New Lease of Life

Crispy Manti

Serves: 4

Ingredients

•           250 gm beef fillet steak

•           1 small onion, chopped

•           10 gm parsley, chopped

•           ½ tsp dried chili

•           200 gm filo pastry sheet

•           200 gm Greek yoghurt

•           20 gm mint leaves, chopped

•           Handful of mixed lettuce

•           Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Using a sharp knife, finely mince the beef fillet; steam with onion and parsley.

Add dry chili flakes and salt, mix well and keep aside.

Take the filo pastry sheet and cut it into 3-4 cm diameter roundels.

Place a tablespoon of beef mix on each roundel and brush the corners with water.

Fold them into half-moon shape and press on the base to make them stand.

Leave Manti parcels in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

For the dip sauce, add chopped mint to yoghurt and mix with a spoon.

Bake the Manti in a preheated oven at 220°C for 10-15 minutes.

Serve with minty yoghurt sauce, mixed lettuce and garnish with mint leaves.

Beetroot Salmon Gravlax

Serves: 4

Ingredients

•           1 kg salmon fillet, skin on

•           250 gm beetroot, grated

•           50 gm dill leaves

•           Juice of 1 lemon

•           30 gm rock salt

•           3 gm black cracked pepper

•           120 gm cherry tomatoes

•           50 gm spring onions

•           100 gm rocket leaves

•           50g mixed lettuce

•           50g fennel bulb sliced

•           Seeds of 1 pomegranate

•           2 avocados

•           50 ml balsamic vinegar 

Method

Mix the grated beetroot, chopped dill, lemon juice and rock salt together.

Sprinkle black cracked pepper on the salmon flesh and apply a thick layer of beetroot mix on the salmon flesh. Do not apply on salmon skin.

Tightly wrap it in a cling film and place in a fridge with a slightly heavy weight on top. Leave it to rest for at least a day or two. After that, remove the layer of beetroot mix, peel off the salmon skin and thinly slice the fillet.

Serve gravlax with chopped spring onion and randomly cut cherry tomatoes, rocket leaves, pomegranate seeds, thinly sliced fennel, avocados and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

Sticky Roast Root Veg Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients

•           500 gm beetroot

•           200 gm sweet potato

•           200 gm carrot

•           300 gm baby white onion

•           200 gm fennel bulb

•           200 ml balsamic vinegar

•           2 gm star anise

•           2 gm cinnamon stick

•           Salt and black pepper to taste

•           20 gm thyme

•           150 gm yoghurt

•           30 gm mint

•           50 gm walnuts

Method

First, par-boil the beetroot, sweet potato and carrot in separate pans.

Peel beetroot and carrot. Cut all root vegetables into desired shapes.

Toss the root veg mix with 100 ml of balsamic vinegar, star anise, cinnamon, black pepper and salt.

Wrap them in an aluminum foil and roast in a preheated oven at 200°C for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, stir well, add the remaining balsamic vinegar and chopped thyme, and open roast in the oven for another 15 minutes.

Let it cool and serve with minty yoghurt dressing and crunchy walnuts.

Lemongrass Sea Bass

Serves: 4

Ingredients

•           20 ml olive oil

•           20 gm garlic, sliced

•           10 gm red chilli

•           1 stick lemongrass

•           100 gm cherry vine tomatoes

•           100 gm black olives

•           100 gm asparagus

•           3 cups water

•           15 mint leaves

•           15 gm parsley

•           Juice of 1 lemon

•           4 sea bass fillets

•           50 gm baby spinach leaves

•           1 grapefruit 

Method

Heat the oil in a shallow pan and sauté sliced garlic and red chili.

Add cherry tomatoes, black olives and asparagus, and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Once they start cracking, add the water, mint, parsley, lemon juice and lemongrass, and simmer over a slow flame for 4-5 minutes.

Add sea bass fillets and baby spinach, and poach for 10 minutes.

Check for seasoning and serve with segments of grapefruit.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

•           400 ml water

•           300 gm black quinoa

•           1 orange

•           2 lemons

•           300 gm squids

•           100 ml balsamic vinegar

•           100 gm gem lettuce

•           50 gm rocket leaves

•           100 gm beef tomatoes

•           100 gm broccoli florets

•           100 gm artichokes

•           15 gm mint leaves

•           15 gm parsley leaves

•           Salt and pepper to taste 

Method

Boil water with a pinch of salt, half orange and half a lemon for 10 minutes.

Add black quinoa to the boiling water and switch off the flame. Cover the container and leave it aside for 15 minutes.

Cut the roundels or honeycombed shapes of squids and season with salt and pepper.

Char grilled squid with olive oil, if required. Turn the side after three minutes, making sure it’s cooked.

For the salad dressing, make a decoction of orange juice, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and simmer over low flame for 15-20 minutes.

Remove it from the flame once the liquid has reduced to half and gets a sticky consistency.

Serve the chargrilled squids with crunchy rocket and gem lettuce salad, beef tomatoes, some broccoli florets, artichokes, mint and parsley leaves.

Drizzle some sticky orange balsamic dressing on it and serve. 

Baked Broad Bean Croquettes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

•           20 ml olive oil

•           50 gm onion, chopped

•           10 gm garlic, chopped

•           200 gm broad beans

•           200 gm edamame beans

•           100 gm green peas

•           15 gm rosemary, chopped

•           15 gm parsley, chopped

•           200 gm corn flakes

•           150 gm yoghurt

•           50 gm Brazil nuts

•           1 red pepper, roasted

•           2 limes

•           Salt and pepper to taste 

Method

To make croquettes, heat the oil in a pan over slow flame and sauté onion and garlic.

Add peeled broad beans, edamame beans and crushed green peas.

Cook the mixture for 5 minutes then add chopped rosemary and parsley.

Check for seasoning and cook for 10 more minutes.

When beans are soft and mushy, remove them from flame. Keep aside for cooling.

To make yoghurt dip, blitz yoghurt, Brazil nuts, roasted red pepper and a squeeze of lime. Add a pinch of salt and check seasoning.

Give 2-3 quick blitzes to the bean mixture; keep it a little coarse.

Lightly crush corn flakes with the hands.

Make quenelles of the beans mix with a large serving spoon and coat them with the crushed corn flakes.

If required, you can also use liquid egg for coating the corn flakes.

Bake them in oven at 180°C for 12-15 minutes.

Serve the crispy croquettes with creamy Brazil nut yoghurt dip and salad.