A Bastille Day Lunch

July 14th - le quatorze juillet - is an important public holiday in France. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and the beginning of the French Revolution. Despite its bloodthirsty connotations, it’s now seen as a family day, an opportunity for a picnic or an out-of-doors lunch and provides a good excuse - as if we needed one - for Francophiles to celebrate.

If you're short of time you could just make the main course and buy in a ready-made fruit tart. If you’re not a big garlic fan (which you need to be for the aioli) make a salade nicoise instead.

Smoked salmon, goats cheese and dill cake
Le Grand Aioli
Apricot tart with Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

Smoked salmon, goats cheese and dill cake
Serves 6-8
The French have a great fondness for what they call ‘cake’ - a cross between a savoury bread and a quiche. They’re incredibly useful as a nibble for starting off a meal, maybe with a few radishes, prawns and a light herby dip

2 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
200g plain flour
1 level tbsp baking powder
3 large eggs
200g creme fraiche (or 100g creme fraiche and 100ml sunflower oil)
1 tbsp lemon juice
200g goats cheese log, rind removed and roughly crumbled
50g freshly grated parmesan
110g smoked salmon or smoked trout, cut into strips
3 heaped tbsp finely chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

You will need a medium-sized (900g) rectangular non stick loaf tin, lightly greased and floured

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and fry the onion gently for a couple of minutes until softened. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Sift the flour with the baking powder and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk the eggs and whisk in the creme fraiche and lemon juice. Tip the liquid into the flour and beat well. Fold in the fried onions and their oil, crumbled goats cheese, smoked salmon, parmesan and dill until evenly distributed throughout the mix then tip into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes then remove from the tin and leave on a wire rack to continue cooling. If not eating straight away wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate. Cut into cubes.

Suggested wine match: Althought this is a typically Provencal menu with which you could easily drink a ros right through to the dessert, I’d be tempted to start with a glass of sparkling wine such as a Crmant de Limoux from the Languedoc or even an Italian prosecco.

Le Grand Aioli
Serves 6
An aioli is both the name for a Provenal garlic mayonnaise and for the big communal dish which is based on raw and cooked vegetables but usually also contains salt cod and hard boiled eggs. There’s a fair bit of advance preparation - the vegetables ideally need to be cooked individually - but no last minute work. You can make the aioli itself in a food processor but, if you have a decent-sized mortar and pestle, it’s easy and satisfying to do by hand. And the texture and taste are far better. The crucial thing is to have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Choose from the following:

About 600g salt cod, cut into thick, even slices and soaked overnight (see below)
350g young carrots, peeled or scrubbed
1 large or 2 smaller bulbs of fennel
250g fine green beans, trimmed
1/2 a medium cauliflower cut into florets
500g new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
350g baby courgettes (zucchini), trimmed and halved lengthways
6 Italian-style grilled artichoke hearts in oil
400g ripe, sweet tomatoes, cut into quarters
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved

For the aioli
4-5 large cloves of garlic*, peeled and roughly chopped
3/4 tsp flaked or coarse sea salt
2 fresh organic egg yolks, at room temperature
150ml fruity extra virgin olive oil e.g. Provencal or Spanish
150ml sunflower oil
1/2 tsp wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Soak the salt cod in the fridge for 24 hours in cold water, changing it a couple of times. Put it in a saucepan with fresh water, bring to the boil and simmer very slowly for about 15 minutes until just cooked. Set aside and cool. Cook each of the vegetables separately until just cooked. I suggest cooking the carrots, fennel, green beans and potatoes in boiling water and steaming the cauliflower and courgettes. Set them aside in a cool place but don’t refrigerate them.

To make the aioli put the garlic in a mortar with the salt and pound until you have a smooth paste. Add the egg yolks and work them in too. Pour the two oils into a jug then gradually drip the oil, drop by drop into the egg and garlic mixture, all the while pounding rhythmically, moving the pestle in the same direction. Keep on adding oil very slowly until the mixture begins to stiffen and you hear a slapping noise as the oil goes in then increase the speed you add the oil to a steady fine stream. Add the vinegar half way through once the aioli has thickened. Once all the oil has been incorporated add 2-3 teaspoons of warm water, half a teaspoon at the time to lighten and loosen the mixture.

