BBQ SIDES; NECTARINE CUCUMBER SALAD, vegan

Definitely not your run-of-the-mill summer salad...

A treat for the tastebuds: Spiced Peach & Cucumber Salad
'So lovely & innovative, a beautiful combination' 'Tremendous!' Tasters

This unusual, taste-bud-tickling recipe puts paid to the assumption that summer salads are boring.  How can peaches, cucumber and avocado in a spicy Middle Eastern dressing be anything but intriguing?  It is a gustatory treat with terrific flavour and crunch. 

Kids may not like it and it may not be for everyone.  But anyone looking for a taste adventure will be thrilled.

The recipe is vegan but has none of the usual associations with vegan food.  It's wallet-friendly especially if you're using ripen at home nectarines.

It's adapted from Bon Appetite magazine via Kismet restaurant in Los Angeles.  

Obviously 67's recipe doesn't include artisan ingredients or require elegant cooking techniques fit for a high-status paying customer waiting to be impressed.  

67's salad is aimed at the home cook with standard cupboard ingredients and common-all-garden cooking skills. But that won't lessen the dish's impact.  

There's no substitute for the fresh parsley & coriander -- they're important for maximum flavour.  

The salad does not sit well; prepare everything in advance but assemble at the last minute.   

Cost: £3.50'ish (2021 prices)

Feeds: 6-8

Ingred:

   1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 

   1/2 tbsp olive oil

   pepper & salt

  1 cardamon pod (opt)

  1 tsp cloves

  1/2 tsp dried coriander

  1/2 tsp cumin

  1 med red chilli, de-seeded & membranes removed) finely diced

  1 med garlic clove, grated

  3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

  3 tbsp fresh coriander, leaves & stems, 

finely chopped

  3-4 tbsp lemon juice

  about 14in/30cm (about 1 1/2 cucumbers) de-seeded 

  4 yellow peaches or nectarines

  1 avocado

  Garnish: 1 tsp toasted sesame, pumpkin seeds, a few tender cilantro leaves on stems 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180c
2. Add pumpkin seeds to a small rimmed baking pan and bake a scant 5 minutes in a medium oven OR cook on a stovetop pan 5-7 mins, tossing occasionally 
3. Once the pumpkin seeds are cool, spray lightly with olive oil; add salt to taste; set aside
4. If using cardomon, break open with the flat of a knife; remove seeds & discard outer covering
5. Mix spices with chilli, garlic, parsley & coriander, 1/4 cup olive oil & lemon juice. (This can be made the night before & refrigerated) 
6. When ready to serve, add cucumber to the dressing; allow flavours to blend 5 mins
7. Chop peaches/nectarines into bite-size pieces; cut avocado into similar sized pieces & mix with cucumbers and half the pumpkin seeds; taste, adjust seasoning
8. Pile onto a bed of soft salad leaves (opt)
9. Garnish with toasted sesame, the other half of the pumpkin seeds and some stems of tender coriander 
10. Serve immediately

Comments:
'I was really surprised by this; it seemed such an odd combination.  But the first taste was amazing; I loved it and have no qualms about serving it many times again.' Retired writer
'It's a tremendous mix - a lunch in its own right!' Political Agent

Tip
Use up the rest of the herbs in vegan summer burgers or the easy-peasy lettuce salad with green herb dressing. 

More  salads on NavBar: Recipes II

Please leave a comment in the box below

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

SPICED PEACH & CUCUMBER SALAD, Vegan, low-carb, healthier

A tantalizing treat for the tastebuds - definitely not your run-of-the-mill summer salad...

A treat for the tastebuds: Spiced Peach & Cucumber Salad
'So lovely & innovative, a beautiful combination of flavours & textures.' 'Tremendous!' Tasters

This unusual, taste-bud-tickling recipe puts paid to the assumption that summer salads are boring.  How can peaches, cucumber and avocado in a spicy Middle Eastern dressing be anything but intriguing?  It is a gustatory treat with layers of flavour and crunch. 

