Israeli Cous Cous Salad

For someone that is not partial to cous cous I had never tasted Israeli cous cous until a few weeks ago. Not very cous cous like but is actually little pearl like pasta. I found it to be filling and goes well with all sorts of vegetables. I am writing this post up as I wait here for my husband to come home and try this salad for the first time. I will let you know his verdict. I know it will be good 😉

Enjoy your day, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Israeli cous cous (cooked as per instruction on packet)
285g tinned sweetcorn
1 bag of baby spinach
1 large courgette sliced thinly
12 cherry tomatoes
6 unpeeled cloves of garlic
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice
Cheddar cheese grated

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°c, put the courgette, cherry tomatoes and garlic into a shallow roasting dish.  Drizzle over with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until tomatoes are cooked through and the courgette slices are soft and tender

In a large salad bowl, combine all the ingredients, the pre cooked cous cous, sweetcorn along with the roasted vegetables fresh out of the oven

Mix well, smash the cherry tomatoes a little to release some juice for flavour, season with salt and fresh lemon juice

Serve on a bed of baby spinach and sprinkle with cheese.  Feta cheese here would also be a lovely choice

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Rupa’s Salsa Verde…

Salsa verde is a green salsa, it can be quite chunky but the one that was prepared by my youngest sister in law last Saturday, was something extremely special.  Rupa had called us round for dinner and  Oh my did we enjoy ourselves!  She had prepared grilled vegetable and golden halloumi skewers with a jewelled vegetarian couscous along with the salsa that tantalised our taste buds and made all the the different ingredients on the plate sing!

The consistency was very smooth and the colour so very vibrant.  I just deeply regret not taking a picture to show you all, I was too busy eating away! Sorry!
I have however, found a picture that shows the type of consistency of the salsa we had.  The colour here, is more a lime green but the colour you will achieve with this particular recipe will be slightly darker due to the mint. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did.

Thanks to R & V for a wonderful evening and for this lovely recipe!

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch parsley, chopped leaves only
1 bunch basil, chopped leaves
1 bunch mint, chopped leaves
2 tbsp capers drained
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
Olive oil as required
Sea Salt & Ground fresh pepper to taste

METHOD

Simply blitz all the above ingredients together in a food processor, grinder or Nutribullet if you have one

Pour into a bowl and leave in the fridge until your ready to serve

Picture courtesy of https://fortheloveofyum.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/img_5766.jpg

A Chilli & Garlic Red Sauce For Ravioli

I love pasta and find that making your own pasta sauce is very comforting.  You can add extra vegetables or make it spicy and vary it each time depending upon the type of pasta you are using.

My recent pasta dish allowed me to explore the simplicity of the red sauce.  All I wanted was a strong garlic and chilli hit to accompany some spinach and ricotta ravioli I had.  Which we polished off with a nice crisp glass of white wine.  A perfect sauce for ravioli..not too much going on in the sauce, just enough to add and bring out the flavours of the ravioli

I think I’m going to go and make some more! Ummmm…Have a relaxing weekend friends!, Enjoy…Much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

4 garlic cloves crushed
500g crushed tomato passata
Salt to taste
1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
1 large chilli chopped

METHOD

Heat the olive oil along with the crushed garlic and chilli on a low heat for 5 to 7minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn

Slowly pour in the tomato passata, season with the salt and leave to simmer on a low heat still

I cover the saucepan and leave the sauce to cook through for at least 20 to 30 minutes.  If it gets to thick then add a little water to thin in down

Serve the sauce drizzled over a ravioli of your choice

Taking some over to the weekly party over @ The Novice Gardener

Crispy Potato Thins

I made these potato roasted thin chips a little while back to accompany my Habanero chilli & mango sauce
They become crispy because of the olive oil, healthier then chips and so simple to do. Actually I think I fancy them again today! And I have a big bag of white potatoes just sitting pretty in my pantry! Yay! I know my boys will love them…Sorted!

Also dear friends, I will be taking this week to reblog some stunning recipes I have come across from so many of you foodie friends out there. I am always inspired by everyone and I want to share this inspiration with you all. So keep an eye out..you may be featured on Shivaay Delights! 🙂

Until then, have a beautiful and restful weekend! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

White baking potatoes 7/8
Olive oil
Salt to taste
Dried coriander

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190°c/200°c

Slice the potatoes thinly with skin on or put them through a food slicer/processor for an even slice, parboil for 5 to 7 minutes, drain

Place the thins into a lined roasting tray. Massage about 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil with salt to taste. Until potatoes are gleaming..

Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, ensuring both sides are golden brown

Sprinkle some dried coriander and you are ready to serve with a sauce of your choice

Fresh Baby Leaf Spinach & Garlic Penne

Yesterday I had a really busy day! It was go go go! It was also very warm here in the UK so I didn’t really fancy anything too heavy to eat! We had some fresh baby spinach leaves in the fridge to be used and my husband decided to take control in the kitchen. Yay! dinner was going to be made for me! Wooo hooo! Whilst I carried to clean up after the kids….

