Hallelujah a meal that takes 10 to prep and 10 to cook! The perfect weeknight meal. The recipes meant to be for 4 but 2 of us at all of it! Also, I subbed chili jam for sweet chili sauce and you do need to season well with sea salt which the recipe doesn't mention. 

Simple Thai fish cakes

For a no-fuss taste of Asia, Donna Hay's fish cakes are hard to beat

Ingredients

For the fish cakes

• 500g firm white fish fillets, skin off
• 2 tsp ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp chilli jam
• small handful coriander leaves
• 1 egg white
• vegetable oil, for shallow frying
• lime wedges, to serve

For the cucumber and lime salad

• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• 3 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced lengthways with a vegetable peeler
• small handful mint leaves
• small handful coriander leaves

Method

• 1. Place the fish, ginger, chilli jam, coriander and eggwhite in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. With slightly wet hands shape the mixture into 12 flat cakes. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1cm of oil and cook the fish cakes, in batches, for 3–4 minutes each side or until cooked through.
• 2. To make the cucumber and lime salad, place the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the cucumber, mint and coriander and toss to coat. Serve with the fish cakes and lime wedges.

Sent from my iPhone

Lindt Cafe Darling Harbour

It would have been wrong, so wrong to not pop in when I saw I was walking past the Lindt cafe. I bought 2 chocolates and a macaroon. The chocolates were delicious - in surprised they didn't have the signature Lindt taste? The macaroons are a very heavy and large macaroon but I won't deny it hit the spot!

Thai chicken green curry with rice

Sent from the Yahoo!7 My Kitchen Rules App. Get it for your iPhone now!

The following recipe is direct off the My Kitchen Rules App and you'll notice I decided to do chicken instead of lamb.

Here are my tips for doing this recipe ... and it turns out wonderful!

- Don't stress if you can't get galangal. Use ginger.

- Scrap the 2 tsp salt

Thai lamb green curry with rice

Ingredients
Extra shredded kaffir lime leaves, to garnish

Steamed jasmine rice and lime wedges, to serve

Curry Paste
1 tsp shrimp paste 
2 black peppercorns 
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2cm piece galangal, finely grated 
2 tsp salt
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
4 small green Thai chillies, finely chopped
4 small red Thai chillies, finely chopped
5 coriander roots, chopped

2 eschallots, chopped

Curry
375ml can coconut cream 
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp grated palm sugar
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
400g lamb back strap, cut into 4cm pieces
4 baby eggplant (Lebanese), cut into 1cm slices
100g green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup Thai basil leaves

Method

1. To make curry paste, wrap shrimp paste in foil. Dry-fry foil package in a small frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute each side (this will bring out flavour of shrimp paste). Remove and cool package.

2. Add peppercorns and seeds to same pan. Dry-fry for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Cool. Grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar. Remove and set aside.

3. Place galangal and salt in a pestle and mortar and pound until soft. Add lemongrass and pound until soft. Continue adding garlic, chillies, coriander roots, eschallots, toasted spices and shrimp paste, one ingredient at a time, pounding to combine and soften after each addition.

4. To make curry, bring 125ml of the coconut cream to a boil in a medium saucepan or wok. It will begin to separate (a term known as 'cracking') – with the oil rising to the top and some of the water/milk evaporating. Add 3 tablespoons of the curry paste. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Stir in fish sauce, palm sugar, lime leaves and remaining coconut milk. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in eggplant and green beans. Stir in lamb. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lamb is cooked to your liking (lamb backstrap can easily overcook, so be sure to watch it). Stir in basil.

5. Garnish curry with extra lime leaves. Serve with rice and lime wedges.

Notes
Tips:

- If your coconut cream has additives or stabilizers, the oil may not separate (crack) from the milk/water (it is the oily part you want, in which to cook your paste). If this is the case, cook the curry paste off in a little peanut oil before adding the coconut cream.
- To use lemongrass, trim away bulbous root end and peel away tough outer leaves. Trim away yellow-green top stalk (you can freeze this to use later to infuse syrups, teas, soups or custards). Thinly slice remaining tender white-green stalk (if stalk is a little tough, you can lightly crush it with a pestle or rolling pin before slicing).
- If you are time poor, you can use a mini processor to make the paste, instead of a pestle and mortar.
- To present the rice, we placed it inside a small greased bowl, then inverted the bowl onto the serving plate.
- This is an authentically spicy Thai green curry. Reduce the chillies if you prefer less heat.
- Curry paste can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

- If available, try using Thai eggplant. They are small, round and available from Asian grocers.

