All posts by Heather

Chilli (fast good and will feed a crowd)

Beef, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses

  • For 8 portions or more if you are not as greedy as us!
  • 1lb extra lean beef mince(yes it is healthy too!)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 sachet schwartz chilli mix
  • 1 sachet schwartz hot chilli mix
  • 2 400gm tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 400gm tins red kidney beans drained
  • 1 oxo cube

Put a little oil in a large non stick pan with a lid and saute mince and onion until mince is brown and broken up. Add both sachets of chilli mix and tins tomatoes. stir and add one canful of waterCrumble in the oxo cube. Bring to a simmer, put on lid and place in fan oven at 150 for 1 hour.
Serve with boiled rice and grated cheddar if liked.

Black bean salsa

Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • for four
  • 1/2 cup black beans soaked overnight and cooked and cooled
  • 1 mango peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cucumber peeled and diced
  • 5 cherry tomatoes cut in chunks
  • 6 spring onions sliced
  • 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1/4 teasp ground cumin
  • 1 avocado peeled and diced
  • small handful coriander herb chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime

Mix all together and add a little salt to taste.

Great served with roast salmon or other oily fish

Salmon lentil and black olive salad

Fish, Main Courses, Salads

  • For four
  • Dressing
  • 2 oz kalamata olives
  • 4tbsp olive oil
  • 2tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 small clove garlic,crushed
  • 1tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp chopped basil
  • 1 tbsp small capers
  • Salad
  • 200gm fine green beans
  • 4 eggs boiled
  • 500gm cooked puy lentils-I used two packs of Merchant Gourmet ready to use
  • 4 large tomatoes deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 8oz cooked salmon

Chop the olives and put in a bowl with the olive oil,vinegar,garlic,mustard, basil and capers. Add the tomatoes to the bowl. Cut the beans in half and cook for three minutes. Cool and add to bowl. Warm lentils in microwave for 20 seconds and add to bowl. Put this mix on a large flat serving plate and arrange the eggs cut in quarters and the salmon flaked on top.Serve with crusty bread

Salmon Pastry Parcel

Fish, Main Courses

  • For four
  • 4 narrow strip fillets of skinless boneless salmon-
  • about 1inch wide
  • 4 teaspoons pesto
  • 400gm ready rolled puff pastry
  • 8 asparagus spears blanched for about 1minute
  • 1 beaten egg

Roll out pastry if necessary to make a 12 inch square
Cut into 4 x6in squares
Place a salmon fillet diagonally on each piece of pastry and spread pesto on salmon
Place two asparagus spears on each piece of salmon then use egg to dampen diagonal corners of pastry and fold up over salmon and asparagus. Use rest of egg to paint on pastry and bake at 200 deg for 20 minutes

Lamb and Butterbean stew

Lamb, Main Courses
  • For Two to Three
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb lamb cubes(I like boneless neck fillet)
  • 12oz onions peeled and cut into quarters
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
  • 1 400gm tin butterbeans drained and rinsed
  • 2 bay leaf
  • large sprig of fresh thyme or dried if you must
  • 8fl oz chicken stock
  • salt pepper
  • chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Heat the oil in a large oven proof pan and fry the meat and onions until srarting to colour then add the garlic to soften a little.
Add the beans ,bayleaf,thyme and stock.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer and cook in a preheated oven at 160 for 1-1 1/2 hours. Check seasoning add parsley and serve.
I like this with a mixture of mashed potato and cooked finely chopped cabbage.