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Jambalaya July 3, 2013

Filed under: Fish,Meat,Rice and Grains — delishuss @ 10:34 am
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I picked myself up a slow cooker. I was surprised at how popular they are here in Australia considering how warm a place it is. It’s more the convenience of it I think; you bung the food in the cooker, leave it for the day and hey presto a lovely cooked dinner waiting for you when you get home. I wasn’t really sure what the process was so I bought myself a cookbook to try out a few ideas from it (Simple & Delicious Slow Cooker)

One of the first recipes I tried out was this Jambalaya. I will be straight with you, I thought the flavour would be a bit punchier. Maybe a bay leaf or bouquet garni might work to give it a bit more flavour. Here you go.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

350g/12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced

2 tbsp corn oil

2 onions, chopped

2 green peppers, deseeded and chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

115g/4oz chorizo sausage, sliced

400g/12oz canned chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

225ml/8floz chicken stock

450g/1lb raw prawns, peeled and deveined

450g/ 1lb cooked rice

Salt and pepper

Snipped fresh chives, to garnish

 

Method

1. Mix together the cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt and the thyme in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

2. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, green peppers and celery and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for a further 5 minutes until golden all over. Stir the ham, chorizo, tomatoes, tomato puree and stock and bring to boil.

3. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Add the prawns and rice, re-cover and cook on high for 30 minutes.

4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to warmed plates, garnish with chives and serve immediately.

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Spaghetti with Rocket and Smoked Salmon May 14, 2012

Filed under: Fast Food,Fish,Healthy Eating — delishuss @ 9:20 pm
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This is really quick and easy to make. I couldn’t resist messing with the recipe, but I think my additions work 🙂 I took the recipe from Easy Health magazine from Jan/Feb. I’ll definitely give this one a go again.

Serves 4

Ingredients

250g wholewheat spaghetti

1 large onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

120g smoked salmon, cut into fine strips

300g mixed wild rocket and flat-leaved parsley

A little olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Parmesan

40g frozen peas

Handful toasted pine nuts

 

Method

1. Cook the spaghetti until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan. Fry off the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes.

2. Add the peas and heat through.

3. On a separate pan (dry), add the pine nuts and toast them.

4. Drain the spaghetti, combine with the salmon, rocket & parsley, add a dash of olive oil and lemon juice to the onions, garlic and peas and return to the heat for a minute or two stirring

5. Sprinkle with sea salt and lots of black pepper and serve, garnish with parmesan and toasted pine nuts.

 

Creamy Prawn Tagliatelle March 27, 2012

Filed under: Fast Food,Favourites,Fish,Healthy Eating,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:36 pm
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I tripped across a recipe somewhere that had tagliatelle and prawns that I thought looked nice but couldn’t find it, so I came up with the following concoction. It’s really good, if I do say so myself 🙂 It took about 15 minutes in total to make. Can’t complain about that really.

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2- 1 red chilli, finely chopped

1/4 courgette, coarsely grated

1 clove garlic, crushed

30g frozen peas

75g cooked prawns

3 shallots, chopped

3 tablespoon creme fraiche (I used the Weight Watchers one)

75g tagliatelle

2 tablespoon liquid stock

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Boil the pasta as per the packet instructions. This should take about 10-12 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry off the onion, garlic and chilli for 3-4 minutes or until the onions have started to soften.

3.  Add in the peas and the prawns and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the liquid stock and spoon in the creme fraiche and stir.

