Chocolate and Ginger Cheesecake

Posted on 12 August 2015 by Linda Peek

With a food processor this dessert is quick to make. Really chocolatey and not too sweet.

Crust:
125g Ginger Nut biscuits
50g butter
Filling:
250g mascarpone or sour cream
500g ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2-3 Tbs sugar, to taste
150g dark chocolate, melted in microwave
2-3 Tbs crystallised ginger, chopped
To serve:
Labneh
Icing sugar
Crystallised ginger or stem ginger in syrup, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 170°C. Place biscuits in food processor and process until fine. Melt butter in microwave, mix in biscuit crumbs then tip into a 20cm (8″) springform pan which has been greased and bottom lined with baking paper. Press the mixture evenly over the base of the tin. Bake for 10 mins.

While biscuit crust is cooking make filling. Wipe out the food processor. Place all ingredients except ginger in processor and mix till well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides halfway. Add chopped ginger and process briefly, just to combine.

When ready remove biscuit base from the oven tip in the filling and smooth the top. Return to the oven for 30 mins or until just set, but still a bit wobbly when shaken. Cool cheesecake, then refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Dust the top of the cheesecake with icing sugar. Serve with Labneh or whipped cream, with some chopped ginger and a little icing sugar mixed in.

Serves 10-12

Carpaccio with Fig, Walnut Pesto and Goat’s Cheese Mousse

Posted on 15 July 2015 by Linda Peek

Aubergine is considered one of the best, if not the best, restaurant in Canberra, depending on whom you ask. Chef Ben Willis consistently uses four main ingredients to create his dishes. This contrasts with some other popular Canberra restaurants which, in my view, put too many flavours on the plate. The result is very “bitty” and not at all memorable.

This recipe was inspired by a dish I was served at Aubergine recently when we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. As part of a four course degustation, the serving was small so I’ve increased the quantities to make a more substantial and certainly more rustic starter or light lunch. The four main ingredients are beef, walnuts, fig and a creamy mousse. I’m not sure how they made the mousse so I had to guess.

A bottle of 2013 Hilltops Shiraz from Clonakilla, one of Australia’s leading small wineries located in the Canberra district, went well with this dish.

4 fresh figs
150-200g trimmed fillet of beef (see note)
150ml whipping cream
50g soft goat’s cheese
1 Tbs black sesame seeds or pink peppercorns (see note)
Extra Virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Walnut Pesto:
1 cup walnut halves or pieces
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Trim meat, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for an hour, then slice very thinly and press each slice flat with the palm of the hand.

Make pesto: place walnuts and garlic in food processor and chop finely. With motor running add oil through the feed chute until you have the consistency of pesto. Season to taste.

Cut tops off the figs and, if necessary, trim a little off the bottoms so they sit flat. Arrange one in the middle of four serving plates. Spread some walnut pesto in a halo around each fig, then arrange some beef slices on top, slightly overlapping.

Whip cream till thick then add goat’s cheese and whip just enough to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using two spoons or an ice-cream scoop dipped in hot water, arrange an “egg” of mousse on top of each fig.

Place black sesame seeds or pink peppercorns in a spice grinder or coffee grinder and pulverise. Sprinkle some over the goat’s cheese mousse and the beef.

Drizzle a little lemon juice over the beef and a little Extra Virgin olive oil around the edge of each plate. Serve with fresh bread or toast.

Serves 4

Note: to end up with a piece of trimmed fillet weighing 150-200g you will need to start with a bigger piece. I bought one kilo and after trimming ended up with the piece I used for the carpaccio, two nice thick steaks and a bag of strips to make Stroganoff, which I froze to use on other occasions.

Black sesame seeds are sold in Asian shops and pink peppercorns, which and not really peppercorns at all, are available at specialty shops such as The Essential Ingredient. Black sesame seeds would have made a better colour contrast to the beef, but I had run out so had to find something else in the pantry.

Cubanos

Posted on 1 July 2015 by Linda Peek

We recently watched a movie called Chef starring Jon Favreau who was also the writer and director.

Favreau plays an amiable chef who works in a high-end restaurant in Los Angeles. The owner of the restaurant – a controlling, nasty piece of work played by Dustin Hoffman – forces the chef to cook dated dishes he doesn’t want to cook and they end up getting a very bad review.

Encouraged by his Cuban ex-wife the chef quits his job and starts a mobile food truck business with a friend, selling Cuban fast food. It’s a huge success, the chef reconnects with his 10 year old son, remarries his gorgeous ex-wife and everyone lives happily ever after.

