Jan Bilton: Dash of coffee makes big difference (+recipes)

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For me, making resolutions at New Year is like buying Lotto tickets -- I never get the results I want. So I've decided to give up both.

However, I will continue to enjoy my favourite foods even if they are a little high in calories, explore the food world for new ideas and ingredients, and enjoy other cooks' food whenever it is offered.

I've just discovered Olivado Extra Virgin Sweet Almond Oil, which is cold-pressed from almonds grown in Australia. With a sweet, delicate flavour and light colour it is excellent in dressings for avocado, prawns and crayfish as well as for baking. It's a great source of vitamins E and D. The colleague who introduced me to this oil pats it on her face every night and swears she has fewer wrinkles.

One item I could never give up is a good cup of freshly brewed coffee in the morning. And, in the summer, I'm partial to an affogato after dinner -- a scoop or two of icecream in a heat-resistant glass or a mug topped up with strong hot coffee, sometimes with a dash of brandy or liqueur.

Coffee has been used as a flavour in cooking for hundreds of years. It's always on hand so here are some ideas:

• Replace half the milk in a muffin recipe with strong coffee.

• Add a cup of coffee to a spicy casserole.

• Use sweetened strong coffee as a baste for roast lamb.

• Coffee icecream is delicious.

Littleneck clams are another summer favourite. they are steamed, in vacuum packs, and have a very long refrigerator life. They're great to toss with pasta or in salads, add to seafood chowders and bouillabaisse, or to serve as nibbles topped with saffron aioli. These sweet-fleshed, delicately flavoured New Zealand shellfish -- with a hard shell of less than 5cm -- are available all year from supermarkets and seafood stores.

For barbecues, grills, stir-fries, roasts and casseroles you can't go past New Zealand farm-raised venison.

Gluten-Free Sweet Almond Friands

Great for using up frozen egg whites. Friands keep moist for several days or can be frozen.

200g ground almonds
1 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup gluten-free baking mix
Finely grated rind 2 lemons
5 egg whites
150ml Olivado Extra-Virgin Sweet Almond Oil
1/2 cup sliced (flaked) almonds
Extra icing sugar to dust

Set the oven to 200C. Lightly oil a 9-hole friand pan.

Combine the ground almonds, icing sugar, baking mix and grated lemon rind in a bowl. Add unbeaten egg whites and stir well. Stir in the oil.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the friand holes to about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Sprinkle lightly with sliced almonds.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the mixture comes away from the sides. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar.

- Makes 9

Venison Carpaccio

Simple for summer.

1kg farmed venison fillet
1/2 cup each: NZ extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar
1-2 tbsp salted capers
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Trim the fillet of any sinew. Wrap in plastic film and freeze for about 30 minutes or until the meat is quite firm.

With a sharp knife, cut the fillet into thin slices and place on a platter or individual plates without overlapping the slices. Drizzle oil and balsamic vinegar over the venison. Sprinkle with capers. Season. Cover and leave to come to room temperature before serving.

- Serves 8-10 as a starter

Bloody Mary Clams

I used clams from the Omega Seafood Company.

1kg vacuum-packed steamed clams
2 fresh chorizo sausages
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp each: dried oregano, Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup vodka
400g can diced tomatoes in juice
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and Tabasco sauce

Tip the clams into a sieve to drain.

Squeeze the sausage meat out of their skins and form into 8 small balls. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan.

Stir-fry the chorizo balls for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked. Drain on paper towels. Add the onion to the pan and saute for 1 minute, until softened. Add the, garlic, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, vodka and tomatoes. Cover and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the clams and chorizo balls and simmer, until hot. Season.

Great served over fettuccine in bowls and topped with chopped flatleaf parsley. Or serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.

- Serves 2 as a main and 4 as a light meal or starter

Tiramisu Chocolate Cake

I cheated and used a packet of Organ's Gluten-free Chocolate Cake Mix. You could also use a bought chocolate sponge or fill the base of the cake pan with slices of chocolate cake or sponge.

Cake:
375g packet gluten-free chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup strong coffee
2 tbsp Tia Maria liqueur or similar

Mascarpone:
3/4 cup cream
200g dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla essence
400g mascarpone

Topping:
3/4 cup cream, whipped
Cocoa powder for dusting

Line a 22cm-23cm springform cake pan with baking paper.

Prepare and bake the cake according to the packet instructions but use strong coffee in place of the water. Bake in the lined springform cake pan. Alternatively, use a purchased chocolate cake or sponge and fill the lined cake pan.

Drizzle the combined coffee and liqueur over the cake - while warm, if you bake your own.

Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Stir slowly until melted. Add the vanilla essence. Cool, until slightly thickened.

Beat the mascarpone to soften then beat it into the chocolate. Pour over the cooled cake in the pan. Chill to firm.

Just before serving, pipe swirls of the whipped cream over the top. Dust with the cocoa.

- Serves 12-16