Chicory Braised With Sundried Tomatoes & Slivered Garlic

This recipe was in a book without cover in the play area of my favourite cafe. I had to take a photo in my phone and then improvise as it turned out to be too dark to read. It was not bad but I am sure the original recipe was much better.
4 chicory heads
olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp bouillon power dissolved in 250ml water
10 pieces of sundried tomatoes
dried basil
50 g grated parmesan (but I think the original recipe suggested Gruyere)
salt and pepper

Cut the chicory in 4 long quarters but make sure you get rid of any leaves that are not fresh. Heat the olive oil and add the chicory. Fry for a few minutes till brown, toss and add the garlic. Fry for a few more minutes. Add the water with the dissolved powder in and bring to quick boil, then reduce to simmer and cover with the lid. Braise for at least 10 minutes, checking frequently so the ingredients won't burn or dry. Remove the lid and add the sundried tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes and remember to add the basil while stirring.
By the time the dish is cooked there should be at least half of the liquid left. Sprinkle with cheese on top. Serve with bread or rice. Quinoa was not a bad companion either.

Cinnamon Orange Muffins

Easy to make, Christmas treat. Perfect with mulled wine.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups (gluten free) flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl, cream 1/3 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, egg, vanilla and orange zest.
3. Blend flour combination and milk into egg mixture.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin.
5. In a small bowl, mix together remaining butter, sugar and cinnamon until mixture becomes crumbly; sprinkle over top of muffins.
6. Bake at gas mark 5 for 20-25 minutes.

Halloween Special Pumpkin Risotto

First time I made this, it was great, second time I got cocky and didn't follow the recipe, was a mess that was. Lesson learned. 


    •    1 medium sized pumpkin

    •    1 onion, finely chopped
    •    2 garlic cloves, sliced
    •    big knob of butter
    •    pinch thyme
    •    125ml sweet sherry
    •    risotto rice (about 250g)
    •    veg stock
    •    handful of grated grana padano cheese


    1.    Slice the top off the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds to create a bowl and most importantly scoop out the flesh. If you are not planning to use the pumpkin as a serving bowl then mission is much easier, just slice and dice the pumpkin.
    2.    Put pumpkin, onion and garlic in a large pan with a big knob of butter and cook really gently until the pumpkin is soft, this takes about 20 minutes.
    3.    Heat up a saucepan of stock and keep on a simmer.
    4.    Add the rice to the pumpkin and stir, let it cook for about 2 minutes then add the sherry.
    5.    Start to gradually add your stock one ladle at a time making sure the liquid is absorbed before adding the next one.
    6.    Continue to cook and add stock until the rice is done. Once the rice is cooked remove from the heat, add the grana padano, stir and cover, let sit for 5 minutes.
    7.    Serve in pumpkin or in a bowl with more grated cheese.

Leek, Wine & Parmesan Risotto

• 25g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 3 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 250g Arborio rice
• 1 glass (or two) white wine
• 750ml good vegetable stock
• 25g Parmesan (veg option can be found in shops these days), finely grated 

This is dead easy but there is one thing you need to be careful with: if you are planning to drink the rest of the white wine, buy a good quality bottle. I bought an average one and now I am writing this with a toddler running around my feet, trying to grab my laptop while I 'm typing and a banging headache.
Bring the stock to a simmer. Heat a large wide pan and add half the butter and the olive oil. Add the spring onions, leeks and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Then add the rice and stir to coat. Tip in the wine and bubble until reduced. Add the stock a little at a time, stirring until the rice is tender with a little bite and oozy. When the rice is almost done, stir in the Parmesan and the rest of butter and season. Serve with green salad.

Horseradish & Leeks Pasta Bake

2-3 cups grated Parmesan cheese  

1 medium horseradish root

3 large leeks, chopped 

tomato sauce (I always go for putanesca but there are plenty around)

300g pasta

Cook pasta to within half the suggested by the packaging cooking instructions time. Drain and drizzle with olive oil and hold in bowl covered with plastic wrap. Peel and grate horseradish root on box grater or in food processor. 
Scrub with a stiff brush and peel off the dark skin before using the root. When grating horseradish, it is easiest to use a food processor. Cut the peeled root into cubes and pulse to the desired consistency. The fumes will be quite strong and can actually burn your nose and eyes. Be sure to open a window, remove the lid at arm's length, and turn your head away. If you are brave enough to grate it yourself make sure you are extra careful.

This needs to be done immediately before using. Horseradish will discolor if grated too far in advance. Mix finely grated horseradish with chopped leeks and 2 cups of the grated cheese adding salt and pepper.
In large casserole, layer tomato sauce, pasta and horseradish mixture. Finish by topping with tomato sauce and grated cheese. Mixture should be somewhat soupy. Cover and bake for 20-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Uncover and cook 10 more minutes. Serve with extra grated cheese.

