Tag: Lunch

Parma Ham and Tomato Tart

Serves 4; Cals per portion: 545

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) short-crust pastry; 30ml (2 tbsp) finely grated parmesan cheese; 175mg (6oz) Parma ham; 4 large plum tomatoes; 50g (2oz) pine nuts; 45m (3 tbsp) olive oil.

Method:

  • On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry thinly and sprinkle the Parmesan Cheese over the top. Roll over the pastry with a rolling pin to press the cheese into the pastry. Use the pastry to line a 23cm (9in) fluted flan tin then prick all over with a fork.
  • Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans (or dried pulses). Bake blind at 200oC / 400oF / Gas Mark 6 for 20 mins. Remove the lining and the beans and bake for a further 5-10 mins until the pastry case is crisp and golden. Leave to cool.
  • Fill the cooled pastry case with the strips of Parma ham, tomato wedges and pine nuts. Drizzle with 30ml (2tbsp) of the olive oil and place under a pre-heated moderate grill for 5-10 mins until the tomatoes begin to soften slightly.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Ham, Gammon and Bacon recipes in the Ham, Gammon & Bacon Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Cheesy Ham Flan

This crisp pastry case with a rich and cheesy filling is perfect for a family lunch.

Serves: 4; Prep: 20 mins: Cook: 30 min: Calories per portion: 618

Ingredients:
8oz (225g) short-crust pastry; 1 tbsp (15ml) oil; 1 leek, washed and sliced; 1oz (25g) butter; 1oz (25g) plain flour; 1 tsp (5ml) mustard; ¾pt (450ml) milk; salt and pepper; 4oz (125g) cheddar cheese; 6oz (175g) lean ham, chopped; 1 tbsp (15ml) white breadcrumbs; 8in/20cm flan dish

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180oC / 350oF / Gas Mark 4.  Grease the flan dish. Roll out the pastry, line the dish and trim pastry.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sliced leek for a few minutes, until it begins to soften.
  • Melt butter in a pan, stir in flour and mustard and cook for 1 minute. Add milk, beating thoroughly between each addition to remove lumps. Season to taste. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in 3oz (75g) of the cheese. Mix the leeks and ham into the sauce and pour into flan. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until pastry is golden. Serve with vegetables.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Ham, Gammon and Bacon recipes in the Ham, Gammon & Bacon Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Courgette and Bacon Calzoni

Courgettes, basil and smoked streaky bacon make a really delicious filling for this Italian pasty known as calzone.

Serves: 4; Prep: 15 mins plus proving time; Cook: 15 mins; Cals per portion: 617

Ingredients:
30ml ( 2tbsp) olive oil; 2 cloves of garlic, crushed; 350g (12oz) courgettes, thinly sliced; 15ml (1 tbsp) white wine vinegar; 30ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh basil; 280g (10 ½ oz) wholemeal pizza base mix; 225g (8oz) streaky bacon, crisply grilled and roughly chopped; 175g (6oz) gruyere cheese, thinly sliced.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the garlic and courgettes until tender. Add the white wine vinegar and chopped basil and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated. Remove from the heat.
2. Make up pizza dough according to the instructions. Divide into four and roll into circles measuring 15cm (6in) in diameter.
3. Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400oF / Gas Mark 6. Place the courgette mixture on half of each base. Top with 175g (6oz) bacon and gruyere cheese. Wet the edge of the base with water, fold over and seal together.
4. Place on a greased baking tray and cover with greased clingfilm. Leave in a warm place for 20-30 minutes to prove.
5. Cook for 10 minutes and remove from the oven. Place the remaining bacon on top of each calzone. Return to the oven and cook for 5 minutes until piping hot and golden brown.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Ham, Gammon and Bacon recipes in the Ham, Gammon & Bacon Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Avocado and Sun-Dried Tomato and Bacon

This dish of avocados with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella slices, artichoke hearts and crisp bacon is a superb main course salad packed with flavours. The tomatoes can be bought dried, and need soaking in water to soften before use, or in oil in a jar ready for use. Supermarkets stock them.

Serves: 4; Prep time: 20 mins; Cook time: 5 mins

Approximate nutritional values per portion: 600 calories; 17g protein; 50g fat; 10g carbohydrate

Ingredients:
6oz (175g) back bacon, derided and chopped; 1 tbsp oil; 4oz (100g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil; 14oz (400g) canned artichokes hearts; 6oz (175g) mozzarella; 1 avocado; lemon juice

For the dressing:
4 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 clove garlic, crushed; ½ tsp Dijon mustard; salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method:

  • Fry the bacon in a little oil until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Reserve. Cut sun-dried tomatoes into thick strips. Quarter artichoke hearts and cut mozzarella into thin slices. Place these in a bowl with the bacon and tomatoes.
  • Peel and coarsely chop the avocado. Drizzle with lemon juice, then add to bowl.
  • Shake all the dressing ingredients together in a screw-top jar then pour over contents of the bowl. Toss gently to avoid damaging the avocado. Serve immediately.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Ham, Gammon and Bacon recipes in the Ham, Gammon & Bacon Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Macaroni Cheese

A real crowd pleaser on a cold day, one of the best things about this dish is that it’s loved by young and old alike. Really easy to eat, it makes an ideal choice for a family lunch, especially if you’re having a casual fork buffet.

