Category Archives: Four Seasons Food

August 1, 2013

July’s Four Seasons Food Round-Up

When I launched this month’s Barbecue and Barbecue Side’s event back on the 1st July I have to admit it was with a considerable degree of trepidation. Especially with regard to the folks in the UK, thinking I might just be jinxing yet another Summer! But 35 entries later and for the most part a gloriously hot and sunny month I’m pretty relieved to say the least. Phew. Thanks so much to everyone who joined in, as you’ll see from my round-up we have a wonderful array of barbecue and side dish delights to tickle everyone’s taste buds, from meaty mains to salady sides to post-barb cakey naughties.

Bethany at the Jewelled Kitchen launch

And to judge this month’s event I’m most delighted and excited to announce we have the gorgeous and enormously talented Bethany Kehdy no less!. For those of you unaware of Bethany’s many talents (too many for someone so young if you ask me!), she’s the founder and organiser of Food Blogger Connect (and I’m sure everyone attending this year will sing her highest praises), owner and tour guide of Taste Lebanan and a food blogger at Dirty Kitchen Secrets. And as if this isn’t enough she’s now the author of The Jewelled Kitchen, launched at FBC this year along with a veritable feast of Middle Eastern delights from her book. And I so happen to be a proud owner of a signed copy of her beautiful and enchanting cookbook which I shall be delving into in the Autumn once I’m re-united with it again, sadly it had to be left in London for the time being.

Copies of the Jewelled Kitchen @ FBC5

So on to the round-up. As most of you know I’m more than a tad busy these days with my move to the UK timed (im)perfectly to co-incide with the big summer school holidays, so I’m going to keep things brief. And to be brief I’m steeling an idea I took from the lovely Vanesther of Bangers & Mash (who incidentally I was delighted to finally meet at FBC too, and would you believe she was even more lovely than I built her up to be!) to summerise each post in just a few simple words. I’m aiming at five but this could be tricky for a wordy woman like myself, but here goes….

In no particular order (as the entries got a little jumbled in my ad hoc pictorial representation!) we have:

Foodie Quine: BBQ Time – Pimm’s Salad, Blue Cheese Mushrooms, Turkey, Banana & Apricot Burgers

Fruitilicious Burgers!. Pimms Salad!. Fabulous.

Techie….Cookie……Freaky…… BBQ Chicken (Indian Style)

Super-hit Mouth-watering Indian Kebabs

Javelin Warrior’s Cookin w/Luv – Homemade Barbecue Beans with Bacon

Beans To Impress Your Boyfriend!

Fromage Homage – The Big Cheesy Barbecue: Shropshire Blue Burgers, Halloumi Rosemary Skewers and Aubergine Tricolore Parcels

The Ultimate Cheese Fest Barbie

Lavender and Lovage – Egg & Tomato Salad with Marigold & Chive Flowers

Exquisitely Lovely Floral Summery Side

Fab Food 4 All – Strawberry & Vanilla Ice Milk

Low-Fat Yumminess to Devour

Chip Butties and Noodle Soup – Samphire and Tomato Salad

Seafood Side of Salty Deliciousness

Recipe Junkie – BBQ Ribs for the best weekend ever

Sizzling Smoky Ribs for Gourmet Camping

Chip Butties and Noodle Soup – Rose Harissa Chilli Sauce

Rose Harissa to Ignite & Delight

Chip Butties and Noodle Soup – Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Lemon & Berbere Houmous

Heavenly Hummus I Shall Definitely Try!

How To Eat Properly – Courgette, Chickpea & Roast Tomato Salad

Fabulous Flavourings from Storecupboard Staples

Caroline Makes – Shortbread Squares with Chocolate Fudge and Marshmallow Topping

Post-Barbie Naughtiness in Cakey-Form!

