You make houmous by blending chickpeas with tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, maybe some ground cumin, and definitely garlic. If you have been to North Africa, the Levant or the Middle East you will probably eaten houmous.
Vegetarian
Festive French Toast – Panettone Pain Perdu
Festive French toast is a great way to use up Panettone, the classic Italian cake / bread from Milan. We always seem to have some left over Panettone after Christmas. We overdose on cake and biscuits, pretty much like everyone else. So my recipe today is a direct result of my last post and the feedback I got from friends on social media. One of the joys for me of food writing for me is the community of amazing people I’ve met and after my French Toast recipe I had a conversation with the talented Bryony Hill. Bryony, a painter, gardener, author and cookery writer was thinking of a Christmas eggy bread. The result of our conversation Panettone pain perdu.
How to make French Toast
French toast is a perfect holiday season treat served for breakfast with berries and maple syrup. French toast or pain perdu is a simple, delicious dessert or breakfast dish made by frying slices of bread soaked in egg and milk. The dish dates back as far as the Romans and Apicius gives a recipe finished with honey.
Beetroot and Edamame Houmous
But my biggest success of the evening was probably the vegetable crudité and smoky aubergine Baba ghanoush and cream beetroot and Edamame houmous. Platters piled high with the best local vegetables, radishes, celery, peppers, cucumbers, and carrots.



