Spring Lettuce, Pea and Mint Soup

I see these beautiful lettuces every day and take photos of them because I love the neat and tidy rows and the way they kind of look like big green roses. Sort of…

I wanted a recipe using lettuces for something other than a salad to test their versatility. I’ve heard of lettuce soup but never tried it so I had no idea how it would taste. It seems an odd thing, to cook a lettuce but together with the peas and fresh mint it makes a really fresh springy soup perfect for this time of year when the weather really can’t make up it’s mind.

It has the lightness of a salad but with the warmth of a soup.  The spring fresh flavours are a taster of what’s just around the corner if you are suffering with the weather where you are. This soup really brightens your day, and it’s healthy too.

Cos (or Romaine) lettuce contains more beta carotene and iron than most other lettuces and peas are rich in fibre, iron & vitamin C. Add to that the fact that mint is an excellent aid to digestion and you have the perfect meal in a bowl.

 And it tastes great too…

Lettuce, Pea & Mint Soup

serves 4 – 6, vegetarian or vegan, without yoghurt swirl

• 2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
• 1 leek, sliced in half lengthways, rinsed & sliced finely
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small Cos/Romaine lettuce, cored & shredded
• 45o gr frozen peas
• 750 ml + veg stock
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• a pinch of sugar
• 3 or 4 sprigs fresh mint leaves, chopped. Keep the stalks.
• a small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• creme fraiche or greek yoghurt for swirling (optional)
• mint tops for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Sweat leeks & shallot for 3 or 4 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add in the peas, lettuce, mint stalks (tied together in a knot so they are easier to fish out later), 750 ml veg stock, salt, pepper & sugar.

Bring to a boil and then simmer, uncovered for 6 -8 minutes or until the peas are tender. Take out the mint stalks, add in the parsley and mint leaves and remove from the heat.

Blend carefully with a stick blender for 2 or 3 minutes until very smooth. Add more veg stock to get required consistency if necessary, check the seasoning and reheat to serve. Serve in warmed bowls garnished with a swirl of creme fraiche and the mint tops.

If Spring is not happening where you are then bring it yourself with this bowl of soup. I’ll leave you with some more images of the beautiful Spring in Andalucia that I have taken this week while walking the dog….

Disfruta de la Naturaleza!!

Flamiche – A Wholemeal Leek and Gruyere Quiche

 I’ve been walking past these leeks every day watching them grow. I thought they were spring onions up until a few days ago when they became definite leeks.

I use leeks a lot for cooking. I like their sweet mellow oniony flavour and they are also quicker and easier to peel and chop than a normal onion. You have to be careful to rinse them thoroughly before you chop them though. They hide a lot of grit in between the layers that could ruin a lovely dish.

Although I use them often it is always in a supporting role. I wanted a dish where they could be the star of the show, come out from the background and impress all by themselves. This is a recipe for Flamiche. A  classic northern French tart where the white parts of the leeks are softened slowly in butter until sweet then mixed with cream and egg yolks and baked in a pastry case. It is a simple recipe with very few ingredients and that is how it should be. I couldn’t resist topping it with some grated Gruyère for the last 5 minutes of cooking, but if you want you be a purist about it leave it out.

I used wholemeal flour and vegetable suet to make my pastry but you can make your own version of short crust pastry or buy a prepared pastry case if you want to make life easier.

Flamiche –  Wholemeal Leek & Gruyère Quiche

Serves 6, makes a 9 inch Quiche, vegetarian. Adapted from The Art of the Tart by Tamasin Day-Lewis

• 120 gr self-raising wholemeal flour
• 60 gr vegetable suet (I use Atora)
• salt & pepper
• iced water
• 6 or 7 large leeks
• 90 gr unsalted butter
• 150 – 300 ml cream (I used creme fraiche)
• 3 egg yolks
• salt & black pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• a handful of grated Gruyère

To make the pastry, mix together the flour and suet and season with salt & pepper. Pour in about 3 tbsp iced water and stir to combine. Keep adding water a tbsp at a time until the mixture comes together and stays in a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge while you make the filling.

Chop the dark green parts and the hairy ends off the leeks and remove the outer layer(you can use them to make your own veg stock if you want). Slice the leeks in half lengthways and rinse well under the tap to get rid of any grit between the layers. Slice into about 1cm half moons. Heat the butter over a medium low heat in a large pan. When the butter has melted add the leeks and a good pinch of salt and allow them to sweat slowly until they are completely softened, about 15 minutes. Leave to cool.

