Cheese and Mustard Puff Pastry Pinwheels

December 20, 2022December 19, 2022 What Jessica Baked NextLeave a comment

An easy canapé to serve at upcoming Christmas, New Year parties or to take out for a picnic. These puff pastry pinwheels are made with only 3 ingredients!

Looking for a last minute, sophisticated canapé you can make in time for Christmas and New Year?

My Cheese and Mustard Puff Pastry Pinwheels are a couple of bites of gooey cheesy, flaky pastry deliciousness.

We’ve made these pastry pinwheels for years and love serving them at all kinds of gatherings.

Both sets of our grandparents love these, whenever we made them (which was usually every Christmas or party) where we served a buffet for tea, these pastry pinwheels would disappear very quickly!

When I want to make something quick and easy, I always grab a pack of ready made puff pastry. It’s great to have a pack in the fridge ready for any occasion. I love how effortlessly easy these pinwheels are to make and how very little ingredients you need on hand to make them.

Ingredients can be switched around depending on your dietary requirements. For gluten-free, use gluten-free puff pastry, for dairy-free/vegan, use a dairy-free cheese you like.

Try some different cheese too, swap the Cheddar for Gruyère, Mozzarella or even Red Leicester.

Once they’re baked until golden, it’s very hard to stop at just one…

Cheese and Mustard Puff Pastry Pinwheels

An easy and impressive canapé to put out at upcoming Christmas, New Year parties or to take out for a picnic. These puff pastry pinwheels only use 3 ingredients too!

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings 22

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

375 g pack ready rolled puff pastry
2 tablespoons mustard I use 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard and 1 tablespoon Dijon or English mustard
100 g mature Cheddar grated

Instructions

Take your puff pastry and unroll it. Spread the mustard evenly across the sheet of puff pastry and top with the grated cheese.
Starting at the long end of the pastry, tightly roll the pastry. Cover and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes - this makes slicing easier.
Once you're ready to bake the pinwheels, preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
Take a serrated knife, trim the edges and slice the pastry roll into 1cm pieces and distribute evenly between the baking trays. The recipe makes approx. 22-24 pinwheels. (At this point you can freeze the (unbaked) pinwheels for up to one month.)
Bake the pinwheels for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. They can be eaten both hot and cold, store the pinwheels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

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Sriracha Glazed Roasted Potatoes

August 22, 2022August 22, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next3 Comments

Roasted potatoes in a sriracha glaze – the potatoes are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside with a spicy sticky glaze.

This recipe is inspired by So Vegan, I saw a blog post/recipe video of these potatoes being made and instantly saved the recipe to try myself.

Asian food is always super flavourful and this sriracha glaze is sweet, sticky and adds a delicious spicy kick of heat to each mouthful.

Slice your potatoes and place in a large baking tray. Drizzle over a tablespoon of oil and season with a smallish pinch of salt before roasting for 30-35 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and have turned golden in colour.

When the potatoes are a few minutes away from being ready, start preparing your glaze.

Take all the glaze ingredients, whisk together in a bowl, then pop in a saucepan and then heat for a few minutes until thickened. Toss the potatoes in the glaze and mix together in the pan until the sauce is coating the potatoes.

Serve right away with a sesame seed and chive or spring onion garnish.

Sriracha Glazed Roasted Potatoes

Roasted potatoes in a sriracha glaze - the potatoes are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside with a spicy sticky glaze.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings 4 people

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

800 g baby potatoes quartered
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt

Sriracha Glaze:

3 tablespoons agave nectar, honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce I use dark soy sauce
1 and 1/2 tablespoons sriracha adjust to taste
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C Fan / 425°F / Gas Mark 7. Place the potatoes on a large baking tray. Drizzle with the oil and season with a generous sprinkle of salt. Roast the potatoes for 30-35 minutes until soft and they're lightly golden in colour.
When the potatoes are nearly ready, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the agave nectar/honey or maple syrup with soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha and the chopped garlic.
Heat the glaze in a large saucepan (I recommend a deep frying pan/wok to do this) and allow the glaze to gently bubble for 2-3 minutes, or until it's thickened slightly. Add the roasted potatoes to the pan and mix to coat the potatoes in the glaze. Serve garnished with sesame seeds and chives/spring onion.

