Recipes - Roast Capsicum Dip

I love dips as there are a million different recipes, using thousands of ingredients and hundreds of ways to use them. This Roast Capsicum Dip is spicy and flavoursome, simple and quick to whip up (once the capsicums are roasted).  I am yet to serve it as a dip, but I have used it as an element of a canape, the base of a pasta sauce and a flavouring for rice.  So it's highly versatile as well as delicious. 

Ingredients

3 capsicums, roasted (about 300g once roasted)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbs olive oil

salt, to season

Step 1 - Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.

Step 2 - Use 3 or 4 short pulses to combine. Serve warm or cold.

Recipes - Bruschetta

Like many things bruschetta is all about balance.  Everyone has had bruschetta before but how often do you have good bruschetta?  I think this recipe is pretty amazing as the balance of flavours in spot on.  

Ingredients

1kg tomatoes, deseeded, finely diced

1/2 small spanish onion, finely diced

1 clove gaarlic, crushed

1/4 cup basil leaves, finely chopped

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 sourdough baguette, cut into 1cm slices

salt and pepper, to

balsamic glaze, to serve

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.  Spray a flat tray with olive oil.
Step 2 - Distribute bread over tray and spray will olive oil. Bake for 7-8 minutes, turning halfway through.  Remove from oven and set aside.
Step 3 - Place tomatoes, garlic, spanish onion and basil in a bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season well with salt and pepper.  Gently fold to combine.
Step 4 - Place bread slices on a serving tray and spoon a liberal amount of the tomato mixture on top of each.  Drizzle with a little balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

Recipes - Beef Noodle Salad

Want a delicious flavoursome salad that's a bit different?  Look no further.  I love Asian flavours but am not overly experienced with Asian cooking so I loved the simplicity of this dish.  The dressing is a perfect example of the four key asian flavours; sweet, sour, salty and spicy. 

Ingredients

400g beef rump steak

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs ginger, finely grated

1 clove garlic, crushed

250g bean thread vermicelli noodles (glass noodles)

1 bunch baby bok choy, halved or quartered

1/2 cup coriander

1/4 cup Vietnamese mint

1/4 cup mint

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced (seeds and pith may be removed to reduce spiciness)

2 limes, juiced

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 tbs palm sugar, finely shaved 

1 tbs sesame seeds

Step 1 - Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic in a ceramic or glass bowl and whisk to combine.  Place beef in bowl and turn a few times to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once.

Step 2 -  Drizzle a grill pan with a little olive oil and heat over high.  Grill beef for 2-5 minutes each side, depending on thickness of cut and how you like your beef cooked.  Remove from heat and set aside for five minutes to rest.

Step 3 - Bring a full kettle of water to the boil. Place boky choy and noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over.  Cover and sit for two minutes, then drain and return noodles and bok choy to the bowl. 

Step 4 - Lightly toast sesame seeds in a dry pan or under an overhead grill. Set aside.

Step 5 - Place chilli, lime juice, fish sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl and whisk until combined.  Pour over noodles.

Step 6 - To serve, slice beef into thin strips and add to noodles along with herbs.  Toss until combined and transfer to serving dishes.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Recipes - Poached Salmon

Salmon is a delicious fish and very healthy.  Poaching is a great cooking method for salmon as it upholds the integrity of the fish through the gentle cooking and doesn't add any fats or oils. Through poaching you can either enhance the natural flavour of the salmon by adding simple flavourings or complement the flavour by adding more punchy ingredients.  This recipe enhances the natural flavour and can be served with an assortment of sides.

Ingredients

2 x salmon fillet pieces

1 cup dry white wine

1 brown onion, peeled and quartered

1 large carrot, cut into chunks

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

1 lemon, sliced

a few sprigs of dill

a few sprigs of parsley

water

Pictured w Jamie Oliver's Potato Salad

Step 1 - Place onion, carrot, peppercorns, bay leaves, dill and parsley in a large deep frying pan.  Pour wine into pan and gently lower salmon pieces in, skin side down.  Distribute lemon slices over the top and pour in enough water to just cover the salmon fillets.

Step 2 - Cover pan and place on high heat.  Bring to boil and once boiling immediately reduce heat to a slow simmer.  Simmer, covered for 4-5 minutes.

Step 3 - Remove salmon fillets from pan and set aside to rest for 2 minutes.  If flaking, use a fork to flake flesh from skin.  If serving as a fillet, carefully transfer fillets to serving plates.

