Cheesy Haddock Pie

 Been feeling like haddock pie again... So decided to try something different...I made 2 pies, one I put the puff pastry underneath and one on top...just for fun... 

very delicious and got thumbs up from all family members. 

The filling has a very light 'n fluffy taste and feel due to the beaten egg whites...

give it a try!

You will need:

approx 400g smoked haddock (skinless, deboned and smoked!)

 spring onions (i used a whole packet bought from Woolworth's - salad onions!)

8 potatoes - peeled and cubed

900ml milk

200 ml milk

4 eggs

4 Tblsp mazina (cornflour)

 couple of squeezes of lemon

approx 140gr of cheddar cheese (more if you like a really cheesy taste!)

pinch seasoning

salt n pepper

roll puff pastry - ready made ;-)

pastry underneath

  Chop the onions and put into a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil, and simmer...

while peeling potatoes...cube the potatoes into small bite size pieces and add to the pot, 

saute with the onions. 

Add the haddock and 900ml of milk, some salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of seasoning,

I always use this stock powder for seasoning. 

Let this simmer away for a while, until potatoes are cooked - keep an eye on this, you don't want the potatoes to be mash!! 

Separate the eggs, add the 200ml of milk and 4 Tablespoons of mazina (cornflour) 

to the egg yolks and beat well. 

Beat the egg whites till stiff. 

Grate the cheese.

Add a few spoons of the warm milk from the pot to the egg yolk mixture, then add to the pot...

stir and it will become thick and creamy, add the lemon juice and cheese - check if it needs a little more salt and pepper. 

Take off the stove and fold in the egg whites. 

Spoon the mixture into a pie dish that has been lined with ready made puff pastry...or spoon into an oven dish and then cover with ready made puff pastry (give the pastry an egg wash with some egg that had been beaten and a pastry brush!)...

either way this is delicious...

Bake in over at 180 degrees Celsius until tops are browned...

pastry on top with egg wash

 Serve with a blanched mixture of fresh veggies...

(I initially thought, this is a pretty expensive pie, due to all the ingredients and milk but as you can see it made 2 big pies, so 2 dinners for our family, plus left over for my rocks lunch!!)

 Enjoy!!

Haddock pie

  

You will need:

440gr haddock* (skinless, de-boned and smoked)

750ml full cream milk

1 cup frozen peas

3 -4 carrots peeled and finely chopped

3 spring onions - chopped

salt

pepper

 4 - 5 large Potatoes - sliced thickly

cornflour to thicken

4 Tbsp creme fraiche (optional)

Peel potatoes, cut into thick-ish slices and parboil.

Place the haddock and milk in a pot and bring to boil, add carrots, spring onions and peas.

Allow to simmer until carrots are tender.

Add 4 Tbsp Creme fraiche - just because I had it and it adds an extra creaminess...

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Mix a little cornflour into a paste and add to mixture.

Let it simmer for a few more minutes to thicken.

Place in an oven proof dish.

Place sliced parboiled potatoes on top in a layer, over lapping.

Put a couple of knobs of butter on top and put into the oven preheated at 180 degrees Celsius.

It will bubbles and cook and brown and look delicious...

Once nice and brown on top, serve with a green salad.

Enjoy

(* this was the quantity I bought fresh from Woolworths, you can use a little more or a little less)

Chicken and butternut Cannelloni

This has become a favourite...

You will need:

250gr box cannelloni tubes

4 free range chicken breast - chopped finely

1 small butternut - cubed

1 onion - sliced

1 small red pepper - chopped

 10 - 15 baby tomatoes - halved

150gr feta (approx) - crumbled

salt

black pepper

2 tsp brown sugar

1- 2  tsp veg stock or seasoning of your choice

Chop the onions and soften with a tsp or 2 of brown sugar and glug of  olive oil, add the finely chopped free range chicken breasts. Saute for a few minutes. Add the butternut, red pepper and tomatoes. Add seasoning, I like the Woolworth's veg stock and use this as seasoning along with salt and ground black pepper.
Add water and let it simmer away until cooked through...
Allow to cool, so it is manageable to work with and add the crumbled feta.
Fill the cannelloni tubes with this mixture and place in an oven dish...lay side by side and on top of each other.
(This is quite a messy process...we used a spoon and our hands to fill the tubes.)

