Peas and Potatoe with Anis

4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large Spanish Onion, finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
2 Bay Leaves
500g Cyprus potatoes (waxy), peeled and cubed
1 Carrot, finely diced
150ml Sweet Anis Liqueur
500g Peas
Bunch of fresh Mint

1] Over a low heat cook the Onion for 15-20 minutes.
2] Add the Bay Leaves, Potatoes, Carrot and season with Salt and Pepper.
3] Cook for 10 minutes.
4] Pour in the Anis and simmer.
5] When the Potatoes are nearly done add in the Peas and Mint.
6] Gently cook for another 5 minutes.

Add a little water if the mixture dries out.

Saffron Rice

For 4

80g Unsalted Butter
Half a Cinnamon
5 Green Cardamom Pods, cracked
3 Whole Peppercorns
200g Basmati Rice, washed and soaked in salted water for 3 hours
2 tablespoons chopped Pistachio nuts
Pinch of Saffron infused in 4 tablespoons boiling water
Caramelised Onions to dress

1] Melt the Butter.
2] Add the Cinnamon, Cardamom Pods and Black Peppercorns and fry for about 4 minutes.
3] Drain the Rice and add to the pan, stirring.
4] Turn up the heat to medium high and add water to cover the rice by 1cm.
5] Add the nuts.
6] Rest some greaseproof paper on top of the water and put the lid on the pan.
7] Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
8] Add the Saffron.
9] Turn the heat down and cook for another 5 minutes or until cooked.

Ground Lamb and Pinenuts

Half Spanish Onion, finely chopped
Pinch of ground Cinnamon
170g minced Lamb
2 tablespoons Pinenuts, lightly toasted
Smoked Paprika
Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley

1] Gently fry the Onion in Olive Oil until caramelised.
2] Add the Lamb. Break it up while stirring.
3] When the Lamb starts to crisp stir in the Pinenuts.
4] Dress with the Paprika and Parsley.

Sirloin Salad with Barley and Grapes

For 4

50g Pearl Barley
500g Sirloin Steak
Olive Oil
2 bunches of Flat Leaf Parsley, leaves only
350g White Grapes, cut in half and deseeded

Marinade
Half a small Onion
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds, ground
Pinch of Allspice
1 teaspoon Sumac
Black Pepper

Dressing
1 Garlic Clove, crushed with Salt
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Sumac
1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds, ground
Pinch of Allspice

1] Simmer the Barley in 1 litre of water for 45 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2] Mix the marinade and let the steaks sit for 2 hours.
3] Mix the dressing.
4] Heat a griddle pan until hot, wipe the steaks with Olive Oil and sear on either side, a minute or two only.
5] Let the steaks rest and assemble the salad.
6] Cut the steaks into thin strips and mix into the salad.

Moorish Skewers (Pork)

500g Pork Fillet

Marinade
Half a teaspoon of: Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Fennel Seeds, roughly ground
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed with some Salt
Pinch of Saffron infused in 2 tablespoons of warm water
Small bunch of fresh Oregano roughly chopped (or 1 teaspoon of dried)
1 Bay leaf, crumbled
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1] Cut the fillet in half length ways, then into 3cm cubes.
2] Mix the marinade and add the Pork.
3] Leave in the fridge for 2 hours.
4] Grill under a high heat or in a griddle pan.

Falafel

250g dried Fava Beans (Broad Beans) or dried Chick Peas
{soak them overnight in water}
3 Garlic Cloves crushed with a little Salt
Bunch of fresh Coriander, chopped
Bunch of fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
1-2 teaspoons of Cumin Seeds, ground
1 teaspoon of Coriander Seeds, ground
1 small Onion, grated
50g Chickpea Flour, or "00" Flour
1 Egg
Quarter teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda
Sunflower oil for deep frying (a bottle)
Sesame Seeds

1] Drain the beans and place half of them in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to the boil.
2] Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes until they are tender.
3] Put the remaining beans in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
4] Transfer to a mixing bowl and whizz the cooked beans.
5] Add them to the bowl with the Garlic, Coriander, Parsley, Cumin, Coriander Seeds, Onion, Flour, Egg and Bicarbonate of Soda.
6] Mix well and season with Salt and Pepper.
7] Shape into balls and flatten them to 2cm thick discs.
8] Coat them in the Sesame Seeds.
9] Heat the Oil until it is hot, but not smoking and fry the discs in batches.
10] Drain on kitchen paper.

