Tuesday 26 April 2011

Weekend Australian Recipes Saturday 23 April Easter Lamb



Easter lamb recipes –

A leg of lamb is perfect at Easter; I especially love the ceremony of presenting and carving a roasted leg of lamb at the table. Many people find carving a leg of lamb a bit daunting, but it need not be. There are no hard and fast rules. To start, turn the meatiest side of the joint upwards (the bone will be on the underside). The first cut should be made across the leg at its thickest part, make a cut downwards to the bone. Remove two slices, about 5mm thick, from the centre of the leg, cutting to the bone. Continue slicing from both sides of the first cut, gradually angling the knife to obtain longer slices. Then carve the underside. To do this, turn the joint over, remove any unwanted fat and carve in long horizontal slices.

Pot roasted leg of lamb

About 1.75kg leg of lamb
olive oil
6 sprigs rosemary
1 lemon, halved
1 whole head garlic, halved
roasted vegetables, to serve

Preheat oven to 170C. Score the lamb and rub with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place the rosemary, lemon halves and garlic in the base of a roasting tin or large lidded casserole. Add the lamb on top. Add enough beef stock (or water) to a depth of 1.5cm. Cover with foil or a lid and roast for about 11/2 hours (uncover for the last 20 minutes. Add more liquid if needed.
When cooked, remove from the oven, cover and let it rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes. While it is resting, strain the juices through a sieve, discarding the lemon and garlic. Using a spoon, remove any fat from the top of the liquid and reheat just before serving. Serve the lamb with the strained pan juices. Accompany with roast vegetables. Serves 6



Mediterranean-style racks of lamb

Large handful each of basil and mint leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 long red chilli, roughly chopped, seeds removed
125ml olive oil
3 racks lamb (each 7-8 chops)
2 red onions, sliced into 1cm circles
2 red capsicums, quartered, pith and seeds removed
8 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Whiz the herbs, garlic, chilli, and oil in a food processor until roughly chopped. Place the lamb racks in a ceramic dish, season and pour over 2/3 of the herb mixture. Marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 210 C. Place the onions, capsicums, tomatoes and chickpeas in the base of a large roasting tin. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, toss and season well. Place the lamb racks in the centre of the tin.
Roast for 35 minutes (for medium), stirring the vegetables occasionally. Remove, cover lamb in foil and rest for 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and pop the vegetables back into the oven while the lamb is resting. To serve, slice between each bone, separating each rack into cutlets. Transfer the vegetables to a large platter and top with lamb. Drizzle with the reserved herb and oil mixture. Let everyone serve themselves from the platter. Serves 6



Leg of lamb with potatoes

6-8 large Desiree potatoes, scrubbed
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig rosemary, roughly chopped
30g butter
1 leg of lamb 1.6-2kg
400ml beef or chicken stock
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C. Slice the potatoes thinly (about 4mm). Layer the potatoes, onion and crushed garlic (seasoning as you go) to a depth of about 3-4cm in a lightly oiled roasting tin just large enough to hold the leg of lamb. Scatter with the rosemary and add a couple of knobs of butter.
Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and pour in enough stock to come about 3/4 of the way of the depth of the potatoes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes then turn the heat down to 170C for a further 60 minutes (for medium).
Remove the lamb to a warm place to rest for about ten minutes. While the lamb is resting increase the oven to 200C, then brush the potatoes with a little olive oil and put them back in the oven to crisp up. Serve the lamb with the potatoes and green vegetables. Serves 6-8


Really useful stuff

How pink do you like your lamb?
Everyone has his or her own preference on how well they like their lamb cooked. More and more of us are appreciating the flavour and texture of lamb that is cooked pink rather than grey looking overcooked meat. The timings above will give you lamb cooked to medium, but if you prefer your meat a little more well done, just put it in the oven for a further 20-30 minutes.
To calculate the cooking time, weigh your lamb. Roast in a 200C oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180C and allow 15 minutes for every 500g.
If you are unsure of how well the leg is cooked you can use a meat thermometer (inserted into the thickest part of the leg) to test how hot the meat is inside. As a guideline, temperature for a leg of lamb would be
Rare 45C - 50C
Medium Rare 55C - 60C
Medium 60C - 65C
Well Done 75C - 80C

Sunday 10 April 2011

Weekend Australian Recipes Saturday 9 April Steak


Perfect steak
I like to use a heavy, ribbed, grill pan, heavy frying pan or barbecue to cook the perfect steak. The pan needs to be placed over a high heat and be almost smoking before the steak is added. Brushing the steak with a little olive oil (rather than brushing the pan) helps prevent smoking. Once the steak has cooked for a minute or two and nicely coloured, reduce the temperature of the pan to finish the cooking. For an average steak of about 2cm thick, for rare cook 2-3 minutes each side, for medium cook 3-4 minutes each side and for well done cook for 6-7 minutes each side. It is important to rest the meat before serving. Don’t be afraid of meat that is flecked or marbled with fat; remember fat equals flavour!

