Posts tagged mint

Quinoa Salad

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Quinoa Salad

 

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I love grains and pulses like quinoa, bulgur wheat and lentils. I’ve always had an appreciation for good food and using interesting ingredients, solidified even more so after painfully watching 3 years-worth of university flatmates religiously eating and buying couscous, pasta and pesto for most meals. So, I thought I’d draw attention to other grains that can offer a little more interest than couscous. Don’t get me wrong, I know couscous is cheap and goes a long way…but its not particularly nutritious. Just by mixing grains like quinoa, bulgur wheat, rice or lentils with a few tasty additions like herbs and lemon with some protein packed nuts and some greasy cheese is a healthy and hearty lunch!

Serves about 2

  • About 120g quinoa/bulgur wheat or a mix (or as pack instructs)
  • Bunch basil leaves, chopped
  • Bunch of mint leaves, chopped
  • Bunch coriander, chopped
  • ½ red onion, diced finely
  • 1 large tomato, de-seeded and diced
  • Handful of pistachios
  • 1 lemon, juice
  • Olive oil
  • Halloumi
  1. Prepare you quinoa/bulgur wheat (or even couscous?) as instructed on your pack. Usually about 10 minutes in boiling water.
  2. While still a little warm, mix with the tomato, onion, lemon juice, a small drizzle of olive oil and mix well and season to taste
  3. Add the herbs and the pistachios and mix.
  4. If serving with halloumi, fry chunky slices in a splash of oil until golden and serve alongside.

Pea, Mint and Black Pudding Fritters

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Pea, Mint and Black Pudding Fritters

 

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If you’re cringing at the thought of black pudding, I’ll be candid- man up. Its no more ‘disgusting’ than eating meat surely?! If you’ve never sampled this cheap and tasty treat, at least try it! And hopefully, like me, on you’re first sample you’ll kick yourself at all the time you wasted not enjoying it! Its deep, rich flavour works amazingly well with the sweet flavour of peas…

This recipe is a bit like a previous post (see here) for pea fritters and if you know me you’ll know that I like to fritter things. Its so easy and you can do it with loads of different ingredients and flavours with whats to hand- as long as you have eggs and flour! Here I have simply added crumbled black pudding instead of the cheese in a previous recipe and some fresh mint. A delicious light lunch.

Serves 4

  • 125ml milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 30g cornflour
  • 100g flour
  • 250g peas
  • 100-150g black pudding (cooked and crumbled)
  • Large bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped finely
  • Handful of chives, chopped finely.
  • Lemon
  1. Boil the peas for a few minutes then run under cold water. Place half the peas in a food processor and puree.
  2. Sieve in the flours, some salt, pepper. Add the beaten eggs and milk and mix until smooth.
  3. Place in a bowl and fold in the whole peas and herbs and mix well with a squeeze of lemon juice. It should be fairly thick, enough to hold its shape in a pan. Finally crumble in the black pudding.
  4. Heat a frying pan to a medium heat and warm some sunflower oil
  5. Fry spoonfuls of the mixture (as large as you like) in the hot oil for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and set in the middle. Pat fry on kitchen roll and devour.

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Lamb, Mint and Pea Salad

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Lamb, Mint and Pea Salad

 

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Leftover lamb never tasted better. Freshly cut herbs from the garden, a cucumber from the greenhouse and some leftover local lamb. A sunny evening called for a fresh cleansing salad to start the week on a healthy note. Although washed down with a large glass of Cab Sauv it probably had the opposite effect!

Not sure the picture does this dish justice but it is extremely tasty, particularly also crumbled with feta or goats cheese as well as or instead of the lamb for the veges.

