oliveoilandlemon

recipes for healthy living

Category: Recipes

October 24, 2017

Spiced Lentils, Potatoes and Fish

Spiced Lentils Potatoes and Fish

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This is such an easy dish and you can omit the fish & chorizo if you would like a completely vegetarian meal. Gently spiced, crispy fish, the goodness of lentils, tomatoes and the spices –  a meal the whole family will like. This is spiced with Punchpooran which is a mix of fennel, fenugreek, coriander cumin and nigella. If you can not find this, make up your own using 1 tsp of each.

Serves 4

2 tbsp punchpooran spice mix

1 tsp each of sweet and smoky paprika

2 tbsp oil divided

1 medium onion sliced

50g chorizo sliced

1 tbsp tomato puree

250gr lentils of choice, soaked and drained

1 vegetable sock cube make up in 200ml hot water

½ tin chopped tomatoes

12 baby potatoes, cleaned chopped into 2cm slices parboiled

4 portions of fish of choice, pin-boned

2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander

Method

In a dry pan toast the punchpooran until it starts to release aromas

Tip into spice grinder ( or do by hand) and blend

Stir in the paprika

Heat the oil in a large deep pan or cooking pot and add the onion and chorizo and cook over a low heat until soft.

Tip in the spice mix and stir well and cook for a minute.

Add the tomato puree stir well to combine followed by the tinned tomatoes and lentils.

Cook for about 20 minutes until the lentils are nearly done, then add the potatoes, stir well to cover and complete the cooking about 5-8 minutes. Just as done, stir in 2 tbsp chopped coriander,

Meanwhile heat the oil and on a hot pan cook the fish until done.

Keep warm while you serve the lentils topped with a piece of fish.

 

 

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October 16, 2017

Spiced Lamb and Beans with punchpooran

Spiced Leg of Lamb with Potatoes Boulangere, Green Beans with Punchpooran

This is a very popular recipe in our house and one i love doing when we have people coming over. It is easy too, so I don’t have to be slaving away in the kitchen when people arrive.   This is family food at its best.-

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Serves 5-6

1 leg or shoulder of lamb

2 cloves of garlic peeled and roughly chopped

1 shallot roughly shopped

2 tbsp of garam masala spice mix

2-3 tbsp coconut or olive oil

8 medium white potatoes or a mix of white and sweet potatoes

400ml vegetable stock

2tsp fresh thyme chopped

 

Oven at 200C

Peel the potatoes and thinly slice

Layer the potatoes, seasoning well as you go in a roasting tin big enough to hold the leg of lamb. Sprinkle over the chopped thyme.

Splash the stock over the potatoes.

Add the oil garlic shallot and spices to a blender and blend to a rough paste.

Pierce the lamb and lay out on a board and spread the paste over both sides.

Season well with salt and pepper.

Lay the lamb on top of the potatoes and cover the pan with foil and roast for 20 mins per lb and 20 minutes over for medium.  After about an hour, remove the oil and press the potatoes down to ensure they are still in the stock. Replace the foil lid and continue to cook.

If you want to slow roast it then turn the oven down to 150C and roast for about 4-4/12 hours until the lamb is falling off the bone.

Remove the lamb to a warm plate, cover and let rest. Keep the potatoes warm in the oven while you prepare the beans below.

Green Beans with punchpooran

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This is a whole mixed spice blend of cumin fennel mustard nigella and fenugreek seeds. If you can’t get this, substitute with equal quantities (1/4 tsp) of each of the above.  It is delicious addition to the green beans.

500gr green beans, washed and trimmed

1 tbsp punchpooran

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

Blanch the green beans for 3 minutes, plunge into ice cold water and drain then set aside.

Toast the punchpooran on a hot pan until the aromas release then tip into a bowl and let cool

Add the lemon zest, juice, olive oil and mix to combine

When ready to serve add 2 tbsp hot water to a frying pan and tip in the beans to reheat.

Add to your serving bowl and drizzle over the dressing

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October 11, 2017

Cardamom and Honey Roasted Winter Veg with Chicken

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This is a very simple recipe which uses your favourite winter vegetables warmed with cardamom and honey and served with a cooked chicken breast. We are all busy and this is easy to organise and cooks quickly in the oven.

Serves 6

6 chicken breasts

200gr each of carrots, parsnips, celeriac, sweet potato each or other root vegetables of choice.

4 cardamom pods lightly crushed

2 tbsp each of honey and oil

Coarse sea salt and pepper

Oven at 200C

Coat the vegetables in a little olive oil and roast at 200deg for 30 minutes, turning at least twice.

Season the chicken and sprinkle over a little oil of choice.

After 10 minutes, add the chicken breasts to another tray in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Mix the oil, honey and cardamom and pour over the veggies, stirring well to ensure evenly spread and continue cooking for a further 15 – 20 minutes until lovely and golden. Season liberally with salt and pepper and transfer to warm serving dish to serve with the cooked chicken.

Serve with some greek style yoghurt mixed with chopped mint and a crushed garlic clove.

 

 

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October 4, 2017

Blueberry Yoghurt Bread

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This is delicious, easy to make, a perfect Gluten Free recipe which will work just fine with regular plain flour.

125g butter

165g sugar

Zest of 2 lemons

2 eggs beaten with 30ml milk

300g gluten-free flour whisked with 2 tsp baking powder

4oz blueberry or natural Greek style yoghurt

6oz blueberries tossed in 1tsp Gluten Free flour

Oven at 180C

Beat butter and sugar together.

Beat the egg milk mixture and flour into the butter sugar mix by alternating a bit of each at a time until it is all fully incorporated.

Stir in the yoghurt and blueberries.

Tip into a greased loaf tin and bake for 40 mins at 180C until golden brown and cooked through.IMG_7014-1

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September 27, 2017

Waffles for Breakfast

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Pancakes don’t do it for me and I remain unimpressed by the pics of pancake piles which see to be everywhere. As an alternative I have been testing out new breakfast options especially for the weekend when you have more time to sit around and chat and enjoy a more leisurely breakfast. These are easy to prepare and will reheat happily in the toaster. They are gluten free and delicious !

Seed and Oat Waffles

Makes 6

60gr milled Flax Pumpkin and Sunflower seed mix

3tbsp oat flour or gf flour of choice

tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 eggs and 2tbsp milk of choice

1tbsp melted butter or coconut oil

Oven at 170C

Whisk the dry ingredients together

Beat the eggs with the milk, add the melted oil. Pour into the dry and mix well until you have a smooth batter.

Pour into the waffle molds and bake for approximately 15 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Serve straight away or let cook and then toast when needed.

Serve with a poached or fried egg and some turkey rashers and sour cream.

Delicious and not a pancake in sight!

 

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