Baked Tomatoes
400g cherry tomatoes
120ml olive oil
11⁄2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp za’atar (substitute cumin)
1⁄2 tsp caster sugar
5g parsley, roughly chopped
5g oregano leaves, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan.
Put the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, garlic, 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper into a medium baking dish, roughly 30cm x 20cm. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40–45 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until the tomatoes have just burst but aren’t completely falling apart. Remove the foil, gently stir in the za’atar and sugar and leave to cool completely. Once cool, stir in the herbs (gently, so as not to break up the tomatoes). Keeps well in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Harissa Paste
2 x roasted red peppers
Fry together: 1 small red onion
3 red chillis
2 garlic cloves
spices: ½ tsp each cumin, caraway, coriander (crushed)
Blitz together with: 8 dried rose petals (optional)
2 t salt
3 tomatoes
½ lemon juiced
2 T rose water (optional)
1 T tomato paste
4 t olive oil
Store in jar in fridge.
Quick pickle onion
120ml cider vinegar
3 tbsp water
2½ tsp sugar
1 large red onion (180g), thinly sliced into rounds
Heat up the vinegar in a small saucepan with the water, sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt. Once the sugar has dissolved, set aside to cool and then add the onions. Leave to pickle for at least an hour, or make up to 3 days ahead, keeping refrigerated.
Spicy pecans
150g pecans, roughly chopped
60ml runny honey
1½ tsp fennel seeds
Preheat the oven to 150C.
Start with the pecans. Line a large oven tray with baking paper. Mix the pecans, honey, fennel seeds and ¼ teaspoon of salt on the tray and roast, mixing halfway through, for about 20 minutes, until deeply golden. Set aside to cool completely.
Yoghurt Sauce
2 cups thick yoghurt
2 tsp lemon juice
pinch of salt
lemon zest (optional)
Mix together, taste for seasoning.
Fried nuts
1/2 cup flaked almonds
1tsp chilli flakes
1/2 garlic clove crushed
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
Fry until nuts are golden brown.
Dressing:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2½ tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
fine sea salt and black pepper