Sicilian Pasta With Swordfish, Fennel, Mint, and Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (optional)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped (about 4 teaspoons)
• 1 small fennel bulb, roughly chopped (about 1 cup), fronds roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 pound swordfish steak
• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes
• 1 pound any shape of macaroni pasta, such as casarecce

Procedures

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a wide, nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, almonds, and fennel seed, and season with salt and pepper. Toast, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Remove to a bowl and set aside, then wipe out the pan.
   
2. Combine garlic, fennel, fennel fronds, and mint in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped, 6 to 8 short pulses.
   
3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper. When oil is shimmering, add fish and cook, turning once, until just cooked through and opaque in the middle, about 5 minutes total (more or less depending on thickness). Remove to a plate and set aside.
   
4. Return skillet to medium heat and add remaining olive oil. Heat until shimmering, then add the chopped garlic, fennel, and herbs to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the fennel is softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and heat through. Use a potato masher to burst the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until sauce is reduced but still chunky, 12 to 15 minutes.
   
5. While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted water until al dente.
   
6. Remove the skin from the swordfish and roughly chop. Add to the tomato and fennel sauce, along with the drained pasta. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute to allow pasta to absorb sauce. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with breadcrumb mixture.

Blackberry Mint Cake

Ingredients

serves serves 12, active time 45 minutes, total time 2 hours

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
• 1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp superfine sugar
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1–2 tablespoon milk, if needed
• 3 tablespoon blackberry or blackcurrant liqueur (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups blackberries
•  
• Mint Frosting
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4–1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• green food coloring (optional)
•  
• Decoration
• 3 1/2oz dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
• leaves from 1 bunch of mint
• 1/4 cup blackberry jam
• 1 1/4 cups blackberries

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and line two 8in cake pans with parchment paper, greasing the parchment too. In a medium bowl whisk the flour and baking powder together, then set aside.
   
2. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating until fully combined. With the mixer on low, sift in the flour mixture in three additions, mixing until just combined.
   
3. The cake batter should be a “dropping consistency,” which means that if you take a spoonful of batter out of the bowl it should be soft enough to fall easily from the spoon. If the batter is sticking to the spoon for too long, mix in 1–2 tablespoons milk to soften the batter. Add the liqueur and blackberries and gently mix into the batter.
   
4. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and gently level out. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden brown and coming away from the edge of the pan; a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake should come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
   
5. While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. Put the butter in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Slowly incorporate the cream and beat until fully combined. Add the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, and once fully combined add the salt. Beat on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the peppermint extract and coloring, if using, and beat to combine.
   
6. To make the decoration, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Put the mint leaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, paint one side of each leaf with the melted chocolate. Put the tray in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
   
7. To assemble the cake, put one of the cake layers on a cardboard cake round or a serving plate. Top with half the frosting and spread evenly across the cake. Top with a thin layer of blackberry jam and then put the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining buttercream over the top of the cake and sprinkle with the blackberries. Remove the mint leaves from the fridge and carefully peel off the leaves, leaving you with chocolate mint leaves. Put these randomly over the top of the cake.

Mint Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake Bars

Special equipment

9- by 13- inch baking dish

Ingredients

serves Serves 12, active time 20 minutes, total time 1 hour and 40 minutes

• 7 ounces chocolate graham crackers, finely crushed
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 ounces sour cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 to 2 drops green gel food coloring (optional)
• 12 ounces chocolate chunks

Procedures

1. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 350°F.
   
2. In a large bowl pour melted butter over chocolate graham crumbs. Toss to coat. Press the crumbs into the bottom of glass dish.
   
3. Bake crust for 10 minutes or until crust is set. Remove crust from oven and let cool while you prepare the filling.
   
4. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla and mint extract. Beat until combined then add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and beating until fully incorporated. Beat in food coloring until uniformly distributed. Fold in chocolate chunks then pour batter over cooled crust, use a spatula to spread it out evenly in the pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes then refrigerate until serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.