tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76785703807733718102024-03-06T11:07:44.903+11:00The Wooden SpoonGingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-61999899001730422212011-07-17T15:06:00.000+10:002011-07-17T15:06:24.843+10:00Grapefruit cake with syrupThe mysterious citrus tree in our backyard has turned out to be a grapefruit… at least we're now 98% sure. So now I have to find recipes for a fruit I know little about and don't particularly like. This cake, however, did the trick.<br />
<br />
Inspiration from <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/26394/lemon+syrup+yoghurt+cake+with+boozy+prunes">Taste.com.au</a>.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjaXsKrckwjKsBSE_yJ-AAhVaV_gZS12TtktmZ8n4C-s2_jzOKRwBfvfh2pXYhRxy7EXLhg2ukW27EcjjCMbSzWxFRGe4x91heO0tPZh4qT_jowaCPOg_vOlsaJ-zuXKUirhamFu_CxE/s1600/P230611_20.46%255B01%255D-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjaXsKrckwjKsBSE_yJ-AAhVaV_gZS12TtktmZ8n4C-s2_jzOKRwBfvfh2pXYhRxy7EXLhg2ukW27EcjjCMbSzWxFRGe4x91heO0tPZh4qT_jowaCPOg_vOlsaJ-zuXKUirhamFu_CxE/s320/P230611_20.46%255B01%255D-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Cake</b><br />
125g unsalted butter<br />
½ cup caster sugar<br />
3 large eggs, separated<br />
1 tbl zest, and ¼ cup juice<br />
180g plain flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
200ml philly cream for cooking (because it's what I had in the fridge)<br />
<br />
Oven 180C/350F, 20cm pan lined with baking paper (or whatever you usually do)<br />
<br />
In their own bowl, beat eggwhites until they form stiff peaks.<br />
<br />
Then in a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until thick and pale. Add yolks one at a time beating after each addition. Beat in zest and juice.<br />
<br />
Fold in sifted flour and baking powder in three batches, alternating with philly cream.<br />
<br />
Fold in eggwhites.<br />
<br />
Bake approx 50 mins, or until the skewer comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
<b>Syrup</b><br />
200ml sherry (because it's what I had in the cupboard)<br />
¼ cup caster sugar<br />
zest and 2 tbl juice (one small grapefruit)<br />
<br />
Pop everything in a small pot. Heat. Stir until slightly thickened (or until you get bored). Pour over cake.<br />
<br />Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-64202553415164065912011-03-04T09:44:00.000+11:002011-03-04T09:44:50.903+11:00Mummy's iced tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hyhcbPNnu8gJeiT_KwujhNgKsTW8IPsieodvkstBL7E0sqf6sYaEA0Cf9-TVQPm8tI6KLntP-uogCk92QW1WLKqMKkmHnciaMRXvtjgDO0dZ72VXSAnd2jHbV7RQhLNHAUe9wVVhRek/s1600/IMG_0110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hyhcbPNnu8gJeiT_KwujhNgKsTW8IPsieodvkstBL7E0sqf6sYaEA0Cf9-TVQPm8tI6KLntP-uogCk92QW1WLKqMKkmHnciaMRXvtjgDO0dZ72VXSAnd2jHbV7RQhLNHAUe9wVVhRek/s200/IMG_0110.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
This iced tea recipe is easy to make, and adds that magical home-made touch that ramps up the flavour.<br />
<br />
1 litre boiled water<br />
1 litre apple juice<br />
2 tea bags<br />
sprig of mint<br />
1-2 sticks cinnamon<br />
nip of gin<br />
<br />
Let the tea bags brew in the hot water for a good fifteen minutes before discarding. Add the apple juice (this generally provides enough sugar), mint and cinnamon, and let it sit in the fridge overnight or until chilled.<br />
<br />
This becomes Mummy's iced tea with several ice cubes and the nip of gin. Absolute life saver!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-6380879982062572662011-02-26T10:40:00.000+11:002011-02-26T10:40:50.385+11:00Chicken cacciatore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AClC3zvyUwmvCgUfN0G9QahriS_jZG4LjsJfVdv_uULpK-kVfbgSj6pF3JNAlJXbFKkn5OjraA-b5mccDII1fzIMZ0Ju23N-uRFTXjOvFDnS-Pv21fBymylp-q320eCz3DF7n7jr8qE/s1600/IMG_0029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AClC3zvyUwmvCgUfN0G9QahriS_jZG4LjsJfVdv_uULpK-kVfbgSj6pF3JNAlJXbFKkn5OjraA-b5mccDII1fzIMZ0Ju23N-uRFTXjOvFDnS-Pv21fBymylp-q320eCz3DF7n7jr8qE/s320/IMG_0029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
1-2 anchovies<br />
½ large onion, diced<br />
1 clove garlic, minced, mooshed, chopped, whatever<br />
1 chicken thigh per person (or more if you're not on a budget)<br />
¾ tb dried rosemary, or a good few fresh sprigs<br />
1-ish cup sherry<br />
large handful olives<br />
400g tin tomatoes<br />
two-three bay leaves<br />
<br />
Preheat oven 180C/350F<br />
<br />
I use a cast iron pot with an oven proof lid, though this can be just as easily cooked on the stove top.<br />
<br />
