Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Caramelized Onion, Broccoli and Mango

Ingredients

1 package (8oz) uncooked campanelle or rotini pasta

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 ripe mangoes, seed removed, peeled, and cut up

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into slices (1 cup)

1 bottle (8 oz) Italian dressing

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Directions

1.     Heat gas or charcoal grill. Cook pasta as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well.

2.      Meanwhile, place chicken on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning once or twice until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Cool slightly. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes.

3.    In 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Stir in onion; cook uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.   Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring every 5 minutes, until onion is deep golden brown (onion will shrink during cooking). Cool slightly.

5.    In large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, caramelized onion and remaining ingredients; toss gently to coat. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes to blend flavors.

 

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories 360(Calories from Fat110), Total Fat13g (Saturated Fat1 1/2g, Trans Fat0g), Cholesterol 35mg Sodium 810mg Total Carbohydrate 42g (Dietary Fiber 4g Sugars13g), Protein19g; % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 20%; Vitamin C 50%; Calcium 4%; Iron 10%;

Exchanges: 2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 2 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices: 3

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Grapes

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked bow-tie (farfalle) pasta (8 oz)

1 lb fresh broccoli

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half

1 cup chopped pecans

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

Freshly ground pepper, if desired 

Directions

1.       Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

2.       Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems; separate florets into small pieces using tip of paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems; finely chop stems.

3.       In large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar, onion, vinegar and salt with whisk. Add broccoli fl orets and stems, grapes and hot cooked pasta; stir to coat. Cover; refrigerate 3 hours.

4.       Sprinkle pecans in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until nuts begin to brown, then stirring constantly until golden brown.

5.       Just before serving, stir pecans and bacon into salad. Sprinkle with pepper.

Fruit Pizza

Really yumm!.The baking time could differ little(see ur MW Oven manual).U can try this with custard toppings and without it.Kids will luv it.

Ingredients

• 4 pizza base (8")
• For Toppings:
• 3 cherry tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/2 capsicum (chopped)
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 12 black olives(sliced)
• 100 gm grated mozzarella cheese (pizza cheese)
• 5 tbsp butter
• 8 tbsp mixed fruit jam
• 3 cups or 700gms chopped fruits and nuts

(strawberries,Cherries,pineapple,banana,apricot,peaches,chopped raisins,cashew nuts,almond flakes,tutti fruiti,pistachios,chopped,dry fruits(chopped fine)).
For Orange Sauce:

• 150gm sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 5 tsp corn flour
• 200ml fresh orange juice
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• Vanilla milk custard:
• 200ml condensed milk
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 50gm sugar

 Directions

1. Vanilla milk custard:
   Mix the ingredients together well and Cook 2-3 minutes. Cool till it thickens..
2. For the orange sauce:
   Mix the ingredients together well.Cook 5 minutes atleast.Cool till it thickens.
3. For pizza:
   Take the pizza base and spread little butter over it.
   Now spread the orange sauce.Over it put the vanilla milk custard.
   Put the chopped fruits and nuts mixture for topping over it.
   Put the mixture for  garnish it with capsicum,cherry tomato,tomato ketup mixed with jam, chopped black olives and grated mozzarella cheese
   Bake it in the pre-heated(160 degree C)Microwave oven-Convection mode for 10 mins or till the cheese melts.
   Your Fruit Pizza is ready to be served.

Note:U can try this pizza with fruit toppings mixed with the ingredients of step 4(add more pizza cheese spread over orange sauce and omit the milk custard toppings.

Fruit punch

nutritious,delicious,refreshing rich drink

Ingredients

• 3 cups of  fresh orange juice
• 11/2 cups of fresh pineapple juice
• 2 tsps of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fresh milk cream
• 4 scoops of  vanilla icecream
• 1/4 tsp of fresh ginger juice
• 1 cup of sugar

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients in a blender or juicer
2. add ice cubes and serve immediately with some chopped fruits preferably apple, pineapple and pomegranate

Don't keep this mixture for a long time

Tofu Lasagne

If your a vegetarian , u don't need 2 feel sorry when people eat lasagne in front of u next time. Just go home and make this finger licking dish. U will be shocked how yummy a non meaty 

