Saturday, July 23, 2022

White Chocolate and Pistachio Cheesecake


Ingredients:

Biscuit Base:
  • 150 g unsalted butter (melted)
  • 300 g digestive biscuits
Cheesecake Filling:
  •     400 g full fat Philadelphia cream cheese
  •     300 ml double cream
  •     75 g icing sugar
  •     300 g white chocolate (melted)
  •     100 g pistachios (chopped)
Decoration:
  •     25 g pistachios (chopped)
  •     50 g milk chocolate (melted)
  •     whipped cream
Instructions:
Biscuit Base
  1. Blitz the digestive biscuits to a small crumb - I used a food processor.
  2. Add the melted unsalted butter – either pulse in the food processor a few times until the mixture is combined, or mix it in a bowl.
  3. Tip the biscuit and unsalted butter mix into the bottom of an 8"/20cm deep springform tin and press down firmly - leave to the side.
Cheesecake Filling
  1. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave on short bursts until fully melted.
  2. Leave to cool whilst carrying on with the rest.
  3. Mix the full fat Philadelphia cream cheese with the icing sugar until smooth - this shouldn't take long.
  4. Add in the double cream and continue to whip up to soft peaks, until it holds itself.
  5. Fold in your cooled melted chocolate.
  6. Add in the chopped pistachios and fold through again.
  7. Spread the mix over the digestive biscuit base, smooth over and chill in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours, or preferably overnight so it will definitely be set.
Decoration
  1. Once set, drizzle over the melted milk chocolate and leave to set.
  2. Pipe on some whipped cream and sprinkle over some extra pistachios for an extra crunch! Enjoy!

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Spiced lamb and spinach salad



Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 4 (125g each) extra-trim lamb leg steaks
  • 100g baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup almond kernels, chopped
  • 1/2 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
  • Hommus, to serve
  • Wholemeal pita bread, chargrilled, to serve
  • Lemon wedges, to serve

Method:

  1. Combine 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, coriander and garlic in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Season with salt and pepper. Add lamb. Turn to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes, if time permits.
  2. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook lamb for 3 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover. Set aside for 5 minutes to rest. Thinly slice lamb.
  3. Meanwhile, combine spinach, almonds and onion in a bowl. Divide spinach mixture between plates. Top with lamb and a dollop of hommus. Drizzle with remaining oil. 
  4. Serve with pita bread and lemon wedges

Simple Greek Salad


Ingredients:
  • 200g piece low-fat feta
  • 3 medium Lebanese cucumbers, halved lengthways, thickly sliced
  • 4 medium roma tomatoes, halved, cut into wedges
  • 1 cup (160g) pitted kalamata olives
  • 1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced
Vinegar dressing:
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
Method:
  1. Cut feta into cubes. Place in a large bowl with cucumber, tomato, olives and onion.
  2. Make dressing Place oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar and oregano in a screw-top jar. Secure lid. Shake to combine.
  3. Add dressing to salad. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Garlic prawn, lemon and feta spaghetti


Ingredients:
  • 400g spaghetti
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 20 (500g) green king prawns, peeled (tails intact), deveined
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tsp finely-grated lemon rind
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 cup roughly-chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 125g low-fat feta, crumbled
  • crusty bread, to serve

Method:
  1. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, following packet directions, until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until tender. Add prawns and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until prawns are just pink. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute or until prawns are just cooked through. Remove from heat. Add lemon rind and juice.
  3. Drain pasta. Return to pan over low heat. Add prawn mixture, remaining oil, parsley and feta. Season with pepper. Toss to combine. Serve with crusty bread. 

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Chocolate Coated Peanut Biscuit


Ingredients:
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup S.R. flour
  • 2 teaspoons cocoa
  • 1 or 2 packets salted peanuts
  • pack of good dark chocolate
Method:
  1. Cream egg and sugar together
  2. Add melted butter and beat well Add flour, cocoa and peanuts 
  3. Spoon onto tray flatten with fork onto greased tray 
  4. Cook In oven 15-20 min at 180°C 
  5. Knife into shape don't remove until cool
  6. Heat chocolate in bain marie
  7. Dip biscuits in chocolate and leave to cool

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Boston Baked Beans & Eggs


Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 pork rashers, thinly sliced 1 onion, chopped
  • 400g can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp treacle
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 long red chilli, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 
  • 4 eggs
  • rocket leaves, feta, buttered toast, to serve

Method

  1. In a large, heavy-based, 1 , on medium. Sauté pork and onion for 6-8 minutes, until pork is well browned and onion softens.
  2. Stir in tomatoes, treacle, 2st sugar, mustard, garlic, chilli and bay leaves. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
  3. Mix beans and vinegar uncovered, for 4-5 minutes, until sauce thickens. Season.
  4. Using a large spoon, make 4 indents in mixture. Crack an egg into each indent. Cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes, until egg whites are completely set. 
  5. Scatter with rocket leaves and crumble feta over. Serve with toast..

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

20 Minute Cherry Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 4 cups cherry tomatoes (halve some and leave some whole)
  • pinch of chilli flakes
  • salt and pepper to serve
  • 500 g pasta cooked + 1 cup cooking water reserved
  • ½ Parmesan cheese grated
  • fresh basil leaves roughly chopped/torn

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water before draining.
  • While the pasta water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Pour olive oil into a large pan set over medium-high heat.
  • Add sliced garlic and allow to fry for a few seconds before adding the cherry tomatoes.
  • Season with chilli flakes, salt and pepper and allow to cook, stirring regularly until the tomatoes start to pop. Squash some of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to get all the juices to release.
  • Once all the tomatoes have softened, reduce the heat. Add the drained pasta with some of the reserved cooking water. Stir until well combined.
  •  Stir in Parmesan and roughly torn basil leaves then serve.

Optional: Add chicken or prawns


https://simply-delicious-food.com/20-minute-cherry-tomato-pasta/