pears browning
- Serve with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice-cream
Perfect Roast Beef
Feeds 4
• 600g of excellent quality fillet Beef
• 6 thin slices of parma ham or prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons of horseradish (not the creamed variety)
• 2 tablespoons crème fraiche
• 1 bag of baby carrots (or about 4 per person)
• 16 shallots (peeled)
• 1 bag of baby new potatoes (or about 4 per person)
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
- Pre-cook potatoes and carrots (boil) till softened. Then put them in a roasting dish along with shallots and drizzle in olive oil and pepper and salt, then place in the oven at roasting temperature for about 40mins till golden
- Mix crème fraiche and horseradish together into a paste and then cover the top of the fillet in the paste then wrap the fillet in the parma ham slices. Roast in a hot oven for 20min (rare) 20min (med) or 40min (well done)
- Slice beef and serve with roasted vegetables and a seasonal green vegetable of your choice!!
• 600g of excellent quality fillet Beef
• 6 thin slices of parma ham or prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons of horseradish (not the creamed variety)
• 2 tablespoons crème fraiche
• 1 bag of baby carrots (or about 4 per person)
• 16 shallots (peeled)
• 1 bag of baby new potatoes (or about 4 per person)
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
- Pre-cook potatoes and carrots (boil) till softened. Then put them in a roasting dish along with shallots and drizzle in olive oil and pepper and salt, then place in the oven at roasting temperature for about 40mins till golden
- Mix crème fraiche and horseradish together into a paste and then cover the top of the fillet in the paste then wrap the fillet in the parma ham slices. Roast in a hot oven for 20min (rare) 20min (med) or 40min (well done)
- Slice beef and serve with roasted vegetables and a seasonal green vegetable of your choice!!
Courgette Soup
• 6 Courgettes (chopped into chunks)
• 2 Onions (chopped in to chunks)
• 125g Salted Butter
• 1 litre Chicken Stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A sprinkle of mixed herbs or truffle oil (optional)
- Add the butter to saucepan and leave to melt, once melted add courgettes and onions and stir into butter, put the lid on saucepan and leave to simmer, stirring occasionally
- Once the courgettes have softened and the onion is translucent add the chicken stock, cover with lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. If necessary top up with additional water
- Let the mixture cool and then blend till smooth and creamy
- Re-heat and then serve
I like to sprink the soup with fresh herbs, chilli flakes or truffle oil for a treat.
• 2 Onions (chopped in to chunks)
• 125g Salted Butter
• 1 litre Chicken Stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A sprinkle of mixed herbs or truffle oil (optional)
- Add the butter to saucepan and leave to melt, once melted add courgettes and onions and stir into butter, put the lid on saucepan and leave to simmer, stirring occasionally
- Once the courgettes have softened and the onion is translucent add the chicken stock, cover with lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. If necessary top up with additional water
- Let the mixture cool and then blend till smooth and creamy
- Re-heat and then serve
I like to sprink the soup with fresh herbs, chilli flakes or truffle oil for a treat.
Asian Style Nibble Idea
Homemade Sweet Chilli Sauce
* Bottle of Red Wine Vinegar
* 2 cups of Sugar (brown, muscavado or palm)
* 12 chopped Red Chillies* 2 chopped Red Onions
* 2 sliced Garlic Cloves
- Combine all ingredients together in a saucepan
- Simmer for 15mins
- Allow to cool
- Blend with bamix till loosely combined
- Use immediately or bottle - it keeps in the fridge for a couple of months
Asian Prawn Balls
* 500g of Raw Prawns
* Bunch (about 8-10 stems) of Spring Onions (loosely chopped)
* 2 Garlic Cloves
* 1 Egg
* Tablespoon of Oyster Sauce
* Dessertspoon of Soy Sauce
* Tablespoon of Corn Flour
- Blend all these ingredients together in a Magimix or something similar till combined and finely chopped
- Heat vegetable oil in a fry pan for shallow frying
- Then place teaspoon size morsels of the prawn mixture and cook till golden, turning as necessary
- Remove excess oil with kitchen roll then serve Prawn Balls with Sweet Chilli Sauce and chopped Coriander to garnish
Makes approx. 40-50 bite size balls
* Bottle of Red Wine Vinegar
* 2 cups of Sugar (brown, muscavado or palm)
* 12 chopped Red Chillies* 2 chopped Red Onions
* 2 sliced Garlic Cloves
- Combine all ingredients together in a saucepan
- Simmer for 15mins
- Allow to cool
- Blend with bamix till loosely combined
- Use immediately or bottle - it keeps in the fridge for a couple of months
Asian Prawn Balls
* 500g of Raw Prawns
* Bunch (about 8-10 stems) of Spring Onions (loosely chopped)
* 2 Garlic Cloves
* 1 Egg
* Tablespoon of Oyster Sauce
* Dessertspoon of Soy Sauce
* Tablespoon of Corn Flour
- Blend all these ingredients together in a Magimix or something similar till combined and finely chopped
- Heat vegetable oil in a fry pan for shallow frying
- Then place teaspoon size morsels of the prawn mixture and cook till golden, turning as necessary
- Remove excess oil with kitchen roll then serve Prawn Balls with Sweet Chilli Sauce and chopped Coriander to garnish
Makes approx. 40-50 bite size balls
Scotch Eggs – Perfect for that sporting picnic!!(do not confuse these with the shop bought ones, these are in a whole different ball game!!)
