Sweet and Spicy Stuffed Tomatoes

Posted on September 8, 2016 by TheRobbInn

I love this time of year when tomatoes are ripening on the vine.  There is nothing so tasty as eating a tomato freshly picked, still warm from the sun.  Although tomatoes are available all year around, I especially like them in the autumn when they seem to have a flavour all of their own.

Tomatoes can be stuffed with so many different ingredients but I recently made these spicy ones as I had some minced beef in the fridge and I decided to make them using Ras el Hanout spice mix, apricots and pistachios.  The result was delicious – sweet juicy tomatoes filled with a spicy, fruity, nutty meat mixture.   I filled the tomatoes earlier in the day and they kept well in the fridge until evening, when I cooked them.

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Chopped apricots, pistachios and Ras el Hanout spice mix

INGREDIENTS:

4 large tomatoes
8oz lean minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)
Handful of dried apricots, chopped
Handful of pistachio kernels, chopped
2 teaspoons Ras el Hanout spice mix
Olive oil

METHOD:

Gently sauté the onion (and garlic, if using) in a splash of olive oil until soft.

Add the beef mince and cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously until the beef has browned.

Stir in the Ras el Hanout spice and mix thoroughly.

Add the apricots and pistachio nuts.

Set aside to cool.

2016-09-07_124906053_b6cd7_iosSlice the top off each tomato and carefully scoop out the membrane and seeds leaving a firm outer shell.

Pack each tomato with the spicy meat mix, carefully pressing down the meat.

Rest the sliced-off top onto the meat mix if desired.2016-09-07_125328731_efc09_ios

Place on a baking sheet, or to prevent rolling over, in a bun tin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 180°C until the tomato is cooked and the filling heated through.

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Delicious sweet and spicy stuffed tomatoes

Serve with a fresh green salad or an assortment of vegetables.

NB:  All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

 

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Kale and Cabbage Salad

Posted on September 5, 2016 by TheRobbInn

A simple yet tasty salad which I served with chicken strips and cauliflower steaks the first evening.

I had enough left-over for the following day so I sprinkled a tablespoon of my frozen lemon granules over it, and WOW did it bring out the flavour.   This I served up with some slices of my homemade meatloaf.

A salad which could accompany so many different dishes, or be enjoyed on its own.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of kale
½ sweetheart cabbage (or red cabbage)
½ cup fresh coriander or parsley
1 large carrot
12 small on-the-vine tomatoes
Large handful flaked almonds
2+ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

METHOD:

Remove any stalks from the kale and tear it into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour over a generous lug of olive oil and massage the kale with your hands for two to five minutes. This softens the leaves and turns them bright green and makes them sweeter.

Shred the cabbage.

Using a potato peeler or very sharp knife, peel very thin slices from the carrot.

Chop the coriander or parsley roughly.

Halve the tomatoes.

Gently mix all the above together and season well. Stir in the flaked almonds.

Pour over lemon juice and more olive oil if wished and mix to ensure everything is coated.

Serve and enjoy.

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Tasty Kale and Cabbage Salad

NB: All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Watermelon Sashimi

Posted on September 2, 2016 by TheRobbInn
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Watermelon Sashimi

It’s true what they say, sometimes the best things in life are free!

My daughter-in-law gave me a lovely ripe watermelon when she left after joining us for a holiday on the Isle of Wight.

A couple of days later, a very good friend called up one evening to give us some beautiful homegrown figs.

The very next evening, after a sizzling day spent on the beach, I was going to slice up the watermelon to eat when I remembered bookmarking the Minimalist Baker’s take on Sashimi and I decided to try it out using the figs and some bits and bobs I had in my fridge and cupboards.

The result was truly amazing! Refreshing, tangy, crisp, cooling, crunchy, tasty; the flavours all coming together and making such a simple snack or appetiser. I improvised on some ingredients but it just worked so well. Next time I will make sure I have some pickled ginger as that would undoubtedly be doubly delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

Watermelon
Tamari
Tahini
Onion, finely sliced
Feta cheese
Ripe fig, peeled and sliced
Baby tomato
Chia seeds or sesame seeds

METHOD:

Cut the watermelon into slices about ½” thick and then into bite-sized pieces.

Brush each piece with tamari or tahini – I did half and half.

Top each piece with a combination of fig, feta, onion, finely sliced tomato and chia seeds.

Serve and enjoy.

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An ideal appetiser to offer around on a summer’s evening, perhaps whilst the BBQ is cooking. It’s simple, quick to prepare and the ingredients can be chopped and changed as to what’s available.  Next time, perhaps avocado instead of figs.

Recipe adapted from MinimalistBaker

NB:  All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Gluten-Free Burger on Flaxseed Focaccia

Posted on September 1, 2016 by TheRobbInn

Being gluten-intolerant, my husband has to avoid most ready-made burgers so I decided to quickly knock up a batch to keep in the freezer for him.

I turned a few slices of gluten-free bread into breadcrumbs and dried them in the oven giving me plenty of crumbs to store in an airtight container for use next time.

