Birthday lunch (there's going to be a "birthday dinner" later, you're right)

Ciabatta-style bread, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, char-grilled.

Then rubbed with garlic and grilled again.

Then the vine ripened tomatoes were char-grilled, while the basil went onto the rolls, followed by the tomato when it was done.

Balsamic vinegar was then drizzled over the tomatoes and salt & pepper added, before a final flourish of Feta cheese.

Absolutely divine.

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Spicy carrot fritters with Coronation Chicken

This is the last of the recipes that got held over until this week - and details the use I put the other half of the chicken to.

I had seen the recipe on BBC Good Food website a while back and had thought it was interesting, but couldn't think of what I'd serve them with.  Being committed carnivores, I didn't think that a bit of feta cheese (which son & heir hates with a passion) was going to cut it, really.

So there I was, looking for something interesting to serve alongside the other half of the pot roast chicken - and fancying keeping the chicken cold.  Cold cooked chicken is one of life's delights, so far as I am concerned - and having to keep on putting that lovely chicken into things like curries, was just sacrilege in my book.

I remembered the fritters included cumin, which instantly made me think of Coronation Chicken - which is one of son & heir's favourite dinners ever.  A quick review of the recipe and we were sorted.

I served the chicken on a bed of mixed lettuce and we just had some cucumber alongside.  Of course, I did deviate from the recipe a teensy bit by adding a half a teaspoon full of ground coriander.  I felt it would just up the curry flavouring.  The fritters cooked up perfectly - I'm a bit of a novice on frying such things as these fritters, so watched them the whole way.  However, they were well behaved and didn't cook too quickly, or too slowly - and the feta cheese didn't run away all over the pan - which was one of my worries!

I considered the apparent inconsistency of having Greek feta cheese in what was ostensibly an Indian sounding recipe - and wondered about using paneer instead.  However, not having ever tasted paneer, I couldn't judge whether it had a sufficiently salty, sour flavour that would stand in for the feta.  I'll just have to get some paneer (or make some!) and try it!

Having cooked these fritters, it has made me ponder the prospect of creating some onion bhajees - which are our all-time favourite indian-style snack.  Hubby did have a crack at them when we first got our deep fat fryer (which has now been consigned to a deep dark cupboard) without much success.  I'll have to have another go and see how I get on!

SPICY CARROT FRITTERS (makes around 12)

Ingredients :

4 heaped tbsp self-raising flour
1 rounded tsp ground cumin
half a tsp ground coriander
2 small eggs
125g carrots, coarsely grated
1 small onion, coarsely grated
50g feta cheese, crumbled
vegetable oil.

Method :

1.  Mix the flour, cumin, coriander, eggs and 2 tbsp water (more if the consistency is too thick) in a bowl, until you have a smooth, thick batter.


2.  Stir in the carrots, onion, feta and a good sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.


3.  Heat 1-2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan.  Spoon dollops of the batter into the frying pan and flatten them out a little with the back of the spoon.  Cook for 2-3 minutes each side, until cooked through and golden brown.


4.  Keep in a warm place until ready to serve.

Printable version

CORONATION CHICKEN (uses half a cooked chicken)


Ingredients :


Cooked, shredded chicken
1-2 tbsp mayonnaise
1-2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 heaped teaspoon of curry powder
a pinch of cinnamon
1 flat teaspoon of ground cumin
half a teaspoon of ground turmeric
half a teaspoon of garlic granules
half a teaspoon of garam masala
a pinch of red chilli flakes
quarter of a lemon, juiced
1 heaped teaspoon of mango chutney
a pinch of sea salt
half a teaspoon of ground black pepper.


Method :


1.  Place all the ingredients except the chicken, into a large bowl and stir to combine.


2.  Taste and adjust to suit your own taste requirements, but remember that it will taste slightly different once the chicken is added and once the flavours have married.


3.  Add the chicken and turn it gently in the sauce, making sure every piece of chicken is coated whilst trying not to break up the pieces.


4.  Cover and put in the fridge to chill for at least a half an hour, to allow time for the flavours to marry.


Serve - it also does very nicely as a sandwich filling, or in wraps with crisp fresh beansprouts.


Printable version

Greek lamb meatballs with roasted vegetables - a real crowd pleaser.

I don't mind admitting, I was a bit dubious about this recipe.

It certainly looked appetising and interesting - and I figured I could tweak it around to our likes and dislikes whilst still being able to feed everyone sufficiently.  However, I had a slight reservation over the lamb mince we had roosting in the freezer.  It wasn't from our local butcher, it was an old purchase from the supermarket - before we ventured into lamb mince from the butcher.  However, it needed using up.

As it was, although the meatballs were a teensy bit paste-like on the inside, the flavours were lovely and I reckon the mince did an okay job.  Of course, the next time I do it with butcher's mince, it'll be lovely and chunky which will make for a much firmer meatball.  Delicious!  Considering the meatballs were really only mince, breadcrumbs, grated onion & mint with egg to bind them, they had an amazing flavour.  This was one of those "less is more" lessons in not cluttering up a recipe!

Where the vegetables were concerned, included in the recipe were courgette (which is fine, although son doesn't like them), cherry tomatoes (again fine, although son doesn't eat those either) and potatoes cut into wedges (which of course hubby hates, but son likes).  So, to give son something to eat, I added sweet potato cut into wedges (which pleased both son & hubby) and butternut squash cubes (again, pleased son & hubby).  Me?  I'll eat the lot!

The end result was a lovely melange of flavours - particularly with the feta crumbled over the top.  Son & heir opted out of the feta cheese, but as he had both potato and sweet potato wedges, plus butternut squash (and the ubiquitous tomato ketchup), I figured he'd be fine.

I served a Tzatziki/Raita yoghurt/cucumber/mint combo alongside, which went very nicely with the meatballs and which took on the job of a sauce, on the occasions when something a bit more moist was required.

I particularly enjoyed the mint flavour through the lamb meatballs, together with the combination of feta with courgette and the tomatoes.  Yummy.  The assembled throng declared this to very definitely be a 10 out of 10 dish, which they'd happily have again.  So that's alright then!

GREEK LAMB TRAY BAKE  (feeds 3)

Ingredients :

50g fresh white breadcrumbs

400g lamb mince

1 egg, beaten

2 onions, halved

large handful of mint, chopped

2 medium potatoes, cut into wedges

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

half a tsp dried oregano

a flat tsp of paprika

2 courgettes, cut into batons

200g butternut squash, peeled and cut into large dice

12 cherry tomatoes, pierced

2 tbsp olive oil

50g feta cheese, crumbled

Method :

1.  Pre-heat oven to 200deg C/180deg fan/gas 6.

2.  Put the breadcrumbs, lamb mince, egg and seasoning into a bowl.  Grate in half of one onion and sprinkle in half the chopped mint.

3.  Give everything a good mix, then shape into meatballs – should make around 12-15.

4.  Place the meatballs into the fridge to cool and firm.

5.  Place both types of wedges into a bowl and add the oregano, paprika, seasoning and a tbsp of oil.  Mix to ensure everything is well coated.

6.  Decant onto a large flat roasting tray and place into the oven for 35-45 minutes, turning once.

7.  Place the meatballs onto another large flat roasting tray and add the courgettes, squash and tomatoes.  Season well and drizzle with olive oil.

8.  Add to the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.

9.  Remove from the oven when done and sprinkle with the feta cheese and remaining mint.  Serve.

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