Lactose free chicken Korma, and some other curry things

Special request for lactose free chicken korma, plus some other bits and peices, to fit into everyone's dietary requirements meant that this was Friday night's dinner.  It took about 35 minutes.

So, in order of what to do next-ish.

Rice

I cook rice using the adsorption method - so rinse basmati rice and put into an ovenproof pan, cover with water to about 2.5 cms above the surface of the rice - bring to the boil, then stick the lid on and shove into a medium oven, and forget about it until you are ready with everything else.

Start the korma and veg curries at the same time by sautee-ing onion and garlic in two pans.

To the korma pan add a little grated ginger.

For the veg curry, at this point I added some biryani spice, diced root veg (swede, celeriac and carrot), red pepper and mushrooms.  Add stock and let simmer away.

For the korma add bite sized pieces of chicken breast, a handful of ground almonds and a teaspoon of mild madras curry powder.  Turn the chicken over until it starts cooking, then add water and seasoning and simmer for a few minutes.  Then, turn into an oven dish and let it finish in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.

For the dhal, simmer red lentils in water until done - you may need to add more water... then just before serving heat veg oil in a pan and quickly fry the tarka (or spices) - I used onion seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and a sprinkle of chili flakes.  Pour immediately onto dhal and serve.

Let each person help themselves to whatever their dietary whatsits allow them to - vegans just need to avoid the chicken (obvs) ... and enjoy.

Tuscan bean hot

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil, add some red pepper if you like.  Add whatever root veg you might have (potatoes, swede, celariac and carrot here).  Chuck in some italian herbs and tomato paste.  Add some water/stock and simmer for 10 minutes or so.  Tip in cannelloni and butter beans.  Simmer gently again.  Add in shredded kale.

When kale is cooked - serve, top with grated parmesan or chedder if you fancy.

Yorkshire pudding and lentil casserole

An interesting selection of vegetables left from the freezer and veg box, a glut of eggs from the chickens and a wish for something a bit comforting and wintery resulted in this .... which, as it was made with gluten free flour actually tasted a bit more like a pizza base and top, rather than the intended yorkshire pudding, but was delicious none the less.

6 tiny bantam eggs (or 3 normal sized eggs)
soya milk
GF self raising flour (could use plain and baking powder, or baking powder with SF to get more of a lift)
olive oil
seasoning

1.  Whisk together eggs and soya milk. 

2.  Mix together flour and seasoning.

3.  Pre-heat a baking tray with olive oil.

4.  When oil is hot - mix eggy liquid and flour together and pour into baking tray.

5.  Bake for about 25 minutes.

The casserole

Olive oil

onions

garlic

italian herb seasoning

celeriac

red lentils

peppers

1.  Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil, add italian herbs.

2.  Add small dice of celeriac sautee a little more.

3.  Add a handful of red lentils, and the chopped peppers.  Add water/stock and simmer.  

4.  Stir periodically, add more water/stock if necessary until lentils are done and all veg is soft.

Serve, add cheese if desired, scoff.

Quick chickpea tagine and spicy couscous

Using another product from the stall, because I felt like something a bit spicy for tea - so quick tagine and spiced couscous.

Olive oil
Onion
Garlic
Ginger
Carrot
Red pepper
Chickpeas
Tomato puree
chili
cinnamon
grate of nutmeg
mixed herbs
vegan bouillon
tahini
pomegranate
black pepper

Packet of spiced couscous
Little gem lettuce

1.  Chop onion and sautee in olive oil.
2.  Add grated garlic and ginger.
3.  When soft add peeled chopped carrot and chopped red pepper.
4.  Add drained chickpeas.
5.  Cook for a little while, then add squeeze of tomato puree, chili flakes, herbs, spices and bouillon with some water.  Continue to simmer.  Add tahini after about 5 minutes.  Add chopped kale.
6.  Simmer gently until family get in from work (that'll be about 20 minutes).
7.  Prepare couscous according to packet instructions.
8. Chop salad leaves, bang pomegranate seeds over tagine.
9.  Scoff.

Too be fair, I think I would have prefered not to double spicy - ie.  had plain couscous with the spicy tagine, the double spicy meant I was pleased to have the refreshing lettuce with it.  The spiced couscous, however, would be excellent with roasted vegetables stirred through it.

Baked salmon with tomatoes and capers, braised leeks and celeriac with little roasties.

The veg box presented leeks and celeriac, and we had some great salmon.  So, pulled this little number together.

Potatoes
Olive oil
Cherry tomatoes
Capers
Lemon
Salmon
Leeks
Celeriac
Fennel seeds
White wine
Black pepper

1.  Parboil the chunks of potatoes, drain and roast in olive oil.
2.  Halves tomatoes, add drained, rinsed capers, zest of half a lemon, and its juice.  Put into roasting tin with olive oil.  Plonk salmon on top, cover with foil, and roast for about 25-30 minutes.
3.  Gently sautee chopped leeks and peeled and strips of celeriac, add crushed garlic, a sprinkle of fennel seeds and some white win.  Simmer until celeriac is soft.
Grind of black pepper, and scoff.