Recipes - Spicy Nuts

I found this recipe on taste.com.au a while back and felt it was a keeper!  Super quick to throw together and an absolute taste explosion.  Even better, the ingredients are items every pantry should keep.  So next time you have guests coming over, whip up a batch and try not to eat them all before your guests arrive!

Ingredients

200g raw macadamia nuts
250g raw cashews
150g natural almonds

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs honey

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chilli powder

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180°C.

Step 2 - Spread nuts over a tray and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.

Step 3 - Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until combined.  Add nuts and coat well.

Step 4 - Return coated nuts to pan and bake for a further 5-7 minutes until dry to touch.  Remove pan from oven and set aside to cool.

Recipes - Bigilla

Bigilla is a Maltese dip made with dried broadbeans.  When I decided to make it I didn't think getting my hands on some dried broadbeans would be too difficult.  I was wrong.  In their absence I used frozen.  My Mum insists that this is not a bigilla because it has not been made with dried broadbeans.  It's also true that usually the dip is a medium-dark brown and mine is bright green.  Whatever it is and whatever broadbean you use, this dip is addictive!!  And just between you and me, I think it tastes better than the original.

Ingredients

500g broadbeans

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup parsley, firmly packed

1 tsp harissa

salt and pepper, to season

Step 1 - Boil broadbeans in lightly salted water for 4-5 minutes, or until soft.  Drain and transfer to food processor while still warm.

Step 2 - Add garlic, lemon juice, parsley and harrisa to broadbeans, season well with salt and pepper and process.  With motor running, drizzle olive oil in a thin stream until incorperated.  

Step 3 - Taste and adjust seasoning as required.  Serve warm or cool with crackers or bread. 

Notes:

If using dried broadbeans reduce the amount to 300g and soak overnight. Drain and rinse before commencing step 1.  Cooking time will also need to be extended.


I forgot to pick up some harissa so used tabasco sauce instead.  Not traditional but still gave it the kick it needed.  A fresh birdseye chilli could be used also.

Recipes - Beetroot Pickle

Beetroot pickle is something I have eaten once in my life, years ago, and just got a hankering for yesterday!  Its use is similar to that of a relish or a chutney; with meat, on burgers or that special little something on the side.  I was pretty happy with this recipe and I hope you like it too.

Ingredients

2 beetroot, medium-large

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp mustard seeds

4 cloves

12 black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

Step 1 - Place mustard seeds, cloves and pepper corns in a medium-large saucepan and toast over high heat until mustard seeds just start to pop.  Quickly remove from heat, if mustard seeds burn, discard all spices and begin again.
Step 2 - Transfer toasted spices to a mortar and pestle and pound until ground.
Step 3 - Transfer ground spices back to pan, add remaining ingredients, stir well and bring to boil over high heat.  Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaves.

Recipes - All-in-One Breakfast

I saw this recipe somewhere a few years ago and it has been on my mind ever since. This is a great breakfast to throw together when you have company as it is quick, only uses one dish and can be altered depending on the number of guests and their personal preferences.  Serve with a stack of buttered toast and some chutney or relish.

Ingredients - serves 2

2-4 eggs

2 rashers middle bacon

2 gourmet sausages

1 roma tomato, halved

2 field mushrooms, peeled and stalks removed

olive oil and salt and pepper to season

Step 1 - Heat oven to 200°C. 

Step 2 - Throw tomatoes and mushrooms in a ceramic dish or baking tray.  Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in oven.

Step 3 - After 10 minutes, add sausages to the dish. Return to oven.

Step 4 - After another 10 minutes add bacon to the dish.

Step 5 - After a further 5 minutes remove dish and create a few little 'holes' between the ingredients. Crack eggs into these holes and return to oven for the final 3-4 minutes or until eggs are cooked to your liking.  Remember, the eggs will continue to cook after being removed from the oven so take them out when they look a little under.

Recipe - Berry Sauce

This is my go to dessert when I am time poor, money poor, energy poor or initiative poor.  It is simple, foolproof and surprisingly impressive!  For a quick dessert I serve this warm over ice cream and any leftovers are served with cakes, muffins or as a garnish for another dessert.  I hope you have as much success with this as I have.

Ingredients

500g frozen berries

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

vanilla ice cream, to serve

Step 1 - Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.  

