Chorizo and seafood paella recipe - Amazing

Paella is a specific Spanish dish and this recipe is not one that follows the traditional, so I should probably come up with another name for this dish. However,  I can not think of anything that will describe it better than a Chorizo and seafood paella in a rich chicken stock sauce. If anyone reads my blog and wants to try a dish from it I urge you to choose this one. It is amazing and I am happy to say so without any fear of being called arrogant. Try it for yourself and see.

Difficult - moderate
Serves - 6 (make some and freeze the rest)

Ingredients

400g of paella rice
2 Chicken wings
2 uncooked chorizo sausages
200g of raw king prawns
200g of mussel meat
50g pancetta
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
1 inch of root ginger
1 tomato
2 spring onions
10 chopped babycorns
100g of frozen peas
1 sprig of sage
2 handfuls of chopped coriander
1 chili
1.5 litres of chicken stock
150ml of white wine
2 tsp of paprika
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. This may sound lengthy, but stick with it and you'll create a meal that can soon become your signature dish.
2. In a little vegetable oil fry the chicken wings for five minutes over a high heat, turning often, but allowing the chicken to get crisp. 
3. After five minutes add one chopped chorizo sausage and the pancetta and stir for another five minutes over a high heat. 
4. Turn down the heat to low and instantly add the chicken stock. Stir for three minutes and turn off the heat. The chicken stock will now add to its flavour from the chorizo and chicken wings to create an astonishing chicken flavour.
5. In a new pan heat a little oil and then add chopped chili, ginger, garlic, onion and the remain chopped chorizo sausage, which will add to the oil and the colour at this stage.
6. After five minutes add the paprika (and chili seeds if you like a really spicy dish) and then add the rice. Stir well for a minute to coat the rice.
7. Add the white wine to a hot heat and then after the wine has reduced turn the heat down to a medium/low temperature.
8. Now spoon add the following ingredients, namely the stock (and the chorizo, pancetta and chicken wings), sage, tomato (roughly chopped), salt and pepper (no more than a teaspoon of each), peas and babycorn.
9. Simmer for 15 minutes so that the sauce begins to thicken.
10. Add the chopped spring onion, coriander, prawns and mussel meat and simmer for a further five minutes.

Stir well and serve on its own, or with warmed olive bread.

I love serving this dish with quite a bit of sauce remaining, but it would do no hard to simmer a bit more if you wish to reduce the liquid further.

Please let me know if you attempt this dish as your feedback would be much appreciated.

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Spicy Beef and Tomato Tagliatelle

This minced beef recipe is similar to a Bolognese dish, but with a spicy kick and more emphasis is on the meat rather than the tomato sauce. Nonetheless it has great Italian flavours and is lovely with olives and tagliatelle sprinkled with chili oil.

Ingredients

500g minced beef
4 to 6 cloves of garlic
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 medium red chili
1 large onion
1 400g tin of plum tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method

1. I almost always like to brown the mince first and with a pack this size I will usually do this in two batches and then place to one side.
2. Using the same pan add a little vegetable oil and on a high heat cook the chopped onion, garlic and chili for five minutes. Stir regularly.
3. Return the beef to the pan and mix in the dried vegetables and the tomato puree.
4. Cook for five minutes, again stirring often as the dish will stick due to being quite dry.
5. Now add the tin of plum tomatoes and break up the plums. I find this gives thicker consistency than pre-chopped tomatoes. 
6. Cook for a further five minutes, adding a sprinkle of salt and a good amount of freshly cracked black pepper.

Cook the Tagliatelle according to instructions and place on a plate with a drizzle of chili oil. Now spoon on the minced beef mixture and serve with a side of stuffed olives.

Check out other minced beef recipes - I do cook a lot of these, which I guess is rather lazy.

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Tandoori minced beef recipe: A great jacket potato topping

This recipe is, in some respects, a variation of a traditional chili con carne and I feel it is fantastic to serve this on top of steaming jacket potatoes with a healthy dollop of sour cream to counter the fiery spice of this minced beef mix. This recipe used a tandoori spice mix, to find out what is included in tandoori spices follow the link.

Ingredients:

500g of minced beef
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 green birdseye chili
150ml water
1 tbsp of tandoori spice mix (pictured below)
2 tsp of freshly ground coriander seeds
2 tbsp of tomato ketchup
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
100g of chopped babycorn (or your vegetable of choice)


Method

1. Start by browning the minced beef, probably in two batches, in a saucepan and then leave to one side.
2. In the same pan and using the oil from the beef fry the chopped onion, garlic and chili for ten minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Return the minced beef to the pan and add the spices and ground coriander seeds, stir well before adding the tomato ketchup. 
4. The pan should now be quite dry so add the water and stir well. Add the chopped babycorn (or your alternative vegetable) and leave to simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on buttered jacket potatoes and a dollop of sour cream.

