GOURMET DISHES

 

                      GOURMET PORK FILET WITH GRAPES AND ALMONDS

4 cups or seedless green grapes

500 g – 750 g (1 – 1 ½ lb) pork tenderloin trimmed

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup finely chopped spring onions

125 ml (½ cup) Robola wine or any other white wine of your choice 

125 ml (½ cup) chicken broth

1 cup almond flakes

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

 

2 tsp water

1 ½ tsp cornflour

 

Preheat oven to180 C (350 F). Place the grapes on a rimmed baking sheet and roast on the lower rack, shaking occasionally to turn the grapes until they are shrivelled, 25-30 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, rub the pork with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil and sauté the pork all over until browned.  Transfer the pan to the top rack of the oven and roast until barely pink for 12-14 minutes.  Place the pork on a cutting board and let it cool before slicing.

 

Place the pan over medium heat add the spring onions and cook until softened.  Drop in the almond flakes and pour in the Robola and cook until the alcohol evaporates 2- 4 minutes and bring to a gentle simmer.  Combine corn flour and water in a small bowl, stir into to saucepan pan and cook until thickened for about 2 minutes.  Stir in the grapes.  Serve the sliced pork with grape sauce.

 

 

                                 CHICKEN WITH FRESH FIGS AND BACON   

 

This is a lovely dish for special occasions.

 

6 chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cubed

2-3 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

10 rashers bacon

1 large onion, peeled and grated

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp mustard with honey

350 ml (½ bottle) Robola or any other good quality white wine

360 ml – 500 ml (1 ½ - 2 cups) tasty chicken stock

2-3 sprigs of tarragon and sage

12 fresh figs, peeled and halved

Salt and pepper to taste

125 ml (½ cup) fresh cream

 

Dredge the chicken cubes in seasoned flour and set them aside.  Sauté the bacon in 1 tbsp olive oil until crisp and reserve.

 

Shake off the excess flour from the chicken cubes and fry them in the same saucepan, in two batches, until slightly browned.  Lower the heat and add the remaining olive oil and stir in the onion and garlic and cook until the onion changes colour.  Stir in the mustard and return the chicken to the saucepan, pour in the wine, and with a spatula scrape the bottom of the saucepan.  When the wine reduces a little, pour in the chicken stock and add the herbs.  Cover and simmer until the chicken is almost ready, 12-15 minutes. 

 

Meanwhile, season the figs with salt and pepper and cook them separately with a little wine, chicken stock, and a small knob of butter, until soft but not falling apart.

 

Discard the herbs from the chicken, spoon the figs over and cook for a few moments more.   At this stage, you can cover the dish and refrigerate it overnight.  Don’t forget the bacon.    

 

Just before required, heat the food thoroughly and pour the cream over. Taste once more and adjust seasoning, if necessary.  Also, heat the bacon until crisp.

 

Serve the chicken and figs on a hot dish garnished with bacon and accompanied with smashed potatoes with cream.

 

 

                                                  SAVOURY SPONGE CAKE    

                               

4 eggs

300 g (10.5 oz) yogurt

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

60 g (2 oz) melted and cooled

120 ml (4 fl oz) olive oil  

2 cups plain flour

 

1 Philadelphia cream cheese

½ cup baby tomatoes halved

2 avocadoes, peeled, stoned, and cubed

1 lettuce, trimmed use only the tender inner leaves, finely shredded

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

 

 

Preheat oven to180 C (350 F).  Pour the yogurt into a bowl and stir in the baking powder and baking soda and stir in the melted butter, olive oil, and flour and mix thoroughly together.

 

Spoon the batter into a round tin lined with baking parchment and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Once the sponge is ready, leave in the pan to cool and reverse on a dish and served spread with Philadelphia cheese and topped with baby tomatoes avocados, lettuce and red bell pepper.  

 

         FETA  AND MANOURI PIE WITHOUT PASTRY

1 egg

1 egg white

250 g feta, crumbled

125 g manouri, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

350 g self-rising flour

2 tbsp olive oil

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and brush one round tin with olive oil. 

 

Mix all the ingredients together and place them in the oiled tin.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Best served hot, but it can also be enjoyed at room temperature.

 

 

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