ORIENTAL CHICKEN WITH COURGETTE, PEPPER & NOODLES, Healthy, Easy-peasy

Another quick, yummy, satisfying meal - and affordable, too

Oriental Chicken, Courgette & Pepper Noodles, Easy-peasy
(this photo is half a recipe)

This is a wonderfully satisfying dish, packed with protein and crisp fresh vegetables.  There are noodles, too, all bathed in light flavoursome chicken juices.

It's very easy to make.  There is a bit of waiting time as the chicken cooks but the preparation is ridiculously easy.  67 used chicken wings but the recipe works just as well - if more expensively - with chicken thighs or chicken breasts sliced across the grain into 3 cm/ 1.5 in fingers.  Feel free to keep the skin on. 

Cost: about: £5.00
Feeds: 4-6
     
Ingred:
    750 gms chicken wings/thighs/breasts
    1-2 peppers (any colour will do)
    1-2 courgettes
    groundnut or light vegetable oil
    min 1/2-max 1 tsp each grated ginger and grated garlic
    1/2-1 cup/120-240 ml water or stock 

    min 1-max 2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce (not low-salt)
    2 tbsp dry sherry/white wine/grape juice
    2 tbsp cornflour

    4-6 nests medium or fine egg noodles 

    Garnishes: sesame seeds OR finely sliced spring onions AND/OR toasted sesame oil

Method:

1. If using wings, remove tips and freeze for stock
2. Cut pepper into 1/2 in/1 cm vertical strips
3. Cut courgette into slightly wider fingers the length of the pepper (see photo)
4. Heat a large heavy-bottomed non-stick frying pan or wok over high heat until very hot; spray lightly with oil
5. Add the pepper and courgette strips; stir quickly for not more than a minute; the veg should be barely cooked but slightly brown.  Remove and set aside
6. Add chicken, brown on one side (3-4 mins); turn over, seal for a minute; add water/stock, ginger and garlic. Cover and turn heat down to medium; leave to cook through, probably 15-20 minutes for wings and thighs, 10 mins for breast.  
7. Meanwhile, place egg noodles in a deep heat-proof dish; cover with boiling water; stir; leave 5 minutes; drain; separate any clumped noodles with a fork or chopsticks  
8. Mix cornflour, soy sauce & sherry; it should be white and runny; if not add a tiny bit more water; set aside
9. When chicken is done (there should be no pink in the centre) add veg & any juices plus noodles; raise heat to high
10. Add cornflour/soy/sherry mix, stirring rapidly, distributing chicken, vegetables and noodles evenly as the gravy begins to thicken 
11. Turn off heat
12. Tip into a warmed serving dish and serve as is, or garnished

Tip: If you are in a frugal mood, replace peppers and courgettes with a handful of quartered mushrooms and sliced celery plus bite-sized florets of broccoli or cauliflower - the total equiv to a large coffee mug.  The broccoli and cauliflower will need to be stir-fried 3-5 minutes more before resting.  

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

LAMB & RED WINE CASSEROLE, Prepare Ahead, Stovetop, Oven or Slow-Cooker

A sublime casserole, one to make-ahead for guests 

Luscious Lamb & Red Wine Casserole (half recipe)
'That was the best stew I've had in ages' Taster

This luscious lamb casserole is the Blogger's No 2 favourite (Beef & Dark Beer is No 1).  It is a deeply delicious blend of lamb and root veg in a soothing sauce layered with delightful flavours. On cold or coolish days, it is ideal - comforting and rib-sticking.  

Lamb is not the most frugal of meats and it has a high fat- protein ratio but nearly everyone loves the taste of it.  Luckily British lamb producers make an effort to reduce prices and canny cooking methods can reduce fat.

67 recommends the dish always be made the night before serving; the fat given off by the lamb will solidify overnight and be easily lifted or spooned off.    

For this recipe, lean neck fillet was used; 500 gm cost £5. However, you end up with 3 litres of stew - enough for 6 people in a four course meal.  The list of ingredients seems long but most items are ordinary veg and seasoning found in normal households.  
  
If company is arriving, Luscious Lamb Casserole is a perfect cook-ahead meal. Freeze it, triple wrapped, or make it up to two days in advance.  Adjust seasoning before serving. 