Kids may not like it and it may not be for everyone.  But anyone looking for a taste adventure will be thrilled.

The recipe is vegan but has none of the usual associations with vegan food.

It's adapted from Bon Appetite magazine via Kismet restaurant in Los Angeles.  Obviously 67's recipe doesn't include artisan ingredients or require elegant cooking techniques fit for a high-status paying customer waiting to be impressed.  

67's Spiced Peach & Cucumber Salad is aimed at the home cook with standard cupboard ingredients and common-all-garden cooking skills. But that won't lessen the dish's impact.  

There's no substitute for the fresh parsley & coriander -- they're important for maximum flavour.  Use up the rest of the herbs in vegan summer burgers or the easy-peasy lettuce salad with green herb dressing. 

The salad does not sit well; it's best assembled at the last minute.   

Cost: £2.50'ish

Feeds: 6-8

Ingred:

   1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 

   1/2 tbsp olive oil

   pepper & salt

  1 cardamon pod (opt)

  1 tsp cloves

  1/2 tsp dried coriander

  1/2 tsp cumin

  1 med red chilli, de-seeded & membranes removed) finely diced

  1 med garlic clove, grated

  3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

  3 tbsp fresh coriander, leaves & stems, 

finely chopped

  3-4 tbsp lemon juice

  about 14 in/30cm (about 1 1/2 cucumbers) de-seeded 

  4 yellow peaches or nectarines

  1 avocado

  Garnish: 1 tsp toasted sesame, pumpkin seeds, a few tender cilantro leaves on stems 

Method:

FATHERS' DAY: LEMON MERINGUE PIE WITH A DOUBLE SURPRISE, make ahead

The perfect Dad's dessert

Lemon Meringue Pie with a Double Surprise  (using ready made tart shells)

' Amazing; all round perfect!  Loved the raspberry addition.'  20+ tasters (photo june 2016)

Lemon Meringue Pie is another of those once-a-year 'bloke' treats hauled out on special occasions.

Forget about healthy -- this one is a definite Indulgence.  The only way to exert dietary discipline is to practice portion control. Good luck with that.

For the cook, this recipe is a blessing.  Everything but the meringue can be prepared in advance.  The lemon curd filling, using a simple no-fuss recipe, can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. If you must, buy a good thick curd instead, but once you try home-made, you'll never go back.  

Ready made pastry instead of homemade will save time; bought in pastry  shells can be prepped on the day.  Homemade can be made the day before needed and wrapped well.  But the meringue should be made and the pie constructed on the day.

Lemon Meringue tartlets 

The Blogger planned to use Easy-Peasy Pastry but for various reasons wasn't able to.  Ready-made sweet pastry tarts from M&S and Waitrose were tested instead -- about £2.50 for one large or 6 medium.  The thickness of the ready-made tarts was a little worrying but, in this recipe, they made an excellent base for the layers of filling.  Few will guess they were not made with the cook's fine fair hands.

Whether homemade or bought in, the tarts should be brushed with melted chocolate (use a pastry brush) to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom. 

If cooking for a crowd, this can be made in a rectangular tin with supermarket all-butter shortcrust pastry.  Once cool, cut in medium to small squares.

Cost: £3 for home-made; about £5?? for store-bought pastry and curd  
Feeds: 6-8 round; many more in squares

Ingred:

   1 large baked pastry shell, or 6-8 smaller ones, with the bottoms and lower sides brushed with melted chocolate and allowed to set (the chocolate needs to be well melted, until it flows easily)
   50-65gm/1.75-2.3oz 70% dark chocolate, melted
    
   Lemon Curd Filling:
     2 oz/60gm butter, at room temperature 
    2 1/2-3 oz/70-90 gm sugar 
    2 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks  ( extra yolks are optional but make the curd wonderfully rich. Save whites for meringue.)  
   1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

      juice (no zest) of 2 lemons

   Meringue:
       2-3 egg whites
       2 1/2-4 oz/110gm sugar

  1 punnet fresh raspberries 
  
Method:

