Sun-dried tomato and piquanté palmiers

A simple yet impressive canapé that is cinch to make - not to mention they come out looking so elegant. You can really experiment with the filling and they can be either sweet or savoury. They can be prepared in advance and refrigerated - just pop in the oven when you are good and ready.

375g pre-rolled puff pastry 

1/2 cup drained pickled piquante peppers

3/4 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes (preserved in oil)

1 egg beaten for egg wash

Freshly ground pepper

handful of fresh basil leaves

Plain flour for dusting

It's easy to work with pre-rolled puff pastry. You can still use a block of puff pastry and roll it out so that it is  about 3 millimetres thick and 9 x 14 inch in dimension.

• Whizz the piquante peppers and sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor till they are finely chopped bordering on becoming a paste. You can use some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar to loosen the mix if needed.
• Dust the surface with some plain flour and roll out the pastry sheet to the desired thickness and dimension. You don't have to be delicate about it as we don't really want the pastry to rise too much when baked.
• Spread the mix evenly covering the entire surface of the puff pastry. Tear the basil leaves over the spread and season with from freshly ground pepper.
• Roll both the longer edges towards each other so they meet in the middle. Brush a little egg wash in the centre so the rolled halves can stick together.
• Transfer the log to a baking sheet and refrigerate for half hour till its chilled well. This will make cutting easier.
• Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Remove the log from the fridge. Cut it into 1 centimetre pieces and place each piece flat on the baking sheet.
•  Brush them all over with the egg wash and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are crisp and golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool on a baking rack before serving.

Mushroom crostini

A mushroom lover's treat particularly when this made with wild mushrooms. The topping can be prepared ahead of time and heaped onto the toasted bread slices shortly before serving.

500g mushrooms - I used a combination of chestnut, shitake and morels.
1 tbsp butter + 1/2 tsp butter
1 tbsp + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 tbsp low-fat crème fraiche

1 baguette cut into 1/2 inch slices (about 10-12)
handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (optional)

freshly ground pepper

Salt to taste

• Clean the mushrooms and slice them into smaller pieces. 
• Melt 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms to the melted fat along with salt and cook them till they are browned nicely and all the liquid has evaporated. The browning concentrates the mushroom flavour. Do not overcrowd the skillet, otherwise the mushrooms will end up boiling in their own liquid.
• Remove the mushrooms to a cutting board and chop roughly when they have cooled down.
• Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining oil and butter. 
• Add the chopped onions and thyme and sauté till the onions just start to brown. Add the chopped mushrooms back to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
• Mix in 1-2 tbsp of creme fraiche and the chopped parsley.
• Remove from heat and keep aside till the time you need it. 

To prepare the bread slices -

• Warm the mushroom mixture in a pan or microwave it for 1-2 minutes.
• Pre-heat the grill at a high setting. Brush the bread slices with olive oil on both sides and arrange them on a baking sheet. Place them on the highest rack in the oven and grill for a few minutes till they are nicely toasted. Turn the slices over and do the same on the other side.
• Spread the mushroom mixture on to the bread slices and sprinkle some cheese on top before serving.

Pan roasted sweet potato subzi

I used to love sweet potato as a child. Mum bought this very infrequently, so it always felt like a special treat to have it. She used to steam them whole in a pressure cooker and I liked to have them plain - their natural sweetness needing no other additions.

The sweet potatoes we get back in India are the ones with the pink skin and white flesh with a delicate flavour. The ones we get here have brown skin and orange flesh and taste different from the ones I have had growing up. I didn't relate to this and wasn't even willing to try them for a number or years. It is only recently that I have started having them again.

This is the first time I have tried this particular recipe with sweet potato. I usually make it with squash. Either way it makes a nice accompaniment for rice or rotis. One thing to note is  that you may need to add a little extra spice and salt to balance their natural sweetness.

