Spinach and Cranberry Salad

Spinach and cranberries? Two ingredients I wouldn’t have thought of putting together. However, at a works lunchtime fuddle, one of the girls produced a Spinach and Cranberry Salad with a peanut dressing, it was amazing.

That summer I searched the internet for the recipe and ended up trying to replicate the flavours for the dressing myself. Unbelievably, this summer I was in Selfridges food hall and there behind the glass chiller cabinet was a tray of Spinach and Cranberry Salad. Im not sure Selfridges had a peanut butter dressing on it, I should have bought some!

I’m sure you’ll agree that the peanut butter dressing complements both the earthy spinach and the cranberries sweetness.

Ingredients
100g baby spinach, washed
150g sugar snap peas, washed
40g thick crispy noodles
60g dried cranberries
15g sesame seeds, toasted

Dressing
85g smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey, clear runny
2 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2/3 drops Tabasco sauce

*water to thin to double cream consistency

Method
Blanch sugar snap peas for 2 mins
Plunge sugar snap peas into cold water, to stop the cooking process
Dry off sugar snap peas In a large bowl mix together all salad ingredients
In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients
When ready to serve, pour dressing over the salad and toss salad until everything is coated

Notes
If you can’t find crispy noodles, you can deep fry pre cooked egg noodles
Although the dressing looks thick, it does coat the salad without looking thick
Don’t add the dressing to soon as it will cause the spinach to wilt
Fuddle, before I moved Yorkshire I had never come a cross this name. Since living here, Ive shared many a good fuddle!
Your feed back is always welcome

All photography credit: copywrite ©2015 Sara J Orme
Permission must be requested to reproduce any photography from Cooks and Captures ©2015 Sara J Orme
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarajorme/
Twitter: @sarajorme
Facebook: Sara J Orme – Cooks and Captures
Contact: sarajorme@cooksandcaptures.co.uk

Cinnamon Spiced Lamb Filo Lachmajou

Feeling inspired, I created these little middle eastern spiced filo lamb and cinnamon nibbles to emulate my experience of a light evening meze at Caravaniserai Leeds, where traditional North African street food is served in the restaurants tiny upstairs dining room. One long wooden tressel table, shared by all its diners, sits on the old terracotta tiled floor. The walls are dressed with rich tapestries and artefacts, colourful woven cushions are scattered around, absorbing sounds. Subdued lighting creates a calm relaxed ambience, while the aroma of sweet mint tea served in little ornate cups, bowls of hummus and freshly made flat breads fill the air.

Enjoy my little Filo Lachmajou’s warm on their own as nibbles, served with tatziki as a part of a meze or as first course appetiser.

Makes around 36
Prep 30 mins
Bake 10 mins
Mark 7, 220 *C, 425*F
Baking tray
Grease proof paper or oiled foil
Pastry brush

Ingredients

6 Sheets Filo Pastry
Oil for brushing
1lb Mince Lamb
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
I Medium Red Onion, chopped
400g Tin Plum Tomatoes
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of salt & pepper, according to required taste

Method

Lightly fry onions till transparent, set to one side
Fry mince till brown, drain of excess fat
Add garlic, brown off
Add tinned tomatoes, cinnamon and cooked onions
Cook on low heat till the mixture becomes dry to intensify, stir occasionally, do not let it burn
Add salt & pepper seasoning to taste.

Lay out one filo sheet – cover remainder with damp cloth to prevent them drying out
Brush filo with a little oil
Cut with a sharp knife into 6 equal rectangles
With the rectangle portrait to you, leave 1cm each side of its length free, lay a heaped tsp of mixture evenly spread from left to right in a strip.
Fold the 1cm from the sides, in over the mixture & down the length of filo
Carefully lift the front edge of filo over the mixture & roll forward to the end creating a small cylindrical shape.
Sit it on its seam on a greased baking sheet.
Brush tops with a little oil
Bake in the top of the oven till golden

Notes

*you may have some mixture left over
Lachmajou filling, recipe adapted from Tessa Kirros, Falling Cloud Berries.

All photography credit: copywrite ©2015 Sara J Orme
Permission must be requested to reproduce any photography from Cooks and Captures C2015 Sara J Orme
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarajorme/
Twitter: @sarajorme
Facebook: Sara J Orme – Cooks and Captures
Contact: sarajorme@cooksandcaptures.co.uk