Yummy Chocolate Brownies

115 g butter
200 g white sugar
2 eggs
5 ml vanilla extract
30 g unsweetened cocoa powder
60 g all-purpose flour
2 g salt
1 g baking powder
Icing and Maltesers to decorate

Icing:
125g icing sugar
2 tsp cocoa
1 Tbsp horlicks or malted milk powder
60g softened butter
1 Tbsp boiling water

Preheat the oven to 175C. Grease and line with baking paper a 20x20cm square tin.

Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stove. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 mins or until still slightly gooey in the centre.

Cool in the pan then ice with malteser icing and decorate with maltesers.

For the icing: Mix together all ingredients except the water in a bowl. Gradually add the boiling water until desired consistency is reached.

Slow cooking activity with Kelly and Tim

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Yield: 6-8 servings

3 rashers of thick cut bacon
3 pounds beef chuck cubed
1 bottle red wine
1 pound onions chopped
1 pound celery chopped
1 pound carrots chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Brown the beef and bacon in batches in a frying pan and add to the
slow cooker. Discard the fat from the pan. Deglaze the pan with some
red wine and put in the slow cooker.

Add vegetables and enough wine to cover the everything in the slow
cooker. Add bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 8
hours.

We served it on top of thick, wide flat pasta. (YUM)

Grublover comment
Also try: BEER BRAISED PORK AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

For St Pat's day Tim is making GUINNESS STOUT BEEF STEW

Let us know how it goes Tim! Happy St Pat's day!!

Chicken in red wine and tomato sauce...recipe by Winsome

Serves 4


















olive oil
4 skinless chicken thighs, bone in
2 brown onions, cut into six wedges
8-10 cloves of garlic, peeled
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup diced tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Dust the chicken with salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken on all sides in olive oil in a pan big enough to take all the ingredients. Remove the chicken from the pan.

Turn down the heat and then add the onions and garlic and saute until golden.
Return the chicken to the pan and turn up to high.

Pour in the red wine vinegar and let it sizzle until reduced by at least half.

Add the stock and tomatoes. Make sure the chicken is fully covered by liquid, if not add a bit more stock or water. Bring back to a simmer.

Put a lid on the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 mins or until the chicken pulls away from the bone. If the sauce is looking a bit thin, remove the lid for part of the cooking time.

Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley and salt and pepper to serve.

Serve with mashed potato/rice/pasta and a green vegetable or salad - delicious.

Grublover comment
This is an adapted stephanie alexander recipe from her much loved book - The Cook's Companion.
I made this for the first time tonight, and it was simple and easy.
Most people would have these ingredients in the cupboard - so all you would need to buy is some chicken. Feel free to use different parts of the chicken, or a whole chicken, jointed. My favourite part is always the thigh, so that is why i used it here. It always gives a tender and juicy result, without much fuss about cooking times

Spiced lamb racks

1 Tbs fennel seeds

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp black peppercorns

1/3 cup greek style natural yoghurt

4 x 4 cutlet french trimmed lamb chops

Pound spices in p&m until ground.  Combine with yoghurt.

Season lamb racks with salt and coat with yoghurt mixture.  Chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

Prehead oven to 200 C.  Heat oil in a large frypan and seal the lamb for 2 minutes each side.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes for medium.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with a crisp salad.

Strawberries and cream cheesecake

Serves 6-8

Begin this recipe a day ahead

250g shortbread biscuits

100g unsalted butter

4 gold-strength gelatine sheets

500g cream cheese

395g can sweetened condensed milk

300ml thickened cream

200g white chocolate, melted, cooled

2x250g punnets strawberries

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways, seeds scraped

Grease and line a 23cm springform cake pan.  Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to fine crumbs.  Add the melted butter and process to combine.   Press into the base of the pan and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes (check packet instructions).  

Process cream cheese and condensed milk in food processor until smooth.

Heat 100ml cream in a saucepan over low heat.  Squeeze gelatine leaves to remove excess water, then add to the warmed cream.  Stir off the heat until the gelatine dissolves.

Stir cream mixture into cheese mixture.

Beat remaining cream with electric mixers to form soft peaks.  Fold into the cream cheese mixture with the cooled chocolate.  

Pour over the base.  Chill overnight until set.

Hull and halve the berries.  Place sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, 1/3 cup water in a heavy based saucepan over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Simmer, without stirring for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly.  Add berries and cook for a further 1 minute.  

Cool completely, then pour over cheesecake just before serving.

Delicious and really easy beer bread...recipe by Winsome

3 cups SR flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
450mL beer
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 200C. Grease and line a loaf tin.

Mix together flour, sugar, salt. Slowly add beer. Mix together gently, being careful not to overmix.

Pour into loaf tin then sprinkle over cheese then sunflower seeds. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the base sounds hollow when tapped.

Enjoy!!!! We are having it tonight with carrot soup.

Weekend of love...

So I haven't written a review for a lonnng time but was inspired this weekend when I got absolutely spoilt rotten by Dan who obviously knows that the way to my heart is through my tum tum.

