Tag: Fruit

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MAIN COURSE

Spicy skewered chicken with pineapple, pepper and onions


Served with the spicy sauce, Basmati rice and a sweet and sour Asian salad

Serves 4

SPICY CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH ASIAN SALAD

The marinade:
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup sambal oelek, store bought or make your own
¼ cup fish sauce, available at Asian supermarkets
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

A hot sauce in one of its purest forms, Indonesian sambal oelek is merely freshly ground hot red chiles with some salt and vinegar for flavor and preservation.


The kebabs:
680 g/1½ lbs chicken thighs, deboned and cut into roughly 25 mm x 25 mm/1 inch x 1 inch pieces
8 wooden skewers, soaked in water for more than 1 hour
½ large ripe pineapple, peeled and cut into roughly 25 mm x 25 mm/1 inch x 1 inch pieces
½ large red sweet pepper, cored and cut into roughly 25 mm x 25 mm/1 inch x 1 inch pieces
½ large red onion, quartered and each quarter halved, breaking up the layers

The salad:
1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
1 cup bean sprouts
¾ cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1 cup half-ripe mango, cut into thin strips

If mangos are not in season, use papaya, pineapple, sweet melon, etc.


½ cup spring onions, diced
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
½ cup peanuts, roughly chopped
Asian sweet and sour sauce to drizzle (see recipe below)

The rice:
2 cups/500 ml Basmati rice
salt
1 tablespoon/15 ml butter (optional)

For the marinade, whisk the brown sugar, vinegar, sambal oelek, fish sauce and ginger in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly making sure that every piece is coated. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

For the chicken skewers. alternate chicken, pineapple, chicken,  pepper, chicken and a segment of onion, and repeat until the skewer is full. Pour the balance of the marinade into a saucepan together with ½ cup/125 ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce until thickened slightly and pour out a third for basting. Put the rest aside for dipping later.

Preheat the oven to 80ºC/176°F and place a heatproof plate, big enough to hold all the skewers, to warm up.

When the barbeque reaches (150ºC/302°F ), salt the kebabs and place them on the rack. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning and basting at regular intervals. When cooked, transfer to the warmed plate and leave to rest for about 10 minutes in the heated oven. Discard the rest of the sauce that was used for basting (it could be contaminated with raw chicken) and reheat the rest of the reserved sauce.

Just before cooking, prepare the salad by mixing all the ingredients except the sweet and sour sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve
Serve the skewers on a bed of rice with the sauce in a separate container. Lightly toss the sweet and sour sauce through the salad and serve with the kebabs.

A rich, dark honey color, this tart-sweet-savory sauce does not resemble the cloying, sticky, bright red sauce that’s often served at Chinese restaurants. You can whip it up quickly to enjoy with snacks such as fried wontons. For spicy tropical flair, use unsweetened pineapple juice instead of water and include 2 teaspoons of minced ginger and a chopped Thai chile with the other seasoning at the beginning.

Asian sweet and sour sauce:
¼ cup sugar or lightly packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

  • Combine the sugar, salt, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and water in a small saucepan.
  • Bring to a near boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
  • Give the cornstarch a stir and then add it to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 15 seconds, or until the sauce comes to full boil and thickens.
  • Remove from the heat, transfer to a serving bowl, and set aside for 10 minutes to cool and concentrate in flavor.
  • Taste and add extra salt, if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  • This sauce can be prepared a day in advance.
Categories
STARTERS/SIDES

ANTIPASTO PLATTERS


ANTIPASTA1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In English, it is called the appetizer course, the French call it the hors d’oeuvre and in Italy, it’s called the antipasto — an exciting way to announce the start of a glorious feast. In true Italian tradition, antipasti are selected for color, flavor, texture and how well the different components work together.  When you start preparing the dish, it truly is a blank canvas and with the help of a few marinated and pickled vegetables, fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, cured meats, olives, cheese, nuts, and bread of your choice, all beautifully arranged … how can you not create a masterpiece?

Omit the meat, add a few more nuts, and you have a perfect vegetarian starter.