Serves 3 as a main, 4 as a lunch or starter

Salad

  • 2 little gems
  • 1 romaine lettuce, shredded
  • 1 small cucumber, chopped on diagonal
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juice
  • Handful pine nuts, toasted
  • Bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped
  • Bunch of chives, chopped
  • Leftover lamb, sliced- mine was rare roast butterflied leg but anything works well, shredded etc
  • 250g frozen peas, blanched

Oregano and Lemon Yoghurt

  • 6 heaped tbsp thick yoghurt
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • Bunch oregano, leaves picked
  • ½ lemon juice and zest
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Sun dried Tomato Bread

  • 250g self raising flour
  • 4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • Bunch basil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Warm water
  1. Make the bread first. Blitz the sun dried tomatoes and basil in a processor until fine. Add the flour and some generous seasoning and blend. Pour in enough warm water until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes before leaving covered to rest.
  2. Mix the yoghurt ingredients and chill.
  3. Keep the stalks on the little gems to hold them together. Half each and cut each half into 3 keeping them together at the base.
  4. Mix with the blanched peas, shredded romaine, cucumber and chopped herbs on a large platter.
  5. Griddle the avocado on a hot oiled griddle pan until warm and charred. Season well and add to the salad. Squeeze over the juice from the lemon, a good splash of extra virgin olive oil and some seasoning and toss gently to combine.
  6. Sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts and finally the lamb.

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7.  Heat a large frying pan. Roll the bread out to the thickness of a pound coin and big enough to fit the pan. Fry in the pan for about 5 minutes each side until toasty and beginning to char and crisp. Turn out onto a board and rip up and serve warm with the salad, dunked in the yoghurt or with some salted butter.

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After Eight Macaroons

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After Eight Macaroons

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I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t like After Eights….or macaroons for that matter. These are, in my opinion, better than the real thing. The only unfortunate thing here is that they don’t come in those tiny little delicately folded envelopes…..oh and that you can’t play the ‘After Eight Game’! (If this is new to you check out this link. Hilarious game, especially after a few bevvies)

Makes about 12

Macaroons

  • 60g egg whites (about 2)
  • 40g caster sugar
  • 50g ground almonds
  • 110g icing sugar (minus 2 tbsp)
  • 12g Green & Blacks cocoa powder

Filing

  • 80g unsalted, softened butter
  • 100g sieved icing sugar
  • 1 tsp peppermint essence
  • Splash green food colouring
  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a baking tray with parchment
  2. Blend the ground almonds, icing sugar and cocoa together in a food processor until fine and then sieve.
  3. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the caster sugar a spoon at a time until glossy stiff peaks form.
  4. Fold in 1/3 of the almond mixture to loosen it. Then fold in the rest, being gentle not to knock the air out.
  5. Spoon into a pipping bag with a round ended nozzle and pipe consistent circles of the macaroon mixture evenly. Give the tray a sharp slap on the surface a few times to level them and leave for 25 minutes, uncovered to form a skin before baking.
  6. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. They are ready when they come away easily from the tray. Leave to cool.
  7. Make the buttercream filling by combining the ingredients in a processor and then spooning into a smaller piping bag.
  8. When cool, pipe small amounts onto macaroon halves and sandwich together!

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Smashed Minty Peas

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Smashed Minty Peas

 

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This recipe is adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe from the ‘Jamie at Home’ book. I have many MANY (too many I’m told….?) cook books but there are always those loyal few which I always resort to for some great recipes. This book is certainly one of them and I recommend it (it’s particularly good if you have an allotment as the recipes are seasonal and divided by ingredient). We currently have more peas than can be physically and sanely podded so this seemed like a tasty use for them. With a less bountiful broad bean supply, I adapted the recipe slightly but the end result is a fresh, sweet, minty pea mash. Jamie recommends beautiful buffalo mozzarella but it works equally well with halloumi or feta

