Salsa Verde
Its that time of year where the BBQ comes out and we all start enjoying each others company. If you're looking for something easy but tasty. Try this salsa verde on any BBQ'd meat
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp capers
1 large handful of parsley
3/4 of store size bunch Basil
1 large handful of mint (I like vietnamese mint)
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
6 tbsp olive oil
Best to chop all ingredient from garlic to mint, on a chopping finely, this also helps the flavours to fuse. If you put it into a Kitchen whiz it will just turn into a paste. The mix in the remaining ingredients. Will keep in the fridge for a week, but you can freeze. Its best in ice cube trays for single serves.
Vegie Smash
Serves 4
6 small Potaotes peeled
1 small Pumpkin peeled and cut into large chucks
1 lemon cut into quarters
a drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup of corriander leaves
1/2 cup of grated parmesan
Salt and Pepper
Pre set oven 200c
Pre cook the potatoes and pumpkin until soft, but still firm.
In a baking tray, lightly smash the potatoes and pumpkin, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt.
Turn the vegies a couple of times in the oven to make sure you get a crunchy crispy result.
Place on serving platter, sprinkle wit parmesan, corriander and season with pepper.
Best served hot.
Suggestion, you can also add sweet potato which is lovely, and I might even try it with carrots.
Suggestion, you can also add sweet potato which is lovely, and I might even try it with carrots.
This recipe is from Louise's Mum, hope you enjoy!
375g zucchini
1 onion large
2 bacon rashers (Christmas ham off the bone is divine!)
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup SR flour
1/2 cup oil
5 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of mustard
Grate unpeeled zucchini coarsely (I do it in the food processor - quick and easy).
Finely chop onion and bacon
Grate cheese (food processor again!)
Lightly beat eggs
Combine all ingredients
Poor into well greased lamington tin
Bake in moderate oven for 30-40 minutes or until browned.
Thai Coleslaw 1 chicken breast cooked and shredded
1 chinese cabbage finely chopped
2 carrots finely grated
1 cucumber finely grated
roasted peanuts roughly chopped (garnish)
coriander (garnish)
Sauce-
1/2 cup of vinegar
1/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lime juice
chillies (to your preference) for me 2 small finely chopped no seeds
Combine all sauce ingredients except the lime, in a saucepan, bring to the boil so all is dissolved. Once its cooled add the lime juice.
Once all the rest of the ingredients have been chopped and grated, combine and toss in a bowl. Add the sauce, and garnish with coriander and peanuts. This dish tastes even better once it has been in the fridge for a a few hours, so can be made ahead of time.
Fig Salad
This is a quick throw together salad. Cut up some fresh figs. Wash some rocket, tear up goats curd, and sprinkle some crispy bacon on top. To finish drizzle with balsamic glaze.
So easy and so lovely. Another variation is pear instead of fig. The combination of salty, sweet, crunchy and soft textures, really is a beautiful combination. You can either have this on its own, or as a side salad.
This week apparently is Bacon week. Who would have thought. Be aware of where your bacon is coming from. This is really a favourite of mine, I hope you enjoy it too.
•2-3 fresh corn cobs( just cut corn straight off
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives
Avocado salsa
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 red capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves (I always add more I love coriander)
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
Method
• Combine corn, flour, eggs, chives in a bowl.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Using 1 tablespoon mixture
per fritter, cook 8 fritters until golden and cooked through.
• Make Avocado salsa: Combine avocado and lemon juice.
Place capsicum, coriander and sweet chilli sauce in a bowl. Stir to
combine. Plate up and eat
Tomato Relish2.3 kg Tomatoes
30g fresh ginger
30g garlic
chilli's ( to your own taste)
450 g sugar
60g salt
1 cup vinegar
2 tbls plan flour
Boil the tomatoes until the skin starts to peel off. Then let cool and take the skins off. Place in another saucpan with chopped up garlic, ginger, chilli and vinegar. With a little extra vinegar mix the plain flour to a paste and add. Boil until thick. It will remain a lovely red colour. I didn't let mine thicken too much as I like mine a little runny. Sterilize bottles and lids and store in a cool place.
A touch of spice to a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich- lightly toasted. Yummy.
Baked PotatoesPeel potatoes and boil to soften. Peel as many as you need per person dining. Once softened, let them cool and cut into thin circles. In a pan melt a little nob of butter and place a sprig of thyme Arrange the potatoes over the top in a circular pattern, trying to make it look nice if possible. Only place one layer down. In another bowl, place the rest of the potatoes and more melted butter( only a little nob again) with more thyme and toss so that is all coats. Layer the rest of the potatoes on top and press down with a spatula when finished. Place in the oven at 180c, and keep pressing down with the spatula from time to time. It should only take 20 mins approx to brown. Once its browned evenly on top, remove from the oven and place a plate over the top, and rotate the pan so that it falls nicely onto the plate. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt for flavour.
I love this potato bake as it doesn't have cheese or cream in it.
