Category Archives: Friday Shortcut Gourmet

Sweet and Spicy Cod with Kale Cake

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151209 Sweet and Spic Cod with Kale Cake-9424
Kale is a wonderful, nutritious and tasty vegetable. If you can’t find kale, spinach is a good substitute. The combination with this cod makes for a tasty, light and healthy dinner.

Serves 6

6 pieces cod loins, about 120-150 g each

Dressing:
1 red chili, finely chopped, seeds removed
½ lemon, juice and zest
1 lime, juice and zest
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp rice vinegar
1-2 tbsp mango chutney
1 tbsp olive oil

Kale Cake:
500 g frozen Kale, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
150 g feta cheese, crumbled
100 ml crème fraiche
1 red onion, chopped
A few drops of Tabasco
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Oven 200C

  1. Combine the ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the fish and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Thaw the kale and squeeze out excess liquid.
  3. Mix eggs, crème fraiche and feta cheese. Add the kale and onion. Season. Pour into a greased ovenproof casserole. Bake for 30 minutes.
  4. Place the fish in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Espresso Panna Cotta

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151209 Espresso Panna Cotta-9466

Quick and easy to make. Just needs a bit of time (3-4 hours) in the fridge.
To be served as an after dinner coffee.

Serves 6

250 ml double cream
2-3 tbsp dried espresso coffee
150 g chocolate (dark or milk), chopped
1 gelatin leaf or ½ tsp granulated gelatin
To decorate: Chocolate covered coffee beans

  1. Place the gelatin leaves in a bit of water to soften.
  2. Bring the cream to a boil, remove from heat, add the coffee and the gelatin, stir until melted. Pour over the chocolate pieces and mix well.
  3. Pour into serving 6 small espresso cups and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.
  4. Decorate with the coffee beans.

Sumptuous Salad Starter

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151202 Sumptuous Salad Starter-0693

The dressing and the nuts are really the main ingredients in this salad. Any thinly sliced raw vegetable can be used, for instance red cabbage, leek, peppers… Just keep it beautiful and colourful.

2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 beetroots, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
Mixed dark green salad leaves
Pecan nuts, toasted
Pine nuts, toasted

Dressing:
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 tbsp Tahini
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

  1. Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Mix the salad dressing in a salad shaker.
  3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.

Zander with Serrano Wrapping and Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach

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151202 Zander with Serrano Wrapping sida-9408
If you can’t find Zander, any white, firm fish fillet can be used. Sometimes I add a few drops of sherry to the mushrooms but it is not necessary, Portobello mushrooms are so full of flavour on their own.

Serves 4
500 g Zander fillets, skin and bones removed
4 slices Serrano ham
2-3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
0.25 g saffron strands
150 g Cherry tomatoes, red and yellow, halved
Spring onions, green part only, finely sliced
100 ml white wine
½ cube chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter

Basil, shredded, for decorations

100g fresh spinach leaves
300g Portobello mushrooms, sliced
Butter

Rice, cooked according to package instructions

  1. Cut the fish into 4 portions, wrap the ham around it. Fry in butter on medium heat for a few minutes per side.
  2. Melt the saffron in a frying pan and sauté with the garlic in some olive oil. Add the tomatoes and spring onions. Then add the wine, stock, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes.
  3. Take off heat and stir in the butter.
  4. Fry the mushrooms and the spinach in separate pans
  5. Arrange the mushrooms and spinach on the plate. Fill a ring mold with rice. Add the fish on top and spoon the tomato sauce on top. Finish by decorating with basil.

Saffron Parfait with Raspberry Coulis

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151202 Saffron Parfait w Raspberry Coulis-9518
Wonderful, different dessert. Quick to make but needs 3-4 hours in the freezer.

Serves 6

4 egg yolks
2-3 drops of vanilla extract
100 g caster sugar
0.5 g saffron
250 ml whipping cream

Raspberry Coulis:
300 g (frozen) raspberries
3 tbsp powdered sugar

  1. Whisk the eggs with the sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
  2. If using strands of saffron, not the ground kind, use a pestle and mortar and grind the saffron threads to a powder. This is easiest done by also adding some sugar to the saffron.
  3. Add the saffron to the eggs mix.
  4. Whisk the cream separately, then fold in the egg mixture.
  5. Pour in cake tin and freeze for 3-4 hours.

