Strawberry fool
12 February 2010

Serves: 3

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 250g strawberries
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 50g icing sugar
  • 150ml double cream
  • 100ml fromage frais

Instructions

Wash and remove the stalks from the strawberries. Place in a large bowl, add the lemon juice and sieve over the icing sugar.
Crush with a potato masher so the strawberries are wonderfully juicy but still fairly chunky.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until it forms firm peaks. Stir in the fromage frais and then fold in the crushed strawberries.

Spoon into 3 individual glasses or 1 large dish. Chill for about 2 hours before serving.

For added kick, use strawberry liqueur or creme de cassis

 

Mushroom and Herb Fritters
05 February 2010

Serves: 2-3

Preparation time: 15minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 200g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 onion very finely chopped
  • 2.5 cups self-raising flour, sifted
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Pinch of lemon thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • extra light olive oil, for shallow frying
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • tzatziki dip, to serve

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook, stirring often for 6
minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside to cool completely.

Combine flour and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk the milk and eggs in a jug with a
fork until well combined. Pour into the flour mixture and stir gently until smooth.

Add mushrooms, thyme and parsley. Stir gently to combine.

Add enough oil to a large non-stick frying pan to cover the base. Heat over medium heat until
hot. Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of mixture into pan. Cook for 3 minutes each side or until
golden and cooked through.

Serve at room temperature topped with a dollop of tzatziki dip.

 

Roasted Beets with Fresh Horseradish
05 February 2010

Serves: 3-4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 large Trimmed and washed beetroot
  • 1kg pumpkin peeled and cut in 4cm thick rounds
  • 3-4 carrots peeled and cut in 4cm lengths
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • freshly ground white pepper to taste
  • fresh Horseradish to serve

Instructions

Place the beetroot, pumpkin and carrots in a large baking tray and splash with plenty of extra virgin olive oil.

Season well and roast, turning occasionally at 200C for about 50 minutes or until soft and caramelised.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and transfer them to a bowl.

Toss with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Serve the salad on a platter and grate fresh horseradish over the top.

 

Chicken with Red Cabbage & Pine Nuts
29 January 2010

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  •  2 chicken breast fillets
  • olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 tbsp basil (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4red cabbage (shredded)
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1  tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 30g toasted pine nuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200C.

Brush  chicken breast fillets with 2 tbsp olive oil and season.

Brown in a non-stick, ovenproof pan over high heat, then roast for 20 minutes or until cooked.

Remove chicken and keep warm. Skim fat from pan juices and add 1/3 cup white wine. Check seasoning and bring to boil over high heat, then simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in 1 tbsp basil (chopped), set aside and keep warm.


Place 2 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 red cabbage (shredded) in a frying pan over high heat. Stir until wilted. Add 2 tsp caster sugar, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and 50g toasted pine nuts.

Season and stir until cabbage is tender but crisp.

To serve
Place on  plates, top with chicken and sauce and serve with mash.

 

Plum Curry Chicken
29 January 2010

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 3 medium chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup spanish onion, sliced
  • 4 plums, cut into dice
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tspminced fresh ginger and
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes

Instructions

Combine flour, curry powder, chilli flakes, and salt and pepper in ziploc bag and shake with chicken to coat.

Heat oil over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 3 min per side. Remove chicken to bowl.

Add onions and saute 2 min, then remove. Add plums and 1/4cup of  wine, cook for 4 min.

Add remaining wine and ginger and bring to boil. Add back chicken and onions. Reduce heat and simmer 5 min or until chicken is cooked through and plums are tender.

Serve with rice.