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.

Lamb, Pumpkin & Spinach Autumn Salad

Easy into the cooler months with this warm lamb salad

So why not spruce up tonight's table with these great autumn flavours.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

2 Tbsps Oil

750g Butternut Pumpkin, peeled, cut into 3-5cm wedges
1 Red Onion, peeled, cut into wedges
2 Zucchini, sliced
Salt & Freshly ground pepper
2 Lamb Fillets (approx 500 to 600g) 
1 Tbsp BBQ Seasoning
100g Baby Spinach
1/4 to 1/2 Danish Feta, crumbled

Honey Soy Dressing
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Honey
2 Tbsps Wholegrain Mustard
1 Garlic Clove, crushed

METHOD

In a small lidded jar, combine all dressing ingredients, shake until well combined. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Place the pumpkin, onion and zucchini in a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Toss with 1/2 the oil and season. Bake for 40 minutes.

Preheat a chargrill or large fry pan over a medium-high heat.

Sprinkle the lamb with the seasoning and drizzle with remaining oil. Cook for 2 minutes each side.

Place on a baking tray and bake in the oven for a further 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

Cover with foil and allow to rest before slicing.

Toss the roasted vegetables, lamb and baby spinach in a large bowl.

Divide among four plates.

Drizzle with the dressing and then sprinkle with the feta cheese.

Serve immediately.



My No Fuss Pea & Ham Soup

This is my all time favourite soup.

I always asked my Nan to make this soup for me whenever we visited,

regardless of the season! 

I believe I have captured my childhood in this no fuss recipe.

My Mum, shares my love of this classic soup,
and she thinks this version is so tasty!

Above all, this is a great satisfying meal for lunch or dinner,
and so easy to freeze in single portions!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

500g Green Split Peas

1 Tbsp Oil
2 Carrots, peeled, grated
2 Sticks Celery, trimmed, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
700g Ham Hock (approx) 
2L (8 cups) Cold Water or Vegetable Stock (half/half works well too)
2 Bay Leaves 
4 Thyme Sprigs, leaves removed from sprigs
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

To Serve: (Optional)
Dollop of Greek Style Yoghurt
Crusty Bread Rolls
Thinly Sliced Shallots
1 Tsp Mint, coarsely chopped


METHOD

Rinse split peas under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain.

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion softens.

Add split peas, ham hock and water or stock.

Bring to the boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 2 1/2 hours or until ham hocks are tender and the meat is falling away from the bones. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. (Add extra stock or water if you feel necessary)

Remove bay leaves.

Remove ham hock from pan. Remove the meat from bones. Coarsely chop meat and set aside.

Place one-third of the pea mixture in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.

Return to pan with ham. Repeat with remaining pea mixture, until all is processed.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium to high heat for 5 minutes or until hot.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and serve immediately with optional extras and crusty bread rolls.

My Thai Pad See Ew

Pad See Ew is a Thai noodle dish that is made with flat rice noodles,

also known as "river noodles".

Pad See Ew can be made with chicken, pork, seafood or beef.

This noodle dish is truly Asian comfort food at its best.

Thai river noodles make a healthy and energy-giving lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

200g Chicken Breast, strips

200g Green Prawns, shelled and deveined

2 Tbsps Light Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce

1 Tbsp Raw Sugar

1 Bunch of Bok Choy, chopped into 1cm lengths (stems and leaves separated)

2 Eggs

200g Pad Thai Thick Rice Noodles

To Served (optional):

Chopped Chilli

METHOD

Prepare noodles according to packet instructions.

Heat your wok over a medium to high heat. Add the oil.

When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chicken and stir fry for 3 minutes.

Add the light soy, dark soy, fish sauce, sugar and stems of bok choy. Stir Fry for a further 3 minutes.

Add the prawns, and stir fry until they turn pink in colour.

Make a hole in the middle of the mixture, crack the eggs into this hole. Cook for a few minutes, then break them up using a wooden or spatula, and combine all ingredients well.

Add the noodles and bok choy leaves to the wok, and combine gently. Ensure they are well coated with sauce.

Remove from wok from heat.

Serve immediately with chopped chilli if desired.



Asian Cucumber Side Salad

This sweet and spicy Asian cucumber salad is a quick and easy side dish.

It's cool and refreshing, cucumbers are the perfect

accompaniment to curry or intensely spiced meal.

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsps Rice Vinegar
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
2 Lebanese Cucumbers
1 Tbsp Chives, snipped (Coriander roots can also be used)


METHOD

In a small lidded jar, combine soy, vinegar, sugar, oil and chives. Shake until well combined.

Peel cucumbers lengthwise into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler or mandolin.

Toss cucumber with dressing and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cheat's Red Curry Prawns and Scallops

This is a red curry for the time poor.

It is on your table within 20 minutes, and tastes absolutely delicious.

This is also a great curry sauce to use with fish, chicken or pork.

The cucumber side salad is a great palette refresher, truly Asian inspired.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

1 Tbsp Oil

3 Tbsps Good Quality Red Curry Paste (I used Simon Johnson)

300ml Coconut Milk

200ml Water

1 Tsp Sugar (palm or raw preferred)

500g Green Prawns, peeled and deveined

500g Scallops (no roe)

250g Green Beans, topped and tailed, cut into 3cm lengths

1 Lime, juice of

2 Kaffir lime leaves, shredded

1/4 Cup, Coriander, finely chopped

To Serve:

1 Lime, quartered

Steamed Rice

Cucumber Salad

METHOD

Heat the oil in a large fry pan over a medium heat.

Add the curry paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk, water, kaffir lime leaves and green beans. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. This allows the flavours to develop. Additional water can be added to adjust the taste to your liking.

Add the prawns, and simmer for a further 4 minutes, or until the prawns a nearly cooked through.

Add the scallops, along with the lime juice and coriander. Stir gently to combine. Simmer for an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until all the seafood is cooked through.

Serve with steamed rice, a quarter of lime and the cucumber side salad.