Cardamom Cocoa with Marshmallow Islands
I know, this is a winter drink, but I need some comforting at the moment.
Serves 2
2 tablespoons cocoa or drinking chocolate
4 tablespoons sugar
1-2 teaspoons ground cardamom
500ml milk
125ml cream
white marshmallows
50g milk chocolate shavings, to decorate
Put the cocoa, sugar, cardamom, milk & cream in a pan & stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Stirring continuously, increase the heat until the mixture is just coming to the boil. Remove from heat immediately.
Divide between 2 mugs & top with the marshmallows & chocolate.
Yummm!
Thursday, January 30, 2003
Saturday, January 25, 2003
Vine Leaves With Meat Stuffing (Etli Yaprak Sarma)
A delicious Turkish recipe. I have attempted to re-write the badly translated English, but some of it still doesn't quite make sense to me, so good luck. I'd also like to add at this point that the recipe is in the 'Vegetables & Pulses' section of my Turkish cookbook. Ha!
Serves 10
500g vine leaves
Stuffing:
500g minced lamb
5 medium onions
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons rice (cooked, I guess)
1/2 pinch each (150g) mint, parsley, dill
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 large tomato
Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 tomatoes (these are mentioned in the instructions, but not the ingredients list, so I am guessing a number, if you think you need more, add them)
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 pinch salt (again, this is not actually included in the ingredients list)
1 piece wax paper
Chop the onions. Peel the tomato (see Fish dish below on how to do this) & dice small. Place the rest of the stuffing ingredients in a bowl, add 3/4 cup of water, mix well & set aside.
Boil the vine leaves for 2 minutes in salted water. Take out the leaves separately with a sieve. Divide the leaves in two.
Place a walnut-sized lump of stuffing at the base of each leaf, fold the sides & roll up. Place these (dolmas) in a saucepan in layers.
To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan (different to the one above, obviously). Dice the tomatoes & add to the melted butter with the tomato paste & salt, & stir over heat until the tomatoes soften. Add 2 1/2 cups water & bring to the boil.
Pour the sauce over the dolmas, then cover with wet wax paper. Place a place over the dolmas to weigh them down. Cover & bring to the boil. Cook over low heat for about 45 minutes.
Serve with plain or salted yoghurt on the side.
A delicious Turkish recipe. I have attempted to re-write the badly translated English, but some of it still doesn't quite make sense to me, so good luck. I'd also like to add at this point that the recipe is in the 'Vegetables & Pulses' section of my Turkish cookbook. Ha!
Serves 10
500g vine leaves
Stuffing:
500g minced lamb
5 medium onions
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons rice (cooked, I guess)
1/2 pinch each (150g) mint, parsley, dill
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 large tomato
Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 tomatoes (these are mentioned in the instructions, but not the ingredients list, so I am guessing a number, if you think you need more, add them)
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 pinch salt (again, this is not actually included in the ingredients list)
1 piece wax paper
Chop the onions. Peel the tomato (see Fish dish below on how to do this) & dice small. Place the rest of the stuffing ingredients in a bowl, add 3/4 cup of water, mix well & set aside.
Boil the vine leaves for 2 minutes in salted water. Take out the leaves separately with a sieve. Divide the leaves in two.
Place a walnut-sized lump of stuffing at the base of each leaf, fold the sides & roll up. Place these (dolmas) in a saucepan in layers.
To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan (different to the one above, obviously). Dice the tomatoes & add to the melted butter with the tomato paste & salt, & stir over heat until the tomatoes soften. Add 2 1/2 cups water & bring to the boil.
Pour the sauce over the dolmas, then cover with wet wax paper. Place a place over the dolmas to weigh them down. Cover & bring to the boil. Cook over low heat for about 45 minutes.
Serve with plain or salted yoghurt on the side.
Monday, January 20, 2003
Fish in Chilli-Tomato Sauce
Another one of my Thai favourites. Again, you can reduce the chilli content as you wish.
Serves 4
500g fish fillets (any white fish works well)
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons hot chilli sauce
1 tablespoon palm or brown sugar
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 red tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped
fresh coriander, roughly chopped (garnish)
red chillies, finely sliced (garnish)
Note: To peel & seed the tomatoes, drop them into boiling water for 30 seconds. Lift out & drop into cold water. Peel. Halve the tomatoes & gently squeze out the seeds, then chop the shells roughly.
