homegrown

It's not "our" homegrown, but it is homegrown - by a farmer not far from here, packaged just hours before we receive it - the dirt still evident and the imperfections signally what I often cringed about when I bought perfectly modified veg from the major conglomerates...

Seasonal vegetables and a quick chat with the man behind the idea and delivery of this organic produce saw me putting out some lovely veg dishes for our guests over the weekend.

What seasonal dishes are you making at your house?

Beetroot & Fetta salad - poach beetroot for about 30 minutes or until you can insert a knife...allow to cool.  Peel skin and cut into small cubes.  Add some finely sliced red onion and mix together some good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, s + p to your taste and drizzle over the beets.  Add some chopped spring onions and then crumble some feta on top. 

Broccoli with anchovies and parmesan - slice up your broccoli heads and a few cloves of garlic.  With a pan on high heat and a dash of oil, start frying them up.  Add a few chopped up anchovies and then about half a cup of water.  Pop the lid on and let the broccoli cook to your liking.  transfer to a serving dish and drizzle some oil (I used a lovely white truffle oil I splurged on a while back that I use very sparingly) and a shaving of parmesan or pana gradano cheese.  

linking up with Lou 

Egyptian Roast Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Dukkah

I know, I know....Brussell Sprouts.  Please, stay with me!

I first came across this recipe, torn from a newspaper at my mum's house.  I picked up the article, read it....and put it back down.  Brussell sprouts?  ewww!  But my mum was determined to make this recipe, and whilst I showed no enthusiasm or offers of help, this dish was made and served as a tapas style entree to a very sceptical daughter and father.

I took a sprout...dipped it in the hummus, with the sprinkling of dukkah and the sweetness of the honey and placed it in my mouth.  Heeeeeelllllooo Brussels Sprouts!  Aren't you a surprise package!!!!!!

Well, I'm converted!  I don't know if it's the fact they are roasted or just the combination of all the wonderful flavours, but now....this is the only way to eat sprouts! needless to say I copied the recipe.

So this time around, I was making this dish mid afternoon for the same tapas style entree before dinner to tuck into.  A friend dropped round and saw me assemble the homemade hummus, arrange the roasted sprouts, sprinke the dukkah and then drizzle the honey.  I offered....she was hesitant...."I don't like sprouts!"  she said.  I insisted and she tried, and then returned for seconds and thirds!

And I consider this dish a winner when my hubby is grabbing at the bread and wiping the plate clean!

Do you need any more convincing?

I made the hummus and the dukkah but you could easily use store bought, but here is what you need....

Roasted Sprouts...
2tbs oil
12 -24 (depending how many serves) brussels sprouts trimmed & scored with an x at the bottom
sea salt and pepper
2 tbs honey
4 tbs Hummus (homemade or store bought)
2-4 tbs dukkah (homemade or store bought)
2-4 tbs honey

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees and on a baking tray add the oil and spouts with some s & p and bake for 30-40 minutes until tender (a little charred even).  Toss occasionally too.

Hummus...
If you want to make your own...
1 can of chick peas, drained and washed.
Place in a food processor and blitz adding a good dash of olive oil, some crushed garlic and good squeeze of lemon.  Once pureed, taste and then add some salt to season to your liking.

Dukkah...
If you want to make your own.... (this is how I did it...totally made it up, but it worked!)
In a small frypan on medium heat, place 2 tsp of coriander seeds and 2 tsp of sesame seeds until golden.  If you have cumin seeds add them too, but I only had ground cumin.
Use a mortar and pestle to ground the seeds.
Add some s and p
Add 1 tbs of almond meal (or hazelnut meal) and combine

Now...to assemble.  spread the hummus out of a medium serving dish, and place the roasted sprouts on top.  Sprinkle the dukkah liberally all over and then drizzle 2-4 tablespoons of honey all over.  Give your family, friends or whoever is around a fork and tell them to tuck in!

I bet they all get eaten!
Enjoy
xx