Caroline Makes – Grilled or Barbecued Halloumi with Chilli

Barbie Crowd-Pleaser Chillied-up Halloumi

Chip Butties & Noodle Soup – Chilli, Garlic & Ginger Jam

Tantalising Kicking Loveliness in a Jar

Chip Butties & Noodle Soup – The Big Summer Salad

Summery Salady Herby Zingy Goodliness

Tinned Tomatoes – Potato and Bean Salad with Zingy Herby Dressing

Storecupboard Zingily Dressed Legumy Loveliness

Chez Foti – Chicken Satay Sticks

Chicken Lollipops to Delight Young & Old

Recipes from a Pantry – Homemade Guacaomole

Yoghurtamoley Creamy Dippy Healthful Yumminess

Recipes from a Pantry – Plantain Chips

Crunchy African Bites of Snackilicious Yum

Delicieux – Beetroot & Apple Salad with Gorgonzola & Walnuts

Dreamy Nutty Gorgonzolary Sweet Beets

Delicieux – Foil Wrapped Tartiflette Parcels

Oozy Cheesy Parcels of Creamy Deliciousness

Food to Glow – Grilled Lettuce – on it’s own and in a salad with Potatoes, Cornichon & Peppered Mackerel

French Stylie Salad with Punch

Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary – Barbecued Pineapple

Canadian Carmelised Sweet Chewy Perfection!

The Garden Deli – Feta & Yoghurt Dip

Versatile Creamy Zesty Dippy Side

Fab Food 4 All – Mixed Tomato Chutney

Chillied-Up Nigel’s Tommie Glut Chutney

Lavender and Lovage – Lemon & Sweet Pepper Chicken Kebabs

Delectable Singing Sizzling Spicy Rub

How to be a Gourmand – Salmon Tikka Chapati with Mint & Coriander Raita

Punchily Zingy Cooling Refreshing Raita

Chez Foti – Halloumi & Roasted Veggie Kebabs

Herby Sweet Cheesy Veggies on Sticks

Thyme for Cooking – Carrot Salad

Not just any Carrot Salad!

Thyme for Cooking – Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Shallot Sage Marinade

Flavourful Barbecued Fillet of Yum

Caroline Makes – Watermelon & Feta Cheese Salad

Fabulous Combo of Refreshing Goodliness

Chip Butties & Noodle Soup – Raw Beetroot, Caraway, Lemon Balm & Mint Salad

Crunchy Fragrant Zingy Earthy Pinkness

A Bavarian Sojourn – Japanese Style Steak Salad

Sumptuous Wasabied Steak Salad Perfection

A Working Mum’s Cookbook – Greek Pasta Salad

Colourfully Summery Pasta & Greek Salad

The Boy Can Cook – Smokey BBQ Ribs

Ribs To Dye For. Heaven.

And so there has to be a winner. And thankfully to make that tough choice we have Bethany and not myself!. Drum Roll……and the winner is…..another drum roll……Foodie Quine’s Pimm’s Salad! And this is what Bethany had to say about it:

I love to cook with booze and goodness knows how many alcoholic products I’ve experimented with in cooking. When I read the “Pimm’s salad” headline I was very intrigued. It’s very much inspired me to give this salad a go this weekend. Great effort everyone and thanks to the lovely ladies (Lou and Anneli) for asking me to Judge. Let’s hope this weekend is another Barbie worthy weekend 🙂

The winning prize this month is the Pitt Cue Cookbook. A copy will be winging it’s way over to you Claire. A very well deserved win, a fab choice Bethany!.

Thanks again to everyone for all your wonderful and inspiring entries. August is all about Summer Puddings and it’s once again over to Anneli at Delicieux to host.

Here’s hoping for some more summer sun!

Louisa x

15 Comments | tags: Barbecue, Barbecue Sides, Bethany Kehdy, Four Seasons Food, The Jewelled Kitchen | posted in Four Seasons Food

July 25, 2013

Halloumi and Roasted Veggie Kebabs

By Eat Your Veg

We’re truly in the throws of one hot summer here. And for once the UK seems to be matching the glorious South of France climate too, hooray …. but please may it last through to August when I shall be descending on the homeland to, fingers crossed, bask in the delights of an English summer for the first time in many years!. Unlikely, but one can live in hope.

