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Mango, Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad

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mango-saladHere’s salad number 2 from my cooking adventure with my nieces.

Mixed garden leaves – lettuce, chard, spinach
Mango slivers
Halved cherry tomatoes (the purple kind)
Avocado
Diced chilli
Coriander
Goats’ cheese
Toasted pine nuts
Lime juice
Dressing of honey and lemon juice

We ate this with a bunch of skewers
– King prawns in garlic, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, diced chilli, lemon thyme leaves and pepper
– Atlantic salmon with crushed fennel seeds, salt and pepper
– Nile perch with coriander/cumin/pepper/salt and a slice of peach
– Fruit and veg  (red onion, zucchini, mushroom, capsicum, peach) drizzled with honey soy sauce.

Also some sautéed small lebanese eggplant rubbed with some garam masala.

My sister cooked a marinated chicken. It was a very fine feast.

Capsicum, Tomato, Olive and Haloumi Salad

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haloumi-and-pepper-saladThis is a very simple salad with gorgeous colours. Here I am playing with two of my nieces making dinner for their sisters’ birthday dinner. The plating was a group activity.

Multi-coloured baby capsicum (the supermarket had them in a pack), halved and briefly sautéed in a pan
Halved cherry tomatoes (the purple ones)
Sliced cucumber
Toasted haloumi
Red onion thinly sliced (which I forgot to add!)
Fresh parsley
Pistachio nuts (added after the photo)
Dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic

Simple. Colourful. Tasty.

Made In Italy

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locatelli“Made in Italy” is the Italian Food Bible. Locatelli is the Stephanie Alexander of Italy. His book was recommended by my friend Rob who is co-owner of The Bunyip Scenic Rim Resort and an excellent cook. I bought the 600+ page hardcover version and I’m glad that I did.

Locatelli’s book is part biography, part food history, part food science, and a lot about the art of preparing and cooking Italian food. For me it was worth it to really learn about risotto, pasts and gnocchi for starters! The section introductions in themselves are terrific insights into the nature of Italian food in relation to culture and geography, and how to do the basics really well.

So what do you get?… 

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Grilled Figs with Goats Cheese

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figsFinally it’s fig season here, and I just LOVE fresh figs.

This dish is very simple. Brush figs with olive oil and place on foil under a hot grill. After a few minutes, remove figs, drizzle with honey and place back under grill for a few more minutes. Remove figs again, add a dollop of goats cheese, and grill a bit longer.

Transfer figs to a plate, drizzle with the honey that has collected on the foil. Drizzle place with some vino cotto (or reduced balsamic vinegar with added sugar). Quite amazing flavours.