Add Four Sisters

Xmassy cake

2011-12-22T20:37:00.001+11:00

I adapted this recipe for xmas cake from my friend, Michelle, based on items I did and did not have in the pantry.

1 cup sugar

440 g tin crushed pineapple
500g mixed fruit (I actually used a 375g packet of mixed fruit, a handful of cranberries and a few spoons full of fruit mince)
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp mixed spice
125 g butter
1 cup plain flour
1 cup SR flour
a handful of choc chips
2 eggs

Place sugar, pineapple including juice and some extra water swirled around the tin, fruit, mixed spice and butter in saucepan. Gently bring to boil while melting butter, stirring often. Boil for 3 minutes, then add bicarb. Let cool.

Add sifted flours and beaten eggs to cooled fruit mix and stir until combined.

Spoon into greased and lined 8 inch round tin or two loaf tins.

Place in 175-180 degree oven for 60 minutes for one tin or about 45-50 minutes if divided between two tins. Lower temp to 150 and bake for another 15 - 30 mins. Cake is cooked when skewer comes out clean. Cool in tin for 20 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack.

Hot "Gazpacho"

2011-05-29T12:27:00.003+10:00

I was browsing through a favourite old Weight Watchers cookbook this morning (In A Flash, published in 1998) and realized I had all the ingredients for this yummy soup. I annotate my cookbooks, writing the date I first tried the recipe, and a comment on the results. There are only 124 recipes in this slim volume, and I've tried (and mostly loved) 60 of them. I can't claim this record for any other book in my substantial collection.

So right beside Cheesy Couscous (tagged as 'Wonderful!' on 01-19-99) I found this gem of an until-today-untested recipe. Although gazpacho means 'uncooked', this take on the classic Spanish cold soup is hot in both senses of the word: it's served warm, and the chilli sauce adds as much fire as you fancy.

Hot "Gazpacho"

1 green capsicum, seeded and chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup packed coriander leaves
3 cups tangy mixed vegetable juice (I used low sodium V8)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
Hot chilli sauce, to taste

In a food processor, pulse the capsicum, cucumber and onion until finely chopped; transfer to a nonreactive saucepan. In the food processor, pulse the tomatoes and cilantro until finely chopped; add to the pepper mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the hot sauce. Heat the soup to serving temperature, and add the hot sauce to taste.

Easter Brownies

2011-05-18T12:49:00.002+10:00

I have found the perfect solution to using up the masses of chocolate eggs we accumulate at Easter time – Easter brownies! My Little Miss Almost Four generously offered up her chocolate Easter Bilby for the cause and the results were delicious!

Ingredients

125g Easter eggs, bunny or bilby

125g butter, chopped

4 eggs

1 cup caster sugar

½ cup demerara sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup plain flour

Method

Preheat oven to 160C. Grease a baking dish or tin and line with baking paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over boiling water, stirring occasionally.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Add the flour and beat until smooth.

Spoon mixture in to baking dish and smooth the surface. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top has formed a crust.

Allow to cool then cut in to squares.

Gnocchi from scratch

2011-04-27T19:06:00.006+10:00

My team at work and I have recently broken up (well, we were broken up by a restructure) so as our last activity together we decided to have a group cooking lesson. Conveniently, one of the team's husband is a chef who has recently established his own business and kindly offered his services.

What a fabulous night. I learned how to make gnocchi and panacotta from scratch, as well as enjoy a last supper with some pretty cool peeps. Thanks Ben, and thanks team for being super awesome all of the time.

Gnocchi

500g ricotta
1 egg
1/2 cup loosely packed parmesan
2 pinches salt
tiny pinch of white pepper
1 cup white flour
extra pinch of salt (for boiling water)
Butter and oil (for pan frying)

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, egg, parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands.

Add 2/3 flour and knead.

Place dough on to the bench, add the rest of the flour and knead to mix through.

Cut the dough in to quarters (or halves, if you are a bit lazy like me!) and roll in to a log. Cut the logs in to small pieces using a spatula.

Boil water in a large pan with a pinch of salt. Add the gnocchi in batches and cook each back from 3-5 minutes. Test by biting in to a piece - if you can see the white ricotta in the middle, it's not quite done.

Once cooked, fish the gnocchi out with a slotted spoon or similar and place in iced water. Strain.

Heat some oil and butter in a non-stick pan, add the gnocchi and fry gently until golden.

We had ours with some prawns and cherry tomatoes, tossed through before serving.

I have already made this again for the family and I think it will make a regular appearance in my repertoire from now on!

Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Tart

2011-04-10T19:03:00.002+10:00

You will need to set aside a couple of hours from start to finish for this one, but it's worth it!

Ingredients:
1 bunch beetroot
30g unsalted butter
1 tbs olive oil
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp thyme leaves
1 tbs caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150ml thickened cream
1/2 tsp nutmeg
250g sour cream

Pastry:
1 1/3 cups plain flour
100g chilled butter, chopped
1 tsp thyme leaves

Method

Place beetroot in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for one hour. Drain. Refresh under cold water and leave to cool, then peel and coarsely grate. Set aside.

For the pastry, place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then as 1/4 cup chilled water and mix again until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for 30 mins or so. Lightly grease a pie dish or pan. Roll out pastry and line said dish or pan. Pop back in the fridge for another 15. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Blind bake the pastry for 10 mins, then regular bake for about 5.

Heat butter and oil in a fry-pan, over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 mins until softened. Add beetroot, vinegar, thyme and sugar, then cook, stirring, for 5 mins until thickened. Spread beetroot mixture over tart base, then crumble over cheese.

Whisk egg, cream and nutmeg together, then pour in to tart case. Bake for 35 mins or until set.
Thank you, delicious March 2011 edition. Thank you.

Harira

2011-02-07T13:49:00.006+11:00

Harira is the traditional soup of Morocco. It is usually eaten during dinner in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This vegetarian version is adapted from a recipe in Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites. The complex flavors and aromas combine to make a bright fascinating dish that's immensely satisfying; I'll certainly be making this again. It keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge.

1 cup chopped onions
4 cups vegetable stock*
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (original recipe called for a full tsp, but I'm not overly fond of a strong cinnamon kick in savoury dishes)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup undrained canned (or fresh) tomatoes, chopped
1-1/2 cups diced potatoes
Pinch of saffron
1 cup cooked lentils (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup dried)
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Lemon wedges

In a covered soup pot, simmer the onions in 1 cup of the stock for 10 minutes. Combine the cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and cayenne in a small bowl and add 2 to 3 tabs of the hot liquid to form a paste. Stir this paste into the pot along with the carrots, celery, and the remaining stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 mins. Add the tomatoes and potatoes and continue to cook, covered, for 15 to 20 mins, until the potatoes are tender. Crumble in the saffron. Stir in the lentils, chickpeas, coriander, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Reheat. Serve with lemon wedges.

* Since discovering this recipe, I keep a jar of home made bouillon in the freezer at all times. It's my go-to source for stock on every occasion.

Pesto Tofu (or Chicken) Salad

2010-09-27T05:50:00.005+10:00

This recipe is wonderful the next day. The leftovers are fabulous cold, cubed and tossed with salad veggies. Mmmmmm.

Pesto Tofu (or Chicken)

2010-09-26T12:44:00.006+10:00

This super-simple recipe requires only three ingredients:
Extra-firm tofu (or boneless skinless chicken breasts)
Pesto (store-bought or homemade*)
Mozzarella cheese

Scale the quantities up or down depending how many you are feeding.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Lightly oil a baking dish. Spread a thin layer of pesto in the bottom of the dish. Arrange 15mm thick slabs of tofu (or similar-thickness pieces of chicken) over the pesto. Spread more pesto on top. Cover with foil, and bake for about 30 mins. If cooking chicken, the meat should be barely cooked.

Remove foil and sprinkle mozzarella on top. Don't drown it in cheese. Return to oven for another 5 minutes until the cheese melts. Then put the pan under the grill for another 5 minutes, or until nicely browned.

If using chicken, you might want to serve it with some rice or pasta to soak up the juices.

*Lemon Almond Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup blanched, slivered almonds
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Wash basil leaves and dry them well. Process garlic and basil together in a food processor, adding oil through the feed tube as you go.

Add almonds, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the chopped basil mixture and pulse until it's nicely chunky.

Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and pulse a few times more.

This amount of pesto was twice what I needed to make enough tofu/chicken for 4 people. The remainder will keep in the fridge for a week.

Egg Muffins

2010-09-26T08:35:00.004+10:00

A great grab-and-go breakfast.

Makes 12 muffins
12 eggs (you can use less yolks and more whites if you prefer)
Your preferred seasoning
1 cup grated low fat cheese (I used pepper jack, for a little bit of heat)
3 shallots, diced small
Diced veggies such as blanched broccoli, capsicum, zucchini, mushrooms etc

Preheat oven to 190°C. If using silicone muffin pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using metal muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups, layer vegetables and cheese. You want the cups to be about 3/4 full. Break eggs into a large measuring bowl with a pour spout, add seasoning, and beat well. Pour egg into each muffin cup, and stir slightly with a fork. Bake about 30 mins until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep at least a week in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen and reheated.

Tuna & White Bean Dip

2010-09-24T13:27:00.007+10:00

Tired of hummus? Try this delicious, Zone-friendly snack!

TUNA & WHITE BEAN DIP
Makes 2 cups

140g canned tuna, drained
1 can white beans, drained (I cooked my own from scratch)
A good splash of apple cider or another vinegar (anything other than harsh plain white vinegar) or the juice of a lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small red onion, chopped (or several green onions, chopped)
1/2 red capsicum, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped, to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil - just enough to bind a bit, about 1 tablespoon

With a fork, gently mash the tuna and beans together. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors meld for a couple of hours or better yet, 24 hours. Serve with celery sticks

Variations: Add chopped black olives or chopped radish. Substitute dill or coriander for the basil.

Chocolate sour cream cake with chocolate chips

2010-08-20T18:57:00.003+10:00

Sister Three and I prepared this wonder of immoral delight for Sister Four's birthday. It's from the Magnolia Bakery Cook Book, so already you understand....

3 cups + 2 Tbs plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
85 g good dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 Tbs strong espresso
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 2/3 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
2/3 cup choc chips

Sift flour, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, place chocolate and espresso and add boiling water, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool for a while.

In yet another bowl, cream the butter and the sugar. This takes a while because it's a LOT of sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Add sour cream, and slowly add the melted chocolate.Stir in choc chips.

Bake in a cake tin (we had enough for some patty cakes as well) for about 60-70 minutes at 170 degrees.

Cool cake in pan before turning onto a rack and sharing with loved ones.

