Dinner For Kathryn, Jade and Corey - Sangria

Manou's recipe: 1 btl R wine; 300 ml lemonade; 300ml OJ; add 3ple sec + fruits

 

Dinner For Kathryn, Jade and Corey - Mushy Peas

Saute garlic and shallots in butter then add peas and chicken stock. When peas are cooked, remove and blend slightly.

Dinner For Kathryn, Jade and Corey - Coq au vin

I honestly cant remember where I first came across this recipe but French food is one of my favourite cuisines, given we have French in the family. So, however this recipe started I have made it my own over the years. Serves 4.

Coq au vin Serves 4 – serve with rice or mashed potatoes

-        2 tbsp olive oil

-        90 gm butter, coarsely chopped

-        1.6 kg free-range chicken, jointed

-        150gm piece of pancetta, cut into 1 cm pieces

-        2 fresh bay leaves

-        2 sprigs of thyme (I teaspoon if using dried)

-        8 small pickling onions

-        1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

-        3 cups red wine

-        2 cups chicken stock

-        3 parsley stalks

-        2 small heads of garlic halved lengthways

-        1 tbsp plain flour

-        200 gm mixed small mushrooms such as pine, Swiss brown and button, trimmed

-        125 ml (1/2 cup) brandy, warmed

1.    Turn on slow cooker

2.    Have both a frypan and casserole dish on the stove top with the empty casserole dish on low heat

3.    In the fry pan, heat oil and 20gm butter over medium high heat, add chicken pieces and cook for 10 minutes, turning until golden, then transfer to the casserole dish keep warm.

4.    Add pancetta to the fry pan and cook through, then transfer to the casserole dish keep warm.

5.    Add onions to the fry pan and cook until golden, then transfer to the casserole dish

6.     Brandy over the chicken, pancettea and onions (all in the casserole dish), and ignite with a long match. When flames are extinguished, add wine, stock, herbs and garlic and season to taste. Bring to the boil.

7.    Transfer chicken, onions, and pancetta into the slow cooker

8.    Cook time as per slow cookers instruction guide (mine is overnight on low or 5 hours on high)

9.    When ready, strain cooking liquid through a fine sieve, discarding herbs and garlic. Heat sauce in clean casserole and simmer for 30 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups. Combine flour and 20gm butter into a paste, whisk into sauce and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon.

10. Heat 50gm butter in a frying pan add mushrooms, cook until golden, season to taste and set aside.

11. To serve, return chicken, pancetta, onions and mushrooms to sauce and cook for 5 minutes, turning to coat and warm through. Serve chicken and sauce scattered with parsley.

Dinner For Kathryn, Jade and Corey - The Chicken Stock

I need stock for my Onion Soup so trialing this stock combo:

You will need:

-          Approx 2 kg bones/carcasses

-          2 onions, coarsely chopped

-          1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

-          1 carrot, coarsely chopped

-          1 leek, white part only, coarsely chopped

-          2 cloves garlic

-          Half bunch parsley stems

-          2  bay leaves

-          2 tsp thyme

Method:

1.       Preheat oven to 180C.

2.       Remove as much fat as possible from the bones/carcasses

3.       Roast bones/carcasses for XXXX minutes

4.       When done, remove and add to slow cooker

5.       Add to the roasting pan: 2 onions, celery, carrot, leek, garlic and roast vegetables in the oven until they change colour (approx XXX mins)

6.       Add to slow cooker and add cold water to cover all.

7.       Add Half bunch parsley stems, bay leaves, thyme

8.       Cook for approx 8 hours

9.       When the stock is ready, strain it and can use immediately or Cool and refrigerate

Tip # keep looking for fat and remove it by scooping out or letting a sheet of baking paper attract it.

Dinner For Kathryn, Jade and Corey - Dinner Witlof and Walnut Salad

Off memory, I got this recipe off Hughes Kitchen. The recipe says to add Rockforte but occasionally I don't - if I'm cooking for fussy eaters.

Salad:

-       Mixture of witloff leaves and other lettuce

-       Chopped celery

-       Chopped walnuts

-       rockeforte (optional)

Dressing:

-       4 tbsp red wine vinegar

-       2 tbsp Dijon mustand

-       2 cloves garlic

-       Add salt and pepper

-       Approx 12 tbsp of oil (vegetable or olive)

-    Shake

Tip: I always make my dressing the night before as giving 24 hours allows the flavours to really infuse, making the dressing even better

Highlight of my day - My Recipe on the San Remo site

Fried rice with prawns, pineapple, green onion and coriander

This recipe was on Gourmet Traveller’s site and the link is http://gourmettraveller.com.au/fried_rice_with_prawns_pineapple_green_onion_and_coriander.htm but I’ve altered it to work with ingredients I have easy access to.

