Recipes - Vanilla Cream Tart w Candied Blood Orange

This recipe stemmed from me buying blood oranges then trying to decide what to do with them.  Blood oranges lend themselves to well to both sweet and savoury dishes, so really, the options were endless!  I had a lightbulb moment of brilliance and decided to do a simple, sophisticated dessert - Vanilla Cream Tart w Candied Blood Oranges.  

I had some tartlette cases in my pantry that needed to be used.  While I recommend making your own pastry (as much as it is not one of my favourite things to do) these premade cases are good when you have a lot on or need to whip something up quickly.

Ingredients

2 blood oranges, sliced thinly

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

3 cups water

200g mascarpone

100g cream cheese

50g double cream

1/4 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

12 tartlette cases

Step 1 - Place sugar and water in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and place over a medium-high heat.  Stir until sugar dissolves, then carefully lower orange slices into the liquid.  Simmer rapidly for 20 minutes, turning oranges once. 

Step 2 - Reduce heat to low and slowly simmer for another 20-30 minutes, until oranges are transparent and syrup has reduced.  Remove oranges from syrup and place on a tray lined with baking paper.  Allow to cool.  Reserve syrup.

Step 3 - While oranges are cooking, place mascarpone, cream cheese, double cream, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste into a bowl and mix until combined.  Spoon vanilla cream into tart cases and refrigerate until required.

Step 4 - When oranges are cool enough to handle, drizzle tarts with orange syrup and place a slice of orange on each. 

Top 5 - Signature Dishes

Everyone has their dishes that they are renown for!  Being someone who cooks a lot, I have several and these are the best of my best!  This list was really hard as I was only able to choose five and there are a lot of good dishes to choose from, but I thought I'd go with the most popular, most requested and most complimented.  

• Portuguese Chicken w Pineapple Sauce
• Couscous Salad
• Maltese Spaghetti
• Meringue Nests
• Strawberries and Cream Cake

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 - Meringue Nests

It seems that every summer for the past ten years I've made these by the hundreds!  The mini-meringue nests in particular are hugely popular and always requested when catering events.  The regular meringue nests can be served for dessert or as a morning or afternoon treat with a coffee.  No matter the size they are seriously delicious.  

Ingredients
4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup mascarpone
1/2 cup double thick cream
assorted berries and fruit


NB: All bowls and utensils must be exceptionally clean, grease free and dry. 

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 120°C.  Lightly grease two oven trays (just enough for baking paper to stick to tray).  For meringue nests, take an egg ring and trace six-eight circles in pencil on baking paper.  Place baking paper, pencil side down, on the tray.  For mini meringues, simply line each tray with baking paper.
Step 2 - Place egg whites in a glass bowl and beat on med-high with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  You will know egg whites are done when you can invert the bowl and egg whites stay in place.

Step 3 - Adding sugar 1 tbs at a time, continue beating until all sugar has been incorporated. To test, dip your forefinger into the meringue and rub between your finger and thumb.  If meringue is grainy, it needs more beating.  If it is smooth, it is ready.
Step 4 - Using a spatula, transfer meringue to a piping bag that has been fitted with a star nozzle. 

Step 5 a - For meringue nests, carefully pipe the base within the confines of the traced circle.  Spiral the meringue from the outside to the centre, being sure not to leave any gaps.  Pipe another two circles, one on top of the other, around the edge to build up the walls of the nest. (see picture next to step 1)
Step 5 b - For mini-meringue nests, pipe a small circle. about an inch in diameter, and after filling the base continue to spiral up, in one fluid movement, around the edges to create the sides of the nest. 

Step 6 - Transfer trays to oven and bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours, until meringue is crisp.  Turn off heat and leave meringues to cool in oven with the door ajar. When cool, remove from oven and set aside.
Step 7 - Place mascarpone and cream in a bowl and mix until combined.  Divide mixture between meringue nests.  Top with berries and/or fruit and transfer to a serving plate.  Dust with icing sugar if desired and serve immediately. 

Recipes - Brunġiel Mimli

This is my death row meal!  It has been my favourite dish for as long as I can remember and is something my Nan cooks often.  Even though I've been making it for over ten years, mine is never as good as hers and probably never will be, but it's pretty close to perfect.   The only bad thing about this is once you start, enough is never enough!


Brunġiel Mimli literally translates to 'Eggplant Stuffed'.  I prefer this made with Qarabali (marrow; which is a small eggplant shaped zucchini with light green skin), however, quarabali is difficult for me to source locally.

