Cooking for Singles
Thanks to Evan McVey for this list


“A range of good, wholesome, economical and delicious recipes from around the world.”

Guacamole Dip (serves 4)

A fun to make recipe and tasty Mexican relish, served as a snack and with both light and main meals.

Ingredients:

3 Large avocadoes
1 Red onion
3 Sun ripened tomatoes
1 Lemon,  juice             
2Tbl Sour cream  
2Tbl Sweet chilli sauce
¼ bunch Coriander leaves, chopped           
Ground salt and pepper
Nachos chips / Toasted flat bread

Method:

Peel onion and finely dice. Cut the skin and fresh off the tomatoes and discard the seeds. Dice the flesh. Place both into a bowl with sour cream, sweet chilli, lemon juice and coriander leaves. De-seed avocadoes and scoop out flesh. Add the flesh to the bowl of ingredients, and mash well. Season and mix together. Serve in a bowl with Nachos chips.

Beef Rissoles and Baked Potato with Onion Chutney (serves 4)

Rissoles are quick and easy to make, have been the favourite for many a housewife to make for a hungry family. The onion chutney that I have included has appeared on A la Carte restaurants.

Ingredients:

750g Beef mince            
1 Large egg          
Salt and pepper
2Tbl Sweet fruit chutney
1 Large brown onion, diced finely
150g Cornflour              
150ml Cooking oil

Potatoes:

4 Red skinned potatoes  
50ml Veg. Oil      
Salt and pepper
100g Sour cream            
100g Cheddar      
¼ Bunch chopped chives

Onion Chutney:

3 Medium red onions    
25ml Veg. Oil      
30ml Balsamic vinegar
50ml Red wine              
50g Brown sugar  
Salt and pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Clean the potatoes and rub oil and salt and pepper over the skin. Bake for about 20 minutes, until soft.

Mix the beef, egg, chutney, onion and seasoning together thoroughly. Form into 16 balls and roll in cornflour. Shallow fry in oil, until browned, on a medium heat. Place on kitchen paper.

For the onion chutney, peel, halve and slice the onions thinly. Heat the oil in a pot. Add onions and cook, stirring regularly on a low heat until they caramelise. Add balsamic vinegar and red wine. Stir and reduce for a few minutes. Add brown sugar and season. Take off the stove and keep warm.

To serve cut a deep cross in the top of the potatoes and pinch the sides in. Add some sour cream to each. Grate cheddar and sprinkle on top. Grill briefly to melt cheese. Chop chives and sprinkle on top. Serve aside beef rissoles and onion chutney.

Cranachan (serves 4 - 6)

Cranachan is a most enjoyable and easy to make Scottish classical dessert. This particular dessert uses the most typical ingredients to a Scottish sweet, raspberries, oats, cream, honey and whiskey. Sometimes called a “Cream Crowdie.”

Ingredients:

6Tbl Medium Oatmeal  
420ml Double Cream    
45ml Whiskey
70ml Honey                            
320g Raspberries

Method:

Lightly toast the oatmeal until golden brown in a dry pan. Mix the honey and whiskey separately in a small bowl. Beat the double cream to a stiff peak and load into a piping bag with a round nozzle. Pipe a round of cream into serving glasses. Layer with some raspberries and then oats. Spoon whiskey honey mixture on next and then repeat layering steps. Finish by garnishing top layer with remaining raspberries.

Smoked Salmon Frittata with Mesclun Salad and Vinaigrette (serves 4)

An easy to prepare, egg based Italian invention. This recipe can easily be altered to include different ingredients and can be served hot or cold.

Ingredients:

150g Smoked salmon              
60g Mushrooms, sliced thinly
60g Capsicum, diced finely      
40g Red onion, diced finely
1 Garlic clove, diced               
2 Small red chillies, seeds removed, dice
12 Parsley sprigs, chopped      
8 Eggs
60g Grated Cheddar                
10g Grated Parmesan
50g Butter                               
30ml Cream
Grated black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Heat butter gently in a medium sized pan. Sweat onion and garlic together. Add chilli and mushroom and cook until mushroom is softened. Meanwhile break eggs into a bowl. Add cream, cheddar, parsley and half the Parmesan and whisk together well. Pour this mixture over the sweated vegetables.

