These are great to serve at a party or when friends come over for drinks you can also toss a few into a salad to give some extra bite and crunch.
What you'll need
1 kg mixed nuts
Good pinch Sea Salt flakes
Cajun Spices 50gms
2 Egg Whites Lightly whisked
What to do
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, rub the mixture together with your hands to get a good coating over the nuts
Place on a lightly greased tray and dry at 120C (250F) for 40 minutes
What you'll need
½ teaspoon active dry yeast
350ml warm water
2 ½ teaspoons sugar
2 ½ teaspoons) salt
15 ml olive oil
4 ½ cups) OO flour
What to do
Set the yeast in the warm water for 5 minutes, or until it starts to ‘bloom’
Add the remaining ingredients until they are just combined
Place a wet cloth over the bowl and let sit for 20 minutes. This step allows the starches to hydrate and better develop the dough as you proceed
Knead the dough for at least ten minutes, or until the dough is stretchy and does not rip when your finger pushes down on it
Put the dough in a warm area and let sit until it doubles in size
Punch it down, knead for three minutes, and let it rise until again doubled
Punch down again and shape in to 300gr balls.
let stand for 10 minutes, roll out and top as required.
What you need
200gr diced mango flesh
100 g (5 oz) mango puree, you may prepare this with the remaining flesh around the seed and the trimmings of the mango fillets when cutting the dice
90 g ( 3 oz) red or green bell peppers, diced
50 g (1 2/3 oz) red onions
10 g coriander leaves, chopped roughly
salt to taste
white pepper from the mill
1 piece lime, juice only
2 piece red finger chili, chopped
30ml (1 fl oz) virgin olive oil
What to do
In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the coriander leaves. Season well and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Add the coriander just before serving
what you need
4 chicken thighs
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red capsicum, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
what to do
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, sauté it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the red capsicum, onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil
Best Served with penne pasta..
what you need for the pastry 2 cups bakers flour 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tsp sea salt water as required for the filling | |
| 3 tablespoons olive oil | |
| 2 medium onions, thinly sliced | |
| 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped | |
| 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks | |
| 400g pumpkin, peeled and diced 2cm |
|
| 1 large kumara, peeled and diced 2cm |
|
| 6 silverbeet leaves, thickly sliced |
|
| 1 cup crumbled feta |
|
| salt and freshly ground black pepper |
|
| 1 egg, beaten |
|
what to do For the pastry
Place the flour, salt and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook and mix in enough water to make a stiff dough.Knead with the dough hook for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. This can also be done by mixing in a bowl then kneading by hand. Remove from the bowl, cover in plastic wrap and rest the pastry in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
For the filling
Heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry gently until soft and well browned. Remove from the heat and cool.
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well and crush coarsely with a fork. Boil the pumpkin and kumara separately in more salted water until tender. Drain well and cool. Boil the silverbeet leaves until well wilted, cool under cold water then squeeze dry and chop again.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Roll 1/2 the pastry out to make a disc 35cm in diameter. Place on a baking sheet greased with olive oil. Put the potato in an even layer over the pastry, leaving a border 2cm wide all around the edge. Spread the fried onions on top, then the pumpkin and kumara. Sprinkle the silverbeet and feta over and season with a little salt (depending on how salty the feta is) and black pepper. Roll out the other 1/2 of the pastry and place on top. Brush the edges with egg and crimp or twist together all around to seal the pie. Brush the top all over with egg and make several cuts on the top to let the steam escape. Bake for 40 minutes or until well cooked.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly
What you need
1 tablespoon olive oil
400g chorizo sausages sliced thick
1 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 celery stalks, diagonally sliced
400g can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley, to serve
what to do
Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a 12-cup flameproof casserole or ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Fry sausages for 10 minutes, turning until browned and almost cooked. Remove from pan.
Add onion to saucepan, and more oil if needed. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until soft.
Slice sausages into bite-sized pieces.
Add rice and celery to saucepan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Add sausages, tomatoes, stock and water. Stir. Remove from heat. Cover with the lid or foil.
Transfer dish to the oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, but firm to the bite. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
180gr unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter, set aside. Spray six 6-ounce ramekins or muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and salt. Slowly stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture evenly into the ramekins. Cover the ramekins and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake for15 to 20 minutes. They will be done when the outside has risen slightly above the sides of the ramekins and the center is still soft. Unmold the cakes. Place each cake on a plate and serve with fresh berries, vanilla ice cream or a dollop of double cream.
