Christmas cosmopolitan

So I've been doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

500ml vodka
500ml ginger wine
1l cranberry juice
juice 5 limes (keep zest for garnish)
sliced stem ginger

 Serves: 10

Instructions: 

Combine the Vodka and the Wine in a jug.

Add the Cranberry juice, Lime juice and the sliced Ginger.

Serve (Decorate with festive things).

Iced Christmas-pudding mousse

So I've been doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

450g Christmas pudding (roughly chopped into small pieces)
500g carton ready-made custard
142ml carton double cream
25g caster or icing sugar
4-6 tangerines or satsumas (peeled)
300ml orange juice
100g caster sugar

Serves: 6

Instructions

Combine the Chopped Pudding and Custard (in a food processor).

Whip the Cream and Sugar until it creates soft peaks.

Ass the Custard mixture.

Pour into 2 pint pudding basins.

Cover and freeze overnight or several hours (can remain frozen for up to 1 month).

Peel the Tangerines/Satsumas.

Chop to release the segments.

Boil the combined Orange juice and Sugar, until the sugar dissolves (stir from time to time).

Boil for a further 20-25 minutes until thick and syrupy consistency.

Set aside to cool.

Transfer from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.

Dip the basin into hot water and turn out onto pre-warmed plate.

Serve with arranged fruit segments and drizzled syrup.

Eggnog

So I've been doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

 

 Ingredients:

50g golden caster sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla essence
397g can of condensed milk
100ml brandy

 Serves: 4-6

Instructions:

 Combine the Sugar with 75ml of water in a saucepan.

Simmer until the Sugar dissolves.

Set aside cool and chill/

Meanwhile beat the Egg Yolks with the Vanilla until smooth.

Add the Milk, Brandy and cooled Sugar syrup.

Pour Mixture into a jug and chill for 2 hours (minium)

Serve over ice.

Spiced Braised Red Cabbage

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

 

Ingredients:

1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods
1 small red cabbage (about 900g)
1 garlic clove
2 large onions (chopped)
1 Bramley apple (peeled, cored and finely chopped)
3 tbsp Brown sugar
3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
25g butter 

Serves: 8

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 130oC (fan).

Combine the Anise, Cinnamon and Cardamon in the centre of a muslin square.

Tie the ends together to create a bag of spices.

Place the bag into a medium casserole dish.

Remove the outer leaves from the Cabbage.

Cut into quarters, discarding the core.

Shred thr Cabbage finely and layer in the dish with the Garlic, Onions, Apple and Sugar.

Add the Vinegar and butter.

Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 hours until Cabbage is tender but not mushy.

Remove the spice bag.

Serve.

Smoky sweet potato & bean cakes with citrus salad

So I've been doing a Christmas Calender of Christmasy Foods.

 

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato (about 200g), cut into cubes
400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 spring onion (finely sliced)
small bunch of coriander (chopped)
1 tbsp chipotle paste
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp mayonnaise
juice 1 lime
1 Little Gem lettuce (torn)
½ cucumber (halved lengthways and sliced on the diagonal)
1 carrot (halved lengthways and sliced on the diagonal)

 Serves: 2

Instructions: 

Microwave the Sweet Potato for 6 minutes (on high) or until tender.

Mash the Beans.

Combine the Beans, Potatoes, 2 Spring Onions, Coriander, Chipotle paste and seasoning.

Mash the mixture until the Potato is combined.

Shape into 4 cakes.

Heat the Oil in a pan (preferably non-stick).

Fry the cakes for 4-5 minutes each.

Meanwhile combine the Mayo, Lime juice and seasoning in a mixing bowl.

Add the remaining Onion and salad ingredients.

Serve.

Christmas Pudding Cake pops

So I've been doing a Christmas calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

200g Madeira cake
140g-160g white chocolat
1 orange (zest finely grated)
300g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids, broken into chunks)
50g white chocolate (broken into chunks)
sugar holly decorations or red and green writing icing

Instructions:

Make the Madeira Cake into fine crumbs (this can easily be done in a food processor).

Melt the White Chocolate in a bowl over boiling water.

Add the Orange zest to the Chocolate.

Add the Chocolate to the crumbs with your hands.

Create 10 balls (truffle sized) out of the crumbs.

Place the balls onto a baking plate and chill for 30 minutes until set.

Meanwhile melt the Dark Chocolate in the same way you melted the White Chocolate.

