A couple of final summer salads.......

As the leaves are changing colour - the evenings are getting darker - we are heading for the last couple of weekends of BBQ's  - other than our southern hemisphere friends, who will be BBQing and brai-ing in the rain for some time to come...
These two salads were included by Nigel Barden in a recent recipe for a lamb burger - and he credited them to Peter Gordon.
Both take ingredients that we use all the time - but add a twist - and both were great. I think they would be a great addition to any BBQ, or any grilled meats.

Beef Tomato and Mint

Obviously I have to stress the simplicity of this one - it is not reinventing the wheel, but I am not sure I have had these flavours together before, and it really works.

I made this a bit ahead  of time which allowed th flavours to develop.

2 beefsteak tomatoes - thinly sliced

6 -10 mint leaves 

drizzle olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

1 Arrange the thinly sliced tomatoes on a plate 

2 Sprinkle over the mint leaves

3 Drizzle with olive oil

4 Season generously with sea salt and pepper 

Feta and Avocado

1 avocado

1 lime

2 tbsp mayonaise

1 tsp dijon mustard

50g feta cheese (use more if a larger avo) - crumbled

1 Remove the flesh from the avocado - and put in a large bowl

2 Add 1/4 teaspoon of grated lime zest, and 2 tsp lime juice

3 Mash together

4 Mix in the mayonaise, mustard, and lastly the crumbled feta

This really was sensational. The avo I had was quite large  - so I think the recipe could have taken more of the feta.

Both of these are well worth a try - are simple, and can be made ahead of time. Let's just hope we get the weather to enjoy them!

Carnival Del Kerb @ The Paperworks SE1

The Kerb team have been taking some of their street food experts to Elephant and Castle on Friday nights in August and September. The last one is next week - so drop everything and get along!
In a collaboartion with the people from Corsica Studios the Kerb Team have taken over a derelict site on Newington Causeway. From the outside it doesn't promise much....

But once you get inside that all changes.

Kerb have 3 bars and 12 street food traders , and some great DJs. The vibe was brilliant - really relaxed - good music  - and a really great venue, with great facilities.

A really mixed crowd made for a great night. Kerb have some of their tried and tested favourites, and a few of their newer 'signings'. 

We tried wood fired pizza from the back of a specially converted Land Rover 

We managed a couple of others before we were defeated. Bill or Beak (http://billorbeak.co.uk/) - serving shredded pork and duck with vietnamese style dressing in brioche buns - which was great - really zingy dressing and generous filling -but the favourite on the night was an original burger from the people at Tongue 'n Cheek (http://www.tonguencheek.info/). It is probably the best burger I have ever had (sorry Blas)  - just SO meaty.

So if you are free next Friday it really is well worth a visit. Good venue, nice crowd, great music, and some of the best street food around!

Weeping Harissa Lamb with Boulangere Potatoes

As the weather has turned a bit colder and damper - it seems a good time for a warming roast.

This is an amalgamation of a few of my favourite things, and I think it works really well.

The finished dish does have a bit of heat - nothing too spicy - but a background of heat from the harissa.

The juices from the lamb, and some of the harissa, weep into the potatoes, making for a really rich dish. You will see that no fat is added to the potatoes when the dish is assembled.

All the work is done at the beginning - so its a good dish to do if you are entertaining.

I would serve with something green - just to cut through - as the lamb and the potatoes are quite rich.

I marinated the lamb for a few hours in the harissa - but this probably isn't essential.

For the potatoes it is definitely best to use a mandolin - remember to use the guard!!

1 leg of lamb (2.5 kg ish)

1/2 small can harissa paste 

4 large potatoes - peeled and sliced thinly (use a mandolin)

3 large onions - sliced thinly 

salt and pepper

500 ml chicken stock

1 Make some fine cuts in the leg of lamb. Rub the harissa all over the lamb, and leave to marinate for a couple of hours (if possible)

2 Preheat the oven to 200c.

3 Layer the potatoes and onions in an oven proof dish - which has to be about the same size as the leg of lamb. Season each layer generously with salt and pepper, and finish with a layer of potatoes.

4 Pour over the stock and press down lightly.

5 Put the potatoes in the bottom of the oven, and place the lamb on a small wire rack on the shelf above so that any juices from the lamb will weep into the potatoes. (keeping the lamb on a small rack makes it easier to handle)

6 Leave to roast for 1 1/2 hours. Every half hour press the potatoes down into the cooking liquid.

7 Remove the lamb when cooked to your liking, and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes before carving.

Chilli con Pollo

Okay don't blame me for the name - I am not sure it would be deemed correct - but this is a dish that is very like chilli con carne - but made with chicken. It uses up loads from the store cupboard - and can be bulked out just by adding more beans. You can use any mix of beans, pinto beans, borlotti etc
 It can be eaten on its own, with bread or rice.
When the original recipe was passed to me it was served with an avocado and red onion salsa - but I didn't think much of it!
A great midweek dish - and once you have the spices you can make again and again. The pickled jalapenos add a really nice heat - and you can adjust these to your taste - and serve some on the side for those who want extra heat.

