Rosemary and white bean spread

February 15, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

I really adore this spread. It’s so easy to make and goes down very well with everyone.

This recipe is better if it sits overnight as the rosemary flavor strengthens quite a lot.
Serve this with pitta wedges, cucumber slices or toasted baguette slices.

2 x 19 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

In a food processor, combine the beans, oil, vinegar, rosemary, salt and pepper and process until smooth.
At this point, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days to let the flavors develop. Bring to room temperature before serving.
When you are ready to serve, stir the dip, taste and season if necessary, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the parsley.

Tip. What is also great is roasting whole garlic heads with the top 1/3 sliced off, olive oil poured over the garlic, fresh thyme, salt and pepper, then wrapped individually in foil then roasted at 300 F for at least 1 1/2 hours.
Squeeze some of this garlic into the food processor with the bean spread and puree.
It adds another dimension to the spread.

Appetizer Vegetarian

Beet carpaccio with blue cheese mousse.

February 3, 2014March 7, 2016 Belinda

So light and the mix of blue cheese and beets with a dash of walnut oil and white balsamic is superb!

Serves 4
2 oz good blue cheese, crumbled
1 oz cream cheese, softened
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup cooked and sliced asparagus, cut on a bias into 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium beets
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp walnut oil
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Combine the blue cheese and cream cheese together in a small bowl and set aside.

Wash the beets under cold water to remove any dirt, then wrap them in a large piece of alumium foil.
Set the pouch on a baking sheet and bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 45 to 55 mins.

Place the heavy cream in a chilled metal mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream into soft peaks. Use a spatula to fold a small bit of the whipped cream into the blue cheese mixture to lighten it. Then add the remaining whipped cream and gently fold until no streaks remain. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a small bowl, combine the chives and white balsamic vinegar.
Slowly drizzle in the walnut oil, whisking continuously, to create a vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Peel the skin off the cooked beets once they are cool enough to handle.
Slice the beets very thinly on a mandoline or as thin as possible with a sharp knife.
They must be paper thin. Use gloves or your hands will be bright red!

Arrange 4 to 5 slices of beet in a circle or in a row on a plate.
Use 2 spoons to form a quenelle or football shaped dollop of the blue cheese mousse.
Set this in the center of the beets.
Sprinkle the asparagus pieces around the plate, then drizzle with the walnut vinaigrette.
Season with a final sprinkle of salt

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free

Deep fried beets with spicy mayonnaise

January 26, 2014January 10, 2016 Belinda

This will make any frown turn upside down!

Makes 2 servings (easily increased)

1lb beets (golden or red)
1 qt oil for deep frying
1/3 cup cornstarch or rice flour
Kosher salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or Japanese mayonnaise, which is a little sweeter)
1/4 tsp sriracha or sambal oelek (at Japanese stores or on Amazon)
furkake seasoning and /or shichimi togarashi seasoning (at Japanese stores or on Amazon)

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Trim the roots and stem ends off the beets and wrap them in aluminum foil.
Roast the beets for about 45 minutes to an hour or until tender.

Carefully unwrap the beets and remove the skins by rubbing with a paper towel, Cut them into rough cubes about 1 inch each.

Fill a Dutch oven or large stockpot with about 2 inches of oil, or use your electric deep fryer according to the instructions of the deep fryer. Get the temperature to 375 F.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels in preparation for the fried beets coming out of the hot oil.

Toss the beet chunks in the rice flour, or the cornstarch in a large mixing bowl, shaking the beets between your fingers to remove the excess flour.

Put the beets in the hot oil and fry until crispy and golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Skin the beets out of the oil with a slotted wire spoon.

Sprinkle the beets with kosher salt, furikake and shichimi togarashi.

Whisk the mayonnaise with the samba oelek or sriracha and serve alongside the fried beets.

Sprinkle the mayonnaise with extra furkake and /or shichimi togarashi seasoning

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Fish · Gluten Free · Grains · Nuts

Grilled parmesan polenta with olives, peppers, pine nuts and rosemary

January 5, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

So many wonderful Mediterranean flavors and gluten free!

