Pistachio and feta dip

April 11, 2025April 11, 2025 BelindaLeave a comment

A beautiful Persian dip that is packed with flavor between the saltiness of the feta, the richness of the pistachios and the tang of the Greek yoghurt.

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp / 3.5oz / 100g shelled, roasted salted pistachios. Keep 2 tbsp chopped pistachios for scattering over the top.
1/4 cup good olive oil
10.5 oz / 300g Greek feta cheese
A good handful of fresh dill, leaves picked and roughly chopped
2 good handfuls fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves picked and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3/4 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 good tbsp full fat Greek yoghurt
Zest and juice of 1 lemon. (Start with juice of half the lemon but use all the zest)
Sea salt, to taste

In a food processor blitz the pistachios and olive oil for 30 seconds.
Next break up the feta into small pieces and add to the processor along with the dill, cilantro, garlic, chili, yoghurt, lemon zest and juice.
Puree until smooth and a slightly rustic texture. Salt and extra lemon juice to taste. The salt level will depend on the saltiness of the feta.
Scatter some toasted pistachios over the top and dribble some olive oil, like in the picture
Serve with crackers or toasted pita chips or baguette.
Keep refrigerated for 1 week.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Asian chicken and cabbage salad

March 30, 2024March 30, 2024 Belinda

This is a delicious and healthy salad and makes a mountain of it! It’s great for those outdoor summer entertaining and
you can prepare everything ahead of time, as long as you keep them separate until you’re ready to serve.

Serves 8 at least

Dressing
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
½ cup avocado oil
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Salad and Assembly
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lb.)
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
¾ cup raw almonds
½ small head of purple cabbage (about 10 oz) cored, thinly sliced
4 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 8-oz. cans water chestnuts, drained, quartered
1 7-oz. bag bean sprouts (about 2½ cups)

Dressing
Step 1
Whisk 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped, one 2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp), ½ cup avocado oil, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, ¼ cup toasted sesame oil, ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar, and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper in a small bowl to combine.

Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Whisk before using.
Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead; cover and chill.
Chicken can be baked 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Vegetables can be sliced 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Salad and Assembly.
Step 2
Pour ½ cup dressing into a medium bowl. Add 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lb.), sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and turn to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast ¾ cup raw almonds on a large rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop; set aside.

Step 4
Line baking sheet with a piece of foil about twice its length. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheet; discard marinade. Fold foil up and over chicken and bring edges together to make a packet; crimp tightly to seal.

Step 5
Bake chicken until cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted through foil and into the thickest part of a breast should register 150°), 30–40 minutes. Let cool in foil, then tear open packet and shred chicken into large pieces.

Step 6
Place chicken in a large bowl. Add ½ small head of purple cabbage (about 10 oz.), cored, thinly sliced, 4 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise, 6 scallions, thinly sliced, two 8-oz. cans water chestnuts, drained, quartered, one 7-oz. bag mung bean sprouts (about 2½ cups), and remaining dressing; toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Step 7
Pile salad on a platter; top with reserved almonds.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Nuts · Salad

Shredded Brussels sprout salad with hazelnuts, dates and apple

April 10, 2023April 10, 2023 Belinda

This easy healthy vegan salad has a delicious combination of flavors and can be made ahead, as long as you keep it in the fridge.
It is very versatile, and I have mentioned a lot of optional add-ins, so play with it and enjoy!

1lb brussel sprouts ( about 4 Cups, sliced and packed)
1 cup unsalted roasted hazelnuts
3/4 cup chopped seedless dates
1/4 C finely diced red onion
1-2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled and chopped

Dressing
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1/8 C Real Maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper- plus more to taste
Cracked pepper to taste
Orange zest of one orange

Optional add-ins
Shaved parmesan cheese
1/2 cup roasted sunflowers seeds
3/4 cup dried cranberries
toasted slivered almonds
Chopped chives

Very finely slice (shred) the Brussel sprouts, beginning at the top, and work down towards ends, discarding hard ends. Place in a bowl.
Slice dates…this is a little of a chore, be patient, add to bowl.
Add the roasted hazelnuts to the bowl. (Some people like them chopped, but I love them whole)
Finely dice a 1/4 cup of a red onion, add to bowl.
Peel and chop the apple and add to the bowl

For the dressing
In a small bowl – whisk the oil, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, cayenne and pepper.
Pour the dressing over salad and mix in well.
Mix in orange zest saving a little for the top as garnish.

