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Apricot Frangipane Tart

Friday, July 16, 2021

Buttery flaky pastry filled with a sweet almond mixture topped with ripe apricot halves-a perfect dessert for high summer when apricots are at their peak with rich colour, sweet scent, and slightly soft. Apricot and almonds are a match made in heaven and this tart makes the most of both of them. For something a little more indulgent, serve with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche.
Frangipane is a mixture of butter, eggs, ground almonds, sugar, and sometimes a small amount of flour. Substitute other nuts (pistachios or hazelnuts) for new flavours if desired. According to Bakepedia, Frangipane is named after 16th century Italian nobleman Marquis Muzio Frangipani, who invented a bitter almond-scented fragrance that was used to perfume gloveswhile he was living in Paris. French pastry chefs were inspired and invented the recipe, which became a classic.

Pastry	Almond Filling & Topping
180 g Plain flour 50 g Almond meal 100 g Butter, cubed 30 g Vanilla sugar 1 Egg, large	150 g Butter, softened to room temperature 20 g Vanilla sugar 100 g Castor sugar 2 Eggs, large 150 g Ground almonds 20 ml Amaretto (or 1 tsp Almond extract) 8-10 Apricots, halved and stoned 2 tbsp Apricot jam Thyme leaves, to garnish Powdered sugar, to garnish

To make the pastry, either rub the flour, almond meal and cubed butter together using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs or briefly process them in a food processor until just rubbed in. Add the vanilla sugar and mix, then add the egg and process until the mixture just holds together. Do not over work as it will make the pastry tough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and use it to line a 24cm / 8-inch tart pan. Prick the base of the pastry using a fork then chill the pastry for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C7375F. Line the pastry case with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice. Place in the hot oven and bake blind for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is set and pale brown. Remove the pie weights/rice and paper and return to the oven for about 5 minutes until the base is cooked.
For the filling, cream butter, vanilla sugar and castor sugar. Add the eggs and whisk together, then mix in the ground almonds and amaretto until fully incorporated.
Spoon the almond mixture onto the pastry case and arrange the apricot halves, cut side up, in circles on the top of the almond filling. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is set and golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Warm the apricot jam over a low heat then pass through a fine sieve. Brush the warm apricot jam over the top of the fruit to glaze. Garnish with fresh apricots and thyme leaves. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

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Watermelon and Labneh Salad with Pistachio Dukkah or Sumac

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Nothing screams summer quite like a juicy and sweet watermelon. Okay, maybe ice cream. But seriously, forget about vine-ripe tomatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and summer stone fruits, an ice cold slice of sweet watermelon in the hot afternoon is truly a summertime pleasure. This salad is the perfect side to some grilled chicken and brings a fresh sweetness that complements any grilled meat. You can even serve this as a breakfast, just swap some homemade granola for dukkah. Watermelon is considered a very healthy snack. Its high water content (92%) helps keep you hydrated.
Dukkah, a crunchy blend of roasted nuts, with sesame seeds, herbs and spices, can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, or in the fridge, for up to 2 months to spice up any vegetables, salads, meat and fish with Middle Eastern flavour.

Pistachio Dukkah	Watermelon Salad
35 g Almonds 35 g Roasted pistachios, shelled 50 g Sesame seeds (white or black) 2 tsp Fennel seeds 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp Ground coriander 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp Sea salt	1 Small watermelon, cut into wedges, cubes or balls Celtic grey salt Fresh herbs (basil, lemon thyme, mint) 200 g Labneh Pistachios Sumac Lemon zest

Dry toast the almonds and pistchios briefly over medium-high heat, tossing regularly, until the nuts have turned slightly browned and smlled aromatic. Set aside.
Place the sesame seeds in the same skillet and return to the heat. Toast over medium heat, tossing regularly, until the sesame seeds turn golden brown.
Place toasted almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, spices and sea salt in a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until the mixture is coarsely chopped.
Place the watermelon into a mixing bowl, season with salt and add the fresh herbs. Gently mix to combine.
When you are ready to serve, spread the labneh on a plate. Top with watermelon and sprinkle the prepared pistachio dukkah. Or simply sprinkle some sumac, lemon zest and pistachios over. Garnish with some extra fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately.

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Green Pasta Salad with Pine Nuts

Monday, July 12, 2021

A quick, easy green pasta salad chock full of the tasty, nutrient-rich ingredients with a creamy salad dressing. You can make this flavourful pasta ahead of time, then keep it in your fridge until time to serve. I use whole spelt pasta, but you can choose a variety that meets your nutritional requirements-regular wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta made from rice, lentils or beans.

	Salad Dressing
150 g Organic spelt fusilli 200 g Frozen peas 75 g Arugula 2 tbsp Chives, chopped 50 g Pine nuts, toasted	100 g Crème double (Dr. Oetker) 100 g Crème fraîche 2 tbsp Herb vinegar (Hengstenberg) 1 tbsp Honey (or sugar) 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced Salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything for the dressing in a bowl. Taste and season. Chill until ready for use.
Fill a saucepan for the pasta with about 800ml of water. Place over high heat and bring it to a boil. Add 2 teaspoonfuls of salat to the boiling water. Add in pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. In the last minute of cooking, add frozen peas. Drain the pasta and peas and return to the saucepan.
Add in arugula, chives and two thirds of the dressing. Gently toss everything together. Season and taste. Place them on a large serving platter. Scatter the roasted pine nuts over and enjoy!

