Showing posts with label potato. Show all posts
Showing posts with label potato. Show all posts

Monday 16 May 2011

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.

Saturday 20 March 2010

Roasted Pork tenderloin on Saffron Rice with Oven Potatoes and Broccoli




Ingredients for the recipe: (for 2 People)
  • 1 organic pork loin about 300grs
  • 250grs rice
  • 1/2 onion
  • 2 long potatoes (washed and cut into wedges)
  • 2 pieces of broccoli (cut into small pieces)
  • 1 soup spoon of turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 1 Tea Spoon of chilli powder
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 piece of ginger (size of a clove of garlic)
  • 1 sprig of parsley
  • olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Very simple good wholesome food, as most of my dishes. Make small incisions in the pork loin as you see in the picture. Then in a small bowl crush the garlic, ginger, a little salt, pepper cream until it makes a consistent, rub it well in the back especially in the incisions, and let the rest for about 30 to 60 minutes.

Then put a skillet pan on the stove and in a little oil, once hot put it and let the loin fry sealing it and making crispy and golden all around, cooking is done pretty fast so it will still be raw inside, then place the skillet in the oven (or transfer the pork to an oven-proof dish and bake it for about 15 minutes 200celcius. 10 minutes before putting the pork loin in the oven, put the potatoes in a baking tray seasoning them with a little olive oil and some salt, these then bake for 25 minutes ending at the same time as the loin. While the pork cooks make the rice placing this in a pan with only a little salt and water, boil it until it is almost cooked (only short about two minutes).

Meanwhile in another pan put the chopped onion, the remaining chopped garlic, the chilli, a tablespoon of turmeric, salt and black pepper to taste, and about four tablespoons of olive oil and fry until the onions have caramelized a little, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Once cooked, add a little water and a tablespoon of tomato concentrate and one of butter, stir it and cook a further 3 minutes.

Now add the drained cooked rice to this sauce cook for a further 1 minute, mix in the chopped parsley cover with a lid and let it rest 3 minutes. Of course while the rice is doing, on another little pan cook the broccoli. Then just arrange the plate, this dish if if you notice is the header on my blog. Bon appetit!

Friday 1 January 2010

Salmon with Philadelfia and Caremalized Onions En-croute



Beautifull en-croute, made with salmon and a topping of caramelized onions and Philadelphia cream cheese.



Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)
  • 1 skinless and boneless salmon fillet (I purchased it with skin and removed it after as is cheaper this way)
  • 1 packet of puff pastry (I purchased it already rolled, as I didn't want the trouble to make it myself)
  • 1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 tomatoes sliced
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 21/2 a shot of Port Wine
  • 2 Heaped soup spoons of Philadelphia Cream cheese (or similar)
  • 1 bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
  • a little salt, black pepper and virgin olive oil
  • 1 egg yolk to brush the pastry



In a frying pan put a little olive oil and once hot add (salt and pepper), onion and garlic. Let them cook until they caramelize well, when this happens add the port wine, cook for another minute, remove from heat and leave to cool.

After cooling add the two tablespoons of Philadelphia over the chopped parsley and stir until it becomes consistent. Place the fillets of raw fish over the pastry (add a little salt and pepper on top), spread fillets with cream cheese and onion, put on top of the slices of tomato.

Now lift the flaps of the pastry covers the fish but do not completely cover it, use the excess of the ends of the wrap to make the strips to put over, these will not let the dough open more when cooking (see photo). Press the edges with the teeth of a fork and brush the dough thoroughly with the egg yolk. insert it in the hot oven (200 degrees C) for 25 minutes, and is ready to serve.

The vegetables are just boiled, I used as you can see, round beans, carrots and potatoes. You can use the same or even cauliflower, broccoli etc. You can also quickly after boiling the vag sauté them for one minute with butter on a frying pan then sprinkle some chopped parsley and a little lemon juice.

