Chicken Caesar Salad

So Tasty…

I love Caesar Salad, this is the first time I have made my own dressing and I was surprised at how quick and easy it was – especially as my teenage daughter had most of the hard work done by the time I came off a phone call to my friend… JJ.

I marinated the chicken in the morning to give it some extra flavour but if you are pressed for time you can bypass this stage.

Ingredients & Costing…
Chicken Fillets x 2	3.99
Baby Gem x 1	0.48
Anchovy Fillets x 1 50gm Tin	0.89
Reggio Parmesan Shavings x 10gm	0.18
Toasted Pinenuts x 5gm	0.22
Croutons – see Pennywise tip below	0.30
Dressing
Egg x 1	0.25
Olive Oil x 150ml	0.66
Mustard Power x 1 heaped tsp	0.05
Worcestershire Sauce x ½ tsp	0.05
Clove of Garlic Peeled x 1	0.05
Juice of 1 Fresh Lime	0.33
Reggio Parmesan Finely Grated x 40gm	0.75
Maldon Sea Salt	0.05
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
3-4 Hearty Servings	€8.30

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Trim the chicken fillets and cut into strips. Combine a tablespoon of olive oil, sliced clove of garlic & the juice of half a lemon in a bowl, toss in the chicken strips, stir well & leave to marinade for a minimum of half an hour

æ      Prepare the baby gem & arrange on individual plates

æ      Open the anchovies, drain reserving the oil & 2 fillets for the dressing. Snip the remaining anchovies into small pieces distributing evenly

æ      To make the dressing – place the egg, peeled clove of garlic, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice & anchovy fillets in the goblet of a processor. Blend until smooth, with the motor running on a slow speed add the combined olive oil & anchovy oil until the ingredients emulsify into a sauce the consistency of pouring cream. Stir in the grated Reggio parmesan & season to taste – you may not need much salt as the anchovies can be quite salty

æ      Char grill the marinated chicken & place on the bed of baby gem

æ      Drizzle generously with the creamy white dressing

æ      To serve scatter with toasted pinenuts, parmesan shavings & croutons…enjoy!!

Pennywise Tip…

Save the thick end slices from a batch loaf and cut into small 1cm cubes, spread on a baking tray allowing it to dry out. Combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil, crushed clove of garlic & 20gm of finely grated parmesan in a bowl. Toss in the cubed bread ensuring everything gets an even coating, return the bread to the baking tray & place on a high shelf in a preheated oven, gas mark 4 for 10 minutes until golden brown….delicious

Vegetable Soup

Soup Kitchen…

Over the past number of years there have been plenty of times when I have been too busy to shop let alone cook, but looking back there is one thing that I have always seemed to find a few moments and enough ingredients to cook….SOUP J

No matter how delicious the illustrations look on the packets of “gourmet” soups available to buy the flavour never lives up to my expectation. I have two favourites - Spicy Red Lentil & Tomato (you will always find a packet of lentils and a tin of chopped tomatoes at the back of your store cupboard), the second is Vegetable Soup. There are so many variations, the ingredients listed below are only guidelines, don’t be afraid to experiment.

Ingredients & Costing…
Large Spanish Onion x 1	0.33
Carrots x 4	0.11
Parsnip x 4	0.49
Medium Potato x 1	0.10
Small Turnip x 1	0.22
Celery Stick x 3	0.30
Stock Cube x 1	0.15
Dried Parsley x 1 tblsp	0.05
Bay Leaf x 1	0.05
Maldon Sea Salt 2gm	0.05
Black Pepper 2gm	0.05
Olive Oil to Sautée	0.05
Butter 5gm	0.05
10 Servings	€2.00

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Heat the olive oil & butter in a large heavy based saucepan

æ      Dice the onions & sautée over a low heat until translucent

æ      Dice the vegetables into even size cubes & add to the saucepan. Stir well coating everything with a glaze of oil/butter. Cover with a lid and “sweat” over a low heat for 10 minutes – I think this is the key stage to making delicious soup so don’t rush it…

æ      Dissolve the stock cube in boiling water & add to the vegetables along with the herbs & bay leaf, top up with enough water to generously cover the vegetables

æ      Bring to the boil & simmer gently until the vegetables are cooked

æ      Finally add seasoning to taste – don’t be shy with the black pepper

æ      Allow the soup to cool & liquidise. (When my daughter was younger liquidised soup was one of the few ways I could get her to eat vegetables J)

Serving Suggestions…

æ      Sometimes I add milk to the soup when I am reheating it or a dollop of crème fraiche & a sprinkling of fresh herbs when I am serving it for a slightly different taste

Pennywise Tip…

In an ideal world homemade stock provides the best flavour, however if like me you don’t have a high percentage of meat in your diet it can be hard to get your hands on the bones necessary to give stock its depth of flavour.  A lot of store bought stock cubes have a high percentage of salt & fat so be careful when choosing - I use KALLO Just Bullion. Even when I am making vegetable soup I vary the flavours used between, vegetable/chicken & beef.

