Cider pork chops

Usually every evening we trying to avoid the to much carbohydrates, white flour, potato, white pasta ....because i find this is a most easiest way to stay in shape, and you dont have to eat tasteless food at all. But sometimes everybody need some more than healthy stuff, and for us is always the fridays, so it is a proper friday feast, nice , comforting, and very tasty.


CIDER PORK CHOPS

4 pork chops
4 apple (chopped in quarters)
2 big onion (pelled, chopped)
4 big potato (skin on, chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (peeled)
1 bottle of cider (any type is good, 500 ml)
1 tbsp goose fat
some fresh thyme
salt, pepper



First you just put all the ingredient with half bottle of cider in a bowl, or a plastic bag, and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours, or even overnight to soak all the nice flavors. Than all you need to do is put all into a baking tray, and covered with foil. Bake in the owen for 30 minute on 250 Degrees C., then foil off, and another 20 minute with a rest of the cider.

Roast chicken with mediterranean vegetables and guacamole

I used to doesn't really like the avocado at all, because i find to tasteless, and oily. I tried to do guacamole a several times , but it never had a nice taste and the texture what i wanted to. But after i tried not to use any recipe, just create something what is helping me to like the avocadoes. And now i loving it, just a few very simple things and its a delicious and healthy dip, or side dish for meats. And its so good for you, contains nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. The most important thing is using a very dark ripe one, otherwise its not tasty, and creamy at all.

CHICKEN WITH MEDITERRANEAN VEGGIES AND GUACAMOLE

2 chicken breast

2 slice of ham (any type is good)

2 sundried tomato piece

2 courgette (chopped)

1 red onion (peeled, chopped)

1 californian pepper (chopped)

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

salt, pepper

for the guacamole:

1 perfectly ripe avocado

1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

1 cloves of garlic (peeled, crushed)

2 tbsp natur greek joghurt

salt/pepper

First you can make the guacamole, and let it rest in the fridge for a little while. Mash the avocado just with a fork, then add the lemon juice, garlic, joghurt, and season with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper, put the 1 sundried tomato on each one, and covered with a slice of ham. For the veggies just put the all into a baking tray, on the top the chicken breast, and roast in the owen for 30 min on 180 Degrees C. Then serve with the guacamole.

Something different...

This post is not about cooking, and even not about food. We went to visit a beautiful place on a last weekend in a heart of England. This place was Bath, a lovely small city packet full of culture, lovely unique shops, museums, amazing christmas market, and lots more to discover. I loved it so much, i alredy planning the next visit....:) It is perfect place for a long weekend, or a relaxing night away for everyone i think. Lets see the pictures....

Beetroot and apple couscous

During the day if i want to cook something for myself for lunch i often do couscous. Not just because i like it, because it is one of the quickest food in the world! You just have to covered with hot water, and couple of minute, and ready. It is a coarsely ground pasta made from semolina, doesnt have to much flavor on its own ,so its perfect for my  "what is in the fridge"  dishes. This time with beetroot, apples, leeks, panchetta and chillies was are the complements for my fresh and quick lunch.

BEETROOT AND APPLE COUSCOUS

1/4 cup couscous

half cup boiling water

pinch of salt

some panchetta cubes

2 cooked beetroot (chopped)

1 small apple (chopped)

some chopped leeks

fresh chilli (chopped)

some feta cheese 

rapeseed oil

salt, pepper

First covered the couscous with a boiling water, and let it soak all the water. In the same time you can start fry the panchetta in  a pan on a little rapeseed oil. Then add the beetroot, apples, leeks, and a chilli. Fri them for a 5 minute on  a high heat,season with salt and pepper, and in the end add the couscous, and mix it all. I eat with a little feta cheese.

Asian chicken feast

One day i was desperate to eat something really spicy, and fresh , and as usually i started to open the fridge too se how i can create something like this. We had a whole chicken, but i doesnt wanted to do a roast, so i chopped into pieces , and i find some nice fresh mushrooms, peppers, and fresh noodles. So the recipe was born in my head, it will be a stir fry with sticky, and spicy chicken.

