Posts Tagged With: gluten-free

Sweet chilli sauce

Banish that gloopy coloured rubbish from your cupboards! This is easy-peasy to make & delish… and if you bottle up any remaining sauce in a sterilised jar, it will last for ages!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: chillies
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe by Kylie Kwong
Makes: about 250ml 

Equipment:

  • Measures – jug, tablespoon
  • Small heavy-based saucepan
  • Bowls – small
  • Scales
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Wooden spoon
  • Sauce bowl
Ingredients:

  • 250ml white vinegar
  • 165g white sugar
  • 2½ tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 large red chilli

 

What to do:

  • Place vinegar and sugar in the small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  • Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until liquid is reduced by almost half and slightly syrupy.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Meanwhile, slice down the length of the chilli and carefully scrape out the seeds and white membrane and discard. Chop the chilli into super-thin slices and add to the syrup with the fish sauce.
  • Stir well, then divide among little sauce bowls and serve.

Caution:

  • Wash your hands thoroughly after coming in contact with chilli, as the capsaicin (the oil within the chilli) burns when it comes in contact with your eyes or sensitive skin.

 Notes: Why do you need to wash your hands if handling chill? What is capsaicin? What other sauces could you make at home? What does fish sauce smell like?

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People-powered pesto!

For a spicy alternative, rocket leaves can be added to the basil and pounded together or you might like to try a parsley combination… Cooked chickpeas can be used in place of the pine nuts in case of allergy.

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: basil
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe by Alice Waters in The Art of Simple Food
Makes: about 3 cups

Equipment:

  • Bowls – big, med, small
  • Scales
  • Salad spinner
  • Cheese grater
  • Medium frying pan
  • Mortar & pestle
  • Tea towel
  • Measuring jug
  • Tablespoon
  • Serving bowls if needed
Ingredients:

  • 1 big bunch basil, to yield about 100g
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • Salt
  • 80g pine nuts
  • 50g parmesan cheese
  • 200ml extra virgin olive oil

 

What to do:

  • Pick the basil leaves from the stalks and weigh before you wash them!
  • Then wash in several changes of water and thoroughly spin-dry the basil.
  • Grate the parmesan cheese.
  • Heat the frying pan on a medium heat and lightly dry-toast the pine nuts, shaking regularly so that they don’t stick.
  • Peel the garlic clove and place in the mortar and pestle with a good pinch of salt. Pound these to a paste.
  • Add the pine nuts to the mortar & pestle and continue to pound. Once smooth-ish, transfer to the bowl and stir in the parmesan.
  • Tear the basil leaves and put them into the mortar with a sprinkle of flaked salt. Pound the leaves to a paste. Return the pine nut mixture to the mortar and, pounding it all together, gradually pour in all the olive oil.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
  • Mix into steaming hot pasta, spread on bruschetta, drizzle over tomato slices, serve as part of an antipasto plate with goats’ cheese and roasted capsicum or spoon into serving bowls to serve as a dip with flatbreads.

Notes: What else can you use with pesto? What also goes with well with basil? Why do we toast the pine nuts? Can you name any other pasta sauces?

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Composed salad

The list of ingredients we can add to a salad is endless… here at Bondi we base this Composed Salad on lettuce leaves, fresh herbs and a wonderfully zingy lemon and garlic dressing, but we are always looking to add something new and special: green beans; juicy bush tomatoes, eggs…

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Fresh from the garden: Salad leaves, tomatoes, eggs, lemons, cucumbers, celery, beans, basil, parsley, chives, oregano – the list goes on…!
Serves: 6 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Baking tray
  • Chopping boards & knife
  • Bowls – large, medium, small
  • Small saucepan & lid
  • 2 salad spinners
  • Tea towel, paper towel
  • Mortar & pestle
  • Citrus juicer
  • Measures: 1/3 cup, teaspoon
  • Whisk, tongs
  • Serving bowls
Ingredients:

  • A handful of cherry or bush tomatoes
  • A small handful of thyme
  • A big bunch salad leaves (lettuces, rocket, tatsoi)
  • A few garnishing flowers & leaves
  • Bush tomatoes, green beans, spring onions, eggs etc

Marjoram vinaigrette dressing

  • 1 clove garlic
  • Flaked salt & black pepper
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 sprigs marjoram

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What to do:

