Stir Fried Broccoli With Shallot, Chilli And Nigella Seeds

It’s always handy to have another way for prepping broccoli in our house. I love this with dal for our vegetarian nights, served with rice and gluten free flat breads.

You need to break the broccoli down into tiny florets but keep all of the stalks, I use them for soup the next day!

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons oil

2 heads of broccoli, broken into mini florets

1 large shallot, finely sliced

1 red chilli sliced

1 teaspoon nigella seeds

Pinch salt

Method

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat.

Add the oil and once hot, add the broccoli, shallot and chilli.

Stir fry for 5-7 minutes until shallot is soft and the broccoli still has some crunch to it.

Season with salt and sprinkle over the nigella seeds.

Baked Egg and Zucchini Cups

These are versatile little cups that we have for dinner when the non gluten free boys are having quiche.

This recipe makes 6 standard muffin cups.

Ingredients

3 large eggs, beaten

70mls milk

130g grated zucchini

30g ground almonds

15g fresh coriander, chopped

1 red chilli, shedded and sliced finely

Salt and pepper

1-2 teaspoons black chia seeds

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Take out a muffin tin and cut squares of baking parchment to line 6 of the muffin holes.

Squish the paper up under a running tap and then shape to line the holes.

Combine all of the ingredients, except the chia seeds, in a bowl.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and then sprinkle over the chia seeds.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen, they will sink again as they cool.

Tandoori Flavoured Whole Baked Cauliflower

I know that making the paste might sound like a bit of a faff but I highly recommend that you give it a go, the colour is amazing and it really makes the humble cauliflower a bit of a star turn.

Obviously liquid smoke doesn’t have a place in Indian cuisine, so I apologise in advance, but, it does give you a fab, just out of the tandoor oven flavour. If you don’t have any, consider swapping out some of the paprika for smoked paprika.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

1/2 brown onion, roughly chopped

3 ripe tomatoes, quartered

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 thumb sized piece of ginger

100mls water

50mls oil or ghee

4 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 lemon, juiced

125mls natural Greek yogurt

1 large head of cauliflower, leaves removed and some of the inner stalk removed

Method

Whizz the onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and water in a food processor to make a smooth runny paste.

Heat the oil or ghee in a frying pan over a medium to high heat, add the tomato and onion paste, bring up to a simmer and simmer until you have a thick, dark red paste that the oil or ghee is separating from.

Add the dried spices and salt and cook for 1 minute.

Take the pan off the heat and add the liquid smoke, lemon juice and yogurt, stir well.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade.

Line the base and sides of a large casserole, that will fit the cauliflower snuggly, with two large pieces of baking parchment.

Turn the cauliflower upside down and spread some of the paste over the base, pushing it into all of the nooks and crannies.

Turn the cauliflower the right way up and smear over the remaining paste until completely covered.

Carefully place the cauliflower in the prepared pan, cover the top of it with another piece of baking parchment and then the lid.

Bake for 50 minutes and then remove the lid and paper and bake for 20 minutes until the cauliflower is beginning to colour.

Spinach And Edamame Curry With Feta

Don’t you just love the colour of this curry?

It started of life with the plan to make a spinach and paneer curry, one of my favourites but in a bid to fill the boys up and get even more green into them I added the edamame, otherwise known as soy beans, you can find them in the freezer of your local Asian supermarket.

If you can’t find edamame frozen peas would work well too, just add them at the end so they don’t get over cooked.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

380g baby spinach leaves

Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

1 onion, peeled and quartered

30ml oil

1 dried red chilli

1x5cm cinnamon stick

5 black peppercorns

400g shelled edamame/soy beans

200mls cream

200g feta, drained and cut into chunks

Salt to taste

Method

Boil a kettle full of water.

Place the spinach in a colander and slowly pour the entire kettle of just boiled water over.

Set aside to cool.

Once cool, squeeze the liquid out of the spinach by hand.

With a stick blender, whizz the ginger, garlic, onion, 100mls water and one third of the spinach to a paste.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Once hot, add the chilli, cinnamon and peppercorns and fry for 1 minute.

Add the spinach and ginger paste and slowly simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now whizz the remaining spinach with 175mls water and add this to the pan.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the cream and edamame, simmer for 3 minutes and then add the feta, heat for around one minute and then serve.

Mexican Corn On The Cob

The picture really doesn’t do this corn justice but quite honestly, it doesn’t last long enough for photos to be taken!

With a household of boys if you serve food on a stick or with a bone they will eat their fill of it without complaining, I’m sure it harks back to caveman days!

These are moreish, you can use the whole cob but these half cobs are cute and if you are feeding smaller mouths, a little more manageable.

