The best cornbread casserole out there

November 24, 2023November 24, 2023 Belinda

I found this recipe while watching a YouTube video of Hillside Farm in Pennsylvania, home of Ruth McKeaney. Oh my, what an idyllic home and garden. Her recipes and laid back approach to entertaining are wonderful.
This recipe produces the lightest, most delicious and moist cornbread I have ever had. Also, I prepped this the day before and put it in the fridge overnight before baking it.

“I like it a little sweet and very moist. You’ll never have to eat dry, crumbly cornbread again after making this recipe. For added deliciousness, I melt half a stick of butter and drizzle it over the freshly baked bread. Serve with ribs, chili, or pulled pork. For my family and friends, a BBQ is not the same without it.”

4 cups Bisquick
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
2 sticks melted butter, plus another 3/4 stick melted butter for drizzling over top.

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Thoroughly mix the Bisquick, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder together.
Add in the milk, eggs, and butter and stir to combine.
Pour into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.
Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Drizzle remaining melted butter over top.

PRO-TIP:
For added sweetness, mix honey into the drizzling butter.

Appetizers · Fish

Smoked salmon and roasted beets with dill-tahini sauce and seeded croutons

November 21, 2023November 21, 2023 Belinda

This elegant and festive platter starts with thinly sliced roasted beetroot and is topped with smoked salmon, a creamy dill-tahini sauce and seedy croutons inspired by ‘everything bagel’ seasoning.

2 beets
3.5 oz of smoked salmon
DILL-TAHINI SAUCE
1 handful of dill, finely chopped, with a few sprigs reserved for garnish
1 tbsp of tahini
8 3/4 oz of natural yoghurt
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp of lemon juice
CROUTONS
1 egg white
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 slices of stale bread, cut into cubes
CROUTON SEASONING
1 3/4 oz of sesame seeds
1 tbsp of nigella seeds
2 tsp onion flakes
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp flaky sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425F/220°C

Wrap the beets in foil and roast for 1 hour or until tender. Different sizes will need different times – smaller beets will take about 45 minutes, and large beets could take up to 1 hour 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350F/180°C
Whisk the egg whites until broken up, then add the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until light and aerated, almost like mayo
Dip the bread cubes into the egg white mixture
Mix together the seasoning then spread half on a tray. Add the bread, then the rest of the seasoning, and mix together
Bake the croutons for 20 minutes
Thinly slice the roasted beetroot, then plate up the slices of beetroot and slices of salmon.
Top with croutons, a drizzling of sauce and the remaining fresh dill

Appetizer Vegetarian

Pan-fried halloumi cheese with olives, dried apricots & hazelnuts

November 19, 2023November 19, 2023 Belinda

This recipe is really simple and so good, it comes together quickly and is made with minimal ingredients.
Serve it with crackers or some toasted bread.

Serves 8-10
½ cup hazelnuts
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1lb halloumi cheese
flour, as needed
½ cup olives, halved (Kalamata, Castelvetrano, etc)
crackers or toasted bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F

Spread the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet. Roast for about 8-10 minutes until golden. Let cool slightly. Use a kitchen towel to rub the skins off (it’s okay if some stay on). Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside. Lower the oven to 300°F.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Let sauté until softened, caramelized, and somewhat crispy, stirring often.
Stir in the apricots, honey, and red wine vinegar. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook for a minute or so until slightly reduced. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Slice the halloumi cheese into ½” rounds. Toss with enough seasoned flour just to coat the slices on all sides.
Heat another skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to come up the sides about a ¼ of an inch. Once the oil is hot, work in batches to fry the halloumi cheese until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side (shake off any excess flour as you add the cheese to the pan)
Remove the halloumi cheese and season with a pinch of salt.
Keep warm in the oven until the rest of the cheese is fried.
Meanwhile, heat the shallot mixture back over medium heat. Stir in the hazelnuts and olives. Cook another minute or so.

