Breakfast burrito

September 12, 2017October 31, 2019 ~ Corrie ~ 5 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I really can’t afford to waste food, especially after giving all my money to my new letting agent. £950 in non-refundable holding deposit and admin fees, not to mention 2 months rent upfront, greedy bastards… Admittedly, that was over a month ago now but I’m still living off beans. In fact, I’ve eaten so many beans this past month, I’m one bean away from hysterically hurling cans of beans out my lovely new kitchen window shouting ‘FLY MY PRETTIES, FLY!’
But then I found a can of black eyed beans in the cupboard and with about 30p in my purse what’s a girl to do? So I defrosted some wraps and made these rather jazzy breakfast burritos, olé! I actually love this recipe because not only did it feed me and Jamie for breakfast but it makes enough beany filling for two lunch wraps, beans for everyone! Simply replace the scrambled eggs for a few slices of baked sweet potato and add a bit of salad. Waste not want not.

TIP 1: I always pop a big sweet potato in my shopping basket. Pre-baked they make a cheap yet brilliant last minute addition to salads and wraps. (Preheat an oven to 220°C /180°C fan/gas mark 6. Carefully score a sweet potato with a sharp knife along the skin and insert into the centre. Withdraw carefully and cover in foil. Pop in the oven for 40-50 minutes (depending on the size of the potato, bigger potatoes will need longer). Once soft, leave to cool before putting in the fridge. Slice off bits as required and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
TIP 2: Tortilla’s freeze really well wrapped in cling film for up to 3 months.
TIP 3: This recipe makes quite a lot of bean mixture, perfect for making lunch wraps. Simply replace the scrambled egg with slices of baked sweet potato and salad.

Breakfast burrito
Serves 2 / Hands on time 20 minutes / Total time 20 mins / V🌶
1 tsp olive oil
2 tortilla wraps
½ red onion, sliced
Small red pepper, sliced
1 can black eyed beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
½ can of sweetcorn, drained
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp chipotle paste (use less if you don’t want it too spicy)
2 eggs
Garnish
28g vegetarian cheddar, grated
2 spring onions, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
½ a lime cut into 4 wedges
Low fat greek yogurt (optional)

Method
1. Preheat an oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Wrap up two tortilla’s in foil and put to one side.
2. In a large saucepan or cooking pot, add the sliced onion and the red peppers to a tsp of oil. Cook on a medium to high heat for 5 minutes or until softened (add a dash of water to help them steam if they’re starting to look a little brown).
3. Add 2 teaspoons of chipotle paste and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika to the mix and give it a good stir. Add the drained black eyed beans and half a can of sweet corn and mix well. Season well with salt and pepper, add another dash or water and turn down the heat to medium low and cover with a lid.
4. Chop the spring onions and slice the tomato, avocado and quarter half a lime. Grate the cheese and put it all to one side.
5. Put a medium sized saucepan on a high heat with a knob of butter. Once the butter has melted and starts to fizz, add two eggs. Mix quickly with a spoon to scramble and season with with salt and pepper (this is how I make scrambled eggs, with no milk and on a high heat, it’s very quick and they still resemble eggs afterward, not mush).
6. Pop your tortillas in the oven for about a minute to warm them up. Uncover the bean picture and take off the heat. Put your warm tortilla on a plate and cover with a spoonful of the bean mixture, scrambled egg and top with your chosen garnish. Finally season with salt and pepper, wrap up and enjoy.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian 🌶– Spicy

