This rustic quiche has been simplified by making it straight on the baking tray without using a tart tin

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4 cups cooked rice
1 cup frozen peas – thawed
2 tbsp finely grated carrot
2 eggs – beaten
½ cup diced onion
1½ tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt
pepper

Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups
water to a boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat
and simmer in covered saucepan for 20 minutes). Pour rice
into a large bowl to let it cool in the refrigerator. Scramble
the eggs in a small pan over medium heat. Separate the scrambled
chunks of egg into small pea-size bits while cooking. When rice
has cooled to near room temperature, add peas, grated carrot,
scrambled egg and diced onion to the bowl. Carefully toss all
of the ingredients together. Melt 1½ tbsp of butter in a large
frying pan over medium/high heat. When butter has completely
melted, dump the bowl of rice and other ingredients into the
pan and add soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper. Cook
rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.

Makes 4 servings.

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Pair with: Riesling or Syrah
Serves 6

Chutney:

• 1 pound firm, ripe Fuyu persimmons or nectarines, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
• 1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract

Empanadas:

• 4 ounces thawed frozen spinach (half of one 10-ounce package)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1⁄4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins, chopped
• 3⁄4 cup shredded cooked duck, chicken, or turkey meat
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie pastry
• 1 large egg, beaten

Method:
For the chutney: In a small saucepan, combine the persimmons, honey, lemon juice, and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the persimmons are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds and almond extract. Let cool. (This can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

For the empanadas: Drain the spinach. Firmly squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then chop.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sherry and raisins. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring often, until the sherry is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach and meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer 1 pie dough round to a lightly floured board and roll out to thin slightly. Cut the dough into 9 circles with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. Repeat with the remaining dough round. Place 1 scant tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle, then fold the pastry over, brush the edges with egg, and press together with a fork to seal. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the top of the empanadas with the remaining egg. Bake until the pastry is golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange on a large serving platter or divide among 6 small plates. Serve with the chutney alongside.

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Method

1 Pick over the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell and cartilage, being careful not to break up the lumps of crab.

2 Cook the onion and 1/2 of the teaspoon of salt in 1 Tbsp of butter in a small skillet, over medium high heat, until the onion is softened. Let it cool.

3 Whisk together the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, remaining salt, paprika, pepper, tartar sauce, and onion mixture. Gently fold in the crabmeat and torn bread. Note that the mixture will be very wet. Gently form the mixture into six cakes, each about 3 1/2 inches across and 3/4 inches thick. Line a tray with a piece of wax paper just large enough to hold the cakes and sprinkle it with half of the bread crumbs. Set the crab cakes in one layer on the top of the paper and sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs. Cover the crab cakes loosely with another sheet of wax paper and chill for one hour.

4 Melt the remaning 3 Tbsp of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until the foam subsides. Cook the crab cakes until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

Makes 6 crab cakes.

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 90 ml olive oil
• 0.9 g dried basil
• 6 g salt
• 2 g ground black pepper
• 15 ml fresh lemon juice
• 4 g chopped fresh parsley
• 2 (6 ounce) fillets halibut

DIRECTIONS

1. In a stainless steel or glass bowl, combine garlic, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and parsley.
2. Place the halibut filets in a shallow glass dish or a resealable plastic bag, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover or seal and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Set grate 4 inches from the heat.
4. Remove halibut filets from marinade and drain off the excess. Grill filets 5 minutes per side or until fish is done when easily flaked with a fork.

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Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup couscous
200g tub baba ganoush
2 x 185g cans Sealord Tuna Sensations Sundried Tomato and Olive
1 egg
¼ cup chopped parsley or basil
Flour for dusting

Fresh tomato mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sundered tomato pesto
1 tomato, deseeded and finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped basil
Grated rind 1 lime (optional)

Method

Pour the water over the couscous. Stand for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork. Add the baba ganoush, tuna, egg and parsley or basil and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the mixture is firm.

With wet hands mould the mixture into eight large patties or 24 small ones, then toss each patty lightly in a little flour. Shake off excess flour.

Heat a dash of olive oil in a non-stick pan and cook the patties for 4-5 minutes each side until warmed through and golden brown. Serve with the fresh tomato mayonnaise, extra slices of tomato and salad greens. These are great for filling toasted pita pockets.

Fresh tomato mayonnaise

In a bowl mix together the mayonnaise, tomato pesto, diced tomato, basil and if using, the lime rind.

Cook’s Tip

Baba ganoush is an aubergine-based dip and is readily available in the chilled section or the supermarket. The dish comes from the Middle East and is also popular in the Meditterranean. The aubergine is usually oven roasted for about 45 minutes and then the softened flesh is blended with tahini (made from chickpeas) and seasoned with cumin, salt, lemon juice, garlic and herbs.

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