Mains
Red Curry with Chicken & Pineapple
Ingredients(serves 6-8) 1 whole chicken cut into pieces 1 litre coconut milk 500ml chicken stock 2-4 tbsp palm sugar 3 tbsp fish sauce (to taste) 8 kaffir lime leaves 2 lemon grass stalks 2 long red chillies sliced 4-6 boiled or steamed eggs 1 punnet baby corn cut into chunks ¼ pineapple cut into thin slices 150-200g pumpkin cut into thin slices 1 pkt pea eggplant 1 pkt apple egg plant 8 snake beans cut into inch pieces 1 punnet cherry tomatoes 1 bunch thai basil washed and picked For the Curry Paste 8 dried long red chillies soaked and drained 1 long red chilli Pinch salt 2 tbsp chopped fresh galangal 2 stems lemon grass finely chopped Zest 1 kaffir lime 8 coriander roots washed and scraped 2 shallots chopped 8 white peppercorns 2 tsp coriander seeds roasted and ground 1 tsp cumin seeds roasted and ground 5 cloves garlic chopped MethodIn a pot combine the coconut milk and the stock and bring to the boil. Add the chicken and cook until tender. Set aside. In another pan, heat a little oil and fry off 5-6 tblspns curry paste, add palm sugar and fish sauce. Add the chicken cooking liquid and then the chicken, eggplants and corn and cook a for a few minutes Add the lime leaves, chillies and pineapple then the pumpkin and eggs. Cook for a few minutes and season to taste. It should be hot, sweet and salty. Add basil leaves. Serve in a bowl with steamed rice and fresh lime. Top with a drizzle of coconut cream , shredded lime leaf and sliced red chilli. This recipe also works well with roast duck, so make the curry sauce and add the duck and vegetables. A quick and delicious meal! Another option is to omit the coconut milk and you will have a delicious curry that is not quite as rich. Just reduce the sugar slightly and it should be salty and hot, rather than sweet.For the Curry PastePound all ingredients together in a mortar and pestle to a paste or blend together in a blender.
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Jewelled Rice
Ingredients 300g basmati rice 2 oranges 2 carrots 40g slivered almond, toasted ½ tsp saffron soaked in 2 tbsp hot water 1 tsp dried rose petals (optional) ½ tsp ground cinnamon 10 cardamom pods crushed 1 tbsp veg oil 40g butter 40g pistachios roughly chopped 40g raisins soaked in warm water 40g barberries Toasted flaked almonds to garnish For the Hosef 100g caster sugar 125ml water ½ cinnamon stick 30g barberries Juice 1 lime 10ml rosewater Method For the Syrup Wash and soak the rice and soak for a few hours. Zest the oranges and cut into julienne. In a small pan cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain Peel and cut the carrots, and cut into julienne. Mix the rose petals, cinnamon and cardamom together. Heat the oil and the butter and sauté the carrots until tender. Add a pinch of sugar and the orange zest. Add the saffron water, dried fruit and nuts. Set aside. Boil a pot of salted water and add the drained rice. Boil the rice for few minutes until tender. Drain and rinse. Heat an additional 40ml veg oil and 30g butter. Add a layer of rice, then layer with carrot mix, keeping a ¼ aside to garnish. Keep layering with rice and carrot mix, and season each layer with salt and pepper , and the spice mix. Wrap the lid in a tea-towel and cover the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on high, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 15mins. Heap onto a serving plate ,the bottom should have formed a nice golden crust, mix with the rice and garnish with the remaining carrot mix, and flaked almonds. Serve with fish Koresh, and yoghurt, flat bread and a drizzle of hosef. (optional) For the Hosef Boil the sugar, water and cinnamon. Add the barberries and cook for 5 minutes. Take off the heat remove the cinnamon and add the lime juice and rosewater and chill. Serve cold, sprinkled onto Persian rice dishes.
