Green Goddess Salad

July 25, 2017July 20, 2017 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

We have recently discovered the green goddess dressing and fallen in love! This is our very own THUD version dolloped over lentils and yummy veg.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1-2 tbsp chopped tarragon, 1tbsp chopped chives, 50g rocket, 1 baby cucumber, 1 beetroot, 1 carrot.

Larder: ½ C mayonnaise, ½ C plain yoghurt, 1 tsp mustard, 150g puy lentils or a tin/pouch of cooked puy/green lentils, 2 eggs, salt and pepper (optional: 3 anchovies or 1 tsp miso paste).

Instructions:

If using uncooked lentils, place them in a saucepan and with 3/4. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 mintues until tender.
Make the green goddess dressing: Finely chop all the herbs and if using, the anchovies. Combine herbs and anchovies/miso paste in a bowl with the mayonnaise and mustard and then whisk in the yoghurt. Season and adjust according to taste.
In a salad bowl, grate the beetroot and carrot, slice the cucumber, add the rocket and toss to combine.
Poach two eggs and when lentils are soft but still with a little bite, drain any remaining water.
While eggs are poaching, pile up your green goddess salad starting with lentils, followed by the veggies and large dollops of green goddess dressing. Finally, when the eggs are ready, pop them on top and enjoy.
Note: the dressing is quite thick so stir in as you eat.

Rhubarb Panzanella

July 4, 2017July 3, 2017 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

This panzanella is a summery delight of a salad. Tart rhubarb, leafy greens, refreshing cucumber, crunchy radishes and sweet tomatoes are all topped off with crusty chunks of bread and a delicious balsamic dressing.

Ingredients: 50g rhubarb (1 stick), 1 baby cucumber, 50g radishes, 120g cherry tomatoes, 50g yellow cherry tomatoes, bunch of rocket, handful of spinach, 2 stems of mint.

From the larder: 2 slices of bread, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, salt, pepper, (optional: 3 pieces of cooked bacon).

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Roughly tear the bread into approx 3cm pieces. Lay on a baking tray and place in the oven to dry out and crisp up for about 15-20 minutes.
Wash the rocket and spinach and place in a salad bowl.
Quarter the cucumber lengthways and then slice the quarters into chunks. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the radishes and chop the mint leaves. Add all to the salad bowl.
Slice the rhubarb very thinly (approximately .5cm or thinner) and add to the salad bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust proportions as desired.
Pour the salad dressing over the salad and toss to dress well.
Add the bread into the salad and briefly toss. If using bacon, chop into small pieces and add to the salad.
Serve the panzanella in bowls and enjoy.

Smashed Potatoes and Fixin’s

May 31, 2017May 31, 2017 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

Comfort food for the soul. Smashed sweet and new potatoes with plenty of fixin’s like sautéed leeks, cherry tomatoes, radishes and rocket. Served with a dollop of yoghurt or grated cheese, this meal goes down a treat!

Serves 2

Ingredients: 1/2 a sweet potato, 4-5 new potatoes, 1 leek, sprig of thyme, 100g tomatoes, 60g radishes, 50g bunch of rocket.

From the larder: 2 knobs of butter, salt and pepper (optional: grated cheese, dollop of yoghurt and/or bacon bits).

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Cut up the sweet potato into chunks and halve any of the larger new potatoes. Place in a saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil and boil potatoes for 15 minutes while you prepare the fixin’s.
Pop the radishes on a baking tray, drizzle lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to roast for approximately 15 minutes or until you’re ready to eat.
Meanwhile, slice the leek and melt a knob of butter in a saucepan, add the leek, cover and gently sweat until soft and translucent.
Wash the rocket and quarter the cherry tomatoes.
When the potatoes are soft to poke with a knife, drain, add a knob of butter and thyme leaves, and then season and crush with a fork.
Serve potatoes piled high with leeks, roasted radishes, rocket, tomatoes and optional grated cheese, dollop of plain yoghurt and/or bacon bits.

Asparagus Tart with Beet Slaw

May 24, 2017 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

A pretty asparagus tart that’s super simple to make, but looks fancy and fun and is accompanied by a beaut beet salad. This meal is one of our favourites.

Ingredients: 4-5 asparagus spears, 1 beetroot, 1 stick of celery(allergen), 50g bunch of rocket and 2 stems of dill.

From the larder: 1 roll of puff pastry, 100g goats cheese or feta, 1 egg, 4tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional: 1 tsp mayonnaise).

Instructions:

Gather all your ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Beat the feta or goats cheese with the egg. It should be thick but easily spreadable.
Unroll the pastry onto a small baking tray approximately 20 x 30cm. Fold over or trim off any extra pastry and score a line around the edge of the tart creating a 1-inch border.
Cut the asparagus spears in half lengthways. Spread the egg and cheese mixture onto the pastry, lay all of the asparagus on top cut side down, season with salt and pepper and a light drizzle of oil. Bake for 15-20 mins until pastry is puffed and golden and asparagus tender.
While the tart is baking, make the slaw: grate the beetroot and finely chop the celery. Combine in a bowl with rocket and dill leaves.
Crumble in any remaining goat’s cheese.
Whisk together the oil, vinegar and optional mayonnaise. Adjust proportions according to taste. Mix into the salad.
When the tart is golden, serve slices with the beet slaw.

Fennel and Dill Tart

April 18, 2017April 19, 2017 / thuddirect / 1 Comment

Tarts are always so pretty and this fennel tart does not disappoint, especially when served with zesty multicoloured carrot ribbons that pop with colour and zing with taste.

Ingredients: half a bulb of fennel, 2 shallots, 10g dill, 2 multi-coloured carrots (purple, orange, white or yellow), handful of rocket.

From the larder: 1 sheet of short crust pastry (bought or make your own), 2 eggs, juice of ½ lemon or balsamic vinegar, oil and butter (optional: 50g goat’s cheese and 50ml cream).

Instructions:

If you are making your own pastry, See recipe below.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Roll out pastry and lay in a shallow 9-inch pie dish or on a baking tray folding over to make your own edges. Cover with foil or baking beads and bake blind for 15 minutes. (A note on baking. The idea with blind baking is to crisp up the pastry so that it does not become soggy when you add the filling. The foil and baking beans, or rice, which also works well, are used to add weight so the pastry doesn’t puff up with hot air.)
Meanwhile, chop shallots and slice fennel into thin strips; sauté in a knob of butter until slightly soft and translucent. Leave the wispy fronds of the fennel out and set aside.
In a bowl, crack the egg and beat together with fennel fronds, chopped dill, pinch of salt and pepper. If using goat’s cheese, cut into chunks and mix into the egg mixture along with cream. Remove the pastry from the oven and place fennel, shallots and egg mixture into the pie case. Pop back in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden and set.
While the tart is baking, peel carrots and then use the peeler to make carrot ribbons. Squeeze lemon juice over and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in rocket. Serve slices of the tart with carrot ribbons and enjoy!

Pastry:

Ingredients: 225 plain flour, 110g butter, water.

Instructions: Cut butter into cubes and rub into flour with your fingertips until the mixture feels like breadcrumbs.
Using a fork, stir in just enough cold water (2-3tbsp) to bring the pastry together, gather into a ball, cling film and stick in the fridge for 15 mins. (Be conservative on the water, drier pastry will give a crispier crust).

Red Rice Salad

September 20, 2016September 14, 2017 / thuddirect / Leave a comment

Red rice has a lovely wholesome and nutty flavour, not to mention and fabulous colour. It’s combined with beetroot, rocket and delicious dressing in this tasty salad.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 1 and a half beetroot, 1-2 carrots, 2 runner beans, 1 spring onion, handful of rocket, small bunch of curly parsley and flat parsley and 1-2 shallots depending on size.

Larder: 200g red rice or mixture of puy lentils and red rice, 1 tsp honey, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, juice of ½ a lemon,

(optional extras: 50g feta, grilled fish or chicken, stock cube).

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
Cook the rice with 600ml of water or stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for approx 30 mins.
Make the dressing. Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, a pinch of salt and finely minced shallots in the salad bowl, whisk to combine, adjust proportions to taste.
Finely slice the spring onion and chop both kinds of parsley. Add to salad bowl and mix.
Peel and grate the beetroot and carrot. Add to the salad bowl.
Slice runner beans on the diagonal into 2cm pieces and when rice nearly ready, add them to the rice for the last 3 or so minutes of cooking. When rice cooked, drain any remaining water.
Add to the salad bowl. Mix in the rocket and if using, crumble in the feta.
Serve with optional grilled chicken or fish.