THEGAYUK

Tag: Starter

Delicious recipes and ideas for starters. Browse through our selection of recipes and food ideas to help you create the perfect starter.

  • RECIPE | Italian Chicken Liver Pate

    Pate is renowned for being ridiculously fatty, but I try and keep that to an absolute minimum by using only 1 tbsp of butter. In fact, I used a dairy-free alternative the other day when making this and it was perfectly fine. Although the cholesterol content of chicken livers is high it does provide us with a good intake of vitamin A, B-12 and folic acid.

    CREDIT: Jordan Lohan

    The Italian spin on this French classic comes from anchovy, capers, sage and parmesan- and it really is tasty! Don’t be put off by the anchovies- I’m not a lover of them on there own but in dishes like this it really takes the flavour up a notch!

    Ingredients.
    250g chicken livers, defrosted if frozen
    1 tbsp unsalted butter
    1 shallot, finely sliced
    1 clove garlic
    2 anchovy fillets
    ½ tbsp capers, chopped finely
    3 sage leaves
    80ml white wine
    small grating of lemon zest
    30g parmesan, grated

    Method.
    1. Prepare your livers by getting rid of any fat, or greenish parts.

    1. Melt the butter and a glug of olive oil in a large frying pan, and begin to cook the shallot, garlic, sage, capers, and anchovy fillets until they are golden.

    2. Add in the chicken livers and continue to fry until well browned.

    3. Add in half of the white wine, whilst stirring the pan until the wine has been almost absorbed.

    4. Add in the final half of wine and repeat stirring.

    5. Take the pan off the heat and transfer to a small food processor. I like mine completely smooth, so blitz until my desired consistency is reached.

    6. Finally add in a small grating of lemon zest, along with the parmesan. Give a final pulse and stir with a spoon to ensure zest and parmesan are incorporated within the pate.

    7. You can now serve warm spread on crositini, or alternatively spoon into ramekins and cover in the fridge until you’re ready.

  • RECIPE | Vegan Thai Coconut Soup

    RECIPE | Vegan Thai Coconut Soup

    Health food blogger Sophie Gordon brings us this warming recipe to brighten up the dreariest of January days, using creamy coconut yogurt as the star of the dairy, gluten and soya free dish.

    vegan soup ideas
    CREDIT: Independent Media News

    Ingredients.

    1 medium sized butternut squash BUY
    3 carrots BUY
    1 leek BUY
    2 small garlic cloves BUY
    Small knob of ginger – grated finely BUY
    1 tsp dried lemon grass  BUY
    2 tsp ground coriander BUY
    2 tsp ground cumin BUY
    2 tsp ground turmeric BUY
    1 tsp cayenne pepper BUY
    Handful of fresh coriander BUY
    Chilli flakes BUY
    2L vegetable stock (roughly) BUY
    350g The Coconut Collaborative yogurt BUY
    ¼ – ½ lime – juiced BUY
    Salt and pepper to taste

     

    Method.

    1. Pre heat your oven to around 190°c. Slice your butternut squash in half (length ways), de-seed and then place flat onto a baking sheet; insides down. Put into the oven and roast for around 35-40 minutes.

    2. Put your rice on as rice takes a little longer to cook; follow packet instructions for correct water to rice ratio.

    3. Chop up your leeks and carrots. Sauté in some water with the garlic and ginger until a little softer. Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, lemon grass and chilli. Continue to fry, adding a little more water if it starts to dry up.

    4. Once this is fragrant and the carrots and leeks soft, add in your vegetable stock. Bring to the boil then allow to simmer for around 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste.

    5. Once your squash is done, remove from the oven and let it cool for a few moments. Scoop out the insides. They should be very soft so will easily come away from the skin.

    6. Put into the pot with the stock and mix. Bring back to the boil and then add a squeeze of lime and the fresh coriander, season to taste.

    7. Using a hand held blender, blitz your soup until thick and creamy. Add the coconut yoghurt and stir well.

    8. To serve, ladle a good serving of the soup into a bowl, adding rice if desired. Top with some fresh coriander and any other seasonings.

    *You could also add another dollop of coconut yoghurt on at the end to make it extra creamy

  • RECIPE | Firework Chickpea Salad

    Serves 2 (or 4 as a starter) Prep 10 mins Cook 30 mins

    This far from boring warm chickpea salad has a beautiful array of colours and flavours, hence the name firework. It goes amazingly well with grilled meats. I usually would have minted lamb meatballs, pita bread, and houmous to create a Middle-Eastern theme for the table. You could add some feta after all the cooking has been done. Or a handful of raisins. The recipe could easily be doubled and is bound to get attention at the table. Leftovers are fab the next day for lunch whether you add feta, a few olives and cucumber and make it into something Greek-Chic, or slapped between two pieces of bread with some ham. To get the most out of your shopping why don’t you use the other half of the fennel and cabbage in my Fennel & Red Cabbage Slaw.