I’d like to say the fabulous weather has brought on a spate of barbecues at Chez Foti but to be honest there simply hasn’t been the time with everything else that’s going on. But we did manage a lovely one last Saturday with an assortment of Kebabs, Satay Sticks and Salads. Very much enjoyed by all and both kids happily munched away.

I LOVE Halloumi on a barbie and it makes for a fab veggie kebab. And as I recently discovered my kids like it too it’s sure to become a bit of a regular round here, though they’ll have a fight on their hands for it with me! Since Halloumi doesn’t take long to ‘cook’, more like brown, I suggest you either bbq it with quick-to-cook veggies like cherry tomatoes, finely sliced courgette ribbons and mushrooms OR like me with a pre-roasted selection of slightly longer-to-cook veggies, namely red peppers, aubergine and thickly cut courgette. Obviously the roasted veggies can be prepped in advance, so all you need to do pre-barbie is thread them with the Halloumi on to skewers.

Seeing as I’m hosting this month’s Four Seasons Food with a Barbecue and Barbecue Side theme I shall of course be entering this post! Also to Karen’s Cooking with Herbs Challenge.

Halloumi & Roasted Veggie Kebabs

Great for Toddlers & Pre-schoolers, Bigger Kids, Grown Ups, Family Dinners, Barbecues, Barbecues Sides, Outdoor Eating, Vegetarians

Notes: Feel free to vary your choice of veggies as to what you have in, or your kids will eat

Makes 6 – 8 Kebabs Sticks

1 small courgette

½ aubergine

1 red pepper

1 white or red onion, large

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon oregano leaves, roughly chopped

1 pack Halloumi cheese, 225g or 250g

Pre-soaked bamboo kebab sticks or metal skewers

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200ºC.

2. Slice the courgette into 6/7mm slices and cut the pepper and aubergine into similar sized chunks. Cut the onion in half, then each half into quarters. Half each of the quarters and separate the layers to roughly match the thickness of the veggies.

3. Place all the veggies in a roasting tray. Stir in a tablespoon of the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper (go easy on the salt for littlies). Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes.

4. Mix the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon and oregano in a bowl big enough to easily house all the veggies.

5. After 20 minutes remove the veggies from the oven and place in the bowl with the marinade. Ensure they have an even coating and leave to marinate until you’re almost ready to barbecue.

6. Cut your Halloumi into similar sized chunks to the veggies.

7. When you’re ready to barbecue thread the veggies and Halloumi onto your pre-soaked bamboo sticks or metal skewers, alternating between each component.

8. Cook the kebabs on a hot barbecue (or under a hot grill) for 4 to 5 minutes turning frequently. The cheese should be golden.

One very excited wee boy about the prospect of a barbie!

Jacques for once without a silly face. But very excited about the prospect of his forthcoming barbie fodder!

Never much time to snap a photo before little hands start grabbing!

You might also like:

Griddled Courgette & Cherry Tomato Garden Pasta

One Pot Ratatouille

14 Comments | tags: Aubergine, Cooking with Herbs, Courgette, Four Seasons Food, Greek, Halloumi, Kebab, Lemon, Oregano, Red Peppers, Roasted Veggies, Summer | posted in Bigger Kids, Family Dinners, Finger Foods, Four Seasons Food, Grown Up Dinners, Mains, Mid-Week Suppers, Toddlers & Pre-schoolers, Vegetarian, Veggie Sides

July 21, 2013

Chicken Satay Sticks

By Eat Your Veg

Jacques tucking into his ‘chicken lollipops’ with zeal

I’ve been meaning to make satay sticks for the kids for so long now, and it’s taken me to host the Four Seasons Food barbecue event to actually get around to it. And predictably they were a huge hit. With both the littlies and myself, plus some friends I also trialled them out on with an additional chilli kick. It’s funny how food on sticks is always so appealing? And now, predictably also, I’m wondering why oh why it took me so long! Prepped in minutes, left to marinade for a few hours then barbied or grilled in a flash.