Butter and flour your tart tin. Remove the pastry from the fridge, flour your work-surface, rolling-pin and pastry and roll it out, making quarter turns to keep it even and stop it sticking. When it looks big enough to fill the tin (it should be about 3mm thick), lift it up by rolling it over your rolling-pin and lay it gently over the tart tin.  Push it into the tin (don’t stretch it out) and cut off any large overhanging bits but don’t trim it completely. Put it in the fridge while you finish the filling.

Preheat the oven to 180 C. When the leeks have cooled, whisk together the cream (the amount you use will depend on the depth of your tart tin, do it by eye) and egg yolks and season with salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Stir this into the leeks. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and spread the leek mixture evenly over the base. Cook for 35 minutes until just barely set then sprinkle over the grated Gruyère, if using, and give it another 5 minutes for the cheese to melt & brown slightly. Leave for at least 10 minutes before serving and trim off the edges of the pastry with a sharp knife.

This is best served warm, not hot, to really appreciate the flavour of the leeks. In my opinion it is even better served the next day at room temperature (Not cold just out of the fridge). It is perfect picnic food or for a spring buffet even if you’re feeling brave about the weather.

Serve it with a peppery green salad, rocket & watercress would be good, dressed with olive oil & lemon juice for a spring time lunch alfresco…..

Chermoula Halloumi, Butter Bean Tagine and Quinoa with Almonds and Raisins

This started out a s a recipe in the Terre a Terre vegetarian cookbook for Halloumi & Almond Kibbeh. Kibbeh are usually made with ground meat, spices and bulgur wheat shaped into balls or patties. The Terre a Terre version uses a mixture of ground almonds, halloumi, cream cheese, tofu and Chermoula spices to make the pattie mix which were then wrapped in thin aubergine slices and cooked.  Chermoula is a Moroccan/North African spice blend normally used as a rub or marinade for fish and meat.

This Chermoula spice mix (there are many variations) is made from toasted coriander, fennel and cumin seeds ground together and mixed with sumac (a dried, ground berry with a lemony, smokey flavour) and salt. You can use it dry for seasoning dishes or mix it with olive oil, lemon juice & garlic for a delicious marinade or dressing.  Okay, so I made the kibbeh without the tofu (I have a pathelogical dislike of tofu that I need to overcome). I really didn’t like the resulting texture I found them dry and quite heavy and after a lot of work too! Luckily I had made quite a lot of the bean tagine and quinoa so for lunch the next day I just pressed some sliced Halloumi into the Chermoula spices and dry fried them as I usually would for my favourite Halloumi recipe. So much easier! The Chermoula makes a perfect spice crust for my favourite salty, meaty cheese which could be served with the just the bean tagine or just the quinoa salad if you don’t want to make everything. The flavours are really complex and work fantastically together.

Another ingredient used in this dish is preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are a key ingredient in Moroccan cuisine. The preserved lemon peel is chopped and used to impart an intensely lemony flavours to soups, stews, tagines and many other dishes. The lemons are preserved in a mixture of lemon juice, salt and occasionally spices. I made my own because I had a mountain of lemons in my kitchen. It seemed like the perfect thing to do with them as I love all Middle Eastern cuisine. I used Spicie Foodie’s recipe which was really easy and now I am the very proud owner of a jar of  homemade preserved lemons. Who would have thought it?

At it’s narrowest point the southern coast of Spain is only about 8 miles from Morocco across the Atlantic. This means that it has a similar climate and a lot of the ingredients used are the same as in Andalucian cuisine. I was inspired to make this dish because a lot of the ingredients used I see growing while walking the dog. The almond blossom has now disappeared to reveal the young green nut and the oranges are still everywhere although coming to the end of their season.

 The quinoa salad could easily be made with bulgur wheat or couscous instead and feel free to substitute pistachios for almonds or olives for the raisins. Just use what you have, within reason, obviously. I’m not advocating the use of chocolate chips here but now that I’ve said it, it might make an interesting dessert…..

