Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad

Fattoush is a delicious light summery salad well known across the Middle East.  It is packed full of fragrant flavours – lemon, sumac, mint and basil.  Fattoush can be served with any Middle Eastern, Mediterranean or even North African main dish making a good light alternative to a couscous based salad.  This recipe, from Nigella Lawson, was originally served alongside Za’atar Chicken.

The recipe below is almost the same as the one in the book Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson, in fact it was the repeats of the television programme that accompanied the book that originally alerted me to the recipe.  This was, however, just my starting point.  Some more research showed me that this is a fairly basic recipe to which other ingredients can be added, as you wish.  Optional extra ingredients widely listed are lettuce, radish, parsley, carrot (grated or batons), red or green pepper, red cabbage, black olives or pomegranite seeds (or arils): I particularly like the sound of this final idea. Feta cheese is another optional ingredient which would make this a more substantial salad (in fact this recipe is not unlike Greek Salad and has very similar basic ingredients, with the feta cheese and olives replaced with pieces of pitta bread, basil and sumac).  Not unsurprising really given the close proximity of Greece to the area normally considered as the Middle East.  It is perfectly acceptable to use pitta breads that are slightly stale: this recipe was used by cooks in the middle east for this very purpose.

Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad
(Serves 4)

2 pitta breads
3 or 4 spring onions (depending on size) or ½ finely chopped red onion
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
Generous handful of fresh parsley (flat leaf if available), chopped
Generous handful of mint, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
6-8tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Salt
1tsp Sumac powder to sprinkle over finished salad
(see also list of optional ingredients above)

1.  Prepare the spring onions or red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, herbs and garlic and mix gently but thoroughly together.

2.  Dress the salad with the olive oil, lemon juice and a little salt.  Refrigerate until almost ready to serve.

3.  It is good to have the pitta breads slightly warm and still crisp so this final stage should be done just before serving.  Split the pitta breads in half and toast or put in the oven for five minutes.  They should be slightly crisp but not completely brittle.

4.  Using scissors, snip the toasted pitta breads into medium to small pieces and stir into the salad mixture.

5.  Sprinkle over the sumac so it is noticeable but not too thick.

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Basic Recipe: Hummous & Pesto Hummous

This basic Hummous (or Hummus, there are various spellings) mixture can be served as a snack, a starter or appetiser or as part of a buffet.  Traditionally Hummous contains tahini, a sesame seed based based paste, but as long as the sesame flavour is present the finished Hummous is, I find, indistinguishable.  I add the flavour by either adding ground toasted sesame seeds or, more usually (because it is easier) sesame oil, which is always in my cupboard.  Hummous is a vegetarian dish, but much loved by the members of our household, who are all non-vegetarians.  It is a quick and easy recipe and very useful as it can be made in under 10 minutes.

The original recipe for Red Pesto Hummous was pulled from a magazine advertising Flora products, but this is my own variation of what seemed a very good idea!  The pesto Hummous is equally as delicious made with green pesto and both could be put on a buffet table side by side: just add half of each colour of pesto to each half of the blended chickpea mixture.  For extra flavour I added 2tbsp toasted crushed (or ground) sesame seeds to the original recipe (sesame is a traditional ingredient in Hummous), plus a pinch of salt, although these could be omitted.  Alternatively the mixture could be blended with sesame oil in place of the half fat spread, in which case the seeds can be omitted.

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Hummous
(Serves 4 – more at a buffet)

400g/14oz tin chickpeas, drained
1tsp lemon
1 small clove garlic
2tbsp sesame oil or low fat olive spread
2 tbsp plain yoghurt
2tbsp toasted ground sesame seeds (microwave or grill until toasted) – omit if using sesame oil
Seasoning
To serve:
Drizzle over Olive or Sesame oil (optional)
Sprinkle sumak or paprika or cumin (optional)

1.  Put all the ingredients, apart from those added when serving, together in a food processor and blend.  The texture can be either chunky or smoother depending on the length of processing time.

2.  Serve with toast or pieces of warm pitta bread.  It can also be used as a dip at a buffet with a selection of crudities: sticks of carrot, cucumber & peppers plus bread sticks.

