White Chocolate Latte Macchiato Scones
Thursday, April 29, 2021There are few things more delicious and satisfying to eat than fresh, fluffy scones straight from the oven. White chocolate and latte macchiato make these light, buttery and fluffy scones especially tempting and satisfying. Serve them while still warm slathered with luxurious whipped mascarpone and fresh seasonal berries for an ultimate breakfast or over a cup of tea or coffee anytime you feel like treating yourself!
|
- Line a large baking tray with parchment paper, set aside. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- In a large bowl add spelt flour, vanilla sugar, baking powder, latte macchiato and sea salt. Stir to combine.
- Cut in cold butter and using a pastry cutter or your hands/fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add in cream and egg and stir until until mixture comes together (do not over mix). Add in white chocolate chunks and mix until evenly distributed.
- Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and form into a round circle about 25cm in diameter. Transfer the circle of scone dough to the prepared baking sheet. Cut into 6-8 equal wedges, then separate wedges and arrange them evenly on the baking tray.
- Brush the top of the scones with extra cream and bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes until scones are nicely golden. Serve them with whipped mascarpone and strawberries.
Mascarpone Pistachio Stuffed Dates
Tuesday, April 27, 2021"Liebe geht durch den Magen," which literally means "love goes through the stomach."
These Mediterranean-style cheese-stuffed bites are a clean, delicious and nutty after-dinner treat or snack for family and guests. They are quick and simple to make. Filled with magical Italian Mascarpone flavoured with thyme and chilli for extra flavour and a subtle spicy kick, enhanced by sweet honey and raw pistachios. It's just what you need to satisfy that sweet tooth. Besides mascarpone, goat cheese, labneh, or blue cheese are all fantastic for the recipe. You can also fill them with nut or seed butter if you want to avoid dairy.
|
- Stir the mascarpone, pink salt and chilli flakes in a bowl until smooth. Fold in fresh thyme leaves.
- Use a small sharp knife to cut a slit in each date. Remove and discard the stones. Spoon 1 heaped teaspoon of the mascarpone mixture into each date.
- Place the dates on a serving platter and sprinkle with some chopped pistachios. Drizzle the honey over and garnish with thyme leaves.
"Lass es Dir schmecken" means "Enjoy your meal" or "Bon appétit".
Green Pea Falafels
Sunday, April 25, 2021Crispy and green, these little easy-to-make oven-baked pea falafels will disappear as soon as they hit the table. They will fill your needs for snacking, apptizer and quick meals. The frozen pea is not a traditional addition to falafel, but these are delicious, nutritious and loaded with healthy ingredients. Enjoy them crispy, fresh out of the oven, or cooled at room temperature with a simple homemade dill yoghurt dip or use them as a filling for pita pockets stuffed with some salads. If you want to use them for the mini burger buns / sliders, then it's better to form the mixture into flat patties. Here is another falafel recipe using dried green peas just in case you don't have frozen peas at home.
Falafels | Dill Yoghurt Dip |
---|---|
|
|
- Combine all the ingredients for the dip in a bowl. Cover and chill until ready for use.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add in peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the peas quickly in a colander. Immediately transfer the blanched peas to a bowl of ice water. Drain well.
- In a food processor or blender, add in blanched green peas and pulse a few times until they are roughly chopped.
- Heat a skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Stir in chopped onions and cook until softened and aromatic. Remove and turn off the heat.
- Transfer the onion into a large bowl together with garlic, parsley, sesame seeds, spices, baking powder and chickpea flour or potato starch. Mix in green peas. Season well with salt and pepper. If the mixture is too sticky, add 1-2 more tablespoons of chickpea flour. Chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking tray with a piece of tin foil. Set aside.
- Moisten your hands with a little olive oil and shape the mixture into 20 to 22 balls. Place them on the prepared baking tray. Spray or brush falafel balls with some olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes then flip each falafel and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Enjoy them right out of the oven with a simple dill yoghurt sauce. Store any baked leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Garam Masala Pan Seared Salmon with Spinach
Friday, April 23, 2021This Indian-spiced salmon recipe is easy and quick to put together -- the best 15-minute -dinner you can make for a busy weeknight! There is nothing quite like salmon skin cooked to perfection. It's crispy, fatty and salty.. just like the bacon.
Garam masala is an Indian spice blend and has a typical deep brown colour. It is highly aromatic and tastes sweet, spicy and pungent. It has a stronger flavour than curry mix. If you don't have garam masala, then use curry powder instead, or 3 parts of cumin with 1 part allspice for an easy substitute. Personally I prefer to cook with high-quality animal fat, but feel free to use any plant fat, like coconut oil or avocado oil.
|
- Season the salmon on both sides with garam masala and black salt. Heat the beef tallow in a pan over medium-high heat until melted and hot. Add the salmon, skin-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and the flesh flakes easily. Leave to rest on a plate while you cook the spinach.
- Add diced chilli pepper and shallot into the hot pan. Stir briefly. Add in garlic and spinach leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Spoon the spinach onto plates, then top with the salmon. Garnish with herbs and serve with lime wedges.
Low Carb Vegetable Pasta with Buffalo Mozzarella and Steak
Wednesday, April 21, 2021Turn the humble zucchini and carrot into noodles to enjoy a healthy, quick, and low carb weeknight meal. I use some leftover entrecôte for the noodles, but any kind of steak can be used for this recipe. Use regular cow milk mozzarella if you can't find buffalo mozzarella, which is so much creamier, softer and so much more flavourful. Feel free to swap in traditional pasta if you are not into low carb.
Tzatziki | Noodles & Steak |
---|---|
|
|
- Grate the cucumber and strain. Combine the yoghurt with cucumber, minced garlic, olive oil, and herbs in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
- Using a stand or handheld spiraliser, cut zucchini and carrot into long thin strips. A julienne peeler would also work.
- Place the vegetable noodles in a large bowl. Pour in half of tzatziki sauce and toss to combine. Divide the noodles into two serving plates. Top with sliced entrecôte and tear in some mozzarella. Sprinkle some chopped herbs over. Serve with the remaining tzatziki.
Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Greek Yoghurt and Mint Raisin Pesto
Tuesday, April 20, 2021Juicy, tender, and ultra-flavourful lamb meatballs, thanks to all the wonderful spices, served with creamy Greek yoghurt and mint raisin pesto. They are baked in the oven and all cooked evenly throughout without hovering over the skillet and flipping when you are pan frying them.
The mint pesto keeps well in the fridge for a few days. It also freezes well – leftover can be frozen in an ice cube tray. You can also make an extra batch of meatball and keept them frozen for up to 2 months.
Meatball | Mint Raisin Pesto |
---|---|
|
|
- Preheat oven to 220C/425F. Combine egg, panko, cumin, red pepper flakes, turmeric, minced garlic, finely chopped parsley, bacon fat, and salt in a large bowl. Add in ground lamb and mix well.
- Roll teaspoons of mince mixture into balls. You should have about 30 meatballs. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake meatballs in the middle of hot oven until browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
- Process mint, parsley leaves, raisins, garlic clove, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and salt in a blender until smooth. Taste pesto and season with more salt if needed.
- Spread yoghurt over plates and divide pesto and meatballs on top. Sprinkle some red peppercorns over if using.