Arrange all the ingredients on a large platter or platters and serve with the aioli and some crusty French bread such as a baguette.

* It’s important to use garlic that hasn’t sprouted for aioli otherwise it will taste bitter. Use cloves from a bulb you’ve just bought rather than ones which might have been lying around for a while.

Suggested wine match: A dry Provencal ros such as Bandol rosé would be perfect with this

Apricot tart with Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
My version of a brilliantly simple recipe from award-winning food writer Alastair Hendy. If you don’t have time to make a dessert though you could easily buy a ready-made apricot or strawberry tart. Or both . . .

Note the picture is from a photo library and not exactly the way the tart will turn out.

Serves 6

1 x 375g pack ready rolled puff pastry
750g ripe apricots
2 tbsp ground almonds
2 tbsp unrefined caster sugar
2 tbsp muscat de Beaumes de Venise or other southern French muscat
3 tbsp soft set apricot jam
To serve
Crme fraiche or vanilla ice cream

You will need a large shallow rectangular non-stick baking tin

Take the pastry out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to unroll it. Preheat the oven to 225 C/425 F/Gas 7. Halve and stone the apricots (you can cut the bigger ones into thirds. Unroll the pastry and lay it on the baking tin, trimming off any pastry that overhangs the edges. Prick the base with the prongs of a fork and shake over the ground almonds in an even layer. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp of the sugar. Arrange the apricot halves or thirds in rows over the surface of the tart, leaving a narrow border round the edge and propping up each row on the one behind it. Spoon over the remaining sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is risen and the edges of the fruit are beginning to caramelise. Spoon the jam into a small saucepan, add the muscat and warm gently, stirring until smooth. Brush the warm glaze over the apricots and serve with crme fraiche or vanilla ice cream

Suggested wine match: Serve small, chilled glasses of Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

Image © karlo54 at adobestock.com

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with this delicious seafood supper

The Chinese New Year, which starts on February 1st, is one of those annual events that really captures the imagination. It is celebrated in such a colourful and joyous way and Chinese food is so delicious, quick and simple to make that I hope you won't be able to resist having a go at it, inauthentic though it absolutely is.

Buy in the dim sum and make the ice cream ahead and all you need make on the night is the stir-fry.

Menu:
A selection of dim sum
Luxury seafood stir fry, steamed pak choi
Stem ginger and almond ice cream, mandarin oranges and fortune cookies

A selection of dim sum

Frankly I think life is too short to make your own dim sum so unless you’re already an expert at rolling miniature spring rolls and making featherlight steamed dumplings I would order them in from your local takeaway or buy them ready made. The exception are these simple sesame prawn toasts which are easier to handle than the classic Chinese deep fried ones and can be prepared ahead and baked at the last minute

Sesame Prawn Toasts

Makes about 30 toasts

350g cooked, peeled prawns

2-3 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger or ginger paste

1 tsp finely grated fresh garlic or garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce

2 tsp light soy sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1 medium egg white

1 tbsp ground rice

Salt, pepper and a pinch of caster sugar

About 5 thin slices white bread, preferably 2-3 days old

60-75g sesame seeds

Put the prawns in a food processor or blender along with all the other ingredients except the bread and sesame seeds and whizz until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for an hour or two for the flavours to amalgamate.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8. Cut the crusts off the bread and toast lightly. Cool then spread each slice thickly with the prawn paste. Cut each slice into six. Put the sesame seeds into a shallow bowl. Press the prawn toasts upper side down lightly into the sesame seeds then lay them on baking trays. Bake for about 5-6 minutes until the toasts are warm and the sesame seeds lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes then serve.

Luxury seafood stir fry

This recipe may look long and complicated but it’s simply a matter of assembling the ingredients and throwing them together at the last minute in a wok.