I have given instructions for cooking indoors but these work well on the bbq. Peel the husk  off, remove the fronds and put the husk back over the corn and bbq. Once cooked, unwrap, dip in the sauce, sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

6 corn cobs,husk and fronds removed, cut in half

150g sour cream

110g mayonnaise

1/2 lime, juiced

15g fresh coriander levels, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

Salt and pepper

60g Parmesan, grated

Method

Boil the corn for 5-6 minutes in salted water until cooked.

In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, coriander, garlic, salt and pepper.

Heat a large dry frying pan over high heat.

Tip the corn into a colander to drain.

Now add the corn to the dry pan and turn regularly until it has coloured.

Stick a small skewer into the end of each cob half.

Using the skewer, pick up the cob and dip it in the sour cream dip, swirling it around to cover it.

Place on a serving plate and repeat with the remaining corn, sprinkle over the cheese and serve. 

Stuffed Potatoes With Hidden Veggies

Sometimes I like to jazz up the humble potato by stuffing it myself, it saves the boys arguing about their preferred fillings as everyone loves these and I can sneak some extra vegetables into them!

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

6 large potatoes, baked with skins on

20g butter

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 medium carrots, grated

75g grated cheese, Parmesan or something with a strong flavour

2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half and carefully scoop out the cooked potato keeping the skin intact. Place the skins on a lined baking sheet and the cooked potato into a bowl. Mash lightly with a fork.

In a frying pan, heat the butter and add the onion, cook for 10 minutes over medium heat then add the garlic and carrot and cook for a further 3 minutes. Tip the onion mix into the potato.

Add the cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Take spoonfuls of the stuffing and fill the skins.

Slide the potatoes back into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

 

 

 

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms With Tarragon And Taleggio

I love mushrooms but unfortunately the boys aren’t keen so this is my way of having a mushroom all to myself! These are BIG mushrooms, around 100g each so really a meal in themselves! You can use small mushrooms and serve them as a little nibble, both work well.

Makes 2 large stuffed mushrooms.

Ingredients

2 large portobello mushrooms, around 100g each

12 drained sundried tomato halves, diced finely

2 teaspoons of oil from the drained tomatoes

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley

1 teaspoon freshly chopped tarragon

salt and pepper

80-100g taleggio or fresh mozzarella

 Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.

Once hot, add the chopped onion, garlic and tomatoes and cook gently for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.

Take off the heat and add the parsley, tarragon, salt and pepper.

Remove the stem from each mushroom and spoon the tomato mixture into the two mushrooms.

Slice the taleggio and lay on top of the tomato mixture.

Place the mushrooms onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is golden.

Brussel Sprouts With Chorizo And Red Onion

Brussel sprouts can be a bit of a challenge for some people, memories of squishy sprouts boiled for hours is a very common one, especially around Christmas time in the UK!

These sprouts have nothing in common with those bad memories and if you are trying to persuade kids to eat sprouts this is the recipe to start them on!

These sprouts are still on the crispy side, if you want them on the softer side just cook them a little longer.

We sometimes have these sprouts with a runny egg on top, absolutely delicious or as a warm salad!

Serves 6.

Ingredients

170g chorizo

600g Brussel sprouts, trimmed, outer leaves removed and halved

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1cm wedges

Method

Take the chorizo and remove the skin, then cut into quarters lengthwise. Next, slice each long quarter thinly at an angle to give you larger very thin slices.

Heat a large non stick pan over high heat, once hot add the chorizo and cook until crispy and the fat has rendered out of it.

Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon, try to keep as much of the chorizo fat in the pan. set the chorizo aside.

Add the sprouts and onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Now turn the heat down to medium to stop the onions burning. Continue cooking the sprouts and onions for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently again.

Add the chorizo to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, serve immediately.

Creamed Spinach

Often served alongside steak, creamed spinach has other uses too.

Liquidize and use as a “hidden vegetable” sauce on fussy children’s pasta or pop a poached egg on top  and you have eggs Florentine, delicious for breakfast or a light lunch. It can also be made ahead of time to save time when you are entertaining, just reheat gently.

If your spinach comes with roots get the kids to plant them out in the garden to give an instant veggie patch and more spinach in the future.

Serves 4-5.

Ingredients

600g spinach, stalks removed

400mls cream

nutmeg

salt and pepper

Method

Wash the spinach and place in a pan with a well fitting lid.

Cover and heat on a high heat for 3-5mins stirring once, the spinach should be completely wilted.

Drain spinach in a colander and then squeeze all the liquid out of it by hand.

Chop the spinach and return to the pan, add cream, heat over high-medium heat, stirring occasionally until reduced to a thick cream consistency.

Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Serve warm over steak.

If making for pasta sauce don’t allow to thicken quite so much and if hiding the vegetable liquidize or use a hand held blender to make a smooth green sauce.