Food & Drink section.qxp_Layout 1 21/04/2022 16:37 Page 14
MENDIP TIMES
Recipes for a merry month
With KATY BEAUCHAMP
FOOD & DRINK
Nearly halfway through the year! I've made a hearty salad that will last in the fridge for several days (making it a good option for a quick lunch), some delicate goats cheese and caramelised onion tartlets that are delicious either hot or cold and finishing off with a rich, but tangy, crustless cheesecake.
GOATS CHEESE AND CARAMELISED ONION TARLETS
These tartlets are delicious hot or cold
METHOD Gently fry the onions in a little olive oil for 10mins. Add the water, sugar and soy sauce and cook for a further 10 mins until all the liquid is absorbed and you are left with a sticky sweet pan of onions. Cut a 12-inch circle of pastry into 12 tart bases. You can either press them into a buttered bun time or put them on a baking tray and press your thumb in to make a little indentation. Divide the onions between them and then crumble the goats cheese over. Top with half a cherry tomato and bake in an oven at 180°C for 12-15 mins.
INGREDIENTS
(makes 12) 1 x 175g pack of shortcrust pastry (or you can make your own) 2 thinly sliced medium onions 2 heaped tsp of brown sugar (any type) 50mls of water half tsp of soy sauce 100gm goats cheese (the crumbly sort) 6 cherry tomatoes PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • MAY 2022
TAHINI AND MAPLE SYRUP DRESSED SALAD
BAKED CHEESECAKE
It's all about the dressing!
METHOD Put the chickpeas, lentils and sweetcorn into a bowl. Finely chop the cucumber and spring onions and add to the bowl along with the pine nuts and tomatoes. For the dressing, gently combine the ingredients and mix through the salad, it's a thick dressing so it coats the vegetables beautifully. It's great on its own but will make a tasty accompaniment for a variety of meats, fish (I’ve served mine with some grilled chicken).
The secret to success is in the dressing
An easy to make cheesecake METHOD Sprinkle the fruit into a baking dish or divide between your ramekins. Whisk all the other ingredients together and pour over the fruit and bake in an oven at 150°C for 50 mins or 35mins if using ramekins. Leave to cool completely before putting them in the fridge to get even colder. Serve this as it is, garnish with crushed biscuits if desired or make some meringues with the leftover egg whites.
INGREDIENTS
(makes six to eight portions) 1 can of drained chickpeas (240g) 1 pack of ready cooked Puy lentils 100g sweetcorn half a cucumber 4 spring onions 15 cherry tomatoes (quartered) 50g toasted pinenuts FOR THE DRESSING 60mls tahini 2tbs maple syrup juice of two lemons 2tbs olive oil salt and pepper
INGREDIENTS
(Makes one big dish or nineten ramekins) 300 grams of soft fruit (I used a bag of frozen mixed summer berries) 1 tin sweetened condensed milk 400gm cream cheese 2 x egg yolks juice of two lemons pinch of salt
