One-Pot Cod with Chorizo, Butter Beans and Goat's Cheese

I loved this dish, it was so easy to make with minimal washing up and super tasty. Really one worth making.

One-Pot Cod with Chorizo, Butter Beans and Goat's Cheese
(Serves 4)

4 pollack fillets
25g plain flour, for dusting
oil
400g can butter beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cooking chorizo cut into strips
200ml chicken stock
500g baby spinach
100g goat's cheese
2 tsp butter
crusty bread

Dust the pollack fillets with flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat a frying pan until hot, add a little oil and fry the fish fillets for 3-4 mins until golden brown. Carefully turn the fish over and fry for a further 1-2 mins or until golden and just cooked through.

Add the butter beans and chorizo to the pan, then add the stock and cook for 4 mins to heat through.

Add the spinach, goat's cheese and butter to the pan and cook until the cheese has melted. Place each fish fillet into a shallow serving bowl and spoon the butter bean mixture around. Serve with crusty bread.

Stuffed Chayote

I got a chayote in my veg bag one week. I had never heard of it or seen one before, but it's always fun to try something new! I googled and came up with this stuffed chayote recipe. These were surprisingly really tasty.

Stuffed Chayote (from Cook Pad)
(Serves 3)

3 medium chayote squash, cut in half
140g chorizo, chopped
2 small corn on the cob, kernels removed
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander
50g cheddar

Preheat oven to 180°C

Cook the chayote in a pot of boiling water for 20-30 mins, until tender but firm. Remove from the water and leave to cool.

While the chayote is cooling, cook the chorizo in a frying pan. When fully cooked tip into a kitchen towel. In the same sauce pan which should still have a tiny bit of grease left in pan from chorizo, add the onion and cook for 5 mins, add the corn, peppers and tomato. Saute for 1 min.

Scoop the seeds out of the chayote and discard. Scoop out meat leaving about a 1/4" shell.

Chop the chayote flesh and place in a bowl. Add the chorizo, onions, corn, peppers, tomatoes, coriander and half the cheese. Mix well.

Stuff the chayote shells with the mixture. Bake for 30 mins. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top for the last 5 mins of cooking time.

Mexican Pig Cheeks

I love love love pig's cheeks, they are just so meltingly tender and they make wonderful nachos. I put a layer of fried sliced onion and pepper with fajita seasoning under the shredded pig's cheeks to add some veggies. If you have the time these are truly worth making. Yum!

Mexican Pig Cheek Nachos
(Serves 4)

1 tbsp oil
8 pigs cheeks
150g chorizo, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
100ml apple juice
enough chicken stock to cover the pig cheeks
1 cinnamon stick
50g cheddar grated
sour ceam
guacamole

Heat the oil in a casserole dish. Fry the pig cheeks and chorizo until the pigs cheeks are browned all over. Add the paprika and cumin and cook for a min or two.

Add the apple juice and deglaze the pan. Add the stock until it just covers the pig cheeks and add the cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on a low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Turn up the heat the high and remove the lid, cook for another 20-30 mins until the sauce has reduced. Shred the meat in the sauce.

Preheat the grill.

Put the tortilla chips into an ovenproof dish, top with the shredded pigs cheeks. Sprinkle over the grated cheddar and put under the grill until the cheese has melted. Top with sour cream and guacamole and serve.

Chicken and Runner Bean Paella

It's a while since I made paella and I love it. I had some runner beans to use up so this was a must. I changed the original recipe a bit, but adding in some chorizo and courgette.

Chicken and Runner Bean Paella (from Good Food Magazine August 2014)
(Serves 4)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, sliced
8 skinless chicken thighs
150g chorizo, chopped
1 medium courgette, chopped
1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped
225g paella rice
1 tbsp sweet paprika
100ml dry white wine
850ml hot chicken stock, stirred with 2 large pinches saffron
350g runner beans, strings removed, then sliced into chunks
200g uncooked large king prawns

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and garlic, and fry for 5 mins. Push the onions over to one side, add the chicken and chorizo and cook for 10 mins, turning occasionally, until the chicken is nicely coloured. After 5 mins add the courgette and pepper.

