This was dinner tonight, blog-worthy because it cooks in just one pot in under half an hour. Tasty and filling, the one-pot reduction makes the sauce beautifully creamy and the stock gives it a nice depth of flavour - a definite winner. It's also a spin on a family classic, which doesn't hurt ;)
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 baby capsicum, diced
1/2 head garlic, crushed
200-250g mushrooms, sliced
olive oil
1 can nutmeat, diced OR g mince
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 500g bottle tomato pasta sauce
2.5c stock (I used vegetable)
oregano
basil
garlic salt
400g pasta (I used farfelle/bows)
splash of chili oil (to taste)
Saute the onion, capsicum, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil until soft. Add the nutmeat/mince and fry until browned. Add crushed tomatoes and pasta sauce; stir to combine. Add stock, season to taste with oregano, basil and garlic salt. Bring to the boil. Add pasta and simmer until cooked (10-15 mins). Stir more frequently as sauce reduces to avoid sticking. Add a splash of chili oil to taste.
Serve with green peas and parmesan. YUM.
Showing posts with label Vegetarian Savouries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetarian Savouries. Show all posts
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Monday, August 8, 2011
Unstuffed Mini Capsicums
Yes, that's right, unstuffed. Because I was lazy ;) :D
Anyway, this came about because the vast majority of my family went shopping together on the weekend at the newly-arrived-and-therefore-exciting (sigh) Costco. Amidst all the kerfuffle, a large box of baby red capsicums (bell peppers :P) were purchased and split up between us. Hence the txt message I received from Mum this afternoon, detailing the delicious feta-and-spinach-stuffed capsicums they'd had for dinner last night.
Plagued by pregnancy cravings and sickness, stuffed capsicums sounded like just the thing for tonight's dinner - only I couldn't be bothered making the stuffing, then stuffing the capsicums, and then baking it all again. Hence, unstuffed capsicums O:) :D
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
300g mushrooms, thinly sliced
olive oil
1.2c long grain rice
2.5c vegetable stock
12 baby red capsicums
sweet chilli sauce
soy sauce
salt
tarragon
100g cream cheese, cubed
baby spinach, to serve
Method
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add mushrooms; stir until reduced. Add rice; stir for 1 minute to coat thoroughly. Add stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer with a TIGHT lid for 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN, or you'll lose all the precious steam. If through a tragedy not of your making, the lid gets lifted (hi there, curious meal-eaters *glare*), add some more hot water to compensate. You're basically just making a pilaf, here.
Meanwhile, deseed the capsicums (reserving a 'lid' for each) and rinse them. Shake them dry, though not too dry, and replace 'lids'. The lids help preserve the moisture so they become tender, rather than drying out. Bake in a 200C oven for 15 minutes.
Once 20 mins is up for the rice, turn off the heat and give it a good stir. If, like me, you're unlucky and some stuck to the bottom, transfer to a new pot to avoid contaminating the good stuff with anything burnt. Season with sauces, salt and tarragon to taste, then stir through cream cheese.
Plate up, and enjoy :o)
Anyway, this came about because the vast majority of my family went shopping together on the weekend at the newly-arrived-and-therefore-exciting (sigh) Costco. Amidst all the kerfuffle, a large box of baby red capsicums (bell peppers :P) were purchased and split up between us. Hence the txt message I received from Mum this afternoon, detailing the delicious feta-and-spinach-stuffed capsicums they'd had for dinner last night.
Plagued by pregnancy cravings and sickness, stuffed capsicums sounded like just the thing for tonight's dinner - only I couldn't be bothered making the stuffing, then stuffing the capsicums, and then baking it all again. Hence, unstuffed capsicums O:) :D
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
300g mushrooms, thinly sliced
olive oil
1.2c long grain rice
2.5c vegetable stock
12 baby red capsicums
sweet chilli sauce
soy sauce
salt
tarragon
100g cream cheese, cubed
baby spinach, to serve
Method
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add mushrooms; stir until reduced. Add rice; stir for 1 minute to coat thoroughly. Add stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer with a TIGHT lid for 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN, or you'll lose all the precious steam. If through a tragedy not of your making, the lid gets lifted (hi there, curious meal-eaters *glare*), add some more hot water to compensate. You're basically just making a pilaf, here.
Meanwhile, deseed the capsicums (reserving a 'lid' for each) and rinse them. Shake them dry, though not too dry, and replace 'lids'. The lids help preserve the moisture so they become tender, rather than drying out. Bake in a 200C oven for 15 minutes.
Once 20 mins is up for the rice, turn off the heat and give it a good stir. If, like me, you're unlucky and some stuck to the bottom, transfer to a new pot to avoid contaminating the good stuff with anything burnt. Season with sauces, salt and tarragon to taste, then stir through cream cheese.
Plate up, and enjoy :o)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Curried Pumpkin Soup
Had a craving for soup tonight - freezing cold, blustery day - and had half a butternut pumpkin (squash) in the fridge that needed using up. Also, we'd just gone grocery shopping and came home with a lovely little pumpkin (can't recall the type; marbled green skin, lovely orange flesh) that was on sale very cheap. Sadly, the butternut in the fridge had kicked the bucket - but no matter. The resulting soup was very good anyway!
