Shelina Permalloo's Mauritian Dinner Party Treats

This year's MasterChef winner Shelina Permalloo (the first female winner for 7 years don't you know?) has put together a collection of delicious recipes, two of which we have for you to try at home...

Mango & Chili Chutney


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Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

3 mangos, peeled and chopped into 1inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp apple vinegar
  • 50g Billington's Light Muscovado Sugar
  • 1⁄2 tsp salt
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 1 thumb size piece ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 red birds eye chilli finely chopped (remove seeds if you don't like it too hot)
  • 1 lime freshly squeezed



Method:
1. Place all the ingredients into a heavy pan and simmer over a gentle heat for around 40 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Stir occasionally so that the sugar doesn't catch at the bottom of the pan.
2. Allow to cool and place into sterilised jam jars or an airtight glass container.

Baked Ricotta Cake with Cherry & Star Anise Compote



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Cooking Time: Makes: 6

Ingredients For the Ricotta Cake:
  • 2 medium free range whisked egg whites
  • 250g ricotta
  • 50g Billington's Golden Caster Sugar
  • Butter for greasing ramekins

For the Cherry & Star Anise Compote:
  • 400g ripe cherries, pitted
  • 200g of Billington's Glacé Cherries
  • 3 star anise, whole
  • 100ml water
  • 150g Billington's Dark Muscovado Sugar
  • 100ml cherry brandy (optional)


Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3.
2. In a bowl, mix the ricotta until completely smooth and leave to one side.
3. In an electric mixer whisk the egg whites and Billington's Golden Caster Sugar to soft peaks, fold in the ricotta carefully until the mixture is completely combined and smooth with no lumps.
4. Divide the mixture equally among 6 buttered ramekins. (Should you want to turn out the ricotta cakes, use a silicon muffin tray to ensure a smooth finish).
5. Next create a bain-marie by placing the ramekins into a roasting tray. Carefully pour boiling water into the tray until it's halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
6. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
7. Remove the ramekins or silicon tray from the bain-marie and allow to cool.
8. To make the compote place all the ingredients into a pan and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until the syrup is lovely and glossy and the cherries are still whole. This can be stored in the fridge once it has cooled down.
9. To serve, pour the compote over the baked ricotta cake if kept in the ramekin or turn the cooled ricotta cake out of the silicon tray onto a plate and spoon over some of the lovely glossy compote. For an extra decoration place a whole star anise on top of each cake.