  • Preheat the oven to 150C. Wash and slice the tomatoes in half and place on the baking tray. Wash and pat the thyme stalks dry and strip the leaves onto the tomatoes. Drizzle with a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a pinch of salt and roast for 30 minutes.
  • Place the eggs carefully into the saucepan and fill with cold water. Set them to boil with the lid on, then once the water starts boiling, time them for 4 minutes. Drain and run cold water over them until cool, then peel and quarter.
  • Fill up 2 big bowls with cold water & wash the salad leaves in several changes of water. Spin dry and wipe the bowls dry. Wash then top-and-tail the beans.
  • Lay out the tea towel and line it with paper towel. Spread the salad leaves over the paper and roll the whole lot up like a log. Keep the rolled parcel of leaves in the fridge until needed.
  • Fill up the medium bowl with water and wash the herbs and small garnishing leaves. Dry on a piece of paper towel andreserve in a small bowl.
  • Peel the garlic clove and put it in the mortar with a large pinch of salt. Pound to a paste. Juice the lemon and add the juice to the mortar (without pips) then stir the lot with ateaspoon and scrape it into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the oil and grind some pepper, then whisk the dressing lightly. Wash and pat the marjoram dry and pick off the leaves, and add to the dressing.
  • Unwrap the parcel of salad leaves & tip them into the bowl with the dressing. Gently turn the leaves in the dressing using your hands or tongs, and then transfer the dressed leaves to the serving bowls. Add the eggs, the tomatoes, beans and any other extras and the garnishing petals & leaves and serve immediately with a last drizzle of the dressing.

Notes: Where does the word vinaigrette come from? What other salad dressings could you use? Why do we wash the leaves so well? Why do we roll the leaves up to put them in the fridge?

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The holiday salad (AKA the Salad with Massaged Kale)

This is where we clean out the garden in preparation for the big break… so expect the unexpected! Why do we massage kale? To soften it and infuse it with the wonderful flavours of olive oil and lemon. Also we recently discovered the delicious crunchiness of radish pods – if you purposefully let your radish harvest go to seed, you’ll be rewarded with unfeasibly long and spindly branches of delicate flowers complete with the most amazing – and not too hot – pods to eat straight off the plant, or include in your favourite salad. Here’s our version:

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: The last veggies of the year…
Recipe source: Melissa with inspiration from Allison!
Serves: 4 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Mortar and pestle
  • Citrus juicer
  • Measures: 1/3 cup, teaspoon
  • Teaspoon
  • Scissors
  • Paper towel
  • Bowls – 2 big, med, 4 small
  • Salad spinner
  • Chopping boards and knives
  • 2 frying pans, one deep-sided
  • Slotted spoon

 

 

What to do:

Ingredients:

  • Cavolo nero
  • Lettuce, rocket, baby spinach
  • Beans, bok choy
  • Tomatoes
  • Radish pods
  • 1 egg per person
  • Ground coriander

Herby vinaigrette dressing

  • 1 clove garlic
  • Flaked salt & black pepper
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • A small handful mixed herbs: parsley, marjoram, thyme, chives
  • For the dressing: Peel the garlic clove and put it in the mortar with a large pinch of salt. Pound to a paste. Juice the lemon and add the juice to the mortar (without pips) then stir the lot with the teaspoon and scrape it into the large bowl. Stir in the oil and grind some pepper, then whisk the dressing lightly. Wash and spin dry the herbs, pick off the leaves and snip finely with the scissors. Add to the dressing.
  • For the massaged kale: Wash the kale and using scissors, strip the leaves from the stalks in small pieces. Dry really well with paper towel, then place in a bowl and squeeze a segment of lemon over with a pinch of flaked salt and a teaspoon of olive oil. Massage all the flavour into the kale for 5 minutes until the kale is soft and juicy.
  • Fill up the 2 big bowls with cold water & wash the salad leaves in several changes of water. Spin dry and wipe the bowls dry. Fill the small bowl with water and wash the small garnishing leaves, flowers and radish pods. Reserve them carefully on a piece of paper towel then keep separate in the bowl.
  • Wash the beans and snip the stalk-ends off. Wash the bok choy & tomato & chop. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan & add the beans, bok choy & tomato with a pinch of salt, a squeezed clove of garlic & a teaspoon of ground coriander. Cook on high for a few minutes.
  • Meanwhile, to poach eggs, fill the deep-sided frying pan 5cm deep with water and bring to a simmer. Fill the large bowl with cold water. Carefully crack each egg into a small bowl without breaking it and then carefully slide into the water. Let the pan sit for 4 minutes before removing each egg into the bowl of cold water with a slotted spoon and reserving until needed.
  • Add the salad leaves to the bowl with the herbs and the dressing. Gently turn the leaves in the dressing using a clean hand without squishing the leaves.
  • Pile up the dressed leaves into the serving bowls, carefully drain an egg and place in each bowl with the massaged kale, beans, bok choy, garnishing petals, leaves & pods, & serve immediately.
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Leek soup

