10.25.2009

rocket fettuccine


2 lemons
olive oil
parmesan block
anchovies. handful.
rocket.
chillies. 3
garlic
fettuccine


boil water for pasta. once it starts to bubble put all pasta in. depending on how many people you want to feed. 1 bag pasta usually feeds 2 hungry people.
+salt & olive oil to water.

in a frying pan + chopped garlic. ( 5 cloves)
chopped chilli
lemon zest (from the two lemons)
chopped or whole anchovies. (as many as you want. i put 1 handful.)
then juice the two lemons. + to the fry pan.
+ more olive oil if needed.
(all this is to be done when the pot for pasta is first put on the stove)

+ rocket. 2 handfuls to the fry pan

once pasta is cooked. drain
then mix all ingrediants in a large bowl together.
+ more olive oil
+grated parmesan cheese. ( a good helping)
+ fresh rocket
ready to serve straight away.

-try with squid ink fettuccine

10.24.2009

onion soup


40 g butter
2 brown onions, thickly sliced
2 red onions, thickly sliced
2 leeks, white part only, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
4 1/2 cups beef or vegetable stock
thyme
1 baguette, cut into thick slices
1 clove garlic, halved
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheddar

heat butter in a saucepan over med heat. till foaming.
+brown onion & red onion & leek. stir till soft.
+ crushed garlic + flour/ stir to combine.
+ stock bring to simmer
reduce heat. stirring occasionally. have pot partially covered . leave like this for 30 mins. (or until soup thickens)
season to taste.

heat grill. place bread slices on oven tray. toast until golden
remove, while hot rub with garlic & sprinkle with cheddar
place under grill till cheese melts
ladle soup into bowls top with croutons. serve hot..

avocado & mushroom fettuccine


1 large avocado, sliced
juice & zest of i lemon
250 g fettuccine
1 tbsp pesto sauce.
olive oill
1 onion sliced
4 cloves garlic sliced
200g mushrooms sliced.
2 tsp soy sauce
basil

place avocado on plate & drizzle with lemon juice
cook fettuccine
heat oil and fry onion for 1 min.
+ mushrooms & garlic, continue cooking for 2 mins (make sure you keep stirring)
reduce heat to med. place a cover on pan. cook for 5 mins , stirring once or twice.
remove from heat. stir in soy sauce and some pepper.
toss freshly cook pasta with pesto, mushrooms and avocado. + lemon zest.
serve immediately. with sprinkle of basil

roasted chipolatas with polenta


800g beef chipolata sausages
12 pickling onions, peeled
300g trussed cherry tomatoes
8 whole cloves garlic
1 litre chicken stock
1 cup polenta
1/2 cup thin cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan

preheat oven 200 deg.
heat a roasting pan over high heat. + sausages & onions. cook. turning occasionally. until brown all over.
+ tomatoes & garlic, + 1 cup water. bring to simmer.
bake in preheated oven for 20 mins.
remove from heat.

meanwhile bring stock to boil, over med heat. while continually whisking, gradually + polenta. (make sure its added in a steady stream)
reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally (with a wooden spoon). continue until mixture boils and thickens.
remove from heat. + cream & parmesan
stir till well combined.
season to taste (with salt and pepper)
spoon into plates, top with sausage mixture. drizzle over some pan juices.
serve immediately.

apple & rhubarb crumble


2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped coarsely
1/2 bunch rhubarb, trimmed, chopped coarsely.
1/3 cup caster sugar
cinnamon, ground
cardamon, ground
vanilla


preheat oven to 200 deg. grease dish.
place all ingredients in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally, cook until apples and rhubarb have released their juices.

oaty crumble.
50 g butter, softened. ( use more if necessary)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
ground cinnamon
ground cardamon
(any dried fruits, nuts, seeds etc)
(ex. poppy seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts, dried paw paw.)
- if using nuts, make sure they are mashed. into small pieces.
-if using dried fruit, make sure its cut into small pieces.

place all ingredients into a bowl.
using fingertips rub butter into the mixture until combined.
(it must look tan, and crumbly)

+apple mixture to greased dish, on top sprinkle crumble mixture.
place in oven for about 10 minutes. or till the crumble mixture has become golden, and a little hard.

remove from oven, serve hot. or serve at room temperature with a dollop of double cream.

