Pasta Verde

August 16, 2016August 17, 2016 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

Ingredients: Leek, courgettes, spinach, tenderstem broccoli, spring onion, basil.

Larder: 200g pasta, 1 knob of butter, 4 tbsp crème fraîche, 1-3 tsp whole grain mustard, 3 tsp white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Instructions:

Slice the leeks and courgettes and sauté in butter for 3-5 mins.
Start cooking the pasta according to packet instructions.
Meanwhile, slice the broccoli. Add to the leeks and courgettes and cook for 3-5 mins depending on how crunchy or soft you like broccoli. Add a splash of water to create some steam and help cook the broccoli.
Make the dressing by mixing 1 tsp mustard, vinegar and crème fraîche together. Add more mustard up to 3tsp according to taste.
Chop the spinach leaves and finely slice the spring onions, add to the veggies and cook for another minute allowing the spinach to wilt a little. Mix the dressing into the veggies and stir to combine.
When pasta is ready, drain and toss with the veggies. Divide between two bowls or plates and garnish with basil leaves to serve.

Caramelised Onion Tart

August 8, 2016August 17, 2016 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

A light tart with sweet shallots and juicy tomatoes topped with goat’s cheese and basil and accompanied by a juicy pile of courgette, broccoli and mange tout.

Ingredients: 80g tomatoes, 3-4 shallots, 1 small courgette, 100g broccoli, 40g mange tout, 1 a 3-4 basil leaves.

Larder: ¾ of a 320g roll of puff pastry, 50g goats cheese, knob of butter, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt (optional: parma ham or prosciutto).

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Use a peeler to make courgette ribbons; place in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside.
Chop the shallots. Melt a knob of butter in a saucepan; add the shallots and sauté gently on low heat for a few minutes until soft. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook for 2 more minutes.
Slice tomatoes and sprinkle salt over them to bring out their juices. Cut goats cheese into chunks and chop basil leaves.
Lay out puff pastry onto a baking tray and cut the end of the rectangle off to make a square (approx. 25cmx25cm), score around the edge with a knife to create a 2 cm border. Spread out shallots on the tart keeping them inside the border and then dot tomatoes and goats cheese around on the tart. Bake for 15-20 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden (see recipe steps for how to use extra pastry).
Cut or break the broccoli into small florets. Immerse, broccoli and mange tout in a bowl of boiled water for approx.. 40 seconds. Drain and refresh by running cold water over them. Mix with the courgette ribbons and a tbsp lemon juice.
Sprinkle basil leaves over the tart and serve with the lemony greens.

Baked Tortillas

August 8, 2016August 17, 2016 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

We love Mexican flavours! This is a great combo of peppers, tomatoes and borlotti beans wrapped in a tortilla and baked with cheese. Coriander adds a gorgeous, fresh finishing touch.

Ingredients: 3 Shallots, 1 clove of garlic, 100g baby peppers or 1 bell pepper, 1 plum tomato, 130g fresh borlotti beans, 1 jalepeño pepper, small handful of coriander.

Larder: 4-6 tortilla wraps, 40g cheddar cheese, 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1tsp paprika, 50ml water, lime juice (optional: sour cream).

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Dice garlic, shallots and jalapeño and sauté in a glug of oil for 5 minutes until soft. Deseed and slice the peppers into thin strips and chop the tomato. Add to the pan and sauté for a few minutes while you shell the borlotti beans.
Add the beans to the pan along with a tin of chopped tomatoes, 50ml water, cumin powder and paprika. Season and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes and then remove from the heat. Keep the beans submerged and if needed, add a splash more water to do so.
Place a tortilla on a baking tray or small casserole dish. Spoon just under a ¼ of the tomato mix onto the tortilla, grate over a little cheese and then roll up the tortilla. Place a second tortilla next to the first, fill and roll up. Repeat until you have 4-6 tortillas neatly lined up on the tray right next to each other so they are touching. Add any extra tomato mix on top of the wraps along with the last bit of grated cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and the tortillas are just crisping at the edges.
Serve the tortillas with torn coriander, a squeeze of lime and optional sour cream.

