King Charles’ coronation quiche

April 27, 2023April 27, 2023 Belinda

Want to make what King Charles is having for lunch on the big day?

A deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavors of Spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon. Eat hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes – perfect for a Coronation Big Lunch!

1 x 20cm (8″) Flan Tin

Serves 6

125g plain flour
Pinch of salt
25g cold butter, diced
25g lard
2 tablespoons milk
Or 1 x 250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry

Filling

125ml milk
175ml double cream
2 medium eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon,
Salt and pepper
100g grated cheddar cheese,
180g cooked spinach, lightly chopped
60g cooked broad beans or soya beans

To make the pastry…
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl; add the fats and rub the mixture together using your finger tips until you get a sandy, breadcrumb like texture.
Add the milk a little at a time and bring the ingredients together into a dough.
Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes
Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm thick.
Line the tin with the pastry, taking care not to have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 minutes in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 190°C.

Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, add baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes, before removing the greaseproof paper and baking beans.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C.
Beat together the milk, cream, eggs, herbs and seasoning.
Scatter 1/2 of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, top with the chopped spinach and beans and herbs, then pour over the liquid mixture.
If required gently give the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed but be careful not to damage the pastry case.
Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until set and lightly golden.

Rice · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Crispy green rice pilaf

April 12, 2023April 12, 2023 Belinda

Recipe from Bon Appetite magazine
You need day-old rice to make this vibrant, springy pilaf recipe, but it’s worth planning ahead. The precooked rice gets super crisp before it’s tossed with soft feta, crunchy pistachios and snap peas, and jammy golden raisins. It’s a true study in textures.

Serves 4–6

½ cup raw pistachios
4 cups cilantro, mint, basil, and/or dill
1 (or up to 3) Serrano chili, stems removed, split lengthwise
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. white miso
½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
⅓ cup plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups cooked white rice, chilled overnight
6 oz. sugar snap peas
3 scallions
¾ cup crumbled feta
½ cup golden raisins
1 cup shelled fresh peas (from about 1 lb. pods) or frozen peas, thawed

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5–8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

Step 2
Meanwhile, blend herbs, one of the chiles, lime juice, miso, ½ tsp. salt, and 2 Tbsp. water in a blender on high speed until well combined. Drizzle in ⅓ cup oil and continue to blend until sauce is very smooth. Taste sauce for heat; if it seems mild, add another chile or two. It should be slightly spicier than you’re comfortable with since it’s going to get mellowed out by everything that it’s tossed with. Season with salt if needed.

Step 3
Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add rice, pressing down with a spatula in a single layer to create as much contact with surface of pan as possible. Reduce heat to medium and cook, undisturbed, until rice is deep golden brown underneath, 6–8 minutes. Season with salt.

Step 4
While rice cooks, thinly slice snap peas and scallions on a long diagonal and transfer to a medium bowl. Add pistachios, feta, and raisins and toss to combine.

Step 5
Add fresh peas to rice and continue to cook over medium heat, tossing often, until peas are just cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Step 6
Transfer rice mixture to bowl with vegetables and toss to combine. Drizzle in herb sauce, tossing again to coat well. Taste and season with salt if needed.

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

Dessert · Fruit

Rhubarb, ginger and almond crumble

April 10, 2023April 10, 2023 Belinda

Recipe modified from Delia Smith.
There is something so comforting about this crumble and the addition of ginger, both fresh and ground makes such a difference. The only thing I modified was the length of time it took to cook, which, in my oven was much longer before the skewer I poked into the rhubarb for doneness, slid in easily.

2 lb (900 g) rhubarb
4 oz (110 g) golden caster sugar (superfine or bakers sugar)
1 rounded tsp grated fresh root ginger
For the crumble:
4 oz (110 g) whole almonds, skin on
3 oz (75 g) chilled butter, cut into small dice
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour, sifted
2 level tsp ground cinnamon
1 level tsp ground ginger
4 oz (110 g) demerara (raw) sugar
To serve:
custard, pouring cream and ice cream

Begin by preparing the rhubarb.

