Sponsored by Toshiba & Gousto
I was recently invited by Toshiba and Gousto to take part in the #ToshibaCookalong with a few fellow bloggers via Skype. We all received a Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 and a box of ingredients from Gousto in order to carry out our mission. I had never done anything like this before so was looking forward to going out of my comfort zone. Our mission was to cook-along with Gousto’s talented chef Alice Feaver and follow her recipe for Persian Halloumi.
Using the Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 was easy and with it’s flip back hinge and touch screen it was easy to set up ready for the cook-along taking up about the same space as an average cook book. At 6pm we all got invited to join the skype call and up popped all my fellow bloggers on screen along with Alice who after a checking we were all present started the cook-along. I was very impressed with the high quality webcam and microphone which were perfect for following instructions.
We did lose the odd blogger along the way and my connection went a couple of times but having the recipe card meant I didn’t need to panic. My only hiccup was that when I lost connection and surged ahead thinking I must be behind and popped my halloumi slices into a pan that wasn’t that hot and so managed to achieve a feat I’d never managed all in my years of cooking – melting halloumi! Alice couldn’t quite believe it when the connection came back and so I held my pan up to the screen for her to see and I think everyone had a chuckle about this! But now I know this is possible I think I might actually try and repeat the feat as it was really good!
I really enjoyed the cook-along and once my Persian Halloumi was made I completely forgot to take a photograph as I let the family back in the kitchen to sample my creation. Hence my close up shot as I hastily tried to push the dish back together! Hubby and I really liked the dish and I particularly liked the barberries which reminded me of red currants with their tart flavour – the children weren’t so keen as I think this was more a dish for grown-ups.
Later that week I made the 2 other dishes which Gousto provided the ingredients for which were Honey Glazed Soy Salmon with Wasabi Mash and French Tarragon Chicken which everyone really enjoyed.
Honey Glazed Soy Salmon with Wasabi Mash – just lush!
The Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 has been a joy to use since the cook-along and has now replaced my ailing laptop. It oozes quality with not just it’s looks but also with how it feels – I’m loving the silvery gold lacquered effect lid. Plus it really is the perfect kitchen companion as you can easily follow TV cookery shows or use the touch screen to flick through favourite recipes. This blog post was written and photos edited using it too! Do check out the spec of the Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 for yourself!
French Tarrogon Chicken – another winner of a dish!
If you’d like to know more about Gousto and their recipe/food delivery service as well as picking up a discount of £20 off you first order, then head over to this link set up for my readers: www.gousto.co.uk/fabfood4all ! In the meantime if you want to taste Persian Halloumi for yourself Gousto have kindly allowed me to share the recipe with you here.
Here are links to some of my fellow bloggers who took part in this fun #ToshibaCookalong so do check out how they got on:
I’m entering this fabulous vegetarian dish into Meat Free Mondays which is run by the lovely Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes.
NB: I received a Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 and a box of Gousto ingredients to take part in the #ToshibaCookalong and was not paid – all opinions are my own.
Persian Halloumi
Ingredients
- 250 g Halloumi cheese
- 150 g Bulgur wheat
- 2 Red onions
- 20 g Dried barberries
- 1 tbsp Pomegranate molasses
- 10 g Fresh mint
- 1 tbsp Ras el hanout
- 1 Lemon
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Boil a kettle.
- Add the bulgur to a pot with 275ml of boiling water, cover with a lid over a medium-low heat.
- Simmer for 5-7min or until almost all the water is absorbed.
- Remove and set aside with the lid on for 10 min, until dry and fluffy.
- Meanwhile, put the barberries in a small bowl and add 100ml of hot water.
- Add 1 tbsp of sugar and mix well.
- Peel the onions, cut them in half and slice finely.
- Chop the mint finely and grate the zest of the lemon.
- Cut the halloumi into thin slices (approx. 1cm thick).
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the halloumi.
- Combine half the ras el hanout with 1 tsp of black pepper for the spice mix.
- Coat the halloumi in the spice mix.
- Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to a large pan on a medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for 4-5 min or until soft and lightly caramelised.
- Add 3 tbsp of the barberry water to the bulgar wheat.
- Drain the barberries and add to the bulgar wheat.
- Combine the barberry bulgar with the mint, lemon zest, remaining ras el hanout, pomegranate molasses and 1-2 tbsp of olive oil.
- Season to your taste with salt and pepper.
- Push the onion to one side of the pan and add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil.
- Add the halloumi and cook for 1-2 min on each side or until golden all over.
- Serve the bulgur wheat with the onion and halloumi.
- Enjoy!
Martina Evans
Never had halloumi before but this Persian Halloumi looks fab x
Camilla
Oh you should try it it’s fab:-)
Annaloa Hilmarsdottir
I love Halloumi so this is a definite must, will try it on Monday !1
Camilla
Great Annaloa:-)
Persian Catering
Its really looks yummy and award wining due to exotic looks. .i love Persian food.My grand mama make Traditional Persian cuisine for us. I miss her too much the way she cooks i just love it. I am sure you people enjoy the event these kind of events help to explore the traditional recipes of specific regions.
Camilla
Thanks, yes I love broadening my palate with events like this! Glad to bring back some memories for you:-)
Paul Wilson
Very exotic.
Persian Food
This Persian Halloumi Recipe looks great I am going to try this for my family. I always like Persian foods due to their different taste and all the ingredients used.
Camilla
Yes the different flavours are fabulous:-)
Maya Russell
I’ve never had halloumi and this Persian Halloumi recipe looks great.
