05May / 2012

Easy baked eggplant

A budget busting repast

I know a lot of people aren’t fond of eggplants but if you know what to do with them, this unassuming vegie is a brilliant substitute for meat and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Perhaps the best method of cooking eggplant is by baking and it is certainly the most simple. It’s just as easy as cooking a one pot dish and requires far fewer ingredients. Because it is so much cheaper than meat, I love to make this baked eggplant recipe when I want to feed my family on a budget and serve something hearty, unfussy and generous.

Baking the eggplant makes the flesh super soft and is a great foil for sauces and other flavours. The recipe below explains how to make a simple baked eggplant but there is room for all sorts of inventiveness when it comes to sauces and side dishes. I have described my favourite way of preparing baked eggplant below and usually serve this with rice or couscous.

If you’re worried about baked eggplant not being your kid’s thing I suggest you give it a go anyway. Mine were originally a little timid at the sight of the deflated purple skinned things that came out of the oven but now love them to bits – especially when prepared parmigiana style!

baked eggplant recipe

Purple beauties. Image by Stepheye, Flickr.

Easy baked eggplant recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggplants – halved length ways
  • 1 x 700g jar tomato passata (pulp) or chopped tomatoes
  • Parsley
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Optiona: 2 cloves garlic
  • Optional extras: pesto, cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic, herbs

Method

Preheat your oven to 220C. Cut a criss-cross pattern into the exposed side of your eggplant and drizzle with olive oil. Place in a baking dish and cook for around 50-60 minutes until soft. In the last ten minutes, heat up some passata in a small pot, season with salt and pepper and serve on top of your baked eggplant. Garnish with a little chopped parsley.

While this is really tasty, you can do even more with this simple dish such as gently frying a little garlic before adding the tomato pulp and creating a more complex sauce with a bay leaf and perhaps some rosemary or thyme.

Another idea is to turn this eggplant recipe into more of a parmigiana type dish and top the eggplants with the tomato sauce around 10 minutes before they finish cooking. Follow this with bread crumbs and then grated cheese. Finish by grilling for the final 5 minutes so the top becomes golden and bubbly.

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26Apr / 2012

Mushroom and polenta recipe

Stress free savoury supper

If you’re not familiar with polenta then it’s time to rectify this! A cheap, filling and mind-numbingly easy thing to cook, polenta is a perfect alternative to potatoes and pasta. Instant polenta is cooked much like couscous but instead of fluffing it up with a fork, you can serve it runny like a golden soft mash or allow it to set and cut it into pieces.

A wonderful sponge for strong flavours and sauces, polenta recipes often involve robust side dishes, a piece of meat and stews.  The polenta recipe I’m sharing today includes one of my favourite ingredients; the mighty mushroom and can be made for lunch or dinner. It takes about 15 minutes and remains one of my favourite fabulous fast recipes. If you want a heartier meal, then a couple of sausages suit this polenta recipe to a tea. Another idea is to serve grilled tomatoes as a more expansive vegetarian version of this polenta recipe.

easy polenta recipe

Runny polents: sunshine on a plate. Image by emmadiscovery, Flickr.

Mushroom and polenta recipe

Ingredients

  • 300g mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves – finely chopped
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • 80g polenta
  • 80g parmesan
  • 1 tsbp. thyme – chopped
  • 1 tsbp. rosemary – chopped
  • 1 tbsp. tarragon – chopped
  • 30g butter
  • 100g cheese such as grated cheddar or broken up bits of havarti
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Method

Heat some olive oil in a large pan and fry garlic and mushrooms. Start with the heat down low so the garlic doesn’t burn and when the mushrooms give out some juice you can turn it up a little. It will help the mushrooms to brown if they have a bit of space and aren’t moved about too much. When these are cooked add thyme and tarragon, stir through and season with salt and pepper. Pop on a lid to keep this warm. Meanwhile you can be preparing your instant polenta. Start by preheating your grill. Then follow the polenta packet instructions. It should only take around five minutes to cook. When it is cooked but still runny, stir in butter, rosemary and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a baking dish and top with cheddar or Havarti and grill for a few minutes until the cheese starts to bubble. Serve along with mushrooms and their juices and anything else that takes your fancy.

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13Apr / 2012

Chicken and Mushroom Casserole Recipe

A dish for every occasion

I love this casserole recipe so much that I’m surprised I haven’t shared it with you sooner! Another one pot wonder, it makes enough to easily feed a family can be served with mashed or roast potatoes, steamed rice, spiral pasta or thick slices of crusty bread.  Any of these served with my chicken and mushroom casserole recipe make a hearty dinner anyone would be happy with but if you want to include a green; consider beans, asparagus, broccoli or salad. Unlike more humble casserole recipes, this one is certainly worthy of serving at a dinner party and has been requested by friends of mine on more than one occasion! Most of the time however, my chicken and mushroom casserole is a weekend supper I make when I have more time to cook. I love to put it on and happily potter about as the house while it fills up with delicious cooking smells.

chicken and mushroom casserole recipe

The King of Casserole Dishes: Le Creuset. Image by Word Ridden, Flickr.

