Chill In

RECIPE

VEGAN M’ HANNCHA

Moroccan M’ Hanncha is a wonderful way to wrap up gorgeous smashed vegetables and grains to make a beautiful looking dinner, while also adding amazing texture – crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle. Healthy and tasty – are you ready to be part of the vegan revolution?

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 6)

• 100 g pearl barley • 1 butternut squash, (1.2kg) • 2 red onions • 2 cloves of garlic • 2 red peppers • 1 big bunch of fresh coriander, (60g) • olive oil • ½ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes • 1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds • 1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds • 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander • 100 g mixed dates and dried apricots • ½ a lemon • 10 sheets of filo pastry • 1 tablespoon shelled pistachios • icing sugar, for dusting

METHOD

Cook the pearl barley then drain. Wash the squash, then carefully cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds. Peel the onions and garlic, and deseed the peppers. Chop the squash, onions and peppers into 1cm dice. Finely chop the garlic with the coriander stalks (reserving the leaves).

Place it all in a pan on a medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, the chilli flakes, fennel and cumin seeds, and the ground coriander. Sweat with a lid on for 25 to 30 minutes, or until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally.

Destone the dates and finely chop the flesh with the apricots and coriander leaves. Fold into the veg pan with the drained pearl barley, squeeze in the lemon juice, season to perfection, then leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.

Lay out two clean damp tea towels on a large work surface, side-by-side, with the longest edges facing you. Working quickly but taking care, lay out 3 sheets of filo side-by-side with the short edges towards you, overlapping each one by 2.5cm and brushing between the overlaps with water.

Lightly brush the sheets with oil, place 3 filo sheets directly on top, then repeat with another 3 sheets. Save the remaining sheet for patching up.

As evenly as possible, spoon your filling in a line along the long edge closest to you. Brush the opposite long edge with a little oil.

Working slowly and carefully, use the tea towels to help you roll it up and away from you into a giant cigar, keeping it on the damp tea towel at all times. Roll it into a large pinwheel, working quickly but handling it gently to avoid too many cracks.

Gently slide it onto a large greased baking tray, and patch up any gaps, if needed. Brush all over with more oil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until gorgeous, crisp and golden.

Ten minutes before the end, smash and sprinkle over the pistachios and an extra pinch of each of the spices, if you like.

Serve with a super-light dusting of icing sugar. Delicious with all the usual trimmings, or served with a spiced tomato sauce.

WINE MATCH

If you are having a vegetable based menu the best option is to go with wines that are a bit more mature. With vegetarian food the flavours are more subtle so you have to be a bit more careful with your wine decisions. The obvious difference between vegetable and meat cooking is the absence of rare protein and animal fat which both tame the tannins of full bodied reds. Therefore the best option is to go for a Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany or a Napa Valley wine (although pricier) that go well with a dish that is classic and vegetable based like this one.

MOVIE REVIEW

REMINISCENCE

From the co-creators of Westworld, this sci-fi blockbuster has the stellar cast of Hugh Jackman, Thandie Newton, Rebecca Ferguson and Daniel Wu.

Set in a flooded, nearfuture Miami this film explores how with futuristic technology it is possible to delve into the minds of people and allow them to relive any memory they choose.

However, when Jackman, who plays lead character Nick Bannister, ends up falling for one of his clients Mae (played by Greatest Showman actress Ferguson) he discovers she may well be involved in a series of violent crimes when exploring her past.

Is she the love of his life or a fateful murderer?

There are lots of plot twists and turns in this slick drama like you wouldn’t believe.

It will keep even the best movie buffs guessing as to the eventual outcome.

Beautifully shot with lots of ethereal memory flashback and water scenes, this feature film, directorial debut of Westworld and Burn Notice’s Lisa Joy is definitely worth a watch if sci-fi is your thing.

ALBUM REVIEW

DRAKE – CERTIFIED LOVER BOY

Drake’s sixth studio LP is finally being released this month, after failing to launch back in January 2021 due to a “knee injury” he sustained, the world has been waiting with bated breath on news of the rapper’s comeback album.

Drake’s dropped plenty of clues to how Certified Lover Boy may look.

Back in October 2020 he revealed his product-tastic collab with Nike wearing a cool pink heart-quilted jacket - seemingly showing the Canadian rapper’s softer side - whilst netting him $460m for the collab.

And in the ‘Laugh Now Play Later’ video there were roses and ski-mask wearing Cupids. Oo-er.

So, with love firmly on his mind, and the extended 9 months album release date, presumably to recover from his injuries and put in play more commercial deals (!) Drake finally announced on Sound 42 radio last month the album was finally “Cooked!”

We hope you like this much anticipated album as much as we did.

BOOK REVIEW

SUPER SURVIVAL SQUAD

Inspired by the Romantic movement in English literature and its affinity with the natural world, Surrey-based author Tina Talbot, has written a series of children's books to engage children in nature.

Accepting that our advance in technology is as human as our dependency on nature, Tina, is striving to create a balance between the two. In her Super Survival Squad series she explores the narratives:

Water in ‘The Daring Droplets’ where three characters Drizzle, Dribble and Dazzle keep us alive by hydrating us and helping us stay clean.

Wildflowers in ‘The Wilful Wildflowers’ are very important as they help pollinators like bees, birds and butterflies use their special powers to give us food to eat.

Trees which use their unique powers by giving us oxygen to breathe.

There are 4 books so far in the Super Survival Squad series that teach children how important nature is to our existence.

Fun and educational they are great reads for any child (although primarily aimed at 5 to 9-year-olds) with beautiful supporting illustrations by Judit Matthews.