Always wanted to try jackfruit but not had a clue where to start? Look no further, in this week's meal plan we're trying out a BBQ jackfruit rice bowl, plus mackerel with mushroom rice and steak with creamed spinach and mushrooms. Get ready to drool over every meal you make this week...
Shopping list:
1 small whole chicken or 4-6 chicken pieces
2 steaks of your choice (I used rump)
2-4 fresh mackerel fillets
400-500ml chicken stock (NB you can easily make your own by simmering the chicken bones for 2 hours ahead of time)
100ml crème fraiche
250g mushrooms
1 avocado
80-100g fresh coconut chips
4 tomatoes
1 bunch coriander
1 onion
Garlic
Frozen sweetcorn
Prepared butternut squash chunks – fresh or frozen
Frozen spinach
Rice of your choice, I used wild
1 tin jackfruit (I got mine in Aldi but I’ve also seen it in Sainsburys and Tesco)
1 tin pinto beans
1 jar pickled jalapenos
Ground cumin
Chilli powder
Hot horseradish sauce
Tomato puree
BBQ sauce
Apple cider vinegar
Sugar
Olive oil
Monday – BBQ jackfruit rice bowl, 40 mins
Satisfy your pulled pork craving with this very convincing jackfruit recipe just in time for meat free Monday
Make the BBQ jackfruit by chopping and frying an onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Once soft, chop and add the four tomatoes and a tablespoon of puree then leave to cook out for five minutes until the tomatoes are collapsing on themselves. Spoon in a teaspoon each of smoked paprika, cumin and sugar, two tablespoons of BBQ sauce, a splash of apple cider vinegar and then the tin of jackfruit. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20-30 mins when the jackfruit looks ‘pulled’. If it begins to look dry or to catch on the bottom of the pan, add 100ml of water at a time.
Serve in a bowl with sections of cooked rice, sweetcorn, a spoonful each of pinto beans, and the avocado. Sprinkle with coriander and jalapenos.
Tuesday – Cumin roast chicken with squash, corn and jalapeno salad, 50 mins+ depending on your chicken
This is a simple spiced chicken dish accompanied by a delicious tropical tasting salad from the second Deliciously Ella book, The Plant-Based Cookbook
Rub the whole chicken or chicken pieces with a tablespoon each of ground cumin, chilli powder and olive oil. Roast, covered with foil according to the pack instructions for the weight (my whole chicken took an hour and a half, but pieces will take around 40 mins) and remove the foil for the last ten minutes of cooking time. Rest for ten minutes and collect any cooking juices in a pot to refrigerate to add to Thursday’s soup.
Make the accompanying salad by placing the butternut squash chunks on a baking tray and drizzling with olive oil. Roast for 25 mins and add a few handfuls of sweetcorn to the tray for another five or ten minutes until just charring. Leave to cool then mix in half the jar of jalapenos, sliced, and the coconut. Season and serve with some of the roast chicken, keeping any leftover meat for Thursday.
NOTE: This dish is also great cold for lunch and keeps for three days in the fridge.
Wednesday – Mackerel with mushroom rice and horseradish sauce, 25 mins
Don’t be scared of mackerel, it’s one of the easiest fish to cook and is packed with omega 3’s to boot
Finely chop about half the mushrooms then dry fry over a high heat in a medium sized saucepan taking care not to overcrowd the pan. When the mushrooms start emitting liquid, add two chopped garlic cloves to the pan, a slug of olive oil and cook for another minute before adding half a mug of rice. Stir to combine, ensuring that the grains are well coated in the oil, then pour in a mug of water or chicken stock. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for ten minutes until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for a further five minutes while you cook the fish.
Heat the grill and cook the mackerel skin side up (brush v lightly with oil) under a high heat until the skin is crisped up – this should only take 3-4 mins.
Make a quick sauce by mixing two tablespoons of horseradish sauce with two tablespoons of crème fraiche. Serve together with the mackerel and rice.
Thursday – Chicken and pinto bean soup, 30 mins
A chunky, warming chicken soup that’s hearty enough for dinner
Finely chop an onion and fry in a saucepan in a teaspoon of olive oil or chicken fat (skimmed from the top of the stock if you made your own) until soft. Add in two crushed garlic cloves and fry for another minute then pour in the chicken stock and the rest of the pinto beans. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes, adding in two large handfuls of frozen spinach for the last five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper then stir in any leftover chicken, shredded. Top with a dollop of crème fraiche, the last of the coriander, chopped and a wedge of lime for squeezing.
Friday – Steak with creamed spinach and mushrooms, 15 mins
Serve your choice of steak with these classic steakhouse sides and start the weekend right
Take the steak out of the fridge around an hour before you cook if possible.
Heat a non-stick frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil on the highest heat. Season the pan generously with salt and pepper and wait until it is so hot you can’t hold your hand over the pan for more than a few seconds. Pat the steak with kitchen towel to remove any moisture, then fry for a minute or two each side (for rare, and depending on thickness) taking care to move the steaks around the pan as you do so – where your steak is cooking is always going to be the coldest part of the pan and you want the heat. Once the steak is cooked to your liking, put on a plate then cover with foil to rest for five minutes or so. Keep the pan hot in the meantime and use the fat and juices from the steak to cook the mushrooms, sliced thickly, until browned.
Make the creamed spinach by sautéing a clove of crushed garlic gently in a small amount of butter or olive oil, then add the spinach (straight from frozen is fine) and cook until soft and any excess water has evaporated, then stir in the remaining crème fraiche. Add a small grating of nutmeg if you like, season and serve.