What's cooking / VT cookbook merge

[BOF]

That sounds good Peter (the pasta, not the de-sepaled trick!).

[ClaretMahoney]

I need to cook something good tonight. I've got some leftover couscous....

[peterms]

I need to cook something good tonight. I've got some leftover couscous....

A tagine? Millions of recipes available, but something along these lines:

(if you don't have a tagine dish, use any pan which can be placed on direct heat, which has a lid and is big enough to allow steam to circulate inside).

- Soften chopped onion, garlic, chilli in olive oil.

- Grind spices to taste - maybe cumin, coriander, black pepper, connamon, cloves, cardamom, whatever you like. Add to onion mix.

- Add cubed lamb. Shoulder works well if you want something cheap which benefits from long cooking, but it's a bit fiddly to bone and trim. If you bone the shoulder first before any of the other work, you can have a stock preparing while the rest is being done.

- Turn to make sure the meat, spices etc are all mixed well.

- Add a chopped tomato or two, peeled and sliced fresh ginger (or dried and powdered).

- Add lamb stock, or water, and salt. Bring to boil and let it simmer for a couple of hours on gentle heat. Shouldn't need any attention if the heat is just a very gentle simmer, but if it's a thin pan and you don't use a heat diffuser pad, check and stir it regularly.

- 20-30 mins before serving, add a sliced red pepper, some sliced dried apricots, black olives, maybe a few cherry tomatoes (whole) if you have them, maybe some lemon juice or thinly sliced preserved lemon peel.

[ClaretMahoney]

Hot damn that sounds good, I ended up dicing up half an onion and a couple cloves of garlic ad cooked them with a thigh of chicken, and mixed the couscous with that...ended up decent..

[Olejniker]

Anyone have a recipe for a good potato salad? Warm or cold is fine.

Preferably one that doesn't call for any meat. I know some call for bacon.

[peterms]

Anyone have a recipe for a good potato salad? Warm or cold is fine.

Preferably one that doesn't call for any meat. I know some call for bacon.

Saw one from the States which looked appalling - cream, butter, god knows what quantity of saturated fats. Think there was a bit of potato in there as well. But moving swiftly on...

Waxy potatoes are best - Charlotte, Anya, Fir Apple, for example. In fact, if you only have floury potatoes, do something else.

Boil for 20 mins in salted water, with skins on. Cut into whatever size you want. Don't peel them unless you really hate peel - lots of taste and nutrients in the peel. Drain and leave to cool.

And then, whatever dressing you want. I prefer simple mayonnaise (out of a jar is fine), with salt and pepper, chopped gherkins and capers. Better to let the potatoes cool for this one.

Variations would be using french dressing instead of mayonnaise (esp if you want the salad warm), or yogurt. Try chopped anchovies instead of gherkins. Maybe hot paprika for something a bit different.

Finish with chopped parsley, or chives.

I generally find that if you think you've made enough for 6 or 8 people, you probably haven't.

[Juju]

Just mayo? Thats pretty fattening? Try half mayo and half creme fraiche, or low fat yoghort, and a big spoon of mint sauce? (preferably concentrated?)

And as for left over cous cous? Easiest thing ever - add a little veg ie a fried onion, some peas, sweetcorn, or even pulses like some cooked chickpeas, and pershaps a lillte chopped cooked chilli, and stuff a pepper with it. Perhaps add some cheese and breadcrumbs to the top to make a crust?

[peterms]

Just mayo? Thats pretty fattening? Try half mayo and half creme fraiche, or low fat yoghort, and a big spoon of mint sauce? (preferably concentrated?)

And as for left over cous cous? Easiest thing ever - add a little veg ie a fried onion, some peas, sweetcorn, or even pulses like some cooked chickpeas, and pershaps a lillte chopped cooked chilli, and stuff a pepper with it. Perhaps add some cheese and breadcrumbs to the top to make a crust?

Yes, agree with the fattening mayo comment. Creme fraiche/yogurt is a healthier combination. But fresh mint would be much nicer than sauce.

