Caramelised Onion Jam

Posted on 14 January 2015 by Linda Peek

Where would we be without the humble onion? White, brown, red, cooked or raw, pickled or fried, roasted or stewed. They’re an integral part of cooking around the world.

Onion jam is a delicious way to add some sweet onion flavour to all sorts of things. Use it in toasted sandwiches, on bruschettas, spread over the base of a savoury tart or pizza or served with a grilled steak.

2 kg onions
½ cup olive oil
375ml balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
½ to ¾ tsp salt, to taste
2 tsp dried thyme leaves or 4 tsp chopped fresh ones

Peel and slice onions thinly. This takes no time at all with a slicing attachment on a food processor, but you can do it by hand. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan or preserving pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until they start to soften. Cover and cook for about 45 mins over medium heat, stirring from time to time.

Remove lid and continue to cook for another 30 mins, stirring from time to time. Add sugar and balsamic vinegar, stir to dissolve sugar, then bring to the boil and simmer for a further 30 mins. Add thyme and salt and cook for about 10 mins, stirring often, until you have a thick, slightly sticky jam-like consistency.

Place 3-4 standard jam jars or 6-8 small ones in the microwave, without their lids and zap for 2 mins on High. Fill jars with the onion jam then push a knife blade in, right to the bottom, all the way round, to remove any air. Seal with lids while hot. Will keep for several months in a dark cupboard. Refrigerate after opening.

Makes 4-8 jars depending on size

Cashew, Pea and Spinach Curry

Posted on 31 December 2014 by Linda Peek

This delicious vegetarian curry makes a change from all the rich festive food and can be made in a jiffy. If you need to make it go further, add two cups of cubed leftover roast turkey or chicken with the spinach.

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbs curry paste or powder
¼ tsp turmeric
1 can coconut milk + water as needed
2 tsp thinly sliced lemon grass (optional)
2 cups cashew nuts
2 cups frozen peas
1 tsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 100g baby spinach leaves, washed
Chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
1 small red chilli, seeded and very finely diced

Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add onion and garlic and cook gently, stirring, for 5 mins or until soft. Add curry paste and turmeric and cook, stirring for about a minute. Add coconut milk and lemon grass, bring to the boil then add peas and cashews. Simmer for 10 mins, adding half a cup or so of water if it gets too thick. Season with salt, pepper and sugar, then add spinach leaves and stir until just wilted. Serve with steamed or boiled rice, garnished with coriander and chilli.

Serves 4

Variation: substitute broccoli florets or fresh asparagus cut into 3cm lengths for the spinach and cook for a minute or two longer, or until they’re al dente. If you don’t have lemon grass add some grated lemon rind.

Scandinavian-style Brown Bread

Posted on 24 December 2014 by Linda Peek

While were were living in Denmark I became very fond of Rugbrød, a dense brown bread which Danes eat with everything. I think it goes particularly well with smoked salmon, gravlax and cheese.

Traditional Rugbrød is made from a sourdough starter, so it’s not exactly a five minute job. This recipe is similar in style, being dense and full of healthiness, but it uses self-raising flour and buttermilk as raising agents, so it is a five minute job – apart from the baking time.

For a darker bread use treacle or molasses instead of honey. The soaked buckwheat keeps it nice and moist, so it lasts a few days in the fridge, well-wrapped. It also freezes well. I used one large tin and three smaller ones. My loaves weren’t very deep so I probably should have used one tin less in order to make them deeper.

Serve with smoked salmon, Gravlax with Mustard Sauce or an aged cheddar or Brie.

½ cup raw buckwheat (from Health Food shops)
500g self-raising wholemeal flour
1 cup flour
1 cup porridge oats
1 cup sunflower kernels
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
1 Tbs honey (treacle or molasses)
600ml buttermilk + a little water

Place buckwheat in a bowl and cover generously with cold water. Leave to soak overnight then tip into a sieve, rinse under cold water and drain well. Preheat oven to 190ºC. Grease two loaf tins (or four small ones) with oil or butter.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add a dash of cold water to the buttermilk container (about ¼ cup) and swish it around then add to the bowl. If there are any dry bits in the bottom of the bowl which won’t mix in add a little more water, but go easy. Mixture should be like a stiff scone mixture.