Using a good glug of olive oil, gently fry onion, anchovies and garlic until the onion is translucent and soft but not brown. Remove. Brown chicken. Add rosemary and return onion, garlic concoction. Add sherry (or alcohol of choice) to deglaze. Add olives, tomatoes and bay leaves. I pop this in a moderate oven for 1 ½ hours (or simmer very gently on the stove top for the same amount of time). I fill the tomato can with water, and if the sauce is thickening a little too fast from an overly enthusiastic heat, I add this tomato-water a quarter at a time. The dish is ready when the chicken is falling apart, the sauce has thickened a bit, and you're sick of looking at it.<br />
<br />
Serve on rice or couscous.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I also add a 400g tin of lentils for extra protein and to make it go a bit further.Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-14231249905356616912011-01-09T15:51:00.000+11:002011-01-09T15:51:24.344+11:00Moving House TiramisuSo half the kitchen is packed, I suddenly realise I have quite a lot of food left, and my eye catches several significant food groups – sugar, chocolate, cream and alcohol. I smile.<br />
<br />
A small square cake tin<br />
Left over savoiardi biscuits (dry, sugary sponge fingers)<br />
approx 150g chocolate melts<br />
about 250ml cream<br />
roughly (I'm moving house remember!) 4 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 100ml hot water<br />
sort of 100ml port mixed with 50ml water<br />
<br />
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (about two inches of water in a medium saucepan, with the chocolate in a metal bowl sitting on top of the saucepan).<br />
<br />
Line the cake tin with baking paper (this makes life so much easier!). Place enough biscuits in the tin to form two layers – you may have to break up some biscuits. Pour over the coffee and the alcohol until the biscuits get soft but not squishy. Pour melted chocolate over the top, and allow to cool.<br />
<br />
Whip the cream with a bit of caster sugar (about 2 tbl) and a dash of vanilla extract. Spread over a firm, cooled chocolate layer. Serve. Several times. With alcohol (I'm moving house remember!).<br />
<br />
A nicer version of this (when one isn't moving house) would be to substitute the cream with mascarpone, use a little Grand Marnier instead of port, and add orange zest to the mascarpone.Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-47330037996315805572010-12-30T16:07:00.002+11:002010-12-30T16:07:54.940+11:00Four meals from one roast porkFor Christmas, we picked up 1.5kg of boneless rolled pork loin. Since there were only two of us, and we were conscious of the custard, cheesecake and triple brie to come, we managed to stretch our pork over several meals.<br />
<br />
Roast pork and vegies<br />
For Christmas lunch, the pork was roasted with garlic, rosemary and peach at high heat for the first 20 minutes and then a moderate heat for the remaining 60 minutes. We also filled another roasting pan with sweet potato, potato and onion. These went into the same oven at the 60 minute mark.<br />
<br />
Pork and vegetables wraps<br />
A small amount of the leftover pork and vegetables (just enough for taste) with some cream cheese and apple sauce were wrapped up in flat bread for a quick and light lunch.<br />
<br />
Pork pies<br />
Again, the pork and remaining vegetables were warmed up in the fry pan. We added 1 tsp cornflour, a little white wine (2-3tbl) and approx the same amount of water to make enough sauce to bind everything together. Puff pastry lined and topped four little pie dishes. These were baked at 180C for 25 minutes (until the pastry was brown and crispy). If I wasn't already sold on the beauty of a big single roast and it's leftovers by now, I certainly was after this dish. It was so simple and so incredible!<br />
<br />
Pork pasta<br />
The final dish. The remaining pork was warmed up in the pan with olive oil, and combined with sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, shallots, fresh rosemary and white wine to make a light pasta.Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-44651984912220106912010-11-07T12:29:00.004+11:002010-12-03T17:50:18.424+11:00Beef Koftas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKJ0V7bpu_AY1S0UcRnkE-K6fTwSNq5g9jrOejbcOFUrE4YuVeneqzMqiDLolyJQZXLLd_EA3a-fCDevcgsxD2BpQiQdvvDwEPdSImTBKBsjD7aZhV_foiJ9H_BJ7QpuBODZDmaqLgnI/s1600/069.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536615957967853970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKJ0V7bpu_AY1S0UcRnkE-K6fTwSNq5g9jrOejbcOFUrE4YuVeneqzMqiDLolyJQZXLLd_EA3a-fCDevcgsxD2BpQiQdvvDwEPdSImTBKBsjD7aZhV_foiJ9H_BJ7QpuBODZDmaqLgnI/s320/069.