DOUBLE DUTY CHERRY SALSA: budget friendly, fat/dairy/egg free, vegetarian option

Turn glorious cherries into a super tasty salsa for cooked meat...

Ready for a close-up: Cherry Salsa with an Asian Twist 
'Sounds improbable but the cherry & onion blend so well; good with meat'

Try this twist -- a cherry salsa with Asian seasoning.  It's colourful, tasty and rather sassy.  It is perfect for brightening up cooked chicken or duck, or poached chicken.  

 A vegetarian version is on offer, too - with or without the Asian spices - teamed with cottage or ricotta cheese spread on flatbread or toast.

Like all salsas, it's pretty easily thrown together.  It will keep well refrigerated for 4 days; if transporting to a picnic or barbecue, pop it in a large cooled jar with a tight fitting lid.    

Cost:  £2.50 (7/2022)
Makes: 1.5 cups, multiplies easily

Ingred:
   1/2 cup cherries, halved, stones removed    
   1/2 cup cherry toms, quartered 
   1/2 cup cucumber, de-seeded &  finely chopped
   2 tbsp red onion or whites of spring onions, finely sliced
   1/2 red chilli, seeds & membrane removed, finely chopped 
   zest & juice of half a lime
   1 tbsp roughly chopped coriander or green of spring onion

Asian additions:   
   1 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
   1 tsp dry sherry
   1 generous tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger
   1/4 tsp 5-spice powder

Vegetarian version:
   the Asian spices are optional
   2 tablespoons light veg oil (olive or groundnut) 
   cottage or ricotta cheese (dairy or vegan)
   flatbread, bought or made (15-minute flatbread)

Method:

1. Combine all salsa ingred except Asian spices in a large bowl; take half and roughly process with a blender (or chop further into tiny pieces)
2. Fold processed mix into the salsa ingred
3. Add Asian seasoning if using
4. Refrigerate 30 mins

For vegetarian version:

1. As above, without Asian ingred, but with couple of tablespoons light oil  
2. Spread cottage cheese/ricotta on flatbread or good toast
3. Top with salsa
4. Probably best served with knife & fork 

Comments:
'The mixture sounds improbable until you try it; the cherry and onion blend so well.  It's perfect with cold meat and good bread but would also be good as a topping for melon.'  Political Agent 

Tip:

 Also works as a dip for tortilla or pitta chips

 * inspired by Food & Wine & Bon Appetite 

                                                           For similar recipes go to Sauces/Dips... 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

    
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.   

VEGAN CHERRY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM, dairy-free, low-sugar, easy

This is the nicest, tastiest, healthiest ice cream; you won't believe there's no cream - just bananas...

Sensational creamy soft ice containing just cherries, banana & chocolate
'No-fat, utterly delicious AND healthy.  Unbelievable!'

This dessert is not just an excellent remedy for tummy troubles; it's also a sensational treat for all times.  It's stuffed with this year's crop of fat purple cherries and dark chocolate shards and is incredibly creamy and delightful. 

67 has been meaning for ages to test recipes for a cherry and banana soft ice cream which have been circulating on the net and this wonderful treat is the result.  

Bananas have creamy, easily digested flesh.  They're excellent at muting hunger pangs and helping to return the digestive system to order.  They're also naturally sweet so are perfect for low-sugar delights.  

If you ever thought you could't eat ice cream for health reasons, think again!

You'll be amazed how easy the recipe is BUT you do have to plan ahead.  The bananas and cherries have to be chopped frozen before you start.  

Cost: £2-£3, depending on choice of ingredients
Makes: 2-3 portions but recipe doubles easily

Ingred:

  2 small ripe but not black bananas, sliced and frozen
  1 cup pitted or chopped cherries, frozen (from fresh are best but supermarket frozen will be ok)
  splash fresh orange juice, milk or cream (opt).  OR cherry brandy/brandy/whiskey/chocolate based liquor (opt)
  1/2 tsp vanilla (opt)

  small handful fresh cherries
  50 gm dark chocolate, in shards
   
Method:

1. Peel and slice  bananas, lay them out on a ridged tray, freeze
   
2. Bag up and returned to freezer until ready to make the ice cream
3. Remove stalks from 1 cup cherries; cut off the fat sides (like prepping a mango) then chop the flesh surrounding the pits in small pieces.
   
4. Place the cherry pieces in a sealable freezer bag, making the layer as flat as you can by pressing out the bulges.
   
    
5. Freeze flat and store.
6. Making the ice cream: Prepare fresh cherries as in 3; set aside
7. Put frozen banana slices, frozen cherries  and a slosh of milk, cream or orange juice in blender; process until all is fully combined.  It should look like soft-serve ice cream. (See tips below)
8. Stir through fresh cherries and chopped chocolate distributing evenly for a rustic appearance; for something smoother, pulse until coarsely combined.  

