Spanish Lamb Stuffed Aubergine with Manchego Cheese

Thanks to Rick Stein for this stunning recipe that I have adapted and it transforms the humble aubergine.  We ate a similar dish in the Kaya valley, Turkey, a few years ago and it is the only way I will eat the aubergine that I previously loathed! 

Ingredients

4 aubergine

6 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped

1.5 teasp freshly ground cumin seeds

1 teasp ground cinnamon

Half a teasp freshly ground nutmeg

1 teasp smoked sweet Spanish paprika

1 large pinch of dried red chill flakes

500g minced lamb

6 tbsp tomato sauce

100g manchego or cheddar cheese, grated

1 good pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut each aubergine lengthways through the stalk, then score the flesh in a tight criss-cross pattern, taking the knife through the flesh down to the skin, but taking care not to cut through the skin. Place them side by side on a baking tray and drizzle each half with 11/2 teaspoons of the oil, season with salt and bake for about 30 minutes or until the flesh is soft and tender but not browned.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper and spices and fry gently for 10 minutes. Add the minced lamb and fry for 3-4 minutes or until all the meat is lightly browned. Stir in the tomato sauce and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the aubergines from the oven and increase the temperature to 220°C. Using a dessertspoon, carefully scoop most of the flesh out of the baked aubergine halves, leaving the skins with a layer of flesh about 1cm thick. Stir the flesh into the lamb mixture with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and some pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into each aubergine shell and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Bake for 9-10 minutes until golden brown.

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie

Spring may well be on the way, but on dreary wet days like today, only a home baked pie will do.  The thought of the succulent chicken, smothered in a creamy tarragon and mustard sauce just makes my mouth water. I like to make this a day ahead, so it is sitting in the fridge waiting for me to finish work, then all it needs is 40 minutes in the oven and ta dah! It's also a great recipe for a weekend supper with friends, it will impress and become a firm family favourite too. 

Ingredients

1½ kg whole free range chicken

½ teasp peppercorns

2 bay leaves

3 thyme sprigs

1 onion, halved

1 celery stick

½ teasp salt

25g butter

2 tbsp olive oil

100- 150g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped

2 leeks, thinly sliced

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp grain mustard

4 tbsp crème fraîche

4 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or parsley

Squeeze of lemon juice, to taste

White pepper, to taste

250g puff pastry, defrosted if frozen

Beaten egg, for glazing.

Method

Put the chicken into a deep pan that is just large enough to hold it. Pour in enough water to half cover the bird, then add the peppercorns, salt, bay leaves, thyme, onion and celery. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, pop on a tight fitting lid and simmer for 1-11⁄4 hours until tender. Lift out the chicken and set aside on a plate. Strain 425ml/3⁄4 pint of the stock into a measuring jug, adding extra water if necessary. Remove the the meat from the chicken, cut into bite-sized chunks and put in a 1.7 litre pie dish, placing a pie funnel in the centre, if you have one. That's the chicken done!

Next, heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms for 2 minutes. Add the leeks and cook for another 2 minutes until softened. Now add in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Pour in the chicken stock a third at a time, stirring continuously and making sure the sauce is thick and smooth before adding the next batch. Now add in the mustard, crème fraîche and tarragon or parsley, then add a squeeze of lemon juice and white pepper to taste. Taste again and salt if needed. Spoon over the chicken meat and leave to cool. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C.  Roll out the pastry and place over the pie. Make a hole in the lid centre with the tip of the knife, to expose the pie funnel and allow steam to escape as the pie bakes.  With any spare pastry make some leaves for decoration and then brush the pastry lid with beaten egg. Chill the pie for 15 mins, if you have time, to set the pastry. Whack it in the oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp, puffed up and deep golden brown.

Pasta alla Puttanesca

Whore's spaghetti, a cheeky dish indeed!  Yes, we're home after our lovely skiing holiday and I have a backlog of my favourite recipes to cache up on.  I'm posting this one as it is so simple and makes a great midweek supper, especially if you are pushed for time. 

Ingredients

160g spaghetti

3 tbsp good olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced 

4 - 6 anchovies, roughly chopped

½ tsp chilli flakes or 1 red chilli thinly sliced

60g good-quality black olives, cut in half

1 tbsp brined capers, rinsed and roughly chopped

1 tin of good quality chopped tomatoes or passata

Small bunch of basil, roughly shredded

Freshly ground black pepper

Grated parmesan, optional. 

Put a large pan of well-salted water on to boil. When bubbling, add the pasta, stir, and cook for 8-10 minutes according to packet instructions, until very slightly underdone. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Cook the garlic very gently until just beginning to colour, then add the anchovies and stir to dissolve. Stir in the chilli flakes or fresh chilli, then the olives and capers, and turn up the heat slightly until you can hear them sizzling. Add the passata or chopped tomatoes and stir well, then simmer vigorously for about five minutes, or until the pasta is done. Check the seasoning but you shouldn't need to add any salt. Drain the pasta well, then tip into the frying pan and toss well to combine. Divide between bowls and top with the basil.

Wintery Waldorf Salad with Mackerel

We're about to go on holiday and I'm emptying the fridge of all the ingredients for this classic salad that always reminds me of Fawlty Towers! I think this Hairy Bikers' recipe takes some beating.

Ingredients For the Waldorf Salad

250ml good quality mayonnaise

65g walnut halves

3 large sticks of celery, plus celery leaves

2 crisp red eating apples, quartered and finely sliced

250g seedless red grapes, halved

2 teasp fresh lemon juice

For the mackerel

8 fresh mackerel fillets

4 teasp olive oil

4 teasp lemon juice

2 tbsp flatleaf parsley, finely chopped

flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method

For the salad, place the walnut halves into small non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until toasted all over. Leave to cool. Finely slice the celery, keeping the leaves for later. Add the sliced celery to a large bowl together with the sliced apples and halved grapes. Pour over the lemon juice and toss well. This will keep the apples from going brown. Mix in the mayonnaise, toasted walnut halves and celery leaves.