First of all wash it, then trim off the leaves and cut the stalks roughly into 1 inch chunks. Next, toss them in a bowl with the sugar and freshly grated root ginger, then place them in the baking dish and put on one side.

Now make the crumble, which couldn’t be simpler, as it is all made in a food processor. All you do is place the butter, sifted flour, cinnamon, ground ginger and sugar in the processor and give it a whiz till it resembles crumbs. Next, add the almonds and process again, not too fast, until they are fairly finely chopped and there are still a few chunky bits.

If you don’t have a processor, in a large bowl, rub the butter into the sifted flour until it resembles crumbs, then stir in the almonds, which should be fairly finely chopped by hand, cinnamon, ginger and sugar.

Now you need to press the rhubarb very firmly with your hands all over the base of the dish to spread it evenly without too many large lumps sticking out. Then simply sprinkle the crumble mixture all over the rhubarb, spreading it right up to the edges of the dish, and, using the flat of your hands, press it down quite firmly all over; the more tightly it is packed together the crisper it will be. Then finish off by lightly running a fork all over the surface.

Now bake the crumble on the centre shelf of the oven for 45 mins, then turn the oven to 350F and keep cooking for another 20 mins or until a skewer poked into the rhubarb slides in easily, by which time the rhubarb will be soft and the topping golden brown and crisp. Just leave cooking in the oven until the rhubarb is cooked.
Remove from the oven and leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving, then serve it warm with custard, pouring cream or ice cream.

* I have a warming drawer so I put it in there after it was cooked until it was time to serve. Therefore you can make this an hour or two ahead of the meal which is one thing less to think about.

ADDITIONAL
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).

EQUIPMENT
You will also need either an oval ovenproof baking dish measuring 7½ x 11 inches (19 x 28 cm) and 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) deep, or a round ovenproof baking dish with a diameter of 9½ inches (24 cm) and 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) deep.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Salad

Creamy broccoli, grape and almond salad

April 8, 2023July 15, 2023 Belinda

This lovely salad lasts for several days in the fridge and you have so many optional add-ins. You don’t have to be religious about the amounts. Do whatever your taste buds fancy

Serves 6-8

5-6 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized florets (about 2-3 large crowns)
2 cups red seedless grapes, halved (about 9oz)
3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
3/4 cup sliced dried apricots
1/2 cup red onion, or 6 scallions finely chopped
3 scallions chopped, dark green parts only, or similar amount in chopped chives
1 large avocado, cubed

OPTIONAL TO ADD
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/3 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
Crumbled goat cheese
Other dried fruits and nuts
1-2 not too ripe diced avocados

DRESSING
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
¼ cup granulated sugar or equivalent in honey or agave syrup
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, to taste
1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and pepper

Whisk well all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside

The original recipe uses the broccoli raw, but I like to blanch it for 1 1/2 mins in boiling, salted water, then shocking it in chilled water to keep the color and stop the cooking. I then drain it and lay out the florets on kitchen towel to take as much moisture out as possible.

In a large mixing bowl combine the broccoli, grapes, onion, dried apricots, almonds, avocado, scallion greens and any optional add-ins. Toss gently.
Pour half the dressing (or more to taste) over the salad. Toss gently to combine.
For best flavor, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
To serve, toss the salad well, taste, adding more salt and pepper if desired and adjust with more dressing if it needs it.

