Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Gluten Free

Roasted butternut squash with sweet spices,tahini, lime and green chili

July 14, 2011June 11, 2024 Belinda

This is the most amazing mouthful of flavors! A great way to start a meal. Make sure you serve it cold and follow it with a light main course.
Thanks to chef “Yotam Ottolenghi”

Serves 4-6

2 whole limes
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium butternut squash (about 1 3/4 lbs to 2lbs)
2 tbsp cardamon pods
1 tsp ground allspice
4 oz Greek-style yoghurt
1 oz tahini paste
1 tbsp lime juice
1 green chilli, finely sliced,
a good handful picked cilantro leaves
sea salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim off the limes’ tops and tails using a small sharp knife. Stand each lime on a chopping board and cut down the sides of the fruit, following it’s natural curves, to remove the skin and white pith.
Quarter the limes from the top to bottom and cut each quarter into thin slices. Place them in a small bowl, sprinkle with a little salt, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive, stir and set aside.

Next, cut the butternut in half lengthwise scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut each half in half,and then into 1 cm thick slices, cutting away the peel and lay them out on a large baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.

Place the cardamon pods in a mortar and pestle and work with a pestle to get the seeds out of the pods.
Discard the pods and work the seeds to a rough powder.
Transfer to a small bowl, add the allspice and the remaining 3 tbsp of oil, stir well and brush this mixture over the butternut slices.
Sprinkle over a little salt and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until tender when tested with the point of a knife.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yoghurt, tahini, lime juice, 2 tbsp of water and a pinch of salt. The sauce should be thick but runny enough to pour; add more water , if necessary.

To serve, arrange the cooled butternut slices on a serving platter (I prefer individual dishes as it’s neater and prettier) and drizzle with the yoghurt sauce.
Spoon over the lime slices and their juices and scatter the chilli slices over the top.
Garnish with the cilantro and serve.

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Vegetable-related

Basil cheese loaf

July 14, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
4 oz Roquefort cheese, at room temperature
1 cup spinach leaves, loosely packed, rinsed and dried
3/4 cup Italian parsley, loosely packed, washed and dried
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup slivered sun dried tomatoes, patted dry

Combine the cream cheese and Roquefort in a bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside.

Combine the spinach, parsley, basil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle the oil through the feed tube; continue processing till smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the walnuts and parmesan and mix thoroughly.

Line a 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving extra wrap hanging over the sides.

Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture even;y over the bottom of the loaf pan. next, spread half the pesto mixture and arrange a layer of sun dried tomatoes on top.
Repeat with cheese, pesto and tomato layers.
Finish with the remaining 1/3 of the cheese mixture.
Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

To serve, allow the loaf to come just to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Invert it onto a platter and provide a cheese slicing knife. Have a basket of wheat crackers or bread nearby.

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Port and Stilton Pate

July 14, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

This is divine! Serves 4

2 oz butter
1 bunch green onions (scallions) finely chopped
2 fl oz port
1/2 lemon, zest only
4 oz Stilton cheese, crumbled
freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently sweat the scallions until soft; add the port and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Transfer to a blender and process until the mixture has bound. Check the seasoning.
Divide between individual ramekins or put all in a nice bowl for at least 2 hours.
Serve with crackers or melba toast.
Enjoy!

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts

Roquefort-Walnut Terrine with Apple Salad

June 19, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

8 FIRST-COURSE SERVINGS

2 cups walnuts (about 7 ounces)

1 pound Roquefort cheese, at room temperature

1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

4 medium Granny Smith apples

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup pure olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Crusty bread, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool.

Line a 7-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving 3 inches of overhang all around. In a large bowl, break up the Roquefort with a fork until slightly chunky.

Add the walnuts and crème fraîche and mix thoroughly. Scrape the mixture into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with the olive oil, mustard and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the apples and toss well.

Unmold the Roquefort terrine and discard the plastic wrap. Run a thin knife under hot water and wipe it off, then cut the terrine into 3/4-inch-thick slices, rinsing and drying the knife after each cut.

Arrange the slices on small plates and serve with the apple salad and bread.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

Boned and roasted chicken stuffed with goat cheese, lemon and herbs

June 19, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is a very easy and fast way of roasting a chicken in only 40 minutes as you have all the bones removed except for the wings bones. Ask the butcher to keep it in one piece as you will be putting some good stuff between the skin and the meat.
I always buy organic, free range chicken, especially as I once took a holiday next to a chicken farm (by mistake) and after taking a look around the farm, decided never to eat non-organic, free range chicken again, after what I experienced.

Some markets like WholeFoods look at you blankly when you ask them to bone out a chicken, but my local Bristol Farms doesn’t flinch at my request.

Lay the chicken flat on a lined baking sheet (I use non-stick aluminum foil). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Stuffing
This stuffing is going to be put between the skin and the meat.
1 small 5.5oz log goat cheese, room temperature
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
grated rind of a large lemon
4 good sized scallions, chopped fairly small
1 heaped tbsp fresh sage, chopped fine
2 heaped tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1/2 heaped tsp sweet paprika
cayenne pepper (if you like a kick)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and mix together well.
With your fingers, gently separate the skin from the meat of the breast of the chicken and shove the stuffing mixture in between wherever possible, pushing it down to the bottom of the breast.
Also the thigh/leg area can take the stuffing too. Turn the chicken over and slather any remaining stuffing on the underside of the chicken.
Sprinkle with a little olive oil and more salt and pepper then turn the chicken over.
You should be able to see the stuffing under the skin of the chicken. Again, sprinkle with a light drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper, then put in the oven for about 40 mins until the skin is browned and it is cooked through. Sometimes it can take a little longer, so test it for done-ness. When cooked, transfer it to a wooden chopping board and let rest about 5 mins.

PS Of course, I completely forgot to take a picture of the browned crispy topped chicken when it was cooked as we fell upon it!!