Having travelled extensively in SE Asia in my twenties I must have gobbled my way through an inordinate amount of pork and chicken satay sticks through Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, each with their national and regional twists. Always an exceptionally tasty, cheap and highly addictive street food snack on the hoof.

Pig A Chic @ FBC5

I was recently reminded and inspired of the wonders of satay by the highly authentic Pig A Chic who were dishing out Thai satay sticks and papaya salad (plus a range of hot sauces) a plenty to hungry delegates all weekend at Food Blogger Connect. If you get a chance to sample their food then you really MUST, please do check out their site at www.pigachic.com or follow them on Twitter @Pigachic.

Even Little Miss F LOVED them, devouring three!

Now on to my own considerably less authentic but nevertheless pretty tasty Satay Sticks. I made them first minus any chilli with the kids in mind and the ‘chicken lollipops’ proved very popular. I think Jacques managed five and Little Miss F three. And served with barbecued Halloumi & Roasted Veggie Kebabs and a Child-Friendly Salad that was an impressive eat. Yes, salad….I’ve FINALLY found a salad they’ll eat, but more on that in a later post. Whilst the chilli-less ones were fragrantly tasty I have to admit to personally preferring my grown-up version with a couple of finely minced hot chillies thrown into the marinade mix.

Naturally I shall be entering my post to this month’s Four Seasons Food, hosted by myself and with the seasonal theme of Barbecues and Barbecue Side Dishes. And if you have your own barbecue dish then please do join in, there’s even a prize this month of the Pitt Cue Co Cookbook.

Chicken Satay Sticks

Great for: Toddlers & Pre-schoolers, Bigger Kids, Grown Ups, Appetisers, Starters, Mains, Barbecues (or Grilling)

Special Equipment: Pre-soaked bamboo skewers or metal skewers

Notes: How about substituting the chicken for pork or tofu?

3 free range chicken breasts

2 heaped tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

2 tablespoons thick coconut milk

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 dessertspoon Thai fish sauce

1 dessertspoon fresh ginger, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 heaped teaspoon soft brown sugar

1 – 2 hot chillies, finely minced (optional)

1. Flatten the chicken breasts a little. I usually bash mine with a rolling pin on a chopping board. Pretty therapeutic actually. Cut the flattened chicken into narrow long strips, about six per breast.

2. Combine all the other ingredients in a medium sized bowl to make the marinade.

3. Stir the chicken strips into the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or two. Or even over night.

4. Cut in half and soak your bamboo skewers (if using) in water for 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook.

5. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers.

6. Heat up your barbecue or grill. When very hot cook the chicken on each side for 5 minutes until a little charred and cooked through. Serve immediately.

My grown-up chillied version served up as part of a Tapas night with the gals. Inclusive of sangria.

You might also like:

Greek Stylie Pork & Veggie Kebabs

Blue Cheese Barbecue Burgers

26 Comments | tags: Barbecue, Chicken, Chilli, FBC5, Four Seasons Food, Lime, Peanut Butter, Satay, Summer, Thai | posted in Bigger Kids, Family Dinners, Finger Foods, Four Seasons Food, Mains, Nibbles, Party Food, Starters, Toddlers & Pre-schoolers

July 1, 2013

July’s Four Seasons Food Challenge Now Open!

By Eat Your Veg

Wow. And wow again!. When Anneli and I concocted our little plan to start a new blog challenge we weren’t too sure we’d get many entries. Well I can happily report back we’ve been overwhelmed by each of the 53 entries we received! A bit of a success eh? Thanks so much to all you lovely folk who entered Four Seasons Food, we’ve literally been blown away by your support. And a huge thank you to (award-winning!) Anneli herself for her wonderful hosting, her epic round-up and winner announcement can be seen here.

So after the success of our first month it is with great delight I get to open and host our second summer event: Barbecues and Barbecue Side Dishes. Just cook and blog something that fits this theme, following the guidelines below. As I haven’t managed to successfully set up a Linky Tool on my site all entries this month are via email, details below.

