MAIN COURSE SALADS FOR SPRING: budget conscious, leftovers, easy, dieters' dellights

Main-course salads are a godsend at times like these: they can be tailored to the budget, easily put together and put leftovers to delicious use.  

Here are some of 67goingon50's favourites:

This one is for kid-ults who'll delight in the unexpected addition of frankfurters (carnivore or vegetarian) to potatoes & egg 

with plenty of healthy colorful veg.  Want a frugal easier version?  Replace green beans with peas and cubed leftover cold veg. 

Frankfurter Potato Salad 

This one is a welcome to warmer temperatures while not forgetting the English weather.  Double-duty, it can be served to carnivors or vegetarian.  It's also lower carb with wheat-free & vegetarian options

Ham & Peach Vegetable Pasta Salad

This one takes one of the cheapest, tastiest (though occasionally looked down upon) proteins and turns it into a restaurant-worthy sensation.  A delicious imaginative, low-cal surprise!

 Sensational Sardine Salad 

This one is for lovers of protein & fruit combos in a quick & easy Rice salad that revitalises leftovers.  And it's so pretty to look at.

Avocado Nectarine & Chicken Brown Rice Salad

This one is a wallet-friendly version of gorgeous but expensive Italian Seafood Salad...garlicky, lemony, wine-scented, with a flash of heat.  Glorious! 

Wallet-friendly Italian Seafood Salad, deli-style

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These recipes  have been developed or adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

TRANSFORM LEFTOVER SALAD INTO MOUTHWATERING FRIED RICE AND/OR FLAVOUR-PACKED STOCK, thrifty, uses up leftovers, healthy

Waste not, want not...

 Leftover salad materials add colour and texture to Fried Rice

67goingon50 is used to cooking salad ingredients  -- Asian chefs often incorporate them in stir fries and turn them into garnishes in soups.  (Try lean pork and cucumber, Art of Stir Fry)  

This post's two recipes are  great clean-out-the-salad-drawer dishes, essential in these ultra-budget-conscious, swap-ingredients-in-and-out tumultuous times.  

They're also Triple Duty, suitable for plant, fish or meat diners.

1.  LEFTOVER SALAD VEG FRIED RICE (See The Art of Stir Fry)

As a means of using up some of the things in your fridge, this recipe is ace.  Tasty as all get out, any leftover cooked meat or fish, cooked veg and salad veg can be used.  Cubed firm-set tofu, plain or spiced, is also good. 

Don't be afraid to stir-fry cucumber, radish or tomatoes -- they add a wonderful edge and help moisten rice which can be a little dry.

Cost: max £2.00'ish (2023)
Feeds: 1-2

Ingred:
   1/2 mug diced raw cucumber
   1/4 mug sliced radish
   5-6 thickly sliced mushrooms   
   at least one heaping mugful of cold cooked rice  
   1-2 med tomato, seeds and all, diced, sprayed lightly with olive oil and lightly salted
   1 tsp grated fresh ginger
   1 tsp grated garlic  
   at least half a mugful of cold cooked diced meat OR flaked fish OR firm tofu (marinade plain tofu in a 1-1 mix of soy sauce and sherry/wine/grape juice for 20 mins)
    Oyster Sauce or Reduced Salt Soy Sauce (used sparingly)

Optional Garnish: 

fried eggs 

OR 1 well beaten egg, fried and cut into strips

Method:

1. Stir fry cucumber, radish & mushrooms over high heat in a pan lightly sprayed with groundnut (peanut) or other light veg oil for 1-2 mins
2. Add rice, tomato, ginger & garlic.  Stir quickly; add protein.
3. Reduce heat to med-high, cover pan and allow to steam gently for a couple of minutes or until heated through.
4. Add a scant tablespoon of oyster or soy sauce; stir through rice mixture.
5. Taste for seasoning.  Add pepper but only a little salt.
6. If not using other protein, topped with one fried egg per person or strips of a cooked omelette 
7. Serve.