This olive & garlic bread is a foccacia based bread roll, and is ideal for a mediteranean style meal, or simply for dipping on olive oil.
What you'll need
Olive oil
2 gloves garlic
21gms Yeast
3 tsp Sugar
1650gms Plain flour
480gms Kalamata Olives
150gms Extra flour
What to do
Roughly chop the olives and finely chop/crush the garlic.
Combine yeast, sugar and 3 cups of luke warm water. Rest in a warm area until it becomes frothy.
Combine flour, sea salt, chopped olives & thyme in a bowl, make a well in the center and then pour in the yeast mixture, add 2 tbsps oil and mix to a firm dough.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface.
Vigorously knead the dough until it is soft and silky (add more flour if too wet) coat the dough in oil and let it stand in a bowl for 2 hrs in a warm area( or until it has risen to twice it's size).
Cut the dough into 160 gm (6 oz) pieces and shape into small bread rolls, place on an oiled tray and stand in a warm area for 30 minutes.
If your after something different in terms of flavour on your next roast or barbecue meats, why not try a coffee rub, its not as strange as it sounds. the coffee combined with the sugar, chilli and spices give a great taste, and enhance the meats natural flavour.
what you need
5 tblsp espresso coffee powder
2 tblsp chili powder
3 tblsp dark brown sugar
2 tblsp paprika
2 tsp cumin powder
1 ½ tblsp coarse salt
1tsp onion powder
½ tblsp dry English mustard
½ tblsp cracked black pepper
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp red chili flakes
½ tsp ginger powder
½ tsp garlic powder
What to do
Combine all seasonings well.
Lightly oil the pork chop, then sprinkle generously with the spiced coffee rub.
Rub into the meat evenly and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Grill to your liking.
chef's note:
If roasting a large piece of meat, rub the spiced coffee rub generously all over the meat and allow to marinated for at least 6-8 hours or overnight before roasting. This recipe is fantastic for BBQs and Grill parties.
This easy to make beer bread can be made using either whole meal flour or white self raising flours.
What you'll need
3 cups of white self raising flour
3/4 cup of wholemeal self raising flour
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
1 x 375 ml stubby of beer. Stout will give a darker brown colour.
Milk for glazing
Sesame seeds
What to do
For white flour only version use just 3¾ cups of white self raising flour.
Preheat oven to 220 degrees centigrade (425 degrees Fahrenheit).
Sift the dry ingredients without the sugar.
Stir in the sugar followed by the beer.
Mixing thoroughly and make into a loaf.
Brush with milk across the top and sprinkle on sesame seeds.
Place into a bread tin & bake for fifty minutes. To test if bread is cooked, tap on bread and it should give a hollow sharp sound.
What you'll need
500 grams (1 lb) roma (egg) tomatoes
1 small onion julienned
3-4 small red chillis (chopped)
6 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 small knob of ginger (chopped)
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp mustard seed
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Cracked black pepper
What to do
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit)
Cut tomatoes in half and drizzle them with olive oil and roast in the oven until skins start to blister.
Sweat the onions in a pot in a touch of oil on low flame until they turn soft and translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients to the onions and sweat a few more minutes.
Add the roasted tomatoes to the pot, reduce the heat to very low, cook out for 1-2 hours season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once all the ingredients are cooked out, allow to cool and puree in a food processor, refrigerate and use as needed
What you need
6 medium zucchini,thinly sliced
2 Tbsp sea salt
6 eggs
2 Tbsp cornflour
½ cup finely chopped dill
80g fetta cheese, crumbled
Sea salt and white pepper
¹⁄³ cup finely grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Put half the zucchini slices in a colander. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Top with the remaining zucchini slices and salt. Allow to stand for 30 minutes, then rinse zucchini under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Set aside on a large baking tray.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add cornflour and whisk to combine. Add dill, crumbled feta cheese and salt and pepper to egg mixture and stir to combine. Put zucchini slices in prepared cake tin.
Pour the egg mixture over the zucchini. Sprinkle parmesan over the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked in the centre when tested with a skewer.
Stand tart for 10 minutes before turning out onto a plate. Serve warm or cold, cut into wedges.
You could fill the loaf with what ever you like. for mine i hollowed out the loaf, and spread the entire inside with basil pesto.
You need to alternate the layers until it is full and compacted to the top, remember to work on the colours for maximum effect once you cut it open.
Some of the other items we took were, bacon and leek tarts, rosemary and parmesan crumb chicken tenderloins, pizza bites, sweet potato risotto balls, roasted chicken thighs stuffed with ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes and lamb koftas.