Step 2 - Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and slowly simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reached the desired consistency. This usually takes about half an hour.  
Step 3 - Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

Recipes - Stuffat tal Fenek

Stuffat tal Fenek, Rabbit Stew, may be Malta's nation dish.  As there is not a lot of land mass in Malta, and therefore not a lot of room for grazing animals, rabbit is a popular protein on the island.  In Australia, and many other western cultures, rabbit is not considered to be a popular meat to cook with.  Most people I've encountered do not even have the inclination to try it, thinking of rabbit as a pet not a source of food.  For me, I grew up eating rabbit stew and it has always one of my favourite things that my Nan prepares.  I felt so honoured when she gave me her recipe 5 years ago.  This is awesome.  Enjoy.

NB: Wild rabbits are available at select butchers, however, wild rabbit can be tough, with a gamey flavour.  Farmed rabbits have a much milder flavours, are usually more tender and are the best choice for cooking.  It can be difficult to get your hands on farmed rabbit but is well worth the effort.

Ingredients

1 rabbit, cut into 12-15 pieces
3/4 cup red wine
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp mixed spice
3/4 tsp all spice
3/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
500g pork spare rib, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 onions, finely diced
3 potatoes, chopped
1 1/2 tbs tomato paste 
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup beef stock
1.5 cups water
3/4 cup peas
1kg spaghetti, parmesan cheese and bread - to serve

Step 1 - Place rabbit pieces and offal in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, combine garlic, 1/2 cup red wine, 1/2 tsp mixed spice, and a 1/4 tsp each of all spice, garam masala, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Combine well and pour over rabbit.  Cover with glad wrap and marinade for at least two hours, stirring every half an hour or so.
Step 2 - Heat a good whack of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan.  Add a single layer of pork spare rib pieces and fry for about a minute on each side.  Remove from pan and place on a large plate.  Fry off remaining pork spare ribs in as many batches as necessary.  Remove from pan and place on plate.

Step 3 - In small batches, fry rabbit pieces and offal in pan for about 1-3 minutes on each side, depending on the size and thickness of the piece, until well browned.  Set aside on the plate with the pork.  Reserve marinading liquid.
Step 4 - Throw onions into pan and cook until soft and translucent.  Add a little more oil if necessary.  Throw spices in the pan and cook well, stirring until spices are fragrant.  
Step 5 - Add tomato past and sugar, and cook, stirring, until tomato paste has darkened in colour significantly.  Remove from heat and pour in marinading liquid and remaining wine.  Stir until well combined then add potato, beef stock and water and return to heat.  Bring to boil, cook for 2-3 minutes, then reduce heat to low.   
Step 6 - Return rabbit and pork to the pan, season well with salt and pepper and slowly simmer for 2-3 hours, until sauce is thick and meat is falling off the bone.  In the last 5 minutes, add peas to the pot.
Step 7 - When ready to serve, cook spaghetti as per packet instructions.  Place spaghetti on serving plate, top with one or two pieces of rabbit and spoon over a generous amount of sauce.   Serve with parmesan cheese, fresh cracked black pepper and thick slices of crusty bread on the side.

Recipes - Fruit Mince

I have never been a fan of fruit mince until last year when my friend invited me to make fruit mince with him.  He has been making steamed Christmas puddings for over eight years and over this time has developed the most delicious recipe for the fruit mince.  There was so much that not only did we make heaps of steamed puddings, of varying sizes, we also made fruit mince pies, fruit mince pinwheels, fruit mince tarts, fruit mince and custard muffins and a whole bunch of other delicious fruit mince desserts.  So, without further ado, here is the best recipe for fruit mince you will ever find ever! 

NOTE: This fruit mince needs to be started 4 weeks in advance!   There is room to alter the ingredients to suit your tastes.  If you don't like dried apricot, leave it out and add more of something else, like craisins or dried apples.  This is very much one of those old fashioned 'throw in what you have in the pantry' kind of recipe.

Ingredients

1kg sultanas

1kg raisins
300g currants

500g dried apricots

500g dried apple

500g prunes

500g dates

300g craisins
250g dried figs
100g dried blueberries (optional)

200g walnuts 
200g pecans

100g crushed peanuts

100g slivered almonds

2 x carrots, grated

2 x apples, grated
1 orange, zested

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup brandy

1/3 cup orange marmalade

1/3 cup jam

                                                                              1 cup dark brown sugar

Step 1 - Throw sultanas, raisins, craisins, currants, blueberries, slivered almonds, crushed peanuts, grated carrots, grated apple and orange zest in a large container.
Step 2 - Chop dried apricots, dried apple, prunes, dried figs, dates, walnuts and pecans, so they are all a similar size to the fruit already in the container.  Add to container and mix together until well combined.
Step 3 - Place orange juice, brandy, marmalade, jam and brown sugar in a microwave proof bowl.  Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring well every minute.
Step 4 - Pour mixture over fruit in the container and stir until well combined.  Pop lid on container and place in fridge.  
Step 5 - Turn container once a day for 4 weeks.  


