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Beef and Guinness Pie October 23, 2011

Filed under: Meat — delishuss @ 9:21 pm
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I was over in my friends house for a couple of drinks and take-away and she mentioned that she tried making a Beef and Guinness Pie and gave me a rough explanation of how she made it. She did say that the recipe she followed had a lot of liquid in it and that it took a while to reduce down. Anyway, I liked the sound of it and decided to give it a lash this evening.

Top tip: serve in 3 smallish oval dishes. I tried it in one big casserole dish and the pastry didn’t meet the meat mixture.

 

Ingredients

500g stewing/cassorole beef

100ml of beef stock

1 oxo cube

300ml guinness stout (not draught)

8 shallots, halved or quartered if too large

3 carrots, chopped chunky enough

20g flour

1 teaspoon paprika

A few drops of worchester sauce

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 garlic, chopped

A few sprigs of thyme, chopped

4 tablespoon sunflower oil

2 sheets of ready made puff pastry

Salt and pepper

1 small egg, lightly beaten

 

Method

1. Heat the oil and saute the shallots and carrots in a heavy based saucepan for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, tip the flour onto a plate and add the paprika, and salt and pepper. Dust the beef lightly in the flour mixture.

3. Add the garlic and thyme to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the beef to the saucepan and brown for 5 minutes or so.

5. Add the guiness and bring to the boil and reduce for a 5 minutes. Add the stock, worchester sauce and sugar.

6. Reduce the heat and cook for an hour until the liquid has reduced. While the beef is cooking, prepare your dishes. Roll out the pastry. Place your dish face down and cut around leaving approximately an inch overlap.

7. Pre-heat the oven, 190 degrees celsius/gas mark 5. Distribute the beef between the dishes. Brush the rims with beaten egg. Then place the cut out pastry on top. Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until the top is browned.

 

Serve with mash potato.

 

 

Sausage, bean and chorizo stew October 1, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 5:07 pm
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I took this recipe from a Weight Watchers magazine. Great comfort food coming into the autumn/winter. This can be frozen and kept up to 3 months. If you can’t find pinto beans you can substitute them for pretty much any beans. I used butterbeans.

It’s really easy to make, give it a go. #

7 propoints per serving

Ingredients

2 red onions, sliced

Calorie controlled cooking spray

280g reduced fat pork sausages, halved

3 garlic cloves, crushed

110g cooking chorizo, sliced

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp black mustard seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

400g can chopped tomatoes

6 ripe tomatoes, chopped

400g can pinto beans, drained

Handful of chopped fresh parsley

 

Method

1. Put the sliced onion in a large, lidded saucepan and mist with the cooking spray. Cook on a low hear until soft.

2. Increase the heat, add the sausages and cook for another few minutes until they have browned a little on all sides.

3. Add the garlic and chorizo and cook for 1-2 minutes until the chorizo has released its oil.

4. Reduce the heat, add the smoked paprika, black mustard and cumin seeds and cook for 5 minutes more.

5. Tip the canned and fresh tomatoes into the pan along with 400ml water. Cover and summer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the beans and increase the heat to allow the liquid to reduce slightly. This will take about 10 minutes. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.

 

 

Bonfire Chilli July 26, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:28 pm
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I tried this one this evening. It’s a strange mix of flavours but it works. I really enjoyed it. Probably best for a winter’s evening. I got the recipe from the Simply Enjoy Weight Watchers cookbook. The recipe recommends serving with a jacket potato, I served it with rice. Both are good.

Serves 6

4 Propoints per serving

Ingredient

400g lean stewing beef, trimmed of visible fat, and cut into small pieces

Calorie controlled cooking spray

1 onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

350g butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into 1 cm cubes

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

2 flame roasted peppers from a jar, about 150g, drained and chopped

10g of plain chocolate

400g can black eyed beans, drained and rinsed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat a large lidded casserole dish. Spray the beef with the cooking spray and season. Cook the meat in batches for 3 minutes until browned all over. Remove from the pan and cover.

2. Add the onion to the casseroledish, spray with the cooking spray and cook, covered for 5 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic and squash, then cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Return the beef to the casserole dish with the chopped tomatoes, 150ml water, tomato paste and spices then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Add the peppers and chocolate then stir until the chocolate has melted.

