Chicken Melt - Fridge Clean Out Recipe

A great way to use any bits and bobs when having a fridge clear out.  Every week I make up some sort of mad dish or other from things like an odd bell pepper, a piece of cheese or a chilli pepper that's escaped me all week!

 Yes it all gets used to make either a pizza or as a topping for chicken fillets, to make a sort of chicken pizza melt. 
Of course you can top your chicken with whatever takes your fancy.  Just use whatever you have that's leftover.  Since the odds and sods in my fridge consisted from making Prosciutto and Salami Pizza here's what I did.

Skrei with Salsa Verde and Roasted Vine Tomatoes

I have to say personally, I'd never heard of Skrei until now - it's a very special type of cod, line caught, and is a much loved Norweigian delicacy.

Having been sent some to try I made some mashed potato and served the Skrei with Roasted Vine Tomatoes and Salsa Verde.

Please excuse the poor photo, my camera really needs natural daylight - hurry up the nicer weather please!

Availability:

Only available between January and April each year, Skrei is migratory and journeys thousands of miles annually from the Barents Sea to the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway to reproduce. 

Thanks to this epic journey through icy, dark waters, Skrei has a lean, bright white firm flesh and is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, which makes it a hugely versatile, healthy and wholesome food.

Loved by Top Chefs:

SKREI® has already received high-end acclaim from top chefs, including Mitch Tonks and Michel Roux Jnr, who have both tried and loved Skrei, with Michel Roux Jnr featuring this hero-fish on the menu for the last two years.

All in all:

I thought Skrei tasted really good, it keeps its shape, flakes well and is a lovely translucent white.  It looks just the same as cod but we thought it had a slightly richer flavour.  I would definitely buy it.

If you would like to make Salsa Verde my recipe can be found here.

 

 More about Skrei:

 To be classified as SKREI® the fish needs to be:
•    Caught fully grown - as a large mature cod before it has spawned (approx. five years old)
•    The skin needs to be immaculate, with no scratches, bruising or injuries
•    Packaged within 12 hours of being caught
•    Stored on ice at a temperature between 0° and 4° Celsius
•    Whole, fresh SKREI® is required to have the SKREI® brand fastened to the forward dorsal fin and put in a branded SKREI® box.

Thank you to Amelia, Kingfisher Brixham and the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Quick Easy and Healthy - Stir-fry is the Way to Go

 The Stellar 3000 Stir-fry/Wok:

Having been sent this (oh so very good-looking) wok from the Stellar cookware 3000 range to review, I got quite excited and had to make a stir-fry straight away.  I can't tell you how much I love this wok - available in lovely Ruby Red, Cream, or Black.
For me, shiny Ruby Red it had to be!

Everyone loves a stir-fry, they are so very easy to do and anyone can make one with just a few simple ingredients.
If you look in any good supermarket you'll find a huge range of ready chopped vegetables, with or without onion, with or without peppers, the list is endless.  They'll also have 'ready to wok' noodles and more stir-fry sauces to choose from than you can shake a stick at!

 Why is Stir-frying Healthy?

For a successful and healthy stir-fry you will need a good non-stick stir-fry pan or wok and then you'll find that you hardly need to use any oil.  Just a dab of oil wiped round the pan with a piece of kitchen paper and you're good to go.
The food will cook fast and vegetables will stay crisp and full of vitamins.
Of course, the only thing you need to pay attention to is the sauce you add to them since some will have high sugar levels.

 So, why am I loving the Stellar 3000 Wok so much?

 Well, it's non-stick, 28cm so it's a good size and it has two handles.
As it's manufactured from aluminium it is quick to heat up, which keeps vegetables nice and crisp.
The comfy-grip handles stay cool in use and the best bit, this wok can go into the oven too.  Oven-safe up to 180c makes it so versatile.

Stellar 3000 pans have Teflon Platinum Plus, a triple layer non stick coating with a raised textured base which means healthier cooking as you hardly need any oil.  As I've already said, just a dab of oil and a quick wipe round with a piece of kitchen paper does the job nicely.

Suitable for all hob types including induction.

Our favorite stir-fry is Chinese Vegetables in Brown Sauce: 

   For more information on Stellar products pop over to Stellar Cookware

Thank you to Pam and Stellar for sending me this to review.

All opinions and thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.  I only ever post reviews on products I like the look of, and therefore would buy myself.