Use fruit mince to make steamed puddings, fruit mince tarts and other Christmas goodies.

Recipes - Chilli Jam

Chilli Jam is one of those beautiful, versatile sauces that works so well with so many things.  It can be spread on sandwiches, smeared over steak and seafood, poured over salads, spooned over cheese and a hundred other uses.  The great thing about this recipe is that you can control how spicy it is.  I decided to make mine medium, with a nice swift kick in the back of the throat!  But I've written detailed instructions for how to achieve the right amount of spicy for you. 

Ingredients

3 x banana chillies, seeds and pith removed and diced

6 x long red chillies

6 x birdseye chillies

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 x 5cm knob ginger, finely grated

2 red capsicum, roasted, skin, seeds and core removed

2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and deseeded

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 lemon, juiced

Step 1 a - For a mild jam, remove the pith and seeds from all long red and birdseye chillies, then slice thinly. Set aside.

Step 1 b - For medium jam, remove the pith and seeds from half the long red and birdseye chillies and slice all thinly. Set aside.  (This is how I prepared my chilli jam)

Step 1 c - For hot jam, do not remove the seeds and pith from any of the long red or birdseye chillies.  Slice all chillies thinly and set aside.  

Step 2 - Place tomatoes and roast capsicum in a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.

Step 3 - Heat a good whack of olive oil in a large saucepan.  When hot, add onion, garlic and ginger and fry until onion is well cooked and starting to caramelise slightly.

Step 4 - Add remaining ingredients and stir until sugar has dissolved.  Bring to boil and cook for about 5 minutes.

Step 5 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until sauce has reached a thick, jam like consistency.  This may take a few hours.

Step 6 - Cool jam and store in an airtight container or jar for up to one week in the fridge.

Recipes - Portuguese Chicken w Pineapple Sauce

I created this delight sometime in January of 2010 when I looked around my kitchen and decided to throw a few things together.  I was not expecting it to be awesome, but it was! This has since become one of my most popular signature dishes.  An unusual combination of flavours that complement each other to produce this spicy, summery chicken dish.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
store bought Portuguese spice mix 
½ a pineapple, skin and core removed and chopped into small pieces
1 clove garlic
½ tbs ginger, grated
1 ½ cups pineapple juice (store bought with no added sugar)
½ cup water
1 tbs brown sugar
½ lemon, juiced
1 small red chilli, seeds and pith removed and finely sliced
2 avocados, diced
2 mangoes, diced
½ small Spanish onion, finely diced
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup coriander, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to season
olive oil


NB: Avocados and mangoes must be 'just ripe' as their firmness will prevent the salad from becoming mushy.

Step 1 - To make the pineapple sauce, heat a very small amount of olive oil in a sauce pan.  When hot, add garlic and fry for about 10 seconds – if garlic colours, discard and start again.  
Step 2 - Add pineapple, ginger, brown sugar, pineapple juice, water and a pinch of salt, bring to boil and cook for a few minutes. Reduce heat to low, add lemon juice and chilli and simmer for about an hour.  If at any stage the sauce looks like it is too dry, add a little more pineapple juice.
Step 3 - After 40 minutes, taste sauce as it may need more salt (if sauce is too sweet) or more lemon juice (if it requires more tartness).  At 50 mins, transfer ¾ of the sauce to a blender, and blend til smooth.  Return to pan and simmer for the remaining 5-10 minutes until sauce is thick.  Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 4 - Preheat oven to 180°C. 
Step 5 - Slice chicken breasts length-ways so you have 4 long, thick pieces of chicken.  Shake a few tablespoons of the spice mix onto a plate and roll each piece of chicken in the spice mix until all sides are coated.

Step 6 - Heat a grill pan over high heat.  Seal chicken for about 20-30 seconds on each side and transfer pan to oven.  Cook chicken in oven for 10-15 minutes until just cooked through.  If your grill pan is not oven proof, line a baking tray with baking paper and place tray in oven while it is preheating.  Place chicken on the hot tray to cook in oven.  