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Red or Green Pesto Hummous
(Serves 4 – more at a buffet)

400g/14oz tin chickpeas, drained
1tsp lemon
1 small clove garlic
1tbsp low fat olive spread or sesame oil
1 tbsp plain yoghurt
1 tbsp red or green pesto
2tbsp toasted ground sesame seeds  – omit if
using oil
To serve:
Drizzle over Olive or Sesame oil (optional)
Red – Sprinkle sumak or paprika (optional)
Green – torn/chopped basil (optional)

(Adjust the proportion of spread/sesame oil, yoghurt and pesto to personal taste.  Ready made pesto can be strong so use just 1tbsp first time.)

1.  If making two different colours put all the ingredients, apart from those added when serving and the pesto, together in a food processor and blend.

2.  Divide the mixture in half and add ½tbsp of each colour to each half of the basic mixture.

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Tzatziki Potato Salad

A simple potato salad is a delicious alongside a green salad as part of a summer supper.  This version is combined with Tzatziki, a yoghurt based accompaniment commonly served at Greek meals, but found around the Mediterranean and further afield under other names: all slightly different but all very similar.

The source of this recipe was an idea found at Good to Know Recipes and also called Tzatziki Potato Salad originally taken from Love Dips.  I revisited my recipe for own Tzatsiki, already posted on this site and used this, with the addition of a small amount of sweet red onion, for extra flavour and lots of mint, which very strangely was omitted from the Good to Know recipe.  As an alternative to Greek yoghurt I used a standard plain version, which can be combined with some crème fraîche for extra thickness.  However Greek Yoghurt would also give a thicker consistency and is often available in lower fat versions.  Finally, I sprinkled the whole salad generously with Sumac, a Mediterranean ingredient  more commonly found in the Middle East and North Africa, but also because I like it.  This can be replaced with paprika or some ground black pepper if preferred.

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Tzatziki Potato Salad
(Serves 4)

500g new potatoes – substitute old potatoes if new unavailable
2/3 large sprigs of mint
300g Greek yogurt, or a mixture of plain yoghurt and crème fraîche or soured cream
½ clove of garlic
½ small red onion or 2 spring onions (optional – can replace garlic)
½ cucumber
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt & black pepper
Sumac or paprika (optional)

1. Scrub new potatoes and halve or peel and cut old potatoes into large dice. Cover with water, add a pinch of salt and a large stem of mint. Bring to the boil and cook until soft. Do not overcook as they could break up, which could be a problem using old potatoes.

2. Measure the yoghurt or yoghurt and crème fraîche/soured cream into a bowl.

3. Finely chop or crush the garlic and red onion or spring onions. Finely dice the cucumber. Chop the remaining mint, reserving a few whole small leaves to decorate. Mix these into the yoghurt along with the lemon juice and season to taste.

4. Gently combine with the potatoes, spoon into a serving dish, decorate with the reserved mint leaves and sprinkle with a little sumac, paprika or black pepper to serve.

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Marinaded Feta

Sometimes a recipe that I just have to try pops into my Inbox from one of the sites that sends me regular updates.  A trip to the supermarket shortly after I first saw this recipe and I had a attractive jar full of feta cheese waiting for me to try.  I had to be patient and do as the recipe suggested, but as soon as the week was up I ‘dived in’ – and was not disappointed!

So, thank you to my UK Food Bloggers fellow member, Nic at Cherrapeno for her recipe: Make your own Marinated Feta.   Of course, we all adapt and amend recipes to suit our own tastes.  The ingredients below are for my own version, adjusted to complement the size of block of feta cheese available locally, but with some other ‘tweaks’ too.  I love olives so added some to the second jar I made and will definitely add them again.  I halved the number of chillis as I did not want to spicy a flavour.  The oil is delicious too so don’t forget to mop up the puddle on your plate with some of the crusty bread you serve alongside.  I would definitely serve this as a starter, along with some other marinaded items, such as mixed peppers.  I have tried making this with the cheaper feta type cheese you can buy, which is usually called something like ‘Greek style salad cheese’ and it is fine, though for entertaining I would definitely splash out and buy real Feta.  Only problem with this recipe is that the jar doesn’t last long enough!

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Marinaded Feta

200g packet Feta cheese
½tbsp dried oregano
½tsp coriander seeds, ground – ¼tsp ready ground powder if seeds unavailable
½tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 or 3 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, depending on size
1 small fresh red chilli (2 if you wish) – split lengthways, remove seeds for a milder taste
3-4 small sprigs fresh rosemary
25g/1oz green or black pitted olives, or a mixture (optional)
Olive oil

1.  Drain the whey from the packet of feta and pat dry with a paper towel to remove the maximum amount of liquid. 

2.  Cut into cubes: I cut the block into four long pieces lengthways and then crossways into cubes – around 36-40 pieces.  (Make the pieces larger if you wish by making 3 strips and then crossways into larger cubes.) 