Dip the sticks int the Chocolate and coat 1.5cm.

Poke into balls.

Replace on plate and refridgerate for 5 minutes

Onace chilled coat the pops with the Dark Chocolate.

Allow any excess of drip off.

Allow to set in a cake holder, making sure that the pops don't touch, for half an hour.

Meanwhile heat the remaining white chocolate.

Cool until thick and runny.

Pour a small amount onto tops of pops.

Allow to harden.

Decorate with holly leave and berry icing.

Serve.

Butternut Soup Shots with Crispy Pancetta Soldiers

So I've been doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

8 slices pancetta
2cm-thick slice white bread (cut into 8 chunky soldiers)
splash olive oil
850ml-1 litre butternut squash & sage soup soup
drizzle cream and a few snipped chives (to serve)

 Serves: 8 (shots)

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 200oC (fan).

Wrap the Pancetta around the Soldiers.

Combine with a little Olive oil.

Bake for 5-8 minutes (turn so that evenly cooked)

Re-heat soup (this can easily be done in the microwave).

Divid soup evenly between 8 espresso cups or large shot glasses.

Serve with a drizzle of cream and chives, Soldiers on the side.

White Christmas Cocktail

So I've been doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

100ml vanilla vodka
160ml coconut cream
1 tbsp crème de cacao
½ tsp grated nutmeg
2 chocolate wafers (to serve)

 Serves: 2

Instruction:

Place some ice cubes into a cocktail shaker with the Vodka, Coconut Cream, Creme de Cacao and Grated Nutmeg.

Shake well and strain into glasses.

Serve with a rolled chocolate wafer in each or other festive decoration.

Orange & Ginger Stained Glass Biscuits

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

sunflower oil (for greasing)
175g plain flour, plus extra
1 tsp ground ginger
1 orange zest
100g butter (cold, cut into chunks)
50g golden caster sugar
1 tbsp milk
12 fruit-flavoured boiled sweets

Instructions:

 Pre-heat the oven t 160oC (fan).

Grease 2 non-stick baking sheet with Oil.

Combine the Flour, Ginger, Zest and Butter with 1/2 tsp Salt to create fine crumbs.

Add the Sugar and Milk.

Knead on a floured surface until smooth.

Wrap the kneaded dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

Once chilled, flour a surface and roll out dough (it should be about the thickness of a pound coin).

Cut out desired shapes with cutters, remember to cut out smaller shapes inside the cut out shapes.

Poke a hole in the tops of shapes (So that they can be hung).

Transfer to the baking sheet.

Crush the sweets in their wrappers with a rolling pin.

Place the pieces into the holes in the middle of the biscuits.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the buscuits are golden and the sweets have melted.

Leave to cool and harden, then transfer to a rack.

Serve.

Cider-braised Cabbage & Leek Hotpot

So I'm been doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

50g Butter
4 leek (thickly sliced and washed)
1 large Savoy cabbage (shredded)
200ml Dry cider

Serves: 8

Instructions: 

Melt the butter in a large pan.

Add the Leeks and cook for 5 minutes - stir to break them up - until they soften.

Add the Cabbage and stir, pour over the Cider.

Turn the heat up and let the Cabbage wilt for a couple minutes.

Season to taste.

Serve.

Red Cabbage with Juniper & Pears

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

 2 tbsp olive oil
2 onion (halved and sliced)
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
30 juniper berries, chopped
1 red cabbage (about 1kg quartered, cored and shredded)
2 tsp ground cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp light muscovado sugar
600ml vegetable stock, made with 2 stock cubes
2 firm pears (peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges)

Serves: 8

Instructions:

Heat the Oil in the large wide-based (preferable non-stick) pan.

Add Onions and saute for 8 minutes.

Add the Garlic and Juniper, cook for a minute.

Add the Cabbage and cook until slightly soften.

Add the Cinnamon, vinegar, Sugar and Stock.

Mix well, then cover and cook for 35 minutes over a low heat (Stirring to stop it sticking to the bottom of the pan).

Add the pears and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Serve. 

Ginger & Orange-Glazed Baby Carrots

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

 900g baby carrots (washed and scrubbed)
50g butter
25g Ginger piece (peeled and finely grated)
2 tbsp clear honey
1 orange zest

Serves: 6-8

Instructions:
Boil some salted water.
Add the Carrots.
Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly tender and drain.