4. Add the beans and half of the coriander. Season and simmer for another 10-15 minutes, half-covered. Serve sprinkled with the remaining coriander.

 

Bolognese Bake June 26, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Pasta,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 5:47 pm
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This is great. I got it from the Weight Watchers magazine. The propoints value is high enough but you don’t need any accompaniments except maybe a green salad.

11 propoints per serving

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 garlic clove, chopped

500g pack lean beef mince

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

150ml beef stock with 1/4 cube

100ml red wine

175g macaroni

1 large courgette, diced

1 large yellow pepper, de-seeded and diced

For the topping:

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tsbp low fat spread

600ml skimmed milk

2 eggs, beaten

A good grating of nutmeg

80g gran padano cheese, grated

 

Method

1. Heat a large frying pan, add the oil, then the onion and garlic and fry for 4-5 minutes on a fairly brisk heat to soften and colour.

2. Add the beef and some seasoning and fry for about 5 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is browned all over.

3. Add the oregano and cinnamon  and stir it in for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, stock and wine. Simmer for 15 minutes until reduced but still juicy.

4. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni for about 8 minutes, or two-thirds of the time stated on the pack. Drain. Stir the macroni, courgette and pepper into the meat sauce and tip into a large baking dish with fairly high sides.

5. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200 degrees fahrenheit/180 degrees celsius. Put the flour, spread and milk in a large pan and whisk over a medium heat until it comes to the boil. Don’t stop whisking or you will get lumps in your white sauce. Reduce the heat and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Take the sauce off the heat, season well, and beat in the egg, nutmeg and half the cheese.

4. Pour the sauce over the meat and macroni, then scatter the remaining cheese over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and slightly risen. Serve with a leaf salad.

 

Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Curry Sauce June 18, 2011

Filed under: Curries,Meat — delishuss @ 5:23 pm
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I gave myself a ready steady cook challenge. I hadn’t done the weekly food shop and the cupboards were a bit bare, so I came up with this and it really works. 

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

Meatballs

500g lamb mince

3 spring onions chopped

Salt and pepper

50g breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons of balti curry paste

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

 

Sauce

1 onion chopped

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

100ml chicken stock

200g chopped tomatoes

½ green pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons balti curry paste

Bunch of chopped flat leaf parsley

 

 

Method

  1. Mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Make smallish meatballs and set aside.
  2. Heat a frying pan and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs (you may have to do it in batches) and fry turning to ensure that they are browned on all sides. Remove from the pan.
  3. Add some more oil to the pan if you need to. Fry off the onion, pepper and the carrot for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in the curry paste and add the meatballs and the curry sauce and stir.
  5. Add the chicken stock and cook on a medium heat until reduced for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.
  6. Serve with rice.

Tip: To prevent the meatball mixture sticking to your hands, rub with olive oil before you start.

 

Paella

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.
 

Harissa Lamb with Courgette Tzatziki June 8, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:16 pm
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I love lamb so I think this was always going to be a winner for me. It’s actually really handy to make. I was a bit dubious about the tzatziki but it works really well. The lamb is best marinaded for about and hour or overnight if you have the time. I got the recipe from the Weight Watchers Simply Enjoy cookbook. The BBQ would be an ideal way to cook the lamb but it was raining when I was making it so I just cooked it on the griddle pan.

Serves 4

Propoints value per serving 11

 

Ingredients

2 teaspoons harissa paste

1 tablespoon lime juice

2x200g lean lamb steaks, trimmed of visible fat

4x 50g Mediterranean flatbreads

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

3 tabelspoons chopped fresh coriander

1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

4 tomatoes, de-seeded and diced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the courgette tzatziki

5 tablespoons 0% fat Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1/2 courgette, grated coarsely

 

Method

1. Mix together the harissa paste and lime juice in a shallow dish, season then add the lamb and spoon over the marinade, turning the lamb until coated. Leave to marinate, covered, in the fridge for at least 1 hour or preferrably overnight.

2. Light the BBQ or heat a non stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Mix together the ingredients for the tzatziki with 1 tablespoon of water and season.