Serves 4

-          6 cloves garlic, crushed

-          1/3 bunch coriander diced

-          2 tbsp  vegetable oil

-          30 green prawns, peeled, tails and intestinal tracts removed

-          4 eggs, lightly whisked

-          3  tsp shrimp paste, diluted in 6 tbsp water

-          boiled jasmine rice, cold 2 cups (or no rice for a high protein option)       

-          300g chicken mince

-          4 shallots (chopped)

-          180 gm (about ½ cup)  diced pineapple

-          2 cups mixed vegetables (I used frozen but cooked before adding them )

-          6 tbsp each  fish sauce and lime juice

-          To taste:   white sugar

-          To serve: coriander leaves and lime wedges

 Method

1.       Add oil to heated wok, add egg and whisk to scramble

2.       Move the egg to the side and add chicken mince, brown

3.       Add prawns, brown

4.       add garlic, coriander and shallots and cook until golden

5.       add diluted shrimp paste

6.       add pineapple and vegetables

7.       Add rice

8.       Add fish sauce and lime juice and white sugar

9.       To serve: coriander leaves and lime wedges

Stuffed Peppers

I found this recipe quite bland. Husband loved it but it's not one i'll do again. Am now on the hunt for a good stuffed peppers recipe...

Sweet Corn Fritters

I'm getting ready for a lazy Sunday and wanting to have something healthy to nibble on come lunch.

This recipe is adapted from www.taste.com.au and I'm sure I'll do an avocado salsa to go with them tomorrow - if not, no drama, they're tasty enough on their own!

- 500g corn kernels
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 shallots chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives
- cooking spray

Method
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
2. Spray a fry pan or electric fry pan with the cooking spray
3. Cook the fritter in 1 tablespoon sized batches for 2 mins on either side.
4. Enjoy or cool and refrigerate

Skinless Chicken Drumsticks and Tagliatelle

I love this original recipe - its come down a few generations but I've changed it quite a bit to make it even more tasty and even more healthy :)

Ingredients

-          250g Tagliatelle egg Pasta

-          1 tablespoon olive oil

-          12 skinless Chicken drumsticks (can use chicken wings instead if you prefer).  I used Macro skin free Free-Range Chicken Lovely Legs

-          1 large onion cut in half and then lengthways (like skinny wedges)

-          2 large cloves garlic

-          ½ cup liquid.

o    Use chicken stock or

o   ½ cup water with 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder added.

o   (Option  to add 1 teaspoon brandy cognac to the liquid)

-          1  teaspoon mixed herbs

-          3 cups finely diced mixed vegetables. For example, McCain Mixed Vegetables five variety mix

-          3 tbsp fresh parsley

Method

1.       In a large fry pan heat the olive oil and gently fry chicken

2.       When drumsticks are browned on each side add onions, garlic, mixed herbs and liquid

3.       Cover and cook for about 45 minutes

4.       When there’s 15 minutes to go, turn drumsticks, add vegetables; and cook pasta according to packet instructions

5.       To serve sprinkle with fresh parsley

Taking to Felix's 1st B'day - Veal Meatballs

Meatballs with Tomato, Mint and Parsley - Makes about 50

·         180 ml extra-virgin olive oil

·         2 large onions, finely chopped

·         6 large vine-ripened tomatoes

·         70 gm (1,4 cup) tomato paste

·         1 kg minced veal

·         3/4 cup (firmly packed) each flat-leaf parsley and mint, finely chopped

·         50 gm (1/3 cup) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

·         3 tsp each ground cumin, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg

·         Light olive oil, for shallow-frying

1.       Heat 60ml extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep-sided frying pan over medium heat, add onion and sauté until golden (12-15 minutes), Set aside to cool.

2.       Meanwhile, preheat oven to 170C. Blanch tomatoes until skins split (30 seconds), then refresh. Peel, halve over a bowl, discard seeds and reserve liquid. Combine 60ml liquid (reserve remainder) with tomato paste and 125ml water in a large bowl. Stir well to dissolve tomato paste, then add veal, herbs, flour, spices and cooked onion, season well, mix thoroughly and refrigerate to rest (1 hour).

