I don't deep fry at all, infact I cook with minimal oil. My stomach can't handle it, so it's a big risk for me when I order fish and chips. :) Anyway, this recipe can be deep fried if you really want heart-cloggy goodness.
1 packet of frozen spring roll pastry
500g beef mince
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 stalks of shallots, chopped finely
1 stalk of celery, diced small
1/4 cabbage, chopped
2 medium carrots grated
1/2 packet Wai Wai brand rice noodle (I say that brand because in the packet is 2 noodle cakes.. use 1 of these cakes.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
In a saucepan, throw in the garlic and mince, lightly brown the mince. Add the cabbage and let it wilt down a bit then mix. Mix in the celery, carrot, shallots and soy sauce. Cook for 10 minutes on medium then turn off and set aside. Once it's cooled slightly, in a separate pot bring some water to the boil. Add the rice noodle cake, cook for 5 minutes then drain. Allow the noodles to cool then using scissors or dump it on a board and cut it up into smaller strands with a knife. Add to the meat mixture.
Put the whole lot in the fridge to cool down for an hour or 3.
Once it's all cooled down, take the pastry and let it thaw on the bench. Don't make the mistake I did of trying to unfold it while I thought it was thawed.. Stupid picky thing snaps in half. :)
Pastry is very testy to work with. Keep it covered so it doesn't dry out. With a sharp knife, slice about half the packet of pastry in half for smaller finger-food style rolls, or leave as big sheets for gigantic rolls.
Carefully peel off some sheets - they tear more easily than homebrand bog rolls, so have patience.
Grab a sheet, lay it flat on the bench, using your hand, dip into the meat mixture, and place a small handful on the pastry, making a log-type shape I guess you'd call it :) Roll it up, tucking in the sides as you roll.
If you're using the big sheets of pastry, lay the meat across / near the corner diagonally and roll on the diagonal.
Pop on on a baking tray, and keep doing this until the tray's full or you run out of ingredients. Bake at 170ishC for about 10 minutes, turning once, or until lightly golden.
I cook "Tasty", not "Gourmet" - There's a difference.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tandoori Prawn Skewers
Don't panic if you don't have a tandoori oven in the backyard, these work well on the BBQ or even just in the oven.. :)
1/2kg prawns, peeled, devained and tails OFF. (sorry, alot of people leave tails on for show.. stupid if you ask me. :) )
1 cup natural plain yoghurt
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds or just some fresh bunch coriander chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ground (making sure it's not Cinnamon SUGAR! :) )
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon cardamon seed gound
(those measurements are all guestimates. add as much as you see fit!)
Mix all spices with yoghurt in a bowl, add prawns and coat well. Leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Soak skewers in water during this time.
Skewer 4 or more prawns per stick, and grill, bake or whack them in your fancy tandoori outdoor oven! Prawns cook quick, so, 10 minutes.
1/2kg prawns, peeled, devained and tails OFF. (sorry, alot of people leave tails on for show.. stupid if you ask me. :) )
1 cup natural plain yoghurt
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds or just some fresh bunch coriander chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ground (making sure it's not Cinnamon SUGAR! :) )
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon cardamon seed gound
(those measurements are all guestimates. add as much as you see fit!)
Mix all spices with yoghurt in a bowl, add prawns and coat well. Leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Soak skewers in water during this time.
Skewer 4 or more prawns per stick, and grill, bake or whack them in your fancy tandoori outdoor oven! Prawns cook quick, so, 10 minutes.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Curry
Have made this with both chicken and beef.. err as separate dishes. :)
I really had no clue when I first made this curry, I still don't really now but hey it tastes great :) Make it as hot or mild as you like. It also helps to have the spices already measured out into a small dish, ready to go.
500g diced steak or chicken
diced brown onion
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoon coriander (fresh or powder)
1 tablespoon chili powder
4-5 sliced fresh chili
3 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ginger (fresh or powder)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon garam marsala
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 cinnamon quill
500ml low salt vegie stock
1 can diced tomato or 5-8 diced fresh tomato
other vegies if you wish - potato, sweet potato, pumpkin. I don't add these. :)
Heat a small amount of oil in a pot, add the mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add the onion and stir until light golden. Add the spices and stir, then add the beef or chicken. Stir and pour in stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil then reduce and pop in the cinnamon quill. Simmer on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally or until the meat is very tender. :)
Serve with steamed basmati rice and na'an bread.
