Simple Halloumi Salad

Do you ever freak out when "the vegetarian" comes for lunch or dinner? My family do all the time. They are traditionalists in the kitchen and can't understand how I don't eat red meat. "You'll eat lasagne won't you Kelly?", "No Mum it's got red meat in it". I used to adore my Mum's beef lasagne as a child, but I can't go there now. I think she's a little taken aback by that.
I must admit, I know I confuse them as I have changed my diet a few times over the years from being a complete vegetarian, to eating chicken, to pescatarian, to no dairy, then dairy.
My husband and I have now mastered the art of coming up with quick fresh and tasty vegetarian meals that don't contain pasta. Some amazing ones do, but not this one. A simple fresh and delicious vegetarian halloumi salad. It takes just minutes to make and vegetarians and non vegetarians will love it. Try it next time 'the vegetarian' visits you. They'll be impressed.

GRILLED HALLOUMI SALAD

Ingredients
A couple of handfuls of rocket
A handful of flat leaf parsley
A handful of mint
1/2 cup of frozen (or fresh) peas, steamed
Halloumi
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
About a 1 tspn brown sugar


Place all greens in a bowl. Feel free to tear the mint and chop the parsley a little if preferred. Cut halloumi into fours. I usually cut it in half down the centre to make it a little thinner. Baste with olive oil and grill or fry in pan for a few minutes either side until brown. Add to salad and then dress with olive oil, vinegar and brown sugar.  We had this just the other night, but it'd be great in summer too, cooked on the BBQ. Yuuum!

Tea time... Sensational Vegetarian Lasagne

I have to tell you how wonderful it was to come home from work today to find my husband in the middle of making his sensational vegetarian lasagne. Not just any vegetarian lasagne, but one which has been passed down from his Uncle who hails from Calabria, the toe of the Italian Peninsula. I have to tell you at this point that we have never actually ever been given quantities of ingredients... we estimate as we go along depending on the crowd we are feeding, but what I have written down works. It is so simple and so incredibly tasty. I took additional photos as he was layering it up which might also help when putting this masterpiece together. 

Vegetarian "Eggplant" Lasagne

Ingredients

3 large eggplants

2 packets of fresh lasagne sheets (the thinner the better.. we like Latina)

5 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

plain flour

olive oil

garlic

150g of Pecorino cheese, grated finely (can substitute with Parmesan, but it's not quite as tasty)

Place tomatoes in saucepan with garlic, a little bit of olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Reduce over medium heat, until it forms into a nice thick sauce consistency. While the tomatoes are doing their thing, slice the eggplants thinly, pat both sides of each eggplant round in plan flour, baste (or spray) with olive oil and fry or grill for a few minutes each side until tender. Place onto a plate as you go until you are ready to layer up.

Once the tomatoes are ready you are now set to layer up your lasagne. You might want to turn your oven on at this point to 180 degrees. 

Now, grab a dish and start by placing a light layer of sauce on your dish, then layer with lasagne sheets, top with a light layer of eggplant followed by a light layer of sauce and a sprinkling of cheese, then repeat, pasta, eggplant, sauce, cheese for a few layers (depending on the size and depth of your dish). The final layers include pasta topped with a light layer of sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. Hope that hasn't confused you. 

Cover dish with al-foil and cook for 30 minutes in a pre-heated oven of 180 degrees. Then remove the al-foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes to brown the top. Serve with salad and savour the moment. 

Tea time... Spicy Indian Cauliflower

Ok, so my husband has made it his year long goal to cook more with cauliflower and cabbage... I have no idea why, but he is a strange cat and most of the time I just go along for the ride. If you have ever had a cauliflower in your fridge and were not craving cheese sauce smothered all over it, or cauliflower soup... I am yet to have a nice one... then have I got the recipe for you.

Spicy Indian Cauliflower

Ingredients
1 Cauliflower
Peanut Oil
2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
2 tablespoons of mustard seeds
1 tablespoon of chilli powder or dried chillies
1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
A pinch of salt
Greek yoghurt to serve

Break up the cauliflower florets. Heat peanut oil in pan, then add cumin seeds and stir for about a minute. Add mustard seeds, stir again until they start to pop. Add chilli powder, turmeric and salt and then the cauliflower florets, making sure they are covered in the spices. Place lid on frypan until florets are tender, stirring every few minutes so they don't burn. Serve with lots of Greek yoghurt. If you are not a fan of cauliflower, this may just bring you around. Seconds please!
By the way, if you have any delicious cauliflower or cabbage recipes to pass on to my husband, please let me know.

Tea time...

One of the best gifts we've ever received is our divine little Pizza Maker pizza oven (thanks C&J). Apart from Russell's Pizza in Willunga (a must to visit if you are in SA), it consistently turns out the best pizzas I know.
Tonight I came home from work to be welcomed by my husband cooking Onion Confit Pizza for tea. It was so delicious I just had to share it.

Onion Confit Pizza

Ingredients
Pizza Dough
2 cups of plain flour
3/4 cup of warm water
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 sachet (7g) yeast

Topping
2kg brown onions peeled and sliced thinly
20g butter
dash of olive oil
herbs from the garden (Josh tonight used a bay leaf and thyme)
anchovies
black olives (could use Kalamatas or green if you already have those)


Firstly I have to say, you need to cook your onions in a shallow baking dish in the oven along with the butter and olive oil for about 1 1/2 hours at 150 degrees. This makes them nice and caramelised, which is essential to the flavour. Thankfully it is easy, just a little time consuming. You need to heap them though, if they are spread thinly they will burn. Turn the onions every 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven... the smell is divine! Remove the bay leaf and thyme. If the thyme is cut finely I'd leave it in there.

To make the dough, add the yeast and sugar to the warm water, stir until frothy and then add to the flour. It's easier to mix if you make a little well. Knead for about 5 minutes, then put in clean bowl and cover with a tea towel or cling wrap and leave for at least 30 minutes. The dough should make about 4 pizzas. Divide the dough and then roll out to your preferred thickness. I love them thin. Top with onion confit, a sprinkling of olives and a few anchovy fillets. You can cut the anchovies finely or even not use them at all if they aren't to your liking. I am not usually a fan but they do add a pleasant pizzang. Place in pizza oven or normal oven (on stone or tray on about 220 degrees) until the bottom of the dough is crisp and the edges are lightly browned. Drizzle with a little olive oil if you like and serve. WOW the flavour is magnificent. It'd go nicely with a fresh rocket and pear salad. Enjoy!