Spicy, crunchy fish with new potatoes and peas and stuff

A neighbour, very generously, gave us some home grown new crop potatoes.  She was very proud of them - and quite justifiably so, they were DELICIOUS.  I just boiled them simply and sprinkled them with sea salt.  To accompany them I did spicy crunchy fish and lovely spring vegetables.

Fish

Pollock (or other white fish) fillets, cut into 2 inch(ish) piece

Polenta

Malaysian fish curry spice mix

Olive oil

1.  Toss polenta and spice together,  then toss fish pieces in the mix.

2.  Fry (in batches) in olive oil, drain on kitchen paper, and keep warm until veg and potatoes are ready.

Vegetables

1 onion, finely chopped

Olive oil

Clove garlic, crushed

Petit pois

White wine

Little gem lettuce, cut into 6-8 wedges

Radishes, finely sliced

1.  Soften onion in olive oil, add crushed garlic.

2.  Add petit pois and wine, heat through, about 3-4 minutes

3.  Add lettuce and radich, toss through until lettuce has wilted a little - about 2 minutes.

Serve - scoff - have seconds

 
 
 

Leek and mushroom savoury pancakes

 Pancake day!  But neither of us like sweet stuff much, so, I picked some tasty stuff from the veg box and some halloumi .. and these were the best pancake day pancakes ever.

Gluten free pancakes

Gluten free flour
Egg
Natural yogurt
Soya milk
Peanut oil




Leek and garlic mushrooms

Olive oil
1 leek
Mushrooms, sliced
Crushed garlic
Butter

Salad

Baby salad leaves
Baby rocket
Radish
Spring onions

Roasted beetroot
Roasted cherry tomatoes

Fried halloumi

1.  Start with the pancakes - make the batter.
2.  Then gently with the veg sweated down in oil and butter.
3.  Make the pancakes, keep warm.
4.  Fry the halloumi.
5.  Put everything on the table, and let people assemble their own.

Delicious.

Salmon fishcakes, stir fried radish and pak choi, steamed green beans

I don't much like tinned salmon - but I think it's fantastic in fishcakes.

These fishcakes are gluten free, and very simple.

There was radish, pak choi and cucumber left from the veg box, and I didn't actually quite fancy salad, so I did a bit of a stir fry.  I would recommend it.

So,  from start to finish...

Potatoes
Tinned salmon
polenta
olive oil
green beans
Onion
Bunch of radishes
Pak choi
cucumber
fennel seeds
chili flakes
celery salt
garlic
white wine


1.  Peel and boil potatoes.  Mash.
2.  Stir in drained tinned salmon and season.
3.  When cooled, squish into patties and toss in polenta.  (Put them in the fridge if you have time).
4.  Fry in olive oil, keep warm in the oven while the other stuff is finished off.
5.  Steam beans.
6.  Stir fry chopped onion in light olive oil, add pak choi stems, fennel seeds, radish, cucumber, garlic and chili flakes.

Yum. Light, fresh and filling and somehow suited today's autumnal sunshine.

veg box victory

The veg box doesn't come until Tuesday - and there was an odd mixture of stuff - a cucumber, some celery, a red pepper, a courgette, a red cabbage, a white cabbage, a black radish, two teeny tiny carrots and a bulb of garlic - so this is what I came up with - with olive oil, vinegar, rice, mung beans, tinned tomatoes spices and herbs from the cupboard.  I was impressed (and full now).

Four dishes - rice and mug beans, "ratatouie", Tzatziki(ish) and crispy slaw.

Rice and mung beans

1.  Cook rice - I did the start off on hob, bring to boil then lid on and let settle in gentle oven until you are ready approach - but what you need is cooked rice.
2.  Cook mung beans - they take about 30 minutes boiling from scratch - or zero minutes if you open a tin - I boiled mine with a bay leaf, and then drained them.
3.  In a splash of olive oil heat mustard seeds and cumin seeds, then add rice and lentils and mix together with a pinch of cinnamon and salt and pepper.

Crispy slaw

1.  Shred cabbages (about equal amounts).  Julienne carrot and radish.
2.  Splash on olive oil, a spoonful of cider vinegar and a sprinkle of berbere spice (sumac, thyme and toasted sesame seeds mostly)
3.  Toss, put in fridge for flavours to meld and cabbage to soften very slightly.

"Ratatouie"

1.  Chop red pepper and courgette, soften in olive oil.  Add crushed garlic.
2.  Add tin of chopped tomatoes, italian herbs and a splash of water.
3.  Simmer until veg are soft - season.

Tzatziki(ish)

1.  Crush a clove of garlic, add splash of olive oil, splash of cider vinegar and pinch of oregano (or mint if you have it).
2.  Finely chop cucumber.
3.  Mix cucumber and dressing, add 8 big spoonfuls of natural yogurt
4.  Season to taste and stick it in the fridge until ready to eat.

All elements were very tasty - they all went with 2 of the other 3 dishes! all in all a success.
 

Prawny stir fry with noodles

An interesting day all round.  Victim may have the opportunity of an adventure of a lifetime, but we can't say much yet.  A mate has had an amazing invite to an International trade thingymajig... but not allowed to say anything about that either!  There was a traffic jam on the way to the pool, so swimming training was stalled for the day (only 160 lengths this week.. smug grin).  Then, we were going to go out for dinner, but couldn't decide where to go - and came to the conclusion that it is usually quite disappointing, so opted for a nice spicy prawny treat  instead.  Victim didn't say much - but I think that is mostly down to me insisting on a Corrie overdose rather than a reaction to the dinner - cos it was all eaten.

So, prawny stir fry with noodles:-

Serves 2:  Takes:  about 20ish mins - start to finish - 10 mins cooking time: Approx calories per serving:  395  approx price per serving: £1.90

Ingredients (indicative, not exhaustive - use veg you have available, amounts approximate to say the least)

1 tbsp peanut oil
Vegetables: spring onions, orange pepper, carrot, courgette, mushrooms, green beans, radish, beansprouts
handful of prawns
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp ginger puree
1 finely chopped chili
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp rice wine
2 "cakes" of dried noodles
pinch of sesame seeds

Method:

1. Chop veg, and mince garlic and ginger, finely chop chili.
2. Put water on for noodles, heat peanut oil in large frying pan/wok
3. When the oil is hot chuck all veg in and toss around a bit.  Add garlic, ginger, chili and toss around a bit more.
4. After a couple of minutes add tomato puree, soy sauce and a splash of rice wine - and about half a cup of water.
5. When noodle water boils chuck noodles into it - and chuck prawns into veg (if you are using frozen prawns thaw them out in boiling water first - boil kettle pour onto frozen prawns, swirl about, leave for 30 seconds or so, check they are soft - then chuck into veg).
6. Chuck veg about happily, and a minute or so later add beansprouts.
7. Drain noodles and add to stir fry.
8. Toss energetically, sprinkle on sesame seeds, and more soy sauce if you think it needs it.
9. Scoff