Mozzarella & tomato tart

September 4, 2017July 10, 2022 ~ Corrie ~ 3 Comments

Smoked mozzarella is a wonderful thing and something I’m relatively new to. My friends Tom and Dan invited us round their new house for dinner (this by the way, literally never happens). I’ve been friends with Tom for 18 years (gadzooks) and not once has he ever cooked me dinner… He gave me a Smint once but I’m pretty sure he bought that. Anyway, we prefer to drink our calories when we’re together but on this occasion, I agreed to let him feed me. So I opened my mouth and let one of my oldest and dearest friends shove in a bruschetta topped with smoked mozzarella.
“Good lord, what sweet heaven is that?” I splutter ‘attractively’ as Jamie grimaces.
“Smoked mozzarella babe” Tom says before turning on his heel to go and help Dan in the kitchen.
“Yeah but where did you get it?… Some poncey Italian deli in St Albans I’ll bet” I say more to Jamie and catch him stuffing a few slices in his mouth, minus the bruschetta.
“Err no, just Waitrose” Tom yells from the kitchen…
Now, as luck would have it, we recently moved house and guess what our local supermarket is? Yep, you’ve guessed it, WAITROSE! So I scampered home and decided to build an entire recipe around an entire ball of smoked mozzarella and here it is! I really must make it for Tom and Dan, maybe in another 18 years when it’s my turn to cook.

Mozzarella & tomato tart
Serves 4 or 6 as a starter / Hands on time 15 / Total time 50 – 55 mins / V ❄
You’ll need: A 10 inch non-stick loose bottomed tart tin or a large baking tray
1 tsp olive oil
Baking paper
300g mixed tomatoes, sliced
250g vegetarian mozzarella or *smoked mozzarella, sliced
320g ready roll puff pastry
Handful black olives
Handful fresh basil leaves
1 egg, beaten
1 tbs Pomora extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas 6. Spray your baking tray/tart tin with spray oil and top with a layer of baking paper. Spray again with oil and put to one side.
2. Slice the tomatoes (halve the cherry tomatoes) and slice the cheese. Roll out your puff pastry and roughly stretch it over your tart case (you don’t need to be very neat about this, this tart isn’t supposed to look perfect). Layer the bottom of the tart with the mozzarella, leaving a good inch around it for the crust. Top evenly with the tomatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Pull the edges of the tart in on itself, creating a kind of crust. Top with a handful of black olives and scattering of fresh basil leaves.
3. Beat the egg in small bowl and using a brush, wash over any visible pastry crust.
4. Bake in the oven for 30-35 mins until golden brown. Leave the tart to cool for 10-15 minutes before topping with more fresh basil and a good drizzle basil oil. Serve with dressed salad leaves.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

*Smoked mozzarella tends to be made with animal rennet, so if you’re vegetarian, swap for vegetarian mozzarella.
❄– Freeze before baking. Freeze unwrapped on the baking tray for a couple of hours to allow the tart to harden before removing and wrapping well in a few layers of clingfilm. Return to the freezer and consume within 3 months. To cook from frozen, place on a an non-stick baking tray and cook for 45-50 mins.

Open spinach & mushroom lasagne

August 28, 2017February 13, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 4 Comments

Seriously, why have I never thought about making this before? It’s elegant and sophisticated but only takes 20 minutes. Perfect for a date night meal in for two… Although mine ended up being a date night meal in for one — Jamie was out with his friend watching the Arsenal game yesterday. His loss… and Arsenal’s – four nil to Liverpool apparently.
Anyway, I’ll be making it again for Jamie soon because it was pretty special and there was something a little sad about me eating it on my own. It’s the sort of dish you want the person you’ve made it for, to roll their eyes into the back of their head and start groaning incomprehensible sex noises at you… So maybe don’t make it for your mum. Just kidding, it’s not THAT good but the thing that makes this dish, isn’t the garlicky mushrooms or the perfect paring of spinach and ricotta, it’s the truffle oil and capers. Truffle oil can be quite a rich, overpowering flavour but team it with fresh, zingy capers and it balances out nicely. Now you’ll have to excuse me, I have a very hungover boyfriend who needs my attention and an urgent fondant fancy.

