Turkey Chilli

A healthy alternative to chilli con carne.

1 tbsp olive oil
400 g turkey mince
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 onions, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
50 g celery diced
120ml white wine
1 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée
1 can chopped tomatoes
bunch of coriander,
chopped sour cream, nachos, rice/ what ever you would like to serve

Method

 

Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan and sautee the onions and garlic till soft. Add the red pepper and stir in the chilli powder, paprika, oregano and stir well. Add the turkey mince. When the meat is cooked, add in the white wine.

 

Add sun dried tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, beans and coriander. Let simmer for 20 minutes until cooked. Serve.

 

 

Beef Sukka

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. The cold weather is here so all stews, tagines and curries are so appealing.

This recipe takes a little longer than my usual choice of recipe. However is you are working all day you could put this in a slow cooker and when you get home your dinner will be ready.

Serves 6 - 8

2 onions finely diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3cm root ginger grated
1/2 small red chilli, de seeded
1.5kg stewing beef, diced
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground corriander
1 tsp curry powder
2 whole star anise
2 - 3 strands saffron
3 x 420g tins coconut milk
300ml beef stock
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Spice mix
In a dry frying pan gently warm 1/2 tsp cardamon seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 6 cloves, 1/2 tsp fenugreek, 1.2 tsp whole black peppercorns, 2 cinnamon quills for 3 - 4 minutes, then transfer into a coffee grinder or small food processor and grind to a fine powder.

For saffron rice

40g butter
350g basmati rice
2 shallots peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp saffron strands
550ml boiling water
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

To make

In a large heavy casserole / saucepan cook the onions in the oil on a medium heat until golden, then add garlic, ginger, chilli and cook for a further minute or two. Now increae the temperature and add in the meat, stirring occassionally until it starts to brown, 5 - 6 minutes. Next add the spice mix plus extra cumin, coriander, star anise and curry powder and stir well to coat the meat and cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes, stirring to ensure the spices dont burn.

Add the coconut milk, covering all the meat and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a tight fitting lid and continue to cook gently for 45 minute before removing the lid and cooking for a further 20 - 30 minute, striing occasionally, to reduce the sauce. Taste to ensure the meat is tender, then add sugar and vinegar an d cook for a further 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as required. If the sauce reduces too much during the cooking process you can add extra coconut milk or some water.

To mae the saffron rice

Start by gently cooling the sliced shallots in a little butter on a low heat until softened, about 3 - 4 minutes then place in a small bowl to mix through the cooked rice.

Put saffron strands into a small bowl and cover with a couple tablespoons boiling water and allow to infuse for 30 mins.

In a large heavy saucepan, melt remaining butter, stir in well rinsed and drained rice and make sure it is well coated in the butter and cook for 1 min, then add boiling water and seasoning, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove lid and stir in infused saffron and liquid, replace the lid and allow the rice to continue to cook in its own heat for a further 5 mins, by which time it should be deliciously light and tasty. Stir in the cooked shallots with a fork and its ready.

Moroccan Lamb with Apricots and Orange

I wanted to make a sweet Lamb Tagine. I had a choice between this one and another with prunes and honey. This time I decided to give this recipe a go.

To Make

Serves 6 - 8 people
preheat oven to 180oC
Gas Mark 5

1.5kg diced lamb
2 cloves garlic crushed
2cm fresh root ginger
1/2 small red or grenn chilli deseeded
50g fresh corriander leaves and stalks seperated
2 tbsp seasoned flour (sa;t and pepper)
1 tbsp ground corriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 litre lamb or chicken stock
420g cooked chickpeas
2 large cinnamon quills
85g raisins
85g dried apricots, quartered
2 large oranges, zested and juiced

Start by placing peeled garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stalks in a food processor and blitz for 30 seconds or until ingredients have formed a paste. Next in a large bowl mix the seasoned flour with the dry spices and black pepper, add the diced lamb and mix well until the meat is coated in the spice and flour mix.

In a large oven proof casserole or tagine, sweat the onion in half the olive oil for 6 - 8 minutes or until soft and jut strating to brown, then add the garlic paste and cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat while you brown the meat.

In a heavy frying pan, use remaining oil to brown meat in small batches in medium heat being careful not to burn the flour and spices. Stir regularly.