Coulis:

  1. Thaw the raspberries.
  2. Add the sugar.
  3. Puree in blender.

Vegetable Casserole with Capers

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151125 Vegetable Casserole with Capers -0746

Many people aren’t too keen on capers, but please don’t leave them out entirely. They give such wonderful balance to this dish!

3 Courgettes, cut into thick slices, then halved
1 onion, sliced
Olive oil
Salt
4 stalks of celery, chopped
Broccoli, cut into small florets
2 tbsp tomato puree
6 tomatoes, quartered
100 g green olives, pitted
2 tbsp capers
2 tbsp white vine vinegar
Coriander leaves to decorate

  1. In the oil, gently fry the courgettes and onions. Season.
  2. Add the celery and broccoli, fry another few minutes.
  3. Add the tomato puree, stir through, then add the tomatoes
  4. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Add the olives, capers and vinegar, simmer another few minutes.
  6. Decorate with coriander

Potato and Parsnip Bake with Ham

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151125 Potato and Parsnip Bake-0745

A straightforward, easy recipe, but oh so tasty! Guests tell me it is possibly the best potato casserole they’ve had!

6 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 parsnip, thinly sliced
250 ml single cream
100-200 ml Gruyere cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
A few tablespoons of butter

Sliced cooked ham
Cucumber
Mango
Herbs
151125 Ham for potato and parsnip bake-9392

  1. Oven at 180C
  2. Grease a casserole
  3. Layer potato, parsnip, salt and pepper and a bit of cheese.
  4. Continue layering with a last layer of potato.
  5. Finish by pouring the cream and placing a few knobs of butter on top.
  6. In oven 50-60 minutes.
  7. Serve with ham, decorated with cucumber, mango and herbs.

Grilled Pineapple with Baked Mascarpone Cream

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151125 Grilled Pineapple with Baked Mascarpone Cream-9437

Wonderful and different variation to the crème anglais or ice cream usually served with grilled pinapple. Start by making the Mascarpone Cream in advance as it needs to be chilled for a couple of hours.

1 pineapple, cut into thick slices
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp brown sugar

½ vanilla bean pod
4 egg yolks
50 ml brown sugar
250 g Mascarpone Cheese
2 tbsp milk

  1. Oven at 175C
  2. Scrape out the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to egg yolks
  3. Add the sugar and whisk until fluffy
  4. Mix the cheese and milk.
  5. Add the egg mix.
  6. Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Let cool
  7. Whisk the mixture again and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  8. Coat the pineapple with the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  9. On a heated grill (or in a hot grill pan), fry the pineapple until the grill lines have coloured both sides.
  10. Serve with the mascarpone mixture.

Baked Avocado

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151111 Baked Avocado-9338

 

I love to make this dish with avocados but you can make it with other vegetables too.

 

Serves 4
2 avocados, halved with stone and peel removed
150 g Mozzarella, diced
25 g walnuts on small pieces
75 g grilled peppers, cut into pieces (I sometimes roast my own with olive oil and garlic, sometimes I buy the ready-made)
Basil leaves, shredded
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
(chilli flakes or Tabasco if you want it a bit spicier)
4 gem lettuce leaves

  1. Oven at 200 C
  2. Cut off a bit of the round bottom of the avocado to make a steadier stand. Put the cut off piece in the hole where the stone used to be. Place the avocados on greased baking sheet.
  3. Mix all remaining ingredients together.
  4. Spoon the mixture on top of the avocados.
  5. Baked until the mozzarella has melted and started to brown (15-20 minutes).
  6. Serve on a piece of gem lettuce.

Cod Curry with Cashews

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151111 fish curry-9191

 

This is a great dish to serve on a Friday night when you don’t have a lot of time to cook. The curry can be prepared in advance (a day ahead) and only the fish added at the finishing stage.

 

Serves 4

 

500 g Cod Loins, cut into chunks (I would do 12 pieces, allowing for 3 per person)
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 small fennel, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
400g chopped tomatoes
100 ml single cream
100 ml coconut milk
2 tsp red curry paste
1 tbsp honey
1 broccoli, cut into small florets
Salt and pepper
Fresh coriander leaves for decoration
200 ml cashews
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
Salt from a salt mill
200 ml Greek yoghurt

  1. Sauté the onion, when soft add the fennel and the pepper and gently sauté another few minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes, the cream+milk, the curry paste and honey and let simmer a few minutes.
  3. Add the broccoli. Simmer another 5 minutes.
  4. Season with salt and pepper
  5. Add the fish, simmer until done (6-7 minutes depending on the size of your chunks)
  6. Dry roast the cashews in a pan. Add the cumin and salt towards the end.
  7. Serve with the coriander and cashews sprinkled on top and the Greek yoghurt spooned over.

