Spring minestrone. By Rachel Roddy.

- Rachel Roddy’s spring minestrone with basil pesto reicpe | A kitchen in Rome | Life and style | The Guardian:
‘Today’s recipe is for minestrone, a big spring soup,’ says Rachel.
‘This is one of 10 recipes I make all the time, varying it according to what is available.’

Spring minestrone
Serves 4
1 onion (ideally white)
2 celery stalks, with leaves
1 small fennel bulb
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 potato (around 100g)
100g green beans
A parmesan rind
1 litre water
1 courgette
200g white beans, cooked
150g peas (preferably fresh)

For the pesto
50g basil
30g pine nuts or almonds
100ml olive oil
1–2 garlic cloves
50g parmesan or pecorino, grated

1 Peel and finely slice the onion, along with the celery and fennel.
In a large heavy-based pan, warm the olive oil over a medium-low heat, then fry the onion, celery and fennel, along with a pinch of salt, until they start to soften – about 5 minutes.

2 Peel and dice the potato, then trim and chop the beans.
Add both to the pan – cook for another few minutes, stirring to make sure nothing catches.

3 Add the parmesan rind and water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Dice the courgette, add to the pan, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Add the white beans and cook for another 10 minutes, adding the peas when you think best.
Taste and add salt as necessary.
Take off the heat and set aside, ideally for at least an hour.

4 Meanwhile, make the pesto.
Pulse the basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and garlic together in a blender until you have a paste, then stir in the cheese.

5 If the soup has become too cool, re-heat it very gently, then divide between bowls, topping each one with a spoonful of pesto.

Minestrone. By Rachel Roddy.

Minestrone is a moveable feast in Italy, varying from one region to the next.
One thing’s a constant, though: it’s a chorus of vegetables, cooked slowly over a low flame.
- Winter Minestrone with Farro and Beans | rachel eats:
serves 6
Rachel Roddy's Adapted from the Riverford Farm Cookbook by Guy Watson and Jane Baxter.

5 tbsp good olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 leek finely chopped
1 celery stalk finely chopped
2 carrots peeled and chopped into small dice
2 turnips peeled and chopped into small dice
2 cloves garlic peeled, crushed with back of knife and chopped
400g tin of plum tomatoes
425g borlotti or cannellini beans drained
200g farro soaked in cold water for 1 hour and drained
water or stock
a parmesan rind
salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Good olive oil and freshly grated parmesan to serve.

Gently warm the olive oil in a large heavy based pan and add the chopped vegetables (onion,celery, leek, carrots, turnips but NOT garlic yet) add a sprinkle of salt, stir well to coat the vegetables in oil, cover the pan.
Cook slowly for about 30mins or until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelised.

Add the garlic and cook for another 2 min’s.

Stir in the tomatoes and then allow everything to bubble away for about 10 minutes.

Add the beans, farro and parmesan rind, cover with water (or stock if you so wish) and bring the pan to a gentle boil.
Reduce the pan to a lively simmer and leave bubbling away for 30minutes or until the farro is tender.

Season the minestrone and add more water if you feel it is too thick.

Allow the minestrone to rest for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavours to mingle and develop before very gently reheating and serving minestrone in warm bowls with a dribble of raw oil and freshly grated parmesan.

Vietnamese Meatball and Sweet Potato Noodle Bowl.

Half Baked Harvest - Made with Love:
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
4 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes, spiralized or cut into matchsticks
4 cups low sodium chicken broth, steaming (optional)
2 carrots, shredded
1 Persian cucumber, sliced
1 mango, cut into match sticks
cilantro, mint, limes, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds, for serving
2-4 tablespoons sweet Thai chili sauce, more or less to your taste (optional)

Instructions
1. Roll the chicken into 20-30 tablespoon size meatballs, place each meatball on a tray as you work.
2. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey and lemongrass.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
Add the spiralized sweet potato and give it a good toss.
Cook, stirring often until the noodles have softened, but are not mushy, about 5-8 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the noodles from the skillet.
4. Return the skillet to medium heat.
Add the meatballs and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes, turning them 2-3 times throughout cooking.
During the last minute or so of cooking, add the sauce and give the meatballs a good toss through the sauce.
Cook another minute longer, until the sauce glazes the meatballs.
Remove from the heat.
5. To assemble, divide the noodles and meatballs among bowls and ladle the steaming broth over top.
Top each bowl with carrots, cucumbers, mango, cilantro, limes, ginger, and sesame seeds.
Serve with chili sauce.
Enjoy!
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Spicy Thai Chicken Broth.

