Tricolor Baked Avocado with Pesto Garlic Bread

The smooth skinned, green avocados are in season here at the moment. Where we walk the dog there are thousands of avocado trees and sometimes, if it has been windy, there will be a windfall or two. Gifts from heaven if you like.

For a change I wanted to make a dish where the avocado was the star rather than just being an ingredient in a salad or made into a guacamole. You can cook avocado, it intensifies the flavour and makes it even more creamy in my opinion. 

 This is a dish that The Washer Up and I came up with when we first moved to Spain and lived with my dad. It’s a hot Tricolor salad really. The avocado is surrounded by a pool of your favourite tomato pasta sauce, topped with sliced or ripped mozzarella and strewn with fresh basil leaves. 

Pink Hibiscus Flirtini

As it’s the weekend and it is officially holiday season I thought I would share a little cocktail with you. After the success of my Golden Jasmine Martini and seeing this double page article in The Independent (The Washer Up’s dad sends me all food & drink related articles, thanks Jim!), it had to be with tea. Apparently cocktails made with tea are the next big thing.

The English summer garden party was all about people drinking cocktails out of flowery teacups. The Royal Tea cocktail created for the Royal Wedding in April was with Beefeater gin, chilled Earl Grey tea, lemon, sugar & lime.

Being more of a vodka girl myself it was a toss-up between a Flirtini and a Cosmopolitan. I chose the Flirtini because of the use of cava/champagne. I do love bubbles and it is nearly Christmas.

Indian Spiced Scotch Egg with Curry Mayo and Turmeric Potatoes

For those of you that don’t know, a Scotch egg consists of a hard-boiled egg (with its shell removed) which is usually wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. They are traditionally served cold as picnic food.

The London department store Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented Scotch eggs in 1738  but they were most definitely taking inspiration from the Moghul dish Nargisi kofta where hard-boiled eggs are encased in a spicy meatball mixture.

Flax Seed, Raisin and Date Breakfast Loaf

This is the bread that I served with my Goat’s Cheese Brulee. It also the bread that I have had for breakfast every day since the first time I made it two weeks ago. I love it.

It is packed with seeds and fruit and sweetened with honey. There is no yeast involved so no kneading, no proving and no waiting two hours for it to double in size. You just mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, tip it into a lined loaf tin and bake it for 1 hour 50 minutes.

Provencal Goat’s Cheese Brulee with Fresh Fig and Orange Compote

This is a dish we served at the restaurant. I came up with the idea and The Washer Up translated it into reality. That’s what he does, he makes what goes on in my head happen. I have no concept of how difficult things are, I just know what I want. Thankfully he is very practical (unlike me) and incredibly patient (ditto). We are the perfect team.

You can serve this with any seasonal compote/jam. Cranberries would be nice especially for a Christmas starter/appetizer or snack. I chose to make a Fig & Orange Compote because that is what I am seeing while walking the dog at the moment. The last of the late season figs…..

Tunisian Spiced Aubergine with a Soft Poached Egg

This is another 0ne of those aubergine dishes that you have to try even if you think you don’t like aubergine. We are coming to the end of the season here now so it maybe your last chance to change your life. Or your eating habits anyway..

This is dish from Delia Smith (we love Delia) and she got it from an Elizabeth David recipe. It is supposed to be served at room temperature, drizzled with olive oil and served with some warmed pita breads on the side, a blob of greek yoghurt and fresh herbs on the top.

Wholemeal Persimmon Pancakes with Maple Syrup and Persimmon Sauce

Persimmons aren’t the prettiest looking things. That coupled with the fact that the name for them in Spanish is caqui and you can understand why I wasn’t that bothered about trying them.

We also had a bit of a disaster last year with them. We were out walking the dog and, because I was intrigued by them, I asked  The Washer Up to pick a few to take home. He did, and put them in his jacket pocket until we got home.

Tibetan Vegetable Momos with Coriander and Cashew Nut Pesto

Momos are a type of dumpling popular in Tibet and Nepal where they are sold as street food or fast food. The  main fillings include minced chicken or lamb/goat mixed with onions and spices, as well as finely minced vegetables or cheese. There are even sweet momos filled with chocolate.

They are traditionally steamed, or sometimes fried and served with a tomato based dipping sauce or in a  hot soup/broth.