Easy-as end-of-year recipes
A slice of Sicily perfect for end-of-year bring-a-plates, and the salad of the season ~ ONE SALAD, FIVE DRESSINGS
how is it almost December??
Am I the only one who feels like the tail end of the year has snuck up on us?
Like how you’d creep cautiously but speedily through the grass on your belly, avoiding getting caught playing go-home-stay-home spotlight in the neighbourhood park. And then BAM, suddenly the spotlight’s on you and it’s 6 days until December and that creeping through the grass was all for nothing, and you thought you’d made progress but realise you’re still 50 metres from getting to home base.
50 metres. 6 days. It’s all the same.
We’re more or less at the end of the year and where has it gone?!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve already found the food-focused portion of my mind (which let it be said most likely takes up 99% of my grey matter) turning towards the bright lights of Christmas. And in fact, in a couple of weeks’ time (ie the next newsletter or two) it’ll be prime time to be sharing with you some recipe inspo for your holiday feasting ~ I’m going to try and come up with some cracker recipes to share with you this season!
So, with that in mind, for this week’s newsletter I’m sharing with you a couple of recipes that I think are perfect to help you get through the next month of inevitable madness as the year wraps up, still eating well and feeling good.
the cake to get you through the Christmas party bring-a-plate season
One of the nice (or for the introverts among you, maybe not-so-nice) things about this time of year, is that after everyone has kept to themselves for the past 6 months, suddenly all your work colleagues, friends and whānau want to invite you to compulsory gatherings to tie a ribbon around the year that’s been.
While the office Christmas party organiser may have been sensible enough to organise some outside catering, it’s almost unavoidable that one of these ‘end-of-year’ events will either encourage or mandate that you whip up something delicious to contribute to the shared kai… RIGHT when you’re barely keeping your head above water trying to get everything done so you can actually enjoy the summer holiday you’ve been looking forward to all year.
And then you’re stuck in that conundrum of wanting to make something that requires minimum time and skill but will also be impressive enough to give a big middle finger to your husband’s sister’s mother-in-law who always feels the need to outdo everyone at the family potluck.
Well, today I am here to save the day.
I’ve had cannoli on the mind for a few months now, ever since I took a German girl I met on a bush walk out to an Italian restaurant and she ordered a cannoli and I didn’t and I was very jealous. Cannoli being the classic Sicilian tube-shaped pastry filled with a sweet ricotta cream. Unfortunately, I do not own cannoli tubes, so my cannoli-making dreams are still to be realised. BUT, in thinking a lot about cannoli, and therefore Sicily, my mind has naturally taken the next step on the path of Sicilian desserts to be ruminating on Cassata, the Sicilian sponge cake, filled with a sweet ricotta cream and candied fruit peel.
Cassata is a cake which I have a lot of feelings about, probably more than your average person. The first time I was introduced to Cassata and all its weird and wonderfulness was in the Great Kiwi Bake Off final, where me and the other finalists blindly fumbled our way through making ricotta, marzipan and then assembling and decorating a cake that none of us had ever heard of, as part of the last technical challenge of the show. It was a goodie from Sue. And while I deservedly came last in that challenge (my piping ‘in the traditional Sicilian style’ looked more like a 5-year-old’s glue gun work), I was blown away when we got to try the cake after the challenge. It really was delicious. Cassata is composed of two sponges, usually doused with liqueur, and filled with a sweet ricotta citrus cream, usually packed with any combination of chopped candied fruit/peel, chocolate, pistachios, dried fruits etc. It’s then covered in a ring of pistachio marzipan, glazed and decorated with detailed pipe work and adorned with candied citrus. It sounds wholly bizarre, but the unique and delicious taste of that cassata cake has really stayed with me since. Fast forward to September 2022 and I found myself in Sicily, where cassata, big and small, are the mainstay of most bakeries, so I was able to satisfy my cassata cravings in their birthplace, no less. I’ve been meaning to make a version of it for quite some time, and so it’s with my recent ruminations on cannoli and then cassata that I’ve finally whipped up my own cassata to share with you all today.