ASIAN CHICKEN STIR FRY

for the chicken:

1 whole chicken (chopped)

1 tbsp five spice mixture

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

fresh ground pepper

for the stir fry:

500 gr fresh egg noodles

1 californian pepper (chopped)

2 cloves of garlic

250 gr small mushroom

2 spring onion (chopped)

2 small carrots (peeled, grated)

1 fresh chilli (chopped)

handful of fresh sugar snap peas

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

salt/pepper

First thing to do is the marinade for the chicken. Just put all ingredient together with the chicken pieces, and leave for a couple of hours, or even overnight. After just put them into a baking tray, and in the owen need about 30 min on a 200 Degrees C. to be nice, sticky and golden brown.

In the meantime you can turn the heat on under the wok. When it is really hot, you can put some oil, and start to fry the all the veggies. Just stir them, and after 5-6 min you can add the noodles, and some soy sauce, 1 more minute frying, and ready. You can serve with a chicken pieces on the top. 

Pizza again....but a little bit different

This is a another pizza recipe, but this time i used normal white plain bread flour for the dough, so it is not the healthiest version, but very very quick, and easy. Actually making this pizza all together is less time , than waiting for the takeway pizza....so it is definitely wort a try!

SALAMI PIZZA

For the dough: 

1 cup plain white flour

half cup warm water (not boiling)

7 gr dried yeast 

salt, pepper

1 tbsp of olive oil

for the topping: (this is just my version, but you can use nearly anything what you have at home)

milanese salami

black and white olives

sweetcorn

cheddar cheese

wine tomato

red peppers

rocket leaves

cream cheese

basic tomato sauce (onion, garlic,tomato puree, salt, pepper) 

First you need to do the dough, put the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the dried yeast, warm water, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and knead until the dough is becoming elastic. Let it rest for 10 minute on a warm place, and then you can stretch it, put the topping on, and bake in the owen for 20 min on 200 Degrees C.

Sausage and green lentils stew

This dish is a truly winter warmer. Is easy, comforting, filling, and good for you. Not just because it is tasty, the green lentils are packed with a lot of goodness, help reduce the blood cholesterol , high in fiber ,potassium, magnesium  protein, and B vitamine, low in calories but give you energy without quickly raising your blood sugar.

SAUSAGE AND GREEN LENTILS STEW

4 big sausage ( you can use every type, what you have)

250 gr green lentils (soaked overnight)

1 red onion (peeled, chopped)

half of celeriac (peeled, chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

2 big carrots (chopped)

2 dl of red wine

2 tbsp of english mustard 

fresh rosemary

2 tbsp of rapeseed oil

1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of honey

salt, pepper 

First fry the onions on oil in a casserole dish, then add the veggies, and fry them together for 5 min. Then you can add the lentils, red wine, mustard, rosemary, balsamic vinegar, honey, and water (cover the lentils). Cook for 20 min on a medium heat, then season with salt and pepper, and put into a baking tray, on the top the sausages, and roast on 200 Degrees C. for another 20 min, until the sausages are nice golden brown. I served with a little natur joghurt.

Pork chops with crispy roast veggies

One day i had a idea to do some baked veggies with a pork chops, but something more exciting than carrotts with some parsnips. We had at home celeriac, butternut squash, and some lovely fresh beetroot. Usually the people doesnt use this three ingredient together, but why not? I tried, and it is working really well,  they are need the same time to roast, teher is a lot of health benefit to eat them, and of course they are delicius!

PORK CHOPS WITH CRISPY ROAST VEGGIES

3-4 pork chops

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 red onion (peeled, chopped)

half butternut squash (peeled, chopped)

medium sized celeriac (peeled, chopped)

2 fresh beetroot (peeled, chopped)

4 cloves of garlic (not peeled)

2 tbsp of toasted sesame seed oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

salt, pepper

First thing is you need to do is prepare the veggies, and put them into a baking tray , season with salt and fresh ground pepper, add the toasted sesame oil, and the soy sauce, and roast them in the owen for 30 min on 200 Degrees C.
Meanwhile you can fry the pork chops in a hot pan on olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and when its nearly ready add the honey and the sesame seeds, and fry them for another minute.

