Curried Pumpkin and Chicken Stew - Halloween

Ingredients: (enough for 3 people) “for more add more potatoes”

• 1 small pumpkin (peeled, cut into pieces)
• 1 large potato (cut into pieces)
  
• 1 can of cooked chickpeas
  
• 1 large onion (cut in pieces)
• 2 garlic cloves (perforated)
• 4 Cardamoms (just the seeds)
  
• 2 Chicken breasts (cut into cubes)
  
• 1/2 cup tomato pulp
  
• 1 soup spoon of curry powder (not very spicy)
• 1 flat soup spoon of turmeric
  
• 1/2 soup spoon of paprika
• 6 great mushrooms (or 12 small ones)
• 1 bunch of coriander (chopped)
• a little of olive oil and coarse salt.

Preparation:

Put in a pan it a little olive oil to cover the bottom plus pinch sea salt, once hot add the onion, the garlic, the cardamoms seeds, the onion and the pumpkin, always stirring until it goes golden.

When is golden (a little caramelized) then add the chicken, stirring it regularly to seal it all around, then add the tomato pulp, the paprika, the chickpeas, the turmeric, the mushrooms (if they large cut in quarters, if small in halves), the potato and the curry powder. Now it cover the pan with a lid and as soon as it starts boiling, reduce to minimum and leave it to cook for 25 minutes (+or-) adding a little water if it needs.

After is cooked, add the coriander and cook for a further minute and then serve it.

The inspiration for me was the Halloween pumpkin , carved with the flame inside, represented in this dish, the flame heat by the spicy hot kick and its softness pumpkin flesh, this is a dish partly sweet dish and partly spicy, and the textures are soft and at the same time grainy and silky.
Excellent Halloween representation. Yum yum, one that you really need to make.
if you want a greater visual use pumpkin halves as bowls to serve this delish meal in.

Spicy Seafood Risotto my Way

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 2 "double for 4")

• 250grs basmati rice
  
• 2 chicken thighs skinless and boneless (cubed)
  
• 2 hand full of mixed seafood (the one I chose had: prawns, mussels, calamari rings and clams "optionally you can have these fresh")
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 hand full mixed frozen peppers (or alternatively 1 red pepper diced)
• 1 red chilli (minced)
• 1 lid of vodka
  
• 1 soup spoon of turmeric
• 2 soup spoons of tomato paste (diluted in a little water)
• a little olive oil + some salt and black pepper + a couple of bay leaves

Place a pan with boiling water and a little salt on the stove, and put the rice in which should be cooked in 10-12 minutes (depending on rice quality).

While that is doing, place a frying pan or wok on the stove with a little olive oil, and once hot add the garlic, onion, mixed peppers, chilli salt and black pepper as well as the bay leaves. Cook these until golden and at this stage add the chicken, quickly seal it and as soon as is sealed add the paprica and the vodka cook for a further 1-2 minutes and then add the diluted tomato paste, cook for about 7 minutes, and then add the frozen or fresh sea food... either will only take around 3-4 minutes to cook as you want it just cooked not overcooked, as overcooked seafood becomes rubbery and hard.

Once cooked drain the rice and while draining pass boiling water through it to remove excess starch, then throw in with the sauce mix well let it rest a couple of minutes to absorb all flavour and serve decorated with a little coriander.

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.

"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...

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!!!

Potato and Mushroom Halloumi Grattin with Sticky Pork Ribs / Crumed Garlic Chicken / Fish Cake

Receita em Português AQUI

Another simple yet effective recipe, very tasty indeed, if I may say so, and the accompaniment is so versatile that goes with many things, some of which I listed here, the rest is up to you. Above you can see the Potato and Mushroom Halloumi grattin, bellow are the sticky ribs YUM!!!

Recipe Ingredients: (grattin, feeds 4 people)

• 1kg potato red skin (washed and thin sliced)
  
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  
• 300grs Large open mushrooms (sliced)
  
• 200grs cheddar cheese (grated)
• 200grs Halloumi cheese (thinly sliced , about 1/2 cm thickness)
  
• 1/2 glass full fat milk
  
• (optional) few bits of butter
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• salt pepper and olive oil (to taste)

Place a pan with boiling water on the stove, and put the sliced potatoes in, once it reaches boil again let them cook for 4 minutes. While that is doing you can pan fry with a little olive oil the mushrooms and 1 garlic clove (minced), and once that is that do the same to the onion and another garlic clove (minced).

