Recipe : Super Spicy Roast Leg of Lamb with Mushrooms

This is one of those recipes I eyeballed it for.

Clean and dry the meat.

Pierce the meat, so the marinade can penetrate well.

First marinade is lemon juice and salt for 10-15 minutes.

Main Marinade is

yoghurt, / curd / dahi

chilli powder

jeera powder

coriander powder

amchur

garam masala powder

ginger paste

garlic paste.

Marinate in the fridge overnight or longer.

Take out the meat from the fridge and bring it to room temperature.

Put just the meat in a preheated oven and roast at 160C fan oven/ 180C regular oven for 30 mins per half kilo.

Take out the meat from the oven, add the rest of the marinade and pop in the oven for another half hour.

If you feel that it's burning on the thinner end, cover that with foil.

Rest for 10-15 minutes in a warm location before slicing.

I added the mushrooms in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

If you want to make this with potatoes, you will need to add them earlier.

Recipe : Chicken Caesar Salad - Vegetarian Option Included

Since I've been busy studying, these Gousto meals are a God send. I don't have to plan a menu or shop for ingredients with a menu in mind. I just go online, check what recipes for the week appeal and order the pack from Gousto.

They come home well packaged, even if I'm not home when the package arrives, its well packed in a woolen mat to maintain temperature for a couple of hours, which the cat adores (I think she looks forward to the opening of the Gousto box with much more enthusiasm than I do)

If you want to make this a vegetarian salad, just drop the chicken.

If you want you can add crisp croutons or grilled halloumi to make the dish more filling.

While potatoes aren't traditional in a Caesar Salad, Gousto added it to this box as the carb component.

Most caesar salad dressings also include anchovies, but this recipe did not.

Ingredients:

400 gms potatoes - peeled and cubed

4 cloves garlic - peel and chop fine

4 boneless chicken thighs with skin (if you can't find boneless thighs with skin, Make sure you oil the chicken breasts well before baking to prevent drying out.)

1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

4 tbsp mayonnaise

10g fresh chives finely chopped (or 1 spring onion)

40g Italian Hard cheese like Parmesan

1 small gem lettuce

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan / 400F / Gas 6

Take a large baking tray, spread the potato and garlic on it.

Place the chicken thighs skin side up on top of the potato mix.

Drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt & pepper

Put in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the chicken skins are crisp.

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, mayonnaise and 1-2 tbsp olive oil.

Add the chopped chives, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Shave a few shavings off the cheese with a veg peeler and keep aside for garnish.

Grate the rest of the cheese and mix into the dressing.

Separate the gem lettuce leaves from the base and discard the root. Tear the leaves roughly and add to the bowl. Mix well.

When the chicken is done, transfer the crispy chicken thighs to a chopping board and slice in strips.

Let the potatoes cool slightly.

Add, potatoes, garlic and half the chicken into the bowl and mix well.

Serve the salad topped with the remaining chicken and the cheese shavings.

Recipe : Chicken Mole, Coriander Rice & Onion Raita.

I was always curious as to what a Mole (stew cooked with chocolate) would taste like, so when Gousto had this on the weekly menu, I quickly added it to my list.

Ingredients:

1 red onion
2 chicken breast fillets
a knob of butter (1-2 tbsp)
2/3 cup fragrant basmati rice (150gms)
1 chicken stock cube
15g 70% dark chocolate coarsely chopped
3 tsp creamy peanut butter
1 tsp jeera / cumin powder
1 tbsp rich tomato paste (tomato sauce is a passable substitute)
2 tbsp smokey chipotle paste
1 tomato diced
1 lime
150g yoghurt/curd
10g fresh coriander finely chopped
Salt
Sugar
Vegetable oil

Method :

Peel the onion and slice a few rings off it (as finely as you can)

Separate the onion rings, place them in a bowl of cold water and set aside for garnish

Gousto Tip: the cold water removes some of the harsh flavour from the raw onion

Dice the remaining onion

Kim's tip : If you do not like the taste of raw onion, make onion raita. Dice the whole onion. Mix half the onion into the yoghurt with a pinch of salt and set aside for serving

Boil a kettle of water

Rice :
Add the rice, 350ml hot water to a pot with a lid over a high heat and bring to the boil

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving.