Now you’re probably thinking, Cassata cake, cool, so how is this going to save the day for that upcoming Christmas potluck I need to get cooking for? Well, what I’ve done is I’ve taken the key elements of a cassata and turned it into a simple, approachable recipe that will have you kissing yourself, and more importantly having that husband’s sister’s mother-in-law of yours falling off her chair in no time. The entire cake can be whipped up in less than 2 hours from start to finish, and other than whisking a few ingredients together, it takes minimal effort and really is fail-safe. Be sure to scroll down for the recipe!
make friends with yourself with salad
So now that you’ve got my sure-to-impress easy-as-cake cassata recipe in your backpocket for the event season, you need something simple, seasonal and nutritious to get you through these final weeks of late-November, early-December frenzied freneticness.
Enter my other recipe (that’s kind of five recipes in one) for this week’s newsletter:
ONE SALAD, FIVE DRESSINGS
Now that things are warming up, it’s time to dive balls first into the late-spring early-summer salad season, and today I’m sharing with you an easy and delicious template to help you whip up a host of different salads without having to overthink it. From the same solid salad foundation of season greens (we’re talking bright herbs, salad greens, grilled asparagus and beans + any special extras you want to throw in), five simple flavour bomb dressings allow you to dress up or dress down your salad to suit the mood; either keeping things classic with one of the citrus or vinegar-based dressings, or shifting more outside the box with a creamy tahini or asian-inspired option. I’ve also included some suggestions to make the salad more hearty or filling if you’re wanting to edit it into a main meal, or it’s equally perfect as a sharing plate or side to take to a backyard barbecue or slap on the table with whatever protein you have on hand.
This is the no-fuss, nutritious vegetable-packed recipe to make your own and whip out at a moment’s notice for that easy fresh delicious we all need right now. Scroll to the bottom for the recipe to this versatile salad, and the five dressings to mix-and-match with it as you see fit :)
Much love,
Alby xx
Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):
Blood oranges
Asparagus
Avocados
Spring beans & peas
Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)
Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale
Beetroot
Early strawberries & blueberries
Spring onions
Broad beans
Spinach, Salad Greens
Elderflowers
Capsicums
Cucumbers
Early aubergines
Early tomatoes
Brain food:
the beginner’s Yum Cha guide I look forward to utilising in the near future
a promising NZ food education programme for children and teenagers that’s just getting off the ground
a change to the mental health act in Aotearoa is being proposed, here’s a summary from the ministry of health about the proposed bill
some cassata history for those interested
for those who missed my cassata failures on TV, here’s the link to watch
Cassata cake
The best kind of cakes are those that look like you’ve put in a heap of effort, but are secretly simple. Unlike other layer cakes which require a lot of waiting around for cooling, elaborate buttercreams and such, my take on the famous Sicilian Cassata cake can be made in less than two hours, including cooling and chilling time ~ so it’s the perfect showstopper when you need to make a deliriously delicious cake that looks spectacular, at short notice. Unlike the traditional cassata siciliana, which is typically covered in a layer of pistachio marzipan, I’ve opted to skip the faff by finishing it with a pistachio crumb layer instead, which adds a nice textural counterpoint to the fluffy and creamy textures elsewhere. The real star of the show here is the cassata filling ~ ricotta and mascarpone, studded with citrus peel, pistachios, cranberries and dark chocolate. You’ll have to exercise extreme self-control if you taste it before assembling the cake, as it’s mighty addictive.
Hands-on Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
makes one two-layer 20cm round cake, serves 10-12
Cost Estimate: $35 (ricotta and mascarpone are $$$)
Ingredients
Sponges
200g caster sugar
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
finely grated zest of 1 orange
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla paste
100g plain flour
50g cornflour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
Cassata filling
50g dried cranberries
500g ricotta
150g caster sugar
200g mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla paste
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
finely grated zest of 1 orange
75g candied citrus peel (glacé mixed peel), finely chopped
75g dark chocolate, finely chopped
75g roasted pistachio kernels, finely chopped
Mascarpone cream
300g mascarpone
300ml cream
50g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla paste
To assemble/decorate
Limoncello or Grand Marnier, for brushing the sponges
125g roasted pistachio kernels, finely blitzed/chopped
candied or dried citrus, to decorate (optional)
fresh flowers, to decorate (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.
