Paella, Spicy Style!

Paella is one of Paddy's favourite foods so, since I have recently been converted to rice, I made my own from what I had left in my cupboard! I made far too much for two people, but it was lemony and delicious. With left over rice you can always make Rissoles or something. Paella isn't usually spicy, but I added a green chilli to mine and it gave a little kick and complemented the other flavours to my personal taste! If you're not too keen on lemons I would use less than I did in this recipe, but if you do, you'll enjoy this.

Ingredients:

1 Large Chicken Breast, chopped into pieces

Left over Crayfish Tails

Left over cooked and peeled Prawns

About 1 and 1/2 Lemons, chopped into wedges

Paella Rice (enough for two, I used Plaza Del Sol)

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 small Courgette, finely chopped

1/2 Red Pepper, 1/2 Yellow Pepper, finely chopped

Good handful of freshly chopped Parsley

Good handful Cherry Tomatoes, halved

Lots of Garlic, finely sliced (I used about a whole bulb, but that's personal taste)

1 Green Chilli, finely chopped

About 1 litre Chicken or Vegetable Stock, see Alice's Basics (I used homemade chicken stock from the freezer)

I also used 4 small left over Mushrooms, quartered

White Wine

Olive Oil

Method:

1. In a large heavy based pan sear and lightly colour the chicken pieces with the lemon wedges then set aside.
2. On a medium heat add the onion, courgette, garlic, chilli, tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers. Fry for a few minutes alone before adding the wine. Turn up the heat for a moment to burn off the alcohol.
3. Return the chicken pieces and lemon to the pan and pour in just enough stock to cover all the contents of the pan. Partially cover the pan and bring to a simmer.
4. Stir the pan every now and again. Once the first lot of stock has been completely absorbed into the rice add the rest of the stock a ladle at a time, making sure each is absorbed before adding the next. This should take about 10-15 minutes until the rice is cooked. Don't forget to keep covering and stirring the pan.
5. Once the rice is cooked stir through the seafood and chopped parsley, remove from the heat and allow to stand for one minute then serve! I served this on its own but you can serve it with bread and another wedge of lemon if you like. 

Monkfish, Hake & Prawn Ravioloni in a Saffron and Crayfish Tail Butter

This recipe is based on one in Carluccio's 100 Pasta Dishes book (see bibliography). This was good fun to make, although all together rather expensive! If I had even more money I might have gone so far as to use Lobster. To make this I used my pasta rolling contraption, however rolling it by hand is also fine but it may not go as thin. Do not let sheets dry too much as they won't stick together. Oh, and Ravioloni is just big Ravioli! I served 2-3 to a plate but one would do as an impressive starter! This was meant to serve two, however it makes enough to serve about four-five. Yet, since this was my first experiment a lot of the pasta broke in the pan and only 6 ravioloni survived! This was plenty for two, but that means if you do attempt this yourself beware of the quantities. Therefore, I'm going to write this recipe quite roughly (without exact amounts) and let you judge for yourself!

Ingredients:
Pasta dough for 2 (see Alice's Basics section) rolled into about 6 sheets
Piece of Hake
Monkfish Tail
Cooked and peeled prawns (chopped into small pieces)
Crayfish Tails
About 1 and 1/2 tsps Saffron (half pounded in a pestle and mortar)
2 egg yolks
Salt and Pepper
Butter

Method:

1. Whilst the pasta dough is resting before rolling (see Alice's Basics at the top right of this page), make the filling. Firstly, poach the Hake and Monkfish in slightly salted water for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and leave to cool for a short while.
2. Chop the Hake and Monkfish into small pieces and remove all bones/skin. Mix together with the prawns, egg yolks, salt and pepper. Voila, you have the filling!
3. Once the pasta is rolled into sheets, onto a floured surface, put 2 heaped tablespoons of pasta about 10cm apart onto 3 of your 6 sheets. Top with another sheet and firmly press down around the edges of each dollop of filling. I made a mistake here and mine fell apart a little so do press firmly! Cut with a knife or pasta cutter into squares of about 7cm x 5cm.
4. This only takes about 4 minutes to cook in boiling - simmering water. Whilst it cooks heat a generous knob of butter in a pan and add the Saffron and Crayfish Tails until the butter has melted and the tails are warmed through.
5. Serve the ravioloni as 2-3 per plate and drizzle over the butter, Saffron and Crayfish sauce, serve immediately! This dish is rather rich, so I would say you definitely don't need any hard cheese on top. Enjoy your luxurious fishy dish!