Step 7 - When chicken is cooked, remove from oven and set aside to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Step 8 - For the salsa, combine avocado, mango, tomato, onion and corriander in a bowl.  Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and gently fold to combine.

Step 9 - To serve, spoon a mound of salsa onto a serving plate.  Slice chicken on a diagonal into thick medallions and place on top of salsa.  Spoon over some pineapple sauce and serve immediately.  

Recipes - GFDF Banana, Pecan and Golden Syrup Muffins

This combination of flavours came to me in a lightbulb moment  and they seriously work!  Even better, the work really well as a gluten free dairy free muffin.  They're so delicious you wouldn't even know they were gluten free dairy free unless someone told you!

Sorry for lack of photo's.  I'll take some next time I make them!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups gluten free SR flour

1 1/2 cups rice flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup caster sugar

1 cup soy milk

1/3 cup light olive oil

1 egg

3 bananas, mashed

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/4 cup maple syrup

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 200°C.  Grease 2 x 6 hole Texas muffin tray.

Step 2 - Place banana, pecans and golden syrup into a large bowl along with egg, oil, milk and sugar.  Stir gently until combined.

Step 3 - Place flours and baking powder into a fine sieve and sift over wet ingredients. Discard and rough or grainy particles that do not pass through the sieve. Gently fold flours through liquids.

Step 4 - 3/4 fill each muffin hole with mixture and bake for 25 minutes. 

Recipes - Thai Beef Salad

I love Thai beef salad!  I could eat it every day and never get sick of it.  It's so fresh and vibrant and spicy and bursting with flavour.  Thai food, like most Asian cuisine, is all about balance; the key elements being salty, sweet, sour and spicy.   While the amount of chilli used can be altered to suit your taste, when making the dressing ensure you adjust the other flavours by the merest drop in between tasting.  

Ingredients

2 limes, juiced

1 1/2 tbs shaved palm sugar

2 tbs fish sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tbs ginger, finely grated

1 long red chillies (optional)

600g beef rump steak, trimmed of fat and sinew 

1 bunch mint, leaves removed

1 bunch coriander, leaves removed

1/2 bunch Thai basil, leaves removed

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, halved and sliced thinly

Step 1 - To make the dressing, place lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic and ginger in a bowl and whisk til combined.

Step 2 - Place the beef in a container or a new bowl, pour half the dressing over, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.  Set the remaining dressing aside.

Step 3 - Heat a grill pan or BBQ hot plate on high until it is very hot.  Reduce heat to medium and cook beef for 2-5 minutes each side, depending on thickness of beef and how you prefer your beef cooked.  Once cooked, set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Step 4 - While beef is resting, combine herbs, tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl.  Take the long red chilli and slice thinly on a diagonal. Place in bowl with salad and toss lightly with your fingers. Distribute between two serving dishes.  Slice beef thinly and lay on top of salad.  Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately. 

Notes:


To ensure this dish remains gluten free check that your soy sauce and fish sauce are gluten free.  Even for those who do not need to remove gluten from their diet, gluten free fish and soy sauces are as good if not better than the same products that contain gluten.  

Recipes - Lemonade

Homemade Lemonade is quick to whip up and perfect on hot summer days.  When I was a kid, I thought homemade lemonade was a quintessential American drink that kids sold on their front lawn for 5 cents a cup.  I've recently learnt that lemonade can be quite sophisticated; still or carbonated, pink or adults only!  I even managed to make a Lemonade slushie; completely by accident!  Any way you do it, it's amazing, I can't wait to make lemonade again! 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
3/4 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 litres soda water, chilled
Kaffir lime leaves or mint leaves and ice, to serve

Step 1- Place lemon juice, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Step 2 - Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes then remove from heat and allow to cool. 

Step 3 - Place kaffir lime leaves or mint leave in the bottom of a large jug.  Top with 2 cups ice and pour cooled lemon juice over ice.  Top with enough soda water to make two litres, or to taste, ensuring you stir gently but well. 

Notes:

Still water can be used in place of soda water for an uncarbonated beverage.  For pink lemonade, stir through 1/4 cup raspberries, that have been pureed and strained (to remove seeds), once lemon juice has been taken off the heat.   For an adults only version, add some vodka or white rum in place of some of the soda water.

I have a very cold spot in my fridge that started to freeze my soda water, turning it into a slushie consistency.  This did make the lemonade even more amazing, so if possible, crush your ice well before adding it to the jug.  

Depending on how you juice your lemons, they may need to be passed through a fine sieve to remove the pulp and smaller seeds.