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.

Asian flavors · Curry · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · lentils · Vegan

EASY lentil curry

July 13, 2020February 29, 2024 Belinda

Recipe from food blog, “Contentedness Cooking”

This lentil curry is so very tasty, packed with aromatic spices, creamy, satisfying and protein rich.
Using steamed, vacuum packed lentils makes it a great time- saver.
It is lovely over rice, roasted sweet potato, quinoa or pasta, and even pickiest people will eat this.

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1 x 1 lb pack vacuum-pack green lentils. (Trader Joes sells these))
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cup onions, diced
4 tbsp butter
3/4 cup full fat coconut milk or coconut cream for extra creaminess
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
2 heaped cups chopped fresh spinach
1 tbsp Madras curry powder
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
A good handful of chopped cilantro, but you only have parsley, that works too
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, melt the butter, add onions and garlic and fry for around 7 minutes. Add the ginger, curry powder, cumin and mustard powder and blend well together, allowing the spices oils to come out

Add the lentils, crushed tomatoes and tomato halves to the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8 minutes more on medium heat.

Add the coconut milk/cream, spinach and chopped cilantro/parsley and let simmer for a few more minutes until well blended. Make sure the onions are tender and the cherry tomato halves are soft before serving. You might have to let it simmer gently for another 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Soup · Vegan

Simple and delicious beet gazpacho

July 12, 2020October 30, 2025 Belinda

This recipe is from the lovely food blog, “Feasting at home”

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You don’t have to be precise with these ingredients, they are more of a guide. I wasn’t, and it turned out beautifully. I like a little more sherry vinegar as it has a sweetness to it, and I roasted my beets instead of boiling them.

1lb beets (4 medium beets, smaller than a tennis ball, about 3 inches in diameter)
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced, divided
2-3 cups chilled vegetable or chicken broth
2 garlic cloves ( 1 large or 2 two small)
3-4 small Turkish cucumbers, divided
½ cup fresh dill, divided
2 tbsp sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
½ tsp kosher salt, more to taste
¼ tsp fresh pepper

Garnishes- avocado, diced cucumber, diced beet, finely diced onion, chopped dill, baby nasturtium leaves, olive oil or yogurt or sour cream

Place beets in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer until fork tender all the way through, about 45- 60 minutes. Chill the beets.

Once the beets are cold, slip off their skins using your hands. Slice and place 3 of the 4 beets ( saving one) in a blender with 2 cups of broth.

Add the half of the chopped onion (about 1/4 cup), 2 garlic cloves, 2 sliced Turkish cucumbers (saving one) salt, pepper, vinegar and about ⅔ of the fresh dill (saving some for garnish).
Blend until very smooth.
Taste and adjust salt and vinegar. You may want to add more broth, or any of the other ingredients. It’s worth playing with until you get just the flavor you want.
Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Prep the garnishes.
Finely dice remaining beets, cucumber, avocado and chop the remaining dill. Pour chilled beet soup (the colder it is, the better) into bowls.
Top with with the garnishes.
Drizzle with a little olive oil or a swirl of yogurt or sour cream if you like. Serve immediately!

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.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Meat

Roast pork tenderloin with stir-fry cabbage and spiced figs

July 11, 2020 Belinda

Recipe by Nigel Slater

This is so lovely with the spiced cabbage and red onion stir-fry.

roast pork with figs Nigel Slater

Serves 3

1lb pork tenderloin, silver-skin removed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds ( love to roast my cumin before using)
1 heaped tsp coriander seeds
8 green cardamom pods
3/4 lb cabbage leaves
6-8 fresh figs
6 tbsp white vermouth

Make sure the tenderloin is dry to the touch, patting it with kitchen paper if not, then season generously with salt and black pepper.
Warm the olive oil in a roasting tin over a moderate to high heat then add the pork and brown lightly, turning it from time to time so all sides color to an even toasty brown. About 6 or 7 minutes.
Remove the roasting tin from the heat, lift out the pork and leave to rest under a large upturned bowl or a piece of foil.

Peel and thinly slice the red onion. Place the roasting tin over a moderate heat, add the onion to the fat and oil already in the tin, then leave to cook over a moderate heat, with an occasional stir, for 15-20 minutes, until soft and sweet.

Put the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar. Crack the cardamom pods, extract the tiny brown seeds from within and add them to the spices. Pound to a coarse powder with a pestle. (A spice mill will do it even more quickly.)
Stir the ground spices into the onion and continue cooking.

Wash and dry the cabbage leaves, then stack one on top of another and roll them up. Now shred them into ribbons about 1/8 ” thick. Stir the cabbage into the onion, tossing well with 2 spoons or a pair of tongs, to mix everything thoroughly.

Slice the pork into 1″ (3cm) thick pieces.
Cut the figs into quarters, depending on their size.
As soon as the cabbage has wilted – about 2 minutes – remove the mix to a warm serving dish and cover.
Pour the white vermouth into the pan and let it bubble furiously for 30 seconds, then return the slices of pork and their resting juices, along with the figs, to the pan and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.
Spoon the meat, figs and juices over the cabbage and onions and serve.

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides

“Dilled” baby potatoes

June 25, 2020June 25, 2020 Belinda1 Comment

This is the time of year we love a pot of these along with some grilled meat or fish.
They are absolutely divine and very more-ish. Do try them

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24 tiny new potatoes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Scrub and dry the potatoes. Melt the butter in a heavy oven-proof casserole with a tight-fitting cover over low heat Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Coat with the butter.
Cover and cook over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Shake the casserole occasionally. The potatoes are done when they can be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
Toss with the dill and serve at once.

