Month: September 2016

Tuscan White Beans

TUSCAN WHITE BEANS


I totally adore beans (except for baked beans!!😂) they are so versatile and can be made super tasty in minutes! Full of protein too (roughly 11g per serving!!)they make the perfect accompaniment to many meals.

I had mine with a fillet steak and my little birdies had theirs with sausages!!
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

Pinch Chilli Flakes

1 Plum Tomato, chopped

1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary

2 Cans Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed

1 Handful Parmesan Cheese

1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley

50ml Water

Olive Oil

Malden Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Begin by heating a dash of olive oil in a frying pan.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes, gently fry for a minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the chopped plum tomato and rosemary and cook gently for a couple of mins.
Add the cannellini beans and cook for around 5 mins, crush them up a little as you cook them.
Remove the rosemary, add the water and Parmesan and thoroughly combine.
It should be nice and creamy and not too dry. If too dry, add a dash of water. If too wet, keep cooking for another few mins.
Stir through the parsley and serve! Yumsters 😋

#beans #tuscan #protein

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Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Bacon Croutons and Truffle Oil

img_0038CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH BACON CROUTONS AND TRUFFLE OIL
This is a very versatile soup. It can be as healthy or as decadent as you choose. I made it on Saturday and instead of 500ml milk, I added 250ml milk and 250ml double cream! 👌🏻

Cauliflower is a low carb vegetable which combines wonderfully with the bacon and truffle oil.

Amazingly my kids hate cauliflower but loved this soup! So even if you are not a fan of cauliflower, don’t let that put you off!!
Serves 6-8
2 Medium Sized Heads of Cauliflower broken into florets

Light Olive Oil

Tbsp Butter

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

2 Leeks, trimmed and finely chopped

1 litre Stock (chicken or vegetable)

500ml Milk (preferably full cream but semi skimmed will do!)

Malden Sea Salt and Black Pepper
To serve

Bacon Lardons fried until crispy

Good Quality Truffle Oil to drizzle
In a pot large enough to hold the mountain of cauliflower, add the butter and when it has melted add the leeks and soften for 5 mins.
Add the crushed garlic and cook for another few mins.
Add the stock, milks and cauliflower florets.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook for around 10 mins or until the cauliflower is nice and soft.
(If you decide on using the double cream, add it now and stir through.)
Using a hand blender, whizz until nice and smooth and creamy.
Serve topped with the bacon croutons and truffle oil! Divine!!!

Traditional Griddle Pan Irish Soda Farls

TRADITIONAL GRIDDLE PAN IRISH SODA FARLS


With all the craziness during the week, I love to take the time to cook my family a nice lazy weekend breakfast.

I love a nice soda farl, whether part of a fry or even just with bacon. I have never made them before…well, this was a game changer!! Freshly made on a griddle pan brought it to a entire new level. The kids were hooked and it was gone in minutes!!
I doubled the quantities here but this will make enough for four.
250g Plain Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

250ml Buttermilk

(If you want get buttermilk you can sour some milk by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or white wine vinegar to 250ml milk – leave to stand for 5)
Preheat a really heavy flat griddle pan or a frying pan on medium to low heat.
In a bowl, tip in the flour and salt, sift in the Bicarbonate of soda.
Make a well in the middle and add the buttermilk.
Be warned it is a sticky wee number!!
Work quickly to mix it to form a dough, begin the knead on a well floured surface.
You can either form it into a large circle and cut into four or form four even sized balls and flatten to about 1.5cm thick.
Cook for about 6-8 mins each side, they should go nice and golden brown.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave them to cool in the pan for around 15 mins.
Totally addictive!!😋

Slow Cooker Lamb and Potato Curry

SLOW COOKER LAMB AND POTATO CURRY

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With kids back to school and lots of after school activities going on, a good one pot wonder that can be made ahead is golden! This a super tasty and mild curry!

800g Lean Lamb, fat removed and cubed
Coconut Oil
2 Onions, peeled and cut into wedges
2-3 Garlic Cloves, sliced
3 Celery Sticks, sliced
5cm Root Ginger, peeled and grated
2 Green Chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
4 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Tomato Purée
150 ml Water
200ml Coconut Milk
225g Tomatoes, chopped
500g New Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small chunks
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced

In a frying pan, heat the oil, add the onions, garlic and celery and fry gently for 5 mins or until softened.

Add the ginger, chillies and curry leaves, cook for a further 3 mins stirring constantly.

Add the lamb, ensure it is well coated in the spices and lightly browned.

Stir in the tomato purée, water, coconut milk and tomatoes and stir well.

Add the potatoes and carrots, stir well.

At this point you could let it cool and put it in the fridge until ready for the slow cooker. I made it to this point the night before then put it in the slow cooker the next morning for dinner that evening.

When ready put in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.

If you have no slow cooker, never fear, just use a large casserole, bring to the boil then transfer to the oven heated to 150c and cook for 3-4 hours or until tender.

Serve with Indian Breads for a lush hassle free midweek dinner.

Twice Cooked Duck with a Honey Glaze

Twice Cooked Duck with a Honey Glaze

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I decided to do this as a change for Sunday lunch. I have to say it was amazingly tasty and due to being cooked slowly in the liquid, the duck picks up all the flavour.

Serve with steamed rice and steamed pak choi and drizzle with the reduced liquid.

Serves 6

The Duck
6 Duck Legs
6 Garlic Cloves, crushed
5cm Ginger, sliced
1 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
100ml Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Golden Caster Sugar
50 ml Shaoshing Rice Wine

The Glaze
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder

The day before you plan to eat, place all of the ingredients for the duck into pan and just cover with water. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 1 1/2 – 2 hours until really tender. These duck legs are ideal to cook in a slow cooker, for this method, four hours would be ideal.

Once it is done, remove the duck legs from the liquid. Cool, then chill in the fridge uncovered.

Chill the liquid in the fridge too.

The following day, remove all the fat from the liquid.

Pour 400ml of the liquid into a pan and simmer rapidly to reduce by 1/3 with a rich intense flavour. You could add some finely sliced red chilli to the liquid.

You can keep and freeze the remainder of the liquid for poaching meat or chicken.

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 200c for a fan oven.

In order to make the glaze, add the honey, five spice and 1 tbsp of the reduced stock. Place the legs on a baking tray, skin side up. Brush the glaze all over the duck legs and roast in the oven for 25 mins.

Serve in a nice bowl with the rice and pak choi.