This blog will still remain here as always, but now will not continue to be updated with posts.
To find my new site with fresh content, a new look and it's own URL head over to...
http://furikakeme.net
Thanks to all who have continued to visit this page, I appreciate it immensely, and I hope you'll enjoy the new page even more!
Camellia.
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Monday, 5 August 2013
Not A Recipe - Travels to Japan!
So last month I had my mid year uni break and embarked upon a holiday with a group of my close girl friends to Japan! We traveled for just short of three weeks and stayed in four cities with some day trips along the way. We began in Tokyo and spent a lot of time exploring the districts, next was Hakone a spa town and "place for honeymooners" so we were told, then Kyoto with bike riding, the Gion Matsuri festival and countless beautiful temples with a finale in Osaka home of kuiadore; a term that essentially means "to eat until you can no longer eat anymore".
Day trips to Mt Fuji, Nara and Kobe (yes there was beef involved) also happened. And a ride on the infamous shinkansen = bullet train. Probably one of the highlights aside from the beautiful culture and amazing food. I thought I'd just share a few of my favourite food snaps from the trip here, I'll try to be concise.
Gyudon (shaved beef and onion over rice) with cod roe mayo and pickled mustard leaves.
Glorious cold soba noodles, at cold noodles nearly every day! Sooo good when it's 35 and 80% humidity out.
Still haven't been able to figure out what these were! But one of my favourite things, they were like pancakes rolled up on a stick, they had tempura bits on them and were covered in okonomiyaki sauce and mayo. So delicious! Everywhere at the Gion Matsuri festival.
Fried beancurd at a little eatery in the markets in Kyoto. Ate the whole thing along with my daily dose of cold noodles.
Gloriously rich, buttery, melting beefy Kobe beef in Kobe! We opted for the "special kobe beef set" which was a 200g sirloin cut.
Modanyaki in Osaka, okonomiyaki's evil cousin filled with yakisoba! So crazy big and delicious.
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An Osakan speciality, takoyaki! Little grilled balls of batter filled with octopus and other fillings of choice topped with a sweet tangy (okonomiyaki) sauce, mayo and bonito flakes.
My favourite daily staple alongside cold noodles, onigiri! Could get these for about $1-2 depending on filling choice from the convenience stores. And they had a genius wrapping system which let the seaweed stay separate from the rice until it was time to eat so it was always crispy!
Day trips to Mt Fuji, Nara and Kobe (yes there was beef involved) also happened. And a ride on the infamous shinkansen = bullet train. Probably one of the highlights aside from the beautiful culture and amazing food. I thought I'd just share a few of my favourite food snaps from the trip here, I'll try to be concise.
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Monday, 1 July 2013
Haloumi Haloumi Haloumi!
Glorious, squeaky, salty, tasty haloumi!
I had a friend visit recently who mentioned to me that she currently had a slightly shameful addiction to haloumi. Ever since mentioning it, I just couldn't get haloumi off my mind! I was feeling especially peckish one morning and decided to do something brunch-ey with it. It was particularly sunny and I was feeling inspired by the current cafe trend of putting stuff on ciabatta bread. This was the result:
2 thick slices of ciabatta
1/2 an avocado
1 handful of rocket
4 thick slices of haloumi
sea salt flakes (because you're fancy like that)
pepper
olive oil to drizzle
Fry the little haloumi babies in a pan over medium heat until brown on both sides and sufficiently gooey.
Tear up rocket and smash it through the avocado, add some salt and pepper.
Toast or grill your bread.
Slather the avocado rocket mix over the grilled bread and top with slices of haloumi.
Garnish with salt, pepper, olive oil and some rocket leaves (if you want to be fancy like that).
Photograph for instagram, because it's totally worthy.
I had a friend visit recently who mentioned to me that she currently had a slightly shameful addiction to haloumi. Ever since mentioning it, I just couldn't get haloumi off my mind! I was feeling especially peckish one morning and decided to do something brunch-ey with it. It was particularly sunny and I was feeling inspired by the current cafe trend of putting stuff on ciabatta bread. This was the result:
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| Couldn't even manage a straight photo I wanted to eat it so bad. |
Rocket Smashed Avocado and Grilled Haloumi
Serves 1 of me.2 thick slices of ciabatta
1/2 an avocado
1 handful of rocket
4 thick slices of haloumi
sea salt flakes (because you're fancy like that)
pepper
olive oil to drizzle
Fry the little haloumi babies in a pan over medium heat until brown on both sides and sufficiently gooey.
Tear up rocket and smash it through the avocado, add some salt and pepper.
Toast or grill your bread.
Slather the avocado rocket mix over the grilled bread and top with slices of haloumi.
Garnish with salt, pepper, olive oil and some rocket leaves (if you want to be fancy like that).
Photograph for instagram, because it's totally worthy.
Hearty Eggplant Parmigiana Bake
I go through phases of being addicted to certain foods. Currently I'm completely stuck on eggplant. Soft and creamy when it's cooked properly, it's amazing how rich tasting a vegetable can be! And it's good for ya, so it's a win-win situation for me really. I end up eating it religiously for a few weeks then move on to the next thing, but it comes back around every few months, like an old loyal friend. Oh eggplant.
Anywho, I've done the eggplant schnitzel thang, and I felt it was time to layer and bake. I ate it like lasagne, with some veg on the side the first time but then realised, hey, eggplant is a vegetable, why double up? I made up for that by adding a ton of mozzarella ;)
1 large eggplant
1 700ml jar tomato passata
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pinch thyme (dried or fresh
250g grated or slice mozzarellla
1 handful of breadcrumbs (optional)
salt & pepper
olive oil
Slice eggplant in to ~1.5cm slices, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill under a medium heat in oven or on stove top until colored and nearly cooked through.
Meanwhile, saute the sliced garlic in olive oil for a few moments, add passata, thyme, salt and pepper, and let it bubble away on a low heat reducing slightly.
Layer sauce, eggplant and cheese in a medium baking dish (I used a square cake tin), in that order, and repeat ending with a layer of sauce, cheese then breadcrumbs if desired.
Bake at 200°c for about 20mins or until golden on top and eggplant is melting and soft.
Rest for 10mins before serving or it will slop everywhere.
PS: It's even better re-heated.
Anywho, I've done the eggplant schnitzel thang, and I felt it was time to layer and bake. I ate it like lasagne, with some veg on the side the first time but then realised, hey, eggplant is a vegetable, why double up? I made up for that by adding a ton of mozzarella ;)
Baked Eggplant Parmigiana
Serves 41 large eggplant
1 700ml jar tomato passata
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pinch thyme (dried or fresh
250g grated or slice mozzarellla
1 handful of breadcrumbs (optional)
salt & pepper
olive oil
Slice eggplant in to ~1.5cm slices, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill under a medium heat in oven or on stove top until colored and nearly cooked through.
