Mains
Greek Meatballs in Lemon Sauce
Serves 4-6Ingredients 300g lamb mince 250g pork mince 4 eggs (1 egg in the balls and 3 for the soup/sauce) 3/4 cup cooked rice 1 litre stock ½ cup parsley, chopped 1/2 cup dill, chopped 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper 1/2 tsp onion powder 1 lemon zest 3 eggs juice of 2½- 3 lemons pinch of salt MethodCombine the minced meats, rice, 1 egg, herbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper together and mix well. Roll into balls. Put the stock in a pan and heat. Gently add the meatballs .The stock should come to about ¾ up the side of the meatballs. simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Set aside, whisk the eggs well in a medium sized bowl, whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Remove 500mls of the hot meatball cooking liquid and while whisking the egg mixture, ladle the stock into the eggs stirring as you add. Pour the sauce into a clean saucepan and gently cook for a few more minutes, but don't over heat the sauce as the eggs will scramble. Serve the meatballs in shallow bowls and top with the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, dill and mint.
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Moroccon Lamb Shanks With White Beans
Serves 6-8 • 5 lamb shanks (cut in half)• 4 parsnips, cut into large dice• 2 carrots, cut into large dice• 2 stalks celery, cut into large dice• 1 small suede, cut into large dice• 6 tomatoes, cut into chunks• 2 Tblspns ras el hanout• 2 cinnamon sticks• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped• 2 inch piece ginger, roughly chopped• coriander/parsley, to garnish• 1 onion, diced• 2 chillies• 4 bay leaves• 5 sprigs thyme• salt• pinch of saffron• 500g white beansCook the white beans on a gentle simmer with bay leaves, thyme & 2 litres of water. Cook until tender and set aside. You may need to top up with water and reserve the liquid.In a cast iron pot heat a little oil and sear the lamb shanks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Add the garlic,ginger, onion and vegetables except the tomatoes & sauté for a few minutes.Add the chillies, cinnamon, ras el hanout, saffron, lamb, tomatoes and season with salt. Cover with water or bean cooking liquid & simmer for about 2 hours until the lamb is tender. Add the beans and garnish with fresh coriander and parsley.
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Lamb Biryani
Ingredients 800g lamb shoulder, cut into small cubes 450g Basmati rice 4 onions finely, sliced 1 inch piece ginger, minced 3 garlic cloves minced 3 green chillies, chopped 300g natural yoghurt 3 tsps garam masala 1 tsp cumin seeds 10 green cardamom 5 brown cardamom 1 tsp turmeric 10 cloves 3 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp black peppercorns 3 bay leaves 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 Tablespoons of milk soaked with a pinch of saffron A handful of chopped mint and coriander leaves 1 Tblspn ghee 50ml lemon juice 1 tsp of red chilli powder 100g peas 1 chilli, finely chopped toasted flakes almonds and cashews to garnish fried curry leaves to garnish MethodHeat a pan with 750ml water and add green cardamom, brown cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, fennel seeds, bay leaves and bring to the boil then turn off the heat and allow to steep. Strain. Combine ginger, garlic, garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric, chilli and fresh herbs in a bowl, add a little oil and the lamb. Allow to marinate several hours or overnight. Wash the rice in cold water until it runs clear. Heat a little oil and ghee in a pan and add the onions and fry until golden. Remove from the pan. Add the lamb to the pan and cook until browned. Add yoghurt and half the browned onions, lemon juice and simmer until tender. In another pan heat a little ghee and fry the rice. Add half of the strained spice stock and cover for a few minutes until absorbed. In a heavy based pan layer 1/3 of the rice then half of the lamb and sprinkle over half the peas and more chopped herbs, repeat and top with rice. Pour over the remaining spice stock, sprinkle over the saffron milk and seal the pan tightly with a lid. Put the pot on high heat then place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Serve in a large bowl and sprinkle over fried onions, fried curry leaves and toasted almond flakes and toasted cashews.
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Butter Chicken
Serves 8-10Ingredients 1kg chicken thigh, cut into cubes 1 onion, finely chopped 2cm piece ginger, minced 1 red chilli, finely sliced 20ml lemon juice 4 cloves garlic, minced 60g blanched almond meal 180g natural yoghurt 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 6 cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick 1 tin crushed tomatoes 1 tblspn tomato paste coriander leaves, to garnish 80ml cream salt, to taste oil or ghee MethodMix together the yoghurt, lemon juice, garam masala and chicken & marinate for several hours or overnight. Heat a little oil or ghee in a pan & add onion, garlic, ginger and fry until tender. Add chilli powder, fresh chilli & cook for a few minutes, add the cumin, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, ground coriander, turmeric & season well with salt. Add the chicken & cook for a few minutes. Add the crushed tomato, tomato paste & almond meal & cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes until tender. Stir in the cream & serve with rice, fresh coriander, fresh chilli and spinach raita.
