Spicy pecorino cookies - another great recipe for entertaining

The panna cotta I posted the other day is a good recipe for entertaining, but it’s not the only one: I like to serve canapés or small bites so my guests don’t starve while the pizzas are in the oven (or don’t get dizzy from the drinks). :)

These savory cookies are delicious and can be made ahead – in fact, you can keep the dough log in the freezer for up to 1 month and slice and bake the cookies whenever you want. I used pecorino because I love its sharp and strong flavor, but parmesan is a good replacement here (it is the cheese used in the original recipe). The poppy seeds add a nice crunchy texture, and as much as I love that next time I make these cookies I’ll omit them: they’re likely to get stuck in people’s teeth, and that’s not an elegant thing to do to guests. ;)

Spicy pecorino cookies
slightly adapted from the oh, so beautiful Seasonal Baking

85g finely grated pecorino (if using a milder cheese, add a pinch of salt to the recipe)
85g all purpose flour
2 pinches cayenne pepper, or to taste
80g unsalted butter, chilled and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

In a large bowl, mix the pecorino, flour and cayenne. Mix in the butter and olive oil and, with your fingertips, gently work everything together. If it is too crumbly, add a drop more olive oil. Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a log – like Martha does here. Sprinkle the log all around with the poppy seeds, making sure they stick to it. Wrap in parchment. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until very firm.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the log into thin slices and place 2.5cm (1in) apart on the sheet. Bake for 10– 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool in the sheets.

Makes about 30

Fennel seed and onion loaf

I’ve been trying to find a way to convince you to bake this bread but all I can think of is that it tastes delicious and goes really well with a glass of ice cold beer (which is always a winner imho). :)

Oh, and the leftover slices are great lightly buttered and toasted on a nonstick frying pan. There - I hope you give it a try.

Fennel seed and onion loaf
slightly adapted from the always gorgeous Australian Gourmet Traveller

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (90ml) olive oil, divided use
1 onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, plus extra for dusting
3 ½ cups (490g) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
4 teaspoons (12g) dried yeast
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (240ml) warm water
milk, for brushing
crushed coarse salt or sea salt, for sprinkling – I used Maldon

Heat ¼ cup (60ml) of the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add onion, sauté until very tender (6-8 minutes), stir through fennel seeds, cook until fragrant (1 minute), remove from heat, season to taste and cool.
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, fennel mixture and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix to combine. With motor running, add water and remaining oil, knead until smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes), then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover and rest in a warm place until doubled in size (30-45 minutes).
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line a large baking sheet with foil.
Knock back dough, divide in half and roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 35cm (14in) long cylinder. Place onto prepared baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, stand until risen (15-20 minutes). Brush with milk and scatter with extra flour, fennel seeds and coarse/sea salt. Bake until golden and cooked through (25-30 minutes), then cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Store in an airtight container until required. Bread is best eaten on day of making.

Serves 6 – I halved the recipe above and made a 30cm (12in) loaf of bread

Chicken teriyaki

I’ve been cooking for as long as I can remember and in certain periods of my life I did not have much time to spend in the kitchen – I needed delicious yet quick meals for weeknights.
On my days as a single lady I used to make lots of pasta – both my dad and my sister are crazy for it and dinner would be on the table in less than half an hour.

Recently I’ve been trying my hand at Asian recipes and some of them are absolutely delicious – and equally fast. This chicken teriyaki is a great example: it has instantly become a favorite of my husband’s – a.k.a. "the picky eater" – and it took me moments to put it together.

Let me tell you something: if my husband liked it, picky people everywhere will probably like it, too. :D

Chicken teriyaki
slightly adapted from the wonderful Nigella Kitchen

2 tablespoons sake
¼ cup mirin (sweet Japanese Rice wine)
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 spring onions, white part only, sliced
splash of sesame oil
800g (1¾ pounds) chicken thigh fillets (no skin or bones), cut into bite-sized pieces
½ tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
freshly ground black pepper
handful of parsley leaves, chopped
rice, to serve

In a bowl large enough to hold all the chicken pieces, mix together the sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, spring onions and sesame oil. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat each one of them in the sauce. Leave for 15-20 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large, shallow frying pan (with a lid) and, using a perforated spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté until they look cooked on the outside.
Pour the marinade over the chicken, bring to a boil, then cover and turn down the heat, cooking for 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick.
Stir in with freshly ground black pepper and the parsley. Serve immediately with rice.

