Gruyere Biscuits

The ultimate party food, to compliment champagne or prosecco. The saltiness paired with the fruitiness of the wine, is a match made in heaven. Plus, they're super easy, and quick to make. They're incredibly moreish, and suit to most people's tastes. They're not complicated, and there isn't too many ingredients to remember: just make these, and buy some M&S canapes, stock up on alcohol (which from my experience, is the only thing anyone actually cares about), then that's every single Christmas, and New Year party sorted.

I would recommend at least doubling these, if not tripling these, because you'll find they disappear very quickly. I left them out for 30 mins, and they were all gone by the time i got back, and there were only 2 other people at home (I'm pretty sure a cheese biscuit eating fairy came!!).These can also be made with Parmesan, and its super easy to make different flavoured ones. Finely chopped up rosemary or thyme, would work well, or sprinkle with a pinch of paprika for a bit of heat. The dough can be made well ahead, and kept in the fridge or frozen for later use. The baked biscuit will keep well, in an airtight container for up to a week.

Ingredients
75g plain flour
75g cold butter
75g Gruyere cheese
salt and pepper

1. rub the butter and flour together, until it resembles breadcrumbs
2. add the cheese, and gently knead to form a dough
3. wrap, and chill for 10 mins in the fridge
4. meanwhile preheat the oven to 200c.
5. place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out quite thin, and cut out approx 5cm rounds using a cutter (or glass)
6. bake for 10mins (leave room for the biscuits to spread)
7. once golden around the edges, remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with salt and pepper
8. leave to cool completely before serving.

Tabbouleh with Halloumi

I would like to apologies, because the weather is getting cooler, and I'm still giving you salad recipes. Oh, and the theme of salads with cheese, so apologies in advance if you don't like the sight of cheese, but then why are you even reading my blog. Haloumi is quickly rising in the ranks of favourite cheeses, its just so salty and warm and just so good: I've been finding ways of eating with something middle eastern, instead of just eating it on its own. Luckily I love tabbouleh, so I made it to have an excuse to eat more halloumi!!

So, in an attempt to say goodbye the summer weather and salads, i decided to make this salad. If you have been reading my blog for a while then you'll know that the weather won't stop me eating salads, but it certainly slows me down a bit!

It's Definitely one of my favourite salads as it's so fresh and herby. Plus it's super filling too. I personally love to eat it at lunch or as a light dinner, but if want a more substantial meal, serve with lamb. If you don't like halloumi feel free to remove it.

Ingredients

150g bulgur wheat
2 bunches of mint (100g each), stalks removed
1  large bunch flat leaf parsley (150g)
600g large tomatoes
1/2 red onion
2 lemon, juice and zest 
9 tsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Halloumi 


1. cook the bulgur wheat until tender, drain
2. whilst its cooking, chop the parsley and mint
3. add in the chopped tomatoes, and finely chopped red onion
4. add in the bulgur wheat, along with the lemon juice, zest and olive oil. season to taste.set aside
5. meanwhile, on a hot pan, grill the halloumi until golden brown on both sides.
6. once the halloumi is cooked, serve and enjoy

Griddled Courgette with Mozzarella & Sweet Chilli Dressing

Sadly, the only courgette recipe this year (completely forgetting about this one). Unless you don't like courgettes, then "yay" for you!! Luckily for both my sisters, Dad only planted 2 plants, and this year wasn't a very good for year, for growing courgettes! Meaning it was a very sad year for me. Normally, we grow so many that we end up giving loads away, but this year we had to buy some, i know shock horror!

Since i love courgettes, and I'm always trying to find new recipes, when i came across this one, i did i little excited dance. Its fits my claim "i could eat mediterranean food every day, for the rest of my life" (not that i am) quite nicely. With several of my most loved ingredients, namely the mozzarella (of course, it's in the top 5 favourite cheeses list!!) and the basil.

The sauce is quite sweet on its own, but paired with the courgettes, it balances out. The sauce is also very versatile, and would work well with salmon and chicken, or if you reduce the sugar, it would make a great dipping sauce. 

Serve as a side dish, with fish or chicken, or as a light lunch with added salad  leaves to bulk it up a bit. We had it with grilled mackerel, and my quinoa salad, not the most well planned, and everything works together beautifully meal, but one of the tastiest. 

Ingredients
100g caster sugar
150ml rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 large chillis, deseeded and finely chopped
700g courgettes
1 ball of mozzarella
olive oil
basil leaves, to finish

1. In a small pan, heat the sugar and vinegar with 150ml water. once the sugar has dissolved, add in the garlic and the chilli. Simmer gently for 20mins until reduced and syrupy. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Slice the courgettes finely. Toss in oil and seasoning.
3. Heat the griddle pan or barbecue  to hot.Cook the courgettes, until tender and charred.
4. Arrange on a serving plate, tear over the mozzarella and drizzle with the dressing. Scattered with basil. 

