👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

Mango salsa is a great recipe for a healthy starter or refreshing side dish. Its easy to prepare and perfect for a make ahead appetiser. Best served cold; toss in lime juice to keep the salsa at its freshest and then chill in the fridge.

🥘 Ingredients

This recipe makes enough mango salsa to serve 6 people:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and also use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Limes: Lime juice is essential in the recipe for keeping everything fresh and vibrant. The acidic lime prevents oxidation and browning of the chopped avocado. If you can't get hold of limes you can also use lemon juice.

Avocados and mangos: Use ripe avocados and mangos that feel soft but not squishy.

Chilli: Optional.

Coriander (cilantro): Also optional and could be replaced with freshly chopped parsley.

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Finely dice the red onion and mix in a large bowl with the juice of one lime.
2. Add finely chopped chilli and diced mango and avocado to the red onion. Add the juice of a second lime and toss everything together well.
3. Season with salt and pepper (to taste).
4. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).

💭 Expert tips

• At the start of the mango salsa recipe add juice of one lime to the chopped red onion and leave to soak for a minute or two. This will help to take the harsh bite out of the raw onion flavour.
• Add the rest of the lime juice to the chopped avocado and mango to help keep it fresh and to stop the browning process.
• Sprinkle the coriander over the top as a garnish or for a more even finish and taste stir well into the finished salsa dish.
• Mango and avocado salsa is a dish I like to make in advance as the mango and avocado chopping can be a bit messy. However, if you don't mind a bit salad prep just before dinner or even once your guests have arrived then this is quite an easy recipe to knock together from scratch. For more salad ideas why not try my Vietnamese style beef salad, Italian pasta salad, roasted cauliflower salad.

❓ Frequently asked questions

🥗 Other starter recipes

• Easy Recipes for Avocado
• Homemade Sushi Rolls
• Chilli Garlic Prawns Starter
• Tuscan Ribollita Soup
• Pea and Ham Soup
• Roast Pumpkin Soup with Chestnuts
• Easy Bread Rolls Recipe

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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Mango Salsa Recipe

A refreshing mango salsa recipe, great served on its own or loaded on tortilla chips. Made with chunks of avocado, fiery red chilli and a good handful of fresh coriander. A perfect Caribbean starter or side dish and especially great with anything spicy. 

Course Appetizer, lunch, Salad, Side Dish, starter

Cuisine cuban, Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 43kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• chopping board
• Large mixing bowl
• Large spoon
• Serving bowl and spoon

Ingredients

• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 2 limes juiced
• 1 chilli deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 mangoes peeled and chopped
• 1 avocado peeled and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Finely dice the red onion and mix in a large bowl with the juice of one lime.
  1 red onion, 2 limes
• Add finely chopped chilli and diced mango and avocado to the red onion. Add the juice of a second lime and toss everything together well.
  2 mangoes, 1 avocado, 1 chilli, 2 limes
• Season with salt and pepper (to taste).
  Salt and pepper
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
  Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)

Notes

Limes: Lime juice is essential in the recipe for keeping everything fresh and vibrant. The acidic lime prevents oxidation and browning of the chopped avocado. If you can't get hold of limes you can also use lemon juice.

Avocados and mangos: Use ripe avocados and mangos that feel soft but not squishy.

Chilli: Optional.

Coriander (cilantro): Also optional and could be replaced with freshly chopped parsley.

Can you make this recipe ahead of time? Yes, this easy mango salsa recipe can be made up to one day ahead of time. Make sure to mix in plenty of lime juice to keep all the ingredients fresh, then store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Is this recipe healthy? This recipe is bursting at the seams with nutrients; from the monounsaturated fats in the avocado to all the fibre and vitamins in the mango, lime and chilli. - Its really not just a pretty dish.

Expert tips:

• At the start of the mango salsa recipe add juice of one lime to the chopped red onion and leave to soak for a minute or two. This will help to take the harsh bite out of the raw onion flavour.
• Add the rest of the lime juice to the chopped avocado and mango to help keep it fresh and to stop the browning process.
• Sprinkle the coriander over the top as a garnish or for a more even finish and taste stir well into the finished salsa dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 75g | Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 438IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.2mg

This post was first published in Nov 2016. Updated in Sept 2022 with an improved recipe, new images, step by step instructions and expert tips. 

The post Mango Salsa Recipe appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means if you click the link and then go on to purchase, I will receive a percentage of the cost. See my privacy policy and disclosure statement for further details.

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

For a quick and easy, family friendly meal this recipe is up there with some of the best. Its quick, nutritious, and everyone gets a good helping of greens. Its also great for using up any leftover ham.

🥘 Ingredients

This recipe makes enough pea and ham soup to serve 2 people (or 4 starter-sized portions):

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and also use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Peas: Use fresh or frozen peas in this recipe.

Ham: Choose wafer thin or thick cut ham, which ever you prefer. This recipe is perfect for using up any leftover ham thats about to go out of date. Or why not try with gammon.

Crème fraîche: Crème fraîche is used here to add a slight creaminess to the soup without making it too rich, however it is completely optional. Alternatively use plain yogurt or soured cream.

Mint: Chopped mint is the perfect partner to this soup and adds a lovely freshness to the sweet peas, but again this is an optional extra.

Stock: Use good quality stock, both vegetable or a meat based stock will work well.

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry until soft.
2. Next add the flour and stir in well.
3. Gradually add the stock whilst continuing to stir.
4. Add the frozen peas then simmer for 2-3 minutes until cooked through.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the soup to a blender. Blitz until smooth. (alternatively use a hand blender).
6. Return the soup to the pan, once warmed through taste and season. Then add the ham, crème fraîche and mint leaves and mix in well. Serve with extra ham, crème fraîche and mint leaves.

💭 Expert tips

• Frozen peas: To get this meal on the table within 15 minutes I always opt for frozen peas. Frozen peas are a great veg to have handy in the freezer. Just add directly to the soup and cook for a couple of minutes. So easy! 
• Vegetarian version: For a veggie version of this recipe just leave out the ham or alternatively try my Tuscan Ribollita Soup, Leek and Potato Soup or Cauliflower Soup.

❓ Frequently asked questions

🍵 Other soup recipes

• Tuscan Ribollita Soup
• Leek and Potato Soup
• Hungarian Mushroom Soup
• Cauliflower soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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Pea and Ham Soup

Quick and easy pea and ham soup, made with fresh or frozen peas and your favourite choice of ham. A filling and nutritious midweek meal or easy starter for your next dinner party, ready in just 15 minutes.

Course Dinner, lunch, supper

Cuisine British

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 474kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• large pan
• blender
• OR hand blender

Ingredients

• 20 g butter
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 20 g plain flour
• 500 ml veg stock
• 400 g frozen garden peas or if you have fresh - 500g un-podded peas - additional time need to pod your peas!
• Sea salt and pepper to season
• 125 g of your favourite choice of ham or gammon and extra to serve on top
• 1 tablespoon crème fraîche and extra to serve on top (optional)
• Handful fresh mint leaves finely chopped and extra to serve on top (optional)
• Bread for dunking optional

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic and fry until soft.
  20 g butter, 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 cloves garlic
• Next add the flour and stir in well.
  20 g plain flour
• Gradually add the stock whilst continuing to stir.
  500 ml veg stock
• Add the frozen peas then simmer for 2-3 minutes until cooked through.
  400 g frozen garden peas
• Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the soup to a blender. Blitz until smooth (alternatively use a hand blender).
• Return the soup to the pan, once warmed through check consistency, taste and season. Then add the ham, crème fraîche and mint leaves and mix in well. Serve with extra ham, crème fraîche and mint leaves.
  Sea salt and pepper to season, 125 g of your favourite choice of ham or gammon, 1 tablespoon crème fraîche, Handful fresh mint leaves

Video

Notes

Ham: Choose wafer thin or thick cut ham, which ever you prefer. This recipe is perfect for using up any leftover ham thats about to go out of date. Or why not try with gammon.

Crème fraîche: Crème fraîche is used here to add a slight creaminess to the soup without making it too rich, however it is completely optional. Alternatively use plain yogurt or soured cream.

Mint: Chopped mint is the perfect partner to this soup and adds a lovely freshness to the sweet peas, but again this is an optional extra.

Stock: Use good quality stock, both vegetable or a meat based stock will work well.

Frozen peas: To get this meal on the table within 15 minutes I always opt for frozen peas. Frozen peas are a great veg to have handy in the freezer. Just add directly to the soup and cook for a couple of minutes. So easy! 

Vegetarian version: For a veggie version of this recipe just leave out the ham or alternatively try my Tuscan Ribollita Soup, Leek and Potato Soup or Cauliflower Soup.

How to store? Once made this soup can be stored in the fridge or freezer. Simply wait for the soup to fully cool then transfer to a sealable container. Seal and store in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for up to one month. To reheat defrost in the fridge overnight (if frozen) then transfer to a pan and gently heat until piping hot throughout.

How do you thicken pea and ham soup? This recipe uses flour as a thickening agent, which is added at the start of the recipe. The stock is gradually stirred in, allowing the flour to cook out and create a thick sauce.

How do you make soup thinner? If you find the soup to be too thick once its been blended, it can be thinned down by adding a ladle of water. Stir in the water and keep adding small amounts of water until happy with the consistency. 

Nutrition

Serving: 192g | Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1837mg | Potassium: 783mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2332IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg

This post was first published in Jul 2018. Updated in Feb 2022 with an improved recipe, new images, step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Pea and Ham Soup appeared first on ProperFoodie.

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

Not only is leek and potato soup tasty and comforting but its also a really nutritious recipe and perfect for refuelling on a cold day. Potatoes are a starchy carbohydrate and a great source of calcium, Iron and B vitamins. With the skins on, potatoes also provide a good source of fibre. So to boost the fibre and the texture of this recipe, give your tatties a good wash and leave the skins on!

This warming, full flavoured, healthy potato soup also contains 1 portion of your 5 a day, from the onions, celery and leeks. Plus, each serving of soup comes in at under 300kcal, meaning that theres plenty of room left for a nice chunk of crusty bread on the side. For a soup without potatoes that still contains plenty of nutrients try my rustic, traditional Tuscan ribollita soup. 

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Place a large pan on a medium heat and melt 30g of butter. Add the chopped onions and celery and gently fry until the onions are soft.
2. Add the chopped leeks and potatoes to the pan and stir in well.
3. Next pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer
4. Place on a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
5. When the potatoes are fully cooked, thoroughly blend the soup until smooth. Do this by either transferring the soup to a blender or use a hand blender directly in the pan. If you would prefer a chunky soup then only blend half and then mix with the unblended half. 
6. Have extra water ready to add if you want to thin the consistency of your soup. I usually thin mine down to the point where it lightly coats the back of a spoon. When you're happy with the consistency, taste the soup and add salt if needed.
7. For extra creamy soup stir in 2 tablespoon of double cream (optional).
8. Serve the soup in bowls and if you like top with extra cream and chopped chives.

🥔 How can I get more potatoes into my diet?

Potatoes are so versatile and they are great served up with most things.  Like roast potatoes or mashed potatoes with your roast chicken or roast beef dinner on a Sunday. Or if you just want an easy side to go with your mid week meals try these garlic, herb foil pack potatoes. Other potato soups that are just as satisfying as leek and potato on a cold day are celeriac and potato soup or creamy clam chowder.  Or for a meal thats a little more substantial why not try my super affordable Frozen Salmon and potato traybake? Or salmon and mackerel fishcakes.

If you want something a little more indulgent then add potatoes to a pie: fish pie, minted lamb pie, cottage pie or shepherds pie. 

🍵 Other soup recipes you might like:

• Tuscan Ribollita Soup
• Cauliflower soup
• Pea and Ham Soup
• Hungarian mushroom soup
• Clam chowder
• Roast Pumpkin Soup
• Mulligatawny chicken and wild rice soup
• Celery, apple and blue cheese soup

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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Leek and potato soup

Leek and potato soup or vichyssoise soup is a classic dish that is really easy to make in just 30 minutes. This comforting soup is great for using up leftovers, has an amazing full on flavour and as a bonus its super healthy as its packed full of nutrients. Made with everyday ingredients, its affordable, tasty and a great recipe for batch cooking and stocking up the freezer.

Course main meal, starter, starter or main

Cuisine British, French

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 248kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• large pan
• Blender or hand blender

Ingredients

• 30 g Butter
• 1 Onion finely chopped 125g
• 2 celery sticks chopped 100g
• 2 medium leeks chopped 200
• 3 large potatoes peeled and cubed 600g
• 500 ml vegetable stock Plus extra water if required
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoon double cream Optional
• Chopped chives and extra cream to serve Optional

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Place a large pan on a medium heat and melt 30g of butter. Add the chopped onions and celery and gently fry until the onions are soft.
  30 g Butter, 1 Onion finely chopped, 2 celery sticks chopped
• Add the chopped leeks and potatoes to the pan and stir in well.
  2 medium leeks chopped, 3 large potatoes peeled and cubed
• Next pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer
  500 ml vegetable stock
• Place on a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
• When the potatoes are fully cooked, thoroughly blend the soup until smooth. Do this by either transferring the soup to a blender or use a hand blender directly in the pan. If you would prefer a chunky soup then only blend half and then mix with the unblended half.
• Have extra water ready to add if you want to thin the consistency of your soup. I usually thin mine down to the point where it lightly coats the back of a spoon. When you're happy with the consistency, taste the soup and add salt if needed.
  Pinch of salt
• For extra creamy soup stir in 2 tablespoon of double cream (optional).
  2 tablespoon double cream
• Serve the soup in bowls and if you like top with extra cream and chopped chives.
  Chopped chives and extra cream to serve

Video

Notes

Butter: Use butter for a richer flavour, but if you prefer you can substitute with a tablespoon of oil.

Leeks: The best part of the leek to use for soup is the white and light green parts. The darker green parts toward the top of the plant tend to be a bit tough and fibrous - not great if your wanting to make a soup! before chopping leeks make sure the insides are clean. To do this slice the leek in half length ways to reveal all the layers inside. Then carefully run each half under the cold water tap to wash aways any bits of dirt caught between the layers. 

Potatoes: For a creamy soup opt for a fluffy potato such as Maris Piper or King Edward. If you want a chunky soup then use waxy potatoes (Charlotte), which will hold together better. 

Celery: Celery adds a wonderful flavour alongside the onion, however, the soup won't be ruined of you prefer not to add celery. Vegetable stock: Use good quality vegetable stock.

Double cream and chives: these are a serving suggestion and completely optional. If you decide to use the cream, add a bit at a time and taste until you are happy.

How do you make a chunky leek and potato soup? To make a chunky soup instead of smooth, only blend half of the soup and then mix back into the unblended half.

How do you make potato soup thicker? As potatoes are starchy its usual for this type of soup to be too thick rather than too thin. The addition of extra stock or water will help to thin it out. However, if you add too much water you may end up with soup that is too thin. To avoid this add any extra water or stock a bit at a time and stir in well before adding more. 
If your soup is too thin you can thicken it back up by gently heating and gradually reducing down.

How to store? Leek and potato soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you are adding cream, check that this has a good date on it and will keep for the 3 days. Alternatively only add the cream when you are ready to eat the soup. Alternatively freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. As potatoes are super starchy make sure you stir the soup continually during reheating or the potato may stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

What to serve with leek and potato soup? Leek and potato soup is best served up with a crunchy piece of buttered bread or soft, white homemade bread rolls.

