The Recipe
Meatballs
200g minced pork
1 small diced onion
1/2-1 diced chili
1/2 dl water
salt, pepper
Sauce
2dl coconut milk
1 tsp curry paste
1 small onion in wedges
lime/lemon juice
Mix all the ingredients to the meatballs together in a small bowl and roll them into 8 meatballs. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and cook the meatballs until done. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
Add top 3 ingredients to the sauce to the pan and leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Add lime juice according to taste.
Serve with rice and a salad.
The Verdict
Meatballs will never be my favourite food :-/ 99 times out of 100 I find them incredibly bland, and unfortunately despite the chilli this wasn't the exception that proved the rule. The sauce was delicious as anything with coconut milk and curry will be, but I've got several other, better recipes to use that for.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Week 21: Cajun Schnitzel
The Recipe
2 schnitzels or pork chops
Cajun Spice
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp herbes de provance (I didn't have any, so I used oregano instead)
Pasta
200g pasta
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 bell pepper
1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 can diced tomatoes (1 can ~450g)
Cook pasta according to directions on bag.
Heat oil in a pan over medium-hot. Chop onion, garlic and bell pepper and fry it briefly. Pour over the diced tomatoes and leave to simmer for 15 minutes before pouring over cooked pasta.
Mix cajun spices and cover the pork chops on both sides. Add new oil to pan and cook the pork chops until done.
The Verdict
The pork chops were YUUUUUMMY and definitely worth a repeat!
The pasta was... weird! We'd made too much of the cajun spice so added about 1 teaspoon of it to the pasta sauce while it was simmering. I thought nothing much of this, as there wasn't all that much cayenne pepper in it, but it ended up being sizzling hot! I LOVE spicey food, and even I thought it was just about too much. None of us understood it, as the chops weren't too spicy at all, so it must have been the effect of leaving it to simmer.
In any case the pasta+sauce was a bit blah, so while I may make the pork chops again, I'll find something different to serve it with.
2 schnitzels or pork chops
Cajun Spice
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp herbes de provance (I didn't have any, so I used oregano instead)
Pasta
200g pasta
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 bell pepper
1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 can diced tomatoes (1 can ~450g)
Cook pasta according to directions on bag.
Heat oil in a pan over medium-hot. Chop onion, garlic and bell pepper and fry it briefly. Pour over the diced tomatoes and leave to simmer for 15 minutes before pouring over cooked pasta.
Mix cajun spices and cover the pork chops on both sides. Add new oil to pan and cook the pork chops until done.
The Verdict
The pork chops were YUUUUUMMY and definitely worth a repeat!
The pasta was... weird! We'd made too much of the cajun spice so added about 1 teaspoon of it to the pasta sauce while it was simmering. I thought nothing much of this, as there wasn't all that much cayenne pepper in it, but it ended up being sizzling hot! I LOVE spicey food, and even I thought it was just about too much. None of us understood it, as the chops weren't too spicy at all, so it must have been the effect of leaving it to simmer.
In any case the pasta+sauce was a bit blah, so while I may make the pork chops again, I'll find something different to serve it with.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Week 20: Crock-Pot BBQ
The Recipe
1lb beef in strips
2 bell peppers in strips
1 can corn
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
Place the beef, bell pepper and corn in a crock-pot. Mix everything else together in a bowl and pour over the beef. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hrs.
Serve with baked potato slices.
The Verdict
First things first - I'd gotten the perfect meat for this. I'd bought some steaks for our dinner Friday, but they turned out to be incredibly tough, so even though I'd bought twice as much as I'd needed and was going to freeze the rest for steaks some other day, I decided to use it for the crock-pot instead. And it was PERFECT! Cut-able with a fork and really, really nice and tender :)
Unfortunately, that's just about the only good thing there is to say about this recipe. It was insanely acidic - but whether that was because of the ketchup or the vinegar, I'm not entirely sure. It would have benefited greatly from some sugar or even some milk to offset the taste.
So a good starting off point, but not a good recipe in its own right.
1lb beef in strips
2 bell peppers in strips
1 can corn
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
Place the beef, bell pepper and corn in a crock-pot. Mix everything else together in a bowl and pour over the beef. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hrs.
