Tuna Lasagne

The Town Chef

My portions usually tend to be for more than one person, but that is not a bad thing.  It is good to have leftovers because it saves you time and money.  Also, it is good practise for when you feel like cooking for friends and family.  One must also be prepared for unexpected visits, which happens often to me, especially amongst West Indian and African communities.  So it is good practise to make extra food. When people come to my house I never want them to leave hungry or thirsty.  Good hospitality goes a long way. :)



This recipe was adapted from 'Morisson's Magazine' (Result Customer Communications, 2012).

Ingredients:
1tbsp olive oil, 1 onion (peeled and chopped), 2 garlic cloves, 1 1/2 courgettes (chopped), 2 spring onions (chopped), 2tsp dill, 2tsps marjoram, 2tsps oregano, 2tsps diluted fiery tomato ketchup, 2 x 121g cans of tuna in spring water, 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes, 1tbsp tomato puree, 2tbsps green pesto, 40g low fat sunflower spread, 40g plain flour (sifted), 450ml semi skimmed milk, 200g reduced fat soft cheese, 15 lasagne sheets, 50g parmesan cheese (grated).

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan then add the onion, garlic and courgettes.
2. Stir for 10 minutes then add the tuna, herbs, chopped tomatoes, puree and pesto.
3. Add the ketchup and spring onions then season again to taste.
4. Leave this to one side.
5. Start pre cooking the lasagne sheets ( I find that pre boiling each individual lasagne sheet helps to keep the pasta soft.  I advise you to do this even if the sheet claim you do not need to cook them.  There is nothing worse then eating a lasagne where the pasta sheets are still rock hard.)
6. On another hob, melt the spread in a pan and stir in the flour.
7. Cook for 1 minute then gradually add the milk. (This sauce requires much attention, so keep your eye on the prize.)
8. Stir continuously, until you have a smooth, thick and creamy sauce.
9. Beat in the cheese. (Aim for the same consistency, but a little thicker.)
10. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C / Gas 4.
11. Spoon half the tuna mixture at the bottom.
12. Layer with lasagne sheets, then sauce, then lasagne sheets, then tuna, then sheets, then sauce.
13. Scatter the parmesan over the top of the last layer.
14. Bake for 35 minutes.



Saffy's Top Tip

If you are not a fan of parmesan or do not fancy cream cheese, try other cheeses such as mozarella, cheddar or even gorganzola.

Sunshine Tortilla Wraps

Sunshine

These tortillas are so much fun to make and eat.  I named them 'Sunshine' because they are colourful, great to eat in hot weather and include the best guacamole I have ever eaten! 



Fajitas

For your fajitas assemble spicy chicken, sour cream, grated mild cheddar cheese, homemade guacamole and salsa in a wholemeal tortilla wrap which has been warmed for 20 seconds in the microwave.

Spicy Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken breast (I used 4 which were washed and chopped into small pieces), 1 red chilli (chopped and deseeded), 2 1/2tbsps reggae reggae sauce, juice from 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove (peeled and chopped), 1 orange pepper (desseded and chopped), 1 medium courgette (chopped), 3tbsps (diluted fiery tomato ketchup or 1tbsp of Bajan hot pepper sauce) 1tbsp oil.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan.
2. Add the chicken and fry until the meat turns white.
3. Add the garlic and lemon juice.
4. Keep frying and occasionally stirring until the meat has nearly cooked.
5. Add the vegetables.
6. After 2 minutes add the chilli.
7. Add the reggae reggae sauce and fiery tomato or pepper sauce.
8. Let the stir fry simmer until the chicken and vegetables are cooked.

Homemade Guacamole

I made up this recipe while I was in the supermarket.  I am so pleased with how well it turned out. I never want to buy guacamole again!

Ingredients:

1 avocado (peeled, mashed up and seed removed), the juice from 1/2 lime, the zest from 1 lime, 1 medium tomato (chopped), 1 red chilli (chopped and deseeded), a pinch of salt, 2 spring onions (chopped into small pieces), 1tsp cumin.

Method:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together, but when adding the lime, salt and cumin keep tasting.  Too much of any of these ingredients will ruin the flavour.

Frozen Raspberry Topped Lemon Cheesecake

Hard Shell, Soft Center

I got my recipe for a no bake lemon cheesecake originally from James Martin, but I realised if I followed the recipe  my cake would have been a complete disaster.  As was preparing my fruit I discovered that there was a slight problem with his measurements. For example, he wrote 800g sugar (granulated!) and 600g cream cheese! This of course would never work, I decided to alter the recipe and make something which is very low in fat.  I also felt that to celebrate the hot British weather it was necessary to put a new twist on cheesecake and make it creme brulee style.  My cheesecake has a frozen top and and smooth creamy center, with a crunchy base.  Poor recipe to kitchen triumph! Saffy does it again! .... Puts on cape and stands pretentiously :)

Ingredients:

250g marscapone, 350g reduced fat soft cheese, 300g medium fat soft cheese, 11 digestive biscuits, 75g butter, the juice and zest of two lemons, 200g caster sugar, standard pack of raspberries.

