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7:44 AM
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FOOD
ruschetta came into style some time ago and continue as a trendy nibble. You see them everywhere, on the appetiser menus of upscale restaurants, at cool cocktail parties and even at informal meals while entertaining at home. The bruschetta, a simple construction of toppings on toasted bread, has come to be a popular snack and first course order. Basic as it is, when you put together good Italian bread, sunripened tomatoes, the punch of garlic and a little fresh basil, not to forget quality olive oil, you emerge with something that delights and satisfies. I once watched an Italian chef put a platter of bruschetta together and it was an enlightening experience. He began, of course, with some excellent bread, sliced on the diagonal. These he griddle toasted, so they had the odd charred spot. Then, he took a plump clove of gar-
Bread Alone
INGREDIENTS
Slices of bread, from a baguette, cut on the diagonal A cup of mushrooms, sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 2-3 cloves of garlic 1 tsp chopped herbs, such as parsley Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
lic, smashed it roughly, and rubbed it over the slices of tasted bread. He took a small sprig of fresh basil and rubbed it into the bread as well. And then cherry tomatoes, which were coarsely crushed into the bread. A scattering of coarse salt and a drizzle of the best olive oil completed the bruschetta. And it was so very good. Bruschetta is a good idea when you're
Pasta with
Pesto Sauce
Method Wash the basil leaves in plenty of cold water. Leave them to dry on a towel. You can also use a handoperated salad spinner. During this process, pay attention not Ingredients to break, crush or rub the basil Basil leaves: leaves. You need 55gms to use a marble Pine nuts: mortar and a 20gms wooden pestle Garlic: when making one or two cloves Genoese Pesto. Parmesan Once clean, (two years old): crush the garlic 40gms and pine nuts in Sardinian pecorithe mortar until no cheese: they are creamy. 10gms Add the dry basil Coarse salt: a leaves a few at a few grains; time, and add Extra virgin olive salt. Don't beat oil from the the mixture, but Ligurian Riviera: use the pestle 55gms. with a delicate movement, rotating it against the sides of the mortar. This movement is necessary to extract the essential oils from the veins of the basil leaves, which are therefore not broken but rubbed against the side of the mortar. Continue this movement until the sauce is homogeneous and well-mixed, and the basil is very fine. Add the Parmesan and the Sardinian pecorino cheese. Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil and stir again with a wooden spoon until the cheese is mixed in. If you aren't going to eat the pesto immediately, put it in a glass or plastic jar, cover it with a layer of oil and keep it in the fridge.
trying to think of starters or nibbles with drinks, especially for vegetarians. While there are some classic toppings, like grilled peppers, ripe tomato or zucchini slivers, you can always experiment with other ingredients that catch your fancy. The slices of bread being sturdier than delicate canap é s, they can hold up most any topping.
F
or a lazy brunch, you can surely munch onto mouth- watering Chicken sub sandwich
Ingredients:
200gms Chicken boneless Salt and Pepper to taste ½ cup Olive oil 4 Cheese slices 1 cup Mushrooms, chopped 1 cup Capsicum, chopped 1 cup Onion, chopped ½ cup jalapenos
A mixture of mushrooms, rather than just button mushrooms will add more flavour - use oyster, and perhaps some dried shiitake that has been soaked and patted dry. Toast the bread lightly; rub each slice with the garlic. Heat the olive oil. Toss in the mushrooms and stir until they have wilted. Increase the heat and dry away excess moisture. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Top each slice of bread with the mushrooms and sprinkle with some parsley.
DELICIOUS
Cheese Olive Cocktail Snack
T
hinking what snack to make for the cocktail party tonight? Then, serve Cheese Olive Cocktail, a simple, easy to make recipe that wins everyones heart.
Ingredients • • • •
• •
Preparation •
•
Mix all ingredients and blend it well till smooth and creamy. Now, mold the mixture around each olive and bake it in the pre-heated
•
1 cup grated cheese 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup flour 1/4 tbsp red pepperground Salt to taste 300gm green olives
oven at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Your snack is ready to be served.
Mouth-watering Chicken sub sandwich Olive oil Mixed herbs 4 Foot long buns
Method:
Rub pepper and salt into the chicken and marinate for half an hour. Take the chicken and microwave for 15 minutes to cook partially. Now, in a pan, heat the olive oil and sprinkle a bit of
herbs, add the chicken and shred
Creamy pasta in Mushroom Sauce Ingredients
Penne Pasta: 90 gms For the pasta sauce: Olive oil: 10 ml, Elephant garlic: 15 gms, Dry Porcini Mushrooms: 20 gms, Brandy: 30 ml, Double cream: 40 ml, Butter: 10 gms Extra virgin olive oil: 15 ml, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese: 15 gms, Mushroom stock: 100ml For the garnish: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese flakes: 2, Flat leaf parsley: 1, Dry porcini powder: 2 gms, White truffle oil: a few drops
Method
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January, 2011
Blanch the penne in salted water for 6 minutes. Strain and reserve on the side. In another sauce pan heat some olive oil and sauté the flaked garlic. Pour in the brandy and increase the flame to burn up the alcohol. Add the reconstituted porcini mushrooms with stock, cook on medium heat. Slip in the pasta with some mushroom stock. Remove from flame. Add butter, cream and extra virgin olive oil. Add Parmigiano Reggiano. Garnish with parsley sprig, porcini powder and truffle oil.
it until it sautés. To the mixture, add
the onions, mushrooms, capsicums, jalapenos. Sprinkle mixed herbs, salt and pepper onto it. Take the footlong and cut it into 2 halves. Butter both the sides of it and place the chicken filling in between and arrange cheese slices on top. Garnish with boiled corns. Serve hot.
Healthy Mediterranean
F
SALAD
orget the old style tomato-onion salad, try a healthier, tastier variant- the Mediterranean salad this time round. Preparation: • Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes and peel them and cut them into small pieces. • Also, boil green beans for 15 to 20 minutes. • Also, wash the lettuce leaves and keep them aside to dry. • 4 tomatoes • Boil the eggs and cut • 2-3 lettuce leaves them into small pieces. • 3 cups potatoes • Also, quarter the toma• 3 cups green beans toes. • 2 eggs • Now, season the toma• 1/2 cup black olives toes and beans with french • 2 tbsp oregano dressing and arrange the • 1 cup french dressing lettuce leaves around the • Salt bowl. • In the bottom of the bowl, put potatoes and decorate it with beans, tomatoes, eggs and black olives. • Pour the remaining salad dressing and sprinkle oregano on the top.
INGREDIENTS