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes ( approx. 2 - 21/2 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped finely
3 garlic pods, chopped finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil

• Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium flame. Add the cumin followed by mustard seeds to the hot oil and let them splutter
• Add the chopped onion and sauté till they are softened
• Add the garlic and  continue to sauté for another minute to remove their raw flavour.
• Turn the flame to high. Add the sweet potatoes and stir fry them for 3-4 minutes. 
• Add turmeric, chilli, cumin and coriander powders along with salt and continue to toss them for another 2-3 minutes.
• Reduce the flame back to medium. Spread the sweet potatoes evenly in the skillet, cover and let them roast slowly till they are just cooked. Do not add any water. Stir them every few minutes so they cook evenly on all sides and don't burn or catch at the bottom. 
• Sprinkle the garam masala and lemon juice and mix well. Finish off with the chopped coriander leaves.

Cauliflower and chickpea stew with bulgur wheat

Winter is coming to an end and spring is rearing its head but the British weather is as unpredictable as ever. Where yesterday it was warm, bright and sunny, today it was nippy, gloomy and wet... Still I thought it was a good opportunity to make a warm and satisfying stew.

One is always on a lookout for good one pot recipes. This is one such dish. You can make variations of this using different vegetables, chicken and bulk it up using bulgur, quinoa or even rice. Or you can just use the vegetables and make it into a chunky style soup. However you choose to make it, it is still satisfying and very filling.

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 carrot, diced
400g tin of whole or diced tomatoes (or 5-6 fresh tomatoes blanched and skin removed)
400g tin of chickpea
1 tsp cumin powder
11/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp sugar (optional)
11/2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
1/2 cup coarse bulgur wheat (optional)
Handful of chopped coriander leaves or flat leaf parsley

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Sauté the onions in the oil till they are softened.
• Add the diced carrots and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes followed by equal amount of water (just use the same tin the tomatoes came in to measure) 
• Allow this to come to a boil. Add sugar, stock cube and  all the powders except for nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper, mix everything together and cook for a couple of minutes
• If using bulgur, add it to the saucepan at this stage followed by the cauliflower florets. Cover and simmer till the bulgur and cauliflower have cooked. This will take between 10-15 minutes depending on the coarseness of the bulgur. Add the chickpeas half way through this time and also add more water if needed.
• Sprinkle the nutmeg and mix well. Finish off with chopped parsley or coriander.

Serves 4

Butternut squash and chickpea (chana) subzi masala

I wasn't familiar with this variety of squash till I moved to the UK. This is a winter vegetable and  is very similar to the yellow pumpkin, just sweeter. It is really lovely when simply cooked or roasted or made into soups, but it can also stand up to complex Indian cooking. The inherent sweetness mellows down the spices and heat.

This is a versatile side dish that goes well with rotis or rice. I tend to use a lot of chilli to balance the sweetness of the squash. I have also used black(kala) chana (chickpea) here just to add a contrasting colour and texture. You can always substitute it with the more common light coloured chickpea. Black chana has more of a bite compared to the more common Kabuli chana because of its thicker skin and has a slightly nuttier taste. We use it a lot in Kerala cuisine. Because of their hardy nature, both types need to be soaked in water for a long time before they can be cooked. That's fine when you are planning ahead, but I always keep a few tins of both varieties in the pantry to cater for those impromptu cooking sessions.

500g butternut squash, cut into 1cm pieces
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup cooked chickpea
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste
handful of coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)

• Heat oil in a wide pan. When it is hot, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
• Add the curry leaves, onion and the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the onion has softened, but not browned.
• Add the turmeric, cumin, chilli and coriander powders and saute for 10-15 seconds being careful not burn them. Sprinkle a little water if they are catching at the bottom.
• Add the squash pieces and saute for a 2-3 minutes.
• Add the chickpea and salt and mix everything together. Add 4-5 tablespoons of water and cover and cook on a really low flame till the squash is cooked. You just need a little water to create enough steam to cook everything. 
• Finish the dish with some chopped coriander (and optionally garam masala) when the squash has cooked and all the water has been absorbed.

