Seafood Risotto

This dish was inspired by a recent trip to Italy.

Serves 2

Extra Easy - 0 syns

Ingredients 

150g risotto rice
1pt fish stock
Pinch saffron
Mixed seafood
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Half a lemon, zest and juice
1 tbsp tomato purée
Handful frozen peas
Black pepper
Flat leaf parsley
Frylight

Method 

1. Make up the fish stock with a stock cube and 1 pint boiling water and add the saffron. Leave to infuse.
2. Fry the onions until soft in a frying pan sprayed with frylight then add the garlic. Once cooked add the tomato purée, lemon juice and zest, peas and the rice and season with the black pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Add a ladle of fish stock and stir until absorbed by the rice. Continue until all of the stock has been used and the rice is cooked (you may need to top up with boiling water).
4. Add the cooked seafood (I used king prawns, mussels and squid) and stir until warmed through.
5. Serve in bowls and top with chopped parsley and black pepper.

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Serves 2

Extra Easy - 0 syns, HEXa

Ingredients
150g Risotto rice (Arborio)
1 pt Chicken Stock (more if needed)
4 Chicken thigh fillets, chopped into chunks and excess fat removed
Couple of handfuls of Chestnut mushrooms, sliced
4 shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tbsps grated Parmesan (HEXa)
1 tsp thyme
Salt & Black Pepper
Frylight

Method
1. Fry the shallot in a frying pan sprayed with frylight until slightly softened.
2. Add the garlic, mushrooms and chicken, then add the thyme and seasoning and fry until the chicken has whitened. Spray the pan with more frylight if needed and add the rice and stir through.
3. Add a glug of the hot chicken stock at a time, stirring until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and repeat. Keep doing this until the rice is cooked and the stock has run out. If needed, add more hot water to the pan until the rice is cooked through.
 4. Take it off the heat and stir through half of parmesan. Serve with the remaining parmesan sprinkled on top and a grinding of black pepper.

Spiced Mango Cod with Lemon & Spinach Rice

I adapted this from a recipe I found on Tesco's website.

Serves 2

Extra Easy - 1 syn

Ingredients
150ml long grain rice (measured in a measuring jug)
300ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
2 cod fillets
1 tbsp mango chutney
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 red pepper, cut into small chunks
Handful of frozen peas
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp medium curry powder
Finely grated zest of half a lemon
50g spinach (fresh or frozen)
Fat free Natural Yoghurt or 0% Greek Yoghurt (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)
Frylight
Black Pepper

Method
1. Put the rice and the stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and put a lid on the pan. Leave until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked.
2. Spread the mango chutney onto the top of each cod fillet and sprinkle over the cumin seeds and chilli flakes and season with black pepper. Place onto a foil lined tray sprayed with frylight and place under a medium-hot grill for 10 minutes or until the cod has cooked through.
3. Meanwhile fry the onions and peppers in a frying pan sprayed with frylight until soft. Add the garlic, peas, turmeric, curry powder and lemon zest and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the cooked rice and the spinach to the pan, season, and mix well until the spinach has wilted (if using frozen spinach place in the microwave for 2 minutes and drain off any excess liquid before adding it to the pan).
5. Serve the cod on top of the rice and dollop on a tbsp of the natural yoghurt. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Seafood Paella

Serves 2-3

Extra Easy - 0 syns

Ingredients
200g Paella Rice
Mixed Seafood (prawns, mussels, calamari)
2 Garlic Gloves, finely chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
400g tin of chopped Tomatoes
1 pt Fish Stock
Pinch of Saffron
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
Handful of broad beans
Salt & Black Pepper
Frylight

Method
1. Prepare the stock and add the saffron, leave to infuse.
2. Fry the onions and peppers in a flat bottomed frying pan or paella dish sprayed with frylight until soft.
3. Add the garlic and paprika and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the rice until it is coated in the ingredients and mixed through, then add the mixed seafood to the pan.
6. Pour over the stock and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the heat and cover the pan with tin foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with a sprinkling of parsley to finish the dish.

