Canape Recipes

Serving canapes as your guests arrive is always a sure way of impressing them, and you can make amazing looking and tasting canapes with very little effort. Here is a quick and easy canape recipe

Smoked Salmon and Mange Tout with teriyaki sauce

1 packet of good quality smoked salmon

100g Mange Tout

50ml of teriyaki sauce

Wooden skewers

Method:

Blanch the mange tout in boiling water for approximately 4 minutes, then drain the hot water and place the mange tout into a bowl of ice water to refresh them. Once they have completely cool, finely chop them from top to tail, so you get nice long pieces 

Open the salmon, and slice each piece to roughly 5cm long and 3cm wide, take some of the finely chopped mange tout and place it on one end of the salmon, then roll the salmon so the mange tout is wrapped up in the salmon. 

Drizzle some teriyaki sauce over the salmon, and skewer the salmon and mange tout together with your skewers. Now serve and enjoy

 

Gooseberry Fool with Elderflower

Celebrating spring ingredients, here is a quick and easy to prepare dessert that is packed full of flavors. We love desserts in our house, and this dish is one of the reasons why

For the Compote

500g gooseberries

40g caster sugar

15ml elderflower cordial

Place all ingredients in a pan and cook gently until the gooseberries begin to break down.  Cool the compote in the fridge and then blend to a coarse puree.

For the Fool

300g Gooseberry Compote

250ml Semi whipped double cream

30ml Elderflower cordial

5ml Lemon juice

35g Caster sugar

Half whip the cream and then add the sugar, cordial, lemon juice and the compote and carefully fold together. Taste and correct sweetness if necessary, place the complete mix into clear glasses and garnish with fresh mint and summer berries. Now all that’s left to do it tuck in and enjoy. 

La Chandeleur-Crêpe Day in France

So yesterday was La Chandeleur-Crêpe Day in France, and we took full advantage, who wouldn't? We made a variety of different fillings like wild mushrooms with baby spinach, and a blue cheese sauce, really mature manchego cheese, freshly whipped Chantilly cream and lets not leave out the ol faithful nutella, obviously not eaten all together.


So I thought I would share a great Crêpe recipe with you today so you can try and make yourselves some mouth watering food for dinner tonight

Ingredients

125g flour

2 eggs
120ml milk
120ml water
2g salt
30g melted butter

Method

Put the flour and salt into a large bowl. In the microwave melt the butter and add it to the milk and water, in a separate bowl beat the eggs and add it to the water and milk. Slowly add this to the flour mixture an whisk until the batter is smooth and has no lumps


Heat up a large non stick frying pan, lightly grease it with a little butter. Using a ladle, when the pan is hot, pour in some of the Crêpe mixture, lift the pan and turn it from side to side to let the mixture spread across the pan, and fry the Crêpe until it is golden, then flip the Crêpe and fry it on the other side until it is slightly golden. Repeat the process until you have finished all the batter.


Now as I said we filled our Crêpes with wild mushrooms and spinach, I also made a blue cheese sauce making a basil white sauce and adding in blue cheese. For our sweet Crêpes we had whipped cream and nutella, who doesn't like nutella


I guess all that's left to say is happy eating

How To Smoke Duck Breasts At Home

You have eaten smoked duck and you love it, now you want to try your hand at making some at home? Here's a simple recipe to get you started, although you will need a few bits of kitchen gear to get you going. 

To smoke your duck, or any meat for that matter at home you will need a deep wok, heavy duty foil and a circular wire rack that fits into the wok where you will put the duck on

Ingredients

2  Duck breast with the skin on
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or medium-dry Sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
2 1/2 teaspoons Maldon salt
1/3 cup loose black tea leaves
1/3 cup rice
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 Cinnamon stick, broken into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Method

Pat duck breasts dry. Score the skin about 1/2 inch apart through the fat (do not cut into meat) in a cross cross pattern with a sharp knife.

Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in a plastic bag that you can seal. Add the duck, skin side up, and press out as much air as possible before sealing. Marinate duck (skin side up), chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight. Transfer duck breasts to a plate and pat dry, discarding the marinade.

