Author: Robert Beerworth

I love cooking, wine, travel, my three boys, and two girls, Avalon and my beautiful wife and best friend and cook, Nat...

Bean and pork stew

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

Initially, I wasn’t sure if I’d type up this recipe.

But it seriously grows on you and the next day, Nat and I simultaneously messaged each other in disbelief at how good the stew was for lunch.

There is no question that as far as recipes I’d cook for a work lunch, this is one I would do again and again. And if you have followed this blog for a while, you’ll know that I try to put a bit of effort into workday lunches and often cook dishes especially for the weekday lunch run.

It is super healthy, it’s full of those beans we don’t get enough of and it would easily double and freeze.

It started life like a calf finding its feet for the first time, though once we had our head around this stew, it was all on!

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
125gm mild salami, chopped
2 x 350gm pork fillets, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces
1 carrot, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 thyme sprigs, leaves chopped
2 sage leaves, finely chopped
1 ½ cups (375ml) chicken stock
250gm baby roma tomatoes, halved
2 x 400g cans butter beans
400g can red kidney beans
100g baby spinach leaves
Ciabatta to serve

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a casserole dish over a high heat. Cook salami, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes until crisp, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Do not drain oil from pan.
  2. Season pork. In two batches, cook, turning for 2 – 3 minutes until golden.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the carrot, onion and celery and cook for 3 – 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic, thyme and sage and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the stock, tomatoes and beans, bring to the simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until flavours have infused. Return the pork to the pan and cook for a few more minutes, until the pork is cooked and the stew thickened. Stir through the spinach and remove from the heat.
  4. Scatter with the crisp salami and serve with toasted ciabatta.

Moroccan kofte with spicy tomato sauce

.Reading time 2 minutes.
FullSizeRender(4).jpg
Seriously?!

Serves: 4

Oh wow this is awesome.

Admittedly, I made them after a rather reasonable lunch remit with a few wines. Though the flavour definitely wasn’t the wines talking, though I have been known to find cornflour pretty tasty late into a big night.

Though who hasn’t?

Lamb mince. Tick. Spice. Tick. Tomato. Tick. Yogurt, harissa and pine nuts. Tick.

It’s easy to prepare, easy to cook and healthy. It’s no revelation and instead, it’s the comfort, warmth and familiarity of it all.

Go out and have a big lunch, stumble home, pour another glass and knock this up. You could do a whole lot worse.

Ingredients

Lamb

500gm lamb mince
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp chopped mint

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 x 400g cans chopped tomato
2 tsp harissa
1 tsp sugar
200gm tub Greek yogurt
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Coriander, pittas and couscous to serve

Method

  1. If using wooden skewers, soak for at least 20 minutes to stop burning. Heat the grill.
  2. Using your hands, mix the meat in a bowl with the onion, coriander, mint and plenty of seasoning. Shape into 8 sausages, about 10cm long and then threat a bamboo skewer through the center of each.
  3. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and briefly fry. Add tomatoes, harissa, sugar and seasoning. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 – 20 minutes until sauce has thickened.
  4. Grill the kofte for 6 – 8 minutes, turning until they are nice browned. Spoon the sauce over a warm platter, drizzle with yogurt and put the kofte on top. Scatter with the pine nuts and serve with coriander, pittas and couscous.
  5. And more wine.

Burger in a Bowl

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

This is a crazy recipe and on so many fronts.

It is so cheezly good that if you got it in some chain restaurant in the States, you’d go back once a week just to have it for lunch.

Essentially a burger without the bun, it is so whacking with flavour, so filling and so relatively healthy, words don’t describe. And where I say it is a burger without a bun, it is literally an American chain burger without a bun.

Or cheese or grease.

The ‘SW Super Sauce’ is the hero here and we didn’t change a thing except substitute firm, fat-free yogurt for the fromage frais… and nobody would notice.

We dialed up the beef by adding ground coriander, cumin, smoked paprika and chilli powder and I would suggest you do the same.

To say that this is a must-try, out-of-the-ordinary, you-will-love-it meal is an understatement.

Go with the terrible iceberg lettuce, use some spiced gherkin and take the night off from anything fancy.

This is a burger… without the bun… in a bowl.

Ingredients

Burger

1 tsp canola oil
500gm extra lean beef mince
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Plenty of salt and pepper
Whatever spices you think, though flavour and spice it up

Salad

½ iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped
8 gherkins, sliced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

SW Super Sauce

3 tbsp extra-light mayonnaise
5 tbsp fat free fromage frais
1 tbsp American mustard
2 tbsp tomato puree (passata)
2 tsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp onion granules
¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan; add the beef, onion and garlic and stir fry for 6 – 7 minutes until the beef is browned and the onion has softened.
  2. Meanwhile, put all the SW Super Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
  3. Mix together the salad ingredients and divide between 4 bowls. Spoon the beef mixture on-top, drizzle over the SW Super Sauce and serve hot.