Rinse & dry the fish.
In a small bowl mix together the vinegar, fish sauce, chilli sauce & sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Heat the oil & fry the onions over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until it is soft & starts to turn golden. Add the tomatoes and vinegar mixture, cover & simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
Add the fish fillets, spooning the sauce over them. Cover & cook gently (ie low heat) until the fish is done.
Garnish with coriander & red chillies. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Mmm!
Another one of my Thai favourites. Again, you can reduce the chilli content as you wish.
Serves 4
500g fish fillets (any white fish works well)
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons hot chilli sauce
1 tablespoon palm or brown sugar
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 red tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped
fresh coriander, roughly chopped (garnish)
red chillies, finely sliced (garnish)
Note: To peel & seed the tomatoes, drop them into boiling water for 30 seconds. Lift out & drop into cold water. Peel. Halve the tomatoes & gently squeze out the seeds, then chop the shells roughly.
Rinse & dry the fish.
In a small bowl mix together the vinegar, fish sauce, chilli sauce & sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Heat the oil & fry the onions over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until it is soft & starts to turn golden. Add the tomatoes and vinegar mixture, cover & simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
Add the fish fillets, spooning the sauce over them. Cover & cook gently (ie low heat) until the fish is done.
Garnish with coriander & red chillies. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Mmm!
Sunday, January 12, 2003
Champagne Berry Cocktails
Another celebratory champagne cocktail (- hey! I have something to celebrate!).
Serves 6
6 sugar cubes
Angostura Bitters
zest of 1 lime, shredded
200g fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries or strawberries)
750ml champagne, chilled
Put a cube of sugar in each of 6 champagne glasses & add a dash of bitters to each.
Divide the berries among the glasses & fill with champagne.
Serve immediately.
Another celebratory champagne cocktail (- hey! I have something to celebrate!).
Serves 6
6 sugar cubes
Angostura Bitters
zest of 1 lime, shredded
200g fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries or strawberries)
750ml champagne, chilled
Put a cube of sugar in each of 6 champagne glasses & add a dash of bitters to each.
Divide the berries among the glasses & fill with champagne.
Serve immediately.
Sunday, January 05, 2003
The NYE recipes:
Chunky Ratatouille Tarts
I used one less zucchini & added cubed feta to this recipe, but it's up to you...
Serves 4 (2 tarts each)
1 eggplant, cut into 3cm cubes
1 red capsicum, cut into 3cm squares
3 zucchini, cut into thick slices
1 red onion, chopped into large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
200g teardrop or cherry tomatoes
150g kalamata olives, pitted
2 tablespoons finely shredded (fresh) basil
salt & pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used more, but see how you go)
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra shredded basil, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Sprinkle eggplant with salt & let stand for 15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
Place eggplant, capsicum, zucchini and onion in a roasting tin, add the oil & toss to coat. Bake the vegetables for 40 minutes, tossing frequently.
Add tomatoes & bake for 5 minutes.
Transfer all the vegetables to a bowl, stir in olives & basil (& feta, if using), & season with salt & pepper. Strain the mixture to remove any juices.
Cut each pastry sheet into four squares & place on a tray line with baking paper. Cut 16 2cm wide strips to fit around the edges of each square.
Divide the ratatouille among the squares. Brush pastry edges with beaten egg & bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
Garnish with extra basil & serve. Warning: they get pretty hot!
Ceviche
This is a traditional Peruvian dish, usually served as finger food in our family. We usually use ocean perch, but you can use any white fish. This recipe is quite spicy, so you might want to use less chilli.
Serves 6
1kg white fish, cubed
3 (red) onions, sliced
10 limes (or lemons)
2 bitter oranges (optional - if you don't use them, you'll need extra lime/lemon juice)
3 fresh chillies, sliced (use aji amarillo or small red chillies)
1 tablespoon ground chilli
salt & pepper
2 ears of corn, cooked, to serve
1 kg cooked sweet potato, to serve
1 lettuce, to serve
Put fish in large colander & pour boiling water over it.