What is Vichyssoise? The french name for leek and potato soup is Vichyssoise soup. Vichyssoise is slightly different to this recipe as its usually a fully blended soup thats served cold. 

Nutrition

Serving: 350ml | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1513IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg

This post was first published in Jan 2020. Updated in Sept 2021 with improved photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Leek and Potato Soup appeared first on ProperFoodie.

This easy cauliflower cheese recipe is a full flavoured side dish with a creamy cheese sauce made from scratch and baked to perfection. The sauce takes just 5 minutes to whip together and is made in the traditional way with a roux mix (butter and flour). This is one of my favourite side dishes to serve up with any meal, and its particularly good with a Sunday roast.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

This easy cauliflower cheese recipe is one of those side dish heros that will always go well with any other main dish. Whether your cooking up a joint for a roast beef dinner or lovingly basting your Sunday Roast Chicken, this delicious recipe will not let you down.

Its also great served up along side steak and ale pie or other classic roast dinner favourites like roast potatoes, mash potatoes, foil pack potatoes, green bean almondine and Yorkshire pudding. 

🥘 Ingredients

To make cauliflower cheese you will need:

Ingredient notes

Flour: Use plain or all purpose flour.

Butter: Butter is required to form the roux, which is the base of the sauce.

Cheese: The simplest cheese sauce uses cheddar and here I have used a medium cheddar. However, you could substitute with other types of cheese for a variety of flavours. Try with red leicester, mozzarella or a blue cheese if you like strong flavours.

Cauliflower: For variations on this dish substitute the cauliflower for broccoli or leeks.

Parsley and black pepper: Optional

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Start by making the roux. To make the roux place a small milk pan on a medium heat and add 20g of butter. When the butter has melted, stir in 30g plain flour to form a paste - this paste is the roux.
2. The next step is to turn the roux into a white sauce (or bechamel sauce). To do this gradually add 350ml of semi skimmed milk to the roux whilst continuing to heat and stir.
3. Once all the milk has been added, you are left with a silky smooth white sauce. Turn the pan down to a low heat and add 50g of grated cheese. Stir in until fully melted into the sauce.
4. Next, spread cauliflower florets across the base of an 8 inch, shallow ovenproof dish. Pour over the cheese sauce ensuring all the cauliflower is covered.
5. Top with a scattering of extra grated cheese and some black pepper.
6. Then bake at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and check if the cauliflower is cooked and soft enough by skewering with a knife. If not return, to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
7. Once cooked, if the top isn't as golden brown as you would like it, place under the grill on a high heat for a couple of minutes or until you are happy with the colour.

💭 Expert tips

• Preventing a lumpy cheese sauce: When adding the milk to the roux (paste) it is essential to stir continuously. Stopping stirring will cause lumps to form and no amount of stirring after this will get rid of them. You can also remove the pan from the heat as you need to if you feel its getting too hot or if you can't stir fast enough to stop lumps forming.
• Preventing a skin forming on the sauce: When the sauce has been made and is removed from the heat it will immediately start to cool. During this process a skin will start to form on top of the sauce. This may happen before you get chance to pour it over the cauliflower. To prevent this, place a piece of cling film directly onto the surface of the sauce as soon as you take it off the heat. When you are ready to use, remove the cling film and use a spoon to scrape any sauce off the cling film and back into the pan.
• Variations: Try this cheese sauce over broccoli or leeks or use it to make macaroni cheese. For something a little different why not have a go at sprouts in cheese sauce.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Other cauliflower recipes

• Cauliflower Soup
• Roasted Cauliflower salad
• Tuna steak recipe (with roast cauliflower)

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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Cauliflower Cheese

This easy cauliflower cheese recipe is a full flavoured side dish with a creamy cheese sauce made from scratch and baked to perfection. The sauce takes just 5 minutes to whip together and is made in the traditional way with a roux mix (butter and flour). This is one of my favourite side dishes to serve up with any meal, and its particularly good with a Sunday roast.

Course side, Side Dish, sunday roast

Cuisine British

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 225kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Small milk pan for the cheese sauce
• 8 inch, shallow ovenproof dish

Ingredients

• 20 g Butter
• 30 g Plain flour
• 350 ml Semi skimmed milk
• 50 g Cheddar grated
• 1 medium cauliflower leaves removed and cut into florets (600g)

For the topping

• 30 g Cheddar grated
• Black pepper
• Freshly chopped parsley

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Start by making the roux. To make the roux place a small milk pan on a medium heat and add 20g of butter. When the butter has melted, stir in 30g plain flour to form a paste - this paste is the roux.
• The next step is to turn the roux into a white sauce (or bechamel sauce). To do this gradually add 350ml of semi skimmed milk to the roux whilst continuing to heat and stir.
• Once all the milk has been added, you are left with a silky smooth white sauce. Turn the pan down to a low heat and add 50g of grated cheese. Stir in until fully melted into the sauce.
• Next, spread cauliflower florets across the base of an 8 inch, shallow ovenproof dish. Pour over the cheese sauce ensuring all the cauliflower is covered.
• Top with a scattering of extra grated cheese and some black pepper.
• Then bake at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and check if the cauliflower is cooked and soft enough by skewering with a knife. If not return, to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
• Once cooked, if the top isn't as golden brown as you would like it, place under the grill on a high heat for a couple of minutes or until you are happy with the colour.

Video

Notes

Flour: Use plain or all purpose flour.

Butter: Butter is required to form the roux, which is the base of the sauce.

Cheese: The simplest cheese sauce uses cheddar and here I have used a medium cheddar. However, you could substitute with other types of cheese for a variety of flavours. Try with red leicester, mozzarella or a blue cheese if you like strong flavours.

Parsley and black pepper: Optional

Variations: Try this cheese sauce over broccoli or leeks or use it to make macaroni cheese. For something a little different why not have a go at sprouts in cheese sauce.

Preventing a lumpy cheese sauce: When adding the milk to the roux (paste) it is essential to stir continuously. Stopping stirring will cause lumps to form and no amount of stirring after this will get rid of them. You can also remove the pan from the heat as you need to if you feel its getting too hot or if you can't stir fast enough to stop lumps forming.

Preventing a skin forming on the sauce: When the sauce has been made and is removed from the heat it will immediately start to cool. During this process a skin will start to form on top of the sauce. This may happen before you get chance to pour it over the cauliflower. To prevent this, place a piece of cling film directly onto the surface of the sauce as soon as you take it off the heat. When you are ready to use, remove the cling film and use a spoon to scrape any sauce off the cling film and back into the pan.

Why is my cauliflower cheese watery?: Cauliflower cheese can go watery if the cauliflower is overcooked. Overcooked cauliflower releases water, which will seep into the rest of the dish. So even if your sauce was thick when it went in the oven, if its in there too long, the water from the cauliflower will cause it to go watery. I would advise to not bake for longer than 20-25 minutes. If by this point its not quite brown enough on top, remove from the oven and place under the grill on high for 1-2 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 272g | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was first published in January 2020. Updated in January 2021 with new ingredients photo, step-by-step photos and recipe tips.

The post Cauliflower Cheese appeared first on ProperFoodie.

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

Italian Pasta salad is one of those recipes that literally has everything going for it. Its easy to make, easy to store, great for meal prep and really useful for using up any leftovers.

The best thing about pasta salad is the variety of ingredients that can be used; from different types of pasta to numerous different fruits, vegetable and cheeses. Also, as its a cold dish, its easy to store in the fridge keeping everything lovely and fresh and crisp.

🥘 Ingredients

To make a large bowl of Italian pasta salad at home you will need:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Pasta: This recipe uses wholegrain fusilli, but any type of small pasta will work well.

Tomatoes: Use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes. For an extra vibrant salad look for different colours of tomatoes (heritage/heirloom).

Mozzarella: A soft Italian cheese is essential for making this Italian pasta salad. Use small pearls of mozzarella or alternatively tear up a larger ball. Burrata is also a great option. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Pecorino cheese: This is optional and can also be substituted with parmesan. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Fresh basil and parsley: Fresh herbs are just the best taste in salads and I highly recommend using fresh basil at the very least. Especially in this Italian salad as it pairs perfectly with the tomatoes and mozzarella

Cannellini Beans: Beans are an optional extra and are used here to bulk out the salad and boost the protein content without adding meat.

❓ Frequently asked questions

🥗 Other delicious salad recipes

• Vietnamese Style Beef salad
• Roasted Cauliflower Salad
• Mango Avocado Salad
• Chicken Satay and Quinoa Salad
• Chicken Fajita Salad

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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Italian Pasta Salad

A fresh and vibrant Italian pasta salad made with wholegrain pasta, juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. This nutritious and full flavoured pasta salad is perfect for dishing out at lunches or parties and is great as an on the go snack or working lunch. Make this Italian Pasta salad recipe in just 15 minutes and enjoy topped with fresh basil and a homemade Italian dressing.

Course Dinner, lunch, party food

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 450kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Large pan to cook pasta
• Large mixing bowl for the pasta salad
• Small bowl to make the dressing

Ingredients

For the Pasta Salad

• 250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried uncooked
• 500 g heritage and/or baby tomatoes roughly chopped
• 100 g cucumber chopped into small cubes
• 80 g Red bell pepper chopped into small cubes
• 60 g Black olives halved
• 100 g Mozzarella pearls or large ball torn up
• Handful of basil leaves roughly torn
• Handful of fresh parsley finely chopped
• Half tin of cannellini beans optional

For the Italian Dressing

• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or any alternative cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard
• ½ a lemon
 juiced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Toppings

• 25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese or alternative hard cheese
• Extra basil leaves

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente (or according to packet instructions). Place the cooked pasta and pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together well.
  250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried, 500 g heritage and/or baby tomatoes roughly chopped, 100 g cucumber chopped into small cubes, 80 g Red bell pepper chopped into small cubes, 60 g Black olives halved, 100 g Mozzarella pearls or large ball torn up, Handful of basil leaves roughly torn, Handful of fresh parsley finely chopped, Half tin of cannellini beans
• In a small bowl mix together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, wholegrain mustard, lemon juice and Italian seasoning.
  2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Honey, 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard, ½ a lemon
 juiced, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in.
• Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves.
  25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese, Extra basil leaves

Video

Notes

How to store? Pasta salad will last 3 to 4 days if covered with a sealable lid or cling film and kept in the fridge. This recipe a great option for meal prep and will easily provide meals for 3 or 4 days.

How to you stop cooked pasta from sticking together? To ensure the pasta doesn't stick together make sure the cooking water is boiling and stir the pasta well as soon as its placed into the water. After cooking rinse under cold water. If you aren't using the pasta right away it may eventually start to stick together. All you need to do is rinse the pasta under cold water again and toss until the pieces separate.

Can this recipe be made in advance? Yes pasta salad can be made up to 3 days in advance then covered and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.

Pasta: This recipe uses wholegrain fusilli, but any type of small pasta will work well.

Tomatoes: Use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes.

Mozzarella: A soft Italian cheese is essential for making this Italian pasta salad. Use small pearls of mozzarella or alternatively tear up a larger ball. Burrata is also a great option. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Pecorino cheese: This is optional and can also be substituted with parmesan. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Fresh basil and parsley: Fresh herbs are just the best taste in salads and I highly recommend using fresh basil at the very least. Especially in this Italian salad as it pairs perfectly with the tomatoes and mozzarella.

Cannellini Beans: Beans are an optional extra and are used here to bulk out the salad and boost the protein content without adding meat.

Tips:

• For extra colour use green, red, orange and yellow tomatoes. Heritage or heirloom tomatoes are usually the best option.
• Make sure the cooked pasta is fully cooled before adding to the salad. To do this, drain into a sieve then rinse in cold water until the pasta is cold to the touch. There are 2 reasons for doing this. Firstly, to stop the cooking process and ensure the pasta doesn't go soggy. Secondly, to make sure that the rest of the ingredients stay crisp and fresh.
• If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce like in this salmon pasta recipe or this salmon and prawn linguine.

Nutrition

Serving: 296g | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2061IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 5mg

This post was first published in Aug 2019. Updated in Sept 2021 with an improved photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Italian Pasta Salad appeared first on ProperFoodie.

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

With autumn comes the changing of the weather and leaves and the need for more comforting and warming dishes comes about. So its out with the basil and in with the celery leaf, out with the pine nuts and in with the walnut to create this delicious autumnal pesto. Celery and walnut pesto is less aromatic than a basil pesto recipe, with more of an earthy flavour. Its perfectly balanced to go with autumnal dishes such as roasted root veggies, baked sweet potatoes, warming and creamy lasagnas and even plump, little ravioli parcels.....there's plenty of ideas to go at.

The celery leaf is also great to use up in soup recipes: celery, apple and blue cheese garden soup post 

The autumnal vibe of this recipe was inspired by our latest trip to Italy. Did we eat a lot whilst we were there?.... Yes, of course, we ate a tonne. Did we care that we were meant to be there to plan our wedding and not eat all of Italy's pasta in one sitting? No, not one bit.

🥘 Ingredients

To make this walnut pesto recipe you will need:

• Celery leaves roughly chopped
• Walnut oil
• Garlic cloves roughly chopped
• Walnuts
• Green apples cored and diced
• Mint leaves
• Edamame beans
• Parmesan grated
• Salt
• Cider vinegar

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Celery leaves: can be replaced with celery stems but make sure to peel the outer edge to remove any stringy bits first.

Edamame beans: are optional but will add extra protein and give the pesto a more robust texture.

Walnuts: are the best option for this recipe but if you can't get hold of any a good substitute would be pecans.

Parmesan: For a vegetarian version replace parmesan with vegetarian cheese.

⛪ Our wedding

But yes......our wedding!! Thats right - this massive thing that seems to be gobbling up my time at the moment, but something that I've failed to talk about on here. So next year, Ben and I will be married in the beautiful surroundings of the Italian countryside, following on from our engagement last year whilst we were in Pienza!

Of course the plans so far for the wedding are lots of pasta, risotto, wine and a good bunch of laughter and happy times. Excited doesn't even begin to describe where I am at with this right now. There's still lots of planning to be sorted, and I'm sure a great deal of stress to cope with but I can't wait to get back to Italy next year and become Mrs Jones :-O

🍹Autumn holiday

But back to the trip we've just had: A holiday abroad in autumn is just simply magical. All the trees are changing and brandishing fiery reds or warming oranges, the mornings have a slight chill which brings a mysterious mist and subtle sunrises. The birds are also aware of the changes and migrate above the skies or dance in pretty patterns through the trees.

Grapevines are usually harvested for their annual fruits at this time of year, but some vineyards have vines that flower a little later so are still flush with huge bunches of juicy grapes. A glorious site and I really do hope that next year we can get wedding pictures amongst grapevines with cascading bunches of grapes 🙂

The autumnal produce of Italy from peaches and beetroot to truffles and cabbage, meant that we had some stunning plates of food. Of course there was the usual mountain of cheese and cold cuts, but there was also plenty of inspiration for me with dishes like: sea bream baked with paprika and radicchio; suckling pig with apples, raisins and cabbage; shredded beetroot chutney; fresh pappardelle pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce and fresh truffle; the glorious and ubiquitous apricot breakfast tart; sea bream and lime tortelloni with burrata cheese; and of course walnut pesto. I just had to have a go at making my own version of this incredible pesto! 