The Third Birthday Cake

2010-08-15T20:52:00.004+10:00

I have to say upfront that sisters one and three did most of the leg work on this cake. It is from the more recent edition of the Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book. The original edition holds many happy childhood memories for me as, every year, I went through it to select my chosen cake for my birthday.

This year, my daughter continued this tradition and got us a doozy.

Eight hours later...it was complete and she was thrilled.

I wont post the recipes/assembly guide - if you are crazy enough to want to try this yourself contact me personally and I will talk you out of it.

Bread and Butter Pudding in the slow cooker

2010-07-13T22:11:00.002+10:00

1 sliced loaf of bread
Butter
6 eggs
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup cream
¾ cup raisins
½ cup mixed peel
½ cup orange juice (or orange liqueur)

Cut the crusts off each slice of bread and butter both sides. Line the slow cooker (bottom and sides) with most of the bread pieces, leaving some aside for the top layer. Drizzle juice/liqueur over the bread.

In a bowl, mix eggs and sugar together until light in colour, then pour over the bread. Add raisins, mixed peel and cream.

Top with remaining bread slices. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top.

Cook on low for 4 – 6 hours (mine only took 4). Pudding is done when you can pull a clean knife out of the middle.

Finally, DO NOT share the ingredients with anyone eating the final product – you don’t want the guilt factor to tarnish the indulgence!

Cauliflower and Leek soup

2010-05-31T22:17:00.003+10:00

I often make this soup - it's cheap, quick and satisfying. Tonight I made a particularly tasty batch with a little bit of kick :)

1/2 a cauliflower, chopped
2 leeks, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2.5 litres stock (I use chicken, but veg would be fine)
Sprinkle of cumin
Splash of oil
Handful of grated cheese

Brown leeks, garlic, chilli and cumin in oil for a few minutes. Add cauliflower and cook for a couple more minutes. Add stock, bring to boil and simmer on low for 30 minutes or so. Allow to cool, blend until smooth. Reheat, serve then sprinkle with cheese.

Enjoy!

Chicken Parmigiana with Aubergine and Goats Cheese

2010-04-01T22:59:00.001+11:00

This is less of a recipe and more of a set of instructions in putting things on a plate on top of one another.

1 chicken schnitzel

Half a small aubergine, sliced lengthways

One small fresh from the garden tomato, sliced

A handful of goats cheese, crumbled.

Method

Fry* the schnitzel. Fry* the eggplant. Fry* the tomato.

Put schnitzel on a plate, then the eggplant, then the tomato. Scatter crumbled cheese on top.

The end.

*I had not done the washing up, so fried everything in my no-stick wok. Worked a treat and not too oily at all!

Grilled Vegetable Couscous with Haloumi

2010-03-30T21:50:00.002+11:00

This was a joint effort with Sister One.

PS how good is haloumi??

200g couscous

300ml hot vegetable stock

5 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 red capsicums, deseeded and cut in to 6 pieces

1 aubergine, cut in to chunks

250g haloumi cheese, sliced in to 8 pieces

2 tbsp flaked almonds

1 tbsp pesto sauce

Method

Put the couscous in a bowl and pour in the hot vegetable stock. Set aside.

Mix together the oil, lemon and garlic, then brush a little of this over the capsicums and aubergine. Spread the vegetables on the barbeque or grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until softened and slightly charred.

Brush the haloumi with some of the lemon and garlic oil and cook on the barbeque or under a hot grill for a minute or so on each side until golden.

When the couscous has absorbed all the stock, fluff it up with a fork. Spoon on to a serving plate and scatter over the aubergine, peppers, haloumi and toasted almonds. Mix the pesto* in to the remaining lemon and garlic oil and drizzle over the vegetables and cheese.

*Sister One and I improvised with some tomato pasta sauce. It was still super yum.

Aubergine and Goats’ Cheese Gratin

2010-03-29T22:05:00.002+11:00

Serves 6

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes (although I used fresh ones from the garden – even better!)
2 large garlic cloves
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 aubergines
250g goats cheese, sliced or crumbled
50 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt and black pepper

Method

Lightly oil a baking dish. Put the tomatoes, garlic, half the oil, sugar, basil and salt and pepper in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until reduced and thickened.

Cut each aubergine lengthways in to 6 thin slices. Season the remaining oil with salt and pepper, then brush the aubergine slices with seasoned oil. Cook under a preheated hot grill for 3-4 minutes on each side until charred and tender.

Arrange one-third of the aubergine slices, overlapping them slightly, in the base of the prepared dish. Add one-third of the tomato sauce and one-third of goats’ cheese and parmesan. Repeat these layers, finishing with the 2 cheeses. Bake in a pre-heated oven 200 degrees Celsius until bubbling and golden.

The Aubergine Experiment

2010-03-29T22:02:00.005+11:00

Late last year, I re-planted my veggie patch. The previous year’s efforts had yielded a few tomatoes and lettuces, so this year I thought I’d add a bit more variety to the mix. I thought I’d give eggplants a go. And go they did! They took up over half the patch with their handsome, purple lengths and when I went to harvest last week I could only manage to tackle half the plants before deciding I had enough...

So, I give you the Aubergine Experiment. I refuse to let these beautiful beings go to waste (eggplants are such a good looking vegetable!) so I am on a mission to find as many recipes as it takes to use these up. Then I will go and harvest some more! Who wants one?

This is all I have to say

2010-03-11T17:19:00.001+11:00

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000146.html

Yum Plum Jam

2010-01-30T08:43:00.002+11:00

Gather plums from Sister Four's plum tree. Quarter the plums and take out pips. Simmer in a big pan with an equal weight of sugar and a bit of water until it reaches setting point. Pour into sterilised jars.

Enjoy on toasted homemade bread with a big cup of milky coffee for Saturday morning breakfast.

(Oh, and offer some jars to Sister Four in exchange for the plums. Oh, yeah, and save some for Sister Three because she will want some when she comes to visit. I wonder if there will be any left by the time Sister Two comes to visit...)

Tex Mex Prawn Stew

2010-01-18T14:03:00.007+11:00

This WW recipe is fast, easy and delicious! Serves 4.

4 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green capsicum, diced
1 tin diced tomatoes with green chiles
300g frozen corn kernels
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
450g medium prawns, peeled and deveined
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
4 lime wedges

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the capsicum and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, corn, salt and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Sir in the prawns; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the prawns are just opaque in the center, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve with the lime wedges and a bottle of chili sauce for those who like more heat.

I served this with crusty bread and butter, but a side of rice would be equally good.

Crumpets

2010-01-17T10:45:00.007+11:00

These homemade crumpets require a bit of prep time but are quite simple to make - and taste delicious when fresh out of the pan. I didn't have egg rings to shape the crumpets, so instead used cookie cutter shapes including a dog bone shape for our pooch Boonie. I served the crumpets with Sister One's homemade apricot jam, Australian honey and Vegemite (for husband).

1 ½ cups low fat milk

1 ½ tsp sugar

7g sachet dried yeast

2 ½ cups plain flour

Pinch salt

½ tsp bi-carb soda

200 mls water

Melted unsalted butter, to brush pan

Egg rings – either standard rings or 3cm deep

- Heat milk in saucepan over low heat until just warm (not too hot or it will kill yeast).

- Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and stir in sugar and yeast.

- Stand for 10 mins until it begins to bubble.

- Sift flour and salt into a bowl, make well in middle.

- Gradually add milk mixture, mixing until smooth with electric beaters.

- Cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for 1 – 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size and full of bubbles.

- Mix bi-carb and water, then add to batter, mixing with electric beaters.

- Heat frypan over low heat a

nd brush with melted butter.

- Lightly brush egg rings and place in the pan.

- Spoon mix into rings and cook over low heat for 5 mins or until surface is full of bubbles and a skin has formed.

- Loosen and remove rings (if this is not possible, don’t worry) and flip and cook on other side for 1 – 2 mins.

- Remove from pan and stand on wire rack covered with a tea towel while you cook the rest.

- Serve fresh or toasted.

- Leftovers can be frozen.

Vegetable filo pie

2010-01-13T20:06:00.003+11:00

I don't know what it is about this pie, but it is absolutely delicious.

2 red capsicums, deseeded, cut in to 2cm chunks
1/3 butternut pumpkin, cut in to chunks
1 head garlic
6 small squash, cut in to chunks
500g frozen spinach, thawed, chopped
200g block feta, crumbled
1 pack filo pastry
Cinnamon
Dried basil
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place capsicums, pumpkins, squash and garlic in to a roasting tin, mix through oil, cinnamon and basil and roast, turning occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

Remove, stir through spinach and set aside to cool. When cool, stir through feta, squeeze soft centres out of garlic. Grease a tin or tray with oil, then layer about 5 layers of pastry, brushing each layer with a little oil. Place filling in tin and cover with more layers of pastry, or fold over any overhanging pastry from the side.

Bake for 20 mins, then sprinkle with salt, then bake for another 5 mins.

Bitter chocolate meringue tart

2010-01-12T20:37:00.005+11:00

This Donna Hay recipe looks impressive, tastes divine and best of all is simple to make! Serves 8.

base

200g store-bought shortbread biscuits

1 tbls cocoa powder

50g butter, melted

bitter chocolate filling

400g 70% cocoa dark chocolate, melted

1 cup (250ml) pouring cream

meringue top

150ml egg whites (approx. 4)

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

Place the biscuits, cocoa and butter in a food processor and process for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Press the mixture into a 20cm loose-bottomed round fluted tart tin to create the tart base. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

To make the chocolate filling, place the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Pour over the biscuit base and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

To make the meringue top, preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy. Spoon meringue onto the tart and bake for 15 minutes or until the peaks are golden and the meringue is set. Cool.

Lamb and pasta bake with roasted tomatoes

2010-01-08T12:20:00.005+11:00

This dish is great for when you have a table full of visitors to feed. The preparation is simple, but note that you do need to set aside a few hours for this dish, which serves 8.

When I cooked this for a group of friends recently, one of them proclaimed it was the best lamb dish they had ever tasted!

1.2kg diced lamb (shoulder or leg)

2 onions, thinly sliced

juice of one lemon

3 tbs olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

3 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimenton)

4 cups (1 litre) chicken or beef stock

2 tbs tomato paste

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

400g risoni

24 cherry tomatoes on the vine

2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 cup thick greek yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 180C

Place the lamb in a single layer in a large baking dish, over with the onions and drizzle with the lemon juice and the oil.

Sprinkle with the oregano, cumin and paprika, and season to taste.

Toss, cover and roast for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat the stock in a pan over a medium heat and whisk in the tomato paste. Remove the lamb from the over, pour in the stock, add the canned tomatoes, cover with foil and return to the oven for 1-hour.