Serves 8 as starter or 6 as a main course

2 1/2 pints water
1 tsp salt
1/2 lb polenta (It’s recommended to use the instant variety, which cooks in 5 minutes)
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 red peppers
1 yellow pepper
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives
3 anchovy fillets, drained of oil and squished (optional, but I love them)
1/4 cup fresh pine nuts
sea salt

Bring the water to the boil in a large wide (not tall and narrow) saucepan.
Add the salt, then shake in the polenta from a height. Stir continuously, using a wooden spoon.
When the polenta is cooked (5 mins for instant polenta and about 20 mins for regular polenta), stir in the butter and parmesan cheese.
Tip it on to a shallow tray and spread out to 1/2 inch thick. Smooth the surface and leave to cool. The cooked polenta can be left at room temperature for several hours, or it can be made a day in advance, but should be kept covered and refrigerated.

Blacken the peppers over a hot gas flame until well charred, put them into a paper bag (I use a paper grocery bag) and clip it shut so the peppers can steam until cool. This makes it easy to remove the skins.
When cool, remove the skins, core and seeds, put them into a colander over a bowl to catch any precious juices, and cut into fine slices.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over a low heat in a small pan and add the garlic and rosemary. Cook gently until aromatic, but don’t let the garlic color.
Add the black olives and take off the heat, then stir in the peppers and any juices caught underneath the peppers.
If using anchovies, blend them into this mixture. This can all be prepared a few hours ahead; cover and keep it at room temperature.

Fry the pine nuts in a little oil until golden (make sure you keep moving them around in the pan or they will burn) and drain on a paper towel, sprinkling them with a little salt.

When ready to finish off the polenta, cut it into squares and brush it on both sides with olive oil.
Barbecue the pieces on both sides, or grill them on an indoor griddle until light brown and crispy.
Transfer the crispy pieces onto a serving platter, spoon on the pepper topping and add a smattering of toasted pine nuts.

Serve immediately with a good, interesting green salad.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Gluten Free · Grains

Griddled polenta cakes with caramelized onions, goat cheese and honey

January 3, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

This is a real winner, especially as a starter. Crispy polenta topped with sweet caramelized onions, slightly tangy goat cheese, then the drizzle of good honey.
You can caramelize the onions ahead of time so there’s very little left to do before you serve it. I always caramelize more onion than the recipe says as I love it.

Serves 6

Polenta
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup polenta
Extra virgin olive oil

Topping
1 medium yellow onion, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices. ( I use 1 large onion at least)
kosher salt
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled (I have been known to use 4 oz goat cheese, so buy more, just incase)
good honey to drizzle

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring 2 cups water, the milk and the salt to a boil.
Slowly whisk in the polenta. Turn the heat down and continue to whisk for 5 minutes, or until the polenta is smooth and creamy. Spread the polenta into a 9” square baking dish and set aside to cool.

For the topping;
While the polenta is setting up, add the butter and olive oil to a heavy bottomed skillet set over medium low heat. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, golden and caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes.

Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil into another skillet set over medium heat. Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles of the firm polenta and place in the hot skillet.
Cook until slightly browned and crusty on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side, another 3 minutes. Work in batches, adding more oil as needed.

To assemble the polenta cakes, arrange them on a plate, top with 1 tbsp (or more) of caramelized onions and about 1 tsp (or more) of crumbled goat cheese and drizzle with honey.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Holiday Food · Salad

Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranate and Arugula Salad

November 23, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is a gorgeous show stealer for the Thanksgiving table. You can roast the Delicata squash the day before if there is no room in the oven on the day.

Serves 4 to 8

Salad
2 medium delicata squash, around 1 and 1/4 lbs total
1 tbsp olive oil
Fine grain sea salt
4 heaping cups baby arugula (or mixed greens if you prefer)
2/3 cup pomegranate seeds (or a generous handful of dried cherries or cranberries)
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or pecans
4 oz Greek feta cheese, crumbled

Maple-balsamic vinaigrette
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp real maple syrup
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 F
Wash the squash and scrape off any tough bits of skin with a knife. Slice the squash into 1/2 inch rounds. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds from each round. Drizzle the squash with a generous tbsp of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Use your fingers to lightly coat all the surfaces of the squash with olive oil.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the squash is tender and golden, flipping halfway.

