Wednesday, 26 July 2023

BROCCOLI, POTATO & SALMON TIKKI TRAY BAKE


I am a big fan of the good old tray bake. 

You just need one tray, good ingredients, a bit of chopping and a working oven and you almost always end up with a delicious dinner that will require minimal cleaning and washing up.

I have done a few variations of a salmon and veg tray bake but this Indian inspired take might just be a new favourite!

Salmon, marinated in a yogurt spice mix, is baked in the oven with wonderfully seasoned potatoes, asparagus and tomatoes, and the finished bake is topped with a drizzle of yogurt with a hint of lime, fresh chillis and chopped coriander.

It is almost too good to believe that this was all cooked on one tray - fragrant, fresh and packed full of flavour, a new favourite!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
  • 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 2 Cardamom Pods
  • 120g Natural Yoghurt
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic
  • 2cm Knob of Ginger
  • 2 Tsp Chilli Powder
  • ½ Tsp Turmeric
  • 1 Tsp Tomato Purée
  • 2 Fillets of Salmon
  • 800g Baby Potatoes
  • 6 Spring Onions
  • 200g Cherry Tomatoes
  • 250g Tenderstem Broccoli
  • 1 Lime
  • 1 Red Chilli
  • Handful of Coriander
  • Salt
  • Vegetable Oil

METHOD
  • Heat your oven to 190°C/374°F.
  • Pour your cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and your cardamom pods into a dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat for 2 mins until fragrant.
  • Pour your spices into a pestle and mortar and crush them into a fine powder, discarding the shells of the cardamom pods. 
  • If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you can pour your spices onto a large chopping board and gently crush them with the base of a heavy pan.
  • Pop 100g of your yoghurt into a large bowl and grate in your garlic and ginger. 
  • Add all but 1 tbsp of your toasted spice mix, along with 1 tsp of your chilli powder, your turmeric and your tomato purée. 
  • Sprinkle in a generous pinch of salt, then mix.
  • Pop your salmon into the bowl and toss to coat, then leave to marinate for at least 30 mins, preferably a couple of hours.
  • Meanwhile, halve your potatoes and toss them in a large roasting tray. 
  • Drizzle with vegetable oil, plus your remaining toasted spice mix, chilli powder and a large pinch of salt. Pop in the oven to roast for 25 mins, tossing every so often so that they cook evenly.
  • Pop your spring onions and tomatoes into the potato tray along with your broccoli. 
  • Toss so that they are coated in the oil and spices, then roast for 15 mins more.
  • Place your salmon fillets on top of the traybake. Bake for 5 mins.
  • Heat your grill to high. 
  • Pop your traybake under the grill and cook for 2 mins until the top of the salmon is starting to char.
  • Mix your remaining yoghurt with the juice of your lime. Roughly chop your coriander and slice your red chilli.
  • Drizzle your traybake with your lime yoghurt, coriander, and chopped chillies. 
  • ENJOY!

Thursday, 20 July 2023

SPICY RICOTTA & SWEETCORN GNOCCHI

I would have never thought that some fresh corn off the cob, ricotta and a bit of hot sauce blended together would make such an moorish sauce but OH MY GOD I had to stop myself from basically drinking the sauce straight out of the blender before it had even touched the gnocchi.

This is the most perfect gnocchi dish for any sweetcorn lovers out there and I honestly thought it was one of the best flavour and texture combos I have cooked up in a while.

A new favourite.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 Garlic Cloves
  • 4 Spring Onions
  • 4 Corn On The Cobs
  • 200ml Vegetable Stock
  • 200g Ricotta
  • 4 Tbsp Hot Sauce 
  • 30g Butter
  • Salt
  • Pepper
METHOD
  • Thinly slice the garlic cloves and spring onions (both green and white parts) while you boil a kettle.
  • Pour the boiling water into a saucepan and add salt. 
  • Once reboiling, drop in the corn cobs and cook for 3 mins, then remove 2 of the cobs with tongs and transfer to a plate. 
  • Cook the remaining cobs for 3 minutes more until completely tender, then remove with tongs – making sure to keep the two lots of corn separate. 
  • Turn down the heat on the water to low.
  • Get a large frying pan searingly hot. 
  • Lay in the less-cooked corn and char the kernels, turning regularly. 
  • Once charred, set aside.
  • Holding the more-cooked corn upright, slice down with a knife, removing the kernels from the cob. 
  • Put these into a blender with the vegetable stock, ricotta and 2 tbsp of hot sauce. 
  • Blitz to a velvety sauce and season to taste.
  • Come back to the charred corn. 
  • Cut the kernels off the cob and tip into a small bowl. Mix with the remaining 2 tablespoons of hot sauce and season.
  • Put the frying pan back over a medium heat. 
  • Melt in the butter, add the garlic and most of the spring onions and cook until soft, then tip the spinach into the pan.
  • At the same time turn the heat back up on the pan of water; once boiling, drop in the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi just floats. 
  • Use a slotted spoon to add the cooked gnocchi to the frying pan with the spinach.
  • Pour in the sweetcorn sauce, toss everything together to warm through and season to taste. 
  • Divide between four bowls, top with the charred hot sauce corn and remaining spring onions. 
  • Enjoy!

Thursday, 13 July 2023

KALE, CAPER & TAHINI ROAST SWEET POTATO



I love a good pasta on any given Friday night but sometimes I really crave vegetables, particularly when they are prepped as spectacularly as the recipe I am about to share with you! 

I think this roast sweet potato with tahini, kale and capers may be the most delicious way I have ever eaten a sweet p (and i’ve eaten many) - somehow the combo of textures and flavours works like an absolute dream and I have been thinking of making it again ever since I gobbled this up a couple of weeks ago.

This was honestly tone of the most satisfying, healthy, vegetarian dinners I have had in a long time and a a way with sweet potatoes that everyone needs to try asap!


INGREDIENTS
  • 4 Sweet Potatoes
  • 180g Kale
  • 125g Capers
  • 6 Tbsp Tahini
  • 1 Lemon
  • 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil
  • 6 Tsp Chilli Flakes
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic
  • Salt 
  • Pepper
  • Olive oil

METHOD
  • Preheat your oven to 180°C/356°F. 
  • While your oven heats up, coat your sweet potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and 2 tsp of chilli flakes. 
  • Rub everything in. Then, put them in the oven for 60 minutes.
  • Time for your dressing. 
  • Add your tahini to a bowl, with 3 tsp of olive oil, your sesame oil and your soy sauce. 
  • Add 1.5 tsp of chilli flakes, the juice of a lemon and a pinch of pepper before adding 1.5 tbsp of water and mixing it all together until it becomes a smooth dressing. 
  • Once mixed, grate in the zest of the lemon and another sprinkling of pepper.
  • Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and add your capers. 
  • Fry these on a high heat until they are crispy and remove them from your pan. 
  • In the same pan, add your kale, with another drizzle of olive oil.
  • Peel and slice your garlic cloves, then add them to the pan with 2 tsp of chilli flakes as well as a sprinkling salt and pepper.
  • Once cooked, remove your potatoes from the oven and slice them length-ways. 
  • Add on a good spoonful of your tahini dressing. 
  • Then stuff the potatoes with the fried kale and generously sprinkle the capers on top. 
  • Drizzle more tahini dressing over the top, with a sprinkling of your remaining chilli flakes and you’re ready to tuck in! 
  • Enjoy!