A Vagabond Life - Food

Ingredients   400 ml coconut milk 4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste 3 tablespoons palm sugar  4 tablespoons fish sauce 5 kaffir lime leaves 3.5 kg fresh mussels 4 limes, 2 juiced 1 bunch coriander Method Place a heavy based saucepan on a medium heat. Add 100 mls of the coconut milk and curry paste and fry until the coconut milks spits and smells fragrant. Add sugar and fish sauce then cook for 5 minutes. Add lime leaves and remaining coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, reduce the heat to medium then cover saucepan with a lid. Cook for about 4 minutes or until the mussels open, add the lime juice and coriander and give the pot a shake. Divide between plates and Por save over the top.

Ingredients 2 leeks white part finely sliced 1 small onion diced 1/2 cabbage finely sliced 2 teaspoons cumin powder 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed 250 grams goats Fetta  150 grams ricotta Cumin seeds Phyllo pastry sheets Melted butter Mint leaves Flesh of half a lemon Juice of half a lemon Olive oil Method . Melt a dob of butter in a large frying pan and then add some olive oil ( the oil will stop the butter burning). Onion the onion, cook until in softens and then add the leeks and soften. When the leeks are soft add the cumin powder and crushed fennel seeds stir in well, cook for a further one minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 20 - 30 minutes When cool add the ricotta and about 200 grams of the Fetta and stir well. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required (Fetta is quite salty so be careful when adding salt). Mix it all together well. While the mixture is cooling prepare the dressing by  mixing the mint le

The Bellini was invented sometime between 1934 and 1948   by Giuseppe Cipriani the founder of Harrys Bar in Venice, Italy. Because of its unique pink color, which reminded Cipriani of the color of the toga of a saint in a painting by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini he named the drink the  Bellini . The drink consists of puréed white peaches ( although yellow peaches can be used) and prosecco or champagne.  It is very simple to make...just purée the peaches and put into a champagne flute then pour the prosecco or champagne over it. Delicious!

Mozzarella, Beetroot and Fig Salad A wonderful entree on a summers day. Ingredients 4 large Beetroot olive oil salt  2 oranges 150 grams sugar 200 mls water 6 ripe fis cut in half 250 grams mozzarella sliced Watercress or mache leaves Vinaigrette 40 ml white wine vinegar 50 ml walnut oil 80 ml olive oil 50 grams walnuts chopped 1 tablespoon chives salt Method Peel and wash the beetroot and then wrap them in foil and bake in the oven until they are soft. Allow to cool, remove from the foil and then slice into thin circles. (If you are in France the pre-cooked beetroot you buy work just as well) Peel the oranges and remove the zest so you are left with the flesh only, cut the flesh into strips. To make the vinaigrette mix all the ingredients together in a small jug and whisk well. To assemble place beetroot slices in the middle of the plate slightly overlapping, put a slice of mozzarella on top of each beetroot slice. A

Serves 4 Ingredients Butter for greasing 1 kg firm white fish Salt Walnut Herb Crumbs 150 grams fresh breadcrumbs 150 grams walnuts finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped 1/4 cup fresh Tarragon or Dill chopped 90 grams butter, melted Yoghurt Sauce 250 grams Greek yoghurt 1/2 teaspoon 1 large egg 1 small shallot finely chopped 2 tablespoons chives finely chopped Juice of 1 lime 1 tablespoon olive oil Sea salt Black pepper Method Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius  Make the Yoghurt Sauce In a bowl lightly whisk the egg and then add the cornflour and yoghurt and mix together. Add the chives, shallot, lime juice, oil and season with salt and pepper.  Make Walnut Crust Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix the melted butter through thoroughly.  Cut the fish into strips and remove any bones, then season with salt and pepper. Place the fish in an oven proof dish and pour the yoghurt sauce over the top.

Spicy Baked Cauliflower This is one of our favourite cauliflower dishes Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons ground cumin   1 teaspoon ground coriander   1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes   2 garlic cloves, crushed   Pinch ground turmeric   1 cauliflower    Fresh coriander leaves chopped Juice of 1 lemon  Method Pre - heat the oven to 200 degree c. Drizzle a small amount of oil in a large baking pan and put in the oven to warm. Cut the cauliflower into small even pieces and place in a large bowl. In a small jug mix ground coriander, cumin, chilli flakes, garlic, tumeric and oil, mix well. Pour the oil mixture over the cauliflower and mix well so all the cauliflower is coated (you may need to add some extra oil) Put in the baking dish and cook in the oven for about 40 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and has started to brown. You will need to toss the cauliflower several times while it is cooking. When cooked remove from the oven