Broth Cup

2.  QUICK VEGETABLE STOCK

Salad veg that is off its best and even a bit bruised is perfect for vegetarian stock.   67 originally intended to use the veg to add to and intensif classic veg stock.  But after just half an hour of cooking, the salad veg produced stock sweet and deeply flavoured enough to stand on its own.   

Costs: little
Feeds: depends on how much salad & veg you have

Ingred:
    1-2 generous mugs of any or all of: lettuce, cucumber, mushrooms, radishes, tomatoes, carrots, celery and any other raw veg except beets
   1 large onion
   1-2 small chillis, seeds & membrane removed (opt)
   4-5 cloves garlic, grated (you won't taste them)
   1 generous tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & grated, or 3/4 tsp dried
   1 med-large potato (opt)
   handful fresh herbs including parsley or thyme, or 1 tbsp dried
   1 bay leaf
   enough water to cover veg by at least 2 inches

  
Method:

RUSSIAN POTATO SALAD: vegetarian, lower-fat, gut-friendly, make ahead, high fibre, leftovers

Few will turn down potato salad - carb-phobic or not - but this version includes high-fibre vegetables and less mayo...

Potato Salad with a Russian twist: tomato, hot sauce, mixed veg & pickles
'...tastes really great!''..the veg & pickles made it sing!'

Back in the late 20th century, you couldn't walk into a Spanish bar or restaurant   without seeing a huge mound of Russian Potato Salad (for all 67 knows, it may still be true.) Offered as a tapa or a side. Russian Potato Salad is studded with mixed veg and often pickles; the mayonnaise based dressing has a touch of heat from a shot - or two - of hot sauce.      

It was very popular, though currently out-of-style.

Making this at home is a doddle if you have a bag of diced mixed veg - peas, carrots, corn - in the freezer and some pickles or gherkins languishing in the fridge.  If you haven't, it doesn't take long to prepare diced cooked carrot and/or to pickle cucumber or radishes.

Have a go; 67 thinks the colourful salad will please even the kids.

Cost: £2'ish

Feeds: a crowd

Ingreds

760gm/1.5lbs potatoes

1 tea mug frozen mixed vegetables OR 1/2 tea mug each frozen peas and diced carrot (2 carrots) 

2-3 tablespoons chopped gherkins or dill pickles OR home-made pickled cucumber or radish prepared ahead (2 thick slices cucumber or small handful radishes - 67 used mixed breakfast and normal radishes)

Pickling Sauce

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp white vinegar

3/4 tsp sugar

grind of pepper

Dressing

1 cup 50-50 mix of thick plain yoghurt & mayonnaise

1-2 tablespoons tomato paste or tomato sauce for colour 

couple of shots of tabasco or hot sauce, flavouring but not overwhelming the dressing

few shots of Worcestershire sauce, to taste (opt)

pepper & salt

Method:

SENSATIONAL SARDINE SALAD, low-cal, easy, budget friendly

Delightful imaginative low-cal combo of sardines, salad and a zippy dressing... 

first posted 2019; updated 5/23

Surprising - in a great way - Sardine Salad a la Downton Abbey
'I thought I didn't like sardines but you could serve this to anyone' Taster

This very tasty salad came from the Downton Abbey cookbook, apparently created in the 1920's when fresher, lighter dishes were the vogue following the rich food of the Edwardian era.

67 has adapted it, replacing or dropping some ingredients. The recipe offers several options but you do need a slightly bitter salad leaf as well as the crunchy; otherwise you risk blandness.  Don't stint on the dressing; it turns the salad into something magnificent.   

The salad is very healthy.  Sardines are one of the most nutritous, tastiest foods and extremely good value.  A 90gm 3oz tin will set you back well under a pound, depending on the variety, and provides:

• 23 gms of protein
• loads of heart-friendly omega-3 fatty acids
• good levels of important-for-health calcium, iron & potassium

Sardines are also...

• low in salt
• near the bottom of the ocean food chain and relatively free of damaging levels of mercury & other sea toxins
• sustainably fished

Nutritionists recommend that sardines be eaten, bones and all, straight from the tin.  But many people - the Blogger included - prefer removing the bones and liver and the top layer of scales for a cleaner, clearer flavour.

