Tania s Cooking Recipes: Part 2 1. Smoked Mackerel Dip (Serves 4) - 1 smoked mackerel fillet - 2 tbsp of natural yoghurt or fromage frais - 1 tsp of creamed horseradish - 1 tbsp of fresh chopped chives - Ground black pepper (optional) - Carrots/Cucumber/Breadsticks (to serve) 1) Peel away the skin from the mackerel fillets and remove any bones 2) Place in a bowl and roughly flake with a fork, add yoghurt or fromage frais, horseradish and chives 3) Beat well, season with black pepper and serve with vegetables Note: This can also be used to fill jacket potatoes or sandwiches 2. Coleslaw Side Dish [V] (Serves 4) - ½ white cabbage or mixture of red/white cabbage - 1 large carrot - 1 x 15ml spoonful of reduced fat mayonnaise - 1 x 15ml spoonful of low fat natural yoghurt - 1 x 5ml spoonful of honey - 1 x 5ml spoonful of French mustard (mild) - 2 x 15ml spoonfuls of raisins (optional) - Black pepper (optional) - Chopped chives (optional) 1) Wash the cabbage and carrot 2) Coarsely grate the carrot 3) Finely shred the cabbage 4) Mix mayonnaise, honey, mustard in a salad bowl 5) Place cabbage and carrot in to the salad bowl, add raisins and chives (if using)
6) Mix well with the dressing and serve Note: To customize your coleslaw try using finely chopped apple, halved grapes or a small amount of grated cheese. 3. Courgette and Cheese Muffins [V] (Makes 8 large or 12 small muffins) 200g plain flour 50g wholemeal flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 pinch chilli powder 35g porridge oats 1 egg (beaten) 1 tsp dried oregano 3 tsp vegetable oil ½ large courgette (grated) 115g grated cheese (*Healthy Option* use reduced fat cheddar cheese) 125ml milk 1) Pre-heat oven to 220 C 2) Sieve plain flour, wholemeal flower and baking powder in to a bowl 3) Add porridge oats 4) Add egg, oregano and oil to bowl containing dry ingredients and mix 5) Add courgette and cheese to the mixture and enough milk to make a batter 6) Add 2 tbsp of the mixture to each muffin case 7) Bake until golden brown 8) To check if cooked; insert a skewer in to a muffin and it should come out clean 9) Leave to cool before serving 4. Savoury Flapjack [V] (makes 9-12 squares) 175g coarsely grated carrot
150g coarsely grated mature cheddar (*Healthy Option* use reduced fat cheddar cheese) 150g porridge oats 1 medium egg (beaten) Pinch of dried herbs Sprinkle of Black pepper/garlic pepper (optional) 1) Heat the oven to 180 C (or 160 C if using a fan oven) 2) Line 20cm x 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper/baking parchment 3) Put oats, carrots, cheese and herbs in to a mixing bowl (add peppers if using) 4) Add beaten egg to bowl and mix 5) Transfer mixture in to tin and press down firmly 6) Bake for 25 mins until golden brown 7) Leave to cool and cut in to pieces 5. Omelette Popovers [V] (Makes 12 popovers; Serves 4) Spray oil 1 x small onion 140g cheddar cheese (*Healthy Option* use reduced fat cheddar cheese) 150g frozen peas 2x15ml spoonful of fresh chopped chives or 5ml spoonful of dried chives 6 x large eggs Ground black pepper (optional) 1 x 15ml spoonful of water 1) Heat the oven to 180 C (or 160 C if using a fan oven) 2) Spray the holes of the muffin tin with the spray oil 3) Peel and finely chop the onion and divide equally between the holes 4) Put in the oven for 5 mins 5) Meanwhile, weigh and grate the cheddar cheese. Put the peas into a medium bowl and add the grated cheese 6) Wash and chop the herbs using a pair of scissors and add to the cheese mixture 7) Break the eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl and add to the cheese and peas mix. Add some black pepper to taste (if using) to the mixture and add the water