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Beef Liver Salad with Arugula, Gooseberries and Apricots

Friday, July 09, 2021

The beef liver is cooked to be really tender, wonderfully succulent and pairs perfectly with the arugula and fruit salad. The liver is really fantastic for you and filled with essential vitamins and minerals (Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, Iron, Copper and Choline) your body needs. If you aren’t a big fan of nutrient-dense superfood-beef liver like me, try lamb or chicken liver. They are milder in taste and have a softer texture. You can also soak beef liver in milk overnight to make the flavour milder.

500 g Beef liver, organic and grass-fed
50 g Ghee
3 Garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp Ginger, peeled and shredded
1/2 tsp Dried red chilli pepper flakes
2/3 tsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp Brandy (or Sherry)
Black lava salt
50 g Arugula
3-4 Ripe apricots, stoned and cut into wedges
100 g Gooseberries
1 tbsp Parsley, chopped
Pink peppercorns, to garnish

Clean beef liver and cut roughly into 2-inch segments. Heat the ghee in a skillet over high heat until hot. Add the liver, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until browned but interior is still pinkish, about 2 minutes. Add in pepper flakes, coriander powder and Brandy or Sherry. Stir everything together and cook for a minute. Season with salt.
Place arugula, apricot wedges and gooseberries in two serving plates. Top with beef liver. Sprinkle some chopped parsley and pink peppercorns over.

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Sirloin Steak with Garlic Bok Choy

Wednesday, July 07, 2021

You can use any cut of steak for this recipe, but sirloin is naturally lean and more afforable. It's delicious on its own with a bold beefy flavour and firm texture, also cooks well with marinades and sauces. Using beef broth and brandy to the pan sauce not only enhances the flavour but makes the sauce rich and creamy. If you don't want to use alcohol, then simply leave it out.
Sirloin is taken from the hip of the cow and tends to be slightly chewy as it's on the leaner side. I would suggest to get top sirloin, which is more tender and suitable for high heat pan searing and grilling, but be careful not to overcook them since the meat can start to turn tough and dry beyond medium.

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Biftekia Greek Meat Patties

Monday, July 05, 2021

These Greek patties, Biftekia, are packed with the Mediterranean flavours, juicy and super delicious. They are great for picnics and garden grill parties.
Biftekia, also known as “Greek hamburger”, are very popular in Greece. The smaller meatball version is called keftedes. Traditionally, the ground meat (beef, pork or lamb are all fine) is marinated with herbs (thyme, oregano, dill, parsley or rosemary) and allow the mixture to marry in the fridge, the longer the better. Overnight would be ideal. If you want to keep it low-carb, substitute almond meal for breadcrumbs.

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Persian Cucumber Salad with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette and Za'atar

Saturday, July 03, 2021

Take the humble cucumbers to new heights with this easy, refreshing salad tossed with smoked paprika vinaigrette and sprinkled with a homemade za'atar. Any cucumber will do in this salad, but I just love the mini thin-skinned Persian variety. It's perfect as a side for an outdoor grill.
Persian cucumbers are thin-skinned and only grow to be about five to six inches long and remain quite narrow. They are crispier and have a mild and sweet flavour. You can use other mini cucmbers too.
Za'atar is typically a combination of dried oregano, thyme, and/or marjoram with sumac and toasted sesame seeds. You can purchase this middle Eastern spice mix or easily make your own at home.

Salad & Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette	Za'atar Spice Blend
120 ml Extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp Sherry vinegar 1 Shallot, minced 1 tsp Dijon mustard 3/4 sp Smoked paprika 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Freshly ground pepper 750 g Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise 1 tbsp Chopped fresh dill Pink peppercorns, to garnish, optional	1 tbsp Dried thyme 1 tsp Dried oregano 2 tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted 1 tbsp Sumac 1/2 tsp Salt

Place olive oil, vinegar, shallot, Dijon, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a blender or a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Blend or shake until well combined.
To make a za'atar, just stir together all ingredients in a small bowl.
Toss cucumbers in a large bowl with the dressing. Chill, tossing once, for 1-2 hours. Just before serving, add dill and toss to combine.
Arrange them on a platter. Sprinkle some za'atar and pink peppercorns if using.

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Easy Spelt Carrot Bread

Thursday, July 01, 2021

This easy, quick carrot bread would make a great breakfast with Greek yoghurt and fresh seasonal fruit. The grated carrot and honey give this bread wonderful soft crumb texture and mild sweetness. If you want to pamper yourself with something extra and richer, top the bread with a generous smear of (nut) butter or even cream cheese frosting!

100 g Whole spelt flour
140 g Refined spelt flour
12 g Baking powder
1 tsp Ground ginger
1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground cloves
1 Large pinch of nutmeg
1 Large pinch of salt
220 g Finely grated carrots
80 g Honey
2 Large eggs
100 ml Olive oil (or avocado oil)
80 g Rum soaked raisins
4 Left over seedy crackers for the topping (or walnuts), break into smaller pieces
2 tsp Raw brown sugar for the topping

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Grease a 21x10x8cm loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baing powder, spices, and salt. Peel and grate the carrots, set aside.
Place honey, eggs, and olive oil in another bowl. Beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and stir with a spatula until just combined. Add in carrot and raisins. Fold to combine.
Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Top with seedy crackers or walnuts. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean that is inserted in the center and the top is golden brown and crunchy. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.