Love Bites Chicken Laksa

This is a recipe I literally just whipped up last week. I was craving a warm soupy spicy concoction as I had been feeling a bit under the weather with a cold... The ingredients might not be exact as I was free pouring and guestimating but it turned out THAT good so I had to share it with you! Pretty easy and tasty ticking all the Love Bites boxes. Bear in mind that my taste buds were slightly non existent when I made this so the amount of chilli is to your own preference!

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• x5 Chicken tenderloins
• x2 Tbspns Thai Green Curry Paste
• x1 Tbspn sliced ginger
• x3 Spring onions thinly sliced
• x1 Thinly sliced yellow chilli
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 700ml boiling water
• x1 Knoll Chicken stock pot
• x1 Cup frozen peas
• x1 Cup tendersteam brocolini broken into smaller heads and stalk chunks
• 1/2 Thinly slicked red pepper
• x1 Tbspn Fish sauce (or to your liking)
• x1 Lug soya sauce
• x1 Lug sweet Thai chilli sauce
• x1 Packet vermicelli rice noodles (small packet 300g)
• Fresh coriander
• Fresh lime juice

METHOD:

Broth

1. Combine the boiling water and stock pot
2. Add the brocolini, peas and half the chilli
3. Add a lug of soya sauce, sweet Thai chilli sauce and fish sauce
4. Add the noodle cake
5. Leave to simmer gently

Curry

1. Over a low heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan
2. Add the curry paste and stir for a minute
3. Add the chicken and mix so it is covered in the paste
4. Add the ginger, spring onions and the rest of the chilli
5. Continue to turn the chicken as necessary until cooked (be careful not to fry the chicken - you do not want it to be brown on the outside)
6. Once the chicken is sealed add the coconut milk and red pepper
7. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes

Combine

1. Once the chicken is cooked through remove the chicken from the pan and slice into 0.5cm pieces
2. Add the coconut mixture to the broth and stir through
3. Serve into bowls with the slicked chicken on top
4. Garnish with fresh coriander and lime

Love Bites Spicy Meatballs

This recipe was derived from a magazine article I read but after completing the recipe completely I felt both the meatballs and sauce had too much spice. So after some careful adaption I came up with the recipe below with a rich tomato sauce that emphasises the spicy flavour of the meatballs and compliments the dish to perfection. Its great with toasted bread or just served on a bed of rocket or for those die hard meatball fans you can for sure match this with spaghetti! Another good thing about this recipe is that you can make the meatballs in advance and refrigerate them until you are ready to cook them, making them even more tasty the next day.

NB: Spicy meaning not hot but full of delicious spices for a powerful meatball mouthful.

Serves 2-3 approx.

Meatballs Ingredients:
• 500g lean steak mince
• 1tspn each garam masala, ground cumin, ground turmeric and ground coriander
• 1 large finely diced white onion
• 1 tbspn each chopped fresh basil and coriander
• 1 egg
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to season 
• Olive oil for frying

Cheats Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
• 350g jar of Lloyd Grossman Tomato and Basil sauce
• 1 can chopped cherry tomatoes (or normal chopped tomatoes)
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/2-1tspn chilli powder (to your liking)
• 1/2 a small handful of chopped fresh coriander and basil (keeping some extra for garnish)
• salt and pepper to taste

• Rocket and ciabatta or garlic bread to serve.

Method:
• For the meatballs, combine all the ingredients (except the oil) in a bowl and mix together with your hands to create a smoother mixture
• Create 15-20 small sized balls by rolling a handful around in your hands (set aside on a plate)
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a low to medium heat, fry the meatballs in small amounts until browned all over, being careful not to overcrowd them. (Try not to turn them too much as this may cause them to crumble)
• Once the meatballs are all cooked add the Lloyd Grossman Tomato and Basil sauce to the pan 
• Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic and chilli and stir to combine
• Add the chopped basil and coriander and stir through, simmer for 5-10 minutes on a low- medium heat 
• Remove from the heat and serve on a bed meatballs on a bed of rocket
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and basil and salt and pepper
• Serve with sliced toasted ciabatta or garlic bread (and a large glass of red!)

