Course: Starter & Snack

Hummus

Who doesn’t like hummus these days – a smooth and creamy flavoursome Middle Eastern dip, perfect with any bread, splurged in to falafel wraps or if your a foodie diva serve with Ras AL Hanout Lamb.

Falafel – Chickpea Fritters

Falafels are a chickpea fritter from the Middle East often served in wraps with hummus or tahini* or served in a tomato sauce like meatballs. Falafel takeaways are hugely popular in Amsterdam, served in pitta bread with salad and sauce. Find them in Norwich – Moorish, Ruth’s or Falafel and Friends on the market. (All listed on my directory)

Mushroom and Blue Cheese Pate

Mushrooms and cheese just love each other, but blue cheese and mushrooms make the perfect couple.
My family all mushroom forage this time of year but you have to know what your looking for and with hundreds of varieties growing in England it’s easy to get confused, there are over 60 poisonous ones with several deadly – within minutes and of course mushrooms can change appearance from one day to another.
So an organized mushroom forage is recommended.
Ted Elliss in Surlingham and the Whitlingham broad both do mushroom hunts. But you can find hundreds of mushrooms growing in all the woods across this region, but don’t pick any and take a good book – a mushroom one of course!
In this recipe I cook half of the blue cheese and then crumble in the rest so you get the two delicious tastes of melted and raw blue cheese, blended with rich mushrooms, garlic and cream. An addictive taste, especially served with warm toast!

Sherry Battered Whelks

This is a Tapas batter recipe I usualy use with mushrooms but it works a treat with whelks too. The batter is light and airy with a little crisp from the vinegar with the bonus of the plump juicy whelk in the middle. Serve with a garlic mayonnaise.