Serve the halloumi with the shallot mixture spooned over top. Add a drizzle of olive oil to finish. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

Appetizers

Balsamic Roasted Figs with Burrata & Prosciutto

November 19, 2023November 19, 2023 Belinda

Sweet & spicy balsamic roasted figs with burrata cheese and prosciutto, served with toasted bread alongside

Serves 6-8
1lb fresh black figs, stemmed + halved*
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Calabrian chili peppers (crushed in oil)
1 tbsp honey, plus more for serving
Kosher salt
½ cup pecans
1lb burrata cheese
flaky sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
olive oil, as needed
toasted bread, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Add the halved figs, balsamic vinegar, Calabrian chilis, honey, and a pinch of salt to a mixing bowl. Gently toss to combine and set aside.
Line a sheet pan with a piece of foil. Add the pecans in an even layer. Place the pan in the oven and toast the pecans for about 6 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer them to a cutting board (reserve the foil-lined sheet pan) and roughly chop them.
Set the oven to high-broil. Place the figs onto the sheet pan, cut-side facing up. Pour any remaining balsamic mixture over top. Broil for 4-5 minutes, or until caramelized.
Tear the burrata into large pieces and arrange it on a platter. Season with a pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Arrange the prosciutto and figs over top.
Garnish with the fresh thyme. Drizzle the dish with olive oil and extra honey. Serve the toasted bread alongside.
notes

*Figs are typically in season from the end of August to November. Sometimes, figs at a grocery store won’t be fully ripened (similar to stone fruit) and can be firm, dry, and fairly tasteless. It’s important to find ripe figs that are soft to the touch.

Do-ahead

A do-ahead dinner party from my blog

October 28, 2023October 28, 2023 Belinda

Tomorrow I am doing a no-stress-do-ahead dinner party with all recipes from my blog. Two of our guests are Pescatarian so I decided to have some grilled prawns as one of the appetizers, but the main course is vegetarain.

I make a bulk amount of the eggplant parmesan dishes and freeze them before baking, therefore I only have to pull one out of the freezer, defrost it and bake it on the day.
The roasted nuts, I always have in large glass jars, the prawns and Peruvian sauce I can make 1-2 days ahead of time and the goat cheese starter can be made up to 3-4 days ahead.

The Spanakopita can also be prepped the day before and baked on the day.

Of course the ice cream can be made up to a week in advance and the lemon-lime possets can be made the day before.

The only thing you need to make on the day is the salad! I hope this is helpful and as long as you plan ahead this is a breeze!

The menu
With drinks
Chipotle and rosemary roasted nuts
Grilled prawns with Spicy Peruvian green sauce
Marinated goat cheese with ginger, basil, garlic and orange zest

Main Course
My ultimate eggplant Parmigiana
Phyllo cheese and spinach pie (Spanakopita)
Brussels sprouts salad with hazelnuts, dates and apple

Dessert
Lemon and lime possets
Curry ice cream with mango and pistachio

Chipotle and rosemary roasted nuts

Aji Verde (Spicy Peruvian Green Sauce)

Marinated goat cheese with ginger, basil, garlic and orange zest

My ultimate Eggplant Parmigiana

Spanakopita (Spinach filo pie)

Shredded Brussels sprout salad with hazelnuts, dates and apple

Lemon and lime posset

Spiced mango and pistachio ice cream

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead · Egg based

Betty Crocker baked custards

September 25, 2023September 25, 2023 Belinda

These smooth and creamy custards are delicious and easy. I prefer to serve them cold and they’re great to make ahead, served with some stewed fruit.

3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 – 1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups very warm milk (120°F to 130°F)
Ground fresh nutmeg

Heat oven to 350°F.
In medium bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt with wire whisk or fork. Gradually stir in milk. Pour into six 6-oz custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Place cups in 13 x 9-inch pan on oven rack. Pour very hot water into pan to within 1/2 inch of tops of cups.
Bake about 45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Remove cups from water.
Cool about 30 minutes. Unmold and serve warm, or (as I prefer) refrigerate and unmold before serving.
Store covered in refrigerator.

It’s lovely serving these with some stewed fruit.

