Invention

Sometimes you just have to make something up.  It's a popular concept on "Ready Steady Cook" and even "Masterchef" has it's invention test.

See what you have in the cupboard and the fridge and concoct something for tea.

One example is the Miriani on this blog.  A kind of Biryani but using mexican flavours like chipotle paste.

Here's another one:

Cosotto

This is a bit of a mishmash.  I made a tomato sauce with added chorizo and Mattesons pork sausage and then instead of cooking pasta to serve it with, I added giant couscous.

So, here's how I made it.

Fry up a chopped onion and a clove of garlic with some chopped chorizo.  I had about 100g chorizo left in my fridge.

Add whatever veg you fancy, eg peppers, courgettes, mushrooms, frozen peas or sweetcorn.  Hey, it's your meal, add what you like. Add herbs eg oregano and thyme or spices like chilli flakes or smoked paprika.

Add a tin of chopped tomatoes or passata and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

At this point, I added chunks of Mattesons smoked pork sausage, but you could add chunks of ham or cooked chicken. (If you want to use raw chicken add it with the chorizo). Prawns would be nice too.

Now add the couscous.  I used the giant couscous which needs about 10 minutes cooking.  If you wanted to use the small grained one, add it and it'll take a couple of minutes to soak up the juices. Add extra water or stock if your mixture is too dry.

Once the couscous is cooked, it's ready.  

It's good cold for lunch the next day as well!

You could use orzo pasta instead of couscous, or some small pasta shapes.  Your tea, your choice.

Salmon Kedgeree

Salmon Kedgeree

Another good recipe from Weight Watchers Magazine May 2013.

Serves 2
10 propoints per serving

150g salmon fillet
100g basmati rice
1 tsp sunflower oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
2 tsp curry powder
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 tbsp roughly chopped coriander
1 egg, boiled and peeled
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat the grill to medium high and grill the salmon for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked.  Remove and allow to cool a little before removing the skin and flaking.

(I poached my salmon, in a frying pan.  Put the salmon into a frying pan with cold water, bring to a gently simmer and cook 1-2 minutes.  Cover and turn off the heat.  Once cool, remove, skin and flake.)

Rinse the rice well and place in a pan with plenty of water.  Bring to the boil and simmer gently until just tender.  Tip into a sieve, cool under and running water and drain well.  (I some frozen sweetcorn to the rice while it was cooking, it was going to be peas, but I didn't have any)

Heat the oil in a shallow frying pan, add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if it looks like it may catch. Add the garlic, cumin seeds and curry powder and cook for 1 minute or so until fragrant.

Stir in the rice, season and heat through until piping hot.  Add the salmon, tomatoes and coriander and combine well.

Serve, topped with quartered egg, scattered with coriander leaves and a wedge of lemon.

Spiced Pickled Pineapple

Spiced Pickled Pineapple

A touch of the Caribbean here thanks to Levi Roots.

It's lovely with cooked ham or pork chops.  

Lamb Steaks marinaded in Pomegranate Molasses.........

Spring Lamb Steaks with Tabbouleh

This recipe comes from Weight Watchers magazine May 2013

Serves 2  
10 propoints per serving


2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 x 120g lamb steaks

For the tabbouleh

60g bulgur wheat (dry weight)
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
25g chopped fresh parsley
5cm cucumber, diced
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, de-seeded and diced
handful of fresh mint, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Combine the thyme, pomegranate molasses and vinegar.  Turn the lamb in the marinade to coat and leave at least 20 minutes.  For a fuller flavour leave overnight in the fridge.

Prepare the bulgur wheat as described on the pack and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Heat a frying pan or griddle and cook the lamb for 3 minutes per side.  Leave to rest for a few minutes then slice and serve on top of the tabbouleh.



I made it with giant couscous instead of bulgur wheat and added grilled courgette to it.

The Hairy Dieters

So the Hairy Bikers went on a diet and produced a book of recipes that they used whilst losing weight.

This is the Lamb, Spinach and Potato Curry.  I made it in the slow cooker instead of the oven and the only thing I'd say is, if you are going to do it in the slow cooker, use slightly less liquid.

Everyone enjoyed it anyway.

The recipe can be found here:

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=2210227

Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

This is my Butternut Squash soup.  Every time I make it, it's different, but it's always tasty.  I like the texture butternut squash give to the soup, almost creamy.

This soup was made with an onion, 2 leeks, a butternut squash and 2 sticks of celery, cooked until soft in vegetable stock and with the addition of some fresh thyme and some coarsely ground black pepper.  Once the veg were soft, I blitzed the soup with my stick blender to create a smooth soup.

Hungarian Creamy Pork

At Durham Food Fair, I bought some spice mixes. They can be used as dry rubs, for marinades or mixed to make dips.  The possibilities are endless.  I used the Hungarian one for this recipe but you can substitute the spice for curry powder for a spicy recipe or anything else that takes your fancy.

Hungarian Creamy Pork

Serves 4

4 pork steaks, trimmed of excess fat
1 onion, chopped
250 g  mushrooms, sliced or quartered
100 g light Philadelphia cheese
200 ml veg stock
2 tsp Hungarian spice mix or use smoked paprika, thyme and oregano

Brown the steaks in a non stick pan.  Remove and set aside.

Cook the onions and mushrooms gently until lightly browned, add the Hungarian spice mix and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the steaks back to the pan with the stock and cook for 20 -25 mins with the lid on until the steaks are tender and the stock has reduced a bit.

Stir in the Philadelphia cheese until smooth.

Serve.

Note: You could use cream here instead of Philadelphia.