Golden chicken, braised greens & potato gratin

This is again a very simple, and cheap meal to make. It took me about 20 minutes from prep to finish. My favorite part of the recipe was the braised greens. It takes about 3 minutes to make. I really liked the freshness of the peas and the spinach, really delicious with crispy bacon.

 

Cuisine : Jamie Oliver

Serves : 4

Difficulty : Easy

Duration : 15 minutes

Calories : 666

 

INGREDIENTS

• For the gratin

• 800 g potatoes
• 3 onions
• olive oil
• 1 organic chicken stock cube
• ½ bunch fresh sage
• 100 ml single cream
• 30 g Parmesan cheese

• For the chicken

• 4 x 120 g skinless higher-welfare chicken breasts
• few sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 rashers smoked higher-welfare streaky bacon

• For the greens

• 200 g baby leeks
• 200 g baby spinach
• 200 g frozen peas

METHOD

Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Oven grill on high • Food processor (fine slicer) • Medium lidded pan, high heat • Large high-sided roasting tray, high heat • Large frying pan, medium-high heat

START COOKING
Finely slice the potatoes in the processor, then tip into the medium pan and cover with boiling water and the lid • Peel the onions, finely slice in the processor, then tip into the roasting tray with 2 tablespoons of oil, crumble in the stock cube and season with salt and pepper • Tear in the sage leaves and stir regularly, adding a splash of water if they start to catch

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the rosemary leaves, then fold the paper over and bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin • Put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through • Drain the potatoes well in a colander, then tip into the onion pan, stir together and arrange in a flat layer • Pour over the cream, then finely grate over the Parmesan and pop under the grill on the top shelf

Halve the leeks lengthways, rinse under the tap, then finely slice • Put into the empty lidded pan on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often • Finely slice the bacon and add to the chicken pan, tossing regularly • Stir the spinach and peas into the leeks and once the spinach has wilted and the peas are tender, pile on a board or platter with the chicken and bacon on top • Serve with the gratin 

Camembert Parcels with autumn salad and cranberry dip

A very tasty meal ready in 15 minutes at less than 4 Euro/serve.

Cuisine : Jamie Oliver

Serves : 4

Difficulty : Easy

Duration : 15 minutes

Calories : 651

 

INGREDIENTS

 Camembert parcels

 

200g Camembert cheese

100g shelled walnuts

1 bunch of fresh chives

1 lemon

4 large sheets of filo pastry (from a 270g pack)

1 tsp olive oil

 

Cranberry sauce

 

75g dried cranberries

1 pinch of ground cloves

½ tsp ground ginger

125ml port

 

Salad

 

1 pomegranate

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 red chicory

1 green chicory

1 eating apple

100g watercress

METHOD

Ingredients out • Food processor (bowl blade) • Large frying pan, medium heat • Small pan, medium heat • Liquidizer

 

01. Tear the Camembert into the processor with the walnuts and half the chives.

02. Finely grate in the lemon zest and blitz until combined.

03. On a clean surface, fold each sheet of pastry in half widthway.

04. Add ¼ of the mixture across the bottom of one folded sheet in a sausage shape, push your thumb into the centre to make a space for the filling to expand as it cooks, and roll it up really loosely, like a long cigar.

05. Repeat until you have 4 parcels.

06. Rub each with olive oil and put into the frying pan, turning until golden and crispy

 

07. Put the cranberry sauce ingredients into the small pan with a splash of water and leave to bubble away.

08. Halve the pomegranate and squeeze the juice from one half through your fingers on to a large platter.

09. Add the balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper, then finely slice and scatter over the remaining chives.

10. Finely slice the chicory bases and click the upper leaves apart.

11. Coarsely grate or matchstick the apple, then add to the platter with the chicory and watercress.

 

12. Blitz the cranberry mixture in the liquidizer until smooth (you may need to add a splash of water).

13. Pour on to a small platter or into a bowl and serve with the parcels for dipping.

14. Toss the salad at the table, then hold the remaining pomegranate half cut side down over the salad and bash the back of it with a spoon so the seeds tumble on top.

 

Seared Asian Beef

Seared Asian Beef, Best Noodle Salad & Ginger Dressing, ready in 15 minutes and for 5,78 EUR / serving.

