Patatas bravas with chorizo

You can't have tapas without crispy, well-seasoned, fried potatoes smothered in a rich, smoky tomato sauce - or patatas bravas as it is known! The perfect side dish to a main meal or just one of many tapas dishes.

 Feel free to add spices or hot paprika to this recipe - I am not a huge fan of spicy food so that is why this recipe won't be particularly 'hot'. The chorizo I bought was quite spicy so that's what gave this dish flavour.

With hardly any ingredients, this is really easy to whip up, especially in advance as it can be oven-baked later on to heat through - perfect for dinner parties or as part of a tapas buffet!

Serves 2
- 2 baking potatoes
- olive oil
- seasoning (paprika, dried herbs, pepper, spices etc)
- 1/2 ring of chorizo, sliced
- tin/carton of chopped tomatoes (I used the Sainsbury's one with olive oil & garlic in)
- parsley, to garnish

1. Peel the potatoes and chop them into small cubes. Bring a pan of water to the boil and par-boil the potato cubes for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. In a large frying pan, heat a generous amount of olive oil to fry the potatoes in. Put on a high heat, add the potatoes, and generously sprinkle with whatever seasoning you prefer. Fry in the hot oil for about 15 minutes, frequently tossing the pan to evenly fry and coat in the oil and seasoning. They should be soft in the middle and crispy on the outside when finished.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the chopped tomatoes and stir in the chorizo. Cook on a high heat until the tomatoes have reduced and the sauce is quite thick.

4. When cooked, stir the potatoes into the sauce then serve in individual dishes ready to eat straight away or to be re-heated later.

Enjoy :)

For another tapas idea, try these sweet potato fries!

Bulgur wheat stuffed pepper

This is an even healthier version of cous cous stuffed pepper, where the cous cous is swapped for bulgur wheat (lower in calories, higher in fibre etc), and goats cheese swapped for spring onions. The flavour is still amazing thanks to the red pesto, sun dried tomatoes, spring onion & parsley, so you really can enjoy a nutritious meal.

Serve with green vegetables or a big handful of fresh spinach leaves!

Serves 1 as a main, or 2 as a starter
- 1 large red pepper
- olive oil- 75g bulgur wheat
- 2 tsp red pesto (I used a Napolina tomato & garlic one)
- salt & pepper
- fresh parsley, chopped
- sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- spring onions, chopped
- 1/2 slice of bread, crumbled

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Cut the red pepper in half and de-pip it. In a baking tray, brush the pepper inside and out with olive oil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes to soften.
3. Meanwhile, cook the bulgur wheat according to packet instructions - on the hob in boiling water for around 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the peppers from the oven (they should be softer and have a bit of colour).
5. When the bulgur wheat is cooked, stir the pesto, season with salt & pepper, and stir in as many sun dried tomatoes, spring onions and parsley as you wish.

6. Stuff each pepper half with the bulgur wheat mixture, sprinkle with the chunky breadcrumbs then bake in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, or until the pepper is cooked and the breadcrumbs crisp. Serve straight away!

Enjoy :)

Cider & wholegrain mustard chicken

Tender chicken thighs in a creamy, cider sauce with a wholegrain mustard & parsley tang.

Best served with rice and tenderstem broccoli

Serves 2

- olive oil

- 250g chicken thighs

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 garlic clove, crushed

- 200ml cider

- 100g crème fraiche

- 2 generous tsp wholegrain mustard

- handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1. Fry the chicken thighs in the olive oil in a deep pan until cooked, then remove and set aside.

2. Fry the onion and garlic in the same pan then add the cider and bring to the boil.

3. Return the chicken to the pan and cover and simmer for ten minutes, or until reduced.

4. Stir in the crème fraiche, mustard and parsley - bubble for 5 minutes then serve on a bed of rice.

Enjoy :)

Chicken tabbouleh

A light, summery bulgur wheat dish

Perfect for a healthy lunch (can prepare the night before and eat cold the next day) or for a light dinner.

