Hey Pesto!!

Okay so I have a double recipe for you today. 2 types of pesto: Basil & Sundried Tomato. Both are real simple to make, healthy, cheap and very versatile. Simply stir into cooked pasta for an instant meal or use on crunchy slices of bread for a snack. Even use to flavour soups.

The measurements here will make a normal amount of pesto (good for 2 servings etc). When I made it I upped the measurements to make a lot which i can keep in the fridge and bring out when I'm too lazy to cook. You can also also add more olive oil than indicated if you want. This just makes the pesto a bit more fluid but makes it cover the pasta better.

Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

60g Fresh Basil

1 Clove Garlic

40g Pine Nuts

6 tbsp Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Salt & Pepper

Method:

• Put all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor & blend roughly. Alternatively place in a bowl & use a hand blender.
• Slowly pour in the oil and blend until smooth.
• Enjoy

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Chopped)

2 tbsp Fresh Basil

2 tbsp Black Olives (Chopped)

40g Pine Nuts

2 Shallots (Chopped)

2 Cloves Garlic

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

5 tbsp Olive Oil

Slat & Pepper

Method:

• Put all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor & blend roughly. Alternatively place in a bowl & use a hand blender.
• Slowly pour in the oil and blend until smooth.
• Enjoy

Healthy Starters: Garlic Mushrooms

 I promised to post this recipe ages ago, but didn't so I thought I'd better post it now. A few weeks ago I got a craving for garlic mushrooms. It's strange because for years I would never it them but now I love them. This is a recipe I've come up with by myself as there wasn't a satisfactory recipe anywhere online. As with all my recipes, it's very simple to make and really cheap. You can use normal white (closed-cup) mushrooms or, if you like, experiment with different varieties for different flavour combinations.

Ingredients:

10 Mushrooms 

3 tsp Garlic Butter

10g Flour

50g Breadcrumbs

1 Egg (Beaten)

Method:

• Melt the garlic butter. Add the breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly to make sure the crumbs are coated. 
• Preheat oven to 190°C.
• Clean the mushrooms. Coat each mushrooms in flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip in the beaten egg before coating thoroughly in the breadcrumbs. 
• Place on a baking tray and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and crispy. Alternatively you can deep fry them until crispy.
• Enjoy.

A New Winter Warmer: Roasted Aubergine Soup

So now that the evenings are darker and things are feeling generally wintery, it's time to make some delicious soups.

I've been waiting for this for ages because soups are easy to make, filling and cheap. You can make a big pot that will do you for lunches or dinners for the week, or simply put into freezer bags and freeze for use in the weeks to come. This worked great last year when we were snowed in. Simply open the freezer and pull out some warming and morish soup.

So this soup came about more through necessity then design. I was in the local super market (I was going to type souper market for a soup related pun but have decided against it) and they were selling Aubergines for £0.07p. ; Bargain! A quick google for recipes and I've come up with an easy to make soup. Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 Aubergines (Halved)

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Large Onion (Chopped)
2 litres Vegetable Stock

Olive Oil

Mint

Salt

Pepper

Method:

• Place the halved Aubergines on a baking tray, season with salt & pepper and roast until the flesh is soft. Once cooked, cube the aubergines.
• Sauteé the onion & garlic in a pot. Add the the aubergine and sautee for a few minutes. 
• Add the vegetable stock and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
• Add some mint.
• Blend using a food processor or hand blender.
• Season to taste with salt, pepper and mint. 
• Enjoy.

A Tasty Treat: Semifreddo with Raspberries

This is a lovely, simple dessert that is great for serving if you have guests over. It's also delicious if you want to eat it straight out of a bowl while watching your favourite weepy (not that I've ever done that.....honest). It's quite a rich dessert because of the white chocolate and Greek Yogurt so it's best to serve small portions, especially after a large meal.You can either place the mixture in individual moulds (if you have them) or a larger single mould and serve sliced (as in the above photo). "Semifreddo" means "half frozen" so you only have to put in the freezer for a few hours before serving.

Ingredients:

250ml Whipped Cream

4tbsp Sugar

250g Greek Yogurt

100g White Chocolate (grated)

150g Raspberries

Method:

• Whip cream & sugar in a bowl until stiff.
• Fold in the yogurt.
• Add grated white chocolate & 2/3rds of the raspberries.
• Cover moulds with cling-film. Add mixture & freeze for 2 hours.
• Serve with the rest of the raspberries.
• Enjoy

Gourmet on a budget: Weeks worth of meals for under £15

I've decided to do a very different blog post today. I am always asked how I survive on about £10-£15 pound a week on food. So I've decided to show my typical weeks shop and the various different recipes and dishes I can make that will do me for lunch and dinner for the next week or so. I wont give the recipes this time but will tell the ingredients I use. Obviously the meals made using the items in this list are supplemented by food everyone would have in their fridge and cupboard at home (pasta, rice, noodles etc.), as well as items I didn't use last week. Basically the purpose of this exercise is to show how, with a bit of imagination and time, anyone can make delicious, healthy meals on a budget.