I tend to prefer butternut to other pumpkins, as it's sweeter, but the slightly earthier taste of the regular pumpkin worked well in this one. The curried part came from a soup I had back in February that our vet, of all people, cooked, and I wanted to attempt some sort of recreation. This worked well enough that I'd probably buy coconut milk again in order to make it :)
Ingredients:
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 heaped teaspoons crushed garlic
curry powder
5 cups of vegetable stock (chicken would work well, too)
2 large potatoes, skins on
1/2 a med-small pumpkin (about 1.2kg unprepared)
1 can of coconut milk
salt & pepper
Recipe:
Saute the onion, garlic and curry powder (to taste; about 2 teaspoons??). Once sauted, add just a little bit of stock at first to blend in the curry. Add the rest of the stock and bring to the boil. Add potato and pumpkin, cut into small pieces. Simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Puree, stir through coconut milk and season to taste. Enjoy! :)
I tend to prefer butternut to other pumpkins, as it's sweeter, but the slightly earthier taste of the regular pumpkin worked well in this one. The curried part came from a soup I had back in February that our vet, of all people, cooked, and I wanted to attempt some sort of recreation. This worked well enough that I'd probably buy coconut milk again in order to make it :)
Ingredients:
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 heaped teaspoons crushed garlic
curry powder
5 cups of vegetable stock (chicken would work well, too)
2 large potatoes, skins on
1/2 a med-small pumpkin (about 1.2kg unprepared)
1 can of coconut milk
salt & pepper
Recipe:
Saute the onion, garlic and curry powder (to taste; about 2 teaspoons??). Once sauted, add just a little bit of stock at first to blend in the curry. Add the rest of the stock and bring to the boil. Add potato and pumpkin, cut into small pieces. Simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Puree, stir through coconut milk and season to taste. Enjoy! :)
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Great Risottos Made Easy
I have a bit of a reputation for making a good risotto. My husband, in fact, refuses to order risotto on the odd occasion we eat out, for fear it won't live up to his expectations :D A couple of people recently have asked me for the recipe, and I thought I might as well share it on here with you. Enjoy :)
1 onion (or half, if you don't feel like chopping lots of onion)
Garlic to taste (I usually use a good 5-6 cloves, but then again, I love garlic. 2 is probably okay too! :D)
1c arborio rice (MUST be arborio or it won't be nice and creamy at the end)
3.5 - 4c stock (I use chicken stock with orange veggies and vegetable stock with everything else. The amount you need will depend on the rice: stop once it's cooked through and don't worry about any excess stock, as you don't want a gluggy risotto)
1/3 - 1/2c parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Make up the stock and put it in a saucepan over a VERY low heat on the stove. You just want to keep it warm so it incorporates easier.
Finely dice then saute the garlic and onion in some oil (I like olive).
Add the rice, stir so it's coated in the oil, then add enough stock to just cover the rice. Give it a good stir. Bring it to the boil, then turn the heat down so it's just gently simmering. Keep a close eye on it, stirring a couple of times every minute so the rice cooks evenly and doesn't stick, and as soon as you can drag the spoon from one side of the pan to the other in about half a second and still see the bottom of the pan, add another ladle-ful of stock. Continue this until all the stock is gone.
Check to make sure the rice is cooked through (make sure it's not crunchy) but turn off the heat as soon as the last stock is absorbed so the risotto doesn't dry out (yuck). Stir through the parmesan until it's all melted, season to taste, and serve!! :)
If you want to add things to make it tastier, this is what you add when:
1 onion (or half, if you don't feel like chopping lots of onion)
Garlic to taste (I usually use a good 5-6 cloves, but then again, I love garlic. 2 is probably okay too! :D)
1c arborio rice (MUST be arborio or it won't be nice and creamy at the end)
3.5 - 4c stock (I use chicken stock with orange veggies and vegetable stock with everything else. The amount you need will depend on the rice: stop once it's cooked through and don't worry about any excess stock, as you don't want a gluggy risotto)
1/3 - 1/2c parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Make up the stock and put it in a saucepan over a VERY low heat on the stove. You just want to keep it warm so it incorporates easier.
Finely dice then saute the garlic and onion in some oil (I like olive).
Add the rice, stir so it's coated in the oil, then add enough stock to just cover the rice. Give it a good stir. Bring it to the boil, then turn the heat down so it's just gently simmering. Keep a close eye on it, stirring a couple of times every minute so the rice cooks evenly and doesn't stick, and as soon as you can drag the spoon from one side of the pan to the other in about half a second and still see the bottom of the pan, add another ladle-ful of stock. Continue this until all the stock is gone.
Check to make sure the rice is cooked through (make sure it's not crunchy) but turn off the heat as soon as the last stock is absorbed so the risotto doesn't dry out (yuck). Stir through the parmesan until it's all melted, season to taste, and serve!! :)
If you want to add things to make it tastier, this is what you add when:
- Vegetables that need sauteing to soften them go in with the onion at the beginning (eg capsicum, mushrooms).
- Spices go in with the onion at the beginning (heat releases their smell and taste).
- Green leafies go in at the very end, after the parmesan (this includes herbs).
- Other vegetables are best pre-cooked (microwaved or baked) and added once the last stock is absorbed but before the parmesan. (I often microwave pumpkin or sweet potato then grill it with sea salt and olive oil). This is also when you would add any meat (pre-cooked).
- Feta can be added either before the parmesan if you wanted it melted in a bit, or after if you want it chunkier.
- You can also add flavours to the stock - try substituting some of it with red wine vinegar, or a splash of lemon juice, for example.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Mashed Potato-Stuffed Mushrooms
Serves 2
2 large flat mushrooms - clean them.
2 extra large potatoes - microwave and mash w butter & milk & salt.
Add 1/4c parmesan and season with chives, tarragon, dill, cajun, sage, oregano & 1T tomato sauce.
Drizzle with 1T honey & sweet chilli mixed into olive oil.
Bake at 170C for 25 mins.
Serve over baby spinach and eat!
2 extra large potatoes - microwave and mash w butter & milk & salt.
Add 1/4c parmesan and season with chives, tarragon, dill, cajun, sage, oregano & 1T tomato sauce.