My version is not spicy as I am not a big fan of spicy food but feel free to cook the chicken with spices. Since the onion is raw, prepare for strong flavours but they work so well together and this dish tastes deliciously fresh and nutritious!

This will be perfect at barbecues or picnics in the summer time but it's okay to start a little early!

Serves 2

- 2 chicken breasts, chopped
- olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- paprika
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, chopped
- 100g bulgar wheat
- lemon juice
- fresh mint, torn (I didn't have any but I would recommend)
- fresh parsley, chopped

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees, then in a small roasting tin, brush the chicken with olive oil, and coat in the garlic and as much paprika as you would like, as season. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes.

2. Place the chopped onion, tomatoes and cucumber into a large bowl and set aside.
3. Prepare the bulgar wheat according to packet instructions (Cook in a pan of boiling water - enough to be fully absorbed - keep adding more until soft to bite).
4. Mix the cooked bulgar wheat into the large bowl with the other ingredients and stir until combined.
5. When the chicken is cooked, stir into the bulgar wheat mixture than squeeze fresh lemon juice on top and mix in the parsley and mint, leaving some to garnish.
6. Either eat straight away as a warm dish or leave to cool for later or the next day!

Enjoy :)

Sun-dried tomato stuffed pepper

A delicious meat-free dish, perfect as a starter or for a healthier mid-week dinner

Serves 1 as a main, or 2 as a starter
- 1 large red pepper
- 60g cous cous
- 2 tsp red pesto (I used a Napolina tomato & garlic one)
- salt & pepper
- dried mixed herbs
- sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- soft goats cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 slice of bread, crumbled
- parsley to garnish

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Cut the red pepper in half and de-pip it. In a baking tray, brush the pepper inside and out with oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes (or olive oil). Place in the oven for 10 minutes to soften.
3. Prepare the cous cous according to packet instructions (add boiling water to a bowl of dried cous cous and cover for 5 minutes until soft to the bite and fluffy).
4. Stir the pesto into the cooked cous cous, season with salt & pepper and dried herbs, and stir in as many sun dried tomatoes and as much goats cheese as you wish.

5. Remove the peppers from the oven (they should be softer and have a bit of colour), and stuff each half with the cous cous mixture.

6. Sprinkle with the chunky breadcrumbs then bake in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, or when the pepper is cooked and the breadcrumbs crisp. Garnish with parsley and serve!

Enjoy :)

Spaghetti with tuna & parsley

 This is the perfect pasta dish to make mid-week when you fancy something a bit comforting, a bit special, but quick and easy. It uses ingredients you will most likely already have which is a bonus (who doesn't always have a tin of tuna in the cupboard?)

 It would also make a super quick Valentine's meal, if you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen but want to make something special for a fellow pasta lover.

(I made this just for myself but will double the quantities below to serve two)

Serves 2 

- 200g spaghetti

- 25g butter

- 2 garlic cloves, crushed

- 1 large onion, finely chopped

- 1 tin of tuna, in oil

- 50-100ml creme fraiche

- handful of fresh parsley, chopped

- parmesan, to grate on top

1. Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions in salted, boiling water (around 10 minutes).

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the garlic for a couple of minutes.

3. Then add the onion and cook until softened. 

4. Drain some of the oil away from the tin of tuna and pour the rest of the tuna oil into the pan with the onion and garlic. Tip the tuna into a separate bowl and mash with a fork, then add to the pan and stir.

5. Mix the crème fraiche and parsley into the tuna mixture and heat through.

4. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the tuna mixture, stirring until combined.

5. Serve and top with a generous grating of parmesan!

 Enjoy :)

Simple Scrambled Egg

I wasn't sure if this post would be condescending but if it does anything at all, it will hopefully inspire you to fill yourself up with some delicious scrambled egg in the morning! And since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it seems only fitting to add my favourite fresh herb to it to make it taste even better.

