WE are all guilty of cooking the same meals over and over again until we can't look at them any longer. This week's recipes are great examples of how you can make tasty, one pot dishes to feed the entire family - stopping that mid-week urge to reach for the phone to order a takeaway.
These two dishes are simple and once done, can be used again and again swapping the main protein for fish, chicken or pork.
The first dish of halibut, chickpeas and chorizo regularly appeared on the menu in Hadskis, bringing a hint of Mediterranean into our kitchen. The second dish is made with pork, which is a very underrated cut in my opinion and when paired with black bean sauce, is a super tasty and a great takeaway alternative.
For more information, or to book an experience at the Waterman Cookery School, visit cookinbelfast.co.uk.
Halibut, chickpeas & chorizo
(Serves 4)
250g cooking chorizo
2 shallots, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
6 tomatoes, chopped
2 sprigs thyme
1 can chickpeas 400g, drained and rinsed
200ml white wine
500ml chicken stock
4 x 200g fillets halibut on the bone
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Method
Start by preheating the oven to 160C
Roughly chop the chorizo, place on a casserole dish and cook on a medium heat on the hob until the oil from the chorizo is released
Stir in the shallots, garlic, tomatoes and thyme and warm through for 5 minutes.
Stir in the chickpeas and then add the white wine followed by chicken stock, bringing to the boil.
Reduce heat, put a lid on the casserole dish and place in the oven to bake for 1 hour.
Remove the lid, stir and place the halibut on top. Place the lid back on and cook for 12-15 minutes.
Remove from oven and leave to sit for 3 minutes before serving.
Pork Black Bean
(Serves 4)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 pork loins, 140g each, rind removed, diced
Sea salt
Black pepper
2 tablespoons ground nut oil
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
1 onion, skin removed and sliced into 1/8s
150g mushrooms, cleaned and halved
4 cloves garlic, chopped
75g black bean sauce
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
Steamed rice to serve
Method
Start by heating oil in a large wok and bringing to a high heat.
Season the pork with salt and pepper and start to cook off; remove and repeat until all the pork is cooked. Remove the fat from the bottom of the wok and set aside.
Add ground nut oil to the wok and bring to the heat. Add in the peppers, garlic and onion and cook until slightly colored for about 4 minutes. Add in the mushrooms last.
In a bowl, mix the black bean sauce and sweet soy sauce.
Add the pork back into the wok, add in the fat and combine. Mix in a little of the sauce and cook. Reduce the heat and stir in the remaining sauce and cook through.
Once bubbling, serve with steamed rice.