Recipe by David and Scott

Sent from my iPhone

Chilli Cashew Chicken Noodles

               

Serves 4.

-          200g dried thick rice noodles

-           2 tablespoons peanut oil

-           2 onions, sliced into wedges

-           ¼ cup (55g) white sugar

-           4 chicken breast fillets, sliced

-           1 red capsicum, sliced

-           ¾ cup (115g) unsalted roasted cashews

-          4 tablespoons fish sauce

-          4 tablespoons soy sauce

-          3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

-          4 tablespoons lemon juice

-           ¼ cup coriander (cilantro) leaves

1.         Place the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain.

2.         Heat a wok or deep frying pan over high heat.

3.         Add the oil, onion, chilli and sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

4.         Add the chicken and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until the chicken is golden. Add the capsicum, cashews, fish sauce, soy, lemon juice, onion mixture and noodles to the pan. Cook, stirring, for a further 4 minutes or until heated through.

5.         Sprinkle with coriander.

6.         Serve.

This is a Donna Hay recipe that I’ve tweaked a little http://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/chilli-cashew-chicken-noodles

Recipe - Walnut Cake

Serves 8

For the cake

• 250g fine semolina
• 200gm (2 cups) walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 250 grams of unsalted, softened butter
• 250gm caster sugar
• zest of ½ an orange
• 6 eggs, separated

For the sugar syrup

• 2 cups of caster sugar
• 2 cinnamon quills
• 5 cloves
• I piece of lemon rind, removed with a peeler.

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Combine the semolina, walnuts, flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside
3. Cream the sugar, orange and butter in a mixer until it becomes nice and light.
4. Fold in semolina mixture, then yolks, set aside
5. Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form, and then fold them into the semolina mixture in three batches.
6. Place the mixture into a 24cm square cake tin buttered and lined with baking paper
7. Bake until cake is cooked through and springs back when lightly pressed (30-35 mins)
8. Whilst the cake is cooking prepare your sugar syrup by boiling all the ingredients in 500ml water. Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer till reduced by half (20-25 mins) until we have a nice thick syrup.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 5 mins. Pour the sugar syrup over the cake, stand to soak in (15 minutes), remove from tin, cool to room temperature..
10. Cut the walnut cake into diamond shapes and serve with double cream

Im also keen to try this version: http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/karydopita-walnut-cake

Sweet Potato and Chick Pea Patties with Beetroot/Carrot Salad and Minted Yogurt

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Patties

-          Sweet Potato 2 (about 400gm)

-          400 gm  canned chickpeas, drained

-          1 tbsp Baharat Lebanese Spice blend (garam marsala could also work)

-          2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

-          1 tbsp Olive oil

-          10 small stems (with leaves) of coriander – or the equivalent

-          Plain flour

Mint yoghurt sauce

-          1/2  cucumber, seeds removed and finely chopped

-          100g plain yoghurt

-          2 tbsp, finely chopped, mint leaves

To serve with

-          1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated

-          Equivalent amount of beetroot (to the carrot), peeled and coarsely grated (Note: I just put the carrot and the beetroot into the food processor instead of grating to save time)

*Option to serve this as a hamburger, just fry and egg and pop it all into a bun

 Method:

1.       Roughly chop sweet potato and add to a saucepan of cold salted water, bring to the boil over high heat and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain.

2.       Add sweet potato to food processor, sprinkle over Baharat, and add oil, salt and pepper and mix till it’s almost smooth

3.       Stir in the chick peas

4.       Using wet hands, form mixture into ½ cup patties and (if you have time) refrigerate for 30 minutes

5.        Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Dust patties in flour, add to frying pan and cook, in batches, for 2 minutes each side or until golden, then transfer to

6.        An absorbent paper-lined plate.

7.       For mint yoghurt sauce, combine all ingredients and season to taste.

8.        Toast cut side of burger buns, top bun halves with carrot, beetroot, patties, fried egg and mint yoghurt sauce, sandwich and serve immediately.

Inspired by a Gourmet Traveller Recipe http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/indian_vegie_burgers.htm

Review For Fish on Parkyn - Mooloolaba

The photos speak for themselves! We ordered the seafood platter for 2 to share between 3 and it would have to be the best selection of seafood I've seen on a platter in a long time. Some may say it looks like more of a tasting plate than seafood platter and that's fair enough but really ... why worry about semantics when it's this good!

