Fresh Pea, Basil and Halloumi Fritters

For the last few weeks, my husband and I have had the luxury of sleeping for seven (sometimes eight) whole, uninterrupted hours a night.  Our little boy has finally established a regular sleeping pattern and it feels amazing.

The transition into parenthood was harder than we anticipated.  We had been assured by our experienced family and friends that "things get easier" and "sleepless nights don't last forever" but until recently, we were understandably skeptical.  Post baby was definitely harder than pre baby.  Then one day, like magic, we knew what we were doing.  We had become parents.  Pros' in fact.  The new normal had arrived and with Summer right around the corner, it was just in time.

Summer in Germany means mid-80 degree days and warm evenings.  Still fairly hot for us English, but a far cry from the 100 degree Summers of Washington DC.

Lately, we've been taking advantage of the lovely weather and enjoying our meals outside.  Sometimes we walk to the park, lay down a blanket, open a bottle and dine European style.  Bread, olives, cheese and wine, combined with a little people watching, make for a tasty and relaxing treat.





For those of you enjoying your warm days dining under the sun, this recipe is for you.  Either just out of the pan or just out of the picnic basket, these Pea, Basil and Halloumi Fritters are delicious.  Serve them hot with roasted cherry tomatoes for a light dinner.  Or eat cold leftover fritters with sweet chilli jam and salad for a tasty lunch.





I'd like to thank you all for your patience during my absence.  It feels great to be back.  And I can't wait to share more deliciousness!

Pea, Basil & Halloumi Fritters

Fresh peas are a wonderful component to this dish; however, they are not essential.  If they are not available to you or you're simply short on time, frozen peas work just as well.

100g all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
160 ml (2/3 cup) milk
1 egg
120g (3/4 cup) fresh or frozen peas
2 large spring onions, finely chopped
250g halloumi cheese, cut into 1cm cubes
Large handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
Generous sprinkling red chili flakes
Salt & black pepper
Olive oil

Boil the peas for 2 minutes (only cook for 30 seconds or so if frozen) then drain and refresh under cold water.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, egg and milk and whisk to make a smooth batter.
Season the batter with salt, red chili flakes and plenty of black pepper.  Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Heat a little olive oil in a large non stick pan over medium-high heat.  Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and cook in batches for 2-3 minutes each side.  Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Makes approximately 12 fritters.

Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)

Something wonderful happened last week....

My kitchen arrived! And these German potato pancakes, otherwise known as Kartoffelpuffer, were one of the many recipes I couldn't wait to make.

My first encounter with these crispy treats was in a cosy German restaurant that has since become a favourite of mine. They were served fresh out of the pan with a delicious apple sauce and were accompanied by a nice tall glass of Hefeweizen. The perfect combination, if you ask me!

Kartoffelpuffer are typically made of raw grated potato and onion, flour, eggs and seasoning. They are known and loved throughout Germany and are prepared in various ways from region to region. In the Rhineland they are sometimes eaten with buttered Schwarzbrot (Black Bread). In Bavaria they are typically served with sauerkraut. Other regional variations include Kartoffelpuffer with sugar and cinnamon or smoked salmon and creme fraiche. Though it seems that most Germans favour the more traditional variation: Kartoffelpuffer with apple sauce.

As you can tell, these pancakes are incredibly versatile. Last night I topped some leftover cakes with crispy bacon and fresh avocado. Delicious!

I'd imagine they'd also be good made with butternut squash, sweet potato, leeks, carrots or zucchini. The possibilities are endless.

Below is a typical yet tasty recipe for Kartoffelpuffer. Feel free to experiment with ingredients such as bacon, chives, garlic, chilli flakes or any of the ingredients mentioned above.

Guten Appetit!

Serves 4-6

1 kg starchy potatoes, peeled and rinsed

1 large onion

1/3 cup flour

2 eggs

1-1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Black pepper to taste

Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

Grate the potatoes using a food processor or box grater. Put the grated potato into a clean dish towel or some cheesecloth and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Transfer the potato to a large mixing bowl.

Peel and grate the onion and add to the potatoes.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, eggs, salt, pepper and thyme. Add to the potato mixture and stir well to combine.

Heat a large frying pan with 3-4 tbls oil. Add a spoonful of the potato mixture to the hot oil and flatten down with a spatula. Cook 3-4 pancakes at a time, turning once until golden and crisp.

Serve with apple sauce if desired.

