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Jamie Oliver’s Wonky Summer Pasta March 12, 2011

Filed under: Fast Food,Pasta — delishuss @ 11:45 pm
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I got this recipe from the Jamie Oliver 30 minute meals series. I followed the recipe to the letter but it wasn’t well received by my in-house taste tester. I think the words he used were that it was the vilest thing he ever tested. I obviously disagree but I would I would definitely make some changes to the recipe. The original recipe serves about four people, I have halved the recipe to cater for 2 people. Based on this logic you would use 1 lemon zested and juiced. I think I would only add a squeeze of lemon juice as it kind of took over the dish. You could add some fried bacon or pancetta to give it that boost. One consolation about this recipe is that it takes very little time and effort to cook.

Ingredients

PASTA
• 1 egg yolk
• 60g Parmesan cheese, plus extra
for serving
• Squeeze of lemon
• a small bunch of fresh basil
• 250g fresh lasagne sheets

SEASONINGS
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & black pepper

Method

1. Carefully separate the egg and put the yolk into a big serving bowl. Put the whites into a whisking bowl.
2. Add the extra virgin olive oil and a good pinch of salt & pepper to the bowl of egg yolk.

3. Grate the Parmesan in the processor and tip it into the bowl of egg yols with the lemon juice.

4. Reserve some of the small basil leaves, then split the rest of the bunch into 2 halves. Pound one half in a pestle & mortar until you have a green paste, and roughly chop the other half.

5. Add both to the bowl. Stir until everything is mixed together, then season with salt & pepper.

6. Stack the lasagne sheets on a chopping board and carefully slice them into fairly thin strips – do this in batches. Add to the pan of boiling water with a good pinch of salt. Stir, then put the lid on slightly askew and keep it at a hard boil for just 1½ minutes.

7. This pasta must be eaten ASAP to be enjoyed properly. It is best to use a tongs to move o move the pasta to the egg mixture.  Fresh pasta is constantly sucking up water so make it slightly looser than it needs to be and it will be perfect at the table. Have a taste. Does it need more salt or Parmesan to balance the lemon juice? If so, adjust then sprinkle over the reserved basil leaves and grate over some extra Parmesan. Take to the table, quickly dress the salad and eat straight away.

 

Classic North Indian Chicken Curry

Filed under: Chicken,Curries — delishuss @ 11:27 pm
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I wasn’t a major fan of this curry recipe,  for me it lacks intensity of flavour. I’m posting it anyway for those that it might appeal to. I got it from the Good Food Channel wesbite. Here goes!

Ingredients

4 tbsp oil

2 cloves

1 stick cinnamon

2 green cardamon pods

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 small-medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp chopped ginger

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 tomatoes, pureed

450g small chicken or poussin, bone-in, skimmed and jointed

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 handful coriander leaves

To serve:

Rice or Indian flatbreads

Cucumber raita, or any vegetable dish

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamon pods and cumin seeds and fry for about 20 seconds until aromatic.

2. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring often.

3. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook stirring for 40 seconds before adding a pinch of salt and the ground spices, and stir for 15 seconds.

4. Add the chicken and brown over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add enough water to almost cover the chicken (about 30 ml), bring to the boil and then cook over a low heat until the chicken is cooked through.

5.  The slower it cooks the better it tastes. This takes about 15 minutes for small joints and up to 25-30 minutes for larger ones. Check with a fork, once it is tender it is done.

6. Add the garam masala and coriander leaves and serve with rice or Indian flatbread and raita or any vegetable dish.

4. Pour in the tomatoes and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the liquid in the pan has dried off,, and the oil leaves the sides of the dry masala around 10 minutes.

 

Thai Beef Massaman Curry

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.

 

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.

 



 

 

Hoisin Pork in Lettuce Cups

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.

 

Pad Thai Chicken February 20, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Noodles — delishuss @ 10:27 pm
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I recently visited Australia and really got into thai food over there. So when I came back I went on the search of some thai recipes. I also blitzed the Asian supermarket for weird and wonderful things. This recipe is the first on my list to try. It was passed onto me by my friend Catherine who attended a Thai cookery course at the Cooks Academy. In my own humble opinion, it’s fab.

Ingredients

2 chicken breast fillets, sliced

225g flat dried rice noodles

2 shallots, fnely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 spring onions, chopped

3 red chillies, finely chopped

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp of groundnut oil

2 tbsp of coarsely chopped garlic

3 tsbp of fish sauce or soy sauce

1 tsp of rice wine or dry sherry

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp of light soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp of sugar

2 tbsp of oyster sauce

225g beansprouts

Handful of fresh coriander

3 tsp coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, to garnish

lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water for 25 minutes.

2. While the noodles are soaking, prepare the chicken. Heat a wok and groundnut oil, add the chicken and fry until brown (5-7 minutes).

