Delicious Christmas Recipes by Chef Manuel!

~Recipes~

By Chef Manuel

Pear, Feta & Rocket Wrapped in Parma

Ingredients:

- 2 Pears - Drizzle lemon juice - 150g Block feta cheese - Handful rocket leaves - 24 Thin slices San Daniele Parma ham - Freshly ground black pepper - Good drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Method: Start by quartering the pears, remove the center and cut each piece into 3 slices lengthways. Drizzle with lemon juice to stop browning. Cut the feta cheese into small fingers. To put together, take 1 piece of pear, place a piece of feta on top, followed by a few rocket leaves. Wrap up in a piece of Parma ham and place in a fancy skewer to hold together. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and drizzle over the olive oil and freshly ground pepper before serving.

Parmesan Lollipops

Ingredients:

- 300g Grated Parmesan cheese - 20 Long wooden lollipop sticks - 2 tbsp Sesame seeds

Method: For this recipe you will need to cover baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place a 7cm or 8cm ring cutter onto a baking tray and fill with a tbsp of grated parmesan. Even out and remove the ring. Place the lolly pop stick in the middle, cover with a little more grated cheese and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat the process again until the tray is full. Put into the oven at 200`c and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the Parmesan is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down completely in on the tray before carefully removing.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Breaded Olives with Spiced Salsa

Ingredients - 1 Jar large pitted whole green olives - 100g Herbed cream cheese - 2 tbsp Flour - 2 Eggs, beaten - 3 tbsp Dried breadcrumbs - 1 tbsp Finely chopped parsley - Vegetable oil for deep frying - 1 Jar Tesco bruschetta topping - Dash Tabasco sauce (optional)

Method: Place the cream cheese into a small piping bag and use to fill the hole in the center of the large green olives. Next, place the flour, beaten eggs and dried breadcrumbs into 3 different bowls. Season the breadcrumbs with salt, pepper and stir in the finely chopped parsley. Dip the stuffed olives into the flour, then the egg, then finally into the breadcrumbs. Carefully place onto a tray and freeze for 1-2 hours. When ready, deep fry from frozen in hot oil for 30-45 seconds till golden. To serve, mix a dash of Tabasco sauce with the bruschetta mix if using and serve on the side with the hot breaded olives.

Avocado & Prawn Cocktail Toast with Dill

Ingredients: - 5 Pieces stale sliced square bread - Good drizzle olive oil - Salt & pepper - 1 Lemon - 200g Small cooked prawns, drained - 150g Cream cheese - ½ tsp Finely grated lemon zest - 1 tbsp Finely chopped fresh dill - 1 Avocado - Fresh dill to decorate

Method: Start by cutting the crusts off the stale bread and cut each slice into 4 equal squares. Place onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven for a few minutes, remove and cool. Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese in a medium bowl to soften. Add in the prawns, lemon zest and a squeeze of juice, chopped dill and season with salt and pepper. Mix together well. Next, peel the avocado, half, remove the stone and slice evenly. Place to pieces of avocado onto each piece of toast followed by a spoonful of the prawn cocktail. Decorate the top with a sprig of fresh dill and serve.

Pesto, Tomato Jam & Pistachio Crostini with Mozzarella

Ingredients: - Small French stick, sliced thickly & diagonally - 1Good drizzle olive oil - Salt & pepper - 1 Jar Tesco green Pesto - 1 Jar Tesco tomato chutney - 1 Small bag mini mozzarella balls - 50g Pistachios, roughly chopped - Fresh herbs to decorate

Method: Start by laying the sliced French stick onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven for a few minutes, remove and cool. Spoon over pesto on half of each slice and tomato chutney on the other. Place a mini mozzarella ball on each sliced piece and a few pieces of the pistachios. Decorate with fresh herbs and serve.

