Tuna Noodle Casserole

This is one of those "trashy" dishes involving cream of whatever soup, but to me they hold a fascination and they taste good, however trashy they may be. This one was especially appealing as it had crisps on top!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

(Serves 4)

 

250g dried pasta shapes

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

125ml milk

1 200g can tuna, drained

150g frozen peas, cooked

1 packet crinkle crisps, crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions, adding the peas for the last 3-4 mins. Drain.

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a casserole dish.

Combine the pasta, mushroom soup, milk, tuna and peas, season and place into the dish, sprinkle evenly with crushed crisps.

Put into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve.

Spinach and Goat's Cheese Croissant

This was a really tasty sandwich, I love goat's cheese and with spinach and the sweetness of the croissant it worked perfectly. I love being able to eat hot sandwiches!

Spinach and Goat's Cheese Croissant

(Serves 1)

handful spinach

1 croissant

20g goat's cheese

Heat a frying pan and add the spinach and splash of water, cook until just wilted. Leave to cool and then squeeze out as much water as you can. 

Halve the croissant and spread with the bottom half with goat's cheese, top with the spinach and then the other half of the croissant. 

Put onto a panini press and cook until crispy. Serve.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals: Crab Bolognaise

This was one of those Jamie meals that I've been anticipating for quite a while, ever since I saw it on the TV programmes. But crab is not really an everyday meal, it's rather expensive for that. Despite that this is lovely and tasty. I think I've used more anchovies in the last few weeks cooking out this book than ever before, but they do give dishes a lots of easy flavour.

Crab Bolognaise (from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals)

(Serves 4)

1/2-1 red chilli

1 carrot

2 spring onions

2 garlic cloves

1 heaped tsp fennel seeds

2 anchovy fillets

1/2 bunch fresh basil

oil

320g dried spaghetti

1 lemon

300g crabmeat, brown and white

white wine

700g passata

Halve the chilli, carrots and spring onions and put them in a food processor with the garlic, fennel seeds, anchovies and basil stalks. Blitz until finely chopped. Tip into a casserole pan with 1 tbsp oil, stirring often.

Finely grate the lemon zest over the veg. Add the brown crabmea, a splash of white wine and the passata, then stir, cover and leave to simmer for about 5 mins.

Roughly chop the basil leaves and sprinkle most into the sauce with the white crabmeat, the squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Loosen the sauce with the pasta water if needed, the drain the spaghetti and top into a large bowl. Spoon the sauce over the top and serve scattered with the reserved basil.

Kipper, Spinach, Bacon and New Potato Salad

This was a really yummy salad, I love the mixture of smoked fish and salted bacon and the egg just brought everything together perfectly. It felt a bit like a breakfast salad, definitely one to make again.

• Kipper, Spinach, Bacon and New Potato Salad (from BBC Food)
  (Serves 4)
  
  
  6 rashers streaky bacon, fried until crisp
• 500g new potatoes, cooked and halved
• 350g spinach washed and dried
• 3 kipper fillets, bones removed, flaked

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• salt and pepper
• 4 eggs, poached, to serve
   
  For the salad, place all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl and gently stir.
  
  
  For the dressing, place all of the dressing ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat the salad ingredients.
  
  
  To serve, place the salad into a serving dish and top with the poached egg.

Tikka Cod with Chickpea Curry

This wasn't spicy enough for me. It could have done with a stronger flavoured curry paste. The dish as whole was a nice combination though and I liked the chickpeas, spinach and coconut cream.

Tikka Cod with Chickpea Curry (from Waitrose Weekend)

(Serves 2)

70g tikka paste

2 cod fillets

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped

250g spinach

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

160ml can coconut cream

Preheat the oven to 200C. Spread 1 tsp of the tikka paste over each cod fillet, place on a baking tray and bake for 10 mins.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 3-4 mins until tranluscent. Add the remaining tikka paste, chickpeas, spinach and coconut cream, stir well, cover and cook for 3 mins. Season.

Serve the cod on top of the chickpea curry.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals: Korean Fried Rice, Steak, Mushrooms and Pickle

I liked the flavours of this dish but found it a little disappointing. I think this was more to do with the fact that my steak was really tough and that it took me so long to out everything together that most of it was cold by the time I ate. It. I might try it again with better steak.

Korean Fried Rice, Steak, Mushrooms and Pickles

(From Jamie's 15 Minute Meals)

(Serves 4)

Rice
250g cooked brown rice
Juice 1 lemon

Steak and Mushrooms
200g oyster mushroons
sesame oil
soy sauce
sherry vinegar
1 clove of garlic, crushed
250g sirloin steak, fat removed, sliced into 1cm strips

Pickle

1 cucumber, finely sliced

2 spring onions, finely sliced

pinch caster sugar

pinch salt

drizzle soy sauce

drizzle sherry vinegar

 

Garnishes

1 little gem lettuce, shredded

1 tbsp sriracha

2 large eggs

2 tbsp sesame seeds

 

Large frying pan medium heat, griddle pan high heat, food processor

 

Tip the rice into a frying pan, squeeze over the lemon juice and stir regularly. Place the mushrooms on the griddle pan, turning when charred. Put 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sherry vinegar and garlic in a medium bowl, then mix well to create a marinade. 

 

Tip the mushrooms into the bowl of marinade, then lay the steak over the griddle in one layer, cook until nicely charred on one side only, then toss with the mushrooms and marinade. Put the cucumber and spring onion into a bowl, add the salt and sugar, soy sauce and sherry vinegar, then using your hands scrunch everything together.

Tip the rice into a large bowl, add 1 tsp oil to the frying pan, crack in the eggs. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds, then cook for 1 1/2 mins on each side so that the yolks are still soft, and place on top of the rice. Squeeze over the sriracha. To serve mix everything together like a giant salad.

