B&B Christmas Dinner, December 2003

Noodle nests with Smoked Salmon Tartare

Preheat the oven to moderately hot 200°C

1. Pour boiling water over 200g fresh flat egg noodles, soak for 5 minutes
   
   
2. Drain well and pat dry
   
   
3. Divide the noodles among 30 greased mini muffin holes, pressing down to form nests
   
   
4. Brush lightly with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes
   
   
5. Remove from oven, turn out onto a wire rack and return to the oven for 5 minutes to crisp

• 200g diced smoked salmon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• ½ cup (125g) whole egg mayonnaise
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill.

Black Sesame Seed Tarts with Marinated Feta

Preheat oven to 200°C

The tart:

1. Add 125g chopped butter to 2 cups (250g) sifted plain flour in a large bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
   
   
2. Stir in ½ cup (50g) finely grated fresh Parmesan and 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
   
   
3. Make a well in the centre, add 1 egg and mix together with a flat blade knife, using a cutting action until the mixture comes together in beads
   
   
4. Add a little cold water if its too dry.
   
   
5. On a lightly floured surface press together into a ball, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes
   
   
6. Roll the dough out to 2mm thick between two sheets of baking paper
   
   
7. Remove the paper and cut out 30 rounds using a 6cm cutter
   
   
8. Gently press into mini muffin trays and bake 10 minutes, or until dry and golden
   
   
9. Cool and place 1 heaped teaspoon of filling into each pastry shell

The filling:

• 200g diced fetta
• 1½ cups (300g) peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes
• ½ cup (75g) pitted and diced black olives
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Hot Avocado with Seafood

Ingredients:

• 3 Advocados
• 12 oysters
• Crab meat 220g
• 375g prawns
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon French mustard
• salt and pepper
• 3 teaspoons capers
• 1 egg yolk
• paprika

Method:

1. Combine in a bowl oysters, shelled and copped prawns, flaked fresh crab, and chopped capers
   
   
2. Combine in blender mayonnaise, parsley, chives, mustard and lemon juice
   
   
3. Process for 15 seconds
   
   
4. Season sauce with salt and pepper, add egg yolk, process further 5 seconds
   
   
5. Combine 1/3 of sauce with seafood

1. Cut advocados in half, remove stones
   
   
2. Place a teaspoon of sauce in each advo half
   
   
3. Pile seafood evenly in each advo half, top with some sauce and sprinkle with paprika
   
   
4. Place advos in small baking dish which has ½ inch of hot water in bottom of dish
   
   
5. Bake in moderate oven for 10 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and set
   
   
6. DO NOT over cook or reheat as advos go bitter

Veal Campagnola

- (Vitello alla Campagnola)

Ingredients:

• 5 stalks spinach
• 4 veal steaks
• 30g butter
• flour
• salt and pepper
• 30g butter extra
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices Gruyere or Mozzarella cheese

Tomato sauce:

• 400g tin whole tomatoes
• 30g butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Push tomato's with their liquid through sieve
   
   
2. Heat butter in saucepan, add crushed garlic, cook 1 minute
   
   
3. Add pureed tomato and tomato paste, stir to combine
   
   
4. Add combined wine and water and bring to the boil
   
   
5. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes
   
   
6. Add sugar and season with salt and pepper

1. Wash spinach leaves, remove stalks
   
   
2. Roll up leaves tightly and shred finely
   
   
3. Put spinach in saucepan with water just to cover bottom of saucepan
   
   
4. Cook covered for 5 minutes
   
   
5. Drain well
   
   
6. Toss with butter
   
   
7. Trim veal steaks, pound out thinly
   
   
8. Season flour with salt and pepper, lightly dust each steak with seasoned flour
   
   
9. Heat extra butter and oil in frying pan, add veal steaks
   
   
10. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through
    
    
11. Top each piece of veal with one quarter of cooked spinach
    
    
12. Place a slice of cheese on top of spinach
    
    
13. Pour prepared tomato sauce around veal but do not cover the cheese
    
    
14. Cover frying pan, simmer gently 10 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Vegetables:

Ingredients:

• 75g butter beans
• 75g baby green beans
• 75g asparagus, halved
• ½ cup vegetable stock (125ml)
• ½ cup water
• 100g button mushrooms, halved
• 1-tablespoon fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Combine beans, asparagus, stock and water in large saucepan, bring to the boil
   
   
2. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender
   
   
3. Stir in mushrooms, simmer, covered, until mushrooms are just tender
   
   
4. Stir in coriander just before serving

Snow Eggs with Fresh fruits

- (Oeufs à la Neige)

Ingredients:

• 2 x fresh egg whites
• 2 Tbsp pure icing sugar
• 1 cup fine caster sugar
• 2 cups of skim milk
• 3ml vanilla essence
• 2 kiwi fruit, sliced
• 4 strawberries sliced
• 2 peaches sliced
• Pulp of 2 passionfruit

Method:

1. Beat egg white into stiff peaks
   
   
2. Add pure icing sugar gently. This will strengthen the eggs and they will not collapse when the heavier sugar is added
   
   
3. Continue to whisk
   
   
4. Pour castor sugar onto a baking tray and spread out evenly
   
   
5. Place tray into oven preheated to 180°C for 10 minutes or until the sugar has become hot on the surface, but not coloured as this will give the meringue an off white shade
   
   
6. Skim the hot surface of sugar with a spoon and add gently to the egg white, while continuing to beat
   
   
7. When sugar is completely absorbed by the egg whites, the mixture should produce sharp stiff peaks and have a nice shine
   
   
8. Place ¼ cup of water into a saucepan. This will create a protective shield as the milk is added to the saucepan
   
   
9. Pour milk into saucepan and simmer
   
   
10. Add vanilla essence
    
    
11. Scoop some of the mixture out using 2 dessertspoons and form egg shapes
    
    
12. Place into the milk
    
    
13. Baste with milk mixture a few times then turn over and baste again
    
    
14. They only take a few minutes to cook.
    
    
15. Gently scoop the snow eggs from the milk with a slotted spoon and allow to drain and cool
    
    
16. To serve arrange snow eggs on dessert plate and decorate with fresh fruit
    
    
17. Say 3-4 snow eggs per serve.

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