Texas Cornbread

Texas Cornbread

Another favourite from the Hairy Bikers Mum Knows Best book.  I have made it but no photo!

This is a meal in itself, served with salad or vegetables.

Serves 6-8

150g yellow cornmeal
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
240 ml buttermilk
1 x 400g can creamed corn
2 large eggs
50g butter

Filling
1tsp vegetable oil
450g lean minced beef
2 onions peeled and chopped
225g cheddar cheese grated
50g jalapeno peppers chopped

Preheat the oven to Gas 4/180ºC

In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal with the bicarb and salt.  Add the buttermilk, creamed corn and eggs and beat until smooth.  Set aside.

Put the butter into a large baking dish and place in the oven to heat up.

To make the filling, heat the oil and lightly brown the minced beef and onions.

Pour half the batter into the baking dish, sprinkle on the browned beef, onions, cheese and jalapenos and top with the remaining batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden.

Harissa Vegetable and Jumbo Couscous

Harissa Vegetable and Jumbo Couscous

Another delicious recipe from the Hairy Bikers Fast Food book.
I had this with the Spiced Roasted Chicken with Minty Yogurt sauce from another of their books "Mums know best" also on this blog.

Serves 4

1 tsp oil

2 red onions, sliced into wedges

2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into strips

2 large courgettes, cut thinly on the diagonal

zest on 1 lemon

1 tsp cumin seeds

1tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp harissa paste 

100ml hot vegetable stock

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Couscous

500ml vegetable stock or water

100g jumbo couscous

200g salad leaves

squeeze of lemon juice

handful of mint leaves

handful of parsley leaves

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan (I used a wok).  Add the onions and peppers and fry overe high heat for 5 minutes.  Add the courgettes and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the lemon zest and cumin seeds.  Whisk the tomato puree, harissa and 100ml stock and pour over the veg in the pan.  Turn down the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes until the veg are softened but still have a bit of bite.

Whilst the veg are cooking, pour the 500ml stock or water into a pan and add the couscous.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to the boil and cover the pan.  Turn down the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the couscous has plumped up annd is tender.  Remove  from the heat and drain.

Add the tomatoes to the pan of veg, cover the pan and leave them to soften for a further minute.

Mix the couscous with the salad leaves, then add the vegetables and their dressing.  Squeeze a little lemon juice over and sprinkle liberally with the mint and parsley.

For Slimming World:  3 syns in the whole lot. (2 for oil and 1 for harissa) I managed to serve 5 out of it.  

Spicy Roasted Chicken with Minty Sauce

Spicy Roasted Chicken with Minty Sauce 

Another from the Hairy Bikers Mum Knows Best book. Quick to make and so tasty, either hot or col, so make plenty, you can take it for your lunch the next day!

Serves 4-6

1kg chicken thighs, skinned/washed and drained 
4cm piece of root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1tsp ground peppercorns and coriander seeds
1tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garam masala1 
1/2 tsp whole cumin seed 
oil for greasing tin

Minty yogurt sauce

500ml plain yogurt
2dsrtsp ready made mint sauce 

Wash and dry the chicken thughs and make 3 slits in each one with a sharp knife. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the ginger, lemon juice, salt and spices. Mix well and leave to marinate for 10 mins.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Oil a roasting tin and add the marinated chicken, spreading it out evenly and roast for 45 mins.

To make minty yogurt sauce, add the mint sauce to the yogurt and mix well. Serve the sauce chilled with the hot chicken.

Curried Salmon

Curried Salmon

Another fab recipe from the same lady who did the Spicy Roasted Chicken.  I wasn't too sure about currying salmon to begin with, but it was really good.
The amounts below would serve about 6 people, maybe more.
Heat the oil and fry the lovage seeds (if you have them) until almost black. Add the cumin and fry for 5 seconds. Add the remaining 4 cloves of chopped garlic until slightly golden. Add the fish and cook on medium heat moving the fish around by moving the pan until oil begins to separate from spices. Add the hot water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 mins. Add the chopped coriander, remove from heat and serve.



1kg Salmon Steaks/Salmon Fillet, cut into big chunks.

