Category: Do-ahead

Dessert · Do-ahead

Amaretti Semifreddo

Belinda

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I have made this several times and it always goes down a treat. The Amaretti cookies with the cognac gives it that really unique flavor that has your guests exclaiming “Wow, what’s in it?”
This is the sort of food I love that really gets people’s attention.

7 oz  Amaretti cookies
5 large eggs
10 fl oz or 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tbsp sugar
4-5 tbsp of espresso (according to taste)
2 tbsp cognac
dark chocolate, for shavings for decoration

Crush the cookies in a small bowl and add the coffee and the cognac. Mix well until the cookies are pretty moist.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and add them to the Amaretti mixture.
Separately whip the egg whites and the cream and add them in this order to the cookie mixture. Mix until the mixture is homogeneous but do not mix for too long or the egg whites and the cream will lose their volume
Pour the final mixture into a loaf mold. Put in the freezer and let rest for at least three hours if you like it somewhat soft or overnight if you like it very hard.

If you have trouble unmolding the semi freddo once well frozen just put the back of the pan under running water. Serve it with shaved dark chocolate on top and with additional Amaretti and/or whipped cream.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Salad · Whole30 compliant

Mock Potato Salad

Belinda

This is just like a potato salad, but done with cauliflower. I am realizing what an amazingly versatile vegetable cauliflower is the more I try it in different dishes. I leave the seasonings to you to experiment with. I also like to give it a bit of cayenne pepper for those who like a kick!

Serves 8


1 head fresh cauliflower
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced (I always peel celery with a peeler to get rid of the stringy bits)
2 slices onion, chopped
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tsp pickle relish
salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill, paprika, to taste (experiment a bit with the amounts of these)
Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Cook cauliflower until tender. Drain and pat dry. Let cool and pull into small floret pieces. Place in a large bowl.
Mix in remaining ingredients except paprika and parsley. Chill for 2 hours.
Before serving, sprinkle on paprika and garnish with parsley.



Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Salad · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Curried cauliflower with currants and pinenuts (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

This recipe is really unusual and full of flavor.
Serves 6-8


Dressing
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp Madras curry powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

Cauliflower
2lbs cauliflower florets
2 tbsp kosher salt
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (I used about 1/2 cup at most)
3/4 cup dried currants
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 small red onion, finely chopped

Method for the dressing

 In a large bowl, mix the rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
Whisk in the curry powder, salt and pepper.
Very slowly, drizzle the oilve oil and whisk into the vinegar mixture until incorporated. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Set the dressing aside.

Method for the cauliflower

Blanch the cauliflower in salted boiling water. Drain and add pine nuts, currants, sunflower seeds and onions. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing lightly to mix thoroughly. Chill for 1 -2 hours before serving. (I didn’t have time to chill it for that long when I made it and it was still great warm)

Plating
Mound the salad onto a plate in a compact pile and decorate with a few cilantro leaves

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Salad

Couscous, Orange and Carrot Salad

Belinda

I love this salad and it’s great multiplied for larger groups. It’s fresh, healthy, low calorie and tastes out of the ordinary because of the wonderful zingy dressing with all the minced ginger. This is a Canadian recipe from a book I have used to death called New Light Cooking by Anne Lindsey.

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1 3/4 cups chicken stock or water (I use chicken stock)
1 1/4 cups couscous
2 oranges,sectioned and chopped, removing the pith
1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, (coriander for the Brits!) parsley or mint. ( I use cilantro)

Ginger Vinaigrette
2 tbsp each of balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp each of olive or vegetable oil and water
1 tbsp each of granulated sugar and minced gingerroot
1/4 tsp each of salt, freshly ground black pepper and ground cumin (I like to roast my cumin)

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil, add couscous and stir quickly to mix. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid. Using a fork, fluff the couscous and then let cool.

In a salad bowl combine oranges, carrots, currants, cilantro and couscous.

Ginger Vinaigrette- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, oil, water, sugar, ginger, salt, pepper and cumin.  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to mix.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Whole30 compliant

BEET, yes BEET Tartare (CleanCuisine)

Belinda1 Comment

This is a terrific recipe that always takes people unawares, as they are expecting “beeF tartare” but thank heavens it’s not! It’s well worth making for a dinner party as a little extra course, or as a side salad at a burger party, You won’t have had anything like this!