Chicken, Cucumber and Bean Sprouts

This is a very simple but really tasty carb free meal. I love being able to use veg from the garden, the bean sprouts, cucumber and green beans were all home grown.

Chicken, Cucumber and Bean Sprouts (from Gok's Wok-Gok's Wan)

(Serves 2)

1 tbsp oil

4 spring onions, chopped into 2cm pieces

1cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

4 anchovy fillets, drained and roughly chopped

100g green beans

1/2 cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded, sliced

100g oyster mushrooms, sliced

250g bean sprouts

2 tbsp shaosing rice wine or dry sherry

1 tbsp oyster sauce

300g cooked chicken, shredded

pepper

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the spring onion, ginger and anchovies. Stir fry for 1 min before adding the green beans, cucumber, mushrooms and bean sprouts. Continue to str fry for another 2 mins.

Pour over the shaosing and let it bubble and reduce for a few secs before adding the oyster sauce and pepper.

Add the shredded chicken and stir gently to mix and coat in the sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes until the chicken is warmed through. Serve.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals: Sea Bass and Crispy Pancetta with Sweet Potato Mash and Asian Greens

This was massively tasty and it didn't take much more than 30 mins. I used bacon rather than pancetta but the saltiness with the fish was perfect. Just the whole thing worked really well and the flavours really complimented each other.

Sea Bass and Crispy Pancetta with Sweet Potato Mash and Asian Greens

(From Jamie's 30 Minute Meals)

(Serves 4)

For the mash

700g sweet potatoes

2 limes

small bunch fresh coriander

2 tbsp mango chutney

splash soy sauce

For the greens

1 red chilli

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 lime

splash sesame oil

100g green beans

1 head broccoli

For the sea bass

8 thin slices of pancetta

4 sea bass fillets

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 lemon

MASH: Wash the sweet potatoes, trim off any gnarly bits, then stab them a few times with a knife. Put in a large microwave-safe bowl, halve one of the limes and add to the bowl, then cover with a double layer of clingfilm and microwave on full power for 12 minutes, or until cooked through
. 

GREENS: De-seed and finely chop the chilli, adding half to a large serving bowl and setting the rest aside. Crush the unpeeled clove of garlic into the bowl and add 2tbsp of soy sauce and 4-6tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and add a splash of sesame oil. Mix, taste and tweak with the soy sauce if needed. 
 

Trim the asparagus stalks. Quarter the head of the broccoli lengthways from the head to the base of the stalk. 
 

SEA BASS: Put the pancetta into the frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Keep an eye on it, turning when crispy.
 

(There's a bit for the drink in here but I didn't make that!)
 

SEA BASS: By now the pancetta should be golden so remove it to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the fish to the pan, skin side down. Shake the pan and use a spatula to press the fillets flat for a few seconds. 
 

Pound 1tsp of fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar and scatter over the fish from a height with a pinch of salt and pepper. Finely grate over the zest of 1 lemon, then cut the lemon into quarters and set aside. 
 

MASH: Finely chop the coriander on a large wooden chopping board, setting a few leaves aside for the garnish. Add the mango chutney, a good splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, the juice from ½ a lime and the reserved chopped chilli. Chop and mix everything together on the board.
 

GREENS: Fill the large saucepan with boiling water and add a large pinch of salt. Add the broccoli and asparagus, making sure they are completely submerged. Put the lid on and turn the heat to high
. 

SEA BASS: Check the fish - once the skin is golden and crispy, turn the heat down to low - but have confidence to let the skin become good and crispy before reducing the heat. 

 

MASH: Carefully tip the sweet potatoes on top of the mango chutney mixture and use a knife or masher to chop and mash everything together, including the skins. Season to taste, adding more fresh lime juice if needed.

SEA BASS: Take the pan of fish off the heat and flip the fillets over so they gently finish cooking on the flesh side. Return the pancetta to the pan to warm through, then serve the fish and pancetta on top of the board of mash. Pop the lemon wedges on the side for squeezing and sprinkle over the reserved coriander. Take to the table.

GREENS: Drain the broccoli and asparagus in a colander, then tip into the serving bowl with the dressing, quickly toss and take to the table. 

Courgette and Goat's Cheese Tartine

This is really simple but really tasty. There is nothing better than sourdough and goat's cheese, especially in my mouth, the addition of courgettes is just wonderful. A lovely summer lunch.

Courgette and Goat's Cheese Tartine

(Serves 1)

1 small courgette, sliced

cooking spray

2 slices sour dough bread

25g soft goat's cheese

Heat a griddle pan. Spray the courgettes with cooking spray and cook the courgettes until bars form on both sides.

When you flip the courgettes, toast the bread. Spread the toast with the goat's cheese and out the courgette slices on top. Serve.

Flageolet Bean Pie

For this one I followed all the advice on the Good Food website, which said that it was a bit bland and not very moist, so I added the Mexican paste and the tomatoes and made a really lovely pie.

Mexican Flageolet Bean Pie (adapted from Good Food magazine April 2006)

(Serves 4)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 x 400g cans flageolet beans, drained and rinsed

1-2 tsp chipotle paste

5 tbsp crème fraîche

2 tbsp fresh or 2 tsp dried oregano

2 tomatoes, sliced

100g breadcrumbs

50g vegetarian cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onion for about 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another min. Add the beans and chipotle paste and cook for 1-2 mins. Add the crème fraîche and oregano. Season well, then cook until heated through.

Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together. Pour the bean mix into a baking dish and top with the tomatoes, scatter with the breadcrumbs and bake for 25-30 mins or until golden brown. Serve with salad.