ricotta and blueberry muffins

what you need
75g butter, softened
175g reduced-fat ricotta
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/3 cup milk
150g fresh or frozen blueberries

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12 x 1/3-cup capacity muffin pan with paper muffin cases.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, ricotta, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour over butter mixture. Add milk. Gently fold in flour and milk until just combined. Fold in berries.
Spoon into muffin cases. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.
Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

chicken and chorizo rolls

what you need

1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs
500g chicken breast mince
i chorizo sausage,finely chopped/minced
1 egg, plus 1 extra lightly beaten egg
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 onion, grated
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed
good homemade Tomato to serve with

what to do
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
Process crumbs, chicken and unbeaten egg in a food processor until well combined.
Place in a bowl, mix well with all other ingredients, then season to tase.
Place 1 pastry sheet on a floured surface and halve.
Spoon an eighth of the mixture lengthways along centre of each piece. Fold 1 edge of pastry over and tuck in beside filling, then fold over other side to make a roll, pressing down lightly to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.
Cut rolls into 3cm pieces and cut two small incisions into each roll to prevent splitting.
Place on baking sheets, cover and chill for 30 minutes. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the rolls are lightly browned and cooked through.

Serve with sauce on the side

Lime, Chilli and Gin Jelly Oyster Shots

what you need
10 rock oysters
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons gelatine
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
60ml gin
1/2 red chilli finely chopped
tabasco sauce to taste
1 lime, sliced into thin wedges

what to do
Divide oysters between 10 shot glasses.
Bring stock to the boil, remove from heat. Add gelatine and stir until gelatine has dissolved. Stir in all other ingredients. Cool to room temperature.

Pour mixture evenly over oysters. Top with lime wedges.

Chill for 1-2 hours until set.

chicken stock

A good Chicken Stock is the building block of many a good soup, sauce and stew. Quality home made stock is to the Chef as much a staple as good olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. Although there are many retail varieties of stocks now available, many of them I find too salty and contain a lot of unwanted additives. Plus I find something very enjoyable and therapeutic about making stocks for my kitchen. Not only can you claim to your quests that the entire dish is made from scratch but you will know exactly what is in the food you are eating.

What you'll need
6 chicken carcasses approx 1.5-2 kilos (4 lbs)
2 medium onions (peeled & quartered)
2 celery stalks (washed & roughly chopped)
2 peeled carrots (peeled & roughly chopped)
3 bay leaves
5-6 black peppercorns
Cold water

Makes approximately 3 litres of stock

What to do
Place all the ingredients in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring it all to the boil.
Once boiling immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 4 hours.
Every hour skim the foam off that accumulates on top and discard.
Strain the stock.
Discard the solids (if you used meaty carcasses, feel free to pull any of the meat off and use as desired).
Strain the stock through a fine strainer to remove any fine solid particles.
Refrigerate over night, (the following day remove and discard they layer of hard fat that has solidified on top overnight).

The stock can now be used as required, refrigerated for 2-3 days, or portioned and freeze to be used at your convenience for up to a few months.

Note:
If a very clear broth is desired, leave out the carrots and simmer for only 2-3 hours.
If a richer, darker stock is required brown the bones first in a 200 degree oven (400 Fahrenheit) and simmer for 6-8 hours (this may require adding more water during the simmering process to prevent the stock drying up).

Focaccia

what you need
310ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water
2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
2 tsp caster sugar
3 1/2 tbs olive oil
450g (3 cups) plain flour
2 tsp sea salt flakes
1 1/2 tbs fresh rosemary leaves
20 pitted kalamata olives

what to do
Combine the water, yeast, sugar and 2 tablespoons of oil in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 5 minutes or until frothy. Place flour and half of the sea salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in yeast mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir until combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Brush a bowl with oil to grease. Place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Brush a 20 x 30cm Swiss roll pan with 2 teaspoons of remaining oil. Punch down centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes or until dough is elastic and has returned to original size. Press into the prepared pan. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 20 minutes or until doubled in height. Use your finger to press dimples into the dough. Brush with remaining oil and sprinkle over rosemary and remaining salt. Press the olives into the dough.
Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and focaccia sounds hollow when tapped on base.
Serve warm or at room temperature with good olive oil for dipping or filled with a variety of continental meats and marinatd vegetable and a little aoili

