Black Olive Dip

It’s another warm weekend here in London. Keeping food light, healthy and not too heavy is the way to go.

Ingredients:

• 12 pitted black olives
• 2 tbsp natural Greek yogurt
• 215g butter beans, drained
• 1 tsp water
• 3 basil leaves
• 1 dsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

1. Using a food processor, blitz all ingredients together until smooth. Serve with some dried oregano a drizzle of olive oil and a few olives.

Enjoy ☺️

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Baked Aubergine with Halloumi & Tomato

There’s nothing better than veggies that are in season! The colour, the taste and texture wakes up your senses and wonders how something can look and taste so good. This recipe celebrates two incredible ingredients that are in season at the mo – aubergine and tomato. Roasting the aubergine whole brings the flavours out best – the insides slowly steaming in its own juices. If you aren’t lucky enough to have your own tomato vines at home, I would: 1) 100% recommend you try next year and 2) go out of your way to buy the freshest and best ones you can get your hands on. Paired with the salty Halloumi this dish is quintessential summer; you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients:

• 1 aubergine
• 170g halloumi, patted dry with a kitchen towel and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 100ml water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 sweet on the vine tomatoes
• 1 dsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 dried oregano
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• Chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190 or Gas Mark 6.
2. Using a knife, pierce several holes in the aubergine. Place on a baking tray in the centre of the oven and leave to cook for 40-45 minutes or until tender. Once cooked remove from the oven, scoop out the tender aubergine and discard the skin and leave to one side.
3. In a frying pan, start by cooking the garlic in the olive oil for a couple minutes on medium heat.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the juices start to release.
5. Add all the seasonings and the tomato puree and cook for a minute, stirring occasionally.
6. Add in the shredded aubergine and mix well.
7. Pour in the water, mix and leave to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and thickened.
8. Using a separate pan, fry the halloumi on both sides until lightly browned- golden.
9. Upon serving, add the lemon to the aubergine mix and stir. Then assemble your dish with the halloumi on top and a sprinkling of chilli flakes (optional).

Enjoy 🙂

Sunshine Raspberry & Lemon Gin

Now I can’t speak for all you lovely readers but here in the UK the weather has been something rather special. It’s actually hot and so far we are experiencing summery weather which certainly makes a change for the typically English weather we tend to experience. I know many this weekend shall be flocking to the coast and enjoying the lovely seaside, some will having a barbecue in their gardens or a friends garden… some may just want to find anywhere that’s moderately cool just to keep themselves from overheating… aka burning!

Anyways, there’s me rambling on about the weather, how very English of me… let’s get to the good stuff, this weeks recipe. An absolute delectable treat that will certainly cool you down in these warmer temperatures. Fantastic to share with friends or even if you’re just chilling with a book and fancy a little refresher.

Ingredients:

• 50g Raspberries
• 15ml Gordon’s Sicilian lemon gin
• 150ml lemonade
• Ice

Method:

1. Start by blending the raspberries in a food processor until smooth (leave a couple raspberries aside for decoration- optional).
2. Then, in the glass of choice fill with ice cubes.
3. Take two teaspoons of the blended raspberries and add to the glass.
4. Add the gin, followed by the lemonade and give it a good mix. Finally place any remaining whole raspberries on top (optional) and enjoy 🙂

Borlotti Bean Curry

That’s right guys, you read correctly bortlotti bean curry, tasty, full of flavour and a little summin different to indulge in during the week or at the weekend.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (400g) borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
• 1 large vine tomato, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp onion granules
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 ground cumin
• 120ml water
• Salt
• Natural yogurt (optional)

Method:

1. On medium heat start by heating the beans and the bay leaves for a couple of minutes.
2. Then add the oil, garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the tomato, all the seasonings including the salt and cook for a further 2 minutes.
4. Put in the puree and fry for a minute, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour in the water and leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes and then serve.
   Optional: upon serving add a spoonful of natural yogurt for added creaminess and to balance the spiciness.

Best served hot with some rice and poppadoms 🙂

Foul Muddammas

I know I have previously mentioned Foul Muddammas or Fava Beans as more commonly known here in the UK. A fantastically versatile legume that can stand up in its own right or can be added to anything if you fancy a hit of protein or fibre. This dish keeps the beans the star of the show with the shallots and chilli adding a satisfying warmness.

Ingredients:

• 1 can fava beans (foul mudamas, drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 chilli, finely chopped
• 1 dsp lemon juice
• 1 large on the vine tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 handful parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200ml water

Method:

1. In a pan on medium-high heat add the beans and the water and bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Add the cumin, stir, leave for a minute and then switch off the heat.
3. Then add the shallot, garlic and chilli, mix and leave for 2 minutes.
4. Upon serving add the tomato, parsley and drizzle over the lemon and olive oil.

Enjoy 🙂