Spicy Thai Chicken Broth – Amelia Freer:

1ltr chicken stock
2 stalks of lemon grass
4 kafir lime leaves
15g ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 birds eye chili, sliced
1-2 tbsp fish sauce
Juice of 1 or 2 limes
2 poached chicken breasts, shredded or diced
2 heads of bok choy, leaves separated
1 red pepper, sliced
1 carrot, finely sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
small bunch of coriander or Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped

Step-By-Step
Lightly smash the lemon grass with a rolling pin so it is broken but still whole.
In a pan heat, lemongrass, stock, lime leaves, chilli and ginger, bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the lime leaves, ginger and lemon grass and add the fish sauce, carrot and pepper, simmer for 5 minutes then add the chicken, bok-choy and spring onions, simmer for 3 minutes.
Check for flavour balance as you may need to add a little more fish sauce or lime.
Serve with a generous topping of fresh herbs.
If you like your Thai food spicy, serve with extra chopped chilli.
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Panang chicken stir-fry.

BBC Food - Recipes - Panang chicken stir-fry:
By Mary Berry.
Spice up your rice with Mary's chicken stir-fry, perfect for a midweek meal.
Ingredients
225g long-grain rice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, very thinly sliced into strips
1 tbsp clear honey
1 onion, chopped
1 medium courgette, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2cm piece fresh root ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp medium curry powder
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
½ lime, juice only
4 lime wedges
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the rice according to packet instructions (about 10–12 minutes).
Drain well, rinse and set aside to cool completely.

When the rice is cool, heat the oil in a frying pan, season the chicken strips with salt and pepper and add to the pan.
Drizzle with the honey and fry quickly over a high heat for a few minutes until golden and just cooked.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions, courgette, pepper and celery to the pan.
Fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring.
Stir in the ginger, garlic and curry powder and fry for another minute.
Add the rice, soy sauce, chilli sauce and lime juice.
Toss together and season with little salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the pan.
Spoon into hot bowls and serve with the lime wedges.

Recipe Tips
- For the best result, make sure the rice is cooked and cooled beforehand so it won't stick together when frying.
- The rice can be cooked up to 6 hours ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Soy sauce can be a little salty so go easy with extra seasoning.
- Homemade curry powder:
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 dessertspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne/ chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients.
Process to a fine powder.
Store in an airtight container.
When grinding your own spices the flavours are enhanced by briefly "toasting" them first.
That is, heating them over the stove in a dry skillet until they begin to brown and their rich aroma begins to be released (but don't overdo it!).
Makes grinding them easier too.
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Wild garlic spelt risotto.

Mark Hix recipe: Wild garlic spelt risotto | The Independent:
Mark Hix recipe:
This tasty, cheap dish makes a great starter or vegetarian main course.
The puréed wild garlic comes into play here, giving the risotto a vibrant green colour.

1 large onion, peeled, halved, finely chopped
2tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
160-180g spelt, soaked in cold water for a couple of hours
1.5ltrs vegetable stock, or a couple of good stock cubes dissolved in the same amount of boiling water
A handful of wild garlic leaves and stems, washed and roughly chopped
A couple of tbsp of wild garlic purée
80g unsalted butter, diced

For the wild garlic purée

2-3 handfuls of wild garlic leaves and stems, washed and dried
120-150ml rapeseed oil

First make the purée: simply blend the wild garlic in a liquidiser with the rapeseed oil, until smooth, then it can be stored in a sterilised preserving jar in the fridge for up to six months.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and gently cook the onion for 2-3 minutes, without colouring. Drain the spelt and add it to the onion; season, then gradually add the stock, ensuring each addition has been absorbed before adding the next.

Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the spelt is tender but not too soft. Add a couple of tablespoons of the purée, the wild garlic and the butter. The risotto should be a little sloppy; add more stock if you need to and season to taste. Serve immediately.

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Scones with fresh ramps & cheese.

Scones with fresh ramps & cheese – An old favorite goes savory » delicious:days:
Savory scones have been on my to-try-list for ages, but it took my Küchengötter-colleagues’ request for a recipe with fresh ramps (wild garlic) to bring those two together.
Having tried different recipes with ramps over the last week, I was full of confidence that my all-time favorite recipe for sweet scones would play along nicely, still, I didn’t expect the outcome to be that awesome.
I had just dropped off some of the new creation with ramps and cheese at my friend Kristin and she called me, still chewing on the last bite: “These are SO good!”
So if you are looking for a no-fuss appetizer to start a typical spring menu, this is it.
Prepared in no time, best served with your favorite butter (find this scones recipe in German over at Küchengötter).

Ingredients (9 scones):
200g all-purpose flour, plus more for handling the dough
1,5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
25 g freshly grated parmesan cheese
about a handful of fresh ramps (~15 g chopped)
60g cold butter
~130g milk
for brushing: 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk
3-4 tbsp freshly grated cheese (e.g. parmesan, pecorino, mountain cheese)

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 220°C (425° Fahrenheit).
Wash ramps, pad dry and finely chop the greens with a large knife (~15 grams).