I do look for deals and special offers as well as items on sale. You don't always have to buy them, but you can use them to compliment your normal shop. So here is what I bought today:

Ingredients:

Mayonnaise £1.27

Sun-dried Tomatoes £2.49

Tin Tomatoes 3 x £0.33

Parmesan Cheese £2.92

Anchovies £0.73

Goat's Cheese £0.99

Beansprouts £0.35 (Sale)

Cooking Bacon £0.75)

Mushrooms 250g x 2 £0.29 (Sale)

Salad Leaves £1.05 (Sale)

Organic Red Onions £0.35 (Sale)

New Potatoes 1kg x 2 £1.35 (Buy 1 get 1 free)

Total Price: £13.82

Okay now that I have my food for the week. This is what I can make:

Method:

1. Using the Anchovies, Mayonnaise, Parmesan, cooking bacon & Cos Lettuce (from last week), I can make a large amount of Caesar Salad that will do you for lunch for 2 or 3 days (depending on the portion size)
2. Using Mushrooms, Red Onion, Stock & Rice, I can make the Mushroom Risotto which, again, will do for both lunch and dinner. 
3. Cook the baby potatoes, chop and pan fry, add to sun dried tomatoes, red onion and goats cheese and mix with the salad to create a gorgeous crispy potato salad. And/Or...
4. Simply cooking the potatoes and mixing with some herbs and the mayonnaise, have a more traditional potato salad.
5. I'd freeze some of the beansprouts for use in stir fries in the future. But you can use some with the red onion, mushrooms & any other vegetables you may have for a quick and easy stir-fry, served with rice or noodles.
6. Use some of the cooking bacon and Parmesan with eggs and pasta to make a traditional Carbonara
7. With the potatoes, Onions and tinned tomatoes you can cook the gorgeous Spanish Patatas Bravas (without the chorizo).
8. Use a tin of tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, garlic & red onion to make a pasta sauce to serve over pasta. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

So there's 8 dished you can make. You can make them for one meal or make a larger amount to do you for a number of meals. It just takes some imagination. Look at recipes online that contain ingredients you have at home. There are more dishes out there than you think. I have just given a few but if you were to search online with these ingredients you could find plenty more.

I really hope I've helped to show you what can be done on such a tight budget. It doesn't have to mean trips to iceland and ready-made meals. It can still be gourmet on a budget.

Enjoy

Plum-ped No.1: Plum Sorbet

So recently I was back home in Ireland visiting my family. A few years ago I built a huge fruit and veg patch at the back of the garden and planted apple trees and plum trees as well as various berries. When I was home I found the plum tree nearly breaking under the weight of all the fruit growing on it's branches.

Fearing that they would go rotten before we got to eat them all, I decided to make some dishes to use up all the fruit. The first one is a refreshing plum sorbet. It's quite easy to make and you don't necessarily have to use the vanilla and cinnamon if you don't want to. The only awkward thing is having to keep removing it from the freezer in order to mix. Of course, if you have an ice-cream maker then this is no problem at all.

Ingredients

750g Plums

500ml Boiling Water

500g Caster Sugar

1 Vanilla Pod

1 Cinnamon Stick

Method:

• Put the water and sugar in a saucepan & stir until the sugar has disolved.
• Add the Vanilla, Cinnamon & Plums.Place on a moderate heat & simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove the plums from the saucepan using a slotted spoon & allow both the plums & the syrup to cool.
• Cut the plums, removing the stones, & place them in a food processor with the sugar syrup. Blend until pureed.
• Place the puree in a freezer proofed sealed container and place in the freezer. After 1 hour, remove & stir. After that, take out & stir every 30 minutes for 2 hours. Then return to the freezer until ready to serve. 
• Enjoy

Chicken Kiev with Spiced Potato Wedges

Well this will be a bumper recipe post today. A complete meal in fact. This is a classically simple mid-week meal that can be prepared in advance and cooked very quickly. It's also really cheap (which is always a good thing).

We've probably all had those store-bought Chicken Kievs; the processed mounds of chicken meat with a reservoir of garlic butter in the centre. Pretty tasteless. Here is how you make them for yourself from scratch. I'll start with how to make the garlic butter, which can be used for garlic breads or steaks or to flavour any other dish you're cooking. Then I'll show you how to make the chicken kievs themselves. I'll leave the quantities out because the amount of ingredients vary so widely. I served them with spicy potato wedges which can be used as a sidedish to any meal and are a cheap and healthy alternative to the frozen wedges you buy in the shops.