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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake
Ingredients 1kg potato gnocchi 800g pumpkin, peeled & finely sliced 150g parmesan, finely grated 1 red onion, finely sliced 2 tblspns olive oil 100g baby spinach 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 tblspns sage, chopped 4 tblspns fresh thyme ½ tsp ground nutmeg 5 bay leaves salt and pepper 400g bocconcini, chopped 600g cream 2 egg yolks 20g butter Method Boil the gnocchi in salted boiling water for a few minutes until cooked. Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in a large bowl and combine with all other ingredients except the parmesan, bocconcini & butter. Place into a large buttered baking dish & dot around the bocconcini. Sprinkle with grated parmesan & butter then bake at 180oC until golden. Serve hot with a green salad.
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Miso Soup
Ingredients 6 tblpns white Miso 1 litre chicken stock 2 spring onions, sliced 200g Mixed mushrooms (enoki, oyster, shitake) small handful bean sprouts 6 pieces fried tofu, diced 100g fresh firm silken tofu, cut into cubes 1 bunch Asian greens, roughly chopped (bok choy/Chinese broccoli/choy sum) baby corn, cut into small pieces 1cm ginger, finely sliced chilli flakes (optional) Shichimi Togarashi (optional) (Japanese 7 spice mix) rice vermicelli noodles (optional) soy sauce, to taste sesame oil MethodHeat the stock and add the miso paste. Add the tofu, mushrooms, Asian greens and baby corn. Season to taste with soy and sesame oil, serve in bowls and garnish with ginger, spring onion, rice noodles and chilli flakes. Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi if using.
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Korean Chilli Prawns
Serves 4Ingredients 18 large Australian green prawns 1 tblpn Korean hot chilli paste 1 lemongrass stalk, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp ginger, grated 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds spring onion & coriander, to garnish 1 tspn sambal olek ½ lemon juice 1 tsp sesame oil ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tsp sweet paprika 20g butter salt to taste Method Combine all ingredients except the butter in a bowl and mix well. Allow the prawns to marinate for about 1 hour. Heat a grill pan or wok & cook the prawns for a few minutes either side until cooked through. Add the butter and allow to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice or salt to taste. Serve with rice and sprinkle with chopped spring onion, coriander and sesame seeds.
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Beef Bulgogi with Bibimbap
Serves 4-6IngredientsBibimbap Sauce 80g miso paste ½ cup water 1 tblspn Korean hot chilli paste 1 teaspoon chilli powder 1 teaspoon paprika 3 tablespoon sesame oil 3 tablespoon sugar 3 cloves garlic crushed 2 teaspoon rice vinegar 3 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds Beef Bulgogi 1 sirloin steak cut into thin strips 40ml soy sauce 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tblspns white sugar 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 20ml sesame oil 1 tablespoon honey 1cm grated ginger 1 tsp Korean chilli paste 1 tsp sambel olek ½ teaspoon ground black pepper For the Bibimbap 3 cups steamed white rice 1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced ¼ red onion, sliced 50ml white vinegar 5 radishes, finely sliced 1 tsp black sesame seeds 1tsp sesame oil 4 cups baby spinach 1 pkt bean sprouts 1 carrot julienned 1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets steamed and set aside 1 avocado, sliced 200g enoki mushrooms 500g mixed mushrooms sliced (oyster/shitaki/ pearl) chilli flakes 1 zucchini, peeled and julienned 2 spring onions, sliced Sesame oil Soy sauce 6 cloves garlic, crushed 2 eggs, soft boiled or fried Sesame seeds Kimchi (optional) MethodBibimbap SauceCombine all ingredients together and season to taste.Beef BulgogiCombine all ingredients together and marinate for 1 hour. Heat a grill plate and sear the steak slices on both sides. Serve as an accompaniment to Bibimbap. For the BibimbapSeason the cucumber and red onion together with a little salt and set aside for ½ hour. Add vinegar and set aside. Mix the sesame oil, radish, black sesame seeds and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a wok with a little oil and add the enoki mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper and sesame seeds. Set aside. Heat the wok with a little oil and add a little garlic. Add the mushrooms and sauté a few minutes, season with a little soy sauce, pepper and chilli flakes. Set aside. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water then drain and squeeze out the excess water. Toss in a hot wok with spring onions, salt, pepper and soy sauce. Set aside. Sauté a little garlic and carrot add sesame seeds and set aside. Sauté the spinach and add a little garlic then season with salt and pepper. Sauté the zucchini with garlic and chilli flakes and set aside. Divide the steamed rice amongst 4 large bowls, and arrange the assorted vegetables on top. Top with and egg and sprinkle sesame seeds, spring onion then serve with bulgogi beef and Kimchi on the side and a good dollop of Bimimbap sauce.