Tagliata with rocket and parmesan

2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large T bone steak or 2 rib eye or sirloin steaks
2 handfuls rocket
Shaved parmesan, to serve
lemon wedges, to serve

Pound the garlic, oil and black pepper in a pestle and mortar (or mash in a bowl with back of fork) to form paste. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Rub garlic paste over both sides of steak. Cover and set aside in a cool place for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 8 hours. Wipe off the paste and brush with a little extra oil.
Cook steak on a barbecue or in a ribbed frying pan over a high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side (depending on how you like them cooked). Transfer the steak to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.
To serve cut steak on slight angle into 1.5 cm thick slices. Arrange the rocket on a platter, then top with the slices of meat and pour over any juice from the plate.
Serve with shaved parmesan and lemon wedges. Serves 2



Spice-rub steak

Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp each black peppercorns, fennel seeds, dried oregano and cayenne pepper
2 sirloin steaks
Ripe tomatoes, to serve

Using a pestle and mortar, grind the lemon rind with the garlic, peppercorns and fennel seeds until well blended. Add the oregano and cayenne and a good pinch of salt and grind together.
Lightly brush the steak with oil and rub the spice mixture on both sides. Set aside to marinate if desired. Cook in a hot pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned with a slight crusty coating. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for a few minutes. Serve with a tomato salad.



Steak with herb butter

150g unsalted butter, diced and softened
1 small French shallot (eschallot), finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped capers
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 steaks

Make the flavoured butter by placing the butter, shallot, parsley, chives, capers, mustard, lemon rind, Worcestershire sauce, salt and a good grinding of freshly ground black pepper into a small bowl. Using a fork or wooden spoon, beat the mixture until the ingredients are combined. Slowly add the lemon juice, beating as you go, until combined.
Place on a sheet of non-stick baking paper and then roll and shape the butter into a log about 4cm in diameter, twisting the ends like a cracker. Chill for about 1 hour; store up to 2 weeks. 
Place a grill pan or heavy frying pan over a high heat. Cook the steaks in the hot pan until to your liking. Place two 1cm slices of the chilled butter on each steak and pop under a hot grill until starting to melt. Serve immediately. Serves 2

Thursday 7 April 2011

Weekend Australian Recipes Saturday 2 April Mushrooms

Autumn in a bowl - Mushrooms
Whether fresh or dried, wild or culti­vated, mushrooms are at their best when cooked simply. Look for the bounty of seasonal and wild mush­rooms that appear at this time of year. One of my favourite “home alone” din­ners is garlic mushrooms on toast - it also makes a simple starter). The Japanese-style mushroom dish is a big bowl of shiitake, oyster and enoki mushrooms served with noodles and a little liq­uid; delicious, fresh autumnal flavours.

Mushroom Minestrone
3 tablespoons olive oil
500g mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 leeks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
50g dried porcini
2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
1 fresh bay leaf
80g small dried pasta shapes
2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté mushrooms until softened and liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a large saucepan. Heat remaining oil in the frying pan and cook leeks, onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, then transfer to the saucepan. Add porcini, stock, bay leaf and pasta to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the top, reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Season to taste. Serve sprinkled with parsley and parmesan. Serves 4

Garlic mushrooms on toast

20g butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
400g fresh mushrooms, wiped and sliced
2 tablespoons cream
Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Thickly sliced bread toasted

Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then turn up the heat and add mushrooms. Fry, stirring frequently, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated (you may need to do this in batches; if so, return all the mushrooms to the pan when they’re done). Add cream and parsley, stir well and season to taste. Serve mushrooms on toast. Serves 2


Japanese-style mushrooms

220g dried udon or soba noodles
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bunch broccolini, halved lengthways
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 spring onions, sliced
200g oyster and enoki mushrooms
150g shiitake mushrooms, halved

