Lamb curry: a low fat version, perfect for new year slimmers

After the excesses of Christmas so many of us pledge to get on that healthy eating plan we've been saving for the new year. The Hairy Dieters have got it just right, they cut out a lot of fat without sacrificing the flavour and have come up with some real winning dishes. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hairy-Dieters-Love-Food-Weight/dp/0297869051/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361224511&sr=1-1 This is no diet cook book that will allow you to lose a stone in two or three weeks but more likely one to three pounds a week, but that's the best way to do it so we're told, as the weight is more likely to stay off. But don't be  put off by the fact this book is aimed at dieters: the food is so delicious everyone can appreciate these recipes. What's really appealing to me, is if you follow this diet you don't have to give up curry or sweet and sour chicken as they have a great section on what they call 'fakeaways'. There are also chapters on pies, stews, pasta and rice and puddings and cakes.

Lamb, spinach and potato curry served with rice and natural yogurt

I must admit this book is in my current top ten and we've already sampled the lamb hotpot (page 83) - perfect winter comfort food with that potato carb fix. The coconut prawn curry (page 133) is fresh and filling and served with a small portion of rice really does set you up. My personal favourite is the sweet and sour chicken on page 122, what's better than making your own fresh food and avoiding that unsatisfying heaviness of batter and sauce from the local Chinese?

The lamb, spinach  and potato curry recipe (page 128) that follows is fabulous, it is so satisfying that you don't really need any rice, although we did serve it with  some as we're extra greedy! I always make it using the quantities in the recipe which serves six and freeze the leftovers into individual portions so you've got your own homemade ready meals for after work. (I must confess since making it for the first time for this blog and photographing, I have now made it twice more!)

Lamb, spinach and potato curry (copyright Byte Brook Limited and Sharp Letter Limited 2012)

Serves 6
600g lamb leg steaks (about 4 steaks)
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
25g piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
75g curry paste (any strength depending on taste)
400g can chopped tomatoes
350g potatoes (Maris Pipers are good), peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
450ml water
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 ripe medium tomatoes, quartered
100g spinach leaves
freshly ground black pepper

Prepared ingredients, ready to go. Hang on dog, you better wander off somewhere else!

Browning the lamb

Frying onions, garlic etc

Blending the mixture

1. Trim any fat off the lamb and cut into rough chunks of about 3cm. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1tsp of the oil in a large frying pan or wok and if need be fry in 2 batches until lightly coloured all over. Transfer the lamb to a plate.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and add onions, Cook for 6-8 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Turn down the heat, add the garlic, ginger,chilli and curry paste and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from the heat and blitz the mixture with a handheld blender or in a food processor and then return to the casserole on the hob over a medium heat. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 190 degrees.
4. Add the browned lamb to the spiced puree in the dish and cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add the canned chopped tomatoes, potatoes, water, bay leaves, tsp of salt and the sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid and place the casserole in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened. Check after 1 hour and give the contents of the casserole a good stir.
5. Take the dish out of the oven, stir in the quartered tomatoes and spinach leaves. Cover and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and the spinach has wilted. If you want serve with fat-free natural yogurt.

Ready to serve up

If you serve this without the rice, you are talking about 293 calories per portion which isn't bad for an evening meal! So if you are trying to cut down this is an extremely tasty curry that will leave you feeling satisfied. with the potatoes and really rather tender meat.

A real winner in our household. Being on a diet doesn't mean having to give up your curry!

 Coming up in the pipeline: Millionaire's shortbread and sesame prawn toasts ( perfect with the Hairy Dieters sweet and sour chicken...)

Maple rice pudding pots with hazelnuts and strawberries

It's probably time to have a little break from Delia as she has featured four times now. Don't you worry however, I still have another 12 of her publications to delight you with! (I'm also keen to hear if anyone has a suggestion for my next Delia recipe, chances are, I will have the book).