Baba Ghanoush (Moutabel)

For 4-6

3 Aubergines (about 750g-1kg)
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed (with a little salt)
Juice of 1 Lemon
3 tablespoons of Tahini paste
Olive Oil (4 tablespoons ish)
Sea Salt, Black Pepper

1] Pierce the skins of the Aubergines and grill until the skin is charred and crispy all over on either:
a) Barbecue
b) Naked flame on the hob
c) Under a grill
d) In an oven at 220c for 45-60 mins

2] Let them cool off
3] Slice the tops off and peel off the skin
4] Mash/beat/whip the flesh in a bowl until it is a bit smooth, but not total mush
5] Mix in the Lemon, Garlic, Tahini and Olive Oil (to taste)
6] Season with Salt and Pepper

Carrot and Cumin Salad with Coriander

For 4

450g Carrots
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Garlic Clove
Juice of 1 Lemon
Caster Sugar (just a little pinch, depends how sweet you like it)
Olive Oil
Bunch of fresh Coriander, chopped
Sea Salt

1] Peel the Carrots, put them in a pot of cold salted water and boil them till they are tender
2] Drain them, let them cool, then slice them thinly
3] Roast the Cumin Seeds in a dry pan then pound them in a Mortar and Pestle
4] Pound in the Garlic and a little Salt
5] Mix the Lemon, Sugar and some Oil with the Cumin and Garlic mash
6] Dress the Carrots with the mash and sprinkle with the chopped Coriander. Pretty!!!!

Beetroot with Yogurt

For 4

500g fresh Beetroot
Lemon juice
Olive Oil
Fresh flat leaf Parsley, chopped
Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

For the dressing:
1 crushed Garlic clove mixed with Salt
200g Greek Yogurt
Olive Oil

1] Clean the Beetroot without damaging the skins
2] Add them to a pan of salted water and bring to the boil
3] Cook for 30 mins (or 60mins, depends on their size) {when you can slide a knife easily in them, they are done}
4] Drain them and slip the skins off under the tap
5] Cut them into 1cm rounds and lay them on a serving plate
6] Dress them with the the Lemon juice, Oil, Parsley, Salt and Pepper

You can serve it warm right away by mixing in the dressing, or wait and let it cool before dressing it.

Flatbread

For 4 breads

200g unbleached strong white flour
Half a teaspoon of salt
Third teaspoon dried yeast
170ml tepid water
1 tablespoon olive oil

1] Mix the Flour and Salt in a bowl
2] Dissolve the Yeast in the Water and gently stir in the Oil
3] Add the Water mix into the Flour while stirring (or use your hand)
4] Roll out onto a floured surface and kneed for 5 minutes
5] Put the dough back into the bowl and cover it with a damp cloth for 45 minutes
6] Preheat the oven to 230c
7] Break the dough into 4 balls and gently roll them into circles of 3-5mm thick
8] Oil a baking tray and put them in the top of the oven for 5-10 minutes

They should bubble and colour a little, but not burn. Someone should keep an eye on them.

Braised Red Cabbage

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 4

500g red cabbage
250g onions
250g cooking apples
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
15g butter
75g currants
salt & pepper

Most cabbage varieties are best cooked quickly to retain their flavour and avoid that school-dinners smell. Red cabbage is an exception - it benefits from long, slow cooking and with the addition of some flavouring, makes a wonderful rich, sweet and sour accompaniment to poultry, pork and game.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150C (300F,gas 2). Finely shred the cabbage, finely chop the onions and garlic and peel, core and finely chop the apples.
2. Arrange a layer of cabbage in the base of a large casserole then add a layer of onions, apples, garlic, currants, spices and sugar and season. Continue to alternate the layers until tall the ingredients are used.
3. Pour over the wine vinegar, dot with butter, cover the dish with foil and bake slowly in the over for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

From Riverford Organic Vegetables who deliver across the south UK.

http://www.riverford.co.uk

Moro Lamb parcels

Make sure to roll the dough thinly, spread the lamb topping right out to the edges and cook it quickly in a very hot oven.

