SPINACH STRACCIATELLA

It's July it is the month for soups. Ingredients 280 gm pack of baby spinach leaves / or silverbeet leaves trimmed of all the white stalk. 6 tbs of dried grated parmesan cheese, 6 cups of chicken stock, cracked black pepper, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 1 dsp of ground nutmeg, 3 tbs of minced garlic. Divide the spinach/ silverbeet leaves into 4 large rolls and slice across into thin shreds. Place a handful into each serving bowl and divide the grated parmesan between the leafy bowls. Slowly heat your chicken stock and season with cracked pepper and the minced garlic. In a separate bowl whip the eggs and nutmeg to a froth, add the frothy egg nutmeg mixture to the slowly simmering stock, whisking lightly with a fork to incorporate. Now remove from heat and ladle the stock mixture over the spinach and cheese in the bowls and serve. This is a delious soup.

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

Ingredients.....1 bunch of finely chopped celery with leaves, set a few leaves aside for garnish, 60gm of butter/ marg, 2 onions, peeled and chopped, 4 and 1/2 cups of chicken stock, 1 and 1/2 cups of cream, cracked pepper to taste and a handful of dry grated Parmesan cheese. Heat the butter/ marg in a large pot, add the chopped onions and stir until tender. Now add the trimmed and chopped celery over a low heat, add the stock and cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until the celery is tender . Using a hand processor , process the mixture until smooth, then stir through the cream and cracked black pepper. Stir the soup over a low heat until just heated through . Serve the soup garnished with celery leaves and a sprinkle of dry grated Parmesan cheese.

MOROCCAN HARIRA

This is a traditional Muslim dish served during Ramadan. Ingredients....30gm of ghee,1 tbs of ground cinnamon , 2 tbs of minced ginger , 1 tsp of ground tumeric,1 tsp of ground paprika, 1 tsp of cracked black pepper, pinch of saffron threads, 500gm of cubed lamb shoulder,1 onion, peeled and finely chopped, 1/2 cup of chopped flat leafed parsley, 1/3 cup of chopped coriander, 440gm can of diced tomatoes, 400gm of chickpeas, drained, 400gm can of lentils, drained, 2 tbs of lemon juice. I am using my slow cooker, this isn't traditional , but a different way of preparing harira. In a bowl mix together the saffron threads, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika ,cracked black. pepper. Add the lamb cubes to coat . Use the ghee to coat your slow cooker ,add the coated lamb cubes, the chopped onion, the drained chickpeas, lentils, and tinned diced tomatoes,chopped coriander and parsley . Stir the ingredients to incorporate . Finally add 5 cups of water and stir through 3 tbs of lemon juice. Cook on high for 5 hours . I serve this dish over steamed rice.