Turkey Chilli

A healthy alternative to chilli con carne.

1 tbsp olive oil
400 g turkey mince
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 onions, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
50 g celery diced
120ml white wine
1 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée
1 can chopped tomatoes
bunch of coriander,
chopped sour cream, nachos, rice/ what ever you would like to serve

Method

 

Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan and sautee the onions and garlic till soft. Add the red pepper and stir in the chilli powder, paprika, oregano and stir well. Add the turkey mince. When the meat is cooked, add in the white wine.

 

Add sun dried tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, beans and coriander. Let simmer for 20 minutes until cooked. Serve.

 

 

Paella

Prep time:30 min

Cook time:45 min

Serves:8

 

A delicious mixture of chicken, chorizo, mussels and prawns

You can leave out the mussels and add clams instead or just leave it out. I make this recipe all the time, for entertaining and just for us to enjoy at home. Really nice with some crusty / garlic bread and a fresh green salad.

Ingredients

500g mussels, cleaned (can buy vaccum packed from super market)

125 ml olive oil

175 g chorizo, cut into 5mm thick slices

115 g pancetta, diced

8 chicken thighs, each cut in half

1 large Spanish onion, finely diced

1 tsp thyme

2 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ tsp dried red chilli flakes

1 red pepper, diced

1.2 litres chicken stock

1 tsp strands saffron

450 g calasparra rice

3 bay leaves

1 tsp paprika

125 ml dry white wine

1 tbsp lemon juice

115 g frozen peas, thawed

55 g unsalted butter

4 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced

5 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

grated rind of 1 lemons

black pepper

12 raw, shell-on jumbo prawns

450 g squid, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces

Method

1. Place half the olive oil in a paella dish or large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes, until crisp, then remove and set aside. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until browned, then remove and set aside.

2. Add half the remaining olive oil to the pan with the onion, thyme, three-quarters of the garlic, the chilli flakes and the red pepper and cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes, or until the onion has softened without colouring.

3. Place the stock and saffron in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.

4. Meanwhile, add the rice, bay leaves and paprika to the onion and red pepper mixture and stir to coat the rice in the oil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Stir in the white wine, lemon juice and hot saffron stock and cook for a further 5 minutes.

5. Fold the chorizo, pancetta and browned chicken into the rice mixture. Cover in damp greaseproof paper and cook gently over a low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the peas, then place the mussels in the pan with the edges that will open facing outwards. Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed. Remove the greaseproof paper and fold in the butter, tomatoes, parsley and grated lemon rind. Season to taste. Cover loosely with kitchen foil to keep warm.

6. Place the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic and the prawns and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning once, adding the squid for the last minute.

8. Scatter the prawns and squid over the paella and serve immediately

 

Beef Sukka

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. The cold weather is here so all stews, tagines and curries are so appealing.

This recipe takes a little longer than my usual choice of recipe. However is you are working all day you could put this in a slow cooker and when you get home your dinner will be ready.

Serves 6 - 8

2 onions finely diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3cm root ginger grated
1/2 small red chilli, de seeded
1.5kg stewing beef, diced
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground corriander
1 tsp curry powder
2 whole star anise
2 - 3 strands saffron
3 x 420g tins coconut milk
300ml beef stock
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Spice mix
In a dry frying pan gently warm 1/2 tsp cardamon seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 6 cloves, 1/2 tsp fenugreek, 1.2 tsp whole black peppercorns, 2 cinnamon quills for 3 - 4 minutes, then transfer into a coffee grinder or small food processor and grind to a fine powder.

For saffron rice

40g butter
350g basmati rice
2 shallots peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp saffron strands
550ml boiling water
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

To make

In a large heavy casserole / saucepan cook the onions in the oil on a medium heat until golden, then add garlic, ginger, chilli and cook for a further minute or two. Now increae the temperature and add in the meat, stirring occassionally until it starts to brown, 5 - 6 minutes. Next add the spice mix plus extra cumin, coriander, star anise and curry powder and stir well to coat the meat and cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes, stirring to ensure the spices dont burn.

Add the coconut milk, covering all the meat and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a tight fitting lid and continue to cook gently for 45 minute before removing the lid and cooking for a further 20 - 30 minute, striing occasionally, to reduce the sauce. Taste to ensure the meat is tender, then add sugar and vinegar an d cook for a further 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as required. If the sauce reduces too much during the cooking process you can add extra coconut milk or some water.

To mae the saffron rice

Start by gently cooling the sliced shallots in a little butter on a low heat until softened, about 3 - 4 minutes then place in a small bowl to mix through the cooked rice.

