Roasted Brussel Sprouts
16 July 2010

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 300g brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
  • 30ml olive oil
  • 3g kosher salt
  •  black pepper
  • 3 Cloves garlic, crushed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, garlic and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack. The garlic is just to impart flavour, you can remove it at this stage.

Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.
 

Seared Scallops with Sweet Corn Salsa
16 July 2010

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4  large scallops
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • Pinch sea salt
  • olive oil
  • 300g sweet corn
  • 150g tomatoes
  • 1 thinly sliced red or green chilli
  • 1  small red onion
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  •  light soy sauce
  •  black pepper
  • fresh parsley

Instructions

Finely chop the onion and chilli, and cut the tomatoes into wedges. Mix this with the corn in a small saucepan, and add sesame oil, a splash of soy sauce, salt and pepper. Hold back the parsley for now.

Slice the scallops into halves, across the middle. Dust them with sea salt and curry, and fry in olive oil for one minute on each side. You should have the heat fairly high, to get a nice crispy surface. Meanwhile, heat the salsa - it will just take a minute - and add the parsley. Divide on four plates, and top with the scallops.
 

Easy Chicken Pie for the Kids
09 July 2010

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the pie base 
  • 1 medium butternut pumpkin 
  • 1 egg 
  • 2¼ cups (280g) plain flour 
  • 1 egg for egg wash glaze if desired
     
  • For the filling 
  • 150g mushrooms 
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts 
  • 300g (about ¾ tin) condensed cream of mushroom soup 
  • 300g water 

Instructions


Peel, cube and boil pumpkin until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, then mash and leave to cool.
 
Meanwhile, chop the mushrooms and dice the chicken. Cook chicken and mushrooms in a saucepan with no oil (the juice from the mushrooms will stop the chicken from sticking) until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. At this stage you can add almost anything you think you'd like in a pie. Just becareful of any foods with a high water content as they will effect the consistancy. Stick with starchy veg or meats.
 
When cooked, drain the chicken and mushrooms, and add the mushroom soup & water, keeping on the heat so that they mix well - about 2-3 mins. 
 
While waiting for the chicken to cook, add the egg and flour to the mashed cooled squash, mixing to form the pastry. 
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C.
 
Roll the pastry out on to a well floured surface - it will be very sticky so use lots of flour.
 
Line the 3 non stick pie tins (or disposable ones which have been greased to prevent sticking) with pastry, pricking the bottom of the tins to prevent the pastry from going soggy. Blind bake for 10 minutes.
 
Spoon filling into the pie and use remaining pastry for the lid. Brush with the egg wash glaze if desired. 
Bake in a pre-heated oven on 200 degrees C for 30 minutes or until golden. 

 

Curried Capsicum Rice
29 June 2010

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1-2 Capsicums (chopped)
  • 1 cup Rice
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1-1/2 tbsp Dry Grated Coconut
  • 3 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tsp Black Gram (You can do with out it but if you like curries it's worth investing in some)
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • Few Curry Leaves
  • 1 tbsp Peanuts
  • 8-9 Cashew nuts
  • 2 Red chilies
  • Salt as per taste 
  • Coriander Leaves for garnishing


For powdered masala

  • 1 Red Chili
  • 1 Stick Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1-1/2 tsp Black gram (again you can do with out it but if you like curries it's worth investing in some)
  • 2 tsp Coriander seeds

Instructions

Heat oil in a frying pan  then add all the ingredients of the masala untill the mixture turns brown. 

Remove the pan and allow it to cool.Grind to make a fine powder. Keep aside.
 
Cook the rice till it is 3/4 cooked and set aside to cool. 
 
Heat oil to a medium heat in a frying pan and add mustard seeds, black gram, Bengal gram, red chilies, curry leaves,peanuts and cashew nuts and cook until fragrant.

Add chopped capsicum and fry until tender.
 
On a medium flame add grated coconut and cook until light brown then add cooked rice, turmeric and salt. 

Reheat the rice over the stove and sprinkle powdered masala and the lemon juice. Give it a good mix and garnish with coriander leaves. 
 

 

Kids Hummus
29 June 2010

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

 

  • 1  can chick peas, (reserve liquid)
  • 1/4 Teaspoon  Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon  Cumin, ground
  • 1 Tablespoon  Olive oil, extra virgin
  • 2 Tablespoons  Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1/4 Teaspoon  Sea salt

Instructions

Saving the liquid, drain the peas.

In blender or food processor, combine beans, garlic, cumin, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Blend on low speed. Gradually add reserved bean liquid until dip reaches desired consistency.

Hummus Dip Options:
Serve with vegetable sticks, string beans, asparagus tips, crackers, bagel, tortilla chips or pita chips.