Category Archives: Recipes

Halloumi with Rhubarb Sauce

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We had this dish when we were travelling in Poland several years ago. As we grow rhubarb in our garden I made a mental note to recreate it, but then I forgot about it.
I was cleaning out the freezer in our garage this morning. A good weekend activity which doesn’t get done very often. I found all sorts of things I had forgotten about, including a container of cooked rhubarb.
So I added a few things to it, including half a cup of frozen raspberries and came up with a delicious lunch for two, as close to the Polish version as I can remember.
The raspberries are not essential, but they do give the sauce a better colour. You will have enough sauce to make this recipe two or three times. Any leftover sauce will keep in the fridge for several days or can be frozen.
Rhubarb Sauce:
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
½ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs honey
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
For the Halloumi:
225g packet halloumi, sliced 1cm thick
1 Tbs olive oil
To serve:
Rocket leaves|
Extra virgin olive oil

Fresh herbs
Cracked black pepper
For the sauce, place all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over moderate heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often, or until thick and chunky. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Dry the halloumi on paper towels then cook on both sides in the olive oil in a nonstick frying pan, until golden brown.Serve the halloumi on a bed of rocket leaves. Top with some of the rhubarb sauce and garnish with fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and some cracked pepper.

Serves 2 as a light lunch or starter
Variations: use pitted red plums, chopped, instead of rhubarb.

Chocolate Pear Cake

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This egg-free, dairy-free recipe caught my eye as I’ve always liked the combination of pears and chocolate. I didn’t have any fresh pears, but a tin of pears in the pantry from goodness knows when worked well.

If you’re not dairy intolerant you can of course use ordinary milk and yoghurt.

Served with a blob of cream (I prefer sour cream shown in the photo below the recipe) with a cup of coffee or as a dessert, this recipe is definitely a keeper. You could leave out the pears and add a few more nuts. Maybe try blueberries instead of pears? Let me know if you try something different.

Cake:
1½ cups plain flour, sifted
¾ cup raw sugar (see substitutes)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup almond or oat milk (see substitutes)
½ cup coconut yoghurt (see substitues)
½ cup warm strong coffee
¼ cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
2 tsp vanilla essence
Topping:
2 firm pears, peeled, cored and sliced into thick wedges (or one can pears, drained)
2 Tbs plain flour
1 Tbs raw sugar
100g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
100g walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 22cm round cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper. Place all ingredients for cake in food processor and mix well, stopping to scrape down the sides. Scrape into the cake pan and smooth the top.

Dry the pear slices on paper towel then mix with the 2 Tbs of flour and 1 Tbs sugar. Arrange over the top of the cake, discarding any flour mixture left in the bowl. Sprinkle the chocolate and nuts over the top.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until well-risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake mixture comes out clean. Cool for an hour then run a knife around the edges and remove from the tin. If liked top with a little icing sugar through a sieve.

Serve with sour cream, whipped cream or pouring cream.

Serves 12-16

Substitutes: you can use any kind of milk, any kind of plain thick yoghurt and any kind of sugar in this recipe.

 

Rich Chocolate Mousse

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This recipe was given to me by my friend Jenny. It doesn’t contain any cream and is very chocolatey.
While travelling in Portugal recently we enjoyed a similar rich chocolate mousse which was garnished with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt flakes. It was delicious if you like that sort of sweet and salty combo. If not, serve the mousse with berries and thick cream.
250g dark chocolate
4 large eggs separated
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs brandy or rum
To serve:
Thick cream and berries
or, Maldon sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Melt chocolate and butter in a large bowl over simmering water. Remove from heat. Mix in  the egg yolks one by one, then the brandy or rum.
Whip egg whites till stiff then fold carefully into chocolate half at a time. Scrape into a nice glass serving bowl, or individual bowls.  Chill.
Serve the mousse topped with a few flakes of salt and a drizzle of oil. Or with berries and thick cream.
Serves 6

Roasted Pumpkin & Spiced Apple Soup with Cashew Nut Cream

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On the way from Canberra to Sydney we stopped at Eling Forest Winery, in the Southern Highlands, for lunch.

Roasted Pumpkin and Spiced Apple Soup was on the “specials of the day” menu and we both had the same. The combination of sweet, smoky pumpkin and spiced apples was divine and I couldn’t wait to make my own version.

Topped with Cashew Nut Cream and crunchy Spiced Pumpkin Seeds, this soup, which is suitable for Vegans, is a real winner. Perfect for lunch or supper on a cold day in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, or anywhere else when it’s a bit nippy.

If you’re not following a Vegan diet you can thin down the soup with cow’s milk.

