thefoodwife – Page 62 – The Food Wife

Bibimbap

6th June 20186th June 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

Following on my Asian theme, we also enjoyed a vegetarian bibimbap last weekend. For those who have not experienced this dish, it is Korean and means â€˜mixed riceâ€™. Essentially it consists of white rice, egg, vegetables and if you like, some meat, often beef. And of course the spicy gochujang (my favourite!)

This weekend we stuck to a veggie version and Iâ€™ve included exactly what we had, but donâ€™t be afraid to try a different combination of vegetables. Whatever you fancy really!

Ingredients:
150g rice (I used sushi rice)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 courgette, cut into matchsticks
2 handfuls of beansprouts
6 mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used chestnut mushrooms)
2 pak choi, finely shredded
2 large eggs
Sesame oil
Soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

To serve:
1 tsp sesame seeds
Squeezable gochujang for bibimbap (if you are making this gluten-free you will need ensure you are using a gluten-free version)

Step 1: Cook your rice according to the packet instructions.

Step 2: Heat your wok to a medium high heat and add a small amount of sesame oil and one of your prepared vegetables and stir fry for a minute or two, until cooked but still having a little bite. Add a splash of soy sauce 20 seconds before removing from the heat. Remove the vegetables from the wok, and keep separately. Repeat with your other vegetables. Iâ€™d recommend leaving the mushrooms till last as they release a lot of natural juice.

Step 3: When your vegetables are all cooked and kept separately, fry each of your eggs.

Step 4: Assemble your bibimbap bowls by first putting your cooked rice at the bottom of the bowl. Top the rice in the middle with your fried egg, then arrange each of the vegetables around the bowl, keeping the yolk of the egg visible.

Step 5: Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds and as much gochujang as you would like and tuck in!

Any vegetables can be used in this dish, all cooked in the same way. This dish is also amazing with a meat accompaniment such as minced beef. Again, you would cook the meat in the same way as the vegetables, and arrange it in the bowl as you do the vegetables.

Chinese Mushroom and Chilli Stir Fry with Tofu

4th June 201810th June 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 3

I love exploring the Chinese supermarket, Wai Yee Hong, in Bristol. About a year ago I came across some fresh noodles called Cheong Fun which are sheets of rice noodles (plain or some come with tiny shrimp and flecks of spring onion embedded in them) that are then tightly rolled up. To cook them they are steamed for about 10 minutes by which point they are soft and ready to be added to your dish. I cut my rolled up noodles into roughly one inch pieces pre-steaming so I can tumble them straight into my stir fry from my bamboo steamer.

The Cheong Fun noodles are a perfect accompaniment to this dish, as the bundles of rice noodle pair well with the light pillowy cubes of ready-deep-fried tofu; another purchase from the Chinese supermarket, I find these are one of the best ways to enjoy tofu (the other being tofu katsu curry!)

And finally the stir fry sauce, another supermarket product that packs a punch of flavour, enhanced by the addition of soy and sugar.

This is a really quick meal to cook, just make sure everything is prepped and ready to go!

Ingredients:
400g Cheong Fun Noodles (or rice noodles of your choice)
150g deep fried tofu pieces
2 pak choi, cut width-ways in to one-inch slices
3 spring onions, sliced diagonally
1 carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 1/2 tbsp Chinese mushroom in chilli oil
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar

Step 1: Cook your noodles, according to the packet. Whilst these are part way through cooking (steaming in the case of the Cheong Fun), get on with your stir fry.

Step 2: Heat your wok over a medium high heat. Add a spritz of spray oil (you wonâ€™t need more as the sauce comes in chilli oil).

Step 3: Add the carrot and spring onion and stir fry for one minute.

Step 4: Add the pak choi and ready-fried tofu pieces and stir fry for another minute.

Step 5: Add the Chinese mushroom and chilli oil, along with the soy sauce and sugar. Stir fry for two minutes.

Step 6: Add your cooked noodles and toss everything together so the sauce coats all components. Serve.

Homemade Pizza

1st June 201815th September 2018
by thefoodwife

Makes 8 medium pizzas (dough and sauce)

Iâ€™ve written before that pizza is my husbandâ€™s favourite. I am much more likely to agree to have it for dinner if it is homemade. I find it easier to make a big batch of dough, divide it up in to portions and freeze the spares, along with the portions of pizza sauce, and then it becomes a quick meal to throw together, perfect for a Friday night! I simply get the dough and sauce out of the freezer in the morning to defrost. Both the dough and sauce are dairy free, vegan and vegetarian.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
800g strong white bread flour
200g strong wholemeal bread flour
14g fast action yeast
1 tbsp caster sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
650ml lukewarm water

For the pizza sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
500g passata
1 dsp caster sugar
1 dsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Step 1: Make the dough by mixing the yeast, sugar and oil in the water and setting it aside for a couple of minutes to activate the yeast (it will begin to froth).