📖 Recipe

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Celery, Apple and Walnut Pesto

Sweet and earthy walnut pesto recipe made with juicy apples, crunchy walnuts and fresh celery leaves. This recipe is great for using up the leaves on top of your celery and can be whizzed up in just 5 minutes.

Course Appetizer, condiment, dip, party food, side, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10 portions

Calories 211kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Small blender or food processor
• Grater

Ingredients

• 100 g Celery leaves roughly chopped
• 150 ml Walnut oil
• 100 ml water
• 2 Garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 50 g Walnuts
• 85 g Green apples cored and diced
• 10 g Mint leaves
• 50 g Edamame beans
• 75 g Parmesan grated
• Pinch of Salt
• Teaspoon Cider vinegar

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Place the celery leaves, garlic cloves, walnuts, chopped apples, mint leaves, beans, salt and cider vinegar into a blender or food processor. Add half of the water and half of the walnut oil.
  100 g Celery leaves, 150 ml Walnut oil, 100 ml water, 2 Garlic cloves, 50 g Walnuts, 85 g Green apples, 10 g Mint leaves, 50 g Edamame beans, Pinch of Salt, Teaspoon Cider vinegar
• Pulse into a paste adding more water or oil if needed.
• Grate the parmesan and stir in a bit at a time until you are happy with the taste and texture.
  75 g Parmesan
• Taste and add more salt, parmesan or oil depending on the taste and consistency you are after.

Notes

How to store? Transfer the pesto to a sealable jar or container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost leave on the side overnight. If freezing I recommend freezing small amounts in small containers so you can defrost as much or as little as you need.

What to serve with walnut pesto? This pesto is great stirred through pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa or any other kind of grain. I also love to use it as a topping on roasted sweet potato, chargrilled veggies and pan fried chicken or fish.

Celery leaves: can be replaced with celery stems but make sure to peel the outer edge to remove any stringy bits first.

Edamame beans: are optional but will add extra protein and give the pesto a more robust texture.

Walnuts: are the best option for this recipe but if you can't get hold of any a good substitute would be pecans.

Parmesan: For a vegetarian version replace parmesan with vegetarian cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 10portions | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Celery, Apple and Walnut Pesto appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Homemade pesto recipe made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts and grated parmesan. Freshly made in just 5 minutes and bursting with aromatic flavours and an intense green colour. This is pesto at its best!

Find out how to make and store this vibrant pesto recipe so you always have a jar ready to go in the fridge.

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🥘 Ingredients

To make basil pesto at home you will need:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Pine nuts: Pine nuts are the best option for this recipe but if you can't get hold of any a good substitute would be cashew nuts or pecans. Walnut pesto is also an option.

Parmesan: For a vegetarian version replace parmesan with vegetarian cheese.

📖 Recipe

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Basil Pesto Recipe

Homemade pesto recipe made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts and grated parmesan. Freshly made in just 5 minutes and bursting with aromatic flavours and an intense green colour. This is pesto at its best!

Course Appetizer, condiment, dip, party food, paste, sauce, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 217kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Small blender or food processor
• Grater

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove peeled and roughly chopped
• 75 g fresh basil leaves
• 30 g pine nuts
• Pinch sea salt
• 100 ml olive oil
• 50 g parmesan grated

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Place the basil leaves, garlic clove, pine nuts and salt into a blender or food processor. Add just half of the oil.
  1 garlic clove, 75 g fresh basil leaves, 30 g pine nuts, Pinch sea salt, 100 ml olive oil
• Pulse into a paste adding more oil if needed.
• Grate the parmesan and stir in a bit at a time until you are happy with the taste and texture.
  50 g parmesan
• Taste and add more salt, parmesan or oil depending on the taste and consistency you are after.

Notes

How to store? Transfer the pesto to a sealable jar or container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost leave on the side overnight. If freezing I recommend freezing small amounts in small containers so you can defrost as much or as little as you need.

What to serve with basil pesto? This pesto is great stirred through pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa or any other kind of grain. I also love to use it as a topping on ravioli, roasted sweet potato, chargrilled veggies and pan fried chicken or fish. 

For something a little different try basil pesto on a pizza base, over tomato and mozzarella salad or layer into a vegetable lasagna or aubergine parmigiana.

Pine nuts: Pine nuts are the best option for this recipe but if you can't get hold of any a good substitute would be cashew nuts or pecans. Walnut pesto is also an option.

Parmesan: For a vegetarian version replace parmesan with vegetarian cheese. Tips: Only add half of the oil to begin with. Blend and then check the consistency before adding more oil if needed. Grate the parmesan separately then stir in to the blended pesto. This improves the texture and gives more control over the taste and amount of parmesan

Tips:

• Only add half of the oil to begin with. Blend and then check the consistency before adding more oil if needed.
• Grate the parmesan separately then stir in to the blended pesto. This improves the texture and gives more control over the taste and amount of parmesan

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 726IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was first published in Oct 2015. Updated in Aug 2021 with an improved recipe and photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Basil Pesto Recipe appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Easy to make healthy banana bread, baked fresh at home with wholegrain spelt flour, honey and olive oil. The mixture is easy to prepare and can be ready in just 10 minutes! This delicious banana bread bakes with a perfect rise, a moist crumbly finish, and has a scattering of nuts for that extra boost in healthy fats.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

With a simple method that requires only 10 minutes of prep time, this is a great dessert for when you have mouths to feed and time to save! Theres no need for any mixers and theres certainly no concerns over adding eggs too quickly or mixtures splitting. Just mix together the ingredients, pour into a lined loaf tin and bake. Super simple.

The ingredients in this recipe are also super healthy and include honey instead of refined sugar, oil instead of butter, and a mix of ground almonds and organic wholegrain spelt flour instead of plain white flour. This healthy banana bread also has an extra egg white and a teaspoon of organic apple Cider Vinegar. The end product: a wholesome, flavourful, nutritious and no mess banana bread treat.

🥘 Ingredients

To make this healthy banana bread recipe you will need:

Ingredient notes

Bananas: Use bananas that are ripe and soft. Bananas that are underripe will be harder to mash up and less sweet

Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: spices work wonderfully well in banana bread and add a warming sweet and woody flavour. However, you can leave these out or replace with your preferred spices.

Apple cider vinegar: If you can't get hold of any replace with lemon juice.

Wholegrain spelt flour: Any type of wholegrain flour will work here. If you prefer you can replace with your preferred type of flour (gluten free, rye, almond). For a standard banana bread loaf opt for plain flour.

Ground almonds: If you don't have ground almonds or would prefer not use, then replace with the same amount of flour.

Toppings: Topping options could include nuts and seeds, dried banana chips, pieces of fresh banana or a whole banana sliced in half length ways and positioned on top with the inside facing upwards. Place all topping on the top of the cake mix before being baked.

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Start by pre-heating the oven to 165 degrees C. Then lightly grease a loaf tin and line with strip of greaseproof paper (should be as wide as the length of the tin) (Paper just needs to cover the base and the 2 long inner sides). Peel the bananas and place in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the bananas to a rough pulp (no need for the banana to be pureed as a few lumpy pieces adds to the texture and flavour).
2. Next add in all the other wet ingredients: 6tbsp honey, 2 eggs and one egg white, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), and 3 tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk together until fully combined.
3. Next add all the dry ingredients, apart from the flour, to the wet mixture: 50g ground almonds, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently stir together.
4. Lastly add the wholegrain spelt flour (or other variety of wholegrain flour) to the bowl and fold in gently using the spatula.
5. Carefully pour the banana bread mixture into the lined loaf tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds and chopped walnuts. Alternative fold the nuts into the mixture before transferring to the tin. Place the loaf tin in the centre of the pre-heated oven. Bake for 50 minutes until golden brown and a inserted skewer comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a minute or two before removing from the tin and placing on a cooling rack. When completely cool, remove the greaseproof paper, slice and serve.

💭 Expert tips

• For gluten free banana bread replace the wholegrain flour with gluten free flour and check the labels of all other ingredients for any traces of gluten.
• Use the nuts as a topping or stir into the cake mixture before pouring into the tin. Or if you prefer leave out altogether.

❓ Frequently asked questions

📖 Recipe

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Healthy Banana Bread

Easy to make healthy banana bread, baked fresh at home with wholegrain spelt flour, honey and olive oil. The mixture is easy to prepare and can be ready in just 10 minutes! This delicious banana bread bakes with a perfect rise, a moist crumbly finish, and has a scattering of nuts for that extra boost in healthy fats.

Course afternoon tea, Breakfast, Dessert, party food, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10 slices

Calories 238kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula or spoon
• Loaf tin lined with greaseproof paper
• Cooling rack

Ingredients

• 2 Large ripe bananas or 3 small
• 6 tablespoon Honey
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 Egg white
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon Olive oil
• 50 g Ground almonds
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
• 175 g Wholegrain spelt flour or any other variety of wholegrain flour
• 10 g Flaked almonds Topping - optional
• 25 g Chopped walnuts Topping - optional

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Start by pre-heating the oven to 165 degrees C. Then lightly grease a loaf tin and line with strip of greaseproof paper (should be as wide as the length of the tin) (Paper just needs to cover the base and the 2 long inner sides). Peel the bananas and place in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the bananas to a rough pulp (no need for the banana to be pureed as a few lumpy pieces adds to the texture and flavour).
• Next add in all the other wet ingredients: 6 tablespoon honey, 2 eggs and one egg white, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), and 3 tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk together until fully combined.
• Next add all the dry ingredients, apart from the flour, to the wet mixture: 50g ground almonds, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently stir together.
• Lastly add the wholegrain spelt flour (or other variety of wholegrain flour) to the bowl and fold in gently using the spatula.
• Carefully pour the banana bread mixture into the lined loaf tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds and chopped walnuts. Alternative fold the nuts into the mixture before transferring to the tin. Place the loaf tin in the centre of the pre-heated oven. Bake for 50 minutes until golden brown and a inserted skewer comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a minute or two before removing from the tin and placing on a cooling rack. When completely cool, remove the greaseproof paper, slice and serve.

Video

Notes

Bananas: Use bananas that are ripe and soft. Bananas that are underripe will be harder to mash up and less sweet

Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: spices work wonderfully well in banana bread and add a warming sweet and woody flavour. However, you can leave these out or replace with your preferred spices.

Apple cider vinegar: If you can't get hold of any replace with lemon juice.

Wholegrain spelt flour: Any type of wholegrain flour will work here. If you prefer you can replace with your preferred type of flour (gluten free, rye, almond). For a standard banana bread loaf opt for plain flour.

Ground almonds: If you don't have ground almonds or would prefer not use, then replace with the same amount of flour.

Gluten free banana bread: For gluten free banana bread replace the wholegrain flour with gluten free flour and check the labels of all other ingredients for any traces of gluten.

What other ingredients you can add to banana bread? To add a boost of flavour to your banana bread try topping with or mixing in walnuts, chopped hazelnuts, pistachio nuts or pecan nuts. Or why not try mixing in nutella or peanut butter. If you're not a massive fan of nuts you could try blueberries, chopped dates, chocolate chips, dried banana, fresh banana sliced in half, sultanas, black sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, orange peel or lime zest.

How to store? Banana bread will keep well and stay moist for at least 3-4 days if stored correctly. Wrap the banana bread in two layers of cling film or foil. Then store in a sealed, container at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 75g | Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was first published in July 2019. Updated in May 2021 with improved step by step instructions and expert tips.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links to products I am recommending (apple cider vinegar and wholegrain spelt flour), which means if you click this link and then go on to purchase the product, I will receive a small percentage – this will not affect the amount you pay. I will only ever link to and promote products that I have tried and tested myself.

The post Healthy Banana Bread appeared first on ProperFoodie.

I'm back dreaming of the those rolling Toscana hills again - I can't help it. I always seem to come back to Italy when I'm cooking from the heart. And this dish really is from the heart. Its a homemade vegetable and bean soup - plain and simple. But this recipe has so much depth, flavour and tradition, that you know it just has to taste amazing.

Why make this recipe?

Tuscan Bean soup comes from making simple foods go a long way and also making sure that those simple foods don't go to waste. Some leftover carrots or celery? chuck em in. Some stale bread? Yep that goes in too! Its all about making the most of what you have and turning leftovers into a meal fit for a king.

This is the perfect recipe for the end of the week when you may have leftovers or food that needs to be used up. Its also really easy to make and super healthy - whats not to like?

If you're after some more Italian flavour and flare have a quick peek at my Amarone Risotto, or my homemade tiramisu, or how about a salami ragu? or if you're feeling really adventurous why not have a go at making your own pasta?

Ingredients

For this Tuscan ribollita soup recipe you will need a few simple ingredients, many of which are cupboard staples or possible leftovers.

Kale: Traditionally this recipe is made with black kale but any kind of kale or cabbage will work well here. I usually add the kale or cabbage at the very end and gently warm for 5 minutes so allowing it to soften whilst maintaining its colour and nutrients.

Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino is simply wonderful in this recipe. It adds a great depth of flavour and lovely a creamy texture. However, if you want to keep this soup strictly vegetarian then make sure to replace with a vegetarian cheese. Or if you want a super healthy vegetable soup then just skip the cheese.

Beans: Cannellini beans work well here as they are white and pearly and stand out against the other ingredients. They are also easy to blend down and so help to create a creamy soup without adding cream, milk, yogurt or cheese. Any other kind of white bean will work just as well.

Vine tomatoes: For the tomatoes I like to use baby vine tomatoes, which are slightly sweeter than the larger version. However, either the baby or the large variety work just as well. Either use two large vine tomatoes sliced and deseeded or weight out around 140g of baby vine tomatoes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and leeks and cook on a medium heat until softened. Add garlic, dried thyme, carrot and celery then stir and continue to cook.
2. Next add the tomatoes, stock and fresh sprigs of thyme. Stir and bring to the boil. Pop on a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes remove the lid and stir in the cannellini beans and freshly grated parmesan. Cook for a 2-3 minutes.
4. Next transfer ⅓ of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Pour the smooth part of the soup back in the chunky soup and mix well.
6. Stir in the black kale or cabbage. Pop the lid back on and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the kale has just started to wilt.
7. Remove the lid, season with sea salt, black pepper and parmesan, then serve.
8. TIP: To stick the traditional recipe of Tuscan Ribollita soup, line the serving bowls with stale bread (or slices of ciabatta if you prefer) and pour the soup over the top. The bread soaks up the soup and thickens.

Other soup recipes you might like:

• Leek and potato soup
• Cauliflower soup
• Hungarian mushroom soup
• Clam chowder
• Pumpkin soup
• Mulligatawny chicken and wild rice soup
• Celery, apple and blue cheese soup

📖 Recipe

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Tuscan Ribollita Soup

Italian Ribollita soup is a creamy, healthy, full flavoured vegetable soup. Made with store cupboard ingredients and all those leftovers from the week this budget friendly, autumnal soup is perfect for an easy meal when the nights are starting to draw in.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, starter

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 298kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

• ½ tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 large onion 200g finely chopped
• 1 Leek 80g chopped
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 carrot 150g finely chopped
• 2 celery 100g sticks finely chopped
• 2 medium vine tomatoes deseeded and roughly cubed 140g
• 600 ml vegetable stock plus extra water if required
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tin cannellini beans 240g drained
• 20 g freshly grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative
• 100 g black kale or cabbage

Optional

• Sea salt black pepper and extra parmesan to season
• Ciabatta or stale bread to serve

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and leeks and cook on a medium heat until softened. Add garlic, dried thyme, carrot and celery then stir and continue to cook. Next add the tomatoes, stock and fresh sprigs of thyme. Stir and bring to the boil. Pop on a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes remove the lid and stir in the cannellini beans and freshly grated parmesan. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Next transfer ⅓ of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the smooth part of the soup back in the chunky soup and mix well. Stir in the black kale. Pop the lid back on and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the kale has just started to wilt.
• Remove the lid, season with sea salt, black pepper and parmesan, then serve.

