20/02/2011 by D.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 lamb shanks
4 carrots
4 potatoes
2 onions
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tin chickpeas
1 tin tomatoes
500g couscous

Preheat oven to 150c.  Peel and chop the carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic.  Heat the oil in a heavy pan (or hob and oven proof dish) and brown the shanks on all sides.  Remove the shanks, and add the veg to the pan and brown a little for a few minutes.  Add the ground spices.  Give it a good stir, then add the chickpeas, salt and tomatoes.  Deglaze the bottom of the pan with some water or wine.

Tip the veg mixture into a casserole dish and nestle in the shanks.  Top up with water so that liquid comes within a centimeter of the top.  Put the lid on and cook it for 3 hours, until the meat is very tender.

With about 30 mins to go, rinse the couscous, and place in a fine metal sieve over a pan of gently boiling water, with a lid on top (or in a steamer, should you have such a thing).

Test the shanks for softness and seasoning.  Fluff through the couscous and add a little butter or olive oil.

Serve with some Harissa and a fresh green salad.

Posted in Cumin, Coriander, Chickpeas, Couscous, Supper, Lamb, Potato, Carrot, Onion, Garlic, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

02/05/2010 by D.

These classy little numbers come from the Planet Organic baby & toddler cookbook… but we all love to eat them!

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 carrot
1 green pepper
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tins beans, drained
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 egg
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated cheddar

Preheat oven to 200c.  Finely chop, mince or grate veg.  Mash beans and puree.  Fry veg and spices for 5 mins.  Add to bean mixture. 

Mix in the rest of the ingredients and roll into golf ball sized patties and flatten slightly.  You can make larger ones if you prefer, just add 5 mins to the cooking time.  (You can freeze some at this point).

Bake on greased tray for 25 mins and turn them after 15 mins.

Serve with soft rolls or pitta pockets, potato wedges and some crunchy salad.  Ketchup, relish, chilli sauce and additional cheese/tomato/pineapple slices make the burger building fun.

Posted in Cheese, Cumin, Coriander, Green Pepper, Eggs, Beans, Carrot, Onion, Vegetarian, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

28/03/2010 by D.

The traditional way to make this involves poaching the chicken, which is delicious.  I never get round to it, so tend to make it with leftovers from a chicken roast:

cold chicken
3 spring onions
white pepper

Soup
chicken carcass
1 onion
1 carrot
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp light soy sauce

Rice
1 mug rice
2 mugs cold water
1/2 tsp salt

Cucumber pickle
1 cucumber
1 cup vinegar
1 small chilli
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Once you’ve stripped all the chicken off the carcass, put the chicken in the fridge.  Put the carcass in a big pot with a peeled chopped carrot and onion and two bay leaves.  Cover with water and bring to boil.  Simmer for an hour or two, then strain and throw away the bits, leaving the liquid to cool.

Meanwhile wash the cucumber and cut into batons or thin slices.  Chop the chilli finely.  Mix the chilli, cucumber, vinegar, salt and sugar in a bowl and leave to macerate.

When you are ready to eat, cook the rice.  Bring the rice, 2 mugs water and 1/2 tsp salt to boil.  Simmer for around 10 mins until water has evaporated.  Taste the rice.  If it is ready and the water is nearly gone, put a lid on the pot and turn up the heat for 30 seconds to generate steam, then turn off the heat.  If not yet done, add a little more water then retest a couple of minutes later.

While the rice is cooking, bring the chicken stock to boil.  Season with a dash or two of light soy sauce.  Finely chop the spring onion.

To serve, pack the cooked rice into a small bowl, then turn one out onto each plate.  Arrange the cold chicken next to the rice.  Pour some chicken soup into a small bowl for each person, sprinkle in some spring onions and season with a shake or two of white pepper.  Serve with the bowl of cucumber pickle on the side.

I absolutely love the clean, fresh tastes of this dish.  To eat it you can take a spoonful of rice and dip it into your chicken soup.  You then have the succulent pieces of chicken (more so if you make this by the poaching method), and some fresh and spicy cucumber to give it all a lift.  We are having this tomorrow night and I can’t wait!

Posted in Chicken, Bayleaf, Cucumber, Spring Onions, White pepper, Vinegar, Soy sauce, Carrot, Onion, Chilli, Rice, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

07/03/2010 by D.

1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 tsp butter
5 carrots
1 1/2 pints vegetable stock
juice of half lemon
1 tsp sugar

Chop the onions and carrots and mince the garlic.  Melt the butter in a large pan and gently fry the veg for a couple of minutes.  Add the stock, sugar and lemon juice.  Leave to simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Blend the soup, then season to taste.

This is a lovely, light, lemony soup.  With very sweet carrots you don’t need the sugar, but some of the ones I have got are a bit elderly and therefore can do with a little boost.  Be your own judge!  The toddlers love dipping buttery soldiers into this for a speedy, warm lunch.

Posted in Garlic, Soup, Butter, Lunch, Lemon, Vegetarian, Toddler, Recipe, Carrot, Onion, Organic Box | Print | No Comments »