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Chicken Satay August 7, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Curries — delishuss @ 3:24 pm
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I had a goo on me for satay one evening, so I opened up the press to see if I had the ingredients. Luckily I had. I made this with a packet of stir-fry veg which is grand for convenience but I realised that I’m not such a fan and was sorry I hadn’t gone to the effort of chopping the veg myself from scratch. You could leave out the coconut milk and make some satay screwers by marinading the chicken in the sauce before cooking. Hope you enjoy this one.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

Sauce

2 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 chilli chopped

1 tablespoon honey

50 ml coconut milk

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

 

2 chicken breasts, diced

Stir-fry veg, pre-packed or a selection of veg of your choice, sliced

Salt and pepper to season

2 tablespoon cooking oil

 

Method

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

2. Heat a large pan and heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Saute the veg for about 5 minutes and remove from the pan.

3. Heat the remainder of the cooking oil and add the chicken until lightly browned.

4. Add the sauce mixture and cook for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

5. Add the mixed veg and cook for a furth 2-3 minutes.

 

Serve with basmati rice

 

 

 

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.

 

Feta, lentil and sundried tomato salad June 26, 2011

Filed under: Salads and Dressings,Starters — delishuss @ 9:17 pm
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I saw this recipe in a magazine or cookbook some time ago. When I went to try it, I couldn’t find it anywhere. So I decided to wing it and it turned out really well. It would be nice as part of buffet style salad bar.

Makes a big bowl

Ingredients

1  can green lentils

1 red onion, sliced thinly

300g feta cheese, cubed

75g sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped

5 tbsps balsamic vinegar

squeeze of lemon juice

handful of fresh basil, chopped

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve.

 

Lemon Meringue Roulade

Filed under: Desserts,Favourites,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 6:29 pm
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This is so easy to make. However, you would really need a mixer for it to get the consistency right. It’s a Weight Watchers recipe.  I haven’t had much success with meringue type pavalova recipes and I’ll admit that I burnt this first time around. I don’t give up easily particularly when people say it’s such an easy to make. I felt like I had to prove it to myself that I could do it. Word of advice is to watch this one closely as it can burn quite quickly. It’s a lovely fresh summer recipe.

Serves 6

5 propoints per serving

Ingredients

4 egg whites

200g caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

3 tbsp lemon curd

1 tsp icing sugar

1 tub of quark, approximately 250g

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/ 200 degrees celsius and line a swiss roll tin measuring 23cmx33cm with baking parchment.

2. Put the egg white in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form, then gradually add the sugar, whisking continuously to make a smooth glossy meringue that stands firm. Fold in the lemon zest.

3. Spoon into the prepared tin and level with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes until the top is golden., the reduce the oven temperature to gas mark 3/160 degrees celsius and cook for a further 10 minutes until the meringue is firm to the touch. Turn out onto a board covered with another sheet of parchment and leave to go cold.

4. Remove the paper from the meringue and discard. Spread the quark over the roulade, leaving a border of 1cm, then dollop the lemon curd over the top. Roll up the mreingue from the short side using the parchment to help. Put onto  serving plate and dust with the icing sugar. Serve immediately.

 

Bolognese Bake

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.
 

Roast Beetroot with Fennel and Orange June 8, 2011

Filed under: Salads and Dressings,Vegetarian,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:28 pm
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Let’s face it salads can be really boring. This one is really different and full of flavour. It’s a Weight Watchers recipe, one which I got at the Kitchen in the Castle cookery school. To be honest, I wouldn’t have probably tried it unless I had tasted it. It’s a good one.

Serves 2

1 1/2 propoints value per serving

 

Ingredients

140g beetroot, unpeeled and sliced into thin wedges

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 orange

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

30g light feta cheese

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius, gas mark 6

2. Place the beetroot and pepper in a roasting tin, drizzle over the olive oil and roast for 20 minutes until softened and begins to char.

3. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut away the orange peel then cut between the pith lines to segment the orange. Do this over a bowl to collect any juices. Arrange the orange segments and fennel slices on two serving plates. Top with the hot beetroot and peppers.

4. Stir the orange juice and balsamic vinegar into the roasting tin, scraping up any sticky bits, then spoon over the salad. Crumble the cheese over the top and serve.

 

Harissa Lamb with Courgette Tzatziki

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.