Halloumi Bites Nigella Lawson Food

HALLOUMI WITH QUICK SWEET CHILLI SAUCE

Steps:

• Slice 2 of the chillies, leaving the seeds in, then de-seed the third and chop it into fine dice (this is for full-on fieriness; you may de-seed more cautiously if you wish) and add to a small pan--ideally, the sort sold as a butter-melting pan--along with the honey, and squeeze in 1 teaspoon of lime juice from one half of the lime. Put the pan on the smallest ring on the stove and bring to a bubble, then turn the heat down low, and let it foam away for 4 minutes. Stir frequently and do not leave the pan unattended, otherwise it will foam over the stove. Remove from the heat.
• Before you turn to the halloumi, arrange a few salad leaves on 2 plates, and pour as much or as little oil over them as you want. Cut the un-juiced half of the lime into wedges, and pop one on each plate if so wished.
• Slice the halloumi block into 8 pieces, and heat a cast-iron or heavy-based frying pan. When it's hot, add the slices and cook them--without any oil in the pan--for 30 to 60 seconds until they are tiger-striped underneath, then turn the slices over and cook until the underside is patchily bronzed, too.
• Remove the halloumi to the salad-lined plates and spoon the lipstick-red pieces of chilli in their honeyed glaze over the cheese. Eat immediately. Not hard to do.

DOUBLE POTATO AND HALLOUMI BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the sweet potato into rough 1 1/2-inch cubes and the red potato slightly smaller (1-inch cubes) as the sweet potato will cook more quickly. Halve the red onion, then cut each half into 4 to 6 segments, discarding any tough outer skin. Seed the peppers and cut into 1-inch squares, and separate the cloves of garlic. Put everything into a 2-quart flameproof casserole dish, or whatever you want to use (it should be big, otherwise use 2 dishes) and, using your hands, give the vegetables a good coating of olive oil. Season with black pepper, but no salt as the cheese will make it salty (and anyway, the salt will make water leach out).
• Bake for 45 minutes, by which time the vegetables should be cooked through and here and there tinged with brown. You'll need to turn the oven up to maximum heat or light the broiler for the endgame: so place the thinly sliced cheese on top of the bake, and put it back in the very hot oven or under the broiler until the cheese has melted and turned slightly brown on top, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve straight out of the casserole dish.

HALLOUMI WITH CHILI

Steps:

• Mix the chopped chile and olive oil in a small bowl or cup and leave the flavors to deepen while you cook the cheese. I use a nonstick frying pan for this, without any oil, and just give the cheese slices about 2 minutes a side until they're golden brown in parts. When all the slices of halloumi are cooked, transfer them to a couple of small plates. Give the chile oil a stir, spoon it over the cheese, then give a spritz of lemon. That's all there is to it.

HALLOUMI BITES (NIGELLA LAWSON)

Steps:

• Combine the oil, parsley, lime juice, and pepper (a good grinding) in a large shallow dish.
• Slice the drained halloumi into ¼-inch wide pieces, and then cut each slice in half again (don't worry if bits splinter as you cut).
• Heat a dry skillet and dry-fry the slices of cheese until golden on both sides; this should take only a minute or so in a hot pan.
• Put the fried halloumi into the shallow dish of other ingredients as you go, and then turn the halloumi about t coat each piece before turning into a serving dish.

GRAVLAX BY NIGELLA LAWSON

Steps:

• Place the salmon fillet, skin-side down, into a wide, shallow dish that fits the salmon snugly. (I used a 9X13 baking dish).
• Place the salt, sugar, mustard and gin into a small bowl and mix well until combined and a smooth paste is formed.
• Spread the mixture over the salmon to cover completely.
• Sprinkle the dill over the mustard paste. Press onto the paste so that no salmon flesh is visible.
• Carefully turn the fish over so that the skin is now facing up.
• Cover the dish with cling film/plastic wrap and press it down onto the top and edges of the fish before wrapping it around the sides of the dish. Repeat the process with another layer of cling film.
• Apply weight to the top of the fish to press it down into the dish, using filled jars or cans or any other weights.
• Transfer the fish to the fridge and leave for 2-3 days. (I did mine for the full 3 days).
• At serving time, remove the fish to a cutting board, skin-side down. Brush off the dill from the salmon.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully cut very thin diagonal slices of the salmon.
• Place on a serving dish and enjoy.
• Any remaining can be wrapped in cling film and refrigerated.

