Tag: Cheese

Gluten Free · Nuts · Salad · Vegetable-related

Watermelon Salad with Feta, Pine Nuts and Basil

Belinda

Watermelon and feta may sound like a strange combination to you, but it’s eaten this way all over the Eastern Mediterranean – the salty-sweet combination works really well. It’s a very pretty salad too.
Combined with the crunchy pine nuts and fragrant basil, this has become one of my favorite ways to enjoy this beautiful melon, and it’s reliably delicious whether I’ve managed to pick a perfect one or not.


Serves: 4 

about 1/2 medium-sized watermelon, flesh cubed or cut into slices and seeds removed
8oz/200g good-quality feta, crumbled

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted 

handful fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
 (I have also used fresh mint which also works well)
a few spoonfuls of extra-virgin olive oil

freshly-ground black pepper 
Combine the watermelon, feta, pine nuts and basil leaves in a large bowl or platter. Drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Eat immediately!!

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

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

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!!

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!)