SEARED VENISON ANTIPASTO PLATTER 2

Here are the choices:
breadsticks or focaccia cut into bite size pieces
basil pesto
black olive tapenade 
stuffed green olives
Kalamata olives
Provolone cheese
Camembert cheese
Fontina
Parmesan crisps
Feta
fresh figs
melon
bunches of grapes
cherry tomatoes
spring onions
marinated mushrooms
pickled pearl onions
marinated artichoke hearts (from your supermarket or deli)
sun-dried tomatoes
roasted red peppers
roasted aubergine
Spanakopita
quail eggs

How to boil a quail egg to medium soft: Have ready a bowl of iced water. In a small saucepan, bring some water to a boil, enough to cover the quail’s eggs. (If one of the eggs just happens to be cracked, rub the cracked area with lemon juice or vinegar and lower the egg very gently into the water.) Boil the eggs for 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat and leave in the hot water for 30 seconds. Transfer the eggs to the reserved iced water and leave for 1 minute, then remove and peel.

thinly sliced salami
Prosciutto
anchovy fillets (drained)
nuts (try the Rosemary spiced mixed nuts)

Some basic rules:

  • With any antipasto platter, the quantity of each food item on the platter is a personal choice and is dependent on the number of guests.
  • Use your best judgment to create a balanced and interesting platter.
  • One large tray makes a nice visual impact, but one or more smaller plates will also work.
  • Prepare all the different elements of your platter and refrigerate separate in sealed containers. Assemble the plate just before serving.  Everything will look fresh and crispy.
  • Roll or fold sliced meats for a nice presentation.
  • Cut or shave pieces of cheese.
  • Keep sea salt and a pepper grinder handy for seasoning.
  • Have extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar, or a special vinaigrette ready for drizzling.
  • Consider using small bowls placed on the tray for marinated condiments, nuts or olives.
  • Place bread away from moist veggies and pickles.

Use your imagination and flair to create a beautiful platter of delicious nibbles.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Roast figs with Gorgonzola and Prosciutto


This dish is ideal as an appetizer, as part of an antipasto platter or baked in puff pastry as a dessert.

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Figs are very versatile and are delicious in savory or sweet dishes. They are also seasonal and should be made use of as much as possible while they are available.  See also Roast butternut and figs with pine nuts and goat’s cheese. 

FIGS WITH CHEESE AND HONEY

Serves 2

4 ripe figs, sliced into quarters halfway through
4 tablespoons/60 ml gorgonzola, or to your preference
2 slices prosciutto, each cut into two, lengthways
honey for drizzling
olive oil for drizzling
micro herbs

Preheat the oven grill. Place the four figs on a baking tray and lightly squeeze them to flare open. Push the gorgonzola lightly into the cavity and place under the preheated grill for 5 minutes, or until the gorgonzola is melted to your liking. Crush the strips of prosciutto to fit neatly on top of the cheese. Place back under the grill if you wish, otherwise just drizzle the honey and olive oil over and around the figs. Finally sprinkle the micro herbs over and serve.

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SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

LEMON TART WITH LIMONCELLO CREAM


LEMON TART

The pastry:
125 g/4.5 oz butter, room temperature
90 g/3 oz caster sugar
1 egg
250 g/9 oz cake flour
pinch of salt
ice water

The filling:
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
180 g/6.4 oz caster sugar
1¾ cup/426 ml full cream
5 tablespoons/75 ml lemon juice

The garnish:
icing sugar for sprinkling
1 cup/250 ml fresh cream
1 teaspoon/5 ml Limoncello

Limoncello, and Italian liqueur, mainly produced in the southern parts of Italy, has a strong lemon flavor without the sourness or bitterness of pure lemon juice. Traditionally, it is made from the zest of Sorrento lemons using the zest, or peels without the pith, and is steeped in a neutral spirit until the oil is released. The resulting yellow liquid is then mixed with simple syrup. Varying sugar to water ratio and temperature will affect the clarity, viscosity, and flavor.

Heat the oven to 190°C/374°F and grease a tart pan with a loose bottom of about 20 cm/7.8 in diameter.

In a processor, cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg. Mix well, then add the flour and salt and mix. The dough should be soft and pliable, but if for some reason it feels too dry, add a few drops of ice water. Roll the pastry into a flat disk and roll up in plastic film. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 4 cm/0.15 in thickness and line the tart pan with it. Cover the pastry with parchment paper and fill it with baking beans, then bake blind for about 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and paper and bake for 5 minutes longer. The pastry should be a light golden color.

