Israeli cous cous with hazelnuts, figs and feta

I'm always looking for new ways to keep my lunchboxes fresh and interesting and this Israeli couscous ticks all the right boxes; it has a more toothsome texture than fine couscous and looks enticing enough to distract me from the lure of the vending machine until 1pm.

This amount makes enough for two (slightly greedy) lunches. I had the first without the feta as a vegan alternative, then gussied it up with some moist, crumbly cheese for the second. The roasted lemon makes a wonderfully mellow citrus dressing - I like to keep a wedge back to squeeze over just before eating.


ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH HAZELNUTS, FIGS AND FETA

175g Israeli couscous
1 large red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 bulb garlic, separated into cloves, but left unpeeled
3 fresh figs
1 lemon, halved
75g hazelnuts
2 tsp dukkah
a small handful of fresh mint
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
olive oil
750ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper

75g feta, crumbled (optional)

1) Stir the pomegranate molasses and 2½ tablespoons of olive oil together in a large bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper, then toss the onion segments, garlic, figs and lemon halves in the mixture. Turn out into a roasting tin, then bake at 400f/200c/gas mark 6 for 15-18 minutes, until roasted and soft.

2) Meanwhile, bring the stock up to the boil in a saucepan, then simmer the couscous for about 5 minutes, or until it is translucent but still has a little bite to it. Drain and immerse in cold water for a minute, then drain again.

3) Toss the hazelnuts in a teaspoon of olive oil then scatter over the dukkah and toast on a baking tray at 400f/200c/gas mark 6 for 5 minutes, until golden. Now pop the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins, rip up the mint, and gently stir together with all the other ingredients, squeezing over the juice from the roasted lemons. If you'd like a more substantial meal from this, add the feta.

Fresh mint lemonade

If I were stranded on a desert island in the scorching sun (if only) this is the drink I'd be dreaming of to quench my thirst. Homemade lemonade is pretty much unbeatable on a hot day anyway, but the mint raises this to a heavenly level of refreshing. If mint's not your thing, add a few raspberries instead and turn the whole shebang the most beautiful blush pink. Ahhhh.

FRESH MINT LEMONADE
Makes 4 large glasses

120ml (½ cup) lemon juice, and 4 strips of the pared rind
8 large leaves of fresh mint
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup water
cold sparkling water
ice

1) Warm the sugar and water together in a small pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then leave to cool. This will be more than you need for this amount of lemonade but it will last for weeks in the fridge.

2) Place the lemon juice and mint in a blender with a splash of the sparkling water, then blend until the mint has broken down. Pour into glasses, top up with sparkling water and ice, then add the sugar syrup to taste. I find that about 4 to 5 teaspoons is about right, but then I like my lemonade on the tart side.

Two little words

from me to you. Why? Because today is the first time that Hunger and Sauce reached 1000 hits in a day.

Last month I realised that it's been a year since my first tentative efforts were sent out into the blogosphere, and since then { H&S } has been a constant source of joy and frustration as I've shared my greedy experiments, garden tribulations, greasy spoons and slap up meals.

I've loved having a reason to try new things and eat more than one smallish person should, and all in the name of a higher purpose [cue choral singing].

As more and more people are reading here I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for keeping me company!

Irv xx

Sweetcorn and green chilli salad

I'm always secretly disappointed to arrive at a barbecue to find piles and piles of griddled flesh with no thought of what to eat with it. This spicy salad is the latest weapon in my arsenal against the ubiquitous bag of green leaf salad.

I think the two types of chilli give this a real punch which is needed to stand up against all those strong, smoky flavours from the barbecue. It's great with grilled fish, meats or halloumi - try it in a wrap, warmed on the grill, then filled with sour cream and a handful of herbs.

SWEETCORN AND GREEN CHILLI SALAD

Serves 6
750g sweetcorn, frozen or cut from fresh cobs
15g coriander
15g mint
2 fresh green chillies
3 spring onions
1 green pepper
the zest and juice of 2 or 3 limes
a small pinch of ground allspice
small pinch of smoked chilli (optional)
salt

sour cream and chopped mint to serve

1) Boil the sweetcorn in lightly salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and allow to cool. Meanwhile, finely chop the green pepper, herbs, spring onions and chillies. If you like a bit of heat, leave the seeds in the chillies, otherwise, remove them.

2) Stir together all the chopped ingredients, sprinkle over the allspice, smoked chilli and lime zest then squeeze over the juice of two of the limes. Season with salt. You may need more juice so add more after tasting if needed.

3) Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a scattering of mint.

Queen of tarts

My contribution to an almost rained-out Bank Holiday weekend barbecue. Grey skies threatened to break for most of the day but there were some precious moments of sun. Plus an effortlessly sunny hostess, which always helps.

There's no great mystery in making a tasty tart; fruit gives that authentic patisserie look, and the combination of sweetened cream with the sharp tang of fresh lemon curd is lipsmackingly good.

I think of this as a pretty low effort/high impact dessert, with lots of possible shortcuts - if you like, buy a pastry case and lemon curd if you're short of time, then simply whip the cream, layer it all up and decorate with raspberries. Then smile widely and pretend it took hours to make.

