I never thought I would say it, but after weeks stuck at home. I was finally fed up with carbs.
The antidote was a quick and easy salad. I used tinned crab meat because it was what I had, but fresh or frozen would also work.
Like most salads, use what you have or what you like, I added nectarine because it’s what I had, but mango but would be great too. Lemon and tahini are great in dressings. I usually add garlic to this dressing mix, but left it out this time so that it wouldn’t overwhelm the delicate crab flavour. Fresh herbs like parsley or corriander would be great in this salad too.
Mix colours and textures
Ingredients
Serves 2
1 Carrot (grated)
50 Grams Endame beans (frozen)
6 Radishes (sliced)
1/2 Avocado (cubed)
1 Nectarine (cubed)
145 Gran Tin of crab meat
2 Handfuls of rocket or other salad leaves.
For the dressing
1Tbsp Tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp Rapeseed oil
Salt and pepper
Method
Add the tahini, oil, and lemon juice to a bowl. Mix well and season with sat and pepper, loosen with a little water if it’s too thick
Combine all the salad ingredients in large bowl, add the dressing and serve with crusty bread
Roast potatoes topped with sweet caramelised onions and melted cheese.
Good roast potatoes are one of life’s simple pleasures. But it is possible to improve on perfection. This is a recipe that I used to make when I student and constantly broke. It’s made from simple cheap ingredients, and tastes fantastic.
Straight out of the oven.
You can eat it as a side dish, but I’m more than happy to eat a big bowl of it just on its own. You can also make this with mashed potatoes and it’s still a totally amazing comfort food, but do yourself a favour and try it with roast potatoes.
Onions caramelised, cooked low and slow.
Ingredients
1Kg Potatoes (Scrubbed with skins left on)
4-5 Large onions (Chopped)
2 Tbsp Oil
25 Grams Butter
Salt and pepper
100 Grams Cheddar Cheese (Grated), you can also use any cheese you find in the fridge.
Cover with grated cheese, before popping in the oven.
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. Cut the potatoes into 3-4 cm cubes, and toss with 1 Tbsp of oil and spread across a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes (or until soft)
Cut the onions, I don’t cut them too finely. Heat the remaining oil and butter to a large frying pan. Add the onions and fry over a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 30-40 minutes until dark brown (not burnt) and caramalised
Spread the onions over the potatoes, and then cover with the grated cheese. Return to the oven, and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly
Most people from Northern Ireland will remember grandparents trying to force dulse on them as a child. If you were lucky enough to escape this and don’t know what dulse is, it’s deep purple seaweed gathered around the coast of Northern Ireland (and other places too). As a child I found it too salty, and the long strands too chewy (I wasn’t a fan).
The reason most grandparents tried to make kids eat it is because it’s amazingly good for you. It’s jam packed full of iodine, calcium, potassium, and all sorts of vitamins and anti oxidants.
I know apart from the health benefits, I’m not really selling dulse as something you can cook with. However, like the big food nerd that I am, I went on a coastal foraging day last year which was amazing, and ended with a fantastic meal cooked by Celia Sponcer (brilliant local chef). She used different seaweeds as seasoning for breads like focaccia and they were delicious, so she inspired me to try this. Dulse provides a saltiness to dishes, but also a deeper flavour that reminds you of the ozone smell you get when you’re at the coast.
Dulse before it has been finely chopped
In Northern Ireland dulse is sold in most greengrocers, but if you aren’t able to get hold of it you can buy it online from a lot of health food retailers or online (because it’s so good for you).
This recipe calls for buttermilk, which i never have, so if you don’t have it use ordinary milk and the juice of half a lemon (the acidity from the buttermilk/lemon juice is needed to cause the chemical reaction that makes the bread rise).
If you can’t find dulse, or aren’t brave enough to try it, this still makes really delicious and healthy bread. If you’re not using dulse replace it with 1 teaspoon of salt. It’s great served with soups, but my favourite way to enjoy this is sliced with cheese.
Enjoy with butter, or cheese and chutney
Ingredients
375 Grams Wholemeal flour
75 Grams Plain flour
1 Level Tsp Bicarbonate Soda
2 Tbsp Dulse (finely chopped)
325-350 ml Buttermilk (or use ordinary milk with the juice of half a lemon added to it)
Method
Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, dulse and baking powder to bowl
Stir in the butter milk/milk and lemon juice mixture until it’s s soft dough
Handle as little as possible, but make the dough into a ball
Turn onto a sheet of baking parchment
With a sharp knife, cut a cross (about one third of the depth of the dough) across the centre of the bread
Bake in an oven pre-heated to 180 degrees for 45 minutes or until the base sounds hollow when you tap it
It’s not totally authentic, but it is totally delicious.
Like everyone else I’m trying to go out as little as possible at the moment. I took a craving for fajitas and didn’t have the chicken I would normally use, or tortillas.
What I did find in the fridge was halloumi, which worked brilliantly. The saltiness of the cheese is yummy with the sweet peppers and onions, with little kick of chilli heat. I didn’t have tortillas, but I substituted these with Carribbean flat breads, I made using a recipe provided by the fantastic Debbie at D Rum Pot. Fusion cooking by accident rather than design.
