Recipe - Orange and Almond Syrup Cake

This is a recipe by Rachel Allen from Rachel Allen's Cake Diaries - I did tweak it a little to get some Cointreau involved J http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/22850/orange-and-almond-syrup-cake

Ingredients

·       Cake

o   200 g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

o   300 g caster sugar

o   2 tbsp. orange zest (assume 2 oranges)

o   200 g ground almonds

o   4 eggs, beaten

o   ¼ cup Cointreau

o   150 g plain flour, sifted

o   1 tsp. baking powder

o   pinch of salt

·       For the syrup

o   2 oranges, juiced

o   ½ cup Cointreau

o   100 g caster sugar

·       For the icing

o   75 g butter, softened

o   100 g dark chocolate, in drops or broken into pieces

Method

1.       Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper and spray with Cooking Spray.

2.       Place the butter, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl and beat together until soft and creamy. Add half the ground almonds and continue to mix, then add the eggs, a little at a time, making sure they’re well mixed in. Add the Cointreau.

3.       Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and add the rest of the almonds, folding these in until combined. Tip the cake batter into the prepared tin, spreading it out and levelling the top with a spatula or palette knife.

4.       Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with just a small amount of moisture sticking to it.

5.       For the syrup: While the cake is cooking, make the syrup. Place the orange juice, Cointreau and sugar in a saucepan. Stir until mixed and bring to the boil. Allow to boil for just 1 minute, then remove from the heat and set aside.

6.       When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for just 5 minutes. Loosening around the edges using a small, sharp knife, carefully remove the cake from the tin and transfer to a serving plate.

7.       Straight away pour the hot syrup over the cake - reheat the syrup if it has had a chance to cool down. Leave to cool completely while soaking up the syrup.

8.       For the icing: Place the butter in a heatproof bowl with the chocolate and set over a saucepan of simmering water.

9.       Leave just until melted, stirring occasionally, then pour the icing over the cake. This is a wet icing so don’t worry if it drips down the sides of the cake. Let the icing set and then decorate with pieces of crystallised orange peel, if you wish.

Recipes - Fig + Butternut Squash + Marinated Kale Salad With A Balsamic Reduction

Fig + Butternut Squash + Marinated Kale Salad With A Balsamic Reduction

Serves

4-6 as an appetizer

Ingredients

·         1 small butternut squash

·         several figs, quartered

·         a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

·         salt + pepper

·         the juice of ½ a lemon

·         a bunch of kale (about 4 cups), center ribs removed and chopped

·         1/2 cup of really good balsamic vinegar

·         a shallot, thinly sliced (preferably with a mandolin)

·         hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds

Method

Roast the butternut squash:

ü  Pre-heat the oven to 400º.

ü  Peel the butternut squash and slice it into cubes. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

ü  Cook for 30-40 minutes until the squash is tender.

ü  Remove from the oven, and set aside.

While the squash is roasting, prepare kale and figs, and make the balsamic reduction:

ü  Place the chopped kale in a bowl, squeeze the lemon over the kale, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and massage the kale using your hands. Set aside until you’re ready to serve.

ü  Place a medium sized frying pan over medium heat and place a little bit of olive oil in the pan. Sear the figs for a couple of minutes on each side until they begin to caramelize, remove and set aside. Then, in the same pan, add the balsamic vinegar and reduce to half. It should thicken up and look like a syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside while you assemble the salad.

Assemble the salad:

ü  Place the figs, squash, and shallots on top of the marinated kale. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over top, and finish with the hemp and pumpkin seeds. Give it a little toss and serve.

This recipe is from  http://www.whatscookinggoodlooking.com/whats-cooking-good-looking/2013/10/7/fig-butternut-squash-marinated-kale-salad-with-a-balsamic-re.html

Recipe - Cauliflower & Spiced Chick Pea Salad

Ingredients

• 2 medium (about 2kg) cauliflower cut into bite sized florets
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
• 400g chick peas
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 brown onions, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 400g low fat natural yogurt
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C. 
2. Place the cauliflower on two baking trays and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower until golden and starting to crisp up at the edges.
3. Roast the chick peas
4. In a dry frypan, heat the cumin and coriander until fragrant. Add some olive oil and saute the onion until golden and then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the spiced onion mix to the chick peas while they are still warm.
5. Cool the chick peas and cauliflower. Once cool, add the yogurt, baby spinach, coriander, mint and salt and pepper and add a drizzle of olive oil to help it come together. Toss gently to distribute.
6. Optional: squeeze lemon over

Inspired by this recipe

Recipe - Lime Syrup Coconut Cake

Lime Syrup Coconut Cake

I make this often and it never fails to be a hit J

Prep 20 mins | Cook 50 mins | Serves 8

·         250g unsalted butter, chopped (at room temperature) 

·         1 cup caster sugar 

·         1 tsp vanilla extract 

·         4 large free-range eggs (at room temperature), whisked 

·         1 cup desiccated coconut 

·         1²⁄₃ cups self-raising flour, sifted 

·         ¹⁄₄ cup milk 

·         ¹⁄₃ cup thick Greek-style natural yoghurt + extra to serve 

·         1 tsp fine lime zest

·         LIME SYRUP 

o   4 limes 

o   3⁄4 cup caster sugar 

o   3⁄4 cup water

·         STEP 1 Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 22cm (base) round spring-form cake pan with baking paper.

