Courgette, Herb & Halloumi Fritters with Tzatziki, Pistachio, & Pomegranate
If you need a little bit of inspiration for a meat free meal, why not give these courgette and halloumi fritters a go. Everyone loves a fritter, and with salty halloumi, warming spices, plenty of fresh herbs, lemon and garlic, these are really tasty and quick to whip up. Feta would also work really well. Some cooling mint tzatziki, fruity pomegranates and nutty toasted pistachios add more texture and flavour. These will become a staple in your house as they have in ours. They would also be a great addition to any big mezze spread.
Summer Greens Linguine with Pistachio Pesto and Parmesan
For today’s meat-free meal it had to be my recipe for this summer vegetable linguine with pistachio pesto. It’s full of plenty of gorgeous, in season greens and is the perfect summery dinner to give you a healthy dose of green goodness. I used spiralised courgettes in place of pasta as I genuinely love the taste and how they soak up all the sauce, but you could of course replace it with normal pasta instead if you prefer. The pistachio pesto is so nutty and full of plenty of fresh herbs, grated parmesan, lemon and garlic. I make this all the time to stir through risottos, top pizzas or just drizzle over some grilled chicken thighs. It is so so good.
Brown Butter, Cardamom and Pistachio Loaf with Rose Water Orange Icing
This summery loaf cake is my version of a Persian Love Cake traditionally flavoured with rose and pistachio. The brown butter adds such a lovely nutty, golden caramel flavour to the sponge while natural yoghurt keeps it lovely and light while adding a slightly sour, tangy flavour. I added some cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg for a little bit of warming spice and some orange zest and juice for citrus zing. A little rose water in the icing helps add a slight floral note and fruity pomegranates and chopped pistachio add texture, crunch and colour to finish it all off. This is such a lovely summery bake and is one of my favourite cake recipes so far.
Apricot, White Chocolate and Pistachio Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Cardamom Custard
We all need some comfort at this time of year and I don’t think it gets more comforting than a bowl of bread and butter pudding. I love the flavour combinations here, the fruity apricots and apricot jam, fragrant nutty pistachios, aromatic cardamom and sweet white chocolate are all matches made in heaven. For me, bread and butter puddings need a crispy top, gooey middle and lashings of custard. Easy to make, full of flavour and texture, and utterly delicious.