Thai Pork Balls

These little beauties are delicious. It's one of Jared's recipes that he just pulled out of nowhere. He didn't have a recipe, he just threw different flavours together, which is a skill I'm slowly learning. I'm always a stickler for wanting a recipe to follow. We made these on a Saturday afternoon when I had a huge craving for McDonald's and the last thing I wanted was a healthy Asian dish. But in the end I ate nine balls!! And the next day we flattened down the 3 that were left over and turned them into hamburgers with a big crusty roll, some rocket and the dipping sauce. We gave my mum the recipe to try and its now one of her regular dishes.

The dipping sauce can be made up of your favourite Asian style sauces but we are completely addicted to the sauces made by the Lloyd Brothers and always try to use them. Here's their website: www.lloydbrothers.com.au

Pork Balls
1kg pork mince
Spring Onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 chilis, chopped
zest & juice of one lemon (lime if you have it)
1.5 teaspoons minced lemongrass
2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1 egg
1 bunch of coriander chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
S&P

Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup Wild Lime Chili & Ginger Sauce
1/4 cup Spicy BBQ Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce


Mix all the above ingredients together and roll into balls (or hamburgers). Cover with glad wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Sprinkle with some left over coriander. Serve with the dipping sauce and some rice on the side. If you have made them into hamburgers, serve with your favourite roll, fresh rocket and some dipping sauce.

E.

Peppermint Slice

Jared and I went to Clare to stay with my parents for the weekend. Mum had a cookbook of Blue Ribbon Winning recipes! The prize winner from every country town in South Australia had featured. I chose the Blue Ribbon Peppermint Slice to recreate. And it tastes sensational. I can see why it received first place. I gave Jared a piece on the drive home from Clare and he said, "in all seriousness, this is quite possibly the best slice I've ever eaten!" I cant help but agree.

Since making the slice and deciding to buy the cookbook I found it in I have discovered the author has her own blog! The Blue Ribbon Cookbook. Check it out!

I also brought the slice to work and fed it to a friend of Jared's and this is the feedback I received: "have just eaten the slice. However the word eaten really doesn’t sum it up. It was more of a whole cuisine experience or a culinary journey. For god sake don’t ever make it again as Jared can’t possibly exercise more than he already does and he will make Jabba the hut look like a supermodel after 6 months of that. Of course I’ll be running again soon and could probably get away with a piece that size every 3rd day. Thanks".


I had to double the filling and I also used 75g more chocolate than in the recipe. The recipe below is what I did.

Base
125g butter
200ml sweetened condensed milk
250g milk biscuits
1 rounded tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Filling
2 cups icing sugar mixture
80g butter melted
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon peppermint essence
3 drops green food colouring (optional)

Topping
200g dark cooking chocolate
30g copha

To make the base, melt the butter and condensed milk in a saucepan. Crush the biscuits and mix with the cocoa and coconut. Pour over the butter and condensed milk mixture and mix well. Press the mixture into a slice pan (about 20 x 30cm) lined with baking paper. Place in the fridge and chill well for an hour.

To make the filling mix together the icing sugar, butter, milk, peppermint and food colouring. Spread evenly over the chilled biscuits mixture and put it back into the fridge to set.

To make the topping, melt together the chocolate and copha. Spread the chocolate evenly over the filling and allow it to set before cutting the slice into squares.

E.

Tunesy Morns

I never ate seafood growing up. Even now I only eat whiting. But I ALWAYS ate Tunesy Morns. Our family lived for it. I always stared through the oven door at the golden crust on the top asking mum "is it ready yet? Is it ready yet?". I love my tunesy morns.

When Jared and I first started dating I cooked it for him one night and he hadn't eaten it since his mum made it for him as a boy. He was well excited - and to top things off, he says my Tunesy Morns is the best he's ever had!! I've never shown him how to make it because that way he'll never leave me!

I have however, shared it with both of our neighbours and we all enjoy tunesy morns evenings regularly.

