Your supermarket's produce section is at its best this time of year: plump, succulent tomatoes, tender fresh herbs (if your growing season is as short as ours and your herb garden hasn't hit its stride yet), shiny peppers and luscious buttery avocadoes.
The old standby store-bought appetizers that you pop into a hot oven and serve with bottled dipping sauce might cut it on bitter winter nights, but in spring you want to serve your friends and family something fresh and full of flavour.
Here are three simple and wonderful ways to start a meal.
This first recipe comes from one of my favourite books, Jane Price's Italian Kitchen.
Pesto-Topped Cherry Tomatoes (makes about 50 - serves 10-12)
60 g (2 1/4 oz) flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted (watch them in the saucepan; they burn fast)
60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
60 g (2 1/4 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 handful fresh basil leaves
15 g (1/2 oz) butter, at room temperature
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cherry or grape tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Put the parsley, garlic, pine nuts and oil in a food processor or blender and process. Add Parmesan, basil, butter and black pepper and process or blend until well combined (you can also use a deep bowl and a wand blender for this step).
Slice the tops from the tomatoes and spoon a little mound of the pesto mixture on top of each.
Notes: The pesto can be made several days ahead. Just spoon the pesto into a container and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. Cover with a lid.
Or, if you're not feeling terribly energetic, buy some store-brand pesto (as long as it's good quality -- and Sobey's Compliments brand works just fine) and take the easy way out. There's nothing wrong with giving yourself a break, though made-from-scratch pesto will always taste better.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops
This is less recipe, more tip: my husband and I have long since given up bacon-wrapped scallops in favour of this version. All you do is wrap half a slice of prosciutto around a plump, fresh scallop (don't use the tiny ones; they're only fit for soup or salad), secure with a toothpick and either grill on the barbecue, broil in the oven, or pan fry till tender. This only takes about five minutes. Don't overcook them or they will get tough. We like the grilled ones best -- they have a lovely smokey flavour. Prosciutto beats bacon hands-down: it's better for you, and less greasy and salty. (Not that I've ever turned down a bacon-wrapped scallop, mind you).
Enjoy with chilled dry sparkling wine. Prosecco is my favourite pairing, but any dry white sparkling goes nice with the salty scallops.
This cold and elegant soup recipe is from a cookbook called Lazy Days and Beach Blankets (Ryland, Peters & Small 2009) and makes a delicious and refreshing beginning to any summer meal -- especially on a hot day.
Chilled Avocado and Bell Pepper Soup (serves 4)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 green chile, seeded and finely chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
freshly squeezed juice of one lime
1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
a handful of fresh mint leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
plain low-fat yogurt, to serve
fresh herbs as garnish
Put the oil, onion, bell pepper and chile in a saucepan and
cook over gentle heat for about 20 minutes until completely soft. Let cool.
Transfer to a blender, add the vegetable stock, lime juice, avocado flesh and mint leaves and mix until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste then serve in bowls or glasses, topped with a dollop of yogurt and garnish with fresh herbs.
The old standby store-bought appetizers that you pop into a hot oven and serve with bottled dipping sauce might cut it on bitter winter nights, but in spring you want to serve your friends and family something fresh and full of flavour.
Here are three simple and wonderful ways to start a meal.
This first recipe comes from one of my favourite books, Jane Price's Italian Kitchen.
Pesto-Topped Cherry Tomatoes (makes about 50 - serves 10-12)
60 g (2 1/4 oz) flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted (watch them in the saucepan; they burn fast)
60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
60 g (2 1/4 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 handful fresh basil leaves
15 g (1/2 oz) butter, at room temperature
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cherry or grape tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Put the parsley, garlic, pine nuts and oil in a food processor or blender and process. Add Parmesan, basil, butter and black pepper and process or blend until well combined (you can also use a deep bowl and a wand blender for this step).
Slice the tops from the tomatoes and spoon a little mound of the pesto mixture on top of each.
Notes: The pesto can be made several days ahead. Just spoon the pesto into a container and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. Cover with a lid.
Or, if you're not feeling terribly energetic, buy some store-brand pesto (as long as it's good quality -- and Sobey's Compliments brand works just fine) and take the easy way out. There's nothing wrong with giving yourself a break, though made-from-scratch pesto will always taste better.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops
This is less recipe, more tip: my husband and I have long since given up bacon-wrapped scallops in favour of this version. All you do is wrap half a slice of prosciutto around a plump, fresh scallop (don't use the tiny ones; they're only fit for soup or salad), secure with a toothpick and either grill on the barbecue, broil in the oven, or pan fry till tender. This only takes about five minutes. Don't overcook them or they will get tough. We like the grilled ones best -- they have a lovely smokey flavour. Prosciutto beats bacon hands-down: it's better for you, and less greasy and salty. (Not that I've ever turned down a bacon-wrapped scallop, mind you).
Enjoy with chilled dry sparkling wine. Prosecco is my favourite pairing, but any dry white sparkling goes nice with the salty scallops.
This cold and elegant soup recipe is from a cookbook called Lazy Days and Beach Blankets (Ryland, Peters & Small 2009) and makes a delicious and refreshing beginning to any summer meal -- especially on a hot day.
Chilled Avocado and Bell Pepper Soup (serves 4)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 green chile, seeded and finely chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
freshly squeezed juice of one lime
1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
a handful of fresh mint leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
plain low-fat yogurt, to serve
fresh herbs as garnish
Put the oil, onion, bell pepper and chile in a saucepan and
cook over gentle heat for about 20 minutes until completely soft. Let cool.
Transfer to a blender, add the vegetable stock, lime juice, avocado flesh and mint leaves and mix until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste then serve in bowls or glasses, topped with a dollop of yogurt and garnish with fresh herbs.
