Lamb Kofte, Pitta & Greek Salad

Ingredients:

• Kofte
• 400 grams lean lamb mince
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• olive oil
• 25 grams shelled pistachios
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• Couscous
• 0.5 bunch fresh mint
• 1 fresh red chilli
• 150 grams couscous
• Salad
• 0.5 iceberg lettuce
• 0.5 red onion
• 0.5 cucumber
• 5 ripe cherry tomatoes
• 4 black olives (stone in)
• 4 heaped tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
• 2 lemons
• 40 grams feta cheese
• To serve
• 4 pitta breads

Directions:

1. Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Large frying pan, high heat • Food processor (bowl blade)

2. START COOKING In a large bowl, mix the mince with salt, pepper and the garam masala • Divide into 8, then with wet hands shape into little fat fingers • Put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, turning until dark golden all over •Tear off most of the top leafy half of the mint and blitz in the processor with a pinch of salt and pepper and the chilli until fine • Remove the blade, stir in ½ a mug of couscous and 1 mug of boiling water, put the lid on and leave to sit in the processor

3. Cut the lettuce into wedges and arrange on a nice board or platter • Peel and coarsely grate the onion and cucumber into a bowl, season well with salt, then squeeze out any excess salty liquid and sprinkle over the lettuce • Chop and add the tomatoes, then squash, destone and dot over the olives • Mix the yoghurt in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon, season to taste, then drizzle it over the lettuce and crumble over the feta

4. Bash the pistachios in a pestle and mortar • Drain away the fat from the lamb, then toss with the bashed nuts, thyme leaves and honey, and turn the heat off • Pop the pittas in the microwave (800W) for 45 seconds to warm through, then cut in half and add to the board with the kofte • Fluff up the couscous, scatter the remaining mint leaves over everything and serve with lemon wedges

(Serves 4)

Killer Kedgeree, Beans, Greens & Chilli Yoghurt

Ingredients:

• Kedgeree
• 2 large eggs
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 450 grams undyed smoked white fish fillets, scaled and pin-boned
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 fresh red chilli
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 bunch fresh coriander
• 2 heaped teaspoons mustard seeds
• 2 heaped teaspoons turmeric
• olive oil
• 2 250g pack brown cooked rice
• 300 grams frozen peas
• 1 lemon
• Greens
• 200 grams fine green beans
• 1 bunch chard
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 0.5 lemon
• Yoghurt
• 3 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 0.5 lemon

Directions:

1. Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Large frying pan, high heat • Large casserole pan, medium heat • Medium lidded pan, medium heat

2. START COOKING Fill the frying pan with boiling water, add the eggs, bay leaves and smoked fish, then reduce to a simmer • Refill and boil the kettle • Finely chop or slice the peeled ginger, chilli, trimmed spring onions and coriander (reserving a few leaves) • Put the mustard seeds and turmeric into the casserole pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and when they pop, scrape in the chopped veg from the board, stirring regularly

3. Line the beans up and cut off the stalks, put into the medium pan with a pinch of salt, then cover with boiling water and the lid • Line up your chard leaves, cut off and slice the stalks and add the stalks to the beans • Stir the cooked rice, peas and the juice from 1 lemon into the casserole pan • Add the chard leaves to the beans for a minute • Ripple the yoghurt, chilli sauce and the juice of ½ a lemon together in a bowl

4. Drain the greens and leave to steam dry • Use a fish slice to remove the smoked fish from the pan, flake it into the rice, discarding the skin, stir and mix up beautifully, then season to taste • Peel the eggs under the cold tap and cut into quarters, place around the kedgeree pan and scatter over the reserved coriander leaves • Dress the greens on a board with the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, then season to taste and serve

(Serves 4)

Incredibly Delicious Chicken Salad

 

Ingredients:

• Salad
• 1 head broccoli
• 4 120g skinless chicken breasts
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
• olive oil
• 300 grams bulgur wheat
• 2 preserved lemons
• 1 bunch radishes
• 2 spring onions
• 0.5 bunch fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 1 punnet cress
• To serve
• 4 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
• 2 teaspoons harissa
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Medium lidded pan, high heat • Frying pan, high heat • Griddle pan, high heat

2. START COOKING Fill the medium pan with boiling salted water • Trim the end off the broccoli stalk, then cut up the broccoli head and add to the pan, cover and boil for 4 minutes • On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the ground coriander, then fold the paper over and bash and flatten to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin • Put into the frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through

3. With tongs, remove and drain the broccoli (leaving the pan of water on the heat), then place on the griddle until nicely charred • Add 1 mug of bulgur wheat and the preserved lemons to the broccoli water and cover, stirring occasionally • Halve or crush the radishes, trim and finely slice the spring onions and the top leafy half of the mint, then toss it all in a bowl with the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar, and season to taste

4. Drain the bulgur wheat and tip into a large serving bowl, then mash and mix in the preserved lemons and arrange the broccoli on top • Toss the sunflower seeds in the chicken pan, then slice the chicken and add to the salad, scattering over the seeds and snipping over the cress • Serve dolloped with the yoghurt and drizzles of harissa, with lemon wedges on the side

(Serves 4)