Mango and ginger cheesecake with kiwi fruit sauce

August 26, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I must thank the wonderful New Zealand cookery book writer, Annabel Langbein, for this wonderful recipe.
It is utterly sumptuous and darn right sexy! The kiwi fruit sauce is so easy and adds such a wonderfully exotic and refreshing addition too.
You can cut individual cheesecakes like the one pictured above with a round cutter which look great or you can serve it in slices.

Serves 8

1 1/2 cups plain sweet cookie crumbs
1 1/2 cups finely chopped macadamia nuts or toasted almonds
4 oz butter, melted
3 tsp powdered gelatine
1/4 cup water
9 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup cream
2 x 15 oz cans mangos in juice, drained
1/4 cup chopped crystallized or uncrystallized ginger

Method

Mix the cookie crumbs and nuts together.
Stir in the melted butter and combine evenly. Press into a 9-10inch spring form pan. Chill

Heat the gelatine and water in a small pan and stir well to dissolve.
Place in a food processor bowl with the cream, cream cheese, sugar, cream and half the mangos.
Puree until smooth.
Finely chop the remaining mangos and stir into the cream cheese mixture with the ginger.
Pour into the prepared base.
Chill for 4 to 5 hours.

This will store covered for 2 to 3 days.

For the kiwi fruit sauce

3 peeled kiwi fruit

2-3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Place 2 of the peeled kiwi fruit and the other ingredients in a food processor. Puree in short bursts to prevent seeds pulverizing. (or the sauce will be bitter)

Chill. it will keep 2-3 days.

Use the 3rd kiwi to slice and fan across the cheesecake.

Makes about 1 cup

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Poultry

Coq au riesling

August 20, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is one of the great Nigel Slater’s recipes. I love his food as it has so much flavor and is easy.
I know you’ve probably had Coq au vin many times, but this is ten times tastier, creamier and has a real depth in flavor.
Make sure you serve this with really good warm crusty bread because everyone will be wanting to mop up the incredible sauce.

Serves 2 but you can easily double or treble it

4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz bacon (streaky) or pancetta, diced
2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 joints of organic, free range chicken on the bone, seasoned with salt and pepper (I used whole chicken legs)
10 oz small cremini (brown) mushrooms, halved or quartered
16 fl oz medium dry white wine, such as Riesling
10 fl oz heavy cream
4 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

Melt the butter in a heavy shallow cast iron dish like the one in the photograph (Le Creuset) and pour in the oil.
Put in the diced bacon or pancetta and let it color a little then add the onions and garlic.
Leave to cook over a moderate heat until the onions have softened but not yet colored.

Scoop the bacon and onions out with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the cooking juices, then add the seasoned chicken pieces.
Let them brown lightly on all sides. A moderate heat is best for this but be prepared to add a little more oil if the butter shows signs of browning.

Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the juices in the pan and continue cooking for 10 mins, then return the bacon, onions and chicken pieces to the pan.
Turn up the heat, pour in the wine and bring quickly to the boil and then turn it down to a simmer.
Let everything cook at a gentle bubble for 25 to 35 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.

Lift the chicken out of the pan and pour in the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and stir in the chopped parsley.
Continue cooking at an enthusiastic bubble until the cream starts to thicken slightly.

Return the chicken to the pan.
When the chicken is thoroughly hot and the sauce has thickened it is time to serve!

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

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Soup

Intense creamy mushroom soup

August 13, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This soup originally came from the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley and is well worth making.

Serves about 4 generous portions

10 x 5inch Portabello mushrooms, cubed to about 1/2 inch
3 slices Applewood smoked bacon cut into 1/2″ pieces
10 shallots, skinned and sliced. (Shallots are sweeter than onions)
4 cups chicken stock
5 drops truffle oil, per bowl
salt and pepper
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 leek, sliced to 1/2 inch pieces and cleaned
1 750 ml bottle of Pinot Noir
4 cups cream
8 tbsp goat cheese, at room temperature
Chanterelle mushrooms, for decoration

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, sweat out the bacon, shallots, garlic and leeks in a mixture of butter and olive oil.
Add the Portobello mushrooms and continue to sweat until about 90% of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated.
Add the Pinot Noir and reduce until about 1/2 is left.
Cover the mushrooms with the chicken stock and reduce to a slow simmer.
Cook for about 20 to 30 mins, add the cream, slowly bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins.
Puree in a blender.
Season well and pass through a fine sieve and keep warm.
When serving, sprinkle the truffle oil, the crumbled goat cheese, or sprinkle some sauteed chanterelles (in butter) or some small garlic croutons.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Tomato and potato gratin

March 18, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Simple, rustic and delicious!

Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a side

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced onions, (about 1&1/2 lbs)
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, divided
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1&1/4 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled if you want
1/2 cup heavy cream
2&1/4 lbs ripe tomatoes
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded basil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and ground pepper

Heat a large saute pan or Dutch oven over high heat for 2 minutes
Add 3 tbsp olive oil, then the onions, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often then turn down the heat to medium.
Add the butter and cook for 15 minutes, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon until the onions start to caramelize. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook the onions for another 10 mins or so, stirring often until the onions are a deep caramel color. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Use a mandolin to slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch rounds. Toss them with the cream, 1tsp thyme, 1 tsp salt and ground pepper.
Cut the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices and arrange on a plate and season them with salt and pepper.

Place half the caramelized onions evenly on the bottom of a 9 x 9 inch gratin or baking dish.
Arrange one layer of potatoes on top of the onion layer and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese and half the garlic.

Arrange a layer of tomatoes on top of this, then sprinkle 1/2 of the basil, 1/2 tsp thyme, salt and pepper, and drizzle 1 tbsp cream from the potatoes

Scatter the rest of the caramelized onions over this mixture, arrange another layer of potatoes, then top with 1/2 of the remaining cheese and remaining garlic.

Arrange another layer of tomatoes (attractively) over the potatoes. Pour remaining cream from the potatoes over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, remaining thyme and basil.

Press the vegetables down with your fingers. The cream should come up through the layers and coat the vegetables evenly.
Sprinkle with any remaining cheese.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for about 2 hours or until the potatoes are tender when pierced.

Remove the dish from the oven, uncover it, turn the oven up to 450 F and put it back in for about 25 to 30 minutes more until the juices have thickened and the tope is browned and bubbly

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces

Two delicious Asian fusion sauces for fish, chicken or pasta

August 21, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Chilli-lime cream sauce

This sauce is terrific with either grilled fish or pasta. Thanks to Bon Appetite magazine back in 2005.
Makes about 2/3 cup

1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp minced shallot
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp *chili-garlic sauce
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a heavy saucepan.
Boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 3 minutes or so.
Add the cream and boil until reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, mix in the chili-garlic sauce. Add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking just until melted before adding the next piece. Warm through without boiling and serve.

* Chili-garlic sauce is available in the Asian section of the supermarket or at Asian supermarkets

Coconut-Curry Butter Sauce

A mixture of South Indian and Asian fusion flavors. Lovely with salmon.

3/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Premium unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp Indian curry powder
2 bay leaves
3 -4 whole cloves
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, but keep chilled
Kosher salt to taste

In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the sauce except for the butter and salt.
Bring to a light boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces to 1/2 cup.
Turn the heat down to low, then whisk in the butter until it is incorporated into the sauce.
DO NOT let the sauce boil at this point or it will curdle horribly!
Season to taste and serve

Do-ahead · Egg based · Fish

Crab Quiche

August 14, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Delicious and light.
Serves 6

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (with 1/2 cup set aside)
1 cup crabmeat, chopped and picked over for any bits of shell
4 eggs
1 & 1/2 cups light cream
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
3/4 tsp chopped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
fresh crushed garlic to taste ( use 2 cloves)
A 9 inch deep frozen pie crust (defrosted)

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Place the cheese and crabmeat in the bottom of the pastry shell the set aside
Beat the remaining ingredients together thoroughly and pour into the pie shell over the crab. Sprinkle the top with the extra 1/2 cup of grated cheese.
Place on a baking sheet and cook on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the filling is just set, puffy and golden.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting into.

Note You can also substitute shrimp that is cleaned, peeled, deveined and chopped up