Drizzle with 1T honey & sweet chilli mixed into olive oil.
Bake at 170C for 25 mins.
Serve over baby spinach and eat!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Moroccan Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Stew
Full credit to Kerryn Boorman for gifting me with this recipe. I think by now we all know my love of orange vegetables, so this recipe is one of my hearty favourites. In fact, since I was just given some butternuts, I might make it for dinner!
Recipe
60 g butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cinnamon stick (or equiv. ground cinnamon)
pinch of cayenne pepper, or ½ teaspoon harissa
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon ground saffron threads (this is in the official recipe, but given the price of it, I've always omitted it, and the end result seems just fine to me!)
600 g butternut pumpkin (squash) or other firm pumpkin, peeled and cubed
500 g orange sweet potato, peeled and cubed
60 g ( ½ cup) raisins or sultanas
1 tablespoon honey
coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon stick and the cayenne pepper or harissa. Stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the stock, add the saffron, then increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil.
Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, raisins and honey and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the cinnamon stick, transfer to a bowl and scatter with coriander leaves.
An amazing sweet-savoury that leaves me wanting seconds every time. Note, though, that it is a sweet-savoury; if you don't like your sweets and savouries combined (a la my husband), you may not like this so much.
Recipe
60 g butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cinnamon stick (or equiv. ground cinnamon)
pinch of cayenne pepper, or ½ teaspoon harissa
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon ground saffron threads (this is in the official recipe, but given the price of it, I've always omitted it, and the end result seems just fine to me!)
600 g butternut pumpkin (squash) or other firm pumpkin, peeled and cubed
500 g orange sweet potato, peeled and cubed
60 g ( ½ cup) raisins or sultanas
1 tablespoon honey
coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon stick and the cayenne pepper or harissa. Stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the stock, add the saffron, then increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil.
Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, raisins and honey and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the cinnamon stick, transfer to a bowl and scatter with coriander leaves.
An amazing sweet-savoury that leaves me wanting seconds every time. Note, though, that it is a sweet-savoury; if you don't like your sweets and savouries combined (a la my husband), you may not like this so much.
Friday, June 25, 2010
French-Inspired Mushroom Soup
I invented this recipe a year or so ago after I watched an episode of Masterchef. They mentioned on the show that the classic flavours of French food were butter, cream, thyme and I think lemon - so when I went to make mushroom soup for dinner that night, knowing we had some beautiful lemon thyme growing in the garden, I decided to see if I could make a soup that reflected these flavours.
The Recipe
About 50g butter
1 smallish white or brown onion
1 heaped teaspoon crushed garlic
400-600g mushrooms (I used 400g; the fresher the better)
Salt (¼t?)
3/16 c plain flour (hehe. The original recipe called for ¼ cup, but because I added the soup mix I reduced the flour by ¼)
2/3 packet of mushroom powdered soup mix
4c chicken stock
2 2-inch sprigs of lemon thyme
½ - 2/3c milk
About 100g sour cream
2t chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ - ½ t dried tarragon
Melt butter in saucepan. Sauté garlic and onion until clear, but not caramelised. Add mushrooms, cook stirring until reduced (~7mins?). Add salt to taste. Add flour and soup mix. Cook for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly. Add first 1.5 cups of stock slowly so flour doesn’t clump. Add rest of stock. Throw in thyme sprigs. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Optionally, let soup cool and process to desired consistency (I prefer not to process this soup). Add milk and sour cream. Heat until cream is melted. Add herbs. Serve hot with crusty bread.
The Results
Is this soup a successful reflection of the key French flavours? I absolutely think so. It's warm and satisfying due to the cream and butter, but light and delicate at the same time because of the lemon. Because it's quite rich, I wouldn't make it every week, but this is definitely a grand soup for special occasions B-)
The Recipe
About 50g butter
1 smallish white or brown onion
1 heaped teaspoon crushed garlic
400-600g mushrooms (I used 400g; the fresher the better)
Salt (¼t?)
3/16 c plain flour (hehe. The original recipe called for ¼ cup, but because I added the soup mix I reduced the flour by ¼)
2/3 packet of mushroom powdered soup mix
4c chicken stock
2 2-inch sprigs of lemon thyme
½ - 2/3c milk
About 100g sour cream
2t chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ - ½ t dried tarragon
Melt butter in saucepan. Sauté garlic and onion until clear, but not caramelised. Add mushrooms, cook stirring until reduced (~7mins?). Add salt to taste. Add flour and soup mix. Cook for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly. Add first 1.5 cups of stock slowly so flour doesn’t clump. Add rest of stock. Throw in thyme sprigs. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Optionally, let soup cool and process to desired consistency (I prefer not to process this soup). Add milk and sour cream. Heat until cream is melted. Add herbs. Serve hot with crusty bread.
The Results
Is this soup a successful reflection of the key French flavours? I absolutely think so. It's warm and satisfying due to the cream and butter, but light and delicate at the same time because of the lemon. Because it's quite rich, I wouldn't make it every week, but this is definitely a grand soup for special occasions B-)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sweet Potato & Feta Fritata
350g sweet potato, sliced
1/4c water
2tb shredded basil leaves
200g feta
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3c thickened cream
Grease a ~20cm x 30cm rectangular slice pan. Line the base and two long sides with baking paper. Microwave sweet potato (with the water), covered, on high, for 3 mins or until almost tender. Drain.