·         STEP 2 Using electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and vanilla on high until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs until combined. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in coconut, flour, milk, yoghurt and lime zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pan and smooth surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and cooked through when tested with a skewer. Stand in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to slightly cool.

·         STEP 3 Meanwhile, to make the lime syrup, using a vegetable peeler, remove rind from 2 limes then trim off white pith. Slice rind into thin strips. Juice all 4 limes. Combine ²⁄₃ cup lime juice, lime rind, sugar and water in a small heavy-based saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 4-5 minutes until syrupy.

·         STEP 4 Place cake onto a large serving plate. Gently prick cake with a skewer then slowly drizzle over the hot lime syrup. Set aside to cool completely. Slice and serve with thick natural yoghurt.

Recipe and image taken from http://www.sydneymarkets.com.au/recipes-and-produce/recipes/lime-syrup-coconut-cake.html#.VJDqPyuUdNk

Recipe - Jamie Oliver's Epic BBQ Sauce

I tried it ... I liked it! Very rich so a little goes a long way.

Next time I make it though, I'll be scaling back the orange though as the flavour of the orange was more intense than necessary.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/recipe/my-epic-bbq-sauce/

Recipe - Parsley Pesto

Recipe - Birthday Cake for Isaac's 7th Birthday

Isaac’s birthday cake was inspired by this image http://www.ivillage.com/sports-party-kids-birthday-cake/6-b-295586 as he loves his basketball and soccer.

The cake on the inside was simply the marble cake recipe that you can’t go wrong with https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4027749285670807303#editor/target=post;postID=1700243939101595233;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=0;src=postname, just with the qty’s doubled as it was a large cake tin.

Spotlight came in handy for the cake board and icing – just add dye and water!

I'm content with the result as I haven't really done cake decorating before.

Getting My Paleo On - Granola

Why have I not made my own Granola before??? It is so quick and easy!

I simply put the following into a blender:
Walnuts
Cashews
Silvered almonds
Craisons
Goji berries
Dried Apricot
Desiccated coconut
Coconut oil
Maple syrup

I blended it to the consistency I like.

Into the oven to bake at 180 till it was baked to my liking.

Done!

Nb all the nuts were unsalted

Recipe - Mushroom and Barley Soup

Ingredients

Serves 4

·       200g pearl barley

·       40g butter

·       200g onion, diced

·       10g garlic

·       10g rosemary

·       3g fresh thyme

·       20g dried porcini (soaked overnight in 500ml hot water)

·       20g salt

·       1g pepper

·       100g shitake mushrooms

·       200g swiss brown mushrooms

·       200g field mushrooms

·       80g sherry

·       850ml chicken or vegetable stock

·       Chopped parsley to serve

NOTE: This can of course be made with all one kind of mushroom to equal 500g

Method

1.       Cook barley in 1½ litres of water for an hour and strain.

2.       Melt butter and fry onion until translucent. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and cook together.

3.       Strain porcini and chop, reserving liquid. Add chopped porcini, precooked barley, stock, reserved porcini liquid and sherry to the onion mixture.

4.       Chop the shitake, swiss bown and field mushrooms and saute in extra virgin olive oil, seasoning with salt and add to the barley and stock. Cook for approx 10 minutes and season with black pepper.

5.       Serve topped with chopped parsley.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef/txt/s2251277.htm 

Recipe - Marbled Chocolate Crumble Cake

Ingredients

  

For the crumble topping

• 125 g plain flour, sifted
• 75 g caster sugar
• 75 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 75 g dark or milk chocolate, in chips or roughly chopped into pieces

For the cake

• 225 g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 225 g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 225 g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 50 ml milk
• 25 g cocoa powder
• icing sugar, for dusting 

Method

1. For the crumble topping: Using your fingertips, rub together the flour, sugar and butter in a large bowl until it resembles thick breadcrumbs, then mix in the chocolate pieces. Set aside in the fridge while you make the sponge.

