Recipes - Onion Bhaji

I am a huge lover of Indian food and I am a huge lover of entertaining/finger food type food.  This recipe ticks both of those boxes.  It's also flavoursome, pretty easy to make and incredibly cost effective.  I completely fell in love with these and can see myself making them all the time, they're just that good!

Ingredients

4 small/medium onions, peeled, halved and sliced

1 1/2 cups besan flour 

1 tsp garam marsala

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground corrainder seeds

1/4 tsp ground chilli powder

1/4 tsp ground ginger
water
olive oil, for frying
raita, to serve

Step 1 - Place onion, besan flour and spices in a large bowl and use your finger to toss until combined.  Add water, starting with about half a cup and stir with a spoon until combined to create a thick batter.  Add more water, little by little if needed. 
Step 2 - Heat a good layer of olive oil in a frying pan and heat until oil just starts to "shimmer" with heat.  Drop tablespoonfuls of the mix into the oil and cook for 2-3 mnutes each side until golden, flip and repeat.
Step 3 - Drain on paper towel and repeat with remaining mixture adding more oil in between batched if necessary.  Serve warm with raita on the side.  

Notes:

Besan flour is made from ground chickpeas.  It is gluten free and available from select supermarkets and most health food stores.


Raita can be made by mixing natural yoghurt with chopped mint and finely diced cucumber and season with a little salt.

Recipes - Mini Cobs

I would really love to say I came up with this idea all on my own, but I didn't.  I was chatting with a friend about how I love making cob loaves filled with dip for parties, but being a bit of a germophobe, I don't like that everyone's fingers are all over the bread - ripping it apart to dip with, which is the idea behind a cob.  He told me that he had seen individual "cobs" which eliminate this problem.  I have not been able to find small cob loaves so have used bake at home dinner rolls that can be purchased from most supermarkets.  Bread rolls would also work but might be a bit too big for finger food/canapes. 

Ingredients

12 dinner rolls

300g tub sour cream

1 pkt spring vegetable soup mix

2 rashers middle bacon

3 shallots, finely chopped

1/2 cup vintage cheddar cheese, grated

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.

Step 2 - Place bacon under an overheat grill and cook until crisp.  Set aside to cool then dice.

Step 3 - Mix bacon, sour cream, soup mix, shallots and cheese in a bowl until combined. Set aside.

Step 4 - Using a serrated knife, cut a lid from the top of each roll.  Pull of each lid, taking care not to break it and remove some bread from inside the roll and under the lid.  Spoon dip into each boat and place lids back on top. 

Step 5 - Bake for 6-9 minutes (depending on cooking instructions for rolls) until bread is golden and crisp.  Serve warm. 

Notes:

Any creamy, cheesy dip can be used in place of the dip in this recipe.

Recipes - Olive, Bocconcini and Prosciutto Bruschetta

I was shopping the other day and spotted a packed of mini panini. They looked perfect for bruschetta so I had to buy them and test them out.  It was one of my better ideas.  The only thing better is the combination of flavours I chose to top it with! 

Ingredients - makes 24

12 mini panini

12 thin slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise

24 green olives, pitted

24 baby bocconcini

1-2 cloves garlic

balsamic galze (optional)

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.

Step 2 - Halve panini and evenly distribute, cut side up, over a shallow tray. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and bake in a hot oven for 4-5 minutes, until golden.  Remove from oven and rub warm bread with a garlic clove.

Step 3 - Top panini halves with prosciutto, bocconcini and olives.  Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired and serve.

Recipes - Margherita Pizza

The Margherita pizza is one of the most common and widely recognised traditional pizza varieties. It is, quite simply, cheese, tomato and herbs on a tomato sauced pizza base.  It's great to serve to kids as it is simple and tasty with uncomplicated flavours. Because it is so simple and very traditional there are a hundred different recipes with slight variations in ingredients used.  My recipe will just add to that list.

Ingredients

1 pizza base

1-2 tbs pizza sauce

8-12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 cup mozzarella, grated

1/2 cup tasty cheese, grated

basil leaves, to serve

I forgot the basil leaves!

