Queen Of The Fairy Lights

Simply Nigella concluded last night with a Christmas special and was, as expected, full of head wobbling, saucy lines and innuendos, not least about covering her bundits with lashings of caramel sauce. Nigella's right up there with the Carry On team and Kenny Everett (remember his hilarious double entendre, Cupid Stunt.)

Nigella declared herself Queen of the fairy lights, I'd say it's a close run thing Nigella, as I have fairy lights scattered around my home all year round, particularly in my kitchen and dining room, as I think they add to the ambience of cooking, dining and entertaining. 

Of course the problem with Christmas specials is that we've seen it all before, in fact, the least problematic meal for most of us is Christmas dinner as invariably we all cook the same thing every year. Without fail, my Nigella's Christmas comes out every year, just for the pure pleasure of looking at it as I can cook most of her recipes with my eyes closed and lets face it, there's only so many ways to stuff a bird (guffaw guffaw.)

Amongst the recipes delivered in Simply Nigella's Christmas Special was a stir fry which she 'knocked up' using sprouts, brown basmati rice, pickled peppers and pineapple topped with a fried egg, a sort of posh persons bubble and squeak. The reason it grabbed my fancy was twofold, I love vegetarian dishes and it wasn't very calorific, Nigella used coconut oil (although she was keen to point out that whilst it's the most raved about healthy option now - we'll be told the opposite sometime soon no doubt!)

I think we all fall into the trap of thinking vegetarian and healthy food is bland, there is a funny advert on TV demonstrating this where a family are all gathered ready to watch a dvd and dad says 'let's call out for some cous cous.' Of course in reality we want loaded burgers, pizzas, Chinese takeaways and Haagen daz ice cream. However, some of the most flavoursome meals I cook are both vegetarian and healthy, I adapted Nigella's recipe slightly and I can only tell you that everyone wanted seconds!

This recipe might be worth thinking about on Boxing day, it's the perfect anecdote to all the richness and over-indulgence from the day before because it's light. The ginger (which has a myriad of healing properties) is warming and soothing and gives it an aromatic kick, and it would be the perfect accompaniment to leftover cold cuts as a change from potatoes and piccalilli, alternatively you could serve it with a couple of fried eggs.

Sprout stir fry

Recipe

500g sprouts, shredded

1 dessert spoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 dessert spoon pickled ginger

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon dried chillies

300g spinach (if using frozen, cook in a microwave for 3-4 minutes and squeeze out excess water)

Pre-cooked rice (Nigella used a pouch of brown basmati rice, I used a 200g bag of frozen rice with Mediterranean vegetables which I cooked in the microwave)

Heat the oil in a large pan, add shredded sprouts and cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender

Blitz pickled ginger and garlic with some of the vinegar from the jar and add to the sprouts

Add soy sauce, chillies and season with black pepper

Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes and add spinach

Combine everything well so as the vegetables are infused with flavour

Add pre-cooked rice and continue stirring and cooking for 2-3 minutes

Serve while piping hot

'People eat meat and think they will become as strong as an ox, forgetting that the ox eats grass!'

- Pino Caruso

Love Donna xxxxxx