Saturday morning after a leisurely sleep in I was treated to breakfast at the Urban Bean.  I have always had my reservations about this place...I thought of it as too "Perth" to be in Margaret River (silly how we make these judgments).  Well I am truly a convert.  The coffee was so delicious - strong, but with a sweet caramel crema.  Yum! And perfect drinking temperature straight up.  I love that!

Breakfast was the usual - soft poached eggs with bacon.  Cooked to perfection and served with sourdough and lots of butter.  Sensational.  No need for tomato sauce (I can feel you cringe but I like it ok?)  

So that was a real pleasure, and we did it all again Sunday morning.  

Dinner for valentines day was a real treat.  Went to my very very favourite restaurant, Winos.  I love starting the evening at Winos having a chat with the wine guy, and then enjoying the lovely red he recommends in the bar.  Unfortunately this time it was cut short by a really rude waitress who said to us "Would you like to come to your table" and I said "No we would like to finish our drink" and then she made us go anyway! hahahah I felt so bullied.  But it didn't matter.  We ordered some bread and anchovy oil to start, and some arancini yum!  They had a curry spice I can't put my finger on.  

Dinner we both had the scotch fillet (hoping for the trusty waygu but the fillet did not in any way disappoint).  The fillet was just as good as the waygu, cooked to perfection, drizzled with a garlic "foam", interesting twist, and served with mash and mushies.  Yum!!!

Finished with a glass of red on the lounge, Dan and I chatted and relaxed, mirrored with our hands behind our heads like a head rest, way too full.  Next time we are going to try really hard to just order mains, otherwise it is way way too much (but we can never resist the entree!)

Corn Chowder...recipe by Winsome

1 tbsp olive oil

3 rashers bacon, chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 large potatoes, diced

1.5L chicken stock (i used the liquid stock from the supermarket)

3 cups corn kernels (i used frozen)

coriander leaves - to serve

finely sliced spring onion - to serve (i didn't use this and it was still delicious)

Fry the bacon rashers in olive oil in the pan you are going to make the soup in until crispy.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

Fry the onion with freshly ground salt and pepper, until the onion is soft but not coloured - approximately 5-6 minutes.

Add the potatoes and stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add the corn and cook for another 5 minutes or until the potato and the corn are both tender.

Puree half of the soup and return to the pan.

Bring back to the boil, and serve scattered with coriander and spring onions.

Grublover comment
This was so delicious!! my photo doesn't really do it justice, but it is great. Really light, but definitely filling because of the potato. It is a nice hearty soup for a summer night (it is probably still 30 degrees here and was up to 38 today).

Moroccan Chicken with Orange

(serves 4)

1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground cumin
4 tbs sultanas
4 tbs pine nuts
40ml (2 tbs) olive oil
800g chicken fillets, cut into thin strips
1 orange, halved, sliced
4 tbs freshly chopped mint

Place chilli, chilli flakes, garlic, lemon juice, cinnamon, cumin, sultanas, pine nuts, half the olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Mix well. Add chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frypan. Add the chicken pieces and cook on one side for 1-2 minutes or until golden.

Turn over, add the orange slices and cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Stir through the mint.

Serve with couscous and some low-fat yoghurt.

Grublover comment
I haven't tried this recipe yet - found it on taste this morning and am keen to try it. Let me know if you get in first and tell me what it's like! Looks delicious. Some people have suggested adding some natural yoghurt to the marinade - I might try that...

lazy bones balsamic chicken

It is really hard to get motivated to hit the shops after a long day at work. Today I just couldn't face it, so scratched around at home and came up with this scrumptious dish. Enjoy it on a Tuesday night.

Serves 4 (or in our case, a big helping for Dan and leftovers for lunch)

4 chicken thighs, diced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 Tb sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups couscous (dry)
2 1/4 cups boiling chicken stock
60g butter
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tb thyme

Combine the balsamic, stock, sugar and garlic. Rub into chicken and leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Place the couscous in a bowl and pour in the boiling stock. Cover with glad wrap and allow to stand for 5 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 3 minutes or until garlic is soft, but not brown. Add the couscous and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Heat an oiled fry-pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the pan, cooking 3-4 minutes. Add the marinade to the pan and cook for another 1 minutes or two until the chicken is cooked through and marinade is thicker.

Serve the chicken on the couscous and drizzle the jus over the meal. Serve with steamed green beans.

Grublover comment
Yum! This recipe is from Marie Claire's 'Fresh'. It is so easy and the best thing is everything you need is in the cupboard.
I used thighs because they are juicier and its a lot quicker to cook diced chicken. You can substitute for breast if you prefer - leave the breasts whole and cook 3-4 minutes each side.

It's in the bag!

I have been cooking lots of chicken in a bag lately...the flavours are so delicious and the best thing is that the chicken stays nice and moist. Try these simple recipes out:

Rogan josh in the bag
Combine 1 clove garlic, 1 red chilli, 1/2 an onion and 1 Tb grated ginger.
Add 1 tin whole tomatoes and 1/3 jar rogan josh curry paste. Stir until combined.
Add 500g diced chicken thighs. Rub the mixture into the chicken.

Tip the whole mix into a parcel made with baking paper.

