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Creamy Curried Beef

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This is a traditional Curry Dish, using Minced Beef in place of cubed – flavoured with various Spices, Raisins, Tomatoes and Almonds.
Minced Beef Curry
If you want a hotter tasting Curry, replace the Medium Curry Powder with a hotter one, add more garlic or include some finely chopped Chillies.

To serve 2
350g Minced Beef
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
1 Large Carrot, finely grated
2 Tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1tbsp Tomato Puree
100g Raisins or Golden Sultanas
250ml Beef Stock
3tbsp Wine Vinegar
1tsp Ground Cumin
1/2tsp Ground Cinnamon
1tsp Ground Allspice
2tsp Medium Curry Powder
120g Long Grain Rice
5tbsp Sour Cream or Natural Yogurt

1. Heat a large saucepan, and heat the Beef, Onion, Garlic and Carrot and heat over a low heat until the fat begins to run from the Beef, and then raise the heat slightly until the Minced Beef is browned off.
2. Add the Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Raisins (or Golden Sultanas), Beef Stock, Vinegar, Spices, and season to taste. Bring to the boil, check the consistency, and add some extra water if required.
3. Cover and simmer gently for twenty minutes until very tender, stirring frequently to make sure nothing sticks and burns. At the same time, begin to cook the Rice in some Salted Water for twelve to fifteen minutes, or until tender.
4. When the Rice is cooked, stir the Sour Cream or Yogurt into the meat, and drain the Rice. Slowly add the Rice to the pan of the Beef Curry, and stir in well, before serving on warmed plates.

Serve with Poppadoms or Naan Bread, fresh from the pan.

Photo Courtesy of: Xelcise

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

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According to the Atkins diet, cauliflower is a potato substitute and you can use it in many ways. Even the texture is similar. Another interesting thing I learned is that there are purple cauliflowers found in the UK and Italy. It would be awesome to make a periwinkle colored soup.

Creamy cauliflower soup is a dish everyone will enjoy. It has a very mild flavour, so even people who do not like vegetables will love it.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh cauliflower flowerets

4 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons of flour

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

4 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Salt to taste

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, sauté the garlic and onions in medium low heat for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the cauliflower and pour in the white wine. Cover the pot and lower the heat. Cook the cauliflower for around 5-10 minutes or until the wine evaporates. After, pour in the broth and let it simmer for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Combine the flour and milk in a bowl. Mix well until the lumps disappear.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the milk and flour mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes or until it thickens.

In batches, transfer the vegetables in a blender or food processor. Puree it in low speed until it becomes smooth. Add soup as needed for easier blending.

Pour the blended mixture in a pot and simmer for 3-5 minutes in medium low heat. Stir in the whipped cream, sour cream and flour mixture. Mix well and season it with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup in individual bowls and top with toasted pine nuts. Serve warm.

Optional toppings and sides: bacon bits, croûtons,  chives, toasted almonds, muffins and toast

Photo Courtesy Of: thepinkpeppercorn

Coconut Curry

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This is a very simple dish, and it makes a very flavoursome curry, with tastes of (as the name suggests) coconut. It’s a very creamy dish, and quite heavy on the calories, so may not be the best thing for straight after Christmas!

Coconut Curry

Serve it with a freshly toasted Naan bread, and Rice – try adding some tumeric and chopped almonds to the Rice once cooked to add more flavours to the side.

To Serve 4
1tbsp Oil
450g Minced Beef
2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
1tsp Ground Cumin
1tsp Ground Coriander
1tsp Garam Masala
1/2inch Fresh Root Ginger, Grated
2tbsp Ground Almonds
175ml Coconut Milk
120ml Beef Stock
Salt and Pepper
2tbsp Fresh Coriander, Chopped

1. Heat the Oil in a large Saucepan, and add the Minced Beef and Garlic. Cook for five minutes over a medium-high heat.
2. Add the Cumin, Coriander, Garam Masala and Ginger, and cook for two more minutes, before adding the Ground Almonds and seasoning to taste.
3. Drain any excess liquid off, leaving around a tablespoon in the pan, then add the Coconut Milk and Stock. Mix in well, and bring to the boil.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for twenty minutes, before adding in the Fresh Coriander and cooking for a further ten minutes until the sauce is thicker (it shouldn’t be dry, but shouldn’t be very…saucy).

Serve fresh and still hot from the pan, along with Rice, Naan Bread, Yogurt dip and Coriander on the plate.

For an alternative, simply replace the Minced Beef with diced Chicken, and cook until done through before moving on to the next step. Try adding different vegetables to the mix – Onions, Peppers and sliced Aubergines are all good to use.

Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz

Haddock and Potato Soup

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Haddock Potato Soup

This is a thick, creamy soup, with lashings of flavour and colour. This soup is a great Winter Warmer as a lunch, or brilliant served as a Starter for a meal. Serve with fresh, crusty rolls, and garnished with fresh Chopped Parsley. If you can’t find any Haddock, any white fish will be okay – just make sure there are no bones in there!

To Serve 4
2tbsp Butter
1 Onion, chopped
1 Leek, chopped
2tbsp Plain Flour
850ml Milk
1 Bay Leaf
1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
350g Smoked Haddock Fillets
450g Potatoes, cooked and mashed
6tbsp Double Cream
Salt and Pepper
Fresh, Crusty Rolls

1.       Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the Onion and Leek and cook for three minutes or until soft, stirring frequently.

2.       Mix the flour in a bowl with enough of the milk to make a smooth paste, and stir into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly for two minutes, before gradually adding the rest of the milk.

