Potato Recipes

This ham recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare the food and 25 minutes cooking time.  Remember don’t over cook the rice.  Serves 4

• 350g cooked ham
• 50g butter
• 125g onions - peel and finely chop
• 2 garlic cloves - peel and chop
• Pinch of saffron
• 225g risotto rice (Arborio)
• 1 bay leaf
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 750 ml chicken stock
• 15g dried porcini mushrooms
• Some cheddar cheese to garnish

Cut the ham into bite size pieces.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, the bay leaf, and the garlic cloves.  Fry it together stirring for 4 - 5 minutes until the onion is soft but not yet brown.

Add the saffron, rice, wine, chicken stock and mushrooms.  Boil and then simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Add the ham after 15 the minutes and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender.

Add salt and pepper if required and garnish with the cheese.

This recipes service 4 people and takes only 20 minutes to make.  The calories per serving is about 90.

• 225g carrots - peal the carrots and cut them into strips
• Grate one lemon rind
• 25g of butter - I always prefer to any margarine
• 15 ml sugar
• One garlic clove - peal, crush and chop into small pieces
• 125g of sweetcorn
• 125g of asparagus tips
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Use some fresh chopped parsley to garnish.

Add the carrots, lemon rind, butter, sugar, garlic together into a small saucepan and cover with cold water.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring this to the boil and keep on a high heat for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes add the asparagus and corn and keep cooking for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the water have evaporated.  Make sure the vegetables don’t stick to the pan.

Easy, that’s it done.  Serve with the parsley garnish.

This will take about 30 minutes, serves between 4 and 6, and has between 200 and 300 calories per serving.

• 450g beetroot - use baby beetroots if you can
• 30ml raspberry vinegar
• 1ml honey
• 1 garlic clove - peal, crush, and chop finely
• 15ml grated horseradish
• 5 ml muster seeds - brown preferably
• 75ml walnut oil
• 30ml virgin olive oil
• ½ of a small red onion - peal slice very thin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 30 ml chopped chives

Peel the beetroot and grate finely put into a large bowl and then set aside.

In a bowl whisk together the vinegar, honey, garlic, horseradish, and muster seeds.  Mix in the walnut and olive oil slowly, mix until well blended together.  Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Stir the dressing from above into the beetroot which should still be in a large bowl.  Add the chives and onions.  Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.  Before serving make sure the beetroot salad is back at room temperature - this allows the salad to taste better.

This recipe takes about 20 minutes total time and has about 160 calories per serving.  One problem I have with this recipe is that I always put more bacon in than asked for, as I love bacon so much - so beware the extra calories.

• 15ml vegetable oil or olive oil
• 450g courgettes - slice thickly
• 125g smoked streaky bacon - without any rind
• 50g onion - red or white - peal and chop
• 30ml fresh thyme
• 15ml chopped rosemary
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper to season
• Some fresh herbs to garnish

Heat the oil in a non stick pan.  Sauté the courgettes, bacon and onions all together for about 5 minutes, stirring until everything is going a little soft and brown.

Whisk together the thyme, rosemary, and eggs.  Season with some salt and pepper.  Pour over the bacon mixture and leave to cook over a low heat for about 3 minutes.  Serve immediately, cut into slices and sprinkle with the chopped herbs.