Category: Recipes

CHEAT’S LOBSTER SPAGHETTI

Hi. Grace here. I love cooking food from scratch – not only healthier (with less salt and sugar than pre-prepared dishes) but also tastier. Plus, you can add any ingredients that you like to personalise the recipe to you and your family’s particular tastes. But I don’t want to be slaving over a hot oven! So, this Cheat’s Lobster Spaghetti recipe uses tinned soup – yes, tinned soup. The only tinned soup I would wholeheartedly recommend mind you. No-one is more surprised than me that it tastes as good as it does. I know I’m blowing my own trumpet here but this quick and easy recipe is one I think you’ll want to make again and again.

Annabel gave me some peanut rayu – a relish that I’d never seen before. Definitely once seen never forgotten – am now ladling spoonfuls onto anything remotely Asian inspired because I love it’s crunchy spiciness.

CHEAT'S LOBSTER SPAGHETTI
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CHEAT’S LOBSTER SPAGHETTI

Recipe by Grace

A super quick lunch or supper that may not take much time but is packed full of the taste of the sea. If you can’t get samphire, which I couldn’t (shame, I really love the stuff!) use rocket instead. I am definitely not a fan of tinned soup but Baxters Lobster Bisque is exceptional and certainly saves a huge amount of faffing around making your own.

Ingredients

  • 150g spaghetti

  • 8 shell on raw prawns (as large as you can find)

  • Half finely chopped red chilli.

  • Grated zest of an unwaxed lemon

  • Tin of Baxters Lobster soup

  • Quarter of cucumber

  • 2 spring onions

  • Peanut rayu

Directions

  • Decant the soup into a large saucepan and pop in the chilli and your raw prawns, shell and all. Heat gently until the prawns are cooked through.
  • Meanwhile, finely chop the spring onions and cucumber and set aside.
  • Put the spaghetti into another saucepan and pour over boiling water and cook as per packet instructions (preferably al dente).
  • Drain the pasta and put into two warmed bowls. Add four prawns and half the lobster soup to each portion. Top with the fresh cucumber, spring onions, a sprinkling of lemon zest and a good dollop of rayu. If you have any coriander or similar handy, pop some on top.

Notes

  • Next time I’m going to add a good handful of samphire to the soup.

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GRACE’S MOUTHWATERING PRAWN AND EGG CURRY

Grace’s Prawn and Egg Curry is super quick, super delish. I used totally fabulous Argentinian prawns from Aldi (cost half the price that other supermarkets charge) and a Thai green curry paste pot (M&S £2.50 for pack of four). Serves 2.

Thai green curry paste
Handful Argentinian raw prawns
400ml can coconut milk
Fresh coriander and basil
2 hard boiled eggs
Cucumber
Pack of microwave rice

Warm through coconut cream in a saucepan, then stir in curry paste. Add rest of coconut milk. Pop in prawns and cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes.
Microwave rice and share between two plates Top with quartered boiled eggs and pour over curry/prawn sauce. Top with the fresh herbs and batons of cucumber.

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JUICY FIG CANAPES

Love a nibble before the main course but wanted something other than crisps, peanuts or pretzels. Spotted some ripe figs in the supermarket and decided to use those paired with goat’s cheese (or it is “goat cheese”, I never know!).

JUICY FIG CANAPES
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JUICY FIG CANAPES

Recipe by GraceDifficulty: Really easy
Prep time

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • Ripe figs

  • Goat’s cheese

  • Runny honey

  • Toasted hazelnuts

  • Chervil (or a.n.other herb to decorate – optional)

Directions

  • Cut figs in half
  • Pop a sliver of goat’s cheese on top of each half fig
  • Drizzle with honey
  • Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts
  • Top with fresh herb of your choice (optional)

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SLOW COOKER SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Was tidying out my kitchen cupboards yesterday and found my slow cooker gathering dust. Whipped it out, gave it a wipe and made this sausage casserole because it was grey and cold outside and I had a busy day ahead. Proved to be as comforting to eat as it looks. Inexpensive and filling – why not give it a try?

