Nigella Challenge for week of July 6

[honeygirl1971]

I thought I'd start a new thread since I made some non-vegetarian recipes this weekend. Here are the recipes I tried yesterday:
from Nigella Bites

--Pancakes with Bacon and Maple Syrup--very tasty!

from Forever Summer

--Zucchini Fritters--Yum!!! I'm making these again for guests on Friday.
--Lemony Shrimp Salad--nice but could probably be jazzed up a bit.

I'll be happy to post any recipes BBers want. :) I have more Nigella recipes planned for Friday (I have some friends coming over)--the Keralan Fish Curry and Lemon Rice from Forever Summer, and some kind of dessert as yet undecided.

[Kayaksoup]

Mmmm those all sound really good. I love pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, although I don't indulge as much as I did when I was a kid:p
It would be lovely if you could post the lemony shrimp salad recipe. Sounds like sommething that would be perfect for a warm summer day.
TIA:D
Linda

[SusanL]

the Zucchini Fritters. I hope that they are baked, not fried. My mouth is watering!!

[badunnin]

Originally posted by SusanL
the Zucchini Fritters. I hope that they are baked, not fried. My mouth is watering!!

The fritters are fried. I don't think Nigella does baked not fried.

[honeygirl1971]

LOL badunnin is right. They are "pan fried" but you could definitely cut way back on the oil if you pan is nonstick--more like the way you might cook pancakes or something like that. They are very tasty, though!

Here are the recipes:

Lemony Shrimp Salad

1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 scallion, roughly chopped
2 T peanut oil
5 T olive oil
3 romaine hearts, or 1 large head romaine lettuce
12 oz. medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
small bunch chives, chopped

Peel the lemon by cutting off the top and bottom and sitting it upright, and then cutting away the zest and pith from top to bottom with a sharp knife, turning it with your non-cutting hand as you go. Chop it roughly [which will allow you to remove seeds] and put it in the processor with one of the cloves of garlic and the scallion and blitz. Open, scrape down, then stick the lid back on and, with the motor running, pour the peanut oil and 3 T of the olive oil down the funnel into the processor [I used the mini bowl, and so I had to stop it, add the oils, and then start it again]. Roughly tear the lettuce into pieces, toss with this dressing, and divide between two large plates.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan and gently heat the second garlic clove until lightly golden to infuse the oil. Take out the garlic clove and add the shrimp to the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Spoon the shrimp over the dressed salad leaves, and sprinkle with the chopped chives.

[My notes: This salad was GREATLY improved by a sprinkling of Maldon (British sea salt) salt and fresh cracked pepper. Otherwise the shrimp was a bit on the bland side, but I thought it was tasty with the salt and pepper added I'm sure the dressing could be lightened by cutting back on the oil. You might try adding some fat free mayo or yogurt instead, perhaps, as well as a bit more lemon juice perhaps. I did not add anything to this salad, but I think it would also be a bit more interesting with some chopped cucumber and perhaps some other veggies--maybe cold green beans.]

Zucchini Fritters

4 zucchini (approx 1 1/2 lbs)
5-6 scallions, finely chopped
9 oz feta cheese [I used 7 oz]
small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
small bunch fresh mint, chopped, plus extra to sprinkle at the end
1 T dried mint
1 T paprika
scant 1 cup all purpose flour
salt and pepper
3 eggs, beaten
olive oil for frying
3-4 limes

Coarsely grate the zucchini in the food processor or by hand. Spread the shards out on a tea towel and leave for 20 mins. to get rid of any excess wetness.

Put the chopped scallions in a bowl and crumble in the feta. Stir in the chopped parsley and mint, along with the dried mint and paprika. Add the flour and season well with salt and pepper. Gradually add the beaten egg and mix thoroughly before stirring in the drained, grated zucchini. Don't be alarmed by the unflowing straggly lumpiness of this batter--it's meant to be this way.

Heat a few T of the oil in a large frying pan and drop heaped dessertspoons of the mixture into the hot oil, flattening the little cakes down with the back of the spoon as you go. Cook these little patties for about 2 minutes each side until golden, and then transfer to a couple of waiting plates.

