Recipes: Yoghurt
Smoked Aubergine and Straight Up Yoghurt Dip (pictured above)
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 medium sized aubergines
2 tbsp sunflower tahini (recipe below)
100g The Collective Straight Up yoghurt
Zest of 1 small lemon
½ tsp salt flakes
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil, to serve
Pinch smoked paprika (Optional)
Sunflower Tahini
50g sunflower seeds, toasted
50g pine nuts, toasted
2 heaped tbsp The Collective Straight Up yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt flakes
3 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil
1 tbsp water
Method
For the sunflower tahini, place the sunflower seeds and pine nuts in a food processor and blitz briefly for 5 seconds. Add the Straight Up yoghurt, lemon juice and salt, blitz briefly and then with the food processor running, slowly add the rapeseed oil and the water through the funnel. The tahini will keep happily in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Place the whole aubergines over a naked flame on your gas stove or on a BBQ grill and grill until they are blackened, charred and squidgy to the touch. This will take approx. 20-25 mins. It is important to turn them frequently, using tongs. Once done, place them in a bowl and cover with cling film then leave them to cool and sweat for 20 mins.
When cool enough to handle, carefully peel away the outer charred skin of the aubergines with a cutlery knife and discard, to reveal a soft pale flesh. Chop the flesh finely and place in a bowl, adding any remaining cooking juices. Add the sunflower tahini, Straight Up yoghurt, lemon zest and crushed garlic and mix well. Finally, season with the salt and spoon into a serving bowl. Drizzle with cold pressed rapeseed or olive oil and a pinch of smoked paprika, to serve. Great as a dip with crudities and warm pitta or as a sauce for char-grilled lamb, chicken or vegetables.
Straight Up Yoghurt Muhummara Lamb, Yoghurt Feta Curd and Grilled Yoghurt Flatbread
Serves: 4Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus overnight marinating
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Muhummara marinade sauce
3 red peppers, halved and deseeded
1 tsp olive oil
100g sunflower seeds, toasted
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground coriander
50g sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 tbsp extra-virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp Pomegranate molasses
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
200g The Collective Straight Up yoghurt
500g trimmed lamb neck fillet
30g each of fresh mint and coriander leaves
50g Pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Straight Up Feta Curd
200g feta cheese (preferably Barrel aged, rinsed and dried)
150g The Collective Straight Up yoghurt
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil
Straight Up Flatbread
200g mixed grain malt bread flour
75g plain flour, plus some to knead
2 tsp salt
150ml warm water
100g The Collective Straight Up yoghurt
1 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil, plus some to knead
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7. Place the peppers cut side down into a small roasting tin. Rub the skins with the olive oil. Roast for 30-35 mins until golden and transfer into a bowl. Cover with cling film and cool. Remove and discard the skins.
Put the roasted, peeled peppers into a food processor with the remaining sauce marinade ingredients, except the Straight Up yoghurt and blitz for 20-30 seconds until it's a smooth paste. Add the Straight Up yoghurt and blitz again for 10 seconds then pour the mixture into a large sealable plastic bag and add the lamb. Seal the bag and massage the lamb with the marinade through the bag to coat well, and place in the fridge for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
For the Straight Up flatbread, put both flours and the salt into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl or jug whisk the water, Straight Up yoghurt, and oil together then slowly add the liquid to the flours and begin mixing with a large wooden spoon (or this is easier with a kitchen aid and dough hook) until you have a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly oiled surface and knead for 5 mins. Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover until required. The dough does not need to stand for any minimum length of time or prove, so use it straight away or within a couple of hours.
For the Straight Up Feta Curd, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz for 10-15 seconds to form a smooth silky paste. Keep refrigerated until required
Assembling the dish
To cook the lamb, preheat a BBQ or large griddle pan. Remove the lamb necks from the marinade, leaving them well coated in the marinade. Cook the necks for approx. 8-10 mins on each side, remove onto a plate and cover tightly with foil to rest for 10-15 mins. Brush the grill clean with a wire brush, ready for the breads.
To cook the flatbreads, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, each about the size of a golf ball and on a floured surface roll each piece out as thin as you can with a rolling pin into circles of 15cm in diameter. When you're ready to serve, place the flatbreads on the hottest part of the BBQ grill or griddle, 2 or 3 at a time, and cook for 30-40 seconds each side. Repeat until all the flatbreads are cooked. Keep them warm by wrapping them in a tea towel.
To serve:
Remove the lamb from the tin foil and slice each piece thinly into even slices, across the grain. Lay each flatbread in front of you and add a little of the feta curd along the middle but not quite to the edges. Arrange the lamb slices on top, so they overlap and add generous amounts of fresh mint and coriander leaves together with another spoonful of feta curd and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. Fold both sides in and roll to form a wrap and eat at once.
Spiced Cod Tacos with Straight Up Yoghurt and Lime Guacamole and 'Slaw
Serves: 4-6Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus marinating time
Cooking time: 6-8 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cod
500g skinned cod fillet or loin, cut into 3x10cm long strips
2 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil
1 tsp chipotle powder (grind down dried chipotle chillies to a powder) or 1 tsp chipotle paste
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
Zest of 1 large lime
For the Straight Up yoghurt and lime guacamole
2 ripe avocados, halved and stones removed
Juice of 1 lime
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
75g Straight Up yoghurt
For the 'Slaw
300g white cabbage, very finely shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 small red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 small yellow pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 handful (50g) sugarsnaps, thinly sliced
Large handful coriander, finely chopped
To serve
2 x 6-packs of mini tortilla wraps
Large handful coriander leaves to garnish
2 limes, quartered
Method
Begin by marinating the cod. Whisk the oil, chipotle powder or paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika and lime zest in a non-metallic container or shallow bowl then add the cod strips and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
For the 'slaw, add the cabbage, carrots, peppers, red onions, sugar snaps and coriander to a large bowl and toss together well. Cover and chill until required.
To make the Straight Up yoghurt and lime guacamole, scoop the avocado flesh into a food processor with the lime juice, chilli, red onion, ground cumin, salt and Straight Up yoghurt and pulse until it's a chunky but creamy-looking guacamole. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
To serve:
Preheat the grill to a high setting and arrange the spicy cod fillets on a foil lined baking tray.
Cook under the grill for 5-6 mins, turning once until cooked through. Remove and keep to one side. You can either warm the tortillas in a microwave or they can be sprinkled with a little water and placed under the grill briefly.
To assemble, spread each tortilla with a small spoonful of Straight Up yoghurt and lime guacamole, top with a small handful of 'slaw followed by 2 fillets spiced cod. Dollop a little more Straight Up yoghurt and lime guacamole and scatter over the coriander leaves.
Add a squeeze of lime, fold the tacos in half you are good to go, serve any remaining 'slaw on the side.