STUFFED SARDINES WRAPPED IN VINE LEAVES
is a lovely fish, healthy and cheap, it is best to prepare in late spring when the vine leaves are plenty and tender.
40 vine leaves, plus extra, washed, blanched and patted dry, plus extra for the saucepan
20 sardines, scaled, heads and backbones discarded, butterflied thoroughly washed and patted dry
2 lemons the juice, reserve the zest
Coarse salt
Stuffing:
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup chopped parsley leaves
2 tbsp dill, finely chopped
1 tsp dill, finely chopped
1tsp thyme, leaves only, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
A little coarse salt and finely ground black pepper to taste
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
Lemon slices and parsley for garnish
Dressing:
1 tsp mustard
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
Marinate the sardines in lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes then pat dry. Meanwhile, mix all the stuffing ingredients well together,
Lay two vine leaves on a plate, shiny side touching the plate. slightly overlapping each other. place a sardine on top, and add a teaspoon of stuffing lengthwise over half the butterflied fish and cover with the other half. Then fold the lower part of the vine leaves over the sardine,, bring the two sides towards the centre and roll up tightly into a neat parcel. Continue in the same way until all the fish are wrapped.
Line the bottom of a large, shallow saucepan with the extra vine leaves, and place the fish packets neatly on top. The recipe is sufficient for two layers. Cover with a plate, pour the vegetable stock carefully over and bring to the boil. Cover the saucepan, lower the heat and simmer gently for about 20 to 25 minutes until tender.
Transfer the fish packets to a pretty dish and garnish with lemon slices and parsley twigs, serve drizzled with latholemono dressing which is like a vinaigrette prepared with lemon juice.
TUNNY FISH PATTIES
A delicious, spicy fist dish.
400 g tunny fish
6 slices of bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry
1 onion, peeled and grated
1 egg
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped dill
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
Plain flour
Sunflower oil for frying
Sauce:
200 g (1 tub) Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A little salt and freshly ground black pepper
(Mix everything well together)
Place the 8 first ingredients in a bowl and mix well together, Shape into patties, sprinkle with flour and fry on both sides until golden brown. Serve with the sauce and a salad of your choice
PORK FILLET MEDALLIONS IN A MUSHROOM SAUCE
This is a family favourite, the sauce is superb.
1 1/2 kg (3 lb) pork fillet trimmed and cut into 1.25 cm (1/2 inch) medallions
2 tbsp olive oil
A knob of butter
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
187.5 ml (3/4 cup) METAXA brandy
Sauce:
1 kg (2 lb) assorted mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 tbsp plain flour
1 bay leaf
125 mm(1/2 cup) METAXA brandy
1 lt (4 cups) hot tasty chicken stock
3 tbsp duxelles (please see recipe below)
1-2 tbsp tomato ketchup, optional
Saute the pork medallions in olive oil and butter for one minute on each side and sprinkle with salt and white pepper, drizzle with brandy and simmer for a few minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Remove from the saucepan and reserve.
In the same saucepan, saute the mushrooms, over high heat, until cooked and dry. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Simmer the onions and garlic in olive oil until limp and translucent, stir in the flour and the bay leaf and cook stirring constantly for 6 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour. Add the brandy and cook sirring the alcohol evaporates. Pour in the hot stock, stirring until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Then add the duxelles and the sauteed mushrooms and discard the bay leaf.
Place the pork medallions into the saucepan with the mushroom sauce simmer for two minutes more until the meat is heated, If you wish to improve the colour you could add a little tomato ketchup.
DUXELLES
250 g (8 oz) assorted mushrooms with stalks, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt and white pepper to taste
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Saute the onion in butter and olive oil until transparent, add the garlic and mushrooms and cook stirring constantly until the mixture is dry about 12-15 minutes. Then add the seasoning and the herbs and simmer for a few minutes more. Use as much duxelles as necessary for the dish that you are preparing and store the remaining in a prepared jar in the fridge or freezer.
MULTI-COLOURED PEPPER TART
This is an interesting summer tart if you like peppers.
