BBQ Pulled Jackfruit

13th July 202013th July 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 4-6

I’ve long been curious to try jackfruit and recently decided to give it a go. I picked up a couple of tins in the supermarket and as I was making a vegetarian meal for friends who had just had a baby I thought this would be a good time to make something with it.

The jackfruit came in chunks, which, when simmered down in the bbq sauce, became soft enough to easily pull apart with fork to create, what looked like, pulled pork.

All the flavour here comes from the tomatoey sauce. The jackfruit adds the bulk and texture.

We had ours loaded into brioche buns, but it would also be good served with rice.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp (smoked) paprika
2 tsp chipotle paste (or use a chilli sauce such as siracha)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
8 tbsp bbq sauce (see below for how to make your own in this quantity)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tins of young green jackfruit in salted water, drained
Salt and pepper

Step 1: Sweat the onion and oil together in a large frying pan over a medium heat, until soft.

Step 2: Add the spices and chipotle paste and stir for a minute before adding the bbq sauce, vinegar and tomatoes.

Step 3: Add the jackfruit and a splash of water. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the jackfruit is soft enough to shred with a pair of forks. Taste and season as necessary with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Once shredded leave the lid off and cook for another 10 or so minutes until the sauce is thick and slightly sticky.

Serve in buns or with rice. Great with coleslaw on the side.

To make your own bbq sauce mix together 100g tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp Henderson’s relish (or Worcestershire sauce if you don’t need it vegan/gluten-free) and 1 tbsp cider vinegar.

‘Nduja, Pea and Tomato Pasta

30th June 202030th June 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

We are loving ‘Nduja in pasta dishes in our house at the moment, and here is another one that can be cooked in under 15 minutes. Perfect for a speedy midweek supper.

The sweet petit pois and juicy tomatoes are a great addition to the spicy ‘nduja but you could always add your favourite veg instead.

Ingredients:
150g pasta (we like to use spaghetti) (gluten-free if required) cooked, according to the packet instructions (reserve a ladleful of the cooking water)
100g nduja, broken into pieces
100g (frozen) petit pois/peas
12 cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved

Step 1: While the pasta is cooking, place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the ‘nduja. Cook until it releases its oils and starts to break up. Add the peas and tomatoes and continue to stir as the peas and tomatoes soften in the oils.

Step 2: Add the cooked spaghetti to the frying pan along with a ladle of cooking water to loosen the sauce. Toss together until the pasta is coated. Serve.

‘Nduja and Prawn Spaghetti

22nd May 202022nd May 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

‘Nduja is a Calabrian spreadable spicy salami. If you’ve had the Spanish sobrassada before it’s very similar, and could be used in its place. Alternatively you can always use chorizo.

The spicy sausage works beautifully with the sweet prawns, and the fat from the ‘nduja helps create the scant sauce which coats each strand of the spaghetti.

This is a super quick meal, ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Perfect for a weeknight.

Ingredients:
150g spaghetti (gluten-free if required) cooked, according to the packet instructions (reserve a ladleful of the cooking water)
100g nduja, broken into pieces
16 king prawns, raw, shelled and deveined
1 fat clove of garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, diced

Step 1: While the pasta is cooking, place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the ‘nduja. Cook until it releases its oils and starts to break up. Add the garlic and chilli and stir to avoid them burning.

Step 2: Just as the pasta is cooked, add the prawns to the frying pan and cook on both sides.

Step 3: Add the cooked spaghetti to the frying pan along with a ladle of cooking water to loosen the sauce. Toss together until the pasta is coated. Serve.

Thai-inspired Glass Noodle and Mince Salad

25th April 202010th May 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 4

As the weather gets warmer, substantial salads are great as a main meal. This Thai-inspired noodle and mince salad ticks the box. The dressing has the unmistakable saltiness from pungent fish sauce and the mince is fragrant with ginger, lemongrass and, if you can get them, lime leaves.

Lime leaves come in pairs, so the four stipulated in the ingredients will actually look like eight leaves. These can be tricky to get hold of regularly. I buy a box from the frozen section of the Asian supermarket. Kept in the freezer these last a long time, and are on hand for whenever a recipe calls for them.

Ingredients:

For the mince:
1 tbsp (coconut) oil
750g lean mince (turkey or pork works well)
2 inches of ginger, peeled and grated
3 sticks of lemon grass, finely chopped
4 lime leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

For the salad:
200g glass noodles, soaked until soft and then drained
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
1/2 red pepper, cut into strips
2 spring onions, finely sliced
Lettuce, shredded

For the dressing:
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
2 limes, juiced
2 tsp chilli flakes

Step 1: Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the mince and fry until browned and dry (there should be no liquid left in the pan).

Step 2: Add the ginger and lemongrass and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Add the lime leaves and soy sauce and stir through until the pan is dry again. Remove from the heat.

Step 3: Combine the dressing ingredients together.

Step 4: In a large bowl, toss the noodles, salad ingredients and dressing together. Serve.

Loaded Jackets

22nd April 202022nd April 2020
by thefoodwife

Makes 4

Creamy and cheesy these filled potatoes taste great. I added chorizo to ours, but leave out of making these meat-free. Or if you want meat but don’t have chorizo, use cooked bacon, ham or salami.

I’ve stipulated full fat cream cheese for flavour, but if you want a lighter option then use reduced fat.

This recipe really is just a guide and you can add any ingredients you fancy. Try adding some chives or red onion to the filling for a stronger onion flavour.

If you’re keeping these veggie, sliced olives would be a good option for a salty hit of flavour in the filling.

Ingredients:
4 baking potatoes
250g full fat cream cheese
3 spring onions, finally sliced
100g chorizo, finely diced (optional)
Cheddar, grated
Oil
Salt and pepper

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180c (fan). Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub the oil and seasoning all over.

Step 2: Bake for an hour and a half.

Step 3: Remove from the oven and slice the top off the long edge of each potato. Use two spoons to carefully scoop the flesh out of each potato into a large bowl. Add a large pinch each of salt and pepper, the cream cheese, spring onion, and if using, the diced chorizo. Mix well until combined and smooth. Taste for seasoning.

Step 4: Load the creamy filling back into the skins on the baking tray. Top each with a large pinch of grated cheddar.

Step 5: Refrigerate until ready to bake or bake straight away. They will need 25-30 minutes at 180c until fully heated through, and the cheese on top is golden.