Category: Garlic

A Midweek Marvel

April 30, 2014


 I can’t always share every recipe of which I create or cook on here. It would be extremely difficult as I cook ALOT!  I do try my best though in sharing as much as I can but sometimes I create a recipe or cook one day and something comes together when I least expect it.  I had done this dish one night midweek, for what I thought was going to be a somewhat, quick Pasta dish to keep me going in between writing. Nothing special as I grabbed some remains of ingredients to use up in the fridge… More fool me!  I had meant to post this over a month ago and came across it this week whilst juggling through my Food Photography Pics. I pretty much try to take pictures of all dishes I cook as you never know! 
  The good thing about this dish is that the main vegetable featured, the wonderful Purple Sprouting Broccoli is still in season… just! So I would say, if you’re going to have a go?, try this weekend? Or even for tomorrow nights dinner! 
  If you can’t get hold of  Purple Sprouting Broccoli, You could substitute for Tender stem or  even Standard Broccoli but you should find some still knocking around. 




Chicken, Chorizo and Purple Sprouting Broccoli Carbonara:


Ingredients: ( Serves 2-3 people)

–  Tbsp Rapeseed oil
–  Knob of Butter
– 2 large Free range Eggs
–  100 g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese) 
–  350g of Spaghetti 
–  2 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
–  1 small red onion finely sliced
–  approximately 60g of Spanish cooking Chorizo diced
–  1/4 of a mild green chilli diced finely
–  150g Roast/cooked Chicken 
–  100g Purple Sprouting Broccoli (Blanched before hand)
–  Salt and Black pepper to season
–  Pinch of dried mixed herbs ( I used herbs de provence)


Whisk Eggs in a bowl and add in the grated parmesan cheese.
Cook the Spaghetti to packet instructions.
Fry off the Red onion and Garlic in oil and then add the butter.






Add the chorizo and Green chilli. Then the cooked chicken and Herbs.

At this stage you can add the Blanched Broccoli,season to taste then stir for a few minutes and add your drained pasta to the mixture.


Then pop your Pasta mix into the bowl with the eggs and parmesan and quickly stir.

Serve into warm bowls immediately and grate some more parmesan on top.















Saturday Night Food…Dinner Party anyone?

March 26, 2014

Following on from a great day I had with Ben Jackson for Food Friday, Saturday came and I was still so full of cooking energy and immediately wanted to come up with something new again! 
  Now, not always does this happen straight off when recipe developing and with a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc being in my system (evening by this time),  I didn’t think I was going to be as pleased as I was with this recipe.  
   This may not be everyones “Cup of tea” I realise that, but I felt it was the nicest risotto I had made in a long time. I am yet to cook this for my fiancé as he was away at the time and I am intrigued to see what he thinks also, he’s always honest! 

  So, from the recipe that I had done the day before, I had bits and bobs left over in the fridge including some of the lovely Pearl Barley I had pre cooked. There were bacon opened as I fancied a BLT for breakfast, anyway you get the gist!
   This is what I came up with in the end.  It took me a long time to figure out a title name for the recipe as theres a lot going on in it, but it came to me that the title for this is right really. Its leftover ingredients but not with Potato in this instance. Even though it doesn’t have specific Springtime ingredients in this, It did make me think of Spring when I dived into it.


My 2 Grain Bubble and Squeak Risotto with Bacon,  Poached Egg and vegetable crisps.

 Ingredients:

(Serves 2 as a large portion or may stretch to 4 for starters)

–  1 Tbsp Olive or Rapeseed oil
–  2 Knobs of Butter
–  1-2 Garlic cloves chopped
–  1 small Onion diced
–  2 rashers of Bacon
–  2-3 leaves of Savoy Cabbage sliced thinly
–  3-4 Chestnut mushrooms chopped small
–  1/4 of a leek sliced thinly
–  100g of cooked Pearl Barley
– 150g of Arborio Rice
–  175ml of Dry White Wine ( 1 Glass for yourself also! )
–  500ml of Chicken stock keeping hot.
–  Sprig of fresh Thyme
–  Eggs for Poaching
– 1 Parsnip and a small amount of Butternut Squash for the Vegetable Crisps
– Vegetable Oil for the frying of the Crisps
–  Sprinkle of caster Sugar for the Crisps
–  Salt and Cracked Black Pepper for seasoning 
–  Grated Parmesan Cheese to finish




Fry off the Onion and Leek in some olive oil, then when starting to sweat down a little, add the butter.