Toast the peppercorns and salt in a dry small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring and shaking the skillet occasionally, until the peppercorns are fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Coarsely grind mixture in grinder or a mortal and mortar and pestle. Rub mixture all over duck, then let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, 1 hour.

Meanwhile, line bottom of wok and inside of lid with a double layer of heavy-duty foil, leaving a 3-inch overhang along edges. Stir together tea leaves, rice, brown sugar, and cinnamon pieces in a small bowl, then spread in an even layer (1/4 inch thick) on bottom of wok. Invert rack and set in wok. (It will rest 1 1/2 to 2 inches from bottom of wok.)

Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then swirl in vegetable oil. Add duck breasts, skin sides down, and sear, without turning, until skin is deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer duck breasts, skin sides up, to center of rack in wok, arranging them 1 inch apart. Heat wok, uncovered, over high heat, until steady wisps of smoke begin to appear, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate, then cover wok and, using oven mitts, fold overhang from wok and lid together, crimping to seal tightly (foil will be very hot). Smoke duck breasts, covered, 8 minutes, then remove wok from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes for medium-rare to medium. Carefully unwrap foil (smoke and steam will billow out) and transfer duck to a cutting board. Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes. Cut each duck breast across the grain into thin slices. Serve duck warm or at room temperature.

Cooking Whelks

Have you ever wondered how to cook a Whelk? These little ocean beauties are pretty easy to prepare and they make for a great dish if they are prepared correctly

 Ingredients

1kg fresh whelks

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 stick of celery, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

A few sprigs of thyme

10 white peppercorns

½ tsp fennel seeds

½ a lemon

15ml white wine vinegar

Method 

Sprinkle a good handful of salt on the whelks and leave in a bowl for about an hour. Then wash the whelks under cold running water or leave them to soak in fresh water for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile put the rest of the ingredients into a pan with about 1 ½ litres of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the whelks and simmer gently for 30 minutes for small ones or 50 minutes for large ones. Leave them in the cooking liquor to cool.

Happy Eating



Chocolate and Orange Truffles

Ingredients

250ml cream

150ml milk

500g dark chocolate buttons (63%)

500g butter, room temperature

100ml Cointreau

100ml orange juice

Zest of 8 oranges

Method

Bring the cream and milk to the boil slowly with the orange zest, and then pour onto the finely chopped chocolate. Stir well until the chocolate has melted.  Whisk in the butter and then add the Cointreau and orange juice.  Leave to set in a tray covered with cling film until you can pipe the mixture.  Pipe the mixture onto silicone trays using a no.7 nozzle, and then roll the balls first in dark chocolate and then bitter cocoa powder.

Food Trends for 2014

It's only January 2014 and the food trends have already been set for the year, how exciting. According to Forbes the following food trends will dominate the food, restaurant and dining experiences for 2014. So here they are...

Locally sourced and organic foods has been a major trend recently but this year it will be something huge, with more consumers than ever wanting local and organic products. I don't know about you, but it is the highlight of my week to head off to a local market and pottering about looking at all the mouth watering foods farmers have brought in each week to tantalize our taste buds. Cheeses, wines, jams, preserves, organic meat, vegetables, the list is endless

The next hot number on the chart is the vegetarian and vegan movement that is sweeping the world by storm. More and more people are becoming  educated about the foods they are eating, and rightly so. Considering everything we put in our bodies has an affect on not only our body but our mind and soul, it is little wonder that those beautiful things called vegetables, with their vibrant colors, pure nutrition and exceptional taste will be making an even bigger appearance on the food stage this year 

This bring us to our next food topic which is close to the hearts of parents all over the world. Healthier kids meals. I am sure if you think back to your childhood there is a memory tucked away somewhere about your mom or dad not letting you leave the table until you finished your dinner, or the threats of no dessert until you finished your plate of food. But times have changed and food isn't boring anymore, in fact it is easier than ever to make a kids meal healthy yet exciting. Jamie Oliver has for the past few years trying to make school dinners across the UK healthier and packed with nutrition. This year is all about that, and finding ways to make food for our little ones healthy yet exciting.

