WHAT'S YOUR CAPER?

BIG ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER!

SALSA VERDE

After anguishing over whether Salsa Verde (Spanish for green sauce) deserved it's own post I decided its worth centre stage - Capers may be small, but these strong-flavoured flower buds sure pack a punch..

1. Step 1
   Place 2tsp capers, handful of basil & parsley and  1/2 tsp crushed garlic  in a food processor or mortar & pestle. Process or smash until finely chopped.
2. Step 2
   Add approx1/3 cup of oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to parsley mixture. Process until well combined. Season with sea salt and pepper. Serve with barbecued meat or fish.
   
   Hint # Add mint to mix for lovely variation & don't over process

El Hambre es la mejor salsa

(Hunger is the best sauce)

-Miguel Cervantes

FANCY A FRITTATA?

FRITTATA WITH HOMEGROWN TOMATOES & CAREMLISED ONION

Basic Ingredients:

6 Eggs
1/2 Brown onion and/or leek
1tbsp Parmesan cheese
Tomatoes
Bacon
Basil

Step 1. Fry off brown onion (and/or leek)
Step 2. In a bowl mix 6 eggs as though you were making an omelette
Step 3. Pour egg mixture into grease proof tray & assemble onion, bacon & tomatoes on top
Step 4. Sprinkle with parmesaen & garnish with basil, salt and cracked pepper.


“It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." -Lewis Grizzard

Hint. Always pan fry onion or leeks in olive oil first & serve with chutney

Step 3 - Other combinations:

*Asparagus (no need to cook just arrange on top) with tomato & fresh Rosemary sprigs
*Procuito & caremlised leek
*Smoked salmon, goats cheese & dill
*Mushrooms and spinach

Enjoy!

ALL DRESSED UP

NOT SO HUMBLE SPUDS

Roast potatoes with caramelised Leek and Prosciutto

"I have made a lot of mistakes falling in love, and regretted most of them, but never the potatoes that went with them." -Nora Ephron

•  

Ingredients: 

Potatoes (either whole baby potatoes or halve bigger ones..your choice)
1 leek thinly sliced
Dill
Prosciutto - 4-6 slices

Dressing:
Whole egg Mayonnaise 
Honey
Djon mustard

Step 1. Roast your spuds until golden 
Step 2. Pan fry leek in oil until golden and remove from flame
Step 3. Using the same hot pan gently toss all together spuds, leek and dressing
Step 4. Arrange potatoes and dress them up with leeks, prosciutto, dill & cracked pepper 

Dressing
In a cup mix together 2 tablespoons of whole egg mayonnaise, 1/2 tablespoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of djon mustard. It should taste like a sweet mustard mayonnaise.


Hint: # ditch prosciutto for vegetarian dish

NOODLE LOVERS

DITCH TAKEAWAY & EAT IN WITH SINGAPORE NOODLES

"The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.”  Calvin Trillin


Ingredients:

1 piece of  eye fillet steak per 2 people.
(This dish does not have to be meaty. I prefer a small amount of good quality meat)

Egg noodles
Garlic
Oyster sauce
Brown onion
Left over vegetables -  The key to this dish is colour; (Carrots, finely chopped broccoli stalks & florets, corn, red pepper, spinach, snow peas, bok choy, zucchini etc)


Step 1. Submerge egg noodles in boiling water for 1-2 mins. You don't want the noodles mushy just nicely separated & drain
Step 2. In a pan with oil and garlic fry off onion then add vegetables. Then add thinly sliced eye fillet to pan for a minute until med rare
Step 3. Add noodles to pan & fold through vegetables and beef
Step 4. Stir in approx 2-3 tbsp of oyster sauce and pinch of chinese five spice powder and serve.

Hints # use curry powder instead of  five spice
         # splash of sweet sherry @ step 4 works well
         # get the kids to make it.

Enjoy

SHOW ME YOUR MUSSELS

MUSSEL UP IN THE NEW YEAR

" Woe to the cook whose sauce has no sting." Geoffrey Chaucer

FISHMONGERS MUSSELS WITH RISONI

Ingredients
1 kg Mussels (cleaned)
Fish stock
White wine
Butter
Sherry
Parsley
1 red Chilli
Garlic
2 cups of Risoni (pasta section of supermarket - rice look-a-like)

Step 1. In a pan (that has a lid) fry off some garlic and finely chopped chilli in oil. Add approx 3 cups of stock, 1/2 cup white wine, a knob of butter and a decent splash of sherry and bring to boil
Step 2. Add 2 cups of Risoni to pan and simmer for approx 5 mins until Risoni is cooked and texture is soupy. Add more stock if you need.
Step 3. Add mussels to pan,  cover and allow them to open (discarding the unopened ones) & transfer to bowl
Step.4. Pour soupy ingredients over mussels and finish with parsley and chilli.

Hint: # Ditch the Risoni for carb free meal
         # Serve with hot chips to mop up sauce.

Enjoy
     

DANCING TASTE BUDS

VIETNAMESE SALAD (inspired by Amelie)

Versatile, Healthy and heaps of ZING!

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends."—Laurie Colwin.

Ingredients: Bean Shoots, coriander, mint, Vietnamese mint, red onion, finely chopped  red chilli, thinly sliced or grated apple, good pinch of shredded coconut

Dressing mix together approx 1/3 cup Coconut milk, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp sugar and a drop of fish sauce.

Step 1. Throw all the ingredients in together and dress.

Hint: Delicious with Pork Belly