Hi everyone
I love sitting in the sun enjoying an alfresco feast of little plates of food. One of my favourites is calamari. I admit it took a while as Id been blessed like so many with the rubber tubes called squid rings at the local takeaway when I was growing up.
Heres a simple recipe I use.
Ingredients
2 squid tubes cleaned and cut into rings.
1/2 teaspoon of rock salt, crushed
25 g clarified butter
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2 spring onions diced
1 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Sprinkle the salt over the squid.
Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Add garlic, onions and parsley and cook for 30 seconds. Add squid and stir for 1-2 minutes. DONT overcook unless you like eating tires.
You can then either sprinkle the cheese over and grill for 20 to 30 seconds or just eat as is with a side of aioli (capsicum aioli yummy!)
Its as easy as that. Enjoy xx
Sunday, 11 August 2013
An under rated piece of meat.
Hi everyone
My husband loves mutton, hogget to some. He finds it more flavoursome then lamb and is very happy when we can find it and he can enjoy a roast. Mutton is so underrated here. Its often hard to find with lamb always preferred in the shops. But I thought Id give it a plug with a recipe close to my heart - Loin of mutton with kumara and orange.
Ingredients
1 boned loin of mutton
500 gm kumara (sweet potato), peeled and chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
zest and juice of an orange
salt and pepper
Baste - combine:
juice of one lemon
juice of one orange
25 gm melted butter
pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180 'C (350 F). Boil the kumara in salted water until tender and mash. Mix together the baste.
Fry the onion in butter for a couple of minutes. Add sugar, orange juice and zest. Season. Mix into the kumara mash.
Spread the mash on the loin and roll up. Tie with strings. Bake for 30-40 minutes basting several times while cooking.
You can use the juice from the roasting pan to make a gravy by thickening with a small amount of combined cornflour and water. Carve the meat and enjoy with sides of fresh blanched beans or asparagus. Yum
Enjoy xx
My husband loves mutton, hogget to some. He finds it more flavoursome then lamb and is very happy when we can find it and he can enjoy a roast. Mutton is so underrated here. Its often hard to find with lamb always preferred in the shops. But I thought Id give it a plug with a recipe close to my heart - Loin of mutton with kumara and orange.
Ingredients
1 boned loin of mutton
500 gm kumara (sweet potato), peeled and chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
zest and juice of an orange
salt and pepper
Baste - combine:
juice of one lemon
juice of one orange
25 gm melted butter
pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180 'C (350 F). Boil the kumara in salted water until tender and mash. Mix together the baste.
Fry the onion in butter for a couple of minutes. Add sugar, orange juice and zest. Season. Mix into the kumara mash.
Spread the mash on the loin and roll up. Tie with strings. Bake for 30-40 minutes basting several times while cooking.
You can use the juice from the roasting pan to make a gravy by thickening with a small amount of combined cornflour and water. Carve the meat and enjoy with sides of fresh blanched beans or asparagus. Yum
Enjoy xx
Warm memories
Hi everyone
When I was a child we would go to the flea market on the weekend and we would always line up in front of a little caravan to get Maori fried bread with lashings of butter and golden butter..ok not great for the diet.
Its a wonderful memory but the time to go to the market now is rare and so Ive made sure to talk to some Aunties to get recipes for the bread. My favourite is one which doesnt use yeast, rather it uses soda water.
Ingredients
3 cups self raising flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cups soda water
1 1/2 to 2 litres canola oil
Heat the oil to medium heat.
Reserve one cup of the flour aside and put the rest in a bowl with the salt. Make a well in the middle and and the soda water. Gently mix.
The mixture will be wet which is fine. as you continue to mix the dough add the reserved flour a small amount at a time. Flour a bench and place the dough on it. Knead the dough until soft but you dont need to exercise those muscles in your arms too much as if you over knead it the dough will be tough.
Flatten the dough to about 2 to 3 cms thickness and cut into pieces.
Place a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should float. If it doesnt then the oil is not hot enough. Cook until the bread is golden.
Drain and enjoy. xx
When I was a child we would go to the flea market on the weekend and we would always line up in front of a little caravan to get Maori fried bread with lashings of butter and golden butter..ok not great for the diet.