The dough can easily be prepared with a food processor:
Add flour, baking powder, salt, grated parmesan cheese and the chopped ramps to the bowl, then mix until evenly distributed.
Now add the really cold butter in cubes and pulse for a couple of times until you can spot no butter pieces that are larger than small peas. Lastly add the milk and pulse shortly, just until the dough comes together.

By hand: In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, grated parmesan cheese and the chopped ramps. Cut the really cold butter into small cubes and add them to the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your fingertips to rub it in until there are no butter pieces that are larger than small peas.
Finally stir in the milk with a spoon until the dough comes together and doesn’t show big nests of dry flour anymore.

Dump the rather sticky dough onto a well floured board, generously sprinkle with flour and knead very shortly to ensure a fluffy crumb (overkneading results in tough scones), then form into a square (~14 cm*14 cm/5,5 inch), about 3 cm (~1,25 inch) thick. Use a long knife to cut it into 9 equally sized squares (dipping the knife edge into flour after each cut makes it easier).

Place the scones onto the prepared baking tray.
Lightly beat the egg yolk with one tbsp of milk and brush the tops of the scones before topping them with some grated cheese.
Bake on middle level for 12 to 13 minutes or until nicely browned.
If the cheese topping still lacks color after 10 minutes you might want to turn on the oven’s grill feature (but watch closely!).
Let cool on a wire rack or serve while still warm.
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Wild Garlic Focaccia.

Wild Garlic Focaccia:
This Wild Garlic recipe (Ramsons) with the grains of salt and the soft oil on top of the fluffy bread is quite simply perfection.

This is my basic bread recipe that I use for simple loaves and rolls with other types of flour. I think the texture is better for focaccia if it is made from white flour but feel free to play with other combinations.

Ingredients
600g strong white plain flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 level teaspoons easy-mix dried yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
400g warm water
Topping
50g ramsons, washed and finely sliced
Salt and pepper
30g freshly grated parmesan cheese
About 50g olive oil
Instructions
Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix together. Add the water and oil and mix together with a wooden spoon. Either turn out onto a lightly floured table and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use a table mixer and knead for 5 minutes on the lowest speed. Either way, do not allow the dough to become dry especially if you are kneading by hand, by adding extra flour. As you knead the dough will become silkier in texture and less likely to cling to hands or table.
Return the dough to a reasonably clean bowl. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until double in size. This will probably take up to 2 hours.
Line 2 baking trays that are about 22cm by 32cm (or use one large tray) with baking parchment.
Lightly dust the work surface with flour, turn out the dough and flatten with your hands. Divide in half and either roll out to the size of the trays or push out with your hands. If the dough stiffens and will not flatten, then leave it to relax for 5-10 minutes and try again. Place in the trays and sprinkle with the prepared ramsons, seasoning and cheese. Leave to rise once again for about 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220ºC gas 7
When the dough has risen, dribble the top generously with the oil and use your fingers to dimple the surface so the oil collects in the depressions. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes when it should be a pale golden brown. Lift out of the trays using the paper and place on a cooling rack, sliding the paper from underneath so the steam can escape and preventing the bread from going soggy.
Wild Garlic Focaccia [Eat Weeds]
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Wild garlic.

Wild garlic: what to do with nature's most delicious (and free) ingredient.
The season for wild garlic leaves is short – they're gone by June.
This time of year, early March, you will find the wild garlic poking up in low-lying places by streams and protected woods.
Make sure you pick away from dogs and roads and don’t trespass: the wild garlic might be free, but the landowner may not appreciate your picking!
I take a carrier bag with me, fill it up and it will last perfectly in the fridge for a week.
Wild garlic leaves are best when very tender, so pick when the garlic is just coming up.
Choose small tender leaves - the moment the garlic begins to flower, the leaves become too strong and brash in flavour.
But the flowers do make a pretty addition to spring salads.
Use wild garlic instead of spinach leaves, mix and match.
It goes well with watercress.
Add it to your favourite pasta sauces, or use wild garlic for a tangy pesto that makes a versatile addition dip, pasta sauce or filling for your favourite foods - especially mushrooms.
Wash well before cooking with foraged plants.



Pan-baked eggs with wild garlic and tomatoes.
Serves 2
Inspired by Turkish egg recipes, this makes a good brunch.
2 eggs – duck eggs would be especially good
A double handful of young garlic leaves, coarse stems removed
2tbsp Olive oil
6 plum tomatoes (tinned out of season)
a pinch of smoked paprika
2tbsp Greek yoghurt.
Wash and roughly chop the wild garlic and tomatoes. Heat the oil in a frying frying pan (one around 8inches/20cm across) and add the tomatoes and wild garlic with the paprika and a fat pinch of salt. Cook until the garlic is wilting and the mixture is no longer watery – it will be a squash at first, but the garlic will shrink down. Make two hollows in the mix and break an egg in each. Season with salt and pepper and cover the pan. Cook gently for about 7minutes until the eggs are set. Serve with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt and an extra trickle of olive oil.