Margherita Pizza

Margherita is a pizza prepared according to a recipe of the Italian chef Raffaelle Esposito. The pizza was first made in 1899 when Queen Marghereta visited Napels to escape a cholera epidemic in the north of Italy. The ingredients used to make a Margherita pizza, tomatos, mozzarella cheese and basil, imitate the colors of the Italian flag. Queen Margherata liked the pizza so much that she wrote a thank you letter to Esposito, who decided to name the pizza after the Queen.

what you need
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. plum Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 12" uncooked dough crust
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese

what to do
Combine 2 Tbls. olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, and salt in bowl.
Allow to marinate while making dough.
Brush dough crust lightly with olive oil.
Top with cheese, then tomatoes.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake in preheated 480F oven on pizza stone for 8−10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
Remove from oven and top with parmesan cheese, then basil.

Cool on a for 2−3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

pecan pie pizza

I tried this pizza the other night for a group of friends and while they all only took one slice, to be polite of course, deep down i know they all wanted more, nice and warm straight from the oven and topped with vanilla bean ice cream. it wa so good.

what you need
10-12 inch basic pizza base
caramel sauce
110 gr caster sugar
1 cups pouring cream

what to do
Place sugar in a deep heavy-based frying pan and place over low-medium heat and stir until sugar just begins to dissolve. Cook without stirring, but shaking pan occasionally, until a golden-amber caramel forms. Meanwhile, heat cream in another saucepan until almost boiling, then gradually add to caramel, taking care as mixture will spit violently. Return mixture to heat and stir until well combined and smooth. Serve sauce immediately or cool to room temperature. Sauce will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week. Sauce will thicken once refrigerated, warm to achieve the desired consistency.

pecan filling
150gr butter softened
150gr castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 eggs
150gr self raising flour, sifted
200gr roughly choped pecans

what to do
place sugar, butter, vanilla bean paste and eggs in mixer and beat till light and fluffy
add sifted flour and mix thoughly
fold through pecans.

to put together
roll out pizza dough and place on a oiled tray
spread half the caramel sauce once cold over dough leaving a rim around the edge
gently spread the pecan filling over the caramel sauce
bake for approx 10 minutes on 220c or until the centre springs back when touched.
Drizzle withthe remaining caramel sauce and serve hot with vanilla bean icecream

cheat tip... you can always buy the caramel sauce, and use sweet pastry if you prefer over pizza dough.

Spicy cashew nuts

These spicy cashews 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 crunch

What you'll need
1 kg Raw Cashews
30 grams Sea Salt flakes
50 grams Cajun Spices )
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 cashews

Place on a lightly greased tray and dry at 120degC (250F) for 40 minutes
Once cool keep in an airtight container. They will last for a couple of weeks and you can crisp them up again in an oven at about 100degC (230F) for about ten minutes

Olive, goats cheese & chargrilled vegetable tarts

what you need
Olive oil, to grease
12 60gr short pastry tart cases
120g goats cheese
50g char grilled eggplant, coarsely chopped
10 semi-dried tomatoes, halved length ways
10 pitted black olives, halved lengthways
20 small fresh basil leaves


what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly brush a baking tray with oil to grease. Place the tartlet cases on a prepared tray.

Divide the goats cheese among the cases and top with the eggplant, tomato, capsicum and olive.

Bake in oven for 5 minutes or until just heated through. Top with basil leaves. Arrange on a serving platter to serve.

corn blini with avocado and salmon roe

what you need

1 x 425g can corn kernels, drained
100g (2/3 cup) plain flour
3 eggs
2 small ripe avocados, halved, stones removed, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 tbs fresh lime juice
2-4 drops red Tabasco pepper sauce
Olive oil spray
40g salmon roe
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

what to do
Reserve 40g (1/4 cup) of the corn. Place the flour, eggs and remaining corn in the bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, for 3 minutes or until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the reserved corn.

Place the avocado, lime juice and Tabasco in the clean bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process for 1 minute or until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray to grease. Heat over medium-high heat. Place five 1-tablespoon quantities of the batter into the pan, allowing room for spreading. Cook for 30 seconds each side or until golden. Transfer to a baking tray lined with paper towel. Repeat, in 5 more batches, with the remaining batter, reheating the pan between batches, to make 25 blini.