70g butter
4 heaped dessert spoons plain flour
1 litre milk
2 x 400g cans corn kernels
2 x 425g cans tuna in brine/springwater
Breadcrumbs
Grated cheddar
Freshly grated parmesan
S&P
Lemon

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to sizzle, add the flour and using a whisk, stir it around and let it sizzle for at least three minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and pour in half the milk. Whisk quickly to remove lumps. Add the rest of the milk and return to the hotplate. Bring the milk to the boil, stirring occasionally.

Once the sauce begins to bubble add the drained corn and tuna. Stir well and add S&P to taste. Wait until it begins to bubble again and pour into a ceramic dish. Cover the top with the grated cheese and parmesan. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the cheese.

Cook in the oven for at least half an hour, or until it is brown to your liking. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

E.

Chocolate Brownies

This is a Jamie Oliver recipe for brownies that are on the dessert menu at Fifteen. They look amazing in his cook book so I baked them on a cold Sunday afternoon as dessert after a Roast Lamb lunch.

When they first came out I thought they were a failure because I'd taken them out too early. The entire centre was still really runny. It was more like a runny pudding when we ate it. I was so disappointed, although the flavour was UNREAL. I left them out over night and in the morning it had set! Exactly the way it was supposed to. I had perfect chocolate brownies. The entire tray was eaten within hours. I'll absolutely be baking these again. Such a decadent, moreish treat. And the orange zested creme fraiche was a sensational addition and created such a good balance between the rich chocolate and zesty sour tasting cream.


250g unsalted butter
200g best-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) broken up
150g chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts)
80g coco powder
65g plain flour sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
350g caster sugar
4 large eggs
zest of one orange
250ml creme fraiche

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a 30cm rectangular baking tin with greaseproof paper.

In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the nuts. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add this to the chocolate and nut mixture. Stir together well. Beat the eggs and mix in until you have a silky consistency.

Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray; and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. You don't want to overcook them so, you don't want a skewer to come out clean. The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche mixed with some orange zest.


E.

Chicken Korma

I won a copy of Jamie Oliver's Ministry Of Food cookbook. It really does have some fantastic recipes in it and they're never difficult because they were designed for those of us who have never really cooked.

I've heard many people say that Jamie Oliver's Chicken Korma recipe is bland and not that great - but after some investigating and reading a few forums I think it's actually his original, fancy recipe that people dislike; because this Ministry of Food Chicken Korma is DELICIOUS. Jared and I have cooked it and recooked it several times and it never lets us down.

800g skinless and boneless chicken thighs
2 medium onions
1 fresh red chili
1 thumb sized piece of fresh root ginger
1 small bunch of fresh coriander
olive oil
a knob of butter
290g jar of Patak's korma curry paste
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
1 x 400g tin chickpeas
2 heaped tablespoons desiccated coconut
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g natural yogurt
1 lemon

Cut the chicken into approximately 3cm pieces. Peel, half and chop your onions. Halved and finely slice the chili. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks. Drain the chickpeas.

Put a large casserole type pan on a high heat and add a couple of glugs of oil. Put the chicken thighs into the pan and brown lightly on all sides for five minutes. Push the chicken to one side of the pan. Stir in the onions, chili, ginger and coriander stalks with the butter. Keep stirring it enough so it doesn't catch and burn but turns lovely golden. Cook for around ten minutes. Add the korma curry paste, coconut milk, the drained chickpeas and dessicated coconut. Half fill the empty tin with water, pour into the pan and stir again. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 45 mitues with the lid on. Check the curry regularly to make sure it isn't drying out. Add a little extra water if necessary. Remove the lid and cook down at a simmering heat for another 25 mins. Season with Salt and Pepper.

Serve with rice. Add a few spoonfuls of natural yoghurt and scattered coriander leaves. Service with lemon wedges for spooning over.


E.