Bubble & Squeak Cakes with Tomatoes & Poached Eggs

Bubble and what?...You've gotta give it to us Brits. We certainly know how to name our dishes! Spotted Dick, Toad in the Hole, Bangers and Mash, Bubble and Squeak! I don't understand this silliness any more than the next person, but I do love it.

This traditional English dish is made up of several different vegetables, typically leftover from a Sunday roast. Taking a mixture of any cooked vegetable, mashing it up, and pan frying it until golden will qualify as Bubble and Squeak. Traditionally though, potatoes, onions, cabbage or sprouts are used.

I like to mold my bubble and squeak into little cakes and serve them with a nice poached egg on top. The occasional piece of crispy bacon is also a welcomed addition!

Instead of making individual cakes, you can make one big portion if you prefer. Just pat the mashed vegetables into a pan heated with olive oil and fry until golden and crisp.

Feel free to experiment with leftover vegetables such as squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips or swede. And remember... watch out for the bubbles and listen carefully for the squeaks!

Makes 4 cakes (serves 2)

Note: These cakes can be made from scratch or you can use leftover cooked vegetables.

For the Bubble and Squeak:
1lb potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed with a tablespoon or two of butter
1/2lb Brussels sprouts, cooked and roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup seasoned flour
Butter
Olive oil for frying

To Serve:
2 eggs (optional)
Cherry tomatoes on the vine (optional)

In a large bowl, roughly mix together the potatoes and Brussels sprouts.
Melt a knob of butter in a pan and cook the onion until really soft and beginning to brown. Mix with the potatoes and sprouts and season generously with salt and black pepper. Form the mixture into cakes and chill until firm for 1 hour or for up to 24 hours. Coat each cake in the seasoned flour. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pan and fry the cakes until golden and crisp on both sides. At the same time, poach the eggs and grill the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill (broil) until they begin to soften and blister. About 3-4 minutes. Top two cakes with a well drained poached egg and serve with the grilled cherry tomatoes.

Vegetarian California Rolls

New Year's Resolution # 6: Make More Sushi!

After traveling around Japan, I developed a love for Sushi. Well, almost all Japanese food actually. You may be surprised to know; however, that the "California Roll" is named that for a reason. It was born in California. Ichiro Mashita, a sushi chef at the Tokyo Kaikan restaurant in LA invented the rolls in the early 1970's.

Traditionally, California Rolls consist of avocado, cucumber and crab meat. However, if you're like me and aren't a huge fan of spider-like crustaceans, I recommend trying this vegetarian version of the California Roll. Alternatively, you could use imitation crab meat or cooked shrimp in place of the crab.

Getting sushi rice right can be a challenge. I've gone through my fair share of it in attempts to master the art. Rice vinegar, sugar and salt is a mixture referred to as Awase-zu and is the seasoning added to cooked sushi rice. Finding the right ratio between these simple ingredients is key. Also, it is very important to properly wash, rinse and drain the rice which in turn can seem tedious and time consuming, but essential for good results. I guarantee, once you get the hang of it, your kitchen will become your new "sushi place"!



I hope everyone had great New Year!

I leave you with a picture of me dressed as a Geisha in Kyoto, Japan. A beautiful city that I hope to return to one day.



Makes approximately 5 Rolls (between 35 and 40 pieces)

Note: I highly recommend using a rice cooker to make sushi rice as it produces the best results at the click of a button.

For the rice:
3 cups raw sushi rice
3 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup plain rice vinegar
2 tbls superfine (caster) sugar
1 tsp salt

For the filling:
5 toasted nori sheets
1-2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 English cucumber, cut into long spears
1-2 carrots, peeled and julienned
About 1 tbls each of black and white sesame seeds
Cooked shrimp or crab (optional)

Equipment:
Rice cooker
Bamboo rolling mat
Wooden rice paddle

Place rice into a large bowl and fill with cold water. Stir briskly with your hands and pour away the cloudy water. Repeat this process 5 or 6 more times or until the water runs clear. Next, drain the rice in a colander for about 30 minutes.

Once the rice is drained, tip into a rice cooker and set to cook. Once the cooker bleeps, let the rice sit for a further 5 to 10 minutes.

Place the vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Place the hot rice into a large, shallow, nonmetallic bowl. I use a large baking dish. Spread out the rice and slowly add the vinegar mixture. While adding the vinegar mixture, mix the rice with a wooden paddle using quick cutting strokes. While mixing the rice in a slicing motion you will need to fan it with your other hand. I use a large circular lid to do this. Fanning will cool the rice and help it to produce a wonderful glossy shine.



