A warm salad cooked in a casserole dish

This is one of those serendipitous combinations of things you find in the fridge, that come together so well, the result is worth recording and the ingredients bought specially next time.
A warm salad, perfect for a less than perfect summer's day served with fresh, crusty bread or new potatoes and a glass of rose wine.

2 tblsp olive oil
½ large onion, diced
2 tsp cumin seed
1 -2 dried chillis, chopped
1 block Halloumi, cubed
½ cauliflower, in florets,
1 red pepper, diced,
10 - 12 spears of asparagus, chop off tips and reserve
3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
Juice of one lime

Heat oil gently in a casserole or large frying pan, add the onion and fry until translucent.
Add the chilli and cumin.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the Halloumi, and cook, without stirring until it is browned on one side.
Add the cauliflower, pepper, tomatoes and asparagus stems.
Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the reserved tips.  Cook for another 5 minutes.
Let it cool to room temperature before adding a generous squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of sea salt.

© Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2015

www.netherton-foundry.co.uk

Asparagus and paneer curry

Yet another seasonal favourite - English asparagus.  This is one of my absolute favourite vegetables and I just can't get enough of it during its short season.

There are so many ways to enjoy this from simple melted butter, Hollandaise sauce, dipping it into a poached or boiled egg, soup, quiche, steamed, griddled, barbecued, but I have been experimenting and after having pasta sauces and risottos with asparagus, I decided to have a go at adding it to a curry.

I can hear some of you screaming in protest - but I have to say that it was a delicious combination of flavours and because I added the asparagus right at the end, none of its magic was lost, simply enhanced.

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 onion sliced
2 tblsp coriander seed
1 tblp cuminseeds
10 cloves, 
 2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 dried chill
1 tsp dill seed
1 onion, chopped
1" root ginger, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
600 ml water
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp amchoor (mango powder)
4 chopped fresh tomatoes
 2 tsp salt
 1 tsp sugar
2 tblsp double cream
1 bundle asparagus
1 block paneer, cubed

In a frying pan, dry fry the coriander, cumin, cloves, fenugreek, chilli and dill seed until lightly toasted.
Allow to cool and grind to a powder.

Combine the chopped onion, ginger and garlic with 100ml of water in a blender and process to a paste.

In a large pan  or casserole dish heat the oil and add the sliced onion and mustard seeds.

When the mustard seeds start to pop add the spice powder mix, turmeric and amchoor.
Fry for 2 minutes, stir from time to time.

Add the onion paste and cook for a further five minutes.
Add the chopped paneer and stir well to coat.  Then add 500ml water and simmer for 40 minutes.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, salt, sugar and cream and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the asparagus and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Serve with boiled rice. 

© Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2015

www.netherton-foundry.co.uk