Spring Onion and Humus Baked Potatoes

Serves 4


Ingredients:

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed
150 (5 0z) humus
4 Finely chopped Spring Onions
Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 C (425 F, Gas 7) for 1-1 1/4 hours until tender.

2. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh and turn it into a bowl. Add the spring onions, humus, and salt and pepper to taste. Fill the potato skins with the mixture, return to the oven, and cook for 20 minutes or until piping hot. Serve at once.

Friendly Tip: These can be served as an accompaniment to a meat dish or as a starter, by serving each person with half of a potato as opposed to a whole. You may also chose to add soft cheese to the humus and spring onion mixture and Parmesan cheese on top to garnish.

Enjoy...

Cheese and Olive Bites

Serves 4

Ingredients:

175 g (6 0z) mature cheddar cheese, grated
90 g (3 0z) plain flour
15 g (1/2 oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp mustard powder
20 Pimento-stuffed green olives
cayenne pepper and parsley sprigs to garnish

Method:

1. Work the cheese, flour, butter, paprika and mustard powder in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Flatten the dough mixture, and wrap around the olives.

3. Butter a baking tray. Add the wrapped olives and bake in a preheated oven at 200 C(400 F, Gas 6) for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden.

4. Remove the cheese and olive bites from the baking tray and leave to cool slightly.

5. Serve warm or cold, sprinkled with cayenne pepper, and garnished with parsley sprigs.


Friendly Tip: If you have kids you may choose to omit the olives and use diced sausages instead and omit garnishing with cayenne pepper as seen above.

All in all a tasty starter that whets the appetite.