Comments:
'This was a revelation.  I usually avoid ice cream because of the high fat and sugar content; this recipe manages to avoid all that.  I recommend this to all oldies, dieters and anyone wanting to eat healthily.  This will definitely be made again!'  Retired writer 
'It was absolutely brilliant - and totally  delicious!' Semi-retired consultant

Tips:

Tips:

• If your blender isn't very powerful , you may need to stop the machine a couple of times to push down the mixture to move it along.  The time this takes will unfortunately encourage the ice cream to melt and it will have to be re-frozen after the cherries and chocolate are added.  67 uses a smoothie maker instead of an ageing and not very efficient blender.
• the frugal can reduce the amount of 2nd stage fresh cherries and chocolate or not add them at all
• Cherries can be replaced by any other berries and the chocolate, by nuts or dried fruit. 

More fruit desserts in Recipes II on NavBar

Please leave a comment in the Box below

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

SUMMER MEAT FEAST: EASIEST MOST DELICIOUS CHICKEN IN THE WORLD

Chicken, Jim, but not as we know it!  Astonishingly succulent, sweet & tender   

original post 2016; updated 2024  

Clean, Green Lean & Mean: Poached Chicken with Cherry Salsa 

  

Don't be put off by the simplicity of this recipe; chicken cooked by poaching is silken and velvety, succulent and tender, bringing out the 'chickeness' of the bird.  The result is so moist and delectable, people will wonder whether it's a different breed of chicken. 

The tender, yielding flesh provides a pillowy vehicle for a trio of bold sauces: piquant ginger and scallion, oyster or hoisin sauce and reduced salt soy sauce.  Or you could go for a (fat-free) Cherry Salsa with Oriental spices.

Every family in Asia has a version of this dish; it's health-giving and easy to digest.  Prepared several hours in advance, it's ideal for buffets; it also provides an excellent cold or room-temperature alternative to blazing hot meats just off the barbecue. 

Chicken cooked in this way is more like a delicacy than boring 'rubber' chicken.  And you end up with a glorious broth for freezing.  

The chicken takes only minutes to prepare.  And, in a fuel-conscious world, cooking time last only twenty minutes; the residual heat of the stock does the rest.  Don't go over the resting time or hold back on the ice; the chicken can dry out otherwise.

This is not a frugal dish but it is a memorable one.

Cost: up to £10, depending on the chicken*
Serves: about 6-8 with sides

Ingred:

   1 whole chicken 1-1 1/2 k/ 2 1/2-3 lbs, skinned (the best you can afford) , 

   6 slices ginger 1/4 in/1/2 cm thick
   6 spring onions, floppy leaves removed and bottoms trimmed, cut in three
   6 whole peppercorns or 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
   a splash of dry sherry/white wine/white grape juice (opt)

    English Bibbs (soft) lettuce

Ginger & green onion Sauce
  3 tsp grated ginger
  6 tbsp finely chopped white spring onions
  3 tbsp groundnut/peanut oil
  1 generous tsp grated garlic (opt)
   

Method:

(You'll need a pot large enough to cover the chicken with liquid; a vertical stock pot is ideal but any large stock pot will do.) 

1. Place chicken in stock pot; cover with water
   
2. Bring to the boil; skim off froth; reduce heat to low 
3. Add green onions, ginger, pepper & sherry, if using
4. The water should be bubbling slightly - too much toughens the fibres
5. Cover with lid; simmer 20 min 
6. Turn off heat source; remove pot from heat, set aside & rest 1 hour; the chicken will carry on cooking
7. Prepare a large bowl of iced water  
8. Remove chicken from broth and plunge into iced water; set aside
9. Strain broth through a sieve; discard vegetables & pepper.  Cool broth one hour then refrigerate overnight.  (Scrape off fat layer on top; use as broth within 3 days or freeze.)
10. Remove chicken from iced water; pat dry; discard cooling water 
11. Serve at room temperature 
12. Carve flesh (see How to...Carve a Chicken).  Place leg meat underneath and breast meat on top in a pleasing mound. 
13. Serve with Ginger Scallion Sauce and Reduced Salt Soy Sauce and/or Oyster Sauce OR  for a more westernised take, cherry salsa
14. Ginger & Scallion Sauce: Put ginger & spring onions in heatproof bowl; heat oil until very hot and pour over - the ginger and spring onions will sizzle.  Stir and pour into a serving bowl 

Tips:

• If you don't have a large enough pot, use the largest lidded pot you have.  Cut chicken into sections: legs & breasts.  Proceed as above but reduce cooking time by 5 mins.
• Recommended brands for lower-salt soy sauce: Amoy & Pearl River Bridge

*organic chickens are available at most major supermarkets for £12 (2021)

More Chicken on NavBar/Recipes I

Please leave a Comment in the box below

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

VELVET HUMMOUS WITH BEETROOT. vegan, oil & gluten-free, wallet-friendly

'Artisanal' beetroot houmous, an astonishing, unbeatable treat: home-made, wallet-friendly   

'Best ever hummus: looks and smells amazing...smooth & velvety...it's a hit!' Taster

Hummous lovers will find this gorgeous, unbelievably fabulous hummus unforgettable -- in the best way.  Even the most reluctant hummus eater will be impressed.  

