Carrot harissa hummus

November 9, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Delicious and very different. Well worth making. Thank you to Aida Mollenkamp for this recipe.

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb carrots, roughly chopped and ends discarded
2 medium cloves garlic cloves, peeled
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained (chick peas)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp tahini or almond butter
3 to 4 tbsp harissa paste
4 to 5 large ice cubes
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp runny honey
Kosher salt and pepper

Heat the broth in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil.
Add the carrots and garlic, reduce to medium and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the stove and cool slightly.

Combine the carrots and 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid with the chick peas and garlic in a food processor fitted with a blade.
Process until the mixture is very smooth.

Add olive oil, tahini or almond butter and ice cubes and pulse until the mixture is very smooth.
* Regarding the Harissa paste, this amount makes a fairly spicy hummus, so you might want to start with 1 tbsp and taste it to make sure you can handle the heat.

Pulse in 3 tbsp of the Harissa, (or 1 tbsp to start with if you’re not sure of the spiciness) lemon juice and honey and season well with salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, honey or Harissa as desired.

Place in the refrigerator to let the hummus cool off before using, at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

* The hummus can be made up to 4 days ahead of time – store it refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Uncomplicated golden overnight chicken/turkey stock in your slow cooker

November 9, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I want to shout this recipe out loud because it makes the world’s best stock while you’re sleeping, it’s SO effortless and with only 4 few ingredients. I can hear you say, “What about the carrots, celery, thyme….?” You really don’t need them! Try this recipe as is first, is all I am saying and you will realize it’s all you need.

In preparation for Thanksgiving or Christmas (and any other times you want the very best quality chicken or turkey stock), we woke up this morning to the beautifully pervading smell of turkey broth cooking in the slow cooker.
I’m getting ahead of the game by making the turkey stock for the gravy, and having made this recipe once, I swear there is no other stock recipe you will need.
It is so easy and with so few ingredients. Go to your local supermarket (I went to Wholefoods) and ask for 3lbs of their wings, that is all.
It’s a rich, golden, strongly flavored stock and usable in so many ways.
It would be the most divine broth just to have neat, especially if you’re under the weather and it will make the most wonderful gravy.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, go out and buy yourself one, (preferably 5 quart size or more) even if it’s just for this recipe. They are very inexpensive and well worth it.

Makes 3 quarts

4 lbs uncooked chicken or turkey wings
3 quarts water
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp salt, or more to taste

Place all the ingredients in your slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours (I did mine overnight) or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
Strain out the chicken/turkey parts, onion and garlic.
I put a large colander lined with kitchen towel over a large bowl and emptied everything into that and waited for 20 minutes until every drop had been strained through the towel, then threw all solids away.
The stock is now ready for use, or you might like to refrigerate it overnight and skim off the small amount of fat the next morning, freezing it for when you roast those potatoes!
Once defatted, you can use or freeze the broth for later use.
It’s as simple as that!

Appetizers · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Salad

Puy lentils with dried sour cherries, bacon and Gorgonzola

November 7, 2013 Belinda

Sweet, sour and musky-salty. Such a harmonious mixture in a really heady starter

Serves 2 – 4 as a starter salad

1/2 cup Puy lentils (You can use the vacuum packed precooked ones, but miss out the first stage and just reheat in microwave. Also,use about 3/4 to 1 cup lentils as they are already cooked.)
2 bay leaves
2 – 3 shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
1 tsp caster sugar (superfine)
2 oz dried sour cherries (You can use dried cranberries, but the slight sourness of these dried cherries works better against the other flavors)
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
8 rashers of bacon (streaky, preferably)
3 oz baby spinach
4 oz creamy Gorgonzola cheese
salt and black pepper

1/ Wash the lentils under cold running water and then drain. Transfer to a saucepan and add enough water to cover them by 3 times their height. Add the bay leaves, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are al dente.

2/ Meanwhile make the sauce. Place the shallots in a pan with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and saute over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until golden.
Add the water, sugar, cherries and vinegar and continue simmering over a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until you get a thick sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3/ Drain the lentils (if you have cooked them yourself) and immediately add them to the sauce so they can soak up all the flavors. Stir together, taste and adjust the salt again.
It will need quite a lot, but remember you are adding bacon and Gorgonzola later, which are salty. Set aside to cool down.

4/ Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon in it for 3 minutes on each side, until it turns quite crisp.
Transfer to a piece of kitchen paper to cool. Tear the bacon into large pieces and add to the lentils, then add the spinach and stir well.
Taste and see if the salad needs any more oil, salt or pepper.

5/ Transfer to serving plates and dot with broken chinks of Gorgonzola

Gluten Free · Grains · Nuts · Vegan

Camargue red rice and quinoa with orange, pistachios and pomegranate seeds

October 31, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

Another gem from Ottolenghi!

Serves 4

1/3 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1 cup Camargue red rice
1 cup quinoa
1 medium onion, sliced
5 fl oz olive oil
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 scallion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried apricots, roughy chopped
1/2 cup wild arugula or rocket
seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300F
Spread the pistachios out on a shallow baking tray and toast for 8 minutes, until lightly colored.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then chop roughly. Set aside.

Fill 2 saucepans with salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer the quinoa on one for about 12 to 14 minutes and the rice in the other for 20 minutes.
Both should be tender but still have a bite. Drain in a sieve and spread out the 2 grains separately on flat trays to hasten the cooling down.