Maple rice pudding pots with hazelnuts and strawberries

When the weather's like this, there's nothing better than great comfort food such as rice pudding but this recipe is no old-fashioned bake in-the-oven-for-hours but a cook-on-the-hob affair and you'll find once you've made these you'll be doing them again and again. I have altered the recipe slightly by substituting hazelnuts and strawberries for the pecans and dates. With it being 'forever summer' in the supermarkets (isn't that a title of a Nigella book?), I couldn't resist the strawberries and they were actually very nice for this time of year despite having travelled from Morocco or Egypt! The suggestion for this recipe on page 26, is to serve these scrumptious little pots as part of an indulgent brunch, but I can reassure you these moreish pots go down equally well after lunch or dinner.  As well as these puddings being a modern affair, the book is a thoroughly modern affair entitled Modern Entertaining (2008) from The Australian Women's Weekly http://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Entertaining-Great-Making-stunning/dp/1903777690/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358804864&sr=8-1 It's one of those books that's organised into distinctive sections such as Breakfast with Friends, Picnics, Tea Parties, Dinner with Friends and so on. Each of these sections is then subdivided into different menus, so Breakfast with Friends has Healthy, Indulgent and French menus. Dinner with Friends has Italian, Indian, After Work, Mezze menus. Most of these menus are stylish and contemporary and there seems to be something for everyone. I have not actually cooked a whole menu from this book but have tended to mix and match with other recipes. My favourite recipes are the Pistachio and Lime Friands on page 262 - excellent if you've got a glut of egg whites and don't want to make meringues; the Mini Passion fruit cakes on page 110 are a lovely treat in the summer when entertaining outdoors; and the Coconut Rice with Mango on page 155 is gorgeous after a curry or stir fry.

Maple Rice Pudding with Hazelnuts and Strawberries (copyright ACP Magazines Ltd 2008)

Serves 8 (halve the ingredients to serve 4)
1.5 litres (6 cups) milk
500ml (2 cups) double cream
160ml (2/3 cup) maple syrup
1/4tsp ground cinnamon
130g (2/3 cup) medium-grain white rice or pudding rice
Handful of toasted hazelnuts, chopped
Handful of strawberries, chopped
You will also need 8 small dishes or ramekins

Combining milk, cream, syrup and cinnamon

Adding the rice.

After about 50 minutes or so the rice is more visible - do persevere! 

1.  Combine Milk, cream, syrup and cinnamon in a large pan; bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Gradually stir in the rice: cook uncovered over a low heat, stirring occasionally for about 40 minutes ( It took me about 1 hour) or until rice is tender.
3. Serve the rice pudding with the chopped strawberries and toasted hazelnuts. Drizzle a little extra maple syrup over the top, if desired.

Lightly toasting the hazelnuts

Not very seasonal but these strawberries did have a good flavour!

 These puddings were a real hit in our house and are perfect for a little treat on a cold winter's day. Do bear with the rice whilst it is cooking, as I found it took longer than the 40 minutes as stated in the recipe. You'll soon see when it's ready as the rice becomes visible and the whole mixtures firm up.

Incredibly yummy rice pudding

Next time: A great recipe from the Hairy Dieters: lamb curry

Seasonal Soup Flamande - sprout soup courtesy of Delia

It was the day after a spectacular New Year's Eve feast  at my local gastro pub, The Ingham Swan www.theinghamswan.co.uk/ (smoked chicken and duck ballantine with melba toast, quince ailoli, apple and celeriac salad; pan fried sea bass, cod fishcakes and lemon grass and brown shrimp beurre blanc; assiette of desserts .....) - if you are in the area you will not be disappointed - that I decided to cook up something a bit different for a New Year's Day detox!
What's better than a soup if you need sustenance and not excess? The obvious choice was to turn to the Delia Collection and book number one 'Soup' 2003 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Delia-Collection-Soup-Smith/dp/0563487305/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357678117&sr=1-1. There are so many excellent soup recipes in this collection. Our favourite, and certainly my son's favourite as he has been eating this since he was nine months old, is the fresh tomato soup on page 49: a really simple and filling soup that brings out that gorgeous tomato flavour. My dad's favourite (God bless him), always used to be the delightful French Onion soup on page 104: a real hearty and wholesome soup that would keep you going for hours!