All Day Breakfast

Jared is golf obsessed. He plays several times a week and really is exceptionally good at it! I like to feed him a big hearty breakfast Sunday mornings before he heads off to the golfcourse for his day of comp golf.

Laura taught me this recipe. I once slept at her place and woke up to this for breakfast! I think I probably had too many wines the evening before so this would have put the fire out for sure!

I've been making it ever since and Jared is a massive fan of it!

8 rashers of short cut bacon chopped
2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped spring onion
5 eggs
1 dessertspoon butter
S&P
50ml milk
1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
Worchestershire sauce (or your fav breakfast sauce)
Toast

Chop the bacon into small squares and fry in a frypan. Meanwhile chop up the tomato and spring onion.

Whisk together the egg, milk, butter and half the parsley to prepare to scramble the eggs. Season to taste.

Add the tomato and spring onion to the bacon once the bacon is crisping up. Scramble the eggs.

Make the toast. Spread with butter. Arrange the scrambled eggs on the toast and top with the bacon, tomato and onion mix. Sprinkle with left over parsley. Season with salt and pepper and as much Worchestershire as you like.

Serves 2


E.

I'm Back! With Spinach & Ricotta Dip

It has been 20 long months since I posted on the Baker & the Curry Maker and a lot has happened in that time! I have a perfect new man, a funky new home, a new exciting job and a brave new hairstyle plus a few new gorgeous friends. I've been itching to get back into the blogging lately. I almost made it back last weekend with a lemon slice but I was staying at my parents place in Clare and didn't have my camera. And so this is my returning recipe.... Spinach and Ricotta Dip.

I've had this at morning teas at work a few times and I actually get frustrated when staff bring it along. I want to pick it up and take it back to my desk where I can devour it all myself. This week another pesky staff member brought it in and I decided to make one all of my own today so I can sit in the comfort of my lounge room and inhale it. I so badly didn't want to share with my boyfriend that I made him one all of his own also!

It's simple and always a hit!

300g Ricotta
500g Frozen chopped spinach
100g Danish Feta
300g Sour Cream
1/3 cup chopped chives
30g Spring Vegetable Soup Mix
Freshly Ground Pepper
Cob bread

Squeeze and discard all liquid from thawed spinach. Place into a large bowl. Add ricotta, feta and sour cream. Stir until well combined and smooth. Add chives and dried soup. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Mix until well combined.

Using a serrated knife, slice a 3 to 4cm-thick slice off top of loaf. Set aside. Remove soft white bread from centre of loaf to form a bread 'bowl' and use this to scoop out the dip. Spoon spinach and ricotta mixture into loaf. Serve immediately.

E.

Potato Bake

For Xmas this year Andy and I were kindly invited to share the day with the Bradley Family. We were xmas orphans as my family had headed up to Queensland for the festivities with my brother and his wife. Laura's fabulous idea for xmas lunch was for everyone to bring a different dish. We were treated to so many different flavours. Marinated lamb, chicken curry, Moroccan beef Tagine, Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni, and fabulous seasonal veg and salad. We sat outside in the sun under a big gum tree and ate until we were moaning in pain! We then retired to our homes for a nap and returned for trifle, cheesecake and a cheese platter! It really was a fabulous day.

And so, the point of my story... as well as preparing half of the cheese platter I decided to do a potato bake to accompany the mains. I had never cooked a potato bake and so I consulted with Sathya, mum, Laura and many many cookbooks and websites as I wanted to make an unforgettable bake!

In the end I chose a Stephanie Alexander Potato Bake. It sounded very simple and had very few ingredients, but Stephanie Alexander has not let me down yet and so I decided to put myself in her hands..

I did a trial run 2 days before Xmas and it was delicious! I served it up for lunch for Andy and me. He agreed it was a complete success. I then ate the ENTIRE bake myself in about 10 minutes flat. I could have eaten more! It was such a flavoursome, crispy yet soft, melt in your mouth, nutty flavoured delicious treat! I think it will become my signature side dish!