Cover the rolling mat completely with cling film (plastic wrap). This makes the mat easier to clean.
Lay one nori sheet onto the rolling mat. Using wet hands, evenly spread a portion of the rice over the nori sheet, leaving 3/4 inch visible at the end furthest away from you. Sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds and carefully turn the sheet over. Place the cucumber, carrot and avocado in the center of the sheet. At the base of the mat, start to roll over the ingredients, pressing firmly as you go. Once you have formed a log shape, lift up mat and apply gentle pressure back and forth to ensure the roll is firmly molded.

Using a very sharp, wet knife, trim the ends of the roll and cut into thick slices. Repeat process with the remaining nori sheets and ingredients. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi.

Festive Pomegranate Couscous

I could bore you to tears by telling you how much I adore couscous and its immense flexibility. I could also go into a dizzying amount of detail about the history and origin of these wonderful semolina grains. Or, I could save you (and me) the time by simply telling you that this salad tastes amazing and is absolutely worthy of your efforts! If you don't mind, I'll go with the latter.

The salty feta cheese in this recipe is complemented by the sweet pomegranate seeds. The pine nuts offer a subtle crunch and the red onion produces just the right amount of bite. The glorious vibrancy of the fresh coriander is the perfect finishing touch.

Finally, the Red, White and Green colours that make up this salad remind me of Christmas and Christmas is, well...fabulous!

Serves 4-6

1 cup couscous
Just over 1 cup boiling chicken or vegetable stock ( I always add a tiny bit more stock than couscous )
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (substitute dried cranberries if desired)
1/3 cup good quality crumbled feta cheese
1/2 small English cucumber, diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Large handful coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped

Tip couscous into a bowl, pour over the boiling stock and cover with a tight fitting lid. Leave for about ten minutes.

Fluff up couscous with a fork. Add all of the salad ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Enjoy with a glass of fruity Rosé.

Baked Brie

Looking for the perfect appetizer? Look no further! And be ready, because this may be the tastiest thing you will ever eat!

A wheel of Brie, topped with a sweet caramelized onion jam, baked in a crisp puff pastry until wonderfully soft and gooey!

Simple? Yes! Calorific? Maybe. Worth it? Absolutely!








Make it...



Bake it....



Eat it...



Love it!



Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Serves about 8-10

450g thawed puff pastry, about two sheets
1 large wheel of Brie, about 1 lb in size (do not remove the rind)
Good quality caramelized onion jam (I recommend Stonewall Kitchen)
1 egg, beaten
Fruit and crackers to serve

Preheat oven to 375F
Unroll the pastry sheets and place the brie in the center of one piece. Cut a circle approximately 1 inch larger than the round of brie. Make another circle with the second piece of pastry, this time measuring 1 inch or so bigger than the last. Top the brie with about 4 tbls of caramelized onion jam and place the second circle on top, joining the edges of both pastry rounds together.
Decorate as you please with the remaining pastry and brush with the beaten egg. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Serve with apples, grapes and crackers.

Roasted Squash, Beetroot & Goat's Cheese Salad

This winter salad is bursting with flavour. It is simple, colourful and satisfying.

I love butternut squash for its nutty flavour and its tremendous versatility in the kitchen. I have prepared it in a variety of ways, sweet and savory, but I find that it is particularly yummy when roasted. Roasting butternut squash intensifies its flavour producing a wonderfully sweet and nutty taste with a deliciously silky texture. Roasted butternut squash is great in warm salads with ingredients such as goats cheese, pine nuts and peppery arugula.

So, when I came across this recipe recently, I knew I was going to love it and that it was destined to live happily on this blog. I jazzed up the dressing a little bit, added a few ingredients here and there, and as a result, was very happy with the finished dish.

I had never roasted beetroot before so I was interested to see how it came out. I didn't bother to peel it as I heard that the skin was delicious. And it was!



Feta can be substituted for goats cheese if you prefer. And to make the dish vegetarian, simply leave out the pancetta.

This salad is a great accompaniment to roast chicken. It is also pretty fantastic served with nothing more than a big glass of red wine!

Enjoy!