This recipe is adapted from Ellie Krieger, Healthy Eating food blogger and Food Network chef. http://www.elliekrieger.com/

Cost: £7.00
Feeds: 6  

Ingred:
   500 gm/16 oz lamb neck fillet, trimmed of fat & sinew
   handful of flour
   min 1/4 - max 1/2 tsp salt
   pinch coarsely ground pepper

   1 med diced onion

   2 large cloves garlic, grated or minced
   1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
   2 tbsp chopped fresh mint or 2 tsp dried 
   2 tbsp tomato puree, pref low-salt (opt for the salt phobic)

   2 large stalks washed & peeled celery in 1 in/2 cm chunks 
   2 large carrots in 1 in/2 cm slices 
   1 sweet potato, peeled, in 1 in/2 cm chunks  
   2 med parsnips, peeled, in 1 in/2 cm chunks 

   190 ml red wine/grape juice
   425 gm/15 oz passata (or tinned tomatoes blitzed)
   750 ml/1.3 pints stock or water (for slow cooker, see below)

   1 400 g tin butter beans or chickpeas, drained & rinsed   
   1 tsp orange zest 
   juice of one orange  
   min 1/2 tbsp - max 1 tbsp sugar (reduces acidity of tomatoes)
  
   segments of one orange (opt)

Method:

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pan, heat a slick of olive oil over med high heat
2. Cut lamb in pieces about 1.5 in/3cm square; place in a strong plastic bag; add flour; shake until pieces are coated
3. Increase heat to high; brown meat (probably in 2 batches); remove and rest
4. Reduce heat to med; saute onion until soft (about 10 mins) 
5. Add garlic, tom puree if using, salt, pepper, cumin and mint
6. Add veg, wine, stock or water, passata, orange juice and zest/peel and sugar.  Slow Cooker: reduce amount of stock/water by at least half; you can add more after transferring ingredients to slow cooker; the liquid should just cover the stew)
7. Add meat and juices; bring to a boil; boil 5 mins, Add pulses.    
8. Cover and cook: (i) on top of the stove on medium heat for 90 mins (Blogger: this method was also superb!) (ii) in a medium oven for 90 mins - 2 hours or (iii) in a slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours. (See Making the Most of Slow Cookers)
9. Before serving add orange segments if using
10. Check seasoning; more cumin or mint may be necessary
11. Serve with potatoes or pasta, broccoli or green beans and quick and easy Cheese & Walnut Light Wholemeal Loaf. 

Comments:
'That was the best stew I've had in ages.  It was a perfect balance of texture and flavour - lovely thick sauce, beautifully tender meat and perfect seasoning."
Political Agent    (The tester sampled the Slow Cooker version.)                                                                                                   

More lamb on NavBar: Recipes 1/Lamb

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

CHEESE & WALNUT LIGHT WHOLEMEAL BREAD,: Easy-peasy, dairy free opt; sugar & yeast free

A more-ish healthier bread that disappears almost as fast as it takes to make.  (Also makes portable rolls or baps)   

  first posted 2015; updated 12/24

Tear & Share Healthier Cheese Loaf (1/2 recipe) 'Brilliant!' Taster

This loaf is so delicious, it will disappear in a flash - whether mopping up the juices of Luscious Lamb & Wine Casserole, or with soup or - if you're lucky enough to have leftovers - as toast.

It's good for you - wholemeal but only lightly so.  It has no sugar or yeast.  And it can be made with low-gluten high-protein spelt flour, or common wheat or a mixture of both. 

It does contain butter and cheese, which puts it into the indulgence category for the cholesterol-phobic but small portions and discipline minimize the damage.  Or try it with vegan butter and cheeses - both of which have improved immeasureable in recent times.  

Very easy to put together, the bread does not require any waiting around for the dough to rise.  Just mix the ingredients, pop it in the oven and bake.

For the cow's milk phobic, use a goat's yoghurt/water mix (75% yoghurt, 25% water or milk) or a non-dairy milk with vinegar added.  

Cost:  min £2 depending on whether standard or vegan ingredients
Feeds: 8-12

Ingred
120gr/4.5 oz wholemeal flour 
360 gr/12.6 oz plain white flour 
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
115 gms/4 oz cold dairy or plant butter in small dice (67 uses Timor)
1 large egg
400 ml buttermilk (or milk - plant or dairy - with 1-2 tbsp vinegar or 3/4 yoghurt, 1/4 water) (67 uses almond milk)
115 gm/4 oz mature cheddar (30% fat-reduced for the cholesterol conscious - 67 used Davidstow OR vegan Cathedral City mature cheddar plus 2 extra tablespoons
50 gms/1.75 oz chopped walnuts (opt) 


Method:

HOW TO...67's ESSENTIAL KITCHEN GADGETS, the Blogger's Choice

These are essential gadgets in the 67goingon50 kitchen, gathered over many years on a limited budget.  They could give some gift ideas for Christmas.

