Pumpkin & Apple Curry

Thanks for updating the blog Meegs.

Here's a new one from me:

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
500 g / 1.1 lb pumpkin or butternut squash, deseeded, peeled and cubed
800 g / 0.9 lb baking potatoes, cubed
1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and diced
2 tsp mild curry paste
1 tsp turmeric, plus extra to garnish
2.5 cm / 1 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-3 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 vegetable stock cube
50 g / 2oz raisins
4tbsp fromage frais, to serve
bread or rice to serve

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until golden. Add garlic, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and apple. Stir in the curry paste, turmeric, ginger and bay leaves.
2.Add 500 ml / 1.05 pints water, the stock cube, raisins and plenty of seasoning. Bring to the boil, stirring, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender.
3. Spoon into bowls and top with the fromage frais and a pinch of turmeric. Serve with flatbread and/or rice.

Takes 45 mins. Serves 4-5.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

Serves 6

Ingredients:
6 salmon fillets
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tblsp white wine (or stock or water as substitutes)
1 tblsp honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tspn dijon mustard (you can use french as an alternative)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tblsp chopped fresh oregano

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Line a baking tray with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Coat a small saucepan with non-stick spray and over a medium heat, cook and stir garlic until soft. Mix in wine, honey, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for approximately 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
3. Arrange salmon on the foil lined tray and brush fillets with the glaze, leaving enough syrup for a final glaze at the end. Sprinkle with oregano.
4. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes if you prefer your salmon to be cooked all the way through. 10 - 15 if you like some pinkness in the middle.
5. Brush fillets with the remianing glaze and season with salt and pepper.

Vegetarian Chilli

This is a recipe I've been meaning to blog for ages - it's an absolute beauty! Healthy, delicious and easy to make (if you can use a tin opener), it probably fits Del's call for a good slap together meal. Southern hemisphere dwellers may want to try it before the weather gets too hot...

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
225g chopped onions
2 medium green capsicum, seeded and chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (leave the seeds in for a hotter chilli)
3 tablespoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 x 400g tins of Italian style plum tomatoes, chopped
1 x 170g tin of tomato puree
1 x 565g tin red kidney beans, drained (bean lovers can add an extra tin)
1 x 425g tin pinto beans, drained
225g diced zucchini
Grated mature cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped onion or spring onion, chopped tomatoes or chopped olives for serving on top of the chilli (yum)

Method
In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, capsicum, garlic and jalapenos. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the chilli powder, oregano and salt. Add the tomatoes and their juice, tomato puree and beans. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings.

Spinach and Camembert Lasagne

Ingredients:

1 bunch english spinach
500g fresh ricotta cheese
50g parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
fresh lasagne pasta sheets
125g semi-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
200g camembert cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease your lasagne dish. Trim the stalks from the spinach and discard. Wash the leaves and shake off excess water, but don't dry them completely. Chop leaves.

2. Place ricotta in a bowl. Add parmesan, nutmeg and seasoning. Stir until well combined. Set aside one third of the mixture. Add spinach to the remaining ricotta mixture and mix until well combined.

3. Line the base of the lasagne dish with a sheet of pasta. Spread half the spinach mixture over the lasagne. Top with another lasagne sheet. Spread with the plain ricotta mixture and top with the semi-dried tomatoes. Add another layer of pasta and spread over the remaining spinach mixture. Top with a final layer of pasta.

4. Arrange camembert over lasagne and sprinkle with the pine nuts. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. The top will puff up, but then settly when removed from the oven. Stand for 10 minutes.

Mexican bean tortillas

For my birthday, Meegan bought me an annual subscription to Super Food Ideas! I love trying out new recipes each month. Here's two yummy recipes from the October magazine that I made for my mum and brother on Saturday night.

Ingredients:
olive oil cooking spray
1 small brown onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tomatoes
420g can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
4 flour tortillas
1/2 green capsicum
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/4 cup chunky tomato salsa
1/4 cup low fat yoghurt
2 iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded

Method:
1. Lightly spray a saucepan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Add onin and cook, stirring, for three minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Finely chop 1 tomato. Add chopped tomato, beans, 1/4 cup cold water, taco seasoning and chilli powder to saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until liquid has reduced and thickened. Using a potato masher, roughly mash.
3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Lay tortillas on a workbench. Spread with bean mixture. Top with capsicum. Roll up tortillas tightly to enclose filling. Tranfer to a lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and tortillas warmed through.
4. Meanwhile, dice remaining tomato. Combine tomato and cucumber in a small bowl. Slice tortillas in half and place on plates. Top with coriander. Serve with salsa, yoghurt, lettuce and tomato salad.

Serves 4

Tomato and goat's cheese crumble

Firstly some trivia. The English don't appear to use cups as a measurement in cooking and instead weigh absolutely everything. This sometimes poses a bit of a problem for me, who in an attempt to avoid acquiring possessions while o/s, hasn't purchased kitchen scales!

