harissa-coated chicken thighs in tomatoes, leeks and butter beans with avocado and steamed broccoli

Yet again, I’ve been missing in action. 15 days. I’ve been massively busy, without much time to cook. Late nights at the office, evening functions, leaving dos, catching up at the pub… you name it, and it has kept me out of the flat this April.

This has really opened my eyes to how hard it is to cook with a busy schedule. But I’m determined to figure out a way that it will work.

Now that winter has nearly passed, I think it will be easier. Softer, more delicate produce inherently takes less time to cook. So time’s on our side.

And I’ve rededicated myself to fast, healthy, simple, amazing meals. No small challenge, I know.

This dinner, which I cooked up last night, ticks all of those boxes. And another one – the cheap box – to boot.

Harissa-coated chicken thighs in tomatoes, leeks and butter beans with avocado and steamed broccoli
(serves 2 medium portions or 1 large, 1 small portion)

4 skinless boneless organic chicken thights
2 tsp harissa
1 large leek, sliced lengthways in half and then thinly across
1 tin of cherry tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tin of butter beans, rinsed and picked through
1 large ripe beef tomato, chopped
5 sprays of olive oil

1 head of broccoli, chopped
1 small avocado, peeled, stoned, pitted, halved and sliced
1 lime, juice of

a handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
5 sprigs of mint, chopped (optional)

Coat the chicken in the harissa and allow to sit for 30 minutes. (Or, coat in the morning and leave to set during the day.)

Heat the olive oil and sear the chicken for about 3 minutes each side in a large sauté pan. Add the leeks and garlic and sauté for another minute before slowly adding the cherry tomatoes (juice first). Mix rapidly to deglaze the pan. Fill the can halfway full with water and add to the pan. Bring to boil, reduce, cover and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Spread the avocado on a plate and sprinkle with the lime juice and salt.

After about 10 minutes, add the butter beans, half of the fresh tomatoes and parsley to the pan. Season well. Stir and recover, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Place the broccoli in a steamer and cook for about 6 minutes, until al dente.

When the mixture is ready, remove the cover. Add half of the broccoli to each plate, and spoon the correct amount per portion onto each dish. (The dish contains four small portions.) Place the sliced avocado on the side, sprinkle with mint and parsley, and serve immediately.

Though it looks fairly plain, the combination of subtle earthy harissa, clean cool mint, creamy avocado and butter beans and tangy tomatoes really work well together, and the flavours are just spot-on. I think it would work well with fish too - or even as a vegetarian dish.

I got the nod from the hungry man next to me on the couch. There’s that final box ticked then.

award winning

You may remember a salad I made almost two months back - "A supper-sized salad" - with peaches, bacon, mozzarella and avocado. I entered it in a healthy-eating website's contest for the best summer salad under 500 calories - and won!

Unfortunately, you need to be a member to log-in, but here's what I - and they - had to say:

"My favourite thing about this salad is the peach, oil-less vinaigrette." says Jen. "The flavours are amazing - so alive!" … The tasting team at WLR couldn't have agreed more. We particularly loved the complimentary flavours of peach and bacon (they just fuse).

Try the salad out for yourself and see - just click on the top link.

Oh and the prizes - my bounty was Super Salads cookbook (see left) and a Jamie Oliver Flavour Shaker. I haven't used the latter yet - but will keep you posted.

the fruits of florida

Crossing the state line from Georgia to Florida, my mind skipped from peaches, pecans and tomatoes to more tropical thoughts - citrus. The welcome centre about a mile in offers free Florida orange juice to travelers en-route to the beach. (They need it, too - temperatures were topping 102 F.)

My extended family was heading to Gainesville as well, but from the south, climbing the same highway from Miami that we were descending on from Atlanta. My grandmother and aunt came bearing gifts - graduation gifts for my brother, of course, but also carrier bags full of avocadoes from their prized avocado tree in their backyard. (My nana told me a story of how years back she walked outside only to see an avocado thief up a latter, hanging over the fence into her yard, snipping the tree of avocadoes before making off with his bounty. They are a lot more careful now.)

Florida avocadoes are unlike any other - the skin is not hard, brown and nobbly, but rather green, thin, and very smooth. The flesh is different too - not nearly as meaty as the Haas varieties, but rather more fleshy. Everyone in my family prefers the Florida variety, no doubt as they all grew up eating them, but I'm not sure yet - I'm still used to the Haas variety. But I'm always willing to learn, so after chopping and dicing for the peach salsa, I turn my hand to whipping up another dip.