For the flatbread
350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
2 tsp easy-blend yeast
250ml/9fl oz warm water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the topping
600g/1lb 5¼oz lean minced lamb
1 medium onion
200g (about ½ each) red and green pepper, stalks and seeds removed
1 garlic clove, crushed
15g flatleaf parsley leaves, chopped
1½ tsp aleppo pepper (A finely ground red chilli from eastern Turkey and northern Syria also known as halaby pepper, halab pepper or near-eastern pepper; available at some Middle Eastern specialists and some online merchants. Substitute Hungarian hot paprika if not available.)
2 tsp salt
flatleaf parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, to serve

1. For the flatbread, sift the flour, salt and yeast into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the warm water and the olive oil and mix together to make a soft dough.
2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for five minutes. Put back into the bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for about one hour until doubled in size.
3. Meanwhile, for the topping, bring the minced lamb back to room temperature if necessary. Roughly chop the onion, red pepper and green pepper, put them into a food processor and process, using the pulse button, until finely chopped but not a pulp.
4. Tip into a sieve set over a bowl and press out the excess liquid. Add to the minced lamb with the crushed garlic, chopped parsley, aleppo pepper and two teaspoons salt. Mix together into a soft paste using your hands. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions.
5. Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 9.
6. For the flatbread, punch back the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead once more until smooth. Divide the dough into 12 evenly sized pieces. Working with four pieces at a time, roll each one out very thinly on a lightly floured surface into ovals of 14cm x 24cm (5½in x 9in). Place side by side on two lightly floured baking sheets.
7. Using your fingertips, spread one portion of the lamb mixture evenly over each base, taking it right up to the edges because the mixture shrinks as it cooks. Bake for eight minutes until the dough is lightly browned.
8. Serve straightaway. The traditional way to do this is to pile a few parsley sprigs towards one end of the flatbread, squeeze over a little lemon juice and roll it up, in the same way you would a taco.
9. While your guests start to eat, repeat with the remaining dough and lamb topping.

Date and Red Wine Sauce

600ml Chicken Stock
250ml Red Wine
3 tablespoons Port
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
200g Dates - stoned and halved

1] Reduce the Stock, Wine, Port and Vinegar by two-thirds.
2] Soak the Dates in boiling water for 5 minutes.
3] Drain the Dates and add them to the reduced liquid.
4] Simmer for 5 minutes.
5] Check for seasoning and serve.

Lapin aux Poireaux (Rabbit and Leeks)

60g Unsalted Butter
1 Rabbit quartered
1 large Onion sliced
600 - 700g Leeks cut into 50mm lengths
400ml Chicken Stock
Ground Nutmeg, quarter teaspoon
Salt, one teaspoon
Ground Black Pepper, 1 teaspoon
150ml Single Cream

1] Melt the butter and brown off the Rabbit pieces.
2] Remove the Rabbit and set aside.
3] Add the Onion and Leeks and gently fry for 10 minutes. (Add a little more Butter if necessary).
4] Warm the Stock and add it to the Leeks and Onion.
5] Add the Pepper, Salt and Nutmeg.
6] Bring to the boil, then add the Rabbit back in.
7] Add some boiling water to almost cover the Rabbit pieces.
8] Bring the heat right down, cover and simmer for about an hour. (you can also do this in a low oven).
9] When the Rabbit is done, strain pan into another pan to prepare the sauce. Put the Rabbit and vegetables in a warm serving dish.
10] Reduce the liquid to your taste, then lower the heat and stir in the cream.
11] Warm the sauce through, but don't let it boil.
12] Plate the Rabbit and vegetables and pour over the sauce.