Dutch Pancake with Raspberry-Orange Coulis

Dutch Pancake with Raspberry-Orange Coulis

Servings: 4
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

Raspberry-Orange Coulis:
  • 350 g fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
Dutch Pancake
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup full cream milk
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 2cm pieces

Method
 

For the coulis: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the raspberries, sugar, orange juice and vanilla. Cook, stirring frequently, until the raspberries are completely broken down and the sauce is syrupy, 10 minutes. Strain, a little at a time, through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, stirring to separate the seeds. Stir the orange zest in the strained sauce. Serve warm or set aside to cool.
  1. Put the eggs in a large bowl and whisk vigorously until frothy. Whisk in the milk and then add the flour, vanilla and salt, and whisk until combined. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and add the butter, swirling until it is melted and coats the pan. Pour in the batter and immediately return the pan to the oven. Bake until the pancake is puffed and golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
For the Dutch Pancake: Preheat the oven to 220c. Put a 25cm cast-iron skillet or oven proof thick based fry pan in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
  1. Serve the Dutch pancake with the raspberry coulis.
Posted on Categories Sweet

Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Servings: 4
Course: Entree, Main Dish, Platter
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 lime zested and juiced
  • 2 tablespoons chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 180° and lightly grease a small baking sheet with vegetable oil. Set aside.
  2. Trim the base of the cauliflower to remove any green leaves and the woody stem.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt with the lime zest and juice, chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, curry powder, salt and pepper.
  4. Dunk the cauliflower into the bowl and use a brush or your hands to smear the marinade evenly over its surface. (Excess marinade can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days and used with meat, fish or other veggies.)
  5. Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the surface is dry and lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes. The marinade will make a crust on the surface of the cauliflower.
  6. Let the cauliflower cool for 10 minutes before cutting it into wedges and serving alongside a big green salad.

STUFFED ROASTED BUTTERNUT PUMPKIN

STUFFED ROASTED BUTTERNUT PUMPKIN

Servings: 6
Course: Entree, Main Dish, Platter
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

For the butternut pumpkin:
  • 1 butternut pumpkin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the stuffing:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 carrots peeled and chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery chopped
  • 1 brown onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup wild rice
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup white rice we used basmati
  • 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon fresh sage chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 180C.
  2. Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds, then put both halves on a baking tray, cut side up. Drizzle the olive oil on top of each half and rub around to coat. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked and fork tender.
  3. Let it cool enough so that you can handle it. Scoop out the flesh in the centre of both pumpkin halves, leaving about a 1-inch border all around.
  4. For the stuffing: In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic until softened and begining to brown. Add the wild rice and stock to the pan, give it a stir, then cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Now add the white rice to the pan, cover, and continue to cook another 8 to 10 minutes until the rice has cooked and fully absorbed the stock.
  5. Add in the walnuts, dried cranberries, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. When ready, add in the scooped out and chopped pumpkin flesh. Stir well to combine.
  6. To stuff the pumpkin: Pack in as much of the stuffing into both sides of the pumpkin as you can. Pick up one pumpkin half and flip it on top of the other. Use kitchen string to tie up the pumpkin in 3 or 4 places holding it together.
  7. When you are ready to bake, lightly brush the top with more olive oil. Bake for 20 to 35 minutes until hot all the way through. Season the top with cracked pepper, and a sprinkle of chopped sage. Slice carefully and serve hot with you favourite vegan gravy.

THAI CARROT COCONUT LEMONGRASS SOUP

THAI CARROT COCONUT LEMONGRASS SOUP

Servings: 6
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 brown onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
  • 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
  • 3 cups low salt vegetable stock
  • 1 400 ml light coconut milk
  • 1 kg trimmed peeled, and chopped carrots (about 6-7 cups)
  • 2 stalks lemongrass tough outer layers remove and pounded with a rolling pin or mallet to release essential oils
  • Dash crushed red pepper flakes
  • Juice of 1 lime

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and sauté for about 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are clear and soft, adding a tablespoon or two of water to help prevent sticking if necessary. Add the garlic, ginger, curry paste, and tamari. Sauté for 2 minutes, or until the garlic is very fragrant.
  2. Add the stock, coconut milk, carrots, lemongrass, and red pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Remove the lemongrass stalks from the pot. Transfer the soup to a blender in batches and blend till smooth, or use an immersion blender to blend the soup completely. Return the soup the pot, stir in the lime juice, and adjust seasonings to taste. You can also stir in some extra stock if the soup is too thick for your liking.
  4. Serve with chopped basil, finely chopped peppers, sprouts or microgreens, sliced avocado, or a swirl of coconut milk or cashew cream.

