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Sweet potato rösti with Caesar kale

My biggest gripe with classifying something as an of-the-moment superfood, is that it inevitably leads to that food going “out of fashion” at some stage. It is such a shame, as many so-called superfoods really are fantastic, nutrient-dense foods that have a lot to offer. It was kale this and kale that for quite some time, but this wonderful veg seems to have fallen out of favour. Don’t be a fashion victim! Add this brunch dish, that I developed for the M&S Super Brunch Campaign, to your Boxing Day brunch, and rediscover an old favourite.

The Caesar-style dressing is delicious with the astringent greens and complemented by the sweet potato pancakes. I used the tiny copper pan from the new M&S chef range to make perfectly shaped individual portions.  rosti-2 rosti-1 rosti-4

 

This is a fantastic meal, be it for breakfast, brunch or a light supper. Like most things in life, it tastes even better with an egg on top.

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients for the rösti

4 medium (about 800g) sweet potatoes, peeled

2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 medium eggs, lightly whisked

40g (about 1/4 cup) wholemeal spelt flour or flour of your choice (I use a gluten-free mix)

butter or ghee for frying

Ingredients for the kale

5 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and chopped

1 small garlic clove, peeled and chopped

small pinch of coarse salt

60ml (1/4 cup) mayonnaise, preferably home-made

15ml (1 tablespoon) freshly squeezed lemon juice

15g (1/4 cup loosely packed) finely grated Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper

300g kale, thick stalks discarded and torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces

 

Method

  1. For the kale: make the dressing, by placing the anchovies, garlic and salt in a mortar and pounding them together until you have a paste.
  2. Stir in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Parmesan and pepper, and set aside.
  3. For the rösti: boil two of the sweet potatoes in a little water until they are just tender around the outside (do not let them get too soft!). Remove from the pot and allow to cool.
  4. In the meantime, coarsely grate the other two sweet potatoes and mix with the spring onions, eggs and flour.
  5. Finally, coarsely grate the slightly softened sweet potatoes and carefully combine with the rest of the ingredients.
  6. Heat a little butter or ghee (or coconut oil) in a frying pan until hot (but not smoking), then add enough batter to make a patty shape. Press down on the batter to ensure it is compact and will hold together.
  7. Fry for roughly 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. Carefully remove with a spatula and keep warm while frying the rest.
  8. Whilst your final rösti is frying, gently wilt the kale in a little water over a medium heat. As soon as it is tender, drain, return to the pan and stir through the dressing.
  9. Serve the dressed kale on top of the rösti with or without eggs.

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*This blog post was written in collaboration with M&S. All content and photos my own.



Roasted pumpkin with green sauce

I spent some time in beautiful Hamburg in my early 20’s. My neighbour opposite was also a keen cook and I remember chatting to him about his favourite local dishes (his was Steckrübeneintopf). When he asked me whether there were any particular South African specialities I loved, it took about 1 second for “Pumpkin Fritters” to leave my mouth, a little more loudly than I had intended.  He was horrified. “Pumpkin? That is what the pigs eat here in Germany…” Say what?! Naturally I rose to the challenge and, once I had finally sourced a pumpkin, made him some Pampoenkoekies. I believe he was a converted man.

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This dish is a lovely make-ahead option for the colder months. Use whatever squash or pumpkin you have, but it is particularly delicious with sugar pumpkin. The green sauce is very moreish and good with any type of grain or pulse-based salad. It will thicken in the fridge, but just give it a good whisk and it should be pourable.

roasted-pumpkin

 

Roasted pumpkin with green sauce

 

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients for the sauce

80ml (1/3 cup) coconut milk (if using organic, stand the tin in warm water to melt the fat)

30ml (2 tablespoons) lime juice (about 2 medium limes)

1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt

1/2 small avocado

Juice of 1 tangerine

1 spring onion

large bunch (100g) fresh coriander, leaves and stalks

medium bunch (50g) fresh mint, leaves only

1 teaspoon raw honey

1 green chilli (more or less to taste), seeds removed if you prefer it less spicy

 

For the rest

1 fennel bulb, the tough outer layer peeled (or a couple of stalks celery)

1 spring onion, finely sliced

3 cups cooked lentils and/ or quinoa

unrefined salt

crumbled goats cheese

roasted pumpkin (I used kabocha squash, but for an extra delicious option, try sugar pumkin)

toasted pumpkin seeds

 

Method

  1. Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Separate the layers of the fennel bulb, then chop into small squares. Sauté in a little coconut oil until tender.
  3. Combine the fennel with the rest of the ingredients, dress with the dressing and serve.

