Mad about Zucchini Noodles

During my grain free cooking project, I came across  Zucchini noodles
You may have noticed!!!
Browsing through the recipes, that come into my mailbox every morning
I found this on the Epicurious Site
So here is another version of the fabulous Noodles, it is also a version of Ratatouille
Served with Lamb once again
Perfect match
Once again another Gluten Free recipe

It seems like a bit of work but it’s worth it
You can prepare earlier it's good at room temperature
I have changed the original recipe.
The noodles were supposed to be served raw
I wasn't happy about that so I lightly sautéed them
Also I cooked the egg plant in batches
Half with the tomatoes
The second half I cooked separately, to get a different look
I loved adding the raw cherry tomatoes at the end
Nice colour and texture

Ingredients
2 medium zucchini made into noodles
2 teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey 
Sea Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup basil leaves

5 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 garlic cloves think sliced
1 egg plant cut into quarters and sliced  divided into two

2 large tomatoes quartered and seeds removed
10 cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup pitted olives I used green
First make the noodles
place them in a sieve and salt them

Leave them for about 10 minutes
Squeeze out the liquid and set aside

Then make the dressing
Whisk Lemon juice, honey, pepper 1/2 cup basil sliced, 3 tablespoons olive oil 

and pinch of sea salt
Set aside

Prepare the eggplant and large tomatoes

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of Olive oil in a pan over gentle heat
Cook garlic gently until it turns golden brown
Remove with a slotted spoon and add to dressing

Increase heat to medium heat and add eggplant and the first lot of tomatoes
Stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is browned and cooked through
The tomatoes will soften
Season with S & P and transfer to a bowl and cover with the dressing

Add a little more oil to the pan and brown the rest of the eggplant, don't forget to make sure it cooked right through
Raw eggplant  NO!!!
Add to the rest, along with the cherry tomatoes and the olives

Finally throw the Zucchini Noodles into the pan and toss them around for 2-3 minutes
just to soften

Check seasoning and adjust if necessary
Add to the rest,
Toss and throw the remainder of the basil on top

I can see a Frittata coming up with the leftovers

Dress up The Sausage - Some Apple and Some Wine

Sausages, cooked in the same pan as apple halves, throw in some wine to make a sauce
Of course, serve with mashed potato and yes...peas

Simple as.
Nice idea this and it was wolfed down by both my guest and I
Found the idea on Epicurious attributed to Alison Roman from Bob Appetit

Of course as one usually does…I changed it to suit what was in the fridge
Alison suggested to serve with Watercress
Very pretty but not as good as Mashed Potatoes and Peas, in my book

(Also I didn't have any watercress !)
I used Angus Beef Breakfast Sausages which as it turns out were Gluten Free
So another Gluten Free Meal for those interested


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet apple per person, halved through stem ends
400 gms sausages
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper

Frozen Peas Thawed
Mashed potatoes

Preparation 
Heat oil in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add apples, cut side down, and cook, turning occasionally,
until golden brown, 5–8 minutes.
       
Prick sausages with a fork, add to skillet with apples, and cook,
turning occasionally, until browned, 10–12 minutes.
Add wine and vinegar to skillet.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened (liquid should coat a spoon),
about 4 minutes.
Add thawed Peas and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste

Serve over mashed potatoes…with pan juices spooned over.
Looking a little amateurish but very tasty

Since I originally posted this recipe which has been very popular, I have cooked it again, this time I added red cabbage to the vege.
Just saute some red cabbage in a little butter and add to the pan
The cabbage added fabulous colour

 There were leftovers, so I turned it into a Frittata

Another view, Look at that filling
Vege, Sausages, apple and eggs, just as simple as that

Lamb Rack - Cooking for One - What to do with Leftovers

Love a Roasted Lamb Rack.
Cut it in two. Put half in the freezer for another day
Fairly economical and very tasty

BUT when you cook too many vegetables.
Next day a completely different meal

In fact cook too much on purpose... so that you can make this wonderful Potato Pancake

I have been, whilst on my grain free recipe hunt, very taken with the Zucchini Noodles
Use the Julienne Peeler

Or use a Spiralizer OR cut into julienne strips by hand

Zucchini, onions and tomato are a wonderful accompaniment to Lamb
With a touch of mint, perfect
I haven't given quantities, not important
Make as much as you like

Ingredients
Lamb Rack
Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

The Vege
Olive oil 
I red onion
Zucchini turned into noodles
Cherry tomatoes cut in half
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2-3 mint leaves. chopped

The Potatoes
Potatoes peeled and chunked
Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper


Take a lamb rack,  enough for 2, half for one
Rub the rack with olive oil and season well with Sea salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper
Set aside

