Tomato & red onion couscous

This was done as a quick addition to our meal last night. My carb-a-holic family were decidedly disgruntled that I was only planning on doing the flat breads with the kofta so I rootled around the cupboards and came up with this.

Couscous is one of those things which I think is a bit like Marmite. I personally love it and the way son no2 was shovelling it in with his hands, I think we can say he loves it too. The Husband really isn't keen but then a few months ago by accident I bought some wholemeal couscous from Tesco instead of the normal stuff. Since I've been using that he quite likes it, says it tastes more "nutty than perfumey" whatever that means ! Couscous also needs a lot of flavours thrown at it else it can be really bland so while the recipe below is a guide, to be honest you could add almost anything to it you fancied.

TOMATO, RED ONION AND CORIANDER COUSCOUS

serves 4 with leftovers for lunch the next day 

175g wholemeal couscous

A stock cube, I used chicken but veg would also be fine

4 vine ripened tomatoes roughly chopped

1/2 red onion finely chopped

Handful coriander chopped

A squeeze of lemon juice

Salt & pepper

Glug of decent olive oil

Toasted pine nuts to serve

Put the couscous in a large bowl and crumble in the stock cube. Pour over enough boiling water to just cover and put a plate over the bowl, set aside for about 10 minutes

Take the plate off and the couscous should have absorbed all the water and should be tender to eat

Fluff up with a fork and add the remaining ingredients mixing well

Keep tasting and adding what you think it needs until you're happy with it

Sprinkle over the pine nuts and serve straight away

30 days / 30 things Day 11

Day 11 - nearly there ! I was hoping to catch up yesterday but unfortunately I just ran out of steam.

Today is a favourite recipe. This is something I cook quite often and we all love, it's something I could eat all the time given half a chance. It's simple, quick but exceptionally tasty, what more could you want !

CHICKEN WITH BACON, CHERRY TOMATOES & CHILLI

serves 4

2 chicken thighs (skin on & bone in) per person

one slice of streaky bacon per chicken thigh

large punnet of cherry tomatoes

dried chilli flakes

4-6 cloves of garlic unpeeled

olive oil

fresh basil chopped

Put the chicken thighs in a large baking dish, nestle the garlic cloves in between and tip over the tomatoes

Drizzle with olive oil and the chilli flakes plus a good grinding of black pepper

Drape a piece of bacon over each of the thighs

Cover with foil and place in a moderate oven and cook for 40 mins 

Uncover and leave to cook for another 20 mins or so letting the bacon crisp

Remove from the oven and take the chicken/ bacon out of the tin and set to rest

Pop the garlic out of it's skin and mash up then combine with the tomatoes to make a sauce - finally stir in the basil

Serve with roasted crushed new potatoes, green beans and garlic mayonnaise. I did pasta with the sauce in the photo but that was only because son no1 begged me to !

30 days / 30 things Day 2

Today's effort is my favourite recipe for entertaining (I'm going to expand this to menu). I rarely (in fact never) formally do dinner parties. My idea of a dinner party is to have friends round and keep it casual with some tasty food and plenty of vino. Maybe if they're drunk enough then they won't notice the food - I jest !

It really depends on who the guests are and the season. For example a winter lunch for friends might be roast sirloin of beef with dauphinoise potatoes whereas my failsafe for summer is a roast chicken with herbs, roast new potatoes and salads. Something else I've done which I love although is a lot of work, is a Middle Eastern spread with lots of picky bits that people can just eat while we chat (and drink) !

I suppose my favourite recipe to cook for friends is this one by Simon Rimmer. I say I cook it but more often than not the Husband cooks this one ! It takes some organisation as cooking fish at the last minute can be stressful but is simple, tasty and fairly healthy too. I would follow this up with a Baileys and white chocolate parfait which again is simple but so tasty but not quite so healthy. I don't often do starters but prefer to do some nibbles first such as olives, home made houmous, pitta crisps etc.

SEA BASS WITH BACON AND CHERRY TOMATO SALSA (by Simon Rimmer)
Serves 4

4x 150g sea bass fillets
salt & pepper
olive oil


150g pancetta cubed
1 small red chilli
20 cherry tomatoes quartered
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1/2 ripe avocado cut into cubes
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil


Preheat the oven to 200C


For the sea bass season the fillets well with salt and pepper. Heat some olive oil and then fry skin side down for a few minutes until skin crispy, flip over and place in the oven for a couple of minutes


For the salsa fry the bacon until crisp and then combine all the ingredients, tasting to check seasoning. It can be done in advance just adding the avocado before serving to allow flavours to develop.

In the original recipe this is served with potato rosti but I tend to do roasted new (or buy the rosti as I just can't get them right !). To serve place the fillets skin side up over the rosti and spoon over the salsa.

Pot-roasted meatloaf

Ok firstly I must say I'm not sure why I'm posting this. I am really quite cross and I suppose I need to vent my anger.