Appetisers · Baking · Italian Cuisine · Rice Dishes · Vegetarian Recipes

Double Cheese Arancini (Sicilian Rice Balls)

July 17, 2020May 3, 2023 What Jessica Baked Next47 Comments

Arancini di riso is a traditional Sicilian street food. A white risotto base flavoured with Parmesan or Pecorino is prepared, cooled until firm, rolled into balls then stuffed with a cube of mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden. Served crisp and warm with tomato dipping sauce and you’ll be transported to the streets of the Italian island of Sicily.

Originally posted in January 2014, recipe and photographs updated July 2020.

I first made these arancini for my blog in 2014, back then I was dreaming of my impending holiday to Tuscany that summer and I was cooking lots of Italian food in my kitchen counting down the days until my trip. This is a recipe I’ve been meaning to update and improve for a long time. Recently I made arancini again for dinner because I’ve been off on annual leave from work and as I’ve had lots of spare time to bake different recipes, I thought I’d share the updated recipe and photos for you to enjoy one more time!

These are perfect to make if you have some leftover risotto bianco (white risotto) on hand from a previous lunch or dinner. Arancini are a popular starter on many restaurant menus and they really transform leftover risotto. Traditionally deep-fried, you can also bake these rice balls until golden if you’re not a fan of fried food. I don’t particularly enjoy fried food, but I will say I highly recommend frying these stuffed rice balls opposed to baking them for authenticity.

I’m not going to lie, making arancini is a lengthy process and this recipe is one that requires time to focus on. Even before eating the arancini, the day before you’ll need to prepare the delicious risotto base.

So you’re probably wondering why we’re starting by making your risotto bianco (white risotto) a day ahead? We’re doing this to make sure the risotto is dried out and easy to shape and roll into the arancini the next day and won’t stick to your hands. Also, chilling your risotto allows the flavours to develop too – an added bonus! Just try not to eat too much of it beforehand though, this will probably make you laugh but I even had to chase my taste testers out from the kitchen once the risotto was cooling otherwise I knew we’d have nothing left for the arancini!

In the photo above you’ll see my risotto base before stirring all that glorious, melty and salty cheese in. These are in fact DOUBLE cheese arancini, because we have grated cheese mixed into the risotto AND a piece of mozzarella stuffed into the centre of each rice ball.

This recipe is definitely 100% one to try if you’re a cheese lover that’s for sure!

The above photo shows my batch of arancini ready for frying. This recipe makes a generous helping of these tasty Sicilian rice balls making 18 in total, so more than enough to serve 6. We had our serving and shared a couple extra the next day and even a day later they weren’t as crisp on the outside but when heated still had that amazing gooey mozzarella surprise!

I wanted to show you the process in step-by-step photos of how to shape and form the arancini, but working alone in the kitchen I was unable to take photos whilst having my hands covered in the ingredients – I didn’t really fancy covering my camera with food if I could avoid it!

I’ll just describe to you the method: it’s as simple as taking approx. a 60g portion of the risotto, flattening that in your hand slightly, then taking a piece of mozzarella and incasing the cheese fully inside of the risotto mix. Then roll your rice ball in seasoned flour, followed by beaten egg and finally cover the outside completely in breadcrumbs.

Just look at that amazing gooey centre, the mozzarella goes all stringy and is ultra creamy!

Eat your arancini with tomato sauce (I recommend arrabbiata or a tomato and basil sauce). You could even garnish your plate with a side salad too if you like. It’s so easy to prepare a restaurant-style starter in your own kitchen, so get your ingredients ready and make yourself these tasty arancini as soon as possible!

