Seedy Salmon

This is a fab quick dinner that sneaks some healthy seeds and nuts into the kids without them even realizing.

I have used gluten free bread here, crusts and the heel of a loaf, it’s so expensive to buy I don’t like to waste any of it! Regular bread will work just as well.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

6 salmon fillets, around 150g each

75g gluten free bread

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon chai seeds

1 tablespoon nigella/koolanji seeds

2 tablespoons dukkah

salt and pepper

olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Check the fillets for bones and line up, skin down on the baking sheet.

In a food processor, blitz the gluten free bread to form crumbs.

Add the sunflower seeds and blitz again.

Pour the crumbs into a bowl and add the chai, nigella, dukkah, salt and pepper.

Spoon this crumb over each fillet and then drizzle each fillet with a little oil.

Pop the tray into the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Steamed Salmon And Lemon Mould

I have made my Grannie’s salmon mould many times over the years but it’s time to update it a little. I should maybe change its name too to something fancy like a terrine!

This is served at room temperature or chilled, fantastic for picnics and leftovers are great in sandwiches!

Serves 8.

Ingredients

450g tin of red salmon, skin and fat discarded

300g smoked salmon, cut into thin strips

75g fresh gluten free breadcrumbs

5 eggs, beaten

zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

freshly ground pepper

50g butter

Method

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the butter.

In a heat proof pudding bowl, melt the butter in a microwave. Swirl the butter around the bowl to grease it and pour the excess butter into the salmon mix, stir well.

Spoon the salmon mix into the greased bowl.

Cover with foil and tie with a piece of string to seal it.

Take a pan with a lid and fill it a third deep with water, pop the pudding bowl in and bring up to the boil.

Simmer for 50-60minutes. Keep an eye on the water level and top up with freshly boiled water as needed.

Allow to cool and serve at room temperatures or chilled.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

These are cracking, even if I do say so myself!

Crispy baked gluten free nuggets at their best, happily munched on by the boys for years with no one realising that they are gluten free.

Gluten free bread is very expensive here so I tend to buy up big when it is on special! Due to the cost, I don’t bother removing crusts and in fact the nuggets in the photo used GF bread rolls, crusts and all!

Leftovers freeze well or the boys get them in their lunch boxes as a wee treat.

Serves 8.

Ingredients

1.2kg chicken breast, boned and skin off

3 eggs, beaten

240g gluten free breadcrumbs

225g freshly grated Parmesan

freshly ground pepper

a little salt

3 tablespoons mixed herbs

Method

Preheat the oven to 180degrees Centigrade.

Line four baking sheets with baking parchment.

Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, pepper, salt and herbs in a large bowl.

Beat the eggs in another bowl.

Slice the chicken into thin, 0.5cm thickness pieces and then depending on the size of the breasts, half the slices, especially if your cooking for younger children, less waste!

Using only one hand, because you know the phone will ring if you get both hands dirty, take a piece of chicken, dip into the egg and then coat with the breadcrumb mix.

Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Bake for 15 minutes and then turn and bake for a further 5-8 minutes until the coating is crispy.

Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup With Garlicky Crumbs

A hug in a bowl!

This is comfort food at its best, cauliflower cheese meets garlic bread in a bowl and it is gluten free too, winner!

To make this extra cheesy I add Parmesan heels!

Every time I buy a piece of Parmesan I cut off the hard outer edge, the heel, and throw it in a  labelled bag in the freezer. When making soups and sauces that need an extra hit of cheese I throw a few heels in. For this large pan of soup I added 6 heels.

The garlic crumb goes really well with this soup but if you fancy some meat, try adding some crispy bacon as a garnish.

Makes 5 litres of soup. The soup freezes well too, hence the quantities that I make!

Ingredients

50g butter

2 onions, diced

400g potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large cauliflower head, around 1.6kg, stalk and leaves removed, broken into 3-5cm pieces.

2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

200g Parmesan, finely grated

200mls cream

500mls milk

CRUMB

1 tablespoon olive oil

50g fresh gluten free or regular breadcrumbs

5g flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

1/2 clove of garlic, chopped finely

Method

In a large pan or stock pot, heat the butter over a medium heat.

Once melted, add the onion and potato, stir well and cook until the onion is translucent.

Add the stock, heels and cauliflower, bring up to the boil and simmer, covered, until the cauliflower is well cooked, 15-20mins.

Remove from the heat and fish out the heels and dispose of them, my chooks love them!

Using a stick blender process the soup until it is smooth.

Add the Parmesan, cream, milk and seasoning, reheat, gently stirring regularly.

While the soup is warming, heat a small frying pan over a high heat, add the oil and once hot add the breadcrumbs, parsley and garlic, cook quickly until crispy.

Baked Baby Snapper with Fresh Herbs

My fast food home made challenge has begun again with the boys and this is my first effort!

Fish and chips are a favourite but not not terribly healthy and certainly not gluten free.

I have oven baked the fish with absolutely no fat, used gluten free breadcrumbs flavoured with herbs and the freshest of fish from our local fishmonger, baby snapper caught in Western  Australia.

This recipe works with any white fish fillets, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.

I have mentioned before but, here I go again………gluten free bread costs a fortune so buy it when it’s on special or reduced and crumb it in your food processor, don’t cut off the crusts, keep them on and even consider using rolls! These breadcrumbs are from 3 gluten free rolls.

