Moroccan Style Chicken Casserole and my live cooking streams

My family love food from every corner of the world through the fact i kinda make them try new things which they never complain about. This is one of the faves and i know it will be one of your! Give it a try, the flavours are so good! I tweaked this as i do all my recipes to fit needs.

For the paste:

1tsp paprika

1tsp turmeric

1tsp cumin

1tsp salt

3 garlic cloves

Thumb size piece of ginger

olive oil

For the casserole:

4 chicken breasts

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Pinch of saffron strands

Handful of pitted green olives

Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

2 onions, chopped

olive oil

450ml chicken stock

To make the spice paste, place all the ingredients except the oil into a pestle and mortar or spice blender and grind to a paste, add just enough oil to make the paste runny but at the same time it will coat the chicken breast.

Rub the paste all over the chicken breast then into a bowl, cover and leave to marinate for a good couple of hours but overnight if possible.

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat until softened, add the chicken breast and colour on both sides for about 4-5 minutes each side. Add the chicken stock and lemon slices then stir in the saffron and season to taste (can be seasoned well this dish). Bring to the boil then down to a simmer for 30 minutes. Add the olives, fresh coriander and serve!

I’ve just started live cooking streams on twitch but I’ll be writing about that tomorrow but this is one of the recipes I’ve done on there so here is the link for that if you’d like to watch SIGN UP IS TOTALLY FREE AND TAKES 2 MINUTES TO DO and then if you like you can follow me as lots more is coming

ILL BE LIVE TONIGHT @ 8PM UK TIME, COME WATCH AND CHAT 

twitch.tv/cookingonabudget

 

 

Onion Bread

I’m not a big fan of bread as daft as that might sound, unless there’s a little something extra in it, chilli bread, olive bread, tomato bread……….. and so on. I bake bread a lot and this is one of my faves as I’m a huge lover of fried onions. This loaf for eaten in less that 2 hours, my dad wanted half and then my partner finished the rest.

17oz (500g) strong white bread flour

1 1/2oz (40g) butter (room temp)

2x 7g packets sachets fast-action dried yeast

2 tsp salt

10floz (300ml) tepid water (body temperature)

A little olive or sunflower oil

5 onions, chopped

1oz butter

Fry your onions first in the 1oz of butter (stirring constantly) for about 7-8 minutes or until nice and caramelised then set aside to cool.

Put the flour in a large mixing bowl with the butter and yeast at one side and the salt at the other or the salt will kill the yeast.

Add half of the water and mix using your finger tips, continue adding a little water at a time until you’ve picked up all the flour from the bowl (you might not need all the water, or you might need a little more) the dough wants to be soft but not sticky or soggy.

Tip out onto a lightly oiled surface and knead for 4-5 minutes (if at any point it becomes sticky then add a little flour to your hands).

Lightly oil a clean bowl and cover with a damp cloth then into a warm place to prove for 40-50 minutes or doubled in size. Now tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back (knocking back removes any large air pockets that have formed and creates an even texture). This time place in a loaf tin or if making smaller buns then divide up and place on baking trays, cover again and prove for 40 minutes.

Place in a preheated oven at 200c (gas 7) for about 30 minutes (placing a baking tray with cold water in the bottom of the oven just before closing the door will create stream helping the bread form a crisp shiny coat).

The only cooking in the one is the onions and that’s frying so its a cooking free recipe.

Cauliflower Fishcakes

Never seen nor tried these before but had the fish that a friend gave us so i thought id give it a go, also a friend had asked for a fishcake recipe so i just wanted to go a little different. Turned out awesome and tasted amazing! Real good twist to the fishcake we all know.

1 whole cauliflower (approx 29oz, 850g)

10oz (283g) cod fillets or fish of your choice (i added a little salmon)

2tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

1/2 chilli (chopped) optional

Milk

1/2 onion

Salt and pepper

(dried breadcrumbs might be needed)

To start bring a pan of salted water to the boil over a high heat, chop and add the cauliflower, cook for 8 minutes (the cauliflower wants to be cooked al dente, still has a little crunch). Drain and set aside to cool spread over a baking tray, you want them to dry out.

While they’re cooling, add the fish and onion to a pan, cover with milk then simmer over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, set side to cool the same way as the cauliflower.

Place the cauliflower in a bowl or food processor and blitz until smooth or you can leave some chunks in if you like. Season well with salt and pepper, keep tasting until you have the seasoning right, it can take quite a lot. Next add the fish, parsley and chilli (if using), give everything a good mix. If at this point the mixture is a little wet, stir in some breadcrumbs.

Shape into fishcakes then onto a lined baking tray and into the fridge to firm up for about an hour.

I like to brown the outside of the fish cakes in the pan then into the oven but its up to you how you do them but here’s how i do mine.

Pre-heat oven to 200c (gas 6), in a large pan over a high heat add a little butter and the fishcakes, don’t move them for 2 minutes then carefully flip, cook for a further 2 minutes then into the oven for 7-8 minutes, While they’re cooking you can knock up a nice little salad to go with them.

 

 

Carrot And Walnut Cake

I always make this is bulk and it makes about 3 loaf cakes or one big cake.

14oz (400g) plain flour

5 eggs

2Tbsp cinnamon

2Tsp bicarb

16oz (453g) carrots, grated

5oz (141g) walnuts, broken

19.4oz (550g) sugar

16floz vegetable oil

1tsp nutmeg

Pre-heat oven to 160c (gas 3).

Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl apart from the carrots and walnuts until well combined, then stir in the walnuts and carrots.

Line a loaf tin or a large cake tin with baking paper, pour in the mixture and bake for about 1 and a half hours, insert a knife to check if its done (should come out clean if its ready).

If using the loaf tin then repeat until you’ve used all the mixture.