4. The pasta should be cooked by this stage so add it and stir everything through making sure everything is piping hot.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

 

Thai Prawn Noodle Bowl March 10, 2012

Filed under: Fast Food,Fish,Noodles — delishuss @ 12:19 pm
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This recipe is dead easy to make. I got it from the Quick and Easy cookbook. I couldn’t resist making some adjustments to the recipe :-). I added couple of splashes of soy sauce and also the juice of half a lime. You don’t have to add them it was just my preference. So here goes:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 bunch spring onions

2 celery sticks

1 red pepper

200g rice vermicelli noodles

2 tbsp groundnut oil

55g unsalted peanuts

1 fresh bird’s eye chilli, sliced

1 lemon grass stem, crushed

400ml fish or chicken stock

200ml coconut mil

2 tsp Thai fish sauce

350g cooked peeled king prawns

Salt and pepper

3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

 

Method

1. Trim the spring onions and celery and thinly slice diagonally. Deseed and thinly slice the pepper.

2. Place the noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to stand for 4 minutes, or until tender, drain.

3. Heat the oil in a wok and stir fry the peanuts for 1-2 minutes, until golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon.

4. Add the sliced vegetable to the wok and stir-fry over a high heat for 1-2 minutes.

5 Add the chilli, lemon grass, stock, coconut milk and fish sauce and bring to the boil.

6. Stir in the prawns and bring back to the boil, stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the noodles.

7. Serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with fresh coriander.

 

Salmon rendang with mint salad January 15, 2012

Filed under: Curries,Fish — delishuss @ 10:43 pm
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I am a huge fan of Saturday Kitchen. Lots of brilliant chefs all in the one show, what more could a foodie ask for. This recipe is one of James Martin’s, absolutely lush and the dish isn’t half bad either 🙂 There’s a lot of ingredients in this one so best lay them out before you start. It’s quite simply to put together after that.

Ingredients

For the spice paste

  • 5 shallots, roughly chopped
  • 3cm/1¼in galangal, roughly chopped
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3cm/1¼in ginger, roughly chopped
  • 5 dried chillies, soaked in warm water, seeds removed and roughly chopped

For the salmon

  • 5 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1kg/2lb 4oz salmon fillet, cut into cubes
  • 2 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 star anise
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped
  • 400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
  • 2 tsp tamarind paste
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves
  • 6 tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 limes, juice only
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the mint salad

  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp mint leaves
  • 3 tbsp coriander leaves
  • ½ cucumber, finely shredded
  • 250g/9oz white cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 red chilli, finely shredded

Preparation method

  1. For the spice paste, place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse to form a paste. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and set aside.
  2. For the salmon, heat a heavy-based pan over a medium heat, add half the oil then brown the salmon on all sides, remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the spice paste for 2-3 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and lemongrass and cook for another couple of minutes.
  4. Return the salmon to the pan, mix well then add the coconut milk, 200ml/7fl oz water, tamarind paste and lime leaves and bring to a simmer.
  5. Add the toasted coconut, soy and fish sauces and return to the boil, stirring all the time to make sure it doesn’t stick.
  6. Turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the lime juice and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  7. For the salad, whisk the rice wine vinegar and sesame oil together in a bowl then add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.

8. To serve, spoon the curry onto the plate and pile the salad alongside.

 

Quick and Creamy Fish Pie December 18, 2011

Filed under: Fast Food,Fish — delishuss @ 5:17 pm
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As most people that know me know, I’m not a big fish eater so this was a bit of a leap for me. My in-house food tester was a bit disappointed that there were no spuds to go with it. In hindsight, I would probably make some mash to go with it next time round. I got this recipe in the ‘Frame by Frame- Quick and Easy’ cookbook.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

150 ml/ 5 fl oz dry white wine or fish stock

1 bay leaf

1 leek, chopped

100g creme fraiche

500g firm white fish fillets, cut into chunks

175g cooked peeled prawns

175g frozen peas

40g butter, melted

150g fresh white breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Method

1. Heat the oil in an oven proof saucepan, or a shallow flameproof casserole and fry the shallots and leeks for 2-3 minutes, until softened.

2. Add the wine, bay lead and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the creme fraiche and add the fish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the fish is almost cooked.

5. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then add the prawns and peas and bring back to the boil.