* If making ahead of time, keep the sliced Brussels sprouts in the fridge until needed, otherwise they will wilt

Appetizer Vegetarian · Nuts

Whipped goat’s cheese & roasted grape toasts

May 18, 2022 Belinda

Sweet roasted grapes and creamy goat’s cheese come together superbly in this fabulous vegetarian lunch or starter

Serves 2 but can be augmented

6oz sweet red seedless grapes
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 oz walnuts
5oz soft goat’s cheese
3 tbsp goat’s milk yogurt (or Greek yogurt)
½ unwaxed lemon, zest
4 thick slices sourdough or another good quality bread, toasted
3 lemon thyme sprigs, leaves picked

Preheat the oven to 350F/180 °C, gas mark 4.
Toss the grapes, oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small roasting tin and roast for 8 minutes. Shake the tin to turn the grapes, then put the walnuts on a separate baking tray and add to the oven with the grapes for a further 8 minutes, until the grapes are soft and juicy, and the walnuts toasted. Set both aside to cool.

Use a wooden spoon to beat together the goat’s cheese, yogurt and lemon zest; season. Spread over the toasted bread and top with the grapes and any roasting juices, the broken walnuts and the thyme leaves.

Cook’s tip
The roasted grapes work in both savory and sweet dishes (omit the salt if serving as a dessert). Try them in a feta salad or spooned over vanilla ice cream.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Nuts

Fig and walnut roll

March 29, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

This sweet, fruity loaf is perfect with the tangy bite of blue cheese.
Recipe from Alison Adams of “Taste” magazine

100g dried figs
1 cup red wine
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch allspice
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
Icing (confectioner’s) sugar, to serve
Blue cheese, to serve
Crackers, to serve

Chop the figs and place in a small saucepan with the red wine, ground cinnamon and allspice. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside for 1 hour to macerate. Drain well.

Place in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the toasted walnuts. Process until coarsely chopped.

Sprinkle a piece of baking paper with icing sugar. Place the fig mixture in the middle of the paper and roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and seal.

Store in the fridge for 1 hour or until set. Serve with blue cheese and crackers

Baking · Do-ahead · Nuts

Pistachio milk cake

March 21, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

Recipe by Nadiya Hussain for the Sunday Times

“At its simplest, milk cake is a light sponge soaked in sweetened milk and topped with cream and eaten chilled.
It’s got the same soft, airy sponge as a “dulce de leche” cake, but this version is lightly scented with fresh cardamom seeds that have been crushed down to a powder. The milk has ground pistachio in it, giving it a lovely green nutty colour. Chilled to get it nice and firm and easy to cut, it is topped with fresh cream, a sprinkling of pistachios and a light zesting of orange for freshness.”

Serves 10

For the cake
4 eggs, separated
200g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 cardamom pods, pods open and seeds crushed to a powder

For the milk
100g shelled pistachios
100ml whole milk
410g evaporated milk
200ml condensed milk

For the topping
300ml double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
50g pistachios, roughly chopped
1 orange, zest only

1. Heat the oven to 350F/160C (180C non-fan) and line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin. Set aside while you make the cake.
2. Add the egg whites to a bowl and start whisking. As soon as the mixture begins to get frothy, add 150g caster sugar one spoonful at a time, making sure to whisk well after each addition. Once the sugar is fully incorporated, you should be left with a mixture that is fluffy and glossy and stands in stiff peaks.
3. Put the egg yolks, remaining 50g caster sugar and vanilla extract in another bowl. Whisk until well combined.
4. Add the plain flour and baking powder and the crushed cardamom seeds and mix until you have a thick paste.
5. Add one third of the egg white mixture to the egg yolk mixture and mix till the thick batter has loosened. Now add the rest of the egg whites a third at a time and fold gently using a metal spoon to make sure you don’t deflate any of the air bubbles.
6. Once no longer streaky and fully incorporated, pour into the cake tin. Level off the top and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake so that it will more easily absorb the sweetened milk.
8. Place the shelled pistachios in a food processor and blend to a fine crumb. Add the fresh, evaporated and condensed milk and blitz until combined.
9. Pour all over the warm cake and leave to soak in. Once cooled enough, place in the fridge to chill completely.
10. When you are ready to serve, whip the cream with the icing sugar until you have soft peaks. Spread evenly all over the cake and sprinkle with pistachios. Grate over the orange zest just before serving. Store in the fridge if you are not eating it straight away.

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Sauces · Vegan

Cashew Cream

January 5, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Cashew cream is more than just a dairy-free substitute for vegans. For me—a cheese-toting, egg-flipping, non-vegan, almost vegetarian—it’s a multipurpose workhorse, an ingredient that easily functions as a sauce, condiment, or dressing. This version is distinctly savory thanks to the addition of garlic and salt, and it’s a gateway to lots of quick and flavorful weeknight dishes.

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups raw cashews. (Trader Joes has great inexpensive nuts)
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add cashews and let sit until tender, 30–60 minutes.

Drain cashews and transfer to a blender (preferably high-speed) or food processor. Add garlic, oil, salt, and 1 cup water and purée until smooth.

Do ahead: Cashew cream can be made 5 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill, or freeze in a resealable plastic freezer bag up to 3 months.

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