Veggie Loaf with Millet

When I was a kid my mum used to do a very healthy vegetable loaf which all of us used to love. It contained millet which is a high-protein grain which is mainly grown for use as bird seed. This grain is highly nutritious and is a staple food in most African countries, India, China, Burma, North Korea. Interestingly enough it is also used to prepare Tongba which is a millet-based alcoholic beverage in Nepal. Millet grain is usually found in health food stores (in Malta we used to buy it from Good Earth and here in England we buy it from Holland & Barrett or Grape Tree. Anyway, this loaf is very tasty and filling and we used to love it when we came back from school. It is 100% vegetarian and if you want to turn it into a vegan dish just omit the cheese and egg and add a teaspoon of Marmite instead of the cheese and more millet instead of the egg, to bind the loaf. Make sure the vegetables are fresh and that are evenly and finely chopped to ensure that everything cooks evenly. If you still cannot find millet you can use bulghur or even barley! I grated the courgette, carrot and mushrooms using my food blender grater attachment. So easy!! Give it a go, it is so tasty that you will certainly do it again!! You will need...

• 65g millet grain
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 courgette, finely chopped
• 100g white mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 ripe tomato,de-seeded & finely chopped
• 100g sweetcorn
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 100g grated mature Cheddar cheese (or a tsp of Marmite for a vegan option)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Fine sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 beaten egg, for binding
• Steamed broccoli florets, to serve
• Fresh tomato sauce, to serve

How to...

1. Start by cooking the millet by adding it to about 250ml boiling water and simmer it for about 20 minutes until fluffy.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5.
3. In a large bowl mix well the cooked millet with all the other ingredients.
4. Now line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper and carefully pour all the mixture in the tin. Make sure you pack it tightly by pressing down with a spatula.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for around 50 minutes. Let it set for about 15 minutes, then carefully turn it upside down. Take off the paper, slice and serve with some steamed broccoli and some freshly prepared tomato sauce (we made a basil & garlic tomato sauce). 
   

Enjoy!!

R&A

Caprese Beef Burger

We love burgers...who doesn't? I must say we do love making our own. When we feel like tasting nothing else but the juicy taste of beef, all we put in the burger is just good quality lean minced beef, salt & freshly ground black pepper...nothing else!! Here we simply served them on a toasted bun with a Caprese salad, fresh milky mozzarella, fresh ripe tomatoes and a fresh basil leaf! Give them a go...very easy to prepare!! For 4 burgers you will need...

• 500g extra lean minced beef
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 1x 125g mozzarella ball, sliced
• 1x ripe beef tomato, sliced
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 4 sesame seed topped burger buns

How to...

1. Put the beef in a bowl and season with salt & pepper. Mix well with your hands into 4 patties. 
2. Grill for about 3 minutes on each side.
3. On the same grill pan or grill, toast the split buns and put a burger on each bun, top with a mozzarella slice, tomato slice and a basil leaf.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Pretzels - Laugenbrezeln

One of Amanda's favourite breads/snacks, Pretzels are delicious German bread that some say were first baked by German monks long time ago. Their toppings vary from sweet to savoury, coated or sprinkled. We prefer the traditional savoury ones sprinkled with coarse sea salt. Personally I thought that pretzels are hard to prepare but after doing them for the first time I can confirm that they are easy to prepare. We prepared them know to commemorate the start of the Oktoberfest season in Germany, we also prepared some Obatzda, a German Camembert based spread which is served with the Pretzels. We will post the recipe for Obatzda in our next post. Give these home-made Pretzels a go and you and all your loved ones will love them. You can top them up with sesame seeds, poppy seeds or even grated cheese. If you love them sweet you can dip them in melted chocolate...why the heck not!! So, for about 10 medium sized Pretzels you will need...

• 500g plain flour
• 1 packet instant yeast (7g)
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 350ml lukewarm milk (2 minutes in the microwave)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1½ litres water
• 2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda

• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

How to...

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, yeast and sugar. Add the milk and salt and knead into a sticky dough (you might want to flour your hands). Knead for 5 minutes, put back into the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm/dry place until doubled in size, about an hour.
2. On a lightly floured surface, knead for about 10 minutes and shape into a 20cm sausage shaped roll.
3. Cut 10 equal pieces from the roll and re-roll into long strands. Shape the pretzel by twisting the ends towards the centre of the strand.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. In a large pot, bring the 1½ litres of water with the bicarbonate of soda to a rolling boil, leave to boil for about 10 minutes. Now carefully drop each pretzel into the boiling water separately, leave for about 30 seconds and take them out with a slotted spoon. Put them on a baking tray covered with greaseproof/baking paper and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Repeat the process for the remaining nine pretzels. 
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes.
7. Serve warm
8. Enjoy!!