Mushroom & Green Bean Tart

Mushroom & Green Bean Tart

Servings: 2 tarts
Course: Entree, Main Dish, Platter
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 sheet of thawed puff pastry
  • 1 large egg
  • 350 g thin green beans trimmed
  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 250 g button or cup mushrooms sliced thin
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 shallots peeled and sliced thin
  • 60 g crumbled blue cheese
  • Salt and pepper

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside.
  2. Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain and place in cold water to cool. Then set on a paper towel to dry.
  3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and the thyme and saute for 3-5 minutes. Then add the garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute another 2-3 minutes and remove from pan and pull out the thyme sprigs.
  4. Add the remaining butter to the pan with the sliced shallots. Saute until golden-brown and crispy, 5-8 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the puff pastry down the middle and place both pieces 3-4 inches apart on the baking tray. Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water, and brush the pastry sheets with egg. Neatly layer green beans down the length of each puff pastry rectangle.
  5. On both puff pastry sheets, top the green beans with mushrooms, crumbled blue cheese, and crispy onions. Salt and Pepper lightly.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden. Serve warm or room temperature.

Crispy Avocado Fries & Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Crispy Avocado Fries & Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Servings: 4
Course: Entree, Platter
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large avocados
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • salt & pepper
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 2 egg
  • 2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 4 tablespoons oil
Chipotle dipping sauce
  • 1 in chipotle chileadobo sauce plus 1 tsp. sauce canned
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup chopped corinader
  • ¼ tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. dried dill
  • Sea salt flakes

Method
 

  1. Make the dipping sauce by placing all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth about 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is nice and creamy. Pour into a jar or small bowl and refrigerate.
Pre-heat oven to 190 Degrees C. Pour 1 tablespoon oil in sheet tray or baking dish; set aside.
  1. Squeeze fresh lime juice on avocado slices to preserve their color while baking (this step is optional).
  2. Season with salt, pepper. Dredge in flour then dip in egg and coat in panko breadcrumbs. Be sure the avocado slices are coated very well in the panko.
  3. Place in a single layer on the greased sheet pan. Drizzle with the remaining oil or spray with cooking spray. This will help the avocado slices crisp in the oven.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the avocados are golden and crispy. If desired, more oil can be drizzle while they are baking for additional crispness.
  5. Serve with chipotle dipping sauce

Butternut Pumpkin Laksa

Butternut Pumpkin Laksa

Servings: 4
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients
  

For the Spice Blend
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
For the Laksa
  • Vegetable oil neutral tasting
  • 1 onion
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
  • 1 lemongrass stalk
  • 3 small red chilis or one bigger adjust amount to taste
  • 3 dried kaffir lime leaves
  • 2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock divided in half
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 10 20 gram pieces of tofu
  • 3/4 cups full-fat coconut milk
  • Rice noodles/rice vermicelli
For Garnishing
  • Chili slices
  • Fresh coriander torn
  • Shallot sliced spring inion
  • Red onion sliced thin half moons to
  • Lime wedges

