Supper

What shall we have for supper? (1)

I am neither a ‘foodie’ nor a dedicated cook and food programmes on television make me feel quite queasy, though strangely not when they are on the radio. However, I do have to feed my family (anything in number from 2 to 6 at present, but more if others of the clan come to visit) and while I am happy to have soup every day or jacket potatoes with beans and salad, there are mumblings of dissent from others. My family learnt long ago never to praise anything I had prepared because, lacking imagination/interest/time, I would then serve it at every opportunity. Kedgeree three days running does pall quickly, for example. Things have improved, that is to say, I have improved, though not markedly. Occasionally, though, I try something different and the following salad proved to be really quite tasty and filling and we’ve only had it twice since I discovered it on January 23^rd. That’s not too bad, really, by my standards.

Grilled halloumi, avocado and papaya salad

Serves 2
Preparation: 15 min
Cook: 10 min

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         1 papaya

·         2 limes

·         50g wild rocket

·         2 ripe avocados

·         1 tbsp capers

·         250g halloumi cheese

Method

·          Halve the papaya lengthways, scrape out the seeds, remove the skin and slice or dice. Transfer to a bowl. 

·         Halve the avocados lengthways, twist apart, remove stone and skin. Slice chunkily.

·         Pile the avocado over the papaya and squeeze over 1 lime.

·         Add the capers. Pile the rocket on a platter, top with papaya mix.

·         When ready to serve, slice the halloumi quite thickly, smear with remaining oil. Heat a griddle or heavy-based frying pan and cook for a couple of minutes a side until griddle-etched or patched with brown. Transfer to the salad, squeeze over the remaining lime and serve.

Today's Flowers #50

Nasturtiums grow like weeds in our garden! I have picked flowers and leaves to eat with salad leaves - peppery! I always look carefully at the undersides of the leaves, many of which play host to hordes of blackfly, and leave those on the plant.
I took this photograph for the beautifully variegated leaves which look as though they've been marbled. (Does anyone remember 'marbling' at school? Satisfying results in a very quick time. I tried it with a couple of primary school classes I taught too . . . ;-))

I thought this nasturtium was quite outstanding in its colour and form.

Photos will enlarge if clicked

I always thought capers were the pickled seed heads of nasturtiums but have just discovered that 'proper' capers come from the Caper plant (Capparis spinosa) which is native to the Mediterranean where it grows wild. Capers are widely used in Mediterranean cuisine.

Those I have always fondly held to be the real McCoy are actually known as 'Poor Man's Capers' and are a cheap substitute for the genuine and expensive article. Nonetheless I intend to pickle some this year and if we live to tell the tale I'll let you know what we all thought of them.

Thanks are owed to Luiz Santilli Jr., Denise Gullickson, Laerte Pupo and Valkyrien for hosting 'Today's Flowers'.

To enjoy other blooms from around the world please click here