For the sauce puts the milk in a saucepan with the nutmeg, butter plus a dash of salt and pepper. Once it boils, mix the wine with the flour premixed, and stir until it thickens, finally add the chopped parsley and is done, pour over the vegetables. Bon Appetite



Tuesday 6 October 2009

Fresh Cod Fillets with Potatoes Cooked In a Rose Wine Sauce



Recipe Ingredients:(Good for 4 people)
  • 4-6 cod fillets (no bones or skins)
  • 8 medium potatoes (peeled and sliced)
  • 1/2 bottle of rose wine (the bottle being 750ml)
  • 1 large white onion (finely chopped)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 heaped soup spoons of fresh coriander (chopped)
  • 1 fish stock cube (knorr or similar)
  • 100mls fresh cream
  • 1 soup spoon of butter
  • 1 soup spoon of plain flour diluted in half a glass of water
  • a little olive oil, rock salt and freshly ground black pepper

A very simple preparation, place a pan with a little olive oil a pinch of rock salt and a pinch o black pepper on the heat, once well heated add there the garlic and the onion, stirring it frequently let it get golden (caramelized a little). Once that happens add the sliced potatoes and the rose whine and on top of those place the fish, adding a little more black pepper and a little salt over each fish fillet, put a lid on and once it starts to boil reduce to minimum allowing it to simmer for around 20miutes, to turn the sauce simply move the pan around with an angle (don't use spoons as to not break the potatoes or fillets).

After the 20 minutes remove the lid and add the butter and fresh cream as well as the flour and water mix (add more water if necessary), but mix the sauce again by swirling the pan do this occasionally until the sauce thickens which then means is time to put in the coriander and a couple of swirls of the pan, put the lid back on let it simmer a further 3 minutes and is ready to serve.

I wanted it this simple, obviously nothing stops you from adding to the cooking some carrot cauliflower broccoli etc... it really is up to you, but I really enjoyed the simplicity of this dish and the superb smooth silky textures and mild tastes it offered.

Thursday 7 May 2009

Sun on Your Plate - Hake with Saffron pan fried Potatoes and Butternut Squash - Yellow Theme



Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)
  • 4 skinless and boneless hake fillets (you can also use fresh cod)
  • 8 medium potatoes (cubed)
  • 1/2 butternut Squash (cubed)
  • 5 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 piece of ginger (minced)
  • 8 baby corn (cut in half length ways)
  • 1 tea spoon of turmeric
  • 1/3 tea spoon of saffron
  • a little olive oil
  • salt and black pepper (to taste)




Preparation:

Place a two pans on the stove with some water on one you put in the butternut squash and two of the potatoes + one garlic clove, a little salt, on the other just the remaining potato and get these cooked, it should take around 15-20 minutes. (careful not to overcook them)

Meanwhile blend 2 garlic cloves, a little salt pepper, turmeric and two soup spoons of olive oil, the idea is to make a marinade paste to place on the fish, so coat the fish on both sides with it, for a super flavour. As soon as the potatoes are cooked, put the fish in a non stick tray and in the oven preheated to 200c, it will take around 10 minutes to be cooked.

Drain the potatoes (on their own), and place a wok or a large frying pan on the stove, with the bottom covered with olive oil, once hot add 2 garlic cloves, the saffron a little seasoning and the potatoes, let them crisp up before tossing for turning them (don't use utensils to turn them to avoid further mashing of the potatoes) crisp and toss, do this for around 7 minutes. It will get a mix of textures crisp ones and smooth. The flavours gained from the saffron and garlic are amazing couple with the textures.

also while doing that, place another little frying pan on the stove this one with a little olive oil and once hot add the ginger and a little seasoning as well as the corn, and keep tossing it ass you don't want it to burn, as it dries add a few drops of water and again toss and toss, and a few more drops of water until is cooked but you want it still crunchy, to contrast with the pure.

Now drain the potatoes with the buttenut, mash them all nice and smooth and there you have the pure, if you want more creamy ad a soup spoon of fresh cream. That is it just serve your sunshine and eat.

My family when ate this, couldn't even speak, just the following sounds came out Huuummm!!! Aaaahhh! ...well hope you like it too. Cheers!!

Thursday 30 April 2009

Potato and Onion Frittata


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" :)


Sunday 26 April 2009

Double Baked Potatoes and Rosemary Chipolatas



Recipe Ingredients:(enough for 4)
  • 12 chipolatas sausages
  • 4 large roasting potatoes
  • 1 packet of mixed salad, water cress, spinach, gem lettuce & beetroot
  • 1 soup spoon of butter
  • 1 pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 soup spoons of grated cheddar cheese
  • a little milk
  • 1 tea spoon of fresh rosemary
  • 2 soup spoons of olive oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • pinch of cayenne
  • a little balsamic oil
The preparation is simple, wash the potatoes and stab them with a sharp knife around 4 times on each side, then they go in the oven around 200c for around 40-50 minutes.