Serve with baked potato slices.
The Verdict
First things first - I'd gotten the perfect meat for this. I'd bought some steaks for our dinner Friday, but they turned out to be incredibly tough, so even though I'd bought twice as much as I'd needed and was going to freeze the rest for steaks some other day, I decided to use it for the crock-pot instead. And it was PERFECT! Cut-able with a fork and really, really nice and tender :)
Unfortunately, that's just about the only good thing there is to say about this recipe. It was insanely acidic - but whether that was because of the ketchup or the vinegar, I'm not entirely sure. It would have benefited greatly from some sugar or even some milk to offset the taste.
So a good starting off point, but not a good recipe in its own right.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Week 19: Shepherd's Pie
NB: This recipe is based on the left-overs from "Week 18: All-In-One Sausage Sizzler".
The Recipe
The left-overs of the mashed potatoes
The left-overs of the sausage sizzler
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup beer
1/8 vegetable stock cube
400g can lentils (I didn't have any, so used baked beans instead)
1tsp cornflour mixed with dash of water
1 cup grated cheese
Heat oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion until soft.
Slice the sausages and vegetables from the Sausage Sizzler into small pieces. Add to the pan with beer, stock and 1/3 cup boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils and cornflour mix. Cook for 1 minute. Pour into an oven-proof dish.
Spoon the left-over mash onto the filling and cook at 200C for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and cook for another 15 minutes.
The Verdict
Much better than the sizzler by itself :) This is a lovely comfort food, and I was very impressed with it. It took an average dish and turned it into something nice and comforting. I could easily see myself making something like this again.
The Recipe
The left-overs of the mashed potatoes
The left-overs of the sausage sizzler
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup beer
1/8 vegetable stock cube
400g can lentils (I didn't have any, so used baked beans instead)
1tsp cornflour mixed with dash of water
1 cup grated cheese
Heat oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion until soft.
Slice the sausages and vegetables from the Sausage Sizzler into small pieces. Add to the pan with beer, stock and 1/3 cup boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils and cornflour mix. Cook for 1 minute. Pour into an oven-proof dish.
Spoon the left-over mash onto the filling and cook at 200C for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and cook for another 15 minutes.
The Verdict
Much better than the sizzler by itself :) This is a lovely comfort food, and I was very impressed with it. It took an average dish and turned it into something nice and comforting. I could easily see myself making something like this again.
Week 18: All-in-One Sausage Sizzler
The Recipe
500g sausages
2 bell peppers, deseeded and sliced
rosemary
thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
300g green beans
6 tomatoes, cut into quaters
1.5kg potatoes
1/2 cup milk
50g butter
Preheat oven to 200C. In a large roasting dish, mix sausages, bell pepper, herbs and olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile simmer the beans for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain and add to the dish with the tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes.
At the same time, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, drain and mash with the milk and the butter. Serve half the mash with two-thirds of the sausage and vegetables, keeping the rest for the shepherd's pie (see "Week 19: Shepherd's Pie").
The Verdict
Okay, but really nothing out of the ordinary. It tasted alright, but I wasn't blown away by it. On the other hand, it was a solid dish, and apart from the mashed potatoes, quick enough to make. If I remake this I think I'll add more spices and serve with baked potatoes rather than mashed - so much quicker!
500g sausages
2 bell peppers, deseeded and sliced
rosemary
thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
300g green beans
6 tomatoes, cut into quaters
1.5kg potatoes
1/2 cup milk
50g butter
Preheat oven to 200C. In a large roasting dish, mix sausages, bell pepper, herbs and olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile simmer the beans for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain and add to the dish with the tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes.
At the same time, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, drain and mash with the milk and the butter. Serve half the mash with two-thirds of the sausage and vegetables, keeping the rest for the shepherd's pie (see "Week 19: Shepherd's Pie").
