Autumn has arrived and at lunch time, I have been in the mood for something a little more warming than a sandwich, so have been opting for soup. Pret do a lovely range and last week I had a delicious corn spicy soup nearly every day. At £2.99 a pop, I started to feel a bit poor and I especially resented spending the money knowing I can make 4-6 portions for roughly the same amount. Feeling inspired, I decided to try to re-create it and I am pleased to say I did a fine job. The recipe is below.
Serves 4-6
Freezing – Freeze once cooled – defrost over night or in microwave. I like to freeze individual portions so they are ready to take to work.
Ingredients
1 Brown Onion
3 Cloves of garlic
1 Tablespoon Sunflower oil
3 Corn on the cobs (or 3 handfuls of frozen sweet corn)
1 Large potato
1 Inch of fresh ginger
1 Red chilli
3 Stalks of lemongrass
200ml Reduced fat Coconut milk (1/2 standard tin)
1 Litre of veggie stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Finely slice the onion, garlic and chilli
- Peel and grate the ginger
- Alternatively use a blender to chop the above ingredients
- Heat oil on a medium heat in a large pan
- Gently sauté the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger for about 10-12 minutes until onions are translucent – being careful not to let it burn
- While this is cooking, chop the potato into little cubes and set aside
- If you are using fresh corn, slice the corn off the cob and set aside with potato retaining the cobs
- If you are using frozen corn skip the above step
- Peel and chop the ends off the lemongrass and score it several times with a knife
- Add the potato, corn and lemongrass and stock to the onion mixture
- If you have fresh cobs add these too as they will add flavour
- Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer for 25 minutes
- Remove the lemongrass and corn if you used fresh corn
- Add the coconut milk and heat through
- Split the mixture in two and blend half until smooth
- Return the blended mixture to the unblended mixture and stir
- Serve – lovely with crusty bread
More chorizo and potato! This time in quesadillas. Quesadillas are a huge hit in our house and very versatile, lovely fillings include refried beans, grated courgette (zucchini) and carrot, goats cheese and sun blush tomatoes. Potato and chorizo however are two of my favourite ingredients, so this is what I have used for this recipe which is one of my favourite meals of all time.
Serves 2 (with left overs for lunch!)
Freezing – Does not freeze, but makes great leftovers cold the next day
Ingredients
Chorizo 100g (the ring type, not the cooking sausage or the slices)
Potato x 1 large (or 2 small)
Red onion x 1
Grated mozzarella 100g (1 cup)
Dried chilli x 1 teaspoon (optional, leave out if you don’t like too much heat)
Salt and Pepper + extra salt for boiling potatoes
Olive oil x 2 Teaspoons + extra for greasing
Tortilla Bread Slices x 2
- Fill and boil the kettle
- Peel and cube the potatoes into 1.5 cm pieces and place in a saucepan
- Add the boiling water to the saucepan, salt the water and bring the potatoes back to the boil
- Lower the heat and simmer potatoes for about 5 minutes until they are just cooked, but still firm (important not to overcook at this point), then drain into a colander and set aside
- While the potatoes are boiling slice the onion finely
- Chop the chorizo into cubes – about 1cm
- Place chorizo in a non-stick pan and turn on the heat
- Cook the chorizo, stirring occasionally until you can no longer the see white fat and it has melted into oil within the pan.
- Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside
- Add olive oil to the melted chorizo fat and heat on high
- Once boiling hot, reduce heat to medium
- Add cooked potatoes to the fat
- Whatever you do from this point onwards DO NOT STIR – it will turn the potatoes to mush
- Add salt and pepper
- Give the pan a good shake to coat the potatoes in oil
- Cook for 5 minutes, shaking once in-between
- Add the onion cook for 5 more minutes, shaking once or twice in-between
- By now the potatoes should have browned nicely and the onions should be soft
- Add the chorizo back to the pan cook for a few more minutes
- Turn off the heat cover and set aside
- If you are making guacamole prepare this now
- Next take a large frying pan and drizzle with a little olive oil
- Rub the oil in with kitchen roll so it covers the pan
- Place the frying pan on the highest heat
- Take a tortilla
- Put in on a plate
- Put half the chorizo potato mix and half the grated mozzarella on the right half of your tortilla, leaving the left half empty
- Fold the left half over the right half so you have a semi-circle filled with ingredients
- Do the same with the other tortilla using the other half of the ingredients
- Once the pan is hot turn the heat down to medium
- Slide both tortillas into the frying pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until they are crispy and browing (being careful not to burn)
- Once ready place on a chopping board and leave for a couple of minutes, then cut each one into four pieces – I find this is easier with a pizza slicer
- Serve with guacamole and salad – enjoy!
This simple supper is delicious, packed full of flavour and cheap to make. I always have a chorizo ring in the fridge. Although they are expensive in delis and some supermarkets, they are very cheap in places like Morrisons where they are just £2. This makes them very thrifty and a good way to add meat and flavour to dishes without breaking the bank.
Serves two
Do not freeze
Ingredients
2 Potatoes – large
100g Chorizo (the ring type, not the cooking sausage or the slices)
1 tablespoon olive oil + a drizzle
1 Pepper (I use red, but any will do)
1 Onion, red small
1 Teaspoon smoked paprika
1 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper
2 Eggs
Method
- Fill and boil the kettle
- Peel and cube the potatoes into once inch pieces and place in a saucepan
- Add the water boiling water to the saucepan, salt the water and bring the potatoes back to the boil
- Simmer potatoes for about 7 minutes until they are just cooked, but still firm (important not to overcook at this point), then drain into a colander
- While the potatoes are boiling cut the peppers into thin strips and slice the onion finely too
- Chop the chorizo into cubes – about 1cm
- Place chorizo in a non-stick pan and turn on the heat
- Cook the chorizo, stirring occasionally until you can no longer the see white fat and it has melted into oil within the pan.
- Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the melted chorizo fat and heat on high
- Once boiling hot, reduce heat to medium
- Add cooked potatoes to the fat
- Whatever you do from this point onwards DO NOT STIR – it will turn the potatoes to mush
- Add salt and pepper
- Add the cayenne pepper and smoked paprika
- Toss the potatoes by giving the pan a good shake, this should distribute the ingredents
- Cook for 5 minutes, shaking once in-between
- Add the red onion and pepper, cook for 8 more minutes, once again shaking once or twice in-between
- By now the potatoes should have browned nicely and the peppers charred slighly
- Add the chorizo back to the pan and toss
- It should be starting to look like this
- Cook for 5 more minutes tossing once in-between.
- Whilst you are waiting for the potato/chorizo to cook for the last 5 minutes, heat a drizzle of olive oil in another pan
- Once the oil is hot, add the eggs and fry until they are just done, but the yolk is still runny
- Place potatoes and chorizo mix on a plate
- Place the fried egg on top
- Enjoy with a crisp green salad
thriftylittlekitchen 