The fajitas take 5 minutes to prepare, before popping in the oven. You have a delicious meal in less than 30 minutes.
Mmm Melting cheesy goodness
Ingredients
200 Grams Halloumi (cut into 1,1/2 cm strips)
1 Onion (sliced)
1 Red pepper (sliced)
1 Yellow pepper (sliced)
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Smoked paprika (I used the hot version, but if you are using sweet paprika then use a 1/2 teaspoon, and add a 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
Method
Add the spices and oil in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees
Add the chopped vegetables and halloumi, to the oil and spices and mix until coated
Transfer to a baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes (or until the halloumi is golden brown)
Not just for breakfast, delicious any time of day.
I’ll start by apologising in advance to the Balinese people (undoubtedly the loveliest nation in existence). When I visited Bali previously I loved the national dish of Nasi Goreng. This is a dish of fried rice, vegetables and sometimes chicken or fish, topped with a fried egg. I’ve made the vegetarian version. I know what I’ve made isn’t 100% authentic but was the best I could do with the ingredients I had. So apologies again to the Balinese nation, but it still tasted really good.
I had dreamt of visiting Bali this year, but since Covid 19 s*it all over that plan, this is my way of recalling happier times.
This is often eaten as a breakfast dish, but can be eaten at any time of the day. The real version would have galangal. I didn’t have this, but used ginger I had in the freezer which worked well.
What makes this really tasty is the Kecap Manis, this is a thick sweet type of soy sauce used widely used in Indonesian cooking.
I’ve shown what I used for one serving, but you can increase the quantities if you’re making this for more people.
dav
Recipe
1 Cup of cold cooked white rice
1/2 Onion (finely sliced)
1 Carrot (grated)
Handful of finely sliced cabbage
1 Clove of garlic (finely sliced)
2 cm Piece of ginger (grated)
1 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Kecap manis
1 Egg
Method
Heat the oil in a pan, and add the vegetables, cook until softened slightly
Add the garlic, ginger and rice, and continue to fry until thoroughly heated
Stir in the kecap manis, and plate up, and top with a fried egg
I’m challenging myself to try and make better versions of stuff I haven’t been 100% happy with before, and use what’s in the house, (yes, I’m going stir crazy already).
I tried to make spicy carrot soups before and always thought the consistency was a bit weird. I think I have now cracked it. Adding a potato to the soup helps make it a much nicer creamier consistency. It’s still really healthy, and delicious served with big slabs of buttered soda bread (not as healthy given how much I enjoy butter).
Ingredients
1 Potato (cut into cubes)
4 Carrots (sliced)
1 Stalk of celery (chopped)
1 Onion (chopped)
1Tbsp Oil
1 Stock cube
1 Clove of garlic
1 Tsp Ground cumin
4-5 cm Piece of fresh ginger (grated), or 1 Tsp of ground ginger
1/2 Tsp Chilli powder (optional)
750 ml water
Salt & pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a pot, and add the vegetables and dried spices, cook over a medium heat until the onion begin to turn clear
Crumble in the stock cube and add the water. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, add the garlic and fresh ginger if you are using it
Simmer for another 5 minutes, and check the seasoning
Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a blender, or do what I did and use a hand blender to blitz the soup until you have a smooth soup
This takes a bit longer than my normal recipes, but since we’re all stuck at home, time is the one thing we all have plenty of.
In my bid to use up what’s been hanging around my cupboards I found some pearl barley. I was craving carbs and since selfish wingnuts have cleared the super market shelves of rice and pasta this made a nice change. It takes a bit longer to cook, but is worth the time.
I used chicken thighs with the bones left in, and removed the skin to make “chicken crackling” . I know this is probably not especially healthy but sometimes a little indulgence does no harm, it’s not like you’re going to eat it everyday. If you want to give it s miss, this still makes a really delicious and satisfying meal.
Skin from the chicken thighs, trimmed and sprinkled with a little salt, ready for the oven.Chicken crackling, baked and crispy from the oven.
Ingredients
150 Grams Pearl barley
4 Large chicken thighs
10 Grams Dried mushrooms
100 Grams Fresh mushrooms
1 Onion
250 Grams Spring greens (you can use broccoli, spinach or any other green vegetables you like)
250 ml White wine
250 ml Chicken stock
Large sprig of rosemary (finely chopped)
2 Cloves of garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp Oil
Large knob of butter
Salt and pepper
Dried mushrooms add a ton of flavour
Method
Soak the dried mushrooms in a small amount of warm water
Heat the oil and butter in a pan
Roughly chop the onions and mushrooms. Add to the pan and fry until soft. Remove from the pan and set to one side
Remove the skin from the chicken, and set to one side
Add the chicken thighs to the pan and seal on both sides
Add the barley, dried mushrooms and the water they soaked in, wine and stock to the pan. Cover with a lid, bring to boil and simmer over s low heat for 30-40 minutes (check the cooking instructions on the packet of barley, and cook for the recommended time
Trim the chicken skin and flatten on a baking sheet before sprinkle with salt. Place another baking tin on top of the chicken skin to keep it flat and bake in an oven pre-heated to 200 degrees for 20-30minutes, or until golden brown
if using Spring greens, remove the stalks and roll up the leaves, cut these into 2cm strips
After 30 minutes of cooking, check on the barley, adding more water if necessary
Add the garlic, rosemary, and spring greens to the pan, cover again and cook for a further 10 minutes until the barley is tender and has a creamy consistency, and check the seasoning (a bit like a risotto)
Serve chicken and barley with shards of the chicken crackling, you can also crumble it across the dish
Like everyone else I’m trying to limit how much I go out at the minute. Also because some people are being eejits and stripping supermarket shelves, I’m trying to work with ingredients I already have at home.
