Carpaccio Di Ananas E Fragole

Recipe courtesy of Hello Magazine.

Serves : 4

Ingredients – Honey Syrup :
6 tblsp water
100g / 4oz caster sugar
2 tblsp honey

Ingredients – Fruit :
1 small pineapple, peeled and cored
1 punnet strawberries
4 scoops of sorbet (perhaps raspberry)

Method :

For the syrup, place the water, sugar and honey in a heavy pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Boil rapidly until the syrup turns golden brown, remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Drizzle over 4 serving plates.

To prepare the fruit, slice the pineapple as thinly as possible, using a food slicer – and slice the strawberries. Arrange on serving plates in a flower pattern and add a scoop of sorbet in the centre. Serve at once.

Grilled Peach with Ginger Cream and Walnut Praline

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (May 2019)

A perfectly ripe peach is hard to find. In this recipe from Vegan for Good by Rita Serano, you can use peaches that are not entirely ripe, which is just, well, peachy! You’ll need a ridged griddle pan or panini maker.

Serves : 4

Grilled peaches

Ingredients :
350ml Coconut yogurt
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
Pinch of salt
60ml maple or brown rice syrup
6 ripe but firm peaches, halved and stoned

For the praline :
100g walnuts
2 tblsp maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Step One : In a bowl, combine the coconut yogurt with the fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), vanilla and salt. Set aside. (You can do this in advance and refrigerate).

Step Two : Roast the walnuts in a dry non-stick or cast-iron pan over a medium heat until golden brown. Stir frequently and, after 3-4 minutes, add the maple syrup and salt, stirring to coat all the nuts. Leave to cook for a further minute. Tip the walnuts out of the pan and spread them on baking paper to cool. Once cool, chop them roughly.

Step Three : Now, set your griddle pan or panini maker on high. The pan must be very hot before you grill the peaches. Lay the peaches cut side down on the pan and grill for about 3 minutes, or until grill marks appear. Serve the peaches with the soured cream, maple or brown rice syrup and the walnut praline.

Rhubarb and Raspberry Tart

Serves : 6

Prep : 40 min, plus chilling time; Cook : 20 min

This simple flan makes a delicious dessert. Semolina sprinkled on the pastry soaks up the fruit juices

Ingredients:
Rich Pastry:
3oz (175g) butter, softened
6oz (175g) plain flour, sieved
2 tblsp (30ml) sugar
1 egg yolk
About 2tbsp/30ml water

Filling:
1 lb (450g) rhubarb, cut into chunks
3oz/75g caster sugar
1 tblsp (15ml) cornflour, blended with water
1 tblsp (15ml) semolina
4oz (125g) raspberries
1oz (25g) flaked almonds, toasted
8in/20cm loose-bottomed flan tin.

Step One : Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, add the egg yolk, then start blending the mixture with a round bladed knife. As the mixture combines together add the water gradually to bring the mixture into a firm dough. Wrap in clingfilm and leave in a cool place for 30 minutes.

Step Two : Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and line the flan tin. Prick the base and line with greaseproof paper and baking beans. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Step Three : Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 350oF / 180oC. Cook the tart for 15 minutes, until golden, removing the greaseproof paper after 10 minutes.

Step Four : Meanwhile, place the rhubarb in a saucepan with the caster sugar. Add 3 tblsp (45ml) water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the rhubarb, reserving the juice.

Step Five : To make the glaze, mix 6 fl oz (175ml) of the reserved juice with the blended cornflour. Return to the saucepan and bring to the boil to allow the mixture to thicken.

Step Six : Sprinkle the semolina over the base of the cooked pastry case. Place the drained rhubarb in the tart, add the raspberries and sprinkle over the almonds. Pour over the glaze making sure it covers the fruit in an even layer.

Step Seven : Serve the tart warmed or chilled with crème fraiche.

Ginger and Hibiscus Poached Pears

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine taken from Feasts of Veg: Vibrant vegetarian recipes for gatherings

Poached pears look and taste stunning and are simple to make. Here, they are infused with aromatic fresh ginger and hibiscus tea, and served with vanilla ice cream.

Poached Pears Ingredients (Serves 4):

4 firm pears, peeled but stalks intact
1 ltr strong hibiscus tea (let it steep for 10 minutes)
1 tbsp pureed fresh ginger
1 tbsp pureed lemongrass (optional)
2 tbsp agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

To serve:-

Ice cream
Sprinkles of black sesame seeds

Put the pears in a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with the hibiscus tea and add the pureed ginger, pureed lemongrass, agave syrup and vanilla extract.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat but keep the pears in the syrup until serving.
The pears can be poached up to two days in advance, then cooled and kept, tightly covered, in the fridge.
Reheat gently before serving.
Carefully remove the pears from the syrup and serve with vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle the pears and ice cream with black sesame seeds.

Passion Fruit and Mango Brulée

Although you’ll save even more time by using canned mango, peeling and cutting a fresh one is well worth the few extra minutes – the taste and texture is so much better.

Serves : 4 : Prep : 6 mins : Cook : 4 mins : Cals per portion : 440

Ingredients: 1 large ripe mango; 2 x 200g tubs Greek yogurt; 2 passion fruit; 250g tub mascarpone cheese; 2 tbsp light Muscovado sugar

Cut flesh from mango. Put pieces into the base of four ramekin dishes.
Beat the Greek yogurt and the seeds and juice from the passion fruit into the mascarpone cheese to form a thick creamy mixture.
Spoon the yogurt mixture over the mango, then sprinkle the sugar over the top.
Grill until the sugar melts and forms a hard crispy caramel. Cool before serving.

