2015 Cookbook challenge

fairy3

sparkychris wrote: »

Bit put off lentils now. I think I have been put off them since, as a child, I watch Neil scrape them off the wall with a ladle after a hand grenade exploded in the lentils he was cooking in the young ones...

Noooo please don't be put off have never had to scrape them off the wall honest! Positives = cheap source of protein, adaptable, forgiving and versatile. Negatives = a lot of varieties which can get confusing as they can have different names which mean the same thing and they often need soaking and boiling time so extra planning time needed. Would suggest getting one type and sperimenting, bit like spices really they can be added to the store cupboard slowly.
There are loads of recipes on t'web and also in cookery books - worth a bit of research......the first dish I ever cooked was masoor dal - delicious and simple and great for lunches with wraps.

cheerfulness4

carlamarie wrote: »

Tomorrow I'm using one of my favourite recipes; http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9646/chinesestyle-braised-beef-onepot
Chinese beef one pot. We have this at least once or twice a month, often throwing it in the slow cooker which works just as well, it's so tasty. One of them 'I can't believe I made this' moments!
I really reccomend that everyone runs out for ingredients and makes it!

Like the look of that. I've got some YS beef so I shall give that a go this week. Thanks.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Mrs_Veg_Plot wrote: »

I also be trying three new recipies this week from my my Hairy Bikers books. Today I'll be making slow cooker pheasant with white wine and bacon sauce but that is from an online recipe. Monday will be HB gammon and parsley sauce and Friday with be corned beef hash with poached egg. Will let you know how it goes.

The pheasant was delicious and a hit with the family. I will however only be making it again if my parents give me some more pheasant (dad shoots for the table).

Both of the HB recipies were easy and tasty and I will gladly make them again. My OH has never heard of having ham with parsley sauce before and I don't think he was looking forward to it but he was pleasantly surprised. I did forget to.do the poached eggs for the corned beef hash but it was still good.

I need to check out the freezer then write this weeks meal plan so post next weeks new recipes later.

I use red lentils to bulk out lots of dishes especially soups, stews, bolognese, chilli and curry dishes, or to make lentil soup.

sparkychris

fairy3 wrote: »

Noooo please don't be put off have never had to scrape them off the wall honest! Positives = cheap source of protein, adaptable, forgiving and versatile. Negatives = a lot of varieties which can get confusing as they can have different names which mean the same thing and they often need soaking and boiling time so extra planning time needed. Would suggest getting one type and sperimenting, bit like spices really they can be added to the store cupboard slowly.
There are loads of recipes on t'web and also in cookery books - worth a bit of research......the first dish I ever cooked was masoor dal - delicious and simple and great for lunches with wraps.

OK.... Tonight, I will mostly be making...

Red lentil curry

B'dum Tishhhhhhhhh!

Mrs_Veg_Plot

I will be trying 3 Hairy Dieters recipes over the next week. Tonight we will be having Caribbean chicken curry, and in the week we will.be having beef goulash and fish pie with leeky mash. Will report back and let you know how they have have turned out.

S-Iam

sparkychris wrote: »

Evening team...

Will be doing my second bout of cookbooking this weekend. Am looking at a few recipes which include lentils.

Never tasted them! Are they just like a filler or do they actually taste of anything???

I agree with what the others have said in that different lentils have different tastes and textures. A lot DONT need pre soaking though making them different from beans.

Red lentils don't taste of much and tend to turn to mush, which is actually really handy. Honestly A lot of people here on OS add a handful of red lentils to whatever mince beef dish they are cooking, thus stretching the dish and making it go further (the grocery challenge will probably have lots of mince recipes adding red lentils to them) And, cos they turn to mush and soak up the surrounding flavours it really is hard to tell there are there.
From experience, I've learnt to add a little extra stock to the dish as the lentils soak it up. And if there isn't enough stock, and they are not cooked for long enough then the aren't as invisible.

Puy lentils, brown and green lentils are very different in that they don't disintegrate in the same way. They have a lovely mild nutty flavour which compliments many others. So they tend to be served as the carb component in a dish.

Lentils, like anything new, can be a bit off putting, but they are cheap, and a good source of protein. Also, as they absorb and compliment many other flavours the sky's the limit in what you can do with them.

Dried Lentils, particularly red lentils are really cheap so have some fun and have a play . Then post the recipe

HTH

bargainlover08

I made the fish pie (with leek mash topping) from one of the hairy dieters books for dinner tonight. I didn't exactly stick to the recipe as I don't like prawns so I threw some salmon in instead. It was OK but I found it a bit bland. I think it needed some herbs in the sauce to make it a bit tastier. However, I am sure it is healthier than a normal fish pie as it has leeks in the mash and broccoli in the fish sauce.

Icey77

You've all inspired me!! :eek:

Tonight I made Honey Soy Salmon for my DD but as she's in the throws of chicken pox it didn't go down as well as I'd hoped. But next week is another day

Mrs_Veg_Plot

barginlover08 thanks for the tip, I am planning on making the HD fish pie with leeky mash next week. When I make it I will swap 200ml of the milk for the sauce for chicken stock to increase the flavour of the sauce.

I made the Hairy Dieters Caribbean chicken curry and loved it. I swopped the pumpkin for butternut squash as that was what I had in. It is not a very saucey curry but if you like more sauce you could add more liquid and you can always add more or less chillies depending on your preference. I only added a small amount of chilli as DD2 does.not like spicy food but it was still a very tasty dish.
Hil

Effyb4

I made 'simple vegetable curry' from 'The Essential Low Fat Cookbook' by Antony Worrall Thompson. It wasn't particularly spicy, but had a nice flavour. Fortunately I already had all of the spices and rice in the cupboard and the vegetables didn't cost too much.