FeastforFamine

About FeastforFamine

Hi there and welcome to FeastforFamine!

Are you bored with going home to another bowl of pasta, sandwich or reheated lasagna? Going out for a pizza, burger or a steak? If you fancy trying some of the other wonderful stuff going on out there in the world, welcome to my blog, FeastforFamine.

Come on in and join me on my journey around the world, creating food inspired by countries from Zimbabwe to Peru!

FeastForFamine has four main goals, specifically to…

Promote flavours and ideas from corners of the world less well-travelled or promoted.
Put my own interpretation on some of those and share my ideas with you.
Draw attention to some of the issues currently going on in those countries, many of which are suffering greatly from war and/or famine.
Through my links with Save the Children, to raise some funds to support children suffering throughout those countries and the wider world.

The emphasis is on inexpensive, wholesome, widely available ingredients which we don’t always think of pairing. Exotic cooking need not cost the earth, but sometimes takes only a slightly more adventurous approach to give our taste buds something new to look forward to.

Sadly, closer to home, several hundred thousand people in the UK now regularly rely on foodbanks. So, I have deliberately chosen a charity whose scope includes the UK, and hope that the ethos behind my ideas and recipes will make most of them accessible to as many people as possible.

Every Monday throughout 2019 I will be posting a new recipe. if you try, and enjoy any of my recipes and you feel inspired to make a donation (of any amount) please feel free to click the link to the donations page. And if not, that’s fine too – I only hope that you enjoy the recipe! Please feel free to leave any comments or feedback, or suggestions for enhancing any of the recipes. The whole idea of this blog is promote experimentation, exchange of ideas and learning from experience!

Scroll down and be inspired x

Inspired by China – Prawn Party Puffs

Asian Flavours, Baking, Cheap, Easy, Easy Entertaining, Food, Party Food, Quick, Recipes, Starters, World

The Party Season has definitely started in our house, so if you are entertaining this December and looking for some tasty treats with mainly freezer and store cupboard ingredients then have a go at the tasty puffs!

Makes: 26

Prep:20 mins
Cook: 15mins

Ingredients: 460g ready made puff pastry, 250g frozen shrimps/prawns, 4 tbsp. of mayonnaise, 2 heaped tbsp. of tinned sweetcorn, 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds 2 tbsp. sweet chilli sauce, 1 small bunch of spring onions or chives thinly sliced, 1 tsp. dried ginger, a little oil for frying.

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 160F
Using a pastry cutter or a cup, cut out 26 circles in your puff pastry, prick with a fork and add to a lined baking tray
Cook in the oven for 15mins until golden and puffed up
Take out and leave to cool
To make the prawn filling, fry your prawns in a little oil to remove any excess water, allow to cool
Make the prawn sauce, by mixing together all of the remaining ingredients, except the sesame seeds and add the cooled prawns
Take each of the little puffs and using the back of a spoon bash the top a little to make a small hole in each
Fill the hole with the prawn mixture and finish off with a sprinkling of the sesame seeds
Enjoy!

Save The Children are working in China to improve the quality of life for the children of China, working with childrens rights organisations, to keep children protected from neglect, illness and abuse. They have also developed the Helping Babies Breathe programme, and are supporting local health workers to better treat and diagnose childhood illnesses. In China around 50% of the population also live in natural disaster-prone areas, Save The Children are working locally to ensure that communities are better prepared for future emergencies, to find out more please visit their website:

https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/asia/china

Remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles these countries face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children, who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

So where will we go next? Come back on Monday to find out!

See you soon!

Thanks

Rosalyn x

November Recipe Review – From Italy to Ethiopia!

Baking, Cake, Cheap, Cheap Meat Cuts, Children, Comforting, Easy, Food, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Course, One Pot, Quick, Recipes, Slow Cook, Snacks, Soups/Stews, Winter Food, World

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Hi All,

November seemed like a short month here at FeastForFamine, but I still managed to squeeze in four recipes that I hope you liked, some designed to save the pennies and some to keep you warm this winter.

