Classic Mint Mojito Cocktail
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Juice of 1 Lime
5ml Sugar
Handful of mint leaves, plus more to serve
60ml White rum
Soda water to taste
*For a delicious mocktail, simply leave out the rum
Instructions:
- Slap the mint leaves between your palms once, then add them to a small jug.
- Gently muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves in a small jug, crushing the mint as you go.
The end of a rolling pin works well for this. - Pour into a tall glass and add a handful of ice.
- Alcohol is always optional – in the Mojito cocktail white rum is traditional to use.
- Pour in the rum and give it another stir with a spoon.
- Top up with soda water, garnish with mint and serve.
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients:
250ml Dry pasta of choice
1 Medium Avocado – skin and seed removed
30ml Olive Oil
375ml Basil
250ml Baby spinach
2 Cloves of garlic
60ml Cashews
30ml Lemon Juice
2.5ml Fresh ground black pepper
1.25ml Salt
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, make the pesto. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth and spreadable. Taste for salt and pepper. - Toss pesto and pasta together. Enjoy topped with pine nuts and fresh basil.
Lime, Gin, and Tonic Cupcakes
Makes 12 muffin-sized cupcakes, or 16 fairy cupcakes
Ingredients:
175g butter (175 ml), softened
175g castor sugar (200 ml)
2 large eggs
200g self-raising flour (350 ml)
3ml salt
2ml baking powder
45ml tonic water
15ml gin
Rind of 1 lime
Syrup:
100g castor sugar (125 ml)
125ml tonic water
Rind of 1 lime
50ml gin
Decoration:
1 – 2 limes, cut into mini wedges
12 white or toasted coconut marshmallows, cut into small cubes
12 small skewers
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/Gas mark 4.
- Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
- Cream the butter and 175g castor sugar together, in an electric food mixer, until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time.
- Sift self-raising flour, salt and baking powder together.
- Add the sifted flour, 45ml tonic water and 15ml gin into the batter; mix until combined; be careful not to over-mix.
- Stir in the rind of the lime.
- Fill each cupcake liner approximately 2/3rd full.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan over a moderate heat, heat the 100 g castor sugar, tonic water and lime rind, until sugar has dissolved; remove from the heat, and add the 50ml gin.
- When the cupcakes come out of the oven, pierce each cupcake a few times with a wooden skewer; pour approximately 25ml of the sugared-gin solution over each hot cupcake.
- Allow to cool slightly; remove from baking pan; place on a cooling rack.
- When cool, top with mascarpone frosting, lime wedges, and chopped, white or coconut marshmallows, threaded onto skewers.
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