Fish Chowder

 

We're at a funny time of year here in England. The days are getting longer and everywhere there are signs of summer, but temperatures have been quite cool in recent weeks. My body is telling me though that it's time for eating lighter foods - chicken, and fish, and loads of salads. But the cool evenings tell me it's still a time for soups and stews and other warming foods.

I decided to listen to both these internal messages and made a delicious seafood chowder for our dinner one night.

I like dishes that are versatile - ones that can be altered to fit what is in season, and what is in your fridge, and that can be put together without a lot of fuss and bother. This recipe ticks all my boxes.

You too can cook up this seafood chowder in under 30 minutes.

Seafood Chowder

Ingredients:

2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped (or 100gm lardons)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 pack fish pie mix (an assortment of cod, haddock, and salmon pieces)
1 bay leaf
1 pack seafood mix (prawns, mussels, and squid)
Seasonal vegetables, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces



1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 generous dash Tabasco sauce
1 pint milk
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cut the bacon into pieces and cook until browned in a heavy-bottomed pot  (I recommend the SKK stew pot)
2. Add a tablespoon of olive oil if needed, then add the chopped onions and carrots and cook until softened. 
3. Now pour in the 2 pints stock and bring up to a boil.
4. Add the diced potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer, add in the fish and the bay leaf and let it cook for 5 minutes. 
6. Add the pre-cooked mixed seafood and let simmer a further 5 minutes. 
7. Reduce the heat and add in the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
8. Bring up to heat without boiling before serving. (Boiling milk can cause it to curdle, especially if you are using fat-free)

Serve with crusty bread and butter or oyster crackers, if desired. 

Seasonal vegetables: The image I have used has corn as it's vegetable and that is a very traditional addition to many chowders. This time I happened to use green beans and asparagus because that is what was in my fridge, but the next time I may use something completely different.

Fish and seafood: Likewise, you can use any fish to make this dish. I happen to buy the fish pie packs because they are cheaper but also provide a bit more variety than buying a whole fillet of a single fish.

This recipe made 4 generous servings.


Above image by Rootology (Own work by uploader (cooking by uploader, too)) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

5 Meals Using Leftover Bolognese Sauce

Simmering pot of bolognese sauce

Spaghetti bolognese is a very popular dish in my house. The kids like how it tastes, and I like how I can eke a few meals out of a few inexpensive ingredients, making it a very useful for frugal cooking. I also like that I can slip a few extra veggies in but I don't tell the boys that.

Invariably, I always cook about twice as much sauce as we need for one meal. This isn't a bad thing because a bolognese sauce can be used for so much more than just ladling on spaghetti.

1. Lasagne

I use the exact same sauce for a lasagne that I use for a spaghetti bolognese.

You will need:

• Box of non-cook lasagne sheets - these can be layered in the sauce and don't need to be pre-cooked. 
• Tub of ricotta cheese
• Ball of mozarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh herbs - thyme, basil, and oregano (if you can find them, otherwise dried will work)
• Milk
• Black pepper to season

Method:

• Place the ricotta, a tablespoon or so of grated parmesan, a bit of grund black pepper, and the finely chopped fresh herbs (or dried) into a bowl. Add just enough milk to loosen the cheese enough to spread easily. 
• 
  
• Ladle a small amount of sauce into a casserole dish. Cover over with the lasagne sheets, spoon a bit more sauce over the top. Add a layer of the ricotta mixture. Then repeat with sheets, sauce and ricotta. 
• 
  
• Finish up with a layer of sauce over the top then shred the mozzarella and spread that plus another tablespoon or so of grated parmesan over the top.
•  
• Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. Bake the lasagne for about 30 - 45 minutes, until it is hot and bubbling, and the cheese is melted and browned across the top.

 2. Pasta bake

Similar to a lasagne, but without the fuss of layering.

You will need:

• Cooked pasta - I use farfalle or penne, but anything you have in the cupboard would work.
• Mozzarella or a combination of favourite cheeses
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method:

• Cook the pasta, drain and combine with the sauce. 
• Stir in chunks of cheese
• Spoon into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top over with parmesan, if desired. 
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350f/180c/gas mark 4 for about 30 minutes, until the top is browned and the dish is hot and bubbling. 

