Tag Archives: lunch

Prawn Scramble with Crispy Shallots

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Looking for a quick and easy lunch or light supper?

This is my variation on a dish I have ordered several times at my favourite lunch-time café, Deakin and Me. It’s basically scrambled eggs with prawns and salad served on toasted sourdough. Sometimes I ask them to skip the toast and serve mine on a large piece of roasted pumpkin with the skin on. Either way it’s delicious.

I got distracted and overcooked the crispy shallots but they still tasted good. If preferred, buy some crispy shallots sold in Asian stores and some supermarkets, in a packet.

I think they use raw prawns, but I used cooked ones. The photo is of my serving, which I had without the toast.

4 eggs
2 Tbs milk
2 Tbs butter or oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g cooked prawns (about 125g shelled weight)
¾ cup beansprouts, trimmed if necessary
½ cup each coriander leaves and flat parsley leaves
Green part of a spring onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
3 Tbs mayonnaise
1 Tbs Sriracha sauce (or another chilli sauce, such as harissa)
2 slices sourdough bread, toasted (& buttered if you like)
1 Tbs lime juice
2 wedges lime (optional)
Crispy shallots:
3-4 shallots
Vegetable oil

Peel prawns, cut into chunks and season. Mix mayonnaise with sriracha sauce and lime juice.

Beat eggs and milk with a fork and season. Heat butter or oil, add prawns and stir fry until hot (if using raw prawns this will take a little longer). Remove prawns and keep warm. Add the eggs and gently scramble them, stopping when they are still quite soft. Gently fold in the prawns.

Place toasted sourdough on two warmed plates. Arrange scrambled eggs and prawns on the toast, buttered if you like. Top each serving with some beansprouts, spring onions and herbs. Drizzle some spicy mayo around the edge and sprinkle with crispy shallots. Garnish with lime wedges, if using, and serve immediately.

For the crispy shallots, place the peeled and chopped shallots in a small frying pan. Cover with cold vegetable oil. Cook over medium heat until they are golden and crunchy. Drain and leave on paper towels to cool.

Serves 2

Broad Bean Garlic & Goat Cheese Bruschetta

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This recipe is adapted from one by Jamie Oliver and it’s a real winner.

A great way to use broad beans if you have them growing in the garden. Or a packet of frozen broad beans works well. In fact they are one of those vegetables, like peas, which freeze so well they’re almost as good as fresh ones.

500g broad beans, fresh or frozen
150g soft creamy goat cheese (see note below)
4 thick slices sourdough bread
2 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon (or parsley if you can’t get tarragon)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Extra Virgin olive oil

Cook broad beans for 2-3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, refresh under cold water, then slip off and discard the outer skins and drain again. Add the tarragon and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Mix cream cheese with one of the cloves of garlic, crushed. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon or two of plain yoghurt.

Toast the bread then rub with the other clove of garlic. I brushed both sides with a little olive oil and toasted them in a sandwich press.

Divide the cream cheese  between the slices of toast, top with the broad bean mixture and drizzle extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 4

Note: Jamie uses feta cheese mashed with plain yoghurt. I used Aldi spreadable goat cheese which comes in a 150g pot. It’s soft enough that you may not need any yoghurt.

 

Salmon Carpaccio with Fennel Salad & Sweet Onions

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We met Sharon and François while we were all living in Kuala Lumpur in the mid-1980s. They have retired to Menton, in the south-east of France and in September we spent a couple of days with them. It’s a beautiful spot on the French Riviera, just a 20-minute drive from Monaco.

They often stroll across the border from Menton to Ventimiglia, the first town on the Italian side of the border, to have coffee, it’s that close. Every Friday there’s an open-air market in Ventimiglia and, as our last day happened to be a Friday, guess where we went. After strolling around the market and buying a few bargains we were ready for lunch. Francois and Sharon had booked a table at their favourite bistro, Geppy’s.

I ordered the Salmon Carpaccio, served with a fennel salad and sweet onions. This is my interpretation. The photo shows a fairly large serving as I made it for lunch rather than as a starter.

