Maximum effect. Minimum effort. I love cooking. I really do. But usually I want to play with flavour combinations to gain the most delicious dish with the minimum amount of effort. Most of these recipes reflect this.
Almost no knead bread
A delicious bread with a thick crust and dense crumb.Combine
3 cups bread or pasta flour
½ teaspoon salt
Mix together
1/3 cup beer
¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons water
1½ teaspoons salt
Stir into a rough ragged ball. Cover and stand 8-18 hours.
Turn out onto a floured benchtop and knead 10-15 times.
Stretch into a ball and place in a baking paper sling in a casserole dish. Cover and let rise 2-3 hours.
Remove bread from dish, and place dish in oven. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place 2 slashes across bread 1cm deep. Sprinkle with a little flour.
When dish and oven are hot, use paper sling to pick dough up and place in casserole dish. Cover with lid. Place in oven and reduce to 220.
Bake 30 mins covered, then uncover and bake a further 30 mins.
This recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Wasabi Lime Dressing
This is so simple, yet so delicious. Serve with fish - raw or cooked.
Combine
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon mirin
Salt to taste
Combine
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon mirin
Salt to taste
French Pot Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
1 chicken
Oil and salt
Preheat oven to 130 degrees C.
Use a deep pot that can go on top of the stove, and in the oven.
Use a deep pot that can go on top of the stove, and in the oven.
Heat a little oil over medium high heat in the bottom of the pot.
Place the chicken breast side down, and heat 5 mins, or until brown.
Turn chicken over and repeat on the bottom.
Cover pot and place in the oven for 45 mins to 1 hour, depending on the size of the chicken.
Sauce (optional)
Remove chicken to serving dish, and boil juice over high heat until thick and syrupy.
Carve and serve.
See also Chicken in Honey Mustard Sauce adapted from Cook's Illustrated
http://shannonfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/07/chicken-with-honey-mustard-sauce-based.html
See also Chicken in Honey Mustard Sauce adapted from Cook's Illustrated
http://shannonfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/07/chicken-with-honey-mustard-sauce-based.html
Tomato Sauce with Anchovies and Thyme
(Anchovies are high in ‘umami’, the Japanese savory taste. They don’t leave a fish taste, but deepen the flavour of the sauce.)
Chop 1 onion
Boil on high with
½ t salt
1T olive oil
1t brown sugar
Boiling water to cover
When water has evaporated turn heat to medium/low and cook until slightly coloured, stirring often.
(This is a quick, low fat way of frying onions. Alternatively cook on low for 30 mins without water.)
Add
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 anchovies, whole (they disintegrate in the sauce)
Small pinch thyme
1 cup passata, or tin of crushed tomatoes
Simmer uncovered until thick
Everyday Bircher Muesli
This is a creamy tasting bircher muesli, is easy to make up, and keeps in the fridge as long as the milk and yogurt are within their use by date. The apple doesn't go brown, but I often omit it because it's extra effort. I could eat it all day, and often do! Better than ice cream for dessert.
Mix together with a wire whisk
500g Greek yogurt
250mls milk
100g caster sugar
Stir in
2 cups instant rolled oats
3 tablespoons sultanas
2 grated green apples (optional)
Leave 6 hours to allow the oats to absorb the liquid.
Mix together with a wire whisk
500g Greek yogurt
250mls milk
100g caster sugar
Stir in
2 cups instant rolled oats
3 tablespoons sultanas
2 grated green apples (optional)
Leave 6 hours to allow the oats to absorb the liquid.
Topik, as a dip
This is based on an Armenian dish, Topik. It is supposed to be like a kofte with the chickpea mixture as a pastry case, and the onions as a filling, but I found that too fiddly. And this way you can get more ‘filling’!
2 tins chickpeas, rinsed well
2 potatoes, peeled and cooked
Puree in a food processor with salt and pepper until very smooth. You may need to add a little water or olive oil if it’s too dry.
Spread into a shallow serving dish
Prepare
4 onions – slice thinly and fry until brown.
