Salmon with Black Bean and Garlic

Salmon with Black Bean and Garlic

This is the sauce I use.  Its a thick sauce and very savoury.  You only need a small amount so a jar lasts ages.  Use it in stir fry or for this recipe.

Basically, it's stretching it to call this a recipe but whatever, its delicious.

Get a piece of salmon per person.  I take the skin off but that's up to you.  I put a bit of baking parchment onto a baking tray, (just to save the washing up, not for any clever culinary reason).  Put the salmon on the tray, put 1 - 2 tsp of the sauce on top of the salmon and spread it out on top.

Cook the salmon for 10-15 mins in a hot oven 200ºC/Gas 6 until it is cooked through or to your liking if you like it pink in the middle.

In the picture I've had it with veg, but it's nice sat on top of stir fried veg and noodles.

You can do the same thing with chicken breast or a pork steak.  Just cook it a bit longer until the meat is properly cooked through.

Curried Cod Loin

Curried Cod Loin

This is a version of a recipe in the Hairy Bikers "Mum Knows Best" cookbook. The original recipe is for Curried Salmon and it is delicious but on this occasion I've used cod loins and it was equally good.

The original recipe serves 6 and this is the quantities I'm giving here with notes about what I used.  The spice mix will keep in a jar or sealed bag if you want to make the full amount.

Quantities for 6 (I made for 3)

1kg salmon steaks, descaled   (I used 3 cod loins, they were frozen ones)
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped ( I used 2)
4cm piece of fresh ginger finely chopped ( I used 2cm)
1 or 2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped (optional) I used about ½ tsp red chilli flakes
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes (I used the same here)
2 fresh tomatoes, sliced (I used about 6 cherry tomatoes, halved)
fresh coriander, chopped

Spice Mix
2½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground peppercorns
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp garam masala
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp lovage seeds (Ajwain seeds)
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes (use more or less to taste)
2 tsp turmeric

This is the spice mix for 6 servings.  Use half for 3 and put the rest in a jar or bag marked up for the next time you cook it.

Tarka Mix
3 tbsp veg oil
1 tsp lovage seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

When I made the Tarka mix I only used ½ tbsp oil and 2 garlic cloves but probably the same amount of seeds 

Wash the salmon, rinse and dry well, cut into chunks and place in a bowl.  (I kept the cod loins whole.

Add the spice mix and gently toss with the fish to cover. Add the garlic, ginger and chillis and gently mix again to cover.  Set aside for 10 minutes.

Prepare the tarka mix. Heat the oil and add the lovage seeds, fry gently until almost black then add the cumin seeds and fry for 5 seconds. Add the garlic and cook gently until just golden then add the fish to the pan.

Cook on a medium heat, moving the fish very gently to avoid breaking it up. Once the salmon is sealed and brown (I didn't go this far with the cod, just cooked it gently for a few minutes), add 225ml hot water and the canned and fresh tomatoes.  I didn't add so much water as I used the whole can of tomatoes for just 3 of us).  Bring to a boil and simmer gently for a few minutes until the fish is cooked through.  

Sprinkle with coriander and serve.

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom and Mustard Sauce

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom and Mustard Sauce

This is a meal I made up as I went along. 

Making this for 3.  Turned out as ½ syn per serving for SW

Oven 200ºC/Gas 6

I put 3 chicken breasts into a casserole dish with chopped mushrooms and a little chicken stock. Cover with foil and cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Take the chicken breasts out of the dish and keep warm.

I put the mushrooms and stock into a pan, stirred in 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (1½syns) into it.  Let it reduce slightly then remove from the heat and stir in Quark soft cheese to give a creamy consistency.  Serve over the chicken with veg.

One Tray Roast Chicken Dinner

 One Tray Roast Chicken Dinner

From Slimming World Magazine Jan/Feb 2016 

Serves 4

600g Charlotte potatoes, halved if large
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
300g banana shallots, peeled and halved (or use red onion cut into wedges)
1 whole garlic bulb, cloves separated and left unpeeled
200ml chicken stock
salt and pepper
2 lemons
low cal cooking spray
a few sprigs fresh rosemary
8 large skinless chicken thighs on the bone
2 courgettes cut into chunks
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 200ºC/Gas 6.  Put the potatoes, carrots, peppers, shallots or onion, garlic cloves and stock into a large roasting tin and season.  Squeeze over the juice of 1 lemon.  Lightly spray with low cal spray, toss together and cover with foil.  Cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the foil and scatter over the rosemary. Season the chicken thighs and arrange over the dish with the courgettes.  Slice the remaining lemon and tuck into the gaps.  Spray with a little low cal spray and roast for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes and vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned.

Scatter with parsley and serve.

Free on SW Extra Easy

Mincemeat, Pecan and Cinnamon Crumble Bars

Mincemeat, Pecan and Cinnamon Crumble Bars

All the flavours of Christmas as a tray bake.  Yummy and simple.

A Sainsbury magazine recipe, pictured centre below.



