Apricot Compote and Ham Crostini

“杏のコンポートとハムのクロスティーニ”

As the sounds of Christmas tunes fill the air, I find myself longing for the sweet and tangy fruit paired with savoury meats—a quick preview of festive holiday meals.

Inspired by this craving, I prepared a simple apricot compote and paired it with ham on toasted sourdough bread.

Ingredients

Apricot 5 (halved and pitted)

Rosemary 1sprig

Sugar 3-4tbsp (adjust based on the sweetness of the fruit)

White wine 100ml

Ham

Sourdough bread (smeared with unsalted butter)

In a saucepan, combine the apricots, rosemary, sugar, and white wine. Cook over low heat until the apricots soften and the mixture thickens slightly. It can be enjoyed as sweet tangy condiment alongside savoury foods like ham and cheese.

Pumpkin Polenta with Mushroom and Cabbage

“カボチャのポレンタ、きのことキャベツ”

Ingredients (serves 2)

Mushroom 300g

Savoy cabbage ½(cut into 2 wedges)

Garlic 1clove

Shallot ½

Balsamic vinegar 2tbsp

Oil

Pumpkin Polenta

Polenta 4tbsp

Pumpkin ½(peeled, diced)

Sage 6leaves

Garlic 1clove

Parmesan cheese 2handful

Butter 10g

1. Add diced pumpkin, crushed garlic, sage, and a pinch of salt to a saucepan, then pour in 200ml of cold water. Cook over medium heat until the pumpkin softens.

2. Discard the garlic and sage, then mash the pumpkin. Stir in the polenta and cook over low heat for the time suggested on the package. Gradually add water, little by little, to achieve a runny porridge consistency. When the polenta is ready, stir in Parmesan, butter, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry the sage leaves. Set them aside for garnish. In the same pan, grill the cabbage, cut side down, over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, and fry both sides until nicely coloured. Transfer the cabbage to an oven tray, cover with foil, and continue cooking in the oven at 180°C for about 40 minutes.

4. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the shallot and garlic until fragrant. Then, add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are cooked, pour in the vinegar. If too much liquid is released from the mushrooms, reduce the sauce until about 4 spoonfuls remain.

5. To serve, plate the warm polenta and top with the cabbage, mushrooms, and mushroom cooking juices. Garnish with the fried sage leaves.

Roasted Grape and Fennel Salad

“ロースト葡萄とフェネルのサラダ”

Roasting grapes intensifies its sweetness and sour note. I used the vibrant cooking juices as a warm dressing, pouring it over the fennel.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Fennel   1bulb

Black grape   150g(remove stem)

Thyme   3sprigs

Salted black olives   5(pitted, teared into small pieces)

Olive oil   1tbsp

For the Dressing

Wholegrain mustard   2tsp

Honey   1tsp

Fennel seed   1/3tsp

White wine vinegar   2tbsp

Extra virgin olive oil   1.5tbsp

Salt and pepper   to taste

1. On a parchment paper-lined oven tray, coat the grapes and thyme sprigs with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven at 200°C for 30 minutes. Once the grapes are cooked, coat them with a tablespoon of the dressing and the black olives.

2. Shave the fennel using a mandoline slicer and dress it with the remaining dressing. Plate the fennel and grapes, drizzling the vibrant cooking juices on top.