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4 Arrange three koftas on each plate. Scatter with the mint and serve with the lemon wedges and your choice of accompaniments.
Rachel’s tips
* To check the seasoning before making up the koftas, shape a little of the mixture into a small patty and fry in a pan with a little olive for a few minutes until cooked through. Taste and add more salt and pepper to the mixture if necessary.
* To make sure that you end up with the correct number of evenly sized koftas, break off pieces of the mixture and weigh them, deducting or adding more of the mixture so that each piece weighs about 50g (2oz).
(dips and pittas continued overleaf) Aubergine and tahini dip: baba ghanouj
Aubergine and tohini dip: baba ghanouj
MAKES ABOUT 550 G (1LB 3OZ) VEGETARIAN
There are many different versions of this popular Middle Eastern dip — sometimes it’s made with ground cumin or chopped mint, for instance. It is delicious served with the lamb koftas or just as a snack with some toasted pitta bread.
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 aubergines
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2–4 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
3 tbsp light tahini paste (sesame paste)
Juice of 1 lemon
125ml (4½fl oz) Greek-style yoghurt
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5.
2 Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a baking tray. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and place skin side down on the tray. Drizzle with another tablespoon of the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Add the garlic to the tray and bake in the oven for 20–30 minutes or until the garlic and aubergines are soft.
3 Once cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin of the aubergine. Discard the skin and put the flesh into a food processor with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice and the remaining olive oil. Blend until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Alternatively, place all the ingredients in the bowl and purée using a hand-held blender. Allow to cool.
4 Once cool, fold in the yoghurt and almost all of the parsley. Check the seasoning, adjusting if necessary, then spoon into a serving bowl and scatter with the remaining parsley.
Coriander and mint salsa
MAKES ABOUT 200 ML (7FL OZ) VEGETARIAN
I love this sauce. It is rather like a pesto — great drizzled over barbecued lamb chops, for instance, or of course with the lamb koftas. It keeps really well in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Just cover with a thin layer of olive oil to help preserve.
4 tbsp roughly chopped coriander, including soft stalks
2 tbsp roughly chopped mint
1 spring onion, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 150ml (5fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place all the ingredients in a food processor, season with salt and pepper and blend until fairly smooth, adding a little more oil if necessary. Alternatively, make by hand by finely chopping the herbs, spring onion and garlic and stirring into the oil. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, and place in a serving bowl.
Tzatziki
MAKES ABOUT 150ML (5FL OZ) VEGETARIAN
150ml (5fl oz) natural yoghurt
3 tbsp roughly chopped mint
½ cucumber, diced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
Juice and finely grated zest of ½ lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the yoghurt in a small bowl and mix in the mint, cucumber, garlic and lemon juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Raita
MAKES ABOUT 400 ML (14 FL OZ)
This classic dip from India and South Asia is the perfect foil for spicy food, the yoghurt providing a welcome cooling touch.
1 × 250g tub of Greek-style yoghurt
½ cucumber, deseeded and diced
2 tbsp chopped mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Simply stir all the ingredients together and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Hummus
MAKES ABOUT 400G (14OZ) VEGETARIAN
Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpeas. Of course you can buy this in many shops now but it is quick and easy to make at home and so versatile. I often add chopped coriander or mint and sometimes a little chopped red chilli. It will keep in the fridge for 4–5 days.
1 × 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas, drained, or 125g (4½oz) dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked (see page 329)
Juice of ½–1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 heaped tbsp tahini paste (sesame paste)
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place all the ingredients in a food processor, season with salt and pepper and blend until really smooth, adding a little more oil if necessary. Check the seasoning, adding more lemon juice and salt and pepper if needed, and place in a serving bowl.
Spicy pitta wedges
MAKES ABOUT 20 WEDGES
As well as serving with the lamb koftas, these could be used for dipping into and scooping up any of the dips on their own. They’re best served straight away, slightly warm, but they will keep for a day or two in an airtight container, reheated when you need them.
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted (see tip on page 50) 4 pitta breads, cut into wedges 2–3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp finely chopped deseeded red chilli (optional)
¼ tsp sea salt
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas mark 7.
2 Crush the toasted cumin seeds using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Alternatively, once the seeds are cool, put them into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Place the pitta wedges in a large bowl, pour over the olive oil, add the crushed cumin seeds, chilli (if using) and salt and toss together to coat evenly.
3 Spread out flat on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 4–5 minutes until pale golden. Keep an eye on them as they can burn easily!