Enter Gluten free products and foods. According to the Forbes report, gluten free dining ranked within the top 5 of food trends for 2014 with at least with at least 3 quarter of chef recognizing this as a niche they want to get into. Just the other day we did a function for a client who is gluten free making her chocolaty delights for dessert using gluten free flour. Did it change the taste of the hot chocolate fondant? No? Maybe there was a slight texture change, but that's about it. So lets see how much more attention Gluten Free will get this year

Who doesn't like eating warm toasted walnuts, or salted cashews? OK everyone who doesn't have a nut allergy. Nuts are a high sourced of natural protein and they are fast becoming the healthy snack alternative to people who are dieting or just trying to be healthy. In fact a lot of people are starting to add both nuts and seeds to their diets and some people add them to all three meals. So lets see how nuts will feature in the restaurant industry this year?

Pizza, where do I start? The melted cheese that's like string when you bite into it, the toppings that make your mouth water, the thin crusts that make for the perfect bases (I am making myself hungry here). I am sure you have figured out that pizzas will be taking the center stage this year, but hold on, they aren't just any kind of pizzas, from here on out the time of cheap pizza is over, enter pizzas made with quality ingredients, organic foods and a lot of love and cheese. This one for me is especially exciting and I am hoping to see loads of new era pizza places opening soon around London. 

You've had a rubbish day and the weather outside makes your mood fall even lower, you head home with the other millions of people after being crammed in a tube. Enter comfort food, but there is a new era of comfort food. Classic comfort food dishes are set to change as we know them. Take the classic Mac and Cheese for instance, now think about how lovely and comforting it would be to add some smoked lardons or some wild mushrooms, topped with a mature Parmesan cheese and baked to absolute pleasure (OK making myself hungry again) Suddenly your crap day turns into an evening with rainbows and sunshine. Bring on that upscale comfort food

Last but certainly not least, please welcome the new way of poaching and smoking foods. Exit stocks and enter beers, wines, teas and other loveliness which will be replacing the stocks that were formally used to poach or braise foods. How lovely to slow cook a piece of pork belly in some apple cider with spices, or a shoulder of lamb in a bottle of red wine. Then there is the smoking effect, which used to be left to the professionals. Not anymore. Getting your hands on a smoking gun or a homemade mini smoking tray is now easier than ever, and the variety of smoking chips on the market makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Whisky, hickory, cherry, pecan, Guinness and the list goes on and on. 

All in all I think this year the food industry is set to see some amazing foods and dishes being served around the world, and that makes me so incredibly happy. The mash up of local and organic foods being cooked and prepared with love and then served to us as customers makes me one very happy diner, and an even more excited chef. So happy eating

Vegan Apple And Cinnamon Muffin

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup soy milk
Replacer for 1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable margarine, melted
1 cup apple - peeled, cored and chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees, grease a muffin tray.

Mix all the ingredients together except the apples, then when everything is completely incorporated fold in the apple.

Fill the muffin tin and bake the muffins for 15 minutes until they are golden and brown.

This recipe makes 12 muffins

Scone Recipe

Ingredients

 
245g Strong flour
28g Sugar
12g Baking powder
37.5g Butter
86ml of Milk
56ml of Double cream

Method

Crumb the flour, sugar, baking powder and butter together until a fine crumb is achieved and then slowly add the milk and cream. Once all the ingredients are incorporated, using a little flour to dust a surface, roll out thee scone mixture to bout 2cm thick. Cut the scones into the desired size. Using a little milk wash, brush the tops of each scone and bake the scones at 180°c until golden in colour.

Once the scones have been baked and look lovely and golden, let the scones cool before cutting them and filling them. This is the fun bit, you can now fill your scones with lovely fillings such as, clotted cream, Chantilly cream, fresh jams and the list goes on.