Ingredients
3 eggplant
1 kg pork and veal mince
6 rashers middle bacon, rinds removed
1 egg
2 1/2 cups tasty cheese, grated
1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
4 brown onions, peeled
4 potatos, peeled
1/2 cup vegetable stock
half a lemon, juiced
salt and pepper, to season


Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180. Lightly spray a large baking dish with olive oil. 
Step 2 - Top and tail eggplant and cut in half length ways.  Scoop out centre, leaving a 1cm rim.  Reserve half of the scooped out eggplant and set aside.  Discard the rest.   
Step 3 - Sprinkle eggplant boats with salt and lemon juice and rub in to flesh.  Microwave for 3 minutes.  Remove from microwave and set aside.
Step 4 - Take the reserved eggplant that was scooped out from the middle and chop roughly.  Dice two of the onions and fry them with the roughly copped eggplant in a little oil over high heat until golden.  Set aside to cool.
Step 5 - Dice two of the bacon rashers and add to a large bowl along with mince, egg, 1 cup of cheese, parsley and fried onion and eggplant.  Season well with pepper and mix with clean hands until well combined.  
Step 6 - Slice the potato and remaining 2 brown onions into thick slices and layer over base of baking tray.  Season lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.  Pour stock into tray.
Step 7 - Pack each eggplant boat firmly with mince mixture.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese over the mince.  Cut each of the remaining 4 bacon rashers into thirds and lay two pieces over each eggplant.  Place filled eggplant boats into dish on top of potato and onion.  Bake for 1 hour 40 minutes - 2 hours.
Step 8 - To serve, place eggplant on plate with some potato and onion and spoon some broth onto plate.  Serve with thick slices of fresh bread.  

Recipes - Strawberries and Cream Cake

This is about as strawberry as you can get in a cake!  Using two kilos of strawberries, this cake never fails to please and is perfect for summer when strawberries are cheap and plentiful.  I first saw this cake made by Gabriel Gate on Good Morning Australia.  I think I was about 11 at the time and over the past 14 years this recipe has evolved with me.  

There are three distinct element to this dish, some more difficult than others, and they all need to be made separately as they each need cooking, cooling or setting time.  In total, this cake needs about 8hours from start to serve, but it is worth it!  

When buying the strawberries, aim to buy punnets with small-medium strawberries as are usually the sweetest and tastiest. 

Ingredients

Sponge

2 eggs, at room temperature

75g sugar

25g plain flour

25g SR flour

25g cornflour

Strawberries and Cream 

1.5kg strawberries

1/4 cup caster sugar

300g cream, whipped

150g natural yoghurt

1 tbs lemon juice

5 sheets gelatine

Strawberry Jelly

Element One - Sponge Cake

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180°C.  Grease a 26cm springform pan and line base with baking paper.

Step 2 - Sift flours together three times to aerate and set aside.

Step 3 - Beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 6 minutes.  Mixture should be thick, pale and tripled in volume.

Step 4 - Gently fold flours through egg mix with a metal spoon.  

Step 5 - Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes.  Turn oven off, leave door ajar and cool in oven.  When cool, remove from oven.

Step 6 - Remove ring from tin and cut top off cake to make it an even 1.5cm thick layer.  Return ring to tin.  Cake should have shrunk slightly and come away from the edges, gently push the edge of the cake back towards the tin.

Element Two - Strawberries and Cream.  

Step 1 - Sort strawberries so you have two punnets (500g) of small, round, well shaped strawberries.  

Step 2 - With one punnet of the small strawberries, hull and halve them and place them around the edges of the tin to form a border.  Borrow some strawberries from second punnet if required.  Set tin aside and store remaining small strawberries in fridge.

Step 3 - Hull and quarter the other four punnets (1kg) of strawberries.  Blend with sugar and lemon juice, either in a food processor, or in a bowl with a stick mixer.  Gently fold in whipped cream and yoghurt with a spatula or mix gently with a whisk.

Step 4 - Half fill a small bowl with cold water and add gelatine sheets.  Stand for five minutes.  Squeeze out gelatine, place in a new bowl and add 2-3 tbs hot water.  Mix with a fork until dissolved and pour into strawberry and cream mix.  Stir in til combined and pour mixture on top of sponge, ensuring it covers strawberries, but leaves a 0.5-1cm rim around top (to pour jelly onto cake).

Step 5 - Place in fridge to set for 4-5 hours.

Element Three - Strawberry Jelly.  
Complete strawberry jelly up to end of step 5.
Step 6 - Pour jelly back into measuring jug and place in fridge for 1-1.5 hours, until jelly is cold and just beginning to set.  
Step 7 - Take a dessert spoon and pour jelly onto cake by gently pouring over the back of spoon to distribute over top of cake. 
Step 8 - Place cake back in fridge to set jelly.  Serve with remaining punnet of small strawberries pilled onto of cake.

