Author Archives: Linda Peek

Watermelon Sorbet with Olive Oil & Maldon Sea Salt

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This recipe is easy to make and never fails to impress. Serve it in shot glasses as a palate cleanser between courses or as a very light starter or dessert. The combination of sweet watermelon sorbet, fruity olive oil and salt flakes is amazing.

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1½ kg watermelon, rind removed, cubed
Juice of half a lemon (or more, to taste)
1 egg white
To serve:
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt flakes

Place water and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved.  Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.  Cool.  Puree the watermelon cubes in a food processor.  Push through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the solids.  You should have at least 600ml juice.

Add syrup and lemon juice to watermelon juice and mix well.  Tip into a shallow plastic container and freeze for 4-5 hours, covered, or until almost solid.  Scrape sorbet into a food processor, add the egg white and process until smooth.  Return to the plastic container, cover and freeze again.

Serve a scoop or two per person in a shot glass.  Drizzle with a good slug of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a few salt flakes.

Serves lots and keeps for up to a month in the freezer

Beef Casserole with Spring Onion Mash

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A good beef casserole accompanied by mashed potatoes to mop up the gravy is the sort of comfort food we all enjoy as the weather gets cooler. These old-fashioned dishes take us back to our childhood and Mum’s cooking.

This casserole doesn’t contain any tomatoes or herbs, allowing the flavour from the mushrooms and the sherry to shine through. It can be made in the oven or in a slow cooker.

Beef Casserole with Spring Onion Mash

2 Tbs oil
1 kg lean stewing beef such as chuck steak
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g speck or bacon cut into chunky pieces (lardons)
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
250g mushrooms, wiped and thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups water (only 1 cup for Slow Cooker)
1 beef stock cube
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
½ cup dry sherry or red wine
Spring Onion Mash:
1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into even-sized pieces
25g butter
¼ cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 spring onions, thinly sliced (optional)
To serve:
Chopped fresh parsley

Trim beef and cut into 3cm cubes. Season. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large frying pan and brown half the meat all over until nicely caramelised. Put beef into a heavy Le Creuset-type casserole with a lid or into a Slow Cooker. Repeat with remaining oil and beef. Add the lardons to the pan and cook, stirring until light brown. Add onions and cook for 3-4 mins stirring regularly, until starting to soften. Add carrots, mushrooms, garlic and a touch more oil if necessary and continue to cook for 3-4 mins. Tip vegetables into the casserole with the beef.

Add water, stock cube, Worcestershire sauce and sherry or wine. If using a casserole dish cover and cook at 150°C for two hours or until meat is tender and sauce has thickened up. If using a Slow Cooker use only one cup of water, cover and cook for 3-4 hours on High or until meat is tender and sauce has thickened.

Casserole will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or you can eat half and freeze the rest. Reheat, check seasoning and serve garnished with chopped parsley and accompanied by Spring Onion Mash to mop up all the gravy.

Spring Onion Mash: cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 20 mins or until tender. Drain thoroughly then mash with a potato masher, adding the butter and milk. When smooth and creamy season with salt and pepper and fold in the spring onions if liked.

Serves 4-6

Spinach and Feta Pastries

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This recipe for Spinach and Feta pastries was one of my most popular posts, so here it is again. I’m travelling in Europe so there will be a few repeat posts while I’m away.

These are a great addition to lunch boxes, picnics and buffet lunches. They are also great to serve with drinks. Most kids love them and it’s a good way to get them to eat more green veggies.

Once cooked and cooled, if not serving immediately, you can keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze them. They will just need a few minutes in a hot oven or an air fryer to heat up.

1-2 sheets bought puff pastry
Filling:
About 225g frozen chopped spinach, thawed (I used half a 450g pkt of spinach nuggets)
100g feta cheese, crumbled
¾ cup thinly sliced spring onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 egg
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Extra:
1 beaten egg to brush

Preheat oven to 200°C. Squeeze any liquid from the spinach then mix it with remaining filling ingredients. Cut out 12 squares of puff pastry, approximately 8cm or 3 inches square. I got nine from one sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry.

Lightly but thoroughly (mine got a bit stuck) oil a 12 hole muffin pan and place a pastry square in each. Place a rounded tablespoonful of filling in each, then go back and use the rest to top them up. If you have too much you could use another muffin pan and make a couple more but I found the mixture made exactly 12.

Pull the four pastry points over the top of the filling and pinch lightly together. Brush with beaten egg, then bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheated for a few minutes in a hot oven or frozen.

Makes 12

Gluten-free Chocolate Nut Cookies

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More and more people are avoiding gluten, so here’s a recipe for some delicious gluten-free chocolate cookies that everyone will love. If you’re also avoiding nuts, leave them out and add more chocolate chips.

1/3 cup cocoa powder
1½ cups icing sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp arrowroot
2 large egg whites
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (macadamias, walnuts, pecans, almonds or a mix)
Maldon sea salt

With a hand whisk, mix the first six ingredients until smooth. Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts. I used macadamia nuts and didn’t chop them, so they were quite chunky. Line a large shallow baking tray with baking paper or use a silicone baking mat as I did. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spoon the cookie mixture onto the tray, using about a tablespoonful for each cookie and placing in compact blobs. They will spread to about double the width.