Open spinach & mushroom lasagne
Serves 2 / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 20 mins / V
3 sheets of fresh pasta, cut in half to make 6 squares
250g chestnut mushrooms, de-stalked and roughly sliced
260g spinach leaves
3 tsp Pomora extra virgin truffle oil
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
Handful of fresh thyme sprigs (the bigger the better, as you’ll need to fish them out of the mixture later)
150g vegetarian ricotta*
vegetarian Italian hard cheese or Parmesan* shavings to serve
2 tsp capers

TIP: Wrap up any fresh pasta sheets you don’t use and freeze. Use within 3 months and defrost thoroughly before use.

Method
1. Take the fresh lasagne sheets and cut them in half creating 6 squares. Place in a saucepan and put to one side and pre-boil a kettle ready for later.
2. De-stalk and roughly chop the mushrooms and put to one side. In a large saucepan or cooking pot add a tsp of Pomora truffle oil, the crushed garlic and the fresh thyme. Cook on a medium to high heat for one minute before adding the mushrooms (if it gets a bit hot, add a dash of water to prevent from burning). Sweat for 5 more minutes and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium.
3. Once the mushrooms start to soften, add the spinach in handfuls of two. Mix in and allow to wilt before adding more handfuls. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Meanwhile, use this time to shave your Italian hard cheese. Once all the spinach has wilted, season again with salt and pepper and give it a good mix. Take off the heat and put the lid on to keep warm.
4. Boil the lasagne sheets in a saucepan for 3-4 minutes and then drain. Drizzle with a little bit of truffle oil and mix carefully with a spoon to prevent the sheets sticking together.
5. Assemble your lasagne by placing one sheet of pasta on each plate and top with a teaspoon of ricotta. Uncover the mushroom mixture and discard the thyme stalks (you my notice a bit of liquid at the bottom of the pot, to prevent the lasagne becoming too wet, use a slotted spoon). Top each lasagne sheet with a spoonful of the mushroom mixture. Add another layer of pasta, a teaspoon of ricotta and yet another spoon of the mushroom mixture. Top with the final pasta layer, a good dollop of ricotta and the last bit of the mushroom mixture.
6. Finally top with a teaspoon of capers, cheese shavings, a good drizzle of truffle oil and a good crack of salt and pepper.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

*Ricotta is traditionally made with animal rennet but you can get vegetarian varieties. UK supermarket home brands tend to be, click here.
* Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiani) is always made using animal rennet, therefore it is not vegetarian. Substitute for Italian hard cheese if applicable.

Stuffed jalapeños

August 25, 2017October 31, 2019 ~ Corrie ~ 2 Comments

I love my new house, despite the screaming toddler upstairs and the man who smokes and coughs his lungs up in the garden, it’s wonderful. However, there’s a much bigger problem than my neighbours phlegm…I now have an electric hob. I find it a mystifying and bamboozling piece of equipment, I mean how does one cook on such a thing? For a start, I should probably stop putting my hand on it to check if it’s hot (because it always is, despite taking 3 days to heat up). So, until I can learn to boil an egg successfully, I’m going to share something I made ages ago for Familes First Magazine.
These stuffed Jalapeños make the perfect starter or canapé for any Mexican feast. Surprisingly mild, these little babies ooze with cheesy goodness, what’s not to like?

Stuffed jalapeños
Makes 20 / Hands on time 12 mins / Total time 25 mins / V Gf🌶
12 jalapeños
100g cream cheese
60g vegetarian mature cheddar, finely grated
½ red onion, finely chopped
Handful of fresh coriander chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of ½ lime
1 lime sliced into wedges to serve
Handful chopped chives to serve

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Slice all the jalapeños in half and scrape out the seeds carefully with a teaspoon. Be careful not to damage the jalapeños boats. Put to one side.
2. In a bowl combine the cream cheese, grated cheddar, crushed garlic, sliced red onion, chopped coriander, a squeeze of lime and pinch of salt and pepper. Using a teaspoon fill your jalapeño boats and pop them on a couple of baking trays lined with baking paper.
3. Bake in the over until the top of the cheese is ever so slightly browned, around 12 minutes. Serve with lime wedges and topped with a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Gf– Gluten free 🌶– Spicy

