White Chocolate Mojito Cheesecake

I haven't joined the SABH hop for a while as I'm trying to cut down on the desserts that I was preparing, and even monthly was getting a bit too much for our waistlines but I thought, given the theme, I would hop back in!

My hubbie's favourite dessert is cheesecake. Probably Mango Cheesecake. With the mango season only just beginning, I was able to convince him that for a dinner party dessert, and for the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop hosted by Nic from Nic Cooks, it was time to try a different variety that's been on my list of recipes to try for ages (since I saw the recipe in Delicious Magazine in November 2009!): White Chocolate Mojito Cheesecake. It definitely had the kick and flavour of a mojito with the creaminess of a normal cheesecake. It was really simple to make, and because it didn't require baking, or even much cooling, was fantastic for making in the morning for the evening party.


White Chocolate Mojito Cheesecake (serves 6)

Ingredients

For the base
150g ginger biscuits
20g butter

For the filling
juice and zest of 3 limes
110g caster sugar
100ml Bacardi (or another kind of white rum)
1 cup of mint leaves
120g white chocolate
400g soft cream cheese
250g mascarpone

For serving
handful of pistachios
sprinkle of kitchen grade lavender (optional)

Method

• Melt the butter
  
• Whiz the ginger biscuits in a food processor, add the melted butter and pulse to combine
• Split the crumb mixture between 6 low ball glasses (or other serving glass) and put in the fridge to chill
• Bring sugar and 60 ml water to boil in a saucepan and let the mixture simmer for about 5 mins till it makes a syrup
• Add lime juice, zest, rum and mint and muddle with the end of a rolling pin to bruise the mint. Let this sit for 20 mins or so to infuse
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (a bowl over boiling water), then leave it to cool slightly - but not till it goes hard!
• Put the cheese in the cleaned food processor and whiz till they are
  
  creamy and combined. Pour in the strained mojito syrup and keep whizzing till it's mixed. Scrape in the white chocolate and whiz just a little till it's all combined.
• Spoon the cream mixture over the crumbs and chill in the fridge till ready to serve
• When it's time to serve sprinkle over edible lavender and some crushed pistachios (crush with a mortar & pestle, or put some in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin) - the real recipe suggested edible flowers, but I couldn't find any. They would look pretty!

Addiction

There's rehab for people who are addicted to drugs, AA for alcoholics, Nicotine patches for tobacco addiction, hypnotherapy for chocolate addiction but no therapy, but discipline (or succumbing) to mine.... Cookery Mag Addiction. 

I've had subscriptions to one magazine or another for about 7 years now, after buying my first Delicious Magazine in August of 2004, and I've enjoyed every minute of them. My hubbie wonders why some days I rush to the door to greet him with a look of joy on my face, and others I just calmly keep going with whatever I'm up to! I don't think it took him long to realise that it correlated to whether he was clutching one of my favourite magazines or not. 

The nice thing about my magazine collection, which has recently moved to a new home of it's own bookshelf, as it started getting too unruly, is that I actually tap into the magazines each week to make my menu. I pull off seasonal editions of Delicious, MasterChef Magazine, GoodFood, Gourmet Traveller or Feast Magazine when I'm looking for recipes to cook each week. We have a whole selection and my prolific collection means that we rarely eat the same things twice (although old favourites do come back around every so often!) One of my favourite weekend tasks is to pull a few magazines from the shelf and pour through them looking for menu inspiration.

It's an addiction that space is beginning to curb, and I almost feel satisfied that I have enough recipes to go on.... until the next new food mag makes it's way onto my radar!

Souper Bowl

Pea & Ham Soup

A winter favourite of ours is soup. A hearty bowl warms and fills us up and is packed with veggies. This week I prepared a couple of soups: one using a vegetable favourite of many (but not of mine, apart from in soup) and the other, a vegetable I've never cooked with before.

Pea and Ham Soup was a Rick Stein recipe from a Delicious Magazine. It uses a cheap and easy to find veggie - the frozen pea! The ham hock is also a budget ingredient and by boiling it up in stock imparts the fabulous flavour. The meat doesn't go to waste and is chopped up and added to the thick green soup. The soup was delicious with the salt and smokiness of the ham balancing against the fresh pea flavour.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

I've never cooked with Jerusalem Artichoke before so I decided to try it out in a soup. Jerusalem Artichoke wasn't exactly as budget an ingredient, with the soup requiring 3 packets of it. They didn't even have enough at the fruit and veggie store. My hubbie was a bit apprehensive after noticing it's similarity to ginger - one of the only foods he can't stomach! The soup also had plenty of other veggies, including leek and potatoes. It was a creamy soup with a flavour not dissimilar to celeriac, and was a successful experiment!


Two fantastic nourishing soups gave us two winter warmers! What soup flavours - unusual or old favourites - should we try next week?

Jerusalem Artichokes

Aussie Odyssey

Rick Stein is in town on his Australian Tour and invited me (as well as other Aussie Bloggers) to introduce what is the "Ultimate Australian dish" in a Blogger Competition. Describing Australian cuisine is difficult as it can't be summed up in just a few words. For me it's not only the freshness of the dishes, and the fantastic produce available in this country, but also the relaxed atmosphere that goes along with any great Modern Australian feast.

The quintessential Aussie BBQ is one of the most enjoyable occasions with food aplenty, beer and wine flowing, fabulous weather and  great company.

It was at my last BBQ that I prepared a canapé that for me epitomises Aussie tucker. It was a take on Valli Little's breakfast recipe from the December 2009 Edition of Delicious Magazine on p. 88 that I adapted for our late summer barbie. Scallops are such a delicious Aussie seafood and the other components on the dish put a unique, fresh spin on some favourite flavours from other countries. The creaminess of the adapted Mexican guacamole, the crunch of the French baguette and the flavour of the more sophisticated version of  famous American "bacon bit" worked perfectly with the BBQ seared scallops, having our guests come back for more.... and more!

Devoured on a summer evening with a bunch of mates on the balcony, what more could you ask for? The ultimate Aussie experience!

BBQ Scallop Canapé with Bacon Dust and Avocado Salsa

3 rashers of bacon

1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
2 birds eye chilli
2 avocados
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, seeds removed, chopped
1/2 bunch coriander, leaves chopped
zest of one lime
1 tbs lime juice
lime wedges to serve
olive oil
20 scallops without roe
1 baguette

Method
Preheat oven to 190°C and line a tray with baking paper. Lay bacon on the tray and bake for 15 mins until crisp and quite dry. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool. Place bacon and coriander seeds in a small processor or pestle and mortar and ground to a fine dust.

Thinly slice 1 chilli and set aside to garnish, then finely chop remaining chilli and place in a bowl with avocado, red onion, tomato, coriander leaves, zest of the lime and lime juice. Mash with a fork until you have a chunky paste. Season to taste.

Thinly slice the baguette and lightly toast on the grill portion of the BBQ.

Heat the plate of the barbeque and brush with oil. Pat scallops dry with paper towel, and season. Cook scallops for 30 seconds on each side, or until just opaque.

Spread avocado mixture on the baguette slices. Top with a scallop, a sprinkle of bacon dust, sliver of chilli and serve on a platter with lime wedges.