3.  Place the cubes in a bowl.  Sprinkle with oregano, crushed coriander seeds and black pepper.

4.  Cut the tomatoes into three our four pieces each.

5.   Sterilise a jar (about 500-600ml) that is big enough to take all the ingredients by pouring in water from a boiling kettle, draining and filling immediately.  (Make sure the lid is sterlised in a similar way.)

6.  Gradually fill the jar with the cubes of cheese, the pieces of tomato and the olives, poking in the chilli and sprigs of rosemary from time to time so all the ingredients are fairly evenly spaced through the jar.  Make sure that all the herbs in the bowl are included as well.

7.  Pour in a little oil from the sun dried tomatoes (about 2-3tbsp) and top up with extra olive oil as needed.  The ingredients need to be fairly tightly packed with the oil filled to the brim.

8.  Seal the jar tightly.  Refrigerate for 1 week before using. (The marinaded feta will keep for 6-8 weeks in the fridge).

9.  Serve at room temperature for lunch or as an starter. This would also make a good culinary gift.  I have used the excess oil and chilli as a starter for the next jar and I think this could be done two or three times, before needing to start again from scratch.

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Minted Apple Salad

This salad was made as a contribution for a shared supper with a group of friends.  I was asked to bring a green salad, so set about putting together a mixture of green salad and fruit items (although there were some dark red radiccio leaves in the mixed salad and the green pepper was slightly turning to orange/yellow.)   I used cider vinegar in the vinaigrette dressing as it complemented the sharp tasting green skinned Granny Smith apples.  Although they are sharp they add a sweetness and this can be increased by adding grapes.  Alternatively, green olives could be added to give a more salty flavour, although I did not add them on this occasion.  The whole salad was well received and one friend in particular was very complimentary.  I shall certainly be making this again.

As you might have gathered, this recipe is my own concoction, probably not very original but still was not copied from another source.  Pork and apple complement each other well and this would be particularly suitable to eat with cold ham or gammon, pork, pork pie or a pork based pâté.

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Minted Apple Salad
(Select items from this list – choice & proportions according to personal preference)
Mixed green salad leaves
Rocket
Baby spinach
Chopped cucumber
Chopped green pepper
Chopped mint
Seedless green grapes (optional)
Pitted green olives (optional)
Dressing (can be increased proportionally as required):
2tbsp olive oil
1tbsp cider vinegar
black pepper

1.  Wash leaves.  

2.  Slice cucumber in quarters lengthwise and chop.

3.  Chop and prepare other items as required and combine in a large bowl.

4.  Mix the dressing in proportion of 2:1 (oil to vinegar) add a little black pepper and whisk together thoroughtly.

5.  Shortly before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly together.

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Welsh Rarebit

Welsh Rarebit is a traditional British dish.  It was recorded in an eighteenth century recipe book having been served as a supper or of snack food in taverns and alehouses. It is not clear why it has the name Welsh, which was  first recorded in 1725.  However it has been suggested that cheese was cheaper than the meat which the impoverished Welsh people of that time could not afford to eat.  Some traditional versions add a splash of Worcester Sauce, ale or mustard to the mixture as it is mixed for extra flavour.  Also a pinch of cayenne can be sprinkled on top.  I have a Welsh Recipe Tea Towel, which includes one for Welsh Rarebit (called Caws-Wedi-Pobi in the Welsh language).  The ingredients are 8ozs/225g cheese, 1tsp butter, 1tsp dry mustard, 2tsp Worcester Sauce and 2tsp flour mixed with 4tbsp milk or beer which are melted together in a saucepan before being spread onto 4 slices of toast and finished under the grill – a parsley garnish is suggested: so a much more complicated and highly flavoured version than mine below.  Buck Rarebit has a poached egg served on top. 