Stir mixture with a wooden spoon until it is ¾ cooked. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and upturn onto a flat surface. Slice and serve warm or refrigerate.

Salad:

150 – 200g Mesclun Mixed Lettuce, washed
12 Parsley Sprigs, finely chopped
12 Basil leaves, finely chopped
25ml EV olive oil
50ml Vegetable oil
25ml White vinegar

Salad Method:

Place the oils and vinegar into a bowl and whisk in herbs. Lightly dress the washed mesclun and serve with frittata.

Bread and Butter Pudding (serves 4)

This pudding is fun and easy to make and delicious to eat. A classic pudding from the UK, there are many recipe variations all of which, I am sure still turn out delicious.

Ingredients:

4 Eggs
80g Caster sugar   
10 Slices buttered bread, crusts off
100g Sultanas       
300ml Milk          
100ml Cream
50g Apricot jam    
30g Icing sugar     
10g Ground cinnamon
100g Butter

Method:

Spread the apricot jam on the buttered bread and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cut bread into triangles. Layer the bread decoratively in a baking dish. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the milk, cream and caster sugar. Gently pour over the bread slices. Gently press the slices down to soak in the liquid and set aside to soak for a few minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 170C. Bake for 20- 30 minutes. A few minutes before readiness sprinkle the top with icing sugar and return to the oven to caramelise. Serve warm.

American Chowder (serves 4)

This is a good old American recipe made frequently in autumn and winter at my place, using good wholesome ingredients, real American cuisine is often overlooked because of their dominating fast food chains.

Ingredients:

4 Rashers bacon, chopped                
1 Green Capsicum, chopped   
1 onion, chopped                             
3 Sticks celery, chopped         
2Tbl Butter                                      
2 Bay leaves
1 ½ tsp Mixed Spice                          
420g Sweet Corn, drained       
3 Large Potatoes, peel, diced            
500ml Chicken stock
125ml Milk                                       
2Tbl Plain flour
500g Frankfurts, chopped

Method:

Sauté bacon, capsicum, onion and celery in butter. Add bay leaves and mixed spices. Add sweet corn and diced potatoes. Pour in chicken stock and milk. Add frankfurts and bring the chowder to the boil, reduce to a simmer. Mix an equal amount of water to flour (a Slurry) and add to chowder. Cook chowder until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Warm serving dishes and serve.

Crepes Suzette (serves 4 – 6)

Crepes Suzette is a classical French dessert, most popular in the ‘60’s, has made a comeback in recent times and has always been commonly seen in French themed restaurants. Crepe making can be very relaxing and productive, do not feel disheartened if the first couple do not turn out, it may come down to the pan adjusting heat and you adjusting technique.

Crepe Batter Ingredients:

250g Flour           
30g Sugar             
4 Eggs
Pinch salt             
500ml Milk          
60ml Melted butter
Oil for cooking

Method:

Sift the flour and salt together in a bowl and make a well. Crack the eggs into the well and add melted butter and milk. Beat the wet ingredients in the centre, and slowly incorporate the flour, staining any lumps if necessary. Leave the batter to rest for 20 minutes.

When the batter is ready, gently heat a crepe pan and lightly oil. Tilt the pan on an angle and ladle in a paper thin layer of mixture. When you see the edges browning, turn the crepe over.

Sauce Ingredients:

200g Butter          
200g Caster sugar           
2 Oranges, juice and zest
x2 Lemons, zest   
20ml Orange liqueur     
10ml Brandy
Icing sugar to garnish

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the zests, orange juice, liqueur and brandy. To serve Heat a saucepan on a low flame and melt 2Tbl of the sauce. Heat 2 –3 folded crepes in the sauce and serve on a warmed plate. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.


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