Once the meat is browned add it it to the casserole along with onions. Add stock, chickpeas and dried fruit and cinnamon quills. Mix well, then add orange zest and juice to lamb. Add the squeezed halve of oranges  to the casserole for flavour.

Cover the dish with a tight fitting lid and transer to the pre heated oven to cook for an hour, then carefully remove from the oven, taste a piece of the meat for tenderness and flavour, remove the cooked orange halves and ccinnamon quills and discard. Adjust the seaoning. If the meat is not tender return to the oven for a further 15 - 20 minutes and check again. Once the meat is tender stir in the chopped corriander leaves.

To serve

Serve with some steamed cous cous , along with tzatziki, a bowl of fruit chutney, warm pitta or flatbread and a simple salad.

*This recipe frezzes well *

Beef and Onions in Beer

Inspired by the Good Food Magazine. This is a yummy stew.

Serves 6
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hours 15 mins

small knob of butter
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 baby onions, peeled and left whole
1 tsp soft brown sugar
1.5kg shin of beef (or blade / rib steak) trimmed and cut into cubes
2 tbsp plain flour
500ml bottle of beer ( I used Weiss as that is what I had in the fridge)
500ml beef stock
1 bouquet garni, made from thyme, parsley and rosemary
potatoes and savoy cabbage to serve (I used sweet potatoes)

1. Heat oven to 150oC/130oC Fan/Gas 2. Heat the butter and 1 tbsp of oil in a large flameproof casserole dish with a lid. Add the onions and brown all over - approx 5 mins. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and continue to cook the onions over a low heat for another 5 minutes.
2. Remove the onions, but keep the dish on the heat and start to brown the meat in batches. You will probably need to add more olive oil.
3. Once the meat is browned, out the onions back in the dish with the meat. Sprinkle over flour and stir well. Add the beer and enough stock to cover the meat. Pop the bouquet garni into the pan and season (salt & pepper).

4. Bring to a simmer ontop of the stove then cover and put in the oven for 2 hours, Serve with potatoes and cabbage, if you like, or try sweet potatoes.

Chicken Korma

I made double the quantity of this sauce when I made the Turkey Koftas. It freezes really well so I used it to make a Chicken Korma. I cut chicken thigh fillets (you can also use chicken breasts, I prefer the thigh fillets as they have more flavor). I fried them in olive oil till brown, then added the Korma Sauce and served with Roti. You could also serve with Rice and Naan Bread.

Korma sauce
sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/2 tsp groud cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pinch of garam masala
300ml chicken stock
2 tsp tomato puree
100 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp ground almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the sauce, heat a saucepan over a high heat. Add some oil and the onion, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, tumeric, garam masala, stock and tomato puree and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, stir in the ground almonds and simmer for a further 6 - 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe from - Catherine's Family Kitchen

Osso Bucco - Masterchef Australia Recipe

Veal Osso Bucco with Cannellini Beans

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1.5kg bobby veal shin, cut 2.5cm thick (about 12 pieces)
• 1 cup plain flour
• 100ml olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• ¼ bunch parsley stalks, leaves picked and roughly chopped, stalks reserved
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 250ml white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1bay leaf
• 6 sprigs thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 400g tin crushed tomato
• 2 cups veal stock
• 100g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (You can use canned beans and add towards the end when you have 45mins left.

To finish

• Freshly cracked white pepper and sea salt
• ½ bunch parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 loaf crusty bread, thickly sliced

You can also serve osso bucco with soft polenta or creamy mashed potatoes.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C / 160oC Fan.


2. Season meat with salt and white pepper and toss in flout to coat, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a frying pan, add meat and panfry until caramelized. Add celery, onion, carrot, reserved parsley stalks, garlic and cook10 minutes.

3. Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes and deglaze with wine.

4. Add remaining ingredients. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 ½-2 hours.

5. Remove lid, cook for 45 minutes until sauce has thickened.

6. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cracked pepper, sea salt, chopped parsley and lemon zest.

