Five spice ginger chicken salad
02 September 2011

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) light soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) dry sherry
  • 5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 8 (about 1kg) chicken thigh fillets
  • 100g baby spinach
  • Shallots finley chopped
  • 1 cup large mint leaves, finely shredded
  • half an avocado thinly sliced
  • Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Instructions

Combine lemon juice, honey, sesame oil, Chinese five spice, 1 tbs soy sauce and 1 tbs sherry in a small bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
 
Combine the ginger, star anise, remaining soy sauce and sherry in a large frying pan. Add the chicken and place over high heat. Bring to a simmer.
 
Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
 
Combine the lettuce, shallots, mint and avocado in a large bowl. Drizzle with half the dressing and gently toss to combine.
 
Thinly slice the chicken. Place the salad among serving bowls. Top with chicken and drizzle with remaining dressing.
 
Serve immediately with steamed rice, if desired.

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Yellow Indian eggplant
02 September 2011

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large (about 700g) eggplant
  • 2 tbs caster sugar
  • 1 tbs salt
  • 1 tbs turmeric powder
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) mustard seed oil

Instructions

Cut the eggplant crossways into 2cm-thick slices. Place the slices, in a single layer, on a large plate. Combine the sugar, salt and turmeric in a small bowl. Evenly sprinkle the eggplant slices with half the turmeric mixture.
 
Turn the eggplant slices over and repeat with the remaining turmeric mixture.
 
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3 hours to develop the flavours.
 
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 3 slices of eggplant and cook for 2 minutes each side or until eggplant is tender and golden.
 
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices, reheating pan between batches.
 
Serve immediately.

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End of the week pizza pockets..
25 August 2011

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 sheets (25cm) ready-rolled frozen puff pastry
1/4 cup (60ml) tomato pizza sauce (please make your own...)
1/2 cup (55g) coarsely grated mozzarella
 
This is a guide but use anything you have left over...
50g shaved ham, coarsely chopped
4 salami slices, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (40g) pitted kalamata olives, thinly sliced
1/2 green capsicum, seeded, finely chopped
40g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 egg, lightly whisked

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220°C.

Line an oven tray with baking paper. Place a pastry sheet on the tray.

Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the pastry, leaving a 2cm border. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Continue layering with the ham, salami, olives, capsicum and mushrooms.
 
Place remaining pastry sheet over the filling to enclose. Press the edges together to seal.

Brush the pastry lightly with egg. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.

Remove from oven; cut into quarters to serve.

Serve immediately.

 
 
 

 

 

 

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Potatoless spinach & ricotta gnocchi
25 August 2011

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

600g (about 4 bunches) English spinach, trimmed, washed
250g fresh full-fat ricotta
75g grated parmesan
1 egg
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
100g plain flour, plus extra to dust
Sea salt, to taste
30g unsalted butter, chopped, plus extra to grease

Instructions
Place spinach, with the water clinging to its leaves, in a pan over medium heat. Cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes or until wilted. Drain and refresh with cold water, then set aside to cool.

Once cool, squeeze all the excess water from the spinach and either chop finely or whiz in a food processor.
 
Place the chopped spinach in a large bowl with the ricotta, 50g parmesan, egg, nutmeg and plain flour. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
 
Use a fork to gently mix, and then use your hands to ensure all ingredients are well-combined.
 
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into quarters, then roll each quarter into a long sausage shape (about 2cm in diameter).
 
Cut dough at 3cm intervals and use the tynes of a fork to slightly indent and flatten each piece.
 
Place gnocchi on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
 
Preheat grill to high. Lightly grease a gratin dish. Cook the gnocchi in batches in a large pan of boiling, salted water.
 
When they rise to the surface, cook for a further minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the dish.
 
Continue until all are cooked. Dot with butter, then sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and season.
 
Place under grill for 3-4 minutes until golden. Serve 

 

 

 

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Crab Ravioli
19 August 2011

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

250g white crab meat (shredded)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 shallots, finely chopped
250g ricotta
3 tbsp grated parmesan
3 tbsp dill
generous pinch paprika
1/2 tsp ground ginger
juice and zest of 1/4 lemon
maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Pasta
18 wonton wrappers 
 
To Serve
100ml extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch dried chilli flakes
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tomatoes, seeds removed and finely diced
3 tbsp finely chopped shallots

Instructions

Ravioli:Place all the filling ingredients in a bowl, and mix together with a wooden spoon or fork until all the ingredients are well combined. Season to taste.

Place a sheet of grease proof or a similar non stick material on a large plate or tray. Lay the wonton wrappers out on a clean dry work surface. Place a generous teaspoonful of the filling in the centre of each wonton.
 
Dampen the edges of the wonton wrappers with water, place another one on top and seal around the edges by pressing with your fingers.

Using a pastry cutter cut the wontons into round ravioli. (you can get a nice finish if you choose a smaller cutter and using the wrong edge pres down to create a neat 'bubble' of mixture in the centre).

Place the crab ravioli on the lined plate or tray (when plate/tray is full, place a second sheet of greaseproof paper on top of the ravioli and continue).

Cover the ravioli with cling film and refrigerate until ready to cook (can be prepared several hours in advance).
 
To Cook: Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Reduce to a strong simmer and place 6-10 ravioli in the saucepan and cook for 1-2 minutes until the ravioli rises to the top.

Remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon and place into warmed serving bowls, continue the process until all the ravioli is cooked. Keep warm until ready to serve.
 
To Serve:Heat the olive oil in a pan over a moderate high heat. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes with a wooden spoon, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, mix in the lemon zest and juice, and pour over the ravioli servings. Garnish with diced tomatoes and chives. Serve.

 

 

 

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