Baked chickpea scotch eggs

August 18, 2017February 25, 2024 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

Sorry for the late post dear reader but I’ve been busy moving myself, Jamie and my vast collection of cook books into our new home. I had fifteen boxes of cookbooks, FIFTEEN! Ridiculous. I felt very sorry for Jamie’s dad Billy, who heroically carried them up two flights of stairs (apologies Billy), I clearly have a problem.
Anyway, let’s talk veggie Scotch eggs. I’ve been a bit obsessed with them ever since I tried my first one in the The Southampton Arms last month. However, this is not the first time I’ve tried to make them. My first attempt was a bit of a fail back in 2015. Although tasty, they resembled mushroom burgers, far too flat to be considered a Scotch egg. So, two years later and with a picnic on the horizon, it was time for round two. Using a mixture of chickpeas, breadcrumbs and cannellini beans, I finally managed to get the right texture to mould around my boiled eggs to form the perfect Scotch egg (#winningatlife). Unlike a regular Scotch egg however, I opted for baking not frying, not only to keep the calories down (as you all know, I’ve been on a diet for about 100 million years) but because I don’t trust myself to deep fat fry anything, far to scary. I mean I don’t even own a microwave, let alone a deep fat fryer, although my mum did once, my dad bought her one for Christmas. Not cool dad, not cool.
Anyway, if you fancy a bit of challenge and want to impress your friends at that picnic then be brave and give these a go, you won’t regret it.

Baked chickpea scotch eggs
Makes 5 / Hands on time 55 / Total time 1 hr 15 mins + cooling / V Df
You will need: Hand blender/food processor, cling film, 2 Tupperware containers
1 tsp rapeseed oil
6 medium eggs (one week old is best for peeling)
Ice
1 red onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp chilli flakes
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can cannellini, chickpeas or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
40g breadcrumbs (roughly 2 regular slices of bread)
3 tbs plain flour
Spray oil
English mustard to serve (optional)

TIP: Eggs that are slightly older are easier to peel, so try and use up the older eggs in you have in the fridge for this recipe.

Method
1. Prepare a medium saucepan of salted salted water and bring to the boil before turning down to a simmer. Meanwhile, carefully tap 5 of the eggs a few times with the back of a teaspoon (this helps with peeling later). Lower all 5 of the eggs into the simmering water and boil for 7 minutes before scooping out and placing in a bowl of iced water. Put to one side
2. Add a tsp of oil to a large saucepan and add the chopped onions, grated carrot and salt. Cook over a medium heat with the lid on for 5 mins, adding a dash of water if needed.
3. Add the chilli flakes, garlic and the smoked paprika before adding another dash of water and cook for a further 2 mins. Add both cans of rinsed and drained beans and season with pepper. Turn the heat down and cook with the lid on for a further 10 mins. Preheat an oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7.
4. To make the breadcrumbs, add 2 slices of torn bread to a food processor and blitz until you have breadcrumbs or, use 40g of shop bought breadcrumbs. Put to one side.
5. Take the beans off the heat and either transfer to a food processor or blitz with a hand blender until you have a smooth paste. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining egg with a fork and add to the mixture along with half of the breadcrumbs and mix together.
6. Add the flour to an empty Tupperware container along with a good pinch of salt and the rest of the breadcrumbs to another Tupperware container.
7. Peel the eggs and place on a piece of kitchen roll and pat them dry. To assemble your scotch eggs, tear a large square of clingfilm and put it on the deck in front of you. Roughly divide the mixture into five and place one portion in the centre of your clingfilm. Using your hands, pat the mixture down until you have a round-ish patty.
8. Shake the first egg in the first Tupperware containing the flour until covered and place in the centre of the bean mixture. Gather up the edges of the clingfilm and start to squish the beans around the egg, until the egg is entirely encased by the mixture – if you find you haven’t taken enough mixture, simply add more to the top and continue to work around the egg. (See step by step images below).
9. Once the egg is encased, remove the clingfilm and mould into a ball with your hands. Roll in Tupperware containing the breadcrumbs until coated and add to a lined baking tray. Repeat this process with the other 4 eggs using the same sheet of clingfilm.
10. Spray all the eggs with oil and bake in the oven for 20-25 mins. Leave to cool completely on the baking tray before wrapping individually in clingfilm and refrigerating. Serve with a dollop of English mustard. Consume within 5 days.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Df– Dairy free