I really had no clue when I first made this curry, I still don't really now but hey it tastes great :) Make it as hot or mild as you like. It also helps to have the spices already measured out into a small dish, ready to go.
500g diced steak or chicken
diced brown onion
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoon coriander (fresh or powder)
1 tablespoon chili powder
4-5 sliced fresh chili
3 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ginger (fresh or powder)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon garam marsala
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 cinnamon quill
500ml low salt vegie stock
1 can diced tomato or 5-8 diced fresh tomato
other vegies if you wish - potato, sweet potato, pumpkin. I don't add these. :)
Heat a small amount of oil in a pot, add the mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add the onion and stir until light golden. Add the spices and stir, then add the beef or chicken. Stir and pour in stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil then reduce and pop in the cinnamon quill. Simmer on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally or until the meat is very tender. :)
Serve with steamed basmati rice and na'an bread.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Chicken Stir fry
2 chicken breast fillets, sliced thinly and smallish
1 onion sliced thinly
1 red capsicum sliced into strips
handful of snow peas or sugar snap peas, cut on the diagonal
handful of bean sprouts
1/4 cabbage, sliced
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 large celery stalk sliced
clove crushed garlic
teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 thinly sliced fresh chili's
sauce:
1/2 cup low salt soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisen sauce
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 cup low salt veggie stock
2 teaspoons corn flour
With stir fries it's best to prep everything beforehand and have it in separate containers etc, make the sauce and set it aside.
Heat some oil in a wok and add the chicken, stirring. Add onion, garlic, ginger, cabbage and carrot. Stir frequent until chicken is almost cooked. Add the rest of the veggies and sauce. cook a further 5-10 minutes and serve.
1 onion sliced thinly
1 red capsicum sliced into strips
handful of snow peas or sugar snap peas, cut on the diagonal
handful of bean sprouts
1/4 cabbage, sliced
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 large celery stalk sliced
clove crushed garlic
teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 thinly sliced fresh chili's
sauce:
1/2 cup low salt soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisen sauce
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 cup low salt veggie stock
2 teaspoons corn flour
With stir fries it's best to prep everything beforehand and have it in separate containers etc, make the sauce and set it aside.
Heat some oil in a wok and add the chicken, stirring. Add onion, garlic, ginger, cabbage and carrot. Stir frequent until chicken is almost cooked. Add the rest of the veggies and sauce. cook a further 5-10 minutes and serve.
Apple and Raspberry pie
2-3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced/chopped (im using pink ladys i think.)
1/4 cup Castor sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (wet sand kind.)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon
2 cups frozen raspberries
combine all of the above into a mixing bowl and let sit for an hour or 2, room temp. to macerate and get all juicy and yummy :D
strain off liquid into ANOTHER bowl (cos you need to save the juice, duh!) til you get at least half a cup of juice. put this into a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter (BUTTER not marge!) boil on medium for a few minutes until its reduced to about 1/3 cup and its syrupy & lightly caramelized.
back to the drained apples and raspberries - mix with about a tablespoon of corn flour, then pour the syrup over it and combine well. add to your pastry-lined dish (you can make your own shortcrust pastry, I'm using frozen cos im out of flour. ) top with another sheet of pastry for the lid, chuck it in the oven at.. ohhh i guess 190 for ... an hour or so? until pastry is golden brown and I'm guessing the apples will be soft. :P
serve hot or cold, or warm, with icecream or cream. yum!
1/4 cup Castor sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (wet sand kind.)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon
2 cups frozen raspberries
combine all of the above into a mixing bowl and let sit for an hour or 2, room temp. to macerate and get all juicy and yummy :D
strain off liquid into ANOTHER bowl (cos you need to save the juice, duh!) til you get at least half a cup of juice. put this into a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter (BUTTER not marge!) boil on medium for a few minutes until its reduced to about 1/3 cup and its syrupy & lightly caramelized.
back to the drained apples and raspberries - mix with about a tablespoon of corn flour, then pour the syrup over it and combine well. add to your pastry-lined dish (you can make your own shortcrust pastry, I'm using frozen cos im out of flour. ) top with another sheet of pastry for the lid, chuck it in the oven at.. ohhh i guess 190 for ... an hour or so? until pastry is golden brown and I'm guessing the apples will be soft. :P
serve hot or cold, or warm, with icecream or cream. yum!
Potato & Leek bake
1 large leek, washed and sliced thinly
3 medium spuds, peeled and sliced (thick or thin, up to you!)
