Hot and Spicy or Spicy and Sweet – You choose!
Posted on June 26, 2013 by in baked goods, cheese, rsg
Hot and Spicy or Spicy and Sweet sound like Danielle Steele book titles or movies of ill repute, doesn’t it? The truth be known these hot and spicy labneh rolls are kind of naughty and once you start, it is very difficult to show any from or restrain.
Hot and spicy food I like, spicy and sweet desserts I like a lot, what I don’t like is bland food. There is a vast difference between subtle flavors and bland food, a milk tart with a subtle hint of nutmeg and cinnamon… just glorious! Soft nougat with subtle hints or honey has a little piece of heaven in every bite, but when it is cold and wet, my taste buds want fire…. hot and spicy Spatchcock Chicken or even a huge bowl of breyani will do!
Hot and spicy food releases endorphins. When capsaicin in chili peppers, the element that causes the spicy, burny sensation comes into contact with the tongue, the body is led to believe that it is in pain and releases endorphins. This is why spicy food or the yearning for it can become quite addictive. Relax, it is a healthy addiction as hot and spicy food has many health benefits.
I like food with attitude, food that wakes your taste buds and yes, food that sometimes give you a kick in the butt. My family however has a slight aversion when it comes to hot and spicy foods, but I have found over the years that a bowl of chopped fresh chilies on the table is the best way to get them to try it. They can add as much or as little as they can handle.
Fairview has recently launched their new Shelley’s Labneh Medium Fat Soft Cheese and I was the lucky one to try a few recipes with this lovely cheese. My first attempt was the Moroccan Carrot Soup with Labneh Dumplings and it was so delicious that yesterday it made it to the Cape Argus’ recipe section! Fairview Labneh is a soft, white, medium fat Mediterranean style cheese made from strained yogurt. Fairview Labneh is made from 100% Jersey cow’s milk. The cheese comes in 3 delicious flavors Za’atar, Pesto and Garlic and Herb. I could not think of an easier, more delicious recipe than this one. The dumplings are so easy to make, just try it!
I made two versions of the Labneh Cigars, the fist being a Hot and Spicy savory version and the other a Spicy and Sweet Baklava filling.
Hot and Spicy Labneh Cigars
Makes 12
Ingredients
8 sheets phyllo pastry
125 g butter – melted
125 g Fairview Labneh with Zahatar
15 ml harissa paste
4 spring onions – chopped
125 ml black pitted olives
1 red chili – finely chopped
1 egg white
Vegetable oil for frying
Method
Divide the phyllo in two heaps of 4 sheets. Butter each layer as you stack them on each other. You will now have two stacks of 4 sheets in front of you. Cut each stack down the middle and then each half in 3 rectangles. You should have 12 rectangles in front of you. Mix the labneh with the harissa paste. Place a teaspoon of the Fairview Labneh on the short end of each rectangle. Top with a little chopped spring onion, a little chopped chili and a pitted olive or two. Roll the phyllo rectangles into cigars and brush the end of the phyllo with egg white to make sure the cigar does not open during baking process. Repeat with all the phyllo rectangles. At this point you can keep the cigars in the fridge until needed . Heat the oil and when the oil is hot, fry the cigars until golden brown. Serve with a relish or chutney of your choice.
Spicy and Sweet Labneh Cigars
makes 12
Ingredients
100 g walnuts – finely chopped
100 g Fairview Labneh with Zahatar
30 ml honey
3 ml cinnamon
vegetable oil for frying
Method
In a small mixing bowl, mix the walnuts the labneh, honey and cinnamon. Divide the phyllo in two heaps of 4 sheets. Butter each layer as you stack them on each other. You will now have two stacks of 4 sheets in front of you. Cut each stack down the middle and then each half in 3 rectangles. You should have 12 rectangles in front of you. Place a teaspoon of the Fairview Labneh on the short end of each rectangle. Roll the phyllo rectangles into cigars and brush the end of the phyllo with egg white to make sure the cigar does not open during baking process. Repeat with all the phyllo rectangles. At this point you can keep the cigars in the fridge until needed . Heat the oil and when the oil is hot, fry the cigars until golden brown. Dust with cinnamon and serve!
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