Mint and Bel Sherbet

Ingredients

120 gm Bel or wood apple
Crushed ice as required
Juice of One lemon
One sprig fresh mint
40 gm sugar
10 gm black salt
300 ml chilled milk

Method

Put all ingredients together in a blender. Blend and serve appropriately garnished.

Gooseberry Fool

Ingredients

2 cups gooseberries
200ml cream
25 gm butter
6 tbsp sugar

Method

Melt the butter in a non- stick pan and add the gooseberries and sugar. Cover the saucepan and cook over low heat until the gooseberries are soft and mushy. Remove the gooseberries from the saucepan; beat to a pulp with a wooden spoon. Pass the pulp through a sieve, discarding the skins and pips. Taste the gooseberries, and if too tart, ad some more sugar. Set aside and allow to cool. Whip the cream and gently fold into the gooseberry pulp. Divide equally into small glasses. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Barley Risotto

Ingredients

1 cup barley pearls
2 tbsp onions (chopped)
1 cup white wine
1 cup vegetable stock or water
½ cup milk
1 tbsp basil (chopped)
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 carrots (diced and blanched)
2 asparagus (diced and blanched)
2 broccoli (diced and blanched)
2 cups mushrooms (diced and blanched)

Method

Soak barley in water for 30 minutes. Strain and keep aside. Cook onion in white wine until completely reduced. Add barley pearls and sauté for a minute. Pour in the vegetable stock or water and let it cook until soft. Transfer to a dish and let cool quickly. To serve, take cooked barley pearls in a pan, add other half of the vegetable stock or water with milk and stir with a spoon. Add in chopped basil leaves and parmesan cheese and whisk. Check salt. Mix in sautéed blanched vegetables and serve warm with freshly crushed peppercorn.

Nicoise Salad

Ingredients

2 tomatoes
4-5 onion rings
6-8 pieces olives
60gm beans (canned white)
1 ½ tsp balsamic vinaigrette
3 leaves iceberg lettuce
2 leaves green leafy lettuce
2 leaves Rocket (a variety of lettuce)
½ can tuna
1 boiled egg

Method

Cut the tomatoes into 8 wedges each and then cut in half again for a total of 16 wedges. Mix tomatoes with onions, olives and beans with the vinaigrette in a stainless steel bowl. Tear leaves of iceberg, leafy and rocket lettuce and place in the middle of a plate. Add the tomato mix on the lettuce. Place drained tuna on top. Cut 1 hardboiled egg into 4 wedges and place it around the salad.

Insalata Di Pane Alla Liparese

Ingredients

6 slices Italian whole wheat bread or other crusty rustic bread
6 ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
2 capers
12 basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Slice the tomatoes in half, gently squeeze out the seeds and then chop the tomatoes. Mince the garlic cloves and tear the basil leaves. Toast the bread in the oven or toaster, lightly moisten with water, and then slice it into bite- sized pieces. Place the bread in a salad bowl and add the chopped tomatoes, capers, basil and minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss.

Lemon Garlic tossed Salad

Ingredients

1 lettuce head
2 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 bunch spring onions
4 cloves garlic, mashed
Salt and pepper
Mint leaves
2 lemons, squeezed
¼ cup olive oil

Method

Pound garlic with ½ tsp salt. If using fresh mint, pound into garlic and salt mix. Put lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and onions together in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice into the mint mixture. Add olive oil. Mix well and pour over salad. Add salt and pepper.

Lovely Lettuce

There is only one way of having lettuce- fresh. And there are endless varieties to choose from. Look around in the local veggie stores so that your salad bowl can be a wealth of colours and textures!

MAKING SALADS
Choose leaves that are contrasting in texture, colour and flavour. Instead of cutting, tear the leaves. Add dressing to the salad only when you are ready to serve.

BUY THE WAY…

Pick the ones that look fresh and crisp. Soil and bugs can be washed off but those with limp or yellow leaves are of no use. Consume the lettuce as soon as possible. Otherwise store it in a cool and dark place.

Salads are the best way to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals. Lettuce not only gives you a mega dose of antioxidants but also increases the satiety value of the food thus preventing sinful binge eating. Always include at least 2 servings of fresh salads for a healthy and lean body.

LETTUCE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

Lettuce is rich in vitamins A, C and E, and also potassium, iron, calcium and other minerals. A general rule of thumb for choosing the most nutritious type of lettuce is this: The darker the leaf, the higher the nutritional value. Mixing lettuce with other fresh produce, meats and cheeses in salads is a very healthy, low- cal way to quadruple the benefits.