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Fish Koresh
Ingredients(serves 4) 2 medium size brown onions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 cardamom pods (seeds only), crushed 400 ml orange juice 350 ml chicken stock 400g snapper/flathead 1 carrot, jullienened 2 oranges, segmented ½ bunch mint, picked and chopped ½ bunch coriander, chopped ½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon orange blossom water 1 lime Salt, pepper 80g pistachios, roasted and lightly crushed Finely sliced candied orange zest, in sugar syrup 40g flaked almonds, sauted in butter until golden brown MethodCook onions in oil and butter in a heavy based pan until soft. Add spices, cook for a minute. Add orange juice and stock, reduce by half and season with salt and pepper. Slice the snapper into 4, add to the pan and turn heat to a gentle simmer. Add half of the carrot and cover with a lid, allow to cook for 2 minutes, then using a slotted spoon gently remove the fish to a serving dish. Next, add half of the orange segments, the remaining carrot, stir in mint, coriander, orange blossom and a squeeze of fresh lime. Scatter in half of the pistachios and a little candied zest. To finish, pour everything over the fish, and scatter over the remaining pistachios, orange segments, candied zest, flaked almonds and some more herbs. Serve with grilled sourdough, rubbed with garlic and persian rice. Note: For the candied orange zest, peel and thinly slice the orange skin, blanch 3 times in water to remove the bitterness, then simmer gently in a equal part sugar and water syrup until it becomes candied.
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Gnocchi a la Romana
Ingredients (Serves 8 as an entrée or 4 mains) 1 litre milk 80-100g butter 3 egg yolks 1½ cups course ground semolina ¾ cup parmesan grated Fresh grated nutmeg to taste 400g Swiss brown mushrooms sliced 1 small bunch sage fried until crisp 8 slices pancetta baked until starting to crisp 3 garlic cloves A few sprigs of fresh thyme Method Heat milk with a pinch of salt. Add the semolina slowly & whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Cook for about 15 minutes until it forms a thick paste. Remove from the heat & allow to cool a few minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time add ½ cup parmesan, nutmeg & 40g butter & salt to taste. Pour into a buttered tray & spread to 1cm thick. Allow to cool & set. Cut into rounds & place layers in a buttered oven dish. Sprinkle with parmesan & dot with butter. Bake in a hot oven 220°C & bake 15 minutes until starting to brown. Serve with sautéed mushrooms, pancetta & drizzle with salsa verde. For the mushrooms, heat a pan with a little olive oil & add the garlic. Add the mushrooms & sauté until tender & season with salt, pepper & thyme. Salsa Verde Combine together: 1 crushed clove of garlic, zest & juice of 1 lemon, 1 tblspn of chopped capers & ¼ bunch chopped parsley add 50-60ml olive oil & season with salt & pepper.
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Mussels steamed with white wine, tomato and basil
Ingredients(serves 4 as an entree) 1 kg mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded 1 onion finely diced 3 cloves garlic, finely diced 1-2 long dried chilli A splash of white wine 2 bay leaves 3 tomatoes, chopped zest and juice from 1 lemon ½ bunch parsley chopped ½ bunch basil, torn Olive oil Salt & pepper Crusty bread to serve 1 cup cooked pearl barley MethodSautee the onions and garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent. Turn the heat up and add the chilli, bay leaves, lemon zest and mussels and toss well. Add a splash of white wine and the tomatoes and cover with a lid. After a minute of cooking, lift the lid and check to see that most of the mussels should have started to open. Add the pearl barley. Pour in the lemon juice, a good amount of olive oil, the parsley, basil and a good grind of pepper. Serve straight away with plenty of crusty bread.
