Baked mushrooms stuffed with ricotta

This is funny -  when I was 12 a doctor wrongly told my parents that I was allergic to mushrooms because of which I did not get a chance to try mushroom until much later in my life. Undoubtedly when I did try it - I fell in love with it completely and do like it any many forms. This baked mushroom and ricotta recipe is one of my favourites - an old classic we've all tried at some point. I used big wild mushrooms but you can use any kind.. Small Portobello or field mushrooms will work well too. You can serve this as a starter or as little antipasti munchies.

Ingredients:

100g good crumbly ricotta cheese
zest of 1 lemon
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (to taste)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano or marjoram leaves
a good handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
4   mushrooms, brushed clean
extra virgin olive oil
a handful of rocket or soft leafy herbs

 

Preheat your oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7. Put your ricotta into a bowl with the lemon zest, chilli and a little salt and pepper. Beat together with a wooden spoon, then fold in your chopped oregano and the Parmesan.

Carefully remove the stalks from your mushrooms and discard them (or keep them for making a pasta sauce), then toss the mushroom caps in a little oil, salt and pepper. Lay them upside down on a baking tray so that they can be filled with the fantastic ricotta mixture. Carefully spoon in the filling, sprinkle a little Parmesan over the top and bake in the preheated oven till golden –about 15 minutes. Great served on a big plate, sprinkled with some dressed rocket leaves or soft leafy herbs.

 

I ate mine with some wild rice and a green spinach salad!!

Avocado, Red Onion & Orange Salad

 This is a nice salad for winter and a good opener for a heavy meal.

Serves: 2

For the salad, combine:

• 1 small head lettuce, torn
• 1 orange, segmented
• 1 avocado, cubed
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 finely chopped red onion

For the dressing, mix:

• 1 tbsp. orange juice
• ½ tsp. orange zest
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. walnut oil
• plenty of ground pepper

 

Corn Tortilla, scrambled eggs, mushroom, tomatoes, capsicum with paprika and parmesan cheese

6 yeas ago when I was in Italy - I was served this dish for breakfast in a small  family run cafe in a small village called Bartolommeo - this recipe just takes scrambled eggs to a whole new level and the parmesan cheese give it its unique flavour - a perfect breakfast to start your weekend.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 large organic eggs - ( I am greedy so it has to be large)

1 corn tortilla cut into thin strips

2table spoon of good quality olive oil

2-3 cubes of butter

Handful of chopped spring onion

4-5 diced wild mushroom

Half pepper - thinly sliced

1 red or green chilli finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Finely chopped herbs of your choice.

1 tsp of paprika

Remember you can use any vegetable or even diced chicken if you like.

 

In a large pan put 1 tsp of olive oil and fry the strips of tortilla until they are crisp and lightly golden brown - keep aside

Then put in the remaining oil and butter and add the chillies followed by the vegetables and saute for -2-3 mins

Now add the fried tortilla back in the pan with the vegetables followed by the two beaten mix and fold lightly to get to a creme scrambles egg consistency

Season with salt and pepper

 

Serve with loads of grated parmesan cheese and finely chopped herbs of your choice I used basil.

Indian Flat Breads (Puri)

Oh!!! I love puris- decided not to go to the gym last night and instead treated myself to delicious traditional Indian meal - Roasted Egg Plant, cabbage and peas , raita, pickled onion and home made puris.

 

What you need to make the puris

 

4-5 cups of whole meal flour

1-2 cups of water

1 tsp of salt

Oil for frying

A rolling pin

and lots of patience

 

 

To make the dough take a large bowl add the flour, water and salt and knead until it forms a tight douch - you will have to use your own judgement and add or water or flour as you go.

 

Once the dough is ready tear them into small balls and roll them out with rolling pin and fry them in very hot oil for 2 seconds on each side.

 

Make sure the oil is very hot or else your puris will be very greasy.

 

Serve them hot.

 

Nice!!

