Egg and chile chorizo with pork sauce

May 16, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

A light brunch or lunch with a difference! (Serves 4)

4 large organic eggs, at room temperature
1 lb ground pork
6 oz chorizo, diced small
2 tbsp Chinese chile oil
4 slices bacon, cut to the same size as the chorizo
3 sticks celery, diced small
3 shallots, sliced small
4 carrots, diced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
a good handful of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (coriander)
500 mls (16.9 fl oz) good chicken stock
oil for frying

To a hot skillet, add a couple of tbsp of oil and saute the celery, shallots and carrots over a low heat for 10 minutes until starting to soften.
Add the diced bacon and ground pork and cook, stirring, until the ground pork is browned.
Add the garlic and chile oil for a final minute.
Add the chicken stock, raise the heat until it is bubbling, and reduce the heat until low.
Leave to cook slowly while you prepare the eggs.

Take a smaller skillet and add water to about halfway up. Heat to simmering and turn down to very low.
Add the 4 eggs slowly and poach very gently until the white is just done and no more as they will keep cooking.

Serve the egg on tops of the pork with some scattered cilantro (coriander) over the dish.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Beet and Goat cheese Napoleans

May 15, 2013September 23, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

I love beets and goat cheese and this is so tasty, easy and light.

Serves 4
5 large beets, roasted then peeled and cut across into 1/4″ slices
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup sugar
9 oz goat cheese, softened
4 tsp minced fresh chives
4 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp grated orange zest
1 small shallot, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp hazelnut oil
Kosher salt to taste
3 tbsp chopped hazelnuts

Using a 2 5/8″ cookie cutter cut out 20 of the beet slices. (reserve scraps for another use, like borscht or a salad)

In a 12″ skillet put the rice vinegar and sugar and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and working in batches, cook beet slices, turning once, for about 2 minutes.
Transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry and let chill.
Stir the goat cheese together with the chives, parsley, thyme and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
Bring the orange juice to a boil in a 1 qt saucepan over medium high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 4 – 5 minutes and let cool
Transfer the orange juice to a bowl and add the remaining thyme, balsamic vinegar, zest and shallots.
While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil and hazelnut oil. Whisk until smooth.
Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper and let chill.

To serve;
Put 1 beet slice on a work surface, spread about 1 tbsp cheese mixture over it. Top the cheese with another beet slice, pressing down so the cheese oozes to the edge.
Repeat to create a stack with 4 layers of cheese between 5 beet slices.
Make 4 stacks in all.
Slice each stack carefully into 4 wedges.
Drizzle some vinaigrette over each plate, garnish with chopped nuts.
You can serve with a little mixed greens if you like