Accompaniments
Grilled Eggplant with Tahini Yoghurt Dressing
Ingredients: 4 large eggplants Salt flakes Extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 cloves garlic, grated 2 tbsp tahini 300g plain yogurt Juice of 1 lemon ¼ bunch mint leaves, picked 1 green chili, sliced into rings 1 red chili, sliced into rings 1 fresh chili, sliced into rings (for extra spice, optional) Method: Preheat a grill pan or barbecue. Slice the eggplants into 1½-2cm-thick slices lengthwise. Season with salt and brush lightly with olive oil. Grill for a few minutes on each side until tender and lightly charred. Lay flat to cool. In a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the cumin seeds. Add a pinch of salt and the grated garlic. Stir in the tahini, yogurt, and lemon juice until well combined. Arrange the grilled eggplant slices on a serving dish. Spoon the tahini yogurt dressing over the eggplant. Sprinkle over the picked mint leaves and arrange the sliced green and red chilies over the top for heat and colour. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Classic French Style Potato Salad
Ingredients 1.5lbs (680g) small potatoes (gold, red-skinned or a mix)1 tbsp salt2 tbsp Extra Virgin Oil Oil1 tbsp red wine vinegar1 tbsp Dijon Mustard1 tbsp Grainy Mustard1 tsp salt¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper4 tbsp fresh dill, chopped1 shallot, peeled and diced5-6 cornichons diced1 tbsp cornichon juice Method Step 1 – Slice the small potatoes in half, or in quarters if larger. Place them in a large pot and cover by 1 inch with water. Add 1 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes until you can easily poke a knife into the potatoes. Drain immediately into a colander/strainer and rinse under cold water. The potatoes should have cooled slightly, but still be warm to the touch. Step 2 – In a large bowl, combine the EVOO, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously with a fork to blend and emulsify. Add Dijon mustard, grainy mustard, 3 tablespoons of the freshly chopped dill, the diced shallots, diced cornichons and cornichon juice. Toss to combine. Step 3 – Add the potatoes to the bowl of vinaigrette. Toss gently to coat the potatoes evenly. If needed, season more to taste. Serve warm or chilled, For serving, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped dill
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Chilli Honey Brie Focaccia
Ingredients 5 x 50g Brie 500 g “00” flour or bread flour 2 cups warm water 2 teaspoon instant yeast 2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Flaky sea salt 150g Red Pesto (as much as you like) Chilli Honey Bunch Fresh Rosemary Salt Pepper Method Day 1 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, cloth bowl cover, or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator immediately for at least 12 hours or for as long as three days. Day 2 1. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into prepared baking dish. Using your hands deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the centre. Rotate the bowl in quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball. 3. Place dough into the prepared baking dish. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over, forming a rough ball. Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough ball rest for 3 to 4 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. 4. After 2.5 hours, preheat oven to 220°C. Take the mini bries and score a grid of lines on the top of each brie with a knife, be sure not to cut too deeply into the cheese. Set aside. 5. Once it has been 3-4 hours since letting the dough rest, take out your rising & bubbling dough and remove cover. Carefully stretch out the dough to the shape of the baking dish, and spoon red pesto generously across the surface in dollops. 6. Using oily fingers, press your fingers into the dough to make dimples all over the top, stretching to fit baking dish. 7. Take the mini bries and press them into the dough, evenly across the baking dish. Lightly drizzle rest of the olive oil on the top, and press in rosemary throughout. Finish the loaf with a generous drizzle of chilli honey across the top. 8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until nicely golden brown. 9. Remove from oven and move the focaccia out of the dish straight away. Let it cool for about 5 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing & enjoying!
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Mango Salsa
Ingredients 2 x Ripe Mangoes, peeled, pitted & diced 2 x Jalapenos, seeded & diced 1 x red onion, peeled & diced 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro Juice of 1 fresh lime Method 1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl until mixed together. 2. Season mixture with salt & pepper 3. Serve immediately with chips, bread, or meat. Alternatively keep refrigerated before serving.