Aubergine (eggplant or brinjal) fry

It amuses me how this vegetable has different names in different countries. I have grown up calling this 'brinjal'. While living in the US, I got used to 'eggplant' and now living here in the UK, I call it an 'aubergine'. Whatever the moniker, I do love this vegetable. Most supermarkets here carry the big purple variety. These are lovely when grilled, baked or fried, but for Indian dry dishes I like to use the long, slender ones. They contain less water, so the end result is not mushy. The smaller round ones are perfect for stuffing.

I have been trying to grow them in the garden for the last couple of years. The first time I got exactly one fruit, but it was of good size. Last year was a total disaster as the unpredictable weather caused the plant to wilt and die. Hoping third time will be the charm...

Sometimes aubergines can have a bitter taste. You can toss the cut pieces in salt and leave them to drain in a colander for sometime. The salt will draw out the water and bitterness. Rinse them in water to remove the salt before you use them. I don't normally bother with this, unless I am frying them, as I don't think the ones we get here have any bitterness. 

This dish is very simple and quick to make. The garlic and roasted bengal gram bring out a mild sweetness that is balanced by the heat from the chillies. Desiccated coconut is preferred over freshly grated. It works well as a side dish for rice or chapattis.

1/2 kg aubergine (long slender ones preferable)

3 garlic pods, chopped finely

5-6 green chillies

5-8 curry leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

4 tsp cooking oil

To powder

2 tbsp roasted bengal gram (pottu kadala)

1 tbsp desiccated coconut

• Cut the aubergines into half inch pieces. They do tend to blacken slightly when exposed to air for a long time. Keep them in water if you are cutting it ahead of time.  
• Grind the roasted bengal gram and the coconut to a fine powder and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds when the oil is hot and allow them to splutter. Follow this with the curry leaves. Then add the aubergine, turmeric and the minced garlic and stir fry over high heat for a few minutes. The raw garlic will cook out, but you can add the garlic to hot oil for a few seconds before adding the aubergine. You have to be careful though as the garlic will brown very quickly and that doesn't taste very nice.
• Add the salt and green chillies and cover and cook until the pieces are tender. The water contained in the vegetable should be enough to cook it. You can sprinkle some water if you starts to stick to the bottom. You are looking for the aubergine to be soft but not mushy.
• At this stage add the ground powder and mix well.  Turn of the heat and cover and allow to cook in its own steam for a minute. You may not need the entire ground powder, just add enough to coat everything well and soak up any remaining liquid.

Kerala style soy bean and potato curry

Mum makes this with Avarakkai (broad beans) when it is in season in Bangalore. I have used frozen soy beans instead. The gravy is actually the same as Kerala kadala(black chickpea) curry of the "puttu and kadala" combination.

The heat in this curry comes from the pepper corns rather than the red chillies, so don't skimp on that. The tomatoes add the sourness to the curry. If you don't have them handy, they can be substituted with a little bit of tamarind pulp/paste.

2 cups frozen soy beans
3 small potato, cut into cubes
2 tomato, quartered and chopped into large chunks
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

To grind
2-3 whole dried red chilli
2 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
6-7 whole pepper corns
3-4 garlic pods, roughly chopped
1 inch ginger, sliced
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated coconut
11/2 tsp oil

Tempering
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2-3 whole red chili, cut into pieces
5-6 curry leaves
3 tbsp onion, chopped finely
11/2 tsp oil

To prepare the ground masala

• Heat oil in a pan. Add the red chilli when the oil is hot and sauté for a 10 seconds. 
• Next, add the chopped garlic and ginger and sauté till the garlic is cook and just starts to turn colour. 
• Add the coriander seeds, cumin and curry leaves and sauté till the coriander is well roasted (starts to turn light brown).
• Add the pepper corns and toss for a few seconds and then follow it with the chopped onions. Sauté for a couple of minutes, just to remove the raw taste of onions.
• Add the grated coconut and continue to stir. You want to allow the coconut to cook in  the oil, but not brown. Turn off the heat when the coconut just starts to brown.
• Allow it to cool slightly. Grind the mixture with a little water to form a fine paste.

