Zhoug - coriander and chilli sauce

 

Sometimes spelt Zhug. I make this when I've got the remainder of a large bunch of coriander bought for another dish. I freeze in ice cube tray for use with pulse based dishes, especially Mexican based ones, or to add to a guacamole, salsa and so on!

Adjust quantities based on amount of fresh coriander being used.

Into food processor put

• 4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 packed cups fresh coriander (mostly leaves but skinny stems are ok) Note to self to work out what this equates to weight wise when I next make this
• 4 medium jalapenos. Depending on your heat preference, optionally remove seeds. 
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes

Process until everything is finely chopped then slowly drizzle in 180ml extra-virgin olive oil scraping down the sides every now and then and blending until it is mostly smooth. 

Sticky Halloumi with Orzo and Chickpeas

 4 portions at 490 calories per portion (yes calorie counting is starting!)

Mix 2tbsp runny honey, 1tsp dried chilli flakes and half clove garlic finely diced.

Cut pack of light halloumi cheese (200-250g) into small chunks and add to the above. In parallel with the below, cook 200g orzo according to packet

Spray a frying pan with oil and cook the halloumi mix over medium heat for 5 minutes until sticky. Put back into bowl used to mix together and set aside. 

Spray the frying pan again. Add 1 sliced red onion and 1 crushed garlic clove and fry for 2 mins until softened. Add 400g tinned chopped tomatoes, 400g tinned drained chickpeas, 2tbsp chopped basil (or 2tsp dried basil) and a splash of lemon juice. Season (I just added pepper).

When the orzo is cooked, drain and add to the pan, mix well then add the cooked halloumi (and any excess glaze) and stir to combine.

Roast Chicken with tomatoey bulgar wheat

 Based on Georgina Hayden's recipe

Preheat oven to 220C (fan)

Put a 1.7kg chicken into an ovenproof casserole and sprinkle with 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika and 2tsp dried oregano. Season well. Drizzle over 2tbsp olive oil from jar of sun dried tomatoes and rub all into the skin.

In a blender put a 400g tin of tomatoes with 150ml water (or 400g fresh tomatoes with 250ml water), 4 cloves of garlic and 1tbsp tomato puree. Blend until smooth. Pour around the chicken spooning a little over the top. Scatter over 150g chopped sun dried tomatoes (if you have them, which I didn't when I first made this).

Cover and put in the oven. After 10 minutes turn the oven down to 180C. Cook for a further 50 minutes. 

Make up 500ml of chicken stock from a cube just before the hour is up OR bring home made stock to the boil. 

Take the casserole out of the oven and remove the chicken. Stir in the chicken stock and 250g bulgar wheat. Put the chicken back on top, cover again and put back in oven for 10-15 minutes until the bulgar wheat is cooked through.

Serve with a green vegetable and, for those who like it, a dollop of greek yoghurt. (Georgina made 'dilly leeks and peas' in her original recipe) 

 

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Italian Pork Sausage

 

An experiment for making Italian style sausage meat without basing on shop bought sausages. Added a tad too many chilli flakes. But very good basis for a pasta dish ...which I need to update this recipe to include.

Dry fry 1tsp fennel seeds and 1.5 tsp black peppercorns and then pound until coarsely ground using pestle and mortar.

Put in bowl with

• 500g pork mince (not lean)
• 1 tbsp minced/crushed garlic
• 1tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp salt (or 2tsp of 'onion salt')
• 0.25 tsp of each of dried thyme, dried rosemary. dried oregano, dried sage
• 1tbsp red wine
• 0.5 tsp chilli flakes - less if you don't want too spicy

Use hands to combine

Green Tomato Curry

Haven't tried yet. Original recipe from a friend who has access to some of the spices/mixes not available locally.

Slice a medium onion and a clove of garlic. Chop 250g green tomatoes into large chunks

Heat 2tsp veg oil and add 1 tsp black mustard seeds and 1tsp cumin seeds. When they get to the popping stage add the onions and garlic and cook gently until onions translucent.

Add the tomatoes and quarter tsp turmeric, 1tsp ground cumin (original recipe was for 2tsp chana jeera) 1-2tsp chilli powder, lemon juice (original recipe was for half tsp amchur)

Stir until cooked. Add upto 1.5 tsp salt along the way (as in taste and adjust seasoning)

Green tomato salsa

As good as one made with tomatillos. I make a large batch when all hope of tomatoes ripening outside or in the greenhouse has gone and freeze in small batches for use with 'tex mex' and other meals that salsa goes well with.

On a baking sheet place

• 3 large peeled cloves garlic. 
• 1 peeled and quartered medium onion. 
• 1 deseed and halved (quartered depending on size) fresh jalapeño chilli. 
• 225g (8oz) green tomatoes, quartered if large

Put under grill for about 5 minutes until they start to blacken. Turn all over and grill for another few minutes. Don't let them get too dark/burn.

Put half of the chilli to one side and put everything else into a blender along with a roughly chopped small bunch of coriander leaves, 2 tbsp lime juice and half teaspoon of salt. Blend to desired consistency. Taste and, if required, add the other half of the chilli and blend again.

Gooseberry Pecan Oat Bars

 

Gooseberry Pecan Oat Bars 

From Waitrose recipe

Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6; lightly grease and line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment. Put 400g topped and tailed gooseberries with 75g sugar in a saucepan set over a low-medium heat. Stir often for 10-15 minutes, until jammy and thick; set aside. Mix the flour, cinnamon, oats, pecans and salt together. Melt the butter and remaining 100g sugar together over a low heat. Mix into the flour and oat mixture until you have a dough. 

Press ½ the dough over the bottom of the baking tin. Spread the gooseberries evenly over the dough. Carefully top with spoonfuls of the remaining oat mixture, spreading it out roughly (you don’t want it too smooth) with the back of a spoon to make an even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then cool completely in the tin (or ideally overnight). Cut into 12-16 bars or squares, as wished. 

200g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 
400g Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients gooseberries, topped and tailed 
175g soft light brown sugar 
200g wholemeal spelt or rye flour, or a mixture 
¾ tsp ground cinnamon 
150g rolled porridge oats 
100g pecans, chopped 
½ tsp fine salt