* 800g of Lean Pork Mince
* 1.5 sour green apples
* Handful of chopped fresh Sage, although you can use a good sprinkling of dried Sage if need be
* 1 Onion (medium/large)
* 2 bags of fresh Breadcrumbs (or make your own)
* 12 Eggs (medium size)
* 1 single egg
* Salt and Pepper to taste
* Vegetable Oil for frying
- Hard boil 12 eggs and allow to cool before removing shells – set aside
- Chop apple and onion into small cubes and place with sage in buttered fry
-pan and cook till soft then set aside to cool
- Once cooled place with pork mince, 1 bag of breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, salt and pepper and blend together in Magimix (or similar) till well combined
- Combine the yolk and white of remaining egg in small bowlPlace the final bag of breadcrumbs in a large bowl
- Collect a handful of pork mixture and loosely form ball. Create a hole in the middle and place hardboiled egg, cover the egg in the pork mixture then roll in hands till a nice sphere shape forms, dip in egg and then cover in breadcrumbs. Then set aside
- Repeat process for the remaining eggs
- Heat vegetable in a fry-pan for shallow frying and once hot enough add eggs and turn till all parts of egg are golden brown
- Place the eggs on kitchen towel to remove excess oil and allow for cooling
- Cut into quarters and serve with salt flakes and crushed peppercorns or some salad cress for a bit of green
The British boys love them and I've even converted my Mum & Dad!! So I hope you do too!!
* 1.5 sour green apples
* Handful of chopped fresh Sage, although you can use a good sprinkling of dried Sage if need be
* 1 Onion (medium/large)
* 2 bags of fresh Breadcrumbs (or make your own)
* 12 Eggs (medium size)
* 1 single egg
* Salt and Pepper to taste
* Vegetable Oil for frying
- Hard boil 12 eggs and allow to cool before removing shells – set aside
- Chop apple and onion into small cubes and place with sage in buttered fry
-pan and cook till soft then set aside to cool
- Once cooled place with pork mince, 1 bag of breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, salt and pepper and blend together in Magimix (or similar) till well combined
- Combine the yolk and white of remaining egg in small bowlPlace the final bag of breadcrumbs in a large bowl
- Collect a handful of pork mixture and loosely form ball. Create a hole in the middle and place hardboiled egg, cover the egg in the pork mixture then roll in hands till a nice sphere shape forms, dip in egg and then cover in breadcrumbs. Then set aside
- Repeat process for the remaining eggs
- Heat vegetable in a fry-pan for shallow frying and once hot enough add eggs and turn till all parts of egg are golden brown
- Place the eggs on kitchen towel to remove excess oil and allow for cooling
- Cut into quarters and serve with salt flakes and crushed peppercorns or some salad cress for a bit of green
The British boys love them and I've even converted my Mum & Dad!! So I hope you do too!!
Pavlova Australian Style
• 4 egg whites• pinch of salt
• 250g castor sugar
• 2 teaspoon cornflour
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon of vanilla paste or a few drops of vanilla extract
• 300 ml cream
• Pulp from 6-8 passion fruit
• Punnet of raspberries
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees
- Beat egg whites & salt until satiny peaks form. Then beat in sugar, a third at a time, until stiff and shiny.
