Whipped Feta with Hot Honey

June 15, 2023June 15, 2023 Belinda

Recipe from food blog “Erin Lives Whole”
Grab your crostini and pita chips and dig into this Whipped Feta with Hot Honey recipe.
Made with Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and scallions, it’s the perfect refreshing summer dip just make sure you refrigerate it and serve the feta/yoghurt mixture cold, it will firm up in the fridge.

Makes up to 2 cups
8oz block Greek feta cheese
1/3 cup Greek full-fat yoghurt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Toppings:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch scallions, chopped (stringy tops discarded)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped small
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup hot honey (heat it up gently in a saucepan.)

In a food processor, add feta, yogurt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Scrape down sides as needed, until dip is smooth and fluffy. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine and taste for seasoning.Put in the fridge to firm up for a couple of hours.
When you’re getting ready to serve, in a sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add scallions and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes or until browned. Turn off heat and set aside.
Pour whipped feta into serving bowl. Top with scallions and garlic and any remaining oil.
Add almonds, red pepper flakes, and drizzle hot honey on top.
Serve with crostini.

Roasted figs with pomegranate molasses and orange zest

June 8, 2023June 8, 2023 Belinda

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi

I can’t emphasize enough how crucial it is to choose good, sweet, squidgy figs, no matter what you do with them. It makes all the difference.

Serves 4

3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp dark Muscovado sugar (you can get this on Amazon)
4 thyme sprigs, 2 whole and 2 picked leaves
Skin of 1 orange, 3 long shaved strips and the rest grated
8 fresh figs, cut in half lengthways
100g mascarpone
100g Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp icing sugar
Salt

Put together in a large mixing bowl the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 tablespoon of water, the orange skin strips and a pinch of salt. Mix well to dissolve the sugar and then stir in the figs. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together in a small bowl the mascarpone, yoghurt and icing (powdered) sugar until smooth. Keep chilled.

Remove the figs from the bowl (keeping the marinade) and arrange them snugly inside a small baking tray, roughly 20x20cm (8″ x 8″), the cut side facing up. Sprinkle the figs with the remaining sugar and put under a hot grill, clearing about 15cm from the grill. Grill for 10 minutes, or until the sugar has caramelized and the figs softened.

Meanwhile, pour the marinating liquids into a small saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer for 2-4 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half and has a consistency of runny honey.

Transfer the hot figs to serving plates and spoon over any leftover syrup from the baking tray, then drizzle over the sauce reduction and sprinkle with picked thyme leaves. Place a spoonful of the yoghurt cream on the side or on the figs and sprinkle over the remaining orange zest. Serve at once.

Breakfast · Dessert · Do-ahead · Fruit · Holiday Food

Berry platter with labneh and orange oil

June 8, 2023May 2, 2024 Belinda

Serves 6

900g labneh
100ml good-quality olive oil
10g lemon thyme sprigs, plus a few extra picked thyme leaves to serve
1 orange: finely shave the skin to get 6 strips
200g blackberries
250g raspberries
300g strawberries, hulled and halved lengthways (or quartered if they’re larger)
50g caster sugar
1 lime: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp
200g blueberries
150g cherries, pitted

Put the oil into a small saucepan, for which you have a lid, on a medium heat. Heat gently for about 7 minutes, or until tiny air bubbles form. Remove from the heat, add the thyme and orange strips, then cover with a lid and leave to infuse, ideally overnight, though half an hour will also do the job.

The next day, put 50g of blackberries, 100g of raspberries and 100g of strawberries into the small bowl of a food processor along with the sugar and lime juice and blitz until completely smooth. Put all the remaining berries and the cherries into a large bowl along with the blitzed fruit and gently combine. You can serve it straight away or leave it in the fridge for a few hours, bringing it back to room temperature before serving.

Spread the labneh out on a large platter. Spoon over the berries, then sprinkle with the lime zest. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the infused oil, along with a couple of the orange strips and the extra picked thyme leaves.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Gluten Free

Skordalia (Greek garlic dip)

June 7, 2023June 7, 2023 Belinda

This is a super dip to have with raw veggies or warm pita bread
1 lb yellow potatoes
2 tbsp + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 cloves garlic (about one head), roughly chopped
½ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup slivered almonds
zest and juice of one lemon
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
optional garnish – 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
to serve alongside – cucumbers, radishes, carrots, or crusty bread

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot, then add 2 tablespoons salt and potatoes to the pot and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes or until fork-tender.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small frying pan and when hot, add the almonds. Let them sauté for 30 seconds, then add the garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds then remove from heat.
Add the garlic, almonds, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a food processor. Blend for 1 minute or until mostly smooth.
Add the potatoes and olive oil to the food processor and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl or plate and top with an additional drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley, if desired.
Serve with a medley of veggies or warm bread.

Dessert · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Eton Mess

June 4, 2023March 24, 2025 Belinda

Picture this: layers of crushed meringue folded through delicately whipped double cream, laced with the aromatic essence of vanilla bean paste and a dusting of powdered sugar.
To top it all off, simple sweet macerated strawberries and raspberries.
The stuff of summer dreams!

Serves 6
1lb (500g) fresh sweet strawberries, hulled and quartered
8 oz raspberries
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp powdered (icing) sugar
1.5 cups (360ml) heavy whipping cream
8 oz mascarpone
1.4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
7oz store-bought meringue cookies (nests), roughly crushed so there are some good sized lumps
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

In a bowl, combine the strawberries and raspberries with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and lemon zest. Toss gently to combine and set aside to macerate while you prepare the rest of the dessert.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overmix – you want a beautifully luscious texture with no graininess!

When ready to serve, gently fold the crushed meringue cookies into the whipped cream mixture.