Lemon Filling (prep up to 5 days ahead)

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil; reduce heat to a simmer; have ready a heatproof bowl that fits on top but does not touch the water  
2. Beat butter and sugar together until light, pale & fluffy - it will take a few mins 
3. Add eggs and yolks (if using); beat till blended
4. Add vanilla; beat
5. Add lemon zest and juice; blend thoroughly -- it will look ghastly and curdled but will turn silky smooth later 
6. Pour into the bowl; place over boiling water in saucepan 
7. Stir constantly with a whisk (don't leave it!); after a few minutes the mix will begin to thicken
8. As you meet more resistance, poke the back of a wooden spoon into the curd; when the curd coats the spoon and your finger leaves a trail through it, it is done
9. Pour through a fine mesh sieve (removing any bits of egg or impurities) into a clean dish; cover surface completely with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming
10. Leave for an hour; refrigerate
11. It lasts 5 days 

Pastry case/s: (can be done the day before)

1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until completely melted
2. Generously brush base and sides with melted chocolate.
3. Allow to cool; chocolate will solidify
4. If preparing in advance, wrap well in cling film; store in a cool place

Meringue (prepare on the day)  

1. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks (the tops will be floppy)
2. Add sugar, one teaspoon at a time, continuing to beat until sugar is used up and the meringue is stiff and glossy

Constructing the pie (on the day):

1. Pre-heat oven to 350f/180c/gas4
2. Line chocolate covered base with halved raspberries 
3. Spoon or pipe over the lemon curd; level with spatula
4. Pile meringue on top, right to the edges; swirl attractively
5. Bake 15 mins or until meringue is crisp and golden (check after 10 mins)  

Tips:

• instead of making one large pie, make tartlets
• if there are leftovers; they still taste great the following day    

        More desserts on NavBar: Recipes II (bottom page)

 Please leave Comment in the box below 

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. 

HOW TO...MAKE UNFORGETTABLE NO ADDED SUGAR BUTTER SCONES. indulgence, Versatile

UNFORGETTABLE BUTTER BISCUITS/SCONES

first posted 2015

'The flakiest, butteriest, tenderest scones in the world!' Blogger 

photo 29/5/15

These scones are the best 67 has ever had and they've been in the family cookbook in various delicious permutations for years.  They are the flakiest, most tender biscuits in the world. And they have no added sugar.

The recipe is taken straight from 1970's celebrity chef, Robert Carrier. Best known for international cuisine (Great Dishes of the World) in his heyday, Carrier in his later years produced a wonderful cookbook for the home chef (sadly out of print.)   

The biscuits do have a high fat content; anyone with health issues should proceed with caution. 

67 has made them entirely with wholemeal flour in an attempt to make them healthier. They were still light and delicious but a two parts white flour, one part wholemeal is probably a better mix if you're after added fibre. 


There is always portion control: use a smaller scone cutter!

The scones are best on the day but reheat and/or freeze well.

Cost: £2
Makes: 12-14

Ingred:
12 oz/350gm plain flour (organic gives  even better flavour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 oz/150 gm cold, cubed butter
2 eggs, well beaten
7 tbsp very cold milk.