Step 2: In a large bowl combine the flours and the salt, make a well in the centre and then add the liquid ingredients. Using either a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, combine the ingredients and mix until they have formed a ball, then knead until you have a soft dough (I did all of this in my electric mixer using the dough hook).

Step 3: Leave the dough to rise in the bowl, covered with cling film or a damp tea towel, until it has doubled in size. This will take up to an hour.

Step 4: Knock back the dough by kneading it on a floured surface.

Step 5: Divide in to portions (this recipe makes eight medium-sized pizzas) and either use immediately, or wrap in clingfilm and keep in the fridge or freezer until needed.

Step 6: Make the pizza sauce; on a medium heat, soften the onion in the oil for five-10 minutes and then add the garlic and soften for a further two minutes.

Step 7: Stir in the chilli and oregano, then add the passatta, sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium-low heat. Season to taste. Allow to cool.

Step 8: When you are ready to assemble the pizza, roll the portion of dough out on a floured surface and place either on a preheated pizza stone or on a greased baking sheet (I also sprinkle the baking sheet with a little semolina). Spread an 1/8 of the pizza sauce over the surface (leaving a 1 cm border) and any additional toppings and cook at 220c for approximately 12 minutes.

I find that half a ball of mozzarella is enough per pizza (my husband would disagree!) and one of our favourite toppings is jalapeÃ±os (from a jar), some slices of salami and some halved cherry tomatoes. Once out of the oven I top it with freshly torn basil leaves.

Another suggestion, which we had tonight and really enjoyed, was mixing a table spoon of mango chutney in to the pizza sauce before spreading it on the base, then using some left over chicken curry (!) as a topping along with some sliced fresh red chilli. And mozzarella. Donâ€™t judge us, just try it! It was lush!

Prawn Linguine

30th May 201830th May 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

Take me to an Italian restaurant and itâ€™d be highly unusual if I didnâ€™t go for their Linguine au Frutti di Mare. At home my version just has prawns in it, but there is nothing stopping you from adding a mix of seafood.

I like chilli in my sauce but this is not obligatory, and the sauce is good with pasta on its own, without the prawns, if you want something simple for supper.

You could make the sauce (minus the prawns) ahead of time; just go up to step 4 and switch off after 15 minutes, until itâ€™s time to reheat to get dinner on the table.

This sauce could stretch to four people, just add more prawns and pasta!

Ingredients:
150g linguine
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1/2 pepper, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 dsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
500g passata
150g raw king prawns

Step 1: Soften the onion in the olive oil on a medium heat for five minutes.

Step 2: Add the pepper and garlic and cook for a further five minutes, stirring often.

Step 3: Add the halved tomatoes followed by the passata. When it is simmering add the chilli, sugar and balsamic vinegar.

Step 4: Cook on a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 5: Whilst this is simmering, cook your linguine according to the packet instructions.

Step 6: Three or four minutes before you are ready to serve, add the prawns to the simmering sauce and they will poach in the liquid.

Step 7: Add the drained linguine to the sauce and coat evenly, using a little of the cooking water to loosen the sauce if necessary.

Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan if you like (this will remove its dairy free status), and a green salad.

Lamb Chops – Greek Style

28th May 201828th May 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

This is a really quick and easy way to prepare and cook lamb which leaves you with deliciously flavoursome meat that can be done under a grill or (if the weather allows it!) on a barbecue.

The combination of olive oil, oregano, lemon and garlic sings of Greece and the quantities here can be easily scaled up.

Ingredients:
4 lamb chops
1 tbsp olive oil
1 unwaxed lemon (zest and juice)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tsp dried oregano
Pinch each of salt and pepper

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a sealable bag or in a dish covered with cling film.

Step 2: Marinate for at least half an hour in the fridge.

Step 3: Remove from the fridge for 20 minutes before cooking.

Step 4: Cook under a hot grill or BBQ for a few minutes on each side (approximately three minutes a side for medium/four minutes for medium-well/five minutes for well). Rest for two minutes before serving.

This is good with herby potatoes and salad. I also like it with Greek yogurt on the side with fresh mint stirred through it.