Chicken Korahi Curry (Karachi Restaurant Bradford)

This is my last post before I go off on holiday to Turkey. For the first time in many holidays I actually have baggage in the hold, so I'm hoping to source some local spices - and perhaps recipes! So, I had some shredded chicken meat to use from a left over Sunday dinner bird, I was watching Saturday Kitchen Best Bites and I saw this clip of Rick Stein cooking a recipe from the Karachi Restaurant in Bradford:

I had all of these ingredients and spices in the house, so I quickly jotted down the recipe as I watched. I made this curry the next day and it tasted amazing! Instead of writing out Ingredients then Method as I usually do, I'll copy my jotted down recipe word for word. I followed it almost exactly, although, I did add the meat a bit later (quite close to completing the dish) as it was already cooked. Although I will definitely be cooking this curry again with either a different meat or raw chicken, as I can image only an enhanced, more absorbed flavour!

 I know presentation is not excellent, but it tasted bloody lovely!

Recipe (as I jotted it down):

1. Fry lots of finely chopped onions (3 large ones preferably) in butter or ghee.
2. Blend onions with a tin of tomatoes, lots of chopped garlic and some chopped ginger into a purée.
3. Pour into a large lidded pan/casserole dish, cook with meat of choice until meat is cooked.
4. Add ground coriander, cumin (also ground), chili powder, paprika and turmeric.
5. Whilst the pot simmers blend chopped green chilies with water and add to curry with some spinach.
6. At the end add fresh coriander and some Garam Masala.
7. Serve with pilaf rice cooked with cinnamon and cardamon, and perhaps a chapati.

I actually cooked my rice in coconut milk too (due to an excellent bargain of 4 tins of it for a £1 that I found!) and it was a tasty accompaniment. Although the curry did steal the show.

A Summer Delight: Spinach, Ricotta and Red Onion Pizza

I love making pizza, you get really messy and it's good fun. This is a delicious supper, or as lunch or dinner served with a nice salad.

Ingredients:

For the pizza dough (roughly makes 3 pizzas):

500g strong plain flour

Couple pinches of salt

1 x 7g sachet dried yeast

A bit of Semolina for dusting

300ml lukewarm water

For the topping: (this is what I used, but you can really put on whatever you like!)

3 Small Red Onions, thinly chopped

Bag of Spinach, wilted and drained

About 160g Ricotta Cheese

About 160g  crème fraîche

Handful whatever hard cheese you have left in the fridge, finely grated

3-4 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

Method: 

1. Mix flour salt and yeast in a large bowl. Gradually add the water until well combined - this is when to get your hands dirty! If the dough is too sticky  add a little more flour, but not too much otherwise the base will get too dry.
2. Shape dough into a ball and cover with a cloth or clingfilm and leave for about five minutes. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. One way to know if you've kneaded it enough is to shape the dough into a ball, take a floured finger and press a small dint into the side: if it springs back it is ready. Shape into three balls and put onto floured tray or floured clean tea towel. cover with a slightly damp clean clot or tea towel and leave to rise somewhere warm. This will take at least half an hour, ideally, leave it for 40-60 minutes.
3. While the dough is rising preheat the oven to 240 degrees. Also, make the topping. Mix together the cheeses, crème fraîche and garlic (add fresh basil or parsley if you have some). Season with salt and pepper and set to one side.
4. When the dough is ready, flour a clean work surface and spread each dough ball into whatever shape you want. I always try to do circles, but inevitably they don't fit onto my baking trays and end up as a sort of round-edged oblong! Try to roll the dough as thin as possible, the thinner the better!
5. Place onto baking trays scattered with Semolina.
6. Add topping: liberally spread over mixture right to the edges with only a small gap. Then scatter over generous portions of red onion and spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Place into hot oven for about 10 minutes on a middle shelf. You will have to cook the third pizza afterwards if you have a small oven as if you place it onto a lower/higher shelf it will not cook evenly.
8. Serve immediately with a nice salad of rocket, black olives, tomato and balsamic vinegar, a glass of Frascati and enjoy! An excellent summer food!

