COOKERY NOTES

Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce with Eggs

Middle Eastern Cooking, page 59

Serves 6

For the sauce:

  • 1.5 large onions
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 750g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • .5 teaspoon ground cumin
  • .5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • bunch of parsley, finely chopped

For the meat balls:

  • 750g minced lamb
  • small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
  • small bunch of coriander, finely chopped
  • a few mint leaves or 2 teaspoons dried mint
  • salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • .25 teaspoon ground ginger

To finish:

  • 6 eggs

Chickpeas and Spinach

Middle Eastern Cooking, page 79

Serves 6

175g chickpeas, soaked for 1 hour salt 1 kg fresh spinach 5 cloves garlic, crushed 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander 4 tablespoons oil

Total shopping list:

  • 7 tablespoons oil
  • 7 cloves garlic
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 large onions
  • 175g chickpeas
  • 750g tomatoes
  • 1kg spinach
  • 2 bunches parsley
  • 1 bunch coriander
  • 750g minced lamb
  • mint leaves
  • 2 teaspoons ground paprika
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • .25 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander

Prune Juice Smoothie

  • 300ml prune juice
  • 1 celery stick
  • 100g blueberries

Blend with ice and top with sesame seeds.

Blueberry Vodka Spritzer

  • 60g blueberries
  • 80ml vodka, plus 2 tbsp
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 60ml raspberry cordial
  • 500ml lemonade
  • Ice
  • Lime slices, to garnish (optional)

In a bowl, mash the blueberries with 2 tbsp of vodka, then add 1 tbsp of this mixture into each glass.

In a large jug, add the rest of the vodka, the lime juice, cordial and the lemonade and mix. Add ice to each glass, pour over the spritzer and top with a slice of lime.