The selection is not comprehensive and reflects personal choices. 

• The giant tongs are a remnant of the Blogger's catering career - very useful for preventing wrist and arm burns from hot splattering fat. Normal sized tongs are around £5.   
• The double length cooking chopsticks came with a wok but are available in Chinatowns.  They're the most used of 67's kitchen gadgets, for stir-frying or removing herb bags or cinnamon sticks from casseroles.  They are also handy for extracting bread from toasters without fear of electrocution.  
• The lacy, pretty scoop is a posh 'spider' -  essential in Asian kitchens.  Spiders scoop items from boiling water, avoiding dragging pots of boiling water over to the sink for draining (OK for pasta shapes but not spaghetti) . Cheaper metal versions are available in most Chinatowns.  In London check out Chinese supermarkets on Gerrard and Lisle Street.

• The small Pyramid Grater is wonderful for grating ginger, garlic and citrus peel. It grates finely and not-so-finely and at about £8, costs much less than two microplanes.  No longer available in the UK
• The brightly coloured citrus reamer cost £2 from Tiger. 67 loves it because you get juice and bits - healthier for you. 
• Chinese soup spoons, under £1 each, are great for soup; dip and sip from the side with less chance of burning your mouth..  Also useful for serving cooked rice and for scooping out dry ingredients for weighing. 

67goingon50 does a lot of baking and saved for top-of-the-line equipment.  

• The electric hand mixer (by Dualit) is designed for professional kitchens and cost £60 but perfectly good ones cost much less. 
• Hinged Ice cream scoops: the larger is used for cupcakes and large cookies; the smaller for ordinary cookies.  Cost per scoop about £15.  
• The Mason Cash mixing jug was a bargain found in a supermarket for £5. For these items, try John Lewis, Waitrosekitchen.com or Nisbets.com     

Storage Jars

• Apart from the jar holding the cereal (right back row) and the clothes pegs, every container here was FREE!, originally holding the coffee, peanut butter, condiments, deli items and spices which 67 buys regularly. 
• The cereal jar cost a pound (from Morrisons) but you have to be quick - buy them when you see them, not when you need them.  
• Common all-garden clothes pegs are excellent for holding together opened packets of dried goods.

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DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  Any information not sourced to a second party is the copyright of the blogger.

PEAR & GINGER SNOW ,Low-sugar, Frugal, Healthy, Deconstructed and layered

A Thursday night treat without breaking healthy eating rules

Pear Snow, Deconstructed 

On Thursdays we sometimes lose the will to carry on, having to wait yet another day before the weekend begins.

It's on days like these that 67 likes a small culinary treat - something sweet, tasty and unusual but still low-sugar, low-fat and relatively healthy.

Pear Snow is the perfect solution.  Like Apple Snow, it's whipped cooked dessert fruit mixed with egg white or cream in soft yummy peaks.

Pear Snow forgoes the eggs, replaces cream with yoghurt cream and then - making life easier and prettier - serves it in layers. Grated fresh ginger teams up with candied ginger for exotic flavour without too many extra calories.  For extra colour contrast, toss a few redcurrants on each each fruit layer (opt).

It tastes absolutely wonderful; you won't believe it's a frugal, low-sugar, low-calorie dessert!      

Cost: £2.50
Serves: 3-4

Ingred:
   750 gr/ 1.5 lbs conference pears
   1 tsp butter
   1 tsp lemon juice
   1 heaped tsp fresh grated ginger

   1 recipe yoghurt cream with candied ginger (this needs to be started the night before or about 4 hours before needed)
   
   a handful of redcurrants

Method:

1.  Peel pears, quarter, remove fibrous cores, cut into 3 similar  sized pieces  
2. Add to a large non-stick frying pan with butter, lemon juice and fresh ginger
3. Cover with a lid and cook over med heat, stirring to prevent catching, until pears are soft and yielding - about 25 mins
4. Set aside to cool
5. Prepare Ginger Yoghurt Cream; refrigerate until needed
6. Blitz pears with a stick blender until of uniform consistency; refrigerate until needed
7. Layer in small water glasses: pears, a few berries if using, Ginger Yoghurt Cream

