Tomatoes with Walnut

Serves: Two
Prep: Ten minutes

Ingredients:

1. Two ripe plump vine tomatoes. Slice in half, squeeze out pulp then slice coarsely.
2. Generous pinch of sea salt
3. Dash of white pepper
4. 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5. Juice of quarter of a lemon

Mix well and set aside.

Before serving at room temperature, add the following herbs and nuts, or any that you prefer.
Toss lightly.
1. Some fresh basil, mint, roughly torn
2. 6 walnut pieces, broken up into smaller pieces

Note: Mint gives this salad a refreshing taste. I used chocolate mint.

Baked Figs & Camembert With Radicchio

Recipe extracted from BBC Good Food

Serves: 6
Prep:: 15 mins
Cook: 10 - 15 mins

Ingredients:
Oil, for brushing
6 figs
200g/8ox soft goat's cheese
1 head radicchio
85g/3oz walnut pieces

For the dressing
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method:
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Unless the baking sheet is non-stick, line it with foil, then brush the foil lightly with oil.
2. Cut the figs into quarters, from the top almost to the base, then arrange on the foil.
Slice the goat's cheese, and then divide between the centres of the figs. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the dressing ingredients with some seasoning. Put a couple of good radicchio leaves on each serving plate. Remove the figs from the oven and place on the radicchio leaves, and then scatter over the walnuts.
4. Drizzle with the dressing, then serve warm or at room temperature.

……………….

My method as I was cooking only one fig.
Cooking Time five minutes or depending on your oven.

1. One tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and two tablespoon of extra virgin oil. Add a pinch of salt and beat well. Set aside.
2. I was unable to find goat's cheese thus substituted for Camembert. One thick slice over each piece of fig.
3. It takes less then five minutes for the cheese to melt.

Love ...........

"Love, having no geography, knows no boundaries." The great writer Truman Capote said it, and the loose and unpoetic translation is, we like who we like.

Garlic Chicken

1. Two pieces de-boned chicken thighs or breasts. Score lightly without cutting through the meat.
2. Six cloves of garlic - peeled but left whole
3. Quarter sprig of rosemary
4. Two and a half tsp light soya sauce
5. Two tsp olive oil
6. Dash of freshly ground white or mixed pepper
7. One tsp garlic powder

Method

1. Wash chicken and pat dry.
2. Mix all ingredients together and leave to marinate for a minimum of an hour or overnight.
3. Heat pan till smoking, add a drop of oil and twirl round the pan. Add chicken then reduce to medium heat immediately. Cook for about two minutes. Flip over once.
4. Add garlic and rosemary, continue cooking for about two minutes or depending on thickness of meat. Rotate the garlic during the cooking process to prevent burning.
5. Rest chicken for about two minutes before serving.

Note:
Adjust seasoning according to your taste and increase cooking time depending on thickness of meat.

Oats

It's difficult to buy oats in Spain thus I was very happy to see it served for breakfast by our host/hostess in Scotland.
It's amazing to learn new ingredients introduced to serve the humble oats.

Couldn't resist and bought some back with me from Scotland.

Am replicating here and it's a bowl of goodness.
Serve with fresh/dried fruits and nuts of your choice.

Can you guess what is the cold beverage poured over the bowl of oats?

Guess the Object

Update June 13th 2008

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S to Anonymous with the right answer.



.................
Any point beyond the hanging sponge is not ideal.



...........



Can you guess what is the hanging sponge for?

Hint: Garage

Good luck.

Sardines

They are inexpensive and packed with health giving omega-3 oils.

Serves: 2

Prep : 10 minutes
Cook: 2 minutes

Ingredients and dressing for fish

1. Zest and juice of a quarter lemon
2. 4 tbsp olive oil
3. Sea salt
4. Few sprigs of coriander, finely chopped
5. Small clove of minced garlic

Mix well, taste for seasoning and set aside to dress fish later.

6. Six pieces filleted sardines or whole (Remove scales and gut fish if whole)
7. Pat dry and season with freshly ground white pepper.
8. Sprinkle sea salt only just when you are about to pan fry. To barbecue or in a griddle pan, season fish with rock salt, this will prevent them from sticking to pan or grill.
9. I pan fried the filleted sardines with a bit of oil in a smoking pan. Skin side first for about one minute. Flip fish over and continue to cook for one minute. Remove pan from stove but leave fish in pan to keep hot. Fish will still continue to cook. Do not overcook the fish. If using whole fish, cooking time will be longer.
10. Pour dressing over fish and serve with salad of your choice