Thursday, June 28, 2012

Ranch Steak and Corn Casserole


Sometimes a dish just works and sometimes, well not so much. This one looks good but it got 2 hours in the oven and it needed at least 3. Still the basic idea is sound.

Start by cutting into large pieces some stewing steak
Season flour and brown in a frypan

Place browned meat in a creased casserole dish

Soften some finely diced onion, carrot, celery and capsicum with a little garlic

When softened place on top of the meat.

Cover with 1 packet of frozen corn

Top that with a can of crushed tomatoes

Add one bottle of beer and oven bake

NB oven bake it longer than 2 hours I think 3 to 4 or use a slow cooker.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Cauliflower Potato Indian style


Fry in a little ghee
1tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
1 tsp turmeric
2tps coriander powder
2 thinly sliced green chillies

To this mix add 1 head of cauliflower broken into florets
2 potatoes cut into small pieces
Coat with the spices

Cover with water and simmer gently until potato is cooked
Stir through
2tsp garam masala

Serve with basmarti rice

Turkey Meatballs











This is a healthy low fat dish for a winters night.

The meatballs
Start with 500gms of turkey mince add
1 grated carrot
1 grated onion
2 tsp crushed and minced garlic
1tsp chilli
Roll into 9 even sized meatballs and place in fridge for approx. 20 mins

The Potatoes
Cut 4 potatoes into very small cubes
Season well
Drizzle liberally with olive oil

Place both dishes in a pre heated oven at 180c

After 20 mins remove the meatballs add a jar of your favourite pasta sauce and top with grated cheese

Return to oven.

After 40 minutes remove and serve with a serving of vegetables on the side.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Chickpea Curry


Another recipe from the show for Brenda.

In some ghee fry gently
1 diced onion
1 green chilli cut in half lengthwise
1 tsp grated garlic

When golden add
2tsp garam masala
1tsp ground chilli
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp ground cumin

When fragrant add
1 400ml can diced tomatoes
1 400ml can chickpeas

Simmer gently for 30 minutes

Potato Patties Indian style


After watching master chef the other night Brenda expressed a wish for me to try to recreate some of the dishes for her tea. The recipes I could not find so this was my approximation.

Firstly boil or in my case microwave the quantity of potato you would like for the dish. Set aside to cool
 In a fry pan with a little ghee slice three green chillies and fry with a little grated ginger
Add
2tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground cardamon
2tsp ground coriander
1 tbs garam masala
When fragrant remove from heat and mix with potato and mash

Form the patties and allow to stand

Fry in vegetable oil until crisp

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Afghan Style Lamb Stew
















I picked up this recipe many years ago. Its incredibly tasty but produced from very simple ingredients.
Fry 2 sliced brown onions until light golden
Brown 500gms of diced lamb
Add
3 diced green chilli
3 diced and crushed garlic cloves
1tsp grated ginger
Add water and simmer for 40 minutes.

Separate the solids from the liquid, reserving the liquid
Fry the meat and vegetables on low heat
Re add the stock and heat through

Garnish with sour cream and serve on a bed of rice.

Three cheese cauliflower



Ingredients

  • 50 g lightly salted butter, softened
  • 50 g plain flour
  • Knob of butter
  • ½ leek, chopped into squares
  • 1 L milk
  • 2 medium sized cauliflower heads, cut into large florets, plus the outer leaves
  • 250 g mature cheddar cheese, grated
  • 200 g blue cheese, crumbled
  • 100 g parmesan, broken into small pieces (use the vegetarian variety to keep this a meat free dish)
  • A couple of stems of fresh thyme
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Crusty bread, to serve