Divide mixture among the tins which should be just over half full. Bake for 15 mins then lower temperature to 170ºC and bake for a further 35-45 mins. Larger loaves will take longer than smaller ones. It’s nice warm but easier to slice when cold. Can be toasted.

Makes 2 loaves (or more if using smaller tins)

Bring a Plate

Posted on 10 December 2014 by Linda Peek

Pot Luck lunches and dinners, where guests are asked to “bring a plate”, are popular in Australia, especially over summer which coincides with the festive season. Picnics, beach parties, Christmas, New Year and office parties – it’s hard to get through summer without being asked to bring a plate

A Greek friend arrived in Canberra from Athens in the 1960s with very little English. When he and his wife were invited for lunch and asked to bring a plate they were somewhat perplexed. If their hosts didn’t have enough plates, they thought, perhaps they were also short of glasses and cutlery. So they brought their own, never imagining they were expected to bring food.

Opera by Candlelight is held each year at the Albert Hall Canberra in late February. The ticket price includes a table complete with candelabras and chairs for each group. Guests bring their own food and beverages and enjoy an evening of opera arias. We usually get four or five couples together, then each couple brings one course – nibbles, starter, main, sides or dessert and of course a bottle or two! Oh yes and in this case you do also need to bring plates, cutlery and glasses! It’s fun to get dressed to kill and make a real occasion of it. Some people go to a lot of trouble to coordinate their outfits and table decorations and there’s a prize for the best dressed table. For more information and to book tickets contact Carl Rafferty: raffertycarl@internode.on.net

There are two types of plate you can take to these Pot Luck occasions. A large plate to place on a buffet or in the middle of the table, so guests can serve themselves. Or a plate of finger food which can be passed round without the need for individual plates and cutlery.

If you go to the Café Cat recipe index you will find lots of ideas, but here are a few suggestions. Sticky Chilli Chicken or Sticky Honey Chicken can both be made the day before and are delicious served at room temperature.

If you’re looking for an easy dip try Dukkah, Lemon Feta Dip or Smoked Trout Paté. For something slightly more snazzy try Watermelon and Feta Squares which are very refreshing in hot weather.

My favourite dishes for a buffet include Cucumber Salad, Ferne’s Roast Tomato Salad, Remar’s Broccoli, Nut and Bean Salad and if you like spinach then you can’t go wrong with either Spinach Salad with Red Dressing or Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds which are both delicious. Take the dressing along separately in a jar with a lid.

Sweet & Salty Cheesecakes with Cherries & Crumble

Posted on 3 December 2014 by Linda Peek

Adapted from a recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi, these Sweet and Salty Cheesecakes with Cherries and Crumble are delicious. The saltiness of the feta cheese and the final drizzle of olive oil gives this dessert the sophisticated Mediterranean flourish I have come to expect from recipes by this innovative chef.

The three components can be made in advance and the dessert put together at the last minute, making it perfect for entertaining. Leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge if they’re not polished off sooner by family members foraging for sustenance.

Instead of cherries you could use any fresh or poached fruit, such as sliced strawberries, poached rhubarb or peaches. For maximum impact serve in Martini or tall parfait glasses, although Ottolenghi just serves it scooped onto small flat plates.

Choose your best, fruity Extra Virgin olive oil to drizzle on top. You may be thinking “Olive oil, on a dessert?” but just try it.

Cream Cheese Mixture:
200g feta cheese
250g cream cheese (at room temp)
Grated rind and juice 1 large lemon
2-3 Tbs caster sugar, to taste
250ml thick cream (1 cup)
Cherry Compote:
680g jar Morello cherries in syrup (see note below)
1 Tbs sugar
Juice 1 large lemon
4 whole star anise
3 Tbs Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional)
1 rounded Tbs Arrowroot + 3 Tbs cold water
Crumble:
125g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup Plain flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup slivered or flaked almonds
1 Tbs sesame seeds (preferably black ones)
Good pinch salt
To serve:
A few fresh berries (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive oil

Place feta, cream cheese, sugar, lemon rind and juice in food processor and mix till smooth. In a small bowl, whip cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Scrape cream into food processor and mix for a few seconds, just enough to thoroughly combine with the cheese mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides. Scrape into a container with a lid and refrigerate till serving time.