Bon Appétit

 

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

 

Ingredients

14 lasagne sheets
4 packed cups chopped spinach (about 300g)*
2 tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 white bell pepper, chopped
60g parmesan cheese
100g mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
400g ricotta cheese
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1/3 tsp salt
pinch ground pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and add onions and bell pepper. Sauté them until they have softened and turned lightly golden. Add garlic and sauté a little more. Turn off the heat and let cool a bit.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the ricotta, spinach, half of the parmesan and half of the mozzarella cheese. Add salt and pepper. When the onion/bell pepper mixture has cooled, add it to the spinach mixture. Mix everything until combined.

Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a 23x23 square baking dish.

Pour 1 cup of the pasta sauce onto the bottom of your baking dish and coat it evenly. Place lasagne sheets on top. Spread some spinach mixture on top of them. Repeat these steps 3 times (except for the pasta sauce). Finally, spread the remaining pasta sauce onto the lasagne sheets and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 15-20 minutes. Let the dish sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

Banana and chocolate cake

Ingredients

250 grams plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
125 grams unsalted butter (softened)
250 grams caster sugar
4 bananas (ripe and mashed)
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
175 grams dark chocolate (good quality or milk chocolate)

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.

Mix the butter, sugar, banana, eggs, vanilla extract and chocolate chips in a separate bowl.

Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, being careful not to over mix.

Pour the batter into a non-stick, or lightly greased and floured, 19 x 11 cm (7 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch) loaf tin and bake for 1 hour, or until the bread is cooked when tested with a skewer.

Leave the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes, and then turn the cake out onto wire rack. When the cake is cooled all the way through, slice the cake thinly, serve and enjoy

Bon Appétit

Watercress Soup with a lemon yoghurt

Ingredients

1kg watercress; leaves removed

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large leek, roughly chopped and washed
60ml vegetable oil
400g floury potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
5ltrs vegetable stock

Method

Gently cook the watercress stalks, onions and leeks in the vegetable oil until soft. Add the potatoes and vegetable stock, bring to the boil, season and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the watercress leaves and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Blend in a liquidiser until smooth and strain through a fine meshed sieve into a container that is in a ice bath. Correct the seasoning if necessary.

For the lemon yoghurt, take Greek style yoghurt and add a squeeze of lemon juice and the zest of half a lemon. Quenelle the yoghurt into the centre of the bowl and gently pour the soup into the bowl around the yoghurt.

Bon Appétit  

White chocolate and raspberry marquise

Ingredients

175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

175g self-raising flour
1 rounded tsp baking powder
3 large eggs, at room temperature
175g golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the raspberry filling

250g mascarpone
284ml carton whipping cream
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g raspberries
8 tbsp raspberry jam

To decorate

White chocolate shavings
Dark chocolate shavings
Mixed fruit (we used passion fruit cut into wedges, blueberries, raspberries, redcurrants and canned apricots, quartered)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ fan160°C/gas 4 and lightly grease and base line 2 x 20cm round x 4cm deep loose-bottomed cake tins with baking paper. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add all the other cake ingredients and mix with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is a smooth, dropping consistency. If a little stiff, mix in a dash of water to loosen.

2. Divide the mixture equally between the tins and level. Bake for 25 minutes, until well risen, springy and golden. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Using a serrated bread knife, slice each cake horizontally into 3 thin discs, to give 6 in total.

3. Put the mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and mix with an electric hand whisk until smooth and thickened.

4. Put 1 disc, cut-side up, on a plate or cake stand. Spread over a little of the filling (about a fifth) and scatter with half the raspberries. Place a second disc on top and spread with a little more filling, then top with a third disc and spread with half the jam. Put a fourth disc on top and spread with a little filling, scatter with the rest of the raspberries and sit the fifth disc on top. Spread with the remaining jam and more filling, then sit the final disc on top. Press so the filling oozes out a little. Spread the remaining filling on top. Chill to firm up.

5. Smooth the sides with a palette knife and stick the chocolate shavings all round the cake. Secure with a piece of wide ribbon. Push more of the chocolate shavings gently into the filling all around the top edge of the cake. Pile the mixed fruit into the centre of the cake, arranging if you like, to serve.

