Month: February 2016

Chicken, pea and mushroom risotto

~ rinaforster ~ Leave a comment

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This is a great recipe for using up left over roast chicken.

Start by finely dicing one onion. Add this to a frying pan with a generous knob of butter and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the onions start to soften. Next add two crushed cloves of garlic and continue to cook for another couple of minutes.

Next add your risotto rice (250gm) to serve 4 adults and stir into the butter and onion mix so that all the grains are coated with butter. Next add 100ml of white wine and turn up the heat so that the alcohol evaporates. Turn the heat back down then pour  in 1 ltr of chicken stock one ladle at a time stirring between each ladle (if you have the time) this will make it more creamy.

Meanwhile slice up a large handful of button mushrooms and fry in a little olive oil, salt and pepper until starting to brown then set aside

Cook until the stock is nearly all absorbed and then add a mug full of frozen peas, mushrooms, approx 200g of cooked/ left over chicken and a tablespoon of creme fraiche if you have some then cook for a further 4-5 minutes until the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in  approx 50g of parmesan, season and serve immediately with a sprinkling of chives and a squeeze of lemon juice

 

 

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Chorizo crusted chicken

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So apparently my children love Chorizo ….. who knew!

Serve this with new potatoes and green beans so get the new potatoes quartered and on the hob first.

Next get your chorizo diced, about a large handful ought to do it (if you can prize it away from those little tikes!) and fry over a low heat for about 5 minutes.

Next, butterfly your chicken breasts and then cover with clingfilm before bashing with a rolling pin in order to reduce the thickness to about 1cm

Next brush with a little olive oil and place on a baking tray.

Add a large heaped tablespoon of panko breadcrumbs to the chorizo and mix well then spoon the mixture on to the chicken and cook in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Turn the grill on and grill for a further 2-3 minutes until browned and crispy then serve with potatoes and greens!

 

Cod Crumble

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Preheat your oven to 180 fan and get your new potatoes on.

Next make the crumble topping by blitzing one piece of toast with 2 tablespoons of porridge oats and 25 g of grated parmesan  cheese.

Next spread a layer of Philadelphia cream cheese with chives over the top of two fillets of cod then generously sprinkle with the topping and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked through, serve with the new potatoes and peas

Carbonara with Spiralised Courgette

~ rinaforster ~ 3 Comments

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I’ve just purchased a spiraliser and so this is the first dish i’m attempting. I dont want to completely substitute my carbs for courgette, i;ve aimed for a 70% pasta 30% courgette but you adjust this to your liking.

To start get your pasta on, (approx 125 g). Whilst your spaghetti is cooking, pan fry a diced shallot, a crushed garlic clove and 100g of cubed pancetta in a little olive oil on a medium heat for 6-7 minutes.

Next add 1 tablespoon of creme fraiche, 2 eggs and  50g of grated parmesan into a bowl and mix together.

Next spiralise one large courgette and when the pasta is one minute away from being cooked add the courgette to the pan and allow to cook for a minute.

Finally, drain the pasta and courgette mix, return to the pan but remove from the heat and stir in the eggy mixture for a minute, add the pancetta mix, stir then serve with a little more parmesan sprinked over the top

 

Creme Fraiche Chicken with Mushrooms

~ rinaforster ~ Leave a comment

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This meal is ready in 20 minutes and tastes yummy.

Serve this with rice so get that cooking first according to packet instructions

Next, slice one medium onion and fry in a little olive oil on a medium heat for 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften then add approx. 10 sliced button mushrooms and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Now add 2 diced chicken breasts and fry until the chicken is sealed, this should take approx 3-4 minutes. Next add a 300ml tub of half fat crème fraiche and crumble in a Knorr chicken stock cube,  give everything a stir, season and place a lid on the pan and allow to simmer for 10 more minutes until the chicken is cooked.

Serve with rice and some steamed greens

 

 

Salmon Keralan Coconut curry

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I cook this using a pouch of ready made sauce so if you’re horrified by this then look away now! I try to make most things from scratch but quite frankly sometimes I don’t have the time or inclination. Jars and pouches have their place in my cupboard and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

First get some basmati rice on the hob according to packet instructions, for this I like to mix in a dash of lemon and coriander to the rice at the end of cooking.

Next for the curry, I use the spice tailor keralan coconut curry pouch (see photo)

First pan fry the pouch of dry spices in a little oil for a minute, next add two salmon fillets chopped into small chunks and cook until browned. Stir in the sauce contents along with 50ml of water, a handful of green beans and a handful of halved cherry tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes until the salmon and beans are cooked then add a dash of lime juice and serve with the rice.

 

 

 

Honey chicken vegetable tray bake

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Tray bakes are my new best friend. Sooo easy and minimal washing up

In a large roasting tray add 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, one sliced courgette, two chopped red peppers, one chopped leek, one chopped red onion, one peeled and cubed sweet potato, six peeled and cubed Charlotte potatoes and a handful of cherry tomatoes.  Next add one tablespoon of olive oil, two tablespoon of honey, the juice and zest of one lemon and some thyme along with some seasoning and mix everything together with your hands then place the tray in a preheated oven 180 fan and cook for 40-50 minutes until everything is cooked through

Nb make your potatoes and sweet potatoes slightly smaller than the potatoes in my photo as I found they needed a bit more time then the other ingredients – we all make mistakes and cooking is trial and error!

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Lamb and Bean Stew

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I’ve adapted this recipe so that I can cook it using some slow cooker

In your slow cooker add one diced onion, 500g of diced lamb, two diced red peppers, 350ml of tomato and basil passata, 300ml of vegetable stock, zest and juice of one lemon and seasoning. Stir and cook on medium for approx 8hrs

When you’re ready to eat, pour the contents of the slow cooker into a saucepan and add a 400g tin of cannellini beans and 200g of orzo pasta, simmer for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is cooked then serve

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Lamb Kofta Pitts Pockets

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You can serve these lamb koftas with some couscous and salad or in pitta bread like I have done

To make the koftas mix 400g of minced lamb in a bowl with two chopped spring onions, a small handful of fresh chopped mint, 2 teaspoons of cumin and 1/2 cinnamon along with some salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients well with your hands and divide in to four. Press each portion around a skewer to form four koftas then place under a grill and cook for 4-5 minutes before turning over and cooking for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through.

Chop up and serve in some pitta bread along with some salad and yoghurt