Prosciutto and Salami Pizza Topped with Sacla' Char-Grilled Peppers

 It is seriously easy to make this plate of melty, cheesy goodness in the way of a pizza!   

Slight saltiness from the Prosciutto and a little heat from the Salami, dotted with colourful Sacla' Char-Grilled Peppers.  Add a mixture of Mozzarella and Cheddar and I think you’ll agree you have the perfect pizza.

     Of course you don’t have to use the exact toppings that I chose, just use this recipe as a suggestion and add whatever takes your fancy.

Cheesy Leek and Bacon Muffins - Easy Recipe

Having been sent a Great British Bakeware Muffin tray to review, I thought I'd see if it lived up to it's non-stick claim of there being any need for paper cases.

   Verdict:

Well it has to be said, it was brilliant.  Just lightly oil and pop your mixture in.  Straight into the oven to cook and when your muffins are done they slide out really easily.

The tray was really easy to wash up after the baking was done.  It can go in the dishwasher but there really isn't any need, just hot soapy water and your all done.  

Leftover Recipe - Potatoes Carrots and Gammon with Fried Egg

Great way to use up any leftovers such as boiled potatoes, carrots and any bacon or other bits and bobs that take your fancy.  Top with a fried egg and there you have it a nice easy snack taking just minutes to make and serve.

Just like bubble and squeak, except this doesn't have greens.

Perfect for using up any leftovers from bacon and pease pudding, which is actually what this is.

Slow Cooker - Spicy Chicken Stew with Sweet Peppers and Cannellini Beans

It has to be said, this slow cooker by Judge Cookware is excellent value for money.  If you want to cook for one or two people then the 1.5 litre is the way to go.  This model is also available in larger sizes 3.5L and 5L capacity.

Recommended by Delia too!
Being a bit of a fan of slow cookers in general (and you could say I have an obsession with them) I now have four.  My largest is 6.5L but I seldom use it.  There are only two of us and I've found this size 1.5L to be perfect.

Roast Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie with a Suet Crust

Having been kindly sent one of the new OvenLove casserole dishes from Premier Housewares which are coated with Teflon (a fantastic idea) I wanted to make something different to your ordinary casserole. 

 With that in mind I came up with a Roast Chicken and Vegetable Pie with a Suet Crust.

Chicken Cacciatore - Spaghetti and Smoky Tomato Sauce

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals TV series starts this Monday 22nd October on Channel 4 - his latest book to accompany the series is out now and I've been sent a copy to review.

 Packed full of amazing recipes that look really easy to make.  Flicking through I spied his Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti and Smoky Tomato Sauce and it had to be made that very day!

Spicy Sausage Rice Recipe - Gordon Ramsay

It has to be said I've loved watching every minute of Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course on Channel 4 - fantastic recipes, fast and simple to make.

Not easy to photograph - my picture really doesn't do this dish justice.

Spicy sausage, peppers, red onion, tomatoes and spring onion cooked in one pot with chicken stock white wine and rice.

Sunvil Supper Club - Fish Stew from Paxos

I love visiting Greece and its islands although I've only visited an handful but someday I'd love to visit Paxos.  The smallest of the Ionian islands, Paxos lies just south of Corfu and is only 7 miles long and 3 miles wide.  Although Paxos is literally covered with olive trees, it also has many wooded areas that are ideal for walking, and yet Paxos has over 30 beautiful beaches to choose from too.
 Fish stew from Paxos is this months recipe from the Sunvil Supper Club which they started a little while ago, designed to give you a taste of different country's cuisines.  You can download this and other recipes, so have a look and cook yourself into the holiday mood.  I think you'll agree, Paxos certainly looks beautiful.

The fish stew with sea bream, prawns, tomatoes, celery and potatoes was delicious.  Easy to make and perfect served with some nice crusty bread.

Chicken Bouillabaisse Recipe

Chicken and potatoes cooked in a rich sweet garlic and tomato sauce along with saffron, Pernod, white wine, fennel seeds and rosemary.  Totally delicious and easy to make too as it's all cooked in one pot. 

 Oh yes this is now in my top five dinners of all dinners and has to be made again soon.
After seeing Ina Garten cook this the other night the Food Network TV show 'Back to Basics', it had to made there and then.

