basil

Peas… I don’t like em. I don’t like their horrible little skins that get stuck in my teeth and I don’t like how they pop and spill their nasty sweet juice into my mouth. I don’t like how they get all dented and weird for no apparent reason and I don’t like their presence in a veggie burger.
However, there’s no denying that peas (as shrivelled and horrible as they are) are very nutritious. High in vitamin C, folate and (rather surprisingly) protein – keeping you fuller for longer. So, in an attempt to conquer my lifelong pea aversion, I’ve blended them up with loads of basil and cream and the results were actually rather pea-leasing… Oh come on, I had to.

Pea & basil soup
Serves 4 / Hands on time 15 mins / Total time 25 minutes / Gf ❄
You’ll need: A food processor or hand blender
1 tsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
500g frozen peas
1 litre of vegetable stock, I use 1 Knorr stock pot
200g broccoli, roughly chopped
40g vegetarian Italian hard cheese or *Parmesan, grated
Juice of half a lemon
30g fresh basil leaves
3 tbs Greek yogurt or single cream
To serve
Pomora extra virgin olive oil
Pea shoots to serve (if you’re feeling fancy)

Method
1. In a large saucepan or pot, sweat the onions in a tsp of oil until softened. Add the frozen peas, broccoli, vegetable stock and season to taste.
2. Bring to the boil before turning down the heat to a simmer and leave to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and blitz the soup with a hand blender until smooth.
3. Add the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, a large handful of basil leaves and the grated cheese. Blitz again until fully combined. Taste and add more seasoning if required.
4. Serve immediately topped with pea shoots, a drizzle of single cream and extra virgin olive oil.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

Gf– Gluten free ❄– Suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.
* Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiani) is always made using animal rennet, therefore it is not vegetarian. Substitute for Italian hard cheese if applicable.

Smoked mozzarella is a wonderful thing and something I’m relatively new to. My friends Tom and Dan invited us round their new house for dinner (this by the way, literally never happens). I’ve been friends with Tom for 18 years (gadzooks) and not once has he ever cooked me dinner… He gave me a Smint once but I’m pretty sure he bought that. Anyway, we prefer to drink our calories when we’re together but on this occasion, I agreed to let him feed me. So I opened my mouth and let one of my oldest and dearest friends shove in a bruschetta topped with smoked mozzarella.
“Good lord, what sweet heaven is that?” I splutter ‘attractively’ as Jamie grimaces.
“Smoked mozzarella babe” Tom says before turning on his heel to go and help Dan in the kitchen.
“Yeah but where did you get it?… Some poncey Italian deli in St Albans I’ll bet” I say more to Jamie and catch him stuffing a few slices in his mouth, minus the bruschetta.
“Err no, just Waitrose” Tom yells from the kitchen…
Now, as luck would have it, we recently moved house and guess what our local supermarket is? Yep, you’ve guessed it, WAITROSE! So I scampered home and decided to build an entire recipe around an entire ball of smoked mozzarella and here it is! I really must make it for Tom and Dan, maybe in another 18 years when it’s my turn to cook.

Mozzarella & tomato tart
Serves 4 or 6 as a starter / Hands on time 15 / Total time 50 – 55 mins / V ❄
You’ll need: A 10 inch non-stick loose bottomed tart tin or a large baking tray
1 tsp olive oil
Baking paper
300g mixed tomatoes, sliced
250g vegetarian mozzarella or *smoked mozzarella, sliced
320g ready roll puff pastry
Handful black olives
Handful fresh basil leaves
1 egg, beaten
1 tbs Pomora extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas 6. Spray your baking tray/tart tin with spray oil and top with a layer of baking paper. Spray again with oil and put to one side.
2. Slice the tomatoes (halve the cherry tomatoes) and slice the cheese. Roll out your puff pastry and roughly stretch it over your tart case (you don’t need to be very neat about this, this tart isn’t supposed to look perfect). Layer the bottom of the tart with the mozzarella, leaving a good inch around it for the crust. Top evenly with the tomatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Pull the edges of the tart in on itself, creating a kind of crust. Top with a handful of black olives and scattering of fresh basil leaves.
3. Beat the egg in small bowl and using a brush, wash over any visible pastry crust.
4. Bake in the oven for 30-35 mins until golden brown. Leave the tart to cool for 10-15 minutes before topping with more fresh basil and a good drizzle basil oil. Serve with dressed salad leaves.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

*Smoked mozzarella tends to be made with animal rennet, so if you’re vegetarian, swap for vegetarian mozzarella.
❄– Freeze before baking. Freeze unwrapped on the baking tray for a couple of hours to allow the tart to harden before removing and wrapping well in a few layers of clingfilm. Return to the freezer and consume within 3 months. To cook from frozen, place on a an non-stick baking tray and cook for 45-50 mins.