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The ultimate sautéed potatoes

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This is probably the last ( for a little while) of the slightly unhealthy recipes. Boooo. I really need to be a little ( a lot) healthier over the next few months and I’ll share as many of my healthy recipes with you as possible. The Christmas junk has almost all gone, we have given a lot away as its just not possible to eat that much chocolate.. not without gaining a few stone anyway and I am taking the last open box of chocs into work tomorrow for my colleagues to enjoy. I did pack away a few boxes that don’t have expiry dates until August 2013 so they will come in handy when we need something sweet and save us pennies on our shopping.

Anyway without any more of my waffle here is a very simple recipe for drool worthy sautéed potatoes.

You will need:

A large frying pan
Leftover boiled potatoes ( these work best) or just parboiled potatoes cut into small chunks
Olive oil
Butter
Garlic
Seasalt ( I used Maldon smoked salt)
Crushed peppercorns ( I used normal and Sichuan)

Place a largish nob of butter into your pan along with a large glug of olive oil ( Jamie Olive style) and wait until your oil is fairly hot before adding your potatoes. Cook for a few minutes on a high heat, then lower your heat and cook for a further 5-8 minutes. Finally turn the heat back up and cook for a few more minutes giving your pan a shake occasionally to stop sticking and ensure an even colour on your potatoes. Cover with a healthy pinch of crushed seasalt and peppercorns, give another shake and serve immediately.

These potatoes are so delicious ,even better than chips in my opinion. Using potatoes that you cooked the day before and refrigerated gives the absolute best results.

Yum. For a fiery twist add some dried chilli flakes with your seasoning.

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Super (food) sides

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Curly Kale may not be that familiar to you. Not all supermarkets stock it and its only readily available from September- March. Kale is a brassica and part of the cabbage family, it’s very attractive in dishes due to its green curly leaves and packed full of nutrients – considered by many to be a superfood. I have only recently started buying it but I can tell you it’s delicious and versatile.

The recipe below is one I have made previously with Savoy cabbage but I actually prefer this with the Kale.

Sautéed curly kale with bacon and sweet potato

You will need:

Curly kale ( I buy washed and ready to cook) break up any big bits and discard chunky stalks
2/3 rashers of bacon diced
1/2 a sweet potato chopped very small
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 a banana chilli diced finely
1/2 a red onion diced
Butter
Olive oil
Seasoning

Heat a little butter and olive oil in a large frying pan or cazuela, add your sweet potato, onion, garlic, bacon and chilli and sauté for 10 minutes or so until bacon is golden and everything else is softening. Add your curly kale, season and cook for a few more minutes. Don’t overcook and ensure it doesn’t burn.

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Serve immediately on warmed plates – cold kale is like cold cabbage. Not good.
This is great as a side with chicken or fish or on top of spaghetti aglio olio – yum.

Last time I made this I threw in a handful of peppery rocket right at the end and it was very good!

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Served on top of spaghetti with a small amount of crumbled extra mature cheddar.

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Don’t neglect one of the most nutritionally rich vegetables in Britain. Next week I’m going to try making Baked Kale chips as a low calorie alternative to crisps.

Eating well on a budget. Simple suppers #2

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Last year sometime I saw a version of this recipe on Pinterest and it looked good but I forgot all about it until a few months ago when I was struggling for ideas on what to cook for supper with very few ingredients at home. I vaguely remembered seeing this but couldn’t remember the quantities etc so I just threw it all together with the addition of an extra ingredient and WOW.

I don’t know who originally gave me the idea on pinterest but thanks 🙂

So here you go a very simple supper:

Garlic sugared chicken

You will need:

3 chicken breasts
5 tablespoons of brown sugar
5 tablespoons of olive oil
4 garlic cloves crushed or diced
1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes

Preheat your oven at gas mark 4.
Warm olive oil in a cazuela or ovenproof pan in your hob before adding your garlic and chilli until softened and then add your chicken for just long enough to brown. Once your chicken is browned stir in the brown sugar until coated and then place in oven for around 15 minutes before stirring again to ensure your chicken is well covered in the garlicky, sugary goodness. Place back in oven for 10 mins then shred the chicken whilst still in the pan, stir through again and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serve with a large salad and Nigella Lawsons Tuscan chips. ( recipe below)

This chicken is deliciously sweet and goey with a kick of chilli.

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Ahh Tuscan chips. Nigella is so clever, creating beautiful chips with minimal effort. Here is the recipe Tuscan chips

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Next up on the blog is BBQ pulled pork 🙂

Tagliatelle Aglio Olio

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This Tagliatelle Aglio Olio can easily be made for less than £5.00 and allows for 2 hungry adults and a little leftover for a next day lunch.

You will need:

1 large sauce pan and 1 smaller frying pan or cazuela.
250-300g of tagliatelle.
2 cloves of crushed garlic or I use 2 frozen cubes of minced garlic.
4 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
Spoonful of dried chilli flakes or a good dollop of chilli paste
seasoning
Basil to garnish

Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
When there are 5 minutes remaining, put the olive oil and chillis into a small pan and cook over a low heat for a couple of minutes giving you s lovely chilli flavoured oil.
Add salt&pepper then the garlic and continue to cook for roughly 4-5 minutes. Be very careful not to burn the garlic as this will ruin the flavour.

When the pasta is cooked to your preference ( I prefer al dente) you should drain then stir in the sauce topped with your chopped basil garnish.

* this is meant to be a very simple dish with very cheap ingredients however if you want to adapt it to include meat, bacon lardons work very well and if you are veggie baby leaf spinach is great also.

Serve with home made garlic bread ( see below)

Home made garlic bread ( the easiest possible way) :
Chop a french stick into thin rounds then toast lightly before spreading on some lurpak garlic butter and cooking in oven for 5 mins. If you are counting calories you can rub with a clove of garlic and spread some extra light flora or a little olive oil on instead.

This is probably the tastiest EASY meal I have made in a long time.