 



Beet and butternut “fasagne”

I love this time of year, just before the clocks go back. It is sometimes frosty, but mostly bright and often sunny. The Boston ivy cascading over the garden wall has embraced its beautiful autumnal coat of reds, yellows and oranges, while the climbing rose is fighting the change of season with a last few brave blooms. The produce at the farmer’s market is now distinctly different from the offering even a month ago. And our appetites have definitely veered towards more warming, comforting dishes. This fasagne (my son’s name for “fake” meat-, gluten- and (mostly) dairy-free lasagnes) is a delicious way to feed a gathering. It does involve a few steps, but nothing is too complicated or time-consuming. I often double the quantities and freeze one.

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Beet and butternut “fasagne”

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients for the cauli-béchamel

2 medium cauliflowers, florets steamed until tender (about 1.2kg cooked weight)

30g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter (preferably organic and grass-fed), omit if vegan or dairy-free

1 teaspoon good quality unrefined salt

2 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes (available at health stores and most good supermarkets)

heaped 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

 

Ingredients for the beet & tomato sauce

extra virgin olive oil

400g red onions, finely chopped (300g chopped weight)

1.4kg (about 14) tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped (or use tinned if you prefer)

500g beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated

1 teaspoon good quality unrefined salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

 

Ingredients for the rest

1 large or 2 medium butternut squashes, peeled

extra virgin olive oil

350g (roughly 2 medium) leeks, washed, cut in half length ways and finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

400g chard, washed, stalks finely chopped and leaves finely shredded

1/2 teaspoon good quality unrefined salt

large handful of finely grated Parmesan, optional

 

Method

  1. In a blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients for the béchamel and set aside.
  2. For the tomato sauce, sweat the onion in a large heavy bottomed saucepan in a glug of olive oil over a medium heat until soft an translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has a chutney-like consistency (about 30 minutes).
  3. While the tomato sauce is simmering, prepare the rest of the layers. Cut the butternut squash(es) in half just above the rounded end. Set aside the half with the seeds for use at a later stage (try the Pumpkin Pie smoothie in my book Good Better Green). Slice the other half into thin slices, roughly 0.5cm/1/4” thick. These will form your lasagne sheets. Place the “sheets” in a large saucepan and boil in a little water until just tender when tested with a sharp knife. Be careful not to let them cook too soft. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  4. Pour the water from the butternut saucepan and add a glug of olive oil. Gently sweat the leeks and garlic until soft. Add the salt and chard stalks and continue to cook over medium heat until tender. Finally add the chard leaves and cook until wilted. Set aside.
  5. You are now ready to assemble the lasagne. In a large ovenproof dish, place a layer of butternut squash “sheets”. Spread half the tomato sauce on top, then half the béchamel followed by all of the chard and leek mix. Repeat the process, ending with a layer of béchamel.
  6. For an extra-delicious end result, sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top, then bake for roughly 1 hour at 180°C/360°F. It should be bubbling around the edges and the butternut “sheets” should be very tender when tested with a sharp knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving with a large green salad.

 



Crustless courgette quiche

Zucchini. Courgette. Summer squash. Or baby marrow, as it is called in South Africa. I have a love-hate relationship with this veg. It tastes great grilled, marinated or slathered in dressing, but it is not the most nutrient dense choice, and I struggle to get it down raw (I know, I shouldn’t be admitting this, given the current zoodle fad…) And it really is a tad boring, if you’re honest. Having said that, it is a regular in my shopping basket, as its neutral taste means it is a good canvas for more exciting things, and makes it rather versatile from being grated into omelettes, breads, fritters and even brownies (check out the recipe in my book!), to featuring in beautiful sides such as a this one. Another surefire way to make the most of the humble zucchini, is this gluten- and grain-free quiche. It looks spectacular and tastes pretty darn good too.  Rose Quiche (1)

Crustless Courgette Quiche

The leek and egg mix forms a rather delicious grain-free base and helps keep the courgette slices upright. Feel free to add a large handful of good quality grated Parmesan to the filling if you like – it will make it even more delicious!

