ventagli di melanzane
4 aubergines, ideally the long kind
coarse sea salt
3 vine ripened tomatoes
1 yellow and 1 red pepper
100g/4oz stone in green olives, sliced
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh basil
toasted pine nuts, optional
Method
1. Lay the aubergines on their sides. To create the fan effect, make parallel cuts about 10mm/½in apart, cutting not quite all the way through from the stalk end to the bottom.
2. Push some coarse sea salt into each slit and place the aubergines, slit side down, over a colander or on a plate placed at an angle, to allow the bitter juices to drain out. After 20-30 minutes, remove the salt, wash the aubergines and carefully pat the inside of the cuts dry.
3. Meantime preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and prepare the vegetables. Slice the tomatoes and garlic and cut the peppers into strips. Stone the olives and cut into rings.
4. Place the vegetables inside the cuts you made in the aubergines, starting with the peppers and making sure you place some red and some yellow peppers in each cut. Place all the rest of the vegetables in the cuts, distributing evenly till you have used them all up.
5. Oil a shallow casserole and place the aubergines, cut side up in the dish. Lay them side by side in a dish which just holds them nicely packed. If yours is too big, place balls of aluminium foil or pieces of raw potato in between to help them stay vegetable-filled sides uppermost.
6. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with plenty of olive oil. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 45-60 minutes. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving topped with a few fresh basil leaves, and scattered with toasted pine nuts if you like. Serve when they have cooled to just lukewarm.
Tips:
Dry peeling tomatoes: if the tomatoes have ripened on the plant in strong sun, they have a thick peel that is easily removed without blanching. Just rub all over the tomato with the back of a knife to loosen the skin from the flesh, then use the pointed tip to lift off the skin.
Removing the smell of garlic from your hands: use a safe stainless steel utensil or spoon as if it were a bar of soap and 'wash' your hands with it under cold running water. Works like magic!
Removing the aubergine flesh: you may prefer to use a spoon to scoop out the flesh; a grapefruit spoon is ideal. The smaller you chop the dice, the better amalgamated your filling will be.
Cooking time: adjust the timing downwards if you are using 4 small aubergines rather than 2 large ones.
Christmas crostini
1/2 long baguette, cut into 6mm/¼ slices
60ml/4 tbsp olive oil
2-3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and drained
6 black olives, stoned and chopped
5ml/1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
15ml/1 tbsp orange-flavoured oil*
15ml/1 tbsp white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled but left whole
1 red pepper, roasted, de-seeded and cut into strips
a few fresh chives
*If you can't find orange-flavoured oil, substitute a teaspoon of very finely chopped orange zest
1. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and grill lightly on both sides until golden brown. (Alternatively, place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for about 10-15 minutes.)
2. Finely chop the tomatoes and mix together with the olives, thyme orange-flavoured oil and vinegar and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Rub the peeled garlic onto the top side of each slice of toasted bread.
4. Arrange the tomato mixture on the top and decorate with criss-crossed strips of roasted red pepper and chives to serve.
Salad of radicchio, chicory and rocket
1 head radicchio, finely sliced
2 heads chicory cut in 2.5cm/1in pieces
handful of rocket leaves
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp aged red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 shallot, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Mix the three salad leaves and place in a bowl.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients and spoon enough dressing over the salad to lightly coat the leaves and toss to combine
Chestnut and chocolate ice cream with apricot sauce
For the ice cream
225g/8oz quality plain chocolate
60ml/4 tbsp maple syrup
225g/8oz canned chestnut pureé
500ml/18fl oz double cream, whipped
30ml/2 tbsp kirsch
3 free-range egg whites (optional)
225g/8oz whole tinned chestnuts in syrup, drained (save a few for decoration)
For the sauce
450g/16oz tinned apricots in natural juice
30ml/2 tbsp apple juice concentrate
Method
1. For the ice cream, melt the chocolate into the maple syrup over a pan of hot water or in a bain-marie. Blend well together and stir into the chestnut pureegrave;. Beat in the cream and kirsch. (Whisk the egg whites until stiff and then fold into the mixture, if using.)
2. Freeze for two hours in a shallow tray covered with foil. Meanwhile, make the apricot sauce.
3. Scrape out the ice cream mixture and blend in a mixer until smooth. Put in a bowl and stir in the chopped chestnuts. Spoon into a mould, cover and freeze for 30 minutes before serving. Loosen the mould by slipping it into hot water. Turn onto a serving dish and decorate with reserved chestnuts (halved) and apricot sauce.
4. For the apricot sauce, strain the apricots from their juice. Place apricots and apple juice concentrate together and blend in a food processor until smooth.
chocolate roulade
For the roulade:
175g/6oz plain chocolate
5 eggs, separated
175g/6oz caster sugar
For the filling:
284ml/ carton double cream
2 tbsp Irish cream liqueur
For the decoration:
icing sugar, for dusting
holly leaves or other suitable chocolate decorations
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a 33x 23cm/13x9in Swiss roll tin with non-stick parchment. Melt the plain chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of hot water or in the microwave on High for about 2 ½ minutes.
2. Put the yolks and sugar in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk with an electric hand which until the mixture leaves a trail when blades are lifted, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted chocolate.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks. Whisk a large spoonful into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest.
4. Pour the mixture into the tin and shake gently to spread the mixture into the corners. Bake for 20 minutes until firm. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin, covered loosely with greaseproof paper or foil, for about 3 hours.
5. Whip the cream until it just holds its shape, then stir in the liqueur. Put a large sheet of greaseproof on the work surface, turn out the roulade, peel off the backing paper. Spread with the cream. With a short side towards you, mark an indent across the top 2.5cm/1 inch in, then lift the paper and use to roll the roulade. Dust with icing sugar; decorate with chocolate leaves until it just holds its shape
by James Martin.
Spinach and Goat's Cheese Pie
250g spinach leaves, frozen, finely chopped
375g pre-rolled, ready-made puff pastry
1 tbsp Couscous, uncooked
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper
150g Goat's cheese, with rind, or Camembert, cut into chunks
3 pinches Nutmeg, freshly ground
1 egg, beaten
Defrost the spinach, which can easily be done in a microwave. Strain in a sieve and press to squeeze out extra moisture.
Preheat oven to 220C/gas 7. Lay the pastry out flat and cut into two equal rectangles. Place one rectangle on a baking sheet. Spread the spinach evenly over the surface, leaving a border all the way around. Sprinkle over the uncooked couscous (the couscous helps absorb any extra moisture from the spinach). Season thoroughly with salt, pepper and lots of nutmeg. Arrange goat's cheese or Camembert chunks on the spinach.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll the remaining pastry out slightly to make it a touch thinner in thickness. Place over the top of the filling, and using your fingers, press to seal and trim off any untidy edges. Use a fork to press all the way round the edge. Brush all over with beaten egg.
Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until deep golden and puffed all over.
Bombay potatoes
4 tbsp oil
1/4tsp mustard seeds
2 pinches of chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
350g/12oz potatoes, boiled and quartered
salt to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a pan on a medium heat setting. To check that the oil is hot enough, sprinkle in a few mustard seeds, if they pop the oil is ready. Then add the remainder of the mustard seeds. Add the chilli and turmeric powders to the sizzling seeds, and salt to taste. Fry this pungent mixture of oil and spices for 1 minute then add the potatoes. Fry for about 4 minutes until the potatoes are smothered in seeds and appear to have crispy edges. They will look quite yellow in colour. Cover the pan and on a low heat, cook the potatoes for a further 5 minutes. Serve immediately.