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.

Step 2 - Place pizza base on a lightly greased pizza tray. Spread pizza sauce over base and sprinkle with dried herbs.  Evenly distribute mozzarella and half of the tasty cheese over sauce.  Top with cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  

Step 3 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until base is crisp. Top with basil leaves and serve with a simple, lightly dressed green salad.

Notes:

Amounts of pizza sauce and cheese can be increased or reduced, depending on how saucy or cheesy you like your pizza.

Recipes - Watermelon Granita

So granita has become my new favourite thing, it is like eating fruit flavoured snow, and I've already considered about 50 different flavour combinations!  It's easy to make, just requires a couple of hours at home as it needs your attention for about 1 minute an hour for 6 hours.  The great thing is that it can be made the day before and left in the freezer until required.

Ingredients

1/4 watermelon, about 2kg, cubed

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

Step 1 - Place a baking dish in the freezer.
Step 2 - Place sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat to high and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until syrup thickens.
Step 3 - Place watermelon and sugar syrup into food processor and process until smooth.  Pass through a fine sieve and pour into baking dish.  Return to freezer.
Step 4 - After two hours, remove dish from freezer and run a fork over the surface. Granita should be half frozen so push the edges to the centre, smooth over and return to freezer.  Leave for 1 hour then remove and run and fork over the surface.  Repeat 2-3 times until granita is frozen into small crystals and there are no lumps.  Leave in freezer until required.

Recipes - Tomato Tarte Tatin

I recently served these at a dinner party and recieved the most amazing feedback, the best of all being that they were devoured in seconds.  I got the idea after seeing a similar canape from a UK fashion magazines webpage.  Unfortunately I can't remember the magazine but I'm glad I stumbled across it as it enabled me to create this.  


The pan I used is like a mini dutch pancake pan.  It's not a whoopie pie pan or a muffin top pan as they are a bit more square through the base, although these could be used.  I've posted a photo so check it out to see the style of pan I used.

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

50g goats cheese

18 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

12 small basil leaves

20g soft butter, to grease pan
1 tsp brown sugar

balsamic glaze, to serve (optional)

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.  Brush pan well with butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Set pastry on bench to thaw.

Step 2 - Place three tomato halves, cut side down, in each hole.  Top each with a piece of goats cheese.

Step 3 - Using a 6cm round cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds from pastry sheet.  Place a round over each lot of tomato and cheese, tucking it around the sides.  Transfer to oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden.

Step 4 - Remove pan from oven and gently press each pastry round down into the cheese and tomato (be careful, it's hot!).  Set aside for 10 minutes to cool and set.

Step 5 - Using finger tips, gently turn each tarte to loosen it, then slide each tarte from the pan, turning it right way up as you slide it out.  If any tomatoes fall out, just pop them back on top.  Place on a serving dish and place a basil leaf on each.  Drizzle with balsamic glaze, if using, and serve immediately.

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 - Baked Polenta Rounds w Chorizo and Capsicum Dip

I made these recently for a dinner party and they were devoured within seconds.  I only had time to take a photo of the last one, but never fear, they were so popular I will surely make them again.  They're still being talked about days later.

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry polenta

1 cup water

1 cup milk

20g parmesan cheese, grated

10g butter

1 chorizo, cut into 12 pieces

1/4 cup capsicum dip

6 baby bocconcini, halved

Step 1 - Bring water and milk to boil in a large saucepan.  Reduce heat and add polenta in a slow steady steam, whisking constantly.  Whisk for 4-5 minutes, until thick, remove from heat, add parmesan and butter and stir until combined.  Pour into a greased 26cmx16cm slice tin.  Set aside for 3-4 hours to firm.

Step 2 - Preheat oven to 230. Spray a flat baking tray with olive oil.  Using a 3cm round cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds from the polenta.  Place rounds on the tray, spray with olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until crisp and starting to colour slightly,

Step 3 - Heat a grill or frying pan over high heat and cook chorizo for 1-2 minutes each side until charred. Set aside.

