Dip - Olive Pesto ~ SF

This rich black olive pesto is perfect on bruschetta or tossed in fresh spaghetti.

Level of difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
large bunch parsley
large bunch Basil
1 sprig Rosemary
4 sun-blushed tomatoes
150g pitted black olives
4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Place the garlic, and herbs in a food processor and blend until finely chopped.
2. Add the tomatoes, olives and Parmesan and pulse until coarsely chopped.
3. Scoop the mixture into a bowl and stir in the olive oil to make a thick paste.
4. Serve tossed with freshly cooked spaghetti, black pepper and extra Parmesan, or on bruschetta.

Quote of the day:

"Cooking is an art, but you eat it too.”
~Marcella Hazan

Chocolate Meringues with Cherry Ripple ~ SF

Chef Silvana Franco who appears on the BBC food channel made this recipe on her show The Hi Lo Club. it's delicious and fun to make.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1 pinch salt

225g golden caster sugar (found in Mishref co-op)

1 tsp cornflour

0.5 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp white vinegar

25g cocoa powder

425g canned stoned black cherries, in syrup

200g low-fat fromage frais (could be found at the sultan center)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 140C/gas 1.

2.Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until very stiff. Gradually add the sugar to make a stiff shiny mixture. Stir together the corn flour, vanilla and vinegar and whisk in. Sift over the cocoa then whisk in.

3. Spoon twelve oval shapes onto two baking sheets lined with Teflon paper. Bake for 45 minutes until the outer shell is crisp, but the centre still feels a little soft. Carefully peel off the paper and leave to cool.

4. Meanwhile, drain the cherries, pouring the syrup into a small saucepan. Bring the syrup to the boil and bubble rapidly for 7-8 minutes until thick. Set aside to cool.

4. Stir the cherries into the fromage frais. Spoon the mixture onto six of the meringues and then drizzle over the thickened syrup. Cover with the remaining meringue halves and serve.

This dessert should be served immediatly or the meringues halves will get soggy.

Servings: 6

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Tip of the day:

to remove tomato skin easily, put them in very hot
water for 8-10 minutes. remove, peel and chop or mash as
required.