Chargrilled Asparagus Courgettes And Manouri Food

CHARGRILLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Remove woody ends of asparagus.
• Toss asparagus in a bowl with olive oil.
• Heat a griddle, or barbeque and cook the asparagus for about 10 minutes, until al dente.
• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with parmesan shavings to serve.

CHARGRILLED ASPARAGUS, COURGETTES AND MANOURI

Steps:

• Start with the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 350°F Mix the tomatoes with 3 tbsps of the olive oil and season with some salt and pepper. Spread them out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, skin side down. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until semi-dried. You can leave them there a bit more or a bit less, depending on how dry you like them. They will be delicious anyway. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
• Trim the woody bases of the asparagus and blanch for 4 minutes in plenty of boiling water. Drain and refresh under cold water, making sure the spears are completely cold. Drain well again, then transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil and some salt and pepper.
• Slice the zucchinis very thinly lengthwise, using a mandolin or a vegetable peeler. Mix with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and some salt and pepper.
• Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and leave there for a few minutes. It should be very hot. Grill the zucchinis and asparagus, turning them over after about a minute. You want to get nice char marks on all sides. Remove and leave to cool.
• Heat the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Fry the manouri cheese for 3 minutes on each side or until it is golden. Place on kitchen paper to soak up excess oil. Alternatively, chargrill the cheese on the hot griddle pan for about 2 minutes on each side.
• To make the basil oil, blitz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. You might need to double the quantity for some blender blades to be effective. Keep any extra oil for future salads.
• To assemble, arrange the rocket, vegetables and cheese in layers on a flat serving plate. Try to build the salad up whilst showing all the individual components. Drizzle with as much basil oil as you like and serve.

CYPRIAN HALLOUMI CHEESE

Steps:

• To fresh milk add rennet and leave till set (about 30 minutes).
• Break up and place resulting mass into muslin in about two lots (this depends on the amount of milk used).
• Drain any whey from curds back into pan, leave to stand in muslin for about half an hour after which they will be firmer and in oval shape.
• Meanwhile bring whey to the boil.
• any curds which form on the top may be gathered and used fresh/ add sugar and cinnamon or placed in muslin and hung to dry to form a hard cheese suitable for grating onto pasta etc.
• Once milk has come to the boil, remove soft curds from muslin and place into boiling pan.
• Simmer gently until the cheese floats to the top, but certainly for approximately 20 minutes.
• Remove cheese, if liked, sprinkle with salt and fold in half and place a weight on top.
• Leave in fridge for at leave 2 hours before use.
• It may be stored in a jar with a small amount of the whey (keep cool).
• The remaining whey may be used to boil spaghetti in, when cooked, cooked chicken may be added to form a soup, serve with bread (this is a typical Cypriot lunch, nothing is wasted) The soft curds which form on the top to which sugar and cinnamon are added can be made in to'cakes' filo type pastry is filled with the mixture and then deep fried for a few moments, delicious!

ASPARAGUS & COURGETTE SALAD WITH FETA & SESAME SEEDS

Steps:

• Heat a small frying pan and add the sesame seeds. Cook, shaking the pan and making sure the seeds don't burn. When they are fragrant and have turned a light teak colour, tip them onto a saucer.
• Steam the asparagus for 3-4 mins until almost done. Drop into a bowl of iced water to cool, then drain and wrap in a tea towel to dry really well. Cook the peas for 3 mins in the boiling water used to steam the asparagus, then drain and cool under a cold tap. Slice the courgettes on the diagonal, about 0.5cm thick.
• Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Brush the asparagus and courgette slices with the oil, and cook in batches until nicely striped with dark brown. Cut the asparagus into 5cm lengths.
• Mix the asparagus, courgettes, peas, rocket, feta and lemon zest. Grind over some black pepper and sprinkle with the sesame seeds before serving.

TURKEY & SWEET CORN MEATBALLS WITH ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a roasting tray, toss peppers with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, then roast in the oven for 35 minutes or until soft. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with cling film to cool. (You can peel them if you want but it's not necessary.) Place them in a blender or food processor with their roasting juices and add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Process until smooth, then taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Set aside.
• For the meatballs, place a heavy, non-stick frying pan over a high heat and throw in the corn kernels. Toss them in the hot pan for 2-3 minutes until lightly blackened. Remove and leave to cool.
• Soak the bread in cold water for a minute, then squeeze well and crumble into a large bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the sunflower oil and mix well with your hands.
• Pour a 1/5 inch (5mm) depth of sunflower oil into your heavy frying pan. Allow it to heat up well and then fry about a teaspoonful of the turkey mix in it. Remove, let cool a little and then taste. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper in the uncooked mixture to your liking.
• With wet hands, shape the turkey mix into balls, about the size of golf balls. Cook them in small batches in the hot oil, turning them around in the pan until they are golden brown allover. Transfer to an oven tray, place in the oven at 400°F and cook for about 5 minutes. When you press one with your finger, the meat should bounce back. If unsure, break one open to check that it is cooked inside. Serve hot or warm, with the pepper sauce on the side.

CHARGRILLED ASPARAGUS & SPRING ONIONS WITH CHIVE FLOWERS

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan over a very high heat and add the olive oil - place the asparagus spears & spring onions in the pan, being careful that the oil does not spit and burn you.
• Cook for 2 to 4 minutes on one side, depending on the thickness and then turn over and continue to cook for a further 2 to 4 minutes. You are aiming for charred, but not burnt!
• Just before the end add the Balsamic vinegar and a little more oil if needed.
• Serve straight away with chopped fresh chives and chive flowers sprinkled over the top, and a lemon wedge per serving.