Nabbed a tray of 8 beetroot the other day for less than a Euro. I boiled them and peeled them, should have worn gloves!! Then I pickled all but one in a large Kilner jar with wine vinegar and a little dill seed. The leftover one I sliced thinly using my mandolin, then lay them on kitchen roll and sprinkle them lightly with salt. Deep fry for 1 or 2 minutes in hot oil, drain and salt a second time. They make great crisps, the kids love them and you can also use sweet potato, parsnip or carrot instead, or a mixture of all those. Have them with your dips for a change....
Going for a Dip
I always throw a few dips together when we have guests, they' re a great starter, easy to make with a processor, and go down a storm. Here are my favourites:
Hummus
In the food processor, half a jar of soaked chick peas, tablespoon of Tahini (creamed sesame seed paste) 3 crushed cloves of garlic, salt pepper, teaspoon of cumin. While the motor is running add enough olive oil and lemon juice to the consistency you want. Finish with a sprinkle of chili powder.
Baba Ganoush or Aubergine
Middle eastern again, prick an Aubergine all over and roast until soft. Scoop out the flesh, mix with cumin, coriander leaves, lemon juice cayenne, salt and pepper.
Philly garlic dip
A small tub of natural or greek yoghurt, 2 tablespoons of mayo, 3 cloves of garlic crushed, a tub of Philadelphia cheese, flat leaf parsley, mash it all together....
Avocado
2 avocados scooped out, a fiery chili pepper, a fresh tomato and a little diced onion, a squirt of lemon juice, mash it all up, keep the stone from the Avocado on top until you are ready to serve as it stops the dip turning brown.
So just some friends and a plate of breadsticks, a few beers, mix together and enjoy!
Hummus
In the food processor, half a jar of soaked chick peas, tablespoon of Tahini (creamed sesame seed paste) 3 crushed cloves of garlic, salt pepper, teaspoon of cumin. While the motor is running add enough olive oil and lemon juice to the consistency you want. Finish with a sprinkle of chili powder.
Baba Ganoush or Aubergine
Middle eastern again, prick an Aubergine all over and roast until soft. Scoop out the flesh, mix with cumin, coriander leaves, lemon juice cayenne, salt and pepper.
Philly garlic dip
A small tub of natural or greek yoghurt, 2 tablespoons of mayo, 3 cloves of garlic crushed, a tub of Philadelphia cheese, flat leaf parsley, mash it all together....
Avocado
2 avocados scooped out, a fiery chili pepper, a fresh tomato and a little diced onion, a squirt of lemon juice, mash it all up, keep the stone from the Avocado on top until you are ready to serve as it stops the dip turning brown.
So just some friends and a plate of breadsticks, a few beers, mix together and enjoy!
Monkfish wrapped in Bacon, with Rosemary
We eat a lot of fish here, the van toots a few times a week in the Church Square, filled with the latest catch. Always Sardines, little silvery anchovies ready for flouring and frying, big juicy prawns, sometimes mussels and occasionally monkfish or rape.
This is a lovely Tapas dish, try it!
350G MONKFISH TAIL
12 ROSEMARY STALKS (AS SKEWERS)
BIG SPLASH OLIVE OIL
FRESH LEMON
1 GARLIC CLOVE CRUSHED
SLICES OF BACON OR JAMON
Cut the flesh of the fish away from the bone into 24 chunks. Strip the rosemary of it's leaves but leave a few at the end of each stalk. Put the leaves into a bowl and whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and seaoning. Toss the fish in this marinade and leave for a couple of hours in the fridge. Wrap the fish in the bacon and thread onto the skewers, or, roll the bacon and thread it on alternately with the fish. Brush with oil, grill, BBQ, or griddle on the plancha.
Serve with crusty bread, a bowl of Alioli, and a few glasses of a nice white Rioja....
This is a lovely Tapas dish, try it!
350G MONKFISH TAIL
12 ROSEMARY STALKS (AS SKEWERS)
BIG SPLASH OLIVE OIL
FRESH LEMON
1 GARLIC CLOVE CRUSHED
SLICES OF BACON OR JAMON
Cut the flesh of the fish away from the bone into 24 chunks. Strip the rosemary of it's leaves but leave a few at the end of each stalk. Put the leaves into a bowl and whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and seaoning. Toss the fish in this marinade and leave for a couple of hours in the fridge. Wrap the fish in the bacon and thread onto the skewers, or, roll the bacon and thread it on alternately with the fish. Brush with oil, grill, BBQ, or griddle on the plancha.
Serve with crusty bread, a bowl of Alioli, and a few glasses of a nice white Rioja....
Getting pickled
Well, I particularly like to cook Middle Eastern style food, the background of most tapas here in Andalucia, and could spend as many hours pouring over a good cookbook, beautifully illustrated, as I could the latest Pulitzer prizewinning novel.
Favourites on the well stocked shelf in the kitchen here are Sam and Sam Clark of Moro fame, who also happen to own a home here, Claudia Roden, her Arabesque tome is as lovely to look at as read, and Aline Benayoun has produced a nice little pocket sized edition of a handy book of French North African Cooking called Casablanca Cuisine.
We used to run a giftshop in these parts, and I have to say books were my favourite part of the stock, and tangines of course! If you would like to know more or are interested in any of these titles, I am happy to source new editions for you, including postage to your door, mail me or drop a comment and I can insert the Paypal widget and details for you.
Of course no Moroccan meal is complete without the use of preserved lemons, we're not short of Lemons here in these parts, or Lemmings (!) so here's a quick how to:
15 LEMONS (UN WAXED IF YOU BUY FROM A SHOP)
SEA SALT
JUICE OF 2 LEMONS
Wash the fruit, transfer to a bowl, cover with fresh cold water, and soak for about 3 days, regularly changing the water.
Now remove the lemons and quarter them but not quite to the centre, adding a half a teaspoon of sea salt into the middle of each one. Pop them into sterilized jars, add another tablespoon of sea salt, juice of one lemon to each jar, cover to the top with boiling water, and seal. Leave in a dry place for 3 weeks, and when you want to cook with them, rinse with cold water and just use the peel, cut into strips. You don't have to throw away the pulp and juice, add it to other dishes to infuse a tangier flavour.
Enjoy! ....
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