Ian Playdon's chopping board

'Thai Town' in Surry Hills, Sydney snares global food award

2012-01-14T13:53:00.000-08:00

See http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/restaurants-and-bars/thai-town-snares-global-food-award-20120114-1q0gi.html

Peri Peri chicken burgers

2010-12-24T01:27:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Chicken thighs

Red capsicum

Red birds eye chillis

Clove of garlic

Red wine vinegar

Lemons - zest & juice

Olive oil

Sea salt

Thyme (fresh sprig or two)

Procedure

+ roughly chop up the chillis and capsicum - place in a preheated oven. 200 celcius until the chillis begin to brown.

+ remove capsicum & chillis from the oven, dice and place in the blender, along with all other ingredients.

+ blend all ingredients - continue adding lemon juice/zest & fresh chillis until the marinade has the right 'bite'

+ de-bone chicken thighs and remove skin.

+ place chicken in a deep bowl and cover with half of the marinade - retain the other half to pour over the chicken after it has been cooked.

+ bbq chicken thighs, remove from heat and immediately pour the rest of the sauce over (the chicken will absorb it as it cools)

Mayonnaise

+ mix one jar of hellman's whole egg mayonase with crushed garlic, garlic salt, pepper, lemmon juice and zest. Use this mayo on your burgers or as a side for whole BBQd chicken & chips.

For rough proportion guidelines, look over this recipe: http://www.sortedfood.com/page/piri-piri

More foodie spots in Sydney

2010-09-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

Thai
Sailors Thai
106 george street, the rocks NSW 2000

Eat at the canteen section upstairs at the communal restaurant. (dont bother with main restaurant)

Italian
Pendolino
412-414 George St (The Strand)
Sydney New South Wales 2000
(02) 9231 6117

Slivovice in Sydney

2010-09-04T05:45:00.001-07:00

GOULBURN WINES & SPIRITS P/L - Czech beer
9-13 Brisbane Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Sydney
Ph. (02) 9264 8459
Fax: (02) 9264 8941
E-mail: goulburn@bigpond.net.au

Mod Chinese in Surry Hills

2010-09-04T01:18:00.000-07:00

Billy Kwong Chinese Eating House
3/355 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010 (02) 9332 3300
kyliekwong.org

http://maps.google.com.au/maps/place?cid=7682815113408976782&q=Billy+Kwong+Chinese+Eating+House,+Surry+Hills,+New+South+Wales&hl=en&cd=1&ei=dQCCTL2hLcGdkAWIsLyzBw&dtab=2&sll=-33.883888,151.214163&sspn=0.010853,0.006295&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.881096,151.206014&spn=0,0&z=17&iwloc=A

Vegan dinner + movies in Kings Cross

2010-08-09T02:29:00.001-07:00

http://www.govindas.com.au/

Kangaroo Chili Con Carne

2010-08-07T22:21:00.001-07:00

http://www.humblecrumble.com/2010/08/kangeroo-chilli-con-carne/

Foodie Sydney

2010-07-08T03:53:00.000-07:00

THINGS TO DO

* Do the iconic Circular Quay to Manly Ferry trip, wear very warm clothes.
There are some nice cafes in Manly - "Out of Africa" is very good, near the ferry wharf.
* Watson's Bay - great viewpoint on southern headland of sydney harbour
* West Head - North-east of Hornsby

WORK - CROWS NEST FOOD

* Malabar South Indian Food (Try the Dosa)
* Nilgiri's Indian
* Qmin Indian

SOUTH SYDNEY FOOD

Greek & Vietnamese

* Marrickville Rd is a great place to eat and browse

Italian

* Ramsay Street, Haberfield
Great on a Saturday when the pasticcerias and Paesanella the cheese shop are all open.

NORTH SYDNEY FOOD

Spice markets

* Carlotta St, Artarmon - 'Oriental and Continental'

Tokyo Mart

* Northbridge - supermarket of all things Japanese.

