Baked feta with cherry tomatoes

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 Belinda

This recipe is superb and is an adaptation of a viral TikTok video used with pasta. Serve with warm focaccia bread.

4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1lb sweet cherry tomatoes
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 good-sized shallot or 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1-2 small red chillies (sliced) or a good pinch or dried red chili flakes
Flaky sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
10 oz block Greek feta or a couple of smaller ones. (It doesn’t have to be exactly 10 oz)
A good handful fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp chili honey, to drizzle
Good bread for serving

Heat the oven to 400F. Place one rack in the middle of the oven and one near the top, under the broiler.

Put 2 tbsp olive oil into an 8″ or 9″ oven-proof baking dish that is presentable.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, chopped thyme, shallots and chillies. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss to coat, then add the blocks of feta. Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil over the feta and tomatoes, crack more pepper and gently toss without breaking the feta blocks.

Transfer the pan to the middle rack of the oven for 20-30 minutes. After that, transfer to the broiler rack and change the setting to the BROIL, watching carefully incase it burns. Broil on high for 5-8 mins or until the tomatoes are starting to char and blister.
Meanwhile, heat up the bread in a toaster oven or another oven.
When the tomato/feta dish is ready, pull out the dish and add the torn basil leaves, gently stirring to combine so the feta “smooshes” into the tomatoes and it becomes a gooey mess!
Drizzle with the chili honey and serve

Appetizer Vegetarian · Holiday Food

Bourbon Glazed Cranberry Baked Brie Holiday Wreath

December 24, 2022December 24, 2022 Belinda

My stepdaughter, Sharon made this for our pre-Christmas family dinner last night and it was really super. Well worth making!
Recipe c/o “Brunch with Babs”

1 (16 oz) wheel of Brie, cold
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped raw pecans
1 tbsp bourbon
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2/3 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1 package frozen dinner rolls – number of rolls dependent on pan size
Egg wash – 1 egg in 1 tbsp water
Rosemary and pomegranate seeds for garnish
For bow: an assortment of herbs including rosemary and sage plus some twine to wrap

Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.

Line baking pan with parchment and spray or oil lightly. Peel or slice the top rind of the Brie, being careful not to remove any of the cheese. Place brie wheel in the center of baking pan.

Line up the dough balls around the brie in a single layer (in 2 rows), as snug as possible. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest in warm spot for at least 45 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, pecans, bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup. After the dough has risen, top the brie wheel with cranberry sauce and nut mixture.

Brush the wreath with egg wash. Bake wreath until golden brown and puffed up, about 15 to 20 minutes dependent on bread and pan you use. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Brush oil onto bread and sprinkle with course salt. Garnish wreath with the pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprigs. To make the herb bow – just bundle a bunch of herbs and tie with kitchen twine.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Appetizer Vegetarian · Holiday Food

Baked blue-cheese cake with pickled beetroot and honey

December 21, 2022August 5, 2023 Belinda

Another beauty from Yotam Ottolenghi

“The pickled beetroot needs to be made the day before. It keeps for a few weeks in the fridge, so can be made well ahead of time. You’ll make more than you need for this recipe, so keep any leftovers in the fridge to spoon alongside grilled fish or cheese. If you are short on time, dicing some ready-pickled beetroot is a perfectly good substitute.

“You can bake these in wide ramekins or small soufflé tins, but the recipe also works well as one large cheese cake. If you go for one large cake you’ll need to double the base mix quantity and increase the cooking time to 45 minutes. Make sure, also, that you grease and line the whole tin (rather than just the base) before the batter gets poured in. Finally, instead of serving it at once, you’ll need to let it cool for an hour before releasing it from the tin and reheating.”

Serves 8

For the pickled beetroot:
3 large beetroots (670g), skin on and scrubbed clean
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
10g sprigs of thyme
½ tsp black peppercorns
50g caster sugar
500ml red wine vinegar
coarse sea salt

For the base:
40g unsalted butter, fridge-cold and cut into 2cm dice, plus 20g extra, melted, for greasing the moulds
50g pumpkin seeds, toasted
5 digestive biscuits (75g), roughly crumbled. (You could substitute Graham crackers at a push)
40g coarsely grated Parmesan

For the cheese cake:
20g unsalted butter
1 medium leek, trimmed, white and green parts finely sliced (125g)
360g cream cheese
170g creme fraiche
80g double cream
2 garlic cloves, crushed
20g chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped basil
100g Stilton (or a mixture of
75g Valdeon and 25g Gorgonzola), roughly crumbled
4 eggs, lightly beaten

To serve:
40g runny honey (mixed, optionally, with a few drops of truffle oil)
30g hazelnuts, toasted and lightly crushed
15g baby basil or regular basil leaves

Place all the ingredients for the pickled beetroot in a medium saucepan, for which you have a lid, and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Pour over 800ml of water – all the beetroots should be submerged, so add a little bit more water, if you need to – and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 35–40 minutes, covered, until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside until completely cool. Lift out the beetroots, then peel and cut them into 1cm dice. Strain the pickling liquid, discard the bay, thyme and peppercorns, and return the liquid to a medium heat for about 25 minutes, until reduced by half and with about 600ml left in the pan. Set aside to cool, then pour the liquid over the beetroots. Keep in the fridge for 24 hours before using.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400F/gas mark 6. Lightly grease eight 12cm wide ramekins or soufflé tins and place a circle of baking parchment in the base of each.