The classics keep coming back, and for good reason! Here’s another 70’s soup…

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Fresh from the garden: leeks, celery, onion, potatoes, garlic, thyme
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 6 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Kettle
  • Chopping boards and knives
  • Bowls – big, medium
  • Peelers
  • Paper towel
  • Scissors
  • Stockpot, wooden spoon
  • Measures: jug, tablespoon
  • Ladle
  • Stick blender
  • Serving bowls
  • Teaspoons

 

Ingredients:

  • 50g butter
  • 3 leeks
  • 1 brown onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 1.5 litres water with a tablespoon and a half of bouillon (or 1.5 litres stock)
  • A small handful of thyme sprigs
  • 100ml single cream

 

What to do:

  • Fill the kettle and set to boil.
  • Wash the leeks, slicing open half way to wash off all the dirt, slicing off the very end of the roots and the really spiky green parts of the leaves and discarding. Chop into 1cm rings or slices.
  • Peel and chop the onion and garlic cloves.
  • Peel the potatoes under running water and chop into 2cm cubes.
  • Wash and shake the celery dry and chop into thin slices, including the leaves.
  • Wash the thyme and gently dry it in a piece of paper towel.
  • In the stockpot over medium heat, place the butter and melt. Add the onion and gently cook for a few minutes, and once translucent add the leeks, garlic and celery. Cook for a few minutes until everything softens slightly.
  • When the kettle has boiled, carefully measure the boiling water into the jug and stir in the bouillon. You may need to do this in 2 lots.
  • Add in the potato, the bouillon (or stock) and the sprigs of thyme. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the potato is tender and cooked through.
    Remove from the heat, and remove the sprigs of thyme from the pot.
  • Blend until the soup is velvety smooth and perfect. Stir through the cream and ladle into bowls.

Notes: What does translucent mean? What is bouillon and what is it made of?

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Eggs ‘en cocotte’ Florentine

The classics keep coming back, and for good reason! Here’s an old-fashioned brekky/ brunch staple that is versatile, quick, easy and delish… You can add ham or even smoked salmon if you like!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: spinach, shallots, spring onions, eggs, chives
Recipe source: inspired by a recipe in the Yvette Van Boven book Home Made
Serves: 8 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Kettle
  • Chopping boards and knives
  • Colander
  • Bowls – big, medium, small
  • Scales
  • Large frying pan
  • Microplane grater
  • 8 ovenproof ramekins
  • A small baking tray
  • Paper towel
  • Oven mitts
  • Serving plates
Ingredients:

  • A large handful spinach or silverbeet
  • 2 French shallots
  • A couple of spring onions
  • A whole nutmeg
  • Flaked salt and pepper
  • 8 eggs
  • 50g butter at room temperature
  • 100g double cream
  • A small handful chives

 

What to do:

  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Check there is a shelf in the middle of the oven. Fill the kettle and set to boil.
  • Wash the spinach or silverbeet leaves thoroughly and shake dry. Slice off the discard any thick stalks and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.
  • Peel and finely chop the shallots and wash, trim and slice the spring onions into tiny rings.
  • Heat 25g of the butter in the frying pan and add the chopped shallot and spring onions. Fry gently until soft, stirring, and then add the spinach, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and about half a nutmeg grated with the microplane. Sauté until wilted for about 2 minutes, then measure the cream, add it in and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile divide the rest of the butter between the ramekins and grease each one, placing them onto the baking tray as you go. Sprinkle each with pepper and salt, then using tongs divide the spinach mixture between the ramekins, pouring in a little creamy liquid as well.
  • Taking one egg at a time, break first into a small bowl and then slide one into each ramekin, taking care not to disturb the yolk. Once the tray of 8 is ready, place carefully onto the middle shelf, and with an adult’s help, pour enough hot water into the baking tray but outside the ramekins to halfway up the side of the ramekins.
  • Slide carefully into the oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes, when the whites are set but yolks are still runny.
  • Place a napkin or piece of paper towel onto your serving plates, then taking care and using oven mitts, remove the tray from the oven and divide the ramekins between the plates.
  • Serve immediately with crunchy toast!