Ingredients:

Risotto Bianco (White Risotto):

15g / 1 tablespoon (salted or unsalted) butter

1 tablespoon oil – use either a light olive or vegetable oil

1 brown or white onion, finely diced

2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

300g arborio rice

150ml white wine – I recommend Pinot Grigio

900ml vegetable stock

50g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese alternative (such as Pecorino)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

125g dried/pizza mozzarella – cut into 18x 1cm cubes

100g plain flour

2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten

200g breadcrumbs

Method:

To make the risotto bianco: In a large frying pan heat the butter and oil until foamy. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until transparent and softened. Add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes to toast slightly. Now turn the heat up to a medium and add the wine – it will bubble rapidly, stir together and cook until all the wine has been absorbed. Now add a ladleful of stock at a time, stirring well until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice and repeat with the remaining stock – this should take approx. 25-30 minutes (test your rice to see if it’s soft without any harder uncooked grains of rice left – you want it cooked al dente.) Now remove the risotto from the heat and mix through the grated Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Spread the risotto mix out over a large baking tray and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, cover and leave it in the fridge overnight.
To fill and shape the arancini: Take roughly 60g portions and divide the risotto mix into 18. Dampen your hands with a bit of water, flatten each piece of rice and place a cube of mozzarella in the centre. Shape into a ball by bringing the sides up and sealing at the top, then roll the mix slightly between your palms. You’ll want to keep dampening your hands and repeat this step with the remaining risotto mixture.
To coat the arancini: Set up a section in your kitchen with your ingredients for coating the arancini. Take the flour and season with salt and black pepper. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl and tip the breadcrumbs into another bowl.
Take each arancini you prepare earlier and start by rolling in the seasoned flour, then roll in the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Spread the arancini out onto a large baking tray that’s been lined with parchment paper or a piece of clingfilm to stop them from sticking to the tray.
Half fill a large deep saucepan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-low until it reads 170°C on a cooking thermometer or until a piece of bread turns golden brown in the oil within 45 seconds. Fry the arancini in batches until crisp and golden – this should take roughly 4-5 minutes. Once ready, drain the arancini on kitchen paper and leave to cool slightly before serving.
Serve the arancini warm (allow them to cool for a few minutes after frying) with a sprinkle of extra grated Parmesan/vegetarian alternative and some chopped parsley – if you don’t fancy this you can just sprinkle the arancini with sea salt. Place the arancini on a serving platter or individual dishes with a pot of tomato sauce – we love arrabbiata sauce with ours.

Recipe from here

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Baking · Gluten-Free · Rice Dishes · Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Herb Rice

February 22, 2017October 7, 2021 What Jessica Baked Next17 Comments

This one-pot rice pilaf is bursting with Mediterranean flavours! Baked and then garnished with herbs and lemon just before serving – you’ll want to eat this tasty rice straight from the pot!

I love that in food there are memories. Tasting a certain food can transport you back and allow you to reminisce about somewhere you travelled to or a time you really enjoyed and have fond memories of.

That’s exactly what this recipe does for me.

I first had a taste of rice very similar to this a number of years ago on holiday on one of my first visits to the glorious Mediterranean island of Cyprus. My family and I would visit this one restaurant a couple of times during our trip, the restaurant specialised in souvlaki, which consists of various meats and vegetables grilled on a barbecue. Each diner received a massive plate that included a jacket potato, souvlaki meat of your choice such as beef, chicken or pork, a corn on the cob and a small portion of rice. The rice wasn’t just boring plain boiled rice, it was incredibly buttery and rich in sensational flavours.

Greek is one of the many cuisines I really enjoy. A few of my personal Greek food favourites include spanakopita, tzatziki and tiropitakia – we used to buy these from bakeries on the way to the beach and would sit eating these amazing cheesy pastries whilst feeling the gentle sea breeze and sun on us. Just thinking of that I’d desperately like to be transported back there right now!

Wave goodbye to the winter blues by making this rice, it’s sure to bring a touch of sunshine to your day!

We recently enjoyed this rice again served with Greek salad (minus the feta cheese) and some vegetarian sausages. The rice makes a super tasty dinner everyone will love!

