Posts tagged broccoli

Butterbean ‘Hummus’ with Broccoli, garlic, almonds & chilli

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Butterbean ‘Hummus’ with Broccoli, garlic, almonds & chilli

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ne of the bonus’ for both me and my family & friends is that a cookery book is always a well received gift. Especially if its Middle Eastern inspired. My latest addition is both extremely enlightening and beautifully and factually written! ‘The Jewelled Table’  by Bethany Kehdy.

Having claimed a Middle Eastern ‘style’ to my own food with a heavy twist from almost everywhere, it was interesting to learn some truths about some of the dishes that are now such staples in our UK diets. Hummus most notably. 

  1. ‘Hummus’ means ‘chickpeas’. Hence why this recipe isn’t technically hummus but simply steals the tahini and lemon juice components that make our traditional hummus.
  2. No one country owns hummus. Thus, I think its OK to cook it with your own interpretation.

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hilst I adore Bethany’s recipes, I’m never one to simply follow and obey. That and I had less time on my hands than a few of her hummus’ called for so I adapted. Mainly from her recommendation to use dried chickpeas. I’ve found a fantastic brand (Napolina) which I will always use so sadly I am a little to lazy to follow this hearty advise.

I’ve have interpreted her ‘Mock hummus’ and added a few bits of my own. I’ve also topped it with the topping from another recipe (‘Butter Hummus’). But admittedly, the delicious and inspiring toppings in this book will make you simply want to create and heat upon a pot of supermarket…’hummus’? 

I hope you’re not confused about hummus. 

Adapted from ‘Mock Hummus, The Jewelled Table’.

Serves 2 (as a side)

Hummus

  • 1 can butter beans, drained.
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 2-3 tbsp tahini
  • 1-2 lemons, juice
  • 1 tbsp spice mix (see tip below). Equally you could use any spices you feel like.
  • Salt and pepper

  1. Blend the butter beans, tahini, juice of 1 lemon, spices and seasoning in a processor until smooth. 
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning or add more lemon if needed.
  3. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and keep at room temperature.

Braised Broccoli

  • Tenderstem broccoli
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red chilli, sliced
  • Handful flaked almonds
  • 3 sundried tomatoes, drained and sliced thinly
  • 1 handful parsley, chopped

 

  1. Heat a frying pan on medium high and add a splash of rapeseed oil. Stri fry the broccoli for about 5-8 minutes until beginning to cook and crisp.
  2. Add the garlic and chilli and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until just beginning to turn golden (careful not to burn the garlic)
  3. Add the flaked almonds and fry until golden.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs and the tomatoes.
  5. Elegantly place on top of the hummus and serve immediately.

I served mine with fired halloumi and some warm flatbreads for dipping!

Enjoy.

TIP: Spice mix: Made by toasting all whole spices in a hot frying pan until fragrant. Then grind in a pestle and mortar. (The cinnamon can be removed and any empty cardamon pods) 1tbsp of each fennel; cumin; coriander; fenugreek; black/yellow mustard seed; 1 cinnamon stick; 3 cardamon pods; 1 star anise 

Hoisin, Soy and Ginger Meatballs

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Hoisin, Soy and Ginger Meatballs

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ntil this recipe, I’d really underestimated minced pork. I like pork. I appreciate a good sausage (…ahem..) and I would fight you greedily for the crackling on a hog roast but I rarely cook with it. However my love of Asian-fusion recipes, the need for a warming Autumnal meal and some timely inspiration resulted in this tasty, moreish and speedy meatball dish.

It was an intense weekend. In training for 15km run round Lake Garda in October, it was decided that a smaller practice run was on the Saturday morning agenda. Two hours of enthusiastic and competitive running later, we’d clocked up 13 miles, some sore joints and a feisty appetite. So Sunday welcomed warm showers, relaxation and calorie replacement. And this recipe did a fine job.

Warming, comforting, firey, hoisin-sweet and punching in flavour, it was like an Asian hug in a bowl after a hectic weekend. It also makes a super speedy mid week meal and fantastic leftovers. I’m eating them as I write and they are just as good the second time round on a bowl of vegetable stir fry or raw courgette.

Rice – serve on your rice of choice. I’d recommend a jasmine or a sticky rice to avoid too many flavours. I do however like to squeeze a generous lime into the rice once cooked to add some contrast to the sweet hoisin here.

Serve 4

Meatballs

  • 600g minced pork
  • 30 self raising flour
  • 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic gloves, grated
  • 1 small red chilli (as hot as you like)

Sauce

  • 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 125ml chicken stock

To serve

  • Steamed pak choy, broccoli,/any green vege
  • Bunch coriander, chopped
  • Steamed coconut/jasmine/brown/sticky rice (of choice)
  • 1 lime
  1. Start by combining all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Use your (clean) hands, combine the mixture together so that everything is mixed well. Don’t overwork and pound the meat or it’ll give you rubbery meatballs. Chill for about 15 minutes.
  2. Once a little chilled, heat your oven to 240°C.
  3. Start cooking your rice now.
  4. Roll your pork into meatballs – golf balls size (about 16)
  5. Get a large frying pan on a high heat and add a splash of sunflower oil. (I like to fry mine to give a crispy outside then finish them off in the oven. Alternatively you can avoid this step and jump straight to the oven). Flash fry your meatballs for a few minutes until they form a dark golden crust on the outside. Place into a lined baking dish and add to the oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking.
  6. Meanwhile make your sauce. Add a splash more oil to your frying pan and fry the spring onions on a medium heat to soften slightly. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for another minute.
  7. Add the hoisin and the soy and stir well. Finally add the stock and simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly.
  8. Remove your meatballs from the oven and add them to the frying pan and coat them liberally in the sauce.
  9. Add a good squeeze of lime to the cooked rice if appropriate and serve about 4 meatballs per person on top of this. Spoon over some of the excess sauce.
  10. Scatter with coriander and a squeeze of lime if needed.
  11. Serve alongside your fresh greens.