7. Serve with crusty bread or other.

Thai Red Curry with an Irish twist

This is the recipe that first got me started on my Thai cooking journey. After finding the Avoca green curry recipe I decided to attempt to maximise the flavour of this Red Curry. The recipe is fab, so I added

Sunflower oil
1 Large Onion Diced
1 Celery Stalk chopped and
2 cloves of garlic grated
1 talespoon on minced ginger

Sautee the onion in the sunflower oil till soft approx 6 - 8 minutes. Add the celery, garlic and ginger and cook until the garlic is cooked but not brown. Then follow the recipe below adding the curry paste.

RECIPE: Thai Red Curry
(from Catherine Fulvio's Book -‘Catherine’s Family Kitchen')

Chef's Note: Here’s a very non-Thai idea – a guest at our cookery school told me that a good splash of sherry in a curry just before serving gives a wonderful rounded taste. And you know what?
It works!


Serves 4

• Vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 275ml coconut milk
• 100ml chicken stock
• 200g butternut squash peeled and cubed, (about 1⁄2 medium squash)
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 3 chicken breasts cubed, ( I used chickcen thigh fillets and I browned them before adding them to the curry)
• 75g green beans quartered
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 6 mushrooms halved
• Thai fish sauce (nam pla), to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
• Jasmine rice, to serve

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the curry paste for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock and stir well. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
2. Add the butternut squash and potato, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the chicken with a little extra stock, if needed, and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes, until they are cooked through. Season with fish sauce to taste.
4. Sprinkle the coriander over and serve with steamed jasmine rice

Green Chicken Curry (Low Fat)

I first started using Thai Curry Paste, after attending a Thai Cookery Course at Ballyknocken Cookery School in Wicklow. At this particular class we used Red Curry Paste. After this class I purchased several different brands of curry paste and my favorite curry paste is the Mae Ploy Brand.

This is a lovely recipe which I got from A year at Avoca cook book. I've tried it several times and it definately quick, easy, tasty. You can either use a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or Chicken Thighs like I used. I find that meat cooked on the bone has much more flavor.

Ingredients
Serve 4

1 large chicken / chicken pieces
1 tblsp sunflower oil
1 large onion sliced
5cm fresh root ginger peeled and grated (You can use ginger paste, it will still taste good, but fresh will give a fresher taste)
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 green chilli de seeded and chopped.
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp green curry paste
350ml chicken stock
200g fine French Beans, cut into 2cm lengths
30g coriander chopped
100ml low fat greek yoghurt or creme fraiche (optional)

Method

Score each piece of chicken with a sharp knife, cutting through the skin - this helps the flavours to penetrate and reduces the cooking time.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large saute pan, approx 10cm deep. Add the chiccken pieces and cook for 2 - 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a warm plate.

Add the sliced onion to the pan, lower the heat and cook for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to soften. Then add the ginger, garlic, chilli, lime leaves and curry paste and cook for a minute or two until the aromas from the spices are released.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan, cover with the stock and simmer gently, covered with a tight fitting lid, for 25 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for a further 5 minutes uncovered until the beans are tender. Finally, remove from the heat stir in the yoghurt and fresh corriander.

To Serve

Serve with steamed Thai Jasmine rice (remember to rinse thoroughly before steaming as it is super-starchy) and some Asian greens that have been stir-fried in a couple of drops of toasted sesame oil and a dessertspoon of oyster sauce. Add chutney and good naan bread.

Bon Appetite x x x

Turkey Kofta with Korma Sauce

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. Turkey is so lean and healthy and can often be dry and tastless if not cooked properly. This recipe was so easy, it requires a little more effort but it is well worth it. The koftas are so tasty and moist. The sauce so easy to make, bursting full of flavor, kicks it up another notch. The recipe is from Catherine's Family Kitchen.

Serves 4

For the koftas
sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cm fresh ginger grated
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp fresh corriander roughly chopped
600g ground (minced) turkey breast
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Korma sauce
sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/2 tsp groud cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pinch of garam masala
300ml chicken stock
2 tsp tomato puree
100 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp ground almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Skewers (soaked in water) if you are going to cook on the barbecue
*Chefs note, make 3 times the sauce and freeze can use it in the following weeks to make fish or chicken korma.. GREAT IDEA!!!

To make prepare the koftas, heat a frying pan over high heat. Add sunflower oil and the onion for 7 - 8 minutes, until softened, taking care not to let it brown. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, garam masala and tumeric and cook for a further 2 minutes stirring frequently. Add the chopped coriander and cook for 1 minute more. Remove rom the heat and allow to cool.

