Roasted Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Serves 4

Ingredients:

12 sweet baby bell peppers
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
6 ounces/175 g soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons/about 5 g finely chopped fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons/less than 2 g chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.  Place the bell peppers in a medium ovenproof skillet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon/15 ml of olive oil and toss the peppers to coat in the oil.  Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and blackened in spots and the peppers are tender.   Transfer the peppers to a bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to steam for 5 to 10 minutes to help loosen the skins from the peppers.  Remove the skins from the peppers.  Cut off the tops of the peppers and scoop out the seeds, keeping the peppers intact.

In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese and chives.   Season the cheese mixture to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon the cheese mixture into a resalable plastic bag.  Cut off one small corner of the bag.

Pipe the cheese mixture into the peppers. If your peppers have split open, just pipe the cheese mixture down the length of the peppers and fold the peppers over the cheese mixture to enclose.  Place the stuffed peppers on a tapas plate.  Sprinkle with the parsley.  Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of olive oil and serve at room temperature.

Gambas a la Plancha
(Shrimp on the Hotplate / Pan-Grilled Shrimp)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons/45 ml olive oil
2 teaspoons/less than 2 g chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon/less than 1 g dried crushed red pepper
12 large shrimp (1/2 pound/240 g), peeled and deveined
Salt
1/2 lemon

Method:

Combine the oil, tarragon and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl.  Add the shrimp and toss to coat.  Marinate the shrimp at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.  Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the shrimp with salt.

Add the shrimp to the hot pan and cook for 1 1/2 minutes per side, or just until the shrimp are cooked through.  Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp and toss thoroughly to coat with the lemon juice.  Transfer the shrimp and the pan sauce to small tapas dishes and serve.

Artichokes Stuffed with Saffron Rice and Chorizo

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the artichokes:

4 large artichokes
1 lemon, halved
2 cups/470 ml chicken stock

For the rice:

2 ounces/55 g Spanish chorizo, casing removed, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
1½ onions, finely diced
1 teaspoon/about 4 g salt
1 teaspoon/about .3 g saffron strands, coarsely chopped
1 cup/200 g long grain white rice
1/2 cup/110 ml dry red wine
2 cup/470 ml chicken stock
2 teaspoons/10 ml extra virgin olive oil

Method:

To prepare the artichokes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.  Using a serrated bread knife, cut off the top 1/3 of each artichoke.  Cut off the stem of the artichokes. Starting at the base, bend some of the tough outer leaves back from the artichoke and snap them off where they break naturally. Using scissors, trim the tips of the outer leaves from the artichokes.

Trim the outside of the base with a small sharp knife or heavy-duty peeler to remove any dark green parts and to ensure the artichoke base is smooth. Using a spoon, remove the purple-tipped leaves and the chokes (which is the hairy interior part of the artichoke) from the center of the artichokes. Squeeze some lemon juice into the artichoke cavities.

Bring 2 cups/470 ml of chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Place the artichokes in a casserole dish. Pour the hot chicken stock into the artichoke cavities and the casserole dish.  Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the base of the artichokes is almost tender.

To prepare the rice:

Meanwhile, place a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the chorizo and 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil and cook for 2 minutes, or until the chorizo is golden brown.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.   Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a plate and reserve. 

Return the pan to the heat. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon/about 2 g of salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil to the saucepan.   Sauté for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.  Stir in the saffron strands then the rice.  Add the wine and cook 2 minutes, or until the wine evaporates.  

Add the 2 cups/470 ml of chicken stock and remaining 1/2 teaspoon/about 2 g of salt.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, or until the rice is almost tender.  Add the reserved chorizo to the rice and remove from the heat.

To stuff the artichokes:

Remove the artichokes from the oven and remove the foil.   Gently pull back the leaves to widen the artichoke cavities.  Fill the artichoke cavities with the prepared rice and mound the rice slightly (depending on the size of the artichokes, there may be a small amount of rice leftover).  Cover the artichokes with the foil.

Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the base of the artichokes and the rice are tender.  Transfer the artichokes to plates.  Drizzle some of the broth from the casserole and extra virgin olive oil around the artichokes, and serve.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
2 teaspoons/less than 2 g coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon/less than 1 g freshly ground black pepper
8 lamb rib chops (1 1/4 pounds/570 g)
Salt
2 teaspoons/10 g extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Stir the olive oil, rosemary, garlic and pepper in bowl to blend.  Cut away and scrape off all the meat and fat from the ends of the lamb chops to expose the bones. This technique is called Frenching and will make it easier for guests to pick up the lamb chops to eat them. If desired, ask your butcher to French trim the lamb chops for you.

Rub the rosemary mixture over each side of the lamb chops and place the chops on plate.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.   The longer the lamb chops marinate, the more intensive the garlic and rosemary flavor will become.  

Preheat a heavy grill pan over high heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb chops with salt.  Grill the lamb chops for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare doneness.  Transfer the lamb chops to a platter.  Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the lamb chops and serve.

Sangria

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
Two 750-ml bottles light and fruity Rioja wine or Beaujolais wine
2/3 cup/145 ml fresh orange juice
1/2 cup/100 ml Cointreau
1/4 cup/45 ml brandy
2 Fuji apples, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
1 ruby-red grapefruit, quartered and thinly sliced
1 Valencia orange, quartered and thinly sliced
1 lemon, quartered and thinly sliced
1 lime, quartered and thinly sliced
Ice cubes

Method:

Stir all the ingredients except the ice cubes in a large jug or pitcher.  Cover and refrigerate until cold.  Add the ice cubes to the sangria and stir with a wooden spoon.  Drink and be merry!