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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2015 14 Food Gourmet Today is back on TVM with prickly pears Gourmet Today TV is back for a second season. The first episode uses one of Malta's most abundant fruits at this time of year, the prickly pear. Sean Gravina makes an easy tostada with prawns, prickly pears and endives; quick and easy and makes a great lunch or light dinner. For dessert, he uses the prickly pear to make a jam-like syrup flavoured with star anise as an easy dessert that can be prepared early to be sure your dinner parties run smoothly. Don't miss Gourmet Today TV, every Friday at 18:15. Prawn tostada with a prickly pear salsa Lemon and lime posset with prickly pear and star anise syrup Ingredients Posset • 900ml double cream • 250g caster sugar • 1 ½ lemons, zest and juice • 1 ½ limes, zest and juice Syrup • 4 prickly pears, peeled • 100g caster sugar • 1 lime, zest and juice • 1 vanilla pod • 1 star anise, broken • Freshly ground pepper Garnish • Icing sugar • Mango, diced Method 1. Bring the cream and sugar to the boil in a saucepan. 2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 mins to reduce the mixture slightly. 3. Add the lemon and lime zest and juice to the mixture and simmer for a further 2 mins. 4. Pour evenly into four glasses and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours until set. 5. Heat the pears in a sauce pan, add the sugar and cook over gentle heat for 10 mins or until the mixture has a thick, jam-like consistency. 6. Add the lime zest and juice and vanilla pod and cook until the mixture thickens. Strain the mixture to separate the pulp and the syrup and leave to cool completely. 7. Before serving, add a little bit of black pepper. 8. Take the posset out of the fridge 30 min before serving. 9. Add a tablespoon of syrup and garnish diced mango and a dust of icing sugar. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 2 October, 2015 Ingredients • 400g king prawns, peeled and deveined • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced • 1 tsp chilli flakes, or to taste • Olive oil • 1-2 ripe avocados, peeled, stoned and diced • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped • 1 red chilli, seeded and finely sliced • 8-12 radishes, trimmed and finely sliced • 8-12 cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 lime, juice • 2 endives, shredded • Small bunch parsley • Small bunch mint • 5 prickly pears, peeled, trimmed and remove as many seeds as possible • 4 tortillas • Sea salt and pepper Method 1. Put the prawns, garlic and chilli flakes into a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper and a little drizzle of olive oil. Mix well, then set aside. 2. Put the avocado, spring onions, chili, radishes, prickly pears and tomatoes into another bowl and mix together. 3. Taste and season with salt and pepper and half the lime juice. 4. Mix well, stir in the lettuce, then the coriander and set aside. 5. Heat a dash of olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan. 6. Remove the prawns from their marinade and fry them for about 2 mins on each side, until just cooked through. 7. Drizzle with the remaining lime juice and stir. 8. Toast the tortillas in a dry pan until nicely coloured and beginning to crisp. 9. Divide the salad equally between the toasted tortillas, top with the cooked prawns and serve. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 2 October, 2015