Put on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes at 180 Celcius.
Serve with boiled rice, chutney and pappadums.

Greek chicken in the bag
Combine 500g chicken breasts, 20 pitted kalamata olives, a handful of oregano, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tb olive oil and rind of 1 lemon in a large bowl. Cover with glad wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to develop the flavours.

Divide the 1 bunch english spinach, 16 cherry tomatoes, 100g feta and the chicken mixture among four 50cm lengths of non-stick baking paper. Fold long sides over to enclose filling and tuck short ends under the parcels to secure.

Place parcels in a large metal steaming pan or bamboo steamer over a saucepan or wok of simmering water. Steam, covered, for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Divide the parcels among plates and serve immediately. Alternatively, bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

Netty's Easy Peasy Scones

1 small tub (300 ml) whipping cream
3 cups SR flour
pinch salt

Fold the flour and salt through the cream.

Gently flatten mixture into around 3/4 inch batter.

Cut scones with round glass.

Put on tray dusted with flour. Arrange scones so they will be touching when they expand (this ensures they are soft and not all dry on the outside).

Bake in hot oven (200C) until golden (should be around 15 mins).

Enjoy with jam and cream. I love a good rasberry jam. Mmm

Grublover comment
My aunt Netty made these for my family when enjoying gracetown on the Australia Day weekend. They are great for weekends away because you don't need many ingredients or jazzy tools.
Jazz them up by adding extra flavours.
Some ideas:
- savoury: add fetta and spinach
- sweet: add raisins

Choc-Bananzacs.....recipe by Claire Hollingsworth

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats (regular oatmeal) uncooked
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
100 grams of choc chips (milk or dark, or a mix)
1 banana (cut into small chunks, or mashed)
2 tbsp golden syrup (or honey)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp boiling water

Preheat oven to 180 celcius.

Combine the flour (sifted), oats, coconut and sugar in a bowl.

Melt the butter and Golden Syrup in a saucepan over a low heat.

Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the water and add to the butter and Golden Syrup.

Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients and mix well, add banana and choc chips.

Dollop onto tray and cook for 15 - 20 minutes.

Grublover comment (Today's Grublover = Claire)
This is a variation on an old war time Aussie favourite treat- Anzacs. The only reason I added banana and chocolate was because I thought it'd be cool name - "choc-bananzac"...turns out they taste pretty good! Next time I'll add peanut butter - choc-peanut-buttanzacs, for kel and ange

Kelly is doing some slow cooking

Message from my pal Kelly Gillespie:




Hey,
we just got a slow cooker, do you have one? i'm going to back a black bean and beer braised pork dish... i'll let you know how it goes.





I am still waiting to hear how it went...I'll keep you posted!

Pork Chops with gnocchi and creamy sauce

2 pork chops, bash with mallet in bag to make thin
Fry in oil - 5 mins each side
Cook gnocchi
Take chops out

Pour into pan hot pan glassful cider
1 Tb grain mustard
Slosh in some cream (around 1/2 cup)
Stir - ends up being thin white sauce. don't have to cook for long.
Spoon sauce over chops

put gnocchi in pan with remaining sauce, stir and serve with pork chops

Linguine with mushrooms, thyme, lemon

100g mushrooms sliced
pour into bowl with 2 Tb olive oil
crush 1 clove garlic
zest and juice of small lemon
salt and pepper
thyme a few sprigs stripped
mush around

take 1 cup water out of pasta and set aside

drain pasta
pour into bowl and toss
pour hot water over top, toss more
generous amount parmesan grated over top
rip parsley over top

Nigella's Green Chicken Curry in a Hurry

heat vege oil in a wok. add garlic and ginger.
snip in 2 spring onions
add 2 Tb green curry paste
add 1kg chicken thighs and let cook
add coconut milk 1 jar
add some stock
add fish sauce 1 Tb
add frozen soya beans, peas (ok frozen)
fresh coriander chopped
add beans
squeeze lime over the top

My favourite Jenny Salad (crunchy chinese cabbage salad)

1/2 medium chinese cabbage, shredded
1 bunch shallots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
3/4 cup (60g) flaked almonds, toastsed
1/3 cup (55g) sunflower seeds, toasted
100g packet fried noodles (may be hard to find, can get at Claremont Fresh for those of you in Perth)

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce

Combine all ingredients except noodles and dressing in large bowl.
Just before serving add noodles and dressing. Toss well.

Dressing: combine all ingredients in a jar, shake well.

Grublover comment
I love it when Jenny makes this salad. It is really light and fresh and has a great crunch.

Spaghetti Caprese

I have always been a big fan of the Caprese salad - light, fresh and so summery and delicious.

Last night at Gino's Fremantle I tried for the first time Spaghetti Caprese - I can't believe I haven't been making this dish - so simple, and so delicious.

Spaghetti
Fresh tomato
Bocconcini (or mozzarella)
Freshly torn basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

While the spaghetti is cooking mix remaining ingredients. Drain pasta, reserving about half a cup of the cooking liquid. Mix the sauce through the pasta with the cooking liquid and serve!
The bocconcini will melt through the dish. Delicious! Serve with lots of freshly cracked pepper and parmesan cheese.

