WHAT YOU'LL NEED (MAKES: 50-60 MARBLE SIZED PIECES; TIME: 45 MINS)
· 80 g unsalted butter
· 2 vanilla pods
· 200 g chocolate
· 100 g icing sugar
· 200 g marie biscuits
· 160 g cashew nuts, powdered (leave some whole)
· 80 g mixed dried fruit
· 20 g raisins
HOW TO MAKE IT
· 80 ml port wine
· 80 g condensed milk
· 1cup each chilli flakes and pistachio powder
Crush the Biscuits into small pieces, but not crumbs. Add the hazelnuts, dried fruit and raisins, sprinkle with a little Port wine and set aside. Use a double boiler to do the next step. Place chocolate and butter in a metal bowl, place over a pot of boiling water and allow to melt. Once the chocolate is melted add the icing sugar, salt, the rest of the Port and the condensed milk, mix well and continue cooking, stirring regularly. Add the biscuit mixture. Mix well. Let the mixture cool for 10 - 15 minute (as it starts to thicken and it's easier to work with). Taking small pinches roll into little balls. Roll half in chilli flakes and the other half in pistachio powder, arranging alternately in a box or tray as you go.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES 8-10)
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 small onion, chopped
· 3 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 carrot, peeled and diced fine
· 1 celery stalk, diced fine
· 1 zucchini, diced fine
· 1 cup french beans, diced fine
· 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
· 4 cups vegetable broth (stock)
HOW TO MAKE IT
· 2 cups water
· 1(14 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
· 1cup elbow macaroni, cooked
· 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
· 1 teaspoon dried basil
· Salt and pepper, to taste
· Parmesan cheese-optional, for garnish
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add in zucchini, green beans, and diced tomatoes. Stir in vegetable broth and water. Add beans, macaroni, oregano, and basil. Simmer until vegetables and macaroni are tender- about 35 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper and serve warm. Garnish with parmesan cheese.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES 2-6; TIME: 20 MINS )
· 2/3 cup butter
· 1/3 cup honey
· 1 cup hazelnuts
· 1cup pine nuts
· 1cup peanuts
· 1 cup walnuts
· 1 cup almonds
· 1 cup cashew nuts
· 1cup macadamia nuts
HOW TO MAKE IT
· 1 cup pecan nuts
· 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
· 2 tablespoons soy sauce
· 11/2 teaspoon salt
· 3 tablespoons amchoor
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1 teaspoon ground allspice
· 1 teaspoon ground cloves
· 2 teaspoons chilli flake
In a large microwave safe pan, melt the butter, mix in the honey and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, amchoor, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and chilli. Add nuts, mix well and microwave on high for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature; store in a tightly sealed container.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES: 4-6; TIME: 40 MINS)
· 1/2 cup blanched powdered toasted macadamia
· 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
· 11/2 teaspoon paprika flakes
· 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
· 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
· 11/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
HOW TO MAKE IT
· 4 large egg whites
· 1/2 kg chicken breasts sliced into strips
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and spray it with oil. Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish. Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken strips and turn to coat. Transfer each strip to the almond mixture and turn to coat evenly. Place on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side. Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the centre, 20 to 25 minutes.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES 2-4; TIME: 15 MINS)
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE SALAD
- 2 tomatoes, in small (corn-sized) diced
- 1 medium onion, diced into small pieces
- 2 green chiles, chopped fine
- 2 capsicums, chopped fine
- 500 g corn, cooked (or canned corn, drained)
- 1/2 cup coriander, chopped fine
HOW TO MAKE IT
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Chill until ready to serve.
Simple Fungi Santa Croce
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES 4-6)
· 200 g button mushrooms washed
· 200 ml extra virgin oil
· 1/2 cup lerhon juice
· 5-6 cloves of garlic
· Pinch of salt
HOW TO MAKE IT
Carefully wash and dry the mushrooms, With a sharp knife cut gently a cross a couple of millimeters deep on the top of the mushroom. Place on a baking tray for dressing. Chop the Garlic fine, Add to the extra virgin oil and lemon juice, Add the salt and mix well. With a teaspoon drizzle half of this dressing over the mushrooms giving each mushroom a coating. Bake in a pre-heated oven. Remove from the baking tray, place on a serving dish and pour the remaining dressing. Serve with fresh crusty bread
Spicy Aglio Olio E Peperoncino (Chillies)
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES 4)
· 1 packet cappileni or linguine
· 4 tablespoons Italian extra virgin olive oil
· '/2 cup garlic chopped fine
· 1 tablespoon red chilli flakes
· Salt and freshly milled black pepper
HOW TO MAKE IT
Bring 1 litre of water to a rolling boil, add salt and stir in until dissolved. Drop in the Spaghetti and cook till "al dente" (still slightly hard to the teeth in the middle). Drain and set aside. Heat Olive oil in a small frying pan and, when it is hot, add the garlic, chilli and some freshly milled black pepper. Cook for about 2 mins. To this pan add the cooked Pasta give everything a good toss and serve straight away on warmed pasta plates.