Banana Bread
175g Plain Flour2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
½ tsp Salt
125g Butter
150g white sugar
4 large eggs
4 small ripe bananas mashed
60g Walnuts bashed into smaller pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 60g Dates Chopped
Grease the sides and line the bottom of a standard/ 22cm long bread tin with baking paper.
Melt butter and sugar in a saucepan.
Place flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl.
Add butter and sugar mixture, eggs, bananas, walnuts (optional dates) and vanilla to dry ingredients in bowl.
Mix with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth, with walnut and banana bits throughout.
Bake on top shelf of oven at 180 (turning once) for around 45 minutes/ 1 hour or until skewer comes out clean if pushed into middle of the bread. If the edges of the bread start to brown/ burn then cover the whole top of the bread with foil and cut an opening down the middle and fold back so the heat gets to the middle of the bread only and not the sides.
Let the bread sit for 20 minutes after coming out of the oven before turning out of the tin.
Tip: I would only use half the butter recommended in the recipe, otherwise it is quite greasy.
Mango Chutney I know this is out of season, but I'll post this again in summer.
I thought it would be nice to post with the lentil curry below.
3 lge Mangos
2 lge chillis
60g freshly grated ginger
1 lemon juice and finely grated rind
750g brown sugar
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp salt
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp tumeric
Place all ingredients into a pot and bring to the boil. Stir often and cook for 1 hour or until chutney is thick. When bottling, put glass jars into oven on high for ten minutes. Once the jar has been filled turn the jar upside down this helps it to seal. Approx, fill 3 jars 500g.
Eggplant with Sichuan Pepper
This recipe was submitted from Rachael who was inspired by Kylie Kwong.
3 medium eggplants, peeled, sliced and salted
4 tbsp peanut oil
5cm piece ginger, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup shao hsing wine
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
1 large red chilli, finely chopped
pinch Sichuan pepper and salt
1 large red chilli, finely sliced (garnish optional)
Cut eggplants into 2.5 cm strips. Sprinkle eggplant strips with salt and place on a tray in a single layer, set aside for 1 hour.
Rinse eggplant, then drain and pat dry.
Heat peanut oil in a hot wok. Add ginger, garlic and eggplant and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add sugar and allow to caramelise for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add shao hsing wine and stir-fry for 1 minute, add water and cook for 2 minutes. Add tamari, vinegar and chopped chilli and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Sichuan pepper and salt, and garnished with sliced chilli (optional)
Serves 4-6 as part of a shared meal
Lentil and Sweet Potato curry
This is a great dish to freeze, just don't add the baby spinach and broccoli. I got this dish from Jane Strode of BiStrodes in Surry Hills, and love it!
100ml of olive oil
2 spanish onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp fresh ginger
sea salt
white pepper
1 tbsp curry paste
6 cardamon pods
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 small eggplant (cubed and salted)
1 cup red lentils
1 small sweet potato (cubed)
1 litre of water
1 broccoli (cut into florets)
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 handful of corriander
Heat pan with olive oil, cook seasoned onions, garlic, ginger until soft. Add spices and cook for 2 mins. Add drained eggplant for 5 mins, then add lentils, sweet potato, water and simmer for about 20 mins. Add broccoli for a further 5 mins. Take off the heat and stir through the baby spinach. Serve in a bowl with coriander leaves and natural yogurt with mango chutney. Serves 4
Photography Natalie Boog
1kg of lamb mince
vegie oil
1cup of carrot
1cup of zucchini
1large onion
1tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp fresh ginger
2 tsp of curry powder
2 garlic cloves
1cup frozen peas
400g tinned tomatoes
2tbsp freshly chopped corriander
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice
Top
1cup of carrot
1cup of zucchini
1 tin of lentils
Preheat oven 180c. Heat oil in saucepan, add onion and garlic until soft. Add cumin, ginger,curry powder until fragrant. Cook lamb until brown. Add peas,tomatoes,carrots and zucchini. When carrot is soft, stir in corriander and set aside to cool. Once cooled mix in the egg and lemon, season to taste.Top cook carrots, zucchini and lentils, then mash together. Place in a large baking dish or ramekins, thickly layer the lentil mix on top and bake until brown on top.
Banana MuffinsPreheat oven 200C. Combine 1 cup of self raising flour, 1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Stir in 75g of honey and 150g of strawberries (roughly chopped not to fine). 60g of butter (melted), 1 egg and 90 ml of milk. I add a couple of handfuls of rolled oats. Stir untill mixed well, I find a metal spoon does a better job. Spoon into muffin tray of 6, only 1/2 full and bake for 25 mins or untill golden.
Strawberry Muffins
Preheat oven 200C. Combine 1 cup of self raising flour, 1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon.Stir in 75g of honey and 150g of strawberries (roughly chopped not to fine). 60g of butter (melted), 1 egg and 90 ml of milk. Stir untill mixed well, I find a metal spoon does a better job. Spoon into muffin tray of 6, only 1/2 full and bake for 25 mins or untill golden.