ROCKY ROAD CRUNCH BARS - NIGELLA LAWSON

Steps:

• Melt chocolate, butter and golden syrup together over low heat.
• Put digestive biscuits in a ziptop bag. Bash with a rolling pin until you have a mixture of coarse and fine crumbs.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the melted chocolate mixture and set aside. Add biscuit crumbs and marshmallows to the chocolate remaining in the pan. Mix thoroughly. Turn out into a 9" square pan. Pat out flat. Drizzle reserved chocolate over the top.
• Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Dust top with powdered sugar and cut into 24 bars.

HALLOUMI BOUREKIA

Steps:

• cheese filling: Mix all the ingredients together, taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
• Dough: Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
• Make a well in the centre, add the water and lemon juice and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
• Add the melted fat and knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth.
• Shape the dough into 1 large ball, cover with a damp cloth and leave for 30 minutes.
• Lightly flour your working surface and roll out the dough until 0.
• 5cm thick.
• Put the block of margarine or butter in the middle of the sheet of dough and fold the pastry over the fat so that it is completely enclosed.
• With a well floured rolling pin, flatten the dough to a 1cm thickness.
• Fold the dough in half and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Roll out the dough again on the floured surface to 0.
• 5cm thickness.
• Fold in half and refrigerate for a further 10 minutes.
• Keeping the work surface well floured, roll the dough out once more as thinly as possible.
• Cut into 7.
• 5cm-10cm squares or circles.
• Put 5-10ml of filling in one half of each shape.
• Dampen the edges with cold water and fold over to make rectangles or semi circles.
• Seal the edges with your fingertips or a fork.
• Arrange on a greased baking tray with a little beaten egg.
• Bake in a 180°C (350°F) mark 4 oven for 20-30 minutes or until puffed or golden brown.

NIGELLA LAWSON ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel and cut the sweet potato into 2 inch cubes and put it in the pan. (Add each ingredient to the pan as you go.).
• Cut the red potato(es) into slightly smaller cubes 1-1/2 cubes (because they are denser than the sweet potato so they need to be smaller to cook in the same amount of time).
• Cut the red onion in the middle, then cut each half into 4-6 segments, discarding the dry outer skin. (the onion should still stay together in large chunks and will still have the end bit on).
• Cut peppers into 1 inch chunks (discard seeds and stem).
• Separate the cloves of garlic but no need to remove the skin.
• Add the oil and mix everything together with your hands (it's fun).
• Season with pepper, but no salt (it will make the dish watery).
• Cook for 45-55 minutes until vegetables are cooked through and the tinged with brown.
• Top with cheese and broil 5 minutes or so until brown.
• (If you want to omit the cheese, you can add a bit of coarse salt before serving.).
• Serve it right out of the pan at the table. Couldn't be easier or more delicious!

CHICKPEAS WITH CHILLI, GARLIC AND THYME ( NIGELLA LAWSON )

Steps:

• Put chickpeas in enough cold water to cover generously along with the flour, salt and baking soda.
• Leave for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours drain and rinse thoroughly.
• Put the chickpeas in a big pot, cover with cold water, add the halved onion, sprigs of thyme and olive oil. Cover, bring to boil then reduce to rolling simmer. Do not uncover for at least 1 and 1/2 hours (or less, see description note above).
• After 1 and 1/2 hours check for doneness. If done, reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid and drain the chickpeas. Remove the thyme and onion as best you can. Set chickpeas aside for a moment.
• Chop the onion and garlic roughly and remove the thyme leaves from the stem. Throw onion, garlic and thyme in food processor (or chop as finely as you possibly can). Whirl it to a pulp.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in large deep fry pan then add pulp mixture, Sprinkle with salt and cook gently for 5 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and half the cooking liquid, cover and heat gently til everything is hot and the chick peas are soft.
• If there is too much liquid, remove the lid and let some boil off. If you run out of liquid, add a bit more.
• Sprinkle with more salt, additional thyme or more olive oil and serve.