Chicken and Lentil Cacciatore

This recipe is from Women's Weekly, Healthy Heart Cookbook
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Per serving: 17.3g fat; 1858KJ

Store: Recipe can be made a day a head and refrigerated, covered or frozen

Ingredients:
1. Cooking-oil spray
2. 8 skinless chicken thigh fillets (880g), halved
3. 1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped finely
4. 300g button mushrooms, halved
5. 1 clove garlic, crushed
6. 2 x 440g cans no-added salt tomatoes
7. 1 tablespoon no added salt tomato paste
8. 1 cup chicken stock (250 ml)
9. 1/3 cup red lentils (65g)
10. ½ cup seeded black olives (60g)
11. 1 tablespoon drained capers
12. 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
13. 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Method:
1. Lightly spray large non-stick saucepan with cooking oil spray. Cook chicken until browned all over, turning occasionally. Remove from pan.
2. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic to pan; cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add unstrained crushed tomatoes, paste, stock and lentils.
3. Return chicken to pan simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Stir in olives, capers, oregano and parsley.

Note: Additional herbs and carrots in photos are my own additions to the recipe.
For correct reading of Per serving: 17.3g fat; 1858KJ, please adhere strictly to the recipe given.

Aubergine with Hoi Sin Sauce

It's obvious that I love aubergines, it is a great influence from mum.
Was wondering the best way to cook the balance piece in the fridge and was inspired at the sight of the bottle of Hoi Sin Sauce.

Aubergines/egg plants/brinjals soak up oil like a sponge thus I was wondering which would be the best way to remedy the problem. I decided to bake them in an oven which would also retain the texture.
There are no specific measurements as such to this recipe as I am just experimenting.

Ingredients:
1. One large aubergine, sliced thickly in rings
2. Three tablespoons of Hoi Sin Sauce
3. One tablespoon of Vegetarian/ordinary oyster sauce
4. ½ teaspoon fish sauce
5. Pinch of freshly ground mixed pepper
6. Dash of sesame oil
7. Stalk of celery including leaves, and a spring onion - roughly sliced
8. One teaspoon chilli sauce of your choice (optional)
9. Two tablespoons of onion/vegetable/olive oil
10. 1/4 cup of warm water
11. Teaspoon of potato/corn flour, mixed well with a teaspoon of water (optional)
12. Sesame seed for garnish - amount, according to taste







Method:
1. Pre-heat oven on moderate heat, place aubergines in a single layer on an oven tray. Bake uncovered for ten minutes till lightly browned. Flip over and bake for a further ten minutes or more depending on the thickness of the aubergines. Turn the oven off but leave the aubergines in to keep warm. A good idea is to leave a serving dish in the oven to warm up too.
2. Moderate heat, two tablespoons of onion/vegetable/olive oil, fry the white parts of the spring onion together with a dash of ground mixed pepper till fragrant. Lower heat, add Hoi Sin, oyster, fish and chilli sauce, and fry gently for about a minute.
3. Increase heat to medium, add water, stir and mix well. If sauce is too watery, add solution of potato/corn flour mixture. Stir well. Add dash of sesame oil. Adjust seasoning. Add celery/spring onions.
4. Dredge aubergine pieces in the sauce and place on serving dish. Pour remaining sauce over aubergines.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving hot with plain rice.

Note:
1. Pre-heat oven first BEFORE slicing aubergines. Bake immediately without oil to prevent vegetable from discolouring.
2. Faster way, skip Method '4', simply pour sauce over assembled aubergines

Runner Beans with Prawns

Isabella doesn't mind the sight of prawn heads in a dish and it would be a shame, in my opinion, to discard the prawn heads as they add an additional dimension to a dish.
Since I didn't cook her an aubergine dish this was what I substituted.

Ingredients:
1. Half a kilo of runner beans, sliced according to your choice
2. One carrot, sliced according to your choice
3. Ten large fresh prawns, shelled, de-veined but keep the tails and heads intact
4. Half an onion, sliced
5. Four whole garlic cloves (or less, depending on preference), skinned and lightly bruised
6. One stalk of celery, sliced
7. Dash of sesame oil
8. Pinch of salt
9. 1/2 cup of chicken/vegetable stock with a teaspoon of potato/corn flour added, mix well
10. Five tablespoons of vegetable oil or oil or your choice









Method:
1. In a wok, very high heat, add oil, and when oil is smoking, add prawns. After a few seconds flip the prawns over and leave to cook for a few more seconds. Dish up and set aside.
2. In the same wok, (you may need to add more oil, depending on the amount of vegetables), reheat work to smoking, add garlic, stir quickly, add onions, stir for few seconds, and add carrots. Fry for less than a minute, add runner beans, dash of white pepper and pinch of salt.
3. Add chicken stock a bit at a time and stir fry on very high heat. When vegetables are just about done according to your taste, add juice from the prawns and prawns. Fry for less than half a minute, dish up and serve hot.

Note:
Do not overcook the prawns. Fresh prawns are very expensive in Spain and it would be a shame to over cook them.

Pork Ribs and Prawn Noodle Soup

For HBH

We love prawn noodle soup so I save the prawn shells each time I use prawns for any dishes. They freeze very well. Mark the packet(s) for easier retrieval.
Shells from approximately two kilos of prawns yield a delicious soup, full of flavour and natural sweetness from the prawns.
The success of this dish is the stock, thus be patient and you will be appreciating every drop of the soup.

There are many ways to prepare this dish but this is my version.