Chicken :
Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, add the chicken with a pinch of salt and cook for 3 min on each side until golden and slightly undercooked.

Remove chicken from pan and set aside.


Mole Sauce :
Return the pan to a low heat, add a knob of butter and the diced onion with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar and cook until soft.

Dissolve the stock cube in 300ml hot water, add the chopped chocolate and peanut butter and whisk to combine - this is your chocolate stock.

Add the cumin and tomato paste to the softened onion and cook for 1 min

Add the chipotle paste, diced tomato and chocolate stock

Whisk to combine and bring to the boil over a medium-high heat - this is your mole sauce

 
Assembly :
Transfer the chicken into the mole sauce and cook, covered, for 5 min or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened

Shred the cooked chicken while in the pan (use a knife and fork or 2 forks)

Fluff the cooked rice and squeeze the juice of half the lime into it and mix in the coriander

Cut the remaining lime into wedges

Serve the chicken mole over the rice

Garnish with the drained onion rings, a big dollop of Greek yoghurt (or onion raita) and the lime wedges

Recipe : Mexican Pork Chilli, Bulgur Wheat & Apple Salsa

This meal from Gousto came with Bulghur Wheat, but you can also substitute it with a nutty rice like brown rice or serve it with corn bread.

Ingredients :

1 medium red onion - peeled and finely diced
30ml red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground allspice
250g pork (or beef) mince
130g bulgur wheat
1 beef stock cube
1 chipotle paste sachet (40g)
1 tomato paste sachet (32g)
1 apple diced - skin on
40g cheddar cheese grated
Olive oil
Pepper
Salt
Vegetable oil

Method:

In a medium-sized bowl take 1/4 of the diced onion, add a pinch of salt and the red wine vinegar and set aside to pickle.

Add the bulgur wheat to a pot with plenty of boiled water (the same as you would for pasta) and a pinch of salt and cook over a high heat for 7-9 min or until tender with a slight bite, then drain and return to the pot

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-low heat

Once hot, add 3/4 of the diced onion and a big pinch of salt

Cook for 5 min or until softened and starting to caramelise

Stir the ground allspice into the softened onion and cook for 1 min

Add the pork mince and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go

Stir the tomato paste and chipotle paste into the browned mince and cook for 1 min

Dissolve the beef stock cube in 350ml boiled water

Add the beef stock to the mince and reduce the heat to medium-low

Cook for 10-15 min or until thick and reduced to a chilli-like consistency – this is your Mexican pork chilli

Add the diced apple to the pickled onion with 2 tbsp olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper – this is your apple salsa

Fluff the cooked bulgur with a fork and season with a pinch of salt and pepper

Serve the Mexican pork chilli over the cooked bulgur with the apple salsa to the side

Top with the grated cheese

I also served it with grilled corn on the cob to add more veggies to this meal.

Recipe : Chicken Lazone with Chestnut Mushrooms and Creamy Vermicelli

Chicken Lazone with Chestnut Mushrooms and Creamy Vermicelli is another recipe from Gousto Cooking, that we have loved so much, that I have made it on multiple occassions.

It looks and tastes quite decadent, but it easy to put together. Seasoned, pan-fried chicken and mushrooms served over creamy vermicelli noodles.