Garlic Butter

Ingredients:

250g Salted Butter

6 Cloves Garlic (or more if you want a stronger taste)

2 Tsp Mixed Herbs (Parsley, Oregano, Basil etc)

Chicken Kiev

Chicken Breast Fillets

Egg

Flour

Breadcrumbs

Salt & Pepper

Spiced Potato Wedges

1kg Potatoes

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Chilli Powder

Paprika

Oregano

Salt & Pepper

Method:

• To make the Garlic Butter. Simply soften/melt the butter and add the garlic cloves and herbs. Blitz in a food processor and pour into a container to set. 
• For the Chicken Kiev, cut a pocket into the side of the chicken breast. Be careful not to cut through to the other side 
• Have three bowls ready; one with flour, one with beaten egg & the final one with breadcrumbs. Season the flour with salt & pepper.
• Place a spoonful of the garlic butter in the pocket made in the chicken. Dip the breast in flour, then the egg & finally the breadcrumbs, making sure it is completely coated at each stage. 
• You can either deep fry the chicken breast until dark brown, or, for a healthier alternative, you can brown on both sides in a frying pan before placing in an oven to bake.
• For the wedges, chop the potatoes into wedge shapes & place in a bowl. Add the olive oil and herbs to taste (I like spicy food so I added a lot of paprika & chilli). Mix thouroughly and spread out on a baking tray. Cook in oven until crispy. 
• Enjoy.

Raspberry Spiked Chocolate Brownies

Unfortunately I can't take the credit for this yummy dessert, that lies with my lovely housemate Jessica who made it all for us. I can however, post the recipe so that everyone can enjoy the delightfulness. It's really easy to make and goes great with ice cream.

Ingredients:

200g Dark Chocolate
250g Butter
350g Brown Sugar
4 eggs
170g Plain Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
45g Cocoa Powder (sifted)
200g Raspberries

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Melt the butter & chocolate over a low heat until smooth.
• Place the butter & chocolate in a bowl with the eggs & sugar.
• Sift in the flour, baking powder & Cocoa Powder & mix well.
• Pour into a 23cm baking tin lined with baking paper. Top with raspberries.
• Bake in the oven for 45mins or until set. The brownies should be fudgy in the middle.
• Enjoy

Cheap and Cheerful Dinners No. 2 : Chicken Quesadillas with Jalapeno Mayonnaise

Time for another cheap and cheerful recipe. It must be the weather that has me craving food from hot countries. Between the Spanish Patatas Bravas and the Argentinian Empanadas I should just start learning Spanish. And here we have another dish, this time from Mexico.

Quesadillas are flour or corn tortillas filled with grated cheese and other ingredients and fried on a pan so that they are crispy. This is a really quick and easy recipe. And because you can put whatever you want in it, it's really cheap and cost effective. I used chicken in this recipe but you can make a vegetarian option or use pork or beef; the combinations are only limited by your own imagination.

Quesadillas go great with sour cream and salsa or simply mayonnaise. I made a nice, spicy Jalapeno Mayonnaise to add a nice kick.

Quesadilla

Ingredients:

Flour/ Corn Tortillas

Grated Cheese (whichever variety you prefer)

Olive Oil

2 Chicken Breasts (Cooked and Diced)

1 Red Pepper (Diced)

1 Onion (Diced)

Jalapeno Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Jalapeno Pepper (seeds removed and finely chopped)

1 tsp Garlic (minced)

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Oregano

Method:

• Heat a frying pan to a medium heat & add the olive oil. Place a tortilla on the pan. Flip it over a few times until air pockets begin to form.
• Sprinkle the grated cheese onto the tortilla & then add the peppers, onions, chicken (& whatever other ingredients you have) on top. You don't want to layer the ingredients too thick because you will be folding the tortilla over. 
• Reduce the heat. Once the cheese has melted, fold the tortilla in half, pressing the two sides together. Continue cooking. Once the underside is brown, flip the quesadilla over to brown the other side. 
• Remove from the pan and cut into wedges. 
• For the mayonnaise, simply add all the ingredients in food processor and mix together. 
• Serve the quesadillas with a side salad and drizzle the mayonnaise over. 
• Enjoy.

Nada Como Las Empanadas. Nothing Like Empanadas

I first had Argentinean empanadas (or any sort of empanadas) in a lovely family restaurant in La Bocca, a suburb of Cannes. The area was described as “the ghetto” even though it was probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen; right on the beach. I remember not knowing what empanadas were but giggling that they had cumin (it sounded funnier in my head. We had a plate of small empanadas for a starter before the traditional argentine steak, but, for me, the highlight of the meal was those empanadas. They were crispy on the on the outside but moist and flavoursome on the inside…I was floored.

I’ve been meaning to try and make them for a long while and got the urge again recently so I decided to throw caution to the wind and just make them. I made 5 large empanadas, around the size of a Cornish pasty, but you can make smaller, bite sized ones for starters or finger food for parties.