8) Mix with a fork until the peas have separated from each other and the eggs are well mixed 9) Carefully remove the muffin tin from the oven 10) Using a ladle, divide the mixture between the 12 holes and with a spoon stir each one to mix in the onion. Return to the oven for 15 mins or until golden brown on the top 11) Allow to cool for 5 mins then remove the popovers from the tin with a spatula Something to try next time.. 1) Instead of chopped onion and chives, use half a bunch of trimmed and chopped spring onions. Add them at step 7 and only heat the muffin tray for 3 minutes, not 5, before adding the omelette mixture 2) Try eating these popovers in a sandwich, in a savoury scone or take them on picnics or in a lunchbox for a nutritious lunch 3) Serve with a side salad and some slices of bread 6. Noodle and Sweetcorn Soup [V] (Serves 4) 2 small onions 2 cloves of garlic 2 small sticks of celery (optional) 2 x 5ml spoons vegetable oil 1.5 litre boiling water 1 x reduced salt vegetable stock cube 2 nests of fine egg or rice noodles 1 x 325g can sweetcorn (260g when drained) or frozen sweetcorn Black pepper (optional) 1 x 5ml spoonful reduced salt soy sauce (optional) 4 spring onions (optional) 1) Peel and chop the onion and garlic into small pieces and finely chop the celery (if using) 2) Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic and celery 3) Soften over a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring to prevent them burning 4) Measure 750ml of boiling water into the measuring jug, crumble in the stock cube and stir to dissolve. Pour over the softened vegetables.
5) Bring the soup in the pan back to the boil and simmer for 2 mins. Break the noodles in to pieces and add to the pan. Stir until they separate then simmer for 3-4mins. 6) While the noodles are cooking, open the can of sweetcorn and drain in a colander. Add the drained sweetcorn to the soup and summer for another minute. 7) Season with black pepper to taste (if using) and add the soy sauce (if using) and add to the soup just before serving. Something to try next time.. 1) Add 50-100g of shredded cooked chicken at step 6 and use a reduced salt chicken stock cube 2) For a spicier flavour, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, chilli powder or chilli flakes to the onions 3) Add 3-4 finely sliced mangetout or green beans, a slices red pepper, or a handful of beansprouts at step 6. Very fine strips of carrot also make a colourful addition 7. Paprika Chicken Stew with Herby Dumpling (Serves 4) For the Chicken Stew: 8 chicken thighs or drumsticks (skinless) 1 x 15ml vegetable or sunflower oil 2 x 15ml teaspoons of sweet or smoked paprika 1 small onion 2 cloves garlic 25g sliced chorizo 2 x red pepper 1 small pack of cherry tomatoes 1 reduced salt vegetable stock cube 600ml boiling water 400g can of butter beans or cannellini beans For the Dumplings: 200g self raising flour ½ tsp dried rosemary ½ tsp dried thyme
1 pinch of black pepper (optional) 15ml tsb vegetable or sunflower oil 6 x 15ml spoonful semi-skimmed milk 2-3 x 15ml spoonful of water For the Chicken Stew: 1) Preheat oven to 220 C/200 C or gas mark 7 2) Place chicken pieces into a medium sized oven proof dish (wash your hands after touching the raw meat) 3) Mix together the oil and paprika in a small mixing bowl 4) Using the pastry brush, brush half of the oil mixture over the top of the chicken and put to one side to use later. Place the dish in the oven for 30 mins (turning the chicken pieces over after 20 mins) 5) Finely chop the onion and garlic and cut the chorizo slices in to small pieces 6) Wash, deseed and chop the red peppers into approx. 1cm squares and wash, and chop the tomatoes in to halves or quarters 7) Place the medium sized pan on the hob on medium heat and add the remaining oil mixture and heat gently 8) Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pan, turn the hob to low and cook for 5 mins 9) Add the chorizo, peppers and tomatoes and cook for 2 mins 10) Make up 600ml of stock (using 1 stock cube) 11) Add 300ml of made up stock to the pan 12) Drain the beans and add to the pan. Cook for a further 10 mins while you make the dumplings For the Dumplings: 1) Weigh out 200g of self-raising flour and place in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the rosemary, thyme and twist of black pepper (if using) and stir 2) Add to the dry mixture the oil, milk, and then enough water until the dumpling mixture comes together as a ball of dough 3) Tip out onto a floured board and chop into four pieces, rub flour onto your hands and then roll each piece