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 180°c. Peel, de-seed, and cube the pumpkin. Set the pumpkin cubes is a baking tray, drizzle with some oil, and roast for 20 minutes, or until soft.
  2. Peel and dice the onion. Mince ginger and garlic. Slice chilis. Mince the white part of the lemongrass and save the greenish stalk.
  3. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan without oil. Toast coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds are dry pan until fragrant. Transfer toasted spices to mortar and grind them to coarse powder. Add cayenne pepper, turmeric, and pepper, and mix spices together.
  4. Heat some oil in the saucepan. Add onions and fry until sautéed. Add garlic, ginger, half of the chili slices, minced lemongrass, and dry spice mixture. Fry for a couple of minutes. Add half of the vegetable broth, reserved lemongrass stalk and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer the broth for 10 minutes or until butternut pumpkin is done.
  5. Take the saucepan off from the stove. Remove lemongrass stalk from the broth. Add about one-third of the roasted butternut pumpkin cubes to saucepan. Puree soup with an immersion blender. Set the saucepan back to heat and add rest of the broth, lime juice, tamarind paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, and coconut milk. Adjust the taste. Add rest of the chili slices if desired. Add more broth if the soup seems too thick. Cube the tofu and add it, along with the remaining pumpkin, to the soup.
  6. Slice the red onion to thin half moons, chop the scallions, slice the chili, and cut the lime to wedges. Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. Divide noodles to soup bowls and ladle some soup over them. Garnish with scallion, red onion, chili slices, and lots of fresh coriander. Serve with lime wedges.

GALA APPLE BREAD WITH CINNAMON SUGAR

GALA APPLE BREAD WITH CINNAMON SUGAR

Servings: 1 loaf
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

Apple bread
  • 1 1/2 cups flour 180 grams
  • 3/4 cup caster sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2/3 cup neutral cooking oil like canola or vegetable
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups peeled and chopped Gala Apples about 2 medium
Cinnamon Sugar Ingredients:
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease a 22 x 12cm (or close to) loaf pan and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  3. Add the oil, eggs and vanilla and stir until just combined.
  4. Fold in the apples.
  5. Scrape into a greased loaf pan.
  6. Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over bread.
  7. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
  8. Cool for ten minutes then remove from pan to wire rack. Let cool until just warm and then slice.
Posted on Categories Cakes

Fresh Corn Risotto with Wild Rice and Pancetta

Fresh Corn Risotto with Wild Rice and Pancetta

Servings: 6
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 litre salt reduced chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 200 g pancetta chopped
  • 1 large onion finely chopped (1 cup)
  • 1 1/4 cups uncooked arborio rice
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
  • 1 cup cooked wild rice see note
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Butter cut into pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
To serve
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Snipped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

Method
 

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring stock to boiling. Reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons butter and the oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; cook and stir about 8 minutes or until nicely browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove pancetta and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to reserved drippings; cook and stir until onion is tender.
  3. Add rice to onion mixture in saucepan; cook and stir over medium heat about 3 minutes or until rice begins to brown. Stir in half of the cooked pancetta. Carefully add wine and crushed red pepper.
  4. Slowly add 1 cup of the simmering broth to the rice mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until liquid is absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup of the broth to the rice mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring constantly just until rice is tender and the broth has been absorbed. (This should take about 20 minutes total.)
  5. Stir in corn, cooked wild rice, the 1/2 cup cheese, the 2 tablespoons butter pieces and black pepper. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Divide risotto among six shallow pasta dishes or bowls. Sprinkle risotto with the remaining cooked pancetta, shaved cheese and parsley.

Notes

To cook wild rice, rinse 1/2 cup wild rice, lifting the rice with your fingers to clean thoroughly; drain. In a small saucepan, combine wild rice and 1 cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 40 minutes, without stirring, or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. If needed, drain. Makes about 1-1/4 cups.
Posted on Categories Corn

Fish fingers with spicy tartare and green salad

Fish fingers with spicy tartare and green salad

Servings: 4
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g firm white fish fillets
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 cups cornflakes crushed
  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds toasted and crushed
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • Sunflower oil to shallow fry
  • Lemon wedges and green salad to serve
  • TARTARE YOGHURT
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber deseeded and chopped
  • 1 cup thick Greek-style yoghurt 280g
  • 2 tbs finely chopped dill
  • Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Method
 

  1. Cut the fish into 2 - 3cm thick slices.
  2. Combine the panko and cornflakes in a bowl, then place the plain flour and eggs in separate bowls and season each.
  3. Coat each piece of fish in the flour, then the egg, and finally the cornflake mixture. (For the adults, add fennel seeds and chilli flakes to the cornflake mixture.)
  4. Heat 1cm oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. In batches, cook the fish for 2 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through. Drain.
  5. For the tartare, combine ingredients, season and drizzle with oil. Serve fish fingers with tartare, lemon and green salad.