Mushroom & Prosciutto Lasagne
April 10, 2023
Sublimely delicious and a bit involved to make but requires no skill and the effort is definitely worth it. Thank you again, BBC Good Food.
Serves 6 – 8
Cook time: 50 mns
Ingredients:
- 500g chicken stock
- 30g pack dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100g butter
- 300g portobello / chestnut mushrooms or a mix, halved and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 75g plain flour
- 500ml hot full fat milk
- 100g double cream
- 140g prosciutto, roughly shredded
- Handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- 12 sheets lasagne
- 140g Parmesan (2/3 finely grated and the rest shaved
- Truffle oil – optional
Method:
- Pour the stock into a saucepan, bring to the boil and tip the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl or jug. Pour over the hot stock and leave to soak until it has been absorbed and the mushrooms have cooled. Drain the mushrooms over a bowl, pressing down on them to release all the stock. Reserve the stock, roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and two-thirds of the butter in a large, shallow saucepan. Add the soaked mushrooms and bay leaf, and sizzle for a few mins. Turn up the heat, add the fresh mushrooms and garlic, and fry until soft. Season, scatter the flour over the mushrooms and cook until you have a thick, sticky paste. Pour in the mushroom stock and boil until everything is gloopy. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring between each addition, until you have a thick mushroom sauce, then simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, fish out the bay leaf, then stir in the cream, prosciutto and parsley, and leave to cool slightly.
- If cooking straight away, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease a rectangular casserole dish (about 22 x 30cm) with the remaining butter and cover the bottom with a layer of lasagne sheets. Using a slotted spoon, layer about a third of the mushroom mixture and some of the sauce over the lasagne sheets, then scatter over a little grated Parmesan and drizzle with a few drops of truffle oil, if using. Repeat until you have three layers of mushrooms (save some sauce in the pan), then top with a final layer of pasta. Now spread over the remaining sauce – it should be reasonably mushroom free. Scatter over the remaining grated Parmesan and drizzle with more truffle oil, if using. Can be made a day ahead, covered and chilled.
- Bake the lasagne for 20-25 mins until golden and bubbling. Turn the oven up at the end of cooking if it’s not brown enough. Remove from the oven and leave for a few mins to stand. Cut into squares, scatter over the Parmesan shavings and drizzle over some more truffle oil just before serving, if you like.
Chicken Casserole with Cannellini Beans
April 10, 2023
A variation on a basic chasseur theme
Serves 4
Cook time: 1 hour + 30 mins
Ingredients:
- 25g butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 4 chicken legs or Marylands
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 can cannellini / flageolet beans
- 225 ml red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- Sprigs fresh thyme
- Chopped fresh parsley
- 500 ml chicken stock
- Salt & pepper
- Optional extras: celery salt, button mushrooms, other veg of your choice… etc
Method:
- Heat half the butter and olive oil in a large lidded casserole.
- Season the chicken legs and fry for about 5 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter and cook onion about 5 mins until soft. Add the crushed garlic, tomato purée, stock and red wine and allow to bubble for about 5 mins then add the thyme & parsley.
- Put the chicken legs back into the pan, cover and simmer on low heat for about an hour until the chicken is very tender.
- Remove the chicken legs from the pa, keep warm and then rapidly boil down the sauce for 10 mins or so until it is syrupy and the flavour has concentrated.
- Put the chicken back into the pan and serve.
Smoked Salmon & Goat’s Cheese Parcels
April 10, 2023
Absolutely delicious and requires no cooking. BBC Good Food recipe that never fails.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 450g thinly sliced smoked salmon
- 100g pack Chèvre or other mild goat’s cheese broken into small pieces
- 3 tbsp snipped chives
- 3 large, ripe avocados, peeled, stoned and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- Sweet chilli sauce for drizzling
- Salad leaves for presentation
- Vinaigrette to serve – optional
Method:
1.line 8 ramekins with cling film that overlaps then line with slices of salmon, leaving some overlap.
2. Mix together the cheese, chives, avocado, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Spoon into the salmon-lined ramekins, press down gently and fold in the overlapping salmon, then the cling film to seal in the mixture. Chill for at least 4 hours.
3. Lift out of the ramekins using the cling film. Turn the terrines over and place them on plates with some baby salad leaves tossed in a little vinaigrette. Drizzle the parcels with sweet chilli sauce.
Crostini with white bean purée
December 4, 2022
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:
- 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.
- Make the black olive relish by stirring all the ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- To serve, spread some white bean purée on top of each warm crostini and spoon over a little olive relish.