Drain and reserve cherries. Place juice in a small saucepan with sugar, lemon juice and star anise. Simmer for 5-10 mins then strain and discard the star anise. Put back in pan with the cherries. Add combined arrowroot and water and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add liqueur, pour into a container with a lid and refrigerate till serving time.

Pre-heat oven to 180ºC. Place flour, butter and brown sugar in food processor and process until it starts to clump together. Add nuts, sesame seeds and salt and process briefly to combine. Line a biscuit tray with baking paper. Tip out the crumble and spread out evenly. Bake for 10-20 minutes or until evenly golden brown. After 10 minutes move the crumble around with a fork, bringing the more cooked sides into the middle. Cool then store in a container with a lid.

To serve, place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture in 6-8 glasses. Top with some of the cherries, a few fresh berries (optional) and lastly sprinkle with crumble. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8

Note: I used a jar of cherries from Aldi, but in season you can use fresh cherries, stoned and cooked with a little more sugar, or frozen ones if you can find them. The fruit will probably make enough juice as it cooks, but if not add a dash of water. Arrowroot is sold in the baking section of most supermarkets.

Variation: instead of using cherries slice a couple of punnets of strawberries and put them in a bowl. Add sugar to taste and a splash of white balsamic vinegar and leave to macerate for an hour or so.

Remar’s Broccoli, Bean & Nut Salad

Posted on 26 November 2014 by Linda Peek

On a recent trip to Denmark we spent a couple of nights with our dear friend Remar Sutton. During the European summer Remar lives in a delightful thatched cottage in the grounds of Ledreborg castle. When the weather in Denmark starts to get nippy he moves to his other abode in the British Virgin islands, for the winter months.

Born in south Georgia USA, Remar is softly-spoken with a charming Southern lilt. So far he has led a full and very interesting life and I can’t see him slowing down any time soon. Washington post columnist, author, consumer and privacy rights advocate, he’s currently, amongst other things, Pro Bono Chairman of the Foolproof Financial Literacy Initiative. This scheme provides free and independent consumer and financial advice to young people and adults, to help them make sound financial decisions and avoid scams and fraud.

Remar regularly entertains eclectic groups of about 30 guests, ranging in age from late teens to nonagenarians. Having a zest for life and an opinion seem to be the only prerequisites for being invited.

The flickering citronella torches lining the paths and surrounding the protected sunken garden showed people the way. Bottles of wine and glasses were lined up, so guests could help themselves.

Remar is a seasoned host and has his culinary repertoire down to a fine art. Tender barbecued pork fillets were sliced and accompanied by colourful platters of asparagus spears and fresh mango slices. Crusty bread, a crock of Danish butter, steamed rice and Remar’s delicious Broccoli, Bean and Nut Salad completed the main course, with fresh blueberries and cream for dessert. The secret to feeding a crowd is to keep it simple.

Some of the guests sat outside and ate under the stars. Others found a spot in one of the two hexagonal glass atriums, where it was warmer. After coffee the evening grew cooler and some of the older guests set off to drive back to Copenhagen. The remaining few sat around the blazing fire pit, wrapped in shawls to keep the chill off our backs. The conversation was lively as we put the world to rights until the wee hours.

Remar’s Bean and Nut Salad makes enough to feed a crowd, but it’s easy to halve or quarter the quantities. It keeps in the fridge for up to four days, so any leftovers won’t go to waste. The recipe is fairly flexible, allowing you to adjust it according to what you have available. Pick your favourite nuts, including some cashews, for the nut mix.

