Appetizers · Do-ahead · Fish · Whole30 compliant

Terrific rustic baked tomatoes

June 19, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda2 Comments

This is a recipe my good friend Anneke gave me and you can’t get better than this for a really tasty, rich but healthy starter.

Ingredients
Very ripe tomatoes (preferably vine tomatoes and lots of them) peeled and halved
lots of fresh basil
lots of garlic, thinly sliced
anchovies (unrinsed)
good extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

** Serve with good fresh ciabatta bread, sliced and lightly baked in the oven with garlic cloves rubbed into each slice while still hot.

Layer the bottom of a baking dish (one you would be happy to serve the dish in) with basil leaves, so that they cover the bottom of the dish, then lay thinly sliced garlic over that.

Season lightly and sprinkle olive oil over the basil and garlic.
Stack the peeled and halved tomatoes cut side down in the baking dish, cramming as many in as possible, even more than you think can fit and squash them down a little with your hand releasing some of the juices.

Put the unrinsed anchovy fillets in between the cracks in the tomatoes.

Sprinkle with a good amount of good olive oil, season with ground pepper but not too much salt due to the saltiness of the anchovies.

Cook in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 hours uncovered and serve at room temperature with the really good baked and garlic rubbed bread.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Coconut Panna Cotta with mango and lime syrup

June 14, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is the ultimate of all the desserts I make, as it’s so exotic. You will love this if you love coconut!

Serves 6-8

For the Panna Cotta

2 & 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup unsweetened coconut cream (not coconut milk)

2/3 cup superfine sugar (caster sugar)

pinch of salt

3 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water until limp then squeezed dry. (You can get these online)

2 mangos, peeled and cut into pieces, or slices. (or use pineapple)

15- 20 fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips.

For the Lime Syrup

2 cups dark palm sugar (You can get this at an Asian market, or online)

½ cup superfine sugar

zest and juice of 4 limes

4 tbsp Malibu rum

Method

To make the panna cotta, pour the cream, coconut cream and sugar into a saucepan. Bring to the boil while stirring.

Add the pinch of salt and stir until dissolved.

Add the gelatine leaves, stirring to dissolve and pass through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Pour into dariole molds or ramekins and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.

Unmold either by dipping the bottom of the molds in hot water.

To make the syrup, place the sugars, zest and juice in a saucepan and reduce to a light syrup.

Pour in the rum and pass through a fine sieve. Set aside at room temperature. (This syrup can be frozen and used for up to 1 year!)

To serve, place a panna cotta in the center of a dish, arrange the mango around, scatter with finely chopped fresh mint and spoon over the syrup

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Salad

Couscous, Orange and Carrot Salad

June 13, 2011September 9, 2022 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.

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.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Mint infused whipped cream

June 9, 2011September 9, 2022 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!!

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

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

June 8, 2011September 9, 2022 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!)