 

Sticky Salmon-Pineapple Kebabs, Thai black rice salad

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Sticky Salmon-Pineapple Kebabs, Thai black rice salad

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‘m always surprised at the amount of people who are surprised at the flavour that rice can have on its own without additional added flavours. If you pick the right rice that is. If you’re used to the same old white or even brown rice then venture out! I use red French Camargue rice as my staple now due to its wonderful nutty flavour but after stumbling over some Thai black rice recently which fell into my innocent shopping basket I had a salad on the mind. A dark and nutty flavour goes wonderfully with Thai flavours and fruits. Try mango and prawns, basil and coriander (see here) which was my initial intention. However as a nod to the gorgeous weather this weekend a barbeque inspired kebab was required. Seeing as my garden-lacking London flat could not supply my bbq needs, a sticky, sweet and if you cook the salmon well, oh so tender kebab a top this fresh and herby Thai rice salad suited Sunday evening down to the ground. Cold beer to accompany and the BAFTAS.

Serves 2 (make 4 skewers)

  • 2 salmon fillets, cut into 2cm chunks
  • 1 fresh pineapple, cubed into 2cm chunks
  • Broccoli florets (about 6-8)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 large tsp sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp runny honey
  • Small knob ginger, grated
  • 4 oz Thai black rice
  • 4 spring onions, sliced
  • 50g desiccated coconut
  • Bunch coriander, chopped (save some for garnish)
  • 2 sheets nori seaweed, cut into small 1 cm wide pieces or strips (optional)
  • 1 lime
  • 4 skewers (soaked in water for 20 minutes)
  1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame, honey and ginger in a bowl and mix well
  2. Marinade the salmon chunks, broccoli florets and pineapple chunks in this mixture for 1 hour in the fridge.
  3. After 1 hour, prepare your skewers. Feed alternating salmon and pineapple and broccoli chunks onto each. Set aside on a line baking tray and chill. Preheat the oven to 180°C.Jess - Salmon Asian KebabsJess - Salmon Asian Kebabs2
  4. Meanwhile make the rice salad. Simmer the rice for around 25 minutes until just cooked with a little bite.
  5. While this is cooking toasted the coconut in a dry frying pan until just bringing to turn golden. Watch it as it catches easily. When fragrant, remove and add to a bowl.
  6. Combine with the chopped spring onions, coriander and the chopped nori sheets.
  7. When the rice is ready, drain well. Immediately add the bowl of coconut and herbs and squeeze in the juice of the lime. Place a lid on top and keep warm.
  8. Remove the salmon skewers from the fridge and heat a frying pan until hot and add a tsp of oil.
  9. Sear the skewers on both sides to get a lovely caramelised effect all over. Add the rest of the marinade to the pan (it will sizzle) and then immediately transfer the skewers and the pan juices to the baking tray. Pop in the oven for 5 minutes to finish the cooking.
  10. Meanwhile, plate up the rice in warm serving dishes. After 5 minutes check the salmon is tender and cooked through but just pink and remove from the oven. Top your Thai rice salad with the kebabs and any extra chopped coriander to garnish.

Jess - Salmon and Thai rice2

Hoisin Chicken

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Hoisin Chicken

 

Bill Granger has inspired yet another comfortingly Asian and finger licking dish for this weekends menu. Perhaps its the chilly and wintery weather that has blanketed London recently? The defeated gloom and pessimism only English winter can bring to the weather beaten faces of a us resentful Brits caused me to find myself reaching again for my colourful sunny copy of Bill Granger’s ‘Everyday Asian’. Cooked to inspire some colour and sunshine into the tail end of January. Today the weather was mediocre and after a day of chilly London adventure, I returned home to a warm tasty and sticky bowl of hoisin chicken and rice.

Serves 4

Hoisin Chicken

  • At least 8 piece of chicken (a mix between thighs and drumsticks)
  • 100ml hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp chilli sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp five spice powder
  • Garnish – sesame seeds, sliced spring onions, lime wedges, chopped fresh coriander

Broccoli

  • 1 large broccoli
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp runny honey
  1. Start with the chicken. Mix the marinade ingredients in a large baking dish and add the chicken pieces. Coat well. Leave to marinade for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roast the chicken for 35 minutes until cooked and glazed.
  3. Meanwhile, cook your rice if you are having this as a side dish.
  4. Mix together the dressing ingredients and lightly boil the broccoli just before the chicken is ready. Drain and leave to dry out a little. While still warm, toss with the dressing.
  5. Serve the chicken with rice (if you wish) and the broccoli. Scatter over sesame seeds, sliced spring onions and chopped coriander and any extra sticky glaze if you like!

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