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely diced
• 3 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup*
• 2 tbsp tomato paste*
• 1 tbsp mixed dried Italian herbs*
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar*
• 1 tsp salt*
• 1/4 tsp black pepper*

For the layers:

• 1 1/2 cup crumbled tofu
• 1 cup shredded half cooked spinach
• 1/2 cup sliced mushroom 
• 12 sheets of lasagne 
• 1 1/2 cup white sauce
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

 Directions

1. In a bowl combine the tofu, spinach and mushroom, mix and set aside.
2. For the sauce, Heat the oil in a pot add in the onions and garlic and fry till transparent.
3. Pour in the stared items and bring them to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 min. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
4. Cook the lasagne sheet as directed on the pack.
5. In a 12"X12" baking dish, set 4 sheets of cooked lasagne side by side at the bottom of the dish.
6. Pour over it 1/2 the amount of tomato sauce, then top it with mix veg and a layer of white sauce and Mozzarella cheese.
7. top this once again with 4 sheets of lasagna, tomato sauce & veg mix top this with the last layer of Lasagne sheets and pour over it the rest of the white sauce and cheese.
8. Set your oven to 350 deg and bake for 25 min or until the top is golden in colour.
9. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 -10 min then cut & serve.

grandad ken's crispy grilled trout with parsley and lemon

ingredients

• 2 x 300g/10½oz whole trout, scaled, cleaned and gutted
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a large bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
• 2 lemons, 1 zested and sliced, 1 halved
a few knobs of butter 

method

My granddad used to take me fishing when I was about six years old. He has sadly passed away, but the one thing I thank him for is teaching me not to be scared of bones when eating fish. 

 

Preheat your grill to full whack. Slash each trout with a knife, about ten times on each side. Each slash should be about 0.5cm/¼ inch deep. Rub the trout with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavities with plenty of chopped parsley and the lemon slices. Place the fish side by side on a baking rack over a roasting tray.

 

Put the lemon zest on top of the fish and place the lemon halves on the tray too. Dot the trout with the butter and place it 15cm/6 inches from the grill. Cook for around 6 minutes on each side until crispy and golden.

Squeeze the roasted lemon over the top of the fish and serve with a simple crunchy side salad.

kedgeree

ingredients

• 2 large free-range or organic eggs
• 680g undyed smoked haddock fillets, pinboned
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 170g long grain or basmati rice
• sea salt
• 110 pure butterghee
• a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 medium onion or 1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 heaped tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
• juice of 2 lemons
• 2 good handfuls of fresh coriander, leaves picked and chopped
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• a small pot of natural yoghur

method

This is a traditional British breakfast from colonial India and it’s a lovely little dish, with a nice balance of spicy and smoky flavours. It makes a tasty lunch or supper too – so get stuck in!

Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then hold under cold running water. Put the fish and bay leaves in a shallow pan with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from pan and leave to cool. Remove the skin from fish, flake into chunks and set aside.

Cook the rice in salted water for about 10 minutes and drain. Refresh in cold water, drain again, and leave in the fridge until needed. Melt the butterghee in a pan over a low heat. Add the ginger, onion and garlic. Soften for about 5 minutes, then add the curry powder and mustard seeds. Cook for a further few minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and lemon juice.

Quarter the eggs. Add the fish and rice to a pan and gently heat through. Add the eggs, most of the coriander and the chilli and stir gently. Place in a warm serving dish. Mix the rest of the coriander into the yoghurt and serve with the kedgeree.

Fish Cakes

Ingredients

• 300 gms potatoes
• 100 gms salmon fillet, skin on and no scales on the skin, all bones removed
• A small handful of fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• 1 lemon
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon plain flour (extra for dusting)

 

Method

Not only do homemade fish cakes taste miles better than shop-bought ones, but if you make your own you know exactly what goes in them; the cheap factory-made ones can often be filled with rubbish. This recipe is so tasty that it’s a really good idea to double or triple the quantities and freeze batches for another day – just make sure you defrost them thoroughly before using, then follow the cooking instructions below.

