FABULOUS FRUIT STUFFED HAND-HELD PASTRIES low-sugar Indulgence, Vegetarian

Wallet-friendly ripen-at-home nectarines and a few handfuls of berries make an easy, winning dessert/packed lunch...

Hand pastries with nectarines, blueberries & ginger
(plus cinnamon sticks from leftover pastry)

'The combo of generous fruit, icing & melt-in-the-mouth pastry is wonderful!'  

Hand-held pockets of flaky pastry with a juicy fruit filling -- triangular or in  rectangles -- are a popular kidult lunch-box pleasure.  They also make a great tea-time sweet and, with colourful juices oozing out of shards of pastry, an indulgent  dessert with cream or yoghurt.

Generous fruity filling
in Michel Roux's pastry

The filling has to be generous for these; cut the top layer of pastry dough longer than the bottom and there'll be enough room for a mound of fruit.  And many satisfied, smiling faces.

In early trials, 67 teamed nectarines with blackberries and cinnamon; the finished product was dusted with icing sugar.  In another version, the blackberries were replaced with blueberries, ginger in syrup was added, and the finished product was dribbled with an icing sugar glaze scattered with flaked almonds.  That version got rave reviews.  

Conscious of busy households at this time of year, 67 made a batch using ready-made all-butter puff pastry*.  They were fine and popular with the tasters. 

But the home-made rough-puff pastry (Michel Roux's recipe) -- cheaper and lower in preservatives --  was amazing.  

Cost: min £3, more for ready-made pastry
Feeds: min 4, with a few cinnamon pastry twists as well

Ingred:
   1 pkt all-butter ready-rolled puff pastry OR 1/2 recipe Michel Roux's rough-puff pastry
   3 fat ripe nectarines, peeled, cut into 16 segments then halved horizontally
   1-2 handfuls blackberries or blueberries
   2-3 globules drained ginger in syrup, finely diced
   1 generous tsp juice from ginger in syrup

   a few teaspoons ground almonds

   1 egg, beaten with a teaspoon of water

   icing sugar OR icing sugar glaze (3 tbsp icing sugar & 1 generous teaspoon milk) OR melted white chocolate (opt)
   toasted flaked almonds (opt)

Method:

MEDITERRANEAN TOMATOES, vegan, easy peasy, healthy

A real treat for tomato lovers...

It's magic! A few squirts of olive oil and a bit of salt turns bog-standard tomatoes into gourmet treats
'Every person I've served this to was stunned and demanded the recipe' 

Mediterranean tomatoes are one of the easiest, tastiest and probably most frugal dishes in the world.  It's just the right time now to takes advantage of the coming glut of tomatoes - especially those from Cyprus or Turkey.

The recipe is so simple, it's almost a cheat.  

Slice the tomatoes, cut them into chunks or do both; a solitary colour looks lovely or a myriad of colours takes on a carnival air.  

Carnival coloured toms

Cost: depends on the choice of tomatoes and number of guests, but very cheap during harvest
Serves: 2 but multiples easily 


For two people:
     2 med tomatoes or a generous handful of small multi-coloured tomatoes 
     salt, sea or table 
     good olive oil, extra virgin preferred
     Basil, fresh preferred but dried will do

Method:

1. Cut tomato in medium slices, or bite size chunks
2. Arrange on a platter
3. Sprinkle lightly with salt
4. Drizzle olive oil lightly over 
5. Garnish with basil leaves or dried basil
6. Cover & refrigerate till needed
7. Serve at room temperature 

Tip:
If you liked this, you may also almost-instant Discovery Tomato Salad


Copyright: This salad have been designed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may only be reproduced in home kitchens.  Not for commercial use.

QUICKBREADS: LEMON & PEPPER FLAKY BISCUITS, egg-free

Egg-Free Flaky Pepper & Lime Biscuits are a terrific accompaniment for soups, stews or snacks...

first posted 2019; updated 5/23

Savoury pepper & lime biscuits replace bread at any meal - perfect for dipping
(here with mushrooms burnished in lime juice & thyme)

There is nothing like a warm savoury biscuit to dip into soups and stews or even as a snack.  These are American style but share with English scones a crisp, chewy outer and flaky, fluffy interior.  A worthy competitor! 

They're quick and easy.  These, with a sassy seasoning of cracked black pepper and lime zest, are very satisfying.  