Meanwhile, saute the sliced garlic in olive oil for a few moments, add passata, thyme, salt and pepper, and let it bubble away on a low heat reducing slightly.
Layer sauce, eggplant and cheese in a medium baking dish (I used a square cake tin), in that order, and repeat ending with a layer of sauce, cheese then breadcrumbs if desired.
Bake at 200°c for about 20mins or until golden on top and eggplant is melting and soft.
Rest for 10mins before serving or it will slop everywhere.
PS: It's even better re-heated.
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Winter Warmers - Slow Ham Bone Soup
Recently I picked up some weekend work at a lovely restaurant in the city. The boss has a marvelous personality and the food is delectable. It's been interesting getting to know how things go in food service, as I have visited many restaurants but never before worked in one. Working around food fortunately comes with some delicious perks like the little table by the kitchen door that treats of extras appear on for the waitstaff to nibble. And, as the place closes on Sunday and Monday, the staff get any leftover ingredients to take home as they wish.
Last week I picked up a bag of ham bones and bacon/salami trimmings, and in the spirit of the cold weather made a delightfully hearty pork soup with melting pieces of smoked ham, cabbage, butter beans and potato. The pork was reminiscent of the boiling bacon my dad used to cook up on cool nights, served with sauerkraut and mustard.
I added some fennel seeds for a lighter flavour and after being cooked for the 3-4hrs they turned soft and palatable, weakening in aroma. Surprisingly yum.
1 meaty leftover ham bone, or 1 smoked pork hock
1 brown onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
~5 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
a pinch of fennel seeds (optional)
400g cooked butter beans, or 1 handful dry
~1 cup chopped cabbage (any type really, just not chinese)
2 large potatoes, chopped in to chunks
Add the pork, onion, garlic, pepper, bay, fennel and (if using) dry beans to a large pot. Fill with water until the hock is covered. Don't add salt at this stage as the meat should be seasoned which will draw out in to the soup as it cooks, also it will mess up the bean cooking process.
Bring to the boil and skim if needed, turn to low and simmer for 3-4hrs or until the meat is tender and the beans are cooked. But don't forget...
About half an hour before ready to serve, increase the heat and add the potato, then 5 minutes prior add the cabbage. Boil until softened. Break the meat off and remove the bones. Leave the peppercorns for your least favourite guest.
Pour in to a bowl and enjoy on the sofa wrapped in a blanket.
Last week I picked up a bag of ham bones and bacon/salami trimmings, and in the spirit of the cold weather made a delightfully hearty pork soup with melting pieces of smoked ham, cabbage, butter beans and potato. The pork was reminiscent of the boiling bacon my dad used to cook up on cool nights, served with sauerkraut and mustard.
I added some fennel seeds for a lighter flavour and after being cooked for the 3-4hrs they turned soft and palatable, weakening in aroma. Surprisingly yum.
Ham Bone Soup
Serves 41 meaty leftover ham bone, or 1 smoked pork hock
1 brown onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
~5 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
a pinch of fennel seeds (optional)
400g cooked butter beans, or 1 handful dry
~1 cup chopped cabbage (any type really, just not chinese)
2 large potatoes, chopped in to chunks
Add the pork, onion, garlic, pepper, bay, fennel and (if using) dry beans to a large pot. Fill with water until the hock is covered. Don't add salt at this stage as the meat should be seasoned which will draw out in to the soup as it cooks, also it will mess up the bean cooking process.
Bring to the boil and skim if needed, turn to low and simmer for 3-4hrs or until the meat is tender and the beans are cooked. But don't forget...
About half an hour before ready to serve, increase the heat and add the potato, then 5 minutes prior add the cabbage. Boil until softened. Break the meat off and remove the bones. Leave the peppercorns for your least favourite guest.
Pour in to a bowl and enjoy on the sofa wrapped in a blanket.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Slow Braised Chinese Pork Belly
Every time I visit a chinese restaurant I always make sure pork belly is on order. I'm completely addicted to the melting fat and tender soft meat, all soaked in the flavours of star anise, soy, ginger and garlic. I had an intense craving the other day and decided to recreate some at home.
After a brief panic attack because the supermarkets were closed due to a public holiday (damn SA trading laws), I surprisingly found some belly cuts at my local foodland corner store. Chuffed, I trotted home and started preparing. Threw in some bok choy too because I figured I should probably eat some sort of greenery after all that pork fat.
4 generous slices of pork belly, about 500g
(alternatively, buy a whole piece of belly and slice 3-4cm thick)
1 small knob ginger
4 cloves garlic
8 spring onions
2 star anise
4tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp shao xing cooking wine (about $2 a bottle at any Chinese grocer)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (you can leave this out if it's too much trouble)
steamed rice and bokchoy to serve
Slice ginger in to discs and spring onions in to 5cm batons. Place all ingredients in to a pot that the meat fits snuggly (but not too snug) in.
Cover with water so the meat is submerged and bring to the boil slowly on the stove. Turn down to a gentle simmer and leave for approximately 2hrs, or until the meat is tender, but not falling apart.
Retrieve the meat, and strain sauce if desired. You can also thicken with a little cornflour mixed with water, however I like the runny but rich gelatinous taste.
Serve over steamed rice with greens and remain blissfully ignorant to the thought of eating streaks of melting tender pork fat.
After a brief panic attack because the supermarkets were closed due to a public holiday (damn SA trading laws), I surprisingly found some belly cuts at my local foodland corner store. Chuffed, I trotted home and started preparing. Threw in some bok choy too because I figured I should probably eat some sort of greenery after all that pork fat.
Chinese Braised Pork Belly
serves 44 generous slices of pork belly, about 500g
(alternatively, buy a whole piece of belly and slice 3-4cm thick)
1 small knob ginger
4 cloves garlic
8 spring onions
2 star anise
4tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp shao xing cooking wine (about $2 a bottle at any Chinese grocer)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (you can leave this out if it's too much trouble)
steamed rice and bokchoy to serve
Slice ginger in to discs and spring onions in to 5cm batons. Place all ingredients in to a pot that the meat fits snuggly (but not too snug) in.
Cover with water so the meat is submerged and bring to the boil slowly on the stove. Turn down to a gentle simmer and leave for approximately 2hrs, or until the meat is tender, but not falling apart.
Retrieve the meat, and strain sauce if desired. You can also thicken with a little cornflour mixed with water, however I like the runny but rich gelatinous taste.
Serve over steamed rice with greens and remain blissfully ignorant to the thought of eating streaks of melting tender pork fat.