3 rashers of bacon diced
600ml pouring cream
half cup chicken stock
2 cups grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
pepper and salt to taste.
in a saucepan, add stock, cream, leek, potatoes and bacon, bring to the boil, stirring, reduce to low simmer and add cheeses and salt/pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes roughly, then scoop out potato etc with a slotted spoon, into a baking dish. whisk the egg into the remaining liquid and pour over potato mixture. sprinkle extra cheese over top if wish, bake for 15-20 minutes.
3 medium spuds, peeled and sliced (thick or thin, up to you!)
3 rashers of bacon diced
600ml pouring cream
half cup chicken stock
2 cups grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
pepper and salt to taste.
in a saucepan, add stock, cream, leek, potatoes and bacon, bring to the boil, stirring, reduce to low simmer and add cheeses and salt/pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes roughly, then scoop out potato etc with a slotted spoon, into a baking dish. whisk the egg into the remaining liquid and pour over potato mixture. sprinkle extra cheese over top if wish, bake for 15-20 minutes.
Chef Celtys Spaghetti special
500g (small) diced chicken, or chicken mince (can be made with beef mince!)
1 large onion diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 700ml jar passata
tablespoon tomato paste
2 large grated carrot
2 diced celery stalks
Fresh or dried tablespoon each of basil, marjoram, oregano and thyme
splash of balsamic vinegar
olive oil
4-6 diced fresh vine ripened tomatoes
half to 1 cup stock
In a large pot, splash in some olive oil, heat up. add onion and garlic, stirring until translucent, not brown. Add chicken and brown lightly. Add sauce, paste, vinegar and stock, stir, then add fresh tomatoes, carrot, celery and herbs. stir well, bring to the boil then turn to a low simmer for an hour or 2, stirring occasionally.
In a larger pot fill with water and bring to the boil, add spaghetti pasta. Boil away until cooked.. Packet instructions kgo.
While the spaghetti water is boiling, feel like making some garlic bread?
6 slices of bread (2 per person I guess?)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 fresh chili sliced
teaspoon Italian herbs/seasoning
Add garlic etc to butter, mix well, slather onto the bread, be generous. On a lightly greased oven tray, get a slice of bread, roll diagonally from the corner up, secure with a toothpick. Do this with all of them, then spray lightly with some olive oil. Bake at 180C while the spaghetti pasta cooks. Remove toothpicks upon serving.
1 large onion diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 700ml jar passata
tablespoon tomato paste
2 large grated carrot
2 diced celery stalks
Fresh or dried tablespoon each of basil, marjoram, oregano and thyme
splash of balsamic vinegar
olive oil
4-6 diced fresh vine ripened tomatoes
half to 1 cup stock
In a large pot, splash in some olive oil, heat up. add onion and garlic, stirring until translucent, not brown. Add chicken and brown lightly. Add sauce, paste, vinegar and stock, stir, then add fresh tomatoes, carrot, celery and herbs. stir well, bring to the boil then turn to a low simmer for an hour or 2, stirring occasionally.
In a larger pot fill with water and bring to the boil, add spaghetti pasta. Boil away until cooked.. Packet instructions kgo.
While the spaghetti water is boiling, feel like making some garlic bread?
6 slices of bread (2 per person I guess?)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 fresh chili sliced
teaspoon Italian herbs/seasoning
Add garlic etc to butter, mix well, slather onto the bread, be generous. On a lightly greased oven tray, get a slice of bread, roll diagonally from the corner up, secure with a toothpick. Do this with all of them, then spray lightly with some olive oil. Bake at 180C while the spaghetti pasta cooks. Remove toothpicks upon serving.
What's that? You like chocolate cake?
Here's a little something I whipped up earlier...
Possibly the sweetest chocolate cake I've made to date. That's homemade chocolate fudge on the top.. and chocolate mousse in the center! Sandwiched between two chocolatey layers of chocolate cake goodness.
(note the bowl of apples in the background - see! we are healthy!!)
Possibly the sweetest chocolate cake I've made to date. That's homemade chocolate fudge on the top.. and chocolate mousse in the center! Sandwiched between two chocolatey layers of chocolate cake goodness.
(note the bowl of apples in the background - see! we are healthy!!)
Chicken, spinach and ricotta cannelloni
500g chicken mince or 2 breast fillets cut up really small.
400g fresh ricotta
as much or as little spinach as you wish, i used half a bag of coles baby spinach, bunched up and chopped.
