Zucchini, Spinach & Dill Fritters

Zucchini Fritter

Zucchini, Spinach & Dill Fritters are a delicious pancake style dish that perfectly compliments a light salad or as a side dish to a curry buffet.

My family is still on our alternative day meat free lifestyle, which is going really well. Maybe more so for me as it now gives me a guideline to work with. There really is something to be said about having restrictions to help motivate and encourage new ideas and strategies; whether it be needing to include an ingredient for your diet or remove an ingredient due to allergies, or perhaps it’s even a budget necessity but each one means putting more thought into what you actually eat and stock your fridge and cupboards with.

I was thinking about this recently, as I was going through my ever growing cookbook library, about how, in our mother’s time they would have had two maybe three cookbooks. Cookbooks that would have been worked through thoroughly, family discussions about what was liked and what didn’t really work. Favourite family meals would have be discovered and made often – Sausage Casserole Tuesdays for instance. If you wanted to change it up you would open one of your favourite cookbooks (out of the three) and pick a recipe to make, it was certainly an easier time.

Now, everyone has so many books, so many recipes in printed form, most books of which would be lucky to get one recipe made from it … Perhaps I’m feeling the loss of the simplicity and romance of times gone by… perhaps I need to do a cookbook cull?

This recipe has probably been around in some form or another for many decades. It is full of flavour, especially with one of my most favourite herbs, dill, and can easily accommodate more herbs and spices depending on the style of meal you are serving.

Enjoy, Blondie 🙂

PS: I would never/ could never get rid of my cookbook babies… I think I just need a coffee!

Preserved Lemon, Fennel & Cumin Marinade

Preserved Lemon and Cumin Marinade

Preserved Lemon, Fennel & Cumin Marinade, is one of those workhorse recipes that can be used with anything from red meats to chicken, even brushed over vegetables for an extra flavour boost when grilling. But for me, it is when it’s partnered with pork that it really shines.

There really is nothing more to say as it really does stand on it’s own and will most definitely be one that you will return to over again.

Enjoy, Blondie 🙂

Homemade Hommus

Homemade Hommus
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Homemade Hommus… Continuing on with my year long challenge, here is Homemade Hommus from Jan-Feb 2014’s Nourish magazine.

Although a basic recipe it really is one that everyone should have under their belts as it’s great as a snack with flat bread or vegetable batons or used in a meal – like the one I will be making from the new Feast magazine… Can’t wait for that one! Hummus B’lahmeh (Israeli hummus with spiced lamb)

Blondie  🙂

Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu

Moroccan Fish - Chut b'chi zyu
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Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu… As with my below post – Teriyaki Mustard Chicken, this is the second dish, Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu I’ve made as part of my New Year’s resolution… that being, that any cookbook or magazine that enters my house during 2014 will have a recipe made from it.

This is from Feast magazine No.28 Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu

It’s a lightly spiced fish dish, which is gorgeous served over simple steamed rice…I did puree half of the ingredients and sliced the rest just to add a bit more oomph but it’s basically as written in the magazine. Oh and I added baby spinach, only because I like baby spinach – and I need to build up my iron stores so anything with vitamin c (carrots, capsicum) I add greenery.

Blondie 🙂

Baharat and Panko Crusted Salmon Croquettes

Baharat and Panko Crusted Salmon Croquettes
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I am on a mission to make the perfect Bitterballen, so far without much luck. I know what I’m looking for and the recipes I am experimenting with just aren’t cutting the mustard, but I will get there and will proudly announce my efforts when I do!

In the meantime, here is a gorgeous mid-week meal to serve with a crisp salad and a little yoghurt, Baharat and Panko Crusted Salmon Croquettes. Also works very well for finger food at a party!

How can anyone pass on these little deep fried little flavour bundles? Bite into the crispy outside with the beautiful flavours of the Middle Eastern spice mix then break through to the creamy salmon centre… Heaven!

Enjoy,  Blondie  🙂

Brazilian Fish Stew – Moqueca

Brazilian Fish Stew – Moqueca
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Brazilian Fish Stew – Moqueca is a beautiful, full flavoured fish stew with coconut milk, heat from chilies, sweetness from the capsicum with a zing of lime juice… such gorgeous flavours all in one bowl.

You could use any seafood/crustacean in this recipe, actually, more the merrier. If I had more on hand I certainly would have thrown them in. I like to keep the fish fillets whole rather than cut into pieces and to very quickly sear the fish and prawns, remove them and then de-glaze the pan with the stock. It’s incredibly fast so just have all your ingredients ready to be thrown into the pan.

Eat it with a bowl of rice, crusty bread or like a soup with rice noodles – yes, not very Brazilian but oh so good!

Slurp away… Blondie  xx