Serves: 4; Prep: 10 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Cost: £1.54; Cals per portion: 620

Ingredients:
300g (11oz) macaroni; 40g (1 ½ oz) butter; 40g (1 ½ oz) flour; 600ml (1 pint) creamy milk; 150g (5oz) strong cheddar, grated

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400oF / Gas mark 6. Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for 10 mins and drain. Grease an ovenproof dish generously with some butter.
  • Now make white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove it from the heat and stir in the flour – keep stirring until the mixture is completely smooth. Put the pan back on the heat and cook for a further 1-2 mins.
  • Gradually whisk in the pint of milk and cook the sauce, stirring all the time, until it has boiled. Stir the macaroni into the sauce with half of the grated cheddar, tip into the greased ovenproof dish and then sprinkle with the remaining cheddar. Bake for 15-20 mins until all the cheese has melted.

Tips: A great advantage to this dish is that it can be spiced up in so many ways – and again most of the ingredients will be close at hand. Fry an onion, mix into the cheese sauce and sprinkle with paprika and you’re well on the way to a real feast. To really go to town, fry bacon or chunks of pancetta and add to the sauce. Also try tinned tuna.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Pasta recipes in the Pasta Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Baked Eggs with Crab

Baked and served in dainty ramekins, these eggs on a layer of crab meat flavoured with brandy make a rich but simple snack.

Serves:  4;  Takes:  25 mins

Ingredients:  butter for greasing; 175g (6oz) canned crab meat; 4 tsp brandy; 4 large eggs; salt and black pepper; 4 tbsp single cream; cayenne pepper

To garnish:  a few sprigs of chervil or parsley

To serve:  Bread for toast, butter for spreading

  • Preheat the oven to 190oC/375oF/Gas Mark 5.  Lightly grease four ramekins with the butter.
  • Put a quarter of the crab meat into the bottom of each of the dishes and sprinkle a teaspoon of brandy over each.
  • Break an egg carefully into each dish.  Season with salt and pepper, then spoon a tablespoon of cream round the yolk of each egg.  Dust lightly with cayenne pepper.
  • Put the dishes onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 mins or until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still soft.
  • Meanwhile, rinse, dry and chop the chervil or parsley, and make and butter the toast.
  • Serve the eggs hot, in their dishes, sprinkled with the chervil or parsley, accompanied by the toast.

Variation:  Strips of salmon and a dash of sherry can be used instead of the crab and brandy, or you could use 2 chopped anchovy fillets with a very small amount of chopped thyme and a sprinkling of brandy.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Fish & Seafood recipes. A recipe card is available for download here.

Carrot Salad

A Moroccan dish

Ingredients: 
450g carrots, peeled and cut in julienne strips; 1 clove garlic; ½ tsp each of cumin and coriander seeds;
2 dsp’s fresh coriander, chopped; olive oil; 1 lemon; salt and pepper

Method:

Cook the carrots and unpeeled garlic clove in salted boiling water until just cooked.  Drain, refresh under cold water and remove garlic.  Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan for 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and grind with a mortar and pestle or the back of a wooden spoon.  In a bowl, combine the spices with the carrots.  Add fresh coriander and enough oil to coat the carrots.  Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Stuffed Peppers

Serves:  4

Ingredients: 
2 green and 2 orange peppers, halved and seeded; oil for brushing and drizzling; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 24 cherry tomatoes; 4 yellow and 4 green small courgettes, trimmed and sliced; 24 black olives; salt and ground black pepper; 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped sprigs of flat leaf parsley to garnish

Method:
Place peppers on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil.  Place in a preheated oven, Gas 6/400oF/200oC, for 15 mins or until peppers are tender.  For the filling, heat sunflower oil in a pan and add onion, tomatoes, courgettes and toss for 3 mins or until just tender.  Add olives and cook for 1 min more.  Season and stir in chopped parsley.  Remove peppers from oven and place one half of each colour on serving plates.  Divide filling between each half and drizzle over a little olive oil.  Garnish with parsley.

You could make this dish more substantial by adding drained, canned tuna chunks.