Video

Notes

Recipe tip:

To stick the traditional recipe of Tuscan Ribollita soup, line the serving bowls with stale bread (or slices of ciabatta if you prefer) and pour the soup over the top. The bread soaks up the soup and thickens.

Is ribollita soup healthy?

Honestly, this must be the best soup! Each bowl is just under 300 calories, with only 8g fat and 3g saturates. Its also full of veg - as you can probably see, each bowl has a whopping 4 servings of veg in it. Theres also 9g of fibre, 22g protein, 37g carbs, and its high in potassium and vitamin A (good for your heart muscles and your immune system). So you get the picture its nutritious, its well balanced - this is one healthy vegetable soup!

What can I use if I don't have vegetable stock?

You can definitely get by without vegetable stock, vegetable stock is basically vegetables boiled, with herbs and seasoning, to release their flavours and then conveniently packaged for you! just add water in place of the stock and cook the vegetables until they are soft then season the cooking water well.  Add dried Italian seasoning to enhance that authentic flavour!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 800mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 19g

This post was first published in February 2018. Updated in January 2021 with new ingredients photo, step-by-step photos and recipe tips.

The post Tuscan Ribollita Soup (Healthy Vegetable Soup) appeared first on ProperFoodie.

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Nigiri sushi is a non-roll sushi and probably the easiest to make. First an oblong ball of sushi rice is formed using your hands. Then a topping is added - usually cooked, butterflied king prawns, which are secured onto the rice with a bit of wasabi paste. But you can use other types of fish or veg to top your nigiri. If you're being extra adventurous and looking for extra marks for presentation have a go at wrapping a thin strip of nori around the nigiri sushi.

Although a lot simpler than any other type of sushi the symmetrical and regimented look of the nigiri is quite effective. The perfect addition to a sushi platter masterpiece.

🍣 Making sushi at home

For more detailed information, sushi making tips and a full list of what you will need for making your own sushi at home jump over to my full guide for sushi rolls. Also, have a look at how to make sushi rice and how you can make other types of sushi rolls including maki sushi, California rolls and dragon roll sushi.

🥘 Ingredients

To make 20 pieces of nigiri sushi you will need the following:

• 300g of prepared sushi rice
• 20 cooked and butterflied king prawns
• Wasabi paste

🔪 Instructions

For nigiri sushi you don't need any nori sheets and theres no rolling so you don't need a bamboo mat.

1. First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe.
2. Wet your hands then take a small handful of sushi rice and start to shape in your hands to create a round oblong shape.
3. Next add a pea sized amount of wasabi paste to the top of each rice ball and spread out evenly using a knife.
4. Finally, stick a topping to each rice ball, here I have used butterflied king prawns, which came preprepared in the Fish society's sashimi kit.
5. Present the nigiri sushi with the topping facing up. However, advise your guests that nigiri sushi should be eaten topping side down to get the best out of the flavours. I advise: - eat it all in one to avoid the mess 🙂
6.  

💭 Recipe tips

For more recipes with fish try fish pie, salmon and prawn linguine, fish biryani, healthy fish and chips, frozen salmon and potato traybake, haddock risotto and Chinese prawns recipe.

Let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a comment and star rating below. you can also pin the recipe on pinterest. Or if you prefer you can pin the video.

📖 Recipe

Print

Nigiri Sushi

Nigiri sushi is simply a ball of sushi rice topped with cooked butterflied king prawns. Usual served without any raw fish this is a great option sushi-newbies, kids, and anyone who really can’t stand uncooked fish. These easy sushi balls are quick to make and perfect for using up that last bit of rice.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, party food, starter, starter or main

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people (20 pieces of nigiri sushi)

Calories 196kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• 1 Cutting board for slicing veg and 1 cutting board for slicing raw fish
• 1 Sharp non serrated knife
• 1 Small pan to cook the rice
• Mixing bowl and spoon
• Bowl of water (to keep your hands wet when handling rice)
• A cloth to clean and tidy and wipe as you go
• A platter for serving
• Chop sticks for eating (optional- sushi is traditionally eaten with the fingers)

Ingredients

• 300 g of prepared sushi rice
• 20 cooked and butterflied king prawns
• Wasabi paste

Instructions

• First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe.
  
• Wet your hands then take a small handful of sushi rice and start to shape in your hands to create a round oblong shape.
  
• Next add a pea sized amount of wasabi paste to the top of each rice ball and spread out evenly using a knife.
  
• Finally, stick a topping to each rice ball, here I have used butterflied king prawns, which came preprepared in the Fish society's sashimi kit. Feel free to use alternative toppings to suit your own taste.
  
• Present the nigiri sushi with the topping facing up. However, advise your guests that nigiri sushi should be eaten topping side down to get the best out of the flavours. I advise: - eat it all in one to avoid the mess 🙂
  

Video

Notes

Rice: To create the right kind of flavour mix your sushi rice with rice wine vinegar and mirin rice wine, sugar and salt.

Water: Have a bowl of water on hand to keep your hands wet when handling the sushi rice. Sushi rice is extremely sticky and if your hands are dry you’ll find it sticks to you rather than the seaweed. Things can get very messy very quickly.

Sushi grade fish: If using raw fish I'd suggesting using fish that has been frozen to below the right temperature for the correct amount of time, which will be a lot safer to consume raw. See my full guide on sushi rolls for further details on freezing fish and sushi grade fish.

Sashimi kit: If using raw fish I'd suggest buying a sashimi kit that comes with a selection of sushi grade, frozen, raw fish ready for slicing into thin pieces (sashimi). I highly recommend the sashimi kit from the Fish Society, which is what I used for making all of my sushi recipes. And there was some fish left over from this, so it goes a long way. This kit comes with 4 different types of frozen, raw fish, plus cooked, butterflied king prawns. The Fish society guarantees a total weight of 300g of sushi grade fish. The kit also includes sachets of soy sauce, sachets of wasabi, sachets of pickled ginger and 2 sets of wooden chop sticks.

Vegetables: If using veg instead of, or as well as fish, go for bright colours that will look pretty against the white rice. Also choose veg that will last and not go limp. For nigiri sushi choose veg or fruit that can be cut to the shape of the rice ball so it can sit neatly on top. Some ideas: Avocado (toss in lime juice), mango, bell pepper, cucumber ribbons.

Wasabi: Use wasabi paste to help stick your butterflied prawns/fish/veg to your sushi balls when making nigiri sushi

Wrap and chill: Once your sushi are made, plate up cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This will firstly keep the sushi nice and fresh but will also set the rice and make your sushi easier to handle and eat.

Condiments: Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi for that extra punch of flavour and touch of authenticity.

Time!: Give yourself plenty of time! Don’t under estimate the mess this can make and the time it can take just to prepare your veg and fish alone.

Nutrition

Serving: 136g | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.6g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 0.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 203.2mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1.7g | Vitamin A: 68.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 43.6mg | Iron: 0.8mg

The post Nigiri Sushi appeared first on ProperFoodie.

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Maki sushi is one of the easier types of sushi roll to make yourself. So if you are making sushi for the first time, this is a good place to start. Maki sushi rolls are smaller and thinner than most other sushi and unlike California rolls and Dragon rolls the rice is on the inside with the seaweed on the outer edge.

Maki sushi is made with half a nori sheet and the filling can be just raw fish, just veg or both. As the maki sushi is small the inside shouldn’t be over filled, so spread the rice as thinly as possible and only use 2 pieces of veg or fish. If you want to use 3 fillings there is also a Futomaki which is the larger version of the maki sushi (2-2.5 inches wide). For this use a full sheet of nori.

🍣 Making sushi at home

For more detailed information, sushi making tips and a full list of what you will need for making your own sushi at home jump over to my full guide for sushi rolls. Also, have a look at how to make sushi rice and how you can make other types of sushi rolls including California rolls, dragon roll sushi and nigiri sushi.

🥘 Ingredients

To make 36 pieces of maki sushi you will need the following:

• 300g cooked and prepared sushi rice
• 3 sheets of nori (seaweed sheets)
• ¼ cucumber sliced into thin sticks
• ½ bell pepper sliced into thin sticks
• ½ avocado sliced thinly
• 120g Sushi grade fish (optional) (tuna, salmon, cod). See my full sushi rolls guide for more information on sushi grade fish

Substitutions: The fish and veg filling can be swapped to suit your taste. Try with other vegetables such as raw carrot, raw beetroot, raw red cabbage, celery. If you want to add some sashimi (raw, thinly sliced sushi grade fish). Try with this Sashimi Kit from The Fish Society . (Includes 60g+ Saba Mackerel, 60g+ Gindara Black cod, 60g+ Maguro tuna, 60g+ Chalkstripe salmon belly, 60g+ butterflied king prawns, soy sauce sachets, wasabi sachets, pickled ginger sachets and chop sticks.

🔪 Instructions

1. Rice: First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe
   Save
2. Set up your working area: Bamboo mat ready to roll your sushi, bowl of water to keep your hands wet, sliced fish and veg, bowl of prepared sushi rice, and sheets of nori.
3. Half a nori sheet: First, start by halving the nori paper (maki sushi is a smaller roll so only half is required).
   
4. Spread the rice: Next use the water to wet your hands before handling the sushi rice. Take a golf ball sized amount of sushi rice, shape into a ball then place in the centre of the nori. Wet your hands again and then begin to spread the rice ball over the surface of the nori, leaving a 1 cm gap at the top. The rice should be as thin as possible, aim for 1 to 2 grains thickness across the sheet.
   
5. Add the filling: Next place lines of veg or fish filling across the rice, this should be towards the bottom edge, about 2cms up. Because maki sushi is so small, you shouldn’t use more than 2 fillings, and in some cases just one is fine. Here I have used 1 fish filling (tuna) and 1 veg filling (avocado).
6. Now its time to roll the sushi: Pick up the bottom end of the mat and start to fold it over. The first roll you should be aiming to get the bottom end over the fillings. Then lift the end of the mat up again and roll and tighten. Continue to roll until the sushi comes out at the other side.
7. Slice: To finish slice the sushi roll into six maki sushi using a wet knife. Dip the knife into the water then hold up and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed. To keep things neat slice and discard the ends.
8. Repeat: Repeat the above with the remaining ingredients. Present sushi side on, so the inside is visible

💭 Tips and tricks

Once you have made maki sushi you can start to branch out and make all kinds of sushi including California rolls, Dragon rolls and nigiri sushi. Make all four and present on a big platter to really impress your friends.

Let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below. You can also pin the recipe on pinterest. Or if you prefer you can pin the video.

📖 Recipe

Print

📋 Maki sushi

Maki sushi is a smaller type of sushi where the fish a veg are in the middle of sushi rice (sumeshi) with a seaweed sheet (nori) wrapped around the outside. Here, I will show you how to make your own maki sushi at home with my simple step by step guide.

Course Dinner, Main Course, party food, Snack, starter

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people (36 pieces of sushi)

Calories 217kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• 1 Bamboo Rolling Mat (Makisu) or use baking paper
• 1 Cutting board for slicing veg and 1 cutting board for slicing raw fish
• 1 Sharp non serrated knife
• 1 Small pan to cook the rice
• Mixing bowl and spoon
• Bowl of water (to keep your hands wet when handling rice)
• A cloth to clean and tidy and wipe as you go
• A platter for serving
• Chop sticks for eating (optional- sushi is traditionally eaten with the fingers)

Ingredients

• 300 g cooked and prepared sushi rice
• 3 sheets of nori seaweed sheets
• ¼ cucumber sliced into thin sticks
• ½ bell pepper sliced into thin sticks
• ½ avocado sliced thinly
• 120 g Sushi grade fish optional (tuna, salmon, cod) see my full sushi guide for more information on sushi grade fish

Instructions

• First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe
  
• Bamboo mat ready to roll your sushi, bowl of water to keep your hands wet, sliced fish and veg, bowl of prepared sushi rice, and sheets of nori.
  
• First, start by halving the nori paper (maki sushi is a smaller roll so only half is required).
  
• Next use the water to wet your hands before handling the sushi rice. Take a golf ball sized amount of sushi rice, shape into a ball then place in the centre of the nori. Wet your hands again and then begin to spread the rice ball over the surface of the nori, leaving a 1 cm gap at the top. The rice should be as thin as possible, aim for 1 to 2 grains thickness across the sheet.
  
• Next place lines of veg or fish filling across the rice, this should be towards the bottom edge, about 2cms up. Because maki sushi is so small, you shouldn’t use more than 2 fillings, and in some cases just one is fine. Here I have used 1 fish filling (tuna) and 1 veg filling (avocado).
  
• Pick up the bottom end of the mat and start to fold it over. The first roll you should be aiming to get the bottom end over the fillings. Then lift the end of the mat up again and roll and tighten. Continue to roll until the sushi comes out at the other side.
  
• To finish slice the sushi roll into six maki sushi using a wet knife. Dip the knife into the water then hold up and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed. To keep things neat slice and discard the ends.
  
• Repeat the above with the remaining ingredients. Present sushi side on so the inside is visible.
  

Video

Notes

Rice: To create the right kind of flavour mix your sushi rice with rice wine vinegar and mirin rice wine, sugar and salt.

Bamboo mat: Get yourself a Bamboo Rolling Mat. The sushi making process is made so much easier if you have a mat to help you roll and tighten your sushi rolls. However, you don’t have to use a bamboo mat. If you can’t get hold of one you can use baking paper to roll your sushi.

Water: Have a bowl of water on hand to keep your hands wet when handling the sushi rice. Sushi rice is extremely sticky and if your hands are dry you’ll find it sticks to you rather than the seaweed. Things can get very messy very quickly.

Sushi grade fish: If using raw fish I'd suggesting using fish that has been frozen to below the right temperature for the correct amount of time, which will be a lot safer to consume raw. See my full guide on sushi rolls for further details on freezing fish and sushi grade fish.

Sashimi kit: If using raw fish I'd suggest buying a sashimi kit that comes with a selection of sushi grade, frozen, raw fish ready for slicing into thin pieces (sashimi). I highly recommend the sashimi kit from the Fish Society, which is what I used for making all of my sushi recipes. And there was some fish left over from this, so it goes a long way. This kit comes with 4 different types of frozen, raw fish, plus cooked, butterflied king prawns. The Fish society guarantees a total weight of 300g of sushi grade fish. The kit also includes sachets of soy sauce, sachets of wasabi, sachets of pickled ginger and 2 sets of wooden chop sticks.

Vegetables: If using veg instead of, or as well as fish, go for bright colours that will look pretty against the white rice. Also choose veg that will last and not go limp. Obvious choices include cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, raw beetroot, radish and red cabbage. I also love to use avocado, which I toss in lime juice immediately after slicing to stop it oxidising and going brown.

