Minestrone Soup

Its getting cooler here in Sydney which means lots of things, but one of my favourites is soup. They are easy to make, cheap and comforting and can easily be made relatively low fat.

My Mum always made Minestrone and to be honest, I don't think I've tasted anyone else's other than Mums or mine, so who even knows if its a traditional Minestrone.

The best thing is you just put in whatever you've got available.

On Sunday this is what I came up with.

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 crushed garlic cloves

1 potato, peeled and diced

3 bacon rashers, diced

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

3 tbs tomato paste

chicken stock

3 handfuls of risoni

1 tsp oregano

2 tbs chopped parsley

1 can cannellini beans

1/2 tsp rosemary

olive oil

salt & pepper

grated parmesan to serve

Fry the bacon in a large pan for a few minutes, add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and potato for a few more minutes.

Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, stock (or stock cubes + water), oregano, rosemary and salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Once hot, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the risoni, drained and rinsed beans and parsley and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

Serve with parmesan and parsley on top.

S

Sesame Roasted Salmon

I am embarrassed to say but I do not remember which blog I got this easy and tasty recipe from.

I stumbled across it and scribbled the key points on a post-it note and made it a few days later.

It was nice and easy to prepare and very tasty served with steamed green beans and mashed potato.

Ingredients:

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbs sesame seeds (I didn't have any so didn't include them, but I am sure they would be lovely if you do have them lying around in the cupboards)

4 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs mirin

1 spring onion, finely chopped

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 tsp grated ginger

Salmon fillets (I used 3, but you could probably use this amount for 4)

Add all ingredients together and marinate salmon fillets for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Roast for 20 min and serve!

S

Chocolate Rough Slice

1 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup coconut
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp NESTLÉ Baking Cocoa
125 g butter, melted
2 cups coconut, extra
1 cup icing sugar
1 Tbsp NESTLÉ Baking Cocoa, extra
3/4 cup NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk
100g NESTLÉ Plaistowe Cooking Chocolate, melted
150 g NESTLÉ Dark CHOC BITS

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl, mix well.

Press mixture into base of 28cm x 18cm lamington pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly.

Combine remaining ingredients, mix well. Spread evenly over base, allow to cool, cut into slices.

Combine remaining ingredients, mix well. Spread evenly over base. Allow to cool. Cut into slices.

E.

Worlds Most Divine Osso Bucco

This dish is quite possibly the most fabulous dish I have ever eaten!

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 bunch oregano leaves, chopped

2 bay leaves, chopped

sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

4 veal osso buco

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

100g pancetta, cut into strips

1 large onion, chopped finely

2 celery stalks, finely sliced

1 carrot, finely sliced in rounds

2 pinches saffron threads

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 sprigs thyme

200 ml white wine

700ml good-quality beef stock

500g large fusilli pasta

2 handfuls flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 lemon, finely zested and juiced

80g butter

70g grated parmesan to serve

Place garlic, oregano, bay leaves and a little salt in a mortar and pestle and crush to a paste.

I would suggest cutting 4 slits in the "corners" of the osso bucco to stop it curling.

Rub paste over veal pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium heat.

Cook pancetta for 6 minutes.

Move the panchetta to the side and add veal and cook without stirring for 2 minutes, then turn veal until evenly browned.

Season.

Remove veal from pan and set aside.

Add onions, celery and carrot topan and stir. Add saffron and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Return veal to pan, turning over a few times, then stir in tomato paste and
boil for 3 minutes.

Remove the osso bucco from the ban and place in a baking tray in the oven at 170 degrees. Add one tablespoon of liquid per osso bucco and one extra. Cover with alfoil and place in oven.

Reduce heat slightly on the liquid in the saucepan on top of the oven and simmer for at least one hour. Once the osso bucco in the oven has begun to fall off the bone and shred, return it to the simmering liquid on top of the oven.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Remove veal from pan and add pasta, parsley, lemon zest and juice and butter. Season, then return veal to pan.Serve with parmesan and accompany with a green salad.

E.

Chicken, Chickpea & Apricot Tagine

Unfortunatley I was so keen to serve and eat that this photo is as close as I have to the final product! The left overs....

If i cook it again, and I KNOW I will, I'll be sure to update this blog and show the final product... But you get the idea! Fabulous Winter Meal!

I have cooked this dish twice and both times has been a raging success. I actually discovered it when our wonderful girlfriend Laura cooked it for me. She had purchased a Tagine and prepared this very dish. The next morning I ordered my Tagine! Although I have discovered a tagine isnt necessarily necessary for this recipe, a croc pot or large pot with a lid is fine!

I added zucchini and carrot to the original recipe. I found with the tagine that it becomes far too full to fit in all the chickpeas, the carrot AND the zucchini so I added as much of each as I could! So see how you go, if you use a crock pot or a large pot you should be fine!

6 skinless chicken breasts, chopped into large chunks
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 large onions, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1-2tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
inch fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
180g dried apricots
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tins chopped tomato
2 cans chick peas, drained
3 tablespoons honey
300ml chicken stock
1 pinch saffron
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, sliced
4 teaspoons ras el hanout spice mix (whcih can be purchased from the Mistress of Spice Website for $6.50!!) (or make up spice mix below)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (Cilantro)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and black pepper
chopped fresh coriander, to serve (Cilantro)

Heat up olive oil in a frying pan/tagine & saute chopped onions & garlic for 5-10 minutes.