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Roasted Carrots with maple and whipped feta
Roasted Carrots 1kg Dutch carrots 3 TBSP of maple syrup 2 TBSP of olive oil 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes Salt Pepper Whipped feta 60g Greek yoghurt 100 g feta cheese 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 lemon juiced and zested Salt Pepper Roasted Carrots Preheat the oven to 220°C and prepare a baking tray by lining it with baking paper Begin by trimming the tops and of the carrots. If you have larger carrots, it's a good idea to cut them into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Transfer the cleaned and trimmed carrots onto the lined baking tray. Pour over the maple syrup, oil, chili, salt, and pepper: Drizzle the maple syrup and oil evenly over the carrots. Sprinkle the chili, salt, and pepper evenly over the carrots as well. Gently toss the carrots in the maple syrup, oil, and seasonings until they are evenly coated. You can use your hands or a spatula to do this. Arrange the coated carrots in a single layer on the baking tray. Make sure they are evenly spaced to allow for even cooking and caramelization. Place the baking tray with the carrots in the preheated oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender and slightly caramelised. Keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking. Whipped feta Place all ingredients into blender and blitz till creamy Assemble Spread whipped feta on platter and place roasted carrots on top
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Burrata with Lemon
Ingredients 2 x 150g burrata cheese. 3 tbsp olive oil (divided). 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, sliced. Zest and juice of 1 lemon. 1 baguette, sliced. 1 clove garlic, halved. Instructions Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Brush one side of the baguette slices with 1 tbsp of olive oil, then arrange them on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until they are slightly golden around the edges. While the baguette slices are toasting, combine 2 tbsp olive oil, basil, lemon zest, and juice in a small bowl. Once toasted and slightly cooled, rub the peeled garlic clove on the top of the toasted bread. Place the burrata cheese in a medium serving bowl and slice it open with a knife. Pour the lemon-basil olive oil mixture over the burrata. Serve with the garlic toasts.
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Chorizo Broccolini
Ingredients 1-2 tablespoons flaked almonds 80g cooking chorizo sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 200g Broccolini 2 tbsp olive oil Method 1. Begin by toasting the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat for around 2 minutes. Be attentive to avoid burning. Set aside. 2. Steam the broccolini for 2 minutes, then drain and set aside. 3. In a frying pan, sauté chorizo and garlic in olive oil until golden and fragrant oils emerge. 4. Combine the broccolini with the flavorful chorizo and garlic mixture. Season with black pepper to taste, garnish with almonds, and serve.
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Antipasto Chopped Salad
Ingredients ¼ red onion thinly sliced 2 small cucumbers chopped ½ cup marinated artichokes chopped 3 cups ice berg lettuce chopped 50g sopressa salami chopped 50g ham chopped Shaved provolone cheese Fresh torn basil leaves for topping Dressing Ingredients ¼ cup pepperoncini liquid 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp mayonnaise this helps emulsify the dressing 1 tsp dijon 1 tsp oregano ¼ tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp black pepper ½ cup olive oil ⅓ cup grated pecorino romano Method 1. Add lettuce, red onion, and cucumber to a large salad bowl and set aside. 2. Add all dressing ingredients to a jar or bowl and shake or whisk until combined. 3. Add as much dressing as you would like to the salad bowl. Toss to coat the salad, and add salt and pepper to season. 4. Top the salad with remaining ingredients - artichokes, salami, ham, cheese, and basil. 5. Enjoy this salad on its own or in a sandwich!