* What I have also done is added 1 heaped tsp dried dill weed with the butter then added the fresh dill in at the end. Depends how much you like the taste of dill of course!

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

My ultimate Eggplant Parmigiana

June 23, 2020July 6, 2023 Belinda5 Comments

I’ve tried several recipes now and I find the stage where you dip the slices of eggplant in egg and breadcrumbs totally unnecessary.
I have compiled the best recipe I can think of, which is a combination of several recipes plus my own additions.
It is simple and very tasty, has way fewer steps and tastes just as good as the longer haul traditional ones.
Don’t eat it directly from the oven as it’s too hot to appreciate the flavors, and if you let it sit out for 45 mins – 1 1/2 hours, it’s easier to slice and isn’t so gooey. It makes all the difference and is also really good served at room temperature.

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Serves 4-6 (Or can easily be multiplied)

4 good-sized eggplants
Olive oil for dipping in or wiping the slices of eggplant
Salt
3 cups of good quality tomato/basil pasta sauce. I use RAO’S Marinara sauce
A really large bunch fresh basil
2-3 cups pre-sliced fresh mozzarella cheese (Trader Joes does a good one) or shredded mozzarella cheese
2-3 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Don’t cut corners and buy pre-grated, again, Trader Joes sell this)

* I always have far too much of each ingredient and make several of these so I can freeze them (uncooked). Be very generous in your amounts and you will taste the difference!
** Another thing I do to get ultimate flavor is to put a couple of large jars of RAO’S marinara sauce in a saucepan, add chopped basil and lots of crushed garlic, then let it simmer gently, reducing and strengthening the flavors. You can do this while you’re cooking the eggplant.

Preheat the oven to 350F

Cut the tops and a small amount from the bases of each eggplant and with a peeler remove some of skin, like a zebra (just random strips)

Cut into 1/2 inch thick slices straight across, (not lengthways as it’s too difficult) and dip into or wipe each slice with olive oil, then season well with salt and pepper.

At this point, there are a couple of ways you can go as far as cooking the eggplant.
1/ I use a panini press to grill both sides of the eggplant at once.(See the pic below)
It’s quick, not messy and leaves lovely grill marks on the eggplant. I highly recommend you get one for this job alone as it can be a pain in the ass to fry the eggplant.
Cook 4-5 slices at a time or whatever can fit on your panini press and remove when they are nice and brown and tender when you pierce them with a fork. Lay on paper towels to mop up excess oil and set aside. Repeat this process until all the slices have been cooked.

2/ Alternatively you can set the oven to 400F and put all the slices on a large greased cookie sheet and roast for up to 30 minutes, checking on them after about 25 and flipping them. They should be nice and lightly browned and tender.

Your choice

To assemble, spread a very thin layer of tomato-pasta sauce on the bottom of a lightly greased ovenproof dish. Add a layer of the fried eggplant, then add another thin layer of tomato sauce, some torn basil leaves, some grated or torn mozzarella and grated Parmigiano evenly spread across the dish. I am pretty generous in my amounts of basil and cheese, so go for it.
Repeat the layers until you run out of eggplant.
Finish with a layer of sauce, mozzarella and finally a thicker layer of Parmigiano to create a crust.

Put in the oven at 350F and cook for about 30—45mins until the top is crusty and the dish is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and leave out for 45 mins to 1 1/2 hours
Serve!

PS This dish freezes beautifully too, but freeze it BEFORE it is cooked. Very important

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.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Rice · Vegan

Coconut Spinach Rice Pilaf

April 5, 2020 Belinda

Recipe from “Veggie Society”

I figure it’s a great time to eat more vegetarian recipes what with the difficulty of finding what you need in the supermarkets these days, and trying to eat as well as possible

A one-pot wonder filled with fiber and nutrition, vegan and gluten-free, quick cook brown rice is toasted with aromatics pilaf style, then slowly simmered to perfection in a green broth made from coconut milk and baby spinach.

About the Rice:
This recipe can be made with pretty much any type of rice you might have in the pantry so long as you adjust the cooking time according to package directions. For regular brown rice grains you’ll want to give it a good 45 minutes to fully cook and allow to steam an additional 10 or so off the heat

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Serves 6
2 cups quick cook brown rice or regular brown rice (see notes above) rinsed & drained well
4 cups baby spinach
2 X 13.5 oz cans coconut milk organic
1 yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised (OPTIONAL)
sea salt + black pepper to taste
1 lime or lemon cut into wedges

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear then drain well.
Preheat a medium heavy bottom stock pot over low flame and saute the onion with a pinch of salt in a little drop of oil or veggie stock.
Stir in the garlic and cook a few seconds just until fragrant then add the rice. Give everything a good stir and allow to cook together for a a couple of minutes while you make the spinach coconut broth.

To make the broth: add the coconut milk and baby spinach to a powerful blender together with 1.5 tsp salt. Blend until smooth then pour over the rice. Bring to a simmer and add the bruised lemon grass if using.

Turn the heat to low and make sure the rice continues to simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes or adjust timing according to the instructions on the package of rice you are using. After 20 minutes remove from heat but leave the lid on and allow the rice to continue steaming for an extra 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Discard the lemon grass, taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper then hit it with a good squeeze of fresh lime or lemon.

Serve hot topped with toasted coconut flakes, crispy fried onions, sesame seeds, scallions. chives or your favorite fresh herbs.

Notes
To adapt this recipe you can make a Lemon Grass Turmeric Rice by replacing the spinach with 1.5 teaspoons turmeric and 1 inch of ginger root or ginger powder. Absolutely divine!