 Add the Bacon, Mushrooms, 1/4 of the Cabbage first, Garlic and Thyme.


 Once cooked down a bit add in the risotto rice, stir gently and add your wine. Once the wine has almost evaporated you can add your Hot Chicken Stock a bit at a time.

 Whilst the Risotto is cooking away, Peel your Parsnip and Butternut Squash very thinly like so and fry off in oil. I have used a Wok but if you have a Deep Fat Fryer, great! 

 They only take about a minute. Once starting to brown, bring them out onto Kitchen Paper. Sprinkle with a tiny amount of Caster sugar.

 Add the rest of your Cabbage and Pearl Barley to the Risotto, Poach your egg and finish with another knob of Butter, parmesan Cheese and any seasoning required.

Top with your Poached Egg and add Your Vegetable Crisps for Sweetness and Crunch.

"Sunshine In a Bowl" For Food Friday on BBC Radio Leicester

March 23, 2014

So about a few months back now. Ben Jackson from BBC Radio Leicester asked me to join their team of Foodie-Maniac Food Friday Cooks.  Straight away I Jumped at the chance!   I immediately couldn’t wait to get on the show! 

  Now I’ve already been on the show which aired on the 7th of March. That was with Ed Stagg who was filling in for Ben that day. I did a “revamped” version of my Chicken and Veg pie, which I will put on here soon.  
  I first wanted to Share with you the dish which I did this Friday just gone, the 21st of March.  There’s a few reasons why I chose to do this recipe. Firstly, was that it was using up things in the fridge and store cupboard ingredients. Second was its great for people who have colds at the moment! It seemed to help Ben’s out a bit! And Finally its healthy and Cheap! Ok that was four… 
This is my Thick Spiced Moroccan Soup with Garlic Flatbreads.  It got a nickname of Sunshine Soup!  

   If you would like to have a listen to me doing this recipe with Ben, take a look here…

BBC Radio Leicester with Ben Jackson and Me on Food Friday 21st March 2014.

Thick Spiced Moroccan Soup (Sunshine soup) with Homemade Garlic Flatbreads:



Ingredients: (Serves 4)

Soup:

– 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
– 1 Onion Diced
– 2 Small Celery sticks chopped including leaves
– 3 Medium sized carrots peeled and chopped roughly
– Sweet Potato, Peeled and Chopped into rough chunks. (I used a white variety from Asian stores which is purple on the outside but you can use the Orange variety.
– Half  a Butternut Squash chopped into rough chunks.
– 1 tsp of Ground Coriander and Cumin mix (I used a company called Spice Kitchen for most of the dry Spices)
– 1 tsp of turmeric, (Spice Kitchen)
– 1 tsp of Chilli Powder,  (Spice Kitchen)
– 1 tsp of Garam Masala,  (Spice Kitchen)
– A Thumb Size amount of fresh Ginger finely chopped or grated if you prefer.
– 1 large clove of Garlic finely chopped
– A 3 cm piece of Cinnamon bark,  (Spice Kitchen)
– Just over half a tin of chopped tomatoes (250g) 
– 1 tbsp of Tomato Puree
– 1 Chicken Stock cube/Gel pot or Veg if Vegetarian
– In total about 500ml of water added to the Soup a bit at a time.
– 150g of Pre cooked Pearl Barley
– 250g (just over half a tin) of Butter beans
– 2 Handfuls of Fresh Spinach
– Chopped Fresh Parsley.
– Salt and Ground Black Pepper 


Garlic Flatbreads:

– 200g of Plain Flour
– Warm Water just to bind
– Salt and Ground Black Pepper
– Sprinkle of Garlic Powder for each Flatbread.