Serves 6

400g large prawns, thawed if frozen

200g fresh queen (small) scallops

1 level tbsp cornflour

200g broccoli florets (about two medium heads of broccoli) cut into smaller florets3 tbsp sunflower or light olive oil

4-6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

125g shitake mushrooms, wiped and finely sliced

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 knob of ginger about 2.5 cm square, peeled and grated

1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper or crushed chillies (optional)

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the sauce

225 ml light vegetable stock made with 1/2 an organic stock cube or 1 rounded tsp vegetable bouillon powder

Sieved juice of 1 large lemon (about 3-4 tbsp)

3-4 tbsp rice wine, sake or fino sherry

1 level tbsp caster sugar

1 level tbsp light soy sauce

1 rounded tsp cornflour

Reserve any liquid from the prawns and scallops. Pat them dry with kitchen towel and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the cornflour, season with 1 level tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp white pepper and toss thoroughly then set aside (in the fridge if you’re preparing the dish more than 30 minutes in advance) Microwave or blanch the broccoli in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To make the sauce combine the stock in a jug with the lemon juice and 3 tbsp of the rice wine, sake or sherry. Stir in the sugar and the light soy sauce and check seasoning, adding more rice wine or other ingredients to taste. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of water

When you’re ready to cook heat the wok, add 3 tbsp of oil and tip in the spring onions and sliced mushrooms. Stir fry for 2 minutes then add the broccoli, garlic and ginger. Stir fry another minute then season with sichuan pepper or crushed chillies if using. Tip in the seafood, the sauce and any liquid from the prawns and scallops and cook, stirring, until it comes to the boil (about 3 minutes) Add the cornflour and stir till thickened. Take off the heat and check the seasoning adding extra salt or pepper if needed. Serve with plain boiled rice and some steamed pak choi.

Stem ginger and almond ice cream

You can make this luxurious ice cream milder or stronger depending how much ginger you use. I’ve given quantities for 4 as it’ll fit into a standard ice cream machine. Just make the recipe twice to serve 6-8.

Serves 4

4-6 pieces of stem ginger + 3 tbsp of syrup from the jar

150ml Stone’s ginger wine

1 tbsp Cointreau or other orange liqueur + extra to serve

300g carton fresh custard

142ml carton whipping cream

A few drops of almond essence

Fortune cookies and mandarin oranges to serve

Chop the ginger very finely and place in a bowl. Put the syrup in a small saucepan with the ginger wine and Cointreau, bring to the boil and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half. Pour over the ginger and cool for 10 minutes.

Transfer the custard into a large bowl and stir in the ginger and syrup. Whip the cream lightly and fold it into the custard, then add a few drops of almond essence to taste. Pour the custard into an ice cream machine and churn until firm, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Or, if you don’t have a machine, pour the mixture into a shallow dish or plastic container and place in the freezer then remove after 1 1/2 hours and whisk with an electric hand whisk. Repeat this freezing and whisking process 2 more times then leave until thoroughly frozen.

Store the frozen ice cream in a sealed plastic box and freeze for 24 hours.Transfer the ice cream to the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop. Serve with fortune cookies or another light crisp biscuit and tinned mandarin oranges drained and marinated in 2 tablespoons of Cointreau or another orange liqueur. Do give each person 8 segments - 8 is a sacred number in China and considered to bring luck and prosperity!

What to drink:
There are two ways to go with the wines for this menu - an aromatic white such as Riesling (I would recommend a young dry Riesling from Germany or Alsace), or a fruity Bordeaux rosé which is surprisingly good with Chinese food. I’ve also discovered that a good cold gin and tonic is exceptionally refreshing with fried dim sum such as prawn toasts and spring rolls although you could equally well serve a glass of Champagne or sparkling wine. Finish with a cup of delicate jasmine or chrysanthemum tea.

A Middle-Eastern inspired barbecue for eight

Here's a barbecue I've dug out of the archives - a middle-eastern inspired BBQ from my book Food, Wine and Friends.

The centrepiece is a spiced, butterflied leg of lamb served with a delicious Turkish-style bulghur wheat salad called Kisir. Finish with grilled nectarines or, if you prefer to have your dessert prepared ahead, some refreshing wine jellies.