Soup Flamande with Creme Fraiche and Frizzled Sprouts and served with a cheese and onion roll

 This time though, I've gone for something slightly unusual. It is a classic Flemish soup according to Delia, essentially it's sprout soup! Don't let that put you off. It's amazing how subtle the sprouts are as they are tempered by the other ingredients of leeks and potatoes. All my recipients were impressed and enjoyed this fresh and tasty offering; and the frizzled sprout garnish was surprisingly moreish.

Soup Flamande with Creme Fraiche and Frizzled Sprouts (copyright Delia Smith 2003)

Serves 4-6
350g potatoes
2 Large leeks
350g Brussels sprouts
50g butter
425ml vegetable stock
570ml (1 pint) milk
2 tbsp creme fraiche
a squeeze of lemon juice
salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the garnish
4 tbsp creme fraiche
4 large sprouts, shredded
1 tbsp olive oil

The prepared vegetables

Simmering in the stock and milk

The liquidised soup

Frizzled sprouts

1. Peel and thickly slice the potatoes. Chop the leeks in to 2.5cm pieces and quarter the sprouts or halve the smaller sprouts.    
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the leeks, potatoes and sprouts, stir well and coat them in the butter. Add some salt and pepper. Put the lid on and let them sweat over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes.
3. Next add the stock and milk and bring up to simmering point and cook very gently for 20-25 minutes. Be careful not to let the milk boil over.
4. Cool the soup and liquidise. Add two tablespoons of creme fraiche and a squeeze of lemon juice and reheat.
5. Meanwhile, while the soup is reheating, make the garnish. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over a high heat and when the oil is very hot, add the shredded sprouts and fry them for 2-3 minutes until they are crisp and golden. Drain them on kitchen paper. Serve the soup in warmed bowls with a little creme fraiche spooned on top and garnished with the frizzled sprouts.

The garnish can be made in advance and can be re-frizzled in a hot frying pan just before serving

Little Mincemeat Souffle puddings: as always, Delia is spot on

Straight out of the oven and nicely risen

I couldn't let Christmas go without a seasonal offering and yes, it's late to be posting this, but this recipe is a light and delicious alternative to rich Christmas pudding which can be very easily made. Whats more, is that these delightful souffles can be made ahead and reheated or even frozen for a later date. The recipe is from Delia Smith's Christmas (1990) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Delia-Smiths-Christmas-Smith/dp/0563370645/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356359851&sr=8-2 This is a book that has been reprinted and revamped a number of times and my version is the hardback copy. It's a copy that I've owned for the last 13 or 14 years and really I should make more use of it. There are some brilliant recipes  and the book is organised into chapters such as canapes and nibbles; all kinds of Christmas cakes; a vegetarian Christmas; the last 36 hours; ducks, geese and game; homemade sweets and chocolates, to name but a few. In fact it is very comprehensive in covering all angles and I find all the recipes I have tried to be a resounding success. Take the Truffle torte on page 154, this is a decadent, rich chocolate dessert that is so easy but impressive, guests never fail to love this! The Sausage rolls on page 72 are lovely and you get that satisfaction from making your own flaky pastry. Tomorrow I'm going to give the Parmesan-baked parsnips a go (page 142) and serve alongside all my other veggies...Happy Christmas!


Little Mincemeat Souffle Puddings (copyright Delia Smith 1990)

Serves  8
110g butter
100g caster sugar
6 large eggs, separated
175g light ginger cake, reduced to crumbs in a food processor
A pinch of ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
110g mincemeat
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Extra butter and caster sugar for coating the ramekins
You will need eight  (9cm) ramekin dishes

Trying one out today, reheating rest tomorrow.

Creaming the butter and sugar

Folding in cake crumbs, mincemeat, spices and zest.

