A Mediterranean Feast

 

  A Mediterranean Feast



a delicious quince and rice pudding we shared

The Shoalhaven Foodies joined a group of Max's friends at his fascinating property at Sussex Inlet.  Max prepared a Mediterranean Mezze and we had a very happy day sharing delicious food, enjoying good conversation and admiring the wonderful artwork at Max's. 

nibbles ready for us to eat

Max enjoying his meal

Artist Derry Messen enjoying the delicious lunch with others at the long table



one of the fabulous sculptures on Max's property. "Geisha" by David Horton

"Phaedra" steel sculpture by Max Dingle

Recipes

Max's  Roast Fennel Salad
2 Fennel bulbs
2 Naval oranges
2 tablespoons currents
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons pine nuts
8 anchovy fillets (or as many as you prefer)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil,  Balsamic vinegar
sea salt,  freshly ground pepper
Cut each fennel bulbs into half and then each half into six to eight wedges, leaving each wedge attached to a section of the core. Put into a roasting pan.
Cut one whole naval orange into eight to ten wedges and mix with fennel in roasting pan.
Season the fennel /orange mixture with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, a sprinkling of Balsamic vinegar and two tablespoons of olive oil. Place in medium to hot oven and bake until fennel is tender. Both fennel and orange segments will have crisp and browned edges. Remove from oven and cool.
While the fennel is roasting slowly simmer the currents in the red wine vinegar until the vinegar is mostly absorbed.
In a non stick frying pan toss the pine nuts over a medium to high heat until fragrant and lightly browned.
Peel the remaining orange and dice the flesh approx 2cm x 2cm.
Cut each anchovy fillet into 3 pieces.
While the roasted fennel / orange mix is still warm add the warm currents and any remaining red wine vinegar, add the toasted pine nuts, the diced orange flesh and the anchovy fillets. Add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and toss the mix.
Serve as part of a mezze or as a warm salad to accompany fish or chicken.
or, serve warm with a green salad and crusty bread
or, with pasta and a green salad

 

Rice Pudding* with Quince and Rose Petal Jam

*With thanks to Joy Najar’s Modern Lebanese Cooking

1 lt milk

200 ml cold water

100 g short grain rice

120 g sugar

2 tbl rose petal water

Rose petals or small fresh eatable flowers e.g. rosemary, violets

Heat milk and water almost to boiling point then add rice and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent rice from sticking to the base of the pan.

When mixture is thick and creamy, add the sugar and stir over heat for five minutes,

Add Rose water, allow to cool then put rice in a large glass bowl and refrigerate.

Quince – 2 ways

Number 1-

1 kg quinces

250 g sugar

Juice of a lemon

2 tbl rose petal water

Peel and core quinces, slice  into 1/8^th pieces.

Place quince slices, sugar and lemon in a casserole dish and bake in a slow oven until fruit has coloured to a deep red . Cool and add rose water.

NB Liquid from the quinces can be boiled to jam / jelly consistency and bottled

Number 2-

½ kg quinces

1 tbl sugar

1 tbl lemon juice

1 tbl rose petal water

Peel, core and dice quinces.

Place quince, sugar and lemon in a pan and simmer until fruit is soft & coloured to a pale pink . Mash to a puree. Cool and add rose water.

Rose Petal Jam

-          Available from shops specialising in Lebanese foods

Or there are numerous recipes on the internet

– NB if making your own you will need a good supply of red roses that are free of any pesticides etc i.e. home grown.

To Assemble

Spoon a layer of pink quince puree on top of the, now firm, rice. Lay deep red quince slices in a pattern, on top of the puree. Glaze with Rose Petal jam ( NB if jam is thick, warm until it has thinned). Decorate with flowers.

Serve.

Beans, Potato, Tomato and Egg with Sesame / garlic sauce

1 kg French Beans, topped and tailed

1 kg small new potatoes

1 punnet grape or cherry tomatoes

6 hard boiled eggs

Small jug of sesame / garlic sauce  (see below)

Steam beans

Steam potatoes

Pile cooked beans in the centre of a round platter, surround with potatoes and tomatoes, decorate with halved hard boiled eggs.

Serve with sesame garlic sauce for guests to pour on sauce to taste.

NB Sauce can be fairly strongly flavoured depending on how heavy handed you are with garlic – a little can go a long way.

Sesame / garlic sauce          *With thanks to Joy Najar’s Modern Lebanese Cooking

2 cloves garlic, crushed   (can add extra if a stronger garlic result is required)

1 teaspoon of salt

3 tbl tahini (sesame paste)

100 /150 ml Lemon juice

¼ cup water

In a mortar crush garlic and salt to a paste with a pestle. Work in Tahini and mix until smooth. Gradually add lemon juice to taste but mixture should not be thinned beyond a pouring consistency light mayonnaise. Slowly add water to achieve the right consistency.