recipe book - The Hidden Gardens

RECIPE BOOK
July-September 2015
WEEK ONE: ITALIAN
Minestrone soup
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 carrots cut into 1cm dice
1 potato, cut into 2cm dice
200g of tinned chopped tomatoes (optional)
2 sticks of celery cut into 1cm dice
Seasonal vegetables of your choice (1 courgette, diced, handful of fresh peas or broad
beans, half a head of fennel, diced, 3 large leaves of cavolo nero, shredded or ANY
vegetable in your fridge)
1.5litres vegetable stock
100g cooked and drained borlotti or broad beans
100g risotto rice or risoni or tiny pasta shapes
Grated parmesan and a few basil leaves, to serve
Method
 Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and add the onion and garlic.
 Soften over a medium heat for 5 minutes, without allowing them to colour, then add
the carrots and soften. Repeat with the celery.
 Add the rest of the seasonal vegetables in order of cooking time (courgette and fennel will take longer than peas or fresh beans for example) and allow to soften
slightly – they don't need to cook through at this point. Stir in the potato.
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 Add the stock, the borlotti bean and rice. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat
and simmer for about 15 minutes until the potato and rice are cooked. Season to
taste.
 Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a grating of parmesan and some torn basil leaves.
(If you make this ahead of time, you'll find the rice swells to absorb much of the
liquid, so it's best to make it without the rice, and then add it when you reheat it.
Alternatively, you can loosen it with more stock.)
WEEK ONE: Piadina (Italian flatbread)
Ingredients
400g plain flour
A pinch of salt
10g dried yeast
40g butter or lard roughly cut into small pieces
225g water
Method
 Place flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the
butter.
 Gradually pour in the water and mix with your hands until you get a smooth dough.
Shape in to a ball and knead for five minutes. Leave to rise until doubled in size.
 Knead the dough for a few minutes, then divide into 8 portions. Roll each portion out
into circles approximately 1mm thick.
 Heat a large frying pan, add one of the dough portions and cook for two minutes on
each side.
 Cover with cheese and rocket/herbs and fold in half.
WEEK TWO: INDIAN
Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
2 cups of dried chickpeas (soaked overnight in 5 cups of tea then cook until soft)
1 whole black cardamom
1 piece cinnamon
2 onions finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 inch piece of ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon toasted cumin
1 teaspoon garammasala
1 teaspoon anardana powder
2 green chillies finely chopped
6 curry leaves
1 small bunch coriander chopped
2 tablespoons oil
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Method
 Pour oil in a large pan.
 Once hot, add all the spices and toast them quickly.
 Add onions and cook gently till caramelised.
 Add curry leaves, and chillies mix well.
 Add chickpeas together with cooking liquid.
 Cook for 30 minutes on a medium heat.
 Add coriander just before serving.
Rogan Josh (lamb)
Ingredients
3 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
1 kg quality lamb shoulder, cut into big cubes
5 medium-sized red onions, halved
4 fresh red chillies, deseeded
1 tablespoon green cardamom pods
½ tablespoon whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
4 small dried red chillies
1 splash vegetable oil
2 teaspoons paprika
600 g tinned chopped tomatoes
Method
 Mix your ginger and garlic together. Put them in a bowl that's big enough to fit all the
cubed lamb in.
 Add the turmeric, yoghurt and black pepper to the bowl and mix together.
 Tip the lamb into the bowl and stir it around until it's well coated with the yoghurt
and spices.
 Cover and leave overnight in the fridge to marinate.
 Chop your onions and fresh red chillies and cook in a pan until very soft and brown.
 Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and coriander and a little water.
 Cook over a gentle heat for about 10 minutes.
 Add the tomatoes, the marinated lamb and half a pint of water, and stir well.
 When the curry comes to the boil add the salt, cover tightly with a lid and cook for
30 minutes.
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WEEK THREE: ITALIAN
Lasagne
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
½ large onion, peeled and grated
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 pinches dried oregano
300g minced beef
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
25g butter
25g flour
300ml milk
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of cinnamon
60g cheddar cheese, grated
30g parmesan cheese, gated
6 sheets of lasagne sheets
Method
 Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas mark 7.
