The Spice of Life

The Spice of Life

09 June 2016

Sainsbury’s is re-launching its herbs and spices range to offer customers a broader range of exotic spices, inspired by flavours and ingredients from around the world.

Driven by growing interest amongst consumers for exciting and innovative flavour combinations, the new look and feel range will include spices such as Zaatar, Baharat, Ancho Chilli Flakes and Asafoetida.

Coriander and Cardamom Falafel with Tahini dip

Spices Recipe

Makes about 23-25 falafel balls

Falafel:

2 x 400g can chickpeas, drained

1 tsp ground cumin

4 cardamom seeds, husks removed and seeds crushed

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 green chilli, seeds removed and chopped

1 small handful of parsley, chopped

1 large handful coriander, chopped

3-4 tbsp garam flour (you can use plain flour if need be)

 

For Tahini dip:

180ml Tahini

½ lemon, juice and rind

Pinch of salt

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

100 ml water

 

Method:

Using a food processor or hand blender, pulse all the ingredients for the falafel (except the flour) together to an even mass that resembles rough gravel.

Take small handfuls of the mixture and roll into a small balls, using a little flour to roll each ball.

Heat oil and deep fry balls until golden brown & crisp. 

Serve with tahini made from all the ingredients mixed together to a smooth paste.

Mixed Tomato and Feta Fatoush Salad with Zaatar and Pomegranates, and a Pomegranate molasses dressing

Tomato Salad

Serves 4 as a starter

2 pitta breads

Olive oil

Sprinkling of zaatar spice

2 Little Gem lettuce

500g mixed coloured and variety tomatoes

300g feta cheese

Seeds from a fresh pomegranate

3 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves removed

Zaatar spice

 

For the dressing:

1 clove of garlic, crushed

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Pinch of sea salt

Black pepper

 

Method:

Peel the garlic and place it on a chopping board, press down on it with the side of a knife until it’s crushed but stays in one piece, mix it together with all the ingredients for the dressing and allow to infuse for at least an hour at room temperature. Remove the garlic just before mixing with the salad; it is only there to give a slight hint of flavour that works well with the tomatoes.

Brush the pitta pieces with a little oil sprinkle with spice and toast them until they’re lightly golden and crispy. Break into chunky shards.

Separate the gem lettuce into leaves and wash. Cut them into large strips.

Cut the tomatoes in 2-3 different ways to give the salad some texture. They should all be about bite size, but not too small as they will become watery.

Break the cheese into chunks.

Place tomatoes onto a large serving plate/bowl.  Scatter with lettuce, cheese, pomegranate and oregano leaves.  Add the pitta pieces randomly and drizzle over the dressing and zaatar spice and serve.

 

Beetroot and Plums in a Rose & Walnut Dressing

Betroot

1kg Beetroots (you will end up with approx. 500g once prepped)

50g table salt

6 ripe plums, stoned and thickly sliced

Large handful of rocket leaves 

6 sprigs of mint – leaves picked

 

For the walnut dressing:

1 tbsp rose water

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp olive oil

Cracked black pepper

60g shelled roasted walnuts

 

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200C / 400F / Gas Mark 6.  Spread silver foil over a baking tray and sprinkle with the salt, place the beetroot whole with the skin on top of the salt and place in the centre of the oven to roast. The salt absorbs moisture in the oven, helping the beets roast rather than poach which will result in sweet flavourful beets, so don’t be tempted to skip this stage and get ready cooked, it won’t be the same.

It will take approx. 1½ hours, depending on size. To check if they are done, just insert a small knife to the largest one, it should go in and out without resistance, allow to cool & peel and cut to wedges.

Place in a bowl the rose water, honey, olive oil and black pepper and mix well.

Add the roughly chop the freshly walnuts and mix well.

In a large serving bowl/plate add the beetroot and plum slices and lightly toss together. Scatter with rocket and mint leaves. Drizzle with rose dressing and serve.

 

Fish Pastilla with Preserved Lemons , Ras el Hanut Spice and Leeks

Fish Pastilla 520

To roast the white fish:

1 leek, washed and roughly chopped

1 stick of celery, roughly chopped

1 lemon, thickly sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

2 white fish fillets eg hake or sea bass

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp whole peppercorns

1 tbsp coriander seeds

Method:

Heat your oven to 220C, 425F, Gas Mark 7. 

Place the leek, celery, lemon, garlic and seeds in a large tray and top with the fish fillets, skin side up.  Season generously with salt and pepper and scatter with the whole spices.

Add 1 litre hot water to the tray and bake for 20 minutes, don’t worry if the water isn’t covering the entire fish it is there to make a great stock.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before gently lifting out the fillets out to a tray then flaking all the flesh away from the skin. Strain all the liquid off to use to make the sauce and discard the cooked vegetables.

