Tag Archives: cooking

Sophie Michell & Ocado- Tweet Yourself Thin-recipes for summer: Tuesday

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TUESDAY

Coconut, Mango and banana smoothies

Makes 4
Prep time 5 minutes
300ml of natural coconut juice (like Vita coconut)
1 ripe mango
3 ripe bananas
1 lime
1. Peel and roughly chop the mango and bananas.
2. Place the fruit and the coconut juice into a blender and blitz until smooth,
then add the lime to taste and serve!
Sweet chilli and soy chicken wrap
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 1o minutes
3 chicken breasts (approx 180g each)
1 tsp soy sauce
2 step sweet chilli sauce
½ cucumbers
2 spring onions
2 carrots
Handful of rocket
4 flour tortillas
1. Cut the chicken breasts into strips and then mix with the soy sauce and a table spoon of the chilli
sauce. Leave while you prep the veggies.
2. Cut the cucumber into strips, and then do the same with the spring onions and the carrots.
3. Heat up a frying pan and then pan fry the chicken strips for about 10 minutes, turning
occasionally. Make sure the chicken is cooked throughout.
4. Then build the wraps, by piling up some veggies, chicken strips and rocket, in a tortilla with an
extra drizzle of chilli sauce if wanted.

Pecorino, Pear and watercress salad with char grilled turkey breasts
Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
4 turkey breast steaks (approx 180g per steak)
4 ripe pears
2 celery sticks
150g pecorino cheese
150g watercress leaves
50ml olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Sea salt and pepper
2 tsp thick balsamic

1. Heat a griddle pan up very hot and then oil and season the turkey steaks. Then lay each steak
down on the griddle and cook for about 5 minutes each side.
2. Finely slice the pears and the celery (on an extreme diagonal looks great) then using a peeler add
shavings of the cheese and add the watercress. Mix with the lemon and the olive oil, and then
season.
3. Pile up the turkey breast and salad on the plates then drizzle with a little balsamic

Sophie Michell and Ocado: Tweet Yourself Thin – Summer Recipes

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Sophie Michell will be doing recipes every day for Frost. Perfect if you have to fit into a bikini or some swimming shorts soon. Yum!

MONDAY

Bircher Muesli with Almonds and Agave Syrup
Serves 4

Prep time 10 minutes, plus overnight soaking

Ingredients

200g rolled oats
400ml apple juice
100g natural yoghurt
1 green apple
1 tbsp Agave syrup
Handful of almonds (that have been soaked overnight in water, as well then washed clean)
Handful of raspberries
1. Mix the oats and the apple juice together, then cover in clingfilm and leave overnight.

2. When you are ready to eat it, coarsely grate the apple and mix in along with the yoghurt. Add more apple juice at this point if you want the mix looser.

3. Then spoon into individual serving bowls and top with the raspberries, almonds and a little drizzle of agave syrup.

I soaked the almonds overnight to neutralise the enzyme inhibitors. This makes the nuts easier to digest and the nutrients easier to absorb.

Char-grilled Halloumi, Aubergine and Courgettes with Tomato Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

250g halloumi
2 courgettes
2 medium aubergines
2 tbsp olive oil
Dressing;
2 ripe plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
75ml extra virgin olive oil
25ml white balsamic
1 pinch of caster sugar
1 tsbp of chopped fresh mint

1. Slice the halloumi, aubergine and courgettes into ½ cm slices. Then switch the oven on at 180C. Heat up a large frying pan and add some of the oil (approx a tbsp full) and then season the aubergine and courgettes. When the oil is very hot, fry the aubergine and courgettes off, until golden brown in batches, make sure the aubergine in particular are cooked well. Then take out of the oil and place on a baking tray in the oven while you cook the rest.

2. While the veggies are cooking, make the dressing. To do this, add the garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, mint, sugar and seasoning to a blender and blitz until quite smooth, but with a little texture.

3. Then heat up a griddle pan and oil the halloumi on both sides. When the pan is smoking hot, lay the halloumi slices on the griddle and cook for 3 minutes each side. Then plate the courgettes,
aubergine and halloumi on to 4 plates and drizzle with the dressing.

Parmesan, Paprika and Cornmeal Chicken escalopes with French Bean, Avocado and Cherry Tomato Salad
Serves 4

Prep time 30 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts (approx 180g per breast)
250g fine cornmeal or semolina
50g finely grated parmesan
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp dried oregano
2 eggs
20ml milk
100g flour
Salad;
300g trimmed French beans
250g cherry tomatoes
4 spring onions
1 hass avocado
1 clove of garlic, minced
Small handful of de-stalked fresh coriander
1 juicy lime
1 tsbp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

1. Take the chicken breasts and cut in half width ways. Then take two large bowls. Mix the egg and milk in one bowl and the cornmeal, parmesan, paprika, celery salt and oregano in the second one.

