Absent Giraffes

I've been a bit AWOL from my Giraffing of late - apologies to anyone checking for updates.  Have been busy with visitors, friends, holidays and life!  Have remade a couple of Giraffes with various degrees of success.  Did the cous cous cakes for a veggie friend and she seemed to be impressed with them leaving it until the end of the meal to ask what the secret ingreedient was that kept them stuck together (its Halloumni cheese btw).  Also tried them with quinoa insead of cous cous for a Coeliac friend but it was a bit of a disaster!  I think I need some guidance on how to cook quinoa as it looked more like sloppy rice pudding than cous cous ;-S

I did finally hear back from the Giraffes mouth re the second of the "dodgy" recipies.  Apparently their Head of Operations was on holiday and hence the delay in getting back to me.  Where does a Giraffe go on holiday I wonder?  Answers on a postcard...

Also wanted to share a brilliant "saw this and though of you" card that I recieved from a friend inspired by this blog - its so true!

Will be back later on this week with a proper cooking the book posting but meanwhile here is the correct recipie that they sent through for the Goats Cheese, Caramelised Onion and Mushroom Pizza Tostada with Rocket and Pine Nuts.


MARINARA SAUCE
2 cloves of garlic
4 table spoons olive oil
I medium onion
400gm tin chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried oregano
8-10 fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper

To make the sauce heat olive oil on medium heat,  add the onions and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes until onions become soft and succulent, mash the tomatoes with a fork and add to the pan, then season with salt and pepper and the dried oregano, bring to boil reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. When cooked remove from heat rip basil leaves and add to the sauce

THE PIZZA
4 Lebanese flat breads
8 tablespoons marinara sauce
200gm of goat’s cheese
100gm grated mozzarella
16 cherry tomatoes
100gm spinach leaves
100gm sliced field mushrooms
200gm red or white onions shredded
4tables spoons olive oil   
40gm parmesan shavings
50gm rocket
4 tablespoons of pesto dressing

Heat a pan with the olive oil, add the onions and cook slowly until onions are soft and golden this takes 10-15 minutes. Spread 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on each flat bread and then top with spinach leaves.
Cut the cherry toms in half and sprinkle with the caramelised onions, sliced mushrooms and cherry tomatoes on the base. Then crumble over the goat’s cheese in 20p size pieces and sprinkle over the mozzarella, add to a hot oven 2100C for 8-10 minutes. When the pizza is cooked top with the rocket and parmesan shavings and drizzle over the pesto dressing