Are you thinking of saving up those precious pennies and celebrating Valentine’s Day at home next week? Here are three fail-safe and easy-to-follow recipes to impress your loved one with on February 14th this year.
Middle-Eastern Style Shakshuka
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
-1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
-2 White Onions
-4 Cloves of Garlic
-2 Bell Peppers
-2 Tins of Plum Tomatoes
-2 Tbsp of Tomato Purée
-1 Tsp Cumin
-1 Tsp Coriander
-1 Tsp Chilli Powder
-1 Tsp Ras El Hanout
-1 Tsp Rose Harissa Paste
-1 Large (or small, if you don’t like it too spicy) Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
-1 Pinch of Sugar
-1 Handful of Coriander
-1 Handful of Parsley
-4 Eggs
-Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fry the onions in olive oil on a low heat until translucent. Finely shop the garlic and add to the pan, taking care not to burn it
- Add the tomato purée and harissa paste and shake in the dried spices to cook off gently for a minute or so
- Add the pinch of sugar and some twists of salt and pepper to taste
- Add in your diced bell peppers tinned tomatoes and cook uncovered on low for around 30 mins – add a little water if it starts looking a little too dry.
- Crack in eggs and cover with lid/foil for 5 mins to cook loosely (or for longer if you prefer a well-done yolk!)
- Chop a handful of parsley and coriander to top
- Add optional toppings – I love keeping this recipe traditionally vegetarian, using feta, avocado and olive oil, but crispy bacon or chorizo is lovely here too
- Serve in the cooking dish with warm buttered toast and enjoy!
Fresh and Creamy N’duja and Tomato Fettuccine
Serves 4 (big portions!)
For the Fresh Pasta:
-5 eggs
-500g of 00 flour
- Start by making your fresh pasta. Crack eggs into a well in the centre of your flour and mix with your fingertips
- Knead for 15-20 mins until smooth and elastic-y
- Rest for 30 mins in the fridge before rolling and cutting into your desired pasta shape
For the Sauce:
-8 Large San Marzano Tomatoes
-2 Red Onions
-1 Whole Bulb of Garlic
-1 Fresh Chilli
-2 Red Peppers
-3 Tbsp of Tomato Purée
-3 Tbsp of Double Cream
-1 Large handful of Parmesan
-1 Espresso cup of Vodka
- Roast your tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers and chilli with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar on 150 degrees (using a fan assisted oven) for 45 minutes
- Blitz all roasted ingredients in a blender
- Boil a large pan of water with a lot of fine salt – your pasta water should be as salty as the sea!
- Add your sauce to a separate pan on low heat, with the tomato purée until gently bubbling
- Fry n’duja until slightly crispy in a separate pan and combine (or keep separate if not everyone likes spice!)
- Add an espresso cup full of vodka and continue cooking on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes
- Add a couple of tablespoons of cream and continue cooking on the lowest heat
- Boil your fresh pasta for 1-2 minutes
- **SUPER important** to save a mug of pasta water to loosen your sauce before serving
- Drain your pasta and add to the sauce
- Add in your reserved mug of pasta water, your parmesan and parsley and salt and pepper to taste
- Serve into bowls and enjoy!
San Francisco Chicken Salad
Serves 4
Adapted from: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/blackened-chicken/
Ingredients:
-300g Quinoa
-1 fresh Red or Yellow Chilli
-100g Baby Spinach
-4 Spring Onions
-1 Bunch Fresh Coriander
-1 Bunch Fresh Mint
-1 Large, Ripe Mango
-2 Limes
-2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1 Ripe Avocado
-50g Feta Cheese
-250g Watercress
-1 Punnet Cress
-2 Skinless Chicken Breasts
-1 Tsp Ground Allspice
-1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
-2 Mixed-Colour Bell Peppers
-4 Tbsp Yoghurt
- Put the quinoa into the pan and generously cover with boiling water and the lid.
- Put the chilli, watercress, spinach, trimmed spring onions and coriander (reserving a few leaves) into the processor
- Tear in the top leafy half of the mint, then blitz until finely chopped.
- On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, the allspice and paprika
- Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin
- Put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until blackened and cooked through.
- Deseed the peppers, cut each one into 8 strips and add to the frying pan, tossing regularly
- Peel and cut the mango into chunks.
- Drain the quinoa and rinse under the cold tap, then drain well again and tip on to a serving board or platter
- Toss with the blitzed spinach mixture, squeeze over the lime juice, add the extra virgin olive oil, mix well and season to taste.
- Sprinkle the mango chunks and cooked peppers over the quinoa
- Halve and destone the avocado, then use a teaspoon to scoop curls of it over the salad
- Slice up the chicken, toss the slices in any juices and add to the salad
- Crumble over the feta, scatter over the remaining coriander leaves and snip over the cress
- Serve with dollops of yoghurt.
