Chicken, Bacon and Beans with Spinach Soup

Ingredients:
3tbsp cup extra-virgin olive oil
2tbsp unsalted butter
2tbsp flour (to thicken soup slightly)

500g boneless chicken, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
150g fatty baconsalt to taste
Pepper to taste

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)

1 cup white wine

1 cup canned diced tomatoes

6-8 cups chicken stock

1 bunch spinach washed, roughly chopped (about 6 cups lightly packed)

2 cups white/red beans, rinsed, boiled until tender
Parmesan cheese and parsley for garnish (optional)

Procedure:

Render the fat from the bacon until crispy and set aside leaving the oil. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add garlic, paprika and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the flour and sauté for a few seconds. Add wine and tomatoes, increase heat to high and stir to scrape up any browned bits.

Add broth and bring to a boil while stirring constantly to prevent the flour from sticking to the bottom. Stir in beans, and the chicken. Simmer until the beans and chicken are cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper.

Easy Ratatouille with Spicy Sausage Baked Eggs

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

250g vigan/alominos longganisa or spicy chorizo, roughly chopped

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large zucchini, seeded and chopped

2 cans canned stewed tomatoes (seeded and chopped)

4 large eggs

1tbsp jalapenos/green chili, deseeded and chopped, to serve (optional)
1 bunch Fresh basil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Procedure:

1. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the sausages and cook until the juices are released. Stir in the pepper, then the tomatoes and bring to a simmer with 100ml water. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the pepper is soft and the mixture is thickened. Season.

2. Make 4 wells in the tomato mix. Crack in the eggs and bake for 3-4 minutes to set. Garnish with chili and serve with the cornbread.

Green Chili and Cheese Cornbread

Ingredients:

40g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

200g plain flour

150g cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

2 Jalapenos/green chilies, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp grated Cheddar cheese

2 large eggs

150ml milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Make the cornbread. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Grease a 16cm x 25cm shallow roasting tin. Mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, chilies, cheese and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Beat the eggs, milk and 40g butter in another bowl, then gently mix into the dry ingredients. Pour into the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and cooked through.