So So Simple Food: 2009

Well The Savoury Cheesecake has got the thumbs up.
Giada de Laurentiis made a savoury Cheesecake on her programme. I thought it looked great.
I followed her recipe but the first time I made it, we thought it looked great but was a little bland.
It’s that bloody Ricotta I think, what can be more bland that that.
Fresh Mozzarella comes a close second, for my taste buds.
Too milky for me...BUT both cheeses carry flavours well.

So I have changed the recipe to suit and it has been given 10/10
Great for your Boxing Day Lunch.
Still looks festive. Cut into little squares it would make a great hors d’oeuvres.
Or serve after the meal as part of the cheese course.

Ingredients
For the Crust
150 gms French bread
Olive oil
Thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

75 gms unsalted butter
20 gms finely grated parmesan
Sea salt and freshly ground black freshly ground black pepper

Extra butter for greasing the pan

For the Filling
60 gms ricotta cheese
70 gms cream cheese
150 gms White Castello Cheese
20 gms Parmesan finely grated
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 roasted red bell pepper cut into thin strips
10 basil leaves finely shredded

For the Topping
1/4 cup Red currant Jelly
1 tablespoon Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons hot water

Special equipment: 1x 20cm springform (cheesecake) pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 165C Fan Bake

Wrap the outside of the cheesecake pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil.

It is going to be baked in a Bain Marie and you want to keep the water from leaking in.
Grease with the extra butter

Cut the bread into slices
Brush with olive oil
Season with Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Throw some thyme leaves over the top
Bake 180C for 10 minutes

Cool and turn into breadcrumbs in your food processor
Make extra and freeze for next time

Melt the butter
Add to crumbs
Add Parmesan
Into tin and push down well to make the crust.

Leave in fridge for 30 minutes to set
Meanwhile
The Filling
Place the ricotta, cream cheese, Parmesan and Castello in a food processor.
Pulse to mix.
Add the sugar, egg, and salt and pulse a few times until well mixed.

Stir in the red pepper strips and Basil

Pour the cheese mixture on top of the crumbs.
Place the cheesecake pan in a roasting pan.
Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold.)

Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour.
Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
Preferably make it at least a day ahead
Time for those flavours to meld well.

To serve, combine the jam, chili sauce and the water in a small bowl and stir until the jam is liquefied.

Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan.
Place on a serving plate. Drizzle the jam mixture over the top of the cheesecake.

There ya Go!

Anna and Si have a new house. Yesterday they threw their first major party...A wonderful opportunity to show off their home and get together with the family.
And what better reason, to also incorporate Christmas Day. Anna, Si, Shannon, Elizabeth and Jordan will be going south for Christmas. So we won't see them on the actual Day.
Secret Santa visited, and everyone contributed to a superb feast.
Of course the hosts seem to be doing most of the work on the day, but I guess you get that, when you are the host! The wine flowed, the food was so so good. What a day.
Little Jordan exploring Anna's lemons.

Our Stunning hostess. It was hard to get her out of the kitchen

Jordan, playing with her cousins and Grandad, just before she was popped into bed, for the afternoon nap

Jo, Dan and Sophia

Dave draining his wine, preparing for the next glass do we think?

Lucy spending time with Joseph

Katie and Lou, it's been a while.

Ms Cleo with Helen

Craig getting the table ready for lunch.

Anna and Si ahd set up their Tiki Bar Could be permanent . It was very popular

Si's Shed, every man needs his shed

Si on the Barbie

Elizabeth took over.

There was even help from Dale - A rare sight!

The food came out

Foods up Folks

Here is our feast.
We started with Lucy's Famous Sandwiches
I contributed My Favourite Roasted Prawns with a Mary Rose Dip
Almost a deconstructed Prawn Cocktail.

These are really the very best way to cook Prawns.
So simple
On a baking sheet
Lay out your prawns
Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over them
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Into a 200C cook for 6 minutes only
Keep the juice and pour over the prawns.

They are perfect. I will never do them any other way

So the Menu Continues
BBQ lamb marinated in Olive oi,l lemon juice, S and P, garlic and rosemary, by Katie.
Potato Salad
Wholemeal freshly Baked Bread, baked by Karen who was absent due to illness.
We missed you Karen.
Get well soon.
The greens were
Peas
Snow peas and beans

Sausages
Pesto sauce to add to the lamb. Thank you Shannon

Down the other end of the table,
Magnificent Glazed Ham (How can you not love juicy ham? It's divine)
Anna cooked Asparagus beautiful red and yellow bell peppers
Louise supplied her fabulous mustard fruits, to have with the meat

Time for Christmas Crackers

The Noble family enjoying the jokes. They were pretty corny. (The jokes not The Nobles).

One of the best part of the crackers, the Paper Hats...one size fits all

The kids just adored the crackers.

Time for Secret Santa. Helper Sophia, handing out the presents.
I don't care what anyone says, You know the "we are not giving the adults presents this year"...Bugger that. I would hate not ever getting presents on Christmas Day.
I want them till I die.
Secret Santa solves that problem, everyone has to bring a $20 uni-sex present.
All into the bag and the youngest adult gets first choice and up to the eldest. Great fun.