Uncategorized

Spiced Ginger Shrimp With Burst Tomatoes

September 19, 2023September 19, 2023 Belinda

Serves 2-3

About 1½ tsp aromatic spice blend, such as garam masala, Baharat, five-spice, curry powder, or a mild chili powder blend, plus more to taste
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
5 scallions, thinly sliced, greens and whites separated
¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
1lb extra-large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup small (or halved large) cherry tomatoes, preferably yellow Sungold tomatoes
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Fresh lime juice
½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped

Step 1
In a medium bowl, combine spice blend, ginger, garlic, scallion whites, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add shrimp and toss well. Heat a large skillet over high heat, then add the oil. Add the tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until the whole tomatoes burst and the halved ones start to wrinkle, about 2 minutes.

Step 2
Add shrimp mixture and sauté for another 2 to 4 minutes, turning the shrimp, until they are pink all over.

Step 3
Gently stir in butter and cook for another minute, until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from heat and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Taste and add more salt and spices, if needed. Garnish with mint and scallion greens and serve immediately.

TIP
If your spice blend is heavy on the chiles, you might want to cut back by ¼ to ½ teaspoon; you can always add more to taste just before serving.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces

Cacik (Turkish yoghurt and cucumber)

September 12, 2023 Belinda

Cacik is one of the simplest Turkish meze dishes to put together. No cooking, just assembly. It’s a creamy, refreshing and healthy side dish that pairs with just about anything. An essential for any Mediterranean-style dinner party spread.

1 cup Greek yoghurt plain
1 cucumber about 300g(deseeded then grated)
1 bunch dill about 50g (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove minced
salt and pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
pinch sumac for garnish

Cut the cucumber in half and then using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.
Coarsely grate the cucumber and then wrap in a clean tea towel. Squeeze out the excess water (keep the liquid and use, added to water for a refreshing drink with lemon. or add a little to a gin and tonic!)
Place the cucumber in a bowl and mix in the yoghurt, dill, garlic, salt & pepper, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
Decant to a bowl and then drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little black pepper and sumac.

Notes
Cacik complements a wide range of dishes, including grilled meat, seafood, and rice-based dishes like Chicken Pilaf.
Perfect Meze Companion: When preparing vegetable meze recipes, cacik serves as an excellent accompaniment. Simply provide ample bread or raw vegetables for dipping and scooping.
Fridge Storage: Keep cacik covered in the fridge, where it remains fresh for 2-3 days. Avoid freezing, as it tends to become watery upon defrosting. Freshness is key!

Fish · Sauces

Salmon with fennel puree

September 9, 2023September 9, 2023 Belinda

This fennel puree is quite stunning and well worth making. I think you could use many different varieties of fish with it, but I tend to use salmon as it’s easy to get

SERVES 6

FOR THE FENNEL PURÉE
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 tsp ground fennel seeds
2 pinches dried chilli flakes
2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
4 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced, with green fronds reserved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
250ml dry white wine
150ml double cream
1–2tbsp lemon juice

FOR THE SALMON
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
6 thick salmon fillets, skin on, about 175g each

TO SERVE
1 lemon, quartered
Baby potatoes and a green salad

Step 1
To make the fennel purée, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the fennel seeds, ground fennel, chili flakes, onions and 1 tsp salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions start to soften.

Step 2
Add the sliced fennel and cook for another 35 -45 minutes, stirring often, until it has softened and is starting to caramelize in places. Add the garlic and white wine, turn up the heat and cook until the wine has evaporated.

Step 3
Pour in the cream and bubble away for a few minutes more to thicken, then tip into a blender, add 2–3 tsp of the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon (you may need only a little more lemon juice or twice as much, depending on the acidity of the wine), then add a few grindings of black pepper. Put to one side and keep warm.

Step 4
To cook the salmon, heat 4 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan until it starts to shimmer. Season the salmon fillets well on both sides with salt and lemon pepper and add to the pan, skin side down. Leave to cook over a low-medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is crisp (check after a couple of minutes to make sure the skin is not burning), then turn the fillets over and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until cooked most of the way through, but still a little pink in the middle.

Step 5
To serve, spoon a mound of purée on to six plates and place a fillet on top of each one. Drizzle with more olive oil, scatter with the reserved fennel fronds and add a turn of black pepper.
Serve with lemon quarters for squeezing, buttered baby potatoes and a simply dressed salad.