WEST / SOUTH-WEST SYDNEY FOOD

Indian & Lebanese

* Wigram St in Harris Park next to Parramatta is a street full of Indian restaurants and a Lebanese sweet shop - Billu's is the best in Austrlia!!!

Vietnamese

* Cabramatta

Lebanese

* Granville - Al Aseel

Cecile's dog biscuits

2010-07-08T03:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

+ 2 cups self-raising flour
+ 2 cups quick oats
+ half teaspoon salt
+ 1 large carrot minced
+ 2 med zucchini minced
+ 2 eggs
+ 2 tablespoons olive oil
+ 250ml pure chicken stock or water
+ level teaspoon bi-carb

Procedure

1. Mix dry ingredients; beat eggs into liquids, add bi-carb and mix all together.
2. Slap into a large, paper-lined roasting tin, and bake @ 200C for about 35 minutes.
3. Remove from pan and slice into small pieces, 1cm thick and 5cm square.
4. Spread over a few baking sheets and dry for a few hours or overnight @ 140C until bone-dry.
5. When cool, store in sealed containers; they keep for about 2 months.

Sandy's lekker melk tert (milk tart)

2010-05-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

+ South african biscuits (Tennis or Marie)
+ Butter
+ Eggs
+ Corn Flour
+ Custard Powder
+ Vanilla Essence (south african)
+ Condensed Milk
+ Milk
+ Cinnamon stick

Procedure - Crust

1. Finely crush packet of biscuits
2. Melt 125g butter
3. Mix the above together and press into a pie dish and place in fridge whilst making mixture. (the finer the crumbs the better the crust – you might need to add a bit more melted butter)

Procedure - Tart

1. In a microwave bowl - 2 eggs, 3 Tbs Corn Flour, 1 Tbs Custard Powder, 1 tsp Vanilla Essence. Use electric beater.
3. Add vanilla stick.
4. Microwave on high for 10-15 mins until thick.
5. Keep removing from microwave every 3-5 minutes and beat to prevent lumps.
6. When thick, remove vanilla stick.
7. Pour cooked mixture over crust and sprinkle with cinnamon and cool.

The above recipe makes 1 large milk tart or 2 small ones.

Stuffed Butternut, South African style

2010-03-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

+ 1 large butternut
+ 1/2 punnet mushrooms, chopped small
+ 1/2 onion, finely chopped
+ 2 cloves garlic, crushed
+ 50g grated mozzarella cheese
+ 1/4 cup chopped pecan nuts
+ 2 tbs butter
+ Olive oil
+ 1 red pepper, finely diced
+ 1 tbs fresh thyme
+ salt & cracked pepper
+ Pumpkin seeds for garnish

Procedure

1. Cut butternut in half, remove seeds and wrap whole in foil (shiny side in) - bake 180c until soft
2. Remove from foil, remove the flesh and mash with butter
4. Fry the mushrooms, remove and drain
5. Fry the onions and garlic
6. Add red pepper, toss until soft
7. Add mushrooms, red pepper, onion and garlic to the butternut
8. Add half the cheese, salt & pepper
9. Add fresh thyme and pecan nuts
10. Fill the butternut skins, top with cheese and pumpkin seeds
11. Bake the halves for 10 minutes until cheese has melted

Ian's Salmon and Herb Puff Pastries with Garlic Green Beens & Roast Cherry Tomatoes

2009-08-27T03:28:00.000-07:00

Made this tonight - immediate hit! Good enough for visitors or mid-week dinner!

Ingredients

+ 2 large salmon fillets (skinned, washed, pat dry)
+ 4 pieces of puff/filo pastry
+ olive oil
+ Balsamic
+ 4 garlic cloves (minced)
+ Lemon zest (finely grate skin from one lemon)
+ Large handful of fresh basil leaves (chopped finely)
+ Ripe cherry tomatoes (on the vine)
+ Green beans (large bag)

Procedure

1. Marinade the salmon
a. Cut the salmon steaks in half
b. Grate lemon rind, chop basil, mince 3 garlic cloves
c. Place all in a large bowl with Olive Oil, salt & pepper