Chilli & lime cheesecake

August 7, 2017December 27, 2019 ~ Corrie ~ 1 Comment

I don’t know about you, but I spend an abnormal amount of time thinking about my Come Dine With Me menu. Not that I would ever apply to go on the show of course, everyone seems far too mean and annoying but if I were to go on it, what would I make?
My starter and main course tend to change on a daily basis, some days I like the idea of doing a themed menu, other days, a more restaurant worthy affair with matching wine. But the one course I’m always most confident in, is dessert. My chilli and lime cheesecake is a sure fire winner, with it’s buttery ginger crumb laced with subtle chilli and zesty creamy topping, I’m certain my guests would find it intriguing yet delightful. ‘Oh what a clever dessert’ they would say ‘I’m going to score her a 9 just for the cheesecake’. So to cut a long story short I would win the £1,000 and we’d all live happily ever after, The End… Actually, I’d quite like £1,000, maybe I should apply? Nah, can’t be bothered but if you can and you make my cheesecake then I happily await your bank transfer (bank details to follow).

Chilli & lime cheesecake
Serves 8-10 / hands on time 45 mins / total time 45 mins + chilling / V🌶
You’ll need: 10 inch flan tin
Base
250g ginger biscuits
90g unsalted butter, melted
¼ tsp chilli flakes
Topping
300ml double cream
360g cream cheese
4 limes (juice of 4, zest of 3)
50g of golden caster sugar

TIP: To make 4 individual cheesecakes, half the recipe and split between 4 ramekins.

Method
1. Line an 10 inch flan tin with baking paper and put to one side. In a food processor blitz the ginger biscuits until they resemble bread crumbs. Pour into bowl and mix in the chillies and the melted butter.
2. Pour the base into your flan tin and level it out evenly to the edges. squash the base down using either your hands or a wooden spoon. Pop in the fridge for an hour to chill. Using a mixer with a balloon whisk or a hand help electric whisk, whisk the cream cheese, sugar, lime and lime zest (saving a small handful for decoration later). Once combined start to whisk in the double cream bit by bit to thicken the mixture.
3. Once mixture has thickened pour it into the centre of your flan tin and spread to the edges evenly with a wooden spoon or spatular. Chill for a couple of hours or cover with cling film and chill over night. Cut into segments and serve topped with a sprinkling of lime zest.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian 🌶– Spicy

Peanut butter, honey & pears on toast

July 31, 2017October 31, 2019 ~ Corrie ~ 4 Comments

Peanut butter and honey on toast might seem like an odd combination but trust me, it’s a wonderful thing. I was first introduced to it by my old school friend Hina. Hina was (and still is I believe) Japanese and the Japanese like their peanut butter a bit sweeter than us Brits. So after school, we’d often scamper back to her boarding house and eat peanut butter on toast slathered in honey, which I later christened ‘Hinabutter’.
Anyway, so I forgot all about Hinabutter until I purchased an insanely expensive pot of raw honey recently. Apparently the 40p honey I’d been buying all these years was no better than eating filtered dog turds. So did it really taste all that different?
Well no, not really but there’s a quite a significant difference between the two despite tasting very similar. For a start, regular honey tends to be pasteurised and filtered, which is said to destroy the honey’s natural vitamins and nutrients. Whereas raw honey, comes straight from the hive so remains untreated, unheated and unfiltered. This means, unlike regular honey, it retains most of it’s nutritional properties and can even include the odd bit of wax, pollen and a couple of bees knees (literally). Although don’t worry, raw honey is often strained to remove wax/knees so no need to freak out, humans have been eating raw honey for thousands of years. Anyway that’s enough eduction for one day, now where was I?
Oh yeah, so for the past week, I’ve been pouring honey all over my peanut butter on toast like some kind of deranged Pooh Bear which doesn’t exactly make for a balanced breakfast. So I chucked in some pears and a bit of ricotta to help balance it out and to help cut through the sticky sweetness of it all. Bananas I’m sure would work wonderfully too but as I can’t stand the little buggers, I think I’ll stick to me pears thanks guvna… Not sure why I’ve gone all cockney but there you go. Enjoy!