Add
1⁄4 c tahini
2 tablespoons currants
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 t Cinnamon
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
Adjust the seasonings to taste. Eg you may prefer more tahini, currants or cinnamon.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Spread on top of the chickpea mixture and serve with crusty bread.
8 Ways to Help Kids Eat Their Vegies
1. Serve the meal in two parts. Vegies first when they’re hungry, meat and starch later because they’re easier to eat. Or place a salad on the table to nibble on as they're waiting for the 'real' part of the meal to arrive.
2. Kids prefer their vegies finely chopped cause it’s easier to eat.
3. Sugar helps EVERYTHING taste better. You don’t have to use too much, just a teaspoon or two.
4. Don’t put too much work into making the meat nice. They tend to eat that anyway. Put the work into making vegies delicious.
5. Serve less food in the afternoon so they’re hungrier for dinner.
6. Make your job easier by having your knife is sharp and your chopping board big. Otherwise they're a pain to peel and chop. Have a container nearby to put the scraps into. That way you wont end up surrounded by vegie droppings. This again makes your job easier.
7. Serve vegies in smaller quantities so children are not overwhelmed by the mounds on their plates.
8. When cooking vegetables try to concentrate their flavours and drive off the excess vegie water. Do this by roasting or frying.
9. Increase the amount of vegetables in their diet gradually. Start off so they hardly notice the difference, and build up their tolerance slowly.
2. Kids prefer their vegies finely chopped cause it’s easier to eat.
3. Sugar helps EVERYTHING taste better. You don’t have to use too much, just a teaspoon or two.
4. Don’t put too much work into making the meat nice. They tend to eat that anyway. Put the work into making vegies delicious.
5. Serve less food in the afternoon so they’re hungrier for dinner.
6. Make your job easier by having your knife is sharp and your chopping board big. Otherwise they're a pain to peel and chop. Have a container nearby to put the scraps into. That way you wont end up surrounded by vegie droppings. This again makes your job easier.
7. Serve vegies in smaller quantities so children are not overwhelmed by the mounds on their plates.
8. When cooking vegetables try to concentrate their flavours and drive off the excess vegie water. Do this by roasting or frying.
9. Increase the amount of vegetables in their diet gradually. Start off so they hardly notice the difference, and build up their tolerance slowly.
Kassler Pork Chops
2 finely sliced onions
2 peeled and sliced granny smith apples
100 mls water
Simmer 20 mins
Remove chops, reduce liquid in pan.
Return chops to pan to reheat.
Optional - after reducing sauce add
1 teaspoon mustard
1 Tablespoon brandy
2 Tablespoons cream
Barnyard Marinade
This is based on 'Better than A1 marinade' from Cook's Illustrated. Cows, sheep, chicken and pigs all get on together in the barnyard, so why not the marinade pot!
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground black pepper
Mix all together and use to marinate beef, lamb, pork and chicken in the same dish.
Leave at least an hour, or up to 3 days.
Leave at least an hour, or up to 3 days.
I have used this amount to marinate 4kg meat, leaving it in the fridge for 3 days and just pulling out what we needed each evening. You need to mix it around well though.
See also Chicken in Honey Mustard Sauce adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Toasted Coconut Sambal
Combine
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ – ½ chilli chopped fine
Add
3 Tablespoons toasted coconut flakes
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ – ½ chilli chopped fine
Add
3 Tablespoons toasted coconut flakes
Spiced Nutrigrain
Heat together until fragrant
1/3c oil
2 tablespoons garam masala
4 shakes tabasco
2 ½ teaspoons salt
Combine with
300g Nutrigrain
1/3c oil
2 tablespoons garam masala
4 shakes tabasco
2 ½ teaspoons salt
Combine with
300g Nutrigrain
Eggplant, tomato and pomegranate salad
Dice 2 eggplants, toss with 1 teaspoon salt, place on kitchen paper and microwave, uncovered, 10 mins.
Dice and deseed 3 tomatoes cut into small dice. Toss with 1 teaspoon salt and allow to drain excess juice away.
Fry 3 cloves garlic in 1T olive oil.
Add microwaved eggplants and stir gently until brown.
