Greek style savoury cake

 Great for a picnic, an apéritif or a light summer lunch with a mixed greens salad. Don't be shy, keep the basic recipe and substitute the ingredients with leftovers eg, salmon, or that piece of leek, courgette, etc. In winter, I like to pair up a warming soup with a savoury cake for a hearty meal 😻

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 150g f flour, I used 80g white flour and 70g buckwheat flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 50g grated emmental (or cheddar cheese)
• 1 marinated red pepper cut into cubes
• 5 to 6 sun-dried tomatoes cut unto small pieces 
• 8 green olives cut into quarters
  
• 75g feta cheese cut into cubes
• Half a ball of mozzarella cheese cut into cubes
• I T olive oil
• 2T fromage blanc
• 1t black pepper
• 1 t dried parsley
  

Method:

In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder and spices with the emmental and combine. 

Add all the other ingredients except the eggs, olive oil and fromage blanc. Mix with a spatula until all ingredients are coated with flour.

Add the eggs, mix gently until eggs are incorporated, the mixture will be quite sticky.

Lastly drizzle in the olive oil and add the fromage blanc. The batter should be thick but not dry, add a little more olive oil/fromage blanc if it's too stiff. Don't overmix, just bind it all together gently with a silicone spatula. The batter should look like this:

Pour into a cake pan and bake at 180° for 45 minutes until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

 

Guacamole

This may not be true to the Guacomole recipe, but it's the one that we've made for many years, tried, tested and approved by the whole family ... Make a few hours ahead of time so that the flavours infuse and it's nicely chilled.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 large avocados
• 1 medium tomato
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2T lemon juice
  
• 2t harissa (or 1t cayenne powder)
• 1/2 t salt
  

Method:

Mash the avocados in a bowl. Finely chop the tomato and add to the avocado. Using a garlic crusher, crush the garlic directly into the mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients,  mix well.

Place in the refrigerator to cool.

 

 Serve with tortilla chips or use to make your favourite Mexican recipes!

Tzatziki

The first in a series of Greek ''meze'' ... try them for a finger food luncheon or picnic. Feel free to use dill instead of mint, I think that's the original Greek recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, long-sized, finely grated
• 500 grams Greek yoghurt or fromage blanc
  
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves (according to taste)
  
• 1 T lemon juice
  
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T mint & parsley leaves, finely chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
  

Method:

Grate the cucumber into a large strainer or in a muslin cloth over a bowl. Leave to drain for about a half an hour.

In the meantime, finely chop or crush the garlic. 

In a serving bowl, place the yoghurt or fromage blanc, add the chopped garlic, the fresh herbs, cider vinegar, olive oil and seasoning. Mix well.

Finally stir in the drained cucumber and refrigerate for a few hours.

Serve with pita bread and a range of other "meze"

Low fat mayonnaise substitute

Try this healthier version instead of classic mayonnaise, it's delicious with potato salad, coleslaw and as a salad dressing for a Russian salad (Macédoine de légumes), or fish nuggets.

Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 hard boiled egg yolks
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 2 t Dijon mustard
• 2 T Saint Môret/Philadelphia or Carré Frais 
  
• 250ml Fromage blanc
• 1/2 t to 1 t Garlic powder 
• A squeeze of tomato paste
• A splash of olive oil (optional)
  

 

Method:

With a fork, mash the yolks in a small salad bowl.

Add the apple cider vinegar and mix to a smooth paste (try to remove as many lumps as possible.

Add the mustard and garlic powder mixing to a smooth paste, then add the cream cheese. Add a squeeze of tomato paste and a slug of olive oil.

Change to a whisk and slowly add the fromage blanc.

 

Serve whenever you need a mayonnaise without a concern for the fat content 😎 

Keeps for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

 

 

Creamy salad dressing

Serve with chopped up green lettuce and croutons.

 

 Ingredients:

• 400g fromage blanc
• 1 yoghurt
• 1 cooked egg yolk
  
• 1t olive oil
• 1t sesame oil
• 1t soy sauce
  
• 1/2T tahini
• 1T garlic powder 
• 2T rice vinegar
  
• 2T apple cider vinegar
• 2T miso soup
  
• 1T mustard
• 2 drops of agave syrup
• liquid cream or milk
  
• black pepper 
• parsley

 

Method:

Mix everything in a bowl.

