Thursday, January 24, 2013

Pauls Famous Hambugers


It seems odd finding out that Paul's has been operating since 1957 and I have never had one of their burgers till today. It saddened me a little to realise  how few of the milk bars of my youth have survived. I dont think all the fast food chains are evil, but surely there is room for some variety.

As for the burgers they were great, full of flavour and just the way a burger should be made, the chips were also very good. It did make me realise that quality ingredients cooked properly give a great result. No amount of processed frozen burgers can match this.

Bradley rated it a 9.5 personally I would go for an 8. Either way well worth visiting for a quality traditional hamburger none of your processed machine food here.


http://www.paulsfamoushamburgers.com.au/

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Vegetables in Coconut Cream


Take a selection of vegetables. In this case I used the following :
1 diced onion
1 cubed Eggplant
4 Thai chillies
2 garlic cloves
1 thinly cut carrot
2 finely cut ribs of celery

Stir fry until softened add 400mls coconut cream and 2 tbs red curry paste

Simmer until complete

Thai Style Pork


Marinate cubed pork for at least 3 hours.

Marinade:
10 diced birdseye chillis
2 diced garlic cloves
2cm cut ginger
2 cm chopped lemon grass stem
Juice of 2 limes
Splash of fish sauce
Splash of light soy sauce
White wine

Combine with chopped vegetables and stir fry finish with a splash of coconut cream

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Bacon and Pork Roll


Bacon Roll

500 gms thick-cut sliced bacon
6 French style pork sausages, casings removed
3 tbs barbecue rub
3/4 cup barbecue sauce.

1. Using several slices of bacon, weave a square lattice like that on top of a pie: first, place 5 bacon slices side by side on a large sheet of aluminum foil, parallel to one another, sides touching. Place another strip of bacon on one end, perpendicular to the other strips and thread through to create a lattice Repeat with remaining bacon until all strips are tightly woven.

2. Preheat oven to 180c or light a fire in an outdoor smoker. Place remaining bacon in a frying pan and cook until crisp. As it cooks, sprinkle bacon weave with 1 tablespoon barbecue rub. Evenly spread sausage on top of bacon lattice, pressing to outer edges.

3. Crumble fried bacon into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle on top of sausage. Drizzle with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and sprinkle with another tablespoon barbecue rub.

4. Very carefully separate front edge of sausage layer from bacon weave and begin rolling sausage away from you. Bacon weave should stay where it was, flat. Press sausage roll to remove any air pockets and pinch together seams and ends.

5. Roll sausage toward you, this time with bacon weave, until it is completely wrapped. Turn it so seam faces down. Roll should be about 2 to 3 inches thick. Sprinkle with remaining barbecue rub.

6. Place roll on a baking sheet in oven or in smoker. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 1 hour for each 2cms of thickness. When done, glaze roll with more sauce. To serve, slice into rounds.


Sunday, January 20, 2013

Science and Chilli

This extract comes from here and the article itself is really interesting well worth reading.


http://www.doublexscience.org/2013/01/how-chili-powder-can-kill.html


"Chili peppers, of the plant genus Capsicum, are a diverse bunch from the not-hot-at-all (bell peppers) to the hot-as-hell (bhut jolokia, also known as the ‘ghost pepper’). Hot peppers owe their pungency and heat to a class of chemicals called capsaicinoids. The most prevalent capsaicinoid in hot peppers is capsaicin, a neurotoxin -- meaning its poisonous action involves the nervous system.

Capsaicin binds to a specific molecule on a subgroup of neurons in our sensory systems, called ‘nociceptors’. When capsaicin binds this molecule, called a receptor, the result is fired up nociceptors, which we register as pain2. High temperatures can also act like capsaicin on nociceptors, which is why we feel a burning pain when eating capsaicin laden foods. From no feeling to warm to burning pain, the sensation we feel upon exposure to capsaicin depends on concentration.

