Monthly Archives: June 2012

Bolognese Spaghetti Sauce (Stephanie Alexander)

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Ingredients

Directions:

  1. Saute onion, celery and garlic in oil in a large saucepan until softened.
  2. Add minced meat and pancetta and fry until meat breaks up into small lumps.
  3. Sprinkle in flour, then stir well.
  4. Add wine, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  5. Mix well, then increase heat and boil to evaporate liquid.
  6. Add stock, tomato, tomato paste and herbs.
  7. Reduce heat again and simmer for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.
  8. Taste for seasoning.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/bolognese-sauce-124451#ixzz1ylitQETE

Jamie’s Chili con Carne

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http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/chilli-con-carne

  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 2 red peppers
  • olive oil
  • 1 heaped teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 heaped teaspoon
  • ground cumin
  • 1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
  • 1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans
  • 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
  • 500g good-quality mincedbeef
  • 1 small bunch of fresh coriander
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 400g basmati rice
  • 1 x 500g tub of natural yoghurt
  • 1 x 230g tub of guacamole
  • 1 lime

method

What a classic this dish is. Most of my mates love the chickpeas, but butter beans or even cubed potatoes will work well in their place. Feel free to pep up this dish with more chilli depending on your taste. This will make enough for six portions, so simply freeze the extra if you’re only cooking for four – it’s so damn good the next day, even on a jacket potato!

To make your chilli
• Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery – don’t worry about the technique, just chop away until fine
• Halve the red peppers, remove the stalks and seeds and roughly chop
• Place your largest casserole-type pan on a medium high heat
• Add 2 lugs of olive oil and all your chopped vegetables
• Add the chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon with a good pinch of salt and pepper
• Stir every 30 seconds for around 7 minutes until softened and lightly coloured
• Add the drained chickpeas, drained kidney beans and the tinned tomatoes
• Add the minced beef, breaking any larger chunks up with a wooden spoon
• Fill one of the empty tomato tins with water and pour this into the pan
• Pick the coriander leaves and place them in the fridge
• Finely chop the washed stalks and stir in
• Add the balsamic vinegar and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper
• Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to a simmer with a lid slightly askew for about an hour, stirring every now and again to stop it catching

To serve your chilli
• This is fantastic served with fluffy rice
• Just divide the rice and chilli into big bowls or serve in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves
• If you don’t fancy rice it’s equally good with a nice hunk of fresh crusty bread, over a jacket potato or with couscous
• Put a small bowl of natural yoghurt, some guacamole and a few wedges of lime on the table, and sprinkle the chilli with the coriander leaves
• I love to add a nice green salad to round it off

Lemon yoghurt cake

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Greaseand flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Easy spinach and ricotta canneloni

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Only six ingredients are needed to make this tasty and wholesome cannelloni bake.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 750g fresh reduced-fat ricotta cheese
  • 150g baby spinach leaves, chopped
  • 4 fresh lasagne pasta sheets
  • 2 cups Italian tomato pasta sauce
  • 75g grated tasty cheese
  • 60g baby rocket

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place ricotta in a bowl. Add spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

  2. Cut lasagne sheets in half crossways. Spread 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture along the centre of each piece. Roll up to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining ricotta mixture and lasagne sheets.

  3. Spread half the passata sauce over the base of a 6cm-deep, 25cm x 35cm (base) ovenproof dish. Arrange pasta tubes, seam side down, over sauce. Spread with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until pasta is cooked and top golden brown. Serve topped with rocket.

Notes

  • Variation: Replace half the spinach with rocket leaves, and stir in 125g chopped cooked bacon.

Ideas with roast chicken

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Fried rice

Toss leftover rice in a pan, chopped roast chicken, corn, frozen peas, soy sauce.

Turkish

Turkish bread with mayonnaise, avocado, roast chicken and lettuce.

Chicken and cashew stir fry

Heat oil, add sliced onion, sliced celery, sliced carrot and broccoli florets. Add 2 tbs of each soy and sweet chili sauce, chicken strips and handful of cashews. Serve with noodles.