About 250-300g gravlax, thinly sliced (bought or home-made)
1 bulb fennel, thinly shaved
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sweet onions:
2 large onions, halved then thinly sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs white balsamic or white wine vinegar
A pinch of salt
2 tsp sugar
To garnish:
Snipped chives and some fennel fronds
Black salt or black sesame seeds
2-3 Tbs mayonnaise mixed with a little wasabi paste, to taste

Make the sweet onions. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions and cook slowly for 20-30 minutes or until soft but pale in colour, stirring often. Add the vinegar, salt and sugar and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, or until the onions are very tender. Cool.

Arrange salmon decoratively in the centre of two serving plates (four if you are doing starters). Mix the fennel with the oil, lemon juice, honey and seasoning. If preferred, use your favourite salad dressing instead. Arrange the fennel around the salmon and arrange some of the onions in the middle of the salmon. Garnish with black salt or black sesame seeds, a few blobs of mayonnaise mixed with wasabi and some snipped chives and fennel fronds.

Serves 2 for lunch or 4 as a starter

Substitutes: use smoked salmon instead of gravlax

Fennel, Blood Orange & Goat Cheese Salad

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Blood oranges are only in season for a short time and are hard to find in Canberra where I live. I’ve planted a tree and am waiting patiently to pick some fruit. Our back courtyard is very protected, providing a little mediterranean oasis. We have an olive tree, a lime, a lemon and a cumquat tree, all growing happily and producing lots of fruit.

Every year in late April we pick about 80 kilos of olives. These come from our tree and a friend’s tree. They don’t bother to harvest their olives and are happy for us to pick them. To be perfectly honest, Matthew picks the olives so I can’t claim any credit. He then takes them to a man who produces olive oil commercially. A couple of days later we pick up about seven one-litre bottles of extra virgin olive oil, which is truly amazing and keeps for at least a year. We only use it for dipping, drizzling and making salad dressings. It’s too good to cook with.

Recently I found some blood oranges in a shop called Harris Farm in Bowral, a couple of hours drive from Canberra, when I happened to be passing through. It’s a fabulous shop and I was delighted to learn they are opening a branch in Canberra near IKEA some time this year.

This recipe, pairing citrus with fennel, is light, summery and delicious. If you can’t find blood oranges use ordinary oranges or one pink grapefruit instead.

1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced with a mandoline (save a few fronds for garnish)
2 blood oranges, segments removed, peel and pith discarded
1 handful rocket leaves
100g goat cheese (or creamy feta)
Dressing:
1 Tbs white wine or cider vinegar
2 tsp orange or lemon juice
5 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp honey or maple syrup
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
Garnish:
3 Tbs walnut or pecan halves
1-2 tsp maple syrup
A few mint leaves if available

Place all ingredients for dressing in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously. For the garnish, place nuts in a small frying pan and drizzle with the maple syrup. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, for a couple of minutes or until glazed then cool.

Mix fennel with some of the dressing then divide between two serving plates. Tuck some rocket leaves here and there, then arrange the orange segments and the cheese, broken into small pieces, on top. Garnish with the nuts and the mint leaves. Drizzle remaining dressing around the edge of the salad and arrange a couple of fennel fronds on top.

Serves 2

Toasted Tuna Open Sandwiches

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My dentist has TV you can watch on the ceiling while he’s fixing your teeth. It’s usually tuned in to the food channel and it gives you something to take your mind off all that drilling. Last week I watched a guy on SBS who was making these toasted tuna sandwiches. There was no sound, but it wasn’t a complicated recipe.

Here’s my version of this delicious quick and easy lunch for two. After the excesses of Christmas it might be just what you need. It’s also great for the kids during school holidays.

1 185g can tuna, drained
½ small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced or chopped
2-3 Tbs mayonnaise, preferably homemade
1 cob fresh corn (optional)
Grated cheddar
2 slices bread, lightly toasted

Cut corn kernels off the cob (if using) and place them in a bowl with the tuna, onion, celery and mayonnaise. Divide mixture evenly between the two slices of toast, top with grated cheese, then cook in an air fryer at 200° for 5-7 minutes or place under a grill. When cheese is golden brown serve immediately, garnished with baby tomatoes or some salad.

