Spring Chickens For Long Hot Summer Days

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s recipes are Sticky Lemon Chicken, Middle Eastern Chicken & Apricot Stew and Harissa Chicken with Chickpea Salad.

My first recipe is Sticky Lemon Chicken, courtesy of GoodFood Magazine first published November 2003.

Serves 4, Prep 15mins, Cook 15mins

4 x Chicken Breast Fillets with skin, about 150g/5oz each
1 x Large Lemon
2 tsp x Fresh Thyme Leaves or a generous sprinkling of dried
1½ tbsp x Clear Honey

Preheat the grill to high and lightly oil a shallow heatproof dish. Put the chicken in the dish, skin side down, and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5 minutes. While the chicken is grilling, cut four thin slices from the lemon.

Turn the chicken fillets over and put a slice of lemon on top of each one. Sprinkle over the thyme and a little more seasoning, then drizzle with the honey. Squeeze over the juice from the remaining lemon and spoon round 2 tbsp water. Return to the grill for 10 minutes more, until the chicken is golden and cooked all the way through. Serve the chicken and the sticky juices with rice or potatoes and a green veg – broccoli or leeks are good.

My next recipe is Middle Eastern Chicken & Apricot Stew, courtesy of Olive Magazine first published February 2010.

Serves 4, ready in 30mins

Olive Oil
1 x Large Onion, chopped
1 tbsp x Root Ginger, grated
2 x Garlic Cloves, chopped
4 x Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks
2 tsp x Baharat or Ras-el-Hanout Spice Blend (look for Bart spices in the supermarket) 
100g x Red Lentils
10 x Ready-to-Eat Apricots, finely chopped
1 x Lemon, juiced
750ml x Chicken Stock
A Handful of Mint or Coriander (or both), chopped
A Handful of Pomegranate Seeds (optional)

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add the onion, ginger and garlic, and season. Cook for 8 minutes and then add the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the spice blend, lentils, apricots and lemon juice.

Stir in 750ml of stock or water and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the herbs and pomegranate seeds (if using) and serve with rice or couscous.

My final recipe is Harissa Chicken with Chickpea Salad, recipe courtesy of GoodFood Magazine first published July 2011.

Serves 2, Prep 15 mins, Cook 8 mins

250g x Cherry Tomatoes, halved
½ x Small Red Onion, chopped
1 x400g Can of Chickpeas, drained
A Small Bunch of Parsley, roughly chopped
1 x Lemon, juice only
2 x Skinless Chicken Breasts, halved lengthways through the middle
1 tbsp x Harissa
Fat-Free Natural Yogurt and Wholemeal Pitta Bread, to serve

Mix the tomatoes, onion and chickpeas together, stir through the parsley and lemon juice and season. Coat the chicken with the harissa. Heat a griddle or frying pan or barbecue. Cook the chicken for 3-4 mins each side until lightly charred and cooked through. Divide the salad between 2 plates, top with the harissa chicken and serve with a dollop of yogurt and warmed pitta bread.

Singing In The Changes

first published 3^rd June 2011

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. First of all, I must apologise for my lack of blogging, I have had few changes and issues to deal with of late and that has distracted me from posting. I’m not entirely in the clear with these, however I shall endeavour to blog more as and when I feel up to it. Sincere apologies.

This week’s recipes are old favourites with a twist, they are My Fish Pie, Barbequed Fajita Steak, and Vegetable Tagine.

My first recipe is My Fish Pie, original recipe first appeared in Olive Magazine Dec 2006.

Serves 4, takes 10mins to prepare and 45mins to cook.

1 tbsp x Butter
1 tbsp x Flour
250ml x Semi-Skimmed Milk
350g x Skinless White fish and/or Salmon Fillets, cut into cubes
500g x Floury Potatoes, peeled and cut into even-sized chunks
50g x Cheddar, grated (optional)

Heat oven to 200Cfan,180C/gas 6. Melt the butter and stir in the flour, let it foam for a minute and then gradually whisk in the milk, and add the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Fold in the fish, prawns and parsley, and cook gently for 5 minutes or until the fish has cooked through. Tip into a warmed pie dish.

Boil the potatoes for 20 mins. Drain, season and mash. Use to top the pie, starting at the edge of the dish and working your way in – push the mash right to the edges to seal. Fluff the top with a fork, sprinkle with cheese (if using), then bake for 30 mins.

