Midweek Mains

Well Hello!!

I've just finished a weeks work experience in London. I was working for a magazine (I'm not saying which one as you'll all go rushing off applying for work there and they'll blame me).

Today I'm giving you two of my very favourite main meals - Turkey chilli with tortillas and Spanish chicken with chorizo and rice. Both one-pot-wonders, both healthy, nutritious and very, very tasty even if I do say so myself.

So, the Spanish chicken and rice needs:

1 pack of 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, sliced into strips

1 red onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red pepper finely diced

4 inches of chorizo sausage, sliced (please, I beg of you, don't buy ready sliced chorizo. It will not have the same effect)

1 chicken stock cube

1 vegetable stock cube

1 1/2 pints boiling water

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (more if you like it hot, leave out if not)

1/2 teaspoon of herbs de Provence

1 tablespoon of double concentrate tomato puree

1 standard mug of long grain rice

salt and pepper

In a large saucepan add the chopped onions, garlic, peppers and chorizo. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the oil from the chorizo is oozing out.

 Add the chicken strips, paprika, chilli flakes (if using) and herbs and cook until the chicken is browned.

Dissolve the stock cubes in the boiling water.

Stir in the rice, coating every grain in the oil from the chorizo. Pour in the stock.

Add the tomato puree and stir everything together.

Put a lid on the saucepan, turn the heat down low and allow the chicken to cook through and the rice to soften for around fifteen minutes. You might need to add extra water if the rice isn't cooked.

After this time, take off the lid and stir everything around. Then turn up the heat slightly and let everything bubble away, reducing the amount of liquid until only a thick, orange-y red sauce is left. The rice will be sticky and almost risotto-like.

Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.
I like to think of this as my version of Paella - most of the time I do it without prawns but when it's for a special occasion, I add a pack of cooked, peeled prawns to the pan five minutes before serving to allow them to heat through.

This dish works in all seasons - the warming paprika and chilli are lovely in winter and also give a summery colour to the rice.

Now, the eagle eyed among you will see that I'm not in my kitchen in these photos. In fact I was staying at a friends house in London while I was on my work experience and I cooked this dish for her dad and his carpenter mate who were down at the house fitting the wardrobes. I felt the least I could do for letting me stay in their house was to cook them dinner. 

Now for the turkey chilli. I like a bit of spice in my food but I still have to be able to taste everything in my dishes. This one is a bit of a cheat as it uses kidney beans in chilli sauce and chopped tomatoes with chilli but it tastes delicious and is an easy mid-week meal.

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 pack  lean turkey thigh mince

1 carton Italian chopped tomatoes with basil, chilli and oregano (from Sainsbury's)

1 can red kidney beans in chilli sauce (from Sainsbury's)

1 bag salted tortilla chips

50g cheddar cheese, grated

Heat the oil in a pan then add the onion, red pepper and turkey mince.

Fry over a high heat for 5 minutes, stirring to break up the mince with a wooden spoon, until the onion and pepper are softened and the mince is browned.

Add the tomatoes and kidney beans to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly.

Put a large handful of tortilla chips onto each plate, spoon over the chilli and sprinkle with cheese.

Talk to you soon, Bloggers! I'm making truffles this week, keep an eye out!
B xxxxxx