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

30g / 2 tablespoons butter

Drizzle of olive oil

1 white onion, diced

2-3 large cloves of garlic, finely minced

1-2 dried or fresh bay leaves, torn – tearing the leaves releases the flavour

450g (2 cups) long grain rice

900ml (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

Zest from half a large lemon and a squeeze of the juice

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Few sprigs each of fresh thyme and rosemary, finely chopped

Small handful of fresh parsley (approx. 2-3 tablespoons), finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. In a large ovenproof saucepan over a medium heat melt one tablespoon of the butter and the oil.
Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and a touch of salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes until soft and translucent – you don’t want this to colour too much.
Now add the rice and stir until all the grains of rice are moistened by the butter. Then add the stock, cover the saucepan with a lid and allow it to come up to the boil.
Once boiling take off the heat and place in the oven to braise for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is completely cooked through.
Add the chopped herbs, lemon zest and a generous squeeze of the lemon juice and season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
Leave the rice with the lid on and allow the flavours to develop for about 5-10 minutes prior to serving. Garnish the rice with extra chopped parsley if desired.
Rice is best served straight away or at room temperature. Don’t reheat rice more than once. If you’re reheating it check temperature has reached at least 75°C before consuming.

Recipe Notes:

If your saucepan lid is not ovenproof then you can cook this rice in a dish covered with tin/aluminium foil.
If you’re planning to make this rice dairy-free you can substitute the butter for a dairy-free alternative or just use oil.
I’ve tested this recipe out a few times and I’ve found adding the zest from half a large lemon adds more than enough lemon flavour without being overpowering. If you want you can add the zest of the whole lemon if you’re a lemon lover!
This rice doesn’t have to the braised in the oven you can cook it by boiling it the stove top instead if you’d prefer to do that. I baked it as this is how I was taught how to cook the best rice at culinary school. Just check how long your rice needs to cook, each brand can cook differently. There’s nothing nice about overcooked rice and you won’t want this rice to be the texture of rice pudding!
Rice can be eaten on its own but it’s also great served with chicken or fish such as salmon or prawns/shrimp.
This recipe will typically serve 4-6 people generously but it can serve up to 8 smaller portions.

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Light Lunches · Vegetarian Recipes

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

October 11, 2016October 5, 2021 What Jessica Baked Next3 Comments

Make the most of autumn’s harvest with this hearty and warming Thai butternut squash soup.

Now it’s officially autumn that means soup season is upon us. I’ve definitely been noticing the recent cooler weather and when it’s cold out all I crave is comforting food like soups and stews. Recently I’ve been feeling a tad rundown and decided on making soup so I would feel back to my best.

Around this time of year you’ll be seeing lots of delicious savoury and sweet pumpkin recipes. I adore butternut squash soup and every year when autumn rolls around and pumpkin is in season I like to make a batch of homemade soup. However, whilst I love butternut squash soup as it is, this time I wanted to try something a little more aromatic and spicy.

My love of Thai cuisine is the main inspiration behind this recipe. Many classic Thai recipes are packed full of different flavours and spices. I frequently cook my family Thai green curry and other traditional dishes from Thailand.

For the soup, I thought about chopping up chilli, garlic and ginger, however I was feeling lazy so instead I decided to cheat this time and use a couple of tablespoons of Thai red curry paste we had leftover in the fridge after my sister made a Thai red curry over the weekend.

To make this soup, it’s really quite simple. Take your butternut squash, peel and chop it up in 1cm sized cubes. Add the chopped squash to a large saucepan along with the red curry paste and sauté for a few minutes. Next add the coconut cream and stock, bring up to the boil, cover and leave to simmer for about 25 minutes or until the squash is soft. Finally, blend the soup until smooth. I like my soup a little on the thicker side, but if you prefer your soup thinner in consistency just add a touch more stock.

With Bonfire Night next month, this soup would be brilliant to pack up or come home to if you’re feeling cold after watching fireworks. You’ve got to give this soup recipe a try this autumn, it’s amazingly tasty and comforting with the fragrance from the red curry paste and creamy coconut flavour and texture from the coconut cream.

