Category Archives: Sunday Adventurous Gourmet

Glorious Gazpacho

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1602 Gazpacho-1339

Many are not aware, but Gazpacho normally contains breadcrumbs which are blended with the tomatoes to create a slightly thicker soup. This version does does not need any breadcrumbs.

Choose your tomatoes with care, they are your main ingredient!

Serves 4 as a main course

1 kilo ripe tomatoes, cut into pieces
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
25 ml white vinegar
25 ml olive oil
A pinch of salt
Garnish; a small chopped cucumber, chopped red pepper or chopped green pepper

1. Place all vegetable pieces in a blender.
2. Add vinegar, oil and salt.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Add water until desired thickness (about 50 ml)
5. Add more for oil for a creamier soup.

Chill in refrigerator several hours.
Garnish with cut up vegetables on top and a few drops of olive oil.
Serve with some gluten free potato bread.

Avocado Choco Cake

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1602 Avocado Choco Cake-1315
Dates, avocado, banana, coconut and chocolate – this is a wonderful, moist cake! The sweetness comes from the dates and the banana (and the optional honey, of course), almond flour and grated coconut replaces flour and the fat comes from the avocado and the banana. Can’t say it is a totally healthy cake but it is no sugar and no butter/oil anyway (and dairy and gluten free).

Most importantly though, I love this cake because of its wonderful taste!

200 ml almond flour
100 ml desiccated coconut plus 2 tablespoons extra (for the base of the tin)
200 ml cocoa powder
1,5 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
(1 tbsp honey – optional)
1 medium sized avocado
3 eggs
10 dried dates
1 ripe banana, medium sized

Oven at 200 C

1. Mix all dry ingredients
2. Whisk the eggs fluffy
3. Add the avocado to the eggs. Mix together.
4. While still in its peel, squeeze banana soft and then add to the avocado mixture.
5. Add the honey (if using)
6. Mix the dates with a blender. Add a bit of avocado mix to the dates in order to get them to blend better. Combine with the remaining avocado mix and then add the cocoa mix.
7. Lightly grease a cake tin with oil. Sprinkle some shredded coconut on the bottom. Spread the mix evenly. Bake in oven 12-14 min, cool and then chill in fridge.
Serve with cream* and mashed raspberries

* either soy based yoghurt or ½ whipped cream and ½ Greek yoghurt.

Apple Mustard Sauce

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160127 Apple Mustard Sauce-1151Goes well with many dishes; chicken, vegetables, pork… Nice and crunchy.

150 ml quark
100 ml mayonnaise
2-3 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
12 walnuts
1 apple, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1. Mix the quark, mayonnaise, mustard and seasoning.
2. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan, cut into quarters or smaller.
3. Place the apples in a bowl with the lemon juice. Add the celery. Pour the quark mix on top.
4. Stir most of the walnut pieces into the mix but leave a few out for decorations.

Chevre Dip

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160127 Chevre Dip-1124
Delicious to serve as a dip with crackers/raw cut up vegetables or as a sauce together with your meal (salmon, meat, vegetables…).

100 g chevre
100 ml crème fraiche
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
½ pomegranate, seeds

1. Soften the pomegranate by squeezing/rolling the fruit between your hands. Cut in half and squeeze out the seeds into a bowl.
2. Mix the crème fraiche and the chevre with a fork. Add the onion, then the spices.
3. Stir in most of the seeds from the pomegranate but leave some for the decoration.

Roasted Vegetables

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160127 Roasted Vegetables-1125Anything goes here. I’ve put together a meal consisting of my favourite vegetables. The most important is to cut the vegetables in appropriate sizes so that they will be done at the same time. With this dish, I think that the Chevre Dip and the Apple Mustard Sauce goes really well.

1 red onion
1 large courgette
Chestnut mushrooms
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 large parsnip
3 Jerusalem artichokes
1 large carrot

Oven at 210 C

  1. Place all cut up vegetables on a large baking tray.
  2. Drizzel with oil, add some salt and pepper
  3. Roast in oven for 45-55 minutes (depending on the size of your vegetables).

Marvellous Midday Muffins

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151118 lunch EggMuffins0623

 
This recipe was part of a great brunch my daughter served me a while back.
 