Caramalised Onion and Cheese Muffins

Can we please, just take a moment, to appreciate that these beauty's exist. Both sweet and salty, and incredibly cheesy. Cheese is one of the best foods to grace the earth, and i think i would die, if i didn't have it for over a week. If you make these, and don't like them...., then I'm sorry we cannot be friends, as these are definitely my favourite savoury baking recipe, though my cheese scones come a close second.

For parties, i think this small size is easy, and gives you an excuse to eat more because "there small....". I regularly make them in a normal cupcake tin, as its easier to get out, and don't dry out as quickly. These are definitely one of those items to eat on the day, because they dry out quite quickly.
I'm still in the process of finding the exactly right amount of sugar for my taste buds, so keep adjusting it to your own, but this is what I've found is roughly the right amount. If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, don't worry, it's just as great without it. Also if you don't like one of the cheeses, feel free to swap it, or leave out.

If only i had this recipe, when i was in yr 7, and had to design a savoury muffin, in food tech. At the time my 11 year old mind was blown...what madness! It had to contain two vegetables, (classic example of school trying to make us healthier) but then olives were counted as a vegetable, so it wasn't too hard.

Ingredients 

250g butter
40g  caster sugar
250g self raising flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 red onion
250g cheddar cheese grated
1 tbsp chives
approx 250g crumbled cheese, e.g. feta, blue cheese

panko breadcrumbs, optional

1. saute the onions until caramelised, leave to cool
2. beat the butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy,beat in the egg 
3. fold in the flour and salt
4. gently fold in the cheddar cheese, caramelised onions, chives and crumbled cheese
5. spoon into moulds, top with panko breadcrumbs, and bake until 180° for 20 mins or until golden brown( they will "set", once out of the oven)
6. leave to cool for 5 mins before removing.

Cheese and Tomato Scones

Don't judge a book by it's cover; is the saying, right? Not just the scones, but the photos were taken a year ago, and now look pretty shocking to me, sorry.The scones aren't incredible lookers either, but are one of my most baked  savoury thing of all time, and if i didn't get fat i would eat them every single day(well maybe, that's going to far!)

These were inspired by a cheese shop in Oamaru, New Zealand. Yep, they were so amazing that three years on, i can still(vaguely) remember them. They served beautifully rustic (less rustic, and more pretty than mine) but hey, I'm no professional cheese scone maker, scones topped with red onion and tomatoes, served warm from the oven, and slit with slices of flavoursome cheese.

I've just topped with sliced cherry tomatoes, but feel free to slice up red onion and put it on too. I also just used cheddar, but if you prefer another hard cheese then use that instead.

As you can see, these scones are so incredible that even my cat, Fleur, is fixated on them.

Ingredients 

100g butter
450g self- raising flour
240ml milk
150g grated cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
cherry tomatoes
slices of cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 220°/ gas 7.
2. Rub the flour and butter together to make breadcrumbs
3. Stir in the grated cheese
4. Pour in the milk, stir in using a knife
5. Bring the mixture together, and lightly knead
6. Tear chunks away from the dough, or roll out 
7. Place on a baking tray, top with the sliced cherry tomatoes and scatter with extra grated cheese.
8. Bake for 20 mins
9. When golden brown, remove from the oven, slice and pop in the sliced cheese.
10. Put back into the oven for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted.
11. Serve immediately.  

Warm Carrot and Feta Salad

The transitional weather from summer to autumn, is annoying enough for choosing what to wear, but choosing what to eat is almost a nightmare, too cold for light salads, and too hot for soups and stews. I still adore salads, but shoving cold lettuce down, when the throat is at risk to harassment, from the incoming colds and flu's, it not pleasant. So, rather than eat sandwiches, which make me feel "meh", i have been making this warm salad which is incredibly delicious, but still healthier than resorting to sandwiches.

Feel free to switch up the roasted veg and cheese to whatever takes your fancy. I think squash/pumpkin would also work fine,and beetroot would work really nicely with the feta.To accompany different vegetables feel free to switch up the spices, i think chili flakes would work nicely with the squash/pumpkin. 

Serve as a light starter, with pitta bread. Or serve as a side itself, or part of a casual lunch spread with other salads,dips and nibbles.

Ingredients 

Approx 750g carrots

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan and then ground

2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted

75g feta

1 tbsp chopped mint

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1. Peel, trim and slice the carrots in half lengthwise

2. Toss in olive oil and roast for about 50 mins in preheated oven of 180°c, or until they are tender, slightly brown and have a caramelized appearance

3. Lightly mash, and mix with the ground cumin

4. Spread on serving plate 

5. Sprinkle with pine nuts, cheese, and herbs

6. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.