Lower the oven temperature to 140°C/175°F.
Whisk the eggs and sugar until well blended, then add the cream and the lemon juice and stir to mix well. Strain the mixture into a container with a spout. Place the tart on a baking tray and place halfway into the oven. Carefully pour the filling into the tart shell and slowly move the baking tray to the center of the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. The filling should have set but still wobbly. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Carefully remove the cooled tart from the pan. If you prefer, sprinkle icing sugar over the whole tart, otherwise leave it as is.

When cutting the tart, dip the knife into hot water and use soft pressure.

Whip the cream with the Limoncello and put a blob on each plate.

 

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Strawberry cake with thick custard and a meringue and almond topping


STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH MERINGUE TOPPING

2 cups/500 ml thick custard
60 g/2 oz of 1 sponge cake (page 25)
zest of 1 lemon
180 g/6.3 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced
5 egg whites
75 g/2.6 oz caster sugar
1 tablespoon/15 ml almonds, flaked

The custard:
3 egg yolks
60 g/2 oz sugar
1¼ cups/355 ml milk
1b cup/400 ml fresh full cream, lightly whisked
20 g/0.7 oz flour
20 g/0.7 oz cornstarch
seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Preheat the oven to 120°C/248°F.
Make the custard and cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Line the base of a greased ovenproof souffl̩ dish with the sponge cake Рabout 2 cm/0.7 in thick. Sprinkle the grated lemon zest over.
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until it forms soft peaks. Add 3 tablespoons of the sugar and whisk until stiff and glossy peaks forms.
Pour the custard over the cake, then arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the custard. Pile the meringue roughly on top, completely covering the custard. Scatter the remaining caster sugar and flaked almonds over the meringue and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the top of the meringue is crisp with golden tips. Serve immediately.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy. Heat the milk but remove from the heat just before it starts boiling. Mix a few spoons of the hot milk with the egg mixture, then add the two flours and vanilla seeds and mix well. Pour the whole mixture back into the rest of the heated milk, mix well and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously. When the sauce has thickened sufficiently, remove from the heat and pour into a cooled bowl. Set aside, covered with greaseproof paper, to cool until ready to use.

 

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Mille-feuille of black cherries and Kirsch liqueur


It is important not to put too much cream on the pastry as it will run over the sides and look messy. Rather serve extra cream on the side if you feel the need.

MILLE FUEILE

The pastry:
300 g/10.5 oz puff pastry
icing sugar for dredging

The filling:
2 cups/500 ml full cream
2 tablespoons/30 ml Kirsch liqueur
icing sugar, to sweeten
1 x 425 g/15 oz can pitted black cherries
1 tablespoon caster sugar (optional)

The syrup:
the reserved syrup from the can of cherries
sugar to taste
1 tablespoon/15 ml Kirsch liqueur

For variation, use other berries, mashed bananas or mixtures of fruit and chopped nuts.

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/428°F.
Roll the pastry out onto a floured surface to a 3 mm/⅛ in thickness. Place the rolled out pastry on to a lined baking tray, then cut 12 x 13 x 8 cm (4.7 x 5.1 x 3 in) rectangles. Prick with a fork, dredge generously with icing sugar and chill in the freezer for five minutes.  Then remove from the freezer and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry begins to brown on top. Cover the pastry rectangles with a piece of greaseproof paper and place another baking tray on top. Return to the oven and bake for a further 7-10 minutes then set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks, fold in 2 tablespoons/30 ml of the Kirsch liqueur and add icing sugar to taste. Drain the cherries and reserve the liquid. Cut the cherries in half and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the reserved syrup from the cherries, add the sugar (if you wish) and reduce until it becomes syrupy. Add the rest of the liqueur and set aside to cool.

When ready to serve, spread the cream over 1 of the 4 rectangles, leaving about 1 cm/0.4 in then fill the surface with the half cherries, pressing it down into the cream. Place another rectangle on top of each of the first ones, and repeat with the cream and cherries. Top with the final rectangle, sprinkle over the grated chocolate and drizzle the syrup around. Serve immediately.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Baked cheesecake with blackberry sauce


Avoid over-baking. Because of variations in ovens, it is difficult to give the exact baking time for the cheesecake. It will continue baking after it had been removed from the oven, therefore keep an eye on it while it is baking. The cake is perfectly done when the spot in the middle of the cheesecake is still a little bit wobbly. The texture will smooth out as it cools.