1 large onion diced
1x700g jar of Passata (italian tomato sauce)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
teaspoon thyme and oregano
combined and mixed together into a large measuring jug or something.
1 box cannelloni tubes
in a saucepan, cook the chicken and onion together, until chicken is just cooked. remove from heat.
crumble in the ricotta cheese, mix, then add the spinach, mix.
in a lasanga tray or similar, pour about a cup of the sauce on the bottom.
now heres the fun bit - grab a cannelloni tube, using your hands/fingers, stuff it with the chicken mixture. do this over the chicken mixture pot, that way theres no waste when it spills out. place onto the tray. do this over and over until all done. pour the remaining sauce over the whole lot, top with parmesan cheese, bake at 190 for about an hour or until golden and cannelloni is soft if you were to stab something into it.
400g fresh ricotta
as much or as little spinach as you wish, i used half a bag of coles baby spinach, bunched up and chopped.
1 large onion diced
1x700g jar of Passata (italian tomato sauce)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
teaspoon thyme and oregano
combined and mixed together into a large measuring jug or something.
1 box cannelloni tubes
in a saucepan, cook the chicken and onion together, until chicken is just cooked. remove from heat.
crumble in the ricotta cheese, mix, then add the spinach, mix.
in a lasanga tray or similar, pour about a cup of the sauce on the bottom.
now heres the fun bit - grab a cannelloni tube, using your hands/fingers, stuff it with the chicken mixture. do this over the chicken mixture pot, that way theres no waste when it spills out. place onto the tray. do this over and over until all done. pour the remaining sauce over the whole lot, top with parmesan cheese, bake at 190 for about an hour or until golden and cannelloni is soft if you were to stab something into it.
Brekky quiche
basically it's just your normal quiche ingredients - for my sized quiche it's (I used a family PIE DISH.) :
6 large eggs
2 cup of milk or 350ml thickened cream
4 or so shallots chopped
lots of bacon - I usually use about 4-5 large rashers, rind and most fat removed, chopped.
pepper to taste
(you can also add whatever else, sliced tomato, mushrooms, corn kernels etc.)
now, the only difference is instead of fluffing around with pastry and blind baking it - I lined the pie dish with large slices of hot hungarian salami. You can fill in the little gaps by overlapping more if you want but i didn't bother. Makes for a real nommy breakfast quiche, adds spice and flavour. just remember that salami is oily due to the high fat, but still tasty. :P didn't come out *too* oily either though.
6 large eggs
2 cup of milk or 350ml thickened cream
4 or so shallots chopped
lots of bacon - I usually use about 4-5 large rashers, rind and most fat removed, chopped.
pepper to taste
(you can also add whatever else, sliced tomato, mushrooms, corn kernels etc.)
now, the only difference is instead of fluffing around with pastry and blind baking it - I lined the pie dish with large slices of hot hungarian salami. You can fill in the little gaps by overlapping more if you want but i didn't bother. Makes for a real nommy breakfast quiche, adds spice and flavour. just remember that salami is oily due to the high fat, but still tasty. :P didn't come out *too* oily either though.
Pesto, chicken, bacon and tomato pasta
3 cups penne pasta
2 chicken breast fillets, diced smallish..
5 rashers of bacon, trimmed of fat and diced
150 ml cooking cream - i actually used the new philly cooking cream, very nice.
2 teaspoons pesto (jarred stuff if you're like me!)
About.. oh.. 7-10 semi dried tomatos, chopped (again, jarred stuff.)
60g crumbly fetta (whichever takes your fancy. i quite like the Coles deli "lennos full fat/cream fetta" :) )
cook pasta according to packet directions/however you cook your pasta.
MEANWHILE, while the pasta's cooking, in a saucepan fry up the bacon and chicken until chicken is cooked through.
pastas cooked? ok good, drain it. Back to the chicken and bacon, add the pesto, tomatos and fetta, stir through, add the cream, stir, add the pasta, stir well to coat and reheat pasta.
2 chicken breast fillets, diced smallish..
5 rashers of bacon, trimmed of fat and diced
150 ml cooking cream - i actually used the new philly cooking cream, very nice.
2 teaspoons pesto (jarred stuff if you're like me!)
About.. oh.. 7-10 semi dried tomatos, chopped (again, jarred stuff.)
60g crumbly fetta (whichever takes your fancy. i quite like the Coles deli "lennos full fat/cream fetta" :) )
cook pasta according to packet directions/however you cook your pasta.