Meanwhile make your noodles
Set aside

Peel and chop potatoes and bring to a boil and simmer till fork tender
Drain
Smash with the masher
Not too fine its mot a puree, lumpy is good for texture
Add Olive oil 
Stir well
Season with S & P

Heat oven to 190C
In a pan that will go into the oven
Heat well
Add lamb rack...skin side down
Cook for 3-4 minutes to get the skin browning
Into the oven and cook for about 10-12 minutes
It may take a little longer
Remove and let rest

Meanwhile in another skillet
Add olive oil
Cook red onions till translucent not brown
Add noodles
Season
Cook about 4 minutes
Add tomatoes,season again
Cook another 3-4 minutes till tomatoes start to burst a little
Add mint

Now to serve
Place vege on the plate
Pop the Lamb rack on top

Arrange the potatoes around the edge
Dinner is served

Sooo Of course I had too many vege
Dinner for the next night

Potato Pancake

All you need is some to add to your leftovers
More Olive Oil
Grated cheese
Tomatoes
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Basil leaves

First make a little salad with Tomatoes
S & P
Torn basil leaves all drizzled over with olive oil

Heat Grill in oven
Mix the leftover potatoes and vege
Once again, in a pan that will go into the oven
Add olive oil
Heat till nearly smoking
Push mixed vege into the pan to form a cake
Cook till the bottom starts to brown and crisp
Cover with Grated cheese

Pop under the grill till the cheese bubbles up and is to your liking

To serve
Slide onto plate and top with Tomato Salad

Beautiful

Marinated Tomatoes - A Great Sauce for Pasta

I love the idea of raw tomatoes over hot pasta

I saw this recipe for Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes  in The NY Times Cooking Column

I have adapted it to suit me
I used Fresh Bocconcini for the protein

As an alternative you can used good canned Tuna,
also maybe black olives instead of the green
It's up to you, anything goes really


About 400 gms ripe tomatoes, halved or quartered if small, diced if large
Sea Salt
1 punnet Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (or Bocconcini ), torn
1/2 cup pitted Green Sicilian Olives, chopped,
3 tablespoons capers (optional)
1 red chili seeded and finely chopped (optional)
⅔ cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, mint, chives, cilantro, scallion tops, or a combination), more for garnish
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)
About 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
  
500 short pasta, like fusilli, farfalle or penne

½ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Preparation
Up to 4 hours before serving,
Put tomatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle all over with salt.

Set aside for 30 minutes, then drain off liquid.
Add olives capers, chili,herbs and zest.
Add olive oil, pepper to taste and stir gently,
Cover and set aside at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Break up the mozzarella and mix with the basil and some freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water.
Drain very well.
Add Mozzarella and Basil then
Tomatoes and pasta, combine well,
Taste and add more oil, salt and pepper if needed
Sprinkle with pine nuts, if using,

Serve immediately.

It’s pretty good at room temperature I reckon

Leftovers - Don't throw them out - Make a Frittata

I have posted Frittata before but made one this morning
and thought I should remind people how quick and easy it is
Put it your Waste not Want not category

I had some leftover vege,
I have a guest and like to offer him nourishing food for breakfast
In fact there was enough for 4 breakfasts, accompanied by some Crispy Vogels Toast
Freezing some of it for another day

I do love to add potato, must be fried though... for the wonderful flavour
Grab some eggs from the fridge
I used 3 Cherry tomatoes
The leftover leeks and peas
A handful of grated cheese

To make enough for 4 breakfasts
3 medium potatoes peeled and chunked
A cup of cooked of vege
3 Cherry tomatoes cut in half, push the seeds out and slice
5 eggs beaten
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated tasty cheese
3-4 tablespoons of Olive oil 

Heat oven to 180C
Pre cook the potatoes
Easiest way
3 minutes in the microwave
Drain

In an ovenproof skillet over medium heat
Add olive oil
throw in the potatoes
Let them cook till a nice crust forms

Season with a little S & P
In a bowl add eggs
Beat and season with S & P
Add cooked vege, tomatoes and grated cheese

Pour egg mix into the potatoes

Get the omelet started a little on the stove
Into the oven approx 8 minutes
Remove

Cool a little
Voila
Breakfast

Cheap and Cheerful - Filling Ways With Hamburger Mince

How to make 500 gms of Hamburger Mince into  4 Filling meals for 2 people
I’ve been cooking up large this morning
Dinner tonight and the rest for the freezer for the rest of the week
Not counting the cost of the pasta
Cost of this food about $15
Not bad

Cottage Pie
This is basically the way my Mother cooked her Cottage Pie
I’ve made a couple of changes, Ive found if you fry the mince separately to the vege, you get more colour on it and the flavour is excellent

Both of these meat sauces make perfect pie filings
Or if you're like our family
Great on Hot buttered Toast
Breakfast anyone?