Chocolate cake with whiskey caramel cream

I baked this cake last week for my friend birthday. I never really made birthday cakes, but i was in the mood to try. I started without recipes, just from my head, and what we had alredy at home. My first idea was just a chocolate cake with a simple caramel sauce, but i decided to use some whiskey, because its much more exiting, and of course with a little bit of alkohol on a birthday party you never go wrong:)

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH WHISKEY CARAMEL CREAM

for the chocholate cake base:

2 cup plain white flour (1 cup = 250 gr)

half cup of cocoa powder

2 eggs (separate)

half cup caster sugar

2 tbsp of honey

pinch of salt

200 gr. melted unsalted butter

half cup of milk 

for the cream:

3 tbsp of caster sugar

1 tbsp of brown sugar

4 tbsp of corn flour 

2dl milk (full fat )

3 tbsp of whiskey

for the chocolate coating:
1 cup of dark chocolate

250 gr unsalted butter

3 tbsp of double cream

First you have to bake the chocolate cake base. Put the sugar into a bowl with a 2 egg yolks (you need the whites later) , stir it, then add the honey, flour, cocoa powder. pinch of salt, and the melted butter. Add the milk too, and stir together, until its smooth. Then whisk the 2 egg whites, and when it is hard, you can gentle fold into the cake mixture. Then put into the owen, and bake for 40 min, on 180 Degrees C.

For the cream filling, first put all the sugar into a pan, and caramelise, then it is golden brown, you can add the corn flour, what you dissolve in the milk before adding to the caramel. Then stir on a low heat until you have a smooth cream. Wait until it is cool, and then add the whiskey to the cream.

To do the coating just melt all the ingredient on a water steam, and when it is all dissolve you are ready to use.
                                           

My cottage pie / or how to use the leftover roast beef /

Monday we had a lot of leftover roast beef from sunday, and i wanted to use all of them, and create something warming, filling, but also healthy supper. The idea was the cottage pie, but i used sweet potato, because its better for you, and also give a sweet balance with the veggies .

MY COTTAGE PIE

leftover roast beef (chopped)

1 big onion (peeled, chopped)

3 carrots (peeled, chopped)

2 parsnips (peeled, chopped)

few brussel sprouds (also leftover)

half small brokkoli

2 cloves of garlic (peeled, chrushed)

3 tbsp horseradish sauce

leftover gravy

salt/pepper

olive oil

2 big sweet potato ( peeled, chopped)

little butter

1 dl milk

The recipes couldnt be easier, just fry the beef together with the chopped veggies on some olive oil for a couple of minutes, then add the gravy and the horseradish sauce, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 min, until the veggies started to soften.
Meanwhile you can do the mash, boil the sweet potato (just need 10 min), then mash with a little butter and milk, season with salt, and ready for topping the beef vegetable mixture. Into the owen on 200 Degrees C. need a 15 min, and its ready!

Mediterranean chicken pasta

I really like this sauce with a mediterranean veggies, not just because it is delicious, because there is a lot of variation to use , for a pizza topping, with couscus, with rice, and even just without anything is a great healthy, and fresh meal.

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

3 chopped tomato
1 small chicken breast ( chopped)

2 chopped big californian pepper ( i used red one, but doesnt really a matter..:)

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

1 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

2 courgette (chopped)

handful of black and green olives

sundried tomato (just a few, chopped)

olive oil

fresh chopped chillies

salt, pepper

wholemeal spaghetti (250 gr)

What i did, it is a easy way, because i just chopped all the veggies and the chicken, and together in a same time i started to fry them in a pan on a little olive oil. After a 15 minute cooking its ready,  you can season with salt and pepper, and you doesnt need tomato puree, or anything like this, because the fresh tomatoes does the job, and there is a plenty of liquid to use like a pasta sauce.
I served with a wholemeal spaghetti, and fresh grated parmesan.

Hungarian style bean soup

In this time of a year i like to cook much more soups, then in summer, because for me the soups are the warming, filling  and nice dinners when its cold outside. Thats why my soup are more like a pottage, lot of vegetable, some meat, and a lots of flavor. This soup is a hungarian bean soup, but of course not the traditional recipe, its a my kind of bean soup:)

MY HUNGARIAN BEAN SOUP

2 can of red kidney beans (every other type of bean you can use)

half a green californian pepper (chopped)

2 carrots (peeled, chopped)

2 small parsnips (peeled, chopped)

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

1 tomato (chopped)

1 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

hungarian smoked sausages (just a few slice)

smoked bacon 

olive oil

1 tbsp white whine vinegar

4 tbsp sour cream

salt/pepper/marjoram

First of all fry the onion together with the sausages and the bacon on oil, then add the garlic, and after a few minute you can add the chopped veggies (pepper, carrots, parsnips, tomato). Stir and cook for 5 min, and when the veggies started to soften, add the beans, vinegar, salt, pepper, and marjoram, and half liter of water. Cook for 15 min, and serve with some sour cream.

