Cold dishes to share

Makes 2

From Kingsmill

Ingredients:

• 2 Kingsmill 50/50 Pockets
• 150glow fat Halloumi cheese sliced
• 1 teaspoon low fat mayonnaise
• Lettuce leaves
• 6pieces sunblush tomatoes
• 4fresh basil leaves torn

Method:

1.Place the sliced halloumi on a pre-heated griddle pan and cook for around 2 minutes per side.

2. Place the Kingsmill 50/50 Pocket into a toaster to warm through, open the pockets then spread on the mayonnaise, place the lettuceinto the bottom of the pocket then add the halloumi, sunblush tomatoes and lastly add the basil.

3. Serve either hot or cold.

 

Ingredients

Use Grandpa’s pastry recipe (page 5).

150g cheese

1 egg yolk

Decorating: Black olives, carrot, pepper, sesame and cumin seeds.

Method

1. At the breadcrumbs stage - add 150g grated cheese and an egg yolk.

2. Mix together adding water until it forms a stiff dough.

3. Roll out, cut into circles, pinch two ears.

4. Put on a greased baking tray.

5. Decorate with sliced olives for eyes, a carrot or red pepper beak and sesame or cumin seeds for the speckled tummy feathers.

6. Bake at 200°C, Gas6, for about 20 min until set and golden.

For this and a dozen more delicious easy recipes for your Big Lunch take a look at George and Flora’s Big Party, by Jo Elworthy and Ley Honor Roberts, published by Eden Project Children’s Books, £5.99, on 7^th June.

From Start, The Cookery School

Ingredients:

• 1lb/450g whole wheat
• Soy sauce
• vinaigrette dressing (made with olive oil, wine vinegar, garlic, little salt and pepper)
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• ½ cup chopped spring onions

                                                                       

Method:

1.         Boil the whole wheat in water (with no salt) until tender.  At this stage the grains will start bursting open and will taste soft and not starchy.  Do not cook until they are pulpy.  This should take about 1 - 1½ hours.

2.         Drain the water off the wheat and whilst still boiling hot pour over sufficient vinaigrette dressing to coat generously - it will all be absorbed by the wheat.  Also pour over sufficient soy sauce to give the mixture a nice tang.  Pour in the soy gradually, tasting all the while, because it is rather salty and it is important not to over salt.

3.         Leave the salad to stand until cool and to absorb the liquids.  Stir from time to time to ensure that the entire mixture is well coated.  It may be necessary to add more dressing and soy sauce if the grains look dry.

4.         Stir in the parsley and spring onions, cover and refrigerate. 

5.         This salad improves with keeping because the flavours are absorbed as the grains swell.

6.         Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

 

From Big Luncher Cathy Devon

Ingredients:

• White and Red cabbage
• Carrots
• Onion
• Sultanas
• Salad cream or mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper
• Dash of lime juice

Method:

• 1. Chop cabbage into small pieces approximately 1 cm sq.
  • 2. Grate carrots and onion
• 3. Combine cabbage, carrots and onion in a bowl and add salad cream or mayonnaise. Stir thoroughly.
• 4. Squeeze in a dash of lime
• 5. Season to taste and add sultanas. 

Tip:- Keep adding ingredients in proportion until quantity of coleslaw is as required.

Serves 4 as a starter

From Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall at River Cottage

Ingredients:

• 500g beetroot, preferably baby ones that you can keep whole, otherwise cut them into 3cm chunks
• A couple of handfuls of rocket leaves
  125g feta cheese
• 2 tbsp best olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• 1. Wash and peel the beetroot. Simmer gently or steam for 7–10 minutes, until tender but still a little crunchy. Leave to cool.
• 2. Put the rocket leaves in a salad bowl with the beetroot, then crumble the feta cheese on top.
• 3. Dress with the olive oil, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a few twists of black pepper. Toss well together and serve.

From Alli

A simple salad using cracked wheat with the classic combination of juicy tomatoes, feta and parsley. A great salad to take on a picnic.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
125g bulgur wheat
450ml vegetable stock (1/2 stock cube)
160g plum tomatoes, 1cm diced
juice of 1 lemon
15g parsley, chopped
125g feta, 2cm diced

Method:
1. Place the bulgur wheat in a saucepan and pour over the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer gently, covered for 10–15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the grains are tender, adding a little more water if needed. Allow to cool.
2. Fluff up the bulgur wheat with a fork and stir in the tomatoes, lemon juice and parsley, season with black pepper.
3. Gently stir in the feta and serve.