Method:

1. Melt butter in a pan.
2. Crush biscuits in a bowl.
3. Mix the butter and biscuits in the bowl.
4. Place the mix in a tin and smooth. (roughly 23inches)
5. Chill the base for 15 minutes.
6. As the base chills mix all of the cheese and sugar, lemon juce and zest in a large bowl. (Do not over mix or the cheese will split.)
7. Pour this onto the hard base and chill in the fridge for 4 hours.
8. In the meantime blend the raspberries. (You can also add a little sugar for added sweetness.)
9. When the cake has set spread the raspberries over the top. (Do not worry if the juices run a little across the surface, the colour is beautiful and the more raspberries the better to get a better crunch.)
10. Freeze the cake for 2 hours.
11. When serving to get the best result and the smoothest center  leave the cake out for 20 - 30 minutes.

Saffy's Word

 I admit the preparation is quite different from the norm but the wait is worth it :)

Sugar Cherry Cookies

Compliments All Round

I just recieved compliments for my sugar cherry cookies.  Light, delicious and sweet... the perfect combination for an edibile treat.

This recipe was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books, 2009)

Ingredients:

225g/ 8oz self raising flour (and a little extra for rolling dough), pinch of salt, 150g butter, 60g caster sugar, a little granulated sugar for sprinkling, egg whites (from one egg to brush cookies), 50g icing sugar, 1 egg (beaten), 45g glazed cherries (chopped).

Method:

1. Sift flour, salt into a bowl.
2. Cut in the butter.
3. Rub the butter, flour and salt with your fingers until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.

4. Add the sugar and mix.
5. Then mix in then beaten egg to make a dough.
6. Add the cherries and mix in.
7. Roll into a ball and wrap in cling film.
8. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
9.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / Gas 4.
10. Roll out the dough on a floured board and cut out cookie shapes.
11. Brush cookies with egg whites and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
12. Cook for 13 minutes until a light brown on a baking tray.
13. Cool on the tray for 4 minutes before transferring the cookies to a rack.

Sausage and Bean Stew

Life of the Lowly

There is no shame in eating peasant style food, when you come from humble beginnings you should never forget the foods that kept you going and reminded you of home.  Beans definitely remind me of hard times, but I still love them because they are delicious and filling.  This stew is great, it is so simple and it really put a smile on my face.  I love food that is just comforting and lifts up your spirits when you have a 3 hour exam to prepare for.



Bean Madness

I have never cooked with butter beans before. Infact the only beans I think I have cooked are kidney beans and baked beans :)  I would suggest using a variety of beans and experimenting.  It's good to try something new.

This recipe was adapted from Asda's 'Fit 4 Life' menu plans

Ingredients:

2 quorn sausages or reduced fat sausages, 2tsps olive oil, 1 large onion (peeled and chopped), 2 garlic cloves (finely peeled and chopped), 400g passata, 1 tin of butter beans (drained from water), 1 big sweet potato (peeled), 1 medium courgette (chopped), 5 button mushrooms (chopped), 2 tsp dried mixed herbs, fresh avocado or basmati rice to serve or both.

Method:

1. Cook the sausages.
2. Cut the sweet potato into random segments and boil for a few minutes until soft.  Then cut into even smaller pieces.
3. While the sausages are cooking heat up the oil in the pan.
4. Gently fry the onions and the garlic for roughly 4 minutes.
5. Add the passata, and all of the vegetables including the herbs.
6. Let the stew simmer for 20 minutes and when vegetables are cooked.
7. Chop the sausages and mix in with the stew.
8. Stir for 2 minutes then remove from the heat and serve.

Fiery Pasta Bake

1st Pasta Bake

I thought I would make a pasta bake to help out a fellow final year by making sure they got some extra study time.  I have always avoided making this because I just felt it was boring dish.  I decided I would give it a try and realised I should never have dissed this student classic.  Once I put my own twist on it I felt it was a dish I could be proud of.  Anything can be tasty once you spice it up, unless of course it really is unedible.

Ingredients:

4tbsps fiery tomato ketchup (diluted with a little water), pasta shapes (enough to fill a pasta dish halfway), 1 can of chopped tomatoes, 300g grated mozarella and cheddar, 2tbsp mixed herbs, 1tbsp rosemary, 1tbsp oregano, 1 onion (chopped), 1 medium courgette (chopped), 1 garlic clove (chopped), 1tsp sugar, 1tbsp basil, a few shakes of paprika, 1tsp red chilli flakes a little oil.

Method:

1. Cook the pasta.
2. Fry the onion and garlic in a little oil until the onions become soft.
3. Add the chopped courgette.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs and spices, diluted ketchup and sugar.
5. Stir and cook for 7 minutes.
6. When the pasta has cooked drain and put into the baking dish.
7. Stir in enough tomato sauce to cover the pasta.
8. Mix in 200g of cheese.
9. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
10. Bake for 20 minutes.

Tomato Meatball Soup

Heinz Moments

On the back of my Heinz tomato soup tin I found a new meatball recipe using the soup as sauce.  I don't know why I never thought of this before.  I think it's a great idea because it feels you up a lot more than just the soup alone and provides some added protein. It can also be eaten with pasta or just eaten like a soup.



Ingredients:

1 can of Heinz tomato soup, 2 handfuls of frozen green beans, 1 garlic clove (chopped into small pieces), 1 red pepper, 1 onion (chopped), 8 - 10 frozen quorn meatballs, 1tbsp sunflower oil, 1tsp mixed herbs, 1tbsp liquid seasoning.

Method:

1. Fry the onion for 4 minutes then add the garlic.
2. Add the green beans and meatballs and fry for 4 more minutes.
3. Add the red pepper and stir for 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato soup, seasoning then herbs.
5. Cook until the meatballs are cooked all the way through.