Month: June 2015

Spaghetti Bolognese with Secret Veggies

This one is for my babies! They simply cannot get enough of this. I generally make a huge pot and freeze some. Except for the mushrooms the veggies are all whizzed in a food processor and are some small no one notices them, therefore no picking! Result, veggies in and huge smiles of faces!!

1.2 kg Lean Mince Beef
1 Onion, minced in a food processor
2 Cloves Garlic, minced in a food processor
3 Carrots, peeled and minced in a food processor
2 Sticks Celery, minced in a food processor
1 Courgette, minced in a food processor (Optional)
2 tbsp Tomato Purée
2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes
A Big Glug Red Wine
250ml Beef Stock
A Handful of Fresh Chopped Basil
Olive Oil

Add the mince in a couple of batches to a large pot, fry until well browned all over. Breakup the mince as you go. Remove from the pot,meet aside.
Add a dash of oil to the pot and fry the onion and garlic gently for 5 mins.

Add the rest of the veggies and fry for a further 3-4 mins.

Add a good splash of red wine, cook for a couple of mins.

Add the tomato purée and stir.

Add the tinned tomatoes and the beef stock.

Stir, bring to the boil and then simmer gently for around 30 mins.

Just before the end, add the chopped basil.

Serve with spaghetti or whatever pasta you fancy and some nice fresh Parmesan shavings! Delish!!

Chilli Con Carne

Everyone has their own wee special way for Chilli Con Carne, this is my version. It is full of flavour and easily adaptable for kids by some tricks I have employed to cater to the varying tastes on heat levels in our house.

I have played around with Chilli con Carne over the years, I have been known to add 90% cocoa dark chocolate to it! Serve with rice, tacos, tortilla wraps….it is so versatile! Best bit it is so quick to make!

Serves 5

1kg Mince Beef
2 x 400g Kidney Beans, drained
1 x 400g Chopped Tomatoes
1 tbsp Tomato Purée
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Dry Oregano
1 tsp or either Mild or Hot Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Hot Paprika
1/4 Cayenne Pepper
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Green or Red Pepper Finely chopped
1-2 Fresh Chilli’s chopped (optional)
300ml Beef Stock
Rape Seed Oil

In order to reduce the level of fat to as low as possible, I brown the mince first at quite a high heat. As it releases fat, I drain the majority out. Whilst some may argue that you loose flavour this way, I firstly don’t think this is the case here as it is packed with flavour.

Once browned, remove the mince.

Add a dash of oil and fry the onion gently for 5-7 mins until soft.

Add the pepper and fresh chilli if you are using it and fry for another couple of mins.

Put the mince back in and add the cumin, oregano, chilli powder, cayenne, hot paprika and cinnamon stick.

Stir and cook for a couple of mins.

Add the tomato purée, stir and cook for a minute.

Add the tin of tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.

Turn down and cook gently for 1/2 hour.

Add the beans and cook for a further 15 mins.

Bingo bango! Tasty, healthy, lush!
#chilliconcarne

RK French Martini…. #worldmartiniday

when in Rome! #worldmartiniday

Oven Roasted Salmon with Green Curry Vegetables

Serves 1

This one is a bit of a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ type recipe! I had a load of random vegetables in the fridge and wanted to use them up, however the thought of steamed veggies did not appeal! I decided to give them a bit of Thai flavour!
1 Salmon Fillet
1 Large Handful Sugar-snap Peas, topped, tailed and halved on the diagonal
1 Large Handful of Tender stemmed Broccoli
3 Spring Onions Chopped
To be honest, a bit of whatever mix of veg you have!
1 Dessert Spoon Mae Ploy, Thai Green Curry Paste
A Dash of Fish Sauce
A Dash of Oyster Sauce
1/2 can of Coconut Milk
A Splash of Water

Heat the oven to 180c. Wrap the salmon up ‘en papillotte’ and cook for 10-15 mins. Depending on how well you like it cooked.

Meanwhile, take the coconut milk add it to a pot and bring to the boil.

Add the curry paste and cook gently for another five minutes, stirring.

Add the oyster sauce and fish sauce, stir well.

Add a splash of water.

Add the veg and bring to the boil, turn down and cover, cook for around five minutes or until done to your liking.

Voilà, tasty veggies!

Curried Carrot and Lentil Soup

This soup is packed with gorgeous, natural flavour and you can eat it without feeling in the slightest bit guilty! Result!!

1 Large Onion Chopped finely
1kg Carrots, peeled and chopped
100g Red Lentils
1.5l Chicken or Vegetable Stock
Maldon Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
3 tsp Curry Powder (I used 2 mild and 1 medium…depends how spicy you like it!)
Add some oil to a large pot, heat and then add in the chopped onions. Fry gently for 5-6 mins.

Add the chopped carrots and fry for another couple of mins.

Add the curry powder and fry for another two minutes.