Small sushi: Maki sushi are smaller rolls so halve your seaweed paper to make these.

Don't use too much rice: Try not to place too much rice on the seaweed sheet. Spread as thinly as possible over your nori sheet and leave a 2cm gap at the top to allow room for sealing.

Knife: Use a long blade, sharp, non serrated knife for slicing your sushi. Before slicing dip the knife blade in water and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. This stops the blade from sticking.

Slicing: When slicing sushi with rice on the outer edge (California rolls) place cling film over your finished rolls first. This will help to keep the roll together and help to keep its shape whilst you slice.

Wrap and chill: Once your sushi are made, plate up cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This will firstly keep the sushi nice and fresh but will also set the rice and make your sushi easier to handle and eat.

Condiments: Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi for that extra punch of flavour and touch of authenticity.

Time!: Give yourself plenty of time! Don’t under estimate the mess this can make and the time it can take just to prepare your veg and fish alone.

Nutrition

Serving: 164g | Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.5g | Protein: 8.8g | Fat: 5.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.2g | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 320.8mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 2.3g | Vitamin A: 45.6IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 18.7mg | Iron: 0.6mg

The post Maki Sushi appeared first on ProperFoodie.

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The dragon roll is one of the more impressive pieces of sushi and not only does it boast rice on the outside but it also has a topping. The topping is usually avocado, which is said to resemble that of a dragon scale. In this guide I used salmon as well as avocado for a bit of extra colour in the topping.

🍣 Making sushi at home

For more detailed information, sushi making tips and a full list of what you will need for making your own sushi at home jump over to my full guide for sushi rolls. Also, have a look at how to make sushi rice and how you can make other types of sushi rolls including maki sushi, California rolls and nigiri sushi.

🥘 Ingredients

To make 30 pieces of Dragon roll sushi you will need the following:

• 600g of cooked and prepared sushi rice
• 1 pack nori sheets (5 in a pack) (seaweed sheets)
• Black sesame seeds
• ½ cucumber sliced into this julienne sticks for filling
• 5 crab sticks sliced in half length ways for filling
• 1 avocado sliced thinly for filling (toss in lime juice to keep fresh)
• 1 avocado thinly sliced for topping (toss in lime juice to keep fresh)
• 250g sliced smoked salmon or sliced sashimi salmon for topping

Substitutions: The fish and veg filling can be swapped to suit your taste. Try with other vegetables such as bell pepper, celery, raw carrot, raw beetroot, raw red cabbage. Or if you want to add some sashimi (raw, thinly sliced fish). Try with this Sashimi Kit from The Fish Society . (Includes 60g+ Saba Mackerel, 60g+ Gindara Black cod, 60g+ Maguro tuna, 60g+ Chalkstripe salmon belly, 60g+ butterflied king prawns, soy sauce sachets, wasabi sachets, pickled ginger sachets and chop sticks.

🔪 Instructions

1. First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe
2. Next make a California roll following steps 1 to 7 in this California rolls recipe
3. Then, before slicing the roll add a topping of avocado, or avocado and salmon, or anything else you want to try. Slightly overlap each topping as you go.
4. Place cling film over to shape and stick the topping to the sushi roll.
5. Slice the dragon roll into 6, you can leave the cling film on or take it off to do this, – which ever you prefer. Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed.
6. Present the dragon rolls with the the topping facing up

💭 Recipe tips

📖 Recipe

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📋 Dragon Roll Sushi

Dragon roll sushi is a California roll with thin slices of avocado and salmon lay on the top and following the curve of the roll. In this sushi guide I'll show you how easy it is to perfect the dragon roll at home.

Course Appetizer, christmas dinner, Main Course, party food, starter or main

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people (30 pieces of sushi)

Calories 475kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• 1 Bamboo Rolling Mat (Makisu) or use baking paper
• 1 Cutting board for slicing veg and 1 cutting board for slicing raw fish
• 1 Sharp non serrated knife
• 1 Small pan to cook the rice
• Mixing bowl and spoon
• Bowl of water (to keep your hands wet when handling rice)
• A cloth to clean and tidy and wipe as you go
• A platter for serving
• Chop sticks for eating (optional- sushi is traditionally eaten with the fingers)

Ingredients

• 600 g of cooked and prepared sushi rice
• 1 pack nori sheets 5 in a pack (seaweed sheets)
• Black sesame seeds
• ½ cucumber sliced into this julienne sticks for filling
• 5 crab sticks sliced in half length ways for filling
• 1 avocado sliced thinly for filling toss in lime juice to keep fresh
• 1 avocado thinly sliced for topping toss in lime juice to keep fresh
• 250 g sliced smoked salmon or sliced sashimi salmon for topping

Instructions

• First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe
  
• Next make a California roll following steps 1 to 7 in this California rolls recipe. Substitute in your preferred fillings.
  
• Then, before slicing the roll add a topping of avocado, or avocado and salmon, or anything else you want to try. Slightly overlap each topping as you go.
  
• Place cling film over to shape and stick the topping to the sushi roll.
  
• Slice the dragon roll into 6, you can leave the cling film on or take it off to do this, – which ever you prefer. Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed.
  
• Present the dragon rolls with the the topping facing up
  

Video

Notes

Rice: To create the right kind of flavour mix your sushi rice with rice wine vinegar and mirin rice wine, sugar and salt.

Bamboo mat: Get yourself a Bamboo Rolling Mat. The sushi making process is made so much easier if you have a mat to help you roll and tighten your sushi rolls. However, you don’t have to use a bamboo mat. If you can’t get hold of one you can use baking paper to roll your sushi.

Water: Have a bowl of water on hand to keep your hands wet when handling the sushi rice. Sushi rice is extremely sticky and if your hands are dry you’ll find it sticks to you rather than the seaweed. Things can get very messy very quickly.

Sushi grade fish: If using raw fish I'd suggesting using fish that has been frozen to below the right temperature for the correct amount of time, which will be a lot safer to consume raw. See my full guide on sushi rolls for further details on freezing fish and sushi grade fish. Sashimi kit: If using raw fish I'd suggest buying a sashimi kit that comes with a selection of sushi grade, frozen, raw fish ready for slicing into thin pieces (sashimi). I highly recommend the sashimi kit from the Fish Society, which is what I used for making all of my sushi recipes. And there was some fish left over from this, so it goes a long way. This kit comes with 4 different types of frozen, raw fish, plus cooked, butterflied king prawns. The Fish society guarantees a total weight of 300g of sushi grade fish. The kit also includes sachets of soy sauce, sachets of wasabi, sachets of pickled ginger and 2 sets of wooden chop sticks.

Vegetables: If using veg instead of, or as well as fish, go for bright colours that will look pretty against the white rice. Also choose veg that will last and not go limp. Obvious choices include cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, raw beetroot, radish and red cabbage. I also love to use avocado, which I toss in lime juice immediately after slicing to stop it oxidising and going brown.

Don't use too much rice: Try not to place too much rice on the seaweed sheet. Spread as thinly as possible over your nori sheet and leave a 2cm gap at the top to allow room for sealing.

Knife: Use a long blade, sharp, non serrated knife for slicing your sushi. Before slicing dip the knife blade in water and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. This stops the blade from sticking.

Slicing: When slicing sushi with rice on the outer edge (California rolls) place cling film over your finished rolls first. This will help to keep the roll together and help to keep its shape whilst you slice.

Wrap and chill: Once your sushi are made, plate up cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This will firstly keep the sushi nice and fresh but will also set the rice and make your sushi easier to handle and eat.

Condiments: Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi for that extra punch of flavour and touch of authenticity.

Time!: Give yourself plenty of time! Don’t under estimate the mess this can make and the time it can take just to prepare your veg and fish alone.

Nutrition

Serving: 287g | Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 66.8g | Protein: 21.1g | Fat: 15.3g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.9g | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 636.1mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 2.6g | Vitamin A: 89.8IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 38.7mg | Iron: 1.2mg

The post Dragon Roll Sushi appeared first on ProperFoodie.

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The great thing about making your own sushi rolls is that you can fill them with whatever ingredients you like and whatever suits you and your family best. Keep it vegetarian, go all out with some lovely sushi grade raw fish, or 'play it safe' and use smoked salmon or crab sticks.

California rolls typically contain cucumber, avocado and crabsticks. This is easy on the palate and also looks very pretty with the bright pinks and greens. In this particular recipe I opted for smoked salmon instead of crabsticks. But feel free to use whatever filling you prefer.

🍣 Making sushi at home

For more detailed information, sushi making tips and a full list of what you will need for making your own sushi at home jump over to my full guide for sushi rolls. Also, have a look at how to make sushi rice and how you can make other types of sushi rolls including maki sushi, dragon roll sushi and nigiri sushi.

🥘 Ingredients

To make 40 pieces of California roll sushi you will need the following:

• 600g of cooked and prepared sushi rice
• 1 pack nori sheets (5 in a pack) (seaweed sheets)
• Black sesame seeds
• ½ cucumber sliced into this julienne sticks
• 1 avocado thinly sliced (toss in lime juice to keep fresh)
• 250g smoked salmon or 5 crab sticks

Substitutions: The fish and veg filling can be swapped to suit your taste. Try with other vegetables such as bell pepper, celery, raw carrot, raw beetroot, raw red cabbage. Or if you want to add some sashimi (raw, thinly sliced fish). Try with this Sashimi Kit from The Fish Society . (Includes 60g+ Saba Mackerel, 60g+ Gindara Black cod, 60g+ Maguro tuna, 60g+ Chalkstripe salmon belly, 60g+ butterflied king prawns, soy sauce sachets, wasabi sachets, pickled ginger sachets and chop sticks.

🔪 Instructions

1. Rice: First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe
   Save
2. Set up your working area: 1 bamboo mat ready to roll your sushi, a bowl of water to keep your hands wet whilst handling sushi rice, sliced fish and veg, bowl of prepared sushi rice, and 5 sheets of nori.
3. Each roll is made with 1 sheet of nori: Place the nori, shiny side down, on the top of your bamboo mat. Wet your hands and take a snooker ball amount of rice and place in the centre of the seaweed sheet. Then wet your hands again and start to spread thinly and evenly over the nori. Leaving a 2cm gap at the top. Aim for 2-3 grains thick.
4. Sesame seeds: At this point if you wish, you can sprinkle over black sesame and or black onion seeds.
5. Flip over: The nori and rice must now be flipped over. The rice will stay stuck to the nori so don’t worry. Pick up the top end and flip over from top to bottom.
6. Filling: The fish and veg filling can be placed on top of the seaweed sheet, around 2cm up from the bottom. As this is a larger sushi roll (compared to maki sushi) up to 3 fillings can be used. Here I have used salmon, cucumber and avocado.
7. Now, its time to roll: Pick up the bottom end of the mat and start to fold it over. For the first roll you should be aiming to get the bottom end over the fillings. Then lift the end of the mat up again and roll and tighten. Continue to roll until the sushi comes out at the other side.
8. Before slicing the California roll: cover with cling film and press to the shape. You can place the mat back over the roll to do this. Then remove mat but leave cling film in place for slicing.
9. Slicing: Next, wet your knife by dipping the blade into the water. Then hold the knife up and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. Slice the roll into six or eight pieces. Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking.
10. Repeat: Repeat with the remaining ingredients
11. Serve: Present the sliced California rolls with the inside facing up and serve on a platter.

💭 Tips and tricks

Let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below. You can also pin the recipe or if you prefer you can pin the video.

📖 Recipe

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📋 California rolls

California rolls with salmon, avocado and cucumber. This simple step by step guide will show you how to make your own California sushi rolls at home. Usually served without raw fish, this sushi roll is a great option for sushi-newbies, kids, and anyone who really can't stand uncooked fish.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, party food, Side Dish, Snack, starter

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people (40 pieces of sushi)

Calories 451.3kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• 1 Bamboo Rolling Mat (Makisu) or use baking paper
• 1 Cutting board for slicing veg and 1 cutting board for slicing raw fish
• 1 Sharp non serrated knife
• 1 Small pan to cook the rice
• Mixing bowl and spoon
• Bowl of water (to keep your hands wet when handling rice)
• A cloth to clean and tidy and wipe as you go
• A platter for serving
• Chop sticks for eating (optional- sushi is traditionally eaten with the fingers)

Ingredients

• 600 g of cooked and prepared sushi rice
• 1 pack nori sheets 5 in a pack (seaweed sheets)
• Black sesame seeds
• ½ cucumber sliced into this julienne sticks
• 1 avocado thinly sliced toss in lime juice to keep fresh
• 250 g smoked salmon or 5 crab sticks

Instructions

• First prepare the rice by following the instructions in this how to make sushi rice recipe
  
• 1 bamboo mat ready to roll your sushi, a bowl of water to keep your hands wet whilst handling sushi rice, sliced fish and veg, bowl of prepared sushi rice, and 5 sheets of nori (seaweed).
  
• Place the nori, shiny side down, on the top of your bamboo mat. Wet your hands and take a snooker ball amount of rice and place in the centre of the seaweed sheet. Then wet your hands again and start to spread thinly and evenly over the nori, leaving a 2cm gap at the top of the seaweed. Aim for 2-3 grains thick.
  
• At this point if you wish, you can sprinkle over black sesame and or black onion seeds.
  
• The nori and rice must now be flipped over. The rice will stay stuck to the nori so don’t worry. Pick up the top end and flip over from top to bottom.
  
• The fish and veg filling can be placed on top of the seaweed sheet around 2cm up from the bottom. As this is a larger sushi roll (compared to maki sushi) up to 3 fillings can be used. Here I have used salmon, cucumber and avocado.
  
• Pick up the bottom end of the mat and start to fold it over. For the first roll you should be aiming to get the bottom end over the fillings. Then lift the end of the mat up again and roll and tighten. Continue to roll until the sushi comes out at the other side.
  
• Cover with cling film and press to the shape of the sushi roll. You can place the mat back over the roll to do this. Then remove mat for slicing.
  
• Next, wet your knife by dipping into the water then hold the knife up and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. Slice the roll into six or eight pieces (depending on how thick you would like them). Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed.
  
• Repeat with the remaining ingredients
• Present the sliced California rolls with the inside facing up and serve on a platter.
  

Video

Notes

Rice: To create the right kind of flavour mix your sushi rice with rice wine vinegar and mirin rice wine, sugar and salt.

Bamboo mat: Get yourself a Bamboo Rolling Mat. The sushi making process is made so much easier if you have a mat to help you roll and tighten your sushi rolls. However, you don’t have to use a bamboo mat. If you can’t get hold of one you can use baking paper to roll your sushi.

Water: Have a bowl of water on hand to keep your hands wet when handling the sushi rice. Sushi rice is extremely sticky and if your hands are dry you’ll find it sticks to you rather than the seaweed. Things can get very messy very quickly.

Sushi grade fish: If using raw fish I'd suggesting using fish that has been frozen to below the right temperature for the correct amount of time, which will be a lot safer to consume raw. See my full guide on sushi rolls for further details on freezing fish and sushi grade fish.

