Portobello “fries” with truffled aioli

October 23, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

This addicting recipe is from the great Eric Ripert” chef at my favorite fish restaurant, Le Bernadin.

Serves 8

The fries

8 Portobello mushrooms
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups fine breadcrumbs
1 cup grated pecorino cheese
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
canola oil for frying

The truffled aioli

2 egg yolks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp white truffle oil
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim the stems of the mushrooms, remove the gills and gently wipe the caps with a damp cloth.
Cut the Portobello caps into 1/2 inch strips

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, thyme, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Toss the mushrooms “fries” in flour to coat evenly, then dip into the egg and roll in the breadcrumbs.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place the breaded mushrooms strips in the hot oil and cook on all sides until golden brown, 3 – 4 minutes.
Transfer to a paper lined tray.

To make the aioli;

Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice and garlic in a blender, turn the blended on medium and drizzle the canola oil and olive oil into the blender in a steady stream until emulsified into the eggs and is fully incorporated.
Season with truffle oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers

Baked goat cheese with caramelized onion, garlic and Mission figs

October 21, 2013September 27, 2020 Belinda

I would take this to a desert island if I could have an oven on it!!

Makes about 20 servings

1 lb goat cheese
2 cups dried Mission figs, sliced
Enough sweet Marsala to cover figs when cooking (2-3 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large Spanish or sweet onions, thinly sliced
8 large garlic cloves, crushed
3 good-sized rosemary sprigs, stripped of leaves and chopped
2-3 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 sliced baguettes, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 375 F

Crumble the goat cheese into an oven safe dish and set aside

In a saucepan combine the figs and enough sweet Marsala to barely cover the figs.
Place the saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, cover and remove from the heat and let the figs plump up while you’re cooking the onions.

Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and place over medium heat.
Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until golden. Taste and add more salt if necessary

Using a slotted spoon remove the plumped figs from the saucepan, leaving behind any of the liquid.
Add the figs to the cooked onions, stir to combine and then spoon over the crumbled goat cheese.

Place the dish into the top half of the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the edges begin to bubble.

Remove and serve immediately with sliced baguette. It’s best when served straight from the oven.

*It’s nice with a little runny honey drizzled over too

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Asparagus, orange and goat cheese salad

October 15, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

Light and so gorgeous! It’s also lovely with some sliced cooked beets added.

Serves 4

11 oz thin asparagus spears
1 1/2 cups watercress or baby arugula
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 orange, cut into 12 segments, pith, pips and skin removed
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp good olive oil
2 1/2 oz soft goat’s cheese

Cook the asparagus in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes or until just tender. Rinse under cold water to cool, then combine with the watercress or arugula, red onion and orange segments on a serving dish
Combine the orange juice, sugar, red wine vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds in a pitcher.
Whisk in the oil with a fork until combined and drizzle over the salad.
Crumble the goat’s cheese over the salad and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp poppy seeds over the salad before serving

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers

Fried halloumi cheese with lime and caper sauce

August 20, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

This is Delia Smith’s divine, pungent and easy sauce you can put over fried halloumi cheese, or grilled and marinated prawns, fish, chicken or pork.
It is light, tangy and really worth making to take your piece of protein to a new level

This recipe serves 2, but can be doubled easily

1 halloumi cheese (Many supermarkets stock this, otherwise it’s available in Middle Eastern markets)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 level tbsp well-seasoned flour

Dressing ingredients
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 heaped tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 heaped tsp grain mustard
1 level tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

a few sprigs fresh cilantro

First of all, unwrap the cheese and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Then, using a sharp knife, slice it into 8 slices, including the ends.
Now prepare the dressing by simply whisking all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

When you’re ready to serve the halloumi, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is really hot, press each slice of cheese into the seasoned flour to coat it on both sides, then add them to the hot pan as they are done – they take 1 minute on each side to cook., so by the time the last one’s in, it will almost be time to turn the first one over.
They need to be a good golden color on each side.

Serve them straight away on warmed plates with the dressing poured over and garnished with sprigs of cilantro

This is good served with lightly toasted pita bread or Greek bread with toasted sesame seeds

** If you decide to have this lime and caper sauce with grilled fish, prawns or meat, follow the same recipe for the sauce and serve it in a separate container beside the grilled meat/fish.
You will love this!

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

French lentil terrine with creamy carrot custard and sauteed leek-zucchini topping

August 16, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

These are lovely, easy and healthy and are also great to take on picnics. The jars are gorgeous and I found them on a website called;

Home

They are a German brand, stocking all sorts of shapes and are so attractive looking.
You can make these in advance up to 3 days, cover them and refrigerate. Take them out about 30 mins before serving to allow them to come up to room temperature.
There are several stages to this dish, hence the pretty layers, but they are simple.

**There is one step in this preparation that can make it even more simple.
In Los Angeles we can buy pre-cooked vacuum packed puy lentils in our supermarkets that are already seasoned.
Instead of making them from scratch, you can buy 1 packet of these, (you need 2 &1/4 cups of the cooked ones) put them into a microwaveable dish, break them up a bit gently with a fork and reheat. Let come to room temp, fluffing up the lentils to break up the lumps, then proceed with adding the goat cheese and cream etc…

8 1/4 cups water
8 oz carrots (about 3 medium) peeled and diced small
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more if needed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tbsp olive oil
1lb plus 10 oz leeks (about 2 -3 medium) quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (white and light green parts only)
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
10 oz zucchini (about 2 medium) trimmed and diced small
1 cup French Puy lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
4 oz fresh goat cheese, at room temp

Heat the oven to 325 F and arrange a rack in the middle. Bring 8 cups of the water to a simmer in a large saucepan over high heat; keep at a simmer.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining 1/4 cup of water to a simmer in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and 1/2 tsp of the salt and season with pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1/2 cup of the carrots to a small bowl and transfer the remaining carrots to a blender, leaving any excess water in the pan; set both aside. Reserve the carrot juices in a small bowl, wipe out the frying pan and set aside.

Place 1 cup of the cream and the egg in the blender with the carrots, season and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Evenly divide the carrot-cream mixture among 6 (1/2 pint) tempered-glass jars. Divide the reserved 1/2 cup carrots among the jars. Evenly space the jars in a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.
Being careful not to get water inside the jars, add enough of the simmering water to the baking dish so that it reaches just past the carrot mixture in the jars.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and carefully transfer it to the oven.
bake until the outer 1 inch of each carrot custard is set (the centers will be still slightly jiggly), about 25 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in the reserved frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leeks and thyme, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to soften, about 6 minutes.
Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is crisp-tender and the leeks are completely softened, about 4 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Place the lentils, bay leaf and garlic in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are still slightly hard in the center, about 10 minutes.
Add the remaining teaspoon of the measured salt, stir to combine and continue to simmer until the lentils are just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
Drain though a large fine-mesh strainer.
Remove the garlic clove and bay leaf and transfer the lentils to a medium bowl.
Add the goat cheese and the remaining 2 tbsp cream, adjust seasonings if necessary and stir to evenly combine; set aside.

When the carrot custards are ready, carefully remove the jars from the hot water and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

To assemble the terrines, divide all of the lentil-goat cheese mixture over the carrot custards, using your fingertips to gently smooth it into an even layer.
Divide all of the leek-zucchini mixture over the lentil-goat cheese mixture.
Serve warm or at rom temperature, or let the terrines cool completely, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days

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