For the sponges, place the sugar, orange zest and lemon zest in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until deeply fragrant and the sugar takes on the colour of the zest. Add the eggs and using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat on high speed with the whisk attachment for 10 minutes, until creamy, voluminous and the ribbon stage is reached (the ribbon stage is where the mixture, if dropped from the lifted beater, maintains a ribbon form for a few seconds on the surface before dissolving into the mixture below). Add the vanilla paste and whisk through to evenly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Very gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, in two or three parts, being careful not to deflate the batter, but ensuring any pockets of flour are fully incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins (about 300g of batter in each tin). Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until the sponges are golden and spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool fully.
As the sponges cool, make the cassata filling. Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes to hydrate, then strain and place the cranberries on a chopping board. Finely chop, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta and caster sugar until smooth, creamy and the sugar has fully dissolved. Add the mascarpone and vanilla paste, gently whisking into the ricotta until smooth - being careful not to over-mix. Add the chopped cranberries, lemon zest, orange zest, chopped citrus peel, chocolate and pistachios. Gently fold in until evenly mixed through. At this stage I suggest you eat a spoonful of the filling and revel in its deliciousness. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
For the mascarpone cream, place the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric hand mixer (or a hand-held whisk, if you’re wanting a workout!), beat together to form medium-stiff peaks, being careful not to over-mix (as the mascarpone/cream can curdle if taken too far). Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Once your sponges are fully cooled, you are ready to assemble the cake. Brush the top of each of your sponges generously with Limoncello (or your chosen liqueur). Place one sponge on your serving plate or cake stand, top side facing upwards. Spoon the cassata filling on top of the sponge and using a small cranked palette knife (or the back of a spoon), gently spread out the filling to form a thick, even layer. It might seem like a lot of filling, but that’s the point!
Sandwich the second sponge on top of the filling, top side facing downwards, so that the flat side of the sponge is facing upwards. Ensure the top of the sponge is relatively level. Using a palette knife (or a regular knife), smooth out the edge of the filling, so it is in parallel with the sponges, ready for the cake to be covered with the cream.
Cover the entire cake in the mascarpone cream, leaving a little cream in the bowl for decorative piping. Use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to even out the mascarpone cream around the sides and top of the cake - I like to make it even and then create some swooping effects for texture. Using a medium round piping tip, pipe dollops of the remaining cream in a ring around the top edge of the cake, to create a decorative border. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (you can skip the chilling time here if you’re in a rush!).
To finish, take the blitzed pistachios and using your hands, gently press the pistachios around the sides of the cake to form a decorative crumb (if you have a cake decorating turntable it makes this a lot easier!). Sprinkle any remaining pistachios in a ring around the top edge of the cake, where you have done your decorative piping. If desired, finish the cake with halved slices of candied or dried citrus and fresh flowers. Slice with a serrated knife and serve.
Alby’s Advice:
for a non-alcoholic option, you can brush the tops of the sponges in a lemon or orange cordial/syrup. To make you own, heat together equal measure of citrus juice and caster sugar, until the sugar is dissolved, then allow to cool.
it might feel like a lot of filling, but you want the filling layer to be really thick in between the sponges. There is definitely enough for you to have a couple of spoonfuls from the bowl as you go though.
I like to blitz the pistachios in a food processor to form a crumb - it’s a lot quicker than chopping by hand.
Any leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container.
One Salad, Five Dressings
Salad season has well and truly arrived in the Southern Hemisphere, and this recipe is my perfectly simple and delicious green salad, to have on repeat until the end of the year. Great as a light and bright lunch or dinner, or a side for your next barbecue or sharing spread, what makes this recipe especially excellent are my FIVE dressing options ~ from classic Dijon or citrus dressings to creamy tahini or umami miso & soy, the flavour options are endless with zero extra effort. I’ve also included a host of ideas as optional extras, to make your salad that little bit extra special or hearty. You could honestly eat this every day this week with different variations and not get sick of it. Enjoy :)
Hands-on Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
serves 2 as a stand alone meal, 3-6 as a side, easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled to feed a crowd
Cost Estimate: $10 or more (depending on optional extras, your dressing of choice, and what you have on hand in the garden)
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
250g asparagus, woody ends trimmed, spears cut into thirds
1 large handful of young broad beans, still in their pods (or use green beans, mangetout or similar)
1 celery rib, diced thinly
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
a couple of large handfuls of mizuna leaves (or other salad greens, eg mesclun, rocket, spinach etc.)