Combine 1T pomegranate molasses
1T honey
1T water.
Pour over eggplant and allow the liquid to absorb into the eggplant.
Cool slightly then add diced drained tomatoes
1 bunch parsley, chopped.
Add 2 tablespoons extra olive oil.
Check for seasoning.
Sprinkle with pinenuts.
You could also add olives, capers or currants.
Dice and deseed 3 tomatoes cut into small dice. Toss with 1 teaspoon salt and allow to drain excess juice away.
Fry 3 cloves garlic in 1T olive oil.
Add microwaved eggplants and stir gently until brown.
Combine 1T pomegranate molasses
1T honey
1T water.
Pour over eggplant and allow the liquid to absorb into the eggplant.
Cool slightly then add diced drained tomatoes
1 bunch parsley, chopped.
Add 2 tablespoons extra olive oil.
Check for seasoning.
Sprinkle with pinenuts.
You could also add olives, capers or currants.
Spinach Dip
Drain 2 packets frozen chopped spinach
Mix together well
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonaise
2 packets spring vegetable soup
Drained spinach
Cut the top off a large loaf of bread and hollow out the centre. Reserve the bread and chop into bite sized peices.
Pour dip into bread case and surround with bread pieces. When these have all been eaten, it’s time to demolish the bread case.
Mix together well
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonaise
2 packets spring vegetable soup
Drained spinach
Cut the top off a large loaf of bread and hollow out the centre. Reserve the bread and chop into bite sized peices.
Pour dip into bread case and surround with bread pieces. When these have all been eaten, it’s time to demolish the bread case.
Satay Sauce
Fry 1 chopped onion until brown.
Add
3 cloves garlic chopped coarsly
1 tbspn Thai red curry paste (preferably Mae Ploy brand)
150g peanut butter
2 tbspns fish sauce
6 tbspns brown sugar
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 cup water
Simmer together for 10 mins until the starch in the peanut butter thickens the sauce.
Taste and adjust flavour to your liking with extra salt, sugar, chilli or lemon juice.
Add
3 cloves garlic chopped coarsly
1 tbspn Thai red curry paste (preferably Mae Ploy brand)
150g peanut butter
2 tbspns fish sauce
6 tbspns brown sugar
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 cup water
Simmer together for 10 mins until the starch in the peanut butter thickens the sauce.
Taste and adjust flavour to your liking with extra salt, sugar, chilli or lemon juice.
Cheese Biscuits
Ingredients
- 250g or 2 cups plain cake flour
- 35g or 3 tablespoons cornflour
- 250g block of parmesan cut into 3 or 4 pieces
- 1 good teaspoon salt
- Pinch of cayenne to taste
- 10g or 3 teaspoons dry mustard
- 220g butter chilled
- 1-2 tablespoons sour cream or lemon juice
Instructions
- With food processor running drop cheese in giving it time to process each block before adding another.
- Add flours, cheese and seasonings in food processor and process until well combined.
- Cut into small pieces and add, processing until the mixture looks like sand.
- With motor running add enough sour cream or lemon juice so mixture just forms a ball.
- Roll into logs 4cm or 1 1/2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly, or freeze for a couple of months!
- Cut up into slices about 3mm thick.
- Bake in oven, at 160C for 10 -12 mins. Rotate tray front to back then close oven door and turn off. Allow to cool in the oven to brown and crisp up.
- They're best when they are light brown.
Pork with Ginger
This has a really nice coating of soy and sugar
Mix 2t cornflour
2t soy sauce
1t oil
Thinkly slice one pork loin chop. Place in cornflour mix and refrigerate at least 10 mins for coating to set.
Place in non stick fry pan with
1t oil
6 slices ginger, shredded
Fry over high heat until brown. Add
1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sherry
Sprinkle with a little chopped coriander and serve.
Mix 2t cornflour
2t soy sauce
1t oil
Thinkly slice one pork loin chop. Place in cornflour mix and refrigerate at least 10 mins for coating to set.
Place in non stick fry pan with
1t oil
6 slices ginger, shredded
Fry over high heat until brown. Add
1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sherry
Sprinkle with a little chopped coriander and serve.