Traditional Scones - with real butter and blueberry Jam -

Now I hate Mondays - and I am sure all of you do - if you don't then you are so lucky. Well to beat my Monday blues I decided to make scones and enjoy it with a nice cup of tea while watching Come Dine with me- oh I do love that programme. This recipe is from my landlady - with whom I had shared a horrible house for 6 months in Glasgow ( spooky ) though her scone recipe is perfect.

I know I know this is not something you eat late at night after dinner - but I did - so what I liked it and it made me happy :-)

So here is the recipe -

• 225g plain flour
• 2 tsp 
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 30g caster sugar
• 55g butter
• 55g raisins or sultanas (optional)
• 150ml milk

1. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar in a bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the raisins or sultanas, if using.
2. Bit by bit, add 150ml milk until you have a firm dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface. Pat the dough into a circle about 1 1/2 cm thick and cut out the scones.
3. Put onto a non-stick baking sheet and brush the tops with milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve with butter, or jam and cream.

Honey Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Making the best use of Autumn Pumpkins here is one more of my many favourite recipes - perfect - enjoyed this last night curling up on the sofa watching Eastenders!!

• 1kg/21⁄2lb fresh pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 50ml/2fl oz runny honey
• 75ml/3fl oz olive oil
• 500g/11⁄4lb onions, peeled and diced
• 4 bay leaves
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, stalks removed
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 450ml/16fl oz hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 1⁄2 ltr/18fl oz double cream
• Salt and freshly ground
• black pepper
• Crème fraîche to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Put the pumpkin in a roasting tin and coat with the honey. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the pumpkin has softened and caramelised.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, bay leaves, fresh thyme and white wine vinegar and sweat gently for about 5-6 minutes, or until the onions have softened.

Add the roasted pumpkin to the onions, then add the vegetable or chicken stock and bring almost to boiling point. Simmer steadily for about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then stir in the double cream and bring the soup to the boil.

Once the soup has boiled, remove it from the heat and whizz in a blender or food processor.

Pass through a sieve or strainer then check and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To serve, reheat the pumpkin soup in a clean pan, then ladle into warm bowls and top with a dollop of crème fraîche. Serve either on its own or with fresh crusty French bread.

Pea and Mint Salad with feta

The other day I was in a small pub in Glasgow and they served this delicious salad with a caralamised onion tart, I requested for the recipe and the chef obliged. Last night I made it myself and it was delicious. Here it is try it!!  The chef had used roman pecorino ,I used feta cheese instead of the pecorino. If you can't find fresh peas, use frozen thawed green peas.

• 2  cups  water
• 1  cup  shelled green peas
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh mint
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2  cup  crumbled feta

Preparation

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Drain and plunge peas into ice water; drain.
Combine peas, and mint in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss well. Add the feta. Serve immediately.

Lentil Patty

Lentils - This weekend I had this sudden urge to have a traditional Indian meal - rice, dal and a potato curry - but unfortunately I had only a tiny portion of lentils in my cupboard. So I though I will use the lentil to make these delicious patty and have them with home made chapattis and chutney - nice!!

• 2 cups cooked lentils, well drained and not too soft
• 3 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 mashed potatoes (seasoned)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable butter
• Scant½ teaspoon sage or sweet marjoram

1. Put onion, and vegetable butter into a small pan, and let simmer for a few minutes over heat to soften the onion, but do not brown.
2. Add the cooked and drained lentils, shake together, and mix with the mashed potato.
3. Form into small, round patty cakes, and brown lightly in a quick oven or in an oiled skillet.

Red Raosted Pepper Humous

Chick Peas!!! - love it in any form - chole bharure, chole chat or as Humous. I like to serve this humous as a dipping, or spread it over toast or simply eat spoonfuls. This is quick recipe - delicious served with pakoras as well. It literally takes 5 minutes make.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can chick pea, drained
• 1/3 cup tahini - if you do not have this it is fine
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 roasted red peppers
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Directions

1. In an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve. Garnish it with some pumkin seeds, paprika and extra vigin oilve oil !!

