Lentil soup with coriander

I hadn't really intended to write this recipe up.  But I was talking to a friend when it was simmering and she wanted the recipe! The difference between this and the normal lentil soup that I make is that I used coriander instead of dill and I also added some ginger root.  It is also a cheat's lentil soup in the sense that I didn't cook the lentils from scratch but used ready to use canned lentils from my pantry. If you want to use dry lentils, you will need to soak them and prepare them before adding the other ingredients.  As I love the fresh taste of coriander, I really enjoyed this soup as a start to winter that has come to us in Melbourne in autumn. If coriander isn't to your taste, you can add the herb of your choice. 

Ingredients

400 gr diced tomatoes

800 gr canned lentils (2 400 gr cans)

2 tbs tomato paste

2 carrots

4 dried bay leaves

Bunch of coriander

2-3 cloves garlic crushed

3 tsp crushed ginger root

500 gr water (and as needed)

White wine vinegar

Mode

Place the tomatoes, tomato paste in a large stovetop pan on high heat

Stir to combine

Add the lentils, garlic and ginger and stir

Chop the coriander roughly and add it and the bay leaves to the mixture

Slice the carrots into circles and add

Add water and stir all to combine

Cover and bring to the boil stirring occasionally

Reduce heat and simmer covered until the soup has thickened and all the carrots are tender, still stirring occasionally and adding extra water as needed.

Serve with a dash of white wine vinegar (to taste)

Greens and ricotta lasagne

People have been known to say that I often make similar things.  And it is true I often do make something and then think maybe I could make it this way instead of how I did it last week, or maybe I could add some different ingredients for a different taste altogether.  That is why after not having made lasagne for years I am making it twice withinin a short time frame. This one is like a mixture of spanakopita and tomato lasagne,  It was great to have the combination of different flavours catching my tastebuds. I will certainly make this again.

Ingredients

400 gr diced tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste (without salt)
Bunch dill 15 gr
4 cloves of garlic
4 tsp crushed ginger root
1 leek

1 bunch endive

1/2 bunch silverbeet
375 gr ricotta
6 sheets lasagne pasta (type that does not require pre-cooking)
Parmesan

Mode

Preheat oven to 180c

Slice leek

Roughly chop endive, and silverbeet

Place vegetables in top of steamer

Crush 2 cloves of garlic

Add garlic and 2 tsp ginger to vegetables in steamer

Steam until tender

Meanwhile chop thyme

Crush 2 cloves garlic

Place tomatoes in saucepan on stove

Add thyme, 2tsp ginger, garlic and tomato paste

Stir to combine

Bring the boil and reduce to simmer

Simmer until thickened

Place a couple of tablespoons of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish

Add layer of pasta

Add the steamed vegetables

Add another layer of pasta

Spoon half the ricotta over the sauce

Add another layer of pasta

Spoon half the tomato sauce over the pasta

Spoon the remaining half of the ricotta over the paster

Sprinkle with Parmesan

Add another layer of pasta

Cover with remaining sauce making sure that all the pasta is covered

Sprinkle with Parmesan

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes

Lentil lasagne

It must be quite a while since I last made lentil lasagne and the curious thing is that that I didn't plan to make it this time. The plan was to make lasagne with ricotta and a tomato sauce. However, when I was stirring my tomato sauce I suddenly decided to add some lentils.  And I am very glad that I did as it was delicious and I can't think why it has been so long since I enjoyed it.

 Ingredients

400 gr diced tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste (without salt)
Bunch coriander
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp crushed ginger root
1/2 carrot
400 gr canned lentils
375 gr ricotta
6 sheets lasagne pasta (type that does not require pre-cooking)
Parmesan

Mode

Preheat oven to 180c

Chop coriander

Slice carrots into strips

Crush garlic

Place tomatoes in saucepan on stove

Add coriander, carrot, ginger, garlic and tomato paste

Stir to combine

Bring the boil and reduce to simmer

Add lentils and combine

Simmer until thickened

Place a couple of tablespoons of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish

Add layer of pasta

Add half the remaining sauce and smooth

Spoon half the ricotta over the sauce

Add another layer of pasta

Spoon the remaining half of the ricotta over the paster

Sprinkle with Parmesan

Add another layer of pasta

Cover with remaining sauce making sure that all the pasta is covered

Sprinkle with Parmesan

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes

Σεσκουλοπρασόπιτα

Another day, another variant on χορτόπιτα and σπανακόπιτα. But this version is certainly not suitable for Lent due to the animal products.