I've included two fillings here; one beef and one vegetarian. These can be made in advance of making the actual empanadas but it's best if you make the dough the same day.

Dough

450g Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

220g Butter

1 Egg

2 tbsp Vinegar
230ml ice water
1 Egg (For Brushing)

Method:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. 
• Blend in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
• Add the egg and vinegar. 
• Slowly add the water, only using enough so that the dough is moist but not too wet. The amount of water you use will depend on the type of flour.
• Turn the dough out a floured surface and knead gently until the dough becomes smooth. 
• Wrap well and chill for at least 30 minutes before use. 

Beef Empanada Filling

400g Beef (either cubed or minced

1 Large Onion (Chopped finely)

2 Cloves Garlic (Chopped finely)
1 Green Chili (Chopped finely)

1 tsp Cumin

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp Oregano
12 Green Olives (Sliced) (Optional)

1 Potato (Cut into small pieces)

Salt and Pepper

200 ml beef stock

Method:

• Chop the potato into small pieces & boil in salted water until cooked. Drain & put aside.
• Fry the onion, garlic & chili until the onions are translucent.
• Add the beef and brown. Add the olives (optional). Season with cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt & pepper.
• Add the beef stock and allow to reduce. You want the meat to be moist but not too wet. 
• Adjust seasoning if needed.

Vegetarian Empanada Filling
1 Onion (Chopped finely)
1 Jalapeno Chili Pepper (Chopped finely)
5 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
500g Tomatoes (Peeled, seeded & chopped)
500g Spinach (Chopped)
200g Sweetcorn
1 Red Pepper (Diced)
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Nutmeg
1tsp Curry Powder
1tsp Freshly Chopped Rosemary

Method:

• Sauté onion until translucent. Then add the minced garlic, jalapeno, pepper, cumin, curry powder & rosemary. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the spinach & cook until limp. 
• Add the tomatoes and sweetcorn. Cook until all the liquid has evapourated.
• Add salt & pepper. Mix thoroughly & allow to cool.

Now comes the fun bit....Filling the Empanadas!!

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Removed the dough from the fridge. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a thin sheet.
• Using a saucer or pastry cutter (depending on how big you are making the empanadas), cut the dough into circles.

•  Place a spoonful of the filling onto one half of the pastry circle, making sure not to over fill. Wet the edge of the pastry with egg or water & fold over. 
• Press the two sides together and crimp with a fork*. 

•  Brush with egg and place on a greased baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes until golden. 

 

• Enjoy.

*You may also do the intricate plait fold on the top. I'm not good enough yet but for more information see here

Sensational Spanish Supper: Patatas Bravas with Chorizo

 

Yesterday I decided to try out a new recipe. This was brought about more by current financial situation (aka poverty) than by any particular wish to experiment culinarily. But I'm so glad I did. This is such a simple and filling recipe that's both food porn and comfort food in equal measures. It's a traditional spanish dish often served in tapas bars. The spicy chorizo adds a lovely kick and you can experiment by using different types of spiced chorizo (for my meal I used garlic & herb chorizo). This recipe serves around 3 or 4 people so you can reduce the proportions if you are making just for one.

 Ingredients:

1 Onion (Chopped)

2 Cloves Garlic (Chopped finely)

1kg Potatoes (Cut into approx. 2cm pieces)

250g Chorizo Sausage

1 Red Chili (Chopped)

1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes

1/2 - 1 tsp Paprika

1/2 - 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Salt & Pepper

Method:

• Fry the onions, garlic & chili in some oil until the onions soften. Add the cayenne & the paprika (depending on how spicy you want it) & stir.
• Add the tomatoes & simmer for 20 minutes until it reduces to a thick sauce.
• Steam or boil the potatoes until soft.
• Fry the chopped chorizo in a separate pan for a few minutes until it releases some of it's oils.
• Add the potatoes & fry until both the chorizo & potatoes have started to turn brown. Alternatively you can deep fry the potatoes for a few minutes to turn them brown before adding them to the chorizo.
• Season the sauce, adding more cayenne & paprika if needed.
• Add the sauce to the chorizo & potatoes & serve.
• Enjoy

Breaded Fishcakes with Lemon Mayonnaise

As I said in a previous blogpost about fish, it's really not my favourite foodstuff. Having said that, while I was waiting to move into my new home I had an unbelievable craving for fishcakes. I've been making these for years and they are so versatile.

You can use any fish you like and add whatever vegetables you wish. It's the combining of all these things that make the fishcakes different each and every time you make them. I like to make large fish cakes and have one per serving. You can either deep fry or shallow fry depending on your tastes.

