Pittwater Life January 2024 Issue

For more recipes go to janellebloom.com.au
pecorino, or parmesan.
Semi-hard cheese – such as
Provolone, Swiss or Manchego
Soft cheese – such as ricotta,
buffalo mozzarella, burrata
Blue cheese – like a wheel
of blue brie or camembert,
Danish blue or gorgonzola
Goats cheese – like marinated
goat’s cheese, Persian feta or
goats milk camembert
Meat
I think 2 types of meat for
a cheese board is ideal. The
meat should be secondary to
the cheese. Salami, pepperoni
and prosciutto are ideal.
Fruit
Think seasonal: fresh grapes
and berries team with all types
of cheese. Fruit pastes (see
mango paste below), jellies
and chutneys all team well.
Gap fillers
Olives, cornichons, nuts,
crackers, bread and bread
sticks all have a place on the
perfect cheese platter.
minutes. Set aside to cool
for 10 minutes (this allows
the pectin in the apple and
lemon to leech into the
water.). Strain over a bowl,
pressing the mixture to
extract as much liquid as
possible. Reserve the liquid
and discard the solids.
3. Pour the liquid back into
the saucepan and add the
chopped mango. Bring
to the boil over high
heat. Reduce the heat
to medium-low. Simmer
gently, uncovered, for 20-30
minutes, stirring every 5
minutes or until the mixture
is very thick. Set aside to
cool for 15 minutes. Pour
into a blender or food
processor and blend or
process until smooth.
4. Pour the mango mixture
back into the saucepan, add
the sugar and bring to the
boil, stirring occasionally,
over high heat until the
sugar has dissolved. Move
the pan to the smallest
burner on the stovetop,
reduce the heat to low.
Simmer, uncovered, stirring
and scraping down the
sides every 15 minutes for
2 hours, until the mixture
is very thick and paste like,
when you run the wooden
spoon through the centre
of the mixture, it should
stay apart briefly. Set aside
for 5 minutes. Pour into
small warm sterilised jars.
Cool, secure the lid then
refrigerate.
Bruschetta platter
This is one of my favourite
platters. When doing a
bruschetta platter it’s always
best to theme your platter.
Think breakfast, lunch,
cocktail hour – even dessert
bruschetta!
The perfect bruschetta base
1 loaf good quality sour
dough
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, cut in half
(skin on)
1. Thickly slice the sourdough
straight across, not on an
angle.
2. Preheat barbecue grill or
chargrill on medium. Brush
both sides of the bread with
extra virgin olive oil, season
with salt and pepper.
Barbecue or chargrill, 3-5
minutes each side until
toasted and lightly charred.
3. Whilst hot, rub cut garlic
clove over the toast, then
drizzle with more extra
virgin olive oil.
Breakfast bruschetta
Spread sour dough with
ricotta, cream cheese
or cottage cheese. Top
with sauté Worcestershire
mushrooms and basil,
scrambled, poached or fried
egg.
Lunch bruschetta
Spread sour dough with
ricotta, soft feta or labne,
top with fresh tomato, sliced
cucumber, radish and herbs
tossed together with lemon
vinaigrette, rare roast beef
sliced and topped with
caramelised onion jam.
Dessert bruschetta
Replace the sour dough with
fruit toast or brioche. Brush
with olive oil mixed and char
grill. Spread with Nutella,
salted caramel, crème fraiche
and top with berries and
watermelon. Finish with a
drizzle chocolate sauce and
basil.
Summer fruit
skewer platter
with spiced maple
syrup glaze
3 firm ripe mangoes, peeled,
cut into 3cm pieces
250g fresh strawberries,
halved
2 kiwi fruit, halved, thickly
sliced
250g black grapes, removed
from stalk
Food Life
Calypso® mango paste
2 Calypso® mangoes
½ lemon
1 small apple, skin on, sliced
into rounds
1 cup water
500g white sugar,
approximately
1. Peel the mangoes, reserving
the mango skin and seeds
(see Janelle’s Tip). Roughly
chop all the mango and
place into a bowl.
2. Peel the rind from the
lemon. Place the rind into a
medium (about 22cm base),
heavy-based saucepan with
the mango seeds, skin,
apple and water. Bring to
the boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium,
cover and boil for 10
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JANUARY 2024 67