My next recipe is Barbequed Fajita Steak, courtesy of GoodFood Magazine July 2011.

Serves 4, takes 5mins plus marinating to prepare and 8mins plus resting to cook.

4 x Beef Steaks, preferably rib-eye (approx. 250g each)
8 x Flour Tortillas, to serve
150ml x Soured Cream (optional)

For The Marinade
6 x Limes, juice of
2 tbsp x Olive Oil
4 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 tsp x Dried Oregano
4 tsp x Ground Cumin
2 tsp x Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Small Bunch of Coriander, finely chopped

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Lay the steaks in a shallow dish or tray, then pour over the marinade. Turn to coat the steaks all over with the mix, then allow to stand for at least 1 hour, or cover and chill for up to 24hrs. Heat the barbeque. When it is hot, wipe any excess marinade from the steaks, then cook for 3mins each side for medium-rare or longer if you prefer it more cooked. Allow the steak to rest for 5mins, then cut into thick slices.
To assemble the fajitas, warm 8 large flour tortillas on the barbeque. Spread with mashed black beans, then pile slices of steak, some onions, peppers, guacamole and soured cream if you like. Roll it up and enjoy.

My final recipe is Vegetable Tagine, this is my vegetable version of a Chicken Tagine recipe that first appeared in Olive Magazine April 2010.

Serves 4, takes 30mins to prepare and 1hr to cook.1 x Red Onion – chopped

2 x Garlic Cloves – crushed
1 tbsp x Root Ginger – grated (or a tablespoon of Ground Ginger) 
1 tsp x Ground Cumin
2 tsp x Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp x Mild Chilli Powder
Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt (use the salt sparing and to taste after cooking, as some vegetable stock can be salty) 
1 x Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
1 x Tin of Chickpeas
1 x Tin of Pinto or Borlotti Beans
1 x Courgette, chopped into small chunks
1 x Small Butternut Squash (or Sweet Potato, if the squash is not within your budget) – chopped into cubes
700ml x Hot Organic Vegetable Stock
2 x Cinnamon Stick
A Handful of Fresh Coriander – chopped
Olive Oil or Fry Light (if on a diet)

Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in a sauce pan until soft. Add the cumin, paprika and chilli powder, cook for 1 minute. Then add the courgettes and squash/sweet potato, cook for 5mins ensuring all the chunks are coated in the spice mixture. Tip in your chopped tomatoes and hot stock, tuck in the cinnamon sticks and simmer for an hour. Stir occasionally to ensure that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Once cooked, add the chopped coriander before serving.
This meal, alone will feed 2 people, however served along with a rice dish, it will be sufficient to feed a family of 4.

Indiana Curry and The Spice Of Life

(first published 1^st June 2013)

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s recipes are…. Yes you’ve guessed it PIES!!… No, of course they’re not, they are curries : –Easy Chicken Biryani, Indian Butternut Squash Curry and Curried chickpeas.

 

My first recipe is Easy Chicken Biryani Courtesy of Olive Magazine March 2011.

Serves 4, Prep 10 mins, Cook 50 mins

1-2 tbsp x Tandoori Paste
1 x Lemon, zested and juiced
3 tbsp x 2% Greek Yogurt
2 x Large Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into pieces
1 x Onion, chopped
Oil
250g x Basmati Rice
400ml x Chicken Stock
A Handful of Fresh Coriander , chopped

 

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the tandoori paste in a bowl with the lemon juice, yogurt and chicken, season with a little salt and mix well with your hands.

Fry the onion in 1 tsp oil until it softens and browns, then put into a shallow casserole with the rice, lemon zest and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is almost tender.
Put the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Sit the chicken pieces on top of the rice and put the lot in the oven for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.

To make it healthier, Biryani is often made with ghee and butter, which gives the rice a rich flavour; but cooking the rice in stock instead adds flavour without the calories and fat. Mixing 2% Greek yogurt with tandoori paste makes the marinade less harsh, without adding much fat.

 

My next recipe is Indian Butternut Squash Curry Courtesy of GoodFood Magazine October 2010.