Recipes - Couscous Salad

Yummo! This recipe works a treat and always gets rave reviews when served at barbecues, lunches and picnics.  This is one of my most requested recipes, so here it is once and for all.   There is a little bit of leeway to play with ingredients to suit your tastes, but remember to be heavy handed with the dressing as couscous has a very mild, bland flavour but really takes on other flavours well.  

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups couscous

1 1/2 cups boiling water

3 tbs Moroccan seasoning

1/2 cup oil

2 lemons, juiced

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

1 long red chili, seeds & pith removed & finely sliced

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup roast capsicums

1-2 tbs preserved lemon, sliced thinly

1/2 cup finely chopped mint

Pictured w Moroccan Spiced Chicken

Step 1 - Place couscous and 1tbs Moroccan seasoning in a large glass bowl, pour over  boiling water, lightly mix with a fork and seal with a lid or plate.  Set aside for 10 minutes.
Step 2 - Remove lid and mix couscous with a fork to separate the grains.  Add remaining ingredients and combine.


Notes:


This recipe can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. 

Pictured w Moroccan Spiced Chicken

Recipes - Works Pie

This is one of my signatures and something I have been cooking for over ten years.  I would say this is the meal most requested by my friends and family but I try not to make it too often as it is a bit of a heart attack waiting to happen.  Tastes pretty amazing though! 

Ingredients

1kg beef, diced

2-3 tbs plain flour

1 cup beef stock

2-3tsp cracked black pepper

pinch salt

1/2 cup red wine, optional

2 large potatoes

6 rashers middle bacon, rind removed

4 large brown onion, sliced

3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced thickly

1 cup tasty cheese, 

1 cup extra cheese, tasty, cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan (or a combination)

puff pastry

Step 1 - Heat oil in a large frying pan.  When hot, add beef and brown.  When brown, add flour and cook off, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2 - Add stock, red wine, salt and pepper, reduce heat, stir to combine and simmer slowly until gravy is thick and beef is tender, about 30 mins.

Step 3 - Heat a good whack of oil in another frying pan, reduce heat to medium-low and throw onion in. Saute until tender and lightly browned.  Drain on paper towel and set aside. 

Step 4 - In same pan as onions, fry tomatoes on medium heat for 1 minute each side. Set aside.
Step 5 - Heat grill and cook bacon for 1 minute on each side.  Drain on paper towel and set aside.
Step 6 - Peel potatoes, prick with a fork and microwave on medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Slice thinly and set aside to cool. 

*Note* All filling must be cooled before going into pastry.  Warm filling will begin to melt the butter in the pastry which will not allow it to puff or crisp.  

Step 7 - Heat oven to 220°C.  Remove pastry from freezer and set aside to thaw.  Grease pie dish.

Step 8 - Line dish with pastry and prick base and sides with a fork several times.

Step 9 - Layer potatoes, season lightly with salt and pepper then sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over.

Step 10 - Transfer beef and gravy mix to pie dish, then sprinkle with 1/3 cheese, layer onions, bacon, tomatoes and remaining cheese.  

Step 11 - Top pie with pastry, pressing edges into the pastry covering the sides to seal the filling.  Prick a few times with a fork and bake for 20 mins.  Then, reduce heat to 180°C and cook for a further 40 mins or until pastry is golden.  

Notes:

The fillings can be altered to suit your taste.  If you don't love onions, only use one or two, or leave them out completely.  Tomato and bacon can also be omitted.  If you like mushrooms, fry a few up and add them as one of the layers.  Egg can also be added be cracking a few eggs onto of the beef mixture then topping with other fillings.    

The dish I used was 20cm x 20cm and 10cm deep.  I needed 4 sheets of pastry for a dish this size and the amount of fillings filled the dish to the top.  


I would recommend heating a flat tray, larger than your pie dish, in the oven while it is preheating.  The pie dish can then be placed on this tray which will help the bottom layer of pastry become crisp and cooked.  

Recipes - Balsamic Mushrooms w Haloumi

This is one of my favourite things to have for breakfast. And lunch. And dinner. 

Ingredients - Serves 4
6 large field mushrooms, cut into slices or wedges
200g haloumi, cut into 8 slices
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbs oregano
4 egg
4 thick slices of sourdough bread

Step 1 - Heat a good splash of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry garlic and mushrooms until mushrooms are cooked through.  Add balsamic vinegar, toss mushrooms to coat and leave on medium heat for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat, sprinkle with oregano.