There were hand made fresh prawn/crab spring rolls, salt and pepper calamari, salmon bruschetta, oysters two ways, tempura battered fish, muscles & prawns in a Thai style broth, bugs in a burnt butter sauce, hand cut fries ... the list goes on and for nearly everything there was an accompanying sauce.
Dessert was spectacular. They called it a tartino. Neither google or I have heard of a tartino and when I asked the waiter about the name he smiled awkwardly and went ... somewhere. I'd call it more a self saucing pudding but again, semantics, it was amazingly delicious!!!

Would highly recommend.

Review For Pendolino - Sydney

I've been very lucky to have been to both Bambini Trust and Pendolino in the one week and I really can't say which I prefer? I LOVE the New York style feel to Pendolino - everything about the vibe absolutely does it for me. Only issue we had with surroundings was that it was like a sweat box - bikram dining!

It’s rare for me to eat the bread on arrival (usually bread for me serves only a 'savour every last drop of the sauce' purpose) but there’s no way to resist sampling the bread selection at Pendolino, especially as you're given a sample selection of their olive oils to accompany.

For my entree I had the Spaghetti Chitarra Con Pesce D’acquadolce - Freshly-made Chitarra Spaghetti with Barramundi, Wild Prawns, Chilli, Capers, Garlic and Pinot Grigio White Wine. For my main, the duck leg (pictured) which was served with polenta and lentils. Last, the honeycomb dessert (pictured) which was so fantastic it was ridiculous. Thanks to our sommelier we had the perfect wine to match all our courses and for 3 people, 3 courses the bill came to $310 which included the $75 bottle of wine.

Definitely must cook back and definitely must purchase their pasta cook book when it’s released.http://www.pendolino.com.au/

Review For Abdul's Restaurant - Surry Hills

Why anyone would go past the banquet, I do not know. The team we extremely flexible to tweaking the banquet for one full vegetarian and one chicken only meat eater. The food kept coming and was great, authentic Lebanese food. Yes it is a tad on the oilier side for some dishes (aka ‘flavour’ in middle eastern speak) but it does taste darn good so that’s only the tiniest of critiques. The environment is canteen style and if you feel like being feed well, bringing along a your own favourite wine (with no byo penalty) and paying next to nothing, you can’t go wrong with Abdul's Restaurant in Surry Hills

Chicken Chilli Con Carne

This recipe was inspired by Justine Schofield’s Chicken version http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/16510/chilli-con-carne-with-skirt-steak

I would happily serve this for a casual dinner. It really was delicious. I sprinkled cheese over mine and loved that addition - but that's just me and I do love cheese at any opportunity to add it!

Note: this recipe can be done without a slow cooker. Just use a casserole dish and after the ingredients start to boil, transfer the dish into the oven and cook on 170C for 2 – 3 hours

Ingredients

-          800g chicken breast

-          2 tbsp olive oil

-          1 onion, finely chopped

-          4 cloves garlic, crushed

-          1 red capsicum, seeds removed and diced

-          1 tsp smoked paprika

-          1 tsp cumin

-          ½ tsp cayenne pepper

-          2 small teaspoons cornflour

-          400g kidney beans, drained and rinsed

-          400g can of diced tomatoes

-          2 chillies, finely chopped (optional)

-          Salt and pepper

-          Zest and juice of a lime

-          1 tbsp tomato paste

-          1 cup chicken stock (or water)

-          Half a bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped (garnish)

Method:

1.       Start up the slow cooker

2.       Season the chicken with salt & pepper.

3.       In a fry pan, add oil and seal the meat on each side until golden brown.

4.       Transfer the meat into the slow cooker

5.       In the same fry pan, add the remaining olive oil, onion, garlic, chillies, chopped tomatoes and capsicum and cook until they begin to soften. Add the paprika, cumin and cayenne and cook for a further 2 minutes. Mix the tomato paste in.

6.       Add to the fry pan the zest and lime juice, beans, cornflour and stock.

7.       Bring to the boil, and allow to boil for two mins or so

8.       Transfer into the slow cooker

9.       Cook for 5hrs or until the meat is easy to tear apart.

10.   Remove the chicken from the sauce and using two forks, shred the meat in opposite directions. Place the meat back into the sauce and combine well. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve with rice and/or guacamole

Review for Delicado - McMahons Point

What a great find. The parking is easy, the food is divine and the whole package does make you feel like you just might be in Spain. Delicado can be found at 134 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point NSW 2060.

