Tuesday 19 February 2013

stuffed tomatoes + peppers (yemistes domates)
















































Here is a traditional Greek dish of tomatoes or peppers stuffed with mince and rice.  A meal on its own and I'm always in two minds what to serve with them, but I would say a simple salad would work perfectly well.

Both the tomatoes and peppers roast to release all their sweet juices into the mince, making it very flavoursome but the real secret ingredient is a teaspoon on sugar in each pepper or tomato before placing the mince and this gives real sweetness to the dish.







Serves 2 - 4:

You will need:
  • 4 beef tomatoes
  • 2 peppers
  • 6 tsp of sugar
For the stuffing:
  • 400g mince
  • 200g rice
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
For the white sauce
  • 100g flour
  • 30g marge
  • 100ml milk
Method:

1) Make the mince.  Fry the onion till transparent, then add mince, tin tomato and bay leaf.  In a separate pot boil the rice and mix together with the mince.

2) Prepare the beef tomatoes and peppers.  Using a sharp knife remove the tops and clean out the inners with a teaspoon.  You may use the tomato inners when cooking the mince instead of a tin of chopped tomatoes.  Add a teaspoon of sugar into each pepper and tomato.

3) Stuff the tomatoes and peppers with the mince mixture.

4) Prepare the white sauce (optional).  Melt the marge in a pan, add the flour till it forms a paste then gently add the milk.  Stir with a whisk until thick.  Pour over the top of the stuffed tomatoes and peppers.

5) Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for approx 20-30 mins




Thursday 14 February 2013

the ultimate steak feast

Valentines feast for one.... 

Cause who really cares about Valentines day?  I couldn't think of anything worse than eating out surrounded by love birds and by love birds I mean love birds for a day. 

There was a time when it used to be fun in school, we'd receive different colour ribbons to wear on our blazers, most of mine being yellow (friendship) rather than red (lovers), but fun none the less. 

Not only is a good excuse for retailers and restaurants to cash in, it also makes all the single folk feel slightly lonely.  So it is with this in mind that I have created a feast fit for one, all those wondering what to do tonight, go grab yourself a steak fit for a king.

In summary:  Steak on a giant garlic crouton, topped with berry sauce and melted Camembert!!!




You will need:

1 clove of garlic, grated
1 rump steak
1 tablespoon of mixed berry jam or raspberry jam
1 slice of Camembert cheese
1 slice of bread

Method:

Step by step:

1) Place a glass on top of the bread and cut out a circle crouton and fry in a little olive oil with the garlic.




2) Fry your steak and place on top of the garlic crouton




3) Water down the jam in a saucepan with a little water, leave to simmer till it starts to thicken and pour over the steak



 4) Place the slice of Camembert on top of the steak and put under grill till the cheese melts slightly.

Thursday 7 February 2013

sweet potatoes and cous cous



This is a simple yet rich tomatoey sweet potato and carrot stew which works very well with cous cous.  In fact I would serve everything with cous cous if I could, I'm just simply addicted to it.

A soft hint of cumin brings out the sweetness in the carrots and the potatoes making this an all round mid-week family favourite.

Maybe a little healthy for some but try it, it may surprise you.



 Serves 2

You'll need:
  • 3 sweet potatoes, chopped (skin on for more roughage)
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 cup cous cous
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 Tbs olive oil

Method:

1) Saute the onion in olive oil till transparent.
2) Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and cumin and simmer for approx 20 - 30 mins.
3) Pour the boiling water over the cous cous and leave to stand for approx 10 mins, serve with the stew and enjoy.