Walking.org » Main Meal Recipes

Daube d’Aubergines

Walking.org — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:32:43 +0000

A daube is traditionally made with beef – this recipe is vegetarian but it can easily be made with cubes of beef, preferably slow cooked. This version is very quick to make and although it can be eaten immediately it is equally delicious when cool.

1 large aubergine
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
100 g (4 oz) mushrooms
1 large tin chopped tomatoes
125 ml (5 fl oz) water
5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice
10 ml (2 tsp) chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper
black olives to garnish

Trim the ends from the aubergine then cut the aubergine into bite-size pieces. Slice the onion and mushrooms and finely chop the garlic. Put the aubergine, onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes and water in a large saucepan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking and adding a little more water if necessary. Add the mushrooms, lemon juice, parsley and freshly ground pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with a jacket potato and garnish with black olives.

Cantonese Chicken

Walking.org — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:06:32 +0000

This Chinese recipe is quick and easy to prepare and is very tasty. When you add the Nam Pla fish sauce and soy sauce, have a small taste as you might want to add a little more of the sauces. Oyster mushrooms are lovely in this dish but any mushrooms are fine. Choose whether to serve it with rice or noodles. There are lots of noodles available that can be added without having to cook them separately.

2 chicken breast fillets
6 spring onions
1 medium red pepper
100 g (4 oz) mushrooms
100 g (4 oz) petits pois
10 ml (2 tsp) Nam Pla fish sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) soy sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) vegetable oil
125 ml (5 fl oz) water
freshly ground black pepper

Remove skin from the chicken and cut the meat into small pieces. Slice the spring onions, red pepper and mushrooms. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan and cook the chicken for about 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Pour the water into the pan and add the red pepper, mushrooms and petits pois. Cook for a further 5 minutes adjusting the liquid, either adding a little more water or reducing the liquid. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce and black pepper and mix thoroughly. At the last moment stir in the chopped spring onions. Serve with rice or noodles.

Cod with Tomatoes and Peas

Walking.org — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:21:49 +0000

This is particularly good with cod but if you prefer use any other white fish. Use whichever combination of garden peas, frozen petits pois, mangetout or sugar snap peas you like. The fish and the various vegetables make this dish very nutritious and colourful. If you have a few slices of salami or chorizo, cut them into small pieces and add five minutes before the end of the cooking time for added flavour.

220g (8 oz) skinless cod fillets
large tin chopped tomatoes
1 medium onion
100 g (4 oz) mushrooms
75 g (3 oz) fresh garden peas or frozen petits pois
75 g (3 oz) mangetout or sugar snap peas
10 ml (2 tsp) fresh basil
10 ml (2 tsp) Nam Pla fish sauce
freshly ground black pepper

Slice the onion and mushrooms. Put the tomatoes and onion in a large pan and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the fish, mushrooms, peas and mangetout and cook for a further 10 minutes stirring occasionally. The fish may start to break into small pieces but stir gently so as not to lose the texture of the fish altogether. Tear the fresh basil then add to the fish and stir in the Nam Pla fish sauce. Adjust the liquid as necessary, either reducing it or adding some water. Add some freshly ground black pepper. Serve with some boiled new potatoes.

Chicken Val Bon

Walking.org — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:34:06 +0000

This recipe was inspired by a delicious chicken dish we ate on a gloriously sunny day on the terrace of a lovely restaurant in the mountains of Spain. The chorizo and paprika add spiciness and most of the ingredients contribute to the colourfulness of the dish. White wine is often used with chicken but here red wine would be good and would add to the rustic feel of this recipe. If you prefer not to use wine, simply add more water. Add more or less garlic and olives, to your taste.

2 skinless chicken breast fillets
50 g (2 oz) chorizo
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
1 medium red pepper
150 g (6 oz) tomatoes
10 ml (2 tsp) tomato purée
300 ml (10 fl oz) wine and water, mixed
5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh parsley
5 ml (1 tsp) paprika
freshly ground black pepper
1 large orange
black olives

Remove the skin from the chorizo and discard then cut the chorizo into small pieces. Chop the onion, garlic, red pepper and tomatoes. Put the chicken, chorizo, onion, garlic, tomatoes and tomato purée into a large saucepan with the wine and water. Cover and simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add the red pepper, parsley, paprika and black pepper and cook for a further 10 minutes, adjusting the liquid as necessary, either reducing it or adding more wine or water. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the orange juice over the chicken just before serving. Add black olives to taste. Serve with rice.

Bean Ragout

Walking.org — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:47:18 +0000

Beans are rich in nutrients but low in fat so they make a very nourishing and healthy meal. If any of these particular beans are not available, simply replace them with one of the many different kinds of beans you can buy in supermarkets or food stores. You can also easily adjust the seasoning. Instead of mint you could use another fresh herb and instead of soy sauce you could add chilli sauce. Try different versions and see which you like.

125 g (5 oz) cooked red kidney beans
125 g (5 oz) cooked white haricot beans
125 g (5 oz) cooked green Lima or broad beans
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
100 g (4 oz) mushrooms
1 red pepper
1 tin chopped tomatoes
5 ml (1 tsp) soy sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) chopped fresh mint
freshly ground black pepper

Chop the onion and garlic. Slice the mushrooms and red pepper. Put the onion and garlic with the tomatoes, soy sauce, fresh mint and black pepper in a large saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the mushrooms and red pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the beans and heat through thoroughly. Adjust the liquid if necessary, reducing it or adding a little water.