I’m not a big fan of starters with barbecues but you could offer a selection of bought-in mezze - some hummus and beetroot dip (Waitrose does a good one in their new Levant range) stuffed vine leaves, olives and flatbread. If you want to add a home-made element (which always gives the impression you’ve made the lot!) try my charred aubergine salad.

Charred Aubergine Salad

There’s a popular middle-eastern dip which involves charring or roasting an aubergine then gouging out the flesh and making a dip. I’ve never been really grabbed by it because a) it takes ages to make b) turns a dirty beige colour and c) you discard the skin which is the best bit. Here’s the solution - a salad which includes all those lovely smoky flavours.

Serves 4-6 as part of a selection of starters. Double the quantities if serving it one its own

2 medium or 1 large aubergine (about 500g)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (about 100g), peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 medium tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and diced
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley and 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper

Cut the stalks off each aubergine, cut in half lengthways then cut into cubes. Heat a wok for about 2 minutes over a high heat, add the oil, heat for a few seconds then tip in the aubergine cubes. Stir fry over a moderate heat for about five minutes until lightly browned then turn the heat down low, add the onion and garlic, stir, cover the pan and cook gently for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Tip the aubergine into a shallow dish while you prepare the other ingredients. When the aubergine is cool (about 20 minutes), cut it up roughly with a knife and fork then mix in the chopped tomato, parsley and mint. Season with lemon juice, cumin and salt and pepper and serve with warm pitta bread.

6 good wine pairings for aubergine/eggplant

Butterflied leg of lamb with cumin, lemon and garlic

A butterflied leg of lamb - one where the bone is removed and the meat opened up to create a huge flat piece of meat - is one of the tastiest, simplest and most impressive dishes to barbecue. Order it in advance from a butcher and he’ll do all the hard work for you.

Serves 8

1 large butterflied leg of lamb (about 2-2.5kg)
For the marinade
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp crushed chillies
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
3 tbsp olive oil

Put the garlic, sea salt, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, Herbes de Provence, black peppercorns and chillies in a mortar and pound with a pestle until the garlic breaks down and you have a thick paste. (Or whizz them in a spice grinder) Gradually work in the lemon juice and oil. Work over the meat with a small, sharp knife, cutting away any excess fat then cut the meat into two or three manageable pieces. Put the meat in a roasting tin, rub in the marinade, cover and leave in a cool place for at least 2 hours. Heat a gas barbecue to the maximum setting or light a charcoal barbecue and cook over an indirect heat for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat and how well you like it cooked, turning it half way through the cooking time. Remove to a platter or carving dish, cover lightly with foil and rest for 15 minutes. Slice thinly and serve with kisir (below), a mixed leaf salad and some warm flatbread.

Top wine pairings for lamb

Kisir

This Turkish-inspired recipe is the perfect party salad. You can vary it depending on what you have available substituting walnuts for hazelnuts or pistachios for example, adding some olives or some finely snipped dried apricots or replacing the dill with fresh coriander.

Serves 8

250g bulghur (cracked wheat)
50g roasted hazelnuts, chopped
50g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
5-6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1/2 a cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 red ramiro pepper, halved, de-seeded and finely chopped
3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1 pomegranate
Juice of 2 lemons (about 6 tbsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp pomegranate syrup or 2 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp sugar
5 tbsp finely chopped parsley
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tbsp finely chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the bulghur in a large bowl and pour over enough boiling water to just cover the grain. Leave for 15 minutes for the liquid to absorb then pour over plenty of cold water, swirl the grain around and tip the grain into a sieve. Squeeze the grain with your hands to extract any excess water and return the grain to the bowl. Add the chopped nuts, sliced spring onions, and chopped cucumber, pepper and tomatoes (including the seeds and pulp). Halve the pomegranate and scoop out the seeds, reserving the juice and discarding the pith. Add the pomegranate seeds to the salad. Whisk the lemon juice and reserved pomegranate juice with the salt, cumin and chilli flakes, whisk in the olive oil and pomegranate syrup or balsamic vinegar and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Tip into the salad and mix well. Finally mix in the chopped herbs. Toss well together and check the seasoning adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste. Cover and set aside for at least an hour for the flavours to infuse.

