Recipe by Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images by Brydie Thompson
Midweek Meals MADE Easy
If you are looking for some midweek meal inspiration, a quick visit to Made in Hamilton East is the answer. With a butcher, a baker and pasta maker there is more than enough to fill your basket. Bring your own jars and fill up on the basics from rice and flour to milk and tea at Bare. Fresh produce is sorted with Pirongia Mountain Vegetables and don’t forget to pop into Red Kitchen for a beautiful frozen meal or two to have up your sleeve.
Expleo Kofta’s with Freekeh Salad and Fetta Dressing
I love this dish because it’s just a case of some strategic shopping at Made followed by chopping up some veg for the salad. The result is a delicious meal with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.
For the salad I used freekeh, but you could use one of the many grains Bare has available, like Bulgar wheat. I used dill, which is not always easy to get, so if unavailable swap out for mint.
Pick up the hummus from Mezze along with a number of other dips if you will, just make sure you also grab some baklava as treat for you or, if being generous, dessert for the family.
8–10 Expleo koftas
hummus from Mezze
flatbread/pita bread
Freekeh Salad
½ cup freekeh (from Bare), rinsed and drained
½ a telegraph cucumber from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables
2–4 radishes from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables
½ cos lettuce from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables
2 spring onions from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables
1 cup dill (alternatively mint)
1 cup flat leaf parsley
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (you can get this from Bare)
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tsp mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Place the freekeh and 1½ cups of water in a pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, then cover and cook until tender and all/most of the water has absorbed. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
Slice the cucumber in half, and using a teaspoon remove the seeds then slice very thinly. I used a mandolin/Japanese slicer and while you are at it slice the radish super thinly too.
Thinly slice the cos and spring onions, adding them to the cooled freekeh, cucumber and radish along with the chopped herbs.
Make the dressing by placing the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and sugar in a small jar. Place the lid on tightly and shake well.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
Allow the salad to sit at room temperature while you fry the koftas and make the fetta dressing.
Fetta Dressing
200g fetta
¼ cup Greek yoghurt
2 cloves garlic, peeled, from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables
zest and juice of a lemon from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables
pinch of salt
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
Serve the cooked koftas with warmed flat bread, hummus and freekeh salad.
Wine Match from Neat – Halcyon Days Vermillion 23′ $37
Hawkes Bay chilled red, predominantly Sangiovese with a tipple of chard. Fun and very crushable. Unfiltered and completely organic, a great way to dip your toes into one of our favourite producers.
