Chicken Satay Stir-Fry

 

                    This Indonesian-style stir-fry combines colourful crunchy vegetables and tender chicken strips. Served with toasted white or whole wheat pita bread.

4 servings (342 calories per serving)

• ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
• One-third cup reduced-fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• 1 lemon, zest finely grated
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 350 gr skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon ive-spice powder
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into julienne strips
• 175 gr button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, stock and lemon zest until blended, then set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat ; add the garlic and chili pepper and stir-fry for 30 seconds to release the flavours.
3. Add the chicken and five-spice powder and stir-fry 3-4 minutes until the chicken has coloured all over ; add the red pepper, carrots and mushrooms and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
4. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the wok and stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
5. Remove from the heat, stir in the chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Seafood Pie with Potato Pastry

 

                    A very special fish pie that is sure to please everyone. This recipe uses a mixture of white fish, seafood and vegetables in a quick white sauce, topped with a golden turmeric potato pastry crust.

4 servings (600 calories per serving)

Potato pastry

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ cup mashed potato
• 100 gr butter, chilled and diced
• 1 tablespoon milk, to glaze
• 1 tablespoon dried breadcrumbs

1. Sift the flour and turmeric into a bowl and, using a fork, mix the mashed potato until blended.
2. Rub in the butter, then draw together into the dough, adding cold water if necessary to bind the dough together.
3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Filling

• 400 gr skinless white fish fillets, cut into small chunks
• 200 gr peeled shrimp or seafood mix
• 2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
• ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, zest grated
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 cup 1% milk

1. Put the fish into a pie dish about 1.25 litre capacity ; mix in the shrimp or seafood, leeks, peas, parsley, thyme and lemon zest.
2. Blend the cornstarch with a little of the milk in a bowl.
3. Heat the rest of the milk until it is almost at boiling point, then stir it into the cornstarch paste.
4. Return the mixture to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens ; season to taste and pour over the fish filling.
5. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes ; preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
6. Roll out the potato pastry between two large sheets of plastic wrap to about the size and shape of the top o the pie dish.
7. Remove the top sheet of plastic and use the second sheet to help you lay the pastry on top o the filling and remove the sheet of plastic wrap.
8. Press and trim the pastry edges to neaten, and make a small slash in the center of the lid to allow steam to escape.
9. Brush the pastry with the milk, then sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs.
10. Place the pie dish on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F (180C) and bake for a further 15 minutes until golden on top.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Chinese Slow-Cooked Pork

 

                    Star anise, soy and ginger add wonderful lavours to this deliciously tender pork joint casserole, simmered with shallots, carrots and mushrooms. Vegetables and rice noodles cooked in exotic, rich juices make this into a complete meal.

4 servings (438 calories per serving)

• 500 gr lean,boneless loin of pork with skin, tied firmly
• 1¾ cups diluted salt-reduced or homemade chicken stock, click here for recipe
• 2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 15 gr resh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 star anise
• 4 shallots, halved
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
• 6 scallions
• 30 gr dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked to rehydrate
• 125 gr oyster mushrooms, sliced or halved
• 250 gr dried flat rice noodles

1. Place the pork in a large flameproof casserole and pour over enough boiling water to cover.
2. Bring back to a boil on the stove, then pour off the water.
3. Add the stock, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, honey, garlic, ginger, star anise, shallots and carrots to the casserole dish and bring to a bowl.
4. Thickly slice four of the scallions, roughly chopped the drained Chinese mushrooms and add both to the casserole ; reserve teh strained mushroom soaking liquid.
5. Cover and simmer gently on a very low heat for 1 hour, stirring the vegetables and basting the meat occasionally until everything is tender.
6. Add the oyster mushrooms for the last 20 minutes of the cooking time ; if necessary, top up using the reserved mushroom soaking liquid or more stock or water.
7. Meanwhile, cut the remaining scallions into 6 cm lengths, then cut lengthwise into fine shreds ; place in a bowl of iced water and leave to curl.
8. Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 4 minutes or until softened, then drain well.
9. Carefully lift the meat out of the casserole with a slotted spoon and keep hot.
10. Bring the juices to a boil on the stove, then add the rice noodles and remove the dish from the heat ; turn and stir the noodles to coat with the juices.
11. Slice the pork thinly.
12. Spread the noodles on a large shallow serving plate, using a slotted spoon to lift them from the casserole ; arrange the sliced meat and vegetables on top, then spoon over the casserole juices.
13. Scatter the scallion curls over the top as a garnish.

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Beef in Ale with Horseradish Dumplings

 

                    A hearty beef and vegetable casserole that can be left to cook or made ahead and than reheated  beore serving. Cook the dumplings on top shortly before serving.