Love Bites Tangy Prawn Salad

In the midst of unpacking our new home a couple of weeks ago I needed a quick tasty meal for one. M and S ready cooked prawns are usually my 'go-to' for when cooking for one so I grabbed some of these en route home and threw this salad together with the leftover food in the fridge. It worked a great and was efficient and delicious - a true Love Bites recipe to a T. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Serves One

INGREDIENTS

• 2 handfuls of rocket

• 1 handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 small red onion, quartered and sliced 

• 1/2 an avocado, sliced into bite sized pieces

• 1 packed of M and S chilli and coriander precooked prawns (180g)

• fresh basil to garnish

For the Dressing

• 1 tbspn Sweet Thai Chilli sauce

• 1/2 the juice of a lime

• a very small lug of fish sauce

METHOD

• Arrange all salad ingredients in a bowl

• Mix together all dressing ingredients (season to taste)

• Top the salad with the prawns and throw over the dressing

• Garnish with the fresh basil 

Voila! Enjoy!

Herby Lamb Greek Salad

This is a fast and efficient recipe that's is a taste sensation. It's a great variation of a traditional Greek salad and perfect to use up leftovers in the fridge. It's a sure winner for all!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lamp steaks

• tbspn chopped herbs (any of these will do: mint, basil, coriander, oregano)

• salt and pepper to season

• 1 crushed garlic clove 

Salad Ingredients

• 2 pickled peppers, sliced 1cm wide lengthways 

• 1 small red onion, quartered and sliced

• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved

• half a block of feta chunks

• mint and basil and balsamic vinegar to garnish

METHOD

• smother the lamb in the chopped herbs, garlic and salt and pepper

• prepare salad ingredients and combine on a plate (per person)

• fry lamb steaks on a medium - high heat until seared on the outside and cooked to your liking on the inside (remember the meat will still cook for a minute or two once removed from the pan)

• slice the steaks diagonally and layer onto each salad portion

• garnish with the fresh herbs and some balsamic vinegar

In this image of this salad I used up some brocolini that was in the fridge. Just lightly cooked in the microwave. Great to add another veg for your five a day but not necessary. 

Thai Green Prawn and Aubergine Curry

 This recipe is a delight every time I cook it. The biggest surprise was the eggplant, I have never used it in a curry before now and it really makes this recipe something special. Even if your not an eggplant fan this recipe has the opportunity to appeal to everyone. It's simple, quick for an after work meal and perfect for anytime of the year (bearing in mind eggplant's need to be in season usually July - October). Brown rice makes this dish even healthier and pompadoms are a really nice accompaniment. I hope you enjoy this little gem as much as I do!

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp. olive oil for frying

1 eggplant / aubergine, cut into small chunks

1 piece of ginger, size of your thumb-nail, finely chopped (optional)

1tsp of lemongrass (optional)

1/4 jar of Thai Green Curry paste (or as per jar instructions)

400ml can light coconut milk

250g packet of cooked prawns (I use Marks and Spencers)

1 lime, finely grated zest and juice

100g baby spinach

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

1 small bunch fresh coriander, chopped, plus extra to garnish

brown or jasmine rice to serve (usually 70g pp)

METHOD:

1. Cook rice as per packet instructions
2. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat, add the chopped aubergines and fry until slightly golden all over. Add chopped fresh ginger and lemongrass with the green curry paste and fry for 1 minute until fragrant
3. Add the coconut milk, bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer
4. Add the prawns and lime zest and cook for 3-4 minutes until the prawns are heated through
5. Add the fresh spinach, fish sauce, lime juice and coriander and serve with steamed rice and pompadoms.

Asparagus, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

This is a quick-fire, super scrumptious salad which is easy to make and brightens up any Winters day or Summer BBQ dinner. Get creating!

INGREDIENTS
a handful of baby asparagus per person
1/3 packet of cherry tomatoes
1 spring onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 lug of good quality olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1/3 ripped fresh mozzarella
small handful of basil leaves
seasoning to taste

METHOD
Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water whilst you prepare the tomato topping
roughly dice the cherry tomatoes and place in a bowl with the lemon, oil, garlic and onion and salt and pepper
drain the asparagus and arrange on a platter, top with tomato mixture
garnish with mozzarella and basil

Ta-daaah! A taste sensation!

Variations: use blue cheese instead of mozzarella for a stronger flavour or top with Kalamata olives

LoveBites Delish Fish and Lentil Ensomble

This recipe was derived from a recent meal a friend of mine had at a local gastro pub in Hampshire...