Sashimi kit: If using raw fish I'd suggest buying a sashimi kit that comes with a selection of sushi grade, frozen, raw fish ready for slicing into thin pieces (sashimi). I highly recommend the sashimi kit from the Fish Society, which is what I used for making all of my sushi recipes. And there was some fish left over from this, so it goes a long way. This kit comes with 4 different types of frozen, raw fish, plus cooked, butterflied king prawns. The Fish society guarantees a total weight of 300g of sushi grade fish. The kit also includes sachets of soy sauce, sachets of wasabi, sachets of pickled ginger and 2 sets of wooden chop sticks.

Vegetables: If using veg instead of, or as well as fish, go for bright colours that will look pretty against the white rice. Also choose veg that will last and not go limp. Obvious choices include cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, raw beetroot, radish and red cabbage. I also love to use avocado, which I toss in lime juice immediately after slicing to stop it oxidising and going brown.

Protect your mat: Wrap your bamboo mat with cling film to keep it clean, particularly when making California rolls when the rice is on the outer edge.

Don't use too much rice: Try not to place too much rice on the nori sheet. Spread the rice as thinly as possible over your nori sheet and leave a 2cm gap at the top to allow room for sealing.

Knife: Use a long blade, sharp, non serrated knife for slicing your sushi. Before slicing dip the knife blade in water and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. This stops the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed.

Use cling film when slicing: When slicing sushi with rice outside (California rolls) place cling film over your finished rolls first. This will help to keep the roll together and to keep its shape whilst you slice.

Wrap and chill: Once your sushi are made, plate up cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This will firstly keep the sushi nice and fresh but will also set the rice and make your sushi easier to handle and eat.

Condiments: Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi for that extra punch of flavour and touch of authenticity.

Time!: Give yourself plenty of time! Don’t under estimate the mess this can make and the time it can take just to prepare your veg and fish alone.

Nutrition

Serving: 274g | Calories: 451.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 66.6g | Protein: 20.9g | Fat: 12.9g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.4g | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 579.8mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 2.5g | Vitamin A: 89.5IU | Vitamin C: 2.4mg | Calcium: 37.3mg | Iron: 1.2mg

The post California rolls appeared first on ProperFoodie.

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🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Make the sushi rice: Rice that is specifically prepared for sushi is called Sumeshi. This means rice thats cooked for the right amount of time, in the right amount of water with the right amount of seasoning. It should be sticky but still al dente, shiny and not mashed together. To make perfect sushi rice follow the instructions in my how to make sushi rice guide.
2. Julienne the vegetables: Slice your chosen fruit and vegetable fillings into thin sticks, of a similar size (julienne).
3. Slice the fish: If the fish is frozen, thoroughly defrost before use, either at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Next, slice the fish into thin sashimi pieces, going against the grain (lines in the fish). Store sliced fish in the fridge if you aren't ready to use it right away.
4. Fill with rice: Place a nori seaweed sheet on the bamboo mat (shiny side down). Wet your hands then spread the rice over the seaweed leaving a 1-2 cm gap at the top (for sealing the roll). Use half a sheet of seaweed or a full sheet depending on how big you would like your sushi. Usually half a sheet is used to make maki sushi and a full sheet is used for California rolls and Dragon roll sushi.
5. Add fillings: Add your choice of veg and fish fillings. Line up the filling across the seaweed. If making a smaller roll, with half a seaweed sheet, then use just 2 fillings. If you are making a larger roll and using a full seaweed sheet then you can add 3 fillings. Image here shows smaller roll with 2 fillings of raw tuna and avocado.
6. Roll: Use the bamboo mat to roll up the sushi. Pick up the bottom end of the mat and start to fold it over. The first roll you should be aiming to get the nori and rice over the fillings. Then lift the end of the mat up again and roll and tighten. Continue to roll until the sushi comes out at the other side of the mat.
7. Slice: To finish slice the sushi roll using a wet knife. To wet your knife dip the tip of the blade into water then hold the knife up and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed.
8. Repeat: Repeat with the remaining seaweed, rice and fillings. Then serve up on a platter with your chosen toppings.
9. Different types of sushi: Different types of sushi can be made from the same ingredients. See below for a description of each type of sushi and a link to the recipe.

🍥 Maki sushi rolls

Maki sushi is the smallest rolled sushi and is made using half of a nori sheet, instead of a full sheet. The nori sheet is on the outside of this roll and the rice and veg are in the middle. Maki sushi can be made with just raw fish, just veg or both. As the maki sushi is small the inside shouldn't be over filled, so spread the rice as thinly as possible and only use 2 pieces of veg or fish. There is also a Futomaki which is the larger version of the maki sushi (2-2.5 inches wide).

📋 Maki sushi

Maki sushi is a smaller type of sushi where the fish a veg are in the middle of sushi rice (sumeshi) with a seaweed sheet (nori) wrapped around the outside. Here, I will show you how to make your own maki sushi at home with my simple step by step guide.

Make this recipe

🍥 California rolls

California rolls are larger then the maki sushi and use the whole sheet of nori. The rice for this roll is presented on the outside and the seaweed is rolled into the inside. The veg and fish are in the middle, just like in the maki sushi. As the California roll is larger than the maki roll there is room to use 3 veg/fish fillings inside. But its still a good idea to keep the layer of rice as thin as possible.

📋 California rolls

California rolls with salmon, avocado and cucumber. This simple step by step guide will show you how to make your own California sushi rolls at home. Usually served without raw fish, this sushi roll is a great option for sushi-newbies, kids, and anyone who really can't stand uncooked fish.

Make this recipe

🍥 Dragon roll sushi

Dragon roll sushi are exactly the same as California rolls except they have a topping. The topping is usual avocado and is said to resemble that of a dragon scale, which is where the name came from. In this guide I used salmon as well as avocado for the topping.

📋 Dragon Roll Sushi

Dragon roll sushi is a California roll with thin slices of avocado and salmon lay on the top and following the curve of the roll. In this sushi guide I'll show you how easy it is to perfect the dragon roll at home.

Make this recipe

🍣 Nigiri sushi

Nigiri sushi is a non-roll sushi and probably the easiest to make. First an oblong ball of sushi rice is formed using your hands. Then a topping is added - usually cooked, butterflied king prawns, which are stuck onto the rice with a bit of wasabi paste. But you can use other types of fish or veg to top your nigiri. If you're being extra adventurous and looking for extra marks for presentation have a go at wrapping a thin strip of nori around the nigiri sushi.

Nigiri Sushi

Nigiri sushi is simply a ball of sushi rice topped with cooked butterflied king prawns. Usual served without any raw fish this is a great option sushi-newbies, kids, and anyone who really can’t stand uncooked fish. These easy sushi balls are quick to make and perfect for using up that last bit of rice.

Make this recipe

❓ Frequently asked questions

🐟 Other fish recipes you may like:

Clam chowder, fish biryani, honey glazed prawns, Chinese prawns recipe, salmon and prawn linguine, haddock and rosemary risotto, Frozen salmon and potato traybake, Kedgeree, cucumber canapes with prawns, and Fish pie. Or for more dinner inspiration have a look at my dinner ideas for two collection.

I do hope your find this guide of use in your sushi making journey. let me know what you think by leaving a comment and star rating below. You can also pin the recipe on Pinterest. Or if you prefer you can pin the video. Happy sushi making!!

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📋 Homemade Sushi Rolls

Make homemade sushi rolls with my easy to follow, step-by-step guide and recipe video. Get my top tips and tricks and watch the video for making sushi at home. Including how to make sushi rice, maki sushi, California rolls, dragon rolls and nigiri sushi. Plus find out about the fantastic sushi kit I used to make this wonderful sushi platter.

The below will be enough to make a full platter (serves 4) of different sushi rolls or if you prefer a platter of one kind of sushi. See notes below for links to making a variety of homemade sushi rolls.

Course Appetizer, lunch, Snack, starter or main

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 479.9kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

• 2 Packs of Nori sheets seaweed sheets
• 300 g uncooked Sushi rice Nishiki
• 400 ml tap water for cooking rice
• 2 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon Mirin rice wine
• 1 teaspoon Caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• Thinly sliced julienne sticks of your choice of fruits and vegetables plus avocado if desired (toss sliced avocado in lime juice to keep it fresh). - I used 1 cucumber, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 Avocado.
• Black sesame seeds or black onion seeds for inside out rolls - meaning rice on the outside e.g. California rolls
• Crab sticks or crab meat
• Your choice of raw sushi grade fish For ease I highly recommend this Sashimi Kit from The Fish society, which includes a guaranteed 300g total weight of raw sushi grade fish, ready to slice into sashimi. Fish selection includes: frozen raw mackerel, black cod, maguro tuna, salmon belly and cooked, butterflied king prawns. Plus soy sauce sachets, wasabi sachets, pickled ginger sachets and chop sticks). I also bought crab sticks to add to this. The fish society also have individual fish options available for sashimi if you'd rather choose specific types of fish yourself.

Instructions

• Rice that is specifically prepared for sushi is called Sumeshi. This means rice thats cooked for the right amount of time, in the right amount of water with the right amount of seasoning. It should be sticky but still al dente, shiny and not mashed together. To make perfect sushi rice follow the instructions in my how to make sushi rice guide.
  
• Slice your chosen fruit and vegetable fillings into thin sticks, of a similar size (julienne).
  
• If the fish is frozen, thoroughly defrost before use, either at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Next, slice the fish into thin sashimi pieces, going against the grain (lines in the fish). Store sliced fish in the fridge if you aren't ready to use it right away.
  
• Place a nori seaweed sheet on the bamboo mat (shiny side down). Wet your hands then spread the rice over the seaweed leaving a 1-2 cm gap at the top (for sealing the roll). Use half a sheet of seaweed or a full sheet depending on how big you would like your sushi. Usually half a sheet is used to make maki sushi and a full sheet is used for California rolls and Dragon roll sushi.
  
• Add your choice of veg and fish fillings. Line up the filling across the seaweed. If making a smaller roll with half a seaweed sheet then use just 2 fillings. If you are making a larger roll and using a full seaweed sheet then you can add 3 fillings. Image here shows smaller roll with 2 fillings of raw tuna and avocado.
  
• Use the bamboo mat to roll up the sushi. Pick up the bottom end of the mat and start to fold it over. The first roll you should be aiming to get the nori and rice over the fillings. Then lift the end of the mat up again and roll and tighten. Continue to roll until the sushi comes out at the other side of the mat.
  
• To finish slice the sushi roll using a wet knife. To wet your knife dip the tip of the blade into water then hold the knife up and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. Slice firmly through the sushi, moving the blade back and forth so to cut and not to squash. Wet the blade between each slice to prevent the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed.
  
• Repeat with the remaining seaweed, rice and fillings. Then serve up on a platter with your chosen toppings.
  
• Different types of sushi can be made from the same ingredients. See notes below for a link to each type of sushi recipe.
  

Video

Notes

Fruit and veg filling ideas: cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeños, red cabbage, celery, spring onion, beetroot, radish, avocado, mango, pineapple, apple, pear

Sushi without raw fish: If you don't want to use raw fish other options you can try are cooked crab meat, crabsticks, tinned tuna, smoked salmon, or smoked mackerel

Sushi without fish: If you don't want to use fish at all just load up with fruit and veg. You could also try with cream cheese or tofu. Cream cheese, cucumber and chives is a great option.

Toppings: Once the rolls are made you can add extra flavour with toppings like pickled ginger, soy sauce, wasabi paste, sesame seeds, onion seeds, chia seeds, extra thin slices of avocado or fish (see dragon roll sushi recipe), butterflied king prawns (see nigiri sushi recipe) chopped mango, thinly sliced spring onion or salmon roe.

Different sushi rolls: For that real wow factor have a go at making a variety of homemade  sushi rolls. The amounts of ingredients listed in this guide will be enough to make a platter with several different  sushi rolls. This guide includes links to recipes for maki sushi, California rolls, dragon roll sushi and nigiri sushi. All together they make a fabulous looking platter.

Sushi rice: To create the right kind of flavour mix your sushi rice with rice wine vinegar and mirin rice wine, sugar and salt.

Bamboo mat: Get yourself a Bamboo Rolling Mat. The sushi making process is made so much easier if you have a mat to help you roll and tighten your sushi rolls. However, you don't have to use a bamboo mat. If you can't get hold of one you can use baking paper to roll your sushi.

Water: Have a bowl of water on hand to keep your hands wet when handling the sushi rice. Sushi rice is extremely sticky and if your hands are dry you'll find it sticks to you rather than the seaweed. Things can get very messy very quickly.

Sushi grade fish: Use fish that has been frozen to below the right temperature for the correct amount of time, which will be a lot safer to consume raw.

Sashimi kit: Buy a sashimi kit that comes with a selection of sushi grade, frozen, raw fish ready for slicing into thin pieces (sashimi) . I highly recommend the sashimi kit from the Fish Society, which is what I used to make this platter. And there was some fish left over from this, so it goes a long way. This kit comes with 4 different types of frozen, raw fish, plus cooked, butterflied king prawns. The Fish society guarantees a total weight of 300g of sushi grade fish. The kit also includes sachets of soy sauce, sachets of wasabi, sachets of pickled ginger and 2 sets of wooden chop sticks.

Vegetables: If using veg instead of, or as well as fish, go for bright colours that will look pretty against the white rice. Also choose veg that will last and not go limp. Obvious choices include cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, raw beetroot, radish and red cabbage. I also love to use avocado, which I toss in lime juice immediately after slicing to stop it oxidising and going brown.

Protect your mat: Wrap your bamboo mat with cling film to keep it clean, particularly when making California rolls when the rice is on the outside of the roll.

Try not to overfill the nori sheet with rice: Spread the rice as thinly as possible over your nori sheet and leave a 2cm gap at the top end of the nori to allow room for sealing.

Small rolls: Maki sushi are smaller rolls so halve your seaweed paper to make these.

Slicing: Use a long blade, sharp, non serrated knife for slicing your sushi. Before slicing dip the knife blade in water and allow the water to run down the length of the blade. This stops the blade from sticking to the rice and seaweed. When slicing sushi with rice on the outside (California rolls) place cling film over your finished rolls first. The cling film will help to keep the roll together and to keep its shape whilst you slice.

Wasabi: Use wasabi paste to help stick your butterflied prawns to your sushi balls when making nigiri sushi

Chill the sushi: Once your sushi are made, plate up then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This will firstly keep the sushi nice and fresh but will also set the rice and make your sushi easier to handle and eat.

Serve with: soy sauce, pickle ginger and wasabi for that extra punch of flavour and touch of authenticity. Time: Give yourself plenty of time! Don't under estimate the mess this can make and the time it can take just to prepare your veg and fish alone.

Nutrition

Serving: 275g | Calories: 479.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 24.1g | Fat: 13.2g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.2g | Sodium: 400mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 4.2g

Please note that this post contains affiliate links to products I am recommending, which means if you click a link and then go on to purchase a product, I will receive a small percentage. This will not affect the amount you pay. 

The post Homemade Sushi Rolls (Step-by-Step Guide, Recipe Tips & Video) appeared first on ProperFoodie.

No other recipe says autumn as much as this roast pumpkin soup recipe. Its made with roast pumpkin flesh and roast chestnuts, which blend together to create a gorgeous, deep golden colour with a sweet and nutty taste. Make this soup in under an hour and enjoy all the goodness that autumn produce has to offer.