If you like your food spicy add a tsp of chili powder along with the tandoori spice mix .

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Chicken and mushrooms in white wine sauce

This recipe is my take on the simple, yet delicious, chicken and mushroom with a white wine sauce. The main differences from this traditional dish is the inclusion of celery and celery seeds and a less creamy sauce. I hope you enjoy this easy and inoffensive dish, which is a hit with young children too.

Ingredients

300g of diced chicken (which ever part of the bird you prefer)
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
100g of chestnut mushrooms
100g of shiitake mushrooms
2 sticks of celery
1 pint of chicken stock
150ml of white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
250ml of full fat milk
50ml of double cream
25g of butter
50g of plain flour
2tsp of dried oregano
1tsp of dried parsley
1tsp of celery seeds
salt and pepper to taste - this dish does need a good pinch of salt I feel.

Method

1. In a little olive oil sweat the chopped onion and garlic for five minutes.
2. Add the diced chicken and over a medium heat cook for another five minutes
3. Add the two types of mushroom, both chopped, celery and the herbs and celery seeds.
4. Keep stirring for 5 minutes and the add the wine.
5. Simmer for five more minutes and then add the chicken stock.
6. Leave to simmer while you make the roux-style sauce.
7. In a separate pan melt the butter and then take off the heat and stir in the flour. Return to a low heat and add the milk. Stir continurously and when the sauce begins to thicken add the cream.
8. Now mix this sauce in with the chicken and stir and continue to simmer for another five minutes. 
9. In all the cooking should take between 45 minutes and an hour, but just make sure the chicken is cooked through.
10. Add pepper and salt if required.

Please note the sauce is very runny, but this works perfectly with a plate of rice to soak it all up.

Serve with rice.

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Roast Guinea Fowl and Streaky Bacon Recipe

As promised here is a simple recipe for roasting the game bird Guinea Fowl. Check out what is guinea fowl if this is a new animal for you. It is important not to overcook and dry out the bird, which has a subtly gamey flavour.

Ingredients:

1 guinea fowl - which is usually the size of a very small chicken
4 rashers of streaky bacon
3 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic
a knob of butter

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees.
   
2. Crush the garlic and place it with the thyme in the cavity of the bird.
   
3. Smear the butter over the skin of the bird. Don't worry if this is too unhealthy for you, but it makes the skin gorgeous.
   
4. Place three of the bacon rashers from left to right over the bird and one from top to bottom over the top.
   
5. Put the bird in the oven for an hour. Please note that this may differ depending on the size of the bird.
   
6. After 30 to 40 minutes remove the now crispy bacon and continue cooking the guinea fowl.
   

Separate the legs and breasts and serve with the bacon. This is delightful with sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables and a cider gravy.

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Mixed game meat and tomato stew

Following interest in a previous game meat recipe, I decided to attempt a new creation. While the first was a casserole this one can be a classed a stew. What is the difference between a casserole and a stew? Follow the link to find out. This recipe focuses on the flavour of the game meat, a rich tomato sauce, a strong taste of thyme with celeriac providing the substance.

This has only been tested the once, but it was an overwhelming success, so I am confident in recommending it.  Don't worry if you have alternative game meat for this dish as it will work with venison and others just as well.

Serves: 4 as a main meal

Ingredients
350g mixed game meat - pigeon, partridge, pheasant and mallard.
400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
600ml of beef stock
Half a medium celeriac - cubed (pictured below)
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 medium carrots
2 fresh tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
3 sprigs of thyme
2 tsp of dried thyme
2 tsp of salt
1 tbsp of coriander powder


Method

1. In a little olive oil in a large saucepan heat the chopped onion and garlic until soft.
   
2. While that is cooking, mix half the salt, coriander powder and dried thyme with the chopped game meat in a bowl.
   
3. Add the meat to the onion and stir continuously or the meat will stick to the pan.
   
4. After 5 minutes add the tomato puree and tomatoes roughly chopped (not the tin), mix and reduce the heat.
   
5. Now add the beef stock, tin of chopped tomatoes, cubed celeriac and sliced carrot. Using scissors cut the sprigs of thyme and add to the saucepan.
   
6. Add the remainder of the salt, stir and place the lid on the pan.
   
7. Now leave to simmer of an hour, stirring occasionally.
   

Serve with steamed green vegetables and jacket potatoes.

