Grilled Halloumi with Fresh Tomato and Mint, served on Pita

There are a few things in life that I really can’t stand, late buses, spitting in the street, exams, that sort of thing. The flavour of raw tomato is another... or so I thought. Ben will tell anyone who’ll listen that I’m one of the most pickiest girls in the world, but really I’m not that bad. I do, however, have very particular requirements on a number of things, coffee for example, and now, it would appear, raw tomatoes. Because, for the first time in forever I ate a raw tomato and didn’t screw my face up at it. Brilliant. Well not quite, the special requirement is that it’s a firm, bright red Greek tomato, preferably eaten next to a pool or by the beach. I had hoped that any old tomato would do, but like good coffee, the alternative really doesn’t come close. 

The tomato in this recipe, I’m sad to say, didn’t quite meet my exacting standards, but I’m pretty sure anyone normal would like it just fine, and placed alongside all the other ingredients this dish is a real treat, simple to make and gorgeously vibrant in colour. 

Serves One as a lunch, or Two as a starter

8 thick slices of Halloumi

half a firm tasty tomato, cut into 8 slices

2 tsp dried oregano

1-2 Pita breads

small handful of fresh mint leaves

a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

1. Place the halloumi slices onto a baking tray or griddle pan (depending on which you have) and sprinkle with oregano and a little olive oil. Grill, or griddle, until golden brown. 
2. To assemble, place a heated pita in the centre of the plate, and alternate the tomato and halloumi, creating a fan effect around the bread. 
3. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter with mint leaves. 

Courgette Balls with Feta Dip

A couple of weeks ago Mum and I visited the Greek island of Mykonos, for some long overdue rest and sun. I’ve been to plenty of the islands in the past, but I must say Mykonos is probably one of the most beautiful of the lot. It also boasts some excellent restaurants with innovative Greek style menus. Avli Tou Theodori on the beach of Platis Gialos is one such example, and is well worth a visit if you are lucky enough to find yourself in the area. We visited twice, Mum opting for the same starter and main course on both occasions, it was just that good.

Avli Tou Theodori

This recipe is my take on the Zucchini and Tomato Balls served with Fresh Oregano and Feta Cheese Dip, and although I may not have the heat, the beach and the Greek hospitality, the flavours of this dish go a small way to lightening up my little Brighton flat on this most dingy July day. 

Serves One as a light lunch, or two as a starter

-for the courgette balls-

half a courgette, grated, deseeded and strained of excess water

1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 spring onion, sliced

thumb sized chunk of feta, crumbled

1 egg, beaten

small handful of fresh mint, chopped

2 tbsp flour

salt and pepper to taste

oil, to fry

-for the dip-

a good wedge of feta, crumbled

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Combine the courgette, garlic, spring onion, feta, mint, salt and pepper, and flour in a large bowl, then add the egg and mix.
2. Form into three or four flattish balls, and sprinkle with a little extra flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the balls for about 3 minutes in each side until golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, make the feta dip by mixing the dip ingredients in a bowl and mashing everything together using a fork to create a smooth consistency. 
4. Serve the balls alongside the dip.

Herby Lamb Burgers with Beetroot Mayo and Goats Cheese

It seems beetroot is having a bit of a moment in my kitchen. Having not really incorporated it into recipes previously, the earthy flavour and vibrant colour of beetroot is sneaking in to salads, risottos and now burgers too. As with the Beetroot Risotto I made a few weeks back, here the beetroot mayonnaise is accompanied by goats cheese. Like lemon and meringue, pork and sage, lamb and rosemary, goats cheese and beetroot really do compliment one another perfectly, and in this instance they both compliment my lovely homemade herby lamb burgers perfectly too.

A bit more interesting then your regular ketchup or barbecue sauce accompaniment, a dollop of this beetroot mayonnaise on your burger tastes great and looks stunning too. Served with some spicy sweet potato wedges and you’ve got yourself one of the most colourful and pretty plates of food out there.

Serves 4

Pack of lamb mince, about 400g

1 red onion, half grated, half thinly sliced

handful roughly chopped mint

2 tsp dried oregano

a good glug of Lea and Perrins

salt and pepper

olive oil

3 tbsp low fat mayonnaise

2 cooked beetroot (from a vacuum pack), finely chopped

goats cheese (either a soft roll to spread or the kind with the hard skin to slice)

4 burger rolls, halved

salad leaves and fries to serve

1. Mix the lamb, grated onion, mint, oregano, lea and perrins and some salt and pepper in a bowl, and form into 4 burgers.
2. Prepare the beetroot mayo by mixing the beetroot and mayonnaise together in a bowl.
3. Heat a large frying pan until hot, rub the burgers with olive oil (as you would a steak) and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through.
4. To assemble the burgers, spread the goats cheese on to each inside of the burger rolls (or place slices on to the inside of the rolls), place the burger on the bottom half of the rolls, add a handful of salad leaves if you wish, then a dollop of beetroot mayo, and a few slices of onion. Top off with the top of the roll and serve. 

An Indian Feast

Last Bonfire Night, I hosted an Indian themed supper. Each guest brought a dish, and I made chutneys and onion bhajis. It went so well that I decided to recreate the feast again this week, but this time I made everything myself, including three curries, chutneys, raita, bhajis and naan bread. As you can imagine I was pretty exhausted after a good four hours of cooking - I think I chopped 12 onions, 12!!