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs (or 1/2 kg boneless chicken)
1-3 garlic cloves - peel and finely chop (or grate)
1/2 - 2 tsp spicy cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Italian dried oregano
1 chicken stock cube
150g chestnut mushrooms finely sliced
120g rice vermicelli or rice noodles
1 pot (227ml) of organic double cream
Butter
Pepper
Salt
Vegetable oil

Kettle on the boil

Method:

Marinate the chicken with garlic, cayenne, oregano, 1 tbsp vegetable oil and crumbled chicken stock cube
Season with a big pinch of pepper
Mix thoroughly
Set  aside for 15 minutes or marinate in the fridge overnight if you want to prep ahead, but bring back to room temperature before cooking.

Heat a wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a matching lid over a high heat with 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Once hot, add the chicken spreading each piece flat

Cook, covered, for 5 min

Remove the lid from the pan and flip each piece of chicken

Add the sliced mushrooms around the chicken

Cook, covered, for a further 5 min or until the chicken is cooked through

Stir the mushrooms occasionally

Meanwhile, place the vermicelli / noodles in a dish and cover completely with boiling water

Set aside for 3 min, then drain

Add a big knob of butter to the chicken pan

Once cooked, transfer the chicken with half the mushrooms to a plate and set aside to rest until serving

Return the pan to a low heat

Add the drained noodles and cream to the pan and cook for 1 min or until warmed through, then remove from the heat

Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed,

Divide the noodles between serving plates and top with the chicken and mushrooms


Kim's Tip: cut the noodles up while in the pan for easy eating!

Recipe : Lime Rice, Grilled Broccoli, Minute Steak and Peanut Sauce

This recipe also came to me via one of Gousto's Boxes. We loved it and I'll definitely cook it again.

If you drop rice as an accompaniment, this recipe is keto friendly. Peanuts in small quantities are allowed on the keto diet.

This recipe is for 2 people.

Ingredients:

1 lime
1 sachet coconut cream (50g - 2.5 tbsp) or 5 tbsp coconut milk
2/3 cup  basmati rice (150g)
1 medium sized broccoli
2 minute steaks
6-7 tsp creamy peanut butter (52g - 2 pots)
1 tbsp soy sauce (2 sachets - 16ml) 
1.5 tsp brown sugar (or regular if you don't have brown sugar)
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil
1 spring onion

Method :

Prep :
Zest the lime taking care not to include any white pith (which is very bitter)

Preheat the grill to high

Boil a kettle

If using coconut cream, place the sachet in a mug of hot water (this softens the naturally hard cream). If using coconut milk, skip this step.
 
Lime Rice :
Choose a pot with a lid - add the rice, lime zest, 350ml hot water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-15 min or until all the water has absorbed

Once done, remove from the heat and keep covered until later
 

Grilled Broccoli :
Cut the broccoli into quarters, lengthways

Cut each quarter again, so you end up with broccoli wedges

Add the wedges to a baking tray (use foil to avoid mess)

Drizzle with vegetable oil and season generously with salt and pepper

Put the tray directly under the grill and cook for 12-15 min or until nicely charred


Seared Steak :
Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with kitchen towel

Rub them with a little vegetable oil and season generously with salt on both sides

Heat a dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium-high heat until very hot

Add the steaks to the hot pan and cook for 1 min on each side (for medium-rare)

Transfer the cooked steaks to a plate and leave to rest while you prepare the Peanut Sauce

Peanut Sauce :
Take the pan you used to cook the steaks.

Add the peanut butter, warmed coconut cream / coconut milk, soy sauce and brown sugar with 200ml hot water

Whisk together (off the heat) until smooth

Once smooth, return the pan to a low heat and whisk until a sauce forms (approx. 3-4 min) then remove from the heat and set aside (it will thicken a little as it cools)

Assembly :
Halve the zested lime

Slice the spring onion finely, discarding the root end

Slice the steak as finely as you can (against the grain)

Gousto Tip: Cutting against the grain means identifying the natural lines in the steak and cutting in the opposite direction!

