jumbo chilli dip

This is my first Nigella recipe! I've always loved her presence but have never watched her tv show until recently (I just assumed that I wouldn't be able to handle the meat imagery). The shows I've seen haven't been too full on - she always cooks one dessert and vegetarian offering so I can get around it.

This is EASY AS. Though I did find it's missing something, it's missing a bit of weight. I think next time I make it I'm going to add half a cup of pine nuts. It's really lovely and refreshing on a hot day.

I'm making tacos this week and think this will be a perfect hot sauce for them. I'm also thinking a little dark rum wouldn't go astray and you could use it as a marinade.

recipe from Nigella - Kitchen (Devilishly Good episode) can't find recipe published on web

ingredients
1 500gm jar of roasted capsicum (drained and rinsed)
3 birds eye chillis
1 lime (juice and zest)
2 garlic cloves
3/4 bunch of coriander (including stalks)
big pinch of salt
90 mls of neutral oil

method
1. WHIZZ!

white bean dip - bigilla

I cant believe I've been doing this blog for over a year and I haven't brought a Maltese dish to the table yet. I cant eat chickpeas on the blood type diet so I've been looking for a hummous substitute and eventually thought of Bigilla! Maltese white bean dip, full of protein, low in fat and so delicious. I can eat this at any time of the day (I had it on buckwheat crispbreads this morning for breakfast) and its really quick and simple to make.

ingredients
2 cans of white beans (drained and rinsed)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
salt
juice of one lemon (or 1-2 tbsp depends on how lemony your lemons are)
fresh chilli or chilli flakes (I used chilli oil)
A glug of olive oil to loosen it up

method
1. Mash with a fork or masher.

notes: I like tonnes of garlic, if this is not your thing of course use less! I usually use cannelini beans, but butter are also good, broad beans are traditional)

guacamole

Fresh. Divine.

ingredients
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup of diced tomato
1/4 cup of diced spanish onion
Juice of one lime
Salt, pepper
Tabasco for serving
a handful of chopped coriander if you're into it

method
1. Mash the avocado and stir in the other ingredients. Add salt to taste.

rocket pesto

We got a tonne of rocket in this weeks vegie box (if you are interested in joining the Moreland Organic Fruit and Veg CoOp please let me know!) so I had to find a way of using it all up.

ingredients
2 bunches of rocket (this filled my standard food processor bowl)
2/3 cup of almonds lightly toasted
1 tsp of miso paste (mellow barley or white - do not use if you want soy free)
juice of one lemon
1 to 2 cloves of raw garlic
1/4 olive oil (though you may want more)
fresh pepper

method
1. Lightly toast the almonds in a fry pan and then whizz all ingredients in food processor.

notes: This was seriously DELICIOUS. I served on toasted ciabatta with fresh chilli and chipotle. I ended up eating this by the spoonful. Soooo lovely!

chiara's roasted garlic and carrot dip

This is my friend Chiaras favourite dip recipe. I love seeing what other people do with food it's always so interesting to me, especially when it turns out delicious like this.

ingredients
3/4 kg bag of carrots, peeled and quartered
1 knob of garlic
1tsp cumin seeds
1 can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup of tahini
1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp of dukkah
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of chipotle (optional)

method
1. Roast the garlic and carrots in oven with the cumin seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. Then blend with the rest of the ingrediants. Really play around with the flavours. Sprinkle with dukkah and drizzle with olive oil and serve.

minestrone with basil pesto

With minestrone, you can pretty much whack anything in there, any seasonal vegetable, or frozen vegies you have lying around. Recipe from the Voluptous Vegan.

ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced or diced
1 tsp of dried thyme
1 tsp of dried rosemary
1 tsp of fresh (or dried) chilli finely sliced (or to your taste)
1 tin of diced tomatoes
1 tin of butter beans (or borlotti/butter beans or chickpeas, whatever)
5 cups of vegetarian stock (any flavour)
1/2 cup of red wine (optional)
2 potatoes, peeled and diced small
1/4 cup of short pasta (optional)
1 large carrot, diced
2 zucchinis, diced large
1 tsp of salt
Cracked pepper to taste

method
1.Saute the onions, carrots and garlic over medium heat until soft and the onion is translucent. Add thyme, rosemary and chilli and stir.

2. Add all the ingredients to the pot minus the pasta and the spinach/greens and cook until then vegetables are 'al dente', not soft, then add the pasta and cook another 10 minutes until the pasta is done.

3. Add the spinach/greens for 2 minutes until wilted into the soup. Serve with a big dollop of pesto. Add more water if you need to during the pasta cooking session.

basil pesto
yields 3/4 cup

1 cup of pine nuts, toasted
2 packed cups of basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp of light miso paste (yellow/white/barley)
1/4 cup of nooch* (optional)
1/4 to 1/3 a cup of olive oil

1. Start with the 1/4 cup of olive oil and whizz all the pesto ingredients together in a food processor. If pesto is not thin enough add more olive oil until desired consistency. Serve on everything!

The pesto keeps in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

notes: Nooch = nutritional yeast or 'savoury yeast flakes' as it is sometimes called. You can buy at any health food store it adds a cheesy flavour. Fresh miso paste can be found at asian supermarkets (and sometimes regular).