celeriac salad with panch phoran

celeriac salad with panch phoran

My recipe for a quick and simple celeriac salad with panch phoran. Celeriac is a much maligned vegetable in the UK, maybe due to its off-putting appearance; all muddy roots and jagged bits - but what lies beneath is worth the work involved in peeling and cleaning it.  Beautiful creamy coloured flesh with a nutty taste and full of crunch.  It's great raw in salads like this, but also delicious cooked in soups, mashed or baked.  It's popular in France and served simply grated like this with a mayonnaise dressing.  We often buy it ready made when we're over there and have it with lunch or a BBQ.  This is my homemade version with a little pinch of panch phoran to spice it up a little bit.  

Panch phoran (or Indian 5 spice as it is also known) is a blend of cumin, brown mustard seeds, fenugreek, nigella seeds and fennel. You can buy it ready blended but you can easily make your own with equal quantities of each spice.  

preparation time:  5-10 minutes

recipe by:  chip butties and noodle soup

celeriac salad with panch phoran

ingredients:  

1 celeriac

1 tsp panch phoran

juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 tbs mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

method:

• roast the panch phoran in a dry pan until the essential oils are released and the spices become fragrant
• wash, peel and finely grate your celeriac
• add the panch phoran to the celeriac, with the zest and juice of a lemon, 2 tbs of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt and then salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy as an interesting, spicy alternative to coleslaw. Great as a side dish at a late Summer BBQ or a light lunch. 

Your comments are most welcomed and thanks as always for stopping by.  

I have entered my celeriac salad with panch phoran onto Four Seasons Food hosted by Delicieux and Chezfoti

I am also entering this onto Turquoise Lemon's September No Waste Challenge this month hosted by Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

Burwash Rose Cheese Salad with Pomegranate, Peach and Chilli

Burwash Rose cheese salad with pomegranate, peach and chilli 

As part of my #EatDrinkSussex series, focusing on Sussex food and drink, I visited La Cave a Fromage.  A beautiful cheese shop and tasting room in Hove, East Sussex.  I was invited to taste a selection of locally produced cheeses and choose a few so I could develop some recipes using this Sussex produce.  It was difficult to choose but eventually I decided on the Burwash Rose, Brighton Blue and Cornerstone.  This salad recipe highlights the Burwash Rose cheese.  My recipes featuring Brighton Blue and Cornerstone will follow on the blog soon.  

Burwash Rose cheese is a semi soft cheese inspired by traditional Trappist cheese making methods, and named after the village Burwash in East Sussex.  It is also the current winner of the ‘best British semi-soft cheese’ at the 2012 British Cheese Awards.  Burwash Rose is produced by The Traditional Cheese Dairy in Stonegate - using raw milk from a closed herd of British Frisian Cows on Lullings Farm in Cuckfield.  

Burwash Rose is washed in rose water for the first two weeks of its affinage (maturing process) which produces a wonderful floral quality on the rind.  When I discovered this I immediately thought of fresh, fruity combinations with a Middle Eastern influence. I did not want to lose the flavour of the cheese so was careful to choose ingredients that worked well and were complementary.  

The pomegranate and peach add a lovely contrast to the sticky, pungent Burwash Rose.  To highlight the fresh, clean taste of the salad I kept the dressing to a simple squeeze of lemon juice and glug of olive oil as I didn't want to distract from the cheese.  The fresh basil complements the fragrant Burwash Rose and the little flecks of red chilli give it a spicy bite which I think is lovely against the ripe, juicy fruit.  

This is a really simple salad to prepare - ready in a few minutes and full of vibrant flavours and textures.  Perfect for a Summer picnic or lunch.  Enjoy! 

I hope you give this recipe a go and let me know what you think.  Your comments are welcomed.  

Burwash Rose Cheese Salad with Pomegranate, Peach and Chilli 

recipe by: chip butties and noodle soup

preparation time:  5-10 minutes

serves 3-4 

ingredients:

225g Burwash Rose Cheese - sliced

seeds of 1 pomegranate 

3 ripe peaches - sliced into segments

150g leaves (I used baby spinach and wild rocket)

1 red onion - sliced

1 small bunch basil chopped

1 red chilli (de-seeded and finely chopped) 

1 lemon 

a few glugs extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper 

method:

1. get a large bowl and add all the salad ingredients, add the lemon juice and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste then gently toss together
2. serve on a large platter with a good bread on the side.   

Burwash Rose Cheese was supplied by La Cave a Fromage

You can follow La Cave a Fromage on Twitter

#EatDrinkSussex highlights Sussex food and drink produce.  If you would like to feature on #EatDrinkSussex or have any suggestions please either leave a comment on the blog or contact me via Twitter and I will be in touch.   