Wild garlic salsa verde.
Pungent wild garlic makes a gorgeous salsa verde for dolloping on fish, chicken or lamb.
6 wild garlic leaves
leaves from a small bunch of basil (about 15g/ 1/2oz)
leaves from a small bunch of mint (about 15g/ 1/2oz)
2tbsp capers in vinegar, drained
4 tinned anchovies, chopped
3tbsp olive oil
1tbsp coriander seed
lemon juice
Chop the garlic, basil and mint into peppercorn sized pieces. Mix with the capers, olive oil and coriander seed. Season with salt and lemon juice, adding more olive oil if necessary to make a nice consistency. This will keep a day or two in the fridge.

Wild garlic pesto.
Makes 1 small jar
50g wild garlic leaves, washed
30g pinenuts, lightly toasted
30g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
80ml olive oil, plus extra to cover
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The simplest method is to put everything except the oil in a food processor, blitz for a few seconds, then continue to whiz while slowly adding the olive oil through the funnel.
Transfer to a jar, pour sufficient olive oil on top to keep the pesto covered, close the lid and store it in the fridge.
It will keep for several weeks as the top is covered with a layer of olive oil.

Wild garlic, potato and chorizo tortilla.
Recipes by River Cottage.
Ingredients
1 handful of wild garlic
leaves, rinsed
100g of good quality
chorizo sausage sliced
into small chunks
200g cooked potatoes
cut into cubes
4 large organic eggs
1 large onion, peeled
and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
A small handful of fennel leaf tops (optional)
50g butter
A dash of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat a heavy-based non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
Add a dash of olive oil and the butter.
When the butter is foaming, add the onions and chorizo.
Cook while tossing regularly for six to eight minutes or until the onions are soft and the chorizo has given up some of its well-flavoured fat.
Add the potatoes and toss them about the pan.
Cook for further four or five minutes.
Now slice the garlic leaves thinly and scatter into the pan.
Turn everything together.

Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the eggs over the chorizo and potatoes; give the pan a little shake.
At this point you can either gently cook the frittata on the hob or place it in a medium-hot oven until the eggs are just set. It should take only a few minutes to cook through.
Scatter with parsley and fennel leaves and serve warm with a simply dressed green salad.

Wild Garlic Frittata
Serves: 2
Dietary: Gluten Free
Ingredients:
1 medium potato peeled and diced very small
1 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs
50g ricotta
25g vegetarian style Parmesan, grated
1 large handful of young wild garlic leaves, chopped roughly
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
In a 24cm frying pan, one without a plastic handle, heat the olive oil and gently sauté the potato, with a lid on until cooked, which takes about 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with 2/3rds of the ricotta and parmesan, add the wild garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Add the egg mix to the potatoes and cook on a gentle heat, until almost set.
You will need to run a heatproof spatula around the frittata to stop it from sticking.
Pre-heat the grill.
Scatter the remaining ricotta and parmesan over the top of the frittata and grill until the top is golden.
Serve at once cut into wedges with roast balsamic tomatoes, and wild garlic leaves drizzled with your favourite nut or olive oil.
Tips:
Flavour frittatas with what ever is in season, spring onions and peas with chervil, steamed asparagus tips with fresh mint, sweet tomatoes with basil or wild mushrooms with tarragon.

Wild garlic, courgette and mint soup.
Angela Hartnett's recipe.
(Serves four, as a starter)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion sliced
6 courgettes sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bunch wild garlic
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Put two tablespoons of olive oil into a large pan.
Add the onion and saute for a couple of minutes.
Before the onion loses any colour, add the courgette and the crushed garlic clove.

Season and saute for another minute or two, cover with water and bring to a simmer to soften.

When the vegetables are cooked through (10 minutes maximum), remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped wild garlic and mint – the residual heat from the soup will cook the wild garlic.
If it's too thick, add a little water to thin it out.

Blend, check seasoning, finish with a little olive oil and serve.
Cool quickly over iced water if you don't plan to eat it straight away – this keeps the lovely green colour.

