Greek Spinach Leek Pie
23 July 2010
Greek Spinach Leek Pie
My friend Lucy said to me “ being a vegetarian shouldn’t be a side dish”.
More often than not she is confronted with restaurants lacking luster and creativity when it comes to vegetarian food. Glorified side dishes of pasta, risotto, tossed greens or sauteed veggies is all they can muster. Which is disappointing really, as cooking for vegetarians shouldn’t be seen as a curse.
Despite being a carnivore, I am also a vegetarian at heart and dedicated to the pursuit of delicious vegetarian recipes. Here is my take on the Telegraph’s original Greek Spinach & Leek Pie. I removed the dill, forgot the Parmesan (it happens) and added nutmeg. This is a great dinner party recipe, just serve the pie hot, right out of the oven, when it is at it’s best and the filo pastry, crispy.
Asparagus Risotto
26 May 2010
Asparagus Risotto
Classic asparagus risotto made with arborio rice, onions, stock, Parmesan cheese and fresh asparagus.
The season for asparagus always seems too short. In a blink of an eye it’s gone and you have to wait a whole year to enjoy these tasty shoots again. So when I was in Provence this past weekend I took advantage of the Uzes Market.
There were many different varieties of asparagus to choose from – white, green, purple tipped, but for this recipe I prefered the green. What is great about risotto is that it doesn’t over power the asparagus, but compliments it. This is quintessential Italian cooking, which is all about tasting each ingredient.
For other asparagus recipes see these links: Pumpkin Risotto Grilled Asparagus
See link ‘asparagus risotto‘ below for recipe:
Wild Garilc, Ramsons, Bear’s Garlic
13 May 2010
Bear's Garlic Pesto
Wild garlic, ramsons, bear’s garlic….
Whatever you choose to call it, it is delicious and currently in season. In French they call it l’ail des ours (garlic of bears) as apparently this is a brown bear’s Achilles’ heel! Humans also love these wild, garlic flavoured leaves, which are edible and great to use in soups, salads, omelette etc.
Wild garlic is currently in abundance at the local fruits and veg market. Every stall seems to have a large basked of these bright green leaves. I have taken advantage of this and made a basic bear’s garlic pesto, half of which I keep fresh in the fridge and the rest I divide into smaller portion to freeze. There is just too much to use all at once and as the season is relatively short it is a nice way to enjoy bear’s garlic for weeks to come.
Click link below for bear’s garlic pesto recipe:
Baked Potato
21 March 2010
Baked Potato – Jacket Potato recipe
How do you like you spud?
Crispy golden outside, tender fluffy inside. The baked potato a meal in itself, and such an easy recipe to make – child’s play really.
Just take large baking potatoes, scrub, dry, prick, rub with olive oil & sea salt, in the oven for about an hour and they are done. Now your only care in the world is what to top them with! My preference is a little sour cream, cheese (Gruyère & sharp English Cheddar) and a sprinkle of chives.
The type of potato is important for best results. Baking potatoes are generally large, long, starchy potatoes with a thick, coarse skin. They are high in starch, with a dry, floury texture. If you are wondering what the best baking potatoes are, look for Russet, Estima, Marfona or Victoria.
See the link ‘baked potato‘ below for recipe:
OATMEAL
20 January 2010
Oatmeal
OATMEAL
An unctuous, warm, stick to your ribs breakfast cereal, made from an easy recipe that can be thrown together in a matter of minutes and eaten with a vartiety of spices, fruits, nuts or just brown sugar.
With all this going for it, why did I avoid oatmeal like the plague when I was little… I mean to the point that you couldn’t force the spoon down my throat! I think it came down to the texture, which with years and maturity…. I have come to like.
A few TIPS for making oatmeal :
- add the salt at the end for a creamy texture
- the finer the oats the faster they cook
- heat your bowls
- serve with warm milk
- Scottish superstition - stir clockwise with your right hand to avoid evil
BAKED APPLES
12 January 2010
Baked Apples
Baked Apples seemed to be an appropriate welcome back, New Years resolution, apple desert recipe. What better way to satisfy your sweet tooth while watching your waist line. Plus baked apples are a cinch to make… core, stuff, bake. That’s it. No fuss no muss.
Olivier’s parents have an apple orchard in France and this year they were overwhelmed with the yield. There were enough apples for the Russian army I tell you. So each week we receive a top up, which means I continuously have a bag of these golden red globes in my fridge. I would be complaining except that they are absolutely delicious and make wonderful apple sauce, pies, cakes, muffins not to mention baked apples.
BROCCOLI BASIL CREAM SOUP
29 September 2009
Broccoli soup
BROCCOLI SOUP with BASIL CREAM
I have been on a green theme lately, avocado, pesto, swiss chard…. it wasn’t conscious I tell you. I take inspiration as it comes. This time it was from the general direction of the fridge, where two broccoli’s & half of a cauliflower were staring me down. Add to that my lack of inspiration for dinner (happens to the best of us right), plus a lonely bouquet of basil and this soup was taking shape.
I have always felt that cream of broccoli soup was missing something, that it needed a little pick me up to tweak the taste buds. Here’s where the basil cream came in. It is not overpowering, in fact you may need a few spoonfuls to put your finger on just what makes this sumptuous soup so much better than the rest.
AVOCADO, GOATS CHEESE & QUINOA SALAD Recipe
25 September 2009
Avocado, goat cheese, red quinoa salad
Quinoa - simply delicious, with a little crunch and nutty flavour, makes a nice change from eating rice and cous cous. Add to that chunks of ripe avocado, pieces of creamy goats cheese, some garlicky pesto + toasted pine nuts, and you have a great salad!
I often find myself stuck for inspiration when it comes to lunch and craving something different, but at the same time not having hours to spend in the kitchen. This recipe checks all the boxes. I even made the quinoa the nightbefore, so it was just a matter of quickly chopping up the avo, toasting the nuts and throwing the salad together.
Thank god my avocado was ripe this time, as I have been on streak of bad luck lately, to the point of having to return two to the grocerystore as they were completely uneatable. I figure at CHF2.50 an avocado, you should have something good to show for it!
And for those vegetarians out there, quinoa is a great hidden secret, a fab grain-like, pseudo cereal, which are actually edible seeds. It comes in red or white, and is a great source of protein, while being gluten-free and easy to digest. What more could you ask for!
Also I just received a note from Michelle of Bleeding Espresso Blog who is hosting a great food contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, called O Foods, so take a look HERE!!!