Slightly overdone - blogger's fault! -
savoury scones note the airy layers 

They may be more appealing to adults than kids but you won't ever regret making these.

Cost:£1.75
Makes: 4 large; more smaller; recipe multiples easily

Ingred:

   100gm/3.5oz plain flour 
     40gm/1.4oz wholemeal flour                              

     1 tsp baking powder        

     1/3 tsp salt            

     1/8 tsp baking soda         

   50 gm/1.7oz cold unsalted butter, in cubes   

   1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper   

   zest of half a lime or lemon               

   1/4 cup/60ml PLUS 1/8cup/30ml buttermilk**  

Method:

DIETERS' DELIGHT CHICKEN, HAM & HARVEST FRUIT SALAD;

An dish to celebrate summer's end, with the help of supermarket friends...

from the Archive

Crisp juicy harvest fruit teams with succulent meats in a magnificent low-carb salad  'Bliss.  Has everything one could want in a salad.' 
                                                                                                                                                updated aug/19

This salad was first served at a pretty hotel overlooking a ferry terminal in Mallaig, Inverneshire; the guests loved it.  It's adapted from Robert Carrier, one of the first modern tv chefs and a master at translating classic French cuisine into home cooking.  

Rotisserie chicken, a bit of ham, good English harvest fruit & veg creates an  unforgettable main course salad.  The flavours and textures are delightful together, especially the hum of heat in the background.  

There is a bit of chopping but much of the salad can be prepared the night before.  Consider it an opportunity to form bonds over lunch prep.   

The salad isn't frugal but none of the ingredients are expensive and it feeds a lot of people. Make it go further with baked sweet potatoes, bread rolls or Flaky Savoury Biscuits and gorgeously scented vine tomatoes. 

Dessert is an I'm on Holiday Too! Easy-Peasy Chocolate Cake.

Cost: £7'ish
Feeds: 8 with sides

Ingred:
  450g/1 lb cooked chicken, skin removed (supermarket rotisserie is fine) 
  175g/6 oz cooked ham or salt beef
  2 large or 4 small oranges
  1 c/240 ml yoghurt-mayo & zest & juice of a lemon

  4 stalks celery, peeled & thinly sliced
  1 lge green pepper, seeded, cored and finely diced
  4 radishes, in matchsticks 
  2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
  4 tsp finely chopped fresh chives or spring onion tops
  2 eating apples 
  8 drops tabasco or 1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes
  generous pinch cinnamon (opt)
  s & p
  soft lettuce leaves, and extra chopped chives & parsley to garnish.

Method:

CURE-ALL CHICKEN & RICE, for dicky tummies, low-fat, easy

Easily digested, delicate, lovely chicken rice: 

Chicken Rice: Gentle comfort for the ailing AND glorious main for the robust 

'...settles the stomach, easy to digest and tasty - not in the least boring'

Chicken Rice is wholesome and sustaining; its delicate flavours soothes a dicky stomach but also delights and satisfies the healthy.  

The dish pretty well cooks itself.  It can be served as it is but a trio of piquant sauces, served on the side, enlivens the dish.   

For singletons, leftovers are easily portioned up and frozen.

Brown rice is best for this dish; the high fibre content is beneficial to the gut.

Cost: £5 to £10, depending on the chicken
Feeds: 4

Ingredients:
   1 cup brown rice
   2-3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
   2 x 1/4 inch slices fresh ginger, peeled

   2 cups water or stock

   1 whole chicken, the best you can afford, backbone removed (save for stock) & breast flattened OR 4 chicken quarters
   med onion, pref red but white will do, finely diced

   couple of handfuls small cauliflower florets
   generous handful green beans or mange toute, string removed

  Garnish: small dish each of
      reduced salt soy sauce
      oyster or hoisin sauce
      ginger-scallion sauce

Method:

HARVEST VEGETABLES, Vegan, Dieters' Delight

A tasty carousel of mostly low-carb summer/autumn vegetables... 

Pan-fry of Harvest Veg: tasty, colourful, many textured -- a vegan's dream
'I'd eat this at any time and I'm no dieter!'

The ingredients of this wonderful dying-summer dish were chosen specifically to meet the demands of a no/low carb eating plan, hence it is full of low-starch veg and is pretty low-cal, too.  It's the perfect dish for harvest time. 