Spinach, Wild Garlic and Ricotta Malfatti
The spinach and ricotta dumplings called "Malfatti" translate to "poorly made" in Italian, a reference to their large, rustic shape.
Malfatti means misshapen, so don't worry if they end up not being perfectly round. Malfatti are made of the filling for ravioli, but instead of being encased in pasta dough, they are boiled like gnocchi.
Ingredients:
500g spinach
125g wild garlic leaves
100g ricotta
20g parmesan, grated
1 ½ tbsps plain flour
20g butter, softened
pinch of nutmeg
pinch chilli flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
Lemon Thyme Cream:
1 tsp butter
1 shallot, finely diced
zest of 1/2 lemon
75ml white wine
1 tbsp lemon juice
140ml single cream
3 sprigs thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Wash the spinach and wild garlic leaves and then place them in a large saucepan.
Over a low heat let the spinach wilt, there will be enough water in the spinach to cook it sufficiently.
Drain the spinach and then squeeze all the water out. It is essential that the spinach is as dry as possible otherwise the malfatti will fall apart.
Chop the spinach and wild garlic and combine it with the ricotta, parmesan, flour, butter, nutmeg and chilli flakes and season.
Taste for seasoning and then mix in the egg.
Leave the mix to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Make the mix into about 16 walnut sized balls.
Very lightly dust in flour, to stop them sticking together.
Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and then carefully drop the malfatti into the water about 8 at a time.
Simmer gently for 8 minutes.
Take them out with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a buttered dish, whilst you cook the others.
To make the sauce In a small saucepan heat the butter with the shallot, thyme and lemon zest and fry until the shallots soften and start to colour.
Add the white wine and lemon juice and simmer gently to reduce by half.
Stir in the cream and add salt and lots of black pepper.
To serve, pour a little of the lemon thyme cream around the malfatti, and top with fresh thyme leaves and parmesan shavings if you want. Serve at once.

Wild Garlic Recipes | Demuths:
Wild Garlic Pesto
Gluten-Free Wild Garlic and Cheese Cornbread
Wild Garlic Soup
Wild Garlic Frittata
Spinach and Wild Garlic Malfatti
Wild Garlic Risotto
Wild Garlic Focaccia [Eat Weeds]
Wild Garlic & Cheese Scones [Delicious Days]
Spelt & Wild Garlic Risotto [Mark Hix]
Wild Garlic Croquettes - A croquette is a small breadcrumbed fried food roll [Riverford]
Wild Garlic Hummus [Nami-Nami]
Wild Garlic, Nettle & Leek Hummus [Ethical Chef]
Wild Garlic, Potato, Feta & Pine Nut Quiche [Allotment2Kitchen]

Georgian cheese bread ( Imeretian khachapuri).

georgian cheese bread (khachapuri) #TwelveLoaves — A Shaggy Dough Story:
Different regions have their own variations.
Two of the most popular are Imeretian, which is what I made–a circular stuffed bread, and Adjarian, basically a big open canoe of dough filled with molten cheese and topped with an egg.
A golden brown, chewy, butter topped dough surrounding an ooey-gooey filling of molten hot cheese.
So! Imeretian khachapuri.

Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (7g/ 1/4-ounce package)
7 tablespoons warm water (40-46C/105-115°F)
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (230g) sulguni cheese (traditional) OR
1/4 pound (115g) Havarti cheese, coarsely grated AND
1/4 pound (115g) salted mozzarella, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions
Pour warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle yeast on top, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the flour.
Let stand until mixture is foamy.
Add remaining flour and salt to a large bowl and mix.
Add the egg and yeast mixture and stir.
Flour a work surface, turn the dough out and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth.
Coat dough ball lightly with flour, then place it in bowl, cover and set aside in a warm spot to rise for approximately three hours, punching the dough down every hour.

Towards the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 260C/500°F.
Grate the cheeses, then mix them together and compact them tightly into a 8cm/3" ball.
Flour your work surface and turn out the dough.
Roll it into a round about 18cm/7" in diameter.
Place the cheese ball in the center of the dough, then gather the edges over the ball and seal together.
Flatten the dough ball, pressing the cheese from the center to the edges, then roll out until the round measures approximately 28cm/11".
Use a toothpick to pop any large air bubbles.
Line a sheet or pizza pan with parchment, place the dough round on top and slash an X in the top.
Bake for about 10–12 minutes or until pale golden.
Remove the bread from the oven, brush with butter, then back for another 3–5 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove from oven, cut into wedges and eat it while it's hot!
PS - The result does not fully satisfy!

- Delicious Georgian Cuisine:
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Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread).

Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread) Recipe - NYT Cooking:
In Georgia, this bread is filled with a cheese called sulguni.
The substitute here is a mixture of fresh mozzarella and goat cheese.
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 packages active dry yeast
½ teaspoon, plus 1 tablespoon, sugar
3 to 4 cups flour
¼ pound unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened to room temperature
1 ¼ pounds fresh mozzarella cheese
¾ pound fresh tangy goat cheese
1 egg
Melted butter to brush on top

Preparation:
Heat the milk to lukewarm 43-46C (110 to 115 degrees).
Place a half cup of lukewarm milk in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast and a half teaspoon of sugar over the milk.
Stir to dissolve.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Stir in the remaining milk.
Spoon three cups of the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center.
Add the yeast sponge, the remaining sugar and the butter.
Stir with a wooden spoon until it is formed into a firm ball of dough.
Gather up the dough and scraps in the bowl and turn out onto a floured wooden board.
Knead for about 10 minutes, adding more of the remaining flour to the surface as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
When the dough is elastic and no longer sticky, place in a greased bowl, turning the dough to grease it.
Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk in a draft-free place, one to one-and-a-half hours.
Punch the dough down with your fist and allow it to rise again until double in bulk, about 40 minutes.

