Crumbed Pork Scallops with Crumbed Oven Fries and Honey Glazed Parsnips

Another easy and cheap recipe which feeds four for under a "£" fiver.

 Ingredients for this recipe: (feeds 4 )

1 pkt of pork scallops (I paid £3.00 and had five scallops)

5 large red potatoes (pealed and chuck chipped)

4 medium parsnips (pealed and cut into quarters, lengthways)

1/4 glass of white wine

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 bay-leaves

1 egg

6 tbs full of plain flour

8 tbs full of wholemeal "or normal" bread crumbs

1 teaspoon of honey

Condiments, cayene pepper, rock salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic salt

also some sunflower oil, olive oil

Preparation:

Before anything marinate the scallops in 1/4 glass of white wine, the mince garlic, a couple of bay-leaves and some rock salt for at least an hour.

After that place the chunky chips in a bowl and add to them 2tbs of olive oil, a tea spoon of cayenne, a tea spoon of paprika, 2tea spoons of rock salt and 1/2 tea spoon of garlic salt. Toss the bowl contents until the chips are well covered in the spices and oil, at this stage sprinkle 2 tbs of wholemeal breadcrumbs, and toss it a few more times to get this also all over the chips, carefully place them on a baking tray, which goes in the oven at 190 Celsius for about 25-30 minutes, giving them a toss after 15 minutes of cooking.

As soon as you place the chips in the oven, place also the parsnips there, with a drizzle of both olive oil and honey, as well as a pinch of salt and black pepper, cooking for the same time.

Around 10 minutes from the veg in the oven being cooked, place a frying pan on the stove gas medium, and pour a little oil into the pan enough to cover fully the bottom about 1cm deep, and let this heat up well.

While waiting to heat up have three recipients ready, and place flour on one, egg beaten on another and finally bread crumbs on the last one. Now proceed to dip scallop by scallop, first flour covering well shaking the excess, then egg until well covered and finally the crumbs, fry these in the oil for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown, and once cooked drain excess oil by placing it on a kitchen paper towel.

All should be ready at the same time, so just serve all and enjoy yourself a very traditional Portuguese, "panados" crumbed scallops, with an English twist of parsnips and an healthy crispy chips portion.

Tagliatelli a la Rico

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4 or 3 very hungry ones)

• 400grs mixed tagliatelle egg and spinach
  
• 1/2 can of black olives (cut in halves) roughly 120gr +or-
• 12 cherry tomatoes (cut in halves) with skin
  
• 1 courgette (cut in small cubes)
• 4 spring onions (cut in slices)
• 1 garlic clove minced
  
• 1 lid of nice balsamic vinegar
  
• 1/4 fresh cream
  
• 2 soup spoons of grated cheddar cheese
• 1 coriander bunch (finely chopped)
• sufficient, salt, black pepper and olive oil
  

From beginning to end it only took me 15 minutes to complete this meal. Put a pan with boiling water on the stove + a little salt and oil (tip, the oil prevents water from foaming up as well as it keeps pasta separated after cooked, rather than clumping up, I learnt this from the age of 9) in there put the pasta cooking.

Wile the pasta is cooking put a Wok on the stove, and in it add a little olive oil enough to cover the bottom, heat it up and as soon as fumes start coming out of it, add in there the following vegetables, courgette, spring onion and garlic + seasoning (salt and B pepper). Let these ones cook for around 3 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the tomatoes and onion + a the balsamic vinegar, and continue to stir for a further 3 minutes.

To that now you add the fresh cream and the cheese, and stir for a further 2 minutes, add to it now the drained tagliatelli, give it a few more turns, than switch the fire of on the stove and throw in the coriander, giving it a few more turns to mix it in well, then serve and (optional) you can add extra B pepper and or Grated dried parmesan cheese...And have a nice quick healthy cheap meal.

Potato and Onion Frittata

Receita em Português

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)

• 300grs potato (thinly sliced)
  
• 2 large onions (thinly sliced).
• 3 garlic cloves (thinly sliced).
• 6 medium beefy tomatoes (sliced)
  
• 6 eggs (mixed not beaten).
• 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced).
• 2 red chillies (de-seeded thinly sliced).
• (optional...Chopped coriander...leftovers of cooked fishes or meats can be added too).
• 1/2 tea spoon paprica.
• salt and black pepper.

