Showing posts with label dill. Show all posts

Crispy Courgette Fritters


Makes about 16 fritters. Enough for three small mains or 6-8 starters. 

If this recipe didn't involve frying, I think I would eat these fritters for every meal. They remind me of some of the great appetisers you can only really get in the US. I am definitely going to have to figure out a baked version of this recipe, but lets be honest. Nothing beats the fried version. Courgette is never really a food I think of as anything special, but is really serves as the perfect flavour base. If I had a garden, I could imagine serving this up with some Pimm's whilst everyone waits for the barbecue to heat up.

Ingredients: 
- 3 large courgette, grated (I used the large holes on the box grater)
- zest of 1 lemon
- 5 heaped tbsp of plain flour
- 100g of feta cheese, crumbled in
- a large handful of both fresh mint and dill, finely chopped
- 2 medium eggs
- half a red onion, finely minced
- 1 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp of black pepper

To serve: 

Sriracha mayo:
- 2 tbsp of mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp of Sriracha
- salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste (I used about 1/4 of a lemon)

Green salad


Preparation: 

  1. Simply add all the ingredients into a large bowl (minus the flour). 
  2. Once combined, add the flour until desired consistency. It is okay if the batter is a little wet, but it should easy enough to grab a small handful without all the liquid running between your fingers. Click this link for an example of the consistency you are looking for. 
  3. In a medium-sized frying pan add enough vegetable oil (anything with a decent smoke point) to cover the base on the pan. You only want about 1/3 of the fritters in oil to shallow fry them. Heat the oil on a medium-high heat. Test the oil is hot enough by adding just a tiny amount of batter. If bubbles form around it, it is hot enough. 
  4. To shallow fry, add 3-4 dollops, evenly spread into the oil. 
  5. Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden on both sides. 
  6. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven.

To serve: I suggest the Sriracha mayo recipe above and a green salad. Enjoy! 
appetiser courgette courgette fritters
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'Chicken' and Grape Salad


Ingredients
- 500g or about 1lb of cooked and cooled chicken (I used vegetarian Quorn chicken pieces) 
- 300g or a heaped cup of greek or natural yoghurt
- 125ml or 1/2 cup of raisins
- 125ml of 1/2 cup of toasted pecans or walnuts
- 1 large handful of fresh dill
- about 400g or 1 cup of seedless, red grapes, adjust to suit your taste
- juice of 1-2 lemons
- 1/2 of tsp salt
- 1/2 of tsp pepper 
- half of red onion 

I have been loving this recipe lately. It is the perfect packed lunch to bring to university. The combination does sound odd, I grant you that; however, the flavours marry together so well. Make it then judge I say. When it comes to food I am big texture person. This 'chicken' salad ticks all the boxes with crunch, chewiness, acidity, creaminess and sweetness. For the omnivores out there this would work just as well with left over turkey or chicken from a roast. It would actually have made an excellent post-thanksgiving meal. What is great about a salad like this is that is not only very filling, but it also pairs well with a side such as couscous, quinoa or boiled potatoes, but equally you can using it as a sandwich filling. I recommend making a large batch and using it as sandwich filling during the week for a quick go-to lunch. Chicken salad to me screams summer BBQ, but this twist on flavours makes this recipe perfect for the colder months. 


Preparation
  1. Finely mince the red onion and roughly chop the dill. 
  2. Halve the grapes. 
  3. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients except for the lemon juice, salt and pepper. 
  4. Begin by adding the juice of just one lemon. Taste and adjust. Depending on the juiciness and size of lemons I will add more or less. 
  5. Add the salt and pepper. 
  6. Serve! Enjoy the chicken salad on its own or with a side of quinoa or couscous. My personal preference is to drizzle either quinoa or couscous with some walnut oil and balsamic vinegar to serve alongside the salad. You could also add the quinoa or couscous into the salad and add a little more yoghurt, lemon and salt and pepper. 
chicken salad dill grape salad
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Nordic Eggs on 'Toast'


Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 pickled beetroot
- 2 slices of cheese such as Cheddar or Herrgårdsost
- salt and pepper 
- small handful of fresh dill or parsley
- drizzle of balsamic glaze (not Nordic but delicious) 
- 2 pieces of rye crisp bread 
- small knob of butter 

Honestly, this is barely a recipe. It is more an attempt to inspire a different way to eat an everyday staple. I eat a lot of eggs on toast with a side salad, and sometimes it is nice to switch it up. This time of year I especially love pairing eggs with pickled vegetables. In Sweden, eggs and pickled beetroot are as classic as eggs and mayonnaise here in England. Along with that, fresh dill, cheese and crisp bread are only enhancing the Nordic elements of this super simple recipe. In Nigella's new TV series she keeps banging on about how beautiful green and pink are together. I am not about to paint my kitchen pink and green and it will probably never be mentioned again, BUT I do think this quick lunch is rather pretty. As a side note, this lunch could easily be scaled down for a dinner party starter. 



Preparation
  1. Place eggs in a small pot, cover with water (about 2 cm above the eggs) and bring to a boil on a high heat. 
  2. Once the water is boiling. Turn the heat off the pan. Leave for 4 minutes in the water to continue cooking. 
  3. After 4 minutes, put the eggs in the cold water until cool. 
  4. Peal the eggs and then slice. 
  5. Butter the crisp bread, add the cheese, slices of beetroot and egg. 
  6. Season well with salt and pepper. 
  7. Garnish with the fresh dill or parsley, a combination of both is nice too. 
  8. Drizzle on some balsamic glaze.
  9. Enjoy! 
appetiser beetroot crisp bread
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Classic Toast Skagen


Serves 2-3 / Approximate prep time 10 minutes 

This is a traditional Swedish recipe, which is a big favourite any time of year. It simultaneously reminds me of New Year's Eve and Midsummer's Eve. It makes a great, quick appetiser but also a nice lunch.



Ingredients

 100g peeled prawns (or shrimp)
2 tbsp red onion or shallot  (shallot gives a milder onion flavour)
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp creme fraiche
2 tsp juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
salt and white pepper
2 slices of white toast (any will do)

Preparation 

  1. Finely chop the red onion. Roughly chop the prawns if using large ones otherwise keep whole. 
  2. Combine the onion and prawns with the mayonnaise and creme fraiche. 
  3. Add the lemon juice, dill and seasoning. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper to taste. 
  4. Top your toast with the skagen mix. 
  5. Garnish with a bit of dill and serve with a lemon wedge. 
  6. Enjoy!  
appetiser dill english toast skagen recipe
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