These delicious peaches remind me of summer time back in Melbourne. Stone fruit, especially peaches, have always been a favourite of mine and summer time always heralds the coming of juicy sweet peaches. Topped with a dollop of vanilla infused marscapone, there is no yummier way to eat cooked fruit.
4 ripe peaches- cut in half with stones removed
2 tbs caster sugar
4 tbs brandy
1 cup marscapone cheese
1 vanilla bean- seeds removed
Mix caster sugar with half of the brandy in a small bowl and using a pastry brush, dab mixture onto peach halves.Place peaches into a griddle pan on med-high heat. Meanwhile mix marscapone with remaining brandy and the vanilla seeds. When peaches are softened and caramelised remove from pan and dollop each half with marscapone mix.
Monday, 31 October 2011
Homemade Basil Pesto
A simple yet delicious pesto which can pose as a sauce for pasta, a dip with pita bread, an alternative to napoli sauce on a pizza or a yummy stir through for mash potatoes. All that's required is a food processor, or for a more rustic version a mortar and pestle will suffice. Variations on the recipe can be made, chargrilled capsicum or eggplant can be substituted for the basil.
45g (1/4 cup) pine nuts
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 small garlic cloves, halved
60g (3/4 cup) shredded parmesan
5 tbs olive oil
Place basil, garlic and pinenuts in food processor and pulse until a fine paste results. Olive oil should be added in a gradual stream until desired consistency results. The pesto can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
45g (1/4 cup) pine nuts
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 small garlic cloves, halved
60g (3/4 cup) shredded parmesan
5 tbs olive oil
Place basil, garlic and pinenuts in food processor and pulse until a fine paste results. Olive oil should be added in a gradual stream until desired consistency results. The pesto can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
Portugese Spiced Chicken
A yummy marinade for chicken, hot and spicy with a twist of lemon at the end to freshen it up. Best served with home made potato wedges (seasoned well with paprika and salt) and some peri peri sauce (nando's brand is my fave).
1/2 lemon zest and juice
1 red or green chilli, with seeds if you can handle it
2 tbs smoked paprika
A good slug of olive oil
5 cloves garlic sliced finely
2 breasts of chicken- cut into bite sized pieces
Fresh coriander and parsley leaves
It's as simple as combining all ingredients in a bowl and covering for 1-2 hours. You dont want to leave the marinade on too long as the acid in the lemon juice can start to 'cook' the chicken. Pan fry on a hot barbeque or fry pan until charring. Stir through fresh herbs at the last minute! Feel the burn...
1/2 lemon zest and juice
1 red or green chilli, with seeds if you can handle it
2 tbs smoked paprika
A good slug of olive oil
5 cloves garlic sliced finely
2 breasts of chicken- cut into bite sized pieces
Fresh coriander and parsley leaves
It's as simple as combining all ingredients in a bowl and covering for 1-2 hours. You dont want to leave the marinade on too long as the acid in the lemon juice can start to 'cook' the chicken. Pan fry on a hot barbeque or fry pan until charring. Stir through fresh herbs at the last minute! Feel the burn...
Moroccan Soup Bar- Chickpea Bake (which isnt infact baked at all)
This is a recipe after my own heart. Chickpeas are the star of the show with a beautiful tahini yoghurt sauce and toasted pita bread for crunch. It is a hard to describe dish and my words can't do it justice. I first tried this dish in 2008 at 'The Moroccan Soup Bar' in Melbourne and have searched for the recipe ever since. I am happy to share this recipe and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
2 cups chickpeas (canned)
5 cups natural greek style yoghurt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 tsp salt
1 toasted pita bread cut into pieces.
3 tbs pine nuts
3 tbs slivered almonds
1/2 tsp paprika
5 gloves of garlic crushed
Begin by boiling the chickpeas until tender (5 minutes). Strain and set aside. Next mix the yoghurt with the tahini and garlic. To toast the pita you can either place it in the oven until golden brown or toast in a fry pan (no oil necessary). Break the pita into shards, the size isnt too important, however do not make the pieces too small that you lose the delicious crunchy texture. Layer the pita into a serving dish, this will form the base of the dish. Timing truly is of the essence in this recipe as you do not want the other ingredients to be added too soon before eating as the pita will go soggy. In a small fry pan heat up 50g of butter until melted, add both the pinenuts and almonds to the butter and cook until golden brown. Place strained cooked chickpeas over the pita bread and top with the yogurt mix. Spread the yoghurt over the chickpeas so that there is an even layer, this will form the top layer of the dish. The final step involves pouring the butter/nut mix all over the top. Finish with a sprinkling of paprika and serve. Simply devine!
2 cups chickpeas (canned)
5 cups natural greek style yoghurt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 tsp salt
1 toasted pita bread cut into pieces.