And on Xmas day it also received quite a few comments and was eaten in its entirety. Even Laura's mum said she'd never tasted one so good! I was very pleased and I highly recommend it to all..... Merry Xmas!

9 waxy potatoes

freshly ground pepper

freshly ground salt

nutmeg

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

200ml cream

400ml boiling milk

1 teaspoon plain flour

50g butter

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Using 20g of the butter, grease a ceramic or glass dish. Slice potatoes thinly, about half a centimetre thick. Layer them overlapping in the baking dish. Sprinkle a layer of salt, pepper, nutmeg and some of the garlic. Do another layer of potato and the seasonings, then a final third layer.

Add the teaspoon of flour to the cream and mix well. Pour a small amount of the boiling milk into the cream and stir. The add the rest of the milk and stir really well. Pour over the potato making sure not to disturb the layers or move them about. Add another layer of salt, pepper, nutmeg and garlic. Place the rest of the butter over the top in small knobs. Bake in the oven for about an hour to an hour and a half until golden and crispy on top. Serve.

E.

Fettucini with Sweet Tomato Sauce & Baked Ricotta

IM BACK!! I have not posted for 2 months! And it has been very frustrating! Over the last two months I've had a lot of changes in my life. I lost my job as my employer developed terminal cancer and closed down the practice. When I finished up there in late October I took two weeks off and went to Queensland to visit my brother and his wife who are expecting their first baby in April. Then I started a new job which has much much longer hours than my previous job! And on top of that Andy started a new job as a truck driver, travelling all over Australia - so I'm home alone a lot more - thus no one to cook for! :-( But I'm on Xmas holidays now, and so is Andy - so I finally finally was able to cook last night. And so this was the choice. Andy requested pasta, and I'd had my eye on this Jamie Oliver recipe for some time...

It was really really simple. I feared it would be a bit bland once I actually started putting the ingredients together. But it was delicious. Really filling, yet very light. Andy described it as refreshing. Didn't take long. Incredibly simple. And really yum served with hot crusty garlic bread..

450 gram piece of ricotta cheese

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 flat teaspoon of dried oregano
1 flat teaspoon of chilli flakes
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a knob of butter
2 x 400g tins of good quality plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
455g fettucini
a handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
2 handfuls of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius. Rub the ricotta all over with the olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli and oregano. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes until golden and firm. In a pan, slowly fry the onion and garlic in the butter and a good drizzle of olive oil. Cook for four minutes until sweet and softened. Add the tomatoes, simmer gently for about 15 minutes, then break the tomatoes up with a spoon. Add the balsamic vinegar and the sugar and stir until you have a fine tomato sauce.

Meanwhie, bring a large pan of salted water to teh boil and cook teh fetuccini according to the packet instructions. When cooked, drain and reserve some of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with teh tomato sauce and add a little of the reserved water to loosen if necessary. Correct the seasoning carefully to taste, and then, working quickly, add most of the basil and parmesan cheese. Place into a warmed bowl, rip over some extra basil and grate over a little extra parmesan. Either crumble the baked ricotta over the pasta, or serve it at the table with a spoon in it and let everyone crumble some over their plates...

E.

Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta

A few months ago I was on the Atkins Diet and was not allowed to eat carbs. Dave and Monique, our dear in laws, cooked this pasta dish for me and Andy. Being on Atkins I was not permitted to eat it, but it looked so good that I had a serve of the sauce, without the pasta. I nearly died - it tasted so good! You know how now and then you taste something that is just phenomenal? Bursting with flavour? You can actually feel your tastebuds dancing?? Well this is one of those dishes!

I decided to recreate it last night. Dave and Mon had shared the list of ingredients with me, but I hadn't asked measurements. I put it together with guesstimations and I think it turned out pretty close to perfect. I ate two bowls worth! And I cannot wait to get home tonight to have a third! I added quite a bit of chilli as I like my meals very hot. But you can, of course, add as much or as little as you like. mmm.

