Flame Grapes and Green Apple Salad

Yes I’m trying to show off and no the grapes are not on fire. That’s just a name for a variety of grapes that are both white and red in colour. Quite pretty really. They are also seedless and firm. Perfect for use in a salad. The tang of the green apple superbly complements the sweetness of the grapes and we bring it all together with some lovely lemon herb mayonnaise dressing.

Now I, (like most people) was not a very big fan of salads in the younger days of yore. We even called it Ghas Phoos. (Those who know, will know!). But now that’s I’ve grown older wiser, I gladly fill up my plate with the goodies. I’ve even been known to order just salad for lunch! (Ha ha ha … really got you on that one din’t I??) Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is … some salads do taste awesome! And though you probably won’t bypass a meal to eat just one, it won’t hurt to pile some on your plate. Besides this is almost a cheat salad – it has more fruit than the leafy stuff!

  

Flame Grapes and Green Apple Salad

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves 2

What you need:

1 cup of seedless Grapes (flame/ globe)

1 Green Apple, cut into wedges

1 big bunch of Mixed Lettuce Leaves

2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

½ tsp of mixed dried herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme)

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

What to Do:

Wash and dry lettuce leaves. (I have a salad spinner *smug*). Now combine the mayo, lemon juice and herbs in a small glass bottle. Shake well (with the lid on) to combine. You can also substitute sour cream for mayo. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Note: Always add the dressing on just before serving a salad. This will ensure the leaves are not limp and soggy but fresh and crunchy.

Ham, Bacon and Green Apple Quiche

So today has been a frustrating day. I made a cheese cake which did not set and made a Mexican Chicken Mole which had too much cinnamon! And on a hot day tempers can flare everywhere! Clearly some days are not for culinary adventure or rather just any culinary venture. Every woman who rushes home from work and still wants to whip up a fancy meal a la Nigella, is living in a dream world if she doesn’t have failsafe recipes to fall back on! It’s times like these that I have even more reverence for a good recipe, a blogger who tests the recipe and finally a book that publishes only tried and tested recipes. That is why you can be rest assured I am not putting up dubious recipes on my blog. I don’t want to inflict the pain of failure on anyone. (No, seriously, that’s how it feels when a recipe screws up!) So it’s with supreme confidence that I am posting the Ham, Bacon and Green Apple recipe. It worked liked a charm, tasted supremely good and was a breeze to make. Now who doesn’t want that in their repertoire?

Ham, Bacon and Green Apple Quiche

(Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food India, Jan 2012)

Prep time: 20 mins

Baking time: 25 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

8 Ham slices

8 Bacon slices

½ Green Apple, halved and sliced

2 Eggs

200ml Cream (I used Amul)

1 large Onion, sliced

A pinch of Nutmeg

1 cup dried Breadcrumbs

50 gms Butter, salted

6 Sage leaves, chopped finely

Handful of grated parmesan

Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:

Put the breadcrumbs and softened butter in a food processor and mix till you get wet pasty crumbs. Now empty the contents into a 8 or 9 inch flan/pie dish and press the mixture to coat the bottom and sides. Pat down with your fingers to get an even layer and use your knuckles to push the mixture into the sides. Cover with cling film and toss into the refrigerator to chill while you make the quiche mixture.

Stack the ham slices up and cut into large squares. Chop the Bacon into strips and cut the apple and onion into slices. Add the bacon to a large skillet and sauté over low heat to render the fat. Cook until the bacon just begins to crisp. Now add the onions and sauté in the bacon fat, then add the apple slices and sauté till both turn translucent.

Add the cream and bring to a simmer, season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove the skillet from the fire and let it cool for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. In the meantime, beat the eggs. Now add the eggs to the skillet and mix well into the sauce. Take the pie dish out of the fridge. It should look dry. Pour the contents of the skillet into the baking dish and sprinkle sage leaves on top. Bake at 180°C for 20 mins in the center rack of the oven. Now remove from the oven, sprinkle grated parmesan on top and return to bake for another 5 mins till the crust looks golden brown.

Serve hot immediately or chill overnight, cut into neat wedges and serve at room temperature or warm. I served mine with a nice green salad with balsamic dressing for a fantastic mid week meal!