Crispy fried fish, tiny roasties and braised peas and lettuce

So, I opened "The Mediterranean Pantry" this week.  One exciting week!!! Lots of lovely stuff for sale, and loads of potential for lots of fun.  Today I invented "Calabrian fish crust mix", for fried fish.  It is delicious, and will be on sale in The Mediterranean Pantry very soon.

So, I took advantage of this and pepped up our traditional Friday night fish and chips ...

Potatoes
Olive oil
White fish
Calabrian fish crust mix
Onion
Garlic
White wine
Petit pois
Little gem lettuce

Instructions, in more or less, chronological order ...

1.  Chop potatoes into 1 inch cubes - parboil (or microwave) - toss in olive oil and roast in a hot oven.

30(ish) minutes later

2.  Chop an onion, sautee in olive oil until soft, add crushed garlic and a good slosh of white wine.
3.  Chop white fish into 1 inch strips (or leave as fillets if you prefer).  Pat dry with kitchen roll.
4.  Coat the fish pieces with Calabrian fish crust mix.
5.  Fry fish, in hot olive oil - a couple of minutes of each side, in batches, drain on kitchen roll, keeping the batches warm as you go.
6.  Add petit pois to the onions with wedges of little gem lettuce.  Stir until lettuce is wilted.
7.  Scoff.

Delicious.

Roast rib of beef, braised onion, boulongere potatoes (?), french peas and lettuce...

Christmas Eve in style

Roast rib - hot oven, season beef, roast for 20 mins per lb plus 20 minutes ... leave to rest

Potatoes - layer thinly sliced potatoes and onions - add garlic and stock - bake

Braise onions in olive oil and loads of red wine, with seasoning, thyme and bay - for ages

Peas - sautee onion, garlic add white wine, peas and shredded lettuce

Start with the beef and work down the list ... prep for the peas, but only add them 5 mins before serving.

I am full!

Smoked trout pancakes

We had a huge lunch out - so didn't really feel like much tea - but about 8pm we got a little peckish, so I rustled up this - and it was delicious.

Pancakes

SR flour - gluten free for us
fennel seeds
1 egg
Soya milk
salt and pepper
peanut oil
smoked trout
Lemon
spinach
lettuce
basil
tomato
red onion
olive oil

1.  Sprinkle fennel seeds and salt and pepper into the flour.
2.  Add the egg, and then soya milk, whisking to form a batter.
3.  Fry pancakes in batches in peanut oil.
4.  Top pancakes with trout and spritz with lemon juice.
5.  Mae simple salad by tossing together shredded lettuce with baby spinach and basil leaves.  add tomato and onion, drizzle gently with olive oil.

Scoff

The fennel seeds make a difference!

Parsnip and beetroot burgers with gorgonzola, roast squash and red pepper - and sprout tops

All has been quiet at Kitchen Fairies HQ for a few weeks - it's not that food hasn't been cooked and eaten - it's that I am preparing for a new adventure - which will come into fruition in the New Year ... so watch this space.

The veg box was full of wintery wonderfulness, so, this is what happened ...

Parsnip and beetroot burgers

3 parsnips
2 beetroot
1 lemon
2 onions
porridge oats
olive oil
gorgonzola

1.  Grate parsnips, onions and beetroot - squeeze in the juice of the lemon to stop discolouration.
2.  Mix well, and mix in porridge oats - season.
3.  Shape into burgers and put on greaseproof paper.  (I wrap them individually in greaseproof for freezing - which works very well.
4.  Bake in hot oven, on a greased baking tray for about 10 minutes.  Turn, top with cheese and bake again until melted.

Roast squash and red pepper

1 squash
1 red pepper
4 fat cloves of garlic
Olive oil
chili flakes

Prepare veg - sprinkle with seasoning, turn in olive oil to cover all pieces, roast for about 40 minutes

Sprouts

Shred sprout tops and steam for 10 minutes.

Simple, delicious, vegetarian - gluten free - if you use the right oats.

Bonfire night butter bean casserole, mash and cavolo nero

I may have mentioned it before, but I LOVE cavolo nero, and get stupidly excited when it arrives in the veg box.  It doesn't have to be fancy or smartenned up - I love it steamed and plain.  Of course, it's fabulous in things, and with garlic etc etc  - but just steamed ... yum.

It wasa chilly bonfire night, so I thought that a nice slightly spicy, smoky casserole and some comforting mash would be great.  I was right.

potatoes
butter
onion
garlic
butternut squash
red pepper
carrots
butter beans
tin tomatoes
smoked paprika
dried mustard.

1.  Make mash ... no instructions!
2.  Make casserole - start with sauteeing onions, add bite sized prepped veg, add tomatoes and water, add spices ... simmer - taste - takes about 35 minutes.
3.  Steam cavolo nero.

Scoff

... rushed instructions as I have to go out now :)