 

For the Haddock Fish mixture:

Skin from 4 small preserved lemons - chopped

6 pickled green chillies - chopped

1 small handful parsley - chopped

1 small handful tarragon - chopped

1 raw fillet of smoked (uncoloured) haddock, roughly torn

Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl – keep the flaked fish to one side.

 

Fish Béchamel

80g butter

1 leek – washed and sliced thinly

80g flour

pinch of salt and pepper

Strained fish stock – about 500ml (add extra water to make up to 500ml)

For the fish sauce: Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and add the chopped leek, sauté a little until softened, about 1 minutes, then add the flour in one go and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to coat and cook out for about 30 seconds, then add the liquid gradually while mixing and bring the mix back to the boil and let the mix thicken, once big bubbles appear remove from the stove and cool a little before adding to the haddock/preserved lemon fish mix and the white fish flakes.

 

To finish off the Pastilla:

1 pack of filo pastry

50 g melted butter

Method:

Take a 25 cm round cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper. Take a folded strip of the paper and place on the bottom of the pan to create an overhang to lift out the pastille when cooked.

Lay the first sheet of filo pastry on the table, brush it all over with melted butter. Lay a second sheet at a slight angle, brush with butter, and repeat with 10 sheets, so it ends up looking like a crazy star.  Lift the pile of sheets and lay into the cake tin, gently pressing into the edge of the tin leaving the pastry to overhang the tin.

Fill the centre with the fish sauce mixture. Fold over the over -hang pastry – take the remaining sheets and cover over the top of the sauce – scrunching the pastry on the top.  Brush with remaining butter.

Place in a preheated oven 190C, 375F Gas Mark 5 for about 25 minutes until the pastry is crunchy and dark golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before carefully lifting out of the tin. Serve cut into thick slices.

Meatballs in Rich Yogurt Sauce

Makes about 25 balls

 

For the meatballs:

500 g minced lamb

250 g minced beef

1 large onion, grated

1 large potato, peeled and grated

Handful coriander chopped

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground pimento, or mild chilli powder

Pinch of salt

Black pepper

1 egg

For the cooking liquid:

1tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

Pinch salt

½ stick of cinnamon

1 small dry chilli cracked in half

1 lt water

To finish:

250g natural yogurt

1 tsp dry mint

1 egg yolk

1 - 2 tbsp cornflour

 

To cook the meatballs:

Preheat your oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4

Take a large bowl and add the lamb and beef mince.  Squeeze out any excess liquid from the grated potato.   Add the potato and all the meatball ingredients to the bowl.  Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.

Take a small handful of the mixture and shape into small balls.

Place them on a baking tray that has been lightly oiled and place in the centre of a hot oven, bake for 10 minutes.

In the meantime place a large sauce pan on a medium high heat, add the olive oil, onion, garlic, and sauté until the onion start to soften, add the salt, chilli and cinnamon stick and the water and bring to a boil.

Remove balls from the oven and add the balls to the water and return to the boil, reduce the heat to allow simmer for 45 minutes.

Using a draining spoon, remove the balls followed by the onion, cinnamon stick etc. until just the cooking liquid is left.

To complete the dish, Mix the yogurt with the egg, dry mint and corn flour and add to the cooking liquid, while carefully stirring cook for 1 minutes to thicken.

Return the balls to the sauce and serve sprinkled with chopped coriander as an option.

 

Mixed citrus and almond cake with sweet cardamom

Orange Cake

120g caster sugar

100g light brown sugar

200g butter

4 eggs

160 g ground almonds

60 g wholemeal self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

Zest from ½ of a lemon

Zest from ½ of an orange

Zest from ½ of a lime

 

To line the tin:

Slices from the other ½ of zested lemon, orange & lime

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

 

For syrup:

2 tbsp brandy

50g sugar

juice from 1 orange

 

Method:

Line a 21cm spring form cake tin with non-stick baking paper.   Preheat your oven to 170C, 325F, Gas Mark 3.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and 2 types of sugar and the citrus zests, until they are well combined and the butter starts to aerate, but don’t over work it until it is too fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time and combine, add the flour, salt and ground almonds and combine well.

Mix the sugar and cornflour and sprinkle on the bottom of the tin, lay the orange, lemon & lime slices on top of this and spoon the cake mixture on top.  Smooth the top of the mixture.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown, well risen and mixture set.

Mix together the syrup ingredients and heat together until the sugar has dissolved – allow to cool.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the tin.  Flip onto a plate and douse generously with the soaking syrup.

Serve in large wedges, drizzled with extra syrup and a dollop of natural thick yogurt.