Chilli and Lime Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash is one of the most versatile vegetables around and with their outbreak into a fashionable vegetable, here's a side dish that accompanies so many other ingredients. I will also pre-warn the chefs among you, this one is very simple yet very tasty!

Recipe (makes enough for 4 as a side dish)

1 table spoon olive oil
1 large butternut squash
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon lime juice

Peel and deseed the butternut squash removing the pith from the middle to leave just the flesh. Cube or slice the squash into pieces roughly equal to each other in size, approximately 3 centimeters in length is a good start. Toss them in the olive oil on a baking sheet to ensure they are all coated and roast them in an oven at 200 °C until cooked (about 30 minutes for the size mentioned). Once soft in the middle but still retaining their shape, serve them sprinkling the lime juice and diced chilli over the top. Lovely.

As you can see from my photo, this recipe can also be done using chilli powder if you don't have any fresh chillies to hand.

Swede and Carrot Risotto

Surely this must be a first?

Ever had a roast and made the standard swede and carrot mash but mashed far too much for one meal. This recipe is a perfect use of the left over mash or even make it from scratch, both work just as well. This recipe can also be made vegetarian by omitting the bacon.

Recipe (makes enough for 2)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, diced
125g Arborio rice (or good risotto rice)
1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 litre chicken stock
2 large carrots, diced
1/2 swede, diced
1 tablespoon sugar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Boil the carrot and swede in just enough water to cover it, with a good pinch of salt and the sugar, until tender and cooked. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and sweat down the onion until softened. Once the onion is softened without colour, add the bacon and cook both until they take on a little colour. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute until it begins to go creamy, at this point add the vinegar and stir until the vinegar has evaporated and the rice begins to get sticky. Slowly incorporate the stock adding about 100ml at a time and stirring continuously. When the swede and carrot are cooked drain and mash them adding salt and pepper to taste. Finally, when the rice is cooked (tasting to ensure it is soft), add the mashed swede and carrot, stir thoroughly and taste for a final seasoning of salt and pepper.



Another thought occurred to me during the cooking, this would be really nice if diced pancetta was used instead of the streaky bacon. I didn't have any so I have just ordered the curing ingredients online to home cure my own pancetta. I will keep you updated.

Asian Beef Soba Noodles

Slowly but surely 12 o'clock approached and the excitement of my lunch was growing and growing. I'd spoken to colleagues about my plans to cook some Asian Beef Noodles for lunch over a gas camping stove - and yes I'd received many funny looks.

Recipe (makes enough for 2)

1 bundle Soba noodles
100g minced beef
1 teaspoon five-spice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 heaped teaspoon of fresh ginger, finely chopped
100g cooked peeled prawns
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely diced
1 handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1 handful of fresh mint, chopped
1 handful of roasted peanuts
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Firstly, soak the noodles in boiling water until soft. Whilst they are soaking, heat the olive oil in a wok until hot. Fry the beef, five-spice, garlic and ginger until it is brown and slightly crispy. Next add the prawns and heat through whilst draining the noodles. Once the prawns are heated add the noodles to the beef mixture, stirring to incorporate without breaking up the noodles. Finally, add the spring onions, chillies, coriander, mint, lime juice and peanuts. Mix it all together, season and serve warm.

Enjoy... it has a good kick to it.

Welcome to dayjobrelease

Hi all,

Firstly I should introduce myself. My name is Lewis Harvey and I spend my daily job writing software in a peaceful office to fix some form of problem another company has. As some of you may realise, this can get mundane and tedious - therefore my evening release is to cook.

I can think of nothing better than finding a new recipe or inventing one for myself and putting my heart and soul into its production.

This blog will contain recipes, reviews for both my food and others and general foodie information. I hope you enjoy it and please tell me if you do or don't.

Lewis.