Tasters loved the combination of textures and colours as well as the multi-layered flavours.  One thing that wasn't added but would be welcome was bean sprouts.

No worries about calories or carbs?  Add carrots, fresh corn, potatoes and peas.   

As with stir-fries, the work is in the preparation.  Then it's like an assembly line -- some of the veg are braised, some flash-fried -- before coming together swiftly in a delicious melange.   

In keeping with the low-carb theme, the natural juices of the veg and flavourings are the only 'sauce'.  Thicken the sauce with a 1-1 slurry of cornflour, water, soy sauce and sherry but it will raise calories. 

Cost: depends on choices; say £2.50'ish

Feeds: 2-3 with a side of rice or noodles.

67 used a large coffee mug as a measure

Ingred:

   1/2 mug small cauliflower florets
   1/2 mug tenderstem broccoli, stems peeled & trimmed

   1/2 mug thickly sliced mushrooms; chestnuts preferred but any will do
   juice 1/2 lemon 
   1 mug thickly sliced courgettes, cut on the slant

   2 mugs slightly packed fresh spinach, washed & stems removed (or not if you don't like fiddling with stems)  
   1/2 mug halved baby tomatoes, lightly sprayed with olive oil & lightly salted
  
   light vegetable oil (groundnut/peanut is good)

   1 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
   1 1/2 tsp sherry 
   water or stock
    finely grated zest of half a lemon
   1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (opt)
   1/2 tsp grated fresh garlic (opt)

Method:

ONION TOMATO JAM, heart-friendly, vegan, low preservative

Onion Jam: savoury & sweet sassy side for cheese...

Savoury & Sweet Low-Salt Onion Tomato Jam
'Amazing. Very yummy.' 'Delicious! Good strong taste.'Tasters

updated 28/8/19 

Here's a heart-friendly relish that's low-salt/cholesterol/preservative.  It's also vegan, wallet-friendly, make ahead and ...oh yes, absolutely delicious!

The elements of sweet and sour are in perfect balance.  It is nothing like Italian tomato sauce; other ingredients - some unexpected - bring brilliant undertones to the overall taste.  

Onion jam is so sensational with home-made bread, good cheddar and cucumber; mass-produced brown pickle will forever be second best.  One taster tested it on Cheese Fries and produced it wonderful.  67 sees it alongside cold meats and over pan- fried potatoes. 

It was originally created as an alternative to bacon jam, off-limits to anyone with salt/blood pressure issues.  But a small amount of bacon can be added to the Onion jam (see below) for those lusting after a healthier Bacon Jam.  

Cost: £2
Makes: 1.5 cups

Ingredients:
   125gm/4.5oz sun blush tomatoes, either home-made (frugal) or purchased

   1 large onion, finely diced (one cup)
   2 cloves garlic, grated
   1-2 tbsp olive oil

   100 gm fresh tomatoes, core removed and diced (1 med-large)
  
   1 packed tbsp brown sugar
   2 tsp white sugar
   25 ml maple syrup (honey for non-vegans)
   35ml white vinegar
   15ml fresh squeezed orange juice
   zest of 1/2 orange
   1/2 cup brewed coffee
   
   coarsely crushed black paper

Method:

DIETERS'S DELIGHT CHERRY BAKEWELLS, lower-sugar, fat & carbs

Enticing skinnier Bakewell with cherries & almonds but no pastry or jam... 

Light as Air Cherry Bakewells  - lower fat/sugar, no pastry or jam
'the sweet of my dreams; absolutely gorgeous!' Taster

photo  14/8/18

English cherries are always a good bet for baked goods and still on 2-fer offer inn some supermarkets.  

The cherries are fat, juicy and almost black but  not quite as sweet as in some years.  Never mind, they will still make wonderful melt-in-the-mouth Skinnier Bakewell Slices.   

The classic Bakewell mix involves butter, sugar, almonds, eggs, raspberries, pastry and jam.  67's version uses cherries instead and dispenses with pastry and jam.  Sugar and fat are cut.  The recipe saves loads of calories without reducing deliciousness.

The modified frangipane produces a gloriously light and airy fine-crumbled cake, firm enough to stand on its own.   Designed for small households, it'll provide 10 decent-sized bars but multiplies easily.    

Nothing beats home-made Bakewells - even if the pastry and jam are missing. 

67's recipe takes half the usual time to prepare. 

Cost: £2.00
Makes: 10, but is easily doubled.