Remove, sprinkle in the pasta, cover and return to the oven for 20-minutes, until the past is cooked and most liquid absorbed.

Put the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season and roast for the final 5-minutes of the lamb’s cooking time.

To serve, stir through the parsley, divide among bowls, and top with the yoghurt and a few tomatoes. Don't be a scrooge with the yoghurt - I find it 'makes' the dish!

Pizza Two Ways

2010-01-06T21:32:00.002+11:00

I had the pleasure of Sisters One and Three for dinner this week and needed something quick and easy to prepare after work. Having perused Sister One's collection of delicious magazine the day before, I came up with two little twists on that ol' faithful - homemade pizza. You could mix and match the ingredients of both of these to make a few different combos.

Roast Pumpkin, Rocket and Cashews

1 large pita
Tomato paste
Diced fetta
Rocket
Diced pumpkin
Handful of raw cashews
Splash of truffle oil (optional)
Sprinkle of mozzarella

Roast pumpkin in a few herbs and truffle oil. Spread pita with tomato paste, pumpkin, fetta, cashews and mozzarella. Place on a tray or pizza stone and cook at about 180 degrees for 10 - 15 mins. Remove from oven, top with rocket and serve.
Moroccan Mix

1 large pita
200g veal mince
Hummus
Sultanas and dried apricot pieces
Diced fetta
Handful of raw cashews

Soak sultanas and apricot pieces in some hot water. Cook mince in a small amount of oil. Spread pita with hummus, mince, fetta, drained sultanas and apricot pieces and cashews. Place on a tray or pizza stone and cook at about 180 degrees for 10 - 15 mins. Remove from oven and serve.

Roasted tomato and chickpea salad

2009-12-31T09:45:00.002+11:00

I adapted this dish from one I'd seen cooked up on the telly. It's so simple.

Roast up a big tray of quartered roma tomatoes and sliced red onions, with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixed through, until the tomatoes are reduced to a deliciously sweet and flavoursome state. Empty in a can of chick peas. Chop up a bunch of coriander and add with some freshly squeezed lime juice and some salt and pepper.

Too easy.

The original recipe includes eggplant (not my favourite veg) and to give proper reference to the source, it can be found here.

Olivia's sour cream potato salad

2009-12-31T09:33:00.007+11:00

About 12 cocktail potatoes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1¾ cups vegetable stock

4 Tbs white wine vinegar

5 Tbs light vegetable oil

½ cup sour cream

Cook unpeeled potatoes in boiling salted water. Don't overcook or they won't keep their shape in the salad. Cut into quarters and place in a bowl with the onion. Bring the stock to the boil with the vinegar added, and while boiling pour over the potatoes. Marinate until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 20-30 minutes. Pour off any excess liquid and gently fold in the oil. Season with pepper and salt. Lastly, fold in the sour cream. Serve at room temperature, garnished with parsley or other fresh herbs.

It really is very more-ish. I think the infusion of the stock into the taties really makes this a great potato salad.

I stole recipe this from my friend Olivia.

Sweet potato & leek roulade with xmas stuffing

2009-12-31T09:14:00.005+11:00

Hey sisters! Is it time to resurrect our blog? I'll start off with some xmas feast recipes.
Roulade
1 Tbs olive oil
1 leek, finely chopped
60g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
300ml milk
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Stuffing
30g unsalted butter
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 Tbs chopped fresh sage
1 Tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

Filling
500g sweet potato, peeled, chopped
15g unsalted butter
100ml thin cream
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Roulade

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the leek and cook gently for five minutes until soft. Remove leek from pan. Add the butter to the pan. When it has melted, add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Start adding the milk, a little at a time, whisking until all the milk is combined and the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat, beat in egg yolks, one at a time and season.
In a separate, clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Add a quarter of the eggwhites to the roux, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Fold in leeks and cheddar until just combined, then pour into a Swiss roll tin and bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes or until golden and puffed.

Stuffing

Melt butter in a frying pan, add onion and cook for five minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and breadcrumbs and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Stir in herbs and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Filling

For the filling, steam or boil the sweet potato until tender. Drain and mash with the butter, cream and nutmeg. Season well.

When the roulade is cooked, place a clean tea towel on the bench and sprinkle with the parmesan. Turn the roulade out onto the tea towel and peel off the baking paper. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes, then spread the sweet potato over the roulade. Sprinkle the stuffing over the sweet potato. Using the edge of the tea towel, carefully roll up the roulade from the longest side finishing with the seam side down.

I served it up with rosemary baked potatoes and lots of salads. Even the fussy eaters who came on Boxing Day enjoyed it as leftovers.

I found the recipe here and they sourced good old delicious. January 2003

Black Bean Chilaquile

2009-06-23T13:58:00.002+10:00

I don't know about you, but I've never been a fan of the baked tortilla chips (corn chips) that you can buy in the supermarket. Crisp cardboard, in my opinion. So for this recipe, I decided to make my own. Much more delicious -- in fact, they were in danger of being all snavelled before I got to crushing them for the casserole.

Black Bean Chilaquile (serves 4 to 6)
6 six inch (15cm) corn tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I like to blanch them and remove the skins first)
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-1/2 cups cooked black beans (1 can, drained)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups rinsed, stemmed and chopped Swiss chard (from my garden! Yeah!) or spinach
8 ounces grated sharp Cheddar
2 cups red salsa (I used medium heat, and while it was fine for me, it was too hot for Josh. So if you are serving to sensitive palates, you might want to use half salsa and half chopped tomatoes)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush both sides of the tortillas with 1 tbs of the oil. Stack the tortillas and cut the pile into sixths to make chips. Spread the chips out in a single layer on two large baking sheets. Bake until golden brown and crisp, rotating the baking sheets once, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then crush with your hands.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions in the remaining oil for about 8 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, black beans, lime juice, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes, until just heated through.

In another saucepan, blanch the greens in boiling water to cover for 1 to 3 minutes, until just wilted but still bright green. Drain immediately and set aside.

Prepare an 8x8 inch (20x20cm) casserole dish or baking pan with a light coating of oil. Spread half of the crushed tortilla chips on the bottom. Spoon the sautéed vegetables over the tortilla chips and sprinkle on about two-thirds of the grated Cheddar. Arrange the greens evenly over the cheese and spoon on half of the salsa. Finish with the rest of the tortilla chips and top with the remaining salsa and Cheddar. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown.

Curried lentil, carrot and cashew soup

2009-05-18T20:27:00.002+10:00

One word - yum!

Ingredients
1.5 l vegetable stock
750g carrots, chopped
3/4 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
1 tbs curry paste
1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped
1/2 cup Greek style yoghurt

Method
Bring stock to the boil in a large pan. Add carrots and lentils, bring to the boil then simmer over low heat for 8 mins or until carrots and lentils are soft.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and add onion and cashews. Cook over med heat for a couple of minutes. Add curry paste and coriander and cook until fragrant. Stir paste in to carrot and lentil mixture.

Transfer to blender or food processor and blend in batches until smooth. Return to pan and reheat. Season with salt and pepper, serve with a dollop of yoghurt and a sprinkling of coriander leaves.

Mushroom and Butternut Squash Empañadas

2009-04-20T02:02:00.007+10:00

Sister One and I made these the night before our Arizona trip. They were a huge hit (Josh declared they were the best thing I'd ever cooked) so the next day all the Meltzers were outraged when we packed the leftovers to take with us.

Café Azul's Pastry Dough
yield: Makes about 3 lb (enough for 24 empañadas)

This recipe makes much more dough than is needed for the Mushroom and Butternut Squash Empañadas, but it freezes beautifully, wrapped well in plastic wrap and sealed in a plastic freezer bag. (Defrost the dough in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours before using.) At Café Azul, Archibald also uses this pastry for pies and tarts.

600g plain flour
1 tablespoon salt
450g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes (yes, this is a ton of butter. It's what makes the pastry so fabulously yummy)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
About 3/4 cup ice water

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

Beat egg with vinegar in a 1-cup measure using a fork, then add enough ice water to measure 1 cup total. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until incorporated.

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently with heel of your hand just enough to bring dough together. Roll out or pat into a 39- by 22-cm rectangle. Arrange dough with short side nearest you, then fold into thirds like a letter to form a roughly 13- by 22-cm rectangle. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour and up to 6 (do not chill longer or dough will discolor).

Mushroom and Butternut Squash Empañadas
Makes 8

For empañada filling:
1 cup diced (1/4-inch) butternut squash
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
6 small garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 (2- to 3-inch) fresh jalapeño chiles, seeds and ribs discarded and chiles finely chopped
1 pound fresh exotic mushrooms such as chanterelles, porcini, or hedgehogs (all one kind, not a mixture), trimmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chicken broth

For empañada crust:
1/3 Café Azul's pastry dough (1 pound)
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

Cook squash in a small saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes, then drain in a sieve.

Cook onion and garlic in oil in a large heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, salt, and broth and simmer, covered, until mushrooms are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes, then stir in squash and salt to taste. Cool filling completely.

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (2 ounces each) and form each into a disk. Roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface into a 6- to 7-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Spoon about 1/3 cup filling onto center and brush edge of pastry lightly with egg wash. Fold dough in half to form a half-moon, enclosing filling, and press edges together to seal. Crimp edge decoratively and transfer empañada with a spatula to a large baking sheet. Make 7 more empañadas in same manner.

Lightly brush empañadas all over with some of remaining egg wash and sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Lentil and spinach roll

2009-03-15T20:02:00.004+11:00

(based on recipe in delicious. March 2009)

1 Tbs olive oil
100g mushrooms, sliced
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups cooked lentils
2 tsp mild curry powder
2 Tbs chutney (Sister One's homemade chutney is particularly good)
2 sheets frozen puff pastry
1/2 cup cheese of choice, finely grated
1 egg, beaten

Saute mushrooms in oil for a minute, then add spinach, lentils, curry powder and chutney. The original recipe called for roasted capsicum strips, which would have been a great addition, but alas I had none. Season and cook for a few minutes until spinach is wilted. Leave aside until completely cool.

My pastry sheets were just as they came out of the package, and I used 2 of them. Spoon some lentil mix down the middle of each, add a layer of cheese, then top with remaining lentil mix. Wet the pastry edges with water, fold over, and seal edges. Sit on baking paper on baking tray, seam side down. Brush with egg. Bake at 180C for 30 minutes.

Serve with yoghurt, salad and some more chutney.

This presents really well, especially while still crispy out of the oven, and I'll be doing it again for a family dinner or a take a plate.

Almond-Citrus Tuiles

2009-02-23T15:53:00.001+11:00

This was my first attempt at baking tuiles. They were wonderful, until I put them in a plastic container with some linzer cookies, and they lost their crispness. But they were super-easy, so I'll try them again. Here's the recipe:

Almond-Citrus Tuiles
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup confectioners' (icing) sugar
3 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp grated lime zest
1 tbs all-purpose flour

1. Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (175°C). Generously spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray.

