INTERESTING DISHES

                                     CLAMS WITH WHITE BEAN SAUCE

1 tin white beans, rinsed

¼ cup olive oil plus extra for drizzling

Salt and pepper to taste

1 fennel bulb

1 sprig of rosemary

1 lemon

Parsley

36 clams, scrubbed

4 thick slices of brown bread, toasted

 

Toss beans in a medium bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

 

Halve the fennel bulb, remove fronds (don’t toss the fronds!)  Thinly slice ½ of the fennel and transfer to a medium bowl along with the fronds.  Place a damp paper exactly on the fennel to prevent it browning and reserve.

 

F00inely chop the remaining half fennel bulb and slice the garlic.  Sauté the fennel, garlic and rosemary sprig in ¼ cup of olive oil and cook, stirring, until fennel is translucent and tender, but still has a bite, about 5 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, remove two wide strips of lemon zest with s vegetable peeler.   Halve lemon and discard the seeds and coarsely chop the parsley,

 

Add the clams and lemon zest to the saucepan and pour in the juice of half a lemon.  Cover the saucepan and simmer until clams start to open and transfer them to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

 

Cover the pot and cook until the remaining clams open, checking sporadically and transfer them to a bowl, when cooked, 7-9 minutes, discarding any clams that don’t open.  Add the reserved beans to the saucepan and stir to combine.  Thin sauce with hot water of if it seems too thick.

 

Return the clams to the pot and add half the chopped parsley and toss well.  Add the remaining parsley to the bowl with the sliced fennel and pour in the remaining lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss again.

 

Serve the clams with hot toasted bread.

 

 

                                        CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ONIONS

8 chicken thighs, skin on

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds

6 sprigs rosemary, divided

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

750 g (1½ lb) baby potatoes, scrubbed

500 g (1 lb) baby onions, peeled

4 cups olive oil

 

Toss the chicken thighs, lemon slices, and fennel seeds, 4 rosemary sprigs and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl to combine.  Cover and chill for 12 hours to 1 day.

 

Allow the chicken to come to room temperature and preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Arrange the potatoes and onions in a large baking tin and season with salt.  Transfer the chicken mixture to the tin, over the potatoes, skin side up, in a single layer.  Pour in 4 cups of olive oil, it should come to just over the chicken, if not submerged, add the additional ½ cup of oil.  Cover the pot and bake the chicken adding the remaining rosemary sprig after 1 hour, until the chicken is tender, but not falling apart, 2 - 2 ½ hours.  Let it sit in the pot until cool enough to handle 25-30 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, heat the grill.  Using tongs, carefully transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet.  Arrange the potatoes around the chicken and grill until the chicken skin and the potatoes are crisp, about 5 minutes and let rest 5-10 minutes on the baking dish.

 

While the chicken are potatoes are being grilled transfer the onion, lemon slices and rosemary on a hot dish, and strain the oil in a large measuring glass.

 

Lightly mash the potatoes with a fork and season with a little salt.  Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a hot dish with the onions, lemon slices and rosemary, drizzle with a little of the reserved oil and save the rest for another dish.

 

 

                                            STAKE WITH GRILLED CORN 

 

Dry Rub:

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp sweet paprika

A pinch of Cayenne

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp mustard powder

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp cumin

 

Steak and Salsa

2 tbsp olive oil

3 ears of corn, shucked

¼ onion, finely chopped

2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup fresh coriander, coarsely chopped

½ cup lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

750 g (1½ lb) steak

 

Combine brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, Cayenne, granulated garlic, mustard powder, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl.

Turn on the grill at medium-high heat. Grill corn, turning occasionally until lightly browned all over, 8-10 minutes, and allow to cool.  Cut kernels from the cob and place them in a medium bowl. Add onion, tomatoes, fresh coriander, and lemon juice to the corn and toss to combine, season with salt and pepper, and set the salsa aside.

 

Meanwhile, coat the steak with all the dry rub and drizzle with 2 tsp of olive oil to help adhere.  Grill the steak, turning occasionally until nicely browned, about4 minutes per side for medium-rare.  Transfer to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Return steak to the grill just to crisp the exterior, about a minute per side, transfer to the cutting board and slice against the grain.  Serve the steak with the salsa.

                                                      HONEY PUFFS     

 These are made with choux pastry and fried

112 g (1/2 cup) butter

250 ml (1 cup) water

Pinch of salt

150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour

4 eggs

Oil for deep frying

Honey with cinnamon or icing sugar with cinnamon 

Bring butter ad water to a boil and remove from the heat.  Add the flour altogether and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball around the spoon and cook stirring for 5 minutes more,  Remove from the stove and cool a little. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring the first thoroughly before adding the next.

Heat 5 cm (2 inches) of oil in a deep saucepan.  The oil should not be too hot.  Take teaspoonfuls of the mixture and drop them in the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd them as they double in bulk. Fry for 10 minutes, they turn over by themselves.  

When they are puffed to at least double their size, burst a little, and are golden in colour they are ready.  Remove the puffs with a slotted spoon and place them on kitchen paper to drain.  Serve drizzled with honey and powdered with cinnamon or sprinkled with icing sugar and cinnamon,  

 

 

 

 

           

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS SO THAT YOU AND YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES REMAIN HEALTHY