Tortilla Wrap Pizzas

Need something else to do with your leftovers? Feeling a bit guilty from all the overindulging? Yes, I do.
So today I made skinny guilt free Pizzas!
Yes, such thing does exist.

Take ordinary flour tortilla wraps and use them as a pizza base. Spread them with fresh tomatoes mixed with some tomato puree and seasoned with Salt, Pepper and Oregano.
Then use a low fat Mozzarella and dot that around. I also used a German cheese called Hand Cheese or Harzer, which has a surprising 0.5% fat!!! They should start making that here in the UK, I propose.
Anyway, now top with your favorite toppings, but do not overcrowd. Veggies of all sort make a healthy beginning, but Turkey or Ham (or both) add the seasonal touch.
Bake in a hot oven (as hot as it goes) for 10 minutes or until the edges start to crisp and the cheese is melted.
You must try this, I know you'll love it :-D

Eastern Mediterranean Lamb Stew

This slow and low cooked stew is my creation inspired by Greek, Turkish and other ingredients from that part of the World. I can imagine it is the sort of thing that is cooking right this moment in someones country kitchen wood fired stove on a beautiful Mediterranean island.

The aromas developing, teasing you for a long while before you get to taste the delicious result, will make your house smell of hearty home cooked fayre.

So here is how I made it.

Ingredients:

1 kg diced Lamb (fairly lean)

3 Onions, sliced

3 Garlic Cloves, smashed

2 Turkish Peppers (or 1 Bell Pepper)

12 Pitted Olives (I used a few of each variety)

1 Rosemary Stalk

3 Bayleafes

5 Cloves

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 tbs dried Oregano

1 dried long red Chilli

1 can of chopped Tomatoes

100ml Chicken Stock

Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Start by browning the Lamb in a heavy based pot or dutch oven. Do it in batches to give the pieces enough space to get a good color. Remove all the meat onto a plate and add the Onions to the Pot. Stir these around for a while before returning the meat and the rest of the ingredients apart from the Olives. Bring everything to a simmer and cover. The Pot can now stay on the stove and cook on a very low heat or go in the oven at 150C. Either way it takes about 3 hours to make this stew melt in the mouth tender. The olives can join the stew about 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

I was wondering what would be best to accompany this stew and have decided on Orzo, a Rice shaped Pasta. Mashed Potato would be good also or Potato dumplings. But then it wouldn't really be proper Mediterranean, would it.

I also made some Dolmades to snack on while waiting and a filo pastry stuffed with Spinach and Feta.

Bon Apetit!

Tuna and Three Bean Burger

I have lived in Brighton for many years and enjoyed this City immensely. But now I am packing my things and moving somewhere alot quieter, somewhere peaceful and remote. 

But more about that later.

Meanwhile I am using up my store cupboard supplies. A little rummage later I have found dried beans and tins of Tuna calling out to me.

This could make a nice Burger me thinks.

Here's how I made it.

Ingredients:

450g Cooked and mashed Beans, (a mixture of Black Beans, Kidney Beans and Cannellini Beans)

1 tin of Tuna in Brine, drained

1/2 red Onion, finely diced

1 garlic Clove, minced

1 long red Chilli, finely diced

1 free range Egg

1 tbs chopped fresh Parsley

zest of 1 Lemon plus a little squeeze of the juice

1 heaped tsp Cornflour

a pinch of Chilli Flakes

a good pinch of Sea salt and fresh milled Pepper

plain Flour for the outside

I cooked my beans from died, by soaking overnight, then cooking in fresh water for 10 minutes on high, then about an hour with a lid on very low. I left them to cool before mashing them with a potato masher, leaving just a few chunky bits here and there for texture.

Mix the mashed beans with the other ingredients in a large bowl, apart from the flour, which will be used for the crust.

Dust the Flour onto a plate. Heat a pan with about 2 tbs of vegetable oil. Shape the mixture with wet hands into 6 palm sized patties and lay them onto the flour. Turn them over once in the flour then they go straight into a hot pan.

 Leave them to cook for about 3 minutes to get a nice crispy outside. Turn over and cook another 3 minutes. Use kitchen paper to drain them on to retain the crispiness.

Serve with some peppery Salad leaves and your favorite Mexican Salsa, Mayonnaise or Chilli Sauce.

For a cheap meal out of the store cupboard, this is really rather good nosh, even if I say so myself ;-)

Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash

Squashes and Pumpkins are plentiful this time of year, so put them on your table! 

I made this recipe with Greek inspired ingredients, but the stuffing can be adapted to suit your taste buds and even made vegetarian by using lentils instead of meat.

Ingredients:
(makes 2 servings @ 6 WeightWatchers points each)

200g extra lean minced Lamb

50g Feta Cheese
2 Spring Onions, chopped

1 green Chillies, chopped
2 Tomatoes, diced
1 tbs fresh Oregano, chopped
1 fat Garlic Clove, chopped
Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Cut the Butternut Squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds (discard those).
With a spoon carefully scoop out some of the flesh from the Squash, leaving a small border all around.
Chop the flesh up into small pieces.
Make the Stuffing by combining the Mince with the Squash Flesh, Oregano, Chilli, Spring Onion, Garlic, Tomato and seasoning.

