Bavarois de Poivrons Rouges. (A mousse of red peppers)

July 13, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

This recipe from Raymond Blanc is truly a treat and is spectacular for a Spring or Summer dinner party.
The texture is so smooth, so melting, the taste so sharp and lively that the dish is WELL worth the effort
It can be made a day in advance and who doesn’t love that!

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You will need
A 10″ wide pastry ring

1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 fl oz (50ml) olive oil
2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
5 red peppers, seeded and finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 gelatine leaves (soaked in cold water to soften)
3.5 fl oz (100ml) white wine vinegar
1 tsp raspberry vinegar
cayenne pepper
14 fl oz (400ml) chilled heavy whipping cream

For the jello and julienne of peppers
3.5 fl oz (100 mls)reserved vegetable juices
1 gelatine leaf soaked in cold water to soften
1 red pepper, skinned and seeded

Preparing the mousse
In a large pan, sweat the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and red peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook on a medium heat for about 8 minutes, covered with a lid.

Spoon out 3.5 fl oz (100ml) of the juices that the peppers and tomatoes have released. Strain into a bowl, reserving for the jello.
Cook the vegetables for a further 20 minutes without the lid. All the moisture will have evaporated.(You should be left with about 6-7 fl oz).
Add the softened gelatine leaves and stir until dissolved.
Cool down the pulp a little, then puree and force through a sieve or mouli-légumes.

Separately, mix the 2 vinegars in small pan and boil to reduce by two-thirds in volume. Add to the puree. Taste, then add salt and cayenne pepper. Cool down completely to room temperature.

Whip the cream in a bowl until firm and fold delicately (Using a spatula. Don’t over mix as you will lose volume) into the puree. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Place the pastry ring over a flat serving plate and pour in the mousse. Smooth the top with a palette knife and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours to set.

Preparing the jello and julienne of peppers.
Bring the reserved juice to the boil and dissolve the single leaf of gelatine in it. Allow to cool down.
Cut the pepper halves. Divide each strip in half horizontally, and cut into very fine julienne strips 1/8 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and reserve

Finishing the dish.
Scatter the julienne strips over the mousse and spoon the nearly set jello over the top. Refrigerate.

Serving
Loosen the mousse from the ring with the blade of a warm knife and lift the ring off.
Ease onto a flat, wide round platter

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

My ultimate Eggplant Parmigiana

June 23, 2020July 6, 2023 Belinda5 Comments

I’ve tried several recipes now and I find the stage where you dip the slices of eggplant in egg and breadcrumbs totally unnecessary.
I have compiled the best recipe I can think of, which is a combination of several recipes plus my own additions.
It is simple and very tasty, has way fewer steps and tastes just as good as the longer haul traditional ones.
Don’t eat it directly from the oven as it’s too hot to appreciate the flavors, and if you let it sit out for 45 mins – 1 1/2 hours, it’s easier to slice and isn’t so gooey. It makes all the difference and is also really good served at room temperature.

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Serves 4-6 (Or can easily be multiplied)

4 good-sized eggplants
Olive oil for dipping in or wiping the slices of eggplant
Salt
3 cups of good quality tomato/basil pasta sauce. I use RAO’S Marinara sauce
A really large bunch fresh basil
2-3 cups pre-sliced fresh mozzarella cheese (Trader Joes does a good one) or shredded mozzarella cheese
2-3 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Don’t cut corners and buy pre-grated, again, Trader Joes sell this)

* I always have far too much of each ingredient and make several of these so I can freeze them (uncooked). Be very generous in your amounts and you will taste the difference!
** Another thing I do to get ultimate flavor is to put a couple of large jars of RAO’S marinara sauce in a saucepan, add chopped basil and lots of crushed garlic, then let it simmer gently, reducing and strengthening the flavors. You can do this while you’re cooking the eggplant.

Preheat the oven to 350F

Cut the tops and a small amount from the bases of each eggplant and with a peeler remove some of skin, like a zebra (just random strips)

Cut into 1/2 inch thick slices straight across, (not lengthways as it’s too difficult) and dip into or wipe each slice with olive oil, then season well with salt and pepper.

At this point, there are a couple of ways you can go as far as cooking the eggplant.
1/ I use a panini press to grill both sides of the eggplant at once.(See the pic below)
It’s quick, not messy and leaves lovely grill marks on the eggplant. I highly recommend you get one for this job alone as it can be a pain in the ass to fry the eggplant.
Cook 4-5 slices at a time or whatever can fit on your panini press and remove when they are nice and brown and tender when you pierce them with a fork. Lay on paper towels to mop up excess oil and set aside. Repeat this process until all the slices have been cooked.

2/ Alternatively you can set the oven to 400F and put all the slices on a large greased cookie sheet and roast for up to 30 minutes, checking on them after about 25 and flipping them. They should be nice and lightly browned and tender.