Serves 6

1 large onion - chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic - crushed
1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapenos (these come in jars) - add more if you like it spicy - or serve additional alongside
6 skinless chicken thigh fillets  - cut into bite size pieces

1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp peri peri powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano

1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can black beans / black eyed (drained)
1 can kidney beans (drained)
1 can sweetcorn kernels (drained)
250 ml chicken stock
1 small bunch of fresh coriander - chopped

1 Heat a large pot and add some vegetable oil
2 Add the onion and jalapenos, and cook until the onion is going translucent
3 Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn
4 Add the chicken, spread out across the bottom of the pan and cook until all of the chicken has taken on some colour
5 While this is happening I put all the dry spices together in a ramekin. Onceth chicken reaches the required point add all of the dry spices to the pot.
6 Stir the ingredients to make sue everything is thoroughly mixed. Scrape the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking.
7 Once everything is coated add the tomatoes, beans, sweetcorn and stock.
8 Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for at least 20 mins.
9 Add the chopped coriander, stir and cook fo a further minute - then serve

Prawn Biryani

Now - I know before I write this - that this may not be an authentic biryani - that everyone will have a particular family favourite way of making biryani, and that your mother would not make it like this etc etc.....

This recipe is another of Mira's - and makes a really flavourful biryani - and it is pretty straightforward - so its a winner!

I made it with king prawns - these could easily be substituted for chicken. The chillis are added to taste - I use 3 in my recipe - which gives a good level of heat with every mouthful.

Serves 4

1 large onion, sliced
50g cashew nuts (or more)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cinammon stick
3 cloves
1 tbsp cumin seeds
pinch saffron
300g basmati rice
800 ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
3 chillis - sliced
350g king prawns (frozen) or chicken
300g peas (frozen)

1 Heat the oil and temper the cinammon stick, cloves and cumin seeds until they begin to pop
2 Add the onions and continue to cook on a high heat - you want the onions to take on quite a bit of colour. Cook until they are going brown
3 Add the cashews and cook for a minute
4 Add the prawns, garlic, ginger, tumeric and chillis.
5 Cook for 5 minutes - until the prawns (if raw - or chicken - if using) are almost cooked.
6 Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil and spices
7 Add the stock (the measurement should be twice as much stock to dry rice)
8 Add the saffron, additional salt if needed, cover, and cook until the water has gone.
9 Rest for a few minutes, and serve.

Roasted Veg with Halloumi

This recipe is from one of those cards that they have in Waitrose. I love halloumi - it always reminds me of being on holiday, and it cooks really well - keeping a good texture, not melting away.

This is such a simple recipe I haven't added to it. It makes a great meat free meal - or a side dish for something more substanstial!

Serves 4
500g new potatoes - halved length ways
3 mixed peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
25g pack of basil - stalks removed
1 Lemon - zest 1/2
125g cherry tomatoes - halved
1/2 250g pack of halloumi (waitrose suggested Waitrose Cypriot Light Halloumi)

1 Preheat oven to 200c.
2 Blanch the potatoes in boiling water for 5 mins - drain and tip into a large baking tray
3 Slice the peppers and scatter over the potatoes
4 Place the olive oil, basil leaves, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice into a small blender and blend until coarsely chopped. Pour over the vegetable and toss to coat.

5 Roast for 20 minutes.

6 Turn the heat up to 220c. Add the halved tomatoes and sliced halloumi and roast for a further 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown.

7 Serve straightaway

Hopefully bringing back memories of the Med........

Marinated roast quails with spiced yoghurt

This is based on a Lucas Hollweg recipe from the Sunday Times last year -I kept the recipe as I had never cooked quail - and it looked so good.

There is somthing about quail that seems decadent - and they look great cooked - but I am sure this recipe would work just as well with some a bit more workaday - I think it would be great with drum sticks.

Serves 4

150 ml olive oil

4 garlic cloves- crushed

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Juice of 2 lemons

salt 

8 quails

350 ml greek yoghurt

1 pack corinader leaves 

splash of milk

1 Mix together the oil, garlic and spices with the juice of 1 lemon and salt

2 Put 3/4 of the mixture in a bowl large enough to hold the quails, add the birds, and mix everything together

3 Cover and leave for at least 1 hour

4 Add the rest of the oil mixture to the yoghurst, together with chopped coriander. Add the lemon juice, and thin with  little milk, if needed.

5 Leave in the fridge.

6 Preheat the oven to 220c

7 Remove the quail from the marinade, giving them a last coating, and pin the legs together with a cocktail stick

8 Arrange on baking trays, making sure to leave a bit of space between them. (At this point they look like they are sunbathing - which was a bit off putting....)

9 Sprinkle generously with seasalt and put in the over for 25-30 minutes, or until the skin is puffed and crisp.

10 Serve together with the yoghurt - its a bit of a messy eat - but well worth it!