Fish Tacos

This summer I am looking forward to my dear friends Kelly and Tim returning and introducing me to the wonderful world of fish tacos. I have never had a fish taco, but I love fish and I love tacos and putting the two together sounds pretty damn good. See the email Kel sent me below:

I really really really want you to get into fish tacos. God they are good. This site goes into a lot of detail with actually making the tortilla, but good explanation of them: http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2006/06/baja_fish_tacos.html

"On an elemental level, the fish taco can be reduced to a very simple equation: Fish + Tortilla = Fish Taco.

From this perspective, there is little question that people have been eating fish tacos in the coastal areas of Mexico for an awfully long time. It probably goes back thousands of years to when indigenous North American peoples first wrapped the plentiful offshore catch into stone-ground-corn tortillas.

More recently, somewhere in Baja California, sometime in the last 30 or 40 years, someone concocted what is generally considered to be the prototypical fish taco. According to aficionados - call them the codnoscenti - this humble delicacy consists of a lightly battered mild white fish that is deep-fried, then served in a corn tortilla (often two) with shredded cabbage, a thin sour-cream- or mayonnaise-based sauce, a bit of salsa, and a most vital spritzito of lime."

I think this is a good recipe to start with: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/fish-tacos-recipe/index.html

I usually just make it up... but corriander is the key for me!

MMmmmmmmmmmm!

Chilli Con Carne - ole!

1 tbs peanut oil
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs ground coriander
2 tsp cayenne pepper
600g lean beef mince
1 x 400g can Italian diced tomatoes
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 x 300g can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
2 Tbs drained, chopped jalapeno chillies
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 x 250g carton light sour cream
3 green shallots, diagonally thinly sliced
handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves
rice, to serve

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until onion softens.

Add cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until it changes colour.

Stir in tomato, tomato paste and kidney beans. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and stir in chilli. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream, three-quarters of the green shallots and the coriander leaves in a small bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon rice and then chilli con carne into bowls. Top with a dollop of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with remaining green shallots. Serve immediately.

Grublover comment
I just love chilli con carne. Good, warm, comfort food, and so delicious! You can serve it in baked potatoes for something different - like the stuffed spud that keeps me going back to the Royal Show every year....
This is a really easy recipe and you can whip it up quickly for a weeknight meal. It is also very healthy - provided you use lean mince and light sour cream.

The BEST Moussaka

Serves 4-6












3 medium eggplants
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
500g minced lamb
1/2 cup red wine
1 Tb tomato paste
1 cup tomato sugo
4 Tb freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Tb lemon thyme
zest of one lemon, grated
1/2 inch piece of cinnamon, pounded
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cheese Sauce
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
1 and 1/4 cup full cream milk
1 cup chicken stock
Pinch grated nutmeg
2 Tb grated parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Crust
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 Tb chopped lemon thyme
1 Tb preserved lemon, skin only, finely chopped (use zest of one lemon as substitute)

Method
Cut eggplants into thin 1cm slices. Brush slices with oil, season with salt and into the oven at 250 C, or as hot as you can go, for 6-10 minutes or until golden.

Saute onion at moderate heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes. Put onion and garlic aside.

Salt and brown meat in batches at a high heat. Make sure it is hot and you don't overload the pan - you don't want to "boil" the meat.

Put all the meat back into the pan, add cinnamon, then the onion and garlic, tomato paste, deglaze with wine at a high temperature.

Turn temperature down and add lemon zest, tomato sugo, parsley, lemon thyme, and simmer for 20 minutes for flavour to combine. It should be quite a dry sauce.

To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and sprinkle the flour over it, stirring well to combine. Continue to cook for a little while until the flour colours slightly and loses the raw flavour. Remove from the heat and slowly add the milk, then the stock, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Return the pot to the heat and continue to cook until thickened - stirring hard until the sauce thickly coats the back of the spoon. Add the nutmeg and seasoning and lay some glad wrap over the sauce so it doesn't form a skin.

Layer the moussaka by first spraying a deep oven proof dish with non-stick cooking spray or evoo. Place a layer of eggplant on the bottom, then a layer of mince. Continue to layer eggplant and mix, finishing with a layer of eggplant. Pour the cheese sauce over the eggplant, then mix the crumb ingredients together and generously sprinkle this over the bechamel.

Bake in a pre-heated 200 degree C oven for half an hour.

Grublover comment
This recipe is from the Cook and the Chef. It is like a Greek lasagne and is absolutely delicious. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon flavours are very important so don't skip these ingredients. Delicious.

Seafood Stew

Serves 6










3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 small)
2 cups large-diced small white potatoes
2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups good white wine
1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 quart Seafood Stock (recipe follows) or store-bought fish stock
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (use the shells for the stock)
1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks
24 mussels, cleaned
3 tablespoons Pernod
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Toasted baguette slices, buttered and rubbed with garlic

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and sauté over medium - low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt to ¬taste. Serve ladled over one or two slices of toasted baguette.

Grublover comment
I just saw "Barefoot Contessa" cook this on her show. It looked absolutely fantastic and I have to make it! Let me know if you cook it before I do and tell me what it's like... I could almost smell it from the tv mmmmm

Summertime...

