Category: Under 30 minutes

Eggy Crumpets

I saw this idea on Jamie Oliver’s new (new to the Food Network anyway, it’s from 2007) show Jamie at Home.  On his egg show, he did a recipe that he didn’t name, but I rather thought should be called Eggy Crumpets.  Turns out, so did he.  Here’s my take on it.

Ingredients 

  • 1 small pat of butter
  • 2 large eggs (preferably organic – they taste better!)
  • seasoning of your choice – I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasonings Salute.
  • 2 crumpets (organic if you can get them)
  • good organic tomato sauce (aka ketchup)

 

Method 

  1. Whisk the two eggs in a shallow flat container with the seasonings.
  2. Place the crumpets top side down into the egg mixture to soak up.  Push down to get maximum soakage, then turn over.  Repeat with the other side.
  3. Put the small pat of butter In a non-stick frying pan,  moving it around to coat the whole base of the pan. Heat until it just starts to sizzle.
  4. Place the crumpets into the pan, flat side down.  This is where I also drizzled about half each of the left over egg over the top of each crumpet.  Pan fry for about a minute or two, until the bottom is golden brown.
  5.  Carefully with a spatula/egg flip, flip over onto the other side.   Pan fry until the bottom again is golden brown.
  6. Gently flip into a plate, and serve with a good lashing of your condiment of choice.  Mine is Heinz’s organic Tomato Sauce (US) or Australia’s Rosella’s Tomato Sauce.

 

Toasted Pastina Pilaf

Ingredients 

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon tuscan herbs
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 stick celery, finely diced
  • 1 cup pastina, uncooked (1 cup=1/2 of a 12oz box)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen petit peas
  • salt, pepper to taste

 

Method 

  1. Cook and stir herbs, carrot, onion, celery and salt in hot butter until tender but not browned.
  2. Add pasta, cook and stir until lightly browned.
  3. Stir in chicken broth and parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Bring to boil, stir through peas. 
  5.  Reduce heat, cover and cook 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

 

Turkey and Pasta Soup

Ingredients:

  •  olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • kosher salt
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, trimmed and diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 4 large mushrooms, halved and sliced
  • 2 teaspoons ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon pot herbs
  • 3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/4 pound turkey breast, diced
  • 16 oz chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 1/2 cups dried pasta
  • 1/2 red capsicum (bell pepper)
  • 1/2 green capsicum (bell pepper)
  • 16 oz can of whole tomatoes, diced.
  • Pesto

Method:

  1.  Put 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter into soup pot.  Add diced onion, sprinkle with kosher salt.  Saute for a minute or so.  
  2. Add  diced celery, saute.  Add diced carrot, saute.    Add sliced mushrooms, saute.
  3. Add potherbs, red pepper flakes, ground pepper, and garlic, and saute for a minute, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
  4. Remove from heat, put all of vege/herb mix into a bowl.  
  5. Put pot back on heat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot.  
  6. Heat, and add turkey to brown.  Once browned, return vegetables to the pan.  
  7. Add stock, and 16 oz water (I rinsed the tomato can with water and used that water).    Bring to the boil.  
  8. Stir the dried pasta through the pot, add the red bell peppers, and cook for 10 minutes.   
  9. Add the chopped tomatoes, and bring  to the boil for 10 minutes.
  10. Serve with a dollop of pesto stirred through each bowl.

20 minute Pasta for One

INGREDIENTS1 cup farfalle pasta (dry)half a dozen very thin slices of pancetta, diced

1 large  shallot, thinly sliced

5 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

5 semi-dried tomatoes, diced

10 oil cured olives.

METHOD

 As per the pasta instructions, cook the farfalle in boiling water for 10-12 minutes.  Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.

In the same saucepan, toss the pancetta and shallots for a minute, stirring continuously.  (I didn’t use any oil, as the pancetta has enough for this stage.)

Add the mushrooms, stirring continuously.  Cook for about 30 seconds, and then add the grape tomatoes.

Stir, adding a small amount of the reserved pasta water.  This prevents sticking, and brings up the sauce consistency.  Add the olives and dried tomatoes, stirring through, then add the farfalle.

Stir through to mix, and serve.

 

 

 

Fig Quesadillas

1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Four 9 inch flour tortillas
2 cups grated partial-skim mozarella (can also use Monterey jack or Manchego)
1.5 cups sliced trimmed firm ripe green or black figs (original recipe said diced, I used slices instead)
2 tablespoons finely diced or sliced red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
2. Brush large baking sheet with the oil.
3. Place tortillas on the baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup of the cheese on the bottom semi-circle half of each of the four tortillas.
4. Add a layer of fig, distributing evenly.
5. Mix together the onion, coriander and jalapeno. Sprinkly evenly over four tortillas.
6. Top with the remaining cheese.
7. Fold the tortillas over to make half circles, press down lightly.
8. Bake until the tortillas are golden brown on the bottom, about 8 minutes.
9. With a broad spatula, turn the tortillas over.
10. Bake until the tortillas are again golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
11. Remove baking sheet from the oven, cool slightly.
12. Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and slice into four wedges.
13. Serve warm.