Feta & Spinach Filo Pie

This hearty savoury pie is perfect warm served with steamed greens in winter or cold with a salad selection in summer.
It takes about 30 minutes to prep and 30 - 40 in the oven.
Ingredients:
900g/2Lb of washed Spinach
100g/3.5oz Unsalted butter (room temp) plus extra for greasing.
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
2 red onions chopped
60g/2oz dried apricots (chopped)
60g/2oz Pine nuts toasted till golden
6 sheets of filo sheets
salt &  pepper to season
300g/10.5oz Feta cheese (crumbled)
The Preparation:

1.Wash the spinach thoroughly and drain well. This will seem like a mountain of spinach, but don't worry it will wilt down.

 2. Using your biggest pot add batches of the washed spinach to about two cups of water, adding hand fulls of more spinach as the wilted spinach makes more room in the pot.

 

3. Drain the spinach in a colander  and allow to cool.

 

4.When cool enough to handle with out burning your hands, drain the spinach further- my tip is to use a sieve and any flat surfaced pot or measuring cup to press the water from the spinach.

 

5. Place the drained spinach on a clean chopping board and chop thoroughly.

 6. Next line a greased 8"/20cm spring form tin with the filo sheets. Using a brush to cover the sheets with melted butter as you lay one on top of the other at. don't trim the excess, you will fold this in later to make the top.

 7. Now saute the chopped onions in about 25g of butter (Be careful not to burn the butter). When golden and soft add the cumin, coriander and cinnamon together with the pine nuts and apricots. heat gently to infuse the flavors.

 8. Once the onions and spices are mixed well, add the chopped spinach and season with salt and pepper (be generous with the seasoning, this dish can take it)

 9. Pack the mixture in to your empty filo pie case and pack down using a wooden spoon.

 10. Crumple the feta in to the pie covering the compressed spinach and onion filling add some pepper to the feta to enhance the flavour.

 11. Fold the excess filo sheets in on top of each other, brushing each sheet with soft butter before covering with the next sheet.

11. Place in a pre heated oven at 200f for about 30 - 40 minutes or until colden. when done leave to cool for 10 minutes before releasing from the spring form tin.

 Serve hot or cold depending on the season and your taste. It's really nice with a mix of salads or a spicy relish. enjoy!

Risotto Verde - Green Rice to you and Me!

This is by Far the easist Risotto you will ever make.. No boring stiring.

• 6 fl oz (175 ml) Italian carnaroli rice
•  2½ oz (60 g) butter
•  1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
•  3 fl oz (75 ml) dry white wine
•  18 fl oz (500 ml) vegetable powder
•  1 dessertspoon fresh sage, chopped
•  4 oz (110 g) skinned young broad beans (you'll need about 6 oz (175 g) unskinned weight)
•  4 oz (110 g) asparagus, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
•  1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped
•  2 level tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
•  1 bunch snipped fresh chives
•  salt and freshly milled black pepper
• To serve:
•  4 tablespoons groundnut oil
•  12 sage leaves
•  2 oz (50 g) Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated

Method:

Start by melting the butter in a medium pan and then add the chopped onion and let it cook on a gentle heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion is soft and golden.

Now is a good time to put the baking dish in the oven to warm.

Now add the rice to the saucepan, stirring it around in the golden butter and onions until its well coated. (it will look like there's not  enough rice, but trust me it is more than enough)

Now add the white wine and vegetable stock and simmer.

Next, add the chopped sage, half a teaspoon of Sea Salt and some black pepper and bring it up to a simmering and transfer from the pan to the warmed dish.

Stir just once and place it on the centre shelf of the oven to cook for exactly 20 minutes.

When 20 minutes has passed, remove the risotto from the oven and stir in the asparagus, Broad beans and spring onions along with the 2 tablespoons of Pecorino cheese.

Now put back in the  oven for a further 15 minutes, then remove the dish from the oven, stir in the chives.

Put a clean tea towel over it while it rests. But don't leave it too long as Risottos want for no Man (or Woman!)

Serve on warmed plates and finished with grated Pecorino Cheese.

Honey Carrot & Coriander Soup

This Soup is perfect for a winters day lunch. Fresh Organic Carrots mixed with the heart warming tastes of honey & coriander. Make sure to have some a nice homemade brown bread to make it even nicer.
Ingredients:

• 4 Mugs of Fresh chopped Organic Carrots


• 1 Mug of chopped Onions


• 1 Tsp of Honey


• 1 Knob of butter


• 5 - 6 Mugs of Vegetable Stock


• Handful of chopped Coriander


• Salt & Pepper

Method:
Sweat the Onions in the butter with some salt and pepper until soft and golden.
Add the Honey and then the Carrots  stiring until the carrots are coated with the honey, butter and onions.
Cover and sweat until the Carrots are glazed fully.
Add the stock and cook on a medium heat until soft.
Season with Salt & Pepper and transfer to Liquidzer add half the Coriander and blitz until smooth.
Serve Hot with remainder of Coriander as Garnish and some buttered brown bread.  Yum!

Guacamole - A lil bit of Mexico

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Cut avocados in half. Remove the stones and use a desert spoon to scoop out the avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.

Mash the avocado with a fork leaving some texture.

Add the chopped onion, coriander, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more.

de-seed the chilies (be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly and for god sake don't touch your eyes)
Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve.


Cover with cling film to stop the avocado turning brown in the fridge.

Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.

Add Fresh Coriander leaves as Garnish and serve with tortilla chips.

Spring is in the Air. Daffodils

Spring is in the Air.

The Daffodils I forgot I planted in March have suddenly started popping around the Garden. Its one of my favorite flowers simply because its so Simple.  Plating in March will give you a later bloom, which is nice because all the other Daffodils will have gone and these late bloomers are sure to surprise.

Tips for Planting Daffodils:

• The Bigger the Bulb the better the Bloom.
• Plant bigger Bulbs deep to protect from the cold.
• Plant smaller Bulbs not as deep as bigger bulbs so their energy goes to the bloom not breaking ground.
• Plant in Clusters for best effects.
• Under trees is not just a pretty place to plant but gives protection from the wind also.
• Plant later (around late march) to give a fresh bloom when all the others have died off.
• Mix the variety so you get constant surprises as the start to flower.

Banana & Walnut Muffin with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

This moist Banana & Walnut Muffin tastes deliciously sinful but is surprisingly saintly.  
Perfect for an afternoon snack with a nice cup of espresso and a good book.
It's so simple to make, and here's how.
Ingredients for the Muffin:

• 3-4 Large Bananas Mashed


• 1/2 Cup of white Sugar


• 1 Slightly Beaten Egg


• 1/3 Cup of Melted Butter (75gm)


• 1 tsp  of Baking Soda


• 1 tsp of Baking Power


• 1/2 tsp Salt


• 1/2 Cup of Flour (Self Raising)


• 1 Cup of chopped Walnuts

Mix the mashed Bananas, Sugar, Eggs, Butter  and set aside for later.
In a separate bowl mix together the baking soda, salt baking power and flour.
Mix together the wet and dry ingredients adding the chopped walnuts.
Pour in to large Muffin cases or greased loaf tin and bake for 20 minutes at 176c.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 (8 ounce/250gm) packages cream cheese, softened


• 
  1/2 cup butter, softened


• 
  2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar


• 
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together
the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then
gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator
after use. 
Enjoy!