Florida guacamole
(serves everyone)

3 large Florida avocadoes, straight off the tree, peeled, de-stoned, de-pitted and halved
1 clove garlic, chopped fine (I just learned from reading Kitchen Confidential that you should never use a garlic press. I must say, I'm a little disappointed, but hey, Bourdain's the boss)
1 small handful of cilantro, chopped very fine
salt
juice of 1-2 limes, to taste

Place the avocadoes and garlic in a large bowl and mash with a fork to reach the desired consistency. This isn't nearly the same job that it is with Haas avocadoes. (I like to think it's because Florida avocadoes want to become guacamole.) The flesh falls apart easily. Add the cilantro and continue to mash until the guacamole is smooth.

Add juice and salt to taste. It will need more salt, and some times less juice. No oil or sour cream is necessary.

I really learned my lesson here about varieties. I tried putting the guacamole together as I would in the UK, throwing in the measures I have in my head for good guac. But I didn't taste it. I allowed my uncle to taste it first, and although he liked it, he noted it was a little tart. I tried it too - and he was right. I think it must be because the flesh is more watery with this variety, and it can't soak up - and hold up to - the lime juice in the same way. I had to add a third avocado to tone it down, as well as quite a lot of salt to allow the Florida avocado - obviously the more mellow sibling - to shine.

Many thanks to my grandmother and aunt for hauling those bags up to Gainesville - they were (only one of) the stars of the BBQ. My father's ribs, marinated in his homemade recipe, on the grill had college kids approaching the poolside with hopeful eyes and empty stomachs and leaving it quite content.

Avocados are one of my favourite treats. They are high in fat, but as everyone quickly mentions, it’s the good fat. Creamy, nutty, light, but also filling, avocados are perfect for summer.

Guacamole is one of the most amazing dips ever. I make mine quite light (out of preference), as I don’t think oil or sour cream is necessary. Let the avocado come through.

This recipe can be easily multiplied.

2 avocados
2 cloves garlic, minced
Small handful coriander leaves
Juice of one lime
Salt to taste
Pinch of cumin

Combine all ingredients. Be sure to mash the avocadoes with a fork.

Avocado salsa is also fantastic.

Mix chopped avocado, onion, black olives, sweetcorn, lime juice, onions, and vinegar. If you want to do it the night before to let the flavours soak in, add all the ingredients except the avocado, then add that right before serving.

It's absolutely delicious, I promise you.

But I get to my point – dinner last night. Pasta with an avocado pesto with fresh herbs. Now, originally I was doubtful, because the avocado is mixed into warm pasta. But the trick is to make the pesto literally just before serving and then mix it through the warm pasta.

It’s delightful – the pesto is made from basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice (though I used lime – I have trouble getting guacamole out of my mind), salt, pepper, chilli, and parmesan.

I should say here it’s a Waitrose recipe http://www.waitrose.com/recipe/Avocado_Pesto_Linguine_with_Fresh_Herbs.aspx, and I think they have got it nearly right. It is fantastic as it’s ready inside 20 minutes. However, the garlic comes on really strong, and I didn’t use very much. I think it’s because it’s raw, minced and mashed, and it coats EVERYTHING. I’m not quite sure how to take care of this, pesto is naturally raw. Perhaps use prepared garlic? Or roasted garlic?

But the avocado pesto as a sauce was decadent. I added a bit more greenery with some watercress leaves, which gave a good crunch with the soft pasta and and slithery sauce.

a supper-sized salad

I picked up fresh peaches from Lower Marsh market today. They were too ripe, too good not to put in a fresh, tangy salad with creamy avocado, fresh mozzarella, crispy bacon, and clean leafy spinach. The trick is to find ingredients that are delicious but not over the top with fat. After the rich flavours of the dinner party the night before, a light dinner could not be a more ideal choice.

(serves 2)
200 g spinach leaves
2 peaches, quartered
1 peach, mashed
1 lemon, juice of
1 large ball of reduced-fat mozzarella (like Tesco's Healthy Living)
1 pack danish-style trimmed bacon (again, Tesco's Healthy Living makes good ones)
1 avocado, chopped
basil leaves
salt and pepper

combine all the ingredients into individual bowls. Place the 8 rashers under the grill - I like them crispy, but grill them to your liking. For the dressing, combine the peach mash, lemon juice and basil leaves with salt and pepper - use a hand blender to make the dressing. Drizzle over the top of the salad and top with the bacon rashers.

My favourite thing about this salad is the peach oil-less vinaigrette. The flavours are amazing - so alive. If anything, oil would drag it down in my opinion.

If you prefer, toss the salad leaves with the dressing first, then add the avocado, mozzarella, peaches and bacon.

Serve in large bowls.

Calories per serving: 390. Great for a light dinner - or a Saturday afternoon lunch.