Soup:
About 500g pumpkin, peeled
4 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
A pinch of ground cloves
A pinch of ground cayenne
1 litre vegetable stock
Milk as required (cow’s, oat, almond etc)
Crunchy Pepitas:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp sugar, honey or maple syrup (optional)
¼ tsp each ground cumin, cinnamon and paprika
Cashew Nut Cream:
1 cup raw cashew nuts + enough water to cover
2 tsp cider vinegar
2-3 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Salt to taste
To serve:
Toasted sourdough or Turkish bread

Cashew Nut Cream: Cover cashew nuts with water and leave to soak overnight. Place in food processor or blender with the water and vinegar and process until smooth, stopping halfway to scrape down the sides. Add the nutritional yeast, if using, then taste and add a little salt if needed. It will keep for a few days in the fridge. Thin down if necessary with a little water.

Soup: Preheat oven to 200° C. Cut the peeled pumpkin into large chunks, mix with 2 Tbs of the olive oil, spread out on a baking tray and roast for about half an hour or until tender and starting to brown. Meanwhile heat remaining 2 Tbs oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and add the onions, apples and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft. Add the spices and cook, stirring for a minute or two. Add the roasted pumpkin and the stock. Simmer for 25 minutes then turn off the heat. When cool enough to handle, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. It will be very thick. Can be made ahead to this stage and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Crunchy Pepitas: place pumpkin seeds in a medium-sized non-stick frying pan with the oil and stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add salt, sweetener (if using) and spices. Continue to cook, stirring all the time, until the seeds are starting to change colour. Tip out onto a large dinner plate and leave to cool. Keep in a jar in the fridge and use about a tablespoonful for each serving of soup.

To serve, reheat the soup adding water or milk to thin it down to the required consistency. Taste and add salt if required.

Serve with toasted sourdough or Turkish bread, topped with a swirl of cashew nut cream and a few crunchy pepitas.

Serves 8

 

Eggplant and Chickpea Curry

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This winter has been particularly cold so I’ve been trying different recipes for eggplant curries. Eggplant is one of the “meatiest” of vegetables, resulting in a very filling and satisfying meal. This curry has become one of our favourites.

For a less rich sauce, use water instead of the can of coconut milk.

2 medium to large eggplants cut into 2cm cubes, skin left on
4 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion , chopped
1 red capsicum, seeded and cut into cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
2 tsp each ground coriander, smoked paprika and turmeric
1 Tbs curry paste (whatever you have on hand)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can coconut milk (or 1 cup water)
1 can chickpeas, drained
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander, chopped

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place eggplant in a bowl, add 2 Tbs of the olive oil and a little salt. Mix well, then spread out on a large shallow oven tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender and starting to brown.

Meanwhile in a large frying pan cook the onion, red capsicum and garlic in the remaining 2 Tbs of oil for 5 minutes, stirring often, or until soft. Add the ginger, spices and curry paste and cook, stirring, over moderate heat for 1-2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, coconut milk and chickpeas, plus a dash of water if it seems a bit too thick. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the roasted eggplant to the sauce with salt to taste. Garnish with coriander (I didn’t have any for the photo) and serve with steamed rice and a fruit chutney.

Serves 4

Dumplings with Satay Sauce

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This is an easy recipe you can whip up in no time to feed the family or a crowd. Similar in method to this recipe for Baked Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Basil and Cheese which I posted some time ago and which uses a bought packet of gnocchi, today’s recipe uses a bought packet of frozen dumplings. It’s one of those throw everything in and bake dishes.

To make this dish go further, serve it with steamed rice.

1 packet frozen dumplings (about 500g, prawn, chicken or pork)
Sauce:
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 Tbs chilli paste/sauce (Sriracha, gochujang, harissa paste or curry paste)
1 Tbs sweet chilli sauce
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbs grated ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
1 (400ml) can coconut milk
Additions:
½ cup frozen edamame beans (not the ones in the pods) (see variations)
2 heads bok choy, chopped (see variations)
Toppings:
1 Tbs sesame seeds
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped coriander leaves
1 Tbs chopped peanuts
1 Tbs crispy fried shallots (sold in Asian shops and some supermarkets)
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Preheat oven to 200°C and lightly oil a lasagne-type dish about 20-22cm long. Place all ingredients for the sauce in the dish. Rinse out the coconut milk can with ¼ cup water and tip that in too. Whisk with a hand whisk to combine. Scatter the edamame and bok choy over the dish and push them to submerge. Arrange frozen dumplings over the whole dish and push them in a bit. You will need 20-25 dumplings – I used about two thirds of a 750g packet.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the dumplings are starting to brown on top. Meanwhile prepare the toppings.

Sprinkle toppings over the dish and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Variations: instead of edamame use frozen peas or corn. Instead of bok choy use pak choy, baby spinach leaves, sugar snap peas, baby corn or julienne carrots.