Spoon the avocado mixture among the blini. Top with salmon roe and coriander leaves to serve

eggplant bruschetta

bruschetta
Bruschetta (pronounced "brusketta") is a traditional italian antipasto, where ‘bruscare’ means ‘to roast over coals’. it is then rubbed with fresh garlic and drizzled with olive oil. Most people think the word ‘bruschetta’ refers to the topping itself and not the dish.

what you need
2 large eggplants sliced
2 gloves garlic crushed
170ml olive oil
juice of one small lemon
salt and cracked pepper to tatse
4 slices bruschetta
grilled dense bread that has ben rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil

what to do
Heat a char grill or pan and place a few pieces of eggplant at time and cook till browned and soft. repaet till all egplant is cooked.
Place egplant in a bowl and combine with all other indredients, season to taste.
Top four slices with the bruchetta mix and drizzle a little extra olive oil over.

panzanelle

what you need
1 loaf white Italian style bread
300ml extra virgin olive oil
100ml balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
capers to tase
5 ripe tomatoes
1 small red onion
½ bunch basil
Salt and pepper to taste

what to do
Remove the crust from the bread. Cut into even sized cubes and bake until golden brown and dry. Cool.

In a bowl place the oil, vinegar and garlic. Add the bread and toss.

Remove the core from the tomatoes and roughly chop. Thinly slice the red onion and add both to the bowl. Pick the basil leaves and tear into small pieces, add the capers. Season to taste and serve immediately.

panettone french toast with mixed berries

what you need
3 eggs 1/3 cup (80ml) thin cream
1/3 cup (80ml) milk
2 tbs caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Two 1.5cm-thick rounds of panettone* (cut across horizontally), quartered
250g frozen mixed berries, thawed
2 tbs icing sugar, plus extra to dust
40g unsalted butter
Thick cream or yoghurt, to serve

what to do
In a wide, shallow bowl, beat eggs, cream, milk, sugar and vanilla. Add the panettone, turn to coat and leave to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down from time to time to ensure it soaks up the batter.

Meanwhile, place half the berries in a blender with icing sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Blend until smooth. Combine with remaining berries and set aside.

Heat half the butter in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Drain excess egg mixture from half the panettone slices and cook for 1-2 minutes each side until golden. Keep warm while you repeat with remaining butter and panettone.

To serve, place two slices on each plate, dust with icing sugar, and top with berry compote and a dollop of cream.


chefs tip... you can substitute panettone for and dense fruit bread...

seafood stew

with easter now upon us, seafood is the prefered option for many reasons,this great seafood stew is both light and filling, and the flavours you get from really fresh seafood will make all the difference.

what you need
½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
600g medium green prawns, peeled and butterflied
500g squid, cleaned, sliced into rings
1 fillet anchovy, chopped
½ cup white wine
400g can Italian chopped tomatoes
½ cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
500g firm white fleshed fish fillets, such as cod or grouper cut into thick strips
600g black mussels, cleaned
extra parsley, to serve

what to do
Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof dish over a medium heat. Add garlic and prawns, cook until prawns are golden brown all over, remove prawns from dish and any garlic slices which are over-browning.

Add squid to dish and cook until golden, remove from pan and set aside. Stir in anchovy, wine, tomatoes and parsley and then bring to boil.

Scatter prawns, squid and fish over sauce in dish. Arrange the mussels standing up-right around edge of pan. Cover with foil, simmer gently for 10 minutes or until mussels have opened and seafood is just cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper, serve with lot of crusty bread

stuffed baby squid

what you need
50g fetta, crumbled
½ chorizo (75g), finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
grated rind of ½ lemon and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
6 squid tubes, cleaned
1 tablespoon olive oil

what to do
Preheat barbecue or fry pan
Combine fetta, chorizo, tomato, lemon rind, breadcrumbs, parsley and oregano in a bowl. Season with pepper. Spoon into squid tubes and secure with toothpicks. Brush with oil.

Cook squid for 2 minutes each side. Drizzle with lemon juice and cook for another 2 minutes, until opaque and well browned. drizzle with some good olive oil, Serve with lemon wedges."

Ce careful not to overcook or the squid will become very tough

grilled polenta with proscuitto

what you need
3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
1 cup (250ml) milk
1 cup instant polenta
50g unsalted butter

6 slices proscuitto
1 tbs olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 red and 1 yellow capsicum, roasted, seeds removed, sliced
1/2 cup small black olives
2 cups wild rocket leaves
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle

what to do
Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan with 2 cups (500ml) water.
Bring to the boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to very low. Slowly add the milk, then the polenta, whisking continuously. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, then add the butter and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into a 20cm x 30cm shallow baking tray. Allow to cool, then place in the fridge for about 1 hour until firm.
Place a chargrill pan over very high heat or heat a BBQ. Cut the polenta into 6 triangles, wrap with the proscuitto and use the tablespoon of oil to lightly brush both sides. Chargrill for 3 minutes each side until charred and crisp.