While the grains are cooking, saute the white onion in 4 tbsp of the olive oil for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Leave to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl combine the rice, quinoa, cooked onion and the remaining oil.
Add all the rest of the ingredients, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve at room temperature

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

Mejadra (A middle Eastern comfort food)

October 29, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is a spectacular, spicy, sweet, comforting dish from the book “Jerusalem” by Yotam Ottolenghi. This is delicious served with a dollop of minted Greek plain yoghurt.

Serves 4

1 1/4 cups green or brown lentils
4 medium onions (1 1/2 lb)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
About 1 cup sunflower oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 cup basmati rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
salt and ground pepper

Place the lentils in a small saucepan, cover with plenty of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the lentils have softened but still have a little bite. Drain and set aside

Peel the onions and slice thinly. Place on a large flat plate, sprinkle with the flour and 1 tsp salt, and mix well with your hands.
Heat the sunflower oil in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan placed over a high heat. Make sure the oil is hot by throwing in a small piece of onion; it should sizzle vigorously.
Reduce the heat to medium high and carefully (it may spit!) add one-third of the sliced onion.
Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon. until the onion takes on a nice golden brown color and turns crispy. (adjust the temperature so the onion doesn’t fry too quickly and burn)
Use the spoon to transfer the onion to a colander lined with paper towels and sprinkle with a little more salt.
Do the same with the other two batches of onion; add a little extra if needed.

Wipe the saucepan in which you fried the onion clean and put in the cumin and coriander seeds.
Place over medium heat and toast the seeds for a minute or two. Add the rice, olive oil, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and plenty of ground black pepper.
Stir to coat the rice with the oil and then add the cooked lentils and the water/chicken stock.
Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer over a very low heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, lift off the lid and quickly cover the pan with a clean tea towel. Seal tightly with the lid and set aside for 10 minutes.

Finally, add half the fried onion to the rice and lentils and stir gently with a fork.
Pile the mixture in a shallow bowl and top with the remaining onion

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

Easy, quick smoked trout mousse

October 24, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is something you can whip up in seconds! Thanks to James Martin for this recipe.

14 oz smoked trout
2 tsp creamed horseradish, optional
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 squeeze lemon juice
1 pinch black pepper

Flake the smoked trout and place in a mixing bowl with the creamed horseradish, if using, and the heavy cream.
Mash with a fork until well mixed and add a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste with some salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with hot buttered toast points!

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Vegan

Peanut Butter Hummus with cucumber dippers

October 21, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

For those peanut butter addicts!!!

3 tbsp creamy or crunchy peanut butter
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ground cumin (I use roasted)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/8 tsp Kosher salt
1 (151/2 oz ) can chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
7 tbsp water
1 English cucumber, cut into 48 1/4 inch thick slices

Place the peanut butter in a small microwave – safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 20 seconds.
Combine the peanut butter and the next 7 ingredients (through the garlic) in a food processor.
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the water/
Process until smooth.

Serve with the cucumber dippers

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related · Whole30 compliant

Roasted cauliflower with turmeric, ginger, fenugreek and mustard seeds

October 21, 2013January 6, 2017 Belinda

You can’t have too many recipes for this extremely low calorie vegetable.

Serves 4

1 large cauliflower cut into florets of about 1 1/2 inches each
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp powdered turmeric
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeno, finely sliced
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (they look brown to me!)
1/3 tsp fenugreek seeds
3 tbsp water or stock
salt and pepper to taste
3 scallions, sliced thin on the diagonal, for decoration

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Blanch the cauliflower florets for 2 to 3 minutes and immediately remove, drain and put into a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, turmeric, mustard seeds, fenugreek, salt and pepper, grated fresh ginger, jalapeno and a dash of stock/water. Mix well.
Pour this mixture over the blanched cauliflower while still steaming and toss to coat everything.

Transfer this to a roasting pan and make sure to have all the cauliflower in a single layer and not crowded.

Cook uncovered until fork tender – about 25 minutes and starting to get golden brown and toasty.

Transfer to a platter and scatter with the scallions.

Gluten Free · Meat · Poultry

Spanish style chicken traybake

October 21, 2013January 10, 2016 Belinda

Another one of those great throw-everything-in-a-roasting-dish recipes! This time, from the Hairy Bikers recipe book.

Serves 4

1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces
1 large red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into strips (optional)
1lb small potatoes, quartered lengthways
8 whole large cloves of garlic, unpeeled
8 medium tomatoes, quartered
8 oz chorizo, preferably picante, skin removed
8 large boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 heaped tsp sweet or smoked paprika
1 tbsp dried oregano
Good olive oil
Ground black pepper and sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Put the onions, potatoes, peppers, garlic and tomatoes in a large roasting tin and season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper then sprinkle lightly with olive oil
Toss everything together lightly and roast for 20 to 25 minutes

While the vegetables are cooking, skin the chorizo and cut the meat into thin slices. Set aside

Put the chicken thighs on a board and carefully slash each one 2 or 3 times with a knife. Season all over with salt and pepper and rub into the chicken.

Mix the paprika and oregano together and set aside

After 20 minutes or so, take the roasting tin out of the oven, scatter the chorizo over the vegetables and turn everything a couple of times.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and chorizo and sprinkle with the paprika and oregano.
Season with a little salt and black pepper, sprinkle the chicken pieces with a little olive oil and return to the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

There are so many variations to this recipe and you certainly don’t have to stick to the quantities of this recipe. Use you imagination!