Add chicken stock & gradually mix in flour or cornflour until well mixed & not lumpy.Add honey & tomato paste & mix well.

Add herbs,spices & finely chopped ginger with salt & pepper to taste.

Finally add tinned tomatoes & mix well.

Add chicken & chickpeas & mix well.

Add dried apricots making sure they are covered by juice. (Add the carrots and zucchini if using.).

Give it a gentle but good stir to mix everything together well.


If using a tagine, put lid on and place in oven at 160 degrees and cook for a good 2 to three hours. If using a crock pot or large pot, cover with lid/alfoil and simmer for a good 2 to 3 hours.


CORIANDER YOGHURT
5 tablespoons greek yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
The juice of one lemon
Salt & Pepper
Mix together and serve along side the meal.

PAPRIKA TURKISH BREAD
Turkish bread
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons powdered paprika
Cut turkish bread into approx 5cm by 2cm slithers.
Toast the underside under a grill.
Take out and turn over and brush with the paprika mixed with the olive oil using a pastry brush. Toast.
Serve with the meal.

DIVINE!

E.

Easy Kerelan Curry

I had never cooked a curry in my life when i decided to make this one my first, considering it had EASY in the name! And EASY it was!

I bought the spice from the Mistress of Spice Website. And they have certainly become my new best friend.

I adapted the recipe to suit me and I have written down exactly what I did...

3 teaspoons Mistress of Spice Keralan Curry Powder
500g chicken thighs
3 small potatoes

1/2 sweet potato

1 zucchini

600ml lite canned coconut milk
3 teaspoons grated ginger
3 teaspoons grated, minced garlic
2 onions finely chopped
3 red chillies

Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions until soft, add garlic and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes longer. Add the Mistress of Spice Keralan Curry Powder and heat until fragrant.

Then add the meat. Cook until done. Add chopped and peeled vegies.

Pour in the coconut milk, add chillies, if using, and simmer on low heat until sauce is thicker, like a cream. I simmered for probably an hour.

Serve with basmati rice and greek yoghurt.









E.

Neenish Tarts

Liz's Nana always made these for her when she was growing up. On her flight over to Sydney this weekend she stumbled across a recipe for the delicious tarts while reading a magazine.

When Liz realised I had never had one of her favourite tarts she insisted we make them.

Judging from the picture, I thought they were going to be fiddly and annoying, but Liz is good at that type of baking so I thought it was a good opportunity to do it with her.

Surprisingly, they weren't difficult at all and were delicious.

We decided not to add the jam, as Liz thinks they detract from the tart as a whole. Also, if we were to make them again, we would double the filling, as there was not quite enough.

(Liz's Nana used to make a large tart with only brown icing, which is another nice idea)

275g packet frozen sweet tart cases
FILLING
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup condensed milk
50g butter, room temperature
1 tbs lemon juice
ICING
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tsps cocoa, sifted
4 tbs warm water
few drops pink food colouring

Preheat oven to 200C.

Place tarts on tray and bake following instructions (8-10 min) until golden. Allow to cool.

FILLING - Spoon an even amount of jam into each tart shell

Combine icing sugar, condensed milk, butter and lemon juice and beat till smooth. Divide evenly between tart shells and chill for 15 minutes.

ICING - Divide the icing sugar into 2 bowls. Add the cocoa to 1 bowl and combine. Gradually add the water until smooth. Repeat in the 2nd bowl with the colouring.

Spread the choc icing over 1 half of each tart. Chill till set. Cover the other side of the tarts with the pink icing. Chill till set.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

I have made this cake many times in the past, but not for a long time.

Its from Nigellas Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame and like most Nigella Lawson recipe is pretty hard to mess up.

This cakes is wonderful and moist and everyone goes nuts over it.

The only thing I would say is, everytime I have made this cake I have used molasses and this time I couldn't find it so I used treacle and it wasn't as moist as it has been in the past.

FOR THE CAKE

175g unsalted butter

125g dark muscovado sugar

2 tablespoons caster sugar

200g golden syrup

200g black treacle or molasses
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbs warm water
2 eggs

250ml milk

275g plain flour

40g cocoa

175g chocolate chips

FOR THE ICING
150g icing sugar
30g unsalted butter
1 tbs cocoa
60ml ginger ale

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Tear off a big piece of baking parchment to line the bottom and sides of a roasting pan of approximately 30 x 20 x 5 cm deep.

In a decent-sized saucepan, melt the butter along with the sugars, golden syrup, treacle or molasses, cloves, cinnamon and ground ginger.

In a cup dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the water.

Take the saucepan off the heat and beat in the eggs, milk and bicarb in its water.

Stir in the flour and cocoa and beat with a wooden spoon to mix.

Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into the lined tin.

Bake for about 45 minutes until risen and firm.

It will be slightly damp underneath the set top and that's the way you want it.Remove to a wire rack and let cool in the tin.

Once cool, sieve the icing sugar.

In a saucepan heat the butter, cocoa and ginger ale.

When the butter's melted, whisk in the icing sugar.

Pour the icing just to cover the top.

S

First Post

When Liz joined me in Sydney for the weekend we decided to create our own blog, focussing on food, in the hope that we will be invited to join Daring Baker, so here we are.

After a lovely dinner at La Sala on Friday night we reconvened and came up with our name and decided to cook something together as all of our posts from now on will now be seperate as Liz lives in Adelaide, and I live in Sydney.

Fingers crossed this works!