 

Cuisine : Jamie Oliver

Serves : 4

Difficulty : Easy

Duration : 15 minutes

Calories : 585

INGREDIENTS

Salad
50g cashew nuts
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
200g fine rice noodles
1 romaine lettuce
1 large carrot
1 bunch of radishes
½ a cucumber
1 big bunch of fresh coriander
3 spring onions
1 punnet of cress
1 pack of alfalfa sprouts

Steak
1 x 450g rump steak, fat removed
2 tsp Chinese five-spice
olive oil

Dressing
1 x 105g pack of pickled ginger
2 limes
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ a fresh red chilli

METHOD

 ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Large frying pan, high heat

01. Toast the cashews, sunflower and sesame seeds in the frying pan, tossing regularly until golden, then tip into a bowl, return the pan to the heat and turn the heat up to high • Put the noodles into another bowl with a pinch of salt and cover with boiling water.

02. Rub the steak with salt, pepper and the five-spice, and put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, turning every minute until cooked to your liking.

03. In another bowl, mix together the pickled ginger and its juice, the juice of 1 to 2 limes, the fish and soy sauces and sesame oil, then finely slice and add the chilli.

04. Trim the lettuce and break the leaves apart, shredding any larger ones, then scatter over a large board • Coarsely grate over the trimmed carrot, using a box grater.

05. Halve the radishes, roughly chop the cucumber and the top leafy half of the coriander and trim and finely slice the spring onions.

06. Pile all the veg on the board, snip over the cress and scatter over the alfalfa sprouts.

07. Drain the noodles, rinse and drain again, then add them to the board.

08. When the steak is done, move it to a board to rest, then slice and place on top of the salad, pouring over any resting juices.

09. Scatter over the nuts and serve the dressing on the side, with any remaining lime wedges.

Flashy Fish Stew

Sometimes there is nothing better than a fish stew and this little number certainly won't disappoint; treat yourself to this beautiful fish stew recipe.

Cuisine : Jamie Oliver
Difficulty : Easy
Serves : 4
Cooking Time : 15 minutes
Calories : 514

INGREDIENTS


Garlic bread
1 ciabatta loaf
3–4 cloves of garlic
a few sprigs of fresh lemon thyme
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Fish stew
1 bulb of fennel
4 anchovy fillets
4 spring onions
½–1 fresh red chilli
olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
125ml white wine
700g passata
1 small bunch of fresh basil
400g mixture of fish fillets, scaled and pin-boned.
I like monkfish, red mullet, John Dory, sea bass and whiting
400g mussels and clams, scrubbed clean and debearded
4 large raw shell-on king prawns

Sauce
1 clove of garlic
1 pinch of saffron
3 heaped tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt
½ a lemon

METHOD

Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Oven at 220*C •  Food processor (bowl blade) • Large lidded casserole pan, medium heat.

1. Cut deep crisscrosses into the ciabatta.
 • Squash the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher over the bread, add the thyme sprigs and a pinch of salt and pepper, then drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil.
• Rub into the cracks of the bread, then put into the oven until golden.

2. Halve the fennel (reserving any leafy tops) and put into the processor with the anchovies, the trimmed spring onions and chilli, then blitz until finely chopped.
• Put into the casserole pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and turn the heat up to high, stirring regularly.
• Squash in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher, then pour the wine into the pan and let it cook away. • Pour in the passata and half a jar of boiling water (350ml), tear in most of the basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.

3. Cut the fish up so you’ve got four even-sized chunks of each type, then add all the seafood to the pan (throw away any open mussels and clams that don’t close when tapped), cover with the lid and boil.
• Peel the garlic and bash with a pinch of salt and the saffron in a pestle and mortar, then muddle in the yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• When the mussels and clams have opened (throw away any that remain closed), the fish will be cooked through (roughly 4 minutes).
• Season to taste, then serve scattered with the remaining basil leaves and fennel tops, the saffron sauce
and garlic bread.

Sticky Kicking Chicken

Enjoy this fresh and fabulous dinner that combines Asian-style chicken, fruit and crunchy salad.  

Cuisine          :  Jamie Oliver
Difficulty        :  Easy
Cooking time :  15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Salad
200g thin rice noodles
Sesame oil
800g watermelon
2 mini cos lettuces
1 handful radishes
½ bunch fresh mint
½ bunch fresh coriander

Chicken
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 tbs Chinese five-spice
Olive oil
2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
2 tbs sesame seeds

Dressing
2 tbs reduced-salt soy sauce
1 tbs fish sauce
½-1 fresh red chilli
½ thumb-sized piece ginger
2 spring onions
2 limes
1 small garlic clove

METHOD

1. In a bowl, fully submerge the noodles in boiling water.

2. On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the five-spice.

3. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin.