To serve, place a wedge of grilled polenta on each plate, top with slices of roasted capsicum, a few olives and some leaves. Drizzle with extra olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar.

Nashi Pear, Rocket and Pecorino Salad

What you'll need

For the Salad
90 g rocket (Arrugola) leaves
30 g Pecorino Romano
1 pc Nashi pear
12 cherry tomatoes
100 g arrugola leaves

For the Dressing
45 ml lemon juice, fresh, approximately 1 lemon
45 ml honey
10 g Dijon mustard
Sea salt
Pepper from the mill
30 ml (1 oz) cider vinegar

What to do
In a bowl, combine the mustard with the lemon juice and honey. Whisk until completely dissolved.
Season with the sea salt and pepper from the mill. As the Pecorino Romano cheese is fairly salty it is wise to keep your dressing slightly bland.
Chill the dressing well until usage.
Core the Nashi pear and quarter it. Slice the individual quarters further into very thin wedges.
Clean the rocket leaves off the stem and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Shave the Pecorino Romano cheese with a vegetable peeler into thin wide strips.
Arrange the Nashi pear, rocket leaves and cherry tomatoes on the serving plates and drizzle with the dressing before serving.

Add the Pecorino Romano shavings just ahead of serving the salad.

Chilli Jam

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
Black pepper corn mill


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"

Hollandaise Sauce

This would have to be Angie's favourites sauce and one of the main reasons we go out for breakfast, having this thick creamy sauce poured over her eggs and grilled ham (eggs benedict) or for me with smoked salmon and sauteed spinach with poached eggs. Also great on grilled salmon and fresh steamed asparagus.

What you'll need
400 grams (14 oz) unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
White wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Ground white pepper

What to do
Fill a medium sized saucepan approx 1/3 full with water and put on to boil.

Place the butter in a clear microwave safe dish and microwave on high for approximately 5 minutes, (until the butter has separated).

Pour the clarified butter off the top into another container and discard the white liquid left at the bottom.

Reheat the clarified butter a further 2 minutes and skim any impurities off the surface.

In a large stainless steel mixing bowl place the egg yolks with a few drops of water and whisk together and then whisk in 2 tsp of vinegar.

Place the bowl over the saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the egg yolks have thickened and become lighter in colour.

Remove the bowl from the pan and place it on a folded slightly wet towel.

Gradually add the still warm clarified butter in a steady stream whilst whisking the eggs.

Keep adding the butter as long as the eggs will hold it, (if the sauce gets a slightly shiny oily appearance, hold off with adding the butter and continue to whisk until the oily appearance has disappeared).

Once all the butter has been incorporated add the lemon juice, (if the sauce appears too thick whisk in 1 tbsp of tepid water).

Season to taste and serve (the sauce can be kept in a slightly warm spot or in a Bain Marie)."

Reduced Balsamic

Ever wondered what that black sticky sauce is on the plate when you dine out, well its a reduced balsamic vinegar, used more as a garnish by some restaurants than for its flavour.

Reduced Balsamic is one of those incredibly simple items to prepare, yet expensive to buy, it is simply Balsamic Vinegar that has been reduced over heat till a thick sweet surup is formed. This is a great ingredient to have on hand in any kitchen. It's sweet yet slightly tart flavour not only is the perfect complement to many dishes but makes a very visually appealing garnish.

What you'll need
Balsamic vinegar (about 2/3rds of the volume will be lost, so you'll need to decide before you start how much you would like to be left with.)

What to do
Pour the Balsamic vinegar into a saucepan.

Bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes or until reduced by 2/3rds.
Allow to cool and use as desired.
I pour mine back into the bottle and mark it as 'reduced'.
It will keep for months and months in the pantry.

why not try infusing it with different flavours like
lemon - great for seafood dishes
rosemary - perfect for lamb
tyme - for beef dishes
orange - drizzle over fresh strawberries
chilli - to add some heat

Just add the jest or a sprig in the last 15 minutes of simmering s not to ver power the balsamic flavour

Chicken Stock

A good stock is the basis of many a great, soup, stew or sauce. Without a good stock recipes don't have the great depth of flavour required to bring out the best in any dish. While it is possible to purchase ready made stocks from the supermarket, i find many of them far to salty and lack that true natural chicken flavour. So why not make a batch and freeze in portions and you will have months of chicken stock on hand to add to any dish.

