Al fresco eating: Healthy summer recipes
FROM fresh, citrusy ceviche to vibrant minted beetroot and feta dip and rich, smoky pumpkin - these three Mexican-inspired dishes are perfect for summer
Enjoying fresh, colourful produce like deep red beets, spring-green herbs and rich pumpkin is one of the best things about summer.
And with so many delicious fruits and vegetables in season there are plenty of options to pack a flavoursome and nutritional punch.
Whether you're having a dinner party or afternoon tea in the garden, Manomasa Tortilla Chips have come up with three easy dishes that are certain to impress your guests.
SALMON & SEA BASS CEVICHE
Serves: 4-6
Preparation: 25 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
A great fresh-tasting summery canapé tossed with a citrus, coriander and chilli dressing, delicious served on crisp spicy tortillas. Simply spoon the shredded lettuce and ceviche onto 4 serving plates with the tortillas on the side.
Ingredients
200g (7oz) or 2 sea bass fillets, skinned, pin boned and diced
300g (2oz) or 2 trout fillets, skinned, pin boned and diced
2 limes, grated rind and juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red grapefruit
1 red chilli, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander leaves
160g pack of Manomasa Chipotle and Lime Tortilla Chips
2 little gem lettuces, finely shredded
Method:
Add the diced sea bass and trout to a shallow china or glass dish. Sprinkle with the lime rind then drizzle over the lime juice and oil.
Cut a slice off the top and bottom of each grapefruit then cut the rest of the peel and pith away with a small serrated knife.
Cut between the membrane to release the segments then squeeze the juice from the membrane over the fish. Roughly chop the segments then add to the fish with the chilli and onion. Season with salt and pepper and gently stir together.
Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for about 1 hour or until the sea bass is bright white and the trout an opaque pink or it looks ‘cooked’.
Sprinkle the chopped coriander over the ceviche and stir together gently. Allow to come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
Arrange the tortillas on a large platter, sprinkle a little lettuce on the top of each then spoon over the ceviche. Serve immediately or the tortilla chips will soften, with extra lime wedges and a little coarse sea salt if liked.
Cook’s tip: As the fish is pickled with the lime juice rather than cooked, make sure to buy the freshest fish that you can and to make and eat this dish on the day that you buy the fish.
SMOKY ROASTED PUMPKIN TOPPED TORTILLAS
Serves: 4-6
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Roast with sweet potato, fennel seeds hot smoky paprika and garlic for a tasty tortilla topper finished with a tiny spoonful of cooling Greek yogurt and tangy onion, tomato and avocado salsa. Great food to share and gossip with friends with a cool beer or glass of chilled white wine.
Ingredients
350g (12oz) peeled, deseeded pumpkin or butternut squash, (weighed after preparation), cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes
300g (2oz) or 1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, roughly crushed
1 teaspoon smoked hot paprika
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
2tbsp fresh finely chopped coriander
1 small avocado, halved, stoned, diced
1 lime, grated rind and juice
200g (7oz) 0% fat Greek yogurt
160g pack of Manomasa Tomatillo Tortilla Chips
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan assisted/Gas Mark 6. Add the pumpkin or butternut squash and sweet potato to a roasting tin. Drizzle over the oil then sprinkle with the fennel, paprika, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the vegetables with the spice mixture then roast for 30 minutes, turning once until softened and browned.
While the vegetables roast, mix the onion, tomato, coriander, avocado, lime rind and juice together to make the salsa then spoon into a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into a separate bowl. Separate the tortillas and arrange on a large platter.
Mash the roasted vegetables, still in the roasting tin with a handheld masher. Spoon the hot pumpkin mix over the tortillas, top with a small spoonful of yogurt then a spoonful of the salsa and serve immediately while the roasted veg are still hot.
Cook’s tip: Smoked paprika has the most wonderful flavour and can be bought as mild paprika or hot with the same kind of heat as chilli powder, if you don’t have any in the cupboard then use the same amount of chilli powder instead.
MINTED BEETROOT & FETA DIP
Serves: 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
If you have a food processor or stick blender this vibrant coloured dip can be blitzed together in minutes. Beetroot is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre, energy-boosting natural sugars and body-building protein. No wonder it is regarded as a super food.
Ingredients:
250g (9oz) pack cooked beetroot in natural juices
1 1/2tsp harissa spice paste
1tsp red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
110g (4oz) feta cheese, drained, crumbled
3 stems fresh mint, leaves torn from stems
4tbsp 0% fat Greek yogurt
1/2 pomegranate, seeds removed
160g pack of Manomasa White Cheddar Tortilla Chips
Method:
Drain the beetroot juices into a processor or stick blender cup. Roughly chop the beetroot then blitz with the harissa, vinegar and a little salt and pepper until a coarse puree.
Reserve one quarter of the feta and a few tiny mint leaves for garnish, strip the remaining leaves from the stems and add to the beetroot with the yogurt. Blend again until smooth.
Spoon the dip into a bowl, garnish with the remaining feta, reserved mint leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve with the tortilla chips for dunking.
Cook’s tip: Not a fan of mint or feta? Flavour the dip with a little horseradish cream and chopped chives.
Offering a range of tortilla chips, “born in the backstreets of Mexico”, Manomasa pays tribute to the original tortilla chip – the totopo – using traditional Mexican techniques to create authentic tortillas,combined with exciting and original global flavours and ingredients.
For more information go to manomasa.co.uk.