  • 350g fresh raw peas, podded
  • 100g podded broad beans, blanched and taken out their skins
  • 60g Parmesan
  • 1 lemon, juice
  • Large bunch of mint
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sour dough bread slices to serve
  • 1 garlic clove
  1. Use a pestle and mortar to bash the mint leaves with a large pinch of salt and a small handful of peas to release the flavours. (You can make the entire thing in a pestle and mortar but I found it easier in the processer. However, the best way to get the flavour from the mint is by bashing so do this first).
  2. Add the bashed minty peas along with the rest of the peas (save a handful to add whole at the end) into the processor and pulse to roughly chop into a chunky paste. Add the broad beans and pulse again.
  3. Add about 1-2 tbsp of oil to achieve a thick paste and then add the lemon juice. Season and then stir in the parmesan cheese and the reserved whole peas.image
  4. Taste and adjust to your liking with more lemon or cheese or add more oil if it is too thick.
  5. Peel and half the garlic clove horizontally and use it to rub your hot toasted bread as soon as it comes out of the toaster or grill to add a subtle garlic flavour. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and spoon on your pea ‘mash’. Enjoy with crumbled feta, fried halloumi or creamy buffalo mozzarella!

Elderflower and Cucumber Collins

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Elderflower and Cucumber Collins

So it turns out I do like gin! This recipe will now be a reminder of finishing my finals and the end of uni. Its such an easy cocktail to quaff while relaxing in the sun as its so refreshing!

  • 40ml gin
  • 25ml elderflower cordial (or St. Germian elderflower liqueur if you have it)
  • 20ml lemon juice
  • Handful of diced cucumber
  • A few mint leaves
  • Soda water
  • Coarsely crushed ice
  1. Gently crush some diced cucumber and mint leaves to together to release their flavours.
  2. Add the gin, elderflower and lemon to a tall ‘tumblr’ (see what I did there) and top up with soda water to taste. Add some coarsely crushed ice and enjoy.

Fried Halloumi with Minted Cous Cous

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Fried Halloumi with Minted Cous Cous

This week I am wholeheartedly and gratefully embracing the warm sunny weather we’ve been having after a looooooooong refreshing and bracing spring. I can start work on my tan which currently can only be compared to a Farrow & Ball white paint chart where I am bordering the ‘Wimborne White’ with an aim of becoming more in keeping with a natural shade of ‘Cat’s Paw’. I love the excuse to bring out all the flavourful salads I crave which just don’t meet the winter demands….

Minty Cous Cous Salad (adapted from ‘What Katie Ate’)

  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 100g giant cous cous
  • 200g cous cous
  • 100g pumpkin seeds
  • 60g pine nuts
  • 100g flaked and/or whole almonds
  • 2 courgettes, peeled into ribbons or sliced thinly with a mandolin
  • 4 spring onions, chopped
  • A generous handful of chopped mint, basil, parsley and coriander or a mixture of these herbs you prefer chopped finely
  • Light vegetable stock
  • Handful of rocket, watercress or leaves
  • 1 lime
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Halloumi to serve
  1. Heat a splash of oil in a pan and add the cumin to fry for a minute. Then add the giant cous cous and toast until fragrant for a few minutes.
  2. Add a good splash of stock to cover and cook the cous cous for about 15 minutes until soft. Drain.
  3. Toast the pumpkin seeds, pine nuts and flaked almonds in a dry pan until fragrant.
  4. Add another splash of oil to a hot frying/grill pan and add the courgette strips and char for a few minutes until crisp.
  5. Season the small grain cous cous and add a knob of butter. Pour over 300g of stock, cover and allow to absorb. Then using a fork, fluff up the grains.
  6. Now to assemble, combine the giant drained cous cous and the fluffed cous cous. Add the courgette ribbons, seeds and nuts, a generous handful of the herbs and the salad leaves
  7. Add a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to loosen and scatter with the spring onions.

This is delicious served with some fried halloumi and a minted lime yoghurt and flatbreads and a lovely addition to a BBQ.

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Green Risotto with Crispy Parma ham and Almonds

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Green Risotto with Crispy Parma ham and Almonds

Risotto is such a versatile and satisfying meal even when, like last night, I was simply using up loose ends from the cupboard because I’d run out of food for the week. It can be made fancy and gourmet by the easy addition of some little tasty toppings which are totally open to interpretation….a poached egg on top is always a favourite of mine! As a risotto lover (and sane person) I always have risotto rice, parmesan cheese and butter in the house and with white wine never more than a stones throw away these few ingredients can always be used to make an endless amount of different variation on a risotto with whatever ingredients are to hand.