Bake for about 25 mins or until set at 180C. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
The Results
This is one of my all-time favourite go-to foods. It doesn't come out quite like a quiche or a pie; it's more vegetable-y than that. But given sweet potato and feta are two of my favourite foods, this is something I could never, ever eat too much of. And, bonus, it's just as good cold, so you can take the left overs for lunch! That's if there are any left overs... :D
(Note for example the fact that I don't have a photo of the slice cooked O:))
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Zucchini Pie
The Recipe
1 small-med zucchini
1 med carrot
1 onion, diced
1 block greek feta, cubed
1/4 small butternut pumpkin, cubed and mostly cooked
5 eggs
½c grated parmesan
½c oil
¾c flour
Cumin
Pepper
Oregano
Thai lemongrass & lime spice mix
Mix all ingredients. Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes.
Alternative: omit pumpkin and feta and 1 egg, and add 1c grated cheese instead of parmesan.
1 small-med zucchini
1 med carrot
1 onion, diced
1 block greek feta, cubed
1/4 small butternut pumpkin, cubed and mostly cooked
5 eggs
½c grated parmesan
½c oil
¾c flour
Cumin
Pepper
Oregano
Thai lemongrass & lime spice mix
Mix all ingredients. Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes.
Alternative: omit pumpkin and feta and 1 egg, and add 1c grated cheese instead of parmesan.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Asparagus & Corn Quiche
1 can creamed corn
2 bunches fresh asparagus, chopped into 1.5 inch lengths
5-6 shallots/green onions, finely chopped
about 1/3 of a red capsicum (pepper), diced
1/3c grated cheese
5 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4c cream
salt
majoram
chives
black pepper
3/4 block feta, crumbled
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease quiche dish. Line with pastry. Bake blind for ten mins or until centre of base is firm. Spread creamed corn over base.
Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour into pastry case. Bake for 20ish minutes or until centre is nearly set. Let stand for five minutes before cutting. Eat hot or cold!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Quick and Easy Vegetable Lasagna
Serves 8ish
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 good sized zucchini (courgette)
8-10 small cup mushrooms (2-3 inches across), rinsed
1 large carrot
1/2 butternut pumpkin (butternut squash)
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 block feta
1/3c tomato sauce
grated cheese, to top
lasagna sheets
Preheat oven to 210C. Peel and dice butternut and microwave on high for ten minutes. Fry garlic until golden. Dice the zucchini and mushrooms. Add to pan and saute until nearly cooked through. Grate in the carrot. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, and heat through.
In a baking dish, spread half the tomato mixture. Put over a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover with butternut; mash down slightly if necessary. Crumble feta over top. Place another layer of lasagna sheets, and top with the remaining tomato mixture. Top with grated cheese and bake for about 20-30 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Let sit for five mins before slicing in order to prevent it from falling apart so much when serving :)
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 good sized zucchini (courgette)
8-10 small cup mushrooms (2-3 inches across), rinsed
1 large carrot
1/2 butternut pumpkin (butternut squash)
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 block feta
1/3c tomato sauce
grated cheese, to top
lasagna sheets
Preheat oven to 210C. Peel and dice butternut and microwave on high for ten minutes. Fry garlic until golden. Dice the zucchini and mushrooms. Add to pan and saute until nearly cooked through. Grate in the carrot. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, and heat through.
In a baking dish, spread half the tomato mixture. Put over a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover with butternut; mash down slightly if necessary. Crumble feta over top. Place another layer of lasagna sheets, and top with the remaining tomato mixture. Top with grated cheese and bake for about 20-30 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Let sit for five mins before slicing in order to prevent it from falling apart so much when serving :)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Butter-based Mushroom/Capsicum/Baby Spinach Pasta Sauce
I got home at nearly half past nine tonight craving something tasty and wanting more than anything to crash into bed. I'd already planned to make pasta, and lacking a brain to think of a satisfying alternative, pasta is what I went with.
What I didn't expect was for it to be SO INSANELY TASTY!!
So. Recipe. Be warned: this is not a skinny recipe :D
Serves 3.
About 100g of butter
About 2t fresh majoram
8 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 small red capsicum (pepper), diced
Tarragon
Almost 1/4 carton sour cream (er, 100g??)
Nearly 1 block feta cheese (250g?)
1 handful baby spinach/rocket mix
Cook sufficient pasta according to directions. Melt butter in a saucepan with majoram. Add mushrooms and capsicum. Saute until mushies are nearly cooked then add tarragon and salt to taste (4 grinds). Add sour cream and melt. Add feta; stir through until heated. Add spinach/rocket and stir through until just wilted.
Serve with a few fresh leaves on top and a sprinkling of parmesan.
Yum!
What I didn't expect was for it to be SO INSANELY TASTY!!
So. Recipe. Be warned: this is not a skinny recipe :D
Serves 3.
About 100g of butter
About 2t fresh majoram
8 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 small red capsicum (pepper), diced
Tarragon
Almost 1/4 carton sour cream (er, 100g??)
Nearly 1 block feta cheese (250g?)
1 handful baby spinach/rocket mix
Cook sufficient pasta according to directions. Melt butter in a saucepan with majoram. Add mushrooms and capsicum. Saute until mushies are nearly cooked then add tarragon and salt to taste (4 grinds). Add sour cream and melt. Add feta; stir through until heated. Add spinach/rocket and stir through until just wilted.
Serve with a few fresh leaves on top and a sprinkling of parmesan.
Yum!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Pesto and Pumpkin Seed Pasta
Tonight I had a fantastic reminder that good food, tasty food, needn't necessarily be slow food. The last few months I've been in a cooking slump; I'm not interested, I'm not motivated, I don't want to think about what to cook, and I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen.
However, after a week away with decidedly average cooking, and a day in which 10-12 years olds participated in a My Kitchen Rules style cooking challenge and TOTALLY ROCKED (dude, twelve year olds who know how to make risotto and truffles? HEAVEN!), I knew tonight I needed to eat Good Food.