6. Meanwhile, re-melt the butter in a separate saucepan, if necessary, and stirin the breadcrumbs. Preheat the grill to medium.

7. Spread the breadcrumbs muxture evenly over the top of the fish mixture.

8. Placce the saucepan under the preheated grill for 3-4 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and bubbling.

9. Sprinkle, with fresh parsley and serve hot.

 

Cod Pilaff December 4, 2011

Filed under: Curries,Fish,Healthy Eating,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 10:11 pm
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Hi everyone,

I kind of went off the grid there for a while but had a week off this week so I tried lots of  new recipes. This one is an adaptation from Weight Watchers one: Smoked Haddock Pilaff. I’m not gone on smoked fish so I just used plain cod and spiced the recipe up a bit. I only added extra spices so I would imagine the propoints values haven’t changed.

8 Propoints value per serving

Serves 1

 

Ingredients

Low fat cooking spray

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 whole cardamon pods, crushed lightly

1 tablespoons of curry powder

1 tablespoon of smoked paprika (I know not authentically Indian)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon of garam masala

40g dried basmati rice

250 ml vegetable stock

60g green beans, trimmed and chopped

100g skinless cod fillets, cut into chunks

25g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley

 

Method

1. Spray a medium sized, non stick lidded saucepan with the cooking spray and heat until hot. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened, adding a splash of water if it starts to stick.

2. Add the spices except for the paprika and cook for a few minutes, before adding the rice. Stir to coat then add the stock.

3. Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 8 minutes. Coat the fish in the smoked paprika. Add the beans and the fish to the pot. Cover again.

4. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until everything is cooked through. Most of the water should have been absorbed but drain any that hasn’t.

5. Remove from the heat, flake the fish, stir in the sweetcorn and leave to heat through for about 2 minutes. Serve the pilaff, garnished with the parsley.

 

 

 

 

Paella June 18, 2011

Filed under: Fish,Meat,Rice and Grains,Uncategorized — delishuss @ 4:44 pm
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This is my version of a Paella. I’m not sure if it’s authentic but it’s really yummy. It gets my thumbs up anyway.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

100g chorizo, sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

1 chilli, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 litres of hot chicken stock

2 large pinches of saffron

1 heaped teaspoon of smoked paprika

200g chopped tomatoes

Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 handfuls of peas, fresh or frozen

10 king prawns

Instructions

  1. Heat a little olive oil in a large deep pan and fry the chicken and onion until golden brown on both sides. Add the sliced chorizo and fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the chilli and garlic and cook until soft.
  2. Add the rice, mix and cook for 3 minutes. Add the saffron and paprika and stir. Next add the chopped tomatoes.
  3. Add half the chicken stock and leave to cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  4. After 20 minutes the rice should be nearly cooked. At this point, pour in the rest of the stock along with the peas, and prawns.
  5. Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes more.
  6. Finally, serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon.
 

crispy salmon, jazzed-up rice, baby courgette salad, gorgeous guacamole February 28, 2011

Filed under: Favourites,Fish,Rice and Grains — delishuss @ 11:01 pm
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This recipe is absolutely fabulous. Yes, I know this is me talking about fish :-). This is a Jamie Oliver recipe, one from his 30 minute meals. Give it a go! Okay granted the method does look really complicated but actually not that difficult, it’s just that there are a lot of components.

Ingredients

For the salmon:

2 long peppers (red and yellow)

a bunch of spring onions

2 fresh red chillies

1 x 1kg fillet of salmon, skin on, descaled and deboned

1 lemon

Fennel seeds

For the rice:

1 mug of rice

1/2 450g jar red peppers

A few sprigs of fresh basil

Balsamic vinegar

For the salad:

1 lemon

A couple of sprigs of fresh mint

1-2 fresh red chillies

400g baby courgettes

Seasonings

Olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

For the guacomole:

4 spring onions

A small bunch of fresh coriander

1 fresh red chilli

1 clove garlic

2 limes

2-3 small ripe avocados

1 handful of cherry tomatoes

Method

To start

1. Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Turn the grill on to full whack. Put a saucepan on a medium heat. Put the standard blade attachment into the food processor.
 

