Healthy Greek cous cous salad

Here's a healthier take on a greek pasta salad I make :)

• 200g cous cous, soaked for 20min in 250ml water (I use bulgar wheat as well, or quinoa)
• 4 heaped teaspoons pesto (red or green, your choice)
• 50ml white wine vinegar
• 25ml olive oil
• couple dashes lemon juice
• 2 chopped spring onions
• quarter cucumber chopped fine
• 16 baby plum tomatoes chopped into 9 
• Whole block of feta chopped up
• 1 small red chilli chopped fine
• Finely chopped fresh basil and oregano

Make up the cous cous and leave to soak.

Mix the pesto, vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice together with the chilli.  Once the cous cous has soaked for 20mins and is still warm, mix it through with the pesto mix and leave to soak for another 20 mins.

In the meantime, chop your onions, cucumber, tomatoes and feta and add to a large salad bowl.  Add in the soaked cous cous and the chopped herbs and mix through well.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Baklava

Made up amounts etc as usual.....!

• 100g cashew
• 100g pistachios
• 150g walnuts
• 100g almonds
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 packet pre- made filo pastry sheets (about 250g)
• 150g melted butter

FOR SYRUP:

• 340g caster sugar
• 300ml water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• juice 1/2 lemon
• 3 tbsp honey

Toast almonds and chop all the nuts into small buts (or bash :-) ) and put in seperate bowls. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and split between the bowls evenly.

Use a shallow baking tray and brush with melted butter then place first sheet of filo over the base leaving excess hanging over sides. Brush again with butter and place another sheet on top. Repeat until 6 layers of pastry. Scatter one of the bowls of nuts over the pastry then put another 2 layers of filo over this (buttering each layer as you go). Scatter next bowl of nuts on top then another 2 layers of filo. Repeat until you are nut free! Use the rest of the filo on top of the last layer of nuts again buttering as you go - I had about 6 sheets on top. Trim any excess pastry from the edge of the tray with scissors/knife.

Bake at about 180 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy then take out to cool.

Whilst the baklava is cooling place all the syrup ingredients into a pan and heat until the sugar is melted. Simmer for about 5 minutes on a low heat.

Pour over the baklava then leave to cool completely. Store in airtight container (if there is any left after you've tried a piece or two!!)

Greek Lamb and Tomato Casserole with Fennel served with Mediterranean Vegetables

Things to do with Fennel Part One......

From the TimesOnline, with my additions in italics

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 45 min

• 4 large meaty lamb shoulder chops or steaks
• 2tbsp flour
• 3tbsp olive oil
• 2tbsp ouzo, pernod, ricard or pastis
• 2 medium onions
• 2 large fennel bulbs
• 1tbsp fresh (I used normal and hot & spicy) and 1tbsp dried oregano or marjoram leaves
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 jar ASDA stir in sauce tomato and olives
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• For the vegetables - shallots, courgettes, sweet potato, new potato, peppers, garlic cloves, parsnips, olive oil, balasmic vinegar and honey with lemon

Spread chops/steaks out on plate, season with salt and pepper and dust both side with flour. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a Le Creuset-type cast iron casserole dish and fry chops/steals briefly over a medium heat, turning after a couple of minutes. Turn up the heat, pour over alcohol and let it bubble up and evaporate. Transfer the chops and their syrupy juices to a plate.

Meanwhile, keeping separate piles, peel, halve and finely slice the onions. Trim the fennel, halve through the root and slice across the bulb. Add the remaining oil to the dish, reduce the heat to medium low and add the onions. Cook, stirring a couple of times, for about 10mins until beginning to soften but not colour, then add the fennel. Season with salt and pepper, cover the dish with a lid and leave to sweat, stirring once or twice, for a further 10 mins. Heat the oven to 350F/180C/gas mark 4.

Bury the chops in the onions and fennel, squeeze over the lemon juice and shower with the oregano. Pour the tomatoes and the stir in sauce over the top, season again and replace the lid. Cook in the oven for 30mins or until the lamb is tender. Serve and enjoy!