- Sprinkle in cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and then fold lightly into the eggs whites
- Spread onto baking paper within 20cm radius circle and smooth the tops & sides
- Place in oven and bake for 1 hour (depending on your oven)
- While the pavlova is cooking whip the cream together with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste till firm
- Once cooked it should be crispy on the outside and mashmallowy on the inside
- Allow to cool then turn upside down and top with whipped cream then raspberries and passionfruit
This is a firm favourite everytime I make it!!
• 250g castor sugar
• 2 teaspoon cornflour
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon of vanilla paste or a few drops of vanilla extract
• 300 ml cream
• Pulp from 6-8 passion fruit
• Punnet of raspberries
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees
- Beat egg whites & salt until satiny peaks form. Then beat in sugar, a third at a time, until stiff and shiny.
- Sprinkle in cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and then fold lightly into the eggs whites
- Spread onto baking paper within 20cm radius circle and smooth the tops & sides
- Place in oven and bake for 1 hour (depending on your oven)
- While the pavlova is cooking whip the cream together with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste till firm
- Once cooked it should be crispy on the outside and mashmallowy on the inside
- Allow to cool then turn upside down and top with whipped cream then raspberries and passionfruit
This is a firm favourite everytime I make it!!
Summer Salad
• 4 Courgettes (chopped into thin long slices)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• The Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 punnet of Baby Yellow Tomatoes (chopped in halves)
• 1 tin of Artichoke Hearts (chopped into quarters)
• Handful of coarsely chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
• 180g Feta Cheese
• 2 bunches of Asparagus
- Marinate the Courgette with olive oil and lemon juice, then grill in oven, pan or griddle till browned
- Steam/boil Asparagus till cooked but still firm, then cover in cold water immediately so they keep their pretty bright green colour
- To make the salad, lay down a bed of Asparagus, decorate with Courgette slices, Artichoke Hearts, Yellow Tomatoes, Feta and finally the Flat Leaf Parsley roughly chopped
- Season to taste and dress with a French Vinaigrette
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• The Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 punnet of Baby Yellow Tomatoes (chopped in halves)
• 1 tin of Artichoke Hearts (chopped into quarters)
• Handful of coarsely chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
• 180g Feta Cheese
• 2 bunches of Asparagus
- Marinate the Courgette with olive oil and lemon juice, then grill in oven, pan or griddle till browned
- Steam/boil Asparagus till cooked but still firm, then cover in cold water immediately so they keep their pretty bright green colour
- To make the salad, lay down a bed of Asparagus, decorate with Courgette slices, Artichoke Hearts, Yellow Tomatoes, Feta and finally the Flat Leaf Parsley roughly chopped
- Season to taste and dress with a French Vinaigrette
Ricotta Roast Chicken
• Large Chicken (ready for roasting)
• 1 large Brown Onion (halved)
• 1 Spanish Onion (finely chopped)
• 1 and 1/2 Lemons (halved)
• 400g for Ricotta
• Bunch of Sage (finely chopped)
• 100g of Semi Sundried Tomatoes (finely chopped)• 1 teaspoon of Dried Chilli
• 1 teaspoon of Dried Mediterranean Herbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
- Heat oven to 180 degrees
- Mix ricotta, juice of half a lemon, tomatoes, spanish onion, chilli, sage and dried herbs together to form a paste
- Stuff the inside of the chicken with the lemon and brown onion halves and a sprig of sage
- Stuff under the skin of the chicken with the ricotta mixture till breasts look very plump
- Place the chicken in the oven to cook (covered in foil)
***Note: A good rule of thumb for cooking roast chicken is 1 hour per kg of chicken (but always test by checking the colour of the juices)
- Cook the chicken under the foil till you have about 40min of cooking time left
- Remove the foil and place back in oven for the remainder of the time to allow the skin to brown
- Carve and serve
• 1 large Brown Onion (halved)
• 1 Spanish Onion (finely chopped)
• 1 and 1/2 Lemons (halved)
• 400g for Ricotta
• Bunch of Sage (finely chopped)
• 100g of Semi Sundried Tomatoes (finely chopped)• 1 teaspoon of Dried Chilli
• 1 teaspoon of Dried Mediterranean Herbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
- Heat oven to 180 degrees
- Mix ricotta, juice of half a lemon, tomatoes, spanish onion, chilli, sage and dried herbs together to form a paste
- Stuff the inside of the chicken with the lemon and brown onion halves and a sprig of sage
- Stuff under the skin of the chicken with the ricotta mixture till breasts look very plump
- Place the chicken in the oven to cook (covered in foil)
***Note: A good rule of thumb for cooking roast chicken is 1 hour per kg of chicken (but always test by checking the colour of the juices)
- Cook the chicken under the foil till you have about 40min of cooking time left
- Remove the foil and place back in oven for the remainder of the time to allow the skin to brown
- Carve and serve
Trout Pate
This is a great dip as it last in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
• Handful of chopped dill (you could also use chives)
• Juice of 1 lemon• 2 hot smoked trout fillets
• 1 tub of cream cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a bamix or magimix till a paste has formed and the colour is consistently pale pink. Then place in ramekins or similar (makes 2). Finally decorate the finished product with some dill leaves and serve with tasty biscuits or celery.
