Follow the recipe as for the Membrillo.
Preheat your oven to 50℃.
Line a large baking sheet(s) with baking paper.
Pour the blitzed quince on to the paper and spread it out, about 3mm thick and as evenly as you can.
Place in the oven to dry for 7 – 8 hours. The fruit will remain slightly sticky when it is ready.
Once out of the oven, cool completely before rolling and slicing.
Store the quince wrapped in baking paper in a dry, well ventilated area.
300g orzo pasta
45ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
30ml thyme leaves, chopped
250ml cream
1 lemon, grated zest and juice
250ml grated parmesan cheese
40g pine kernels, toasted
Place a large saucepan over high heat, pour in a good quantity of water and add a teaspoon of salt.
Bring to a boil, add the orzo pasta and cook until al dente.
Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion to it.
Cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic and thyme and stir-fry for one minute.
Pour in the cream, turn down the heat to medium and simmer until slightly reduced – 3 minutes or so.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parmesan and stir through.
Now add the drained orzo to the sauce and simmer for another 2 minutes while stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce.
Spoon the orzo on to a serving dish and scatter the pine kernels over to serve.
350g aubergine, cubed
2 litres chicken/vegetable stock
45ml butter
45ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
350ml arborio rice
100ml white wine
a pinch of saffron
150g parmesan cheese, grated
45g butter, cubed
100g pine kernels
Place a large pan on medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom.
Add the cubed aubergine and a generous sprinkling of salt and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Pour the stock into a saucepan, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a low simmer.
Set a large, wide saucepan on medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil to it.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter and oil. Fry for 2 minute.
Add the saffron to the white wine and pour into the pan. Keep stirring until the liquid has evaporated.
Add about 2 soup ladles of chicken stock and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Continue cooking the rice, adding half a cup of stock at a time, stirring and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite.
Add the cooked aubergine and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the risotto from the heat, add the parmesan and stir through.
Add the butter and scatter the pine kernels over.
Serve immediately.
This recipe is a guide with a few must-do steps and a whole lot of optionals where you get to choose according to your preference!!
vegetables of your choice e.g. cucumber, red onion, baby onion, carrot, cauliflower, green beans
flavourants such as fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, black or red pepper, mustard seeds, chilli flakes, pimento, all spice, garlic
Pickling liquid:
500ml white vinegar
500ml water
30ml salt
30ml sugar
Wash, rinse and dry your glass containers.
Clean and peel your vegetable of choice and cut it into pieces.
Tightly pack the vegetable into the jar and add your flavouring – I add about half a teaspoon of all the above spices as I like a punchy pickle.
Add the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a small saucepan and place it on medium-high heat while stirring to dissolve the salt.
Remove from the heat as soon as tiny bubbles break the surface.
Pour the hot liquid onto the vegetables, covering it completely.
Secure the lid of the container and set aside to cool.
Place the container in the refrigerator for a minimum of three days.
Enjoy your pickles with a cheese/charcuterie board, on a sandwich, as a garnish/side with roasted meat or on its own as a snack.
Vinaigrette:
45ml lemon juice
5ml sesame oil
40ml olive oil
a pinch of salt
15ml thyme leaves, chopped
350-400g green beans
10ml sesame seeds, roasted
1 lemon, zest cut into fine strips
Rinse the beans under running water and trim off the ends.
Place a large saucepan on the heat, fill it with water and bring to a boil.
Add the trimmed beans and cook for exactly 3 minutes.
Drain the beans and once again run cold water over it to stop the cooking process.
Shake the beans dry and pat with a clean dish towel. Arrange on a serving platter.
For the vinaigrette:
Add the lemon juice, sesame oil, olive oil, salt and thyme leaves to a bowl and whisk together.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the beans and garnish with lemon zest, lemon slices and a sprinkling of the sesame seeds.
6 eggs
30ml butter
salt, pepper, smoked sweet paprika
250ml grated parmesan cheese
Boil the eggs for 5 minutes, peel and half them.
Melt the butter in a pan set over medium heat and place the eggs cut-side down into the butter.
Season with salt, pepper and a generous amount of sweet paprika.
Cover the eggs with the grated parmesan and place a lid on the pan.
Cook just until the cheese has melted.
Serve immediately.
potato
vegetable oil
salt
Peel the potato.
Now slice the potato with a vegetable peeler as though you are peeling an apple. Try and keep the strips as long as possible.
Place the strips in a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes.
Drain and dry the strips on kitchen paper.
Heat some oil in a saucepan and deep-fry the potato until golden.
Sprinkle with salt and serve.
200g chorizo sausage
30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 x 400g tin of whole cherry tomato
10ml sugar
5ml salt
400g orzo pasta
400ml vegetable stock
a handful of basil leaves, chopped
parmesan cheese
Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion to it.
Fry the onion until just soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring every now and then.
Add the orzo and stir through.
Pour in the vegetable stock and cook for about 10 minutes. The liquid has to reduce and the orzo should be tender when you taste it.
Scatter over three quarters of the basil and turn off the heat.
Stir through and serve with grated parmesan cheese and the rest of the basil scattered over.
15g butter
15ml olive oil
1 large/2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, finely diced
50g curry paste (I used Rogan Josh paste – use a milder paste if you are not a fan of heat!!)
30ml tomato paste
500ml cooked rice
45ml soy sauce
Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the butter and oil.
Add the onion and fry until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the carrots and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the curry and tomato paste and stir to mix through.
Add the cooked rice and stir until the rice is evenly coated.
Pour in the soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes, until the soy has been absorbed.
Serve warm.
500ml cooked bulgur wheat
250ml parsley, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
80ml chopped pickled cucumber
125ml roasted red peppers, chopped
250ml pomegranate seeds
80ml raisins
Dressing:
60ml olive oil
60ml lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
2,5ml granulated mustard
5ml sugar
2,5ml salt
Add the cooked bulgur wheat, parsley, onion, pickled cucumber, red peppers, pomegranate seeds and raisins to a large mixing bowl and toss together.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together until amalgamated and drizzle over the salad.
My Whisk and I 