2. Put 1/3 cup of the almonds and the confectioners' sugar in a food processor; process until the almonds are very finely ground. Stir together the superfine sugar, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl until well blended. Stir in the almond mixture, the remaining almonds, and the lime zest. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine.

3. Drop 5 mounds of the batter on each baking sheet, using 2 level teaspoonfuls for each mound, spacing them about 4" (10cm) apart. Using a fork dipped in cold water, spread each mound to make a 2-1/4" (6cm) round, being sure to evenly distribute the almonds. Bake until the edges are browned but the centers are still pale, 6-7 minutes.

4. Push a thin metal spatula under a cookie to life it, then drape the cookie over a rolling pin, gently pressing so it curves. Repeat with the remaining cookies. If the cookies harden before you can shape them, return them to the oven for about 30 seconds. Cool, wash, dry and spray the baking sheets before making the remaining 8 cookies.

From Best-Ever Desserts by Weight Watchers.

Tomato, corn and ricotta tart

2009-02-10T21:10:00.003+11:00

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 corncob
175g ricotta
1 tbs finely chopped basil
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 egg yolk
Couple of sheets of puff pastry
Fresh toms from my veggie patch!
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

Preheat oven to 210ºC. Cook corn in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool under running water. Place kernels in a bowl together with ricotta, basil, onion and egg yolk. Season to taste with salt and pepper then stir well to combine.
Lay pastry in a square baking dish so that
Spread the ricotta mixture in to the dish. Fold in border on two opposite sides, then repeat, folding in remaining opposite sides. Top with tomato halves and season to taste. Brush tarts with beaten egg, then bake for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden. Serve immediately or at room temperature, with some salad greens.

Garlic

2009-02-09T18:38:00.004+11:00

For such a long time, the Canberra sisters' access to garlic has been limited to cheap, bitter garlic from China. It was enough to put me off garlic for many months. Well, there is an alternative: certified biodynamic garlic grown in the Hunter Valley and purchased online.

Yum. Roasted garlic with dinner tonight.

Kumara "Felafels"

2009-02-02T08:58:00.006+11:00

In a food processor, puree the 2 cups of kumara/chickpea mixture that you set aside when making Kumara and Chickpea Salad. With wet hands, form into 4 patties. Mix about 1.5 tablespoons each of breadcrumbs and sesame seeds together on a plate, and coat each patty with the mixture. Bake on an oiled baking sheet at 200°C until heated through; flip halfway so they brown on both sides. Serve with a yogurt/chili powder dressing and mixed greens.

From Weight Watchers' Now and Later

Brussels sprouts with parmesan and pine nuts

2009-02-02T02:56:00.004+11:00

1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
400g lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add garlic and brussels sprouts, and cook until brown and softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
2. Add broth and cook until sprouts are tender but not soggy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add pine nuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small dish and sprinkle with parmesan.

Even people who think they don't like brussels sprouts love this!

From Sunset Publications' Cozy Comfort Food

Kumara and Chickpea Salad

2009-02-02T02:54:00.007+11:00

1 kg kumara, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled gresh ginger
1 garlic clove, mined
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves (not chopped)
4 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup crumbled low fat goat cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 225°C. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spread the kumara on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until fork tender, 25 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.
2. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, combine the vinegar, oil, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; whisk until blended.
3. Add the kumara, chickpeas, and coriander to the dressing; toss to coat. Transfer 2 cups of the potato mixture to a container and let cool. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days for later use in Sweet Potato Felafel Sandwiches (recipe to follow). Place the arugula on a platter, top with the remaining 4 cups of the kumara mixture and sprinkle with the cheese.

From Weight Watchers' Now and Later

xmas feasting - Classic nut roast

2009-01-18T08:04:00.004+11:00

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 - 6 mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbs plain flour
1¼ cups (300 ml) vegetable stock
1½ cups (175 g) finely chopped nuts, plus some whole ones - brazil nuts are good
3 cups (175 g) breadcrumbs
1 Tbs soy sauce
Fresh or dried herbs

Saute onion, add garlic and mushrooms. Cook for a few more minutes.
Sprinkle the flour on top. Stir well. Add the stock or water, stirring all the time. Bring the mixture to the boil, and simmer slowly for two or three minutes. Stir in the nuts, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, herbs and seasoning.
Turn the mixture on to a floured board, and form a loaf shape with your hands. Place in a loaf tin and brush top with oil.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, at 190C.

Adapted from Learning to Cook Vegetarian, by Rose Elliot.

xmas feasting

2008-12-28T13:06:00.000+11:00

Super Simple Ricotta Chive Mini Tarts

2008-12-27T04:24:00.000+11:00

2 sheets bought pie pastry
250g ricotta
50g grated tasty or cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons finely snipped chives
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Mini muffin baking tray

1. Preheat oven to 210°C. Using a round cutter, cut out rounds of pastry and place in lightly greased baking tray holes.

2. Mix together the two cheeses, eggs and chives in a bowl. Spoon some into each case. Bake for 10-15 minutes until pastry and cheese are golden.

Serve hot or cold.

xmas cupcakes

2008-12-24T14:31:00.000+11:00

Another Nigella special. Gingery, chocolately cupcakes. A big hit last year. Possibly a tradition now it's 2 years in a row?

Will post recipe later, as I'm sure noone wants to make these now that it's already xmas eve (here).

Merry xmas!

Sweet/Spicy/Salty Nuts

2008-12-24T11:53:00.001+11:00

2 cups unsalted mixed nuts
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher (coarse) salt

Toast nuts in a dry skillet over low heat until fragrant. Drop in butter to melt, and toss and cook nuts for a few minutes longer. Meanwhile, stir together the sugars and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the nuts and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar caramelizes. Transfer nuts to a baking sheet, spread in a single layer and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Let cool. Try not to eat them all at once.

Blue cheese biscuits

2008-12-21T19:00:00.000+11:00

I baked these this morning to take to xmas drinks this afternoon. They were scoffed in a flash.

175g blue cheese, crumbled
100g unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk
125g plain flour
50g cornmeal
pinch salt
1 beaten egg for glazing

Mix cheese, butter and egg yolk together and then work in the flour, cornmeal and salt - or, as I did, bung it all in the whizz. It needs to form a soft dough, then you wrap it in cling wrap and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out about 1cm thick and cut into shapes. Glaze with beaten egg. Cook for 10-15 minutes at 200C.

From: Nigella Lawson, How to be a domestic goddess

Snickerdoodles

2008-12-18T20:20:00.000+11:00

The xmas cooking season has commenced. These tasty delights are for morning tea at work tomorrow. They're from Nigella Lawson's How to be a domestic goddess. They are a sort of cakey biscuit.

250g plain flour
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
125g butter
100g, plus 2 Tbs caster sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs cinnamon

Sift together flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, cream the butter and 100g sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Then mix in the dry ingredients until combined (or 'coherent', as Nigella says). Roll walnut-sized balls between your palms and roll in remaining sugar and cinnamon (that you had the foresight to already have mixed together on a plate). Put on lined baking trays and bake at 180C for 15 minutes. Cool on the tray before removing to a rack.

Yum. Just the thing for a xmassy morning tea.

Lentil, Olive and Mandarin Salad

2008-12-16T16:24:00.000+11:00

This has been a favourite potluck dish of mine for nearly ten years. I annotated the cookbook in Feb 1999 with the note "Wonderful mix of flavours."

Lentil, Olive and Mandarin Salad
Adapted from Weight Watchers' In A Flash cookbook

1 cup dried lentils
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
One 300g can mandarin sections, drained*
1 small red onion, diced
1/4 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Put lentils in a saucepan covered by at least 5cm water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until tender but not falling apart. Drain and run under cold water to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix the lemon juice, oil, garlic, cumin and salt. Gently stir in the lentils, mandarins, onion, olives and parsley. Serve in lettuce cups if desired.

*You can use fresh mandarins or small oranges instead. Cut off the membranes from each section.

Dhal & Spinach Soup

2008-12-10T20:54:00.000+11:00

I discovered the Spice Man at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston, who bundles together all kinds of yummy spics combos. There are no pics of the soup I made, partly because it was gobbled quickly and partly because it looked disgusting, but trust me it's worth it! Obviously I bought the spice mix pre-made, but you could put it together yourself easily enough

Ingredients:
500 gms red lentils
1 large onion
3 medium potatoes
3 bunches english spinach
2-1/2 litres chicken or veg stock
1 tblspn lemon juice
3 cups finely sliced mushrooms
1 x 400ml can coconut cream

Spice mix contained cumin, coriander, tumeric, fenugreek, mustard seed, curry leaf, chilli, ginger and garlic.

Method:
Heat some oil in a large pot. Saute onion until glace looking. Add spices, stir until fragrant (30 secs).

Add chicken stock, lentils and potatoes. Bring toboil then lower heat and simmer covered - 20 mins, stirring occasionally.

Chop leaf part of spinach and put on top of soup. Return lid and simmer a further 10 mins until spinach wilts. With a hand held (or regular) blender, blend soup until smooth. Add coconut cream, lemon juice and mushrooms. Simmer another 15 mins.

Yum!

Pumpkin & spinach frittata with chilli beetroot salad

2008-11-23T09:56:00.000+11:00

Frittata

600g peeled, diced butternut pumpkin
1.4 cup olive oil
1 tsp tamari
1 leek, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250g baby spinach leaves
6 eggs
1/4 thin cream
1/2 grated parmesan

Coat pumpkin in 1 tablespoon oil and the tamari and bake at 170C for about 25 minutes.

In a large frypan, heat remaining oil, gently soften the leek and garlic. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.

Beat eggs, cream and parmesan in a large bowl, add salt and pepper. Then mix through the spinach and baked pumpkin.

Pour into a greased pan and bake for about 35 minutes.

Beetroot salad

2 medium sized whole cooked beetroot
45 ml sherry vinegar (I used a delicious raspberry vinegar)
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp caster sugar
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
225g aged pecorino
100g baby salad leaves

Halve beetroot and cut into thin slices. Put into a small bowl with the vinegar, garlic, sugar, chillis and 1/2 tsp salt, and set aside for one hour. Simply serve with the salad leaves and shaved pecorino.

A scrumptious Saturday night dinner with a glass (or two) of fine Verdelho.

(Both recipes adapted from delicious. Nov 2003)

Marinated feta

2008-11-11T17:12:00.000+11:00

While some sisters are eating hot dogs on the streets of New York and drinking martinis in fancy New York cocktail lounges, other sisters are at home cooking. Well, this isn't really cooking, but it's about time one of us updated our blog. Anyone'd think we never ate!

