#ground chilli

Both indulgently creamy and bright with citrus hints, this Lemony Hummus is my favourite thing to whip up, whether as an appetizer, or for a quick and tasty lunch, alongside warm Flatbreads. Happy Monday!

Ingredients (makes about 2 cups):

1 cup tinned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 

1/4 cup aquafaba (the liquid in the chickpea tin)

1 large garlic clove

a large lemon

1 1/2 heaped teaspoon tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground chilli

a few leaves freshly picked Garden Cilantro 

Place chickpeas and aquafaba in a food processor.

Peel and halve garlic clove, and add to the food processor as well.

Grate in the zest of half the lemon into the food processor, and the zest of the remaining half into a small plate or saucer. Set aside.

Thoroughly squeeze in the juice of the whole lemon, and add tahini and olive oil.

Sprinkle in ground cumin, fleur de sel, black pepper and ground chilli.

Process until beautifully smooth, scraping the sides with a spatula and processing again, if necessary.

Spoon Hummus in serving bowl, garnish with reserved lemon zest and Cilantro and drizzle with olive oil.

Chunky and generously dotted with red onion and tomato, this Spicy Guacamole makes a delicious appetizer --and a quick and easy one to whip up for impromptu guests!-- and elevates, with a bit of heat, your humble warps, sandwiches or burgers!

Ingredients (makes about 1 3/4 cup):

a small red onion

a large, not too ripe tomato

1 ripe Hass avocado

1 ripe lime

3/4 teaspoon ground chilli

Peel and finely chop red onion. Set aside.

Cut tomato into quarters, remove the seeds (keep for another recipe) and cut into small dices. Set aside.

Halve and pit avocado, and spoon its flesh into a bowl.

Thoroughly squeeze the juice of the whole lime over the avocado. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash avocado until reduced into a purée. Leave it as chunky or make it as smooth as you wish.

Fold in reserved chopped red onion and diced tomato.

Finally stir in ground chilli.

Chill until serving time.

Fragrant and heart-warming, this comforting Smoky Lentil Soup is the ideal dinner on a frosty night. Happy Monday!

Ingredients (serve 4):

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 onion

1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground chilli or Cayenne Pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups cooked or tinned Puy Green Lentils

3 ripe Tomatoes 

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons Modena Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 litre/2 cups water

1 tablespoon demerara sugar

Heat olive oil in a large pot over a medium flame.

Once hot, add fennel seeds and oregano, and fry, a couple of minutes.

Peel and finely chop onion. Add to the pot, and cook, another couple of minutes until softened.

Stir in smoked paprika, ground chilli and minced garlic, and fry, one minute more.

Increase heat to medium-high, and stir in cooked Puy Green Lentils, coating in oil, herbs and spices.

Roughly chop Tomatoes, and stir them, along with their juice, into the pot. Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper, and cover with the lid. Cook, for about 5 minutes until Tomatoes collapse and release more of their juice.

Deglaze with Balsamic Vinegar. Cook out, 1 minute.

Finally, stir in water, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with the lid, and simmer, about 20 minutes more.

Stir in demerara sugar, until completely dissolved.

I love when Soup Season begins, on these early Autumn rainy and chilly days when a steamy bowl of something hearty feels like hug! (To be fair, I also love when Salad Season begins on the first warm days of Spring; but that's another story!...) This Spicy Bean and Tomato Soup definitely warms you from within, and it is tasty as, too!

Ingredients (serves 3):

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 red Bell Pepper, rinsed

1/2 green Bell Pepper, rinsed

1/2 teaspoon ground chilli or Cayenne Pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 red onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

a small bunch Garden Parsley

1 tin red kidney beans (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup Garden Cherry Tomatoes, rinsed

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup Whole Peeled Tomatoes 

2 cups water

1/2 tablespoon demerara sugar

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.

Seed and dice Bell Pepper halves, and stir into the pot. Cook, a couple of minutes.

Add ground chilli, cumin and cinnamon, and fry, a couple of minutes more.

Peel and finely chop red onion, and stir into the pot, along with garlic. Cook, another minute.

Finely chop Garden Parsley, and stir half into the pot.

Drain red kidney beans, rinse under cold water, and drain thoroughly again. Stir into the pot, coating in spices and herbs.