Its a wonderful memory but the time to go to the market now is rare and so Ive made sure to talk to some Aunties to get recipes for the bread. My favourite is one which doesnt use yeast, rather it uses soda water.
Ingredients
3 cups self raising flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cups soda water
1 1/2 to 2 litres canola oil
Heat the oil to medium heat.
Reserve one cup of the flour aside and put the rest in a bowl with the salt. Make a well in the middle and and the soda water. Gently mix.
The mixture will be wet which is fine. as you continue to mix the dough add the reserved flour a small amount at a time. Flour a bench and place the dough on it. Knead the dough until soft but you dont need to exercise those muscles in your arms too much as if you over knead it the dough will be tough.
Flatten the dough to about 2 to 3 cms thickness and cut into pieces.
Place a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should float. If it doesnt then the oil is not hot enough. Cook until the bread is golden.
Drain and enjoy. xx
Thursday, 8 August 2013
Soup for a chilly night
Hi everyone
Today I felt like soup. I could have done the hard work and made it from absolute scratch or I could have gone for the canned stuff. I went for a middle ground. Spiced pumpkin, kumara, and bacon soup.
Ingredients
500 gm bag of frozen peeled pumpkin
300 gms of frozen kumara peeled
2 litres of vegetable stock or mix it up with 1 litre of vege and 1 of chicken
2 or 3 bacon pieces or if you prefer 6 slices of bacon chopped up
2 tablespoons of pre made harissa or thai green curry paste
Salt and pepper
handful of fresh coriander chopped up
So if you are using bacon slices put some oil in a large sauce pan and over medium heat cook the bacon. If you are using big pieces then skip frying it as it will slow cook with the veges.
After the bacon is fried add the stock and the veges and simmer for 30 mins. If using the pieces of bacon add the bacon to the stock with the veges and cook for an hour till the bacon is soft.
At this point, if using, take out the bacon pieces and chop into small 2cm chunks. Set aside.
Mash the veges and if the soup is still too thin, make a roux of 50 gms melted butter and 3 tablespoons plain flour in another large saucepan. The mixture should bubble but don't let it burn. Add the thin soup by the ladle full slowly and whisk to thicken and stir out any roux lumps. The soup should be lovely and thickened by the time you are finished. If you are using bacon pieces add the chunks now and stir. Add the harissa (if you want a moroccan type spice) or the thai curry paste and stir. Taste and see if you want to add more. Simmer for 5 minutes till the flour is well and truly cooked through.
Check seasoning at this point as the bacon can be salty so you don't want to add more until its all combined. If you think the soup is too thick you might want to add some coconut cream and stir through. Finally place in bowls and sprinkle over some coriander.
Enjoy xx
Today I felt like soup. I could have done the hard work and made it from absolute scratch or I could have gone for the canned stuff. I went for a middle ground. Spiced pumpkin, kumara, and bacon soup.
Ingredients
500 gm bag of frozen peeled pumpkin
300 gms of frozen kumara peeled
2 litres of vegetable stock or mix it up with 1 litre of vege and 1 of chicken
2 or 3 bacon pieces or if you prefer 6 slices of bacon chopped up
2 tablespoons of pre made harissa or thai green curry paste
Salt and pepper
handful of fresh coriander chopped up
So if you are using bacon slices put some oil in a large sauce pan and over medium heat cook the bacon. If you are using big pieces then skip frying it as it will slow cook with the veges.
After the bacon is fried add the stock and the veges and simmer for 30 mins. If using the pieces of bacon add the bacon to the stock with the veges and cook for an hour till the bacon is soft.
At this point, if using, take out the bacon pieces and chop into small 2cm chunks. Set aside.
Mash the veges and if the soup is still too thin, make a roux of 50 gms melted butter and 3 tablespoons plain flour in another large saucepan. The mixture should bubble but don't let it burn. Add the thin soup by the ladle full slowly and whisk to thicken and stir out any roux lumps. The soup should be lovely and thickened by the time you are finished. If you are using bacon pieces add the chunks now and stir. Add the harissa (if you want a moroccan type spice) or the thai curry paste and stir. Taste and see if you want to add more. Simmer for 5 minutes till the flour is well and truly cooked through.