Five minutes away from the potatoes being ready, put a frying pan on the stove with the olive oil once hot ad the rosemary, seasoning (salt & pepper), chilli and the chipolates, turning these around on each side until golden.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and slice them in half, with a soup spoon remove the pulp completely only leaving the skin, the pulp place it in a bowl and ad, to it a soup spoon of butter, a glug of milk, seasoning, nutmeg and cheese, mix well. Then fill the potato skins half full and insert the chipolates cut in half, fill the rest with the mash and bake the potatoes back in the oven again until golden brown or less if you prefer. I done mine less as I was hungry and couldn't wait. (also instead of cheddar if you want a smoother cheese you can use Gruyère)

Serve this on a plate with the mix salad, with a little seasoning, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic oil.

A simple yet delicious meal, and fairly balanced. For a stress free dinner.


Friday 17 April 2009

Courgette Bake (Vegetarian esily changed to Vegan too)

I thought the meal before this one had come top shoulder to shoulder with all the meals I ever made, maybe even above...So I thought I will never be able to surpass it..how wrong was I, and is not even a meat meal...I was really surprised, I DECLARE THIS ONE THE BEST MEAL I EVER HAD.

My wife said the same, so did my kid (who normally a very good meal to him he classes it as aright) they classed this meal as EXCELLENT. Not sure if I should divulge it. :) lol
I can tell you is not a lasagna nor it's a gratin.

Receita em Português








Ok...ok.. I will give out the recipe, as it is very special not to share with my loved followers. Is like a lasagna but has no pasta, I used slithers of courgete instead of pasta, and is like a grattin but it is not a bechamel as it has no cheese appart from the lottle bit you can see sprinkled on top, is a white sauce like the one I made for the previous meal with ginger garlic and saffron, I used milk to make it, but for a vegan use soy milk (which I think will even improve further the flavour, and skip the sprinkling of cheese on top.



Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 5-6)
  • 2 large courgettes (slither them with a potato pealer, very thin slices)
  • 6 large carrots (cut into half and then quartered leght ways)
  • 150grs runner beans (destringed and sliced diagonally)
  • 1kg baby new potatoes (others will do but these are the most tender)
  • 1pkt of asparagus
  • 2 chillis (thinly sliced)
  • 1 large bell pepper (sliced) this has the most nutty taste...one can smell it when cutting it.
  • 4 large garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 piece of ginger the size of 4 large garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 glasses of milk (soy if you vegan)
  • 1 large spoon arrow root (or more cheaply corn starch) diluted in a little water.
  • 1 celery heart (sliced)
  • some butter
  • some olive oil
  • a little salt and black pepper
  • a pinch of saffron



Well, put a large pan with boiling water on the stove and cook the new potatoes and the carrots, you want them fully cooked but still firm around 25-30 minutes, should do it but it is dependent on potato quality, so keep and eye on them, I use a pin to prickle them throught if it goes through effortessly then their're done. Once cooked drain them and half them, set them aside temporarily.

Prepare all the veg. Once is all prepared, you need to make the white sauce and the stirfry to go within the courgette slithers.

For the white sauce in a milk pan put alittle olive oil and seasoning (salt and pepper), once hot add half of the ginger and half of the garlic and the pinch of saffron, once golden pour the milk in stirring briskly. While stirring put in the arrow root powder dissolved in a little water (and optionally a large spoon of butter), continue to stirr until is thikens up, once done set it aside.

Now place a large wok on the stove add a little olive oil, once hot add a little seasoning + the remaining garlic, ginger also the bell pepper, chilli, runner beans and celery. Continuously stir-fry these it will take around 10 minutes, then add the potatoes, stirfry a further 3 minutes. Then is ready remove from the fire.

Set a pirex tray (or any other tray to go in the oven) drizzle olive oil on the bottom, then slither by slither carefully layer to cover the whole botom of the dish, then throw in the potato mixture, followed by the carrots, then the white sauce reserving a little for the top, place another layer of courgette slithers to fully cover the top (no gaps) than smeer the remaining sauce on top nad sprinkle a little cheddar cheese (if vegan i would sprinkle a little oregano and sweet paprika) and it goes in the oven 200c for around 20 minutes.