Tofu & Cashew Nut Stir Fry

The Ultimate in “Fast Food”…

Even if you are in late from work and really do not feel like cooking this dish could not be simpler to prepare & it will be ready within the time it would have taken to call for a takeaway!!

Ingredients & Costing…
Tofu 125gm (Natural Green)	0.75
Small Red Onion Finely Sliced	0.10
¼ Yellow Pepper Finely  Sliced	0.25
Carrot Cut into 2” Julienne	0.10
Stick of Celery Finely Sliced	0.05
Cashew Nuts 30gms	0.30
Fat Clove of Garlic Crushed	0.05
1” Fresh Ginger Grated	0.05
Teriyaki Marinade	0.20
Maldon Sea Salt 2gm	0.05
Black Pepper 2gm	0.05
Straight to Wok Noodles -1 Pack	0.60
½ Fresh Lime	0.12
Sunflower Oil to Fry	0.05
2 Main Meal Servings	€2.72

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Start by preparing all the vegetables and cutting the tofu into small 1cm cubes

æ      Heat the oil in a wok & add the onions, peppers, carrots & celery, stir fry over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes

æ      Add cashew nuts & fry until golden brown then stir in crushed garlic & ginger

æ      A generous splash of Teriyaki marinade & you are ready to add the tofu

æ      Give everything a vigorous “shake” and allow the marinade to reduce a little

æ      Finally add the “straight to wok” noodles, they will take approx 2 minutes to soften then the dish is ready to serve

æ      Garnish with freshly squeezed lime juice & a sprig of fresh coriander if desired…

                                                     

Healthy Tip…

Tofu is made from soyabeans, water & a binding agent – it is high in protein & calcium. 125gm of tofu contains approx 94 calories. The quality of brands vary greatly but I have found "Natural Green" available from the Asia Market, Dublin is the best… JJJ

Falafel Flatbread

Middle Eastern Promise…

You will not be disappointed, the falafel are bursting with both flavour & fragrance. The chickpeas are packed with protein & served with shredded iceberg, grated carrot & a Greek yoghurt dressing they make a substantial tasty meal.

Ingredients & Costing…
Falafel (16 portions)
Tinned Chickpeas 400gm x 2	1.18
Spanish Onion x 1 (finely grated)	0.33
Ground Coriander 1 tsp (heaped)	0.05
Ground Cumin 1 tsp (heaped)	0.05
Chilli Powder or Crushed Chilli Flakes ½ tsp	0.05
Fat Clove of Garlic Crushed	0.05
Black Pepper 2gm	0.05
Sea Salt 2gm	0.05
Wholemeal Flour to Coat	0.10
Olive Oil to Shallow Fry	0.30
Garnish
Pack of Flatbreads	0.99
Iceberg Lettuce Shredded	0.22
Grated Carrot	0.05
Finely Sliced Red Onion	0.05
Greek Natural Yoghurt 100gm	0.20
Sweet Chilli Dressing	0.05
4 Main Meal Servings	€3.77

It Couldn’t be easier…

æ      Place all the ingredients for the falafel in a food processor & blend until well combined or if like me you have a phobia about using food processor’s and you would like to have arms like Madonna!! - you can mash the chickpeas with a fork before adding the rest of the ingredients. The mixture should be firm & dry…

æ      Shape into smallish slightly flattened balls & toss in wholemeal flour

æ      Shallow fry on each side in olive oil until golden brown

æ      Meanwhile grate the carrot & finely slice the iceberg lettuce & red onion

æ      Flame the flatbread on both sides until warm through

æ      Serve the falafel on a bed of iceberg, grated carrot & red onion, topped with a generous dollop of Greek natural yoghurt & drizzle of sweet chilli sauce

Healthy Tip…

Add a sprinkle of Alfalfa Sprouts to make a super healthy snack…

Stay tuned over the coming weeks to see day by day updates on how to sprout your own beans JJJ