 

Anantara’s Beetroot, Pumpkin & Rocket Salad with Caramelised Walnuts

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While chilling out for a few days in Chiang Mai, Thailand last year at the Bodhi Serene, on our way back to Australia from Europe, we had a fantastic dinner at the restaurant in the Anantara hotel. The Anantara is a chain with hotels and resorts all over the world.

This year we were staying in the Little Riverside in Hoi An Vietnam when we noticed an Anantara hotel right next door. We had two excellent dinners there and on the day we were leaving this is what I had for lunch. Well this is my version.

1 bunch rocket, washed and spun dry
2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2-3cm cubes
2 beetroot, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths
8 French shallots, peeled
1 Tbs olive oil
1 orange, peeled and cut into segments
¾ cup walnuts or pecans
1 Tbs maple syrup
Dressing:
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs orange juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 200°C. Mix pumpkin, beetroot and shallots with olive oil, season lightly then spread out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cook for 30 mins or until cooked and lightly browned.

Arrange rocket in serving dish. Top with the roasted vegetables and the orange segments. Place walnuts or pecans in a small frying pan and stir over moderate heat for a minute or two. Add the maple syrup and stir until the nuts are glazed and sticky.  Arrange over the salad then drizzle with the dressing. Dressing: shake all ingredients in a jar with a lid. Photo shows the salad without the dressing.

Serves 4

Apple, Carrot & Beetroot Cake

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This is a variation on a carrot cake which uses a mixture of grated apple, carrot and beetroot. I didn’t have any beetroot so I used a couple of turnips! One apple, one carrot and two turnips. Sounds weird but it was delicious.

A coarse grating blade on a food processor makes easy work of the grating. Don’t be tempted to add any liquid to the mixture as the vegetables will provide enough moisture as they cook.

About 3 cups grated veg (apple, carrot, beetroot, turnip) firmly packed
3 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
2¼ cups plain flour, sifted
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 cup nuts (see note below)
Icing:
250g cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
To decorate:
Extra nuts

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grate vegetables and place in a large mixing bowl. I use the Magimix for grating vegetables which makes short work of it. Place eggs and remaining ingredients except nuts in food processor and mix well, stopping to scrape down the sides. Add the nuts and mix to incorporate and chop them a bit. Scrape into the bowl with the grated vegetables and mix well.

Grease and line a 22cm (9″) square cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper. You can use a round cake tin if preferred or make muffins. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until evenly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Muffins will take less time.

Cool then remove from cake tin and spread with the icing. Decorate with extra nuts. Keep in the fridge.

Icing: in a bowl with a wooden spoon, mix the cream cheese until smooth then gradually mix in the icing sugar.

Note: you can use walnuts, pecans or pine nuts. I bought a pack of what was described as Granulated Nuts from Woolworths and they worked perfectly in the cake mixture, then I used walnut halves to decorate.

Serves 16

 

Chicken Lady Chicken

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While living in Paris for four years I noticed several differences in the shopping, eating and cooking habits of the French, compared with ours.

They generally don’t stock up on food in big supermarkets. Living in an apartment, as almost everyone does in big cities like Paris, makes getting groceries from the supermarket into your home a real challenge. With limited parking and, for some Parisians, no elevator, it’s much easier to shop at the local markets every few days. Buy what you need, eat it fresh, then go and buy more. Little trolleys on wheels are perfect for shopping this way. An added deterrent to buying up big is that most Paris apartments have tiny kitchens with limited cupboard and freezer space.

I reckon one of the reasons most French women stay slim is that they don’t eat a big meal every evening. Several svelte French friends told me that during the week their husbands went out for a three course lunch and were quite happy with something very light in the evening. Women who work do the same. So as I was heading home to cook our main meal of the day, they were going home to have “un petit yaourt” or “une tartine” – a slice of toast with something on it.

I also noticed that the French don’t get stuck into baguettes and French cheeses quite the way we do. I’ve watched lithesome French friends make one slice of bread last through several courses, used as required to push food onto their fork. The cheese course is always served before the dessert and my svelte French friends take only a small sliver of each. French cheeses are marvellous, but they are also high in calories and cholesterol.

The French also tend to be more abstemious when it comes to wine consumption, as we noted when we cleared up the empties after a dinner party for mainly French guests and compared it with the week before when we had hosted mainly Aussies.

While they regularly eat out, our French friends like to entertain family and close friends. With the limitations of a small kitchen and an equally small oven, dessert often comes from the local patisserie. With such a wonderful array to choose from, why bother cooking? There are of course exceptions. I have several French friends who make wonderful cakes and desserts, using recipes inherited from their mothers and grandmothers.

Food markets pop up all over Paris in regular spots, once or twice a week. The twice-weekly market in Boulevard de Grenelle was less than five minutes walk from where we lived. Every Wednesday and Sunday from seven in the morning until lunch time the market sells fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, fish and more to a bustling crowd of mostly French customers.