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />800gm mince (you can use any, lamb, chicken or even pork)<br />1 small onion, grated<br />2 cloves garlic, finely chopped<br />1/4 bunch of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">coriander</span>, finely chopped<br />3 tsp ground <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">cumin</span><br />salt to taste<br />1 large egg<br /><br />Mill all the ingredients, working the mince a bit to get the proteins going, this helps the balls to not fall apart. Roll the mince into little balls, then roll them through flour and dust off excess. In a fry pan with a little oil, fry them off til golden on all sides and cooked in the middle.<br />Serve with minted <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">yogurt</span>.Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10470045713894470674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-74082860547381994132010-11-01T20:42:00.004+11:002010-12-03T17:49:12.694+11:00Soft boiled eggsIt sounds easy I know BUT it took me a while to perfect my breakie :)<br />First things first, the egg should be at room temp, if you keep them in the fridge take them out 30 minutes before cooking. Pierce the bottom of the eggs to stop them cracking.<br />Bring the water to a boil, carefully put the eggs in using a tablespoon.<br />When the water comes back to boiling point, reduce the heat so the water is simmering and begin your timing.<br />I use large eggs so only need to cook them for 4 minutes for a runny yolk OR 6 minutes for a medium-boiled egg, where the yolk is only slightly runny.<br />For medium sized eggs, reduce these cooking times by one minute.<br />For extra large eggs, add on one minute.<br />If you want hard boiled leave them in for 10-12 minutes.<br />Happy breakfast :)Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10470045713894470674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-76081118611600935092010-10-20T17:53:00.001+11:002010-10-20T18:09:50.514+11:00A multi-cultural vegetable pizza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_rYQ7DlkmQtMyy72h1HmRY6ZfK43Wjj2k4B59H3t9GPPcoaVycEKMPBhNNw3DiamkJmC1nJg8kW_GjzYc0d3BIt_qn3BHy1VUxuzq4LfNd-s5HIy2jdEf_Wt-W_WQ4GW0DDWkbDOyHI/s1600/P181010_20.08%5B01%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_rYQ7DlkmQtMyy72h1HmRY6ZfK43Wjj2k4B59H3t9GPPcoaVycEKMPBhNNw3DiamkJmC1nJg8kW_GjzYc0d3BIt_qn3BHy1VUxuzq4LfNd-s5HIy2jdEf_Wt-W_WQ4GW0DDWkbDOyHI/s320/P181010_20.08%5B01%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
I think one of the most important parts of
maintaining a healthy diet is eating junk food. Otherwise you'll go mad while
you're munching away on a carrot stick and everyone else is hoovering up pizza.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">However</span></i><span lang="EN-AU">, while I think the type of junk food has little impact, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">way it's made</i> is very important! CUE:
our vegetable pizza. It sounds mad, but just read the ingredients list and
you'll see what I mean. If you use a homemade pizza base and a salt-reduced
cheese, this is technically healthy! I also dare you to try the yoghurt
topping!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">2 tbl tomato paste</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">1 tsp harissa</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Moroccan sausages or chorizo, cooked,
cooled and sliced</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">2 fried Lebanese eggplants (the Lebanese
eggplants are small and thin, if using the traditional larger one, you only
need a small handful of sliced eggplant)
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ roasted capsicum (red pepper)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">¼ roasted pumpkin or ½ roasted sweet potato</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">1 big field mushroom or 2-3 smaller ones,
sliced</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">cumin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">lots of cheese, mozzarella is awesome, but
plain tasty cheese is fine </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">The vegetables</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">The roast vegies we used in this recipe
were actually leftovers, so ideally I would roast half a pumpkin, diced (or
several sweet potatoes, diced) and a whole capsicum, cut into quarters, seeds
removed, together, in a hot oven for about thirty minutes or until mellow and
crispy around the corners. I would then use half of these ingredients for a
salad, a quiche, a pasta etc. When the capsicum has cooled a little, peel off
the skin, and when it's cooled completely, slice your ½ capsicum for this
recipe into thin strips.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Slice the eggplants into thin strips. Heat