6 cups broccoli florets (small ones no bigger than 2cm)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 can sweetcorn kernels, drained (or use frozen or fresh kernels)
2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans firm white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
4 cups mixed nuts
2-3 cups raisins or sultanas
2 cups dried cranberries or Goji berries
2 cups pomegranate seeds (if available)
Dressing:
¼ cup Extra Virgin olive oil
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar, preferably white
1 Tbs sugar

Cook broccoli in a covered bowl or in a plastic bag with a tablespoon of water for 2 minutes on High, then drain and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients together except for pomegranate seeds and shake dressing in a jar.

Mix dressing into salad then cover and refrigerate for several hours for flavours to blend. If preferred add the nuts just before serving, but Remar says they are nicer when they’ve absorbed some of the flavours. Tip salad into serving dish and top with the pomegranate seeds.

Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Serves at least 20

Chef Gogh’s Mango with Sticky Rice & Coconut Milk

Posted on 19 November 2014 by Linda Peek

A couple of years ago we spent a week at the Sarojin in Khao Lak, an hour and a half north of Phuket in Thailand, on our way back from a holiday in Europe. We had such a great time that this year we went back.

Since our first visit to the Sarojin Chef Gogh has been a subscriber to Café Cat. Sometimes he makes one of my desserts, turning it into a five star masterpiece and sends me a photo.

This time it was Gogh’s turn to teach me some Thai recipes. He arranged a private cooking class where I learnt how to remove the bones from a whole snapper, while leaving it intact, so you can’t tell. Here you can see me working under close supervision from Gogh, looking very professional with a hat they lent me.

I’m not going to include the fish recipe here because removing all the bones without cutting the skin is too hard to explain in writing – you need to watch someone do it, then do it yourself straight away. I made lots of notes and hope I can do it on my own, when the time comes! You need a whole ungutted fish and unless you catch your own they’re hard to find in Australia.

Mango with Sticky Rice and Coconut Milk is my favourite Thai dessert. It’s often too sweet for my taste but Gogh’s version combines the natural sweetness of the mango with slightly sweet sticky rice and a salty coconut sauce. It’s sublime, so I ordered it for breakfast most mornings while we were staying at the Sarojin. I have slightly adjusted his recipe to use a rice cooker. If preferred, steam the rice in the traditional Thai way, then mix in the coconut milk and sugar when it’s cooked. The Sarojin serves the sticky rice in a cone made from a banana leaf. I used an ice cream scoop instead.

1 cup glutinous (sticky) rice
1-2 Tbs sugar, to taste
1 can coconut cream or milk (400ml), not shaken
salt to taste
2 ripe mangoes
Lightly toasted sesame seeds

Place rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for several hours or overnight. Drain in a sieve then place in a rice cooker with 1 cup water. Open coconut cream or milk – cream is better as it’s thicker, but milk will do. Using a spoon, remove about 1 cup (250ml) from the top of the can – the thicker part – and reserve till serving time. Add what’s left in the tin to the rice cooker with sugar and about ½ tsp salt. Mix well, then switch on rice cooker. When rice is cooked switch off the machine and leave till cool, then cover and keep in the fridge.

To serve, cut the four cheeks from the two mangoes. Score flesh into diagonal squares, then bend back the skin as shown in photo. Arrange mango halves on four serving plates. Mix reserved coconut cream with salt to taste then divide between 4 small individual dishes or small glasses and place next to the mango. Using a lightly-oiled ice cream scoop place a scoop of sticky rice on each plate and garnish with the sesame seeds. There will be rice left over. If preferred serve rice in individual dishes and spoon some of the coconut cream on top, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. You can also serve it all in one dish, with the cubed or sliced mango on top.

Serves 4

Lemon Crumbed Chicken

Posted on 12 November 2014 by Linda Peek

This delicious chicken recipe is one I’ve had for decades. It comes from a time when nobody worried about cream and butter. If you want to cut down on the cholesterol and calories just leave out the sauce. Having said that, what’s half a cup of cream between four people?

The recipe is easy to halve for two people and makes a perfect mid-week dinner served with a salad. Kids will probably like it without the sauce and in fact chicken breasts are so big these days you might find once you’ve sliced them here’s enough for more than four servings, especially a couple of small kids.

