Recipe Challenge - Leftovers

Today's post is a little less about a new recipe and more to do with what we do with our leftovers. I do not like seeing food go to waste especially knowing that so many around the world have barely enough food each day to survive.    


I had friends coming over for dinner two night's ago and cooked up an Indian feast, I made the Rogan Josh in my slow cooker and had plenty left over. 


A few years back I owned a pie maker that made two pies at a time, someone borrowed it and that was the last I seen of it. Recently my friend posted on Facebook that she had purchased one at Aldi's for only $20.00. I commented how I missed mine and she offered to go down to the one near her home and see if they had any left. I think she ended up picking up about 4 more for friends. Thank you Robyn ♥  

Well I broke out my pie maker this morning and ended up with 8 delicious pies (I used short crust pastry).    

Recipe Challenge 6 - Tandoori Lamb with Almond & Raisin Rice

Tandoori Lamb (serves 4)
1/3 cup tandoori paste
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
1tbsp lemon juice
8 mid-loin lamb chops
canola oil spray

Method
Combine tandoori paste, yoghurt and lemon in a bowl
Add lamb and turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30mins
Spray BBQ plate or grill pan with oil, heat over medium heat.
Cook for 4 -5 minutes on each side until cooked to you liking
Serve with rice

Almond & Raisin Rice (serves 4)
1 cup basmati rice
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1small red capsicum finely diced
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2tbsp lemon juice

Method
Bring 6 cups of water to the boil in a saucepan, add the rice and turmeric.
Cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until tender, drain off any excess water.
Add the capsicum, mint, almonds and raisin's in a bowl. Combine lemon juice and oil in a jug 
and pour over rice mixture and combine well  

Serve meat & rice with Naan bread and extra yoghurt on the isde


Enjoy♥

Recipe Challenge 5 - Citrus Chicken and Pistachio Couscous

Pistachio Couscous (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup pistachio kernels, toasted
• ½ cup sultana’s
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Method

·         Place couscous in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water. Stand, covered, for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir with a fork to separate grains. Cool for 5 minutes.

·         Add remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve.

                                                              Sorry not a great picture - but was delicious

Citrus Chicken (serves 6)

Ingedients

• 6 skinless chicken breast fillets
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 tbs orange marmalade
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 tbs (20g) unsalted butter
• 300ml chicken stock

Method

·         Preheat the oven to 180°C.

·         Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place garlic, marmalade, orange zest and butter in a bowl and beat with a fork to combine.

·         Place chicken in a roasting pan, spread orange mixture over the chicken and cover pan with foil. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven and set the chicken aside.

·         Add juice and stock to roasting pan and stir over low heat until well reduced and sticky, then pour over chicken. 


Nb. I mixed together a little extra  Place garlic, marmalade, orange zest and butter to add to reduction as not quite enough left in roasting pan

Recipe Challenge 4 - Mini Roma Tomato & Leek Agnolotti

This recipe is my own creation.
Recipe for 2 people


Ingredients

1pkt of fresh Large - ravioli or agnolotti (320g)
1 punnet (220- 250g)  - mini roma tomatoes halved
1 Leek chopped
1 clove garlic  
2 tbs good quality olive oil
2 tbs of caramelized tomato balsamic  
12 fresh basil leaves
Feta

Method

• Bring pasta to the boil and simmer until tender 
• Place olive oil in fry pan and heat, add garlic, leek and tomatoes and cook until leek is just tender and tomatoes just starting to soften
• Add caramelized tomato balsamic
• Drain pasta
• Layer 1/4 of pasta in a bowl and drizzle over a little olive oil top with tomato and leek and tear a few fresh basil leaves adding to the dish
• Repeat and top with some crumbled feta cheese

ENJOY♥

Recipe Challenge 3 - Beetroot Relish

Some friends have just given me some amazing fresh beetroot. I have always wanted to have a go a beetroot relish so here it is.

Ingredients
750g Beetroot
1 Brown onion
2 Cups balsamic vinegar
1Cup water
3 Teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
2 Cups sugar
2 Cloves or pinch of ground cloves
5cm Piece of orange rind
Sea salt & Cracked Pepper

Method
1. Peel & process beetroot and onion in food processor
2. In a covered pan, fry mustard seeds in a little oil
3. Add all ingredients to pan cook on a medium heat,
    cover and bring to the boil
4. Cook for 30 minutes or until the beetroot is soft
    and the liquid has reduced and thickened slightly
5. Pour into sterilized jars, seal an cool.

Recipe makes about 5 Cups and will keep for about 2 months.

To sterilize jars i put them in a hot oven 180oC for 10 minutes and boiled the lids in a saucepan on the stove top. Be careful when removing from the oven and make sure you do not put them onto a cold or damp surface as the jar may crack. I used a wooden chopping board covered with some old tea towels to sit hot jars on as I filled them.

ENJOY♥

Recipe Challenge 2 - Orange Marmalade and Sesame, Ginger Prawns

Orange Marmalade And Sesame, Ginger Prawns 

Ingredients
4 tbs orange marmalade

• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 300g egg noodles
• 1 tbs peanut oil, plus 1 tsp to toss noodles
• 1 small red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 12 green prawns, peeled (tails intact), deveined
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle
• Coriander leaves, to serve
• I teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 
  

• Method
• 1. Combine the marmalade, soy, garlic, ginger, vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
• 2. Cook noodles in boiling salted water according to instructions. Drain, toss with 1 tsp peanut oil and set aside.
• 3. Heat remaining 1 tbs peanut oil in a wok or deep frypan over medium-high heat. Add capsicum and onion and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add prawns and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Add sauce mixture, toss to coat prawns, then add noodles and toss for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Toss through spring onion and coriander sprinkle with toasted sesame and serve.

This recipe was quick and easy but very tasty, hubby gave it the thumbs up.


ENJOY♥

Recipe Challenge 1 - Mauritian Chicken Curry

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbs finely chopped coriander stem
• 30g-60g (1/4-1/2 cup) Keen's Curry Powder (or to taste - I used less) 
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
• 400ml water
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
• Light sour cream, to serve
• Steamed rice, to serve
• 1 bunch fresh coriander, sprigs picked

Method

1. Heat oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, stirring often, for 4 minutes or until soft and aromatic. Add the coriander stem and cook for 1 minute. Add curry powder and curry leaves. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
2. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until browned slightly. Stir in the tomato and water.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the potato and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender. Season with salt. Serve with rice, sour cream and coriander sprigs.
   
   

                                                          

This recipe is both gluten and dairy free

For a vegetarian version swap chicken for cauliflower & chickpeas I also added some fresh green beans