R&A

Salmon & Pumpkin Stir-fry Asian Style

We love salmon, we love Asian cuisine, it is pumpkin season and this recipe is the result of all these three combined. This recipe has a variety of ingredients that give this stir-fry different textures, saltiness and sweetness. As I said earlier it is indeed pumpkin season and we try to include it in our cooking as much as we can during this season. It is so delicious, we love it. WE also used salmon fillets in this recipe but you can use any fish fillets you like, you can also try steak fish like Amberjack (Aċċiola in Maltese), Grouper (Ċerna), Swordfish (Pixxispad) or Wreckfish (Dott). Fish is quite versatile so feel free to use whatever you find fresh at the market.  We served this stir-fry on top of some delicious thick rice noodles but again you can use regular egg or wheat noodles. So if you feel in cooking your fish in a different way than usual, give this a go, all the ingredients can be found on the international food aisle at your supermarket. For 2 people you will need…

• 2 Salmon fillets of about 150g each, skinned, boned and sliced
• 250g cooked pumpkin
• 50g bean sprouts
• 50g bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
• 50g water chestnuts
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger or galangal
• Juice of half a lime
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 package rice noodles
• Sesame oil

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C.
2. Start by cooking the pumpkin. Chop about 400g of uncooked pumpkin in large pieces (do not peel at this stage). Put them skin facing up into an oven tray, add half a cup of water and bake into the preheated oven for about half an hour. When cooked, carefully peel the skin off, it should peel off easily. Slice the pumpkin flesh into slices and set aside.
3. In a wok or large pan, heat the oil and throw in the garlic, ginger and shrimp paste (if using). Stir-fry for about a minute until fragrant.
4. Add the fish, rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, sugar and cook, always stir-frying continuously, until fish is cooked, about 5-8 minutes.
5. In the meantime, start cooking the noodles as according to the package, drain and set aside.
6. Add the bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and pumpkin and cook until they are warm. Stir fry to mix all up. Add the lime juice and stir again. Serve into a deep medium sized serving dish.
7. In the same wok/pan, add the noodle and dress with sesame oil. Stir fry for a minute and serve.
8. Plate the noodles and top with the fish stir-fry.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Pumpkin & Sweet Pepper Soup

Pumpkin season is upon us! Since pumpkins are so cheap and so versatile, my mind starts going crazy in the kitchen to come up with new ways to cook it. So far we used it in 3 recipes. We made the traditional Maltese hearty vegetable soup called either Minestra or Kawlata if cooked with a ham shank. Another recipe we made was a recipe Amanda came across on the net which really intrigued us, Pumpkin pie cupcakes, these turned out delicious, just like mini sweet pumpkin pies. Incidentally today is the first day of autumn and I came up with this delicious soup which is very easy to prepare, as are all soups after all! Our tips for a perfect soup are, not too much liquid and slow cooking. We put bacon to add saltiness and balance the sweetness of the pumpkin and vegetables. If you would like a vegetarian version of the soup omit the bacon and add a couple of tablespoons of light soy sauce instead. Give it a go, you will need…

• 400g Peeled Pumpkin, chopped into cubes
• 2 Potatoes, chopped
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Carrot, finely chopped
• 1 Green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 Red pepper, finely chopped
• ½ Savoy cabbage, shredded
• 8 small tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 4 smoked back bacon rashers, chopped (use soy sauce instead if vegan or vegetarian)
• 2 litres vegetable or ham stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

How to...

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion, carrot and chopped peppers and cooked until soft stirring frequently until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the bacon if using and continue to cook until bacon turns brownish.
3. Add the pumpkin, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, thyme, black pepper and stock and stir well. Simmer on medium heat for about an hour or more if you like.
4. When done, blend the soup in a blender or with a hand-held blender even and serve warm.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Banana & Pineapple Turnovers

Banana and pineapple are definitely a match made in heaven. Enclosed in this delicious crunchy warm delight is a delicious fruity and exotic compote. You can prepare this compote in advance and store for a couple of weeks, if you have any left you can also use it with your cereal to give your taste buds a delicious treat in the morning. I just love it with my cornflakes! Once the compote is prepared, these turnovers take minutes to prepare. So give them a go, you will love them! For 4 turnovers you will need...