Now, I think this dish is truly delicious. But because one of the main ingredients is cheese, I tend to make it only for guests or a special occasion.

I serve it with rocket + roasted pumkin + balsamic mixed together as a salad and some warm, crusty olive bread. Yumbo.

Tomato and goat's cheese crumble

1kg / 2 1/4 lbs tomatoes (mixed varieties, including 1 punnet of cherry toms)
5 tablespoons olive oil
225g/8 ounces goat's cheese (firm or soft)
50g/2 ounces pine nuts
100g/4 ounces breadcrumbs
50g/2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F, 190 C/ gas mark 5.
2. Roughly chop the tomatoes, leaving the cherry ones whole; heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan, add the chopped tomatoes and seasoning and cook for 10 minutes (stirring occasionally) until softened; remove from the heat and stir in cherry tomatoes.
3. Spoon half the tomato mix into an oven proof dish (1 litre/1 ¾ pints size) and crumble half of the goat’s cheese on top; repeat the layers.
4. Heat remaining olive oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the pine nuts and breadcrumbs; remove from the heat and stir in half the parmesan; scatter breadcrumb mix over the tomatoes and cheese, then top with the rest of the parmesan.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.

Cheers to Damien for introducing me to this recipe!

Tuna Mornay

You know those days when you have hardly anything in the pantry and don't really want to face grocery shopping or take away for dinner? This is one recipe that I call on frequently!
(Thanks Mum)

Ingredients
1 oz butter
1 1/2 ozs grated cheese
1 tblsp flour
1 cup milk
1 chopped onion
pinch of salt
1 medium size tin of tuna
4 potatoes (approx)


Method
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Peel, finely slice and cook the potatoes until just tender, set aside for later.
Melt butter in a saucepan with the chopped onion.
Blend in the flour and salt.
Add the milk, stirring constantly until thick.
Add the tuna and most of the cheese. Leave enough to sprinkle over the top for baking.
Layer the potatoes in an oven proof dish.
Top with the tuna sauce and sprinkle the left over cheese on top.
Bake in the oven until golden brown.

Fettuccini with pesto and prawns

One of my favourite recipies, especially with a good brand of pesto! Here's the ingredients, modify quantities as appropriate:

• Prawns (however many you fancy)
  
• Red pesto (e.g. garlic and sundried tomato)
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• 1/2 of a medium tomato per serve
  
• 75ml cream per serve
• 1 clove garlic per serve
  

Here's the directions - and presuming that the prawns are pre-cooked:

1. Chuck some water on to boil; while you're waiting, slice up the mushrooms and onion, cube the tomato, and peel your garlic. After the garlic is peeled, crush it up (hope you have a good garlic press!) on top of your mushrooms
   
2. By now the water should be boiled, so bung in your fettuccini (or pasta of choice)
3. Throw the onions into a hot pan (med-high heat) with your desired amount of olive oil, and cook them for a minute or two so they become soft.
4. Next, throw in the tomatos, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir carefully - try not to mash up the tomatos too much.
5. When that's cooked down a bit, add in the prawns and the pesto. Keep stirring.
6. Finally, when your pasta has 2 or 3 minutes left to cook, add in the cream, stir until it's evenly distributed (by which point it should be almost boiling), and then reduce your heat to a simmer. Keep stirring occasionally until the pasta is cooked.

That's it! Best served with fresh parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper.

Parmesan-crumbed Baked Fish

Carrying on the fishy theme, here's a non-salmon recipe to try.

Serves 4

Here's what you'll need:
1/2 cup fresh multi-grain breadcrumbs (or store bought - works nearly as well)
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped (can use dried herbs here as well)
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 thick white fish steaks (about 200g each, try blue eye or king fish, or just ask your local fish person for something similar, they can be very helpful!)
Cooking spray (olive oil spray if you've got it)

1. Preheat oven to 200°C
2. Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, parmesan, lemon rind, and salt and pepper in a bowl.
3. Drizzle mixture with olive oil and stir until the breadcrumbs are coated in oil.
4. Press the breadcrumb mixture onto the flesh side of the fish fillets to form an even topping.
5. Place fish, skin side down onto a baking tray and spray the fillets with oil.
6. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until light and golden and the fish is just cooked through.

Serve with steamed greens, baby potatoes and some lemon wedges in winter, and salad in summer.

Bean Surprise

Don't feel like cooking but want to eat something healthy? Got some vegies to use up and a can of baked beans in the pantry? Yes and Yes? Try Bean Surprise!

Grate some vegetables (e.g. carrot, zucchinni, onion) in a microwave safe bowl and heat for a few minutes. Mix in a can of baked beans and heat for a further minute or two in the microwave. Serve over toast or jacket potatoes.