Serves 4-6 – I halved the recipe above and Joao and I ate every little bit of it. :)

Linguine with peas and lemon - and our 6th anniversary

Joao and I celebrated our sixth anniversary last Saturday with a magnificent dinner – great food, some wine... Just beautiful. But all that indulgence called for a simple lunch on the following day – and this recipe instantly popped in to my mind: it’s so good – and quick – I’ve made it three times already.

Linguine with peas and lemon
from Holiday

1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (28g) butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup (180ml) white wine
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g linguine
2 cups fresh shelled peas – I used frozen
freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Pour in the white wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the lemon zest and cream and simmer for a further 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced; season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of slightly boiling water according to the packet instructions or until al dente, adding the peas for the last 3 minutes of the cooking time. Drain well and toss the hot pasta with the sauce.
Serve immediately with grated parmesan.

Serves 4

Tomato, arugula and grana padano tart and a Sunday miracle

A miracle happened in my house last Sunday – I said I was going to make this tart for lunch and Joao said he was going to eat it, too. :D
After lunch, he said the tart was delicious, which made me both surprised and happy – those of you with picky eaters at home know the feeling... :)

It’s a very simple recipe, with almost no cooking involved, but I had to share it with you.

Tomato, arugula and grana padano tart
from Australian Gourmet Traveller

Grana padano pastry*:
1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
100g chilled unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup (34g) finely grated grana padano – or use parmesan as in the original recipe

Mustard dressing:
½ tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Topping:
500g mixed baby tomatoes, such as yellow grape, cherry and baby Roma – halve the larger ones and leave the small ones whole
1 small bunch of arugula
shaved grana padano, to serve

For grana padano pastry, process flour and butter in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add grana padano, process to combine, add 2 tablespoons (or more) iced water, pulsing to form a dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead lightly to form a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (1 hour). Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 35cm-diameter round and line a lightly buttered 24cm-diameter tart pan, trim edges and prick base with a fork. Freeze for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter the shiny side of a large piece of aluminum foil place it, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. Fill with baking weights/dried beans. Bake pastry until light golden (15-25 minutes), then carefully remove paper and weights and bake until golden and crisp (5-10 minutes). Set aside to cool completely.
For mustard dressing, whisk ingredients in a large bowl to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Add tomato to dressing, toss lightly to combine, then transfer to pastry case. Toss the arugula leaves in the dressing too and place some leaves over the tomatoes (you’ll serve the remaining leaves with the tart slices). Scatter over grana padano shaves and serve immediately.

* I kept the pastry in the freezer (well wrapped in plastic) for 1 week; thawed it in the fridge overnight before using – it worked perfectly.

Serves 4 as a light meal – the hubby and I ate the whole thing and there was nothing left. :D

Tomato, feta and wheat salad

Today’s post is a totally selfish act: I’m just trying to clean up my karma (a bit) after making everyone get fat with so many sweet recipes in a row. :D

The inspiration for this salad comes from Gourmet Traveller, but the idea of grilling the feta comes from Donna Hay (another salad I love and have made dozens of time).

Tomato, feta and wheat salad
inspired by Australian Gourmet Traveller

Sumac salt:
2 teaspoons sea salt (like Maldon), or ¾ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon sumac
finely grated zest of ½ lemon

Salad:
500g cherry tomatoes
¼ cup wheat, soaked overnight
200g firm feta cheese
generous handful of basil
handful of parsley leaves
olive oil, for drizzling
lemon juice

For sumac salt, combine ingredients in a bowl, season to taste with freshly ground pepper and set aside.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line a small baking sheet with foil.
Halve half of the tomatoes, place cut-side up on prepared sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with a little sumac salt. Roast until tender (30-35 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, place wheat in a saucepan, cover generously with cold water and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender (35-40 minutes). Drain, refresh under cold running water, then drain well and set aside to cool.
Add olive oil and lemon juice (to taste) to the remaining sumac salt in order to make a dressing. Mix well.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Fry the feta for 1–2 minutes each side or until golden. Chop into large pieces.
Halve the remaining tomatoes, mix with the roasted ones and place in a serving dish. Mix in the wheat, feta, basil and parsley. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Serves 2

Mini lasagna + great people

I might be a little disappointed with Twitter, but on the other hand I’m surrounded by wonderful people – and that feels great.