Cook noodles according to packet instructions. Meanwhile, combine miso paste, mirin and soy sauce with 250ml boiling water, stirring to dissolve miso. Heat oil in a wok, add broccolini, ginger and spring onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add miso mixture and noodles and heat through. Season to taste and serve in bowls garnished with extra spring onions. Serves 3-4

Weekend Australian Recipes Saturday 26 March frying pan dishes


Frying pan dishes
My inspiration this week comes from one of the most used pieces of equipment in my kitchen - a large non-stick frying pan. Great for frying, stir frying, pancakes, omelettes, panini, tarte tatin and upside-down cakes; its ovenproof handle means it can be used on the hob as well as in the oven.
Equally delicious warm or cold, frittata is perfect picnic fare. It makes a more-ish lunch, and is also good cut into pieces and served as part of an antipasto platter. Frying and pressing a sandwich makes the outside crispy and the filling all warm and gooey. Swap the gruyere for cheddar or mozarella, swap the ham with salami or cooked chicken, add some sliced olives, or anything you like - there are no hard and fast rules here.





Ham, cheese and chutney panini

2 slices Italian style bread
Olive oil or butter
1 tablespoon sweet relish or chutney
Gruyere cheese
Ham

Brush one side of each slice of bread with a little oil or butter. Spread the un buttered side of one slice with a little chutney, then top with a layer of sliced gruyere, a layer of ham and then another layer of cheese. Place the remaining slice of bread on top, making sure that the buttered side is on the outside. Press the sandwich down to flatten it slightly.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Place the sandwich in the pan and place a weight on top; I use either a smaller frying pan, or a saucepan or even a small brick that has been covered in foil. The weight helps to compress the sandwich, giving it that professional panini look. When golden, turn the sandwich over and cook until both sides are golden and crisp. Makes 1




Mascarpone, zucchini and parmesan frittata

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds
6 large organic eggs
150 ml mascarpone (or double cream)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
125 g parmesan, freshly grated

Preheat the oven to 190C. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium heat and sauté the zucchini for 3–4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk together the eggs and mascarpone until just combined, then stir in the parsley and three-quarters of the parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
Place a non-stick frying pan with the zucchini back on the heat and pour in the egg mixture. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring once or twice, for 7–8 minutes or until the bottom is set firm and the top a little soft. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.
Cook for 5–10 minutes, until the top is puffed and the cheese is golden. Serve straight from the pan or place a large flat plate over the top of the pan and invert the frittata onto it. Serve warm or at room temperature with a rocket salad. Serves 4





Pistachio and apricot upside-down cake

50g butter
150g light brown sugar
8 large ripe apricots, halved and stoned
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 eggs, lightly beaten
200ml buttermilk
50ml sunflower oil
25g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180C. Melt the butter in 25cm ovenproof non-stick frying pan, add half the sugar and cook until the sugar has dissolved and is beginning to caramelise. Tip the apricot halves into the pan; the sugar will harden a little, but it will melt again in the heat of the oven. Spread the apricots out in a single layer and remove the pan from the heat.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cardamom a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and the remaining sugar. Whisk until smooth. Pour over the apricots, transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is golden on top and feels firm when gently pressed in the middle.
Remove and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Scatter with the pistachios and serve warm. Serves  8



Weekend Australian Recipes Saturday 19 March quick suppers


A few quick suppers
As much as I like spending time in the kitchen, it is also a thrill to get decent food on the table with a minimum of time and fuss. Readymade gnocchi is a great standby; try frying it rather than boiling it. When fried, it puffs up slightly and becomes a bit crispy. The curry is a delicious mild curry suitable for vegetables like sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut pumpkin, potato or cauliflower. Taste as you go and add extra chilli if you like a little more bite.

