Caprese Salad

Tom Arnel,

Executive Chef, Jones the Grocer

Caprese Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Garofalo buffalo mozzarella,

sliced 5mm thick 400 gm

Vine tomato, sliced 5mm thick 400 gm

Baby basil leaves 8 pc

Basil pesto 200 gm

Balsamic glaze 10 gm

Olive oil10 gm

Sea salt 4 gm

White pepper, cracked 4 gm

Method

Lay the mozzarella, tomato and basil in a line (as shown in the picture) on four dinner plates.

Divide the basil pesto into four ramekins and arrange on the plates.

Drizzle the balsamic glaze and olive oil over the salad.

Serve with salt and pepper sprinkled on the side.

MANGO AND PASSION FRUIT PAVLOVA

Makes: 10

Ingredients

Egg white, at room temperature2 pc

Caster sugar 107 gm

Whipped cream150 gm

Lemon curd 75 gm

Mango, diced 50 gm

Passion fruit pulp 50 gm

Icing sugar or snow sugar, pure to dust

Method

Preheat oven to 120°C.

Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Use an electric beater to beat the egg white in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form.

Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy.

Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle. Pipe 5cm-round nests, about 5cm apart, on the paper.

Reduce oven to 100°C. Bake for 1 hour or until crisp and dry.

Turn oven off. Leave meringues in oven, with the door closed, to cool completely.

Divide the cream and lemon curd among pavlovas.

Place mango and passion fruit pulp on top and dust with snow sugar. Serve.

MOROCCAN VEGGIE BURGER

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Veggie patty 4 pc

Flour, plain 150 gm

Burger bun, multi-grain4 pc

Carrot, peeled, grated 150 gm

Beetroot, peeled, grated150 gm

Cucumber, grated, strained 100 gm

Mint yoghurt 150 ml

For veggie patty:

Potato, cut into 1 cm cubes, par boiled 200 gm

Pumpkin, cut into 1cm cubes, par boiled 250 gm

Peas, par boiled100 gm

Chickpea, canned, strained 100 gm

Moroccan tagine spice 20 gm

Onion, brown, finely diced 50 gm

Garlic, crushed 20 gm

Coriander, chopped 20 gm

Parsley, chopped20 gm

Olive oil30 ml

Sea salt to taste

White pepper, cracked to taste

For mint yoghurt:

Yoghurt125 ml

Mint, chopped 20 gm

Lemon juice 5 ml

Garlic, crushed 2 gm

Sea salt 1 gm

Method

For the mint yoghurt, combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

For the veggie patty: heat the olive oil and sweat the onions and garlic in a large heavy-based pan.

Add the Moroccan spice and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.

Add the potato, pumpkin, peas and chickpea. Cook for 5 minutes or till vegetables are soft.

Add the coriander and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the mixture on a flat tray and chill. Divide the mixture into four and shape into 4cm thick rounds.

Dust the patties with the flour and pan-fry in olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Cook for 4 more minutes in the oven at 180°C.

Remove from the oven and rest for 3 minutes on paper towel.

To serve, cut the burger buns in half and toast with the cut side down.

On the bottom half of each bun, divide and arrange the carrot, beetroot and cucumber, followed by the burger patty.

Drizzle the mint yoghurt on top. Cover with the other half of the bun.

Serve immediately with a side of green salad.

• Food and Dining