Fish tagine with saffron & almonds

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

Nat cooked this number last week and it was awesome.

Low calorie – 299 per serve to be seriously precise – and packing so much flavour, we had it with cauliflower rice remit with toasted cumin and coriander: some currants mixed through – as Nat pointed out – would have sealed the deal.

To think you can eat dinner like this on the couch mid-week, with a glass of vino and some catch-up TV actually makes the weekday slog OK. These are the moments to look forward to.

There is nothing not to like about this one and plenty to love. Do a kilo of fish like we did and toast the goodness into lunch at work as well.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
Good pinch, saffron
500ml hot fish or chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
Green chilli, sliced (de-seed if you don’t want it too hot)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp tomato puree (passata)
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp ground almond (almond meal)
Zest of 1 orange, juice of ½
1 tbsp honey
700gm white fish, cut into chunks (make it a kilo and call it lunch)
Small bunch coriander, chopped
Handful flaked almonds, toasted
Couscous and natural yogurt to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan; add the onion and cook for a few minutes until soft. Meanwhile, put the saffron in the hot stock and allow to steep.
  2. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan and cook for a few minutes more. Add the spices and tomato puree, stir for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes, ground almonds, orange zest and juice, honey and saffron-scented stock. Simmer until thickened a little and the tomatoes have broken down.
  3. Add the fish to the pan; stir in softly and cover with a lid; simmer for a few minutes until just cooked. Check the seasoning.
  4. Serve scattered with the chilli along with the couscous and a blob of yogurt. Or cauliflower rice if you are a genius like Nat.

Lamb Shawarma

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4 – 6

Any sort of spiced, Lebanese lamb is good.

There isn’t anything not to love.

In keeping with tradition, this recipe is no different. Spice, great scent, wonderful middle eastern flavour.

What I would say is that if you can do it inside on a griddle, do so. It is surprisingly delicate and a hot BBQ will be too much. You want the meat to still be medium rare.

Marinate the night before and enjoy as a cracker mid-week meal; we did these on skewers though would be just as good in the pan on their own.

If you can do some spiced potatoes or a fattoush, go for it! We had a tzatziki as a side which was awesome.

The week just got a whole lot better.

Ingredients

½ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup water
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground cloves
¾ tsp ground mace (we used allspice)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Lamb shoulder or leg cut into strips

Method

  1. Mix all the ingredients and then mix in the lamb strips to coat. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and marinate in the fridge overnight.
  2. On the grill or in a pan, on their on or on skewers, cook them until browned and still medium rare inside and serve.

Healthy Quinoa Chicken Curry Bowls

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 6

This is a great recipe.

Apart from the obvious – being healthy (315 calories a serve!) – they’re a complete finger to winter. With the accouterments, you’re serving a rich, spicy, fun, colourful bowl of goodness.

You just want to keep eating and eating.

We served with toasted slivered almonds, sliced spring onions and coriander and the recipe made plenty to be served the next night.

Easy to prep, awesome to eat, do it!

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onions
500gm boneless skinless chicken thighs (we used breasts which were just fine)
2 tbsp curry paste (we used rogan josh)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 cups tomato puree
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups diced eggplant (peel removed)
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 cup uncooked quinoa
Toasted almonds, coriander and spring onions

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a deep pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the chicken, curry paste, garam masala, ginger, and garlic. Stir fry for another 3-5 minutes to get the chicken pieces browned.
  2. Add the tomato puree, broth, eggplant, tomatoes, and quinoa. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked; we continued to reduce to give it a thicker, saucy texture.
  3. Serve in big bowls topped with the toasted almonds, coriander and spring onions.

Spinach (Palak) Chicken Curry

.Reading time 3 minutes.

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Nat is a genius! 
Serves: 4

Yes, yes, yes!

Another curry win. Not just an incremental win as if you’ve found a bit more fire in a Rogan Josh, but a win like we’ve found a whole new door.

Great yet subtle heat, the spinach, the whole thing.

Cooked by Nat, if you love your Indian, this authentic curry is a no-brainer.

It is like unlocking some whole new level on a game.

And as if you needed anything more to compel you… it’s healthy!

Move! (And double it like we did, though this recipe is for one serve.)

So, this traditional recipe asks for Ginger Garlic Paste. I have kept this true in the recipe, though it is half minced garlic, half grated ginger and some seasoning. Don’t get too excited.

