Black Beans & Rice

 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cup uncooked white rice, long grain or jasmine rice
4 cups chicken broth (or stock)
2x  cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 tablespoons lime juice (adjust to your tastes)
4 tablespoons finely chopped coriander (or parsley), to garnish

Heat oil in a stockpot or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until onion is transparent. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Add the cumin and rice, mix the flavours through and sauté for a further minute.Pour in the broth and beans, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender (stirring half way through). Remove from heat and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil (about 2 teaspoons), lime juice and cilantro. Taste test; season with a little salt and pepper, only if needed and as desired.Note:add in chopped jalapeños, chillies, or cayenne pepper for some added heat!

Sticky Char Siu Pork Fried Rice Bowl

Serves 4

4 x 150g (5 oz) pork scotch steaks

½ cup char siu sauce

1 tbsp vegetable oil

 

Fried rice:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped garlic

1 brown onion, cut into wedges

200g (7 oz) Asian greens (e.g. Chinese broccoli, bok choy, pak choy), thick stems finely sliced and leaves sliced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably cooked day before)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sugar

¼ cup roughly chopped Chinese garlic chives (optional)

pinch ground white pepper

finely sliced spring onion (scallions), to serve

 

Place the pork steaks in a bowl or on a shallow tray. 

Toss with the char siu sauce until well coated. 

Heat a pan over high heat. 

Add the oil and then cook the pork steaks for 3-4 minutes each side or until slightly charred at the edges and just cooked through. 

Transfer the pork to a plate and set aside. 

Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. 

For the fried rice, heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. 

Add the onion and stir-fry for a minute or until just starting to soften, then add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant. 

Add the green vegetables (you may like to add the stems first to give them a headstart, as they’ll tend to take longer than the more delicate leaves) and stir-fry for another 2 minutes until starting to become tender. 

Move everything to the side and add the eggs into the empty side. 

Allow to set for a minute or so before breaking up the egg and combining with the rest of the ingredients. 

Add the garlic chives, rice, soy sauce mixture and pepper. 

Stir-fry and toss the rice until evenly coated in the sauce. 

Divide the fried rice among serving bowls. 

Slice the pork and divide among the bowls. 

Drizzle over some of the pan juices and scatter with spring onion. 

Serve immediately.

Mediterranean Garlic Dijon Chicken

Serves 4-6 

8 pieces boneless, skinless chicken thighs 

Salt 

1 large brown onion, cut into large pieces 

 

For Garlic Dijon Sauce: 

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 

3 tsp Dijon Mustard 

2 tsp honey 

6 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tsp ground coriander 

¾ tsp sweet paprika 

½ tsp black pepper 

½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional) 

pinch salt

 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (fan-forced). 

Pat dry chicken and season on both sides with salt. 

Set aside for a few minutes. 

Make the honey garlic Dijon sauce. 

In a large bowl, combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, spices, and salt. 

Add chicken to the honey garlic Dijon sauce. 

Coat each piece well with the sauce, then transfer chicken to a large lightly-oiled cast iron skillet (or baking sheet). 

Pour any Dijon sauce left in bowl on top. 

Add the onions. 

Bake in heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken thighs are fully cooked through.

Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley. 

Serve hot with rice and Greek salad.

Surf'n'Turf

Made this for Jace the other night. He said it was the best surf'n'turf he had in aaages.

 

Serves 4

 

4 steaks (scotch fillet, rump or porterhouse)

1 tsp olive oil

ground black pepper & sea salt

500g green prawns, peeled & de-veined

20g butter

1 tbs parsley, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/3 cup thickened cream

cooked chips & salad/steamed vegetables, to serve

 

Cook chips in oven as per packet directions.

Brush steaks with oil on both sides and season with salt & pepper.

Heat frypan over medium-high heat. 

Add steaks and cook for 2 1/2 min on one side, then 2 min on the other.

Set aside & cover with foil for 5 min to rest.

Add butter, prawns & garlic to pan & toss over heat till prawns change colour.

