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.

Sultana Rice With Quinoa

This is a nice sneaky way of getting quinoa into the kids without them really noticing due to the sultanas and nigella seeds!

It would take a great deal of patience for a fussy child to pick the quinoa out and my boys loved the sweetness of the sultanas so never really noticed anything else!

Serves 4.

Ingredients

50g butter or oil

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced

A pinch of chilli flakes

100g basmati rice, washed and drained

70g white quinoa, washed and drained

25g red quinoa, washed and drained

75g sultanas

400mls water

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons nigella seeds

Method

In a lidded pan, heat the butter over high heat and then add the onion, cook until beginning to colour.

Reduce the heat and add the chilli and garlic, cook for one minute.

Now add the rice, both quinoa and sultanas, stir to coat.

Pour in the water and season.

Cover. Bring the pan up to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, do not remove the lid!

Turn the heat off, leave the lid on and let sit for ten minutes.

Remove the lid and stir in half of the nigella seeds and the parsley.

Spoon into a warmed serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining seeds.

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.

Warm Rice Salad

As we roll through summer here in Western Australia salad becomes my go to veg option and now with the boys being teenagers, I need to bulk out the salads more to fill them up!

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

200g basmati rice

375mls water

120g iceberg lettuce, finely shredded

100g cucumber, finely sliced lengthwise, I use a potato peeler

4 large spring onions, sliced at an angle

80g fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped

6 dried figs, chopped into 4-6 pieces each

1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced

80g shelled pistachios

25mls lime juice

25mls olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sumac

Salt and pepper

Method

Wash the rice, pour it into a pan with a tight fitting lid, add the water and cover. Bring the rice up to the boil and then simmer, covered for 12minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice sit for 10minutes. Do not take the lid off during the cooking and sitting period!

Allow the rice to cool a little.

Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat and add the pistachios.

Dry roast for 3 minutes and then tip the nuts onto a chopping board.

Once the nuts are cool enough to handle, roughly chop.

Combine the lime juice, oil, sumac, salt and pepper, check the seasoning.

Fork through the rice and tip into a large bowl, add the vegetables, fruit and nuts, stir well, finally pour in the dressing and stir again before serving.

I sometimes keep a few pistachios back to throw on top at the end.

Smashed Potatoes With Jalapeño Chilli

I like having more of a gutsy potato dish when we are having a gently seasoned meat or veggie dish.

These potatoes aren’t too spicy and make a nice change from a plain spud.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

40g butter

30mls olive oil

1kg baby potatoes, cooked

2 jalapeño chillies, deseeded and finely sliced

5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

3 spring onions, finely sliced

Salt and pepper

Method

In a large pan, heat the butter and oil over a medium heat.

Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and sliced chillies.

Cook for 3 minutes without allowing the garlic to colour.

Using a slotted spoon, spoon the garlic and chilli out of the pan and set aside.

Using your hands, gently squash the potatoes to break them into two or three pieces and place the pieces in the pan.

Sprinkle over the smoked paprika and turn the potatoes until they are all coloured with the paprika.

Now, over a medium to high heat, cook the potatoes until well coloured, around 15-20 minutes.

Add the reserved garlic and chilli to the pan and stir through.

Sprinkle over the spring onion, season well and serve.

Cheese And Bacon Puffs

I have shared my cheese puff recipe before but these combine two of my all time favourite foods.

These little gems are crispy on the outside, slightly gooey on the inside and utterly delicious!

I like to use a smoked bacon as it gives more flavour.

Makes 48-60 mini muffin sized puffs. Leftover batter happily lives in the fridge for 48hours.

Ingredients

200g bacon

350g tapioca flour

170g Cheddar, grated

2 eggs

150mls oil

350mls milk

A pinch of cayenne pepper

A little salt

Method

Over a high heat, fry the bacon until crispy and the fat has rendered.

Spoon the cooked bacon onto some absorbent kitchen towel and squeeze to get as much fat out as you can.

Place the bacon in a food processor and pulse to create bacon crumbs.

Now add all of the remaining ingredients and whizz to form a thick batter.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Grease 2 x 24 hole mini muffin tin, I just use the fat from the bacon!

Fill the muffin hole to two thirds and pop the tin in the oven.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. 