Chocolate Fondant with Raspberry Surprise

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151111 raspberry chocolate fondant-9361

The traditional Chocolate Fondant with a twist. In the middle of the chocolate, I place a fresh raspberry. A sweet and fruity surprise. The correct texture of the fondant is dependant on ingredients, (size of ramekins if you use something different) and oven heat. Since the heat of the oven may vary from oven to oven, you may want to make one extra fondant and test before baking those you will serve your guests. Also, I always use my kitchen scale for this recipe.

Serves 4

120 g dark chocolate (at least 70%)
115 g butter
3 eggs (190 g)
125 g sugar
50 g gluten free flour
Butter for the ramekins (or any other small mold you want to use)
Raspberries (1-2 per serving)
Raspberries to serve on the side
Whipped cream to serve on the side

  1. Oven at 200C
  2. Melt the butter in a bain-marie (a bowl set on top of boiling water on your stove)
  3. Mix the sugar and eggs, add the flour and stir well.
  4. Butter the ramekins well.
  5. Fill each ramekin to 1/4th and add the 1-2 raspberries. Fill with more chocolate mix, up to 3/4th of the ramekin.
  6. Place in heated oven 7 minutes. The crust should have formed on top before taking it out. Let stand for 5 minutes before turning onto plate.
  7. Serve with some more berries (and whipped cream) on the side.

Spicy Aubergine Dip

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151105 Aubergine Dip-9260

 

Spicy and lemony, a great dip that goes with almost anything. I like to serve it with sugar snaps or other cut up raw vegetables.

 

Ingredients

3 medium sized aubergines
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice from 1 large lemon (or a bit more)
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chilli flakes
1 tbsp olive oil

  1. Oven at 180C
  2. Prick the aubergines with a fork. Bake for about 30 minutes until soft.
  3. Halve the aubergine lengthways and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Puree with a handheld blender.
  4. Add the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  5. Add some chilli flakes, stir and spoon into serving bowl. Sprinkle some extra chilli flakes on top. You may also want to add a few drops of olive oil on top as decoration.

 

Lime Chicken with Tomato Salad and Mustard Dressing

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151105 Marinated Chicken with Tomato Salad and Mustard Dressing-9252

 

A light and spicy dish that goes very well with a heavier dessert. Can also be combined with cooked quinoa or rice. Serve some extra mustard salad dressing on the side and make sure to drizzle the chicken with lots of the flavoursome marinade when you serve your guests.

 

Serves 4

 

600 g chicken fillets

Marinade:
3 tbsp freshly grated ginger
100 ml olive oil
Fresh coriander, chopped
1 tsp red curry paste
1 lime, juice and zest
2 limes, wedges
Salt and pepper
Red chilli flakes
Coriander for decorations
Mustard Dressing:
50 ml white wine vinegar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
75 ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
Flat leaf parsley, shredded

Tomato Salad:
750 mixed colour cherry tomatoes, halved
Gem salad
1 onion, thinly sliced
Black pitted olives
Salt and pepper

  1. Oven at 200C
  2. Combine all ingredients for marinade and pour over chicken. Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.
  3. For the mustard dressing, whisk the oil, mustard and vinegar together until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate.
  4. Place the chicken in an oven proof dish, pour the marinade on top and place in the heated oven for about 20 minutes.
  5. Serve the chicken with lime wedges and chilliflakes on top.
  6. Combine the ingredients for the tomato salad. Drizzle with the dressing.

 

Fruity Baked Brie

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151105 Baked Brie-9193

A wonderful, classic dish to be served at the end of the meal. Quick and easy to make.
1 small, whole Brie cheese
Mixed nuts
Dried fruits (mango pieces, goji berries…)
Honey

  1. Oven at 200C
  2. Place Brie on a baking sheet, sprinkle with nuts and dried fruits and drizzle a bit of honey on top.
  3. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes or more. The cheese needs to be very soft when pressing the middle.
  4. Cut and serve at the table, possibly with some extra honey on the plates.