Whisked meringue mixture

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Brush the ramekins with melted butter and tip a dusting of caster sugar in to coat, tip out the excess. Arrange the ramekins in a roasting tin.
2. In a mixing bowl cream the butter and 50g of the sugar together until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg yolks, a little at a time. Fold in the cake crumbs, followed by spices, mincemeat and lemon zest. 
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and gradually whisk in the remaining 50g sugar. The mixture will be like meringue, carefully fold into the rest.
5. Spoon an equal quantity into each ramekin, pour approximately 1cm of boiling water into the roasting tin and bake for 25 minutes.  
6. Slide a palette knife round the edge and turn out on to serving plates, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Carefully folding in.

Spooned into the ramekins ready to be baked

Served with pouring cream, why not try chilled rum sabayon? (p.44)

These puddings really are great and my daughter loved them - she's not a fan of Christmas pudding. Another good thing about them is that they don't require too many difficult ingredients: I had a jar of mincemeat in the cupboard and used the McVities golden syrup cake that can be bought in any UK supermarket.

Instant chocolate mousse for everyone!

What child (or grown up for that matter )would not enjoy this?

Ready to sit and chill in the fridge until later

I first spied this recipe for Instant chocolate mousse in a Sunday supplement quite a few years ago when they were obviously promoting Nigella Lawson's latest book of the time Nigella Express (2007) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nigella-Express-Lawson/dp/0701181850/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354017518&sr=1-1 (this link I've added is to the paperback, you can still get the hardback version which is what I've used). At the time I duly stashed it away in one of my many folders of collected recipes from magazines and then promptly forgot about it! It wasn't until passing a second hand book shop a few weeks ago that I spotted a copy of the book in the window for a fiver and thought 'bargain, I've only got three other Nigella books!'. So after a quick flick through I was once again reunited with this recipe that looked so appealing years ago. One of the great things about this mousse recipe is that it has a lack of raw egg so there is none of that worry about giving it to small children.

 I may also add I have yet to cook anything else from this book. On reflection there are without doubt some very tempting offerings. Take the Doughnut French toast on page 188 (looks like a sublime sweet treat) or the Juicy beef skewers with horseradish dip (perfect for a standing up buffet). Every single recipe is accompanied by a beautiful photograph of the finished article so you know what you've got to aim for. Like my previous blog entry, this is another fast food book- offering; something we are all grateful for with our eternally busy lives.

A great recipe to do with the kids

Instant chocolate mousse (copyright Nigella Lawson 2007)

Serves 4-6
150g mini marshmallows
50g soft butter
250g good dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
60ml hot water from a recently boiled kettle
1 x 284 ml tub double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melting the ingredients

A good quality vanilla extract is so much better than an essence

Whisking the cream

1. Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
2. Put the saucepan on the hob over a gentle heat to melt the contents, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.
3. Next, whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture.
4. Pour or scrape into 4 glasses or ramekins, about 175ml each in capacity, or 6 smaller (125ml) ones, and chill until you are ready to eat.

Incorporating cream and chocolate mixture

Spooning into bowls

Tips: This mousse is delicious but also very rich! The smaller portion (125ml) seems plenty. Also, don't over whisk the mixture as it will still set after and hour or so in the fridge even it it seems quite runny in the bowl.

The ultimate treat for any cook: Larousse Gastronomique

Maybe it's just me, but don't you find when you're doing a spot of Christmas shopping you seem to come across a multitude of items that would be so suitable for yourself and there's nothing much cop for anyone else! Well, this year my Christmas present to myself just had to be the wonderful Larousse Gastronomique, it is a veritable feast of knowledge on food and its history, cookery techniques, culinary terms, chefs... you name it, it's got everything in it. Oh and it's got 3,800 classic recipes! Now of course almost anything can be easily sourced over the web these days, but this book is an object of beauty that will adorn your bookshelf with pride and with everything you need to know in one gorgeous volume you just can't say no - well I couldn't!

Simplicity of design

Endorsed by no less than Heston and Gordon!

This will definitely look good on my bookshelf ;)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Larousse-Gastronomique-Hamlyn/dp/0600620425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354047221&sr=8-1

Homemade flatbread, chicken with cardamom and coriander-coconut chutney: fabulous fast food

A really tasty and simple supper

Stir frying the chicken and spring onions

Before I launch in to how brilliant this next cook book is (and it really is great), I feel I need to have a quick tally-up of how many books I have cooked from so far, and the grand total is 17! So obvious calculations show I've only got another 183 to get through! But hey, that's great because there are so many wonderful recipes I want to get my teeth into.