4 servings (611 calories per serving)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 500 gr lean stewing beef, cubed
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 2½ cups well-flavoured dark beer
• 1 tablespoon currant jelly
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 200 gr baby or small turnips and quartered if necessary
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced

Dumplings

• 1¼ cups self-rising flour
• 6 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• One-third cup cottage cheese
• 2 teaspoons horseradish sauce
• 2 tablespoons 1% milk, or as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 325F (160C).
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy flameproof casserole dish and briefly fry the pieces of beef until they are nicely browned.
3. Lift the meat out of the casserole dish with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
4. Add the onions to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and fry gently for about 10 minutes until golden.
5. Sprinkle flour over the onions, stir well and cook for 1 minute ; pour in the beer and bring to a boil, stirring well to dislodge any bits of food stuck to the base of the dish.
6. Add the currant jelly, mustard and bay leaf, then return the meat to the casserole dish, followed by the carrots, turnips and mushrooms.
7. Cover and transfer to the oven ; cook for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
8. Shortly before the end of the cooking time, make the dumplings.
9. Put the flour, a little seasoning and the parsley sprigs into a food processor amd process briefly to chop the parsley.
10. Mix the cottage cheese with the horseradish and milk and add to the processor ; mix to make a soft dough, adding a little more milk if necessary.
11. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into eight equal portions ; roll each into a ball with floured hands.
12. Increase the oven temperature to 350F (180C).
13. Uncover the casserole dish, stir and season to taste ; gently place the dumplings on top of the meat and vegetables, but do not submerge them.
14. Cover, return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes.
15. Serve at once.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Chicken Noodle Soup

 

                    This is one of the simplest soups to make with wonderful exotic flavours provided by lemon grass, coconut, ginger and chili pepper. The addition of thin noodles makes it quick and easy to prepare in one pot.

4 servings (441 calories per serving)

• 6 cups diluted salt-reduced or homemade chicken stock, click here for recipe
• 2 lemon grass stalks, white part only, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 150 gr instant thin rice noodles
• 175 gr fresh baby corn, sliced on the diagonal
• 150 gr small button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon salt-reduced soy sauce
• 414 ml can light coconut milk
• 1 lime, zest grated and juiced
• 200 gr bok choy, sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• Small handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

1. Pour the chicken stock into a large pot, add the lemon grass, ginger, chili pepper and garlic and bring to a boil.
2. Add the chicken, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
3. Lift out the chicken with a slotted spoon, put onto a cutting board and allow to cool ; leave the pot of stock on the heat.
4. Break or cut the noodles into the hot stock, then add the baby corn, mushrooms, soy sauce and coconut milk ; bring the pot back to simmering temperature, then cook 3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into fine shreds.
6. Stir the chicken into the soup with the lime zest and juice and the bok choy and simmer gently for 2 minutes until the bok choy has wilted.
7. Laddle the soup into four soup bowls and scatter with scallions and cilantro.
8. Provide a spoon and a fork for ease when eating.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Jambalaya

 

                    The spicy tomato flavour and aroma of this one-pot rice dish make it really appealing. Tender chunks of dish, juicy shrimp and plenty vegetables all combine to make a well-balanced, complete meal.

4 servings (378 calories per serving)

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ head of celery, finely diced and leaves reserved for garnish
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1¼ cups long-grain rice
• 2 x 398ml cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped resh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 300 grams skinned firm white fish fillet, cut into four pieces
• 8 peeled raw shrimp
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 lemon wedges

1. Put the oil in a large, deep frying pan and heat gently.
2. Add the onion, garlic, celery, red pepper, chili and cumin.
3. Cook, stirring often, for 10-12 minutes until softened.
4. Add the rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
5. Drain the tomatoes in a sieve over a heatproof measuring cup or bowl, then set aside.
6. Add the tomatoes to the rice, sprinkle the thyme over the top, stir well and reduce the heat a little.
7. Make up the tomato juice to 4 cups with boiling water, pour into the pan and stir well.
8. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
9. Season the rice to taste, then place the pieces of fish on top, continue cooking, partly covered as before, for 5 minutes.
10. Then add the shrimp, partly cover the pan again and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the shrimp have turned pink, the fish pieces are cooked and the rice is tender.
11. The dish should be moist, not dry.
12. Remove from the heat, cover tightly and leave 5 minutes.
13. Scatter celery leaves  and parsley over the top and serve with lemon wedges.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉÉTIT

Chilled Melon Soup with Shrimp and Avocado

 

                    Fresh fruit soups can be prepared ahead and are light and cooling on a hot summer's day. Serve with grissini for a light lunch.

4 servings (231 calories per serving)

• 2 English cucumbers
• 2 cantaloupes
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 cup water
• 250 grams cooked peeled shrimp, thawed and drained if frozen
• 1 ripe but firm avocado
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint

1. Peel the cucumbers and cut in half crosswise, divide each half lengthwise, then use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds.
2. Chop the flesh roughly.
3. Drop into a pot of lightly salted boiling water and cook gently for 2 minutes.
4. Drain in a sieve, then refresh under cold running water.
5. Halve the cantaloupes and remove the seeds.
6. Scoop out the flesh using a tablespoon and put into a blander or food processor.
7. Add the cucumber, lemon juice and chopped mint, then whizz together until blended.
8. Turn out the mixture into a bowl, add the water and stir.
9. Stir  in the shrimp and season lightly with freshly ground blak pepper.
10. Chill for at least 1½ hours and up to 12 hours.
11. Just before serving, peel, pit and dice the avocado and add to the soup.
12. Snip in some mint leaves to garnish and season to taste with more pepper if needed.

BON APPÉÉÉTIT