 Heat the olive oil in a hot pan.
 In a frying pan with some olive oil add the onion and carrot and crush the garlic before frying together. Season with the bay leaf, a pinch of oregano, Worcestershire
sauce and a little salt and pepper.
 Allow the onion to soften before making a well in the centre of the pan. Place the
mince in the middle of the pan and stir to break it up.
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Add the tomato puree and allow to cook out for 30 seconds.
Continue until all the meat has browned nicely.
Add the wine and cook off the alcohol before adding the tomatoes.
Leave to simmer for a further 2-3 minutes.
To make the cheese sauce, first melt the butter in a saucepan.
Add the flour and using a wooden spoon, stir to form a paste.
Over a gentle heat add a third of the milk, whisking to prevent any lumps forming.
Add the rest of the milk a third at a time, whisking as you go.
Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of ground nutmeg.
Allow the sauce to cook out for another minute before adding the Cheddar cheese.
Stir and remove from the heat.
Place a layer of lasagne sheets at the bottom of the pan a baking sheet, spoon a
layer of the cheese sauce then a layer of the meat sauce and keep stacking for five
layers. (Break the sheets if necessary to avoid any overlapping).
 Add the final layer of pasta and use the spatula to pour over the remaining cheese
sauce.
 Finish with the grated Parmesan and sprinkle with another pinch of oregano. Add a
light seasoning of salt and pepper before cleaning the edges of the dish and placing
in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
WEEK THREE: Easy Margherita Pizza
Ingredients
For the Base
300g strong bread flour
1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
For the Tomato sauce
100ml passata
Handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
1 garlic clove, crushed
For the Topping
5
125g ball mozzarella, sliced
Handful grated or shaved parmesan
Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
To Finish
Handful basil leaves (optional)
Method
Make the base
 Put the flour into a large bowl, and then stir in the yeast and salt.
 Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil and bring together with a
wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough.
 Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth.
 Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but
it's not essential for a thin crust.
Make the sauce
 Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste.
 Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base.
Roll out the dough
 If you've let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls.
 On a floured surface, roll out the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using
a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven.
 Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.
Top and bake
 Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C /gas 8
 Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf.
 Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon.
 Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season.
 Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray.
 Bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp.
 Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using.
 Repeat step for remaining pizza.
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WEEK FOUR: SCOTTISH
Cullen Skink Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
300ml water
250g smoked haddock
250ml milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley or chives
Method
 Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add onion and fry gently until
transparent. Cook for about 5 minutes but do not allow to brown.
 Add potatoes and water and bring to boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
 Meanwhile in another pan, cover the haddock with the milk and cook gently for
about five minutes until just tender.
 Remove from the milk and, when cool enough to touch, flake gently into large
pieces, removing bones.
 Add milk and flaked fish to saucepan containing potatoes and other ingredients and
cook for a further 5 minutes.
 Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
 Serve with crusty bread and butter.
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WEEK FOUR: Potato Scones – Tattie Scones
Ingredients (makes 16)
500g potatoes – peeled and cut into small chunks
100g plain flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
50g butter or equivalent
Method
 Peel potatoes and cut into small chunks and boil until soft then mash with butter.
 Sieve flour and baking powder together and mix into potatoes with the salt.
 Divide dough into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a round (about size of small tea
plate) using your hands and a rolling pin on a floured surface.
 Cut the round into quarters and cook the potato scones on a lightly greased hot
girdle or frying Pan for 3 minutes each side.
(It is the Glaswegian habit to then fry the cooked potato scones in hot oil but this is not
necessary and they are nice eaten as they are or toasted)
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WEEK FIVE: SYRIAN
Falafel
Generally accepted to have first been made in Egypt falafel has become a dish eaten
throughout the Middle East. The Copts of Egypt claim to have first made the dish as a
replacement for meat during Lent. Falafel is a traditionally served in a pita, which acts as a
pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads,
pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may
also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a mezze. Falafels are now found
around the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food in Arab countries.
Ingredients
2x 400gram can of chickpeas beans.
