Boat Harissa

I created this recipe during an unforgettable cruise around Ibiza.

You can make it in advance and store in an airtight jar for weeks.

The quantities of each ingredient vary according to your taste.

It can be served as a dressing for boiled rice, Potatoes or even pasta.

Salsa Harissa:

• 1 cup of strong olive oil
  
• 5-8 stoned black olives, chopped up finely.
  
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• tsp ground cumin seeds
  
• tsp hot chili flakes
  
• salt and pepper, to taste
  

Pound all of the ingredients in a mortar until smooth.

Serving suggestion:

Rice Salad with Harissa.

Boil 2 cups of rice until tender. Drain and pour into a bowl, let it cool down.

Mix in some chopped tomatoes, a drained can of tuna and 3-4 tablespoons of harissa sauce. Serve as a side dish.

Pork Pie

450g pork mince

55g pork fat, finely minced

55g Bacon, minced

 

For the pastry

450g Flour

225g lard

90 ml water,

beaten egg yolks, or milk to glaze

For the jelly

300 ml water,

1/2 envelope powdered gelatine, (about 6g)

Method

1. To make the pastry: put the flour in a mixing bowl and crumble in the lard. Work until beginning to come together. Add a pinch of salt and start adding the water gradually, working until the dough forms. Let it rest for 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 5.

3. Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 5mm thick. Reserve enough pastry to make a lid. Use the larger piece of dough to line the base and sides of a 20cm plain flan ring or springform tin.

4. To make the filling: mix the pork mince, pork fat and bacon and season with salt and pepper and herbs such as sage or parsley. Place this mixture in the pie case.

5. Brush the edges of the dough with water and place the lid on top. Make sure this is sealed well by pressing with a fork.

6. Brush the top with egg yolk or milk. Cook in the oven for about 1 hour 30 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and unmold immediately. Leave the pie to cool overnight.

7. The following day, make up the gelatine with the water according to the packet instructions. Make a hole in the top of the pie and pour the gelatine in until the pie is completely filled (the meat will have shrunk so there will be plenty of space). Let the pie set in the fridge overnight (or for at least 12 hours for the best results).

Serves: Makes 1 pie. Cook: 1 hr 30 min

Cream of Mushroom Soup

This soup is amazing. I am using Frozen wild mushrooms, they are available all yea round and do not cost much.

Ingredients

• 300 gr mixed mushrooms (frozen is fine)
• 1 tablespoon  olive oil
• 25 gr butter
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 sprig fresh thyme 
• salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 chopped leeks, white and light green parts
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup full fat milk
• 1 cup double cream
• handful of minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Prepare 1 litre of vegetable stock. A Stock cube is fine.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the milk, cream and parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper: Heat through but do not let it boil. Serve hot, with croutons or fresh crusty bread.

Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Many years ago I made a lemon curd ice cream that my family still remembers and talks about.

Here is my modern version that does not require an ice cream maker.

yields: 900 ml approximately

• 1 large lemon, juice and rind
  
• 1 tbsp. cornmeal 
• 100 gram sugar
  
• 25 gram butter
  
• 200 ml whipping cream
  
• 2 eggs
  
• pinch of salt

Place the lemon juice and rind, butter and cornmeal in a pan, put it to heat slowly, stirring constantly. Stir all the time until it thickens. Take off the heat.

Break he eggs and fold the yolks into the lemon curd. 

Put the whites in a large clean bowl an whisk them until stiff.

Whisk the cream until it doubles in volume.

Fold the cream, egg whites and the curd with a metal spoon with large circular movements. When you are nearly finished, give it a last stir with the whisk, to make sure there are no clumps of egg white or cream. 

Pour into a plastic container and freeze. It will take 6-8 hours to set. It is better to make the day before.

Majorcan Sponge Cake

Coca de Leche

from Elizabeth

yield: 6-8

ingredients

1 yogurt, natural or lemon flavour

3 yogurt pots of flour

1 yogurt pot of sunflower oil

3 eggs

1 sachet baking powder

1 yogurt pot of whole milk

a pinch of salt

directions

1. Pour all of the ingredients into a bowl or food processor. 

Process or beat the batter ingredients with a wooden spoon until smooth.

2. Pour into a greased cake mould. 

3. Bake at 150ºC for around 50 minutes.

4. Take out of the oven and let it cool down before turning on a plate.

Polenta Lasagna

Italian Ragú Bolognese
You can make it with lamb, beef or pork. If you like hot and spicy, you can add chilli flakes. If you don’t want meat in it, make it with mushrooms for example.

• 1 quantity of Basic polenta 
  
• 400 ml white sauce
• 1 onion, chopped finely
  
• 1 carrot, chopped
  
• 1 stick celery, chopped
  
• 1 tbsp tomato concentrate (if you have it)
  
• 300 grs minced meat,
  
• 200ml white wine
  
• 200 ml tomato puree
  
• 1 tsp oregano, dry or fresh
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Make the Polenta first. pour it in a bowl and let it cool down until it hardens.

Gently fry in 1 tablespoon of oil the onion, celery and carrot in a saucepan for 10 minutes, add some salt to help draw the water out of the onion. When the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, add the meat and break it up with a fork as you brown it all over. Add the tomato concentrate if you are using it.

Now add the rest of ingredients and let it cook down for 30 to 50 minutes, until reduced.

Assemble the dish:

Cut the cold polenta into 1cm slices. Line the bottom of a greased ovenproof dish with the polenta slices. Cover the polenta qith a layer of ragú. Repeat the layers untl ou have finished the sauce, finish with a layer of sauce.

Cover this with cheese sauce.

Bake in a hot oven for 40 minutes until it is bubbling and brown.

Chicken in Cream

To use up any leftover chicken. 

You can also use fresh chicken breast meat.

Serve on a bed of plain rice, as a light meal.

for 3-4 people:

• 300 grm cooked chicken or 2 small chicken breasts
  
• 200 ml double cream
• 100 ml white wine
• 100 gr mushrooms, sliced.
• salt and pepper to taste

Cut the chicken meat into regular chunks.

Fry the chicken with the mushrooms in a little butter for 4-5 minutes; season and add the wine; let it cook down.

Pour the cream into the pan and bring to the boil.

Serve hot, over a bed of rice.

Chocolate Ice cream

This Ice Cream does not require an ice cream maker, and it uses whole eggs, so you won't end up with egg whites you don't know what to do with.
I use a little rum when melting the chocolate, but you can use orange juice, more milk, or a little coffee.

Ingredients for 2 litres
4 large eggs
300 ml whipping cream
300 gr dark chocolate
50 gr sugar
2 tablespoons for rum (or orange juice)
2 tablespoons of milk


Melt the chocolate with the rum in a large saucepan. As soon as the milk is bubbling turn the heat off. Mix the chocolate into the milk and rum until smooth. Leave it to cool slightly.

Separate the eggs and place the whites in a large clean bowl.

Add the yolks to the melted chocolate a mix them in. They will start to cook and make a custard.
Add a pinch of salt to the whites and whisk them until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and whisk for a few seconds until just mixed.

Whisk the cream in a separate bowl until it nearly doubles in size. 

Mix the whipped cream into the melted chocolate. The mix should now be nearly cold.

Pour the chocolate mix into the whisked egg white and fold gently until it is even in colour.

Pour the whole mix into a plastic container and freeze for at least 6 hours.