This is the way Welsh Rarebit is cooked by my mother but I think the recipe is a fairly standard one.  It is one of the simplest cooked lunch dishes I know and very popular with my family. In some ways it reminds me of a very simple version of Nigella Lawson’s Triple Cheese & Onion Strata, especially if I put a little more effort in when making it and add some fried onions, which make it delicious.  I have tried to give an idea of the quantities of ingredients, but mostly I do not weight what I use.  It is a good way to finish up the remains of a block of cheese and different types of cheese can be combined although it is usual to use hard rather than soft cheese.  Mostly a fairly strong cheddar or similar is recommended, but a milder flavour is fine if it is preferred.  A delicious addition is to spread the bread with some home made Tomato Relish or another relish or chutney – or even a scrape of Marmite (love it or hate it?) before grilling.  My family have been known to add a dollop of tomato sauce onto the finished rarebit, though I prefer it without.  However, the recipe given below is for my usual everyday version with no frills, apart from those I am likely to include. The mixture can be made a little in advance and stored in the fridge. It is usually eaten hot, but there is no reason why it could not be eaten cold.  Cheese on Toast is an even simpler version of this recipe and too simple to be a stand alone post.  It is quite literally cheese-on-toast: sliced (or grated) cheese, arranged on the untoasted side of a slice of bread and then gently grilled until golden and bubbling.

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 Welsh Rarebit
(Serves 4)

4 thick slices of bread (for toasting so 1 or 2 days old is fine)
2 eggs
8ozs/225g Cheddar or similar hard cheese, or a mixture of cheeses (aprox)
Seasoning
1 onion, finely chopped & fried (optional) or
1 tbsp tomato or other relish (optional)
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

1.  Break the eggs into a bowl and stir with a fork.

2.  Stir in the grated cheese.  Add the pre-fried onions at this point if using.  Season and mix together well.

3.  Toast the slices of bread on one side only.  If using relish, spread this over the untoasted side of the bread.

4.  Share the egg and cheese mixture equally between the four slices of bread, piling onto the untoasted side (on top of any relish if it has been spread on).  Gently spread over the slice but not quite to the edges as the mixture will melt and spread out slightly.  It can be gently spread more with a  knife while cooking if necessary.

5.  Sprinkle over the cayenne, if using.  Cook under a gentle grill until the mixture has melted and browned.  Do not cook too high or the crust will burn before the centre is cooked.

6.  Cut into half, or slices and serve with a small side salad while still hot.

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Marinaded Mixed Bean Salad

The soft cream, beige, brown and maroon colours of a mixed bean salad is attractive and delicious addition as part of a summer salad meal and a useful dish to serve on a buffet table.  I tend to make a large potful and keep it in the fridge to eat over several days – but I find it rather ‘moreish’ and it is very difficult not to help myself to a quick spoonful every time I open the door! 

These recipes come from Vegetarian Kitchen by Sarah Brown, the book of her BBC TV series from the 1980s.  I first made these marinade recipes not long after seeing the series and buying the book and I find it difficult to decide which is my favourite, so I have posted both.  Mixed dried beans can be bought and cook them in advance, in which case about an hour needs to be added to the preparation time.  I find, however, that the beans often end up looking a similar colour, losing the individual shades which go to make the salad rather pretty.  The best way to avoid this is to use tins of pre-cooked beans, gently warming them through first to help soak up the flavours of the chosen marinade.  It used to be much more economical to buy and cook dried beans, but tinned beans are much less expensive now, especially if bought from the ethnic food aisle or from the supermarket’s ‘economy’ range.  Both marinades look virtually the same: as for flavour, the ‘Dark & Spicy’ is actually not very hot (increase the proportions if you wish after you have given it a try) the ‘Light & Sharp’ is a fragrant mixture of lemon, garlic and ginger.  I usually make this second one for entertaining.  Any leftovers keep well in the fridge and can be eaten over two or three days if necessary – if there is any left.

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Marinaded Mixed Bean Salad
(Serves 8 – more as part of a buffet)

For the Bean Mixture use either:
4-5 400g tins of ready cooked beans
red kidney, borlotti, haricot/cannellini, black eye peas & chick peas – choose varied colours (empty the beans into a saucepan and gently warm through before dressing with chosen marinade – be careful not to cook as they are often already very soft
     or
Mixed dried beans about 1kg – half the weight of the eventual amount of cooked beans. (Cover with water, do not add any salt, bring to the boil and boil for 10 mins.  This is important as Red Kidney beans contain a toxin which can cause stomach upsets unless they are boiled in this way – and Red Kidney beans are needed for their colour. Continue to cook on low heat, still without adding any salt, until softened – around 1 hour in total.  Drain well and dress with chosen marinade.  The liquid can be used as a stock to enrich other recipes.) 

