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‘Lunch Menu’ Category

  1. Parsnip and Sweet Potato Soup

    December 30, 2023 by Lisa

    A lovely wintery soup that tastes a little like korma. Mix up the spices as you like. We used chili flakes, powdered ginger, lime and coriander, but chipotle would add some smokiness or you could use fresh ginger, fresh chili peppers or even curry powder if you like that kinda thing.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 chopped celery stalks, chopped
    • half an onion, diced
    • olive oil
    • 2 large parsnips, peeled and diced
    • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
    • vegetable stock (about a pint)
    • 1 can of coconut milk
    • 2 tsp powdered ginger
    • chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste
    • fresh coriander and lime wedges for garnish

    Instructions:

    Fry the onions and celery in a large, deep skillet with the olive oil until soft. Add the parsnips and sweet potato, cover with vegetable stock, cover and cook until tender. Add the vegetables and stock to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add seasonings and coconut milk and transfer to a saucepan, heat and serve with coriander, lime and some crusty bread.

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  2. Chili con Carne

    December 6, 2006 by Lisa


    Ooh, yum. My recent trip to the states gave me a taste for some American home cooking. I dragged a couple packets of corn bread mix home and made this easy chili with what I could find in the house.

    Ingredients:

    • 500gm beef mince
    • 1 large shallot or half an onion
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 can kidney beans
    • 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped roughly or 1 can chopped plum tomatoes
    • 1 tablespoon cumin
    • 1 tablespoon flour
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • several good shakes Tabasco (I think I did about 10) or chili powder to taste
    • 1 half a tube of tomato paste
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Brown the beef and shallots in the olive oil. Add the kidney beans, pasta sauce and fresh tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Mix the flour, cumin, tabasco and water into a paste and add it to the beef and beans. Cook an hour at low heat, stirring frequently. Longer is even better, when poss. Add more tabasco and salt and pepper as you like!

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  3. Cocido de Puerco

    December 20, 2005 by Lisa


    Very simple, very cheap Mexican stew. A family favourite. Serves 4 or more.

    Ingredients:

    • shoulder of pork (you can also use a large hamhock, ‘though, of course it will be considerably saltier and won’t take as long to cook)
    • 3 or 4 large potatoes quartered
    • half of a large head of white cabbage, quartered
    • 3 large carrots cut into large chunks
    • 4 small ears of corn (as in, 4 half ears)
    • generous amounts of cumin, oregano (about 2 tablespoons or more of each)
    • salt, pepper, fresh coriander and slices of lime for garnish

    Brown the pork in oil in a large pot on the stove. Cover with water, add the cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook at a low heat for 2 to 2.5 hours, adding water if needed. When the meat is tender and separates easily, add the potatoes, cabbage and carrots and cook until tender (about 20 minutes). Add the corn for the last 5 or 10 minutes.

    And that’s it. Serve with fresh coriander and lime, tortillas and mexican style rice.

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  4. Sticky Chicken Wings

    July 9, 2005 by Lisa

    You know those times when you make a sauce and kind of change it everytime? Trying new combinations, quantities, whatever? Sometimes it works better than other times. This was a nice simple version of sticky sweet and spicy chicken wings that I now use exclusively.

    Sauce:

    • 1/4 cup ketchup
    • 3-4 tablespoons clear honey
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Worchester sauce
    • Tabasco – some amount

    Cook over a low heat for 5 – 10 minutes.

    Oven cook the wings at 225C in a bit of olive oil until browned, turning once. Drain the oil and dump the wings into a bowl and cover with the sauce, stirring to coat them completely. Cook in the oven another 20 to 30 minutes.

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