Spinach and Watercress Tart

This is beautifully green and refreshing.

You can add smoked salmon to this if you want. You can also make shortcrust pastry instead of using filo.

Ingredients:

olive oil

3-4 sheets filo dough

150 g spinach

lemon juice

1 pinch salt

75 g watercress

3 eggs

½ cup yogurt (I used soy yogurt)

2 tsp mustard

black pepper, to taste

nutmeg or onion seeds, as desired.

Instructions:

1. Oil an oven-safe dish. Place two sheets of filo dough in it as the bottom.

2. Wilt the spinach (if it’s fresh) in a saucepan over low heat, with 1 tsp oil, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, and the salt.

3. Mix the wilted (or defrosted) spinach and the watercress. Beat the eggs and add them to the spinach. Mix in the yogurt and mustard and any other spices or seasonings you’re using.

4. Put the filling on top of the dough and spread it out. Sprinkle with a little more lemon juice and olive oil.

5. Put the last 1-2 sheets of filo on top of the filling. Fold the filo over so it makes a parcel. Sprinkle with olive oil.

6. Bake at 200 C for about 20-25 minutes, until golden.

Pseudo-falafel

I like crispy falafel with a full taste or chickpeas. The best I ever had was in Israel, but alas I can’t head to the Middle East every time I get a falafel craving, so I came up with this simple recipe, which is call pseudo-falafel. Real falafel has tahini, but that’s not something I usually or often have on hand, so that’s why these are pseudo. I served them over rice and with watercress and garlic cheese, but any combination of greens and yogurt or creamy cheese will work fine. It’s not the Middle East, but it’s as close as I can get here.

Ingredients:
1 carton chickpeas (about 230 g)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
rice
water
watercress
yogurt or garlic cheese

Instructions:
1. Drain the chickpeas. Blend with the spices, baking powder, lemon juice, and oil with a hand blender until smooth, with some chunky bits left.
2. Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes at 200 C.
3. Cook the rice in the water and add the watercress when the rice is nearly done.
4. Serve the rice topped with falafels and yogurt or garlic cheese.

Watercress and Potato Soup

I posted a couple of recipes that I made when M and I had friends over for dinner last week. M made the soup and it is in fact the same soup she made on my birthday. It is a tasty and healthy watercress soup, thickened with potatoes. So I’m turning this post over to M:

This is a recipe of Delia’s, so can be found on her website but I think it’s worth repeating here as it turned out so well (note from Veggie Dyke: M didn’t follow the recipe exactly, which means it’s not the same recipe as Delia’s. Even one changes means it is your own recipe!).

The lack of a measuring jug meant it turned out a touch watery the second time round. This was overcome by the addition of some cream, but the recipe must be quite sensitive so be careful to stick to the amounts stated.

Ingredients:
1 large onion
25 g butter (plus one teaspoon)
175g watercress
350 g potato (2 baking potatoes)
½ pint milk
¾ pint vegetable stock
salt to taste
pepper to taste
a little lemon juice
a little cream as needed

Instructions:
1. Chop the onion. Melt the 25 g of butter and gently heat the onion so that it cooks but doesn't brown (takes about 5 minutes).
2. Add 110g of the watercress, cover and leave it to sweat for 15 minutes (it makes things easier at the final stages to chop the watercress stalks into small pieces).
3. Meanwhile, chop the potato and put it in another pan with boiling water (and salt according to Delia), and boil for 10 minutes until tender.
4. Drain potatoes and return to pan.
5. Add teaspoon of butter and a splash of the milk, and whisk until very smooth (ideally with a hand blender).
6. Add stock and remaining milk and watercress to the watercress pan.
7. Whisk in mash so that it’s well blended.
8. Season, and simmer gently for another 10 minutes.
9. Liquidise, add lemon juice, and check seasoning. Add cream if desired.
10. Re-heat gently before serving.
11. Ta-da!