A Crisp and Crunchy Salad for Christmas

All the colours of Christmas

Perfect to sit on The Christmas Table
I got the idea for this salad on The Bon Appetit Website
Of course I have adapted it to make it mine and yours in fact

I love the dressing that was supplied was supposed to go with the salad
you will find it at the bottom of the post
But somehow, I don’t think these Asian flavours would go with Turkey, Ham, Stuffing Balls
So I dressed the vegetables with a Tomato Dressing

Very simple
Just make a French Dressing
Into a jar put

6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp French Mustard
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Shake well, leave aside till you need it

Take 6 Cherry tomatoes
Cut into quarters
Marinate the tomatoes in about 4 Tablespoons of the French dressing

Now prepare the rest of the salad

3 Lebanese Cucumbers, very thinly sliced
4 small radishes, trimmed, very thinly sliced
200 gms Green Beans cut in half diagonally    
 
Salt
2 bowls of Iced waterTomato Dressing
Chives finely chopped 

Place cucumber, radishes,
in a colander set inside a bowl of ice water.
Press down on vegetables to submerge.
Let soak, stirring occasionally, until very firm and crunchy,
at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Drain and pat dry.
Meanwhile, cook the beans in a large pot of boiling generously
salted water just until their colour intensifies and they are
barely softened, about 1 minute.
Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer to a large bowl of
salted ice water (use about 1 Tbsp. salt for every litre of water).
Let vegetables cool;
Drain and pat dry.

Arrange the drained and dried vegetable in a serving plate

Add the tomatoes
Toss gently
Cover with chopped chives

Now if you wish to make this salad with the Asian Dressing

Omit the tomatoes and Toss with this dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon sugar
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper

I shall be trying this after Christmas

Simple Italian Style Sponge - Turns into a Lovely Christmas Dessert

Italian Sponge Cake Pan-di Spagna

I had some egg whites in the fridge, left over from the lemon curd I made the other day… WHICH was supposed to go on top of a Pavlova…THAT I was supposed to make for some friends who were coming for lunch
I had found the recipe for this Pavlova on The Epicurious Website
Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries
The inspiration for this recipe came from food stylist (and New Zealander) Toni Brogan.

The lunch got postponed,
What to do with the Lemon Curd?
It keeps well in the fridge

So I saved it to give the Grandkids for dinner a few days later
Lemon Curd Recipe
 
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan,
then add lemon juice and butter.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking,
then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute.
Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture,
then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan.
Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened,
about 2 minutes (do not let boil).
Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest.
Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.

With half of the prepared curd
I put together some little tarts
Which were really delicious

I used shop bought pastry shells
To be honest...hardly worth making them
Lovely Crisp Pastry and every one of them perfect

Whip around 100 mls of cream
Fold the cream into the curd gently until mixed
Lovely pale lemon colour

Fill the little cases and top with little blueberries

Into the fridge so that the lemon mixture sets
These are wonderful…thumbs up from the kids

So what to do with the other half of the curd
“my waste not, want not frame of mind…
Use the egg whites
Didn't want to to make a Pavlova
Thought… maybe an egg white sponge ?

I thought, this recipe for Italian Sponge Cake
“Pan-di Spagna" that I found on a website aseasyasapplepie.com
was a sponge made using egg whites

WRONG…turns out it is whole eggs. I read it incorrectly
Oh well, into the freezer go the egg whites
I shall use them on another day

The recipe suggested using Cake Flour…not all purpose
I found out how to make that
You can find anything on the web
Have a look here
Easy peasy
So now, I was completely ready

Ingredients for a 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) pan.
 
120 grams granulated sugar
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or vanilla extract (optional)
120 grams cake flour, sifted
Instructions

Take out the eggs out of the fridge ahead of time
or soak them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C
Butter and flour a 20 cm (8 inch) pan.
Put the eggs, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Beat the eggs until very fluffy and pale yellow (about 15 minutes on medium/high speed).
To test that it has been beaten enough, let some of the mixture fall into the bowl.
If it remains "sitting" on top it means that it's ready.

Spoon the flour on top of the egg mixture, a little at a time, and fold it gently with a metal spoon.
  
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Don't smooth the top or bang the pan on the counter, leave it as it is!

Don't open the oven door for 20 minutes
I found that the cake cooked in 30 minutes
I tested it with a skewer (or a tooth pick)   

Turn off the oven but leave the cake inside (put a wooden spoon in the oven door to keep it slightly open) for at least 10 minutes so it can cool down slowly.

After that, remove it from the oven, let it cool for 10 more minutes,
loosen around the edges with a knife, then flip the cake on a wire rack upside down
(without the pan) to cool completely.

Take the remainder of the Lemon Curd
Combine with Whipped Cream
Gently fold with a metal spoon

Cut the cooled sponge in half with a bread knife
on the bottom half 
Spread the lemon mix
Cover with sliced strawberries 

Whip some extra cream and spread over the other side
Sponges can get a bit dry so cream it up well

Sift icing sugar over the top
Looks Great

Serve