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Festive Roast Turkey with Apricots & Cranberries
IngredientsFor the Turkey 1 large turkey breast 1 litre water 1¼ cups dark brown sugar ¼ cup soy sauce 20g salt 2 cloves garlic 2 bay leaves ¼ tsp black peppercorns 4 cloves 4 all spice 100ml maple syrup For the Stuffing 300g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs 100g blanched whole almonds 100g dried cranberries 150g butter 2 onions finely chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice Salt and pepper to taste For the Apricots 250g dried apricots soaked in enough water to cover, for several hours until swollen 150-200g frozen cranberries 100ml maple syrup 20ml orange blossom water MethodFor the TurkeyBring all ingredients (except the turkey) to the boil, remove from the heat & allow to cool. Add the turkey & brine for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. Drain & pat dry. Open the turkey out and stuff with stuffing and roll. Truss with string to form a neat log. Sprinkle with pepper. Heat a pan with a small amount of oil and gently sear the turkey until golden on all sides. Place in the oven at 150°C for about 1 hour until cooked, allow to rest before serving.For the StuffingMelt butter in a pan & then over low heat cook the onions until soft, add the remaining ingredients & season to taste. Set aside to cool.For the ApricotsStrain the apricots, reserving the liquid and add the liquid and maple syrup to a pan & cook until it starts to become a little syrupy. Add the orange blossom water, apricots, cranberries & any juices from the resting turkey. Cook until glazed. Serve the turkey on a platter, serve with roasted baby carrots & scatter over the apricot mix & a few roasted pistachios.
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Savoury Potato Pancakes with Cured Salmon
Ingredients (makes 14 small pancakes) 250g cold mashed potato 2 tsp djon mustard 80g plain flour 5g baking powder 2 eggs 130ml milk 1 tbsp chopped chives 2 tbsp chopped dill Season with salt and pepper MethodMix together eggs, milk, mustard and herbs. Add the mashed potato and sifted dry ingredients, mix together carefully and season with salt and pepper. Brush a frypan with a little butter and oil and over low heat, cook the pancakes until golden on both sides. Serve with cured salmon, steamed asparagus, fresh rocket and soft goats cheese (seasoned with salt pepper and lemon zest). Serve with a wedge of fresh lemon and fresh dill. Serving suggestion: Add a poached egg and capers for a hearty breakfast/brunch.
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Pizza Pie
IngredientsPizza Filling 150-200 hot sopressa cut into chunks 250g button mushrooms cut into chunks 1 onion sliced 1 large red capsicum, sliced 1 can chopped tomatoes 1 can artichoke hearts chopped 100g pitted olives Few sprigs of fresh marjoram picked A few sprigs of fresh thyme picked 2 tbsp capers Salt and pepper to taste 100-150g bocconcini balls broken into chunks Pizza Dough 250g flour 7g dried yeast 150-180ml warm water 7g salt MethodPizza FillingPlace a little olive oil in pan and sauté the onion and capsicum until soft. Add the sopressa, mushrooms and herbs. Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients except the bocconcini. Season to taste. Pile into the centre of the pie dish lined with pizza dough, and dot in the bocconcini and then pull the overlapping dough towards the centre. Bake in a hot oven until golden.Pizza DoughCombine together all ingredients and knead until a nice smooth ball. Cover in bowl and allow to double in size. Roll out to fit a 25cm pie dish with enough dough to over lap the sides.
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Tomato Goats Cheese Tart
Ingredients 1 x 25cm pie dish Pastry Pinch of salt 140g softened unsalted butter 40ml soda water 180g flour Filling 3 eggs 300ml cream 200g soft goats cheese (curd) Salt and pepper to taste 1 spring onion sliced 4 tbsp chopped parsley For the Tomatoes 8 medium tomatoes cut in half Brown sugar Salt and pepper Balsamic vinegar Pomegranate molasses Chilli flakes 6 shallots cut in half Olive oil To Garnish 20g toasted pine nuts 60g soft goats cheese Basil leaves Parsley/Basil to drizzle MethodPastryRub the butter into the flour add the salt and add the soda water. Roll into a ball and wrap and chill until firm. Roll out to about 2-3mm thick. Chill, and blind bake at 180°C until golden.FillingCombine together the filling ingredients and pour into the pre-baked pie base. Bake 15-20mins until set.For the TomatoesArrange the shallots and tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle a little oil, vinegar and pomegranate molasses over the tomatoes. Season with chilli flakes, salt and pepper and sprinkle with brown sugar. Roast in a hot oven until starting to colour.To ServeArrange the tomatoes and shallots over the pie. Scatter with toasted pines nuts, torn basil, dollops of goats cheese and a drizzle of parsley or basil oil.