CHEESECAKE

The pastry:
100 g/3.5 oz butter, softened
100 g/3.5 oz sugar
1 free-range egg
120 g/4.2 oz cake flour
a pinch each of baking powder and salt
2 tablespoons/30 ml cornflour
rind of 1 lemon, finely grated
the seeds of ½ vanilla bean
a few drops lemon essence

Once you have scraped the seeds from the vanilla pod, store the empty bean in an airtight container filled with sugar. This will provide you with vanilla flavored sugar in just a few days.

The filling:
4 free-range eggs
1 cup/250 ml sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml lemon juice
3 x 250 g/8.8 oz smooth cottage cheese
1 cup/250 ml cream
½ cup/125 ml flour

The sauce:
350 g /12.3 oz blackberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted
¼ cup 60 ml Kirsch
⅔ cup sugar syrup
juice of half a lemon

Whisk the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the egg and mix well. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture with the lemon rind, vanilla and lemon essence. Mix well, then wrap in cling film and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Grease a 24 cm/9.5 in cake tin with a loose bottom. Press the dough into the cake tin then place in the refrigerator for another hour to firm up.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F.

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Add the lemon juice, cottage cheese, cream and flour and mix well.  Pour the filling into the baked crust and bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

Reduce the temperature to 120-130 °C/248-266°F and bake for an hour until the filling is firm but still slightly soft in the center.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

When ready to serve, reserve a few blackberries and puree the rest with the rest of the sauce ingredients in a blender. Rub the sauce through a sieve and and serve with a slice of the cheesecake and a few whole berries.

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Orange and pistachio roll with a cream and Grand Marnier filling


MERINQUE ROULLADE WITH PISTACHIO CREAM

The roll:
3 free-range eggs
120 g/4.2 oz castor sugar, plus extra for sprinkling/dusting
60 g/2 oz plain flour
1 teaspoon/5 ml baking powder
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

The filling:
1 cup/250 ml cream
1 tablespoon/15 ml caster sugar (for filling)
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon/15 ml Grand Marnier
3 tablespoons/45 ml pistachio, finely chopped

The topping:
icing sugar for dusting
2 tablespoons/30 l pistachio, finly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C/356ºF.

Line a Swiss roll pan (30 x 24 cm/11.8  x 9.4 oz) with parchment paper and grease lightly. Prepare also a similar size greaseproof paper dusted with icing sugar.

Whisk the eggs, vanilla seeds and castor sugar together to form a pale mousse. Sieve the flour and baking powder together, fold into the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour into a tin spread evenly and bake for 12 minutes or until just done and shrinking around the edges.
Remove from the oven and turn out, upside down onto the sugar dusted parchment paper over a cooling rack. Allow to rest for 1-2 minutes before gently peeling off the baking parchment.  Then gently and with the help of a clean kitchen towel, roll up the cake and set aside to cool.

When the roll is cooled sufficiently, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks, fold in the sugar and orange zest and add the liqueur and pistachios. Unroll the cake (remove and discard the paper on the inside) and spread with a layer of the cream filling, then re-roll. Serve as soon as possible sliced and dusted with icing sugar and an extra sprinkling of pistachios on top.

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SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

White chocolate and strawberry terrine


Serve with strawberry sauce and crispy sugar almonds

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White chocolate and strawberry terrine

The terrine:
3 cups/750 ml fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
240 g/8.5 oz good-quality white chocolate, chopped
127 g/4.5 oz sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml water
1 tablespoon/15 ml light corn syrup
4 large free-range egg whites
½ teaspoon/3 ml cream of tartar
1½ cups/375 ml chilled fresh cream
seeds from one vanilla pod
1 tablespoon/15 ml Grand Marnier liqueur

The crispy sugary almonds:
100 g/3.5 oz sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml liquid glucose
1 tablespoon/15 ml water
3 tablespoons/45 ml almonds, flaked and roasted

Extra garnish:
glazed fruit, such as green fig and orange, finely sliced (optional)
reserved strawberry puree