Taboulé

A very refreshing and  summer salad to use up all those cukes! I usually make this recipe without measuring, that is how it was taught to me when I arrived in France over 30 years ago. My daughters have asked many times for the exact recipe, so I have at last taken the time to measure all the ingredients and add it to this family and friends blog😇 So get those knives out and start chopping!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 small cucumbers (400g)
• 5 tomatoes (480g)
• 450g medium grain wheat semolina (couscous)
• 120ml lemon juice
• 40ml olive oil
• Nice bunch of fresh mint 
• Salt to taste (optional, the lemon juice does the job!)

 

Method:

Finely chop the cucumber and tomatoes, if organic, no need to peel anything😅

Place in a large salad bowl, add the couscous, stir so that everything is well coated.

Add the olive oil & lemon juice and stir well. Use a fork to separate the grains.

Finely chop the mint, mix well making sure that the grains are separated and that there are no lumps. Refrigerate for at least an hour, loosening the grains about twice. The longer you wait, the better it tastes ;)

Serve as a starter or a main course. Great for picnics 😋

Enjoy!

 

Hummus

 With more and more awareness as to the health benefits of a plant-based diet, as well the importance of preserving our planet, chickpeas are becoming more and more popular. One way of serving them is as an appetizer, aka hummus, a delicious Lebanese dip. There are loads of variations out there today, hummus with roasted red pepper, avocado, roasted garlic, etc. Add it to wraps, to soup, sandwiches or even pasta! Makes around 2 or 3 medium jars. Add fresh chilli for a spicy version. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup chickpea cooking water 
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  
• 2 T tahini
• 4T lemon juice
• 2T olive oil
• 1t cumin
• 1t paprika
• Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

Method:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and whizz on high speed. Adjust the quantities of garlic, spices, tahini and lemon juice to suit your taste. Serve chilled.

Keeps for about 5 to 6 days in airtight jars in the refrigerator .

Chicken liver paté

From South Africa. Serves 8.

Ingredients:

• 500g trimmed chicken livers
• 175g butter
  
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1T finely chopped parsley
• 1T brandy
  
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of thyme
• black pepper

Method:

Lightly fry onion and garlic in a 100g of the butter until soft. Add the livers and cook for a further 2-3min. Add parsley, pepper and bay leaf. Cook for 2min, remove bay leaf. Allow to cool, then blend together.

Melt remaining butter and add with the brandy to the paté. Put it into a mould and cover and chill thoroughly. Serve with melba toast.

Easy peasy Gazpacho

Use canned tomatoes to make this quick & easy. Can double up as a winter soup by leaving out the ice cubes and mint and simply heating it all before blending!

 

Ingredients:

• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 1 shallot
• garlic
• ice cubes
• mint
• basil
• pepper
• cayenne pepper

Method:

Blend all the ingredients. Pour into glasses and serve fresh.

Tuna and goat's cheese savoury cake

 This loaf is a complete meal, delicious for lunch with soup or a green salad. 

 

Ingredients:

• 200g flour
• 200g tuna
  
• 200g spinach
• 100g goat's cheese
  
• 100ml milk
• 3 eggs
  
• 1 small or medium onion
  
• 20 green olives
  
• 1.5t BP
• a drizzle of olive oil
  
• herbs & spices

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C

Chop the onion and cook it with the spinach and tuna. Allow to cool down before transferring to a bowl. Chop the goat's cheese and olives into small pieces. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, baking powder and spices together. In a big mixing bowl, mix the egg mixture, milk and flour together, then add all the other ingredients and lightly mix everything together. Transfer to a greased loaf tin.

Bake at 180°C for 50min or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to rest about 5 minutes, turn out on a cooling rack and let stand a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Celery leaf Pesto

This pesto is made from celery leaves from our garden, it can also be made with turnip leaves & carrot tops as well. It's very versatile, as you can also ring the changes with the nuts, try ground almonds and why not pistachios?  Don't be afraid to mix & match! You may also add fromage blanc to this pesto for a tasty dipping sauce.

 

Ingredients:

• About 3 cups of fresh celery leaves
• 4/5 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts
  
• 3 T parmesan cheese
  
• 2T olive oil
• 2t lemon juice
  
• Black pepper to taste
  

Method:

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. According to taste add salt and/or a  more olive oil for extra creaminess.

Keeps in a jar in the refrigerator for about a week, but usually, it doesn't last more than 2 days!

