Cooking with Flavour & Wine

Fennel Flatbreads

 

Ingredients:

• 220g Greek yogurt (for a vegan option, substitute with plant-based coconut yogurt)
• 140g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly toasted and crushed fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
2. Mix the flour and yogurt together. Pay attention to the dough’s consistency. If it’s too dry, add a tablespoon of yogurt. Conversely, if it seems too wet, add a tablespoon of flour. The dough should feel smooth without being sticky.
3. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest for half an hour.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 pieces.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a thin circle.
6. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat with a little olive or rapeseed oil.
7. Cook the Greek yogurt flatbread for a few minutes on each side. You’ll notice it puffing up and charring in certain parts, which adds flavour. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly fine!
8. Repeat the process with the remaining dough pieces until all the flatbreads are cooked

 

Blowtorched Mackerel

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Mackerel fillets, deboned (ask your fishmonger to do this if you’re not confident)
• Cornish sea salt
• Black pepper
• Rapeseed oil

 

Instructions:

Season the Mackerel fillets with Cornish sea salt and black pepper. Heat a non-stick pan over high heat and add a little rapeseed oil. Pat the fish dry with a kitchen towel before cooking to prevent sticking and oil spattering. Place the Mackerel fillets in the pan, skin side down. Cook them for about 70% of the total cooking time on the skin side. Carefully flip the fillets for a quick sear, cooking them for only about 3 seconds on the flesh side. For an added depth of flavour, use a blowtorch to lightly char the skin of the Mackerel fillets. Remember that Mackerel is best served slightly undercooked, similar to how you would cook Tuna.  

Dukkah Nuts

 

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• Pinch of turmeric
• Pinch of fenugreek
• 50g hazelnuts
• 50g peanuts
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Place the coriander seeds, cumin, turmeric, and fenugreek in a dry pan over medium heat. Toast the spices for a few minutes until they become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. The heat will express the volatile oils within the spices and result in a more complex flavour
3. In a separate pan, toast the hazelnuts and peanuts over medium heat until they turn golden brown. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent burning. Once toasted, remove from heat.
4. Allow the toasted spices and nuts to cool down to room temperature.
5. Once the hazelnuts have cooled, transfer them to a food processor and pulse until you achieve the desired texture. You can adjust the pulsing time to your preference, whether you prefer a coarse or fine texture.
6. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the toasted coriander seeds, cumin, turmeric, and fenugreek until they form a fine mixture.
7. In a bowl, combine the crushed spices with the hazelnuts, peanuts, and white sesame seeds.
8. Season the mixture with sea salt and pepper, adjusting the amounts to your taste preferences.
9. Mix everything together well, ensuring the spices and nuts are evenly distributed.
10. Taste the Dukkah Nuts and adjust the seasoning if needed.
11. Store the Dukkah Nuts in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Your delicious Dukkah Nuts can serve them as a snack, or use them as a seasoning or topping for salads, roasted vegetables, or dips.  

Labneh 

  First thing’s first: choose your yogurt wisely. No matter what, look for Greek, whole milk yogurt. Don’t substitute low fat or fat-free yogurt in this recipe. And depending on the thickness of your yogurt, you may want to use two layers of cheesecloth instead of one. If your yogurt is quite thick, one layer works just fine. If it’s thinner, use two layers for the best results.  

Ingredients:

• 200g Greek yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon Cornish sea salt

 

Instructions:

• In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt and Cornish sea salt until well combined.
• Take a layer of cheesecloth and place it over the bowl. Make sure the cheesecloth is large enough to fully cover the yogurt mixture.
• Pour the yogurt mixture onto the centre of the cheesecloth.
• Gather the edges of the cheesecloth together and tie them securely around the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Position the spoon across the top of a deep bowl, ensuring that the labneh hangs in the centre without touching the bottom of the bowl.
• Transfer the setup to the refrigerator and let it chill for a minimum of 24 hours, or overnight. The longer you strain the yogurt, the thicker the labneh will become.
• After the desired straining time, carefully remove the spoon with the labneh and untie the cheesecloth.
• The strained labneh is now ready to be used or served as desired.

Enjoy your deliciously thick Greek Yogurt Labneh! It can be used as a spread, dip, or in various recipes.