Kitchen Classics

A refreshing approach to Mediterranean cuisine

ALMOND PANNA COTTA Serves: 8 Ingredients Milk: 1 L Cream : 1 L Gelatine: 8 sheets Almond, dark, toasted, sliced : 150 gm Sugar: 350 gm Mascarpone: 200 gm Method Roast the almonds until golden brown then put them in a pan with milk, cream and sugar. Bring it to boil then add the gelatine (soaked in ice water to rehydrate). Blend the panna cotta mixture and then strain through a fine mesh-strainer. Add the mascarpone and whisk the mixture gently until smooth. Pour it into the serving glasses and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold with caramel sauce, biscotti and a roasted fruit.

GREEK SALAD Serves: 1 Ingredients For the salad: Romaine lettuce leaves, chopped: 6 pc Tomato, deseeded: 4 tbsp Cucumber, peeled: 3 tbsp Onion, red, diced 1 cm: 2 tbsp Spring onion batons : 1 tbsp Feta cheese, cubed 1 cm: 2 tbsp Capsicum, green, deseeded : 2 tbsp Kalamata olives, with seed: 6 pc Mint leaves, whole, fresh: 3 pc Salt to taste Mint, dried to garnish For the dressing: White vinegar: 1 tsp Lemon juice, freshly squeezed: 1 tbsp Olive oil: 2 tbsp Method In a bowl, combine the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives, spring onion and green capsicum. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and salt for a tangy flavour. Mix all ingredients well and ensure they are coated with the dressing. Place in the serving bowl. Arrange feta cheese and fresh mint leaves on the top of the salad. Sprinkle over dried mint and serve immediately.

BEEF PROVENCAL Serves: 6 Ingredients Chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes: 1.5 kg Olive oil: 2 tbsp Onion, small, sliced: 1 pc Grape juice: 1 ½ cup Parsley, flat-leaf, fresh, chopped: 2 tbsp Rosemary, fresh, chopped: 1 tbsp Thyme, fresh, chopped: 1 tbsp Bay leaf, fresh: 2 pc Turkey bacon, smoked, cut into 1x2cm pcs: 250 gm Tomato, quality, crushed : 400 gm Beef stock: 1 cup Baby carrot: 500 gm Niçoise olives, pitted: 1/3 cup Method In a bowl, combine the cubed beef with 1 tbsp of the oil, the onion, 1 cup of grape juice and half of the herbs. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Drain the beef, reserving the marinade. Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and brown the beef and onion in batches. Remove from the pan. Add the turkey bacon to the saucepan and cook for 3-5 minutes, until crisp. Return the beef to the pan with the remaining grape juice and marinade and cook, scraping the residue from the base of the pan for 2 minutes or until the grape juice has slightly reduced. Add the tomato and stock and bring the boil.Reduce the heat and add the remaining herbs to the pan. Season well, cover and simmer for about 1 ½ hours. Add the carrots and olives to the saucepan and cook, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, or until the meat and carrots are tender. Before serving, check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

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