Marinated feta is of course as easy as pie. In a mortar and pestle I bruised about a teaspoonful each of coriander seeds and peppercorns, with a few strips of lemon peel, a pinch of dried oregano, some crushed dried chillies and some fresh rosemary and thyme from the garden. I guess you could also add parsley and sage, then sing along with Simon and Garfunkel (hmmm, I think only Sister Two might get that).

Chop up the feta, mix gently together with the spicy mix, then add the secret ingredient - extra virgin olive oil infused with lemon myrtle. Let it marinate at least overnight. I gotta tell you, this lemon-infused olive oil adds a whole new dimension to marinated feta. Of course, I'm sure any other lightly flavoured olive oil would also enhance this dish.

It made my take-to-work Greekish salad lunch extra special.

Turnip Hash with Broccoli Rabe

2008-10-16T00:04:00.000+11:00

I know you sisters are probably more interested in spring veggies than autumn ones right now, so you might want to come back to this in six months. This recipe is pretty labour intensive because of all the blanching involved, but the result is very yummy. It makes a great addition to scrambled eggs, or side dish with some other protein.

2 or 3 plum tomatoes
1 small or 1/2 large turnip, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
250g Yukon gold (or other creamy yellow) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
1 bunch broccoli rabe (rapini) cut into 1cm pieces, stem and leaves kept separately.
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon crused red-pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. It's much easier of you have a pasta pot with a drainable insert, or some other way of putting a colander in the water. If not, you'll have to use a slotted spoon to scoop out the veggies. Prepare an ice bath (in the sink, not the bathroom), set aside. Score an X on the bottom of each tomato with a paring knife. Add tomatoes to the pot. Boil until skins are loosened, remove tomatoes and immediately plunge them into the ice bath. Drain, peel and seed tomatoes, then coarsely chop flesh.

2. Add turnips to pot; boil until just tender when pierced with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to ice bath, then drain. Repeat with parsnips and potatoes. Add broccoli rabe stems only, boil until bright green and tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Cool and drain.

3. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion, garlic, salt, red-pepper flakes, thyme and reserved turnips, parnsips and potatoes. Stir to combine then spread in an even layer over bottom of skillet and cook, without stirring, until vegetables are brown on the bottom. Add reserved tomatoes and broccoli rabe (both stems and tops) to skillet. Stir to combine, then leave to cook until vegetables are very tender and browned.

Sautéed Tofu with Bitter Greens

2008-10-15T23:45:00.000+11:00

Really delicious Asian flavours. Good the next day too.

One 450g block extra-firm tofu
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili paste or Tabasco
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon grated ginger
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
500g bitter greens, such as collard, mustard, baby bok choy, turnip, swiss chard, kale or dandelion, washed, trimmed, and torn into pieces
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

1. Cut tofu in half lengthwise, then cut each piece across into 6 slices. Place tofu on paper towel (or cloth) lined plate. Cover with more towels, place another plate on top. Weight with a few cans or whatever. Chill 30 minutes so towels absorb excess water.

2. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste or Tabasco, lime juice, ginger and garlic. Transfer tofu to dish in a single layer, pour over half the marinade. Let sit for 30 minutes, turning half way through.

3. Heat a skillet with a little oil. Working in batches if necessary, arrange tofu in a single layer in pan. Cook about two minutes on each side until nicely browned. Transfer to platter. Gradually add greens to skillet with all remaining marinade. Cook, tossing occasionally, until greens are wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to platter with tofu. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and red pepper.

Berry muffins

2008-10-15T22:31:00.000+11:00

What's that you say, sisters? Not more muffins. I know, I know. But these are very good, and quick too. They're from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.

3 cups plain flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbs baking powder

pinch salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups milk (Recipe calls for buttermilk, which I'm sure would add the 'special tangy moistness' described in the recipe, but I didn't have any. I think Sister Two just adds vinegar to regular milk to sour it (?), but I didn't have any vinegar either.)

6 Tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup berries (I used mixed frozen berries, thawed)

Do the usual muffin thing - dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another bowl, add wet to dry, mix lightly. Then stir in berries. Put in muffin tray and bake for about 20 minutes at 180C.

They're not all for me. We're having morning tea tomorrow. But I did have to sample one already, and they are very yum.

And just to cheer us all up, here's Ralphie with his new summer haircut. Handsome, no?

Mung Bean and Red Lentil Soup

2008-10-13T06:36:00.000+11:00

I promised Sister One I'd add some recipes that I AM eating, not just ones that are outside my current calorie range. Here's one I made last night. You don't get a photo, because frankly, it looks like a bowl of vomit. But don't let that put you off. It's delicious. I promise.

MUNG BEAN AND RED LENTIL SOUP
1 cup dried mung beans
1 cup red lentils
1 vegetarian stock cube
olive oil
2 medium or 1 large red onion, chopped
Tamari
1 tablespoon cumin
Crushed chili flakes
600g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 cups finely chopped spinach or other dark green leafy veg.

Boil the mung beans and lentils until soft (I cooked the mungs for about 15 mins before throwing in the lentils). Drain and put aside.

Heat some oil and fry the onion till transparent. Add a good dash of tamari, the cumin, stock cube, a sprinkle of chili flakes (to taste) and the chopped tomatoes. By all means use fresh if you have them. But skin and seed them first.

Stir in the beans and lentils and add enough water to make it soupy. If you like you could omit the stock cube above, and add veggie or meat stock at this stage.

Add the spinach and continue to cook for another 5 mins.

Top with a sprinkle of cheese if you like (Sister Four, I know you'll like) and some freshly ground pepper. Serve with some chunky warm bread.

Blueberry-Streusel Muffins

2008-10-06T05:19:00.001+11:00

These are from a Weight Watchers cookbook. I baked them yesterday and won't be taste-testing, but my family tells me they're good!

1-1/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I presume this is the same as bicarb soda)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons fat free milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with patty cases.
2. Combine 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 3/4 cup of the sugar and the egg until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and beat until blended. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Add half of the flour mixture and 2 tablespoons of the milk to the sugar mixture; beat until just combined. Add the remaining flour and milk; beat until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter.
5. To make a streusel topping, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup four and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Add the butter and stir just until blended. Sprinkle the streusel on the batter, pressing to adhere.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on the rack.
PER SERVING (1 muffin): 209 cal, 4g fat, 2g sat fat, 28mg chol, 201mg sod, 39g carb, 1g fibre, 4g protein, 51mg calc. 4 WW POINTS.

Challah

2008-10-06T05:16:00.001+11:00

Challah (the first sound is guttural) is a traditional Jewish bread eaten on Sabbath and holy days. It's basically a braided egg bread, and very easy to make. I got my recipe from Betty Crocker.

3 to 3-1/4 cups plain or bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup very warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg

1. Mix 1-1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Add egg; beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to made dough easy to handle.
2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Place dough in large oiled bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 24 hours.) Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
3. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Push fist into dough, then divide it into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into 35cm/14" rope. Place ropes close together on baking skeet. Braid ropes gently and loosely; do not stretch. Fasten ends; tuck ends under braid securely. Brush with vegetable oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 50 mins or until double. Heat oven to 200°C/375°F. Mix 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water; brush over braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Shabbat Shalom.

The First Birthday Cake

2008-08-19T21:25:00.000+10:00

I think it is every mother's duty to at least attempt to make some kind of fancy cake for their child's first birthday. With our 'pirates and sea creatures' theme, I was inspired after a Google images search yielded several fancy pirate ship cakes. I was also keen to make a semi-healthy cake, and found an amazing banana cake recipe at taste.com.au.

Moist banana cake (that may or may not be transformed in to a pirate ship)

Ingredients (serves 8)

Melted butter, to grease
125g butter, at room temperature
315g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
1 1/4 cups mashed overripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
100ml buttermilk
225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 banana, extra, to decorate
Fresh lemon juice, to brush

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base and side of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
Place the butter, sugar, banana, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor, and process for 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the buttermilk and process until combined.
Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda, and process until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Shake the pan to settle the mixture. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly, before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pirate ship transformation

Make double quantity and fill two round tins
Once cooked and cooled, remove and cut each cake in half and trim the round edge to a short flat edge. Wrap all four halves and place in freezer for 1 hour
Make some chocolate icing (relatively thick consistency)
Remove cakes pieces from freezer, stick each piece together with the icing
Use remaining icing to cover the sides and 'deck'
Place some dessicated coconut in a plastic bag with some blue food colouring and shake. Empty coconut out on to a large platter then place cake on top.
Line the 'deck' of the boat with musk sticks, pile Malteasers in the corner for canon balls, stick Rolos to the side for canons and arrange pirate/pirate related figurines on the ship. Scatter gummy fish through the 'ocean'
Create your own scary pirate sails with some cardboard, stickers and skewers

Ta Da!!!

Best apple pie ever

2008-08-13T19:49:00.001+10:00

This really is the yummiest apple pie I've had for a while (if I do say so myself). It's Ben's Gran's Apple Pie from Delicious. August 2008.

Filling:

1kg Granny Smith apples

1 cup caster sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

3 cloves

1 star anise (I didn't have one)

Pastry:

3 cups plain flour

1/3 cup custard powder

1 cup icing sugar

350g chilled unsalted butter, chopped

3 egg yolks, plus one lightly beaten egg to brush

For pastry, whizz flour, custard powder, sugar, pinch of salt and butter in food processor. Add yolks and process until pastry comes together. (I had to add some cold water, as it wasn't 'coming together' enough). Rest in fridge (the pastry, not you) wrapped in cling wrap for about an hour.

Meanwhile, peel, core and quarter apples. Heat over medium heat with sugar, juice and spices for around 10 minutes, so that the apples are softened but not mushy. Cool and discard spices.

Divide pastry in half and roll into circles. Put one on some baking paper on a pizza tray. Pile up the apple, brush egg around the edge and cover with other half of pastry. Pinch edges artistically, brush top with egg and bake for about 25-30 minutes at 180C. Take out, dredge with extra caster sugar, and put back in the oven for about 10 minutes.

I served mine with ice cream, but homemade custard would do nicely too.

Chocolate beetroot cake

2008-07-27T19:44:00.000+10:00

Yes, there really is beetroot in this yummy, moist chocolate cake (from delicious. July 2004). Not a bad offering for today's ladies lunch.

75g cocoa powder
180g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
250g caster sugar
250g cooked fresh beetroot
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
200ml corn or sunflower oil
Icing sugar, to dust

Sift cocoa, flour and baking powder. Stir in sugar.
Puree beetroot in food processor, then add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and oil and whizz until smooth.
Make a well in dry ingredients, add beetroot mix and stir in.
Pour into 20cm pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.

