Stroganoff de luxe : Wk24/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm pappardelle

1 large onion, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
300gm mushrooms, sliced
400gm beef strips
1 cup beef stock
1 Tblsp wholegrain mustard
1 Tblsp tomato paste
1 Tblsp corn flour slackened with a little water
½ glass dry red wine (optional)
½ cup fat free natural yoghurt
2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley

Method
Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, spray a deep frying pan with non-stick cooking spray and put on to heat.
Dry fry the onion and celery until they start to soften.
Add the beef strips and cook until the beef seals, stirring all the time.
Now add the bell pepper and mushrooms, followed by the stock and the wine.
Stir well and then cover the pan.
Simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir through the mustard, tomato paste and corn flour.
Allow the sauce to thicken, stirring continuously.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yoghurt.

Share the pasta and stroganoff between four plates.
Sprinkle liberally with chopped parsley.

Serve with a crisp green salad.

Recipe : Week 10 : Day 2

Steak ‘n’ peas
Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
±480gm lean beef strips
1 Tblsp Dijon mustard
1 Tblsp balsamic vinegar

±240gm rice
2 cups frozen peas
1 Tblsp mint sauce

Mixed salad, to serve

Method
Mix the mustard and vinegar together.
Put the beef strips in the mustard and vinegar marinade.
Stir and turn steak pieces around to cover.
Allow to stand while you:

Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
When almost done, add the frozen peas.
Continue cooking until the peas are done.
Drain and stir through the mint sauce.
Keep warm.

Spray a frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Place over a high heat and tip in the steak strips and marinade.
Dry fry for about 5 - 10 mins (the better the quality steak, the shorter the cooking time).

Serve the steak strips over the peas and rice, with a crisp mixed salad on the side.

Recipe : Week 8 : Day 2

Lamb steaks and butternut

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
400gm lamb steaks
Ground cumin
500gm butternut, sliced in rounds
4-6 large courgettes, sliced lengthways
1 large onion, sliced
300ml dry couscous
300ml chicken or lamb stock
1-2Tblsp good quality mint sauce
100gm reduced fat feta, crumbled
Salad leaves
Mint leaves
Method
Prepare the butternut and courgettes.
Stem or microwave until cooked.
Keep warm.
Put the couscous and boiling stock in a bowl.
Cover with cling wrap or a plate.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Stir through the mint sauce.
Fluff up with a fork.
Spray a frying pan or ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray. Put on high heat.
Spray the lamb steaks, both sides, with cooking spray.
Sprinkle cumin over the lamb steaks, both sides.
Cook the lamb steaks about 4 minutes per side.
Fry the onion in the same pan.
Lay a bed of lettuce leaves over each plate.
Spoon a mound of couscous onto the lettuce.
Now make a layered stack of butternut, courgette, onion and lamb on top of the couscous,
ending with lamb.
Garnish with crumbled feta and mint leaves.
I’m so sorry I lost the photo for this dish – it looked so impressive. Delicious too.