Serves two

- 4 eggs

- splash of milk

- pinch of salt

- black pepper

- handful of fresh parsley, chopped

- butter

1. In a jug, beat the 4 eggs until smooth.

2. Whisk in some milk, salt, pepper and parsley.

3. Heat a saucepan, and melt the butter. Pour in the egg mixture and stir intermittently over a low-medium heat, making sure the egg doesn't stick to the pan and turn into an omelette, but scrambles.

(don't forget to prepare the other parts of your breakfast!)

4. When scrambled (varies from person to person - I like my eggs fairly solid but still a bit soft and moist), serve with some hot, buttered toast, or a full English!

Enjoy :)

Crispy chicken goujons

These moist chicken goujons are full of flavour and have a golden, crisp crumb - perfect for whipping up a quick, delicious meal. Making chicken goujons from scratch isn't as time-consuming or as tricky as you may think, and they taste far better than shop-bought goujons. The other good thing is that they taste just as delicious cold, for lunch the following day!

Makes 8 goujons

- 8 good quality mini chicken fillets

- handful of plain flour

- seasoning

- 1 egg, beaten

- 2 slices of wholemeal seeded bread

- handful of freshly chopped parsley

- olive oil

1. Take 3 shallow bowls and fill one with flour - season well.

2. Fill another with the beaten egg.

3. In a food processor, blitz the slices of bread until crumbed, then mix with seasoning, and the chopped parsley, and add to the third bowl.

4. Take a chicken fillet and first, dip in the bowl of flour, coating the chicken (this helps the egg to stick).

5. Next, dip and coat in the beaten egg, then into the breadcrumbs until fully coated.

6. Set aside, and continue this process with the rest of the fillets.

7. In a large pan, heat some olive oil, then fry the chicken goujons, turning when one side is crisp and golden.

8. Cook for about 20 minutes on a medium-high heat to ensure the chicken is cooked through, and to get the breadcrumbs perfectly crunchy.

Enjoy :)

Creamy fish pie

I made this a few months ago after wanting to try it for ages, since I'd never even had a fish pie before! It was just as good as i'd expected - creamy and smooth with a lot of flavour and delicious mashed potato with a crispy, cheesy layer. Perfect comfort food!

Serves 6

- 800g potatoes, peeled and chopped

- 25g butter (+ extra for potatoes)

- 25g plain flour

- 400ml milk (+ extra for potatoes)

- 100ml double cream

- around 600g fish - salmon, haddock and white fish (pollock or cod)

I bought Sainsbury's fish pie mix which is salmon, haddock and pollock ready skinned and cubed

- bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

- generous amount of cheddar cheese, grated

1. Boil the potatoes according to packet instructions.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, to make a smooth white sauce.

4. When thickened, stir in 75ml of the cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix in half the parsley.

5. Place the fish at the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Scatter over the remaining parsley then pour the white sauce on top.

6. When the potatoes are cooked and soft, mash them until smooth with butter, milk and the remaining cream.

7. Spread a layer of mashed potato on the top and fluff up with a fork.

8. Finish with a very generous layer of cheddar cheese and cook in the oven for 30 minutes (half covered with foil, half without) or until golden and the fish is cooked.

Enjoy :)

Turkey meatballs

I decided to make turkey meatballs for a change since they are healthier (lower in fat) than beef meatballs, and seem to be lighter and generally more fitting for the summer months. They were really tasty and easy to make and cook - usually home-made meatballs seem to crumble when you fry them but these didn't so I was very pleased. I served them with spaghetti and a Dolmio tomato sauce, topped with fresh parmesan. 

Serves 2

- 250g turkey mince

- 1 onion, chopped

- fresh parsley, chopped

- salt & pepper

- 1/2 beaten egg

- olive oil, for frying

1. Place the raw mince in a mixing bowl

2. Fry the onion to soften then set aside to cool. When cooled, add to the mince, along with a generous handful of chopped parsley and seasoning.