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Pulled Pork Empanada
Ingredients For the Pulled Pork 2kg piece pork shoulder, off the bone, rind & fat removed 4 chipotle chillies in abodo sauce, chopped 5 cloves garlic crushed 2 tsp smoked paprika 3 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp black pepper crushed Juice 3-4 limes 3 bay leaves 2 cinnamon sticks 12 whole cloves 2 tsp cumin powder 2 tsp coriander powder 200ml orange juice Salt For The Pastry 1kg flour 1 tsp of salt 360g cold butter 3 eggs 240ml cold water 45ml vinegar For the Empanadas (makes about 60-70 small) Pulled pork 1 bunch of chopped parsley 4 chipotle chillies in abodo sauce, chopped 3 red capsicum, sliced 4 bay leaves 4 cloves garlic, crushed 6-8 tomatoes, chopped 3 onions, sliced Salt Pepper Method For the Pulled Pork Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl & then add the pork, & rub well with marinade. Allow to marinate for a few hours, or overnight. Transfer to a cast iron pot & place in a hot oven 200°C uncovered for 20 minutes. Cover & reduce the heat to 150°C & cook for 3-3½ hours until ender & falling apart. Remove from the oven & allow to rest for ½ hour before shredding. Shred the pork & toss with pan juices. Use for tacos or empanadas. For the Pastry Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients & bring together to form a ball. Wrap in cling film & allow to rest for at least an hour before use. For the Empanadas Heat a little oil in a pan & add the onion, red capsicum, garlic & bay leaves. Cook on a low heat until soft. Add the chipotle chilli & tomatoes & cook down. Add the pork & chopped parsley, & allow to cool. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to 3mm thick, cut out rounds & place a spoonful of empanada mix into the centre. Brush with egg, fold over & crimp the edges together. Place onto a lined tray & brush with egg & bake in a hot oven at 180°C until golden. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion & fresh parsley or coriander & serve with sour cream & coriander dressing.
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Garfish Involtini
Ingredients (Serves 4) 6 double fillets of garfish 1 cup cooked burghul ¼ bunch dill, chopped ¼ bunch parsley 2 spring onions, finely sliced 1 lemon, zested & flesh chopped 30g currants, soaked & drained ½ chilli, chopped 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped Juice 1 lemon Handful fresh chunky bread crumbs 40g pine nuts Olive oil Salt Pepper Method Combine the burghul, nuts, currants, spring onion, lemon, chilli & herbs. Season with salt, pepper & olive oil. Line the garfish horizontally on a board skin side up, & stuff with burghul. Roll & place in a small baking dish brushed with oil. Toss over tomatoes, bread crumbs, season with salt & pepper & a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in a hot oven 200ºC for about 10-15minutes. Until cooked through. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon.
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Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients 2 eggplants Burghul mix (see garfish involtini recipe) 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder Juice 1 lemon Olive oil Salt 20g flaked almonds toasted Yoghurt to drizzle Herbs to garnish Pomegranate seeds to garnish MethodMix together the dry spices, lemon juice and olive oil and season with slat and pepper. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways and then score the flesh. Rub the cut side with spice mix and roast in the oven until tender. Spoon over a little of the burghul mix, drizzle with yoghurt, and garnish with herbs, pomegranate seeds, almond flakes and olive oil.
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