Cost: £2-3, depending on choice of leaves & flavouring

Serves: 2 packed lunches/mains; 4 sides

Ingreds:

   

2 heads baby gem lettuce or other crunchy lettuce (probably not iceberg) base removed, separated into individual leaves

plus Either: 90g/3.25oz watercress or rocket (or spinach, kale, radicchio) +1.5tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

  OR: pre-packed 100g/3.5oz pkt chive, parsley & sorrel* 

   2 tbsp capers (or olives & lemon zest OR artichoke hearts, OR deli/home-made sun-blush tomatoes OR 1tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme) 

   90g/3.25 oz drained sardines 

Dressing

   2 cooked egg yolks

   2 tsp Dijon mustard

   1/2 tsp cayenne
   1/2 tsp Sumac (opt)
   generous pinch 67 Savoury spice mix (opt)

   pepper & salt

   3 tbsp olive oil

   2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

Method:

BANANA PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES, thrifty, low-added sugar, leftovers, butter-free, I bowl wonder

Bananas 'n peanut butter will be a popular combo in cupcakes that'll cheer up kids getting ready for school... 

Healthier Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

'...really like these; the peanut butter complements the banana cupcake.'

photo 4/9/19

Higher fibre Banana Cupcakes - with or without peanut butter frosting - are the perfect lunchbox or weekend treat.  They are a doddle to make and rather healthy, too -- butter-free and with fresh bananas.  Wholemeal flour adds fibre but the results are light and fine-crumbed.

The fluffy banana cupcakes are smeared lightly with peanut-butter frosting, making them a little sweeter than 67's usual offerings.  But they are rather magical and not too sugary.   

The icing can be replaced by a light dusting of powdered sugar but the peanut butter element of the topping will be lost.  OR try melting white baking chocolate and peanut butter in a 2-1 combo for an attractive drizzle.


Cost: £2.00'ish
Makes: 12-24 cupcakes, depending on choice of muffin or fairy cake liners 

Ingred:

    400-500gm/14-16oz unpeeled ripe bananas 

    3 med eggs, beaten
    1 tsp vanilla
    110gm/3.8oz sugar (a mix of white & brown is good)
    175ml sunflower or light veg oil
     255gm/9oz plain flour sifted (replace 1/3 flour with wholemeal to improve fibre) 
    2 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp salt
    2 generous tbsp dried unsweetened coconut OR ground almonds

Topping:
   2 tbsp softened dairy or plant
   3 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
   2/3-1 cup icing sugar
   up to 2 tbsp dairy/plant milk

Garnish: finely chopped peanuts (opt)

Method:

    Equipment: 2x12-hole cupcake tin 

1. Line tin with cupcake liners 
2. Preheat oven to 180c/350f 
3. Peel bananas; remove any rotten bits; mash thoroughly in a large bowl
4. Add: beaten eggs, vanilla, sugar & oil; using electric or a stand-alone beaters, whisk until thoroughly blended 
5. Sift in flour, baking powder & salt; whizz just until blended; mix in coconut/ground almonds
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full
7. Bake on top shelf, 15-20 mins, (a cocktail stick inserted into the middle will come out clean) turning tin from front to back 2/3 of the way through 
8. Cool completely
9. Make icing; spread thinly on the top.

Icing

1. Blend butter & peanut butter
2. Add icing sugar in 3 lots, beating in between
3. Check consistency - if icing is too thick, add milk 1/2 tbsp at a time  
4. Spread or pipe thinly on top
5. Garnish with a few chopped peanuts

Comments:

'Delicious! Light, fluffy, moist. The peanut butter complements the banana really well.  None of it is overpowering.  I really like it.' Campaign Manager
'I love peanut butter and these banana buns (Translation: cupcakes) with p.b. frosting are lovely!' Political Agent
'I don't normally eat peanut butter but with the banana flavour, it was good.' Council worker

       More lower sugar baking on NavBar/RecipesII: Low/no sugar...