Leeks chicken and mushroom brown rice bake

I like brown rice, not just because its much more healthier then the normal one. It has a nice nutty flavor, and the crunchiness, which is come from a peel of a rice. Yes its different than a normal one, but when you using and eating constantly, its become  a good "habit", and now i doesnt want to eat other rice, because i find them really tasteless. Its contains a lot of goodness , selenium, magnesium, vitamin B3, B1, B6, and iron. So use it, and enjoy!

LEEKS CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM BROWN RICE BAKE

1 big leeks

2 chicken breast

250 gr mushroom (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 dl dry white whine

1 tbsp of english mustard

150 gr grated cheddar cheese

sour cream

rapeseed oil

salt, pepper

1 cup of brown rice (250 gr)

First cook the brown rice in half liter of water, and with a little salt. Meanwhile you can fry the leeks on oil, add the chicken, the mushroom, and the garlic. Fry together until half cooked, then add the white whine, and the mustard, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 min, until the white whine is dissolved.
In a baking tray the first layer will be the cooked brown rice, then the chicken mixture, and a little sour cream, then repeat once more, and on the top you need to put a grated cheddar cheese. When you are ready, put into a owen for 20 min on 200 Degrees C.

Hungarian "Székely" Cabbage

sour cabbage

This is my favorite dish from home. Because its has the smoky, sour, nice fresh taste, and to be honest i cant really stop eating when we having this at home... But here in London making this dish is not that easy like in Hungary, because the main ingredient the sour cabbage is not popular here at all, and you can't buy this in the big supermarkets. But thanks Good we have hungarian shops, and there you can buy nearly anything what you need for a big hungarian feast.

HUNGARIAN  "SZÉKELY" CABBAGE

2 big tin of sour cabbage

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

3 tbsp of smoked paprika

250 gr smoked bacon lardons

6 pork chops (chopped)

vegetable oil

salt/pepper

sour cream

First thing to do is fry the chopped onion on vegetable oil until it is soft, then add the smoked paprika , (reduce the heat) garlic, and then the bacon lardons and the pork. With a little water cook until the meat is half cooked (10 min), and then you can add the sour cabbage. Sometimes, and when you want your dish to be not really sour you can wash your cabbage before adding to the meat.( I did that too ) After you can add 3 cup of water to the dish,  season with salt and pepper, and the easy thing to do put into the owen for 1 hour on 180 Degrees C., but you can cook on the gas too. I served the dish with some sour cream, and a homemade bread.

Homemade easy bread

Making bread is not that difficult thing what a most of people are thinking about, and you get a lot more benefit making your own. You need just a few basic ingredient, a little exercize knead the dough (which is good for you:)  and thats it, much more healthy, and you can put a lot of different flavor (for example dried spices, sundried tomato, caramelised onion, seeds)  in your bread to make it intresting, and very tasty!

HOMEMADE EASY BREAD

1 cup wholemeal bread flour

1,5 cup plain white flour

7 gr dried yeast

1 tbsp of salt

pinch of sugar

fresh ground pepper

4 tbsp of olive oil (or any vegetable oil)

half cup of warm water (no boiling, just warm)

Take a big mixing bowl, and first put the flours in there, then the dried yeast, olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, and the warm water. Now you need to knead the dough, until it is nice and elastic ( 10 min). After let it rest in  a warm place for 2 hours. (covered with kitchen towel) . Then you can put into a preheated owen for 30 min on 200 Degrees C.

Hungarian apple pie

This pie is very polular in my home country , in Hungary.  We usually bake this time of a year, because the apples are fresh, and this is a really delicius way to use them. I am sure every family have a old recipe how to bake the perfect one. My family has too, but now this is my own version, and a little bit different than the traditionally one.

