Quinoa, lentil and feta salad

August 9, 2020 Belinda1 Comment

This lovely recipe is a little different and is from the BBC Good Food website. Try playing with it a bit, by adding chopped Kalamata olives or fresh corn or capers or…

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7oz (200g) quinoa
1 tsp olive oil
1 shallot or ½ onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
14oz (400g) can Puy or green lentils rinsed and drained or a 14oz vacuum-package of lentils
¼ cucumber, lightly peeled and diced
4oz(100g) feta cheese, crumbled
6 scallions, thinly sliced
zest and juice 1 orange
1 tbsp red or white wine vinegar

Cook the quinoa in a large pan of boiling water for 10-15 mins until tender, drain well, then set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan, then cook the shallot or onion for a few mins until softened. Add the tarragon, stir well, then remove from the heat.

Stir the softened shallot and tarragon into the cooled quinoa along with the lentils, cucumber, feta, spring onions, orange zest and juice and vinegar. Toss well together and chill until ready to serve.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Fruit · Gluten Free · Salad

Fig caprese salad

August 9, 2020 Belinda

Recipe from Bon Appetite magazine
It’s not about the number of steps or ingredients in a dish. If you shop smart, buying peak-season produce and quality protein, you don’t have to do much at all (like with this easy salad recipe).

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8 oz fresh mozzarella or burrata cheese
8 oz sweet, ripe fresh figs, cut into quarters
Torn basil leaves (for serving)
Coarsely ground black pepper
Flaky sea salt
Olive oil (for drizzling)

Tear mozzarella into medium pieces and arrange on a platter.
Tuck figs around cheese and scatter basil over top.
Season with pepper and lots of salt.
Drizzle generously with a good quality olive oil.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free

Baked feta with sesame and honey

July 19, 2020 Belinda

Recipe from the BBC Good Food website
Combine the flavors of salty cheese and sweet honey to create a dish that’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Rich and decadent, serve with warm pitta

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1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
8oz (200g) block Greek feta
2 tbsp honey, plus extra to serve
1 tsp roughly chopped oregano
olive oil, for drizzling
warmed pita breads, to serve

Heat the oven to 400F (gas mark 6).
Put the sesame seeds in a shallow dish and brush the block of feta all over with the honey.
Carefully press the honey-coated feta into the sesame seeds, turning so that it’s well crusted with seeds.

Put the feta in a baking dish (it should fit snugly), then sprinkle over the oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Drizzle with some olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 mins until the feta is soft, then drizzle with a little extra honey and serve with the pitta breads on the side.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Salad

Salad of tomatoes, nectarines and labneh with chermoula

July 14, 2020 Belinda

Fruits (peaches, nectarines, mangoes) are great with tomatoes, especially when there is lemon or lime juice or fish sauce in the mix.
Lovely recipe from Diana Henry.

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SERVES 6
16oz Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, grated to a purée
2 large just-ripe nectarines
14oz tomatoes, different shades of red if possible
A good sized bunch cilantro
1½ tbsp white balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the chermoula
1/2″ cube of ginger,  peeled and grated
¼ tsp sweet paprika
1 medium-sized red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice  of ½ lemon (you might want  more juice)
2 garlic cloves, grated to a purée
A good bunch cilantro,  stalks discarded, leaves  finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped  flat-leaf parsley
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Make the labneh the day before you want to serve  the dish. Line a sieve with  a piece of cheesecloth  (or a new J-cloth) and set  it over a bowl. Put the yogurt in the cloth and refrigerate for 24 hours.
The yogurt will lose moisture, leaving you with  a cheese-like substance. Help it along by giving it  a squeeze every so often.
Remove the drained yogurt from the cloth. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. Store in a container that you can cover.

Mix together the chermoula ingredients in a bowl  with some seasoning.  Taste for balance.

Halve and stone the nectarines and cut each half into four or five slices.

