Baked Cauliflower with Cheese and Bacon

Posted on 25 March 2015 by Linda Peek

If you’re a fan of cauliflower cheese you will like this one.

I’m sure it would be delicious as a side dish, but we’ve eaten it about four times in the past month as a main course, when we felt like a mainly vegetarian evening meal. For anyone following a low carb diet this ticks all the boxes.

1 large cauliflower cut into flowerets
8 slices bacon, diced and fried in a little oil till starting to go crispy
6 Tbs snipped chives
½ cup mayonnaise (preferably home-made)
½ cup sour cream or cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large pot boil water and cook cauliflower for about 8 minutes or until al dente, drain and let cool. In a large bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, half the bacon, half the chives and half the grated cheese. Lastly add the cauliflower and carefully mix well. Tip into a shallow greased lasagne-type dish and cover with remaining cheese and bacon. Can be made ahead to this point and kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours, covered.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with remaining chives and serve. If it has been refrigerated it will need to bake for about half an hour.

Serves 4-6

Seven Quick Desserts

Posted on 25 February 2015 by Linda Peek

We all need a few desserts in our repertoire which can be made in a jiffy.

The secret is to have a few basic ingredients on hand. For the Blueberry Parfait, for example, you need some Lemon Curd in the fridge and a packet of bought meringues (which keep for ages) in the pantry. Just add berries and cream to your shopping list, or nip down to the corner shop.

When I served this dessert recently and said “Would anyone like any more?” everyone said “Yes please”, so I had to re-load all the glasses!

In Australia you can buy a whole pavlova in a box and I used chunks of that instead of meringues because it’s softer and more marshmallowy. But either will do.

Blueberry Parfaits – in tall parfait glasses or tumblers place a dollop of whipped cream or thick Greek yoghurt, a dollop of Lemon Curd (preferably home-made), some crumbled meringue, more cream or yoghurt, then a few fresh blueberries. Repeat layers and serve immediately.
Mocha Mousse – dissolve 2 tsp instant coffee in 2 Tbs hot water. Mix into 1 cup Nutella chocolate spread. Whip 1 cup cream in another bowl and fold in. Lightly toast ½ cup skinned hazelnuts or almonds and chop coarsely. Break 8 sponge fingers into 6 to 8 small wine or Martini glasses. Drizzle with some Kahlúa or Bailey’s Irish Cream, top with half the chocolate mixture, half the nuts, then repeat. Dust tops with sieved cocoa. Chill before serving.
Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding – keep some brioche or croissants in the freezer to make this in one large dish or individual ones.
Blancmange – mix 6 slightly rounded tablespoons cornflour with 1 Tbs sugar and a little cold milk. Bring 1 litre milk and ½ cup cream to the boil then add the cornflour mixture and 1-2 tsp vanilla essence, stirring till thick. Pour into coffee cups which have been rinsed out with cold water. Refrigerate till set. To serve dip quickly in hot water and tip onto serving plates. Meanwhile thaw half a kilo of frozen raspberries with some sugar (to taste) and serve this compote with the blancmanges with some thick cream.
Mangoes with Ginger Wine – peel and slice 4 mangoes and place in serving dish. Heat ¼ cup Stone’s Ginger Wine with 2 Tbs finely chopped glacé ginger until hot, then pour over mangoes. Chill before serving.
Baked Apples – Use a large biscuit cutter to cut 4 circles from 4 slices of bread. Place in a buttered shallow baking dish, top each circle with a whole unpeeled apple, cored. Mix equal quantities melted butter, dried fruit/nuts and brown sugar – a couple of Tbs of each. Add juice and grated rind of an orange then use mixture to stuff the apples. Bake for an hour at 160ºC, basting often. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or cream. The bread goes all crunchy and delicious.
Moroccan Fruit Salad – in a small saucepan heat the rind and grated juice of an orange with ¼ cup brandy or rum, ¼ cup honey, ½ cup water and a broken cinnamon stick. Pour over 4-6 cups mixed dried fruit such as sultanas, apricots and sliced figs and leave to macerate for several hours or overnight. Serve with toasted pine nuts and Labneh.

Maggie’s Roast Tomato & Pepper Soup

Posted on 11 February 2015 by Linda Peek

My friend Maggie made this delicious soup when we were staying with them last year in L’Etang la Ville near Versailles on the outskirts of Paris. Apart from the roasting time, it’s quick to make and with some nice crusty bread – either fresh or toasted – it’s enough for a light supper or lunch. A stick blender is ideal for making this kind of soup where you don’t want it completely smooth.

2 large red peppers (capsicums)
4 large ripe tomatoes, or 6 medium, halved
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
1 small red chilli
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs tomato paste
To garnish:
Sour cream or crème fraîche
Chopped fresh basil or pesto

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Remove seeds from peppers and cut into large chunks about the same size as the tomato halves. Place in a bowl with tomatoes, onions, garlic and chilli, both left whole. Add oil, salt and pepper and mix to coat well.

Line a large baking tray with foil and tip the vegetables onto it, spreading them out into a single layer and drizzling with any oil left in the bowl. Roast for 45 mins until starting to brown a bit at the edges. Tip into a large saucepan. Add stock, sugar and tomato paste. Bring to the boil then blend with a stick blender. If you don’t have a stick blender cool the soup a bit and blend in a normal blender then return to the pan. Adjust seasoning to taste and bring to the boil. Serve garnished with sour cream or crème fraîche and some chopped fresh basil or a swirl of pesto.