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🥘 Ingredients

To make this roast pumpkin soup for 4 people you will need:

Ingredient notes

Pumpkin: The good old pumpkin is actually a type of winter squash and so any variety of winter squash will work well here. So if you're fresh out of pumpkins, substitute with butternut squash. Use either 2 small squash or 1 medium squash.

Alternatively, if you want to make this soup in double quick time, you can use 2 tins of pumpkin puree.

Chestnuts: This recipe uses raw shelled chestnuts, which need to be roasted and the shells removed. See how to roast chestnuts for instructions. However, if you prefer you can buy and use pre cooked chestnuts with the shells removed (this will be quicker and easier, but I do enjoying roasting chestnuts myself at this time of year!)

If you can't get hold of any chestnuts, replace with nuts of a similar flavour such as hazelnuts or pecans.

Cream: The cream in this recipe is completely optional. I love to add it in right at the end to lighten up the soup and to make it super creamy. However, the chestnuts alone provide a creaminess to this soup. So if you want to keep things a little healthier, just remove the cream.

📖 Recipe

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Roast Pumpkin Soup with Chestnuts

No other recipe says autumn as much as this roasted pumpkin soup recipe. Its made with roast pumpkin flesh and roast chestnuts, which blend together to create a gorgeous, deep golden colour with a sweet and nutty taste. Make this soup in under an hour and enjoy all the goodness that autumn produce has to offer.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Soup, starter

Cuisine British

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 people

Calories 552kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Baking trays for roasting pumpkin and chestnuts
• Extra large pan for making soup
• Hand blender or blending machine

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 small or 1 medium pumpkin or 2 tins of pumpkin puree
• 2 onions peeled and diced
• 400 g raw shells on chestnuts or 200g cooked de-shelled chestnuts
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 800 ml boiling water
• 250 ml single cream
• Pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley to serve

Instructions

• If you are roasting your own chestnuts make sure you prepare these first before starting the recipe. See 'How to roast chestnuts' post. Alternatively use pre roasted and de shelled chestnuts. Roughly chop up roasted chestnuts before adding to the recipe.
• Pre heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Use a large knife to halve the pumpkin(s), then scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the pumpkin halves on a baking tray and rub the flesh with 1 tablespoon oil
• Place the pumpkins into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until soft. (Soft when a knife will easily press into the flesh)
• Meanwhile, chop and fry onions in 1 tablespoon oil a large pan until soft. (TIP: use a large pan to give your self plenty of room for all the ingredients and then space to hand blend).
• When the pumpkin is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly then peel or slice off the skin. Chop up the pumpkin flesh and add to the onions along with chopped roasted chestnuts.
• Next add the sage, oregano, stock cubes and salt and pepper.
• Add around 800ml of boiled water to the pan then stir together well.
• Use a hand blender or transfer the soup to a blending machine and blend until smooth. (Note: if soup needs reheating after blending, return to the pan and heat to a gentle simmer. Do not boil.)
• Stir in the cream then serve with extra cream, pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of parsley.

Notes

Substitutions:

• Pumpkins can be replaced with any kind of winter squash or if you’re in a rush and don’t have time to roast the squash you can use 2 tins of pumpkin puree instead.
• If you can’t get hold of raw chestnuts or don’t have the to roast them you an replace with re-cooked and shelled chestnuts. Or completely replace chestnuts with hazelnuts or pecans.
• For a healthier version leave out the cream

 

Can this soup be frozen?

If you plan to freeze this soup, make sure to leave out the cream. Dairy products don't freeze and reheat well, so leave out the cream and add this in later when you have defrosted and reheated.

Once the soup is made (minus the cream) leave to cool then transfer to sealable containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost on the side overnight the reheat in a pan over a low heat until just simmering. Do not boil.

Why should I roast the pumpkin?

Firstly, roasting pumpkin intensifies the flavour and caramelised the natural sugars in the flesh. Secondly, its far easier to remove the skin and slice up the flesh once roasted, rather than try to do it raw.

Can spices be added to this soup?

This recipe uses herbs and chestnuts. However, if you would prefer a spiced pumpkin soup recipe just replace the sage and oregano with coriander and cumin.

Nutrition

Serving: 500g | Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 380mg | Potassium: 2204mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 43218IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 5mg

This post was first published in October 2017. Updated in October 2020 with an improved recipe, new images, new step-by-step photos and new recipe tips & FAQs.

The post Roast Pumpkin Soup with Chestnuts appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Cosy up with a tray of roasted chestnuts straight out of the oven. This easy step by step guide will show you how to roast chestnuts at home without too much hassle or anguish. Prepared and roasted in just 30 minutes, this simple method will have you roasting chestnuts all throughout autumn and winter.

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🥘 Ingredients

Theres is nothing complicated or fancy about roasting chestnuts. You just need.....raw chestnuts with their shells on and a pan of water.

Ingredient notes

Chestnuts: Select chestnuts that are firm with a nice rounded shape. Flatter chestnuts tend to be more difficult to cut and peel.

Amount of chestnuts: Once chestnuts are roasted and peeled and ones that won't peel or are bad have been discarded, you are left with around half the weight of what you started with. Therefore buy double the amount of what you like to end up with.

Water: Simmering the chestnuts in water before roasting will help to separate the shells from the nut and will allow the chestnuts to steam once in the oven.

❄️ Other Winter recipes

• Cauliflower cheese
• Roast Chicken
• Steak and ale pie
• Roast beef dinner
• Bakewell tart
• Apple crumble

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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How To Roast Chestnuts

Cosy up with a tray of roasted chestnuts straight out of the oven. Prepared and roasted in just 30 minutes, this simple method will have you roasting chestnuts all throughout autumn and winter.

Course Snack

Cuisine British

Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Salt

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 392kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Small sauce pan
• Large bowl
• Tea towel

Ingredients

• 400 g raw chestnuts with shells on
• Boiling water from the kettle

Instructions

• The most important step in this process, before you do anything, is to slice into the chestnut shells. Use a serrated knife and firmly hold the nut between your thumb and fingers (making a bridge over the knife). Slice one way and then the other to create a cross in the shell. Then turn over and do the same on the other side. Repeat for all nuts.
• Next place the prepared chestnuts into a small pan and cover with boiling water. Place on a medium heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• Drain the nuts and transfer to a tray then place in a preheated oven (200°C/392°F) and roast for 15 minutes.
• Remove the nuts from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Cover with a towel and leave for 10 minutes to continue steaming. Uncover the bowl after 10 minutes and check that the shells are starting to open.
• Peel and remove the shells, discarding any that won't de-shell or that appear to be bad.
• Serve with the shells on or off and place in a brown paper bag for that extra touch of authenticity.

Notes

Chestnuts: Select chestnuts that are firm with a nice rounded shape. Buy double the amount of what you like to end up with.

(Once chestnuts are roasted and peeled and ones that won't peel or are bad have been discarded, you are left with around half the weight of what you started with).

Water: Simmering the chestnuts in water before roasting will help to separate the shells from the nut and will allow the chestnuts to steam once in the oven.

Do you have to soak chestnuts before roasting? Strictly speaking you don't have to soak and simmer chestnuts before roasting. However, skipping this step will make it much harder to remove the shells from the nuts.

Storage: Uncooked and unpeeled chestnuts will keep for 2-3 weeks when stored in a dry and well ventilated place. Cooked chestnuts should be stored in the fridge and will keep for 2-3 days.

What else can I do with roast chestnuts? Chestnuts can be a great addition to autumnal and winter dishes. Try in a salad or add to a stuffing mix. I also use roasted chestnuts in my spiced pumpkin soup recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 150g | Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 968mg | Vitamin A: 52IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

The post How To Roast Chestnuts appeared first on ProperFoodie.

This Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, with all its red veggie goodness, has been on our table several times over the last couple of weeks. I honestly can't get enough of it; with the intense flavour from the well-roasted peppers, mixed in with the sweetness from the tomatoes and the peppery anise from the basil. It really is a heavenly bowl of slurpful, deliciousness.

I decided it was time to get back into soup-making a few weekends ago, as summer is now here and I can no longer get away with hiding under huge jumpers and saying that I need that extra layer of fat to keep me warm. Yes its definitely time to trim up. I always find the best way to do this is with soups and salads. But only with the best and most tastiest soups and salads, otherwise i'd be straight back on the chocolate and chips in no time. So I intend to make my next few posts all about the summer trim down. (With the exception of the wedding cake post - Coming soon!!).

So if, like me, you are feeling the need to transform from a fat waddling caterpillar into a bright, floating butterfly then this soup is a good place to start. Its a really easy recipe and can be made in bulk for the fridge or freezer for those "no time!!" days.

Its also great to take to work or have as a snack if your feeling super peckish in between meals. And its more than likely a dish that will please everyone; from friends round for dinner to your children's mates starving after a long day at school.... lets face it most kids love tomato soup and this is the creme de la creme of tomato soups. Tomato soup was definitely my favourite as a child and I think the only thing thats changed is the topping, instead of grated cheese its now creme fraiche - so grown up 🙂

Right well I'm off to finish my sisters wedding cake - busy busy, hoping I can show the finished result soon!!

Happy soup making!!

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Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato and Basil Soup

Warming roasted red pepper, tomato and basil soup

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 large onions roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 15 medium vine ripened tomatoes quartered and seeds removed
• 3 large red peppers capsicum, de-seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Handful of fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to season
• Natural yogurt/Creme Fraiche to serve optional

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C. Fill kettle and boil.
• Place the chopped tomatoes and peppers onto two separate trays, drizzle each tray with 2 tablespoon olive oil and season well. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until edges start to blacken.
• Whilst the tomatoes and peppers are in the oven; heat up 2 tablespoon oil in a large pan, add the onions and fry slowly until soft. Add the garlic, dried herbs and stir. Once cooked, add the tomatoes and peppers to the onions along with all the cooking juices. Mix together well and add around 250ml of hot water from the kettle. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat.
• Transfer the vegetables and all juices to a blender or use an electric hand blender to create a smooth soup. Add more water if the soup appears to thick (should coat the back of a spoon. Tear up the basil leave, add to the soup and briefly blend again.  
• Finally, pass the soup through a sieve to achieve a lovely smooth finish - use the back of a spoon to ensure all the soup is pushed through the sieve. - Get as much through as possible so to not take away any flavour. Reheat slightly if necessary (but don't boil). Season if required and serve.
• Soup can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days or if you want to keep it for longer; transfer to a container and freeze. 

The post Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato and Basil Soup appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Roasted Butternut squash soup

Reasons to put this recipe to the top of your 'mid-week tea' list or even your 'recipes to make for the freezer' list, right now:

• It’s chocker with lots of healthy vegetables.
• It fills you up in next to no time.
• And it looks amazing with all those vibrant greens shining through from the celery and sage. What’s not to love about this soup?

Butternut squash can also be used to pad out a creamy pumpkin pasta dish and is also great in a quinoa salad side dish, which I usually serve with my satay chicken recipe.

Do you peel butternut squash before cooking?

Theres no need to peel butternut squash before cooking. Not only is this incredibly difficult but it also takes a good while to peel when raw. Its definitely so much easier to peel the skin off a roasted butternut squash. My favourite thing about preparing this squash soup is the roasting of the butternut.

How do you roast butternut squash?

1. Chop the butternut squash in half length ways
2. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
3. Seeds can be discarded or washed, dried and then turned into a lovely snack by roasting in the oven until crisp.
4. Drizzle oil over the exposed flesh of the butternut squash. Place on a baking tray and pop in the oven for around an hour.
5. The squash is cooked when the tip of a knife easily pushes into the flesh.
6. Remove from the oven a cool before peeling off the skin.

So delicious! Baking the squash without peeling it means that the skin comes away from the flesh with no hassle, so this really is an easy dish.

Can you eat the skin of butternut squash?

The skin of butternut squash can be quite tough and so generally its best to remove. However, the skin can be edible if you roast the squash until the skin starts to soften.

How do you make roasted butternut squash soup?

1. First roast the squash as instructed above
2. Whilst the butternut squash is cooking the rest of the soup can be prepared. Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or casserole dish. Add chopped onion and garlic and fry gently for 5 minutes or until slightly caramelised.
3. Next add the chopped celery, 1 teaspoon oregano and black pepper. Stir well before pouring in 750ml of vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for 20 minutes.
4. Chop the roasted squash into chunks and add to the soup. Mix in well and then add the freshly chopped sage.
5. Next transfer the soup to a blender and blitz until smooth. This is best done in batches to avoid over filling the blender.

Recipe Tip: Transfer the bulky veg to the blender first with only a little of the stock liquid. Gradually add more stock whilst blending until the desired consistency is achieved. If all the stock is used and the soup is still too thick; extra tap water can be added. A good consistency is when the soup just coats the back of a spoon.

How long will this recipe keep?

Once made store this soup in a sealed container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days

Can I freeze homemade squash soup?

Yes homemade butternut squash can be frozen. Make sure the soup is cooled before transferring to a sealable container, then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. Make sure reheated soup is piping hot all the way through.

How do you add cream to soup without it curdling?

To prevent curdling always take soup off the heat and allow to cool slightly before adding cream. Adding cream or yogurt to a soup can really add to the flavour as well as help to thicken soup with a thinner consistency.

What should I serve with this recipe?

Every good soup deserves warm homemade mini bread rolls, perfect for dunking and moping up. If you're having this soup as a starter to a 3 course dinner then why not follow with a roast beef dinner or comforting fish pie. For more 3 course meal ideas have a look at my collection of romantic dinner recipes. Love soup? Have a look at all my soup recipes here.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Celery and Sage

Roasted butternut squash soup with celery and sage. This healthy soup recipe is one of my favourite ways to use up all those late summer veggies. The aromatic sage and earthy celery create an amazing green Goddess-style colour and also go incredibly well with the sweet, roasted butternut squash. A topping of feta and crushed pistachios and we have ourselves one incredible soup.

Course aperitivo, Appetizer, lunch, starter

Cuisine British

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 401.7kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash (1600g - raw whole weight)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large onions chopped (200g)
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 sticks of celery chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Black pepper
• 750 ml vegetable stock
• Fresh sage leaves (5 leaves, stalks removed and roughly chopped)
• Water to add if required
• Salt and pepper to season
• Pistachios and feta to top (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Halve the butternut squash - you'll need a large knife for this and a little bit of patience. Scoop out the seeds, and either discard or roast in the oven and serve as a snack. Keep the skin on - we will remove this after cooking!
• Place the halved squash on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Use your fingers to spread the oil evenly over the flesh. Place the squash in the oven and bake for around 1 hour. Check regularly, the squash will be cooked when it starts to caramelise and the tip of a knife can be pressed easily in to the flesh. Once cooked remove from the oven and set to one side to cool.
  