Baking

The best scones

April 2, 2023April 2, 2023 Belinda

Recipe c/o recipe blog, “Sugar Spun Run”

2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup very cold unsalted butter I like to place my butter in the freezer 15 minutes before beginning to ensure it is cold (113g)
½ cup heavy cream (120ml)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup your favorite add-ins optional: frozen berries, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
Additional heavy cream for brushing over scones optional
Additional sugar for sprinkling over scones optional

Preheat your oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the basin of a food processor and pulse to combine.
Cut butter into Tablespoon-sized pieces and scatter over flour mixture, pulse until butter is cut up into the flour mixture and butter pieces are no longer visible.
Combine the heavy cream and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour heavy cream over your flour mixture.
Pulse until dough begins to clump together.
Scone dough in food processor
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and (handling lightly, as you don’t want to over-work this dough) add any add-ins at this point, gently working them into the dough. Fold the dough in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5 times and taking care to not overwork the dough.
Form the dough into a smooth disk about 1″ thick by 6″ round.
Cut the disk into 8 wedges, pressing the knife straight down with each cut.
Scone dough shaped into disc, cut into 8 pieces
Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet and place about 2″ apart. Brush lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake on 375F (190C) for 14-16 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Don’t over-bake your scones or they will be dry and tough.
Allow scones to cool on baking sheet before serving and enjoying.

Food Processor
If you don’t have a food processor you can make the scones by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with either a pastry cutter, box grater, or pair of knives. Whisk together heavy cream and vanilla and pour over and stir until well-combined. The dough will be very dry but will come together with some effort. If absolutely necessary you can add a bit more cream, a splash at a time.
Storing
Scones are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. See the FAQ section in the post for instructions on freezing scones (before or after baking).
How to Make Lemon Scones
Add 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon zest into the scone batter with the butter
Once scones have cooled, dip in a simple glaze made of 1 ¼ cup (160g) powdered sugar, 1 ½ Tablespoons (20ml) lemon juice, 1 ½ teaspoons of water, and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Asian flavors · Poultry

Chicken Tikka Masala

March 24, 2023March 24, 2023 Belinda

Britain’s favorite dish; the classic chicken tikka masala.
This much-loved chicken curry recipe from Madhur Jaffrey features garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander

Probably created in Britain, chicken tikka masala is easily the most popular Indian curry in the UK today, and yet nobody is quite clear about its origins. It is possible that a chef in Birmingham, with too many tandoor-roasted chicken pieces (‘tikkas’) left over, decided to reheat them in a quick stir-fried curry sauce. However it originated, it is here to stay.
The tikkas need to marinate for six to eight hours, so bear that in mind when you come to make the dish. Serve it with Indian breads or rice. A black dal would go well with such a meal.

For the chicken tikka:
675g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
1¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp peeled, finely grated root ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
1 tsp paprika
½–¾ tsp chili powder
6 tbsp whipping cream
½ tsp garam masala
3 tbsp olive or sunflower oil

For the masala:
4 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
140 g (5oz) onions, halved and finely sliced
1 tbsp peeled, finely grated root ginger
5-6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
¾ tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
4 tbsp whole milk plain yoghurt
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and very finely chopped
350 ml (about 1 1/2 cups) chicken stock
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp garam masala
4 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

You will need 4 flat metal long skewers for the chicken

Start by marinating the chicken tikka. Put the chicken in a non-reactive bowl and rub in the salt and lemon juice. Prod the chicken pieces lightly with the tip of a knife and rub the seasonings in again, then set aside for 20 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, cream and garam masala. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for six to eight hours (longer will not hurt).

When you’re ready to cook, make the masala: pour the 4 tablespoons of oil into a large, preferably non-stick, lidded pan and set it over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the onions. Stir and fry until they brown, six or seven minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue to fry, stirring, for a minute. Add the ground coriander, turmeric, chili powder and paprika. Stir for 10 seconds, then add a tablespoon of the yoghurt. Stir and fry until it is absorbed. Add the remaining yoghurt in this way, a tablespoon at a time.

Now put in the tomatoes. Fry them for three or four minutes, or until they turn pulpy. Add the stock and salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. The sauce should turn thick. Stir in the garam masala and coriander leaves, taste for balance of seasonings and add more salt if you need it.