BBQ Snacks

Summer is finally here. There is a BBQ frenzy this week as rumors around town claim rain is back next weekend.
So, in the mean time, use shorter skewers for these antipasto kebabs, perfect to avoid oily hands.
Sun dried and fresh baby tomatoes, artichokes, olives, mozzarella, halloumi, feta, peppers, even big caper berries.

To Have And Have Another

Yes, everyone around is drinking Hemingway cocktails at the moment.
Here is an easy guide to successful making:

2 oz white rum

1/2 oz ounce fresh grapefruit

3/4 oz fresh lime juiced

1/4 oz Maraschino liquer

a pinch of brown sugar

1 cherry, slice of grapefruit (optional)

Combine all ingredients except the optional into a shaker over ice.

Shake hard

Strain

Serve up with a cherry or slice of grapefruit 

Drink

Repeat procedure

Be happy 

Vegan Paella

It is always a pleasant challenge to cook for vegan friends and Paul is the latest to join the vegan club. So we had him and his girlfriend over for dinner last night. I found three different recipes for vegan paella online and made this by combining all. Yes, one of them was an apparently well known Gwyneth Paltrow recipe. Do not let that little fact put you off - she cooks better than she acts - this is so nutritious and tasty, carnivores will love it too.
Ready in 35 minutes.


1 red, and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

olive oil

½ Spanish onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp cayenne

250g easy cook rice

100ml sherry (optional)

1 tsp saffron strands

500ml boiling vegan stock

Sea salt200g tender stem broccoli

200g organic nice mushrooms

200g sweet peas

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

a jar  of artichokes

200g broad beans

roughly chopped parsley

4 lemon wedges, to serve

Heat the oil in a paella or other shallow frying pan and fry the onion. When golden add the peppers and mushrooms and fry for about 8 minutes over medium heat until soft.  Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then add all the spices, stir, add the rice and the green beans and cook, stirring, for two minutes. Add the sherry and saffron, boil down for a minute, then add the stock and a third of a teaspoon of salt. 

Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 7 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. 

Taste and add salt if needed then scatter the artichokes, kidney beans and broccoli over the rice and cook for another 7 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. 

You can also replace rice with quinoa and get even more big vegan smiles. 

Drunk Mushrooms

Lets assume you do not mind peeling onions and garlic cloves. Good. So keep on reading then. If you also do not mind Ouzo in your food then go for it.
It is an old Ottolenghi recipe that I decided to turn Greek, mostly because a few ingredients were missing from my supply cupboard.
It is unusual but very tasty.

olive oil

80g butter

25 shallots, peeled

25 garlic cloves, peeled

dried thyme 

2 cinnamon sticks

200g portobello or oyster mushrooms, chopped

250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered

100g buna-shimeji or wild mushrooms

pinch of chilli flakes

200ml vegetable stock

1¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

100ml Ouzo

dried parsley & dried oregano

250g ricotta or (hard to find in the UK) Manouri cheese

Zest of 1 lemon

Heat the olive oil and two-thirds of the butter in a large pan and gently sauté the shallots, garlic cloves, thyme and cinnamon for about five minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the portobello and chestnut mushrooms, stir well so the mushrooms pick up the oil, and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium-high heat. Add the buna-shimeji and chilli flakes, and cook for a further minute.
Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer over a high heat for eight to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has almost disappeared, and the shallots and garlic are cooked through. Season, then pour in the Ouzo. Cook for a minute or two to allow the alcohol to evaporate, then stir through the remaining butter and all the chopped herbs.
Mix the ricotta (or manouri) with the lemon zest in a small bowl. Divide the warm mushrooms between four plates and top each serving with a quarter of the ricotta mixture. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with watercress or other leafy salad and rice.

The Butter Bean & The Chorizo

I made this stew for the 'welcome back' party of a dear friend who just came back from Spain.
I don't know what I was thinking with the chorizo. I bet he must be so fed up with it, but I guess I thought it would make him feel like home.
I also thought it would be a very heavy dish but it wasn't at all. It is a stew that -apart from the initial preparation, chopping etc- you can let it do it's own thing and just stir occasionally.


180g dried (or canned) butter beans
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
250g raw chorizo sausage (available at every good deli), cut into 5mm-thick diagonal slices
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
paprika
400g can chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken stock, hot
dried oregano
Grated zest of 1 lemon

Soak the butter beans in a bowl of water overnight.
The next day, place the beans in a saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Bring to the boil and simmer rapidly for 1 hour until just tender. Drain. You can always use tinned butter beans instead.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof casserole and fry the raw chorizo for 2-3 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and paprika to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion is beginning to soften.
Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, oregano and lemon zest and add the chorizo and beans to the casserole. Mix well, bring to the boil and simmer, partially covered, for 1¼ hours or until the sauce is thick and the beans are tender. Check the seasoning.
Serve with crusty bread and leaf salad and of course Rioja.