Now, it’s time to assemble! Use a large serving platter and begin layering the Eton Mess. Start with a spoonful of the meringue and cream mixture, then add a layer of macerated berries and more lightly crushed meringue. Repeat this process, creating beautiful alternating layers in a large pile.

Finish off your Eton Mess with a final flourish of macerated strawberries on top.
To add a touch of freshness and vibrancy, garnish each serving with a few mint leaves.

Finally, grab a spoon and serve straight to the table.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Asparagus with labneh, brown butter and burnt lemon

June 3, 2023June 3, 2023 Belinda

Ottolenghi’s super recipe.

It’s no secret that asparagus enjoys a good soak in the old brown-butter (bubble) bath, which we’ve generously accommodated for. There are so many textures going on here, from tender asparagus to creamy labneh and hints of burnt lemon. The burnt lemon is a clever way to use up excess lemon peel by roasting it on a high heat until nicely charred. The result: a fragrant, bitter and intense condiment to sprinkle on to both sweet and savory dishes. Plan ahead by making the labneh the night before or, alternatively, use store-bought labneh or some thick-set Greek yoghurt.

Serves 4

900g thick-stemmed asparagus (2–3 bunches), woody ends trimmed (450g)
3 tbsp olive oil
70g unsalted butter
2 sprigs of thyme, plus 1 tsp picked leaves
1 tsp light soft brown sugar
salt and black pepper

Labneh:
650g Greek-style yoghurt
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Burnt lemon:
2 unwaxed lemons

1. Make the labneh by putting the yoghurt and ½ teaspoon of salt into a bowl and mixing well to combine. Line a medium sieve with a piece of cheesecloth or a clean tea towel, with plenty of cloth hanging over the sides. Add the yoghurt, using the overhanging cloth to completely encase it, then set the sieve over a clean bowl and place a weight on top (a couple of tins will do). Refrigerate overnight. When the labneh is ready, discard the liquid collected and transfer the labneh to a clean bowl. You’ll make about 300g of labneh. Stir in the garlic and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

3. Make the burnt lemon. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the lemons into long strips – don’t worry if you get some of the pith. You want 30g in total. Set aside a couple of strips and put the remainder on a small baking parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 9–12 minutes, until completely dry and mostly blackened (they’ll shrivel up significantly). Finely grind with a pestle and mortar, then pass through a sieve, to catch any large pieces (discard these). Set the burnt lemon powder aside. Scrape away any pith from the reserved strips, and very finely julienne them. Set aside.

4. Reset the oven to a high grill setting. Put the asparagus, oil, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper on a large baking tray lined with foil, give everything a good mix, then arrange the spears so they’re not overlapping. Grill on the highest shelf for 8–10 minutes, until tender and nicely browned. Ovens can vary, so check at the 6-minute mark.

5. Meanwhile, make the browned butter by first putting the butter into a small saucepan and placing it on a medium-high heat. Once melted, continue to cook for a further 3–4 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally, until nicely browned and smelling nutty. Add the thyme sprigs (careful, the fat will spit!), then stir in the brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon of the burnt lemon powder and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Set aside to cool down slightly, about 5 minutes.

6. While the butter is cooling, segment one of the peeled lemons. Use a small sharp knife to trim away any excess pith, then cut between the membranes to release the segments and roughly chop each into 3–4 pieces. Juice the remaining lemon to give you 4 teaspoons of juice. Add the juice and all the segments to the browned butter mixture.

7. Spread the labneh out on a platter or plate, and top with the asparagus, so that the spears are all facing in the same direction. Pour over the browned butter, then scatter over the picked thyme. Lastly, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the burnt lemon powder and the lemon strips.

Dairy-free · Fruit · Gluten Free · Salad

Greek -style watermelon salad

May 23, 2023May 23, 2023 Belinda

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman’s

“It’s not an immediately obvious combination – watermelon, cucumber, olives and feta – but one bite will leave you convinced that this savory-sweet summer salad is something truly special. The astringent punch of the olives and feta provides a sophisticated counterpoint to the watery mellowness of the melon and cucumber. With a hunk of bread, it’s a lovely light lunch; with practically any grilled meat or fish, it’s an ideal summer supper.

Serves 4

3 cups cubed watermelon (don’t buy pre-cubed as it’s too mushy)
2 large ripe vine tomatoes
1 medium English cucumber
1 small red onion
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1/2 cup crumbled Greek feta
A good handful each of chopped parsley and mint
Olive oil and red-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Optional extras- chopped basil & toasted pine-nuts

In a large bowl combine 3 cups cubed watermelon; 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped; 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped; 1 small red onion, sliced; 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives; 1/2 cup crumbled feta; and the chopped parsley and mint. Drizzle with olive oil and red-wine vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss and taste/adjust for seasoning before serving.

PS This recipe does not keep too long, as the watermelon will get mushy pretty fast.

Asian flavors · Salad

Asian shredded salad

May 3, 2023May 3, 2023 Belinda

Serves 4

2 tsp sunflower oil
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp runny honey
Fine grain sea salt, to taste
One small bunch of cilantro (leaves and stems), chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted
1 bunch of scallions, shredded
2 cups finely shredded cabbage, (a mix of green and purple is nice too)
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup broccoli or pea sprouts
3 large stalks celery, thinly sliced on diagonal
2 tbsp shoyu or soy sauce
1 tbsp (brown) rice vinegar
toasted sesame seeds, black or white

In a medium bowl, stir together the sunflower oil, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of the honey, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Add the cilantro, peanuts, and scallions. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the cabbage, mung bean sprouts, broccoli or pea sprouts, and celery.

In another bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and remaining 2 teaspoons of honey. Stir to combine, pour over the vegetables, and toss to coat. Add half the cilantro-peanut mixture, toss again, and transfer to a serving dish.
Top with the remaining cilantro relish and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.