To prepare the curry

•   Add the soy beans and potato into a pot. Add salt, turmeric and 11/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat till the potatoes are half cooked. 
• Add the ground paste and continue to simmer till the potatoes are done. 
• Finally add the chopped tomatoes and bring back to a boil. The gravy should be slightly thick and of pourable consistency. Add extra water if needed.
•  Allow it to boil for a  2-3 minutes and then turn off the heat.
• Heat the oil for the tempering in another pan. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Next, add the broken red chilli and curry leaves and stir for a few seconds. Finally add the chopped onion and sauté till the onions and nicely browned. 
• Add the tempering to the curry. Serve with rice, puttu or even rotis.

Scrambled eggs with spinach on an English muffin

For the spinach
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
4-5 handfuls of baby spinach
1 tsp olive oil
Small knob of butter
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper.
Salt to taste

• Heat the oil and butter in a pan. When it is hot add the chopped garlic and saute for a minute.
• Add the spinach leaves, pepper and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until the spinach has wilted nicely.

For the scrambled eggs
3 eggs
1 tbsp milk (or cream if you so choose)
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
Small knob of butter

• Whisk the eggs and milk with pepper and salt till it is well combined. 
• Place a non-stick skillet on the heat and add the oil and butter. Swirl the oil around so it coats the pan. When the oil is medium hot add the egg mixture. Keep moving the mixture around so that it starts to form curds and continue to cook on the low heat till it is almost done and very slightly runny. Turn off the heat at this stage as the eggs with continue to cook while it sits. Anymore heat and it will be overcooked.  

Assembly

2 English muffins

Butter to spread

• Slice the muffins in half, toast and butter them.
• Place a layer of spinach and then top them with the scrambled eggs.
• If you like, you can also sprinkle some paprika or cayenne pepper. Serve warm.

Serves 2.

Marrow and cannellini beans curry

This is a take on the traditional kerala erissery. I usually make this when I have to use up pieces of marror or bottle gourd (Dudhi) and I bulk it up with some form of beans. I have used cannellini or white beans here, but I do sometimes put in pinto or adzuki beans.

2 cups  marrow, chopped into chunks (remove the skin if you like)
1 cup cooked cannellini beans (tinned is fine)
6-8 curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Grind into fine paste
1 tsp ground rice flour
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dry mango powder

Tempering
1 tsp mustard seeds
1-2 dry red chilli
3-4 curry leaves
11/2 tsp vegetable oil

• Grind all the items mentioned above into a fine paste and keep aside.
• Place the chopped marrow in a medium sauce pan. Add the turmeric and just enough water to come up about half an inch from the bottom of the pan (about 2 cups). Turn on the heat and allow the water to come to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook till the marrow is about half cooked . 
• At this stage, add the ground paste, curry leaves and salt. Simmer this on a low heat till the marrow is almost done.  Add little water if the curry is too thick.  Add the beans and continue to simmer for a few more minutes. Remove from heat when the marrow is fully cooked.
• Heat oil in a separate pan. Break the red chilies into small pieces and add to the hot oil. Next add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Finally add the curry leaves. Add this tempering to the curry and mix well. 
• Serve with hot rice. 

Leek and potato soup

A lovely warm winter soup for a cold winter evening! This is absolutely lovely and you would be surprised at how little effort it requires. Google this and you'll find recipes that call for double cream. I like to make it using semi-skimmed (2%) milk and on the rare occasions when I buy it, maybe finish off with a table spoon of single cream. Served with bread it makes for a wholesome supper.

2 large leeks, chopped

4 medium potatoes
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 litre vegetable stock (or dissolve a stock cube in 1 litre of water)
1/2 cup milk
Freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste

Make sure you clean the leeks very well as they can sometimes contain a lot of trapped dirt.

