Prawn Linguine

A really easy simple dish, the quantities are for 2 but feel free to double up or slim down as required!

1/2 red onion diced
200g Prawns (big work better!)
1 lemon
2 tblsp of cream cheese (I use philly light and it tastes fine by me!)
2 peoples worth of dried linguine (or spaghetti)
Handful of greenery (ideally I like baby spinach but if I haven't got it 1/2 a mug of frozen peas will do!

• Cook the pasta in a big pan of salty water (according to the wisdom of nigella, it should taste like seawater!) with a splash of olive oil.
• Just before that is finished (I go with what's on the packet) Cook the onion gently in olive oil in a frying/saute pan (it needs to be big) and then add the prawns. Melt in the cream cheese and grate 1/2 the lemon rind in aswell.
• Drain the cooked pasta and add to the pan with the prawny cream cheese mixture and add the greenery.
• Give it a good toss through, add a splash of olive oil, seasoning and squeeze over 1/2 the lemon

Enjoy!

Chinese-style Pork Loin

I just love char sui pork, this is a similar flavour just without the bright pink colour, possible msg and the takeway price tag!

This for my dad-in-law, Tony after I cooked it Friday night :) (told you I'd put it on here!)

Pork loin can look a bit unappetising before it's cooked, especially if you get a vacuum packed one from the supermarket. Alot of people are put off pork because they've eaten it when it's as dried up as an old boot, but give this a chance, it's good!

Easy and simple so I'm not even going to list the ingredients separately!

Put the pork loin in a roasting dish and add (roughly) a tablespoon of soy sauce,  and a splash of either cider, white wine or chicken stock (whatever you've got in the fridge) and sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of five-spice over the loin, also some powdered garlic if you have it (or just tuck some sliced garlic around the loin) and some star anise (if you don't have these don't worry)

Cover with foil and cook for half the time the loin needs to cook for (ask your butcher or read the packet) then remove the foil, turn the loin over, drizzle with 2 teaspoons (approx.) of honey, another sprinkle of 5 spice and soy sauce, and cook for the second half of the recommended cooking time.

Go for an all out chinese feel by slicing thinly and serving it with stir-fried vegetables cooked in a tasty sauce (try my spring onion and ginger sauce) and noodles or egg fried rice (click here for the recipe)

Feel free to experiement with different flavours (a bit of sweet chilli sauce if you like it hot) but this is a good base to work from, enjoy!