While having a look around the cupboard I found some polenta. I bought it to try a recipe for the Italian supper club and was not really a fan of how the Italian’s use it. However, it works well in the Soul Food staple of corn bread. The American version is too sweet for my taste, so I reduced the amount of sugar.
The recipe also calls for butter milk, which I didn’t have. No problem, just add a good squeeze of lemon juice to ordinary milk for the same effect (the acid in the butter milk/lemon juice helps the chemical reaction that makes the bread rise)
I serve this with chilli, but it’s also good served alongside soups. An American friend of mine also uses left over corn bread, crumbled up over casseroles to make a crunchy topping when baked in the oven. This also freezes really well.
115 Grams Cornmeal/fine polenta
150 Grams Plain flour
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
1.5 Tsp Baking powder
0.5 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
2 Eggs
350 ml Butter milk (or semi skimmed milk, with a good squeeze of lemon)
50 Grams Butter
1 Onion (finely sliced)
Extra butter to grease the baking tin
Method
Preheat the oven to 210 degrees, grease a round 23cm cake tin
Melt the butter in a frying pan, and fry the onion until translucent, and allow to cool
Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl
In a separate bowl combine the the eggs, butter milk, and fried onions (including the butter the cooked in)
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until any large lumps are gone. It’s quite a wet mixture so don’t panic
Pour the mix into your greased baking tin, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check with a skewer or toothpick and when it comes out clean, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes
I’m not a vegan or even vegetarian, but still enjoy a good meat free recipe.
This is a good way to get your 5 a day, and is quick and tasty, with a nice range of flavours and textures. I served mine with some avocado on top, and corn bread, but it’s also really good with rice or tortillas. You can also top it with sour cream or grated cheese if you’re not vegan.
Ingredients
1 Red pepper
1 Onion
2 Stalks celery
150 Grams Sweetcorn
400 Grams Cannelli beans (you can use whatever beans you have)
400 ml Passata
1 Tsp Ground cumin
1 Tsp Smoked paprika
1 Tsp chilli powder
2 Cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp Tomato puree
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Method
Chop the vegetables into equal sizes (I like to keep mine pretty chunky)
Heat the oil in a pan, and gently fry the vegetables for 5-10 minutes until they have softened
Add the garlic, spices and tomato puree to the pan and cook for a few minutes before adding the beans and passata
Simmer over a low heat for another 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened
In my quest to stop food hoarding I’m trying to work through stuff hiding in my freezer. I found a pack of sausage meat that had been been hanging about the freezer since Christmas.
I don’t usually buy sausage meat but the addition of caramelised onions and sweet apples make a scrumptious combination. I’ve included details of home made pastry, but you can use ready made short crust pastry if you prefer.
Ingredients
Pastry
255 Grams Plain flour
100 Grams Butter (cut into small cubes)
Cold water
1 Egg (beaten)
For the filling
450 Grams Sausage meat
2 Apples (cores removed, and cut into small chunks)
2 Onions (finely sliced)
1Tsp Dried thyme
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt and pepper
Method
Add the flour and butter to a food processor and pulse until it looks like breadcrumbs (you can use the po”rubbing in method”, but a food processor is quicker
Gradually add cold water to the mix until it comes together to form a ball. Wrap in cling film, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes
Add oil to a frying pan, add the onions and fry over a medium heat for 10 minutes until browned. Allow to cool
Add the fried onions, thyme, chopped apples, salt, pepper and sausage meat to a bowl. Combine the mix with you hands until all the ingredients are evenly distributed
Remove the pastry from the fridge and cut approximately a third off and set to one side. On a floured surface, roll out the remaining two thirds.
Grease a loose base pie tin, and then line the tin with the rolled out pastry
Add the filling, and then roll out the remain third of the pastry to form a lid
Brush the edges of the pastry lining the dish with the beaten egg. Lay the pastry lid on top and trim any pastry hanging over the edge of the tin with knife. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork
Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg, and cut some slices in the lid to allow steam to escape
Pre heat your oven to 190 degrees, and add a baking sheet to heat as well. Put the pie dish into the baking sheet and bake the pie for 50 minutes.
Allow to cool on the tin for 5-10 minutes before removing from the tin
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 