Halve Cherry Tomatoes, and add them to the pot. Cook, a couple of minutes.

Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper.

Roughly chop Whole Peeled Tomatoes, and stir into the pot, along with their juice. Cook, about 3 minutes more.

Stir in water and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low, and simmer, one hour.

Just before serving, stir in demerara sugar until completely dissolved.

Deliciously piquant, these Chilli Flatbreads are also so easy to make for whenever you need bread in the next few minutes!

Ingredients (makes 2):

2/3 cup plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground chilli or Cayenne Pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup plain yoghurt

1/4 cup cold water

1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large bowl, combine  flour, baking powder, salt, ground chilli and paprika. Give a good stir.

Dig a well in the middle of the ingredients, and spoon in the yoghurt. Gradually add water, stirring with a wooden spoon until a dough starts forming. Dust work surface with a little bit of flour. Turn dough out and knead lightly for a couple of minutes. Return dough to the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside, at room temperature, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over high heat. Lightly grease with olive oil. Divide the dough into two portions. Roll them into balls and flatten them out slightly. Roll them out on a lightly floured surface. Add and cook flatbreads, one at a time, about 2 minutes on each side. 

Ingredients (serves 4):

16 fresh King prawns

2 limes

1/4 teaspoon ground chilli

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons Homemade Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoons Chili and Herb Oil 

Rinse King prawns under cold water and pat them dry; set aside.

In a large baking tin, grate the whole zest of one of the limes.

Add ground chilli, black pepper and Vanilla Extract. Thoroughly squeeze the juice of one lime in the tin. Drizzle in Chili and Herb Oil, and give a good stir until well-blended.

Add King prawns to the tin, and toss thoroughly to coat in the marinade.

Cover with cling film, place in the refrigerator, and allow to marinate, at least a couple of hours.

Heat your oven grill to the highest setting. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place four marinated prawns onto each of four metal skewers (or wooden skewers which you have soaked in water for a bit!); and arrange them onto prepared baking tray.

Cook under the grill, 15 minutes, carefully rotating the skewers halfway through cooking. Or, you can grill them on a barbie, too!

Cut remaining lime into wedges.

This Caponata Calda, a hot stew version of the Sicilian salad, was met with happy sighs and grunts of contentment as I served it for dinner last night, for it is hearty, fragrant, tasty and warming all at once! Happy Thursday!

Ingredients (serves 3 to 4):

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground chilli or Cayenne Pepper

2 aubergines, rinsed

half a large onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 heaped tablespoon capers, drained

1/4 cup black olives, pitted

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons Modena Balsamic Vinegar

4 Whole Peeled Tomatoes + 1/2 cup or their juice

1 1/2 tablespoon caster sugar

a small bunch Garden Parsley

In a large, deep, nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add dried basil, oregano and thyme, along with ground chilli, and fry, 1 minute.

Dice aubergines and add aubergine dices to the skillet,. Cook until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often.

Peel and finely chop onion, and stir into the skillet. Cook, a couple of minutes more. Stir in minced garlic.

Finely chop capers, and stir into the skillet, along with black olives. Cook, another couple of minutes.

Season with fleur de sel and black pepper. Deglaze with Modena Balsamic Vinegar, cook, 1 minute.

Finally, roughly chop Whole Peeled Tomatoes and add them, along with their juice, to the skillet. Bring to the boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, stir in caster sugar, and cover with a lid. Simmer, 10 minutes or so.

Finely chop Garden Parsley.

Just before serving, stir chopped Parsley into the skillet.

Whether your grill them on the barbie or on a griddle pan, these fragrant and juicy Provençal Pork Chops bring a taste of Summer holiday to your lunch! Happy Sunday!

Ingredients (serves 3):

1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 heaped teaspoon Herbes de Provence 

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground chilli

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 pork chops

In a large, shallow dish, combine fleur de sel, black pepper, Herbes de Provence, paprika and ground chilli. Drizzle in olive oil and give a good stir until well-combined.

Add pork chops to the dish, rubbing them thoroughly in the oil and spices.

Place in the refrigerator to marinate, at least a couple of hours to overnight.

Grill marinated pork chops, on a hot griddle pan or on the barbecue, until well-browned and cooked through.