AUBERGINE TERRINE WITH COURGETTES AND PEPPERS

This exciting dish looks wonderful on a festive buffet and it is very easy to make. The recipe is essentially southern Italian in style so choose a well flavoured oil from Sicily such as Planeta, Primo or Monte Iblea DOP.

Ingredients:
4 large aubergines, sliced lengthways
2 large courgettes, sliced lengthways
2 red peppers, cut into four quarters
3-4 tablespoons Sicilian extra virgin olive oil
Dressing
8 anchovies
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
wild marjoram
salt and pepper
75ml Sicilian extra virgin olive oil

Method:
Brush the aubergines and courgettes with olive oil and grill on both sides for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through. Keep on one side.
Remove the seeds from the peppers and grill until well charred, skin and leave to cool. Place all the dressing ingredients in a small saucepan and heat through. Let it sizzle gently for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Set the oven to 180C. Brush a 450g glass loaf dish with oil and line the base and sides with the aubergine slices, retaining some for the top. Add half the peppers in a layer inside and then half the courgettes. Pour half the dressing over the top. Place the remaining peppers and courgettes in the dish and pour on the rest of the dressing. Cover with the retained aubergine slices.
Place the loaf dish on a tray and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place a weight on the top of the terrine and leave to cool. When the dish is completely cold place in the fridge. Serve sliced with a sharp knife.

SMOKED TROUT WITH ASPARAGUS AND SNOW PEAS

This is makes a lovely light and delicate first course for a festive meal. It comes from
Jeffrey Benson and his wife who produce the excellent Monte Castello Gold from the olives grown on their farm near Lake Garda. The oil is lusciously nutty and goes really well with the delicate flavours in this dish.

Ingredients
1 or more smoked trout, depending on the number of diners
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
snow peas
spears of asparagus
rocket leaves
150ml Monte Castello Gold extra virgin olive oil

Method
Remove all the skin from the smoked trout and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Place the garlic and onion in the base of a steamer with some water and bring to the boil. Steam the snow peas and asparagus over this fresh garlic and sweet onion infused water until al dente.
Place the smoked trout in the centre of the plate, delicately arrange the asparagus and snow peas over and around the fish. Add some rocket leaves around the side and gently drizzle the olive oil over the whole dish at the last minute in front of the guests.

DUCK BREASTS WITH ORANGE, GARLIC AND SMOKED PIMENTON SALAD

Duck and orange is a classic combination but there is a twist here as the oranges are not cooked but served fresh with a coating of garlic, smoked pimenton and extra virgin olive oil. The salad comes from Extremadura in Spain where smoked pimenton is a speciality. Look for a good extra virgin oil from the same region. Examples on the UK market include Marques de Valdueza, Merula and iO.

Ingredients
4 duck breasts
extra virgin olive oil

Salad
6 medium oranges
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked Pimenton de la Vera
salt

Method
Heat a heavy-based frying pan and once it is hot add the duck breasts skin side down. Cook over a medium heat for five minutes or until the skin is browned and crisp. Pour off any excess oil. Turn the duck breasts over and cook on the other side for a further five minutes. Leave to rest for a short while and slice before serving.

To make the sauce use a serrated knife to cut away all the skin and pith from the oranges. Cut the peeled oranges into thin slices. Mix the garlic with the oil and pimenton and season well and pour over the oranges. Leave to stand until the duck breasts are cooked. Serve with the duck breasts on the same plate.