Not many of you know, but I work as an executive assistant and September, 30 is considered our day; the beautiful cocottes you see on the photo were a gift from one of my bosses – the one who also gave me the blowtorch for Christmas; needless to say, I was completely speechless after opening the gift wrap – I wasn’t expecting such thoughtful, beautiful gift.

And speaking of wonderful people, every time I post something savory around here I think of my dear friend Ivan – I’m just not sure he likes lasagna. :D

Mini lasagna

There’s no actual recipe for this: it’s just a matter of layering pasta, tomato sauce – Bolognese, if you prefer – and cheese; you can find great step-by-step photos on Tati’s blog – that is where I got the idea for this dish.

Olive and rosemary breads

Joao and I are absolutely crazy for olives – that is why it is difficult for me to make a recipe that calls for them: we eat the whole jar beforehand. :D

The first time I made this recipe I used sage instead of rosemary, but after the breads were baked there was hardly any flavor left from the herb. Rosemary works beautifully here and even though it is a mighty herb it doesn’t overpower the olive flavor.

I highly recommend these still warm from the oven – and they reheat really well, too.

Olive and rosemary breads
from Donna Hay magazine

Basic dough:
1 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (240ml) lukewarm whole milk
2 ½ cups (350g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 quantity basic dough
generous ½ cup black olives
1 ½ tablespoons rosemary leaves
all purpose flour, for kneading
olive oil, for brushing

Place the yeast, sugar and milk in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.
Add the flour, salt and oil to the yeast mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding a little extra flour if the dough becomes too sticky – I used my Kitchen Aid to knead the dough.
Cover with plastic wrap, set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Brush sixteen ½ cup (120ml) capacity pans with oil or cooking spray.
Press down the olives with the palm of your hand to remove the stones, then tear the olives into pieces. Knead the olives and rosemary leaves into the dough on a generously floured surface, incorporating extra flour to compensate for the wetness of the olives. Divide into 16 pieces and roll into balls.
Place in prepared pans, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes or until the dough is doubled in size. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Brush with the oil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Makes 16

Leek and chickpea soup

If someone asked me what I would like to be doing right now, I’d say that I’d like to be on my couch, under the blankets, having this soup for lunch – and Lisa’s cherry peach almond crisp for dessert. :)

Leek and chickpea soup
adapted from Kitchen: The Best of the Best

2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
8 saffron threads
1 large leek, cleaned and finely sliced
grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
2 ¼ cups (540ml) chicken stock
150g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked in salted water for 40 minutes or until al dente (or canned chickpeas, if you prefer)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the butter and saffron threads in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek when the butter begins to bubble, and cook until it is soft and transparent. Add the zest, carrot and parsley and cook for a further minute before adding the stock and chickpeas. Season to taste and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Note: I’ve made this soup twice already and the second time I added small macaroni to it - the soup was even better!

Serves 2

Kitchen garden soup with tiny herb omelettes

It’s almost winter here and I have to say I love cold days – maybe because they remind me of the time I spent with my mom as a kid, watching cartoons under the blanket after school with a bowl of her piping hot rice pudding, loaded with cinnamon...