Stir in the rice and paprika, then pour in the wine. Let it sizzle a bit, then stir in the saffron stock. Add the beans, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 mins until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the stock. If it starts to look dry, add a splash more stock.

Add the prawns for the final few mins, if using, until they turn from grey to pink. Season generously and allow to stand for 1-2 mins before serving.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs

This is a delicious pie, lovely and filling and will be perfect for the coming winter months. The original recipe suggests Toulouse sausages but I used others and it was still delicious.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

For the spiced tomato sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions
2 large garlic cloves
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar

For the pie:
4 tbsp olive oil
8 sausages
150g chorizo cooking sausage, sliced
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
140g ciabatta bread, torn into pieces
zest 1 lemon, grated
salt

Make the spiced tomato sauce: heat the olive oil over a gentle heat. Add the onions, and cook for 5 mins to soften. Add the garlic and spices, and cook, stirring, for a couple more mins. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir well then simmer gently, uncovered, for about 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in your casserole pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and brown them all over, then add the chorizo and fry for a min or two, or until starting to crisp at the edges. At this stage your sausages won’t be fully cooked through, but that’s okay. Add the beans, half the parsley and the tomato sauce.

Pulse the torn ciabatta in a food processor for just a few seconds or until it forms rough breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining oil, half the remaining parsley, half the lemon zest and a little salt.

Pile the crumb mixture on top of the sausage mixture, spread out evenly and bake in the oven for 35–40 mins or until the crust is golden and the sausages are cooked through. Cover with foil if it starts to brown too much. Once cooked, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and lemon zest and serve.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs

This is a delicious pie, lovely and filling and will be perfect for the coming winter months. The original recipe suggests Toulouse sausages but I used others and it was still delicious.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

For the spiced tomato sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions
2 large garlic cloves
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar

For the pie:
4 tbsp olive oil
8 sausages
150g chorizo cooking sausage, sliced
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
140g ciabatta bread, torn into pieces
zest 1 lemon, grated
salt

Make the spiced tomato sauce: heat the olive oil over a gentle heat. Add the onions, and cook for 5 mins to soften. Add the garlic and spices, and cook, stirring, for a couple more mins. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir well then simmer gently, uncovered, for about 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in your casserole pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and brown them all over, then add the chorizo and fry for a min or two, or until starting to crisp at the edges. At this stage your sausages won’t be fully cooked through, but that’s okay. Add the beans, half the parsley and the tomato sauce.

Pulse the torn ciabatta in a food processor for just a few seconds or until it forms rough breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining oil, half the remaining parsley, half the lemon zest and a little salt.

Pile the crumb mixture on top of the sausage mixture, spread out evenly and bake in the oven for 35–40 mins or until the crust is golden and the sausages are cooked through. Cover with foil if it starts to brown too much. Once cooked, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and lemon zest and serve.

Jambalaya

I have been wanting to make jambalaya for ages but it kept getting knocked of my meals plans in favour of other things. However, I am so glad I finally made it, it was delicious. You could pretty much add any meat to this, I think chicken would work well, but I liked the spiciness of the chorizo.

Jambalaya (from Amazing Grains by Ghillie James)
(Serves 4-6)

2 tbsp oil
175g cooking chorizo, cut into chunks
275g ham, cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled
5 whole cloves
2 sicks celery, finely sliced
1/2 heaped tsp dried oregano
1 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 green pepper and 1/2 red pepper, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2-3 pinches cayenne pepper
350g long grain rice
1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
2 bay leaves
125ml white wine
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
700ml chicken stock
200g cooked, peeled prawns
handful chopped parsley

Heat half the oil in a large saucepan or frying pan and add the chunks of chorizo and brown for 3-4 mins over a high heat. Add the ham and fry for a further 2 mins. Transfer to a plate.

Cut the onion into quarters. Keep one quarter with the end intact so that it doesn't break up. Use this quarter as a pin cushion for the cloves. Chop the remainder of the onion.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the chopped and clove spiked onion, celery oregano and thyme for 6 mins or until soft. Add the peppers and fry for 2 mins before adding the garlic, cayenne pepper and rice. Toss over the heat then add the tomato puree and stir. Add the bay leaves, pour in the wine and simmer until the wine has evaporated, stirring over the heat.