Dark & Spicy Marinade
6fl ozs/175ml olive oil
3fl ozs/75ml red wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground coriander
1 tsp freshly ground cumin
½ tsp chilli powder
1 clove garlic, crushed

Light & Sharp Marinade
6fl ozs/17ml sunflower oil
3fl ozs/75ml lemon juice
½tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
½tsp dry mustard powder (Colemans English is ideal)
½tsp freshly grated root ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed

1.  Mix together the ingredients for the chosen marinade.

2.  Prepare the bean mixture (either by using tins or by pre-cooking dried beans – see above).

3.  While the beans are warm, pour the marinade over and gently stir to combine. 

4.  Cover and leave in a cool place, transferring to the fridge if possible once cold, to allow the flavours to permeate the beans.  Ideally do this overnight or at least for severall hours.

5.  Just before serving chopped parsley can be sprinkled over the salad to add extra colour – for the Dark & Spicy marinaded beans chopped fresh coriander can be substituted.

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Pitta Pizzas

Following on from my original post about Pizza Bases last year, here is a good idea for a speedy pizza and one I will be using regularly.  It substitutes ready bought pitta breads as pizza bases.  The original recipe suggested that the pittas could be divided in two for an extra crispy pizza, layering toppings on rough side.  I found this proved too difficult.  I ended up with two halves of different thicknesses, one of which was far too thin.  An uncut pitta is perfectly adequate as a base.   The suggestion was that round pittas could be used if available, but I could not track any down: oval was fine.  Some supermarkets sell very small pitta breads which would be idea served at a buffet.

The original recipe came from Red magazine, August 2008 issue, in an article giving suggestions for picnic food.  It is ideal as a light snack, either cold as they suggest, or hot straight from the oven with salad for a summer light meal.  I used a simple mozzarella and tomato topping, adding slices of mushroom and red pepper, but any other favourite toppings could be used: fresh tomato, ham, tuna, prawns are all popular.  The original recipe first spread on a layer of tomato puree but I used my home made Tomato Relish – recipe to follow very soon.

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Pitta Pizzas
(Makes 6)

Olive oil, a little to brush over and to pour on top of each pitta pizza
6 pitta breads, white or brown
½tsp Tomato puree, evenly smeared, per pitta
   or
2tsp Tomato Relish (or similar) per pitta
Two pinches of Italian mixed herbs/pizza herbs per pizza
2 x 125g Mozzarella Balls cut into thin slices
Black pepper
Torn fresh Basil leaves
Slices of Mushroom, 2-4 per pitta pizza (optional)
Thin slices of Red Pepper, about 2 per pitta pizza (optional)

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 180^oC/350^oF/Gas 4.

2.  Place the breads on a baking tray and smear lightly with a little olive oil, going right to the edges.

3.  Smear on a layer of tomato puree (do not go right to the edge as it will blacken if not covered).  Alternatively spread on tomato relish.  Sprinkle lightly with Italian or pizza herbs.

4.  If using mushroom, red pepper or other ingredients equally divide these between the bases.

5.  Drain the cheese well and blot with some kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.  Cut into thin slices.

6.  Sprinkle lightly with more Italian or pizza herbs and a little black pepper.

7.  Drizzle with olive oil.

8.  Bake in the oven for 10mins and serve with salad

Alternative toppings:

Potato, Fontina & fresh Thyme
120g waxy new potato, cooked & sliced
80g fontina or taleggio cheese, thinly sliced
1tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt

Onion Chutney, Goat’s Cheese & Rosemary
2tbsp onion chutney
80g goat’s cheese, crumbled
1tbsp freshly chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Sea salt

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Triple Cheese & Onion Strata

This fluffy oven baked lunch or supper dish is somewhat reminiscent of Welsh Rarebit but oven baked and more substantial.  It is, in fact, a savoury bread and butter pudding, but with no butter apart from a very little to grease the dish.  It can be quickly assembled in advance and stored in the fridge for some time before baking: very convenient when you are in a hurry.  Although it was originally suggested for the very busy Christmas season, it can be eaten at any time of the year including as a light Summer supper dish served with a simple salad.  At a recent church lunch, I made this as the vegetarian alternative using a leek in place of the spring onion and it was very well received.

The recipe comes from the book Nigella Christmas (which I was given for Christmas in 2010) but was part of Nigella Lawson’s Christmas Kitchen television series in 2009 where it was served as a simple supper dish.  She calls the recipe Triple Cheese & Onion Strata, which I think is a lovely title.  As an alternative to a side salad it can be served with roast mixed vegetables which can be baked in a separate oven dish alongside.  As the recipe contains bread it certainly does not need potato, rice or pasta.  I found the recipe gave four generous portions.  The original used French bread, which is also good, but it is definitely not a recipe for pre-sliced processed bread.  I used large cubes of a good quality two-day old bread from the bakery (a Bloomer type loaf) as this was in my cupboard. 