While the dough is rising, prepare the cheeses.
Grate the mozzarella coarsely, either in a food processor or with a hand grater.
Crumble the goat cheese.
Mix with egg, slightly beaten.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F.
Punch the dough down and roll out on lightly floured surface to a circle about 50cm/20 inches in diameter.
Fold the dough in quarters and place the point of the dough in the center of a nine-inch pan with an inch-and-a-half to two-inch sides.
Unfold the dough, letting the excess hang over the sides.
Spoon the cheese mixture onto the dough.
Pick up the excess dough hanging over the edges and begin to pleat over the cheese.
Make sure all pleats go in the same direction.
Gather the ends of the dough in the center and twist into a small knob.
Allow the dough to rest 10 minutes.
Brush the top of the dough with melted butter and bake in the center of the oven for about one hour, or until golden.
Allow the bread to cool in the pan, on a cake rack, before serving.
The bread may be served warm or at room temperature.

OR:
- Delicious Georgian Cuisine:

-IMERULI (IMERETIAN) KHACHAPURI | Georgian Recipes:

- About Food – Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread) | Georgia About:

- Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread) Recipe | SAVEUR:
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Lamb Meatballs with Broad Beans and Chard.

Lamb Meatballs with Broad Beans and Chard - By Book or by Cook - A Cookery Blog: By Hairy Bikers.
This is based on Egyptian and Israeli meatball dishes and makes a lovely green and fresh bowlful.
If you use fresh broad beans, it’s best to remove the outer grey skins to reveal the bright green beans inside. Baby frozen ones should be fine whole.
You can also make the meatballs with beef.

Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g minced lamb
50g breadcrumbs
50g pine nuts, toasted and lightly crushed
2 tbsp each of parsley, coriander and mint, finely chopped
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
a grating of nutmeg
1 egg
1 lemon
extra herbs, for garnish
flaked sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

For The Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
200g Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated, both shredded
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500ml chicken stock
250g broad beans (frozen are fine)
2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped

Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the onion.
Fry gently until it is soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
Allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ Fan 200°C/Gas 7.
Put the mince in a large bowl and season it with salt and pepper.
Add the breadcrumbs, pine nuts, herbs and spices to the meat, then the cooled onion and garlic and mix thoroughly.
Break the egg into the mixture and stir to combine.
Shape the meatballs into rounds the size of golf balls – you should have about 20.
Place them on a baking tray and bake them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes – they will finish cooking in the sauce.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole.
Fry the onion and chard stems for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Pour in 400ml of the chicken stock, then add the broad beans and the meatballs.
Simmer for 5 minutes.

Put the remaining chicken stock in a separate saucepan and add the chard leaves and chopped herbs.
Simmer for a couple of minutes, then blitz with a stick blender until roughly puréed.
Add this to the broad beans and meatballs, just before you serve.
Squeeze over plenty of lemon juice, then garnish with extra coriander, mint and dill.
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Rhubarb.

Rhubarb Jam.
9 cups rhubarb, cut up
9 cups sugar
3 oranges

Mix cut up rhubarb and 6 cups of sugar, let stand overnight.
Grind orange pulp, reserving juice, add remaining sugar.
Let stand 30 minutes.
Grind orange peel and boil in water for 10 minutes, drain.
Combine all ingredients and boil for only 30 minutes.
Process as usual.

Confiture of Rhubarb, Orange and Apple.
1/2 pound (200g) oranges
1 pound 9 ounces (700g) rhubarb, 1 pound 2ounces (500g) net after being cleaned
1 3/4 pounds Ida Red apples, 1 pound 2 ounces (500g) net
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar plus 3 3/4 cups (880g)
100ml water
Juice of one small lemon

Wash the oranges in cold water and slice them into very thin rounds.
In a preserving pan, poach the slices with 1 cup sugar and the water.
Continue cooking until the slices are translucent.
Add the washed unpeeled rhubarb, which has been but into dice, and the apples, which have been peeled cored, and cut into thin slices, the lemon juice, and sugar.
Bring everything to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stirring gently.
Skim carefully and return to a boil.
Skim again if needed.
Check the set.
Put the jam into jars immediately and seal.

Rhubarb-ginger Jam.
Makes 1 1/2 Cups.
1 1-pound package frozen sliced rhubarb (unthawed)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger (about 1 ounce)
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan.
Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer until jam thickens and mounds on spoon, stirring often to prevent scorching, about 20 minutes.
Transfer to bowl.
Cover; chill. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead.
Keep chilled.

Spelt, Sage And Beetroot Risotto.

Recipes: The spell of spelt - Telegraph:
Pearled spelt (grains of spelt with the outer husk removed) make a fine risotto-type dish that doesn't need constant stirring and will keep warm for half an hour (unlike the rice).
The nutty grains have a bouncier, more resilient texture than rice and go well with earthy beetroot.
If you prefer, add a sprinkle of sesame seeds instead of the sage.