    FENNEL – Fennel contains a healthy amount of flavonoids that give it strong antioxidant properties. When researchers tested the impact of fennel on animals, it has repeatedly shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and help prevent cancer. Fennel is a very good source of fibre too, as fibre helps flush out potential carcinogenic toxins, fennel could be useful in the treatment of colon cancer. High in potassium, this vegetable is another winner for helping lower blood pressure. (SOURCE; http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=23 )

    RED CABBAGE – The deep purple colour of red cabbage denotes high amounts of antioxidant properties. Red cabbage is more than 90% water so could also be a useful aid in weight management if you are watching calories. When cooked, 150g of cabbage will provide the following of your daily recommended intake; 79% vitamin K , 68% vitamin C, 20% B6, 16% manganese, and 15% fibre- to name a few. (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=19 ). Cabbage has also had extensive research into it’s prevention and in some cases treatment of cancer. This is due to it’s ; antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and glucosinolate properties. (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=19 )

    FRESH MINT – One of mint’s best attributes is it’s anti-oxidant properties. Fresh mint also may help healthy digestion due to it being an anti-inflammatory. Mint also stimulates digestive enzymes which absorb nutrients from food, consuming fat and converting it into usable energy, which may help with weight management. (SOURCE; https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-mint.html )

    Ingredients.

    Olive oil

    1 carton chickpeas (230g drained weight)

    1 lemon, juice and zest of

    1 small red onion, thinly sliced

    ½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced

    1 small carrot,  grated

    ¼ head red cabbage, finely shredded

    20g mint, finely shredded

    2 cloves garlic,crushed 1

    tsp dried marjoram

    1 tsp dried oregano

    1 tsp dried thyme

    More lemon zest & lime zest for decoration (optional)

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 140c / 120c (fan) / Gas Mark 1

    1. In a bowl mix the drained chickpeas with the marjoram, oregano, thyme, lemon juice / zest, and two teaspoons of olive oil. Place in a shallow baking tray, give a good shaking of salt and a bit of pepper, and bake for 10 – 20 minutes. *The outer shells should turn crispy and leave a soft centre due to the low cooking temperature. Set aside once done.

    2. Meanwhile, pop a glug of oil in a small frying pan and shallow fry the red onion slices until they have turned a deep red colour and look crispy. Remove from the heat and drain using kitchen towel. You will use the crispy onions to decorate the
    top of the salad.
    3. If the rest of the ingredients will fit in the frying pan you used for the onions then use it again (saves washing up!) when you heat about a tablespoon of olive oil on a high heat and add in; red cabbage, carrot, fennel, and garlic. Cook stirring regularly
    for 5 minutes.
    4. Take the heat off, and stir in the chickpeas and mint (I usually leave some behind to scatter on top for presentation).
    5. Move the salad to your desired plate / platter / bowl – top with remaining
    chickpeas, any remaining mint, crispy red onions, and more lemon / lime zest. Taste

  • RECIPE | Vegetarian Polski Pate

    Makes 6-8 slices

    Vegetarian / Starter

    Traditionally, the courgette is the vegetable of choice used to make this pate / vegetable loaf in Poland. I like having a wedge of this cold with something pickled alongside it, like little cornichons.

    COURGETTES – A helpful source of vitamin C. The dietary fibre in courgettes can also help lower our cholesterol levels. The same fibre matched with the courgette’s water content will also make you feel full. The fibres and anti-oxidants help destroy carcinogens and their toxins from settling in the colon. Courgette’s are also great for our skin; hydration, anti-ageing, collagen formation, and puffy eyes.

    MUSHROOMS – Mushrooms contain high levels of vitamin D, which is a vitamin a lot of us are deficient in without even realising. Polysaccharides and beta glucans within mushrooms are beneficial to the immune system function.

    Ingredients.