For the compote

4 pineapple slices, finely chopped

1 banana, mashed

1 sweet apple, finely chopped

150g caster sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 shot of dark rum

1 readymade puff pastry sheet

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

1. Start by preparing the compote. In a heavy based pan, put all the compote ingredients and heat gently, stirring frequently for about 10-15 minutes until you get a thick consistency. Makes sure it is not too watery. Leave to cool down completely.
2. Preheat the oven, if electric 200°C or if gas 180°C. Prepare the cinnamon sugar by mixing the 1 teaspoon sugar and the cinnamon.
3. Roll open the pastry sheet horizontally and with a sharp knife cut it into 4 pieces from top to bottom. In the middle of the top part slice three slits (these will serve to let the steam out). Put a tablespoon of the compote in the bottom part, brush the sides with egg wash and fold the top part on top of the compote.
4. Seal the edges with a fork. Brush the turnovers with egg wash and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
5. Transfer on a floured oven dish and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
6. Serve warm...with some cream maybe!! :)

Enjoy!!

R&A

Bleu d'Auvergne Cheese & Broad Bean Salad

Bleu d'Auvergne is a strong and pungent blue cheese coming form the region of Auvergne in south-central France that was awarded the Appellation d'origine contrôlée by the French government. Although it has a strong and pungent taste, it is less salted than other blue cheese like Roquefort. It is great to use in salads and even snacking. It can be served with grapes or even sweet wine like Riesling. We prepared this salad as a side to go with our baked trout but you can also prepare this salad as a quick and light lunch. We added broad beans as they are in season. As  dressing we just dressed it with extra virgin olive oil and a tiny bit of white wine vinegar (not too much). So for 2-3 people you will need...

• 100g Bleu d’Auvergne, crumbled
• 500g broad beans, shelled
• 75g bag of mixed leaves salad, washed and dried
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, dry roasted
• 1 pinch of saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, for the dressing
• Extra virgin olive oil

How to...

1. Place the salad leaves in a bowl. Add the broad beans, cheese, pine nuts & saffron threads and toss to mix.
2. Add the white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and toss slowly again.
3. Serve.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Baked Whole Trout with Lemon & Coriander

Trout and salmon are the most famous river fish here in the United Kingdom. In my opinion river fish such as trout have a more delicate taste than saltwater fish and coming from the Mediterranean, Amanda and myself do prefer saltwater fish. Although as all cooking, if the fish the cooked well you still can enjoy it! Always make sure that you choose fresh fish, you can tell that a fish is fresh by checking what we call the FES :) which basically translates into Firmness, Eyes & Smell. Always check that the fish is firm (this means that the fish has been recently caught), the eyes are clear and that the fish does not smell (fresh fish does not smell). We prepared this trout by baking it al cartoccio which means wrapped up in a parcel. You can also use this method and cook it on a hot BBQ! We served with with a delicious Bleu d'Auvergne cheese & Broad bean salad (recipe to follow). Obviously you can cook any fish you like using this method. Give it a go!! For two people you will need...

• 2 fresh whole trout, cleaned
• 6 fresh lemon slices
• fresh coriander leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• Aluminium foil or grease-proof paper

How to...

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Wash the fish under a running cold tap. Pat dry and put on a large sheet of aluminium foil or grease-proof paper. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & pepper. Put the three lemon slices in each fish and stuff with the coriander leaves.
3. Close the foil or paper around the fish, package-like, always making sure that it is tightly sealed. Leave some air for the steam to go around in the package whilst cooking.
4. Place on an oven tray and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
5. Serve with lemon wedges and a good side salad.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Pizza Toast

Yesterday we were both tired and we felt like doing a speedy dinner. So we decided to do Pizza Toast!! We have been calling it like this for ages, my brothers and I used to get this prepared by our mom just after we came back from school as a quick snack. Well basically to avoid  the daily 'mom I'm hungry' moan from the three of us :) You can do a myriad amount of fillings when it comes to toasties (closed toast). I must say this is my favourite and Amanda loves it as well known. For me it's like one toastie leads to another as I can never get tired of eating them. Try them out, something different and delicious! You will need...

• Sliced bread
• Tomato purée/paste
• 1 can tuna, drained
• Green olives, pitted & sliced
• Cheese slices, like Edam or Cheddar
• Dried oregano

How to...