The toasted sandwiches called “Cubanos” looked so delicious I decided to do some research and make them for Café Cat. They’re pretty high in cholesterol so I wouldn’t recommend eating them every day!

Cubanos were often eaten for lunch by workers in sugar mills and cigar factories in Cuba in the late 1800s. They are now popular in various parts of the United States, especially Miami.

In the movie they made them with Cuban bread, which looked like a wide baguette called a Flute in France. Any roast pork will do, but if you want authentic Cubanos make the Cuban version below.

I once watched Nigella Lawson make toasted sandwiches in a frying pan with a chopping board and a weight on top. I couldn’t help wondering why she didn’t jusr buy a proper sandwich press. They aren’t expensive and allow you to make toasted sandwiches with any kind of bread or wrap.

Cubanos

Baguettes or large bread rolls
Sliced roast pork (see below)
Sliced ham
Sliced Swiss cheese
Sliced dill pickles
Your favourite mustard
Melted butter

Split baguettes lengthwise and cut into sandwich lengths – about 15cm – or split the bread rolls. Heat up a sandwich press until hot. On one side of the sandwich place a layer of ham, a layer of sliced pork, a layer of sliced cheese and then a few sliced pickles. Spread mustard generously on the other half, then stick the sandwich together. Brush both sides with melted butter, place in sandwich press, close lid and cook until the bread is golden brown and cheese is melting. Serve immediately.

Cuban Roast Pork

2-2½ kg pork shoulder roast
4 tsp salt
1 cup lemon, lime or Seville orange juice
1 bay leaf
3 tsp oregano
3 tsp ground cumin
15-20 cloves garlic, depending on size, peeled

Stab meat all over with a sharp knife to make deep holes. In a food processor or blender blend salt, fruit juice, bay leaf, oregano and cumin. Pour over the pork and rub in well, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next day remove pork from fridge and let come to room temperature for a good hour. Preheat oven to 140°C, tip off the marinade and reserve. Roast meat, uncovered for 4-5 hours or until well done. Baste often with the reserved marinade and turn occasionally. Remove from the oven and put the pork on a plate or cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest. This pork is enough to feed a crowd with Cubanos.

Banoffee Pie

Posted on 20 May 2015 by Linda Peek

Condensed milk which has been cooked until it turns into a thick caramel is called Dulce de Leche in South America.

It’s popular all over the region and sold commercially in large quantities. I first came across it when we were living in Chile, where they call it Manjar. Many traditional desserts in Chile use Manjar and some people eat it like jam on bread or toast. It’s sold in supermarkets in various sizes, in toughened plastic or foil bags.

Here in Australia Dulce de Leche is sold in a few specialty shops, but it’s easy, if a little time-consuming, to make. Place two unopened tins of condensed milk in a large saucepan, cover with water and boil for two to two and a half hours. The tins must be fully submerged at all times because, as Nigella Lawson says, you don’t want to have to clean caramel off the ceiling. Nigella suggests you boil a few tins at a time as they keep indefinitely until opened. But if you can’t be bothered making your own Dulce de Leche, buy Nestlé’s caramel filling instead. It’s not quite the same, but it’s close.

With biscuits and caramel in the store cupboard, cream in the fridge and a couple of bananas in the fruit bowl, you can whip up a Banoffee Pie in a jiffy.

200g Digestive biscuits (plain or chocolate coated)
60g unsalted butter, melted
1 tin Dulce de Leche (see method above) or use Nestlé’s Caramel Filling
½ cup cream
2 large bananas, sliced
300ml thickened or whipping cream
Chocolate to grate

Crush biscuits until fine in food processor. Mix with melted butter then spread evenly over the bottom of an 8″ (20cm) pie or flan dish and press down firmly. Chill in the fridge until set.

Heat Dulce de Leche or caramel filling in a small saucepan with the half cup of cream and whisk till smooth with a hand whisk. Allow to cool, then spread caramel over the biscuit base. Slice bananas and arrange over the caramel. Whip cream until soft peaks form then spread or dollop over the bananas. Decorate with grated chocolate. If preferred spread the whipped cream on first with the banana slices on top, then the chocolate, which is what I’ve done in the photo.

Serves 6-8

Alternative presentation: layer crumbs, caramel, whipped cream, banana and grated chocolate in short whisky tumblers. This free-form method makes it easy to halve the recipe which will serve 4-6, depending on size of the tumblers. If you want to cut down on fat and calories, just use biscuit crumbs in the bottom and leave out the butter.

Tomahawk Steak with Whisky-Glazed Carrots

Posted on 29 April 2015 by Linda Peek

Aldi had Tomahawk steaks on special so I bought one. Never having cooked this cut of beef before, I had a look on Google and learnt that it’s the rib-eye or Scotch fillet with the bone left in.