Prosciutto Cups with Maltese Sausage & Cranberry Herbed Stuffing

Ingredients:

- 6 Slices Parma ham - 1 tbsp Olive oil - 75g Pancetta cubes - 2 Spring onions, sliced - 2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped - 2 Maltese sausages, skins removed - 1 tsp Chopped thyme & rosemary - 2-3 tbsp Ready-made dried croutons - 200ml Chicken stock - 30g Dried cranberries - 30g Chopped walnuts - 1 Peppered ‘ġbejna’, crumbled

Method: Grease a 12 hole mini muffin pan with a little olive oil. Cut the parma ham in half horizontally and wrap 1 piece into each hole, making the shape of a cup. Prepare the filling by heating the oil in a frying pan and brown the pancetta for 3 minutes. Add in the spring onions and garlic and fry for a further minute. Next, add in the sausage meat along with the herbs and flatten down onto the base of the pan with the back of a spoon and brown evenly. Next, add in the crotons, chicken stock, cranberries and ‘ġbejna’ and mix together well. Allow the croutons to absorb the stock juices then spoon the filling into the Parma ham cups. Bake in the oven at 180`c for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. You can serve the prosciutto cups either warm or chilled.

Fig & Blue Cheese Bites with Honey & Crunchy Bacon

Ingredients: - 200g Puff pastry - 6-8 Slices thin pancetta, cooked till crispy - 1 Packet Tesco ready to eat figs - 200g Blue cheese - Good drizzle honey - Micro greens to decorate

Method: Roll out the pastry and cut into 5cm discs. Place onto a lined baking sheets, prick with a fork and cook at 200`c for approximately 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and whilst still hot place over a small piece of blue cheese on each to melt. Quickly, cut the figs in half, remove the end stalk and place a piece on top of each pastry disc. Follow with another piece of blue cheese on top, a good drizzle of honey and finally decorate with micro greens.

Cheese Truffles

For the truffle filling:

- 250g Garlic & herb cream cheese - 150g French goats` cheese - 75g Grated Cheddar cheese - 1 tbsp Snipped fresh chives

For rolling:

- 2 tbsp Finely chopped fresh herbs - 3 tbsp Grated parmesan - 3 tbsp Finely chopped walnuts

Method: Make this recipe by mixing all o the filling ingredients together and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. When ready, scoop out small mounts and carefully roll into balls. Finish off by rolling the truffles into the 3 different toppings and serve chilled.

Bresaola Bites with Cheese & Horseradish

Ingredients:

- 16 Slices thinly sliced bresaola - 2 tbsp Finely chopped pistachios - 100g Feta cheese - 250g Cream cheese - 1 Jar Tesco creamy horseradish

- Method: Mix together the cheeses and pistachios till smooth. Lay a piece of cling film on your work surface and cover with 8 slices of bresaola, overlapping each piece onto the next. Carefully spread over half of the cheese mixture, then carefully spread a thin layer of creamy horseradish. Sprinkle over half of the pistachios and roll up tightly with the aid of the cling film. Repeat the same process with the remaining ingredients and chill for 3-4 hours. Finally, to serve remove the cling film and slice up with a sharp knife. Arrange decoratively on a serving board and decorate with extra chopped pistachios.

Dark Chocolate Mousse Cups with Figs & Cognac

Ingredients:

- 1 bag Tesco ready to eat figs - 2 tbsp Cognac - 200g Dark melted chocolate - 3750ml Whipping cream - 1 tbsp Dark cocoa powder - Finely grated zest ½ orange - You will also need mini cups, extra orange zest & cocoa for serving

Method: Start by chopping the stalk off 8 figs and chop them into small pieces. Place into a bowl with the cognac and allow to soak for 2 hours. When ready, melted the chocolate and allow to cool slightly. Whip the cream to a loose peak and sieve in the cocoa powder. Add the chopped figs, orange zest and melted chocolate to the cream and fold together quickly using a spatula. Do not over whip as the mixture will curdle. Immediately spoon the mixture into the mini cups and cool in the fridge for 2 hours to set. To serve, decorate the top of each cup with a slice of fig, orange zest and a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Christmas Chocolate Bark

Ingredients:

- White, milk & dark chocolate - Coloured sprinkles - Crushed pistachios - Dried cranberries - Red & green Smarties, slightly broken

Method: This is a very easy recipe to prepare. Melt your chocolate and pour onto a baking sheet covered with non-stick paper. Even out using the back, leaving quite thick. Immediately sprinkle over the toppings of your choice and allow to cool down completely and set. To serve, break up into large pieces.