Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, figs, apricots, and dates have always been the symbol of the Christmas holidays and are never missing from the table. In short, a predictable part of meals during this period, usually served at the end together with tangerines, pandoro and panettone. Dried fruit, however, is also an excellent ingredient to be used in recipes for a complete Christmas menu, from appetizer to dessert. Take note!
Dried fruit, a concentration of good fats, as well as calories
Everyone knows the beneficial properties of dried fruit, giving our body those famous fatty acids of the omega 6 family. Omega 6 also have powerful antioxidants, which counteract the action of free radicals that are responsible for cellular aging. Nuts and all dried fruit, however, are also extremely caloric, around 650 kcal per 100 g of product. So, there’s no need to exaggerate, 4 or 5 per day are perfect to decrease the level of cholesterol in the blood and ward off the risk of hypertension, without worrying about the scales.
And now for some ideas to prepare lunch with dried fruits, from appetizers to dessert
Potato, artichoke, and walnut tart
An appetizer that you can prepare in a single pan or by dividing it into many small cocottes. First, slice a shallot and brown it in a pan with oil. Add the sliced artichokes (consider one per person), from which you will have removed the outer harder leaves and the inner part. Cook for a few minutes, adding a little water if necessary. Then turn off, add some Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and salt. Now take the potatoes (always one per person), wash and cut them into thin slices. Blanch them for two minutes in plenty of salted water, then drain them and season with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, pepper, and a drizzle of oil. Grease a baking pan and line it with the slices of potatoes, artichokes and chopped walnuts. Continue until you have finished the ingredients, then end with a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, a drizzle of oil and walnuts. Bake at 180° for 20 minutes and then serve immediately.
Celeriac, taleggio cheese and hazelnut pudding
A light starter, perfect for a multi-course lunch. For 8 people, boil for 10 minutes 11 oz of celeriac cut into slices in a little water with a slice of lemon. When it’s soft, remove and leave it aside. Separately, dice 12 oz of pumpkin pulp and cook it in a little oil with a sliced shallot and half a glass of water. Chop 5 oz of hazelnuts with a mixer and put them in a bowl with the pumpkin, celeriac cut into pieces, salt, pepper, a tablespoon of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and an egg. Mix well and with the mixture fill 8 buttered cylindrical molds with the hinge. Press down properly and in the center insert a few cubes of taleggio cheese and then bake at 180° for 25 minutes. In the meantime, brown a few sage leaves in a knob of butter and when the puddings are ready, remove and season them with the sage butter before serving.
Pork with dates and chestnuts
For 8 people get 3.5 lb of pork loin, 12 oz boiled chestnuts, 11 oz dried dates, 5 oz chopped mixed vegetables (celery, onion, and carrot), herbs, white wine, oil, salt, and pepper. Take the meat in your hand and massage it with extra virgin olive oil. Then put it in a pot that can also go in the oven and brown it in a little oil on all sides. Add the chopped vegetables, rosemary, bay leaves, deglaze with a glass of wine and bake at 180° for 50 minutes. After 20 minutes of cooking, add the dates and crumbled chestnuts to the meat and continue cooking. Serve the meat with the dried fruit and its sauce.
Almond Bavarian with melted chocolate
Bavarian cake is very easy to make and always makes an impact! To prepare it, soak 7 sheets of fish glue in a bowl with cold water. In a saucepan, heat 1 cup of fresh milk with a vanilla stick for a few minutes. In a bowl whip 3 egg yolks with 4 oz of sugar. Add the milk (without vanilla) to the eggs and let it warm again, stirring continuously. Remove from heat, add the squeezed fish glue, stir, then add it to the mixture of 1 ½ cup of fresh whipped cream and 4 oz of finely chopped almonds. Pour it all into a bavarois mold and leave to cool in the fridge for 3 hours. Before serving, dip the mold for a few seconds in a container with hot water, it will be used to remove the mixture from the bottom. Once out of the mold, garnish with 5 oz of dark chocolate melted in a bain-marie and serve.