I tend to make risottos by instinctive quantities. It really doesn’t matter how much rice or stock you have weighted out as long as you taste as you go along and make sure that the consistency resembles that of loose porridge when ready. I usually use a large handful of rice per person and a pinch more for luck as cold risotto is perfect for arancini (see here).

Serves 2 generously

  • 2 large handfuls of risotto rice
  • 40g butter
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped finely
  • 2 sprigs thyme, leave picked
  • Small glass dry white wine
  • Hot chicken/vegetable stock
  • Handful of finely grated parmesan
  • 2 handfuls of frozen peas
  • Small bunch mint, chopped
  • Handful of rocket leaves
  • ½ lemon
  • 2 slices of parma ham
  • Small handful of flaked almonds
  • Creme friache
  1. Begin by boiling the peas for a good 5 minutes. (Keep a handful aside for garnish if you like) and blend the rest in a food processor with a splash of the stock until really smooth. Set aside.
  2. Continue by melting half the butter in a pan with a teaspoon of oil. Soften the onion gently until translucent. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
  3. Turn the heat up a little and add rice and fry until really hot. Add the white wine to let the rice simmer to absorb the wine.
  4. Now add ladelfuls of the hot stock as each addition of liquid becomes absorbed by the rice, simmering gently over a low heat. The rice takes about 18 minutes to cook so keep adding as much stock as needed until the rice is just cooked and soft. Keep stirring all the time to make sure the starches are released and you get a really creamy texture.
  5. As soon as the rice almost appears to plump up and double in volume and it is just cooked and soft to taste, add the lemon juice and season.
  6. Now stir in the pea puree and mix evenly. If it thickens too much, add a splash of stock to keep it loose.
  7. Add the other half of the butter, cut into cubes, and the grated parmesan. Cover quickly with a lid and take off the heat to rest.
  8. While it rests for 5 minutes, fry the parma ham and flaked almonds in a little oil until crispy and golden and then drain on kitchen paper.
  9. Now stir the melted cheese and butter evenly through the rested risotto and add the rocket and mint and stir to wilt down in the residual heat. If it thickens, add a splash of stock again to get a loose oozing consistency.
  10. To serve, pour a generous portion into a warmed bowl. Top with a few whole peas, the crispy parma ham and toasted flaked almonds and a few teaspoons of creme fraiche if you like!

For tips on the perfect risotto or more definitive measurements, see here.

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Pulled Barbeque Pork with Spicy Slaw and Flatbread

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Pulled Barbeque Pork with Spicy Slaw and Flatbread

I never thought clearing out my university fridge and freezer before the end of term could be so delicious. With the ever amazing help of Jamie Oliver’s barbeque sauce (see here), this slow cooked pulled pork shoulder was a greasily delicious end to a tiring term and brought a stomachful of summer hope to a cold March that has well and truly outstayed its welcome. A crunchy homemade coleslaw is a great and simple side without the sickly addition of buckets of mayo you often find your ‘healthy’ cabbage swimming in in the supermarket. Wrapped protectively in a snug wholemeal flatbread…….if only my dissertation had been on food….