3. Remove the lamb from the marinade, spray with the cooking spray and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

4. Wrap the flatbreads in foil and warm on the BBQ or under the grill for a few minutes. Divide the flatbreads between four plates. Cut the lamb into 1 cm diagonal slices and place on the bread. Scatter over the herbs the tomatoes then top each serving with 2 tablespoons of the tzatziki. Serve flat or folded in half, ad preferred.

 

 

Turkey balls in creme fraiche sauce

Filed under: Meat,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 8:55 pm
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This is an unusal dish but really good. It’s from the new Weight Watchers Simply Enjoy cookbook. The recipe says to serve it with runner beans and some crusty bread. I had it with some asparagus and some baby potatoes.

Serves 1

Propoints value 11

 

Ingredients

150g turkey mince

25g wholemeal breadcrumbs

15g parmesan cheese, finely grated

1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

2 spring onions, chopped finely

500ml vegetable stock

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon half fat creme fraiche

40g spinach leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Method

1. Combine the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, chives and the white part of the spring onions in a bowl. Season well and form into siz walnut sizeballs. Cover and chill until ready to use.

2. Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring up to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the turkey balls and spoon over the stock. Simmer for 4 minutes, turning once, then, using a slotted spoon, remove them from the pan and set aside.

3. Pour away all but 175ml of the stock, add the mustard and lemon juice then bring up to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes until reduced by a third.

4. Stir in the creme fraiche, spinach, half of the green part of the spring onions and the turkey balls. Season  and simmer, stirring occassionally, for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the turkey balls are cooked through.

5. Serve in a large, shallow bowl, sprinkled with the remaining spring onions.

 

Sausage Pizza May 21, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 11:46 am
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This is fantastic and really simple to make. I will definately try this recipe again. It’s a Weight Watchers one, which is great. Guilt free pizza. Not quite sure I could stop at one slice though.

8 Propoints per serving

Serves 4

Ingredients

1x 145g pizza vase mix

Calorie controlled cooking spray

2tbsp plain flour, for dusting

175ml passata

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp tomato puree

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

4 Weight Watchers Premium Pork Sausages

150g light mozzarella cheese, drained and torn into pieces

Salt and freshly ground black

A small handful of fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Method

1.  Prepare the pizza base mix according to the pack instructions.  Mist a 25x35cm baking tray with cooking spray and dust with flour.

2. Roll out the dough thinly on a floured work surface to a 30x23cm rectangle.  Transfer to the baking tray and set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220 degrees celsius/200 degrees fahrenheit. Mix together the passata, oregano, tomato puree and chilli flakes, if using. Spoon the sauce over the base in a thin layer, leaving a 1cm gap around the edge.

4. Squeeze the sausage meat out of its skins and make into 28 marble-sized balls.

5. Arrange them on top of the pizza, followed by the mozzarella and seasoning. Spray the top of the pizza with cooking spray.

6. Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes until the base is golden and crisp. Garnish with the basil leaves and cut into 4. Serve immediately.

 

Ragu alla Bolognese May 18, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Pasta — delishuss @ 9:05 pm
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Hi there, I have to confess sometimes I resort to a jar of sauce for a Bolognese. Really there’s no excuse, as sauces are so easy to make. Here’s an authentic Italian recipe for you, from ‘Mama’s Italian Cookbook’. Very tasty, yum. Hope you enjoy it.

The recipe serves 4

Ingredients

25g dried ceps

125 ml lukewarm water

1 tsp butter

50g pancetta, diced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 small carrots, finely diced

2 celery sticks, finely diced

300g beef mince

1 pinch sugar

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 tbsp tomato puree

125ml red wine

250g passata

1 oxo cube (not in the original recipe)

Salt and pepper

Method

1. Soak the ceps in the water for 20 minutes.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the pancetta and fry.

3. Add the onion and garlic and fry until the onion is translucent. Stir in the carrots and celery and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add the beef and fry, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, a pinch of sugar, oxo cube and some nutmeg.

5. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a minute or two then add the wine.

6. Mix in the passata. Thinly slice the ceps and add them to the sauce.

7. Pour the soaking water through a fines sieve into the suace. Thicken the sauce by cooking it over a low heat for 1 hour.