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Farfalle with Sundried Tomatoes January 3, 2011

Filed under: Fast Food,Favourites,Pasta — delishuss @ 9:25 pm
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This recipe is from Mama’s Italian Cookbook. It’s basically pasta and pesto with sundried tomatoes but it’s very tasty. It’s very quick to make which is always a bonus. I made one addition to the recipe and that’s lemon to the basil sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

30g/1 oz of sun-dried tomatoes (I used some in oil)

55g/ 2 oz pine kernels

1 handful of fresh basil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

100 ml/3 1/2 fl oz olive oil

1 tsbp grated Parmesan cheese

400g/ 14 oz dried farfalle pasta

1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

Method

1. If you used sundried tomatoes not in oil, pour water over them and soak for 25 minutes. Then pour off the water, squeeze out the liquid and chop.

2. Roast the pine kernels in a dry frying pan until golden brown. Grind half the pine kernels with the basil leaves, garlic and salt in a large mortar. Gradually work in the olive oil, lemon. Add the cheese last. To save time and effort you could also do this in a blender.

3. Stir the chopped tomatoes into the basil sauce.

4. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the packet until tender, but still firm to bite.

5. Drain the pasta and combine it, still dripping wet, with the basil and tomato sauce in a warmed bowl.

6. Serve on warmed plates, seasoned with pepper and sprinkled with the remaining pine kernels.

 

Hearty Winter Soup December 12, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Soups and Stews — delishuss @ 12:59 pm
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This is my own little creation. It makes loads so you can make it and freeze. This will warm the cockles. Perfect if you are suffering with a cold and just need a bit of a boast. 

Ingredients

2 leeks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 large potato, diced

2 medium sized onions, chopped

200g soup mix

1 bouquet garni

1 litre of boiling water

50 ml of liquid chicken stock

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper to season

Method

  1. Heat a large saucepan; add the olive oil and heat.
  2. Fry off the leeks, onions, potato, and carrots for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the bay leaves.
  4. Reduce the lid and cover with a lid. Saute the vegetables for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the soup mix. Add the bouquet garni, salt and pepper.
  6. Pour in the liquid stock and the water.
  7. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat.
  8. Simmer for 45 minutes. Adding more water if it has reduced too far.

 

Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve with some nice home made brown bread.

 

Kinda Sausage Cassoulet November 21, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat — delishuss @ 9:46 pm
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I tried this recipe this evening. It’s another one of Jamie Oliver’s 30 minutes meals. I thoroughly recommend this one. I’ll let you in on a little secret, I didn’t have any tinned tomatoes in stock so I had a jar of Gordon Ramsey’s pasta sauce in the press, so I used that.  Either way this recipe is awesome.

Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS

CASSOULET
• 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
• 1 1/2 red onions
• a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1/2 a small bunch of fresh sage
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 2 leeks
• 400g good-quality chipolata sausages
• 3–4 thick slices of bread
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 x 680g jar of passata
• 1 x 390g carton of butter beans
• 1 x 390g carton of haricot beans

BROCCOLI
• 400g tenderstem broccoli
• 1/4 of a small red onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 lemon

METHOD

CASSOULET

  • Slice 4 rashers of bacon about 1cm thick and add to a sturdy roasting tray with a few lugs of olive oil. Put over a high heat.
  • Halve, peel and slice 1½ red onions.
  • Pick the rosemary and most of the sage leaves and sprinkle into the tray with the bay leaves, keeping a few sage sprigs back for later.
  • Trim the leeks and peel back the outer leaves. Cut down the length of the leeks, then wash away any grit and finely slice. Add the leeks and onions to the tray with a few splashes of boiled water, stir, then leave to soften.
  • Lay the sausages in another roasting tray, drizzle and rub a little olive oil over them, then put under the grill to cook for 8 minutes. Stir your vegetables.

BROCCOLI Put a small saucepan on a high heat. Trim and discard the ends of the broccoli.

CASSOULET

  • Tear the slices of bread into large chunks and put into a food processor with a pinch of salt & pepper, ½ of the reserved sprigs of sage, 2 cloves of garlic and a good drizzle of olive oil. Pulse until you have fairly even, coarse breadcrumbs.

