Are You Receiving Me?

Totally stolen from Delicious after this divine dish was served at a friend’s one night.

Serves 8
Cook time: 25 minutes to make it, plus cooling time

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 410g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 75 ml fresh chicken stock, hot
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• Good squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 baguette or similar shaped bread, cut into 32 slices about 1 cm thick
• For the black olive relish:
• 50 g can anchovies in olive oil, drained and chopped
• Small handful fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
• 4 tbsp EVOO
• 50g pitted black olives, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 mins until soft. Add the garlic, cannellini beans, chicken stock and some seasoning and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the beans are tender. Leave to cool.
2. Make the black olive relish by stirring all the ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Process the beans and their liquid in a blender or food processor with the EVOO and lemon juice. Season to taste. Can be served warm or at room temperature. The bean mixture will thicken as it cools so don’t worry if it seems watery at first.
4. To make the crostini, put a griddle pan over a high heat until very hot. Toast the bread slices until very lightly charred on both sides.
5. To serve, spread some white bean purée on top of each warm crostini and spoon over a little olive relish.

Serves 4
Cook time: 20m

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 long red chillis, reseeded & finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 cm piece ginger, grated
• 750g shredded chicken (or raw chicken mince)
• 6 spring onions, sliced
• 400 ml can coconut cream
• 1½ cups Massel chicken style liquid stock
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 large lime, juiced
• Kaffir lime leaves
• ½ cup coriander leaves

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add chillies, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring for 1 minute or until aromatic. If using raw chicken, add it now. Add onions and stir until combined. Cook, stirring for 5 – 7 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
2. Add coconut cream, stock, fish sauce, brown sugar, 2 tbsp lime juice and lime leaves. Stir until combined. If using cooked chicken, add it now. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook uncovered for 5 minutes for until fully heated through.
3. Serve topped with coriander.

Serves 10
Cook time:

Ingredients:

• 1.25kg shoulder pork, cubed (or mince if you prefer)
• 2 tbsp malt vinegar
• Sugar
• 8 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.2 litres pinto or kidney or your choice of beans
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 onions
• 4 green chillis
• Fresh coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 10 cloves (or fewer if , like me, you’re not a fan…)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 2 – 4 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 – 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 6 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g can crushed tomatoes
• Salt & pepper

Method:

1. Season the meat with the vinegar, half a tsp salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Heat the oil and when it is very hot lightly fry the meat in it. Remove the meat and simmer it with the bay leaves in 1.2 litres water until tender.
3. Meanwhile roughly chop the garlic, onions and chillies. Then put 150ml or so of liquid from the beans, the garlic, onion, chillies, herbs and spices together in a blender and liquidise. Fry the mixture in the remaining oil for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Strain the meat and add it to the mixture together with the tomato purée, tomatoes and beans; simmer gently, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick. Add a little water if it’s too dry.
5. Serve with rice, sour cream and grated cheese.

This dish freezes well and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days..

Added bonus – they’re low carb if you’re cutting down on sugar. They’re also very filling and make a great breakfast-on-the-go.

Serves – makes 12 slices
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ⅓ cup your favourite nut butter
• ¼ coconut oil
• ⅓ cup sugar substitute, such as stevia, monk fruit, coconut sugar etc
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp (or less) cinnamon
• ½ tsp (or less) sea salt
• 2 eggs

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut flakes and pumpkin seeds.
3. In a small saucepan, stir together the nut butter, coconut oil and sweetener and heat for 2 – 3 minutes over low heat until everything is smooth and combined.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon (if using) and salt. Pour over the nut/seed mixture and stir.
5. Add the eggs and stir together until all the dry ingredients are coated with wet ingredients. Transfer to the tin and use a spatula to press down firmly into a flat, even layer.
6. Bake for 20 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
7. Allow to cool completely. Use the parchment paper to remove from the pan, and use a sharp knife to slice into 12 even bars.