Spring lamb & leek hotpot
We’ve swapped potato for seasonal leeks, teamed with tender lamb
E V E RY D AY E A S Y
Serves 4
Ready in about 1 hour 30 minutes
Low-calorie cooking spray
800g lamb leg steaks, visible fat
removed, cut into chunks
1 garlic bulb, halved widthways
5 shallots, halved and peeled
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
5 spring onions, trimmed and
chopped into 4cm pieces
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
500ml chicken stock
25g fresh flat-leaf parsley,
finely chopped
4 leeks
800g spring greens, shreddedLemon mackerel fillets
with Jersey Royals, green
beans & spinach
The fresh flavours of spring sing out in every forkful
E V E RY D AY E A S Y
Serves 4
Ready in about 55 minutes4 fresh, unsmoked mackerel
fillets, bones removed
½ large lemon, sliced into 4 slices
800g Jersey Royals, scrubbed
and cut into chunks
8 fresh sage leaves2 sprigs of fresh thyme,
leaves picked
Low-calorie cooking spray
300g green beans
200g frozen peas
100g spinach
25g fresh mint leaves1 Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 4. Season the
mackerel and put skin-side down on a foil-lined grill pan. Top
each fillet with a lemon slice and set aside.
2 Toss the potatoes with the sage and thyme, and season well.
Spread on a large, non-stick baking tray in a single layer and spray
with low-calorie cooking spray. Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until
golden, turning halfway.
3 Once the potatoes are nearly cooked, preheat your grill to high
(if your grill is in your oven, move the potatoes to a lower shelf,
or loosely cover with foil if already golden). Grill the fish for
4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Cover with foil and
leave to rest.
4 Meanwhile, boil the beans for 4 minutes, then add the peas for
a minute more. Drain, then return to the hot saucepan and toss
through the spinach. Add the mint and season well. Serve the
mackerel with the potatoes, greens and a twist of black pepper.Syns per serving: FREECOOK’S NOTE
Mackerel is a delicious, oily fish, and a rich source of omega-3
and other essential nutrients. It should be bought as fresh as
possible, and you can ask your fishmonger or supermarket fish
counter to remove the bones for you, if you like. Don’t worry
if it smells quite strong when you grill it – the flavour is much
more delicate than the smell!1 Preheat your oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Spray a large,
lidded, non-stick pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place
over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb and fry for 1-2 minutes on
each side until browned. Transfer to a plate and reduce the heat
to medium-low. Add the garlic, shallots, celery, spring onions, bay
leaves and rosemary, and season well. Stir, then cover and leave
to cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 Return the lamb to the pan, pour in the stock, and bring to the
boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir through the
parsley, then transfer to a baking dish.
3 Cut each leek into 4 pieces, then slice each piece in half
lengthways, so you have 32 pieces in total. Top the lamb with
the leeks, cut side down, and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour, then
remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until the leeks
are golden at the edges. When the hotpot has 5 minutes’ cooking
time left, boil the spring greens for 2-3 minutes, then drain. Divide
the hotpot between 4 plates and serve with the spring greens.
Syns per serving: FREE n
Asparagus stir-fry with
five-spice tofu
British asparagus isn’t around for long – so indulge while you can!
SUPER SIMPLE
Serves 4
V
Ready in about 20 minutes,
plus marinating
280g plain, extra firm tofu, cut
into large chunks
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 garlic clove
3cm piece fresh root ginger,
peeled and grated
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
240g dried plain or wholegrain rice
400g asparagus
200g red peppers, thinly sliced
200g red onions, thinly sliced
200g mushrooms, thinly sliced
200g carrots, thinly sliced
into strips
25g pack fresh coriander, leaves
roughly chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely
diced, to serve1 Put the tofu in a shallow bowl and sprinkle over the Chinese
five-spice. Crush the garlic and mix with the ginger and soy sauce,
then pour over the tofu. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes, or chill
for 6-8 hours if you can.
2 Cook the rice according to the pack instructions, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat a large, non-stick wok or frying pan over a high
heat. Lift the tofu out of the marinade, reserving the marinade for
later, and dry-fry for 2 minutes on each side until beginning to
char. Carefully transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. RECIPES: ROSIE RAMSDEN. FOOD STYLING: REBECCA WOOLLARD. PROP STYLING: JENNY IGGLEDEN
3 Add the reserved marinade to the wok or pan with the
asparagus, peppers, onions, mushrooms and carrots. Bring the
marinade to the boil and cook for 3-5 minutes until most of it
has evaporated, tossing the veg continuously. Stir through the
coriander. Serve with the tofu and rice, and a sprinkling of chilli.Syns per serving: FREECOOK’S NOTE
If you’re short of time, you can use packs of ready-prepped
stir-fry vegetables – any 800g mix is fine54 SLIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE
spring f lavours