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT

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.

NITRATE-FREE LOW-FAT SAUSAGE, low-fat Indulgence gluten free

Almost Guilt-free sausage...

includes Christmas Pigs in Bacon Blankets (below)

Nitrate-free, low-fat homemade sausage 
'Wonderful herby smell; absolutely delicious' 'Very clean; moist but not greasy'
  'slightly sweet but the herbs kick in' Tasters

Worries about nitrates and high fat content in sausages has made many a shopper hesitate at the butcher's counter.  High-meat sausages including poultry have done well, though, as have wild meats like venison and wild boar.

The festive season, however, is a special occasion and Christmas din-dins without sausages in blankets, whether pastry or bacon, meat or plant based, is not Christmas.  

One can fantasise about making one's own sausages but the thought of all that expensive equipment puts most people off.

Here, though, courtesy of the twitter feed Cooking Light, are easy, healthy  home-made sausages.  They contain no nitrates and are lower in fat. They do contain maple syrup but, as one taster said - 'you've got to have a little bit of stuff that's bad for you!'  

The sausage is not exactly frugal but high-meat sausages free from nitrates tend to be top of the line.  And the recipe is not skimpy - it produces 16 not ungenerous 50gm/2oz patties, or double the amount of mini sausages.

The recipe is pretty simple but care is needed to evenly blend the two meats and  seasonings without producing dense hockey pucks of meat instead of light, moist mini-bangers. 

Designed as a breakfast sausage, they'll do for dinner or even in freeze-ahead sandwiches for an office lunch.  And they make great Christmas sausages in bacon blankets scattered around the turkey.  

 
Cost: max £6.50, depending on pork purchased 
Makes: 16 x 3.5inch patties or mini sausages

Ingreds:
    450gm/16oz turkey or chicken mince
    450gm/16oz minced fillet of pork or wild boar    

Flavouring:
     scant 1/4 cup maple syrup (opt)
    1 tbsp fresh or 3/4 tsp dried thyme
    1 tbsp fresh or 1 1/4 tsp dried sage
      Note: 67 did not have sage and substituted 1/3 tsp dried mace & 
                1/8 tsp dried rosemary 
    1.5 tsp salt
    3/4 tsp pepper
    2 grated garlic cloves

    oil
   
Method:

1. Lightly combine the meats in a large bowl; two forks will help - it'll take a few mins until the separate meats are evenly combined.  Spread out over a  baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
2. Mix all flavouring ingred in a small bowl till completely blended (otherwise you'll end up with unpleasant pockets of garlic or herbs); pour evenly over the meat, lightly blending in with two forks.  You may have to work a bit to get the flavourings evenly distributed.
3. The mix can be refrigerated at this stage
4. When ready to cook, break off a bit of the mince;  fry to check seasoning.  Adjust as necessary.
5. Shape into 16 patties - 8cm/3inches/56gm/2oz - use a scone cutter as guide.  Again, keep a light hand; don't squash the meat down, lightly pat it into shape.
   
   OR form into mini-bangers: a generous 1inch/2cm in diameter up to 4 inches/10cm long OR mini-meatballs made with 1 generous tablespoon sausage meat (See Christmas pigs in bacon blankets, below)
   
   
6. Cooking:  

Method 1: 

• Preheat oven to 180c/350f
• Arrange patties/sausages on a wire rack in a baking tray; generously spray with oil 
• Bake 15 mins

Method 2:

• Heat a large skillet over med heat
• Generously spray with veg oil
• Cook 4 at a time, 2.5mins each side

Home-made sausage patties: left, oven baked; right, fried 

Christmas pigs in blankets:

• roll sausage meat into cylinders 1inch/2cm in diameter about 4 inches/5cm long or sausage balls made of a generous tablespoon sausage meat
• wrap securely with half a rasher of nitrate-free streaky bacon (M&S) stretched with the back of a knife (for crispness); secure with cocktail pick with the join on the bottom
• bake in oven preheated to 180c/350f 15 mins
• cut in desired lengths