1 small onion grated or very finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley finely chopped
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoons flour
Salt Pepper
Oil for frying
Method
 Drain chickpeas and combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Add flour.
 Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine
ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste.
 Refrigerate for 1-2 hours
 Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.
 Fry in oil until golden brown (2-3 minutes)
 Serve hot with sesame seeds and tahini
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WEEK FIVE: Baba Ganoush (Aubergine Dip)
Ingredients
2 large aubergines (700g in total)
2 garlic cloves
½ tsp fine salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
Large pinch ground cumin
Pinch ground white pepper
2 heaped tbsp yogurt (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Chopped dill parsley, to serve
Method
 Preheat the grill or oven to high.
 Prick the aubergines with a fork and grill them, turning occasionally, until the skin
blisters and blackens all over. When cool, peel off the skin.
 Leave the aubergine flesh in a colander for 15 minutes to drain off excess liquid.
 Pound the garlic and salt until smooth with a pestle and mortar.
 Place in large bowl and add the aubergine flesh, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, pepper
and yogurt, if using. Mash to a thick purée. Adjust the seasoning.
 Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with dill and serve.
WEEK FIVE: Basic Humus
Ingredients
400g/7oz canned chickpeas
2 tbsp lemon juice or more
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste) optional
4 tbsp water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp paprika
4 rounds of pitta bread
Method
 Drain the chickpeas and rinse. Reserve a few whole chick peas for serving.
 Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, tahini, and water in a food
processor, and blend to a creamy purée.
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 Add more lemon juice, garlic, cumin or salt to taste.
 Turn out into a dinner plate, and make smooth with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with
extra virgin olive oil and scatter with the reserved chickpeas.
 Sprinkle with paprika and serve with pita bread, warmed in a moderate oven for
three minutes, and cut into quarters.
WEEK SIX: IRISH
WEEK SIX: Irish Stew
Ingredients
1 tbsp sunflower oil
900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks
5 medium onions, sliced
5 carrots, sliced into chunks
3 bay leaves
Small bunch thyme
100g pearl barley
850ml lamb stock
6 medium potatoes cut into chunks
Small knob of butter
3 spring onions, finely sliced
Method
 Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
 Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and cook the lamb until brown. Remove the
lamb with a slotted spoon.
 Add the onions, carrots and herbs to the pan, then cook for about 5 minutes until
softened.
 Return the meat to the pan, stir in the pearl barley, pour over the stock, and then
bring to a simmer.
 Sit the chunks of potato on top of the stew, cover, then braise in the oven,
undisturbed, for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender.
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WEEK SIX: Colcannon
Ingredients
1.5kg potatoes
1 head of green cabbage or kale
1 cup milk
100g butter (divided into 3)
4-5 spring onions
Salt and pepper
Method
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Peel potatoes cut into chunks and cook till soft.
Thinly slice cabbage/kale and put in large pan.
Cover with boiling water and boil until just wilted.
Drain cabbage, squeeze extra moisture out and return to pan with 1/3 of butter.
When potatoes are cooked drain and return to pan with milk and butter and mash
thoroughly. Add cabbage and mix in well. Season with salt and pepper.
 Put in serving dish and make a well in centre and add final 1/3 of butter.
WEEK SIX: Champ
Ingredients
1.5kg potatoes
1 cup milk
1 bunch spring onions – finely chopped
50g butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
 Peel potatoes, cut into chunks and cook till soft. Drain and return to pan.
 Heat milk and spring onions in a pan.
 Mash potatoes, salt and butter together till smooth. Stir in milk and spring onion mixture.
 Season with black pepper and serve hot with extra butter.
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WEEK SIX: Irish Soda Farls
Ingredients
250g plain flour, plus more for kneading
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
250ml buttermilk (or 250ml milk with good squeeze of lemon added and left for
5minutes)
Method
 Preheat a heavy griddle or frying pan on a medium to low heat.
 Sieve flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda together into a bowl.
 Make a well in the centre and add the milk and mix together.
 Mix into a dough quickly using a wooden spoon or hands and knead very lightly on
a floured surface.
