The weekend I turned 30.....{Fish Pie Stew}

Well I made it to 30. Amazing! I had a fantastic weekend with lots of fun and laughter and I can honestly say I feel very blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

So now that the celebrating is over its time for me to put my head down and overhaul my lifestyle a bit. I have been trying to loose weight for so long and I always put it off or had an excuse. Time to get focused and get exercising!

This is a new-ish recipe that has become a really nice staple evening meal. I started off by making the original but I've changed it around a bit to make it a really nice alternative to fish pie, It's also much less time consuming so there's that as well...

Fish Pie Stew 

Inspired from the recipe here 

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

3 sticks of celery, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

175ml white wine

300ml chicken stock or vegetable stock if you prefer

1 tbsp cornflour, mixed to a paste with 1 tbsp cold water

200g raw prawns 

300g fish pie selection (the one I used had smoked haddock, cod and salmon)

small bunch flat leave parsley, chopped

300ml half-fat crème fraîche

150g new potatoes, already boiled and slightly squashed with a fork

heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and celery until soft. add the garlic and cook for another minute them pour in the wine and simmer until most has disappeared. p

our in the stock and cornflour mix and simmer for 5-10 mins, stirring often until thickened. season, then add the fish, new potatoes and most of the parsley. simmer for a few mins until piping hot, then stir in the crème fraîche. serve with a sprinkling of parsley. you could have this with some bread, but I find that the addition of potatoes makes this plenty filling. 

Hello to the Heatwave.......{Coconut and Lime "no churn" ice cream)

Lovely, lovely sunshine! It's so lovely and warm in Kent and London at the moment it makes it a pity that I have to spend my days working at my desk but such is life! My favourite warm weather food is, of course, ice cream. I love coconut ice cream and there’s a real lack of decent ones available in the shops, so I made it my mission to come up with my own version. This one is no churn which makes it so much more accessible; it’s so easy to make its almost embarrassing. The fresh flavours of the creamy coconut and zesty lime compliment the grilled pineapple perfectly. However, it's great just on its own.

"No Churn" Coconut and Lime Ice Cream with Grilled Pineapple

397g (1 x tin) sweet condensed milk
580ml double cream
160ml coconut cream (Coconut milk would be fine too)
3 TBSP desiccated coconut
Zest of 1-2 limes
Fresh Pineapple, cut in to large slices (or rings if you’d prefer)

In a large bowl, whip the cream to very stiff peaks. Gently fold in the condensed milk, coconut cream, desiccated coconut and lime zest. Pour into a freezer-safe container, cover with cling film or container lid and leave to freeze for about 4 hours. When you are ready for dessert heat up a griddle pan (or any pan if you don’t have a griddle) and lay the pineapple down, cook for about 3 minutes on each side and then serve alongside the ice cream. Told you it was simple!

 

When fish is this fresh........{Grilled Prawns)

We spent my birthday weekend in one of my favourite places - Whitstable. One of the things I love about it is the fresh seafood market. Often one of the evenings of the weekend we will forgo the many places to eat and just buy some fresh fish from the market and go home and cook it.

We were spoilt for choice at the market this week and after a lot of umming and ahhing I picked up some lovely fresh large prawns. You could do so much with these BUT I can't help thinking when fish is this fresh you are best keeping it really simple. I went for a really simple but fragrant butter made with juicy garlic and lots of fresh parsley which soaked into the prawns under the grill. We lingered over them with a fresh glass of prosecco and some fresh baked bread from one of the deli's. There's nothing better in life really.  

Grilled Prawns with Garlic & Parsley Butter

10 large raw prawns 

50g good quality butter

1/2 shallot, finely chopped 

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

handful parsley, finely chopped 

1 tbsp olive oil

if you wish take the heads of the prawns and then de-vein them and then butterfly them so they lie flat on the grill. mix all of the other ingredients together and then dollop it in the prawns. place under the grill for around 10-15 minutes until the prawns are nice and pink and cooked through. How easy is that?!

An easy option.....{fish tacos with avocado and corn salsa}

Ah this blog of mine, how I have neglected you. I can only blame impending Christmas and so much going on at work. Still, Christmas shopping is nearly done and I'm looking forward to two weeks of work soon! Will be good to rest.

When time is short we turn to tacos a lot in our household. This is a favourite which is really easy and made up of ingredients I always tend to have in the kitchen!