Stir the passata and the beans and their juices into the tray of vegetables.

BROCCOLI

  • Peel and coarsely grate ¼ of a red onion into a mixing bowl.
  • Crush over 1 clove of garlic.
  • Halve the 2 plum tomatoes, discard the seeds, then carefully grate them, flesh side down, through the coarse grater. Discard the skins left behind.
  • Add a couple of lugs of extra virgin olive oil, season carefully then squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and mix.

CASSOULET

  • Take the sausages out of the oven.
  • Sprinkle half the breadcrumbs from the food processor over the veg and beans.
  • Lay the sausages dark side down and sprinkle over the rest of the breadcrumbs.
  • Pick the rest of the sage leaves, drizzle with olive oil and scatter on top.
  • Put the roasting tray into the oven on the middle shelf for around 4 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden.

BROCCOLI

  • Put the broccoli, stalks down, into a pan of boiling water and put the lid on.
  • Cook for a couple of minutes, or until tender.

TO SERVE

  • The broccoli should be tender by now, so drain it, then scatter on a platter and spoon over the dressing.
  • Toss quickly, and take straight to the table.
  • Remove the cassoulet from the oven and take to the table with a nice bottle of red wine.

Notes: I couldn’t get chipolate sausages, so I got some cumberland sausages instead and cooked them in the pan for longer. I also couldn’t find haricot beans so I popped in some cannellini beans.

I’m not a big fan of broccoli, so I used green beans instead.

 

Jool’s Pasta October 28, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat,Pasta — delishuss @ 9:08 pm
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A lot of people wouldn’t be Jamie Oliver fans but I have to go against the grain on this one. I think he and his recipes are great. The ingredients are very easy to get and he does simple, tasty food. Here’s another one from the 30 minute meals series. The dish was lovely, I’m not very fond of fennel seeds so I think I would leave them out next time. They have an aniseed flavour, which is an acquired taste.

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the pasta

  • 4 spring onions
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1-2 fresh red chillies
  • 1 x 6-pack of good-quality sausages (approx. 400g)
  • 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 500g dried penne
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • A few sprigs of Greek basil, or regular basil

Method

To start: Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a large frying pan on a high heat. Put the standard blade attachment into the food processor.

Pasta: Trim the spring onions, carrot and celery. Roughly chop all the vegetables, then blitz in the food processor with the chillies (stalks removed). Add the sausages, 1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Keep pulsing until well mixed, then spoon this mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go. Keep checking on it and stirring while you get on with other jobs. Put a large deep saucepan on a low heat and fill with boiled water. Fill and reboil the kettle.

Pasta: Top up the saucepan with more boiled water if needed. Season well then add the penne and cook according to packet instructions, with the lid askew.

Pasta: Crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the sausage mixture and stir in 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and the tinned tomatoes. Add a little of the starchy cooking water from the pasta to loosen if needed.

Pasta: Drain the pasta, reserving about a wineglass worth of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and give it a gentle stir, adding enough of the cooking water to bring it to a silky consistency. Taste, correct the seasoning, then tip into a large serving bowl and take straight to the table with the rest of the Parmesan for grating over. Scatter over a few basil leaves.

Note: you can swap the celery for courgette also if you prefer.

 

Beef with Yorkies and roast potatoes meal October 27, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat — delishuss @ 8:40 pm
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This is one of Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals. We were watching it on bank holiday Monday last and salivating. So I nipped out and picked up the ingredients. It was really awesome. Definately worth a try, don’t be put off by the number of steps involved.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the potatoes

  • 500g red-skinned potatoes
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary
  • 1 bulb of garlic

For the Yorkies

  • Just under 1 mug of plain flour
  • 1 mug of milk
  • 1 egg

For the carrots

  • 500g small carrots
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar
  • Knob of butter

For the gravy

  • ½ a red onion
  • 12 baby button mushrooms
  • 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
  • 1 small wineglass of red wine
  • 300ml organic chicken stock

For the beef

  • 8 sprigs each of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme
  • 700g fillet of beef

For the seasonings

  • Olive oil
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper

For the watercress salad

  • ½ a red onion
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
  • 1 x 100g bag of prewashed watercress

To serve

  • Creamed horseradish sauce
  • English mustard
  • A bottle of red wine

To start: Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Turn the oven on to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7, and place a 12 hole shallow bun tin on the top shelf. Put 1 large saucepan and 2 large frying pans on a medium heat. Put the fine slicer disc attachment into the food processor.