Ingred:
   75gm/2.7oz softened butter
   75gm/2.7oz sugar
   75gm/2.7oz ground almonds
   1 egg
   1/2 tsp vanilla
   zest of one lime (or lemon)

   75gm/2.7oz plain flour
   1/2 tsp baking powder

   2 tbsp milk

   generous handful fresh cherry halves
   generous handful flaked almonds

Method:

ANOTHER TERRIFIC RICE SALAD: fast & easy, fish, leftovers, healthy

Sometimes it's a relief not to cook...

A quick tempting meal with the help of deli friends & a superb wheat-free tabbouleh

'So fast; lovely full-bodied flavours'

When life's ultra-busy, it's a relief to know that food from the freezer, leftovers and deli treats can produce a superb meal in minutes.

Deli ingredients offer great flavour boosters when it's hot or you're too tired to cook.  With their variety of sauces - hot and spicy or mellow Italian - they will transform cold rice or pasta and vegetables.   

67's first choice of deli food* is fish but the antipasti mix of artichoke hearts, olives and sun-blush tomatoes always appeals.  When deli food is (as often happens) on special at 3 for £7 instead of £3.50 each, that's a bargain!

Mediterranean Calamari Rice Salad was a singleton dish which arose out of an excess of Wheat Free Tabbouleh (which itself used up an excess of parsley & mint) and a few leftover artichokes, sun-blush tomatoes and olives from an antipasti mix.  It was all added to pre-cooked brown rice (in this case, defrosted overnight).  Lovely!

However (see tips below) you can obviously start from scratch and feed a crowd.  It will no longer be a frugal dish but on the other hand, not excessively financially indulgent considering the convenience. It's also a great time-saver even if the rice and tabouleh need to be made a few hours in advance.    

Feeds: 1 but see tips below for 4 or more
Cost: min £1.00 plus leftovers; more if starting from scratch

Ingred:
   3-4 tbsp brown rice
   2-3 tbsp wheat free tabbouleh
   2-3 tbsp artichoke hearts, fronds removed
   a few sun blush tomatoes
   a few olives
   pepper & salt
   couple of pinches chilli flakes or a shot of tabasco (opt)
   any other leftover veg like steamed broccoli or green beans (opt)

  1/2-1/2 container deli calamari 

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together
2. Check seasoning
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve 

Comments:
'So fast.  If all leftovers turned up in something so full-bodied and flavourful, I'd be as happy as Larry.' Retired writer

Tips:

• add more rice to make this dish go further
• for 4 or more: 1 coffee mug rice, pref brown, cooked per instructions & cooled; 1 deli container calamari (sauce of choice), 1 deli container antipasti drained, enough of 1 recipe Wheat Free Tabbouleh to moisten but not overwhelm the rice salad ingredients 

*usually M&S

More salad recipes on NavBar: Recipes II/Salads...

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

CHICKEN KOFTAS, with an Asian Twist

Asian-inspired chicken koftas: delightful twist on the usual MidEast flavours...

Chicken Koftas, with an unusual Asian twist: low-fat, stuffed with fibre
'Yummy spicing fills the mouth with flavour.' 'Red vinegar dip is fantastic.'

These unusual - and delicious - Chicken Koftas are satisfyingly healthy.  Minced chicken/turkey team with high-fibre bell pepper, tinned bamboo shoots and green onions.  The spicing is Asian classic ginger and garlic with an enhancing layer of 5-spice powder or 67's Savoury Spice Blend.   

The photo shows cocktail-size Chicken Koftas but larger cigar-shaped ones will also work, as will wrapping the mix around skewers. (Soak wooden skewers in water before cooking.)     

The koftas are light in texture - none of that firmly-packed meat bullets here.  Before baking, they should be refrigerated a few hours or preferably overnight to help them keep their shape.

67 liked the koftas hot but tasters raved about the cold/room temperature offerings.  

Two sauces are offered (below). Ginger & Red Wine Vinegar is a thin but knock-out dipping sauce.  A piquant thick, creamy Green Onion Ginger Dressing works better for koftas stuffed into pittas or wraps with salad.

