Slow Cooker Moroccan chicken Stew

I got some wonderful presents this Christmas. One of them was a slow cooker. I wish I had this three years ago when my son was a newborn and cooking was a luxury but I am glad I finally have one. It is great to use overnight when a busy day comes or when lots of people are coming over and time for other preparations is needed. This recipe serves four to six people. 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/4 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup water

yogurt (optional) 

In a large pan, preheat olive oil over medium high heat.

Add onion, sauté until beginning to soften about 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, coat diced chicken bit by bit in spice mixture.

Add chicken to pan and brown - about 4-5 minutes.

Add garlic, sweet potato, carrots and remaining spice mixture. 

Cook for 2 minutes.

Place chicken and vegetables into slow cooker.

Add crushed tomato and water to the pan you cooked the vegetables and chicken in. 

Stir to loosen up brown bits on bottom of the pan.

Dump liquid into slow cooker.

Cook on low heat for five hours. 

Obviously this can be cooked in a normal pot for just an hour. 

Serve with rice and some greek yogurt on the side. 

AMAZEBALLS!

Or else Italian Rice Balls.

Tried them for the first time years ago in Italy and again last week at the new Arancini Brothers restaurant in Dalston, which made me experiment with a couple of recipes at home. The conclusion was that -as almost always- keeping it simple, is the key to a satisfying result.  

For 24 balls: 

2 eggs 

30g grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley

freshly ground black pepper

salt

water

150g uncooked white rice

100g dried bread crumbs (for gluten free version use gluten free bread)

olive oil 

  

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cheese, parsley, pepper, and salt. Cover and refrigerate while proceeding to the next step.

Pour water and 1 teaspoon salt into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and reduce heat to low. Cook rice until water is almost absorbed, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and slowly pour in egg mixture, stirring rapidly to prevent egg from scrambling. Allow rice mixture to cool for 1 hour. 

Pour bread crumbs into a pile on one end of a cutting board. Dampen hands and roll rice mixture into one inch balls, then coat each one with bread crumbs. 

In a small, deep skillet, heat olive oil to 175 degrees C. Remember that it should have enough oil to completely cover rice balls. Fry six rice balls at a time, turning as needed to ensure even browning. Drain on paper towels and serve warm. Perfect with spicy tomato sauce, putanesca, garlic mayonnaise.

Prawn and Samphire Risotto

Samphire is only available from May to August and is naturally very salty as it grows by the sea. Combined with prawns or other sea food, it brings a soft sea flavour to your table. Crack open a bottle of fine white wine and enjoy this simple, easy, special risotto.

600gm large cooked prawns
80gm washed and trimmed Samphire 
50gm butter 
3 shallots finely chopped 
l litre fish stock 
50ml white wine 
2 garlic cloves crushed 
250gm of Arborio rice 
30gm freshly grated parmesan cheese  
50ml single cream or plain yoghurt

Add a bit of the butter to a pan and heat gently then add the shallots, garlic and cook very gently for about ten minutes. 
Add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated then add half the stock and close the lid. Stir gently and cook for about 15 minutes, then pour in the wine and stir again until it has all been absorbed. Add a rest of the stock and prawns and continue stirring until all the liquids have been absorbed, usually another 10-15 minutes. Add the samphire in the end and cook it in the mix for about 2 minutes. At the very end and when the heat is very low or even completely switched off add the cream/ yoghurt. Serve immediately with parmesan on top.

Halloween Special Pumpkin Risotto

First time I made this, it was great, second time I got cocky and didn't follow the recipe, was a mess that was. Lesson learned. 


    •    1 medium sized pumpkin

    •    1 onion, finely chopped
    •    2 garlic cloves, sliced
    •    big knob of butter
    •    pinch thyme
    •    125ml sweet sherry
    •    risotto rice (about 250g)
    •    veg stock
    •    handful of grated grana padano cheese


    1.    Slice the top off the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds to create a bowl and most importantly scoop out the flesh. If you are not planning to use the pumpkin as a serving bowl then mission is much easier, just slice and dice the pumpkin.
    2.    Put pumpkin, onion and garlic in a large pan with a big knob of butter and cook really gently until the pumpkin is soft, this takes about 20 minutes.
    3.    Heat up a saucepan of stock and keep on a simmer.
    4.    Add the rice to the pumpkin and stir, let it cook for about 2 minutes then add the sherry.
    5.    Start to gradually add your stock one ladle at a time making sure the liquid is absorbed before adding the next one.
    6.    Continue to cook and add stock until the rice is done. Once the rice is cooked remove from the heat, add the grana padano, stir and cover, let sit for 5 minutes.
    7.    Serve in pumpkin or in a bowl with more grated cheese.

Leek, Wine & Parmesan Risotto

• 25g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 3 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 250g Arborio rice
• 1 glass (or two) white wine
• 750ml good vegetable stock
• 25g Parmesan (veg option can be found in shops these days), finely grated 

This is dead easy but there is one thing you need to be careful with: if you are planning to drink the rest of the white wine, buy a good quality bottle. I bought an average one and now I am writing this with a toddler running around my feet, trying to grab my laptop while I 'm typing and a banging headache.
Bring the stock to a simmer. Heat a large wide pan and add half the butter and the olive oil. Add the spring onions, leeks and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Then add the rice and stir to coat. Tip in the wine and bubble until reduced. Add the stock a little at a time, stirring until the rice is tender with a little bite and oozy. When the rice is almost done, stir in the Parmesan and the rest of butter and season. Serve with green salad.

Vegan Paella

It is always a pleasant challenge to cook for vegan friends and Paul is the latest to join the vegan club. So we had him and his girlfriend over for dinner last night. I found three different recipes for vegan paella online and made this by combining all. Yes, one of them was an apparently well known Gwyneth Paltrow recipe. Do not let that little fact put you off - she cooks better than she acts - this is so nutritious and tasty, carnivores will love it too.
Ready in 35 minutes.


1 red, and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

olive oil

½ Spanish onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp cayenne

250g easy cook rice

100ml sherry (optional)

1 tsp saffron strands

500ml boiling vegan stock

Sea salt200g tender stem broccoli

200g organic nice mushrooms

200g sweet peas

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

a jar  of artichokes

200g broad beans

roughly chopped parsley

4 lemon wedges, to serve

Heat the oil in a paella or other shallow frying pan and fry the onion. When golden add the peppers and mushrooms and fry for about 8 minutes over medium heat until soft.  Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then add all the spices, stir, add the rice and the green beans and cook, stirring, for two minutes. Add the sherry and saffron, boil down for a minute, then add the stock and a third of a teaspoon of salt. 

Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 7 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. 

Taste and add salt if needed then scatter the artichokes, kidney beans and broccoli over the rice and cook for another 7 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. 

You can also replace rice with quinoa and get even more big vegan smiles. 

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Today I had one of those 'panic moments'. Had to think of something quick and easy and also delicious to cook, without having the chance to go shopping. I used whatever we had in the fridge. It worked!

• 300g chopped broccoli
• 250g easy cook rice
• 500g good quality cream of mushroom soup
• 250ml water (veggie stock cube can be used)
• 200g cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 bunch celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper

Steam broccoli and cook rice according to package directions. Preheat oven 175 degrees C, gas mark 4.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix cream of mushroom soup and water. Gradually stir in cheese until melted. Be careful that the cheese doesn't burn.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute celery and onion until soft.
In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, rice, soup and cheese mixture, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until bubbly and lightly brown.