Fill the Butternut Squash with the filling and press down well. It may make a little bulge on top but that's fine.
Crumble the Feta cheese over the top and place into a baking dish.
Bake in a 200C oven for about 1 hour or until the Squash is soft and the stuffing is cooked through.

 
Looking at it now, this could be a meal as it is or cut in half to make 4 portions with some side dishes.

Salt and Pepper Squid with Cucumber Salsa

This delicious Salad is my idea of another perfectly healthy low calorie dish. It has only 2 Weightwatchers points, but will kick a punch when it comes to taste.

Ingredients:
(makes 2 servings)
2 medium cleaned squid, cut into 2 inch pieces and crisscrossed on the inside
1 tsp Szechuan Peppercorns
1 tsp Chilli flakes
1 tsp Coarse Sea Salt
1 tsp Cooking Oil

Make the Salt and Pepper mix, by toasting the Szechuan Peppercorns in a small pan until fragrant. Bash them in a Pestle and Mortar then add the Chilli and Salt and grind together.

For the Cucumber Salsa:
1 Lebanese Cucumber or 1/4 regular, sliced thinly into half moons
1/2 small red Onion, sliced thinly
1 long red Chilli, sliced thinly
1 tsp Natural Sugar
1 1/2  tbs Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Mix the Salsa ingredients together and check the seasoning for the balance of the 4 'S', sweet, sour, spicy and salty.
Leave it to sit in the fridge for a while to let all the flavors develop. This salsa gets better the longer it stands,

Heat a skillet to searingly hot and add 1 tsp of Cooking Oil.
Toss in the Squid and sprinkle with a couple of good pinches of the Salt and Pepper Mix.
Toss and fry for a couple of minutes until the Squid has curled up. Be careful not to overcook them as the squid may become rubbery. 3 minutes is the maximum time required.

Serve the Squid on a bed of Salad Leaves with a Lime or Lemon Wedge and the Cucumber Salsa on the side.

Wat Dan Hor - Fried Noodles with Seafood in Gravy

When I go to a Chinese Restaurant on my own, I almost always have this dish. It is comforting and delicious with many different interesting ingredients, yet made so simply, without any fancy spices or herbs. It doesn't need anything like that.

Today I have recreated this dish at home for the first time. I was worried that it may not come out the same, but I surprised myself. The flavors and textures were exactly right.

Ingredients:

(serves 3)

250g Raw Prawns, shelled, deveined and cut in half lengthways

(I used only Prawns, but use any seafood that you fancy)

1 inch piece if Ginger, finely chopped

2-3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
A selection of Vegetables and exotic Mushrooms (Mange Tout, Chinese Cabbages, Shitake and other exotic Mushrooms, Spring Onion, Green Pepper, Carrot), all cut or sliced thinly so they cook evenly

300g Wok ready Rice Noodles, thick ones are better

1tsp Soy Sauce

200ml good Chicken Broth

1 heaped tsp Cornflour mixed with Water

2 tsp Vegetable Oil

Heat 1 tsp of the Oil in a Wok and stir fry the prawns (and seafood) until just cooked. (this will only take a couple of minutes) Set aside.

Add another tsp of the Oil and fry the noodles in the same Wok, giving them just a little bit of color on the edges, for that authentic Chinese Restaurant taste. Add a splash of Soy sauce, set aside and keep warm..

Now toss all the Vegetables in the Wok and stir fry for a few minutes. Then the Chicken broth goes in and the Cornflour sloshy. Stir until thickened. Return the Prawns (and Seafood), stir once more and it's ready to serve.

Pour the Gravy with all it's lovely Vegetables and Seafood over the Noodles and eat with Chopsticks.

Italian Style Pasta Bolognese

Is there anybody out there who doesn't like a bowl of hearty Bolognese? Is there anybody out there who doesn't make THE best Bolognese? There isn't, is there. So, I was wondering if you would like compare our Recipes. Reveal our best version of this wonderful dish.

I am using the classic Italian recipe where Tomato paste is used sparingly and the base is made with smoky bacon and sofrito. Wild Boar is often used as the main meat ingredient, but I am using extra lean Beef today. Pancetta would be the ideal smoky bacon, however I am using my organic free range English bacon, with all the fat trimmed away, because I am as always watching my weight.

Ingredients:
500g extra lean minced Beef
100g smoky Bacon, diced
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 Carrots, diced
2 Onions, diced
2 ribs of Celery, diced
2 Garlic, cloves, chopped
2 tbs Tomato Puree
1 glass White Wine
1 glass of skimmed Milk
1 red Chilli, chopped
Salt and Pepper
Basil and Parmesan to finish an garnish

Start by frying the bacon in the Olive Oil, then add the Beef and stir till browned. Next add the Onion, Carrot, Celery, Garlic, Chilli and fry until translucent.
Add the Tomato paste, fry a little more then pour in the wine. Let the alcohol evaporate... then add the milk. Check the seasoning at this stage and add Salt and Pepper to taste.  Cover and simmer quietly for about an hour. Keep stirring occasionally.
Add a little water if it goes to dry. Keep simmering on a low heat, the longer the better.
Once the sauce has cooked into a rich unctuousness it is ready to be mixed with your favorite Pasta. In Italy it would of course be Tagliatelle.

I'm pretty sure you have your own ideas about what makes THE best Bolognese. Do you like to add any Herbs, maybe Jamie Oliver style with Peas, how do you do it? What's your secret? Please share :-)