Preheat the grill to the highest temperature setting. Add the mackerel fillets to a large mixing bowl and pour over olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle over the parsley and season with flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss well, ensuring the fillets are well coated. Transfer the mackerel to a baking tray, skin-side up, and grill for 2-3 minutes, or until the skin is crisp. Serve the mackerel fillets immediately, with the Waldorf salad and a wedge of lemon. 

Perfect Pancakes

It's Shrove Tuesday next week so I'm taking this tried and tested recipe with me to cook when we are burning loads of calories skiing.  We might have them for breakfast or as a dessert with fruit and Chantilly cream, or even both! 

Ingredients

100g plain flour

2 medium eggs

300ml milk

1 tbsp butter, plus a little extra

Lemon wedges, to serve

Caster sugar, to serve.

Method

Put the flour, eggs, milk and a pinch of salt into a bowl, then whisk until you have a smooth batter. Set aside for 30 minutes to rest if you have time, if not, don't worry. Sometimes I keep the batter in the fridge overnight so it's ready for breakfast time. Use a medium sized frying pan on a medium heat and carefully wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper or melted butter. When hot, cook the pancakes for 1 minute on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go.  Let the kids have a go at flipping too! I don't know why but the first pancake tends not to be the best, so have a cheeky nibble. Serve with lemon wedges and sugar, or your favourite filling. 

Moussaka and not a potato in sight

Such a controversial dish, it seems. This is the Moussaka recipe I love to use as I settled on this version, taken from the Guardian newspaper a few years ago.  But, I looked at other versions it became quite a muddle of styles and ingredients.  Anyway, I don't care, there will not be any potatoes in my Moussaka! 

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

3 medium or 2 large aubergines, sliced

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 and 1/2 teasp cinnamon

1 teasp dried oregano

500g minced lamb

2 tbsp tomato purée, mixed with 150ml water

150ml red wine

Small bunch of flatleaf parsley, chopped. 

For the bechamel:

500ml milk

60g butter

60g plain flour

50g kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated

2 eggs, beaten

Nutmeg, for grating. 

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Cut the aubergines lengthways into 1/2cm slices, and put them on to oiled baking sheets. Brush with olive oil and season. Bake for about 25 minutes until soft, golden and floppy. Meanwhile, put 2 tbsp olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium high heat and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic, cinnamon and oregano and cook for a further couple of minutes, then stir in the lamb. Turn up the heat slightly and brown the lamb well, cooking until the mixture is quite dry. Stir in the tomato and wine, bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down low and cook for 30–40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season and stir in the parsley.

Meanwhile, make the bechamel. Bring the milk to just below boiling point, and melt the butter in another saucepan. Stir the flour into the butter and cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Cook until you have a thick sauce, then stir in the cheese until melted. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs, salt to taste and slightly more nutmeg than you might think wise (it's a strong flavour, but you need it in this dish I think - half a teaspoon at least). Arrange a third of the aubergines in the base of an oven dish and top with half the meat. Repeat these layers, then finish off with a layer of aubergine, and top with the sauce. Bake for about 45 minutes until well browned and then leave to cool for half an hour before serving.

Chicken Karhai with Mint

I stumbled on this unusual Madhur Jaffrey recipe last night.  It's unusual as it is quite dry and cooks really quickly.  Spicy and easy to cook, what could be better?  The master stroke is the addition of the fresh mint at the end of cooking. The only thing I've changed is to cook the onions for a bit longer than the original recipe.

Ingredients for the marinade
560g chicken thighs, boned and skinned, cut into 2cm pieces
1 teasp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teasp ground cumin
1 teasp ground coriander
1 and a half tbsp lemon juice
1/2 teasp cayenne pepper
1 teasp garam masala
1 teasp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil.

To cook the chicken
3 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
100g onion, sliced
3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped.

Method
Combine together all the marinade ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl.  Mix, cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or even overnight.  Put the 3 tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium to high heat. When hot, add the onions and stir fry for 2-3 minutes then add the chicken and all its marinade.   Stir fry until cooked through. Add the mint and stir fry for a few seconds more.  Serve with boiled rice or roti.  It's lovely served cold in a wrap for lunch the next day too!

Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Spinach Bake

Creamy chicken and mushroom pasta sounds great and can be on the supper table within 45 minutes.  If the kids turn their noses up at the thought of spinach try shredding it and naming it parsley.  It worked for a while with my kids. Leeks are a lovely alternative too.

Ingredients
375g fusilli pasta
60g butter
600g chicken breast fillets, skin removed and cut into 2 cm pieces
150g button mushrooms, quartered
2 tbsp plain flour
500ml of semi skimmed milk
40g parmesan
150g cheddar, grated
170g spinach or if using  them 2 leeks thinly sliced
2tbsp chopped chives or parsley.

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C.  Cook and drain the pasta according to the pack instructions, keeping it al dente. Whilst the pasta is cooking melt a third of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the chicken, in batches, until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Next, heat the remaining butter in the pan, cook the mushrooms and leeks until tender.  Add the flour, cook, stirring all of the time for 1 minute.  Then gradually stir in the milk.  Keep stirring over a medium heat until the sauce boils and thickens.  Now return the chicken to the pan with half the parmesan and half the cheddar.  Taste and season.  Mix the chicken, sauce and pasta together in a 2.5 litre oven-proof dish and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbling.  Sprinkle with chives or parsley and serve with a green salad or sliced tomatoes.