This month we’re offering another prize, the aptly chosen Pitt Cue Co. Cookbook: Barbecue Recipes and Slow Cooked Meat from the Acclaimed London Restaurant. I’ve heard lots of good things about the restaurant, so I’m sure the book will be full of tasty offerings too.

The Guidelines To Enter:

Any recipe that fits the current months theme can be entered, new or old.
You can enter as many times a month as you wish. And of course feel free to enter your recipes to any other blogging challenges you like.
You’re very welcome to enter from anywhere in the World, we’ll happily post out any prizes.
Please give due credit if your recipe is not your own.
Email details of your post to myself: loufoti@gmail.com. Please include the recipe title, the URL and the photo you’d like to show.
Include a link to Delicieux & Chez Foti on each entry
Please add the relevant seasons badge – Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. Please update old posts that you enter to include a badge also. (See below for the code which includes a link back to Delicieux & Chez Foti within it so it is all you should need)
Please Tweet your entries (if you’re on Twitter that is!) using the hashtag #FourSeasonsFood and include @Delicieux_fr or@ChezFoti and we will retweet all that we see.
All entries will be added to the Pinterest Board – Four Seasons Food.
The winning entry each month will be promoted via Twitter, Delicieux & Chez Foti Facebook pages and Google+ by both co-hosts.

I’m so excited to see what delicious barbecue dishes you’ll come up with. Have fun everyone, and here’s to a barbecue summer!

Please use the following code to display the badge and the links to our two websites:

<!– start link script –>

<img src=”http://www.delicieux.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/fsf-summer.gif” alt=”Four Seasons Food” width=”215″ height=”173″ /><p>Four Seasons Food hosted by <a href=”http://www.delicieux.eu”>Delicieux</a> and <a href=”http://www.chezfoti.com”>Chezfoti</a></p>

<!– end link script –>

Four Seasons Food

Four Seasons Food hosted by Delicieux and Chezfoti

July BBQ entries:

Smokey BBQ Ribs

Greek Pasta Salad

Japanese Style Steak Salad

Raw Beetroot, Caraway, Lemon Balm & Mint Salad

Watermelon & Feta Cheese Salad

Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Shallot Sage Marinade

Carrot Salad

Salmon Tikka Chapati with Mint & Coriander Raita

Roasted Veggie & Halloumi Kebabs

Lemon & Sweet Pepper Chicken Kebabs

Barbecued Pineapple

Mixed Tomato Chutney

Feta & Yoghurt Dip

Griddled Lettuce, Cornichon, Potato & Peppered Mackerel Salad

Foil Wrapped Tartiflette Parcels

Beetroot & Apple Salad with Gorgonzola & Walnuts

Plaintain Chips

Homemade Guacamole

Chicken Satay Sticks

Potato & Bean Salad with Zingy Herb Dressing

Chilli, Garlic & Ginger Jam

The Big Summer Salad

Griddled or Barbecued Halloumi with Chilli

Shortbread Squares with Chocolate Fudge & Marshmallow Topping

Courgette, Chickpea & Roast Tomato Salad

Rose Harissa Chilli Sauce

Roasted Butternut Squash, caramelized Lemon & Berbere Houmous

BBQ Ribs for the best weekend ever!

Samphire & Tomato Salad

Strawberry & Vanilla Ice Milk

BBQ Chicken (Indian Style)

Egg & Tomato Salad with Marigold & Chive Flowers

BBQ Time – Pimm’s Salad, Blue Cheese Mushrooms, Turkey, Banana & Apricot Burgers

Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon

The Big Cheesy Barbecue: Shropshire Blue Burgers, Halloumi Rosemary Skewers & Aubergine Tricolore Parcels

23 Comments | tags: Barbecue, Barbecue Sides, Four Seasons Food | posted in Four Seasons Food

June 23, 2013

Spinach and Feta Filo Pie: Spanakopita

By Eat Your Veg

I feel I should start this post by way of an apology. It’s an awful photo. I know. It shall be replaced next time I make this pie, and being such a tasty pie as it is this won’t be long. But as time is most definitely in short supply right now I’m going with the shameful shot in order to make another entry to this month’s Four Seasons Food challenge.