Step 2 - Heat a grill pan and fry haloumi for 1-2 minutes each side. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top.

Step 3 - Poach eggs

Step 4 - To serve, grill sourdough bread, top with mushrooms, haloumi and egg. Sprinkle with oregano and fresh cracked black pepper.

Recipes - Prosciutto and Pea on Angel Hair Pasta

I created this recipe at a time in my life when money was very very tight.  One fateful day I had people coming for dinner and all I could find in my pantry was angel hair pasta, frozen peas and two lemons.  I had $8 and decided to blow all my cash on sundried tomatoes, cream and prosciutto.  I also stopped by my Mums place and picked up some garlic and some parsley.  Dinner was delicious and my guests proclaimed that I needn't have gone to such great trouble and expense.


While there is cream in the sauce it is there to bring the sauce together and coat the pasta but it is not a heavy cream sauce.

Ingredients
6 thin slices prosciutto, diced
2/3 cup peas
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1 lemon, zested
1 clove garlic, crushed
2/3 cup cream
250g angel hair pasta
pepper, to season
gremolata, to serve

Step 1 - Put a large pot of water onto boil. When boiling, add pasta and cook to packet specifications. 
Step 2 - Heat a good whack of olive oil in a frying pan.  Add garlic and prosciutto and fry until prosciutto is crispy.
Step 3 - Pour in cream and simmer until thick and reduced, about 1-2 minutes
Step 4 - Add peas, sundried tomato and lemon zest.  When peas are tender, remove from heat and season with pepper.
Step 5 - Toss cooked pasta through sauce and serve immediately sprinkled with gremolata. 


Notes:


Have all your ingredients ready and ensure your pan is hot before making the sauce as it should only take 3-4 minutes to cook.  If you prep your ingredients while the pasta water is coming to the boil the sauce can be made in the time the pasta cooks and you'll have an amazing meal from start to serve in ten minutes.  

   

Recipes - Pineapple Salad

Refreshing, delicious and flavour packed!  Sounds like a bit of a crazy combination but it works beautifully.  You'll be surprised! 

Ingredients

1 x ripe pineapple, skin and core removed and cut into bite sized pieces

5 x springs mint, leaves removed and roughly chopped

1 x long red chili, seeds and pith removed and finely chopped

1/2 tbs brown sugar

Step 1 - Combine all ingredients in a bowl  

Step 2 - Cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours

Step 3 - Serve on its own or with a good quality gourmet vanilla bean ice cream

Recipes - Pal fil-forn

Pal fil-forn literally means 'like in the oven'.  This dish is typical of Maltese food and is often referred to as a 'peasant's meal', that is; few ingredients, of varying quality, cooked simply over a long period of time.  Cheaper cuts of meat are best and it can be made with pork, chicken, lamb or beef, however, the meat must be on the bone.  This dish is a favourite of mine, one of my signatures and has impressed many despite its simple nature.

Ingredients

3-4 brown onion, sliced thickly

3-4 potatoes, sliced thickly

4-5 pork chops
vegetable stock and water (amount varies, see step 2 of recipe)

Step 1 - In a large pot, layer the onions on the bottom, then place the pork in a layer and top with a layer of potato.  

Step 2 - Fill pot to just under potatoes with 1/2 water 1/2 stock and put lid on pot.

Step 3 - Place pot on high heat and bring to boil.  Reduce heat, season well with salt and  pepper and simmer slowly for 3-5 hours. 

Step 4 - To serve, put a few potato slices on bottom of plate, top with pork and spoon over onion broth.  Serve with thick slices of sourdough.

Recipes - Maltese Spaghetti

This recipe is the reason most of my friends keep me around.  It's probably not traditional but is my interpretation of the recipe my grandmother makes and is a good representation of Maltese Cuisine. The ingredients may seem a bit odd, but trust me, I have not met one person who has not enjoyed this.

Ingredients

600g middle bacon, diced

1/2 head garlic, about 8-12 cloves, roughly chopped

2 x 400g tins tomatoes

4 heaped tbs tomato paste

1tbs sugar

Step 1 - Heat oil in a large frying pan.  You need lots of olive oil, enough to cover the base of the pan in a thin layer.  Fry garlic and bacon until they are cooked and slightly coloured, but do not allow the garlic to burn.

Step 2 - Add tomato paste and sugar and fry off for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.

Step 3 - Add tin tomatoes and 1 cup water, reduce heat and simmer slowly for 2-4 hours.

Step 4 - Serve with spaghetti and freshly grated parmesan.

Notes:

The long, slow cooking of this dish is essential.