• Handful of chopped dill (you could also use chives)
• Juice of 1 lemon• 2 hot smoked trout fillets
• 1 tub of cream cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a bamix or magimix till a paste has formed and the colour is consistently pale pink. Then place in ramekins or similar (makes 2). Finally decorate the finished product with some dill leaves and serve with tasty biscuits or celery.
Chinese Style Pork Belly
* 800g for Pork Belly (skin scored)
* 1 cup of White Wine
* 1 cup of Soy Sauce
* 2 tablespoons of Honey
* 1 White Onion (diced)
* 1 large clove of Garlic (crushed)
* 1 dessertspoon of Fennel Seeds (rubbed into pork belly scores)
* 1 dessertspoon of Chinese 5 Spice
* 1 teaspoon of Ground Ginger1 teaspoon of Ground Corriander
* 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cloves
* 4 Stars of Anise
* Rind of an Orange/Mandarin (optional)
- You will need a casserole pot with lid to cook this all in!!
- Brown the outside of the pork belly in a little butter and set aside
- Using the butter and pork juices cook the onion and garlic until fragrant
- Place the pork on top of the cooked onions and then add all the remaining ingredients
- You can then either cook this covered on a very low heat on the stove or in a the oven on a low heat, it needs to cook for at least 3 hours slowly, if the juices are running low, additional wine and soy can be added.
- Once the pork is cooked it can be set aside for up to 2 days before the final cooking or ofcourse cooked on the day whatever is most convenient.
- Pork needs to be cooked for 30 mins in a roasting oven.
- Cover pork in silver foil for the first 15 minutes then remove for the last 15 to make the exterior crispy.
- When cooked the Pork Belly should be crispy and sweet on the outside and melt in the mouth on the outside.
I serve this with a Sour Salad of finely sliced Grannysmith Apples, Pomegranite Seeds and Baby Watercress Shoots with a dressing of Tamarind and Lime. This sour and crisp salad contrasts really well with the rich, sweet and succulent pork!! I usually also roast some Sweet Potatoes with Seasame Oil, Seasme Seeds and Chilli Flakes and use this as a side dish!!
Enjoy!!
* 1 cup of White Wine
* 1 cup of Soy Sauce
* 2 tablespoons of Honey
* 1 White Onion (diced)
* 1 large clove of Garlic (crushed)
* 1 dessertspoon of Fennel Seeds (rubbed into pork belly scores)
* 1 dessertspoon of Chinese 5 Spice
* 1 teaspoon of Ground Ginger1 teaspoon of Ground Corriander
* 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cloves
* 4 Stars of Anise
* Rind of an Orange/Mandarin (optional)
- You will need a casserole pot with lid to cook this all in!!
- Brown the outside of the pork belly in a little butter and set aside
- Using the butter and pork juices cook the onion and garlic until fragrant
- Place the pork on top of the cooked onions and then add all the remaining ingredients
- You can then either cook this covered on a very low heat on the stove or in a the oven on a low heat, it needs to cook for at least 3 hours slowly, if the juices are running low, additional wine and soy can be added.
- Once the pork is cooked it can be set aside for up to 2 days before the final cooking or ofcourse cooked on the day whatever is most convenient.
- Pork needs to be cooked for 30 mins in a roasting oven.
- Cover pork in silver foil for the first 15 minutes then remove for the last 15 to make the exterior crispy.
- When cooked the Pork Belly should be crispy and sweet on the outside and melt in the mouth on the outside.
I serve this with a Sour Salad of finely sliced Grannysmith Apples, Pomegranite Seeds and Baby Watercress Shoots with a dressing of Tamarind and Lime. This sour and crisp salad contrasts really well with the rich, sweet and succulent pork!! I usually also roast some Sweet Potatoes with Seasame Oil, Seasme Seeds and Chilli Flakes and use this as a side dish!!
Enjoy!!
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