2 good tbl oil in a non stick pan, and then fry the eggplant until crispy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">The pizza</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Mix the tomato paste and harissa together,
and spread over the pizza base. Then assemble your vegies and sausage with
artistic flair. Sprinkle with cumin. Top with cheese. Bake at 180C/350F for
about 20 minutes or until the cheese is browning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">The yoghurt</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">approx 1½ cups Greek-style yoghurt (or
natural)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">⅓ bulb of garlic, minced</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">3-4 leaves of mint, chopped finely</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ cucumber, peeled, grated, and wrung out
(to get rid of the juice, which apparently you can then drink, but I'm not
brave enough)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">squeeze of lemon</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Yoghurt? …Trust me. Again, this makes more
than you need. I use the leftovers on lamb, jacket potatoes, another pizza
('cause quite frankly, this recipe usually gets repeated a few days later!).
Combine all your ingredients and then dollop over the pizza once it's baked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Tip: allow the pizza to cool for 2-3 minutes before you cut it. This allows the cheese to harden just a little so it doesn't slide with the knife off the pizza, taking all your topping with it. Bastard.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Another light squeeze of lemon juice over the pizza also seems to help.</span></div>Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-50971186037721220332010-09-28T17:56:00.000+10:002010-09-28T17:56:35.505+10:00Light spring tuna pasta with caramelised onions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Pyq61bKBUCsOW9DuwmPHg77n2_6QrIyreekvFy-BnWupurYftZ-5xAqVBBZoCHgqzR76O4WviGsbGRDug_DQwMuZAyaquZGN66_cM21DeYvI49xUhBWJh7NHkd5hP731HXNg4t70wIQ/s1600/P240910_18.27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Pyq61bKBUCsOW9DuwmPHg77n2_6QrIyreekvFy-BnWupurYftZ-5xAqVBBZoCHgqzR76O4WviGsbGRDug_DQwMuZAyaquZGN66_cM21DeYvI49xUhBWJh7NHkd5hP731HXNg4t70wIQ/s320/P240910_18.27.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><span id="goog_1892737988"></span><span id="goog_1892737989"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Handful of spaghetti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ - 1 onion (really depends on how much you like your onion!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Mushrooms (optional, I love mushrooms)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">1-2 zucchinis, finely diced</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">¾ cup frozen peas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">olives</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">200g tuna (half a can)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Put a large pot of water onto boil for the pasta (pop the pasta in when boiling, and cook as per packet directions).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Heat some olive oil in a pan, and sweat off the onion. After about five-seven minutes depending on the heat of the pan, add some brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Stir to fry off your onion a bit, then remove from the pan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Fry off the mushrooms and zucchini with a bit more oil (add butter for a bit of luxury!). Remove the mushrooms and zucchini once they've cooked down a bit. Warm through the frozen peas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">When the peas have defrosted and are starting to cook, add the olives. Once the olives are looking happy, add everything back to the pan, including the tuna. You only want to warm through the tuna, or it'll go grey and rather tasteless. I usually use tuna in olive oil – it adds a better taste than brine or saltwater, but if you're using brine or saltwater tuna, drain off the excess liquid, and once you've added the tuna to the pan, add a few good glugs of olive oil. Turn the heat off.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Hopefully, by now, your pasta will be very close to ready. If it's only a few minutes away, you won't have to worry about re-heating the vegies. If it's more than a few minutes, return the heat before you add the pasta.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Stir the spaghetti through, season with salt and pepper, add some more olive oil, serve with freshly grated parmesan.