Let your taste buds travel with Mrs Crunch delicious Mediterranean recipes – The Sun

WITH temperatures rivalling the Med, it is time to tuck into holiday cuisine so our taste buds can travel – even though we can’t.

The Mediterranean diet is famed for a mix of fresh whole foods, which are good for you and tasty as well.

This week, Morrisons is getting into the holiday mood with Market Street special offers on cheese, olives, gammon and ham. So tuck in and enjoy your food a hol lot more with these mouth-watering summer recipes.

Vegan Spanish stew

(Serves 4 – 98p per serving)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

YOU NEED:

  • 200g pearl barley
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ½ butternut squash, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 handful black olives, pitted
  • ½ vegetable stock cube, dissolved in a little boiling water
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 sprig of parsley
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

METHOD: Boil the pearl barley in a pan for 35 to 40 minutes. In a large pan, heat the olive oil and fry the onion until lightly browned. Add the paprika.

Add butternut squash and one tbsp of water, then cook for around ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash just starts to soften

Then put in the peppers and olives and cook for a further five minutes. Add the vegetable stock and tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes and add the chickpeas after 20 minutes.

Mix in the pearl barley and stir thoroughly. Serve with a sprig of parsley on the top. Season to taste.

Spanish ham & mushroom croquetas

(Makes 16 servings – 48p per serving)

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

YOU NEED:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 100g cured Spanish ham, finely diced
  • 50g mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 60g cornflour
  • 500ml milk
  • 5g ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 4 slices white bread, crumbled into fine breadcrumbs
  • 30g Parmesan, finely grated
  • Vegetable oil

METHOD: Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium-sized pan over a medium heat. Gently fry the ham and mushrooms until lightly golden. Remove from the heat and stir in the cornflour.

Gradually stir in the milk, then return to the heat and continue to stir until the mixture thickens. Add the nutmeg and black pepper and continue to cook, beating it as it starts to boil, until smooth. Cook for another five minutes until the mixture holds its shape.

Spread on a large plate and leave to cool. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least two hours to firm up. Put the beaten eggs into a shallow wide bowl. Place the breadcrumbs and cheese into another wide dish. With floured hands, roll spoonfuls of the mix into cylinders 5cm long.

Cover with beaten egg then roll in crumb mixture until evenly covered. Shake gently to remove loose breadcrumbs.Fill a large pan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat. Fry the croquetas in batches for a couple of minutes until crisp and golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper before serving immediately.

Melon and Parma ham salad

(Serves 4 – £1 per portion)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

YOU NEED:

  • 1 cantaloupe melon
  • 4 handfuls rocket
  • 2 mozzarella balls
  • 4 slices Parma ham
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 sprinkle black pepper

METHOD: Cut the melon, skinned and deseeded, into wedges. Tear the mozzarella balls into quarters.

Place on a large plate with the rocket, the torn mozzarella balls and four slices of Parma ham.

When ready to serve, drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and season with black pepper.

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