Ingredients

Knob of butter or glug of extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, trimmed, cut in half length-wise and thinly sliced (about 250g)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, parsley and marjoram

200g spinach

9 medium eggs, whisked

125ml (1/2 cup) milk of your choice

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 medium courgette (about 550g), trimmed

1/3 red pepper, finely diced

soft goats cheese (optional)

Method

  1. Butter a 27/28cm oven-proof round dish and pre-heat the oven to 180°C/360°F.
  2. In a medium saucepan, sauté the leeks, onion and dried herbs with some of the salt over a low to medium heat until soft. Scrape into a bowl and allow to cool.
  3. In the same saucepan wilt the spinach (the water left over after washing should be enough), then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Use a mandolin (or a very sharp knife) to thinly slice your zucchini. Thin enough to bend, but thick enough to stand up on its side (about 3mm).
  5. Add 125ml (1/2 cup) of the whisked egg to the cooled leek mix. Spread this over the bottom of your buttered dish.
  6. Place the wilted spinach in a blender with the rest of the eggs, milk, salt and cayenne pepper, and whizz until the spinach is well blended.
  7. Now start placing the courgette slices into the leek “base”, starting along the edge of the dish, for stability, working your way inwards. Leave a little space between the “petals” of your rose, if possible. I steamed the slightly thicker rind pieces first, before slotting them into the rose, as they aren’t malleable enough otherwise.
  8. Now carefully pour the spinach egg mix in between the courgette petals, ensuring an even distribution.
  9. Finally scatter the little red pepper dice into the centre and bake for roughly 1 hour or until set in the centre.
  10. Serve with a mixed salad, soft goat’s cheese and additional red pepper dice.

DSC_2147 Slice



Lamb steak, puntarelle and rosemary brittle

I love the Italians! Not only do they know how to live passionately, but they also rock on the green vegetable front, especially when it comes to bitter greens. One of my favourites is puntarelle or catalogna – a loose leafed variety of chicory favoured by most Romans, also referred to as Catalonian or asparagus chicory. The word “puntarelle” actually refers to the pale green inner stalks that have asparagus-like tips, whilst the outer leaves are similar to dandelion both in taste (they are very bitter!) and appearance. If you would like a step-by-step tutorial on how to prepare this vegetable, Nick Anderer explains it all here.  For a quick overview, I’ve included the steps below. This fabulous vegetable is only in season in the colder months, but with Easter a little earlier than usual, perhaps this salad will still be a possible addition to your festive feast! It will be equally good with dandelion greens, chicory and radicchio, however, if you cannot find puntarelle.

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Dressing (1)

 

Lamb steak, puntarelle and rosemary brittle

 

Ingredients for the salad

2 lamb steaks

splash of extra virgin olive oil

2 – 3 sprigs of rosemary

2 – 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 butternut or coquina squash, cut into rings and roasted until tender

1 head of puntarelle

 

Ingredients for the brittle

85g (just under 1/2 cup) unrefined brown sugar

50g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts

15g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon course ground sea salt

 

Ingredients for the dressing

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

5 – 6 marinated anchovies, drained

30ml (2 tablespoons) mayonnaise (preferably home-made)

80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil

30ml (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice

 