The cake won't rise much and will crack across the top. When cool, dust with icing sugar. Serve up with a dollop of cream and a big pot of tea.

Pumpkin & bean soup with goats cheese toast

2008-07-20T18:57:00.000+10:00

A yummy wintery meal (from delicious. July 2004). I had mine with a toasted bagel and a very sharp and tasty goats cheese.

20g unsalted butter
1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, white part sliced
1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
650g pumpkin, peeled & diced
1.2L vegetable stock
600g canned butter or cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
small bread rolls
soft goats cheese

Heat butter and oil, add onion and leek, and cook until softened. Add chilli and garlic and cook 1 min further. Add pumpkin and stock, bring to boil and simmer until pumpkin is soft. Add in half the beans and whizz till smooth. Return to heat, add remaining beans, stir in coriander and season.

Toast your favourite bread and spread with goats cheese.

This supposedly serves 6-8. Ha! I got maybe four meals out of it, but then, I do like my soup.

Brown Rice and Edamame Salad

2008-07-16T23:30:00.000+10:00

Delicious!

The last time I posted an edamame recipe, I had a few queries about the main ingredient. Edamame is soybeans. Often sold in the pods as a Japanese snack, here in California I also find them, shelled and ready to steam, in the freezer section of the regular supermarket alongside the peas and corn. They are super yummy and good for you.

So here's another recipe the utilizes these little beans of goodness. It's adapted from a Weight Watchers cookbook.

BROWN RICE AND EDAMAME SALAD
1/2 cup brown rice
1-1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 carrot, shredded
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 small red onion, diced

Cook the rice. Transfer it to a plate to cool.

Meanwhile, cook the edamame in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again. Set aside.

Whisk together the zest, lime juice, soy sauce, oil and salt in a large bowl. Add the rice, edamame, carrot, bell pepper and onion, and toss to combine.

Fabulous as a light meal, or as a side dish. Just as yummy the next day.

If the Australian sisters cannot find edamame, then I promise to serve these treasures when you come to visit me. When are you coming, by the way?

Mulled Wine

2008-07-13T20:26:00.000+10:00

Mmmmm...a winter favourite of mine. I used this recipe recently when entertaining friends. It goes really well with cheese fondue!

Ingredients (serves 8)

1 x 750ml btl dry red wine
225g (1 cup) white sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) brandy
125ml (1/2 cup) water
2 oranges, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 x 7cm cinnamon sticks,
lightly crushed
6 whole cloves
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Lemon peel, to decorate

Method

Place the wine, sugar, brandy, water, orange, lemon, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a large saucepan over low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until sugar dissolves and mixture is aromatic. Remove from heat.
Strain mulled wine into a large jug. Pour among serving glasses. Decorate with lemon peel and serve immediately.

The Goddess of Mogo

2008-07-02T19:38:00.000+10:00

As the Sisters know, I have a week-day house guest, who works nights and, as I work days, we rarely see each other. I know she lives here during the week because her car is in the carport in the mornings when I get up. But some weeks, that's the only evidence that she is here at all.

Tonight I was feeling particularly worn out and just slightly miserable as I wended my way home after a day ~~in the coal mine~~ at work, wondering what on earth I could scrape together for my dinner - probably scrambled eggs, again.

As I walked in the door, I saw a note on the kitchen bench (our usual means of communication). Here is what it said...

Try a delicious rice mountain bread chicken wrap (for that touch of meat!). (Sisters know that I'm a try-hard vegetarian.)

Lay bread on plate

Shred lettuce and put on centre section of bread

"Stripe" with sweet chilli sauce (or any other sauce you desire)

Put chicken mix on top

Wrap and turn over so join is on bottom

Zap to slightly heat bread (warm chick mix prior, if desired)

Bon Appetite

Some grated cheese or mashed avocado wouldn't go astray.

Bread could be double layered with cheese or avocado sandwiched in between.

Then it could be topped with a tomatoey sauce.

The options are probably endless.

I love food.

Simple, fresh, tasty.

Mmmmm...

Hummus...

Well, I have to say, that even for a try-hard vegetarian, it was absolutely scrumptious. So much so that I didn't even take a photo. But we all know what a wrap looks like, don't we? And the chicken mix that was waiting for me in the fridge to make this quick delight for dinner? Looks like some gently fried up onion, chicken and broccoli. It was yum.But wait, there's more...She also left me a gossip magazine to read, she bought milk and she supplied more tea. She is truly the Goddess of Mogo, and she lives at my place during the working week.

Pumpkin macaroni cheese

2008-06-15T20:26:00.000+10:00

This is a real winter warmer. Yes, it's pretty well full of fat and carbs, but that's what makes comfort food so good, non? The recipe calls for butternut pumpkin, but I used jap. Serve with some steamed broccoli or green beans. (Recipe from delicious. June 2005) 3 garlic cloves
1 dried chilli, crushed
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 large butternut pumpkin (or about half a big jap pumpkin), peeled and chopped
400g macaroni
300ml milk
1 cup thickened cream
150g parmesan

Gently fry garlic in some oil. Add chilli, cinnamon and pumpkin and a small glass of water. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes or until pumpkin is soft. Take off lid and boil until liquid is almost gone. Remove from heat, remove cinnamon stick, season and mash.

Meanwhile, cook macaroni. Drain then toss in with the mashed pumpkin, milk, cream and about 3/4 of the parmesan. Spoon into a large baking dish.

(Note for omnivores: the recipe calls for frying up some pancetta, rosemary leaves and 3-4 slices stale bread, torn into chunks. Then whiz, and sprinkle on top of casserole. I skipped this bit.)

Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top. Bake at 200C for 20 minutes or so until it bubbles and browns on top. Balance your carbs with some yummy greens. Go back for seconds, and save any leftovers for lunch.

Spiced Lamb Casserole with Thyme Dumplings

2008-06-14T20:50:00.000+10:00

Finally I get around to sharing this amazing recipe. Sister One made it for us once several years ago and it is now a family favourite.

Ingredients

Casserole:
2tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2cm piece ginger, grated
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs plain flour
1.2 kg diced lamb, shoulder or leg
2 carrots, peeled and cut in to 4cm batons
2 tbs tomato paste
100 ml red wine
1 litre stock
2 tbs quince paste (I have left this out before without too much damage)
2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley

Thyme Dumplings
100g (2/3 cup) SR flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
25g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1tbs thyme leaves
2 tbs milk
(I have also added 1/2 cup parmesan cheese for extra tastiness)

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius

Heat half the oil in a large, heavy based casserole pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a few more seconds. Remove from pan.

Combine spices with flour in a bowl, then dust lamb with mixture to lightly coat, reserving remaining flour mixture. Add remaining oil to casserole pan, increase heat to high and cook lamb, in batches, until browned. Return all lamb and onion mixture to pan and stir in remaining flour mixture. Add carrots, tomato paste, wine, stock and enough water to cover. Bring to boil, transfer to oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for herb dumplings, sift flour and baking powder in to a bowl and rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Add milk and bring mixture together using your hands, adding enough water to make a very soft dough.

Remove casserole from oven and increase temperature to 180 degrees, Stir quince paste in to lamb, then gently drop tablespoonfuls of dumpling mixture in to the casserole. Cover and return casserole to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until dumplings are light and fluffy.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Edamame Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

2008-06-03T14:59:00.000+10:00

One of these days I'll get my very own macro lens, and be able to do attractive food photography. But for now, I leave you with this incredibly scrumptious recipe.

EDAMAME SALAD WITH BASIL VINAIGRETTE
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 large tomato, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the edamame and cook 5 minutes; drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry.

Combine the vinegar, oil, garlic, and salt in a large bowl. Add the edamame, beans, tomato, celery, onion, and basil; mix well. Let stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to blend. Scoff with abandon.

Black Pepper Café Frittata

2008-05-25T12:18:00.000+10:00

Sister One and I sampled this dish at the world famous Black Pepper Café at Belconnen a few years ago. We were so impressed, we asked for the recipe, and a little while later the waitress returned with it handwritten on the back of a flyer.

This is my first attempt at making it, and while it was delicious, I think it will be better as leftovers. It releases a lot of liquid at the bottom, which I had to mop up with a paper towel. Josh and I polished off half of it between us, but I'm more looking forward to the second half after it has sat in the fridge overnight.

The photograph was taken with a fancy schmancy big camera with a macro lens (drool) that Josh brought home from the set. If any of my readers watch Dexter, I can tell you that this photo was taken with Dexter's crime scene camera.

Anyway, on with the recipe ...

BLACK PEPPER CAFÉ FRITTATA

5 medium tomatoes, sliced in 3 (season with 3 tsp salt, 6 tsp sugar, and herbs -- I used dried basil)
1/2 butternut pumpkin (peeled and thinly sliced)
4 large field mushrooms (sliced into 6 pieces each)
300g baby spinach
6 egg yolks (save the whites for your healthy egg white scramble tomorrow morning)
500 ml cream (yep, THAT'S why it tastes so good.)

Grill or fry pumpkin, tomato and mushrooms on both sides, set aside. Sauté baby spinach, set aside. Layer ingredients one at a time. Whisk yolks and cream. Pour into tray until veggies are covered.
Cook at 180° for 50 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes (or longer!) before serving.

ADDENDUM:
On re-warming, I've decided that next time I make this, I'll skip the tomatoes. I think they just add liquid without enhancing the flavour of the meal. The real value of this dish is the earthy combination of pumpkin, mushroom and spinach. I also think I'll use whole eggs. The yolk/cream combination turns out a bit too custardy for my liking.

Polenta Lasagna

2008-05-25T12:08:00.001+10:00

My meat-eaters loved this one.

POLENTA LASAGNA WITH BEEF AND RICOTTA CHEESE
3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal or instant polenta
6 tbs grated Parmesan
180g lean ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tsp dried basil
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced

Spray a 20cm square baking dish or cake pan with oil. Combine the water and 1/4 tsp of the salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Cook, stirring, until thick. Remove from the heat and stir in 4 tbs of the Parmesa. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Refrigerate until firm.

Oil a large skillet and heat to medium-high. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil; cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, 6-8 minutes. Combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, the egg white, and the remaining 2 tbs of Parmesan and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 185°. Turn the polenta out onto a cutting board. with a long serrated knife, cut the polenta horizontally into 2 (20cm) squares. Return the bottom half to the baking dish, cut side up. Top with the ricotta mixture, the beef mixture and the remaining polenta half. Arrange the tomato slices on top; sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake until hot and bubbly, about 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes; cut into 6 pieces to serve.

No new recipes in over two weeks?

2008-05-17T14:39:00.000+10:00

We must be starving!