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to very hot -- 220c; 425f; Gas Mark 7
2.  Sift dry ingred. into a bowl; rub or process in butter until mixture resembles peas
3. (If using cheese, add it here, stirring it into the flour mix)
4. Make a well in the centre; pour in eggs & milk.  Stir lightly with a fork until mixture just holds together.
5.  Turn out onto a lightly floured board and press lightly and quickly into a rectangle about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick.  Mentally divide the rectangle into three, lengthwise.  Fold the left hand side onto the middle; and the right hand side onto the middle & left sides.   (This method introduces layers into the dough, like puff pastry.  I promise you, it is worth it!) Repeat twice, rolling lightly with a rolling pin between each folding,  handling dough as little as possible
6.  Roll it out to just over 1inch (2 cm) thick.  Cut, without twisting, into 2 1/2 inch/6cm (or smaller rounds) with a floured biscuit cutter, reforming leftover dough.  Or, cut into  12-14 smaller rectangles.
7.  Bake in the centre of the oven on an ungreased baking sheet 12-15 min until richly golden.
8.  Cream tea scones for a crowd: allow scones to cool completely; halve and spread with clotted cream and jam or fresh sliced strawberries on each half; the portion is one half per person 

Tips:

• re-heat in an 180c/350f/Gas Mark 3 oven for 5-10 mins. 
• for flaky cheese biscuits, add 3 oz/75 gr strong grated cheddar (cheddar with chives & onion is a favourite)
• another variation adds a couple of tablespoons of finely chopped mixed herbs

Any information not sourced to a second party is the copyright of the blogger.

DAIRY-FREE TOMATO PIZZA, VEGAN, No yeast or Common wheat, easy-peasy, carnivore option

Here's one for Vegans: Wheat & Yeast Free Pizza (easily modified for fans of meat & cheese) 

first posted 2016; updated 10/2024

Easy Vegan Pizza: Fresh Tomato, Mushroom & Peppers with olives, artichoke hearts and sun-blush tomatoes on a speedy bready or thin base

Whatever else is used as topping, tomato sauce and cheese are usually a given on pizzas.  This Vegan version has tomato sauce but no cheese.  And there's a twist.  The Topping relies on sliced raw fresh tomatoes, though tinned are used on the base.

67 used Easy Rich Tomato Sauce (home-made and in the freezer) for the base but a low-salt low-additive store-bought sauce is fine. (Some vegans use tomato base.) The anti-pasti -- olives, artichoke hearts and sun-blush tomatoes --adds intensity (and there will be plenty of leftovers for garnishing other dishes.)  It came from a M&S deli but jarred olives and/or artichokes will do.  

Sliced tomatoes bake up beautifully on pizzas, and the raw sliced mushrooms and raw peppers take on a lovely char.   

Ham & Cheese option 

Cost: min £4.50
Feeds: 3-5

Equipment: a 10 inch/25cm pizza pan or equiv





Ingred:
   generous 1/3 cup home-made Easy Rich Tomato Sauce OR generous 1/4 cup supermarket sauce
   3-4 small tomatoes, in 1/4 inch/1/2 cm slices  
   generous handful mushrooms, stems removed, thickly sliced
   1/2 bell pepper, seeds & membranes removed, in 1/4 in/1/2 cm slices 
   olive oil (opt)
   salt & pepper
   dried or fresh basil (opt)
   1/3 tsp soft brown sugar (opt)
   generous handful anti-pasti -- olives, artichoke hearts and sun-blush tomatoes -

Dough for pizza (your own recipe OR the following OR, if you must, store bought)
   1 1/2 cups flour (67 used spelt but wheat will be fine)
   1/2-3/4 tsp salt
   3/4 tsp baking powder
   2/3 cup fizzy (carbonated) water

   olive oil (opt)

Method for base:

1. Heat oven to highest setting; put pizza pan into the oven to pre-heat
2. Set olive oil aside, if using
3. Mix the rest of the base ingreds in a bowl; tip out on lightly floured board
4. Knead 5 minutes, adding more flour if necessary until dough is no longer sticky; rest 10 minutes
5. Roll out base thinly to a circle; edges can be a bit thicker
6. Use oven gloves to take out pizza pan
7. Roll dough over a rolling pin and unroll it loosely over the pan - careful not to burn yourself.  Let the dough drop naturally, then press down gently on the centre and up the sides to flatten it 
8. Bend or roll the edges to make a thick'ish rim
9. Generously brush with olive oil, especially the edges ; bake 5-7 mins or until bottom has firmed 