Drain well & put into a bowl.
Add onion & ground & fresh chillies, & cover with lime/lemon/orange juice. Mix well.
Cover & seal tightly. Put in fridge & allow to marinate for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.
Serve on lettuce with cooked corn & sliced sweet potato.
Frozen Mango Daiquiri
60ml Bacardi
60ml mango liqueur
30ml fresh lime juice
1 medium ripe mango, peeled, chopped coarsely
1 cup ice cubes
Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend until just combined. Pour into 300ml highball glass & serve.
Chunky Ratatouille Tarts
I used one less zucchini & added cubed feta to this recipe, but it's up to you...
Serves 4 (2 tarts each)
1 eggplant, cut into 3cm cubes
1 red capsicum, cut into 3cm squares
3 zucchini, cut into thick slices
1 red onion, chopped into large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
200g teardrop or cherry tomatoes
150g kalamata olives, pitted
2 tablespoons finely shredded (fresh) basil
salt & pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used more, but see how you go)
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra shredded basil, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Sprinkle eggplant with salt & let stand for 15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
Place eggplant, capsicum, zucchini and onion in a roasting tin, add the oil & toss to coat. Bake the vegetables for 40 minutes, tossing frequently.
Add tomatoes & bake for 5 minutes.
Transfer all the vegetables to a bowl, stir in olives & basil (& feta, if using), & season with salt & pepper. Strain the mixture to remove any juices.
Cut each pastry sheet into four squares & place on a tray line with baking paper. Cut 16 2cm wide strips to fit around the edges of each square.
Divide the ratatouille among the squares. Brush pastry edges with beaten egg & bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
Garnish with extra basil & serve. Warning: they get pretty hot!
Ceviche
This is a traditional Peruvian dish, usually served as finger food in our family. We usually use ocean perch, but you can use any white fish. This recipe is quite spicy, so you might want to use less chilli.
Serves 6
1kg white fish, cubed
3 (red) onions, sliced
10 limes (or lemons)
2 bitter oranges (optional - if you don't use them, you'll need extra lime/lemon juice)
3 fresh chillies, sliced (use aji amarillo or small red chillies)
1 tablespoon ground chilli
salt & pepper
2 ears of corn, cooked, to serve
1 kg cooked sweet potato, to serve
1 lettuce, to serve
Put fish in large colander & pour boiling water over it.
Drain well & put into a bowl.
Add onion & ground & fresh chillies, & cover with lime/lemon/orange juice. Mix well.
Cover & seal tightly. Put in fridge & allow to marinate for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.
Serve on lettuce with cooked corn & sliced sweet potato.
Frozen Mango Daiquiri
60ml Bacardi
60ml mango liqueur
30ml fresh lime juice
1 medium ripe mango, peeled, chopped coarsely
1 cup ice cubes
Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend until just combined. Pour into 300ml highball glass & serve.
Tuesday, December 31, 2002
Lime Sorbet
Serves 6
150ml lime juice
2 cups sugar syrup (see below)
1 1/4 cups water
1 egg white, whipped (only if you're not using an ice-cream machine)
If preparing fresh syrup, add finely shredded lime peel before simmering, then strain & keep peel to garnish.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix juice, syrup & water.
Pour into ice-cream machine & leave until ready, then freeze.
Alternatively, pour into a container & cover. Freeze until slushy. In a bowl, beat semi-frozen sorbet & egg white together until light & smooth. Return to container & freeze until firm.
Serve with berries, or alone garnished with peel, & enjoy!
Sugar syrup
2 cups sugar (caster works best)
2 cups water
In saucepan, bring sugar & water to a gentle boil. Reduce heat till bubbles break surface. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat & cool before using or storing. Can be stored in fridge in a sealed glass or plastic container for 2-3 weeks.
Serves 6
150ml lime juice
2 cups sugar syrup (see below)
1 1/4 cups water
1 egg white, whipped (only if you're not using an ice-cream machine)
If preparing fresh syrup, add finely shredded lime peel before simmering, then strain & keep peel to garnish.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix juice, syrup & water.
Pour into ice-cream machine & leave until ready, then freeze.