Fast and Easy Lentil Stew

2008-05-04T20:19:00.000+10:00

I have been raving about this recipe to Sisters One and Three ever since Sister Two shared it with me as part of a gorgeous recipe book compiled for my baby shower last year. I haven't made it for a while and it is just a delicious as I remember.

2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red capsicum
1/2 cup carrots
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tbs tomato paste
2 cups dry lentils
5 cups chicken or veg stock
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1/2 diced yellow squash
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup quartered mushrooms
1 tsp oregano and basil, dried
1 tbs fresh, chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Heat oil over med-high heat in a large saucepan; saute onion, capsicum and carrots for approx 2 mins.

Add garlic and tom past, stir fry fry 1 min

Add lentils and stock, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 mins.

Add remaining ingredients, simmer 10 more mins.

Serve with crusty bread, or yummy cheesy toast as we did!

Doesn't look much chop in the saucepan...

...but trust me, this one is so delicious - everyone in the family will luuuuurve it (mine sure did)!

Potato and mushroom curry

2008-04-30T20:07:00.000+10:00

Well, Sisters All, we certainly seem to be a family of curry lovers. This one is an old standby for me - one that Sisters Three and Four will recognise. I made it again tonight for a pot luck lunch at work on Friday (it gets better after a day or two). It's Charmaine Solomon's taazi khumben alu mattar kari (curried mushrooms, potatoes and peas - but I couldn't find any decent fresh peas today).

I tried these little beauties (only a few - the rest will go back into a jar in the fridge). It's smoked garlic from Poachers Pantry - delicious to nibble on, and not too shabby in the curry either.
500g mushrooms
500g small new potatoes
1 cup fresh peas (recommended, but missing this time)
1 tbs ghee or oil
1 small onion, finely sliced
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced or crushed
2 tbs chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 cup hot water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala

Fry onion until soft, then add ginger, garlic and coriander. Cook for a few minutes. Add turmeric and chilli, fry for a minute or so. Add mushies, potatoes and peas. Add water and salt. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with garam masala and cook for a further 15 minutes. Serve with steamed basmati rice, and some yoghurt, and maybe your favourite dahl.

Moist Ginger Carrot Cake

2008-04-28T09:30:00.000+10:00

I love carrot cake but have never made one myself. I thought I would give it a go after finding this recipe in a great cook book I 'borrowed' from Sister One, oh, about three years ago. It is great because it catagorises recipes by the main fruit or veg ingredient. So if you have a lot of carrots, for example, you can look up 'carrots' and find at least three tasty recipes.

Anyway, I digress. Here 'tis:

Ingredients
2 large carrots
1 cup SR flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2/3 cup of oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Icing
60g cream cheese
30g soft butter
1tsp grated lemon rind
1 1/2 sups icing sugar

Sift flour and spices in to a bowl, stir in sugar, carrots, ginger and nuts. Stir through oil and eggs. Beat on med speed with electric mixer (or by hand) for 5 mins. Pour in to pan, bake in 160 - 180 degrees for 1 hour.

To make icing, cream together cream cheese, butter and lemon ind until smooth. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar.

Spread cooled cake with yummy icing!

I haven't actually tasted it yet as I am taking it to work this morning to share with my colleagues. I did 'test' both the batter and the icing though, and I suspect the verdict will be 'delicious!!'

*Side note: I have an excellent silicon loaf tin. I'm not sure if the other Sisters own any of these products, but they make baking just a little easier. No greasing, no knifing around the sides to get the items out. I got mine from Tupperware, but they are everywhere in the shops these days.

Indian Feast

2008-04-28T05:19:00.000+10:00

No photos, sorry, but I thought I'd share the story of the Indian Feast I served to Ian and a dozen of his friends last night.

The menu was:
*Parathas
Rice
Beef Curry
Bengali Red Dhal Curry
*Sukhe Phalli Kari (Curried Dried Beans -- I used chickpeas)
Saag Paneer
*Sabzi Bhaji (Fried Mixed Vegetables)
*Brinjal Bartha
Cucumbers and yogurt
Bananas and coconut
* Recipe from Charmaine Solomon's The Complete Asian Cookbook (thank you, Sister One!)

And, for dessert, baklava.

I made my own ghee, and I had a go at making the paneer too, by curdling milk and pressing it in muslin. But the result was crumbly, and not enough ... so I bought some at the Indian store while I was picking up a few other ingredients. Have you ever tried paneer sautéed in ghee? YUMMOOO!

The kids LOVED the meal, even the girl who hated spicy food. My favourite dish was the Bengali Red Dhal Curry. You HAVE to try this recipe!

But oh, a meal like this is so. much. work. I left to go shopping at 7:45 am and was on my feet in the kitchen until 6:30 pm. Bare feet on tile all day. OUCH! But my lovely husband gave me a foot massage when I finally collapsed :-)

Lamb koftas with red lentil and tomato dahl

2008-04-25T19:08:00.000+10:00

This recipe is YUM and simple.

For a vegetarian main, replace koftas with haloumi slices marinated for 10-mins in grated fresh ginger and curry powder, then chargrilled until golden.

Serves 4

Dahl

1 tbs sunflower oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

3cm piece fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp ground tumeric

200g red lentils, rinsed, drained

400g tinned chopped tomatoes

5ooml hot veg or chicken stock

1 tbs garam masala

100g baby spinach, washed

Lamb koftas

1 sm onion

1 garlic clove, crushed

3cm piece ginger, grated

1 tsp mile curry powder (we went for a medium and it was perfect)

400g lamb mince

For koftas, soak 12 wooden skewers in hot water for 20-mins.

Mix all kofta ingredients well in a bowl.

Divide into 12 portions and mould around the end of the skewers. Chill 30-mins for firm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Stir in garlic & ginger and cook for 1-min until fragrant.

Add tumeric & lentils. Stir well.

Add tomatoes and 300ml stock, bring to the boil then simmer over med0low heat for 5-min, stirring occasionally.

Add remaining stock, cover and simmer for 10-mins of until lentils are tender.

Meanwhile, heat a lightly oiled chargrill or non-stick frypan on medium-high heat.

Cook koftas for 8-10 mins, turning until cooked through.

Keep warm.

Add garam masala, spinach and a pinch of salt to dahl. Stir for 2-mins to wilt spinach.

Serve with koftas.

Doogie treat - Peanut Butter biscuits

2008-04-25T18:57:00.000+10:00

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1 egg

2 tbls mils

1/2 cup what germ

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup barbanzo bean or soy flour (I just used plain flour)

1/4 cup butter

Preheast oven to 175 celcius.

Combine peanut butter, butter, honey and egg in food processor. Mix well. Add milk and mix again.

Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Form the dough into a log (or logs) into the same diameter as the cookie you want to serve.

Wrap the log(s) in plastic wrap and refridgerate for at least 2 hours.

When ready to bake, cut into 2cm thick slices and use a fork pressed against the cookie for adecorative tread (though I also used my cookie cutters).

Place cookies on a greased baking sheet and bake for 8-10mins or until tops are slightly brown.

**Note: you can freeze the logs and thaw in the fridge before cutting and baking.

ANZAC biscuits

2008-04-23T21:22:00.000+10:00

It's ANZAC Day on Friday, so I thought I'd bake some ANZAC biscuits. There are lots of recipes around, but I dragged out my trusty Margaret Fulton cookbook. I don't think I've made these bikkies since Sisters Three and Four where quite small. Anyway, I won't type out the recipe, as everyone seems to have their favourite.

I tried one for my supper tonight. They're pretty good.

Choc chip cookies

2008-04-17T21:27:00.000+10:00

It's my turn for morning tea tomorrow, so tonight I tried Sister Two's baklava. It looks great.

I also make choc chip cookies from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: old fashioned recipes from New York's sweetest bakery. I've made these several times, and they turn out slightly different each time. I blame it on the ambient humidity. Anyway, they taste just fine, so now I have to decide what to take to work and what to keep at home for my weekend visitors.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 & 1/2 cups plain flour
1& 1/2 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)
pinch salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup choc chips (I put in lots more)

Cream butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla and egg. Beat in sifted dry ingredients, then stir in choc chips. (Tonight I had to add a splash of milk because the mixture was just too crumbly.) Bake for 10-12 minutes at 180C. Cool on tray, then on rack. Don't eat too many - share them around.

Roast vegetable and hummus pie

2008-04-12T20:48:00.000+10:00

Yet another great dish from delicious.magazine. This pie turned out well, but I felt there was something missing. I think cheese is the answer (as it so often is for me!). A light sprinkling of a strong, bitey cheese before laying the pastry lid would be just the thing. I will try that next time.

Can you make out the lettering on the top? Not very pretty, but I wanted to pay tribute to our blog...

Ingredients

1 onion, cut in to wedges
2/3 cup small broccoli florets
1 red and 1 yellow capsicum, cut in to chunks
2 small zucchini, thickly sliced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbs oil
200g hummus
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbs chopped coriander
375g block of ready rolled puff pastry
2 small kumara, peeled and thinly slices
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1tbs milk, to glaze

Method

Preheat oven to 220 degrees celsius. Line baking tray with baking paper

Mix onion, broccoli, capsicum and zucchini in a roasting pan, mixing through oil and cumin seeds. Roast in oven for 30 mins or until tender.

Transfer veggies to bowl and toss through hummus, coriander and zest. Reduce oven to 200 degrees.

Line baking tray with pastry. Make a layer over the pastry bottom with kumara, overlapping slices to fill any gaps and leaving a 2cm boarder around the edges. Pile on remaining roasted veggies and brush boarder with egg mix. Drape a slightly larger piece of pastry over the top and press edges together. Brush with remaining egg mix. Cut three diagonal slits in the thop.

Bake for 25-35 mins, until pastry is puffed and golden.

Doggie Treat - Cheddar Liver Biscuits

2008-04-09T20:10:00.000+10:00

I'm not sure how the other sisters feel about me adding in recipes for my dog, but I'll soon find out(!).

I found this great little book during a recent trip to NZ and plan to test a recipe a week.

Cheddar Liver Biscuits

1 cup SR flour

1 cup wholemeal plain flour

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tbls butter

3/4 cup milk

Liver powder (see below)

Preheat oven to 180 celcius.

Put flours & cheese into food processor. Pulse to mix. Add buter & milk. Mix well.

Turn onto floured surface and roll to 1/4 inch thinkness. Poke with a fork & sprinkle with liver powder. Cut into shapes with dog-type cookie cutters (I got mine with the book but found some in a kitchen shop last weekend too).

Place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-20mins or until golden brown.

To make liver powder, smash liver treats with a mortar & pestle or in an electronic spice grinder.