Tamarind Sauce for Chicken
This sauce is delicious served with steamed or fried chicken.
First make the tamarind water.
Pour 100 mls water over 1 tablespoon (30g) tamarind from a block. Leave to soak then strain, pushing down on the tamarind to extract as much flavour as possible.
Fry 1 diced onion until brown
6 thin slices ginger, shredded
Add tamarind water
2 tablespoons kecap manis
½ teaspoon bottled chilli (or to taste).I use Masterfoods, but you could also use fresh.
Simmer a few minutes to combine the flavours, then serve over chicken.
First make the tamarind water.
Pour 100 mls water over 1 tablespoon (30g) tamarind from a block. Leave to soak then strain, pushing down on the tamarind to extract as much flavour as possible.
Fry 1 diced onion until brown
6 thin slices ginger, shredded
Add tamarind water
2 tablespoons kecap manis
½ teaspoon bottled chilli (or to taste).I use Masterfoods, but you could also use fresh.
Simmer a few minutes to combine the flavours, then serve over chicken.
Champagne Crepe Cake layered with Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Sour Cream
What doesn't matter
How long and vigorously you mix the batter
The type of flour you use - high or low protein
Resting or not
The liquid you use
This is because the gluten component of crepes is quite dilute. Crepes set because of the eggs, unlike pancakes which use gluten to turn the batter into a pancake.
What does matter
Using a non stick pan
Using the correct heat
Heating the pan thoroughly
Crepe Batter
Whisk together3 large eggs
375mls or 1½ cups sparkling wine
185g or 1½ cups plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
Filling 1
300g sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
300g smoked salmon
Filling 2
4 avocados
Salt and lemon juice to taste
Directions Heat a non-stick frypan over medium-high heat for 10 mins to allow the pan to thoroughly and evenly heat.
Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix.
Brush the pan with a little melted butter.
Check temperature of pan by dropping a small amount of batter into the centre. It should brown in 20 seconds. If the pan is too hot or cool, adjust the temperature and give it a few minutes to adjust before testing again. (Take a note of the settings on your particular stove and you should only have to do this adjusting once.)
Pour batter into pan and tilt to form a crepe. I find 60mls is good for a 30cm pan.
Cook until top is dry, and the edges are crispy. Flip and cook until the other side is just starting to colour.
Remove crepe and layer on a plate. No need to layer plastic in between the crepes because they separate surprisingly easily. These can be made ahead.
Repeat until all the batter is used. (A Chinese proverb says “First pancake never works”. True in life, and sometimes true with crepes. This recipe should make 8, but may make less due to 'accidents'. Drizzle said 'accidents' with lemon juice and sprinkle with a little sugar for a cook's treat!)
Filling 1 - Mix the sour cream with salt and pepper, stirring to break it up.
Filling 2 - Mash all ingredients together with a fork.
Assemble the cake Layer the fillings with the crepes, creating a striped effect. You can put the smoked salmon in a layer on it's own, or add it to a sour cream layer. As you layer the avocado and sour cream, pile a little more filling on the outsides than the insides to prevent it becoming dome shaped at the top.
Leave a few hours in the fridge to settle together.
Decorate the top as you like using extra sour cream to create a nice white background. To this add prawns, smoked salmon, cucumber, caviar, lemon twists, baby tomatoes halved, parsley or dill. Google "Smorgastarta" in Images to get ideas.
Cut like a cake into 6-8 wedges.
Super bircher muesli adapted from Neil Perry
2 green apples grated with their skin still on
125 mls orange juice
500 grams plain yoghurt
125 mls cream, whipped to soft peaks
200 mls maple syrup
2 tablespoons sultanas
2 tablespoons toasted dessicated coconut
8 dried apricots sliced finely
1 mango, diced
4 passionfruit, pulp sieved from seeds
2 cups instant rolled oats
Combine all ingredients and leave overnight in the fridge.
Alternatively, omit the cream and orange juice and substitute with 250 mls milk.
Use fruit as desired. Alternatively, omit the cream and orange juice and substitute with 250 mls milk.
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