Serves 2

Warm Halloumi and Mushroom Salad with Crispy Lentils

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This recipe was recommended by my friend Megan who was owner-chef at the Palette Cafe at the Beaver Gallery in Canberra for over 20 years.  It was my favourite lunch venue and I miss it, although Meg continues to serve wonderful food whenever we’re invited for dinner.

The recipe comes from Taste.com, a good source of online recipes which has stood the test of time. In the recipe they put the lentils, halloumi and mushrooms in the oven to roast. I changed the method slightly and cooked everything, apart from the lentils, in a frying pan. I think it gives you more control over getting the halloumi nice and golden brown. The recipe serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course.

 

4 large portobello mushrooms
250g halloumi cheese
1 can lentils, drained, rinsed and patted dry
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
200g green beans
150g mixed small salad leaves and/or spinach leaves
2 tsp pink peppercorns

Spinach pesto:
50g baby spinach leaves
25g parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup walnut halves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100ml olive oil

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread out the lentils in a single layer. Roast for about 15 minutes, moving them around a couple of times, until they are evenly golden and crunchy. Remove from the oven and cool.

Place all ingredients for pesto except the oil in food processor. Process until chunky then add the oil through the feed chute with the motor running. Scrape into a small bowl.

Cook green beans in boiling salted water for 4 minutes or until lightly cooked. Not as well cooked as al dente but not as crunchy as when raw. Refresh under cold water, then pat dry.

Peel mushrooms and remove stalks. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from pan and cut each mushroom into 3 or 4 slices. Add lemon juice to the mushroom juices left in the pan, mix then add to the salad greens with a pinch of salt. Mix well then arrange the salad on four serving plates (or two for a main course).

Wipe out the frying pan and add a tiny drizzle of oil. Pat halloumi dry then cut into slices. Fry on both sides until golden brown.

On top of the salad arrange the beans, the mushrooms and the halloumi. Garnish with the crispy lentils and the pink peppercorns, then drizzle each serving with some of the spinach pesto.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main

Ottolenghi’s Turmeric Fried Eggs with Tamarind Dressing

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While in London for a weekend last month we caught up with some old friends over dinner at one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s six restaurants. Tucked away in a narrow Georgian alleyway, Spitalfields is the largest of his restaurants and it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Apart from the restaurant, there’s a deli which sells salads, pastries and other delicacies for customers to take home.

Plates at Spitalfields are designed to be shared. Many but not all are vegetarian. We enjoyed the meal so much we came back on our own next morning for breakfast. I had the Quinoa, Chia Seed and Cardamom Muesli with Raspberries, which was delicious and not too heavy after our feast the previous evening.

When we paid the bill we were given a card with this fried egg recipe from Ottolenghi’s latest cook book Extra Good Things. I made it, it was delicious and here it is. Serve it for breakfast, brunch or as a light lunch or dinner.

1 shallot or half a small onion, finely sliced into rounds
2 tsp lime juice
3½ Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
200g baby spinach
½ tsp ground turmeric
4 large eggs
1 green chilli, finely sliced into rounds, seeds and all
salt
Fresh coriander
Tamarind Dressing:
2 Tbs tamarind paste
1 tsp fish sauce
1 Tbs lime juice
2 tsp brown sugar

Place the shallot or onion rings in a bowl with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Mix well then leave to pickle. Place all ingredients for the dressing in a small jar with a lid and shake well. Add between half and 1 tablespoon of water and shake again, so it’s not too thick.

Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and stir for a minute, then add the spinach, a good pinch of salt and stir fry for a couple of minutes, or until wilted. Remove to a warm plate and wipe out the pan.

Add remaining oil to the pan with the turmeric and stir to combine. Add the chilli slices and stir fry for a minute or so, then push them to one side. Break in the eggs, using a spatula to keep each one separate. Spoon the chillies and some of the oil on top of each egg, then season with salt. Cook the eggs  to a point where they are crispy underneath but the yolks are still soft. Don’t turn them over.