The asparagus blanch them for around 3 minutes then cook them in a generous amount of butter (if vegan after blanching them cook them in peanut oil "not fry" so low temp and toss them)



So there you are, a beautifull meal for all of you beautifull people ou there!!!

Wednesday 15 April 2009

Pork Loin Steaks with Garlic and Ginger Sauce, carrot and Garlic Mash and Enoki with Spring Onion Stir-fry



This so far has topped all of my meals in taste, how healthy it was and easy to prepare, even though looks complicated, was really easy. But I cannot put into words how nice it was. Bellow is a picture of a cooked Enoki mushroom, it has a fleshy texture and is very shroomy taste.



Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 2)
  • 2 large potatoes (pealed and cubed)
  • 6 medium carrots (pealed, 3 cut into pieces, 3 into halves)
  • 4 pork loin steaks
  • 1 piece of fresh ginger (the size of two garlic cloves, minced)
  • 2 large garlic cloves "more if small" (1 roughly minced, 1 cut into 3-4 pieces)
  • 1/2 packet of fresh Enoki mushrooms
  • 1 soup spoon of sesame seeds (I used a mixture of white and black, just white is fine)
  • 3 soup spoons of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 bunch of spring onions (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup of single cream
  • 1 soup spoon of butter
  • a pinch of nutmeg
  • a glug of milk
  • a little olive oil
  • some salt and pepper
  • and a pinch of saffron


Place a pan with boiling water on the stove, and in there put the potato, 1 chopped garlic and all the carrots, as well as a little salt, it will take around 15-20 minutes to be boiled depending on the quality of the potato.

While that is doing lets do the rest quick so that it all ends at the same time. Before all that I marinated the pork with two spoons of balsamic vinegar poured evenly over them, a little salt, the minced garlic and the minced ginger, just on one side of the pork, I let it marinade for around 30 minutes.

I used two frying pans one for the steak and sauce making the other for roasting the sesame seeds and making the spring onion and Enoki stir-fry. So put both frying pans on the stove, the larger one with olive oil the smaller one just dry. On the dry one place the sesame seeds inside, and as it heats keep shaking it to brown the sesame evenly on both sides, this also releases the most amazing nutty taste and smell of the sesame, once blonde place it in a container, awaiting to be cooked with the stir-fry, while on the larger pan with olive oil, once hot place the pork steaks with the garlic and ginger facing down, as this will make them stick to that side of the steak, let them cook for around 2-3 minutes and then turn them around for another 2-3 minutes which should be sufficiente to be totally cooked through, at this stage remove them from the pan scraping the garlic and ginger so that it stays in the pan, put the steaks on a plate and put them in the oven just to keep warm and to warm the plate at around 30-50c, while you do the rest.

Now both pans are off the fire, put back on the fire the little pan put a little olive oil in it and once hot add the spring onion, and as soon as it darkens (about 1 minute) add the Enoki, and a little seasoning (salt and pepper) + one spoon of balsamic vinegar and sesame seeds, stir fry for around 3 minutes and it's done, put the other frying pan on the fire and pour the fresh cream into it + the pinch of saffron, bring it to gently boil and this will thicken substantially, as soon as is thick remove from fire.

By now the potatoes and carrots should be done, drain and remove the halved carrots, the rest just mash it up, then add a spoon of butter, a glug of milk, a pinch of nutmeg and seasoning (salt and pepper). And that is done too, finally arrange it all on the plate and get ready for an explosion of flavours, like I said is unbelievable, how nice it all was.

The nutty flavours mixing in with the mild onion and the earthy mushrooms and the fabulous textures, then the mash with a hint of sweetness from the carrot and a little garlic and nutmeg coming through, and the "piece de resistance" the moist pork with a saffron ginger and garlic , well make it and you'll see.


Sunday 22 March 2009

Somked Hadock Filled Portabello Mushrooms Grattin

Receita em Português AQUI



This was a very delicious meal I was fortunate to prepare. An invention no doubt, and like all inventions I was afraid of failure, but not the case, this was a success with the family.