To prepare your fishcakes 

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Peel your potatoes, chop them into even sized chunks (or use the left over potatoes from your baked potatoes – scoop out the potato and discard the skin), add the potatoes to the boiling water and bring back to the boil. Rub the salmon fillet all over with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. When your potatoes have half way cooked, place the salmon into a colander, then cover this with foil, and place the colander over the pot of boiling potatoes. Turn the heat down and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the salmon and potatoes are both cooked. Remove the fish from the colander and put to one side. Drain the potatoes in the same colander, then return them to the pot and let them steam dry for a minute. Pick the parsley leaves and finely chop them, discarding the stalks. Mash the potatoes, spreading the mash round the sides of the pan to help it cool down quickly. Remove any skin from the salmon. When the potatoes are cooled, put it into a bowl and flake the fish into it with 1 tablespoon of flour. Add the egg and chopped parsley with a really good pinch of salt and pepper. Finely grate over the lemon zest, then mash and mix it up really well.

To Make Your Fishcakes
Dust a plate with a little of the extra flour. Divide your fish cakes into 4, lightly shape and pat into circles about 2cm thick, dusting them with flour as you go. Put them onto a clean plate also dusted with a little flour. – If you are going to freeze them at this point, wrap them in clingfilm and put them into the freezer. Otherwise simply pop them into the fridge for an hour before cooking – this will allow them to firm up slightly.

To Cook Your Fishcakes
Put a large fry pan on a medium heat and add a couple of lugs of olive oil. When the oil is nice and hot, add your fishcakes and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden – you may need to cook them in two batches. Serve straight away, with lemon halves for squeezing over, serve with lovely vege or a cool crisp salad. These fish cakes also go really is you use tuna instead of the salmon.

Potato Cakes With Smoked Salmon

ingredients

• 330g Desirée potatoes, peeled
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 heaped teaspoon plain flour
• 1 large knob of butter
• 2 eggs, preferably free-range or organic
• 3 slices of good-quality smoked salmon
• 2 heaped teaspoons soured cream
• a bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped

 

method

Boil the potatoes in salted water until just cooked. Drain well and, when cool enough to handle, grate on the coarse side of a cheese grater into a mixing bowl. Add the spring onions, seasoning, flour and half the butter and mix well. Divide into 4 equal balls and pat into flat rounds. Leave covered in the fridge overnight if you can.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat and add the rest of the butter. Gently fry the potato cakes, 2 at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes each side until light brown and heated through. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, soft boil the eggs for 4 minutes – this recipe works best with runny yolks. Arrange a couple of potato cakes on each plate and top with smoked salmon. Shell the eggs and place on top. Spoon soured cream over the eggs and sprinkle over the chives. Season well.

coley korma with fluffy rice

Ingredients

• 2 heaped tablespoons Patak’s korma paste
• 4 x 180g coley fillets, skin on, scaled and pin-boned
• olive oil
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• ½ x 400ml tin low-fat coconut milk
• a few sprigs of fresh coriander, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• ½-1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

for the rice
• 1 cup basmati rice
• sea salt

Method

There’s loads of coley (which is also known as saithe and coal fish) in the sea.

Looks-wise it’s more of an ivory colour than the snow white you’re used to but it’s beautiful, absolutely delicious, sweet, meaty, and melts in the mouth. Funnily enough cats have been enjoying it for years – lucky things – and sadly a lot of it is thrown overboard as by catch. Coley is really versatile. Coley is often half the price of cod so you can feed twice as many people, or just save yourself loads of money.
Normally you’d start cooking a fillet of fish skin-side down, but I’ve gone flesh-side down here to really encrust the fish and get those flavors going. Korma is mild enough for kids to eat too and when something tastes this good, you’d be mad not to try it.

Add the rice to a small pan with 2 cups of boiling water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil on a high heat, then turn the heat down to low, cover and leave for 7 to 8 minutes.

Put a large frying pan on a medium heat. Use the back of a spoon to spread 1 heaped tablespoon of the korma paste all over the flesh side of the fish fillets. Add a lug of olive oil to the hot pan, then add the coley, flesh-side down. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning halfway when you’ve got some colour.

Check your rice – all of the water should have been absorbed by now so fluff it up with a fork and take it off the heat. Pop the lid back on so it stays warm.

Turn the heat under the fish up to high and throw in the greener half of your sliced spring onions. Stir in the remaining korma paste, coconut milk, coriander stalks and most of the fresh chilli. Let it bubble away for a couple of minutes until the fish is starting to flake apart. Taste your sauce and add a squeeze of lemon juice if it needs it.

