Turkey Squash and Mint Masala

 

Serves 2

I was thrilled to receive a box of goodies from the lovely people at
Loyd Grossman to try out their new Limited Edition Mint Masala curry sauce. Mint struck me initially as a little strange to have in a curry as I would usually use coriander, but then of course you get cooling mint raita in Indian restaurants, so it does have an affinity.

I used half a jar for 2 portions which with bread or rice was enough for me. The mint was not overpowering – it is very different to our common garden mint. Much more delicate and fragrant.

Decided to use turkey breast and tenderstem broccoli as they needed using up. Plus jazzed it up with some extra spice, not because it was needed, but because I have so much in my cupboard!!

I really liked the sauce as it made a nice change from the usual tikka and korma.

1 turkey breast fillet (about 350g), sliced thinly

1 tsp oil

½ onion, sliced

½ tsp mustard seeds

Pinch nigella seeds

Handful of frozen butternut squash, chopped into bitesize chunks

4 tenderstem broccoli stems, chopped into bitesize lengths

½ jar Loyd Grossman Mint Masala Curry Sauce

10 curry leaves (optional)

½ tsp garam masala powder

1 handful spinach (actually it was spinach, rocket and watercress salad leaves in this instance!)

Naan or rice to serve
Fresh mint to garnish if liked

Heat the oil in a non-stick wok or frying pan and fry the onion and seeds together. Watch out as the will pop and spit!

Once softened and lightly golden, add the squash and broccoli and stir fry until the squash has thawed and soft and the broccoli is cooked but still with some crunch.

Add the turkey strips and fry for 2-3 mins until sealed and almost cooked through. Then pour in the curry sauce, curry leaves, garam masala, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. I needed to add a little water to loosen the consistency to my liking.

Stir in the spinach and turn off the heat. It will wilt down really quickly.

Serve with naan or rice, and sprinkle with chopped mint if using.

Spanish-style cod

Serves 1 – easily multiplied

Have just come back from Majorca and really enjoyed the gutsy flavours of the local tapas. Anyway I had lots of leftover bits in the fridge that needed using up when I got back – peppers, toms, garlic, onion etc – so threw this dish together with a little Spanish inspiration. I really liked it, even though it was eaten on a dreary day rather than hot Mediterranean sunshine!

1 cod fillet

¼ red onion, finely sliced

3-4 cherry tomatoes, sliced

¼ small pepper, sliced (or a mini pepper such as Tesco Chiquino peppers)

½ clove garlic, finely chopped

4-5 chorizo slices, cut into strips

3 olives, sliced

½ tin butterbeans, drained

Pinch dried herbs

Hot paprika

Salt and pepper

2 -3 tablespoons red wine

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Drizzle of Olive oil

Preheat oven to 180C Fan.

Layer most of the onions, tomatoes, pepper, garlic, chorizo, olives and butterbeans in a small heatproof dish (I used a small oblong enamel pie tin). Season and add a little hot paprika to taste.

Place the fish on top and season with herbs, a little extra dusting of hot paprika to taste, and more salt and pepper.

Pile the remaining sliced ingredients on top to cover the fish, then spoon over the wine, balsamic and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Cover tightly with foil, allowing a bit of tent space for steam. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes and serve with seasonal vegetables, rice or bread.

The BEST steak sandwich with sticky onions and steak sauce

 Serves 1

I am partial to a steak sarnie – it’s often the first thing I scan for on pub menus. I suppose it feels a little less naughtier than a burger, but let’s face it, it is pure filthy deliciousness. Well, it is the way I make it. The key is the holy trinity of condiments – this should not be made without the special steak sauce blend…

1 rump steak

Black pepper

½ red onion, finely sliced

Drizzle of oil

Drizzle of Balsamic vinegar

2 slices good, chewy sourdough bread (Love the Real Patisserie Chewy Brown)

1 tsp each Heinz tomato ketchup, French’s Mustard and Hellmans Mayo

Handful rocket leaves

2-3 cherry tomatoes, sliced

Thin shavings of Parmesan cheese

Bash the meat to tenderise and thin it out a little. Trim off any fat and season with black pepper.

In a small frying pan cook the onions in the oil over a gentle heat until soft and translucent. Add a drizzle of balsamic and cook a little longer until sticky. Turn heat off and allow to cool a bit.

Heat a griddle or frying pan until very hot and dry fry the sliced bread until lightly toasted. Set aside then lay in the steak and cook to your liking. (For me, 1.5 mins on both sides is about right by the time it has rested) then put on a plate to rest for 2-3 mins.