You then assemble the dish for the oven, after draining the potatoes, one by one cover the bottom of a pirex dish, then scatter covering those potatoes with the onion, followed by the mushrooms. On top of those pour half of the milk you have in the glass evenly throughout the whole area, and then the grated cheddar, follow that by a little seasoning salt and pepper, and layer another section of potato slices using the remainder of the potato, once that is done pour the remaining milk evenly to cover all area and position the Halloumi to be well spread over al of the potatoes (see picture). Then goes in the oven for 30 minutes at 180c.

For the pork ribs, make sure when you buy these that they are quite meaty, but they also must have a little fat, as they helps with being tender when cooking.

Recipe Ingredients: (ribs enough for 2)

• 400-500grs pork rib rack
  
• 2 soup spoons of ketchup
  
• 1 soup spoon of condiment of mustard (or American style mustard)
  
• 1 tea spoon of smoked paprika
  
• 1/2 tea spoon of chilli powder
  
• 1 soup spoon of smoky BBQ sauce
  
• 1/2 orange in juice
  
• 1 soup spoon of denmerra sugar

Mix all the ingredients (apart from the pork rack...lol) to form a basting and sticky sauce. Brush it on both sides of the rack, once that is done place the rack in the oven at 180c for 30 minutes (so you see this will cook at same time as the potatoes), however set a timer every ten minutes of those thirty for you to brush more sauce on the rib rack, so you get to brush it 3 times in all and I want you to (by the last brushing) use all the sauce. that will make the ribs very nice tender and sticky, obviously tenderness of the ribs will also depend on the quality of pork. YUM!!

The chicken is just some rests I used to not go to spoil, basically I de-boned a couple of leg/thighs and took the skin off, tempered them with salt lemon and garlic, and let them marinate for 30 minutes before I started the whole coking. Then I pass them through flour (mixed with garlic granules and pepper), and some egg (mix) and finally through bread crumbs. And deep fried these until golden brown (see picture)

The fish also a rest of fish, weigh it and boiled the same weight of the fish in potatoes. So 50% fish 50% potato, mashed the potato and minced the fish, mix the two together, adding an egg yolk some seasoning and some parsley chopped, once well mixed I beat the egg with to peak and folded that into the mixture, formed some cakes pass these through flour, and then egg (mix), finally bread crumbs and deep fried, same as the chicken...well YUM!! again,,, you can top it up after fried with a little lemon juice, and some tartare sauce if you like... have fun...you can use many more left overs. If you ever have difficulties thinking what to do with left overs asked I might be able to help....lol

Pan Fried Chicken Fillets w/ Butter Sauce and Spring Onions

Recipe Ingredients:

• 400grs chicken boneless and skinless mini fillets
• the juice of 1/2 lemon
  
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/3 glass white wine
• 400grs spaghetti (100% durum wheat)
• 3 spring onions sliced
• 1/3 glass milk
• 2 soup spoons of butter
• salt and black pepper to taste
• a little olive oil
• 1 heaped tea spoon of plain flour dissolve in water
  

Way easy and quick, and very...very cheap. Boil the spaghetti as normal it will take about 12 minutes to be cooked.

While that is doing, put a large frying pan on the stove on high temp, add a couple of glugs of oil, and once hot add the chicken fillets (previously seasoned with garlic, the lemon juice, salt and pepper and left to marinade for 1/2 hour).

They'll immediately start to sizzle, and therefore require turning around fairly quickly to seal the meat (the reason why is important to seal is that the meat becomes this way more juicy and moist as if the outside is sealed the moisture and juices inside will escape at a much slower pace), once sealed cook well on both sides until it goes a golden colour (see photo) once that happens on both sides it is done remove them and let them rest only time enough to make the sauce.

For which you deglaze the pan, which means you pull out the stuck to the pan chicken stock by pouring the wine in and rubbing it around with a wooden spoon, which will make the wine go a brownish colour, at this stage add the butter and as soon as it all melts add the milk and the dissolved flour, this will thicken the butter cream, ready to pour over the edges of the pasta and chicken (see photo) finally you put the sliced spring onions over the edges of the pasta and chicken, this is not only a good garnish it also provides an excellent flavour and texture once mixed in with the sauce, pasta and meat while eating. bon apetit...

Brocoli and Butternut Squash Fettuccini and Lemon Chicken

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1/2 Bitternut Squash (cut very thin slices)
  
• 1 broccoli branch (cut very thin slices)
• 3 chicken thigh
• zest strands of half a lemon
• juice of 1 lemon
  
• 2 garlic clove (minced)
• salt and pepper to taste
• some olive oil
• 1 tea spoon of flour diluted in a little water
• 300grs fresh fettuccine
• 1 glass of white wine

Ok here it goes. Put a pan on the stove with a glug of olive oil, when hot place inside the thinly sliced butternut squash and 1 minced garlic, the idea is that the butternut squash cooks and gets really soft so that you can puree it, while this happens as it will take a good 5-7 minutes on another pan put boiling water and a little salt and put the broccoli into small bits inside, you want these well cooked nearly breaking apart so that it blends later with the butternut squash (but if you don't like them mushy, just don't cook them too well).