Is really simple, frittata is like an omelette finished in the oven, only that the eggs are not beaten so making like a firmer omelette rather than fluffy, so when mixing the eggs make sure they're just mixed no froth please. The frittata also normally made in a frying pan than cook the bottom of the omelette and then is finished in the oven or grill, due to the size of mine I done it all in the oven in a large dish.

Stick a frying pan on the stove, with a little olive oil that once hot you add to it the onion, the pepper, the garlic and chilli. Let these cook until golden then add 1 of the tomatoes cut into small pieces (keeping the remaining 5 to place on top of the frittata) also add the seasoning (salt and black pepper, add also the potato and a half glass of water, once boiling reduce to minimum, place a lid on top and let the potato cook through but to the point only that it is still firm, meanwhile place a pirex dish in the oven with a little olive oil at around 150c.

In a bowl place the eggs mix them (no froth remember) and once mixed add the potato mixture, give it a swirl so that the whole mixture is involved with egg, take the tray out of the oven and pour mixture inside, as is very hot this will start the cooking of the bottom of the frittata, cover the top with the sliced tomatoes seasoning them too, and place it back in the oven raising the temp to 200c, should be done within 20 minutes, and that's it serve it with a salad, or any other accompaniment of your choice, or eat it on it's own up to you...is delicious simple and fast to make, excellent when you on the go. "bon apetit" :)

Light Orange Loaf Cake

Recipe Ingredients:

• 300grs self raising flour
  
• 200grs sugar
  
• 100grs butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 small oranges (set aside the zest of 2, and the juice of the same 2, the 3rd one thinly slice it)

In a large bowl, put the sugar and the (soft) butter, beat it until is a whitish cream, then add the juice of one orange, and continue to beat for a further 2 minutes, then add the two eggs and beat it further 2 minutes more, the remaining orange juice and the zest of the 2 oranges and beat a further 2 minutes.

Finally add bit by bit the self raising flour, while still beating the dough, until it is all incorporated, at this stage stop and you can now place half on the dough in a loaf tin (previously greased and floured) on the top of the half of dough place half of the sliced orange, put the remaining dough on top and cover it with the remaining orange slices (see picture) and on top of each orange slice cover that with a little sugar, that will caramelize once cooked giving it an extra delicious taste.

Now it will take 25-30 minutes in medium oven 180c. and is ready to eat, so lovely with some green tea, as is very fluffy and light, if you prefer heavier add 2 more eggs at the egg stage.

I was inspired by Mary blog moist orange and lemon cake.

Rich Tea Biscuit Cake witth Almond

Ingredients for the Recipe: ( enough for many :D )

• 4 yolks
  
• 125 g butter
• 125 g Fine sugar (Caster fine sugar)
• 125 g Icing sugar
  
• 40 g ground almonds (I ground my own for a more intense flavour)
• 1/2 almond essence
  
• +/- 2 packets McVities Rich Tea biscuits (or Maria biscuits)
• 1 cup strong coffee (just warm nearly cold)
• 10 flaked almonds (I flaked my own with my Santuku knife)

In a bowl place the yolks, butter (soft or into little cubes), sugars, and the almond essence, blend these very well with a mixer, until it forms a whitish cream, once it gets to that point add the almond while still mixing , mix these very well until all the ground almond is all blended in. Then refrigerate it for about an hour so it hardens to a thick cream consistency.

Then get the biscuits and one by one dip them in the (almost cold) coffee for about 3 seconds each, don't leave them too long or they will become soft and break apart, and also if too soft is impossible to spread the cream. Arrange them on a plate or tray one in the centre and six surrounding the centre one, then apply a thin layer of cream (that you had refrigerated), repeat the process until the cake is around 5-6 biscuits high, and finally cover the whole of the cake outside in the same cream, and sprinkle the almond flakes on top, them refrigerate until very cold and firm.