Add the tinned tomatoes and stock, then return the ham and sausage to the pan. Stir, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 mins or until half the liquid has evaporated and the rice is cooked. Add the prawns and stir, cook for 2 mins. turn off the heat, take out the clove spiked onion and the bay leaves and discard. Rest the rice for 5 mins, stir in the parsley and serve.

Baked Salmon and Chorizo

I love the simplicity of this dish and how it packs fantastic flavour. The spiciness of the chorizo cuts through the oiliness of the salmon and the greens are a bonus. I served it with boiled new potatoes, samphire and sugar snap peas.

Baked Salmon and Chorizo (adapted from Belleau Kitchen)
(Serves 2)

2 salmon fillets
8 slices chorizo sausage
1/2 fennel bulb, finely sliced
2 sprigs thyme
handful chard or spinach leaves

Preheat your oven to 180C.

Lay a sheet of foil, big enough for both salmon fillets, onto a baking tray, then lay a slightly smaller piece of greaseproof paper on top.

Put half the chorizo onto the middle of the paper, top with the fennel and thyme followed by the salmon, then top with the remaining chorizo and finally the chard leaves.

Scrunch the foil and paper so that it is wrapped tightly and bake for 7 - 10 mins. Serve.

Chorizo, Goat's Cheese and Barley Salad

I've been craving barley and whole grains for a little while now and this was a lovely and fresh tasting salad but still comforting with the barley. I love smoked paprika too so this dish was a hit all round and was delicious packed up for lunch.

Chorizo, Goat's Cheese and Barley Salad (adapted from Tesco Real Food)
(Serves 4)

250g pearl barley
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp smoked paprika
100g chorizo, thinly sliced
50g green beans, trimmed and chopped into inch lengths
50g sugar snap peas, cut in half
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
50g goat's cheese, crumbled

Cook the barley following the packet instructions, adding the beans and peas for the last two mins. Drain, then toss with the vinegar, remaining oil and paprika, and season well. Leave to cool.

In a dry frying pan, cook the chorizo for 5 mins, until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Add the peppers and chorizo to the barley and stir to combine. Scatter over the parsley and goat's cheese, then toss well. Serve.

Chorizo, Beans and Greens Salad

I am always on the look out for different potato salads that can be eaten as main meals to take to work. This fits the bill perfectly. It was lovely and spicy with the chorizo and the pesto brought every thing together.

Chorizo, Beans and Greens Salad (adapted from a Waitrose Recipe card)
(Serves 4)

750g new potatoes, halved
220g green beans, cut into inch lengths
240g tenderstem broccoli, halved
400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed
6 tbsp pesto
100g chorizo, sliced

Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling water for 15 mins, add the beans and broccoli and cook for a further 3–4 mins until tender.

Drain the vegetables, place in a large serving bowl with the butter beans and pesto and toss well together.

Heat a large frying pan and cook the chorizo slices in batches for 1 –2 mins on each side until they are crispy. Pile on top of the salad and serve.

Chorizo Hash

This is a very tasty but very different hash from the Salmon Hash I made before. It uses cubed sauteed potatoes instead of mash. I had seen this sort of hash before but kind of made up my own recipe as I went along, using an Olive Magazine clipping for inspiration. I loved the spiciness of the smoked paprika and the chorizo which really livened up the dish. I also added in the greens for extra veg and they added a nice contrast in texture to the potatoes.

Chorizo Hash
(Serves 2)

300g new potatoes, quartered

olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

40g chorizo, sliced

150g spring greens, sliced

½ a small bunch parsley, chopped

2 eggs, poached

 

Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and cool. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the potatoes and the smoked paprika, fry, turning over until golden and crisp.

 

Add the chorizo and fry for another 2-3 mins until chorizo is crisp.  Add in the spring greens and cook until they have just wilted. Season then stir through the parsley.

 

Serve the hash topped with poached eggs.

Asparagus and Egg Salad with Chorizo

This is such a simple idea with very few ingredients but so effective. I used really lovely English asparagus, which made this dish really tasty and just the combination of ingredients was superb.