Fluff the cooked rice, add the juice of half the lime and season with salt and pepper

Spoon a pool of peanut sauce on to your plates and top with the sliced steak, serving the lime rice and charred broccoli to the side

Garnish with spring onion and the remaining 1/2 lime cut into wedges

Recipe : Tandoori Salmon with Indian Spiced Salad & Almonds

Tandoori Salmon with Indian Spiced Salad & Almonds is not a dish you would find on a restaurant menu per se, its something I've been fiddling with for awhile and I'm finally really happy with the results, so I'm sharing it with you.

You can make this in small portions as an appetiser (with or without the salad) or turn it into a main course. It does not need any carb on the side, so this works well for anyone on a no-carb / low-carb / keto diet too

Salmon or trout works best for this recipe, the masalas are too strong for delicate fish.

Tandoori Salmon

4 boneless slices of salmon (see picture for reference)

1-2 pinch of salt

2 tbsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp tandoori masala

red chilli powder to taste (optional, if your tandoori masala isn't spicy enough)

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

4 tbsp yoghurt/thick curd

Method:

Clean fish well and descale.

Coat in lemon juice and salt for at least 15 minutes and throw away all the water that comes out.

Marinate in a mix of tandoori masala, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and yoghurt/curd.

Keep in fridge as long as you need. I left it marinating for 3 days I think.

Preheat oven to 220C (200C for fan)

I like to line the pan with foil when making fish, so the fishy smell doesn't remain in the pan - I use the same pan for baking biscuits and scones.

Lightly coat the pan or foil with oil and place the fish skin side down.

You need 4-6 minutes of baking time per half inch thickness of your fish slice on the middle rack.

Keep an eye on it. You don't want it overcooked.

If you keep it on the top rack and turn the grill on for the last few minutes, you will get a nice brownish crust.

Kim's Tip:

If you can't be bothered with turning on the oven, or you don't have an oven, just pan fry it in a little oil.

Salad:

The salad here is a simple mix of rocket, watercress and baby spinach leaves with very thinly sliced onions.

250 gms salad leaves

1/2 medium onion sliced and marinated in a tsp of lemon juice. (while you are getting the other ingredients ready)

Dressing:

The dressing is hazelnut (you can use olive) oil, lemon juice, salt, freshly crushed black pepper and 1-2 drops of balsamic vinegar - because I like the sweetness it gives.

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper

1-2 drops of balsamic vinegar

You can add chaat masala or black salt to the dressing if you want a stronger Indian flavour in the dressing, but remember to adjust for salt.

Assembly :

Mix the salad leaves and onions in a bowl.

Shake or whip the dressing till it emulsifies and mix into the leaves.

Portion out into individual plates.

Lay the hot salmon on top.

Sprinkle with sliced almonds

This is another version of the same dish, plated in a large bowl rather than individually. the dressing here was an onion raita and I used roasted pine nuts in the garnish

Recipe : Pan Seared Scallops with Chipotle Butter

This is a very quick and easy recipe, that takes less than 10 minutes to put together.

Ingredients :

200 gms cleaned fresh scallops.

2 tbsp butter + few drops oil

2 tbsp garlic chopped fine.

1 tbsp chipotle flakes (substitute - red chilli flakes)

Method:

Rinse scallops and pat them dry with paper towels before cooking. They won't brown if they have too much moisture on the outside.

Heat a little butter in a pan with a few drops of oil (to prevent the butter burning)

Fry some finely chopped garlic in the butter.

Once it crisps up, add some chipotle flakes (chilli flakes can be used, but the chipotle has a sweet smoky flavour, not just heat)

The flakes burn quickly and scallops cook quickly, so you need to move fast.

On high heat, sear the scallops on both sides (a few seconds), then lower the heat and cook gently till they are done (2-4 minutes depending on thickness).

Look for the scallops to  just about turn opaque. If you overcook them, they will become tough.

Take the scallops out of the pan, cook the remaining liquid in the pan until it thickens to a sauce like consistency and pour it over the scallops.

Serve fresh and hot.

Options:

You can make this recipe with fresh prawns or any light fish