Cost: £5 min
Makes: 25'ish cocktail sized koftas

Ingreds:

  500gm/17.6oz minced turkey or chicken, thighs or breasts
  2 tbsp cornstarch

  2 egg whites (freeze yolks for custards or lemon curd) 

  2 tbsp dry sherry/shao shing rice wine/white wine/white grape juice
  1.5 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
  1.5 tbsp soy sauce

  1 tbsp 67 Savoury Spices or 1.5 tsp 5-spice powder 
  1.5-2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
  1.5-2 tsp fresh peeled ginger, minced
  zest of a lemon

  3 tbsp green onions, green included, finely sliced
  2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/3 cup bell pepper, finely diced  
1/3 cup finely diced tinned bamboo shoots

Sesame seeds (opt)

See Dips below

Method:

1. Using two forks or light hands, break up mince in a good-sized bowl
2. Add cornstarch; combine
3. In a med bowl, beat egg whites till frothy, add liquid ingredients plus garlic, ginger & 5-spice or 67 Savoury Spices; blend well.  Add to mince; stir thoroughly.
4. Add scallions, bamboo shoots, bell pepper & parsley; distribute evenly throughout the meat
5. Line a tray or plate with cling film
6. Take 1.5 tablespoons of the meat mix.  With gloved or wet hands, form into a barrel shape about 2in/5cm long then roll just the bottoms with your palms to form a gentle point at both ends.  They'll look like elongated pointy eggs (see below)
7. Refrigerate several hours or overnight
8. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 180c/350f
9. Move koftas with a fishslice to a tray lined with greaseproof paper; sprinkle half with sesame seeds(opt)
10. Bake 15 mins or until the middle is no longer pink
11. Serve hot or cool with Asian Dipping Sauce and Spring Onion Ginger Sauce plus, if you like, a bowl of hoisin sauce 

Pointy, egg-shaped Asian Chicken Koftas,
ready for the fridge

Asian Dip (for dipping and drizzling) 

   2 tbsp minced garlic

   3-4 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce (Amoy/Pearl River Bridge)

   8 tbsp red wine vinegar or white vinegar

   1 tsp sugar (opt)

   1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 
   pepper 

Mix well and serve in a bowl

Ginger & Scallion Sauce (thicker for pittas & wraps)

  3 tsp grated ginger
  6 tbsp finely chopped white spring onions
  1 generous tsp grated garlic (opt)

  1 tbsp groundnut/peanut oil

  2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  150gm/5.2oz strained thick 0-fat Greek yoghurt
  1.5tsp reduced salt soy sauce 
  

Put ginger & spring onions plus garlic if using in heatproof bowl; heat oil until very hot and pour over - the ginger and spring onions will sizzle. Cool a little; add to yoghurt with toasted sesame oil & soy sauce.  Blend.  

Comments:
''Nice meaty snack; eaten cold, the flavours were strengthened.  Delicate spicing fills the mouth leaving a pleasant aftertaste. Vinegar sauce very good but would love creamy sauce, too.' Political agent
'Very tasty; light, a summer food.  Nice strong vinegar & ginger dipping sauce.' Campaign Manager

Tips:

• if older or toddler-sized family members prefer a very soft texture, the koftas can be steamed.  
• if using the Ginger & Scallion Sauce for pittas or wraps, line the bottom with a good layer of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers to stop the sauce soaking the bread

More poultry Nav Bar: Recipes I/Chicken

Please leave a comment

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.   

BREAKFAST RADISH, BEETROOT & AVOCADO

Cool AND Beautiful: delightful salad making the most of summer...

Avocado, Beetroot & Breakfast Radish Salad 
'The nicest most refreshing salad with really stunning flavours.' Taster      17/7/18

Beetroot is a wonderful vegetable; it tastes fabulous, has a myriad of health benefits and makes anything it is teamed with look marvellously picturesque. 

The root is low in fat/calories (great for weight loss), is full of vitamins and antioxidants and has masses of good fibre (great for the digestion).  It also sports high levels of folic acid - a boon for pregnant women.

This thrown-together summer salad teams beetroot with avocado and breakfast radishes (the long ones - though ordinary radish will do) and an orange-flavoured balsamic dressing in a winning combination.  A bit more of this salad veg and a little less of that won't be a problem.

The salad has lovely layers of flavour and texture; crunchy leaves contrast delightful with creamy avo and mellow beetroot. 

This will make great picnic food alongside cold eats; pack the ingredients separately and assemble on site.