Camilla
Oh Maya you must try Halloumi, great just sliced and put on the BBQ:-)
Leila Benhamida
Love Persian food, full of flavours
Camilla
Yes, love the spices:-)
Jacqueline Meldrum
I love halloumi Camilla and this loooks like an excellent recipe.
Camilla
Yes it was a lovely dish with flavours that I hadn’t had before:-)
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
This looks amazing Camilla. I love halloumi, and I really don’t eat it enough.
Camilla
Thanks Dannii, Halloumi rocks it’s the avocado of the cheese world!
Jan @GlugofOil
The cookalong was great fun wasn’t it – loved the recipe and the laptop is excellent!
Camilla
Yes Jan, I can’t wait for the next one:-) Any takers?
Sarah Maison Cupcake
Looks really tasty! Halloumi is so versatile.
Camilla
Yes and if you’re me you can even melt it:-)
Lucy @ BakingQueen74
Persian helium sounds amazing, one to try. The laptop also looks ideal for use in the kitchen and around the house.
Camilla
It really was lovely and refreshing:-)
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry
I need need need the Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 in my life along with this dish.
Camilla
You have very good taste Bintu:-)
Claire @foodiequine
I absolutely loved taking part in the cook along. Such an innovative event even if technology did conspire against us at some points. I too missed the melting Halloumi moment. Recipe is great and will definitely be making it again. Just need to track down some barberries.
Camilla
It was fab event Claire – well I really should have kept quite about my Halloumi mishap and just styled it out LOL:-) I’m too honest for my own good!
chantelle hazelden
I’ve never tried halloumi before, this has me intrigued though, thanks for sharing x
Camilla
Once you try it you’ll be hooked Chantelle:-)
Ursula Hunt
I love Haloumi, so this is great
Camilla
Thanks Ursula:-)
Emily Leary
This sounds great. Cookalongs are always fun and since this has a techy/geeky angle, it’s a winner for me!
Camilla
It was great fun and I’m so glad I did it as unlike my kids I wasn’t used to this kind of thing #skype!
shobha
Never heard about these beries.. The dish looks delicious.
Camilla
No I hadn’t either Shobha but now I’ve had them I’d like to track them down and use again:-)
Sona
This looks so delicious and inviting..
Camilla
It really was Sona:-)
Heather Haigh
Never tried, or heard of, barberries – I shall have to hunt some down now, I’m intrigued.
Camilla
They were dried like raisins:-)
Laura@howtocookgoodfood
I thought this sounded like fun when I saw it on Twitter and also this dish seemed like the winner to me. Who doesn’t like Halloumi, it is sooo good!
Camilla
Thanks Laura, I love Halloumi and good to have another recipe to use with it:-)
Jen
It sounds like it was a fun event, the new laptop looks very snazzy. I’ve still never eaten halloumi, no idea why as I love pretty much all cheeses. So glad to see the recipe after being tempted by it on Instagram, it’s at the top of my to try list now as I’m a big fan of Persian flavours.
Camilla
Oh Jen you’d love Halloumi, it’s so good and you can even BBQ it:) Loved the night and loving the new laptop too:-)
Choclette
This sounds such a fun event to have been involved in, but I know what you mean about the comfort zone. You must be a multi tasked extraordinaire to have pulled it off. Well done for giving it a try. The recipe looks delicious and something I would be very happy to eat.
Camilla
It really was fun Choclette and the cooking part was a walk in the park but the bit that took me out of my comfort zone was the thought of connecting up and using skype as it’s just not something I ever use. I had a little practice with Jan from a Glug of Oil though beforehand once I’d got my old account up and running again:-)
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
I’ve been waiting for this recipe ever since you guys all shared it on Instagram! Looks just as good as I remember it 🙂
Camilla
Thanks Becca, hope you enjoy it as much as we did:-)
Paul Wilson
Looks great.
Camilla
It really was Paul:-)
nazima
Sounds like you had fun Camilla. I think I would be too stressed to keep up with a cook along!
Camilla
Nazima, it really wasn’t stressful at all – I was more stressed getting my kitchen spic and span for the cookalong:-)
Janice
It was challenging trying to cook and watch the screen especially when the connection went down. What I really like about the Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 is that you can use the touchscreen and the keyboard, it took a bit of getting used to but I find it really useful. The different ways of turning the screen are really useful too. We really enjoyed the Persian Halloumi, sorry I missed your amazing melting halloumi the connection must have been down then, it’s great to use new and different ingredients.
Camilla
I loved the cook along and felt like I was on ‘This Morning’ and would love to do it again:-)
rebecca beesley
tried to leave a message earlier so apologies if comes through twice… just wanted to say this looks delicious and has two of my fave ingredients – barberries and pomegranate molasses – takes me back to my childhood and my mum’s iranian cooking. x
Camilla
Thanks Rebecca, I had never even had those 2 ingredients before so it was really lovely to try something new:-)
Kate
Cookalong looks fun, (if a little stressful to keep up!), and the finished dish looks delish!! Thanks for sharing! Kx
Camilla
It really wasn’t stressful and I think in my eagerness I was actually ahead of the chef in the beginning so had to slow down:-) Stressful was trying to get my Skype account going as after a change of computer I ended up with 2 acccounts and spent most of a day sorting that out!
Lovelyappetite
Love the sound of this. Looks delicious x
Camilla
Thanks, it was fabulous-)