3.       Meanwhile, place tomato halves cut-side down in a roasting pan lined with baking paper, drizzle with 60ml extra-virgin olive oil, season to taste and roast until starting to caramelise (30-40 minutes). Cool slightly, and then pulse in a food processor with remaining tomato liquid until coarsely chopped. Season to taste and keep warm
4.   Shape veal mixture into walnut-sized keftedes and place on a tray (makes about 40 balls). Heat remaining extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Dust keftedes with flour and fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked (6-8 minutes). Serve hot with roast tomato sauce

This recipe is from the March 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller but i did it without the vine leaves

http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/keftedes-with-tomato-mint-and-parsley-and-crisp-vine-leaves.htm

 .

Recipe - Easy Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 550g chicken mince
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp chopped basil (fresh is best but if you have to use dried do 1.5 tbsp)
• 2 tsp dijon mustard (if you have to sub, seeded mustard is really the only other one you can get away with in my opinion)
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• Olive oil for frying

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C
2. Throw all ingredients (except oil and bread crumbs) into  bowl and just keep on mixing so it’s evenly distributed
3. Add as many breadcrumbs as needed to make the mixture easy to work with i.e not runny
4. Shape the mixture into balls then refrigerate for 30 mins
5. Heat oil to med –high heat in a fry-pan
6. Brown the outside of the meatballs then pop them into the oven for 20 mins or so

Wednesday Night - Quick Sultana Pudding

Introducing the pudding that is not possible to stuff up! Tonight I've made it in ramekins as ive only done half the recipe. I felt I had to do this recipe as we've just hit spring and, as this is a real winter pudding, I've only go a few more colder night to go until this recipe gets put to the side for the next cold season.

Recipe

In a large loaf pan:

-    mix 1 cup of  self rasing flour

-    1/3 cup sugar

-    1/4 tsp. salt

-    1 tsp baking powder

-    1/2 cup milk (or so). 

1.  Spread over bottom of dish and option to stir in 1 finely chopped banana if you like banana (pictured)

2. Sprinkle Sultanas over the top (pictured)

3.  Mix together 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 cups boiling water, 2 tbsp. butter 

4. Pour over batter (pictured)

5. Sprinkle Sultanas over the top

6. Bake at 190 degrees for 1/2 hour.

7. Finished! (pictured)

Note: If doing half the recipe in ramekins here are the changes to note:

- Cook time becomes less than 20 mins

- If you realise at the last minute that you have no brown sugar (like I did tonight) sub with maple syrup. To my delight this panicked choice worked splendid!

Recipe - Mushrooms

Mushrooms


Nice and simple, shallots + 3 different mushroom types + garlic + salt/pepper.

Recipe - Hollandaise sauce

Recipe courtesy from my Aunty Ann :)

-          3 egg yolks

-          1 tablespoon water

-          125 grams butter chopped into small cubes

-          1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)

-          Salt and pepper

1.       Whisk eggs and water in a heat proof bowl until pale and frothy.

2.       Stand bowl over barely simmering water. Make sure bowl does NOT touch water at all. You can use a double saucepan if you have one, which would be easier.

3.       Add 1 cube of butter, whisking continuously until completely dissolved. Then keep adding 1 cube butter as before, until all butter has been used.

4.       Keep whisking as you add the juice – taste to see if you need a little more. Add salt and pepper.

5.       Serve warm.

Recipe - Sweet orange and olive oil doughnuts (Rosquillos)

Serves 20

Cooking Time Prep time 10 mins, cook 10 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 250 ml (1 cup) pouring cream
• 250 ml (1 cup) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 lemon, finely grated rind only
• 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
• 300 gm caster sugar
• 950 gm self raising flour
• 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• For deep frying: vegetable oil

 Method:

1. Combine eggs, cream, orange juice, lemon rind, olive oil and 120gm sugar in a large bowl, mix to combine, add flour and mix until a soft dough forms, then knead for 1 minute. Divide dough into 20 pieces and roll onto a lightly floured surface to form 15cmlong cylinders, then pinch ends together to make little doughnut shaped rings. Or, roll them into balls to have 'donut holes'
2. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large deep saucepan to 180C and cook rosquillos, in batches, for 4 minutes, turning once or until golden, then drain on absorbent paper. Cool completely, then coat with cinnamon sugar. Rosquillos are best eaten the day they’re made, but will keep for 12 days when they will be best suited to dunking in coffee. 

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