Honey Glazed Pumkin (kumra) wedges with cheese

I love the Autumn season nature gives us a spectacular show of colour and richness to enjoy before we are plunged in to winter.. Yes the days get shorter and colder but some of my favourite colours appear in Autumn. Love the trees with their beautiful orange and red leaves and I simply can't resist all the glistening techno orange coloured pumpkin which floods the supermarkets reminding us about Halloween. Last night I bought my first Pumpkin and made these wedges with honey and cheese. I love the texture of pumpkin and its creamy sweetness. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

 

1 pumpkin, cut into wedges, seeds removed

100 ml honey

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove of finely chopped garlic

1 red chilli finely chopped

1/2 cup of grated cheese

2 tbsp sesame seeds  

salt and pepper, to taste

 

Place the pumpkin wedges on a double layer of foil, drizzle on the honey and the oil, season to taste and sprinkle on the sesame seeds.

Bring the edges of the foil together and scrunch up a bit.

Place it in a hot pre-heated over at 180degrees and cook for 20-30 minutes.

 

Take it out and grate some cheese and grill it for another 2-3 minutes and serve as a side.

Baigan Bharta ( Roasted Egg plant and potato mash) - Spicy!!

Eggplant / Aubergine is one of my favourite vegetables. I know many of you will raise and eyebrow but how can you not love this beautiful purple balloon. Cook the aubergine like I explain below and I promise you -will fall in love with it. Smoky, tangy, spicy and absolutely delicious served with rice, or as a dip with some corn chips or as a filling in a pita bread.

2 medium size aubergine

1 large onion finely chopped

4-5 boiled potatoes - mashed

1 large tomatoes chopped

4 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

big chunk of ginger finely chopped

1 green chilli split in half

lots of freshly chopped coriander

2 table spoon of oil

1 tsp of cumin seeds

salt and pepper

2tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp of garam masala

1 tsp of chilli powder

1 tsp of mango powder  ( it is also called amchur )

Freshly squeezed juice from a lime

1 tsp of tamarind paste - not essential but does bring out the flavour

 

Method:

 

Cut the aubergines into halves and roast in a hot over for 40-45 mins after smothering it with oil and some salt.

Once the aubergine is ready peel away the black smoked skin and scoop out the cooked flesh, use some of the charred skin as it adds a nice smoky flavour.

In a large pan, put the oil add the cumin seeds followed by the green chillies, ginger , onion and garlic. Saute until brown and add in all the spices and cook for 10 mis or so.

Now add the tomatoes and cook the masala for 10-15 minutes until the oil starts appearing at the sides of the pan ( it is important that you be patient for the macula to be ready as this is what gives this dish its smoky spicy flavour.

 

Once the masala is cooked add the boiled potatoes and the cooked flesh from the roasted aubergine and mash it all up together mixing rigorously disintegrating everything into a pulp like consistency. now add the tamarind paste and the lemon juice. Mix it all up and garnish it with lots of freshly chopped corriander.

Strawberry Daiquiri

I will not call my self an alcohol loving person but I do not say no to an occasional drink or two. Well, in my kitchen cupboard last night I came across this old bottle of Rum which I normally use while making desserts. Yesterday was a tiring day and so I thought it will be nice to have a drink, and I decided to use the bottle of Rum to make this delicious cocktail. Now cocktail on a Monday night is not be missed!! This cocktail is very easy to make and believe me does make you a bit tipsy - at least I felt merry as I said before I am not a big drinker so a little goes a long way for me. lol

 

 

 

 

8-10 ripe strawberries

1 freshly squeezed lime

2/3 of a mug if white rum

2 table spoons of icing sugar

1 table spoon of orange liqueur

crushed ice

Put all the ingredients expect the ice in a jug - puree it with a hand blender until smooth

Fill cocktail glasses with crushed and ice and serve chilled

Roasted Salmon Steak with spicy roasted potatoes and sauted broccoli in 20 mins (vegetarians can use paneer)

I love fish and could eat it everyday. There is nothing nicer than coming back from work and knowing that you can have a nice hot dinner in 20 minutes without having a sink full of dirty dishes. This dish needs a bit of preparation in advance ( nothing major) just a bit of organisation. I promise you - try this recipe and you will love me for it.

