Actually this is probably not my messiest creation but as a phrase it reflects what happens when I enter the kitchen armed with good intentions.
Today as I ‘created’, a pincer movement of gloom had me in its grip.
Outside the weather, inside Morrissey.
Cast away on his Desert Island, ‘mesmerising mess’ was his description of the world he’d be leaving behind.
So to cast a small pool of light somewhere; for today’s sandwich I ‘adapted’ a summery salad from River Cottage Everyday.
Adapt is a loose term. To most, I suspect it’s a polite way of saying ‘much improved on the original’.
For me, it means looking at the list of ingredients, thinking what a heady list of things to have and handle…..what can I do to ‘adapt’ it a couple of notches down the culinarywinian scale but still leave it slightly above opening a bag of Kettle Chips in terms of effort and eating experience.
This fits nicely into that notched niche:
- Slice the Halloumi
- Dredge in plain flour, into which you’ve extravagantly shaken paprika
- Fry the coated Halloumi slices for a couple of minutes on either side until golden brown (think the transformation in Morrissey’s legs after a few days of rolled up Robinson Crusoe style trousers, paddling around the island)
- Mix a dressing from olive oil, lemon juice, honey, pinch of chilli flakes, crushed garlic clove and salt
- Chop tomato and cucumber
- Heap and drizzle into warmed pitta bread
Although ‘nothing comforts’ our castaway I’d like to think this cheerful and piquant sandwich might just take the edge off misery.