Divide the rice between your plates then top each portion with a piece of coley. Pour the sauce over the top, then scatter over the reserved spring onions, chilli and coriander leaves. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.
 

quick salmon tikka with cucumber yoghurt

Ingredients

• 2 naan breads
• 1 fresh red chilli
• ½ a cucumber
• 1 lemon
• 4 tablespoons natural yoghurt
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a few sprigs of fresh coriander
• 2 x 200g salmon fillets, skin on,scaled and bones removed
• 1 heaped tablespoon Patak’s tandoori curry paste
• olive oil

Method

 I love this dish. If you’re a fan of chicken tikka masala, give this one a go. You might think it odd to use robust spice pastes on fish, but it’s very common in southern India. When buying your fish, ask the fishmonger to scale it for you. You'll be amazed at how quickly these cook.

• Preheat your oven to 110°C/225°F/gas ¼
• Pop your naan breads into the oven to warm through
• Halve, deseed and finely chop your chilli
• Peel and halve your cucumber lengthways, then use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds
• Roughly chop the cucumber and put most of it into a bowl
• Halve your lemon and squeeze the juice from one half into the bowl
• Add the yoghurt, a pinch of salt and pepper and half the chopped chilli
• Pick the coriander leaves and put to one side

• Slice each salmon fillet across lengthways into three 1.5cm wide slices
• Spoon the heaped tablespoon of tandoori paste into a small dish, then use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to smear the tandoori paste all over each piece (don’t dip your pastry brush into the jar!)
• Heat a large frying pan over a high heat
• Once hot, add a lug of olive oil, put the salmon into the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes on each side, until cooked through

• Place a warmed naan bread on each plate
• Top each one with a good dollop of cucumber yoghurt and 3 pieces of salmon
• Scatter over a little of the reserved cucumber, chilli and coriander leaves and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice

vegetable jalfrezi

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 1 fresh red chilli
• a thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic
• a small bunch of fresh coriander
• 2 red peppers
• 1 cauliflower
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
• groundnut or vegetable oil
• a knob of butter
• ½ a 283g jar of Patak’s jalfrezi curry paste
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lemons
• 200g natural yoghurt

method

The great thing about this curry is the slightly sweet and sour flavor from the peppers. Do experiment with other combinations of vegetables such as courgettes, aubergines or potatoes once you’ve mastered this version – bigger, chunkier veggies need longer cooking times, so add them at the start, and delicate veggies like peas and spinach need only minutes, so they can go in right at the end. This will serve 8 people – just halve the recipe if your pan isn’t large enough, or else freeze any leftovers.

To prepare your curry
• Peel, halve and roughly chop your onion
• Finely slice the chilli
• Peel and finely slice the ginger and garlic
• Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks
• Halve, deseed and roughly chop the peppers
• Break the green leaves off the cauliflower and discard
• Break the cauliflower into florets and roughly chop the stem
• Quarter the tomatoes
• Carefully halve the butternut squash, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard
• Slice the squash into inch-size wedges, leaving the peel on but removing any thick skin, then roughly chop into smaller pieces
• Drain the chickpeas

To cook your curry
• Put a large casserole-type pan on a medium to high heat and add a couple of lugs of oil and the butter
• Add the onions, chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks and cook for 10 minutes, until softened and golden
• Add the peppers, butternut squash, drained chickpeas and jalfrezi curry paste
• Stir well to coat everything with the paste
• Add the cauliflower, the fresh and tinned tomatoes and the vinegar
• Fill 1 empty tin with water, pour into the pan and stir again
• Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 45 minutes with the lid on
• Check the curry after 30 minutes and, if it still looks too liquidy, leave the lid off for the rest of the cooking time
• When the veg are tender, taste and add salt and pepper – please season carefully – and a squeeze of lemon juice

To serve your curry
Delicious with poppadums or my fluffy rice recipe and with a few spoonfuls of natural yoghurt, a sprinkle of coriander leaves and a few lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Funny chocolate biscuits

Preparation time:10 mins
Cooking time:20 mins
Makes:22

You and the kids will have a ball making these chocolate biscuits with lolly faces.