2. Dredge the chicken through the egg wash, dropping off any excess and then through the cornmeal, patting the extra on to the chicken. Than place them on a plate and repeat with all the
pieces of chicken. Preheat the oven to 180C.

3. Place a saucepan of water on to boil, when boiling rapidly add the French beans and cook for 4 minutes, then drain off and refresh under cold water. Pat dry, then adds to a large bowl. Halve the
cherry tomatoes and add to the same bowl, along with sliced spring onions, and the peeled and diced avocado. Then add the minced garlic, whole coriander leaves, squeeze in the lime and season.
Trim the little gem lettuce and break into its natural leaves and arrange on a platter, arrange the French bean salad in the middle.

4. Heat up about 2 tsbp of olive oil in a large frying pan and then fry the chicken breasts off in batches, for about 4 minutes each side or until crisp and golden. When done, pop in the oven for 5
minutes, and then serve.

I often serve this with sweet potato wedges and chilli cornbread for a more substantial meal.

‘Tweet Yourself Thin’ with @sophiemichell for @ocadoUK

The Inept Girl's Guide To Cooking: Stuffed Peppers

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I thought stuffed peppers would be hard, thankfully, I was wrong.

Take 4 peppers, any colour you want, chop the top off and scoop out the insides and clean. Place in a baking try, take some olive oil and drizzle lightly over the peppers. Cook for 20 minutes or until roasted.

While the peppers are cooking take some couscous and put it in a bowl. Add boiling water (the pack will tell you how much, generally 115ml or water per 75ml of couscous) leave for two minutes and it will be cooked! I know, I love couscous, it is so easy and quick.

Now, this is where the fun starts; you can stuff the peppers with whatever you want, I added Tomato, mushroom, onion and mozzarella. Quite simple but it tastes amazing.

 

While the couscous is cooking peel and chop up some mushrooms, onions and tomatoes. Put in a frying pan with a little oil and start to cook. Add the couscous when it is done. Keep checking on the peppers.

Add the mozzarella to the pan, take the peppers out of the oven and stuff the mixture into them. Put the tops on and then put back not the oven for a further 20 minutes. Cooking times may vary so feel free to adjust.

Take the peppers out of the oven and they are ready to serve. They taste great with the melted mozzarella, I also added some honey roast parsnips, which will be coming up soon in my column. I also added cooked apples on top as an experiment and it went down quite well.

The best things about stuffed peppers is the variety, you can have rice instead of couscous and any vegetable or even meat, so have fun.

Enjoy!

ROCK AROUND THE WOK FOR LESS. {Food}

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You can rock around the wok for less this festive season thanks to Wing Yip’s great recipe suggestions which will allow you to provide authentic Oriental cuisine for up to 10 people for under £20.

Authentic dishes can be prepared easily with Wing Yip’s Mai Siam Hamper which contains sauces ranging from Thai Green Curry Paste to Thai Sriracha Chilli Sauce. At just £15.00 this hamper pack offers the base for a vast selection of fantastic meals and Oriental feasts.

Complete with a range of sauces, coconut milk, tableware and a wok for preparing these great authentic meals at home. The hamper is ideal for Oriental meal ideas designed to make parties an easy and cheaper option this festive season.

Christmas leftovers can be turned into a tasty Oriental feast, with just a little preparation and a few additional ingredients.

Why not try Thai Red Curry? Quick and easy to prepare, it will provide a great opportunity to put all the leftover turkey meat to good use. Use Mai Siam Thai Red Curry Paste with a dash of Sweet Chilli Sauce and coconut milk – all included in the hamper.

Side dishes are a must at any banquet. To accompany the mouth watering Thai main dish, why not keep it authentic and serve with noodles or fragrant rice.

Everything you need including Oriental beers, wines, fortune cookies, chopsticks and tableware, is available online or from Wing Yip superstores in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood and Croydon.

Customers can access more than 800 Wing Yip products, 100 Oriental recipes and store information by visiting www.wingyipstore.co.uk

Thai Red Curry with Turkey

Red Curry is the most well known Thai curry. The basis of the curry is the dried chillies that are ground to a paste together with lemon grass and galangal. This recipe uses leftover turkey.
Ingredients

* Large turkey pieces cut into bite size pieces
* 4 tsp Mai Siam Red Curry Paste
* 1 tbsp vegetable oil
* 57g fine beans (cut into 3cm lengths)
* 1 tin coconut milk
* Handful Sweet Basil
* 2 tsp fish sauce (to taste
* 1 tsp palm sugar (to taste)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a wok and gently fry the red curry paste, adding 2 tbsp coconut milk to cook out the curry paste.
2. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the oil separates from the curry paste.
3. This is the best time to add the turkey pieces which should be stir fried in the mixture for about 3 minutes.
4. Next add the coconut milk, palm sugar and the fish sauce.
5. When turkey is cooked add the fine beans and cook further until beans are al dente.
6. Lastly, scatter the sweet basil over the curry and turn off heat.
7. If curry is to be eaten later, allow curry to cool uncovered.