Spice Mix

2 ½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground peppercorns and coriander seeds
1 tsp Paprika
½ tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Lovage seeds 
½ tsp flaked red chillies 
2 tsp Turmeric
5 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
1 ½ in. Ginger, finely chopped
Small tin of chopped tomatoes
2 fresh tomatoes
1 or 2 green chili – deseeded and chopped 

Tarka Mix

4 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
1 tsp lovage seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 cup of freshly boiled water
Garnish
½ bunch of chopped coriander

Cut salmon into large chunks, place in a bowl. Add all the spice mix to the fish as well as 5 cloves of garlic and ginger. Gently toss the fish to cover with spices, then add the 4 cloves of chopped garlic, ginger, tomatoes, sliced tomatoes and chilies. Again toss gently to mix all the ingredients together. Leave aside for 10 mins.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon Drizzle cake 

Quick to make and very popular, I've made it many times.......why haven't I taken it's photo? Another recipe from the Hairy Bikers Mum Knows Best book

Serves 10
2 small unwaxed lemons, well scrubbed
275g granulated sugar
175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the tin
200g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
3 large free-range eggs

Preheat the oven to 180'C/fan 160'C/Gas 4. 

Line the base of a 900g (2lb) non-stick loaf tin with baking parchment and butter the tin well. 

Finely grate the zest of the lemons. Put 175g of the sugar in a food processor with the butter, flour, baking powder, eggs and lemon zest and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture is just combined and has a thick, smooth texture.

Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 35 minutes or until well risen and pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Squeeze one of the lemons to get about 3 tablespoons of juice and mix this with the remaining 100g of granulated sugar.

Turn the cake out onto a wire rack set about a tray or plate. Remove the baking parchment and gently turn the cake the right way up. Make about 50 deep holes in the top of the cake with a skewer.

Slowly and gradually, spoon over half the lemon sugar, allowing it to thoroughly coat the top of the cake and drizzle down the sides. Leave the cake to stand for 5 minutes, then do the same with the remaining lemon sugar. Leave to set for at least an hour or until the sugar and lemon has crystallised. Serve the cake in thick slices with a nice cup of tea.

Crumpets

Crumpets

Another great cookbook from the Hairy ones, this time recipes from families all over the UK, handed down through the generations. 

Try the recipe from this book, they are delicious.  I have made them, but failed to photograph them. Need to make them again then!

• 350ml whole milk
• 225g strong white flour
• 125g plain flour
• 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150ml/5¼fl oz warm water
• butter, for greasing, plus extra to serve
• Warm the milk in a saucepan very gently until tepid.
• Sift the flours into a large bowl and stir in the yeast, salt and sugar until well-combined. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and stir in the warm milk. Beat well with a wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes, or until the batter is thick and elastic. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside in a warm place for an hour, or until the batter has doubled in size.
• When the batter has risen, mix the bicarbonate of soda with the warm water, and beat the mixture into the batter for a couple of minutes. Set aside to rest in a warm place for a further 30 minutes. By this time the mixture should have risen and be covered with tiny bubbles.
• Heat a flat griddle pan or large heavy-based non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Generously butter the insides of four crumpet rings or 9cm/3½in chefs' rings and place them onto the griddle or into the frying pan. Warm the rings for a minute or two.
• Using a dessertspoon, drop three large spoonfuls of the crumpet batter into each ring. It should come around 1.5cm/½in up the sides of each ring, but no more. Cook for 9-12 minutes, or until lots of tiny bubbles have risen to the surface and burst and the tops look dry and set.
• Carefully lift off the rings - it shouldn't be too difficult as the crumpets will ease back from the sides when they are ready. (Use an oven glove and take care as the crumpet rings will be hot.) Flip the crumpets over with a spatula and cook on the other side for a further two minutes, or until golden-brown. You can keep these crumpets warm while the remaining batter is prepared, or serve immediately spread with lots of butter.
• Cook the remaining crumpets in exactly the same way as the first, washing and buttering the rings well before re-using. The crumpets can also be cooled and then toasted.

Baked Fish with Green and White Beans

Baked Fish with Green and White Beans

A lovely quick dish from the Hairy Dieters Fast Food, works best with a thick piece of fish.

Serves 4

4 x 150g thick white fish fillets
200g green beans, trimmed and halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced into crescents
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
grated zest of 1 lemon
100g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
bunch of basil, leaves torn
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200ºC/Gas 6.  Line a baking tray with baking parchment, put the fish fillets on the tray and season with salt and pepper.

Bring a kettle of water to the boil.  Pour the water into a pan and add the green beans.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until they are just done. Drain and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, make the sauce.  Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onion, cooking gently over a medium heat for a few minutes.  Add the garlic and lemon zest (keep a little zest for decoration) and cook for another minute.

Put the fish in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, finish the sauce.  Add the tomatoes, green beans and cannellini beans to the pan with the onion and garlic, Season with salt and pepper.  Cook gently for a few minutes to heat through and the tomatoes have started to soften and release their juices.