Asparagus and Egg Salad with Chorizo (adapted from Thyme for Cooking)
(Serves 2)

2 eggs, hard boiled
250g asparagus, cut into in lengths
60g spicy chorizo, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp oil
1 large lettuce, shredded

For the vinaigrette
2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1 tbsp tarragon, chopped
1 tbsp chives, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp tarragon vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil

Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet. Add green garlic, asparagus, and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until they are crisp-tender and starting to brown. Add chorizo and fry 1 minute longer.

Peel the eggs and cut into chunks.

In a large bowl whisk together mustard, vinegar and oil. Add the herbs.

Arrange the lettuce on a plate and top with the asparagus, garlic, chorizo and eggs. Pour over the vinaigrette and serve.

Chorizo, Roasted Pepper and Garlic Aioli Wrap

This sandwich was born out of the need to use up some chorizo, (you might have noticed it figuring a lot round here lately), and also the garlic aioli that was in my Christmas parcel. The flavours went perfectly together and even better the bread didn't end up soggy. I love the Warburtons square wraps as they are that little bit thicker and don't go soggy when made in the morning for lunchtime.

Chorizo, Roasted Pepper and Garlic Aioli Wrap
(Serves 1)

1 wrap
lettuce
1/2 roasted red pepper, sliced
6 slices chorizo
1-2 tsp garlic aioli sauce

Heat the wrap in the microwave for 30 secs to soften.

Heat a frying pan and fry the chorizo for a couple of minutes until golden.

Lay the lettuce on top of the wrap, then the roasted red pepper, then the chorizo. Top with the garlic aioli and roll up.

Chorizo and Greens Calzone

I love having pizza but ordering a take away is so expensive and as it comes from quite a long way from my house it tends to be a bit soggy when it arrives. So I tend to make my own. I use the pre-packeted pizza base mixes as I think they taste better and are quicker than anything I have made myself, which means that I can pretty much make pizza in half an hour. It's fantastic.

This calzone is delicious and lovely and filling with the addition of the tomato lentil sauce which isn't in the original recipe. The bread bit was really crunchy too, no soggy pizzas here!

Chorizo and Greens Calzone (adapted from Good Food Magazine February 2010)
(Serves 2)

1 packet of pizza base mix
1 portion tomato and lentil sauce

12 slices chorizo

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g spring greens

1 ball low fat mozzarella, torn into pieces

grated Parmesan

 

Make the pizza base according to packet instructions.

 

Heat oven to 200C. Put a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven. Cut any central tough veins out of the greens, then finely shred the leaves.

 

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll one piece out into the largest circle that you can, then spread half the tomato lentil sauce over half the pizza base leaving a border. Layer half the chorizo on top of the sauce.

 

Sizzle the garlic in a little oil in a pan, then add the greens and toss. Tip half onto the chorizo, then add half the mozzarella and grate over lots of Parmesan. Fold the dough over, fold in and pinch the sides together, and slide onto a baking sheet dusted with semolina.

 

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, then bake for 15-20 mins or until puffed up and browned.

Spanish Chicken with Rice

I feel very sleepy today. I did an hour and half extra at work yesterday as a talk I was doing over ran and then at midnight the cat brought a mouse into the bedroom. I hate mice. They make me shudder so I just have to leave her to get on with it.

She looks very cute when she's hiding behind the throw on the sofa but not when there is a mouse on my bedroom floor! I hate that black leather sofa but it's too big to get out of my house and the thought of having to break it up to move it is just beyond me at the moment!

This is the recipe for the rice bit of the lunch I posted yesterday. I originally had it as a nice paellaesque dish all done in my slow cooker, which doesn't get used very often. But this worked fantastically so I might have to use it some more, browning the meat first of course! I love the summery flavours of this dish and sticky rice dishes, risotto, paella etc. always feel comforting and lovely and luxurious to eat.

Spanish Chicken with Rice (from WeightWatchers Magazine December 2012)
(Serves 4)
(11 WW ProPoints per serving)

200g paella rice
1 red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
300ml chicken stock
pinch of saffron threads
110g chorizo, sliced into rounds
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
60g pitted black olives
2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Combine the rice, onion, garlic and pepper in the base of the slow cooker. Make up the chicken stock and add the saffron threads.

Put the chorizo slices in a frying pan and heat. Fry, turning once, until the chorizo has changed colour and released its oil. Remove the chorizo and transfer it to the slow cooker. Stir into the rice mixture, then pour over the saffron scented chicken stock.