Heat the butter in a wide-based (preferable non-stick) pan, until melt.
Add the Carrots, Ginger, Honey and Orange zest.
Cook until the carrots are browning.
Season well, with salt and pepper.
Serve.

Creamed sprouts with chestnuts

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

900g Brussels sprouts (trimmed)
2 onions (finely chopped)
2 tsp vegetable oil
50g butter
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
½ vegetable Stock cube (crumbled)
250ml Double cream
1 tsp Freshly grated nutmeg (plus extra to serve)
200g vacuum-packed Chestnuts (roughly chopped)

Serves: 6-8

Instructions:

 Boil some salted water.

Add the Sprouts and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender.

Drain and rinse under cold water.

Meanwhile fry the Onion in Oil and half the Butter for 10 minutes until soft.

Add Garlic and Stock cube, cook for 2 minutes (stirring from time to time) until combined.

Remove from the heat and set aside.

Chop the Sprouts roughly.

Stir into the Onions and butter.

Add the Double Cream and Nutmeg.

Cook until the Cream is bubbling.

Season to taste.

Add the Chestnuts and sprinkle with Nutmeg.

Serve.

Buttered toast bread sauce

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

140g Crustless sliced white Bread
85g Butter
1 onion(finely chopped)
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
600ml milk
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of ground nutmeg
100ml double cream

 Serves: 8

Instructions:

In a taoster (or under the grill) toast the slices of bread until drak brown.

Set aside and leave to cool.

Then make into rough crumbs (this is easiest by using a food processor).

Heat half the butter in a saucepan.

Cook the Onion for 10 minutes until borwn and sticky.

Add the Bay leaf and Thyme.

Pour over the Milk.

Combine the Spices and season, then add to mixture.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the herbs from the mixture.
Set aside a handful of crumbs, then stir the rest into the mixture.
Cook until thickened over a low heat.
Blend for a smoother sauce. (this can be chilled for 2 days or frozen for 2 months).

Meanwhile melt the remaining butter and cook until nut-brown and sizzling.
Add the remaining crumbs and cook until crispy.

Ad the Cream to the sauce and heat for a minute.
Pour into a dish.
Cover with crispy crumbs and butter.
Serve.

Cheeseboard soufflé

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:

50g Butter (plus extra for greasing)
25g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
200ml Milk
300g leftover hard cheese, cut into chunks
100ml double cream or crème fraîche
4 Egg (separated)
Grating of nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper

 Serves: 4

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 180oC (fan).

Melt the Butter in a saucepan.

Brush a 20cm dish with butter, then dust with flour.

Stir  the Flour and the Melted butter together in a pan.

Sizzle for 1 minute.

Gradually pour in the Milk to create a white sauce.

Add 2/3 of the Cheese and melt.
Set aside and leave to cool.

Once cooled, mix in the remaining Cheese, Cream/Creme Fraiche and Egg Yolks.

Season and add Nutmeg and Cayenne Pepper.

Whisk the Egg Whites until stiff.

Fold into the Cheese Sauce.

Pour into the dish.

Bake for 25 minutes until puffy and golden.

Serve.

Christmas Cake soufflés

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

 

Ingredients:

Butter (for greasing)
1 tbsp Golden Caster Sugar (plus extra for dusting)
4 Medium Egg Whites
150ml Ready-made Custard
85g Fruitcake, Christmas cake or pudding (finely crumbled)
caramel sauce (to serve)

Serves: 4

 Instructions:

 Pre-heat the oven to 160oC (fan) with a baking tray inside.

Grease 4 150ml ramkins.

Coat the ramkins with Sugar and shake off the excess.

Whisk the Egg Whites until stiff.

Add Sugar to the Egg White while continually whisking until completely mixed and stiff.

Combine the Custard and Crumbled Cake in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in a quarter of the Egg Whites, then fold in the rest with a metal spoon, until mixture isn't streaky.

Divid the mixture between the ramkins.

Create a small 'gap' between the ramkins and the tops of the mixture (this can be done, by running a finger around the tops).

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the mixture has turned golden and risen.

Meanwhile warm the Caramel Sauce.

Serve hot, with the sauce on the side.