I am really excited about this summer.

For me, summer is all about the freshest salads, bursting with flavour; fish; juicy stone fruit; and barbeques, barbeques, barbeques.

I have really been getting into fish, and finding that it is actually not that expensive. Last night I bought myself a nice salmon steak for only $7 (less than the cost of a scotch fillet). I sprayed the flat side of my grillet with some olive oil spray, and then chargrilled the salmon and some zucchini rounds. Serve with a fresh rocket salad, drizzled with olive oil and vinegar, and a slice of lemon and da-daaaa you have a restaurant quality meal, at home, for only $7!!!!

Sooooo delicious and so healthy. Love that fish!

Cumin-roasted chicken with red capsicum jam

Serves 4

2 tsp ground cumin
2 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 x 1.6kg free-range chicken, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and thickly sliced
1/4 cup dry sherry

For the jam
1 onion, finely choped
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground allspice
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 red capsicums, deseeded and finely diced
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
100ml sherry vinegar
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup italian parsley, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 220C.

Mix the ground cumin with the salt and dried oregano and rub into the chicken quarters.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a heavy-based baking tray and brown the chicken with the onion slices.

Pour over the sherry and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Fry the chopped onion in 3 Tbsp olive oil with the paprika and allspice until softened. Stir through the capsicum and chilli and fry for 2 minutes before adding the soft brown sugar, sherry vinegar, tinned tomatoes and 1 tsp salt.

Simmer for 15-30 minutes until of a thick and jammy consistency.

Leave the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving with teh red capsicum jam, garnished with the roughly chopped Italian parsley.


Grublover comment
This savoury red capsicum jam recipe makes more than enough for one good meal. It would be delicious served with fish or steak.
Mum made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. Serve with a crisp green salad. Yum!
Recipe by Sophie Zalokar.

Baked seafood with coriander and coconut chutney

Serves 4

12 large prawns
1kg fresh mussels
8 scallops
400g firm white fish

Coriander and coconut chutney
115g flakey coconut
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds - roasted and ground
1 garlic clove
2.5 cm ginger
1 green chilli - seeds removed
1 bunch coriander
100ml coconut cream
Juice 1 lime plus wedges to serve

Preheat oven to 200c

Chutney
Process coriander seeds, garlic ginger and salt. Add chilli and blend. Add coconut to blender, 2/3 of fresh coriander and some coconut milk to make a paste. Stir in coconut milk and lime juice. Season to taste.

Make an envelope for each person with 2 layers of baking paper or an inside layer of baking paper and alfoil on the outside (easier to shape). Share the seafood and chutney between the envelopes. Bake for about 10 minutes or until seafood cooked.

Serve in envelopes on large plate with a lip - be careful when opening that the steam does not burn. there will be quite a lot of delicious juice that will have formed.

Garnish with reserved coriander and lime wedges.

This chutney would also be delicious on a whole baked fish or even just mussels alone.

Grublover comment
This recipe was in the October edition of Delicious magazine. Mum made it for us on Thursday night and it was absolutely delicious. Check out the review at: EveonKeane

Lamb Fillet

Serves 2

200g (one fillet) lamb fillet

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1 small tub low fat yoghurt

1 x 400g can chick peas, drained

1/2 red onion, sliced finely

2 tomatoes (or 10-15 cherry tomatoes), chopped into cubes

1/2 large cucumber, chopped into cubes

1 lemon

1 clove garlic

handful fresh mint

Mix the coriander and cumin with half of the yoghurt and rub into the meat. Leave to marinate for 1 hour and go for a walk or a swim!

To make the salad combine the chick peas, onion, tomato and cucumber. It is good to chop all of these ingredients around the same size or a little larger than the chick peas (except the onion which should be sliced finely). Squeeze a lemon over the top of the salad and rip the mint up into it. Season and toss to combine.

Crush the garlic clove into the yoghurt, add a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of cumin for flavour.

Take the fillet and cook on a very hot grill pan (you can use the flat or the grill side, but the pan must be really hot. you don't want it to stew). Cook for around 3-4 minutes each side.

Take the meat off and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meat and serve with a dollop of yoghurt and some salad. The meat should be tender and pink in the centre.

Grublover comment

This is such an easy, cheap, low-fat and delicious meal. Winner all round. Last night I got home, raced to the butcher and bought the lamb for just $12 and then whipped this up using things in the cupboard. It tasted delicious. Make sure you have a nice hot grill pan to cook it on, and the bbq would be even better.

mmmm bacon

Haslett’s Banana Bread

4 oz butter
4 oz caster sugar
8 oz SR flour
3 overripe bananas, mashed (the blacker, the better)
vanilla essence
3 eggs
approx 8 Tb milk
Optional: sultanas, apple, walnut, lemon

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, banana, flour.

Add milk to right consistency - wet, but not runny.

Add goodies - sultanas, apple, walnut, squeeze lemon.

Bake 180 degrees for 40 minutes.