What you'll need
6 chicken carcasses approx 1.5-2 kilos (4 lbs)
2 medium onions (peeled & quartered)
2 celery stalks (washed & roughly chopped)
2 peeled carrots (peeled & roughly chopped)
3 bay leaves
5-6 black peppercorns
Cold water
Makes approximately 3 litres of stock

What to do
Place all the ingredients in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring it all to the boil.
Once boiling immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 4 hours.
Every hour skim the foam off that accumulates on top and discard.
Strain the stock.
Discard the solids (if you used meaty carcasses, feel free to pull any of the meat off and use as desired).
Strain the stock through a fine strainer to remove any fine solid particles.
Refrigerate over night, (the following day remove and discard they layer of hard fat that has solidified on top overnight).
The stock can now be used as required, refrigerated for 2-3 days, or portioned and frozen to be used at your convenience for up to a few months.

Note
If a very clear broth is desired, leave out the carrots and simmer for only 2-3 hours.
If a richer, darker stock is required brown the bones first in a 200 degree oven (400 Fahrenheit) and simmer for 6-8 hours (this may require adding more water during the simmering process to prevent the stock drying up)."

Mushroom-and-Goat-Cheese Stuffed Chicken Thighs

what you need
1 rasher of bacon
500gr (4oz) finely chopped button mushrooms
1 shallot finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped tyme
250gr (2oz) fresh goast cheese
8 boneless chicken thighs
1 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon plain flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and papper to taste

what to do
"Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F. In a medium pan, cook the bacon over high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 6 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the thyme and goat cheese and let cool slightly.

Arrange the chicken thighs on a work surface, skin side down. Using a meat pounder, lightly pound the thighs until they are a scant 1/2 inch thick.
Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the thighs and roll them up; the skin should almost wrap around the meat. Tie each bundle with kitchen string in 2 places.

In a large, ovenproof pan, heat the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add the bundles to the pan. Cook over moderately high heat, turning, until lightly browned all over, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken skin side up.
Transfer to the oven and roast for about 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Pour the chicken fat and pan drippings into a bowl and skim off the fat, reserving 1 teaspoon in the pan. Whisk in the flour and cook over moderate heat until foamy. Whisk in the chicken broth and cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan with a wooden spoon, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour the reserved pan drippings and any accumulated juices from the chicken into the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Remove the strings from the chicken thighs, drizzle with the sauce and serve witgh creamt mash potatoes.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki, is a wonderful addition to many meals. I like to use it on virtually any grilled fish or chicken dish. Use it as a dip for vegetables, or a replacement to mayonnaise. Of course traditionally it is served with Greek dolmades or chicken souvlaki.

What you need
500 grams (1 lb) thick full fat yoghurt
½ Lebanese cucumber (peeled, seeded and finely diced)
1 small clove garlic (finely diced)
Sea salt
Black pepper corn mill
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon

What to do
Pour any liquid collected on the top of the yoghurt off.
Squeeze as much juice from the diced cucumber as possible.
Combine the yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, a few pinches of salt, a few turns of the pepper mill, 2 tbsps olive oil, and the lemon juice.

Gently stir and place in the fridge for 1 hour prior to serving. grea served with Lamb koftas or barbequed meats.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

what you need

2 (8 ounce) sweet potatoes
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour

what to do

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, or until soft to the touch. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to work with, remove the peels, and mash them, or press them through a ricer into a large bowl. Blend in the garlic, salt, nutmeg, and egg. Mix in the flour a little at a time until you have soft dough. Use more or less flour as needed.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. While you wait for the water, make the gnocchi. On a floured surface, roll the dough out in several long snakes, and cut into 1-inch sections. Drop the pieces into the boiling water, and allow them to cook until they float to the surface. Remove the floating pieces with a slotted spoon, and keep warm in a serving dish.

Serve with butter and shaved parmesan or creamy pesto sauce."