Chicken and Mushroom Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken – cut into 8 pieces, skin and bone still intact
  • 3 tbsp. plain flour
  • 2 carrots – cut in slices on diagonal
  • 1 medium brown onion – sliced
  • 350g mushroom – sliced thickly
  • 1 glass wine – red or white
  • Water
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • 5 tbsp. cream
  • ½ tbsp. English mustard
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Butter
  • Salt and ground pepper

Method

Pour some flour (with a pinch or two of salt in it) onto a plate and roll chicken pieces in it before shaking them free of any excess. Heat olive oil in a large fry pan or casserole dish and brown all over on medium heat. Remove chicken onto plate, drizzle in some more olive oil and fry onions gently until then soften and become clear. Pour in wine, scraping the tasty sticky chicken bits on the bottom off and stir around with onions. Let it bubble and the alcohol will burn off in a minute. Pop the chicken back in along with the carrots and bay leaf. Put another small splash of wine in with enough water to come 1/2 way up the side of the chicken. Season generously with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook gently with lid partially covering it for 1 ½ hours. If you don’t have a lid, make one using a few layers of tin foil. In a separate pan, fry the mushroom in butter and after they have browned, add to casserole.  Turn chicken and stir halfway through cooking time. In a small bowl combine cream and mustard. After the chicken is cooked, remove to a plate and stir cream mix into juices. Taste and season with salt and pepper. As with a lot of casserole recipes, the sauce might need thickening, and if so increase heat with the lid off, allowing it to thicken as you stir. Return chicken to sauce, stir through and serve with big ladles of the sauce and a garnishing this delectable chicken and mushroom casserole recipe with parsley if that’s your fancy!

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03Apr / 2012

One Pot Wonder: Sweet Corn Chowder Recipe

Family food at its best

I realise I bang on about it but  a one pot dish is a busy cook’s best friend! There’s limited washing up once you’re done, no overflowing stove-top of pans to juggle or touchy timing issues and they’re great when you need to feed an army.  My Sweet Corn Chowder recipe is a prime example of how one pot cooking should be part of every parent’s survival skills. There is nothing lacking in the flavour department because even though its meat free, it has the comfort food factor of a beef goulash.

When it comes to vegetables, corn is one that every kid likes; its sweet flavour, juicy texture and happy colour gets them every time.  Need another reason to make my Sweet Corn Chowder recipe tomorrow if not sooner? Much like my butter chickpeas, it’s super ecomonical and uses ingredients usually sitting in your pantry and fridge already.

Delicious corn chowder recipe

Corn chowder topped with cheese, sour cream and bacon. Image by peapodsquadmum, Flickr.

Sweet Corn Chowder Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1kg frozen sweetcorn, defrosted
  • 1 large leek or 3 spring onions, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 litres hot vegetable stock made from concentrate or cube
  • 500 ml milk
  • 200g grated cheese
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper
  • Red chilli, bacon, coriander, croutons – optional, to serve

Method

Get a large pot, drizzle in some olive oil and fry the leeks or spring onions until they soften. Add garlic and fry for another minute but don’t let them burn! Add diced potato and stock and simmer for around 10 minutes. You want the potato softened but not gone to mush. Add defrosted and drained corn and milk. Cook for a few minutes then blend with a hand wand or ladle half out into a blender – (depending on what kitchen aid you’ve got) and pour back into pot to mix through. This chowder recipe calls for a semi-smooth consistency – a few chunky bits add nice texture! Taste and season with salt and pepper.

You can tweak this easy Sweet Corn Chowder recipe to suit yourself. For example, serve with chopped red chills for those who like spice, crispy bacons bits or fresh herbs. Crusty buttered bread is a must!

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25Mar / 2012

Minestrone Soup: Hmmmm!

A meal sized soup

Minestrone soup is a life saver for any working parent who wants to put hearty, delicious food on the table fast.  It’s a popular one in my household, especially in cooler months, so as we’re well into Autumn I thought I share this standby recipe that has saved me from ordering greasy takeaway on more than on occasion. Like my lentils and sausages, it is a one pot wonder and so much more filling than a normal soup.

Another reason I love Minestrone soup is you can change the ingredients depending on what you have in the house, making it a great budget meal. No courgettes or spinach? No worries – it’s still just as lovely. All sorts of beans work, ditto pasta or you could even throw in some long grained rice if you’re in a fix. Whatever I include, Minestrone soup brings a warm glow to the kitchen and faces of my kids every time I make it.

Minestrone soup recipe

Minestrone soup. Image by Waldopics, Flickr.

Minestrone Soup Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 small onions – finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic – finely chopped
  • 2 carrots – peeled and chopped
  • 2 sticks celery – chopped
  • 2 courgettes – diced
  • 1 small-medium potato – peeled and diced
  • 250g spinach
  • 2 x tinned tomatoes
  • 550ml stock (preferably chicken or vegetable)
  • 50g dried pasta
  • 200g tinned or jarred cannellini, kidney or bortolli beans
  • 4 bacon rashers – optional
  • Parmesan cheese – grated, to serve

Method

Fry the onions in oil for a few minutes before adding the garlic for another minute or two. Stir in all your diced and chopped vegetables and let them sizzle on the pan a bit before pouring in your tinned tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes so it becomes a chunky looking sauce. Add the stock and cooked beans. Pour your pasta into a plastic zip-lock bag and bash a few times to break up the pieces with a rolling pin. Add to soup and cook for around 10 minutes or until pasta is softened. Turn off heat and stir in spinach, allowing it to wilt in the minestrone soup a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with grated parmesan on top. Crusty bread goes well too, of course!

If you want to include bacon, add this just after the onion starts to soften but before you put in the garlic!

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