Italian rice and beans

September 5, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is the beginning of a series I am starting called “CleanCuisine”. The emphasis being on “clean” tasting food that has zero cholesterol, very low fat and is probably the healthiest for you (and tastiest). As you eat it, you can feel it doing you good!
The special ingredient for this is the grated lemon rind over the dish, as it creates a tangy zing in the mouth and really brings it all together. Don’t skimp on the lemon rind

Makes 2 – 3 servings

1 cup brown rice
3 tbsp olive oil
3 heaped tbsp fresh Italian herbs, roughly chopped. (basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary…)
A heaped half cup of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, sliced into strips
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 can Cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained. (I cooked my own beans and have them available in the fridge)
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 tsp balsamic vinegar (you may need more at the end)
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
zest of 2 lemons

Start by cooking the rice according to the instructions on the packet. Just use water, not broth
When the rice is finished, keep the lid on and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
Add the herbs, tomatoes and pine nuts. When the pine nuts start to turn a golden brown, add the beans. Toss gently, trying your best to keep the beans whole.
Add the salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar and stir gently. Turn down the heat to low.
Place the spinach in one layer on top of the bean mixture. Place the hot, steaming rice over the spinach and cover for about 30 seconds until the spinach starts to wilt. Mix it all together gently and taste for seasoning. At this point you may need more salt and pepper or even balsamic.
Grate the lemon zest on top of the dish and serve. (I use a Microplane grater as it makes the lemon zest all fluffy and it goes further)

Do-ahead · Grains · Vegetable-related

Roasted vegetable couscous with a lemon hummus sauce with roast chicken with basil and lemon

August 7, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Serves 2 but can easily be double, trebled…..
Try any combination of Mediterranean vegetable that you fancy.

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4″ squares
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4″ squares
1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut into 3/4″ rounds, then half moons
1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4″ pieces
1 large red onion, cut into 3/4″ pieces
1/2 butternut squash, cut into 1/2″ pieces
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
handful fresh basil leaves
1 cup carton good quality hummus
4 tbsp plain Greek yoghurt
juice of a large lemon
4oz couscous

Roast the vegetables- Heat the oven to 400 degreesF. Heat a large roasting pan in the oven. Place the red and yellow peppers, zucchini, eggplant, butternut squash and red onion in a large bowl and drizzle half the olive oil over, tossing to coat evenly, season well (You may need some more oil) then tip the contents into the roasting pan.
Roast for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender and lightly caramelized, tossing from time to time to ensure the vegetables cook evenly.
About 5 minutes before the vegetables are done, quickly chop up the fresh basil and scatter over the vegetables, tossing to combine, then return to the oven to finish cooking.

Flavor the hummus- Put the hummus into a bowl and whisk in the yoghurt and half of the lemon juice, then season to taste. Cover and set aside

Make the couscous- Place the couscous in a large bowl and drizzle over the remaining olive oil with the rest of the lemon juice, stirring gently to combine.
Pour over 4 fl oz boiling chicken broth, vegetable broth or water then stir well, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes before gently separating the grains with a fork. Season to taste after fluffing and separating the couscous, then place in a pan to reheat gently, stirring continuously with a fork.
Serve with the roasted vegetables piled on top, or mixed through if you prefer and the hummus sauce on the side or dolloped on top.

This is divine served with roast chicken with basil and lemon – pouring all the juices of the chicken dish in with the couscous.

This is very fragrant with the basil and lemon flavors permeating the chicken and juices.

Serves 2 but can be doubled and trebled…

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

6 organic chicken pieces, bone in and skin on
extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic
1 large lemon
large handful of fresh basil leaves
good large glass of white wine, drinkable, so you can have a glass while you cook

Season the chicken pieces and put them into a roasting tin.
Pour over enough olive oil to moisten them and make a shallow pool in the tin.

Squash the garlic in it’s skin and tuck it in amongst the chicken. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and drop the empty shells in too.

Roast for 30 minutes in a preheated oven to 400 degrees F then tear up the basil leaves and toss them around in the chicken. Return the chicken to the oven for about 10 more minutes.

Use the couscous to soak up the juices and big chunks of good Ciabatta bread on the side.
This is one heck of a meal!!!

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Roasted parmesan crusted cauliflower

August 7, 2012February 7, 2016 Belinda

Last night, we felt like something meatless, light and different, so I researched our most interesting vegetable and found this recipe. I made it with the “Indian twist” ingredients and it was absolutely divine. I served it with a simple salad of Romaine lettuce, red onion, avocado and cold roasted beets that I happened to have in the fridge. The book I found it in is called “The Low-Carb Gourmet” by Karen Barnaby

Makes 4 – 6 servings

at least 2lb cauliflower (you will need more than you think as it can crumble on you)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large egg
2 tbsp whipping cream
2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
For the Indian twist
You can add 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp Garam Masala, and 1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds to the cream/egg mixture.

Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower and slice it into thin wedges, keeping the pieces no thicker than 1/2 inch. A few florets will fall off and crumble and that’s okay. Just set them aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the oil on a rimmed baking sheet or put down a piece of parchment paper or non stick aluminum foil.

Beat the egg with the cream in a shallow bowl and season ( add the Indian spices if you are using them) and spread the grated parmesan cheese out on a plate.
Dip each side of the cauliflower wedges into the egg mixture, then press each side into the parmesan cheese.
Lay the pieces on the baking sheet.
When you are finished, mix the extra crumbled bits with the remaining eggs and cheese and put onto the baking sheet, flattening them down slightly.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned on the bottom and easy to turn without the cheese sticking to the pan. Turn ver and bake for 10 minutes longer.

NOTE
You can also add other spices to the egg/cheese mixture like garlic powder, oregano, basil.

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

Pesto Rice Salad

July 9, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Another gem from Delia Smith..

Just as homemade pesto does wonders for pasta so it does for rice too. This salad can be served warm as a first course and it’s really good as an accompaniment to fish or chicken main-course dishes. Served cold it makes a lovely addition to a selection of salads for a buffet.

Serves 4 -6

Italian arborio rice measured to the 8fl oz of a glass measuring jug.
1 quantity of pesto sauce, preferably homemade. (See recipe below)
16 fl oz boiling vegetable or chicken stock
5 scallions (spring onions) finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A good handful of fresh basil leaves
3 oz Parmesan Reggiano cheese shavings (made with the potato peeler)
salt and freshly ground pepper

First of all measure the rice into the glass jug then add about one quarter of the pesto sauce to it and stir it around to coat all the grains.
Tip the mixture into a shallow saucepan or frying pan with a lid and pour the boiling stock into a jug (pitcher) then pour this over the rice.
Now turn on the heat and stir with a wooden spoon adding 1 tsp salt.
Then, when it begins to boil, put a lid on, turn the heat down to low and let the rice cook for exactly 20 minutes.
As soon as it’s ready, tip all the rice into a serving bowl. then simply pour in the lemon juice, olive oil and the remaining pesto sauce.
Combine all the ingredients together stirring and tossing.
At this stage, taste and season with salt and pepper.
Finally, scatter some torn basil leaves, finely chopped scallions and then some of the Parmesan shavings over the surface f the salad as a garnish.
If you want to serve the salad cold, then add the basil, onion and parmesan just before serving.

PESTO SAUCE

2 oz fresh basil leaves
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 oz Pecorina Romano cheese, grated
salt and pepper

In a blender, put the basil,pine nuts, garlic and olive oil with some salt and blend until you have a puree.
Then transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the grated Pecorino cheese.

Do-ahead · Egg based · Vegetable-related

Cauliflower cake

June 12, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

This is another Yotam Ottolenghi recipe. I would post the whole book (Plenty) if I could as all his recipes are divine and different.

Serves 4 to 6

This is lovely served as a light supper alongside a salad of sliced cucumber, dill, mint, a little sugar, cider vinegar and rapeseed oil.
Kept chilled the cake will taste even better the next day. I am constantly amazed at what one can do with the humble cauliflower. We eat it in so many different ways and I will eventually enter all the different recipes.
Again Ottolenghi’s recipes are in metric, so I have tried to convert them, but to be safe, have added the metric measurements too.

1 medium cauliflower (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 large red onion, peeled
a couple of tbsp olive oil
1/2 to 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
10 large organic, free range eggs
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil (20 grams)
1 1/2 cups plain flour (180 grams)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 to 2 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (220 grams)
Salt and black pepper
melted butter for greasing
2 tbsp black sesame seeds, black onion seeds or white sesame seeds

Heat the oven to 350F.
Break the cauliflower into medium florets, put them in a pot with 1 tsp salt, cover with water and simmer for 15 minutes or until very soft.
Strain and leave in the colander for 10 minutes to get rid of all the water.

While the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the batter.
Cut a few 1/4 inch rings off one end of the onion and set aside. These will go on top of the cake. Coarsely chop the rest of the onion.
Heat the oil in a pan and on a low heat saute the chopped onion and rosemary for about 8 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool down.
Add the eggs and basil and whisk.

Sift the flour, baking powder and turmeric into a large bowl and add the parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 tsp salt,
and plenty of ground black pepper.
Add the egg mix and whisk to eliminate any lumps. Add the cauliflower and stir gently, trying to keep some of the cauliflower florets whole.

Line the bottom of a loose bottomed 9 inch diameter with baking parchment then brush the sides of the tin with melted butter and sprinkle the sesame seeds onto the sides of the tin so they stick to the sides.
Tip in the cauliflower mix and arrange the sliced onions on the top.

Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and set. Serve just warm or at room temperature.

Note This would be lovely served with my other eggplant cake (also on my blog) as a lovely lunch or supper party served with a salad. Very inexpensive too!