We often focus on the pain capsaicin can provoke, but this chemical can elicit a range of other physiological responses. People who eat foods with hot peppers may complain of gastrointestinal issues, which are likely the work of capsaicin. Capsaicin also irritates the skin and mucous membranes (lining the eyelids, nose, mouth, genitals), provoking an inflammatory response often marked by redness and swelling, as well as sensations of warmth and pain.

If inhaled, capsaicin stimulates bronchopulmonary nociceptive C-fibers which can provoke apnea (temporary cessation of respiration), rapid shallow breathing, mucus secretion, bronchoconstriction (constriction of the smooth muscle of the airways in the lungs), and cough. In the most extreme cases, death by asphyxia3 (lack of oxygen) has occured."


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Stuffed Potato











You can use any vege that you have leftover in the fridge.

Start by cooking your potatoes and allowing to cool.

In a frypan saute
1 diced onion
2 diced garlic cloves
2 diced chillies
1 diced stalk of celery

When softened cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh and add it
Add 400gms tin of chilli refried beans

Fill the shells and cover with cheese and oven bake till golden

Top with salsa and sour cream

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Cooking Perfection

I would love to eat at the Fat Duck and im sorry I never got to El Bulli, these and many other fine restaurants like Noma (which I also haven't eaten at) push the boundaries of what we think of as food. I don't have the level of skill or palate to produce food at this level of technical perfection.

What if I could use a machine to produce food at a level of technical perfection equal to these fine restaurants. Well it happened over and over again. First the food processor allowed home cooks to equal the efforts of the finest kitchens, the thermochef likewise and now the capsule coffee machine has done the same. I'm sure sous-vide at home will be next.

All this is true and yet not so, as each piece of technology broadens what can be done with food so too does the creativity of the best chefs. Rather than look on technology as the enemy of good cooking which need to examine what is at the heart of the very best food in the world.

All this is triggered from reading this wonderful and thought provoking article on coffee by Julian Baggini.


http://www.aeonmagazine.com/being-human/julian-baggini-coffee-artisans/

Monday, January 7, 2013

Cauliflower potatoes











Cut your potatoes into approx 2cm size and cook until just done
Reduce your cauliflower to small florets

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a fry pan

Add 2 tsp cumin seed and cook until fragrant then add

1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp turmeric
1 tbs garam masala
1 tbs palau masala

Then add your potatoes and cauliflower and coat with the spices

Add 2 cups of water
400gm tin tomatos

Shortly before serving add diced fresh tomato , a teaspoon of achur (mango powder) and fresh coriander

Serve on basmarti rice



Stuffed mushroom with road kill potatoes and tomato medley


This is a simple oven baked dish but its full of flavour and would suit a vegetarian or someone wanting a meat free meal.

Take one portabello mushroom remove core and gills
Fry some onion and whatever vege you wish to add (dice finely)

In a heated oven place the roughly mashed seasoned potatoes until browned

Stuff the fried ingredients into the mushroom cover with cheese and oven bake with a medly of tomatoes lightly seasoned.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Lamb Parcels



500g lamb mince
1 red onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
100g crumbly feta
1 tsp  oregano
juice of half a lemon
Filo pastry
Olive oil, additional

Method

Preheat oven to 180C and line a baking tray.
 Mix the lamb, onion, garlic, feta, lemon juice, oregano and olive oil together 
 Fold a single sheet of filo pastry in half lengthwise and place 2 tbsp of mince on the sheet and fold
 Place on the prepared baking tray and repeat with the remaining mince and filo.
Spray with olive oil and bake until golden

5.              Lightly brush the parcels with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden.


Friday, January 4, 2013

Grilled eggplant with basil pesto











Firstly take one eggplant cut into slices coat with olive oil and oven bake.

For the pesto

Take half a bunch of basil
2 cloves of garlic
Juice of one lemon
Half a spanish onion
2  chillies
100gms of ricotta cheese
25 gms of grated parmesan

Blend with olive oil

Serve with fresh bread and tomatoes

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Fish Masala


500gms flat head tails
1 medium onion
 2 diced chillis
 1 diced garlic clove
 1tsp chicken stock
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley diced
1 tbsp curry masala
1/2 lemon
 1 cup of water
tbsp oil
 salt

Dice the onion and saute
Add the masala and fry until fragrant
Add the chilli and garlic
Add the fish cut into small pieces
Add the stock and water

Reduce and serve on rice.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Stuffed Mushrooms


This is a quick and simple vegetarian meal.