Add the chicken breasts to the frying pan. Sear for about 8 mins, turning once, then place on top of the rice, cover and cook on high for about 1 1/2- 2 hours or on low for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours, stirring the rice gently half way through, until the rice and chicken are both tender and cooked through.

Lift the chicken breasts out and stir in the olives and most of the parsley. Serve the rice with a chicken breast on top, scattered with parsley.


Daring Cooks October 2012: Feijoada and Farofa

Rachel Dana was our October 2012 Daring Cooks' Challenge hostess! Rachel brought Brazil into our lives by challenging us to make Feijoada and Farofa along with some other yummy side dishes traditionally served with Feijoada, which is a delicious black bean and pork stew.

Everyone enjoyed this meal, even my father, which was fantastic! I think I possibly let too much of the liquid boil out as my stew was quite thick but tasty nonetheless and I loved how the vinaigrette cut through the richness of the stew and was the perfect accompaniment! I made a few adjustments along the way, breadcrumbs instead of flour in the farofa, chorizo instead of bacon in that too as I forgot to reserve any bacon from the stew! I also didn't use tomatoes in the vinagrete as a couple of people couldn't eat them. I didn't make the rice as we had more than enough to go round without it.

For my meats I used chorizo, smoked pork sausage, pork leg steak and a gammon steak and pancetta instead of bacon.

My photo taking is a little haphazard and towards the end I totally forgot to pick up the camera, I was trying to make Apple Butter at the same time, but it's all made from scratch I promise!

Feijoada
Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 cups (500 ml) (½ kg) (1 lb) dried black beans (produces about 6 cups of cooked beans)
350 gm (12 oz) chunk bacon (half will be used in the farofa)
Around 1 kilogram (2 pounds) of mixed meats, I used:
150 gm (5 oz) linguiça calabresa (smoked pork sausage)
200 gm (7 oz) paio (smoked pork loin sausage)
500 gm (18 oz) salted pork ribs
150 gm (5 oz) pernil (fresh ham, pork thigh)
4 bay leaves
3 tablespoons (15 ml) onion-garlic base (see recipe below)

Beans:

Wash thoroughly, put in a (5 litre) 5 quart (or bigger) pot, fill with water so that water is twice as high as the beans. Bring to a boil, let boil for a minute, turn off and cover. Let soak for an hour.

After an hour, uncover. The beans will have soaked up the water and doubled in size. Add another 1-2 liters (4 -8 cups) of water so the beans are completely covered, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for an hour or so, until the beans have softened, but are still firm.

Add more water if it boils down below the beans, if you do this, remember to bring it back to a boil and turn down the heat to simmer.

While the beans are soaking and cooking, you can first prepare the onion-garlic base, the recipe is below, and then the meats.

Meats:

Chop all your bacon into small cubes. Slice your sausages around a ¼ - ½ inch (6 -12 mm) thick. Cut any pork or other meats into 1-inch (25 mm) cubes. Divide your ribs into pieces that will at least fit into your pot, the size is your choice.

Put the bacon fat over high heat in a large frying pan. If you really don’t want to use bacon fat, which I recommend, you can use any vegetable oil that takes high heat. You want around a ¼ cup (60 ml) of grease, cover your pan well. Take out the piece of bacon fat after enough fat as liqudified and put aside for later, in case you need more. I needed it for the ribs.

Next you have to fry all your meat in a very hot pan, until well browned and cooked through. Cook each type of meat separately, but in the same pan, and remember to drain well on paper towels, patting the tops as well to take off any excess fat.

First fry the bacon until nice and brown and chewy, and set aside half to use later in the farofa.

Then fry the sausages, the pork, the ribs, and any other meat.

Really make sure each piece of meat is well sealed and cooked through, the bacon and sausage took about 5 minutes, the pork around 10, and the ribs around 15. Make sure that you have plenty of fat in the pan to fry the ribs so they cook through.

When the beans have cooked to the point of being softened but still firm and your onion-garlic base and meats are ready, you can continue.

Add to the beans 3 tablespoons of the onion-garlic base, 4 bay leaves, and your meat. Add enough water to make sure everything is just covered.