All the recipes came from the wonderful BBC Food and Good Food websites, except for the main chicken tikka curry which is a Gordon Ramsay creation, originally found by my lovely friend Maddy. The best thing about these recipes is that they can all be made up ahead and reheated, saving time, energy and hob space later.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I doubled up the Chicken Tikka recipe to serve 6 people with leftovers. I started by making the sauce and blending it, then leaving it to one side, before reheating it just before serving and adding the browned chicken pieces which I allowed to infuse in the sauce for about 10 minutes or so. This curry has a good red colour, creamy texture and a deep flavour, with just a hint of spice that should appeal to even the most chilli fearing of friends.

Spiced Paneer and Tomato Curry

I’m a big fan of paneer, an Indian cheese similar to halloumi, and the Spiced Paneer and Tomato Curry I made was sympathetic to its delicate flavour. Again the spice level was more warming hint then blast.

Chickpea and Spinach Curry

The final curry I made was a Chickpea and Spinach number, Ben’s favourite, which made for a bit of colour on the table, and also could be described as healthy (mainly because it was green). I made the entirety of the curry up ahead, except for the addition of the spinach, which I added to the warmed sauce to wilt, about 15 minutes before serving.

The mix for the onion bhajis was again made up ahead, except for the flour, which was added to the onion, egg and spices just before frying. Once fried, I popped the bhajis in a Pyrex dish and placed them in the oven, on a low heat, to keep them warm until I was ready to serve.

Onion Bhajis, Raita and Naan

I can’t take all the credit for the feast though. Ben did make the Naan breads. He followed this Madhur Jaffery recipe, and cooked them on a slightly oiled pan on the hob rather then in the oven. They puffed up perfectly, and made for a sweet and fluffy accompaniment to the meal.

Alongside all this I served my trusty coriander chutney with the addition of a little natural yoghurt to create a smoother consistency, and cucumber and mint raita to cool everything down.

Phew, I’m exhausted just recounting it all to you here, but I’m pleased to say the meal went down very well, and six people managed to eat almost all of the different curries, which had been meant to make 16 portions!!

Paneer Kebabs

Remember the Muttar Paneer curry I made the other day? You should do, it tasted pretty great if I do say so myself. Well, I had a bit of left over cheese to use up and as Ben had gone to London I decided to make my self a romantic dinner for one.

After a quick scan of Google I saw that the majority of recipes where curry based, so I opted for a kebab option. After marinating the cheese, onions and peppers, I threaded the lot on to skewers and grilled for 10 minutes. The flavour was great, the paneer a blank canvas allowing the spices to really shine through, but the whole thing would have been a little bit dry if I had not made my Coriander Chutney to go along side it. Good with curries as well as making a great dip for poppodoms, the chutney takes under 5 minutes to make, and elevated this dish from good to great.

The Paneer Kebab recipe can be found here.

My Coriander Chutney recipe can be found here. 

Halloumi Salad with Beetroot and Lime Puree

I’ve been a rubbish cook this week, but I do have the excuse of two university exams. I’ve also been a pretty terrible blogger, it’s taken me a whole week to put up this fresh, vibrant salad that I made for my parents on an impromptu trip back home last week. Having a copy of Nigella Kitchen both at university and in Bath, I had a quick flick and this simple recipe immediately jumped out as a good starter option on a warm summers evening. A good choice when entertaining, the beetroot sauce can be made up ahead, so its just a case of frying the halloumi till golden on either side, and serving over salad leaves. The earthy beetroot flavour really compliments the halloumi, and the lime juice provides the right level of zing.

Slightly Adapted From Nigella Kitchen

Serves 2/3

1 packet of halloumi (approx. 225g)

2 small beets from a vacuum pack (or 150g cold cooked beetroot)

juice of half a lime

2 tbsp olive oil

1. Slice the halloumi to ½-1cm thickness. Being careful not to dye your fingers red, roughly chop the beetroot, before putting into a blender along with the olive oil and lime juice. Blitz to a puree.
2. Warm a large dry non stick pan over a high heat, add the halloumi and leave for about a minute until it has turned a golden colour, then flip and do the same with the other side.
3. Serve the halloumi on top of mixed salad leaves, and dollop the puree over.

Camembert Baked in the Box

Is there anything more decadent then dipping crusty white bread into molten cheese whilst sipping on a glass of cold white wine? Doesn’t exactly sound like student fare now does it? Well you can actually enjoy this gastro pub staple starter for under £2, and whilst its perhaps not the best thing to be eating if you are watching your waistline or care at all about your arteries, it’s perfectly acceptable as a rare treat.

Camembert in the box

1 clove of garlic

splash of white wine

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Take the lid off the Camembert and smear the garlic all over the top. Make around 6 small holes in the cheese and splash the wine over the top of the Camembert.
2. Replace the lid and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and serve with all the usual crudité suspects, such as celery and carrot, some crusty white bread, or cheese crackers.

Culinary Know How: FRESHER

Budget: UNDER £2

Kitchen Requirements: -

PS: I will be absent from the blog for a few days. I promise I haven't given up on the cooking just yet, I've gone to Paris. Expect plenty of photos of macaroons, brie and floating islands on my return.