We went shopping last night, so we had fresh mushrooms, a new bottle of basil pesto, and for the first time, some roasted pumpkin seeds. Liana uses these as snack material, so I decided to give them a try. They're great, but this particular brand is a little too salty for my liking - hence, cooking with them!
The Recipe - serves 2
2 large cloves garlic
olive oil
about 10 smallish mushrooms, sliced
2 rings of red capsicum/pepper, diced
1 tablespoon chopped pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons basil pesto
100g sour cream
2 small handfuls shredded baby spinach
Grated parmesan, for garnishing
Crush garlic. Fry in oil until golden. Add mushrooms. When partially sauted, add capsicum and seeds. When mushrooms are fully cooked, add pesto and sour cream. Stir through until heated. Serve over hot pasta and top with shredded baby spinach and parmesan.
Mmm.
See? Good food. Pretty tasty food. And it wasn't complicated to prepare. Woo hoo!
However, after a week away with decidedly average cooking, and a day in which 10-12 years olds participated in a My Kitchen Rules style cooking challenge and TOTALLY ROCKED (dude, twelve year olds who know how to make risotto and truffles? HEAVEN!), I knew tonight I needed to eat Good Food.
We went shopping last night, so we had fresh mushrooms, a new bottle of basil pesto, and for the first time, some roasted pumpkin seeds. Liana uses these as snack material, so I decided to give them a try. They're great, but this particular brand is a little too salty for my liking - hence, cooking with them!
The Recipe - serves 2
olive oil
about 10 smallish mushrooms, sliced
2 rings of red capsicum/pepper, diced
1 tablespoon chopped pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons basil pesto
100g sour cream
2 small handfuls shredded baby spinach
Grated parmesan, for garnishing
Crush garlic. Fry in oil until golden. Add mushrooms. When partially sauted, add capsicum and seeds. When mushrooms are fully cooked, add pesto and sour cream. Stir through until heated. Serve over hot pasta and top with shredded baby spinach and parmesan.
Mmm.
See? Good food. Pretty tasty food. And it wasn't complicated to prepare. Woo hoo!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Super Quick Pasta
Gotta love this meal. It tastes amazing - fresh and flavorsome - and on a scale of one to ten, it's about a three in terms of effort for preparation.
1) Boil water for pasta. While that's boiling...
2) Chop up 1/4 of a butternut pumpkin (approx) into 1cm/half inch cubes. Microwave on high for about 8 mins.
3) Cook pasta according to directions.
4) Spread pumpkin cubes on a foil-covered, well greased (I use an oil spray) tray. If you're using a spray, spray the pumpkin liberally. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and sprinkle with rock salt. Grill (broil) until black around the edges.
5) Serve pasta into bowls. Stir through 1-2 tablespoons of thickened cream.
6) Cover with a good handful of grilled pumpkin cubes. Crumble feta and shred some baby spinach over top.
7) Season with a little pepper. Serve hot.
Done! Yum!
1) Boil water for pasta. While that's boiling...
2) Chop up 1/4 of a butternut pumpkin (approx) into 1cm/half inch cubes. Microwave on high for about 8 mins.
3) Cook pasta according to directions.
4) Spread pumpkin cubes on a foil-covered, well greased (I use an oil spray) tray. If you're using a spray, spray the pumpkin liberally. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and sprinkle with rock salt. Grill (broil) until black around the edges.
5) Serve pasta into bowls. Stir through 1-2 tablespoons of thickened cream.
6) Cover with a good handful of grilled pumpkin cubes. Crumble feta and shred some baby spinach over top.
7) Season with a little pepper. Serve hot.
Done! Yum!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Vegetable Summer Soup
Every now and then, although summer is generally hot, a cooler day will blow in. Unlike the stinkers, it's not a day for salads and light snacks - but it's not a night for heavy carbs either.
Tonight was such a night. Temperatures dropped from the mid to high 30s over the weekend (that's mid 80s to mid 90s for you Imperial folk) down to 20 today (high 60s), and it felt cold. I don't like being cold.
I had a couple of leeks wasting away in the fridge, so soup seemed the perfect thing for tonight. I wanted to create something that was light and summery still, even though it was a soup - nothing too thick or heavy like you'd want for winter.
The Recipe
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 med onion, chopped
2 leeks, sliced
olive oil for frying
1t lemongrass/lime spice mix
2T plain flour
5c vegetable stock
1T lemon juice
1t lime juice
2 med potatoes, in small cubes
2 large carrots, grated
1 quantity* majoram
1 quantity parsley
2 quantities thyme
2t sweet chilli sauce
salt, to taste
Saute the garlic, onion and leek in the oil. Season with the lemongrass/lime spice mix. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add lemon and lime juices, then the potatoes; simmer for 10 mins. Add carrot and herbs; simmer for 10 mins. Stir through sweet chilli. Season to taste. Serve hot with toast :o)
* I'm pretty hopeless at actually measuring how much seasoning I use. All I can say is I used two sprigs each of fresh parsley and marjoram, and about seven 10cm/4inch stalks of thyme.
The Results
Oh yeah. This is a summer soup. The lemon gives it the perfect zesty kick, and really emphasises the leek and onion flavours. That said, it's a nice mild flavour that isn't going to burn your socks off. It has a nice depth of flavour, and it really does taste like summer in a vegetable soup!
Tonight was such a night. Temperatures dropped from the mid to high 30s over the weekend (that's mid 80s to mid 90s for you Imperial folk) down to 20 today (high 60s), and it felt cold. I don't like being cold.
I had a couple of leeks wasting away in the fridge, so soup seemed the perfect thing for tonight. I wanted to create something that was light and summery still, even though it was a soup - nothing too thick or heavy like you'd want for winter.
