Easy Dinner

Hi All!

I hope you are having a wonderful day and what you planned to accomplish is coming about the way you want it. If not, just try your best!

As food is always on the menu of my thoughts, being a daily requirement, sometimes I don't wish to cook but I still want to enjoy what I eat and I want it to be appetising.  I like it to look scrummy.

What a delight  it is when you can just throw a couple of things together and before you start eating your mouth starts watering! :)

Here's what I threw together for a light but satisfying dinner.

There's Ryvita thins, fruit, cherry tomatoes, pate, pork pie, smoked salmon, cheese(Brie, Cheddar), olives and sliced pickled gherkins and bread, of course.

This is what I had at hand, you too can use whatever you have, it will be tasty and fun to eat.

Bon Appetite!

Menu

Here are a few ideas for a menu which may like to try.

Grilled Gammon with a pineapple salsa dressing with fingerling potatoes and Salad
Grill until cooked and if you like glaze the Gammon with a little honey.  For the salsa chopped pineapple, chopped red onion, a small chilli if you like some heat remove the seeds and finely chopped, tsp of honey, juice of a lime or lemon and fresh chopped coriander. Serve with your lovely potatoes.

Beefy Stuffed Peppers served with rice. You can also stuff tomatoes if anyone doesn't like peppers. Use good mince if you can. This is simply brown with onions, garlic then add a little tomato puree and about half a pint of beef stock to about 360-400g meat. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 mins or until it tender. To thicken add a tsp of corn flour(starch) to a little cold water and give it a good stir, then add to your meat mixture. Season. Stuff the peppers and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C if fan oven. 200°C/400°F/gas 6 .

These freeze very well!

Cornbread Vegetable bake- this is  vegetarian dish makes a nice change. Peel and chop 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 sticks of celery, 2 carrots, 1 large potato, 1 parsnip and 2 sweet potatoes. In 1 tbsp of oil sweat not brown the onion, celery and garlic then add the rest of the vegetables. Add a can of chopped  tomatoes, half pint of vegetable stock and bring to a boil and add some thyme 1 tsp of dried or a small sprig of fresh thyme and season. Simmer for 30 mins until they are cooked through. Once cooked put this into an oven proof dish. Preheat your oven to 220°c/425°f/ gas 7.
Cornbread- 225g fine cornmeal, 2 tbsp plain flour, 4 tsp baking powder mix in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Now you add the wet ingredients: 3 beaten eggs, 175ml milk, 2 tbsp oil..mix well and spoon the batter over the vegetables and bake for about 30 mins or until firm and golden.

Crispy Smoked Bacon and Scallop Salad - This is a delicious starter or a light dinner. It consists of baby leaf salad. 3 scallops per person. 2 rashers of smoky streaky bacon and a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, Maldon salt.
Place the salad in a bowl and reserve until later.
    Grill the bacon until golden and crispy and reserve for later. Now season the scallops with freshly ground pepper and sear/pan fry the scallop ( 1 or 2 mins on each  side). Dress the salad and toss it. Place on one individual plates and top with 3 scallops then sprinkle the scallops with Maldon salt and a bit more pepper if you like. Top it all with the crispy golden bacon. This is lovely with a crisp white wine.

Crunchy Stuffed Chicken Breast - This can be deep fried or baked. 1 chicken breast per person (200g/ 7oz) these can be smaller or larger depending on ones appetite or if you want to do smaller ones for the children. 1 tbsp. of soft butter, 4 sun-dried tomatoes, 4 to 6 leaves of fresh Basil, Plain flour for coating, 1 beaten Egg, Breadcrumbs (panko breadcrumbs if you are baking them), oil for frying.
    Flatten the chicken breast between cling film to make them thin with a mallet or rolling pin. Make a herb butter with about a tbsp. of soft Butter with a 1tsp of Mixed Herbs mix well and spread on one side of your Chicken. Place the sun-dried tomatoes and top them with the Basil leaves evenly. Roll and tie or secure with a skewer or toothpicks. Flour, egg and then breadcrumb the rolled chicken.
Fry for 10-15 mins or until golden brown. The healthy option is to bake them in a 180*C/350*F/Gas 4 preheated oven until golden brown (10-20 mins) This recipe serve 1 person; multiply for your family.