Airfried Garlic Bread

 Try making garlic bread in the airfryer for a fantastic result! And it is more energy efficient too.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 baguette
  
• 5 or 6 cloves garlic
• 50g butter
• a bunch of parsley
  

Method:

Prepare the garlic bread and airfry in batches for 8min.

Sardine Rillettes

 A quick snack or appetizer made with pantry staples.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of sardines
• 1 echalote
  
• 1/3 cup Philadelphia or St Moret
  
• 2T fromage blanc
• 1T tomato paste
• 1t dijon mustard
• 1t madras
• 1/2t ground coriander, sarriette, mixed herbs
• fresh herbs like scallions
  

Method:

Blend all the ingredients together in a mixer.

 

Refrigerate and use as desired.

Egg Salad

Use this tasty mayonnaise-free egg salad on sandwiches, bagels or use as an appetiser on a bed of lettuce.

 

 

Ingredients:

• 4 hard-boiled eggs
• 1t mustard (I use home-made salt-free)
• 1/2t ground coriander, paprika, garlic powder or flakes
• A few stalks of chives finely sliced
• A sprinkle or two of pepper or Cayenne pepper
• 3 to 4T fromage blanc or Skyr (depending on the desired creaminess)

Method:

 

Mash the eggs in a bowl, add the spices, the chives and lastly the fromage blanc.

 

 

 

Refrigerate and use as desired.

Airfried Tunisian Samosas

This Tunisian recipe is also known as "feuilleté de brick". They can take various forms, and when triangular they look a lot like samosas. Airfrying them makes them extra crispy!

 

 

Ingredients:

• Feuilles de brick
  
• Red onions
• Shallots
• Mashed potatoes
• Green peas
• Spices: coriander, tumeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder...
  

Method:

Make the filling: lightly fry the chopped onions and shallots with the spices, mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Step by step folding of the samosas:

 

After folding about 7 or 8, remove paddle from the actifryer, carefully place samosas (they shouldn't touch) baste lightly with egg wash and set the actifryer for 7-8 minutes.

 

They should be a golden brown. Remove from pan, add the next batch and continue so forth until the mixture is finished.

Enjoy with your favourite dipping sauce ;)

Tapenade

 Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 cups black & green olives (or only one colour)
• 2T capers
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3T lemon juice
• 3T olive oil
• Fresh thyme & rosemary according to taste
• Black pepper according to taste

 Method:

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth adding more lemon juice and/or olive oil if needed.

Serve as an appetiser on melba toast or with fresh baguette

Aubergine compôte

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 900g aubergines (eggplant)
• 1 large tomato
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Wash and drain the aubergines.
Prick the skin and bake in a very hot oven until the flesh is very soft.
Peel the tomato, remove the seeds and finely dice.
Once cooked, scoop out the flesh from the aubergines. Chop.
Heat up the olive oil in a pot, and brown the garlic lightly.
Add the aubergine, salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes.
Add the tomato and cook for another minute or two.

Can be served hot or cold - if served cold, top with a few drops of lemon juice.

Salmon Rillettes

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 200g canned or fresh salmon
• 100g smoked salmon
• 30g butter
• 100ml fresh cream
• 1/2 lemon's juice

Method:

Remove skin and bones from salmon. Mash with a fork.
Add the smoked salmon and butter, and mash.
Add the cream and lemon juice, and mix well.
Pour mixture in a mould and chill in the fridge for about 3 hours.
Serve in a plate, topped with smoked salmon and parsley.

Porc Rillettes

For 1kg of rillettes.

Ingredients:

• 500g of porc loin, rind and bones
• 500g of porc shoulder and bones
• 250-300g goose or duck fat
• 1 small onion, about 3cm in diameter
• 15g coarse salt
• 2 pinches of black pepper
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 2 stalks of thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Method:

Peel and finely chop the onion.
Cut up the meat in pieces of roughly 100g.
Melt the fat in a cast iron pot.
Add the meat and the rest of the ingredients, stir until the meat is completely coated with fat.
Cover and cook for about 4 hours on medium heat, stirring intermittently.
Leave to cool slightly.
Remove the meat and separate from the fat, bones, cartilage etc.
Remove the thyme and bay leaf.
Tear up the meat and put it back into the pot.
Boil for 5 minutes while stirring thoroughly.
Pour immediately into a terrine and leave in a cool place for about 3 hours (not the fridge)
When all the fat has risen and solidified (should become white), put the cool rillettes in the fridge.