SLOW COOKER SAUSAGE CASSEROLE
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SLOW COOKER SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Recipe by Tesco Real Food
Servings

6

servings

Just chuck everything in your slow cooker and let the magic happen. Freezable. No slow-cooker? Follow the method to brown the sausages and veg, then put in a 2ltr casserole dish, cover and bake at gas 6, 200 ̊C, fan
180 ̊C for 2 hrs.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 454g pack 50% less fat Cumberland sausages

  • 2 red onions, cut into wedges

  • 2 celery sticks, trimmed and sliced

  • 1 garlic clove, sliced

  • 150g mushrooms, quartered

  • 150g pack Tendersweet carrots

  • 1 leek, trimmed and sliced

  • ½ tsp crushed chillies

  • 2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed​

  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes

  • 300ml red wine

  • 1 chicken stock cube, made up to 800ml

  • 10g fresh rosemary, leaves only

  • 4 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 5 tbsp water

  • green beans and crusty bread, to serve (optional)

Directions

  • Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the sausages for 6-7 mins, turning frequently, until golden. Transfer to a 2.5ltr or bigger slow-cooker using a slotted spoon.
  • Add the onions, celery, garlic and mushrooms to the pan and cook in the remaining oil for 4-5 mins over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften. Transfer to the slow-cooker with the carrots and leek.
  • Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl, then add to the slow-cooker and season well. Cook on high for 3 hrs or until thick and bubbling.
  • Spoon into bowls and serve with green beans and crusty bread to mop up the juices, if you like.

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CHEAT’S LOBSTER SPAGHETTI

I love cooking food from scratch – not only healthier (with less salt and sugar than pre-prepared dishes) but also tastier. Plus, you can add any ingredients that you like to personalise the recipe to you and your family’s particular tastes. This Cheat’s Lobster Spaghetti recipe uses tinned soup – yes, tinned soup. The only tinned soup I would wholeheartedly recommend mind you. No-one is more surprised than me that it tastes as good as it does. I know I’m blowing my own trumpet here but this quick and easy recipe is one I think you’ll want to make again and again.

Annabel gave me some peanut rayu – a relish that I’d never seen before. Definitely once seen never forgotten – am now ladling spoonfuls onto anything remotely Asian inspired because I love it’s crunchy spiciness.

CHEAT'S LOBSTER SPAGHETTI
Pin
Print

CHEAT’S LOBSTER SPAGHETTI

Recipe by Grace

A super quick lunch or supper that may not take much time but is packed full of the taste of the sea. If you can’t get samphire, which I couldn’t (shame, I really love the stuff!) use rocket instead. I am definitely not a fan of tinned soup but Baxters Lobster Bisque is exceptional and certainly saves a huge amount of faffing around making your own.

Ingredients

  • 150g spaghetti

  • 8 shell on raw prawns (as large as you can find)

  • Half finely chopped red chilli.

  • Grated zest of an unwaxed lemon

  • Tin of Baxters Lobster soup

  • Quarter of cucumber

  • 2 spring onions

  • Peanut rayu

Directions

  • Decant the soup into a large saucepan and pop in the chilli and your raw prawns, shell and all. Heat gently until the prawns are cooked through.
  • Meanwhile, finely chop the spring onions and cucumber and set aside.
  • Put the spaghetti into another saucepan and pour over boiling water and cook as per packet instructions (preferably al dente).
  • Drain the pasta and put into two warmed bowls. Add four prawns and half the lobster soup to each portion. Top with the fresh cucumber, spring onions, a sprinkling of lemon zest and a good dollop of rayu. If you have any coriander or similar handy, pop some on top.

Notes

  • Next time I’m going to add a good handful of samphire to the soup.