Quarter the larger tomatoes  (or cut into six or eight, depending on their size) and halve the smaller ones. Remove the leaves from the coriander (leave them whole) and discard the stalks.
Toss the tomatoes and the nectarines in a bowl with the balsamic and extra-virgin olive oil and season.
Arrange them on a serving plate and dot chunks of the labneh in among the sliced fruit, scattering with the cilantro leaves.
Spoon over the chermoula and serve.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead · Vegetable-related

Bavarois de Poivrons Rouges. (A mousse of red peppers)

July 13, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

This recipe from Raymond Blanc is truly a treat and is spectacular for a Spring or Summer dinner party.
The texture is so smooth, so melting, the taste so sharp and lively that the dish is WELL worth the effort
It can be made a day in advance and who doesn’t love that!

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You will need
A 10″ wide pastry ring

1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 fl oz (50ml) olive oil
2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
5 red peppers, seeded and finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 gelatine leaves (soaked in cold water to soften)
3.5 fl oz (100ml) white wine vinegar
1 tsp raspberry vinegar
cayenne pepper
14 fl oz (400ml) chilled heavy whipping cream

For the jello and julienne of peppers
3.5 fl oz (100 mls)reserved vegetable juices
1 gelatine leaf soaked in cold water to soften
1 red pepper, skinned and seeded

Preparing the mousse
In a large pan, sweat the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and red peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook on a medium heat for about 8 minutes, covered with a lid.

Spoon out 3.5 fl oz (100ml) of the juices that the peppers and tomatoes have released. Strain into a bowl, reserving for the jello.
Cook the vegetables for a further 20 minutes without the lid. All the moisture will have evaporated.(You should be left with about 6-7 fl oz).
Add the softened gelatine leaves and stir until dissolved.
Cool down the pulp a little, then puree and force through a sieve or mouli-légumes.

Separately, mix the 2 vinegars in small pan and boil to reduce by two-thirds in volume. Add to the puree. Taste, then add salt and cayenne pepper. Cool down completely to room temperature.

Whip the cream in a bowl until firm and fold delicately (Using a spatula. Don’t over mix as you will lose volume) into the puree. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Place the pastry ring over a flat serving plate and pour in the mousse. Smooth the top with a palette knife and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours to set.

Preparing the jello and julienne of peppers.
Bring the reserved juice to the boil and dissolve the single leaf of gelatine in it. Allow to cool down.
Cut the pepper halves. Divide each strip in half horizontally, and cut into very fine julienne strips 1/8 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and reserve

Finishing the dish.
Scatter the julienne strips over the mousse and spoon the nearly set jello over the top. Refrigerate.

Serving
Loosen the mousse from the ring with the blade of a warm knife and lift the ring off.
Ease onto a flat, wide round platter

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead

How to turn mozzarella into burrata in 2 minutes!

July 13, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

Abra Berens’technique turns regular mozzarella into burrata

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Well, it’s basically burrata. And it only takes two minutes.
Berens’s creamed mozzarella is simple: you tear the mozzarella and toss it with sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt.
Just like that, regular mozzarella (which I think we can all finally admit can be rubbery and dry and a little like eating slices of a softball) is transformed into something decadent and luscious and something much more like mozzarella’s cousin burrata.

1 ball (8 oz) fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup sour cream
1 lemon, zest and juice

Tear the mozzarella into rough chunks.
Combine with the sour cream, lemon zest and juice, a good pinch of salt, and a couple of grinds of black pepper.

Tear, toss, done!

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

Smokey cauliflower hummus

July 11, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

One can never have enough cauliflower recipes, especially when they come out like this!

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Makes about 2 cups (serving size: 2 tbsp.)

1/2 head cauliflower (1 to 1 1/2 lbs.), trimmed and cut into 2-in. florets (about 4 cups florets)
4.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
About 1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp kosher salt, divide
½ tsp ground cumin ( I roast mine then grind it, as it’s much more flavorful this way)
¼ tsp red chile flakes
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
About 2 tbsp lemon juice
3 1/2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini

Preheat oven to 450°.
Put cauliflower florets in a large bowl and add 1 1/2 tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. salt, the cumin, chile flakes, and garlic.
Toss to coat thoroughly.
Spread florets evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once, until florets are cooked through and a little crispy, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool.
Put 1/2 cup water in a blender with roasted cauliflower and garlic, lemon juice, remaining 3 tbsp. oil, the tahini and remaining 1 1/2 tsp. salt.
Blend, adding more water if needed (up to 1/4 cup) and scraping sides often, until you have a creamy purée, about 4 minutes. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if you like.
Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika.