Tomato Soup
September 16, 2022
Super simple, super delicious, ready in half an hour
Serves 4
Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2 x cans tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp celery seed (or ½ tsp celery salt)
¼ tsp dried oregano- Chopped fresh parsley
- Chopped fresh basil
- Pinch chilli flakes
- Salt & pepper
- Sour cream and grated Parmesan to serve
Method:
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Cook onion until soft and translucent. Add tomatoes, garlic, water, sugar, celery seed, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, add parsley and basil,reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and purée in blender or with a stick. Return to heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with a blob of sour cream, sprinkled with Parmesan and pepper. Delicious with garlic / olive / rosemary bread or toast.
Courgette, Haloumi & Preserved Lemon Fritters
September 9, 2022
Serves 8
Cook time: 25 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 large courgettes, grated
- 1 red onion, grated
- 2 teaspoons preserved lemon, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 150g haloumi, grated
- ½ cup plain flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup Greek yoghurt
- Coriander leaves to serve
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Using hands, squeeze grated courgette and onion to remove excess liquid. This can also be done by twisting the courgette tightly in a tea towel. Transfer to a bowl. Add preserved lemon, oregano, haloumi, flour and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Stir.
- Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture to make 16 balls. Place on prepared tray. Using a fork, flatten slightly. Bake for 25 minutes, turning halfway through or until golden and firm.
- Top each fritter with a teaspoon of yoghurt. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with coriander & serve.
Seared Tuna Steaks
September 7, 2022
Delicious, quick and easy to make but looks quite impressive!!
Serves 2
Cook time: Quick
Ingredients:
- Tuna steaks for two people – good and thick
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 spring onions, sliced thinly
- 1 tsp-ish toasted sesame seeds
Method:
- Pat the tuna steaks dry with a paper towel. Place on a plate or inside a plastic bag.
- Mix the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, honey, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper until honey is fully dissolved. Pour over the tuna steaks and turn over to coat completely. Optional: allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator. If marinading overnight, omit the salt from the recipe and add it on the day just before cooking. You can also reserve some of the marinade for drizzling over the tuna after you’ve cooked it.
- Heat a heavy based non-stick frying pan on medium high until quite hot. Add the oil to the pan and fry the tuna for about a minute and a half on each side, until seared on the outside and rare on the inside.
- Remove to a cutting board. Slice into 1cm slices and serve garnished with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired.
Madras Curry with Tomato Base or Creamy Base
September 7, 2022
Serves 4
Cook time: +/-20 mins
Ingredients for tomato base:
- I onion, chopped or sliced thinly
- Garlic, peeled and crushed
- Knobbly of ginger, peeled and grated
- Jar Pataks Madras curry paste
- Can chopped tomatoes
- Can coconut cream if making creamy base
- 2 cups stock
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Cauliflower – or red pepper/pumpkin/spuds – whatever veg you fancy
- Can chickpeas
- Coriander stalks to garnish
Method:
- Fry the onion then add the garlic, ginger and curry paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the can of tomatoes plus 2 cups of stock and the juice of a lemon; or for the creamier base, add the tomotoes, 1 cup of stock and the coconut cream, but omit the lemon juice.
- Add your choice of veg and simmer until tender. Add the chickpeas. Season to taste – be careful not to over salt this dish as the curry paste is already quite salty. Serve garnished with coriander and yoghurt.
Thai Chicken Broth
September 7, 2022
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve topped with coriander.
Veggie Sausage Rolls
September 6, 2022
Serves plenty
Cook time: 20-25 mins
Ingredients:
- 450g puff pastry
- 100g pinhead oatmeal
- 300ml vegetable stock
- 2tbsp oil or butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 200g almond butter
- 50g dried cranberries, roughly chopped (optional)
- Fresh thyme, parsley, Italian herbs – whatever you feel like
- Ground black pepper
- 1tbsp (or less) Marmite
Method:
- Put the oatmeal in a pan with the stock, bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook for about 10 mins until very thick. Let cool.
- Fry the onion in the oil until soft & golden then tip into a bowl and fry the mushrooms until soft and dry. Add to the onions and stir in the almond butter and oatmeal. Add remaining ingredients and taste check. Add the Marmite in stages as I found a whole tablespoon can make the mixture very salty.
- Heat oven to 220°C. Cut pastry into 20cm x 50cm sheets. Spoon filling down the long side of the pastry, paint egg along the other long side then roll as tightly as possible. With seam side down, cut into 3 cm pieces.
- Transfer to a baking sheet, brush with egg and use scissors or the tip of a knife to snip a small hold in the tops then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden.
