Last weekend we held a Middle Eastern dinner party. As a starter I made two favourite starters – labne and dukkah. 

I’ve never attempted to make any sort of cheese so I was very much looking forward to making labne. The recipe I used was fine, but I don’t think it called for the natural yoghurt, the main ingredient, to be left to separate for long enough, leaving the labne a little too moist. I’ve included below a much better recipe. The surprising part about making labne is the minimal ingredients involved. You just need time – most of which involves you doing nothing at all. And the dukkah was sooooo simple.  I can’t believe how easy it is – you’ll never buy it again once you’ve made your own!

Labne
from taste.com.au

1.5kg thick Greek yoghurt
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs oregano
2 garlic cloves
2 cups (500ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek

Dukkah
from taste.com.au

110g (2/3 cup) hazelnuts
80g (1/2 cup) sesame seeds
2 tbs coriander seeds
2 tbs cumin seeds
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp flaked sea salt (like Maldon brand)
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Crusty bread, to serve

Spread the hazelnuts over a baking tray and cook in preheated oven for 3-4 minutes or until toasted. Rub the hazelnuts between a clean tea towel to remove as much skin as possible.

Place the toasted hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.

Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Add to the bowl with the hazelnuts.

Place coriander seeds and cumin seeds in frying pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic and seeds begin to pop. Transfer seeds to a mortar and pestle. Pound until finely crushed (alternatively, use a coffee or spice grinder). Add the crushed spices, pepper and salt to the hazelnut mixture and mix well.

Serve dukkah with some extra virgin olive oil and crusty bread.

I love rolling the labne in the dukkah. Yum.

I have lots of appliances in my kitchen – food processor, Kitchen Aid mixer, ice-cream maker, juicer, Bamix, rice cooker, slow cooker…the list goes on. My appliance shelf in my pantry is full so I had officially stopped buying new appliances. There could not possibly be one more appliance that I needed.

Then…in the planning for our upcoming camping trip…my husband suggested an electric frypan (yes, we have a powered site) would be handy. I found the Sunbeam Family Banquet on sale for only $57.  Great price, but really…another appliance? I ummed and ahhed and figured for that price I could give it a go. And, guess what, I’m hooked.

I’ve cooked picklets.

And spaghetti bolognese.

And roast pork and vegetables.

And hoisin pork (from the leftover roast) with rice.

And – I only bought it on Sunday afternoon. I love it! What a great appliance.  I believe it is even possible to cook creme caramels and popcorn in the electric frypan…but not necessarily together.

So, what’s your favourite kitchen appliance?