    400g courgette, grated

    200g baby mushrooms, finely chopped

    250g breadcrumbs (I used a gluten free bread and blitzed)

    200g grated mature cheddar

    1 onion, finely chopped

    3 eggs, divided into yolks & whites

    2 fat cloves garlic

    15g fresh parsley

    1 tsp dried marjoram

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4

     

    1. In a large saucepan cook your mushrooms in a tiny glug of oil until they have browned, and set aside.
    2. In a large mixing bowl combine; courgette, cheese, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, fresh parsley, marjoram, 3 egg yolks, cooked mushrooms and a good serving of freshly cracked black pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon thoroughly.
    3. With the 3 egg whites, begin to beat and continue until stiff.
    4. Incorporate the egg whites gradually, delicately into the courgette mix.
    5. Line a greased loaf tin with baking paper.
    6. Transfer the courgette mix carefully by the spoonful into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing over the top of the mix once completely transferred.
    7. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes.
    8. Remove and set aside to cool. Use the baking paper edges to carefully lift the loaf out of its tin. I love this from the fridge kinda cold!

     

     

  • RECIPE | Lemon And Garlic Roasted Halloumi

    Serves 2 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 30 mins

    The flavours of this summon fond memories of visiting family in Cyprus when I was younger. The marriage of flavours is perfection. Sweet, salty, lemony, garlicky, and herby. For my palette it ticks every box for a simple starter. This could easily become a main by having quinoa or couscous along side it. As a starter, just a plain green salad with cucumber slices, and spring onion goes perfectly. You could even add some pistachios to the salad for extra texture.

    HALLOUMI- A reduced fat or lighter halloumi will provide you with more protein within the cheese. Around 30g of the cheese provides you with 20% of your recommended intake of calcium. Usually made from goat’s or sheep’s milk, all milk contains tryptophans. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that cannot be manufactured within our body. Tryptophan is what we are able to produce serotonin out of, which encourages positive mood and better sleep.

    Ingredients.

    2 tsp herbes de Provence

    2 tbsp olive oil

    1 block light Halloumi, Sliced into 4

    1 tbsp honey

    1 garlic clove, finely chopped

    1 lemon

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. Use a quarter of the lemon to slice into 4 rounds that will sit on top of the halloumi pieces.
    2. Squeeze the remainder of the lemon into a bowl and mix with the garlic, honey, olive oil and herbs.
    3. Sit the halloumi pieces in the bowl and toss gently in the marinade.
    4. Place the halloumi pieces in a baking dish, top with a lemon round each and drizzle over any marinade from the bowl.
    5. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes and turn each halloumi piece over.
    6. Roast for a further 10-15 minutes until the edges of the cheese start to turn golden.
    7. Remove from the oven and using a spatula to remove the halloumi, flip over onto plates so they are served lemon side up.

  • RECIPE: Lamb Tajine Soup

    Lamb Tajine Soup

    Serves 4, or 4 x work lunches

    Prep 10 mins

    Cook 60 mins

    Freezable

    I really wanted to capture the essence of a Moroccan classic in a bowl. Something to brighten my day at work, and trick me into thinking I’m abroad where the sun shines all day long. I had some leftovers from my Roasted Med Veg  and decided to create this recipe. If you don’t “just so happen” to have roasted med veg leftovers, then most supermarkets do offer a frozen version which has been pre-roasted for you- simply use / cook them in the same way in the method below.

    I’m very aware of how many fruit and vegetables I am consuming in the day and this vegetable based soup will definitely help you on your way to achieving 7 a day. Three heaped tablespoons of cooked vegetables count as 1 portion.

    ANTIOXIDANTS – The beta carotene in this soup is evident from it’s vibrant colour. Tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and onions are all antioxidant havens and will help promote healthy skin and give your immune system a boost. Tomatoes and onions also have documented coverage on their anti-cancer properties.

    Ingredients

    1 tbsp carotino oil (or any other healthy cooking oil of your choice, I use carotino oil for its colour and vitamin properties)

    250g cooked roasted med veg (tomatoes, peppers, courgettes etc.)

    6 vine tomatoes, chopped

    3 onions, finely chopped

    2 large carrots, chopped

    2 garlic cloves, chopped

    1 lamb stock cube (made up with 1ltr of water)

    ½ tbsp sweet chilli sauce

    ½ tsp caraway seeds

    ½ tsp cumin

    Instructions

    1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry off the onion for 10 minutes.
    2. Add the carrot, tomato, and spices until the tomatoes soften.
    3. Tip in your roasted vegetables along with the stock.
    4. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer until the carrots are tender.
    5. Use a hand blender or other kitchen instrument to blend the soup until smooth.
    6. I think it looks pretty to dry-roast some extra caraway seeds until they start to pop in the pan, and add on top of each serving, along with a drizzle of oil.

