Category: Recipes

Meat Free ‘Chilli Con Carne’ Recipe

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Meat free chilli con carne

Chilli con carne is one of those recipes that everyone loves and it is super easy to make vegetarian/vegan. There’s also a million ways of making it since everyone has their own recipe so for me there is no right or wrong as long as it tastes good. This particular recipe is inspired on the Jame Oliver version of his 15 Minute Meals book, I saw him make the recipe on his TV programme and it made me buy the book! This veggie version really only takes 20 minutes to make.

I use store bought veggie mince for this, but if you want to make it completely vegan then you can make chilli with different types of beans or make your own vegan mince mincing seitan in the food processor for example if you can’t find vegan mince.

The mix of spices might not seem very traditionally Mexican but it works very well. I would have never thought of adding garam masala to a Mexican dish but all I can say is that it’s genius! (Thanks Jamie!) I like to make a big pot of this and then I can freeze it and take it for my lunch at work. I put the bulgur or quinoa to cook and then start with the sauce that way everything is ready at the same time, however you can also have it with white rice.

Tomato & Garlic Salad Recipe

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Tomato & garlic salad. Tomates aliñados

This is a staple in most tapas bars in Gibraltar and the southern Spain especially in the summer, knows as ‘tomates aliñados‘. This salad is so simple and flavoursome, probably not for you if you’re not a garlic lover but that is certainly not an issue around these parts! You could even say this is a tomato carpaccio.

It is important to choose large tomatoes which are ripe but firm and to use coarse sea salt or salt flakes. It is also important to use good quality extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top, and to be generous with it! This goes well as a side dish especially in hot weather as aside dish to share.

Pasta with Broccoli, Mushrooms & Almonds Recipe

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Pasta with mushrooms, broccoli & almonds

This is my go-to pasta in a hurry recipe that takes as long as the pasta takes to boil. I absolutely love broccoli anyway, and it helps that it is full of good nutritive value. This recipe is incredibly easy to make all it takes is a little planning and preparation as to the order of doing things.

I use non-dairy almond cream and nutritional yeast for a cheesy savoury flavour and makes the dish completely vegan which is always a good thing. I usually make this for one (me) but it can be easily scaled up if need be.

Pea & Broccoli Orzo Risotto (Orzotto) Recipe

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Pea & Broccoli orzotto

Risotto is a dish that has traditionally been made with arborio rice, although nowadays taking from the concept of the risotto you can be creative and make it with, spelt, pearl barley or even pasta. This particular risotto is made with orzo pasta, which in Italian means barley, and it is shaped like a grain of rice, although slightly larger in size. Orzo pasta is also used in Greek and Turkish cuisine, and you can find a very similar alternative in Spain called ‘piñones‘, which means pine nut, because it is shaped like a pine nut.

This orzo risotto (also known as an orzotto) is actually much easier to make as you don’t have to keep stirring constantly to make it creamy, as pasta will not release start and creamy anyway like rice does. I like to make this without cheese or dairy cream for a lighter meal, and I substitute these for nutritional yeast which has a malty cheesy flavour, and non-dairy cream. This dish is very tasty and perfect for a light spring/summer lunch.

Upside Down Plum Cake Recipe

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Upside Down Plum Cake

I absolutely love plums when they are sweet, especially prune plums which are available in late summer. However sometimes plums can be hard and tart, and just don’t seem to ripen. When you happen to have some of those the best thing is to cook or bake with them. Precisely this happened to me when I bought more than half a kilo of prune plums without having a feel of them first (they did look nice, plump and fresh though!), so I came up with this recipe, which was perfect for a lazy summer afternoon treat.

I like to serve this cake with some vanilla ice cream on the side. I can also see this as a perfect winter cosy treat served with custard. Upside down cakes may sound dated but this one is delicious, sweet, fruity, moreish, and the cake was ever so moist.

Coquitos Recipe – Crunchy sugar-coated coconut bites

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Coquitos, shredded coconut and consensed milk balls in a crunchy caramelised sugar exterior

Coquitos are a classic sweet in Gibraltar especially in summer. They are small balls of shredded coconut, mixed with condensed milk to form a lovely sweet filling, covered in a crunchy sugar coating. It is a mouthful of heaven and bliss, creamy on the inside, sweet, and crunchy on the outside providing not only a wonderful taste but also different textures.

The sugar coating can be a bit tricky because it involves dipping the coconut balls in molten sugar and you have to take care not to burn yourself, and the sugar gets darker as time goes on so you don’t want to be too slow which is why I’ve rated the difficulty as hard. Plus, I don’t like very much working with melted sugar as it’s easy to get burned. However do not be put off by this, the sweet rewards are definitely worth it. It is customary to use red colouring in the sugar coating, like toffee apples but I prefer to not use artificial colourings.