Serve with home made wedges and a squeeze of  lemon.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

800g- 1kg fish fillets, around 12 baby snapper fillets

250g fresh gluten free breadcrumbs

A few sprigs of fresh parsley

A handful of fresh oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 eggs, beaten

Method

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.

Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Take each fish fillet, dip into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.

Lay onto the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining fillets.

Bake in the oven for 7-10mins, for baby snapper, larger fillets may take a little longer.

Chicken Schnitzel

We all love chicken cooked this way and it makes lots of schnitzels! Around 15.

I use gluten free breadcrumbs but use regular if you can. Gluten free bread is expensive here so when it’s on special or reduced I buy up big, process into breadcrumbs and freeze in ziplock bags. Due to the price and being a tight Scot I don’t even cut of crusts! These breadcrumbs were made from gluten free rolls!

If you would rather not fry the chicken it bakes well too, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade and bake for 25-30 mins.

The schnitzels can be frozen uncooked and cooked. Leftovers are popular in rolls as fast food chains chicken burger!

Ingredients

5 large chicken breasts

3 eggs, beaten

300g gluten free fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon salt

freshly ground pepper

Method

Take each breast and cut into three chunks.

Line a chopping board with baking parchment, place a piece of chicken on and top with another piece of parchment.

Using the flat side of a meat tenderiser, bash the chicken into a thin shnitzel, around 3mm thick, set aside and repeat with the remaining chicken.

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, herbs, salt and pepper.

In another bowl, beat the eggs.

Dip the chicken into the egg and then into the breadcrumb mix to coat, set aside and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Pour enough oil into a frying pan to just cover the bottom, heat over a medium high flame.

Once hot, add a few pieces of chicken, don’t over crowd the pan, cook until golden and crisp, turn over and repeat.

Potato, Shallot and Parmesan Croquettes

These really remind me of my childhood, leftover mashed potato re imagined in a deep fried treat! We used to have larger croquettes but as I made these as part of a nibbles night I made them smaller, just a couple of mouthfuls really.

I use gluten free fresh breadcrumbs, when gluten free rolls or bread are reduced, I buy a few packets and make them into breadcrumbs, due to the cost and being a tight Scot! I don’t cut off the crusts, I use all of the loaf or bread which does make a darker crumb to regular bread, once crumbed they live in the freezer so I have them for future use.

Feel free to use regular fresh breadcrumbs if you don’t need the GF version!

Makes 20 small croquettes.

Ingredients

400g leftover mashed potato

100g Parmesan, finely grated

2 small shallots, very finely diced

salt and pepper

3 eggs, beaten

120g gluten free fresh breadcrumbs

Oil to fry

Method

Combine the mashed potato, Parmesan, shallot, salt, pepper and 1 egg in a large bowl.

Pour the beaten egg into a shallow bowl, pour the breadcrumbs into another.

Take small quantities of the potato mix and shape them, dip in the beaten egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining potato until it has all been used.

Place the croquettes in the fridge for 30 mins.

Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer, enough to deep fry, until a breadcrumb immediately sizzles in it.

Gently lower the croquettes in, I do five at a time, once golden and cooked through, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen towel, repeat with the remaining croquettes.

Sweet Corn Fritters

These are the best corn fritters, using fresh corn they have a lovely crunch about them but the whipped egg whites make them as light as a feather.

Use your imagination with toppings salsa, guacamole, black beans, ham, cheese, smoked salmon, bean stew, chicken and salad, the list goes on!

Makes 12-14.

Ingredients

3 ears of sweet corn, shucked

3 spring onions, topped and tailed, finely sliced

1 large red chilli, deseeded and diced finely

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

50g gluten free breadcrumbs

2 limes, juiced

4 eggs, separated

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

Method

Heat a large non stick frying pan over a medium heat.

In a large bowl combine the sweet corn, spring onions, chilli, paprika, cayenne, gluten free breadcrumbs and lime juice.

Add the four egg yolks and combine very well.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Gently fold the egg whites into the sweet corn mixture.

Using a large spoon, spoon fritters onto the frying pan, do not over crowd.

Cook until the top looks set and then flip over and cook will medium brown.

Top with your favourite toppings and serve.

Crusty Meatloaf

Meatloaf is so versatile and easy to make gluten free. Left overs can be used for sandwiches the following day.

Gluten free bread is very expensive here so I only ever use it when it is reduced. If it is near it’s use by date I bring it home and make it into breadcrumbs, pour it into a large zip lock bag and freeze it. I don’t cut off any crusts, it would be too much of a waste.

This recipe makes two meat loaves. I tend to bake some potatoes in the oven while it’s on, some to have with dinner and some to make stuffed potato skins with.

I also make a quick dill mayonnaise to spread on the potatoes, truly delish!

Serves 8.

Ingredients

1kg minced pork

1 onion, very finely chopped

1 carrot, finely diced

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons tomato ketchup

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, gluten free

75g gluten free breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons dill, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

ground pepper to taste

Glaze

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons tomato ketchup

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, gluten free

1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten free

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment, make sure it comes up the sides a bit to stop the juice over flowing.

In a large bowl combine all of the meatloaf  ingredients

Divide the meat in half and form two long loaves on the baking sheet.

Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.

Use a brush to paint the meat loaves with the glaze.

Pop the loaves in the oven and bake for 80-90mins basting regularly with the glaze and the pan juices.