Peanut butter, honey & pear on toast
Serves 1 / Hands on time 5 mins / Total time 5 mins / V
2 slices of bread
Knob of butter
Crunchy peanut butter
Honey, preferably raw or organic
½ conference pear, cored and sliced
1-2 tbs of vegetarian *Ricotta
Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds

Method
Toast the bread of your choice and top with an even layer of butter and then peanut butter. Drizzle the toast with a couple of teaspoons of honey and spread evenly with a knife. Top with slices of pear, drizzle with a bit of extra honey and serve with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds and a good dollop of ricotta.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian
*Ricotta is traditionally made with animal rennet but you can get vegetarian varieties. UK supermarket home brands tend to be, click here.

Fragrant coconut soup

July 26, 2017October 31, 2019 ~ Corrie ~ 5 Comments

Something very strange and mystifying has happened, I’ve joined a gym. No longer happy with my soft fleshy physique, I’ve decided to take action. Over the past year, I’ve actually managed to lose a stone through healthy eating, stress and gastroenteritis (good old gastroenteritis) so I’m pretty happy. However, with weight-loss does not come toning my friends, so my body is literally a load of flesh wrapped around some bones, not a muscle in sight.
The final straw came when I recently attempted to do a press up, just the one. I lowered myself down pretty successfully but when it came to coming back up, it simply didn’t happen. So I just lay there grunting and cursing my weak upper body, my face squished into the carpet. ‘Well this is a new low’ I remember thinking along with ‘I really should hoover’.
So I joined a gym, bought a little padlock for my locker, a cool looking water bottle and decided I would go everyday for the rest of my life. First of all though, I’d have to get through my stupid induction, (sigh) can’t we just skip it? While we’re at it, can’t we just skip to my body looking like Jennifer Aniston’s please? Gym inductions are stupid. I don’t need a gym induction to strut around and pretend like I know how to use everything, that’s what everyone else does right? Anyway regardless, I went to my induction and got well and truly broken.
“Can’t you just show me how to use the machines ‘in theory’ and I’ll do it myself next time?”
“No” said my induction master (that’s what they’re called these days) “You learn by doing not watching, now give me another ten.”
“Ten??!!!” When did ten become a thing?
Forty minutes later I emerge very pink, breathless and appear to have lost the ability to move both my arms and my legs. So this is what being fit feels like? Poor Jennifer Aniston.
Anyway enough of that, lets talk about this rather lovely coconut soup I created to keep those love handles at bay. I adore Thai green curry but after a long day at work, I tend to just want something quick and easy but with similar flavours. This is it. Enjoy!

Fragrant coconut soup
Serves 2 / Hands on time 25 mins / Total time 30 mins / V Vn Df
2 cans light coconut milk
1 vegetable stock pot, I use Knorr
2 sticks of lemon grass, bashed (I use a rolling pin)
½ white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and bashed
1 medium sized red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 knob of ginger, roughly grated
2 tsp caster sugar
28g bunch coriander, chopped
145g nest of rice noodles
2 tsp red miso paste or light soy sauce
5 chestnut mushrooms, roughly sliced
2 bulbs of pak choy, roughly chopped
3 Chinese leaves or a handful for kale, roughly chopped
Juice of a lime