Stir in cream & parsley and cook for 1 min, scraping sediment from base of pan.

Plate steaks, top with sauce & prawns, and serve with chips & salad/vegetables.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup

Too easy!

1 kg pumpkin, peeled and chopped (I use butternut)

2 small onions, peeled and chopped

1 litre vegetable stock (use a good quality stock like Campbell's for the best flavour)

1/2 cup cream

Place the pumpkin, onion and stock in the slow cooker.

Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until pumpkin is soft and cooked through.

Cool for 10 minutes.

Using a stick blender, blend until nice and smooth.

Stir in the cream.

Season to taste and serve.

Note: Sautéing the pumpkin and onion first in a little extra virgin olive oil creates a slightly richer flavour.

Slow-cooker Bolognese

 This is how I bolognese now. So easy!

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1kg Lean Beef Mince

1/2 cup dry red wine
700g bottle tomato passata
2 dried bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely grated*
1 zucchini, finely grated*
2 tsp chicken stock powder
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
500g dried pasta of your choice
Grated parmesan, to serve
Fresh basil leaves, to serve

Heat oil in a large frying pan (or slow cooker pan, if flame-proof) over medium-high heat. 

Add mince & cook, breaking up mince with a wooden spoon, for 8 minutes or until browned.

Add wine & cook for 2 minutes or until reduced by half.

Transfer mince mixture to a 5.5-litre slow cooker. 

Add passata, bay leaves, garlic, Italian herbs, onion, carrot, zucchini, stock powder, tomato paste, sugar and 1/4 cup water. 

Cover & cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Cook pasta following packet instructions.

Drain.

Serve bolognese on pasta, topped with parmesan and basil.

This bolognese is great for lasagne as well.

* Use veggies of your choice. Mushrooms diced are great as well.

Bread Machine Banana Bread

My new favourite sweet treat. 

 8 Tbsp – Unsalted Butter (softened) 

2 Eggs (lightly beaten) 

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 

3 Bananas (ripe & MEDIUM-sized bananas) – 3 medium bananas equal roughly 1 cup mashed bananas 

1 Cup Brown Sugar (packed cup) 

2 Cups Plain Flour (all-purpose) 

1/2 Tsp Salt 

1 TspBaking Powder 

1 TspBaking Soda 

3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Mini Chocolate Chips (optional) 

Beat the eggs. 

Mash bananas with a fork. 

Soften the butter in microwave (or overnight). 

Add the eggs, butter & bananas into the bread pan and then add the other ingredients. Follow the order of the ingredients listed above so that liquid ingredients are placed in the bread pan first and the dry ingredients second. Be aware that the bread pan should be removed from the bread machine before you start to add any ingredients. This helps to avoid spilling any material inside the bread machine. The bread machine should always be unplugged when removing the bread pan. 

Put the bread pan (with all of the ingredients) back into the bread machine, close the bread machine lid and then plug in the bread machine. Enter the bread machine settings (Sweet Quick Bread, Light Crust or Cake - Check your manual for sweet quick bread recipes (i.e. banana bread) that use baking soda/powder and not yeast to make sure you use the correct setting for your machine) and press the start button. 

 Optional – If you want to add chopped walnuts or mini chocolate chips to enhance this basic banana bread recipe, please add them after the first bread machine mixing cycle and before the second mixing (final mixing). 

When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, unplug the bread machine, remove the bread pan and place it on a wooden cutting board. Use oven mitts when removing the bread pan because it will be very hot! 

Optional – Use a long wooden skewer to test if the banana bread is completely cooked. Wear oven mitts as the bread pan will be hot. See the tips section for more details on this classic “toothpick” test. 

After removing the bread pan from the bread machine, you should let the banana bread stay within the warm bread pan on a wooden cutting board for 10 minutes (as this finishes the baking process) before you remove the banana bread from the bread pan. Wear oven mitts. 

After the 10 minute “cooldown”, you should remove the banana bread from the bread pan and place the banana bread on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Use oven mitts when removing the bread. 