10.15.2009

pear chicken salad.


heat olive oil in pan, + 8 sage leaves and cook for 1 min
+ 4 slices of pancetta, cook till crisp.
remove.
fry chicken breast fillets (2) for about 6 mins on both sides.
remove. allow to cool before slicing.
+ butter to pan.
core and slice 2 pears.
+ to pan.
sprinkle with sugar. cook till golden/crisp.
+ 8 shelled chestnuts quartered. cook for 1-2 mins. till glossy.

mix everything together with rocket.
finito

blueberry tarts


1 1/2 sheets short-crust pastry
150 g white chocolate
1/3 cup cream
250 g fresh blueberries
icing sugar.

preheat oven 180 deg, spray patty pan tray with oil
cut 12 x 7 cm rounds in pastry, ease into pan, chill for 30 mins.

cut 12x 8 cm circles from non stick baking paper, line tray with these circles, put pastry on top, + dried beans. bake for 10 mins.
remove paper, beans. and bake for another 5 mins.
cool.

place chocolate, cream over saucepan, and melt. (ensure the base of bowl doesn't touch simmering water)
pour into pastry cases once smooth. refrigerate for 1 hour.
top with blueberries
dust with icing sugar
ready to serve.

potato salad with blue cheese


1 kg baby potatoes
spring onions, trimmed & chopped
100g chorizo sausage, diced
150g blue cheese
parsley
coriander
olive oil

cook potatoes. either roast them, or boil them. roasted tastes better, but takes longer.
when they are almost ready saute the spring onions, and chorizo in olive oil.
add potatoes to pan, and stir through.
+ half of the cheese, crumbled
allow to heat through
+ chopped parsley, coriander, and remaining cheese.
in a warmed bowl.


felafel


4 cups chickpeas
half bunch parsley
garlic
1 onion
cloves, crushed
cumin, pepper , salt
1 slice bread
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
sesame seeds
poppy seeds. optional
oil for frying

buzz everything apart from oil in a blender.
if you want lumpy (yummy textured) felafel. do it by hand. chop everything. make it the texture that you want.

let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
form into small balls and fry in hot oil.

honey & fresh ginger loaf


preheat oven 170 deg. line baking tin with grease paper.
grate 3 cm piece of ginger
place 115g golden syrup, 115g honey, 50 g butter in a bowl & beat ( 3 mins)
+ 2 eggs & ginger
mix 1 minute

warm 3 tbsp milk & add to 3/4 level tbsp baking powder
+ to batter

sieve 140g flour, cinnamon, all spice together
using spatula fold into batter.

pour into loaf tin & place into oven
bake for 40-50 minutes
while hot brush with honey, once out of the oven.

pear & raspberry muffins


2 cups SR flour
3/4 cup raw sugar
75 g butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
vanilla essence
2 pears (brown) diced
1/2 punnet raspberries

optional icing-
1 cup icing sugar
i tsp water

melt butter, blend with sugar, milk + egg + vanilla.

+ to flour

fold in pears
raspberries

put into buttered tray, then in oven at 180 deg till a skewer comes out clean. (20-30 mins)

pear pancakes




1 cup puree pears + 1 1/2 cups milk in a bowl
+ 30 g melted butter + 1 egg
sift 150g flour, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon and blend well

cook the same way as regular pancakes.

-on top-
melt butter
+ pear chunks of 1 ripe pear
fry
scatter sugar.
place on top... serve

strawberry & vanilla jam


1.5 kg strawberries
1 vanilla bean (split & seeds scraped out)
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 cups sugar

hull & half strawberries + vanilla bean & lemon juice to a pan
cook till fruit is soft
+ sugar
when dissolved increase heat
15-20 minutes
once it is set - can poke with finger & kinda runny
pour into sterilized jars

fried semolina dumplings with cinnamon


bring 2 1/4 cup milk to boil
whisk milk as you add 1/2 cup semolina
lower heat and stir - 5 minutes
+ 1/2 cup sugar, 2 egg yolks, 2 tbsp butter and 1 tsp orange blossom water

spread mixture on a well greased tray
cover and refrigerate till set

roll into small balls with dusted hands (flour)
dust in flour
egg wash
and put in bread crumbs

cook in 1/2 oil, 1/2 butter & once lightly brown sprinkle cinnamon sugar over it.

10.14.2009

marinara pizza


pizza base. (make or buy)
2 tinned tomatoes
basil handful
salt
pepper
(blended)
marinara mix (placed in salted water until needed)
anchovies (as many as you want)
mozzarella cheese grated.

spread sauce on (poked) pizza bases
+ marinara mix (about 150-200g per pizza)
+anchovies
+mozzarella cheese
place pizzas in oven 180 deg.
rotate. till crispy on the bottom


chickpea salad

marinated chickpeas:
(Can or two of chickpeas
rinse with cold water
add lemon or lime juice,
olive oil
salt and pepper)
rocket, enough for salad.
basil pesto:
(basil leaves 3 handfuls ,salt pinch , pepper pinch ,pine nuts handful ,olive oil 1/2 cup ,garlic 4 cloves. blended.)
mix it all together.

Chocolate and walnut muffins


cup plain flour 1 +2/3
cocoa 1/3 cup
baking powder 2 tsp
white sugar 1 cup
chopped walnuts 1/2 cup
chopped dark cooking chocolate 1 cup
buttermilk 3/4 cup
1 egg
125g butter. melted. cooled.

preheat oven 180 deg.
sift flour, cocoa, baking powder
+ sugar, walnuts, chocolate. mix well.
make a well in centre.
+buttermilk, egg, melted butter. mix lightly.
spoon into muffin pan.
bake for 30 mins or till skewers come out clean.