Indulgent Peanut Butter and Nutella Crepe Cake
I made this cake for my birthday just recently. I'd wanted to make a crepe cake for a long time but the thought of making that many crepes freaked me out so much that I constantly put it off. Then, not long ago I visited a dessert bar with crepe cake on the menu which was deeelicious and made up my mind that I was going to conquer the beast.
Now, I'm warning you, this cake has a disgustingly large amount of butter in it, so if you're health conscious, best look away now. Also, I apologise to my friends who ate this on that weekend...
I did get some comments about it tasting like a giant Reeses peanut butter cup, which I was pleased about since they began my love for PB and chocolate many years ago.
The crepe's are chocolate and made from a martha stewart recipe for her crepe cake with a (very complicated) delicious looking hazelnut filling. The PB and nutella are my creation adapted from frosting recipes. You'll want to set it in the fridge after making it, but if the weather permits then leave it out at a cool room temperature otherwise the crepes harden up and it's less fun. Best eaten within a few days.
Apologies for the wonky photos, it was my birthday and I was so excited to eat the cake I could barely manage pictures.
170g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
1 1/2 cups flour
6 eggs
1/3 cup sugar (caster, raw, whatever you please)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups milk
200g butter
2 cups icing sugar
dash of vanilla extract
pinch of salt
200g butter
2 cups icing sugar
dash of vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Method
Heat 1/4 cup of water over the stove and whisk in butter 1 cube at a time until all emulsified. Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate until all melted and incorporated. Set aside momentarily.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, add the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla and whisk till combine, slowly add the milk until a smooth but runny batter forms. Grab the chocolate mixture that's been cooling and whisk in vigorously until it resembles a delicious chocolate drink. Don't drink it though, it's pretty tempting.
Let that baby rest for a couple hours or overnight if you want to make it in advance.
Take a break and watch some trashy daytime television.
Next step, cook the crepe's spooning a small ladle full in to the pan and swirling to spread. The first will always be a disaster so don't be disheartened. Also if you make lots of ugly ones, not to fret either, you can hide them in the middle of your cake ;)
I ended up with about 22 crepes (convenient since I was turning 22!) you may have a few more, or a few less, which is fine.
While the crepe's cool, make the fillings by beating the butter with sugar, salt, and vanilla until fluffy then adding the PB/nutella and beating a few minutes longer until it's all mixed in and aerated.
Now comes the fun part! Start layering with a crepe first, then alternate layers of PB and nutella filling, allowing one very heaping tablespoon for each layer. Top with a layer of filling or just leave the crepe bare. You can also sprinkle with grated chocolate or cocoa powder. I left mine with PB :)
Slice, and marvel at the glorious stripes!
Now, I'm warning you, this cake has a disgustingly large amount of butter in it, so if you're health conscious, best look away now. Also, I apologise to my friends who ate this on that weekend...
I did get some comments about it tasting like a giant Reeses peanut butter cup, which I was pleased about since they began my love for PB and chocolate many years ago.
The crepe's are chocolate and made from a martha stewart recipe for her crepe cake with a (very complicated) delicious looking hazelnut filling. The PB and nutella are my creation adapted from frosting recipes. You'll want to set it in the fridge after making it, but if the weather permits then leave it out at a cool room temperature otherwise the crepes harden up and it's less fun. Best eaten within a few days.
Apologies for the wonky photos, it was my birthday and I was so excited to eat the cake I could barely manage pictures.
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| ermagerd! cake! |
Chocolate Crepes
1/4 cup water170g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
1 1/2 cups flour
6 eggs
1/3 cup sugar (caster, raw, whatever you please)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups milk
Peanut Butter Filling
1 cup smooth peanut butter200g butter
2 cups icing sugar
dash of vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Nutella Filling
1 cup nutella200g butter
2 cups icing sugar
dash of vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Method
Heat 1/4 cup of water over the stove and whisk in butter 1 cube at a time until all emulsified. Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate until all melted and incorporated. Set aside momentarily.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, add the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla and whisk till combine, slowly add the milk until a smooth but runny batter forms. Grab the chocolate mixture that's been cooling and whisk in vigorously until it resembles a delicious chocolate drink. Don't drink it though, it's pretty tempting.
Let that baby rest for a couple hours or overnight if you want to make it in advance.
Take a break and watch some trashy daytime television.
Next step, cook the crepe's spooning a small ladle full in to the pan and swirling to spread. The first will always be a disaster so don't be disheartened. Also if you make lots of ugly ones, not to fret either, you can hide them in the middle of your cake ;)
I ended up with about 22 crepes (convenient since I was turning 22!) you may have a few more, or a few less, which is fine.
While the crepe's cool, make the fillings by beating the butter with sugar, salt, and vanilla until fluffy then adding the PB/nutella and beating a few minutes longer until it's all mixed in and aerated.
Now comes the fun part! Start layering with a crepe first, then alternate layers of PB and nutella filling, allowing one very heaping tablespoon for each layer. Top with a layer of filling or just leave the crepe bare. You can also sprinkle with grated chocolate or cocoa powder. I left mine with PB :)
Slice, and marvel at the glorious stripes!
Autumn Pasta Greed
Motivation to exercise always ceases when the cool change sets in. Not wanting to get out of bed, wearing thick cardigans and eating lots of pasta are common themes for me. Pasta because it's tasty, but also because it's quick and comforting. It's funny how eating tends to replace exercise in colder months. A dangerous opposite.
Anywho, a favourite dish of mine from growing up was always spaghetti carbonara. I would get so excited when dad would make it for dinner and eat 2, 3, even 4 helpings before he told me that I should stop, and I would, but always reluctantly. Traditionally the addition of cream is not as common, as the egg is the star of the show, but make sure your eggs are fresh! And if it weirds you out too much just substitute an egg for an extra 100ml of cream.
8 rashers short cut bacon
1 small brown onion
2 cloves garlic
4 eggs
dash of cream or milk
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley and parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)
Cut the bacon in to strips and fry with a little oil in a pan until browned, but not too crisp. I would brown mine a little more next time.
Chop the onion and garlic finely and add to the pan with bacon, fry on a low heat for a good 10-15mins so the onions are nice and soft (start heating your pasta water now). Best to avoid crunchy raw onion in your pasta.
Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti (I used linguine because it's my favourite) in a large pot of well salted water.
While the onions and pasta cook, whisk the eggs with cream/milk and season with salt and pepper.
Once cooked to al dente, drain and quickly place back in to the pot.
Add the bacon and onion, as well as the egg mix. Stir and let the egg slowly cook through the residual heat. If it's not doing much put it back on a very low heat and mix constantly, but make sure the egg doesn't just scramble on the bottom.