Like the stuffed pepper thingy, maybe some herbs and spices in there as well?

Or for leftover couscous, there's always tabbouleh. Not authentic, because the real thing uses bulghur wheat, but close enough.

Into the couscous, stir large quantities of flat leaf parsley and mint, maybe some finely chopped spring onion, peppers, capers, chilli, salt and pepper, with lots of olive oil and lemon juice. We tend to underdo the parsley and mint, but the Middle Eastern version is often pretty green, with the grain just there to bulk it out. Fresh, sharp, tasty.

[Juju]

Funnilly enough, I;ve tried with fresh mint, and I beg to disagree - preserved chopped mint in vinegar also gives a tiny bit of a sour "kick", to cut through the richness of all that white dressing, although a couple of leaves of fresh mint torn into the completed dish would add a nice finishing touch.

OFC its all about personal taste.

[ED]

I need to cook something good tonight. I've got some leftover couscous....

A tagine? Millions of recipes available, but something along these lines:

(if you don't have a tagine dish, use any pan which can be placed on direct heat, which has a lid and is big enough to allow steam to circulate inside).

- Soften chopped onion, garlic, chilli in olive oil.

- Grind spices to taste - maybe cumin, coriander, black pepper, connamon, cloves, cardamom, whatever you like. Add to onion mix.

- Add cubed lamb. Shoulder works well if you want something cheap which benefits from long cooking, but it's a bit fiddly to bone and trim. If you bone the shoulder first before any of the other work, you can have a stock preparing while the rest is being done.

- Turn to make sure the meat, spices etc are all mixed well.

- Add a chopped tomato or two, peeled and sliced fresh ginger (or dried and powdered).

- Add lamb stock, or water, and salt. Bring to boil and let it simmer for a couple of hours on gentle heat. Shouldn't need any attention if the heat is just a very gentle simmer, but if it's a thin pan and you don't use a heat diffuser pad, check and stir it regularly.

- 20-30 mins before serving, add a sliced red pepper, some sliced dried apricots, black olives, maybe a few cherry tomatoes (whole) if you have them, maybe some lemon juice or thinly sliced preserved lemon peel.

Sounds easy, except I have none of those ingredients

[Danwichmann]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

[peterms]

Sounds easy, except I have none of those ingredients

Yes, it would be tough to do without any of them.

The spices don't go off quickly if you store them in an airtight container. Onion and garlic is pretty everyday. Some sort of meat is only needed if you want a meat tagine - potatoes, carrots and other veg would make a fine substitute. And the other bits are just added extras - loads of Moroccan families will dine this evening on tagines which cost them about threepence to make.

Good thing is that we can do it here with fresh and locally sourced food for the same price as a greasy takeaway injected with water and ground pork remains, if we want to.

[peterms]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

Rob?

[BOF]

[rjw63]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

Rob?

Nut deep in butt. sounds very familiar

[Vojskovoda]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

I'm an expert when it comes to soups so hopefully you'll enjoy this recipe.

Finely chop one onion and do the same with 1 clove of garlic, fry off the garlic and onion in a large cooking pot for 4-5 minutes, then chop the squash into small chunks, add the chunks to the garlic and onion and fry off for another 5 minutes. Boil some water, put a vegetable or chicken stock (chicken stock works better and will give more flavour) in a measuring jug, once the water has boiled fill the measuring jug up to 250ml, stir until stock has disolved. Once stock has disolved, add that to the squash, onion and garlic, pour a cup of water in too and 40ml of cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, very finely chop up (just less than a handfull) of corriander add that to the soup and stir then let the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes. Last step, blend the soup with a handheld blender (push the blender into the pot all the way down so it doesn't splash everywhere!) or alternitively, transfer the soup into a electric blender and blend it for around 20 seconds. Re-heat and then serve.

[peterms]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

I'm an expert when it comes to soups so hopefully you'll enjoy this recipe.