Check seasoning at this point as the bacon can be salty so you don't want to add more until its all combined. If you think the soup is too thick you might want to add some coconut cream and stir through. Finally place in bowls and sprinkle over some coriander.
Enjoy xx
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Sunday brunch
Hi everyone
I love Sundays. I love to cook a nice brunch for hubby and I. Two favourites are savoury crepes or filo parcels. I use whatever is in season in terms of veges but I have to admit when its asparagus season, which it isnt at the moment :( I just go mad. Here are a couple of examples of recipes Ive used that you might want to try and experiment with.
Chicken asparagus and cheese crepes
ingredients
1 cup of béchamel sauce
1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard
1/4 cup grated cheese - I like gruyere or something like that
500gm asparagus
1 cup of warm shredded cooked chicken - I generally just poach a chicken breast and once cooked shred
8-12 crepes
Prepare the béchamel sauce by melting 20gms of butter in a pot. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix. Let it bubble for a minute but dont let it burn. Slowly add 1 cup of warm milk and continue to stir. The sauce should thicken immediately. Let the sauce boil and simmer away for a few minutes to cook out the flour. Add the cheese and mustard. Season.
Steam the asparagus.
Lay out a crepe and put a little sauce on it. Place an asparagus spear or spears and some of the shredded chicken on top and roll up. Serve with sauce over the top..yummy and simple.
Smoked chicken, mushroom and asparagus filo parcels
Ingredients
350 gm mushrooms sliced finely
1 onion
250 grams smoked chicken sliced
500 gm asparagus
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs lightly beaten
500 gms cottage or ricotta cheese
225 gm feta cheese crumbled
salt and pepper
16 sheets filo
sesame seeds
Sauce
White wine
150 mls sour cream
4 spring onions
sugar
salt and pepper
Saute the mushrooms and onion in the butter until soft. Chop half of the asparagus and steam until tender. Cool
Beat cream and eggs. Add to cheeses and mushrooms, steamed asparagus and chicken. Season and chill.
Lightly brush a filo sheet with melted butter. Top with another and brush with butter again. Divide the chilled mixture into 8 portions. Put one portion at one end of the film and roll up to enclose the filling. Fold the sides. Repeat with remaining filo until you have 8 parcels. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 180 degrees for 20 mins until golden.
For the white sauce chop the remaining asparagus and cover with white wine in a saucepan. Simmer until tender. Blend in a food processor with the sour cream and spring onions, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the rolls and a nice green salad.
Enjoy xx
I love Sundays. I love to cook a nice brunch for hubby and I. Two favourites are savoury crepes or filo parcels. I use whatever is in season in terms of veges but I have to admit when its asparagus season, which it isnt at the moment :( I just go mad. Here are a couple of examples of recipes Ive used that you might want to try and experiment with.
Chicken asparagus and cheese crepes
ingredients
1 cup of béchamel sauce
1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard
1/4 cup grated cheese - I like gruyere or something like that
500gm asparagus
1 cup of warm shredded cooked chicken - I generally just poach a chicken breast and once cooked shred
8-12 crepes
Prepare the béchamel sauce by melting 20gms of butter in a pot. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix. Let it bubble for a minute but dont let it burn. Slowly add 1 cup of warm milk and continue to stir. The sauce should thicken immediately. Let the sauce boil and simmer away for a few minutes to cook out the flour. Add the cheese and mustard. Season.
Steam the asparagus.
Lay out a crepe and put a little sauce on it. Place an asparagus spear or spears and some of the shredded chicken on top and roll up. Serve with sauce over the top..yummy and simple.
Smoked chicken, mushroom and asparagus filo parcels
Ingredients
350 gm mushrooms sliced finely
1 onion
250 grams smoked chicken sliced
500 gm asparagus
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs lightly beaten
500 gms cottage or ricotta cheese
225 gm feta cheese crumbled
salt and pepper
16 sheets filo
sesame seeds
Sauce
White wine
150 mls sour cream
4 spring onions
sugar
salt and pepper
Saute the mushrooms and onion in the butter until soft. Chop half of the asparagus and steam until tender. Cool
Beat cream and eggs. Add to cheeses and mushrooms, steamed asparagus and chicken. Season and chill.