Pile generously on to a plate and eat on the sofa.
Anywho, a favourite dish of mine from growing up was always spaghetti carbonara. I would get so excited when dad would make it for dinner and eat 2, 3, even 4 helpings before he told me that I should stop, and I would, but always reluctantly. Traditionally the addition of cream is not as common, as the egg is the star of the show, but make sure your eggs are fresh! And if it weirds you out too much just substitute an egg for an extra 100ml of cream.
Simple Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 4, generously8 rashers short cut bacon
1 small brown onion
2 cloves garlic
4 eggs
dash of cream or milk
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley and parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)
Cut the bacon in to strips and fry with a little oil in a pan until browned, but not too crisp. I would brown mine a little more next time.
Chop the onion and garlic finely and add to the pan with bacon, fry on a low heat for a good 10-15mins so the onions are nice and soft (start heating your pasta water now). Best to avoid crunchy raw onion in your pasta.
Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti (I used linguine because it's my favourite) in a large pot of well salted water.
While the onions and pasta cook, whisk the eggs with cream/milk and season with salt and pepper.
Once cooked to al dente, drain and quickly place back in to the pot.
Add the bacon and onion, as well as the egg mix. Stir and let the egg slowly cook through the residual heat. If it's not doing much put it back on a very low heat and mix constantly, but make sure the egg doesn't just scramble on the bottom.
Pile generously on to a plate and eat on the sofa.
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Addictive Chickpea Lentil Salad
Salad number two from my lentil salad list. List of two that is, haha. I started making this after having something similar from a convenience store. I thought, damn I could make this at home and it would be fifty zillion times better. And it was. It's so so ridiculously easy to make especially if you take the trashy route and use canned chickpeas and lentils (hey, sometimes a gal's gotta do what a gals gotta do) and can be a nice side to some meat or seafood, or a main meal on it's own. I made it so much over the summer and always bring it along to BBQ's/parties where it's always welcome!
The chickpeas are my favourite bit they're like little creamy nutty nuggets of goodness. I always try to fit as many on my fork/in to my mouth as I can in one hit. Not going to lie, I often just go for spoonfuls straight from the can...
1/2 generous bunch of parsley (curly or flat), finely chopped
1 400g can of chickpeas
1 400g can of lentils (or alternatively cook and cool 350g from dried)
2 ripe tomatoes de-seeded diced
1 cucumber de-seeded and diced
4 spring onions sliced
1 avocado diced (optional but delicious)
Dressing
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp tahini (if you don't have this you can substitute mayonnaise)
1 tsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk all the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a bowl (serving bowl will do; less to wash). Dice salad veg how you wish (I like, little 1cmish cubes) and toss through with drained chickpeas and lentils. Then, shovel in to your mouth and enjoy!
The chickpeas are my favourite bit they're like little creamy nutty nuggets of goodness. I always try to fit as many on my fork/in to my mouth as I can in one hit. Not going to lie, I often just go for spoonfuls straight from the can...
Chickpea Lentil Summer Salad
Serves 4 as a main, 6+ as a side
1/2 generous bunch of parsley (curly or flat), finely chopped
1 400g can of chickpeas
1 400g can of lentils (or alternatively cook and cool 350g from dried)
2 ripe tomatoes de-seeded diced
1 cucumber de-seeded and diced
4 spring onions sliced
1 avocado diced (optional but delicious)
Dressing
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp tahini (if you don't have this you can substitute mayonnaise)
1 tsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk all the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a bowl (serving bowl will do; less to wash). Dice salad veg how you wish (I like, little 1cmish cubes) and toss through with drained chickpeas and lentils. Then, shovel in to your mouth and enjoy!
A Crazy Summer's End
It's been a rather hectic last few months, I've taken a long hot break over the summer from the blog but I can't be neglectful forever and have finally made my return. I have a handful of summery recipes that I'll post up for anyone wanting to hold on to the last ray of warmth before the autumn chill sets in. It's going to be lovely and warm for the next week or so, even though it is technically autumn, I feel like it's okay to pretend for a little longer...
So while you kick back in your front yard with an old book and iced tea pretending that you're not too cold why not make a little something to nibble. Here are my two favourite lentil salads from the summer. Lentils are the best, such an all rounder. They're a carb, vegetable and protein substitute. Plus they are quick to cook and inexpensive. Always a win. I just use plain old brown ones but whatever you fancy! Just stay away from the dahl varieties (red, yellow) or anything split because they will just turn to mush, you want the skins on.
2 cups lentils, cooked and cooled
1 cup crumbled feta
1 small head lettuce (butter, cos, baby spinach or cress would work, just please no iceberg)
From here you can freestyle, add whatever you like, tomato, carrot, avocado, cucumber... I just left it as is but utilise what's in your fridge!
Dressing
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste (not too much salt, feta is very salty)
Whisk dressing ingredients in a bowl (the salad serving bowl will do; less washing up). Tear lettuce in to small pieces and toss it all together! Pull out your cutest salad servers and dig down to the bottom for the best tangy, salty feta lentil stash.
Next salad, next post ;)
So while you kick back in your front yard with an old book and iced tea pretending that you're not too cold why not make a little something to nibble. Here are my two favourite lentil salads from the summer. Lentils are the best, such an all rounder. They're a carb, vegetable and protein substitute. Plus they are quick to cook and inexpensive. Always a win. I just use plain old brown ones but whatever you fancy! Just stay away from the dahl varieties (red, yellow) or anything split because they will just turn to mush, you want the skins on.
Lovely Lemony Lentil Feta Salad
Serves 4-6
2 cups lentils, cooked and cooled
1 cup crumbled feta
1 small head lettuce (butter, cos, baby spinach or cress would work, just please no iceberg)
From here you can freestyle, add whatever you like, tomato, carrot, avocado, cucumber... I just left it as is but utilise what's in your fridge!
Dressing
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste (not too much salt, feta is very salty)
Whisk dressing ingredients in a bowl (the salad serving bowl will do; less washing up). Tear lettuce in to small pieces and toss it all together! Pull out your cutest salad servers and dig down to the bottom for the best tangy, salty feta lentil stash.
Next salad, next post ;)
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Garden Ventures
Not a recipe; but I've been growing my own herbs and things in the small space I have free in the front of the house.
Yesterday I was able to pick the green beans I planted a couple months back! So excited about having fresh home grown veg and it was practically free!
Growing stuff is so easy you can grow in anything even if you don't have a garden patch. I currently have basil sitting in an old party tub that I cut holes in to the buttom of. Grab a $5 bag of potting mix, some water and you're set! I encourage everyone to try it.