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Triple Cheese & Onion Strata
(Serves 4)
150g/5 ozs bread from bloomer type loaf (weight without crusts)
or
1 small baguette, ends removed, cut into 1cm/½in slices and left to go stale
Butter, to grease dish
6 spring onions, white and green parts, roughly chopped
or
1 medium sized leek, rinsed to remove sand and finely chopped
150g/5oz mozzarella, roughly cut into pieces
50g/2oz parmesan, grated
100g/3½ cheddar, grated
100ml/3½fl oz soured cream
6 free-range eggs
small bunch fresh chives or 2/3 green spring onion tops, chopped, to garnish

1.  Butter a large 25cm/10in square gratin dish.  Thickly slice the bread and cut into large chunks or cut the baguette into rings.  Arrange the bread in a layer in the bottom of the dish.  It is better if the bread is a day or two old and it does not matter if the cubes dry out a little.

2.  Put the spring onions, mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar into a food processor with the soured cream and eggs.  Blend until the mixture is smooth with green flecks of spring onion.

3.  Pour the mixture over the bread in the dish.  Cover with cling film, and leave in the fridge for several hours, preferably overnight so the bread absorbs the liquid.

4.  When ready to cook preheat the oven to 180^oC/360^oF/Gas 4.  While the oven is heating up remove the dish from the fridge and bring it to room temperature before cooking.  This will prevent the dish from cracking. (If you have used a metal dish then it does not need to be brought to room temperature.) 

5.  Uncover the dish when it has reached room temperature. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until it is completely cooked through and golden on top.

6. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chives or onion tops. 

7.  Serve with a mixture of roast vegetables: red onion, sweet potato, peppers and tomato is a good combination.  The dish does not need potato as it contains bread so including another root vegetable in the mixture is a good idea.  Alternatively, especially in the Summer months, serve with a mixed salad.

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Basic Recipe: Citrus Fruit Mousse

The simplest recipes are often the best – I think I may have written this line before …  This dessert is a quickly made citrus flavoured cream, to which fruit pulp can be added, which is then served with or without additional fruit.  It would certainly be worth substituting lemon or orange (possibly tangerine too) for the lime and then partner the mousse with other fruits.  I intend to experiment with this idea and add variations on this page as they arise.  I have already combined lemon and strawberry in another recipe and know that to be a delicious combination.

This first recipe is a variation on the original, Mango Lime Mousse by chef Nick Nairn found on the BBC Food website.  The earthiness of the mango certainly complements the lime beautifully.  Although called Mango Lime Mousse, it was actually a lime mousse served with mango.  When I made it my mango was very soft and I ended up with pulp rather than recognisable pieces.  I decided to combine the fruit with the lime mousse and then to cut up another mango, which was firmer, to serve alongside.  The original recipe called for half a mango: I ended up using two, so the whole mango and lime balance of this recipe has been altered from the original.  This recipe uses half a tub of cream and generously served three people.  For four people it would be necessary to use the whole tub of cream and the proportions of the other ingredients either increased or kept the same, depending on personal preference.  For six people I would add another mango, half as purée and half as cubes or slices. I see no reason why a fruit and cream mixture could not be churned in an ice cream machine (or for those without a machine, semi frozen and then well stirred once or twice to break up the crystals before the final freeze).

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Mango & Lime Mousse
(Serves 3)

For the citrus mousse:
150ml/5¼fl oz double cream
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 lime, zest and juice only 

For a mango & citrus mousse add:
1 mango, pulped or puréed 

To finish the dish:
1 mango, peeled and either cubed or sliced
honey, to drizzle
sprig of mint, to garnish 

1.  Whisk the cream and sugar together in a bowl until thickened. 

2.  Zest and squeeze the lime.  Fold into the cream mixture until well combined. 

3.  Pulp or purée the softest mango (this is a good way to use an over ripe fruit) and whisk into the lime cream.  Place cream mixture in the refrigerator until it is to be served. 

4.  Arrange some cubes or slices of mango in each serving plate or dish. 

5.  Spoon the lime mixture on top, drizzle with honey and decorate with a sprig of mint.

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