Serves 4 – makes 12 small muffins

8 mild sweet piquante peppers
6 mushrooms
3 shallots
Fresh spinach, a handful
8 eggs
20 pecan nuts, chopped
 
4 slices prosciutto ham
 

  1. Oven at 200C
  2. Chop peppers, mushrooms, shallots and spinach and place in greased muffin tins.
  3. Pour whisked eggs on top (fill up to max 2/3 of the tins)
  4. Top with the pecans.
  5. Bake in oven 12-15 minutes or until slightly browned.
  6. Place one muffin on the serving plate, the ham on top and then the other two muffins on top.

Old Fashion Apple Pie

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151118 Cinnamon Apple Cake with Vanilla Cream-0731

A wonderful, sweet pie with a layer of cinnamon flavoured cake on top
4 apples, cut into thin slices

100 g butter
½ vanilla pod
175 ml sugar
120 g gluten free flour mix
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash of salt

1 large egg, whisked

Whipped cream
A few drops of vanilla essence

1 tsp cinnamon, to dust the ready pie

Oven at 180 C

  1. Grease a pie tin and place the apple slices on the bottom
  2. Melt the butter
  3. Split open the vanilla pod, scoop out the seeds, add to the melted butter and let cool
  4. Combine all dry ingredients
  5. Add the cooled butter and remaining ingredients together
  6. Spread the mix over the apple slices.
  7. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes.
  8. Before serving, dust the pie with some extra cinnamon.
  9. Serve with whipped cream flavoured with a few drops of vanilla.

151118 i receptet Cinnamon Apple Cake with Vanilla Cream-0712

Spiced Artichoke Hearts Dip

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Artichoke dipp DSC_8661

To be served as a nibble with crisps. Or really with anything you might like. Can be used as a wonderful spread on canapés, a cold sauce with a tuna steak and in many other ways. Should be stored refrigerated with a tight cling film wrapping.

1 can of artichoke hearts (300 g)
30 ml lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
30 ml olive oil
Salt and black pepper
5 large basil leaves
(some chili for a bit of heat)

Crisps or vegetables to go with the dip

  1. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until smooth.
  2. Chill

Aubergine Rolls with Chanterelles and Pine Nuts

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Stuffed Aubergine Rolls DSC_8334

These Aubergine Rolls are easy to make and can be filled with many different kinds of stuffing. They may be served hot or cold.

Serves 4

2 aubergines
Olive oil to fry in

Chanterells
Pine nuts, toasted (in oven or in a dry pan) for the stuffing
Pine nuts, toasted, for decorations
Crème Fraiche
Salt and pepper

  1. Slice the aubergines quite thin (5 mm)
  2. Fry in oil until golden brown
  3. To absorb some of the oil, place on paper towels
  4. In a separate pan, fry the chanterelles
  5. Add some crème fraiche and let cook for a 1-2 minutes.
  6. Season
  7. Add the pine nuts to the chanterelle mix.
  8. At one end of an aubergine slice, place a small spoonful of chanterelle mix, then roll it up. Do the same for all the slices.
  9. Serve on plates and decorate with pine nuts.

Cauliflower Spiced Rice with Tomato and Cinnamon Chutney

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Cauliflower rice DSC_8795

To get the best result for the rice, make sure you use a large enough frying pan so that the cauliflower can be fried in a thin layer. The chutney recipe is simple but delicious. The cinnamon provides an interesting, different flavour but don’t forget to discard it after about 15 minutes as it will overpower all other flavours otherwise. Can be served with marinated tofu (see previous recipes) or maybe a few pices of grilled halloumi cheese.

“Rice”:
Cauliflower, 1 medium size head (about 1 kilo)
2 red onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp ginger, finely grated
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

150 g Cashews
Chili flakes
1 tbsp honey

Parsley, chopped

  1. In a food processor, blitz the cauliflower crowns (the stalks and hard core removed) into small, grain like pieces.
  2. Using a large pan and some olive oil, fry onion until soft, add garlic and then ginger.
  3. Turn up heat – add the blitzed cauliflower rice and fry over high heat , constantly stirring, until slightly coloured. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. In separate pan, toast the cashews, when done add honey and chili flakes.
  5. Combine all plus the chopped parsley.

Chutney:
12 tomatoes (1 kilo), quartered
1 onion, halved and sliced
50 ml red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 cinnamon stick
chili flakes

  1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and let simmer on low heat for 40 minutes.
  2. After 15 minutes, discard the cinnamon stick.

This chutney may be served hot or cold.