Potatoes: Wash the potatoes, leaving the skins on. Chop into 2cm chunks and throw into one of the large frying pans. Cover with boiling water, season with salt and cover with a lid. Turn the heat right up, and boil for 8minutes, or until just cooked. Fill and reboil the kettle.

Beef: Quickly pick and finely chop the rosemary, sage and thyme leaves. Turn the heat under the empty frying pan up to full whack. Mix the herbs together and spread them around the chopping board with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cut the fillet in half lengthways, then roll each piece back and forth so they are completely coated in herbs. Add the meat to the hot empty frying pan with a few good lugs of olive oil. You must turn it every minute while you get on with other jobs. Don’t forget to seal the ends.

Carrots: Tip the carrots into the saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add 2 sprigs of thyme, a couple of bay leaves, a good pinch of salt, a splash of olive oil and 1 heaped tablespoon of sugar. Cook with a lid on until tender.

Yorkies: Put the flour, milk and egg into the liquidizer with a pinch of salt. Blitz, then quickly and confidently remove the bun tin from the oven and close the door. In one quick movement, back and forth, drizzle a little olive oil in each compartment, then do the same with the batter until each one is half full (any remaining batter can be used for pancakes another day). Place in the top of the oven, close the door and do not open for 14 minutes, until golden and risen.

Potatoes: Check that the potatoes are cooked through, then drain and return to the same frying pan. Leave on a high heat and drizzle over some olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, speed-peel in strips of lemon zest and add 4 sprigs of thyme or rosemary. Halve the bulb of garlic widthways, squash each half with the back of a knife and add to the pan. Toss everything together, then roughly squash down with a masher. Toss every 3 minutes or so, until golden and crisp.

Gravy: Reduce the heat under the beef a little. Peel the red onion half. Finely slice in the food processor. Add half the onion to the beef pan with a splash of olive oil, the other half to a salad bowl. Rinse the mushrooms in a colander and slice in the processor, then add to the beef pan. Stir everything around and remember to keep turning the beef regularly for 5 minutes.

Gravy: Remove the beef to a plate. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then cover with foil. Stir 1 heaped tablespoon of flour into the pan. Add a small glass of red wine and turn the heat up. Boil down to nearly nothing, then stir in 300ml of chicken stock and simmer until thick and shiny.

To serve: Drain the carrots, return to the pan, toss with butter and take to the table. Turn the potatoes out on to a platter. Smear 2 spoonfuls of horseradish sauce and 1 teaspoon of English mustard on to another platter. Quickly slice the beef 1cm thick, using long carving motions. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt & pepper from a height, then pile the beef on top of the horseradish sauce and mustard. Add any resting juices to the gravy and serve in a jug. Toss and dress the salad quickly, then get the Yorkies out of the oven, and take them to the table and tuck in with a glass of wine.

 

The Ultimate Burger October 16, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat — delishuss @ 9:30 pm
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I think this is a Jamie Oliver recipe. I’ve tried a lot of variations of burger recipes and haven’t quite found anything as good as this.

