MINESTRONE SOUP

Mourish, comforting and a great diet soup too!

INGREDIENTS

Tinned tomatoes

White cabbage

Onions

Carrots

Leeks

Courgettes

Celery

Chicken stock cubes

Sea Salt / Seasoned Sea Salt (A.Vogel Herbamare, see link below)

http://www.avogel.co.uk/avogel-world-new/avogel_product_stories/herbamare.php 

Freshly ground black pepper

Provencal dried herbs

Freshly chopped parsley

I've not mentioned any quantities as I do it by eye & I make a huge pan of it but I have listed the ingredients in order of amount used, i.e. use more tinned tomatoes and white cabbage than the other vegetables, I use 2 very large tins of tomatoes but then I make a large quantity. There's no hard and fast rules as to the amounts of vegetables you use, once you start chopping and putting the vegetables in the pan you'll soon assess what you need more or less of.  I usually start with a whole cabbage, carrots and onions and reserve some of those 3 vegetables to make coleslaw at the same time. 

Click here for the coleslaw recipe

METHOD

First of all you need a very big pan, if you haven't got one then don't chop quite as many vegetables!

Finely chop all the vegetables.  I use a food processor and you can have it done in minutes, otherwise you'll have to chop by hand which is fine, it will just take you longer.  If you are using a food processor use the pulse button so that you don't end up chopping them too fine.

Place all the chopped vegetables into your pan with a little olive oil and butter, not too much, and place on a low heat with the pan lid on to 'sweat' the vegetables until they are soft, stirring occasionally.  It won't take long so keep your eye on it as you don't want the vegetables to catch and start burning.  Then add the tinned tomatoes and top up with water.  Add your stock cubes, dried herbs, salt & freshly ground black pepper.  The amount of stock cubes used obviously depends on how much liquid there is but don't over season, you can always add more later.

Bring it up to the boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer.  At first the liquid will be very red but as it simmers it will change colour to a more orangey red as it cooks. Keep an eye on it as you may need to add more water from time to time.  I actually simmer it for about an hour.  Towards the end of the cooking add some freshly chopped parsley, reserving some for a garnish.

To serve garnish with chopped parsley and some freshly grated parmesan. Make sure it is fresh parmesan not that awful stuff in a tub that smells terrible!  Serve some warm crusty bread too.

TIP:  This is a perfect diet soup (minus the parmesan and bread), you can eat as much as you want, it's comforting and it fills you up as well as being very nutritious.

As you're already chopping the vegetables it doesn't require much extra effort to make coleslaw at the same time.  A great lunch is minestrone soup followed by ham and coleslaw sandwiches.

As I make a huge pan it is too big for the fridge so it sits on my stove on a low simmer so everyone can just help themselves.  If you leave it out overnight make sure you bring it to a fast boil in the morning to kill any bacteria but I think you'll find it won't last long!  Alternatively you can always freeze some of it.

STICKY BILLIES

I got this recipe from a friend's Mum when I was about 10 years old.  These were always my kid's favourites, still are!  Great to get small children involved in making them too.

INGREDIENTS
Equal quantities of:
Marshmallows
Golden toffee (either wrapped toffees or loose)
Butter
Rice Krispies

Tip:  I usually buy a couple of large bags of marshmallows and whatever they weigh gives me the weight for the rest of the ingredients.  You don't have to be too precise with the weights but weigh your ingredients never the less, you'll be surprised at how many Rice Krispies you need!

WHAT YOU NEED:
A large pan and a baking tray, possibly two

METHOD
Put the toffee and butter together in the large pan and heat on a medium heat stirring all the time.  Once the toffees have started to melt add the marshmallows, keep stirring until everything has melted and it is a thick luxurious sauce.  Don't allow the mixture to boil. Take the pan off the heat.

Immediately mix in the Rice Krispies, bit by bit, turning over the mixture after each addition with a large spoon.  Don't stir but keep turning the mixture over and eventually the Rice Krispies will all be covered.  You might not think that you will be able to get all the Rice Krispies covered but I promise you will, just keep turning!

When all your cereal is fully coated tip out the mixture onto a baking tray.  Push the mixture down with your hands and smooth out into all the corners, or you could use a palette knife.  Leave to cool.  When it is cooled cut into squares, easiest way is with a pizza wheel.  Prepare to not be able to stop eating them!

HAM & CHEESE CROISSANT

This is a great way to use up croissants that have gone stale.  Serve for lunch or a light snack with a side salad dressed with French dressing.  The flavours really go well together.

INGREDIENTS
Stale croissants
Sliced ham
Sliced / grated gruyere or cheddar cheese
Mixed salad leaves
Spring onions
Chopped tomatoes or any other salad ingredients of your choice
French dressing

Halve each croissant by slicling through the middle, horizontally.  Lay each half on a baking tray, middle side facing upwards.

Place a slice of ham on each croissant half and top with sliced / grated gruyere or cheddar cheese.

Place under the grill and cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Serve with a side salad of mixed salad leaves, chopped spring onions and tomatoes dressed with French dressing

NB: Pizza Express Salad Dressing is one of the best shop bought salad dressings

LUXURY FISH PIE

As easy as pie!