Chermoula Halloumi, Butter Bean Tagine & Quinoa with Almonds & Raisins

Serves 4 with leftovers, vegetarian. Adapted from Terre a Terre The Vegetarian Cookbook

For the Chermoula Halloumi

• 2 packs Halloumi cheese, rinsed & sliced into 1/3 cm slices
• 25 gr coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp sumac
• 1/4 tsp salt

Toast all the seeds until fragrant and grind them in a mortar & pestle or spice grinder. Mix them with the sumac & salt and store in an airtight container. When ready to cook the halloumi, sprinkle about 4 tbsp of the spice mix onto a shallow dish and press your halloumi slices into it to coat on both sides. To cook the halloumi heat a non stick frying pan to hot without any oil and dry fry the slices for a minute or so on each side until lightly browned. Serve with the butter bean tagine and/or the quinoa salad.

For the Butter Bean Tagine

• 1 jar/tin cooked butter beans 400 gr, drained & rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 or 4 shallots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (or saffron)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 orange, zested then juiced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp preserved lemon peel, finely chopped (or use lemon zest)
• 1 tin 400 gr chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp harissa paste (or 1/4 tsp crushed dried chillis)
• 100 ml veg stock
• 1 tsp salt +
• a handful of coriander leaves for garnish
• olive oil to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a lid or casserole/tagine over a medium heat. Add the shallots, onion and red pepper and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in the cinnamon, ginger, turmeric/saffron, star anise and black pepper and cook for another 3 minutes.

Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the coriander & olive oil, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Either leave it to cook in a pan on the stove top or, if you are using a tagine or casserole, put on the lid and put it in a 170C oven for the same amount of time.

Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Remove the star anise and use it again for the quinoa. Stir in some of the fresh coriander ad serve garnished with the rest of the coriander leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Or serve topped with the Chermoula Halloumi slices.

For the Quinoa with Almonds & Raisins

• about 150 gr quinoa (or bulgur or couscous)
• about 750 ml veg stock
• the star anise from the tagine above
• 60 gr raisins or sultanas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 tbsp preserved lemon peel, finely chopped (or use lemon zest)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 80 gr toasted almonds (whole)
• 50 gr toasted pine nuts
• 2 tsp Chermoula spice mix (see recipe above)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
•  a handful of fresh parsley chopped
•  a handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Cook the quinoa/bulgur/couscous according to the instructions on the packet. I use stock rather than water for more flavour. Put the raisins/sultanas in the hot stock as well to plump up aswell as the star anise. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add in the shallots and fry until soft and sweet, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the preserved lemon peel (or zest) and cinnamon, stir, then pour over the cooked quinoa, season with the chermoula spice mix, salt & pepper and mix well. This can now be refrigerated until 15 minutes before serving when you take it out to come up to room temperature.

Serve at room temperature. Shortly before serving stir through the nuts, chopped herbs, lemon juice and check the seasoning. Serve topped with the Chermoula halloumi or on the side off the ButterBean Tagine.

I had quite a lot of the quinoa leftover so I also made a nice salad  for lunch with some rocket leaves dressed with olive oil & lemon juice . I just topped it off with some crumbled feta. Delicious….

  Enjoy!!

The First Days of Spring: Grilled Asparagus and Soft Boiled Duck Egg Brunch



Nothing says “Spring” more to me than asparagus. The fresh green spears make an appearance a lot earlier here in Spain than in the UK but I still wait until Spring to buy them.  I bought some this week for the first time this year and wanted the first of many asparagus dishes to be a simple celebration of this unique, delicious vegetable.

The Washer Up is working with someone who keeps ducks & chickens at the moment and he, very kindly, gave us some duck eggs to try. I have eaten a duck egg once before, it was on top of a salad I ordered in the restaurant in Harvey Nichols in Leeds (those were the days)!  They have a slightly richer, creamier flavour than a normal egg but nothing to be scared off.  I’ve never cooked with duck eggs before so I thought a simple soft-boiled duck egg would sit very happily on top of my grilled asparagus.  Eggs also represent Spring, rebirth and new beginnings so perfect for my first days of Spring brunch.

I really can’t call this a recipe but here is what I did:

Soft Boiled Duck Egg & Grilled Asparagus Brunch

serves 1, vegetarian

• 1 bundle of fresh asparagus
• 1 duck egg
• extra virgin olive oil
• lemon juice
• salt & pepper
• shaved manchego or parmesan
• toasted brown bread (if you like)

Carefully put the duck egg into boiling water and then turn the heat down to medium high. Boil for 6 or 7 minutes depending on the size of your duck egg. Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus and put into the boiling water with the egg for 2 or 3 minutes.