Place all the ingredients for the cheese cake base in a food processor, with ½ teaspoon of salt. Blitz well to form fine crumbs, then divide between the ramekins, pressing down evenly and firmly. Set aside until ready to use.

Place the butter for the cheese cake in a small pan and add the leek. Cook on a medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the leek is soft but still retains its colour. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a large mixing bowl along with the cream cheese, crème fraîche, double cream, garlic, chives, basil, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well to form a smooth paste before adding the blue cheese and eggs. Fold gently, then pour the mixture into the individual ramekins. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the mixture is cooked and a skewer inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and serve at once, in the ramekins or soufflé tins, with a drizzle of the honey and the hazelnuts and basil sprinkled on top. The beetroot, strained, can be spooned on top of the cheese cakes, before the garnishes, or served alongside.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Holiday Food

Whipped Goat Cheese with Bacon & Dates

December 15, 2022February 16, 2023 Belinda

Creamy whipped goat cheese topped with crispy bacon, sweet dates, caramelized shallots, and fried rosemary…served with toasted bread for dipping

Serves 8-10
6 oz raw bacon slices
12 oz crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature
½ cup greek yogurt
4 tbsp honey, split
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tbsp water
¼ tsp kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
12 medjool dates, pitted + roughly chopped (about 6 oz chopped)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
toasted bread or crackers, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Lay the bacon in one, even layer in a 12” cast-iron skillet. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until crisp.
Meanwhile, combine the goat cheese, greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, olive oil, water, salt, and a few cracks of black pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon the whipped goat cheese out onto a large plate or into a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Transfer the bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Place the skillet (with all of the bacon drippings) over medium heat. Add the rosemary sprigs. Allow the rosemary to fry on both sides until crisp. Transfer it to the plate of bacon to drain.
Add the shallots to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes until caramelized and tender. Stir in the dates, apple cider vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons of honey. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for just about a minute until reduced and sticky.
Spoon the date mixture over the goat cheese. Crumble the bacon and rosemary leaves over top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and a few more cracks of black pepper. Serve with toasted bread or crackers alongside for dipping.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Salad

Watermelon and feta salad with marinated olives and preserved lemon

September 4, 2022September 4, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Ottolenghi

1 small watermelon (1.6kg)

Kalamata olives:
50ml olive oil
1 medium red chili, thinly sliced into rounds
1 small garlic clove, skin on and lightly crushed
3 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
35g preserved lemons skin, julienned (the skin from about 2 small preserved lemons)
25 black Kalamata olives, pitted (100g)
coarse sea salt and black pepper

To serve:
100g feta, lightly crumbled into 1–2cm chunks
70g pickled watermelon rind, drained (optional; see introduction)
15g basil leaves
10g mint leaves

Place the olive oil for the olives in a small saucepan on a medium heat with the chili, garlic, thyme, rosemary and preserved lemon, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Warm through gently for 4–5 minutes then remove from the heat. Set aside to cool, then pour over the olives. Set aside until ready to use: they can be used straight away but their flavor will intensify if you keep them marinating for 24 hours before serving.

Quarter the watermelon, cut out the red flesh and set the skin – with the white rind attached – aside. Cut each section of red flesh, width-ways, into 1cm thick slices, then cut each slice into smaller triangles, about 6cm long and 3cm wide. You will need 600g of flesh (discarding the seeds if you like) for the salad, so anything in excess of this can be set aside for snacking. If pickling the watermelon rind, see here for instructions on what to do next.

When ready to serve, spread the fresh watermelon wedges out on a large platter or individual plates and sprinkle the feta on top, along with the pickled watermelon rind, if using. Spoon over the olives and their marinade, discarding the garlic, rosemary and most of the thyme. Finish with the basil and mint leaves, tearing them as you go, along with a couple of sprigs of the thyme and serve at once.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead

Labneh with olives, pistachios and oregano

September 4, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from Ottolenghi
“Try your hand at turning yoghurt into a luxurious Middle-eastern cheese. It may seem a bit technical but it isn’t really, providing you get started a day ahead. Serve the labneh with minimum graces: spoon inside chunks of good crusty bread and top with tomato.”

Serves 4

450g goat’s yoghurt
450g natural yoghurt
20 black olives, pitted
1½ tbsp roughly chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1 small garlic clove, crushed
100ml olive oil
20g pistachios, lightly toasted
20g pine nuts, lightly toasted
½ tsp flaked chilli
3 ripe tomatoes
½ a small red onion, thinly sliced
Coarse sea salt

Line a deep bowl with a cheesecloth or muslin. Stir the two yoghurts together with ½ a teaspoon of salt and pour into the cloth. Bring the edges together, form a tight bundle and tie firmly with a string. Hang the bundle over a bowl or from your tap over the kitchen sink. Leave the yoghurt to drain for 24-36 hours. After this time much of the liquid should have been lost and the yoghurt will turn thick and quite dry; the centre may still be creamy.