Once the fish is cooked, serve with the beans, liberally sprinkled with basil and some lemon zest. A little squeeze of lemon juice is lovely over it.

I served with some broccoli.

For Slimming World, 6 syns for the oil so 1½ syns per serving.  Or use spray oil.  I only used ½ tbsp for 3 of us so 1 syn per serving.


Note:  It has been commented that 2 x 400g tins beans is too much for this recipe.  I made the recipe with 2 tins and it was fine, but then I like beans.  I didn't serve this with any other carbs though.  If you feel 2 tins is a it much, feel free to use just one.

Chicken Livers Escabeche Style

Chicken Livers Escabeche Style

Escabeche is a sort of warm pickle popular in Latin America.  This dish, from the Hairy Dieters Fast Food captures those flavours.

Serves 4

2 tsp oil
2 red onions, cut into thin wedges
2 red peppers deseeded and sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g chicken livers, trimmed
1 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
dash of Tabasco or other chilli sauce
½ tsp runny honey
1 tbsp tomato puree
100ml chicken stock
fresh parsley

Heat 1 tsp oil in a large, lidded frying pan and add the onion and peppers.  Cook over high heat for a couple of minutes then add a splash of water, cover the pan and turn down the heat.  Leave to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then remove the veg and set aside.

Add the remaining oil and turn the heat up high.  Add the chicken livers and cook for 2 mins on each side then add the veg back to the pan.

Whisk the sherry vinegar, Tabasco, honey, tomato puree and chicken stock together in a small bowl and pour over the livers.  Leave to simmer for a few minutes to make sure the livers are cooked.

Sprinkle with plenty of parsley and serve.

I served with white and wild rice.

For Slimming World 4 syns for oil and ½ for honey., so 1 syn per serving.  Use spray oil if you prefer.

Mincemeat Crumble Slice

Mincemeat Crumble Slice

As Christmas neared, the Plum Crumble Slice took on a new flavour.  Using sweet mincemeat instead of plums.

A lovely change to the standard mince pie.

250g pack butter, very cold
225g caster sugar
300g ground almonds
140g plain flour, plus 25g
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
sweet mincemeat
50g flaked almonds

Heat oven to Gas 4/180ºC. Grease and line with baking parchment a 20cm x 30cm baking tin.

Put the butter, sugar and almonds into a food processor, pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Remove half of it and set it aside.

Add 140g flour to the processor and whizz until it forms a dough. Tip into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

To make the filling, put the butter sugar mix that you set aside earlier into the processor saving a few tbsp for the topping. Add the eggs, cinnamon and baking powder and whizz to a soft batter.  If making the mincemeat version here, spread the mincemeat over the base and then top with this batter.

Bake for 20 minutes then sprinkle with the remaining crumble mix and the flaked almonds.  Cook for another 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing.

Dandelion and Burdock Cake

Dandelion and Burdock Cake

Now I'd be fibbing if I took credit for this cake.  My son made it from this recipe.

It's by Simon Rimmer from the programme "Something for the Weekend"

    225g / 8oz Plain Flour225g / 8oz Caster Sugar1 tsp Bircarbonate of Soda100g / 3 ½ oz Mini Marshmallows65g /2 ¼ fl oz Vegetable Oil3 tbsp Cocoa Powder200ml / 7fl oz Dandelion and Burdock drink100g / 3 ½ fl oz Buttermilk 2 Free Range Eggs
Icing
 65g / 2 ¼ oz Unsalted Butter1 ½ tbsp Cocoa Powder50ml / 1 ¾ fl oz Dandelion and Burdock Drink150g / 5 ¼ oz icing sugar100g / 3 ½ oz chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4. Grease and line a 30cm/12in baking tin.

    Sift the flour, sugar and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, then add the marshmallows.

Meanwhile, heat the butter, oil, cocoa powder and dandelion and burdock in a saucepan until boiling.

Pour the butter mixture onto the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Mix in the buttermilk and eggs.

Pour the cake batter into the cake tin and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the sides of the cake are coming away from the sides of the cake tin and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the icing, heat the butter, cocoa powder and dandelion and burdock in a saucepan until boiling. Sift in the icing sugar and mix until well combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.Spread the icing over the cake and set aside to cool completely.

Jamie's Fantastic Fish Pie

Jamie's Fantastic Fish Pie

Jamie Oliver recipe from his book "The return of the Naked Chef"


It is indulgent with cream and cheese, so not the best recipe for dieters, but it is delicious. 