Lamont’s Wine Store Cottesloe

Monday to Saturday 11am to midnight and Sunday 11am till 10pm

12 Station Street, Cottesloe

Telephone 08 9385 0666

My love affair with Amano cooking school, run by the delightful Bev Sprague, was ended about six months ago when it was announced that Bev was shutting up shop, and Kate Lamont would be opening a new wine store, taking advantage of the small liquor licenses so furiously fought for in Perth.

The concept is really clever - you can use Lamont’s Cottesloe as a wine store -simply to pick up a bottle and enjoy at home - or as a bar to enjoy a quiet drink, or as a restaurant to sample some of the delights from their tapas menu.

Last night we visited to dine and had a great experience. The space itself is quite small, and you sit pretty close to your fellow diners, however they have done a great job with the fit out so the acoustics are really good and there is no issue with noise.

Mum started with a sherry, and the rest of us a bottle of Pinot Noir from Pemberton, the Picardy 2006. I really enjoyed the pinot. Uniquely, as it is a wine store you are not limited to the wine list, but can choose any wine in the store. My only criticism was that the waitress didn’t know much about the wines (and at this sort of place that should be the first thing they learn). One of the other waitresses also commented that she “does not eat that stuff” when I asked her about the tuna cerviche…

We noticed some crystals in the glass on pouring the pinot, and the owner sat with us and explained how the crystals are formed, and often if you shine a torch into a barrel it will be like a jewelled cave.

We ordered a variety of tapas:

french onion soup with gruyere toasts (8.50)
wagyu beef and mushroom pie (14.50)
fried marron, pepper and garlic dust (15.50)
tuna cerviche with creme fraiche (14.50)
confit duck salad, mandarin oil (11.50)
The food was fresh, simple and absolutely delicious. The open kitchen set up is great because it is really nice to watch the chef prepare the dishes (most of which are pre-cooked, and simply plated and dressed at the counter). Dad of course complained that they are charging main course prices for entree sized food but that is the nature of tapas.

Dessert was macaroons, pan forte and cappucinos.

A great experience. Well worth trying.

Easy peasy spaghetti wtih lemon, chilli, garlic and rocket

Serves 4

750g fresh spaghetti, linguini or fettucini
3-4 Tb olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tb baby capers
1.5 tsp dried chilli flakes or 3 fresh red chillies, seeded and sliced (alter to taste)
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
3 Tb lemon juice
3-4 cups roughly torn rocket leaves (or basil)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
cracked black pepper

Cook spaghetti in a saucepan of rapidly boiling water until it is al dente.
While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the garlic and capers and saute for 1 minute.
Add chillies, lemon rind and juice and cook for another minute.
Drain pasta and add it to the pan with rocket and parmesan. Toss to combine and serve with a generous sprinkling of black peppper and a glass of wine.

Grublovers comment
Danny and I make this all the time. Whenever we don’t know what to make and we don’t want to go shopping, this is the answer. You can tailor it to your ingredients on hand - substitute spinach for the rocket, add anchovies, capers, olives. You can also add some spicy sausage e.g. chorizo, if you feel like some meat. Use your imagination and come up with any fantastic dish. As long as you have that basic oil, chilli and garlic combination it will be a winner.
I like to use a full flavoured olive oil - like Jingili of Western Australia.

Graduation chocolate rasberry dessert cake

Serves 8-10

185g (6 oz) butter
185g (6 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups caster sugar
1 cup plain flour
2/3 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup rasberries

Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted, then cool slightly.
Place eggs, vanilla extract and sugar in a bowl and beat until mixture is light and thick. Fold through flours, almond meal, chocolate mixture and half the rasberries.
Pour mixture in a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin lined with baking paper. Sprinkle over remaining rasberries.
Cook for 180 degrees (350 F) oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until top of cake is firm to touch. Cool cake before cutting, and serve with strong espresso, extra rasberries and thick cream.

Grublover comment
The rasberries give a delicious moistness and flavour to chocolate cakes. Divinely decadent. One of the girls made it on our graduation vacation and I had to have the recipe.

Cutting dried chillies

Dried chillies are often leathery and can be difficult to cut with a knife. A pair of scissors does the job with ease. To begin, snip off and discard the stem. Beginning at the stem end, cut chile lengthwise in half. Use your fingers to brush out seeds from inside chile halves. Cut seeded halves into thin stripes that can be toasted, stir-fried, or added to sauces and salsas.

In fact, I find my kitchen scissors really handy and use them to cut many things from herbs, to pizza. Try them out.

The Best Lemon Butter

4 egg yolks
1 cup of sugar
100 grams butter or marg
juice of 3 lemons
rind of 2 lemons



Beat eggs with sugar and put in a saucepan with butter and lemon juice.

Stir over low heat until the mixture is the consistency of honey , add the lemon rind.

Store in jars in the fridge.

Grublover comment
I have always been a big big fan of lemon butter. It is similar to the tart curd you find in lemon meringue pie. It is a really great way to get rid of the 1000s of lemons popping up on trees all over perth. I love it spreaded thickly on a piece of toast. It is also delicious and very handy to spread on tarts, or as a filling for cakes, or serve with a meringue and some cream..Yum!