Tips:  

• If you liked this you will probably also like Baked Pineapple Pudding, a bit fiddly but make double the recipe on a weekend and freeze one for a late-week treat
• You can make this with dessert apples, using cinnamon instead of ginger, and plain yoghurt cream with added extract of vanilla 
• Ring the changes, adding blueberries or other berries

(Questions & comments, pls email  b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk 

and say if they can be included in the blog)

            Scroll down for more recipes and How To... :
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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

ALMOST INSTANT BACON RICE WITH VEGETABLES

This is another 'I-need-cheering up; it's Thursday' dishes

Bacon Rice with Steamed Vegetables 

The thing that makes this dish such a Thursday treat is the bacon, which is normally reserved for an Indulgence/Blow-out day.  However, the fat is removed and there's only a small amount of bacon - just enough to add a glorious saltiness.  And its presence is offset by the vegetables.

The rice 67 used takes only 10 minutes to cook; the bacon slices and veg steam on top, making the dish Almost Instant.  That's another thing in the dish's favour -- no waiting around for ages before one can eat!

Cost: £1.50
Feeds: 2 

Ingred:
   3/4 cup/145gms white rice
   1 1/2 cups/360 ml water
   3 slices back bacon, all fat removed, in 1/2 in/1 cm strips
   80 gm/3 oz tenderstem broccoli or shredded sprouts or a mix of both
   1 tsp butter (opt)
    1 egg per person (opt) 

Method:

1. Wash rice thoroughly in a sieve until water runs clear
2. Add it to a pan with water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook according to instructions
3. Ten mins before the end of cooking time, scatter bacon across the surface of the rice; avoid clumping.
4. Return lid; continue cooking
5. 5 mins before end of cooking, scatter veg across the surface of the rice
6. Once cooking time is complete, remove veg; set aside
7. Stir the rice, distributing bacon strips throughout
8. Pile into a dish.  Add butter, if using, and allow it to melt into the rice.
9. Arrange vegetables around the outside of the rice. 
10. If having eggs, fry or poach until whites are firm but the yolk is still runny.

Tip:
This is obviously great for a frugal, quick, healthy weekend meal

(Questions & comments, pls email  b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk 

and say if they can be included in the blog)

            
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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

CHICKEN WINGS, ORANGE & SHERRY STEW, Slow Cooker

Chicken Wing, Peppers, & Orange Sunshine Stew (by Slow Cooker) 

"I made this using chicken breasts for a dinner party and my guests were surprised at my cooking skills.  The orange and sherry worked well together." Political Agent

A Frugal, Tasty & Nutritious Dish steeped in Summer flavours...

This is a dish that is frugal, tasty and cooks itself.  It works equally well with thighs, legs and breasts but conventional oven cooking is recommended for those cuts.  (See Tips below)

The main flavouring ingredients - peppers, oranges and sherry - bring a hint of Spanish summer to cold evenings. The result is superb, a heady combination of intensely flavoured meat, vegetables and stock. 

If the stew is being served to kids, the sherry won't be a problem; the alcohol cooks off, leaving only a delicate flavour.  Tee-totallers can replace the sherry with white grape juice.

67goingon50 used best supermarket wings, using the 'throw-it-all-into-the-slow cooker-and-turn-it-on' method - though flouring & growing the wings first adds flavour.  The liquid was restricted to to just enough to cover the veg, and the cooking time was 4 hours on low.  The chicken was tender but toothsome, the vegetables retained their individual character and the sauce was bold and delightful.  Pre-browning the wings made a thicker sauce.  