• Whilst the butternut squash is cooking the rest of the soup can be prepared. Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or casserole dish. Add chopped onion and garlic and fry gently for 5 minutes or until slightly caramelised. Next add the chopped celery, 1 teaspoon oregano and black pepper. Stir well before pouring in 750ml of vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for 20 minutes.
• Whilst the soup is simmering, remove the skin from the cooling squash. This can be done by either peeling the skin away or by scooping out the flesh with a spoon. Once the skin is completely removed chop the squash into chunks and add to the soup. Mix in well and then add the freshly chopped sage.
• Next transfer the soup to a blender and blitz until smooth. This is best done in batches to avoid over filling the blender.
• Recipe Tip: transfer the bulky veg to the blender first with only a little of the stock liquid. Gradually add more stock whilst blending until the desired consistency is achieved. If all the stock is used and the soup is still too thick; extra tap water can be added. A good consistency is when the soup just coats the back of a spoon.
• Finally pass the blended soup through a sieve, taste and add salt and pepper if required. If serving immediately reheat gently in a pan but do not boil. Serve in bowls and top with chopped pistachios and crumbled feta cheese if desired.
• If storing for another day do not reheat. Transfer to sealable containers and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Notes

Click here to see the traffic light nutritional info for this recipe (include feta and pistachio topping) (25g feta and 20g pistachios per person)

Nutrition

Serving: 706g | Calories: 401.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 40.7g | Protein: 17.2g | Fat: 20.3g | Saturated Fat: 5.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.8g | Sodium: 680mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 23g

PIN FOR LATER

The post Butternut Squash Soup with Celery and Sage appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Why make this recipe?

Its rustic, its hearty and its a really properly homemade soup. The fresh taste from the celery leaves is nicely balanced here with the sweet apples and the bitter blue cheese. It really is a soup that has it all and is just what I want to come home to on a dark, rainy night.

Celery

Not something at the top of most people shopping lists and I know a lot of people would rather avoid celery. However, the humble celery stick is highly regarded in our household....more so since the creation of this great soup (and maybe a little more so by me than Ben, I could eat celery all day long).

Why is celery good for you?

• Its super low in calories and fat (guilt free eating all the way)
• It contains a good amount of fibre so is great for digestion.
• Its shape, texture and strength make it perfect for chopping into crudites for dips. (check out my beetroot and red pepper dip for something sweet and zinging to dip your celery into).
• Its ridiculously easy to grow. It really does take care of itself; as long as it has good soil and the room to grow to its full potential (a good 30cm between plants). The yield is also pretty good, especially in terms of leaves.
• It can be used in all types of recipes and really gives a great boost to the flavour: salads, stews, soups, pesto. (watch out for my celery pesto post coming soon)
• Its leaves, which are often over looked, usually have the most flavour and have a lovely deep green colour. As each plant supplies a large quantity of leaves; its more than likely that celery growers will find themselves over run. As the leaves are so bulky it can be extremely difficult to store them, so celery leaf soups, stews and pestos are the perfect solution. They look so pretty as well with the vibrant bright green shining through.

Ingredients

To make this celery, apple and blue cheese soup you will need:

• Olive oil
• Onions
• Garlic cloves
• Green apples
• Celery stalks
• Fresh sage leaves
• Dried oregano
• Celery leaves (optional)
• Vegetable stock
• Blue cheese plus extra for topping
• Salt and pepper to taste

Growing celery

• Celery needs its space to grow fully and its surprising how much it will spread. So leave plenty of room between plants.
• Celery is ready to harvest when the sticks are around 20cm or more in length.
• Healthy celery has upright stems which snap. Stems should not be limp and bendy.
• Leaves should be fresh, crisp and a darker green to the rest of the plant
• When harvesting try to keep the stem connected at the base and store as a whole plant. This helps to keep its freshness. Celery can be kept in the fridge for several weeks.
• The leaves are less easy to store as they are quite bulky and there can be a lot just on one plant. They are also at their freshest and tastiest just after being removed from the stems. Therefore, remove and use as soon as you can. If you can't use all the leaves place washed leftovers in a bowl, cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
• If using the stalks in a recipe, use a peeler and scrape away the outer layer, which will remove the stringy bits which can be quite annoying if they get stuck in your teeth.
• If you're making this soup in a big batch for freezing, leave the blue cheese out and add later. Defrost, reheat and then melt in the cheese before serving. The fresh cheese really adds to the taste of the soup and helps bring it back to life. It also means you'll have some cheese leftover for a pretty topping.
• Not a fan of blue cheese? Then leave it out. Its still a very tasty dish with plenty of flavour. Or you could always replace with a different cheese - I imagine a cream cheese would work really well.

Other autumnal recipes

• Celery, Apple and Walnut Pesto
• Roast Pumpkin Soup with Chestnuts
• Chicken and Leeks Recipe
• Tuscan Ribollita Soup
• Yorkshire Parkin Recipe
• Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

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Celery, Apple and Blue Cheese Garden Soup

A hearty celery soup with sweet apples and blue cheese. Perfect for a cold, autumnal night.

Course Appetizer, starter, starter or main

Cuisine British

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 223kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Onions peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 300 g of sweet green eating apples core removed and roughly chopped
• 450 g celery stalks peeled to remove the stringy bits and chopped
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 5 g oregano leaves or half teaspoon dried oregano
• 250 g celery leaves washed and roughly chopped
• 700 ml vegetable stock
• 100 g blue cheese plus extra for topping
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large stock pan heat the olive oil, add the garlic and onions, then gently cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Next add the apples, celery stalks, sage and oregano. Stir well before pouring in the stock.
• Bring to a simmer and then add the celery leaves. Mix well to help the leave to wilt.
• Pop on the lid and leave to simmer gently for 20 minutes, check occasionally.
• Once the celery and apple have softened remove from the heat and ladle the soup into a blender. Blend on high for 5 minutes to ensure the soup in nice a smooth, then return to the pan. To create a perfectly smooth consistency; sieve the soup back into the pan (make sure you push as much through the sieve as possible, otherwise some flavour may be lost).
• (if freezing your soup, stop at this point and ladle into seal-able containers - add blue cheese and seasoning when ready to defrost and reheat)
• Put the blended, sieved soup back on a low heat and melt in the blue cheese. Taste and add more cheese if desired and season.

Nutrition

Serving: 338g | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 1241mg | Potassium: 702mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1412IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Celery, Apple and Blue Cheese Soup appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Make ahead and serve cold straight from the fridge. Or cook up in 30 minutes and serve warm with side of chilli jam. Delicious either way.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means if you click the link and then go on to purchase, I will receive a percentage of the cost. See my privacy policy and disclosure statement for further details.

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

This chilli garlic prawns starter is a great recipe thats easy to prepare and perfect for a make ahead appetiser.

The bright pink of the cooked king prawns stands out against the crunchy green of the courgettes and makes for a really impressive prawns starter, especially if you have friends for dinner. 

Its also a great option for a quick and easy, make ahead, Christmas Day starter.

🥘 Ingredients

This recipe makes approximately 15 chilli garlic prawns on cocktail sticks:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and also use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

King prawns: King prawns are the best option here as they are large enough to serve on cocktail sticks. This recipe includes instructions for pan frying raw king prawns but if preferred you can use pre cooked prawns.

Mirin: If you can't get hold of any Mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of caster sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon of either white wine, white wine vinegar or dry sherry

Chilli: Optional.

Parsley: Also optional and could be replaced with freshly chopped dill or coriander.

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Slice the courgette into ribbons using a peeler.
2. Place the prepared courgette strips in a bowl and drizzle over 2 of the tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to fully coat. Place a griddle pan on a high heat and set up a large plate with a piece of kitchen towel on, ready for the cooked courgette strips.
3. Lay the courgette strips side by side in the hot pan and cook off in batches. Note that courgette strips are thin enough to just pan fry on one side.
4. Leave the courgettes in the pan until griddle marks appear, then remove and place on the plate lined with kitchen towel. Layer more kitchen towel on top of cooked courgettes as the plate fills up.
5. Pour the remaining tablespoon of olive oil into a small jug or bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of honey, minced garlic clove, chopped chilli, 1 tablespoon mirin rice wine and the chopped parsley.
6. Mix together well.
7. Place the griddle pan on a high heat. When the pan is hot add the raw king prawns and pour over the chilli garlic glaze. Pan fry until the prawns turn bright pink.
8. Transfer the cooked chilli garlic prawns to a bowl along with the glaze. If you think your prawns are cooked but the sauce isn't yet thick or sticky, then remove the prawns and place in a low oven and bring the sauce to a simmer and heat until its the right consistency. Drizzle the sauce over the prawns before it cools and sets.
9. Make the prawn cocktail sticks by skewering 2 cooked prawns on the stick with 2 folded strips of courgette sandwiched in between (see recipe images).
10. At this point you can either chill the chilli garlic prawn cocktail sticks and serve cold. Or serve warm and straight away. To ensure a piping hot starter, place the finished 'prawns on sticks' on a baking tray and blast in the oven on high for a minute or so just before serving.
11. Serve with a drizzle of oil, a sprinkle of fresh parley and a grind of black pepper.

💭 Expert tips

Courgette prep: peel along the length until you reach the seeds. Then turn the courgette and repeat until all sides have been peeled.

Pan fry in batches: both the courgette and the prawns can be pan fried in batches if it won't all fit in the pan at the same time. After cooking, both can be chilled in the fridge or kept warm in a low oven.

Cooking prawns: The best way to cook the prawns for this recipe is to pan fry them in the chilli glaze.

However, if you just want to cook the prawns without a glaze you can simply stir fry with oil or gently poached in simmering water. You will know the prawns are cooked when they turn bright pink all over.

Serving: Serve the chilli garlic prawns on cocktail sticks as suggested or serve piled on top of the courgette on a large platter.

Alternatively, arrange in cocktail glasses or on larger skewers.

Getting a sticky finish on your prawns starter: You may find that your prawns are cooked but the sauce isn't thick or sticky enough.

If this is the case, rather than over cook the prawns, remove them from the pan and place in a low oven to keep warm.

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and continue to heat until its the right consistency. Drizzle the sauce over the prawns before it cools and sets.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Prawn starters

An alternative prawns starter ideas include this simple Chinese prawns recipe, which could also be served up on cocktail sticks with a garnish of chopped spring onions. 

If a hot prawns starter isn't your thing, try preparing this recipe then chilling? Alternatively, have a look at Cucumber canapés with prawns, or make your own sushi rolls with prawns.

🍤 Other Prawn or Fish recipes

• Thai Green Prawn Curry
• Chinese Prawns Recipe
• Salmon and Prawn Linguine
• Pad Thai Noodles
• Classic Fish Pie Recipe
• Smoked Haddock Risotto
• Fish Biryani
• Homemade Sushi Rolls

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

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Chilli Garlic Prawns Starter

Chilli garlic prawns starter served on cocktail sticks with pan fried strips of courgette. The king prawns are cooked in a spicy honey glaze and served with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Make ahead and serve cold straight from the fridge. Or cook up in 30 minutes and serve warm with side of chilli jam. Delicious either way.

Course apperitif, Appetizer, starter

Cuisine British

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 15 cocktail sticks

Calories 55kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Peeler
• Large mixing bowl to dress the courgette
• Griddle pan
• Small bowl or jug to mix the chilli garlic glaze
• Large plate and kitchen towel to keep cooked courgette on
• Cocktail sticks and serving plate/platter

Ingredients

• 2 large courgettes
• 2 tablespoon olive oil (For the courgettes)
• 300 g fresh raw king prawns
• 1 tablespoon Oil (for chilli garlic glaze)
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 garlic clove minced, grated or finely chopped
• 1 red chilli seeds removed and chilli finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Mirin sweet Japanese rice wine
• 20 g parsley roughly chopped
• Extra oil, parsley and black pepper for serving (optional)

Instructions

• Slice the courgette into ribbons using a peeler.
  2 large courgettes
• Place the prepared courgette strips in a bowl and drizzle over 2 of the tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to fully coat. Place a griddle pan on a high heat and set up a large plate with a piece of kitchen towel on, ready for the cooked courgette strips.
  2 tablespoon olive oil
• Lay the courgette strips side by side in the hot pan and cook off in batches. Note that courgette strips are thin enough to just pan fry on one side.
• Leave the courgettes in the pan until griddle marks appear, then remove and place on the plate lined with kitchen towel. Layer more kitchen towel on top of cooked courgettes as the plate fills up.
• Pour the remaining tablespoon of olive oil into a small jar or bowl. Add the honey, garlic, chilli, mirin rice wine and the chopped parsley.
  1 tablespoon Oil, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 garlic clove, 1 red chilli, 1 tablespoon Mirin, 20 g parsley
• Mix together well
• Place the griddle pan on a high heat. When the pan is hot add the raw king prawns and pour over the chilli garlic glaze. Pan fry until the prawns turn bright pink.
  300 g fresh raw king prawns
• Transfer the cooked prawns to a bowl along with the glaze. If you think your prawns are cooked but the sauce isn't yet thick or sticky, then remove the prawns and place in a low oven and bring the sauce to a simmer and heat until its the right consistency. Drizzle the sauce over the prawns before it cools and sets.
• Make the prawn cocktail sticks by skewering 2 cooked prawns on the stick with 2 folded strips of courgette sandwiched in between (see recipe images).
• At this point you can either chill the chilli garlic prawn cocktail sticks and serve cold. Or serve warm and straight away. To ensure a piping hot starter, place the finished 'prawns on sticks' on a baking tray and blast in the oven on high for a minute or so just before serving.
• Serve with a drizzle of oil, a sprinkle of fresh parley and a grind of black pepper.
  Extra oil, parsley and black pepper for serving

Notes

Courgette prep: peel along the length until you reach the seeds. Then turn the courgette and repeat until all sides have been peeled.

King prawns: King prawns are the best option here as they are large enough to serve on cocktail sticks. This recipe includes instructions for pan frying raw king prawns but if preferred you can use pre cooked prawns.

Cooking prawns: The best way to cook the prawns for this recipe is to pan fry them in the chilli glaze. However, if you just want to cook the prawns without a glaze you can simply stir fry with oil or gently poached in simmering water. You will know the prawns are cooked when they turn bright pink all over.

Pan fry in batches: both the courgette and the prawns can be pan fried in batches if it won't all fit in the pan at the same time. After cooking, both can be chilled in the fridge or kept warm in a low oven.

Mirin: If you can't get hold of any Mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of caster sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon of either white wine, white wine vinegar or dry sherry

Chilli: Optional.

Parsley: Also optional and could be replaced with freshly chopped dill or coriander.

Getting a sticky finish on your prawns starter: You may find that your prawns are cooked but the sauce isn't thick or sticky enough. If this is the case, rather than over cook the prawns, remove them from the pan and place in a low oven to keep warm. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and continue to heat until its the right consistency. Drizzle the sauce over the prawns before it cools and sets.

Serving: Serve the chilli garlic prawns on cocktail sticks as suggested or serve piled on top of the courgette on a large platter. Alternatively, arrange in cocktail glasses or on larger skewers.

Can you make this recipe ahead of time? Yes, make and arrange the chilli garlic prawns on cocktail sticks. Then transfer to your serving plate and cover in cling film then chill until ready to serve. 

To make ahead but still serve hot the cooked ingredients should be chilled loose and not on cocktail sticks. Then when ready to serve follow the reheating instructions below before arranging on sticks. (To ensure a piping hot starter place the finished 'prawns on sticks' on a baking tray and blast in the oven on high for a minute or so just before serving).

Can you reheat cooked prawns? If you are wanting to reheat the cooked prawns make sure they are fully cooled and then refrigerate. When ready to reheat; place the chilli garlic prawns on a baking tray and cook in the oven on high for 5 minutes or until sizzling and piping hot (the same method can be used to reheat the courgette). 

Alternatively, return to the pan and stir fry in a little oil until piping hot. Use your cooked and chilled prawns within 24 hours. If you have bought pre-cooked prawns, follow the packet instructions for heating.

Nutrition

Serving: 182g | Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg