Pork & Spinach Chilli with Cheese n Chips

This dish was inspired by a young colleague I was talking to the other day about student food. I was recalling the sort of meals I used to make for my flatmates. Quick, easy and above all else - cheap.

I got home from work and looked at the pack of pork mince I had taken out of the freezer to defrost that morning and my mind went back to something I used to call mince mess (I must put that recipe up soon - it was lovely). I decided to do an even easier version using tinned kidney beans in chilli sauce and lots of hand-cut baked chips on the side. It was so good, I brought the leftovers in for my lunch at work the next day. Delicious!

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. oil
500g pork mince
200g tinned chopped tomatoes
400g tinned kidney beans in chilli sauce
250 spinach, roughly chopped
2 tsp. chilli flakes (optional)

To garnish:
2 spring onions, chopped
handful fresh coriander, chopped
handful grated cheddar cheese

Gently fry the onion and garlic in the oil for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the mince and stir in, breaking up as you go until cooked. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, spinach (and chilli flakes if using) and combine well. Season with a little salt & pepper and cook on a low heat, partly covered, for 15 minutes.

Serve hot with chips and generously sprinkle on the cheese, spring onions and coriander. And there you have it! Easy, and comforting.

Thai Plaice & Aubergine Curry

This is a nice midweek meal that I put together a few nights ago. Aubergine and coconut milk seem to go so well with fish. You can use any white fish you like for this dish - I think it would work with most. I used plaice as it was what I had and it was lovely. 

Yes, I know coconut milk is a little indulgent and fattening, but you can use the half fat version if you prefer. For me - I prefer the full fat one as I rarely have it so its a treat!

Ingredients:

2 large plaice fillets, skin removed
3 tbsp. oil
1 aubergine, cut into large dice
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 inch piece ginger, chopped
2 birds eye chillies, sliced
6 curry leaves
1 tbsp. madras powder
1 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tomato, chopped
200ml coconut milk
200ml vegetable stock
fresh coriander leaves

Method:

Slice the fish thickly and put into a zip lock bag with the flour. shake gently to coat. Fry in 1 tbsp. oil until golden and put to drain on some kitchen paper. Set to one side. Clean the pan and add a second tbsp. oil. Cook the aubergine for about 8 minutes until browning and put on a separate plate with kitchen paper. Set to one side

Puree the onion, garlic and ginger in a mini blender and fry in the remaining oil for 5 minutes on a medium heat until softened and beginning to dry out. Add the chillies and curry leaves and cook for a further minute.

Add the spices and tomato and stir well. Now add the coconut milk and combine. Cook for 5 minutes before adding the stock. Leave to cook gently on a medium heat for another 10 minutes.

Gently stir in the cooked aubergine, followed by the fish. Taste to check for seasoning. You can add a little salt and pepper.

Serve with white rice and garnish with the fresh coriander. Enjoy!

If you like you can make the Madras spice yourself. This recipe here makes enough for about 2-3 different meals and keep well in a sealed jar.