It is presented to readers with the greatest of pleasure.  One of the great delights for a food blogger is to discover dishes that are out-of-this-world scrumptious but out of the reach of ordinary budgets.  And then recreate them at half the cost, or less.  

A gorgeous commercial product, 'me too! hummous', beetroot flavour, was featured in a recent post.  At nearly £3 for 250gms, it was one of those 'expensive but worth it' treats.   

Inspired, 67 tinkered with a standard hummous recipe to try to recreate the  wonderful texture and flavour of the silken new product.  The result?  A smooth, creamy, pretty, absolutely more-ish dip/spread -- several cuts above any commercial product.  

And, it was miraculously oil-free -- a boon for dieters. (It was an accident -- 67 forgot to include olive oil in the first trial!)

The small amount of beet added a hint of sweetness which should tempt small fussy eaters.  67's (middle-aged) taster said the beetroot added to the overall yumminess but wasn't obvious; he loved the colour. 

Standard cupboard ingredients are used -- there's no need to rush out to buy nearly-as-expensive-as-gold black tahini, for example.  

But dried chickpeas are necessary.  There is a bit of faff involved in the prep though the steps are simple -- the chickpeas are soaked overnight and cooked in a slow cooker.  Then they must be peeled.  (I know!)   But the outer layer sloughs off easily; kids can help and the task can be done watching telly.

Velvet Hummous with Beetroot would be a knock-out hit at any party.  

Cost: £1'ish
Makes: 500gm/17oz

Ingredients:
   150gm dried chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups reconstituted 
   small to med cooked beetroot (supermarket beetroot, rinsed of vinegar, is fine)
   1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
   2 tbsp good tahini, stirred well 
   1/2-2/3 tsp salt
   1/4 tsp pepper
   1 med-to-large clove garlic, grated
   1/3 tsp cumin
   1/3 cup chickpea cooking water (if you forget, add 1/4 tsp veg granules to the same amount of water)

Method:

CHERRY SALSA, No-fat, Double-Duty with vegetarian option, Easy-Peasy, wallet-friendly

Turn glorious cherries into a super tasty salsa for cooked meat... 

Ready for a close-up: Cherry Salsa with an Asian Twist 
'Sounds improbable but the cherry & onion blend so well; good with meat'

Salsas are perfect at this time of year with the abundance of wonderful UK fruit and veg begging to be turned into colourful and tasty dishes.

This salsa* unusually uses cherries and is perfect for brightening up leftover cooked chicken or duck, or for poached chicken.  67 has given it an Oriental twist.  A vegetarian version is on offer, too, without the Asian spices, but mixed with cottage or ricotta cheese and spread on flatbread or toast.

Like all salsas, it's pretty easily thrown together.  It will keep well refrigerated for 4 days; if transporting to a picnic or barbecue, pop it in a large cooled jar with a tight fitting lid.    

Cost:  £1.50
Makes: 1 1/2 cups, multiplies easily

Ingred:
   1/2 cup cherries, halved, stones removed    
   1/2 cup cherry toms, quartered 
   1/2 cup cucumber, de-seeded &  finely chopped
   2 tbsp red onion or whites of spring onions, finely sliced
   1/2 red chilli, seeds & membrane removed, finely chopped 
   zest & juice of half a lime
   1 tbsp roughly chopped coriander or green of spring onion

   1 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
   1 tsp dry sherry
   1 generous tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger
   1/4 tsp 5-spice powder

Vegetarian version:
   the Asian spices are optional
   2 tablespoons light veg oil (olive or groundnut) 
   cottage or ricotta cheese
   flatbread, bought or made (15-minute flatbread)

Method:

1. Combine all salsa ingred except Asian spices in a large bowl; take half and roughly process with a blender (or chop further into tiny pieces)
2. Fold processed mix into the salsa ingred
3. Add Asian seasoning if using
4. Refrigerate 30 mins

For vegetarian version:

1. As above, without Asian ingred, but with couple of tablespoons light oil  
2. Spread cottage cheese/ricotta on flatbread or good toast
3. Top with salsa
4. Probably best served with knife & fork 

Tip:  also works well  as a dip for tortilla or pitta chips

Comments:
'The mixture sounds improbable until you try it; the cherry and onion blend so well.  It goes well with cold meat and good bread but would also be good with melon.'  Political Agent 

 * inspired by Food & Wine & Bon Appetite 

                                                           For similar recipes go to Sauces/Dips... 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

    
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.   