· Serves 2 – 3

Come Dine With Me's Tasty Bits {TV}

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Come Dine With Me, the cooking show that’s inspired ordinary people to throw immitation dinner parties and series’ around the world, is now releasing it’s sauciest bits for you to own on dvd.

Come Dine With Me – The Tasty Bits with exclusive footage Too Saucy for TV will be released on DVD on the 1st November so get your oven gloves ready. It will feature the best ever moments from Channel 4’s enormously popular and multi-award winning show Come Dine With Me including some of the most outrageous behaviour, bizarre conversations, biggest rows, craziest cooking, celebrity cock-ups and Too Much Sauce for TV, incorporating 30 minutes of never-before-seen scenes that were far too hot for TV! If this NSFW trailer is anything to go by expect crazy antics and sexual innuendos from familiar faces in the celebrity specials, more sarcastic quips from cult voice Dave Lamb and I’m told…full frontal nudity.



Come Dine With Me: The Tasty Bits is out on DVD 1 November, courtesy of ITV Studios Home Entertainment

Pre-order it at [Amazon]

The Inept Girl's Guide to Cooking. Smoked Salmon Pasta.

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I spent quite a while wondering what I should cook for my next column. In the end I decided to go with…what was in my fridge. What was in my fridge was a mismatch of food that didn’t really go together. I decided to be both creative and brave. This is what happened.

What I found in my fridge to make Smoked Salmon pasta with Brie: Two onions, 75g of smoked salmon, 100g of brie, two good handfuls of fresh pasta and a generous amount of olive oil. About two tablespoons.

Main: Cut some onions up and fry them. I actually hate chopping onions. It really does hurt my eyes but I find chopping them underwater helps. Put on the fresh pasta and cook for two minutes ( or according to the guidelines) salt the pasta. After the pasta is done drain it and add a generous amount of olive oil. Cut up some brie and salmon. Add it to the pot with the onions. Stir it all together.

Dessert: Raspberries with cream. Super simple. Put the raspberries in the bowl, add cream. Grate some chocolate and put that on top. Tastes delicious

The verdict: Well, I surpassed myself. Smoked salmon pasta with brie. It tasted amazing. The only complaint I had was that I did not cook enough. So with new-found confidence I am preparing for my next column.

The Inept Girl's Guide to Cooking. Catherine Balavage learns how to cook….

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I have been spoilt. This is, obviously, not a complaint. Just an observation. My entire life I have been surrounded by good cooks. Most of my childhood memories are of dinner time. My parents also loved to bake. I was raised on wholesome, delicious, home cooking.

As a child I could bake fairy cakes and sponge cakes. Do a mean lasagne or spag bol. I sat in the kitchen with my family and partook in the wonderful, bonding thing that is cooking.

However, in recent years this has all changed. I live a busy London life and I rarely cook from scratch. If I do I lack imagination. Always falling on the dishes I have been doing for years. I have now decided that this will not do. I will learn to cook. I will have a large variety of dishes at my disposal. I will be a domestic goddess. I will get someone to taste the food each week to give their opinion. This is the first article in my journey.

Sunday April 25th 2010.

I decide to start easy: spaghetti bolognese! I am good at this. I have been doing it for years. I don’t want my confidence knocked straight away. And I fail…. James brings the ingredients around and I have a heart attack because MY MAC WON’T WORK! How can I write a column without a computer? Luckily I know someone who knows someone who has amazing IT skills. I unpack the food and pour some wine. I switch my computer on and put it on the freezer and I watch, happy and amazed, as Ewan ( Currently my favourite person in the world ) remotely fixes my computer from Scotland. I even talk to Ewan through textedit.

While Ewan does his impressive fix up of my Mac I give some onions a chop. I pour some mince in a pot and, erm, James does the rest. I have fallen into my old habits. I do, however, have a good reason this time. I will not lie. I did some stirring and I drank some wine, and nothing else. I am aware this is not a good start….

An hour and a half later we have cooked and ate:

Starter: Insalate caprese. Buffalo Mozzarella, basil, tomato drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Main: Spaghetti bolognese.

Brown mince, chop onions and fry, boil some tomatoes and then peel. Put all ingredients in one pot. Optional, but you can add some buffalo mozzarella. Cook spaghetti and Put that in too. You have a very good and easy to make dish.

This is actually different from how I usually make it. Probably because I didn’t. I add tomatoes puree,tinned chopped tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and garlic. I brown the mince and then add the ingredients. I cook pasta separately.

Verdict: The food is amazing. You can never go wrong with Italian. I give it 10/10. The only Spaghetti bolognese I have tasted that I like more than the ones my parents make. Check back next week for my next column. Where I will actually cook.

The other good result? My Mac now works perfectly.