Don’t forget to remove the mixing paddle if it is stuck in the bread. Use oven mitts as the mixing paddle could be hot. 

You should allow the banana bread to completely cool before cutting. This can take up to 2 hours. Otherwise, the banana bread will break (crumble) more easily when cut.

Lavender Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg white

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 drop high-quality Lavender essential oil

1/2 cup full fat milk

Cream Cheese Frosting

450 grams of cream cheese

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

fresh non treated lavender springs or flowers for topping

purple or pink food colouring, if desired

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

Fill a cupcake tin with liners.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set it aside.

Put the butter into another bowl and with an electric mixer, beat it until creamy.

Add the sugar and beat with the butter on high speed until fluffy for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add in the egg and egg white, mixing well on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.

Add in the oil, vanilla and lavender essential oil, beating on medium speed for another minute.

With the mixer on low speed, add in half of the dry ingredients. Pour in the milk. Add in the other half of the dry ingredients and mix them on medium speed until the batter is combined.

Fill each liner about 2/3 of the way full. Bake until the tops are set, about 18 to 22 minutes.

Let cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy.

Beat in the sugar until combined.

Beat in the vanilla extract.

Ice the cooled cupcakes. Before serving, top with fresh lavender springs or flowers. If desired, you can add a drop of food colouring in (pink or purple) to colour the frosting!

Grilled Greek Chicken Kebabs

Serves 4

500g boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup olive oil
4 lemons juiced, plus zest from one of the lemons
4-5 cloves garlic pressed or minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion quartered into 3cm pieces
1 small zucchini sliced into 1cm thick coins
1 red capsicum seeded and cut into 3cm pieces

Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise into thirds, and then slice again into about 3cm pieces. Place the chicken pieces in a freezer bag or bowl and set aside.

Add the Greek yogurt and olive oil to a medium size bowl. Zest one of the lemons into the bowl then juice that lemon with the remaining three lemons and add to the bowl. Add the minced garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper and stir. Pour half of the marinade into the freezer bag or the bowl with the chicken pieces and reserve the other half of the marinade for basting. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours in the refrigerator.

When ready to grill, prepare the grill by lightly oiling the grate with vegetable oil or cooking spray and set to medium high heat.

If using wooden skewers, prepare them by soaking in warm water for 10 minutes. If using metal skewers, no prep is necessary.

Thread the chicken on the skewers alternating with the red onion, zucchini and red capsicum until you've reached the end of the skewer, ending with chicken. Repeat with the remaining skewers. Discard any of the remaining marinade that had the chicken in it.

Grill the chicken, basting the kebabs with the reserved marinade and turning often so each side browns and has light grill marks, until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

Pie Maker Chicken, Mushroom and Bacon Pies

Makes 8 pies

1 tablespoon olive oil
600g chicken thigh fillets, fat trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces 
150g smoked rindless bacon rashers, coarsely chopped
150g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
185ml (3/4 cup) thickened cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 green shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced
4 sheets (25 x 25cm) frozen shortcrust pastry, just thawed
1 egg, whisked
Sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add half the chicken. Cook, turning halfway, for 5 minutes or until golden. Use tongs to transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the bacon to the pan. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until light golden. Add the mushroom. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until the mushroom softens. Sprinkle with the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Slowly add the stock to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the mixture is smooth. Add the cream, chicken and thyme. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until mixture is thick. Season and stir through the shallot. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

Use the pie-maker cutter to cut 8 large and 8 small pastry rounds from the pastry sheets.

Gently ease 4 large pieces of pastry into the pie maker. Spoon chicken mixture into pie bases to fill. Top with the 4 smaller pieces of pastry. Brush with egg. Turn the pie maker on. Close and cook for 8 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cook for a further 2 minutes or until pies are golden.

Repeat with the remaining pastry, chicken mixture, egg and sesame seeds.

Note: You can substitute any vegetables for the mushrooms, if you wish. I use a mix of chopped carrot, frozen peas and cooked corn off the cob.