Monday, 3 December 2012
Fake Fancy
I've always been a firm believer in not having to spend much money to eat well. That said, you can also spend lots of money and eat well, but I don't see it as necessary. As long as you have the right mindset and know the best way to prepare/utilise certain ingredients, you can eat damn good food.
Everybody loves pasta right? It's cheap, it's fast, it's filling, and it's loaded with carby goodness. It's definitely my go-to meal when I'm feeling lazy and poor.
So, here's something I came up with on a whim, I really wanted some sort of fancy pasta dish but didn't have much money and was so tired of the regulars; bolognese, carbonara, etc. It turned out delicious and took very little time to prepare. As an added bonus it's vegetarian too, but either way you've gotta be crazy to not love big chunks of mushroom.
Most of the ingredients are pantry staples. So buying the rocket, mushrooms and parmesan only set me back around $10.
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp butter + splash of oil
1 500g packet of linguine/any shape really
1 150g bag of rocket
Grated parmesan to garnish*
Method:
Bring a large pot to the boil and salt well. Meanwhile slice mushrooms and garlic.
Saute mushrooms and garlic with butter and oil. At the same time as adding mushrooms to pan, add pasta to boiling water.
Once mushrooms are nearly cooked through season well** with salt and pepper. Do this later and not first to avoid the water leeching out of the mushrooms.
Cook pasta until al dente (I ALWAYS ignore the packet instructions and just taste it till its ready). Drain, then toss through the mushrooms and rocket.
Pile on to plates and top with grated parmesan to impress your guests.
*Don't tell anyone but I won't hate you if you use that stuff kept in the aisles
**Remember that once the mushrooms are tossed through the pasta the flavour will be less strong. Don't stress if they're a little over salted, it's probably a good thing!
Everybody loves pasta right? It's cheap, it's fast, it's filling, and it's loaded with carby goodness. It's definitely my go-to meal when I'm feeling lazy and poor.
So, here's something I came up with on a whim, I really wanted some sort of fancy pasta dish but didn't have much money and was so tired of the regulars; bolognese, carbonara, etc. It turned out delicious and took very little time to prepare. As an added bonus it's vegetarian too, but either way you've gotta be crazy to not love big chunks of mushroom.
Most of the ingredients are pantry staples. So buying the rocket, mushrooms and parmesan only set me back around $10.
Portobello Mushroom Pasta
Serves 4
8 small portobello mushrooms1 clove garlic
1 tbsp butter + splash of oil
1 500g packet of linguine/any shape really
1 150g bag of rocket
Grated parmesan to garnish*
Method:
Bring a large pot to the boil and salt well. Meanwhile slice mushrooms and garlic.
Saute mushrooms and garlic with butter and oil. At the same time as adding mushrooms to pan, add pasta to boiling water.
Once mushrooms are nearly cooked through season well** with salt and pepper. Do this later and not first to avoid the water leeching out of the mushrooms.
Cook pasta until al dente (I ALWAYS ignore the packet instructions and just taste it till its ready). Drain, then toss through the mushrooms and rocket.
Pile on to plates and top with grated parmesan to impress your guests.
*Don't tell anyone but I won't hate you if you use that stuff kept in the aisles
**Remember that once the mushrooms are tossed through the pasta the flavour will be less strong. Don't stress if they're a little over salted, it's probably a good thing!
Friday, 23 November 2012
Silverbeet!
We had so much that I thought I should utilise it well and make something that required a large amount. I tossed around some ideas and then remembered a failed attempt at quiche I had long ago and wanted to redeem myself. Okay, so I didn't make quiche, but turned it in to a silverbeet-rich baked frittata (I guess you could call it).
The beet was mostly leafy with small stems which is preferable to me, I shredded it and tossed it in olive oil with sliced mushrooms and some saute'd garlic and spring onions to wilt it a little and mixed it up with beaten eggs, cream salt and pepper before covering with a nice layer of parmesan and baking ;)
Silverbeet and Mushroom Frittata
Serves 6
1 large bunch silverbeet, sliced500g mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 spring onions, sliced
olive oil
4 large eggs
150ml cream
150ml milk
1/2 cup parmesan, gruyere or cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Slice silverbeet, musrooms, garlic and spring onions. Saute garlic, onions and mushrooms until mushrooms begin to cook. Add silverbeet and toss until wilted.
(I do this in the dish I'm about to bake in) Mix eggs, cream, milk and salt/pepper in the dish an add beet/mushroom mix. Carefully stir together to combine and make sure the beet is distributed evenly/there are no air pockets.
Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 40 minutes or until set in the middle and cheese is browned on top.
Makes a nice lunch served with a simple side salad.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Better than Bolognese
One day I had absolutely nothing to do so I ended up lounging around watching Jamie Oliver TV shows on my computer. It was great! But it made me sooo hungry. I was inspired to make a 30 minute meal, but you know, it's pretty much impossible to do if you don't have the insane chopping skills of Jamie.
I figured since I'd taken inspiration from this one dish he makes on 30 minute meals and makes 4 in that whole 30 minutes that this one would be easy peasy and take no time at all. So it didn't take that long, but I think I managed it in about 40... Mostly because I have a silly electric stove which doesn't like getting hot and had to wait for the ingredients to brown.
Anywho, it was a delight to eat! I got hooked and was glad I made such a large amount so I could still have it for the next 3 days. The sweetness and aniseed flavours from the balsamic and fennel seeds are addictive. I didn't think I was going to like it because I used to be a sweet-in-savoury food snob, but now this is my go-to when I want something tomatoey but am totally over plain old bolognese. Don't be put off by me saying it's sweet, it's not like a sugary sweet it's very mildly sweet with a nice mellow tang.
500g g pork mince
500g g pasta of your choice
1 carrot
1 brown onion
4 cloves garlic
2 celery stalks
1 tspn fennel seeds
1 pinch salt and pepper
1 splash olive oil
1 700ml jar of tomato passata
I figured since I'd taken inspiration from this one dish he makes on 30 minute meals and makes 4 in that whole 30 minutes that this one would be easy peasy and take no time at all. So it didn't take that long, but I think I managed it in about 40... Mostly because I have a silly electric stove which doesn't like getting hot and had to wait for the ingredients to brown.
Anywho, it was a delight to eat! I got hooked and was glad I made such a large amount so I could still have it for the next 3 days. The sweetness and aniseed flavours from the balsamic and fennel seeds are addictive. I didn't think I was going to like it because I used to be a sweet-in-savoury food snob, but now this is my go-to when I want something tomatoey but am totally over plain old bolognese. Don't be put off by me saying it's sweet, it's not like a sugary sweet it's very mildly sweet with a nice mellow tang.