Serves 4

1 large butternut squash, washed and cut into wedges (no need to peel)
4 medium beetroot, trimmed, scrubbed and cut into wedges
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
4-6 fresh sage leaves
200g (7 oz) soft goats cheese, crumbled
50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
200g diced pancetta or bacon
6 oz mixture of Spinach and Arugula/Rocket leaves

Dressing:
3 tbls balsamic vinegar
2 tbls olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar or splenda (less if you have a sweeter balsamic)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Place beetroot and butternut squash with the sage and thyme on a large roasting tray. Toss with 1 tbls olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 - 50 minutes (depending on the size of the pieces), turning half way through. Roast until the beetroot is tender and the squash is soft and golden.



Mix dressing ingredients together thoroughly. Refrigerate until needed. Fry pancetta or bacon until crisp, set aside.

When squash and beetroot are done, remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Arrange mixed salad leaves onto a large platter. Place butternut squash and beetroot on top.
Spoon over the crumbled goat's cheese and scatter with the pancetta and toasted pine nuts.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve along side. Serve salad immediately.

Coconut Dhal

Dhal has to be one of my all time favorite Indian dishes. It is impossible for me not to order this popular dish when dining at an Indian restaurant.

Dhal can be eaten as a main dish served with rice or naan bread. It also makes a wonderful accompaniment to a wide variety of other Indian dishes, especially dryer dishes such as biryiani or pilaf.

Dhal is always a popular addition to my Indian feasts. Not only is it delicious and easy to make, it is also incredibly nutritious. Lentils are a great source of inexpensive protein and are high in soluble fiber and iron.

This recipe is a particular favorite as the addition of coconut milk makes an interesting digression from the more traditional versions of dhal.

The variety of spices added to dhal at the end of cooking is commonly known as "Tarka" or "Tadka." A variety of ingredients such as fresh or dried chilis, onions, garlic, cumin or mustard seeds are fried in a small amount of oil or ghee and then added to the dhal before serving to impart flavour.

Any leftover dhal is great for lunch the next day spread on pita bread topped with a tomato, cucumber and onion salad. Yum!

Makes 4 Servings



Dhal :
250g red lentils
400ml coconut milk ( light is fine)
300ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp tumeric
1tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Put all the above ingredients in a pan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Tarka:
1 onion sliced
1 garlic clove sliced
Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
2 tsp black mustard seeds (optional)
3-4 tbls olive oil

Fry onion and garlic in oil until nice and crisp. Add the coriander and mustard seeds and cook for a further 30 seconds or so. Pour mixture over the lentils. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Recipe adapted from BBCGF.

Halloumi Parcels with Lemon, Chili & Thyme

Halloumi is a magic cheese with a stubborn streak. When exposed to extreme temperatures it simply refuses to melt!

Instead, it retains its firm shape and develops a beautiful crisp exterior with just the right amount of internal gooeyness. Originating from Cyprus, this squeaky, tangy, somewhat salty cheese is made from a combination of sheep and goat's milk.
It is wonderfully versatile and can be grilled or fried within minutes, making it the ideal choice for an appetizer or quick snack. It also works well as a meat alternative and is a great accompaniment to a couscous or lentil salad. Delicious!

For something simple serve halloumi sliced and grilled with nothing more than some freshly squeezed lemon juice. For something fancy try today's dish inspired by a recipe from BBC Good Food. I changed the ingredients and cooking method slightly and found that the new variation of flavours complimented each other beautifully.

Makes 4 Parcels

200g block Halloumi cut into 4 slices
4 coloured peppers
4 18" pieces of kitchen string that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes

Marinade:
1 tbls olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbls) plus 1 tsp zest
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp crushed chili flakes
Black pepper

Mix the marinade ingredients together thoroughly and pour over the halloumi slices. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 24 hours.
Place peppers (whole) in a 450F preheated oven. Roast until just soft enough to wrap around the cheese. About 25-30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so. When cool enough to handle, make a cut down the side of each pepper to open it out. The skin can easily be removed at this point, if preferred.
Remove seeds and trim into neat strips. Place a slice of halloumi in the center of each strip then carefully wrap the pepper around it.



Tie each one with the kitchen string.
The parcels can now be refrigerated for up to 2 hours. When ready to serve, place parcels under a preheated broiler or grill for about 3-4 minutes per side or until the cheese begins to soften and brown at the ends. Serve immediately. Garnish with pretty herbs like mint or thyme.

Note: If you're short on time, skip the peppers and just grill the cheese on it's own, basting frequently with the marinade. You could always top with some roasted red peppers from a jar mixed with a few olives or herbs!