Now that I’m a grown-up I have to do boring things – like going to work – but I still have a nice feeling when the cold wind hits my face. For days – and nights – like these, soups are my favorite kind of meal. I must confess, though, that I only made this recipe because of the tiny omelettes – aren’t they cute? :)

Kitchen garden soup with tiny herb omelettes
adapted from The Cook's Companion

1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig thyme
100g unsalted butter
2 liters chicken stock
300g snow peas, washed and strung
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herb omelettes:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1 teaspoon freshly snipped chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for frying

Sweat onion, carrots, potatoes and herbs in butter in a large saucepan for 10 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Drop in snap peas and boil vigorously for 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sprig, blend at once in a food processor, then strain through a coarse sieve and season with salt and pepper – I blended the soup but did not strain it. Keep warm.

Make the omelettes: place the eggs in a bowl, beat with a fork, then add the breadcrumbs, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat and fry teaspoonfuls of egg mixture until crisp and a little puffed at the edges. Turn and cook until golden on the other side as well. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Serve the soup with the omelettes as garnishes.

Serves 4

Asparagus and ricotta tarts

Joao bought a bunch of asparagus a while ago and, for some reason I can’t remember now we did not eat them right away – I ended up freezing the asparagus but wasn’t sure if that would work.

I decided to make tartlets to check if the asparagus were still good and they turned out delicious – I place the asparagus still frozen on top of the ricotta filling and baked according to the recipe.

No asparagus around? Don’t fret – I think these tartlets would be great with other veggies, such as broccolini and zucchini.

Asparagus and ricotta tarts
adapted from Donna Hay magazine

1 sheet ready-prepared butter puff pastry, thawed
¾ cup (150g) fresh ricotta
1 cup finely grated parmesan
¼ cup parsley leaves, chopped
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil – I used garlic infused
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
olive oil extra, for brushing

Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
Cut out four 12x6cm rectangles from the pastry sheet and place on the prepared sheet. Score a 1cm border on each rectangle.
Place the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine. Spoon the ricotta mixture onto the pastry and top with the asparagus. Brush the pastry borders with the oil. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Spicy lentil and chorizo soup and inexplicable cravings

I’ve told you lots of times already about how blogging has changed my life in several different ways and that I no longer suffer from “The Hairy Ape” syndrome... But after all these years of blogging one thing is completely new to me: after 16 years without red meat – because I never liked it and was forced to eat it as a kid – lately I’ve been drooling over some red meat recipes... How crazy is that? I blame it on Nigella and her black and blue beef wraps... :)

I’m so out of my mind that I HAD to make this soup as soon as I saw it – I wonder if there is a solution to my case... :)

Spicy lentil and chorizo soup
from Donna Hay magazine

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 x 150g chorizo sausages, sliced
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 cup (210g) lentils
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes*
1 liter chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
crusty bread, to serve

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, garlic, chorizo and chilli flakes and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the onion is tender and the chorizo is golden. Add the lentils, tomato, stock, salt and pepper, bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Serve with crusty bread.

* I had some leftover tomato sauce and used it instead (I did not add any salt to the soup)

Serves 4.

Creamy tuna and chickpea salad

During the holidays we tend to go a little over with all the eating and drinking: I know I get carried away with making the food and end up eating more than I should. And kudos to those who can control themselves – God knows I’ve tried to be one of them, but got to the conclusion that it’s never gonna happen. :)

Lucky me I also love salads and they are perfect for our tropical Xmas – this is a very quick and simple idea, from DH's website.

Creamy tuna and chickpea salad
from Donna Hay magazine

¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and cracked black pepper
1 x 400g can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed*
2 x 185 g cans tuna in olive oil, drained
1 spring onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped if too large
80g arugula leaves
olive oil
flatbread, to serve

Place the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the chickpeas, tuna, spring onion and parsley and toss to combine. Drizzle the arugula with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place it by the creamy salad.
Serve with crispy flat bread or toasted sourdough croutons. Alternatively, wrap in flatbread or lavash for a portable meal.

* I soaked 1 cup dried chickpeas overnight and cooked them for 40 minutes

Serves 2

Teriyaki chicken noodle salad

Having a little sister is a lot of fun but it also brings upon you a strong sense of responsibility.
One day, when she was 3, we were at McDonald’s – the horror, the horror – because she wanted a burger. While I was ordering the food, she told the clerk she wanted her burger without the beef! I’d recently stopped eating meat but did not even know she knew about it – until then, I’d never thought that I could actually influence someone else. And that’s why I try really hard to be a good role model for her.

