We are eating more and more
vegetarian main courses. I guess it is a leftover from our trip to India where
we ate such excellent vegetables.
We had planned to make
Kosheri, and had forgotten about it until Robert reminded us that there was a
recipe for it in Ottolenghi The Cookbook. This is a dish that is a staple of
Egyptian cooking and of Indian cooking where it is called: kitchari. I really liked the dish with it Tangy Tomato Sauce. We will definitely do this again.
It is sweet and fragrant. I
especially liked the taste of the cinnamon. Because it is made with rice and
broken pasta it reminded me of an extremely exotic rendition of Rice-a-Roni
that well advertised San Francisco Treat. Incidentally in the 20 years I lived
in San Francisco, I never was served Rice-a-Roni or saw it on restaurant menu!
We stared with Fennel and
Feta Salad with Pomegranate and Sumac from the same cookbook: Ottolenghi the Cookbook. This salad
was less of a success. The problem was the way I cut the fennel. The pieces
were too large. If we make the salad again we cut the fennel in smaller pieces.
Because this recipe is from an English Cookbook, maybe the English Fennels are
smaller than our California variety.
Fennel and feta salad with
pomegranate and sumac
Ottolenghi the cookbook
This salad is a little
festival in itself. The fennel and tarragon, with their echoing flavours, form
a solid base on which stronger colours and flavours - pomegranate, feta, sumac
- manifest themselves without overwhelming the whole salad. It is distinctly
fresh and goes well with roast meats and grilled fish. Crusty bread is almost
obligatory to soak .up the juices from the plate.
Try substituting dried
cranberries or sour cherries for the pomegranate. The fennel for this salad should
be the round and bulky variety. It is crisper and sweeter than the long one.
serves 4
1/2 pomegranate
2 medium fennel heads
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sumac, plus extra to
garnish
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp tarragon leaves
2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf
parsley
70g Greek feta cheese, sliced
salt and black pepper
1.
Start by
releasing the pomegranate seeds. The best way to do this is to halve the
pomegranate along its 'belly' (you only need half a pomegranate here), then
hold the half firmly in your hand with the seeds facing your palm. Over a large
bowl, start bashing the back of
the fruit with a wooden spoon. Don't hit too hard or you'll bruise "the
seeds and break the skin. Magically, the seeds will just fall out. Pick out any
white skin that falls in.
2.
Remove the leaves
of the fennel, keeping a few to garnish later, and trim the base, making sure
you leave enough of it still attached to hold the slices together. Slice very
thinly lengthwise (a mandolin would come in handy here).
3.
In a bowl, mix
the olive oil, sumac, lemon juice, herbs and some salt and pepper. Add the
fennel and toss well. Taste for seasoning but remember, the feta will add
saltiness.
4.
Layer the fennel,
then the feta and then the pomegranate seeds in individual serving dishes.
Garnish with fennel leaves, sprinkle over some sumac and serve immediately.
Kosheri
Ottolenghi the Cookbook
serves 4
300g green lentils
200g basmati rice
40g unsalted butter
50g vermicelli noodles,
broken into 4cm pieces
400ml chicken stock or water
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
2 white onions, halved and thinly
sliced
Spicy tomato sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 hot red chillies, seeded
and finely diced
8 ripe tomatoes, chopped
((tinned are fine)
370ml water
4 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin
20g coriander leaves, chopped
This lentil and rice dish is
one of the most popular in Egypt, sold hot by street vendors and specialist
restaurants. It is not too far removed from the Indian kitchari, ancestor to
the British kedgeree. Usually in Egypt it is served with a spicy tomato sauce,
but it's also delicious with cucumber, tomato and yoghurt salad.
Start with the sauce. Heat
the olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, water, vinegar, salt and cumin. Bring to the boil,
then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Remove the sauce from the heat, stir in the coriander and then taste. See if
you want to add any salt, pepper or extra coriander. Keep hot or leave to cool;
both ways will work with the hot kosheri. Just remember to adjust the seasoning
again when cold. ,
To make the kosheri, place
the lentils in a large sieve and wash them under a cold running tap. Transfer
to a large saucepan, cover with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. The lentils should be tender but far
from mushy. Drain in a colander and leave to one side.
In a large bowl, cover the
rice with cold water, wash and then drain well. Melt the butter in a large
saucepan over a medium heat. Add the raw vermicelli, stir, and continue frying
and stirring until the vermicelli turns golden brown. Add the drained rice and
mix well until it is coated in the butter. Now add the stock or water, nutmeg,
cinnamon, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and then reduce the heat to
a minimum and simmer for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the lid, cover
the pan with a clean tea towel and put the lid back on. Leave like that for
about 5 minutes; this helps make the rice light and fluffy.
Heat the olive oil in a large
frying pan, add the onions and saute over a medium heat for about 20 minutes,
until dark brown. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain.
To serve, lightly break up
the rice with a fork and then add the lentils and most of the onions, reserving
a few for garnish. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Pile the rice
high on a serving platter and top with the remaining onions. Serve hot, with
the tomato sauce.
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