2. Prepare tomatoes
a. Wash tomatoes, place in a bowl with Balsamic, Olive Oil, salt & pepper
b. Coat tomatoes and transfer them to a baking dish

3. Prepare beans
a. Wash and cut off ends
b. Place in steamer

4. Prepare salmon parsels
a. Pre-heat oven to about 200 celcius
b. Place puff pastry sheet on cutting board
c. Position half salmon steak in the middle, with plenty of marinade ontop
d. Fold each pastry corner into the middle of the salmon, then fold in remaining corners
e. With a small knife, pierce 4 holes in the pastry so that steam/liquid can escape
f. Spray cooking oil on tray, place salmon parcels onto tray, then quickly spray the top of each pastry
g. Into the oven...

5. Cook for 10 mins, then begin steaming the beans and place the tomatoes in the oven

6. After further 10 mins, turn pastries over

7. Cook for a final 15 minutes (you should see marinade bubbling through pastry)

8. Remove pastries and tomatoes from oven, drain beans and mix them with olive oil and 1 crushed garlic clove

Duff's Play Dough (PIZZA base)

2009-08-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

+ 400g super fine plain flour
+ 1 tbs Olive Oil
+ 1 tbs Yeast
+ 1 tbs Salt
+ 1 cup luke warm water

Procedure:

1. Mix dry ingredients well
2. Add water and knead until elastic
3. Stand for 1.5 hrs in an oiled mixing bowl - cover with a wet cloth
4. Place dough on counter and divide into balls
5. Stand for 45 minutes
6. Roll the dough!

Tomato base:

Blend the following: Tomatoes, garlic, onions, anchovies, capers. Gently fry in olive oil to reduce liquid.

Villik's gourmet gruel

2009-08-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Villik (the dog) loves a change in diet every now and then. He's usually pretty fussy but this meal diappears in seconds. It's not bad for humans either!

Ingredients

+ 2 large cups Brown Rice (uncooked)
+ 1 tbs Sweet Soy Sauce (Manis)
+ 1 tbs Tomato Concentrate
+ 1/4 pumpkin
+ 3 celery stalks
+ 3 carrots
+ Chicken (finely diced - about 2 breasts)

Procedure

1. Place rice, veges and chicken in large pot
2. Add water until all ingredients are covered
3. Bring to boil and mix in Manis/Tomato paste
4. Turn heat down and simmer until rice is cooked
5. Let cool and store in small plastic containers (freezes well)

Feel free to add other veges like red capsicum - but stay away from onions!

Petra's Bonza Banana Cake

2009-06-19T03:18:00.002-07:00

This is the best banana cake I've ever tasted!
The pineapple pieces keep it moist for ages.

Ingredients

+ 4 eggs
+ 400g sugar
+ 375ml vegetable oil
+ 1 tsp vanilla
+ 500g white flour
+ 1 tsp bicarb soda
+ 1 tsp salt
+ 1 tsp cinnamon
+ 250g pineapple (Golden Circle can of slices)
+ 400g ripe bananas

Procedure

1. Whisk eggs for 1 mins
2. Add sugar, beat for 2 mins
3. Add oil and vanilla; beat for 2-3 mins
4. Add flour, bicarb soda, salt and cinnamon
5. Mix by hand until it becomes a smooth batter
6. Add chopped bananas/pineapple
7. Mix until batter is wet (add water if needed)
8. Bake @ 160 celcius for 50-55 minutes

Beef satay

2009-03-23T02:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients - marinade (4 servings)

+ 4 spring onions, chopped finely
+ 1/2 cup crushed peanuts
+ 2 tbs curry powder
+ 125ml condensed milk
+ 125ml coconut cream
+ 2 tbs fish sauce
+ 1/2 tsp tumeric
+ 2 tbs brown sugar

Meat

+ 400g beef rump steak

Procedure

1. Blend all ingredients
2. Slice beef - cut at angle across the grain into thin 10cm strips
3. Mix beef into marinade
4. Refrigerate for 6hrs / overnight
5. Remove beef from fridge 1hr before cooking
6. Soak 16 wood scewers
7. Thread 2-3 strips of beef onto each scewer
8. Preheat BBQ hotplate with oil
9. Cook on both sides for about 4 mins each, applying leftover marinade as it cooks

Serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Ian's creamy chicken pie

2009-03-09T04:36:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

+ butter
+ 2 large leeks
+ 3 large onions
+ frozen peas
+ frozen corn
+ carrots (cut into chunks)
+ celery
+ mushrooms
+ chicken breasts (chunks)
+ smoked bacon
+ vege stock cubes / vege salt / Maggi sauce
+ dash of full cream milk
+ 2 large tubs of sour cream
+ white wine
+ thickening agent (e.g. corn flour)
+ eggs (to brush pastry)
+ puff pastry (or pie crust pastry)

Procedure

1. Brown onions and leeks in butter
2. Add vege stock cube and stir
3. Add chicken chunks / bacon and cook for a few minutes
4. Mix in sour cream, a dash or two of white wine and a little milk if necessary
5. Mix in all veges
6. Place lid on the pot and simmer for 20 mins
7. While that's bubbling away, grease a deep pie dish with butter and line with pastry
8. Place in hot oven for 5 mins or so to pre-cook the pie base (we don't want it to come out soggy)
9. Once the pie filling is ready, add just enough corn flour to thicken the sauce
10. Pour filling onto pie base, top with more pastry and then brush with beaten egg
11. Cook for another 20+ minutes (or until the pastry is crusty)

Peri Peri chicken livers

2009-03-09T04:13:00.000-07:00

The only way to eat chicken livers!

Ingredients

+ 2 cans chopped tomatoes
+ 2 medium onions (chopped finely)
+ chicken livers
+ 2-4 tbsp Nandos Hot Peri Peri sauce
+ 2 tsp curry powder
+ 2 tsp mixed herbs (origano etc)
+ 1 beef cube
+ salt & pepper
+ thickener (e.g. corn flour)
+ 2 tbsp cooking oil

Procedure

1. In a pot (with a lid), brown the onions in oil with curry powder
2. Add tomatoes & simmer until tomatoes reduce (10 mins +)
3. Add salt & pepper
4. Brown livers in a separate saucepan with oil
5. Add livers back into tomato mix
6. Add Peri Peri sauce
7. Dissolve beef cube in 1 cup of hot water and add to pan
8. Add mixed herbs, close the lid and simmer for further 10 mins
9. Use enough thickener to bind the sauce and livers

Serve with a hot crusty French stick (white bread) and enjoy!
(Also goes well with basmati rice)

Chilled cucumber salad

2009-02-14T22:45:00.001-08:00

A great BBQ side dish on a hot summer's day - cool and crunchy with fresh garlic and ginger coating.

+ 4 continental cucumbers
+ 1-2 tbsp white sugar
+ 2 tsp sea salt
+ Black pepper

Dressing

+ 4 tbsp light soy sauce
+ 2-4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
+ 2 tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
+ 1 tsp sesame oil
+ toasted sesame seeds

Procedure

1. Cut cucumbers in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds using a spoon
2. Place cut-side down on a chopping board and slice on the diaganol
3. Put into a bowl, sprinkle with sugar and salt - mix well
4. Cover and leave in fridge for 30 minutes
5. While it's chilling in the fridge, mix all the dressing ingredients
6. After 20 minutes, remove the cucumber from the fridge - pour out any liquid or use a strainer
7. Once all liquid has been removed, mix cucumbets and dressing together in a bowl and top with pepper

Serve immediately... this dish tastes best dry (before any more liquid leeches from the cucumner).

"A CRIME AGAINST BLOODY COOKING"

2009-01-26T16:11:00.001-08:00

This has got to be the funniest complaint letter I've ever read:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4344890/Virgin-the-worlds-best-passenger-complaint-letter.html

Matt's Roondang (Kangaroo Rendang)

2008-12-07T16:04:00.001-08:00

Rempah:

1 medium onion
4+ garlic cloves
2 lemon grass stalks
2 dried chillies (soaked)
3cm cube ginger
3cm cube galangal
1sp cardamom powder (or cardamom pods toasted and ground) 1sp cumin 1sp salt.

