Hearty bread soup

This is a Portuguese inspired, hearty, bread soup. I used left over baguette from a day ago but you could use similar stale, crusty bread (not sourdough). I also served it with homemade piri-piri sauce for extra zing!

Ingredients:
1/2 baguette, torn into large pieces
a handful of rocket or arugula
4-5 garlic cloves, smashed
4 cups chicken or vege. stock
salt
black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh or dried rosemary

Method:
Saute the onion, bay leaf and garlic in hot oil until softened. Add the stock, bread, rosemary and simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The bread should soften in a few minutes...you can additional water if needed. Now, add the rocket and stir until wilted.
Turn off heat, ladle into bowls and top with some piri-piri.

Salmon kebabs with yoghurt sauce

This is a middle eastern inspired dish and all started when I found this large, round, yeasty, sesame encrusted, Turkish lavash bread at the Farmer's market over the weekend! Who knew?! I also found some great salmon steaks, rocket and chives which I used to create this quick week night dinner recipe.

Highly recommend the lavash but you could always use a pita to recreate this dish. I also use Greek yoghurt to create this sauce as it gives it a creamy, sour cream like texture.

Ingredients:
1 lb salmon, cut into large strips
2 tbsp. tandoori or kebab masala
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
2 tsp. dried mint leaves
1 tbsp. chives, chopped
1 lavash bread
Olive oil
rocket or favorite salad leaves
salt
black pepper


Method:
Mix the tandoori or kebab seasoning with the lemon juice, salt, black pepper and 1 tsp. olive oil. Marinate the salmon in spices for at least 30 minutes.
Mix the yoghurt with the juice of half a lemon, mint, chives, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for the flavours to mix.

Heat and film a pan with oil, add the salmon strips and cook on both sides until golden brown.
Open up the lavash bread with a serrated knife and cut in half. Or use a pita cut in half.
Place the rocket leaves on the bread to create a bed for the salmon. Place the salmon strips over it taking care to remove any bones, drizzle with the yoghurt sauce and serve immediately.

Blue cheese and chive pasta

This is a really simple, delicious pasta that I served here with spaghetti.
Use your favourite creamy, blue cheese for the sauce...the more pungent the better! ;)

I served this with a very simple, chickweed salad...yes, it is a weed! I actually stumbled upon it at the farmer's market today....tasted it and loved it! It is also extremely nutritious and high in vitamin C!

Ingredients:
2 servings pasta
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp. creme fraiche
1 tbsp. chives, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the oil, add the garlic and toss until softened. Then add the blue cheese, milk and whisk over low heat until the cheese is incorporated into the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Turn off the heat, add the chives and creme fraiche.

Cook pasta until al dente, add to the cheese sauce and combine. Serve with a green salad.