Cranberry, Sprout and Pecan Pilaf

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

 Ingredients:

200g Mixed Basmati & Wild rice
5 tbsp Rapeseed or Olive oil
1 large Onion (finely sliced)
Thumb-sized piece ginger (peeled and cut into chunks)
2 Garlic Cloves
small bunch coriander( stalks roughly chopped, leaves chilled for later)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
juice and zest 1 lemon
500g Brussels sprouts (half finely sliced, the rest halved through the stalk)
100g pecans
100g fresh cranberries
50g dried cranberries
50g butter
natural yogurt (to serve)

 Serves: 4-6

Instructions: 

Pre-heat the oven to 180oC (Fan).

In a bowl, cover the rice with cold water and leave to soak for an hour.

Meanwhile heat 2tbsp Oil in a large pan.

Add the Onion and cook for 10 minutes (stirring now and then) until caramelised.

Meanwhile dice the Ginger, Garlic, Coriander stalks, Spices, Lemon juice and zest into a paste (this is easiest to do in a food processor).

Add the paste to the Onion and cook for 5 minutes or until aromatic.

Remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat 1 tbso Oil.

Add the Sprouts and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened (stir from time to time).

Add the paste and cook for 1 minute.

When the Rice has finished soaking, drain and tip into a pan.

Cover with fresh water and season with a pinch of salt.

Simmer for 5 minutes until softened, then drain.

Place half the Sprouts in a roasting tin with 1 tbsp Oil and season to taste.

Roast for 20-25 minutes (making sure that everything in the pan get roasted, by shaking from time to time) until the edges are starting to brown and the Sprouts are tender.

Meanwhile combine the rice with the sliced Sprouts, Onion and Paste.

Add the Pecans and Cranberries.

Season and mix well.

Heat the Butter and the remaining Oil in the pan.

Add the Rice mixture and flatten.

Poke 3 steam holes in the Rice and turn the heat all the way down.

Cover with a tea towel, then a lid and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through (you may have to cook for a further 5 minutes if the rice still has a bite to it).

Transfer the cooked Rice onto a serving platter.

Scatter the roasted Sprouts and Coriander leaves over

Serve, with natural yogurt.

GingerBread Syrup

So I'm doing a Christmas calender of Christmasy Foods.

 

Ingredients:

300g Golden Caster Sugar
1 tbsp Ground Ginger
1 Cinnamon Stick
Edible Gold Glitter (optional)

Instructions:
Combine the Golden Caser Suagar, 200ml Water and Ground Ginger in a saucepan.
Add the Cinnamon stick and bring to boil, over a medium-low heat.

Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved.
Stir in the Glitter (optional)

Pour into a sterilised bottle (at least 500ml big).
Decorate and Serve (Will keep for up to a year).

Spicy Christmas Tree Biscuits

So I'm doing a Christmas calendar of Christmasy Foods.

 

Ingredients:

 175g Dark Muscovado Sugar

85g Golden Syrup

100g Butter

3 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

350g Plain Flour

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1 Lightly Beaten Egg

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 170oC (fan).

Heat the Sugar, Golden Syrup and Butter in a pan until melted.

Mix the Flour and spices in a large mixing bowl.

Dissolve the Bicarbonate of Soda in 1 tsp of Cold water.

Make a well in the Flour mixture and ass the melted Sugar mixture, egg and Bicarbonate of Soda, mix together well.

Cover with cling film and leave to cool, the fridgerate for an hour, so that it becomes firm enough to roll.

Meanwhile lightly flour a surface.

Once the dough has cooled, place it on the floured surface and knead a little (now the dough can be fridgerate and kept for up to a week).

Cut the dough in half.

Roll the dough out thinly on the lightly floured surface (adding flouring to the rolling pni can make this process easier).

Use cutters to cut desired shapes out of the rolled dough (e.g. tress, hearts, presents).

Transfer to a baking sheet, leaving enough room for the biscuits to expand and spread.

Make small holes at the tops of the biscuits, so that they can be hung.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough.

Bake the biscuits for 12-15 minutes or until they have darkened slightly.

If the holes have closed during cooking then remake them while the buscuits are still warm and soft.

Set aside and leave to cool for a few minutes.

Transfer to a rack and leave to harden.

Decorate as desired and Serve.

Lebkuche

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy foods.

 

Ingredients:

250g Plain Flour

85g Ground Almond

2 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

200ml Clear Honey

1 Lemon Finely Grated Zest

85g Butter

1 tsp Baking Powder

Round Clove

Grated Nutmeg

Black Pepper

Instructions:

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the honey and butter and heat over a low heat in a pan, until the butter melts.