Combine above in food processor or mortar & pestle and blend until smooth

Rest:

500g Kangaroo (for Roondang) or Beef (Rendang)
Diced Sugar (pref palm sugar) to taste (2-3 teaspoons)
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 cup water
6 Kaffir Lime leaves

Method:

1. Heat 2tbsp of peanut oil in wok/deep pan. Add Rempah and fry until oil separates and Rempah aromatic.
2. Add meat and fry until just sealed and coated in Rempah 3. Add water, coconut cream. Stir 4. Bruise Kaffir Lime leaves and add.
5. Add sugar
5. Reduce heat to low simmer and cover for 45-60 minutes, stirring regularly, test and add sugar/salt as desired.

Kerisik:

With about 20 minutes to go, toast 1/2-1 cup of desiccated coconut in frypan. Transfer to mortar and pestle and grind to powdery consistency.

Remove now dried Kaffir lime leaves, add Kerisik, stir, increase heat briefly and it's done.

Serve over Jasmine rice. Great with Roti bread

Lamb Sosaties

2008-11-16T04:59:00.000-08:00

Ingredients: (Serves 3-4)

+ 500g boned leg of lamb, cut into 2.5cm cubes
+ 75 g of mutton fat (optional - keeps meat moist and adds flavour at cooking stage)
+ 3 tablespoons of smooth apricot jam
+ 15 ml wine vinegar
+ 2 large onions, both sliced into broad rings
+ 50ml olive or cooking oil
+ 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
+ 125g dried apricots
+ One green pepper cut into approx 2.5cm squares
+ 1 Tbsp curry powder (mild korma to hot madras – the choice is yours)
+ 1 tsp turmeric
+ 1 Tbsp brown sugar
+ 2 crushed bay leaves
+ ½ Tbsp salt
+ ½ tsp of pepper
+ a knob of butter
+ Wooden or bamboo skewers

Procedure:

+ Heat the oil in a frying-pan and saute the onion rings (and green pepper blocks, if using) until very lightly cooked - make sure the onion rings remain intact. Drain them on absorbent paper.

+ Combine the apricot jam, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric and curry powder in a ceramic or glass bowl and add the onion rings (and green pepper, if using).

+ Add the meat and fat to the mixture and marinate for 24 hours in the fridge, stirring 2 or 3 times.

+ If the apricots are not soft, soak them in a little water until plump. You might also want to soak the skewers so that the exposed ends do not burn to charcoal during the cooking process!

+ When you are ready to cook, thread the cubes of meat, apricots, mutton fat and onion rings onto the skewers.

+ Pour the marinade into a saucepan, bring to the boil and keep warm to serve with the sosaties.

+ The sosaties should ideally be braaied (barbacued) over hot coals for about 10 minutes, turning frequently. Alternatively, you can grill them in the oven under a very hot grill, again turning frequently and basting as necessary.

How to cook Boereworse saffa style

2008-11-16T04:49:00.000-08:00

There's a technique to cooking boereworse so that it retains its juices and moisture.

Insert two long, wooden skewers into the boereworse crossways. These keep the loops tight and helps them to 'sweat' while they cook on the bbq grill (low heat). It also make it easier to flip the sausage.

Scott's rum-soaked Christmas cake

2008-11-09T00:12:00.000-08:00

This has got to be the best Christmas cake I have ever tasted! Rich yet not too sweet, the rum gives it a tasty punch. Well worth the effort.