Fried gnocchi with tomatoes and olives

1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch dried crushed chilli
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g homemade or bought gnocchi
100g semi dried tomatoes, chopped
150g good quality black olives, pitted
Zest half lemon
Handful fresh basil leaves, torn
100g small fresh mozzarella balls, torn in half
50g freshly grated parmesan
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the chilli and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the gnocchi, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. Add the tomatoes, olives, lemon zest and basil and warm through.
Stir through the mozzarella and parmesan. Serve, drizzled with a little oil and garnish with extra basil leaves, if desired. Serves 3-4





Simple sweet potato and pea curry

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced
600 g sweet potato, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried chilli
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon grated ginger
3 tablespoons tomato paste
500 ml vegetable stock (or water)
150 g frozen peas
3 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander leaves

Heat the oil in a large frying and saute the onion, sweet potato and cumin seeds for about 8 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Stir in the turmeric, chilli, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
Add the peas and simmer for 3-4 minutes until just cooked.  Season to taste and sprinkle with coriander. Serve with steamed rice. Serves 4





Baked bream with tomatoes

olive oil
3 tablespoon chopped herbs (use a mixture of parsley, basil and thyme)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large bream or two individual sized fish, gutted and scaled
4 vine ripened tomatoes
1 unwaxed lemon

Preheat the oven to 200C. Brush a roasting tin with a little oil. Combine the herbs and garlic and use it to stuff the fish. Transfer to the roasting tin. Drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Quarter the tomatoes and the lemon and place them around the fish. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the fish if tender and cooked. Serve with the toasted tomatoes and lemon quarters. Serves 2

Weekend Australian Recipes Saturday 12 March Gravlax


Home-made gravlax

Gravlax is fresh salmon that has been cured with a mixture of salt, sugar and dill. Don’t be daunted by the idea of uncooked fish; the combination of the salt and sugar and a couple of days in the fridge do the trick of preserving and curing the fish. Gravlax is both delicious and fantastically simple it is to make. It also freezes well and thaws quickly when slice, making it a great standby for summer parties. Ask your fishmonger for two matching fillets of salmon (with skin) and to remove any small bones. The mixture below is enough for two large fillets, if you are making a large quantity, simply increase the salt, sugar and dill accordingly.


Gravlax
2 large salmon fillets (with skin)
3 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 bunch dill, roughly chopped, stems and all

Lay both halves of the salmon, skin side down, on a clean board. Combine the salt and sugar and sprinkle over the fillets, giving a good even covering. Cover the fillets with the chopped dill. Sandwich the fillets together, wrapping them wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Transfer to a ceramic dish and place a weight on top – I usually use a small chopping board topped with some unopened cans of beans or tomatoes. Place in the fridge and leave for 2-3 days, turning the fish parcel once or twice. Unwrap the parcel, drain off any liquid, remove the dill and gently wipe the surface of the fish clean with kitchen paper or a clean cloth.

Really useful stuff
It is important that the fish be absolutely as fresh as possible. The salt and sugar are the two important ingredients as it is these that cure and preserve the fish. A splash or two of vodka or whisky added with the salt and sugar is often added. Grated lemon zest also makes a nice addition. I have also seen gravlax made with a mixture of tarragon and dill. Gravlax may also be made with brown sugar for a stronger darker cure. Half teaspoon ground white pepper added to the sugar and salt mixture is another variation.
I have used a flaky sea salt (like Malden) which works perfectly.
The fish should have a weight placed on it while it is curing in the fridge. I use a small board that fits the size of the dish and then top with a heavy gratin dish that i fill with unopened cans of beans.
Gravlax once cured can be frozen for up to 4 weeks. With a sharp knife it can be sliced from frozen, and the slices defrost in a minute or so, making it a good freezer standby.

Ideas for serving gravlax

Slice thinly on the diagonal as you would smoked salmon. Discard the skin. It is traditionally served garnished with dill and lemon slices and served with wholemeal, rye bread or pumpernickel and lemon wedges. Delicious with a dollop crème fraiche or soured cream that’s been mixed with a little creamed horseradish.
Gravlax is perfect for open sandwiches, garnished with lettuce and mayonnaise and hardboiled egg. Also makes great canapés.
Straying from the traditional, it goes well with scrambled or poached eggs. I have also sliced it into 5mm thick slices and seared them in a little oil in a hot pan for about 30 seconds on each side. This crisps the flesh slightly and warms it through. It is delicious served with a warm new potato salad.



Traditional Mustard sauce
In Sweden, gravlax is traditionally served with a mustard sauce that is made a little like a salad dressing where oil is slowly beaten into the other ingredients. Serve this in a jug on the side to spoon over the salmon.

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
About 1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Whisk together the Dijon mustard, powdered mustard, sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil, continuing until combined and all the oil has been incorporated. Stir in the chopped dill. Season to taste with salt and freshly gound black pepper. Serve as an accompaniment.