Preheat your grill to hot and place the blanched asparagus on a sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper, roll to coat evenly then put under the grill for a few minutes to brown slightly. Rolling to cook the other side half way through.

Toast your bread if using. After 6 or 7 minutes drain the water out of the pan and run the cold tap over the egg in the pan until cool enough to handle. Roll the egg gently on your counter to break the shell and peel the egg.

Transfer the asparagus to a plate with a slotted spoon, drizzle with little more olive oil, squeeze over some lemon juice and place the egg on top. With a knife cut into your egg to reveal the soft centre, season the egg with salt &  pepper and then finish off the dish by shaving over some manchego or parmesan. Butter your toast and serve on the side.

Enjoy the first days of Spring in pictures taken while walking the dog…

Rufus in the Spring…!!

Our lily at home….

 Ya es Primavera!!

Father’s Day Florentines with Chocolate, Ginger and Cranberries

Today is Father’s Day in Spain. Even though I live in Spain and my Dad lives in Cape Town I still do the British father’s day in June for some reason. My Dad loves Florentines and I found this recipe with some beautiful photos here this week and just had to have a go at them.

Today we went to see our friends Andrew & Rafa. It was Andrew’s birthday this week so I took him some of these Florentines as a gift. I think they really liked them because we managed to eat them all and he posted a photo of them on Facebook.  Andrew writes a blog called Manana- The Andalucia Diary which is  a really informative insider’s guide to Andalucia and beyond. It includes loads of invaluable information about, where to stay, where to eat and places to visit as well as information about living and working in Southern Spain.

So Dad, here is your virtual Spanish Father’s Day gift, you would have really enjoyed them, but we ate them all sorry. I don’t think they would travel very well but you will be pleased to know that I was thinking of you as we were shoving them down our necks….!!

I have adapted the original recipe to include dried cranberries rather than dried cherries and I used crystallised ginger instead of candied peel as that was what I had (and my dad loves ginger). I used greek yoghurt rather than whipping cream, because I didn’t have any, and wholemeal rather than plain Italian 00 flour.

Florentines with Chocolate, Ginger & Cranberries

makes about 24, vegetarian. Adapted from Catalina Bakes

• 50 gr butter
• 65 ml whipping cream (I used greek yoghurt)
• 115 gr sugar
• 55 gr honey
• 120 gr flaked almonds
• 60 gr dried cranberries (or dried cherries, quartered)
• 30 gr crystallised ginger chopped finely(or candied peel)
• 40 gr wholemeal (or plain) flour
• about 250 gr good quality dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Soak the cranberries in boiling water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile put the butter, cream/yoghurt, sugar & honey in a  small saucepan over a low heat and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 – 7 minutes, stirring constantly until a light golden butterscotch colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond flakes, chopped ginger and the soaked cranberries that have been dried with a clean tea towel.  Mix well then stir in the flour. You should have a sticky batter.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and drop teaspoons full of the mix on the sheets about 7 cm apart (They spread a lot).  Flatten them out a little with a spatula.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes until the edges are turning golden brown (the top sheet will cook quicker than the bottom sheet) then turn the oven down to 150C and bake for a further 4 or 5 minutes until the centre is golden as well (Don’t let the edges burn). Remove the top sheet of Florentines from the oven and swap the bottom sheet to the top if they need to brown a bit more but keep an eye on them.

Move the cooked Florentines on their baking paper to cool completely on a wire rack while you repeat with the rest of the mix.

When all the Florentines are cooked & cooled. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water. Spoon a tablespoon of chocolate on the flat back of each Florentine and spread it out to reach the edges.  Leave to cool chocolate side up while you do the rest. After a few minutes make wavy patterns in the chocolate with a fork and leave to cool completely.