Method
1. In a large saucepan, add the 2 cans of coconut milk, vegetable stock cube or pot, chopped onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, bashed lemongrass and sugar. Roughly chop the coriander stalks (saving the leaves) and add to the coconut milk. Give it a good stir and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook your rice noodles in small saucepan according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and cover in a stream of cold water until completely cold (this will stop the noodles from continuing to cook). Drain again and divide the noodles into two large soup bowls. Put to one side.
3. Turn your attention back to the soup and give it a quick stir. Roughly chop the remaining coriander leaves, Chinese leaves, pak choy and mushrooms.
4. After 15 minutes your soup should be well infused and fragrant. Over a large bowl, carefully pour your soup through a sieve. Discard the contents of the sieve and pour the remaining soup back into your saucepan.
5. Stir through 2 tsp of red miso paste and add the pak choy, mushrooms and Chinese leaf. Give it a good stir and cook on a medium heat for a few minutes or until the veg is tender. Take the saucepan off the heat, squeeze over the lime juice and stir. Finally, ladle over the cooked noodles and top with fresh coriander. Devour.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Vn– Vegan Df– Dairy free

Spanakopita parcels

July 17, 2017August 21, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 8 Comments

I totally forgot how much I like to eat raw filo pastry dipped in butter. I know it’s a bit wrong but then again, my boss likes to drink double cream from the carton. No judgment.
Anyway, for those of you who don’t know what spanakopita is, it’s a Greek pastry made of buttery layers of filo, stuffed with a spinach and feta filling – drool. My friend Philippa’s been nagging me to make these for years but alas, the occasion has never quite presented itself, until now.
With a big charity event on the horizon and Jamie’s nan’s 82nd birthday that same weekend, I thought this is it, it’s time. So I dramatically whisked myself off to Waitrose (sorry Sainsbury’s, you ain’t near my work) and bought a giant bag of frozen spinach (which I then proceeded to defrosted on my lap, on the 390 bus home).
Back at chez Camden, I did a spot of research and came to the conclusion that these beggars, were potentially tricky little customers. So as usual, I chucked all my bamboozling research in the metaphorical bin and decided to wing it. Luckily for me and everyone else at Party on the Pitch, they turned out to be rather delightful – as was the party itself.
Every year, this marvellous family music festival takes place in Southam Warwickshire, to help raise money for motor neurone disease. Jamie’s Uncle Simon, tragically died of this degenerative disease back in 2011, but before he died, he was determined to raise awareness and £1,000,000 to help find a cure. Party on the Pitch, is just one of the ways in which money is being raised in Simon’s honour. If you’re feeling charitable, then a little donation can go a long way. Click here to find out more and to make a donation. Thank you.

Spanakopita parcels
Makes 12 / Hands on time 45 mins / Total time 1 hr + defrosting time / V ❄
500g frozen spinach, defrosted
½ white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Small handful of dill, chopped
Small handful of parsley, chopped
300g vegetarian feta
4 sheets of fresh Filo pastry cut into 6 squares (24 in total). I used jus-roll filo sheets 270g
50g unsalted butter

Method
1. Start by defrosting your frozen spinach in colander over a bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to thaw – this can take a few hours or sometimes even half a day. Once thawed, discard any excess water and place a quarter of the spinach in a sieve over a sink. Using the back of a spoon, squish the spinach down as much as you can to remove any remaining moisture before placing in a large bowl. Repeat this until you have no spinach left to squeeze.
2. Finely chop the onion, spring onions, dill, parsley and the garlic before adding to the spinach. Season generously with salt and pepper and give it a good stir. Using your hands, crumble in the feta and mix well. Put to one side.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the butter over a low heat until melted. Put to one side. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan /400°F/gas mark 6.
4. On a clean surface, lay out the filo and cut into 24 squares 6 inches squared – roughly the size of a photograph (I put 2 sheets of filo one on top of the other and divided it roughly into 6 using a sharp knife. I then repeat this process giving me 24 squares of filo).
5. On a chopping board, take a square of filo and brush it with melted butter right to the edges. Lay the second square on top creating a star shape (see images below). Scoop a heaped tablespoon of spinach mix and place it in the centre (don’t be tempted to over fill your parcels, you want to be left with plenty of filo to play with). Brush with yet more butter right to the edges and carefully bring the corners together and pinch the top firmly to seal in the filling. Filo is very delicate and will tear so don’t worry if it does, just scrunch it and seal the parcels as best you can – they’re not supposed to look perfect. Place on a lined baking tray and repeat until you have 12 filo parcels – prepare for your hands to get very buttery.
6. Bake in the oven for 15 mins. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool on their baking trays for 5 mins. Transfer carefully to a cooling rack and leave to cool for a further 5 mins. Serve warm or cool completely and refrigerate.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian
❄ – Suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.