I must confess I was never interested in Asian food – out of sheer ignorance – but that changed after spending time with my lovely friend Valentina; we had such delicious meals that I came home decided to add an Asian spin to my cooking. This salad was my first attempt – a wonderful influence by you, Tina. :)

Teriyaki chicken noodle salad
from Donna Hay magazine

1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce
¼ cup (44g) brown sugar
½ cup (120ml) dry white wine
6 chicken thigh fillets, trimmed – I used breast
270g soba noodles, cooked and drained
2 Japanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 spring onions (scallions), sliced
1 cup coriander leaves
¼ cup (60ml) rice vinegar
salt

Place the soy sauce, sugar and wine in a non-metallic bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat.*
Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the chicken, reserving the marinade, for 1-2 minutes each side. Add the marinade to the pan and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and sticky – add a little water, if necessary. Slice and set aside.
Place the noodles, cucumber, onion, coriander, vinegar and salt in a bowl and toss until well combined. Divide the noodle salad between bowls and top with the sliced chicken to serve.

* I recommend marinating the chicken for longer – 30 minutes or so – for a deeper flavor

Serves 4

Easy sausage bake

I believe that most of you reading me now like cooking and baking, just as I do. But we are all caught up in busy days and tight schedules, so finding time to spend in the kitchen is a difficult mission.

This dish is a great choice for a quick meal: it’s put together in a flash – you can chop the veggies while grilling the sausages and boiling the potatoes – and then leave it in the oven for half an hour or so, unattended.

Easy sausage bake
from this magazine

1 tablespoon olive oil
800g good-quality pork sausages
500g small new potatoes
2 large yellow peppers, sliced
2 red onions, peeled and sliced
4 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, roughly chopped*
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful fresh basil, torn

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF; heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the sausages on all sides. Par-cook the potatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain.

Put the sausages and potatoes in a roasting pan, add the peppers, onions and tomatoes. Drizzle over the balsamic, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sausages are cooked through – time may vary depending on the size of the sausages.
Just before serving, scatter over the fresh basil leaves.

* the recipe called for one 400g can chopped tomatoes

Serves 6

Roasted cheese, bacon and tomato salad

I told you the other day that desserts are my favorite part of a meal – indeed, they are. But the savory recipes on the DH magazine are impossible to resist – I especially love the soups and salads, like this one.

I’ve tweaked it a bit, using arugula and balsamic vinegar instead of spinach and red wine vinegar; minor changes – nothing silly like choosing John Malkovich over Hugh Laurie. :D

Roasted cheese, bacon and tomato salad
slightly adapted from Donna Hay magazine

250g haloumi*, sliced
4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
200g sourdough bread, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
250g cherry tomatoes
100g arugula leaves

Dressing:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed**

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF. To make the dressing, place the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

Place the haloumi, bacon, bread and olive oil on a baking tray and toss to combine. Roast for 5-6 minutes. Turn the haloumi and add the tomatoes. Roast for a further 6-8 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked and the croutons are golden. Place in a bowl, add the arugula, drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine.

* I used queijo coalho, which is very easy to find here in Brazil and is similar to haloumi

** I used garlic infused olive oil and omitted the garlic clove

Serves 4

Lemon and broccolini soup

Girls, thank you for all the haircut suggestions – I’m so glad you shared your thoughts with me! I’ll let you know when I make up my mind. :D

Because you are so sweet and dear to me, I’m offering you this soup: I could be offering you cookies or something with chocolate – I’d like that a lot more - but I want you to be healthy and strong. So soup it is. :D

Lemon and broccolini soup
slightly adapted from Donna Hay magazine

2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed*
400g broccolini, coarsely chopped
4 cups (960ml) vegetable stock
100g spinach leaves
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
sour cream or crème fraîche, to serve

Heat a deep, medium saucepan over high heat. Add the butter, olive oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the broccolini and cook for another minute. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the broccolini is tender. Add the spinach and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Pour mixture into a blender or use an immersion (hand-held) blender to blend the soup until smooth - be careful because you are dealing with hot liquid; keep the end of the blender immersed in the soup all the time to stop the liquid from spilling. Stir in the cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowl, top with about 1 tablespoon sour cream/crème fraîche, sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper over and serve.