Lightly brush a filo sheet with melted butter. Top with another and brush with butter again. Divide the chilled mixture into 8 portions. Put one portion at one end of the film and roll up to enclose the filling. Fold the sides. Repeat with remaining filo until you have 8 parcels. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 180 degrees for 20 mins until golden.
For the white sauce chop the remaining asparagus and cover with white wine in a saucepan. Simmer until tender. Blend in a food processor with the sour cream and spring onions, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the rolls and a nice green salad.
Enjoy xx
Saturday, 13 July 2013
Simply refreshing - apple sorbet
Hi everyone
Ive been asked about a simple dessert to make. An apple sorbet is a delicious thing and is dead easy to make. Give it a try :)
Ingredients
5 medium granny smith apples peeled cored and diced
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons calvados or apple brandy
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. You can pour into an ice cream maker and follow directions or place in a shallow bowl and place in the freezer. Stir once during freezing.
This sorbet is always best made a day in advance. Great as a dessert or between courses to refresh the palate.
Enjoy xx
Ive been asked about a simple dessert to make. An apple sorbet is a delicious thing and is dead easy to make. Give it a try :)
Ingredients
5 medium granny smith apples peeled cored and diced
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons calvados or apple brandy
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. You can pour into an ice cream maker and follow directions or place in a shallow bowl and place in the freezer. Stir once during freezing.
This sorbet is always best made a day in advance. Great as a dessert or between courses to refresh the palate.
Enjoy xx
Wraps and Pida my way
Hi everyone
Ive been asked to add a few recipe I made a few weeks back for wraps or pida breads. I used minced lamb and made kofta balls. If your vegetarian of course falafels will do just as well. For me so much depends on the sauces and I tend to mix and match based on what I have in the fridge.
Ingredients
1 small onion
500gm minced lamb
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Grate the onion into the meat and then add the other ingredients. Mix well and make into balls or small fingers whatever you like. Place on a heated pan with a small amount of oil or under the grill. The kofta should seize and cook quickly. Once brown all over but still juicy inside. place in the wrap or on the pita bread.
If making falafel then this is the basic recipe I use:
Ingredients
250gm broad beans
1 tablespoon each of finely chopped parsley and coriander
4-5 spring onions - finely chop the green part
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper
small pinch of bicarbinate of soda
oil for semi deep frying
Wash the broad beans and soak in water for 8 hours. Drain and remove any floating bits of skin and dry with kitchen towels. Mince in a food processor and the beans should be the consistency of fairly dry slighty grainy puree.
Mix the chopped herbs with the beans in a bowl. Add the green onions, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and bicarbonate of soda. Knead well and the mixture should be pale green and with dark green speckles. Let the paste rest for a couple of hours in the fridge. Using damp hands roll the paste into balls and then place on a baking paper lined tray. Then flatten slightly with your fingers. Fry in the oil turning them until golden brown. Dont let them cook to dark brown if they do turn the heat down of the oil. Drain on kitchen paper and enjoy.
I usually add a salad of cos, diced cucumber, tomato, spring onions sprinkled with salt and pepper and a squeeze of a lime or lemon. I also enjoy tabbouleh
Ingredients
2 tablespoons burghal
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh coriander
4 spring onions chopped
1 small cucumber diced
1 tablespoon fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 or 2 lemons
2 teaspoons olive oil
Soak the burghal for about 15 mins in a bowl of water. Line a colander with muslin or a clean tea towel and tip the burghal in. Squeeze as much of the water out as possible. Then combine the burghal with the vegetables and herbs. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. add half the oil and mix. If need add the rest. You want the salad to glisten with the oil but not be soaked. Taste and season again if necessary.
In terms of sauces (along with hummus) I have a couple of favorites:
a. Tahini yogurt: 1/2 cup of greek plan yogurt with 2 tablespoons of tahini paste
b. Beetroot, horseradish and yogurt: 1/2 cup of greek plan yogurt with two tablespoons of beetroot chutney and half tablespoon of horseradish cream
c. Tsatsiki: 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 clove of garlic, 150gm diced cucumber, 1 teaspoon dried mint or 1 tablespoon fresh mint, salt and pepper.
For hummus I save time and use canned chickpeas.