I have entered this recipe into Javelin Warrior's Made with Love Mondays over at Cookin w/ Luv

I have also entered this recipe into 

 cooking with herbs hosted by Karen at Lavender and Lovage

I have also entered this recipe onto No Croutons Required hosted by Jacqueline at Tinned Tomatoes and Lisa from Lisa's Kitchen.  This month the topic is seasonal salads/soups.  

raw beetroot, caraway, lemon balm and mint salad

This big bowl of raw beetroot salad flavoured with caraway, lemon balm and mint is a crunchy super food Summer salad. Beetroot is packed with powerful antioxidants and nutrients. This recipe is inspired by a big bunch of beetroot I needed to use up and some lemon balm I had found while out for a little foraging walk.  Caraway and mint are perfect flavour partners for beetroot - bringing out their earthy sweetness.  The lemon balm adds a fresh, citrus hit to this beetroot salad which also adds an interesting contrast to the earthy beetroot. 

Check out this link for more information about foraging for lemon balm. Remember to be careful when foraging and never pick or use anything unless you are 100% sure what it is.  Here are a few foraging rules to make yourself familiar with if you are going to find this herb in the wild. You can of course buy lemon balm from some supermarkets and may even be growing some in your garden if you are lucky.  

This raw beetroot salad is perfect for a Summer picnic or BBQ and would make a great accompaniment to roast or BBQ meat or fish.   I hope you enjoy and let me know how you get on with making this.   

raw beetroot, caraway, lemon balm and mint salad

recipe by:  chip butties and noodle soup 

preparation time:  10 minutes

ingredients:

1 bunch beetroot (about 4-5 beetroot)

3-4 sprigs lemon balm 

3-4 sprigs mint

glug of red wine vinegar

glug of olive oil

1 tsp chilli flakes

3 tsp caraway seeds

pinch sugar

salt and pepper

method:

1. gently roast the caraway seeds in a pan until they become fragrant then remove from heat.  
2. wash and peel your beetroot then grate.  Be careful as beetroot stains everything pink and gets everywhere - probably not a good idea to wear anything white while doing this! 
3. chop up the herbs then add these to the beetroot with your glugs of oil, roasted caraway seeds, chilli flakes, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar and mix well. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  
4. let it stand for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to mingle.  

I have entered this recipe into July's cooking with herbs hosted by Karen at Lavender and Lovage

I am also entering this recipe onto: Four Seasons Food hosted by Delicieux and Chezfoti to go with their BBQ and BBQ sides theme.

I have also entered this recipe into Javelin Warrior's Made with Love Mondays over at Cookin w/ Luv

I have also entered this recipe onto No Croutons Required hosted by Jacqueline at Tinned Tomatoes and Lisa from Lisa's Kitchen.  This month the topic is seasonal salads/soups.  

The Big Summer Salad

My Big Summer Salad is a big bowl of Summery, green beany, roasted peppery, salady goodness. Just throw together a selection of your favourite vegetables for this healthy and quick big salad.  

The weather and the green beans were the inspiration for this salad.  I wanted to use the beans in something more than a usual veggie accompaniment.  They are in season right now and I think a lovely addition to this salad.  

This is barely a recipe at all as it's so simple.  It's more a starting point for you to experiment and play around with the flavours and ingredients you want in your Big Summer Salad - just throw together your chosen selection of vegetables and you're almost there.  Perfect for this hot weather when you don't want to spend ages preparing a meal.  It's also great for using up fridge leftovers - I had some leftover roast chicken and peppers which I added to the mix, but you could use whatever you have that needs using up.  It would be really good with tuna or boiled eggs for an different take on the traditional Nicoise salad.  

The ingredient amounts are approximate and you can obviously leave out what you don't like, and add more of what you do. All you need to finish it off is dress with a few glugs of olive oil, the juice of a lemon and chopped fresh herbs.  The dressing really brings all the flavours together with a fresh citrussy zing!  

Let me know how you get on, and what you add to your Big Summer Salad.  

preparation time:  5-10 minutes

serves 2-3 as a main meal 

ingredients:

2 handfuls green beans

2 roasted peppers 

3 tomatoes 

handful of grated/finely chopped red cabbage

2 handfuls watercress/salad leaves

leftover chicken breast (optional)

juice of 1 lemon

few glugs olive oil

handful of chopped coriander/mint

salt and pepper to taste

method:  

1. top and tail the green beans then blanch in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  Drain and run under cold water
2. chop all your vegetables how you want them (I left the beans whole and roughly chopped everything else which gave it a somewhat 'rustic' charm) and add to a big bowl
3. toss together with the juice of one lemon, a few glugs of olive oil, fresh chopped coriander/mint and salt and pepper to taste
4. serve with a big chunk of fresh bread and butter if you like and enjoy.  

