Beetroot Risotto

28 Feb
beetrootThis colourful dish is not only stunning to look at, but fantastic to eat too! I use red wine instead of white to preserve the gorgeous purple colour. This particular recipe is for oven baking, but you can make the risotto the normal way on the stove as well (follow the packet instructions on quantities of liquid vs rice).
Ingredients (serves 4):
  • 500g fresh beetroot
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • knob of butter
  • 1 onion , finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
  • 250g risotto rice (I like Vialone Nano, but Arborio works fine too)
  • 150ml red wine
  • 700ml hot chicken stock (vegetable stock if cooking for veggies)
  • handful grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Peel and trim the beetroots (use kitchen gloves if you don’t want your hands to get stained) and cut into large wedges. Place on a large sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, season, then cook for 1 hr until the beets are soft.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil with the butter in an ovenproof pan with a lid. Tip in the onion and garlic, then cook for 3-5 mins until translucent. Stir in the rice until well coated with the butter and oil. Pour over the white wine, then let the mixture bubble away for 5 mins.
  3. Stir well, then pour over the stock. Stir again, cover and place in the oven. Cook for 15 mins until the rice is soft. Remove the beetroots from the oven. Whizz ¼ of them to make a purée, then chop the remainder into small pieces. Stir most of the Parmesan, the beetroot purée and chopped beetroot through the risotto.
  4. Serve with fresh peas or beans (the purple and green look amazing together on the plate!)
  5. Sprinkle grated parmesan

Option: Beetroot and goats cheese is an amazing combination. Try adding some crumbled goats cheese on top before serving. Yum!

Luscious Cobb Salad

28 Feb

CobbMy favourite salad by a mile. It’s so yummy that you forget you’re having a salad! I guess the crispy bacon/pancetta and the cheese makes it less healthy. Oh well… 🙂

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
  • 8 slices streaky bacon or pancetta
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
  • 4 cups diced cooked chicken
  • 2 ripe avocados, peeled and diced
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled (or any blue cheese)

Dressing:

  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Method

  1. Fry the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels, and when cool enough to handle, crumble and set aside.
  2. Arrange a bed of lettuce on the serving plates. Arrange the eggs, bacon, chicken, avocados, tomatoes, and Roquefort cheese in straight rows on top of the lettuce, covering the surface completely.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil whisking constantly to form the dressing. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad, and serve immediately.

Ultimate Fish Cakes

28 Feb

fishA yummy fish cake from Angela Nilsen (BBC Good Food). Great to serve as a starter or main. Have made it lots of times and everyone absolutely loves it!

 

 

Ingredients

FOR THE TARTARE-STYLE SAUCE

  • 125ml mayonnaise
  • 1 rounded tbsp capers , roughly chopped (rinsed and drained if salted)
  • 1 rounded tsp creamed horseradish
  • 1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 small shallot , very finely chopped
  • 1 tsp flatleaf parsley , finely chopped

 

FOR THE FISH CAKES

  • 450g skinned Icelandic cod or haddock fillet (I use the Fish Pie Mix found in supermarkets as I love the smoked haddock)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 150ml milk
  • 350g Maris Piper potatoes
  • ½ tsp finely grated lemons zest
  • 1 tbsp fresh white flatleaf parsley , chopped
  • 1 tbsp snipped chives
  • 1 egg
  • flour , for shaping
  • 85g fresh white breadcrumbs , preferably a day or two old
  • 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil , for shallow frying
  • lemon wedges and watercress , to serve

Method

Method

  1. Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside. Lay the fish and bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over the milk and 150ml/¼ pint water. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish.
  2. Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes into even-sized chunks. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pince of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until tender, but not broken up.
  3. Lift the fish out of the milk with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave for a min or two. Tip them back into the hot pan on the lowest heat you can and let them dry out for 1 min, mashing them with a fork and stirring so they don’t stick. You should have a light, dry fluffy mash. Take off the heat and beat in 1 rounded tbsp of the sauce, then the lemon zest, parsley and chives. Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
  4. Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes. Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix (see pic 1). You’ll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
  5. Beat the egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the fish cake mixture into four. On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick (pic 2). One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated (pic 3). Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead).
  6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of the dry breadcrumbs in – if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use. Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce (squeeze in a little lemon zest to taste), lemon wedges for squeezing over and watercress.

