Sticky sesame-baked cauliflower

February 1, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Anna Jones

Sticky sesame baked cauliflower, it’s crispy, sticky, sweet, salty and sour. Lovely eaten with crisp leaves and lime spiked rice.

SERVES 4

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER
120g spelt flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
a clove of garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 large head of cauliflower (about 800g)

FOR THE SAUCE
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon chili paste or chili sauce
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
a small thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

TO SERVE
300g brown rice
2 heads of Little Gem lettuce or 1 head of Romaine, shredded
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
4 spring onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper. To cook your rice, rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear then put it into a pan, cover with 3 times the amount of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20–40 minutes, depending on the type of brown rice you are using.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, 150–200ml water, grated garlic, sesame seeds and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Your batter should be like a pancake batter, thick enough to coat a piece of cauliflower and not run off. If the batter is too thick, add a drop of water until you reach that consistency.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Toss the cauliflower florets in a good pinch of salt, then drop them into the batter and stir until all the pieces are coated. Use 2 forks to transfer the battered cauliflower to the baking trays, leaving a bit of space around each floret. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the cauliflower is baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan combine the sauce ingredients. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil on the stove over a medium heat. Simmer for a couple of minutes or until slightly reduced. Set aside.

When the cauliflower is golden and crisp remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Once it is cool enough to handle, transfer the par-baked cauliflower to a large bowl. Cover the cauliflower with all but 3 table- spoons of the sesame sauce. Toss to thoroughly coat the cauliflower.

Put the cauliflower back on the baking trays and back into the oven for another 10–15 minutes, or until the edges are starting to darken. Remove from the oven. Serve with the shredded lettuce and cooked rice. Finish with the remaining sauce, extra sesame seeds, and spring onions.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Nuts

Muhammara- Middle Eastern roasted red pepper and walnut dip

January 3, 2022January 23, 2023 Belinda

This is divine and so easy to make. Great for vegans and is also lovely to have on cold salmon or chicken.

3 large red bell peppers
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp roasted ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, plus more for drizzling
1/2 tbsp Maras or Aleppo pepper flakes, or more/less to taste
1 tbsp tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs

Char the peppers on all sides directly on the burner of a gas stove, or roast at 400 degrees until blistered all over and soft. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and let stem so the skins are easier to remove.
When until cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and remove seeds and stem. Roughly chop the peppers.

Pulse the bell peppers, breadcrumbs, olive oil, Aleppo-style pepper, tahini, cumin, lemon juice, paprika, toasted walnuts, keeping back 4 for the topping, and 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses in a food processor until mostly smooth; season the Muhammara with salt.

Transfer the Muhammara to a small bowl, season to taste then drizzle with more pomegranate molasses, olive oil and top with some reserved chopped walnuts.
Serve with warmed pita bread or crackers

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Salad · Vegan

Celeriac and lentils with hazelnuts and mint

October 25, 2021October 25, 2021 Belinda

A wonderful and complex-tasting recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi

“Celeriac is probably my favorite root. It is delicate, yet very nutty, and has an elegant oily smoothness. Like all good vegetables, it is marvelous simply with a bit of olive oil. Here it works with the lentils and nuts to create a hearty Autumn main course. Serve it warm, with a radish, cucumber and dill salad dressed with soured cream and olive oil. Or, allow it to cool down, then take it to work for lunch or on a picnic.

I am slowly transferring to the metric system as it’s far more specific.

Serves 4

60g whole hazelnuts (skin on)
200g Puy lentils
700ml water
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs
1 small celeriac (650g), peeled and cut into 1cm chips
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp hazelnut oil
3 tbsp good-quality red wine vinegar
4 tbsp chopped mint
salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300F Scatter the hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes. Let them cool down, then chop roughly.

Combine the lentils, water, bay leaves and thyme in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a sieve. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, cook the celeriac in plenty of boiling salted water for 8–12 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.