A perfect accompaniment for a BBQ or Summer buffet.  Other dishes of mine that would go well with this to make a bigger Summer buffet lunch or dinner are my: 

roasted butternut squash,caramelized lemon and berbere houmous

rose harissa lamb with roasted vegetable and grain salad 

Samphire and tomato salad

I have entered The Big Summer Salad onto:

July's entry hosted by Karen at Lavender and Lovage

I am also entering this recipe onto: Four Seasons Food hosted by Delicieux and Chezfoti to go with their BBQ and BBQ sides theme.

I have also entered this recipe into Javelin Warrior's Made with Love Mondays over at Cookin w/ Luv

samphire and tomato salad

Samphire and tomato salad - a beautifully fresh and simple Summer salad with a great mixture of textures and flavours.  Works really well served with fish and chips I discovered but would go equally well with other fish dishes.  Inspired by a sunny weekend on the Kent coast in Ramsgate.

Samphire is an edible coastal vegetable - it can be foraged from coastal areas (if you know what you're doing!) but can also be bought in some supermarkets and fishmongers.  It has a fresh, salty, sea taste that can be bitter raw....taste a bit first to see if you like it and if too bitter blanch for a minute or 2 in boiling water before refreshing in cold water.  This should take the bitter edge off but still leave the lovely fresh taste.

serves 3-4 as a side salad

ingredients:

200g samphire (cleaned well in running cold water to get rid of any sand/grit)
200g tomatoes
2-3 spring onions
2-3 tbs olive oil
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
pepper to taste (no salt as the samphire is already salty)

• taste your samphire to check if it too bitter for you - if it is blanch for 1-2 minutes then refresh in cold water and drain.
• mix all your ingredients together, season with pepper to taste and it's ready to serve
• ...it really is that simple. 
• would be great with fish and chips or simply cooked fish.  I hope you enjoy and let me know your thoughts....

I am also entering this recipe onto: Four Seasons Food hosted by Delicieux and Chezfoti to go with their BBQ and BBQ sides theme.  This would be great for a beach BBQ....

I have also entered this recipe into Javelin Warrior's Made with Love Mondays over at Cookin w/ Luv

rose harissa lamb with roasted vegetable & grain salad

Rose harissa marinated roast lamb with roasted vegetable and grain salad.  A quick and easy lamb recipe with loads of interesting flavours - definitely influenced by the cooking of North Africa with the use of spicy harissa paste.  I am using my home made rose harissa but you can of course use a shop bought paste.

This is a dish that should not be served 'piping hot' as this will not bring out the flavours fully. When mixed leave to stand for about 20 minutes before serving.  This would be great as a main course on its own but would also be good as part of a tapas or mezze platter with other dishes.

serves 4 as a main or more as part of a mezze or tapas platter

preparation time:  1 hour-overnight (marinating time)
cooking time:  30-40 minutes

ingredients:

600g lamb neck fillet

2 tbs olive oil

for the marinade:

2 tbs rose harissa chilli sauce (or shop bought harissa)

zest of 1 lemon

2 bay leaves

3-4 cloves garlic

for the roast vegetable and grain salad:
200g quick cook wheat - I use this (bulgar wheat or cous cous would work equally well)

600g mixture of any of the following:

onions

peppers

carrots

sweet potatoes

aubergines

garlic

courgettes

2 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

to garnish:

2 tbs toasted sesame seeds (to toast just heat gently in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned)

chopped fresh mint
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

instructions:

• put the lamb in a bowl with all the marinade ingredients - leave covered in the fridge for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.  

marinading the lamb

• when ready to start cooking, and your marinading is done preheat the oven to about 190C
• chop your chosen vegetables into similar sized chunks, mix with the olive oil, salt and pepper then put in a roasting tin and cook for about 20-30 minutes.  The vegetables should have softened and slightly browned around the edges.  
• to prepare the lamb preheat a frying pan with the olive oil - when hot brown the lamb on all sides then place in a roasting pan with any leftover marinade liquid and roast for about 10 minutes (or until cooked to your liking)
• while this is cooking prepare your quick cook wheat (cous cous or bulgar wheat) according to packet instructions.  When cooked drain and leave to one side. 
• when the lamb is done leave to rest for at least 10 minutes 
• next slice the lamb and mix with the wheat and roasted veg before garnishing with the sesame seeds and chopped fresh mint, finishing with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 
• Enjoy with more rose harissa chilli sauce as I do if you like it even spicier!  

Rose harissa lamb with roasted vegetable and grain salad



rose harissa chilli sauce