Moist Date and Walnut Cake

This is most definitely one of the nicest cakes I made so far.  It can be enjoyed on its own with a cup of tea, or warm with honey Ice cream.  It keeps well for more than three days so it is perfect to ouse as a birthday cake covered with chocolate or sugar pastry. I love it because once again only one gadget is needed, your food processor and it takes less than 10 minutes toprepare.

250g Jumbo Dates (pitted)

200g Walnuts

180g Sugar

85g Butter

4 eggs

150g Self Raising Flour

1/4tsp Cinnamon Powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3/4cup hot water

50g Extra Walnuts for topping

1/2cup maple syrup

1 tbsp brandy

Place dates in a small bowl, pour hot water over and stand for few minutes.

Preaheat oven to 170c. Butter and flour a 10inch ring.

Put 200g walnuts  in a food processor,  and process till well ground.  Transfer walnuts to a bowl, add dates and hot water mixture to porocessor and whizz for few seconds till you have a creamy mixture.  Add chopped butter and sugar and give some pulses till combined. Add eggs all at once and pulse again.   Add sifted flour, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and ground walnuts and process for approx 20 seconds or till you  have an even cake mixture.  Do not over mix.  Pour mixture into prepared tin, arrange walnut halves on top and bake fro 30 minutes or until cake is cooked through, springy to the touch and skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre.

Meanwhile heat maple syrup and 1 tablespoon brandy over a stove or in a microwave, 1 minute on high.

Remove cake from oven, turn onto a wire rac, leave upside down, and spoon over the syrup. When completely cold turn over to a serving plate.  Fill the centre with fresh roses.

One Pot Pasta with Chicken and Sweet Corn

One Pot, because it is just that what you need to cook this delicious pasta.  The Serving plate is optional, simply chop your ingredients and add them to the drained pasta and toss!!  I also gave my husband the idea to eat from the pot, so that no one worries about cleaning  the dishes afterwards..... it was just too daring!

500g Pasta Shells

1 whole chicken breast cut into small cubes

1 onion finely chopped

juice of half a lemon

1 fresh sweet corn or 1 small can

3 beef tomatoes peeled seeded and chopped

1 small bunch  basil leaves

50g toasted pine nuts

Salt & Pepper

Chilli flakes optional

Bring a large pan of water to a boil add 1 tsp Salt then add sweet corn and pasta shells.  In a serving add chopped onions and squeeze over the juice of half a lemon. 

Before the last 2 minutes of cooking add the chicken cubes to pasta and stir.  Bring back to boil, after just one minute turn off heat and drain immediately.  Transfer pasta to serving dish with lemon and onions, then add chopped tomatoes and toss well.  Tear the basil leaves all over and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.  Shake over some chilli flakes for an additional kick!

Aubergine Rolls with Parmesan and Pistacchio Crust

This is another recipe I aquired from Luciano at Da Marianna in Randazzo Scicily.  Aubergines are so easy to work with, and if you get the chance to grow your own, make sure that you make this recipe from the early crop.  As a cheese filling, you can use fresh or baked ricotta, or Maltese cheeselets (gbejniet). This dish is an ideal accompaniment to any meat and can be prepared ahead.  Simply bake  for 10 minutes right before serving.

2 medium Aubergines

100g panchetta sliced

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp salt

4 Cheeselets, or 200g Ricotta

2 tbsp ground Pistacchios

2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
Fresh ground black pepper

Cut the Aubergines lengthways into 5mm slices. Arrange in a dish, sprinkle salt over each layer.  Cover and stand for 30 minutes.  Wash the aubergine slices from salt pat dry and drizzle over two tablespoons olive oil. Heat the griddle (or bbq) and grill both sides for few minutes till just softened.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil in an oven proof dish,  layer each aubergine slice with 1 slice panchetta and place a small piece of cheese at one end. Roll aubergines and place one next to the other in the oiled dish.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and ground pistacchios, crack some black pepper and drizzle the remaining olive oil all over. Bake in a 210c oven for 10 to 15minutes until lightly golden.