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1kg butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

250ml coconut cream

500ml vegetable stock

Method:

Add the chopped butternut squash to a large saucepan along with the red curry paste. Gently sauté over a medium heat and cook for about 2-3 minutes until all the squash is thoroughly coated in the curry paste.
Add the coconut cream and vegetable stock, cover the pan and leave to simmer for about 25 minutes or until the squash is soft.
Blend the soup in a food processor or with a handheld blender until smooth. Add a couple of generous pinches of salt, stir and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes:

Add more or less curry paste depending on how spicy you want your soup.
Adjust consistency of the soup to your liking by adding more stock if it is too thick.
Soup will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up a 2-3 days, it’s best eaten on the day of making.
This soup is delicious served with bread, rolls or croutons. We made our own croutons and baked them in the oven until they were crispy and golden.

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Dips and Sides · Light Lunches · Vegetarian Recipes

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

August 24, 2016July 8, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next21 Comments

A simple and easy recipe for couscous with roasted vegetables. This is great eaten on its own or you can make it into a meal and serve as a side dish. Colourful, healthy and ready in just over 30 minutes!

Eating healthy and sticking to a budget each week can sometimes seem tricky. I always believe delicious and nutritious food doesn’t have to be expensive, hard to make or take an eternity to prepare.

Couscous is one of my favourite ingredients to use in savoury cooking because it’s so convenient. I always have it in my kitchen cupboard along with rice and pasta. If you’re not familiar with couscous, it’s a grain that’s common in North African cuisine and is usually served with tagine and stews.

Preparing couscous is really simple and unlike most recipes I don’t even worry measuring out the water/stock I add. I usually just place the couscous in a bowl, crumble over a vegetable stock cube and then just pour enough boiling water to cover the top. I’ve always used this method of making the best fluffy couscous and it hasn’t let me down yet. What I love most about making savoury recipes is the fact you can freestyle unlike baking which is a science and where the measurements have to be exact.

Roasted vegetables are my family’s favourite and recently we’ve all made a concerted effort to eat less meat (and cake!) each week. Lately our meals have been based around using fresher ingredients and we’ve been exploring healthier vegetarian options.

I usually get fed up of vegetables like broccoli, carrot or peas that we eat so often with roast dinners. I eat roasted veggies probably two or maybe three times a week. They’re pretty much a staple part of my diet nowadays! I just love the vibrant colour and beautiful flavour when they’re all golden and roasted.

We love serving this roasted vegetable couscous with either chicken or halloumi. Both of which would be super tasty served with my homemade tzatziki! Also, I think the couscous would be fabulous to bring to a late summer BBQ, potluck or even as part of a mezze platter.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 mixed colour bell peppers, deseeded and cut into medium chunks

8-10 small mushrooms (such as button or chestnut), cleaned and quartered

1 red onion, chopped into small chunks

1 courgette, halved lengthways and sliced into 1/2 inch quarters

Salt and black pepper, to taste

200g (1 cup) dried couscous

1 vegetable stock cube (optional)

Boiling water (see method for instructions)

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Evenly spread the vegetables out onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables until they’re all coated well in the oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until soft and starting to colour slightly.
Once the vegetables are near enough cooked, start preparing the couscous. Place the couscous in a large bowl that will be big enough to mix up all the vegetables in too. Crumble the stock cube over the top of the couscous, season with salt and pepper and pour over just enough boiling water to cover the top of the couscous. Cover the bowl with some clingfilm/plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes (I always leave mine for the full 10 minutes).
Now using a fork, fluff the couscous and then mix through the roasted vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature. Couscous can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes:

You don’t have to use olive oil when roasting the vegetables, you can use any light flavoured oil you have in such as canola/vegetable oil.
If you’d like you can season the vegetables with your favourite herbs and spices before roasting. Sometimes I add some garlic powder or a pinch or two of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika. Dried oregano and thyme would also taste great with the vegetables.
The vegetable stock cube is optional. I find it adds extra flavour to the dish but feel free to leave it out if you want.
Swap around the vegetables. If you’d prefer to add more of a certain vegetable that will work just as well.
Just an idea, you could crumble a little bit of Greek feta cheese into the couscous prior to serving. I’m going to try that next time I make this!

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Gluten-Free · Vegetarian Recipes

Oven Roasted Corn

June 10, 2016June 10, 2016 What Jessica Baked Next7 Comments

Buttery baked sweet corn roasted in the oven until tender. Easy and delicious – this will make a great BBQ side dish.

