Buffalo Mozzarella salad with Bresaola or Artichoke Hearts

Buffalo Mozzarella Salad with Bresaola

A summer salad for what should be a summer day (shame about this rainy weather, aye?). My aunt recently told me a story about when I was younger: my parents were away and she had offered to take me and a friend out for lunch. With McDonald's in mind she asked where I would like to go. I said I didn’t like McDonald's and wanted to go to Harvey Nichols to get a rare, cured beef called Bresaola. She couldn’t believe what a snobby daughter her sister had produced. I think I kicked up such a fuss that I got my own way in the end. It was such a pain that she never offered to take me out again.

Bresaola (for the meat-eaters) really is delicious. All you need is a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of lemon and seasoning - I could snack on it every day.

Luckily, it’s not so rare any more, and most supermarkets and any good Italian deli will stock it.

Serves: 1 vegetarian and 1 meat-eater

1 small broccoli head, cut into florets
Buffalo Mozzarella, torn into chunks
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lemon
Sprinkle of mixed seeds
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
M: 5-10 slices of Bresaola (I would go closer to 10 slices because its so good!)
V: 5 marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

M: Place the bresaola in a bowl, squeeze over quarter of the lemon, drizzle with olive oil and season. Leave to marinade.

Boil the broccoli for a few minutes in salted water. Drain, refresh with cold water and leave to cool.

Divide the broccoli and tomatoes between two plates. Place the Buffalo Mozzarella on top and sprinkle with the mixed seeds.

M: Mix the Bresaola into the salad along with the marinade. Serve.

V:  Mix the artichoke hearts into the salad. Drizzle with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and season to taste. Serve.

Buffalo Mozzarella salad with Bresaola

Moroccan Eggs with Cubed Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

 

Moroccan Eggs with Cubed Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

My recent move from North, via West and, finally, to East London left me little to no time for cooking. Changing jobs twice also added to the hectic life I’ve been living. At last, I’m starting to feel more settled. The Vegetarian has filled our tiny terrace with edible produce. Every morning we wake up and check the progress of the seeds we've planted; the pea shoots have been the most impressive so far.  I also now have my dream kitchen so it’s time to get cooking!

After a very long Jubilee weekend, full of socialising and dancing around the city, we were in need of a huge healthy breakfast. This Moroccan-influenced meal ticked all the boxes. It serves 2 but could easily serve 4: we were just being very greedy. It did keep us full for most of the day, though.

Serves: 2 greedy people.

500 g cherry tomatoes, halved

4 spring onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp chilli flakes

½ tsp caster sugar

4 medium organic eggs

Handful parsley, chopped

Bunch of asparagus, trimmed

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 bay leaf

Sprig of rosemary

Sprig of thyme

Olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

M: Chunk of chorizo, sliced

Cubed Sweet Potatoes

 

Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Drizzle an oven dish with olive oil and place in the oven for a few minutes. Toss the sweet potato cubes in the hot olive oil with the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, crushed garlic cloves and seasoning. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Moroccan Eggs

Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the cumin, spring onion and finely chopped garlic for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Use a wooden to spoon to break up some of the tomatoes.

Make four wells in the sauce and break an egg into each. Ruffle the egg whites as they start to solidify in the sauce. Cook for two minutes and cover for a further minute to cook the tops of the eggs. Sprinkle with parsley. 

M: Fry the chorizo for a minute.

While the eggs are cooking, place the asparagus in a pan of salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Serve the Moroccan eggs with the sweet potato cubes and asparagus on the side.

M: Add the chorizo to the meat-eaters plate.

Moroccan Eggs with Cubed Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus