Spiced Smashed Chickpeas

I have made this a few times now and it always goes down well. This time I made it as a light starter when I made dinner for Sis and MJ. I was making fresh pasta for main (again - I love it!), so I didn't want to serve an entree. Instead I made this and also some almonds which I panfried in a little olive oil and then tossed with some sea salt and dried chilli. They were awesome - so good that we ate them all before I realised that I hadn't gotten a photo!

This recipe is disgustingly easy. If you have a large morter and pestle, you can fit the whole lot in there, just add the chickpeas a little at a time to avoid them flying across the room! If you only have a small one, then you will need to smash them in batches. Alternatively, you lucky people with food processors could make it in there!
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin powder
2 dried chillies
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil

Crush the garlic and chillies in a morter and pestle with a little salt. Add the chickpeas a bit at a time, crushing them before you add the next lot. Add in your cumin, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, mash around a bit, then add olive oil to loosen a bit.

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's The Return of the Naked Chef.

Peas and Spinach with White Wine

This recipe is dead easy, takes about 6 minutes to make, and tastes brilliant. It is perfect for making whilst your roast is resting on the bench, as it stops the urge to carve the roast too early! (Is it just me that gets that urge? The smell of the roast is hard to resist!) I served it with the pork belly below.

2 spring onions, sliced
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 glass white wine
4 handfuls spinach
olive oil
butter (as much or as little as your hips can handle!)

Heat some oil and a knob of butter in a pot, and slowly fry the spring onions for a couple of minutes. Add the peas and cook for another couple of minutes, add the wine, bring to the boil and then simmer for a minute or two. Add the spinach, and turn over with tongs until the spinach is wilted. Add another knob of butter, season and serve.

Recipe from Jamie Oliver's The Return of the Naked Chef.

Balsamic Glazed Dutch Carrots

Mmm... baby carrots. These are one of my favourite things to pick up at grower's markets. They are sweeter than large carrots and look so much nicer when served.

I made these quite a while ago, and just kind of threw bits and pieces together, so will try and put some measurements in for you - just adjust the amount of sugar depending on how sweet you like your savoury dishes. I just add a little, taste, add a bit more, taste... the same process you use when seasoning with salt.

1 bunch dutch carrots
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 -2 tbsp brown sugar
good knob of butter
fresh thyme

Peel the carrots and remove most of the stem, leaving about 1cm intact (it looks prettier this way!). Simmer very gently in a pot of salted water until tender but not mushy. If you boil them, you risk the outside being overcooked before the inside is ready.

Put balsamic vinegar in a shallow saucepan and bring to boil. Continue cooking until the vinegar has reduced by about half. Add brown sugar to taste, and stir until dissolved. Add a good knob of butter and stir until smooth.

Drain carrots, and coat with the vinegar mix and some fresh thyme leaves. Season and serve with your favourite Sunday roast!