Make the cheese sauce

 750ml full cream milk

80 - 100gr butter

1 tsp Dijon mustard

cheese

salt pepper
2 - 3 Tbsp cornflour to thicken(mix to a paste with water)

Place the milk and butter in a pot and bring to boil, add salt and pepper and mustard (if using)...add the cornflour paste and whisk continuously to avoid getting lumps, turn down heat and add grated cheese....it really depends on you, how much you add, if you like a really cheesy sauce then add quite a lot... if you like just a hint of cheese add a little...taste as you go...
Once the cheese is melted and the sauce nicely cooked...
Pour the sauce over the cannelloni tubes and shake the dish gently to allow the sauce to get in between all the tubes.
Sprinkle with some grated cheese and place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
Allow to cook through until bubbling and nicely browned on top...

Enjoy with a salad or steamed green veg...

Chicken and Baby Spinach Lasagne

 So I made this delicious dish and was going to post the recipe when I realised that actually I had no idea how much of what I had used...you see I cook like that...a'la my mom - a great cook!!...we just pour in milk and stop when it looks enough - a chunk of butter...yes seems enough...a sprinkle of this and pinch of that...

 So I remade it tonight for family coming for dinner and took the time...

 to count and measure everything...

     So here goes...

You will need:

1 small onion - finely chopped

3 large carrots - peeled and finely chopped

4 free range skinless chicken breast - sliced

  4 spring onions - sliced

  1 Punnet of mushrooms - sliced (never used any last time!)

  1 cup of corn

  1 tin of chopped tomatoes

a bag of baby spinach leaves

  Tomato sauce

  Salt

 Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup of white wine

1 box lasagne sheets

Sauce:

750ml full cream milk

80 - 100 grams butter

150 grams cheese - grated

2 - 3 heaped Tblspoons cornflour

salt and pepper to taste

(half tsp of mustard if you have)

extra cheese for sprinkling on the top

Place all the ingredients into a large pot - except the lasagne sheets and spinach.

Add a cup of water or so, the white wine, and about 4 Tablespoons of tomato sauce or half a small tin of tomato paste - I prefer tomato sauce as it is not as strong as the paste.

Bring to the boil, then turn down and let it simmer until nicely cooked. 

About half an hour or so, frequently giving it a stir.

It should look nice and saucy by now.

Wash the baby spinach leaves well, place in a colander and pour a kettle of boiling water over it - just to wilt it. Set aside.

Now make the cheese sauce. In a pot bring the milk and butter, salt and pepper to boil.

In a bowl add the cornflour and mix into a smooth paste with some water.

Once the milk is boiling add the cornflour to thicken and whisk well.

Add the grated cheese - turn down the heat and allow to thicken and melt nicely.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

If you have some mustard, add a little, it always gives cheese sauce a lovely flavour.

Now start to assemble the dish - add a layer of your tomato, veg and chicken sauce to the base of the oven dish. Add a layer of spinach leaves, then a layer of pasta sheets...continue to layer until all finished. Top with the cheese sauce and sprinkle with a little more grated cheese.

Place in the preheated oven at 180 degrees clecuis for approx 30 - 40 minutes.

Take out and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving with 

a big bowl of green salad and fresh bread...

Enjoy

Baby Marrow and Tomato baked RIsotto

Another lovely baked Risotto, which is quick and easy and very delicious....

You will need:

2 Tblspoons olive oil

1 onion - finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp crushed garlic

180g (1cup) Arborio rice

500ml (2 cups) chicken stock or water

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

6 baby marrows (zucchini) - finely sliced

100g freshly grated paremesan (approx) 

Ground black pepper

1 Tblspoons chopped parsley

Shavings of Parmesan 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Place olive oil, garlic, chopped onions and salt into a pan, cook until onions are soft and translucent.

Add the arborio rice and stir fry for about a minute, until the rice is nicely coated. Add stock or water and chopped tomatoes. Bring to simmering point.

Place in an oven container - add baby marrows and grated Parmesan. Combine all ingredients.

Sprinkle with Parmesan shavings, parsley and ground pepper.

Bake for approx 30 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Enjoy with avocado pear and a big green salad...

Tomato, Olive and Salmon or Tuna Spaghetti

This is my knights favourite meal - at home that is...ask him when out what he would like to eat and you ALWAYS get prawns or calamari as the answer...

He is getting pretty dab hand at making this dish himself...

We made this dish a little while ago for our friday get together and all the children had different roles - garlic pressers, herb choppers, tomato slicers...it was good fun ;-)

You will need:

Tomatoes - fresh baby tomatoes, chopped up

Garlic - lots

Olives - we use calamata

Olive oil

1 tin Salmon chunks or Tuna chunks or shredded tuna

Salt

Black Pepper

Fresh Herbs - we ususally use lemon thyme and oregano

Pinch or two of brown sugar
fresh chilli - optional

Spaghetti

Drizzle a nice amount of olive oil into a pan - add the chopped tomatoes ,garlic and sugar. Cook away till the tomatoes are soft.