I used the leanest mince I could get (less than 5% fat);  the mustard gave the burgers a nice little ‘kick’ and next time I will experiment using some dried chilli flakes.

Having no gluten-free burger buns, I toasted some of my flaxseed focaccia straight from the freezer then split it in half before topping with the burgers and some extras.  The focaccia really worked well with the burgers and was extremely tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

500g best lean minced beef (<5%)
Approximately 4 tablespoons gluten-free dried breadcrumbs
Large handful chopped parsley
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 egg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients.

Roll a tablespoonful of mixture in your hands to form a ball, then shape into a burger on some baking parchment.

Open freeze until solid.

Pack in an airtight bag, interleaved with parchment.

Cook in a skillet with a little olive oil for 10 to 12 minutes, turning often, until cooked through.

Serve on toasted flaxseed focaccia with your choice of extras: lettuce, cucumber, cheese, tomato salsa, gherkins etc.

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Gluten-free Burger on Flaxseed Focaccia with Sweet Potato Chips

NB:  All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Baked Avocado Fries

Posted on August 30, 2016 by TheRobbInn

I saw this recipe disappear down my newsfeed on Facebook one hot summer’s evening just as my husband and I fancied something to nibble on.  I even had an opened bottle of Sriracha in the fridge so set about quickly making these super little fries.

I used buckwheat flour as my husband is gluten intolerant and as I had some dried gluten-free breadcrumbs mixed with chilli flakes, decided these would work perfectly.

I didn’t spray them with oil as the original recipe mentioned and they turned out beautifully;  soft creamy avocado with a crisp outer shell.  The chilli flakes gave them an extra kick so if you don’t like things too hot, leave these out as the Sriracha and yoghurt make a tasty dip.  Another winning recipe to make again.

INGREDIENTS:

Avocados, the firmer the better
Buckwheat flour
1 egg, beaten
Gluten-free dried breadcrumbs

METHOD:

Peel and pit the avocados. Cut into “chips” (depending on size, 4, 6 or even 8 from 1 avocado)

imageDip each chip into the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs.

Lay on some parchment on a baking tray.

 

Bake 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve with natural yoghurt swirled with Sriracha

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Recipe adapted from Nectar/Sainsburys

NB:  All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Avocado, Beetroot and Houmous on Flaxseed Focaccia

Posted on August 28, 2016 by TheRobbInn

I recently came across this recipe as Jamie Oliver‘s “recipe of the day” and thought what an unusual breakfast it would make.  My husband loves trying out anything new that I produce in the kitchen so I thought I would surprise him one morning with this.

I still had some slices of flaxseed focaccia in the freezer and decided these would be a perfect base for this dish.  Once toasted, I sliced them in half as they were quite thick.

I had fresh beetroot to hand; always have avocados in the kitchen and whilst I didn’t have houmous, I did have chickpeas so quickly knocked up a batch with some lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and tahini.  As I only needed a teaspoonful, that left me plenty for using another time.  The recipe called for cottage cheese but as I had a small amount of cream cheese languishing in the fridge, I decided that this would serve just as well.

INGREDIENTS:

Two slices of toast, rye bread or focaccia
Two freshly cooked beetroot
Teaspoon houmous
Teaspoon cottage or cream cheese
Half an avocado
Olive oil
Mixed seeds

METHOD:

Mash or grate the beetroot then mix with the houmous and cream cheese.  This can be done the night before and kept in an airtight container in the fridge overnight.

Toast the bread.

Spread the bread with the beetroot mix.

Top with sliced avocado.

Drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with seeds.

Serve and enjoy.

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Avocado, Beetroot, Houmous on Flaxseed Focaccia

NB:  All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Pineapple Salsa

Posted on August 24, 2016 by TheRobbInn

Another dish I have been making for these glorious summer days is this pineapple salsa, which is so deliciously refreshing and goes with almost anything, fish, chicken, burgers etc.  It is also extremely tasty in wraps, especially baby gem lettuce leaves.

It keeps for a couple of days in the fridge too which is always a bonus (that’s if you get any left over, which is rare in this house!)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
1 cup chopped red pepper
½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
½ cup red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime

METHOD:

Mix all ingredients together.  Add some sea salt to taste and chill.

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Refreshing and tasty Pineapple Salsa

Recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod.

NB:  All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Chinese Duck Bowl

Posted on August 21, 2016 by TheRobbInn

I usually find plum sauce too sweet for me but the sauce for this dish is one of the nicest sauces I have tasted;  sweet and spicy yet with a sharpness that goes so well with the duck.  It is also very easy to make.  One benefit is that it can be made a couple of days in advance if necessary and stored in the fridge.

Such a simple salad to make, yet so tasty.  I did add slightly more chopped red chilli and spring onion than stated in the recipe but this can be adjusted according to taste.  My duck was slightly over-cooked unfortunately (it should have been pinker in the middle) but it did not detract from the deliciousness of this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

2 duck breast fillets, skin on
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 Little Gem lettuce
2 small/medium courgettes, julienned or spiralised
Juice of 1 lime
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

FOR THE SAUCE:

5 ripe medium plums, stoned and chopped
1cm piece fresh root ginger, finely grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ to 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon clear honey or maple syrup

METHOD:

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Very easy Plum Sauce

Add all ingredients for the sauce to a medium saucepan.

Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blitz until smooth using either a stick blender or a Nutribullet (or similar).

 

Score the skin of the duck in a diamond pattern; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub all over with the five-spice. Put them in a cold fry-pan, skin side down, then turn the heat to high. When the skins are crisp, turn the heat down to medium and cook for a further 10 minutes, turning it over to both sides until it is cooked to your liking.

The fillets should be pink inside but not raw.
Transfer the fillets to a plate to cool.

In a clean, dry fry pan toast the sesame seeds over a high heat until browned. Shake the pan frequently to prevent them burning.

Once the duck has rested, put the fillets back into the pan and sauté them with their juices for a few minutes. Transfer to a board and cut into slices.

Break up the lettuce leaves and put them into a bowl. Throw over the raw courgettes and top with the sliced duck. Drizzle over the plum sauce and lime juice and scatter over the spring onion, chilli and toasted sesame seeds.

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Chinese Duck Bowl

Any sauce leftover could be used as a marinade for meat, especially for the BBQ.

Thanks to Sainsburys magazine for this tasty recipe.

NB: All the photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Mango and Avocado Salsa

Posted on August 17, 2016 by TheRobbInn

This sweet and spicy salsa is perfect to serve with chicken or fish;  is ideal as a dip or used in a gluten-free wrap along with some shredded chicken etc.   It’s rather nice to leave on the table with a bowlful of baby gem lettuce leaves and let your guests help themselves, which is what I did recently.  We found it so tasty that I made it again later in the week to accompany hot Caribbean Chicken and by the end of the meal, the bowl was empty!

The lime juice prevents the avocado going brown, so this salsa can be made an hour or two in advance and chilled in the fridge.  If the lime is not too juicy, use a second one as I did.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ripe mango
2 or 3 ripe avocado
1 red onion
½ to 1 chilli (depending on how spicy you like it)
Bunch of fresh coriander
Juice of 1 lime
Good pinch of sea salt

METHOD:

Peel and dice the mango and avocados.
Chop the onion, chilli and coriander.
Mix everything together and chill.

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Mango and Avocado Salsa

Perfect for lunch on a hot sunny day.  Served with shredded Lemon Pepper Chicken and Baby Gem lettuce leaves as wraps.

NB:  All photographs on this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

 

 

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Chicken Curry Gurkha Style

Posted on August 14, 2016 by TheRobbInn

2016-06-16_134551178_D5F12_iOSThis recipe takes a little longer to prepare than some, but it is well worth the effort.  Although the meat could be marinated for just an hour, leaving it overnight, or just for a few hours, lets the flavours really mingle.

The secret of this dish is to have everything prepared before you start to cook.

I used baby tomatoes instead of large ones as I had them in my fridge, and I left my chicken marinating for twenty-four hours to let the flavours infuse.

Whilst it is not a ‘hot’ dish, this Nepalese curry is full of delicious flavours and textures.

INGREDIENTS:

8 large free-range skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion
3 potatoes
4 large ripe tomatoes
½ bunch fresh coriander
Olive oil, or oil of choice
1 stick cinnamon
4 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 fresh red chilli, optional

MARINADE:

5cm piece of ginger
1 bulb of garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
5 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon hot chilli powder
250ml natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve
1 lemon

METHOD:

Start by making the marinade.  Peel and roughly chop the ginger.  Peel the garlic cloves then add to a dry fry pan with the fennel seeds and cardamom pods.  Fry for 1 minute on a medium heat then pop into a pestle and mortar along with the chilli powder and a pinch of sea salt.  Pound into a rough paste.  I cheated here as my pestle and mortar was a little too small to take all of the ingredients so I blitzed them in my Nutribullet.

Put the paste into a large bowl with the yoghurt, lemon zest and juice and add the chicken thighs.  Stir thoroughly to make sure the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven to 190°C.

Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and chop the potatoes into rough chunks.  Cut the tomatoes into pieces.  Remove the leaves from the coriander and set to one side, then finely chop the stalks.

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large ovenproof pan then add the cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds and bay leaves.

Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for at least five minutes on one side, until you have a lovely golden crust.

Stir in the ground spices, then add the onions, potatoes, tomatoes and coriander stalks. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until browned all over.

Pour over 350ml cold water and bring to the boil.

Place the pan in the hot oven and cook for about 1 hour uncovered, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Stir occasionally.

Remove the cinnamon and bay leaves. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves and finely chopped red chilli.

Serve with rice and a bowl of plain yoghurt.

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Chicken Curry Gurkha Style

This recipe serves 8 people (or 4 very hungry ones).  I have frozen the remainder for future use as there was only two of us.

Recipe adapted from Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast

NB: All the photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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