In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pepitas (or pecans), stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly golden on the edges. Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and Dijon mustard with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Once the squash has had a few minutes to cool, combine the arugula, pomegranate (or dried fruit), pepitas (or pecans), crumbled feta and squash in a serving bowl. Toss with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Serve immediately.

Yields 4 substantial side salads or up to 8 small servings.
To make this recipe vegan, skip the feta or serve it on the side.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Holiday Food

Stilton and apple Welsh rarebit bites

November 15, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

Delicious for a Holiday appetizer and SO tasty with one of my favorite cheeses, Stilton

Makes 24 bites

1/2 a thin baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, halved, cored and thinly sliced
8oz crumbled Stilton or blue cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp creme fraiche
1 tsp Worcester sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the baguette slices with melted butter; working in batches, grill, flipping once, until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Layer 2 apple slices on each toast and set aside.

Arrange an oven rack 4” from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Mix the cheese, creme fraiche, Worcester sauce, Dijon, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Spread about 1 tbsp of the cheese mixture over each toast. Broil until topping is melted and golden brown, about 4 minutes

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers

Cauliflower and cumin fritters with lime yoghurt sauce

October 31, 2013February 9, 2016 Belinda

These are great eaten either hot or warm. Also lovely to stuff inside a piece of pita bread and served with some hummus and tomato.

Serve 4

1 small cauliflower (about 3/4lb)
4 oz plain flour
3 tbsp chopped Italian parsley, plus a few leaves for decoration
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 free range eggs
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin (I use home roasted)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
16 to 17 fl oz sunflower oil for frying

Lime yoghurt sauce

10 ounces or 1 1/2 cups Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
grated zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp ime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Put all the yoghurt sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Taste, looking for a vibrant, tart, citrusy flavor – and adjust the seasoning.
Chill or leave out for up to an hour.

To prepare the cauliflower, trim off any leaves and use a small knife to divide the cauliflower into little florets. Add them to a large pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 15 minutes or until very soft. Drain into a colander.

While the cauliflower is cooking, put the flour, chopped parsley, garlic, shallots, eggs, spices, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together well to make a batter.
When the mixture is smooth and homogenous, add the warmed cauliflower. Mix to break down the cauliflower into the batter.

Pour the sunflower oil into a wide pan to a depth of 1/2 inch and heat up.
When it is very hot, carefully spoon in generous portions of the cauliflower mixture, 3 tbsp per fritter.
Take care with the hot oil.
Space the fritters apart with a fish slice, making sure they are not overcrowded, as they will steam and not get crispy brown if they’re too close together.
Fry in small batches, controlling the oil temperature so the fritters cook but don’t burn.
They should take 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Remove from the pan and drain well on a few layers of kitchen paper.
Serve with the sauce on the side

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead

Marinated feta cheese with olives and capers

October 24, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Perfect to have on hand for when people drop by. (not that they do in LA!) It’s a great starter for a dinner party and something you have already made at least two weeks earlier!

12 oz Greek feta cheese, cubed
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 tbsp mixed peppercorns
8 coriander seeds
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp capers, drained
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, drained (or your favorite olive)
fresh oregano or thyme sprigs
Olive oil to cover
A large preserving jar
Toasted french bread and chopped tomatoes at serving time

Cube the cheese
Thickly slice the garlic
Lightly crush the peppercorns
Pack the feta cheese into a large preserving jar with the bay leaf – interspersing with garlic, coriander/peppercorns, capers, olives and thyme and/or oregano sprigs
Pour in enough olive oil to cover the cheese
Close tightly and allow to marinate for 2 weeks

To serve, lift out the cheese/olives etc and place on hot toast, garnish with chopped tomatoes and drizzle some of the flavored oil marinade over it all