Juncu - Simple Good Food

Simple Good Food Tasty Recipes for the Unwilling Cook Meera Juncu
Published by FREE HOUSE Copyright Meera Juncu, 2015 All rights reserved This edition is also available as a paperback (ISBN: 978-1505704235) The pictures on the cover are inspired by ancient wall paintings and mosaics
Contents

This is a book for people who want to eat well but who dont want to search for fancy ingredients, buy elaborate equipment, or spend ages in the kitchen. It came about because friends and family asked me to write down the best of the recipes we often cook at home, so that they had a book to refer to whenever they werent sure what they felt like eating. In this book you will find a mixture of recipes from Mediterranean-style to Middle Eastern and Asian, as well as childhood favourites such as chocolate fudge pudding. The recipes are a guide only to get you started. Try them out as they are, or feel free to substitute ingredients and experiment with different spices and herbs, according to your level of confidence. fresh fruit and vegetables, ripe tomatoes, a traditionally made soy sauce and not one with caramel added, etc.). fresh fruit and vegetables, ripe tomatoes, a traditionally made soy sauce and not one with caramel added, etc.).

Store Cupboard If you always have some basic ingredients in your cupboard and fridge, you should be able to cook the recipes in this book at the drop of a hat. Oil and Vinegar: Olive oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, good vinegar (e.g. balsamic vinegar) Herbs and Spices: Garlic, fresh herbs, bay leaves, fresh chillies, dried oregano, black peppercorns, salt, fresh ginger, ground cumin, cumin seeds, ground coriander, ground paprika, chilli powder, ground turmeric, black mustard seeds, sesame seeds, ground cinnamon, cardamom pods, curry leaves Pasta, Rice and Bread: Spaghetti, noodles, a good Asian-style rice (e.g. basmati, Thai-jasmine), Arborio or paella rice, tinned or dried beans, lentils, Italian or French-style bread Fruit and vegetables: Onions, spring onions, potatoes, carrots, peppers, aubergines, tomatoes, mushrooms, green vegetables (e.g. broccoli, green beans), salad vegetables (e.g. rocket, lettuce) lemons, apples, bananas, sultanas or raisins Dairy: Eggs, milk, yoghurt, sour cream, cream, butter, cheese Meat: Bacon, pancetta and/or ham Condiments and Sauces: Mustard, a sweet and/or hot chilli sauce, traditionally-brewed soy sauce, tomato pure Baking: Plain flour, white and brown sugar, honey, jam, baking powder or bicarbonate, cocoa powder, desiccated coconut

Aubergine Dip 2 aubergines 4 tablespoons of olive oil 4-6 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon of chopped mint juice of lemon salt and pepper TIP: To peel grilled aubergines more easily place them in a saucepan with the lid on for 15 minutes until cool.

Grill the aubergines or bake in oven until soft and the skin is black. Allow them to cool then peel. Remove the stems and place the aubergine flesh in a large bowl together with the oily juice from the aubergines. Chop the aubergines with a knife and then mash them with a fork until smooth. Chop the garlic and crush it with a pinch of salt, using a pestle and mortar. Mix in the oil, and add the crushed garlic, mint and lemon juice; mix everything together well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with flat bread or tortilla chips. Serves 4 Garlic Yoghurt Dip 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 4 tablespoons of chopped chives 1 tablespoon of mint, finely chopped 300 ml of plain yoghurt salt TIP: To get the garlic to mix well with the yoghurt, chop finely then crush together with a pinch of salt, using a pestle and mortar. Mix all the ingredients together. Add salt to taste. Serve with flat bread or tortilla chips.

Serves 4 Sweet and Spicy Dip 300 ml yoghurt, sour cream, or crme frache 2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce salt (optional) Mix all the ingredients together. Add salt to taste, if required. Serve with flat bread or tortilla chips. For a healthier option, serve with carrot or celery sticks. Serves 4 Garlic and Herb Bread 1 baguette or 3 long bread rolls 120g of butter or 50 ml of olive oil 8-12 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 handful of chopped herbs (parsley, chives, oregano, thyme, or a mixture of these) 1 teaspoon of salt TIP: If using butter, leave it out of the fridge for 30 minutes or so to soften. Also, choose bread thats not too soft; otherwise, it might fall apart when you spread the garlic paste on it.

If using butter , cream the butter and salt with a fork until smooth and then mix in the garlic and herbs. For oil , just mix in the garlic, herbs and salt. Take the baguette, and, with a bread knife, make slits along the bread about 1 inch apart, taking care not to slice the bread all the way through. Spread some garlic-herb mixture into each slit. Wrap the baguette in foil and bake it in a pre-heated oven at about 180C for approximately 15 minutes. Open the foil a little and bake the garlic bread for another 5 minutes to crisp.

Serves 4 Bruschetta 1 loaf of ciabatta bread 1-2 cloves of garlic, whole 3-4 medium-size, ripe tomatoes 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 handful of basil leaves, chopped olive oil salt balsamic vinegar (optional) TIP: This recipe is also a good way of using up stale bread. Cut the bread into serving slices. Dribble a little olive oil over each slice and toast them under the grill. Rub each slice with a clove of garlic. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes Mix the tomatoes in a bowl together with the chopped garlic and about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the basil and season with salt to taste.

Place spoonfuls of the tomato topping over each slice of toasted bread and serve. N.B. Some people like to add a dash of balsamic vinegar to the topping. Serves 4 Ham and Cheese Crostini 8 slices of ciabatta or stale bread 4 tablespoons of milk 350g of mozzarella cheese 8 slices of cured ham (e.g. prosciutto crudo or jamon serrano) salt and pepper TIP: Cut your stale bread into slices before it goes completely hard, and save it in a paper-bag for a crostini day! Dip one side of each slice of bread in milk and place milk side up on a baking tray. Place a slice of cheese and a slice of ham on top of each.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C until the cheese melts. If the cheese is taking too long to melt, put the slices under a grill for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 Olive and Basil Tapenade 250g pitted olives 1 clove of garlic, chopped 1 handful of basil leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons of olive oil basil leaves to garnish Rinse the brine off the olives. Place the olives, oil and garlic in a blender, and blend into a smooth paste. Add the chopped basil, and blend for another 30 seconds.

Turn out into a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with a few strips of basil leaves. This is good eaten as a spread on Italian-style bread. Serves 4

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