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Pork chops with shiitake mushrooms

This awesome recipe is inspired by one of the great Delia Smith's favourite recipes. The flavour that this recipe gives the pork chops is quite exquisite, if I do say so myself.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 pork chops
200g shiitake mushrooms
fresh thyme
juice of half a lemon
25g plain flour
100ml warm water
salt and plenty of cracked black pepper
1 tbsp of double cream and 1 tbsp of soft cream cheese whisked together.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
   
2. Start by heating a little oil in a pan and then seal the pork chops a minute on each side.
   
3. Place on tin foil, which is large enough to turn up around the edges, and season generously with salt and pepper.
   
4. In the same pan, adding more oil if necessarily, fry the chopped shiitake mushrooms until soft. Add the lemon juice and mix until absorbed.
   
5. Mix in the flour and then add the water and simmer until the mixture is thick.
   
6. Turn off the heat and mix in the soft cheese and cream mixture.
   

Serve with steamed vegetables and baby new potatoes.

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Keema Lamb with Coconut Cream Recipe

I love the flavours that go into a traditional Keema Lamb recipe, but have found that using coconut cream creates an entirely unique dish that is served perfectly with plain rice.

Serves: 4
Difficulty level: Easy
Spice: Medium/Hot

Ingredients:

400g minced lamb (ask your butcher to do this to ensure good quality meat)
1 large onion
2 green finger chilies
2 cloves of garlic
1 piece of cassia bark (pictured below)
1 piece of cinnamon
4 cloves
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
1 tsp of tumeric
2 tsp of garam masala
50g of frozen peas
1 can of coconut cream (400ml)

*If you do not have all of the above spices it is not going to harm the dish if one or two are absent.

Method

1. Start by browning the minced lamb and put it to one side once it is browned.
   
2. Heat a little olive oil and then fry the chopped onion, garlic and chili - stirring regularly for 5 to ten minutes.
   
3. Add the browned mince and mix together with the chopped onion mixtures.
   
4. Add the spices and mix thoroughly and cook for five further minutes.
   
5. Add the coconut cream and stir well into the minced lamb.
   
6. Add the frozen peas.
   
7. Add salt to taste.
   
8. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
   
9. Discard the cassia bark (pictured), stick of cinnamon and cloves.
   

Serve with rice.

The taste of this dish may not appeal to all, as the cream can be off putting to certain palettes, but I believe the flavours would also work with a tin of chopped tomatoes, although I have not tried this myself.

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Salmon Fillet with Honey, Orange and Ginger

This quick and easy salmon recipe is sweet with the honey, while the orange and ginger accompanies the fish delightfully.

Serve this dish with a plateful of salad, or some new baby potatoes and steam vegetables for a meal that takes 30 minutes to complete from start to finish.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 fresh salmon fillets
1 tbsp of honey
juice of 1 orange
2 tsp of grated ginger
a handful of chopped fresh coriander
sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Turn on the oven and heat at 200 degrees.
   
2. Place tin foil on a baking tray and lay on the two salmon fillets. Turn up the foil so that it can hold a small amount of liquid.
   
3. Now grate the ginger root and squeeze the juice from the orange.
   
4. Mix together with the honey to form a paste and pour over the salmon fillets.
   
5. The paste will fall off, so wrap up the tin foil around the sides of the fillets.
   
6. Sprinkle on the chopped coriander and place in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes depending on how well done you like your salmon.
   

To improve the above recipe you should marinate the salmon fixture in the mixture for at least a few hours.

Yeah this blog needed some pictures - so here is a salmon fillet :)

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Chicken breast stuffed with chorizo

This is one of my favourite 'dinner party dishes' as it tastes fabulous and looks far more impressive than it probably is. It can be fiddly to pull off a perfect stuffed chicken breast, but is far from complex, so give it a go and let me know how you get on.

As much as we all love chicken a whole breast can lack flavour, so stuffing it with chorizo makes up for this with abundance, while the wafer thin prosciutto wrapped around also adds a lovely taste. Ok, on to the recipe.


Ingredients

4 large plump chicken breasts
5 inches of cured chorizo sausage
4/8 rashers of prosciutto
1 large onion (finely chopped)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp of olive oil

Method

1. Start by turning the oven on to 180 degrees.
   
2. Now the difficult bit. Use a sharp knife with a small blade and carefully push it into the end of each chicken breast at the plumpest part. Make sure you do not get too close to breaking through at the other end. Take out the knife and push in a (washed) finger to open up the hole further, but keeping the breast in tact.
   