INGREDIENTS
serves two

• 2 cod fillets (or firm white fish fillets)
• 2 tspns tomato paste or sundried tomato paste (1 tspn per fillet)
• 2 chorizo sausages, sliced
• 10 mixed coloured cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered randomly
• 80g fresh baby spinach
• handful of chopped parsley
• 3/4 cup of puy or green lentils
• Lemon juice and garlic butter to garnish
• Garlic butter - 1 clove pured garlic, 2 tbspns butter, melt in microwave for 20 - 30 seconds

METHOD

1. Cook lentils as per packet instructions
2. Paint fish with tomato paste and place on a baking tray covered in foil,
3. Loosely cover fish with the foil and bake in oven with tomatoes for 10-15 minutes
4. Fry the sliced chorizo sausages in a fry pan until cooked through
5. Blanch fresh spinach in boiling water then drain and cool under fresh water immediately
6. Make garlic butter
7. Serve spinach on top of lentils, followed by fish, topped with tomatoes, parsley and sprinkle the chorizo around the outside
8. Garnish with garlic butter and lemon juice

NB: I use Marks and Spencers sunblushed tomato cod fillets which saves you covering the fish yourself. You can also make this healthier without the chorizo and a different alternative is to not cook the tomatoes but have them fresh on top as a Summer time option (see below). Enjoy!

2am Pizza

Coming home at 2am when no one will deliver pizza calls for some drastic measures to raid ones fridge and make ones own! Here is my recipe for 2am Pizza that is guarenteed to taste saucy even if its not after a few wines!

Ingredients

• x2 Tortilla / flatbreads or pita (leftover from dinner two nights ago)
• 1/2 Red onion sliced (leftover from yesterdays salad)
• 1 Tomato sliced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (same as above)
• A few slices of salami, pepperoni or choizo, sliced halveways
• A handful of rocket
• Grated cheese (as much as necessary to cater for ones aquired gooey-ness)
• Heinz tomato sauce

Method to the Maddness

• Turn the oven up to about 180 degrees
• Spread the Heinz tomato sauce like a tomatoe paste over the base of the tortilla or chosen pizza base
• Sprinkle the red onion, tomatoes, rocket and cheese on one pizza and meat and cheese on the other
• Bake for approx 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the tortilla has crisped up
• Slice as desired and consume!

This recipe can be cooked at any hour and is especially good as a snack, lunch or just to use up leftovers!

LoveBites Thai Beef Salad

Thai Beef Salad is one of my all time favourite dishes. There are so many variations with this salad that I always seem to do it a different way. When I went to my LoveBites Asian Inspired Beef Salad original post recently, I realised that I don't really make my Thai Beef Salad's like this anymore.
So it's time for an update: a new recipe, something easier to follow and quicker to make = perfect LoveBites standards!

Feeds 2

 Ingredients

• 300g Rump Steak
• 2Tbspns Soya Sauce
• 1Tbspn Fish Sauce
• 1/3Cup Sweet Chilli Sauce
• 1 Clove Garlic, crushed
• 1 Red Chilli, de-seeded and diced
• Juice of1/2 a Lime, other 1/2 slice into wedges
• Handful of fresh Coriander, roughly chopped (save some leaves for garnish)
• 1/2 Red and Yellow Capsicum, sliced thinly
• 1/2 Cucumber, peeled lengthwise
• 1/2 Large Red Onion sliced thinly (can also use x2 Spring Onions sliced thinly)
• x2 Packets individually packed Vermicelli Noodles (optional)
• 1 Cup Sugar snap Peas sliced (optional)

Method

• Combine Soya, Sweet Thai Chilli, Fish sauce, 1/2 the fresh Chilli, and 1/2 the lime juice in a small mixing bowl or jar
• Crush the garlic and press into the beef in a dish and pour over half the sauce mixture, set aside
• Chop the salad ingredients and combine in a large bowl, boil the jug
• Place the noodles in a bowl of boiled water, cover and set aside
• Sear the steak for approximately 2 minutes per side, remove from the pan and once slightly cooled, slice in 1cm thick slices
• Drain the noodles and combine with the salad, mixing well with your hands
• Scoop into individual bowls or plates, arrange the steak slices on top and sprinkle with the remainder sauce, lime slices and garnish with the rest of the coriander.

The picture used for this recipe did not have noodles. If you are not using noodles I would recommend using more herbs and rip them up in your hands so they are still quite large rather than dicing them. Capsicums (peppers) can be any colour, orange was used for this pic.

I also made a bit of a dressing to go with this version : combine soya and fish sauces, sweet chilli, lime, coriander and chilli and pour over the dish. This recipe is a great backbone so make it as you so desire!

LoveBites Chocolate Chippie Cookies

I made this recipe in abundance in my college and university years. It makes the yummiest shortbready like cookies and not to mention the best cookie dough (EVER) so needless to say I would have to make

more than twice the recipe!

These cookies are the best 'milk and cookie' cookies and delicious dunked in hot chocolate, tea or coffee. They can have anything added to them, rasins, cornflakes, M&Ms, and still taste mouth-watering. Use this recipe as a good base for all cookie creations its super quick and fail safe! 