Meanwhile mix the 3 sauces to make burger sauce and spread over the toasted bread. Top with a heap of rocket, cherry tomatoes and the cooled sticky onions.

Slice the warm steak on an angle and pile onto the sandwich and scatter with parmesan shavings. Place other slice of bread on top and squash down lightly. Cut in half and devour.

Turkey stir fry

Turkey stir fry

Serves 1

Did a fridge raid and cleared out some of my vegetables that have seen better days – this calls for a stir fry! I usually add the aromatics – garlic and ginger near the end so it doesn’t burn over the high heat at the start, and also it retains a fresher flavour. Just make sure you cook out the rawness. The sweet chilli sauce had also been hanging around in the fridge too long than I’d care to admit, but it all tasted nice :)

1tsp oil

Half a small onion, sliced

¼ yellow pepper, roughly chopped

¼ courgette, sliced

½ carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 field mushroom, sliced

Leftover cooked turkey strips

2 spring onion, sliced on the diagonal

½ clove garlic, chopped

1 tsp grated ginger root

1 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce

1 tbsp sweet chilli stir fry sauce

Heat a wok or frying pan with the oil and throw in the onion, pepper and  carrot and stir fry over a high heat for 2 mins. Add the mushroom and cook for another minute until the hard vegetables are starting to soften slightly.  Add the turkey strips, spring onion, garlic and ginger and mix well – stir fry for a minute until the garlic is fragrant and cooked, then add the soy sauce and chilli sauce, stir and serve immediately.

Curried Turkey Pilaff

Curried turkey pilaff

Serves 1

A great quick dinner using just a few ingredients and some leftover cooked turkey. Some coriander, mango chutney, fresh chillies, a squeeze of lemon and anything else you fancy would be very tasty additions but this is simple and very filling – not to mention cheap as chips!

1 tsp oil

Half an onion, finely chopped

2 tsp curry paste

Few strips of cooked turkey or chicken breast

½ tsp tumeric

½ pouch Tilda white basmati microwaveable rice

1 tbsp frozen peas

2 tsp flaked almonds

1 tsp sultanas

Few pumpkin seeds (optional)

2 pinches nigella seeds (optional)

Sprig of fresh mint, chopped

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for a couple of minutes until starting to soften. Add the curry paste and cook for a min or two more to cook-out the spices. Add the turkey and turmeric and stir fry for a minute to heat through.

Open the rice and squeeze half a pouch into the pan and stir to break up any lumps and coat in the paste. Add the peas, almonds, sultanas and pumpkin and nigella seeds if using. Add a splash of water to help coat everything nicely and to stop the rice from being dry.

Tip into a bowl and add the chopped mint and eat!

Tuna and olive pasta

Tuna and olive pasta

Serves 2-3

I eat this at least once a month – usually in the run up to pay day when there’s nothing in the house to eat! If you have any leftover it will sit happily in the fridge until the next day. The sauce is quite punchy with salty olives and capers and a bit of warm heat from the chilli flakes, but you can always leave the chilli out if you are giving it to kids.

125g rigatoni or penne pasta

2 tsp olive oil

1 sprig rosemary (or use ½ tsp dried mixed herbs)

1 garlic clove, squashed

1 stick of celery, finely chopped, reserve a few leaves if there are any

400g tin chopped tomatoes

Seasoning

1 pinch dried chilli flakes

1 small can tuna

6 black olives, sliced

1 tsp capers, rinsed and chopped

3-4 basil leaves (only if you have any)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 tbsp grated Parmesan, optional

Cook the pasta according to instructions – about 12-14 minutes.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the rosemary , garlic and celery and cook until lightly golden. Then add in the can of tomatoes – be careful as it will probably splutter! – and the chilli flakes and season, but go easy on the salt. Leave to reduce and thicken – about 5 mins.

Flake in the tuna, but don’t break up too much. Then add the olives, capers and tear in the basil if using. Add the balsamic and cook for another minute or two. Fish out the garlic and discard.

Take off the heat and stir in the parsley and any chopped celery leaves.

Drain the pasta and toss in the sauce. Serve with parmesan if you like.