The Recipe
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 med onion, chopped
2 leeks, sliced
olive oil for frying
1t lemongrass/lime spice mix
2T plain flour
5c vegetable stock
1T lemon juice
1t lime juice
2 med potatoes, in small cubes
2 large carrots, grated
1 quantity* majoram
1 quantity parsley
2 quantities thyme
2t sweet chilli sauce
salt, to taste
Saute the garlic, onion and leek in the oil. Season with the lemongrass/lime spice mix. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add lemon and lime juices, then the potatoes; simmer for 10 mins. Add carrot and herbs; simmer for 10 mins. Stir through sweet chilli. Season to taste. Serve hot with toast :o)
* I'm pretty hopeless at actually measuring how much seasoning I use. All I can say is I used two sprigs each of fresh parsley and marjoram, and about seven 10cm/4inch stalks of thyme.
The Results
Oh yeah. This is a summer soup. The lemon gives it the perfect zesty kick, and really emphasises the leek and onion flavours. That said, it's a nice mild flavour that isn't going to burn your socks off. It has a nice depth of flavour, and it really does taste like summer in a vegetable soup!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Basil- Tomato Salad
SUMMER FAVORITES!
At the height of summer, when both fresh tomatoes and home-grown basil are in season, I tend to get a little wild with my favorite flavor pairing. Tomato and basil compliment each other to perfection, and they come in enough colorful varieties to please everyone.
To celebrate, I'm posting a few of my favorite tomato-basil recipes....
Basil-Tomato Salad
* 2 large, ripe, firm tomatoes (a variety meant for chopping)
* 1 cup fresh basil leaves (about 15 large leaves - I like to combine the lemon basil and purple)
* 1 green onion or 1/4 of a small sweet onion chopped
* 5 small fronds of parsley
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Chop (or tear) the first four ingredients and toss gently.
Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over salad. Toss again.
Eat!
Alternate Ending: This simple salad can be combined with bite size cuts of mozzarella cheese, spooned over garlic toast for a bruschetta, or used to garnish steak hot or cold. It will last at least one day in the fridge.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Potato & Cheese Soup - ish
So, yesterday on twitter, Sparky mentioned the wonders of Potato and Cheese soup. Being a massive fan of cheese-in-soup (actually, cheese in anything, but for now we'll stick to soup), my ears pricked up.
Lo, I said unto myself. It is unseasonably cold, and therefore miserable. What better way to banish misery and warm one's insides than with a lovely pot of hot, cheesy soup?
Alack, dear Sparky had not a recipe - so I turned to that trusty demon, Google. My favourites were the easy version and the complex version.
However, as you're all aware, I'm also in the middle of moving - and I had some corn that was begging to be used up. And I quite like corn and potato and cheese soup........
And thus it began.
The resulting recipe is some sort of weird cross between the easy version above, and the corn chowder, also linked to above.
The Recipe
2 white or brown onions
1 very heaped teaspoon of crushed garlic
2t cumin
olive oil for frying
3c chicken stock
3 largish potatoes, cubed to about 1cm3
400g can of creamed corn
420g can of corn kernels (which, I was disgusted to discover, is only actually 61% corn)
2c milk
salt (preferably of the sage, lavendar and rosemary variety)
~7 sage leaves
sprinkle of rosemary
2c grated cheese (cheddar or tasty)
sour cream and chives for garnishing
In a large pan over a high heat, saute the onions, garlic and cumin. Don't let the onions brown. Add the stock, and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn (both varieties, and I threw in the liquid from the corn kernels too) and simmer again for 10 minutes. Add the milk and seasonings (be generous with the salt, esp if you don't have the delicious sage/lavendar/rosemary variety), allow to simmer. Don't boil the milk too vigorously. Remove from heat, stir through cheese until melted, and serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream and some chives.
Makes 5 generous servings.
The Results
Taaa-sty. Exactly what I felt like, for which I was glad. Those of you that have tried it will recall that the corn chowder soup is somewhat Asian-styled - clear broth, corn, etc. This soup is like the non-Asian version. The milk and different proportions makes it creamier and less broth-like, and (strangely) altogether more like what I would consider a chowder to be... Most odd.
My only complaint was the type of potatoes I used; no idea what they were, but they held their form well throughout cooking, which is excellent for baking, but not so good for a soup where you want them to starchify the soup, making it even thicker, and releasing the potato flavour into the whole soup, rather than greedily confining it to the potato chunks.
Still. Definitely something I'll make again :)
Lo, I said unto myself. It is unseasonably cold, and therefore miserable. What better way to banish misery and warm one's insides than with a lovely pot of hot, cheesy soup?
Alack, dear Sparky had not a recipe - so I turned to that trusty demon, Google. My favourites were the easy version and the complex version.
However, as you're all aware, I'm also in the middle of moving - and I had some corn that was begging to be used up. And I quite like corn and potato and cheese soup........
And thus it began.
The resulting recipe is some sort of weird cross between the easy version above, and the corn chowder, also linked to above.
The Recipe
2 white or brown onions
1 very heaped teaspoon of crushed garlic
2t cumin
olive oil for frying
3c chicken stock
3 largish potatoes, cubed to about 1cm3
400g can of creamed corn
420g can of corn kernels (which, I was disgusted to discover, is only actually 61% corn)
2c milk
salt (preferably of the sage, lavendar and rosemary variety)
~7 sage leaves
sprinkle of rosemary
2c grated cheese (cheddar or tasty)
sour cream and chives for garnishing
In a large pan over a high heat, saute the onions, garlic and cumin. Don't let the onions brown. Add the stock, and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn (both varieties, and I threw in the liquid from the corn kernels too) and simmer again for 10 minutes. Add the milk and seasonings (be generous with the salt, esp if you don't have the delicious sage/lavendar/rosemary variety), allow to simmer. Don't boil the milk too vigorously. Remove from heat, stir through cheese until melted, and serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream and some chives.