Fish Tacos with Avocado and Corn salsa 

fish, cooked - I used just some breaded fish and cut it in to pieces but I have used steamed salmon and baked cod on occasion (depending on healthy I want to be)

tin of sweetcorn, drained

2 tomatoes, chopped

green chilli, finely chopped

1/2 red onion, diced 

2 avocados, diced

small handful of coriander, chopped 

splash of olive oil

juice of a lime 

wholewheat tortillas 

put corn in a dry pan and cook over heat until the corn is charred, combine all the the other ingredients in a bowl and season. add in the corn and taste - you may want to add more lime. take your cooked fish and lay on a tortilla that has been warmed and add on a healthy amount of the salsa. Devour. 

you can add some cheese if you so wish and I quite often make the salsa minus the sweetcorn. 

Grown Up Chicken Nuggets

We have a term in the UK whereby we call comfort food that stems back from our childhood "Nursery Food". It's usually pretty simply in terms of flavour but it evokes that warm comforting feeling as the taste takes us back to a time when life was a lot simpler.

Chicken Nuggets are an example of such food for me, I loved them growing up and although I rarely got them as a child as I grew up into a hormonal 13-14 year old I would sometimes have a plate of chicken dippers with some sour cream as my Saturday evening dinner whilst watching Charmed on the television. 

H loves a chicken nugget too and so I decided to make a more grown up version for us both. When I came across many recipes on Pinterest for Cheesy Ritz Chicken I knew I was on to a winner, because Ritz crackers are a staple in our house - we both love them and we always have a box in the cupboard. Throw cheese into the mix and my boyfriend is in heaven! So yesterday as the wind and rain lashed against the window (British weather) we warmed up with this simple but very tasty dish. H took the leftover salad and nuggets in for his lunch today as well - lucky man. 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner 

Grown Up Chicken Nuggets 

3 Chicken breasts cut into large chunks

10 Ritz crackers, crushed into breadcrumbs with S&P added to taste

grated cheddar cheese 

milk

Line a baking dish with foil and lightly grease it with some oil. Take the pieces of chicken and dunk them in the milk. Press the grated cheese on the top of the piece of chicken and then coat the whole of it in the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 mins at 200°C. I served it with a fresh Caesar salad which was lovely. You also could just serve this as one big piece of chicken although if you did that I would recommend you flatten the chicken slightly.  

These nuggets would be great for children as well, and you can easily omit the cheese 

I'm linking up this post with Alesha for Delicious Dish Tuesday

 

And for the first time I'm linking up with Supergolden bakes!  

The Healthy Way to do Chilli

Spicy Turkey Chilli

I've been adjusting my eating habits for a quite a while now and I'm now approaching the two stone mark on my weight loss journey... makes me happy and quite proud, although these things take time. I try not to deprive myself (see my dinner on Monday) as I think that leads to failure and I hate to fail.

One thing I look to do is to make healthy versions of my favourite meals or to replicate great healthy meals that I have out. Chilli is a favourite of mine and I used to love eating a really slow cooked chilli full of beef, chorizo and red wine smothered with sour cream and cheese and preferably served over a jacket potato. Hello calories, fat and carbs....  and I wonder why I put on weight. Duh!

So here is my alternative- a yummy chilli made from turkey mince (which is a great ingredient for all you dieters out there). Mine is pretty spicy so adjust the spice ratios if you want it a bit milder. Feel free to add whatever veggies you like to bulk this up - its a great way to clear the contents of the veg drawer.  I served this with gem lettuce leaves (zero carbs and means I can justify a small sprinkling of cheese) but other healthy alternatives would be a baked Sweet Potato or some Bulgar Wheat.

Turkey Chilli 

Serves around 4 to 6 depending on how hungry people are!
300g Turkey Mince 

2 onion, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 fresh red chilli, chopped finely

1 Green Pepper & 1/2 Orange Pepper, cut into chunks

1 carrot, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped

2 TBSP Tomato puree 

2 TSP Cumin

2 TSP chilli powder 

2 TSP Paprika 

1 tin chopped tomatoes 

200g Kidney beans, drained 

Olive Oil

S&P

Simmering away in the pan 

Fry off the onion, garlic and chilli, add the pepper, carrot and celery and allow them all to soften. Add the turkey mince and cook for around 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Once the mince is cooked then add the spices and puree and cook for a few minutes. Season. Add tomatoes and then leave to cook for 30 mins or so - simmering over a low heat. Add the drained kidney beans and cook for a further 10 minutes. Serve with gem lettuce leaves, some Greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of cheese. 

Messy but yummy!

This Dish has been picked as a featured favourite for Delicious Dish Tuesday! Thanks so much guys.... I encourage everyone to get involved - its a great link up!