And we have adjusted the ingredients and method to make sense!

Ingredients

200gm spinach
1kg chicken thigh (we used breast which was just fine: healthy), cut into 3cm pieces
¼ cup fat free yogurt
1 ½ tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
¼ turmeric
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tbsp cayenne
3 tbsp ginger garlic paste (half for the marinade, half for the cooking)
2  tbsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 tsp cumin seed
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 cardamom pod, bruised
1 bay leaf (or 2 dry)

Method

  1. Marinate the chicken with the yogurt, salt, turmeric, cayenne, 1 ½ ginger garlic paste, garam masala and coriander for 30 minutes.
  2. In a pan, heat the oil over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf and saute until aromatic; we used a muslin cloth to tie the cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom and would suggest you do the same.
  3. Add the onions and cook until soft.
  4. Add the remaining (1 ½) ginger garlic paste and cook for a further minute.
  5. Add tomatoes and cooked until it soft and mushy.
  6. Add marinated chicken, half a cup of water and cook, covered, until cooked. Stir frequently.
  7. Remove the cover and reduce to a gravy.
  8. Meanwhile, blanch the spinach and chop finely.
  9. When when the chicken is ready, add the spinach for a minute or two.
  10. Serve with basmati rice.
  11. Genius!

Dijon Cream

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Chicken, seafood or even an eye fillet, Dijon Cream is easy and makes it seem like you have made a bit more effort than just, well, an eye fillet.

Ingredients

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
3 – 4 tbsp thickened cream
Salt and pepper

Method

  • Combine.
  • Enjoy.

Blue-eye baked in a bag

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

I love fish baked in a bag.

Easy, full of flavour, fun and generally, really healthy.

This particular number from Tobie Puttock is especially good. As far as weekday dinners go, it is a complete win. (A 240 calories per-serve win.)

We served this with steamed beans and twice cooked and roasted baby potatoes: steam your potatoes, lay them flat on a baking-paper lined tray and half-flatten them with a large spoon, drizzle with olive oil, season and cook until golden.

You will enjoy.

Ingredients

4 blue-eye cod fillets or similar (we used ling)
100ml white wine
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Long strips of the zest of 1 lemon
2 birdseye chillis, cut in half and partially seeded
Small handful of dill sprigs
Sea salt and pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c.
  2. Tear off 4 pieces of foil, about 30cm long, then 4 pieces of baking paper, 25cm long. Lay the baking paper on-top of the foil. Fold and crease into wells with walls all around to hold the fish and liquid.
  3. Combine the wine, olive oil, lemon zest, dill, chilli and a good pinch of salt and peppe. Stir to combine and then carefully add the fish fillets and turn them to coat with the marinade.
  4. Place a fish fillet into each well; share the dill, chilli, lemon zest and remaining liquid with each fillet. Close and seal the foil bags.
  5. Place the bags on a baking dish and cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Let sit for a few minutes, transfer the bags to serving plates and open carefully at the table.

Soy and Ginger Beef Roast

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 6

This is my first ‘roast’ write-up.

And geez I am conflicted.

I want to say that roasts are boring and in one sense they are. But then again, a slice of roast chicken with some peas, roast pork and crackling with some mashed potatoes or rich roast beef with some Yorkshire Puddings, a jus and some sauted brussel sprouts?

Boring never!

But roasts are boring nonetheless.

They’re done. They’ve been done. They have failed to make the jump into the culinary whirlwind. They were the peak of the week’s cooking and now they’re just a Sunday-night snore.

Until now.

This roast beef is awesome. And on so many fronts.

The tinge of the marinade lingers well. It isn’t some weak marinade: it permeates the meat and you taste it right through.

And you are forced to re-think your sides which is half the point.

No boring pumpkin and peas here!

Think about the flavours and what would pair. Asian rice, Asian greens, char grilled corn.. The list is endless.

If you think about it, roast beef is sort of the ultimate thing you can offer up. It is what kings ate.

Dress it up for 2016 and give this a whirl. It is awesome!

Ingredients

1.2kg beef blade roast, trimmed
1 tbsp finely grated ginger plus six thick slices extra
3 garlic cloves
1 long red chilli, roughly chopped
¼ cup reduced salt soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp mirin
Vegetable oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c.
  2. Blitz grated ginger, garlic, chilli, soy sauce, honey and minin and rub all over the beef and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  3. Place beef in a roasting pan on top of sliced ginger, drizzle with 1 tsp of vegetable oil and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 180c and roast, basting occasionally with pan juices until browned and cooked medium: 50 – 55 minutes and the internal temperature being 55 – 60c)
  4. Remove from the pan, cover loosely with foil and set aside for at least 20 minutes.