Quails with Burnt Miso Butterscotch and Pomegranate and Walnut Salsa

Ingredients

150 g white miso paste, at room temperature
50 ml mirin
30 g light brown sugar
2 tsp sherry vinegar
40 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp sunflower oil
8 whole quails, de-boned with wing tips left on (1.1 kg)
coarse sea salt and black pepper

Salsa

150 g pomegranate seeds (seeds of 1 medium pomegranate)
70 g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
35 g pickled walnuts, rinsed, skin removed, finely chopped (optional)
2 tsp pomegranate molasses
2 tbsp Valdespino sherry vinegar (or another good-quality sherry vinegar)
1 tbsp olive oil
20 g parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C.
2. Use a rubber spatula to spread the miso paste out thinly and evenly on a parchment-lined baking tray. Place the tray in the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the miso has turned to dark caramel: the sides should look burnt and the middle a dark golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Scrape the burnt miso paste off the parchment paper, breaking it as you go, and transfer the pieces to a food processor, along with the mirin, sugar, vinegar, butter and 1 tablespoon of water. Blitz well for 5 minutes to form a smooth aerated paste.
3. Place all the ingredients for the salsa, apart from the parsley, in a medium bowl with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix well and set aside until ready to use, stirring the parsley in just before serving.
4. When you are ready to serve, set the oven to its highest grill setting.
5. Place a large sauté pan on a high heat and add the oil. Season the quails with 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper and, once the pan is hot, add them skin-side down in batches. Fry for 5 minutes, turning once, so that both sides get some colour.
   
6. Transfer the quails to a parchment-lined baking tray and spread 1 tablespoon of miso butterscotch evenly over the skin of each bird. Place the tray under the grill and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the miso starts to bubble and caramelize.

7. Serve at once, with the salsa spooned on top or alongside.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Ottolenghi

Moroccan Prawns

Ingredients

1 lb raw peeled tiger prawns
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 bunch spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Avocado and Melon Salsa

1 ripe avocado
juice 1 lime
8 oz melon, seeded and cut into small dice
1/2 bunch spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
1 fresh red chili, cored, seeded and finely chopped
salt

Method

1. To make the salsa, cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and peel off the skin. Dice the flesh finely and place in a bowl.
2. Add the lime juice and mix well. Add the diced melon, spring onions (scallions), chili and salt to taste. Cover and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
3. If necessary, remove the heads and tails from the prawns and de-vein. Rinse and pat dry with kitchen paper.
4. In a bowl, mix together the garlic, salt, paprika, cumin, ground coriander and cayenne. Add the prawns and mix well.
5. In a large frying pan, heat the oil. Add the prawns and spring onions (scallions) and stir fry for 5 minutes or until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
6. Stir in the chopped coriander. Serve with the salsa and with rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Book of North African Cooking

Poached Plum Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 cup gingerbread cookie crumbs
3 tbsp melted butter
475 g ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp lemon zest

Poached Plums

4 cloves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup red wine
1/3 cup sugar
500 g plums, stones removed, sliced

Method

1. To make the poached plums, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the plums, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Remove plums, and strain remaining syrup into a small saucepan. Reheat syrup until reduced by half then return plums to the pot to keep warm until ready to serve.
3. Preheat oven to 325°F.
4. In a large bowl, mix together cookie crumbs and butter then press into a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set.
5. Meanwhile, add ricotta, sour cream, sugar, egg yolks, flour and lemon zest into a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as required. In another large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and then tip in the cheese mixture. Fold together, but don’t over mix.
6. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean and the middle barely quivers. Remove from oven and immediately run a long sharp knife all around the inside edge of pan.
7. Set on rack to cool then cover and refrigerate for 6 hours, or overnight.
8. When ready to serve, spoon poached plums over the cake. Just before serving, sprinkle sugar evenly over surface of cheesecake. Using a mini torch, heat until sugar melts and caramelizes. Serve immediately with reserved spiced plum syrup.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: Chef Kendall Collingridge

Home-style Japanese Curry with Ground Pork

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp grated ginger
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 to 2 onions, depending on the size and your preference, diced
1/2 lb ground pork
1 to 2 carrots, depending on the size and your preference, diced
1 apple, peeled and grated
1 tbsp honey
1 box store-bought Japanese curry roux
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp tonkatsu sauce
30 g unsalted butter, melted
1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Dashi Broth

4 cups water
45 g dashi powder

Method

1. In a heavy bottomed medium pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat.
2. Add ginger and garlic and stir. Add curry powder and cumin.
3. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Add ground pork and cook until pork is well done.
4. Add diced carrots and dashi broth. Cook until boiling, and skim any scum from surface of broth.
5. Add grated apple and honey and reduce heat to low. Simmer for additional 15 to 20 minutes, stirring regularly.
6. Add curry roux in small pieces and slowly dissolve with chopsticks.
7. Add soy sauce, ketchup, and tonkatsu sauce.
8. Finish with stirring in melted unsalted butter and cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: Chef Kazuya Matsuoka

Millet Cakes with Cilantro and Orange Zest

Ingredients

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 orange
2 cups cooked millet
I egg
1/2 cup light cream
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oi

Method

1. Coarsely chop the cilantro. Bring a small saucepan of tightly salted water to a boil.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off two strips of zest from the orange and add to the boiling water for 1 minute, to soften. Rinse the strips and cut them into thin slices. Cut the orange into slices and set aside.
3. Put the millet into a bowl. Add the egg, cream, and bread crumbs.
4. Add the orange zest and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Carefully mix together the ingredients and, with moist hands, shape into small patties. Press them together well so they don’t fall apart when sauteing.
6. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the patties, and saute on both sides until golden brown.
7. Transfer the cakes to plates and serve with salad greens and the reserved orange slices.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Vegetables