  • 500g pork shoulder
  • 1 quantity of marinade (recipe here)
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 parsnip
  • 3 small raw beetroot
  • 500g yoghurt
  • 1 lime
  • 5 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 heaped tsp of the following mix of ground spices (toast 1tsp of each fennel, cumin, coriander and fenugreek seed with 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamon pods and 1 star anise in a dry frying pan until hot, fragrant and beginning to pop, remove and grind in a pestle and mortar until fine).
  • Bunch mint, chopped
  • Bunch coriander, chopped
  • Punnet of cress
  • 250g wholemeal flour
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  1. Begin with the pork. Cover the pork in the marinade in a large heavy based casserole dish and leave in the fridge overnight to infuse the flavours. The next day, preheat the oven to 170.
  2. Place a lid on the dish and slowly cook for 3 hours, basting in the sauce about 3 times.
  3. Meanwhile, make the coleslaw. This is easiest shredded in a food processor with the appropriate blade attachment or you can grate by hand.Grate the carrot, parsnip and beetroot into a large dish
  4. Add the chopped herbs.
  5. Combine the zest of the lime and the juice to the yoghurt with some seasoning and a tbsp of mayonnaise and the spice mix to make the dressing.
  6. Only before serving, dress the coleslaw in the dressing and scatter over the cress.
  7. For the flatbreads, mix the flour, cumin seeds, oil and 150ml warm water in a bowl and mix to form a ball of dough. Divide into about 6 pieces and roll thinly into discs. Before serving, fry each for a few minutes each side in a really hot  dry frying pan until beginning to char and puff up. Keep warm wrapped in a teatowel while you fry them all and finish the pork.
  8. After 3 hours, the pork should be nicely cooked and tender. Remove from the oven, spoon off the liquid fat that has melted from the pork and discard, leaving the remaining marinade.
  9. Leave to rest for about 20 minutes. Then, cut off any of the skin and fat and discard. Next shred using a couple of forks and mix int he remaining marinade left in the dish.
  10. Serve with the coleslaw and flatbreads and come extra yoghurt if you like!

For some light amusement, here is a picture of the first cut of pork from our first attempt at keeping pigs last year. Yes they were accidently overfed….yes that is 50% fat to 50% meat….and yes the butcher could not make sausages with those pigs because they were so obese. We have since refined our animal handling and will be dining on a model piece of pork this Easter, thankfully for our arteries (and theirs…RIP).

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Rioja Lamb Shank with Mint Oil

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Rioja Lamb Shank with Mint Oil

 

 

Rioja lamb shank and mint oil 2

You barely need a fork for this one as it will fall willingly, obligingly and delicately off the bone and into your welcome mouths! The better the meat the nicer it will taste but any meat bought on the bone will guarantee you with added tenderness and benefit from slow cooking. The rich punchy red wine sauce craves and benefits from the fresh cleansing addition of a nice homemade mint oil.

Serves 2 generously

  • 2 lamb shanks
  • 2-3 large carrots, diced
  • 2 stick celery, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Bunch thyme, chopped
  • Bunch rosemary, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 anchovies in oil
  • 350ml red wine (Rioja is optional)
  • Bunch of mint, leaves picked
  • Olive oil
  • (1 tbsp) white wine vinegar or to taste
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
  2. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy bottomed casserole dish or pan.Season your lamb shanks with salt and freshly ground pepper and brown on all sides for about 10minutes until caramelised and coloured. Reserve to a plate.
  3. Slowly sweat your chopped onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf with some seasoning for about 15 minutes in the same pan, using the lamb juices. You want to get lots of caramelisation on the vegetables after about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the chopped thyme, rosemary the bay leaf and the sliced garlic and continue to cook for about 5-10minutes more. Turn up the heat and add the chopped anchoives. Cook until melted into the mixture.
  5. Now add the wine and bubble away to de-glaze the bottom of the pan. Simmer for a few minutes before adding the reserved lamb shanks. Add as much boiling water or stock to come ¾ way up the sides of the lamb so it is sufficiently submerged
  6. Cover with a lid and place in the preheated oven for 3 hours, basting the lamb with the sauce occasionally.
  7. Meanwhile make the mint oil. In a food processor or pestle and mortar, crush the mint leaves with a pinch of salt and sugar. Slowly add a splash of white wine vinegar to taste and enough oil to loosen.
  8. After 3 hours, turn the heat to 180°C and remove the lid. You want to brown the top of the lamb and reduce the sauce a little for about 30 minutes but it will be ready whenever from this point. You can also thicken the sauce on the hob with a small knob of butter to add a shine to the sauce.
  9. Serve with creamy mash or polenta and the mint oil drizzled over the top!