Bon Appétit

*In the picture about, the cake is wrapped in a white chocolate collar and not the chocolate shavings*

Crispy Potato Galette

Ingredients

3 large potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
1 table spoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Fresh thyme leaves

Method

MeMMmethPat the potatoes dry if they are starchy and moist. In a large frying pan, sauté half the potatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil over the potatoes, and sprinkle half the nutmeg and black pepper over the potatoes to taste. Starting in the centre of the pan, start arranging the potatoes into layers, over lapping them into a spiral.  When the potato slices are finished repeat the process with the remaining potato slice.

Cover the pan and place it on a medium heat and cook the potatoes until they are golden brown and cooked on the underside, about 15 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan gently to avoid the potatoes sticking. Wipe the inside of the lid to keep it dry as and when needed.

After the potatoes have cooked and turned golden brown. Press the potatoes down with a flat spatula and remove the pan from the heat. Place a plate over the pan, and flip the pan so that the galette is now on the plate. Then slide the raw side of the galette back into the pan and cook for a further 15 minutes. Once the galette is cooked through, transfer it back onto a serving plate, and garnish with the chopped parsley, crushed garlic and seasoning.

 

Bon Appétit

Tea Soaked Figs

Ingredients

125g sugar

½ a lemon
2 whole cloves
½ a cinnamon stick
2 vanilla pods, split and scraped
10 figs cut in half
500ml water
3 sachets of earl grey tea
150ml strega liquor (Italian digestive liquor)

Method

Mix the sugar, lemon, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla into the water and bring to the boil.  Remove from the heat and infuse the tea for 30 minutes.  Pour the strega liquor onto the figs, remove the tea bags from the syrup and pour onto the figs. Soak the figs for 3 days in the liquid, and store them in the fridge. These can be served with either a sweet or savoury dish, but I personally recommend serving these delights with something sweet. Maybe even something as simple as clotted cream, or a vanilla bean ice cream.

For those who have never come across strega liquor before, here are some interesting facts about it. The recipe is a mix of 70 herbs and spices which include Samnite mint, Ceylon cinnamon, Florentine iris, Italian Apennine juniper, fennel, and saffron. The saffron is the key to Strega's signature yellow color and the mint and juniper are two of the most pronounced flavors within the herbal mixture. It is aged in ash barrels which allow the flavors and aromas to develop.

Bon Appétit

Apple and frangipane Tart

Ingredients

8 large apples, cored, peeled and halved
250g unsalted butter
400g sugar
400-500g puff pastry
Flour for dusting
Frangipane

375g soft butter

375g icing sugar
370g ground almonds
37.5g flour

7 eggs

Method

Cut the puff pastry into discs that are the size you desire, I usually use a coffee cup as an indicator for the disc size. Line a flat baking tray with grease proof paper, and pace the disc onto the tray. Place the tray into the fridge to let the puff pastry rest until you need it again.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°c full fan (gas mark 6). 

Meanwhile melt the butter and sugar in a pan and cook on a low heat until they turn an amber colour and caramelise (if the heat is too high the butter will spilt out of the sugar). Add the apples to the pan, continue to simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes until the apples are lightly coloured.

Remove the apples and caramel from the heat, and with a slotted spoon arrange the apples onto the puff pastry discs, but try not to get too much liquid onto the puff pastry disc while doing this. You want to try and create a ‘fan’ effect with the apples.

Prepare the frangipane but creaming together the butter and sugar, and then adding all the other ingredients until it is combine. Press a layer of frangipane on top of the apples

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked through and the frangipane starts turning a nice golden brown colour.

Serve this with vanilla bean ice cream, maple syrup and come apple puree.

Bon Appétit

Chocolate Fondant Recipe

 

 

This is one of my favourite desserts to prepare, and I serve in a variety of ways. The vanilla bean ice cream is on a bed of honeycomb dust, and the fresh raspberries were soaked in a sugar syrup that was also used when I served the dessert.

Ingredients

Melted butter, for greasing
cocoa powder, for dusting
275g (9.5oz) dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
225g (8oz) unsalted butter
400g (14oz) caster sugar
0.5tsp vanilla extract
5 large free-range eggs, beaten
200g (7oz) plain flour, sifted
you will need
8 metal pudding bowls or ramekins

Preparation

Heat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4. Brush the pudding moulds sparingly with melted butter, dust with cocoa powder and shake out the excess. Set aside. Melt the chocolate and butter gently in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Leave to cool slightly.