Grilled nectarines with Greek yoghurt and honey

You can barbecue fruit just as easily as vegetables though it helps to have a separate rack to lay them on so they don’t fall off or end up tasting of garlic and spices!

Serves 8

6-8 medium sized ripe nectarines
50g butter
Flavourless cooking oil
1 tbsp unrefined caster sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large carton Greek yoghurt
Some good, preferably Greek, runny honey

Run a knife vertically round the outside of each nectarine, cutting through to the stone. Holding one half of the fruit in each hand, twist them in different directions to pull them apart. Cut out the stone if it hasn’t come away. Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan or microwave and brush or smear it over the nectarine halves. Lightly grease a rack with flavourless oil and lay the peaches on it, cut side downwards. Barbecue for 10-15 minutes (depending how hot your barbecue is) turning them half way through the cooking time and sprinkling the cinnamon sugar over them. Serve with dollops of Greek yoghurt and drizzle with honey.
* If you haven’t got enough heat left in the barbecue roast the peaches in a lightly oiled roasting tin at 220°C/425°F/Gas 7 for 15 minutes, turning them as described above.

Wine (and other) pairings for peaches and nectarines

Sparkling Shiraz and Summer Berry Jellies

Serves 8

About 6 sheets of gelatine (but check the pack for the amount you need for the amount of liquid you’re using)
750ml sparkling shiraz or other sparkling red wine
6-8 tbsp sugar syrup*
600g mixed berries - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, black currants or redcurrants
2-3 tbsp caster sugar, depending how ripe your fruit is

Place the gelatine in a flat dish and sprinkle over 4 tbsp cold water. Leave to soak for 3 minutes until soft. Heat the sparkling shiraz in a microwave or saucepan until hot but not boiling. Tip the soaked gelatine into the wine and stir to dissolve then set aside to cool. Rinse the berries, cut the strawberries into halves or quarters then put them into a shallow bowl, sprinkle over 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and leave them to macerate. Check the liquid jelly for sweetness adding sugar syrup to taste - you’ll probably need 6-8 tablespoons. Put an assortment of berries in the bottom of eight glasses or glass dishes then pour over enough jelly to cover them. Put the glasses in the fridge to chill. As soon as the jelly in the glasses has set (about an hour) add the rest of the fruit and jelly. Return to the fridge to set for another 45 minutes to an hour before serving with cream or vanilla ice cream
* To make the sugar syrup dissolve 125g of sugar in 150ml of water. Heat gently together in a pan then when all the grains are dissolved, bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. You can use the syrup immediately or cool it and store it for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Sparkling Nectarine and Blueberry Jellies

Serves 8

6 sheets of gelatine ((but check the pack for the amount you need for the amount of liquid you’re using)
750ml sparkling peach flavoured wine
200g fresh blueberries
3 medium-sized ripe nectarines
2 tbsp lemon juice

Place the gelatine in a flat dish and sprinkle over 4 tbsp cold water. Leave to soak for 3 minutes until soft. Heat the peach cocktail in a microwave or saucepan until hot but not boiling. Tip the gelatine into the peach wine and stir to dissolve then set aside to cool. Cut round the nectarines and twist each half in opposite directions to pull them apart. Cut them into cubes and sprinkle with lemon juice. Rinse the blueberries. Put a few blueberries and cubes of nectarine in the bottom of eight glasses or glass dishes then pour over jelly to cover. Put the glasses in the fridge to chill. As soon as the jelly in the glasses has set add the remaining fruit and jelly. Return to the fridge to set for another 45 minutes to an hour before serving.

What to drink:
I’d drink a crisp lemony white such as a Sauvignon Blanc, Rueda or Greek Assyrtiko or a rosé with the mezze. Almost any ripe, fruity medium-bodied red you enjoy would work with the lamb - I’d probably go for a Merlot, Syrah or Languedoc red such as Faugères or Minervois (you might also offer pomegranate juice for non-drinkers which would go very well with the salad). If you’re serving the nectarines you could serve a chilled Greek or southern French Muscat. The jellies are probably boozy enough already!