Serves 4-6

5 large potatoes, peeled and diced inot 2½cm/1" squares
salt and pepper
2 large eggs
200g fresh spinach
1 onion finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
oil
600 ml double cream
200g cheddar cheese, grated
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp English mustard
100g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
500g haddock or cod, skin removed, pin boned and cut into large chunks


Preheat the oven Gas 8/230ºC

Put the potatoes into salted boiling water, bring back to the boil and cook for 2 minutes.

Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for a further 8 minutes until hard boiled and the potatoes are cooked. 

At the same time, steam the spinach in a colonder above the pan.  This will only take a minute.  Once done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze to remove any excess moisture.

Now drain the potatoes. Remove the eggs and peel and quarter them.  Set aside.

In a separate pan, slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little oil for about 5 minutes, then add the double cream and bring just to the boil then remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese, lemon juice, mustard and parsley.

Put the spinach, fish and eggs into a suitable ovenproof dish, mix gently and pour over the sauce.

The cooked potatoes should be drained and mashed with a little oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spread on top of the fish.

Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are golden.

Kale and Chorizo Stew

Kale and Chorizo Stew

A tasty one pot meal using spicy chorizo, from the Morrisons supermarket magazine.  Very tasty.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
150g diced chorizo
200g shredded kale
½ litre stock
1 x 420g butterbeans, drained and rinsed
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp paprika
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion and chorizo for a few minutes until the onion has softened.

Toss in the remaining ingredients and season to taste.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the squash and kale are tender.

Chicken and Tomato Stew with Orzo

Chicken and Tomato Stew with Orzo

This is my version of a recipe in Rick Stein's From Venice to Istanbul.

He uses a whole chicken jointed into pieces but I took the easy option to use skinless and boneless chicken thighs. 

It fits nicely with Slimming World if you use spray oil or no oil at all like I did and count syns for any cheese you add to your plate at the end. 

Serves 6

Olive oil or spray oil

12 Chicken thighs, skinned and boned chopped into big chunks

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped

100ml red wine (5 syns)

1 litre chicken stock (might need slightly less so don’t add altogether)

500ml passata

7cm cinnamon stick

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper

300g orzo pasta

Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over medium heat.  Add the chicken and brown them. Reduce the heat and add the onion, garlic and red pepper and cook for about 5 mins.  Add the wine, half the chicken stock, passata, cinnamon stick, oregano, salt and pepper. 

Bring to the boil them reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 20-25 mins.

Add the orzo and stir.  Let the stew simmer  for another 10-15 minutes until the orzo is soft and the sauce reduced. Add more stock if necessary. (This is why I didn’t add all the stock as I wanted my sauce quite thick).

Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan, remembering to count the syns for this.

Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

This is a good storecupboard dish, I pretty much made it up as I went along, using stuff in the cupboard and fridge.

For 3 servings 

4 syns per serving if using the cheese as ½ HEA (7syns if not)

180g pasta
green beans
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes,
2 tbsp tomato puree
mixed herbs
smoked paprika
crushed chillies
1 tin sweetcorn
1 green pepper (or any colour) chopped
2 tins tuna
300ml Nu Me creme fraiche (low fat)(2.4g fat per 100ml)  12 syns
45g grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 200ºC Gas 6

Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions, adding in the green beans to cook at the same time. Cook until just tender.

Put the onionm garlic, tomatoes, puree, herbs, paprika, chillies and green pepper into a pan and bring to the boil.  Simmer gently until the veg are softening and season to taste.  Add the sweetcorn.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and return it to the pan.  Pour the tomato sauce into the pasta pan and add the tuna and creme fraiche.  Mix carefully and tip into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle with cheese, cover with foil and cook for 10-15 minutes until the bake is heated through and bubbling.  Remove the foil and cook another 5 minutes.

All In One Spicy Pork and Rice

All In One Spicy Pork and Rice

A recipe from the Hairy Dieters Eat for Life book.

For Slimming World 10 syns the lot.

Serves 4

2 tsp oil (4syns)
1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges
500 g pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1cm slices
50 g chorizo sausage cut into 5mm slices (6syns)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and sliced
100 g green beans, cut into short lengths
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
150 g easy cook long grain rice
750 ml chicken stock made with 1 stock cube
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large non-stick, deep frying or saute pan.  Fry the onion wedges for 3 mins over medium heat, until softened and lightly browned.

Season the pork and add it to the pan.  Fry for 2 mins until lightly browned. Add the chorizo, garlic, peppers and beans and cook for 2 mins.  Sprinkle with the spices, add the rice and pour over the stock.

Bring to the boil the reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 mins, stirring regularly until the liquid has absorbed and the rice and pork are lovely and tender.

I only used 1 tsp oil and it was fine, so the whole lot was 8 syns.