Ingredients
1 can of chickpeas
1 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of tahini paste
1 teaspoon of turmeric
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon
Drain and rince the chickpeas. Chop the onions and garlic and soften over medium heat with the olive oil. Stir in the turmeric and a small amount of water. Add the chickpeas and enough water to cover the ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer for about an hour. When chickpeas are nice and soft drain them and reserve the liquid. Then put in a food processor and puree to the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. Transfer to a bowl and add the salt, lemon juice, tahini and remaining oil.
Make the wraps by combining the ingredients you like from above in a line on a wrap base leaving 1/8 clear so you can fold it up to keep the ingredients in the wrap when eating and then roll from one corner to the next. Make sure its nice and tight. I like to place the wrap in foil and then place under a press to toast the wrap. Or just cut open a pida and insert your ingredients and place under a press to heat the bread.
Enjoy xx
Ive been asked to add a few recipe I made a few weeks back for wraps or pida breads. I used minced lamb and made kofta balls. If your vegetarian of course falafels will do just as well. For me so much depends on the sauces and I tend to mix and match based on what I have in the fridge.
Ingredients
1 small onion
500gm minced lamb
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Grate the onion into the meat and then add the other ingredients. Mix well and make into balls or small fingers whatever you like. Place on a heated pan with a small amount of oil or under the grill. The kofta should seize and cook quickly. Once brown all over but still juicy inside. place in the wrap or on the pita bread.
If making falafel then this is the basic recipe I use:
Ingredients
250gm broad beans
1 tablespoon each of finely chopped parsley and coriander
4-5 spring onions - finely chop the green part
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper
small pinch of bicarbinate of soda
oil for semi deep frying
Wash the broad beans and soak in water for 8 hours. Drain and remove any floating bits of skin and dry with kitchen towels. Mince in a food processor and the beans should be the consistency of fairly dry slighty grainy puree.
Mix the chopped herbs with the beans in a bowl. Add the green onions, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and bicarbonate of soda. Knead well and the mixture should be pale green and with dark green speckles. Let the paste rest for a couple of hours in the fridge. Using damp hands roll the paste into balls and then place on a baking paper lined tray. Then flatten slightly with your fingers. Fry in the oil turning them until golden brown. Dont let them cook to dark brown if they do turn the heat down of the oil. Drain on kitchen paper and enjoy.
I usually add a salad of cos, diced cucumber, tomato, spring onions sprinkled with salt and pepper and a squeeze of a lime or lemon. I also enjoy tabbouleh
Ingredients
2 tablespoons burghal
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh coriander
4 spring onions chopped
1 small cucumber diced
1 tablespoon fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 or 2 lemons
2 teaspoons olive oil
Soak the burghal for about 15 mins in a bowl of water. Line a colander with muslin or a clean tea towel and tip the burghal in. Squeeze as much of the water out as possible. Then combine the burghal with the vegetables and herbs. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. add half the oil and mix. If need add the rest. You want the salad to glisten with the oil but not be soaked. Taste and season again if necessary.
In terms of sauces (along with hummus) I have a couple of favorites:
a. Tahini yogurt: 1/2 cup of greek plan yogurt with 2 tablespoons of tahini paste
b. Beetroot, horseradish and yogurt: 1/2 cup of greek plan yogurt with two tablespoons of beetroot chutney and half tablespoon of horseradish cream
c. Tsatsiki: 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 clove of garlic, 150gm diced cucumber, 1 teaspoon dried mint or 1 tablespoon fresh mint, salt and pepper.
For hummus I save time and use canned chickpeas.
Ingredients
1 can of chickpeas
1 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of tahini paste
1 teaspoon of turmeric
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon
Drain and rince the chickpeas. Chop the onions and garlic and soften over medium heat with the olive oil. Stir in the turmeric and a small amount of water. Add the chickpeas and enough water to cover the ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer for about an hour. When chickpeas are nice and soft drain them and reserve the liquid. Then put in a food processor and puree to the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. Transfer to a bowl and add the salt, lemon juice, tahini and remaining oil.
Make the wraps by combining the ingredients you like from above in a line on a wrap base leaving 1/8 clear so you can fold it up to keep the ingredients in the wrap when eating and then roll from one corner to the next. Make sure its nice and tight. I like to place the wrap in foil and then place under a press to toast the wrap. Or just cut open a pida and insert your ingredients and place under a press to heat the bread.
Enjoy xx
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