Recipe Ingredients:(enough for 4)
  • 4 Portabello mushrooms (if not portabello large open ones will do)
  • 2 Bunches of broccolis spears (about 400grs)
  • 400grs mixed red and white new potatoes (cut in half)
  • 125grs fresh single cream
  • 2 soup spoons of Gruyère pieces (if not available, extra mature chedar will do"grated")
  • 2 soup spoons of mild cheddar (grated)
  • 1 glass of milk
  • 50grs butter
  • 1 big bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 reb bell pepper (cut into little strips)
  • 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  • 300grs smoked hake (no skin and chopped into small cubes)
  • 1/2 lemon juice
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • Olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste





Put the potatoes cooking in a pan with a little salt, these will take about 15-20 minutes depending on their size. On another pan cook the broccoli spears, these will take between 7-10 minutes to be cooked so only start cooking these 10 minutes after you have put the potatoes on, once the broccoli is cooked just put a little butter in them (optional).

However before all that you need to prepare the mushrooms as these will take around 20 minutes in the oven (at 200c). So to prepare them drizzle a little olive oil in a large pirex dish to fit all mushrooms or 2 small ones, put the mushrooms upside down in the dish and previously remove the stalk, chopping them into small bits. Now season the mushroom with some salt and pepper, then top it with (dividing by the 4), 2 chopped garlic cloves, chopped mush stalk, the pepper (save a little to also decorate), half of the parsley and the smoked fish, finally the bechamel (see how to make this bechamel bellow) and on the top of the bechamel, the mild cheddar and the remaining pepper for decor.

For the bechamel you place in a little pan, the cream and the milk, let it get very hot at that stage add a little seasoning, salt pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the Gruyère cheese. Once all melted get 1/3 of a glass with water and mix in a soup spoon of plain flour, once well mixed , pour it into the sauce and stir briskly and the sauce will thicken substantially, should be the consistency of runny mayonnaise.

Once the potatoes are cooked put them in a frying pan with the butter, remaining parsley and remaining garlic and fry them for 3 minutes adding the lemon juice at the end, plate it all up and you're done. Is super delicious I cannot tell you how much you need to make it and find out.


Friday 13 March 2009

Chorizo Flower Thighs served on a Chive Mash and a Smooth Spicy Cheese and Tomato Sauce



Another invented by me, and with this one both the eyes and the stomach can eat it.



Ingredients for Recipe: (for the 3 people)
  • 3 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
  • 1 bunch of chives (half diced, half just strips) "see photo"
  • 1 piece of chorizo the length of the chicken thigh (chopped into strips)
  • 1 can of peeled tomatoes (cut in pieces)
  • 1 / 2 cup of milk + 1 cup of milk (for purée)
  • 2 garlic cloves, (1 cut into strips for the thighs, 1 thin sliced for tomato sauce)
  • 3 tablespoon of cheddar cheese (cut into small cubes)
  • 1 tablespoon of butter for the mash + 1 more
  • 1 flat teaspoon of chilli powder
  • 6 large potatoes (peeled and cut into cubes)
  • 1 pinch of nutmeg
  • some coriander leaves.
  • salt and black pepper (to taste)
  • optional if you want the thighs also spicy, 1 red chilli (sliced thin into strips without seeds or veins)
It's easy to prepare. After removing the bones and skin (optional). Extend the thigh on a tray (or similar) and on the thicker part of it, with a sharp knife cut a flap to elongate the thigh further, (see photo) and put over some salt, ground black pepper, chorizo strips, chives, chilli strips of (optional) and garlic strips. Wrap the thighs so that they look as intact thighs, stick a couple of criss cross toothpicks to avoid them open when you cook them.

Let them rest half an hour helps helps them to gain taste, put a little olive oil in a frying pan and once hot put the salt and pepper well as the thighs frying, seal and make the thigh golden brown turning them around until the whole thigh is golden, pour contents of the skillet (frying pan) into a pan and pour in also the can of tomatoes and the remaining garlic garlic. Once it boils, turn down the heat and let it cook for about 5 minutes, add the chilli powder and turn the thighs around , and let it cook 5 more minutes. Now remove the thighs from the sauce and cut them into slices, and put the butter (1 tablespoon) milk and cheese cubes into the sauce, , , once incorporated it makes a very creamy sauce.

