Category: Frugal

Two out of One: Couscous & Yellow Split Pea Stuffed Tomatoes and Couscous and Yellow Pea “Falafel”

Splendid, fat, juicy and sweet – served on a summer evening with a green salad only a dollop of thick creamy Turkish yoghurt is needed.

First we make Veggie Stuffed Tomatoes and here I used couscous so no need to pre-cook and yellow split peas – which I did pre-cook. As I had stopped off at the Turkish store on the way to Caroline’s “petite cuisine” things took a  Turkish turn… some sumac, mint and allspice went in the mix.

As the mix was made with couscous, or perhaps as I was over enthusiastic there was quite a lot of stuffing left over and so to…

Couscous and Yellow Pea Falafel

 

Delicious little fried or baked patties ..

Here we added lots of extra things to give flavour to the  couscous and yellow peas . So for this they are great for little bits and pieces lurking around the fridge awaiting a recipe home.  We found chopped black olives, garlic, lots of parsley, more herbs some salt and pepper and bound the lot together with an egg.  If the mixture is too crumbly then more egg and more water may be needed.  It should stick together when you hold it in a clenched fist. 

We grilled some and we fried some – with extra spring onions and little tomatoes – for a great light lunch.  Make them as small balls or as flattened mini burgers and serve with a green salad or inside a wrap with a yoghurt or tahini sauce or just  box them up and take to work/ school as a healthy snack. 

 

Pants to Brexit Marmalade

the world of marmalade turns darker

A lovely recipe to practice a bit of stockpiling. Use any citrus fruit still imported (1.5kgs) and boil until soft. Strain the juices (1.7l) through a pair of old pants (yes really) as if your knickers weren’t in a twist already. Get used to make doing and mending. Chop into small strands, slowly, rhythmically but alas not to Radio 4. A bit of Rachmaninoff maybe? Definitely not Holst.

Oh and there is no Plan B for this recipe btw. Plan B is Plan A.

Add 1.5kgs sugar and a bit of treacle. Boil (as in watching frogs) vigorously until setting point. Add whisky or a beverage from our EU friends. I used Romanian “tuica”.

Veggie Stuffed Tomatoes

for times when you find BIG RIPE tomatoes…

My love of stuffed tomatoes started young. On a holiday to France we were driving through Marseilles. I think I was nine. My mum stopped at a charcuterie and as we waited in the car a girl rode by with a pet monkey on the child’s seat of her bicycle. The small black monkey, the smell of those still warm stuffed tomatoes, eating them as a picnic lunch…I can still taste how good they were. Its funny how certain memories are etched on your brain forever. So here is a recipe that I make over and over again whenever I find giant tomatoes.

Perhaps buying the tomatoes is half of the fun?

 

Gadgets & Gizmos
Deep baking tray or ceramic dish

Ingredients: serves four

This recipe is a guide as stuffed vegetables should be seen as handy recipients for leftovers:
• 4 x 200g of big fat ripe tomatoes  or 6 smaller ones
• 100g rice and 50g green lentils  or 100g couscous and 25g currants
• 1 small onion finely chopped or 3 spring onions
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
•  Selection of fresh herbs: parsley/ basil/ thyme/ mint chopped roughly
•  1/2 tsp allspice 
• Olive oil for brushing and drizzling
• 60g hard cheese (optional) something like parmesan or gruyere but strong cheddar is fine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Very thick Greek yoghurt to serve

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