Baba Ghanouj - eggplant dip

what you need

2 large eggplants
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
¼ cup (purchased) roasted red capsicum, chopped
5 tbs roasted tahini
2 tbs rice wine vinegar (sweet vinegar)
2 tbs ground coriander
4 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, sliced coarsely
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

what to do
Prick the surface of the eggplant all over, and brush it well with olive oil.You can either bake the eggplant at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, Or, you can put it on the grill over medium heat, turning several times, until the skin is well charred and the pulp is soft. Use a fork to test the flesh for doneness. the charring method will give the dip a nice smokey flavour.

Cool the eggplant for at least 10-15 minutes before you try to work with it.

Heat 2 T olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.Sauté onion for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red capsicum, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.

Cook for about 2 more minutes then remove the contents to a bowl to cool (about five minutes).
Place the mixture into a blender, and process until smooth.

Remove the pulp of the eggplant and throw away the skin.

Add the eggplant to the blender with the mixture and combine until smooth. You need to add the eggplant immediately to the mixture, because the acid in the lemon juice will keep it from turning brown. It would still taste good but it wouldn’t be nearly as appetizing to look at.

After you put the baba ghanouj to a serving bowl, sprinkle with about 2 T extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian parsley over the top

chicken with lemon & tyme

what you need

1/2 chicken on the bone
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
fresh tyme sprigs

4 lemons
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

what to do
Thoroughly wash and dry the chicken .

Cut 2 lemons into round slices.

Salt and pepper chicken on both sides.

Place chicken skin side up in a casserole dish.

Mix oil,lemon juice,parsley.

Pour over chicken.

Sprinkle tyme all over chicken and refrigerate for about an hour.Turn the chicken over and sprinkle more tyme on top then refrigerate for about another hour.

After the chicken is marinated. place in the oven (190 celcius) for about 20 minutes. Turn chicken over and roast for about another 20 minutes while basting with the oil and juice mixture.

Great served with citrus spiced cous cous

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Zucchini Rolls

what you need
2 large zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or substitute domestic parmesan)
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped thyme

what to do
Preheat a grill pan. Brush both sides of the zucchini slices with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the hot grill pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until the grill marks show.If you do not have a grill pan, brush zucchini slices with olive oil, salt and pepper and sauté in a skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned and just tender (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the goat cheese wih the Parmigiano, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, and set aside.Remove the zucchini slices from the grill, and set aside to cool slightly. Spread goat cheese mixture over one side of the zucchini slices, roll up, and arrange on a platter. Serve cold or at room temperature.

pepperoni calzone

what you need
2 x 250gr pizza dough balls
1/2 cup spaghetti or pizza sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces sliced pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

what to do
Punch dough down.On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 14" circle .Place one circle on a greased baking sheet. Spread spaghetti sauce in a strip down the center. Sprinkle with oregano, pepperoni,and mozzarella cheese.Fold over dough and seal edges; repeat for other circle

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.Bake at 350° F. for 30 minutes or until golden brown in a traditional oven.

For party food make the circles about 4"round and fill as above. fillings can be varied like spinach & cheese, ham & mushroom or what ever you like to try.

chicken marsala

what you need

3 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 tbls unsalted butter

2 cups fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbls olive oil

1 cup marsala wine

1/2 cup fresh cream

Preparation:
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place the breasts between layers of plastic wrap, and pound until thin. . Clean and slice the mushrooms.

Dust the chicken with the flour. Shake off excess flour.

Heat the oil and butter to medium-high temperature in a large saute pan. Add the chicken, and brown on one side. Turn over, and add the mushrooms.

Pour in the wine, and reduce to half the volume, add cream and cook till reduced and thickened

Great served on mash with fresh steamed beans with the sauce poured over.

rigatoni with Italian sausage

what you need

500gr rigatoni pasta

1/2 onion finaly diced

1 glove garlic chopped

500gr Italian sausage (with fennel if possible)

2 tbs olive oil

1 cup tomato passata or canned tomatoes

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly grounded black pepper

freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley leaves

what to do
Place the sausage in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water. Cover, bring to a boil and turn heat down to low. Simmer, covered for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sausage cool to room temperature. Remove casings from sausage and chop finely.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic, turn heat to low and cook till softened, Stir in tomato passata, sausage, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

Cook pasta in a large volume of boiling water with 1 tbsp salt until al dente. Drain in a colander, transfer to a bowl . Mix 3/4 of the sauce with the pasta and spoon remaining sauce and sausage on top.

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.