Seasonal Vegetable Antipasti
At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs. When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Thyme & Bay
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500g/ 1 lb cherry tomatoes on the vine
3- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
2 fresh bay leaves
200ml/7 oz extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
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Roasted Fennel with Chile Oil
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½ red chile, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon of sea salt
6 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
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Courgette, Broad Bean & Mozzarella Salad
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1 green & 1 yellow large courgette (or two green courgettes)
500g/1 lb fresh broad beans, in their pods
250g/8.5 oz buffalo mozzarella bocconcini (or regular mozzarella)
3-4 sprigs of fresh basil, leaves finely sliced
Finely grated zest and juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
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To serve
1 small sourdough loaf, sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half
extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle
A small bunch of radishes, washed
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 250F/120C/100C fan/Gas ½.
Prepare the cherry tomatoes by taking them off the vine, slicing them all in half and placing them on a large tray lined with baking paper. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 2 hours until semi-dried. Remove from the oven, leave to cool and then place in a bowl or jar with the thyme and bay leaves. Cover with extra virgin olive oil, stir and leave to infuse at room temperature, ideally for a couple of hours or overnight.
Make the chile oil for the fennel dish by combining the chopped chile, salt and 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a pestle and mortar. Leave to infuse for an hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 400F/200C/180C fan/ Gas 6.
Place the fennel wedges on a baking sheet, drizzle with the remaining oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in the hot oven for 20-30 minutes until tender. Leave to cool.
Place a small frying pan over a medium heat, add the fennel seeds and toast for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
Place the fennel in a bowl, drizzle with some of the chile oil, sprinkle with the toasted fennel seeds and leave to one side.
Prepare the courgette salad by slicing the courgettes into ribbons lengthways with a very sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Place in a bowl.
Remove the broad beans from their pods. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and add the beans. Cook for 5 minutes until the beans are soft. Drain and refresh with cold water. Gently squeeze each bean to remove it from its leathery skin. Place the green beans in to the bowl with the courgettes.
Tear the mozzarella balls in pieces and add to bowl with the courgettes and broad beans. Add the chopped basil, olive oil, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper, toss to combine and leave to one side.
When you are ready to serve, toast the sourdough slices under the grill or on a hot griddle pan. Rub the toasted slices with the cut garlic and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve the bowls of antipasti with the sourdough toast and fresh radishes and let everyone help themselves.
From cygnetkitchen.co.uk