Roast Tomato & Goat Cheese Salad Recipe

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Roast tomato & goats cheese salad

I made this salad for a family lunch and it went down a storm. It used Ina Garten’s roast tomato Caprese salad for inspiration, although I replaced some of the ingredients to give my own spin. For example I’m not a fan of vinegar (any vinegar really) so I used less of it, and used fresh oregano instead of basil but you could use basil or even parsley.

It takes some time to prepare and roast the tomatoes which may sound a little unusual but the flavours are just incredible and very much worth it. It does take a long time but the low temperature of the oven prevents the tomatoes from burning. If you want to keep it dairy free and vegan then replace the soft goat’s cheese for tofu and the flavour of the roast tomato will carry it perfectly well. Alternatively you can simply just have the tomatoes by themselves, they are delicious enough!

Baked Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe

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Baked Raspberry Cheesecake

Baked cheesecakes are the best kind but do not need to be complicated. This one is pretty much fool proof and is done in 40 minutes as long as the oven is set to 180C. The filling is rich, creamy and heavenly, everything yo would expect from a cheesecake and then some! Naturally cheesecakes and raspberries go well together because of the natural tanginess that cheesecakes have. The tartness of the raspberries and creaminess of the cream cheese results in a sumptuous and deliciously rich cheesecake which isn’t overly sweet as the raspberries are quite tart, and the lemon zest gives cuts through the sweetness. No doubt this cheesecake is a winner and one that you will do time and again because of it’s amazing taste and ease.

When the cheesecake is cooling the top might crack a little but it is not a problem as the raspberry sauce and sprinkled raspberries will mask this. This can be prevented altogether if it is allowed to cool slowly, by allowing to sit in the oven with the door open until it cools completely, although this will take longer than simply taking it out.

Baked Mini Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

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Mini Chocolate Cheesecake

This chocolate cheesecake recipe is actually ridiculously smooth and chocolatey without being dense, which is perfect for a chocoholic like me!

I used a mixture of both dark and milk chocolate, and I have to admit that the 75/25 ratio of regular dark (50% cocoa solids) chocolate, and milk chocolate which (30% cocoa solids) works wonderfully by making it intensely chocolatey and providing the necessary sweetness. After all, cheesecake needs to be sweet, rich, and slightly tangy whatever the flavour, although for those wanting a more intense chocolate flavour, 70% dark chocolate works wonderfully too.

This recipe is for mini cheesecakes which are the perfect amount to satisfy a cheesecake craving. Also they are a wonderful and original alternative to the now ubiquitous cupcakes that will go down a treat. These mini cheesecakes keep in the refrigerator for a few days and actually freeze quite well. If you do freeze them then do not remove from the case, wrap in cling film and freeze. Then allow to defrost naturally at room temperature. If you do not have sour cream you can always use Greek yoghurt.

Baked Cheesecake Recipe with Toffee & Pecans

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Baked cheesecake with toffee & pecan nuts

I have to admit I have always been a fan of baked cheesecake. I decided to make this one for a birthday as I had a craving for toffee and pecan nuts and thought it would go well with a New York style cheesecake. It was a big hit with everyone, and not that difficult to make. A smooth velvety cheesecake with a nutty and sweet toffee topping.

Some people use water baths or go to great lengths for the cheesecake not to crack. If you’re using a topping it really doesn’t matter, but the simplest way to prevent it from cracking is to leave the cheesecake in the oven while it cools. This way it cools gently and stops the cheesecake from any big changes in it’s structure. It actually tastes better once refrigerated, about 4 hours will be enough although I usually make baked cheesecakes the day before so I allow it to be refrigerated overnight.

This cheesecake is absolutely heavenly especially if you like the combination of toffee and pecan nuts, and one that will be impossible to have just the one piece.

Rosto – Classic Gibraltarian Pasta Recipe

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Rosto is a classic of Gibraltar’s cuisine and a firm family favourite, probably from Genoese origin going back a few hundred years. It is traditionally made with penne pasta in a tomato sauce with carrots, mushrooms, and can be quite meat heavy as there is more meat in proportion to dry pasta used. Due to the influence of Gibraltar in the surrounding are, Rosto is also known in the adjacent towns in Gibraltar albeit with a few variations. However, variation in Rosto recipes is widespread with every family having it’s own version. Some people make it with mushrooms, some without, and others will use pork and others beef or even chicken.

Having said this, rosto is very easily made vegetarian (this recipe is actually vegan!) by substituting the meat for any meatless protein option, such as seitan. In order to bring the meaty savoury taste this recipe uses yeast extract (Marmite), a bit of miso paste and some Maggi seasoning (liquid aminos). Miso paste and Maggi seasoning sauce are optional and all of which can be easily found in local supermarkets; a little of these goes a long way.

There is a natural sweetness to this dish because of the onions and carrots, but I like to add an extra pinch of sugar to counter the acidity of the wine and tomatoes. This proper rustic tasty home food. Traditionally rosto is served with grated mature Edam cheese (one of Gibraltar’s many quirks), but if you want to keep it dairy free and healthier it is also perfectly good without it.