Linking up with Alesha for Delicious Dish Tuesday

Moules Mariniere; it's easier than you think (trust me)

Obviously my trip to Whitstable has not satisfied my hunger for all things seafood as last night I cooked some of my own in my little kitchen. Mussels are just so darn cheap... £1.99 for a bag (500g) in the supermarket and yet they are a great source of protein and cooked well they can be very filling. I guess because you buy them "live" people can be nervous cooking them but they are very easy and they cook fast... This very traditional sauce/broth the mussels are cooked in is simple and light but full of flavour and is the perfect accompaniment for your plump and juicy mussels

You do have to do a bit of prep first but don't worry it's dead simple!

Moules Mariniere

(Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter)
500g live mussels
3 shallots slice finely
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
200ml dry white wine
50g butter
70ml double cream
Handful of parsley, chopped (I had to omit this as pesky slugs ate my parsley!)
S&P

Preparation

Place mussels in a large bowl of cold water (or in the sink) and one by one pull of any beards and use a knife to scrape off any nasty bits on the shells. Discard any that have opened as that means they are dead and they won't be good. Give them another rinse and you are good to go.

Cooking

Melt the butter in a large lidded pan, add shallots and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until they have softened. Add the white wine and S&P and cook of for a minute before adding the mussels. Put lid on firmly and give pan a shake. Keep giving pan gentle shakes here and there and when the shells have opened up (literally took 3 minutes) take of lid and stir in cream and parsley. Told you it was easy! Just divide into two bowls and you are ready to go!

Serve with crusty bread and butter or chips if you are that way inclined. We ate this out in our garden him with a glass of wine me with some sparkling water. It was a very easy, cheap weekday meal that felt like a treat to eat!

Linking up with Alesha for Delicious Dish Tuesday

Sweet like..... Sweetcorn

I have a funny relationship with sweetcorn. Without meaning to put you off your breakfast they are the one food that your body cannot digest (that's what I heard anyways) so it leaves me wondering why we bother? But then when I taste its crunchy sweet golden goodness it suddenly doesn't matter that its going to go straight through me, it tastes amazing!

These fritters are a go-to recipe for me as I always have the ingredients lying around the kitchen. They are incredibly easy to make but taste great and I often add any other vegetables going off in my fridge.

Sweetcorn Fritters 

2 heads of sweetcorn or 1 can of sweetcorn - fresh is best, tinned is ok, frozen doesn't work!

sprinkle of fresh red / green chilli

30g / 1 heaped TBS self raising flour 

1 egg 

1 egg white

Butter for frying 

S&P

Using a large knife, remove kernels from the cob, put into mixing bowl with whole egg, chilli, flour and season. in separate bowl beat an egg white until stiff and fold into the sweetcorn mixture. Melt some butter in a frying pan with a touch of oil so it doesn't burn. Place large TBSP of the batter into the pan, this amount will make around 6 decent sized fritters. Leave the patties to go brown on one side then flip them over and cook over side. Drain them on some kitchen paper and eat as soon as you can bear the heat in your mouth. Keeping it fairly healthy I had these with some cooked beetroot and some salad but I've had them before with some smoked mackerel (good) and on another occasion with fresh sausages (great)! Once I had them with a bit of cream cheese and chilli jam - terribly bad for me but tasted sensational. 

The only tomato sauce recipe you will ever need or want

I used to swear by ole' Nigel's tomato sauce and while it I will still continue to use it on occasion, I have switched my fickle affections to Marcella Hazan - sorry Nige you'll have to make do with being my bit on the side.

This sauce was a revelation. All intensely tomatoey, rich, melt in the mouth consistency, it also clings to the pasta in a most satisfying way. I can see now why this sauce kind of has cult status across the tinternet! I have never come across Marcella's cooking before and I'm pleased that I found this recipe (thanks Instagram, follow me @girlinthekentishkitchen), her book is now in my amazon basket ready to purchase at the end of frugal month. Or maybe if someone wants to purchase it for me (HINT)?!

The best thing about it is that it is so frugal. You need next to nothing to make it and everything in the recipe are ingredients that I had in the fridge or my cupboard. But it tastes so special and spaghetti and sauce is always a good thing. Always.

Marcella's Tomato, Butter and Onion sauce

adapted from recipe here

1 tin (400g) tomatoes, use good quality ones
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
4tbsp butter
1tsp sugar
S&P
Pasta - cooked according to instructions (I used spaghetti)
Parmesan

Put the tomatoes in a pan and the fill up the tin halfway with water and add that in as well. Place the onion halves, the butter, sugar and season in the pan.

Warm on a low heat for as long as it takes for the fat to separate from the tomatoes and for it to go an intensely red colour.

 As it cooked I stirred it quite a bit and squashed down any chunks of tomatoes. Cook your spaghetti and then mix it into the sauce.

 And you are done - eat with Parmesan sprinkled on, a glass of wine and a napkin tucked in to your white shirt!