Cost: £2.50'ish
Serves: 4 good-sized portions; recipe multiples easily

Ingredients:
    2 med cooked beetroot, thin outer layer peeled, cut into 1/2in/1cm cubes (cooked from raw or packaged is fine)
   1/2 avocado, peeled, in 1/2in/1cm cubes, with half a lemon squeezed over it and seasoned with pepper & salt
   handful of breakfast radishes (the long ones have less heat but ordinary radish will do) thinly sliced (at an angle with the long ones)
   a generous couple of mugs chopped lettuce leaves, rinsed & dried (any will do)
   2 generous handfuls grated carrot

(The salad is wonderful with the above ingredients but you can also add a handful of cooked peas and corn niblets.)

 Balsamic Orange Vinaigrette 
     3-4 tbsp good olive oil
     1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
     good pinch salt and 1/8 tsp pepper, pref. coarsely ground
     1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard
     zest one orange
     1-2 tbsp orange juice

Method:

OVER INDULGED IN HEATWAVE FOOD? TRY THIS...

Having a dicky tummy during a heatwave is no joke...

3-ingredient Smoothie that soothes summer stomach upsets
'This tasted really good and the ginger settled my stomach settle in an hour.' Taster

Here's a quick 3-ingredient smoothie that will help.

Hot weather can play havoc with food, leading to stomach ailments of various intensity.  

According to the NHS, common symptoms are:

• feeling sick to the stomach
• stomach cramps
• tummy pain
• lack of energy & weakness
• low or no appetite
• fever

and in worst cases:

• vomiting
• diarrhoea

The most important treatment is to drink plenty of liquids but also:

• don't eat until you feel up to it and stick to small non-fatty meals
• bland foods like toast, crackers, rice & bananas are good choices
• avoid alcohol, caffeine, fizzy drinks & spicy and fatty foods
• if things haven't improved within 3 days, see your doctor

In the early stages of stomach discomfort, this smoothie is perfect.  It is an ideal remedy during a heatwave: it's liquid, naturally sweet, soothing and refreshingly cold. 

The ginger is the medicinal ingredient here; don't hold back unless you're dealing with young kids.  Ginger is not over-powering but cuts the sweetness and calms the stomach. 

Cost: pennies
Serve: 1

Ingred: 
    2 generous handfuls frozen strawberries (if not frozen add a couple of ice cubes)
    1 ripe banana, peeled
    1/2-1 tablespoons (yes, tablespoon) grated peeled chopped fresh ginger 
    1/2 cup water

Method:
Blend in a smoothie maker or food processor; add a slice or 2 of banana for garnish.

                                              More smoothies, on Nav Bar: Recipes I/Drinks...

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

HOLIDAY CANAPES: MINI SPICED BEEF KOFTAS,low fat/carb & preservatives

67's spicy Greek style koftas in miniature, make perfect canapés 

Beef Mini-Koftas
'Everyone loved these! And they looked really good.' Tasters

A platter of spicy little barrels of beef was included in 67's first formal catering event, a lunch for activists at the local elections. They went down a storm.  

The mini-kofta are full of intense flavours - spicy, herby and meaty - and, accompanied with an exotic tahini sauce, brought exclamations of delight.  

It's a perfect dish to make ahead; the flavour deepens as it sits.  Most of it can be prepared up to two days before: the meat can be mixed and moulded and the sauce made; both can be refrigerated in a couple of layers of cling film until needed.  The vegetable crudités, which add colour as well as crispness, can be prepared the night before.

The mini koftas in the photo are made with low-fat beef mince.  Lamb is traditional used but lower-fat minced turkey thigh also works well.   

Cost: £5.50+ for beef; the frugal should go for turkey 
Makes: 24+ mini-koftas 

Ingred:
   500 gm minced beef
   1 med onion or half a Spanish onion, grated or processed into small shards
    1.5 tsp sumac or 67 Spice mix
    1.5 tsp cumin
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp dried coriander
    zest of one lemon
    2-3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped medium fine, or 1 tsp dried
    2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped medium fine, or 1 tsp dried
    1 egg (opt)
    pepper & salt

Method:

