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.