Rich in good fats, the dried fruit can not miss on Christmas tables, at the end of the meal, with pandoro and mandarins, or as a surprise ingredient in many refined recipes, but easy to make. Seeing is believing!
Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, figs, apricots and dates have always been the symbol of Christmas holidays; they can never be missing on the table. In short, along with mandarins, pandoro and panettone are the inevitable of this period, usually served at the end of the meal. The dried fruitHowever, it is also an excellent ingredient to be used to compose the recipes of a complete party menu, from appetizers to desserts. Take notes!
Dried fruit, a concentrate of good fats, but also of calories
They are known to all the beneficial properties of dried fruit, which brings to our body the famous ones fatty acids of the omega 6 family, so important for the prevention of coronary diseases, for hypertension, for some disorders of the immune system. The omega 6 are then powerful antioxidants, which counteract the action of free radicals, responsible for cellular aging. The nuts and all the dried fruit, however, are also extremely caloric, in fact make 650 kcal per 100 g of product. Do not exaggerate: 4 or 5 fruits a day are perfect for decreasing the level of cholesterol in the blood and to remove the risk of hypertension, without making us fight with the scales.
And now some ideas to prepare a party lunch with dried fruit: from appetizers to desserts
Potato, artichoke and walnut cake
A starter that you can prepare in a single pan or subdividing it into many small cocotte. First of all, slice a shallot and brown it in a pan with oil. Add the sliced artichokes (consider one per person), which you will have removed the most external and hardest leaves and the inner hay. Cook for a few minutes, adding a little water if necessary. Then turn off, add the Parmesan and season with salt. Take the potatoes (always one per person), wash and cut into thin slices. Let it boil for two minutes in plenty of salted water, then drain and season with parmesan, pepper and a little oil. Now grease a pan and line it with the slices of potatoes, artichokes and chopped walnuts. Continue until you have finished the ingredients, then finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of oil and walnuts. Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes and then serve immediately.
Pudding of celeriac, taleggio and hazelnuts
A first light, perfect for a multi-course party lunch. For 8 people, boil for 300 minutes 300 g of celeriac cut into slices in a little water with a slice of lemon. When it is soft, remove it and leave it aside. Separately, diced 400 g of pumpkin pulp and cook in a little oil with a sliced shallot and half a glass of water. Chop with a mixer 150 g of hazelnuts and add them in a bowl with pumpkin, celeriac cut into small pieces, salt, pepper, a spoonful of Parmesan and an egg. Mix well and with the mixture fill 8 cylindrical molds with the hinge, previously buttered. Crush well and put some taleggio cheese in the center and bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, brown a few leaves of sage in a knob of butter and when the puddings are ready, unmold and season with sage butter before serving.
Pork with dates and chestnuts
For 8 people get 1 and a half kg of pork loin, 400 g of boiled chestnuts, 300 g of dried dates, 150 g of chopped mixed vegetables (celery, onion and carrot), smells, white wine, oil, salt and pepper. Take the meat in hand and massage it with extra virgin olive oil. Then put it in a pot that can also go in the oven and brown it in a little oil on all sides. Add the chopped vegetables, rosemary, bay leaf, blend with a glass of wine and bake at 180 degrees for 50 minutes. After 20 minutes of cooking, add the dates and crumbled chestnuts to the meat and continue to cook. Serve the meat with dried fruit and its sauce.
Bavarian almond with melted chocolate
Bavarian is a very simple dessert to make and that always produces a great effect among the guests! To prepare it, soak 7 sheets of isinglass in a bowl with cold water. In a small saucepan heat 200 ml of fresh milk with a vanilla stick for a few minutes. In a bowl, add 3 egg yolks with 100 g of sugar. Add the milk to the eggs (without the vanilla) and heat again, continuing to mix. Remove from heat, add the well-squeezed isinglass, mix and then add to the mixture 400 ml of fresh whipped cream and 100 g of finely chopped almonds. Pour everything into a Bavarian mold and let it cool in the fridge for 3 hours. Before serving, immerse the mold for a few seconds in a container with hot water, it will be used to remove the mixture from the bottom. Once deformed, garnish it with 150 g of dark chocolate melted in a bain-marie and brought to the table.
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