Mexican mixed bean lasagne

July 11, 2017January 21, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 1 Comment

Why I ever think drinking on a Sunday is a good idea is beyond me. To cut a long story short, Jamie and I went for a roast and I drank a bottle of wine. Next thing I know, I’m lying on my bed, fully clothed and surrounded by mini Toffee Crisp wrappers, popcorn and there’s a half eaten cheese toastie upon my person. My laptop’s open on the bed and is playing endless episodes of Ru Paul’s Drag Race (I love Netflix). So all in all, a very successful Sunday.
Although the fun never lasts, I was so horribly hungover at work today that I’m pretty sure I needed medical assistance. When I finally got to the hospital (to see my mum who is currently having chemo) I was stunned nobody took any notice of my condition, savages.
Anyway, enough about my life, lets talk about my new flat… What? It’s exciting and I feel like sharing! So yes, Jamie and I are officially the new renters of a one bedroom flat in sunny Archway. It has a roof terrace and everything so now I can buy plants and accidentally neglect them like everyone else in North London.
So let’s celebrate with this this rather tasty tortilla lasagne (which I’m sure I will be making with tomatoes I grow on my new roof terrace) okay I’ll stop it now. This recipe is actually one I wrote for Families First Magazine’s July/August issue (out now). They trust me to write recipes for them sometimes which is nice, they clearly have impeccable taste.

Mexican mixed bean lasagne
Serves 6 / Hands on time 1 hr / Total time 1 hr 30 mins / V ❄🌶
You’ll need: A deep ovenproof dish (roughly 10 inches wide)
Sauce
1 tsp of olive oil
1 white onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
2 tbs tomato purée
2 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 cans chopped tomatoes
500ml vegetable stock, I use Knorr
2 handfuls of fresh coriander, chopped
Filling
1 can black eyed beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can of sweetcorn, drained
100g vegetarian cheddar, grated
100g vegetarian feta, crumbled
6 medium tortillas

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Chop the onion and the yellow pepper and add them to a large saucepan with a tsp of oil. Cover with the lid and allow to sweat on a medium heat for around 10 minutes or until soft.
2. Stir in the smoked paprika and chilli flakes and continue to cook for a couple more minutes. Add the tomato purée, chopped coriander, canned tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Give it a good stir, season well with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat and let the sauce reduce for around 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, drain the beans and the sweetcorn and pour into a large bowl. Crumble in half of the feta and half of the grated cheese and stir well. Once your tomato sauce has reduced, take off the heat and put to one side.
4. Grease a large, oven proof, dish with oil and place 2 tortillas in the bottom (Don’t worry if they overlap). Top with about a third of tomato sauce and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle over half the bean and cheese mixture, before laying 2 more tortillas on top. Add another layer of sauce, the rest of the bean and cheese mixture and top with the final 2 tortillas. Spread the top with the last of the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining feta and cheddar.
5. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the top is lovely and brown. Remove from the oven and let the lasagne rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a simple salad, sour cream and a couple of jalapeño’s.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian 🌶– Spicy
❄– One cooked and fully cooled, the lasagne is suitable for home freezing. Defrost thoroughly before reheating and consumer within 3 months.