So first up was Inspired by Ethiopia – Berber Style Peas and Broad Beans on Toast with Feta, a really filling cheap and easy recipes that can be used for lunch brunch or dinner and the addition of the Berber, a traditional spice mix from Ethiopia, is sure to warm you up on a cold day.

Next, Madagascar for a sweet treat, Inspired by Madagascar – Vanilla, Banana and Tumeric Muffins with Sea Salt and Vanilla Glaze, lovely light muffins with earthy turmeric and lots and lots of vanilla, making the most of Madagascars’ biggest export! You will want to make this again and again.

Thinking of winter nights, but wanting to stay healthy, I created the Inspired by Romania – Horseraddish and Dill Roasted Salmon with White Beans, Beetroot and Kale full of goodness and deep wintery flavours favoured by Romania.

Last stop in November and to a regular place of inspirations in many households, was to Italy for Inspired by Italy – A Kinda Osso Buco Ragu with Smashed Rosemary Potatoes, a healthier way of cooking this Italian favourite, and great for leftovers poured over pasta the next day.

Hope you are all getting into the festive spirit and are looking forward to the recipes that will be coming here in December, December also marks the last month that you can make donations to my fundraising year for Save The Children, so remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles countries around the World face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

So where will we go next? Come back on Monday to find out!

See you soon!

Thanks

Rosalyn x

Inspired by Venezuela – Pan Coated Pork with Avocado Green Sauce

Cheap, Cheap Meat Cuts, Easy, Food, Main Course, Recipes, South American, World

Serves: 4

Prep: 15mins
Cook: 8 – 10 minutes

Ingredients: 4 pork chops (fat removed), 3 heaped tbsp. of PAN or other maize flour, 2 eggs, 1 heaped tbsp. of flour, 1 tsp of oregano good mil of salt and pepper, oil for frying

For the green sauce: 1 small avocado, 1 small bunch of coriander chopped 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 green chilli, tsp oregano (fresh or dried), juice of 1 lime, pinch of salt.

Method:

Make sure all fat is removed from the pork and bash with a rolling pin to thin the chops
Mix the PAN flour with the oregano and salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use
Coat each chop in the flour, then the egg, then the PAN mix, pressing the mixture into the chops so that are coated fully
Put the chops aside until ready to fry while you make your Avocado Green Sauce
To make the sauce blitz all ingredients in the food processor and add seasoning to taste, if the sauce is too thick add a little more oil or lime juice
Heat some oil in a pan and cook your pork for 4 minutes each side or until it starts to turn golden brown
Serve with the green sauce over the top, I also added roast sweet potatoes and a green salad but you can add whatever accompaniments you like.
Enjoy!

Now for the hard part…

As violence, political and economic instability continues in Venezuela, it is estimated that 3 million people have fled their homes, with at least 1 million now based in nearby Columbia. This figure includes 300,000 children, some of whom are travelling alone leaving them incredibly vulnerable. It is predicted that by the end of 2019, this number will rise to 5.3 million.

Below are some stark statistic from Save The Children US, on the impact this current situation is having on children still in Venezuela:

15% of school-age children are out of school
16 out of 1,000 children die before their 5th birthday
33% of people live in poverty
13% of children suffer from stunting due to malnutrition

If you would like to find out more please visit: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/where-we-work/latin-america/venezuela

If you are still looking for some South American inspiration, take a look at the list of other recipes created here at FeastforFamine, including delicious recipes like Crab and Sweet Potato Fritters and Piri Piri Style Turkey Breast!

