Pastures new

In moments when I'm feeling blue, and just plain exhausted by everything 2020 is lobbing in our direction, something that always raises my mood is flicking through the pages of a cookbook. It might be one that I've owned for years, but forgotten about, or a new one to which I was skillfully lured by Amazon's targeted advertising prowess. Cookbooks are a bit of an addiction for me, and storage space is becoming an issue, but I refuse to cull from my collection. I never know when browsing through the pages of an old British cookbook will soothe my longing for 'home', or when I'll find a new type of cuisine to delve into. Marie Kondo: my apologies, but your book is one that will never appear on my shelves - my cookbooks are staying. After all, Amazon also sell new shelves.

Today's recipe of choice is one from a new addition to my collection. Having been a fan of Middle Eastern cookbooks like Ottolenghi's Plenty, and Plenty More, I couldn't resist the recent publication Falastin (and Amazon clearly knew that). It's written by two of Ottolenghi's good pals, Sami Tamimi (co-author of Jerusalem) and Tara Wigley (co-author of Simple). This book focuses specifically on Palestine and its cuisine, and within its pages are recipes with combinations of ingredients I have never seen before, and which make my mouth water in anticipation. This was one of my first forays into the pages of this beautiful book, which is full of interesting stories and facts about Palestine, as well as recipes, and peppered with gorgeous photographs.

Having long been a fan of risotto, this recipe immediately caught my eye, but this risotto is far from Italian in style, and made with yoghurt, something I had never tried. I tweaked it because... well because I had veggies that needed using up, and I wanted it to be a bit more colorful than the original... but I make no apologies, as the final result was delicious, and beautiful to look at. My eyes, my tastebuds, and my tum were all more than satisfied. And, as a firm believer in food for the mood, I can say that this is a bowl of the kind of comfort food that will soothe a troubled soul after a day of bad news and political shenanigans. Should it need any assistance to do so, I can say from experience that a glass of red wine is a great accompaniment! Here's to comfort, gastronomical as well as mental!

Rice with Yoghurt, Roasted Vegetables and Fried Garlic
Serves 4
Adapted from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley

1 large cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2" florets
2 red peppers, chopped
1 red onion, sliced
olive oil
salt
1 2/3 cups Greek yoghurt
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
3 cups whole milk
1 cup arborio rice
ground black pepper
5 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
2. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray. Spread the cauliflower, peppers and onion over the sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and toss until coated.
3. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring it all half way through, until vegetables are tinged with golden brown and tender.
4. Meanwhile, place the yoghurt, egg yolk and cornstarch in a blender, and blend until completely combined. It should be smooth and runny.
5. Use a pestle and mortar to lightly crush the coriander and cumin seeds. Put the 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic slices and crushed seeds into a small saucepan, and heat over medium low heat. Cook until the garlic is colored golden brown, and then set aside until ready to serve.
6. Put the milk and rice into a large saucepan with 1 tsp salt and some ground black pepper. Bring to a boil over a high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-low/low and put a lid on the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally to stop if from sticking. At this point, the rice should be almost cooked. Add the yoghurt mixture and cook for a further 7-10 minutes until the rice is tender, and the mixture thick and 'porridge-like'.
7. To serve, spoon the rice into bowls, top with the roasted vegetables, then spoon over some of the garlic and spiced oil.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.