I really felt that no matter how many photographs I took, it did not do justice to this magnificent meal. So you'll just have to try making it yourselves!

500g penne pasta

Olive oil

175g bacon, chopped into small squares

1 bunch of spring onion, finely sliced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon paprika

4 mushrooms, sliced

3 teaspoons fresh chilli, chopped

1 jar Leggo's Sundried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Stir Thru Sauce

400ml cream

Fry off the bacon until crispy and to your liking. Set aside draining on paper towel.

Boil pasta as per directions on the pack.

In a large fry pan, fry off spring onion and garlic until soft in a small amount of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for a minute or two. Add the sundried tomato stir thru sauce. Add the paprika and chilli. Allow to heat until it begins to simmer. Add the cream and stir. Allow to simmer for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing to thicken.

Drain the pasta and place back in the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir through. Add the bacon. Serve.

E.

The Woman's Got Taste...

Jamie Oliver called this gorgeous recipe "Jool's Favourite Beef Stew" and by golly does Jool's have taste. It is so delicious. As soon as you put it all together in the pot the aroma fills the kitchen. The unfortunate thing is that you have to wait at least three hours to taste it!!

The recipe makes loads so Andy and I have been enjoying it for three days now! We had it with hot crusty bread and it was so moreish and flavoursome and warming! You've got to try it!

Olive oil

a knob of butter

1 onion, peeled and chopped

a handfull of fresh sage leaves

800g stewing steak (I used gravy steak)

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

flour to dust

3 parsnips, peeled and quartered

4 carrots, peeled and halved

1/2 a butternut pumpkin, seeded and roughly diced

500g small potatoes, roughly diced

2 tablespoons tomato puree

1/2 a bottle red wine

285ml beef stock

zest of 1 lemon

a handfull of rosemary leaves, picked

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Put a little oil and your knob of butter into an appropriately sized pot or casserole dish. Add your onion and all the sage leaves and fry for 3 or 4 mins. Toss the meat in a little seasoned flour, then add it to the pan with the vegetables, the tomato puree, wine and stock, and gently stir together. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Bring to the boil, place a lid on top then cook in the preheated oven until the meat is tender. Sometimes this takes three hours, sometimes four - it depends on what cut of meat you're using and how fresh it is. Once it's cooked, you can turn the oven down to about 110 degrees and just hold it there until you're ready to eat it.

The best way to serve this is by ladling big spoonfulls into bowls and some really fresh, warmed bread. Mix the lemon zest, chipped rosemary and garlic together and sprinkle over the stew before eating. Just the smallest amount will make a world of difference - as soon as it hits the hot stew it will release an amazing fragrance.

E.

Jelly Cakes

Jelly cakes have always been on the top of my list of favourite treats, and I discovered this weekend, while staying at my parents house, that they are my mum's number one favourite treat! So she was very excited I was making them!

I decided I would make them for a Daring Bakers Challenge being hosted by http://www.apronstringsandsimmeringthings.blogspot.com/ called the Boobie Bake Off. We had to make something Pink! So jelly cakes were perfect! They are so easy and so delicious! I've always bought mine from a bakery in Adelaide called Villi's, which is incredibly popular, and these jelly cakes taste exactly the same.

I would suggest doubling the mixture though as the recipe below only made ten. Thus, they lasted about two minutes...

60g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup self-raising flour
2/3 cup milk
85g packet raspberry jelly crystals
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
3 cups desiccated coconut
1/2 cup double thick cream

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, a little at a time, beating until well combined. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in half the flour and half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.

Spoon mixture into patty pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cakes on a wire rack.

Stir jelly and boiling water together in a bowl until crystals are dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold and slightly thick.