3.  When the chicken is cooked remove from the pan and set aside.

4. To the wok add, the chillies, onions, shallots, and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.

5. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir fry for a few seconds until they just start to look scrambled.

6. When the noodles have soaked for 25 minutes, drain in a colander, rinse with hot water and toss with a few drops of oil to stop the strands sticking together.

7. Re-add the chicken to the wok, lower the heat and add the rice noodles, fish sauce or soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, lime juice, soy sauce, pepper, sugar and oyster sauce and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes, mixing well.

8. Add the beansprouts and spring onions and continue to stir-fry for four minutes.

9.  Finally, add the coriander and stir-fry briskly for 30 seconds.

10. Turn onto a warm platter, sprinkle with the peanuts and serve at once with lime wedges.

 

Avoca Thai Chicken Curry January 17, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Curries,Favourites — delishuss @ 10:56 pm
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My friend Pooja recommended this recipe. She advised adding coconut milk, I would definitely agree. I didn’t have coconut milk so I used 2 sachets of creamed coconut instead. I also added the juice of 1 lime. The recipe for the curry paste makes more than is needed, you can cover and save in the fridge for a week or so covered with a little vegetable oil.

This is a cracking recipe, worth trying.

Ingredients

For the spice paste

1 lemongrass stalk, dry outer layers removed, inner core chopped

2.5 cm/1 inch piece of galangal or fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

2 lime leaves, chopped

3 shallots, peeled and chopped

A bunch of coriander stalks, finely chopped ( reserve the leaves for garnishing the curry)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon of fish sauce

1 teaspoon of ground turmeric

For the curry

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

12 boned chicken thighs, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons fish sauce

250 ml/ 8 fl oz chicken stock

1 teaspoon sugar

2 lemongrass stalks, dry outer layers removed, inner core finely chopped

Method

1. To make the spice paste, puree all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

2. Heat the oil in a wok, then add the garlic and saute until golden.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of the curry paste along with the chicken and stir well.

4. Add the fish sauce, chicken stock, sugar and lemongrass.

5. Stir wll and simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve with rice.

 

Steak and Chips with Mustard Mayo

Filed under: Favourites,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 10:37 pm
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This is weight watchers recipe. I loved the chips; I will definitely do these again. I’m not a big fan of oven chips, in fairness you can’t beat chipper chips but these are a great healthy substitute.

Serves 4

11 Pro-points value

Ingredients

 
  750 g Potatoes, Old, Raw   
  25 g Polenta, Raw, instant or semolina   
  1 teaspoons (level) Paprika   
  1/8 teaspoons (level) Chilli Powder, or to taste   
  5 spray(s) Cooking Spray, Calorie Controlled   
  560 g Beef, Fillet Steak, Lean, Raw, 4 x 140g steaks   
  4 tablespoons Yogurt, Greek, 0% Fat   
  1 tablespoons Mayonnaise, Low Fat   
  2 teaspoons (level) Mustard, Wholegrain   
  1 pinch Salt   
  1/8 teaspoons (ground) Pepper, Black (Whole, Cracked or Ground), freshly ground   
  4 medium Tomato, to garnish   
  4 sprig(s) (fresh) Parsley, fresh, to garnish   

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200°C/fan oven 180°C. Spray a non-stick baking sheet with low fat cooking spray.
  • Cut the potatoes into thin chips. Mix together the polenta or semolina, paprika and chilli powder. Toss the chips in this mixture and spread them out on the baking sheet. Spray with low fat cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, turning once after 20 minutes.
  • Ten minutes before the chips are cooked, preheat a char grill pan or non-stick frying pan. Spray the steaks with low fat cooking spray. Char grill or dry fry them, turning once, for 6-8 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Allow to rest for 2 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise and mustard.
  • Serve the steak and chips with the mustard mayo, garnished with tomatoes and parsley.

Notes

  • These oven-baked chips are quite fragile, so turn them over carefully with a fish slice.
 

Apricot and Yoghurt Crunch

Filed under: Brunch,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 10:28 pm
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This a Weight Watchers recipe.  This is a nice brunch recipe for the weekend. This can be made in large quantities and stored in an airtight container.  

Serves 2

Ingredients

low fat cooking spray

25g (1 oz) porridge oats

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

2 heaped teaspoons clear honey, warmed

200g pot low fat vanilla yoghurt

201g can apricot in natural juice, drained and sliced

Method

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/190 degrees celsius. Spray a baking tray with low fat cooking spray.

2. Mix the oats, sunflower seeds and honey together and spread out on the baking tray.

3. Toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes until golden brown, stirring halfway through.

4. Leave to cool on the tray for 2-3 minutes, during which time the oat mixture will become crunchy.

5. Layer up the yoghurt and apricots in two glasses or bowls and then top with the crunchy oat and seed mixture just before eating.

You can change the type of fruit used according to your preference or seasons.

 

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.