RECIPES FOR LOVELY DISHES

 Here are a few recipes for lovely dishes.

                                 SWEET POTATO APPLE AND GINGER SOUP

70 g (2.5 oz) butter

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tbsp chopped ginger

750 g (1.65 lb) sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

2 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1.5 litres (6.3 cups) vegetable stock

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Sugar to taste

1 large apple peeled, cored and sliced

6 tbsp yogourt 

Saute the onion in 50 g of butter, covered for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger and sweet potato and cook, covered for 6-8 minutes more, without browning. Add the chopped apples, stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add 1.4 litres of vegetable stock, the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to the boil and simmer, half-covered, for 10-15 minutes or until tender,

Blend to a smooth soup, adding extra stock, if necessary.  Add 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice and a pinch of sugar to taste.  Fry the apple slices in the remaining butter until lightly browned and tender,  Ladle he soup into hot bowls.  Add a spoonful of yogurt to each bowl an a slice of apple,  Serve sprinkled with black pepper. 

                                            BEETROOT SOUP WITH FETA

 A delicious soup with Greek innuendoes.

250 g (1/2 lb) beetroot, coarsely grated

250 g (1/2 lb) tomatoes. halved

1 clove garlic, peeled and  roughly chopped

 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 

1 tbsp olive oil

500 ml (2 cups) stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

60 g (2 oz) feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F) and roast the tomatoes drizzled with half the olive oil and sprinkled with garlic until soft and pulpy. Press them through a sieve to remove skins and pips.

Saute the onion in olive oil until soft,  Add the beetroot and the stock and bring to the boil. Season to taste and simmer for 10 minutes until the beetroot is tender and stir in the tomato puree.  Transfer the soup to a blender and process until completely smooth.  Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.  

Serve the beetroot soup hot sprinkled with crumbled feta.

   

                                                  CHICKEN MARSALA

500 g (1 lb) cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

3 tbsp butter, divided

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

375 ml (1 1/2 cup) dry, Marsala wine

1 tsp cornflour dissolved in

1 tbsp water

2 tbsp heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 kg (2 lb) chicken breasts, skinned and boned

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup plain flour

2 cups cherry tomatoes

Chopped parsley for garnish 

Saute the mushrooms in 1 tbsp butter, for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, Add the garlic and wine and simmer until the alcohol evaporates, stirring occasionally.  After 20 minutes add the dissolved cornflour and cream to marsala mixture stirring constantly until the sauce bubbles and slightly thickens.

Pound the chicken breasts in order to tenderise them and cut them into bite-sized pieces,  combine the flour with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Toss the chicken in the flour mixture until well coated and shake off the excess flour.  

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and saute the chicken for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.  

Add the sauce and mushrooms to the saucepan with the chicken and top with the tomatoes and simmer until the tomatoes have softened.  Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

     

                                            SPINACH AND DILL RISOTTO

500 g (1 lb) basmati rice

60 g (2 oz) butter

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

Salt and finely ground black pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chopped dill

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

500 g (1 lb) spinach, trimmed and finely chopped

Rinse the rice and soak it in cold water for 30 -60 minutes.  Drain and rinse again.  Saute the onion in half the butter until soft.  Add the well-drained rice and 1 1/2 tsp of salt and stir until the rice is well coated with butter,  Pour in 1 litre of water or more, the bay leaf and 2/3 of the dill.  Bring to the boil, stir and cover and lower the heat.  Cook for 15 minutes until the rice is tender adding more water, if necessary. 

Cook the garlic, very gently in the remaining butter add the spinach, salt to taste and cover tightly,  Cook over medium heat and simmer until the spinach wilts. Uncover, raise the temperature and cook briskly for 3-4 minutes.  Fluff up the rice with a fork, stir in the spinach, adjust the seasoning and discard the bay leaf.

Serve the risotto sprinkled with the remaining dill.   

                                  GRILLED LEEK AND MUSHROOM SALAD       

12-18 baby leeks, trimmed

7 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

6-8 portobello mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, optional

150 g  (15 oz) grated pecorino cheese

4 tbsp toasted pinenuts

 A delicious grilled salad.

Cook the leeks for 2-3 minutes in boiling, salted water and drain well.  Cut into 5cm lengths and toss withn1 tbsp oil.  Grill for 4-5 minutes each side and set aside.

  Brush the mushrooms with oil and grill  6-8 minutes basting once or twice.  Slice them thickly and add to the leeks/  Chop 2 tbsp of the parsley and scatter it with the chilli, if using, over the leeks and mushrooms. Pour over the rest of the dressing, toss and refrigerate, covered, for few hours.

Serve at room temperature sprinkled with the remaining parsley, pecorino and pine nuts.          

                          LAMB CHOPS WITH ARTICHOKES AND SPINACH

284 g (10 oz) artichoke hearts, steamed

170 g (6 oz) spinach, trimmed, washed and chopped

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

4 lamb chops, boned

1 tbsp + 1 tsp butter

2 garlic cloves,  peeled and minced

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Simmer spinach and nutmeg in a saucepan and cook until spinach wilts.  Drain thoroughly and return to the saucepan and stir in the tomatoes and set aside,

Combine butter and garlic and spread over the lamb chops and place in a roasting tin, cover and roast 25  minutes.  Transfer to a dish and keep warm.  Discard the fat from the juices.  Add the juices to the juices and the artichokes to the saucepan with the spinach.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes until heated throughout. Serve the lamb chops on a bed of vegetables sprinkled with parsley.

 

                                        GRILLED SPICY LAMB BURGERS

1 kg (2lb) minced lamb

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp  chopped fresh thyme

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 tsp sherry

2 tsp white vinegar

2 tsp honey

1 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 

Salt and freshly ground  pepper to taste

8 pita bread rounds

225 g  (8 oz) feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat grill to medium heat. Place all the ingredients together, mix thoroughly and shape into 6 patties.  Grill burgers on an oiled grill for5 minutes on each side or until well done. Also, heat the pitas on the grill.

Serve burgers wrapped in pitas sprinkled with feta. 

                      BEETROOT SALAD WITH WALNUTS AND GOAT'S CHEESE

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp vinegar

3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

500 g (1 lb) beetroots, washed, boiled, peeled and cut into small pieces

Beetroot greens, boiled in salted water, drained and drizzled with olive oil 

2 cups of toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

100 g  (4 oz) goat's  cheese

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and spring onions.  Dress the beetroots with the half the dressing and stir in half the chopped walnuts.  Serve on the greens, drizzled with the remaining dressing and sprinkled with the remaining walnuts and goat's cheese