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Easy Spiced Lamb May 2, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Rice and Grains,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 4:13 pm
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I love lamb and mix that with spices and you’ve a winning combination in my mind.  This is a weight watchers recipe from the Oriental Express cookbook.

Propoints value per serving – 1o

Serves 4

Ingredients

200g dried brown basmati rice, rinsed

125g fine green beans, trimmed

125g small cauliflower florets

low fat cooking spray

1 onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

2.5cm fresh root ginger

1 large courgette, diced

350g lean diced lamb, visible fat removed

50g dried apricots, chopped into small pieces

2 tablespoons garam masala

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1.  Put the rice in a lided saucepan and cover with 450ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Set aside for 5 minutes, covered, then remove the lid and leave to cool slightly.

2. Bring about 2.5cm of water to the boil in a lidded pan. Put the green beans and cauliflower in a steamer basket and place it over the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until al dente. Alternatively, bring a small amount of water to boil and cook the vegetables for 5 minutes and then drain. Refresh under cold running water and then set aside.

3. Heat a large lidded non-stick frying pan. Spray with the cooking spray and stir fry the onion over a medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and courgette and stir fry for 3 minutes. Next, add the lamb and stir fry for a further 3 minutes until browned.

4. Add the apricots and spices, stir and then ad the green beans, cauliflower, rice and 5 tablespoons of water. Stir until combined and then cover with a lid and heat through for 5 minutes. Season before serving.

 

Risi e bisi- Rice and peas May 1, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Rice and Grains — delishuss @ 10:55 pm
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I got this recipe out of ‘Mama’s Italian Cookbook’. It’s similiar to a risotto. Lovely and comforting food. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 litre chicken stock

6 tbsp butter

3 shallots, finely chopped

115g/4 oz pancetta or rindless lean bacon, diced

225g rice

150ml dry white wine

175g petis pois, thawed if frozen

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese shavings to garnish

Method

1. Pour the stock into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.

2. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer gently.

3. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan.

4. Add the shallots and pancetta and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the shallots are soft.

5. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, until all the grains are thoroughly coated and glistening.

6. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until it has almost completely evaporated.

7. Add a ladleful of hot stock and cook, stirring constantly, until all the stock has been absorbed.

8. Continue cooking and adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, for about 10 minutes.

9. Add the peas, then continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, for a further 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

10. Stir in the remaining butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.

11. Transfer to a warmed serving dish, garnish with cheese shavings and serve immediately.

 

Kefta mkaouara (spicy egg, meatball and tomato tagine) April 19, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Rice and Grains — delishuss @ 9:08 pm
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I saw this on Saturday’s kitchen. It’s a recipe from Rick Steins. I have a tagine (first time I tried it out :-)) but you can do them in the frying pan first and then put them in the oven in a casserole dish. Serve with cous cous. Rick says that you can also use prawns instead of the meatballs. Yummy!

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 very fresh medium-sized free-range eggs
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • a small handful fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped, to garnish
For the meatballs
  • 450g/1lb minced beef or lamb
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp hot paprika
For the sauce
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 900g/2lb ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped, or 2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon hot paprika
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • salt to taste

Preparation method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
  2. For the meatballs, put the minced beef, parsley, cumin, paprika, one teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper into a bowl and mix together well using your hands. Dampen your hands and form the mixture into about 28 2.5cm/1in balls.
  3. Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a shallow tagine or frying pan and brown the meatballs briefly on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set to one side.
  4. For the sauce, add the onion to the tagine or pan with the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook gently for ten minutes until very soft and just beginning to brown. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and leave to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until well concentrated in flavour but not too thick. Season well with salt to taste.
  5. Return the meatballs to the sauce and mix together. Transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish if you have prepared the sauce in a frying pan, otherwise leave the mixture in the tagine. Make four slight dips in the mixture and break an egg into each one. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the eggs are just set.
  6. Scatter with the chopped coriander and serve with warm flatbread
 

Beef Yakisoba

Filed under: Meat,Noodles,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:01 pm
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This is another weight watchers recipe, it’s pretty good. Quick and simple, that’s always good.

Serves 4

8 Propoints

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of mirin

4 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

350g lean beef fillet, cut into strips

175g soba nooles

low fat cooking spray

1 onion, halved and sliced thinly

125g mange tout

1 green pepper, de-seeded and sliced thinly

2.5cm fresh root ginger, chopped finely

125g beansprouts

freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

2 spring onions, chopped finely

1 tablespoon pink pickled ginger

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Method

1. Mix together the mirin, soy sauce and sesame oil in a shallow dish. Add the beef, spoon the marinade over and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain then refresh under cold running water. Place in a bowl, cover with cold water, then set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large wok or non stick frying pan until hot. Remove the beef from the marinade (reserving the marinade). Add the beef to the pan and spray with the cooking spray. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until browned all over. Transfer the beef and any juices to a bowl and set aside.

4. Add the onion, mange tout, green pepper and ginger to the pan, spray with the cooking spray and stir fry for 3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of water if it starts to stick. Add the beansprouts, beef, juices and reserved marinade and stir fry for another minute.

5. Drain the noodles and add them to the pan, turning them until combined and warmed through. Divide between four large shallow bowls. Season with black pepper and garnish each serving with the spring onions, pickled ginger and sesame seeds.

 

Thai Beef Massaman Curry March 12, 2011

Filed under: Curries,Meat — delishuss @ 11:05 pm

Okay so I’m still on the pursuit of the perfect curry but this one is a contender. It takes a bit of preperation. I got the recipe from my friend Catherine who attended a Thai cookery course in the Cooks Academy. For the recipe it states that you need massaman curry paste, the recipe for this wasn’t included so I just used the Thai green curry paste instead (recipe below). This recipe serves 6-8 people.  This recipes takes over 2 hours to cook, so allow make sure you are not too hungry before starting to cook 🙂 It;s worth waiting for though.