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups plain flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 cup Milk Choc Bits
230g packet Dark Choc Melts, melted
48g packet Cake Mate face decorations
Assorted lollies, to decorate

Method

1. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between each addition. Fold in combined sifted flour and baking powder. Stir in Choc Bits. Mix well.
2. Roll heaped tblsps of mixture into balls. Place about 6cm apart on baking paper lined oven trays.
3. Cook in a hot oven (200C) for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stand biscuits on trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
4. Dip tops of biscuits into melted dark chocolate. Create faces using face decorations and assorted lollies. Stand biscuits until chocolate is set.

Notes

Decorated biscuits can be made up to three days ahead. Store in an airtight container.

Spaghetti and Cheese Slice

Preparation time  : 15 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins
Serves : 6-8

This slice makes a great alternative to a sandwich.

Ingredients

Cooking oil spray
125g egg vermicelli pasta
5 eggs
310g can corn kernels, drained
1/2 red capsicum, finely chopped
2 cups grated tasty cheese
Green oak lettuce leaves, to serve

Method

1. Spray a shallow 28cm-round ovenproof flan dish with oil.

2. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until almost tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well.

3. Place eggs in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Stir in corn kernels, capsicum, pasta and half of the grated cheese.

4. Pour mixture evenly into prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese.

5. Cook, uncovered, in a moderate oven (180C) for 30 minutes, or until just set and golden. Cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to pack.

6. Cut spaghetti slice into wedges and pack into lunch box with lettuce leaves.

Chicken Schnitzel Skewers

Preparation time : 20 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins
Serves : 4

Jazz up chicken schnitzel with this recipe from New Idea's Barbara North wood

Ingredients

800g chicken breast fillets, cut into 2cm cubes
1 / 2 cup plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 wooden skewers
Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
Green salad and lemon wedges, to serve

SCHNITZEL COATING
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
3 / 4 cup seasoned stuffing mix
1 / 2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

CORN RELISH
250g jar corn relish
2 tblsps sweet chilli sauce
2 tblsps chopped fresh chives
1 tblsp white wine vinegar

Method

1. To make coating, combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Toss chicken pieces in flour, shake off excess. Dip in eggs, then toss in schnitzel, coating. Thread chicken onto skewers.
3. To make corn relish, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan. In two batches, cook skewers over a medium heat, turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
5. Serve skewers on a green salad with corn relish and lemon wedges.

Notes

For more great recipes check out the latest issue of New Idea - on sale now!

 

Citrus Cheesecake

Preparation time  : 10 mins
Cooking time      : 50 mins
Serves                : 6-8  
A healthy cheesecake recipe that won't make you feel guilty!

Ingredients

2 x 250g blocks light cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt
½ cup CSR Smart White Sugar Blend
2 eggs
2 tsps finely grated lemon rind
2 tsps finely grated orange rind
Orange segments, to decorate

Method

1 Grease a 20cm springform cake pan (base measures 18cm). Line base and side with baking paper. Place on an oven tray.
2 Place the cream cheese, yoghurt, sugar, eggs and lemon and orange rind in a food processor. Process mixture until smooth. Pour into prepared cake pan.
3 Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for 50 minutes, or until just set. Mixture should have a slight wobble and will set on standing. Turn off oven. Cool cheesecake in oven with door ajar. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
4 To serve, remove the side from the pan and slide cheesecake onto a serving plate. Decorate the top with orange segments.

Choc banana croissants

Preparation time    : 10 mins
Cooking time        : 5 mins
Makes                  : 4


The kids will go bananas for these chocolate croissants!

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

4 croissants
1 large banana, halved
50g milk chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1/4 cup sultanas
Extra 100g milk chocolate, chopped
Milk, to serve

Method

1 Using a small, serrated knife, cut croissants horizontally in half, leaving attached on one side. Place on an oven tray.
2 Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove.
3 Peel banana and place in a bowl. Roughly mash. Add chocolate, apricots and sultanas. Stir to combine ingredients.
4 Spoon banana mixture evenly onto one half of each croissant. Fold top over filling to enclose.
5 Place extra chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Sit bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Spoon into a small snap-lock bag. Squeeze into one corner. Twist bag and snip tip with kitchen scissors. Pipe over croissants.
6 Serve croissants with milk.