Soup Method:

– Fry off  the Onion in the Olive oil.
– Add your Celery, Carrots and Sweet Potato and start to sweat down for about 5 mins.
– Then add your Butternut Squash to the Soup mix and stir through.
– Add your Dry spices, Ginger and Garlic and cook for a further 5-10 mins to allow the spices to coat all the Vegetables. 
– Next to go in are the Chopped Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Butter Beans and stock with about 300ml of water to cook down for a further 10 mins. 
– Add your Pearl Barley and allow that to simmer away nicely whilst you get on with the FlatBreads. Always check in-between  if your soup needs a bit more water adding.

Flatbread Method:

-Take your 200g of Plain Flour, add salt and pepper and start to add a drop of warm water to it to bind to form a firm dough.
– Knead the dough only a couple of times.
– Stretch out into a thick sausage-like shape about 2 inches in width and divide into 5 parts.
– Roll the 5 parts of dough into a ball, add a sprinkle of your Garlic powder, roll again and then Roll out your dough as thinly as possible with a Rolling Pin on a lightly floured surface. 
– Heat up a dry frying pan and once the Pan is very hot add your flatbread dough. You will then start to see it puff up and brown.
– Repeat the process with all the other dough balls.

– By now your soup will be ready to add the Spinach and any other seasoning required.
– Blitz your soup only with a few pulses as it needs to be thick.
– Add your fresh chopped Parsley. 
– Voila! Ready to Dunk in with your FlatBread! 
   





A Meat Free and Fuss Free Leftover Gem…

February 10, 2014

I almost forgot to tell you lovely readers out there about this little gem of a dish, of which I never imagined tasting as nice as it did.  I have come up with different versions of this before but not so much with these ingredients, more spicy, such as Mexican style.

  It was in the middle of my “Roast Pork challenge” and by lunch time of the 3rd and final day, I was crying out for something Vegetarian.  I do like my Meat, but I also like variety in a week.  So I took a look into my Fridge and I literally save everything that I can safely put back into another meal the following day.  Here in my fridge were various tubs of cooked vegetables, including the potatoes.  I assembled all ingredients with lids off the tubs and took a glare.  Ok Im going to whack everything together, add Eggs and spices, a bit like Bubble and Squeak and Hope for the best! 

  It was lovely. Warming,comforting and a really nice Lunch that again was very cheap and quick to allow me to carry on writing.  So if you have any of your Veg from yesterdays Roast, why not give this a Go?…




*Not the Greatest looking dish, I know!* but tastes lush.

 Scrambled Veg with Eggs :


Ingredients:


( Baring in mind, you can be as versatile with this recipe as you like. It is your leftovers, these were just mine) … Amounts do not matter in this.


–  Tbsp of Rapeseed oil or the oil you normally fry in?
–  1 Clove of fresh Garlic chopped finely
–  1 Spring onion chopped.
–  A 2 inch piece of fresh Leek sliced finely
–  A Tsp of mild Curry powder
–  1/2 Tsp of smoked paprika
–  Salt and Pepper to season.

–  4 leftover Cooked roast potatoes

–  Some leftover cooked Savoy cabbage
–  A few leftover cooked carrots about 6 pieces, if being precise.
–  Some leftover cooked sugar snap peas 
–  Some sliced, Cooked white onion.
–  2-3 eggs depending on size
–  Salt and Pepper to season.
If you want more spice, Add fresh chilli to heat it up! 


In a bowl, Mash the Cooked roast potatoes roughly.  Add all of the cooked ingredients and mash up with your hands (Fun Part!). 

Whisk the eggs in another Bowl as you would for an Omelette and season a little.

Pop the chosen oil into your frying pan and start to fry off the leeks, garlic, spring onion, curry powder and paprika.

Then add the Cooked leftover Potato and Vegetable mix. Followed by the Eggs and now the world is your Oyster as you can scramble the whole lot as I did or try and flatten like Bubble and Squeak!  Whatever you have chosen to put in this or however you cook it? It is as Versatile as you want it to be.

A lovely Meat Free, Fuss free, thrifty Lunch or Dinner. You choose…