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1 stick celery finely chopped
1 carrot chopped into fine dice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
250 gms mince
1 beef stock cube dissolved in 2 cups of hot water Water

Good dash each of Worcestershire Sauce and Tomato Ketchup
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tbs Flour mixed with a little cold water

4 large potatoes peeled and large chop
a little milk
Butter

Heat oil in a frying pan
Add onions 
Season with S & P
Saute till soft

Add carrots and celery
Season again
Saute about  4 minutes

Meanwhile in another skillet
Add oil to a hot pan
Add 250 gms mince
Season and break up with a fork and cook till brown

Add to the vege
Place everything into a saucepan
Dissolve a stock cube in 2 cups boiling water
Rinse out both pan with this stock and add to saucepan

Bring to simmer and cook about 30 minutes

Thicken with 3 tablespoon flour mixed with water to a thin paste
Add to pot, bring back to simmer stirring all the time till it thickens

Add a good dash of Worcestershire sauce and 2 good dashes on Tomato ketchup
Add the chopped parsley

Place in oven proof dish

You may raise your eyebrow at using a hand beater to mash potatoes
Delia (for people outside of the UK …Delia Smith is a Kitchen Goddess there) said so!!! and she should know
It works really well

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water
Drain, put pot back on heat to dry the potatoes out
add 2-3 tablespoons milk

Let that come to the boil
Remove from heat
Using a hand beater ,whip up the potatoes and milk
Till well mashed
Add 2-3 good knobs of butter

Transfer beater to a wood spoon
and beat by hand
Taste and season with salt and pepper
Spread over Meat mixture

Dot with a little extra butter

Cook 30 minutes at 180C

Voila Dinner is served
Plus one for the freezer

Now for a change of taste treat
A Meat Sauce with an Italian flavour
A Basic Sauce to pour over pasta

Starts off the same way but turns into something quite different

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 stick celery chopped
1 large clove of garlic peeled and smashed 
2 tablespoons dried Oregano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tin chopped tomatoes (400 gms)
1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon Olive oil
250 gms Mince
Slosh of wine about 100 mls

Heat oil in a large deep frying pan
Add onions season with S & P
Saute till soft

Add red pepper, garlic and celery
Season again
Saute about  4 minutes
Add canned tomatoes, add water to the empty can
about half full
Tip that in too
Add oregano and the sugar

Meanwhile in another skillet
Add oil to a hot pan
Add 250 gms mince
Season and break up and cook till brown
Add wine to mince
Let the alcohol vaporize off
Should take about 3-4 minutes

Add to the vege tomato mix
Mix well
Simmer for about 30 minutes
It will become lovely and red, rich and thick
Perfect over Pasta

Transfer to a container
In this case 2 containers, into the freezer
2 meals there

Golden Roast Chicken - Feta Brined

I found this recipe on The NY Times Cooking Website
Attributed to Melissa Clark
Roast Chicken is popular with the Grandchildren, so I cooked it for them last night
I served it  sitting on a bed of Rocket
with crushed potatoes on the side
It was very popular with the kids
So tender, not a lot left
Just a Carcass to make some chicken soup

Ingredients

    4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
    3 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
    1 3 1/2- to 4-pound whole chicken
    1 to 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper, to taste
    2 tablespoons dried Greek oregano
    2 large lemons
    ¼ cup olive oil, more as needed
    1 large bunch rocket or other sturdy salad greens, for serving

Preparation

The day before serving, combine 2 ounces feta, 
2 teaspoons salt and 4 cups water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

Put chicken in an extra-large resealable plastic bag or a container
large enough to submerge chicken, and cover with the feta brine.
Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Before cooking, remove chicken from brine and transfer to a rack. (Discard brine.)

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and allow to come to room temperature for 1 hour.
In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 
the pepper, the oregano and the zest of the lemons (about 1 tablespoon).

Liberally cover chicken in herb mix and gently massage entire bird.
Halve lemons and place 3 halves in cavity (save remaining half for serving).

Using kitchen twine, tie legs together.

Heat oven to 220C degrees.
Place a large ovenproof skillet over high heat.
Add oil and heat until it just smokes.
Place chicken, breast-side up, in pan.

Transfer entire pan to oven.
Cook, basting once or twice, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife,
50 to 60 minutes.
Remove pan from oven, Place chicken on board to rest

then stir remaining crumbled feta into juices in pan and stir well.

Place the chicken  on a bed of greens,
with feta-laced pan juices on top, drizzled with a little lemon juice from the reserved lemon half.

Crushed Potatoes

So so simple
Just peel your potatoes
Cook till tender in boiling salted water
Drain
Smash with a good dollop of Olive Oil 

Add some sliced basil
Mix

Throw some extra basil on top to serve
Make plenty...there was nothing left
I should have made more