recipe and cooking video: Fruit

Showing posts with label Fruit. Show all posts

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Pineapple Apple Salsa

A delicious blend of fresh pineapple, apples, tomatoes, onions and rock leaves makes up this sweet, spicy and tangy fruit salsa. Enjoy them as a snack with some taco chips or serve with an array of seafood.

300 g Fresh pineapple, chopped
2 Apples, diced
1-2 Tomatoes, diced
1 Small purple onion, finely chopped
1/2 Yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 Red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 handful Rocket leaves, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Fresh lime juice
1 tsp Honey
1/2 tsp Chilli flakes

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavours to blend together.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Spelt Blood Orange Crostata

A crostata is an Italian tart with fruit or cream filling that is baked flat on a pastry crust rather than in a tart pan. Crostata can be prepared with seasonal fruit, as well as any range of canned preserves and even with canned fruits. It’s easy to make and great for a family dessert or a sweet treat at a party.

Spelt Blood Orange Crostata

adapted from Food and Wine

Short Crust Pastry	Filling
140 g Spelt pastry flour 20 g Superfine sugar 1/4 tsp Salt 110 g Unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 30 ml Ice water Flour for dusting	8 Blood oranges (about 5 ounces each) 40 g Light brown sugar 15 g Butter 1 Egg yolk 2 tbsp Water

To make the pastry, freeze the butter cubes on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Place the spelt flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter cubes, and toss with your fingers to coat each cube with the flour. Pulse quickly on and off until the mixture is the size of small peas. Add the ice water and pulse several times until until moistened crumbs form. Turn the crumbs out onto a work surface and shape into a rough ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes or until firm.
Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface and transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until chilled.
Meanwhile, peel the blood oranges, removing all of the bitter white pith. Thinly slice 2 of the oranges crosswise. Remove the pits and place the orange slices to a plate. Working over a sieve set over a bowl, cut in between the membranes of the remaining oranges, releasing the sections into the sieve. Remove the pits and gently shake out as much juice as possible without mashing the sections. You will need 1 cup of sections. Reserve the orange juice for another use.
Arrange the orange sections on the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Sprinkle half of the light brown sugar over the oranges. Using a paring knife, thinly slice the butter over the oranges. Fold the dough border toward the center of the tart, , leaving most of the oranges uncovered.
Beat the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with half of the remaining brown sugar. Arrange the orange slices on top, leaving a 1-inch border of pastry all around. Sprinkle the rest of brown sugar on top. Freeze the tart until solid, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F and position a rack in the center. Bake the tart directly from the freezer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the pastry is deeply browned. Remove and cool the tart on a rack for 10 minutes and serve warm, with whipped cream or caramel sauce if desired.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Chinese Red Dates and Seeds Power Bars

These homemade power bars are absolutely delicious, filling, and they're packed with protein, healthy unsaturated fats, fiber and antioxidant. They take little time to make and you can vary the ingredients to satisfy the personal taste, be creative and enjoy!

Chinese Red Dates and Seeds Power Bars

Inspired by Robyn Cooks

10 g Flaxseed, ground
45 ml Warm water
100 g Old-fashioned rolled oats
30 g Dried Chinese red dates, chopped
150 g Roasted pepitas, or sunflower seeds
30 g Raisins
120 g Sesame paste
3 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Ripe banana, mashed

Preheat oven to 175C/350F. Stir together the ground flaxseed and the water in a small bowl and let soak for 10 minutes until it forms a gel.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, dried Chinese red dates, and roasted pepitas.
In a separate medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the sesame paste, inverted sugar syrup, and vanilla for 30 seconds. Stir together until well mixed. Add the banana and mash with a fork to combine. Stir in the gelatinized flax mixture.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Press the mixture firmly into a lightly greased 20x22-cm baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove and cool in the pan on the counter for 15-20 minutes, then chill in the fridge for about 45 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or individually wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Belgian Endive, Radicchio, and Blood Orange Salad

A simple, fresh tossed salad with Belgian endive, radicchio, and blood oranges dressed with avocado oil and Balsamic cream. Gorgonzola can be added to the salad to balance bitter radicchio and give contrast to the sweetness of blood oranges.

1 head Belgian endive
1/2 head Radicchio
2 Blood oranges or valencia
Butter lettuce (optional)
50 g Gorgonzola (optional)
1 small handful Parsley leaves
Balsamic cream
Avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the Belgian endives into bite-size pieces, or cut lengthwise into 8 wedges, discarding the hard inner core. Tear the radicchio, butter lettuce if used, into bite-size pieces too. Cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Cut between membranes of oranges to release the segments into a bowl.
Toss all the prepared vegetables with diced Gorgonzola, if used, in a large serving dish. Arrange orange segments over. Garnish with the chopped parsley leaves. Drizzle the salad with balsamic cream and avocado oil. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Rye Bread with Chinese Red Dates and Sultanas

This dark, slightly chewy, raisin and Chinese date-studded bread has a subtle earthy flavours of dark rye, and mild sweetness of Chinese red dates and sultanas. It's a great combination with butter and tea in the morning or for the afternoon snack with a glass of milk.