Notes: What does en cocotte mean? What does Florentine refer to? What is a ramekin?

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Rocket and herbed feta salad

Salad is a tiny word for a massive selection of broad-ranging ingredients, held together by any number of sauces, unguents and potions. Here’s another one to add to the list!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: rocket, lettuces, early tomatoes, radishes, limehairy (perennial basil), marjoram, parsley, garlic, lemon
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 4 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Bowls – big, medium
  • Salad spinner
  • Chopping boards & knife
  • Measures: tablespoon, teaspoon
  • Tongs
  • Small jar & lid
  • Scissors
  • Colander
  • Serving bowls or plates

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • A small handful limehairy leaves
  • A small handful marjoram
  • A small handful parsley
  • A block of Danish feta (150–200g)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 handfuls rocket & lettuce leaves
  • Any early tomatoes and radishes
  • A few edible flowers

For the dressing:

  • One small piece of preserved lemon
  • ½ small garlic clove
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • A pinch of sugar
  • Flaked salt and black pepper

What to do:

  • To make the herbed feta: Wash the herbs, spin them dry and then pick off all the leaves. Chop them finely on a small chopping board and then unwrap the feta and then place it on the herb mixture. Slice the feta into small cubes, turning them over in the herbs, and then drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Reserve until needed.
  • To make the dressing: Using tongs, take out a small piece of preserved lemon out of the jar and rinse under cold water. Using a small sharp knife, scrape off the fleshy inside part and discard. Chop up the remaining skin very finely and add to the jar, along with the rest of the dressing ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and shake until emulsified.
  • Fill up a big bowl with cold water and wash the rocket and lettuce leaves gently, emptying and refilling several times before draining and spinning dry. Chop or snip any large leaves into 2 or 3 pieces and reserve in a clean and dry big bowl.
  • Wash the tomatoes and carefully slice into small mouth-sized pieces and place in a medium bowl. Scrub the radishes and slice very thinly, adding them to the tomatoes. Drizzle a tablespoon of dressing into the bowl.
  • Drizzle the rest of the dressing onto the rocket and lettuce and gently toss to coat.
  • Divide the dressed leaves on to your serving bowls or plates and distribute the tomatoes, radish and feta cubes over the salad.
  • Garnish with the edible flowers and serve straight away.

Notes: What does emulsified mean? What is limehairy also known as?

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Risotto primavera

This lovely spring risotto is positively bursting with green goodies!

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Fresh from the garden: broad beans, green beans, marjoram, garlic, onion, pea shoot tendrils
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 6 at home or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Saucepans – small, medium and large stockpot
  • Salad spinner
  • Bowls – 1 large, small, med
  • Large knife& chopping board
  • Grater, microplane zester
  • Ladle
  • Wooden spoon with a flat end
  • Heavy based stockpot
  • Measures: scales, jug, cup, tablespoon
  • 4 bowls or soup plates to serve

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 litres water with 2 tablespoons bouillon (or 2 litres stock)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 brown onion
  • 20g butter
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 400g Arborio rice
  • A handful broad beans
  • A bunch of asparagus
  • A handful of green beans
  • A cup of frozen peas
  • 1 lemon
  • 50g parmesan
  • A small handful marjoram
  • A handful pea shoot tendrils

What to do:

  • Measure 2 litres of water into the medium saucepan, add the bouillon and bring it to a simmer on medium heat.
  • Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
  • Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter over medium heat in the large stockpot. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent & then stir in the garlic and then rice until the grains begin to crackle.
  • Begin adding the simmering stock, a ladle at a time, and stir in until fully absorbed. The stock should just cover the rice and bubble. Stir every minute or so, making sure you get into all the edges of the pan with the wooden spoon.
  • Meanwhile fill the smaller saucepan with water and set to boil. Pod the broad beans and boil for 3 minutes. Drain, refresh in a bowl of cold water and pod again. Reserve in a small bowl.
  • Wash and chop the asparagus into 1cm lengths. Measure out the peas from the freezer and reserve. Wash and snip the beans into 1cm lengths.
  • After about 15 minutes add all the peas, the broad beans, the green beans and the asparagus and stir in, cooking for another 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, zest the lemon and grate the parmesan to yield about ½ cup. Wash and gently spin the pea shoots dry. Wash, spin and strip the marjoram leaves.
  • When the rice is just tender all the way through but still slightly firm, usually in about 20 minutes, it is done.
  • When you are ready to serve, add in a last ladleful of stock. Stir in the pea shoots, lemon zest and parmesan, and remove from the heat. Taste now and check the seasoning. The mixture should be creamy.
  • Serve onto the bowls and eat right away!