Pork, Fennel and Balsamic Pasta
Serves 4 large or 6 small.500g g pork mince
500g g pasta of your choice
1 carrot
1 brown onion
4 cloves garlic
2 celery stalks
1 tspn fennel seeds
1 pinch salt and pepper
1 splash olive oil
1 700ml jar of tomato passata
Method
Place carrot, onion, garlic and celery in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.
Saute over med-high heat in a large fry pan with olive oil.
Once the mix begins to caramelise, push to one side and add the pork mince and brown.
Give it a good lug of balsamic – about 3 tbsp and let it sizzle off the tart vinegar tang and leave behind the sticky sweet balsamic taste.
Season generously with salt and pepper and add the fennel seeds.
Add the passata and simmer gently, tasting and seasoning with salt and pepper again if required.
Drain your pasta but reserve some cooking liquid and toss it all together with the sauce (this is why you need a large pan) which will help to emulsify the sauce and stop that horrible water-in-the-bottom-of-your-bowl problem.
Enjoy!
Optional: Toss through some fresh chopped parsley and garnish with grated parmesan.
Saute over med-high heat in a large fry pan with olive oil.
Once the mix begins to caramelise, push to one side and add the pork mince and brown.
Give it a good lug of balsamic – about 3 tbsp and let it sizzle off the tart vinegar tang and leave behind the sticky sweet balsamic taste.
Season generously with salt and pepper and add the fennel seeds.
Add the passata and simmer gently, tasting and seasoning with salt and pepper again if required.
Drain your pasta but reserve some cooking liquid and toss it all together with the sauce (this is why you need a large pan) which will help to emulsify the sauce and stop that horrible water-in-the-bottom-of-your-bowl problem.
Enjoy!
Optional: Toss through some fresh chopped parsley and garnish with grated parmesan.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Cold Rolls
These things go by so many different names, I've met people who have no idea what I'm talking about when I mention them. Sometimes people call them Vietnamese rolls but that generally refers to those crazy french inspired pork baguettes filled with fresh herbs and mayo. Rice paper rolls, fresh spring rolls and cold rolls are common names.
Anywho, I love them! I'd never had them really until I moved to Adelaide and my first housemate introduced me to them. She put avocado in them too which was so delicious! They're the best lunch on a hot day because they're so refreshing. I love that fresh herb and chewy rice paper goodness.
The concept is so fun because you can fill these with all sorts of leftovers, doesn't need to be ~authentic~ just as long as it tastes good. They're super transportable and can be eaten with your hands so they make the perfect picnic or packed lunch addition. Going to be making many more of these over the summer.
1 tsp soy
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp palm (or brown) sugar
1/2 a lime's juice
16 round rice paper sheets (available in the Asian section at most supermarkets)
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch Vietnamese mint (or regular if you can't find Vietnamese)
100g rice vermicelli or glass noodles
Cucumber slices
Shredded lettuce
4 spring onions sliced
1 large avocado, cut in to slices
Method
Marinade the chicken in the soy, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Pan fry until cooked through and browned on the outside. Let rest then slice thinly.
Prepare the rice vermicelli or glass noodles as instructed.
Lay all the ingredients out along with a large shallow bowl/tray filled with recently boiled water and assemble as follows (I love to put this all on the table and let people DIY)
1. Quickly dunk rice paper in the hot water ensuring it is wet on all sides. Do not let it soften and wilt in the water otherwise you will struggle to handle it later. It will continue to soften as it sits.
2. Place on to a clean damp tea towel and lay chicken gracefully down the middle of the sheet.
3. Top with avocado, herbs, lettuce, cucumber and spring onion then adorn with a generous pinch of the noodles.
4. Wrap like you would a burrito, bringing two opposite sides in then folding a third over and rolling to seal shut.
Serve with a dipping sauce of choice, I like to keep it simple and just eat them with soy or a mix of 2/3 soy, 1/3 rice vinegar, a dash of fish sauce and a squeeze of lime.
Anywho, I love them! I'd never had them really until I moved to Adelaide and my first housemate introduced me to them. She put avocado in them too which was so delicious! They're the best lunch on a hot day because they're so refreshing. I love that fresh herb and chewy rice paper goodness.
The concept is so fun because you can fill these with all sorts of leftovers, doesn't need to be ~authentic~ just as long as it tastes good. They're super transportable and can be eaten with your hands so they make the perfect picnic or packed lunch addition. Going to be making many more of these over the summer.
Chicken Avocado Cold Rolls
300g chicken thighs1 tsp soy
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp palm (or brown) sugar
1/2 a lime's juice
16 round rice paper sheets (available in the Asian section at most supermarkets)
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch Vietnamese mint (or regular if you can't find Vietnamese)
100g rice vermicelli or glass noodles
Cucumber slices
Shredded lettuce
4 spring onions sliced
1 large avocado, cut in to slices
Method
Marinade the chicken in the soy, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Pan fry until cooked through and browned on the outside. Let rest then slice thinly.
Prepare the rice vermicelli or glass noodles as instructed.
Lay all the ingredients out along with a large shallow bowl/tray filled with recently boiled water and assemble as follows (I love to put this all on the table and let people DIY)
1. Quickly dunk rice paper in the hot water ensuring it is wet on all sides. Do not let it soften and wilt in the water otherwise you will struggle to handle it later. It will continue to soften as it sits.
2. Place on to a clean damp tea towel and lay chicken gracefully down the middle of the sheet.
3. Top with avocado, herbs, lettuce, cucumber and spring onion then adorn with a generous pinch of the noodles.
4. Wrap like you would a burrito, bringing two opposite sides in then folding a third over and rolling to seal shut.
Serve with a dipping sauce of choice, I like to keep it simple and just eat them with soy or a mix of 2/3 soy, 1/3 rice vinegar, a dash of fish sauce and a squeeze of lime.
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
So Much to Post!
So little time... Or maybe I'm just lazy. Probably the latter.
I've got a vast amount of different dishes that have been photographed all lined up on my camera. Will be getting in to doing a big update soon but finishing my last semester of uni is becoming busy. For now, I'll leave you with a photo of a paella that I made for a Spanish themed dinner party I held. The recipe for this one won't be going up because I really wasn't happy with it, didn't taste right and I will definitely be switching things up next time. It was still nice! And it looked pretty.
I used this beautiful Calasparra rice for it and (even though I burned the first lot) I still have some left, so I'll make a smaller paella with a different sofrito next time which I'm hoping will be much nicer! You can find the rice at most gourmet grocers that carry spanish products, otherwise aborio or carneroli rice make a very reasonable alternative (and cost less too).
