Tandoori Chickpea and Halloumi Tagine with Quinoa and Mint Raita

This recipe came from an idea I had to mix the use of my Tagine with a basic Masala marinade recipe I'd tried out a few times, I also discovered that the Tandoori Masala Spice I picked up is pretty tasty. The dish itself has an interesting taste and paired with the slow cooked halloumi, the overall outcome is pretty impressive. Served here with a basic side of Quinoa but also goes well with rice, cous-cous or even in traditional Moroccan fashion, enjoyed straight from the Tagine with bread - no need for knives, forks, spoons or any of that nonsense. Serves 4.

Ingredients -
2x Small Onions, grated or finely chopped
2x Cloves of Garlic, grated or finely chopped
1tsp Tandoori Masala Powder
400g Tinned Tomatoes
400g Tinned Chickpeas, drained
200g Halloumi cheese, sliced
200g Mushrooms, sliced
2tbsp Tomato Purée
200g Quinoa
Spinach
Oil for frying

For the marinade -
Juice of 1 Lemon
3tbsp Olive Oil
150g Natural GreekYoghurt
2x Cloves of Garlic, Chopped
1tsp Ground Turmeric
1tsp Paprika
1tsp Ground Ginger
1tsp Chili Powder
1tsp Ground Cumin
2tsp Tandoori Masala Powder

For the Quinoa -
Rind from the Lemon, finely grated
1tsp Coriander seeds, ground
Chili flakes (or a pinch of chili powder)
1x Pak Choi, sliced

For the Raita -
150g Natural Greek Yoghurt
1/2 Cucumber, chopped into small cubes
2x heaped tsp Dried Mint
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

Method - To begin, empty the yoghurt into a blender (or container suitable for use with a handheld blender) adding in the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and spices (shown above). Blend the ingredients together and set aside for now. Next prepare the mushrooms and halloumi as stated above and add into a large bowl. Next, drizzle the Tandoori marinade into the bowl and stir well. 

Once thoroughly mixed, preheat the grill to a medium temperature. Whilst the grill is warming up, line a grill pan with tin foil and empty the contents of the mixing bowl into the pan, spreading evenly across the surface to ensure everything cooks evenly.

The tandoori mix will take around 20 minutes to cook under the grill so whilst that is cooking you can prepare the rest of the sauce. Note: make sure that you keep turning the tandoori mix every few minutes to ensure it cooks thoroughly.

Add onions, garlic, tandoori masala powder and a little oil to a large frying pan and heat to a med/high heat for around 5 minutes until the onions begin to brown. Add in the tomato purée and mix well. Next stir in the drained chickpeas and a couple of handfulls of washed spinach (you can get away with adding a fair amount of spinach as it reduces quite quickly once added to a sauce). Add the tomatoes over the top of the spinach, stir well and reduce to a medium heat. Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

Once the tandoori mix has cooked, transfer the contents of the grill pan into the frying pan, before mixing and finally transferring to the tagine. Place the lid onto the tagine and place into the preheated oven, cooking for 45 minutes.

Rinse the quinoa before cooking. Next add to a pan of water and bring to the boil, once boiling reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for around 20 minutes (until the quinoa becomes soft). During this time you can prepare a flavouring for the quinoa, in this instance I have used pak choi, chili flakes, a little garlic and crushed coriander seeds, cooked lightly in oil for around five minutes just before the quinoa is cooked. Finally, once everything is mixed together add some lemon rind into the quinoa before serving.

For the raita, add the yoghurt to a bowl and mix in the mint, cucumber, cumin and coriander. This is best served cold as a dip so should be kept refrigerated until served.

one, two, three, four...

JAB

Casareccia and Cheddar Bake

Basically, a fancy Macaroni Cheese. Casareccia was used instead of macaroni as we have a lot of pasta to use up (that and it sounds a little fancier).

Ingredients - 

400g Casareccia

2x Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

1x Onion, finely chopped

50g Butter

50g Plain Flour

1 pint of Milk

250g Mature Cheddar, grated

Oregano or similar herbs to taste

Tomatoes, sliced

Method - Firstly cook the pasta in boiling water and fry the garlic, onion and a little oregano in olive oil until slightly browned and set aside until the cheese sauce is ready.

To make the cheese sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Once melted slowly stir in the flour to form a roux.

Once the mixture looks as above, start to gradually add the milk, stirring all the time to ensure there are no lumps. Continue to heat at a low to medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or further lumps after around 15 minutes the sauce should begin to thicken. Once it has reached the correct consistency stir in the onion and garlic before adding in the cheese (about 175g of the grated cheese should be sufficient, make sure to keep enough cheese for topping the pasta bake), heating gently until all of the cheese has melted. Preheat the oven to 180°c.

