Mexican Green Chorizo

This is so tasty I always make double!

Can’t get the kids to eat greens? Give this a try, I serve it with mini tortillas and the boys make their own, we can get through an entire lettuce, 2 capsicums, 4 avocados and 10 tomatoes, never mind the sneaky spinach and capsicum in the chorizo!

Although I crumbled this for tonight’s dinner it also works well as a burger and sausages.

Leftovers are brilliant with eggs, over an omelette or scrambled eggs is a favourite in our house of I have thrown a little chorizo crumble into the boys school wraps for added zing!

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

small green capsicum

80g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks

30g green jalapeño chilli, deseeded

4 garlic cloves, peeled

50g baby spinach leaves

1 lime, zest and juice

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

500g minced pork

a little oil to fry

Method

Over a BBQ or gas ring, singe the skin of the capsicum, all over until it is completely black. Pop the capsicum in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Wait for 15-20 minutes and then remove from the bowl and rub off the skin, remove the seeds and stalk too.

In a food processor, whizz the capsicum, coriander, jalapeño, garlic, spinach, lime zest, lime juice, oregano, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to form a bright green paste.

Weigh the meat into a bowl and add the paste, mix really well with your hands.

Form into any shape that you want, patties, sausages or crumble as I use.

Heat a large frying pan, I use a 32cm non stick pan, add a splash of oil and once hot tip in the green meat.

Using the side of a wooden spoon break up the meat, turning and squishing all the time.

To begin with lots of fluid will release but just keep cooking, on high heat until the water evaporates and the meat is beginning to colour up.

Serve immediately.

 

Peri Peri Chicken

Who doesn’t love peri peri chicken???

I use jalapeño chillies for this just to reduce the heat a little for my sons but feel free to add more chilli or consider using the seeds.

I always roast two chooks, one just isn’t enough these days in my house, leftovers are great in quesadillas and nachos or topping a crunchy salad. Consider making stock with the bones, roast the chooks on the removed spines so they act as a rack and then all the bones can be used for stock, I like to make a sweetcorn soup with this stock.

Ingredients

2 x 1.4kg chickens, spines removed and butterflied

2 limes

8 large garlic cloves

4 green jalapeños, 2 chopped with seeds, 2 chopped with seeds removed

50mls honey

salt and pepper

Method

Prepare the chicken by removing the spines with poultry shears and then pressing down on the breasts to flatten.

Combine the lime juice, garlic, chilli, honey and seasoning in a bowl and then use a stick blender to process.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover and marinade for 6-24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Lift the chicken out of the marinade and lay in a roasting tin, reserve the marinade. Wrap a little foil around the wing tips if they are on the upper side of the chicken like mine.

Slide the chicken into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, brushing regularly with the reserved marinade and pan juices. Towards the end of cooking, remove the foil from the wings and marinade with the rest of the chook.

Allow to rest for 10-20 minutes before serving.

Spicy Green Chicken

School Summer hols mean lots of barbecuing in our house, it keeps the heat outside and food cooks quickly for my hungry boys.

This chicken marinade has a wonderfully zesty flavour to it and although has a little chilli it isn’t fiery, just really flavourful.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

1.2 kg chicken breasts, cut into thin slices, around 1cm wide and 5-10cm long

75mls olive oil

3 limes, juiced

4-5 large garlic cloves, peeled

2 large jalapeños, seeds removed

100g fresh coriander

salt and pepper

Method

Using a stick blender or processor, whizz up the lime juice, garlic, 1 jalapeño, the salt and pepper to a thick paste.

Combine the chicken and paste.

Quarter the other chilli, lengthwise, deseeded and slice, add to the chicken and mix well again.

Allow the chicken to marinade for an hour at least.

Heat a BBQ hot plate or a large frying pan over very high heat.

Once very hot, add the chicken and fry until all of the liquid has evaporated.

Chicken and Sweetcorn Hand Pies

Leftovers come back to life in these fun pies.

I tend to make up a BIG batch and then freeze them to be reheated at a later date, normally evenings when we are all coming and going a bit too much!

Makes 12 pies.

Ingredients

450g cooked chicken, brown and white meat

400g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 red onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 jalapeño, deseeded and finely diced

250g cream cheese

20g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks

salt and pepper

1 kg puff pastry sheets, 6 sheets

1 egg, beaten

smoked paprika

Method

In a large pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until soft, add the chilli and garlic and cook for two minutes.

Add the cooked chicken and sweetcorn to the pan and mix well.

Add the cream cheese and mix until the cheese has melted and coated the chicken. Season well and allow to cool completely.

Once the filling has cooled, stir through the coriander.

Defrost the pastry and cut each sheet in half, spoon one twelfth of the filling onto one half of the cut sheet, brush the edges with egg and seal using a fork. Brush the top with egg and sprinkle over a little smoked paprika. Repeat with the remaining filling and pastry.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the pies in batches for around 30 minutes until crispy.

 

Creamy Chicken Chilli

This is a really handy way of making chicken chilli, great over rice and great as a dip with nachos.

I like to serve this chilli in individual bowls if it’s for dipping or a large oven proof dish if it’s a main meal.

Serves 8.

Ingredients

30mls olive oil

2 onions, finely diced

6 garlic cloves, finely sliced

3 jalapeño chillies, deseeded and diced

4 large chicken breasts, cut to 1cm dice

300mls cream

300mls sour cream

Juice and zest of 2 limes

salt and pepper

large bunch of coriander

150g fresh mozzarella, drained

Method

In a large deep frying pan, heat the oil and add the onions, cook until translucent.