• Melt the butter along with the olive oil in a pan. Add the chopped leeks and allow it soften over a low flame.
• Meanwhile peel and roughly chop the potatoes. When the leeks have softened nicely, add the potatoes and saute for a minute. 
• Add the vegetable stock, cover and simmer over a slow flame until the potatoes are tender and fully cooked.
• Remove from heat and blend to a smooth puree.
• Pour it back into the pan, add the milk, season with salt and pepper and simmer for further 10 minutes or till it starts to bubble slightly. 
• Finish off with a touch of cream before serving.

Serves 3-4

Burrito wrap

2-3 large tortilla wraps
1 cup refried beans
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup guacamole
2 tbsp sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large tomato, de-seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Salad leaves

Preparing the refried beans

• Heat oil in a pan. Saute the chopped onion till they turn translucent.
• Add the refried beans and mix for a minute. You can add little water to loosen it into a thick paste consistency.
• Add cumin, garlic, chili and ginger powders, oregano pepper and salt and cook for a few minutes.
• Lastly add the chopped tomato and coriander leaves and continue to cook for a minute.
• Take it off the heat and allow to cool. 

To prepare the wraps

• Heat the tortilla on a griddle to make it flexible enough to fold without tearing.
• Build up layers with rice, refried beans, guacamole, sour cream and salad leaves.
• Fold the tortilla into a wrap. There are a number of videos on YouTube that explain this.

The burrito I made here is vegetarian. You can always add some shredded chicken or add some minced meat to the refried beans to satisfy a non-vegetarian palate.

Guacamole

I am not usually very fond of avocados. I am always hard pressed to find a use for it whenever I buy one. More often than not I simply use it as a filling in wrap, but sometimes I end up making guacamole. What it is about this simple dish that completely transforms the taste of an avocado?!

Oh! I read or saw somewhere once that a ripe avocado can be used in place of butter or spread on toast. Tried it. Hated it. But if you are one that 'loves' the unspoiled taste of an avocado, why not give this a go? 

2 ripe avocados

1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 a large onion)

1-2 tomato, de-seeded and chopped finely (optional)

1/4 cup chopped coriander

1-2 green chili, chopped finely 

Juice of a large lime

Salt to taste

• Cut the avocados in half and scoop out the fleshy bit into a bowl. Mash it using a fork. I like to leave it slightly chunky to add texture.
• Add all the remaining ingredients except for the chopped tomato and mix well. You can adjust the heat by adding or reducing the number of chilies. De-seed them to remove some heat. I sometimes use pickled chilies when I don't have fresh ones handy. 
• Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine.
• Add the chopped tomato when you are ready to serve. If you add them before, it will release some water and make it slightly runny.  

Serves 3-4

Tip: If you prepare the avocados first and don't have the rest ready, remember to mix in the lime juice to prevent the avocados from oxidizing and changing colour.

Soba noodle salad

Well suited for a packed lunch to take to work.

2 servings of Soba noodles

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 1/2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (carrot, broccoli, bell pepper or any combination you like)

Microwave broccoli (covered) for a couple of minutes to soften them or blanch for a few minutes in boiling water and then shock it in cold water to stop it from over cooking.  

Dressing

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp hot chilli sauce (if you up to it, add Maggi masala chilli sauce)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar (can substitute with honey instead)

Salt to taste

Mix all of these together to form the dressing. 

Cook the noodles in salted water according to the pack instructions. Drain the noodles really well. Toss the noodles, vegetables and coriander with the enough dressing to coat everything nicely. Let it sit for some time to absorb all the flavours. It tastes best when served cold. 

Sprinkle the sesame seeds before serving.

Grilled vegetable quesadilla

This is a quick, easy and healthy option for a satisfying breakfast or lunch. Although this does contain cheese - you do need it, otherwise the veggies would just fall out - I try to limit it to the minimum without skimping on taste. I saved a lot of time using frozen grilled vegetables. A nice flavour comes through with the addition of a home made blend of seasoning.