Grilled Sardines with Garlic and Lemon - 2 sardines per person, sliced Lemon and lemon wedges, olive oil, freshly ground sea salt and black pepper.
Season the sardines and drizzle them with olive oil and place a lemon wedge or two in the belly of the sardine. Lay the sardines on the sliced lemon and grill for 3-5 mins on each side in hot grill. The flesh should be opaque and firm.
Once grilled drizzle with lemon juice and serve with a salad, boiled potatoes and if you have the time a little tomato and red pepper salsa. It's great with fresh crispy bread.

 Cajun spiced Steak - Beef steak to your liking (but I like sirloin or T-bone) Cajun seasoning. Coat the steak well with the seasoning and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to take the flavours. Have a hot pan ready add oil and lay the steak away from you so you don't burn yourself...cooking time will depend on how you like your steak.  This is nice with mashed potatoes, steamed greens. I really like them with homemade deep fried onion rings!

 

Bon Appetite!

My mini herb garden

Part of delicious food are the fragrant, aromatic flavours of herbs. Whether dried or fresh, they always add interest to any dish. The level of flavours are quite amazing and so different to one another. 

This year I was given a present of some seeds by a good friend so I thought I would start a mini herb garden. 

When I say mini I mean mini on a window sill!

I check them everyday and make sure there are no bugs. I feed them once a week with ready to use feed from the gardening centre and make sure the soil never dries out. I also water them late evening so the roots don't cook in the heat of the day.

My window smells wonderful and I can just snip off the herbs whenever I need them.

There is rosemary, parsley, coriander, thyme and basil. They all live together happily with my beautiful flower.

Have a go! You may surprise yourself!

Just Simple and Fresh

Hi!

I just love all these cheffy programmes but don't you find that they are somewhat complicated?  Requiring skills that only a professional would have and special equipment.... mmmm..not in my kitchen!

Simple and fresh is best! I don't know about you but I don't always have the time for very laborious dishes.

Here's a great favourite of mine! Russian Salad.

It's very easy and very filling..there are more complex recipes but I use this one as I find it easy to make.

Potatoes peeled and diced.
Carrots peeled and diced
Frozen peas
Hard boiled eggs
Mayonnaise
Olives (sliced in half... No stones, please!)
Tinned tuna in oil

Put the vegetables in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until cooked but the last ten minutes pop the eggs in.(eggs not straight from the fridge but at room temperature).

Drain and put into a large bowl.

Shell the eggs, cut into 4 then into 8 pieces. Pop them into the same bowl.

Drain the tuna, flake it and into the same bowl.

Add the olives

Add enough mayonnaise to bind it so it is moist but not sloppy.

There you have it! It's best served very cold with crispy bread. 

Bon Appetite!

P.S:

Tuna is a semi-oily fish.  Its protein contains selenium, manganese, potassium, omega 3 essential fatty acids and it contains Vitamin B niacin, B1, B6 and folate, all of which keep our arteries from hardening.

Potatoes - are a good source of Vitamin C, potassium, fibre, 
Vitamin B, copper, tryptophan, manganese and lutein. Being alkaline potatoes help balance acidity, inflammation, high blood pressure and calms the nerves.

Carrots - are rich in beta-carotenes which help digestion and weight control. Carrots silicon which helps hair, skin and eyes because of the beta-carotenes, lycopene and lutein. And carrot tops make a great detox tea!

Peas- are full of Vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. It is an insoluble fibre so it's really good for your intestinal tract. It's great to fight infection, boost energy, immune system and helps men to improve their ability to fertilise a female egg.

Eggs - contain Vitamin D with help bones and teeth. It's also antioxidant and contains lutein and zeaxanthine, to name but a few, which help the eyes from losing sight. It help prevent cancer and heart disease. Try different eggs as some have different nutritional values. Don't over cook eggs as you will lose some of its benefits.