 Form into a flattened circle about 1 cm thick and cut into quarters with a floured
knife.
 Sprinkle a little flour over the base of the hot pan/griddle. Place the quarters onto
the hot griddle to form a circle again.
 Cook for 6-8 minutes on each side. Cover with tea towel till ready to serve. Serve
with butter (and jam if you like).
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WEEK SIX: Apple Crumble Cake
Ingredients
110g soft baking margarine or butter plus a little extra for greasing
150g soft light brown sugar
2 large free range eggs
210g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
300g peeled, cored and sliced cooking apple (Shouldn’t be more than one large one)
1-2 tbsp milk
For the crumble topping:
50g of sugar
80g of plain flour
50g of butter
Method
 Preheat the oven to 180°C, grease and line base of a 20cm cake tin.
 With an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale.
 Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until they are incorporated.
 Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together and fold into mixture until you
have a thick cake batter – add a couple of tbsp. milk if required.
 Stir through the apple and pour the batter into the cake tin. The batter will be thick,
so use a spatula to spread across the base of the tin.
 Cut butter into flour and rub in with fingertips till it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
 Stir in sugar.
 Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the batter.
 Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes
out clean.
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WEEK SEVEN: ASIAN
Teriyaki vegetable stir-fry
Ingredients (makes 4 servings)
Small bunch of broccoli
Handful of sugar snaps
1 medium zucchini cut into thumb size pieces
1 small aubergine chopped into bite size pieces
1 red pepper deseeded and sliced
2 red chillies trimmed and finely sliced
2 teaspoons garlic paste
8 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (homemade or shop bought)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
220grams bean sprouts
2 red onions thickly sliced
150grams Pak choi (halved or quartered)
½ teaspoon of sugar
2 spring onions cut diagonally
Rice or noodles to serve
Method
 In a wok over a medium heat the wok until very hot and almost smoking.
 Add the oil and vegetables except the pack choy and beanshoots and stir for about
5 minutes until golden brown.
 Add the garlic, chilli and teriyaki sauce and stir.
 Add the Pak choi and cook for a minute.
 Add the bean shoots and cook for a further minute.
 Make sure mixture does not stick to pan, if needed add a table spoon of water.
 Season with sugar and salt and serve on rice or noodles with a garnish of spring onions.
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WEEK SEVEN: Teriyaki sauce
Ingredients (makes about 125ml)
110grams of sugar
4 tablespoons of light soy sauce
2 tablespoon of sake (or mirin or rice vinegar)
1 teaspoon of dark sauce
Method
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Put sugar and light soy sauce in a pan and cook over a low heat until sugar has
dissolved.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add dark soy sauce and sake and allow to cool.
WEEK SEVEN: Vegetarian spring rolls
Ingredients
Vegetable oil for frying
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
Small bunch of spring onions
2 carrots
½ small white cabbage
1 pack of fine green beans
1 pack of beansprouts
2-3 handfuls of prawns (optional)
1 pack of spring roll pastries
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp cornflour and 2tbs water (if deep
frying)
Sweet soy sauce
Method
 Chop the carrots into the size of matchsticks and finely slice the spring onions,
green beans and cabbage.
 Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok on a medium heat add spring onions,
cabbage, green beans and carrots and fry for a few minutes but don't let the garlic
brown. Then drain in a colander and transfer to the bowl that holds the beans.
 Gently fry the bean sprouts for a few minutes and add to the other vegetables
 Open the pack of pastries and place them onto a plate using a damp cloth to cover
them - the pastries mustn't dry out.
 Take one pastry and place it on a board, and take a tablespoon of the vegetable
filling and place it near the end of the pastry that is closest to you, leaving a gap of
about an inch and a half all around. Try not to overfill the pastry or it might break
during cooking.
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 Fold the end of the pastry over the vegetables then fold in the left and right side of
the pastry.
 If you want to deep fry the spring rolls make a paste out of the corn flour and water
and place a little along the far edge of the pastry so that when you roll it up the end
is glued shut and won't open during frying.
 Roll the pastry tightly to form a tube shape.