3 tbs pine nuts
3 tbs slivered almonds
1/2 tsp paprika
5 gloves of garlic crushed
Begin by boiling the chickpeas until tender (5 minutes). Strain and set aside. Next mix the yoghurt with the tahini and garlic. To toast the pita you can either place it in the oven until golden brown or toast in a fry pan (no oil necessary). Break the pita into shards, the size isnt too important, however do not make the pieces too small that you lose the delicious crunchy texture. Layer the pita into a serving dish, this will form the base of the dish. Timing truly is of the essence in this recipe as you do not want the other ingredients to be added too soon before eating as the pita will go soggy. In a small fry pan heat up 50g of butter until melted, add both the pinenuts and almonds to the butter and cook until golden brown. Place strained cooked chickpeas over the pita bread and top with the yogurt mix. Spread the yoghurt over the chickpeas so that there is an even layer, this will form the top layer of the dish. The final step involves pouring the butter/nut mix all over the top. Finish with a sprinkling of paprika and serve. Simply devine!
Mushroom and Roast Pumkin Risotto
This recipe is one close to my heart. Originally one of my Nanna's tried and tested favourites, over time I have adapted it to suit both my student budget (eliminating saffron) and vegetarian tendancies (removing chicken breast pieces and bacon). Even though I am now eating most meats and could afford a few strands of saffron if a recipe called for it I still cook my risotto the same way. With whole roasted garlic cloves and good quality parmesan it is hard to go wrong. The process of cooking risotto for me has an almost therapeutic quality, it isn't one of those dishes that you can whack on and go and do something else. This is comfort food at its best.
1 diced brown onion
1 whole garlic head/bulb (a bit exuberant I know)
2 cups of arborio rice
A knob of butter
Olive oil
Half a Japanese pumpkin
A bag of button mushrooms- roughly 12
Baby spinach leaves
500ml Chicken Stock
A splash of white wine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Cut up pumpkin into 2cm x 2cm cubes and roast with half of the unpeeled garlic cloves and a good glug of olive oil. Meanwhile, simmer chicken stock over low heat in a saucepan. In a separate saucepan, heat olive oil (enough to cover base) and knob of butter. Fry onion and the remaining garlic (peeled and minced/crushed) until transluscent. Now add the rice, stirring vigorously to coat the grains in the olive oil until glossy. Just before the rice takes on a golden brown colour (probably about 2-3 mins of stirring) it is time to add a splash of the white wine. The wine should absorb immediately and act by 'deglazing' the pan. It is characteristic for a 'hissing' sound to omit when the wine is added. It is now time to kick the risotto into gear. Add a ladle of the chicken stock into the rice. Stir till the stock is absorbed then repeat the process. It is crucial to add only a ladle at a time, you do not want to drown the rice. Half way through the ladle-ing process add the mushrooms. Once the stock has run out, taste the rice. It should be soft and creamy with no firmness in the center of the grain. The texture of risotto should be thick, not runny and should stick to the spoon when you lift it out. Stir through the baby spinach leaves and parmesan and remove from the heat. The leaves should wilt quickly. Add the roasted pumpkin and whole unpeeled garlic cloves. Being careful not to over stir at this point as the pumpkin will lose its shape. Season to your own taste, remembering that the stock has salt in it. Enjoy!
1 diced brown onion
1 whole garlic head/bulb (a bit exuberant I know)
2 cups of arborio rice
A knob of butter
Olive oil
Half a Japanese pumpkin
A bag of button mushrooms- roughly 12
Baby spinach leaves
500ml Chicken Stock
A splash of white wine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Cut up pumpkin into 2cm x 2cm cubes and roast with half of the unpeeled garlic cloves and a good glug of olive oil. Meanwhile, simmer chicken stock over low heat in a saucepan. In a separate saucepan, heat olive oil (enough to cover base) and knob of butter. Fry onion and the remaining garlic (peeled and minced/crushed) until transluscent. Now add the rice, stirring vigorously to coat the grains in the olive oil until glossy. Just before the rice takes on a golden brown colour (probably about 2-3 mins of stirring) it is time to add a splash of the white wine. The wine should absorb immediately and act by 'deglazing' the pan. It is characteristic for a 'hissing' sound to omit when the wine is added. It is now time to kick the risotto into gear. Add a ladle of the chicken stock into the rice. Stir till the stock is absorbed then repeat the process. It is crucial to add only a ladle at a time, you do not want to drown the rice. Half way through the ladle-ing process add the mushrooms. Once the stock has run out, taste the rice. It should be soft and creamy with no firmness in the center of the grain. The texture of risotto should be thick, not runny and should stick to the spoon when you lift it out. Stir through the baby spinach leaves and parmesan and remove from the heat. The leaves should wilt quickly. Add the roasted pumpkin and whole unpeeled garlic cloves. Being careful not to over stir at this point as the pumpkin will lose its shape. Season to your own taste, remembering that the stock has salt in it. Enjoy!
Simply Delicious Chocolate Mousse...
Having just tasted my afternoons efforts ( 3 hours refrigeration time felt like a life time!) I have decided that the recipe I stumbled across this morning is definately a keeper. The mousse is just lovely. Light and airy without compromising on richness, this recipe promises and delivers the perfect mousse.