Makes approx 8 burgers

Ingredients

1kg/2lb 3oz good minced steak

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

Olive oil

Pinch of cumin seeds

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 heaped tablespoon English

1 large free-range egg

115g/4oz breadcrumbs

8 burger buns

Instructions

  1. Transfer the meat to a bowl. In a big frying pan, slowly cook the onion in a little olive oil for about 5 mins until softened but not coloured.
  2. Add the onion to the meat- it will give sweetness to the burger. U sing a pestle and mortar bash up the cumin and coriander seeds with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper until fine and add to the meat.
  3. Then add the parmesan, mustard, egg and half the breadcrumbs and mix well. If the mixture is too sticky, add a few more breadcrumbs.
  4. Lay some greaseproof paper on a tray or large plate and sprinkle over some of the remaining breadcrumbs. Shape the meat into 8 fat burgers and place these on top of the crumbs on the tray.
  5. Sprinkle more crumbs on top and press down gently. The burgers are better if they are chilled before cooking, so put them in the fridge for an hour or so.
  6. Take the burgers out of the fridge and fry them in a little oil on a medium to high heat for about 8-10 mins, depending on the thickness of the burgers and how you like them, turning occasionally. Serve them on toasted burger buns, with tomato ketchup, layers of sliced beef tomatoes, thinly sliced cheese, raw onion rings and lettuce.
 

Spanish Pan Fry August 30, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat,Potatoes,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 10:04 pm
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I am a big fan of chorizo so this is right up my alley.  I would have thought that the chorizo would have been a complete no no where Weight Watchers is concerned but this recipe is pretty okay in terms of points. As always I made a few changes, this is my version below.

Serves 4

5 1/2 points value per serving

Ingredients

500g (1lb 2 oz) new potatoes, halved or quartered if large

low fat cooking spray

200g (7 oz) chorizo, cubed

1 large yellow pepper, de-seeded and sliced

1 onion, sliced

6 tablespoons canned chick peas, drained

400g cherry tomatoes, halved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

250 ml of stock

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Method

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large non stick wok or frying pan and spray with the cooking spray. Add the peppers and onions and fry for 2 minutes.  Add the chorizo and fry for another 2 minutes. Stirring until it starts to crisp.

3. Add in the garlic and fry for another minute. Then add the chick peas, potatoes, and tomatoes. Stir in some of the stock and simmer until the liquid has reduced, then add the remainder and repeat.

4. Season to taste and serve in shallow bowls sprinkled with the parsley.

For an additional 2 points serve with 50g of crusty bread to mop up any of the juices.

 

Green Bean and Coconut Soup August 29, 2010

Filed under: Chicken,Favourites,Soups and Stews — delishuss @ 8:44 pm
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This has to be one of my favourite recipes. It’s great as a soup but I often add some cooked chicken and serve with rice.  The recipe is from one of the Avoca cookbooks. Anyway give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

15g/1/2 oz butter

2 spring onions, chopped

1 medium carrot cut into fine strips

2 teaspoons of finely chopped lemongrass

2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed

1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon of ground turmeric

2 teaspoons of ground coriander

2 green chillies, chopped

12 green beans, roughly chopped

2 x 400 ml cans of coconut milk

½ vegetable stock cube crumbled or 2 tbsp of liquid stock

110g/4oz bean sprouts

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
  2. Add the spring onions, carrot, lemongrass, garlic and ginger and stir over a medium heat for 1 minute.
  3. Add the turmeric, coriander, chillies, green beans, coconut milk and stock cube and mix well.
  4. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the bean sprouts and fresh coriander, season to taste and serve.
 

Roasted Sausage and Pepper Rigatoni July 22, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat,Pasta,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:51 pm
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Here’s another Weight Watchers Recipe from the Fabulous and Filling Cookbook.  I only added one thing and that was a red onion cut into quarters or chunks.  I used Superquinn low fat sausages, they are gorgeous and there’s no noticeable difference between the full fat and low fat versions.

Serves 4

7 1/2 Weight Watchers points per serving

Ingredients

454g pack low fat sausages

1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped roughly

1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and chopped roughly

3 garlic cloves, crushed

A pinch of dried chillies

Low fat cooking spray

350g (12 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved

250g (9 oz) dried rigatoni

2 heaped tablespoons shredded fresh basil

Method

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 7/220 degrees celsius/fan oven 200 degrees celsius.

2. Snip the sausages into chunks using kitchen scissors and toss together with the peppers, garlic and chillies in a large roasting tin. Spray with the cooking spray and roast for 15 minutes.

3. Stir the cherry tomatoes into the roasting tin and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain thoroughly.

5. Add the pasta to the roasted sausage and pepper mixture and stir in the fresh basil. Serve immediately.