Chicken and Leek Risotto

 I have only recently been converted to rice by Paddy. This is my second risotto, but my first own creation of one. This is very filling and very rich, but  a lovely hearty tea!

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 Chicken Breasts (diced into edible chunks) You can use boneless thighs if you like, but I prefer breast.

Plenty of grated Parmesan, or other hard cheese such as Grana Padano

Plenty of chopped fresh Parsley

3 Medium Leeks, sliced thinly

About 60g Butter, cubed

1 Litre Strong Chicken Stock

Risotto Rice (75g per person)

6 Cloves of Garlic (finely chopped) Use less if you like

Salt and fresh black Pepper to serve

Method:

1. Sauté the leeks in half the butter, adding most of the garlic after a while, until softened in a large heavy-based wok/pan.
2. Add the rice to the pan and make sure it is fully coated in the mixture before adding the stock (make sure it is hot) ladel by ladel, making sure each addition is completely absorbed before adding the next by stirring. This will then take about 20-25 minutes to cook until the rice is softened to taste, keep stirring every now and then, ensuring the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Meanwhile, in a seperate frying pan prepare the chicken pieces. Add a dash of olive oil and the rest of the garlic and heat to medium. When hot add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until succulent. Do not over cook, remember this will be added to the risotto in a moment and will cook a little more when added.
4. When the rice is softened with just a little bite, stir in the chicken pieces, parsley and a handful of cheese. Place remaining butter cubes on top, remove from heat and cover pan until butter has melted in. 
5. Add fresh pepper to taste, and salt if you like, but I didn't think it needed it.
6. Serve  immediately with finely grated Parmesan and a sprig of parsley. Enjoy!

 I should really get some matching bowls!

Carluccio's Biscotti di Polenta (Polenta Biscuits)

I've had some Polenta in my store cupboard for a while and have often not known really what to do with it to make it interesting. I've made savoury Polenta before, but never anything sweet with it. So here is what I did! This recipe is from The Two Greedy Italians eat Italy cookbook (see bibliography for details) by Antonio Carluccio and Genaro Contaldo, a surprisingly mushroom-free recipe from the two. I have not made biscuits since I was little, so I followed this recipe closely for once! As I did I shan't write the whole thing down, as I think that's against the law. But my review is that the piping of the biscuits into disks was difficult, so mine ended up resembling Ameretti biscuits more! Very nice with a cuppa however, and a nice light afternoon snack. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so the small size went nicely with an afternoon tea break and were a good compliment to Paddy's bait. Needless to say, about 30 biscuits were eaten within a week! Ingredients involve: polenta, sugar, lemon zest, plain flour, butter and eggs.

Lovely with a cup of tea or coffee!

North African Butternut Squash and Chickpea Stew

This is my last recipe that I cooked in Harrogate! It is based on one from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Veg Everyday (see bibliography). The spices in this are lovely and aromatic and this definitely tasted better the next day after they'd had time to permeate through the stew. We've now moved to York and I now have much bigger kitchen and an amazing pantry that I love, so expect more recipes! 

Ingredients (I'll give you what I used rather than Hugh's list):

1 Butternut Squash

1 Large Onion

At least 7 cloves of garlic

Fresh Pepper

Turmeric (judge amount to taste, I added about 11/2 tsps)

Tsp ground Cinnamon
Tsp ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground Ginger (also any other spices you have and think will go, I think I added a couple more myself but can't remember!)

Tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Pinch of Saffron

Tin of tomatoes

About 3/4 litre stock (I used chicken)

1 Bay leaf

Some small pasta (to add bulk) I used Conchigliette

About handful and 1/2 dried split peas, soaked until softened

Coriander (preferably fresh, but I only had dried in)

Method:

1. Soften the onions in a large pan/wok on a medium heat. Add the garlic and all the spices after about five minutes and continue to soften.

2. Add the split peas, chickpeas and tinned tomatoes, cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, peel and de-seed the butternut squash. I found this difficult so you may want to do this in advance. I cut mine into quite small cubes as I prefer it that way.

4. Add the squash to the pan with the stock, coriander and bay leaf. Mix well with pepper. Cover and leave to simmer until the butternut squash has softened (usually about half an hour).

5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

A nice easy one-pot stew for tea!