Belazu Pastes and Pestos
Cured Lemon Paste from Spain may be added to marinades for meats, fish and vegetables, or used as a marinade on its own, for tagines, braises and stews.
Rose Harissa Paste combines rose harissa with sun-dried and semi-dried tomatoes for an exceptional flavour with soft heat. Bake it into bread, mix with salsa, coat a chicken breast, stir 2 tablespoons in 100 grams of cooked pasta, dollop on baked potatoes, add to steamed veggies, add to curry, to tomato juice for a Bloody Mary or stir into humous.
*The name Harissa comes from the Arabic harasa, meaning ‘to pound’ or ‘break into pieces’. Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste, native to the Maghreb. The main ingredients are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers, spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors. Rose harissa is this paste made with rose pedals.
Balsamic Sundried Tomato Paste offers a pleasant, coarse texture which is packed with unami and gentle sweetness from Balsamic Vinegar. It is great for canapes, adds depth of flavour to tomato sauces and may be used as a base for pizza.
Aubergine and Parmesan Pesto may be used as a topping for a bruschetta, as a layer for lasagna and 2 tablespoons may be stirred through 100 grams of pasta.
Shawarma Paste contains Ginger, tomato paste, garlic, onions, turmeric and spices that make up this Middle Eastern paste ideal to add flavour to lamb or chicken kebabs. You may also spread onto a warm pita with roasted vegetables like carrots or cauliflower and dollop onto hummus. Flavour toward the end of cooking.
Tagine Paste contains smoked paprika and pickled lemons for a bold complex flavour. Use it to add depth to any one pot dish, the classic tagine being just one example.
Truffle and Artichoke Pesto contains a blend of black truffles from Piedmont, artichokes from Puglia and aged Parmigiano Reggiano from Bologna. Sweet & creamy, the distinctive parmesan marries perfectly with the heady truffle flavour. Spread on top of burgers and steak sandwiches, stir into mashed potatoes, spoon into sauces, soups and stews.
Balsamic Pearls are a refined way of enjoying balsamic vinegar. They look just like caviar on top of salad or canape. They add a unique flavour and character to meat and fish dishes, starters, vegetables, fruit salads, ice-cream, risotto or simply by letting balls drop on a piece of cheese or salad.
*In the terminology of molecular cooking, the product of spherification is called “caviar” or “drop”. Spherification exploits the chemical reaction of liquids mixed with alginates, soaked in calcium solutions, with the aim of creating small spheres having a rigid external structure and a liquid inside. The technique was invented by Ferran Adrià and is one of the most surprising of the molecular cuisine, as it allows to present, in the form of caviar, any taste.