Put saffron strands into a small bowl and cover with a couple tablespoons boiling water and allow to infuse for 30 mins.

In a large heavy saucepan, melt remaining butter, stir in well rinsed and drained rice and make sure it is well coated in the butter and cook for 1 min, then add boiling water and seasoning, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove lid and stir in infused saffron and liquid, replace the lid and allow the rice to continue to cook in its own heat for a further 5 mins, by which time it should be deliciously light and tasty. Stir in the cooked shallots with a fork and its ready.

Moroccan Lamb with Apricots and Orange

I wanted to make a sweet Lamb Tagine. I had a choice between this one and another with prunes and honey. This time I decided to give this recipe a go.

To Make

Serves 6 - 8 people
preheat oven to 180oC
Gas Mark 5

1.5kg diced lamb
2 cloves garlic crushed
2cm fresh root ginger
1/2 small red or grenn chilli deseeded
50g fresh corriander leaves and stalks seperated
2 tbsp seasoned flour (sa;t and pepper)
1 tbsp ground corriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 litre lamb or chicken stock
420g cooked chickpeas
2 large cinnamon quills
85g raisins
85g dried apricots, quartered
2 large oranges, zested and juiced

Start by placing peeled garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stalks in a food processor and blitz for 30 seconds or until ingredients have formed a paste. Next in a large bowl mix the seasoned flour with the dry spices and black pepper, add the diced lamb and mix well until the meat is coated in the spice and flour mix.

In a large oven proof casserole or tagine, sweat the onion in half the olive oil for 6 - 8 minutes or until soft and jut strating to brown, then add the garlic paste and cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat while you brown the meat.

In a heavy frying pan, use remaining oil to brown meat in small batches in medium heat being careful not to burn the flour and spices. Stir regularly.

Once the meat is browned add it it to the casserole along with onions. Add stock, chickpeas and dried fruit and cinnamon quills. Mix well, then add orange zest and juice to lamb. Add the squeezed halve of oranges  to the casserole for flavour.

Cover the dish with a tight fitting lid and transer to the pre heated oven to cook for an hour, then carefully remove from the oven, taste a piece of the meat for tenderness and flavour, remove the cooked orange halves and ccinnamon quills and discard. Adjust the seaoning. If the meat is not tender return to the oven for a further 15 - 20 minutes and check again. Once the meat is tender stir in the chopped corriander leaves.

To serve

Serve with some steamed cous cous , along with tzatziki, a bowl of fruit chutney, warm pitta or flatbread and a simple salad.

*This recipe frezzes well *

Beef and Onions in Beer

Inspired by the Good Food Magazine. This is a yummy stew.

Serves 6
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hours 15 mins

small knob of butter
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 baby onions, peeled and left whole
1 tsp soft brown sugar
1.5kg shin of beef (or blade / rib steak) trimmed and cut into cubes
2 tbsp plain flour
500ml bottle of beer ( I used Weiss as that is what I had in the fridge)
500ml beef stock
1 bouquet garni, made from thyme, parsley and rosemary
potatoes and savoy cabbage to serve (I used sweet potatoes)

1. Heat oven to 150oC/130oC Fan/Gas 2. Heat the butter and 1 tbsp of oil in a large flameproof casserole dish with a lid. Add the onions and brown all over - approx 5 mins. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and continue to cook the onions over a low heat for another 5 minutes.
2. Remove the onions, but keep the dish on the heat and start to brown the meat in batches. You will probably need to add more olive oil.
3. Once the meat is browned, out the onions back in the dish with the meat. Sprinkle over flour and stir well. Add the beer and enough stock to cover the meat. Pop the bouquet garni into the pan and season (salt & pepper).

4. Bring to a simmer ontop of the stove then cover and put in the oven for 2 hours, Serve with potatoes and cabbage, if you like, or try sweet potatoes.

Chicken Korma

I made double the quantity of this sauce when I made the Turkey Koftas. It freezes really well so I used it to make a Chicken Korma. I cut chicken thigh fillets (you can also use chicken breasts, I prefer the thigh fillets as they have more flavor). I fried them in olive oil till brown, then added the Korma Sauce and served with Roti. You could also serve with Rice and Naan Bread.

Korma sauce
sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/2 tsp groud cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pinch of garam masala
300ml chicken stock
2 tsp tomato puree
100 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp ground almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the sauce, heat a saucepan over a high heat. Add some oil and the onion, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, tumeric, garam masala, stock and tomato puree and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, stir in the ground almonds and simmer for a further 6 - 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe from - Catherine's Family Kitchen

Osso Bucco - Masterchef Australia Recipe

Veal Osso Bucco with Cannellini Beans

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1.5kg bobby veal shin, cut 2.5cm thick (about 12 pieces)
• 1 cup plain flour
• 100ml olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• ¼ bunch parsley stalks, leaves picked and roughly chopped, stalks reserved
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 250ml white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1bay leaf
• 6 sprigs thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 400g tin crushed tomato
• 2 cups veal stock
• 100g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (You can use canned beans and add towards the end when you have 45mins left.