We had for starters: Seared Scallops, cauliflower cream, crispy jamon, olive tapenade & Pimiento, chickpea, mushroom, sumac/coriander. We shared the Chargrilled chicken salad for a main and finished with the Pear Tartin. Everything was amazing and the glass of Rose we each had was sensational and the total bill was less than $60. Highly recommend.

http://www.delicadofoods.com.au/

Review For Bambini Trust - Sydney

Wow what a great meal! 5 of us went for dinner starting in the wine bar at 6 and migrating into the restaurant at 7. We all decided to do main and dessert (and needless to say, wine). I had the duck pappardelle (pictured) which was to die for and I can't wait to make a version of my own soon. One of the gang had the spatchcock (pictured) which I tasted and it was also incredible. I can't say the dessert menu overly exited me but that's just personal preference as I'm fussy with desserts. I had a chocolate and salted caramel dish (pictured) and it was nice. I just felt a base of crumbled biscotti or something to add a variety to the texture would have made sense. The bill was $400 for 5 people and for the quality I think it was worth every scent. Especially as we were treated to a complimentary starter of tuna tartar. Last, even though the staff are in an almost pretentious setting this hasn't got the better of them. They were all down to earth, knowledgable, polite and just thoroughly delightful.

Pasta Al Forno

-        1 medium onion

-        3 garlic cloves

-        500g chicken mince

-        1 cup white wine or chicken stock

-        Add a jar of pasta sauce with herbs

-        Season with pepper and salt

-        Cook till fragrant (approx 15 mins)

-        Cook penne until it’s al dente

-        Stir a little oil through

-        Mix everything together

-        Add fresh basil

-    Sprinkle cheese on top

Review For Jamie's Italian - Sydney

Heaven. This is heaven. I tried out this restaurant with my oldest friend (in friendship tenure vs. age) and love love loved it. The vibe reminded me of Fratelli Fresh  – it’s all about loving fresh food and loving life. I believe you can’t book but this wasn’t an issue as we went at 6:00pm on a rainy, cold, miserable summers (?) Thursday. Really can’t faulty anything as the service was great – the waitress we had was clearly a career waiter she was that efficient. The food was fresh, tasty and presented beautifully. One word of advice I have is this: I’m a chilli wimp (one taste and I’m downing litres of water). I asked for my fish with no chilli. I was asked if I was allergic to which I said no. There would have been at least 4 whole small chillis in my dish. I showed the waitress but she was totally unfazed and wasn’t compelled to offer a dessert or wine or anything else as an apology. In some ways fair enough as I had eaten every last bite so I guess she thought my mouth said ‘no’ but my stomach has said ‘yes’. So that’s the only thing – your password to getting what you asked for in terms of removed ingredients is ALLERGIC. Don’t be afraid to use it - otherwise the kitchen will just do as they please.

We had the following along with a really nice bottle of Pinot Noir and the bill was $140 with tip.

Starters: SWEET MINI CHILLI PEPPERS - Stuffed with whipped ricotta, mint & lemon + FAT GREEN OLIVES ON ICE - Large green olives, black olive tapenade & crispy "music bread". Mains: FISH BAKED IN A BAG- Local fish of the day with clams, mussels, fennel, chilli, anchovies & Sicilian cracked wheat + VEAL SALTIMBOCCA - Wafer-thin veal with sage & prosciutto flash-grilled with a spicy tomato, basil & chilli salsa. Dessert: THE ULTIMATE BROWNIE - Chocolate, raspberry & amaretto brownie with vanilla ice cream (shared it)



<script type="text/javascript">


  var _gaq = _gaq || [];
  _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-28947221-1']);
  _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);


  (function() {
    var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
    ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
    var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
  })();


</script>

Strawberries, Cointreau and Cream Cheesecake

Serves 10

This recipe comes from my new cookbook – Legless. This was a gift from my dear friend Jo who knew too well that this book was a perfect match for me J

Ingredients – Base:

-          250g plain biscuits

-          125g butter

Ingredients – Drunken Strawberries:

-          1 punnet strawberries

-          60ml (1/4 cup) cointreau

-          1 teaspoon castor sugar

Ingredients - Filling

-          125ml (1/2 cup) boiling water

-          1 tablespoon gelatine

-          180g sugar

-          I tablespoon lemon juice

-          250g cream cheese

-          300ml (1 ½ cups) cream

-          125 ml (1/2 cup) strawberry liqueur

To Make base:

-          Crush biscuits into vey fine pieces

-          Melt butter and add to crushed biscuits, mix well and press into a spring form cheesecake tin, packaging mixture tightly in to form a crust.