Shortly before you eat, preheat the grill to its highest setting. Thread the chicken on to two to four skewers (the flat, sword-like ones are best). Brush with the 3 tablespoons of oil and balance the skewers on the rim of a shallow baking tray, so that the meat is suspended and does not touch the tray. Place about 13 cm (5 inches) from the source of heat and grill for six minutes on each side, or until lightly browned, cooked through and charred in places. (Cut a large piece of chicken to the centre to check there is no trace of pink.)

When the tikkas are cooked, reheat the sauce and fold in the chicken. Serve immediately.

Do-ahead · Meat

Mexican Tortilla Pie

March 6, 2023 Belinda

This is one of my favorite family recipes and my kids always adored it.
It’s really easy to make, looks very impressive with all the layers, tastes divine and serves like a cake!
To be honest there is no limit to how many layers you can have and everything sticks well together with the cheese so it’s worth playing around with this recipe.

Screen Shot 2020-07-23 at 12.43.21 PM

Serves 4

2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 1/2lb lean ground beef
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 oz package taco seasoning mix (El Paso or Lawry’s)
1 1/2 – 2 cans (14oz) refried beans
8 flour tortillas
3 heaped cups grated sharp cheddar
1 good bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
16 oz jar salsa
1 cup sour cream
2 avocados diced

Preheat the oven to 350F
Grease a deep 9″round loose-bottom cake tin
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the ground beef and cook for 5 mins or until brown, breaking up the lumps with the back of a spoon.
Drain off the excess oil.
Add the seasoning packet and crushed garlic and cook for a further 5 mins until heated through.

Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the cake tin then spread 1/3 cup of refried beans on the bottom, then 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on top. Top with some chopped cilantro then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese and 1 tbsp salsa.
Continue layering with the remaining tortillas, refried beans, ground beef, cilantro, cheese and salsa, ending with a tortilla sprinkled with cheese- it should end up looking like a dome shape.

Bake for 20 – 30 mins or until the cheese is melted and browned.
Cool slightly in the tin, then turn out onto a plate and cut into wedges. Top with a dollop of sour cream and the diced avocado.

** To be honest, after making this so many times, I use far more of each ingredient than the recipe asks for and really go to town, adding crushed garlic to the ground beef and black beans or corn.
The cheese is the glue and who doesn’t love lots of cheese so go for it!

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces

Aji Verde (Spicy Peruvian Green Sauce)

March 3, 2023March 6, 2023 Belinda

Recipe from food blog, “Cookie and Kate”

Aji verde is spicy Peruvian green sauce, made with cilantro, jalapeños, a little mayonnaise and Parmesan. It is utterly irresistible drizzled onto tacos, used as a dip for tortilla chips, shrimp and as a sauce for roast chicken, french fries, fish, beef… absolutely anything!!

Yield: 1 ¼ cups, but can be easily doubled or trebled

½ cup mayonnaise
2 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro, mostly leaves but small stems are ok (from 1 big bunch of cilantro or 1 ½ medium)
2 medium jalapeños, seeds and membranes removed but reserved, roughly chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
⅓ cup (1 ounce) grated Cotija or Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

In a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients. Blend until the cilantro has broken into very tiny pieces and the sauce is green and mostly smooth (no matter how long you blend it, it will still have some texture to it).
Taste, and adjust if necessary.
This sauce is intentionally bold and spicy and I usually think it’s just right as written. However, if the flavor is too overwhelming, blend in 1 tablespoon of olive oil while running the food processor. If it’s not spicy enough, add some of the reserved jalapeño seeds and blend again.
If it doesn’t have enough zip, add another tablespoon of lime juice and/or a pinch of salt.
Aji verde keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 1 week.

NOTES
MAKE IT DAIRY FREE: Simply omit the Parmesan. To temper the flavor a bit, drizzle in 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil while running the food processor.

MAKE IT VEGAN: I think you could replace the mayonnaise with equal parts vegan sour cream, and omit the cheese.

Yum!