Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Fried Garlic Topping

Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, minced
500g fresh green asparagus, rough ends removed
250g bacon
Salt and pepper
2 tbs olive oil
Cooking oil

• In a small pan, fry the garlic until crispy golden brown, stir continuously to prevent burning. Set the fried garlic aside on paper towel.
• Preheat oven to 200 °C, line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wrap tightly about 4 stalks of asparagus with 1 slice of bacon, secure with toothpick. Repeat process. 
• Place asparagus bundles on prepared baking sheet, sprinkle a little bit of salt on parts that are not wrapped with bacon. Sprinkle evenly with pepper. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until asparagus is tender and the bacon is crisp. Remove from oven.
• Sprinkle with crispy fried garlic on top before serving.

Chili Pickle

Ingredients:
2 large red or green chillies, cut diagonally
5 to 6 Thai chillies, cut diagonally
1/2 cup water
2 tbs white vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

• In a bowl mix water, vinegar, salt and sugar until incorporated. 
• Add all the chillies, let it stand for few hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Indonesian Cucumber Pickles

Ingredients: 
1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into small cubes
5 bird's eye chillies
3 tbs white vinegar
1 tsp salt
3 to 4 tsp sugar
6 tbs water

In a bowl mix the vinegar, salt, sugar and water together. Pour in the cubed cucumber and whole chillies, mix it well. Put it in the refrigerator for few hours before serving.

Note: To the pickle you can add a tablespoon of sliced shallots and carrots.

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:
1 yellow paprika, cored and quartered
1 red paprika, cored and quartered
1 zucchini, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut in sticks
3 tomatoes, thickly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs pine nuts, toasted
100 gr Pecorino cheese
Salt and pepper

• Preheat the oven to 220˚C. Line a baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Spread out the vegetables in a baking sheets and brush each lightly with olive oil. Roast them for about 20 minutes or just until the skins on the peppers have begun to blister.
• Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large serving platter, season with salt and pepper. As the vegetables cool sprinkle them with olive oil. When the vegetables are at room temperature, sprinkle the pine nuts and using a vegetable peeler, shave the Pecorino over the vegetables.

My Pizza Bread

Ingredients:

4 fresh bread rolls

6 slices salami or ham, cut into small squares

2 slices bacon, diced

4 tbs margarine 

1 tbs tomato paste

1/2 tbs tomato sauce

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup grated parmesan

2 slices any choice of cheese, cut into small pieces

Chilli powder (optional)

Salt and pepper

• Preheat oven to 180 C.
• In a medium bowl mix margarine, tomato paste, paprika powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, chilli powder (optional), until well combined. Add the parmesan cheese, give it a stir and then add the salami, bacon, cheese pieces, season it with salt and pepper, mix it well. Do not over-season it with salt as the bacon and salami are salty enough.
• Cut all the bread into half, take a full table spoon of mixture and spread it on the top of every bread. Bake it for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crusty.

Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
1 ciabatta bread
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs butter, melted
5 or 6 cloves garlic
2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 210 C.
• Cut the bread into half.
• In a food processor, add the garlic, melted butter, olive oil, fresh parsley, salt, pepper and puree until smooth. 
• Smear the mixture in both sides of bread, put them back together. Wrap it with aluminum foil and bake it for 8-10 min.
• Unwrap the aluminum foil, lay the bread on both sides up in a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Sprinkle the mozzarella and grated parmesan over both sides of the bread. Bake it for another 8-10 min or until it's golden brown.