1. Spread out mince on a sheet of greaseproof paper
2. Cover with onion and dried herbs only; mix well with two forks or with hands, ensuring the herbs are blended into the meat.  Work lightly; the koftas should be moist and yielding, not hard as rocks
3. Add lemon zest & fresh herbs; stir well, distributing everything evenly; mix in egg if using.  
4. Break off a tablespoon; fry to check for seasoning; add pepper & salt as needed 
5. Use a small 1 1/2 inch/4 cm ice cream scoop to divide the mix into equal pottions.  Form each into a barrel shape; place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, leaving a little space in between. 
6. Cover loosely in 2 layers of clingfilm,  ensuring the pan is air tight;  refrigerate overnight
7. When ready to cook, allow mini-koftas to come to room temperature.
8. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
9. Bake 15 mins, or until centres are no longer pink 
10. Remove to a cooling rack lined with paper towels; once no longer hot, scrape or rub off any juices that have seeped from the mini-kofta
11. Spear kofta with cocktail sticks
12. Arrange on a platter around tahini dressing and Chinese crudités   

Tahini Dressing:

   200gm/7oz thick o-fat yoghurt

   4 generous tbsp mayonnaise
   2 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
   1 med clove garlic, finely grated
   2 tbsp chopped fresh mint OR 2 tsp dried  
   pepper & salt
   2 tbsp good tahini
   1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (opt)
   
Mix well

Comments from political activists & council candidates:
    'Loved these!'
    'Beautifully spiced though I could have used more heat.'
    'Looks so pretty.' 
    'These are really, really good.'

   
Tip:

• make these in larger sizes for a portable lunch
• finely diced fresh chillis or chilli flakes can be served in a separate dish                           

 More hot weather dishes on Nav Bar: Recipes I   

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.   

HOLIDAY HOISIN-ORANGE BEEF KEBAB/SKEWERS

As a canapé or for supper, these scrumptious skewers shout 'Eat me!'

Beef Skewers with Hoisin Orange Glaze 
'Oh my goodness! They are absolutely wonderful!' Taster

Chunks of beef, chicken or pork in a smoky-sweet Asian-sauce is threaded on skewers with 'shrooms and toms to make a sassy treat.

67 created these for a cocktail do, using rump steak (great texture) but sirloin, rib-eye or budget-friendly lean diced beef can also be used.  Chicken or pork will also work.  

With cheaper cuts, marinade 24 hours to tenderise the meat and allow the flavour to penetrate the muscle fibres.  The fruit & veg offset the richness of the marinade; they also help the meat go a long way. 

High temperatures either by grilling, barbecuing or roasting bring out the best of the meat, encouraging some fat to render off while still retaining moisture.  Once cooked, glaze the skewers with honey & orange.  A slightly charred exterior is ideal.    

Cost: say, £5 but more or less depending on the meat 
Makes: min 10 1 inch/2 1/2cm skewers 

Equipment: cocktail sticks 

Ingred:
   200gm/7oz rump or sirloin steak (or casserole steak/lean diced beef for the frugal) OR chicken breast or pork fillet
    handful cherry tomatoes
    handful mushrooms, pref chestnut

Marinade
    2 tbsp hoisin sauce
    2 tbsp sherry or brandy or white grape juice
    zest of an orange, not too finely grated
    juice of half an orange
    1 tsp grated ginger
    segments from half an orange

Glaze 
   1 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup
   1 tbsp fresh orange juice
   sesame seeds
     
Method:

1. Prepare at least 6 hours or the night before needed
2. If toms are not organic, soak in a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part vinegar 20 mins; rinse, drain; refrigerate 
3. Brush mushrooms with paper towel to remove grit; set aside.  
4. Cut beef into generous 1.25 inch/3.5cm squares (your butcher will do this  if asked nicely); remove fat/sinew 
5. Mix marinade ingredients; pour into a sealable plastic bag
6. Add meat, smoosh it into the marinade
7. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight (24 hr for cheaper cuts of meat) turning now and again 
8. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 200c/400f
9. Cut off pointed ends of orange segments (what's left will stay longer on the skewer)
10. Slice mushrooms thickly
11. Drain meat
12. Thread onto a cocktail stick in this order: tomato, beef, orange segment,  mushroom
13. Place on a rack in a baking tray; cook in upper oven 5-7 mins; brush meat with glaze, sprinkle with sesame seeds & turn 
14. Serve hot 

Comments: 
'Oh my goodness; these are wonderful - full of umami flavour.' Wine journalist 
Silence on first taste followed by lots of appreciative noises: other guests  

More starters/canapés NavBar: Recipes 11

                          Please post a Comment in the box below 
                        

This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.