Seasoning
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Filling
2 cups grilled vegetables (bring to room temperature if using frozen)
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup grated cheese (mature chedder or red leicester preferable)
3 medium corn or wholemeal tortillas
Cooking spray
Salt to taste

• Heat the oil in a pan and add the grilled veggies along with 1 tbsp of the seasoning blend.  Add salt to taste (remember there is salt in the seasoning as well). Sauté till all the moisture has evaporated and keep aside.
• Heat a griddle pan and spray it with some cooking spray.
• Place a tortilla on the griddle and allow it to warm up.
• Place a thin layer of grated cheese on one half of the tortilla. Add a layer of the filling over the cheese, followed by another thin layer of grated cheese over the veggies. Fold over the other half and press down. Allow it to toast slightly on one side, then flip it carefully and toast the other side. 
• Remove from the pan and can cut it in half to form triangles. I find a pizza cutter works best for this. Serve warm.

This makes 2 servings.

Breakfast spinach quesadilla

1 small onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1-1/2 cups of spinach ( I used frozen, adjust equivalent fresh spinach. Remember spinach reduces to about less than half the quantity when cooked!)
1 or 2 egg whites ( enough to bind the mixture)
3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
2 flour tortillas
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

• Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic to the hot oil and allow it to flavour the oil for a short time.
• Add the chopped onions and sauté till they are soft and translucent.
• Add the fresh and dried herbs, chilli, spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the salt that you add as the feta cheese is quite salty and will compensate for it. Cook the spinach uncovered and ensure the water in the spinach gets cooked out as much as possible. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Transfer the spinach to a bowl and mix in the egg white(s). The mixture should be such that it just drops from a spoon and should not be very runny.
• Spray or brush a pan that is large enough to hold the tortilla flat with oil and place it over low heat.
• Place a portion of the feta cheese on one half of the tortilla and allow it to melt slightly.
• Increase the heat to medium and add half the spinach and egg mixture over the feta layer. Fold the tortilla in half and allow the egg to firm up inside. Flip the tortilla and do the same to the other side.
• Cut into wedges (I found a pizza slicer does this very nicely) and server hot.

Bread with tomatoes, basil and parmesan

Caught an episode of the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network this weekend where Ina Garten made this gratin of bread and tomatoes with basil, garlic and parmesan cheese. It looked really appetising and I thought it might be lovely even without the time in the oven. So out I went to buy the necessary ingredients and made it for breakfast this morning. I had it with a fried egg while hubby liked it better with scrambled egg. It was rather heavy for breakfast and would probably be ideal for a brunch instead. But the end result was quite good. The only problem I had was than I had to use a lot more fat that I normally do to get the bread to crisp up. I'll try it as a gratin some other time.

 A small baguette or ciabatta roll cut into bite size chunks
4-5 medium sized tomatoes cut into chunks
2-3 roasted red bell pepper chopped (optional)
2 pods of garlic chopped
Small bunch (10-12) basil leaves chopped
3 tbsp Olive oil
1tsp Butter (optional)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chilli flakes (optional)

• Heat the oil and butter in a pan. When it is hot, add the bread pieces and allow them to crisp up on all sides.
• When the bread is toasted, add the tomatoes,  garlic, chilli flakes, salt and  pepper  and cook for 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes just start to disintegrate in the pan. The bread will soak up the liquid and soften slightly. You can also optionally add chopped roasted bell pepper if you like it. I found it needed the chilli flakes to compensate for the sweetness from the peppers.
• Take off the heat and toss with the basil and parmesan cheese (according to your taste) while still hot. Sprinkle with more parmesan before serving.

A 6 inch baguette will feed 2 people generously.

Stuffed mushroom

Another mushroom starter to celebrate India's win  against Pakistan in the World cup semis... yippee!!

3 large mushrooms

1/2 an onion chopped  

3 spring onions chopped

3 tbsp bread crumbs

3 garlic pods chopped finely

Few basil leaves

Few sage leaves

2-3 tbsp olive oil 

Grated parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• Preheat the oven to 220C.
• Clean the mushrooms, remove the stems and brush all over with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a tray, cover with foil and cook in the oven for 15 minutes until they almost done.
• Meanwhile, in a heated pan, add some olive oil and sauté the onions, garlic and spring onions till they are softened. Remove into a bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and chopped herbs and mix well.
• When the mushrooms are almost done, remove from the oven and top them with the above mixture and put back in the oven for another 7-10 minutes or until the top starts to brown.
• Sprinkle some parmesan cheese before serving. 