HUNGARIAN APPLE PIE

8 medium sized apple (peeled, grated)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp of cinnamon

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 cup of plain flour

2 eggs

1 tbsp of sour cream 

half tp of baking powder

250 g cold unsalted butter 

4 tbsp of brown sugar

pinch of salt

First you need to make a pastry. Put all the flour into a bowl, add the baking powder, salt, sugar and the cold butter, and mix all with your hand, then add a sour cream, 1 whole eggs and 1 egg yolks. Knead the dough until you have a nice crumbly pastry. Put into a fridge for a half hour to let it rest .
Meanwhile you can make the filling. Grate the apples into a bowl, add cinnamon, and 1 tp of brown sugar.
Separate the pastry for 2 equal sized,( bottom and top ) and  stretch it. Place to a baking tray, then put the apple filling, and the other pastry sheet. Spread the top with the 1 egg whites, and bake in the preheated owen on 180 Degrees C. for 35 min.

Roasted butternut squash soup

Yesterday when i was walking home i really enjoyed watching the halloween pumpkin lamps nearly a front of every house, and that was the inspiration for this soup. My first though was a pumpkin soup, but in the local shops they are run out,  ( of course because its halloween....) i decided to go for a butternut squash. And anyway this is pumpkin too, just a butternut one:)

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

1 butternut squash (chopped )

chicken stock ( half liter) 

4 tbsp single cream

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

1 cloves garlic (peeled, crushed)

rosemary (dries or fresh one, i used dried)

salt/pepper

olive oil

First thing you need to do is heat the owen for 200 Degrees C., and the same time you can chop the butternut squash, put into a baking tray with some olive oil, and roast for 20 min, until soft and nice golden brown, and then you can peel the skin off. In a pan fry the onions on olive oil, add the garlic, and the roasted butternut squash, the chicken stock (i used fresh one, but the stock cube is good as well) . Boil for only 10 min.,  add rosemary, salt, and pepper and the single cream, and b
lend it together. I served with some toasted pumpkin seeds, and garlic toast.

Homemade wholemeal pizza

I like pizza, but the only problem is with the takeway version , they are very unhealthy, and to much fat in it. But since i started to do my own version at home, i never ordered . The method is so simple, and you can put nearly everything use like toppings. Yesterday i baked a vegetarian one with a hot chilli.

HOMEMADE WHOLEMEAL PIZZA

For the dough: (enough for 4 large pizza)
1 cup wholemeal flour (250 gr)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
pinch of sugar
1 cup of lukewarm water
1 tbsp of dried yeast
little dried oregano/fresh ground pepper


For the tomato sauce:
tin of passata (tomato puree, 250gr)
1 cloves garlic (peeled, crushed)
1 tbsp brown sugar
some chopped sundried tomato
olive oil
salt/pepper

                                                                
For the dough you just put all the ingredient together, knead until smooth and elastic (5 min) , and let it rest for 20 min covered. After you can use straight away, or keep in a fridge. (Or even in a freezer, and you use later)
For the sauce you just fry a garlic on olive oil, add brown sugar, passata, sun dried tomato,salt and pepper. Cook for 5 min, and it is ready to use.

I doesnt baked my pizzas in the owen, i did just in a pan, because its much less time, and the crust will be nice and crunchy. The method is simple, you just stretch the dough for a size of your pan, and on a little olive oil start to bake the pizza, and in the same time you can put the topping on, 10 min baking, and ready!

Lemon chicken with roast courgettes and peppers

Here In London the autumn is officially here, or maybe even the winter, because the last weekend was freezing cold, scarfs, hats, winter coast .......everything ready to wear. Mostly i enjoying this period of the year, the long winter days, the lights, and the heavy meals...But of course some days i really miss the summer ...and that days in the kitchen you easily make something fresh, what can remind you for the sunshine. For me one day it was the smells of lemon, and the colorful roasted fresh veggies..

LEMON CHICKEN WITH ROAST COURGETTES AND PEPPERS

chicken breast 

1 lemon (you need the peel, and the juice too)

2 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

2 courgette (chopped)

1 californian pepper (chopped)

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

1 medium red chilli (chopped)

olive oil

salt/pepper

First you need to make the marinade for the chicken, and leave in there for couple of hours, or overnight. This mixture is half juice of lemon, peel of lemon, 1 cloves of garlic (crushed), olive oil, salt and pepper.
For the veggies just put them in a baking tray together with some lemon juice, chilli, chopped onion, 1 chopped garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can also put the half lemon too. Bake them for half hour on 250 degrees C., and during this time you can fry the chicken breasts in a pan.