Most recipes use potatoes to fill out the cakes but I like using just the fish so that the fishcake is light and breaks away beautifully when you cut into it. In this recipe I've combined it with a lovely lemon mayonnaise that adds a lovely tangy taste fishcakes and acts as a dressing for the salad underneath.

Fish Cakes

Ingredients:

500g White Fish

1 Green Chilli (finely chopped)

130g Breadcrumbs

 2 Eggs 

1 Onion (finely chopped)

Flour 

Salt & Pepper

Lemon Mayonnaise

5 tbsp Mayonnaise

Fresh Lemon Juice

Method:

• Poach the fish until flaky.
• Mash the fish, onion, chilli & one egg in a bowl and mix thoroughly together. If it is too wet add a small amount of flour. Season with salt and pepper.
• Whisk an egg in a bowl. Prepare a plate with flour and another with breadcrumbs.
• Now comes the fun part! Take a handful of the fish mixture and mould it into a large cake/burger shape. 
• Dip the cake in flour and coat well, shaking off any excess. 
• The dip the cake in the whisked egg, making sure its completely covered.
• Then dip in the breadcrumbs and role until completely covered.
• Deep (or shallow) fry until the breadcrumbs turn a dark brown. 
• For the Lemon Mayonnaise, simply mix the mayonnaise with the lemon juice to taste (I like it very bitter)
• Place the fishcake on a bed of salad leaves and drizzle the lemon mayonnaise over it.
• Enjoy

Cheap & Cheerful Dinners No.1 : Pasta alla Carbonara

Since my financial position has changed (i.e. no longer living at home on social welfare) I've decided to blog a few recipes that won't break the bank to make and are authentic and delicious while still being quick enough to make when you come in from work.

This Carbonara recipe was taught to me by another of my Amster-friends Giuseppe (Italian obviously) who made it for us one night. Beforehand I was quite naive and thought that carbonara had to have cream in it. This is an authentic Italian recipe that contains no cream, no mushrooms, no onions etc. And what's more it's so quick to make.

Ingredients:

 360g Spaghetti

 200g Bacon Lardons

 2 Whole Eggs and 1 Yolk

80g Parmesan Cheese (Grated) 

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Method:

• Bring 4 litres of water to the boil & add a pinch of salt. Add Spaghetti and allow to cook.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. 
• Fry the bacon lardons until the cooked.
• Drain the cooked spaghetti, saving some of the starchy water. Add the spaghetti to the bacon in the pan & stir. 
• Add the spaghetti & bacon to the bowl with the egg/cheese mixture. The heat from the spaghetti will cook the egg. Stir, making sure the egg coats all the pasta. Add some of the starchy water if needed to coat the spaghetti. 
• Season with a little more salt & black pepper & serve with a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese. 
• Enjoy.

Side Show :Gratin Dauphinois

Since all my previous posts on here were proper, full meals, I've decided to post a few recipes for side dishes that can go with anything. They are simple enough recipes that can be put with anything from chicken to roast beef or a simply fried piece of fish.

This recipe is for delicious Gratin Dauphinois; thin slices of potatoes roasted with garlic and cream. This recipe calles for Double Cream but I've also made it with Single Cream. You could use  Low-Fat cream if you wanted to. The only time consuming thing with this recipe is having to thinly slice all the potatoes. If you have a mandolin to use then you will fly through this part. This recipe serves 6 people but you can obviously  make half the amount if you are serving less.

Ingredients:

1kg Potatoes

2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)

65g Grated Cheddar Cheese

315ml Double Cream

125ml Milk

Nutmeg.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 170°C. Thinly slice the potatoes with a sharp knife or Manolin (if you are lucky enough to have one).
• Butter a 23cm x 16cm dish & layer the potatoes, sprinkling with garlic, grated cheese, nutmeg & seasoning between the layers. Leave a bit of cheese for the top.
• Pour the cream & milk over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 
• Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked & the liquid has absorbed. If the top browns too much, cover loosely with foil.
• Leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy

A healthy alternative: Fish Balls with Chinese Greens

First off I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of fish. It would be my last choice of food when going out to eat and for many years the closest I came to a fish dinner would be the odd battered cod and chips from Leo Burdocks in Dublin. But I'm always willing to try new dishes out and explore my culinary and gastronomical boundaries.

This dish is from a Chinese cookbook I bought years and years ago. I have tabs in the book next to all the recipes I want to cook (yet have actually never cooked any). It's a really simple dish to make and is really healthy. The fish is steamed while the veg is simply stir-fried.

The recipe calls for any white fish. I used pollock because it was cheaper in Lidl but you can use cod if you prefer. The only real problem I had was sourcing Fish Stock. Other people might have better luck but in a Tescos in the countryside fish stock is hard to come by. If you can't find fish stock you can use vegetable stock and add about a teaspoon of fish sauce if you have any.

You need a steamer for this recipe. Traditionally you would use a bamboo steamer over a wok (which you can buy easily in any asian shop) but any veg steamer will work perfectly.