Don't you just hate it when you've been eyeing up a recipe in a new cookbook for ages only to make it, and it be REALLY disappointing ? Well that's what happened to me tonight.

I was using the Jamie Oliver recipe for pot roast meatloaf out of the Ministry of Food book. I've cooked several other things out of the same book and they were all lovely. This however was not.

Partly I can blame Tesco for not labelling their smoked paprika as "hot smoked paprika" but in general I wasn't impressed with the consistency of the meatloaf either. I would make it again but I would make several changes. It looks lovely but the sauce was far too spicy (so much so that the boys had to have beans on toast).

I will put the recipe below as it is. BUT if I was going to do this again I'd either source sweet smoked paprika or put 1/2 the quantity in. I wouldn't use the cream crackers either, it gave it a really odd consistency in my opinion. I'd add some fresh breadcrumbs to bind instead.

POT ROAST MEATLOAF
serves 4-6

For the meatloaf:
1 onion chopped
Olive oil
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
12 Jacob's cream crackers
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Dijon mustard (I didn't use this)
500g minced beef
1 large egg

For the sauce
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 red chilli finely sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika (see notes above !!!)
2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
1x 400g can chickpeas drained
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2tsp chopped fresh rosemary
6 slices smoked streaky bacon (or pancetta)

Fry the onion in the olive oil and then add the cumin and coriander. Cook slowly for about 5 minutes until soft and then set aside to cool.
Crush the crackers into fine crumbs and mix with the onion. Add the rest of the ingredients plus some seasoning and squish well together.
Form into an oblong shape, rub with oil and put into an oven proof dish. Bake for 30 mins at 200C

While this is cooking fry the onion for the sauce with the chilli and garlic in olive oil, add the paprika and cook for 5 mins until soft
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar, simmer for 10 mins until reduced

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and pour the fat over the rosemary. Drape the bacon over the meatloaf and then pour over the sauce.
Finally add the rosemary mixture back to the pan and cook for 10 mins or so until the bacon has crisped.

Serve with salad and crusty bread.

Spicy chicken couscous with roasted garlic tomatoes

The husband and I have a problem. There is something I love which he really doesn't like. This means one of three things. Either I go without and give in to his fussiness, I only eat it when he goes out (once in a blue moon) or he has to suck it up given the boys like it too.

This mysterious, poisonous substance ? Couscous. That humble grain eaten by millions of people all over the world. Apparently it's too "chewy". I'd call couscous many things but I'd never really considered it chewy.

Anyway, I thought we'd cracked the couscous issue after he voluntarily ordered it in a restaurant a few months ago. Fine, until I cook it at home and he proclaims it "chewy". The recipe in question I totally loved and to be honest ? He can live with it. I'm outnumbered 1:3 by boys in this house and he's outnumbered by the same ratio by people that love couscous !






SPICY CHICKEN COUSCOUS

serves 4 with left over couscous - seriously there is shedloads !

8 skinless boneless chicken thighs or 4 skinless breasts
250ml low fat greek yoghurt
1.5 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2-1tsp of easy chilli
3 garlic cloves crushed

Large punnet cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper

300g couscous
500ml chicken stock
2 handfuls raisins

Toasted pine nuts
Fresh coriander
Fresh mint


Mix the yoghurt, curry powder, cinnamon, chilli and garlic together and add to chicken.

Put the couscous in a large bowel, add 1tbsp olive oil and the raisins and mix well. Pour over the hot stock, cover and leave for 10-15 mins.

Halve the cherry tomatoes and put on a tray. Mix the oil and garlic and toss together. Sprinkle over some sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Mix the couscous into the chicken and marinade, dot with butter and put into the oven at 200C. Put the cherry tomatoes on the shelf below and cook for 25-30 mins until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve the couscous onto plates and divide the chicken. Top with the tomatoes and sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts and herbs.

Simple tomato sauce

For years now I've been trying to perfect something as simple as a basic tomato sauce. A base for so many things but I haven't been able to crack it.

Both little ones will eat pasta until it's coming out of their ears, so it's one of the staples. While son no1 loves his "squidgy pasta" aka spinach and ricotta tortelloni, I do balk a little at paying nearly £2 for a pot of napoletana sauce.

So after trial and error, I think I've cracked it. I tend to make it in bulk and freeze so there is always a quick tea in the freezer. It also works well as a pizza sauce and has the added benefit of extra veggies.

The sugar may seem an odd addition but it really brings out the sweetness and gives another note to the sauce.

MY BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions chopped
4 cloves of garlic (I do so love my garlic !) crushed
2 sticks of celery finely diced
2 carrots finely diced
1 tbsp dried oregano
3x 400g canned tomatoes
a hefty squeeze tomato puree
1tsp sugar
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pan.
Add all the veg and sweat slowly until just soft
Then add the oregano and cook for a few minutes
Add the tomatoes and about a can of water, then add the tomato puree, sugar and seasoning
Simmer slowly until thick and rich.

Tonight I served this with shredded chicken and cooked pasta, nice and simple but quick and healthy too !