Santa brought new recipes for you this year

Avocado Shrimp Bruschetta 

Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced into ½-inch thick rounds

2 tbsp olive oil (for brushing)

1 clove garlic (halved)

1 ripe avocado (diced)

½ cup cooked shrimp 

2 tbsp red onion (finely chopped)

1 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)

1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush each with olive oil. Toast for 7–10 minutes or until golden brown. Once out of the oven, rub each slice with the cut side of a garlic clove for extra flavour.

In a medium bowl, combine the diced avocado, red onion, basil, and parsley. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine.

Spoon the mixture and assemble the shrimps onto each toasted bread slice.

Serve immediately 

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

Ingredients:

For the Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3 cups quick-cooking oats

For the Cream Filling

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy cream

¼ teaspoon  salt

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

To Make the Gingerbread Cookies, first, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt in a bowl. 

Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add molasses, vanilla, and eggs and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the oats. 

Scoop cookies (about 1 ½ tablespoons each) onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden brown around the edges, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Now, to make the cream filling, beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in sugar, vanilla, cream, and salt until combined. Beat in ginger and cinnamon until combined. 

Now, to assemble the cream pies, arrange half the oatmeal cookies flat sides up on a baking sheet. Top with filling, dividing evenly. 

Sandwich with remaining cookies. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature and stored for  1 to 2 days.

Salmon en Croûte with Spinach and Almonds:

Ingredients

1 side of salmon, approx 1kg 

500g  spinach

20g  butter, cubed

pinch ground nutmeg

2 tbsp crème fraîche

½ lemon, juiced

50g blanched almonds, chopped

flour, for dusting

500g  puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, and fan 180°C. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the salmon and remove any bones. Cut in half lengthways. Set aside.

Place the spinach, butter, and nutmeg, seasoning them, in a large pan or wok. Cover with a lid and put over low-medium heat. Allow the spinach to wilt a little, stir well and continue cooking – stirring occasionally – until the spinach is fully wilted (about 5 minutes).

Sieve to remove the liquid. Allow to cool a little, then place the spinach between sheets of kitchen paper and squeeze out any excess liquid. Roughly chop the cooked spinach. Place in a bowl with the crème fraîche and lemon juice. Add seasoning to taste and set aside.

Heat a frying pan over a medium flame. Lightly toast the almonds for 3-5 minutes until golden, stirring frequently. Roughly chop. Place the smaller piece of pastry on a nonstick baking sheet. Put one-half of the salmon on top. Cover with a layer of spinach, then the chopped almonds. 

Brush the edges of the pastry around the salmon with beaten egg. Lay the second piece of pastry on top, pressing the edges around to seal. Neaten the edges by cutting through the very edge of the pastry with a long, sharp knife, then crimp with two fingers. Brush with beaten egg.

Cool in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking. Place the tray in the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden. Slice and serve hot