Filling: 

1. Place tomato sauce in a small saucepan and bring it to the boil; lower heat, leave at least 5 mins or until the sauce is thick and reduced by about half 
2. When the pizza dough has been pre-baked, carefully spread the pizza sauce over the base; try not to overdo it
3. Arrange tomatoes on the outer rim of the base; spray generously with olive oil; sprinkle salt & pepper & the merest hint pinch of sugar & basil over the tomatoes. 
4. Continue filling in the centre of the base with rings of mushrooms then scatter over peppers and anti-pasti 
5. Bake 10-15 mins or until hot through
6. Serve with a knife and fork; without cheese, the veg won't stick well.
7. If adding meat or cheese, do so during the last half of cooking time
8. Serve with beetroot salad  and finely chopped fresh chillis or chilli flakes

Tip:
For non-vegetarians, add shards of ham or bacon, clumps of soft cheese or bits of mozzarella

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

MAKE-AHEAD BLUEBERRY PANCAKES, An Indulgence

Lovely fluffy, fruity pancakes prepared the night before.

So easy, the kids can make these under supervision

These gorgeous pancakes were a permanent feature on the breakfast menu of a City dining room the Blogger worked in. Breakfast was served from 6.30 am; preparing the batter the day before was a necessity.  The bonus: overnight resting produced lovely fluffy pancakes. 

The pancake recipe is a one-bowl wonder; the fruit is prepared separately the morning of serving and added to the batter.  Weekday mornings can be a nightmare in many households but blueberry pancakes would be perfect for a weekend brunch after Shrove Tuesday. 

The Blogger prefers small pancakes but dinner-plate-sized ones are possible with this recipe -- if you have the right implement (or wrist action) for flipping them!

Cost: £3
Makes: about 24 small pancakes

Ingred:

   8 oz/226 gm self-raising flour (plain flour: add 2 tsp baking powder)

    275 ml/1 1/4 cup less 2 tbsp whole milk

   2 eggs

   1 tsp cream of tartar

   150 gm blueberries, the sweetest you can get
   min 1 tbsp-max 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
   1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method:

Stage 1

1. Sift flour, and baking powder if using, into a jug.
2. Mix milk and eggs together, stir into dry ingred 
3. Sprinkle over cream of tartar; whisk 1-2 mins with an electric hand whisk or by hand until well blended. 
4. Cover with cling film; refrigerate overnight.

Stage 2

1. Preheat a large non-stick frypan or griddle to medium (it does not need to be greased but, if preferred, a light coating of butter can be applied between batches)
2. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together
3. Add washed and dried blueberries; toss
4. Add to batter; stir without breaking up berries
5. When pan is hot, dollop batter on to pan in heaping tablespoons - between 1 1/2-2 tbsp - use back of the spoon to slightly flatten the batter to encourage even cooking. 
6. The first side will take 3 mins.  Check it is golden brown by lifting up one side of the pancake with a spatula/fish slice.  
7. Flip when ready, squashing the pancake slightly.  The second side will take 2-3 minutes.  Try not to rush; there is nothing worse than biting into a pancake still gooey in the centre!  
8. Remove to a wire rack then keep warm in a low oven covered with a clean tea-towel  
9. Serve (i) North American Style (as above) with bacon, sausages and maple syrup) OR (ii) with yoghurt cream (see below) OR (iii) (if there are no issues with cholesterol) extra thick double cream mixed with vanilla or mixed 50-50 with strained 0-fat yoghurt

Tips:

• wheat flour is recommended
• blueberries can be replaced by halved blackberries or raspberries.
• Yoghurt Cream: Strain 0-fat plain yoghurt overnight in a sieve lined with a clean, wet j-cloth resting in a jug or bowl.  Some of the liquid will drain away and the yoghurt will become thick and sweet. Add a few drops of vanilla extract   

 More Recipes on Navigation Bar  

  

 :

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