Three scrumptious recipes with Alex's Kitchen Story

Saucettes! It's that wonderful time again when the wizard in the kitchen, Alex's Kitchen Story, has whipped us three forever recipes and shared them with us for all of you. We love her. No gatekeeping, ever. Alex removes the mental load that comes with cooking by creating easy-to-follow recipes with simple ingredients that are packed with delicious flavours, and they're bloody hearty, too. She cooks what I like to call soul food. 

Enjoy!

Mini Pork Meatballs on Coconut Rice with Big Flavour Dressing

Serves - 2

Ingredients

500g pork mince
1 egg
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1 cup rice
1 tin coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cucumber
1 gem lettuce head
2 shallots
2 red chillis
4 garlic cloves
2 limes
2 tbsp white balsamic or rice vinegar
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp rapeseed or another frying oil
Handful coriander
Handful mint
Salt & Pepper

Method 

1. Finely dice shallots, garlic and chilli and grate lime zest. Add half the shallots, half the chilli, half the lime zest into a jug with the vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce and oil and season then mix well.

2. Add the remaining shallots, garlic, chilli & lime zest to a mixing bowl with the pork mince along with the egg and panko crumbs. Mix to combine with a large spoon then move to your hands when the spoon is no longer affective. Season and set aside.

3. Roll with your hands small portions of the mince into meatballs.

4. Add rice to a pot with the coconut milk and water and some salt. Swirls around then place a lid on the pot and leave to cook on a medium low heat until all the liquid has evaporated.

5. Pan fry your meatballs in the rapeseed or other frying oil in a non stick pan. Once browned on the base, flip and cook on other sides until all browned. Should take about 10 mins.

6. Between flipping meatballs, chop cucumber and lettuce and dice herbs.

7. Remove everything from the heat and assemble across two bowls or plates. Add rice first, followed by veg, then meatballs, then finally the dressing and a sprinkle of herbs. Season and serve.

Dumplings in Mushroom & Garlic Broth

Serves -2

Ingredients

12 pre-made dumplings (I used prawn)
2 mushroom stock cubes
750ml boiling of water
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 garlic cloves
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 red chilli (if you like spice)
2 spring onion stalks
4 tsp Chinese chilli oil
1 tbsp cooking oil

Method

1. Make sure dumplings are defrosted before you begin.

2. Peel garlic cloves & thinly slice.

3. Mix boiling water & mushroom stock cubes until combined.

4. Pour sesame seeds onto a plate and press the bottom of the dumplings into them so the base is well coated. Repeat with all dumplings.

5. Pour oil into the base of a pan (make sure the pan has a lid) and even out the oil. Add the dumplings in and pan fry on a medium heat for about 1 minute.

6. Turn down to a low heat and scatter in the garlic and pour in mushroom stock and then balsamic.

7. Place the lid on the pan and leave for 5 minutes. Turn back up to a medium heat.

8. Thinly slice chilli & spring onion.

9. Remove the lid and add the baby spinach, press into the liquid with tongs so it submerges and wilts.

10. Spoon in the Chinese chilli oil and mix slightly.

11. Ladle into bowls and garnish with spring onion & extra chilli if using.

Prawn & Harissa Butter Orzo

Serves - 2

Ingredients

225g raw defrosted prawns
1 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1/2 red onion
2 lemons
1 cup orzo
1/2L water
2 courgettes
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp harissa
Handful coriander
1 red chilli
1/2 block feta
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Method

1. Finely dice garlic and onion and grate lemon zest.

2. Add all to a pan with the olive oil and stir as the garlic & onion soften on a low heat.

3. Tip in the orzo and stir until combined.

4. Add the water and stir again gently. Turn up to a medium low heat and continue stirring every now and then as you do the next steps.

5. Grate courgettes, chop feta into cubes and finely dice chilli & coriander.

6. Add butter into a bowl and melt, then spoon in the harissa and mix together.

7. Heat a separate pan (can also do this part on the BBQ), and lay the prawns once hot.

8. Brush over some of the harissa butter until each prawn is covered, then flip and repeat on the other side. Turn down to a low heat and leave to cook.

9. Once the water has all absorbed into the orzo, remove from the heat and add the courgette, feta, coriander (leave some aside for garnish), and chilli. Mix well.

10. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix again.

11. Tip over the prawns, the remaining harissa butter, coriander and finally the pine nuts.

12. Let everyone serve straight from the pan.