It is very nice served with a nice strong cup of coffee. I believe the original recipe doesn't have almonds at all and the walls and top of the cake is decorated with dessicated coconut shavings.
We all know that almond goes extremely well with coffee, as a lot of times when out for a coffee you get a little almond biscuit with it, therefore the reason why I used it.

Caramelized Onions and Garlic Cheese Omelette

Who doesn't know how to make an omelette...the answer would be no one, as everyone knows how to make them, but the most important is the the contents (fillings) same as a person, as is what is inside a person that counts (their personality) same goes for the omelette, the fillings are it's personality, so make them good.

However simple it may be, this one is one of the best tasting omelettes I've made, and as such I wanted to share this with my followers. As to the potato wedges, there several recipes previously posted on how to make these, look in my previous postings or search for the keyword "wedges" in the labels.

Receita em Portugues AQUI


Recipe Ingredients: (1 person)

• 2 big eggs (mixed in a bowl)
  
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
  
• 3 soup spoons full of cubed cheese (I used cheddar and cut it into very small cubes)
  
• a little olive oil
  
• salt and black pepper to taste.
  

Place a non stick frying pan on the stove with a little olive oil, temper it with sea salt and black pepper, once hot add the onion and garlic, always stirring let them go golden brown virtually caramelizing them, (both the garlic and the onion will get a specific sweetish taste, which is beautiful) at this stage remove them from the fire, and pour them inside the mixed eggs , and stir these well.

Put the frying pan back on the stove with a little of olive oil, and once hot pour in the mixture of eggs and onions, at the start stir it as if you were going to make scrambled eggs, but as soon as it starts to dry stop mixing, as to achieve a perfect omelette it must be (a little) moist inside. Leaving 2 centimetres from the edge on the pan, lay a line of cheese cubes across the middle of the omelette, and then with a teflon spatula fold one third of the omelette back into it's center and do the same from the oposite side, let it cook for 1-2 minutes and once that is achieved flip it over letting it cook for another 1-2 minutes, after this it is ready to serve and eat, when you cut the amelette in the middle should be moist and the cheese should ooze out yumyum!!


You can serve it with what to want, I made potato wedges, you can use salad, rice and/or any other combinations that you may like. Bon appetit.
These eggs that I used were given by a friend who has hens and liked my blog so the eggs are free range and organic (super fresh), my friend's name is Manuel. Today some friends also gave me a wonderful fish which I will cook soon, but for now I have more surprises for you coming soon. xx

Pecan, Honey and Greek Yoghurt Tart

This Tart was adapted from "Tarte Delicia de Iogurte" from Luisa Alexandra blog recipe which she also adapted from other blog, and so on. But believed to have the original recipe from a blog called Gulosices but is in Portuguese.

Receita em Português AQUI

Recipe Ingredients:

• 250grs Sugar
• 2 eggs
• 500grs Greek Yoghurt (you can use normal plain yoghurt, for a softer texture)
• 50grs Margarine
  
• 1 tea spoon of vanilla essence
• 100grs of flour
• 50grs pecan nuts (ground)
• 12 pecan halves
• 2 soup spoons of honey (and a little extra honey for glaze)

This tart was originally made with 350 grs of sugar no nuts or honey and plain yoghurt, also was made in individual small tart containers rather than a large one, result was a more moist and light tart. I went for a more dense and zingy tart to contrast with the fresh cream and the honey glazed pecans.

The preparation is simple. Beat the sugar and the eggs until the sugar granules disappear (around 2 minutes with a machine or 4 by hand), then add the melted margarine, vanilla essence and flour (little by little to not form lumps), mix these until homogeneous (around 30 seconds machine or 1 min by hand).

Finally add the yoghurt the ground pecans and the 2 soup spoons of honey (plain), just mix these well. then put the dough in a large baking tart dish (previously greased with margarine and floured) and bake for about 35 minutes at 180c, until golden brown on top, before I put it in I placed on a frying pan a soup spoon of sugar about 2 soup spoons of water and a soup spoon of honey, turned the gas on and let it start bubbling, at that stage I added the pecan halves, and let these cook until it started to caramelize (but not caramel just syrupy) placed 8 pecans on top of the tart drizzled some of the syrup on top in a circle around the pecans. The rest I used to put on the whipped cream also making a little more surup the same ways with a few chopped pecans, see picture.