For more information on the nutritional information, you can Google it or look it up in specialised books on the subject like I did.

Chicken Nuggets

Hello all you Mums trying to please your children!

I know, I've been there..so much work, so much pressure and you still have to feed the family with something good and hearty that will give them what they need in goodness and nutrients and feed their wants and bellies!

Hay, Ho! Chicken Nuggets!.... But aren't they bad for you? 

No, they are not if they are home-made!

If you can manage it take the chicken breast off the bone or buy it already off the bone (it is more expensive) and chop up adding the flavour and seasoning you are accustomed to. Try to keep the salt content down as Too Much Salt is bad for everyone!(herbs and spices can compensate for the lack of salt).


Once the chicken breast is either chopped up or sliced....flour it, egg it, breadcrumb it and deep fry it at 180*C  until golden brown.

If the chicken is fresh you can freeze them so you have them handy for another day when you are too busy. If you have some chicken in the freezer and you make up the chicken nuggets then you must cook them once the chicken is defrosted. You cannot refreeze defrosted raw chicken!

They are so much more delicious than shop bought but I know everyone's circumstances are different...but please try this, even if it is with cooked chicken from yesterday or from the supermarket it is still better than a mince you have no idea about.

Please give it a go..you will love it, your kids and family will love you for it!

Your cooking companion. Isabelle

Lovely Produce

What a lovely day!

I wanted to say how much I love the local markets! They offer so much fresh produce..sometimes not as fresh depending on the vendor! No offence to anyone....! There is something intrinsic about shopping at a market...I do think it goes back way beyond us...to ancient civilizations.  Their local fair, imported goods and sheer determination to make a living from home grown vegetables, eggs and animals and home-made goodies like cheese, jams, breads, cakes, pies, pickles and so much more..I think that's why I enjoy it so much...just like many of us.

The Plus side of it is: we may not get the supermarket perfection of size, shape and colour but we do get flavour without the high cost and awful polystyrene and plastic packaging.  We can also haggle with the vendor, who loves his produce and wants to make a sale. I think both the vendor and the customer benefit..! I love a bargain...and I am sure the vendor loves a sale..so both parties are happy! Especially if you return because you just loved the freshness, excellence and flavour of the lovely local produce.

These are just a few the lovely things I found interesting in a market.

 These images are from Borough Market in London. Happy shopping!

The Colours of Summer

Hello there!

When the weather is warm and the sun out, I really like fresh tasty food that feeds my eyes as well as my stomach. There is such an abundance of fresh produce this time of the year that you are really spoilt for choice! All that deliciousness just waiting for you to pick up and take home.  

Today I prepared Pan seared Duck on potato rosti with a Mango and Yellow pepper salsa.

The duck I marinated over night in Chinese five spice, salt, black pepper, soy sauce and a dash of oil. When I cooked it I started it off in a cold pan, skin side down, as the famous chefs do, to melt the fat away and give it a crispy skin. There's no need for oil as the skin is fatty enough to cook the duck in.

I half cooked the potato, peeled it and grated it added seasoning formed a pattie and cooked it in the duck fat. Mine is a bit brown because of the soy sauce from the duck and its juices..but it's awfully tasty.

The salsa consists of mango, yellow pepper, orange segments and dressed with a dash of olive oil, a pinch of salt, fresh coriander and grated zest of the orange and juice of the orange and a good squeeze of lime. Give it a good stir and leave until you have everything ready.

I love salad in hot weather..you can make the salad you most like with this and it will be good.

There you have it! Delicious duck so full of flavour with its crispy skin and duck always goes well with something sweet..the mango and pepper salsa which gives you the sweetness of the mango, the crunchy texture of the peppers, the orange which gives it juiciness and the brightness from the coriander with a lovely dressing of oil, orange and lime juice and the zest of the orange which brings it all together beautifully.

Just look at the lovely colours of summer on a plate!

I hope you enjoy your dinner as much as I will. 

Bon Appetite!