Salmon

  1. Pour a couple of lugs of olive oil into a large roasting tray.
  2. Halve and deseed the red pepper.
  3. Slice the pepper and the bunch of spring onions into 2cm pieces. Roughly chop the chillies.
  4. Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the salmon, season, and finely grate over some lemon zest.
  5. Rub these flavours all over the salmon, then wash your hands. If necessary, halve the salmon so it fits the roasting tray, then lay skin side up and arrange the sliced vegetables all around it.
  6. Whack under the grill on the middle shelf and set the timer for 14 minutes.

Rice

  1. Put the rice into a medium saucepan with a pinch of salt and cover by 1.5cm with boiling water.
  2. Put the lid on, then turn the heat right up and leave to cook for 7 minutes. Once cooked, take off the heat and leave to steam for 7 minutes, still covered with the lid.

Salad

  1. Squeeze the juice of ½ a lemon into a large serving bowl and add a couple of lugs of extra virgin olive oil and a good pinch of salt & pepper.
  2. Finely chop the mint leaves and ½ a chilli and add to the bowl.
  3. Speed-peel as much of the baby courgettes as you can over the dressing and put whatever is left behind on a large wooden chopping board.
  4. Take the bowl of salad to the table but don’t toss until right before you are ready to serve.

Rice

  1. Roughly chop and mix the jarred peppers and mint leaves on the chopping board with the remaining courgette.
  2. Add a pinch of salt & pepper, a good lug of extra virgin olive
    oil and a splash of balsamic.

    3. 

Salmon

  1. When the 14 minutes are up, take the tray out of the oven.
  2. Using a knife and your fingers, carefully peel the skin away from the flesh and flip it over.
  3. Add a pinch of salt and the fennel seeds.
  4. Turn the peppers over, then put the tray back under the grill and cook for a further 5 minutes,or until the skin is really crispy.

    5. 

Guacomole

  1. Trim the spring onions and put them into the processor with most of the coriander, the chilli (stalk removed), a peeled clove of garlic, the juice of 1 of your limes and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
  2. Whiz up while you stone the avocados and quarter the tomatoes.
  3. Stop whizzing, and squeeze the avocado flesh out of its skin into the processor.
  4. Add the tomatoes and pulse until chunky.
  5. Put into a bowl and add more seasoning or lime juice to taste if needed.
  6. Take to the table with a few wedges of lime for squeezing over.

    7. 

Rice

  1. Quickly fluff up the rice with a fork, then tip over the board of chopped veg and gently mix together. Take to the table.

Salmon

  1. Use tongs to carefully turn the crispy salmon skin back over.
  2. Season with salt & pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Jamie heats up some tortilla’s to serve with it also. I didn’t really feel the need.

 



 

 

Herb Crusted Cod January 16, 2011

Filed under: Fish — delishuss @ 10:37 pm
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I got this recipe from Dunbrody House. It’s one of the few fish dishes that I actually like.  The recipe from Dunbrody uses Salmon. Serve with Ratatouille and baby boiled potatoes.

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 pieces of cod (6 oz/150g fillets)

8 oz/225g of breadcrumbs

3 oz/75g butter

3 dessertspoons of chopped fresh herbs (parsley and Thyme)

2 oz/50g flaked almonds

2 oz/50g parmesan cheese

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, Gas Mark 4.

2. Melt the butter and add in the breadcrumbs, grated lemon zest, parmesan cheese, chopped herbs and flaked almonds.

3.  Allow to cool for a couple of minutes.

4.  Place the portions of fish on an oven tray.  Season the fish with a little salt and freshly milled black pepper.

5.  Divide the breadcrumb topping between the fish and press on to the top of the fish.

6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.