Hearty Tomato Cooking Sauce - From Scratch

In response to Kristy's request, here is my 'recipe' although it does tend to change quite a bit depending on what's lurking in the fridge.
Serves 4-6
Basic ingredients:
2 cans (or 1 large can) of chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 bunch basil - don't chop til later or it will go black and disgusting!
2 Anchovies (optional but don't worry - you won't taste them)
6 black Kalamata olives chopped (again, optional if you don't like olives)
Olive oil - About 2 tablespoons, although you could use less if using non-stick pan
Salt & Pepper
Pinch of sugar
Sloosh of wine (white or red - doesn't matter)

Heat the oil in a pan, add the olives and anchovies and fry until fragrant (1-2 min). Add the onions. When they are soft and transparent, add the garlic and stir through for about a minute. Add the tomatoes, parsley and wine. Cook for a couple of minutes and then taste. This is where you add a bit of sugar to take the sourness away from the tomatoes. Generally, I put in about half a teaspoon.
Cook over fairly high heat (so it's bloop-blooping away nicely), stirring occasionally until thick and gorgeous (about 20 minutes). Chop the basil now. Season to taste and add the basil.

Variations and additions:
More vegies: Add chopped mushrooms and capsicum at the garlic stage.
Or add small florets of broccoli and a handful of toasted pine nuts or almonds at the tomato stage.
Add some heat: Add freshly chopped and deseeded chilli at the garlic stage (and maybe a shake of cumin and coriander powders to give some mexican flavour) Leave out the basil. Good with rice.
Vego Bolognese style: Add a dash of worcestershire sauce and 1/2 packet of pre-soaked Sanitarium Vegie-Mince (see pack for instructions - I love this stuff, really versatile).
A bit fishy: Add a can of tuna (well drained) just before the tomatoes. This is great with rice.

Cheers
Del

Salmon with Almonds and Cheese

Following on with the salmon theme, here's one I make quite regularly - and in fact made tonight (Left: Ben devouring it)!

4 x 175g salmon fillets
50g softened butter
4 tbsp slivered or flaked almonds
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
50g guyere or emmental, coarsely grated (any mild cheese really)
potatoes and a green salad or broccoli, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 190 deg C/Gas 5/fan oven 170 deg c. Season the salmon steaks all over. Liberally butter a shallow ovenproof dish big enough to take the fish in one layer. Smear the fillets with the remaining butter.
2. Mix the almonds, parsley and the cheese, then press on to the top of the steaks.
3. Bake for 15-20mins, until the topping is crisp and golden and the salmon cooked. Serve with potatoes and a green salad or broccoli.

Enjoy!

Barbecued Salmon and Balsamic Roast Vegetables

This recipe featured on our blog recently so some of you would have already seen it. It's one of our all time favourites because it's yummy, easy and good for you. Salmon is excellent "brain food" because of the high Omega 3 content.

Barbecued Salmon
Pour a generous amount of soy sauce and crushed garlic into a container and add salmon fillets to marinate (ensure the fish is well coated with the sauce and garlic) for 1 hour. When ready, cook on the barbecue over a medium heat until cooked through, remembering to turn the fish once or twice. Serve with a fresh salad and breadrolls in summer, or roast vegetables in winter.

Balsamic Roast Vegetables
Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Combine 375g sweet potato, 375g red onion, 375g large carrots, 375g zucchini, 500g waxy potatoes (all cut into chunks) and 12 cloves of peeled garlic in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of Thyme sprigs, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and season with black pepper. Toss the vegetables well and spread them in a single layer in a large baking dish. Roast until the vegetables are cooked through and starting to brown on the edges, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Lasagne

This is one of our favourites!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1. Lean mince - approx 600g
2. Store bought (or homemade if you're feeling energetic) pasta sauce. It doesn't matter which one, but we like anything 5 Brothers the most.
3. 1 Onion - finely chopped
4. 2 cloves Garlic - finely chopped
5. Grated cheese - approx 250g
6. Sour cream - medium sized tub
7. Grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Pre heat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Grease lasagne or casserole dish
3. Sauté the onion in a large frying pan with little olive oil
4. Add the mince and brown.
5. Once mince is done add the pasta sauce and let simmer as per the instructions on the jar.
6. Layer the lasagne dish with mince, then a lasagne sheet, spread a layer of sour cream over the lasagne sheet (as much or as little as you like, I like to be heavy handed with it) sprinkle the cheeses and repeat the process until your dish is full, or you've run out of mince!
7. Make sure you have a lasagne sheet as you're top layer, and cover with the sour cream and cheeses.
8. Bake in the oven for approximately half an hour, or until golden brown.
9. Leave to stand for about 5-10 minutes if you've got time - makes it a little easier to serve.

The leftovers freeze really well and as with most tomato based pasta dishes, it tastes even better the next day.

Optional extra - a layer of baby spinach leaves after the mince layers tastes good too.