Pour the melted butter and honey into the Flour mixture along with the lemon zest.

Mix together well, until it is dough and fairly solid.

Cover and leave to cool.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 160oC (fan).

With your hands roll the dough into 30 balls (about 3cm wide)

Flatten the balls, so that they are a disk shape.

Place the disks onto a baking tray - leave room to expand - (cover to avoid mess) you will probably need 2 trays.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Serve (with or without icing).

Bailey's Creme Brulee

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods

Ingredients:

300ml Thin Cream

300 ml Thickened Cream

1 Vanilla Bean (split and seeds scraped)

1 Egg

3 Egg Yolks

75g Caster Sugar

100ml Baileys Irish Cream

Chilled Raspberries (to Serve)

Serves: 6

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 160oC (fan).

Place the Thin cream and the Thickened Cream in a pan.

Add the Vanilla pods and seeds, then heat over a low heat.

Meanwhile in a bowl whisk the Egg and Yolks with the sugar.

Add the warmed cream mixture and the Baileys, while continuously whisking.

Divid evenly among the 6 ramkins.

Place in a roasting pan and add boiling water, so that the water comes halfway up the ramkins.

Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

Once the Brulee has set, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Once cooled, chill for 2-3 hours.

When the Brulees have chilled, sprinkle with Sugar.

Place under the grill for 2-3 minutes until the tops are golden or use a blowtorch on the tops to caramelise.

Serve with Raspberries as garnish.

Mulled Wine

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

Ingredients:
1 Bottle Red Wine
60g Demerara Sugar
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Nutmeg
1 Orange
1 Dried Bay Leaf
1 Vanilla Pod

Instructions:

Pour the entire bottle of wine into a saucepan.

Chop the Orange in half.

Grate the Nutmeg.

Put the Orange halfs, Sugar, Grated Nutmeg, Cinnamon stick, Vanilla pod and Bay leaf into the wine

Heat on the stove over a low-medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved.

Taste the wine to see if is sweet enough for your liking and add more sugar to sweeten to taste (it's best to do this is small amounts, such as tbsps).

Once all the Sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat.

Strain into a heatproof container.

Serve.

Fruity Turkey Tagine

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmasy Foods.

 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Olive oil
1 Red onion (thickly sliced)
3 Carrots (thickly sliced on the diagonal)
3 Parsnips (thickly sliced on the diagonal)
2 Garlic cloves (crushed)
2 tsp Ras el Hanout
500ml Turkey or chicken stock
400g Can chopped Tomatoes
400g Can Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
140g mixture of dried apricots and prunes (roughly chopped)
300g leftover Turkey (cut into chunks)
good drizzle of clear Honey
½ small bunch Coriander (roughly chopped)
1 tbsp flaked Almonds
couscous (to serve)
Greek yogurt (to serve)

 Serves: 4-6

Instructions:

Heat the Oil in a large saucepan.

Add the Onion and cook for 8 minutes or until softened.

Add the Carrots and Parsnips, cook for 8 minutes until starting to soften and bown a little.

Stir in thr Garlic and Ras el Hanout.

Cook for a further 30 seconds.

Add the Stock, Tomatoes, Chickpeas, Dried fruit and 150ml Water.

Season with salt and pepper, then simmer.

Cook for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the Turkey.

Simmer for 5 minutes to warm through.

Stir in the Honey.

Scatter the Coriander and Almonds over the top.

Serve over Couscous with Greek Yoghurt.

Snow Globe Hot Chocolate

So I'm doing a Christmas Calendar of Christmas foods.

Ingredients:

3 Large White Marshmallows

2 Icing pens (Black and Orange)

1 Giant Chocolate Button

1 Chocolate (Mini Reese's peanut butter cup or domed Chocolate look best)

2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

2 tbsp Horlicks Powder

Handful mini White Marshmallows

1 Cookie (small enough to fit in a jam jar)

3 Strawberry Laces

 Serves: 1

Instructions:

Skewer the Marshmallows - one on top of the other - make sure there is no stick protruding from the Marshmallow.

Stick the Chocolate Button to the top with a little of the icing and then stick the Chocolate onto of that with a little more of the icing.

Draw a face under this with the Black and Orange icing and three dots for Buttons.

Plait together the Strawberry laces.

Tie the plaited lace around the bottom of the first Marshmallow to create the scarf.

Stick the Snowman to the cookie, using a little more of the icing.

Set aside and let dry for 2-3 minutes or until set.

