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SAVOURY SNACKS

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B is for Broccoli...Bananas...

All the recipes on this page serve 4 people of medium appetite.

Here's a starter called  from Helen Smith on the S/Y 'Hunter's Moon'

 
'Broccoli Bites'

You'll need:

8 beaten eggs 
2 cups broccoli 
1 medium onion, finely chopped 
1/3 cup milk 
1/4 cup bread crumbs 
1/4 teaspoon oregano 
1/4 teaspoon rosemary 
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 
2 cups shredded strong-ish cheese 
pinch of salt 
pinch of ground black pepper

Separate broccoli into florets, dip them into boiling water to turn them bright green and immediately plunge them into a bowlful of iced water to preserve their colour and keep them crisp. 

When the florets are completely cool, drain them well and use paper towels to remove excess moisture. (If you prefer you can use frozen broccoli, in which case you needn't do any of the above).

Mix the beaten eggs, broccoli, onion, milk, bread crumbs, and seasoning together, gently. Pour the mixture into 9 x 13 non-stick, or oiled, baking tin. Evenly spread the broccoli florets and onion across the tin. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the mixture. 

Bake at 350 degrees until the mixture has set. (approximately 45 minutes). Test by inserting a knife into the centre. If it comes out without a film of liquid on it, it's done. Remove from the oven, let it 'sit' for 5 minutes and then cut into 1 inch squares. Delicious hot or cold. 

Broccoli Salad

You'll need

4 cups of broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
1 cup of defrosted and drained frozen peas
1/2 cup of raisins 
1/4 cup of shelled sunflower seeds 
1/2 cup chopped red peppers, without the seeds 
1/3 cup of chopped onion 
1/2 cup of mayonnaise 
3 tablespoons of sugar 
1 tablespoon of cider vinegar 
1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce 

Blanch fresh broccoli florets in boiling water for around 5 to 10 seconds, then plunge them into ice water and, once they are cold, drain them. Alternatively use defrosted frozen broccoli.

In a mixing bowl, blend the mayonnaise, the sugar, the vinegar and the Worcestershire sauce. 

In a salad bowl, mix the broccoli florets, the peas, the raisins, the sunflower seeds, the pepper, and the onion. Pour the contents of the mixing bowl over the contents of the salad bowl and mix well. Chill for one hour and serve. 

Boats And Bergs

Per person you'll need:

1 banana 
2 slices of fresh peach or nectarine (or split a tinned peach slice in two if there's no other choice)
3 glace cherries or other small red fruits, such as raspberries
Enough whipped cream to cover the bottom of an individual serving dish containing a whole banana
Cocktail sticks ('toothpicks' will do)
A few currants
1 scoop of vanilla, coconut or other white ice-cream 

Spoon stiffly whipped cream into the individual serving dish.
Partially split the banana open lengthways , leaving about two centimetres still joined at one end and only continuing the split as far as necessary so that you can insert the two peach slices, standing up, like sails. 

Before you insert the 'sails' press currants along the sides of the banana to create 'portholes'.

If using very ripe or tinned peach, you may need to use a cocktail stick to achieve an upright stance for the sails. Stand the banana, with its sails in the sea of cream.

Put the red fruits on a cocktail stick so that they form the captain in his wet-weather clothing and insert the exposed end of the stick in the part of the banana that is uncut, so that the sails are ahead of 'him'.
Place the scoop of ice-cream next to the banana boat and shape the scoop (with two knives or a spatula and a knife) to look like an iceberg.

Serve immediately. 

"Done carefully, these look really good. Charter guests love them" says Laurie "and, if whipped cream is off the menu, plain or sweetened yoghurt works too but it helps if you mix it with some ice-cream to stop it lying too flat to be a sea". Right. We'll bear that in mind next time we're in the mood for a little banana sculpture...

Thanks to all three ladies for turning up trumps. We hope someone has an idea for a starter, a main course and a dessert mad with things that start with a C for the June issue...

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