Green Beans/Haricot Verts with Lemon Vinaigrette

Green Beans/Haricot Verts with Lemon Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:
45ml lemon juice
5ml sesame oil
40ml olive oil
a pinch of salt
15ml thyme leaves, chopped

350-400g green beans
10ml sesame seeds, roasted
1 lemon, zest cut into fine strips

Rinse the beans under running water and trim off the ends.
Place a large saucepan on the heat, fill it with water and bring to a boil.
Add the trimmed beans and cook for exactly 3 minutes.
Drain the beans and once again run cold water over it to stop the cooking process.
Shake the beans dry and pat with a clean dish towel. Arrange on a serving platter.

For the vinaigrette:
Add the lemon juice, sesame oil, olive oil, salt and thyme leaves to a bowl and whisk together.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the beans and garnish with lemon zest, lemon slices and a sprinkling of the sesame seeds.

Aubergine Flatbread

Aubergine Flatbread

60ml olive oil
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
150g – 200g aubergine, cubed
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5ml sumac
lemon juice
pomegranate seeds
8 – 10 small flatbreads, about 8cm diameter

Pour the olive oil in to a pan and set it over medium to medium-high heat.
Add the chickpeas, aubergine cubes, garlic and sumac and cook for about 10 minutes, until the aubergine is soft.
Take from the heat and roughly mash together so that you have mashed chickpeas with texture.
Smear the mixture on to the flatbreads, drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle over some pomegranate seeds.
Serve as a canapé with drinks.

Mushroom Bourguignon

Mushroom Bourguignon

2 onions, roughly chopped
1 carrot, cut into small chunks
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 Portobello mushrooms
120g shitake mushrooms
200g mixed mushrooms
6 sprigs of thyme
150ml red wine
200ml vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
15ml tomato purée
15ml cornflour

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat, add a splash of vegetable oil and the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the carrot and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Now add the mushrooms and thyme and cook for another 7 minutes.
Pour in the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the stock, bay leaves and tomato purée.
Turn the heat down and sift the cornflour over the mixture.
Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the mushroom bourguignon on mashed potato.

Edamame Hummus

Edamame Hummus

This spread or dip is packed with protein as edamame beans are green soy beans. Enjoy it on toast, crackers, as a dip or stirred into roasted veg.

250ml edamame beans, thawed
30ml tahini paste
30ml lemon juice
30ml olive oil
1,2ml salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
30-60ml water

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend for one minute.
Add the water a little at a time and keep blending until the hummus is smooth and creamy.
Taste the hummus and adjust the seasoning – often it needs a pinch of salt and some lemon juice.
Serve on crostini or crackers as a canapé or simply spread on toast.

Chickpea Chocolate Bark

Chickpea Chocolate Bark

1 x 400g tin chickpeas
240g chocolate
10ml sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Rinse the chickpeas under running water and spread them out on a kitchen towel.
Place another towel on top and dry the chickpeas.
Spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and spray them with cooking spray.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, giving them a shake every now and then so that they bake evenly.
Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Break up the chocolate and add it to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with barely simmering water. Allow to melt.
Pour the chocolate over the chickpeas and scatter the sesame seeds over.
Refrigerate until set, about an hour.
Break into shards.

Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh Salad

250g uncooked spelt
4 medium tomatoes, very finely chopped
1 English cucumber, very finely chopped
2 bunches parsley, very finely chopped
12 mint leaves, very finely chopped
4 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
45ml lemon juice
45ml olive oil
salt and pepper

Prepare the spelt according to instructions and drain.
Add the spelt and all the chopped vegetables and herbs to a mixing bowl.
Drizzle over the lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Mix through and serve.

Peanut-Corn Polenta

Peanut-Corn Polenta

2,5ml curry powder
2,5ml turmeric
2,5ml ground ginger
2,5ml onion seeds
2,5ml ground coriander
2,5ml ground cinnamon
83ml peanuts
3-4 corn cobs, kernels shaved off or 350g frozen corn kernels, defrosted
500ml (2x tins) coconut milk
500ml chicken/vegetable stock
2,5ml salt
250ml quick-cook polenta
a handful of parsley, chopped

Place a frying pan on medium heat and add about 45ml vegetable oil to it.
Add the curry powder, turmeric, ginger, onion seeds, coriander and cinnamon and cook while stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Now add the peanuts and stir them around in the spices for about a minute.
Add the corn kernels and stir-fry for another 3 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Pour the coconut milk and chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the salt.
Gradually whisk in the polenta, making sure there are no lumps.
Simmer, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until thick.
Stir half of the corn kernel mixture into the polenta.
Spoon on to a serving dish, spoon the rest of the corn on top and scatter with parsley.