recipe: POTATO & ONION "SPANISH" TORTILLA

So, this is a cheat version of a spanish tortilla and its really simple.

For 3:

3 medium potatoes, boiled and cut into cubes, 1 medium onion thinly chopped, 3 garlic cloves crushed, 4 eggs whisked and seasoned with herbs salt & pepper, 1 teaspoon chopped red chilli *optional, a pinch of sweet paprila, olive oil, salt & pepper to season

1. Cook the potatoes with the skin, when ready let cool, peel and cut into 2 cm cubes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the garlic and onion and cook till onion is soft. 3. Add the potatoes, season with paprika and salt and cook for about 4 minutes.
4. Finally add the eggs, cover with a lid and cook until the eggs are ready.
5. Correct the flavours and serve with a green salad

Quite easy to make and you can play with herbs and spices to add a twist, I sometimes add nutmeg too, love it with eggs!

recipe: "MY WAY" MEXICAN TORTILLAS

So, this is a concoction I made a while ago and like to call my own Mexican tortillas, I love them and the good thing is you can add whatever you want to them and make them your own. S0, I'll tell you the recipe for the chicken & red bean "frijoles" because the guacamole recipe was already given before *check recipe archive

This will make about 4 big tortilla wraps:

4 tortilla wraps, 1 chicken breast marinated in paprika, lemon, salt and olive oil grilled and shredded, 1 handful of green salad mixed leaves (spinach, rocket, lettuce, etc), 1 red capsicum chargrilled skinned and cut into stripes, 1 tomato, 1 can red kidney beans, 3 garlic cloves crushed, 2 tbs chopped red onion, olive oil, 1 tbs cumin powder, salt & pepper

1. Make the Guacamole *see previous recipe
2. Grill the chicken, let it cool and shred it. Grill the capsicum until soft, let it cool, remove skin and cut into slices
3. Make the frijoles: heat the oil in a frypan, add the garlic and the onion and cook till they are soft, add the beans (previously rinsed) and stir. Add a bit of water and start mashing them in the pan in low heat until a paste starts to form. Add cumin, salt and keep mashing. Transfer to a mortar & pestle or a food processor ( I like it a bit coarser) and make the bean paste. Correct the flavours adding salt, cumin and olive oil as you go along.
4. Chop the tomato and arrange all the ingredients on a plate.
5. Place some frijoles on a tortilla wrap, add some chicken, green leaves, capsicum, tomato and top with the guacamole, *if you like cheese, go crazy now
6. Last but not least, enjoy them.
I am salivating as I write this, they were awesome!!

WEEK 6

This is a special week because I am going on holiday!!!! yes, from Thursday I won't be posting because I will be in "Terras Lusas" for a bit of relaxation and probably not much cooking.
And because I am so busy until I leave with all the preparations, the menu is slightly smaller with almost no lunch prep.
Still, I am making the effort, so come and look, try the recipes and comment on them, would love to hear if you tried any and like them...

Sunday:
_dinner: "my way" Mexican Tortillas

Monday:
_dinner: Potato & Onion "Spanish" Tortilla with Green Salad

Tuesday:
_dinner: Minted Grilled Lamb with Asparagus and Quinoa Salad

recipe: CHICKEN & BASIL STEW

This recipe is really easy, and it takes about 30 an hour total to get it ready to serve. Plus it was really comforting after a day's work in cold/windy Melbourne.

4 serves:

4 large chicken thigh fillets cut in half, flour to coat, 2 tbs olive oil, 8 baby potatoes halved, 2 red capsicums chopped in 3 cm pieces, 1/2 cup white wine, 1 cup water, 1 small chicken stock cube, 1/4 cup basil leaves, salt & pepper, sour dough bread to serve

1. Coat the chicken pieces in flour, remove excess and fry in a large sauce pan until golden.
2. Add the potatoes, capsicum and stir for a couple of minutes.
3. Stir in wine, water and stock cube, brin to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let it simmer for about 25 minutes.
4. When the time is up, throw the basil leaves in, remove from heat, season with salt.
5. Serve with toasted sour dough bread topped with crushed black pepper.

Really good comfort food.

recipe: GRILLED BASA W/ POTATO & CAPER SALAD

I got a "this is one of your best ones till now" comment from the hubby yesterday, so I'm sure you will enjoy this recipe.

For 2:

3 Basa fillets marinated in lemon juice and herbs (not fussy about qhich herbs, whicever you like), 1 small red onion chopped finely, 1 tbp baby capers rinsed, 3 tbs balsamic vinegar, 3 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs dried oregano, 3 medium potatoes, salad leaves to serve

1. Boil the potatoes until cooked through. Let them cool down, peel and slice them.
2. Mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, capers and oregano in a bowl.
3. Add half of the oil mixture to the potatoes to coat. Add the chopped onion to the rest of the mixture.
3. Grill your Basa fillets in an oven grill until they are cooked to your liking.
4. Divide the potatoes among plates, top with some salad leaves, the fish and the onion/ oil mixture.
5. Add some more olive oil around the plate, salt and pepper and you're finished.

recipe: CHICKEN & APRICOT STEW W/ COUSCOUS

This was a really good dish, the spices are quite mild and you have just a hint of the apricot nectar. 4 stars!

serves 4:

8 chicken drumsticks, 2 tbs olive oil, 2 garlic cloves crushed, 1 brown onion thinly chopped, 1 tbs moroccan spice mix, 2 carrots chopped in 2 cm pieces, 1 red capsicum chopped in 2 cm pieces, 2 zuchinnis chopped in 2 cm pieces, 1 1/2 cups apricot nectar, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 small chicken stock cube, 1 cup dried couscous, 1/4 cup flaked almonds toasted, chopped coriander to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan. Fry the chicken until browned and reserved aside.
2. Add the onion, garlic and spice mix to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the juice, water and chicken. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and let it simmer, covered for 20 minutes moving the chicken pieces halfway. Add the stock cube.
4. Add the carrots and capsicum and keep simmering for another 15 minutes.
5. Finally, add the zuchinnis, cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through. Season with salt and adjust flavours.
6. Add about a cup of boiling water to the couscous in a heat-proof bowl and let it stand fo a couple of minutes until the couscous is soft and fluffy.
7. Serve topped with the flaked roasted almonds and chopped coriander.
Wunderbar!!!

recipe: CHILI PRAWN & TOMATO PASTA

If you don't like spicy food, reduce the chili amount, it was enough for me...
Serves 4:

raw prawns shells removed and deveined (about 20), 4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced, 1 tbs olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes, 5 tomatoes thinly chopped, 1/3 cup water, 375 g linguinni, a small bunch of chopped coriander ( i used a bit of chives from the garden as well)

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions and reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic together with the chili until fragrant (about 1 minute)
3. Add the prawns and cook stirring until coated.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, water and simmer for a couple of minutes.
4. Finally add the chopped coriander (or parsley) and top with the pasta.

It was pretty good and an easy/ fast meal for a week night.