Alternatively, pour into a container & cover. Freeze until slushy. In a bowl, beat semi-frozen sorbet & egg white together until light & smooth. Return to container & freeze until firm.
Serve with berries, or alone garnished with peel, & enjoy!
Sugar syrup
2 cups sugar (caster works best)
2 cups water
In saucepan, bring sugar & water to a gentle boil. Reduce heat till bubbles break surface. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat & cool before using or storing. Can be stored in fridge in a sealed glass or plastic container for 2-3 weeks.
Friday, December 27, 2002
Thai Beef Salad
This is pretty hot, so you might want to add less chillies if you're not a huge fan.
Serves 6 (or 1 if you're like me!)
500g tender steak (fillet, lean rump, etc)
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon pounded coriander roots & stems
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon palm sugar (brown sugar is fine)
3 teaspoons Maggi seasoning
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 fresh red chillies
3 tablespoons sliced purple shallots (I use regular shallots)
3 tablespoons finely sliced lemongrass (tender white portion only)
1 lebanese cucumber, finely sliced
20 fresh mint leaves
Grill the steak under a preheated grill until medium-rare.
Allow to cool.
Combine crushed garlic with pounded coriander & stir in the pepper, palm sugar, Maggi seasoning, lime juice & fish sauce.
Stir to dissolve sugar.
Slice the chillies finely, removing seeds if preferred (it makes them less hot).
Combine seasonings with the sliced shallots, lemongrass, cucumber, mint & thinly sliced steak.
Toss lighly & serve with jasmine rice.
This is pretty hot, so you might want to add less chillies if you're not a huge fan.
Serves 6 (or 1 if you're like me!)
500g tender steak (fillet, lean rump, etc)
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon pounded coriander roots & stems
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon palm sugar (brown sugar is fine)
3 teaspoons Maggi seasoning
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 fresh red chillies
3 tablespoons sliced purple shallots (I use regular shallots)
3 tablespoons finely sliced lemongrass (tender white portion only)
1 lebanese cucumber, finely sliced
20 fresh mint leaves
Grill the steak under a preheated grill until medium-rare.
Allow to cool.
Combine crushed garlic with pounded coriander & stir in the pepper, palm sugar, Maggi seasoning, lime juice & fish sauce.
Stir to dissolve sugar.
Slice the chillies finely, removing seeds if preferred (it makes them less hot).
Combine seasonings with the sliced shallots, lemongrass, cucumber, mint & thinly sliced steak.
Toss lighly & serve with jasmine rice.
Monday, December 23, 2002
Here are two of my favourite champagne cocktails, for the festive season:
Kir Royale
This always reminds me of Europe, where I drank it as an aperitif everywhere we ate.
30ml crème de cassis
100ml chilled brut champagne
Pour crème de cassis into a chilled champagne flute & top with chilled champagne.
Alternatively, you can pour the champagne first and then add the crème de cassis so it sits in the bottom of the glass.
Enjoy!
Passionate Affair
15ml passionfruit liqueur
10ml passionfruit in syrup
120ml chilled brut champagne
Combine passionfruit liqueur & passionfruit in a champagne flute. Top with chilled champagne.
You'll get drunk v. quickly after a couple of these!
Kir Royale
This always reminds me of Europe, where I drank it as an aperitif everywhere we ate.
30ml crème de cassis
100ml chilled brut champagne
Pour crème de cassis into a chilled champagne flute & top with chilled champagne.
Alternatively, you can pour the champagne first and then add the crème de cassis so it sits in the bottom of the glass.
Enjoy!
Passionate Affair
15ml passionfruit liqueur
10ml passionfruit in syrup
120ml chilled brut champagne
Combine passionfruit liqueur & passionfruit in a champagne flute. Top with chilled champagne.
You'll get drunk v. quickly after a couple of these!
Friday, December 20, 2002
Christmas Ice-cream Pudding
This is a great alternative to the traditional hot pudding, especially Down Under. You will need at least 2 "nights" over which to prepare this, so read the recipe in full before you start.