Make ahead: Up to 3 days, chilled airtight.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Cheesy polenta (grits) with tomato sauce

April 11, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

Fabulous and easy recipe from the one and only Yotam Ottolenghi

“This understated side dish is dressed up enough to keep everyone at the table happy, but simple enough not to steal the show from the main course. It would pair really well with roast chicken or grilled seafood. You can make the sauce well in advance – just warm it through while you’re cooking the polenta – but don’t make the polenta until just before you’re about to serve, otherwise it’s likely to set.”

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Prep 20 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4 as a side

For the sauce
1 onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges (150g net weight)
150g (5oz) datterini tomatoes, or regular cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
750g (1.5lbs) vine tomatoes, core removed and finely chopped into 1cm (1/2″) dice (seeds and all)
1 tsp caster sugar
5g (1/2 oz) oregano sprigs (leaves and stalks), plus 1½ tbsp leaves extra to serve (or use basil or parsley instead)
Salt and black pepper

For the polenta
500ml (17 fl oz) chicken stock
350ml (12oz fl oz) whole milk
60g (2 oz) unsalted butter
200g (7 oz) quick-cook polenta
150g (5 oz) gruyère cheese, roughly grated

Put a large sauté pan on a high heat and, once very hot, add the onion wedges and cook, turning regularly, for about six minutes, until very well charred on the outside. Transfer to a plate, then put the tomatoes in the same pan and char for another four minutes, or until nicely blistered in places. Transfer to the onion plate, but keep the two separate, and put the pan aside to cool slightly.

Return the pan to a medium-high heat and add the oil and charred onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about two minutes, until slightly softened, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the chopped vine tomatoes, sugar, oregano sprigs, 150ml (5 fl oz) water, a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Bring up to a simmer, then turn down the the heat to medium and leave to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have started to break down. Add the charred tomatoes and cook for seven minutes more, until they’ve started to soften and the sauce has thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Put the stock, milk, 100ml (3.5 fl oz) water, half the butter, a teaspoon and a quarter of salt and a good grind of pepper in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, turn the heat to medium-low and pour in the polenta in a slow, steady stream, whisking continuously, until completely incorporated. Carry on whisking for two to three minutes more, or until the polenta is cooked and the mixture is still quite wet and loose.

Stir in the cheese and remaining butter, then spread out the polenta on a large platter. Spoon the tomato sauce on to the polenta, gently swirling some of it in, top with the extra oregano leaves and serve warm.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Vegetable-related

Cauliflower-and-Cumin Fritters

April 3, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

recipe c/o Yotam Ottolenghi

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Yields: Serves : 4 to 6

“These are not your usual fritters,” says cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi. His are pancake-like, packed with cauliflower and spiced with cinnamon, cumin and turmeric. As a dipping sauce, he serves lime-spiked Greek yogurt.

Lime Sauce
1 1/3 cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Taste—the flavor should be vibrant, tart and citrusy—and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Chill or leave at room temperature for up to 1 hour.

Fritters
1 small cauliflower, about 3/4 pound, cut into little florets
Scant 1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish
2 shallots, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 large eggs, preferably organic
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
About 2 cups sunflower oil, for frying

Add the florets to a saucepan of salted boiling water. Simmer until very soft, 15 minutes; drain.
Meanwhile, put the flour, chopped parsley, shallots, garlic, eggs, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to make a smooth batter. Add the warm cauliflower. Mix, smashing the cauliflower into the batter with the back of a wooden spoon.

In a wide skillet, heat 2/3 inch of oil over high heat until very hot. Working in batches, spoon in the cauliflower mixture, allowing 3 tablespoons per fritter.
Separate the fritters with a fish spatula. Fry in small batches, adjusting the heat so the fritters cook but don’t burn. They should take 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Drain the fritters well on paper towels.
Garnish with the parsley leaves and serve hot or warm with the lime sauce.