 In a wok, heat up the vegetable oil, drop a small amount of pastry in and if it has
turned golden brown after 10 seconds you're ready to deep fry.
 Carefully place 3-4 spring rolls into the oil seam side down. Don't try to cook too
many at once or they'll stick together.
 After a minute turn the spring rolls over - once they've turned golden brown remove
them from the wok and place on some kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.
 Serve with sweet soy sauce and sweet chili sauce or allow to cool and transfer to
your freezer to enjoy later.
WEEK EIGHT: MEXICAN
Chicken Fajitas (serves 2)
Ingredients
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 whole red onion
1 chicken breast
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Tin mixed beans drained and rinsed
Cup of cooked rice drained
Olive oil
4 Tortilla bread
Sprinkle of cumin seeds
1 cup cooked rice
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1 lemon
1 bunch coriander
50 grams of feta cheese
Method
 Season chicken with smoked paprika and salt, place on a baking sheet cover and
gently beat with rolling pin till even and flat.
 Put two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and gently fry chicken. Do not turn them
over for at least 4 minutes.
 In a separate pan add two tablespoons of olive oil and add the drained beans.
 Don’t stir. Leave till they begin to pop then add a sprinkle of cumin seeds. Stir gently.
 Add rice and the juice of one lemon
WEEK EIGHT: Guacamole (serves 4)
Ingredients
1 ripe tomato
2 limes
2 small ripe avocados
¼ onion finely chopped
Good pinch of cumin
Pinch of smoked paprika
1 Serrano chilli or ½ green capsicum
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander
Salt to taste
Method
 Skin tomato by placing it in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain.
 Deseed and finely chop and set aside
 In a bowl add the chopped flesh of the avocados and lime juice and toss well.
 Add the onion, tomato, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli/pepper, coriander to the
avocados.
 Mix well. Serve in a large bowl with corn chips and sprinkle of more coriander
WEEK EIGHT: Salsa
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Jalapeño Salsa
Ingredients
1 onion very finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic very finely chopped or grated
5 tablespoons of roughly chopped pickled jalapeño chillies
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
Salt to taste
Method
 Add all the ingredients in a bowl, cover and chill in fridge
Salsa Cruda
Ingredients
7 ripe tomatoes finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 bunch coriander leaves roughly chopped
Pinch of sugar
4 Serrano chillies or 1 large green capsicum finely chopped
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
4 spring onions finely chopped
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of cinnamon
Salt to taste
Method
 Add all the ingredients in a bowl, cover and chill in fridge
Salsa sauce
Small bunch coriander
Two spring onions
One clove of garlic
Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 lime
1 smoked chilli
Method
 Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a sauce
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WEEK NINE: CARIBBEAN
Jerk Chicken and Rice and Peas
Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meat is marinated with a very hot
spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. Jerk seasoning principally relies upon two items:
allspice (called "pimento" in Jamaica) and other ingredients include cloves, cinnamon,
scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, and salt. The term jerk is said to come from the word
charqui, a Spanish term of Quechua origin for jerked or dried meat, which eventually became jerky in English. Jamaican jerk sauce is African as the origins can be traced back to
the pre-slavery days of the Coromantee hunters of West Africa. When the British invaded
Jamaica in 1655 the Spanish colonists fled, leaving behind a large number of African
slaves. Rather than be re-enslaved by the British, they escaped into Jamaica’s mountainous regions where they mixed in with the local Taínos.
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
4 spring onions
Small bunch fresh thyme
3 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tbsp runny honey
1 Scotch bonnet chilli seeded
Method
 Flatten chicken by cutting the breast into half lengthways, putting one piece
between two pieces of Clingfilm and flattening with a rolling pin.
 Mix all the ingredients together except the chicken to make a marinade.
 Marinate the chicken in half of the marinade mixture for 30 minutes or more.
 Add all the ingredients, including the remaining half of the marinade in an oven
proof dish and cook on high in the oven for 15-20 minutes
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WEEK NINE: Rice and peas
Ingredients
3 finely chopped spring onions
Olive oil
Cinnamon stick
300g rice (washed)
400ml stock
200ml coconut cream
Black beans tinned, drain and washed
Lime pieces (for garnish)
Method
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Gently fry spring onions in olive oil
Add rice and coat grains. Add stock, cinnamon stick and black beans
Halfway through the cooking add the coconut milk.