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SWEET POTATO & LENTIL CURRY

SWEET POTATO & LENTIL CURRY
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SWEET POTATO & LENTIL CURRY

Recipe by Olive MagazineDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

40

minutes

This Sweet Potato and Lentil curry has a colourful vibrancy that I find very moreish to look at – and, of course, to eat! Lots of ingredients I know but so many of them are likely to be in your storecupboard. Absolutely delicious. Low calorie too – about 314 per portion. Great with rice (I use microwave as I’m lazy!), noodles or a warm naan bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp vegetable oil

  • 1 large red onion, finely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • a thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated

  • 6 fresh or dried curry leaves (optional)

  • 2 tsp ground cumin

  • 2 tsp ground coriander

  • 1 tsp ground turmeric

  • 2 medium (about 500g) sweet potatoes, cut into chunks

  • 75g red split lentils

  • 400ml tin low-fat coconut milk

  • 400ml vegetable stock

  • coriander, a handful of leaves

  • 1 lime, wedged

Directions

  • Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook three-quarters of the onion with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and curry leaves, if using, and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the spices and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the sweet potato and lentils, then add the coconut milk and stock. Stir well, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, adding a splash of water if it’s getting dry, until the potatoes and lentils are cooked through. Season.
  • Serve in bowls with coriander and the remaining onion on top, with lime wedges for squeezing over.

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KIWI SMOOTHIE

Kiwi Smoothie… doesn’t that sound refreshing? Every time I go to the supermarket I look at the fruit and veg, see kiwi fruits and think shall I buy some. But then don’t because my only way of using them was cutting them in half and eating the flesh with a teaspoon – fresh and fragrant but not the most inspiring way to eat them. So when I spotted this recipe by Olive magazine I thought it was a great use of this fruit which is well known for its high Vitamin C content and rich in fibre.

KIWI SMOOTHIE
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KIWI SMOOTHIE

Recipe by Olive Magazine
Servings

2

servings
Calories

123

kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 kiwi fruits, chopped

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • 200g mango, chopped

  • 200ml coconut water

  • a handful ice

Directions

  • Tip all of the ingredients into a blender and whizz until completely smooth. Pour into two glasses and serve.

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CHICKEN, ORZO – A DELICIOUS COMBO

CHICKEN WITH ORZO
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CHICKEN WITH ORZO

Recipe by Delicious Magazine
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

35

minutes

Chicken with orzo – well, as we all know, thighs are tasty (and inexpensive, no bad thing!) and orzo is a marvellous type of pasta that I only discovered about a year ago but really like using. Caramelised chicory adds another dimension to this dish. It’s a winner. Quick to prepare – about half an hour, so perfect for midweek or when you fancy something deliciously simple.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 500g free-range chicken thighs and drumsticks

  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

  • 140g chicory, sliced

  • 150g orzo

  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

  • Finely grated zest and juice ½ orange

  • 2 tbsp crème fraîche

Directions

  • Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook for about 8 minutes until all the skin is golden and crisp, then pour out the excess fat and turn over. Add the fennel seeds, chicory and a pinch of salt around the chicken and cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the chicory has caramelised and the chicken is cooked through (you may want to turn the chicken pieces once or twice to ensure it’s cooked through).
  • Meanwhile, cook the orzo in salted boiling water according to the packet instructions, reserving a cup of the cooking water before draining.
  • Lift the cooked chicken onto a plate, then stir the drained orzo into the chicory, along with the balsamic vinegar, orange zest and juice and crème fraiche. Drizzle in a little of the pasta water to give the sauce a creamy texture. Season well and serve topped with the chicken.

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AVOCADO + SMOKED SALMON + EGG

AVO WITH SMOKED SALMON AND EGG
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AVO WITH SMOKED SALMON AND EGG

Recipe by Olive Magazine
Servings

6

servings
Cooking time

20

minutes

Avocado and egg to my mind is a strange combo but gosh it really works as many of you already know I’m sure. Protein-rich this will keep you going for longer. And your tastebuds won’t complain either!

Ingredients

  • 3 large avocado

  • 6 small eggs, separated

  • 3 slices smoked salmon, cut into pieces

  • finely chopped to make 1 tbsp chives

  • r a pinch (optional) cayenne peppe

  • to serve toasted dark rye bread

Directions

  • Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Halve the avocados lengthways and remove their stones. Cut a small slice off the skin-side of the avocado halves to stop them rolling and put them onto a baking tray. Scoop out some of the middle from where the stone was, add a little salmon to each and then add the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites quickly, so it’s one uniform consistency, and pour in as much as you can. Grind over black pepper and bake for 10 minutes, or until the whites have set. Scatter over the chives and a pinch of cayenne, if you like. Serve with rye soldiers for dunking.