I was treated to an aromatic and extremely tasty penne pasta salad with bright green spinach and glorious garlic running through it. Enough garlic to compliment the spinach and chilli flakes to lift the oil dressing. One pasta recipe I know I will be wanting again and again…Thanks H, lots of love xx

INGREDIENTS

1 packet of baby leaf spinach
3~4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt to taste
Dried red chilli flakes optional
Pre cooked fresh penne upon instruction

METHOD

Gently heat the garlic with the olive oil, mix and combine the oregano so that it infuses into the oil

Stir in the penne, making sure all the pasta is covered in oil. Season with salt, mix.
Tear in our roughly slice the fresh baby spinach leaves

Turn off the heat, sprinkle in the red chilli flakes and the spinach will wilt a little as you toss the pasta

Serve up with some grated parmesan or in my case some grated mature cheddar to add a sharpness to the dish

Chilli Garlic & Lemon Spaghetti

A few years ago, I went out with my colleagues for a meal after work. We all decided on an Italian restaurant that had just opened. We made ourselves comfortable and it was time to order the starters.

A dear colleague of mine, Francesco was speaking to the waiter in Italian and requested a dish that was not on the menu. I was intrigued and when all our starters arrived he got a steaming shallow dish of Spaghetti Aioli/ spaghetti “aglio olio”!

It looked so good and I wish at the time he had ordered I would have gone for the same. Though not on the menu he said that if you request it at restaurants they will most always accommodate as it is very much a loved dish in Italy!

In the next few days l, I just had to recreate this adorable dish for my husband and me. I put a twist on mine with lemon so that the freshness would cut through the strength of the garlic.

We have this very often now! And am so happy that Francesco had this dish as now we get to enjoy it! I hope you do too..

What’s cooking in your kitchen today? I have some stuffed peppers to prepare for lunch! Have a fun filled Wednesday! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

1 green chilli sliced finely
6 cloves garlic crushed
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt to taste
Lemon to taste
Fresh Spaghetti pre cooked

METHOD

• Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan with the garlic on a low heat

• Add the chilli and oregano. Let the flavours intermingle. Cook on a gentle heat for 5-8 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic

• Pour in the rest of the oil

• Take off the heat and stir in some salt and fresh lemon juice

• Take the pre cooked spaghetti and place into the saucepan. Gently combine and toss the pasta until it is covered in the garlic oil dressing

• Serve with a sprinkling of parmasen cheese and devour!

Coriander, chilli & garlic focaccia

When we went to Rome for our honeymoon, I remember we were ravishingly hungry and we came across a beautiful quaint panettaria where they were selling this amazing classic focaccia bread. I requested mine simply to be filled with melted cheese and tomato and what a great choice. The focaccia sandwich was soo delicious. The tomatoes in Italy are really quite something else with this moist, soft airy bread! I was in heaven!

I’ve made focaccia once before with rosemary but this time wanted to mix up the flavours a little. As you know from past posts I love chilli and wanted to give this loaf a little heat plus the aroma of coriander really carries this wonderful bread.

I’m going to love you and and leave you as I’m about to recreate my honeymoon sandwich! See you soon! Happy baking! x

INGREDIENTS

500g strong bread flour
2 packets of fast action yeast
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Handful of roughly chopped fresh coriander
1 1/2 tsp red chilli seeds
2 cloves garlic crushed
400 ml of cold water
Fresh coriander
Olive oil
A little water

METHOD

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, olive oil, coriander and chilli seeds. Pour in the water a little at a time and with a wooden spoon or yours hands bring the dough together. It is a wet sticky dough so don’t be alarmed and do not add any extra flour.

2. Knead for 5 minutes and then add a little olive oil to your hands to avoid sticking. Work the dough by stretching the edges of it to the centre, repeat for 5 minutes. Oil the base of the bowl and knead for a further 5 minutes.

3. Cover and leave to prove until the dough doubles it’s own size. Can take up to half an hour

4. Line a shallow baking tray with grease proof paper, tip the risen dough out and stretch gently onto the sheet, pushing into the corners (about 2.5cm in thickness). Top the dough with some extra coriander, dip your index finger in some water and indent the dough with holes in rows along the dough

5. Leave to prove the loaf for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 220ºc/425ºf/gas mark 7. Once proved drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle a little sea salt. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with some butter!

Nice bake!

Adapted and inspired by Paul Hollywood’s focaccia

Crispy garlic potatoes

One of my ultimate comfort foods are jacket potatoes and roast potatoes come a close second. I love working with garlic so decided to infuse these potatoes with garlic and chilli oil to give a bit of heat. Makes an excellent side to any dish of your choice. I especially enjoy the crispy bits!

INGREDIENTS

15 new potatoes
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika or chill powder if more heat required

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/400f/gas mark 6, place an oven tray in the oven. Par boil the potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain and crush the potatoes a little with a potato masher

2. Carefully take out the tray from the oven and pour in the olive oil. Add the salt, paprika or chilli powder and garlic. Slowly put the potatoes in the tray and coat in the garlic chilli oil thoroughly

3. Place tray back in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Check to make sure they are golden and crispy. Serve as an accompaniment to any dish