1. Preheat the sandwich toaster.
2. In the meantime spread the tomato puree on the sandwich bread. Put some tuna, some olives, sprinkle some oregano and cover with a slice of cheese. Cover with another tomato puree covered piece of bread.
3. Press gently with the palm of your hand and put into the sandwich toaster.
4. Cook to your liking.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Chicken & Mushrooms in a Creamy Sauce

I want to share with you this recipe that reminds me of my brother Stephen, reason being that when he was a little kid he used to lick the plate empty, nearly eating also the bones. He absolutely loves this recipe and is one of our favourites as a family. My mother used to do this a lot, it is one of the brilliant recipes from a 1970's recipe book written by the great Marguerite Patten which was/still is an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of cooks around the world from Mediterranean housewives (my mother) to world renowned chefs like Jamie Oliver. Simple home-made food, that is what Marguerite Patten was all about! The peas and sweetcorn add texture to this creamy chicken dish. My favourite part of this dish (apart from eating it) is getting a chicken and jointing it into pieces but obviously feel free to use thighs, breast or whole legs even to prepare it. Give it a go and you will do it again. You can serve it with crusty bread (that's what we did) or even mashed or roast potatoes. For about 4 people you will need...

• 3 large chicken breast, cut into large chunks
• 4 tablespoons flour
• salt & pepper
• 300g white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can sweetcorn
• 100g frozen peas, defrosted
• 250ml whole milk
• 250ml water
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• Vegetable oil, for frying

How to...

1. Start by tossing the chicken pieces in 2 tablespoons of flour seasoned with salt & pepper. Shake off any excess flour.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy based frying pan and fry the chicken pieces turning frequently until nearly cooked and brown. This will take about 20 minutes.
3. Take the cooked chicken pieces out and put on a plate with paper towel.
4. Add some more oil and cook the mushrooms, covered for about 2 minutes.
5. Now add the cooked chicken, peas and sweetcorn. Add the sherry and stir well.
6. In a measuring jug, mix the milk with the water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix well to avoid any lumps and this mixture to the mushrooms, chicken and simmer whilst stirring until the mushroom sauce thicken to your desired consistency.
7. Season with salt & pepper. Serve hot with potatoes & salad.

Enjoy!!
R&A

#Ramandalicious

Qagħaq tal-Ġunġlien (Maltese Biscuit Rings with Sesame Seeds)

Served with a sweet cup of tea creamed with evaporated milk, these Maltese biscuits have been very famous amongst the Maltese people. They can be found in any bakery and supermarket all over the island. So, I felt like a nice cup of tea but had no biscuits and considering today was quite cooler than usual, I decided to make these delicious beauties. Once you get the preparation done, they only take minutes to prepare and bake, but unfortunately seconds to devour! Give them a go and share them with your friends (or not). Oh well, give them our recipe at least. For 8 large rings (you can always make more by making them smaller) you will need...

• 250g plain flour
• 100g sugar
• 7g baking powder
• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch ground aniseed
• Pinch ground cloves
• 85g butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• Grated lemon rind
• Grated orange rind
• Sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In a mixing bowl mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and spices, add the butter and rub into the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. In a separate bowl crack the egg, add the oil, water and lemon and orange rinds and mix them well.
4. Add to the flour/butter mixture and mix by hand until you get a soft dough. Shape into a ball.
5. Put the sesame seeds in a plate.
6. Dust your hands with flour and get some dough (about the size of a golf ball) and roll into a long fingerlike shape, carefully place the dough into the sesame seeds and turn slowly to coat. Shape into a ring and transfer to a buttered and floured baking tray.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool down and serve.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Corned Beef & Tomato Pasta Sauce

This sauce has been a staple in Maltese cooking since the 1940's when canned corned beef came to prominence during WW2. The traditional version of this recipe uses only corned beef and peas (traditionally canned marrowfat peas) but our take on this recipe is really tasty and delicious and full of flavour. We use medium curry powder but you can use mild or hot, depending how spicy you would like it. Serve on top of your cooked pasta or mix it all up just like we do, so all the sauce goes into the pasta. Give this version a go and let us know how it turns out for you! For 4 people you will need...

• 1 large tin of corned beef, diced
• 500ml tomato passata
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 150g frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

How to...

