insideKENT Magazine Issue 64 - July 2017 | Page 102

FOOD + DRINK
CROWD-PLEASING Hors d’ oeuvres cont.
With all ingredients available to order at the touch of a button from Waitrose online, these recipes look great, are simple to make and taste divine( www. waitrose. com / recipes).
Chorizo and pea bites( 24)
Ingredients:
• 260g Goikoa Sarta De Chorizo Picante, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 100g frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 / 2 x 25g pack fresh basil, chopped
• 12 sheets filo pastry
• 2tbsp olive oil
Method:
1) Fry the chorizo in a large, non-stick frying pan until it releases its oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Stir in the peas and basil and season. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
2) Preheat the oven to 200 ° C, gas mark 6. Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a clean chopping board and cut in quarters lengthwise to create four long strips. Brush two of the strips with olive oil and lay another strip on top of each one. Spoon a rounded teaspoonful of the chorizo mixture on one corner of the pastry and fold over to form a triangle shape. Continue folding in a triangle shape until you reach the end of the strip.
3) Repeat with the remaining pastry to make 24 mini bites. Brush with oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden.
Cook ' s tip: Make these bites vegetarian by replacing the chorizo with 1 small chopped aubergine and 1 small deseeded and chopped red pepper.
Drinks recommendation: Waitrose Vintage Champagne – perfect to drink throughout the evening.
Avocado & smoked salmon boats( serves 6)
Aubergine fritters with lemon and coriander yoghurt
Ingredients:
• 3 medium aubergines
• 500ml vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 / 2 tsp hot chilli powder( or to taste)
• Large pinch saffron
• 2 medium eggs, beaten with a fork
• 100g plain flour
• 50g cornflour
• 150ml sparkling water
2) While the aubergines are‘ sweating’, make the dressing by combining the yogurt with the lemon juice and a little salt. Top with salad onions and coriander and chill until needed.
3) Pour enough vegetable oil into a large frying pan to a depth of roughly 1cm. Heat the oil over a medium-high heat.
Ingredients:
• 2 Waitrose Perfectly Ripe Avocados, halved and stoned
• 4 salad onions, thinly sliced
• 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2tbsp roughly chopped coriander
• 1 cucumber portion, peeled, deseeded and finely diced
• 1tbsp Cooks ' Ingredients Chinese Rice Vinegar
• 2 – 3tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 Waitrose Little Gem Lettuce Hearts
• 100g smoked salmon, torn into strips
• 1tbsp nigella seeds
• 6 slices sourdough bread, toasted and halved
• 1 / 2 lemon cut into thin wedges, to serve
Method:
1) Scoop the avocado flesh from the skins into a bowl. Add the salad onions, chillies, coriander, cucumber, rice vinegar, sesame oil and a good grinding of black pepper. Use the back of a fork to crush the avocado flesh and mix the ingredients together at the same time. Keep crushing and mixing until you have a chunky, guacamole-like consistency.
2) Separate the Little Gem hearts, picking out 12 leaves that are roughly the same size. Divide the avocado mixture between the leaves.
3) Fold strips of salmon over the avocado, scatter with nigella seeds and sit each leaf on a piece of toast. Serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing over.
For the yoghurt dressing:
• 300ml Greek yogurt
• Juice of 1 1 / 2 lemons
• 2 salad onions, finely sliced
• Small handful coriander leaves roughly chopped
Method:
1) Cut the aubergines into thin slices and spread out over a large clean surface. Sprinkle over a little salt and leave for 15 minutes, by which time dew drops will have formed on the surface of the aubergine slices— dab them dry with kitchen paper. Flip the slices over and repeat on the other side.
4) Mix the chilli and saffron with the beaten egg and slowly whisk in the two flours. Finally, whisk in the sparkling water.
5) Dip the aubergine slices into the batter and fry for 1-2 minutes in the oil, turning over when the first side is golden. Don ' t overcrowd the pan, and lay the cooked slices on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil. Either serve immediately, or make them in advance and reheat for 5 minutes in a hot oven. Serve with the yoghurt dressing.
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