Step 4 - To assemble, place polenta rounds on a serving plate with a slice of chorizo on top.  Dollop with capsicum dip and top with a bocconcini half. Serve warm.

Recipes - Antipasto Skewers

I love antipasto and almost always serve it at my own events.  I've found, however, that it's not the easiest thing to serve when catering or when going for a picnic.  So my quick fix is to skewer it.

Ingredients

Antipasto, for example:

salami, prociutto, ham

olives, sundried tomatoes

cherry tomtoes, artichoke

fetta, bocconcini, 

roast capsicum, chargrilled eggplant

chargrilled zucchini, stuffed bell peppers

marinted button mushrooms

toothpicks

Step 1 - If required, cube fetta, tear meats into smaller pieces, halve button mushrooms and bell peppers, or cut larger vegetables into small pieces. 

Step 2 - Thread 3 things onto each toothpick, making sure to create as many combinations as possible.

Notes:

Skewers can be prepped in advance and refrigerated for several hours before serving.

Recipes - Haloumi and Chargrilled Zucchini Bruschetta

Haloumi and zucchini are a match made in foodie heaven.  So I put them together on some bruschetta.  This is quick to throw together, tastes amazing and will make you super popular when you serve it to your friends...if you can bear to let other people eat them.

Ingredients

250g haloumi, sliced thinly

2 zucchini, cut into thin slices lengthwise

1 tbs oregano, finely chopped

1/4 lemon, juiced

1 baguette, sliced on a diagonal

1-2 cloves garlic

olive oil, to drizzle

salt and pepper, to season

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.  Place baguette slices on a tray and bake for 7-8 minutes, turning once.  Remove from oven and rub each slice with garlic clove. Set aside.

Step 2 - Heat a grill pan over high heat.  Season zucchini slices with salt and cook for 1-2 minutes each side until cooked through and charred.  Remove from pan and cook haloumi for 1-2 minutes each side until golden.

Step 3 - To assemble, place bread on a serving plate and layer zucchini and haloumi.  Sprinkle with oregano, squeeze lemon juice, drizzle olive oil and season with pepper.  Serve warm.

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 - Cookie Cups

What do you get if you turn a muffin tray upside down?  A cookie cup tray!  I saw this on some random internet site somewhere and thought it was pure genius.  After keeping it in mind for several months I thought it was finally time to get a basic cookie recipe and give them a go.  Such a cool idea, super versatile and great to get kids involved in the making of them and of course, they'll want to eat them afterwards!  

Ingredients

185g butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups plain flour

extra flour

Step 1 - In a large bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until pale.  Add egg and beat until incorporated.  Sift flour over the mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Step 2 - Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a soft dough in the bowl and transfer to a lightly floured surface.  Flour your hands and knead dough for a few minutes until flour in incorporated, adding a little more as you go if need be.  Roll into a sausage shape, wrap in glad wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3 - Preheat oven to 180.  Turn two 12 hole muffin trays upside down and grease every second mound. Cover in foil, wrapping tightly around each mound.

Step 4 - Remove dough from fridge and unwrap.  Cut in half, wrap one portion and return to fridge.  Cut remaining portion into 12 rounds. Place each round between two sheets of baking paper and using a rolling pin to roll out into a circle, approx 3mm thick and 70mm in diameter.  Place dough over a greased mound and repeat.  Bake for 12 minutes, swapping trays halfway through.  

Step 5 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the tray before transfering cookie cups to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat step 4 with remaining dough.

Step 6 - Serve warm or cold, filled with ice cream, custard, jam and cream or anything your heart desires.   

Variations:

For chocolate cookies add 2 tbs cocoa powder with the flour. 

For confetti cookies add 1/4 cup of 100's and 1000's with the flour.

For coconut cookie add 1/4 cup desiccated coconut with the flour.