     

     

  • RECIPE: Fennel And Chestnut Mushroom Pate

    Fennel & Chestnut Mushroom Pate

    Prep 5 mins

    Cook 35 mins

    Makes 2 ramekins (enough for 4 as a light starter)

    Starter / Vegan / Minimal Ingredients

    It’s simple and tasty food like this that strokes my vegan veneration. Whether you immediately scoop this from the food processor, warm, onto a seeded piece of toast or save for later and have in a sandwich with some home made pickled cucumber. I simple slice skinned cucumber, put on a small plate and douse in white wine vinegar.

    MUSHROOMS – Mushrooms contain high levels of vitamin D, which is a vitamin a lot of us are deficient in without even realising. Polysaccharides and beta glucans within mushrooms are beneficial to the immune system function.

    FENNEL – Fennel contains a healthy amount of flavanoids that give it strong anti-oxidant properties. When researchers tested the impact of fennel on animals, it has repeatedly shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and help prevent cancer. Fennel is a very good source of fibre too, as fibre helps flush out potential carinogenic toxins, fennel could be useful in treatment of colon cancer. High in potassium this vegetable is another winner for helping lower blood pressure. (SOURCE; http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=23 )

    Ingredients

    Olive oil

    225g closed cup chestnut mushrooms, peeled & chopped roughly

    1 fennel bulb, root removed & chopped roughly

    3 sprigs thyme

    1 garlic clove

    1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

    1 tsp balsamic vinegar

    Salt and pepper

     

    Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    Instructions

    1. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper
    2. Mix together the mustard with 1 tbsp olive oil
    3. Place all the ingredients on the lined baking sheet, and smother with the mustardy-oil to coat all over.
    4. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, the fennel should start to brown and the mushrooms shrivel slightly.
    5. Take out the oven and set aside for a few minutes.
    6. Tip the mix into a food processor along with the balsamic vinegar and pulse a few times.
    7. Add in a tablespoon of olive oil and pulse again a couple of times.
    8. Spoon into ramekins and serve.

     

     

     

     

     

  • RECIPE: Vegetable Soup With Parsley And Turmeric

    Vegetable soup with parsley & turmeric

    Serves 4 (or 2 people & 2 lunches worth)

    Prep 10 mins

    Cook 40 mins

    Vegetarian

    Can be frozen

    You are certainly on your way to 7-a day  if you incorporate this super healthy soup into your day.

    PARSLEY – I tend to put parsley on everything. It’s versatile, tastes great, it’s cheap and it’s health benefits are amazing. The vitamin C content is higher than oranges. It’s packed full of antioxidants and can help neutralise carcinogens. It’s also great at neutralising garlic breath!

    TURMERIC- The turmeric gives the soup great warmth so would be perfect for taking to work in a flask to keep you toasty! There has been much press coverage around turmeric and it’s benefits of late. Turmeric can rapidly increase the antioxidant capacity in your body, which will really work along side the sweet potato, carrots, and parsley in the dish.

    Turmeric contains curcumin which has been linked to prevention and possible treatment of cancer. For anyone that suffers with depression, curcumin was also found to be as effective as Prozac.

    RICE BRAN OIL – A great cooking oil alternative. Containing no cholesterol, including plant sterols, and antioxidant rich vitamin E.

     

    Ingredient

    3 cloves garlic

    3 carrots

    3 celery

    3 onion

    3 tbsp parsley

    1 ½ tbsp turmeric

    1 sweet potato

    1 leek

    1 bay leaf

    1 vegetable stock melt / cube (made up with 1ltr water)

    1 tbsp rice bran oil

    1 tsp herbes de provence

     

    Instructions

    1. Prepare your vegetables by chopping them finely. Keep your carrots, celery, and onions together as we will begin by frying these first in rice bran oil on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes.
    2. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the parsley. Increase the heat so the soup reaches boiling point, then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes.
    3. Take off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
    4. At this point I then use my hand blender, but you really could use a blender or food processor if you do not have a hand blender. I got mine for a fiver from my supermarket. Blend until smooth. Stir in the parsley, and serve.

     

    Time Saver – The base of this soup uses 3 stable ingredients that should always be stocked in your kitchen. Onion, celery and carrots form the base for many sauces, ragus, gravy and soups. To reduce your chopping time, most supermarkets offer a frozen bag combined of these 3 useful ingredients.

    Experiment – If you have a surplus of veggies that you need to use up, go ahead and chuck them in this versatile soup. It may change the colour and consistency, but will enrich this already super healthy soup even further.