 Method

  1. Rub a little olive oil into the meat, then place into a shallow glass dish and press the rosemary and garlic on top. Allow to marinade for a couple of hours, then remove the rosemary and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and fry on a griddle until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  2. For the puntarelle:
    1. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Strip away the dark green outer leaves – you will only need a handful of these to add to the salad. Use a sharp paring knife to separate the pale green core into its individual stalks, then thinly slice each lengthwise before dropping the slivers into the ice water. They need to soak for at least 45 minutes to achieve the traditional curly crispness that puntarelle is loved for.
  3. For the brittle:
    1. Line a large baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
    2. Place the sugar in a medium heavy saucepan over medium high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until sugar begins to melt. Lower the heat a little and keep stirring until all the sugar has melted.
    3. Now leave it to cook untouched until it is a dark caramel colour – you should be able to smell it. Stir in the walnuts and butter, and allow to cook for another couple of minutes, stirring constantly, or until the butter is incorporated.
    4. Stir in the rosemary and salt, then scrape the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it evenly to the desired thickness with a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula. Allow to cool completely (roughly one hour) then break it into pieces. You will probably have slightly more than you need for this salad, but the rest can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and will keep a few days.
  4. For the dressing:
    1. Place the garlic and coarse salt in a mortar and grind into a paste.
    2. Add the rosemary and continue to grind until it is well mixed and resembles a speckled pulp.
    3. Add the anchovies and repeat until you have a thick paste.
    4. Now slowly whisk in the olive oil until it is incorporated, followed by the mayonnaise and lemon juice.
  5. To assemble your salad, combine the sliced lamb, roughly chopped puntarelle greens, drained and dried puntarelle stalks and roasted squash, and toss with enough dressing to coat. Scatter over the brittle and serve immediately.

Version 2

 

Brittle (1)



Mackerel and romanesco with preserved lemon

Writing a book about greens has helped me rekindle relationships with some vegetables that I have neglected somewhat, such as this little beauty, the romanesco. It looks like the strange yet stunning lovechild of Mr Broccoli and Ms Cauliflower, but is indeed a unique Italian variety of broccoli that develops multiple compact heads that can be individually snapped off. Each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in a logarithmic spiral, and this pattern continues at several smaller levels. To retain the gorgeous green hue after blanching or steaming, be sure to shock the florets in ice cold water. Nutritionally, romanesco is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber and carotenoids.

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Mackerel salad (1)

Mackerel and romanesco with preserved lemon dressing

Serves 4

 

Ingredients for the salad

85g (1/2 cup) wild rice, rinsed, soaked in fresh water overnight and cooked until tender

3 smoked mackerel fillets, skin discarded and flaked

one large handful of rocket per person

150g large green olives, pitted and halved

45g (a heaped 1/4 cup) organic raisins

1 small head of romanesco, cut into florets and lightly steamed until tender, then shocked under ice cold water (90g reserved for dressing)

 

Ingredients for the dressing

2 small preserved lemons, pulp discarded and peel roughly chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

90g (about 3/4 cup) cooked romanesco

125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil

45ml (3 tablespoons) lemon juice

1 – 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 – 3 teaspoons raw honey

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

small bunch of dill

freshly ground black pepper

sea salt to taste

 

Method

  1. Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  2. Combine all the salad ingredients, season with salt and gently toss with enough dressing to coat.

 

Note: It is possible to enjoy wild rice – the seed of an aquatic grass and not a grain at all! – in its raw form, if you allow it to sprout (or “bloom”). Rinse the rice well, then soak in fresh water for 2 to 3 days, changing the water twice daily. You will know it is ready when most of the rice kernels have split open and are soft.

 

 

 



A winter salad with blood orange and lentils

I’m not sure that I agree with a strict interpretation of the whole “New Year Detox” thing. At least not if you live in the Northern hemisphere. Sure, cut down on portion sizes and avoid sweet things if you overdid it during the festive season. But why deny yourself warming, filling and indulgent food when it is bound to be cold, dark and wet most of the time? And on the days you do crave something a little fresher, a little bit brighter, a salad such as this one will hit the spot while keeping the winter chills at bay.

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Blood oranges are such a treat in the colder months and add a sense of drama to any dish. Before juicing the halves for the dressing, I cut off one slice and add this, with the skin still on, to the blender. This, and the tahini, add a delicious bitterness to the salad, which I find particularly appealing, but feel free to omit it. If you struggle to find the shichimi togarashi spice blend for the dressing, you could make your own by combining 2 tablespoons of chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon coarsely ground sichuan (or black) peppercorns, a tablespoon each of white and black sesame seeds, and dried tangerine or orange peel, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, and lastly 2 tablespoons of seaweed (nori, wakame flakes or arame). Also remember, when consuming raw spinach, to include foods in the meal that are high in vitamin C (such as blood oranges), as it helps with assimilation of the iron and blocks the oxalate from binding to calcium, encouraging further absorption.