(See How To...Make the Most of Slow Cookers, How to...on the Nav Bar)

Cost: min £3.50'ish
Serves: 4-5, with sides 

Ingred:
    900 gms chicken wings
    1/2 tsp salt
    pinch pepper
    1 med onion, diced
    2 large cloves garlic, minced or grated
    1 red pepper, top & tailed & deseeded, in 1/2 inch/1cm slices
    2 tbsp tom puree
    2 stalks peeled & cleaned celery in large dice
    2 large carrots, washed and sliced
    200 gm/7 oz sweet potato  or potato in large chunks (opt if serving with pasta)
   zest and juice of 2 oranges + 80 ml dry sherry/white wine/grape juice + stock or water to make up 500 ml of liquid
   1 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder
   1 stalk mint, with leaves
    
   zest and juice of another half an orange
   additional mint
   additional 5-spice powder

   sesame seeds for garnish (opt)

Method:

1. Remove tips from wings; freeze for stock; (if you have the time and inclination) remove skin from the thick part of the wing; set aside
2. Place carrots and sweet potato or potato, if using, on bottom of dish; cover with onions, celery and peppers; season with a little salt and some pepper
3. In a measuring jug, add grated garlic, orange zest and 5-spice powder then orange juice, sherry/white wine/grape juice and enough stock or water to make up 500 ml of liquid
4. Add liquid to veg; if it doesn't come up to just below the surface, add a little more
5. Lay wings on top (it doesn't matter if they sit proud) 
6. Lay mint on top
7. Put the lid on the slow cooker and leave for 4 hours
8. Turn cooker to warm.  Check seasoning.  More zest and orange juice and up to 1/2 tsp more 5-spice powder and more mint may be needed.
9. To thicken sauce, mix 1 tablespoon cornflour with a tbsp cold water until it forms a slurry.  Pour into the casserole and stir; it should begin to thicken in 5-10 mins.
10. Scatter a few sesame seeds on top.
11. Serve with frozen peas or quick cook veg like green beans   

Comments:
"I made this using chicken breasts for a dinner party and my guests were surprised at my cooking skills.  The orange and sherry worked well together." Political Agent


Tips: 

• This also works well with drumsticks, thighs and breasts but is better cooked in an oven.  Brown the pieces first and proceed according to the recipe.  Bake uncovered at 180c/350f 45 min to an hour. 
• If you haven't a slow cooker, follow this method - flour the wings; brown in a small amount of oil and set aside.  Fry onions and other veg in same pot over med high heat until brown; return wings to pot;  add liquid.  Cook on med-low heat on the stovetop OR in a med. oven for at least an hour or until wings are tender, turning the wings half-way through.
• Organic boiling fowl, if you can get hold of one, has terrific flavour in the slow cooker.  

   

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission

HOW TO...SLOW COOKERS, Clever Cooking, Frugal

Perfect vehicle for frugal, tasty, healthy meals in busy homes...

Basic Slow Cooker with 24-hour Mechanical Timer and Cooker Pot Liners

updated Sept 2019
When 67goingon50 had to choose - for financial reasons - between an Instant Pot and an Air Fryer, the Air Fryer won easily.

That's because Instant Pots are pressure cookers in disguise and 67 has never been a fan.  And though Instant Pots have come down in price, slow cookers are still better value. 

Your intrepid blogger bought a Morrisons own-brand slow cooker in 2014. it was 5.5 litres, big enough for family meals plus plenty leftover to freeze.  It has a removable ceramic serving dish and cost all of £15 though prices have risen since then.   (2019: You should be able to find a family-sized slow cooker for £20-25.  For 1-3 people, smaller ones cost about £15.)

The slow cooker is still going strong and in regular use, despite the lid handle melting into a puddle during an experiment with artisan bread.


Of course, there are plenty of snazzy versions of slow cookers now available in major department stores which allow browning and have super efficient timers/warming buttons.  But whatever you pay, it will be worth it.


Slow cookers:

• use roughly the same amount of energy as a light bulb
• transform cheaper, tougher cuts of meat and root veg into juicy, tender morsels
• can reduce the amount of meat used; the flavour permeates the whole dish
• encourages use of lentils & pulses to bulk out meals, making them lower in saturated-fat  
• help cut the grocery budget
• provide a home-cooked main course at the end of long days 
• produce soups overnight, terrific stock from a meat carcass and a few veg,  and light and lovely steamed sponges 

BUT:

• if you're not careful, slow-cooked dishes can become like baby food.  67 checks the meat an hour before the end of cooking to make sure the meat still has 'give' but is tender and easy to digest.  After a few tries, you'll recognise there the line is
• some food prep is necessary  
• you're out all day but you may only need 4-6 hours of cooking 
• the dish can be hell to clean

GUIDELINES FOR MAKING THE MOST OF SLOW-COOKERS

Use a Mechanical Timer

They're vital to prevent slow-cooked meat from falling apart and veg from disintegrating.  The timers can be found for as low as £4 at supermarkets*, electrical shops and hardware stores.  They turn the electricity for your cooker on and off at the times specified. The timer plugs into the wall socket and your slow cooker (or other device) plugs into the timer. 