Finely chop one onion and do the same with 1 clove of garlic, fry off the garlic and onion in a large cooking pot for 4-5 minutes, then chop the squash into small chunks, add the chunks to the garlic and onion and fry off for another 5 minutes. Boil some water, put a vegetable or chicken stock (chicken stock works better and will give more flavour) in a measuring jug, once the water has boiled fill the measuring jug up to 250ml, stir until stock has disolved. Once stock has disolved, add that to the squash, onion and garlic, pour a cup of water in too and 40ml of cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, very finely chop up (just less than a handfull) of corriander add that to the soup and stir then let the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes. Last step, blend the soup with a handheld blender (push the blender into the pot all the way down so it doesn't splash everywhere!) or alternitively, transfer the soup into a electric blender and blend it for around 20 seconds. Re-heat and then serve.

A variation on this is to roast the squash with a little olive oil in a medium oven for 30 mins or so first (cut into cubes), and add sweet potato and coconut and some chilli to the soup.

[dicky_plums]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

I'm an expert when it comes to soups so hopefully you'll enjoy this recipe.

Finely chop one onion and do the same with 1 clove of garlic, fry off the garlic and onion in a large cooking pot for 4-5 minutes, then chop the squash into small chunks, add the chunks to the garlic and onion and fry off for another 5 minutes. Boil some water, put a vegetable or chicken stock (chicken stock works better and will give more flavour) in a measuring jug, once the water has boiled fill the measuring jug up to 250ml, stir until stock has disolved. Once stock has disolved, add that to the squash, onion and garlic, pour a cup of water in too and 40ml of cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, very finely chop up (just less than a handfull) of corriander add that to the soup and stir then let the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes. Last step, blend the soup with a handheld blender (push the blender into the pot all the way down so it doesn't splash everywhere!) or alternitively, transfer the soup into a electric blender and blend it for around 20 seconds. Re-heat and then serve.

It's true, the texture of the blended butternut squash gives a really silky texture to the soup.

I do something similar but using thyme instead of corriander. It's even better with some roast pine nuts and a strong grated cheese on top.

Cheese, nuts, silky, butt, squash, texture... mmm I'm coming over Nigella. Now there's a thought.

[Danwichmann]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

I'm an expert when it comes to soups so hopefully you'll enjoy this recipe.

Finely chop one onion and do the same with 1 clove of garlic, fry off the garlic and onion in a large cooking pot for 4-5 minutes, then chop the squash into small chunks, add the chunks to the garlic and onion and fry off for another 5 minutes. Boil some water, put a vegetable or chicken stock (chicken stock works better and will give more flavour) in a measuring jug, once the water has boiled fill the measuring jug up to 250ml, stir until stock has disolved. Once stock has disolved, add that to the squash, onion and garlic, pour a cup of water in too and 40ml of cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, very finely chop up (just less than a handfull) of corriander add that to the soup and stir then let the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes. Last step, blend the soup with a handheld blender (push the blender into the pot all the way down so it doesn't splash everywhere!) or alternitively, transfer the soup into a electric blender and blend it for around 20 seconds. Re-heat and then serve.

Thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately I don't have a blender

[peterms]

Any suggestions on what to do with a buttnut squash? Preferably something low fat?

I'm an expert when it comes to soups so hopefully you'll enjoy this recipe.

Finely chop one onion and do the same with 1 clove of garlic, fry off the garlic and onion in a large cooking pot for 4-5 minutes, then chop the squash into small chunks, add the chunks to the garlic and onion and fry off for another 5 minutes. Boil some water, put a vegetable or chicken stock (chicken stock works better and will give more flavour) in a measuring jug, once the water has boiled fill the measuring jug up to 250ml, stir until stock has disolved. Once stock has disolved, add that to the squash, onion and garlic, pour a cup of water in too and 40ml of cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, very finely chop up (just less than a handfull) of corriander add that to the soup and stir then let the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes. Last step, blend the soup with a handheld blender (push the blender into the pot all the way down so it doesn't splash everywhere!) or alternitively, transfer the soup into a electric blender and blend it for around 20 seconds. Re-heat and then serve.

Thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately I don't have a blender

This is only £4.18. Can't be the greatest quality at that price, but it would do a job.