Back to the butternut squash, as it cook gently break it with a wooden spoon, and as it starts getting dry ad bits of the wine bit by bit and keep breaking up the BN squash, once all the wine is in add a little water and use the hand blender to blitz it into a creamy sauce, add to this sauce your cooked broccoli and season it with a little salt and pepper to taste, turn the fire down and let it simmer gently for about 3 minutes.

The fresh fettuccine only takes about 5 minutes to cook, so just boil as normal for that time with a little salt, and drain it, drizzle a little olive oil and toss it so that it doesn't stick together and serve it with the BN squash and broccoli sauce on top (optional you can ad shavings of rich dried cheese or Parmesan)

As to the chicken, remove the skin and the bones cut them into small (ish) portions, on a pan put a glug of olive oil, once hot add the chicken the remaining garlic and the lemon zest strands, cook on a high temperature and turn the chicken constantly to seal, once sealed add some seasoning (salt and pepper) and let it cook until the chicken is cooked through. the process is quick as chicken pieces are small and are de-boned and skinless about 3-5 minutes, at this stage add the whole juice of the lemon and a little plain flour diluted in a little water, this will thicken up the lemon sauce making it delicious, simmer for another 2 minutes and it's done...Cheap too.

Now remember to control the times so that everything sorta comes out at the same time. Bon Appetit.

Merry Xmas - Xmas Dinner

I would like to share my xmas dinner pictures, and maybe release some recipes for the stuff I cooked, however there aren't really any recipes as such, as this food is very simple.

As you can see above the dish comprises of nut loaf, roasted potatoes, sweet roasted potatoes, apple sauce, Yorkshire puddings, Brussels sprouts, boiled carrots, roasted parsnips, roasted chicken and thick gravy.

The table was arranged as you can see below, very Christmas like and also with crackers. You always need crackers at the Christmas table, the kids love it ...well I love it too.



The Brussels and carrots are only boiled, the parsnips, roasting potatoes and sweet potatoes, are just placed in a tray with a little olive oil and goes to roast in the oven for about 40-60mins.

The chicken I crushed some garlic (3 cloves) salt (1 tea spoon) chili (2 finely sliced) a little olive oil a pinch of black pepper and paprika (1 tea spoon), crush all of this together until you get a paste. Rub this paste all over the outside of the chicken and also on the inside, also get a lemon and press it against the balcony with the palm of your hand while rolling it at the same time, this releases the juice inside the lemon, when the lemon feels bruised (soft) prickle all the lemon with a sharp fork, so that juice can be released, insert lemon inside the chicken.
This works as the lemon gets hot the liquid inside gets hot and it expands having no where to go but out of the wholes you made with the fork which as the chicken cooks gradually adds lemon on the inside...clever hum!!!! I learned this one with my mum, when I was a young one lol.



Yorkshire puddings, again very easy to do, just make a batter as if you were doing pancakes (just do not add sugar) add a pinch of salt and black pepper instead. If you don't know the ingredients they are:

1 glass of plain flour about 1 & 1/2 glasses of milk one egg, the pinch of salt and pepper, beat it all together, put a muffin tray with some a spoon of olive oil in each cup space, heat this until very hot (200c) then pour the pancake liquid inside each cup about 2 thirds full, it will bubble as you do this, place it right back in the oven and watch them grow, let them go golden brown ...easy peasy.... merry Xmas.

Continental Chicken with Chorico Rice

I made something similar to what I used to eat as a kid in Portugal, however with a twist, I used about 200mls of stout.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 Onion (chopped)
• 2 garlic Cloves (minced)
• 2 bay leafs
• 200mls of stout
• 1 egg white (whipped to peak) 1 egg yolk (mixed with a couple of milk spoons)
• 150grs sliced chorizo
• 500grs long grain rice
  
• pinch of paprika
• salt and pepper to taste.
• 400grs of chicken thighs skinless and boneless (I took skin and bones myself ... cheaper)
• 4 olive oil spoons
  

Place on the stove on high heat, pour the olive oil in + the pepper and salt to taste + paprika. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and let it cook till golden, once it reaches this stage add in the chicken chopped into cubes + chorizo (saving 8 slices) and stir continuously until all sealed, once fully sealed add the stout, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 7-10 minutes.

While that is doing, place another pan with water and a little salt, once the water is boiling put the rice there cooking, once cooked drain the rice and rinse with boiling water, then once drain again put the rice with the chicken mixture, and fold until well mixed, then add to this the beaten egg white and fold it in.

Pour this mixture onto a Pyrex tray to go in the oven which you previously heated to 200c. On the the top brush the egg yolk. Place all in the oven and leave it for 15 minutes, until golden brown on top. Then serve it, put some salad if you want (I put some with balsamic vinegar) eat it and enjoy it.

Chicken Curry Risotto

Fantastic risotto I wanted to combine two different types of foods and managed to successfully do just that with this dish.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 400grs chicken thighs (de-boned and skinned, diced)
• 1 cup of frozen peas (you can use fresh ones too)
• 1 red pepper (other colours will do like orange or yellow, not green though| diced)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 large carrot (thinly sliced)
  
• 400grs basmati rice (long grain will also do, but be aware is likely to cook faster)
• 1 bunch of coriander
• 1 soup spoon of premixed curry powder medium hot (choose your preference, so mild or hot or very hot will do too)
• 1 soup spoon of turmeric
• 1 tea spoon of cumin powder
• 1 pint of vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 tomato can (chopped)
• 1 soup spoon of tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 3 soup spoons of olive oil
  

You start by putting the onion; garlic; pepper; cumin; turmeric; curry powder and salt & pepper, in a pan where you heated till very hot the olive oil. Cook all of his until the onion is semitransparent, at this stage add the carrot and the chicken (you can add a little more olive oil if to dry and a few drops of water) cook until the chicken is sealed.

At this stage add the rice always stirring cook for a further 2 minutes at this stage add the tomato tin, peas and the tomato paste, keep cooking and stirring occasionally so it doesn't get stuck, as it get dry add a little stock, keep cooking and stirring and repeat the process until all stock is gone the whole thing should last about 15-18 minutes never let the mixture get to dry as risotto is supposed to be slightly sloppy, also remember if not enough the stock to keep all with the right consistency add water (the reason why I say this, is because there are many varieties of rice even within the basmati range, some rices soak more liquid that others, never do this with precooked rice as this is rubbery).

Once all is cooked add the coriander (chopped) give it a stirr, turn the cooker off, put a cloth over the top of the pan and the lid over the cloth and let it rest for about 3 minutes, then serve.

Enchiladas My Way Chicken and Vegetarian

Receita em PORTUGUES clique AQUI

Above you can see the enchiladas i made the small dish is the Vegetarian the large one is the Chicken, this was an easy and cheap recipe to satisfy two different food requirements here in my house, which means you can indeed make this very versatile recipe in either vegetarian version, meat or both like I did.

For this I used....

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 pack of plain tortilla wraps (or you can make your own)
• 1 large pepper (cut into thin strips)
  
• 1 large onion (cut into thin strips)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 hot chili thinly sliced
  
• 1 can of kidney beans
• 1 can of tomatoes
• a tea spoon of cumin
• a soup spoon of oregano
• 2 medium or 3 small chicken breast slice into thin strips (for the meat ones)
  
• 250grs of Quorn mince (for the vegetarian ones)
• Bechamel sauce (I always make mine but you can buy made if you want)
• 2 large spoons of tomato concentrate (diluted in water to form a thick cream)
• 2 large tomato paste (to add to sauces)
• salt and pepper to taste

Very very easy to make in a wok pour some olive oil, place on the stove until very hot, add then the 1/2 pepper, 1/2 onion, 1/2 garlic, salt and pepper and 1/2 cumin and half of the sliced chilli, cook until the onion browns a bit and then add the oregano and the chicken, always stirring make sure the chicken strips are well sealed, once sealed then add the 1/2 tomato tin and one large spoon of tomato paste.

Let this cook for about 7 minutes, then assemble the Enchiladas: Put a row of filling about one third from the edge on top of that a couple of spoons of bechamel, wrap the soft tortilla around the sauce and lay it in the tray to go in the oven repeat process until the tray is full. Then on top spread some more bechamel sauce and put a line of tomato cream along each roll then sprinkle some oregano and grated cheese, than goes in the oven for about 20-25 minutes gas 200c, until golden brown on top, then serve with some grated carrot and some sliced spring onion or a salad of your choice.

For the vegetarian one exactly same thing just replace the chicken with vegetarian mince (Quorn).

I make the Bechamel sauce as follows: put some milk in a pan add a knob of butter some salt and some pepper (black freshly milled) the also a little nutmeg, once nearly boiling put a couple of spoons of plain flour in a glass and add water til about half of the glass, with a little whisk, mix it well until there are no lumps, pour it all into the hot milk and whisk constantly until thickens up, don't worry if not to thick yet as now you add a hand full of grated cheese, continue to whisk and you should get the most perfect bechamel (the milk you use should be about half a pint 250-300 mils. *tip if to thick add a little more milk while stirring, and if to liquid add a little more flour mixed in water*

Seafood & Chicken - Turmeric Rice

This recipe is a little expensive, but it doesn't have to be as you can replace certain food elements with other cheaper ones, like cheaper prawns and instead of fresh squid use crab sticks and so on.
But even when I say a little expensive, is not as expensive as you may think the whole cost could be between 7 or 8 pounds and feeds 6-7 people so about one pound something per person, well worth it though.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 large red chilli (finely chopped)
  
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  
• 1 large red pepper (medium chopped)
  
• 2 garlic cloves (1 minced, 1 crushed)
  
• 6 large mushrooms (medium sliced)
  
• 1 medium fresh squid (cleaned around 250-300grs, strips sliced)
• 250grs fresh uncooked prawns (cut in halves)
  
• 2 medium chicken breasts (no skin, diced)
• enough rice for four people around 400-500grs (I used Basmati)
  
• 1 tin of tomato (chopped) pomodoro
• 1 tea spoon of medium hot curry powder
• 2 soup spoons of turmeric powder
• 1 chicken stock cube (I used OXO)
• 2 bay leafs
  
• olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
• optional a cinnamon stick
  

Preparation:

Place two pans on the heat one half filled with water, one glug of oil, the crushed garlic and one bay leaf plus salt. The other one with, two glugs of olive oil, the minced garlic, the bay leaf some salt and pepper.
Once the one with the water is boiling add the rice and let it cook should take 10-12 minutes to be fully cooked, once cooked put it in a sieve and rinse it with boiling water and set it aside to drain.

the one with the old, add the chopped onion, pepper, chilli, and the curry powder, once the onion is translucent add the chicken and the turmeric, now it tends as is cooking for it to dry a bit, so you can add a little water, always stirring to seal the chicken so it stays nice and soft, once the chicken is fully sealed add the tomato tin, again always stirring, if it continues to get a little dry you can add more water (or stock or white wine), but at this point add the stock cube (crumb it before adding it) let this cook until the chicken is fully cooked.

at this stage add the mushrooms, the prawns, the cinnamon stick and the squid, it literally only takes 3-5 minutes for these to cook, as you just want them cooked, any longer and they will be rubbery. Once that is done remove from the fire add the mixture to the rice, fold it in until all is well mixed and let it stand for about 2 minutes, and is ready to serve.

if you require more taste and colour you can also add when putting the mixture with the rice a big bunch of chopped parsley...the only reason I did not is that I suffer with too much iron in the blood and parsley is full of it, so although I can eat it I should not abuse. Hope you enjoy this as much as i and my family did.

Vegie Bulgar & BBQ Chicken Wings

Trying to impress my sister, I wanted to do something special but did not have the time to go shopping so I ravaged through my cupboard to find something to go with my chicken wings. Hurrah, found some Bulgar Wheat so I done the following:


Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 mug of Bulgar Wheat
• 1 large courgette
• 1 large onion
• 1 red pepper
• about 6-8 mushrooms
• 1 fresh chilli
• 1/2 can of tomatoes
• 1 spoon of tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 soup spoons of olive oil
  

Dice into small cubes the onion the pepper the courgette and thinly slice the mushrooms.
I used a Wok... so put the olive oil in the Wok add the pepper the onion and the garlic (minced) let it fry for about 5 minutes then add the (chopped & de-seeded) chilli, the courgette and the mushrooms, let it cook for another 3 minutes, then add the tomato and the tomato paste, and let it cook for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish)
As to the Bulgar wheat just boil it in water as if it was rice for about 10-12 minutes, then once cooked drain it and rinse it with boiling water, let it drain until has no remaining water then add to the sauce and cover it with a lid.
As to the chicken wings, was very simple, I cut the tips off and cut the wings into two parts, placed them in a bowl and added the following, 1 crushed garlic, a spoon of smoky paprika, salt and pepper to taste, a couple of spoons of honey a pinch of chilli powder (put more if you like it spicy), a lid of sherry, and finally a squirt of smoky BBQ sauce. Left it to marinade for about 30 minutes, then laid them on a tray previously smeared with olive oil, gas mark 200 c and let it cook for about 25 minutes until crispy (times may vary depending on oven), then served it with the Veggie Bulgar. It was very nice, first picture was my sisters serving the next picture was my serving LOL.