Stuffed Aubergines

Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 Medium Aubergines
1 Onion. finely chopped
250g Minced Beef
1 Large Carrot, Grated
Half cup Water
1 can Chopped Tomatoes
4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
4 Mushrooms, chopped

Topping:
2 Egg Yolks
1 Cup Natural Yoghurt
Half cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Saute onions in a large pot until soft. Add the mince and brown.
2. Add can of chopped tomatoes and water. Season with salt and pepper accordingly. Cook for 15
minutes.

3. While the mince and tomatoes are cooking, slice the aubergines in half and scoop out the flesh. Dice flesh into small cubes. Add to the pot with the grated carrot and crushed garlic. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Be careful not to damage the skins as you will be using them.

4. Mix together the egg yolks, natural yoghurt and cheese. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Place each aubergine skin onto a baking tray. Brush about 1 teaspoon of water onto the inside of the skins. Scoop the mince mixture into each skin. The mixture should not be watery.

6. Place the natural yoghurt mixture on top of each stuffed aubergine. Place into the oven at 180'C and bake for about 45 minutes or until the skin have gone soft.

Serve with a green salad

Rocket and Cherry Tomato Sauce

Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5minutes

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
500g Very Ripe Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
175g Rocket Leaves
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese shavings

Directions:

Step 1:
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until golden brown. Add the tomatoes and cook for barley 1 minute. The tomatoes should only just heat through and start to disintegrate.

Step 2:
Sprinkle the tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar, allow it to evaporate, then toss in the rocket. Carefully stir the rocket to mix it with the tomatoes and heat through so that it is just wilted. Season well with salt and pepper.

Step 3:
Serve immediately tossed with freshly cooked pasta and covered with plenty of parmesan shavings.

Banoffee Pie

Ingredients

400g tin of caramel (NOT evaporated milk or condense milk!)

Three large bananas

One packet of digestive biscuit

Half-pint of double cream

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

1 Flake chocolate bar

Method

Step 1:

Crush the biscuits in a freezer bag with a rolling pin until they are reduced to crumbs. Gently heat the margarine in a saucepan until liquid or melt in the microwave. Pour crumbs and melted together in a bowl, stir until well combined.

Step 2:

Transfer the biscuit crumbs to a round dish (cake tin is best) and pat with a spoon so that the biscuit mixture covers the base. Place in the fridge for about 1hour to set.

Step 3:

Once the mixture has set, slice the bananas and arrange them on the top of the biscuit base. Pour/spoon the caramel from the tin onto the bananas and spread evenly (you do not have to use the whole tin). Whip the cream until peaking, then fold on top and smooth out. Dust with the flake chocolate bar. Keep in the fridge until needed and covered with cling-film.

Tips

You may want to make the biscuit base with a lip (a bit like a flan or pavlova). Have a rest for a while when the biscuit base is setting. Serve cut into wedges

Goats Cheese and Pine Nut Sauce

Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

25g Butter

75g Pine Nuts

2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced

1 Leek, finely shredded

300ml Single Cream

1 Lemon, finely grated lemon rind and the juice

150g Firm Goats Cheese, crumbled

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Step1:
Melt the butter in a frying pan and gently fry the pine nut for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Add the garlic and shredded leek and fry for a further 1 minute

Step 2:
Add the cream, lemon ring and juice and goats cheese. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir for about 1-2 minutes until the cream starts bubbling and the cheese has melted.

Toss with freshly cooked pasta.