Serves 10
1/3 cup (50g) toasted almonds, chopped
1/4 cup mixed peel
1/3 cup (60g) raisins, chopped
1/3 cup (60g) sultanas
1/3 cup (60g) currants
1/3 cup rum
1L vanilla ice-cream (I like Sara Lee)
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup (100g) red & green glacé cherries, quartered
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1L chocolate ice-cream (again go for Sara Lee)
Day 1: Place almonds, peel, raisins, sultanas, currants and rum in a medium bowl & mix well. Cover with cling wrap & stand overnight.
Place 2L-capacity pudding basin (or roundish bowl) into the freezer to chill.
Soften vanilla ice-cream slightly & mix in brandy & cherries. Press ice-cream mixture around the inside of the chilled bowl, spreading evenly right to the top of the bowl. Return to the freezer & freeze overnight. It might be necessary to check the ice-cream several time & respread evenly.
Day 2: Add spices & chocolate ice-cream to fruit mixture & mix well. Spoon into the centre of the pudding bowl & smooth the top.
Return to freezer overnight or until very firm.
To remove from bowl, stand very briefly in hot water & then turn out onto a plate. Serve decorated with holly (if you want to - it looks very pretty).
This is a great alternative to the traditional hot pudding, especially Down Under. You will need at least 2 "nights" over which to prepare this, so read the recipe in full before you start.
Serves 10
1/3 cup (50g) toasted almonds, chopped
1/4 cup mixed peel
1/3 cup (60g) raisins, chopped
1/3 cup (60g) sultanas
1/3 cup (60g) currants
1/3 cup rum
1L vanilla ice-cream (I like Sara Lee)
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup (100g) red & green glacé cherries, quartered
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1L chocolate ice-cream (again go for Sara Lee)
Day 1: Place almonds, peel, raisins, sultanas, currants and rum in a medium bowl & mix well. Cover with cling wrap & stand overnight.
Place 2L-capacity pudding basin (or roundish bowl) into the freezer to chill.
Soften vanilla ice-cream slightly & mix in brandy & cherries. Press ice-cream mixture around the inside of the chilled bowl, spreading evenly right to the top of the bowl. Return to the freezer & freeze overnight. It might be necessary to check the ice-cream several time & respread evenly.
Day 2: Add spices & chocolate ice-cream to fruit mixture & mix well. Spoon into the centre of the pudding bowl & smooth the top.
Return to freezer overnight or until very firm.
To remove from bowl, stand very briefly in hot water & then turn out onto a plate. Serve decorated with holly (if you want to - it looks very pretty).
Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Pasta with Roast Sweet Potato & Feta
Serves 4
750g sweet potato (kumera)
salt
oil
3 leeks, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
500g pasta of your choice (I like tricolore short pasta or fettucine)
2 tablespoons butter
185g marinated feta cheese, chopped
250g baby English spinach leaves
cracked black pepper
fresh grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 200ºC. Peel & chop sweet potato & place chunks in a baking dish with a little oil & salt. Bake for 30 minutes or until soft & brown.
Place pasta in a saucepan of boiling water & cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, place oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add leeks & rosemary to oil & cook for 7 minutes or until leeks are golden & soft.
Drain pasta & place in a large warmed bowl. Add sweet potato, leek mixture, butter & feta (I didn't use butter, just the oil from the marinated feta), & toss to combine.
Place piles of spinach on warmed serving plates & top with pasta, pepper & parmesan.
Enjoy!
Serves 4
750g sweet potato (kumera)
salt
oil
3 leeks, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
500g pasta of your choice (I like tricolore short pasta or fettucine)
2 tablespoons butter
185g marinated feta cheese, chopped
250g baby English spinach leaves
cracked black pepper
fresh grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 200ºC. Peel & chop sweet potato & place chunks in a baking dish with a little oil & salt. Bake for 30 minutes or until soft & brown.
Place pasta in a saucepan of boiling water & cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, place oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add leeks & rosemary to oil & cook for 7 minutes or until leeks are golden & soft.
Drain pasta & place in a large warmed bowl. Add sweet potato, leek mixture, butter & feta (I didn't use butter, just the oil from the marinated feta), & toss to combine.
Place piles of spinach on warmed serving plates & top with pasta, pepper & parmesan.
Enjoy!
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