PEEL ME A GRAPE

Peel Me A Grape Dahling!

Apologies for my recent lack of posts! Life has taken over my life…(‘does it ever end?’ I ask myself.)

One of my sons is in hospital with Golden Staph (though I hardly think it rates a capitalization!) Nasty super bug and it’s really bugging me too! Poor love..still on a brighter note and speaking of ‘Golden’, {eewwww} our days are warmer and sunnier than usual, spring is in the air, well in Australia at least!! The weather is balmy and our thoughts are all turning to the beach, BBQ-ing and salads. Between the Steam Oven and the Thermomix, you can do the most fantastic salads. Blanching vegetables is so easy and a great way to increase the nutritional benefit in your vegies. Of course salad dressings are that much easier with the Thermomix and truly, why would you buy one ever again? Thermomix’s Mayonnaise recipe is to die for, I could eat it out of the jar with a spoon! (But I resist!!)

The following recipe is a winner with my family and has become a firm favorite…I think it originated from Singapore…but anyway, thanks to my sister in law we have been eating this one for years and I suspect it will become a firm favorite in your house too, once you try it. There were no grapes available in Perth today, so craisins it is!

NEED:
2 small heads of broccoli, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
1/4 red onion
3-4 rashers of bacon diced
500g red seedless grapes (in the absence of grapes, you can use 100 grams dried cranberries)
1/4 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted
DRESSING;
3 tbsp mayonnaise (do I need to mention….homemade is best?)
3 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tspn dark brown sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DO:
Blanche brocolli florets in Steam Oven by cooking for 9 minutes exactly.
Remove from oven, place in serving bowl and leave to cool.
Dice onion and add to broccolli.
Fry bacon and allow to drain until cooled, crumble.
Slice grapes in half if they are large, otherwise use whole and add to serving bowl.
Toss with dressing.
Top with bacon and nuts.

To make dressing place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl.
Blend on 4 sec/speed 8. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat if necessary.
Use immediately, but will keep in the fridge for up to a week in a screw top jar.

SERVE:
With steamed Chicken breasts, and fresh crusty bread! (or grilled beef ribs and potato salad…oh the possibilities, like the winter, are endless…so knock yourself out!)