Fresh Coconut Balls

These are truly divine!!  Serve them right at the end of your meal and bless your guests with this tropical kiss!

200g fresh grated Coconut

1 tbsp Malibu Liquor

150g Icing Sugar

200g dark chocolate

Place grated coconut, Malibu and icing sugar in a  bowl and mix till icing sugar dissolves.  Place mixture in refrigerator for 1 hour then form into small balls and place over baking sheet lined with grease proof paper. Chill for minimum two hours, overnight is best.

Melt chocolate over baine marie or 1 minute high in microwave, then dip balls and cover with chocolate.  Leave to set on the grease proof paper.  Will keep for more than a week in the refrigerator.

Steamed Lobster Parcels

These lobster parcels are so easy to make and can be prepared hours ahead.  They take just 15 minutes  to steam, enough time to enjoy a drink with your guests.  They can be served as a starter or as a part of a Dim Sum Party.  Crab, prawn or even Scallops can be substituted to Lobster. Gyoza wrappers are Chinese Dumpling Wrappers, and can be substituted with wonton wrappers.

350g cooked Lobster meat

2 small carrots

3 spring onions

250g canned bamboo shoots

1 clove garlic

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 tbsp quinoa pearls

1 tsp peanut oil

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

50 Gyoza Wrappers

Soy Sauce and chilli flakes for dipping sauce.

In a food processor with grater attachment, grate carrots, spring onions and bamboo shoots. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add crushed garlic and grated ginger.  Roughly chop lobster meat and add to mixture.  Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. 

Place 1 gyoza wrapper in the palm of your hand  add 1 teaspoon of mixture in the middle and gather the wrapper around the filling to form an open parcel.  Press gently and place on a baking tray.  Cover with cling film and place in a refrigerator till needed.

Steam using steamer or bamboo steamer over wok with simmering water.  Place parcels on a plate and steam for 15minutes.  Serve with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce and few chilli flakes.

Casarecce con Pecorino e Pistacchi

Casarecce are pasta scrolls very popular in Southern Italy. They  are specially designed to grab as much sauce as possible. The Pecorino from Tuscany and the Scicilian Pesto di Pistacchi make this wonderful pasta dish a one to remember.

500g Casarecce (or any short Pasta)
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3tbsp Pesto di Pistacchi
200g Fresh or Semi Dry Pecorino Cheese
(if fresh is not available use 150g Dry Pecorino)
100ml Fresh Cream
3/4cup White Wine
1 1/2cup Pasta Water
2 tbsp Crushed Pistacchios
Salt & Fresh ground Black Pepper

Bring a Large Pan of water and 1 tbsp salt to boil.  Boil Pasta till al dente.  Meanwhile, heat a heavy based casserole, add oil then butter.  Add chopped onions and garlic and fry till translucent.  Add wine and reduce by half. Add pistacchio pesto then top with  1 and 1/2 cups pasta water and boil rapidly for 1 minute.  Reduce heat, add grated pecorino cheese and stir till sauce thickens slightly.  Finally add fresh cream and season to taste. 

Drain pasta and return to pan over low heat.  Add sauce and toss gently so that it  covers pasta evenly.  Serve with a sprinkle of crushed pistacchios on top.

Tip:  If you cannot find Pistacchio pesto, you can do it by crushing pistacchios in a food processor till fine, then add enough olive oil to form a smooth paste.  Add salt to taste.  Pesto keeps well refrigerated, packed in clean jar and covered in olive oil.

Melon and French Bean Salad

1/2 Rock Melon
4 Asparagus
200g French beans
1 onion finely sliced
200g cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp capers in vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Trim French Beans and  blanch them with Asparagus in boiling salted water for 3 minutes.  Lift with slotted spoon and transfer immediately to cold water to stop the cooking process.  Drain well.

Remove the skin and seeds from rock melon, cut into wedges and then slice each wedge into 5mm slices.