Sprinkle a few flakes of Maldon sea salt on each cookie then bake for 12 minutes. Don’t overcook – they will firm up when cool and you want them to be a bit chewy in the middle.

Cool completely before removing from the tray and storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 15.

Anzac Biscuits

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On the 25th of April Australians and New Zealanders remember those who have lost their lives in military conflict. The date of Anzac day marks the anniversary of the landing in Gallipoli (Turkey) during the First World War, when many lives were lost. The acronym Anzac stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Dawn services are held on this day in many countries, including France and Turkey.

Anzac biscuits were apparently sent by wives to soldiers abroad because they kept well during naval transportation. Nowadays they are made commercially, but many people make their own. There are some variations in the recipes so here is mine.

photo

1 cup porridge oats
½ cup plain flour
½ cup self raising flour
1 cup sugar
¾ cup desiccated coconut
125g butter
2 Tbs golden syrup (see note below)
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 Tbs boiling water

Preheat oven to 170°C. In a large bowl mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut. Place butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan and stir over gentle heat until melted. Mix soda with boiling water and add to the butter mixture, then mix into the dry ingredients.

Using your hands, place balls of about one tablespoonful of mixture on lightly greased oven trays, or trays lined with non-stick baking paper – 12 per sheet, not too close together as they will spread. Flatten them out slightly with a fork. Bake for 12-20 minutes, or until a nice honey-brown colour. Ovens vary. If you prefer them more chewy and less crunchy, remove from the oven a bit earlier. If on tins without paper, loosen while still warm, then cool on the trays. Store in an airtight tin.

Makes 12-16 depending on size

Note: unless you live in Australia, New Zealand or the UK you may have difficulty finding golden syrup. There are some online sites which sell British ingredients. I have tried substituting honey but it’s not the same.

Tea Cake

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The proper name for this old Welsh recipe is Barra Brith.  In our house it’s always called Tea Cake, because it’s made with cold tea.  In the good company of the Date and Walnut Loaf, this cake is simple, quick to make and it keeps for a week in an airtight tin.  I used to use half a cup of sugar, but I cut it down as the dry fruit provides quite a lot of sweetness. Try leaving the sugar out altogether – there’s plenty of sweetness from the dried fruit.

2½ cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, chopped dates, currants,) and nuts if you like (walnuts, pecans)
1 cup cold tea, including leaves
¼ cup brown sugar (optional)
2 cups self-raising flour
1 large egg
1 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice
3 Tbs oil

Soak fruit (and nuts if using) in tea overnight. Preheat oven to 160°C. Mix in remaining ingredients. If the mixture is rather dry add one or two tablespoons of milk. Scrape into a loaf tin approximately 12 x 25 cm, greased and bottom-lined with baking paper. Or use a silicone pan which doesn’t need greasing or lining – you can see mine in the photo. Smooth over the top with a knife. Bake for about an hour or until well-risen and browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Don’t overcook or cake will be dry. Leave in tin 5 minutes then turn out and cool on a rack. Keep at least a day before using. Serve sliced, either plain or buttered. Keeps for about a week in an airtight tin.

Baked Potatoes in the Air Fryer

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As kids we all loved baked potatoes and our kids loved them too. Try this quick and easy  “new take” on a retro recipe by cooking them in an air fryer. Vegetarians can leave out the bacon.

4 medium to large baking potatoes (Russets are a good choice)
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g butter
½ cup milk or cream or sour cream
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 rashers bacon, finely diced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
To serve:
Sour cream (optional)

Wash and dry the potatoes, prick them all over with a fork, then rub them all over with a little olive oil and salt. Place in air fryer and cook for 35-40 minutes at 200°C, turning halfway through, or until tender.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle – but still hot – cut them in half lengthwise and scrape out the middle into a bowl, leaving a 1cm thick shell. Mash the potato with the butter and milk or cream. Mix in half the cheese and half the spring onion slices and season to taste.

Divide the filling between the 8 potato halves and place them in the air fryer. Cook at 200°C for 6 minutes, then top with the remaining grated cheese and cook for another few minutes, until golden brown on top. Meanwhile fry the bacon dices in a non-stick pan until crispy.

Serve the potatoes garnished with the remaining spring onion and the bacon. If liked serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Makes 8 portions

Ratatouille

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The end of summer is a good time to make ratatouille. The tomatoes are full of flavour and you may even have some in your garden. We also have zucchini, so I only had to buy the eggplants, onions and peppers. While you can use green peppers, I prefer red or yellow as they’re sweeter. Once made, ratatouille can be frozen for several months. Ifyou have a glut of veggies, this is a good way to use them.

Ratatouille is a delicious Mediterranean side dish to serve at a BBQ or buffet. Serve some with a couple of fried eggs on top and some crusty bread for a satisfying lunch.

