Cajun chargrilled chicken, rice and spring vegetables

The request was for ricey stuff - but, again, I didn't quite fancy that - but took what was in the fridge to make something a bit more ... well, .... thingy.  So we ended up with steamed rice (thai jasmine in this case - but could have been basmati, white, brown... mix etc)  infact lime infused rice would have been really nice.  Chopped spring onions, garlic, courgette and sauteed for 5-10 mins until just catching at the edges - added splosh of white wine and simmered - then added chopped green beans, added water when it looked like it was getting dry.  Meanwhile podded broad beans and poured on some boiling water. Tossed bite sized chicken pieces in cajun seasoning and some black pepper.  Then started on the mammoth task of individually taking the skin off the individual broad beans - a faff, but they are much sweeter and glisten like green jewels in the mix if you can be bothered.  Then put some roughly chopped curly kale in pan with small amount of water to wilt and then steam.  So, after about 20 mins - rice is steaming, spring veg casserole is ticking over, curly kale is steaming gently, chicken is "marinading" in cajun mix.  Stir juice of half a lime into 3 tbsps creme fraiche (to taste) and season.  Heat olive oil in  frying pan and quick fry seasonned chicken pieces - chuck broad beans into spring veg casserole and mix in, keep on mendium heat until all heated through.  Plate up - as prettily as possible when the chicken is cooked (should be about 6 mins, turning half way through).

Victimed moaned about curly kale (predictable) but it was my favourite bit, which is why I keep trying.  All in all, uses more pans than I can usually be bothered with for just a tea - but I thought the dinner was worth it.  Victim scoffed all of the courgette etc mix, so that's a result of sorts!  Creme fraiche (or yogurt) dressing means you can be a bit more ruthless with the cajun flavouring on the chicken.

Chinese(ish) chicken casserole

It started off as a stir-fry - but when it came to it I just didn't fancy stir fry and brown rice.  Far too virtuous!  So, stayed virtuous, but with more sauce.  Sauteed spring onion, garlic, ginger and chili in peanut oil.  Added bite sized chicken pieces, chinese five spice and a good splash of soy sauce.  Added assorted chopped vegetables - red pepper, courgette, mushroom, celery, soya beans, sliced sugar snap peas.  Fry until soft(er).  Add 2 tbsp tomato puree, some rice wine and black pepper.  Add a cup or so of water and simmer for 15 mins.  Add some greens - we had curly kale, so chucked that in - could have been cabbage or spinach, but we had kale so in it went (chopped quite finely to avoid victim grumps) - and another handful of chopped spring onion for freshness.  Also, steamed some brown rice.  After 30 mins the casserole was still quite sweet from the five spice, so added more black pepper and soy sauce.  Yum - victim had seconds - noted addition of greens but admitted that they weren't so bad.... result!  When I do similar again I will add bean paste (black or yellow) at the start for depth.

Baked cod and asparagus

Layer asparagus, cod and lemon slices in bakling dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and grind on black pepper, cover with foil.  Bake for 20-25 mins.  Meanwhile steam edamame beans and little gem lettuce leaves in a little white wine and garlic, with a splash of olive oil.  Sauce/relish - mix tbsp tapenade, chopped capers, lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Simples..... Victim moaned, but will be getting used to this new healthier regime.

Mediterranean chicken stew

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil,  and a sprinkling of italian herbs, add bite sized chicken chunks and veg - green beans, courgette, red pepper in this case and a handful of olives.  Add wine or stock, or water and season.  (Could have added tinned tomatoes, but victim is rebelling against tomatoes again). Simmer - 20 mins-ish.  Tear in some basil leaves at the end.
It's a low fat dinner for the health kick - and pretty tasty.

Chili jam

Love this stuff... 1 kilo ripe tomatoes - chop and boil, zizz 4 red chillies with 4 cloves garlic, decent knob of fresh ginger.  Add to tomato mush with 600g sugar, 600ml red wine vinegar and tbsp fish sauce.  Bubble away gently for at least 30 mins.  I then zizzed a bit with a stick blender to smash up tomato skins, but this is not essential.  Carry on simmering until a jam consistency is reached. (skin wrinkling on blob on cold saucer).  Put in jars - scoff with cheese and cold meat, or pretty much anything you fancy having chilli jam on.  Victim says Appleby Organic Cheshire Cheese is the best!

Scallop, asparagus and samphire salad

Victim, for some reason, demanded lobster scallops and samphire!  Well, no lobster - managed to find scallops and samphire and fashion this 'ere salad.  It was nice, and the asparagus, new potatoes and samphire went well together - with a bit of zingy garlic and lemon viniagrette - but if I do it again I would add crispy bacon bits instead of the red onion, and perhaps some crispy croutons - and maybe a sweeter dressing with balsamic instead of lemon.