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Stuffed Banana Capsicums
Ingredients 150g long grain rice 500g chicken breast 1 brown onion finely chopped 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 2 stalks celery finely chopped ½ bunch Parsley chopped 60g baby capers Juice 2-3 lemons ½ bunch dill chopped 10g Marjoram 6 sprigs fresh thyme 18-20 green banana capsicums 200g spinach chopped 500ml vegetable or chicken stock extra stock to bake 3-4 tomatoes sliced olive oil MethodSlice the chicken in thin slices and chop to mince with a sharp knife. Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté the celery, onion and garlic until soft. Add the marjoram and thyme and cook until the chicken is cooked. Add capers and rice and season to taste. Add the stock, cover and cook until the rice is cooked. Add the spinach until wilted and stir in the herbs, (parsely & dill) allow to cool until manageable. Remove the top and seeds from the capsicum and stuff tightly with filling. Arrange tightly in a deep baking dish. Pour in about 1 cm of stock and juice of 2-3 lemons. Bake in a hot oven until starting to soften. Arrange tomato slices over the top and season with salt and pepper. Bake until capsicums are soft. Serve hot with garlic yoghurt optional.
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Christmas Ham
Ingredients 1 leg ham (8-10kg) cloves, to stud rosemary, thyme and bay leaves to garnish Glaze Ingredients 400ml apple cider 140g Dijon mustard 120ml maple syrup 300g brown sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 1 inch piece of ginger, roughly sliced 80ml apple cider vinegar 1 orange zest MethodCarefully remove the skin from the ham and score the fat into diamonds/squares. Stud each square with a whole clove. Combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan & reduce until a syrup consistency. Baste ham with glaze and place in a hot oven 170°C with a tray of water at the base of the oven. Cook for 1.5-2 hours basting regularly until golden and delicious. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy hot or cold.
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Prawn Linguine
• 3 punnets cherry tomatoes• olive oil• zest of 1 lemon• 1 tsp fennel seeds• 1 chilli, sliced• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced• salt and pepperCombine ingredients in a bowl & toss to coat the tomatoes. Place on a lined tray in a hot oven and roast until starting to blister. Set aside.• 600g Australian prawns, peeled• 2 cloves garlic, crushed• 1 tsp smoked paprika• juice of ½ lemon• salt and pepperCombine ingredients & allow prawns to marinate for ½ hour.• 2 small fennels, sliced• zest of 1 lemon• 1 tsp chilli flakes• juice of ½ lemon• salt and pepperCombine ingredients & roast the fennel in a hot oven until tender.• 400g good quality linguini boiled in salted water, strained reserving some of the cooking liquid.• 1 tsp smoked paprika• 1 tbsp tomato paste• ½ bunch parsley, chopped• ½ bunch dill, chopped• 1 lemon flesh, finely diced• 40g butter• juice of 1 lemon• 1 chilli, sliced• 3 garlic cloves, choppedIn a large pan melt the butter and add the chilli and garlic. Add the prawns & toss until cooked through. Add the linguini, the smoked paprika & tomato paste. Toss and add the fennel and roasted tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, add the lemon and lemon juice to taste and add the chopped herbs. Serve immediately.
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Mexican Paella
• 6 chicken thigh fillets cut in half• juice of ½ lemon• salt and pepper• 2 tsp ground cumin• 1 tsp ground coriander• 1 tsp chilli powder• 1 tsp smoked paprika• 2 tsp dried oregano• 2 cloves garlic, crushed• 1 tsp onion powder• 2 tbsp olive oilMarinate the chicken for a few hours or overnight.• 4 tbsp chipotle chillies in adobo sauce• 3 tsp ground cumin• 2 tsp ground coriander• 1 onion, diced• 1 long red chilli, chopped• 3 cloves garlic, crushed• 2 celery stalks, diced• 1 tin corn kernels, drained & washed• 1 tin black beans, drained & washed• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock• 2 tsp black pepper, crushed• 1 red capsicum, diced• 500g paella rice• 60ml lime juice• salt and pepper• 2 tsp smoked paprika• 3 tsp dried oregano• 1 tin diced tomatoes• juice of 3-4 limes To garnish• fresh coriander• crispy tortilla strips• ¼ red onion finely sliced• 2 tomatoes sliced• fresh limes/juice• feta/queso blanco (optional)• Sour cream, lime zest saltIn a seasoned paella pan add a little olive oil & sear the chicken on both sides. Set aside. Add the garlic, onion, chilli, celery and saute for a few minutes. Add the rice and dry spices stir well and add the adobo sauce, tomatoes & slowly add the stock. Cook on low heat and sprinkle with corn, diced capsicum & black beans. Add lime juice, salt and pepper and add the chicken, cover & allow to cook for about 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Set aside & allow to rest for 15-20minutes. Serve with fresh tomato, red onion, coriander, sprinkle with queso blano, crispy tortilla strips and a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Serve with lime sour cream on the side.
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