I’d also like to take to take the opportunity to offer huge and well deserved congratulations to my friend and partner in foodie crime for the Four Seasons Food challenge, Anneli! If you haven’t already heard she won the glittering Britmum’s Brilliance in Blogging Food award on Friday night for her gorgeous and inspiring Delicieux blog. I believe she’s still getting over the hangover and on her way back to rural SW France as I write. Well done Anneli, so can’t wait to help you celebrate!

So on to the Pie. I’ve been intending to bake this pie for a long long time, and despite the sad photos it was stunningly tasty. And took me right back to many a happy Greek joliday of yonder year. Though also made me a little sad, sad in the sense it was made with shop bought spinach and not Chez Foti spinach which until recently has been growing in huge abundance. As my garden winds up there’s very little greenery out there any more, bar a barrage of weeds and lots of (overgrown) herbs. In case you didn’t know I’m moving back to the UK this summer, back with the littlies to be nearer my family in gorgeous and foodie Herefordshire. Which funnily enough is very similar and gentle countryside to where I live now, minus the Pyrenees obviously!. And one day very soon I’ll be very excited to start another veggie plot on English soil. But more on my new venture in another blog soon.

Anyway, I digress again. Back to the pie, which was a real doddle to make. And makes for a wonderful cold or warm picnic, lunch or dinner munch. Don’t be put off by the filo, it’s so easy to use and very forgiving in any shape or form!. The pie’s assembled in a flash, simply a matter of sweating a little onion and garlic, followed by a seemingly monstrous amount of fresh spinach. A stirring in of lightly beaten eggs flavoured with nutmeg and a little Dijon mustard, pine kernels, parsley and feta. Then spooning into a filo pastry shell, topped with more filo and baked for a mere 30 minutes.

Naturally I shall be entering my picnic-perfect pie to the Four Seasons Food challenge, a new monthly event hosted by myself and (award winning!) Anneli at Delicieux. This month Anneli’s hosting and the theme’s aptly Picnics and Outdoor Nibbles. Also to Lavender and Lovage’s Herbs on Saturday event, Ren Behan‘s Simple and in Season and Javelin Warrior’s Made with Love Mondays.

Spinach & Feta Filo Pie: Spanakopita

Great For: Toddlers & Pre-schoolers (if they’re not green adverse!), Bigger Kids, Grown Ups, Family Dinners, Mid-Week Suppers, Week-end Slowies, Picnics, Nibbles, Mains, Lunches, Dinners, Dinner Parties, Parties, Spinach Growers (sob, sob)

Notes: Substitute fresh spinach for the same weight in frozen spinach which has defrosted (no need to wilt)

Serves: 4-6 large slices

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, medium sized, medium dice

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

500g fresh spinach, washed & dried and roughly shredded

2 heaped tablespoons chopped parsley

200g Feta cheese, crumbled

50g pine kernels

3 free range eggs

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

pepper

4 large or 8 small sheets filo pastry

40ml olive oil

Special Equipment: a small ovenproof baking tray, pie dish or tart tin (roughly 20 x 20), round square or oblong! A pastry brush.

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200ºC/Gas 6.

2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan on a low to medium heat. Gently fry the onion for 5 minutes, before adding the garlic for a further 2 minutes, stirring regularly so nothing catches.

3. With the pan still on the heat stir in the spinach, in batches, until it’s all wilted. It helps to have a saucepan lid. Once wilted take off the heat and set aside.

4. Stir into the spinach the parsley, Feta and pine kernels. Lightly whisk together the eggs with the nutmeg and Dijon mustard. Stir the eggs into the spinach along with a generous pinch or two of black pepper. Ensure everything’s very well combined.

5. Grease your chosen dish or tin liberally with olive oil. Line it with a small sheet of filo pastry or half a large sheet (letting the other half of a larger sheet hang over one side – it will form the top once the filling’s been added). Brush the sheet with olive oil before adding another layer. Continue until you have 4 base layers of filo.