Chop up the limes and tumble them about the edges of the plates. Sprinkle a little more chopped mint over the fritters and eat them just as they are, spritzed with lime juice as you go.

Makes about 25.

[My notes: Nigella says these are best at room temperature, and they taste fine that way to me too. If you want to lighten them you could cut back on the cheese and use a nonstick pan to "fry" them, I think. This was probably my favorite thing I made this weekend. :)]

[honeygirl1971]

Linda--DBF adores pancakes too, but I usually make waffles so it was kind of fun to do something different. Nigella suggests that you use thin-sliced pancetta instead of regular bacon, and I think I really liked it this way--the pancetta was crispier, saltier, and less greasy than regular bacon, and it tasted really yummy with the pancakes and maple syrup. The pancakes were basic, but good! :D

[honeygirl1971]

Tonight's recipe was the Pea and Potato Frittata from Forever Summer. It was a nice, simple summer meal, very much like the "tortilla" they make in Spain. I'll post the recipe if anyone wants it.
:)

[cher48603]

Tonight's recipe was the Pea and Potato Frittata from Forever Summer. It was a nice, simple summer meal, very much like the "tortilla" they make in Spain. I'll post the recipe if anyone wants it.
YES, please share!!

Cheryl

[honeygirl1971]

Potato and Pea Frittata

4 oz new potatoes, diced
3 oz. (1/3 cup) frozen peas, thawed, or 5 oz. fresh peas, shelled
3 T olive oil
1 med. onion, finely diced
8 large eggs
salt and pepper
4 T freshly grated Parmesan

Bring the diced potatoes to a boil in salted water and boil briskly for 5 minutes, then drain. Put the peas into a bowl and pour some boiling water over them and leave them until you're ready to add them to the frittata later. If you are using fresh peas, cook them as you did the potatoes.

Turn on the broiler and heat the oil in a heavy-based or nonstick oven-safe frying pan about 10 inches in diameter, and fry the onion until it begins to soften, then add the potatoes and cook about 10 mins or until the mixture's cooked (but don't let it burn or get too brown--you want it soft, not crisp).

Add the drained peas for the last couple of minutes of cooking, then transfer this mixture to a large bowl and let it cool slightly.

Break the eggs into the bowl and beat to mix [I did this separately, then added them to the bowl with the potato mixture and stirred to mix]. Season with salt and pepper and add the Parmesan.

Put your frying pan back on the heat (it should still be nice and oily). Then pour the egg and potato mixture into the frying pan and cook over a medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the frittata is set, save for a still-gooey top. When you are at this stage, take the pan off the burner and put it under the hot broiler until the top's golden and just set and beginning to puff up slightly. Ease around the edges of the pan with a knife or spatula to loosen the frittata but don't dig at it too much or the frittata will not keep its crisp borders and smooth shape. Place a large flat plate on top of the pan, then upend them both, so the plate's underneath and the pan's on top. Remove the pan, and presto, you've got a beautiful golden-flecked omelette staring up at you. Leave to cool or eat warm if you prefer. Cut into wedges to serve.

Makes 6-8 wedges.

[My notes: I didn't exactly follow the directions here, partly because the instructions were a bit misleading. I've tried to correct them so that the mistake I made won't happen. Nigella said to cook fresh peas "along with the potatoes," but then, having done that, I really didn't know how to separate the cooked peas and the cooked potatoes so my peas got cooked the whole time along with the potatoes in the pan too. It didn't seem to hurt them, though. I also mixed the eggs, parmesan, and salt and pepper together before adding the potato-pea mixture, in part because that's just what I thought one was supposed to do after having skimmed the directions. Again, this seemed to make no difference. I think my pan was a little too hot for the egg mixture, though, since the whole bottom of my frittata was golden brown, but the texture was still lovely and the top (the bottom, once you turn it over) looked exactly like it was supposed to, I think. Once again, this is not a light recipe, but it was simple and tasty and it really did remind me of something you'd get to munch on in a bar or cafe in Spain or Italy. Yum. :D ]