1. Heat the oil in a thick based pan and fry the onion until transparent and just started turning brown, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
2. When onion is cooked, add the curry powder, pepper & cinnamon and cook for a minute until spices are fragrant, stirring well.
3. Add the corned beef and stir well with the onion/spice mixture. Now add some Worcestershire sauce (about 1 tablespoon) and stir well. Cook for a further minute.
4. Add the passata, sugar and peas and stir well. 
5. Simmer on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. (Make sure you keep stirring frequently because the corned beef will stick to the pan).
6. Turn off the heat and serve with cooked pasta, sprinkled with grated Kefalotiri cheese.

Enjoy!!!

R&A

Spaghetti with Cauliflower & Garlic - Spaghetti con cavolfiore e aglio

I love this pasta dish, it is so good and filling. It is a recipe that comes southern Italy and has been a favourite in my family for a few years. It is very easy to prepare. Cauliflower is one of my favourite vegetables and it is highly nutritional. In fact, it is low in fat and carbohydrates and high in fibre, Folic acid and Vitamin C. Some people prefer broccoli to cauliflower and this dish may be prepared with broccoli instead. A top tip when it comes to cooking cauliflower, broccoli or other veg for that matter, always try and avoid boiling them! Steam them or microwave them instead as boiling reduces the vegetables' nutritional content quite drastically. So, do give this a go, it is very tasty and you will definitely love it! For 4 people you will need...

• 1 small cauliflower, broken down into small florets
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• Extravirgin olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper, to serve
• 300g spaghetti

1. Cook the spaghetti al dente and meanwhile start preparing the cauliflower florets by steaming them on the hob for about 6 minutes or in a microwave for about 3/4 minutes until tender but not soggy.  Roughly mash the cauliflower.
2. Put about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the mashed cauliflower and the crushed garlic in a shallow frying pan, turn on the heat and stir fry on a gentle heat until cauliflower starts getting golden in colour. 
3. Turn off the heat and set aside. Add to the cooked pasta and toss slowly to mix. Add extra olive oil and as much grated Parmesan as you want. 
4. Serve hot with extra Parmesan and fresh ground pepper.

    Enjoy!!

    R&A

Mango Delight

We absolutely love exotic fruit and mango is gorgeous with its distinctive flavour. This dessert is very quick to prepare and it is delicious. Mango is a native fruit from South Asia and is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and  The Philippines. When ripe, it is a very refreshing fruit and is used as an ingredient of cool summer drinks such as Mango lassi and Panha. This quick and delicious concoction turned out to be delicious and so refreshing. So do give it a go, maybe to finish off a great summer BBQ. For 6 people you will need...

• Flesh of 2 large ripe mangoes, chopped into pieces
• 300ml sour cream or fromage frais, straight from the fridge
• 70g caster sugar [optional]
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Fresh basil leaves, to serve
• Flaked almonds, to serve

How to...

1. Blend all ingredients apart from basil leaves and almonds in a blender until smooth.
2. Pour into serving glasses and decorate with the basil leaves and flaked almonds.
3. Serve super chilled!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas

We love Mexican & Tex-Mex food and in fact it features quite frequently  on our menu. (More like an obsession haha. We make our own tortillas too using our tortillera (tortilla press). Burritos, Enchiladas and  Tacos are certainly one of our favourites. I love very hot food and Amanda likes it medium, so I always add more chilli sauce to my tacos. Enchiladas are so delicious as they are baked so you have the delicious golden melted cheddar, that bit of crispy tortilla...oh dear...drooling right now...we love serving them with sour cream and fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves as they add a fresh contrast to the chilli. So give them a go...you will love them...you will need...

• 400g Lean beef mince
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 8 corn or wheat tortillas
• 100g mature cheddar, grated
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mild (eg. Ancho) or hot (eg. Habanero) chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (regular oregano will do)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Sea salt & ground black pepper.
• 200ml water

For the sauce

• 300ml passata
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vegetable oil

To serve

• Sour cream
• Chopped coriander leaves

How to..