Add the stock and the red lentils and stir well to separate.

Add some salt and pepper and bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for around 15-20 mins or until the carrots are nice and soft.

When done, whizz up with a hand held blender. Health in a bowl! 😉

Chinese Sticky Chicken with a Kinda Singapore Noodles

For the Chicken

Serves 6

5-6 Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
A Handful of Sesame Seeds
1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice
2 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
Malden Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Olive Oil

For the Noodles

600g Cooked Rice Noodles
A Mix of Veggies such as Mange Tout, Beansprouts, Red Onion, Baby Corn etc
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp Turmeric
Olive Oil
Freshly Chopped Red Chilli

Coat the chicken with the Chinese five spice, salt and pepper.

Add oil to the pan and fry the chicken (in batches if necessary) until the chicken is browned and cooked through.

Add the sesame seeds and the sweet chilli sauce.

Set aside and keep warm whilst you make the noodles.

Add some oil to a frying pan and throw in the veggies.

Add the turmeric and cook for a minute.

Add the soy, rice wine and oyster sauce.

Serve by putting a pile of noodles into a bowl and top with the chicken and the fresh chilli.

A healthier and tastier alternative to a takeaway!

Chicken Infused with Garlic and Rosemary served with Sweet Potato and Broccoli

Chicken Infused with Garlic and Rosemary, served with Sweet Potato and Broccoli

It’s Monday, I’m feeling like a super healthy start to the week! Complex carbs, protein and greens….it is sure to give you an angelic healthy start to the week! 😇👼

1 Whole Chicken
10 Cloves Garlic Unpeeled
2 Sprigs Rosemary (give them a squeeze first!)
250ml Chicken Stock (if slow cooking)

6 Sweet Potatoes Peeled

350g Tender Stem Broccoli

I decided to do this chicken in my slow cooker as it produces a really tender succulent chicken. However, it would be just as suited to the oven!

Simply take the 10 garlic cloves and the rosemary and insert in the cavity. Pop it in the bowl of the slow cooker, add the stock, then cook on the high setting. You could have this all ready and in the fridge the night before and just stick it on in the morning.

If cooking in the oven, turn the oven to 180c and cook according to the size of the chicken.

1/2 hour before you are ready to serve, put on the sweet potatoes.

Cook for roughly 20 mins or until tender.

When done mash them up well.

Steam the broccoli and serve your guilt free taste sensation !

Warm Summer Salad with Salsa Verde

Serves 4

For the Salsa Verde:
5 Anchovy Fillets, chopped
1 Small handful Pickled Gherkins, chopped

1 Small handful Capers, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
2 Big handfuls Flat Leaf Parsley, leaves picked
1 Bunch of Fresh Basil, leaves pickedy
1 Handful Fresh Mint, leaves picked
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
8 (ish) tbsp Top Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Maldon Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

Place the first seven ingredients in a food processor (the small ones are great!) whizz on a pulse setting as you don’t want them pulverised!

Add the mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil whizz again briefly to combine.

Add Maldon salt and pepper to taste!

Dare you not to eat it straight off a spoon, it is so amazing!

For the Warm Salad:
2 Big Handfuls of Jersey Royals cut in half if they are big.
1 Big Handful Asparagus, cut in half
3 Big Handfuls of Fresh Peas

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes.

Simmer rapidly for 10-15 mins checking if they are nearly cooked.

When the potatoes are just about done, add the asparagus and peas for about 2 mins.
Drain it all and leave until it is nice and dry.

Add to a big bowl and wait for it to cool slightly before adding the salsa verde.

This salad is totally amazing with sea bass!

Serve with the lush Warm Salad and a nice glass of crisp white wine!

Tonno e Fagioli

Serves 1

1 Fat Garlic Clove
1/2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
400g Tin of Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed
1 Red Onion sliced either in wedges of finely
1-2 Fresh Tuna Steaks (depends on size!) or you could use top quality canned tuna.
A Handful of torn Fresh Basil Leaves
Maldon Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

Start off by blanching your red onion which takes away a bit of the sharpness. To do this put them in a saucepan of boiling water, boil for one minute and remove, drain and rinse in fresh cold water. This is optional!

Take a large pinch of Maldon Salt and with the flat part of a knife mash the garlic and salt together to form paste.

Add the garlic mix to a small bowl with the vinegar, oil and some pepper and more salt if you feel it needs it!

Mix the beans, onions and dressing together and add a touch more oil or vinegar, according to taste.

If you are using fresh tuna, add a touch of oil to a frying pan and heat. Add the tuna and cook for 2-3 mins each side for it to be nice and pink in the middle. You may need a touch longer depending on thickness.

Spoon some of the lush bean mixture into a nice bowl and top with the tuna.

Top with basil leaves and black pepper and serve! Simple yet marvellous!!

A Restaurant in my Kitchen

Create restaurant food easily at home!