Classic Damsels Recipes

[Sparkly]

Sparkly's Boursin Chicken in prosciutto

Fry chicken breasts in olive oil, S&P for 10 mins
Spread boursin on top & wrap with prosciutto
Wrap in puff pastry*, glaze with egg & milk & bake til golden (about 15-20 at 200)

I served with those long skinny sweet red peppers stuffed with buttery garlic mushrooms & smash hot potatoes. Would be even nicer with asparagus I think.

*Can also be served without pastry

[Sparkly]

Sparkly's Smash Hot Potatoes

Boil potatoes in skins, set on baking tray and bash them with a masher/fork - basically squash them a bit til they go slightly 'splat'!!

Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with s&p (plus garlic and herbs if you like) and bake at high temp.

They basically turn into the gorgeous crunchy bits that normally just the chef gets to eat & are scrummy!!

[shining star]

Lamb Kabobs:

Ingredients
For the kebab
700g/1lb10oz finely ground lamb mince
1 onion, very finely chopped
2 tsp chopped fresh marjoram or oregano or 1 tsp good quality dried
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
½ tsp chilli powder
pinch ground cardamom
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the flatbreads
500g/1lb 2oz plain flour
½tsp sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 packet dried yeast
250ml/8fl oz tepid water
1 tbsp olive oil

For the dressing
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
I garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

To serve
Fresh mint leaves
1 small red onion, finely sliced and soaked in lemon juice
8 wooden skewers, pre-soaked in water

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/430F/Gas 7.
2. For the kebabs, place all the kebab ingredients in a large bowl. Season generously with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix together really well.
3. Divide the mixture into eight rough sausage shapes then put each onto a skewer, ensuring they are firmly wrapped around the skewers. Refrigerate until ready to use. In the meantime, prepare the flatbreads and dressing.
4. When you're ready, heat a large frying pan or flat griddle until smoking hot and cook the kebabs for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.
5. For the flatbreads, place the flour in a bowl and mix in the sugar, salt, oregano and chilli flakes.
6. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in the dried yeast. Add enough of the tepid water to form a rough dough.
7. Drizzle the olive oil over the dough and knead for about ten minutes. Divide into four balls and then roll out into long ovals.
8. Place the flatbreads on lightly greased baking trays that have been pre-heated in the oven. Prick all over really well then place in the oven and cook for three minutes on each side.
9. For the dressing, place all the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend to form a smooth paste.
10. To serve, lay a flatbread on a serving plate with a couple of kebabs on top, drizzle with the dressing and garnish with some of the lemon-soaked onions and fresh mint leaves.

[shining star]

Possibly future classic, had this lastnight and it was gorgeous!

Citrus Risotto with Garlic Chili Prawns

6 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small brown onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
50 g butter,
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 lemon, zest of, finely grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper
2 small red chilies
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra
20 green prawns, shelled, tails intact, deveined

GARNISH

4 cups flat leaf parsley,
roughly chopped (Italian)
lemon wedges

Place the stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat; reduce heat and keep at simmering point.

1. Place a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add the olive oil, onion, salt, and half the butter; stir until the onions are translucent, add the rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the rice is well coated.
2. Gradually add all the simmering stock, a cupful at a time, stirring constantly and making sure the stock is absorbed before you add more; this should take 20 minutes and the rice should be al dente and creamy.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and then stir in the remaining butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and pepper to taste; cover the saucepan and let sit for 3 minutes for the flavours to develop.
4. Meanwhile, pound the chilli and garlic in a mortar and pestle; place the extra olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and heat until hot.
5. Season the prawns with salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan, until the prawns are just opaque then add the chilli and garlic and cook for 1 minute; remove from the heat and set aside.
6. Stir the risotto and divide between four bowls; toss the prawns with the parsley then place on top of the risotto, serve with lemon wedges.

This is the proper recipe but I actually did it in the oven......I gently fried the onions in a pan, added the rice and stirred to coat the rice. Then I added a bit of white wine and stirred a bit more before adding the stock. Brought it up to a simmer and then transferred to the oven for 40 minutes. I added the lemon, butter & seasoning at the end before serving.