Ingredients:
1. Ten or more large prawns, rinsed and drained on colander
2. Frozen prawn shells and heads, rinsed and drained on colander
3. One rice bowl of fresh whole small shrimps
4. Four tablespoons of dried prawns (shake in sieve to remove grit and dust but do not rinse)
5. Six pieces of medium sized soft pork ribs, blanched
6. One medium sized piece of rock sugar
7. Pinch of salt
8. Noodles of your choice
9. Bean sprouts
10. One stalk of spring onions/celery leaves, finely sliced
11. Small bunch of Water Convolvulus/Kang Kong, pluck only the tender parts (if available)
12. Two tablespoons of vegetable/onion oil
13. Three cloves of whole garlic without skin
14. One slice of ginger
13. Pinch of white pepper
14. Crispy fried shallots/caramelized onions according to taste
15. Ten cups or more of chicken stock excluding stock from cooking raw prawns




Add some liquid and scrape bottom of pot before blending
Blended prawn mixtures
Pork ribs simmering in stock

Method:
1. Put just enough water in a small pot to cover raw prawns, bring to a boil. Add raw prawns (not the small fresh shrimp), lower heat to simmer till prawns are just cooked. Reserve liquid for stock. Ladle prawns out and rinse in cold water. Remove shells and de-vein. Save prawn heads and shells to make stock.
2. Wash pork ribs, blanch with hot water, re-rinse and wash well by removing blood and impurities. Set aside.
3. Heat pot (same pot for cooking the prawn stock) on a high heat, add oil and brown ginger and garlic till slightly brown. Add prawn heads, shells, small fresh shrimp, dried prawns, pinch of salt and white pepper. Fry till slightly crispy and aromatic. Add reserved liquid for cooking raw prawns into pot and scrape bottom of pot. The slightly burnt bits enhance the flavouring for the stock.
4. Pour prawn shells mixture into blender, blend till very smooth.
5. Pour mixture back into pot and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
6. Add pork ribs, and once water has re-boiled, lower heat to simmer. Remove scum from the surface. Add salt and rock sugar and continue to simmer uncovered until the pork ribs are tender. The stock should be reduced by about half. Add more stock if necessary.
7. Remove pork ribs and sieve the stock. Add pork ribs back to the pot and bring it back to a boil. Adjust seasoning according to taste.

To Serve:
1. In a separate pot, scald noodles for less than ¾ of a minute, add bean sprouts and kang kong (if used) and sieve on colander immediately, divided into individual serving bowls. Top with prawns and pork ribs, then ladle the hot soup over it, garnish with spring onions/celery leaves and/or crispy fried shallots/caramelized onions and serve hot.
2. Serve with sliced fresh red chillies in light soya sauce and fried pork lard if available.
3. Quicker way of cooking, skip under 'Method Step 4' and omit pork ribs. Substitute with pork tenderloin/belly pork or do not use any meat products.

Aubergine with Dried Prawns (Hae Bee Hiam)

My family loves aubergines in any form. My dear sister hand carried a bottle of the precious home cooked Hae Bee Hiam from Singapore to me in Spain. Thousand thanks, sister.

Isabella loves aubergines too and the initial plan was to cook and bring it over for her to eat after her eye operation. I was hesitant that she might be put off by the smell of belachan and dried prawns. Her first meal would be at least twelve hours after her operation. With this in mind, the indulging was mine by default. I shall cook another dish for her.

Ingredients:
1. One medium sized aubergine, both ends removed and thinly sliced lengthwise. Brush very lightly with vegetable oil immediately to prevent the aubergines from browning. A brush is obviously ideal but use your fingertips if you do not have a brush.
2. Three tablespoons or more of Hae Bee Hiam
3. Two shallots, thinly sliced
4. One stalk spring onion/coriander, thinly sliced
5. One teaspoon of belachan (Dried shrimp paste)
6. Dash of sesame oil
7. Pinch of white pepper

Method:
1. On medium heat, grill or pan fry aubergines without any additional oil till just tender. Set aside.
2. Whilst grilling/pan frying the aubergines, heat another pan on medium low heat. When pan is heated, toast belachan without any oil till aromatic. Push to side of pan.
3. In the same pan on medium heat, add a teaspoon of oil and fry the shallots very gently without browning till aromatic.
4. Lower heat to lowest possible, add Hae Bee Hiam to heat up gently, add pinch of white pepper and mix well with the belachan. Fry gently for about five minutes.
5. Arrange cooked aubergines on a plate and top with Hae Bee Hiam.
6. Sprinkle with spring onions/coriander and serve hot with plain rice.

Note:
1. It's optional to use belachan.
2. Do not overcook the Hae Bee Hiam as you are just re-heating the cooked mixture.

Potato With Coarse Grain Mustard

With Broccoli

Without Broccoli







This potato salad is delicious served with grilled meat.

Ingredients:
1. Five medium sized potatoes. Place in cold water, add salt, bring to the boil; then cook on medium heat for between 25 to 30 minutes or till it's tender. Drain, set aside to cool slightly, peel skin and slice to desired shapes and thickness.
2. One young celery stalk including leaves finely sliced
3. Small bunch of fresh coriander, finely sliced
4. One Spanish onion – finely sliced
5. Half bottle or canned mixed mushrooms – drain oil, rinse and pat dry
6. ¼ cup of raw broccoli florets (optional)
7. Fresh mint (optional)

Dressing:
1. Three tablespoons of coarse grain mustard
2. Five tablespoons EVO
3. Juice from one medium sized lemon
4. Pinch of salt
5. Dash of freshly ground mixed pepper
6. One teaspoon clear honey or castor sugar
7. Chilli flakes (optional)

Method:
1. Mix dressing well, taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Add all ingredients, toss lightly with hands.
3. If using fresh mint, scatter on top of potato, drizzle extra EVO before serving at room temperature.

Note:
1. Add potatoes to salad dressing whilst they are still warm to absorb the flavour better.
2. Can prepare overnight. Drizzle with extra EVO, toss lightly before serving at room temperature.

Love...

“We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love.” Mother Teresa