Makes 12 bars

225g cold unsalted butter, diced plus extra for greasing
225g plain flour
100g semolina (dried)
100g caster sugar plus 2 tbsp
½ tsp vanilla extract
75g pecans, coarsely chopped
icing sugar and cinnamon for dusting

Mincemeat mixture
450g good quality mincemeat
1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and cut into tiny pieces
1 tbsp brandy or other spirit (optional)
1 tsp mixed spice
finely grated zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to Gas 3/170ºC.  Grease a rectangular, shallow baking tin (18cm x 28cm) well with butter.  Put the minccemeat into a bowl and stir in the apple, brandy, spice and orange zest.

Put plain flour, semolina and 100g sugar into the bowl of a food processor, add the butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt.  Process  briefly until the mixture just begins to stick together into pea sized lumps to form a crumble mixture.  Tip half into the tin and press firmly over the base in an even layer.

Spread the mincemeat mixture over in an even layer.  Stir the chopped pecans and remaining 2 tbsp sugar into the remaining crumble mixture and sprinkle evenly over the mincemeat,

Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the tin to loosen then cut into 12 bar and remove from the tin.

Dust with icing sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Serve warm or cool. Store in an airtight tin and eat within a couple of days (not difficult)

To Freeze: Place bars side by side in a lidded rigid container, layering with baking paper inbetween.  Freeze for up to 2 months.

To Thaw: Remove bars from freezer and thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours.

To crisp them back up: Place bars on a baking tray and pop into a hot oven, Gas 6/200ºC for 5-6 minutes. 

Shakshuka

Shakshuka

A great recipe, easy and quick and you can easily bulk it up with added meat of your choice. Here's mine ready for the lid



Serves 4

large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
olive oil
roasted red peppers from a jar, diced
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp mild chilli powder or chilli flakes
400g tin tomatoes
pinch of sugar
4 eggs
flat leaf parsley

Heat a large frying pan with a lid.  Cook the onion in a little oil until soft, add the garlic and cook for a minute more.  Stir in the peppers, paprika, cumin, chilli powder, tomatoes and sugar and simmer for 10 minutes.

Make 4 dips in the mixture and break an egg into each dip.  Put the lid of the pan on and cook gently until the whites are set and the yolks cooked to your liking.  Scatter with parsley and serve.

Swede, Kale and Sweet Potato Gratin

Swede, Kale and Sweet Potato Gratin

An Olive magazine Dec 2015 recipe.  We had this on Christmas day.



olive oil
butter
1 onion, finely sliced
1 swede, peeled and cut into batons
500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into batons
200g kale, washed thoroughly and finely chopped
200ml whipping cream
100ml milk
nutmeg for grating
1 bay leaf

Heat the oven to Gas 4/180ºC.  Heat a little oil and a knob of butter and gently fry the onion until iit is very tender but not coloured. Add the swede and sweet potato, mix really well, cook gently for about 5 minutes then season and add the kale.  Mix and then tip into a large buttered baking dish about 1½ litres in capacity.

Bring the milk and cream to a simmer and pour over the veg.  Grate over some nutmeg and add the bay leaf.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the veg are tender and the top is browned.

Pork, Chorizo and Pink Peppercorn Terrine

Pork, Chorizo and Pink Peppercorn Terrine

An Olive magazine recipe from Dec 2014.  

This is our starter for Christmas Day.  It goes down a treat.  






4 small shallots, finely chopped
olive oil
400-450 g pork tenderloin, finely diced
1 tsp pink peppercorns, crushed
1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
200g lean pork mince
200g chorizo style sausage, skinned
50g pitted green olives, sliced
16-20 rashers thin cut lean smoked bacon

Cook the shallots in olive oil until soft but uncoloured and then set aside to cool. Put the pork tenderloin into a bowl and add the cooled shallots, peppercorns, half the rosemary and half the fennel.  Season well with salt then mix together and divide into two.

Mix the pork mince, chorizo and olives with the rest of the rosemary and fennel and season.

Line a rectangular terrine or loaf tin approx 900g (19cm x 9cm x 6cm deep) with the bacon rashers, leaving the edges overhanging.  Heat the oven to Gas 4/180ºC.

Press in half the pork tenderloin mix.  Form the chorizo mix into a fat sausage, slightly narrower than the terrine and as long as the terrine and push it down into the pork layer.  Pack the rest of the pork mix over and around the chorizo. (The idea is that the chorizo mix will be in the middle of the pork) Wrap the bacon over the top to seal.

Cover the terrine with a lid or some foil, put into a small roasting dish and pour in hot water to come halfway up the outside of the terrine dish.  Cook for 1½ hours covered then remove the lid/foil and cook for a further 15 minutes until the top is light golden.  Remove from the hot water and strain off any liquid that has come out during cooking. (There will be quite a lot). Leave to cool.

Cover the surface of the terrine (still in the dish) with a foil covered piece of card then weight down with tins and chill overnight.  Turn out onto a board and serve in slices with salad, capers, pepperdew peppers and toast.

