Two really different and wonderful creamed spinach recipes

October 19, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

A rather exotic Indian-style creamed spinach

This a wonderful Indian-style twist on that great American classic. It is great with any roast meat, salmon or shrimp.

Serves 4

2lbs fresh spinach (pre-washed is so much easier to deal with!)
2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp Garam masala

Bring about 2 gallons of water to a boil with 2 tbsp salt.
Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water just returns to a boil.
Drain in a colander, refresh under cold running water, then press the spinach against the sides of the colander to press out as much water as possible.
Pulse in a food processor until finely chopped, but not pureed; reserve.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and jalapeno and cook, without coloring, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the creme fraiche or heavy cream and bring to a boil.
Add the spinach and 1/4 cup water and stir until the spinach is heated through.
Season with the 1 1/2 tsp salt, the pepper and Garam masala and serve

The creamed spinach recipe from the famous Lawry’s restaurant

This is the exact recipe from that wonderful Lawry’s restaurant and is delicious!
Serves 4

1 10oz bag package of frozen chopped spinach
2 bacon slices, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped green onions (spring onions)
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup half and half

Cook the spinach according to the package directions. Drain well.

Fry the bacon and onions together in a skillet over medium heat until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Add the flour, seasoned salt, pepper and garlic.
Blend thoroughly.
Gradually add the half and half and return to a low heat, stirring until thickened.
Add the spinach and mix well.

Meat

Sweet chili roasted sausages and butternut squash

October 19, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

These all-in-one-pan roasts are divine and fast. Great for working people to throw together at the end of a hard day and you have a delicious meal. This dish is incredibly simple but just a little different because of the sweet chili sauce and cilantro.

Serves 4

8 good pork sausages (I use sweet Italian)
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 small/medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
2 small red onions, peeled and quartered
12 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small handful cilantro, leaves picked and chopped

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Put the sausages in a bowl with the sweet chili sauce and shake around until they are fully coated with the sauce. Tip them into a large roasting pan.

Toss the butternut squash and red onion in with the sausages.

Nestle the cherry tomatoes around the dish and then drizzle the lot with the olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 30 minutes, or until the sausages are golden brown and the vegetables tender.

Scatter with the chopped cilantro and serve in the center of the table with crusty bread to mop up the juices

Gluten Free · Nuts · Salad · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Zucchini, feta, pine nut and caper salad

October 19, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is such a divine combination and wonderful with grilled or roasted meats. After you have made it a couple of times you can start experimenting and add Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, basil, scallions…. Limitless possibilities.

Serves 4 (at most)

For the zucchini
1lb 4oz small zucchini, cut lengthways into fairly thin slices
1/4 tsp dried red chili flakes, optional
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar, plus extra to taste
1/2 tsp lemon zest, grated
1 – 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, plus a few whole leaves for garnish
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then drained

To serve
7 oz Greek feta cheese, crumbled
4 tbsp pine nuts toasted

For the zucchini: Put the zucchini in to a colander and toss with 1 tsp salt.
leave for 30 to 60 minutes to drain in the sink, then rinse and dry on paper towels.
Season with lots of pepper and the chili flakes, if using. Add the oil and toss to coat.

Heat a griddle pan or a frying pan until hot and grill the zucchini for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once until well browned and just tender. Transfer to a dish.

For the dressing: Put the oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, garlic and chopped mint and parsley in a bowl and whisk well.
Stir in the capers and pour the dressing over the zucchini.
Cover and set aside for 30 to 60 minutes for the flavors to marry.

To serve” just before serving, mix in the feta cheese and serve sprinkled with the pine nuts and a few mint leaves.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

Malaysian Chicken

October 19, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I am a sucker for Malaysian and Indonesian food so this is right up my street. The creaminess of the coconut milk, the complex citrus flavors of the lemon grass and Kaffir lime leaf and the moist, falling off the bone chicken.
What more could you want and it’s easy too.

Serves 4

Vegetable or groundnut oil
1 chopped onion
8 organic chicken thighs
3 medium-hot red chilies
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 lemongrass stalk
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
5 Kaffir lime leaves, sliced very finely
14 fl oz coconut milk ( or 1 can )
fish sauce
3 1/2 fl oz chicken stock
2 tsp soft brown sugar or palm sugar
wedges of lime

Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the 8 chicken thighs, skin-side down until the skin is crisp and golden.
Remove the chicken and set aside.

Whizz the chopped onion, garlic cloves, chilies, lemon grass stalk, outer leaves removed and inner core sliced, 1 tbsp grated ginger and a good glug of oil in the food processor.
Fry this paste in the same pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes, add the turmeric, cinnamon stick, 2 star anise and the finely sliced Kaffir lime leaves, then fry for 3 minutes.

