Fattoush:
From Syria and Lebanon.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 yellow or red pepper
1 large cucumber
4-5 tomatoes
1 bunch spring onions
30ml/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
30ml/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
30ml/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
2 garlic cloves, crushed
75ml/5 tbsp olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pitta breads
1. Slice the pepper, discarding the seeds and core, then roughly chop the
cucumber and tomatoes. Place them in a large salad bowl.
2. Trim and slice the spring onions. Add to the cucumber, tomatoes and pepper
with the finely chopped parsley, mint and coriander.
3. To make the dressing, blend the garlic with the olive oil and lemon juice
in a jug, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing
over the salad and toss lightly to mix.
4 Toast the pitta bread in a toaster or under a hot grill until crisp and then
serve it alongside the salad.
Taramasalata:
Turkish and Greek specialty.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
115g/4 oz smoked mullet roe
2 garlic cloves, crushed
30ml/2 tbsp grated onion
60ml/4 tbsp olive oil
4 slices white bread, crusts removed
juice of 2 lemons
30ml/2 tbsp water or milk
paprika, to garnish (optional)
1. Place the smoked mullet roe, garlic, onion, olive oil, bread and lemon
juice in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
2. Add the water or milk and process again for a few seconds. (This will
give the taramasalata a creamier taste.)
3. Pour the taramasalata into a serving bowl, cover with clear film and
chill for 1-2 hours before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with a
little paprika, if liked.
Baked Avocados with Ham:
Serves 2-4
Cooking time - 5-6 minutes
Preparation time - 6-8 minutes
Ingredients:
50g (2oz) butter
50g (2oz) fresh brown breadcrumbs
100g (4oz) cooked ham, finely chopped
90ml (6tbsp) double cream
salt and pepper to taste
2.5ml (1/2tsp) fresh parsley, chopped
2 large ripe avocados
15ml (1tbsp) lemon juice
50g (2oz) cheese, grated
fresh parsley sprigs to garnish
1. Place the butter in a bowl and heat in a microwave on 700W for 1 minute.
Stir in the breadcrumbs and ham. Add enough cream to bind the mixture.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the parsley. Cook on 700W
for 3-4 minutes.
2. Cut the avocados in half. Remove the stone and brush the flesh with lemon
juice. Fill each avocado half with the breadcrumb mixture.
3. Place the filled avocados in a flan dish and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
4. Cook on 700W for 1 minute, until the cheese has melted. Garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley.
Chilli Cheese:
by Mark English
The resulting cheese from this recipe will be firm yet spreadable,
and not hot! The heat from the peppers is muted by the fat in the
cheese. The taste though is sweet and peppery and well worth the work!
Ingredients:
half pound of mature cheddar
small pot of sour cream
6-10 chilli peppers
Slice the chillis in half length ways and deseed them (unless you want crunchy bits
in the cheese). Flatten the half peppers, and place skin up on a grill pan and
grill them until the skins blacken. When they blacken place them in a polythene
bag and seal it - as they sweat the skins will loosen making it easier to
remove them. Whilst they sweat grate the cheese.
When the peppers are cool enough, open the bag and peel off the skins. You may
want to wear gloves or put your hands in polythene bags to do this! Once peeled, cut the peppers into very small (about 2mm long) pieces.
Put the sour cream in a small pan, and start to warm it. Add the grated
cheddar a handful of the grated cheddar and stir in. As the cheese dissolves, add more until it is all added. Stir in the chopped chillis.
Pour the mixture into a dish to set (a few small dishes will make it set better), and place in the fridge.
Once set try spreading a bit onto buttered toast - can't beat it!
Steak Sandwich:
Ingredients:
1 steak
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced into 4
1 large field mushroom
1 tblsp olive oil
knob of butter
salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Dash of water
Mustard, if desired
2 sturdy slices of white bread
couple of lettuce leaves
Spread mustard onto the bread and top with lettuce. Season the steak and cover with garlic. Heat
oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add half the butter. When it foams and starts to turn brown,
sear the steak, both sides. Turn down the heat and add onion, tomato and mushroom. Turn the steak
after cooking for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, and a similar time on the other, until medium rare.
Also turn the veggies, season and fry gently until golden brown. When everything is cooked, lift the
steak onto the bread and pile on the veg. Dash a little water into the pan, sizzling it down to make
a gravy. Pour over the sandwich, slap on the lid and eat.
Garlic Mushrooms:
Serves 4
10 minutes to prepare
10 minutes to cook
Ingredients:
500g (1lb) White Mushrooms
1 tsp Olive Oil
25g (1oz) Butter
1 Medium Red Onion (chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (chopped)
Salt & Pepper
Parsley
1. Wash and slice the Mushrooms.
2. Finely chop Red Onion.
3. Heat the Oil and Butter in a frying pan, add Onion first and fry until soft. Add the Chopped Garlic and fry for a further 1 minute.
4. Add the Mushrooms and cook till light brown and piping hot.
5. Season to taste and serve immediately.
6. Garnish with chopped fresh Parsley as required.
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