into a ball. Leave to one side. (By this time your chicken should have been cooking for 30 mins and be ready to come out). Carefully remove the chicken from the oven 4) Stir the ingredients in the pan and transfer the pieces of chicken carefully with tongs from the dish into your pan 5) Add the rosemary and thyme to the remaining vegetable stock (300ml). Pour in to pan and bring to the boil 6) Once boiling, place the dumplings carefully on top of the mixture, put the lid on the pan, set the heat to low and leave to cook (do not remove lid) for 20 mins 7) Meanwhile (if using), chop the lemon into quarters, wash and roughly chop or pull apart the parsley
8) When the stew has cooked for 20 mins, check the dumplings are firm and have risen and grown in the stew. If not then cook for another 4 mins in the pan with the lid on, if they are cooked, then turn off the heat 9) Squeeze some lemon juice over the dish and garnish with the lemon wedges, a spoonful of yoghurt, a sprinkle of parsley or a twist of black pepper (if using) Something to try next time.. 1) Add some sundried tomato and olives in the dumplings 8. Spinach, Mushroom and Onion Lasagne [V] (Serves 4) 50g fresh spinach 200g mushrooms 1 medium onion 1 clove of garlic 1 x 5ml tsp dried oregano 1 x 5ml tsp olive oil 400g can of chopped tomatoes Black pepper (optional) 50g reduced fat cheddar cheese 1 x 5ml tsp plain flour 100ml semi skimmed milk 6-8 dried lasagne sheets 1) Heat the oven to 180 C (or 160 C if using a fan oven or gas mark 4) 2) Wash the spinach and oregano if using fresh. Wipe the mushrooms with a clean damp cloth 3) Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and crush the garlic clove. Finely slice the mushrooms 4) Heat the oil in one of the saucepans and add the crushed garlic, chopped onion and sliced mushrooms. Cook for 5 mins, stirring continuously 5) Add the chopped tomatoes, black pepper to taste (if using) and herbs. Cook for 15 mins. Stir regularly 6) Whilst the tomato and mushroom sauce is cooking, make the cheese sauce. Grate the cheese. Place the flour in to the second saucepan and stir in a little milk (about 1 x 15ml spoon) until you have a smooth paste. Pour in the rest of the milk and stir well
7) Place the saucepan onto the hob on a high heat, stirring the sauce all the time. It will start to thicken, so keep stirring to avoid lumps. When you have a thick, smooth white sauce, take off the heat and stir in the grated cheese until it melts 8) When the tomato and mushroom sauce and the cheese sauce are both ready, you can layer the lasagne into the ovenproof dish. First, put a thin layer of tomato and mushroom sauce on the bottom then a layer of spinach (about a handful), then a layer of lasagne sheets and repeat. Finish with a sheet of lasagne and top with the cheese sauce 9) Bake in the oven for 45 mins until the cheese sauce has started to brown. Check the pasta is cooked by inserting a knife into the lasagne, if it slides in easily, it s ready Something to try next time.. 1) Save 10-20g of grated cheese to sprinkle on top before baking 2) Try other vegetables in your tomato sauce such as chopped courgette, tinned pulses, celery or carrot 9. Scones [V] (makes 8 scones) 225g self raising flour 55g margarine/butter 55g caster sugar 2 eggs Milk 1) Pre heat oven to 220 C 2) Lightly grease baking sheet of line with baking parchment 3) Sieve flour in to mixing bowl 4) Add butter and rub in to flour until mixture resembles bread crumbs 5) Add sugar to the bowl and mix together 6) Add beaten egg and form a dough (leave a small amount of egg in the bowl to use for brushing) 7) If mixture does not bond, add a little milk 8) Tip on to lightly floured board and press down until mixture is about 2cm thick 9) Cut the scones from the mixture using scone cutter and place on baking sheet (re-shape the dough to allow for all 8 to be cut from the mixture) 10) Brush the tops using the left over beaten egg to glaze 11) Bake for 10 mins or until golden brown 12) Leave to cool for 15 mins. Best eaten straight away
Note: Once cooled, scones can be frozen and kept for up to 1 month Key: [V] = Vegetarian Dishes