The texture is that of a baked cheesecake crossed with a cake, is quite unusual and zingy from the greek yoghurt, however is delicious, and the pecan and honey come through as real stars. This cake/flan is in the class of "Queijada" which is a portuguese tipe of cake that is neither a cake or a flan but something in between. :D

Eggs with Peas "My Way" (portuguese traditional)

This is a very well known traditional Portuguese recipe, at least I remember eating this since I was a little boy, there are some differences like, it used to take also chorizo slices (cooked in at the same time as the bacon, you can do this if you want).

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 Onion (finely sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 red chilli (finely chopped)
  
• 4 soup spoons of olive oil
• 300grs potatoes (thick sliced)
  
• 300grs peas (or Petit Pois)
• 2 large carrots (thinly sliced)
  
• 2 eggs per person (as each egg is equivalent to 100grs of beef)
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes (good quality don't skimp on this)
• 2 soup spoons of tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste
• Paprika

Again another very easy to prepare and very healthy meal. Put a large pan on the stove high heat, put the oil the garlic and the onion inside + the salt and pepper to taste and the chilli. Let these cook until the onion is nearly caramelized, at this stage add the carrot, let it cook stirring frequently for about 5 minutes adding little bits of water when needed, then add the peas and let it cook for a further 5 minutes, again stirring and adding little bits of water when needed.

Now add the potato and the tomato + one glass of water and the paprika let it cook until the potatoes are done about 15 minutes (with the pan lid on, and on a med heat) take the lid of the pan and add the eggs gently on the top of the veg so that they poach. leave it for another 3 minutes with the lid on....and it is done serve this with a side of fresh bread to dip in the sauce, it is lovely full of protein and vitamins and virtually fat free apart from the oil and being olive oil , very good for you.

I submitted this recipe to be shared on the foodie virtual tour ran by Joan of Foodalogue in February the stop is in Portugal my place of birth, and this dish reminds me of when I was a kid around 9 years old and my mum used to call me from playing outside to come in for dinner at winter time, and this dish always brought me comfort, my mum used to make it with chorico too, but currently I opt not to make it like that as my wife is vegetarian, and she loves this dish too. The Culinary Tour Around the World event is design to raise awareness with regards World Food Hunger, and see what you can contribute to prevent it. Please visit BloggerAid for more details.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Receita em Portugues clique AQUI

Another pasta dish as promised, this time a classic, cheap and easy to do, OK is not the most healthy but certainly makes up for taste.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 200grs mushrooms (sliced)
• 150grs smoked bacon (strips sliced)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 onion (very...very finely chopped)
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 200mls fresh single cream
• 50grs Cheddar cheese (grated)
• 2 soup spoons of parmesano cheese (grated)
• 4soup spoons of olive oil
  
• one measure of fire-water or vodka
• 400-500grs spaghetti (or fettuccine or even linguine)
• salt and pepper
• (optional) decoration a bit of parsley
  

This is a very easy and simple recipe to make, so if you in a hurry this is what you do:
Put a skillet frying pan on the fire and a deep pan with water for the spaghetti, on the spaghetti pan add a little salt and a little vegetable oil (about one spoon full, this does two things: stops the water from foaming to much and helps the pasta not stick too much), once this reaches a boil add the spaghetti in (or the pasta of your preference).

In the skillet, place the olive oil until hot, then in goes the garlic, bacon and the onions, let them cook stirring occasionally until the start to caramelized, once this stage is reached add the mushrooms + a pinch of salt and pepper, once the mushrooms are virtually cooked throw in the fire-water (or vodka) lean the pan forward so that it catches the flame as soon as it does straighten it and shake it, the flame will burn all the alcohol in the booze and will flavour the contents, don't worry it will only burn for a few seconds.