[Kayaksoup]

Thank you for the recipes! And I must try that pancake idea with the pancetta. Sounds great.
Linda

[jjsooner73]

Originally posted by honeygirl1971

Zucchini Fritters


I may try and make these tonight, but w/ a different squash variety (I forget what they are called). Papaya something? They have a faint sweet taste. If not tonight, then this weekend w/ some farmer's market zucchini. Yum. Love the stuff!!! Thanks for posting the recipe. :D

[honeygirl1971]

Sure thing! :D Let me know how your variation turns out--it sounds good!

[jjsooner73]

Well, I used little oil and a non stick pan. I kept waiting for them to crisp up and they didn't. I'll confess, I was guessing at the amount of the squash...overall, the flavor was fine, and I loved the mint, but I wanted more crisp without having to fry them

[SusanL]

I missed this thread, appreciate the recipe and trying it with less oil. When our zucchini become plentiful here, I will try the recipe. I know that we will be overwhelmed with zucchini soon! The Lemony Shrimp Salad recipe looks fabulous! Thanks again!

[honeygirl1971]

Originally posted by jjsooner73
Well, I used little oil and a non stick pan. I kept waiting for them to crisp up and they didn't. I'll confess, I was guessing at the amount of the squash...overall, the flavor was fine, and I loved the mint, but I wanted more crisp without having to fry them

Hmm, I'm not sure what to do about that. Mine have been pretty crisp when they come out of the pan hot, but if I let them sit until they get to room temperature or if I refrigerate them and eat them later, they are not that crisp. I like them that way too, but I understand what you are saying. I wonder if it's partly the water in the zucchini that keeps them from getting as crisp as they could be? You might try salting the zucchini and letting it drain longer, or maybe trying to gently squeeze it dry, or maybe even adding more flour. ? If any experts on the BB have any tips, I'd love to hear them.

[kima]

I am making these fritters tomorrow-full fat and frying all the way.....i may live to regret this.....or have to run a few extra meters!:)

Any last minute hints on to perfect these babies?

[honeygirl1971]

Oh crud, I missed your post. Sorry! When I made them for my mom she suggested using peanut oil instead of olive oil since you can get it hotter, and it did make them crispier. I wish I had seen your post earlier, because this was a good tip! I hope they turned out yummy anyway...
;)

[kima]

Well I haven't made them yet so your tip will come in handy..it may be a week or so before I get an opportunity to try these. I have many kinds of oil but not peanut.:o

[honeygirl1971]

Peanut oil comes in handy b/c you can get it really hot and it doesn't really add any flavor to your food (IMO), but any kind of oil that can take the heat would work, I'm sure. Olive oil smokes at relatively low heats, so that's why it didn't work quite as well. But, olive oil tastes good, so I guess if you don't care as much about crispness and like the taste of olive oil, you can definitely use it. I think from now on I'll use the peanut oil, though. Let me know how your fritters turn out, whenever you get around to making them! :)

[Sami]

i went to the Nigella site and copied and made the Figs for 1001 Nights. They were easy and a great way to use fresh figs. I also learned that my oven goes up to 550 degrees. It is in Forever Summer.
www.nigella.com.

Sami

[jjsooner73]

I made another stab at the zuchinni fritters (with modifications--does it still count that i tried the recipe? :) ). I had much better results this time.

I fried them in a little olive oil--not to much, but enough for them to crisp up.

Subs: sweet onion for the scallions (all I had)
1 ear of corn for part of the zuchinni--because I had it and thought it might work. It did!
Goat cheese for feta--it was all I had. I think feta would be much better, as the flavor of the goat cheese sort of gets drowned out.

I also added some cayenne. Gotta have some spice!

These are good--I've been eating them off the draining plate as I've cooked the rest. I'll have some left over tomorrow for dinner.

My only complaint about the corn is some popped and splattered grease on me as I was getting it out. I have a blister forming on my arm and my neck. :( Some also hit my chin, but I think that is OK.