-          Refrigerate to set

To prepare strawberries:

-          Trim tops from strawberries and cut in half

-          Place all strawberries in a bowl

-          Add 60ml (1/4 cup) Cointreau and the castor sugar to the bowl

-          Toss to coat strawberries well

To make filling:

1.       Sprinkle the gelatine over the boiling water, stir until dissolved and leave to cool

2.       Place sugar and melon juice in a blender and mix lightly

3.       Add room temperate cream cheese and continue to blend

4.       Add cooled gelatine mix, strawberry liqueur, drained cointreau from the strawberries and cream and blend until smooth and mixed well

5.       Pour half the mixture onto the biscuit base then top with two-thirds of the strawberries

6.       Add the remaining mixture

7.       Refrigerate to set (allow 3 hours at least)

8.       Keep remaining strawberries in the refrigerator to use as a garnish when you serve the cheesecake.

Leftovers Lasagne

Recently I bought a number of savoury ingredients for a home-made pizzas dinner. I had a lot of chopped vegetables left over so what better way to use them, than in a cheat-version lasagne!

Ingredients:

-   Spanish onion, diced

-   2 cloves garlic, crushed

-   500g chicken mince

-   Up to 600g chopped mixed veg (I used a combination of capsicum, zucchini, mushrooms and pumpkin)

-   Up to 100g baby spinach

-   400g can tomatoes

-   Five Brothers Oven Roasted Onion and Garlic pasta sauce

-   Lasagne sheets

-   Tasty Cheese

-   Parmesan Cheese

Method:

-   Preheat the oven to 180'C.

-   In a saucepan fry the Spanish onion and garlic in a little olive oil till soften

-   Stir in chicken mince till browned

-   Stir in the chopped mixed veg

-   After two minutes add the canned tomatoes and pasta sauce

-    Leave the sauce to gently bubble for 20 minutes

-   Stir in the baby spinach

-   Line a medium sized baking dish with baking paper

-   Layer lasagne sheets along the base

-   Pour in half the vegetable mix

-   Top with another layer at lasagne sheets

-   Pour in the remains of the vegetable mix

-   Sprinkle cheeses over the top

-   Bake for 30 minutes, and then serve.

Review For Michaels Charcuterie - Double Bay

Salads Glorious Salads

What a great line up on salads they have at Michaels Charcuterie in Double Bay. If I worked in Double Bay I would be very happy having a salad from there every day for lunch.

Mum and I went there for a light lunch on the go and both couldn’t resist getting a selection of salads to try. Must make one of these the next time the meal calls for a salad.

1.    Broccoli salad

-       Broccoli

-       Mayo

-       Cashews

-       Cherry tomatoes

2.    Smoked Trout Risoni

-       Smoked Trout

-        Risoni

-       Peas

-       Zucchini?

3.    Pea and Mint

-       Peas

-       Mint

-       Fetta

-       Sundried Tomato

4.    Chickpea and lentil salad

-       Baby Spinach

-       Chick peas

-       Lentils

-       Zucchini

5.    Snow Pea and Sesame Seed Salad

-       Snow Pea

-       Sesame Seeds

-       Mushrooms

-       Capsicum

-       tomato

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Serving size: Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

·         50g butter

·         1L chicken stock, warmed

·         ½ cup (125ml) white wine

·         ½ Bunch Shallots

·         ½ bunch chives

·         3 cloves garlic

·         400g chopped mixed mushrooms

·         2 Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips

·         Parmesan

·         Cooking Cream

·         2 cups (400g) Calasparra or Arborio rice

·         Sea salt and pepper

METHOD

1.       Using a lge saucepan, heat butter over a medium heat. Cook shallots until soft, add garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

2.       Add chicken strips and brown

3.       Increase the heat to medium-high; add rice to pan, stirring continuously until rice is coated in butter. Pour over wine, stirring continuously until absorbed by rice.

4.       Continue adding ladlefuls of stock to the rice.

5.       When only one ladleful of stock remains, add the mushrooms

6.       Mix in last ladle until well combined, add chives, salt & pepper, 1 cup parmesan and ½ cup cooking cream. Cover with the lid and stand 5 minutes before serving.

Spoon into large bowls and top with extra parmesan if desired.