Your choice

To assemble, spread a very thin layer of tomato-pasta sauce on the bottom of a lightly greased ovenproof dish. Add a layer of the fried eggplant, then add another thin layer of tomato sauce, some torn basil leaves, some grated or torn mozzarella and grated Parmigiano evenly spread across the dish. I am pretty generous in my amounts of basil and cheese, so go for it.
Repeat the layers until you run out of eggplant.
Finish with a layer of sauce, mozzarella and finally a thicker layer of Parmigiano to create a crust.

Put in the oven at 350F and cook for about 30—45mins until the top is crusty and the dish is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and leave out for 45 mins to 1 1/2 hours
Serve!

PS This dish freezes beautifully too, but freeze it BEFORE it is cooked. Very important

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Cheesy polenta (grits) with tomato sauce

April 11, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

Fabulous and easy recipe from the one and only Yotam Ottolenghi

“This understated side dish is dressed up enough to keep everyone at the table happy, but simple enough not to steal the show from the main course. It would pair really well with roast chicken or grilled seafood. You can make the sauce well in advance – just warm it through while you’re cooking the polenta – but don’t make the polenta until just before you’re about to serve, otherwise it’s likely to set.”

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Prep 20 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4 as a side

For the sauce
1 onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges (150g net weight)
150g (5oz) datterini tomatoes, or regular cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
750g (1.5lbs) vine tomatoes, core removed and finely chopped into 1cm (1/2″) dice (seeds and all)
1 tsp caster sugar
5g (1/2 oz) oregano sprigs (leaves and stalks), plus 1½ tbsp leaves extra to serve (or use basil or parsley instead)
Salt and black pepper

For the polenta
500ml (17 fl oz) chicken stock
350ml (12oz fl oz) whole milk
60g (2 oz) unsalted butter
200g (7 oz) quick-cook polenta
150g (5 oz) gruyère cheese, roughly grated

Put a large sauté pan on a high heat and, once very hot, add the onion wedges and cook, turning regularly, for about six minutes, until very well charred on the outside. Transfer to a plate, then put the tomatoes in the same pan and char for another four minutes, or until nicely blistered in places. Transfer to the onion plate, but keep the two separate, and put the pan aside to cool slightly.

Return the pan to a medium-high heat and add the oil and charred onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about two minutes, until slightly softened, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the chopped vine tomatoes, sugar, oregano sprigs, 150ml (5 fl oz) water, a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Bring up to a simmer, then turn down the the heat to medium and leave to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have started to break down. Add the charred tomatoes and cook for seven minutes more, until they’ve started to soften and the sauce has thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Put the stock, milk, 100ml (3.5 fl oz) water, half the butter, a teaspoon and a quarter of salt and a good grind of pepper in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, turn the heat to medium-low and pour in the polenta in a slow, steady stream, whisking continuously, until completely incorporated. Carry on whisking for two to three minutes more, or until the polenta is cooked and the mixture is still quite wet and loose.

Stir in the cheese and remaining butter, then spread out the polenta on a large platter. Spoon the tomato sauce on to the polenta, gently swirling some of it in, top with the extra oregano leaves and serve warm.

Do-ahead · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Creamy Braised White Beans

April 5, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe c/o Con Poulos for the New York Times.

This is a great recipe for this time of quarantine, as it relies on store cupboard basics and is very easy and tasty, supplying your protein for the day.
Everything you need to make this humble-but-satisfying meal is probably in your kitchen at this very moment. Two cans of beans (chickpeas and white beans) are simmered with milk, a whole head of garlic, herbs and nutmeg for a rich and creamy vegetarian dinner that can be on the table in under a half-hour. Be sure to use whole milk here — it’s the most flavorful and will yield the best results. Feel free to wilt greens like chard, watercress, arugula or basil into the beans, and serve with grated Parmesan and red-pepper flakes.
A slice of crusty bread slicked with caramelized garlic is the perfect crunchy accompaniment to velvety beans.

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Serves 4
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
1 cup whole milk
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, with their liquid
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern, drained and rinsed
1 thyme or rosemary sprig or 3 sage leaves chopped finely and/or 1 bay leaf
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg, allspice or garam masala
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 slices crusty bread or thick toast
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Aleppo pepper or red-pepper flakes, for serving

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, cut side down, and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the milk, chickpeas and their liquid, white beans, thyme/rosemary/sage and nutmeg and stir to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper.
When the mixture begins to bubble around the edges of the pan (you don’t want it to come to a full boil), reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened and tastes great to you, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Use a fork to remove the garlic halves from the beans. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then use the fork to remove the cloves from the skins. Spread the cloves on bread or toast.

If you would like the beans to be more stew-like, mash some of the beans using a potato masher or the back of a spoon.
Serve beans and milk in bowls. Garnish as you wish, with a drizzle of oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a pinch of Aleppo pepper and black pepper. Serve with the bread alongside for dipping.

Tip
You can reheat leftovers the next day over low heat; the sauce will have thickened, but the beans will still be delicious.