Pastry:
250 g (1/2 lb) plain flour
1 tsp salt
125 g (1/4 lb) iced butter, cubed
1 large egg, whipped
1-2 tsp iced water
A knob of butter for the baking dish
Filling:
500 g (1 lb) multicoloured peppers plus
2 Florina peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, separated
250 ml (1 cup) milk at room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) cream at room temperature
3 medium eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
For the pastry, mix flour and salt and rub in the butter until the mixture crumbles, Add the egg and mix the dough until comes together. If it crumbles add a little iced water. Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it out, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour at least.
Roll out the dough thinly, between two pieces of baking parchment, to form a circle and line a 30 cm (12 inch), buttered tart dish with the pastry sheet, gently pressing into the bottom and around the sides of the dish,. Trim off the excess and cover and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F), remove the tart from the fridge and prick it all over with a fork. Cover the base with tin foil and press it gently into the edges to prevent the sides from collapsing and ake for 12 minutes. Discard the foil and bake for 6 minutes more and remove from the oven to cool.
Meanwhile, slice each pepper in half remove the seeds, and quarter each slice. saute the peppers in very little olive oil until limp, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper and place on kitchen paper to drain and cool.
Sprinkle the tart shell evenly with half the Parmesan and arrange the peppers on top. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Whip the eggs with the milk and cream and pour over the peppers, Bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden. Serve with a salad of your choice/
BAILEYS CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TART
Here is a recipe for a lovely tart with Baileys Irish Cream,
Pastry:
250 g (½ cup) plain flour mixed with
2 tbsp sugar
A pinch of salt
125 g ( ¼ cup) cutter cut into small pieces
A little cold water
Mousse:
210 g (7 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
120 g (4 oz) cold butter cut into small pieces
4 eggs separated whites whipped into soft peaks with
A pinch of salt and
2 tbsp sugar
90 g (3 oz) sugar
1 pinch of salt
62.5 ml (¼ cup) Baileys Irish Cream
250 ml (1 cup) cream
Chantilly Cream:
375 ml (1½ cup) cream whipped with
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 vanilla
A tiny pinch of salt
First, prepare the pastry.
Gently rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles
crumbs. Add enough water to the pastry
and mix until it comes together. Then
flatten the dough, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes at
least.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and thinly roll out the
dough between two pieces of baking parchment.
Drape the pastry over a buttered 30 cm (12 inch) tart dish and press
towards the base and the sides of the dish. Trim the excess pastry neatly and place the
refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Then
cover the pastry with crushed foil to
prevent the sides from collapsing and
bake blind for 12 minutes and allow to cool/
Meanwhile, prepare the mousse, melt the butter and chocolate over simmering water, stirring until smooth and glossy and set aside to cool a little.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until pale and doubled in bulk and gently fold in the cold chocolate/Bailey cream. Finally, add 3 tbsp of whipped egg whites and stir to lighten the chocolate mixture. Then very gently fold in the remaining egg whites until no traces of white are visible.
Fill the tart shell with mousse and level the surface. Bake the tart for 15-17 minutes, remove from
the oven and allow to cool for a little.
Serve with Chantilly cream and strawberries.
LEMON CHEESECAKE
This is one of the best cheesecakes ever! It is aromatic, creamy and delicious!
Crust:
340 g (¾ lb) oatmeal biscuits, crushed
160 g (5 oz + 1 tbsp) butter, melted
Filling:
340 g (¾ lb) cream cheese
1½ packets (4½ tsp) powdered gelatine
30 ml (2 tbsp) water
4 tbsp lemon zest
100 ml (2/5 cup) lemon juice
180 g (1 cup minus 1 tbsp) caster sugar
400 ml (1¾ cups) cream
Mix the crushed biscuits with the butter together and press
into a buttered 25 cm (10 inch) springform tin. Place in the refrigerator for ½ an hour at
least.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the lemon juice
and zest and keep on beating until well combined. Then whip the cream to soft peaks.
Dissolve the gelatine in the water then heat over simmering
water until dissolved and set aside to cool.
Combine the cream with the cheese mixture and mix gently. Add the cool gelatine in two stages and stir
quickly to avoid setting.
Pour the mixture over the biscuit crust and level with a
spatula. Leave in the refrigerator to
set (about 2 hours). Remove from the tin and garnish with whipped cream and
lemon slices.
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