Comments:
'Nice & meaty yet clean tasting; they are not greasy at all.  The baked ones were more moist than the fried.  Nice mix of herbs.' Political agent
'Heavenly smell; absolutely delicious. So unlike the usual fatty versions.' Campaign Manager
'Slightly sweet but the flavouring quickly kicks in.' Political intern from Boston University

Tips:

• nitrate free sausages are available at many open-air markets but are expensive
• the frugal can replace pork fillet with pork shoulder but fat & cholesterol content will rise
• 67 cooked half these in the oven to avoid standing over a hot stove.  The oven-baked sausage were more moist and tastier but the pan-cooked had  a nicer colour

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

TRIPLE DUTY CORN SLAW WITH PLUMS, for vegans & carnivores

Outrageously satisfying slaw with a fashionable, exotic MidEast twist...

Sweetcorn & Plum Slaw, here with poached chicken
'A perfect salad, light in texture but very satisfying' - Taster

Lovely dark plums are back in supermarkets, still at just over a pound a punnet (9/23) in some places.  Use them for cakes and crumbles or to add wonderful accents to salads and even meats.

This gorgeous slaw combines sweetcorn and plums and is delicious in every way, with wonderful textures and spring-like colours.  It was adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi, the London chef famous for vegetable-heavy Middle Eastern dishes.

67's version is made from everyday ingredients so shouldn't break the bank.  It's not one of your throw-it-all-together-and-see-how-things-play-out salads.  Though the method is simple, there are one or two steps not normally associated with slaw, and a little planning is required.  

However, the steps add immeasureably to the pleasure of eating the dish.  And, the work repays - the slaw on the second day was as good as on the first, and would probably been as good on the third day if the full, instead of half, recipe had been made.  

You won't go wrong doubling the recipe; it will be wonderful in a packed lunch.

For something more substantial, the slaw was teamed with succulent poached chicken -- and the two complemented each other beautifully.

Vegans can add Roasted Spiced Chick Peas and some good wholemeal bread to ensure the full range of essential amino acids. 

Vegetarians can add soft goats cheese to the chick peas.    

The recipe's mint and parsley are best fresh if budget allows; dried will provide a subtler herbal kick.  



Cost: £3.00'ish (9/23)
Feeds: 6-8, more if serving as a side

Ingred:
     100ml white wine vinegar or 50-50 grape juice and malt vinegar
     200 ml water
     1 tsp salt

     175 gm/5 oz carrots, finely sliced into matchsticks or grated
     200 gm/7 oz  cabbage, shredded (not too finely)
     1 med red onion thinly sliced (opt) (67 didn't bother)
     240-500 gm/8.5-17.6 oz fresh corn niblets sliced from cobs OR drained sweetcorn (67 uses M&S)  
     1/2 yellow pepper, in dice the size of the corn (opt)
     olive oil
     1-2 med-large plums, in small dice

Dressing
  50 gm/1.75 oz yoghurt-mayo
   2 tsp Dijon mustard
   1.5 tsp sunflower (or vegetable) oil
   1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or bottled for the frugal)
   1 garlic clove, grated
   2-3 tbsp fresh (OR 2-3 tsp dried) mint, med chopped
   2-3 tsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) parsley, med chopped
   1/2-1 tsp dried coriander

Method:

CRISPY UNFRIED DUMPLINGS, Vegan, low-fat, Skinnier, lower-carb version

Delicious filling which pleases carnivores; crisp non-greasy pastry without deep-frying...

Carnivore-lovers' Skinnier Vegan Dumplings & easy Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce. 

'Unbelievable; classical Asian umami taste in a diet version' 'Amazing with sweet chilli sauce' 'Crispy without being greasy' Tasters

These vegan dumplings -- unlike similar deep-fried items in Dim Sum restaurants  -- can be eaten any time without worrying about your health.  And they're very easy to make at home. 

The filling takes a bit of chopping but doubling the recipe will provide leftover filling perfect for lunchbox carb-free lettuce wraps.  It also brightens up steamed or stir-fried rice.  