4 chicken breasts
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs seasoned flour
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbs milk
½ cup dry breadcrumbs or Panko crumbs
2 Tbs ground almonds or cashews
1 tsp dry oregano
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley
1 Tbs finely grated lemon rind
1 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs oil, extra
2 tsp flour, extra|
½ cup cream
1 Tbs chopped parsley, extra
4 wedges of lemon

Hammer out the thicker part of the chicken with a meat mallet so breasts have an even thickness, then marinate in lemon juice, wine, oil, S and P for 2 hours. Make the ground nuts by whizzing them in a food processor. Mix breadcrumbs with ground nuts, oregano, parsley, lemon rind and Parmesan. Drain chicken, keeping marinade. Coat in the lightly seasoned flour, then the beaten egg and lastly the breadcrumb mixture . Press on well and if there’s time refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat butter and extra oil in a non-stick frying pan over moderate heat and cook chicken on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. This will take about 7-8 minutes each side. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add extra flour to the pan and stir to cook. Add marinade and simmer for 1 minute, then cream and heat but don’t boil. Slice each chicken breast into 5-6 slices and arrange on serving plates. Spoon sauce over chicken and garnish with extra parsley and lemon wedges.

Serves 4

Cappuccino Puddings with Coffee Ice Cream

Posted on 5 November 2014 by Linda Peek

These puddings are quick and easy and all the preparation can be done in advance. Make them in coffee cups or small ramekins and keep them for up to 24 hours in the fridge, covered, until you’re ready to cook them.

The puddings aren’t very sweet but the ice cream is, making a nice contrast. If you can’t be bothered making the ice cream, just serve the puddings with cream. The recipe serves six if you use smaller cups and is easy to double.

Unfortunately the ice cream started to melt before I took the photo, so it looks even more like a cappuccino!

Coffee ice cream:
300ml thick cream
½ of a 395g can condensed milk
2 Tbs instant coffee mixed with 1 Tbs boiling water
Puddings:
125g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate, broken into squares
1 Tbs instant coffee mixed with 1 Tbs boiling water (see note)
4 eggs
2 Tbs plain flour

For the ice cream, whip cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form, then whip in the condensed milk and the coffee until thoroughly combined. Scrape into a plastic container with a lid and freeze for several hours or overnight.

For the puddings, lightly oil 4 to 6 coffee cups or small ramekins. Melt butter in microwave. Add chocolate and stir till dissolved, then mix in coffee mixture. Thoroughly beat eggs with a fork, then mix into chocolate mixture with flour. Divide between the coffee cups and refrigerate, covered, until serving time.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Bake puddings for 10-11 minutes until nicely risen. They will still be soft inside. Serve with a scoop of coffee ice cream on top.

Serves 4-6

Note: if preferred leave the coffee out of the puddings and just put it in the ice cream.

Lemon Feta Dip

Posted on 22 October 2014 by Linda Peek

This recipe comes from a book called Sweet Paul Eat and Make by Paul Lowe who describes it as “the most blogged, tweeted and pinned recipe I have ever created.”

I made it this weekend and have to agree – it’s a keeper.

Following my grandmother’s rule of adding a little sugar to anything savoury and a little salt to anything sweet, to bring out the flavours, I added a touch of sugar to the original recipe. I also used some fresh red chilli to garnish as I have never seen red pepper flakes here.

Serve as a dip or as a spread in sandwiches or on bruschettas.

250g crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)
1 Tbs grated lemon rind
1-2 Tbs lemon juice (I used 2)
1 garlic clove, crushed
6 Tbs Extra Virgin olive oil
salt to taste
½ tsp sugar
To garnish:
Extra Virgin olive oil
Some finely chopped red chilli
A few cumin or fennel seeds
To serve:
Vegetable sticks, crackers or toasted baguette

Place feta in food processor with remaining ingredients and blitz until smooth. Scrape into serving dish and garnish with the oil, the chilli (or something else that’s red such as paprika powder or dried chilli flakes) and the cumin or fennel seeds.

Serve with vegetable sticks, crackers or toasted baguette.

Makes about 1 ¼ cups