Another tip is in relation to the cornflour. If you don't have any or can't be bothered buying a bag just to use 1 tsp of it, you can simply use double the amount of regular flour (i.e. 2 tsp for this recipe).

The chinese greens are gorgeous and crunchy and the sauce gives them a lovely flavour. If you didn't have fish (or don't like fish) you could easily make them and use them as an accompaniment to steamed/ poached chicken if you want to keep it healthy.

Fish Balls

Ingredients:

450g White Fish (skinned, boned & cubed)

3 Spring Onions (chopped)

1 Back Bacon Rasher (rinded and chopped)

1 tbsp Rice Wine

2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

1 Egg White

Chinese Greens

1 Head Pak Choi

1 tsp Cornflour

1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

150ml Fish Stock

2 tbsp Groundnut Oil (or Toasted Sesame Oil)

2 Garlic Cloves (sliced)

2.5cm Fresh Ginger (shredded)

75g Green Beans

175g Mangetout

3 Spring Onions (sliced diagonally into 7.5cm lengths)

Salt & Black Pepper

Method:

• Put the fish, spring onion, bacon, rice wine, soy sauce & egg white into a blender and mix until smooth. With wet hands, form into balls (approx 20 balls)
• Steam the fish balls in batches in a steamer for 5-10 minutes until cooked through & firm. Remove from steamer & keep warm. 
• Trip the pak choi & tear into manageable pieces. 
• Blend together the cornflour, soy sauce & stock in a bowl & set aside.
• Heat the wok until hot. Add the oil. Stir-fry the ginger & garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the beans & cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the mangetout, pak choi & spring onions and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the sauce to the wok & cook, stiring, until thickened & the vegetables are tender but crisp. Taste & season as necessary.
• Serve with the fish balls. 
• Enjoy

Japanese Favourite: Chicken Teriyaki

So I was over visiting friends in London last week. As usual with my foodie friends, the conversation turned to the various things we have cooked recently (my friends Orlaith & Marco loving to cook too). Orlaith asked me to find a teriyaki recipe & post it on my blog. So here it is! I have only had teriyaki once or twice before so was not completely au fait with exactly how it is supposed to taste & what exactly classifies as a "good" teriyaki sauce. However I did a good bit of research online & found that teriyaki sauce is surprisingly easy to make (or more importantly, difficult to mess up!) I served this will some crispy vegetable tempura (which I will blog the recipe to later) but you can easily just have some nice, fluffy rice as an accompaniment. You can also add some stir-fry vegetables to the pan before frying the chicken to add some depth and texture to the meal.

Ingredients:

3/4 Chicken Breasts or thighs

75ml Soy Sauce

75ml Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine)

75ml Sake (Optional)

2 tbsp Sugar

1 Clove Garlic (grated)

1 inch Fresh Ginger (grated)

Method:

• Mix the Soy Sauce, Mirin, Sake, Sugar, Ginger & Garlic in a bowl. Pour over the chicken breasts & leave to marinade for at least 30mins (the longer the better)
• Heat some oil in a frying pan. Drain the chicken and fry on one side until brown. 
• Lower heat and turn the chicken over. Add the marinade, cover the pan & allow the chicken to cook through. 
• Take off the lid & simmer until the sauce thickens. 
• Take the chicken out of the sauce and slice into 1 inch pieces & place on the serving plate. Pour a little of the thickened sauce over the chicken.
• Enjoy

3 Sauces to Brighten up any Meal 3) Red Wine Sauce

I have only started making this sauce recently but it is a rich & exquisite sauce that works amazingly with steak or pork. My personal favourite is to fry a sirloin steak and serve it on a bed of fried mushrooms and onions and then just drizzle the sauce over the top. Another option is to use some stir-fry beef pieces, add the sauce to them and then serve with couscous or rice. Again this sauce can be made in advance and either refridgerated or frozen.

Ingredients:

250g Shallots (finely diced)

1 Clove Garlic (crushed)

5 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

400ml Red Wine

400ml Beef Stock

1 Knob Butter

Fresh Rosemary

Olive oil

Method:

• Fry the shallots in a saucepan over a high heat for about 3 mins until lightly browned, stirring often. Season with ground black pepper & add the garlic & rosemary. Cook for a further 3 mins, stirring often to prevent the shallots burning. 
• Add vinegar & cook until evaporated away to a syrup. 
• Pour in the wine & cook until reduced by two thirds. 
• Pour in the stock & bring to the boil. Turn down the heat & simmer until reduced by two-thirds again, (to around 250ml). 
• Remove the garlic & rosemary. 
• Add  salt to taste & stir in a knob of butter. 
• If serving with a steak, add any juices from the steaks just before serving. 
• Enjoy

3 Sauces to Brighten up any Meal 2) Barbeque

Now this is an amazing sauce. I always make a bit pot of it and freeze it so I can use it anytime I want. I owe this recipe to my Hungarian friend Viktor who first made it for me and I had to beg him for the recipe. It works wonderful as a marinade for chicken or ribs (a family favourite) or can be used as a condiment on the dinner table to add a bit of spiciness to any meal. This recipe makes a good quantity of sauce so you might want to half the quantities for your first try.