MEANWHILE, while the pasta's cooking, in a saucepan fry up the bacon and chicken until chicken is cooked through.
pastas cooked? ok good, drain it. Back to the chicken and bacon, add the pesto, tomatos and fetta, stir through, add the cream, stir, add the pasta, stir well to coat and reheat pasta.
Chocolate Mud Pie
1 sheet frozen sweet shortcrust pastry, or a sweet shortcrust premade flan, or fresh made if you prefer. whatevers easier!
250g good quality chocolate (milk or dark, either or.) DONT use nestle. just. dont.
125g chopped butter (butter, not marge!)
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup thickend cream - whipped until soft peaks form, set aside in the fridge.
orange or peppermint essence if making for a flavoured one. :)
Lightly grease an oven proof pie/tart dish, line with pastry, blind bake until golden brown. oven temp around 180C. When cooked, set aside.
place choccie and butter into a heat resistant bowl, over a pot of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. stir occasionally while melting gently and slowly. choccie will be smooth, melty and should be blood temperature. remove from the heat and quickly beat in the 2 egg yolks. set aside to cool slightly lower than blood temp.
if you're adding flavours, now's the time to do it! start with 2 drops of your flavouring, mix, taste. If you think it needs more, add more.
Gently fold in the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture til mixed through, then pour into the cooked pastry shell. Refrigerate until set.
250g good quality chocolate (milk or dark, either or.) DONT use nestle. just. dont.
125g chopped butter (butter, not marge!)
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup thickend cream - whipped until soft peaks form, set aside in the fridge.
orange or peppermint essence if making for a flavoured one. :)
Lightly grease an oven proof pie/tart dish, line with pastry, blind bake until golden brown. oven temp around 180C. When cooked, set aside.
place choccie and butter into a heat resistant bowl, over a pot of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. stir occasionally while melting gently and slowly. choccie will be smooth, melty and should be blood temperature. remove from the heat and quickly beat in the 2 egg yolks. set aside to cool slightly lower than blood temp.
if you're adding flavours, now's the time to do it! start with 2 drops of your flavouring, mix, taste. If you think it needs more, add more.
Gently fold in the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture til mixed through, then pour into the cooked pastry shell. Refrigerate until set.
Salmon and steamed veg
One of the healthier recipes the other half and I enjoy now.. :)
Veges for steaming - baby potatoes, baby carrot, broccoli, (whatever you want really.)
Fresh chopped Dill to go into steamed vege at last minute.
4 portions of fresh Atlantic salmon
sliced chili's
red capsicum Julianne
fresh coriander leaves
fresh lemon for juicy goodness
red onion, thinly sliced
sheet of baking paper per portion
place salmon on sheet of paper, top with onion, chili, capsicum and some coriander, squeeze over lemon. Do this for each piece.
wrap up paper to make a parcel. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending how you like your salmon cooked. serve with veges, nom nom nom.
Veges for steaming - baby potatoes, baby carrot, broccoli, (whatever you want really.)
Fresh chopped Dill to go into steamed vege at last minute.
4 portions of fresh Atlantic salmon
sliced chili's
red capsicum Julianne
fresh coriander leaves
fresh lemon for juicy goodness
red onion, thinly sliced
sheet of baking paper per portion
place salmon on sheet of paper, top with onion, chili, capsicum and some coriander, squeeze over lemon. Do this for each piece.
wrap up paper to make a parcel. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending how you like your salmon cooked. serve with veges, nom nom nom.
And it begins...
So, because I obviously feel the need to share my love of food and cooking with everyone I talk to, I thought I'd best post it all here. Yes I do have most of it posted elsewhere such as the Gaming Forum and my Facebook.. but meh! :)
This way I can post whatever, with pictures, no complaints, all in the one place. And now those without Facebook can share the love!!
I love cooking, I love eating, I love food, I love cooking for others and watching them enjoy my food. I'm a self proclaimed MasterChef of my own Kitchen and that's all that matters.. right! Right??
;)
Here's where I'll post recipes as I make them or find them and haven't made yet, or just general foods I've taken odd photos of and want to share...
This way I can post whatever, with pictures, no complaints, all in the one place. And now those without Facebook can share the love!!
I love cooking, I love eating, I love food, I love cooking for others and watching them enjoy my food. I'm a self proclaimed MasterChef of my own Kitchen and that's all that matters.. right! Right??
;)
Here's where I'll post recipes as I make them or find them and haven't made yet, or just general foods I've taken odd photos of and want to share...
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