Meanwhile Combine the Cocoa and Horlicks together in the bottom of a jar.

Once the Snowman is completely dry, set it on top of the Cocoa mixture.

Scatter the mini Marshmallows around the Snowman.

To Serve; Remove the Snowman and add 300 ml of warmed milk, then stir and Serve.

Chicken, Feta and Figgy Rocket tumble

Ingredients:

4 British Chicken thigh fillets
2 Spring Onions
100g Traditional feta
150g Pilavlik Bulgur
1 tbsp Italian balsamic vinegar
25g Fig relish
50g Rocket salad
1 tbsp Italian dried oregano
3 tbsp Olive oil
Drizzle of Vegetable oil
salt and pepper

Serves: 2

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 200oC (fan).
Boil the kettle.
Add the Bulgur to a pot with plentty of boiled water with a pinch of salt (the same as you would for pasta) and cook over a high heat for 10-15 minutes or until tender with a slight bite then leave it to steam dry in a sieve.

Meanwhile, add the Chicken thighs to a large mixing bowl with a drizzle of Vegetable oil and a generous pinch of salt.
Rub the Chicken all over with the dried oregano and mix well - this is easiest to do with clean dry hands.

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a high heat and once hot, add the Chicken and cook on each side for 3 minutes or until browned.

Transfer the browned Chicken to a baking tray (the tray should have tin foil covering it, to avoid mess).
Put the tray in the pre-heated over for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear when pierced.

Meanwhile, combine the Fig relish with 1 tbsp boiled water, the Balsamic vinegar and 3 tbsp olive oil.
Season with pepper, stir to combine and set aside - this is the figgy dressing.

Slice the Spring Onion finely.
Break the Feta up into small, rough pieces.
Once the Chicken has cooked, transfer it to a clean board and allow to rest for a couple of minutes.

Combine the Rocket, Spring onion, Bulgur and Feta in a large mixing bowl - mix well with clean and dry hands)
Slice the cooked Chicken finely - using a fork to hold the chicken in place and a sharp knife, mades it easier to cut up.

Serve the sliced chicken over the bulgur, feta and rocket tumble.
Drizzle the figgy dressing over the top.

How to cook dried Beans

 

Ingredients:

470g Dried beans

Water (enough to fill the pan)

Salt

Herbs and Spices (as desired)

Instructions:

Hot Soak; Fill a pan with water and bring to the boil, then add the dried beans.

Boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat, cover and soak.

If you don't have as much time, you can soak for 1-4 hours, or soak overnight (8 hours) if you have more time.

Cooking: Drain the remaining water from the beans and cover with fresh water and simmer.

Add salt when the beans are a little tender to toughen.

Add any herbs or spices during simmering.

Simmer for 45 minutes to 2 hours.

Freeze within 4 days of cooking.

Serve.

Halloumi Nuggets, pea shoots and couscous

Ingredients:

120g Couscous
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 lemon
5g Fresh mint
30g Panko Breadcrumbs
1 free range egg
225g Cypriot Halloumi
26ml Mayonnaise
50g Pea Shoots
Handful of flour
6 tbsp Vegatable oil
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Pepper and salt

Serves: 2

Instructions:

Boil the Kettle
Slice the Halloumi in half lengthways.
Cut each half into even strips.

Add a handful of flour to a plate.
Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and beat lightly with a fork.
Add the Panko Breadcrumbs and the Smoked Paprika to a separate shallow bowl and mix to combine.
Dip the Halloumi in the flour, tap off he excess, then dip into the egg and finally press it into the breadcrumbs.

Add the Couscous to a heatproof bowl with 200ml of boiled water, cover and set aside for later.
Strip the Mint leaves from the stalks and chop them finely.

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferable non-stick) over a medium-high heat with 4 tbsp Vegetable oil.
Once hot, add the Halloumi nuggets and cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy.
Once cooked, transfer to kitchen paper.

Meanwhile, roll the lemon on a hard surface (to release more juice) then cut in half.
Mix together the Mayonnaise, mint, juice from the lemon and 2 tbsp olive oil - this is the dressing.

Chop the pea shoots roughly.
Fluff the Couscous with a fork.
Stir the Pea Shoots through the Couscous with the dressing and a pinch of Salt and Pepper.

Cut the Halloumi nuggets in half at an angle.

Serve the golden nuggets over the dressed pea shoot couscous.