Grilled Mustard and Herb Chicken

28 Feb

mustard chicken

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken quarters, de-boned
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, heaping
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, heaping
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

 

Method

  1. De-bone chicken.
  2. Mix the oil, herbs, mustard and vinegar.
  3. Coat chicken and marinade overnight in the fridge.
  4. Get bbq, grill or the griddled frying pan sizzling hot.
  5. Place chicken skin side down.
  6. Expect smoke and sizzling.
  7. Cool until skin is brown and crispy, turning after 4-5 minutes.
  8. Continue cooking until juices run clear – roughly 4-5 further minutes.
  9. Serve with a sprinkle of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon.

Nigel Slater’s Thai Green Curry

28 Feb

Thai Green CurryThis recipe was a real eye opener for me. Up until I tried this, I always thought that making your own curry paste wouldn’t be worthwhile and that the store bought pastes are just as good. Well, after making this for the first time a few years ago, I haven’t bought a single jar from the store! Being able to taste each individual ingredient in the paste makes it so fresh and very exciting.

For the curry paste

  • 4 lemongrass stalks, tougher outer leaves discarded
  • 6 medium-hot green chillies, seeded and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 5cm/2in piece of galangal or ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chopped lime zest
  • 1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
  • ½ tsp ground black peppercorns

For the curry 

  • 750g/1lb 10oz free-range chicken breasts or thighs, bones removed
  • 3 tbsp groundnut oil
  • 200g/7oz chestnut mushrooms, quartered
  • 400ml/14fl oz tin coconut milk
  • 400ml/14 fl oz homemade or ready-made chicken stock
  • 8 lime leaves
  • 1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
  • 1 tbsp bottled green peppercorns, drained
  • leaves from a large bunch (about 20g/0.7oz) basil, shredded
  • 15g/½oz fresh coriander (leaves and stalks,) roughly chopped

Method

For the curry paste, slice the lemongrass finely. Put it in a food processor with all the remaining curry paste ingredients and whiz to a thick paste, pushing the mixture down from time to time with a spatula. Transfer to a glass or china dish, cover tightly (otherwise it will taint everything in the fridge) and refrigerate.

For the curry, cut the chicken into finger-thick strips.

Warm the oil in a casserole and, when hot and sizzling, add the chicken strips and let them colour slightly on all sides. You will need to do this in batches to avoid crowding the pan.

Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the casserole with a slotted spoon. Add the quartered mushrooms to the casserole and fry until golden-brown, adding more oil if needed.

Pour in the coconut milk and stock, then add the lime leaves, four heaped tablespoons of the curry paste, the fish sauce, peppercorns and half of the chopped herbs. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Return the chicken to the casserole with a further tablespoon of the paste and simmer for five to six minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the last of the herbs and serve.

Taco Potato Gratin (or whatever you may want to call it)

27 Feb

Taco dish This is a dish that developed out of my love for tacos and potato gratin. It’s a completely something out of my own brain, hence the non-existent word for it! I’ve trawled the web to find anything similar and haven’t found anything – yet! It’s so easy to make + not that calorific either (unless you count the cheese of course….)

Oh, and it’s a real ‘cheat’ dish a la Delia…

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 500g peeled potatoes (I used Desiree variety, but any floury or all-purpose potato would do)
  • 400g mince meat
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 bags of Old El Paso ready-made Salsa (comes with a taco kit) or any other salsa
  • 1 bag of taco spice mix (Old El Paso, but any other will do)
  • Grated cheese

Method:

  1. Slice potatoes finely (use a mandolin if you have one – if not, it’s worth investing in one). Put them in an oven dish with some water and heat in the microwave for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and almost cooked through.
  2. Meanwhile, fry the meat in a frying pan with some oil until all browned.
  3. Mix the tomato and one bag of the salsa with the taco mix in a bowl. Pour it in with the meat and mix it all together.
  4. Remove the cooked potatoes from the oven dish temporarily to another plate and start layering potatoes with the meat & tomato mix into the oven dish until it is almost full.
  5. Finish off with spreading the second bag of salsa over the top of the dish and cover all with a good amount of grated cheese. This can all be done in advance and re-heated in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the mixture bubbles and the cheese is nice and browned. If food is still warm, it will only need to brown up the cheese (15-20 minutes).