Make the terrine:
♦  Line the bottom of a 22 x 12 x 7 cm/8½ x 4.7 x 2.7 in terrine dish (7-8-cup capacity) with cling-film, extending the foil over the shorter ends.
♦  Puree the strawberries and measure out 1¼ cups/312.5 ml of the puree and set aside. Reserve the remaining puree for garnishing.
♦  Stir the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water until melted. Remove from the heat.
♦  In a small saucepan, heat the sugar, water and corn syrup until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat. Boil for about 4 minutes (120°C/248°F on a sugar thermometer), periodically brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.
♦  Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until it forms soft peaks. Gradually add the boiling syrup to the whites, beating until the meringue is cool, about 5 minutes; then fold the melted white chocolate into the meringue.
♦  Beat the cream and vanilla in a large bowl until medium-firm, then add to the white chocolate mixture to form the chocolate mousse.
♦ Transfer 4 cups/1 liter of the white chocolate mousse to a medium bowl and fold the 1¼ cups strawberry puree and Grand Marnier into the mousse.
♦ Spread half the strawberry mousse in the prepared terrine dish, and freeze until almost firm, about 15 minutes. Keep the remaining white chocolate mousse and remaining strawberry mousse in the refrigerator.
♦  After 15 minutes, spread the white chocolate mousse over the half frozen strawberry mousse layer and freeze for about 25 minutes.
♦  Spread the remaining strawberry mousse over the white chocolate layer. Cover the terrine with plastic and freeze overnight. (Can be prepared and kept frozen for 4 days ahead).
♦  Uncover the terrine and carefully invert the terrine onto a platter. Carefully peel off the cling-film.

The crispy sugary almonds:
Bring the sugar, glucose and water to a boil over medium heat until it turns golden and lightly caramelizes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Glucose is very sticky and an easy way to measure it is with either a heated spoon or a spoon dipped in oil. The glucose will simply slip off the spoon. Do the same with honey and corn syrup.

Lightly grease some parchment paper, or use silicone paper, and with a teaspoon drizzle the sugar syrup into patterns of your choice. Immediately scatter the almonds over the sugar patterns, then leave to cool totally and become crispy.

To serve:
Brush a wide stripe of the reserved strawberry puree over the center of each serving plate, place a slice of the terrine in the middle of the stripe, and decorate with sugary almonds and glazed fruit (if using).

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Mixed berry and ricotta cream tarts


Serve with Strawberry and green peppercorn sauce

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Serves 4

MIXED BERRY TART

The pastry:
185 g/6.5 oz plain flour
95 g /3.4 oz ground almonds
40 g /1.4 oz icing sugar
125 g /4.4 oz butter, chopped
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
pinch of salt

The filling:
200 g/7 oz ricotta (make your own)
seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 free-range eggs
160 g /5.6 oz caster sugar
½ cup/125 ml fresh cream
60 g/2 oz fresh raspberries
80 g /3 oz fresh blueberries
(frozen berries can be used if fresh ones are not available – defrost and drain them before using)

The sauce:
30 g/1 oz caster sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml cold water
½ teaspoon/3 ml liquid glucose
250 g/9 oz ripe strawberries, hulled
1 teaspoon/5 ml bottled green peppercorns, rinsed and drained
½ teaspoon/3 ml lemon juice

The garnish:
½ teaspoon/3 ml poppy seeds (optional)
apricot glaze (optional)
the strawberry sauce (recipe above)

Sift the flour into a large bowl, then add the almonds and icing sugar. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix with a flat-bladed knife, using a cutting action, until the mixture comes together in large crumbs.  Press together into a ball, cover with plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C/356°F.

Grease six 8 cm/0.3 in (3 cm/0.1 in deep) tart tins with loose bases. Divide the pastry into six and roll each piece out between two sheets of baking paper to fit the base and side of the tins. Ease the pastry into the tins, gently press into shape and trim the edges. Prick the bases with a fork, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake blind for 8-10 minutes, then remove the paper and beads from the baked pastry.

This pastry can also be made in a food processor, but care should be taken not to over process the mixture which will result in tough and hard pastry.

Meanwhile, process the ricotta, vanilla, eggs, sugar and cream in a food processor until smooth. Divide the berries and filling amongst the pre-baked tart shells and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is just firm around the edge but still wobbly in the center.

Let it cool to room temperature, then lift the tarts out of the tins.

Make the syrup by dissolving the sugar, water and glucose in a saucepan and bringing it to a boil over low heat.  Stir continuously and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, strain and leave to cool. Process the strawberries and peppercorns, then add the syrup and lemon juice and strain again.

Glucose is very sticky but an easy way to measure it is with either a heated spoon or a spoon dipped in oil. The glucose will simply slip off the spoon. Do the same with honey and corn syrup.

To serve:
When ready to serve, place a tart in the center of each serving plate and pour the sauce around.