What you need -

Salmon Steaks

8-9 Pre boiled Salad Potatoes

Broccoli or any other green you may fancy

For the marinate you need - 3 table spoon of Greek yogurt, salt , pepper, 3 table spoon of Tika masala, lemon juice

For spicing the potatoes you need - 2 tsp of curry powder, salt, 1/2 tsp of garam masala and 3 table spoon of olive oil

Leave the salmon steak to marinate either overnight or the morning before going to work - cover it up with a foil and leave it in the refrigerator

When I come back from work - I pre heat the over at 180 degrees and while the over is heating, I mix the spices and oil with the potatoes and add it to a roasting tin.

The roasting tin with the potatoes and the fish go in the oven for 20 minutes and while they are cooking I microwave my broccoli and sauté them with some butter and garlic.

In 20 mins my dinner is ready - and I eat with lots of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.

Vegetarians can use panner instean of fish it is equally tasty.

Mixed Veg Pakoras

 
Now there is nothing better than delicious crispy pakoras with lots of lime and mint chutney and a nice cup of tea. On Saturday I got all the vegetables that were left in the refrigerator out and made these delicious pakoras.


I had 2 boiled potatoes, 3 red onion, half a cabbage and 6 mushrooms.
2 cups of gram flour ( called besan in hindi) - this is what makes the delicious batter
2 table spoon of semolina
lots of chopped corriander
1 tsp of whole cumin seeds
1 tsp of mustard powder
1 tsp of chilli powder
1 tsp of tumeric
salt to taste
1/2 cup of water
deep frying oil
chat masala to finish them off ( easily available in all supermarkets)

Mix all the ingredients - it should form a nice thick sticky consistency
Use a large pan and fill it with 3-4 inches of oil enough to deep fry
Make sure the oil is really hot and then add 4-5 pakoras at a time and cook it on a low-medium flame for 5-6 minutes turning them over once to let it cook evenly.

Once cooked place them on a paper kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil- sprinkle some chat masala and squeeze plenty of lemon juice and serve along with some mint chutney and hot tea!!

Wild Mushrrom and Red Wine Rissotto

There was half a bottle of red wine left from last week and I found this recipe in a student cook book. I gave it a shot and it was delicious. Try it!!

Ingredients

1. 5 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1 small onion, finely chopped
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 1 1/2 cups arborio rice (10 ounces)
6. 1/2 cup dry red wine
7. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8. 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, thinly sliced
9. 1 shallot, minced
10. 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
11. 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
12. King prawns (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Keep warm.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring until the wine is absorbed. Add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until it is nearly absorbed between additions. The risotto is done when the rice is al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 20 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Meawhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Scrape the mushrooms into the risotto and stir in the cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.
4. I added king prawns sauted in butter and garlic at the end as well.

Curried cabbage and peas

My home made chaapathi

Chapati, Raita, Green Chilli Pickle and curried cabbage and peas

Curried Cabbage and Peas

Raita with Radish, cucumber and onions

This is a very traditional dish which is made in almost every Indian Maru ( are people who originate from Rajasthan) household. I had mine with home made chapatti, raita and chilli pickle. My European friends like it as a side with grilled chicken breast and some salad. It is delicious as a stuffing in a pitta bread too. Use your imagination.

1/2 cabbage chopped into this strands

1 cup of frozen peas

1 table spoon of vegetable oil

a chunk of fresh ginger grated

1/2 green chill ( fresh)

2 tsp of whole cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

3 tsp of curry powder

salt to taste

half a lime or lemon

Take a large pan and add the oil

Once hot add the bay leaf , cumin seeds followed by the ginger and green chillies

Followed by the cabbage

Now add the salt and the curry powder and cover the pan on a low heat and let it cook for 15-20 minutes

There after add the peas and squeeze the lime juice and give it a good mix cooking it for a further 5 mins

That is it - Ready to serve

I hope this is good enough for people who were asking me for traditional Indian recipes.