3. Now chop four inches of the chorizo (one inch per chicken breast is enough, but you can use more) into small pieces. Slice the remaining inch into four even pieces, which will be used to block up the chicken later.
   
4. Fry the onion in a little of the oil for a few minutes and then add the chopped chorizo. Stir constantly until the chorizo lets off its oil and the onion is soft. Take off the heat and mix in the salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
   
5. Once cool push as much of the mixture as you can into each chicken breast. Don't push your luck or the breast may rip. Use the chorizo slices to fill the hole.
   
6. Now rub the remaining oil over the breasts and place on a hot pan over a medium heat, turning often to sear all sides. Do one at a time to make it easier.
   
7. Finally wrap the semi-cooked breasts with the prosciutto. One or two slices each depending on their width. Now place in the hot oven with foil placed roughly on top of the breasts. Turn once at 15 minutes, remove the foil and leave for another 15 minutes.
   

Please check the chicken is fully cooked and then enjoy your meal, especially when you first slice open your stuffed chicken breast.

A variation of the above is to add chopped chili in with the onion to give an extra kick to this dish.

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Chicken and Almond creamy curry - A korma style curry children can enjoy

I am not sure what actually defines a dish as being a curry, but this one resembles that of what is considered a korma. However, this dish is not spicy, oily and is certainly suitable for children. My two-year-old loves it!

This serves three and takes less than 90 minutes from start to finish to reproduced.

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts (or 300g of boneless chicken)
2 large onions
5 cloves of garlic
25g of root ginger
2cm stick of cinnamon
5 green cardamon pods
15 coriander seeds (roughly)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp tumeric
100g of low fat yoghurt
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of caster sugar
25g desiccated coconut (dry fried and soaked in water)
50g ground almonds
25g flaked almonds
knob of butter
75ml of double cream (replace with single if you wish)

There are a lot of ingredients listed above - do not fear if you are missing one or two, the basis of this dish will carry it through regardless.

Method:

Firstly in a dry saucepan heat the stick of cinnamon until it starts to let off a smell. Now add the cardamon pods and coriander seeds and heat until they begin to darken in colour.
Remove the spices from the heat and using a spice grinder reduced to a fine powder. Use a sieve to check the powder is fine.
Blitz the garlic and ginger with a slash of water to form a paste
Mix together the spices, garlic/ginger paste, yoghurt and salt and marinate the chopped chicken (use bite-sized pieces).
Return to the fridge for as long as it takes to prepare the rest of the meal.
Chop the onions and using a hand blender reduce to a puree.
Heat the butter in a saucepan and then cook the pureed onion for five minutes.
Now add the marinated chicken, nutmeg and tumeric and simmer in the pan with the lid on for 20 minutes.
Add the almond powder, flaked almonds and desiccated coconut to the mix and cook for five more minutes.
Now add the double cream and cook for a further two minutes.

Serve with rice and/or peshwari naan bread

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Thai coconut fish and noodle soup recipe

I used swordfish loins in this tasty easy-to-make soup, but try tilapia or your fish of choice and you'll still get great results.

Serves three as a main.

Ingredients:

2 swordfish loins
100g of egg fried noodles
1 litre of fish stock
1 sachet of creamed coconut
1 onion
1 leek
2 sticks of lemon grass (broken and crushed)
3 spring onions
an inch of ginger (crushed)
fresh coriander
freshly cracked pepper
salt to taste

Method:


Heat some oil in a saucepan and fry the chopped onion, ginger and lemon grass for five minutes. Add the fish stock and sliced leek and simmer for ten minutes.
Place the contents of the sachet of creamed coconut and mix until dissolved.
Add half the coriander and two chopped spring onions, cracked black pepper and taste the soup, now add salt if desired.
Place the swordfish loins and noodles into the simmering soup and cook for five minutes.
Test the fish is cooked and then remove the ginger and lemon grass and serve. Sprinkle the remainder coriander and spring onion in the bowls.

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Mixed game casserole recipe

This casserole recipe works well with any game meat, but I have used it for a mixed selection of game meats, namely venison, pigeon and rabbit.

300g of mixed game meat

1 tbsp of plain flour

1 tsp of cracked black pepper

salt to taste

one onion

4 garlic cloves

2 leeks

2 sticks of celery

2 carrots

2 tomatoes

1 large glass of red wine

500ml beef stock

1 tsp of celery seeds

fresh basil

splash of worcester sauce

Method:

In a little vegetable oil fry the chopped onion and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes until soft. Then place in a casserole dish.

Mix the chopped game meat with plain flour, salt (to taste) and cracked pepper.

Add a slash more oil to the same pan and then add the meat and frequently turn until the edges are browned. Then add to the casserole dish.