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BAKED WARM ROQUEFORT CHEESECAKE

BAKED WARM ROQUEFORT CHEESECAKE
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BAKED WARM ROQUEFORT CHEESECAKE

Recipe by Jane Lovett
Servings

8

servings

On a chilly Winter day, this Roquefort Cheesecake by one of our fave chefs, Jane Lovett, is an absolute winner. I serve it with a green salad which acts as a foil to the richness of this warm crumbly cheesy gorgeousness. A little of what you fancy does you good…

Ingredients

  • For the oatcake base

  • 140g rough oatcakes, broken up

  • 60g butter, softened at room temperature

  • 25g walnut pieces

  • For the filling

  • 250g full-fat soft cheese, at room temperature

  • 3 eggs

  • 100ml double cream

  • 100g Roquefort cheese, crumbled into assorted small and larger chunks

  • 1 heaped tablespoon snipped chives sea salt and freshly ground

  • black pepper

  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced on a diagonal

  • nigella or onion seeds, for sprinkling

  • micro leaves or salad cress, to garnish (optional)

Directions

  • Line a shallow, loose-bottomed, 24cm fluted round tart tin with baking parchment (or foil-backed baking parchment), allowing the sides to come at least 2.5cm above the top of the tin to form a collar. Put onto a baking sheet.
  • For the base, process all the ingredients in a food-processor until they come together (or bash the oatcakes into crumbs, finely chop the nuts and mix both with the butter), then press evenly over the base of the tin (the bottom of a flat glass is useful for doing this). Chill for 30 minutes, until the base has firmed up.
  • Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
  • For the filling, put the soft cheese into a bowl, then gradually add the eggs, one at a time, whisking with a hand whisk until smooth, before adding the next egg. Stir in the cream, followed by the crumbled Roquefort and the chives. Season, bearing in mind the filling should be well seasoned.
  • Pour the mixture into the tin over the oatcake base, then scatter over the spring onions and a few nigella or onion seeds. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and just set around the edges, but barely set with a bit of a wobble in the middle. It will be risen like a soufflé but will sink down as it cools.
  • Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 5 minutes or until it shrinks away from the sides, then, if serving it warm, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin with the paper still in place. If serving cold, leave to cool completely in the tin. Garnish with a few micro leaves.

Notes

  • From Just One Pan by Jane Lovett – a wonderfully useful cookbook. BUY NOW

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STICKY POMEGRANATE & HARISSA AUBERGINES

STICKY POMEGRANATE & HARISSA AUBERGINES
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STICKY POMEGRANATE & HARISSA AUBERGINES

Recipe by Waitrose
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Whenever I’m in Waitrose, I always look out for their recipe cards and make sure I pop one of their excellent magazines in my shopping bag. Without fail there will be several recipes that inspire me to put my apron on and get cooking! This is a favourite as I love firm glossy aubergines. I find de-seeding pomegranates relaxing and they are so useful as a garnish, keeping well in an airtight container in the fridge. This two step recipe makes a great side dish or main course, depending on your appetite.

Ingredients

  • 2 aubergines

  • 3 tbsp olive oil

  • 1½ rose harissa

  • ½ tsp cumin seeds

  • 1 clementine (scrubbed), zest and juice

  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

  • ½ pomegranate, seeds only

  • ½ x 25g pack coriander, leaves picked

  • 100g feta, crumbled

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6 Cut the aubergines in ½ lengthways and score the cut sides in a criss-cross pattern. Put in a roasting tin, drizzle with the oil and season. Spoon over the harissa, scatter over the cumin seeds and clementine zest, then massage into the cuts in the aubergines. Cover with foil and roast for 50 minutes. Remove the foil, drizzle with the pomegranate molasses and roast for a further 5-8 minutes until tender, caramelised and sticky.
  • When the aubergines are ready, transfer to a serving platter. Pour the clementine juice into the roasting tin, scrape the base to release the sticky bits, then spoon over the aubergine. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, coriander and feta.

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