Rhubarb and Apple Crumble

Serves : 4-6 : Prep : 15 mins : Cook : 20 min

Rhubarb and apple make a delightful combination of flavours in this traditional favourite.

Ingredients: 1 oz / 25g butter; 1 1/2 lb/ 700g rhubarb, chopped; 1 lb/450g cooking apples, peeled and sliced; 1 tsp/5ml ground ginger; 3oz / 75g caster sugar; 3 tblsp/45ml water Topping: 6oz / 175g plain flour; 3oz / 75g butter, softened; 3oz / 75g demerara sugar; 2oz / 50g ground almonds; 2pt / 1.2 litre ovenproof dish

Melt the butter in a pan over a gentle heat, then fry the rhubarb and apples. Add the ground ginger and caster sugar and simmer gently, covered, for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to Mark 6 / 400oF / 200oC.
To make the topping, sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and ground almonds.
Spoon the rhubarb mixture into the dish. Pile on the almond crumble, smoothing it to cover the fruit. Bake the crumble for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden.

Easy Upside Down Apricot Pudding

Always keep a couple of packets of sponge mix in the cupboard for a fast, easy pudding.

Stir 5 tbsp apricot jam into 225g / 8oz of no need to soak apricots and put into the base of a 1 1/2 pint pudding basin.
Make up 2 sponge mixes (you’ll find that one is not generous enough) according to the instructions on the packet and spread over the fruit.
Microwave on medium for about 8 minutes or bake in a tin half filled with water and entirely covered with foil at Mark 5 / 375oF/ 190oC for 40 minutes or until the sponge is risen, springy and firm to the touch.

A few things Apricotty and Puddinny that you may like …

Brie with Redcurrant Sauce

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 328; Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients: 8oz/225g Brie; 1 egg, size 3, beaten; 2oz/50g dried wholemeal breadcrumbs; 1oz/25g mixed chopped nuts; oil for deep frying; lambs lettuce to garnish.

For the sauce: 4 tblsp redcurrant jelly; 2 tblsp ruby port

Trim the brie into four equal triangles. Place the egg in a shallow dish and mix the breadcrumbs and nuts in another.
Dip the Brie into the egg to coat, then into crumb and nut mixture, making sure all the sides are well coated. Shake off any excess.
Heat the oil for deep-frying to 350oF / 180oC. Fry the Brie in two batches for 2-3 mins, or until the coating is golden. Drain well.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the redcurrant jelly and port in a pan until the jelly is melted.
Place the fried Brie on a serving plate, spoon a little sauce around it and garnish with lambs lettuce.
Serve with the remaining sauce.

Banoffee Pie

A crisp biscuit base filled with the delicious combination of chewy toffee, bananas, cream and chocolate, this pudding is a real winner! The filling takes a little time and attention to make – it needs to be stirred continuously to prevent it from burning – but it’s well worth the effort.

Serves: 10; Cost: £3.20; Time to prepare: 20 mins; Time to cook: 23-33 mins; Cals per portion: 510

Ingredients: Base: 225g (8oz) oaty biscuits like hobnobs crushed; 75g (3oz) butter, melted
Filling and Topping: 405g can skimmed sweetened condensed milk; 100g (4oz) butter; 45ml (3 tbsp) maple syrup; 300ml (1/2 pt) double cream; 2 small bananas, peeled and sliced; 15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice; cocoa powder and chocolate curls

1. To make the base, place the crushed biscuits in a large bowl and stir in the melted butter. Mix thoroughly then press mixture into the base and up the sides of a 20cm (8in) greased loosed-based fluted flan tin. Chill while making the pie filling.
2. To make the filling, place the condensed milk and the butter in a heavy-based pan and heat, stirring all the time, until the butter has melted. Simmer very gently, stirring all the time for 20-30 mins until the mixture thickens and turns a caramel colour.
3. Stir the maple syrup and 30ml (2 tbsp) of the double cream into the mixture and leave to cool for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Then spread the cooled mixture into the prepared biscuit case and level the surface. Leave to cool completely.
4. Toss the banana slices in the lemon juice then arrange them over the cooled filling. Whip the rest of the cream until softly peaking, then spoon in large swirls over the bananas. Dust thickly with the cocoa powder and decorate with the chocolate curls.

Sweet Sherry Apple Fritters

A recipe by Gary Rhodes from Sunday Magazine.

I’m sure you’ve eaten apple fritters before but not with a sherry-based batter. To make the flavour really strong, I also like to soak the apples in neat sherry for 30 minutes. You can imagine the wonderful rich flavour of the apples. I find that they go very well with pouring cream, vanilla ice cream or yogurt ice cream, which really lifts the sherry taste.

Serves 4

Ingredients: 2 eating apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2 in (1.5cm) thick rings or 8 wedges; 4 tblsp sweet sherry; 2 eggs, size 2; 4 oz (100g) self-raising flour; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional; 1 oz (25g) caster sugar; Oil for deep frying; 1 tblsp icing sugar, optional

Soak the apples in the sherry for 30 minutes. Drain off the sherry and put to one side.
For the batter, beat together the eggs, flour, cinnamon, if you’re using it, and caster sugar. Add the sherry. Dip and coat the apples in batter. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180oC/350oF and fry the fritters until golden. It’s best to cook 4-5 fritters at a time and then keep them warm in a pre-heated oven while the rest are cooking.
Sprinkle on icing sugar, if you’re using it.

In honour of it being a Gary Rhodes recipe, here is a recipe book of Gary’s