Overnight cooking Saves More Money

Electricity is cheapest from midnight to 7 am so it's worth using your slow cooker overnight.  Soup stocks - which take a good 12-14 hours in a slow cooker - are ideal for overnight cooking. 

Also, casseroles and stews can cook overnight with your handy timer.  Reduce cooking time by an hour; the food continues to cook as it cools. Refrigerate before you head out the door and reheat when you get in. 

Saving time on prep

• do it in the night before, not in the morning
• if browning isn't your thing, chucking everything in the cooker will work but the flavour may not be as subtly layered  
• double the recipe or increase it by half so leftovers can be frozen and make another meal

Avoiding dishes that all taste the same 

• choose dishes that have strong, defining flavours
• use different cuts of meat for variety: chunks of casserole/stewing meat for stews, large cuts for braising and slicing, whole chickens for poaching and jointing
• start with plenty of onion and garlic
• use fresh herbs where possible and throw in the stems, tied with string (remove before serving)
• check seasoning at end of cooking; more herbs and spices may be needed  
• root veg cooks well in a slow cooker but other carbs (eg pasta) & veg are best cooked separately 
• half an hour before the end of cooking time, frozen seafood, quick cooking veg like broccoli or green beans can be placed on top of the other ingredients where they will steam gently with turning into mush 

Cooking Temperatures

• slow is best; flavours are much deeper
• if your dish requires only 4-6 hours cooking and you're going to be out for longer than that, use a plug-in 24-hour mechanical timer  £4, from Morrisons)  

Cooking Techniques

• trim the fat off meat 
• root veg goes on the bottom 
• cayenne & tabasco become bitter if cooked too long; only use towards the end of cooking time
• fill the cooking dish only 1/2 to 2/3 full and never more than 3/4 full
• the liquid should barely cover the contents 
• a thicker sauce can be achieved by rolling the meat in seasoned flour before cooking, or at the end of cooking by adding a cornflour slurry of 1-2 tsp cornflour mixed with a similar amount of cold water 

Cooking Times (67 recommends the lower number to prevent overcooking)

Normal                   SC High                   SC Low

15-30 mins             1-2 hours                 4-6 hours

30 min-1 hr             2-3                          5-7

1-2 hrs                    3-4                          6-8

2-4                          4-6                          8-12

Recommended Meats for Slow-Cooking

• beef brisket   
• pork shoulder  
• lamb shoulder 
• ham hock
• shin of beef 
• chicken thighs 
• whole chicken
• boiling fowl

*Morrisons

Note: 

• 67goingon50 has plenty of fabulous slow cooker recipes. See NavBar:RecipesII
• BBC Good Food also has plenty of recipes for slow cooking. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/slow_cooker_recipes

FOR THOSE COMPLETELY NEW TO SLOW COOKERS

• be very careful lifting the lid; wear oven gloves; hold the handle facing you, directing the very hot steam away from face and hands
• turn cooker off at the mains before removing cooking dish
• wait till cooker cools before washing it; soaking it overnight will soften and remove cooked-on food
• slow cooker liners are now available at a not unreasonable price and save on scrubbing 

Please leave a comment in the box below

B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  The material was assembled by BM Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's permission.  

THE BEST LENTIL SOUP EVER, Double Duty, Frugal, Healthy, Low-Fat, Vegan option

Once you've made this, you will make it again and again.

Best Ever Lentil Soup, with kielbasa Polish sausage

Out of all the lentil soups 67goingon50 has encountered in a lifetime, this one is a real winner.  A 5-star main-course soup, it has superb flavour and texture.   
   
It's a Double Duty Dish (DDD) and to make life even easier, there's no divvying up of the base.  The vegetarian and meat options are served separately, on the side.  

It's also a Cook Clever dish; even half a recipe gives plenty of leftovers which can be frozen. 

Adapted from the incomparable Ina Garten and made with green lentils, the soup's ingredients are beautifully balanced.   It's heavy on chopped vegetables, especially onions and leeks, but they give the soup its distinctive character.  A good sharp knife makes short work of the onions but if you have a food processor, you can use the coarse blade.  

For vegetarians, rice crackers or a sprinkling of parmesan ensures a good balance of amino acids.  Or add a good vegetarian frankfurter like Tivali.   