Place coconut into a large bowl. Cut each cake in half horizontally. Sandwich halves back together using 1 teaspoon of whipped cream. Using a slotted spoon lower cakes, 1 cake at a time, into jelly. Drain excess jelly. Toss cakes in coconut until well coated. Place onto a lined tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

E.

The Best Chicken Sandwiches

These chicken sandwiches are in my Donna Hay cookbook which my wonderful parents gave me for my birthday recently. As soon as I saw the sandwiches I thought, I've got to make these! And as Donna Hay says, "they aren't just chicken sandwiches, they are the best chicken sandwiches!"

Then I saw a challenge on the daring bakers being hosted by http://www.ayearatoakcottage.blogspot.com/ called Show Us Your Sarnie and thought it was the perfect excuse to make these delicious sandwiches.

I was a little worried that they may be a bit girly and herby for the hard working men I was feeding them to, but I made seven sandwiches to feed four men, and they all went. Every last bite. Words the men used to describe them included "delicious" and "refreshing". I tried them and was delighted with the flavour. I'll absolutely be making them again!

12 slices white bread
Butter for spreading
2 cooked chicken breasts, skinned and chopped
6floz/170ml mayonnaise, plus extra for spreading
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped basil leaves
2 tbsp shredded mint leaves
Salt and pepper
6 tbsp finely chopped chives

Spread butter on one side of the bread.

Combine the chicken, mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil and mint, and season with salt and pepper.

Divide between half the bread slices and top with the remaining bread. Cut into small triangles and spread one edge with the remaining mayonnaise.

Press one side into the chives and serve.

E.

Banana & Walnut Cake

I spent Friday and Saturday night at my parents Olive Grove again this weekend. Andy came too which was lovely. I'm sure he regretted it once he reaslied dad and his mate Don were paving the entire perimeter of the house - the house being 38 metres long!

And so while the boys worked hard I spent the day in the kitchen. Mum had some old bananas so we decided to use them and bake a cake. We used two bananas instead of one and made two cakes.

As you can see from the photos the sun was just setting as I finished icing them. It was a beautiful day in the Clare Valley. An entire cake was eaten after our roast pork dinner. The icing was delicious!

90 g butter

1/3 cup sugar

1egg

1 large banana

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 ¼ cups self raising flour

pinch salt

1/3 cup plain yoghurt

2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts

Icing

125g philli cheese

2 cups icing sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add lightly beaten egg, beat well. Stir in combined peeled, mashed banana and lemon juice. Fold in sifted dry ingredients alternately with yoghurt. Stir in half the chopped walnuts, mix until smooth. Spoon mixture into greased and greased paper lined 25 cm x 8 cm (10in x 3 in) bar tin, sprinkle with remaining walnuts.
Bake in moderate oven 40 minutes or until cooked when tested. Allow cake to cool 5 minutes in tin, turn out and cool on wire rack.

To make the icing. Beat the three ingredients together until smooth and delicious. If it is too runny, add more icing until it is at the consistency you require. E.

Lamb Curry

I had been trying to make this curry for weeks! But everything was working against me as things kept coming up, people kept cancelling or time did not permit! But I'd seen the photo in my Marie Claire cookbook and knew I had to make it! It just looked so tasty! And so last night was the night! I bought all the ingredients, and prepared the kitchen - and then read the method and realised the meat needed to marinate for three hours!! By this stage it was 4pm! I wanted it on the table before midnight!! So I opted to marinate for an hour and a half and it was still so lovely. The recipe also asks for 2 teaspoons of garam masala but I added about a tablespoon. Two teaspoons just didnt seem enought to me....

In the end it was absolutely lovely. And I think my photo turned out looking very similar to the one in the cookbook - without all the arty farty talent that their photographer obviously had! Andy said it was the best curry I've ever made! (I've only made 5 mind you...) But still, a compliment. Very quick and easy to get it all in the pot and mixed together (once the 3 hours of marinating is over that is), and the result is very much worth it!