Top picture by Food Via Lenses at shutterstock.com though not a picture of the actual recipe. (You have to get the book for that 😉)

An alternative New Year's Eve menu for four

Tired of turkey? Bored with goose? Try Signe Johansen's fresh-tasting suggestions for a simple New Year's supper with friends.

There's nothing like fresh, Mediterranean flavours to revive the tastebuds after the rich eating of the Christmas period. so here is a simple Lebanese-inspired New Year's Eve menu to kickstart 2013. These dishes are all easy to prepare, allowing the hostess (or host) to join in the festivities rather than slaving in the kitchen.

The recipes here make enough for four people - simply multiply for larger numbers.You could either serve the tabbouleh and baba ganoush with drinks as mezze which would be traditional or with the shish taouk. (In the former case you could serve a mixed salad and pitta bread or other flatbread with the meat)

Tabbouleh
Make this one hour before serving to allow the parsley to soften, but resist the temptation to prepare it several hours in advance as the parsley will oxidise and turn black.
2 tbsp bulgur wheat
1/2 onion
1 tomato
1 bunch parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice & zest of 1/2 lemon
Sprinkle of chilli flakes, salt and pepper
Soak the bulgur wheat in double the quantity of boiling water and allow the water to absorb. Finely chop the onion, dice the tomato and then chop the parsley. Place all of this in a bowl and stir in the olive oil, lemon rind and juice and seasoning. Set aside for 45mins-1 hour before eating

Baba Ganoush
1 large aubergine
75ml tahini
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt & pepper
Pierce the aubergine like you would for a baking potato. Grill the aubergine for 20- 25 minutes until the skin is charred and the aubergine is shrivelled. If you want an extra smoky flavour, sear the skin over a gas flame, but it's not strictly necessary. When the aubergine's cooked, peel it and scoop out the flesh, place this in a sieve and press the liquid out - this gets rid of any bitter flavours. Then place the flesh in a bowl, mix in the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and season to taste. If the mixture is very thick, add a bit of water to make a more dippable consistency.

Shish Taouk with Garlic Toum
This is based on a dish I had at Fahlkredine. Note the chicken must be marinaded a day in advance to allow the flavours to develop
3 cloves garlic
1/2 onion
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lemon
1/2 tsp salt
4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

Chop the garlic and onion, place in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight. When you're ready to serve, preheat the grill, soak the skewers in water and then put 5-6 pieces of chicken on each skewer. Place on a rack or a roasting tin and grill under a high heat for 5-8 minutes (depending how hot your oven is and how big the chicken pieces are). Turn them once so they colour evenly and serve with the garlic toum dip. Be warned, this is not a dish for garlic-phobes!

Garlic Toum:
2 cloves garlic
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
150ml olive oil
salt & pepper
Crush the garlic, place in a bowl with the lemon juice and whisk in the olive oil as you would if you were making a mayonnaise. (Or do this in a food processor). For a fine textured sauce sieve the toum before serving, but it's delicious with the garlic pieces.

Pomegranate & Orange dessert with Cinnamon and Walnuts
1 pomegranate
1 orange for each person
1 tsp cinnamon
handful toasted walnuts
honey or orange blossom water if you have some
Score through the peel of each orange vertically as if you were cutting it into quarters. Place in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Leave for a couple of minutes then drain the water and remove the peel which should come away cleanly removing the pith. Slice the oranges horizontally 'across the grain', place them on a plate and add the pomegranate seeds, the walnuts and finally drizzle with the honey or orange blossom water, followed by a sprinkle of cinnamon. Chill until ready to serve.

What to drink: Given you're introducing a breath of summer into your New Year's Eve festivities why not serve a dry rosé? Provençal rosés, being rather more expensive than those from the southern Rhone or Languedoc would create a suitable sense of occasion. You could also serve a sweet wine with the dessert like the delectable Vin de Constance.