Zingy Guacamole

Mexican food is one of my great loves. I never tire of eating nachos, quesadilla, fajitas etc. This recipe is for a good friend of mine that resides in london and is always asking me for a easy recipe to add a bit zing to the boring chicken wrap . I know this is a bit basic but we all have to start somewhere right? Homemade Gucamole is also a fab dip to make for pre night out drinks to serve with tortilla chips. Which I know she'll love !

Makes one bowl.
Will keep for one day so half the recipe if you won't use it all.

Ingredients :

2 perfectly ripe avocados
( to know if they are ripe they should feel slightly soft but not mushy or have a black skin it's best to but them 2/3 days before you want to use them).
1 red onion finally chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
A dash of tabasco
1 red chilli finally deseeded and chopped. If you don't like it too spicy add a tsp of sweet chilli sauce instead
1 small bunch of coriander chopped
1 tomato chopped into a small dice ( the Mexicans sometimes use pomegranate seeds in the winter when tomatoes aren't in season they add a nice bite to the guacamole).
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper.

Method:

Half the avocados and take out the stone scoop out the green flesh and mash with a folk or a potato masher.
Add to a bowl with onion, garlic, chilli, Tabasco,coriander, tomato and lime juice.
Mix well
Taste
Add salt and pepper.

Serve !

Ardsallagh Smoked Cheese Salad with Pommegranite seeds, walnuts and mixed leaves

Ardsallagh Goats Products is owned by Jane and Gerard Murphy, located in County Cork.Three types of cheese are made from their own herd and from locally sourced goat's milk.The cheeses are suitable for vegetarians
I normally use the soft variety which is delicious. However for a change
I purchased this the hard smoked version yesterday. I love flavour, I think it goes very well in this salad.
This salad is a lovely light lunch or a impressive side dish.

Preparation 5-10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 small block of the smoked goats cheese( I used half of this size for the 4 salads)
2 ripe pommegranites
1 bag of washed leaves. I used Kildinan Farms mixed leaves which is suitated in Ballyhooly Co Cork but any salad leaves you can get will be fine.
I x 100g bag of walnut halves roughly chopped
(hazelnuts would also be lovely)

French dressing for 4

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
100ml olive oil or sunflower oil or a mix of the two
30 ml white wine vinegar
Pinch chopped thyme
Salt and pepper

Method: whisk all ingredients together

To bring the salad together
Mix all the leaves with the dressing
Place in individual bowl/plates
Half each pommegranite and spoon out the little ruby seeds, scatter half of each one on top of each salad.
Scatter a handful of walnuts on each salad. Lastly shave the goat cheese with a potato peeler On top of the leaves.
Serve with toasted sourdough bread for lunch. So simple but very tasty!

Beetroot and Chickpea Fritters

So easy and cheap to make everyone has to try them.

I got my Beetroot and scallions in Aldi for 35 cent each!


Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 5-6 minutes

Ingredients:

250g cooked Beetroot the ones in the vacuum pack (not pickled)
I small tin of chickpeas drained
3 scallions sliced I used green and white part
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon of mint chopped
1 tablespoon of coriander chopped
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 large free range egg
Sea salt and cracked pepper to season

Method:
Chop the chickpeas roughly or blitz them briefly in food processor add to a bowl
Coarsely grated the Beetroot on a box grater. ( use gloves as they may stain your hands even if they are cooked)
add these to the chickpeas
Mix with all the other ingredients
Heat a frying pan with a little oil
When hot enough get a tablespoon and spoon the mixture into the frying pan do about 3 at a time.
Fry on each side for 2 minutes on a medium heat.
Heat the oven on low and as you cook the fritters in batches keep them warm in the oven until you have them all cooked.

Serve with a yogurt dip. Such as Riata, I made one with lemon,garlic and cucumber

Hint: make baby size fritters for canapés or party food top with a little soft goats cheese and toasted hazelnuts.

Frittata for one.

When your cooking for one it's hard not to make too much and end up throwing away the left overs.
Frittatas are a great way of cooking for one and using up bits and bobs you having lying around your fridge. Frittata is basically a Italian omelette cooked on the hob to start then finished in the oven.
I always use free range eggs fresh eggs for this dish.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Pre heat oven 180oC or grill hot

Ingredients:

2 mushrooms
1 scallion
1/2 tomato
1/2 clove garlic.
1/2 green chilli (optional)
4-5 basil leaves ripped up
2 large free range eggs
Handful of grated mature cheddar. ( ardsallagh goats cheese would be delicious)
Sea salt and black pepper to season.
Knob of butter

(left over boiled potatoes sliced or chopped peppers, courgettes, rashers, chorizo will be perfect. Just throw in anything you fancy)

Method:

Whisk eggs with salt and pepper and basil.
Heat oven proof frying pan on medium heat hob
Melt knob of butter and throw in the mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes, chilli and scallions just sauté until soft.
Add the whisked eggs and cheese to the pan with a wooden spoon stir the outside to the inside for a minute until you see the eggs are slightly cooked around the edges.
Place frittata in the oven for 5 minutes
Until brown and the cheese is nicely melted
Rip up a few basil leaves and sprinkle on top to serve.
Enjoy!

Greek Style Baby Potatoes

I love Greek food but never seem to cook enough of it.
Greek food is so tasty you will typically find tomatoes,feta,mint,lamb,oregano and lots of seafood and olive oil.

One of my favourite dishes is saganaki which translates to frying pan / pan in the dish is cooked. This is usually a tomato sauce over mussels or prawns with feta cheese crumbled over then baked in the oven until bubbling hot.

So I made this side dish/ light lunch to celebrate Greek food.

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 40-60 minutes

Pre-heat the oven @ 180oc

1 bag baby potatoes
100g feta cheese
Pinch of dried oregano

Tomato sauce

1 onion sliced
1 clove of garlic crushed
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
3 tablespoon red wine
1/2 dried oregano
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Splash of water
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Chilli flakes (optional I like it with a kick)

Method:

First boil the kettle add the potatoes to a pot and par cook them for 15 mins
While they are cooking start on the sauce
Heat the pan then add the oil
Fry the onions and garlic until tender
Add the red wine and cook off for 2-3 minutes
Then add the tomatoes,oregano,sugar and a splash of water
Season
Boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes

When the potatoes are cooked, drain and add to a oven dish.
Pour the tomato sauce over the potatoes and crumble over the feta cheese bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has browned slightly.

Delicious with a green salad as a light lunch.
Or with salad and a grilled chicken breast either hot or cold.

Use the sauce and feta part of this recipe to add over seafood,chicken even grilled steak.

Can be also used with left over boiled or roast potatoes.

Freezes well