1. Start by preparing the sauce. On low heat, heat the oil and add the garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and stir well until fragrant. About 45 seconds. Add the passata, vinegar and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. In a shallow pan on high heat, heat some vegetable oil and add the lean beef mince and brown well until dry. Add the bell pepper, the chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder, sweet paprika, oregano and the water and cook until mixture dries out. Turn off the heat.
3. Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 45 seconds. Fill the tortilla with the mince mixture, roll them up like pancakes and line them up in a rectangular oven dish. Pour the sauce on top and grate the cheese. Put in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
4. Serve with some sour cream and chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Amanda's Potato Salad

I remember when back in Malta we used to do a lot of BBQ's at our place or our friends' place and we (well Amanda) always used to prepare this delicious potato salad for everyone. It was our specialty and everyone loved it. My brother was one of its massive fans. Needless to say that it will be a great accompaniment to every BBQ dish whether it's a delicious steak or some crispy grilled veggies. It also can be made up to to 2 days in advance and stored covered tightly in the fridge. Give it a go and you will definitely try it again! You will need...

• 500g potatoes
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
• 180ml (1/2 cup) mayonnaise
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and chop them up into equal pieces (so they cook evenly). Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the chopped potatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer goes through. Drain, set aside and let it cool down to room temperature (we spread them on a tray and put them by an opened window to speed up the cooling process).
2. In a blender or food processor, add the mayonnaise, egg and vinegar and blend until you get a smooth mixture. Transfer it into a large bowl. Add the potatoes and chopped onion to the large bowl and mix slowly until the all the potatoes are covered in the mayonnaise mixture.
3. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley just before serving.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Iraqi Lamb & Aubergine Stew - Merqat Kharuf Baytinjan - خروف العراقي والحساء الباذنجان

Yet another Arabic recipe. This sweet and tangy stew is delicious. It comes from Iraq and the two ingredients that definitely make the difference are the pomegranate molasses also known as pomegranate sauce and the Baharat spice blend. The pomegranate molasses is basically reduced pomegranate juice and you can buy it from Middle Eastern markets/shops or the world food aisle at the supermarket (in England). The Baharat spice blend is a complex spice blend that varies from family to family, shop to shop and/or country to country that can be bought online but we do our own. We also used fresh local lamb bought from our butcher as it is tastier and more tender but frozen lamb would do just fine. So do give it a go. You will need...

• Coarse salt
• 1 large Aubergine (about 600g), sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 cup (60ml) plus 2½ tbsp vegetable oil
• Half leg of fresh lamb, cut in large pieces
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup (about 120ml) pomegranate molasses/sauce
• 1/2 cup (about 80g) dried yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 12 hours
• 4 dried red chillies
• 2 tsp baharat spice blend (see recipe below)
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 8 small pita breads, warmed, to serve

Baharat spice blend 

• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves        

Mix the spices in an airtight jar and store in a dry and dark place.

Method

1.  Put the aubergine cubes in a colander & sprinkle with the rock salt & leave for about 30 minutes until the bitter juices run out.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, turning once, until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 10 minutes. Add 3 litres of water, the pomegranate molasses, split peas, dried chillies, baharat and coriander and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming and stirring a few times.

3.  Rinse the aubergine and pat dry. In a large non-stick pan, heat 11/2 tbsp of the oil. Fry the aubergine in 3 batches, adding more oil if necessary. Add the aubergine to the lamb and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the lamb is tender, about 45 minutes.

4.  Transfer the lamb onto a plate and remove the meat from any bones and cut into 1-inch pieces. Boil the stew over high heat, skimming, until the liquid has reduced to about 750ml, this will take about 40 minutes or less.

5.  Return the lamb to the stew, season with salt and pepper and give it a good stir. Serve with the pita bread or boiled rice.

Enjoy!!

R&A

BBQ T-Bone Steak with Potatoes & Cherry Tomatoes

BBQ season is upon us! In my honest opinion nothing beats a good cut of beef on the BBQ. T-Bone steak is  my favourite cut because being on the bone, leaves it so succulent and it basically it's a combination of beef fillet and sirloin steak. When I cook it, I usually do not serve a lot with it a lot of stuff but this time I decided to marinate it and accompany it with a quick potato & cherry tomato 'stir-fry'. We used a good quality BBQ sauce to marinade the steak in, which gave it its smoky caramelised taste. SO if you feel like something different on your BBQ, give this a go! :) For 2 people you will need...