Birthday Salad

Handful of cos lettuce
Handful of roquette
One pear sliced
Crumbled/cubed blue cheese
Caramelised pecans (put a dessert spoon of sugar and a cup of pecans in a dry saucepan – when sugar starts to melt give the pecans a toss – leave for about a minute on the heat and then allow to cool)
Avocado
Your favourite version of a classic French dressing

Jill would add smoked chicken (shredded) if this was a meal rather than a side salad. Smoked chickens can be bought from any good supermarket. They are usually in an airtight packet and the meat can just be cut off the bone).

The salad is pretty versatile – you could add spinach or basil or cucumber as well if you like however I like to keep it looking very green (no carrot, tomatoes or red capsicum).

Grublover comment
Jessica made me this delicious salad for my birthday yesterday. The caramelised pecans are a winner - so sweet, going perfectly with the bite of the blue cheese. Yum!

How to make a French dressing…by Jess Anderson

wholegrain mustard (or Dijon)
sugar
garlic
balsamic vinegar (can be replaced by lemon juice, red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar)
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
finely chopped spring onions (optional)

Sometimes I add two types of vinegar or two types of mustard.

There are 2 main things to remember:

1. Always put the oil in last. The sugar needs to dissolve in the vinegar, and the garlic needs to loosen up a bit in the acid. Pour the oil in while whisking with a fork and this will make it more like a dressing/sauce (a bit like how you make mayonnaise).

2. Always taste it before you put it over the salad otherwise you could be kicking yourself.

Tasty vegetable stack

recipe coming soon...piccy in the meantime

Sticky date pud

I made the best sticky date the other day. Unfortunately didn’t get the recipe down. Recipe coming soon, in the meantime here is a pic to tempt you…

Blueberry Crumb Bars

3 cups plain flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup white sugar
4 tsp cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (180 C). Butter and flour a 9 x 13 baking pan.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.

Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut into the butter until the butter is in pieces no larger than a pea then mix in the egg. Or you can do this in a food processor. The dough will be crumbly but stick together when you squeeze it. Pat half of the dough into the pan.

In another bowl, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Add the blueberries and gently toss them to coat. Pour the blueberry mixture on top of the dough in the pan. Then crumble the rest of the dough evenly over the surface of the berries.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned. Cool completely then cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar if preferred. Can be stored in the fridge for a few days.

Grublover comment
I haven’t had a chance to make these yet but they look so easy and delicious. Will definitely be trying them when my sweet tooth gets fired up.

Gordon Ramsay’s Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 6



80ml olive oil
2 large onions, grated
4 garlic cloves, garted
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1kg minced lamb
100g mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tb tomato puree
250mL chicken stock
100mL red wine
large dash worcestershire sauce
1 Tb thyme, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped

For the mashed potato topping:
1.2kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
150g butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 egg yolks
50g parmesan cheese, grated
olive oil

Pre- heat the oven to 200°C.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onions, garlic carrots until golden. Season then add the rosemary, cook for approx 5 minutes. In a separate pan cook the minced meat until browned, add the thyme leaves, stirring constantly to break up the meat and ensure it cooks evenly. When the mince is browned, remove from the pan and place on a lined plate to remove excess fat, add the mushrooms to this pan and sauté for approx 5 minutes or until lightly golden.

Add the tomato puree and the cooked mince to the carrots and onions pour over the red wine and reduce by approx half. Season with a little salt and pepper then add the stock and a good dash of Worcestershire sauce. Gently simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the meat is cooked and the mixture has thickened. Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof serving dish.

Boil the potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes until softened. Drain and cover with a lid to steam ‘dry’ and reduce any excess moisture. Add the butter and egg yolks and mash thoroughly, grate half the parmesan into the potato and mix well. Don’t allow the potato to become too wet or they won’t crisp up nicely in the oven. Season.

Spoon the potato mixture over the meat, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden.

Grublover comment
Last night I got into Gordon Ramsay’s show ‘the F Word’ and he made a few really quick, simple recipes that looked delicious. I love cooking where quantities and time doesn’t matter so much so I can quickly knock something up without thinking and measuring.

Gordon Ramsay's Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint and Goats Cheese

Another delicious and simple meal Gordon Ramsay made was this beautiful roast leg of lamb.




2.7kg Legs of Lamb (boned and butterflied)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
olive oil (for drizzling)
large handful of mint
firm goat’s cheese, half frozen
6 cloves garlic, grated
few sprigs of rosemary
twine

Preheat oven to 220 C.

Put the lamb on a board and open it out. Season with salt and pepper. Rub with olive oil. Scatter the inside generously with fresh mint leaves, rubbing the leaves into the meat.

Grate the goats cheese and then garlic over the lamb.

Roll the lamb up to form a nice long sausage shape. Secure the joint in place with some kitchen string at 3-4cm intervals. Tuck some rosemary sprigs under the knots of string around the lamb.

Scatter baking tray with some sprigs of rosemary and lay the lamb on top. Season and drizzle with olive oil.

Roast for 20 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 190 C and continue to roast, allowing 20 minutes per 450g, basting every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let to rest.

Cut in thick slices and serve with mint and lemon vinaigrette.