Feliz Dia del Padre Dad! I promise I’ll make you some when I come over…..xx

Thai Spiced Crispy Cabbage Pancake (or Japanese Pizza)

I was looking for a recipe to use up the other half of  the cabbage I used to make my Cabbage, Potato & Leek Soup and found this on 101 Cookbooks. The origianl version is called Okonomiyaki but is also known as Japanese Pizza. It is nothing like a pizza except, I suppose, it’s round. It is delicious though and you can add whatever flavourings you like. I added some toasted sushi nori (the seaweed sheets) and some Thai Massaman curry paste which gave it great flavour. It’s kind of like street food in your own home. It has that crispy, fried, spicy addictive thing that you want to eat with your hands. The shredded cabbage is mixed with leeks, eggs, wholemeal flour and whatever seasoning you fancy.

It’s a mixture of a pancake, frittata, tortilla, rosti and squeak without the bubble. But it definitely is not a pizza….

Thai Spiced Crispy Cabbage Pancake (or Japanese Pizza)

makes 3 or 4 large thin pancakes, vegetarian. Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

• 1/2 head cabbage, core removed and finely shredded
• 1 large leek, dark green ends removed, cut in half lengthways, rinsed well and sliced
• 100 gr wholemeal flour (or plain)
• salt & black pepper
• about 2 tbsp curry paste (whatever you have)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 2 sheets of sushi nori (toasted under the grill for few seconds on each side)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• fresh coriander to serve

In a large bowl, mix together the cabbage, leeks, flour, salt & black pepper until everything is coated in the flour. Stir in the beaten eggs, curry paste, oyster sauce and finely crumble over the toasted nori sheets. Mix well to make sure everything is evenly distribited.

Heat  about 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.  Add a quarter of the cabbage mixture to the hot pan and press it out and down to fill the pan with a metal spatula. Make sure it is quite thin & flat. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. To flip it, slide it out onto a plate, place another plate on top and turn them over. Add some more oil to the pan if necessary and slide the pancake back into the frying pan. Press down with the spatula and cook for a further 3 -5 minutes until golden on that side too.

Serve straight away garnished with lots of fresh coriander leaves. This is a perfect quick and easy supper or brunch dish with bags of flavour. Great hangover food that isn’t bad for you!!

Turk(ish) Pizza with roasted squash, shallots, chilli, garlic and feta

 It has taken me a long time to find the perfect pizza dough especially because I want a wholemeal version. Most of my attempts up untill now have turned out like pastry rather than pizza.

By perfect I mean, thin, crispy and bubbling at the edges. To find my perfect pizza I did a lot of research and this is a hybrid of three different recipes I found. The lovely dough is from here and it is made with beer. It caught my eye because of the beer and thinking about it, it makes sense. If you want a bubbly crust add bubbles, it works with tempura and beer batter so why not with pizza.

The thing I have learned about getting a crispy base is don’t overload your pizza with toppings (especially tomatoes) as they make the base soggy. My favourite Italian restaurant, La Pergola in Fuengirola, have a dish called base de pizza which is not really a pizza at all. It is a pizza base with  roasted garlic and parmesan which they serve with the homemade chilli oil to drizzle over, it is so good. It is actually a starter, like garlic bread but we order it every time we go as a main dish because we can’t bear to not have it. We share that and a bowl of their homemade pasta, normally the parpardella al funghi. I’ve never tried their pizzas, which I’m sure are amazing too, because every time I go I have to have the base de pizza.

So for my perfect pizza topping I found a recipe for Roasted Onion & Garlic Parmesan Pizza which looked ideal. But then I found a recipe for Turkish Pizza called Pide which was topped with spice roasted squash, feta and chilli that I couldn’t resist. So I put them both together added some fresh herbs for a bit of greenery and came up with this gorgeous pizza which I just had to share with you. The flavours are unusual for a pizza but, I think, all the better for it. You should try it, it’s delicious….

Turk(ish) Pizza with Roasted Squash, Onion, Garlic, Chilli & Feta

makes 4 individual pizzas, vegetarian

For the dough: Adapted from The Red Spoon

• 1 packet of active dry yeast 7 gr
• 1 tbsp honey
• 55 ml warm (not hot) water
• 150 gr white bread flour
• 300 gr wholemeal bread flour
• 165 ml or more of warm beer
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Mix together the yeast, honey and warm water in a large bowl and leave for at least 10 minutes until foamy. When foamy add in the flours, beer, olive oil and salt and stir to combine. You may need to add a splash more beer to make it come together.

Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth.  Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 & 1/2 – 2 hours.

Cut the dough into quarters and store in the fridge until you are ready to use.