</span></div>Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-63857611343077169242010-09-28T17:48:00.004+10:002010-10-09T18:34:56.090+11:00The fine diceFinely dicing something drives me a bit mad. I am not a fussy cook – I like things easy and simple. Maybe Cat can offer an easier/better method, but this one's mine. I'll use a zucchini as an example. Cut the zucchini in half, and then stand each half on its cut end. This gives it stability, making it easier to slice into ½-¾cm stalks/ribbons/long-thin-things. Now line your long-thin-things up and chop into ½-¾cm cubes. Voila. Easy.Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-34722663247562944952010-09-23T16:11:00.004+10:002010-12-03T17:50:08.695+11:00Asian style chicken broth<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519989864565160290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik98TTQ50Wr6q5xIbfDZVNhyphenhyphenBQ6gYsun49wNmNEbLvVI9KRh1uGCgePVbe66vLZFRsRG3QXxkI8ApB5ydPAWkuPOININ-mHCCSjADNU9jPwTkQzuwW7o80aDkLkhicpxKRQF__s72vKCE/s320/newbies+134.JPG" border="0" />2 onions, sliced<br /><div>2 galic cloves, sliced</div><div>2 tsp ginger paste</div><div>4 tblsp corriander picked, fine chop the stalks, keep the leaves aside</div><div>4 tblsp vietnamese mint, shredded--keep a couple aside</div><div>1 cup asian greens, bok choy, wombok etc</div><div>1 cup fresh bean sprouts</div><div>2 small chicken breast</div><div>2 carrots, small dice</div><div>50ml sweet soy sauce</div><div>20 light soy sauce</div><div>1 lt chicken stock</div><div>1 lt water</div><div>1 cup thin sliced mush, ideally shitake</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Sweat off the onion, garlic, ginger, corriander stalks and a couple of crushed vietnamese mint leaves. Then throw in the mushies and carrot and fry off a little. Add the chicken stock and water, bring t a simmer and leave for 1 hour.</div><br /><div>Meanwhile, get busy shredding the greens, pick any roots off the sprouts and very thinly slice the chicken (or shred any left over roast chicken cos its awesome!)</div><br /><div>Add the sweet soy, soy, vietnamese mint, corriander leaves and asian greens.</div><br /><div>Check the flavours of the broth and adjust if need be. You only want to leave the broth on the heat long enough to just cook the chicken, maybe 5 minutes.</div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10470045713894470674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-88061768260128634832010-09-23T15:35:00.004+10:002010-09-23T17:29:40.661+10:00Pumpkin, onion and cheese frittata<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXX9FwkoL8rUtnW9nyD8FeB9g6V0YRUFjzopDa_nJrtr4H08E4hiT4N08QsqExVDSzZdKv_XleIyMsCxwV_Kfp_VS20EU2CSjzcwfKFgcZlnEob2qPMyDNJ8aXNFBb1WYYyt-ENz4MdJE/s1600/newbies+128.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519984840751022242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXX9FwkoL8rUtnW9nyD8FeB9g6V0YRUFjzopDa_nJrtr4H08E4hiT4N08QsqExVDSzZdKv_XleIyMsCxwV_Kfp_VS20EU2CSjzcwfKFgcZlnEob2qPMyDNJ8aXNFBb1WYYyt-ENz4MdJE/s320/newbies+128.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>1 tblsp olive oil 1tblsp water</div><div>2 onions, sliced</div><div>1/4 leek, sliced<br />750gm pumpkin, cubed</div><div>1tblsp thyme leaves (fresh!) </div><div>1tblsp water</div><div>6 eggs, lightly beaten</div><div>3/4 cup milk</div><div>150gm cheese, crumbled (feta and blue :) nom nom)</div>black pepper<br /><div>handful of fresh spinach, shredded</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Heat a non-stick pan over med heat. Add the oil, onions and leek and cook til soft and gold.</div><br /><div>Add the pumpkin, thyme and water, cook with a lid on, stirring occassionally til the pumpkin is soft.</div><br /><div>Mix the eggs, milk, cheese and pepper. Spread the spinach over the pumpkin mix, pour over the egg mix. Cook til just set then place under a preheated hot grill and cook til gold.</div><br /><div>Serves 4-ish</div><br /><strong></strong>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10470045713894470674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-25381936715969369182010-08-13T09:46:00.000+10:002010-08-13T09:46:36.679+10:00Fried potatoes and egg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitubgqp5x7DGPjC8UTpGeKRKjHRrudmtBXTm1hIm4yiFY_yNjWWYB2AOx9vmhbd296le6Ni62fl4xaV-i91NbJCg-aIgHbEAAV8eriOyhWgqtQYSeiCMeLdJggXFp8fOEseN6x7iyDP7s/s1600/P100810_12.20%5B02%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitubgqp5x7DGPjC8UTpGeKRKjHRrudmtBXTm1hIm4yiFY_yNjWWYB2AOx9vmhbd296le6Ni62fl4xaV-i91NbJCg-aIgHbEAAV8eriOyhWgqtQYSeiCMeLdJggXFp8fOEseN6x7iyDP7s/s320/P100810_12.20%5B02%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This recipe is best with leftover boiled potatoes, but roast potatoes or mashed potato will work too. Press a fork into the potatoes to break them up a bit, then fry in a little olive oil. Add some cumin, ground coriander seeds and paprika. Push the potato to the side of the pan, so you can break an egg in the middle. Fry both sides, but only for a short while on the second side so the egg yolk will run. Serve with grated cheese and some sweet chilli sauce.Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-62629104624083005532010-08-13T09:44:00.002+10:002010-08-13T09:44:42.414+10:00LeftoversLeftovers are awesome. Casseroles, pasta sauces, roasts, chocolate mud cake – they always taste better the day after. Of course, some things aren't so good – wilted lettuce soggy with yesterday's dressing comes to mind. Leftovers also need to be stored correctly. Cooled uncovered on the bench, wrapped, and promptly tucked away in the fridge. And they should be consumed within a few days. If something's been in your fridge for more than a week, or you can't remember when you cooked it, it needs to be chucked!Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-54585436731923908942010-08-10T11:50:00.002+10:002010-10-09T18:36:19.668+11:00Recommended daily intake<div class="MsoNormal">
Ever calculated the recommended daily
intake percentage of butter and/or sugar per slice of a cake you've just baked? It's surprisingly easy to do (says someone who thinks Latin literally makes more sense than numbers). And I promise it'll scare the shit out of you. You'll spend the next twenty-four hours trying to rationalise the intake: "I don't bake cakes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every</i> week," "I don't eat cake for breakfast, lunch and tea," "It's only a guide?" "It doesn't matter if my tummy wobbles, I am a confident, self-empowered woman- oh crap."<br />
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<span lang="EN-AU">Yes sirree. The first time I noticed the percentage of recommended daily intake (or %DI for the label savvy) was on a packet of scotch-finger biscuits about four months ago… I've eaten less than a handful of scotch-fingers since then, the saturated fat being a whopping 19%DI… that's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">per biscuit</i>! Ouch.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Normally I wouldn't be the sort of girl to look at labels, but that one pulled me up, and unfortunately I've been looking ever since. Then for labels that only give grams per serving, I managed to work out how to calculate their percentage… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Then</i>, horror increasing my the moment, I calculated, per slice, a cake I had just made. A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">light</i> chocolate cake. 75
grams of butter ÷ 8 = 9.3-ish grams per slice ÷ 24 (total %DI) = 39%. Dear god. A cake with 125g of butter… pretty basic, doesn't include icing… do the math… 65% DI saturated fat per slice.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">See that body on the floor… that's me out cold.</span></div>Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-91707192114582226802010-07-21T17:37:00.001+10:002010-07-21T17:37:45.635+10:00Easy mud cake<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">250g butter</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">150g chocolate</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">2c sugar</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1c hot water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1/3c whiskey</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1tb instant coffee</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1 1/2c plain flour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1/4c self-raising flour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1/4c cocoa</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">2 eggs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Dissolve coffe in hot water. Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, water and whiskey in double saucepan. Stir until smooth. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in sifted flours and cocoa, then eggs. Bake in moderate over (180C) 1 1/4hrs.