Fast food in 30 minutes

CHEESY PASTA WITH SPINACH

Serves 4-6



250g spiral pasta

250g frozen spinach, thawed and drained

125g sliced ham, coarsely chopped

215g can corn kernels, drained

250ml frozen peas

150g cheddar cheese, grated

3 eggs

125ml cream

125ml milk

Salt and pepper



Cook the pasta until it's al dente. Drain well.

Combine the pasta, spinach, ham, corn, peas and 80g of the cheese in a large bowl.

Beat the eggs, cream and milk together.

Pour the egg mixture into the pasta mixture and stir until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into individual serving dishes or one large ovenproof dish.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over.

Bake at 200?C for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.


CHICKEN WITH CAPERS


Serves 4



4 chicken breast fillets

80ml flour

salt and pepper

60ml grated Parmesan cheese

50ml olive oil

50g butter

125ml dry white wine

50ml lemon juice

60ml brined capers, drained

30ml chopped parsley



Place the pieces of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them until flat with a rolling pin.

Mix together the flour, salt, pepper and grated Parmesan.

Wet the chicken pieces with water.

Dredge them thoroughly in the flour mixture, until well coated.

Heat olive oil and 30g of the butter in a frying pan on medium high heat.

Add the chicken pieces, taking care not to crowd the pan.

Brown well, about three minutes a side.

Remove the chicken from the pan and drain on paper towel. Keep warm.

Add the wine, lemon juice, and capers to the pan. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Reduce the sauce by half.

Whisk in the remaining butter.

Serve chicken with the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley. Delicious served with warm potato salad.



Note: The wine can be replaced with chicken stock.


STIR-FRY BEEF WITH NOODLES


Serves 4



500g rump steak

30ml peanut or sunflower oil

5ml crushed garlic

5ml grated ginger

1 red onion, sliced

1 red pepper, seeded and sliced

1 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced

100g baby corn, halved lengthwise

100g mangetout, sliced

60ml soy sauce

60ml sweet chilli sauce

30ml lime juice

30ml fish sauce

125g egg noodles, soaked



Cut the steak into stir-fry strips. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the meat for a few minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a minute. Remove the meat and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the wok and add the vegetables and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

Combine the soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, lime juice and fish sauce, and add to the vegetables.

Return the meat to the wok and add in the drained noodles. Toss well to combine.

Serve immediately.


FISH WITH GREEN OLIVES AND TOMATO

Serves 4



30ml olive oil

1 onion, chopped

100g green olives, pitted

grated rind of 1 orange

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

400g can chopped tomatoes

salt and pepper

500g frozen fish fillets

5ml dried dill



Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions and saute for five minutes, until softened.

Add the olives, orange rind, orange segments, tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the fish to the pan. Spoon sauce over the fish.

Cover and cook for five to seven minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.

Sprinkle with dill and serve with rice or couscous.



LENTIL AND HALOUMI SALAD


Serves 4-6



2 x 400g cans brown lentils, drained and rinsed

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 small cucumber, halved, seeded and sliced

125g cocktail tomatoes, halved

Handful of mint leaves, shredded

30ml lemon juice

50ml olive oil

Salt and pepper

250g haloumi cheese

30ml plain flour

30ml olive oil



Salad

Combine the lentils, onion, cucumber, tomatoes and mint in a bowl.

Mix together the lemon juice and olive oil and stir it well.

Pour the mixture over the lentils and other ingredients.

Season well, and then toss to combine.



Haloumi

Cut the haloumi into slices.

Pat it dry with paper towels.

Dust lightly with flour and shake off excess.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.

Cook the haloumi, in batches, for two minutes on each side, or until golden.

Drain the haloumi on paper towels.

Serve the lentil salad topped with the warm haloumi.

• This article was originally published on page 12 of The Cape Argus on February 04, 2010

Source : Babynet