[lazymummy]

WW chickpea and tomato tagine!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serves 4 @ 3 POINTS per serving, will freeze

Low fat cooking spray
2 aubergines, diced finely
1 large onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, crushed
300g sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp turmeric
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp Tabasco
75g dried apricots, chopped
400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
200ml/7floz veg stock
Small bunch fresh corander OR mint, chopped

* Spray large pan with oil spray, stirfry aubergines until golden brown.
* Romove aubergines onto plate, spray oil again and fry onion and garlic until soft and golden (add a little water to stop them sticking)
* Add all spices, stir fry for a minute or so.
* Return aubergines to pan with all other ingredients apart from mint or coriander.
* Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins until sauce is thickened (I found I needed to add more stock/water)
* Stir through the mint or coriander.

I missed out the apricots, as I don't like them, and used corander. Next time I will add more free veg (carrots/peppers/courgette sound good!). It made TONS and was really delish!

[August Girl]

Just putting Pancake's Veggie Lentil Pie recipe on here as I had to go looking for it, I had forgotten it

2 onions, chopped
3 carrots or half a butternut squash, or a mixture, diced
Olive oil
100g red lentils
Tin of tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 pint stock
3 tbsp pesto
1 kg potatoes or sweet potatoes for the mash, or mix of both

Fry onions in oil for five mins, add carrots and fry for five more
minutes. Add lentils, tomatoes, puree and stock - simmer for 30 mins.
Stir pesto in at the end.

Make some mash. Whop it on the top with some yummy cheese.

[Cherrypie]

Just wanted to add the Brazilian Chicken recipe that is mentioned in my blog, as a few people seemed to have really liked it.

Brazillian Chicken
Serves 6

6 Chicken breasts
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions
1 chile
2 cloves garlic
1 can tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
handful chopped coriander

• Heat olive oil in a large pan, and brown chicken for about 1o mins, turning over to do both sides
• Set chicken on a plate to one side
• Put onions, chile and garlic in a food processor. Whizz to make a paste. (I also added 4 small sweet capsicums from the fridge that needed using up, so not sure how authentic my end dish was!)
• Add the onion paste to the pan, and cook in the oil (left from the chicken) for about 10 minutes until soft.
• Add the can of tomatoes to the cooked onion mixture, and then return the chicken to the pan. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Stir in coconut milk to the chicken mixture.
• Simmer for further 15 mins until sauce is thickened.
• Sprinkle over a good handful of chopped coriander, and serve. Good with rice or garlic bread.

[Verry Raspberry]

Sorry Bookie, just saw this!

But here's the recipe, hope someone else likes it:

Adobo
1 chile ancho
a small piece of cinammon
a pinch of ground cumin
a pinch of ground clover
1 or 2 garlic cloves
1/2 half of a medium sized onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 tea spoon of vinager
200g of meat, cut in small pieces

First you have to slightly toast the chilli, you can do this by putting it directly on your stove dishes (if your stove is electrical) on the burners (if you have gas), just be aware that you might get some spicy smoke coming out, so open your windows! Also, avoid burning it, as it will make the dish bitter.

Then, boil the chilli, cinammon, onion and garlic in enough water to cover them. Boil them until the chilli is soft, then turn the fire off, take the chilli out and remove the seeds (open it if you need to).

Now, to the fun part, in a blender or food procesor, whizz up all the ingredients except for the meat (you can add some of the water in which you cooked everything).

Put some oil on a pot and slightly fry the meat in it for a couple of minutes, then add the sauce, and let it cook. If you need, add some more water, and check the salt.

You can serve it with refried beans, rice and/or a green salad.

[Pikeypants]

Pikey's Fusilli a la Campagnola

OK so it's not a classic YET but it should be! I recommend everyone try this simple recipe- it is bloody gorgeous!

Ingredients
Fusilli pasta
Broccoli
Chorizo (or any spicy sausage replacement)
Garlic
Chilli Oil
Olive Oil
Parmesan

Method
While cooking your pasta, cut your broccoli into small florets & steam over the apsta for 5 mins.

Gently fry cubed chorizo & sliced garlic in a mix of chilli & olive oil (depending on how hot you like it). Add the streamed broccoli towards the end, letting the brocolli absorb the oil & flavours.

Drain pasta & mix together. Serve with a very VERY generous helping of parmesan (very important part of the whole flavour experience )

Say mmmmmMMMMMMmmmmmm lots

[Angel]

Ooh, that sounds lovely and I've got some chorizo to use up too