Anyway - steam baby new potatoes for about 15 minutes, asparagus for about 8 and samphire for 3.  Sear scallops in butter.  Dressing lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.  Salad leaves - rocket and lamb's lettuce. 

Strawberry jam

New mission - stop wasting stuff!  Trying to use every scrap of fruit and veg in the organic box & some bargain strawberries.  So dinner was cauliflower and macaroni cheese  with added broad beans, runner beans and spinach  with beetroot and tomato salad.  4 jars of strawberry jam (chop and weigh fruit, heat until fruit starts breaking down, stir in about 3/4 of the weight sugar and squeeze in 1 lemon per about 500g fruit - simmer, for about 20 mins - but test after about 15 (the usual, does a skin form on surface when put on cold saucer)  put in sterilised jars.  You could skim the froth off the top - but I didn't.)

Spaghetti bolognaise

We all need comfort food somtimes!  The usual victim had had a stressful course in London this weekend, so when she got home I wanted to give her something familiar and comforting.  Spag bog hit the nail on the head.  Not much praise, except a doleful smile and a big sigh - "soooo happy to be home" awwwww!

I have looked at some other food blogs, and actually paid attention to some of them - and they actually write out recipes as recipes - so I guess I should follow suit.  This is what I did, but you can add lot of different veg, and even eek out with lentils if a crowd suddenly descends.


For the sauce:- (serves 4-6 depending on greediness, takes about an hour)

1tbsp olive oil
2 chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, cruched
2 tsp dried herbs
500 g miced beef
2 sticks celery
1 courgette
1 red pepper
200 g mushrooms
1 tin chopped tomoatoes
400 ml passata
big squirt tomato ketchup
big squirt tomato puree
big squirt american hotdog mustard
small squirt Worcester sauce
large glass red wine
about 300 ml chicken stock
grated parmesan



spaghetti

1. Soften onions, garlic and chopped celery for 5-10 mins. 
2. Add mince and brown, add mixed herbs.
3.  Chop up the rest of the vegetables and stir in, continue sauteeing for about 10 minutes.
4.  Add tin chopped tomatoes, passata, the squirts of condiments, wine and stock.  Season to taste - quite a lot of black pepper and a pinch of salt for us.
5.  Simmer with a lid, or put in oven for at least 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6.  Boil a lot of salted water, when boiling add spaghetti - boil for a minute less than the packet instructions - and test for al dente.
7. Drain pasta - mix in 1 spoon of sauce to prevent sticking.
8. Serve - grate parmesan on top.

Victim loves it - there were left overs for nuked dinner at work - so we might get an independent review.

Haddock and greens

Home alone - so indulged in beautiful simplicity of baked haddock, splash of lemon juice and knob of butter - splosh of white wine if it's handy.  In a foil parcel in the oven for 25 minutes.  Served over a good couple of handfuls of wilted greens - I used spinach, watercress and some rocket.  Lots of black pepper.  Lovely, and surprisingly filling.

Race for life in the morning - gird your loins.

Potato, onion and bacon bake

No posts for a bit - largely due to work stress - we have been eating food, but just not taking pics of it - and not finding time to do fun based computer stuff - just work based computer stuff.  Busy again today, so nice comforting dinner - potato, onion and bacon bake with steamed veg.  Should you wish to give it a bash - peel potatoes - peel at least 3 more than you think are reasonable for gathered crowd (I peeled 8 for 2 of us! well 4 of us really as I know that leftovers are off to outlaws for supplies tomorrow).  Peel and chop into rings or half moons some onions (I used 3 tonight), and chop some rashers of bacon into bite sized yumminess (I used 4 rashers of back bacon as I just wanted enough of a hint for flavour, but not bacon as a major ingredient).  Also sliced 1 x beef tomato (totally optional, and you could chuck in mushrooms, courgettes or other veg which is about).  Drizzle olive oil in bottom of decent sized casserole dish - layer in potatoes, onion, seasoning, bacon (tomato... or...) drizzle again - start layers again with potato - continue - always finish with a layer of potato - pour over stock of choice (I used chicken) to just touch the top layer of potatoes.  Drizzle of oil on top and lots of black pepper.  In oven (hottish - about 180-200) for an hour or so - check with a sharp knife that potato is soft.  I also steamed some veg - but would be extra yumscrumptious with baked beans!  Victim loved 'tato stuff - but moaned about beans in veg.... sigh - what can you do?!  Enough leftovers for outlaws for lunch tomorrow (I already mentioned that).

Other news:  2 eggs - Rosemary still broody, but might be loosening grip a bit (let's hope) - and started 70 litres of elderflower champagne. (River Cottage recipe - more or less - http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/elderflower-champagne-recipe)