20091108 Chopped Fruit Salad

(SOURCE: Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson)

INGREDIENTS
250g strawberries, finely chopped
1 tsp pomegranate juice
100g diced mango
1/2 tsp lime juice
125g blueberries
150g vanilla yoghurt
2 tsp mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)

METHOD
1. Mix the chopped strawberries with the juice.
2. Spritz the mango cubes with the lime juice.
3. Using two tumblers, layer the ingredients: strawberry, mango, blueberries, yoghurt and, finally, the seeds.

20091107 Quick Chilli

(SOURCE: Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson)

This dish goes really well with a chilled bottle of Corona!

INGREDIENTS
150g chorizo sausage, halved lenthways and cut into 5mm half moons
500g minced beef
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cardamon pods, bruised
500g tomato and chunky vegetable sauce for pasta
390g mixed spicy beans
60ml sweet chilli sauce
1/4 tsp chilli flakes (more if your canned beans are not spicy)

METHOD
1. Put the sliced chorizo into a hot, heavy based pan and cook over a medium heat until the sausage crisps a little and gives up its orange-red oil.
2. Add the mince and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden fork to help it brown.
3. Stir in the spices and then add the pasta sauce, spicy beans and chilli sauce. Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

20091011 Chilli Pork

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food Magazine)

It is supposed to be "Paprika Pork", but as I didn't have paprika then, I replaced paprika with chilli instead. Still good!

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
600g pork fillet, cut into bit-sized chunks
2 tbsp chilli
300ml chicken stock
100ml creme fraiche
some chopped parsley

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and lightly colored.
2. Add the pork to the pan and stir over a failrly high heat to seal and brown all over. Stir in the chilli, cook briefly, then pour in the stock and bring to the boil.
3. Cover the pan and cook for 35 minutes, until the pork is tender. Stir in the cremem fraiche and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve.

20091011 Apple Amaretti Pudding

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food Magazine)

This is the perfect dessert to finish a dinner party in the fall.

INGREDIENTS
3 large apples, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tbsp caster sugar
squeeze of lemon juice
250g mascarpone, at room temperature
142ml whipping cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
10 amareetti biscuits
4 tbsp Disaronno Amaretto liquor

METHOD
1. Put the apples in a saucepan, then add the caster sugar, lemon juice and 2 tbsp water. (taste to see if more sugar is needed) Cover and cook gently for about 10 minutes, until softened. Leave to cool.
2. Beat the mascarpone until softened. Softly whip the cream, then fold into the mascarpone along with the icing sugar. Put two amaretti biscuits into the bottom of each of four dessert glasses, drizzle with a little amaretto liquor, then top with the cooked apple. Spoon on the mascarpone mix, then crush the remaining biscuits and scatter over the puddings just before serving.

20090823 Quick Beef and Potato Bake

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food Magazine)

INGREDIENTS
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
75g sliced mushroom
500g beef mince
100ml white wine
400g can plum tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped parsley
50g grated cheddar
200ml creme fraiche

METHOD
1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender.
2. Fry the onion in the oil, then add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until browned. Add the mince, stirring to break up any lumps, and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season.
3. Spoon half the mincce into a heatproof dish, add the postatoes in a single layer and then the rest of the mince.
4. Mix the cheese with the creme fraiche and season. Spoon over the top. Put under a hot grill for 3 minutes, until browned and bubbling.

20090822 Herby Feta Bake

(SOURCE: BBC Easy Cook Magazine)

You may want to leave the dish under a hot grill for a few minutes to give it a little more color.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
big pinch of chilli flakes
two 400g cans plum tomatoes, drained
small handful oregano leaves, chopped
two 200g block feta, broken up into large chunks

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chilli flakes and tomatoes and simmer for 25 minutes until thickened. Season and stir in the oregano.
2. Heat the oven to 180 degree C. Put the feta in an ovenproof dish, cover with the sauce and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with warm crusty bread.

20090816 Chicken Nacho Grills

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food Magazine)

I halved the ingredients and added jalapenos pepper for extra kicks.

INGREDIENTS
20g bag tortilla chips, crushed
2 skinless chicken breasts
100g spicy tomato salsa
70ml sour cream
handful grated mature cheddar
Some jalapenos pepper, finely chopped

METHOD
1. Heat oven to 200 degree C. Put the chicken breasts on a non-stick baking tray, season, then slash each 3 times with a knife. Mix the jalapenos pepper into the salsa. Spoon 1 tbsp of salsa on top of each, then 1 tbsp sour cream.
2. Sprinkle the chips over the chicken, then the cheese. Roast for 30 minutes until the topping is golden and melting.

20090812 Chicken Cacciatore

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food Magazine)

I halved the recipe ingredients and served this with garlic bread.

INGREDIENTS
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
olive oil
400g tin cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp mascarpone
handful fresh basil leaves
3 chicken breasts

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 190C. Fry the onion and garlic in about 1 tbsp olive oil until softened but not colored. Add the tomatoes, season, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick and glossy. Take off the heat and stir in the mastcarpone and half the basil, roughly torn.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the chicken on both sides until golden. Transfer to a baking dish and pour over the sauce. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Scatter over the rest of the basil.

20090811 Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

(SOURCE: allrecipes.com - Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins)

INGREDIENTS
225g cream cheese, softened
31g powdered sugar
310g flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
300ml milk
100g brown sugar
80g butter, melted
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup strawberry jam (about 80g)

METHOD
1. Heat oven to 190 degree C. Line 12 muffin cups with paper muffin liners.
2. Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together egg, milk, brown sugar, butter, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
4. Spoon half of batter into muffin cups. Top each portion with 1 tbsp cream cheese mixture and 1 tsp jam. Spoon remaining muffin batter on top.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove muffins and cool on rack. Store in airtight container.

20090811 Rapid Ragu

(SOURCE: Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson)

You could prepare more caramelized onions and then freeze them for making omelette or sandwich later. My friend and I made this dish together, and we made some sour cream mashed potato to go with this too. Nigella suggested lamb mince instead, but beef mince is cheaper and tastes as good!

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp garlic oil
125g cube pancetta
500g beef mince
75g caramelized onions *
80ml Marsala liquor
400g chopped tomatoes
75g lentils
125ml water
50g grated cheddar

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan, and fry the cubed pancetta until beginning to crisp.
2. Add the meat, breaking it up with a fork in the pan as it browns.
3. Tip in the caramelized onions, Marsala, tomatoes, lentils and wwater and bring the pan to the boil.
4. Simmer the ragu for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with the cheese before serving.


* How to make caramelized onions - ingredients can easily doubled for more.
1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a medium-sized pan set over low heat. Add about 3 thinly sliced onions, a generous pinch of salt, and 1 tsp honey. Stir every now and then for even cooking.
2. If the onions dry out, add in a splash of water to keep the onions from burning. Keep cooking over low heat until onions are golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.