Serves 4, Prep 10 mins, Cook 40 mins

200g x Brown Basmati Rice
1 tbsp x Olive Oil
1 x Butternut Squash, diced
1 x Red Onion, diced
2 tbsp x Mild Curry Paste
300ml x Vegetable Stock
4 x Large Tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 x 400g can of Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tbsp x Fat-Free Greek Yogurt
A Small Handful of Fresh Coriander, chopped

Cook the rice in boiling salted water, as per pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the butternut squash for 2-3 mins until lightly browned. Add the onion and the curry paste and fry for 3-4 mins more.

Pour over the stock, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins, or until the squash is tender. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas, then gently cook for 3-4 mins, until the tomatoes slightly soften.

Take off the heat and stir through the yogurt and coriander. Serve with the rice and some wholemeal chapattis if you like.

 

And my last recipe is Curried chickpeas Courtesy of GoodFood Magazine February 2011.

Serves 4, Prep 15 mins, Cook 15 mins

2 tbsp x Vegetable Oil
1 tsp x Cumin Seeds
1-2 x Red Chillies , deseeded and chopped
1 x Clove
1 x Small Cinnamon Stick
1 x Bay Leaf
1 x Onion, finely chopped
½ tsp x Ground Turmeric
2 x Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 x400g can of Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp x Paprika
1 tsp x Ground Coriander
2 x Small Tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp x Chopped Coriander

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Fry the cumin, chillies, clove, cinnamon and bay leaf together until the cumin starts to crackle. Tip in the onion, turmeric and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 mins until starting to soften, then add the garlic.

Continue cooking 4-5 mins until the onion is soft, then add chickpeas, paprika, black pepper and ground coriander. Give everything a good stir so the chickpeas are well coated in the spices.

Add the tomatoes and 2 tbsp water. Cook on a medium heat until tomatoes are soft and the sauce is thick and pulpy. Take off the heat and sprinkle on the coriander.

 

It’s Not Another Tequila Sunrise

The UK woke up to orange tinged skies as Ophelia’s winds brought sand particles up from the Sahara desert, plus debris from the forest fires in Portugal and Spain, resulting in dramatic vistas of fiery sunrise skies. A “yellow” severe weather warning for strong winds was raised on Sunday 15^th October for Northern Ireland, Southern Scotland and Northern England, however in Northern Ireland it was increased to an “amber” weather warning the following day as Ophelia’s destructive power was becoming evident.

So this week’s recipes are led by a nod to Ophelia’s fiery skies Virgin Sunrise, Quick Chicken Chasseur & Moroccan Chickpea Soup.

 

My first recipe is a mocktail in honour of Monday’s fiery storm effected sunrise :-

Virgin Sunrise Recipe by Colleen Graham courtesy of http://www.thespruce.com

Serves 1, Prep 3mins, No cooking time

 

120ml x Fresh Orange Juice

15ml (1 tbsp) x Grenadine

Orange slice for garnish

Ice

 

Fill a highball glass with ice and orange juice. Slowly pour grenadine over the juice. It will sink to the bottom and slowly rise to the top as you drink. Garnish with an orange slice.

 

My next recipe is Quick Chicken Chasseur Recipe courtesy of Good Food Magazine March 2007.

Serves 4, Prep 5mins, Cook 20mins

8 x Streaky Bacon Rashers, chopped into large pieces

4 x Chicken Breasts, cut into large chunks

1 x 200g Baby Button Mushrooms

1 tbsp x Plain Flour

1 x 400g tin of Chopped Tomatoes with Garlic

1 x Beef Stock Cube

A Dash of Worcestershire Sauce

A Handful Chopped Parsley

 

Heat a shallow saucepan and sizzle the bacon for about 2 mins until starting to brown. Throw in the chicken, then fry for 3-4 mins until it has changed colour. Turn up the heat and throw in the mushrooms. Cook for a few mins, stir in the flour, then cook until a paste forms.

Tip in the tomatoes, stir, then crumble in the stock cube. Bubble everything for 10 mins, splash in the Worcestershire sauce, stir through the parsley, then serve with mash or boiled rice.

 

And my final recipe Moroccan Chickpea Soup Recipe courtesy of BBC Good Food Magazine February 2005.

