Eggplant Parmigiana

This dish makes me think of the blissful Il Fornillo beach (a small pebbly bay before the main beach of Positano, in the Campania region of Italy) and its orange and green striped sun loungers, where I ate parmigiana melanzana between two slabs of bread at the beach side cafe, after a morning rotation of swimming, sunbathing and reading. I have since discovered that eggplant/aubergine/melanzana (mad apple) is originally from South Asia and was brought to Europe by the Arabs from Persia and first to Moorish Spain.

Il Fornillo, 500+ steps down, only accessible on foot or by boat

Spiaggia del Fornillo, Saracen Tower of Clavel

Ingredients
2 medium eggplant, cut into 1 centimetre rounds
2- 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 jar passatta
Fresh mozzarella
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
Basil leaves
Grated parmesan or emmental (optional)

Method
Heat a large frying pan on medium, add the olive oil, then lower the temperature and cook the first batch of eggplant in one layer. After a few minutes turn the eggplant over and place a raw slice on top of the cooked side, allowing the olive oil to be absorbed on to the upper round. This will avoid the dish being too greasy and you can use less oil. The eggplant initially sponges up the olive oil but releases it once it is cooked.

Cook until translucent and brown speckled.

Once all the eggplant discs are translucent and lightly browned, remove from the pan on to a plate. Return to the frying pan and add the passata. When the sauce is rich and bubbling, arrange the eggplant in layers to cover the surface of the skillet. Gently push the eggplant into the tomato so that it coats the slices.

Break the Mozzarella cheese into segments and arrange in a spiral over the top. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt and add the optional small handful of grated parmesan or emmental. Cover the pan and allow to simmer until the cheese has melted.

To serve, scatter over the freshly torn basil leaves and devour with warm crusty bread.

South Pacific Xmas Mini Mince Pies

I'm not sure of the origin of this recipe, only that it has existed as a typed print out in my Mum's cookery scrap book for at least 10 years. Some Christmases we've misplaced or been separated from this precious piece of paper, we almost know the recipe by heart, but the 11 month seasonal gap between batches can have us racking our taste memories over email. These mince pies are distinctive because of their mini size and also the use of coconut in the filling, which caramelises with the sugar and creates a very addictive texture. They are always very popular, even to those non-lovers of traditional mince pies. Furthermore their mini size and lack of a pastry topper lulls you into feeling virtuous even though it's easy to pop half a dozen of these morsels in one sitting.

Makes 48 mini mince pies

Ingredients

x2 ready roll short crust pastry (375 grams)
2 cups currants
1 and 1/2 cups coconut
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
75 grams softened butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon nutmeg
optional - substitute 1/2 cup currants for 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and pre-soak the dried fruit by pouring over 1 tablespoon of sherry.

Method

Grease a 24 yield mini muffin tin.

Measure out all of the ingredients (barring the pastry of course) into a large mixing bowl, beat everything together until well blended.

Roll out 1 of the 375 gram portions of pastry and cut out 24 rounds. Mould each round gently into the patty tin, before filling each mini tart base with a generous teaspoon of the batter.

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 13- 15 mins or until the tops are brown. Cool for a few minutes in the tin before coaxing out on to a wire rack for further cooling. Re-line the tin with the second portion of pastry for a second batch, or keep the remaining filling in the fridge for up to 3 days to use later.

Roasted Peppers With Tomato & Anchovies

These stuffed roasted peppers make a good side dish or lunch with some couscous, or anything to soak up the juices from the caramelisation of the peppers and the salty zing of the anchovies. It's an interpretation of Delia Smith's Piedmont peppers recipe.

Ingredients

2 whole peppers (any colour except green, too bitter)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup whole peeled chopped tomatoes (carton/tin)
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon of capers (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, no salt - salty enough with the anchovy.

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Wash and half the peppers lengthwise and place in a very lightly oiled ovenproof dish.
In a medium bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic, anchovy, capers and black pepper.

Divide and spoon the tomato medley into the four pepper halves. Finish with a swirl of olive oil in each half and a twist of freshly ground pepper. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Nigella's Self Saucing Sticky Toffee Pudding

Not being a fan of dates, this is a dessert recipe I would have completely overlooked had it not been for my housemate's friend cooking this and me sampling the ample leftovers (makes enough for 6- 8). The dates take on a new identity and their texture creates the toffee chew of this pudding. It's a Nigella Lawson creation, so as you'd expect it's no holds barred on the sugar and butter, but the Muscovado sugar makes a lovely and inviting caramel coloured sponge. All cooked in one dish, create the cake batter first and the self saucing ingredients are assembled on top.

Ingredients

1/2 cup muscovado sugar

1 1/4 cups self raising flour

1/2 cup whole milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

50 grams unsalted butter (melted)

1 1/2 cups chopped dates - could use less dates, 1 cup

for the sauce

1 cup muscovado sugar

30 grams unsalted butter (in little blobs)

2 cups boiling water

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and butter a 6 cup capacity pudding dish.

Mix together the 1/2 cup of muscovado sugar with the flour in a large bowl. Pour the milk into a measuring jug, beat in the egg, vanilla and melted butter, then pour this liquid over the sugar and flour, stirring by hand with a wooden spoon to combine. Fold in the slithered dates and then scrape the sponge batter into your prepared dish, making it level and smooth.