Ingredients

+ 2 cups of sultanas
+ 1 cup of currants
+ 1 cup of chopped raisins
+ 1/2 cup of halved red glace cherries
+ 1/2 cup of mixed peel
+ 1/3 cup of port (Golden grape estate old liqueur muscat - recommended)
+ 1/2 cup of rum for basting (Mount Gay - recommended)
+ 250 g butter chopped
+ 1 cup of brown sugar
+ 2 teaspoons of vanilla
+ 4 eggs
+ 200 g of good dark chocolate melted (70%+ cocoa)
+ 2 table spoons of apricot jam
+ 2 cups of plain flour
+ 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
+ 1 teaspoon of mixed spice
+ 125 g of slivered almonds

Procedure

1. combine sultanas currants raisins cherries mixed peel and port in large mixing bowl and let stand for 24 hours in fridge - turn a few times
2. preheat oven to 160 c grease and line 23cm cake pan with butter and 2 layers of baking paper
3. beat butter and sugar and vanilla until light and creamy, add one egg at a time beating well after each addition; then beat in chocolate and jam
4. add cream mixture to fruit mixture with sifted flour, cinnamon, mixed spice and almonds - mix well
5. spoon mixture into cake pan and bake for 2 1/2 to 3hrs until cooked - let cool in pan over night

Basting of cake

Leave the cake in a covered bowl, on a counter top so that it can dry out for a few days.

Turn cake upside down before basting so that the rum soaks in more easily. After a couple of days baste with rum by brushing rum over cake every other day.
You should go through at least 300ml of rum during this process the cake will soak in rum over 5 - 6 weeks

Lorna's smoked haddock and rice

2008-11-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

This is an old family favourite handed down by my great grandmother, Lorna. Also known as 'Kedgeree', this homely recipe originated in Scotland as far back as the late 1700s. The scottish soldiers did adapt an Indian curried version during the British Raj, but I prefer the original.

Haddock and rice freezes well and will definitely have your family/friends coming back for seconds.

Ingredients
+ Smoked cod [500g]

- in Coles/Woolworths, look for South African smoked cod in the fresh fish section (it's one of the cheapest fish you'll find).

+ Maggi sauce (very important)
+ Frozen peas
+ Basmati rice [2 cups]
+ Garlic
+ Onions
+ Boiled eggs [6]
+ Butter
+ Salt & pepper
+ Fresh Parsley

Procedure

1. Trace the cod's boneline and remove any you find - I find it easier to remove bones while still raw. If you don't, you can simmer the fillets in milk before you flake the flesh from bones
2. Skin the cod
3. Reduce a large chunk of butter in a pot and then add diced onions
4. Add liberal dash of Maggi sauce
5. Once onion looks golden, add fish pieces - as it cooks it will flake into small pieces
6. Add cup or two of frozen peas
7. Chop the boiled eggs into small sections and add to the pot
8. Crush a few garlic cloves into the mix and add salt/pepper to taste
9. Let cool for a few minutes and then mix in with the cooked Basmati rice
10. Add chopped parsley
11. Finally, add a few more splashes of Maggi sauce and mix well

Serving

+ A splash of Tomato sauce seems to bring out the flavours for me. If you're not into the sauce, add a few spoons of tomato concentrate when cooking the onions.

Put on some Scottish piper music in the background and enjoy!

p.s. Smoked haddock also makes a mouth watering fisherman's pie - recipe to come...
for those who can't wait, try this one.

Confederate corn bread

2008-10-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

+ 2 cups fine cornmeal (available at Coles/Woolworths or Indian shops)
+ 1 cup rough cornmeal (optional for crunch)
+ 2 cups plain/wholemeal flour
+ 3 flat teaspoons baking powder
+ 1.5 teaspoons salt
+ 2 cups milk
+ 1/2 cup of melted butter (or vegetable oil)
+ 2 eggs

Procedure

1. mix milk, melted butter and eggs together.
2. mix dry ingredients.
3. mix both together and pour into a greased baking tin.
4. sprinkle chilli, mixed italian herbs and grated cheese over the top.
5. cook at 180 degrees for about 50 minutes (test with knife - if no mixture sticks then it should be done).

Cazuela de Mariscos (Colombian clay pot of seafood)

2008-10-01T04:31:00.000-07:00

Cazuela was taught to me by a Colombian colleague… if you like marinara dishes then this one’s for you! Traditionally cooked in a clay casserole pot, a deep metal pot with a lid will do.

