GET ON BOARD
Angela Casley dreams up delicious ways to smarten your cheeseboard
ROAST TOMATO AND CHILLI JAM
Makes 1 cup
We all love a good cheeseboard to snack away on in the evening with a glass of wine in hand. This jam is a delight, and is not only great with cheese but is also beautiful alongside roast lamb or vegetables. It will last for weeks, not that it will get the chance . . .
10 cherry tomatoes
Olive oil, for drizzling
6 long red chillies, half the seeds
removed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
Zest of 1 lime
½ cup white vinegar
2 cups sugar
½ cup water
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1. Preheat an oven to 160C. Place the tomatoes on a tray, drizzle with oil and roast for 40 minutes or until soft and squishy.
2. Place the chillies, garlic, ginger, lime and half the vinegar in a blender. Blitz until you have a rough paste.
3. Place the sugar, remaining vinegar, water, fish sauce and paste in a mediumsized pot, slowly bringing to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil and continue to cook until the jam becomes sticky and gloopy. This may take 20 minutes depending on how hard it is boiling. Keep an eye on it. Remove from the heat.
4. Store in jars, and enjoy with your cheeseboard.
SPICY PLUMS
Serves 8-10
While the last of the plums are here, go crazy and make the most of them. Once they disappear you can make this with other fruits. If using a white fruit such as pears, change the sugar and vinegar for white.
1 Tbsp butter
½ red onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, sliced 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 cinnamon quill
2 star anise ¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp lime zest
2 Tbsp lime juice
6 plums, quartered, stones removed
1. Melt butter in a frying pan. Add onion and garlic, cooking slowly for a few minutes to soften. Add balsamic, cinnamon quill, star anise, sugar, zest and juice and cook slowly until the sugar is dissolved. Add plums, cooking gently and turning once or twice until they’re cooked but still hold their shape. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Serve with your cheeseboard.
GORGONZOLA HONEY TOASTS
Makes 12
These are great for a last-minute addition to any drinks party. It’s also a good way to use leftover French bread.
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup grated parmesan
80g gorgonzola, at room temperature 1 Tbsp melted butter
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Pinch salt
12 slices French stick, toasted
2 Tbsp chopped parsley Honeycomb
1. Mash together the garlic, parmesan, gorgonzola, butter, nuts and salt in a bowl. Spread liberally over the toasts.
2. Preheat a grill to high.
3. Just before serving, place the toasts under the grill for 2 minutes, keeping an eye on them.
4. Serve warm with a sprinkle of parsley, a drizzle of honey and extra honeycomb on the side.
FOR MORE IDEAS, SEE VIVA.CO. NZ/ RECIPES