Chocolate and Irish Cream Roulade

Chocolate and Irish Cream Roulade

Another absolute winner from Mary Berry

 

Serves 8

175g plain dark chocolate, about 50% cocoa solids
6 large eggs, separated
175g caster sugar
2tbsp cocoa powder
300ml double cream
4 tbsp Irish Cream liqueur
Icing sugar, sifted for dusting

Icing
50g icing sugar
2 tsp double cream
2 -3 tsp Irish cream 

Heat the oven to Gas 4/180ºC.  Lightly grease a Swiss roll tin with butter and line with baking parchment.

Break the chocolate into pieces and put in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.  The base of the bowl must not touch the water.  Leave until the chocolate is just melted then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk, using an electric hand whisk on a high speed until fluffy and stiff but not dry.

Tip the caster sugar and egg yolks into another bowl and whisk on high speed until thick and creamy, about 1½ minutes.  Pour in the cooled chocolate and stir until blended.  Add 2 large tbsp of the egg whites and mix gently to loosen the mixture then fold in the remaining egg white. Sift the cocoa over and fold it into the mixture.  Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cake is well risen and firm on top.  Remove from the oven and set aside, leaving it in the tin until it is cold.  Expect it to crack and dip a little.

Put the cream into a bowl with the Irish Cream and whip until it is thick enough to just hold it's shape.

Lightly dust a large peice of baking parchment with icing sugar.  Turn the cake out of the tin onto the parchment and carefully peel off the lining paper.  Spread the surface of the cake with cream, leaving a rim of about 2cm all the way around. With one of the short ends towards you, make a score mark 2cm from the edge careful not to cut right through.  Starting here, lightly roll up the roulade, transfer to a serving plate or board.

Make the icing by mixing the sifted icing sugar with the cream and enough liqueur to give a smooth consistency.  Drizzle or pipe the icing over the roulade.

Chinese Braised Beef

Chinese Braised Beef

Adapted from BBC Good Food.  I made this in the slow cooker.




500g -600g braising steak cut into large pieces
thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced or chopped
1 star anise (optional)
1 tsp brown sugar
3 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
300ml beef stock 

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
spring onions

Place all the ingredients into your slow cooker.  You can brown the meat first if you want, I didn't.

Turn it onto low and leave it all day while you graft at work.  When you come home, you can thicken the sauce with 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with a little water. Add some peppers or mushrooms if you fancy them and leave the cooker for a while whilst you sit with a cup of coffee browsing the internet, or alternatively do some chores, your choice.

Serve sprinkled with some chopped spring onion for a bit of extra colour.

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

Chicken and Black Bean Stir Fry

Chicken and Black Bean Stir Fry

From Chings Fast Food



Serves 4

1 tbsp groundnut oil (I used 1 tsp and it was plenty)
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 birds eye chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 tbsp fermented and salted black beans, rinsed and crushed
450g skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into 1cm slices
1 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks (as you see I used yellow)
200ml veg stock
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water

Heat a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke then add the oil.  Add the garlic, ginger and chilles and stir fry for a few seconds then add the fermented black beans and stir quickly.

Add the chicken and stir fry for 1 minute, keeping the ingredients moving in the wok.  As the chicken starts to turn opaque, add the rice wine or sherry.

Add the peppers and stir fry for 1 minute then add the stock and bring to the boil.  Season with the soy sauce then add the cornflour paste and stir to thicken. Once the sauce is thick, serve with rice or noodles.

Greek Lamb and Feta Pie

Greek Lamb and Feta Pie

A Slimming World recipe from the magazine of Jan/Feb 2016




Serves 4 (large servings)

6 lamb leg steaks, fat removed and roughly chopped
low calorie cooking spray
2 large onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried mint
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes (optional)
400g can chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato puree
600ml lamb or beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g spinach
180g feta cheese, crumbled
25g fresh oregano, chopped (or 1tsp dried)
finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

Topping
700g floury potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated (I left the peel on)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Put the lamb in a food processor and pulse until roughly minced.  Spray a large, deep frying pan with cooking spray and place over a high heat.  Add the mince, stirring to break it up and fry for 15 minutes or until browned.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions.  Cook for 10 minutes or until they are starting to soften and turn translucent.  Add half the garlic, the allspice, cinnamon, cumin, dried mint and chilli flakes.  Fry for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and stock and season.  Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, uncovered until the sauce is thick, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the spinach to wilt then transfer to a large pie dish and set aside. (You could make this up to this point the day before and chill if you wanted)

Meanwhile make the topping.  Boil the grated potatoes for 2-3 minutes.  Drain thoroughly then leave to cool.  Season and stir in the beaten egg to coat.

Preheat the oven to Gas 6/200ºC.

Mix the feta, oregano, remaining garlic and lemon zest and sprinkle over the lamb.  Top with the potato mixture and lightly spray with cooking spray. Add a twist of black pepper.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, uncovered until the topping is golden.

For Slimming World this is free, but add 6 syns if not using the cheese as a Healthy extra