South Indian Veg and Agra Lamb & Coconut Curries

2008-04-09T19:32:00.000+10:00

We have a great little market once a month near our house - no where near as big or cheap as Sister Four's market - more a street fair. But every month our friends from Mudgeeraba Spices and Curr y Blends have a stall and last year we purchased an assorted box set of 12 different curry spices. So these recipes are made using the spices we've purchased but I'm sure that you could substitute any good indian curry mix with the ingredients below to create a delicious meal.

South Indian Vegetable Curry

50 ml oil; 1 tsp mustard seed; 2 inch piece fresh root ginger; 2 cloves garlic chopped; 1 onion sliced; 1 capsicum sliced; 1 kg mixed veg; 1 sp salt; 1 cup coconut milk; 1 cup canned tomatoes' 2 lvl tbsp South Indian Veg Curry blend.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, when it is hot add the mustard seeds than ginger and garlic and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the onion and chilli and cook until soft. Add the cury blend and mix well. Add the vegies and stir. Mix in the salt and cocut milk. Add the tomatoes. Cover & simmer for 30-mins or until all vegies are cooked.

Suggested veg combos: carrots; cauliflower; potato; eggplant; beans; toms; pumpkin; peas.

Arga Lamb & Coconut Curry

50g ghee/butter; 2 med onions, sliced; 6 cloves garlic chopped; 5cm piece fresh ginger chopped; 1kg lean lamb cubed; 300ml coconut cream; 1.5 tsp salt; 1 cup chopped toms; 2 lvl tsp Agra Lamb & Coconut curry blend.

Heat butter/ghee in a large saucepan, add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry well until the onions are soft and brown. Add the curry blend and mix well, fry for 2-mins. If the mixture is too dry add a small amount of water to enable the spice to fry. Add the lamb and turn until the meat is evenly coated with the curry blend and sealed well. Add the coconut milk and the tomatoes. Bring to the boil and cover an reducing heat to low and simmer until lamb is cooked and tender.

Serve both curries with a nice bottle of wine!

Hummingbird cake

2008-04-07T19:34:00.000+10:00

I have three years worth of delicious. magazines, so, much as I am tempted to buy one each month, I resist. How many recipes does a girl really need? So I just read Sister Four's copy, and now we have this gorgeous blog to share our favourite recipes. Each month I pull out the three issues for that month (it's April, so I pull out all my April issues) and try to find something I haven't made before. This is a yummy cake (from the April 2003 issue) that I'm sure we've all eaten in cafes, but have you tried baking it? It's a cinch!

250g SR flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander (!)
270g brown sugar
440g can crushed pineapple, drained
50g dessicated coconut
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs, lightly beaten
250ml sunflower oil

Mix it all together and bake in a 23cm cake tin for 40 minutes at 170C.

Icing:
100g cream cheese, 50g unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 225g cups icing sugar mixture. Beat in electric mixer until smooth. Ice cake when cool. Garnish with walnuts.

I made it for my Ladies Lunch on Sunday to celebrate Rhonda's birthday. As you can see on my other blog, she was pretty pleased with it.

Speaking of birthdays, have a happy, happy one, darling Sister Two. We love you and miss you.

Baklava

2008-04-07T13:02:00.001+10:00

Alison commented on my other blog that baklava is really easy to make, so tonight I gave it a go, in honour of Ian's birthday. It was very popular with the carb- and fat-loving Meltzers. So if you're looking for an impressive special-occasion treat, you might like to try it too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 450g package phyllo dough (I didn't use it all)
450g nuts (I used half pecans, and half walnuts)
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Melt the butter. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 22 x 33 cm baking dish.
2. Chop nuts (I used the food processor) and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cover with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Word to the wise: WATCH IT AND DON'T LET IT BOIL OVER!!!
5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool before serving.
Note: Apparently this freezes well (haven't tried it myself -- my guys will have no trouble devouring the whole pan). Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

Kumara and Bacon Tart

2008-04-07T09:19:00.000+10:00

This yummy tart could contain just about anything you like - the original recipe calls for pancetta instead of bacon. Of course, you could omit the meat for a veggie version. I also left out the cream as I forgot to buy some (and didn't really need the extra fat)

250g kumara, peeled, cut in to 2-3cm pieces
4 large eggs
1/3 cup of cream
1/3 up milk
2tbs gruyere cheese (I may have been a bit more liberal!)
Pinch of nutmeg
5 rashers bacon
1/2 cup wild rocket leaves

Shortcrust pastry - I used store bought, but you could always make your own

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Cook kumara in boiling water until tender. Drain and cool.

Line tart pan with pastry. Blind bake if you wish, although Sister One recently revealed to me that she never blind bakes, and I trust her, so I didn't to no ill effect!

Whisk eggs, cream, milk together until combined. Stir in cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange cooked bacon and kumara in the pastry case, then scatter with rocket. Pour in filling and bake 30-40 mins until set.

We served ours with a side of yummy veggies....

Lamb & pasta bake with roasted tomatoes

2008-04-06T13:30:00.001+10:00

I'm back into serious training mode for my first of four half-marathons over the next five-months, which means I need to really balance my protein & carbs so my muscles remain strong. This dish requires just over 2-hours for prep and cooking, but it is very simple and just delicious (and great as a leftover for lunch the next day!

Serves 8

1.2kg diced lamb (shoulder or leg)

2 onions, thinly sliced

juice of 1 sm lemon

3 tbs (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

3 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimenton)

1 ltr stock (veg, chicken or beef)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

400g risoni (rice-shaped pasta)

24 cherry tomatoes on the vine

2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

250ml thick Greek yoghurt

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.

Place the lamb in a single layer in a large baking dish, cover with the onions and drizzle with the lemon juice and the oil. Sprinkle with the oregano, cumin and paprika and season to taste. Toss, cover and roast for 40-mins, stirring occasionally.

Heat the stock then whisk in tomato paste.

Remove lamb from the oven, pour in the stock, add the canned tomatoes, cover with foil and return to the oven for 1-hour.

Remove, sprinkle in the pasta, cover and return to the oven for 20-mins, until pasta is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Put the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season and roast for the final 5-mins of the lamb's cooking time. To serve, stir through the parsley, divide among bowls, and top with the yoghurt and a few tomatoes.

Veggie Soup in the slow cooker

2008-04-01T10:29:00.001+11:00

I love my slow cooker. I think slow cookers are too often lumped in to that category of other 'time saving' appliances that take the fun out of cooking. I made this veggie soup in mine on Sunday - do I need to post the recipe? I think not - you can see all the ingredients!

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

2008-04-01T10:09:00.000+11:00

2 -3 parsnips
1 turnip
1/4 - 1/2 pumpkin
1- 2 kumura
1 leek
Oil
Fresh rosemary
Chicken (or veggie) stock

Chop all the veggies into roastable chunks. Place in a bowl and mix through enough oil to coat the pieces.

Spread in roasting tins and scatter rosemary throughout. Roast in oven at 200 degrees for 20 - 30 mins.

Remove rosemary and transfer veggies to a large saucepan. Add enough stock to cover the veggies, bring to boil then simmer for 20 mins or so. Blend in batches.

I also added carrot to this batch. I can come out a little thick, so you made need to add a little extra stock (or just water) at the end.

Starting from scratch

2008-04-01T09:59:00.000+11:00

As usual, our trip to the markets was very successful. I spent a bit more then usual but needed a few key ingredients for some recipes later in the week. On Sunday, I whipped up a vegetable soup, roasted root vegetable soup and chicken stir fry. Everything came from these boxes.

Planning to cook

2008-03-27T20:20:00.001+11:00

Returning to work this week after nearly nine months of maternity leave has actually resulted in our house becoming a little MORE organised (although this wasn't difficult - sisters one and three will know of my frustration on this matter!). So, Sunday is now cooking day. The cooking begins after our fortnightly trip to the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets so expect to see some actual recipes and posts from me early next week.

My latest edition of delicious. magazine has arrived, and I have already dog eared at least six pages...

Eggplant "Manicotti"

2008-03-27T01:27:00.000+11:00

This South Beach Diet recipe is a bit time-consuming but totally worth it, in my opinion.

Ingredients
1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced 3-6 mm thick lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped very fine
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup low-fat ricotta
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh grated, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup part skim mozzarella, shredded
1 egg
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Your favourite pasta sauce

Instructions
Preheat oven to 175°C. Mix ricotta cheese with Parmesan, egg, oregano, and about 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and spread out in an oiled small baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes or until set and slightly browned on top. Remove and stir with a fork to break up ricotta mixture. Cover to keep warm and set aside. (Ricotta mixture can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated, covered well.)

Turn up oven to 225°C. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and thyme. Lay out on cookie sheets and roast for about 10 minutes or until tender and beginning to color. Remove and let cool enough to handle.

Lay slices of eggplant down on clean work surface. Starting at widest end, place about 2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons (depending on the width of your slices) of ricotta mixture near one end and roll up, ending with the seam-side down. Return eggplant rolls to baking dish and repeat until all slices are rolled. Top with shredded mozzarella, more fresh Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn oven up to grill and return manicotti to oven until the mozzarella has melted and begins to brown, about 5-10 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce.

Manicotti can be made, covered, and refrigerated several hours ahead. Finish with mozzarella just before serving.

Starting with simple things

2008-03-26T22:08:00.000+11:00

Dear sisters,

Welcome to the blog. I thought I'd start us off with some simple recipes. My first is Lentil Soup, as described to me by Sister Four, and possibly originally from Sister Two. I sauteed just one small onion in some olive oil. My tweaking of the recipe involved adding some homegrown chillies (seeds and all, because they are disappointingly mild).
I fried in some cumin, before adding red lentils (about 2 cups), one tin tomatoes, and stock (around 4 cups or so). I cooked it up for around half an hour, then blended it. It was very tasty, but a little thin. I'm hoping it will thicken up by the time I get to have it again tomorrow night. Any suggestions? Did I add too much water? Should I have cooked it longer? Anything missing?
For someone who doesn't like to cook on a week night, I was on a roll in the kitchen, and decided to bake Nigella's Madeira Cake. It's a regular sort of plain cake that I've made a few times in the past. Previously I thought it came out a bit too dry, even for Madeira cake, so I decided to add an extra egg this time, as Henny Penny gives me sort of average size eggs, and the recipe calls for 3 large ones.The results look pretty damn fine to me. I'll see what my work colleagues think tomorrow.
The recipe is from Nigella Lawson's How to be a Domestic Goddess.
Ingredients: 240g softened unsalted butter, 200g caster sugar, grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, 3 large eggs, 210g SR flour, 90g plain flour.
Method: Cream butter and sugar, add zest. Add eggs. Add flour. Bake in loaf tin with extra sugar sprinkled on top for 1 hour at 170C.
Easy peasy.