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Lentil and blood orange salad

Serves 2 – 4

Ingredients for the dressing

1 blood orange, 1 slice and the rest juiced

80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil

15ml (1 tablespoon) tahini

30ml (2 tablespoons) rice vinegar

15ml (1 tablespoon) naturally fermented shoyu or soy sauce

1 tablespoon maple syrup

squeeze of lemon

pinch of sea salt

shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7-spice blend) to taste

 

Ingredients for the salad

100g (about 1 cup) cooked puy lentils

2 large handfuls of greens, including baby spinach

1/2 large cucumber, sliced

2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced

1 large carrot, grated or thinly sliced

1/2 medium fennel, grated or thinly sliced

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

 

Method

  1. Blend together all the dressing ingredients. If you don’t own a high-speed blender, do not add a slice of orange with the peel on, as it will not be ground up smoothly enough. Instead, add some grated zest. Adjust seasoning, ensuring a lovely balance between salty, bitter, sweet and sour.
  2. Just before serving, toss together the warm lentils, the rest of the salad ingredients and enough dressing to coat.


Stuffed heirloom tomatoes

Do you often have a bite of a tomato and wonder why you even bother buying them? Although beautifully uniform and bright red, commercial tomato varieties often lack taste.

One of the reasons for this was the move by tomato growers in the 1930’s towards tomato mutations with a “uniform ripening” gene, which ensured the fruits would ripen evenly from stem to tip, without leaving a harder, green part around the stem, deemed undesirable by consumers at the time. Unfortunately this mutation has a side-effect: by disabling the gene that creates the darker green colour around the stem, the chlorophyll (or chloroplasts), which converts sunlight into sugars for the plant, is removed, leading to a less sweet and tasty fruit. Thankfully some families and growers have passed the seeds from older varieties down from generation to generation because of their valued characteristics and taste. These heirloom varieties – now available at most markets – are usually much more tasty, albeit a little more expensive.

DSC_9370 We’ve had a few very wet days lately, which meant the wonderful summer produce I bought at the market over the weekend had to find a rather more wintry purpose. I’ve always loved roasted tomatoes, but stuffing these beauties elevates them to the most perfect light meal imaginable.

Heirloom toms If you cannot find heirloom tomatoes for this recipe, use 4 large regular tomatoes. For the oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, cut 2 punnets of cherry tomatoes in half, toss in red wine vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then roast cut sides up in a medium hot oven until caramelised (about 1 – 2 hours). I usually have a jar of these in my fridge, but you could also replace them with 60g of finely sliced marinated sun-dried tomatoes and increase the amount of rice slightly. Use the scooped out tomato flesh in your next batch of tomato soup or sauce, or blend with a pinch of salt and strain through a muslin cloth to make the most delicious tomato broth.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 heirloom beef tomatoes (about 800g), cut in half horizontally and flesh scooped out carefully

Ingredients for the filling

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large red onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs (parsley, basil, tarragon, oregano etc.)

125g oven-roasted cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 cup firmly packed)

85g (1/2 cup) cooked brown long-grain rice

1 – 2 teaspoons lemon juice

100g tin sardines in brine or olive oil, drained and broken up slightly with a fork

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley and dill

150g fresh ricotta cheese, preferably made with unpasteurised milk from grass-fed animals

 

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/360°F.
  2. Heat a glug of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, celery, salt and dried herbs, and cook until softened (about 5 to 10 minutes).
  3. Now mix together all the ingredients for the filling, except the ricotta, and allow to cool.
  4. Fold the ricotta into the filling briefly, leaving it in tact as much as possible.
  5. Spoon the filling into the tomato halves, place into an ovenproof dish that fits them snugly and bake at 180°C/360°F for about 30 to 40 minutes (or until the tomatoes are very tender). If the filling is starting to get too brown after about 20 minutes, cover with foil.
  6. Serve with a crisp green salad and green beans, or on toasted sourdough.

Heirloom toms 2 (1)

Stuffed toms



Hot cross breakfast bake

I have an issue with Christmas decorations appearing in September. And hot cross buns being for sale all year long. They are such a treat precisely because they are usually only available during Easter – and, like fragrant strawberries in summer and nutty-sweet Jerusalem artichokes in winter, I so look forward to indulging in them for a brief period every year. Here is a recipe idea for a savoury dish making use of these little spiced buns and one of my favourite greens – cavolo nero.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter!