Serves 3-4
1oz/30g butter
2 banana shallots, or 6 ordinary shallots, finely chopped
2 tennis-ball-sized uncooked beetroot
8oz/225g pearled spelt
8floz/225ml dry white wine
1 pt/600ml chicken or vegetable stock
Small bunch of sage
Olive oil for frying

Melt the butter, add the shallots and cook them gently for 10 minutes or so until soft but not coloured.
Meanwhile peel and cut the beetroot into short sticks no fatter than a pencil.
Stir them into the shallots with the spelt and cook, stirring, for another couple of minutes.
Add the wine and allow it to bubble up, still stirring.
When it has almost completely boiled away, add the stock and a couple of sage leaves.
Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 25 minutes, until the spelt is swollen and soft and the beetroot is cooked, adding more water if necessary.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
For the sage leaf garnish: heat a finger's-depth of oil in a small pan and fry the remaining sage leaves a few at a time, until dark green and touched with brown.
Drain on kitchen paper and scatter over the risotto.

Related recipe:
- pressure cooker method - How to make the Heston at Home Beetroot Spelt Risotto recipe : In Search Of Heston;

- Spelt Risotto with Beets and Horseradish Recipe | SAVEUR:

Spelt And Rhubarb Cake.

Recipes: The spell of spelt - Telegraph:
Spelt's nutty flavour goes well with rhubarb.
Champagne rhubarb from Yorkshire is at its prime right now, so snap it up while you can.
It's delicious (look out for Fergus Henderson's poached rhubarb recipe in Weekend in a couple of weeks' time) and you'll be supporting growers struggling to survive the competition from Dutch imports.

5oz/140g butter
7oz/200g soft brown sugar
2 eggs
4 pieces of stem ginger in syrup, chopped
7oz/200g spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
14oz/400g slender rhubarb stems
Caster sugar to finish

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
Line a cake tin about 7inx11in/17cmx27cm with baking parchment.
Melt the butter and stir in the soft brown sugar.
Allow to cool slightly, then mix in the eggs, ginger, flour and baking powder.
Scrape the mixture into the lined tin and spread out.
Trim the rhubarb to fit the tin lengthways and lay over the top of the mixture, packing in as many stems as you can.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the cake is risen, golden and cooked through.
Brush with some syrup from the ginger jar, dredge well with caster sugar and allow to cool in the tin.
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Wholemeal Spelt bread.

Wholemeal Spelt bread - Community Recipes | Shipton Mill - Home of Organic Flour:
Three Minute Spelt Bread.

Spelt is the new celebrity grain, the Keira Knightley of wholefoods, and it has gone from curiosity to must-have ingredient in just five years.
Said to be more digestible than wheat and richer in nutrients.
But let's be absolutely clear: spelt is not suitable for coeliac sufferers.
This is positively the easiest and most tasty Spelt bread recipe I have come across.
Turns out perfectly every time and has become an often requested favourite of my clients.
It takes next to no prep time, keeps well and is fab for toasting too!

With spelt there is no need to leave the dough to rise.
But Baker Andrew Whitley (author of the bestselling book Bread Matters) says that if you let it rise slowly, in a cool place overnight, it will be even better.

Pre-heat oven to 200°C
500g Wholemeal Spelt (or white works just as well)
150g 5 Seed Blend (some extra for topping)
10-12g dried active yeast or 32-34g fresh yeast (I use a bit more yeast for the wholemeal flour as it's heavier and needs a bit more lift)
1/2 tsp salt
500ml water

Mix all dry ingredients together, dissolve the fresh yeast in warm water (dried yeast can be added to the flour/seed mix) and mix well with the water.
It's a very wet dough, more like a cake mix but that's how it should be.
Brush a loaf tin with olive oil, fill with the mixture, brush top with Olive oil and sprinkle extra seed on top.
This really takes three minutes to prepare.
Place in pre-heated oven for 1 hour.
Then take out of the tin and put loaf back in for another 5-10 min (usually 5 min are enough).
Let it cool down and enjoy.

Note:
I started using the 5 seed blend instead of the original:
50g Sesame seeds
50g Sunflower seeds
50g Linseeds

Either works really well!
Recipe in cups &teaspoons:
3 1/2 cups flour.
1/2 cups of each seed, sunflower, sesame, linseed.
3 1/2 teaspoos dry yeast granules,
2 cups warm water
Combine all the ingredients, adding the water last.
Mix well and turn the dough into a greased loaf tin.

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Cauliflower Soup.

