It’s easy to dry tomatoes at home. All you need are firm flavorsome tomatoes and an oven. I started drying tomatoes about seventeen years ago and have never looked back since. I rarely buy them and much prefer home dried tomatoes over some of the leathery, salty and acidic commercially dried ones. About two years ago I bought a dehydrator and many times I find myself using both. Please don’t be put off with the lengthily drying time, drying your own tomatoes is so worth the effort and you wont be disappointed with the delicious deep intense results. There are endless ways of using these moorish bites with recipes and worth drying at least 2 to 3 kilo- (more if you have an extra oven) at a time. Dried tomatoes are a wonderful store cupboard staple and Farmers Markets are great places to pick up some delicious fresh tomatoes. Oven dried tomatoes in olive oil makes a wonderful gift for foodies. Continue reading
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Squeezing in another lemon dish for this months ingredient pick. Chicken with Burnt Lemons and Halloumi from the cookbook “One Pan Perfect” by @donna.hay I’ve been a fan of Donna Hay for a long time now, love her style of photography recipes and wish I had her prop collection.
Looking out our kitchen window stands a lemon tree, the fruit is yet small and many more months are needed for them to mature. The lemon tree leaves are abundant and have a beautiful citrus aroma when bruised. So, also thought about using lemon leaves in a recipe.
A little late in posting but here is this months ingredient pick…LEMONS. Bright yellow, tart and acidic in flavour. This citrus fruit brightens both savoury and sweet dishes and is very versatile in the kitchen when it comes to recipes. I would imagine a staple ingredient in most kitchens and we are never without them.
Whichever way you choose to enjoy this long Eid break…make it a sweet one.
My first encounter with “Um Ali” was when I arrived in Bahrain many moons ago and it was, love at first bite. When attending buffets and gatherings I would always seek out this middle eastern dessert. Um Ali translated means "Mother of Ali” and it’s made up of precooked flaky pastry soaked in a mixture of sweetened milk and cream, with added nuts and raisins and with Farah’s recipe, dried coconut. Once assembled the pudding is usually baked until golden. Of course variations exist with this rich pudding which originated from Egypt.
Whether you are celebrating Gergaoun or Easter, old-fashioned butterfly buns are fun to make. These delicious baked goods are popular with grown-ups and children, making them perfect for family gatherings.