Grumpy Chicken dinner

Was in a foul mood last night, and really couldn’t be bothered to cook for anyone. You know, those nights when you think “Go on, I DARE you to ask me when dinner will be ready” !

I already had something planned, with all the components ready in the fridge, but still couldn’t be arsed. So I ate a whole packet of cold, ready cooked chicken wings. Oops.

Dinner was eventually made: Hawaiian Pork meatballs. Tasty. Involved having to blitz and squeeze a load of canned pineapple. Should have done that ahead – slap on the wrist for being disorganised. Did get to use my newest gadget; a mini icecream scoop. Did make me a little happier πŸ™‚

Cheap, high-quality and versatile

No, it’s not my new LinkedIn profile πŸ™‚

Loved this article by Rubies & Radishes on all the ways you can use minced beef. While free-range or organic meat is the ideal, it can be too expensive to use on a regular basis but this it a viable option.

Rubies and Radishes

We normally have at least 2-3 mince based meals a week (that includes breakfasts) and I like to use the delicious minced meat from our local farm shop. It’s actually about the same price per kg as our supermarket, but don’t expect 3for2 for BOGOF offers πŸ™‚

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

I dream of food.

Menu planning is my ‘thing’.  I think about what, and how, I’m going to cook while I’m driving around or getting on with my day, even while I’m already cooking or eating a meal!  I know what’s in my fridge down to the last half lemon and scrap of fresh herbs, and I already know what I’d like to do with them.  I have been told this is not quite normal πŸ™‚ 

If you don’t have control freak tendencies and a one-track mind when it comes to food, or just need more ideas, they’ve got a (free) App for that! 

Pepper Plate    ~   iPhone, Windows and Android sheep compatible πŸ™‚

It allows you to collate recipes you see online (Pinterest etc.), plan menus, share with friends and create shopping lists based on your requirements.

I have a low-tech version of this I created in a shared OneNote which indexes my recipes, which I was looking to use to create a similar tool, but decided it was too much like hard work πŸ™‚

My favourite lamb curry

Aside from my current obsession with Central American food, I love Indian-style lamb curries. Sadly our local restaurants tend to stick with chicken or prawns, and their food give me an upset tummy these days anyway πŸ™

There is something quite therapeutic about having a pot of exotic smells, blipping away on the hob for hours but i don’t always have time for that – especially as it’s only really giving me one finished dish. Poor ROI πŸ™‚

This homemade version goes in the pressure cooker for 20mins and is ready to serve, but like all stews it benefits form being reheated the next day. This is a relatively quick curry, but you do need to season the meat a few hours ahead so either start the night before or do it in the morning and it’ll be ready to cook for dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 1kg Stewing lamb (you want pieces of meat with cross-sections of bone, not the super-trimmed diced leg meat)
  • 2 tablespoons Garam Masala
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • ——————————————————————————————————-
  • 1 tablespoon Coconut oil, or fat of choice
  • 1 Onion, rough chopped
  • 200g very ripe Tomatoes or 230g (small tin) Chopped tomato
  • 2 x Green chilli, seeds removed (leave the seeds in if you like it hot)
  • 5 cloves Garlic, finely grated or crushed
  • 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 30g (small supermarket packet) Coriander, leaves and stalks chopped separately
  • 4 x Spring onion, thinly sliced

Method:

Toss the lamb in the garam masala and salt, and use your hands to rub the seasoning into the meat. Pop into a zip-lock bag, or a covered glass or plastic bowl, and leave in the fridge overnight or all day. 

When you’re ready to cook, take the meat out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. While that’s happening, make the sauce.  Using a food processor, or heavy duty blender (plastic ones won’t be up to the job) blend the onion, tomatoes and chillies until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in the pressure cooker (lid off, of course) then brown the lamb in batches. When brown, set aside and remove the pot from the heat before adding the garlic. Stir well before adding the tomato and onion sauce. Put the pot back on the heat, add the garam masala, salt, coriander stems and lemon juice. Bring to the boil and put the lamb back in – stir well to coat.

Lock on the lid and increase the heat to reach high pressure. Decrease heat to low and cook for 20mins. [If you want to freeze it, now would be a good time. Thaw completely before reheating. ] Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt or lemon juice if required.

Before serving, sprinkle on the chopped coriander leaves and spring onions.

Steak skewers with cherry barbecue sauce

This is the first proper ‘meal’ recipe I’ve tried from my new book, and I thought it would be a good “Welcome Home!” meal for my hubby.

Strips of beef steak, skewered and grilled then glazed with a sweet/ sour cherry sauce. Original recipe called for flank steak, but couldn’t get that anywhere so went with a thick piece of rump which was on special offer. Actually made the sauce a few days ahead [I like to get ahead πŸ™‚ ] and it kept fine in the fridge.

Even better, we only used about half the sauce (despite being seriously piggy with it – and me slopping most of it on the skewers instead of the steak) so I can serve it with the turkey cranberry meatballs later in the week. If I make another batch I think it would taste AMAZING with braai πŸ˜›

Note: Yes, we did have more than 3 skewers each, but 6 doesn’t look as photogenic πŸ™‚

Uova in Purgatorio – deconstructed

Last night’s dinner was meant to be Uova in Purgatorio [posh baked eggs with homemade chorizo) but when it came to meal time I really didn’t fancy it, so instead I took it apart.

Using all the same ingredients I made mini-meatballs with the chorizo, roasted chunks of sweet potato dusted with paprika, a spicy tomato sauce to pour over the lot and finished it with 2 poached eggs. No pics as I was busy watching Eurovision but, to help you build your own mental image, it had a glass of Spanish rosΓ© on the side πŸ™‚

This week’s menu – 09 May 2014

  • White fish and sweet potato curry
  • Uova in Purgatorio [a.k.a. Eggs in purgatory:) ] with homemade chorizo
  • Pina Colada Chicken w/ cauliflower rice
  • Smashed steak skewers w/ cherry BBQ sauce and butternut squash salad
  • Turkey cranberry meatballs w/ spiced butternut, and bacony savoy cabbage
  • Thai chili and lemongrass chicken w/ steamed cabbage
  • Bora Bora Fireballs (pork and pineapple meatballs)

Fish curry – meal for 1

Friday night and another meal for one. White fish and sweet potato curry with coconut.

Even tho it’s just for me, I added a spritz of fresh lime juice and coriander sprinkles – because I’m worth it πŸ™‚

Ingredients (makes 2 meals):

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon mild curry paste (add more if you like it hot-hot)

8 Cherry toms, halved

300g Sweet potato, cut into 2cm cubes

300ml coconut milk

100ml water

200g white fish (approx. 2-3 fillets), cut into large chunks

100g prawns (optional)

100g frozen peas

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil in a large deep frying pan or wok over a low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the curry paste and fry for just a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and sweet potato and toss together well. Tip in the coconut milk and the water. You want to just cover the sweet potato chunks, so add a little more water if you’re short. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the sweet potato is almost tender. (if you want to freeze this ahead, do it at this point. When you want to eat, thaw the sauce then proceed).

Stir in the fish pieces, prawns and peas and cook for just 2-3 minutes. Serve with fresh lime wedges and coriander.