I've got a vast amount of different dishes that have been photographed all lined up on my camera. Will be getting in to doing a big update soon but finishing my last semester of uni is becoming busy. For now, I'll leave you with a photo of a paella that I made for a Spanish themed dinner party I held. The recipe for this one won't be going up because I really wasn't happy with it, didn't taste right and I will definitely be switching things up next time. It was still nice! And it looked pretty.
I used this beautiful Calasparra rice for it and (even though I burned the first lot) I still have some left, so I'll make a smaller paella with a different sofrito next time which I'm hoping will be much nicer! You can find the rice at most gourmet grocers that carry spanish products, otherwise aborio or carneroli rice make a very reasonable alternative (and cost less too).
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Inappropriately Chocolatey Cookies
I saw these cookies on an episode of one of Nigella's shows recently and died at the sight of them. I brought the ingredients around to the boy I babysits' place one night and we made them and they were just as good (if not better) as I imagined!
The biscuit part is actually quite bitter but once you load it up with chocolate chips all bitterness goes away, so don't freak out if you eat the mix and they don't taste right. They will, and with THAT many chocolate chips how can they not?!
I actually made this batch in the photo's with some caramel chips my boyfriend bought and sent me off to bake with. They were pretty sweet and I prefer dark choc chips instead but still so so good!
125g good dark chocolate (the stuff you eat! trust me it tastes best)
150g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarb
1 tsp salt
125g butter, softened
75g dark brown sugar
50g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 med (cold from fridge) egg
350g dark chocolate chips (or milk if you prefer, in my case caramel)
Pre-heat oven to 170°c
Melt the 125g of dark chocolate in either the microwave or over a pan of simmering water.
Cream the butter and sugar in a separate bowl (or stand mixer if you have one) then add the melted chocolate and combine.
Beat in the egg and vanilla then stir in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarb and salt.
Finally mix in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the mix out in to 12 equal portions on to 1 or 2 lined baking trays ensuring there's plenty of space between each as they will flatten a lot. Do not flatten them! An ice cream scoop is easiest but I don't actually have one so I just used 2 big tablespoons scraping the mix off one with the other.
Bake for approx 18mins or until a cake tester comes out clean. If you hit a chocolate chip try again.
Let cool slightly before removing from the trays and enjoy! Best served warm straight from the oven.
The biscuit part is actually quite bitter but once you load it up with chocolate chips all bitterness goes away, so don't freak out if you eat the mix and they don't taste right. They will, and with THAT many chocolate chips how can they not?!
I actually made this batch in the photo's with some caramel chips my boyfriend bought and sent me off to bake with. They were pretty sweet and I prefer dark choc chips instead but still so so good!
125g good dark chocolate (the stuff you eat! trust me it tastes best)
150g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarb
1 tsp salt
125g butter, softened
75g dark brown sugar
50g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 med (cold from fridge) egg
350g dark chocolate chips (or milk if you prefer, in my case caramel)
Pre-heat oven to 170°c
Melt the 125g of dark chocolate in either the microwave or over a pan of simmering water.
Cream the butter and sugar in a separate bowl (or stand mixer if you have one) then add the melted chocolate and combine.
Beat in the egg and vanilla then stir in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarb and salt.
Finally mix in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the mix out in to 12 equal portions on to 1 or 2 lined baking trays ensuring there's plenty of space between each as they will flatten a lot. Do not flatten them! An ice cream scoop is easiest but I don't actually have one so I just used 2 big tablespoons scraping the mix off one with the other.
Bake for approx 18mins or until a cake tester comes out clean. If you hit a chocolate chip try again.
Let cool slightly before removing from the trays and enjoy! Best served warm straight from the oven.
Focaccia
So busy lately with uni commitments, but, a few days ago I received my letter of acceptance in to a masters program in food studies! Hooray! I've finally found a few free hours now so here are some things I've been making lately, starting with this soft fresh home baked focaccia.
Home bread making can be quite easy if you choose the right type of bread to make! I picked up an adorable little European bread making cookbook in Portland on my travels last year and haven't made anything from it till now. I did tweak the recipe a little to suit my needs and I added a caramelised onion and herb topping.
Update: Here are some new pictures of a herb and olive focaccia I made a while back. I did this one in a pizza pan and made it round. Turned out so good!
1 heaped tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar or honey
1 tsp salt
good lug of olive oil
1/2 cup warm water initially plus more
3 cups plain flour
Topping
Top it how you wish! I just caramelised 1 large onion and strewed it ontop before baking along with some chopped garlic, rosemary, thyme and a good helping of olive oil however you can push olives in to the bread, slices of garlic, any woody herb or top it with cheese.
Mix yeast, sugar/honey, olive oil and 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl, let sit for ten minutes so the yeast can activate and feed on the sugars.
Add the salt and flour and begin to combine, you will need to add more water at this stage, just add it little by little until you form a soft, pliable but not sticky dough. I prefer to not give measurements as it always varies by type of flour, humidity and temperature.
Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is smooth, place in a floured or oiled bowl, cover and set aside for 40mins, longer if it's a cold day shorter if it is especially hot.
Place the dough back on the bench and punch down the dough, knead the dough for 5 or so minutes and then flatten out to the final shape you want it. (I made a big rectangle but a circle is a popular shape).
Let rise again in a warm spot for another 40mins, after it has risen dimple the dough by gently pushing your fingers on to it. Pre-heat the oven at 200° toward the end of the 2nd rise.
Cover the bread with your topping of choice! Bake for 15-20mins (depending on the thickness of your focaccia) and enjoy!
Tip: It was very cold in my house and my dough was rising super slow so I turned the oven on its lowest setting for a few minutes then turned it off again and placed the covered tray in the oven to rise, it worked fantastic just make sure your oven isn't too warm or the yeast will die. Only downside is that you have to wait and pre-heat the oven before you can put the bread in.
Tip: For a nice basic rosemary garlic mince 1 clove of garlic with 1 tsp of fresh chopped or 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle on top just before baking.
Home bread making can be quite easy if you choose the right type of bread to make! I picked up an adorable little European bread making cookbook in Portland on my travels last year and haven't made anything from it till now. I did tweak the recipe a little to suit my needs and I added a caramelised onion and herb topping.
Update: Here are some new pictures of a herb and olive focaccia I made a while back. I did this one in a pizza pan and made it round. Turned out so good!
Basic Focaccia
1 heaped tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar or honey
1 tsp salt
good lug of olive oil
1/2 cup warm water initially plus more
3 cups plain flour
Topping
Top it how you wish! I just caramelised 1 large onion and strewed it ontop before baking along with some chopped garlic, rosemary, thyme and a good helping of olive oil however you can push olives in to the bread, slices of garlic, any woody herb or top it with cheese.
Mix yeast, sugar/honey, olive oil and 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl, let sit for ten minutes so the yeast can activate and feed on the sugars.