Place the minced turkey and onion mixture in a bowl with a little salt and pepper and combine. Dampen your hands slightly and shape 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a cylinder. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Heat oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and brown the koftas in batches.

To make the sauce, heat a saucepan over a high heat. Add some oil and the onion, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, tumeric, garam masala, stock and tomato puree and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, stir in the ground almonds and simmer for a further 6 - 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with basmati rice and naan bread.

If you prepare all the ingredients in advance you may put the sauce and the mix for the koftas on at the same time and have them ready together.

Cola Chilli Chicken

So this is the first recipe I am trying from Billy Laws cookbook "Have You Eaten".

A quick easy tasty recipe.

500g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
5cm (2 inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut into 1mm (1/16 inch) strips
3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
355ml (12 fl oz) can cola drink ( I used Coke a Cola)
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 spring onion (scallion) cut into 5cm (2 inch) lengths
Handful of unsalted cashew nuts, toasted

1. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl. Add the cornflour and 2 tablespoons of the light soy sauce and mix well. Place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or wok over medium - high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned all over, then add the chilli, ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Pour cola into frying pan, adding just enough to cover the chicken, the cola will fizz up. Add the dark soy sauce and the remaining light soy sauce and let it simmer for about 15 mins or so until the sauce has reduced to a syrup consistency. It should be thick an sticky.

4. Turn the heat off, add the spring onion and toasted cashews and give it a quick stir before serving. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. ( I used brown rice)

I didn't use cashews as my nephew is highly allergic to nuts and we had this for lunch at my mums.

Roast Haunch Venison

This dish needs marinating, so you may do it the morning you want to cook it or the previous night. Great for a Sunday meal or midweek treat or even a dinner party...

This meal inc gratin and red cabbage will take about 1 hour to 1 hour and half to cook. If you organised you could have the meat in the oven, all the prep done and then put the cabbage on and then the potatoes and have everything ready at the same time.

Accompanyments - Potato, Garlic and Mushroom Gratin & Red Cabbage

BON APPETITE

1 haunch venison Approx - 2.6kg
225g / 8oz Back Fat / Streaky Pork, cut into 5mm wide strips

Marinade
1 dessertspoon mixed fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, sage)
4 tablespoons olive oil
125ml (4fl oz) dry white wine.

Gravy
1.2 Litres homemade beef / venison stock
dry white wine to taste
roux / cornflour mixed with water to form a paste

Preheat oven to 180oC/350oF/gas 4

Lard /Bard the Venison. Put into a stainless steel or cast iron dish. Sprinkle with herbs and pour olive oil and wine over the meat. Cover the dish and marinate for about 4 hours at room temperature or in a refridgerator overnight, turning the meat if you can. The marinade will be used to baste the dish as its cooking.

To cook: weigh the venison and calculate 10 mins per 450g/1lb. During the cooking time, baste often with wine marinade and turn joint over half way through. When cooked, remove to a warmed serving dish while you make the gravy.

Degrease the pan, add the stock and cornflour and a splash of wine and bring to the boil, scraping and dissolving all the crusty bits from the pan. Serve with Mushroom & Potato Gratin.

Recipe from

Beef & Guinness Stew

My other St. Patricks Day Meal. adapted this recipe from Donal Skehan's Beef and Guinness Pie.


Ingredients

• 
  
• 1–2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 1kg (2lb 3oz) beef shoulder, cut into 2.5cm (1in) chunks

• 1 onion, peeled and chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 2 celery stalks, trimmed and roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

• 150ml (5fl oz) beef stock

• 500ml (18fl oz) Guinness

• 1 bay leaf

• sea salt and ground black pepper

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large cooking pot and brown the meat in two batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Add another tablespoon of oil if you need it and fry the onion, carrots and celery for 6 minutes, until the onion is soft. Return the meat to the pot, along with the garlic. Pour in the stock and Guinness, add the bay leaf and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer gently for about 1 1⁄2 hours until the liquid has reduced, stirring occasionally to make sure that it doesn’t stick. If not thick enough you can strain the liquid and add 1 tsp of flour to water to make a paste and add to the liquid and heat till thickened then return the meat. 

I served this with baked potato and green beans with toasted pine nuts and shaved parmesan.