Chop the herbs and add.

De-pip the olives, slice or chop them and add to the tomatoes.

Add another glug of olive oil.

Drain the water off the tuna/salmon and discard, add the tuna/salmon to the sauce.

Add another glug of olive oil.

Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

Cook the spaghetti as per instructions.

Dish a serving of spaghettin onto each plate and top with the delicious sauce. We usually top this with freshly grated parmesan and sliced avocado.

Eat immediately

Idea !

If you enjoy chillis - whilst the sauce is simering away, add a fresh chopped chilli - it adds a lovely zing to the sauce.

Butternut and Chickpea curry

This is a family favourite...

You will need following...

1 Large Butternut - peeled and cubed

2 Sweet potatoes - cubed

4 Potatoes - cubed

1 Onion- chopped

1 tin Chickpeas

1 Brinjal - optional

2 or 3 (4 or 5!)cloves of fresh garlic

Fresh Ginger- finely chopped

1 tin Coconut Milk or Cream

Curry 
Now this is totally up to you...I used a little box of curry mix from Woolworths. -

 Have you seen these? They are great!!

 But really you can use whatever curry you like to give it the taste you enjoy.  

Cut all the veg into bite size cubes - place in an oven dish and spinkle with a little salt and drizzle with some olive oil, add the garlic and fresh ginger - Roast until cooked - firm, not soft!
Mix the curry into the coconut milk or cream and add to the vegies.
Add the chickpeas. (drain the water off first!)
Return to oven and let it cook and combine for about 15 - 20 minutes.
Add additional salt or pepper to taste.

Serve with ...
Poppadums, Fresh Coriander, Basmati Rice and Creme Fraiche...Yum!

Pineapple Chicken

Monday...what shall I make for dinner?

I have a joke with a few friends who like to plan their weekly meals - I am not a meal planner...would love to be...but nope I am not...I cant!!...I love to look in the fridge and create a meal...So this is for you my lovely meal planning friends... (Luckily I shopped on Saturday, so the fridge was stocked with all sorts of goodies!)

You will need

Chicken - I used a whole free range chicken

1 Pineapple - cubed

1 Punnet Mushrooms (optional!) - sliced

1 Red Pepper - chopped

1 Onion - chopped

Fresh ginger - chopped finely

5 Potatoes - cubed

3 Tblsp chutney

Approx 700ml Mango and Orange 100% Fruit Juice

Cornflour to thicken

Salt and Pepper to taste

100ml Cream

 Place your chicken in the middle of a roasting pan (I spatchcocked my chicken), scatter around it the chopped onion, cubed pineapple, chopped red pepper, finely chopped fresh ginger (about the size of a teaspoon), and the sliced mushrooms. 

Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground pepper and add the fruit juice.

Bake at 180 degrees celcius until the chicken is cooked. (The time will depend on the size of the chicken.)

Cube the Potatoes and cook on the stove top until cooked through - do not over cook.

Remove the Chicken from the roasting pan and debone and chop up into bite size pieces.

Place back into pan with pineapple etc

Depending on how much liquid (gravy!) you like with your dish you can add some more fruit juice or a little water...

Add the potatoes, chutney and cream. Stir in the cornflour mixed with water and place back in the oven to thicken.

Once thickened, taste and add any additional salt and pepper.

I served our Pineapple Chicken with brown rice and steamed fresh carrots, patty pans, baby gem squash and courgettes.

A lovely meal for a cold winter evening...

Baked Mushroom Risotto

 I thought I better start posting some good food recipes before you all think that we live on biscuits and delicious treats in our home...

So here is start...

...mmmm we love baked Risotto's AND you dont have to stand and stir for ages like you do with stove top Risotto's...

You will need:

2 Tblsp Olive oil

400gr mushrooms - sliced  

(I used a mix of white button and big black mushrooms)

1 - 2  onions - finely chopped

1 - 2 tsp garlic

1 tsp salt

1 cup Arborio Rice

 500ml Vegetable stock

100gr approx Parmesan cheese - grated

Ground Pepper

Shavings of parmesan 

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celcuis.

Add olive to a pan, then add the mushrooms, garlic and salt.

Cook for a few minutes, just until mushrooms are soft. Do not overcook the mushrooms!!

Place the mushrooms in a oven proof dish.

Then in the same pan cook  the chopped onions until soft and translucent.

Add the rice and stir for one minute until nicely coated.

Add the stock and bring to simmering point.

Pour into the oven dish containing the mushrooms, add the grated parmesan, some ground pepper and combine well.

Place shaved or grated parmesan on top.

Cover dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked. 

Enjoy with a salad and some crusty french bread!