20 g Wholegrain rye flour
120 ml Water
150 g Bread flour
50 g Wholewheat flour
120 g Dark rye flour
20 g Brown sugar
4 g Salt
190 ml Water, lukewarm
25 g Walnut oil
10 g Fresh yeast, crumbled
50 g Chinese red dates, chopped
120 g Sultanas

Combine together wholegrain rye flour and 120 ml water in a small pot until the mixture is well blended and lump free. Cook the mixture over the medium heat, frequently stirring, until it has turned into a thick paste and the thermometer reads about 65C/150F. It takes about 2-3 minutes. Cool the mixture to the room temperature and cover with a plastic wrap while you prepare other ingredients.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, place in the bread flour, wholewheat flour, rye flour, brown sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center, add in water, 20 grams walnut oil and crumbled fresh yeast. Mix on slow speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle with chopped red dates and sultanas and knead with your hands until they are just incorporated. Grease the mixing bowl lightly with the rest of walnut oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover the bowl, and allow it to rise until doubled in size.
Dust an 8-inch round proofing basket with rye flour and set aside. Turn the dough out onto work surface, kneading briefly, and shape into a round. Place the dough, seam side up, into the floured basket. Cover with a towel and let dough rise again until it reaches the top of the basket.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Turn the proofed bread onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use a very sharp knife to cut a decorative pattern on the top of the boule. Bake the bread in the center of hot oven for 35 minutes until nicely golden brown.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Vegan Lemon Curd Thumbprints

I have always had a soft spot for the bright, mildly sweet and lemony thumbprint cookies. This thumbprints recipe uses a vegan lemon curd to fill the cookies made with a mix of spelt, buckwheat, walnuts, walnut oil and maple syrup. Traditional lemon curd recipes call for the use of eggs and butter, but this recipe is a bit healthier, while still sweet, tart and satisfying. You can also fill them with your favorite jelly.

Vegan Lemon Curd Thumbprints

adapted from Dairy Free Cooking

Vegan Lemon Curd	Cookie
150 g Fresh lemon juice 150 g Sugar 1 tbsp Fresh lemon zest 1/4 tsp Salt 1 tbsp Coconut milk 2 tbsp Cornstarch 2 tbsp Cold water 2 tbsp Soya margarine ©angiesrecipes	130 g Spelt pastry flour 120 g Buckwheat, toasted and finely ground 100 g Walnuts, finely ground 1/4 tsp Salt 125 ml Walnut oil 200 g Maple syrup Cranberries and poppy seed (optional)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest and salt, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Combine together the coconut milk, cornstarch, and cold water in a small bowl, stirring well to combine.
Add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, cook until the mixture begins to thicken and the first few bubbles appear on the surface, about 8 minutes. Add soya margarine, and cook until the mixture resembles a thick pudding. Transfer the mixture to a heat proof dish, cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely before placing in the refrigerator to chill. Chill lemon curd for 2 hours before using.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the spelt pastry flour, finely ground buckwheat, finely ground walnut and salt until well combined, making a well in the center.
Add in walnut oil and maple syrup to the center, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it forms a dry dough that just holds together.
Form the dough into 2-inch balls, and place them onto the prepared sheet, pressing a "thumbprint" into the center of each and slightly flattening. (The cookies will not spread, so make them the size that you want!) Add about 1 teaspoonful of lemon curd to each thumbprint and top with a cranberry or some poppy seeds if using. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool for several minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Potato Bread Batons with Cheese and Pear

What could be better than homemade bread, especially when it's studded with the earthy flavours of cheese, walnuts, potatoes, fresh thyme and pears. I love it served with a steaming soup on ice cold days. It's also great for a school packed lunch.