Grilled mushroom with goat's cheese, mango chutney and balsamic reduction

I only had a taste when a friend ordered this at a pub in Wales and but that was enough.  I liked it so much that I decided to try it at home.  The combination of salty goats' cheese and sweet mango chutney gel so well together. I don't think the original had balsamic vinegar drizzle, but again I knew that it went really well with the goat's cheese. So I decided to try all three together...

2-3 tbsp sweet mango chutney
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
75g Goats' cheese
3 large mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste

• Preheat the oven to 220C.
• Remove the stems and clean the mushrooms with a brush or paper towel. Brush all over with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the tray facing up and cook in the oven for about 20 mins on the top rack till they are cooked. 
• Meanwhile place the balsamic vinegar in a pan over medium heat. Reduce by half and allow to cool. 
• When the mushrooms are done, remove from the oven, top with goats' cheese and place them back in the oven for a final 3-4 mins so that the cheese heats through and softens.
• Drizzle the balsamic vinegar reduction over the mushroom and cheese and spoon some mango chutney before serving.

Saag paneer

A discussion my colleague and I were were having on our drive back home from work about the leafy vegetables that the dish can be made from inspired me to try this out . She and I car share to work everyday and our talk generally revolves around food! This is my version of the dish and is certainly not the authentic way of making it. It is quite mild with very few ingredients that makes the taste of the greens to stand out. It is commonly made using mustard leaves although spinach is usually substituted as mustard leaves can be quite hard to find. I used a combination of spinach and kale this time.

200g spinach
200g kale
Paneer (one block, usually about 200-220g) cut into cubes
3/4 tsp English mustard
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 cloves of crushed  or finely chopped garlic
3-4 green chillies
1/2 medium onion chopped
1-2 tsp oil

• Cook the spinach and kale. I like to put them in a pan with 3-4 tbsp of water, cover and allow them to steam. You could do the same in a microwave. When cooked, grind them very coarsely. Don't make it a fine paste as I find the texture adds to the taste.
•  Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions. When they have softened slightly, add the garlic and green chillies and continue sautéing till the onions are translucent. 
• Next, add the cooked greens, turmeric and the paneer and cook on a low flame with little water for about 5 minutes or till the water has been absorbed and the paneer is soft. I find microwaving the paneer for a minute or putting it in hot water for 5 minutes makes it really soft.
• Add the mustard and nutmeg powder. Mix well and cook for a final couple of minutes to allow the flavours to combine.

Spinach, ricotta and sun-dried tomato tart

This is one of those recipes that packs a punch but actually requires very little effort!

1 pack of frozen puff pastry cases
200g of chopped fresh or frozen spinach 
200g of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
5-6 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil
1 egg (for the egg wash)
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
Salt
Ground black pepper

• Preheat the oven to 220C.
• Place the spinach in a microwaveable container, add 1 tbsp of water, cover with cling film and steam in the microwave for about 6-7 minutes until the spinach is cooked. Remember to prick the cling film to allow the steam to escape. If using frozen spinach, follow the pack instructions to cook it.
• Allow to cool slightly and remove as much water as possible by pressing it between your hands or in a mesh strainer.
• Mix it with the ricotta cheese, parmesan, nutmeg and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and ground pepper.
• Place the frozen puff pastry in a baking tray and prick the centre area with a fork to prevent it from puffing up. 
• Make an egg wash with the beaten egg and little water or milk.
• Brush the pastry cases with the egg wash.
• Place a tablespoonful of the spinach and ricotta mixture in the centre of each of the pastry cases.
• Cook in the oven for 16-20 minutes till golden brown.
• Serve warm.

This is sufficient quantity for 6 tarts.