6. Spoon in the spinach mix and evenly spread. Layer 4 small sheets of filo pastry on the top, brushing on oil between each and tucking the edges into the sides to seal the pie. I like to scrunch them up for effect. If using the larger sheets turn them over and scrunch them onto to the top of the pie and tuck into the sides. It might look messy but filo pies are very forgiving!.

7. Brush the top with olive oil if you haven’t already done so. Place in your pre-heated oven for 30 minutes until set, golden and crispy. Turn out of the dish, if you dare, and allow to cool for a few minutes. Lovely warm or cold.

You might also like:

Greek Stylie Pork & Veggie Kebabs

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni with Hidden Veggies Tommie Sauce

27 Comments | tags: BiBs, Britmums, Dijon, Eggs, Feta, Filo Pastry, Four Seasons Food, Garlic, Greek, Herbs on Saturday, Made with Love Mondays, Nutmeg, Parsley, Pastry, Pie, Pine Kernels, Simple and in Season, Spinach | posted in Bigger Kids, Dinner Party, Family Dinners, Four Seasons Food, Grown Up Dinners, Mains, Mid-Week Suppers, Nibbles, Party Food, Toddlers & Pre-schoolers, Vegetarian, Weekend Slowies

June 13, 2013

A Couple of Summer Crostini for the Four Seasons Food Challenge!

By Eat Your Veg

I’m a huge fan of Crostini and Bruschetta, well anything tasty on toast to be honest. Little niblets of loveliness to gobble down between sups of vin blanc on balmy summer evenings (of which admittedly we’ve had precisely one so far this year!). And they don’t just have to be for grown ups, Jacques in particularly gets very excited about crostini, though Francesca’s a little more cautious, as ever. Whenever we have friends over I can’t resist a few toasty offerings and these are my favourite toppings of the moment.

Firstly a Wild Garlic and Cannellini Bean Crostini, a simple mix of cannellini beans, lemon zest and juice, a small bunch of wild garlic leaves and bulbs , a little green chili, olive oil and seasoning. Plus a sprinkling of parsley to finish. No cooking (bar the crostini toasts) just a simple assembly job. And it so happens to double as a deliciously morish dip, which I find requires considerable restraint to not polish off in a single session.

Secondly there’s my now-favourite topping of all time. Homemade Pesto, Lemony Griddled Courgettes and Feta Crostini. Admittedly this is a little more faffy, but so so worth the effort. And exceptionally crowd pleasing to all ages and tastes. And since all the elements (like the Cannellini Crostini) can be made in advance you don’t have to be faffing when your guests arrive.

I shall, of course, be entering this post to my brand new Four Seasons Food blogging challenge, co-hosted my myself and Anneli of Delicieux. This month Anneli’s hosting and the theme’s Summer Outdoor Nibbles and Picnics. And as the ingredients are all in season to Ren Behan’s Simple and in Season event. And last but most certainly not least to Lavender and Lovage’s lovely Herbs on Saturday challenge.

Wild Garlic & Cannellini Bean Crostini

Great for: Pre-dinner nibbles or appetisers, bigger kids, grown-ups, parties, starters, vegetarians, wild garlic foragers, dipping

Notes: Substitute the wild garlic for a crushed clove of cultivated garlic if you can’t forage or source

1 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

zest of 1 lemon, plus a generous squeeze of juice

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 small bunch of wild garlic leaves, finely chopped or 1 clove of cultivated garlic, crushed

½ green chili, finely chopped, optional

salt and pepper

1 dessertspoon finely chopped parsley for the top

crostini toasts – see recipe here

1. Simply mix together the beans, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, garlic, chili (if using) and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. If you’re making for little people avoid the chili (unless they like it) and salt.

2. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper to suit.