The Verdict
Okay, but really nothing out of the ordinary. It tasted alright, but I wasn't blown away by it. On the other hand, it was a solid dish, and apart from the mashed potatoes, quick enough to make. If I remake this I think I'll add more spices and serve with baked potatoes rather than mashed - so much quicker!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Week 15: Chicken Valdostano
This will be the last recipe for awhile - I'm off on vacation for 3 weeks, and will have no chance to cook while I'm away. I hope to catch up and post recipes retrospectively once I return, but we'll see what happens.
The Recipe
1 tbsp flour
3 chicken breast halves
1 tbsp butter
10 fresh mushrooms, sliced (~250g)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
White pepper
3 slices prosciutto
3 slices cheese
Lightly flour chicken breasts, shaking off excess flour. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add chicken and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
Decrease the heat to medium low. Add mushrooms and cook until juices are rendered, about 4 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high. Add stock and pepper and simmer until sauce is reduced, about 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Top each chicken breast with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of cheese. Return chicken to skillet and cook just until cheese melts. Transfer chicken to individual plates and top each with some of the mushroom sauce before serving.
The Verdict
Tastes really good :) The first time I made it I pounded the chicken breasts flat - I forgot to do that this time, and it made absolutely NO difference. Since it made the dish a lot easier/quicker to make, I'll be making it this way in the future. The prosciutto and cheese (I used Gouda chili this time - YUM!) kept the chicken nice and moist.
The Recipe
1 tbsp flour
3 chicken breast halves
1 tbsp butter
10 fresh mushrooms, sliced (~250g)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
White pepper
3 slices prosciutto
3 slices cheese
Lightly flour chicken breasts, shaking off excess flour. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add chicken and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
Decrease the heat to medium low. Add mushrooms and cook until juices are rendered, about 4 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high. Add stock and pepper and simmer until sauce is reduced, about 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Top each chicken breast with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of cheese. Return chicken to skillet and cook just until cheese melts. Transfer chicken to individual plates and top each with some of the mushroom sauce before serving.
The Verdict
Tastes really good :) The first time I made it I pounded the chicken breasts flat - I forgot to do that this time, and it made absolutely NO difference. Since it made the dish a lot easier/quicker to make, I'll be making it this way in the future. The prosciutto and cheese (I used Gouda chili this time - YUM!) kept the chicken nice and moist.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Week 14: Nudel-auf-lauf
I guess it's a bit of a misnomer to call this a "new" recipe. I've had it for probably around 13 years, and back in 1996-1997 had it made for me very often. However, I'd never actually made it myself, so I think it still counts :)
My hostmother made this for me all the time, and since I'll be seeing her again in just over a week, I thought it was appropriate to finally try to make it myself.
The Recipe
500g cooked noodles/pasta
200g cheese cut into pieces
150g diced ham
1 bell pepper cut into pieces
3 eggs
milk
butter
bread crumbs
salt, pepper, oregano
Put layers of pasta, cheese, ham and bell pepper into an oven proof dish. End off with a layer of pasta. Top with a few pieces of butter.
Mix eggs with a bit of milk, salt, pepper and oregano and pour over the dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake in oven at 200*C for 45-60 mins. Serve with ketchup or chilli sauce.
The Verdict
Every bit as good as I remembered it! This is comfort food at its best. Easy to make, even if it does have to bake for ages and just plain satisfying. I don't know why it took me so long to get out the recipe and try to make it for myself, but now that I have, I will definitely be making it more often!
My hostmother made this for me all the time, and since I'll be seeing her again in just over a week, I thought it was appropriate to finally try to make it myself.
The Recipe
500g cooked noodles/pasta
200g cheese cut into pieces
150g diced ham
1 bell pepper cut into pieces
3 eggs
milk
butter
bread crumbs
salt, pepper, oregano
Put layers of pasta, cheese, ham and bell pepper into an oven proof dish. End off with a layer of pasta. Top with a few pieces of butter.
Mix eggs with a bit of milk, salt, pepper and oregano and pour over the dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake in oven at 200*C for 45-60 mins. Serve with ketchup or chilli sauce.
The Verdict
Every bit as good as I remembered it! This is comfort food at its best. Easy to make, even if it does have to bake for ages and just plain satisfying. I don't know why it took me so long to get out the recipe and try to make it for myself, but now that I have, I will definitely be making it more often!
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