In a large bowl mix the hot lentils (if they have cooled down they won’t soak up all the flavours) with the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the hazelnut oil, the vinegar, some black pepper and plenty of salt. Add the celeriac and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve straight away, stir in half the mint and half the hazelnuts. Pile onto a serving dish or in a bowl and drizzle the remaining hazelnut oil on top. Garnish with the rest of the mint and hazelnuts.

To serve cold, wait for the lentils and celeriac to cool down before finally adjusting the seasoning and possibly adding some more vinegar, if you like. Add hazelnut oil, mint and nuts in the same way as when serving hot.

Appetizer Vegetarian

Baked cheese in a box

September 10, 2021September 10, 2021 Belinda

Perhaps the quickest way to feed two or three hungry people is this gloriously rich but more-ish dish. Quick and simple to prepare.
Recipe by Sally Clarke

Serves 2, 3 or even 4

1 “boxed” cheese – ideally Baron Bigod, Tunworth, Camembert or Vacherin
1 large garlic clove, centre shoot removed if present
Rosemary sprigs
A quarter to a half of a bread loaf of your choice
Good olive oil
Sea salt
Runny honey (optional)

Heat the oven to 350F/160C (180C non-fan).
Unwrap the cheese (if in paper) and return to the balsa-wood box. With a small sharp knife, pierce the top skin of the cheese in 10 or 12 evenly spaced places. Slice the garlic finely and gently push a slice into each hole along with a small sprig of rosemary. Place the cheese (in its box) into an ovenproof serving dish and bake for 5 minutes or until the tips of garlic and rosemary start to color.

Meanwhile, slice the bread into 8 or 10 chunks or slices for dipping.

Remove the dish from the oven and place the bread pieces around the outside of the cheese. Drizzle them with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Return the dish to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes or until the bread is golden at the edges and the cheese has just started to ooze from the side.

Serve immediately on warm plates, drizzled with honey if you like, and use the bread pieces to dip into the molten cheese.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan

Sesame and soy watermelon poke

August 19, 2021August 19, 2021 Belinda

Marinating and searing the watermelon concentrates it’s flavor and primes it for this savory treatment.
You will not miss tuna in this recipe, I swear it!

Recipe by Mary Gonzalez & Maddie Gordon for Bon Appetite

Serves 6

3 lbs seedless watermelon, rind removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp ume plum vinegar (optional but worth it and can be found in Asian markets or on Amazon)
Kosher salt
2 scallions, white and pale-green parts, thinly sliced
1 cup cilantro leaves with tender stems

Place the watermelon in a large resealable plastic bag. Purée the rice vinegar, oil, soy sauce, lime juice, tahini, agave nectar, and plum vinegar in a blender until smooth. Pour over the watermelon, seal bag, and chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Heat a large skillet over medium. Remove the watermelon from the marinade; set the marinade aside. Cook the watermelon, tossing often, until lightly caramelized and dried out, 6–8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat; simmer until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, 12–15 minutes.

Chill the watermelon and sauce separately at least 1 hour.

To serve, toss the watermelon with sauce; taste and season with salt as needed. Top with the scallions and cilantro.

Do Ahead

The watermelon and sauce can be made 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Vegan

Baked tomatoes with basil bean cream

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021 Belinda

A bells and whistles version of tomatoes on toast here, but with good reason. As you slice into the baked tomatoes, their sweet-sour juices spill deliciously over the soft mound of herb-speckled bean puree – a taste of deep summer.

Recipe by Nigel Slater

Makes 4 toasts

1lb (500g) tomatoes or 12 small-medium
6 thyme sprigs
3 tbsp olive oil
4 slices thick sourdough or ciabatta

For the bean puree
1 15oz (400g) can haricot or cannellini beans
5 tbsp olive oil
1oz (20g) basil
1 clove garlic

Set the oven at 400F/210C fan/gas mark 8.

Put the tomatoes snugly in a roasting tin, tuck in the thyme sprigs, then pour over the olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, then bake for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and their skins are just starting to burst.