200g good quality dark chocolate
50g butter
4 eggs, separated
1 cup of cream
2 tbs caster sugar
I find, having only one little set of hand beaters, that the best way to approach this recipe is by first beating the cream to soft peaks then washing and drying the beaters well before beating the 4 egg whites. The egg whites should be beaten to stiff peaks, with the two tablespoons of caster sugar added towards the end. Next the chocolate and butter should be melted over a double boiler ( a bowl placed over a saucepan of water. It is integral that no water comes into contact with either the chocolate mixture of the bottom of the bowl). Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Do not let the chocolate begin to set. Using a wooden spoon or plastic scraper, mix the 4 egg YOLKS through the chocolate mixture. Beat the mixture well to ensure the heat does not cook the egg yolks. Next it is time to fold through the whipped cream. The mixture will take on a rather unappealing appearance, rather congealed actually. But do persist. Be careful to not deflate the air in the mousse by over mixing, it is best to use a folding motion to combine the ingredients to the point where they are an even colour. The egg whites should now be added, using the same folding technique as the cream. Once even in colour, the mixture should be poured into 6-8 (depending on your appetite) ramekins or glasses. Refrigerate for 3+ hours. Heaven awaits...
200g good quality dark chocolate
50g butter
4 eggs, separated
1 cup of cream
2 tbs caster sugar
I find, having only one little set of hand beaters, that the best way to approach this recipe is by first beating the cream to soft peaks then washing and drying the beaters well before beating the 4 egg whites. The egg whites should be beaten to stiff peaks, with the two tablespoons of caster sugar added towards the end. Next the chocolate and butter should be melted over a double boiler ( a bowl placed over a saucepan of water. It is integral that no water comes into contact with either the chocolate mixture of the bottom of the bowl). Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Do not let the chocolate begin to set. Using a wooden spoon or plastic scraper, mix the 4 egg YOLKS through the chocolate mixture. Beat the mixture well to ensure the heat does not cook the egg yolks. Next it is time to fold through the whipped cream. The mixture will take on a rather unappealing appearance, rather congealed actually. But do persist. Be careful to not deflate the air in the mousse by over mixing, it is best to use a folding motion to combine the ingredients to the point where they are an even colour. The egg whites should now be added, using the same folding technique as the cream. Once even in colour, the mixture should be poured into 6-8 (depending on your appetite) ramekins or glasses. Refrigerate for 3+ hours. Heaven awaits...
Basic Tomato Sauce- For Spaghetti Napolitana
What better way to start than with a fool-proof spaghetti sauce. An important part of any chefs repertoire this little gem can be conjured up with only a bottle of passata, a tin of tomatoes and a few fresh herbs (or dried, if the garden isnt exactly thriving). My 'Spaghetti Napolitana' is not entirely traditional, I tend to like it best with a hint of chilli and a few vege's thrown in the mix to freshen it up a bit. The recipe goes as follows:
1 brown onion
5-6 cloves of garlic (my philosophy is that there is no such thing as too much garlic)
1 jar of passata (italian tomato puree)
1 tin of whole peeled tomatoes
A dash of Balsamic Vinegar
A pinch of sugar
A handfull of your favourite herbs- basil, oregano and parsley are my herbs of choice
A healthy glug of olive oil
Sliced vegetables- zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli all work well
Heat a heavy based saucepan over a medium/high heat. Add in olive oil, an even layer that covers the base of the saucepan works well. Sautee the onion and garlic until transluscent. Tear herbs into the pan, letting the oil sizzle and wilt the leaves. I now add the sliced vege's and allow them to soften and absorb the fragrant oil. After a few minutes empty the jar of passata and tin of tomatoes into the pan. Stir to combine and lower the heat to a simmer. A tablespoon or two of balsamic should now be added to add depth (red wine could be substituted), and a pinch of sugar to counteract the acidity in both the vinegar and tomatoes. The sauce is best when left on low heat to cook over a few hours, the flavours develop and the sauce thickens. Serve over your favourite type of pasta, topped with parmigiano reggiano cheese. Delish!
1 brown onion
5-6 cloves of garlic (my philosophy is that there is no such thing as too much garlic)
1 jar of passata (italian tomato puree)
1 tin of whole peeled tomatoes
A dash of Balsamic Vinegar
A pinch of sugar
A handfull of your favourite herbs- basil, oregano and parsley are my herbs of choice
A healthy glug of olive oil
Sliced vegetables- zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli all work well
Heat a heavy based saucepan over a medium/high heat. Add in olive oil, an even layer that covers the base of the saucepan works well. Sautee the onion and garlic until transluscent. Tear herbs into the pan, letting the oil sizzle and wilt the leaves. I now add the sliced vege's and allow them to soften and absorb the fragrant oil. After a few minutes empty the jar of passata and tin of tomatoes into the pan. Stir to combine and lower the heat to a simmer. A tablespoon or two of balsamic should now be added to add depth (red wine could be substituted), and a pinch of sugar to counteract the acidity in both the vinegar and tomatoes. The sauce is best when left on low heat to cook over a few hours, the flavours develop and the sauce thickens. Serve over your favourite type of pasta, topped with parmigiano reggiano cheese. Delish!
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