Halloumi, broccoli couscous

This recipe was first cooked on 24/10/2018

As I have a lot of purple sprouting broccoli at this time of the year I thought to use it instead of the Broccoli that is normally ready in autumn.
So lovely to see Angeles, Lucy, Ana, June and Sue again in this picture. Especially as due to the Corona Virus I don't see anyone other that Mark ofcourse.

We went to the allotment where we harvested, a beautiful broccoli head, spinach beet and tomatoes and mint.



We will be preparing the mint in such a way that we strip  all but the top set of leaves. Those leaves were chopped for the couscous but the stems with the few leaves on top will be put in water to start rooting and become another plant for next year.

The Halloumi Couscous and Broccoli dish went down a treat.

With the broccoli stems, spinach beet and marrow chunks (left from a large Marrow that we started using at the beginning of the week)  we made a delicious soup topped with crumbled feta cheese and a delightful blue borage flower
                 

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil

A small onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups broccoli stems, chopped

4 cups spinach beet or chard chopped

4 cups courgettes chopped

Gorgonzola dolce (optional)

1 litre vegetable stock

Borage flowers for garnish, if desired

Feta Cheese for garnish, if desired

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add oil to a large pot.
2. Add in onions and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
4. Toss in broccoli and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
5. Stir in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until broccoli , spinach and courgettes are tender.
6. Take off of the heat and stir in  Gorgonzola  (optional) salt and pepper.
7. Cool soup slightly and puree with hand blender.
8. Pour soup into bowls and serve immediately.
9. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and a Borage flower or chives.

Tried and tested by June, Lucy, Ana, Angeles, Sue and  Karina 

Mung bean curry

As I still have perpetual spinach and carrots left in the allotment, I thought I could make this Mung Bean curry this weekend.

We made this first with our  Wednesday group on 9th October 2017 and Monday group on  2nd February 2020. So lovely to see the happy smiles again. 

Miss you all,  and hope that the group cooking sessions can start again soon. For now, enjoy this anti inflamatory curry and the happy memories.

The recipe for the  Mung bean curry: 4 servings
1 cup of mung beans soaked for 6 hours or overnight
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 finely sliced onion
15 gr finely grated ginger
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chilli powder
4-6 minced garlic cloves
1 can of chopped tomatoes
2 carrots sliced into half moons
4 cups of vegetable stock
3 large handfuls of shredded silverbeet/spinach
sea salt to taste





In a large pot heat the oil over a medium high  heat and add the mustard seeds

When the mustard seeds start to pop add the cumin seeds and onion. Saute for a few minutes over a medium heat. When until onions become translucent, add the chilli, tumeric, ginger, garlic and tomatoes.

Continue to saute on gentle heat for another 5 minutes, until the tomato pieces are cooked down. Then mix in the mung beans and carrots. Stir thoroughly so all the spices and flavours coat the ingredients

Next add the stock and bring to boil. then turn down and gently simmer.
At this point you may want to add some salt, try 1/2 a teaspoon.
Cook for 30 minutes with the lid partially on, until the lentils are fully cooked and you have a thick caserole like consistency. You will need to stir consistently so that the beans don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Once cooked, stir in the beet and simmer for a couple more minutes before turning off.

Serve with basmati rice, a dollop of yoghurt  topped with fresh coriander and a fresh salad.
Enjoy!

These days I tend to use the Lazy Dough to make flat bread, but I have to save my eggs and yoghurt  as there has been a 'run on eggs' due to the Corona virus, so for this flat bread  the ingredients were.

2 cups of plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup of milk
3 1/2 tbs butter

Warm the milk and melt the butter in it.
Add to the flour and salt and mix thoroughly and knead into a ball.
Leave to rest for 10 mins, then cut in 4 and roll out thinly
In a dry frying pan, put in the flat dough and leave it until it shows bubbles, then turn for another minute or so (make sure it does not burn). Et Voilà! Delicious flat bread to go with your curry
(or if you want to use it as a wrap this is possible too as long as it is thin enough)


If you have enough yoghurt this flatbread  recipe might be another easy option.

Halloumi and Broccoli couscous

Another wonderful sunny day, today.  What an autumn treat!

We went to the allotment where we harvested, a beautiful broccoli head, spinach beet and tomatoes and mint.



We will be preparing the mint in such a way that we strip  all but the top set of leaves. Those leaves were chopped for the couscous but the stems with the few leaves on top will be put in water to start rooting and become another plant for next year.

The Halloumi Couscous and Broccoli dish went down a treat.

With the broccoli stems, spinach beet and marrow chunks (left from a large Marrow that we started using at the beginning of the week)  we made a delicious soup topped with crumbled feta cheese and a delightful blue borage flower
                 

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil

A small onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups broccoli stems, chopped

4 cups spinach beet or chard chopped

4 cups courgettes chopped

Gorgonzola dolce (optional)

1 litre vegetable stock

Borage flowers for garnish, if desired

Feta Cheese for garnish, if desired

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add oil to a large pot.
2. Add in onions and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
4. Toss in broccoli and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
5. Stir in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until broccoli , spinach and courgettes are tender.
6. Take off of the heat and stir in  Gorgonzola  (optional) salt and pepper.
7. Cool soup slightly and puree with hand blender.
8. Pour soup into bowls and serve immediately.
9. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and a Borage flower or chives.

Tried and tested by June, Lucy, Ana, Angeles, Sue and  Karina