Divine and decadent mushroom and truffle oil tagliatelle

Divine and decadent mushroom and truffle oil tagliatelle

Serves 1

Wow! This is another dish which hardly warrants a ‘recipe’ but it tasted so good  do not let its simplicity deceive you! In fact it is good to keep the ingredients short because it is the truffle oil that does the talking in this dish. The shoddy picture just doesn't do it justice. I suppose a glug of cream would be nice but I didn’t miss it. Be a great dish to double up for serving on a date J

PS I bought the black truffle oil from the BBC Good Food Show. Was £6 for just 100ml but the nice boys that sold it said it was real truffle steeped in mild grapeseed oil and far superior to supermarket oils that just have truffle “flavouring” added to them. Maybe I’m a mug but I was sold on the taste

60g tagliatelle

1 tsp butter

1 field mushroom, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

2 spring onions, chopped

¼ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary - a bit of parsley would also be nice

1 tsp black truffle oil

1 tbsp grated parmesan

Cook the tagliatelle for 9-10 mins until al dente. Meanwhile heat the butter in a small frying pan and gently fry the mushrooms with some seasoning on a low heat. When beginning to soften and release moisture add the spring onion and rosemary and continue to cook gently for about 4 minutes until the mushrooms are dark and the onions have lost any rawness.

Drain the pasta and tip in with mushrooms, toss together and drizzle over the truffle oil. Place in a bowl and sprinkle over the parmesan and extra pepper if you like. Eat seductively by yourself or with someone also tasty.

Spicy scrambled eggs with spinach

Spicy scrambled eggs with spinach

Serves 1

Breakfast this morning - had some eggs going out of date and the addition of red chilli and spinach turned out to be jolly nice. It’s hardly a recipe but was very healthy and filling. Would make a nice brunch with some grilled crisp bacon and roast cherry tomatoes on the side.

2 thick sliced of seeded soda bread or whatever you have

Spray oil

¼ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2-3 eggs, beaten lightly

Small handful of baby spinach leaves

Salt and pepper

Toast the bread. Meanwhile in a small frying pan spray in a few squirts of oil (or a tsp of regular olive oil). Add the chilli and stir fry for about 30 secs to soften slightly. Tip in the eggs and spinach and season. Stir quickly and continuously so that the eggs scramble and the spinach wilts. You can cook until quite firm or leave the eggs a bit soft – it’s up to you. Pile onto hot toast (no need to butter in my opinion) and eat immediately.

Kind of Mediterranean Pasta Bake

Mediterranean Pasta Bake

Serves 1

Leftover turkey and pasta sauce to use up! Pasta bake is a-calling! I tend to go through phases of eating pasta quite a lot and then don't use it again for weeks. No one said I'm normal :)

60g pasta e.g rigatoni

Olive oil

½ turkey or chicken breast, diced

50g smoked bacon lardons

½ clove garlic, chopped

½ stick celery, diced

Few olives, sliced

1 tsp capers

¼ jar tomato and basil pasta sauce

2 tsp parsley, chopped

1 tbsp grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for about 15 mins until tender.

Meanwhile fry the turkey or chicken, bacon and celery in frying pan for a few mins until cooked. Add the olives, capers, pasta sauce and parsley and simmer gently for 3-5 mins to heat through.

Mix with the drained pasta and transfer to an oven-proof dish. Sprinkle over cheese and cook under a grill until toasty and bubbling. Eat!

Creamy pesto turkey, asparagus and spinach pasta

Creamy pesto turkey, asparagus and spinach pasta

Serves 1

More asparagus and spinach to use up! This is such a quick and comforting dinner – using just a little cream cheese and adding the pasta water makes a fab low fat sauce. Love it! Sprinkle with parmesan if you have any.

50g rigatoni

Salt

5 asparagus stalks, cut into 2in lengths

Handful spinach

1 tsp oil

1 turkey breast steak, sliced into thin strips

2 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 tsp pesto

1 tsp cream cheese

Black pepper

Boil the pasta according to instructions in salted water. Add the asparagus for last 4 mins and the spinach just before draining.

Meanwhile heat the oil and fry the turkey breast strips until just cooked – about 2-3 mins. Throw in the cherry tomatoes and add the pesto and cream cheese. Loosen with a few tsp of pasta cooking water until you have sauce. Season with black pepper and then add the drained pasta and vegetables. Toss to coat then serve. Mmmm

Chicken jalfrezi

Chicken Jalfrezi

Serves 2

This is another great leftovers kind of a dish. You can add extra veggies in such as courgette, beans, spring onions etc or use turkey, pork or lamb. It is a fairly dry, stir fried curry that can be made in 10 mins! Serve with either rice or naan. I once ate some leftover jalfrezi in a wrap at work the next day and stunk out the whole office – whoops!