Prepping the filling a day ahead makes life easier.  

There's no need to make your own pastry; dumpling wrappers are found in Chinatowns, Japanese stores and large supermarkets.   

No one will miss the meat in the filling; crumbled firm tofu is surprisingly like mince or replace with your favourite vegetarian mince.  Almost raw vegetables are added to the mix and the whole is bound together with Asian sauces, not egg. 

Because they're baked, not fried, the pastry doesn't brown in the usual way but it's beautifully crisp without shattering into a hundred shards that decorate your chest!  

In a restaurant they would be drizzled with a lurid sweet-and-sour sauce; here they're teamed with 67's fantastic Low-Sugar Almost-Instant Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce.  

Ingreds:

   225gm/8oz firm tofu or your favourite vegetarian mince
   couple of tablespoons peanut or other light veg oil

   1/2 cup fresh mushrooms in med dice
   1-2 dried Shitake mushrooms, reconstituted in boiling water 20 mins (opt)
   scant 1/4 cup baby corn, coarsely chopped (opt)

   1/3 cup coarsely grated carrot
   generous 1/3 cup finely shredded whites of Chinese leaves OR finely sliced peeled celery
   3-4 radishes, in matchsticks (opt)

   2 spring onions, cleaned & trimmed, finely sliced (3xgreen only for fodmap-phobics)
   2 tsp finely grated ginger
   
   1 1/2 tsp sherry, white wine or grape juice
   1 tsp toasted sesame oil
   1 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
   1 tbsp oyster or hoisin sauce
   
   1/4 tsp pepper plus salt as needed

   1 pkg round dumpling wrappers (gyoza for larger dumplings)

Method:

DIETERS' DELIGHT: RICH CHOCOLATE MINT BISCUITS: Lower sugar, no added fat, butter-free

Proves delicious baked goods need not be bad for you...

Healthier Chocolate Mint Biscuits, lower-Sugar, no-added-fat 
'Wow!' 'a biscuit version of mint matchsticks' 'definitely like them': Tasters 

Everyone needs a treat now and again; the trick is in choosing the right ingredients and controlling portions.  

Too much processed sugar can fast-track the ageing process and, combined 50-50 with fat in manufactured baked goods, is considered lethal to health. 

That's two excellent reasons for making your own treats.  And if the recipe is quick and easy, that's an added bonus.  

67goingon50's Chocolate Mint Biscuits are made with low quantities of soft brown sugar.  Lower-gluten higher-protein spelt flour replaced common wheat in a 2:1 plain:wholemeal combination (though common wheat can be used).  Egg whites - not fat - bound the ingredients.  75% baking chocolate, containing a higher proportion of healthy cocoa, provided intense flavour.  A small ice cream scoop kept portions small.   

The result?  Biscuits rich in minty chocolate-ness, with tender melt-in-the-mouth centres.  A scrummy treat that no one will recognise as 'dieters' delights'.    

Even better, they're a doddle to make AND take just 10 minutes to cook.  And the recipe uses up leftover egg whites mouldering away quietly in the freezer.

In short, a fine, all-round crowd-pleaser for any occasion.     

Cost: £1'ish
Makes: 10 but recipe multiplies easily

Ingredients:
    50-75gm/1.7-2.6oz dark 75% cocoa baking chocolate, melted & cooled
  
    2 egg whites  (defrosted frozen are fine)
    1/2 tsp peppermint essence*
    1/8 tsp cream of tartar

    1/4 cup soft brown or white sugar
    3/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

    1/3 cup spelt or common wheat flour (pref. 2/3 white, 1/3 wholemeal but white is fine)

    Garnish: icing sugar (opt)
    
Method:

Soft peak stage

1. Preheat oven to 350f/180c
2. In a clean large bowl, beat egg whites, peppermint essence & cream of tarter with an electric whisk until soft peaks form 
3. Mix sugar with cocoa; add to the egg whites one tablespoon at a time, whisking until incorporated
4. When all the sugar has been used up, the egg mix will be glossy and the peaks, stiff 
5. Working in thirds, fold in the flour & melted chocolate with a rubber spatula  - the motion is down to the bottom using the flat of the spatula and up again, turning the bowl continuously. The mix gradually thickens; a few white streaks aren't a problem.