So back to business, like I said this next book and the following recipe are brilliant fast food suppers when you've had a long day at work or as they say, if your friends drop round unexpectedly for supper. (Has anyone ever done that? I would feel rude imposing myself uninvited!). Anyway, I have conjured up many a meal from this book 10 Minutes to Table (2009) by Xanthe Clay http://www.amazon.co.uk/10-Minutes-Table-Real-Cheating/dp/1845336461/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354012022&sr=8-1

Reading through the book you are struck by how so many of her recipes start with 'put the kettle on'. Obviously this is essential if you are going cook something up in 10 minutes! If I'm being honest most of the recipes take me about 20 minutes and that's because I don't fly round the kitchen like a possessed banshee!

The aim of this book is unsurprisingly to entice people away from that mid-week take-away or those ready-meals that are weighing down our supermarket shelves. All the recipes are for two so it's great not having to calculate quantities from a four or six portion recipe and you can always cook something nice for your beloved when they are late home from work and the kids have had theirs at 5 o'clock! The book is divided into chapters entitled meat, birds, fish, veg, fast ingredients and basic rules for fast food. The last two chapters are full of useful advice which really does aid you in getting out that meal in super-quick time.

So, what are my favourite recipes? I really like this recipe which I'm going to run through (page 66). My husband adores the Spring lamb with braised little gems, peas and broad beans and Jersey Royals on page 46. Parmesan chicken, courgettes with tarragon, quinoa and fresh tomato sauce is good (Page 56) as is the Chicken, pak chou and almond stir fry (page 59) and the Crisp fish with minted mushy peas (page 100). There are more that I've tried and really you just can't go wrong with these recipes for quickness and for utter tastiness.


Homemade flatbread, chicken with cardomom and coriander-coconut chutney (Copyright Xanthe Clay 2009)

Serves 2
Bunch of spring onions
1 tbsp olive oil
2 skinless chicken breasts
half tsp ground cardomom or the seeds from 6 pods
2 tbsp of any flour
4 tbsp Greek yogurt
For the flatbread:
About 150g self-raising flour

Chopped spring onions, can't beat that lovely fresh aroma

1 tbsp olive oil
For the chutney:
3 tbsp desiccated coconut
Bunch of fresh coriander
1 clove of garlic, peeled
 A few drops of sweet chilli sauce or a green chilli
1 lime 2 tbsp olive oil

Rolling out the flatbread dough

Coriander, another beautiful aroma!

Cooking the flatbread

Oh the fragrance of fresh lime!

1. Put the kettle on to boil. Place the coconut in a mug and pour over just enough boiling water to cover it. Slice the spring onions. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and stir them in. Cook gently. Cut the chicken into 1cm thick slices and stir into the pan with the cardamom. Leave to cook while you make the flatbread.
2. Heat a griddle or heavy frying pan to very hot. Mix the flour with a large pinch of salt, 1 tbsp olive oil and enough water to make a stiff dough (about 4 tbsp). Divide the dough in two and roll out into rough circles. Cook on the griddle or pan for about 2 minutes on each side, until slightly charred.
3. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour in to the chicken pan, stir well, and leave until cooked through.
4. Put the coriander leaves in a mini food processor with the garlic, a few drops of chilli sauce (or a piece of green chilli) and the juice of half a lime. Then blitz. Drain the coconut(stir the liquid into the chicken pan) and add to the blender along with the olive oil. Blitz again to mix it.
5. Stir the yogurt into the chicken, adding more water, if necessary, to make a creamy sauce.
6. Taste and add salt and pepper. Serve up and enjoy.

Blitzing to make the chutney

A satisfying meal and satisfying to know that you've made the whole lot too.

All in all, this went down a treat: simple, tasty and not unhealthy. I particularly liked the sweetness of the chutney courtesy of the sweet chillli sauce I added and the flatbreads are a staple that can be created at a moment's notice.