Inspired by Haiti – Crab and Sweet Potato Fritters

Inspired by Columbia – Tuna Steak Stew with Lime and Oregano

Inspired by Mexico – Avocado and Cucumber Gazpacho

Inspired By Ecuador – Slow Cooked Pork and Bean Stew with Cheesy Potato Cakes

Inspired by Peru – Chicken, Black Rice, Green Sauce and Avocado Salad Inspired by

Brazil Piri Piri Style Turkey Breast, Black Beans, Orange and Tomato Rice, Smashed Avocado and a Simple Salsa

Inspired by Haiti – Banana and Mango Mock Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Cashew Nut Shards

So where will we go next? Come back on Monday to find out!

See you soon!

Thanks

Rosalyn x

Inspired by Italy – A Kinda Osso Buco Ragu with Smashed Rosemary Potatoes

Cheap, Cheap Meat Cuts, Comforting, Easy, Food, Gluten Free, Main Course, One Pot, Recipes, Slow Cook, Soups/Stews, Winter Food, World

Try this cheap, healthier alternative to traditional Osso Buco dishes, slow cooked with loads of veg, and smashed potatoes…use up any left overs by mixing with cooked pasta and some cheese – yummy!

Serves: 4

Prep: 20mins
Cook: 3.5-4 hours

Ingredients: Roughly 500g piece of Osso Buco, 1 can of chopped tomatoes, 4 medium carrots, 1 large onion, handful of mushrooms, (such as white, chestnut, button), 2 large tomatoes, 4 celery sticks, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 heaped teaspoons of dried oregano, 1 heaped teaspoon of dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 beef or vegetable stock cube made up with 250ml of water, a little oil for browning

For the potatoes: 500g of new potatoes, few springs of fresh rosemary, 2 tbsp. of olive oil, good mil of salt and pepper.

Method:

Start by browning your meat in a pan with a little oil
Once done, transfer to an oven proof lidded pan/deep dish
Roughly chop all of your veggies including the garlic and add to the pan
Top up with the stock and tinned tomatoes and sprinkle over your dried herbs and give a good mix
Pop in a pre-heated oven at 130F and cook for 3.5 hours, checking half way through to see if it needs any added moisture, (if it does you can top up with a little extra stock)
About an hour before your meat is ready, start on your potatoes
Place the potatoes in a pan of salted boiling water and cook for 20mins
After 20mins, drain well and give the potatoes a light mash with a potato masher to break them down a bit
Transfer to an oven proof dish, mix together the olive oil and rosemary and pour over the potatoes and add a sprinkling of salt and pepper
Cook alongside the Osso Buco for 20 – 30 minutes until they start to turn golden on top
Dig in!!!

Remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles these countries face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

Thanks x

Inspired by Romania – Horseraddish and Dill Roasted Salmon with White Beans, Beetroot and Kale

Comforting, Easy, Fall, Food, Gluten Free, Main Course, Recipes, Salmon, Winter Food, World

Try these delicious earthy flavours to warm you up this week…

Serves: 2

Prep: 10mins
Cook: 30 – 35mins

Ingredients: For the Salmon – 2 salmon fillets, 2 heaped teaspoons of fresh or dried dill, 2 tsp. horseradish (jarred), 2 tsp. olive oil, good squeeze of lemon juice, good pinch of salt and pepper.

For the Beetroot Beans – 1 can of cannellini beans (roughly 200g drained weight), 2 large handfuls of kale, 100g of pickled beetroot (round baby if you can get it), 100ml of the beetroot juice, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tsp of olive oil.

Method:

First make the marinade for the salmon by mixing together all of the ingredients for the salmon and coating the fillets in it
Put the salmon fillets on a lined baking tray skin side down and pop in the fridge for at least 30mins
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200F
Start off your beans by heating oil in a lidded pan and adding one chopped garlic clove and fry gently for a few minutes
Now add the kale and cook for 5 mins on a low heat
Chop your beetroot into small chunks and add the beetroot and the beans to the pan with 100ml of the juice from the beetroot, pop the lid on and cook on a low heat for 10mins
Meanwhile place your salmon fillets in the oven and cook for 20mins
Check the beans, add a little seasoning, give it all a good stir and pop the lid on and cook for another 15 – 20mins on a low heat until ready to serve with the salmon
Serve with fresh lemon slices if you wish and…
Enjoy!

Remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles these countries face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

Thanks x

Inspired by Madagascar – Vanilla, Banana and Tumeric Muffins with Sea Salt and Vanilla Glaze

Autumn, Autumnal Recipes, Baking, Cake, Cheap, Children, Comforting, Easy, Fall, Food, Recipes, Snacks, Sweets, World

Serves: Makes 10 muffins

Prep: 15mins

Cook: 20-25 mins

Ingredients: 200g self raising flour, 2 ripe bananas (mashed), 125ml of milk, 125g caster sugar, 1 egg, 60ml of olive oil, 1 tsp. vanilla essence, 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. baking powder

For the glaze: 3 heaped tsp. of icing sugar, 1 tsp. of vanilla essence, small amount of sea salt.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180F
Mix all of your wet ingredients together for the muffin mix until light and blended well
Now start folding in the flour and other dry ingredients
When all combined add the mashed banana and mix well
Divide equally between 10 greased muffin trays and pop into the oven for 20 – 25 minutes until nice and golden
Allow to cool before adding your glaze
For the vanilla glaze, mix 3 heaped tsp. of icing sugar with 1 tsp of vanilla essence and 1 tsp of water
Brush the glaze over the top of the muffins and sprinkle with a little sea salt
Enjoy!

Even though 80% of all vanilla comes from Madagascar, 3 out of 4 people live in poverty, with children suffering from stunted growth and many out of school, with Madagascar ranking fifth in the world for the number of out-of-school children. Save The Children have been working to provide a better future for these children and future generations by collaborating with vanilla suppliers to improve the livelihoods of farming communities…to find out more please visit:

https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/africa/madagascar

Remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles these countries face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

Thanks x

Inspired by Ethiopia – Berber Style Peas and Broad Beans on Toast with Feta

Autumn, Autumnal Recipes, Brunch, Cheap, Comforting, Easy, Fall, Food, Lunch, Main Course, Quick, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, World

Trying to save the pennies with December looming? Want something healthy and satisfying that won’t break the bank then try this, Inspired by Ethiopia – Berber Style Peas and Broad Beans on Toast with Feta*, made with store cupboard ingredients and bags from the freezer.

*Can omit or replace the feta with vegan cheese.

Serves: 2 – 4

Prep: 5mins
Cook: 15 -25mins

Ingredients: 4 slices of bread of your choice for serving (but would recommend something like sour dough), 2 cups of frozen broad beans, 2 cups of frozen peas, 100g feta cheese, 2 tbsp. of olive oil, 1-2 birds eye/piri piri chillies (depending on how hot you like it), 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. mustard seeds, 1 tsp. dried ginger, 1/2 tsp. dried cumin, 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, 1 tsp. dried paprika, good mil of salt and pepper, some fresh basil to serve.

Method:

In a pestle and mortar blend and breakdown your spices with the garlic and add to a lidded pan with 1 tbsp. of olive oil
Cook on a medium heat for around 5 mins until you hear the spices start to pop
Add your broad beans and peas with an extra tbsp. of olive oil and give a good stir so that the beans and peas are coated in the spices
Turn down to a low heat, pop the lid on and cook for 15-20mins until the beans are warmed through, stirring occasionaly
Toast your bread and pop the spiced beans and peas on top, add some crumbled feta and a few fresh basil leaves
Enjoy!

Sadly, Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought for 50 years, destroying crops and leaving many hungry and in urgent need of food. Thousands of lives are at risk, Save The Children are on the ground in Ethiopia delivering urgently needed supplies and medical help, but more help is needed, to find out more please visit:

https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/africa/ethiopia

Remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles these countries face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

Thanks x