Makes 5 generous servings.
The Results
Taaa-sty. Exactly what I felt like, for which I was glad. Those of you that have tried it will recall that the corn chowder soup is somewhat Asian-styled - clear broth, corn, etc. This soup is like the non-Asian version. The milk and different proportions makes it creamier and less broth-like, and (strangely) altogether more like what I would consider a chowder to be... Most odd.
My only complaint was the type of potatoes I used; no idea what they were, but they held their form well throughout cooking, which is excellent for baking, but not so good for a soup where you want them to starchify the soup, making it even thicker, and releasing the potato flavour into the whole soup, rather than greedily confining it to the potato chunks.
Still. Definitely something I'll make again :)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Returning with Risotto...
So, yes, it's been - lots - of months since I've been here. I've been doing my masters degree this year, and it's all been rather insane.
However, I finished yesterday (woo hoo!!), so I am back! :D
To celebrate, I actually felt like cooking for the first time in ages last night, and despite the warmth of the days recently, the nights have been lovely and cool - so risotto it was :) This meal was especially exciting because it gave me an opportunity to use fresh herbs from my very own herb garden for the first time! Hoorah!
The Recipe
1 large sweet potato
1/4 of a butternut pumpkin
olive oil
salt
1 small onion
1t of crushed garlic
~7 medium mushrooms
1c arborio rice
3 stock cubes dissolved in 4c water
~1.5T sweet chilli sauce
3 smallish sprigs of fresh greek oregano
3 twigs of garden thyme
1/3c grated parmesan cheese
...My mouth is watering just typing out the ingredients! Hoorah that I have left overs for lunch :)
Roughly dice the pumpkin and sweet potato. You can make the cubes whatever size, but bear in mind that a) smaller cooks faster and b) they will shrink quite a bit upon baking. Mine were ~2cm cubed. Microwave on high or steam for 5 minutes. Spread onto olive-oiled tray, sprinkle liberally with salt, and place into a hot oven (200C).
Place stock in a covered saucepan and keep on a low heat constantly, to keep the liquid warm (it will cook quicker/easier when added to the rice if it doesn't have to heat up first).
Finely chop the onion. Fry in oil with the garlic until translucent. Slice mushrooms, saute with onion until cooked. Add the rice and 2 ladlefuls of stock. Stir well.
Add sweet chilli sauce.
Add a ladleful of stock periodically, whenever the mixture starts to look a little dry - if you can scrape the rice away and see the bottom of the pot for more than a second, it's ready for more liquid.
Once all the liquid is absorbed, add the (finely chopped) herbs and stir through. Remove from heat if it's starting to dry out. Stir through the baked pumpkin and sweet potato, then stir through the cheese.
Serve hot :)
The Results
Okay, so risotto is a fairly standard meal in our house over winter. That said, we didn't have much this year, as I've been pretty slack when it comes to cooking. But regardless, I've made squillions of varieties of this recipe: and this, officially, is the best. My husband, who is not free with compliments, said he'd gladly pay $40 in a restaurant for this risotto :)
I attribute the great success to two things:
Firstly, instead of taking the quicker cop-out method of just grilling (broiling) the vegies, I actually baked them with salt and olive oil and all. Much, much tastier.
Secondly, the difference that fresh, home-grown herbs make is absolutely INSANE. And Greek oregano is my new favourite: besides the amazing salty-savoury complex flavour it adds to the dish, it's purple and fuzzy! What's not to love?!
Hehe.
As I was making this, I lamented that I didn't have any feta cheese to add, being the feta-addict that I am; but it turns out that it really didn't need it. The flavours were beautifully subtle and complex, and husband was absolutely determined that I must have used more herbs than I had (I'm usually prone to throwing in at least 5 or 6).
So, an all-round fabulous success, and definitely one I'll make again, instead of my usual 'what do I have in the cupboard' approach :)
However, I finished yesterday (woo hoo!!), so I am back! :D
To celebrate, I actually felt like cooking for the first time in ages last night, and despite the warmth of the days recently, the nights have been lovely and cool - so risotto it was :) This meal was especially exciting because it gave me an opportunity to use fresh herbs from my very own herb garden for the first time! Hoorah!
The Recipe
1 large sweet potato
1/4 of a butternut pumpkin
olive oil
salt
1 small onion
1t of crushed garlic
~7 medium mushrooms
1c arborio rice
3 stock cubes dissolved in 4c water
~1.5T sweet chilli sauce
3 smallish sprigs of fresh greek oregano
3 twigs of garden thyme
1/3c grated parmesan cheese
...My mouth is watering just typing out the ingredients! Hoorah that I have left overs for lunch :)
Roughly dice the pumpkin and sweet potato. You can make the cubes whatever size, but bear in mind that a) smaller cooks faster and b) they will shrink quite a bit upon baking. Mine were ~2cm cubed. Microwave on high or steam for 5 minutes. Spread onto olive-oiled tray, sprinkle liberally with salt, and place into a hot oven (200C).
Place stock in a covered saucepan and keep on a low heat constantly, to keep the liquid warm (it will cook quicker/easier when added to the rice if it doesn't have to heat up first).
Finely chop the onion. Fry in oil with the garlic until translucent. Slice mushrooms, saute with onion until cooked. Add the rice and 2 ladlefuls of stock. Stir well.
Add sweet chilli sauce.