At this stage add the fresh cream leave about 2 spoons of that fresh cream in a glass and mix with it the 2 egg yolks once the fresh cream on the pan starts to bubble add the egg yolks and the cheeses (both of them) the cream should thicken up to a nice consistency, turn the fire down and let it simmer for a little while about 2-3 minutes, the whole process will probably take 10-12 minutes in which the spaghetti is also cooked. So drain the spaghetti passing boiling water through once well drained dish it and serve some sauce over it, and if you want add a little chopped parsley on top and you're done ...all in all will take you about 15-20 minutes to prepare this meal and even less to eat it :)

Thanks for coming to my blog...and if you like it please follow it, button is at top left hand corner...cheers!!!

Prawn Egg Tortilla (also known as spanish omelet)

Recipe Ingredients (for the omelet):

• 1 large red potato (thinly sliced and part-boiled)
• 6 baby plum tomatoes (other tomatoes with do sliced)
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 1 small green pepper (sliced thinly)
  
• 5 eggs (mixed)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 250grs king prawns (cooked and pealed)
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 3 soup spoons of olive oil (maybe a little extra)
• 1 tea spoon sweet paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

This one is very straight forward to do, really easy. Place a non-stick frying pan on the stove, gas on high, once really hot place the par boiled potato slices in the oil with a little salt and pepper, until golden brown on both sides (so you need to turn them occasionally).

Once this is done set them aside, add a little extra oil to the pan, and once again hot, add the onion, pepper, garlic and paprika cook until the onion is semitransparent (about 5 minutes) now add the tomatoes and the prawns cook until the tomatoes are partially cooked and the prawns are very hot (about 3 minutes), empty the pan contents and also the potatoes that you had set aside + the parsley into the bowl that contains the five mixed eggs, give it a stir, and pour back into the non stick pan that is still on the fire, reduce fire to medium-high, start folding gently until the egg is not longer liquid but still moist, once this is achieved stop folding and let it cook on one side till golden brown.

Then flip it to the other side, if you good do it like a pancake if not use a plate to aid you turn the omelet over. Once cooked on both sides serve it with some wedges and mixed leaf salad (or anything you like). I believe I already have posted how to do potato wedges, just look through my blog.. Any questions ask...please enjoy.

Fettuccine al Fungi - spinach and egg fettuccine with mushrooms and cream

Receita em PORTUGUES Clique AQUI

Please check this out a simple fantastic spinach and egg fettuccine al fungi.

Recipe Ingredients (feeds 4) :

• 400grs fettuccine "verdi & Uovo" mix green and egg
• 250grs mushrooms (I prefer brown organic, sliced)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 soup spoons of brandy
  
• a soup spoon full of parmisiano (parmesan) cheese (or similar)
• 2 heaped soup spoons of grated cheddar cheese.
• 1 soup spoon of chopped parsley
• 1 half onion (chopped finely)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 tea spoon sweet paprika
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 soup spoons of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove (crunched)
• 250mls fresh cream
  

Very simply put some water boiling and ad one glug of normal oil to the water + some salt and the crushed garlic clove, add then the fettuccine, and cook it for 7-10 minutes you want it "al dente" I mean cooked but still semi hard the pasta.

While that is doing, on a wok or large frying pan put in the olive oil, the garlic and the onion, cook these until very golden. Now add the paprika and cook for one minute more, then add the sliced mushrooms, once they are cooked which will take approx 3-4 minute add the brandy and leaning the pan at a 30-45 degree angle ignite the brandy (flanbéing it), this will give it a smoky flavour and also brandy although will contain no alcohol as it has been consumed by the flames, so is a safe food for kids too.

After that add the cream and let this heat up again until nearly boiling, dissolve the egg yolks with a little milk about 3-4 soup spoons full in a glass, pour this mixture into the cream always stirring this will start to thicken up the sauce then add the parmesan and the cheddar which will thicken up even more, both the sauce and the pasta will be done roughly at the same time.

So drain the pasta drizzle a little olive oil over it and toss it then serve (preheat the plates if need be if you ant it to stay hotter) and pour over the pasta a couple of servings spoons. To decorate it you can do either of these three: sprinkle some sweet paprika on top of the sauce or sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top and drizle in a circle a little extra virgin olive oil around the parsley but still on the sauce or sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese and freshly grind some black pepper over it too... they will all look quite impressive and add to the taste too.