1kg Lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil

juice of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 onions, finely chopped

400g chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 green chillis, seeded and cut into strips

250ml beef stock

10 mint leaves, finely chopped

300g plain yoghurt

steamed basmati to serve

Put the lamb cubes into a large ceramic dish and add 2 tablespoons of the oil, the lemon juice, ginger and garam masala. Massage teh ingredients into the lamb to ensure it is well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy based saucepan and add the onion. Cook for a few minutes until the onion is soft then add the lamb - depending on the size of your pan you may need to cook the lamb in two separate batches. Cook for several minutes until browned. Add teh tomato, tomato paste, chilli and stock and return the rest of the lamb to the pan if necessary. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally over a low heat for 1 1/2 hours, or until the liquid has reduced and the lamb is coated in a rick, thick sauce.

Meanwhile, stir the mint leaves into the yoghurt. Serve the lamb spooned over steamed rice with a dollop of minty yoghurt. Serves 4

E.

Farfalle with Carbonara and Spring Peas

Yesterday was a public holiday here in Adelaide. Andy was playing computer games on my mobile so I couldn't get any conversation out of him at all. Eventually, after talking to myself for an hour, I started thinking about food and what I should cook for dinner. The decision was made to do a pasta, and Andy pulled himself away from his game long enough to say he wanted Carbonara. Carbonara is something I have never cooked before, although my sister in law Catherine has cooked it for me on a few occasions and it has always been perfect and delicious. But I have always been told to mix it up and serve it quick or it will be like scrambled eggs. I think for that reason, I have always avoided cooking it. I found a few basic recipes for Carbonara, but decided to go with a Jamie Oliver version which was a little different. It was really yummy and so simple. The flavours are so subtle and the peas really do burst in your mouth. I'm already looking forward to having the left overs this afternoon.

455g farfalle

1 egg

100ml double cream

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 rashes of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, rouchly sliced

3 handfuls of fresh podded or frozen peas

2 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves picked

2 handfulls of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the farfalle and cook according to the packet instructions. Whisk the egg in a bowl with the cream, salt and pepper. Put your panchetta or bacon into a second pan and cook until crispy and golden.

When the farfalle is nearly cooked, add the peas for the last minute and a half. This way they will burst in your mouth and be lovely and sweet. When cooked, drain in a colander, saving a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pancetta and stri in most of the mint, finely sliced - if the pan isn't big enough, mix it all together in a warmed bowl.

Now you need to add the egg and cream mix to the pasta. What's important here is that you add it while the pasta is steaming hot. This way the residual heat from the pasta will cook the egg, but make sure they do not resemble scrambled eggs. The egg will actually cook enough to give you a silk smooth sauce. Toss together and loosen with a little of the reserved cooking water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parmesan and the rest of the mint leaves and serve as soon as possible.

E.

Summertime Pavlova

Pavlova is another dessert that is very big in my family. Mum used to make them all the time when I was a little girl; and decorate them to look amazing. I always assumed they would be very difficult to make, but as it turns out they are so simple. I wish I knew as they are one of my favourite desserts and I'd have been making a lot more if I knew how easy they are!

The pavlova does sink when it is finished cooking, but I was let in on a little secret. If your oven is electric then do open the door slightly as it cools. But if your oven is gas, leave the door closed and let it cool inside the oven.

I was very happy with my first attempt at Pav. It was crunchy outside and chewy inside. And it all disappeared in five miuntes flat!

3 egg whites

4 tablespoons caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

whipped cream, to serve

2 passionfruit to decorate

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Beat teh egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, then the vinegar, cream or tartar, cornflour and vanilla extract and continue to beat until soft peaks form.

Spoon the meringue onto the centre of the tray then spread it out to form a 20cm circle. Put into preheated oven for 15 mins, then reduce the heat to 120 degrees and cook for a furter hour.

Turn the heat off and leave the door slightly ajar and allow the meringue to completely cool in the oven.

Serve topped with whipped cream and passionfruit.