In a large bowl , add Melon slices, onion, asparagus, french beans and mix well.  Cut cherry tomatoes in two, then add to salad bowl.  Add capers, chopped mint, olive oil and lemon juice then season with salt and pepper.  Toss with clean hands and serve.

Preserved Olives

To make these delicious olives you need approx 6-7 months, as they need to mature in the brine before you can transfer them in spiced oil.  I prepare the brine in a very old fashioned way... my Aunt Karm's unique way, and altough I have never seen any master chef using this technique, it never failed me! So get ready for some weird process!  Olives in salt brine keep well for very long time, however, they must be kept in a cool dark place.  Transfer only small quantities of olives from brine to oil, as in the spiced oil they will keep for just 3 months.  Fresh olives come in season in October, then I start transfering  to oil around May.

1 kg raw Olives
Coarse Sea Salt

500ml Olive oil
1 tsp coriander
1tbsp whole mixed pepper corns
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
Lemon zest
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp crushed black pepper
3 dried chillies

Wash olives in cold water. Soak in water for 2 days and 2 nights changing water from time to time.  Prepare the brine by pouring 2 litres of water in a large jug.  Add 4 tablespoons coarse sea salt and stir till salt dissolves completely.  (you can use a hand blender and save some time).  Then immerse in water a whole egg (still raw and in shell ).  If the egg floats back, then it means that the brine has the right amount of salt, if  it dives down you need to add more salt.  Continue to add more salt one tablespoon at a time, stirring then trying the egg test till it floats. Do not be tempted to add more salt as this will cause the olives to crinkle.

Drain the olives, pack in clean plastic containers (I use click clack, long not wide containers) . Fill just 2cm under the brim. Pour over the brine and ensure that all olives are totally immersed. Add one teaspoon salt on top then close securely with lid. (One good way to ensure that all olives are under the brine, is by putting a smaller plastic lid on top then close with proper lid.  Place in a dark cool place for minimum 6 months.

After Six months, drain olives from brine, wash in cold water and leave in colander to dry for 30 minutes.

Using a heavy based saucepan, or weight,  smash each olive to release some of the natural oils.  Pack them in glass sterilised jars, then when you reach half way, add few mixed pepper corns, few crushed chillies, strips of lemon zest and 1 crushed clove garlic, few fennel seeds and few mustard seeds.  Keep packing more olives leaving 2 cm clear from top, then top with more pepper corns, fennel and mustard seeds.  Add more lemon rind strips, then fennel and coriander seeds and another crushed garlic clove.  Pour over the olive oil covering well the olives and close with lid.  Place in a cool dark place and use within 3 months.  

Preserved Grilled Zucchini with Lemon and Caper

Sometimes, when Nature is kind and give me more than I consume, I try to capture the goodness in a bottle or two, to enjoy later on.  I privilege myself with the first smell, each time I open one of my home made preserves, and this has actually become a ritual!

Zucchini keep well if preserved properly and stored in a cool dark place. They can be  used as a pizza topping, as a condiment with meat or fish, or pehaps tossed with pasta and pecorino cheese. Yum!
This recipe is enough to fill 3x450g jars

2kg Zucchini

3 tbsp salt

2 lemons (zest only)

2 tbsp olive oil

6 clove garlic peeled

Few basil tips

3 small Oregano sprigs

1/2 cup fresh or salted capers

Fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 cup olive oil for bottling

Using a citrus zester, zest the lemons into fine strips.  Put in a small bowl with capers and one tablespoon salt and set aside. Slice Zucchini lengthways approx 5mm thick.  Layer in a large bowl and sprinkle with remaining salt and drizzle with olive oil between each layer.  Leave covered for 30 minutes.  

Heat a large griddle or bbq, then crush some pepper over zucchini and grill for 1 or two minutes on each side

till they wilt a little and get the griddle marks on.  Put in a dish to cool.