Keep lid on rice and once liquid is absorbed switch off heat and place the lid of the
pan over a tea towel over the rice
 Lime pieces to garnish
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WEEK NINE: Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked pearl barley
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
½ kilo okra, sliced
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 cup stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1½ cups crumbled feta cheese, optional
Method
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Cook barley according to package directions.
Heat oil in large pan over medium heat.
Add onion, and cook 5 minutes.
Add okra, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and garlic, and cook 3 minutes, or until tomatoes release their juices.
Stir in stock, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve vegetables over barley, and top with feta (if using).
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WEEK NINE: Roasted Bananas and pineapple with Jamaican Allspice
Ingredients
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. ground allspice
2 oz. butter, melted and cooled
4 large or 8 baby bananas
Vanilla ice cream to serve
Method
 Preheat oven to 425°F.
 Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
 Combine brown sugar, sugar, and allspice on large plate. Place butter in shallow
bowl.
 Halve large bananas lengthwise, then cut halves in half, or halve baby bananas
lengthwise.
 Coat banana pieces in melted butter, then in sugar mixture, then set cut-side down
on prepared baking sheet.
 Roast 10 minutes, or until sugar melts and turns to bubbly caramel sauce.
 Cool 5 minutes.
 Transfer bananas to plate, and scrape sauce into measuring cup with rubber
spatula.
 Scoop ice cream into bowls. Top each serving with 2 banana pieces, and drizzle
with caramel sauce.
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WEEK TEN: TURKISH
Yogurt Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups plain yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp ground cumin
Method
 Cut chicken breasts into chunks.
 Thread on to pre-soaked wooden skewers and place in a large glass dish.
 Combine yogurt, lemon juice and cumin.
 Spoon over skewered chicken.
 Cover and marinate for 1 hours, but preferably 2-4 hours
 Preheat grill.
 Place skewers on try and grill for 10 minutes or until cooked, turning once halfway
through.
WEEK TEN: Jewelled Couscous
Ingredients:
100 grams couscous
Water/stock or orange juice
Golden sultanas
Raisins
Pomegranate
Pumpkin seeds
Small bunch mint
Small bunch parsley
Salt and pepper
Method
 Place couscous in a bowl add same amount of boiling water and or a mixture of
stock or orange juice and let soak.
 When absorbed and soft add the rest of the ingredients and the seeds of the
pomegranate.
WEEK TEN: Greek salad
Ingredients
4 large vine tomatoes cut into irregular wedges
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, then roughly chopped
½ a red onion, thinly sliced
16 Kalamata olives
1 tsp dried oregano
85g feta cheese, cut into chunks
4 tbsp Greek extra virgin olive oil
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Method
 Mix everything together and let it sit for a few minutes before eating.
WEEK TEN: BAKLAVA
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups of mixed walnuts and pistachio nuts
1 cup sugar plus
1/2 cup honey
1cup butter
1 package, frozen filo dough, thawed
1cup water
Squeeze of lemon juice
2 teaspoons rosewater (might need more of less depending on the strength of the
rosewater)
Cinnamon
Method
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Preheat oven to 160 degrees
Combine 1/2 cup sugar and nuts in a bowl.
Grease bottom of 9x12 pan with butter.
Place two sheets of dough in the baking dish.
Brush dough with butter and repeat until you have 8 sheets buttered and stacked.
Spread about 1 cup of nut mixture over the last layer of dough.
Place two sheets of filo and brush with butter. Continue until filo is finished.
Cook for 50 minutes or until golden brown
While the baklava is cooking make the syrup.
Combine 1 cup of sugar, lemon juice, and water and honey in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil, and allow to boil for 10 minutes.
Add rosewater and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat immediately. Allow to cool.
Once Baklava is browned, remove from oven and pour syrup over top of baklava
and allow to seep and saturate for 20 minutes.
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