1 large handful coriander leaves
1 large handful mint leaves, roughly torn
1 large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
flesh of 1 avocado, diced
DRESSING OF YOUR CHOICE (see below)
Optional extras:
Crunchy…
maple-roasted hazelnuts (on a baking paper-lined tray, roast 100g hazelnuts with 2 tbsp maple syrup and a decent sprinkling of sea salt at 160°C fan-forced for 12-15 minutes until golden and caramelised. Leave to cool then roughly chop.)
dukkah (toast some spices - eg cumin seeds, coriander seeds, sesame seeds etc. - until fragrant. Add to mortar and pestle along with some chopped roasted nuts - e.g. pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts etc. Pound together to form a textured crumb for sprinkling. Season with salt to taste.)
any toasted nuts, seeds etc. for a crunchy element
Fresh & fruity…
fresh citrus segments (eg supremed grapefruit or orange segments)
lightly grilled or fresh stone fruit (eg slices of nectarine or peach)
fresh pomegranate seeds or sliced mango
Sharpness & creaminess…
shavings of parmesan or an aged cheese (eg cheddar, tasty etc.)
grilled paneer or halloumi
dollops of fresh ricotta, goats cheese or burrata
Pickle & heat…
fresh green chilli, thinly sliced
sliced gherkins, chopped
radish or red onion, thinly sliced
Make it more hearty…
cooked grain (e.g. freaked, farro, bulgur wheat etc.)
poached eggs
shredded poached chicken
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the asparagus, broad beans and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, tossing occasionally until starting to soften. Add the sliced garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes, tossing through, until the asparagus and beans are starting to char a little and the garlic is beautifully golden. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the salad greens, coriander, mint, parsley and avocado. Add your dressing of choice (depending which dressing you choose, you may use all the dressing or only part of it - you be the judge as to how much you want!), then toss through to coat. Transfer to a serving platter/bowl, drizzle with a little extra dressing if desired, and finish with any optional extras of your choosing.
Dressing 1 ~ Dijon cider vinegar dressing
Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
½ tsp cracked black pepper
couple of large pinches of sea salt (about ¼ tsp), to taste
Method
Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined.
Dressing 2 ~ Orange, malt & ginger dressing
Ingredients
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange (about 60ml)
3 tbsp malt vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp cracked black pepper
couple of large pinches of sea salt (about ¼ tsp), to taste
Method
Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined.
Dressing 3 ~ Creamy balsamic & tahini dressing
Ingredients
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
juice of ½ large lemon (or 1 small lemon)
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt (or Greek-style coconut yoghurt, if vegan)
¼ tsp ground chilli
¼ tsp sea salt, to taste
about 5-6 tbsp hot water
Method
Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined. Adjust amount of water added to reach desired consistency. Note that as the dressing sits, it will thicken further (due to the tahini).
Dressing 4 ~ Miso, soy & sesame dressing
Ingredients
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Shiro (white) miso paste
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
juice of ½ lemon
¼ tsp ground chilli
Method
Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined. Ensure that the miso paste is completely dissolved.
Dressing 5 ~ Pomegranate & tahini dressing
Ingredients
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp sea salt, to taste
about 4-5 tbsp hot water
Method
Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined. Adjust amount of water added to reach desired consistency. Note that as the dressing sits, it will thicken further (due to the tahini).
Alby’s Advice:
The dressings will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can easily mix up the salad ingredients for whatever you have on hand - grilled broccolini or kale would go great, chopped cucumber, zucchini ribbons, capsicum, cherry tomatoes etc. The salad world is your oyster.
Each of the dressings is also incredibly versatile ~ the miso-soy dressing wonderful tossed through noodles, the tahini dressings in wraps or stuffed flatbreads etc.