If you eat meat, the addition of a spicy Polish sausage like kielbasa, or shards of ham hock, or sliced chicken frankfurters, takes it to higher level.  

Cost: £3.50 (3/23) + garnishes
Serves: a large crowd; for a family,  halve the recipe or make the lot and freeze for a busier time

Ingred:
      
    16 oz/450gm green lentils  
    
    3 lge yellow onions (about 600 gm/21 oz  small dice
    2 lge leeks, whites only (600 gm/21 oz) small dice
    3 cloves garlic, grated
    1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme
    1 tsp cumin
    min 1 tsp  - max 1 tbsp salt
    1 1/2 tsp pepper
    
    8 stalks celery (10 1/2 oz/300 g) peeled and in small dice
    4-6 med carrots, scrubbed and in small dice
    5.3 pints/3 litres good veggie stock (or chicken if not feeding vegetarians)  
    min 1 - max 2 oz/ min 30 - max 60 ml tomato puree
    2 tbsp red wine/ red wine vinegar/grape juice

Method:

1. Cover lentils with boiling water, leave for 25 mins. Drain and rinse
2. Leeks: slice the white part down the middle, making two vertical halves, and then each in half horizontally; lay flat sides down on a chopping board and cut carefully into four strips, then into small dice.  Rinse thoroughly.  
3. In a large heavy bottomed pan, saute onions, leeks, garlic, thyme, cumin, salt & pepper in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, over medium heat. Cook 20 mins or until very tender, stirring occasionally to prevent catching.
4. Add lentils, celery, carrots, stock, tomato puree, red wine/ red wine vinegar/grape juice and stock
5. Cover & bring to the boil; bubble hard for 5 mins; reduce heat to med low; uncover and simmer at a low bubble one hour or until lentils cooked through.  
6. Serve with cheese or meat options on the side

Tips:

• Green lentils are now reasonably priced
• The recipe halves well
• Leftovers can be frozen or served over rice
• Add vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower to ring the changes.

Ina Garten The Barefoot Contessa, Freeview 43,

                    & Food Network.co.uk
             
   

   

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This recipe has been adapted by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

STEAMED SALMON, BAK CHOY & POTATOES, Simple One-Dish Meal

A wonderful nutritious, tasty, low-fat almost-instant meal  

Steamed salmon, potatoes & bak choy - a clean-eating  one-dish meal
(steaming baskets from Chinatowns and Nisbets.com)

This dish is a light and satisfying meal -perfect after weekends of autumn partying and before the calorie-fest of Christmas. 

Bak choy is a reasonably priced Chinese vegetable, now in most major supermarkets.  Reputable cancer specialists have ranked it second for nutrient density out of 41 so-called 'powerhouse' fruit and veg.     

Cost:  £4, less if using frozen salmon
Feeds: 2 

Ingred:

   2 salmon fillets
   1 tbsp dry sherry/white wine/grape juice
   juice half lemon
   half a lemon sliced
   1/2 tsp grated garlic
   1/2 tsp grated ginger
   pepper & a little salt
   3-4 new potatoes, sliced
   handful bak choy
   handful green beans

   reduced (not low) salt soy sauce as garnish

Method:

1. Line bottom of large steamer with foil.  Add potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch/ 1/2 cm thick.  Steam with lid on 10 mins
2. Meanwhile, mix sherry/wine/grape juice with lemon juice & grated garlic and ginger
3. Add salmon flesh side down and allow to marinade
4. When potatoes have reached 10 minute mark, cover fish with lemon slices, add a tablespoon of the marinade and place in steamer with bak choy
5. Steam 7 mins or more if fillets are thick; the fish should be nearly done
6. Add green beans; steam an additional 3 mins
7. The fish will be delicately flavoured but can be served with reduced (not low) soy sauce on the side  

Tip: 

Wok lid

• If doubling or tripling this recipe, wrap each fillet in foil with a tablespoon of the marinade, and bake in a moderate oven for 10-12 minutes.  The fish will continue cooking as it rests.  Boil potatoes and stir-fry the veg
• Purchasing a lid for the wok can speed up the cooking process
• bamboo steamers available in most Chinatowns; also Nisbets by mail order

   Scroll down for more recipes and How To....

(Questions & comments, pls email  b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk 

and say if they can be included in the blog)

         .

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.