     

  • RECIPE | Pumpkin Soup

    I find the process of hollowing out a pumpkin quite tedious, so the last thing I want to be doing afterwards is chopping other vegetables to go in a soup that will just be blended anyway. Take the pressure off and keep this super simple (and cheap!) by using a frozen vegetable mix of carrots, onion, and celery. By using ham stock your tapping into the bacon / pumpkin squash classic flavour combo but saving pennies & calories too by not using any actual meat. This recipe showcases how simplicity really can bring out the best in flavours.

    Serves 4 (can be frozen)

    Prep 15 mins
    Cook 30 mins

    Starter / Inexpensive / Quick & Easy / Antioxidant Rich

    PUMPKIN – 100g of flesh is only 26 calories. Pumpkin is also recommended by dieticians in cholesterol management and for weight loss programs. Also in 100g of pumpkin flesh comes around 246% of your recommended intake of vitamin A. Pumpkins, like carrots contain carotenes and anti-oxidants that help promote good eye sight. B-complex vitamins are also abundant in the pumpkin; folate, niacin, B-6, B-5.

    Ingredients.
    450-500g pumpkin flesh (save the seeds and roast them for 10-15 minutes, lovely!)
    250g frozen vegetables (carrot, onion, celery)
    1000ml hot water
    2 ham stock cubes
    1 birds eye chilli

    Method.
    1. Heat a large saucepan and place the frozen vegetables in for 5 mins to defrost and soften.
    2. Add the pumpkin, chilli, hot water, and stock cubes and bring to the boil.
    3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
    4. Take off the heat and use a hand blender to blend until smooth.
    5. Serve with freshly grated nutmeg, smoked paprika and some pumpkin seeds scattered on top.

  • RECIPE | Rustic Smoked Bacon, Goats Cheese, & Beetroot Tart

    Serves 4 (as a starter) | Prep 1 hour (you can reduce by buying pre-cooked beetroot in natural juices) | Cook 30 mins

    Starter / Vegetarian (without bacon)

    By calling this rustic, it means I’m able to be slap dash with the presentation of the pastry and not be sorry ’bout it. Scarred by how pedantic the process can be to create the flakiest puff in my chef’s course, I now opt for a ready made, ready rolled pastry. The smoked bacon in this tart makes it something different from the normal goats cheese & beetroot combo. For vegetarians that are fond of this combination, just omit the bacon, it’s a lovely dish either way.

    This would go nicely with Griddled Romaine Lettuce Hearts

    BEETROOT- Beetroot are high in potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, B6, C, folic acid and anti-oxidants. (SOURCE http://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-eating/guide/beetroot-benefits ) The nitrates in beetroot help lower blood pressure and may help heart disease. Also, beets contain boron which is good for sexual stamina and all-round energy levels! (SOURCE http://www.undergroundhealth.com/12-healthiest-foods-on-earth/ )

    Ingredients.

    1 sheet ready made / rolled puff pastry

    2-3 small beetroot

    1 egg

    100ml cream

    150g soft goats cheese

    nutmeg, a small grating

    1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped

    80g smoked bacon lardons (optional)

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 210c / 190c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. Peel the beetroot and drizzle in oil, wrapping in individual foil wraps and roasting in the oven for an hour or until tender when pierced with a knife.
    2. Dry fry the bacon pieces until crisp and set aside on kitchen towel to soak up any excess oils.
    3. Make the filling by whisking together the egg, goats cheese, nutmeg and thyme leaves.
    4. Slowly incorporate the cream a little at a time whilst whisking.
    5. With your ready rolled pastry sheet, keeping the pastry on the grease proof paper, transfer to a large baking sheet.
    6. Begin to roll up the edges so that you are creating a tall enough wall to accommodate your filling. Seal down edges with a little water.
    7. Pour the filling into the pastry case. Slice the beetroot thinly and lay on top of the filling. Be careful not to make the filling flow over the pastry wall. Scatter the bacon lardons on top.
    8. Bake in the oven for anything up to 30 minutes (depends on your oven) . Your filling should be set, and the edges of the pastry golden.
    9. Remove and leave to stand for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
  • RECIPE | Dermie’s Jerusalem Artichoke And Crispy Chorizo Soup

    RECIPE | Dermie’s Jerusalem Artichoke And Crispy Chorizo Soup

    The one winter vegetable which I absolutely adore is Jerusalem artichokes, which one could mistake as being a root of Ginger; small, bumpy, rough, Jerusalem artichokes are difficult to find in food stores generally confined to food markets or Farmers’ Markets but you can grow your own in early Spring if you so wish.

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