INGREDIENTS

• 125g Butter
• 1/2cup Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2tspn Vanilla Essence
• 11/2cups Flour
• 1tspn Baking Powder
• 1/2cup Chocolate Chips

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat well
4. Sift in the dry ingredients and combine
5. Mix in chocolate chips or desired alternatives
6. Roll into small balls and place onto a greased oven tray
7. Bake for 15 minutes and voila, ready to eat goodness!

LoveBites Asian Baked Salmon

INGREDIENTS

Salmon

• 2 Salmon Fillets (boned and skinned)
• 2 Spring onions, sliced
• 1 Red chilli, de-seeded and sliced
• 1cm cube of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 Tablespoon coriander, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Teriyaki sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Soya Sauce

Sides

• Seaseme oil
• Pak choi
• Sugar snaps
• Green beans
• Basmati rice
• Chopped coriander to garnish

METHOD

• Place the salmon on a large piece of aluminium foil (big enough to wrap the salmon in afterwards)
• Sprinkle the chilli, onion and coriander over the salmon
• Combine the teriyaki and soya sauce with the ginger and pour over the salmon
• Fold the foil over the salmon and place in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes
• Whilst the salmon is cooking, cook the rice  stir fry the pak choi and sugar snaps in a small amount of seaseme oil
• Cook the beans with a small amount of water, cover in cling wrap and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes
• The salmon is cooked when the flesh has turned a milky pink
• Combine the veges, rice and salmon on a plate and pour the rest of the marinade over the salmon and rice
• Garnish with a sprinkle of coriander

LoveBites now on Twitter!

Hey Y'all

LoveBites has just joined Twitter and just completed my very first Tweet!
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Much love

A Roast Chook

It dawned on me recently when my Twin sister called me to inquire about cooking a roast chicken, that I hadn't yet embarked on penning my thoughts on a cooking a classic roast chicken. A roast chick is something everyone should know how to do. They can be simple or as elaborate as you like, and are always best shared especially when you see the smiles on everyone's faces when you pull off a good one! Standard questions were thrown my way from the Twin, 'how long does it take to cook?' and 'what do you stuff it with?' which reminded me of the time about a year and a half ago when I called my Mother with the same questions. I now have the answers and think cooking a roast chicken or any type of roast takes a bit of practice but a roast they will always be a kick-ass meal.

For starters you can stuff the chicken with anything but it always requires something to moisten the meat. A lemon for instance is a great moistener, it provides subtle flavour and nourishment to the meat. And fresh herbs are always a good accompaniment to provide a fresh fragrance to the meat. As for veges, colour is always a key ingredient for me (my Mother taught me well! Thanks Jannie!).

Embark on cooking my beginners Roast Chook and you'll be on your way to flying colours. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 lemon
• 1 handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, parsley, thyme etc)
• Schwartz Garlic Italian Spices
• Salt and Pepper to garnish
• Olive Oil
• Potatoes, kumara, parsnip, red onion, pumpkin, carrot, garlic cloves

Gravy

• 2 tablespoons of Gravy Granules
• 2 cups boiling water
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Turn the oven on to 180 degrees
• Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken, check the packet information first
• Squirt some olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan
• Pierce a lemon with a toothpick and place in the microwave for 40 seconds, this will help to enhance the flavour whilst the chicken cooks
• Place the chook in the pan and separate the legs, carefully place the lemon inside the chickens cavity and stuff the fresh herbs in the hole
• Rub over with extra oil, salt and pepper and the garlic Italian spices
• Cover with tin foil and place in the oven breast side up for the allocated time, checking about half way through
• If the chicken takes about an hour and a half place the washed and chopped veges around the chicken after 1/2 an hour, these should take roughly about an hour to cook through
• Throw all veges into the pan (whole garlic cloves and a couple crushed). Ensure you cover the veges with oil, salt and pepper and to make them crunchy check them every 20 minutes and turn the potatoes, kumara and pumpkin around, 
• To check the chicken is cooked through, pierce through the breast with a sharp knife then press down lightly, if the juices are clear then the chicken is cooked
• Remove the veges and set aside, remove the chicken and wrap in foil, set aside whilst you make the gravy

Gravy

• Move the roasting dish onto a low-medium heat on the stove
• Add the gravy granules to the meat juices and stir to combine, add the water as needed
• Continue to stir until gravy is thick, adding more water, granules, or flour to your desired thickness
• Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve this roast with peas, beans, peppers, Yorkshire puddings or any other veges that tickle your fancy.

Enjoy with a nice bottle of wine and great company!