Whisk the eggs into the mixture a little at a time, then fold in the sifted flour and a little salt until you have a smooth mixture.

Divide between the moulds – each one two thirds full. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 12 minutes exactly. Remove from the oven, run a knife round the edges, invert and tip out on to serving plates. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and fresh seasonal berries.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Feta Cheese Salad Recipe

 

Ingredients

1 Medium Butternut squash
100g Greek style feta cheese
80g toasted pine nuts
80g washed watercress
Olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
Seasoning
Edible flowers or fresh herbs for garnishes

Method

Heat the oven to 160 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil and set aside. Skin and seed the butternut and cut it into medium sized/bite sized cubes. Place the cubes onto the baking tray. Finely chop the garlic and put it onto the butternut. Drizzle olive oil over the butternut, enough to coat it all lightly, and season. Place the tray into the pre heated oven and roast the butternut for 15 minutes.

Cut the feta cheese into small cubes and set aside. Wash the watercress and place it on the bottom of the dish you will be serving the salad in. Once the butternut is cooked, remove it from the oven, check the seasoning. Let the butternut cool slightly before putting it onto the watercress. Once it’s cooled, place the butternut, feta and roasted pine nuts onto the watercress, arranging it so that there is an even mix of all the ingredients everywhere on the plate

Garnish the plate with edible flowers or fresh herbs.

Bon Appétit

Courgette cake recipe

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, grated

1 large egg
1 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp mixed spices
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

Remove excess liquid from freshly grated zucchini by placing them between paper towels and squeezing. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Heat a large pan on medium, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Shape spoonfuls of the zucchini batter into 2-in. (diameter) patties, and drop onto the sizzling pan. Cook each side for about a minute and a half, or until the outside is golden brown. Finish the cakes off in the oven. Stick them on a baking pan and broil them for 1-2
minutes. Serve hot, alone or with yoghurt and mint dressing.

Each scrumptious morsel is totally satisfying and packed with vitamin-rich zucchini, yet strikingly low in calories, carbohydrates and fat.

Makes about 12 cakes.

Bon Appétit

Roast Pork Belly Recipe

Serves: 4
Preparation: 60 minutes
Cooking: 2 hours 20 minutes

Roast pork belly

600g pork belly, skin on
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons salt flakes
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Apple puree

2 granny smith apples, cored, peeled and chopped
Juice of half a lime
1 teaspoon sugar

Honey cider vinegar glaze

¼ cup honey
½ cup cider vinegar
 

Cider vinaigrette

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons water
1 ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
100ml grapeseed oil
Watercress and baby mache, to serve

Method:

Preheat oven to 230°C.  For roast pork belly, trim pork of excess fat and score the skin. In a dry pan roast the fennel seeds, one tablespoon of salt and the peppercorns until fragrant. Cool, and then grind finely in a pestle and mortar. Rub all over the flesh side of the pork, massaging it in well. Sprinkle the skin with about one tablespoon salt and rub in. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge, wipe of all salt and moisture. Lightly salt. Place the pork on a roasting rack with a tray of water underneath to help keep the pork moist. Roast for 2 hours or until skin is crisp and flesh is tender. Check after 45 minutes to ensure the pork crackling doesn’t burn. If it’s looking a little too brown cover the pork with foil, or reduce oven temperature to 200°C. Rest for 20 minutes and cut into rectangular serving portions.

For apple puree, place apples in a saucepan with lime juice, sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of water. Cover and simmer until tender. Blend in a thermomix or blender until smooth. Check the seasoning.

For the glaze bring both the honey and cider vinegar to a boil over medium heat, simmer until the syrup thickens. For the vinaigrette mix all ingredients and whisk well until emulsified.

To serve, place pork on a serving plate and drizzle with glaze. Add a tablespoon of apple puree next to pork. Add watercress, top with baby mache and lightly dress with vinaigrette.

 

Bon Appétit