Category: Nigella Express

Anglo-Asian Lamb Salad

This salad is truly a treat and comes together in moments.

2 tsp. garlic-infused olive oil
2 lamb chops, seasoned
1 tbs. fish sauce
2 tbs. rice vinegar
1 tbs. currant  jelly (red or black)
1 tbs. soy sauce
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
2 scallions, finely sliced
4 cups salad leaves
1 tbs. finely chopped mint (optional)

Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the lamb for 5 minutes per side, or to your liking. (Or, grill until cooked through.)Remove to a plate and tent with foil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, vinegar, jelly and soy sauce. Tip in the red chili, scallions and salad leaves. Toss well and divide between 2 plates. Top each with a lamb chop and sprinkle with mint, if using.

Serves 2

Minnestrone in Minutes

Super simple, super fast and super good.

1 x 14oz. can cannellini beans, drained
3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup tomato-based pasta sauce
4 oz. ditalini or other soup pasta
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Tip the beans into a saucepan with the stock and pasta sauce. Bring the pan to a boil and stir in the pasta, then cook according to the package directions. Stir in the Italian seasoning.

Once the pasta is tender, switch off the heat, remove the pan to a cool surface and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes. The pasta will swell and the flavors will improve.

Serves 2

 

Swedish Salmon

This is really all about the sauce, which would be equally wonderful with chicken or duck.

4 salmon fillets
1 bunch fresh dill sprigs
4 scallions
1 tbs. kosher salt
1 tbs. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
1 1/2 tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tbs. soft brown sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tbs. white wine vinegar

Lay the salmon in a small roasting tin. Add half of the dill, the scallions, salt, granulated sugar and peppers corns. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover the tin with foil and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave for 20 minutes, by which time the salmon will be perfectly cooked and succulent. (Alternatively, bake the salmon for 15 minutes in the oven at 400°F.)

Stir together the mustard, brown sugar, sour cream and vinegar. Chop the remaining dill. Serve the salmon drizzled with the sauce and topped with the chopped dill.

Serves 4

 

 

Warm Potato Salad

Here is a wonderful, non-mayo version of potato salad.

4 lb. new potatoes
4 green onions, sliced
1 tbs. garlic-infused olive oil
8 slices bacon
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbs. whole grain mustard

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and tip in the potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cut into bite-sized pieces. Put them into a large bowl with the green onions.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Take the skillet off the heat and stir the vinegar and mustard into the remaining oil. Pour into the bowl and toss everything together gently. Season. Crumble over the bacon and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 10-12

Mustard-Caper Sauce for Broccoli

Bored of simply steamed broccoli?  Here is a delicious solution.

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
6 tbs. butter
2 tbs. capers
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon

Steam the broccoli until tender, then transfer to a serving bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the capers, mustard and lemon juice. Drizzle over the broccoli to serve.

Serves 4

Cod and Cannellini

Creamy cannelli beans and tender cod are perfect partners in this speedy and super supper.

3/4 lb. cod, regular or smoked
small sprig parsley, stalks removed and leaves chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. peppercorns
1 celery stalk, halved
1 2/3 cups water
1/3 cup white wine
2 x 14oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbs. chopped chives, optional

Put the fish in a large skillet with the parsley stalks, bay leaves, peppercorns and celery. Pour in the water and wine and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with foil and simmer in the poaching liquid for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove to the foil and keep warm.

Keep about 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid, then drain off the rest. Add the beans to the skillet, warming them in 1/3 cup reserved liquid for about 3 minutes, adding more liquid  if necessary. Turn off the heat, add the oil and most of the chopped parsley, then lay in the fish. Stir everything together, breaking up the fish a little. Check the seasoning, transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining parsley and chives, if using.

 

Mexican Chicken Salad with Black Bean Salsa

If you can’t find jicama for this wonderful salad, you can use sliced water chestnuts.

For the dressing:
1 ripe avocado, pitted and flesh scooped out
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbs. lime juice
1 garlic clove. peeled
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
good grinding of black pepper

For the salad:
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 scallions, sliced
1 jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups torn romaine lettuce

For the salsa:
1 x 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
1/3 cup diced green chilies
1 tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt

Begin by making the dressing. Tip all the ingredients in a small food processor or blender and and mix until smooth. Check the seasoning and set aside.

Stir together the salsa ingredients and set aside.

Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and spoon over the dressing. Toss well. Spoon the salsa on the top and serve.

Serves 4-6

Swedish Salmon

This lovely and fresh sauce complements salmon any way it is prepared.


4 salmon fillets
3 tbs. Dijon mustard
2 tbs. light brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 tbs. white wine vinegar
3 tbs. chopped fresh dill

Cook the salmon to your liking by grilling, broiling, baking or pouching.

To make the sauce, stir together the mustard, sugar, sour cream, vinegar and most of the dill. Season with salt.

Serve the sauce spooned over the salmon and sprinkled with the remaining dill.

Banana Muffins

You can use butterscotch chips, chocolate chips or white chocolate chips in these lovely, easy and moorish morsels.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (2-3 ripe bananas)
1 cup butterscotch, chocolate or white chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 400°F and line 12 muffin cases with paper liners.

Stir the eggs into the oil. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Gently fold in the oil and bananas, then the chips.

Divide between the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Speedy Scalopine

Here is an Italian-inspired recipe that is nearly instant to make and a lovely way with pork, as it is just kissed with a hint of spice and drizzled with a lemony pan sauce.

2 tbs. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. mixed spice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
shake cayenne pepper
1 pork tenderloin, cut into thin cutlets
2 tbs. garlic infused olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Put the flour, mixed spice, salt and pepper into a resealable bag. Add the pork and shake to cover.

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over a medium heat. Cook the pork for 2 minutes per side or until cooked to your liking. Remove to warmed plates. Add the lemon zest and juice to the pan and bubble until syrupy. Drizzle over the pork and serve,

Serves 2