Add the salt and flour and begin to combine, you will need to add more water at this stage, just add it little by little until you form a soft, pliable but not sticky dough. I prefer to not give measurements as it always varies by type of flour, humidity and temperature.
Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is smooth, place in a floured or oiled bowl, cover and set aside for 40mins, longer if it's a cold day shorter if it is especially hot.
Place the dough back on the bench and punch down the dough, knead the dough for 5 or so minutes and then flatten out to the final shape you want it. (I made a big rectangle but a circle is a popular shape).
Let rise again in a warm spot for another 40mins, after it has risen dimple the dough by gently pushing your fingers on to it. Pre-heat the oven at 200° toward the end of the 2nd rise.
Cover the bread with your topping of choice! Bake for 15-20mins (depending on the thickness of your focaccia) and enjoy!
 |
| Pre-bake |
Tip: It was very cold in my house and my dough was rising super slow so I turned the oven on its lowest setting for a few minutes then turned it off again and placed the covered tray in the oven to rise, it worked fantastic just make sure your oven isn't too warm or the yeast will die. Only downside is that you have to wait and pre-heat the oven before you can put the bread in.
Tip: For a nice basic rosemary garlic mince 1 clove of garlic with 1 tsp of fresh chopped or 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle on top just before baking.
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Pulled Pork!
Sooo I had a bit of an incident with this recipe. I spent a whole day roasting and simmering the pork, then made a lovely coleslaw accompaniment, thoroughly enjoyed the meal with some good company and accidentally deleted all but one photo from my camera!
Quite devastated by this and obviously it detracts from the quality of the post but I just couldn't not post it! And I'm not ready to go through all of that again any time soon; especially because I still have some in the freezer ;)
Here is the lone solider... coleslaw sadly absent.
No pulled pork will ever live up to the BBQ goodness I had at Hot Wings on Queen st. in Toronto, however, this isn't so bad!
1.5-2kg pork shoulder roast
1 cup beef broth
1 cup of your favourite BBQ sauce (I like anything smokey)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
6 hamburger buns (I won't lie, nothing comes as close as those cheap soft white store bought ones)
rub;
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp hot paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
coleslaw;
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
3 carrots, shredded/grated
2 spring onions, finely sliced (optional)
1/4 cup whole egg mayonnaise
1/4 cup greek/natural yoghurt
2 tbsp white wine/cider vinegar
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
Pre-heat oven to 150ºc. Rub spices and oil in to a paste and cover the pork roast. Roast in oven for 5-7 hours until tender and falling apart.
Remove pork and place on a board, shred apart with two forks and place in a pot with sauces and beef stock. Add more/less stock if it's too runny/thick. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer on a low heat for 1-2 hours; it's reasonably flexible, whatever suits your time constraints.
Meanwhile, shred cabbage, carrot and spring onions for coleslaw and whisk dressing ingredients in a separate bowl.
Toss together coleslaw and serve on top of the sticky sweet pork between two toasted hamburger buns!
Quite devastated by this and obviously it detracts from the quality of the post but I just couldn't not post it! And I'm not ready to go through all of that again any time soon; especially because I still have some in the freezer ;)
Here is the lone solider... coleslaw sadly absent.
No pulled pork will ever live up to the BBQ goodness I had at Hot Wings on Queen st. in Toronto, however, this isn't so bad!
Roasted Pulled Pork
Serves 61.5-2kg pork shoulder roast
1 cup beef broth
1 cup of your favourite BBQ sauce (I like anything smokey)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
6 hamburger buns (I won't lie, nothing comes as close as those cheap soft white store bought ones)
rub;
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp hot paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
coleslaw;
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
3 carrots, shredded/grated
2 spring onions, finely sliced (optional)
1/4 cup whole egg mayonnaise
1/4 cup greek/natural yoghurt
2 tbsp white wine/cider vinegar
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
Pre-heat oven to 150ºc. Rub spices and oil in to a paste and cover the pork roast. Roast in oven for 5-7 hours until tender and falling apart.
Remove pork and place on a board, shred apart with two forks and place in a pot with sauces and beef stock. Add more/less stock if it's too runny/thick. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer on a low heat for 1-2 hours; it's reasonably flexible, whatever suits your time constraints.
Meanwhile, shred cabbage, carrot and spring onions for coleslaw and whisk dressing ingredients in a separate bowl.
Toss together coleslaw and serve on top of the sticky sweet pork between two toasted hamburger buns!
Squid and Lentils
Not as gross as it sounds, in fact it's a lentil salad with pan-fried calamari rings.
I was home late from work and wanted something more than just a can of beans. Incidentally part of this did come out of a can - although if I'd had time I'd have cooked the lentils but I was time poor, and feeling pretty lazy. You could throw in some feta, goats cheese or nuts with the salad, whatever you please!
2 (scant) cups cubed pumpkin
1 cup (tightly packed) baby spinach
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
200g squid tubes, sliced
dressing;
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tahini
salt and pepper to taste
Boil pumpkin (or roast!) and/or lentils in salted water until tender but not mushy.
Let cool slightly and combine salad ingredients in a bowl with dressing ingredients; toss to combine. (whisk dressing together in a separate bowl first if you're worried about the tahini being lumpy)
Saute calamari in a pan with a little olive oil for a minute or two so - until they turn from translucent to just white. Season with a little salt and pepper and take off heat. Let sit for a further 30seconds or so and let the residual heat do the rest of the work.
Toss through lentils or perch on top and don't forget any potential calamari pan juices to go over your salad ;)
I was home late from work and wanted something more than just a can of beans. Incidentally part of this did come out of a can - although if I'd had time I'd have cooked the lentils but I was time poor, and feeling pretty lazy. You could throw in some feta, goats cheese or nuts with the salad, whatever you please!
Calamari Lentil and Pumpkin Salad w/Tahini Lemon Dressing
2 main or 4 side serves
1 400g tin or 200g dried puy lentils2 (scant) cups cubed pumpkin
1 cup (tightly packed) baby spinach
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
200g squid tubes, sliced
dressing;
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tahini
salt and pepper to taste
Boil pumpkin (or roast!) and/or lentils in salted water until tender but not mushy.
Let cool slightly and combine salad ingredients in a bowl with dressing ingredients; toss to combine. (whisk dressing together in a separate bowl first if you're worried about the tahini being lumpy)
Saute calamari in a pan with a little olive oil for a minute or two so - until they turn from translucent to just white. Season with a little salt and pepper and take off heat. Let sit for a further 30seconds or so and let the residual heat do the rest of the work.
Toss through lentils or perch on top and don't forget any potential calamari pan juices to go over your salad ;)
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