I love food that transports me back to holidays. I first tried this corn in Cyprus last summer and I’ve been hooked on it ever since. I remember seeing street vendors selling corn and one evening I couldn’t wait any longer and I decided to try some out for myself because it seemed so popular with the locals.

The experience of watching the corn be prepared was not like any way I’d seen it done before. I watched as the man removed the cooked corn from a large pot of water then he started to charr it on a grill. The next step is what left me completely puzzled, the man started to use a hairdryer! Presumably this is used to help speed up the cooking process and make the corn crisp?

So after all that malarkey I finally got a chance to try it and it was love at first bite. I adored the sweet and salty flavour and the caramelised butter. We enjoyed it so much that every time we headed to the supermarket to get groceries I would pick up some sweet corn and recreate the corn I had from the street vendor. Even my sister who used to dislike corn now can’t get enough of it, that’s why I knew this recipe was a winner and one I wanted to share in time for the summer.

To prepare it take each corn and place in a piece of aluminium foil, season generously with salt and pepper and then top with a tablespoon of butter. Wrap it all up and then bake for 20 minutes in the foil, then uncover and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until it’s starting to colour slightly.

My corn recipe is a much easier and simpler version of the original. It doesn’t require much effort to make and the oven does all of the work, which means you can spend more time outside enjoying the weather rather than being stuck inside a hot kitchen. If you want you can cook it on the barbecue, it will be equally as delicious.

This corn makes a great side dish for the upcoming BBQ season. It goes brilliantly with burgers, chicken and ribs. I love this simple and inexpensive recipe and so will you – you’ll be making it all summer long! 🙂

Ingredients:

4 sweetcorn or 8 cobettes

4 tablespoons butter

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C / 180 Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Line a baking dish with aluminium foil and evenly spread out the corn. Top with butter and season well with salt and black pepper. Cover and seal the corn in the foil, then roast for 20 minutes. Uncover the corn and continue to cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the corn is lightly coloured and the butter is starting to caramelise.
Before serving brush corn with excess melted butter. Serve immediately. The corn is delicious served both hot or cold.

Enjoy!

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This blog post is in conjunction with a project FourWalls have set-up to celebrate National BBQ Week.

Appetisers · Dips and Sides · Greek Cuisine · Vegetarian Recipes

Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber Dip)

April 25, 2016February 12, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next22 Comments

My take on Greek tzaztiki dip – it’s fantastic served with pitta or crusty bread and all kinds of dishes like gyros, souvlaki or part of a mezze. To make the best tzatziki you need to use thick and creamy Greek yoghurt and add lots of garlic!

I’m finally sharing one of my favourite Greek recipes with you! I’ve been eating and making this dip for many years now and I decided this recipe deserved a place on the blog. If you were wondering, Tzatziki is a Greek cucumber and yoghurt dip and it’s traditionally served with grilled meats like beef, chicken or pork in Greece and Cyprus. I personally love it drizzled over fried halloumi cheese. Try it sometime, it’s delicious! 🙂

When we visited the beautiful Mediterranean island of Cyprus last summer we enjoyed some of the best tzatziki we’d ever had before. Most days lunch at our villa consisted of platefuls of Greek salad and Lebanese pitta bread to dip into bowls of tzatziki and hummus. Ever since tasting the tzatziki in Cyprus I knew when I got home I needed to recreate my own recipe so I could continue reminiscing about my holiday and the tasty Cypriot food.

I recently shared this roasted garlic hummus and sharing this family favourite tzatziki recipe was next on my list. It’s simply delicious and full of many light and beautiful flavours like tangy Greek yoghurt, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and dill. If you like Greek food or have had tzatziki at a Greek restaurant before, then I know you’ll enjoy this recipe a lot!

To make the tzatziki you will start by preparing the cucumber. I used a whole large cucumber for this recipe. You can choose whether you’d like to peel or leave the skin on the cucumber and whether you prefer it grated or finely diced. Next cut the cucumber lengthways and using a spoon scoop the watery centre out. You need to make sure you squeeze as much water out of the cucumber as you can as any excess water will alter the consistency of the tzatziki.

