Recipes : a simple menu for a summer dinner with friends

dinner with friends

the guests.

diane, andy + nell
the menu. 
✳ figs with goat cheese and peppered honey { recipe }
✳ ottolenghi's marinated mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes { recipe }
✳ tonno del chianti with arugula-cannellini salad and pickled onion { recipe }
✳ minted strawberry salad with strawberry infused whipped cream { recipe }

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Recipe : figs with goat cheese and peppered honey

Combine honey and pepper in small pitcher; stir to blend.
Cut the figs crosswise from the top, stopping about 1/2 inch from bottom to leave base intact.
Gently press figs open. Spoon 1 teaspoon cheese into center of each.
Arrange figs on platter; drizzle with peppered honey.
{ adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit, August 2006 }

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Recipe : Ottolenghi's marinated mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes

the marinade.

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

grated zest of 1 lemon

15 basil leaves, shredded

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra to finish

1 garlic clove, crushed

sea salt & black pepper

Scatter the fennel seeds in a small frying pan and dry-roast the seeds until they begin to pop.

Transfer to a pestle and mortar and crush roughly.

Place the crushed seeds in a small bowl and add the remaining marinade ingredients.

Break mozzarella balls roughly with your hands. 

Smear it with the marinade and set aside for 15-30 minutes.

To serve, cut the tomatoes into wedges and plate along with the marinated mozzarella. 

Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve with slices of crusty ciabatta bread.

{ adapted from a recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi's "Plenty" ... }

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Recipe: minted strawberry salad with strawberry infused cream

the ingredients.
2 pounds of strawberries
2 cups of sparkling wine (process or cava)
20-24 mint leaves
3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
1 cup whipping cream

Soak half of the mint leaves in the sparkling wine, cover and let stand in cool place for 2-3 hours..

Put 4-5 strawberries in blender to puree. Whip cream, then slowly fold in the strawberry puree.

Put strawberries into a large bowl of cold water with 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, 

Drain on a towel. Hull the fruit, cut larger fruit into quarters and put into large salad bowl.

Discard the mint leaves and pour the mint infused wine over the strawberries.

Cover and let macerate in a cool place for another hour.

Before serving, finely chop remaining mint and sprinkle over strawberries.

{ inspired by Recipes from an Italian Summer ... }