3. Gently mix together with a wooden spoon, then add in the egg and beat together until sticky. (I made the mistake of adding too much egg which made the mix too runny - if this happens just add some flour!)

4. When the right consistency, use your hands to shape into balls -  did mine a little big but aim to make 6 (3 each).

5. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the meatballs.

6. Fry over a medium heat and keep turning so that all sides turn golden brown.

7. This should take about 15 minutes in total - cut one open to check it is cooked in the middle.

8. Serve with pasta and tomato sauce, and voila!

Enjoy :)

Chicken casserole

Once again, sorry for the un-appetising photos but there's no pleasant way to photograph any sauce that has leeks and mushrooms in ha... This was something I threw together at the last minute and it turned out really well in the end. I called it a casserole but it doesn't even go in the oven so it's really simple and quick to make but tastes delicious. It's made with chicken thighs which I love as they're so tender. Best served with rice!

Serves 2

- olive oil

- 3 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut in half

- plain flour

- 1 leek, sliced

- 3 rashers of bacon, chopped

- 100g mushrooms, quartered

- 100ml white wine

- 250ml chicken stock

- 1 tsp dried parsley or mixed herbs

1. Heat some olive oil in a pan and coat the chicken thighs in some flour - cook the chicken thighs in the oil until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Next, fry the bacon, leek and mushrooms in the pan until softened. Pour in the wine and chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes. (Meanwhile, cook the rice in a separate pan)

3. Return the chicken to the pan and add the herbs and seasoning. Cook for a further 5 minutes then serve with the rice.

Enjoy :)

Lemon and parsley trout

There is really no attractive way to present cooked parsley... but don't let the picture put you off. I've posted this simple fish marinade before but with salmon, but I have recently discovered that I much prefer trout. It seems a lot more moist and I just generally prefer the flavour - it was also a bonus that the pack of two fillets was half price! This delicious, tangy marinade is great with fish so give it a try with three simple ingredients. Perfect served with vegetables and new potatoes, rice or even pasta.

Serves 2
- Two trout fillets
- knob of butter (about 25g)
- 1 lemon
- fresh parsley, chopped

1. Melt the butter in a dish, squeeze in as much of the lemon as you wish and stir in the parsley.
2. Rub the trout fillets in the marinade and leave in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and wrap the trout fillets in foil and place on a baking tray.
4. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until tender and flaky.

Enjoy :)

Pasta bows

This is my absolute favourite meal, and for the first time ever I actually cooked it myself. This is one of those special meals that my mum always cooks and it is just absolutely delcious (even better when she makes it) - I guarantee this will be up there with your favourite pasta dishes. I had no clue what to call this since in our family we just call it 'pasta bows' and the original recipe is called 'McEvitt's bows with meat sauce' as it's named after someone that made it. I wanted to give more of an indication of what it actually is in the title but 'pasta in mince, cream, parsley, white wine and parmesan sauce' didn't really sound all that special... I love how this is a creamy dish but is perfectly balanced with the mince and parsley and therefore isn't rich and sickly like other creamy pastas can be. The flavours in this are just amazing together - what is better than cooking with wine and fresh parmesan and herbs!? My mum changed the chilli powder to cayenne pepper and I would use all olive oil and not butter for frying but other than that this is the original recipe from an old cookbook. Definitely stick to pasta bows, it would not be the same with any other pasta!

Serves 2

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, finally chopped

- 250g minced beef

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- salt and pepper

- 100ml white wine

- 150ml double cream

- generous amount of fresh parsley, finely chopped

- 50g parmesan, grated

- 250-300g pasta bows

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the onions, cooking for about 5 minutes until softened.

2.  Stir in the mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned. Add the pepper and seasoning.

3. Pour in the white wine and bring to the boil for a couple of minutes to reduce.

4. Reduce the head and add the cream and parsley - cook for a further ten minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

6. Add the parmesan to the sauce, leaving some for sprinkling on top.

7. Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce to heat through, then serve with the remaining parmesan and a sprig of parsley

Enjoy :)