Yoghurt Flatbreads with a Mushroom Ragout.

With more time on my hands recently, I've finally had an opportunity to start reading through my Dad's ever growing cookery book collection. I have always been a fan of Ottolenghi and as I read through his cook book 'Plenty',  I realised that when it comes to food, we share the same ethos. Otttolenghi's 'Plenty' celebrates the wondrous and versatile world of vegetables.  One particular recipe caught my eye...........  the yoghurt flatbreads with a mushroom and barley ragout.  As I scanned the recipe (i.e. looked at the pretty pictures) I thought to myself  'I have to eat this now'! It is a hugely dynamic dish as  the two key components can be equally enjoyed separately as they can together.  Mastering a good flatbread is a technique that can be used time and time again. They can be enjoyed with curries, stews, dips or just on their own! As for the ragout, I think it would be a great accompaniment to any meat. After making a few changes to the recipe, this simple and bloody delicious recipe is so worth a go.

Serves 6 as a starter 

Ingredients:  

Flatbread 

140g wholemeal flour 

1.5 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

140g greek yoghurt 

3 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped 

4 tbsp olive oil and/or melted butter 

Ragout 

70g pearl barley 

20g dried porcini mushrooms

180ml lukewarm water 

400g chestnut mushrooms quartered 

2 tbsp olive oil 

60g butter 

2 thyme springs  

2 garlic cloves crushed 

125ml white wine 

2tbsp chopped parsley 

1/2 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon skin 

1 tbsp lemon juice 

 6tbsp greek yoghurt 

salt & pepper  

Method: 

1. First things first, the flatbreads. Combine all the ingredients apart from the butter. Knead the dough for a minute or so, until it is smooth and uniform. Then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. 

2. For the ragout, rinse the barley. Place in a saucepan with plenty of fresh water. Simmer for 30-35 mins, until tender but still has a bite. 

3. As this is cooking, place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour over the lukewarm water; set aside. Put the fresh mushrooms in a hot heavy based pan with the oil and half the butter along with the thyme. Sauté for 4mins. Once softened add garlic and wine allow to bubble for 5mins.  

3. Add the porcine mushrooms and their juices making sure you leave the last bit of liquid to avoid any grit being added. Then salt and pepper and leave to simmer on a low heat for 10mins. 

4. Lastly stir in the remaining butter with parsley, lemon, lemon juice and barley. Leave, and re-heat when you're frying the flat bread. 

5.  Separate the dough into six equal balls and role out into circles about 2mm thick. For frying the flatbread put the oil and butter in a frying pan on a high heat. When the butter is melted add the flatbreads one at a time. Fry for around 2mins either side until golden. Then to serve, place the ragout  on top of bread with a dollop of yoghurt and sprinkling of parsley. 

The Quiche Challenge.

The quiche is one thing I have always wanted to master. It's such a great way to use up veg and other leftovers that you have lurking in the fridge. It also lasts for days, - which makes it a very economical meal during term time. Making quiche does, however, come with a few challenges! Admittedly, I had never really dabbled in the world of pastry before and boy was it hard work. Due to my first time nerves I decided to go with a pre-made  pastry, which according to the reviews, is just as good as homemade. Having opted for the easy route, I was left with one major question, 'to grease or not to grease' the tin? I decided to grease the tin, but as I found out the hard way, this was definitely the wrong answer! I realised this as I watched my pastry slip down the sides of the tin during the blind baking (not good). Luckily I managed to salvage it with some amateur pastry DIY....... but boy was it stressful. Having said that, after the pastry drama it all went rather swimmingly and ended up being quite the tasty quiche.    

Ingredients:  

1 pack short crust pastry 

1 egg 

3 egg whites (this includes 1 for the blind baking) 

100ml skimmed milk 

1/4 tsp nutmeg 

1/2 tsp oregano 

1/2 tsp chilli flakes 

1tbsp finely chopped chives 

1 handful spinach 

1 large courgette 

1 small onion 

1 clove garlic finely chopped 

1 handful mushrooms 

1 handful cherry tomatoes 

50g blue goats cheese (use any cheese you favour, it will all taste good)  

Salt & Pepper 

Olive oil 

Method:  

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C, flour a work surface and role out your pastry till it's about 1.5cm thick. Place in your UN-GREASED tin and press against the sides. Then prick the bottom of the pastry to prevent rising and use one of the egg whites to egg wash the base. This acts like a barrier to prevent the dreaded soggy bottom. Place in the oven for around 15 mins till lightly golden. 

2. While the pastry is baking you can crack on with the filling. Firstly fry the onions in a drizzle of olive oil, on a medium heat, for around 8 mins. Then add the courgette and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue frying. When the courgettes start to soften add the mushrooms and fry till cooked. Set aside. 

3. In a bowl add the egg, egg whites and milk, and whisk. Then add the chives, chilli, oregano, nutmeg and salt & pepper. Stir in well. 

4. Once the pastry is cooked remove from the oven and lower the temperature to around 175 degrees C. Place the spinach in the bottom of the pastry case and then the veg filling. Making sure it's evenly distributed. Then halve the tomatoes and tumble into the mixture. Crumble and add your cheese to the filling. Finally add the egg mixture and fill in the gaps. 

5. Return the quiche to the oven and bake for a further 40mins until the filling is set. You can check this by placing a knife in the centre, if it comes out clear your quiche is done. Leave to rest for 10mins and then it's ready to serve.   

Minty Bean Risotto.

The inspiration for this dish was a lovely day spent at a 'pick our own' farm (http://www.parksidefarmpyo.co.uk ) with a friend. We had both wanted to go for some time, and we finally managed to organise it. It certainly did not disappoint. Spending a few hours selecting and picking a wide variety of fruit and veg was an absolute delight (can't get fresher than that!).  The best pick of the day were the broad beans, such a seasonal delight and always yummy. I decided I had to add them to one of my favourite dishes, risotto....... both a pleasure to cook and eat. The best thing about risotto is that it's both warm and filling, while staying fresh and light. This particular recipe combines peas and broad beans with mint and lemon, a great summer supper.  

Serves 3 

Ingredients:  

1 small onion, finely chopped 

1 stick of celery, chopped into chunks 

1 garlic clove ,finely chopped 

The zest and juice of half a lemon 

1 handful of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped 

1.5 litres chicken or veg stock 

Small pinch of saffron (optional) 

200ml white wine 

50g butter 

3 handfuls of peas 

1 handful of broad beans pod and outer shell removed

300g arborio risotto rice  

salt & pepper to taste

2 handfuls of finely grated parmesan cheese  

Method:  

1. Fry the onion and celery in a drizzle of oil on a medium heat for round 8 mins until soft. Once soft add a knob of butter and the rice and garlic. At this point gently fry the rice till the ends of the grain start to go translucent, then add the wine and cook till it is nearly all absorbed. 

2. Add about 750ml of the stock and the saffron and leave on a medium heat until it is absorbed, stirring regularly. The addition of saffron is optional as it does not significantly impact on taste,  but it does turn the rice into a warm yellow pillow of loveliness.  

3. Once the rice has absorbed most of the stock (after about 20mins), check the consistency. The rice should still be slightly chewy at this point.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper and the rest of the stock along with the broad beans, still stirring regularly. 

4.  After approximately a further 10mins add the peas, lemon zest and juice. 

5. Leave for another 10mins and then taste. At this point the rice should have absorbed the remaining stock. The consistency of the rice should be 'soft 'with a slight bite. 

6. Lastly add the grated cheese and the rest of the butter to thicken the rice and finally the fresh mint, stir in well and leave for 5mins then serve. 

Lime and White Chocolate Cookies

I have never had much luck baking cookies. My poor brother still bares the scares from my attempt at peanut butter cookies. That particular experience was enough to put me off baking them for a very long time. Recently however, I had the urge to take on the cookie challenge once again. To avoid any further cookie casualties, this time I made sure my brother was nowhere near the kitchen. To my delight the cookies turned out perfectly, without any mishaps. They are a real treat and the addition of lime prevents the cookie from being too sweet, whilst retaining that important yummy soft chewy texture. I recommend giving them a whirl. Definitely worth while. 

Makes around 12 cookies. 

Ingredients:

113g melted unsalted butter

 

85g caster sugar 

75g light brown sugar 

1 egg 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lime juice 

1/2 tbsp lime zest 

133g plain flour

 

1/2 tsp baking soda

 

1/8 tsp baking powder 

 pinch of salt 

150g white chocolate bar (broken into squares). 

Method: 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line 2 baking trays with grease proof paper. 

2. Whisk together the sugar and butter until combined then add the egg and continue whisking until its all mixed together. 

3. Then add the flour and fold until combined. At this point add the baking soda and powder along with the vanilla extract. 

4. Once this has been combined add the lime juice and lime zest again folding it all in. 

5. At this point add a pinch of salt and the broken squares of the white chocolate. 

6. Divide the mixture into small balls, about an inch thick (I used an ice-cream scoop) and place them around 2 inches apart on the tray. 

7. Bake for 10-15mins until the rim of the cookie is golden and the centre is just set. Leave on the tray to cool and transfer to a rack after 10minutes.