</span></div>Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-47731134318194247032010-07-21T17:34:00.001+10:002010-07-21T17:34:38.877+10:00Mediterranean veggie bake<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">This is one of my most complicated recipes to date – it actually requires prep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1 big eggplant, 1.5cm thick slices</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">big handful of mushrooms (big field mushrooms would be awesome), sliced</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1 zucchini, sliced</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">three big handfuls of English spinach, washed and drained</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1 ½ cups (combined) tasty/cheddar and mozzarella cheese, grated</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1 tbl sour cream</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">3 tbl natural yoghurt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">400g can of tomatoes</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">two cloves of garlic, chopped finely</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">three anchovies</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">dash of balsamic vinegar</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Preheat oven 180C/350F</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Prep all vegies first, grate cheeses, mix sour cream and yoghurt together or it will all go wrong very quickly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">In a saucepan, heat up a little oil, add the garlic and let this fry off a little before adding the anchovies, tomatoes and a dash of balsamic vinegar. Bring to simmer, and let it do its thing for a good 10-15 minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Meanwhile, fry off the eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms in batches in a big frypan (or a grill pan would be fantastic). The eggplant tends to soak up a lot of oil, so I tend to steam it (pour 2-3 tbls of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">boiling</i> water into a hot pan and slam on a lid. You may have to do this several times, and remember the eggplant will cook a little longer in the oven). Wilt the spinach.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">In a casserole dish, stack the eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and spinach. Pour over the tomato sauce. Dollop on the yoghurt mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, and pop in the oven <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">uncovered</i> for about 10-20 mins, until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">This feeds 2 and provides lunch for tomorrow</span></div>Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7678570380773371810.post-46468185053343220082010-07-21T17:31:00.000+10:002010-07-21T17:31:36.296+10:00Leek and mushroom pasta<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">reasonable handful of spaghetti</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">butter, oil</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed then peeled</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">¼ leek (the white bit only), sliced</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">big handful of mushrooms, sliced</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1 bacon stock cube</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1-2 tsp <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dijon</st1:place></st1:city> mustard</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">3 tbls-ish sour cream</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">1 egg, lightly beaten</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Put a large pot of water onto boil for the pasta (pop the pasta in when boiling, and cook as per packet directions).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Heat a little butter and oil in a pan. The oil stops the butter from burning – the butter makes everything taste nice! Crush the garlic with the flat blade of your knife, and then peel – it's so much easier. Pop this in the melted butter/oil, and add the leek. Cook the leek it softens a bit, and then add the mushrooms. At this point you can add your favourite herbs – go lightly, parsley is nice. I add one bacon stock cube as a salt substitute, then fish out the garlic, and turn the heat off while the pasta finishes cooking.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">When the pasta's ready, turn the heat under the frying pan onto low, stir through the mustard, then add the pasta. Don't completely drain the pasta – a little water will help to thin out the cream. With the heat still low, add the cream and mix it through – the sour cream might take a while to warm up and liquefy. Turn the heat off to add the egg so you don't scramble it, and stir it through. Serve immediately.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Measurements are intentionally vague to facilitate one's ability to play with one's food.</span></div>Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04413561130899088932noreply@blogger.com0