Fresh Courgette Spaghetti

People who call courgette, 'snozcumber' and refuse to even try it, do finally surrender to this simple but tasty combo.
It is one of the quickest and freshest recipes, really cheap too. I made it with gluten free spaghetti and vegetarian parmesan. You can add bacon for a non-veggie version.
• 3 medium courgettes grated
• zest and juice of half a lemon
• spaghetti
• grated parmesan
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 3 gloves of garlic
• Olive oil
• salt and pepper
• half a pot of crème fraîche
Put the spaghetti into boiling water along with the stock cube and 1 peeled garlic clove.
While the pasta is boiling, grate the courgette or ask your kitchen bitch to do it. Then grate the parmesan.
In a frying pan put the grated courgette and the rest of the garlic, finely chopped.
Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until just wilted.
Stir in the lemon zest and crème fraîche. Simmer for a few minutes – it will look quite runny. Season to taste and keep over a low heat.
Remove pasta from the pan, get rid of the garlic clove and drain well.
Return to the pan and add the courgette mixture. Toss well until the pasta has soaked up the sauce, then stir in the lemon juice and toss again. Serve hot with parmesan on top.

Peas In Tomato Sauce (Arakas Latheros)

This is indeed a lovely, hearty dish from home land.
It is also by far, my son's favorite food at the moment.
Here is how it goes. It is divine.

500g frozen peas
3 carrots sliced
2 small potatoes diced
1 onion finely chopped
1/4 bunch of dill finely chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 can of peeled or chopped tomatoes
water

Heat some olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion until translucent and soft. Add frozen peas and stir for a couple of minutes.
Add carrots and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add tomato and water, reduce heat and simmer until cooked, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if necessary.
In the last ten minutes of cooking add the dill and an extra bit of olive oil.
Remember to mop the sauce in the end with bread, a fine activity known between Greeks as 'papara'.

Viva Pancake Day

It's Shrove Tuesday. This recipe is gluten free and makes 8 pancakes.

• 100 g gluten free plain white flour
  
• 2 eggs
• 300 ml milk

Mix together the flour, eggs and milk.

Heat a little oil in a heavy frying pan and as it starts to smoke, pour in just enough batter to thinly coat the base of the pan. Cook until golden, then turn the pancake over and cook other side until golden.
Stack the cooked pancakes on a plate and, if you’re not eating them straightaway, cover with foil to stop them from drying out. Serve with sugar and lemon.

Homemade Gluten Free Gnocchi

I wanted to surprise my gluten intolerant man and make the food he enjoyed the most back in the days when he didn't have a bad reaction to wheat. Found this recipe for homemade gnocchi. Regardless of the fact that afterwards the kitchen looked like Randy Marsh had cooked in it, it was so totally worth it. I cleaned the mess and enjoyed looking at the glow on his face.
1 kilo waxy potatoes, scrubbed
1 tbs sea salt
240g gluten-free flour
2 tbs butter
Place the un-peeled potatoes in a large pot of salted water, Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart. Drain, and peel the potatoes as soon as possible, while they are still hot.
On a work surface spread out a layer of flour. Mash the potatoes with a hand masher directly onto the flour. You can also use a food mill or ricer if you have those. Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with about half of the remaining flour and mix lightly. Begin to knead the dough, drawing in more flour as you knead. Keep doing this until the dough is light to the touch, no longer sticky or moist, and can be rolled easily. Do not overwork the dough, or the gnocchi will become too heavy.
Divide the dough into 4 parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a snake about ¾ inch thick, and cut the dough into ¾ inch long pieces. Hold an ordinary table fork, with long tines sideways. Once by one press and roll the gnocchi onto your thumb, making ridges on one side and a depression from your thumb on the other side.
Bring large pan of salted water to boil. Then drop about ½ the gnocchi in. When the gnocchi rise to the top, after about 3-4 minutes they are done. Scoop them out, allow them to drain and place in a serving bowl. Dot them with butter. Keep warm while remaining gnocchi are cooking. As soon as they are done, stir in with other gnocchi and more butter. Then serve with extra butter and Parmesan cheese, tomato sauce or any other sauce you wish.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Today I had one of those 'panic moments'. Had to think of something quick and easy and also delicious to cook, without having the chance to go shopping. I used whatever we had in the fridge. It worked!

• 300g chopped broccoli
• 250g easy cook rice
• 500g good quality cream of mushroom soup
• 250ml water (veggie stock cube can be used)
• 200g cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 bunch celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper

Steam broccoli and cook rice according to package directions. Preheat oven 175 degrees C, gas mark 4.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix cream of mushroom soup and water. Gradually stir in cheese until melted. Be careful that the cheese doesn't burn.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute celery and onion until soft.
In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, rice, soup and cheese mixture, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until bubbly and lightly brown.