Serves 6 to 8

6 medium beets (about 1 1/4 lbs) (beetroot for my English friends)
1 good sized shallot, roughly chopped
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
a few drops of Tobasco sauce
1 tsp sherry vinegar
6 cornichons, roughly chopped,
1/3 cup capers, drained
1 tbsp good quality mayonnaise
2 tbsp Italian parsley, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the beets, leave them wet and wrap individually in aluminium foil.
Place them in a roasting pan and bake for 90 minutes or until tender.
Cool the beets, peel and cut them into eighths.
Place the beets in a food processor with the shallot, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce,  sherry vinegar, cornichons and capers.
Pulse until the mixture is minced, but not pureed.
You may need to scrape down the sides between pulses.
Spoon the mixture into a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise and 2 tbsp parsley.
Taste and adjust the seasonings. You may need to add more salt and pepper, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or Tobasco.
This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a covered container. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Garnish with additional parsley and serve.

This is also a lovely thing to do. Serve a tbsp of the beet tartare on an endive leaf, then a small blob of sour cream, some grated orange rind and a leaf of parsley

Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Mint infused whipped cream

Belinda

And now for something completely different to serve with those fresh strawberries or raspberries or even on a chocolate dessert

Mint Infused Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
6-8 sprigs, garden English mint (you may want to try more mint for a bigger flavor)
2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar (more if you like it sweeter)

Crush mint leaves a bit, then place in a medium sized bowl.
Pour the heavy whipping cream over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove mint from heavy cream, add powdered sugar and by hand or using an electric mixer, whip until soft peaks form.

Serve in dollops on whatever and whoever you like!!

Beverage · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Red Rooster

Belinda

This is a fabulous frozen alcoholic slushy I keep in my freezer for entertaining. Everyone loves it as it’s refreshing and packs a punch.
It’s wonderfully easy to prepare and just sits in your freezer waiting to be scooped into an ornate glass and served with a mint leaf or a slice of orange on the side of the glass.

Red Rooster           Makes about 2 quarts

1 1/2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
2 cups vodka

Combine all of the ingredients in a large plastic container. Stir well.
Freeze for several hours. it will not freeze solid, but rather, achieve the consistency of a slushy.
Scoop into wine or martini glasses and serve.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Pasta · Salad

A wonderfully tasty, easy Asian Noodle Salad to dress up or down

Belinda

 My son Oliver loves making this dish and has added whatever is in the fridge to it, eg cold shredded chicken, cooked prawns, sugar snap peas, lots of sliced scallions, peas, sliced red pepper, chopped cilantro, sliced carrot…


(You can double, treble or quadruple this recipe very easily)



Easy Asian Noodle salad     (serves 4)


1lb of noodles or spaghetti 

Sauce
4  Tablespoons soy sauce
4 garlic cloves
2 Teaspoons roasted sesame oil
1 good teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, depending how spicy you like it)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water, and when al dente, drain and set aside.
Put all sauce ingredients in a food processor and add to drained warm noodles.
Toss a few times. Add whatever you like to it in the way of cooked meat, fish or raw vegetables sliced and it’s just as good adding nothing!   Serve warm or at room temp.
 It’s also a great marinade. 

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Marinated goat cheese with ginger, basil, garlic and orange zest

Belinda2 Comments

Here is a spectacular appetizer  I have done countless times and always to a “wow” when people first try it. It’s simple but really raises the bar.


Serves 6 to 10.

Serve at room temperature with crackers or can be served in Belgium endive cups. Also great with crusty bread as the oil marinade is wonderful to mop up.

1 (12 oz approx) log soft goat cheese, or 3 smaller logs, chilled. (I bought regular plain supermarket goat cheese, 11oz log size)
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp whole peppercorns, preferably a mixture of white, pink and black
1 tsp whole allspice berries
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (I used the garlic crusher)
2 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger (I grated the ginger)
1/3 cup slivered fresh basil
1 full tsp grated orange zest
(crackers or Belgium endive)

Using a thin-bladed vegetable knife, cut the goat cheese into  ½ inch slices. (Dip the blade into hot tap water after each cut or the slices with split)
Arrange the slices in a pretty, heat -resistant dish that you can serve.
In a small saucepan combine the olive oil, peppercorns and allspice berries.
In a small bowl combine the garlic, ginger, basil and orange zest.
Place the saucepan over medium high heat and cook until the peppercorns begin to pop, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the garlic mixture. Stand back a bit as you do this as it really bubbles up!!
After 5 seconds of stirring, pour the hot olive oil mixture over the goat cheese evenly, covering all the slices with the mixture well.
Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, covered with plastic wrap.
(This recipe can be completed to this point up to 1 week before serving!)