Recipe - Foosteeyeah (sesame and peanut slice) by Nouha Taouk

 This recipe is from Nouha Taouk’s Whispers from a Lebanese Kitchen

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• 1 kilogram raw peanuts with no skin (you can use any nuts. I used almonds this time as you can see)
• 500 gram Sesame seeds
• 500 gram Honey
• 2 table spoon icing sugar

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C
• Place the peanuts on two standard sized baking trays and roast for 15 – 20 mins.
• Keep an eye on them and toss as they need to be roasted on all sides
• Meanwhile toast the sesame seeds in a non-stick frying pan. Constantly stir until golden brown
• Place sesame seeds and peanuts in a large bowl
• Put the honey and icing sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and combined
• Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Cook until the mixture reaches 116C on a candy thermometer (or, softball stage).
• Pour the honey mixture over the nuts and seeds.
• Working quickly stir to combine then pour into a prepared (greased and lined) tray
• With the back of a spoon, press the top of the mixture to spread it out evenly.
• Set aside to cool for 2-3 hours
• Cut into squares and serve

Recipe - Pan Fried Snapper with Sautéed Mushrooms and Chickpeas

This is a recipe I would make for a dinner party, with a selection of sides of course. Again, easy and quick - just a great flavour combination that really shows off the fish. Serves 2

Ingredients

• 5 shallots - diced
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped
• Chilli to taste - chopped
• 400g chickpeas
• 400g mushrooms - chopped
• Bunch english spinach - chopped
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Parsley
• 2 pieces of fish - your choice and seasoned with lemon, salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat oil and butter in a large pan. Add the shallots & garlic and sauté until starting to brown
2. Add the chickpeas and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms start to soften
3. Add the spinach and cook till it wilts
4. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and take off when all ingredients are cooked through
5. Score the skin of the fish. Season with salt and pepper. In a pan, cook the fish skin side down for 1½ minutes before flipping over to briefly seal.
6. Serve the fish with the sautéed mushrooms and chickpeas and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Inspired by: http://everydaygourmet.tv/recipe/pan-fried-snapper-with-sauteed-mushrooms-and-chickpeas/

Recipe - Chilli Chutney Recipe

I only made half the suggested qty. This chutney is best suited to chicken or salmon in my opinion. 

Chilli Chutney Ingredients:

• 10 chopped red chillies (Cayenne or similar)
• 2 large onions
• 300ml of cider vinegar
• 100ml of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
• 4 table spoons of light brown castor sugar
• 2 cooking apples
• 1 courgette
• 1 carrot
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon of crushed coriander seeds

Method:

1. Chop all of the ingredients (not the bay leaves!) and add to a deep pan and bring to the boil.
2. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours until all the ingredients are soft and the mixture is a thick texture
3. Remove the bay leaves.
4. Place the chutney in clean steralized jars.
5. The longer you leave it in the jar before opening the greater the flavors become. Once opened store it in a fridge and consume within 6-8 weeks.

Sterilizing the Jars

• Remove the lids and wash the jars & lids in hot soapy water. Rinse well.
• Place the jars on a baking tray in the oven at 150 degrees celcius for 10 minutes or until completely dry.
• Place the lids in a bowl. Boil the kettle and pour the boiling water over the lids in the bowl. This prevents damaging any rubber/plastic seals in the lids. Remove from the water and dry with a clean towel.

 Source:

• http://www.thechilliking.com/chilli-chutney-recipe/

Recipe - Cantabrian Cheesecake with Brandied fruit

This recipe is a hybrid of Jamie Oliver’s Cantabrian Cheesecake and ‘About Food’s’ Brandied fruit.

The good news is the cheesecake (not the fruit) freezes really well! Found this out by accident (a significant accident at that – note to self to learn the difference between a freezer and fridge). If, for whatever reason, you decide to make it ahead and freeze it, allow at least 3 hours to defrost. The difference between one hour vs 3 is huge.

Cheesecake Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups (330g) raw caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 300g ricotta cheese
• 2 cups (500ml) milk
• 1 1/4 cups (185g) plain flour
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (I only used half this qty)

Cheesecake Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm springform cake pan and line the base with baking paper. Place pan on a baking tray.
2. Using electric beaters, beat the butter for 2 minutes or until pale. 
3. Add the sugar and beat until thick and pale. 
4. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Stir through the vanilla seeds, ricotta, milk and a pinch of salt. 
6. Fold in flour and lemon zest. 
7. Pour into pan and bake on tray for 60 minutes or until golden and set but with a slight wobbly in the centre. Chill in the pan for 2 hours.

Brandied Fruit Ingredients (can make this ahead – we’re talking months!)

• 3 cups diced fruit of choice (cherries, blueberries, plums and peeled nectarines and peaches)
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1.5  cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (or more as necessary) good-quality brandy

Brandied Fruit Method

1. In a large bowl, combine fruit and sugars, tossing well. Cover and let macerate for 1 hour, tossing every 15 minutes.
2. Pour in brandy, making sure fruit is submerged. Cover and store in a cool place for at least one month ideally. Since the brandied fruit will only improve with age, let the flavors develop for more than one month. In saying this, I did this the day before making the cheesecake and it was great.

Sources:

• http://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/cantabrian-cheesecake/e731a2fc-b34f-4555-bc66-96cf67f2f7dc?current_section=recipes
• http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/crossculturaldesserts/r/brandiedfruit.htm