Serves 4-6

Summer Pudding

Posted on 4 February 2015 by Linda Peek

This is an old English recipe which was traditionally made in summer when the red berries are in season. Nowadays you can make it any time of the year with frozen fruit.

I made double the recipe in an 8 cup (two litre) bowl using a 1.5kg bag of mixed frozen berries from Costco. The mix consisted of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. In England they would also have added a few blackcurrants, but unless you grow them yourself (as we do, but we’ve eaten them all this year!) they’re hard to find in Australia, even in season. It’s hard to say how much bread you will need – I used about two thirds of a loaf. There were just enough raspberries and blueberries in the garden to use as decoration.

750g mixed red berries, thawed if frozen
Sliced homemade-style white bread
100-150g sugar
To serve:
Icing sugar
Thick cream or whipped cream
A few fresh berries

Remove crusts from bread and cut to fit bottom and sides of 4 cup pudding bowl. It’s like doing a jig-saw puzzle! Put fruit and sugar in a shallow pan, cover and cook gently for 5-10 mins, shaking occasionally. Cool a bit and adjust sugar.

Using a slotted spoon, half fill basin with fruit, then a layer of bread, fill with remaining fruit and cover with bread. Spoon in enough juice to fill the basin. Use a knife around the edge of the bowl to make sure the juice goes down and colours all the bread. You will probably use it all. Place a small plate and a 1 kg weight on top and stand the bowl in a dish to catch juices. Refrigerate overnight.

To serve, run a knife with a thin blade around the pudding to loosen it from the bowl. Invert onto a serving plate then shake and it should drop out. Dust with icing sugar and serve with thick cream or whipped cream and a few fresh berries.

Serves 6-8

Black Pudding with Scallops, Pea Purée and Crispy Bacon

Posted on 28 January 2015 by Linda Peek

Black pudding is traditionally eaten in Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia. They also eat it in France and Spain that I know of and several other European countries probably have something similar. It’s basically a sausage made from pork blood, oatmeal and spices.

In the UK where I grew up black pudding was usually served as part of a traditional cooked breakfast, with fried eggs, bacon and mushrooms. It is in fact fully cooked when you buy it, but the flavour and appearance is improved by crisping it up in a frying pan.

In the 1880s a butcher in the West of Ireland called Edward Twomey made his own black pudding which he called after the rural town where he lived. Clonakilty black pudding is still going strong today, with the secret spice blend being handed down through the generations. The recipe was recently shared with an Australian producer, so if you would like to try some please call Cheryl Walsh on 0406 293 691. At the moment they have black pudding and white pudding – which contains pork meat and suet but no blood – with traditional Irish sausages due to be launched mid-February.

We were recently given a Clonakilty black pudding by some Irish friends to try. Black pudding and scallops is a flavour combination which goes together extremely well. So that was my starting point in creating this dish.

The “nutty” black pudding provided a perfect contrast to the creamy scallops, while the pea puree added just the right amount of sweetness – as well as a splash of colour – and the bacon provided a touch of crispy saltiness. Delicious.

2 cups frozen peas
6 large scallops without roe
1 Tbs vegetable or olive oil
3 slices bacon, rind removed, finely diced
6 slices black pudding about 1.5cm thick (about 150g)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
50g butter

Cook peas in boiling salted water until tender. Dry scallops thoroughly with paper towels and season lightly. Heat oil in a medium-sized frying pan and cook bacon until crispy, stirring from time to time. Remove and drain on paper towels. In the bacon fat remaining in the pan, fry black pudding for a minute or two on both sides. Remove and put with the bacon. Lastly cook the scallops for a minute or two each side, or until golden brown.

Drain peas then whiz in food processor with butter, salt and pepper to taste until fairly smooth. Place three dollops of pea puree on two serving plates. Top each with a slice of black pudding and a scallop. Garnish with the bacon and serve immediately.

Note: if liked pass pea purée through a sieve to make if smoother, but I quite like it slightly chunky.

Serves 2

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)

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

Spanish Eggs with Jamon

Posted on 8 October 2014 by Linda Peek

The Parlour Wine Room in New Acton Canberra has a great lunch menu at the moment where you can choose a main course from a selection of about half a dozen options for just $16, including a glass of wine or beer. I chose Spanish Eggs and it really hit the spot. The servings were quite large – I think there were 3 or 4 eggs per serve – so I have cut back a bit in my version. If you’re hungry this recipe will serve two rather than four.

Jamon is the Spanish word for ham and usually refers to dry-cured hams. Substitute Italian prosciutto or German black forest ham. I used the latter from Aldi.

1 large onion, peeled, halved and sliced
4 red capsicums, seeds removed and sliced into strips
¼ cup olive oil
Salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar
8 eggs
8 slices Spanish jamon (prosciutto or black forest ham)
4 slices sourdough bread, toasted and buttered
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a frying pan and add the onions. Fry gently until softened then add the capsicum strips. Continue to fry gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Add half a cup of water and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is soft. Can be pepared to this stage and kept in the fridge until needed.

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Divide onion and capsicum among four individual oven-proof shallow dishes. Break two eggs into each dish and top with the ham, cut with scissors into pieces about 2-3 cm long.

Bake for about 8 minutes, or until eggs are set and ham is crispy. Season with salt and pepper. For a low carb meal skip the toast!

Serve with buttered sourdough toast on the side.

Serves 4