Tomato and Fish Bisque

Tomato and Fish Bisque

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 x Carrots (Diced)

2 x Celery (Diced)
Half an Onion (Diced)
2 x large cloves of Garlic (Crushed)
Large handful of Green Beans (Halved)
1 x tinned of chopped tomatoes
3 x spring onions (Sliced)
1 x Fillet of Basa
1 x Fillet of Cod
Half a pint of Chicken or Fish Stock or a glass of White Wine
1 x diced red chilli or a tsp of dried chilli
Dried Parsley and Rosemary to your liking
Olive Oil Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Put a large flat pan on a medium heat with a glug of olive oil, when hot place in onions, carrots, celery and galric and cook until soft.
2. Add stock/wine and cook of alcohol or until boiling.
3. Add tomatoes and place on lid, simmer of 20 minutes.
4. Place in herbs, chilli and green beans and stir in, then place fish on top and put the lid back on.
5. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove lid sprinkle spring onions over the dish and place lid back for 1 minute.
6. Serve with salt and pepper and a wholemeal bun (Place bun in oven on medium heat for 10 minutes to warm through before serving).

Hunter's Chicken

Hunter's Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 x Chicken Thighs
10 x Large Mushrooms (quartered)
1 x Large Green Pepper (sliced into 3cm cubes)
1 x Large Onion (diced)
3 x Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
2 x 400g Tins of Chopped Tomatoes
400ml x Chicken & Veg Stock
1 x Teaspoon of Dried Basil
1 x Teaspoon of Dried Oregano
1 x Teaspoon of Dried Paprika
2 x Veg Stock Cubes
160g x Wild Rice
Salt & Pepper

Recipe
1. Boil a full kettle of water.
2. Pour 2 glugs of olive oil in a large lidded saucepan and place on a medium heat.
3. Tub a pinch of salt & pepper on the chicken thighs and place them in the saucepan skin side down and cook for 15 minutes without turning, after 15 minutes seal the other sides of the chicken for approx 2-3 minutes on each side then place on a plate to rest.
4. Keep the oil in the pan and add the onions and brown then add the garlic, mushrooms and peppers. Stir in and brown for 5-7 minutes on a medium heat.
5. Pour in the stock into the saucepan to deglaze it, bring to a boil and add the chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano and paprika. Again bring to a boil then add the chicken skin side up and reduce to a medium to low heat and cook for 30 minutes gently scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
6. While this is going on rinse the rice to remove the starch then pour boiling water into a small saucepan equal to double the amount of rice add the two veg stock cubes and stir in. Bring the water to a boil and carefully add the rice stir once and reduce to a medium heat.
7. Follow the instructions on the rice packet but on average cook for 10-15 minutes then drain in a sieve then serve on the side of a large flat bowl.
8. Remove the chicken from the sauce pan and place into the bowl, then using a large slotted spoon scoop the the peppers, mushrooms and onions from the sauce and place next to the chicken and rice. Next spoon the sauce over the chicken and veg, finally season with salt and pepper.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 x Rashers of Applewood Smoked Bacon (sliced in to 2cm cubes)
8 x Large Mushrooms (sliced)
2 x Large Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
4 x Shallots (sliced)
2 x Glugs of Olive Oil
1 x Large Teaspoon of Pesto
1 x Large Tablespoon of Extra Light Philly Cheese
150ml x Skimmed Milk
180g x Dried Spaghetti
150ml x Boiling Water
1 x Veg Stock Cube
Table Salt
Salt & Pepper
Grated or Shaved Parmigiana
6 x Leaves of Fresh Basil

Recipe
1. Boil a full kettle of water.
2. Pour 2 glugs of olive oil in a large lidded frying pan or saucepan and place on a medium heat.
3. Place the shallots in the frying pan and brown, add the garlic and stir in. Add the mushrooms stir in and also brown, then add the bacon and stir in and finally crush and stir in one veg stock cube.
4. Add the philly cheese, petso and skimmed milk to a measuring jug and whisk in together. Pour the sauce over the bacon and mushroom mixture. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and only add as much of the boiling water as needed if none is need do not add any.
5. Simmer the sauce on a low heat to help thicken for a few minutes or until it is to your preferred thickness, bear in mind that it will thicken as it cools. Then take off the heat and place the lid on the pan.
6. Place the dried spaghetti in a large saucepan. Sprinkle approx 1 heaped teaspoon of table salt over the spaghetti. Follow the instructions on the spaghetti pack for cooking but usually boil for 10 to 15 minutes until the pasta is al denté.
7. Drain the pasta and pour boiling water over the top so it will not stick together then serve the pasta in the centre on a large flat bowl and twist while you do it. Reheat the sauce if need then use a large metal spoon to serve the carbonara sauce over the top of the spaghetti.
8. Place three basil leaves on top of each dish, sprinkle shaved or grated parmigiana over the dish, finally season with salt and pepper and serve.

Gooey Chocolate Cake

Gooey Chocolate Cake

Serves 6

Ingredients

40g x Cocoa Powder (sifted)
125g x Self Raising Flour (sifted)
175g x Soft Brown Sugar (sifted)
175ml x Skimmed Milk
60g x Low fat spread (melted)
300ml x Boiling Water
4 x Cookies (crumbled)
1 x Small Handfull of Chocolate Chips
1 x glug of Olive Oil

Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and glug a small amount of olive oil in a loaf tin. (coat)
2. Stir half the cocoa with 125g of the sugar and all of the four in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the melted low fat spread and milk, then stir in well. Add most of the chocolate chips and all of the cookies.
4. Scrape the entire mixture into the loaf tin.
5. Mix the rest of the cocoa and sugar with the boiling water in a measuring jug. Then pour the liquid over the mixture in the tin.
6. Drop the remaining chocolate chips over the top of the mixture and place on top of a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes or until no mixture sticks to skewer, do not worry if the mixture overflows a little.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes. It will have separated into a sponge with a chocolate sauce.
8. Serve with low fat ice cream.

Seared Scallops and Applewood Smoked Bacon with Creamy Pesto Spinach Tagliatelle

Seared Scallops and Applewood Smoked Bacon with Creamy Pesto Spinach Tagliatelle

Serves 2

Ingredients

10 X Scallops
4 x Applewood Smoked Bacon (sliced)
200g x fresh Tagliatelle
2-3 x Large Tablespoons of Cremé Fraiche
2 x Large Teaspoons of Pesto
150g x Oyster Mushrooms(sliced)
6 x Handfulls of Fresh Spinach (washed)
1 x small handfull of fresh basil (washed & chopped)
Lemon Juice
Salt& Pepper
Olive Oil

Recipe
1. Place the tagliatelle in a pan of boiling water with a pinch of salt and boil for 8-12 minutes or per the packet's instructions.
2. Glug a small amount of olive oil into a small frying pan on a medium to high heat and lightly fry the mushrooms for 30-60 seconds then place to one side.
3. Drain the pasta and place back into the pan off the heat with the spinach. Carefully stir in the spinach, then add the pesto and stir that in, add the cremé fraiche and carefully stir it in.
4. Glug a small amount of olive oil into a small frying pan and lightly fry the bacon on a medium to high heat. (cook to own taste) Then place to one side.
5. Place the pasta in the centre of the large bowl or plate.
6. Quickly re-heat the mushrooms and place on of the pasta followed by the bacon.
7. Heat a large flat frying pan on a medium to high heat and glug a small amount of olive oil in the pan, sear the scallops for 30 seconds then turn and sear the other side for 30 seconds. Then repeat for another 30 seconds on each side then place on top of the bacon.
8. Season with salt, pepper and a small amount of lemon juice and serve.

Green Olive and Pesto Brochette with Parma Ham, Oyster Mushrooms and Watercress

Green Olive and Pesto Brochette with Parma Ham, Oyster Mushrooms and Watercress

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 x Slices of Green Olive Bread
150g x Oyster Mushrooms (sliced)
1 x Slice of Parma Man
2 x Small Teaspoons of Petso
2 x Glugs of Olive Oil
1 x Big Handfull of Watercress
Pepper


Recipe
1. Glug some olive oil on a plate and dip the bread on both side on the plate.
2. Heat a small flat dry frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the bread on each side until golden then place on a plate.
3. Smear a small teaspoon of pesto over 1 side of each slice of bread.
4. Tear up a slice of Parma ham and roughly place it over the two slices of brochette, then place the watercress on top.
5. Glug a small amount of olive oil in the frying pan and quickly fry the mushrooms for 30-60 seconds and place the mushrooms over the brochette.
6. Season and serve.

Braised Rack of Lamb

Braised Rack of Lamb

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 x Rack of lamb (approx 6 ribs)
1 x Large Spring of Fresh Rosemary
Olive Oil
salt & pepper

For the jus;
1 x large glug of Red Wine
1/2 x litre of Lamb and Veg Stock
1 x Large Spring of Rosemary
1 x large tablespoon of Red Current Jelly
1/2 x an onion (finely chopped)


Recipe
1. Take the jus ingredients except for the onion and mix them together in a measuring jug.
2. Spread the chopped onion over the bottom of a trivet and place a rack on top.
3. Pour the jus over the onions.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 200c.
5. Glug some olive oil on a plate and lightly dip and swirl the fat side of the lamb in the oil to lightly coat the lamb.
6. Heat a griddle to a medium to high heat. Place the lamb on the griddle fat side down for 30-40 seconds then flip over and do the other side for 30 seconds, then sear each side for 10-20 seconds each.
7. Remove the lamb from the griddle and remove the griddle from the heat.
8. Place the lamb on the rack of the trivet (fat side up) and cover the trivet completely with lid or tin foil.
9. Place in the oven for 25 minutes then lift our and flip the lamb over and cover again.
10. Place back in the oven for a further 10 minutes, then again take the lamb out and remove the tin foil. Flip the lamb over again so it is fat side up and place the spring of rosemary on top.
11. Place back in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a plate cover with tin foil and leave to rest. (This is now rare cook further to ruin it, I mean to have it well done).
12. Pour the liquid from the trivet into a small sauce pan, place on a medium to high heat and reduce for ten minutes or until the jus will coat the back of a metal spoon.
13. Serve with roasted potatoes, carrots, parsnips, boiled green beans and yorkshire puddings.