Happy New Year!

Happy New year to all my readers! I wish you all a great and prosperous 2012 :)

Mini Mince Pies

No Bake Energy Slice

iSalad (get it ? hehe :))

Couscous and Pomegranate Salad with Green Beans

Ingredients:

360g Cooked Whole Meal Couscous (Add to it two tsp of lemon juice)

200g Green Beans (Cooked and chopped)

1 Fresh Pomegrante

2 Spring Onions (Chopped)

1/2 Cup Roasted Almonds

2 Tbsp Italian Parsley (Chopped)


Dressing:

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Pepper



Method:

1. Prepare the couscous.  Add the two teaspoon of lemon juice.

2. Remove the pomegranate arils and add to the couscous.

3. Add remaining ingredients.

4. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad. Mix Thoroughly.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Beetroot and Cheddar Whoopie

Banoffee Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche

Scallop & Eggplant Skewers

Parisian Macaroons

These shiny colored Parisian macaroons are often found in the shop windows of Paris. Once you try them, you will be addicted to them. They are a very luxurious and stylish patisserie that make a great gift, or a wedding favour or a sweet surprise for your dinner party guests.

Bavarian Santa Mold

An “Old World” Santa that comes from the Bavarian region of Germany and dates to 1900. The mold measures 9 3/8″ x 3 3/4″ and will produce a very dimensional cookie that measures 8 1/2″ x 3″.

Celebrate your Christmas the Bavarian way.

Traditional German Speculaas Made with Love

Fruits and Nuts Mold. This mold which measures 12 1/2" x 12” x 1 1/2" comes from... a Franconian bakery. Franconia (German: Franken) is a historic region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria and the area to its immediate west. When this mold was first presented to me my thoughts were that it was a piece from the Baroque period. It is estimated to be from the mid 1600’s to the early 1700’s. The wood had a great dark patina and it was riddled with worm holes but very few were on the images themselves. The carvings of the pears, grapes, walnuts, plums, cherries, pomegranate and other fruits were spectacular. A deep mold that I believe was probably for a grand cake topper.

 

If you would like to order the biscuit or the mold, all orders must be done before the 1st of December.

This would make a cute Christmas gift. Biscuits designed by molds from the heart of Europe.

Ruby Swirl Cupcake

Soft Hearted Brownies

To all Brownie lovers.....

Chocolate Covered Bananas with Assorted Toppings

 This is a very healthy snack. The following topping seen are museli, coconut and sliced Almonds.

Oh my gosh, I love ganache! .

Oh my gosh, I love ganache! This is a very fluffy and stratified chocolate cake.

My first Video!!

Hey guys!! Check out my first youtube video to showcase my work! :)

Hazelnut Rockies

These cookies are chewy and are full of Italian flavour. It is extremely divine!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Coloured Chocolate Covered Strawberries

French Macarons

 These French macarons are for sale. Email me if you would like to place an order and details at fifideli@hotmail.com

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A general rule is to use the olive oil at the end of cooking, as a flavouring rather than to cook with.

Using Extra- Virgin Olive Oil:

George Locatelli has three extra virgin olive oils in his kitchen, these are Sicilian Oil, which he adores for it's artichoke notes, Tuscan, perhaps Italy's most famous extra-virgin oil and what perhaps Italy's most famous olive oil, full of herbs and pepper; and a northern oil, more delicate in character. You do need to match your olive oil with your food.

We all know that the olive oil makes a fantastic dressings for salads, but do consider it as a final seasoning for soups and stews, as well as roast and grilled meat. Giorgio uses lighter styles of oil for vegetables and fish dishes and strongly flavoured oils for bitter salad leaves and meats. It can lend flavour to your baking, transforming breads and grissini, even biscuits and cakes, Keep it even simpler and use alone as a dip for your crudites and bread.

In prospect of matching olive oils and foods seems a little daunting to you, then Giorgio Locatelli strongly recommends pairing region with region.

Filtered or Unfiltered

Extra Virgin Olive Oil can come in filtered or unfiltered form. Olive oil is filtered by being passed through layer of cotton to remove particles of olive fruit that may remain. The flavour is generally better in unfiltered oil, but producers take a risk by making oil in this form, as deposits can be unpleasant. Unfiltered oils looks cloudier and, thanks to gravity, if you store it upright any remaining deposits will sink to the bottom of the bottle. The label will tell you if the oil is filtered or unfiltered.