Baked Salmon
August 30, 2022
Serves 4 – 6
Cook time: 25 mins
Ingredients:
- Salmon Fillets x 4 – 6
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Paprika
- Lemon juice – optional (for less sweet sauce)
- Sprinkle of chilli flakes if you’d like some heat
- Salt & Pepper
- Chives for serving
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
- Mix honey, soy and garlic together.
- Season each piece of salmon with salt, pepper and paprika.
- Place each fillet on baking paper. Brush with glaze then fold paper over the salmon and pinch closed.
- Place on baking sheet and cook for 20 – 25 minutes for cooked through or 15 mins for raw stripe in centre.
- Sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.
Thanks to Heidi over at http://thekitchette.com for this super simple recipe.
Goan Clam & Mussel Soup
August 9, 2022
Surprisingly delicious with short prep time (once the mussels have been de-bearded) and easy to make.
Serves 4
Cook time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
- 1kg fresh mussels / clams mix
- olive oil , for frying
- 1 onion , chopped
- thumb-sized piece ginger , grated
- 4 garlic cloves , crushed
- 2 green chillies , chopped
- 1 tsp black mustard seed
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 400ml coconut milk
- coriander sprigs, to serve
Method:
1. Remove the beards, then wash the mussels well in cold water. Refresh the water and repeat until it is clear. Discard any mussels that are broken or stay open when tapped.
2. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Fry the onion until very lightly brown, then add the ginger, garlic, chillies, spices, a good pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins until fragrant and toasted. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil, then simmer for a few mins to get everything mixed together.
3. Tip the mussels into the dish, cover, turn up the heat to maximum and boil for 3-4 mins until the mussels have just opened. Scatter over the coriander sprigs and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Red lentil, chickpea & chilli soup
August 9, 2022
Serves 4
Cook time: 25 mins
This is an old favourite from BBC Good Food that has been on rotation in our house for more than 10 years. Never goes out of favour.
Ingredients:
- 2tsp cumin seeds
- Large pinch chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 140g red split lentils
- 850ml vegetable stock or water
- 400g can tomatoes
- 200g can chickpeas (or half a 400g can), drained and rinsed
- Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
- Greek yoghurt to serve
Method:
- Heat a large saucepan and dry fry 2 tsp cumin seeds and a large pinch of chilli flakes for 1 min or until they start to jump in the pan and release aromas.
- Add 1tbsp olive oil and the chopped red onion and cook for 5 mins.
- Stir in the red lentils, 850ml stock or water and a can of tomatoes then bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until lentils have softened.
- Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until it is a rough purée, pour back into the pan and add the chickpeas.
- Heat gently, season well and stir in the chopped coriander, reserving a few leaves. Finish with a dollop of yoghurt in each bowl and top with extra coriander leaves. Delicious with crusty bread.
Marinated Aubergines
August 3, 2022
Taken from LostInFood.co.uk who got it from Ellie who passed it on from her Italian friend, Cadia. Share and share alike :). Feel free to add other veg – charred red peppers would go especially well.
Serves 4
Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 aubergine (sliced)
- 1 clove garlic (crushed)
- 1 red chilli (de-seeded and finely chopped)
- 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley (chopped)
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- juice of half lemon
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Method:
- Slice the aubergine into rounds and place on either a hot barbecue or grill pan and char on each side until softened. Turn frequently taking care not to burn the aubergine. Do not add any oil to either the pan or the aubergine as this will make the vegetable soggy. Once done set the aubergine aside to cool.
- Place all the remaining ingredients into a bowl, add the cooled aubergine and mix well to combine. Transfer to a good sealing container, ensuring the olive oil completely covers the aubergine, if not then top up with more olive oil. Place in the fridge where the aubergine will keep well for a week if properly sealed.
Mushroom Burgers with Haloumi
July 13, 2022
Serves 4
Cook time: <30mins
Ingredients:
- 125g butter, softened
- 2 tbsp finely chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, basil, oregano….)
- 1 anchovy fillet
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 lemon
- 4 large portobello mushrooms
- Salt & pepper
- 1 cup good quality mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce (?!)
- 4 slices haloumi
- Plain flour for dusting
- Pickles to serve
- 4 burger buns of your choice, toasted on cut sides
Method:
- Mix butter with herbs, anchovy, garlic, curry powder and a squeeze of lemon juice to make a spreadable consistency.
- Heat a grill or barbecue until hot, brush mushrooms with herb butter, season and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until well cooked. Brush liberally with herb butter while cooking.
- Meanwhile mix mayonnaise with chipotle sauce and set aside. Dust haloumi with flour and cook on grill on both sides until golden and place on top of mushrooms. Squeeze over some lemon juice and dollop with spicy mayonnaise. Add pickles and serve. Leftover butter can be frozen.
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