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Hot cross breakfast bake

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped

large knob of organic butter

50g (small handful) Tuscan kale / cavolo nero, leaves stripped from stems and roughly chopped

4 wholewheat, preferably organic, hot cross buns, sliced into 5 slices each (they can be a few days old)

3 pastured organic eggs

200ml (1/2 plus 1/3 cup) milk of your choice

small handful (about 20g) pine nuts, toasted in a heavy based pan until golden

large handful (about 40g) grated strong cheddar cheese

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
  2. Heat the butter, add the onion and cook over a medium heat until soft and translucent. Now turn up the heat and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid the edges catching.
  3. While the onion is caramelising, “steam” the kale briefly in a little water until bright green and wilted. Refresh under cold running water and squeeze out any excess liquid.
  4. As soon as the onions are golden and sweet, set aside to cool slightly.
  5. Butter each of the hot cross bun slices with butter and stack in an ovenproof dish. Scatter over the toasted pine nuts.
  6. Now place the onion, kale, eggs and milk in a blender and blend briefly until the kale is finely chopped (but not completely liquidised). Carefully pour this mixture over the hot cross buns and leave to stand for at least 20 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle over the grated cheese and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and set.
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

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egg shells



Two ways with roasted cauliflower

For Mother’s Day last year, my eldest son completed the sentence “I love my mummy because…” in the communal class card with “she makes me roasted cauliflower – my favourite!” – a statement that was endearing and cringe-worthy in equal measure. I could just imagine other parents rolling their eyes and wanting to gag, but the truth of the matter is that roasted cauliflower really IS his favourite food, and I am happy to indulge his love often. Here are two easy ways to enjoy this delicious brassica: with pickles or with pasta.

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Raw pickled watermelon radishes

Ingredients

2 medium watermelon  (also known as roseheart or red meat) radishes, scrubbed and sliced into thin discs or matchsticks
125ml (1/2 cup) water, preferably filtered
125ml (1/2 cup) apple cider vinegar, preferably unpasteurised such as this one or this one
30ml (2 tablespoons) honey, preferably raw
1 heaped teaspoon sea salt
large pinch of red chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Method

  1. Pack the radish slices or matchsticks into a medium canning jar or glass container with lid, that you have either washed in the dishwasher or rinsed with boiling water.
  2. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients until honey and salt are dissolved, and pour over the radishes. Seal with the lid and place in a cool place or the fridge for at least 24 hours before tasting.
  3. They will remain crunchy for only a few days, but keep well for several weeks in the fridge.
  4. Serve with roasted cauliflower or mixed into salads, on sandwiches and with cheese.

Pickles

Roasted cauliflower and chard pasta

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 small head cauliflower, trimmed and separated into florets
1 medium onion, chopped
200g Swiss chard, trimmed, stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 – 3 preserved lemons (depending on their size), flesh discarded and finely chopped
linguini or spaghetti for 6 people (I like wholemeal spelt or gluten-free quinoa pasta)
sea salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon hazelnut and chickpea dukkha per person to serve
extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Toss the cauliflower florets with some salt and coconut or olive oil, and roast until golden and tender (about 50 minutes to an hour), turning at least once.
  2. While the cauliflower is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil and add the pasta. Cook at a gentle simmer until just tender (al dente). Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid for the sauce, and toss with sea salt and olive. Set aside.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, sweat the onion and the chard stalks with a large pinch of salt in some olive oil over a gentle heat. Once softened, add the garlic and a few minutes later the chard leaves. As soon as they have wilted, remove from heat and set aside.
  4. When the cauliflower is cooked, pour some of the pasta cooking liquid into a blender or food processor, then add the roasted cauliflower, chard mix and preserved lemon peels. Blend until smooth, adding a little more liquid as necessary. Adjust seasoning and stir into the cooked pasta with most of the dukkha. Add a generous glug of olive oil and divide between 6 pasta bowls. Sprinkle over the rest of the dukkha and serve hot.

Lemons 2 Pasta