Also, I strongly recommend using full-fat Greek yoghurt. Don’t substitute with Greek-style or natural yoghurt because they won’t live up to quality of the proper Greek stuff! I always believe it’s better to spend a little extra on something like this once in a while rather than substituting with something that’s not quite up to the mark.

Tzatziki gets better with age so you will find after a day or so in the fridge it will taste even better than the day you made it. I don’t know about you but recipes that can be made in advance tick all the boxes for me!

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber

500g (2 cups) full-fat Greek yoghurt

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped dill (can be substituted with mint)

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (approx. half a lemon) or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

Slice the cucumber lengthways and using a small spoon scoop out the watery centre and discard the seeds. Coarsely grate the cucumber or dice it. Place the cucumber in a sieve over a bowl and squeeze as much of the water out as you can. I always leave the peel on because it contains lots of flavour and texture, but this is just my personal preference.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the cucumber, yoghurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning. The dip can be served straight away but it is best left to chill in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours in order for the flavours to develop and marry together.
When ready to serve, place the tzatziki in a serving bowl or dish. It will keep fresh covered or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give the tzatziki a good mix prior to serving.

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Appetisers · Vegetarian Recipes

Creamy Homemade Hummus

April 6, 2016July 7, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next11 Comments

The creamiest homemade hummus recipe with roasted garlic, lemon and cumin. A healthy and inexpensive crowd-pleasing dip!

Originally posted in April 2016, recipe and photographs updated July 2022.

I really love hummus. I think I have lost count of the number of times I’ve tried to make it myself and the hummus never seems to be smooth. Getting an ultra smooth and creamy hummus is achieved by using one of two methods.

Both methods take about 20 minutes, the first is squeezing the skins off the canned chickpeas and the second option is boiling the chickpeas with a bit of bicarbonate of soda.

Both of these methods will produce a seriously smooth, whipped hummus. I’ve made this recipe recently and boiled my chickpeas, which I found easier and less fuss.

The second thing I changed about my hummus is I’ve used roasted garlic. It’s an underrated ingredient in savoury cooking and can transform any dish into something quite special. If you’d like to learn how to roast your own garlic I find this post helpful for tips. I find roasted garlic adds the right amount of flavour.

Tahini is also a super important ingredient to add to hummus. It’s a sesame seed paste commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking and recipes. I highly recommend it for authentic flavour and texture.

The final ingredients we’re adding to this hummus are fresh lemon juice – depending on how lemony you want the hummus start with the juice of half your lemon, then add more if desired and the final ingredients are the seasoning which includes ground cumin and salt and pepper.

I always find it great to have a bowl aside in my fridge ready for snacking on. The hummus is fantastic served with vegetable crudités, spread in tortilla wraps with falafel and salad or served as part of a mezze. My favourite way to eat it is with toasted pita or crunchy pita chips alongside tzaztiki (Greek cucumber dip). It’s also fabulous stirred through pasta too.

After tasting this hummus my taste buds were transported back to Cyprus and the summer. It’s my favourite hummus recipe and is super easy and quick to prepare and hardly costs anything to make – which means this recipe is particularly great for those on a budget.

Once the hummus is beautifully whipped, transfer it to a bowl or container and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to develop – you can serve it right away. Scrape your hummus into a serving bowl or dish of your choice, my blue bowl is one I picked up on my travels in Ibiza.

Drizzle the hummus with extra virgin olive oil (I also recommend chilli oil for an added kick of spice) and sprinkle with parsley, a few pinches of smoked paprika and sesame seeds.

