Last night, I got home quite late, and wanted to make something easy and healthy. I had frozen wraps (purchased and stored in freezer for easy use) and a can of kidney beans in the cupboard. Wraps it was.
Fried up some onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, then added the red kidney beans (from a can, drained). Threw in some salt, paprika, dried origanum and tomato paste. Mashed some of the beans and let it heat through.
Put the tortillas in the oven for a little while to defrost and finish cooking. When all was ready, spooned the kidney beans in a line down the centre of the tortilla, topped with some grated cheddar, folded over and served.
Easy, delicious and nutritious.
29 June 2010
Lebanese Aubergine Moussaka
This is something I made last week. Have been out and flying for work, etc, so have only been able to get online now to post this.
I had a huge aubergine and no idea what to make with it this time around, as the other half isn't a fan. I've made eggplant parmesan for him before, and he loved it, but I wanted other options. Started Googling (as you do) can came up with an adapted Nigella Lawson recipe using eggplant: http://www.roamingtales.com/2009/03/08/recipe-lebanese-aubergine-stew/. I had seen a few variations of this, but liked this version, so I decided to follow it with my own twist.
I cubed the eggplant and fried it off in 3 batches (it was really big) in a bit of oil until softened and coloured, and removed from pan. Then I friend off onion, garlic, a bit of giner and chilli in some oil in the pan until onions and garlic we soft, then added chickpeas (from a can, with water drained), and fried it a bit more. I didn't have pomegranate molasses, but I did have some pomegranate cordial. Thought 'what the hell', and put a bit of that in. I then added the aubergine back, some tomato I had previously liquidised and frozen (easier to use that way, and cheaper), and some salt, black pepper, cinnamon, ground ginger, dried mint, and a dash of paprika. Added a cup of water, let it boil, then reduced the heat and let it simmer for the next hour or so while I got on with other things.
I did this the day before we planned to eat it, as it took a long time to get done. When it was done, I spooned it back into the bowl I'd stored the eggplant in, and into the fridge it went. The next day, I heated it up in the oven (easier) for a while, and served with cous cous.
This made quite a lot; we got 2 days' dinners (huge portions) for 2 out of it. Well worth the effort, as it cuts down on cooking for another day :).
To make the cous cous:
Fry some onions, peppers, chilli, whatever you want in a little bit of oil. Add some mustard seeds too. When ready, pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to the boil. Turn off stove, and add in 1 cup of cous cous. Stir to incorporate and wait for it to absorb and become all fluffy. Done!
I had a huge aubergine and no idea what to make with it this time around, as the other half isn't a fan. I've made eggplant parmesan for him before, and he loved it, but I wanted other options. Started Googling (as you do) can came up with an adapted Nigella Lawson recipe using eggplant: http://www.roamingtales.com/2009/03/08/recipe-lebanese-aubergine-stew/. I had seen a few variations of this, but liked this version, so I decided to follow it with my own twist.
I cubed the eggplant and fried it off in 3 batches (it was really big) in a bit of oil until softened and coloured, and removed from pan. Then I friend off onion, garlic, a bit of giner and chilli in some oil in the pan until onions and garlic we soft, then added chickpeas (from a can, with water drained), and fried it a bit more. I didn't have pomegranate molasses, but I did have some pomegranate cordial. Thought 'what the hell', and put a bit of that in. I then added the aubergine back, some tomato I had previously liquidised and frozen (easier to use that way, and cheaper), and some salt, black pepper, cinnamon, ground ginger, dried mint, and a dash of paprika. Added a cup of water, let it boil, then reduced the heat and let it simmer for the next hour or so while I got on with other things.
I did this the day before we planned to eat it, as it took a long time to get done. When it was done, I spooned it back into the bowl I'd stored the eggplant in, and into the fridge it went. The next day, I heated it up in the oven (easier) for a while, and served with cous cous.
This made quite a lot; we got 2 days' dinners (huge portions) for 2 out of it. Well worth the effort, as it cuts down on cooking for another day :).
To make the cous cous:
Fry some onions, peppers, chilli, whatever you want in a little bit of oil. Add some mustard seeds too. When ready, pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to the boil. Turn off stove, and add in 1 cup of cous cous. Stir to incorporate and wait for it to absorb and become all fluffy. Done!
22 June 2010
Blue cheese pizza
Something that's become a favourite option is experimenting with pizza toppings. The most recent was blue cheese option.