Food on the go
There’s something special about a home-packed meal when you are out and about, on a train or car trip, out walking in the hills, enjoying a lazy afternoon at the beach or taking a break at work or school. My mother-in-law, Darina, is the snack queen when it comes to travelling. Once we all flew together to Mexico, and mid-flight she took out some lovely smoked salmon and brown bread sandwiches. I was so glad to be travelling with her! When we’re travelling with the children, I’m always especially thankful that I’ve got packed food with me. It’s not only practical and economical, but it can be a great distraction for restless young travellers. A bag of popcorn or some delicious homemade baked goods, such as the Squashed-fly Biscuits on page 277, are great for snacking.
Packed salads
Salads are great on-the-go foods and so many dishes are perfect served cold or at room temperature. They can easily be popped into a lidded plastic container for lunch on the hoof. Cold cooked pasta, rice, couscous and orzo are all wonderful as a base for salads. Try any of them with cut-up raw or roasted vegetables (peppers, tomato, broccoli, courgette), a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and other ingredients, such as chorizo, feta cheese, spring onion or a bit of crushed garlic for flavour. I love leftover cooked pasta or new potatoes mixed with tuna, hard-boiled egg, olives, tomatoes and cucumber. Beans, such as haricot or cannellini, chickpeas and lentils also work well as a base for a salad. Do avoid any kind of lettuce-based salad, though, as the leaves will go soggy.
Creative options
Not everyone loves sandwiches, but luckily there are so many delicious alternatives. For instance, pack a few flour or corn tortillas, some refried beans, shredded cooked chicken and tomato salsa and you can assemble portable tostadas on the spot (see pages 137–9). Chutney and crackers with cheese or cold meats are also perfectly portable. Leftover roast meat, meatloaf (see page 191) or nut loaf and pâté, not to mention the Pork and Egg Picnic Pie on page 80, are all great served cold and somehow taste even better when you’re perched on a hillside or sitting on a train. These all make great finger foods, as do quesadillas (see page 259) or raw cut vegetables. I pack them with containers of sauces for dipping, such as pesto, mayonnaise or sweet chilli sauce. Indeed, why not try the Crudités and Dips on pages 250–2?
Antipasti from my local farmers’ market also make excellent picnic fare — I might buy olives, artichoke hearts, cheese, salami or prosciutto, a focaccia loaf and a few cherry tomatoes. Hot or cold soup such as gazpacho (see page 48), brought in a flask, is so satisfying when you’re out enjoying the view. See pages 46–62 for some wonderful soup-making ideas.
Packed lunches
Of course, all of the above make great packed lunches as well, whether for school or the office. For school lunches for the children, I always include cheese, raw vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, tomato and cucumber, a couple of homemade biscuits, some fresh fruit — an apple, tangerines or some grapes or strawberries, whatever is in season. Dried fruit such as apricots or figs are perfect for a child’s lunchbox, too.
Sweet treats
A sweet ‘fix’ can be very welcome when you’re out and about, especially if you’ve just been on a vigorous walk. Sweet things, whether biscuits or slices of cake, are ideal portable food and can easily be wrapped in foil or cling film and popped into a bag. Millionaire’s Shortbread or the Coconut and Chocolate Flapjacks on pages 276 and 284 are perfect, as is fruitcake or gingerbread (see page 289). You can even take a small container of granola to munch on (see page 12) or, if you are out walking all day and don’t want to overfill your backpack, just take some homemade fudge or toffees (see pages 308 and 300) with you.
Containers
When I pack everything up, I do try to create as little rubbish as possible. I like to keep an eye out for cute plastic boxes and any other type of small container with a lid, or vintage biscuit tins, which I line with greaseproof paper. The lid from the container can also serve as a plate. Darina puts sea salt and freshly ground pepper in old film canisters (if you can find them); they’re the perfect size. I do like to use baskets whenever I can, but for travelling, a canvas bag that you can fold up when you’ve finished eating is much more practical. I keep all these supplies in one place in the kitchen so I’m never digging around for my containers or flasks when I’m packing meals.
Spiced chicken salad with tzatziki
SERVES 6
This is a perfect summer lunch. The spicy chicken is beautifully complemented by the cooling tzatziki. Chicken still warm from the oven is best, but this dish works equally well if you cook the chicken in advance and serve it cold.
800g (1¾lb) skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 tbsp sunflower oil
150ml (5fl oz) tzatziki (see page 72)
For the marinade
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground (see tip on page 50)
2 tsp paprika
¼—½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp caster sugar
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
50ml (2fl oz) freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the salad
1 cos lettuce, halved across and leaves separated
3 tomatoes, each cut into 12 wedges
1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced in rings
1 Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Cut the chicken into long thin strips and toss in the marinade to evenly coat. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but preferably a couple of hours or even overnight.
2 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.