Ingredients:

470ml Tomato Ketchup

280ml Water

120ml Apple Cider Vinegar

5 tbsp Light Brown Sugar

5 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tbsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1/2 tbsp Onion powder

1/2 tbsp Mustard powder

1 tbsp Lemon juice

1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce

1 tbsp Chilli powder

1 tbsp Cayenne pepper

Method:

• Add all ingredients to a saucepan.
• Bring to boil. Simmer for 1 1/2 hour stirring frequently.
• Adjust the spice by adding more Chilli and Cayenne if desired.
• Enjoy
  

3 Sauces to Brighten up any Meal 1) Sweet & Sour

And now for something completely different.

Over the last while I have blogged "complete" recipes; that is, a full meal with meat, veg and sauce. However a lot of the time I cook for myself or family I usually just try to throw together whatever I have in the fridge/freezer and try to make it taste nice. That's why sauces are so important. They can turn a normal piece of chicken breast or steak into some extraordinarily. The best thing about sauces is that they can usually be frozen so can you can make a double the amount and just divide them into containers (I usually use the plastic takeaway cartons) and freeze them individually so that when you really aren't in the mood of cooking you can just defrost the sauce and save yourself the hassle.

Another thing I have found with sauces is that it can be hard to get the taste right. It sometimes can be too salty or too sweet or too bitter. A good tip is to think of these 3 tastes; salt, sweet & bitter, as 3 corners of a triangle. If you have too much of one corner, add more of the other two. For example: if your sauce is too salty; add some sugar and some lemon juice to counteract it. Similarly if it is too bitter and some salt and some sugar etc.

And so onto the sauces.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

The old favourite. We pick up the jar of Uncle Bens in the supermarket and throw it over our chicken not realising how simple (and cheap) it is to make this sauce at home. You use it add it to chicken or pork and serve with rice for a proper meal or simply use it as a dipping sauce for chips. The vegetables used in this recipe are just guidelines. You can use whatever veg you have lying around. You can also add chopped pineapple rings to give it a real fruity flavour.

Ingredients:

1 Carrot (cut into strips)

2 Peppers (cut into strips)

1/2 Red Onion (sliced)

2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)

1 tbsp Light Brown Sugar

2tbsp Rice Vinegar

2 tbsp Sherry (optional)

6 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

150ml Chicken Stock

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

1 tbsp Cornflour mixed with water

Method:

• Fry vegetables for 3-4 minutes. 
• Add brown sugar & caramelize.
• Add vinegar, sherry, soy sauce, ketchup & stock.
• Bring to boil. Add flour/water mixture & simmer until thick.
• Enjoy

Yum. That is all: Pork Noisettes with Prunes

Now this was an experience. I have never cooked or even eaten prunes before and have only ever seen pork medallions/ noisettes cooked in the restaurant so cooking this recipe was new ground for me. I will definitely be cooking it again though. The prunes were so juicy and complimented the pork beautifully while the sauce was luxuriousness at its finest. I used non-soak prunes but if you can't find them simply place the prunes in cold water, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

8 Pork Noisettes or 2 x 400g Pork Fillet (chopped)

16 Prunes (pitted)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

50g Butter

1 Onion (finely chopped)

150ml White Wine

280ml Chicken Stock

1 Bay Leaf

2 Sprigs Thyme

250ml Double Cream

Method:

• Trim excess fat from the pork, making sure to get rid of any membrane (which will cause the pork to shrink)
• Heat oil in a frying pan & add half the butter. Once the butter is melted & foaming, add the pork (in batches if needed) & fry on both sides until cooked. Transfer to a warm plate, cover & keep warm. 
• Pour off excess fat from pan. Melt remaining butter, add the onion & heat until softened (but not browned). Add wine, bring to boil & simmer for 2 minutes.
• Add stock, bay leaf & thyme & bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half. 
• Strain stock into a bowl & rinse the pan. Return liquid to pan, add the cream & prunes & simmer for 8 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add the pork back into the pan & simmer until heated through.
• Enjoy

Can I have some chewing gum: Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

No you read that correctly, forty (40) cloves of garlic. I have to admit I did wonder was it a typo in the recipe but a quick google search revealed that it is a common recipe and a traditional French bistro dish. You might be afraid that you will stink of garlic for months after but the taste of roasted garlic cloves is so mellow and sweet you will wish you had used more cloves. This is a really lovely recipe. I wouldn't say it is a show stopper or I would serve it on "Come Dine With Me", but it is a really fragrant and moreish recipe that is easy to make and can be served with anything from rice to roasted potatoes or chips. Another idea is to toast a baguette and squeeze the flesh of the garlic onto the warm bread.

Ingredients:

2 Celery Stalks (chopped roughly)

2 Sprigs Rosemary

4 Sprigs Thyme

4 Sprigs Parsley

1 Whole Chicken

40 Cloves Garlic (unpeeled)

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Carrot (chopped roughly)

1 Onion (cut into 4 wedges)

250ml White Wine

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Put a chopped celery stalk & 2 sprigs each of rosemary, thyme & parsley into the chicken cavity. Add 6 cloves of garlic. Tie the legs together.
• Brush chicken with olive oil & season. Scatter 10 cloves over the base of a cassarole dish along with the remaining herbs, chopped celery stalk, carrot & onion. 
• Put the chicken in the cassarole dish. Add the remaining garlic cloves, a drizzle of oil & the wine. Cover and bake for 1hr 20 min or until the chicken is tender & the juices run clear. 
• Once cooked, carefully lift the chicken out of the cassarole dish. Strain off the juices into a saucepan. Pick out the garlic cloves from the strained mixture. Spoon the fat off the juices & boil for 2-3 minutes to thicken up slightly. 
• Carve the chicken as normal, pour the juice and scatter with the garlic. 
• Enjoy

What have the Germans ever done for us? : Chopped Pork Black Forest Style

This is another recipe I collected when I was living in Amsterdam. We were having a pot-luck dinner, where everyone brings something from their own country to eat. As far as I remember I brought bread and butter pudding, which went down a treat with all my friends.

My friend Felix then brought in this dish and I begged him to email me the recipe because it was so delicious. I waited until I came home to Ireland to make it. Luckily you can buy Black Forest Smoked Ham in ALDI supermarkets so it keeps the cost of the meal down. This dish can be served with anything from rice to potatoes or just on its own.

Ingredients:

600g Pork (chopped into strips)

200-250g Mushrooms (chopped)

1-2 Onions (finely chopped)

200g Black Forest Smoked Ham

500ml Beef Stock

200ml Cream

200ml Milk

Salt & Pepper

Paprika

1 tbsp Flour

Method:

• Fry mushrooms & onions until the onions are translucent. Put aside.
• Season pork with salt, pepper & paprika. Fry in the same pan used to fry the onions & mushrooms.
• Add beef stock & half of the ham. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Add cream, milk and the remaining ham. 
• Mix flour with a water until dissolved. Add to the sauce & heat until thick & creamy.
• Enjoy

3 Winter Warmers: 3) Potato Soup

 Potato Soup

This recipe could easily be renamed a Student Winter Warmer because it is so cheap to make and is perfect as a hangover cure on those cold winter afternoons (when you wake up, also nice to offer food to whoever you brought home with you but that's up to yourself). As a student, two things that I always made sure I had in the kitchen were potatoes and onions. So versatile and they last for ages. This is an easy to make soup that really works well with garlic bread as a side.

Ingredients:

50g Butter

2 Large Onions (finely chopped)

675g Potatoes (diced)

1.75L  Chicken Stock

Milk

Salt

Ground Pepper

Chives (to garnish)

Method:

• Melt butter. Add onions & stir. Cover & leave to sweat over a low heat.
• Add potatoes. Season, cover & cook for 10 minutes. Add stock, a splash of milk & bring to the boil.
• Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Remove from heat & allow to cool.
• Once cooled, pureé in a blender.
• Reheat over a low heat.
• Serve with chopped chives as garnish.
• Enjoy

3 Winter Warmers: 2) Pea, Mint & Courgette Soup

Oops. I got a bit sidetracked my Christmas and not having any water. Forgot to post the other two winter warmer recipes. But seeing as it's still feels like winter. Here are the other two recipes.

Pea, Mint & Courgette Soup

Now this was a surprise! I like peas but every time I think of pea soup I think of the Exorcist and the thoughts of my head turning 360 degrees and me spewing pea soup was a slight turn off to making it. But when I did, I found it one of the more refreshing and tasty soups I have ever made.

Ingredients:

Butter

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion (finely chopped)

1 Stalk Celery (chopped)

250g Courgette (chopped)

750ml Vegetable Stock

 250g Peas (frozen or fresh)

10g Mint (chopped)

100ml Single Cream

Salt & Pepper

Method:

• Melt a knob of butter with oil. Add onion, celery & courgette. Season with salt & pepper and cover. Cook gently for 10 minutes until soft. 
• Add stock, bring to simmer, then add peas & continue cooking for 10 minutes. Stir in mint at the very end. 
• Blend in a food processor then stir in the cream. Season to taste.
• Enjoy