Depending on the size of your muffin tins you may have batter leftover, you can repeat the above or cover and keep it in the fridge, it will last 48 hours.

Breakfast Tacos With Harissa Potatoes And Corn

A seriously tasty breakfast taco, heaps of flavour and filling too!

Serves 2.

Ingredients

Oil

10 cooked baby potatoes, quartered

1/4 cup fresh corn

1 tablespoon Harissa paste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

4 eggs

4 corn tortillas

Salt and pepper

Method

In a frying pan, heat the oil, add the quartered potatoes and fry for 5 minutes until they begin to colour a little.

Add the harrisa and corn to the pan and stir through with the potatoes, cook for 5 minutes.

Now, if you are using a big pan, move the potatoes and corn to the side and fry the eggs in the pan or oil another pan and fry the eggs.

Once the eggs are cooked, stir the coriander through the potato mixture, season well and divide between the tortillas, top with an egg and enjoy!

Moroccan Spiced Potatoes

I love potatoes, the ultimate comfort food!

They are a great way to fill the boys up and they pair so well with onions and spices.

If you have leftovers, reheat gently and serve for breakfast with a poached egg on top.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

750g baby potatoes, skin on, cooked

30mls oil

2 onions, halved and cut into 1cm wedges

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

1/2-1 teaspoon salt flakes

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Pepper to taste

Fresh dill

Method

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat, cook the onion until softened, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

With the pan over a medium to high heat, add the potatoes, crushing them a little with your hands as you go.

While the potatoes are beginning to brown, use a mortar and pestle to lightly crush the coriander, cumin, thyme, chilli and salt.

Once the potatoes are beginning to get some colour, add the coriander mix, sesame seeds, cooked onion and garlic slices.

Stir constantly over a medium heat until the potatoes are golden and the onions are browning.

Sprinkle over the fresh dill and serve.

Beef Jhal Faraizi

One of the best ways to use up leftover roast beef and potatoes.

This has a bit of heat to it but if you like your food spicier then, throw a sliced red chilli in when you are cooking the onion.

Serves 4-6 depending on sides. When it comes to frying the eggs, I take a straw poll of those eating and just cook enough for them with no spares!

Ingredients

900g potatoes, cooked and peeled

1-2 tablespoons oil

500g cooked roast beef, cut into 0.5cm dice

1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon chilli flakes

2 medium or 1 large red onion, diced

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 handful fresh coriander

6-12 fried eggs depending on appetites

Method

Boil the potatoes with their skins on, drain and set aside to cool.

Once cool enough to touch, peel the skins from the potatoes and dice roughly to 1cm.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, I use a 32 cm pan for this.

Add the seeds and chilli flakes, once fragrant, add the beef and onion.

Cook over a medium heat until the onion has softened.

Now add the potatoes, turmeric, salt and pepper. Turn the heat up high and let the potoatoes catch a little on the pan to get some colour.

If they aren’t  browning up enough for you, turn the grill on and slide the pan under, being careful not to melt the handle!

Once the potatoes have some colour, stir through the coriander, fry the eggs and serve with the eggs on top.

Cannellini Bean and Harissa Burgers

Getting three carnivorous teenage boys to eat vegetarian food can be a bit of a challenge but, I find with my boys if I serve it in a bun, all will be right in the world!

I spread Greek natural yogurt on the bottom of the roll, top with salad leaves, burger, more yogurt and then finely diced sun dried tomatoes and some fresh pepper.

Makes 8 burger patties.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil

100g finely diced onion

220g grated carrot

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons harrisa paste

80g fresh gluten free breadcrumbs

2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 limes, juiced

10g mint leaves

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, cook until soft.

Add the grated carrot and garlic to the pan and cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes until the carrot is soft.

Add the harrisa paste to the pan and cook for one minute.

In a food processor, whizz the bread to make breadcrumbs, tip into a large bowl.

Process the beans, lime juice, mint, egg, smoked paprika and cumin to a slightly lumpy paste.

Pour the paste into the bowl of breadcrumbs and add the carrot mixture.

Season and combine well.

Leave to rest in the fridge for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Divide the burger mix into eight balls and form into patties.

Lay four patties onto each prepared tin.

Drizzle with a little oil and pop the trays into the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes until the outside is crisp.