Method: How to make Three cheese cauliflower

1
Preheat the oven to 220C
2
First, mix the butter and flour to make a paste.
3
To make the sauce, place a knob of butter in a large pan and add the chopped leeks. Cook for a couple of minutes until the leeks start to soften and sweat down. Add the milk and bring to the boil.
4
Gently stir in a little of the flour and butter paste at a time until is has dissolved thoroughly. Bring to the boil and simmer for a minute then remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
5
Blanch the cauliflower florets and outer leaves in salted boiling water for around 3-4 minutes then drain into a colander. Tip the cauliflower into an oven-proof dish and place in the oven for a few minutes to dry it out.
6
Add the grated cheddar and blue to the sauce and mix in.
7
Place the blanched and dried cauliflower florets and leaves into a big bowl and pour the cheese sauce over the top. Make sure you cover the cauliflower well and leave the bowl to stand for a couple of minutes so the cheese absorbs into all the nooks and crannies of the cauliflower.
8
Sprinkle over some picked thyme leaves and a generous pinch of black pepper and stir in. You don't need to add salt to season this dish as the cheeses will add a salty flavour.

9
Transfer the cauliflower cheese to a large casserole dish (one you'd like to set out on the table) and sprinkle grated cheese as a  topping. Bake in the oven for around 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Serve straight from the dish you baked it in with some crusty bread on the side.

Sticky Lemon Chicken



Ingredients

  • 8 chicken pieces  from a mixed pack
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 3 -4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 head of garlic, cloves separated and skin left on
  • A few thyme sprigs
  • Splash of cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 lemon, finely sliced

Method: How to make Sticky lemon chicken 

1
Heat olive oil in a pan that’s big enough to hold all the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown it in the pan over a high heat. After a couple of minutes, throw in the garlic and thyme and turn the chicken so it browns on each side.
2
Once the chicken is nicely browned, add the vinegar, soy sauce and honey and turn the chicken pieces around so they get coated in the sauce. Then add a splash of hot water and the lemon slices and cover with a lid.
3
Let the chicken cook through and the liquid reduce down until syrupy, this should take 10 – 15 minutes. Keep your eye on it and add more water if the pan starts to look too dry.
4
drizzle with sesame oil before serving
.


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Broccoli Raab with beans


The depth of the wok allows you to simultaneously sauté and steam the broccoli raab while preserving its beautiful green color. To make the dish vegan, garnish with toasted breadcrumbs instead of cheese.
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
  • 2 12-oz. bunches broccoli raab, trimmed and coarsely chopped (I used brocolini and baby spinach leaves)
  • 1 tsp.chilli flakes
  •  grape tomatoes
  • 1  can white beans, rinsed and drained
  • ¼ cup grated cheese, for garnish
1. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in wok over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until it sizzles, then add broccoli raab and red pepper flakes. Season with salt, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until broccoli raab is wilted. Transfer broccoli raab from wok to serving plate.
2. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to wok. Add tomatoes, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until skins brown and tomatoes begin to split, stirring occasionally. Stir in white beans, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Spoon tomato-bean mixture on top of broccoli raab, and garnish with cheese.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Slow Cooker Cowboy Supper
















Start by browning 1kg minced beef
Slice 2 brown onions and place in a sprayed slow cooker
Top with mince
Add
5 thinly sliced potatoes
1 can bollotti beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomatoes
1 can tomato condensed soup
1 jar of salsa

Top with chillies and garlic

Cook for 7 -8 hours serve on rice with corn chips

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Chicken and Ham Casserole


A warming casserole for a cold night.
Brown chicken thigh pieces
add to casserole
Add 2 sliced onion
2 sliced green capsicum
Large pieces of diced ham
2 cans of cooked white beans
1 bottle of pasata

Often bake for 40 mins at 180c
If you like the onion and pepper soft I suggest you fry them first.

Roasted Pork Sausages
















This dish came to mind as something to do with some great quality English style Pork sausages.

Start by cooking some potatoes in boiling water and cutting into wedges.
Thickly slice 2 onions
Cut 1 fennel bulb into bite size pieces
Place all ingredients in a roasting pan
Salt and pepper
Drizzle liberally with olive oil

Bake until golden making sure to turn at least once.

Pork Stroganoff



Marinate 500gm sliced pork in
2 cups red wine
Salt, pepper, nutmeg

Then saute 
2 sliced onions
100gms sliced mushrooms

Then add the marinated meat

Add
375mls chicken stock
the marinade
4tbs tomato paste

Reduce, thicken with flour.

Just before serving stir sour cream through the dish

Serve on rice garnish with baby spinach.