Add the garlic and jalapeños and cook for two minutes.

Add the diced chicken and seal quickly without burning the onions.

Stir in the cream, sour cream and the juice and zest of the two limes.

Season well and bring up to a simmer. preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Simmer for twenty minutes until the chicken is thourghly cooked.

Take an oven proof dish and spoon the chicken mixture in, sprinkle over the fresh mozzarella and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is golden.

Chicken Fajitas

Fajitas are a fantastic quick meal, I make my gluten free corn tortillas, recipe in the blog, to wrap the meat in, along with lettuce, capsicum, and a few slices of jalapeño chilli.

Ingredients

4 large skinless chicken breats, cut into thin strips

2 limes

4 teaspoons dried oregano

4 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon chipotle chilli powder

2 jalapeño chillies, finely diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 red onions, sliced

Method

Combine the chicken, lime zest and juice, oregano, smoked paprika, thyme, chipotle, jalapeño and oil in a ziplock bag.

Set aside for 4 hours in the fridge.

Heat a large frying pan over high heat.

Tip the chicken and marinade into the hot pan along with the onion slices.

Cook over high heat until the chicken is cooked through and coloured a little.

Serve with wraps.

Roasted Cauliflower with Mexican Flavours

The cauliflower takes up the lovely spicy flavours and really shines.

Topped with a little sour cream and freshly snipped chives and eaten with one of my soft corn tortillas this makes a lovely vegetarian meal, alternatively, barbecued meat with a squeeze of lime goes beautifully too.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower

2 shallots, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 large jalapeño, 40g, deseeded and diced finely

3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chipotle chilli powder

2 teaspoons salt

60-100mls oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Remove the leaves from the cauliflower. Cut in half and cut out the stalk.  Break half the cauliflower into small florets.

In a food processor, process the the cauliflower stalk until couscous like size, pour into a roasting tin.

Process the cauliflower half, that hasn’t been broken into florets, until it resembles couscous, add to the roasting tin.

Process the onion and garlic, add to the cauliflower mix.

Add the florets, chilli, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and 60-100mls of oil to the roasting tin, mix very well.

Roast in the oven for 60-75mins, stirring regularly.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs with Sour Cream Sauce

This is one of the boys favourite meatball recipes, when they were little they loved the fact that there was hidden cheese in the meatballs!

The sauce is lovely and creamy and works well with enchiladas too.

Makes 32 meatballs.

Ingredients

Meatballs

1kg minced beef

32 fresh mini bocconcini, or small pieces of mozzarella

1/2 large onion, chopped finely

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano

2 teaspoons chipotle chilli powder

2 teaspoons salt

Freshly ground pepper

Sauce

50g butter

1/2 large onion, chopped finely

2  jalapeño chilli, deseeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

70g gluten free plain flour

650mls chicken stock

500mls sour cream

1 teaspoon cayenne powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

salt and pepper

coriander leaves to garnish

Method

To make the meatballs, combine the mince, onion, egg, oregano, chilli, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Drain the bocconcino and pat dry.

Take a little meat and squash it around the cheese to make a ball, repeat with the remaining cheese to form 32 balls.

Set aside.

In a large pan, melt the butter, add the onion, garlic and chilli.

Cook over a medium heat until the onion is fully cooked.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1minute.

Add the chicken stick and whisk to combine.

Bring the stock up to the boil, stirring all of the time.

Once it has thickened, remove from the heat and add the sour cream, cayenne pepper and coriander, combine well and set aside.

Heat an oven proof frying pan over high heat, add the meat balls and cook quickly, just enough to brown the outsides.

Lift the meatballs out of the pan, pour the sauce into the meatball pan and pop the meatballs on top of the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade.

Bake the meatballs and sauce for 30-40mins.

Mexican Bean Cakes with Fresh Salsa

Gluten free, wheat free and vegetarian deliciousness!

These truly hit the mark with a wonderful fresh flavour from the coriander and chilli and the squishy ness of the beans.

They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

I love these served with a wedge of lime, lots of fresh salsa and some avocado possibly dressed with lime. The boys eat them broken up in a tortillas with fresh salsa, recipe to follow, and sour cream, sometimes they even add an egg and as they eat with their hands they love these!

Makes 16.

Ingredients

2 x 400g tins of kidney or black beans

1 420g tin creamed corn

2 eggs, beaten

100g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks, rinsed

1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1-2 jalapeño chilli, deseeded and chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

150g chickpea/besan flour

2 teaspoons salt

pepper to taste

Method

In a food processor grate the carrot.

Change the blade to the cutting blade and add the coriander, onion, garlic and chilli, process to a rough paste.

Add the beans and pulse, just enough to begin to break them up.

Pour this mix into a large bowl.

Add corn, eggs, cumin, chickpea flour, salt and pepper.

Mix well.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with enough sunflower oil to cover the base.

Once hot spoon cakes onto the oil, spread them out a little to around 8-10 cm, allow to cook for 3-4 mins until browning.

Flip the cakes over and repeat cooking time.

Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain and continue cooking the rest of the bean cakes.

Serve with salsa.

Fresh Salsa

This salsa is so quick to prepare we have it with most Mexican or TexMex meals.

As this was for the boys there is no added chilli, if it was just for the adults I would add 1 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped and 1 avocado, cubed.

6 roma tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

1 shallot, peeled, halved and cut into fine slices

a few stems of coriander, leaves and stems cut roughly.

1 lime, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients and serve at room temperature.