Savoury
For a flavor packed starter or snack, try this bruschetta topped with chargrilled capsicum and zucchini. I love it drizzled with balsamic glaze or vino cotto which gives it a bit more mellow and fruity taste. I can drizzle vino cotto on just about anything!
Ingredients:
1 large red capsicum, cut into large flat pieces, discard seeds and membrane
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced (use a mandolin)
100g Creamy Feta Cheese
4 thick slices of baguette bread or pane di casa
1 tbs. olive oil
3 tbs. store bought balsamic glaze or Vino Cotto
Method:
1. Preheat grill on high heat. Place capsicum, skin side up, onto the grill. Grill for 10 minutes or until skin is black. Place into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Stand for 10 minutes. Peel, and discard skin. Cut into strips.
2. Meanwhile, grill the zucchinis for 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. Preheat grill on medium high heat. Grill both sides of bread slices until toasted. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with capsicum, zucchini, feta cheese and drizzle with balsamic glaze or vino cotto. Season.
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups plain flour
170g unsalted butter, chilled, chopped, plus extra
2 tbs black chia seeds
4 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
1 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
240g button mushrooms, chopped
300ml cream
230g soft goats cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad greens, to serve
Balsamic glaze, to serve
Method:
1. Place flour, 120g butter and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add chia seeds, 1 egg and 1tbs iced water and pulse until mixtures comes together in a smooth ball. Shape into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Melt remaining butter in a frypan with a dash of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft. Add sugar and balsamic vinegar. Cook for a furhther 5 minutes or until onion is caramelised. Set aside to cool.
3. Heat 2tbs of olive oil in a clean frypan and add 20g of butter. Cook mushrooms until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool completely.
4. Grease a 26cm loose-bottom tart pan. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured clean surface to 3mm thick, then use to line prepared pan. Chill for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
5. Prick pastry base with a fork, then line with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or rice and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking paper and weights, then return to the oven for a further 6-10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius.
6. Place remaining eggs, egg yolk, cream and goats cheese in a clean food processor. Season with a pinch of salt and whiz until smooth. Spread onion and mushroom mixture over pastry base and top with the goats cheese and cream mixture. Return tart to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until filling is just set. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Serve with salad greens.
Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour, sifted
125g butter, chilled, chopped
3 tbs caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup almond meal
1 tbs black chia seeds
6 figs, quartered
1 yellow baby beetroot, sliced thinly using a mandolin slicer
1 red baby beetroot, sliced thinly using a mandolin slicer
80g marinated goats cheese, marinated in extra virgin olive oil blend, garlic and thyme or plain goats cheese
2tbs pomegranate molasses
Micro-herbs, for decoration
Method:
1. Place flour, butter, caster sugar, chia seeds, and egg yolks in a food processor and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, slowly add 3 tablespoons chilled water and process until the mixture comes together into a ball, adding extra water if needed. Remove from the food processor, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place dough between 2 sheets of baking paper. Roll the dough out into a circle until 5mm thick. Sprinkle the centre with almond meal. Arrange figs on the pastry and sprinkle with sugar. Fold the edge over the filling and roughly pleat the sides of the pastry over the figs to partially enclose, leaving the centre exposed. Place pastry on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Arrange beetroot on the pastry and top with goats cheese. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses. Garnish with micro-herbs. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale ( center ribs and stems removed)
2 Tbls good quality olive oil
1 tspn sea salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place kale leaves on a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some salt. Bake for about 10 minutes or until crispy.
Ingredients:
1 cup organic white quinoa
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 red onion, small dice
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup firm ripe mango, diced
1/4 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
20 g butter
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls lemon juice
20 x green prawns, deveined, tails intact
Method:
1. Combine water and quinoa in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine mango, onion and pomegranate arils in a large bowl. Add quinoa. Stir in coriander leaves, olive oil and lemon juice. Season. Toss to combine. Place in the refrigerator until required.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large non-stick fry pan. Cook prawns on medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until prawns begin to turn pink or until cooked through. Season. Serve prawns on skewers with quinoa