Of course at the same time do the potatoes. Put the potato cubes in a pan with boiling water and they will take about 10 minutes to be cooked, once they are cooked and drained and mash them. In a milk pan put, a glass of milk warming up with a tablespoon full of butter, and once hot so that the butter is melted pour it into the mashed potatoes also adding the salt, ground black pepper, chopped chives and a of pinch of nutmeg, stir well dish it and put the slices of chicken on top and the sauce around. Don't forget the coriander leaves as these are not just decoration, eaten with the sauce gives it a special taste.


Monday 2 March 2009

Tuna Steak and Caramelized Balsamic Onions with Potato Salad and Honey pan Fried Parsnips

Receita em Português AQUI



Looks intricate but I assure you that is not, actually depending how cheap you can get your tuna this can be a very cheap meal, I got mine on a promotion so the meal was quite economical and easy to make.

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4 people)
  • 4 medium (fresh) Tuna steaks
  • 300grs new potatoes (depending on size, washed halved and cooked)
  • 250grs Greek yoghurt tub
  • a little bunch of chives (chopped)
  • 2 onions
  • 2 parsnips (cut in half, then in half lengthways and finally thinly sliced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 4 soup spoons of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tea spoon of butter
  • 1 tea spoons of honey
  • 1/2 tea spoon of brown sugar
  • some olive oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tea spoon sweet paprika
  • 1 soup spoon of sesame seeds




Well!!! Get the new boiled potatoes and place them in a bowl, in there you put the yoghurt a little salt and pepper a little olive oil (like a couple of spoons) a few drops of lemon juice and of course the chives. Give this a gentle stir so it evolves all the potatoes and is ready to serve.

The parsnips peal them and cut them in half, then halve the halves lengthways then cut thin slices. Now put a frying pan on the stove med temp, put a little olive oil in it, and once hot put all of the parsnip in + the sesame seeds and a tea spoon of butter + a little seasoning "salt and pepper" , stir the parsnips occasionally ensuring they get brown on both sides, at that stage ad 2 soup spoons of balsamic vinegar and the honey let it cook till is nearly burnt and there is ready to serve too.

While that is doing you can do the tuna. In a pan place a little olive oil and once hot add the onions, while these ones brown, smear the garlic on the tuna+ a little salt and pepper, back to the onions keep stirring them over and over until golden at this stage move them to one side inside the pan and add the tuna steak (if need be add a little more olive oil) add also a few drops of water and push the onions back over the tuna, and cover the pan with a lid, after about 3 minutes remove lid and add the sugar, paprika and the balsamic vinegar a few more drops of water, lid back on cook another 2-3 minutes sand the tuna will be cooked. The tuna will cook very quickly and should not overcook or will become too dry and chewy, tuna if very fresh can be eaten like a steak (rare, medium rare and done...but never well done)


Sunday 1 March 2009

Portuguese Battered Cod & Roasted Potatoes with Cauliflower

Receita em Português AQUI



Now this is a very simple dish and therefore the recipe is mainly on the cod and it's batter, but I will also descriptively tell you how to make the accompaniment.

Recipe ingredients: (enough for 4)
  • 1 egg (stirred in a bow)
  • 4 soup spoons of flour (in another bowl)
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 1 lemon (in juice)
  • 400grs fresh cod fillets (skinless and cut into smaller portions)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
The roasted potatoes I done these without any precooking, basically just get some medium to small potatoes (enough for the people you cooking them for, around 2-3 per person), peal them and the larger ones cut in half. Place a roasting tray in the oven with some olive oil to cover the bottom, then once hot place the potatoes in and back into the oven for about 45 minutes at 200c (temperature) and that should be the potatoes done.

The cauliflower and broccoli (yes I did broccoli, but is not on the picture as plate was already full) I steamed these, by putting a pan on the stove with about 1 inch deep of water with a little salt, I washed and cut both of these veg to more manageable pieces and place them in the pan with a lid on and once started boiling I reduced the flame to just above minimum to continue the boiling and placed a lid on the pan to recycle the water and steam, I cooked these for 15 minutes, obviously keep a check as you may want them better cooked or less cooked. but that is the veg done.