Take two portabello mushrooms trim and remove the gills
Saute 1 diced onion and 1 clove of diced garlic

Add the sautéed to the mushrooms

This is the fun bit simply apply a tub of any of your favourite dips, saving on time.

Top with cheese and halved tomatoes and place in a warm oven at 180c until melted.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Spicy Lamb parcels/sausage rolls


These are a tasty treat for a mid week meal.

Ingredients
500g lamb mince
1 red onion
3 sliced stalks spring onion
1 clove garlic diced
4 sliced Birds Eye chillies
2 tsp vietnamese mint
1 tsp dried basil
juice of one lime
2 tbsp red curry paste
1tsp fish sauce
Frozen puff pastry

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C and line a baking tray.

2. Combine the ingredients together in a bowl

3.  Place a scoop of the meat mixture on the pastry and fold into a parcel, size is up to you

4.Spray with oil and bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

5. Allow to cool for a minute or two before serving.

Thai Prawns with jasmine rice











This is a tasty and spicy dish with more than a hint of spice.

Start with peeled prawns
Marinate in:
Fish sauce
Lime juice
5 diced hot red chillies
2 sliced stalks of spring onion
1 tsp brown suger
1 tsp diced garlic

Heat your frypan or wok until quite hot
Cook the prawn first and then tip in the remaining marinade, reduce to make a sauce
If a little dry add some kechep manis

Serve on a bed of jasmine rice
Garnish with fried shallots and cashews

Turkey Chilli


This is another leftover recipe for using up Christmas leftovers.

Start with sautéing

2 diced onions
2 diced carrots
4 diced celery stalks
2 diced garlic cloves
5 sliced jalapeños

To this add your leftover raw meat I used
500gms beef mince, 500gms minced lamb

I added
2 tins diced tomatoes
1 tin kidney beans
1 tin boloti beans

2 cups beef stock
700mls of red wine

Then add your diced leftover meat in my case its turkey

Season with salt, pepper coriander and cumin powder, chilli powder, a dash of Worcestershire sauce

Simmer for two hours

Grilled Eggplant wrapped Haloumi


This is a really nice vegetarian meal and is quite appealing to non vegetarians.

Grill strips of haloumi until golden and set aside

Thinly slice and grill with olive oil strips from a large eggplant

Wrap the haloumi in the eggplant and keep warm

Mean while make a salad of sliced spanish onion
Strips of marinated red capsicum
Diced feta
A handful of basil leaves and the juice of a half a lemon

Serve on a bed of cous cous

Mexican Corn Chip Bake











A simple way to prepare a tasty meal that even fussy children will eat.

Saute
2 sliced onions
4 stalks diced celery
2 diced bell peppers
(You can of course add in any vege you have on hand)
Add 500gms of mince and brown
Add 1 can of refried beans

Add two cups of water cumin powder and coriander powder (1tbs each)
At this point you can add chilli powder but keep in mind who will be eating it.
Simmer till it thickens

Grease a baking dish
cover with a layer of corn chips
Pour the mixture on top

Add a jar of salsa and top with grated cheese

Oven bake until melted

Serve with corn chips,  sour cream, and salad

Turkey, bacon and leek pie
















This is a modified version of Jamie Olivers leftover recipe for turkey.

Start by sautéing

1 diced onion
1 sliced leek both green and white parts
2 spring onions
1 diced carrot
2 stalks of celery finely chopped

When the vegetables soften add
A handful of diced bacon (or ham if you have a lot leftover

De glaze with two cups of white wine
Add chicken stock and reduce

Cut up your leftover turkey (you can use breast, thigh or whatever you have)

Thicken with gravy flour or corn flour

Take off the heat and stir through two heaped tablespoons of sour cream.

Place in a pie dish

Top with puff pastry (I used frozen)

Oven bake till golden