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
1 medium potato, chopped up into small pieces
1 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets or make rice
Stock, 1 litre
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Parmesan rind (vital for flavor)

Instructions
Sweat the onions, celery and potatoes until they are all soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the stock and cauliflower and boil for about 10-15 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind.
Puree with a soup blender, leaving a few pieces of soft cauliflower to give it a nice texture
Serve hot with a bit of grated cheese and a few croutons if desired.
OR garnish with:
panko breadcrumbs+fresh chives or wild or bear's garlic - is in season now !

PS Add the turmeric for beautiful golden broth.

Banana Loaf.

Mary Berry’s Banana Loaf (Taken from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible).

Ingredients
100g Softened Butter
175g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 Ripe Bananas (mashed)
225g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tbsp. Milk


Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C / Fan 160C / Gas 4.
2. Lightly grease a 2lb or 900g loaf tin, then line the base and sides with baking parchment
3. Measure all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat for about 2 minutes, until well blended
4. Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the surface
5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 1 hour, until well risen and golden brown.
A fine skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean if the loaf is ready.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out, peel of the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.

This was so easy to make and delicious, and there wasn’t much left of it by the time it was cooled on the rack!

From https://queenofeverything.co.uk/2012/02/06/mary-berrys-banana-loaf/

Similar recipes: Mrs. Myers' Banana Bread:

Pork Shoulder Braised in Milk.

Pork Shoulder Braised in Milk: Recipe from The Cook & the Butcher, by Brigit Binns.

Serves 6-8.
1 boneless pork shoulder, (I have 1kg), trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
12 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
2 bay leaves
Zest from 1 lemon, removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1-1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

Season the roast generously all over with salt and pepper.
In a Dutch oven or other large, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the oil.
Add the pork, fat side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes.
Repeat to brown all sides, about 15 minutes total.
Adjust the heat level so that the meat sizzles actively but does not scorch.
Transfer the pork to a platter and pour off the fat from the pan.

Return the pot to medium heat and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Add the sage leaves.
Cook for 1 minute.
Stirring constantly, slowly pour in the milk and cream.
Return the pork to the pot, fat side up, and add the bay leaves, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon salt.
Season generously with pepper.
When the liquid begins to steam, partially cover the pot and transfer to the oven.

Cook the pork, turning it every 30 minutes, for 2 hours.
Uncover and continue to cook until very tender, 30-60 more, again turning after 30 minutes if cooking for longer than 30 minutes more.
Transfer the pork to a platter and let the pan sauce settle.

With a slotted spoon, remove the curds from the sauce, leaving behind the fat, and transfer to a fine-mesh sieve set over a small saucepan.
Push the curds through the sieve to make a smooth, creamy sauce.
Warm the sauce over low heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
The sauce should be subtly tart from the lemon and slightly peppery, to cut the pork’s richness.
Cut the pork into thick chunks and serve at once, passing the sauce at the table.

Similar recipes: Bavarian Beer Roasted Pork with Sweet Potatoes and Parsnip - eat in my kitchen eat in my kitchen:

How To Make Cauliflower Rice.

How To Make Cauliflower Rice or Couscous (with Video) | Kitchn:
Makes 6 servings (about 1 cup each)
What You Need
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, any size
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter, optional
Salt, optional

Equipment
Chef's knife
Food processor or box grater
Spatula
Skillet with lid, optional

Instructions
Cut the cauliflower into large pieces: Cut the head of cauliflower into quarters, then trim out the inner core from each quarter.
Break apart the cauliflower into large florets with your hands.
If the core is tender, you can chip it into pieces and add it with the florets.
Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor: Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor.
Don't fill the food processor more than 3/4 full; if necessary, process in two batches.
Pulse the cauliflower until completely broken down: Process the cauliflower in 1-second pulses until it has completely broken down into couscous-sized granules. (Alternatively, grate the florets on the large holes of a box grater.)
Pull out any unprocessed pieces: Some florets or large pieces of cauliflower might remain intact.
Pull these out and set them aside.
Transfer the cauliflower couscous to another container and re-process any large pieces.
Serving raw cauliflower couscous: Cauliflower couscous can be used raw, tossed like grains into a salad or in a cold side dish.
Cooking cauliflower couscous: Cooking makes the cauliflower more tender and rice-like.
Warm a tablespoon of olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Stir in the couscous and sprinkle with a little salt.
Cover the skillet and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the couscous is as tender as you like.
Use or serve immediately, or refrigerate the couscous for up to a week.
Recipe Notes
Freezing raw cauliflower couscous: The couscous can also be sealed in airtight containers or bags and frozen for up to three months.
Thaw on the counter for a few minutes before using or cooking.

Microwaving:
By far the easiest way to cook your cauliflower rice, and as you don’t need to add any fat, the healthiest too.
Microwave fresh cauliflower rice in a heatproof bowl, covered with cling film, for three minutes on High.
If using from the freezer, microwave for four minutes on High, mixing the ‘rice’ half way through cooking.
This method gives the rice a nice, neutral flavour, perfect for serving with a curry or tagine.
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