Let it cool for a while and serve with some crispy salad and, why not, a dollop of sour cream and guacamole on the side. It’s pretty much like having a taco – only with potatoes!

Options:

  • Add sliced aubergine in with the potatoes for a bit of Greek/Mex moussaka variety. Aubergines need to be pre-cooked, though. Nothing worse than chewy, bitter aubergines!
  • Add chilli for a bit of spice
  • Add beans to the meat mix – or replace the mince with pinto or kidney beans for a veggie option

Jamie’s Tender & Crisp Chicken Legs with Sweet Tomatoes

30 Jan

Jamie's Basil ChickenOne of my favourite recipes of all time – courtesy of Jamie Oliver (www.jamieoliver.com) This recipe takes literally minutes to put together but then requires slow, gentle cooking.

However, in return for your patience, what happens in the pan from just a couple of ingredients is an absolute joy and never fails, so it’s a good one to serve if you have guests.

 

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken legs, jointed
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 big bunch fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
  • 2 big handfuls red and yellow cherry tomatoes and ripe plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes halved, plum tomatoes quartered
  • 1 whole bulb garlic, broken into cloves
  • 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
  • olive oil
  • 410 g tinned cannellini beans, drained, optional
  • 2 handfuls new potatoes, scrubbed, optional

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Season your chicken pieces all over and put them into a snug-fitting pan in one layer. Throw in all the basil leaves and stalks, then chuck in your tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan with the chopped chilli and drizzle over some olive oil. Mix around a bit, pushing the tomatoes underneath. Place in the oven for 1½ hours, turning the tomatoes halfway through, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat falls off the bone.

If you fancy, you can add some drained cannellini beans (I ALWAYS add – but then I’d add pulses to everything given half a chance) or some sliced new potatoes to the pan (I’ve found that they may need a tad parboiling before putting in depending on what kind of potatoes you use or how finely you slice them – won’t cook in time otherwise) and cook them with the chicken. Or you can serve the chicken with some simple mashed potato. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins before serving. You could even make it part of a pasta dish – remove the chicken meat from the bone and shred it, then toss into a bowl of linguini or spaghetti and serve at once.

Yummy (and easy!) Onion Gravy

30 Jan

bangers and mashIn my opinion, one of the real ‘finds’ in British cuisine is the lovely ‘bangers and mash’. Can food be more comforting on a cold winters night?

The key to getting it right is letting the gravy take its time and getting really nice quality sausages (I like Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Cumberland Pork Sausages).

Here’s the simple gravy recipe I tend to use:

Ingredients

Serves: 4
  • 75g butter
  • 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour
  • 100ml red wine
  • 400ml chicken or beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon Worcester sauce
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • salt and black pepper

Preparation method

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 45 mins

  1. Melt the butter in a heavy pan and cook the onion over medium heat for 10 minutes or until soft. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the onions are brown, around 30 minutes in total.
  2. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute and then add the wine, stock, Worcester sauce and mustard.
  3. Bring the gravy to the boil and simmer for around 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.
Cook sausages as per the instructions on the pack. Serve with creamy mash and garden peas.

Pesto Genovese

20 Jan

PestoNot many people dislike pesto, but I have a friend who does. This recipe, though, she loves.

Ingredients:

  • 50g basil leaves
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • 125ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 25g grated parmesan

Put the basil leaves into a mortar and bash them witht he pestle until they become a pulp. Add the garlic and nuts and bash repeatedly. Using a metal spoon, stir in the olive oil, followed by the cheese. Add salt if necessary, but bear in mind that Parmesan is salty.

To store pesto, pour into a sterile jar and top with a bit of olive oil to seal. It will last up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Note! Never heat pesto, simply stir into a hot drained pasta.

 

Soffritto

20 Jan

SoffrittoThis is the essential base for Italian stews and soups, some sauces and ragu. The recipe varies by region, but most versions contain celery, onion and carrot. This is the recipe I was taught at Caldesi cookery school in Bray, Berkshire.

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 150g carrot
  • 150g celery
  • 150g onion
  • 150ml olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 large sprigs of rosemary and/or thyme
  • 2 bay leaves

Finely chop the ingredients. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and seasoning. Fry for 1 minute before adding the rest of the ingredients.. Keep frying, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Use straight away or freeze.

 

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →