Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Week 50: Salad-Chicken Tacos

The Recipe
1dl sour cream 9%
1/2 dl shredded coconut
1tbsp lime juice (about half a lime)
pinch of salt
400g chicken mince
butter
3tbsp water
3-4 tsp curry paste (or according to taste)
1tsp salt
100g rice
large lettuce leaves
200g red cabbage, shredded
200g carrot, shredded
50g roasted cashew nuts, chopped

Mix together the first four ingredients (sour cream through salt) and refrigerate while making the rest.

Cook rice according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.

Melt butter in a pan over high heat and cook the chicken until done. Add water, curry paste and salt according to taste. Once done, mix in rice, red cabbage, carrot and cashew nuts.

Serve as 'tacos' using the lettuce leaves as shells.

The Verdict
Very different from what I usually make, but really good! Definitely something I could see myself making again. The original recipe called for iceberg salad, but I've gotten spoiled and find that utterly boring, so next time I'll probably use something else instead. But otherwise tasty and definitely easy to make.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Week 49: Chili Mac and Cheese

The Recipe
1lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp chili
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 can (400g) diced tomatoes
1 can (400g) kidney beans
3 cups beef stock
2 cups macaroni
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper

2 tbsp (~30g) butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
120g cream cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup gouda cheese (or similar)

In a large pot (4L minimum), warm oil and cook onions and beef. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and bell pepper and cook until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, beans, broth, macaroni, Worchestershire sauce and soy sauce. Brint to a boil and leave to simmer until the pasta is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for a few minutes until slightly brown. Add milk and let it simmer until it's boiled down a bit. Be careful it doesn't burn! Reduce the heat and add cheese and cook until the cheese has melted.

Mix the cheese sauce into the chili once the pasta is cooked. Serve with extra shredded cheese and sliced jalapenos.

The Verdict
This ended up being more of a soup than a typical mac'n'cheese. 3 cups of broth is a LOT! I might try with 1-2 cups next time, because I wasn't too impressed by it as-is, but think it could greatly improve by having the sauce be a bit thicker.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Week 48: African Chicken

The Recipe
Oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1tsp ginger
1tsp cayenne
2tsp coriander
1.5tsp chili flakes
400g chicken breast, cubed
2 cups chicken stock
175g creamy peanut butter
1 can (400g) tomatoes
1-2 sweet potatoes (1 large or 2 medium)
1 laurel leaf
salt, pepper
2dl salted peanuts, chopped
Fresh parsley

In a pot, warm oil and cook onion and garlic until fragrant and just starting to go soft. Add all spices and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the chicken. Brown at high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Add stock, peanut butter, tomatoes, potato and the laurel leaf. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 30 minutes or until the potato is done. Remove the laurel leaf and add salt and pepper according to taste. Add half the peanuts and bring to a boil for about 1 minute.

Serve with rice, using the rest of the peanuts and parsley as garnish.

The Verdict
Not as good as it sounded, unfortunately. I liked it well enough, but that's about it... "well enough". It didn't have anything wrong with it, that I can point my finger at - I just didn't find it to be anything special either. Probably not a dish I'm likely to make again.