CURED DUCK & MUSTARD BRUSCHETTA
1 baguette
1 garlic clove, peeled
olive oil, for drizzling
about 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard (Dijon/French or English/hot mustard also work well)
a handful of rocket/arugula leaves
12 slices cured duck breast
Makes 4
Preheat the grill/broiler to medium. Slice the baguette diagonally into 1-cm/½-inch slices. Rub the garlic clove around the edge of the baguette slices – the hard crust will rub the flavour off the garlic clove without overpowering the bread.
Drizzle olive oil onto a baking sheet and then lay the baguette slices on top. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top of the slices. Grill/broil for 4–5 minutes, turning halfway through.
Spread some mustard on each slice of bruschetta. Arrange a few leaves of rocket/arugula on top and layer the slices of cured meat over the top to serve.
SALAD
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ red cabbage, cored and sliced or shredded
150 g/5½ oz. chorizo, peeled and diced
DRESSING
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon garlic purée or crushed garlic
a big pinch of chopped parsley
a pinch of chopped or dried tarragon
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Serves 4 as a side
For the salad, heat the olive oil in a frying pan/skillet over medium heat, then add the red cabbage and fry until soft, stirring regularly.
Add the chorizo and keep stirring for 2–3 minutes so that the chorizo starts to cook and releases its oils.
Remove from the heat and let cool.
Meanwhile, put all the ingredients for the dressing into a bowl and mix together well.
Once the cabbage and chorizo mixture has cooled, pour over the dressing, toss to mix and serve.
500 g/1 lbs. 2 oz. cured pork loin
2 shallots, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
a pinch of chipotle powder
2 tablespoons sherry
1 teaspoon soft/packed brown sugar
a pinch of chopped fresh or dried parsley
a pinch each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 courgette/zucchini, sliced
1 Romano chilli/chile, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
SWEET & FEISTY CRÈME FRAÎCHE
2 tablespoons crème fraîche/sour cream
1 teaspoon chipotle chilli/chili powder
4 pinches of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons maple syrup
wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes, or metal skewers
Serves 2
The day before serving, trim the pork loin to remove any rind and unwanted fat on the top. Cut the pork into large cubes, about 2 cm/¾ inch each. Set aside.
Put the shallots, paprika, chipotle powder, sherry, sugar, parsley and salt and pepper into a food processor and whizz together until mixed. Transfer to a freezer bag with the pork pieces, toss together, seal the bag and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
The next day, prepare the Sweet & Feisty Crème Fraîche. Put the ingredients into a bowl and stir. Set aside or cover and keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Thread the pork, the courgette/zucchini and Romano chilli/chile slices alternating onto the skewers. Heat a ridged stove-top griddle/grill pan over high heat with the olive oil added. Cook the kebabs/kebobs in the pan, turning carefully to brown evenly. Serve immediately with the Sweet & Feisty Crème Fraîche.
12 slices salumi of your choice
Makes 12
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.
Lay the slices of salumi in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until crisp. Keep checking that they’re not burning. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week; a perfect snack to nibble on.
12 quails’ eggs
6 slices prosciutto, coppa or Serrano ham
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
Makes 12
Hard-boil/hard-cook the quails’ eggs in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and plunge the eggs into cold water, then drain again and let cool. Remove the shells, dry the eggs with paper towels and then roll them in salt and pepper.
Cut each slice of cured ham lengthways down the middle (standard kitchen scissors are easiest for doing this) to make 12 half-slices in total.
Roll each quails’ egg up inside a half-slice of ham. You might need to insert a cocktail stick/toothpick through each canapé if the quails’ eggs are bigger, but they’ll hold together by themselves if they’re small. Serve immediately.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bacon rashers/slices, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
25 g/½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
a pinch of dried oregano
4 tomatoes
10 g/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
a shallow ovenproof casse-role dish, oiled
Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan/skillet set over medium heat. Add the bacon and shallot and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until the shallot has softened and the bacon is cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and oregano.
Slice the tomatoes into 1-cm/½-inch-thick slices. Arrange in the prepared casserole dish, overlapping slightly. Season with a little salt and pepper, bearing in mind the saltiness of the bacon.
Spread the bacon mixture evenly over the tomato slices, then sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and serve hot from the oven.