Divide the spinach between two warmed serving plates. Top with two eggs each, the chillies, a few onion rings and any oil left in the frying pan. Drizzle with some of the tamarind dressing and garnish with coriander.

You will have some onions and dressing left over – use on roast potatoes or grilled steak.

Serve with warm flatbread, pita bread or naan to mop up the juices.

Serves 2

Savoury Cheese and Onion Bread Pudding

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This savoury version of bread and butter pudding makes a tasty breakfast or brunch and is a good way to use up stale bread and odds and ends of cheese. You can also serve it with a salad for lunch. I made half the recipe for two.

2 Tbs olive oil
1 packet French Onion Soup mix
Freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs
2 cups milk
4 cups day old bread, cubed (crusts removed)
1/3 cup grated gruyere cheese (cheddar or other hard cheese)
To garnish:
Snipped chives
Extra virgin olive oil

Grease a 6 cup capacity baking dish. Place oil, onion soup mix, pepper, eggs and milk in a bowl and whisk to combine. Arrange the bread cubes in the dish to more or less fill it – add a few more if not enough.  Pour the egg mixture over the bread, then press down all over with a spoon to make sure all the bread is coated. Cover with the grated cheese.

Stand for an hour or two before baking, or refrigerate, covered overnight. Preheat oven to 180°C, then bake the bread pudding for about half an hour, or until golden and crispy on top.

Serve garnished with the chives and drizzled with a little olive oil.

Serves 4

Variatons: add some sliced, sautéed mushrooms and/or some diced bacon or ham.

Quick Pasties Using Roti Paratha

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I bought a packed of 8 frozen roti paratha from an Indian grocery store and used them to make these meat pasties. They were amazing. The best meat pies I’ve ever made.

If you can’t find Indian roti paratha, buy puff pastry and cut out big circles about 15cm or 6 inches in diameter. I thawed the roti, filled them, pinched together the sides at the top, brushed them with beaten egg, then baked them at 200°C for just over half an hour.

As for the filling, you can use your imagination. I used some leftover roast lamb from a slow roasted shoulder, mixed with leftover gravy and leftover roast pumpkin, all cut into 2cm cubes. I served the pasties with hot English mustard and a mix of peas and asparagus.

You could look for a Cornish pasty filling online and use that, or use this beef casserole recipe, or this recipe which uses oxtails – just take all the meat off the bones.

For a seafood pasty use this recipe for Seafood Mornay, without the breadcrumb topping. It’s one of the most popular recipes on this blog.

Tomato Tarte Tatin with Goat’s Cheese

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Many readers will be familiar with the delicious French apple tart called Tarte Tatin. Caramelised apples covered with pastry, cooked until golden and crisp and then inverted onto a serving plate.

This is a tomato version which is perfect to make when you have, as we do at the moment, heaps of cocktail tomatoes in the garden.

About 375g puff pastry
2-3 Tbs balsamic glaze
1 Tbs caster sugar
3 Tbs fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs to garnish
About 500g cocktail tomatoes (enough to cover base of the pan)
To serve:
Rocket, toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan salad
Crumbled goat cheese
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto:
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1 Tbs (a 5cm or 2″ chunk) Parmesan cheese

Make the pesto by blitzing all the ingredients together to form a nice chunky paste. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Cut a circle of baking paper to fit the bottom of a 20cm (8 inch) tart tin. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the paper, then sprinkle with the sugar and thyme leaves. Arrange the tomatoes over the base – they should cover it completely and snugly. Dollop the tomato pesto all over the tomatoes, as evenly as you can. Roll out the pastry, cut a circle 25cm (10 inches) in diameter. Place on top of the tomatoes and tuck in the edges.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Let the tart rest for 5-10 minutes then carefully invert onto a serving plate and remove the paper. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with crumbled goat cheese and thyme sprigs, with a lightly-dressed salad of rocket, toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan.

Serves 6