Notes

■ Other chopped dried fruits can be substituted for apricots and sultanas.
■ Try making the filling and sandwiching it between two pieces of bread. Then cook in a sandwich press until the chocolate has melted. Yum!
■ You can also make a delicious dessert by folding the filling through slightly softened vanilla ice-cream. Freeze until firm. Scoop into bowls. Drizzle with warm melted chocolate.

spicy broad bean fritters with lemon minted yoghurt

Ingredients

• 1kg fresh broad beans, in their pods (about 300g podded weight) or 500g defrosted broad beans, skinned
• 6 sprigs of fresh coriander
• a small bunch of fresh mint
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 level teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ a fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 heaped teaspoon plain flour
• 1 litre vegetable oil
optional: a small piece of potato, peeled
• 4 tablespoons natural yoghurt
• a few handfuls of mixed crunchy salad leaves, washed and spun dry
• extra virgin olive oil
pickled chillies, to serve

Method

These fritters make a delicious snack. They not only taste awesome but they look amazing – dark and crunchy on the outside, bright green and soft inside! They’re simple to make, and the spiciness just makes them work. This dish is best made with early season, fresh-as-a-daisy, pastel-green broad beans. Or you can use frozen broad beans – simply defrost them and pinch off their skins.Boil any larger white-skinned broad beans for 30 seconds, then drain. When cool, pinch their skins off – they’ll taste less bitter if you do this. Now whiz the coriander and half the mint in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, then add the spices, chilli, broad beans and lemon zest and whiz until finely chopped (stopping once or twice to scrape the mixture off the sides). Sprinkle in the flour and pulse for a few seconds. Don’t add any more flour or the mixture will become too dry.Get a large saucepan and pour in the vegetable oil till it’s 5 to 7cm deep. Be careful – keep kids and pets away, and make sure the handle isn’t sticking out so you don’t accidentally catch it and spill the hot oil. Heat the oil. To check whether it’s hot enough for frying, drop in the piece of potato – as soon as sizzles and floats to the top, you’re in business. Remove the potato and discard it.Cover a plate with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Scoop up a small amount of the broad bean mixture and either use your hands or two spoons to shape it into little rounds, then put them on to the plate. When they’re all done, carefully lower one of them into the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. When you’re got the hang of it, fry the rest of them – they should all fit into the pan at the same time but, if not, simply do batches.For your lemon minted yoghurt, squeeze half the lemon juice into the yoghurt. Pick and chop the rest of your mint leaves and stir them in, adding salt and pepper to taste. Dress your salad leaves with a squeeze of lemon juice and some olive oil. Sprinkle the fritters with salt and serve with the lemon minted yoghurt, the dressed salad leaves and some pickled chillies.• from Jamie at Home These fritters make a delicious snack. They not only taste awesome but they look amazing – dark and crunchy on the outside, bright green and soft inside! They’re simple to make, and the spiciness just makes them work. This dish is best made with early season, fresh-as-a-daisy, pastel-green broad beans. Or you can use frozen broad beans – simply defrost them and pinch off their skins.

Boil any larger white-skinned broad beans for 30 seconds, then drain. When cool, pinch their skins off – they’ll taste less bitter if you do this. Now whiz the coriander and half the mint in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, then add the spices, chilli, broad beans and lemon zest and whiz until finely chopped (stopping once or twice to scrape the mixture off the sides). Sprinkle in the flour and pulse for a few seconds. Don’t add any more flour or the mixture will become too dry.

Get a large saucepan and pour in the vegetable oil till it’s 5 to 7cm deep. Be careful – keep kids and pets away, and make sure the handle isn’t sticking out so you don’t accidentally catch it and spill the hot oil. Heat the oil. To check whether it’s hot enough for frying, drop in the piece of potato – as soon as sizzles and floats to the top, you’re in business. Remove the potato and discard it.

Cover a plate with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Scoop up a small amount of the broad bean mixture and either use your hands or two spoons to shape it into little rounds, then put them on to the plate. When they’re all done, carefully lower one of them into the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. When you’re got the hang of it, fry the rest of them – they should all fit into the pan at the same time but, if not, simply do batches.

For your lemon minted yoghurt, squeeze half the lemon juice into the yoghurt. Pick and chop the rest of your mint leaves and stir them in, adding salt and pepper to taste. Dress your salad leaves with a squeeze of lemon juice and some olive oil. Sprinkle the fritters with salt and serve with the lemon minted yoghurt, the dressed salad leaves and some pickled chillies.