Sprinkle over the 1 cup of sugar and dot with the little blobs of butter. Evenly pour over the boiling water and carefully transfer to the oven. Check after 45 minutes, though the pudding may need 5- 10 minutes more. The top should be springy and spongy and the boiling water, sugar and butter will have turned into a rich sauce. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Julie's Savoury Tart Pastry

This recipe is for the tart's base and the topping combinations can be improvised with whatever you like. Possible flavour medleys are, caramelised onions, roasted peppers, anchovies & capers, or roasted pumpkin/sweet potato & blue cheese. Also, a thin dapple of tomato passtata (strained tomatoes minus the skin and seeds) or puree works well between the pastry and the topping. This recipe comes through the cookery grapevine from a family neighbour via my Mum. It's best constructed in a long rectangular tin with a bottomless base (36 x 12 cm), you could also use a round spring-form cake tin (24 cm).

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
120 grams cold unsalted butter
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons iced water

Method
Immediately put the butter in the freezer to completely chill down. Lightly grease the tin with an olive oil spray or melted butter. Measure out the flour and place with the thyme leaves, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Working quickly, grate the chilled butter from the freezer and place in the bowl with the flour. Using your hands, do an initial swirl around to coat the grated butter curls in flour. Then begin to rub with your finger tips, until it resembles bread crumbs.

Add the Dijon mustard and water. Mix in with your hand, which will start to clump the dough together in the bowl, then tip the pastry out on to a floured bench surface and rolled together until you have a nice smooth ball. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile organise your toppings and preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.

Once chilled, quickly roll your dough out into a shape slightly bigger than the base of your tin. Next drape the pastry over your baking pan and push gently into the corners, creating a small crust. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Finally arrange your flavour combinations on top and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Fig Jam with Lemon & Thyme

This is my third year of making this gorgeous ruby coloured fig jam and in late August/September (when figs are available in the UK from Mediterranean climates) during my lunch break I visit the Berwick Street market fruit vendors to purchase a bag of these ripe beauties for weekend jam making. The season is quite short and the figs don't keep for long, best used within 24 hours. I love that each fig comes on it's own paper case, like buying a decadent cake from a French Patisserie. One of my favourite elements of this jam is the addition of the lemon and thyme, it enhances the figs and evokes Turkish and Moroccan flavours. It is lovely on toast and dolloped on top of a bowl of yoghurt, fresh fruit and muesli or with goat's cheese. Also, an affordable luxury for the jam making process is to purchase a cooking thermometer, around £4 and takes the guess work out of knowing when the jam is set. Makes 2 large jars.

Ingredients
2 lbs ripe figs *equivalent to about 18 figs
1 3/4 lbs caster sugar *3 1/2 cups
1 lemon, the rind and juice.
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Makes 2 large jars

Method
Wash the figs in a colander, dry and quarter them and stack in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the sugar to the figs and on a low heat, stirring often, slowing bring to the boil.

Mean while, peel the rind of the lemon, remove any white pith from the rind and cut into very thin strips (julienne). Wash and chop the thyme leaves and add with the lemon pieces to the simmering figs.
Allow the fruit and sugar mixture to thicken for some minutes and then carefully stir through the lemon juice.

Continuing cooking on a low heat, keeping a constant gentle simmer. Keep watch and stir regularly.

Jam setting point is 104 degrees Celsius. Use a cooking thermometer or test by spreading a teaspoon of the cooking jam on to a saucer, place in the freezer for 30 seconds. It is ready if the jam wrinkles when touched with your finger.

Ladle into warm sterilized jars (to sterilize - wash and dry the jars, leaving a few tiny drops of water in the bottom, place in the microwave for 40 seconds. Place the lids in a shallow bowl and pour over boiling water). Allow the jam to cool before securing the lids.

Soya Aioli Dressing

'I can't believe this is made using soya milk!' - Is usually what I exclaim to anyone around after I make a batch of this dressing, beckoning them to taste it on a teaspoon and share in my amazement. The best part of this recipe is the delightful transformation of the frothy soya milk mixture into a creamy, thick, smooth and beautifully amalgamated Aoili which makes you feel like a culinary chemist. This recipe is from the Revive Cafe Cookbook and devised for a Caesar salad dressing but I use for potato salad, to dip asparagus into and smear on a burger or sandwich. Recipe makes approximately 3 cups of dressing.

Caesar salad, dressed with Soya Aioli.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soya milk

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

3 gloves crushed garlic

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups rice bran oil

1/2 to 1 cup water, room temperature

Soya milk, cider vinegar, mustard, salt and garlic.

Method

Combine the soya milk, vinegar, garlic, mustard and salt using either a stick blender or food processor.

Then while blending, slowly add the 2 cups of rice bran oil, a few dribbles at a time. Lastly add the water until you get the desired consistency. Runnier for a dressing or thicker and less water for a spread.

Adding the rice bran oil, drips at a time.

Finished dressing, creamy and light.

For Caesar salad, add to Cos or Romaine lettuce, croutons* and shaved Parmesan or the Revive Cookbook suggest cubed pieces of feta cheese.

* Cut 2 pieces of grainy wholemeal bread into 1 centimetre cubes, arrange on a baking tray with 1 tablespoon of rice bran oil drizzled over, plus a seasoning of salt and pepper. Roast for 20- 30 minutes at 180 degrees C.

Croutons, roasted for 20- 30 mins at 180 degrees C.