Continue simmering until beans are done, which took me another 2 hours. After about 10 minutes, check the liquid to see if it’s salty enough for your liking. Depending on what meats you are using, the salt will have released into the liquid… if this hasn’t happened add a bit more salt, you want to taste the salt in your liquid, but it shouldn’t be too strong. This is a matter of taste as well. The water will start to boil down, for the first hour you should keep the water level to just the top of everything, but not completely covered. But you want your liquid to thicken, so start letting the water get lower and lower, with everything at least mostly immersed. You can also mash some beans at the bottom of the pot to thicken your liquid.

Onion-Garlic Base

This is enough for later use as well, if you want, you can halve the recipe.

















Ingredients
2 medium white onions
4 large cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (18 gm) (2/3 oz) salt

You want a paste, roughly chop the onions and garlic, then puree everything in a food processor or blender.


Vinagrete
Servings: 6

Vinagrete, like farofa, has many variations and uses. This is a basic recipe, I used yellow bell pepper and chopped arugula, very refreshing and really gives a lift to the final plate. Farofa and vinagrete often go together and are my man’s favorite food.

Ingredients
1 large bell pepper (capsicum), diced, about 1½ cups
1 large tomato, diced, about 1 cup
1 medium onion, diced, about 1 cup
1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoon (15 ml) water
2 tablespoons – 4 tablespoons chopped parsley or arugula (rocket)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop the bell peppers, tomatoes and onions into small/medium pieces. Chop your parsley or arugula. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and stir well to combine. Press down on the veggies, the liquid should come almost to the top of the mixture, you want everything pretty much immersed.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


Farofa
Servings: 2-4

Ingredients

¼ cup (60 ml) (60 gm/2 oz) butter
2 large eggs
½ cup (120 ml) chopped onion (about ½ medium onion)
175 gm (6 oz) fresh bacon, fried, which was set aside during the feijoada
½ cup (120 ml) (70 gm) (2½ oz) yucca flour, corn flour or fine ground cornmeal, or dry breadcrumbs

Directions:

Melt half of your butter, 2 tablespoons (30 gm/1 oz), over med-high heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until they start to soften. Crack the two eggs into the pan and lightly break the yolk and spread around, but don’t break up too much.

When the egg has cooked, almost fully, break up into med-large pieces. The onions will brown quite a bit under the egg, but I like this flavor. Add the cooked bacon, and stir. Add the rest of the butter, 2 tablespoons (30 gm/1 oz), and stir to melt. Lower the heat to medium, toss in the yucca flour and stir well, it will quickly soak up all the butter and start to stick to the eggs, onion, and bacon.

Cook, stirring for minute, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and keep stirring and cooking until the yucca flour has clumped together nicely and become golden, about 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to brown too much. Taste it, it should taste toasty but don’t let it burn! Taste test works here, think of frying breadcrumbs



Collard Greens
Servings: 2-4

To go with feijoada you need collard greens, it’s a perfect combination. You can chop these now, but cook them last, right before serving.

Wash 4 collard leaves, cut out the stem, and cut in half.

Stack all the halves on top of each other and tightly roll them up together.

Keep a good hold to keep everything together and start slicing very thin through the tube to get nice fine slices of collards.

When everything else is ready to serve, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over med-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of onion-garlic base, and let soften for a minute. Add all the collards at once, and stir to coat with oil.

You can add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for only about a minute, you just want to them to start to soften, evenly, over quick high heat. And done.

Chorizo and Red Pepper Fusilli

Over the weekend I had some devastating news. I had a phonecall to say that one of my friends had taken her own life. She had been ill for sometime, but it is still a shock. She was a fantastic baker and a food lover like me and we had some wonderful chats about food over a few glasses of wine. She also loved reading and always had a book to recommend. I can't quite yet comprehend that I won't see her again and that in a couple of weeks we won't meet up, share a bottle of wine and have a good meal. So although this dish has nothing to do with her, its just a meal I ate last week, I dedicate this post and meal to her. I hope she is at peace and she will never be forgotten.

Chorizo and Red Pepper Fusilli
(Serves 1)
(9 WW ProPoints per serving)

75g wholewheat fusilli pasta
50g fine green beans, trimmed and sliced
cooking spray
15g chorizo, sliced thinly and cut into cubes
75g roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Salt and pepper

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions, adding the green beans for the final 3-4 mins.

