Category Archives: Easy Weekday Dinner

Mediterranean (Easy) Risotto

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 4 cups boiling water (OPTIONAL -SUBSITUTE 1 CUP FOR A GLASS OF CHEAP CASK WHITE WINE)
  • 10g chicken flavoured stock cube
  • 425 gram of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons margarine
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 3 cups spinach leaves
  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (I ADDED ‘NORMAL’ VINTAGE CHEESE, AS DIDN’T WANT TO WASTE ALL MY EXP. PARMESAN)
  • 1 capsicum (I MISSED THIS OUT)
  • 60g reduced fat fetta cheese, cubed

Method

Combine rice, tomatoes water, stock cube, margarine and mushrooms into a large ovenproof dish (CASSEROLE DISH). Cover dish tightly with lid. Bake in a hot oven, 200 degrees, for 30-45minutes or until rice is tender. Stir through spinach leaves, Parmesan, capiscum and fetta. EAT – it is really, really good!

Originally, this was in the 2007 Sunday paper and described as “an excellent weeknight meal”. It only takes half an hour to cook, and what’s even better is that once you place it in the oven there is no need to stir, unlike risotto prepared in a saucepan”. It is a really sweetish taste, but I like that (stores well for lunch! Sweetness could also be the wine I used, so you could alter that).

Rice Cooker Pilaf

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http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/rice-cooker-rice-pilaf-175027

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups white rice (I use jasmine, but any white rice will work)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup slivered almond
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • ½ small onion , diced
  • 2 teaspoons margarine or 2 teaspoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves

Directions:

  1. In a small frying pan over medium heat, sautee the onion and garlic until onion is translucent. The garlic will cause the onion to scorch a bit, don’t worry, it gives it flavor.
  2. Add the rice, sauted onion and garlic, almonds, mushrooms, and chicken broth to a 4 cup capacity or larger rice cooker.
  3. Stir briefly to distribute ingredients.
  4. Set to cook. When done, let sit for 10 minutes.
  5. Stir and enjoy!
  6. Depending on your rice cooker, the bottom may get brown. I like it, it gives it some extra zip!

Green Pasta

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  •  Small pasta shapes (little shells are good)
  • A frying pan full of green soft salad-y leaves (it will reduce) – rocket is great, spinach, mizuna, radish tops. Not the crunchy salad leaves. Chop the leaves up.
  • 2 zucchinis, finely grated
  • olive oil
  • 2 dried chillis
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • 2 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced)
  • cream
  • lemon juice to taste (about half a lemon)
  • parmesan cheese to taste
  • Pepper and salt to taste

Method

Put the pasta in boiling water to cook (follow packet instructions). When ready, turn off the heat, drain, rinse with hot water and return to the saucepan. Cover.

Meanwhile, heat some olive oil gently in a pan. Add the garlic, chilli and anchovy fillets and mash them around with a wooden spoon. Don’t burn the garlic or it will taste bitter. When the mixture is fragrant, add the grated zucchini and cook for a  few minutes until softened. Add the green salad leaves and cook until wilted. Then add some cream and stir (a couple of table spoons is good, enough to make a sauce). Reduce mixture by allowing to bubble gently for a couple of minutes. Add the grated parmesan cheese (start with a small amount and add more once you’ve tasted it) and once it has melted and stirred in, squeeze through the lemon juice to taste and remove from the heat.

Mix with the warm pasta, add freshly grated pepper and taste. Add salt if needed and serve.