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"Used as a dip, dolloped as a topping or mixed through fresh, brightly coloured winter vegetables; it’s simple and delicious and takes no time to put together"

Ever needed to do a wee zjoosh – up of your winter vegetables? People coming for dinner? The family needs a bit of special treatment?

 

A twist on a side of mascarpone could do just the trick. Used as a dip, dolloped as a topping or mixed through fresh, brightly coloured winter vegetables; it’s simple and delicious and takes no time to put together.

 

Mascarpone cheese is a soft Italian cream cheese with a readily spreadable, soft consistency due to its high fat content (60-75%). Mascarpone cheese is a fresh cheese that is most commonly made with pasteurised cow’s milk. It is often compared to cream cheese, ricotta, crème fraiche, and clotted cream, but is a sweeter and less tangy product.

 

The great thing about taking a simple store bought ingredient and putting your spin on it, is that you can create a range of your own ‘go-to’s’ that you pull out at short notice when you feel a meal needs a lift.

 

The following recipes are enough for a 4-6 person side serving and while we are recommending using them with winter vegetables, the recipes are versatile enough to be paired with raw vegetables, pre-dinner or could even be mixed through pasta. You could also take the lemon one, hold the olive oil, and stuff it under the skin of a whole roast chicken!

Lemon Cardamom Mascarpone
Great served in a wee dish as a side to baked or roasted winter root vegetables to bring out their natural sweetness.

 

Ingredients:
½ Teaspoon ground cardamom
1 Teaspoon lemon zest
2 Teaspoon lemon juice
125g mascarpone
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil (to serve)

Place all the ingredients (except the olive oil) into a mixing bowl and stir until combined.
Refrigerate until needed.
Before serving, make a small well in the centre of the mascarpone with the back of a spoon, and drizzle the olive oil on top.


Mascarpone with Thyme
A fresh mixture to drizzle through a mixture of any winter vegetables but could be a combination of chunky roasted peppers, Brussel sprouts, red onion and mushrooms.

 

Ingredients:
250g mascarpone
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, with more for garnishing
Salt & pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

 

In a bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Then take your baked or roasted vegetables and toss through until coated, garnishing with extra thyme.


The Antipasto Potato

A simple winter take on salad nicoise. You can add in hard boiled eggs, olives an extra anchovies or keep it straight forward with boiled potatoes.

 

Ingredients:
500g red-skinned potatoes cut into 3x3cm (or larger) chunks
150g-200g mascarpone
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 anchovy fillets (blended in the kitchen whiz)
Salt & pepper to taste (wait until the anchovies have been added)

 

Place all the ingredients (except potatoes) into a bowl, mix well and then mix through the cut potatoes.

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