There was a fair amount of fat on the meat so I decided to cook it simply, on a very hot BBQ, in order to render most of it off and crisp up the rest. The result was delicious and very tender.

Whisky-Glazed Carrots – an old recipe from the 1970s – and some good mustard completed the meal. We didn’t feel the need for potatoes or other accoutrements which might have detracted from the simple combination of succulent savoury beef with sweet carrots.

After a week of abstinence, a very good bottle of Padthaway Shiraz we had been saving for a special occasion, or in this case no occasion at all, went down a treat.

1 Tomahawk Steak weighing 1.3-1.5kg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g carrots cut into sticks
Juice and grated rind 2 oranges
1 tsp sugar or honey
2 Tbs whisky
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs butter
Snipped chives
To serve: your favourite mustard

Pre-heat BBQ on maximum for 10 minutes until very hot. For medium-rare, cook steak for 7-8 minutes each side, then a further 7-8 minutes each side. In addition, cook for about 5 minutes on the curved long side of the steak – you may need to hold it in place with some tongs while it cooks on this third side. Place on cutting board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile cook the carrots. Place in a saucepan with the orange rind and juice, sugar or honey, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until almost cooked. Remove lid, add whisky and butter and cook for a few minutes more, shaking pan often, until liquid has been absorbed and carrots are just cooked and slightly glazed. Add chives and serve.

Slice meat downwards, across the grain and serve with mustard and carrots.

Serves 4-6

Potato Cakes with Smoked Salmon & Sour Cream

Posted on 15 April 2015 by Linda Peek

Over the years I’ve tried lots of recipes for potato cakes, latkes and rostis. Some used whole eggs and plain flour, while others used none of the above. None of them have ever quite hit the mark.

This recipe, based on one from Yotam Ottolenghi, uses egg whites and cornflour and from now on I won’t use any other. He uses a combination of grated potatoes and parsnip, but I used all potatoes and they were delicious. Ottolenghi says to use Desiree potatoes. I used Kipflers from the garden, because that’s what I had, and they worked well.

Serve one potato cake as a starter, or two as a light lunch or supper, perhaps accompanied by a cucumber salad. The potato cakes are best served immediately, but you can make them ahead and reheat them briefly in a hot oven.

500-600g peeled potatoes, coarsely grated
2 egg whites
1 rounded Tbs cornflour
1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs snipped chives
40g butter
4 Tbs vegetable oil
To serve:
Smoked Salmon
Sour Cream
Chives

Tip grated potatoes onto a clean tea towel, draw in the sides and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. Place potatoes in a bowl with the egg whites, cornflour, salt, pepper and chives and mix well.

Heat half the butter and half the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan. Make three or four potato cakes using about 3 Tbs of mixture for each and about half the mixture. Cook for 2-4 mins each side over medium heat, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven. Add remaining butter and oil to the pan and make three or four more potato cakes.

Serve potato cakes (one or two per person) topped with smoked salmon, sour cream and a couple of chives.

Makes 6-8 potato cakes

Spanish Tomato and Jamon Salad

Posted on 1 April 2015 by Linda Peek

This colourful salad is perfect for late summer entertaining, when tomatoes are at their best and you may have some in the garden.

250g baby tomatoes (preferably some red, some yellow)
4 slices Spanish Jamon or Prosciutto
About 16 black olives, stoned if preferred
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Basil and flat leaf parsley to garnish
Dressing:
1 Tbs sherry or red wine vinegar
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small clove garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Halve tomatoes and arrange on one shallow serving dish or 2 individual plates.

Cut jamon slices into about 4 pieces and arrange in between the tomatoes. Scatter with the olives and onion. Shake dressing ingredients in a jar and drizzle over. Garnish with the torn basil and parsley leaves and serve with crusty bread.

Serves 2 as a starter or 4 as a side dish

Variation: add some cubes of Spanish manchego cheese. Or feta or goat’s cheese.

Baked Cauliflower with Cheese and Bacon

Posted on 25 March 2015 by Linda Peek

If you’re a fan of cauliflower cheese you will like this one.

I’m sure it would be delicious as a side dish, but we’ve eaten it about four times in the past month as a main course, when we felt like a mainly vegetarian evening meal. For anyone following a low carb diet this ticks all the boxes.