Grilled Halloumi: IMG_7661

Buckwheat Corn Fritters with Sweet Chilli Sauce

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Accompanied by a tangy, sweet chilly sauce these little fritters are perfect on your BBQ buffet. Make them very small and you have a great finger food! Can be made dairy free by omitting the cheese (or substitute with dairy free mozzarella style “cheese”).

Serve as part of a BBQ buffet together with:
Nutty Guacamole Pie, Cognac BBQ Marinade, Spicy Plum Chutney, Marinated Tofu and Berry Crumble Yogurt.

Cornfritters
225 g canned Sweet Corn
50 g buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
¼ tsp chilli powder
50 g grated cheese
1 tsp cornflour mixed into a little cold water
Salt
Rape seed or cornflower oil

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a (non-stick) pan
  3. Drop a spoonful of mixture into the pan and cook over medium heat both sides until browned.

Sweet Chilli Sauce
The limejuice and the bell pepper provides some sweetness in this sauce but you may also add 50 ml sugar or 20 ml honey.

1 red chilli, for a milder sauce, remove the seeds
2 garlic cloves
1/2 red bell pepper
50 ml rice vinegar
50 ml limejuice
200 ml water
A pinch of salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with a little water

1. Combine all ingredients (except the cornstarch) in a food processor and blend together.
2. Transfer into sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the cornstarch/water mix and stir while boiling for another minute.
4. Cool and refrigerate.

Nutty Guacamole Pie

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A most amazing pie!! Unfortunately, I cannot take credit for this recipe. I found it in a magazine many years ago and have been making it, with slight variations, for years. It is the perfect summer dish – you may add any of your favourite vegetable to it! You may use salted, roasted cashews but then you must omit the salt in the recipe.

Serve as part of a BBQ buffet together with:
Buckwheat Corn Fritters with Sweet and Spicy Chilli Sauce, Cognac BBQ Marinade, Spicy Plum Chutney, Marinated Tofu and Berry Crumble Yogurt.

The Crust:
1 sweet potato, peeled
2 carrots
1 red apple
300 ml roasted cashews
½ lemon, juiced
½ tsp of salt

Guacamole:
½ red onion
1 ripe tomato
2 ripe avocados, stone removed
1 small garlic clove, crushed
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper

Garnish:
Tomatoes
Rocket salad
Red onion, sliced
Flat leaf parsley, shredded
Roasted macadamia, pine or pecans nuts

  1. Set oven to 175C
  2. Cut all vegetables for the crust in smaller pieces and place in a food processor together with the cashews. Process until smooth. Add the lemon juice. Place in pie dish. Bake in over for about 45 minutes. Let cool.
  3. Process all ingredients for the Guacamole in a blender. Spread on top of cooled crust.
  4. Add the garnish.

Enjoy!

The crust can be prepared in advance. The guacamole may also be made a day ahead but make sure to place some tight fitting cling film on top to prevent the avocado from discolouring.

Cognac BBQ Marinade

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This marinade will bring lots of flavour to, as well as tenderize, the meat of your choice.

Serve as part of a BBQ buffet together with:
Buckwheat Corn Fritters with Sweet and Spicy Chilli Sauce, Nutty Guacamole Pie, Spicy Plum Chutney, Marinated Tofu and Berry Crumble Yogurt.

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tbsp maple syrup
5 tbsp Cognac
3 tbsp of Gluten Free Soy Sauce
A few drops of Tabasco (optional)
1 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ cm of fresh ginger, finely grated
100 ml olive oil

  1. Combine all the ingredients, pour over meat in a plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, turning the bag over from time to time.
  2. Before grilling, allow the meat to return to room temperature. Dry off the meat with a paper towel.
  3. During the grilling, baste with the excess marinade.

Spicy Plum Chutney

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A great condiment on the BBQ! A pinch of added sugar will bring out the flavour (but, personally, I seldom cook with sugar).

Serve as part of a BBQ buffet together with:
Buckwheat Corn Fritters with Sweet and Spicy Chilli Sauce, Nutty Guacamole Pie, Cognac BBQ Marinade, Marinated Tofu and Berry Crumble Yogurt.

2 onions, sliced
300 g red plums, stones removed and quartered
2 medium sized courgettes, sliced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, shredded
Salt and black pepper

1-2 tbsp olive oil to sauté in

Sauté onions, plums and courgettes. When soft, add remaining ingredients and let simmer in sauté pan 7-8 minutes or until until everything is soft and the flavours well blended. Serve hot or cold.