3. Pizza

A quick meal that can be as easy or as complicated as you desire.

Home made pizza

You will need:

• Pizza bases, make your own or buy ready-made
• Favourite grated cheeses
• Assorted meats and vegetables for toppings
• Fresh thyme and basil, roughly chopped
• Ground black pepper
• Olive oil

Method:

• Place the base on a baking sheet
• Spoon some of the sauce and spread over the pizza base. 
• Add on any toppings you want
• Add on a bit of cheese
• Sprinkle over some of the fresh herbs, a bit of black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350f/180c/gas mark 4 for about 10 - 15 minutes. 

For an even quicker, child-friendly, mini-pizza lunch idea, spoon a bit of the heated sauce over slices of bread (I will sometimes use a round cutter to create rounds of bread, add a bit of cheese, and tuck under a medium-hot grill for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.

4. Jacket potato

This makes a nice lunch-time meal, or a simple mid-week evening meal

You will need:

• Baking potato, one per person
• Favourite cheese, optional

Method:

• Bake whole potatoes in the oven or microwave until soft inside
• Spoon over some of the heated sauce, and sprinke with a bit of cheese if desired. 
• Serve with a fresh salad

 

5. Omelette

This works equally well for any meal in the day.


You will need:

• Eggs
• Butter
• Cheese

Method:

• Whisk 2- 3 eggs until frothy, add in a touch of milk if desired
• Melt butter in a skillet over a medium-high heat
• Pour in the egg mixture and let cook untilnearly set all the way through
• As the eggs cook, gently lift at the sides to allow more of the uncooked egg to run underneath.
• When nearly cooked through, spoon some of the heated sauce over one half of the omelett, sprinkle over some of the cheese. 
• Fold the other half of the egg over the sauce and serve immediately
• You can have this as is for breakfast or brunch, or add a green salad for a complete lunch-time or evening meal.

Grilled Bacon Chops and Chips

Some evenings, I don't want to spend an hour in the kitchen. I may have had a busy day, or we may have gotten home later. On those days, I like to plan for a quick and simple meal I can pull together in under an hour, and ideally in less than 30 minutes.

Bacon chops

A bacon chop is simply a thick cut slice of British bacon bacon. It is cut from the shoulder end of the loin and leaves the pork belly attached. The chop is then cured like bacon, and can come either smoked or unsmoked.

My personal preference is for a dry cure, smoked bacon.

There are dozens of recipes for bacon chops as this humble cut has become more popular again in English kitchens, utilising all sorts of extra ingredients and condiments. Since I want a very quick and fuss-proof meal, I tend to skip all that.

Chops can be cooked in the same was as you would any other type of bacon. Grill it, fry it, or pop it in the oven. Since I am already heating the oven to cook chips I just pop the bacon chops in as well, making dinner even less of a fuss for me.

Preheat the oven to 200c/400f

Chips (thick cut fries) go on a baking tray. These come out of the freezer, and generally take about 25 minutes to cook.I

f you don't have any chips in the freezer, slice a few potatoes into 1/2 inch rings, drizzle over a bit of olive oil and a some salt and pepper and bake those in the oven about 30 minutes, turning half way through cooking.

Use a rack like this to drain fat away

Cooking the chops

Lay the bacon chops on a baking tray. I like to use a rack so that fats can drain away while cooking.

Cook in the oven about 25 minutes, turning them over halfway through cooking.

Once taken out of the oven, I will drain the fat into a bowl to be used for roasting potatoes in a future meal.


Just to round things out, I will sometimes add in some sauteed mushrooms or a fried egg. 


Once you have the chips and chops in the oven, all you'll need to do is pick out a vegetable to eat as a side dish. I usually grab peas.

Bacon chop with chips and peas, and a fried egg

Home Cooked Fast Food

We all know that fresh, whole foods cooked at home are going to be healthier for ourselves and for our families. Sometimes though, when time is short, it is tempting to just pick up a take away or have something delivered. Funny thing is, with a bit of planning we could actually cook a meal in the time it takes for that food to be delivered, or for someone to drive down and pick it up.