Pack zucchini in preserved jars, and in the middle put 1 tbsp of the lemon and caper mixture. Arrange basil tips and 1 oregano strip as you go along. Continue to fill the jar pressing gently. Finally sprinkle some chilli flakes on top and fill with olive oil leaving 1 cm clear from top.  Close with lid and preserve by immersing jars into boiling water and boil for 30 minutes.

Zesty Cherry Merengue Pie

I think that the orange and cherry combination in this pie are perfect.  Like Lemon merengue, this pie can be served warm or cold, but I prefer it cold as it cuts very clean and is easier to serve.  This is an ideal dessert for BBQ, it can be prepared in lamington dish and as it has no cream, it will keep well for hours in room temperature. This recipe makes a 10inch flan.

1/2 quantity or 400g Rich Short Pastry  recipe

For the filling
700g pitted cherries (approx 900g with stone)
2 oranges
6 tbsp Corn Flour
5 egg yolks
100g sugar
80g cold Butter

For the Merengue
5 Egg Whites
250g Castor Sugar

Heat oven 180c. Roll out the pastry and line the flan dish. Prepare a disc of baking paper slightly bigger than your flan dish and line over the pastry.  Fill with beans or rice and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  Take out from the oven, lift the baking paper and beans, then return to oven to cook for further 10 minutes. Take pie shell out from oven and lower the temperature to 150c.

Prepare the filling by adding pitted cherries to a casserole with 500ml water.  Add the sugar and zest of two oranges and bring to boil.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Dissolve the cornflour in 50ml water and add to cherries.  Stir quickly to avoid lumps.  Cook for 1 minute  then turn off heat.  Add the juce of the two oranges and stir, then stir in the cold butter and finally add the egg yolks.  Transfer mixture to cooked pastry shell and allow it to cool slightly before piping over  the merengue.

For the merengue, use a balloon whisk attached to a food mixer and beat the whites till soft peaks form.  Add sugar in three batches and beat till it dissolves and the merengue is smooth and holds it's shape.  Pipe merengue over cherry filling, then bake in the oven for 45 minutes.  Allow pie to cool completely before refrigerating. 

Rich Short Pastry

This is another short crust pastry but using the Food Mixer Method.  The texture is crumbly and melts in the mouth.  Use base for pies, figolli, tarts and biscuits. Make sure that you chill pastry for at least 30 minutes before you attempt to use.

250g Butter

200g Caster Sugar

1 tsp BakingPowder

600g Plain Flour

3 eggs

 

In a food mixer fitted with k beater, add butter and sugar and beat on low speed till pale and creamy,  add eggs one at a time.  After the final egg, turn off machine lift the attachment and sift over the flour and baking powder. Lower attachment again and beat on low spead for just one minute to form an even thick paste as in the image.  Turn off machine, scrape paste on to a cling film and wrap.  Chill for 30 minutes.  

French Bean and Carrot cooked in Wine Sauce

French Beans can sometimes sound a bit boring, but have them flavoured with wine and salted with bacon and you will get the empty plates!

300g French Beans
300g Carrots
100g Streaky Bacon diced
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 clove garlic crushed
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp chicken powder
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp Sesame Seeds

Trim French beans, then cut carrots into sticks matching the size of french beans.

Heat a large frying pan, add olive oil and streaky bacon, then follow with onions and garlic.  Fry for one minute.  Add carrots and french beans, then stir and turn heat to high.  Add the wine and bubble till it reduce.  Lower heat again. Dissolve the chicken powder into 1/2 cup water and add to pan. Add tomato paste, season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook covered for 5 minutes or until vegetables are just cooked.  Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Zucchini Pot

800g Zucchini
4 tbsp Grated parmesan Cheese
1/2 a Nutmeg Grated
4 Eggs
Freshly ground Pepper
Olive oil for a final Drizzle

Grate Zucchini, (best method using a food processor with the medium hole attachment).  Transfer grated zucchini into a large bowl, add eggs, parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg and pepper.  Stir ingredients together then spoon into ramekin dishes.  Do not overfill.  Bake in a 180c oven for 30minutes or until set.  Serve drizzled with olive oil.