Remove the labneh from the cloth and onto a serving dish or platter. Use the back of a spoon to spread it over the plate creating a loose wavy pattern, about 2 cm thick.

Next, dice the olives or chop roughly. Place them in a bowl and add the oregano, parsley, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil, reserving 2 tablespoons of oil for the tomatoes. Use a pestle and mortar to crush the nuts unevenly, leaving some just broken and others finely crushed; add to the olive mix and stir.

Spoon the olive mix over the labneh clearing about 2 cm away from the edge (you don’t need to use the whole quantity if you want your labneh a bit milder). Sprinkle with chili. Finally, cut the tomatoes into thick wedges and mix with the onion. Arrange on a side plate next to the labneh, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with the reserved olive oil. Serve the labneh and tomatoes with torn out chunks of bread.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Soup

Tomato & watermelon gazpacho

September 4, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Ottolenghi

Seves 6-8

2kg ripe tomatoes (about 20), peeled and roughly chopped (1.9kg net)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 celery stalks, pale parts and leaves, all roughly chopped (450g net)
1 small onion, roughly chopped (140g net)
400g watermelon flesh, seeds removed
100g crustless white bread, broken into small chunks
150ml tomato passata (or tomato juice)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
200ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
15g basil leaves
Coarse salt and black pepper

Croutons
150g crustless white bread, broken into 2-3cm chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp red wine vinegar

First make the croutons. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the bread in a medium bowl along with the oil, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Place a griddle pan on a high heat, add the croutons and cook for 2 minutes, turning until all sides are slightly charred and starting to crisp. Transfer from the pan onto a baking tray and place in the oven for about 12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.

Place the tomatoes, garlic, celery, onion, watermelon, bread, passata and 10 grams of basil in a blender or large bowl along with 1½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Blend until smooth and then, with the blender still going, add the vinegar and olive oil. Refrigerate until needed.

To serve, pour the soup into individual bowls and top with the croutons. Tear the remaining basil and sprinkle it on top of each portion, along with a final drizzle of oil. Finish with a little sea salt and serve at once.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Cherry tomato confit

August 28, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from food blog, “Olive & Mango”

What to eat tomato confit with:
Swirled through pasta, risotto or polenta
Load them up on toasted bread/crostini spread with creamy ricotta, creamy whipped feta or cream cheese
Dress herby yoghurt with them or creamy hummus
As a side or topping to grilled meat, chicken or fish.
Perfect on your mezze platters
The flavorful oil from the confit can be used to drizzle over meat or even cook or sauté veggies in or even eggs and shrimp. As you can see the options are endless.

Servings: 2-3 cups

2½ lbs cherry tomatoes
1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
1&1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (optional but adds a really nice flavor to the confit)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of Fresh herbs of choice.

Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place cherry tomatoes in a single layer in baking dish. Nestle the garlic between the tomatoes.
Pour olive oil into the dish, so it comes about halfway up the sides of the tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper, and the lemon zest and add the fresh herbs to the baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 1-½ to 2 hours (cooking time will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes). Don’t cook the tomatoes until they’ve fully bursted; they should be soft, but not falling apart.
Cool tomatoes in the pan until they are room temperature, then place in airtight containers or jars. Pour enough of the cooking oil over the tomatoes to submerge them. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes
Storage
Tomato confit can be stored in a sealed container refrigerated for up to 1-2 weeks weeks. Store the tomatoes in a jar covered with the olive oil. If you have leftover olive oil you can also store it in the refrigerator and use it in cooking or salad dressings.
Freezing
It can be frozen in freezer proof containers for up to 3 months. The olive oil with harden and solidify in the refrigerator or freezer so be sure to bring tomatoes to room temperature before serving

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Vegan

Smoky Carrot Dip

May 24, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Photo By Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott for Bon Appetite

Sweet and smoky roasted carrots are blended with chickpeas, almonds, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. It’s the perfect companion to seeded crackers or good bread. Make sure the carrots are tender to their core before you pull them from the oven for the smoothest possible texture.

Makes about 3 cups
½ cup skin-on almonds
2lb. carrots, trimmed, peeled
2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; plus more
2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
2 garlic cloves
½ cup canned chickpeas
3 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus leaves for serving

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool; set aside.

Cut any thick carrots in half lengthwise, then slice all carrots crosswise into 4 pieces. Toss on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Spread carrots out evenly on baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until very tender and starting to shrivel and brown (but not char), about 1 hour.

Transfer carrots to a food processor; add garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, chopped parsley, ½ cup oil, 1½ tsp. salt, and reserved almonds. Process, adding more oil as needed, until mixture is almost completely smooth. Taste dip and add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.

Transfer dip to a small bowl, drizzle with more oil, and top with parsley leaves.

Do Ahead: Dip can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.