Meanwhile, spray a non stick frying pan with the cooking spray and add the chorizo, cooking it for 1-2 mins until sizzling.

Drain the pasta and beans, reserving 1-2 tbsp of the cooking water in the saucepan. Return the pasta to the pan and add the chorizo, red peppers, olives and parsley if using. Heat for a few moments. Season and serve.

Cajun Combo

I was actually looking for a rice salad recipe when I came across this one. I love all things cajun and one of my favourite meals is cajun chicken with rice and a tomato salad, simple. This although a departure from that and more like paella but without the spanich rice is delicious. Still having rice eaten cold texture problems so I reheated this too.

Cajun Combo (from WeightWatchers Book of Recipes)
(Serves 1)
(9 WW ProPoints per serving)

50g dried long grain rice
low fat cooking spray
1 celery stick sliced
3 spring onions, chopped
1/2 small green pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
15g chorizo sausage
1 tomato, chopped
50g cooked skinless, boneless chicke breast, chopped
50g large peeled cooked prawns
salt and pepper

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the rice for 12 mins until tender.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan or wok and lightly spray it with the cooking spray. Add the celery, spring onions, green pepper and garlic. Saute them for about 3 mins until softened.

Add the cajun seasoning, thyme, chorizo sausage, tomato and chicken. Cook gently, stirring occasionally for a further 5 mins.

Drain the rice thoroughly and then add it to the frying pan, stirring well to combine everything. Add the prawns and cook for another 2-3 mins, until they are heated through. Season and then serve.

Cannellini Bean Salad with Chorizo and Roast Tomatoes

So another thing I buy in bulk at the market is cherry tomatoes, you get a whole bowl full for £1, much better than the tiny packets in Sainsbury's for the same price. They are great for snacking on too and are 0 ProPoints, so I always have a bowl handy. This salad was delicious, roasting the tomatoes is a genius idea, it really brought a sweetness to this dish which complemented the spicy chorizo.

Canellini Bean Salad with Chorizo and Roast Tomatoes (from Olive Magazine May 2009)
(Serves 2)
(10 WW ProPoints per serving)

250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1 400g tin cannellini beans
50g chorizo, sliced and quartered
1 small red onion, diced
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp honey
50g bag salad leaves

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with some of the oil. Season and roast for 20 minutes and then remove.

Drain and rinse the beans. Tip into a bowl.

Fry the chorizo in a non-stick pan until crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. Wipe the pan clean and add the olive oil, onion and seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the vinegar and reduce by half. Add the honey and whisk to emulsify.

Pour the warm dressing over the beans and mix. Add the chorizo, tomatoes and salad leaves and mix again. Divide between 2 plates.

Squid and Chorizo Pasta

I have finally been able to get out in the garden and put all my veg in! My mum came down earlier this week and brought all the seedlings for the garden with her. This year I am growing, tomatoes (plum, yellow, black cherry, black russian), sweetcorn, broad beans, french beans, spinach, swiss chard, strawberries, tomatillo, lettuce, spring onions, prickly cucumbers, pak choi, purple carrots, aubergines, peppers, chillis, sea kale, sorrel, potatoes, courgettes, spaghetti squash and probably more that I've forgotten, so come summer I should have a veritable feast of veg! One of my fruit trees flowered too so maybe I'll have some fruit too! It is a bit of a pig watering it all though as I am in a hosepipe ban area and have to lug watering cans up and down the garden! It'll be worth it in the end though!

This pasta used nothing home grown but was delicious nonetheless, the chorizo and squid work really well together.

Squid and Chorizo Pasta (from WeightWatchers Complete Cook Book)
(Serves 2)
(10 WW ProPoints per serving)

125g dried pasta
60g sliced chorizo
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
125g sliced squid, rinsed
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and diced
2 tomatoes, chopped roughly
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat a non stick frying pan, add the chorizo and pepper and fry for 5 mins over a high heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown at the edges.

Add the squid and chilli to the pan and cook for 1 min before adding the tomatoes, lemon zest and 4 tbsp of the pasta water. Cook for 2 mins more or until the squid is cooked through but still tender.

Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and the parsley. Serve immediately in warmed bowls.