Serves 4, Prep 5mins, Cook 20mins

 

1 tbsp x Olive Oil

1 x Medium Onion, chopped

2 x Celery Sticks, chopped

2 tsp x Ground Cumin

600ml x Hot Vegetable Stock

1 x 400g Can of Chopped Plum Tomatoes with Garlic

1 x 400g Can of Chickpeas, rinsed and drained

100g x Frozen Broad Beans

Zest and Juice of ½ Lemon

A Large Handful Coriander or Parsley and flatbread, to serve

 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then fry the onion and celery gently for 10 mins until softened, stirring frequently. Tip in the cumin and fry for another min.

Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas, plus a good grind of black pepper. Simmer for 8 mins. Throw in broad beans and lemon juice, cook for a further 2 mins. Season to taste, then top with a sprinkling of lemon zest and chopped herbs. Serve with flatbread.

A Slimming World Means A Tasty World

In our ever weight watching society, most of us are always looking to either achieve the body beautiful, or just to lose weight and stay trim. Along with this there is a consuming search for the ideal diet, and, let’s be honest, there isn’t an ideal diet that suits everyone as everyone’s body and metabolisms are different and react differently. One of the big misnomers is that dietary food, from whichever diet provider, is bland and tasteless. Well hopefully this week’s recipes may change your mind. They are all from Slimming World’s vast resources via their cookbooks and their website.

Slimming World is a UK-based weight loss organisation that provides lifestyle weight management programmes. It’s members have group support through shared experience with other slimmers to encourage behaviour change, called IMAGE Therapy. Slimming World’s eating plan is based on the science of satiety (the satisfying qualities of food) and energy density.

Slimming World was founded in Derbyshire in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell, who remains its chairman and the driving force behind the company to this day. There are over 16,000 groups held weekly on a nationwide basis, welcoming over 900,000 members, along with a network of more than 4,500 Slimming World trained consultants.

So this week’s recipes are Parsnip and Apple Soup, Chana Masala & Strawberry and Champagne Jellies

My first recipe is Parsnip and Apple Soup, courtesy of Slimming World website.

Serves 1, takes 10mins to prepare and approx. 25mins to cook.

500ml x Organic Vegetable Stock
140g x Parsnip – chopped
1 x Apple – peel, cored and chopped
113g x Potato – peeled and chopped
A pinch of Salt
1tsp x Curry Powder

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Transfer the soup into a blender and puree. Return to the saucepan and heat through. Pour into a bowl and serve immediately.

 

My next recipe is Chana Masala Courtesy of Slimming World website

Serves 4, takes 5 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook.

Fry Light
1 x cinnamon stick
3cm (1¼”) x Fresh Ginger, peeled and cut into thin shreds
6 x garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 x fresh green chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 x small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp x medium curry powder
110g x passata
1 x large potato, peeled and cut into cubes
400g x can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
A squeeze of lemon juice
¼ tsp x garam masala
Salt
2 tbsp x chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp x chopped coriander leaves

Spray a large frying pan with Fry Light and place over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon, ginger, garlic and most of the chilli and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook for 6-7 minutes or until softened.

Add the curry powder and stir-fry for 1 minute and then add the passata, 150ml of hot water and the potatoes. Stir and bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently for 10-12 minutes and then add the chickpeas and cook for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove from the heat, sprinkle over the lemon juice and garam masala, season well and stir in the chopped herbs. Serve garnished with the remaining chilli.
Tip: This recipe is suitable for freezing.

 

And my final recipe is Strawberry and Champagne Jellies, original recipe courtesy of Slimming World Magazine July 2010.

Serves 4, and is ready in approx. 4hr15mins, including chill time.

284ml x Low Calorie Strawberry-flavoured Sparkling Water
11g x Sachet Gelatine
1 tbsp x Lemon Juice
3 tbsp x Artificial Sweetener
284ml x Pink Champagne (or sparkling Rose Wine)
12 x Strawberries – hulled and halved ((or quartered, dependant on the size) for aesthetics)

Pour the strawberry-flavoured sparkling water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatine evenly over the top and leave to absorb for 5mins. Place over a very gentle heat and swirl the pan continuously until the gelatine has dissolved, then immediately remove from the heat.
Add the lemon juice, artificial sweetener and wine to the gelatine mixture. Gently stir and wait for any fizz to subside. Divide the strawberry segments between four dessert bowls or glasses. Pour over the wine mixture and place in the fridge to set for 4hrs, or overnight if time permits. Remove from the fridge and serve with a spoonful of Cornish Vanilla ice cream or fromage frais.