Drain the beans and bring them to the boil in a pan of fresh water. (I often add a few sprigs of thyme and a couple of bay leaves, but it is not essential.) Lower the heat to a simmer and leave for 10 minutes. Drain the beans reserving a tablespoon of the cooking water. Put the beans into the bowl of a food processor, add a little salt and black pepper, the 5 tablespoons of olive oil and the basil leaves. Peel and add the clove of garlic, then process for a few seconds (only) to a thick, green cream.

Toast the bread on both sides. Spread the basil cream over it, then divide the tomatoes between the toasts, spooning over any thyme-scented juices from the pan.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Soup · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Best Gazpacho

August 2, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

By Julia Moskin for the New York Times

More of a drink than a soup, served in frosted glasses or chilled tumblers, gazpacho is perfect when it is too hot to eat but you need cold, salt and lunch all at the same time. Gazpacho is everywhere in Seville, Spain, where this recipe comes from, but it’s not the watered-down salsa or grainy vegetable purée often served in the United States. This version has no bread and is a creamy orange-pink rather than a lipstick red. That is because a large quantity of olive oil is required for making delicious gazpacho, rather than take-it-or-leave it gazpacho. The emulsion of red tomato juice, palest green cucumber juice and golden olive oil produces the right color and a smooth, almost fluffy texture.

Serves 8

About 2lbs ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks
1 Italian frying (cubanelle) pepper or another long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks
1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
1 small mild onion (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste
Salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling

Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.

Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids.
Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Fruit · Gluten Free

Halloumi with peach and honey salsa

August 1, 2021September 4, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Rosie Birkett
Halloumi cheese with a simple honey, oregano and olive oil dressing is divine and with the addition of the peaches, is an addictive combination of crusty, salty fried cheese and the sweet, floral honey and sweet, juicy peaches.

Serves
2-4 as a starter

¼ red onion or ½ shallot, finely diced
Juice of ½ lime
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1.5 fl oz(50ml) runny blossom honey
2 peaches
½ green jalapeño chili, deseeded and sliced
1 tsp dried oregano or mint
A handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 blocks of halloumi cheese, thickly sliced
Fresh oregano leaves, to garnish
Bread, to serve

Put the onion or shallot in a bowl, squeeze over the lime juice and add a pinch of salt. Allow to steep for 10 min, then whisk in the olive oil and honey.

Halve and pit the peaches, then peel and chop into cubes. Slide into the bowl with the onion, add the chili, dried herbs and fresh basil and gently stir to combine. Allow to steep while you cook the halloumi.

Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan, cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over a medium-high heat with a lick of olive oil. Fry your halloumi slices for a few minutes on each side, being careful not to turn them over until a golden crust has formed. Once crusty but still gooey and soft inside, remove to a warm plate and spoon over the peach salsa.
Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with bread for dipping.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan

Slow-Cooker Tomato Compote

July 24, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

This savory compote — a typically sweet, slow-simmered fruit preserve — is a delicious way to eat cherry tomatoes, especially those that are on the verge of being too soft. But it’s also a great way to intensify the flavor of middling supermarket cherry tomatoes in the winter. Either way, the sweet-tart tomatoes can build super-quick meals: Put them on top of ricotta or avocado toast, or squish them into a grilled cheese. Toss them with hot or cold pasta. Use the oil and juices in salad dressings and the tomatoes in the salad itself. The compote can be used right away, but it’s best the next day and will keep in the fridge for at least a week. Feel free to throw in any hardy, woody herbs you like, but don’t add very delicate herbs like basil, chives or dill before cooking. You can add a handful of those softer herbs before serving, if you like.
Recipe by Sarah DiGregorio for the New York Times

Yields about 3.5 cups

2lbs cherry or grape tomatoes (about 4 pints)
4 garlic cloves, smashed
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 bushy sprigs fresh herbs, such as rosemary, tarragon, thyme, sage, parsley or a mix
½ tsp red-pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher salt and black pepper
Juice of 1/4 lemon (about 2 tsp)

In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, add the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, honey, vinegar, herbs and red-pepper flakes (if using), and stir to combine. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Cook on low for 6 hours, until the tomatoes are wrinkled, sweet and very soft, and some have burst. Remove the herb sprigs and squeeze in the lemon juice. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.