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4. Butter the sides and the base of a 23cm cake tin - if you’re using a springform tin, make sure the base is upside down so there’s no lip and the cake can slide off easily when cooked.
2. Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until combined, then gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating all the time.
3. Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in carefully, then add the milk and mix gently to combine. Tip half the cake mixture into another large bowl, then sift the cocoa powder into this bowl and fold it in.
4. Place the two different cake mixtures in the prepared tin by alternating heaped tablespoons of the vanilla batter with the chocolate one. Using a skewer or the handle of a spoon, gently draw swirls through the cake mixture to create the marble effect - try not to overmix or you won’t get that wonderful marbled effect. 
5. Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the cake mixture and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the crumble is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife and remove the sides of the tin. Place the cake (sitting on the base of the tin) on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
7. Use a palette knife or metal fish slice to loosen the bottom of the cake from the base of the tin, then slide the palette knife or fish slice under the cake and carefully ease it onto a plate. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Source

 

Recipe - Chicken and Kale Casserole (Own Creation)

Ingredients:

·       40 g butter

·       Coarse salt and ground pepper

·       2 tablespoons unsalted butter

·       1 onion, diced

·       3 garlic cloves, minced

·       1 bunch kale, chopped

·       1 Suede, diced

·       1 Leek diced

·       1 celery stick, diced

·       Chicken (breast, thigh or tenderloins), in large chunks

·       3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

·       Slivered Almonds

·       3/4 cup Parmesan, grated (2 1/4 ounces)

·       Cannellini beans

·       I cup chicken stock 

Method

1.         Heat a large saucepan over med-high heat, add a little oil and butter

2.         Brown chicken then set aside

3.         add in this order, leaving about 2 minutes in-between each:

ü  Onion

ü  Garlic

ü  Leek

ü  Celery

ü  Suede

ü  Cannellini beans

ü  Almonds

ü  Chicken stock

4.       Season to taste

5.       Add chicken back in, and the Kale then cover with a lid

6.       Reduce to low heat

7.       When kale is wilted and chicken is cooked through, stir rough lemon juice

8.       To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan

Recipe - Chunky Fish & Vegetable Stew

Chunky Fish & Vegetable Stew (Could also be used as a Pie Filling, or a Pasta Sauce by Chopping the Veggies extremely fine)
Serves 4

You'll need

·       350 g fish fillets (firm fish that doesn’t disintegrate easily), chopped into medium chunks

·       350 g salmon fillets, chopped into medium chunks

·       400 g smoked fish (such as haddock), chopped into medium chunks

·       1 onion, finely diced

·       1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

·       2 celery sticks, finely diced

·       200g cabbage, finely diced

·       3 sml tomatoes, finely diced
Small bunch spinach, finely diced

·       40 g butter

·       60 g plain flour

·       Handful of Coriander and stems very finely chopped

·       1 cup fish stock

·       100g fetta, diced

Method

1.       Melt butter then add, allowing two minutes before adding the next ingredient:

o   Onion

o   Celery

o   Carrot

o   Cabbage

o   Tomatoes

o   Spinach

o   Coriander

2.       Add the fish

3.       Sprinkle flour over and mix well

4.       After 3 minutes pout over the stock

5.       When fish is just cooked, stir through the feta

Recipe - Chicken Shepherd's Pie

 

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         2 onions

·         2 cloves garlic

·         1kg chicken mince

·         2 tablespoons plain flour

·         2 tablespoons tomato paste

·         1 stick celery, diced

·         1 thin carrot, diced

·         1 cup chicken stock

·         2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

·         1 bay leaf

·         2 tablespoons chutney

·         2 cups tomato passata

·         1 tsp dried oregano

·         Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

·         tasty and parmesan cheese

·         1 kg small waxy potatoes

·         80g butter

·         150ml warmed milk

 

Method

1.       Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan or saucepan, on a medium heat and cook onions until are almost softened

2.       Add garlic for about 2 minutes until onions and garlic are soft

3.       Add chicken mix and cook, stirring, breaking up the mince until browned.

4.       Add flour and tomato paste and cook stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.

5.       Add sliced celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes

6.       Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, chutney, passata, dried oregano

7.       Bring mixture to the boil then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

8.       Stir through parsley

9.       Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

10.   Peel potatoes and cut into 2.5cm pieces. Rinse potatoes under running water until water runs clear. Place potatoes into a large saucepan and cover with cold water and some salt. Cover and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling remove lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender and a skewer can be inserted easily. Drain potatoes well.

11.   Place potatoes back into the dry saucepan and gently shake the potatoes in the saucepan over a low heat for 1 -2 minutes to remove excess moisture. Remove from heat. Transfer potatoes to a straight sided bowl or mash in saucepan.

12.   Mash potatoes until smooth.

13.   Stir through the butter and warm milk. Season to taste.

14.   Spoon pie mixture into an oven proof serving dish and top with potatoes.

15.   Sprinkle a combo of tasty and parmesan cheese over the top

16.   Bake in moderately hot oven (200°C) for 20 minutes or until golden.