Add a ladleful of stock periodically, whenever the mixture starts to look a little dry - if you can scrape the rice away and see the bottom of the pot for more than a second, it's ready for more liquid.
Once all the liquid is absorbed, add the (finely chopped) herbs and stir through. Remove from heat if it's starting to dry out. Stir through the baked pumpkin and sweet potato, then stir through the cheese.
Serve hot :)
The Results
Okay, so risotto is a fairly standard meal in our house over winter. That said, we didn't have much this year, as I've been pretty slack when it comes to cooking. But regardless, I've made squillions of varieties of this recipe: and this, officially, is the best. My husband, who is not free with compliments, said he'd gladly pay $40 in a restaurant for this risotto :)
I attribute the great success to two things:
Firstly, instead of taking the quicker cop-out method of just grilling (broiling) the vegies, I actually baked them with salt and olive oil and all. Much, much tastier.
Secondly, the difference that fresh, home-grown herbs make is absolutely INSANE. And Greek oregano is my new favourite: besides the amazing salty-savoury complex flavour it adds to the dish, it's purple and fuzzy! What's not to love?!
Hehe.
As I was making this, I lamented that I didn't have any feta cheese to add, being the feta-addict that I am; but it turns out that it really didn't need it. The flavours were beautifully subtle and complex, and husband was absolutely determined that I must have used more herbs than I had (I'm usually prone to throwing in at least 5 or 6).
So, an all-round fabulous success, and definitely one I'll make again, instead of my usual 'what do I have in the cupboard' approach :)
Friday, November 30, 2007
Corn Chowder
Yes, I know, another non-cupcake recipe :) Amazing, isn't it?!
Anyway, a friend of mine is particularly in love with this soup, and asked me to post the recipe here so she can access it. Hence, recipe.
The Recipe
Olive oil, for frying
2 large onions, finely chopped
1-3 cloves of garlic, to taste, crushed
2t cumin
4c (1L) stock - I use a mixture of chicken and vegetable, whichever is on hand
2 medium potatoes, cubed (about 1/2-1cm cubes)
1c canned creamed corn
2c corn kernels
1T dried parsley (alternatively, try 3T fresh chopped parsley)
1c grated Cheddar or Tasty cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan over a high heat, fry the onions, garlic and cumin until the onion is soft and translucent. Add stock and bring to the boil. Add potatoes and reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the creamed corn, corn kernels, and parsley. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir through the cheese and seasoning until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Makes 5 decent sized servings.
The Results
Uh, YUM! Seriously though, after making this soup a few times now, I am absolutely in love with it. And my husband even likes it, which is saying something, as he's not a huge soup fan.
I highly recommend using chicken stock over vegetable stock.
Also, I am usually the kind of person who plays around with herbs and spices in all sort of random combinations. With this recipe - don't. I tried. Trust me. The recipe can't be improved upon.
With one exception - the time I made it where it turned out best, I added about 1/4c extra cheese, and a few shakes of my fancy rosemary, sage and lavendar salt. Gave it a bit of an extra kick that lifted it from really good, to the best soup I've ever eaten.
Anyway, a friend of mine is particularly in love with this soup, and asked me to post the recipe here so she can access it. Hence, recipe.
The Recipe
Olive oil, for frying
2 large onions, finely chopped
1-3 cloves of garlic, to taste, crushed
2t cumin
4c (1L) stock - I use a mixture of chicken and vegetable, whichever is on hand
2 medium potatoes, cubed (about 1/2-1cm cubes)
1c canned creamed corn
2c corn kernels
1T dried parsley (alternatively, try 3T fresh chopped parsley)
1c grated Cheddar or Tasty cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan over a high heat, fry the onions, garlic and cumin until the onion is soft and translucent. Add stock and bring to the boil. Add potatoes and reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the creamed corn, corn kernels, and parsley. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir through the cheese and seasoning until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Makes 5 decent sized servings.
The Results
Uh, YUM! Seriously though, after making this soup a few times now, I am absolutely in love with it. And my husband even likes it, which is saying something, as he's not a huge soup fan.
I highly recommend using chicken stock over vegetable stock.
Also, I am usually the kind of person who plays around with herbs and spices in all sort of random combinations. With this recipe - don't. I tried. Trust me. The recipe can't be improved upon.
With one exception - the time I made it where it turned out best, I added about 1/4c extra cheese, and a few shakes of my fancy rosemary, sage and lavendar salt. Gave it a bit of an extra kick that lifted it from really good, to the best soup I've ever eaten.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Cream Potato Bake
Yeah, not a cupcake. But this recipe is so simple, and so utterly delicious, that I just had to share. I have no idea about quantities, but it's not difficult to figure out.
And a word of warning: this recipe is not for the diet-conscious :)
The RecipePotatoes
Cream (about 600mL?)
Cajun spice mix
Cheddar or Tasty cheese, grated.
Thinly slice enough potatoes to cover the bottom of a cooking dish overlapped. See the picture for a much better explanation :)
Cover the potatoes with cream - and I do mean cover. Sprinkle liberally with cajun spice mix. Don't be afraid to be liberal - the cream absorbs a lot of the heat from the spice. See the third picture for an indication of how much I use.
Top with grated cheese.
Bake at 200C for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked.
The ResultsYUM! Really. The potatoes absorb some of the cream and have a wonderful creamy (funny that) texture. The cream and spice go perfectly, and the cheese is just the perfect final touch.
The only thing I would suggest is potentially opting for a lower fat cheese. The first time I made this it was great. The second time, it was still great, but a lot of the oil/fat from the cream and cheese leaked out of them, so to speak, and hung around in the bottom of the pan. Which was okay for the first eating, but it made the leftovers a little odd.
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