Ingredients

+ Big bag of marinara mix
+ 3 fish fillets (cod)
+ olive oil
+ 2 large onions
+ 1 red capsicum
+ salt/pepper
+ 1 can coconut milk
+ 1 punnet light cream (300ml)
+ Tomato sauce
+ Chillies
+ Parmesan cheese
+ Garlic bread
+ …and a nice chilled, white chardonnay!

Procedure

1. Use a food processor to finely dice onions and capsicum
2. Cook for 5-6 minutes in a frying pan (using olive oil)
3. Add coconut milk, cream, chopped chilli, salt/pepper to taste and 3-4 table spoons of tomato sauce
4. Allow to boil
5. Dice fish fillets into squares and add to broth
6. Cooked for 5 minutes
7. Add marinara mix
8. Cook for 3 minutes

Serving

+ Place mixture into individual bowls and sprinkle liberally with parmesan cheese
+ Grill until parmesan cheese browns
+ Serve with garlic bread and chilled, white chardonnay

Gulášek a lá mamuška (mother-in-law's goulash)

2008-09-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

This is how goulash should be! Taught to me by my mother-in-law in Eastern Czech, this one will have you coming back for fourths.

Ingredients

+ Onions – 7 roughly cut
+ Beef – 1-2 kg (Chuck steak / shoulder) – diced into 2-3cm squares
+ Caraway seeds (Similar to Cumin)
+ Marjoram and/or Oregano
+ Capsicum - 1 green – cut into rings
+ Garlic - 6 pieces thinly sliced
+ Sweet paprika powder - 25 grams (small packet)
+ Chilli seeds - 1 teaspoon
+ Salt - 3-4 teaspoons
+ Vegetable salt/stock cube – 1 teaspoon
+ Plain flour
+ Potatoes – 2 medium (grated)
+ Water – 2 litres

Procedure

1. On a hot stove, glaze onions in vegetable oil (cook until glassy).
2. Add salt, vegetable stock cube, Caraway seeds and Oregano (or Marjoram).
3. Add beef and stir well.

4. Put a lid on the pot and turn down the heat. Simmer on low.
5. After the first 15 minutes of simmering, add the sliced garlic and stir.

6. 15 minutes later, add the chilli flakes (sweet Paprika comes later).
7. 15 minutes later, add the sliced green capsicum.

8. Keep simmering with lid on until the beef is tender.
9. When beef is soft, add 6-7 tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce.
10. Add paprika powder (be careful not to burn or it will taste bitter).
11. Add 2L cold water and stir well.
12. Heat for at least 20 minutes and then add 2 grated potatoes
13. Simmer for a further 10-20 minutes.

* Garnish with finely sliced red onion.
** Tastes best the day after making.
*** Eat with rye bread (or knedlik – Czech dumplings).
**** If the goulash is new (a day or so old), it may need a flavour boost with Maggi sauce.

Thai Fillet Steak (Roast)

2008-09-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

+ fillet or tenderloin strip
+ 2 teaspoon ginger
+ 1 teaspoon garlic
+ shallots
+ birds eye chilli
+ lemon grass
+ 1 cup coriander
+ juice from 3 limes
+ large bottle soya sauce (kepac manis/ sweet soy)
+ 2-3 cans coconut cream/milk

Procedure

1. seal meat (dry pan), place in a deep oven dish.
2. fry olive oil, ginger, garlic, shallots, chilli, 2/3 of the coriander, then add kepac manis soy sauce (use half the large bottle) and finally coconut milk.
3. let the mix cool and then pour over the meat.
4. place the marinating meat in the fridge for a few hours
5. sprinkle with lemon grass and remaining coriander.
6. add lime juice and salt.
7. bake in oven for +/- 40 min. depending on the thickness of the meat (baste every 10 minutes)
*Be careful not to overcook… you’ll want the meat to be medium rare
8. remove from oven and decorate with some fresh coriander leaves.

Best served with oven baked string fries!

