Broad bean and feta salad

A recipe from one of my best friends Naomi. The last bits of this salad were fought over at the post Open Gardens bbq in July! You can halve quantities if you want but would only recommend doing so for less than 4 people. But that is from view point of someone who would eat this salad on its own every day:)

Put 2 bags of frozen broad beans into a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for one minute and drain. Remove outer skin from each of the beans suggest you delegate this or have a good film to watch whilst doing this. Rinse shelled beans in cold water.

Add large handful of chopped fresh mint

Optionally - add one finely chopped small red onion

Mix in a block of feta cheese that has been chopped into small cubes

Mix together 2tbsp olive oil, 2tbsp white wine vinegar, juice of one lemon and freshly ground pepper. Add to the other ingredients.

Chill and serve

Cheese Shortbread Biscuits

My m-in-law made the small thicker variants for silver wedding anniversary party last year. I made a double batch of the thinner ones yesterday to accompany post church drinks today. Melt in mouth and moreish either way!

6oz plain flour
1st salt
0.5tsp mustard powder
3oz fine semolina
4oz strong cheddar
6oz butter

Heat oven to 150C
Grease large baking tray
Mix flour, salt, semolina and mustard powder
Add cheese and butter - work together to get a smooth dough (in food processor is quickest)
Roll into a couple of sausage shapes of max 1 inch diameter. Chill for at least an hour.
Cut into half cm discs. Place onto baking tray(s) and cook for about 15 minutes until  lightly golden.

M-in-laws original recipe, which is for a biscuit sandwich, differs once you get to the smooth dough stage:
Roll out to approx half inch on floured board.
Cut into small biscuits (and I mean small - half inch max) and put on baking tray
Bake for 40-50 minutes.
When cool sandwich with cream cheese - plain or with some paprika mixed in - or with whatever takes your fancy

Cucumber, cashew nut and rice noodle salad

Yet another recipe that I promised to send to someone and found I hadn't typed up! This is refreshing light salad that goes well with satay chicken or vegetables, or with chicken marinated in a thai/chinese sauce. If the latter then you could use fish sauce (as per the Bill Granger's recipe that the below is based on) or white wine vinegar in place of the lime juice.

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp caster sugar

1 small red chilli finely chopped

1 tbsp veg oil

Mix together until sugar has dissolved

Add:

Small handful mint leaves - chopped

4 spring onions sliced finely

Halve lengthwise a large cucumber and finely slice using a mandaolin

Combine with dressing

Pour boiling water over
200g/7oz vermicelli rice noodles (you can use normal rice noodles but the thiner ones are best)
as in cook according to packaging. Drain and rinse in cold water.

Crush 2 tbsp cashew nuts

Combine cucumber, nuts and noodles. Serve with chicken or veg and enjoy!