From Alli

Fresh and fishy – grilled sardines with summer courgettes served with a lively fennel and cucumber salad and Chinese-style dressing.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
juice of 2 limes
freshly ground black pepper
30ml light soy sauce
30ml rice wine
20g clear honey
4 sardines, scaled and gutted
2 medium courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1 lime
2 small green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 small cucumber, halved lengthwise, peeled and deseeded
1 medium bulb of fennel, outer leaves removed and sliced very thinly

Method:
1. Rinse and dry the sardines. Arrange on a baking sheet or lined grill pan with the courgettes, brush or spray with the oil and lime juice then set aside in a cool place until required.
2. Prepare the salad. Blanch the slithers of fennel in boiling water for one minute then run under cold water until cooled. Drain well.
3. Cut the cucumber into strips or slices and place in a bowl with the fennel. Add the chilli and toss together. Cover and refrigerate until required.
4. Meanwhile preheat the grill to its highest setting. Grill the sardines and courgettes for three minutes on each side or until cooked – the sardines should be opaque and firm and the courgettes golden and tender.
5. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, honey and lime juice. Toss in with the salad ingredients.
6. Serve the grilled sardines alongside a spoonful of the salad. Season with black pepper.

From Big Luncher Ella, Bristol

Ingredients:

• Can green beans
• Can wax beans or similar
• Can lima beans or similar
• Can red kidney beans
• Can chickpeas
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup vinegar
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon mustard or dry mustard powder

Method:

• 1. Drain all the beans and combine in a large bowl.
• 2. Heat gently vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, dry mustard until sugar dissolves.
• 3. Mix with bean mix and let stand overnight in refrigerator.
• 4. Add onion and chopped pepper about an hour before serving.

Tip :- If wax or lima beans aren’t available, try using other beans such as small butter beans and pinto beans

Makes 1, (to serve 2)

From Kingsmill

Ingredients

• 1 Kingsmill 50/50 Wrap
• 3 tablespoons tomato pasata
• 1 slice cooked ham, chopped into squares
• 25g pineapple diced
• 30g low fat Cheddar cheese grated
• 4-5 fresh basil leaves torn

Method:

• 1. Place theKingsmill 50/50 Wraponto a baking sheet then spread the pasata onto it, scatter over the 2. ham and pineapple along with the cheddar cheese.
• 3. Bake in a pre-heated oven set at 200 ^oC (180 ^oC fan) / 350 ^oF/gas mark 4for 6-8 minutes or until the 4. cheese has melted and the tortilla base has gone crispy.
• 5. Add the torn basil leaves and cut into four slices.

Serves 4

Wendy Barrie, Love Food hate Waste

Ingredients:

• 150g beansprouts
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• 1 carrot
• 2 sticks of celery
• 25g sultanas (or any dried fruit)
• 20 ml rapeseed oil
• 5 ml white wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
• freshly ground pepper
• fresh herbs (e.g. chives, coriander or parsley if available)

Method:

• 1. Place beansprouts in a colander/sieve and rinse thoroughly.
• 2. Wash all other vegetables under the cold tap to remove any dust or soil.
• 3. Place beansprouts in a generously sized bowl.
• 4. Slice onions obliquely and add to bowl. Repeat with celery.
• 5. Peel carrot and grate coarsely. Add to bowl. Add sultanas and any herbs.
• 6. Place dressing ingredients in a small bowl and blend with a fork. Pour over tossed salad just prior to serving.

Recipe tips: Think of buying fresh produce in smaller quantities more often so you can enjoy it at its best.

Makes 2

From Kingsmill

Ingredients:

• 2 Kingsmill 50/50 Wraps
• 4 small pre-cooked onion bhajis (approx 200g)

For the Raita:

• 8fresh mint leaves chopped
• 1/2 cucumber peeled deseeded and diced
• 4tablespoonsnatural yoghurt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Black pepper to season

To dress:

• 2tablespoon mango chutney
• 3Cos lettuce leaves shredded

Method:

• 1. Warm the onion bhajis ina pre-heatedoven set at 200 ^oC (180 ^oC fan) / 400 ^oF /gas mark 6 for 10-12 mins.
• 2. Mix the raita ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
• 3. Spread the mango chutney onto the Kingsmill 50/50Wraps, add the lettuce leaves, place the bhajis on top (cut in half to spread evenly if preferred), then spoon over the raita, roll and enjoy.
• Serve hot or cold.

Serves 4

Wendy Barrie, Love Food Hate Waste

Ingredients:

• 
  1 lettuce (washed

  1 punnet cherry tomatoes (or larger tomatoes quartered

  1 carrot (peeled and grated)

  3 eggs (hard boiled and quartered)

  ½ red onion (peeled and sliced)

  • 100 g green vegetables (blanched (French beans/runner beans/ frozen peas)
  • 2 hot smoked mackerel (flaked)
  • freshly ground pepper
  • light dressing (of your choice)
  • .

  Method:

  • 1. Wash and prepare salad ingredients as appropriate.
  • 2. Arrange salad directly onto plates, starting with a layer of lettuce and layering on other ingredients.
  • 3. Finally drizzle with dressing.

  To serve:

  Serve with baked potato wedges or crusty wholemeal bread Blanching vegetables is very lightly cooking to retain vitamins, colour and crunch. After a few minutes in boiling water they are refreshed under the cold tap before adding to salad. Vary the ingredients by adding different seasonal roasted vegetables, warm or chilled.