Mix the cheese sauce and the pasta and place into a large ovenproof dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Once the cheese starts to brown, add the sliced tomatoes to the top of the bake and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. 

Serve with crusty bread.

JAB

Lentil Chilli (and Burrito Snacks)

A basic lentil chilli served with rice and pitta breads on day one and then as burritos for lunch for the next few days.

Ingredients-

For the Chilli -

250g Green Lentils

2x Onions, finely chopped

200g Mushrooms, sliced

1x Green Chilli, finely chopped

1x Sweet Red Pepper

1x Tin of Kidney Beans, drained

1x Tin of Chopped Tomatoes

1tsp Smoked Paprika

1tsp Chilli Powder (or Chilli sauce, simply add more for a spicier dish)

Basmati Rice

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Burritos -

8x Fajitas

Left over Chilli

150g Mature Cheddar, grated

Tin foil, for wrapping

Method - For this recipe I actually used split green peas which were pre-soaked for several hours prior to cooking. In hindsight though, I do believe that previous attempts where I have used lentils instead produced tastier, more successful dishes. It should also be noted that I generally use a lot more smoked paprika in my chilli than is stated in the ingredients but I feel it is better to err on the side of caution as you can always add more whilst cooking or even when reheating the chilli again.

To begin, cook the lentils in boiling water for around 20 minutes until soft but do not allow them to turn mushy. Drain and set aside for later. Next, add the onion, garlic, chilli and spices to a large frying pan with a little oil and salt and fry over a medium heat for around 5 minutes until the onions start to brown slightly. Next add in the mushrooms and pepper, continuing to fry for around 10 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked. 

Add in the cooked lentils and stir into the mixture in the frying pan for around 2 minutes in order to give the lentils the chance to take on the flavours of the chilli, onion and garlic. Now, add in the kidney beans and tinned tomatoes, stirring well and leave the chilli to cook over a low to medium heat for around 15 minutes whilst you prepare the rice and pittas.

Once cooked, serve on a bed of Basmati rice with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and toasted pitta breads.

Chilli Burritos - Generally, the amount of chilli made from this recipe could serve 4 to 5 people in one sitting. However, I prefer to re-use the left overs in making individually wrapped burritos that can be kept in the fridge for several days to be reheated or enjoyed cold.

Burrito wrapping for dummies 

Preheat the oven to 180°c and follow the above guide to wrapping burritos. Start with a generous dollop of chilli and a helping of cheddar cheese. Roll, wrap, rinse, repeat. Cook for 20 minutes and enjoy straight away or allow to cool before storing in the fridge. For a vegan alternative you can substitue the cheddar with a vegan cheese or simply swap it out for some guacamole.

I should probably try and make my own fajitas.

JAB

Mushroom, Walnut and Dill Pâté with Crusty Garlic Bread

This was a recipe I tried out on Valentine's day earlier this year that was very successful. I apologise for the lack of photos accompanying this recipe but I will add more later when I get around to making this again.

Ingredients-

For the Pâté - 
125g green lentils

150g Mushrooms, finely chopped

80g Walnuts, finely chopped

2x Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1x Large Onion, finely chopped

3tsp Fresh Dill, finely chopped

3x Sprig of Thyme, finely chopped

Juice of 1 Lemon

Flour to thicken

Olive Oil to fry

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Garlic Bread - 

1x French Baguette, Thinly Sliced

3x Garlic Cloves, peeled

Olive Oil

Method- Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add in the lentils, cooking for around 30 minutes until the lentils are very soft. In the meantime preheat the oven to 140°c and lightly brush the slices of bread with a little oil, place onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and heat in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until the bread becomes golden brown and crusty. Once removed from the oven, vigorously rub a clove of garlic onto the hot bread, the crustiness of the bread will pretty much grate the garlic and the heat will cook the small amount that is left on the bread's surface, set aside to cool.

Add the onion, garlic, herbs and a little oil to a large frying pan and fry over a gentle heat for around 5 minutes. Next add in the mushrooms and walnuts and fry for a further 10 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Once the lentils are cooked enough, drain away excess water and add the softened lentils into the frying pan. Due to the consistency of the lentils you should now be able to roughly mash up the mixture using a wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste along with the juice of one lemon, ensuring to filter out the seeds. 

This will be the finished Pâté mixture, it may however be a little too moist though due to the amount of water taken on by the lentils during cooking. To remedy this, gradually add plain flour to the mixture, one tablespoonful at a time - sprinkling evenly over the mixture and stirring well after adding each spoonful. Once the correct consistency has been achieved dish out the mixture into small bowls, allow to cool and serve with the crusty garlic bread and side salad.

More to follow!