Potato Bread Batons with Cheese and Pear

adapted from daheim und unterwegs

Bread	Cheese Spread
200 g Potatoes, diced and boiled 18 g Fresh yeast 550 g Water, lukewarm 100 g Sourdough 800 g Spelt flour 150 g Rye flour 18 g Salt 150 g Walnut, chopped 4 Pears, seeded and cut into wedges	150 g Gorgonzola 150 g Emmental 150 g Sour cream 170 g Quark Salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp Fresh thyme, chopped 2-3 tbsp Bread crumb

Peel the potatoes and cut into small pieces. Fill a large pot with the potatoes. Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Drain and cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast in water. Add in sourdough, flours, salt, walnuts and cooked potatoes. Mix on slow speed for 4 minutes, then increase the speed and mix a further 4 minutes.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 6 even portions. Shape each into a ball and rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Knead the dough balls gently and briefly. Cover, and rest for a further 15 minutes. Shape each dough ball into a baton and allow them to rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
To prepare the cheese spread by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag. With a sharp serrated knife, slash the top of the bread lengthwise, about 1/4-inch deep. Pipe the cheese mixture onto the cut and press 5-6 pear wedges on top. Allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C/430F and bake for about 35 minutes until nicely golden brown.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Wholegrain Spelt Apple and Marzipan Cake

A classic German apple cake with marzipan. The marzipan paste, made of sugar and almond, is used in the cake batter to enrich the flavour and texture. If you are an almond lover, feel free to use more marzipan instead of sugar, and adjust accordingly flour quantity. The batter should look like a smooth and thick paste.

I do still use my favourite wholegrain spelt flour, but you can use wheat flour (wholegrain or not) instead if you want. Allergic reaction to eggs? No problem, use 1 cup of applesauce instead of 3 eggs.

After baking, a glaze could be created to brush the apples by warming 2 tablespoons of water and 3 tablespoons of apricot jam together. I chose to leave it. It’s rich and sweet enough for me.

2-3 Sour apples
1 tbsp Lemon juice
100 g Marzipan, grated
150 g Butter, softened
100 g Sugar
1/2 tsp Almond extract
Pinch of salt
3 Eggs
180 g Wholegrain spelt flour
1/2 tbsp Baking powder
1 tbsp Almond slices

Peel apples, cut into quarters lengthwise, and remove cores. Slice deep lines along the length of the apple quarters and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Line a 30x12x9-cm loaf pan with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F.
Roughly grate the marzipan. Place them in a mixing bowl together with butter, sugar, almond extract and salt. Beat until creamy. Add in eggs, one at time, beat until well combined.
Whisk together the wholegrain spelt flour and baking powder. Sift the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir until just incorporated. Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Arrange the apple quarters over the top, cut side up, pressing lightly into the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack to room temperature. Dust the surface with powdered sugar if desired.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Radicchio Salad with Chicken in Kiwi Vinaigrette

A quick, light and tasty salad with leftover pan-seared chicken breast (turkey could be used instead here), antioxidant-rich radicchio, kiwifruit, cherry tomatoes, physalis (aka cape gooseberry) tossed with a fresh, fruity and delicious kiwi vinaigrette dressing. So If you feel stuffed and want a a healthy and soothing meal after holiday feasts, this salad might be what you need.

Kiwi Vinaigrette	Salad
2 Kiwi fruits, peeled and coarsely chopped 3 tbsp Orange juice 2 tbsp Canola oil 1 tbsp White wine vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp Honey Salt and pepper to taste	200 g Leftover pan-seared chicken breast 1/2 head Radicchio, coarsely chopped 2 Kiwi, peeled and cut into wedges 1/2 Yellow onion, sliced 5 Cherry tomatoes, cut in half 10 Physalis fruit, cut in half

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, about 5 to 10 seconds. Pour into a serving container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Coarsely chop the radicchio leaves. Arrange the radicchio and onions on a large serving platter. Top with chicken, kiwi,tomato,and physalis halves. Serve with kiwi vinaigrette.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Mango and Vanilla Ice Cream Trifles

Trifle, a lovely and very British dessert dish, is usually made from vanilla custard, fruit, cake and whipped cream, very similar to parfait. These ingredients are usually arranged into layers in the trifle bowl.

A traditional English trifle uses stale sponge or pound cake, which may be soaked in alcohol, like sherry or port wine. Over time, many variations on the original recipe have been created. Nuts or layers of whipped cream may be added for variety. The flavour of the custard may also be changed to complement the flavour of the cake.

Here is my leftover tribute to this English dessert with its multiple layers in glass. Dip your spoon into this sweet delight to end your New Year’s celebration with these individual delicious trifles.

500 ml Vanilla ice cream, softened
200 g Cream cheese, softened
250 g Mango puree
10 Spekulatius cookies, crumbled
200 g Whipped cream
Physalis fruit

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the softened vanilla ice cream and beat until thoroughly combined.
First arrange the half of the cookie crumbs over the bottoms of glasses. Next spoon on the mango puree, to just cover the cookie crumbs. Lastly cover the puree with cream mixture and then repeat the layers once more.
Pipe the whipped cream on top and garnish with a physalis. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.