I believe this is usually made with fish and served with rouille (garlicky mayonnaise).  Because of my rush to make it I didn't have enough garlic to make the roullie so just served it with nice crusty bread.
According to Wikipedia, Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille.

Chilli Beef Lettuce Wraps - Finger Food at it's Best

Who's been watching Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course?  Weeknights on Channel 4 at 5pm?  A fantastic show!  Everything he's made so far I want to make too.

  Spicy chilli beef served wrapped in gem lettuce with a lovely dipping sauce.

 Absolutely delicious and very easy to make - finger food at it's best.

Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Onions - Made Easy with CoreStuff

Stuffed onions made so easy with this marvelous invention - CoreStuff from Judge. 

 Using this nifty gizmo means you can stuff almost anything you want to and the unique depth gauge means you don't have to go all the way!

Good Energy Cooking - Vegetable Filo Pastry Tarts

 How to cut the carbon calories in your kitchen - Good Energy has teamed up with Arthur Potts Dawson for a second year to encourage a low-carbon approach to cooking.  I was set a challenge to cook one of Arthur's four new recipes.  With the mention of Feta in the ingredients, for me it was easy to choose, Vegetable Filo Pastry Tart it had to be.  

  Scrummy yummy feta cheese with very slightly crunchy vegetables in a creamy sauce, all encased in crispy filo pastry - what's not to like?!

Slow Cooker Recipe - Spicy Pork with Peppers and Tomatoes

Melt in your mouth pork chops cooked in a lovely rich and spicy tomatoey sauce.  Of course you can make it as spicy or not as spicy as you fancy.
 Yes this is another of my make it up as I go along recipes but you can rest assured I only post ones that pass the yum test!

Pork cooked in a slow cooker falls apart and is so lovely and tender.  Just throw all the ingredients in your slow cooker and leave on low for 7 or 8 hours - perfect.  All that's needed is either freshly baked crusty bread for dipping and mopping or some nice rice. 

Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons

Easy to make recipe and the result, melt in your mouth chicken flavoured with amazing spices and enough delicious sauce that's perfect for dipping in some nice flat bread. 

   Of course you don't have to have a Tagine to make this, you can just use a lidded casserole dish. Preserved lemons are available in jars in any good supermarket as is rose harissa paste.  So with that said you now have no reason for not giving this a go. 

If you really don't like olives just leave them out - simples!

You can use chicken breasts but they will dry out during the longish cooking time.  The reason I cooked this for almost 2 hours is because it allows the flavours to really get into the chicken and the sauce to become   

Amatriciana - Spicy Bacon and Tomato Sauce

Quick to make and one of the tastiest pasta sauces ever and is nothing like the gloopy shop bought jarred stuff.  A rich tomatoey, bacony, sauce that you can make smooth or chunky, it's up to you.  

   Of course you can leave out the bacon for a vegetarian pasta sauce.

Nothing but Pasta and a good sprinkle of Parmesan is needed - oh except of course a glass of wine!   

Having had this for lunch at my friend Mary's house the other day, it was so delicious and everyone cleared their plates.  That's it, I had to make it.

  So, armed with the recipe even though there was absolutely nothing to fault with it I couldn't help but titivate it a bit.   Here's what I did....

The Best Guacamole Recipe

Simply the best guacamole ever - once you make this you will never buy it ready made from a supermarket again.  This recipe by Thomasina Miers from her book 'Mexican Food Made Simple' takes minutes to make and tastes amazing.

 Flavours of lime and chilli with tomato, red onion are perfectly balanced.

Southern Indian Vegetable Curry

On the back of a pack of curry leaves purchased from one of the UK's top supermarkets was this recipe 'Southern Indian Vegetable Curry with Curry Leaves'.  Quite liking the sound of it I gave it a go.

  However, it pays to know a tiny bit about cooking when following some of these 'back of packet' recipes as I find most are not very well written and they hardly ever work.
  This was no exception, just reading the recipe I decided that there was no way that raw cubed potatoes added to a curry would cook in under 15 minutes.  In reality they took a good hour or so!

No problem at least I was ready for this.

The original recipe didn't have anywhere near enough liquid or spices so I titivated it and the end result was actually very nice. 
Since cooking this I've discovered Jamie Oliver has the same recipe in one of his books 'Jamie's Dinners' but at least he doesn't say how long it will take for the potatoes to cook - he just says cook until the potatoes are soft.