Ingredients

Green curry paste

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp of dried shrimp paste

8 large fresh green chillies, roughly chopped

4 shallots, chopped

5 cm fresh galangal, pounded or chopped

12 small cloves of garlic chopped

60g  chopped coriander, leaves and stalks

6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

3 stems lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped

2 tsp lime zest

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Massaman curry

1.5 kg chuck steak, cut into 5cm chunks

600 ml coconut milk

6 cardamon pods (black if possible)

2 cinnamon sticks

300g potatoes, peeled and cubed

8 shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthways

1-2 tbp curry paste (from above recipe)

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp tamarind pulp, mixed with 150ml hot water

1 tbsp palm sugar

75g roasted peanuts

Handful basil leaves (Thai sweet basil if available)

Method

Curry Paste

1. Dry fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a wok for 2-3 minutes, then finely grind in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder with the peppercorns.

2. Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and cook under a hot grill for 3 minutes, turning twice.

3.  Process the ground spices and roasted shrimp paste for 5 seconds.

4.  Add the remaining ingredients and process for 20 seconds at a time until you have a smooth taste.

Massaman Curry

1. Put the beef  into a heavy based pan with 350 ml coconut milk, an equal amount of water and the cardamon pods, cinnamon stick and 1 tsp salt.

2. Bring slowly to simmering point, part cover leaving just a small 1 cm gap for steam to escape, and leave to cook gently for 2 hours, until the beef is almost tender.

3. Meanwhile peel the potatoes and cut into 2cm cubes.

4. Uncover the curry and remove and discard the cardamon pods and cinnamon stick.

5. Stir in the rest of the coconut milk, the potatoes, shallots, curry paste, fish sauce, tamarind water, and sugar and simmer gently, uncovered for a further 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes, shallots and beef are tender.

6. Stir in the peanuts, scatter over the basil and serve.

 

Hoisin Pork in Lettuce Cups February 28, 2011

Filed under: Meat,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 10:24 pm
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This is really tasty and healthy. It’s one of Weight Watchers new ProPoints recipes. I hope you enjoy it.

7 proPoints per serving

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

2 tsp seasame oil

4 green shallots, thinly sliced

1 large red pepper, finely chopped

500g lean pork mince

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small fresh red chilli, deseeded, chopped

227g can sliced water chestnuts, drained, chopped

80ml hoisin sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

60 ml lemon juice

bunch coarsely chopped fresh coriander

280g baby cos lettuce leaves

Method

1. Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat on medium heat. Brush with sesame oil.

2. Add shallots and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft.

3. Add mince and cook, stirring to break up lumps, for 5-6 minutes or until cooked.

4. Add garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

5. Add water chestnuts, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and juice to mince.

6. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until heated through.

7. Stir in coriander, then carefully spoon mixture into lettuce leaves. Serve immediately.

Note: serve with Asian green vegetable and steamed jasmine rice.

 

Spaghetti with Meatballs December 27, 2010

Filed under: Meat,Pasta — delishuss @ 8:14 pm
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I got a couple of new cookery books as presents so I will be bombarding you with more recipes :-). This one is from Mama’s Italian Cookbook. It’s very tasty. The recipe requires passata; I had some left over tomatoes, so I used those and some passata. I’m not a big passata fan, maybe it’s the type I’m using but I always find it has a strange after taste. Does anyone know of a good brand that they can recommend?

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 potato, diced

400g/14 oz beef mince

1 onion, finely chopped

1 egg

4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

plain flour, for dusting

5 tbsp virgin olive oil

400ml/14 fl oz passata

2tbsp tomato puree

400g/ 14 oz dried spaghetti

Salt and pepper

6 shredded fresh basil leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Method

1. Place the pototo in a small saucepan, add cold water to cover and a pinch of salt, and bring to the boil.

2. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender then drain. Either mash thoroughly with a potato masher or fork or pass through a potato ricer.

3. Combine the potato, mince, onion, egg and parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread out the flour on a plate. With dampened hands, shape the meat mixture into walnut sized balls and roll in the flour. Shake off the excess.

5. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan, add the meatballs and cook over a medium heat, stirring and turning frequently, for 8-10 minutes, until golden all over.

6. Add the passata and tomato puree and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and thickened.

7. meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, bring back to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender but still firm to bite.

8. Drain well and add to the meatball sauce, tossing well to coat. Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Garnish with the basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

 

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.

 

Cottage Pie November 14, 2010

Filed under: Meat,Potatoes — delishuss @ 10:22 pm
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This is a great winter warmer.  I normally refer to this dish as Shepherds’ Pie but I found out recently that it can only be called Shephards’ Pie if lamb mince is used. I love lamb but I personally think Beef mince is nicer in this dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 large potatoes

3 large carrots (2 chopped in half, 1 diced)

2 onions, chopped

500g beef mince

2 Oxo cubes

500ml beef stock

25 ml milk

Couple of knobs of butter

1 egg beaten

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Couple drops of Worchester sauce

50g frozen peas

Method

  • Boil potatoes and carrots halves together with a good sprinkle of salt.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pan and fry off onions and diced carrots for a few minutes. Add in the mince and fry until browned.
  • Crush the oxo cubes into the mince and stir. Pour in the stock, add the Worchester sauce and cook until reduced.
  • Add in the peas and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Pour the mince into the base of a square oven dish and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6, 200 degrees Celsius, or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Take the potatoes and carrots off the heat; add the butter, milk, salt and pepper and mash.
  • Add the potato/carrot mixture to the mince and smooth over.
  • Brush with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the top has browned.
 

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.