Mint and lemon vinaigrette
6 Tb olive oil
handful of mint, finely chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

Pour oil into a small mixing bowl. Add the mint and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the lemon juice, until emulsified.

Noodles in Beijing

Mum sent me this pic of these yummy looking noodles she tried in Beijing. Looks like it is full of dumplings…look forward to hearing all about this and other foods she has tried (including the dog, labelled “mutton”) when she returns.

Lamb backstrap

Last night I wanted something quick and easy to go with some simple roast veges.

Lamb backstrap was the perfect solution. I bought enough for two (one long strip) for about $14, rubbed it with some salt, rosemary, garlic and olive oil, heated up the pan and fried it for about 5 minutes each side.

I then sliced the lamb and served it with the veges and a salsa made from apple, red onion, garlic and lemon juice.

Delicious.

The meat itself is really tender and delicious - and can be cooked in so many different ways.

Chinese Delights...

Mum is in Beijing at the moment and sent me this mouth-watering? picture of steamed cattle lung. Mmmmmm

Anderson Fresh Date and Pecan Cake

4 egg whites
230g sugar
150g fresh dates
75g dried apricots
100g pecans or walnuts

Chop all ingredients into large pieces.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Gradually add sugar.

Add dates, apricots, pecans.
Fold together and spoon into buttered 20cm tart tin.

Bake at 170 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Remove from oven.
Run a knife around collar and cool.
Remove collar.

Top with 300ml stiffly whipped cream (optional).

Danny's Birthday Orange and Almond Meal Cake

2 whole oranges, washed
6 eggs
250g almond meal
250g white sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven 180 degrees.
Boil oranges for 2 hours (can do the night before).
Take them out of the water, cut open and remove pips.
Put oranges whole in blender and whizz.
Beat 6 eggs in separate bowl.
Add almond meal, sugar, oranges, baking powder.
Mix or beat thoroughly.
Bake 1 hour in 180 degree oven.
Cake tin around 22cm (standard size).
Dust with icing sugar.

Serve with greek yoghurt and strawberries.

Grilled Veges

Grilled veges are a great way to beat hunger pains - especially in the winter months when you are craving something warm, comforting and delicious.

I like to heat up my Le Creusset griddle pan, slice some eggplant, zucchini, tomato and all of those other meaty vegetables, brush them with a yummy olive oil and grill them until they are soft and marked by the charcoal stains of the pan.
Mmmmmmmmm! So delicious and really good for you.

Serve with freshly ground seasalt and some cracked pepper, and even some chopped fresh herbs.

Grublover comment
This is a fabulous snack, or side dish, especially if you are watching your weight.
Most vegetables have little or no fat - my favourites - eggplant, zucchini and tomato are all virtually fat free. Use your imagination and use other veges like squash or fennel, and pour some capers over the top to sizzle with the veges for some extra flavour.
You won't need a lot of oil but it's worth it for that extra flavour.

How good is Steak!!

Steak is such a simple and scrummy meal and there is 1000 ways you can jazz it up so it is better than restaurant quality.

Here is what I did last night after buying a porterhouse on the way home and using whatever was lying around...

Brush 1 teaspoon of olive oil into the steak and rub in some tuscan seasoning (you can make your own tuscan seasoning by chopping some rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper, or just use the Masterfoods one) and chilli flakes if you like it hot.

Heat a griddle pan (the ones with the lines) and put the steak on. Slice some tomatoes and whack those on too. Add some capers and a few marinated olives. Pour a splash of worschestire sauce over the top and enjoy the beautiful aromas.

In the meantime cook some veges in boiling water - last night I had some asparagus - I like to cook asparagus al dente - make sure it's still crunchy and bright green.

Cook steak to your liking, remove from heat and rest.

Place tomato, capers and olive mixture on steak, serve with the veges.

Grublover comment
This is the easiest meal and is ready in less than 10 minutes. Hassle free and tastes absolutely delicious.

The pic is of my Le Creusset griddle pan - one of my favourite items in the kitchen. It is also fantastic for cooking healthy grilled veges!

Spinach and leek frittata

Serves 4

1 x 3 second spray olive oil spray
250g baby spinach leaves
1 leek, thinly sliced
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp cornflour
100 ml skim milk
2 Tbs grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a 20cm square non-stick cake tin with oil. Line base with baking paper.

Cook spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, or until just wilted. Drain and squeeze out any excess water. Allow to cool, then roughly chop.

Cook leek for 3 minutes in same cooking water. Drain and allow to dry. Scatter spinach and leek into bottom of tin.

Beat eggs with cornflour and milk. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pour this mixture over vegetables, pressing down with back of a fork. Scatter over cheese and bake for 20 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out. Serve warm, cut into wedges with a green salad.

Grublover comment
This is a great basic recipe which you can change depending on what's in season and what you love to eat - I like to add mushrooms, red capsicum and fresh parsley.
It's also a great recipe for work lunches.

Apricots Kastellorizo

Gisèle invented this recipe while on holiday in Kazi. Apricots stewed with honey, flavoured with a little ouzo and served on Greek style yoghurt.

Doesn't it look delicious!