Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Roasting the pumpkin until it caramelises

gives this soup the sweetest flavour.

 

 

 

Ingredients

2 x 1kg whole butternut pumpkins

1 brown onion, cut in wedges

olive oil spray

sea salt flakes

2 to 3 cups of chicken stock (I use salt reduced)

1 Tbsp honey

Sour Cream & Chives, to serve

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees

 

Cut the pumpkins in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds

 

Place pumpkins, cut side up and onion wedges on a baking lined baking tray

 

Drizzle with pumpkins with honey, spray with oil olive and sprinkle with sea salt

 

Bake for 55 - 60 minutes or until the pumpkin is just soft and starting to brown

 

Remove tray from oven

 

Scoop the pumpkin out of the skin into a blender

 

Add the onion wedges and 1 cup of chicken stock to the blender

 

Blend until smooth

 

Pour the pumpkin mixture into a saucepan, place over a medium heat

 

Add the remaining stock slowly, mixing until you the soup reaches a consistency you are happy with (you can add 1/2 cup pouring cream should you choose)

 

Leave on the stovetop until the soup is heated through

 

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives



My Laksa ...... a great simple recipe

Making laksa from scratch can be quite dauting.

This recipe uses a laksa paste, which I "customised"

to make a yummy laksa with a thai twist!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

8 Chicken Tenderloins, poached in chicken or vegetable stock

1 Tbsp Oil

1 Salad Onion, chopped in a food processor to make a paste

230g Laksa Paste (I use Volcom)

400ml Coconut Milk (I use light)

375ml Water

1 Cup of Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 Pkt of firm tofu, sliced

300g Green Prawns, peeled and deveined

1 Packet Rice vermicelli Noodles, cooked to packet instructions

4 Bok Choy, cut into 2cm pieces

2 Handfuls of Bean Sprouts

To Serve: (optional)

1 Lime, cut into quarters

Fried Onions

Coriander, roughly chopped

Red Chilli, roughly chopped (if you like more spice)

METHOD

Poach the chicken tenderloins in stock, and shred.

Heat the oil in a stock pot over a medium-high heat. Add the red oinon paste and fry until until slightly caramelised.

Add the laksa paste, and fry until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk and water bring to the boil.

Add the bok choy, and mushrooms boil for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

At this point, taste the soup, and if it isn't spicy enough add the chopped red chilli.

Add the prawns and tofu, cook for a further 4 minutes.

Add the shredded chicken and stir combine.

Turn the heat off, and cover.

To Serve:

Divide noodles amongst the 4 serving bowls.

Ladle the laksa mixture over the noodles.

Top with serve immediately.

Crispy Salmon with Asian Jus

This is a very simple but delicious dish!

All the flavours work so well together;

I just love the horseradish and nutmeg in the mash,

it really compliments my asian jus. 

A great home dinner party meal to WOW your guests.



INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

4 x 200g Salmon Fillets (I like to have the skin on)

For the Mash:
750g Sweet Potato, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Tbsps Butter
1 Tbsp Horseradish Cream
1 Tsp Nutmeg
Pepper to Taste

Asian Jus:
3 Tbsps Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbsps Mirin (Found int he Asian section of the supermarket)

To Serve:
2 Tbsps Shallots (green part only) or Chives, finely chopped
Steamed Broccolini (optional)


METHOD

Over a high heat, half fill a medium saucepan with water and a little salt. Add the sweet potato. Cook until firm. Fork should pass through.

While the potatoes are cooking, check there are no bones in salmon fillets. Remove if necessary.

When potatoes are cooked, drain and put in a bowl, mash well with butter, horseradish, pepper & nutmeg. Cover bowl.

Season salmon skin side up with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick fry pan coated with oil spray over a high heat.

Add salmon skin side down and cook for 3 minutes or until skin is crispy.

Turn the salmon over. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes or until salmon is cooked to your liking.

For the Jus:
Add the balsamic vinegar & mirin to small frying pan. Stir over a medium heat for 30 seconds, allowing the liquid to reduce slightly.

To Serve:
Place a mound of mash onto each serving plate. Put the salmon on top and then spoon the jus over the salmon. Garnish with the finely chopped chives.

Baja Fish Soft Tacos

These tacos are a classic South Californian cuisine.

We love them!



If you haven't tried them, you simply must.

These tacos are simple, full of fresh flavours, healthy and something different!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

Baja Sauce:1/4 Cup Sour Cream (I use extra light)
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Mexican Seasoning (Old El Paso Chilli Seasoning)
1 Small Jalapeño Pepper or Green Chilli, seeded & diced
1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 Cup Coriander, coarsely chopped

500g Snapper, or a firm white fish fillet, cut into 2cm pieces
1 Bottle Mexican Beer
3/4 Packet Old El Paso Chilli Seasoning (use 1 Tbsp in Baja Sauce)

2 Cups of Panko Breadcrumb

Oil Spray

12 Corn Tortillas, warmed
1 Lime, cut into wedges
2 Cups Cabbage, shredded
1/2 Red Onion, cut into strips

To Serve: (Optional)

Tomato & Avocado Salsa

METHOD

Prepare Baja Sauce: Combine all ingredients; stir well. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Place fish in a heavy-duty large plastic ziplock bag. Combine bottle of beer and seasoning in a bowl. Pour into ziplock bag with fish pieces; seal and chill 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Drain fish, discard marinade.