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Cream of celery soup

The classics keep coming back, and for good reason! We love our 70’s soups…

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: celery, onion, potatoes, garlic, chives
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 6 at home or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Kettle
  • Chopping boards and knives
  • Peelers
  • Paper towel
  • Scissors
  • Stockpot, wooden spoon
  • Scales
  • Measures: jug, tablespoon
  • Microplane grater
  • Garlic press, ladle
  • Stick blender, mouli
  • Serving bowls
  • Teaspoons

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 litres boiling water and 1.5 tablespoons bouillon (or 1.5 litres vegetable stock)
  • 1 brown onion
  • 1kg white potatoes
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • A large bunch of celery
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 whole nutmeg
  • 100ml single cream
  • A small handful chives
  • Freshly ground black pepper
    What to do:
  • Fill the kettle and set it to boil. Measure the bouillon and boiling water into the jug and stir.
  • Peel the potatoes under running water and then coarsely chop into 2cm cubes.
  • Peel and coarsely chop the onion.
  • Wash and finely chop the celery, including leaves.
  • Heat the oil in the stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes and then add the chopped celery and cook for another few minutes.
  • Meanwhile peel and crush the garlic, and then add the garlic and potato cubesand stir together.Sweat for a minute until aromatic.
  • Increase heat to high. Add the prepared stock and bring to the boil, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the potato is almost tender.
  • Remove from heat, add the cream and using the microplane, grate 1/2 a nutmeg into the soup.
  • Blitz the soup with the stick blender. You may want to pass the soup through the mouli to make it super-smooth.
  • Taste and season if needed.
  • Wash the chives and then roll them in a piece of paper towel. Snip into tiny pieces and reserve.
  • Ladle soup among serving bowls and sprinkle with the snipped chives.

Notes: What do celery leaves taste like? Where does nutmeg grow?

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Rhubarb and rosewater Eton mess

A take on the classic English dessert with gorgeous contrasting textures & flavours: crunchy, soft, creamy, hard, sweet, acid… yum yum YUM!

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Fresh from the garden: strawberries, rhubarb, eggs
Recipe source: Adapted from a recipe by Sophie Dahl in The Delicious Miss Dahl
Serves: 12 at home

Equipment:

  • Kitchen Aid, whisk attachment
  • Scales
  • Large baking tray
  • Baking paper
  • Measures: teaspoon
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Frying pan
  • 2 serving plates

 

 

Ingredients:

For the meringues

  • 8 large eggs
  • 400g raw caster sugar
  • 1 pinch salt

For the rhubarb compote

  • 200ml boiling water
  • 120g raw caster sugar
  • 1kg rhubarb
  • 2 teaspoons rose water

For the cream

  • 500ml double cream
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • Almond slivers to serve

What to do:

  • First make the meringues. Preheat the oven to 120C. Separate the eggs.
  • In a clean bowl or mixer whisk the egg whites until they reach firm peaks.
  • Gradually mix in the sugar and salt and whisk well until the mixture is thick white and glossy. This should take about 7-8 minutes.
  • Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper – use a little dab of the meringue mixture to stick it down.
  • Spoon the mixture into blobs on your baking tray leaving a generous gap between them. Bake for 1 hour.
  • Whilst the meringues are baking, make the rhubarb compote. Wash the rhubarb and trim any leaves away. Chop into 3cm rounds.
  • In a pan, boil the water with the sugar and add the rhubarb when it starts bubbling. Stir and let it cook for about 5 minutes on a medium heat. When the rhubarb is tender, remove from the heat. Add the rose water and leave to the side.
  • Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
  • Split the vanilla pod down the middle and scrape out the seeds. Stir them into the whipped cream.
  • Place the cooled meringues on the serving plate, breaking a few of them up and leaving a few whole. Spoon the cream over the top, then drizzle the compote on top of the cream.
  • Lightly toast the almond slivers in a dry frying pan and sprinkle them over the top.
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