St Patrick’s Day Shepherds Pie and random musings on corned beef

I’m late as ever to hop on to the Bandwagon. St Paddy’s Day. When I was a uni this used to be a big deal in my life. Now it’s not. I think the Americans get way more excited than the English about this day. The only whiff of it I got were a few random big hats on drunken men as I walked through London on the actual day. That and the huge amount of people mentioning it in blogs; American blogs of course. Lots of green food and corned beef. American corned beef looks so much different from English corned beef;
 

English Corned Beef

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Mainly used in sandwiches and corned beef hash

American Corned beef

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Apparently you guys have it with cabbage?!
 

The mind boogles. And what I really want to know is what is Irish corned beef? Whose right and who’s wrong. Thank goodness for Google and these dudes have explained the differences to me. Thank you Google.

Anyho, I digress, which is standard for me, sometimes I even interrupt myself, it’s not great. The entire paddy’s day chat made me think of another classic Irish recipe – Shepherds Pie. I remember having this a lot as a child and its one very easy but yummy dish. And anything with mash potato on has my vote. The layer of leeks really adds a different dimension to the dish and I recommend you give it a go, you wont look back. I make my shepherds pie with beef mince rather than lamb – which technically makes it cottage pie but I grew up knowing this as shepherds pie and so shepherds pie it remains.

So here’s the thing about my Shepherds Pie - I keep it so very simple. No fancy herbs and spices. No peas in with the mince, no twists or turns. This is simplicity at its best, meaty and comforting and very easy to make.

Shepherds Pie

Serves approx 4

500g Beef Mince

1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
500ml stock (beef preferable but chicken or veg will work fine)
2TBSP tomato puree
Few dashes of Worcester sauce
Couple of gluts of red wine
1TSP Marmite (the British in me shines through, this is optional of course)
2 leeks
3TBSP Butter
Milk, I used skimmed
Grated cheese, I used strong Irish cheddar
 S&P

Start by sautéing the onions and carrots in a bit of oil over a medium heat. Once they have softened add in the mince and let it brown off. Add in the wine and the tomato puree and let it reduce by about half. Add in the stock, Worcester sauce and marmite and then allow it to simmer gently for a good 30-45mins. Season.

 In the mean time boil up some potatoes (I used a couple of big potatoes) and then mash them with a couple TBSP of butter, milk, a twist of salt and lots of black pepper.

As well as this, melt 1TBSP butter and a dash of oil in a pan and cook of the leeks until they are soft. I added a bit of wine to help them along!

Take an oven proof dish and spread out the mince mixture, then put the leeks on top and spread them out and then top with mash potato. Sprinkle with the cheese and then place in an oven 180° for about 30mins or if you’ve chilled it first then put it in for 45 mins or so until it is hot and bubbling.

I always had this with peas or baked beans when I was little and lots of tomato ketchup. This time I had with broccoli and sprouts and lots of tomato ketchup!

Wholesome Sluts Pasta aka spaghetti alla puttanesca

Wholesome "Sluts" Pasta!

 

 

 

I'm no quite sure why this is sometimes known as sluts pasta or whores spaghetti (which is the translation of the name of this Italian dish). From my limited research it seems that this dish originated from the Italian street ladies who needed to make something quick before they saw another gentleman caller. Another reason is that is all made from no fresh ingredients so those who make it are slutty lazybones! Whatever the reason its a great name for a lovely simple pasta dish. Sharp and spicy it has a great flavour and it takes no time at all and is made from store cupboard ingredients which makes it a great standby dish. The "wholesome" part of the dish comes from using wholemeal pasta - tenuous link I know! The original version of this recipe calls for a handful of chopped black olives - not my cup of tea but of course you should feel free.....

 

Wholesome Sluts Pasta aka spaghetti alla puttanesca

1 clove garlic, sliced thinly
½ TSP dried chilli flakes (I used 1 TSP cos I like it hot)
4 - 6 anchovy fillets chopped roughly
2 tbsp olive oil
400g chopped tomatoes
250g dried spaghetti, although any pasta will do
1 DSP capers

 

Pour the olive oil into a pan and add the garlic, chilli flakes and anchovy fillets and gradually warm over a low heat. Stir as it cooks for five minutes or so until the anchovies start to disintegrate. Turn up the heat, adding the tomatoes. Leave to cook for 20 minutes or so. At the same time cook 250g of pasta. When the sauce is ready, stir in the capers (and olives if you want), then toss with the lightly drained pasta. Its that easy. I served with a simple salad and this recipe makes enough for two.

Whilst making this I listened to Laura White's EP - "What My Mother Taught Me" it's rather good, her voice is all raspy, rough and beautiful.