Place breadcrumbs in shallow bowl. Coat fish in batches.

Place on a lined baking tray. Spray with a light coat of oil.

Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

To Make Up Tacos:

Place 2 to 3 pieces of fish on each tortilla.

Squeeze lime wedges over fish; top with cabbage, onion and optional salsa.

Drizzle with baja sauce and serve immediately.


Optional Tomato & Avocado Salsa
2 Tomatoes, deseeded, and diced
1 Avocado diced
1/4 Cup Coriander, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Lime Juice

Mix all ingredients together gently until well combined.



Grilled Crispy Skinned Salmon with Asparagus

This is an award winning meal, for very little effort.

For those worried about cooking salmon or ocean trout:
this method is foolproof ..... and so flavourful!

  

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

2 x 175g Salmon Fillets, skin on

Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

3 Tbsps Butter, softened and divided

1 Tsps Lemon Zest, finely grated

2 Tbsps Lemon Juice

2 Tsps Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Tarragon Leaves, roughly chopped

1 Bunch of Asparagus, trimmed

Optional:

Risotto Cake, Mash Potato or Boiled Chat Potatoes, to serve with for a heartier meal.

  

METHOD

Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper. Place skin side up and rub 1 1/2 tablespoons softened butter all over the skin of the salmon.

Transfer the salmon, buttered side up, to a lined oven tray. Chill in the fridge to firm the butter, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the grill to high.

Bring to the boil and large fry pan of salted water.

Place the salmon about 10cms from the heat source and cook until the skin is crispy and the fish is cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes.

In a small saucepan over moderate heat, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard and tarragon leaves.

Now blanch the asparagus in a pan of light salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes or until just tender. Drain well, and keep warm.

Divide the asparagus between 2 plates and place 1 piece of salmon on top of each asparagus bundle, spoon sauce over the salmon.

Serve immediately.

This is the best method to get crispy skin on fish ever!

San Choy Bow Noodle Platter

For a delicious taste of Asia, serve up this
Chicken San Choy Bow platter with noodles.

This platter is perfect for a casual weekend lunch
or a tasty help yourself mid week dinner!

Everytime this is served at our house, it receives RAVE reviews!

 

Best of all so simple and extremely impressive!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 to 5)

Bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 20 mins

12 to 15 Chicken Tenderloins

Satay Sauce

1/2 Cup Coriander, stalks and leaves

1 Red Chilli

1 Garlic Clove

3 Tbsps Crunchy Peanut Butter

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2cm Piece of Ginger, finely chopped

2 Limes, zest and juice

 

Noodle Salad

250g Dried Egg Noodles

100g Unsalted Cashew Nuts

1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced

1/2 Cup Coriander, stalks and leaves

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Lime, juice of

1 Tsp Sesame Oil

1 Tsp Fish Sauce

1 Tsp Honey

To Serve

1 Birdseye Chilli, chopped in Soy Sauce

2 Baby Cos Lettuce, washed and tailed

 

METHOD

Noodle Salad
Cook noodles according to packet directions.
Roughly chop cashew nuts.
Place a small fry pan over a medium heat. Dry fry the cashews until well roasted.
In a small lidded jar, combine soy sauce, lime juice, oil, fish sauce and honey, shake until well combined. Set aside.
Combine drained noodles, nuts, coriander and onion together in a large serving bowl.
Dress immediately before serving.

Skewers
Thread each tenderloin onto an individual skewer.
BBQ or pan fry on medium to high heat in a large fry pan for 5 minutes each side, or until cooked through to your liking.

Satay Sauce
Combine all ingredients into a food processor, whiz until well combined into a thick sauce consistency. Add 1 to 2 Tbsps of water if necessary.
Place into a small serving bowl, ready serve.

To Serve

Arrange lettuce cups, chicken skewers, lime wedges, satay sauce and chilli soy sauce on a platter.

Serve immediately with noodle salad, san choy bow style!

Smoked Salmon Omelette

This is the breakfast of Queens,

the lunch of Dames,

and the supper of Divas.

You'll struggle to find a more sophisticated omelette!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

6 Eggs

2 Tbsps Trim Milk
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Tbsps Butter

60g Cream Cheese, cut into small bits

100g Thinly Sliced Smoked Salmon or Trout, cut into 1-inch long thin strips
2 Tbsps Red Onion, finely diced
2 Tsps Small Capers, drained

To Serve:

Snippets of fresh dill, for garnish

Thinly Sliced Lemon

 

METHOD

 

Preheat the grill and arrange the oven rack in the highest position.

Put the eggs, half-and-half, cream cheese, capers, red onion, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk until frothy.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat.

Pour in the egg mixture and let sit until the bottom starts to cook.

Using a rubber spatula, slowly push the cooked egg from 1 side of the skillet to the other, allowing the raw egg to reach the bottom and cook--this creates fluffiness and keeps the bottom from burning.

When the omelette is cooked on the bottom, but it is still runny on top, place the skillet just under the grill with the oven door open and the handle sticking out, and grill until the omelette rises and browns lightly, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, flip the omelet in the skillet and cook briefly, to finish.)

Place a plate, which is larger than the omelette pan on top of the fry pan, then flip together 180 degrees.

Scatter the sliced smoked salmon or trout over the omelette.

Serve with optional extras on a platter with a spatula and knife. Cut this up like a pizza.