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Mushroom Galette
Ingredients 150g multi-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 125g stick cold unsalted butter 60g sour cream 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 60mL iced water 1 tablespoon olive oil 450g Baby Bella Mushrooms thinly sliced 220g Shiitake Mushrooms thinly sliced 1 large yellow onion julienned 2 cloves of garlic minced 5 sprigs fresh thyme 1 sprig fresh rosemary 1/2 cup dry sherry Ground black pepper 40g Blue Cheese 1 egg 1 teaspoon of milk Method 1. Prepare the dough by whisking together multi-purpose flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Dice up 115g of butter and add to flour mix, lightly coating the butter cubes and ensuring they don't stick together. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the pastry, creating butter into a bowl of pea shaped balls. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, lemon juice, and ice water. Create a well in the flour mix and pour in sour cream mixture into the well. Use a spatula to stir the wet and dry mixtures together until the dough begins to form. 3. Flour your countertop and transfer the dough mixture onto the counter. Knead the dough gently until it comes together. Flatten the dough into a thick disk, cover with glad wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours. 4. On high heat, add olive oil and mushrooms to a pan. Sautee the mushrooms until they begin to caramelise. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Add butter to pan, followed by yellow onion, thyme, and rosemary. Cook and stir frequently until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. 6. Deglaze the pan with dry sherry, making sure to scrape any brown bits off sides of the pan for extra flavour. Cook until mixture and pan is almost dry. Season with salt and pepper. 7. Transfer mushroom mixture onto a sheet pan, spreading it evenly. Allow the mixture to cool and come to room temperature. 8. Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl and set aside. 9. Preheat the oven to 205 degrees. Line a sheet pan with baking paper and set aside. 10. Remove the dough from the fridge and dust with flour. On a floured surface, roll out dough until 12 inches round. Transfer to the lined sheet pan. 11. Transfer mushroom mixture into a bowl and crumble blue cheese on top. Stir together until evenly combined. 12. Spoon the mushroom mixture into the center of the dough in a thick even layer. Ensure to leave a 2 inch border for the crust. Fold and pleat the bordered edges over the mushroom mixture, leaving the center exposed. 13. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with egg wash and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Ensure to rotate the galette halfway and bake until pastry is golden brown. Allow galette to cool slightly for 5 minutes before serving, and garnish with fresh thyme. Enjoy cold, warm, or hot!
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Whipped Brie with Roasted Olives
Ingredients 200g Brie 1 tbsp of butter 1.5 cups mixed olives 4 tbsp olive oil 1/4 tsp sea salt Chilli Flakes 1/2 tsp thyme 4 garlic cloves 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp water zest from 1 lemon Method 1. Preheat your oven to 230 degrees celsius. 2. Lay out olives and garlic on a baking dish with 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt, chilli flakes, thyme, lemon juice and whole garlic cloves. Bake for 15 minutes. 3. Roughly chop your brie and place it in a food processor. Add lemon zest, remaining oil, water, the roasted garlic, and some more chilli flakes (optional) to the food processor. Blend ingredients until you get a smooth consistent dip. 4. Pour dip into a serving bowl & serve with roasted olives on top. Use crackers or bread to dip into this delicious dip.
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Pumpkin & Burrata Crostini
Ingredients 2 cups diced raw pumpkin 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 French baguette 1 clove garlic 1 Burrata cheese Few sprigs of fresh thyme Instructions Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pile the diced pumpkin on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss with your hands to lightly coat. Spread evenly and sprinkle with sage, salt, and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 20 minutes. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Slice the baguette at an angle into 1/2-inch slices. Brush 1 side of each slice with remaining oil. Cook on the preheated grill until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and rub the garlic clove over the oiled side of each baguette slice 3 to 4 times. Lightly smash pumpkins on each baguette slice & Pull apart the burrata and place ontop and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
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Goat's Cheese Stuffed Dates
Ingredients 15 x large dates 1/2 cup of goat's cheese 1/4 cup walnuts 1 tsp honey 1 Tbsp fresh thyme Instructions 1. Slice all dates in half length-wise and remove pits. 2. Sprinkle and even amount of walnuts (1-2) onto each half of the dates. 3. Smear equal amounts of goats cheese on each date 4. Lightly drizzle honey and sprinkle fresh time on top. Enjoy!
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