I haven't gotten around to making my own pizza bases yet. For the moment, the store-bought pre-prepared bases will suffice. I buy 3 bases, and slice them all in half before freezing (size limitations of freezer). That way, I can make several different toppings for each half base.
The only cooking (besides baking time) in these pizzas went to caramelising some onions. I've recently bought the McCain pre-chopped onions, which work fine for these as well (they're convenient and I don't have to worry about not having onions or onions going off). A little bit of olive oil in a pan, and cook them on a slow heat while chopping up the rest of the ingredients if necessary (I've already pre-chopped all and put them in tubs in the freezer, ready to use as need be). You can add some balsamic vinegar for a good taste towards the end (I didn't have any). A little bit of sugar towards the end also helps to get it looking and tasting great.
This time around, I went with the following:
1. Onto the base went some pureed pumpkin (one pumpkin earlier in the year, which I'd roasted in the oven then scooped out, and separated into one-cup servings and froze. This was the last of it!). This was followed by grated mozzarella (previously grated and frozen) slices of brie and crumbled danish blue cheese. I then scattered some of the caramelised onion on top, as well as some cubed red and yellow peppers and some sliced chilli. Into the oven it went, until the cheese was melted and slightly golden. Delicious.
2. A little bit of caramelised onions on the base, followed by mozzarella (very little). Peel and slice a pear, and arrange artfully. Between pear slices, put slices of brie. Into the oven as before. So good.
3. The quattro formaggio! Most of the caramelised onion went onto this base. A bit of mozarella and loads of brie and danish blue followed. I arranged some slices of chilli on top, and sprinkled toasted sesame seeds and pine nuts over it all. When it had come out of the oven, a good generous grating of parmesan over the top made it deeeeeeelicious.
I haven't gotten around to making my own pizza bases yet. For the moment, the store-bought pre-prepared bases will suffice. I buy 3 bases, and slice them all in half before freezing (size limitations of freezer). That way, I can make several different toppings for each half base.
The only cooking (besides baking time) in these pizzas went to caramelising some onions. I've recently bought the McCain pre-chopped onions, which work fine for these as well (they're convenient and I don't have to worry about not having onions or onions going off). A little bit of olive oil in a pan, and cook them on a slow heat while chopping up the rest of the ingredients if necessary (I've already pre-chopped all and put them in tubs in the freezer, ready to use as need be). You can add some balsamic vinegar for a good taste towards the end (I didn't have any). A little bit of sugar towards the end also helps to get it looking and tasting great.
This time around, I went with the following:
1. Onto the base went some pureed pumpkin (one pumpkin earlier in the year, which I'd roasted in the oven then scooped out, and separated into one-cup servings and froze. This was the last of it!). This was followed by grated mozzarella (previously grated and frozen) slices of brie and crumbled danish blue cheese. I then scattered some of the caramelised onion on top, as well as some cubed red and yellow peppers and some sliced chilli. Into the oven it went, until the cheese was melted and slightly golden. Delicious.
2. A little bit of caramelised onions on the base, followed by mozzarella (very little). Peel and slice a pear, and arrange artfully. Between pear slices, put slices of brie. Into the oven as before. So good.
3. The quattro formaggio! Most of the caramelised onion went onto this base. A bit of mozarella and loads of brie and danish blue followed. I arranged some slices of chilli on top, and sprinkled toasted sesame seeds and pine nuts over it all. When it had come out of the oven, a good generous grating of parmesan over the top made it deeeeeeelicious.
It's been a while...
And with good reason :)
Things got really busy towards the end of the year, and I didn't have much time. At the beginning of this year, I started seeing someone. He is the biggest fan of my cooking, so while I have been cooking a lot, I haven't had much time to write it down or take photos, etc.
But I keep wishing that I remembered to write down recipes that I'd made! Since I can never remember them later. I think I'll use the blog for that :)
I'll start off with what I'd made yesterday, and keep it updated each day. I can't promise photos, though, as we start eating as soon as I take it off the stove!
Things got really busy towards the end of the year, and I didn't have much time. At the beginning of this year, I started seeing someone. He is the biggest fan of my cooking, so while I have been cooking a lot, I haven't had much time to write it down or take photos, etc.
But I keep wishing that I remembered to write down recipes that I'd made! Since I can never remember them later. I think I'll use the blog for that :)
I'll start off with what I'd made yesterday, and keep it updated each day. I can't promise photos, though, as we start eating as soon as I take it off the stove!
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