   

   Stiff peaks

6. Use a 30ml/1.5inch/4cm spring-loaded ice cream scoop or generously load a tablespoon to drop dough onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper (see tips) or a silicone mat.  Leave a little space in between 
7. Bake 10-12 mins
8. Carefully slide greaseproof paper/silicone mat onto a cooling rack; leave until cold.  Use a fish slice to remove
9. If packing these biscuits into a container for travel, line each layer with serviettes.
10. Before serving, dust with icing sugar (opt)

Comments:

'Wow! Perfect amount of mint.' Campaign Manager

'Good! Halfway between a biscuit & a cake; like a biscuit version of mint Matchsticks.' Political Agent

'I definitely like them; they're not lacking in chocolate.' Treasurer

Tips:

• Stick down the corners of greaseproof paper with paper; otherwise the biscuits can - and do - slide off the baking tray.  Usually on to the floor!!
• Egg whites from extra large eggs makes more biscuits without damaging taste or texture 

*Morrisons about £1.20

More on NavBar: Recipes I/Cookies

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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.   

GUILT-FREE CHINESE BARBEQUED PORK, picnics, prep ahead, lower fat, sugar & salt , portable

Eating healthily doesn't mean pork's off the menu, especially if it's a nearly fat free  Oriental classic that's lower-sugar & salt 

first posted feb 2018

'Perfectly flavoured.' 'A revelation; hard to believe it's low fat/sugar/salt.  ' Tasters

This virtually guilt-free exquisitely flavoured meat is perfect for a summer's picnic.    

The unmistakeable sweet and savoury sauce and crisp slightly burnt edges of the pork is a popular choice in Chinese restaurants.  But many versions are laden with sugar & salt, and some pork strips have hidden layers of thick fat.  

67goingon50 instead used pork fillet that is pure extra-lean meat.  It has less fat than skinless chicken breast and though a little more expensive, goes a long way.     

67's marinade, meanwhile, cuts sugar, reduces soy sauce and salt to minimise blood pressure and blood sugar issues. 

It does not include the usual red or yellow bean sauces which will likely sit at the back of a westerner's cupboard.  But 67 introduces a 'new' Asian flavour: hoisin sauce*.  No apologies because a jar of this dark, salty-sweet smokey condiment will be used again and again -- as a glaze, a dipping sauce or (like oyster sauce) a flavouring for fried rice. 

Preparation of the meat is simple but needs to be done a day in advance.  The  wonderfully tender, succulent guilt-free meat will be a real crowd-pleaser. 

Cost: £3-4, depending on meat 
Serves:  4-6 as a snack at a picnic or buffet 

Ingred:
   400-500gm/12-16oz pork fillet, trimmed of fat & sinew

 Marinade:
     1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
     1 tsp oyster sauce
     1/2 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce
     1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (or peanut oil)
     3/4 tsp sugar
     1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup or honey     
     2-3 tbsp brandy or sherry
     1 tbsp tahini or smooth peanut butter
     2 med cloves garlic, peeled & grated
     2 tbsp peeled & grated ginger
    1 tsp 5-spice powder     
    1/2 star anise

     red food colour without e numbers* (opt) (67 didn't bother)

Method:

MEAT FEAST: ROAST CHICKEN ORIENTAL STYLE (Archive)

An unexpected treat for the adventurous eater - and even kids like it!

updated  jan 2023

Roast Chicken, Oriental Style 
'Unusual but in a good way' 'Really good; the flesh is very juicy and tender' -Tasters

Classic roast chicken is a joy to behold and is considered one of the ten meals everyone should learn to cook.

This Oriental version, involving Oriental black beans, was developed by the Blogger many years ago.  It is the main focus of this post but an equally tasty alternative, lemon and thyme, is also offered.  

