Thyme Roasted Mushrooms on Goat's Cheese Recipe

Thyme roasted Mushrooms sitting on "Swissland" Goat's Cheese,
Crisp Vegetables, Fresh Oregano and Herbs
with Burnt Sage Butter

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

Food trends for 2011 conjure images of garden fresh, light and delicate - ingredients that are refreshing and require pickings from your garden, visiting farms and shopping at markets. It's worth the effort.

Fresh Local Vegetables in Season

Yields: 2

Ingredients:

VEGETABLES

A selection of in-season vegetables – for instance:

5 (30gr) Cherry Tomatoes, cut in quarters

6 ( 65gr) Broccoli Tips, blanched

1 (70gr) Carrots, blanched and cut in quarters lengthwise

½ (20gr) Baby Marrows

6 (35gr) Green Asparagus Spears

THYME ROASTED MUSHROOMS

8 (100gr) Button Mushrooms

5gr fresh Thyme

15gr salted Butter

10ml freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

BURNT SAGE SAUCE

20ml salted Butter

5ml freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

2 sprigs of fresh Sage

EXTRAS

Fresh herbs and/or Oregano

2 nice size slices, about 20g a slice, of Goat's Cheese

Method:

1) Prepare vegetables and set aside

2) Place thyme roasted mushroom ingredients into an oven pan and roast, covered with tinfoil, until cooked- for a few minutes

3) Heat the butter until beurre noisette stage, so just turning golden brown and releasing the nutty aromas, add lemon juice

4) On plating. Place the goat's cheese round in the centre, surround with freshly blanched vegetables, top the goat's cheese with the hot roasted mushrooms and drizzle the burnt sage butter around the plate. Garnish with fresh herbs

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables Recipe

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables sitting on a Whole-Wheat
Crouté with Gorgonzola, White Caramelised Onions
and Coriander Cream

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

Roasted vegetables are delicious. My particular preference is to roast Mediterranean veggies. Think courgettes (zucchini / baby marrow), aubergines (brinjals / eggplant), sundried tomatoes, olives and mushrooms. I include butternut and lots of rosemary to add a South Africa flavour. Place these vegetables on a crusty whole-wheat croute layered with gorgonzola, white caramelised onions, and finally a coriander crème. This offers a scrumptious savoury kick of note!

Yields : 2

Ingredients :

Caramelised Onions

435 g White Onions

500 ml White Wine

200 g Sugar

Roasted Vegetables what ever you enjoy-suggestions :

¼ small Butternut

2 Courgettes

½ Red Onion

4 Button Mushrooms

6 Sundried Tomatoes

1 Red Pepper

8 Cherry Tomatoes

Olive Oil for cooking

3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary

Salt and Pepper

Coriander Cream

10 sprigs Fresh Coriander

250 ml Cream

1 Lemon freshly squeezed

Whole-wheat bread rounds

Salted Butter

30 g Gorgonzola or any Blue Cheese

Method :

Caramelised Onions

1) Place all the caramelised onion ingredients into a heavy based pan.  Allow to simmer until onions are caramelised and all of the white wine has reduced to make a white wine syrup that is coating the onion slices.  Cool and refrigerate for later use

Roasted Vegetables

2) Peel, slice and chop the vegetables and drizzle with olive oil. Season and roast with rosemary in a hot oven until cooked

Coriander Cream

3) Liquidise the coriander and the cream.  Do this for a short period as you do not want the cream to get thick just to be flavoured with the coriander.  Add the lemon juice and start heating in a saucepan

4) Butter your whole-wheat bread rounds.  Place in the oven to toast. 

Serving :

5) Place warm toasted whole-wheat bread rounds at the base of your plate.  Layer the hot roasted vegetables with caramelised onions and gorgonzola.  Finish with hot coriander cream and garnish.

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron 
Head Chef 
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713