For the topping: Adapted from Delicieux & The Best I Ever had

• 5oo gr butternut squash, peeled and cut into about 1cm cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp baharat seasoning & 1/4 tsp cinnamon (or 1 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon)
• a pinch of dried chilli flakes
• salt & black pepper
• 3 0r 4 large shallots, cut in half & peeled
• 1 whole bulb garlic, chop the top off
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• about 75 gr finely grated Parmesan or Manchego cheese
• 200 gr Greek Feta
• a handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven 2oo C.  On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, put the squash on one half, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, the Baharat seasoning & cinnamon. Toss everything together with your hands and spread out in one layer. On the other half of the baking sheet, put the shallots & garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper, toss to coat and put the shallots cut side down and the garlic bulb cut side up. Roast for 25 – 30 minutes until everything is browned and the squash is tender. Leave to cool slightly then slice up the shallots and squeeze the garlic cloves out of their paper cases.

Now back to the dough. Preheat/turn up the oven to 220C and heat up 1 or 2 large baking sheets. (You can probably only cook one or two pizzas at a time). Roll out one piece of dough, on a floured surface as thinly as possible, brush all over with olive oil and place on a piece of floured baking parchment. Scatter over a quarter of the onions, smush on a quarter of the garlic, sprinkle with a quarter of the parmesan, a quarter of the oregano, a quarter of the chopped chilli and tumble over a quarter of the squash.  Season with a little salt & pepper and crumble over a little of the feta. Repeat with the next piece of dough etc..

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until browned & bubbling.  Crumble over some more feta and sprinkle with the chopped coriander & parsley.

Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and enjoy!!



Desert Island Banana and Coconut Breakfast Muffins

This is the perfect pick me up after all this rain. I wanted something tropical to remind me of the sun that seems to have disappeared for good. Banana and coconut, such a classic combination that takes me back to Caribbean holidays when I was younger. One holiday to Antigua in particular springs to mind. I had the amazing banana bread for breakfast every day for three weeks, it was that good. I’ve never found a banana bread to match it since. That might be something to do with waking up to a view of the turquoise sea and pinky white sandy beach though, it makes everything taste better.

So if muffins grew on palm trees this is what they would taste like. Banana, coconut & honey. So, go with me on this one and imagine yourself stranded on a desert island and all you have to eat are muffins that grow on trees. It wouldn’t be so bad would it? And if the rain is throwing your fantasy off just imagine it’s a tropical thunder-storm, they only last for an hour and it means you can shelter in the bar with an over-garnished tacky cocktail. Or is that just me? Oh yes, this desert island has a bar and a hammock. Well, it’s my fantasy I can have what I like…..

These delicious little fantasy muffins are made with wholemeal flour and olive oil rather than butter. So you can eat as many as you like. In fantasy world that is…..

Desert Island Banana & Coconut Breakfast Muffins

makes 12, vegetarian

• 250 gr self-raising wholemeal flour
• 175 gr brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• a pinch of salt
• 100 ml milk (I used goat’s milk)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 ripe bananas, quartered lengthways and chopped
• 50 gr toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
• 50 gr desiccated coconut
• about 12 tsp honey (a squeezy bottle is easiest)

Preheat oven to 180 C. Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl, mix in the sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg and make a well in the centre. Mix together the egg, milk & oil in a jug and pour into the well in the flour. Mix together with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Don’t over mix or your muffins will be tough. Then carefully fold in the banana, walnuts & coconut.

Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases and spoon (or use and ice cream scoop) the mixture into the paper cases about 2/3 full.  Make a hole in the top of the muffins with the back of a teaspoon and squeeze in about a teaspoon of honey (see photo above) don’t worry if it overflows.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown & cooked. Remove from the muffin tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

You could add whatever you like to these muffins, some dates would be nice and follow on from the palm tree theme. Or maybe some chopped apples would be good with the cinnamon & nutmeg.

Just keep the fantasy going by imagining yourself on that tropical beach somewhere. You know what, I think the sun might be coming out!  That’s the power of positive thinking for you. I’d better take the dog out before it starts raining again……

Rainy Day Cabbage, Potato and Leek Soup

I hasn’t stopped raining here for five days and it’s not supposed to be stopping any time soon. I am not going to complain though as I wake up this morning to the news about the earthquake and terrible Tsunami after effects in Japan and the Pacific. My thoughts are with everyone who has been affected and anyone with family or friends out there.