* I used garlic infused olive oil and omitted the garlic cloves

Serves 4

Baked ricotta with olive salad

Anyone who’s been reading my blog for a little while might have probably noticed I’m insanely partial to sweets – don’t get me wrong, I love food as a whole, but desserts ARE the best part of a meal. Don’t you think? :D

As a very responsible person, ahem, I know that one can’t live on cakes, cookies and ice cream – that’s why I’m always searching for delicious savory recipes that will be as much fun to prepare as their sweet counterparts.

I love cooking with ricotta, but what really caught my eye here was the olive salad and the dressing – what a fabulous combination of flavors.

Baked ricotta with olive salad
from Australian Gourmet Traveller

Ricotta:
350g ricotta – I used homemade
2 eggs, separated
75g parmesan, finely grated
pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated

Olive salad:
200g mixed olives
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ thinly sliced zest of an orange
¼ cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil*

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF; grease well four 150ml-capacity well greased ovenproof dishes.

For olive salad, combine olives with chilli, garlic, orange zest, parsley and extra-virgin olive oil, season to taste – I used only freshly ground black pepper since the olives are salty already. Set aside.
Press ricotta through a fine sieve into a bowl – mine was really soft, so I skipped this part; add egg yolks, parmesan and nutmeg and stir to combine. Whisk egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form, add to ricotta mixture and gently fold until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon ricotta into prepared dishes and bake for 15 minutes or until golden – mine needed 25 minutes; they will puff in the oven like soufflés but will deflate.
Stand for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the molds and unmold the ricotta. Serve warm or at room temperature with the olive salad.

* I used garlic infused olive oil and omitted the garlic clove from the recipe

Serves 4

Herb and spinach fritters

Have you ever cooked something because you missed someone?

After watching a concert on TV, I could not stop thinking about my mom – she and my father met on one of that singer’s presentations, back in 1975. My way of dealing with it was preparing something I knew she’d love: it had to be something packed with veggies or fruit.

These fritters come from DH mag #29 and were perfect for the occasion.

Herb and spinach fritters
from Donna Hay magazine

1 cup (140g) self-rising flour, sifted
2 eggs
1 ½ tablespoons (21g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (60ml) milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped chives
½ cup chopped basil leaves
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup spinach leaves, packed, torn or chopped
vegetable oil for shallow-frying

Place the flour, eggs, butter, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine – a batter will form. Fold through the chives, basil, parsley and spinach. Place two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add tablespoons of the mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until bubbles appear on the surface – avoid making tall or very large fritters because they might not cook completely on the inside. Set aside.
Add another two tablespoons of oil and repeat with the remaining mixture.

Serves 4 – I got 10 fritters

Puff pastry cheese twists

Do you know anyone who doesn’t like puff pastry? I don’t – it is so good that even my picky hubby loves it. :D

He had some cheese twists in Ottolenghi and absolutely loved them. I’ve been making these for him ever since, but usually at night – no good light for taking pictures. Luckily this time there were some twists left, but they were devoured right after I turned off my camera. :D

Puff pastry cheese twists
from a Brazilian magazine

1 pre rolled sheet frozen puff pastry (300g/10oz)
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup (50g) finely ground parmesan
1 teaspoon fleur de sel – less if using table salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF; line one large baking sheet with baking paper and brush it lightly with oil.

Thaw puff pastry according to the package instructions; open it, forming a rectangle – keep the plastic wrap under it. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and butter together and brush the entire pastry with the mixture (there will be some left). Sprinkle with the parmesan, the fleur de sel and pepper. Fold the pastry in half and lightly press it to seal the filling. Using a very sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut the pastry vertically in 1.5cm (a little over ½ in) strips, then cut the strips in half (horizontally). Twist each strip pressing the ends together again to enclose the filling. Place the twists onto the prepared pan ½-in apart.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Makes 18-20