Stovetop Spinach & Sausage Frittata

Normally I cook frittatas in the oven but this time I wanted to see if one could be done on the stove top – and it did work.  The texture of the eggs was very soft and silky – but it took 35 minutes to cook – which I felt was a long time.

Ingredients:

Spinach

Leftover cooked sausage

6 eggs

Reduced cream (or fresh cream)

Salt & Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Nutmeg – freshly grated

Feta cheese (crumbled)

Oil/butter

Method:

Slice the sausage and heat it through in some oil/butter in a heavy pan. 

Add the spinach and wait a moment or two for it just to start wilting.

Pour in your whisked together eggs, cream and salt and pepper and cayenne.

Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the top.

Grate some nutmeg onto the top.

Don't stir.  Put a lid on the pan and leave it on a low heat.  Serve when the top is just set.

If your pan was able to be used in the oven, you could finish the top off in there which would be quicker – but kind of defeats the purpose of just using the elements.

Spinach & Cheese stuffed Cannelloni

This was tasty even though no meat was involved.

Ingredients:

Box of cannelloni shells (no pre-cooking required)

Cheese

For the filling:

Frozen spinach

Sour cream

Parmesan

Nutmeg

For the sauce:

Oil/garlic oil

Passata

Tomato puree

Fresh parsley

Dried oregano

Dried basil

½ cup of red wine

Salt & Pepper

Method:

Heat your oven to moderate.  Make the sauce by simmering the ingredients together.

Mix the filling ingredients after thawing the spinach and squeezing as much water out of it as you can.  Stuff each cannelloni – I didn't have a piping bag so did the best I could with a teaspoon.

Put ½ of your sauce into the lasagne dish.  Put your layer of stuffed cannelloni on top and top off with the remainder of the sauce.  Top off with a layer of grated cheese.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.  Enjoy!

Prawn & Spinach Noodles – A Do Over

This simple dish – Prawn & Spinach Noodles – doesn't require any specialised technique.  You do need to be guided by your taste but other than that it is a doddle.

Ingredients:

Noodles – I used thick cut ones

Prawns – defrosted

1 block of frozen spinach

Parsley

Cayenne pepper

Fish sauce (or salt)

Chicken stock cube

Red chilli

Spring onion (scallion)

Pepper

½ a capful of Chinese black vinegar (balsamic would be fine)

Method:

Bring your water and stock cube to the boil.  Add your noodles and cook until they are tender.  Then add everything else.  Taste and season to your liking – whether that means more fish sauce or even maybe a touch of sugar.

Beef & Spinach Ragout

First I have a confession – this pic was not taken when the food was made but was done the next day with the leftovers. I have to say that not having to worry about it getting cold was quite liberating.

Ingredients:

Cross cut blade steak

Flour – seasoned

Oli/Garlic oil

Carrot

Potato

Borlotti beans

Marmite

Beef stock cube

Paprika

Chinese cooking wine

Mushroom water (from soaking dried mushrooms)

Spinach

Cream

Method:

Because I started this dish a bit late I cut everything up quite small and cooked with a higher heat than usual to have it ready.

Cut up your steak into smallish cubes and toss them in flour which has been well seasoned with salt and pepper

Brown the meat in your casserole pan in the oil/garlic oil

Deglaze the pan with the Chinese cooking wine and hot water, and the mushroom water.

Add your stock cube, Marmite, the cubed potato and carrot. If you don't have Marmite you could add Worcestershire sauce instead. Sprinkle in paprika (I used about 2 teaspoons)

Add your drained beans.

20 minutes before serving add chopped fresh spinach and 2-3 spoonfuls of cream.

I served this with a little horseradish cream sauce.