• 2 T-Bone steaks, about 500g each
• Good quality BBQ sauce or marinade

For the stir-fry

• 1 large potato, diced and parboiled
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp BBQ sauce
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt & pepper
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Marinate the steak the day before and leave it in the fridge. The longer the marination time the better the taste.
2. Prepare the stir-fry. In a wok or a deep frying pan, heat the oil and add the potato, cherry tomatoes, thyme and salt & pepper to taste. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and lower the heat. Add the BBQ sauce and toss to coat the veg. Mix well and cook for another couple of minutes.
3. You can serve this stir-fry hot or cold.
4. Before cooking the steak, get the steak out of the fridge and leave to rest, it is important that before cooking the steak gets to get to room temperature so it cooks evenly! Fire up the BBQ or grill pan if you like and oh high heat, cook the steak to your liking. If you have a meat thermometer, rare meat is cooked at about 48°C, medium rare is cooked at about 51°C and medium at about 54°C. I strongly suggest you do not cook the cut of meat well done as it will dry it out. When done cooking let the steak to rest for 5-10 minutes.
5. Serve with the hot or cold stir fry!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Zorza Gallega - Marinated Diced Pork Loin Galician Style

Zorza is a very famous dish in the Northwest Spanish region of Galicia. Basically, it is similar to the meat mixture used in the production of chorizo. One of the differences is that for Zorza the meat is chopped in coarser pieces. The impressively delicious taste of this pork dish comes from the long marination period. It is usually left to marinade for 24 hours in the fridge. The ingredients are quite basic but I did use proper Spanish pimentón (paprika) which gives the dish its distinctive red colour and above all a delicious flavour. If not available you can use normal paprika but make sure it is fresh as 'old' paprika tends to lose its flavour. Worth mentioning also the fact that Zorza is traditionally served with deep fried diced potatoes and fried eggs. One thing is for sure that your family and friends will love it no matter how it is served. We recently prepared a lot of it and we took it to a Spanish fiesta and our friends (Spanish and not) loved it and the Zorza was the first of the tapas to disappear from our table!! So do give this a go. The amounts below are for 6 people (if served as a meal) or 10 people or more if served as a range of tapas!!

• 1 kg pork loin, chopped into small dice (about 0.5 cm cubes)
• 3 tbsp sweet pimentón (paprika)
• 1/2 tbsp hot pimentón (paprika)
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• A large zip-lock bag

TWO TIPS: 

1. Make sure the meat is cut in equal pieces so as it cooks evenly.
2. If using 1 kg of meat cook it in two batches.

How to...

1. Put the meat and all the remaining ingredients in a large zip-lock bag, partially close and let all the air out. Now close the bag entirely and start mixing the meat and the ingredients by gently massaging the back. Keep doing this for about 10 minutes until the meat turns red and all the other ingredients are mixed in.
2. Put in the fridge and leave to marinade for 24 hours.
3. When it's time to cook your Zorza, heat up a wok or a  shallow pan on high heat and carefully start stir-frying the Zorza quickly, make sure your stir continuously to avoid it from sticking to the pan. Zorza takes less than 10 minutes to cook.
4. Serve warm with deep fried potatoes (cut the same size of the meat) and a fried egg per person. You can also put in a bowl for everyone to help yourself when you do your Spanish fiesta. Tapas are awesome!!!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Chicken Marsala

It was our first time doing this recipe and we loved it, actually Amanda adored it. The recipe, is presumably Southern Italian, considering it uses Marsala wine, an exceptionally wonderful aromatic fortified wine that hails from the Italian city of Marsala, Sicily. It is in the same line of Sherry, Madeira and Port and its creation as a fortified wine dates back to the late 18th century. Anyhow, this recipe is very quick and easy to prepare, quite foolproof I must say. To keep the chicken breast moist and succulent we turned the chicken breast into cutlets. This makes the chicken breast cook quicker. So give it a go and am quite sure you will love it :) You will need...

• 4 large chicken breasts or 8 drumsticks
• 400g white mushrooms, sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 120ml (1/2 cup) Marsala wine
• 100ml single cream
• Olive oil or vegetable oil
• Salt & pepper

How to...

1. Heat some oil on medium heat in a large frying pan and cook the chicken turning occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add half of the Marsala and cover with a lid. Turn twice until they are golden from both sides and meat juices are running clear. This process takes about 15-20 minutes.
2. Now take the chicken out of the pan and keep warm (we leave them in the oven on the lowest temperature possible (which usually is about 50-60°C). Add the mushrooms, spring onions and the rest of the Marsala. Cook until the mushrooms wilt down (make sure you do not over cook them as they will turn into a sloppy mush), this will take around 5 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream. 
4. Time to plate up, put a chicken on a plate (make sure they are still warm), top up with a large spoonful of mushrooms and pour over some sauce. Serve with roast veg & mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!!

R&A