4. Put into the large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through.

5. Drain the noodles and toss with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil on a big serving platter.

6. Put 3/4 of the noodles into the medium frying pan, tossing regularly until nice and crunchy

7. Remove the watermelon skin, cut the flesh into erratic chunks and add to the  platter. Trim the lettuces and cut into small wedges, halve the radishes, finely slice the top leafy half of the mint and most of the top leafy half of the coriander, and scatter over the platter.

8. Put the coriander stalks into the liquidizer with the soy and fish sauces, chilli, peeled ginger, trimmed spring onions, a splash of water, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and the lime juice.

9. Squash in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher, then whiz until smooth.

10. Drain away any excess fat from the chicken pan, put back on the heat, drizzle with the sweet chilli sauce and toss with the sesame seeds.

11. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently with clean fingers until well coated, then break over the crispy noodles.

12. Transfer the chicken to a board and serve with an extra sprinkling of coriander leaves.

Chilli con carne meatballs

This one pot wonder is great if you're into spicy food at €4.85 per serving only. At first glance you might think this is a traditional Mexican dish, but none of that is true. It's a combination of Mexican and Indian food. The garam masala gives the meatballs a unique and delicious taste. It just gives it a little bit of extra than the more 'standard' meatballs.

 

 

Serves ......... 4

Duration ...... 15 mins

Dificulty ....... Easy

Cuisine ......... Jamie Oliver

Calories per serving ............ 437

 INGREDIENTS

Bulgur wheat

1 mug (300g) of bulgur wheat

1 preserved lemon

1 cinamon stick

Meatballs

400g lean beef mince

1 heaped tsp garam masala

olive oil

3 jarred red peppers

4 spring onions

1 tbs smoked paprika

700g passata

1 bunch of fresh coriander

1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans

1 pinch of cumin seeds

4 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt

1 lime

 

Grilled chillies

4 fresh chillies

METHOD

PREREQUISITE

• Ingredients out
• Kettle boiled
• Oven grill on high
• Medium lidded pan, high heat
• Large frying pan, high heat
• Liquidizer
• Medium frying pan, medium heat

START COOKING

1. Put 1 mug of bulgur wheat, 2 mugs of boiling water, the preservation lemon and the cinnamon stick into the medium pan and cover, stirring occasionally.

2. With clean hands, scrunch the mince with salt, pepper and the garam masala. 

 

3. Divide the mixture into 4, then with wet hands quickly shape each piece into 4 balls, placing them into the frying pan as you roll them and adding 1 tablespoon of oil, toss regularly.

4. Blitz the peppers, half the trimmed spring onions, the paprika, passata, half the coriander and a pinch of salt and pepper in the liquidizer until smooth, then pour into the medium fry pan (swirl a good splash of water around the liquidizer and pour into the pan) and turn the heat up to high.

5. Prick the chillies and put under the grill to blacken all over, then remove.

6. Rinse and drain the beans, then add to the meatballs with the cumin seeds.

7. Use tongs to transfer the meatballs straight into the pan of sauce, leaving the beans behind.

8. Finely slice the remaining trimmed spring onions.

9. Stir the beans into the sauce.

10. Remove the cinnamon stick, then mash the lemon into the bulgur wheat and serve with the meatball sauce, dollops of yoghurt, the charred chillies and wedges of lime, scattered with the remaining spring onions and coriander leaves.

Sweet sesame chilli chicken

Your new midweek favourite at €4.32 per serving. A quick, easy dish with a fresh taste – I particularly liked the heat of the ginger. I only had to buy the pak choi; I had the rest at home.

Serves...... 4
Prep ........ 15 min
Cook ....... 10 min

Dificulty ..... EASY
Good Source for ... FOLATE & VIT C
The number of portions of fruit and/or veg contained in a serving... 1 OF 5
Suitable for freezing (without noodles or rice). Unless otherwise stated, freeze for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly and heat until piping hot.

PER SERVING 277 kcals, protein 33g, carbs 13g, fat 10g, sat fat 1g, fibre 3g, sugar 9g, salt 1.4g

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5cm/2in piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
300g/11oz pak choi, trimmed, leaves separated and larger leaves halved
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve

3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
egg noodles or rice, cooked, to serve (optional)

METHOD

1 Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan. Add the onion and stir-fry for 5 mins until turning golden. Add the garlic, ginger, chicken, pak choi and sesame seeds, and stir-fry for 5 mins or until the chicken is cooked.

2 Mix the cornflour with the soy sauce, chilli sauce and lemon juice. Add to the pan and stir-fry for 1 min. Serve straight away with extra soy sauce and egg noodles or rice, if you like.