Alex MacKay
Bruschetta Toppings
Basil pesto
2 bunches of basil, picked
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Mix together in a mortar and pestle or a food processor as fine or coarsely as you like and season to taste, conserve covered with olive oil or freeze.
Tapenade
¾ cup of pitted black olives
2 cloves of garlic peeled
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil '
Puree together in a food processor, you will not need to season it.
Anchoiade
¼ cup anchovies well rinsed and finely chopped
1 large bunch of parsley, picked and finely chopped
½ cup olive oil
Method
Mix all of the ingredients together
Chili Eggplant
2 large eggplant, peeled and cut into strips
1 small red chili seeded and finely chopped
½ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Method
Mix all of the ingredients together then cook over a very gentle heat for 20 minutes.
Add salt to taste chill and reserve.
Olives in Orange Juice
1½ cups calamata olives
1 cup orange juice reduced by half
1 small bunch of oregano picked and finely chopped
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
Method
Mix all of the ingredients together.
Hummus
400 g cooked garbanzo beans
2/3 olive oil
Juice of 1 or 2 lemons
Method
In a blender liquidize the garbanzo beans with a little of their cooking liquor, the lemon juice and olive oil. You can blend the hummus to the texture that you prefer if you want it thinner add a little water you can have it coarse or very fine. Serve with pita bread, roasted vegetables or a selection of crudités .It also makes a great garnish for fish or fowl.
Braised Red Peppers
2 large red peppers seeded and sliced in ¾ inch strips
1 clove of garlic cut in 2
½ cup olive oil
1 large sprig of oregano picked and finly chopped
Method
Place the peppers, olive oil and garlic together in a pan, cover and braise for 15 minutes over a medium heat. When cooked add the oregano and a little salt if necessary then store in the oil until needed.
Eggplant and Ricotta with Grilled Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 small eggplant
¾ cup ricotta
5 leaves of basil
1 very large plum tomato
¼ cup olive oil
Method
Preheat your grill to its highest setting.
Place the eggplant underneath the grill for about ten minutes, turning it occasionally until the skin has blackened. Remove the skin and chop the flesh roughly. Mix this with the ricotta and set aside. Cut the tomato into four and place it into a pan with the olive oil and a little salt. Place these under the grill for 5 minutes until they begin to blacken slightly. Toast the slice of pain de campagne, spread it with the ricotta, eggplant mixture and top with the tomatoes and olive oil.
Sautéed Zucchini with Garlic and basil
Ingredients
3 large zucchini
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
8 large leaves of basil, picked and finely sliced
Salt and Black pepper
Method
Cut the zucchini in to chunks. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add them to it. Sauté them briskly for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Sprinkle in the basil, season well, transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot or cold.
Additional toppings
Goats Cheese, a couple of logs
Mozzarella, 2-3
Parmesan
Parma Ham
L'Aioli
Known as the golden ointment of Provence this is another wonderful example of the type of food that is simple to do and by being something that is shared around a table, inspires conversation and renews old friendships.
Ingredients
5-10 cloves of garlic
2 egg yolks, raw
1 egg yolk, boiled
2 - 2½ extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
To Serve
10 hard boiled eggs
1 Cauliflower
12 new potatoes
2 cans of artichokes
12 large tiger prawns
Method
Crush the garlic with a generous pinch of salt. Scrape it into a bowl with the egg yolks and a tbsp. of water. Whisking constantly add the oil very slowly at first then as the emulsion begins, faster and faster. If the Aioli is too thick add a little warm water.
Serve the Aioli on a large platter surrounded by the ingredients suggested or a selection of crudites or even just some good bread.
Ribs of beef with Red Onions and Garlic
Ingredients for Eight
Four wing ribs of beef, 2½ lbs. (1.25kgs) each
4 tbsp. beef dripping
4 tbsp. plus 10 tbsp. of butter
8 red onions, peeled and quartered
8 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 large bunch of flat leaf parsley, picked
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Method
Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Trim the ribs of beef, keeping any bits to help with the jus. Heat a large pan or roasting tray with the dripping, season the ribs well and pan fry them for a couple of minutes each side, adding the 4 tbsp. butter after a minute or so until they are a wonderful golden brown. Lift the ribs out onto a warmed plate and toss in the quartered onions and any beef trimmings. Fry these for a few minutes until they are good and roasty toasty then put the ribs back in the pan along with any juices that have escaped and roast them for about ½ an hour for medium rare or a little longer for medium. Take the ribs out and let them rest in a warm place for about ten minutes then add the 10 tbsp. of butter to the pan and scrape any caramelized goodies off the bottom. Add the garlic and sweat it for a minute then throw in the picked flat leaf parsley along with some salt and pepper. Stir all of this into the onions, carve the beef, and eat it with a great helping of gratin.
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