To finish

• Freshly cracked white pepper and sea salt
• ½ bunch parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 loaf crusty bread, thickly sliced

You can also serve osso bucco with soft polenta or creamy mashed potatoes.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C / 160oC Fan.


2. Season meat with salt and white pepper and toss in flout to coat, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a frying pan, add meat and panfry until caramelized. Add celery, onion, carrot, reserved parsley stalks, garlic and cook10 minutes.

3. Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes and deglaze with wine.

4. Add remaining ingredients. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 ½-2 hours.

5. Remove lid, cook for 45 minutes until sauce has thickened.

6. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cracked pepper, sea salt, chopped parsley and lemon zest.

7. Serve with crusty bread or other.

Thai Red Curry with an Irish twist

This is the recipe that first got me started on my Thai cooking journey. After finding the Avoca green curry recipe I decided to attempt to maximise the flavour of this Red Curry. The recipe is fab, so I added

Sunflower oil
1 Large Onion Diced
1 Celery Stalk chopped and
2 cloves of garlic grated
1 talespoon on minced ginger

Sautee the onion in the sunflower oil till soft approx 6 - 8 minutes. Add the celery, garlic and ginger and cook until the garlic is cooked but not brown. Then follow the recipe below adding the curry paste.

RECIPE: Thai Red Curry
(from Catherine Fulvio's Book -‘Catherine’s Family Kitchen')

Chef's Note: Here’s a very non-Thai idea – a guest at our cookery school told me that a good splash of sherry in a curry just before serving gives a wonderful rounded taste. And you know what?
It works!


Serves 4

• Vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 275ml coconut milk
• 100ml chicken stock
• 200g butternut squash peeled and cubed, (about 1⁄2 medium squash)
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 3 chicken breasts cubed, ( I used chickcen thigh fillets and I browned them before adding them to the curry)
• 75g green beans quartered
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 6 mushrooms halved
• Thai fish sauce (nam pla), to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
• Jasmine rice, to serve

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the curry paste for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock and stir well. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
2. Add the butternut squash and potato, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the chicken with a little extra stock, if needed, and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes, until they are cooked through. Season with fish sauce to taste.
4. Sprinkle the coriander over and serve with steamed jasmine rice

Beef Stroganoff

I normally make a Pork Stroganoff and was looking through my cook books and decided to try a new recipe. Most of the recipes I have made would require you to stir fry beef, onions and garlic with paprika and then add cream. This I have to say is the BEST Beef Stroganoff recipe I have tried so far.. It takes a little longer than my usual recipes picks so would say this is weekend recipe or you could get this done and in the oven mid week.. you decide.

It is also from A Year at Avoca - Cook Book 3

Ingredients
Serves 6 - 8

1.5kg good quality striploin beef, cut into thin strips (I picked up Sirloin in the supermarket by mistake and it worked out extremely well)
2 tblsp seasoned flour (salt and pepper added to the flour)
2 tlsp olive oil
1 large onion thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves crushed
1 dessert spoon sweet paprika powder
couple sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tblsp cognac (Hennesey)
200 - 300ml Beef stock
1 dessert spoon dijon mustard
good splash worchestershire sauce
300g mixed button and chestnut mushrooms
400g sour cream or creme fraiche
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

To Make

Lightly toss the meat in the seasoned flour, then brown meat in small batches on a medium heat in a frying pan. Set aside on a plate until you have browned all the meat. In a casserole, cook the onion in a little oil until softened, 6 - 8 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, herbs and the browned meat and juices and cook, stirring gently, 2 - 3 minutes. Next, add the cognac and carefully light it using a match, you want it to flame for 20 - 30 seconds, to cook off the brandy, giving a subtle flavour. Now, Add just enough beef stock to cover everything by 2 cm, add a splash or worchestershire sauce and the mustard and stir well. Bring the casserole to a simmer on the heat and then cover with a tight-fitiing lid and transfer to oven to cook for 30 mins. Remove from the oven, add the mushrooms and creme fraiche and return to the oven for a further 30 mins by which stage the meat should  be very tender and mushrooms are cooked through.

To Serve

Serve this with creamy champ and a lightly salad of organic baby leaves.

My daughter does not like spring onions so I served this with creamy mash potato.