RASPBERRY AND LEMON CREAM TART
Serves 10

~for the pastry:
125g cold butter, cut into pieces
210g plain flour
35g ground almonds
100g golden caster sugar
1 small egg, beaten

250ml lemon curd
300ml double cream
3 tbsp icing sugar
325g raspberries

1) To make the pastry, rub together the flour, sugar, almonds and butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then slowly add the egg until the mixture comes together into a dough. Chill for an hour, then roll out to 3mm and use to line a buttered 25cm x 3cm deep tart tin which has been base lined with greaseproof paper. Allow the pastry to extend 1 cm above the top of the tin as it will shrink as it cooks. Retain any leftover scraps to patch up the pastry case if it develops any holes during the first baking.

2) Chill the tart for another hour, then prick the base all over with a fork, line the inside with a sheet of greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake at 375f/190c/gas mark 5 for 10 minutes, then remove the beans and bake for a further 10 minutes. Once cooled, trim down the top of the case to the level of the tin with a sharp knife, then spread the lemon curd over the base.

3) Whip the cream and icing sugar together until they form soft peaks, and spread over the lemon curd, then arrange the raspberries on top.

Lemon curd

As sharp as it is sweet, this is a sunny way to start the day. Today it was slathered thickly over a slice of crusty white bread for breakfast, tomorrow it will coat the base of a lemon and raspberry cream tart.

This recipe makes three 1lb jars, which sounds a lot but it's incredibly versatile; try using it to sandwich together sponges or meringues, folded into cream and yoghurt to make a lemon fool, or layered with cream and limoncello soaked sponges for a citrussy trifle.

LEMON CURD

the juice and fine zest of 4 large unwaxed lemons
4 medium eggs and one extra egg yolk
220g butter, cut into small pieces
350g caster sugar
1½ tbsp cornflour

1) Set aside 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, then whisk all the other ingredients together in a large bowl. Place the bowl over a simmering pan of water, whisking frequently until the mixture thickens to a custard consistency, about 10-15 minutes.

2) Discard the water and transfer the curd into the saucepan, then replace it onto the heat, whisking constantly, until it starts to simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining lemon juice.

3) Pour the curd into sterilised jars and seal while it's still hot.

Little Miss Muffet

Ah, such a proud moment: my first baby steps into cheese making, at the behest of the boy who pokes me in the ribs until I give into his demands. And so the weekend of unexpected cheese making began...

This recipe makes a mild, slightly lemony soft cheese. It's the sort of thing that's just right for spreading over crisp crackers or if you're feeling adventurous, making into a fruity cheesecake (is it blackcurrant season yet?). It's very tasty, but I have to admit that at least half the pleasure came from the joy of making it.


A MILD & CREAMY SOFT CHEESE

2 litres of very fresh, organic whole milk (pasteurised)
the juice of 2 or 3 lemons
¼ tsp fine salt

~ herbs (dill/parsley/chives etc), wild garlic leaves, freshly ground black pepper to top the cheeses

1) Pour the milk into a large pan and heat until it reaches 185c, stirring constantly. Add the juice of two of the lemons and allow the curds (solid parts) and whey (clear liquid) to separate. If they don't, add the juice of the last lemon. Stir gently.

2) Lay a double layer of cheesecloth muslin over a sieve resting on a large bowl, then carefully ladle in the curds. You could now use it for cooking in sweet recipes - otherwise, transfer it into a bowl, sprinkle over the salt and stir into the curds. Wash the cloth, then wring out and scatter the cloth with the herbs/pepper/wild garlic before placing the cheese on top. Gather up the edges of the cloth and tie the cloth so the cheese is left in a ball inside.

4) Tie the cloth over a bowl and allow the cheese to drain for about 6 hours, or until it feels fairly firm.  Unwrap and eat.

Nopi

What do you get the girl who already has two of everything for her birthday?

Well if she's a huge fan of Yotam Ottolenghi, you take her to Nopi for a glammed up lunch.  If you are one of the few remaining people who hasn't yet heard of the lovely Mr O, he is currently the thinking vegetarian's favourite bit of chef. His recent appearance on Masterchef almost caused one of the semi-finalists to have an accident on national telly as she stared, agog and open mouthed, as he entered the room.

The man himself was present (I'm told he often is), slinking his way around the restaurant in a green cashmere sweater and keeping a reassuring eye on the kitchen. There is a genuinely lovely buzz about the place, perhaps partly due to the elegant, unpretentious decor which goes for a modern Middle-Eastern luxe vibe; blingy but not tacky.

We shared a selection from across the menu, of which the burrata with blood orange and coriander seeds (above) and softshell crab with green tea noodles and ponzu were the stand out favourites. If you go for pudding, my chocolate mousse with peanut brittle, mace and crème fraiche was a dense, intense chocolate lovers dream, but quite exhausted me in the process of eating it. My tablemate's doughnuts with plum wine anglaise, berry compote (above, note the tight grip on the plate..!) slipped down a treat. I hope she doesn't mind me recalling that some small moans of pleasure escaped as she ate.

Two of our group have already sworn to make a bi-monthly pilgrimage to Nopi. My wallet says no, but luckily my stomach usually makes the decisions.