On Sundays the rotisserie chickens and roast potatoes sold at the markets are popular to take home for lunch. Today’s recipe comes from well-known cook and food writer David Lebovitz who has been living in Paris for over 20 years. He managed to persuade the chicken lady at his local market to part with her recipe. Hence the name Chicken Lady Chicken. He uses the marinade for one chicken, but I found it’s enough for two. She uses white wine but red wine or even sherry is a good substitute.

1 or 2  x 1.5kg (3 lb) chickens
Marinade:
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs wine or sherry
1 Tbs soy sauce
2½ tsp harissa, Sriracha or other chilli paste
2 tsp Dijon or other mustard
2 tsp honey

Remove backbone from the chicken(s) by cutting along each side with a pair of poultry shears. Place chicken breast side down on cutting board and press hard with the heel of your hand to flatten it out as much as possible, then repeat on the other side. Loosen the skin a bit with your finger so the marinade can get in under the skin.

Mix all ingredients for marinade and pour over the chicken(s), rubbing it in and pushing it under the skin. Marinate for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, covered, turning from time to time. Levovitz does this in a plastic bag, but I used a shallow dish.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place chickens in a roasting pan breast side down. Cover loosely with aluminum foil then place a heavy weight on top. I used two bricks, one for each chicken. Lebovitz cooks his chicken for a total of 45 mins but I think it needs a bit longer. Roast for half an hour, then remove the brick(s) and foil and turn the chickens over, basting thoroughly. Roast for a further half hour or until chickens are well browned and cooked through.

Carve the chicken(s) and serve with roast potatoes and a salad.

Each chicken serves 4-6

Beef Bourguignon

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My friend Katie said she made beef bourguignon the other day and had to throw it out because the meat was still tough despite hours of cooking.

I said I would give her my recipe which I’ve been making for years. I always make it in my slow cooker, but you can cook it in the oven if you prefer.

As you can see from the photo, this is not fancy food. Full of flavour, beef bourguignon makes perfect comfort food for mid-winter dining, especially with the cold snap we’re currently experiencing in Canberra.

1kg to 1.5kg lean beef cut into 2-3cm cubes (I use chuck steak)
3 Tbs flour, seasoned
2 Tbs olive oil
50g butter
100g speck cut into thick slices then chunky little pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 leek sliced
S and P
3 Tbs brandy
bouquet garni or equivalent mix of herbs (see note below)
1 cup red wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1-2 cups beef stock
Garnish:
12-16 shallots or very small onions, peeled, left whole
12-16 button mushrooms, wiped and trimmed
30g butter, extra
½ tsp sugar
3 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbs chopped parsley
To serve:
Steamed carrots and mashed potatoes

When cutting up the meat it’s ok to leave a bit of fat and tendons as these will cook down in the casserole. Just remove any excess.

Coat meat in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Cook bacon in a large frying pan without any added oil until browned then place in a large ovenproof casserole or the bowl of a Slow Cooker, leaving the oil in the pan. Add half the olive oil and half the butter to the frying pan and brown the meat in two batches. When the second batch is brown, add the brandy, set alight (turn off the extractor fan first) and when the flames subside add to the casserole with the meat and juices from the frying pan.

Add remaining oil and butter to frying pan and cook, garlic, onion and leek for a few minutes, stirring until softened. Add to casserole with remaining ingredients, using just enough stock to almost cover. You will need less stock if you are using a Slow Cooker rather than the oven, so add a cup now and you can add more later if necessary. In my Slow Cooker I only need 1 cup of stock and don’t need to add more.

Cover and bake in the oven at 150°C for 1.5 to 2 hours or until meat is tender, adding more beef stock if necessary when you check it after an hour or so. It will take longer in a Slow Cooker and time will depend on how tender the meat is and whether you put the cooker on Low or High. In my Slow Cooker it takes 4 hours on High.

Garnish: heat extra butter in a small frying pan and cook the onions gently until soft and browned. Add sugar and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until glazed. Add mushrooms (halved or quartered if large) and continue to cook for a few mins, stirring, then add lemon juice. Just before serving mix onions and mushrooms into casserole. Meanwhile steam the carrots, sliced if large or whole if small. When tender drain and add a knob of butter, S and P. Cook the potatoes and mash with butter and a little milk.

Adjust seasoning in the casserole and remove bouquet garni. Serve the casserole with the carrots and the creamy mashed potatoes on the side. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the beef.

Serves 8

Note: a bouquet garni is a bunch of fresh herbs tied with a piece of string and removed from the dish just before serving. Usually it consists of bay leaves, thyme and parsley. Instead you can add some chopped fresh herbs or dried herbs.