Rainbow Summer Salad

August 2, 2016August 8, 2016 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

Ingredients: 100g tomatoes, 1 baby cucumber, 5 radishes, 15g lovage, 15g parsley, 1 spring onion, 3 baby peppers.

Larder: 400g tin of chickpeas or butter beans, 4 tbsp olive oil, juice of half a lemon, ½ tsp salt, (optional 160g tin of tuna and pita bread).

Instructions:

Slice the spring onion and radishes. Chop the pepper into 1cm chunks. Quarter the tomatoes, quarter the cucumber lengthways and then cut into 1cm chunks. Finely chop the lovage and parsley.
Combine all the chopped veg and greens in a salad bowl. Drain, rinse and add the tin of chickpeas or butter beans.
Make a dressing: whisk together the oil, lemon juice and ½ tsp salt and mix into the salad.
Drain the tin of tuna and divide the salad and tuna between 2 plates.
Serve salad with toasted pita bread or crusty bread and eat up!

Beetroot and Sorrel Risotto with Fennel and Celery Salad

August 2, 2016August 8, 2016 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

Ingredients: 1 clove of garlic, 3 shallots, 150g beetroot(1 small), 1 small bunch of sorrel, half a bulb of fennel and 1 stick of celery(allergen).

Larder: 175g Arborio (risotto) rice, 600ml stock, 2 knobs of butter, salt and pepper, 50g Parmesan, juice of half a lemon.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Peel and chop the beetroot into 1cm chunks, drizzle with oil and roast for 20-25 minutes.
Mince a clove of garlic and finely chop the shallots. Sauté on a low heat in a knob of butter until soft.
Add the Arborio rice and fry for 3-4 minutes, until slightly translucent. Prepare the stock. Add a ladle at a time to the rice, stirring regularly. Allow the stock to absorb before adding the next ladle of stock. Keep adding until you have used all the stock and the risotto is al denté. This should take about 20 minutes.
While the risotto is cooking, make a fennel and celery salad. Remove any woody stalk and the fronds from the fennel, chop the fronds and thinly slice or shave the fennel, using a knife, or mandolin if you have one. Slice the celery into matchstick thin batons and place with fennel on a small plate. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper and toss well.
When risotto is ready, chop the sorrel and stir in along with the roasted beetroot. Add a pinch of pepper, a knob of butter and 50g grated Parmesan. Place a lid on the pan, remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Serve the risotto with the fennel and celery salad and enjoy the colours!

Asian Noodle Salad

July 19, 2016May 4, 2017 / thuddirect / 2 Comments

Get chopping with this delicious, fresh Asian inspired noodle salad.

Ingredients: 1 romero pepper, 2 carrots, 1/2 a beetroot, 200g mouli/daikon, 1 spring onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2-1 chilli, small bunch of coriander.

Larder: 175g egg noodles, ¼ C vegetable oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, Juice of ½ a lime, 2 tsp honey (optional extra: prawns and sesame seeds).

Instructions:

Deseed the chilli and then finely slice the chilli, garlic clove and spring onion. Cook in a small saucepan on med to high hear with the vegetable oil for about 3 minutes. Don’t allow to burn.
Cook the egg noodles for 4 minutes, drain and return to the pan. Pour over the chilli oil, toss and let stand.
Julienne the pepper, mouli, beetroot and carrot. To julienne your veggies, peel them if needed, and then cut into very thin planks, place the planks on top of each other and then slice the planks to create batons as close to matchstick size as possible.
Chop the coriander.
In a small bowl or glass whisk together lime, soy sauce and honey.
Mix sauce through the noodles and then add the veg and coriander.
Serve in bowls and garnish with sesame seeds.