Thai Coriander Chicken (BBQ)

2008-09-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

+ 2 teaspoons ginger
+ 1 teaspoon garlic
+ 1 tablespoon soya sauce (manis/sweet)
+ 3 tablespoons sweet thai chilli sauce
+ juice from 3 limes
+ 1/2 cup fresh mint
+ 1/3 cup fresh coriander

Procedure

1. mix all ingredients and then coat skinned chicken breasts.
2. marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
3. cook on the BBQ (off the flame). When the wings break off, its ready.

Amber's Australian lumberjack cake

2008-09-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, this recipe ignores my keep-it-simple rule, but I think it's worth it.
Think of sticky date pudding - here's a pukka cake version:

Ingredients

Cake:
+ 2 medium, green apples
+ 125g stoned dates
+ 60g dried apricots
+ 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
+ 3/4 cup boiling water
+ 125g butter
+ 1 cup sugar
+ 1 egg
+ 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
+ 1 1/2 cup plain flour
+ 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:
+ 1/2 cup brown sugar
+ 60 g butter
+ 1/3 cup milk
+ 3/4 cup shredded coconut

Procedure

Place the following in a mixing bowl:
1. peel and cored apples, then cut into small pieces
2. chop dates and apricots into small pieces
3. pour boiling water over and add bicarb soda
4. stir and leave a couple of minutes until luke warm
5. Cream the butter and sugar, add egg and beat well.
6. sift flour with salt over mixture and stir together with the apple and fruit mixture

Prepare the cooking tin:
1. butter the base and sides of a square tin (23cm)
2. line the tin with non-stick baking paper
3. spoon into the baking tin and bake in a preheated oven (180 C) for one hour or perhaps longer.

* It’s a moist cake and will end up like a pudding unless baked long enough. Adjust heat if it's baking too fast.

Prepare the topping 5 minutes before cake is done:
1. place all topping ingredients into a saucepan and warm gently until melted - stir well.
2. pour topping over the cake spreading it evenly.
3. put back in the oven until toping is golden (aprox. 20')
4. let cool for at least 10 mins before turning out of the tin
5. run a knife around the edges in case any of the topping has caramelized
6. turn gently onto a cake rack with a baking paper - the coconut will stay intact.

Tastes best a few days after cooking, lasts up to 1 week.

Petra's homemade chilli sauce

2008-09-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

If you're like me then you need an ample supply of chilli sauce available at every meal. This homemade sauce is one of my favourites - and it's dead simple.

Ingredients

+ 1 cup of Oil (grape seed)
+ 300g chillies (birdseye)
+ 1 or more heads of garlic (by 'head' I mean the whole fistful, not one clove)
+ 1 cup of malt vinegar

Procedure

+ Blend all chillies, garlic and vinegar
+ Heat the oil
+ Add chilli blend
+ Cook for 4-5 minutes
+ Bottle while still warm

When the oil separates and sits on top of the chilli blend, it’s ready to use. Best flavour after 1 week of marinating in the fridge.

Fennel - a mouth watering steak topping

2008-09-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

In most dishes, fennel retains its anise (licorice) flavour and smell.
But by shallow frying fennel, the licorice transforms into a subtly-sweet taste bud hit.

Ingredients

+ virgin olive oil
+ mixed italian herbs (oregano, basil etc)
+ vegetable stock cube / maggi sauce
+ 2 large onions
+ one large fennel bulb
+ tomato pure
+ garlic
+ salt/pepper

Procedure

1. finely fice the onions and fennel (set aside in separate bowls)
2. shallow fry onions in plenty of olive oil
3. be liberal with the maggi sauce, or add one vege stock cube
4. add the finely diced fennel (once onion begins to glaze)
5. liberally sprinkle with italian herbs
6. the ingredients will begin to reduce... at this stage stir in two large tablespoons of tomato pure
7. crush 3-4 garlic bulbs and mix in
8. salt & pepper and stir well

For meat eaters: Serve on the side of a medium rare rump steak.

For vegos: Serve cold on some toasted ciabatta bread