As a variation on this recipe, add some anchovies (6 salted fillets, washed and cut into pieces) to the garlic and oil, add a handful of black or green olives cut into pieces, and saute together until golden brown.
Strawberryliscious Crumble
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES: 4; TIME : 1 HR)
FOR BERRY MIXTURE
· 2 teaspoons monin syrup
· 2 tablespoon cornstarch
· 3 cups fresh strawberries (or mixed berries)
· 1 cup mixed dry fruit (blueberries, mulberries, raisins, cranberries
· 2 tablespoons brown sugar
CRUMBLE MIXTURE
· 1 cup flour
· 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
· 2 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts
· 1cup muesli
· 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
· 2 tablespoons marmalade
· 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
HOW TO MAKE IT
Mix berries dry fruit, syrup, sugar in a bowl, mix to combine and reserve. Combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add marmalade to mixture. Add in butter and use a pastry blender or two forks and cut butter into mixture. Spread half the mixture on base of baking dish. Add cornflour to berry mixture and mix well and spread over crumble layer in baking dish. Spread the rest of the crumble mixture on top of berry layer. Bake at 180 degrees C for about 30-35 minutes until filling is thick and bubbly and topping is golden brown. Remove from oven; let cool for 20 minutes. Serve warm with Ice cream or spiced custard.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Chill until ready to serve.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES 4-6)
· 200 g button mushrooms washed
· 200 ml extra virgin oil
· 1/2 cup lerhon juice
· 5-6 cloves of garlic
· Pinch of salt
HOW TO MAKE IT
Carefully wash and dry the mushrooms, With a sharp knife cut gently a cross a couple of millimeters deep on the top of the mushroom. Place on a baking tray for dressing. Chop the Garlic fine, Add to the extra virgin oil and lemon juice, Add the salt and mix well. With a teaspoon drizzle half of this dressing over the mushrooms giving each mushroom a coating. Bake in a pre-heated oven. Remove from the baking tray, place on a serving dish and pour the remaining dressing. Serve with fresh crusty bread
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES 4)
· 1 packet cappileni or linguine
· 4 tablespoons Italian extra virgin olive oil
· '/2 cup garlic chopped fine
· 1 tablespoon red chilli flakes
· Salt and freshly milled black pepper
HOW TO MAKE IT
Bring 1 litre of water to a rolling boil, add salt and stir in until dissolved. Drop in the Spaghetti and cook till "al dente" (still slightly hard to the teeth in the middle). Drain and set aside. Heat Olive oil in a small frying pan and, when it is hot, add the garlic, chilli and some freshly milled black pepper. Cook for about 2 mins. To this pan add the cooked Pasta give everything a good toss and serve straight away on warmed pasta plates.
As a variation on this recipe, add some anchovies (6 salted fillets, washed and cut into pieces) to the garlic and oil, add a handful of black or green olives cut into pieces, and saute together until golden brown.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (SERVES: 4; TIME : 1 HR)
FOR BERRY MIXTURE
· 2 teaspoons monin syrup
· 2 tablespoon cornstarch
· 3 cups fresh strawberries (or mixed berries)
· 1 cup mixed dry fruit (blueberries, mulberries, raisins, cranberries
· 2 tablespoons brown sugar
CRUMBLE MIXTURE
· 1 cup flour
· 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
· 2 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts
· 1cup muesli
· 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
· 2 tablespoons marmalade
· 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
HOW TO MAKE IT
Mix berries dry fruit, syrup, sugar in a bowl, mix to combine and reserve. Combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add marmalade to mixture. Add in butter and use a pastry blender or two forks and cut butter into mixture. Spread half the mixture on base of baking dish. Add cornflour to berry mixture and mix well and spread over crumble layer in baking dish. Spread the rest of the crumble mixture on top of berry layer. Bake at 180 degrees C for about 30-35 minutes until filling is thick and bubbly and topping is golden brown. Remove from oven; let cool for 20 minutes. Serve warm with Ice cream or spiced custard.