Sesame Croquettes with Corn Dogs

Today you don't need a recipe for this as is so easy to do, is what I call a mess around dinner.

I boiled some potatoes, some onions and some carrots, then I mash them all together adding some seasoning salt & pepper rolled some small portions of these into croquette shapes, passed them through some beaten egg and some bread crumbs with sesame seeds, then fried them slowly in vegetable oil.

To accompaign I done some corn dogs my way, in a bowl a couple of spoons of coarse corn flour a couple of plain flour a little paprika and chilli powder + some salt and pepper, add to that an egg and a couple of spoons of beer to make a batter then dip some plain cocktail sausages in the batter and fry it immediately, after golden drain on some kitchen paper and serve them with the croquettes and some salad of your own taste....however my wife heated some baked beans and it was delicious too like that. You decide :)

Golden Slices (or Eggy Bread)

Receita em Portuguese clique AQUI

It has been a little while that I have not made something sweet, well here is a treat for you cheap and easy to make. Eggy Bread (also known as golden slices), this can be a way of using bread that is a little old.

Ingredients for Recipe:

• Half a loaf of bread
• 1 glass of milk
• 2 soup spoons of sugar
• 3 eggs
• a mixture of two soup spoons of sugar and a tea spoon of cinnamon
• a plate with some absorbent tissues
• a frying pan with a finger deep of oil

This is so darn easy and so tasty, (however quite fattening therefore only have it once in awhile). In a soup plate put the milk and the sugar well mixed, on another plate the three eggs (beaten), place the frying pan on the stove until the oil is well hot, quickly deep a slice of bread in the milk both sides, don't leave it in or absorb a lot of milk, them bathe it in the egg, both sides too and place it in the pan, repeat the process on another slice, once it fries (seals) on one side turn it to the other side, to seal that too even if is not yet golden, as the idea is to seal the egg so that it does not absorb the oil, as you just want to cook in it not eat it. Once both sides are sealed then, yes let it get golden brown on each side, pull it out making sure all the oil drains and place it on the plate with the paper tissue, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on both sides of each slice, then just keep repeating the whole process until the whole of the bread is gone. And that is all, just call your kids but don't get distracted as if you do by the time you look back all the slices are gone lol.

If the beaten egg plate gets to low or the milk and sugar plate you can always add more.....but it is that easy!!!

Chinese Soup

Chinese Soup



This is a personal interpretation of Birds Nest Soup, I would say a Summer soup most adequate for this time of year, also is very quick to make.


For this Recipe you will need:

• 1- Onion
  
• 1-Garlic
  
• 1- Ginger (bit same size as garlic)
  
• 8-Spring Onions
  
• 1-Red Chilli (mild)
  
• 2- Soup spoons of light Soya Sauce
  
• 2- Eggs 1- Tea spoon of Chinese "Five Spice"
  
• 2- Soup spoons of Arrow Root (alternatively one of corn starch).

Preparation:
Chop very finely the onion, the garlic and the Ginger. Put a large pan on the cooker with two large spoons of olive oil on a hot heat, once the oil starts to smoke a little chuck in the onion garlic and ginger stirring it, reduce it to a low heat and add the soya sauce the Chinese five spice a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper, and keep stirring it occasionally until the onion is virtually transparent. While the onion is cooking you can advance by slicing finely the spring onions and the chilli (not forgetting to de-seed and de-vein the chilli first).
Now that the onion is transparent add the water enough for about four people (about 2 litres) using a blender, blitz the onion until a smooth cloudy liquid, bring to the boil and at this point add the arrow root powder diluted in a little water (always stirring) this will thicken the soup just a little give the soup a couple of swirls and while the soup is still moving by itself in the pan put in the eggs (previously mixed) slowly , once they are all in add the spring onions and the chilli. Let it simmer for 5 minutes more and the soup is ready to serve....Bon Apetit

Alternatively if you like more substance, replace the spring onions and chilli by a couple of hands full of sweet corn and a couple of thin noodles blocks crushed.