E.

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

I went back to my parents fabulous olive grove in the Clare Valley... again, on the weekend. Had a wonderful, relaxing, rather drunk time. I was on cooking duty on Friday night and dad and I decided Lamb Shanks would be the go. I had taken all my cookbooks with me and we went through them and searched for the lamb shank recipe we fancied the most! In the end dad won out as he wanted the shanks with the most spice and flavour. Mum wanted veg and I wanted sauce! In the end I think we all got what we wanted.

The smell, flavour and texture of these shanks is unbeatable. Mum has decided to cook the same meal for all of her friends who are coming over for a dinner party this weekend; and I bought a few extra shanks when I was purchasing these, so Andy will be having shanks for dinner tomorrow night. And I truly can't wait!

4 lamb shanks

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

2 teaspoons dried chilli

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

2 large carrot, quartered & finely sliced

5 sticks of celery, quartered & finely sliced

2 medium onions, quartered & finely chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

170ml dry white wine

6 anchovy fillets

2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes

1 handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Season the lamb with salt & pepper. Smash up the coriander seeds & dried chilli & mix with rosemary & dried oregano in a mortar and pestle. Roll the lamb in this mixture, pressing it well. Dust the lamb with the flour.

Heat a thick bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat on all sides & then remove from the pan. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onions & a pinch of salt and sweat until softened. Add the vinegar & allow it to reduce to a syrup. Pour in the wine & allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the anchovies & tinned tomatoes, kept whole. Shake the pan & return the lamb to it. Bring to the boil, put on a lid & simmer in the oven at 180 degrees for 2 hours. Remove lid & cook for a further half an hour. Season to taste & stir in the fresh parsley.

E.

Golden Syrup Dumplings

You cant get much more Australian than Golden Syrup Dumplings! They are so delicious and so naughty! In our family they were only served as a very very special treat, generally on our birthdays. It was the one day of the year that we could request whatever we wanted for dinner! So nine times out of ten it would be KFC for dinner and Golden Syrup Dumplings for dessert. They are most definitely in my top five favourite sweets!

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And so last night was the first time I have ever made them. I've come up to Clare for a few days to stay with my parents and nana. So under mum and nana's guidance I made my first Golden Syrup Dumplings. I always believed, as did my sister, brother and father, that mum and nana never made enough syrup. You can never ever have enough syrup. So I tripled the syrup. The recipe below is the triple syrup version, and by far the best.

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Dumplings

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup milk approx

Syrup

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 tablespoons golden syrup

2 cups water

Rub butter and flour together with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix. Add dashes of milk until it forms a dough. Roll balls with the dough mix. About half the size of a golf ball.
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Mix the syrup ingredients together and heat over medium/high heat until bubbles form around the edge then turn down to medium and add the dumplings. Let them cook themselves, no need to turn them or poke them. After about fifteen minutes when they have doubled in size and are golden brown, serve with cream.

E.

Gingerbread Men

It's my nephew Louie's 6th birthday today! And so there is a big birthday party at his house this Saturday. I was placed on gingerbread man duty which I was very pleased about! I hadn't made gingerbread men since I was a little girl with my nana. I did drink a bottle of wine, and then some as i made them, so the icing is a little skewif! But I'm sure Louie and his friends will devour them! I was lazy (and drunk) so instead of making up my own icing I used the colourful, premade icing in the tubes. It did make it a lot quicker and easier. However, the premade icing tastes like musk. I believe a true gingerbread man should have home made icing. But overall they were really fantastic! I was very proud!



Melted butter, to grease
125g butter, at room temperature
100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
1 egg, separated
375g (21/2 cups) plain flour
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Plain flour, to dust
Icing, to decorate
Smarties, to decorate

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush 2 baking trays with melted butter to lightly grease.
Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.


Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use a 9cm gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.


Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Pipe icing over gingerbread men to decorate. Finish with Smarties.


E.