* Moroccan vegetable nut roast recipe

Ingredients

10 shallots
1 butternut squash
2 red peppers
1 medium aubergine
3tbsp olive oil
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp paprika
tsp cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5cm (2in) piece of ginger
400g (13oz) can chickpeas, drained
handful coriander, chopped
125g (4oz) peeled almonds, toasted
125g (4oz) shelled pistachios
75g (3oz) butter, melted
1x 200g (7oz) packet filo pastry

Preparation

Heat the oven to Gas 4, 180°C, 350°F. Butter a 28cm (11in) loose-bottomed flan tin. Cut the shallots into wedges, deseed and dice the pumpkin, cut the red pepper into strips and dice the aubergine. Mix together with the olive oil, spices and garlic, toss well, place in the oven in a roasting tin and cook for 20 minutes.

Peel and finely dice the ginger and mix in a bowl with the chickpeas, chopped coriander, toasted almonds, and pistachios. Stir this mix into the roasted vegetables when they are cooked.

Lay two sheets of filo pastry in the flan tin. Use a pastrybrush to brush with melted butter. Add two more sheets and butter. Repeat until all are used.

Add roasted vegetables, then fold over the excess pastry in generous folds and crinkle. Brush with the remaining butter and place in the oven to bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully remove from the tin and serve.

* Quails with Spicy Red Sauce and Cumin Rice

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 quails, washed and cut into halves lengthwise


For the rice:

2 tablespoons ghee
2 medium onions or 250 g, sliced
1 medium carrot or 150 g, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
3 cubes MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon
4½ cups water or 1125 ml
2½ cups basmati rice or 500 g

For the spicy red sauce:
2 medium tomatoes or 300 g, peeled and pureed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 cube MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon
¼ teaspoon chili powder

Preparation

Heat oil in a large pan and fry quail pieces from both sides until they are golden brown in color from outside and cooked from inside (season quail with salt and black pepper before frying). Remove from oil and set aside.

Heat ghee in a pot and sauté onion slices until they become tender. Add carrot and cumin seeds and stir for seconds.

Add MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon cubes and water. Bring to boil with occasional stirring.

Add the rice and stir occasionally to boil again then cover and let it cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan, stir to boil then simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickens. Add the fried quail to the sauce and simmer for few minutes.

* Mushroom salad

Ingredients:
1 head broccoli separated into small flowers
1 cup mushroom shopped slices
1 small carrot shredded
2 tbs pesto cream sauce
1 ts salt
1 ts ground black pepper
3 tbs extra olive oil
preparation:

Preheat the oven on broil.
Place the broccoli, mushroom in a resealable bag. Add the oil, salt and black pepper, close the bag and shake to mix.
Pour into a tray and broil for 15 minutes with stir after each 5 minutes.
Serve with pesto cream sauce and decorate with carrot.

* Syrian Tabouli

Ingredients
1 cup of tap water
1/2 cup of white bulgur NO:1
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 lettuce wraps finely chopped flat
Preparation
Combine water and bulgur in a small saucepan, and let stand until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 15 minutes or according to package directions. If any water remains, drain bulgur in a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer to a large bowl.
Combine lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add parsley, mint, tomatoes, lettuce wraps and scallions to the bulgur. Add the dressing and toss. Serve at room temperature.

* Foul with Tahini

Ingredients:
1 Can fava beans 16oz
2 Large minced Garlic
1 tsp of salt
1 tbsp Tahini
1/2 Cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
In a pot warm up the fava beans .
In a large bowl place minced garlic, salt, Tahini, lemon juice, cumin and combine with fork.
Add the water which in the can and stir.
Add the beans then mix with a spoon. Top with freshly chopped parley, tomato, olive oil and cayenne pepper. Serve with pita bread

* Parmesan-Pesto Cheese Straws

Cooking Time: 30 - 45 mins
Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS
1 x pack ready-made all butter puff pastry (approx. 375g)
plain flour, for dusting
2 rounded tblsp Sacla' Classic or Organic Basil Pesto
2 rounded tblsp Sacla' Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
110g Cheddar, roughly grated
25g Parmesan, finely grated
1 egg yolk, beaten

INSTRUCTIONS
First of all dollop each pesto onto separate pieces of kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil.

Cut the pastry into quarters and on a lightly floured surface roll each one out to make approx. 16cm x 18cm rectangles. Spread 2 of the pastries with the basil pesto and the others with the tomato pesto, taking it right to the edges.
Next, sprinkle the Cheddar and the Parmesan over the pastries and lightly press down with your hand to make the cheeses stick to the pesto.

Cut the pastry into ½ cm wide strips - the mixture should make about 48 straws. Take each strip and twist each end in opposite directions until it is evenly twisted. Lay them well spaced apart on baking trays and then brush the plain part of the pastries with the beaten egg. Ideally leave to chill for 30 minutes, but if you can't wait, bake the straws in a pre-heated oven (190˚C, 375˚F, Gas Mark 5) for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden
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* Meatball, Tomato and Red Onion Skewers

Cooking Time: 15 - 30 mins
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
For the Meatballs
1½ slices thick white bread, crusts removed
6 pork sausages, skins snipped & meat removed
1 small red onion, peeled & very finely chopped
2 heaped tblsp roughly chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 level tblsp Sacla' Fiery Chilli Pesto, plus extra for serving (or for a non-spicy option use Sacla' Roasted Pepper Pesto instead)
salt
For the skewers
8 large sun-blushed tomatoes
2 medium red onions, peeled & cut into 8 wedges through the root
olive oil, for brushing
8 wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.

INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare these skewers in advance then whack them onto the barbecue or under the grill when you're ready to cook them.

Whiz the bread in a food processor to make fine crumbs - you need 12 rounded tablespoons.

In a bowl, mix the sausage meat, crumbs, onion, parsley, chilli pesto and some salt well and shape into 20 balls.

Thread the meatballs, tomatoes and red onions on to the skewers, alternating them as you do. Brush with oil and place them on a baking tray.

Grill or barbecue for 12-15 minutes, turning, until the meatballs are cooked through and the onions are tender. For added heat, serve with some extra chilli pesto. Buonissimo!
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