I have a few standard, could make it in my sleep, recipes that I fall back on when I need to make a meal but am short on time. This is what I have provided for you here. These are some of my family favourite meals that take a minimal amount of time and effort to prepare, and really deliver on flavour.

Burger and Chips 

Image in public domain, courtesy PD Photo

 

Serves 4
Total cooking time: 30 minutes

You will need:

Frozen oven chips (fries), enough for 4 people

500gm ground minced beef*
worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

4 slices extra mature cheddar cheese
4 wholemeal burger buns, or baps
Optional toppings:
lettuce leaves
2 whole tomatoes, sliced
dill pickles, sliced
sliced red or white onion
mushrooms, sliced and cooked
catsup
mustard
mayonnaise

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature as directed on the pack of oven chips.

2. Combine the mince with about 1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide and form into 4 patties.

3. Put the chips into the oven and set timer for 25 minutes.

4. Heat a frying pan or a grill plate. Add a small amount of oil to prevent sticking.

5. Place burgers in the heated pan, cook on one side until browned just over halfway up the side.

6. Flip the burger over. Cook another 5 - 7 minutes. Add a slice of cheese, if desired, to each burger while it finishes cooking.

7. While the burgers finish cooking, slice the buns in half and lay with inner side up under the grill. Toast lightly.

8. Assemble burgers, using whichever of the garnishes you wish.

9. Take the chips from the oven and serve alongside with burgers.

Remember - the thicker the burgers are, the longer they will take to cook.

*A lean mince will have less shrinkage than a regular mince, but will end up dryer inside and have less flavour. Also, most of the fat from the regular minces will cook out anyway. Just let your burger sit for a minute on a double-thickness of paper towel after removing it from the pan before you assemble your burgers if you want to wick away more of the grease.

Chilli-Tuna-Mac-and Cheese

This is my twist on plain old macaroni and cheese

Chilli, garlic and onion by NanLT

Serves: 4
Total cooking time: 20 minutes

You will need:
1 large pot salted water
1 cup frozen peas
1.5 cup dried pasta (macaroni or penne pasta works well)

1 onion, chopped
1 red chilli (seeded and diced)
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground chilli (optional)
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
1 pint milk
1 cup grated cheese (I like to use a amture cheddar)
2 tins tuna, drained
1 tin mixed beans in chilli sauce
1 tin chopped tomatoes

Method:
Add the peas to the water.
Bring the pot of water to a boil.
Add the pasta and let it cook until done.
Drain when cooked and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, in a second large pot, cook off the onions and chilli in the butter until soft. Add the ground cumin, ground turmeric, and ground chilli if desired. Continue to stir another minute.

Add the flour and stir constantly for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add the milk, a small amount at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. It will be diluted when you add further ingredients, so get it just a bit thicker than you think it needs to be. Continue stirring. Bring it up to a boil, and let it boil for 1 - 2 minutes.

Add the cheese. Once melted, add the tins of tuna, beans, and tomatoes.

Drain the cooked pasta and combine with the sauce mixture. Bring up to heat. Season to taste.

Serve hot.

Chicken Strips with Broccoli Spears and Chips

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Serves 4
Total Cooking time: 40 minutes

You will need:
4 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce
or, 1 teaspoon dried cajun spice mix

Frozen oven chips

Broccoli spears
I like to use Purple Sprouting Broccoli when in season

Method:
Preheat the oven to the temperature directed on the pack of frozen chips.

Cut the chicken breasts in strips 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long
Place in a bowl with the olive oil and chipotle or cajun spice. Mix together. Leave to marinate while prepping the broccoli.

Put the chips in the oven, set the timer for 25 minutes.

Prepare the broccoli and put in a pan of boiling, salted water for about 5 - 7 minutes. Drain when cooked. Or,
Steam for 10 minutes.

Heat a frying pan. Add half the chicken. Cook completely. Remove to an ovenproof dish lined with 2 layers of kitchen paper. Bring the pan back up to heat and cook the remaining chicken.

Dipping sauce:
Combine 1 cup mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce.

Or,
Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon catsup, a dash tabasco sauce, a pinch of salt.

As an alternative

Instead of marinating the chicken strips in a sauce, dip in beaten egg then dried bread crumbs and shallow fry in olive oil.