Halloumi Skewers with Lemon Salsa

For some reason, my darling Karen keeps giving me preserves: preserved onions, preserved lemons, things I never really eat. But I found this recipe using preserved lemons and thought I'd try it.

This is what the recipe says:

"This is the perfect vegetarian snack to serve with drinks and cocktails. The halloumi is wonderful with the concentrated taste of the preserved lemons. Get ahead by making the salsa in the morning."

Ingredients

• halloumi 2 x 250g blocks, drained
• olive oil 4 tbsp
• wooden skewers 32
• extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp
• black olives 15, pitted and finely choppedflat-leaf parsley a small bunch, finely chopped
• small capers 1 tsp, rinsed
• small preserved lemons 2, rind chopped or zest of 2 lemons
• red wine vinegar 2 tsp
• red onion 1 small, finely diced

Method

• Put all the salsa ingredients into a small bowl, season and mix well. Cut each block of  halloumi into 8 equal slices. Cut each slice in half so you end up with 32 pieces. 
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Brown the halloumi on both sides, drain on paper towel then push in a skewer so it looks like a lollipop. You will need to do these in batches, adding a bit more oil as you go. Serve warm or at room temperature with the salsa. 

  
  

  o.k. so that's the "official" recipe. I just made saganaki with the halloumi as that's what I wanted; cut each block in the width, then each square into triangles as a starter. I imagine a person could eat a whole square as a main. However, halloumi doesn't go all gooey like Edam does, so i got both sides really crispy in the frying pan and then covered it for a while so it would melt a bit, which seemed to help. I want to try this next time with Edam like the lady in Corfu said to do and see which I prefer.

  But the salsa is surprisingly fresh and all my guests (and I) really liked it.

Gluten free Chocolate Cake

This is so easy and too delicious for words, so don't talk about it - get eating!!

Serves: 12  (midgets)

• 250g plain chocolate, chopped (preferably fine Belgian)
• 1 1/2 (400g) tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon gluten free baking powder (surely all baking powder is gluten free?)
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar

Method
Prep:15min  ›  Cook:40min  ›  Extra time:15min  ›  Ready in:1hr10min  

1. Preheat the oven to 180º C / Gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm round cake tin, line with parchment and then grease again.
2. Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.
3. Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.
4. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
   

Romesco Sauce

I was recently watching "Masterchef - the Professionals", when one of the contestants made a Romesco Sauce. I've always wanted to do one so I decided to find out the correct way. There's a website called "Helen's Kitchen" and, as she is Spanish, I figured hers was probably more authentic than most others. She didn't offer ingredients but I took notes; they are as follows:

2 red bell peppers/paprikas
2 cloves (fairly large) of garlic, sliced down the middle
1/3 C whole almonds
3 Tbl olive oil (possibly less)
4 lg sundried tomato halves
Handful of fresh Parsley/Basil/Cilantro
1 tsp Pimentòn/smoked paprika
Pinch ancho chile powder (I used the Pimentòn with a pinch of smoked pepper, assuming pimentòn was just authentic paprika powder)
Salt
Pomegranate molasses (I actually had this in the house, probably from a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe!)
Note: the measurements are approximate as she cooks the way we do! Ample sauce for at least four people.

Method:

1. Slice the peppers down the sides to get four large slices. Lay them on a sheet of aluminium foil and grill/broil until they are charred completely black. Wrap them in the foil to stand and cool.
2. Warm olive oil in frying pan and add almonds and garlic 'til the almonds start to brown on one side, ±5 mins - keep your eye on them as they burn quite suddenly. Set aside to cool;
3. To the Magimix/food processor add the sundried tomatoes, the peppers, herbs, paprika powders, almonds, garlic and oil, 1 tsp pomegranate molasses.
4. When the peppers have cooled down, the skins should peel off easily. Helen prefers to roast and peel her own peppers. You can, of course, use an equivalent amount of store-bought roasted peppers. (A blender is a possibility but not preferred.)
5. Add these to the Magimix and process but not too finely. 
6. Taste and add salt accordingly.

Helen says you can serve this sauce to improve the taste of practically everything.
Jon was absolutely blown away with this sauce, so I thought I'd put it here for you, and for me as future reference!

Chilli and Parmesan Polenta - surprisingly nice!

This is the original recipe. I didn't have Parmesan, so used Pecorino; 

didn't have lemon to zest so used bottled lemon juice, which worked 

out fine. 

Did have hazel nuts but I'll try something else instead next time, 

pine nuts should be nice I think. Oh, yes, terrible as it may seem, 

I didn't have edible flowers - too early in the season - so had to leave 

these out.  I do actually have basil infused oil in my cupboad!

It was very nice. Even Jon, who doesn't like polenta, liked 

it a lot! I am trying to expand my repertoire. Even got him eating cous 

cous :-)

Hope you can read this. 

SPICY PARSNIP SOUP

WITH ZINGY GINGER AND FRESH CHILLI - Jamie oliver

SERVES 4 

COOKS IN50 MINUTES 

DIFFICULTY SUPER EASY

• Ingredients:

  olive oil 

  1 knob butter 

  1 large onion , peeled and roughly chopped 

  2 cloves garlic , peeled and roughly chopped

  1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped [or, if there is none, a Tbl of ginger grounded]

  1 tablespoon garam masala 

  6 parsnips , peeled and chopped into chunks

  500 ml semi-skimmed milk 

  1 litre organic vegetable stock

  sea salt

  freshly ground black pepper 

  1 fresh red chilli , deseeded and finely sliced [or not]

  1 handful fresh coriander leaves, optional [or not]

  crusty bread, to serve

  
  

  Method:

  I've given the humble parsnip soup a new lease of life with aromatic Asian flavours and added heat.

                                        

  1.  Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan.

  2.  Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala.

  3.  Gently fry for around 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and sweet.

  4.  Drop in the chopped parsnip and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours.

  5.  Pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.

Favorite easy tomato soup

We often make this soup to bring to potluck parties, or when friends come over for dinner. Tastes best when prepared 6-12 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to blend. 

1 medium onion, chopped

2-4 stalks celery, chopped

4-6 carrots, chopped

Olive oil

1 large can diced organic tomatoes in tomato juice

6-8 cups vegetable stock OR vegetarian chicken stock powder and 6-8 cups hot water (more or less depending on how thick or light you want the soup to be)

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons dried basil

½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder OR 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed

½ - 1 can tomato paste (optional, makes it more tomatoey)

Heat some olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven and sauté the onion, celery and carrots over medium heat with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Add a little salt to allow the vegetables to release their moisture and soften. When the onions become translucent and begin to brown slightly, add the crushed tomatoes, stock, herbs, garlic and optional tomato paste. 

Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly and blend with a stick blender or in batches in a jar blender. 

Scones

Below is a BBC Food recipe which I plan to make when

 Emile and Céline come to Belgium. 

Will try to get a practice run in first! 

Scones

Preparation time

less than 30 mins

Cooking time

10 to 30 mins

Serves

Makes 8-12 scones

Dietary

 

Vegetarian

Scones are the easiest English teatime treat. There’s scope to customise these sweet ones with dried fruit or cinnamon.

 

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Ingredients

• 225g/8oz self raising flour
• pinch of salt
• 55g/2oz butter
• 25g/1oz caster sugar
• 150ml/5fl oz milk
• 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze (alternatively use a little milk)

 How-to-videos

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter.
3. Stir in the sugar and then the milk to get a soft dough.
4. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm/¾in thick. Use a 5cm/2in cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.
5. Brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden.
6. Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter and good jam and maybe some clotted cream.