Recipe - Lentil and Eggplant Ragu

Preparation time:10 minutes 

Cooking time: 6 hours 20 minutes 

Serves: 6 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finally chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced into 1 centimetre thick rounds
• 1 eggplant, diced into 1 centimetre cubes
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 750 ml vegetable stock
• 375g pack whole green lentils, rinsed
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 6 basil leaves, torn, plus extra to serve
• 1 fresh bay leaves
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1tbsp brown sugar
• Sea salt flakes and fresh ground black pepper to season
• Cooked penne to serve
• Shaved parmesan to serve

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over a high heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Add eggplant and cook for a further 5 minutes or until eggplant has softened slightly.
4. Stir in wine and tomato paste, then bring to the boil cook for 5 minutes or until wine has reduced by half Transfer mixture to the bowl of a 5L slow cooker and place in appliance.
5. Stir in 2 cups of water, stock, lentils, tomatoes, herbs, half of the vinegar and half of the sugar.
6. Cover with a lid and cook on low setting for 6 hrs stir in remaining vinegar and remaining sugar.
7. Season. Serve lentil and eggplant with cooked penne.
8. Scatter over shaved parmesan and extra basil leaves

Recipe - Slow Cooker Mild Malaysian Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 2 brown onions, cut into thick wedges  
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed  
• 1 tbs finely grated ginger  
• 1 stem lemongrass, pale section only, finely chopped  
• 2 tsp ground turmeric  
• 1 tsp ground cumin  
• ½ tsp chilli powder  
• ½ tsp ground cardamom  
• 3 whole star anise  
• 2 cinnamon sticks or quills  
• 8  Chicken Thigh Fillets, halved  
• 400g can coconut milk  
• 1 tbs brown sugar  
• 1 tbs fish sauce 
• Thinly sliced red chilli, to serve  
• Coriander leaves, to serve 
• Lime wedges, to serve  

Method

1. Place the onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, cumin, chilli powder, cardamom, star anise and cinnamon in a slow cooker. Place the chicken over the onion mixture. Pour over the coconut milk.
2. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high (or 6-7 hours on low) or until chicken is tender and sauce thickens slightly. Add the sugar and fish sauce. Stir to combine. Taste and season.
3. Sprinkle the curry with chilli and coriander. Serve with lime wedges

Source: https://coles.partica.online/coles-magazine/june-2016/slow-cooker-masterclass/malaysian-chicken-curry

Recipe - Sausage And Red Wine Pasta

 

Ingredients

• 20ml (1tbs) olive oil
• 400g Italian-style pork sausages
• 200ml dry red wine
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 400g can diced tomatoes (or 400ml tomato passata)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 400g short pasta (such as cavatappi, fusilli or penne)
• 1 tbs fresh flat-leaf parsley or thyme leaves
• 2 tbs freshly grated parmesan

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based frypan. Skin the sausages and pinch meat into the pan. Brown the meat well, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the wine and allow it to bubble and reduce in volume by half , stirring well.
2. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes (or passata) and sugar. Add a pinch of sea salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm to the bite (al dente). Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water. Toss the drained pasta in the sauce over medium heat, adding some cooking water, if necessary, to keep it saucy.
4. Serve the pasta on hot plates and scatter with the fresh parsley or thyme and grated parmesan, if desired.

http://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/sausage-red-wine-pasta/ec000dff-894f-42b0-a7be-3b22f1de1656?current_section=recipes

Recipe - Persian Love Cake

It’s still Bryan’s Birthday!!!

Ingredients

• 360 gm (3 cups) almond meal
• 145 gm (2/3 cup) raw sugar
• 145 gm (2/3 cup) brown sugar
• 120 gm unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 250 gm Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 85 gm (1/2 cup) pistachios, coarsely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Combine almond meal, sugars, butter and 1 tsp salt in a bowl, then rub with fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Spoon half the mixture into a lightly buttered and baking paper-lined 26cm-diameter springform pan, gently pressing to evenly cover base.
2. Add egg, yoghurt and nutmeg to remaining crumble mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Pour over prepared base, smooth top, scatter pistachios around edge and bake until golden (30-35 minutes.) Cool completely in pan on a wire rack to room temperature, then serve with extra yoghurt. The cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Based off: http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/recipe-search/fare-exchange/2008/8/persian-love-cake/

Recipe - Donna Hay's Pistachio, Raspberry And Ricotta Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 225g Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 1½ Cups (330g) Caster (Superfine) Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 6 Eggs
• 2¼ Cups (335g) Self-Raising (Self-Rising) Flour, Sifted
• 2¼ Cups (270g) Almond Meal (Ground Almonds)
• ¾ Cup (180ml) Milk
• 1 Cup (125g) Fresh Raspberries
• ½ Cup (70g) Slivered Pistachios
• Ricotta Icing
• 3 Cups (720g) Fresh Ricotta
• ¾ Cup (120g) Icing (Confectioner’s) Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the butter, caster sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5–6 minutes or until pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, almond meal and milk, and beat on low speed until just combined. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased, 10cm deep, 20cm round cake tin, lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 1 hour 20 minutes–1 hour 25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
2. To make the ricotta icing, place the ricotta, icing sugar and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until lightly firm.
3. To assemble, trim the top of the cake and discard. Slice into 3 layers horizontally. Using an 18cm round plate as a guide, use a small knife to trim the edges of the cake and discard.
4. Place the raspberries in a small bowl and lightly crush with a fork. Add 1 cup of the ricotta icing and mix gently to combine. Place ⅓ cup of the pistachios into a small bowl, add 1 cup of the ricotta icing and mix to combine. Place the bottom layer of the cake on a cake stand and spread with the pistachio ricotta icing. Top with a layer of cake and spread with the raspberry ricotta icing. Top with the remaining layer of cake and spread over the remaining ricotta icing. Sprinkle with the remaining pistachios to serve. Serves 8–10.

Source: https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/pistachio-raspberry-and-ricotta-layer-cake. You'll notice from the picture that I made some minor tweaks