Turkish Lamb

Walking.org — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:54:50 +0000

You can use chicken instead of lamb for this recipe if you prefer but I particularly like the combination of these vegetables with lamb. If you are using chicken instead of lamb you could include flat-leaf parsley instead of mint. I use a tin of cooked chick peas but you can soak and then cook dried chick peas if you want. Although the chick peas are already cooked, I still add them early in the cooking of the dish so that they can soak up the flavours of the other ingredients. The amount of chilli sauce you add is to your taste (of course you can use fresh chillies if you want). Start with a small amount and then add more later in the cooking.

2 x 125 g (5 oz) lean lamb steaks
1 medium red onion
2 medium tomatoes
220 g (8 oz) cooked chick peas
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
2 cloves garlic
chilli sauce – to taste
10 ml (2 tsp) chopped fresh mint
125 ml (5 fl oz) water
juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper
pistachio nuts

Chop the red onion, tomatoes and garlic. Cut any excess fat from the lamb steaks. Put the red onion in a pan with the olive oil and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the lamb steaks and brown on both sides. Add the tomatoes, cooked chick peas, garlic, chilli sauce, mint and water. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lamb is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary. Add the lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper and stir well. Shell the pistachio nuts and garnish the dish with them. Serve with rice.

Pasta with Smoked Salmon

Walking.org — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:46:55 +0000

Pasta is high in complex carbohydrates. Rather than simply a quick boost, it provides a ‘time release’ of energy. As well as eating smoked salmon for its nutritional value, it adds taste, texture and colour to this dish. Nam Pla fish sauce is usually associated with Oriental cooking, but I add it to lots of recipes as it adds to, and brings out, the other flavours. Add it a little at a time if you wish and keep checking the intensity of the sauce. This is a very quick recipe to prepare and cook so it is ideal if you are short of time.

150 g (6 oz) pasta
100 g (4 oz) smoked salmon
1 small onion
100 g (4 oz) mushrooms
100 g (4 oz) petits pois
10 ml (2 tsp) Nam Pla fish sauce
5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh dill
125 ml (5 fl oz) low fat single cream
freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta as directed. Slice the onion and mushrooms and put them in a medium-sized pan with the petits pois. Simmer them in a little boiling water for 8 minutes. Adjust the liquid if necessary, either reducing it or adding a little more water. Stir in the Nam Pla fish sauce and dill. Tear or cut the smoked salmon into small pieces. Add the smoked salmon and cream and heat through. Put the pasta onto individual dishes and spoon over the sauce. Add some freshly ground black pepper.

Vegetable Pilau

Walking.org — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:39:16 +0000

Vegetables and rice make a brilliant meal and they can be even more delicious when you add a few extras. Sultanas go really well with the texture of vegetables such as courgettes and peppers. Spices like ground coriander and ground cumin can be quite subtle but if you like your food more spicy just add more. Remember, always add chilli sauce gradually! The lemon juice added at the end is a lovely final flourish.

1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1 tin chopped tomatoes
220 g (8 oz) mushrooms
2 medium courgettes
1 medium red pepper
100 g (4 oz) petits pois
25 g (1 oz) sultanas
10 ml (2 tsp) ground coriander
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
chilli sauce – to taste
15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
150 g (6 oz) basmati rice

Cook the rice as indicated. Chop the onion and garlic and put them with the tomatoes into a large saucepan and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Slice the mushrooms, courgettes and red pepper and add them to the saucepan. Also add the petits pois, sultanas, ground coriander, ground cumin and chilli sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring well. Adjust the liquid to a sauce just coating the vegetables, either reducing the liquid or adding a little water. Stir in the cooked rice and lemon juice. Add some freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Mexican Turkey

Walking.org — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:40:52 +0000

The vegetables in this dish work particularly well with turkey but you could use other meat if you prefer. I like this fairly hot with a good amount of chilli sauce but start with a little and add more.

300 g (10 oz) minced turkey
1 medium onion
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 medium green pepper
1 medium red pepper
100 g (4 oz) mushrooms
220 g (8 oz) cooked red kidney beans
100 g (4 oz) sweetcorn
chilli sauce – to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Chop the onion, green and red peppers and mushrooms. Put the turkey, onion and tomatoes into a large pan and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green and red peppers and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked red kidney beans and sweetcorn and heat thoroughly. Add chilli sauce to your taste and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with rice.

Sweet and Sour Courgettes and Peppers

Walking.org — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 09:00:05 +0000

This is a really colourful dish that is very appetising. Vary the colours of the peppers if you wish. If you have plenty of time, you could roast the onion, courgettes and peppers in the oven instead of cooking them in a pan. In this case, when they are roasted, simply slice them and add to the sauce. You might still like to use some olive oil, but probably not as much as if you cook the vegetables in a pan.

1 medium onion
2 large courgettes
1 medium green pepper
1 medium red pepper
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
10 ml (2 tsp) wine vinegar
10 ml (2 tsp) soy sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) clear honey
juice of 1 large orange
25 g (1 oz) pine kernels
25 g (1 oz) sultanas
freshly ground black pepper

Chop the onion finely and slice the courgettes and green and red peppers. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the courgettes and green and red peppers then add the wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, freshly squeezed orange juice and black pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes mixing well. Serve with the pine kernels and sultanas scattered over the vegetables. Serve with egg noodles.