by Simone Conti
Ceviche
Serves 4 – Suggested Wine: Vinho Verde (Portugal)
Ingredients
450g skinned haddock fillets
1 tsp coriander seeds or Parsley
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 limes, juiced
1 tsp of salt
2 tbsp olive oil
bunch of spring onions, trimmed and sliced 4 Tomatoes, skinned and chopped
Dash of Tabasco
2 tbsp of fresh coriander
1 avocado
Preparation
When I was working in Spain I had the pleasure to work with a very talented Peruvian chef. After we became friends he showed me his family recipe for this amazing dish. Packed with omega 3 oils and clean protein, it’s a perfect healthy starter after all the festive comfort food. I don’t like coriander to much so I replace it with parsley but I’ll leave that up to your personal taste.
1. Cut the haddock fillets diagonally into thin, even strips and place in a bowl.
2. Crush the coriander seeds and the pep- percorns into a fine powder. Mix with the lime juice and salt, then pour over the fish. Cover and chill for 24 hours, turning the fish occasionally.
3. The next day, heat the oil in a pan, add the spring onions and fry gently for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the tabasco, toss together over a gentle heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool down.
4. To serve, drain the fish from the marinade and dispose of the marinade as we will not need it anymore. Combine the fish with the spring onion, tomatoes and the chopped coriander (or parsley). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Halve the avocado, peel and remove the stone. Slice the flesh crossways. Arrange the slices around the inside of a serving bowl and pile the Ceviche in the centres. Garnish with lime slices and coriander (or parsley). I personally love to serve it with some toasted crusty bread. Enjoy your Ceviche !!!
Pork Fillet with Honey and Ginger
Serves 4 – Suggested Wine: Cote du Rhone (France)
Ingredients:
500g pork filet
25g fresh ginger
30g soya sauce
1 medium size red chilli
2 tablespoons of Honey
2 tablespoons of sesame oil Salt
Preparation
1. Start by cutting the pork filet into medal- lions around 1 inch thick and place them in a plate then season with salt and black pepper.
2. Cut the ginger and the chilli into long strips. Remove the seeds from the chilli.
3. Pour the sesame oil into a frying pan and put it on a medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the ginger first and after 2 minutes, the chilli and let it cook for 4-5 minutes so the oil will infuse.
4. Add the pork medallions and let them cook until they are a nice golden colour which usu- ally will take around 5-6 minutes. Turn them so they get cooked evenly on both sides.
5. Once they start to go the golden colour add the honey and the soya sauce and let them cook for a further 5-6 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick.
6. Once ready, plate and serve with some basmati rice or some lovely roast potatoes.
Persian Love Cake
Serves 8 – Suggested Wine: Sauternes (France)
Ingredients:
360g almond flour
150g white sugar
200g brown sugar
pinch of salt
125g butter (room temperature)
2 eggs
250g greek yogurt
pinch of nutmeg
25g crushed pistachio nuts 10g rice flour or any flour icing sugar to decorate
Preparation
1. In a large mixing bowl place the almond flour, add the white and brown sugar and the pinch of salt.
2. Now cut the butter in to small cubes and add it to the mixture. Remember to use it at room temperature so it’s much easier to work with.
3. With your hands start to mix all the ingredients together until the dough has a sand like texture.
4. Divide 360g of your dough with a scale and leave the rest on the side.
5.. You will need a round cake mould about 10 inch wide. Butter the mould inside. Place the 360g of dough inside it. This will be the base of the cake. With the back of a table spoon spread the dough evenly in the base of the mould.
6. Get what’s left of the dough. Add the eggs, the Greek yogurt and the pinch of nutmeg, then mix it well with a wooden spoon.
7. Once it’s well mixed pour it on top of the base you made before in the mould. Make sure it’s even on top, use a spatula or the back of a tablespoon to spread it evenly.
8. Now add the crushed pistachio nuts on top of the cake
9. If you have a static oven, cook at 180 degrees for 45-50 minutes but if you use a ventilated oven then cook at 160 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
10. To be sure the cake is cooked use a toothpick. Pinch it in the middle of the cake and if it comes out dry then the cake is ready.
11. Once the cake cools down take it out of the mould and sprinkle the icing sugar on top to garnish.
