I don't know how many of you have sesame seeds in your stashes? I'm very aware of having them as just before All Of This kicked off, I had a recipe which needed sesame, put the seeds on my shopping list and forgot to buy them. I made whatever-it-was without, and shrugged. Then, when I was turning out cupboards, it turns out I did have an open packet at the back of the fridge - and the seeds were perfectly fine, which is more than you can say for some of the other nuts lurking there.
So I've been adding a sesame sprinkle to various things in confinement, and it's been rather cheering. It's not like the hefty punch of sesame oil, just a little crinkle of texture and savour. I'm running low now, but I shall put them on my list again and hopefully remember to buy them this time.
Today, they are merely gussying up some halloumi, good old long-life squeaky cheese, which has been in my fridge a while and whose time has come. I've had this with yesterday's broccoli and some bulgur wheat because random grain choice fell that way. A virtuous combo. But sesame with halloumi is always a winner. And as a sprinkle for cheese, robust fish, even maybe white meats, this was good.
Mint, sesame and almond sprinkle
Take some almonds and chop them a bit. (Ideally not fancy Marcona almonds because £££ but that's all I appear to have in).
Add some sesame seeds.
Recipe says put them in the oven for a while, but I am still oven-thrifty so I just dry-fried them till the seeds started browning and smelling good.
Chop some fresh mint and mix it with the warm seeds and nuts. Do this very shortly before serving or the mint will go black. I can't confirm by testing but I'd guess you could do something worth having with dried mint too.
(*Do not* salt if you're adding the mix to halloumi, which I did yesterday as though all memory of what halloumi is/tastes of had left me.)
Then fry your halloumi, of course. It is satisfyingly hard to cock this bit up, even on a fairly distracted day.
Spronkle your sprinkle over the halloumi. Squeeze over plenty of lemon. Consider adding a drizzle of honey - I did that today, it was excellent, but not critical.
Eat, with whatever relevant sides you may have.
So I've been adding a sesame sprinkle to various things in confinement, and it's been rather cheering. It's not like the hefty punch of sesame oil, just a little crinkle of texture and savour. I'm running low now, but I shall put them on my list again and hopefully remember to buy them this time.
Today, they are merely gussying up some halloumi, good old long-life squeaky cheese, which has been in my fridge a while and whose time has come. I've had this with yesterday's broccoli and some bulgur wheat because random grain choice fell that way. A virtuous combo. But sesame with halloumi is always a winner. And as a sprinkle for cheese, robust fish, even maybe white meats, this was good.
Mint, sesame and almond sprinkle
Take some almonds and chop them a bit. (Ideally not fancy Marcona almonds because £££ but that's all I appear to have in).
Add some sesame seeds.
Recipe says put them in the oven for a while, but I am still oven-thrifty so I just dry-fried them till the seeds started browning and smelling good.
Chop some fresh mint and mix it with the warm seeds and nuts. Do this very shortly before serving or the mint will go black. I can't confirm by testing but I'd guess you could do something worth having with dried mint too.
(*Do not* salt if you're adding the mix to halloumi, which I did yesterday as though all memory of what halloumi is/tastes of had left me.)
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| Chopped nuts, seeds, mint and lemon for your halloumi |
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| Mmmm, toasty cheese |
Eat, with whatever relevant sides you may have.
Halloumi is a great comfort food, I hope it was suitably effective today.
ReplyDeleteIt's not quite as good as chips for tea, but it's a start.
DeleteSpronkling myh sprinkle is going to be my phrase of the week....
ReplyDeleteExactly. We make our own amusements this week.
Delete