While the pan is still hot, deglaze with the red wine and add to the mixture.

Place the rest of the ingredients in and mix together. You may wish to add extra pepper and salt at this stage.

Place the dish in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for at least an hour and a half. Half way through give the casserole a stir.

Serve with yorkshire puddings, or mash potato and freshly boiled peas.

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Rabbit coconut curry recipe

I think rabbit accompanies coconut so well, but of course it can be replaced by your meat of choice if you are not a fan of rabbit, while it even works well with potato in a vegetable curry!

Ingredients

500g of rabbit meat roughly chopped (with bones if you don't mind picking them out)

400ml of chicken stock

1 onion

2 chilies (strength depending on your tastes)

1 tbsp of desiccated coconut 

3 cloves

4 greed cardamon pods

10 coriander seeds

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1 heaped tsp of turmeric

1 tsp of ginger powder

1 tsp of coriander powder

1 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp of garam masala 

Method

salt and pepper to taste

Coconut cream (either a can or in the solid form)

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Luxury Fish Pie

Ingredient:

Fish and Sauce:

Two salmon fillets

One cod loin

100g cooked prawns

75g butter

75g plain flour

500ml fish stock

200ml milk

50ml cream

1 glass of white wine

1 carrot

1 leek

1 medium onion

1 bayleef

handful of fresh parsley

5 peppercorns

salt and pepper (to taste)

splash of lemon juice

50g red leicester cheese (grated)

Mashed potato:

Six medium potatoes

Two sweet potatoes

50ml milk

25g butter

25ml cream

50g red leicester cheese (grated)

Topping:

50g red leicester cheese (finely grated)

50g breadcrumbs

Method:

This meal sounds like a lot of effort given the ingredient list above, but it is simple and can be prepared in 45 minutes - plus another 25 minutes of oven cooking time. It is well worth the effort too.

Start off by preparing the potatoes by pealing them all and chopping them into quarters. Add them to salted water and bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Once cooked strain the water, add the small amounts of butter, milk and cheese and mash.

Meanwhile, add the chopped onion, leek, carrot, peppercorns and bay leaf to the fish stock and bring to the boil and then simmer for ten minutes.

Place the salmon and cod to the stock and continue to simmer for three minutes.

Take out the fish and set aside to cool

Strain the stock with a sieve, then return to the boil and then simmer and add the wine.

Melt the butter and then mix with the flour and return to the heat for a minute. Slowly add the stock while continually mixing and then add the milk, cheese, parsley and flour. Add salt and white pepper to taste.

Now put the meal together by placing the prawns, and fish in a dish along with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mix around so the fish breaks into pieces.

Pour over the sauce and sprinkle over some extra grated cheese and cracked black pepper before layering on the mashed potato.

Smooth the dish before adding a mixture of grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

Return to the oven at 200degrees for at least 25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs become crispy.

Serve with vegetables and garlic bread and enjoy.

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Quick and easy beef lasagna

This lasagna is simple, but very tasty. It can be put together in under 30 minutes and could easily feed a family of four.

Ingredients:

800g of minced beef

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 medium tomatoes

1tbs of tomato puree

50ml of red wine

75ml of milk

a few drops of worcester sauce

a handful of chopped basil, rosemary and oregano

1 tsp of cinnamon powder

freshly cracked pepper

salt

250g of ricotta

4 sheets of uncooked lasagna

Olive oil

Cheese sauce

50g of butter

plain flour

300ml of milk

150g of grated cheddar

2tsp of paprika

Method

For the mince, fry the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Separately fry the mince in batches until browned. Once complete add to the onions and under a low heat add the two chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs, cinnamon, worcester sauce, pepper and salt (optional). Stir regularly for 10 minutes before adding the wine and milk. Stir thoroughly and cook for give more minutes. Leave to cool while preparing the cheese sauce.

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan taking care not to burn the butter. Take it off the heat and stir in the flour until it becomes a thick paste. Add the milk and return to a medium heat. Stirring regularly until the sauce starts to thicken. Take off the heat again and add the grated cheese and paprika. 

Using a 6 inch squared ovenproof bowl place half of the beef mix on the bottom, followed by half of the ricotta placed roughly on top of the mince. Place two sheets of lasagna on top - overlapping if necessary. Now repeat the step with the remaining beef, ricotta and lasagna sheets. Finally pour over the thick cheese sauce and once cool grate some additional cheddar on top.

This can be prepared in advance of cooking in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for thirty minutes - longer if coming from the fridge or freezer.

Serve with green vegetables and enjoy.

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