Blog Envy

When Steve Albini is not making noise, he is cooking. Here is his food blog.
It is ace!

http://mariobatalivoice.blogspot.com/

Turkish Zucchini Pancakes

Eating out and about at Turkish restaurants in Stoke Newington can be very inspiring sometimes. This recipe makes about 20.
Serve with tomato sauce and a white sauce, which you can make by mixing together in a small bowl, yogurt, garlic, dill, and salt.
4-5 big zucchini, trimmed, coarsely grated
2-3 chopped spring onions
4 eggs, beaten to blend
100g all-purpose flour
chopped fresh dill
chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon or 2 tsp. dried
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
100g crumbled feta cheese
2/3 c. chopped walnuts, optional
1 c. Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. minced dill
1/2 tsp. salt
Sprinkle zucchini with salt and let stand in colander for 30 minutes to drain. Squeeze zucchini between hands, then squeeze dry in paper towels.
In a bowl, combine zucchini, flour, chopped green onions, eggs, herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Fold in crumbled feta cheese. Mix again. Then fold chopped walnuts if using into the mixture.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place baking sheet in oven. Cover bottom of large nonstick skillet with olive oil. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop zucchini mixture into skillet by heaping tablespoonfuls. Fry until pancakes are golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer each batch of pancakes to baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Serve pancakes hot with tomato and /or yogurt sauce.

Tom Ka Kai, Coconut Thai Soup

Nothing better than a trip to Thailand or at least a visit to your local Thai restaurant, but for the days you can't be bothered to leave the house you can easily prepare this.
Turn this vegetarian by increasing mushrooms in place of chicken and substituting vegetable stock.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch piece
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 200g fresh mushrooms, sliced (a good mix of shitake & oyster mushrooms will do the job)
• 3 spring onions sliced
• 1 stalk lemongrass beaten to death
• fresh galagal root or ginger root, grated
  
• 2 red chillies, crushed
  
• 6 cups good quality chicken stock
• 1 can good quality coconut milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (but feel free to skip this ingredient)
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• fresh coriander
  

HOW:

In the bottom of a large soup pot, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Salt the chicken and add to oil, tossing to brown all the pieces. Cook about 3 minutes or until outside is browned, but not necessarily cooked all the way through.

Add mushrooms and toss. Allow to cook until some of the moisture is cooked out and the mushrooms are soft. Turn down heat to medium-low.

To prepare the lemongrass, slice and mince the lower portion and reserve the stalk to flavor the soup. You can use a food processor for this, or just mince it by hand. The woody upper portion of the stalk will be removed later, so don't chop it up, simply score it by making a few superficial cuts in it to allow it to flavor the soup.

Add the whites of the onions, reserving the greens. Add the minced lower portion of the lemongrass, grated galangal, and chilies. Toss until just warmed through. Add the lemongrass stalk, lime leaves, chicken stock, coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar and remaining onions, reserving just a few for garnish. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend well.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with remaining onion greens and coriander.

Serve over rice noodles for a main dish serving.

Warm mackerel & beetroot salad

More beetroot this week. Straight from Hackney Veggie Box Scheme.
Ingredients:
500g new potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
3 smoked mackerel fillets, skinned
250g cooked beetroot
100g mixed salad leaves
100g chevre
50g walnut pieces
FOR THE DRESSING Whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp wine vinegar or lemon juice and 1 tsp Dijon or other mild mustard. Season to taste, then mix with the horseradish.

Boil the potatoes for 12-15 min until just tender. Meanwhile, flake the mackerel fillets into large pieces and cut the beetroot into bite-size chunks.
Drain the potatoes and cool slightly. Mix the salad dressing and horseradish sauce together in a salad bowl and season. Tip in the potatoes - they should still be warm.
Add the salad leaves, mackerel, beetroot, chevre and walnuts, and toss gently. Serve with crusty bread, quinoa or brown basmati rice.

Hot Hot Borscht

This is the vegetarian version of the well known and lovely ukranian (Холодник kholodnyk) soup.

1/2 large or 1 small yellow onion, sliced into half moons
2 cloves of garlic
500g beets, shredded
2 medium sweet potatoes, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
2 T olive oil
1/2 head cabbage (red or white), sliced into small pieces

1 small red apple cut in small pieces

4 cups vegetable stock
juice of half lemon
salt
coarsely ground black pepper
thick yogurt or sour creme

Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt in a large soup pot for 1-2 minutes. Add beets, carrots, and potato, and another pinch of salt, and stir.

In the meantime, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. When the vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes), add the cabbage and the hot stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then add the lemon juice. Serve hot with additional grated black pepper, a swirl of sour cream or yogurt and bread.

Can also be served cold in the summer.