3.       Add the Bay Leaf and Parsley, and season to taste with Salt and Pepper, before bringing to the boil, and reducing the heat and simmering for fifteen minutes.

4.       Rinse the Haddock fillets under cold running water, drain and cut into small chunks. Add to the soup and cook for fifteen minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and soft.

5.       Add the Mashed Potatoes and stir in the Cream, before cooking for a further two or three minutes. Remove from the heat, and discard the Bay Leaf.

6.       Serve in warmed bowls and with Fresh rolls and garnish with freshly chopped Parsley.

Photo Courtesy of: Bucklava

Pastichio

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This traditional Greek dish is full of flavour, and very simple to make. If you want it to be even simpler, you can use White Sauce instead of creating your own sauce.

Pastichio

To Serve 4
200g Pastichio Noodles
1lb Minced Beef or Minced Pork
1 medium Onion
½ Stick of Butter
1/3 Cup of Flour
1 Tube of Tomato Puree
3 cups of Milk
3 Eggs
1 Cup Grated Cheese
1 tbsp Cinnamon
Salt And Pepper

1.       Brown the Meat off in a pan, and finely chop the Onion, adding to the pan and cook off until the fat evaporates.

2.       Add the Tomato Paste along with a cup of water. Add the Salt, Pepper and Cinnamon to the pan, cover and simmer on a low heat for fifteen minutes. Boil the Noodles and set them aside.

3.       In a separate pan, melt the butter and slowly add in the flour until it makes a thick mixture. Add the Milk until it boils – it should take around five minutes, stirring all the time.

4.       Beat the Eggs in a bowl, and slowly add the Butter, Flour and Milk into the Eggs, stirring all the time to prevent any lumps forming. Return to the saucepan, and stir constantly over a medium heat for one or two minutes. Add the Grated Cheese and stir in.

5.       Spread half of the Noodles over the bottom of a casserole dish, and cover with half of the sauce. Cover with the Meat, and then cover with some more of the sauce. Lay the rest of the noodles over the top, and cover with the remainder of the sauce.

6.       Bake at 180C for forty to forty five minutes.

Serve this dish either on its own, or serve with seasonal vegetables.

Photo Courtesy of: pink_fish13

Simply Stunning Sides

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Four side dishes, which are easy to make, taste amazing and look even better! All of these sides make enough to serve six people, but you can always adjust the quantities to serve more or less – if you want to that is!!!

Potatoes and Onions

Roasted Onion and Potato Slices

1kg Baking Potatoes

2 Red Onions

3tbsp Oil

½ tsp Paprika

1.       Peel and slice the Onion and Potatoes – the Potato into rounds about 1cm thick, and the onion as thin or as thick as you’d like.

2.       Heat the oven to 200 C or Gas Mark 6. Pat the potatoes dry, and mix with two tablespoons of the Oil with the Paprika, seasoning with Salt and Pepper.

3.       Transfer to a large, non-stick roasting tin, and spread out in a single layer, and bake for twenty minutes, turning occasionally.

4.       Mix the onions with the remaining Oil, and scatter in with the Potatoes. Cook for a further fifteen to twenty minutes, until golden and crispy.

Thyme and Lemon Courgettes with Fennel

3 Courgettes, Sliced

Juice and Zest of ½ Lemon

3tbsp Olive Oil

1tbsp Dried Thyme

1 large bulb of Fennel, sliced thinly

1.       Heat half the Oil and Thyme in a large frying pan, add the Fennel and cook for two to three minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2.       Heat the remaining Oil and fry the Courgettes on a high heat for two to three minutes until almost tender.

3.       Re-Add the Fennel to the pan, along with the Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Slow-Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

450g Tomatoes

½ tbsp Thyme Leaves

2tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1tbsp Olive Oil

1.       Heat the oven to 150 C or Gas Mark 2.

2.       Halve the Tomatoes, and arrange in a roasting tray. Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil over the top, sprinkle with Thyme Leaves and season well with Salt and Pepper.

3.       Bake for one to two hours until lightly caramelised.

Creamy Spinach with Cheese

40g Butter

2 cloves of Garlic, Sliced thinly

75g Grated Full-Flavour White Cheese

500g Spinach

Nutmeg

50ml Double Cream

1.       Cook the Spinach in a large pan for two to three minutes until wilted. Tip into a colander and squeeze well to remove excess water.

2.       Melt the Butter in a large pan over a medium-low heat, add the Garlic, and cook for two to three minutes until softened, but not changing colour. Add the Spinach to the pan, and grate some Nutmeg over the top. Season with Salt and Pepper.

3.       Stir in the Cream and Cheese, and cook for one minute until melted

Photo Courtesy of: Jon Mountjoy

Creamy Orange and Strawberry Smoothie

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Rich, Creamy and full of flavour. All you need for a relaxing afternoon. This smoothie is full of flavour, a delight to the eye and smells beautfiul. Make sure that it’s thick and full of bubbles to get the most of the drink.

Serves 2
125ml natural yoghurt
175ml strawberry yoghurt
175ml orange juice
175g frozen strawberries
1 banana, frozen and sliced

1.Pour the yoghurts into a food processor/blender, and process gently
2.Add the OJ and carry on processing gently until properly combined
3.Add the strawberries and banana and process until smooth
4.Pour the mix into glasses – decorate with slices of strawberries!

Try with different fruit and flavoured yoghurt

Photo by: Pink Sherbert Photography