The fish, this one you dry very well with either paper towels or kitchen towel, squeezing the fish to really draw the excess water (as they always have lots of water) this is important as next we marinade the fish and we want these marinade to be absorbed. On a little container (maybe a ramekin) mix the lemon juice and the garlic, leave it for about 3-5 minutes to infuse flavours and then put it all over the fish marinading the fish in this leaving it for 30 minutes, don't forget to also add a little salt and pepper to the marinade. Once this is done, you place a frying pan on the stove with about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil, and piece by piece (of cod) you pass it through the flour, both sides shake off the excess than into the egg making sure is well involved, than into the piping hot oil, repeat the process until the frying pan is full, but make sure at the same time you need to turn the fish over as soon as it is sealed, letting it cook on both sides until is golden brown, I had to do the fish into two go's as it didn't all fit in the first batch in the frying pan. Once the fish is cooked place it on a plate with a couple of paper towels to absorb the excess oil. And you done, it is delicious and the fish just flakes off when you eat it.

I use the above accompaniment in the winter and in the summer (also a more traditional Portuguese way) I do it with tomato rice and a mix salad of tomato, onion and lettuce (with a little vinaigrette, making this meal lighter and more refreshing. Have fun..

Saturday 21 February 2009

"Valentino Hot" Chicken with chickpeas Wedges and Salad

Receita em Português AQUI



I call this chicken Valentino chicken as it has two discerning characteristics that live up to the name, is spicy hot and very red in colour..you'll see below why. :D



Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 3-4 people)
  • 400-500grs chicken thighs (skinless and boneless)
  • 2 cooked beetroot's
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 large chilli (chopped "including seeds and veins")
  • 1 chopped plum tomato tin
  • 2 soup spoons of tomato concentrate
  • 1/2 red pepper
  • 1/2 chickpeas tin
  • 1/3 glass of light red wine or rosé
  • 4 spring onions (chopped finely)
  • some olive oil
  • salt and black pepper (to taste)
Place a pan on the stove at high temp, put enough olive oil in to cover the bottom of the pan, and once it is hot add: the onion, beetroot and red pepper, let these cook for a little while (about 3 minutes) and then piece by piece add the chicken and as soon as it seal on one side turn the chicken around to seal the other side too as this helps to keep the juices in keeping the chicken moist and tender. Chicken which you previously marinated in the (garlic, chilli and wine " see photo") for around 30 mins to 1 hr.

After the chicken is completely sealed ad the marinating liquid including the chillies and garlic into the pan, and together with that ad also the two, tomato paste and chopped plum tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for a good 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Now temporarily remove the chicken, put the sauce in a jug and blitz it with the blender, back into the pan with the sauce and add the chickpeas and put the chicken back there too, and now cook for a further 5 minutes so that the chickpeas heat up properly (as is already cooked in the tin), then arrange it on the plate with the wedges and a little salad or do it your own way. Cheers!!



Recipe Ingredients: (for the wedges, enough for 3-4 people)
  • 400grs potatoes (cut lengthways in six, to form wedges)
  • 1 soup spoon plain flour
  • 1 pinch of fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch of fresh ground sea salt
  • 1/2 tea spoon of chilli powder
  • 3 spoons of olive oil
Place a pan with boiling water on the stove at high temp with a little salt, place the potato wedges inside and part-cook them (about 4-5 minutes) remove and drain the potatoes, and place them in a bowl, placing all the remaining ingredients in the bowl with the potatoes, toss them in the bowl not using any utensils, just toss them until they are fully covered by the ingredients.

Now scatter them in a tray and place them in the oven at 200c for about 15-20 until golden brown, and at this point they are ready to serve. Now these potato wedges are easy to make and very versatile, as you can pick and choose what aromatic herbs you put in if any you can put dry herbs or fresh, or even different powders...one of my favourite is paprika and garlic powder. Anyway have fun...that is what cooking is all about having fun and experimenting.




Bellow was another meal I made using some left overs from the above meal, I had a little sauce and chickpeas left as well as a couple of chicken pieces, so I cut the chicken in small bits, got the sauce (after heating it) and chickpeas in a blender added a couple of glugs of olive oil (extra virgin) blitz it to a smooth paste (to pesto consistency) . Cooked some pasta and and added the sauce with the chicken bits mixed in into the pasta (in this case spaghetti) also chopped up finely some spring onions and scattered over the top of the dish for added décor and taste. et voila...bon apetit...