Creamy Homemade Hummus

The creamiest homemade hummus recipe with roasted garlic, lemon and cumin. A healthy and inexpensive crowd-pleasing dip!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings 8

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

240 g chickpeas (this is usually 400g/14 ounce can before draining)
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2-1 lemon juiced
3-4 cloves of roasted garlic (or one clove of garlic)
120 g tahini
2-3 tablespoons ice-cold water plus extra if needed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse. Add to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of water. Add the bicarbonate of soda and boil this mixture for 20 minutes - watch it carefully in case it boils over and turn the heat down slightly if needed. The chickpeas are ready when they look bloated, the skins are falling off and they're soft. Drain the chickpeas over a sieve and run cold water over them for about 30 seconds - set aside for later.
Place the lemon juice, garlic and tahini in a food processor and process until the mixture is thick and creamy. With the food processor running, add 2 tablespoons of water. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and continue blending until the mixture is ultra light and fluffy - about a minute.
Add the olive oil, cumin and salt and pepper and drained chickpeas. Blend until smooth (approx. 2 more minutes), adding more water a tablespoon at a time until you have the consistency you want.
Taste the hummus and adjust seasoning - add more lemon juice if desired and more salt and pepper. Serve the hummus topped with garnishes of your choice. The hummus will keep for up to one week covered in the fridge.

If you like this recipe, why not try these too!

Greek Pita Bread

Vegan Tzatziki

Lemon Herb Rice

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

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Travel · Vegetarian Recipes

Patatas Bravas

December 29, 2015November 6, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next75 Comments

An easy recipe for patatas bravas. This traditional Spanish tapa consists of crispy cubes of potato with spicy tomato sauce. You will love the simplicity of this dish!

For my last recipe of the year, I thought I would share a savoury recipe I make all the time. Patatas bravas always makes an appearance whenever we’re serving tapas for dinner. This recipe would make a fantastic party food for New Years Eve which is in just a couple of days time.

My family are massive fans of Spanish food and it’s one of my favourite cuisines to both cook and eat. A few of my most loved Spanish dishes have been inspired by past holidays and trips to Spain. The taste testers really love all kinds of Spanish recipes. Anything from paella, to churros to delicious and easy to make tapas just like the one I’m sharing with you today.

If you’ve never made or eaten these, patatas bravas are simply chunks of roasted potato (although traditionally they’re fried) served with a rich and slightly spicy tomato sauce. It’s mandatory (in my opinion) to serve the dish with an aioli dipping sauce which is a basic garlic mayonnaise and the most popular accompaniment to patatas bravas. This recipe has amazing flavour and certainly transforms the humble potato into a delicious and cost effective meal the whole family will enjoy.

You will start by preparing a simple spicy tomato sauce, in Spain it’s known as “salsa brava”. This sauce is based on my marinara sauce, but I’ve swapped the Italian herbs for smoked paprika and pinch of both cayenne and chilli to add some authentic Spanish flavour.

Once the sauce is simmering away, it’s time to prepare the potatoes for roasting. Peel and cut the potatoes into roughly 1-2 cm chunks – you want the potatoes to be irregular shapes as this helps the sauce “cling” onto the potatoes. Toss the chunks of potato in olive oil and then roast until golden and crispy! I prefer this method to frying because it’s better for you and you don’t need any specialist equipment.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

Spicy Tomato Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons smoked paprika (pimentón)

Pinch of ground cayenne or chilli flakes (add more or less to taste)

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 x 400g can (14 ounces) chopped tomatoes

Small pinch of sugar

Potatoes:

900g waxy potatoes (such as King Edward, Maris Piper or Yukon Gold)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Method:

To make the sauce: Heat the oil, gently sauté the onion and garlic on a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Now add the paprika, cayenne and chilli and continue to cook for a further minute until fragrant.
Add the purée along with the chopped tomatoes, the sugar and a splash of water. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the sauce to boil then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To prepare the potatoes: Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-2 cm cubes. Pat the potato cubes with kitchen paper towel to absorb any moisture. Then toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread out evenly onto 1-2 large baking trays. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until soft and golden and crisp on the outside.
To serve: Scatter the crispy baked potatoes into a tapas bowl/dish. Spoon over the warm sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes:

The tomato sauce can be made in advance. Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to one week.
You can blend the tomato sauce if you prefer a smoother texture.
The dish is best served warm, but it’s also delicious cold the next day.
Recipe is vegetarian, omit the aioli to make it suitable for vegans.
Adjust the level of spice to your taste, add more or less to your preference.
This recipe can easily be doubled to cater for more people.

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