Top 5 - Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a beautiful and simple dish that is great to serve when entertaining or throw together for a light lunch or afternoon snack. Many people think that bruschetta refers to the combination of tomato, basil and garlic but bruschetta actually refers to the bread.  For this reason, you can do your bruschetta in almost any combination of flavours.  Here is my Top 5 ways to do bruschetta.

• Traditional Bruschetta
• Mixed Garlic Mushroom Bruschetta
• Green Olive, Prosciutto and Bocconcini Bruschetta
• Roast Capsicum and Ricotta Bruschetta 
• Haloumi and Chargrilled Zucchini Bruschetta 

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 - Pineapple, Coconut and Lime Cookies

I had an idea for summer in a cookie. The idea is good, the flavour combination is great, but it's not quite what I had in mind.   This is the recipe I used on my first attempt.  The cookie itself is soft and chewy, but a little stodgy in the middle, kind like a subway cookie.  They are yummy but I want to improve them.  Stay tuned for attempt two, coming soon.

Ingredients

125g butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 cup pineapple, chopped

1 lime, zested

1 cup desiccated coconut, toasted

3 1/2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 tbs baking powder

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 190°C.  Line a flat tray with baking paper.

Step 2 - Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until pale then add sugar  bit by bit until incorporated.  Add egg and beat until combined.

Step 3 - Add vanilla, pineapple and coconut to bowl and mix well then fold through sifted flour and baking powder.  

Step 4 - Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto prepared tray leaving ample room for spreading. Bake for 18 minutes then cool on tray.  Repeat with remaining mixture.

Recipes - Fruit Mince Pinwheels

Pinwheels have turned into my quick to whip up, throw anything in, entertaining solution.  So when I was left with a abundance of fruit mine, I decided to chuck on a few batches of fruit mince pinwheels to see if it would work.  And yes, yes it does.

Ingredients

3/4 cup fruit mince

3 tbs jam (I used raspberry, but use whatever you like or have)

3 sheets frozen puff pastry
icing sugar, to dust

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.  Line a large, shallow baking tray with baking paper

Step 2- Set puff pastry on a flat surface to thaw.  Pastry should thaw to the point that it is malleable but not much further as the pastry is difficult to work with as it begins to warm.

Step 3 - Remembering to remove plastic backing from pastry, spread 1 tbs jam evenly over each pastry sheet, leaving a 1cm border at top.  Distribute fruit mince over jam.

Step 4 - Roll each pastry sheet into a firm sausage shape and cut about 10 rounds from each sheet.  

Step 5 - Place each round, cut side down, on baking tray leaving some space between each and bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden.
Step 6 - Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Notes:

Pinwheels can be made to the end of step 5 and frozen for up to one month.  Continue from step 6 when needed, without thawing rolls.

Top 5 - When Entertaining

With the Christmas Season upon us I thought I would throw together a list of my top 5 must haves when guests arrive.  These tasty tidbits are sure to impress!

• Zucchini and Haloumi Bites
• King of the Cob
• Pinwheels
• Cheese, Bacon and Chives Dip
• Mini Meringue Nests

Recipes - Fruit Mince Tarts

Fruit Mince Tarts scream Christmas though not many people I know actually like them.  The secret is to use your own fruit mince and make them super small.  If you do go to all the trouble to make them (and it is a somewhat time consuming process) I hope you really enjoy them.

Ingredients - makes about 32

1 quantity sweet shortcrust pastry

2 cups fruit mince

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 200.  Grease a 24 hole mini-muffin pan and a 12 hole mini-muffin pan.
Step 2 - Roll out pastry to about 3mm thick.  Using a 6-7cm round cookie cutter, cut out 32 circles.  Using a 5cm star cut out 32 stars.  If possible, cut out more of each.  
Step 3 - Gently push rounds into holes and bake for 10-12 minutes, until pastry just turns golden. Remove from oven and spoon 1 tsp of fruit mince into each pastry case.  Top with a star and return to oven for a further 10-12 minutes.  Stars may be a little soft when removed from the oven, but they will harden while cooling.
Step 4 - To serve, dust with icing sugar and edible glitter if desired.