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

¼ green pepper, sliced

¼ red pepper, sliced

1 chicken breast (or cooked leftovers), diced

1 green chilli, chopped (deseed if you don’t like too much heat)

½ tsp garlic paste or 1 chopped clove

1 tsp ginger paste (or 1 knob finely grated root ginger)

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1-2 tsp curry powder

1 squeeze tomato puree

Half a can of chopped plum tomatoes (save rest for a pasta sauce)

To finish:

A shake of garam masala (optional)

Fresh coriander, chopped (optional)

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or a wok and fry the onion and red peppers until softened but not brown. Add the chicken and continue to stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Next add the chilli, garlic, ginger and spices and mix well so everything is coated for 1 minute. Then squeeze in about a teaspoon of tomato puree and half a can of chopped tomatoes. Keep cooking for a few more minutes until the sauce is thick and reduced. You may need to slacken with some water to get the consistency you like, but it is meant to be quite dry.  Sprinkle with garam masala and coriander and eat asap!

Chorizo and Broccoli Storecupboard pasta

Chorizo and Broccoli Storecupboard pasta

Serves 1

This came about as another leftovers dish, hence the name. You maybe able to tell I hate waste. It sounds really basic but actually it is both fresh and rich, with fully pronounced flavours. And it’s good for you! You could of course add anything you have such as courgette or use bacon instead of chorizo. I didn’t add garlic because I had lots at lunchtime!

50g Rigatoni, or other pasta shapes

Splash olive oil

¼ onion, diced

Few slices of chorizo, cut into strips

Small pinch chilli flakes

 Small pinch mixed dried herbs

½ can chopped tomatoes

3-4 black olives, sliced

Few broccoli florets, quartered

Seasoning

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Get the pasta on to boil and cook as per instructions.

In a small saucepan heat the oil and add the onions and some salt. Fry for a couple of mins until starting to soften. Add the chorizo and stir until it starts to crisp. Add the chilli, herbs, tomatoes, olives and seasoning to taste. Cook for about 5-6 mins, adding extra pasta water to stop it drying out.

When the pasta has 3 mins to go, add the broccoli to the water and cook until the pasta is done. Drain and tip into the tomato sauce. Stir to coat then pile into a bowl sprinkled with parmesan.

Super-fast Sweet Chilli Turkey Wraps

Super-fast Sweet Chilli Turkey Wraps

Serves 1-2

Ok, so this is a recreation really of a lunchtime dish I had in a wine bar! It came with curly fries, but at home I served it with a plain green salad, only to then ruin my virtue by tipping the leftover turkey stir fry on top of the salad instead of saving it for lunch tomorrow – see 2^nd pic! Well, I hadn’t eaten any lunch and it tasted bloomin lovely…

1 turkey steak or chicken breast, flattened if it is thick and sliced into thin strips

1 tsp olive oil

1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks

¼ red pepper, sliced into matchsticks

1 spring onion, shredded

Half a jar of sweet chilli stir fry sauce, such as Sharwoods

1-2 tortilla wraps

Salad leaves

Season the meat and stir fry in the oil on a high heat. After a couple of minutes add the carrot and peppers and continue to cook for another minute or so until starting to soften. Add the spring onion and then add the sauce, stirring continually – it will only need 30 secs to heat through otherwise it will go too thick and burn.

Meanwhile heat the tortilla(s) for 30 secs in the microwave and pile in the stir fry mix. Roll up and serve with salad on the side. 

Sea bass with spring veg in under 10 mins

Sea bass and spring veg in under 10 mins!

Serves 1

I love crispy fish but don’t cook it all that much. Not sure why, but this sea bass fillet was half price in a pack of 2 so I snapped it up. It’s a very virtuous dish – probably less than 400 cals I would imagine. I have frozen the other fillet for another time.

1 sea bass fillet, skin on

Seasoning

1 tsp olive oil

5 asparagus spears, tips separated

4 runner beans

1 tsp frozen peas

Half a bag of spinach

¼ lemon

First boil the kettle for the veg.  Season the fish on both sides and heat the oil in a sauté pan. Lay skin side down for about 3 minutes to crisp. Meanwhile boil the runner bean and thick ends of asparagus in salted boiling water for 5 mins.

Turn the fish and continue to fry for about 3 mins. I turned the heat off after a minute as it got quite hot.

Throw in the peas and asparagus tips with the runner beans and cook for 3 mins.

Tip the spinach into a large pan and wilt in a splash of water from the kettle over a low heat. Season.

When the veg is tender and spinach wilted, drain and plate. Add a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to the fish and place on top of the veg. And that’s it! Clean and fresh and carb free!