Chicken & Chorizo Paella

I came across this on Minimins but couldn’t find it again to let you know the author. This is really yummy and would be great with prawns and mussels. Experiment with different vegetables, meats and seafood to get your perfect combination.

Serves 2

Extra Easy – Approx 5.5 syns per portion (dependent on the brand of Chorizo using)

Ingredients

2 Chicken fillets, sliced and seasoned

50g Chorizo ring, sliced (approx 11 syns)

1 large Red Onion, diced

1 Red or Yellow Pepper, sliced

2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

150g Paella rice

Handful of Frozen Peas

1pt Chicken Stock

Pinch of Saffron

Dried Herbs
Chicken Seasoning (or something similar)

Salt and Black Pepper

Frylight

Method
1. Add the saffron to the hot chicken stock and leave to infuse. Put the raw chicken in a bowl and coat with chicken seasoning, the garlic and mixed herbs.
2. Meanwhile, fry the onion and red pepper in a deep frying pan sprayed with frylight until soft.
3. Add the garlic and chicken and fry until the chicken is sealed.
4. Add the chorizo and rice and fry until the rice has been mixed through.
5. Add the stock, saffron, herbs and peas and season.
6. Stir everything through and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and leave for 20 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Do not stir the mixture once it is simmering!

Chicken Tikka Masala with Pilau Rice

This recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala was inspired by the one featured in this month's SW magazine, but with a few tweaks!

Serves 2

Extra Easy - 0 syns

Ingredients (Chicken Tikka Masala)
2 Chicken Breasts, sliced into chunks
125g Fat Free Natural Yoghurt
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp Very Lazy Ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsps Tikka Curry Powder
1 Red Onion, finely diced
250g Passata
2 tbsps Tomato Puree
2 tsps Chilli Flakes (or to taste)
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Ground Tumeric
2 tsps Granulated Sweetener
100g Fat Free Fromage Frais or 0% Greek Yoghurt
Frylight

Method
1. Mix the chicken, natural yoghurt, ginger, 1 of the garlic cloves and 1 tbsp of curry powder in a bowl and stir. Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Spray a deep frying pan with frylight and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic, tumeric, cumin, chilli flakes and remaining curry powder and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the passata, sweetener and tomato puree to the frying pan and then add the marinaded chicken (the magazine recommends discarding the marinade but I added it along with the chicken).
4. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has completely cooked through.
5. Stir in the fromage frais (or greek yoghurt) and serve.


Ingredients (Pilau Rice)
150ml Basmati Rice (measured in a measuring jug)
1/2 Cinnamon Stick, split lengthways
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 Cardamon Pods
3 Cloves
1 tsp Ground Tumeric
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Onion Powder (alternatively use 1 small red onion, finely diced)
Frylight

Method
1. Spray a saucepan with frylight and add all of the spices and herbs. Fry on a low heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the rice to the pan and stir until the rice is coated in the spice mixture.
3. Add 300ml boiling water to the pan and bring to the boil. Place a lid on the saucepan and leave to simmer for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through and the water has been absorbed.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamon pods and bay leaf from the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve with the Chicken Tikka Masala.

Egg Fried Rice

This is a classic chinese side dish and can go with a range of asian meat dishes. You can barely tell it apart from the takeaway version.

Serves 1

Extra Easy - 0 syns

Ingredients
75g dried rice
1 egg, beaten
2 spring onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Handful of frozen peas
Soy Sauce to taste

Method
1. Boil the rice according to packet instructions.
2. 5 minutes before the rice is completely cooked, add the frozen peas. Once both are ready, drain and set aside.
3. Spray a wok with frylight and add the spring onion and garlic. Stirfry until soft and add the rice, peas, soy sauce and the beaten egg.
4. Stir continuously until the egg is cooked through and the ingredients are well mixed.
5. Bulk out with vegetables or meat, or serve with your favourite SW friendly Asian meal.

Served here with mushrooms and chicken