It 's all in the squash

Butternut Squash with honey and feta cheese

This lovely stuffed butternut squash recipe is simple and super tasty. Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
2-3 garlic cloves chopped finely
olive oil
200g feta cheese
100 g chopped walnut halves
2 tbsp of runny honey

Wash and cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and pour a bit of olive oil, add the garlic in the little holes and season. Bake for an hour until the flesh is soft but not too soft. Scoop the flesh and the garlic and olive oil mix out and put in a bowl. Leave about 1 cm thick of the outer layer of the squash. In the bowl add the feta cheese and the walnuts and season. Then spoon back into the halves and pour the honey on top. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. Serve with quinoa or plain rice. One big squash serves four.

Hector' s Tuna Salad A.K.A Black Eyed Tuna

This is not the actual name of the dish, I just named it after a good friend of mine who is making it. Since you don't know him, you can use the alternative name.
You will need:
350g black eyed beans
200g tuna steak in a tin
dill
parsley
1 medium red onion -thinly chopped
a handful of capers
and for the sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 mayonaisse
1/3 mustard
juice of one lemon
...and as Hector says, you will need to put a bit of soul in it as well.
It is actually very simple.
Boil the beans in water for a good two hours and set aside to cool down.
In a bowl mix the chopped onion, dill and parsley, tuna and capers.
In a cup prepare the sauce with all ingredients apart from the lemon and stir then empty in the bowl and mix all very well. add the lemon juice minutes before you serve it.

Flaming Lips and oysters

Ok, it sounds like the title of a porn film but its not.
The best way to listen to the new Flaming Lips album 'Embryonic' is with the company of at least six oysters. With lemon.

Beta Vulgaris Rules (beetroot risotto)

This is a simple vegetarian
beetroot risotto recipe inspired by my trip to the country side a couple of weeks ago. Chipping Campden and The Ebrington Arms, voted North Cotswold pub of the year 2009.
You will need:
§ 6 beetroot, roughly chopped
§ olive oil
§butter
§ 1 onion
§ 1 garlic clove
§300g risotto rice
§100ml white wine
§ 800ml vegetable stock
§ yogurt
§ grated parmesan

Blend the beetroot and 2 tablespoons of oil with 400 ml of the stock in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan, bring to boil and reduce the heat so the liquid is at a simmer. In a large saucepan heat the butter over a medium heat and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes until softened.
Add the rice to the pan and stir to cover it all with the buttery mixture. Cook, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes until the grains begin to look transparent then add the wine and let it bubble up a bit. Reduce the heat.
Continue by adding the beetroot stock mix a little bit at a time, stir, add more and so on, until the liquid is absorbed. when thats done use the remaining vegetable stock. Cook till the grains are tender but not too soft, in total for no more than 30 minutes.
Remove when is done and add the dill and the parmesan on top and ground black pepper. Serve with yogurt and some cooked beetroot slices on top.

okonomiyaki dreams

There is a very popular okonomiyaki stall every Sunday at Up Market on Brick Lane. But I don't live there any more so I had to work out a way to cover the lack of this Sunday treat.
Okonomiyaki is some sort of japanese omelette or pizza. Its light, very tasty and once you have the mix ready, very easy to make. All you have to do is buy some okonomiyaki sauce. It is a type of brown sauce with soya and other secret ingredients. I get it from Japan Centre in Piccadilly.

Here is what you need for the mix:
2 cups of all purpose flour - I use rice flour
Water or vegetable stock
4-6 eggs
A bag of mixed cabbage and leaks
3 spring onions
grated cheddar cheese
a cup of cooked sweet corn - or a tin
okonomiyaki sauce
mayonnaise
fish flakes optional

Mix the flour with the water, or stock and add the eggs and stir. Rest the batter for half an hour and then add the chopped vegetables. Again stir the full mix.
Heat the pan and add a bit of the mix enough to make a nice round disc. Cover.
After 5-10 minutes add the cheese on top and the sweet corn and turn around.
Flip it once more after another 5-7 minutes and add the chopped spring onions.
Remove from the fire and spread the sauce and the mayo as seen in picture.
Beware: Okonomiyaki is totally addictive!