JAB

The Rocket Bean Avocado Breakfast Special

After a few hectic months visiting New Zealand and trying out a few new recipes Rocket Bean is back!  Starting it all off with a fast, healthy and simple breakfast favourite of mine.

Ingredients -
2x Slices of Bread
½ Avocado, pitted
Several Tomatoes
Cholula Hot Sauce (or similar Chili sauce)
Cracked Sea Salt to taste

Method - All you need to do with this is make yourself a few slices of toast, scoop the avocado out onto  the toast and mash using a fork. Drizzle with Chili sauce, my favourite is Cholula Hot Sauce, which was served with a mexican breakfast omelette I had in New York last year. Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with a little cracked sea salt, also great served on a bagel. Serve with your favourite breakfast beverage. Mine is served with Tea, not Coffee as the mug may suggest.

et viola. Mug design by Will Bryant.

Breakfast certainly needs more Chili sauce.

JAB

Veggie Poutine or "O Canada"

This recipe is a culinary flashback to our summer holiday, a dish we enjoyed in New York having missed the chance to sample the real thing it in its native Canada (probably sacrilege, I realise). Anyhow, an interesting combination that I would probably have never put together. Chips, Cheese and Gravy. Sadly not vegan I'm afraid, a fairly straightforward recipe that uses pretty much the same gravy recipe from the Christmas Nut Roast. (it should also be noted that I have replaced the traditional cheese curds with Halloumi Cheese)

Serves 2.

Ingredients -

175g Halloumi, cut into small cubes
5 Medium potatoes, chopped into chips (roughly 1.5cm thickness)
200g closed cup mushrooms, cut into quarters
Oil, for frying
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Gravy -

Oil, for frying

2x Small Onions, roughly chopped

2x Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped

1x heaped tbsp plain flour

1x tsp Marmite (or similar yeast extract)

450ml Veg Stock

1x tsp Dark Soy Sauce

1x tsp (Vegan) Worcestershire Sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method - To begin, prepare the potatoes and bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add in the potatoes and parboil for around 5 minutes. Whilst cooking, preheat the oven to 180°c. When parboiled, drain the potatoes, place onto a baking tray, drizzle with a little oil and season with rock salt before placing them into the preheated oven. Depending on the thickness of the chips, cooking time will vary. If you are producing similarly sized chips, I would recommend a cooking time of roughly 40-50 minutes, turning the chips occasionally in order to ensure a good, evenly browned chip.

Whilst the chips are cooking you can prepare the mushrooms by cutting into quarters, placing in a small frying pan and adding a little oil and cracked black pepper. Also, prepare the Halloumi cheese by cutting into small cubes and placing into a foiled grill pan. Both the mushrooms and Halloumi will not need to be cooked until the chips are nearly completed. So now you can get on with the preparation of the gravy.

There's no need to finely chop anything for this recipe as you can blend the final mixture for a rich, creamy gravy.

Roughly chop the onions and garlic and fry in a little oil at a medium heat for around 5 minutes until they begin to soften, now gradually sprinkle over the plain flour allowing the onions to brown (you may need to add a little extra oil here if the mixture becomes too dry and begins to burn). It is important to make sure you keep stirring this mixture as the flour can make the onions become very sticky and in turn they will stick to the base of the pan if left for too long.

Now reduce to a low heat and add in the veg stock, Marmite, soy, worcestershire sauce and allow to simmer gently for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. At this point the gravy can be turned to a very low heat to keep it warm until everything else is cooked.

Next, cook the Halloumi under a high grill heat for around ten minutes, turning regularly in order to cook thoroughly until browned (see above picture). Whilst the Halloumi cooks under the grill, cook the mushrooms in a frying pan over a medium to high heat until cooked. 

Once cooked, place the chips into a bowl covering generously with the mushrooms and Halloumi before transferring the gravy mixture to the blender and blending until smooth. Cover the chips, Halloumi and mushrooms with the gravy and add any extra salt and pepper to taste.

The gravy can always be thinned down with water and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper after completion if you feel that the final outcome is too thick. The gravy can also be refrigerated for a day few days and reheated in a pan or the microwave.

O  Canada.

JAB

Normal Service to Resume Shortly

After Christmas and New Year, things have been a little quiet on the cooking front. I did however receive  'Anjum's Indian Vegetarian Feast' by Anjum Anand from my Sister, some great recipes and a whole bunch of stuff that I'll be experimenting with over the coming months. So last night I made my first curry from scratch and was pretty pleased with the outcome. After a few tweaks I should have this recipe up on Rocket Bean.

Paneer and Pea Masala (Naan bread not homemade)

Over the coming weeks I'm also looking to attempt a few things in my new Tagine, a Veggie Burns Supper and some Veggie Poutine.

Watch this space!

JAB