Finger Food: Zesty Cream Cheese Salmon Bites

Pescatarian Sushi

This is for people who want to eat sushi without rice. This is a very good snack if you are dieting.

Almond and Chocolate Madeleines

Super spongy!!

Healthy Ingredients: Red Cabbage

1. Low in fat: Red cabbage is low in calories, and is a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
2. Anti-aging effects: Red cabbage is a wonderful source of Vitamin C, which helps in anti-oxidation and is therefore involved in maintaining beautiful skin and delaying aging naturally. The outer leaves are rich in Vitamin E, which aids in producing a glowing complexion.
3. Good for the Eyes and Skin: Red cabbage is a rich source of vitamin A, which is involved in maintaining clear eye sight. Vitamin A also acts as a natural moisturizer, keeping your skin smooth and supple.
4. Boosts Immunity: Red cabbage is an abundant source of Vitamin E, and thus helps in immunity building, DNA repair, and other metabolic processes. Red Cabbage boosts the immune system’s ability to produce more antibodies.
5. Cleanses the body: Red cabbage contains large quantities of sulfur, and other minerals that work as cleansing agents for the digestive system. Raw red cabbage (incorporated into your diet in salads) cleans the bowels, thus preventing indigestion and constipation
6. Anti-cancer properties: Researchers have recently identified 36 different varieties of anti- cancer chemicals in red cabbage. This beneficial property is due to the high content of anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids that has been linked to cancer protection. Some varieties of anthocyanins have double the antioxidant effect of vitamin C. Red cabbage is also a good source of indoles, compounds that may reduce the risk of breast cancer by altering estrogen metabolism.
7. Prevents Osteoporosis: Like many other vegetables, red cabbage is a good source of calcium. Calcium is an essential mineral for people of every age, as it aids in the strengthening of bones and teeth. Proper intake of calcium-rich foods at a young age is important to help overcome osteoporosis during old age.
8. Reduces Alzheimer’s risk: The building up of certain plaques in the brain is found to be the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease. In a study conducted by researchers, the consumption of red cabbage in test individuals noticeably reduced the formation of these plaques. Red cabbage, unlike white or green varieties, has a higher concentration of natural anthocyanins that helps protect against this form of dementia.
9. Treating Ulcers: Red cabbage is believed to have therapeutic value in the treatment of ulcers. The juice of red cabbage has been used in the treatment of ulcers for many years. A high concentration of the amino acid called glutamine is responsible for this healing property.

Rainbow Salad

This salad is extremely delicious and healthy. The acidity of the dressing goes really well with the sweetness of the honey. The addition of the cabbage and hazelnuts give the salad a really nice crunch and it matches the smooth texture of the pumpkin. This salad is fantastic for any time of day.

Marzipan Sweets (Frutta di Martorana)

French Shirred Eggs/ Oeuf Cocotte à la Français

This is a very elegant as a first course for a dinner. It can also be served for breakfast and it makes a great meal for the children.

Pumpkin Soup

Twitter Cupcakes

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!!!

Chocolate Pebbles

When marzipan and chocolate go on a date :)

Mother's Day Cake

Royal Wedding Cupcakes

Chicken Minestrone Soup

It's the time of year, where things start to cool up a little bit. One way to keep warm this autumn is a nice cup of soup.



Californian Fish Tacos with Onion Rings

Verve Magazine

My delicious Italian Easter Brioche recipe was featured in the Easter issue of Auckland's lifestyle magazine, Verve. HOORAY!!

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce and Walnuts

Beetroot and Mozzarella Salad

Spinach Gnocchi with Ricotta

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Mascarpone Topping

Caramel Chocolate Slice

Spanish Tapas

It has been stated in the tradition of Spain, that the story of Tapas was invented during the reign of King Alfonso X, when he had suffered from a very terrible illness. After the king had regained health, he had ordered that whenever a drink was served, it would be accompanied by a small snack called a "Tapa". Another story goes that the people of Spain would use pieces of bread to cover their drinks from unwanted fruit flies.

Here are some types of tapas:

Spicy Chicken Meatballs with Roasted Tomato and Basil
Sauteed Sliced Mushrooms
Spicy Prawns
Pimientos Stuffed Spain Green Olives

The recipes are located on my website: www.fifisdeli.com

St. Patrick's Day Cookies

Oh My Star!