I’m definitely not going out in this weather which means cooking something with what I have in the fridge. I found this recipe on The Red Spoon. It may not sound very glamorous but it really is delicious, a perfect rainy day soup to warm you from the inside out.  And I had all the ingredients in my fridge, bonus!!

The cabbage gives a real background flavour punch to the soup and the fried cabbage topping gives it extra texture. The creme fraiche swirl is scented with lemon zest and lifts all the other flavours to a different level. It is home comfort happiness in a bowl.

Cabbage, Potato & Leek Soup Recipe

serves 3 – 4, vegetarian/ vegan without the creme fraiche. Adapted from a The Red Spoon recipe

• 1/2 head cabbage, core removed & chopped
• 3 tbsp creme fraiche, sour cream or greek yoghurt
• zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp butter (or olive oil for vegan)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large leeks, just white & light green parts, rinsed & sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 big potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 piece of parmesan rind (optional) I used Manchego rind with the black bit cut off
• 1 & 1/4 litres veg stock
• salt & black pepper
• parsley, chopped for garnish

In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp butter & 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat. Add the cabbage, a large pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper and cook until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the creme fraiche, lemon zest & juice together in a  small bowl, cover and put in the fridge.

When the cabbage is cooked, separate out 3 or 4 tablespoons into a bowl for garnish. Add the other tbsp butter to the pan with the cabbage, then add the leeks & garlic and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes until the leeks have softened. Then stir in the potatoes, parmesan rind (if using) and the bay leaf. Add in the veg stock and season well with salt & pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Remove from the heat and take out the bay leaf & parmesan rind. Blend carefully with a stick blender until smooth. Add more stock if you want to thin out the consistency (I didn’t need to), taste for seasoning and reheat to serve.

Serve the soup piping hot in warmed bowls garnished with a spoonful of the reserved cabbage, a swirl of the lemon creme fraiche, some chopped parsley and an extra grinding of black pepper.

This is feel good food, to lift the spirits and make you forget about the rain. This one’s for you Mum, enjoy!!

I’ve got to take the dog out in this….!

Mexican Squash and Red Bean Chilli with lemon, coriander and sour cream

This is an easy vegetarian version of a Mexican chilli that is really versatile. This recipe makes a lot for two people so I always have leftovers. You can serve it on its own in a bowl with sour cream, grated cheese and fresh coriander on top (above). Or use it as a stuffing for tacos, just put some soft tortillas in the oven or under the grill to warm, pile the squash and bean chilli on one side of the tortilla, use the same toppings and fold it in half.

Or put the chilli in an ovenproof gratin dish top with nachos, and grated cheese and bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes until it is warmed through and the cheese is bubbling. Top with guacamole and sour cream. Or use it as a stuffing for peppers. Just remove the top, seeds and membrane from a bell pepper and spoon in the chilli filling right up to the top. Top with grated cheese, oregano and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 25 minutes. Or halve a long green pepper lengthways, take out the seeds etc and pile the chilli in both halves like I did with this rice dish.

My favourite is just to serve it in a bowl with a spoon and a wedge of lemon or lime in front of the TV. This is Friday night comfort food at it’s best…

Butternut Squash & Red Bean Chilli Recipe

serves 4, vegetarian, vegan without the toppings

• 1/2 butternut squash, about 750 gr, peeled if you like and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 or 2 chillis, deseeded and chopped
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes 400 gr
• 200-400 gr cooked kidney/red beans, rinsed
• about 500 ml veg stock
• a big handful of coriander leaves and stalks, chopped plus leaves for garnish
• 1 lemon or lime
• sour cream
• grated cheese (I used Manchego)

Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat, add in the onions & chillis and cook for few minutes until the onions have softened and are translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in the red & green peppers, chilli powder, cayenne, cumin, oregano, coriander stalks, salt & pepper. Next add in the tomatoes, the squash cubes and the veg stock, it should just cover the squash. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add in the rinsed beans, stir and cook for another 15 – 20 minutes until your squash is tender. Check for seasoning, add more salt if necessary and stir in the chopped coriander leaves. When ready to serve squeeze over some fresh lemon or lime juice and serve in warmed bowls topped with grated cheese, sour cream, and extra coriander leaves.

Sit back, relax and enjoy………..