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Creamy Chorizo, Rosemary and Potato Bake

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I love potatoes. They are so versatile and are pretty cheap too. I could probably post a new potato recipe every week as I’m always experimenting with them. This recipe for a creamy bake is similar to dauphinoise or gratin. The chorizo gives the sauce a bit of colour and an incredible flavour. You can taste the fresh rosemary with every mouthful and well it’s just a little bit indulgent with the double cream too. No New Year detox here I’m afraid.

You will need:

750g Potatoes sliced thinly ( I used new potatoes but any will do)
300ml double cream
50ml of milk
1 shallot, diced
2 inch chunk of Chorizo diced finely
A few sprigs of rosemary, washed and chopped finely.
2 garlic cloves crushed or a large squirt of garlic purée

Preheat your oven to gas mark 5.

Sauté your shallot,chorizo and garlic in a frying pan until browned. Turn off the heat then add your rosemary and set aside. Layer your potatoes in an ovenproof dish. Now add your cream and milk to the frying pan and stir to combine all ingredients. Pour the mixture over the potatoes, ensuring all are covered. Sprinkle with black pepper and bake for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown.

Enjoy.

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A Sort Of Spanish Stew – Slow Cooker Style

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As soon as a chill is in the air I turn to my slow cooker. It’s a bit of a seasonal thing for me although it does make occasional summer outings.

Today we were headed out for the day and so I whipped out my trusted friend to make a Spanish style stew.

I love cooking with chorizo and sweet paprika. The amount of flavour from just a tbsp of sweet paprika is incredible and chorizo well I use it in anything and everything. For me though the best part of this stew was the addition of Orzo towards the end of the cooking time. It turned it into a more substantial meal and we all loved it

Anyway without further ado here is the recipe:

You will need:

3 inch chunk of Chorizo diced and browned in a pan
Tin of potatoes drained and halved
Tin of carrots drained
1/2 courgette roughly chopped
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1/2 yellow or red pepper diced
250ml of beef stock
1.5 tbsp of sweet smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
250g of orzo

Put all ingredients aside from the orzo in your slow cooker.

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I cooked on high for 3hrs and on low for an additional 5 ( purely as I was going out and didn’t want it to overcook ) In the last 45 minutes cook your orzo to packet instructions ( usually 8 minutes), drain and add to your stew. You could just add to stew earlier on uncooked and add more liquid but I didn’t plan the orzo – it was a bit of a whim. Take the lid off your SC for the last half hour as it helps to thicken the dish. Enjoy with hunks of buttered bread. Delightful. Warming.

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We all LOVED this dish including my 3yr old. Would serve 5-6 people.

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Eating well on a budget- simple suppers

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The nights are getting colder and I want to create more warm, inviting dinners but without spending a fortune. I will try to post recipes as and when I use them to give you some tips for cheap and cheerful meals that all the family can enjoy.

Tomato and bacon gnocchi bake

500g Gnocchi – I use Il Pastaio Gnocchi which is a bargain 78p in Asda
400ml Passata – I typically use the value range from Sainsburys or Asda which is around 30p.
4 or 5 rashers of smoked bacon diced- roughly £1.50
75g of cheddar grated – approx £1
2 garlic cloves diced finely -approx 20p
1 glug of Olive oil -from cupboard
Any fresh herbs you have (dried at a push)
Sea salt
Black pepper

Cook gnocchi to packet instructions and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a small cazuela or ovenproof pan and sauté garlic and bacon until bacon is golden, add your gnocchi and passata. Stir well adding your herbs and season. Sprinkle over grated cheese and place in your oven for 15 minutes until golden on top and bubbling.

Serve with a large leafy salad.

Serves 2 hungry adults with a little leftover.

A beautiful tasty meal for around £4.

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The recipe challenge week 3. Campsite cooking

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Ok so for the third week of my recipe challenge I was at the absolutely amazing and fantastic Camp Bestival. I was undeterred from my challenge and although my recipe is far from unique and maybe just a slight variant on dishes I have cooked previously I think the fact that I cooked it on an old gas camping stove just outside my tent gains me extra points yes?

Omelette/frittata camping combo:

8/9 cooked boiled potatoes ( I took mine already cooked to the festival in a Tupperware box)
3 eggs
2 inch chunk of chorizo diced
1/2 large red onion
50g of cheese
Sichuan peppercorns & smoked sea salt ( entirely optional but also entirely yummy)
Large frying pan ( if camping line with foil to ease washing up. Yes lazy.)
Spray oil

I lined my pan with foil and sprayed some olive oil 1cal spray on top, I use this when camping as easier and less likely to leak. Cook the chorizo, onions and potatoes until soft and tender, in a small cup beat 3 eggs and pour over the cooked mixture and season. When the egg has almost set sprinkle over some chopped cheese ( I used mature cheddar) and a little more pepper and serve when completely set. Cut into slices and serve with rocket leaves.

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Hope you enjoy and remember camping cooking doesn’t have to be just baked beans and bacon.

Chicken & Chorizo Paella

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I love anything which has chorizo in it, it’s a beautiful ingredient which has the most incredible flavour and a little goes a long way.

Chicken and chorizo paella

You will need:

A paella pan or cazuela
Olive oil
400g Chicken cut into 1 inch pieces- thigh is best for flavour but breast is fine too.
Chorizo – you can use as much as you like here. I use about a third of Asda extra special chorizo sausage diced into small cubes
1 large onion diced
2 red peppers chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
Some chopped red chilli or a squirt of fresh chilli paste
1.5 litres of chicken stock
2 teaspoons of smoked sweet paprika
400g paella rice – you can use other rice but it just won’t be the same.

*optional ingredients –
A pinch of saffron
2 handfuls of frozen peas.

Heat your pan slowly with about a tablespoon of olive oil.
Brown the chicken.
Add your chorizo, garlic and onion
When your onion is soft add your peppers, chilli, paprika (and saffron & peas if using) and after a few minutes add 1 litre of your stock.
Preheat your oven to gas mark 4.
Leave the ingredients bubble away on a medium heat for 15 mins.
Now add your rice and stir thoroughly.
Put lid on pan or a tinfoil roof if you don’t have one and place in oven for 15 minutes ( if your pan is not ovenproof simply continue to cook on hob but cover your pan)
After 15 minutes take the paella out of the oven and add remaining stock ensuring you give it a good stir.
Place back in oven for 15-20 mins and Tada you should have a beautifully cooked Paella.

I serve mine with a rocket based salad.

This makes a lot! It serves a family of 4 or 2 very hungry adults with lots of leftovers!

Also I am still getting used to writing recipes out so please let me know if they do not make sense or if you have any questions.