INGREDIENTS

FILLING:

White fish fillets (any fish of your choice)

Salmon fillets

Frozen cooked prawns

Frozen peas

Tinned sweetcorn

SAUCE:

Plain flour

Butter

Milk (plus milk for cooking the fish)

Cream (optional)

Onion

Chicken stock cube or

Seasoned Sea Salt (A.Vogel Herbamare, see link below)

http://www.avogel.co.uk/avogel-world-new/avogel_product_stories/herbamare.php

Freshly ground black pepper

Tabasco sauce

Fresh parsley

TOPPING:

Hard boiled eggs (I usually do about four)

Creamy mashed potato

Grated cheddar cheese

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Fresh vegetables of your choice for an accompaniment.  I like to serve carrots and broccoli, nice & colourful.

I never weigh anything as I do it purely by eye!  I'm sure you will be able to as well, adjusting the quantities according to how many people you're serving.  The only quantities you need to know is for the sauce.  This is made from a roux which is always equal quantities of butter and flour.  I would normally do 2 tablespoons of each.

WHAT YOU NEED:  A large dish, I use a Lasagne style dish. A deep sided frying pan or a large pan. Pans for cooking potatoes and vegetables. A small pan for making your sauce.

METHOD

Potatoes: Peel, quarter and boil in salted water until soft enough for mashing.

Vegetables: Prepare the vegetables that you are going to serve with the pie.  If you are serving carrots you could start cooking those as well. Broccoli doesn't want cooking until the end but you could prepare it. I like to steam it, you can use a steamer or separate the florets and place in a pan with only a small amount of water.

Prawns: Rinse under cold water in a colander and set aside to drain & defrost.

Eggs: Place your eggs into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil, once the water is boiling they will take about 10 minutes to be hard boiled, set a timer. You could turn your oven now to preheat, about 200°C

Lets cook the fish.. (whilst your potatoes, vegetables and eggs are cooking)

In a deep sided frying pan lay all your fish, except the prawns, pour over some milk until nearly covered.  Peel and quarter an onion and place that in the pan too.  Put on a medium heat and poach the fish in the milk until cooked, this will only take a few minutes and you will see the fish change colour.

When cooked remove the fish with a fish slice and put aside on a plate.  Remove the onion and throw away.  Reserve the liquid in a jug, you are going to use this milk to make a sauce.

Now for the sauce...

Melt the butter in a pan, when it has melted take it off the heat and add the plain flour.  Stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour has been absorbed into the butter then put it back on the heat.  Keep stirring and cook for a couple of minutes until 'blonde'.  Add the reserved milk little by little, stirring the sauce against the side of the pan with the wooden spoon to break up any lumps, or you could use a whisk.  Keep going until it is a sauce consistency, it should coat the back of your spoon.  If you add too much milk, don't panic, just mix a little flour with water to a smooth liquid paste and add to your sauce.  As you cook the sauce it will thicken, keep stirring, don't leave it!  When you are happy with the consistency add your seasonings, stock cube or seasoned sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, a couple of dashes of tabasco and fresh parsley.  If you want to make it really rich you could make the sauce very thick and then add a little cream.  Once you are happy with how it tastes add your frozen peas and sweetcorn and the prawns, heat through for a few minutes, stirring, so that the prawns are heated through.  Take off the heat.

Eggs: They should be done by now.  Put the pan in the sink and run the cold water tap over them for a few minutes. Leave in cold water for a few minutes.

Carrots: Check to see if they're cooked, if they are take them off the heat but leave them in the water.

Potatoes: Mash to a smooth consistency seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  If you have any milk left you could also add a little of that, or even some cream.

Now for assembly!

Your fish should have remained pretty much whole when you set it aside.  You want to try and keep it  in pretty large pieces so that the pie has some texture, but leave the skin behind.  Place all the fish pieces in the base of your dish.  Then pour the sauce over, don't worry about mixing it through the fish, it will find its own way.  Slice the hard boiled eggs and lay them in a layer completely covering the fish.  Top with the mashed potato and score the potato with a fork.  Top with grated cheese.

Place in a hot oven to heat through.  It will start bubbling when it is hot and the top should brown.  If not you can always finish it off under the grill to get a golden topping.

Whilst the pie is heating through, cook your broccoli...

Broccoli: When you turn on the heat, put the lid on so that the florets will steam, they won't take long and be careful not to overcook them, I like the stalks to have a bit of 'bite'.  Also broccoli goes cold very quickly, so it needs to be served as soon as it is cooked.

Carrots: Check if they need heating up and if they do turn the heat back on.  Once all your vegetables are cooked place in a warmed serving dish and take to the table along with your wonderful fish pie.

Enjoy!

NB:  If you are gluten intolerant try using potato or rice flour

VARIATION

For a variation on my fish pie, make the filling exactly the same way but instead of topping it with mashed potato, top with flaky pastry, shop bought is best!

MY FAMILY RECIPES

I've been thinking for a while to write down my favourite recipes that my family enjoy.  The other night my son had a friend round for tea and he was asking me what he could make for his grandparents, he was going round to cook tea for them later that week.  I suggested Fish Pie, nutritious and easy to digest.  I am always helping my kids & their friends out with recipes which made me think that maybe I should publish them online where they can access them easily. So here it is, the first one..

Fish Pie from Mummy Kim's Kitchen! 

26th September 2011