The Black Bean version impresses and pleases adult males, in particular.  Some kids love it, though it may be more popular with boys than girls. 

The Oriental aspects are preserved black beans (How to Use Preserved Black Beans) and the standard mix of ginger and garlic.  An optional wash of star anise and sherry adds another layer of flavour.

The black beans on their own are well flavoured but their saltiness is muted by rinsing in water and storing in sherry. They are mashed into softened butter and slipped under the chicken skin before it goes into the oven.  The result is not subtle but is not at all overwhelming.  


Those with blood pressure issues should approach this version cautiously.

In the alternative version, the skin is liberally sprayed with a 2:1 solution of olive oil and fresh lemon juice.  A whole lemon in two halves and chunks of a medium onion are inserted into the chicken's cavity with fresh (preferred) or thyme.  Season the cavity and the skin lightly with pepper & salt.  

The roasting method is the same for both versions.

67 normally recommends removing the roasted skin to reduce fat but it's so crispy you may find yourself unwilling to do that.  

Cost: min £7-8; more for high-end chickens (buy the best you can afford)
Serves: 4-6

Ingred:
    1 whole chicken
    2 oz softened butter
    2 generous tsp preserved black beans, mashed
    1 good-sized clove garlic, grated or minced 
    1 1/2 tsp grated or minced peeled ginger 

    1 star anise, left 1/2 hour in 2 1/2 tbsp boiling water (opt)
    1 1/2 tbsp dry sherry or grape juice(opt)

    1 onion quartered
    3-4 unpeeled cloves of garlic
    water

Alternative version: 2 fresh lemons, fresh (preferred) or powdered thyme, onion, garlic cloves (opt)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180c/350f/170fan/gas 4

Oriental Version

1. Mash the beans into a paste; mix into the softened butter with the ginger and garlic, carefully distributing the aromatics throughout the butter 
2. Starting from the top of the chicken breast above the cavity, carefully lift the skin from the chicken, trying not to tear it.  Using your fingertips, gently push the butter under the skin, massaging it toward the back end of the bird and over the thighs.  A slight bulge and darker colour will indicate where the flavoured butter has covered the flesh.  If there's any butter left, rub it over the wings and the legs of the bird. 
3. If using the star anise, remove from liquid & add sherry; brush it liberally over the chicken skin (opt)

 Lemon & Garlic Version

1. Brush chicken generously with a 2-1 mix of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.  
2. Put lemon, halved, coarsely chopped onion and unpeeled garlic cloves in the cavity with some thyme (fresh if possible) 

Then

1. Place the chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting tin
2. Add 1/2 inch/1 cm water to the pan
3. Cover the breast loosely with foil.
4. Bake according to producer's suggested times
5. (Lemon Version: 40 mins before the end of the cooking time, add new potatoes sprayed lightly with olive oil and pepper & salt on a shelf above or below the chicken.)
6. Remove foil from top of chicken at 2/3 of the cooking time.  Baste the bird with the juices in the bottom of the pan every 10 mins 
7. When the cooking time is up, put a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (not near bone or fat); it should register 73C/165F.  OR insert sharp knife between thigh and breast; the juices should run clear - if there is any pink, the chicken needs further cooking 
8. Pour the juices into a good-sized jug; add a bit of water to the roasting tin and bring it to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan.  Add to the jug.  
9. If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix one tablespoon cornflour with 2 tablespoons cold water and add to the pan.  Heat until it thickens. Add to juices in the jug.
10. Remove as much fat as you can.  
11. Serve Oriental version with Unfried Rice and stir-fried mixed vegetables 

Comments on Oriental Version:
    'Oriental or not, it's a really great juicy, tender chicken'.  50+ Political administrator
    'Roasting a chicken Chinese style is a bit unusual but in a good way. I like it.'   20+ Australian-Chinese  
     'It's really tastes good!' 2 female tasters, one older; one younger 

Tips:

How to Carve a Chicken the 67 Way

                            More chicken on NavBar: Recipes I: Chicken

 Please leave a comment 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.