1 large cauliflower cut into flowerets
8 slices bacon, diced and fried in a little oil till starting to go crispy
6 Tbs snipped chives
½ cup mayonnaise (preferably home-made)
½ cup sour cream or cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large pot boil water and cook cauliflower for about 8 minutes or until al dente, drain and let cool. In a large bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, half the bacon, half the chives and half the grated cheese. Lastly add the cauliflower and carefully mix well. Tip into a shallow greased lasagne-type dish and cover with remaining cheese and bacon. Can be made ahead to this point and kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours, covered.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with remaining chives and serve. If it has been refrigerated it will need to bake for about half an hour.

Serves 4-6

Smoked Salmon with Mango & Avocado

Posted on 11 March 2015 by Linda Peek

My Swiss friend Esther served this simple but delicious starter for a ladies lunch she hosted. You can use smoked salmon or smoked trout and the recipe is easy to halve for two people. Served with a rocket salad and some crusty bread it’s enough for a light lunch.

2 ripe but firm avocados in 1cm dice
1 spring onion (white part and a bit of the green), finely chopped
2 tsp fresh coriander, chopped
Juice of 1 lime or half a lemon
2 ripe but firm mangoes in 1cm dice
1 small red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 slices smoked salmon or trout
To serve:
Lemon or lime wedges
Fresh chives
Extra Virgin olive oil

Arrange four stacking rings on serving plates. Mix avocado with spring onion, coriander and lime or lemon juice. Season to taste then divide among the stacking rings and press down firmly with a spoon. Mix mango with chilli, place on top of the avocado and press down. Top each serving with a slice of smoked salmon or trout. Remove stacking ring then garnish plates with a lemon or lime wedge, a couple of pieces of fresh chive and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4

Sweet & Salty Cheesecakes with Cherries & Crumble

Posted on 3 December 2014 by Linda Peek

Adapted from a recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi, these Sweet and Salty Cheesecakes with Cherries and Crumble are delicious. The saltiness of the feta cheese and the final drizzle of olive oil gives this dessert the sophisticated Mediterranean flourish I have come to expect from recipes by this innovative chef.

The three components can be made in advance and the dessert put together at the last minute, making it perfect for entertaining. Leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge if they’re not polished off sooner by family members foraging for sustenance.

Instead of cherries you could use any fresh or poached fruit, such as sliced strawberries, poached rhubarb or peaches. For maximum impact serve in Martini or tall parfait glasses, although Ottolenghi just serves it scooped onto small flat plates.

Choose your best, fruity Extra Virgin olive oil to drizzle on top. You may be thinking “Olive oil, on a dessert?” but just try it.

Cream Cheese Mixture:
200g feta cheese
250g cream cheese (at room temp)
Grated rind and juice 1 large lemon
2-3 Tbs caster sugar, to taste
250ml thick cream (1 cup)
Cherry Compote:
680g jar Morello cherries in syrup (see note below)
1 Tbs sugar
Juice 1 large lemon
4 whole star anise
3 Tbs Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional)
1 rounded Tbs Arrowroot + 3 Tbs cold water
Crumble:
125g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup Plain flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup slivered or flaked almonds
1 Tbs sesame seeds (preferably black ones)
Good pinch salt
To serve:
A few fresh berries (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive oil

Place feta, cream cheese, sugar, lemon rind and juice in food processor and mix till smooth. In a small bowl, whip cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Scrape cream into food processor and mix for a few seconds, just enough to thoroughly combine with the cheese mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides. Scrape into a container with a lid and refrigerate till serving time.

Drain and reserve cherries. Place juice in a small saucepan with sugar, lemon juice and star anise. Simmer for 5-10 mins then strain and discard the star anise. Put back in pan with the cherries. Add combined arrowroot and water and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add liqueur, pour into a container with a lid and refrigerate till serving time.

Pre-heat oven to 180ºC. Place flour, butter and brown sugar in food processor and process until it starts to clump together. Add nuts, sesame seeds and salt and process briefly to combine. Line a biscuit tray with baking paper. Tip out the crumble and spread out evenly. Bake for 10-20 minutes or until evenly golden brown. After 10 minutes move the crumble around with a fork, bringing the more cooked sides into the middle. Cool then store in a container with a lid.

To serve, place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture in 6-8 glasses. Top with some of the cherries, a few fresh berries (optional) and lastly sprinkle with crumble. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8

Note: I used a jar of cherries from Aldi, but in season you can use fresh cherries, stoned and cooked with a little more sugar, or frozen ones if you can find them. The fruit will probably make enough juice as it cooks, but if not add a dash of water. Arrowroot is sold in the baking section of most supermarkets.

Variation: instead of using cherries slice a couple of punnets of strawberries and put them in a bowl. Add sugar to taste and a splash of white balsamic vinegar and leave to macerate for an hour or so.