Allow to cool or enjoy nice and warm.

Super Tasty Seafood Pancakes

A friend gave me some cod her partner and father had caught so in honour of pancake day i thought id try something a little different and it turned out so tasty and surprisingly filling to but also nice and healthy.

Pancake mix

4oz (115g) plain flour

1 egg

Milk (approx 4floz)

Pinch of salt

Butter for cooking

For the filling

2oz (56g) butter

2oz (56g) plain flour

Milk (approx 6floz)

10oz (300g) cod fillet

Handfull of mushrooms, chopped

Half of a leek, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Cheese of your choice

Salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 200c (gas 6).

First cook the cod any way you like, i like to poach mine in milk with half an onion and a bay leaf for about 4-5 minutes then drain and set aside.

Next get the pancakes done, mix together the flour, salt and egg then add the milk little at a time while whisking until you have a nice pancake batter.

Add a little oil to a pan over a medium to high heat and cook the pancakes, set aside to cool.

Fry the mushrooms and leeks in a little oil until just softened and set aside.

Now to bring it all together, add the 2oz butter to a high sided pan over a medium heat, when melted stir in the flour to make a roux, it will look just like a light brown ball but don’t panic, next add the milk a little at a time while whisking, making sure all the milk is incorporated before adding more, once you have a nice thick sauce (about 5 minutes) then add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Next add the fish, mushrooms, leek and dill, mix everything really well and thats the filling done.

Time to build, place a pancake in a large oven dish at one end, spoon in the filling and fold over both sides to create a parcel, repeat until finished then sprinkle with a little cheese and into the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy these with a nice salad or vegetables.

Creamy Vegetable Mascarpone Pasta

This is a real comfort food dish! It will make you go back for more. A fave in my family and im sure once you make it then it will be in yours. Its a no fuss recipe and so easy but so tasty.

1 pack of mediterranean vegetables

Handfull of mushrooms, halved

Handfull of fresh basil, chopped

Handful of cherry tomatoes

3 garlic gloves, chopped

1 tub of mascarpone cheese

3oz  dried fusilli pasta

Pack of feta cheese

Pinch of paprika

Pre-heat oven to 200c (gar mark 6).

This meal really is no fuss and doesn’t take much time at all so get the pasta into salted boiling water straight away.

Next add a glug of oil to a pan over a medium heat along with the garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes, next add the mascarpone, and 2-3 ladles of the starchy pasta water, stir well until the mascarpone has melted and you have a nice sauce then finish off with a pinch of paprika (optional), stir in the basil and never forget to check the seasoning as you might need quite a bit of salt to bring the flavours of the veg out.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the veg, cooked drained pasta, sauce and crumble in half the feta, pour all this into a large baking tray and top with the rest of the feta.

Cover with foil and into the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes to brown the cheese.

Enjoy this with a nice slice of garlic bread or i like a nice chunk of bread and butter.

Garlic & Herb Tear And Share Bread

Everyone loves a treat now and then and this is perfect for that day! Also perfect for a get together or just, friends or for that film night with the partner. Quick, easy and again cheap!

14.1oz (400g) strong bread flour (plus extra for dusting)

1x7g sachet of dried yeast

2 Tbsp dried mixed herbs

1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder

9.2 Floz (275ml) tepid water

2oz (56g) butter

2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

Pre-heat oven to 190c (gas 5)

To start, place the flour, herbs, garlic and yeast in a large mixing bowl, add the water little at a time while mixing until you have a nice soft sticky dough (you might not need all the water).

Empty this out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and springy, place in a slightly oiled bowl covered with a damp dish cloth and place in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Grease a large baking tin or cake tin, tip the dough out onto the work surface and knead lightly for a minute, divide into equal pieces and roll into balls, place these into he baking tin and don’t be afraid if they’re cramped as this is better, cover with the damp dish cloth and leave to prove again for 1 and a half hours in a warm place.

While they’re proving, mix together the butter and garlic, leave to one side.

Cooking time, sprinkle over a little salt and dot the garlic butter around the bread, into the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Perfect for sharing (if you want to).

Easy Thai Fish Curry

Im a lover of everything food but i was brought up on this kind of dish by my dad and my grandad was the one who loved fish and passed that on to me so this is perfect! sweet, sour and spicy, a truly mouthwatering dish! Give this a try! Dont let the ingredients list put you off, its all cheap and cheerful.

Sauce

12floz coconut milk

handful of fresh coriander

5 spring onions, roughly cut including the green shoots

Thumb size piece of ginger, grated

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp fish sauce (most supermarkets sell this now)

2tsp ground cumin

2tsp ground coriander

1tsp turmeric

2tsp chilli powder

2tsp brown sugar

Rest of ingredients

handful of green beans, roughly chopped

5oz mushrooms, sliced

8.8oz (250g) cod fillets, cut into chunks (or what ever fish you fancy)

handful baby spinach

To start just put all of the sauce ingredients in a processor and blitz for 2-3 minutes until you have a nice smooth sauce, then add the sauce to a large high sided pan over a high heat and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down to a medium to high heat, add the mushrooms and green beans then simmer for 6-7 minutes.

At this point taste the dish and adjust the seasonings to taste.

Next add the spinach and stir well, place the fish into the pan and slightly push under the sauce, cook for a further 3-4 minutes (the fish doesn’t take long at all to cook depending on the thickness).

Serve up with some fresh coriander for a nice healthy meal packed full of flavour!

New Videos! Please Give Them A Watch

Hey guys I’ve been away for while with family stuff but I’ve recorded some vids in that time and uploaded them to my youtube channel. Some awesome recipes now in easy to follow videos. Please give them a check out, like, comment and subscribe for more awesome content coming! Thanks guys.

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