Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/625693
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 13 JANUARY 2016 14 Food Keeping on track with New Year resolutions After the culinary excesses of the festive season, the number one resolution is to lose weight and start eating healthier meals. Healthy choices do not necessarily mean bland meals that leave you unsatisfied. Sean Gravina makes some interesting healthy meals to put you on track for Gourmet Today TV, including a burrata on grilled asparagus with Romesco sauce and an apple and balsamic glaze, as well as his interesting take on baba ganoush, where he uses marrows instead of aubergines and flavours it with a Roqeufort sauce. Don't miss Gourmet Today TV, every Friday at 6:15pm on TVM. Courgette baba ganoush with Roquefort Ingredients: • 5 large courgettes (about 1.6kg) • 80g goat milk yoghurt (use cow milk if you can't find) • 15g Roquefort, coarsely grated • 1 egg, lightly beaten • 15g unsalted butter • 20g pine nuts • ½ tsp chilli flakes • 1 tsp lemon juice • 1 garlic clove, crushed • ½ tbsp za'atar, to finish • Salt and pepper • Crackers to serve Method: 1. Preheat the grill on its highest setting. 2. Place the courgettes on a lined baking tray and grill for 45 mins, turning once or twice until brown. 3. Remove from the grill and allow to cool. 4. Peel off the courgette skin, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and place in a colander. 5. Place the yoghurt, Roquefort and egg in a small sauce pan and heat extremely gently for about 3 mins. Don't allow it to simmer. Set aside and keep warm. 6. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the pine nuts and cook gently for 3-4 mins until golden brown. 7. Finish with the chili flakes and lemon juice. 8. To serve put courgette in a mixing bowl with the garlic and a good pinch of salt and pepper. 9. Gently mash everything together with a fork and spread the mixture out on a large serving platter. 10. Spoon the warm yoghurt sauce on top, followed by a drizzle of warm chili butter and pine nuts. 11. Finish with a sprinkle of za'atar and serve. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 8 January, 2016. Ingredients: • 500g asparagus • 20ml balsamic vinegar • 30ml apple juice • ½ tsp caster sugar • ½ tbsp. olive oil • 5g flaked almonds, toasted • Salt and pepper Romesco Sauce • 1 dried chili, soaked in water for 30 minutes, drained and de-seeded • 40g whole almonds • 50g crustless Maltese bread • 3 medium plum tomatoes, cut in wedges • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar • 25ml olive oil • 1 medium red chili, roughly chopped Method: 1. Place all the ingredients for the Romesco sauce in a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. 2. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. 3. Transfer to a food processor and blitz to a paste. 4. Place in small pan to warm through before serving. 5. Bring a medium sized sauce pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the asparagus for 1-2 mins then refresh in cold water and set aside to dry. 6. Place the balsamic vinegar, apple juice and sugar in a saucepan on high heat and reduce by half, about 4-5 mins until thick and sticky in consistency. 7. Heat a griddle pan on high heat. Toss the asparagus in olive oil and some salt and chargrill on all sides for about 2 mins in total. 8. Place the buratta in a mixing bowl and tear with your fingers and add some Romesco sauce, together with some salt and pepper. 9. To serve spread some Romesco sauce on a plate, place the asparagus and a few pieces of the burratta around the plate, drizzle with the balsamic reduction and sprinkle flaked almonds for texture. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today, aired on TVM on 8 January, 2016. Burrata on grilled asparagus with a Romesco sauce