3. Serve spooned onto crostini with a little chopped parsley on top or as a dip with crudités or breadsticks.

Homemade Pesto, Lemony Griddled Courgettes and Feta Crostini:

Great for: Pre-dinner nibbles or appetisers, bigger kids (though Jacques at three adores these!), grown-ups, parties, starters, vegetarians, courgette growers, pesto fiends

Notes: This recipe makes enough for about 12 crostini, feel free to substitute the homemade pesto with shop bought, but homemade is a cinch to make and truly sublime on this recipe, particularly parsley pesto (made with any sort of nut)

Special Equipment: A griddle pan or heavy based frying pan

1 large or 2 small courgettes, washed

2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

½ lemon, juiced

salt and pepper

12 crostini toasts – see recipe here

2 – 3 tablespoons of homemade parsley pesto, or you could make your own recipe using these mix ‘n match ideas

100g of feta cheese, crumbled

1. Slice across the courgettes into diagonal 2mm thick strips

2. Heat a griddle pan or heavy frying pan until very hot

3. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

4. Fill the hot pan with a single layer of courgette slices and cook for a minute or two on each side until char-grilled. Remove the slices from the pan and place in the bowl with the oil and lemon mix.

5. Continue with more courgette slices until they’re all fully cooked and charred. Stir them all around in the bowl with the olive oil and lemon, cover and set aside to marinate until you’re ready to assemble the crostini.

6. When you’re ready for crostini assembly take each crostini and spread on a generous layer of pesto. Top with a small pile of the courgettes and finish with a crumbling of feta.

7. Serve. Eat. Divine with vin blanc.

Smoked Salmon & Red Pepper Dip

A Couple of Winter Crostini: Lovely Cannellini Beans & Homemade Tapenade

12 Comments | tags: Bruschetta, Cannellini Beans, Courgette, Crostini, Dips, Feta, Foraging, Four Seasons Food, Garlic, Herbs on Saturday, Homemade Pesto, Italian, Lemon, Lemons, Nibbles, Pesto, Picnics, Simple and in Season, Wild Garlic | posted in Bigger Kids, Dinner Party, Four Seasons Food, Grown Up Dinners, Nibbles, Party Food, Vegetarian

June 1, 2013

Introducing you to the Four Seasons Food Challenge!

By Eat Your Veg

It is with much excitement that I’m introducing you today to a brand new monthly Food Blogging Event that I’m utterly delighted to be co-hosting with my friend and (almost) neighbour Anneli of Delicieux:

The Four Seasons Food (FSF) Challenge

We’re both more than a tad passionate about seasonality and are inspired by the different dishes that each of the seasons brings so we’re launching our challenge out to you all to join in and have some fun! Each month we’ll be picking a particular theme of seasonal dish or way of eating or cooking.

And each season they’ll be three monthly challenges which we’ll announce to you at the start of each quarter. For the Summer this year they’ll be Picnic Food or Outdoor Nibbles for June, BBQ Dishes & Sides for July and Summer Puddings for August. All you need to do is cook and blog something that fits the theme, or even submit your past recipes. Each month we’ll get a guest judge to award someone a winner and they’ll receive an FSF Winner’s Badge to place on their blog. The badge will link back to a winner’s gallery on both Delicieux and Chez Foti where the winning recipes will all be held for each year. And of course they’ll be a monthly round-up showcasing all your entries too.

Anneli is launching the first event which has the ironic theme this month of Picnic Food or Outdoor Nibbles. Ironic in respect of the dismal incessant rain we’ve been experiencing in these parts, the worst winter/spring/summer I can remember, be that in the UK or France!. But here’s hoping the launch of our challenge shall bring upon us a sea change in the weather, and lots of opportunities for outside dining. And for this inaugural month (and next month!) there’s a prize at stake for the winning recipe – a copy of The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit!

We hope you like the idea of our new challenge and want to join in. For more information on how it works please head over to my FSF page and for this month’s challenge of Picnic Food or Outdoor Nibbles to Delicieux.

Have fun, get cooking and get outside!

And just in case you’d forgotten what summer looks like, here’s a photo from our house last year…..

Louisa x