Wednesday 18 February 2009

Lemon Chicken with Lemon Sauce - Blueberry Cottage Cheese Cakes

Receita em Português AQUI



Recipe Ingredients: (feeds 4-5)
  • 4 medium chicken breasts (each breast cut length ways to for two steaks)
  • 2 lemons (one of which is to be cut in slices) *
  • 2 soup spoons of butter
  • 1 glass of white wine
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • a little olive oil
  • parsley bunch (finely chopped)
After you made the chicken breasts into steaks, put them marinating in "vinha de alhos" roughly translates to Garlic Winery, which means you cut a couple of garlic into slithers, put them in the chicken in a bowl fill it with half white wine until it just covers the chicken, and add the juice of one lemon plus a couple of bay leaves and a little salt(these ingredients are not part of the recipes list, so these are extra), let these marinate for minimum 30 minutes best if over an hour.

Now place a pan on the stove on high, put a couple of glugs of olive oil enough to cover the bottom of the pan, once hot add the chicken steaks one by one, and turn them around as soon as they sealed, at that stages ad the remaining contents of the marinading bowl, also add the juice of one lemon, cut the remaining into slithers and throw it in also and add on as well the garlic, lemon slices, the butter, white wine, bay leaves + salt and pepper to taste, bring these to the boil, then ad a lid to the pan and reduce it to min. Let it simmer for 30 minutes, stir occasionally, and check if it does get low on liquid (it shouldn't) add a little more White wine.

*(tip this chicken will get quite zesty and lemony, if you don't want that zesty after taste (a little bitter) just remove the yellow part of the skin of the lemon before you juice it and/or cut into slices and ad it to the food. One more thing if you want the slices of lemon to remain more intact, only add these 10 minutes before it is all done)*

Now that the 30 minutes passed add a tea spoon of flour to a little water mix well than pour it in the pan as well as the parsley, swirl it around and that will form the nicest lemony wine sauce, really great, and if you not afraid of you stomach lol add a little cream (optional, for a more smooth cream).

Serve the chickens steaks on the plates top them with a little sauce, and place a slice or two of lemon from the sauce on top. Serve with that your roasted/boiled vegetables, mine were roasted potatoes, parsnips, butter steamed red cabbage, and some boiled Brussels Sprouts with garlic butter.




Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 6 ramekins)
  • 300grs Cottage cheese.
  • 150grs self raising flour
  • 1 large egg (separate yolk to one side, white to other and beat the with to peak)
  • 250grs blueberries (any other berries will do: strawberry, raspberry etc etc)
  • 6 spoons of sugar (2 to one side) (4 to another side)
  • a little water and lemon juice.
  • 200ml whipping cream


On a little pan you put the 2 soup spoons of sugar, 2 soup spoons of water and the fruit. Take this to the stove high temp and let it start to boil, once it reaches boiling point reduce it to minimum temp, and let it simmer until the fruit is cooked about 3-4 minutes, mash it with a potato masher let it cook for a further 2-3 minutes (if it starts getting to dry add a little more water) you want a consistency of runny jam.

For the cake, in a bowl put the cheese, egg yolk, 4 soup spoons of sugar and two thirds of the fruit jam, mix this very very well, once that is done mix in the flour bit by bit fold it in, it will get quite tough and sticky, so now add the beaten egg white and fold this one in too, now you should have a more caky mixture, spoon it into ramekins (that have been previously greased and floured) up to two thirds full, them add a tea spoon of the fruit mix into the centre of the dough, now add one more soup spoon of the dough to completely cover the jam you just put in and goes in the oven at 200c for 20 minutes depending on oven so check at 15. You want a golden brown top see picture. Once cooked let it cool down a little and serve it warm topped with icing sugar a dollop of whipped cream and the remaining jam add a little lemon juice heat it up and pour a spoon over the cake and cream see picture,,,,,is delicious....have fun!!!

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Rico - Tried and Tested Recipes

Hi my name is Rico (short for Ricardo) will regularly add more food content to this blog, all my recipes are tried and tested, as I make them and eat them as well as my family, so I wouldn't give you something that is not good.

Recipes published here, will try to conform to the following criteria:

-Easy to create or bake.
-Will be nutritious, wholesome and healthy as well as economical too.
- Will be varied and inventive, mostly created by me.
-Occasionally I will treat you to some indulgent ones. But just as a treat. lol :)
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