VIETNAMESE FISH ROLLS, Feisty, Fresh and Fabulous

Coriander lovers will find these healthy rolls irresistible while the indifferent or uninterested will be surprised and delighted...

Vietnamese Fish Rolls

'Absolutely delicious!' 'Lots of spice which I love but needs more chilli' Tasters

Vietnamese Fish Rolls differ from the others (Vegetarian Rolls, Chicken Rolls) in its distinctive delicious sauce.  It also has different vegetables from the vegetarian roll but is equally impressive and satisfying.
                                                                       
67 used frozen cod but less expensive frozen pollock fillets will do just as well.  

The coriander chilli sauce was adapted from Jaime Oliver to accommodate conventional storecupboard ingredients.

Cost: £4.00'ish
Makes: 7 large (22cm) wraps

Ingred:
  1-2 packages 22 cm Vietnamese rice paper wraps
  1 1/2 cups cooked cod or pollock, steamed for 7 minutes, cooled,  separated into large flakes and marinated in the sauce (below) for at least an hour
    1/2-1/3 cup cooked glass/beanstarch vermicelli from a 100gm packet (See How to Use Your Noodle/s), (soaked in boiling water 5 mins,  plunged into icy water and sprinkled with toasted sesame oil)                                                                                        
    any or all of:
       1/3 cup grated carrot
       1/4 cup finely sliced radish
       1/4 cup finely sliced bamboo shoots (tinned, at major supermarkets & Chinatowns)  
       soft English lettuce
       finely sliced de-stringed mange tout
       tiny florets raw cauliflower
       
        blanch in boiling water 4 mins & plunge in ice water:
             asparagus spears
             broccoli florets (opt)

MOTHER'S DAY: DAIRY & YOLK FREE DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, Low-fat

Perfect for women everywhere, at any time: Deeply, darkly chocolate but low-fat & dairy free

(first posted 2016)

 Dark Chcocolate Mousse (adapted from Hotel Chocolat)

'Gorgeous!  Beautiful!  Tasted better for lack of cream and egg yolks.  There was no way I was sharing this with anyone else!' 

This light, lovely chocolate mousse is a boon on Mother's Day - extremely delicious and healthier than most.  It is also one of the few vegetarian desserts that 67 carnivores adore.

The recipe comes from Hotel Chocolate, a British chocolatier and cocoa grower; it  has no diary or egg yolks and only a small amount of added sugar.   

That doesn't mean it's healthy -- there's too much chocolate for that -- but it does mean you get great taste and texture for fewer than usual of the bad things.  If you're used to mousses with the richness of double cream and egg yolks, a couple of tablespoons of liqueur, expresso or concentrated frozen orange juice peps it up no end.

67's budget allowed for Lindt's 70% dark chocolate; the cost conscious can use Bourneville. 

Cost: around £2.50; more if using artisan chocolate  
Feeds: 4-5

Ingred:
   
    150gm 70% (preferred) dark chocolate
     
     6 egg whites (keep yolks for another recipe; they will freeze)
     pinch of salt
     1/4 tsp lemon juice

     35g caster sugar
     1 tsp vanilla extract
      
      Flavouring: 1-2 tbsp brandy, orange liqueur, expresso or concentrated frozen orange juice

      Garnish:  shaved chocolate (about 30 gms)

Method

1. Melt chocolate in a large bowl over simmering water; stir.  Take off heat; if adding flavour, do it here; keep chocolate warm. 
2. In another large bowl, beat egg whites, salt & lemon juice with hand or stand electric beaters until the whites form soft peaks - maybe 5 mins?.  Add vanilla, then - a tablespoon at a time - sugar, beating after each addition until the whites form moderately stiff peaks (ie they hold their shape and won't fall out of the bowl if the bowl tips) 
3. Chocolate should be warm but not hot; add one third of  egg whites to the chocolate; gently hand whisk until blended.
4. Add the rest of the egg whites to the chocolate and fold, (cutting down the centre with a spatula and up the sides, turning the bowl continually to the right as you go.) You are aiming to keep the air in while making sure there are no white streaks.
5. Fold in shaved chocolate (opt) or use it to decorate the edges as in photo
6. If dairy isn't a problem, serve with whipped cream with a half teaspoon vanilla stirred through

                                              
Hotel Chocolat chocolate is considered one of the top UK chocolate producers and has its own plantation on St Lucia.