500g onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
olive oil
500g-600g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 Tbs tomato paste
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
3 large capsicums (peppers) green, red or yellow, cut into strips
500g-600g eggplants, (aubergines) cut into 2cm cubes
500g-600g zucchini (courgettes) unpeeled and cut into fat sticks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped parsley to serve

Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the onions and garlic over gentle heat, stirring often until soft and slightly golden. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, bay leaves and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, for 5-10 minutes. Place in a large heavy-based saucepan.

Wipe out the frying pan, heat a little more olive oil and then fry first the peppers, then the eggplant, then the zucchini, adding more oil to the pan as necessary. As each vegetable is ready, add it to the casserole.

If you have an air fryer you might find it easier to “fry” each vegetable in there rather than in a frying pan, which is what I did. Just place the chopped vegetable in a bowl and mix with a drizzle of olive oil, then tip it into the air fryer and cook on high for about 10 minutes, stopping and shaking every few minutes. When they look sufficiently fried, tip them in with the tomatoes and onions. Using an air fryer allows you to use less oil.

Simmer on low for about an hour, stirring from time to time. If it starts to stick add a little water.

Check seasonings, remove bay leaves and serve at room temp, garnished with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Fig Jam

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Serve this jam, which is made with dried figs, on a cheese board. It goes well with most cheeses. It also pairs well with pâté, ham and chicken. Serve it in sandwiches or in this easy chicken recipe, instead of marmalade. A jar also makes a nice gift, if you can bear to part with any.

Serve a dollop on Greek yoghurt, or as a topping for baked brie. It also makes an unusual filling for scones, with or without whipped cream.

Last time we were holidaying in France I bought a few cans of pâté de foie gras. I served some recently as a starter, with a mini onion quiche and some brioche toast fingers.

500g dried figs, stems removed
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs lemon juice

Cut each fig into quarters and place in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Use a stick blender to puree the jam. Or tip it into a blender or food processor and process using the pulse butter. You want a chunky not smooth finish. Tip the jam back into the saucepan. If you used a stick blender you can do that in the pan. Continue to simmer the jam for 5-10 minutes or until thickened. It will thicken more when it cools. If it gets too thick, add a little water.

Meanwhile wash and dry several small jam jars. Place them in a microwave (without the lids) and zap them for 2-3 minutes on high. When the jam is ready, tip it into the hot jars, then screw the lids on and store them in a dark cupboard.

Note: while balsamic vinegar gives a nice flavour, if you don’t have any substitute another vinegar such as sherry, red wine or cider.

 

 

 

 

Salmorejo with Seafood Medley & Goat Cheese Mousse

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Salmorejo is a Spanish soup, made from tomatoes, bread, olive oil and garlic. It’s served cold and is best described as a smooth Gazpacho. My son-in-law, who is a fabulous cook, served it when we were visiting earlier this year. I had never tried it before and thought it was delicious, so he sent me his recipe.

Having decided to use it as a base for a medley of seafood, I was concerned that when I heated it up in the microwave the Salmorejo might split, but it didn’t. It behaved perfectly.

Salmorejo relies on good quality tomatoes, so if it’s the middle of winter and the tomatoes in the supermarket are looking pale and unloved, use a couple of tins of good quality Italian tomatoes. As you can see from the photo, I didn’t do a very good job of making the goat cheese mousse into a beautiful shape with two spoons. The pressure was on to get the plates on the table for our guests before it got cold, so I ended up just putting rustic blobs. It still tasted good though.

Salmorejo:
600g ripe tomatoes
1 baguette
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbs sherry vinegar (or red/white wine vinegar)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Fish:
1 small piece of skinless white fish per person (I used Ling)
1 small piece of skinless salmon per person
1 large scallop per person
1 large green (raw) prawn per person
50g butter, melted
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Basil oil:
½ cup fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Goat Cheese Mousse:
1 cup whipping cream
100g soft goat cheese

Skin tomatoes, remove cores and place the rest in a blender. Remove the “guts” from the baguette. You should have 2-3 cups. Keep the outer crusts for another use.

Add 2 cups of the bread, vinegar and garlic to the blender. Blend until smooth, adding the olive oil through the chute with the motor running. Add salt to taste. Add more bread if necessary, to achieve desired consistency. Refrigerate till serving time.

Remove shells from prawns, leaving the heads and tips of the tails intact. Melt the butter with the garlic and  season to taste. Use it to brush all the seafood on both sides. Can be prepared ahead to this point and kept in the fridge.

Make basil oil by blending the basil with enough oil in a blender or food processor to make a thick sauce. For the goat cheese mousse, whip cream with electric beaters until thick then add the goat cheese and continue to whip until combined. Keep in the fridge.

At serving time, grill or pan fry the seafood. I cooked the prawns and scallops in the air fryer and the fish on a paper-lined tray in a hot oven. They took about 10 minutes max.

To serve, heat the Salmorejo in a microwave, ladle into 8 serving bowls and top with the seafood. Place a blob of goat cheese mousse in the centre and drizzle some basil oil around the edge. Serve with crusty bread and follow with a green salad – we had fresh rocket from the garden with toasted pine nuts.

Serves 8