Stir in the tin of coconut milk and chicken stock, sit the chicken thighs in the pan, skin-side up and simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce is reduced.

If for some reason the dish has too much liquid and it’s too thin, take out the chicken and turn the heat up to reduce the sauce, stirring, then put back the chicken thighs when the sauce has reduced and is thicker. This also increases the intensity of the sauce.

Add the 2 tsp of sugar and a dash of fish sauce.
Serve with the lime wedges to squeeze over before eating.

Serve with white rice.

Do-ahead · Meat

Slow cooked, apple-mustard pulled pork

October 16, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

So tasty, so sloooowly cooked and falling off the bone…

Serves 6
Cooks for 8 hours plus overnight salting

7 oz sea salt
10 1/2 oz light muscovado sugar
4lb piece of shoulder of pork
3oz whole grain mustard
4 fl oz maple syrup
2 tbsp English mustard powder or English mustard like Colmans. (Available in US stores)

Mix the sea salt and 2/3 of the sugar in a large food bag, add the pork and coat it well. (If you don’t have a food bag, rub over the pork and coat it well)
Leave in the fridge overnight

The next day, remove the pork and wipe down the meat with kitchen paper.
Heat the oven to 275 F.
Mix the remaining sugar, the maple syrup, mustards and some ground pepper.
Rub half the mixture over the pork and sit it on a rack in a roasting pan.

Roast for 6 hours.
Spoon the remaining maple mixture over the pork and roast for 1 hour more

Rest the meat for 30 mins on a plate loosely covered with foil.
To serve, tear the pork into big, fat chunks and, after skimming the surface, spoon over any juices from the tin

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Potato, squash and goat cheese gratin

October 15, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Serve 6, but can easily be doubled or trebled

2 (1/2 lb) medium yellow squash
4 medium red potatoes, about 1 lb
3 tbsp olive oil
5 oz goat cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup whole milk or cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp thinly sliced basil or thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 F. lightly grease a 1 1/2 to 2 qt baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife,, slice the squash and potatoes into very, very thin slices, 1/8 inch or less.
Toss the sliced vegetables with 3 tbsp olive oil in a large bowl.
Place 1/3 of the squash and potato slices in the bottom of the dish – no need to layer them squash-potato-squash, just evenly – then season with salt and pepper.
Top with half of the goat cheese, scattered evenly in large chunks.
Repeat with another 1/3 of the vegetables, seasoning again with salt and pepper and topping with the other 1/2 of the goat cheese.
Finish by layering on the final 1/3 of the vegetables and seasoning with salt and pepper.
Pour the milk or cream over the entire dish. Top with the parmesan cheese.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until the top browns.
Scatter on the fresh basil, if using and serve

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Asparagus, orange and goat cheese salad

October 15, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

Light and so gorgeous! It’s also lovely with some sliced cooked beets added.

Serves 4

11 oz thin asparagus spears
1 1/2 cups watercress or baby arugula
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 orange, cut into 12 segments, pith, pips and skin removed
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp good olive oil
2 1/2 oz soft goat’s cheese

Cook the asparagus in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes or until just tender. Rinse under cold water to cool, then combine with the watercress or arugula, red onion and orange segments on a serving dish
Combine the orange juice, sugar, red wine vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds in a pitcher.
Whisk in the oil with a fork until combined and drizzle over the salad.
Crumble the goat’s cheese over the salad and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp poppy seeds over the salad before serving

Do-ahead · Fish · Nuts

African Fish Pie

October 15, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is unusual and really delicious with the mild curry flavor and raisins taking it to a different level.

Serves 6

1 oz butter, plus a little extra for greasing the tin
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
3 1/2 oz raisins
1/3 cup whole blanched almonds, chopped
1 cup whole milk
2 thick slices white bread
2lbs 4 oz skinless cod, or another similar fish, finely chopped
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 375 F
Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until soft and lightly golden, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Mix in 1 tbsp of the curry powder, the turmeric, lemon zest and juice, raisins and almonds.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Pour 2 1/2 tbsp of the milk into a bowl and soak the bread in it for 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.
Squeeze the bread dry then tear it into small pieces and put in a large bowl.
Add the fish, one of the two eggs and the mixture from the frying pan to the bowl, season well with salt and pepper and mix together.

Scoop into a lightly buttered non-stick square baking tin that is 2 3/4 inches high.
Bake for 15 minutes. Towards the end of the 15 mins, whisk together the remaining milk, curry powder and egg. Pour the liquid over the top of the mixture in the tin.
Bake for a further 45 mins or until set.
Cool for 15 mins, then cut into squares to serve.