Sunday, 31 July 2011

Quick beef goulash

  • 1 tbsp veg oil
  • rump steak, cut into strips
  • chestnut mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • potatoes, cut into fairly small chunks
  • approx 500ml beef stock
  • tin of tomatoes, jazzed up to make it more intense in flavour - you work it out
  • chopped parsley
  • natural yoghurt to serve
Heat half the oil and fry the steak until browned. Tip onto a plate.
Heat remaining oil in same pan and fry the mushrooms until start to colour.
Sprinkle paprika over mushrooms, fry briefly, then tip in potatoes, stock and tomato sauce. Stir, cover and simmer for 20 mins until potatoes are tender.
Return beef to pan with any juices and warm through.
Stir in parsley, a swirl of yoghurt and serve.

Lam Merguez Burgers

For the burgers:
  • 500 lamb mince
  • 1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp harissa paste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
  • salt and pepper
For the sauce:
  • 200ml greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp tahini paste
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 1/2 cucumber, grated
To serve:
  • pitta bread
  • 1 tomato sliced
  • green salad
Mix burger ingredients together well. Season.
Mould into 4 patties.
Brush with oil and fry or griddle until cooked.
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl. Season.
Serve each burger in a pitta bread together with the yoghurt sauce, tomato and salad.

Gruyere and courgette muffins

  • 225g self raising flower
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 100g grated courgette
  • salt and pepper
  • 75g grated gruyere
  • 175ml full fat milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 75ml olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
Preheat oven to gas 4 (180C). Grease approx 9 holes in a muffin tin.
Mix flour, baking powder, courgette, seasoning and 50g of the cheese,
In separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg and olive oil together. Add this with the rosemary to the dry ingredients. Mix well.
Divide the mixture among the holes and bake for 10 mins.
After 10 mins sprinkle them with the rest of the cheese.
Bake for a further 15 mins (may need a few mins longer (note that this is with gluten free self raising flour).

Seared tuna and mango salsa

Serves 4:
For Pak Choi:
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 75ml plum sauce
  • 25g butter
  • 1 garlic clove, sliced
  • 4 pak choi
Salsa:
  • 2 mangoes, diced
  • 2 red chillis, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Dressing:
  • 150 ml plum sauce
  • 50ml rice vinegar
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
Tuna:
  • 4 tuna steaks
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • salt and pepper
Now that I have finally bought a laptop and don't have to rely on getting the one from the other room, I can blog again!

Preheat oven to gas 4.
Place chicken stock, plum sauce, butter and garlic in overproof dish and bring to boil on hob. Then reduce heat to simmer for a few seconds then remove from heat. Add pak choi and cover with foil. Put in oven for 15 mins.

Put salsa ingredients into dish and mix. Whisk together dressing ingredients and add to salsa.

Rub tuna with oil and season. Fry for 2 mins on each side for a perfect medium tuna steak.

Serve with boiled rice. Delicious!