Tag: fennel

Pickled gherkins

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B8ABAA5C-B25C-49DD-8181-041266133AEEPickled gherkins 

Since years I have wanted to pickle my own gherkins, but never got around to it. Last week when the thermometer reached 35 degrees I eventually did it!

20 small firm pickling gherkins

5-6 750ml jars

for the brine:

500ml vinegar (10%)

2,5l water

1 handful salt

250g sugar

spices for each jar:

1-2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1 medium onion, cut in quarters or sliced

1 dill flower

2-3 tbsp dill finely chopped

6 pepper corns

2  whole allspice

1/4 bay leaf

Heat the ingredients for the brine in a big pot and bring to the boil. Set aside and cool completely.

Wash the gherkins with cold water using a soft brush to clean them well. Dry them and pack the gherkins tightly into the jars. Add the spices to each of the jars and pour the cold brine over. The liquid must cover the gherkins. Screw the lids on. Take a very big pot which can hold all the jars. Place a kitchen towel at the bottom, arrange all the jars in the pot standing upright. Now fill cold water into the pot until the water reaches half way up the bottom row of glasses. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Store in a cool place and let them marinate for 6 weeks before eating them.

 

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Summer salad with crispy feta cheese

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Summer salad with crispy feta cheese

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You might wonder why I am posting so many recipes with strawberries……Very simple answer I just love them. The few months during summer when strawberries are dark red, bursting with flavour and spreading a heavenly aroma, I can’t get enough of them! One of my store cupboard ingredients is feta cheese, I always have at least three or five in my fridge. They are very versatile to use, either cold crumbled over salad, baked in the oven with vegetables or made into a dip or dressing. So it was easy to go for crispy feta cheese to accompany my strawberry summer salad.

 

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Summer salad with crispy feta cheese

1/2 cucumber, diced

1/2 iceberg salad, shredded

1 fennel , thinly sliced (use a mandolin if you have one)

250g strawberries, halved (quartered if big)

for the dressing:

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1/2 tbsp runny honey

1 tbsp whole grain mustard

salt, pepper

for the crispy feta cheese:

2 feta cheese, cut in half

1-2 eggs, beaten

panko ( Japanese bread crumbs), you can use normal bread crumbs as well

flour

oil for frying

To make the salad, mix all ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a bowl or jam jar and mix well. Pour over the salad and mix. Season with salt and pepper.

For the feta cheese, place the eggs, panko and flour on separate deep plates. Toss the feta first in flour, then in the beaten egg and last coat with panko crumbs. You might want to add a second layer of the panko crumbs. Therefore you just toss the cheese in the egg and then in the panko crumbs again. Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the feta cheese from both sides until golden brown. Serve with the summer salad on the side.

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