Lamb roulade with carrots, brocollini and lime cous-cous

Ingredients

• 400g lamb backstrap $12.00
• Bunch of baby carrots $1.95
• Bunch of brocollini $2.45
• Sprig of basil $0.50
• 100g marinated roast capsicum $1.20
• 10 mini mozarella balls $2.00
• 100g Couscous $1.75
• 1 * Lime $0.75
• 2 * garlic cloves $1.20
  Total $23.80
  

Method

1. Remove zest from lime and mix with instant cous-cous.
   
2. Slice carrots in half length ways, and the brocollini into bits on the bias.
3. Chop the garlic finely.
4. Cut each backstrap in two length ways and beat with a meat mallet until they are roughly the same thickness. Season them well.
5. Lay basil, then capsicum, then mozarella slices on the backstrap.
   
   
6. Roll and secure with something (I used satay sticks)
   
7. Heat up two pans and put in a little oil. Chuck the carrots and brocollini into one.
8. Place the lamb into the other, cook on both sides for about 3 minutes.
9. Toss the carrots and brocollini after they have had some time to carmelise.
10. Toss about 1/4 cup of water into the veg pan and cover both pans. (to steam the veg and roast the lamb).
11. Cover the cous-cous with boiling water.
12. Wait five minutes then remove the lids from the pans and fluff up the cous-cous.
13. Plate up and eat.

Time to prepare: About 20 minutes
Audience happiness factor: 4 year old, 1 thumb up; 2 year old 2 thumbs up, wife 1 thumbs up (not a fan of the cous cous)

Chicken "Quesadillas"

Ingredients (sorry forgot to photograph before preping)

• 1 * Large roast free range chicken 10.40
• 15 * Tortillas 2.95
• 1 bunch coriander 2.45
  
• 300g colby cheese 3.45
  
• 1 corn cob 0.50
• 1 carrot 0.50
  
• 1 half head cabbage 1.95
  
• 2 sticks celery 0.45
• 1 egg 0.50
  
• 100ml canola Oil 1.00
  
• 1 tsp dijon mustard 0.25
  Total $24.40

Method

1. Make mayo in normal way, whisk yolk and oil together slowly, whisk the mustard in early.
2. Chop carrot, cabbage and celery and mix together with mayo
3. Remove kernels from corn cob, finely chop coriander leaves and mix.
4. Shred chicken and mix with corn
5. Dump in enough cheese to make a nice mixture.
   
   
6. To cook, lay a tortilla on a sandwich grill cover with chicken cheese mixture and some slaw, then lay another tortilla on top and toast.
7. For the little ones just cover half the tortilla with the chicken/slaw mix and fold over.
   

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: length of meal, I cook at the table.

5 C Risotto (chicken, corn, chorizo, capsicum, coriander)

Ingredients

• 400g free range chicken thighs $7.60
• 2 Chorizo $3.80
• 200g Arborio rice $1.20
• 2l Veal stock home made $4.20
• 1 White onion $0.40
  
• 6 baby capsicum $2.00 (on special)
• 120g can sweetcorn kernels $0.65
• Bunch coriander $2.45
• 2 cloves garlic $0.50
  
• Salt and Pepper $0.05
  Total $22.20
  
  

Method

1. Chop, dice and slice all ingredients as appropriate. The coriander roots are the best bit so chop them as well
   
   
2. Stick the stock in a pot and get it to a gentle simmer.
   
3. Fry the chorizo and chicken in a little olive oil, then remove from pan. Don't discard the oil it will have been flavoured nicely by the chorizo.
   
4. Saute the onion, garlic, coriander roots and capsicum until the capsicum and onion is soft.
   
5. Add the rice to the oil and stir until it is well coated.
6. When it's nice and hot, add ladles of the stock to the rice and stir like heck.
7. When the rice squishes nicely between your fingers add back the meat and then the coriander tops.
8. Season the dish
   
9. If you have some in the fridge grate some parmesan cheese into the hot rice and stir.
   
   

Welcome

Quick simple cheap recipes, tried and tested. Perfect for quick and cheap family meals.