Ingredients

Half bunch silverbeet

1 leek

2 spring onions

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp Sambal oelek

180 gr ricotta

80 gr fetta

18 gr dill

1 egg

Parmesan

Phyllo

Olive oil

Poppyseed

Mode

Preheat the oven to 180c
Roughly chop the silverbeet, discarding the thick stalks
Clean and slice the spring onions 
Place the vegetables in a steamer 
Peel and crush the garlic and add
Add Sambal oelek
Steam on the stovetop until soft, stirring occasionally
Meanwhile place the ricotta in a bowl
Crumble the fetta by hand on top
Add the egg and stir to combine

Chop the dill roughly, discarding thick stalks and add to cheese mixture

When the vegetables are cooked, add to the mixture and combine well
Using a pastry brush and olive oil line the bottom of a baking dish with about six layers of phyllo, taking care to oil well between each layer
Add the cheese and vegetable mixture to the phyllo
Fold the phyllo over the mixture and cover with several layers of phyllo brushing with oil between each layer
Fold in the edges and oil the top layer
Sprinkle with poppyseeds
With a sharp knife cut the top of the pie into desired portions. DO NOT cut through the bottom of the pie
Cook for 45 minutes in 180c oven until top is crisp and golden
Leave to rest for 2-3 minutes after cooking
Then with a sharp knife cut the portions through to the bottom of the pie.

Eggplant parmigiana with ricotta

A couple of years ago I experimented with eggplant parmigiana after a visit to an Italian cafe with my friend Letizia. This is a variant on that recipe substituting fresh coriander for dried thyme and with the addition of a layer of ricotta. If I may say so myself, I found the end result delicious with the coriander adding especially to the enjoyment. 

Ingredients

1 eggplant

1 can diced tomatoes

Half a bunch of fresh coriander

2 tbs tomato paste

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp chopped garlic root

180 gr ricotta

Olive oil

Parmesan

Mode

Preheat the oven to 180c

Slice the eggplant lengthwise as shown in photo
Place the canned tomatoes in a saucepan on a fairly high flame
Add the tomato paste and stir to combine
Crush the garlic and ginger and add
Chop the coriander and add
Stir to combine 
Bring tomato mixture to the boil and simmer to thicken
Meanwhile heat olive oil in a frying-pan
Fry the eggplant slices turning regularly
Place half the eggplant slices on the bottom of baking dish
Cover with half of the tomato sauce

Spoon on the ricotta
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan
Place the remaining half of the eggplant on top
Cover with the rest of the tomato sauce
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Χορτόπιτα με φέτα

Καθαρά Δευτέρα and Orthodox Lent came with the kites, though limited in number by Covid. I saw feasts of Lenten foods prepared by Greek friends and suddenly I wanted χορτόπιτα! A trip to the greengrocer provided lots of choice: leeks, endive, chicory, dill, coriander. So I made a pie from leek, spring onions, endive and coriander, and at the last minute crumbled in a little feta. I am not sure about the quantities: I just squeezed a batch of greens into my steamer and had enough for a medium-sized pie dish with four serves. The pie was delicious. And soon I will make another with the chicory .

Ingredients

2 spring onions

1 leek

4 cloves garlic

Half a bunch of endive 

Bunch of coriander

80 gr fetta

Phyllo

Olive oil 

Poppyseed

Mode

Preheat the oven to 180c

Put the steamer on the stovetop to bring to boil

Slice the spring onions and leek

Roughly chop the endive and coriander

Add the greens to the top of the steamer

Crush the garlic and add to the greens

Steam until tender

Meanwhile place five sheets of phyllo in the baking dish, basting each sheet with olive oil

Spoon the vegetables on the phyllo and smooth

Crumble fetta over the vegetables

Fold the ends of pastry over the vegetables basting as you go

Cover top of pie with an extra sheet or two of phyllo basted with oil

Sprinkle poppyseed on top

With a sharp knife cut the top layers of pastry into serving pieces

Bake in 180c oven for 45 minutes.

Chicken & coriander pesto meatballs in tomato sauce

After a year when I seem to have been eating nothing but pies and other carbs, now I am trying to get over all that comfort food. When I was food shopping today, masked up at Piedimonte’s, minced chicken caught my eye. Mmm chicken meatballs. The other ingredients were what happened to catch my eye in the pantry and refrigerator when I was wondering what to cook this evening.

I used a ready made and purchased coriander pesto (yum) and a ready made tomato sauce (Five Brothers Tomato and basil sauce) but you could be more creative and make your own!

Ingredients

500 gr minced chicken

2tbs coriander pesto

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp minced ginger root

2 spring onions

Olive oil

500 gr ready made tomato sauce

Mode

Place minced chicken in mixing bowl

Crush garlic and add

Add ginger and coriander pesto

Chop spring onions and add

Stir until thoroughly mixed

Using a tablespoon  spoon form in into meatballs

Finalize shape with hand and place on plate

Meanwhile place the tomato sauce in a pan on heat 

Fill bottle with water, shake to clear jar

Add to pan and stir

Bring to boil and reduce to simmer

Heat olive oil in frying pan

Add meatballs in batches and cook to seal 

Add to tomato sauce as sealed

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes

Eat alone if avoiding carbs or otherwise serve with rice, pasta or noodles. 

Enjoy!!