Cooking with Tools
Ross Chrystall
&
Mark McDonald
Introduction “Cooking with Tools� is the first edition of what we hope to be an annual event where we share with all those dear to us our cooking exploits. Many of the recipes are not only yummy to eat, but also remind us of special times with our family and friends. We have included a small introduction to each recipe describing how we came across it, or a memorable time we made it. So no matter where we relocate to (and we seem to do so quite often), you will always be close to our hearts and stomach. Oh to the power of food. When cooking we like to use good quality ingredients, and while they can be hard to find, they make the meal so much worthier. Our Saturday routine usually involves spending the morning in Chinatown, looking for fresh vegetables, spices, and other Asian ingredients, on the way home we stop in at a deli and continental supermarket, packed with delicious European fare, to pick up pastas, olives, and smallgoods. Whenever we move to a new city, one of the first thing we do is track to the best fruit and vegetable shops, Asian grocers, butchers, and deils. We both have hardened palettes, and like punchy, spicy flavours. With all the recopies that follow, feel free to adjust the Chili, garlic and spices to taste. Reading recipe books is a great pastime for both of us, and we have amassed a large collection. We also subscribe to several cooking magazines, and spend each month trying different recipes. If one is a success, we write the title and page number on the cover with a black marker for easy reference. This book is also a bit of a piss-take, some recipe books take themselves too seriously, so this is an attempt at making it a bit of fun, hence the title and cover photo. Speaking of photos, we have taken almost all of them, and this was one of the reasons for putting the book together. This is also a chance to get feedback, so if any of these recipes work (or don’t) let us know, and if you have some recipes that you think we would like, please send them to us to try.
Contents Introduction................................................................... 1 Grilled Halloumi.............................................................. 3 Steamed Artichokes with Hollandaise Sauce.................... 4 Potato Salad................................................................. 5 Insalata Caprese............................................................ 6 Escago......................................................................... 6 Couscous Salad............................................................ 7 Roast Capsicum & Tomato Soup ................................... 8 Onion Jam.................................................................... 9 Lazy Dog.................................................................... 10 Eggs Benedict............................................................. 11 Bunny Chow............................................................... 12 Zucchini, & Mushroom Pizza......................................... 13 Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs.................................................. 15 Capsicum Pasta.......................................................... 16 Filei Calabresi Milano.................................................... 17 Marinated Kangaroo with Alpine Salad........................... 18 Pumpkin & Pancetta Risotto.......................................... 19 Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon Thyme Butter..................... 21 Icanhascheezburger.com............................................. 22 Yum Cha Cha Cha...................................................... 23 Pad Thai-ish................................................................ 24 Char Kway Teow (CKT)................................................ 25 Shepards Cottage Pie.................................................. 27 Beef, Stout & Potato Pie............................................... 28 Butter Chicken............................................................ 29 Hot ‘n Spicy Nuts......................................................... 29 Crème Brûlée.............................................................. 30 Blueberry Banana Bread............................................... 31 Eskimo Pie.................................................................. 32 Tiramisu...................................................................... 33 Conversion Tables....................................................... 34
3
Grilled Halloumi We first discovered the wonders of halloumi shortly after moving to Brisbane. Twice a month in New Farm they have the farmers markets outside the old powerhouse (which has been converted into a performing arts space, bar and restaurant). At these markets you can get great local fresh produce as well as taste many gourmet products from various small independent suppliers. Olympus Cheese is our halloumi supplier of choice. We sampled the quality of their product every visit to the market and were never disappointed. While it may not be easy for everyone to get, we recommend those who can use nothing else. This is great with a chilled glass of wine or beer before dinner, or after a late night out as a midnight snack.
ingredients
olive oil halloumi sliced approx 1cm thick oregano lemon juice
method
Heat oil in pan or on bbq (on medium heat) and place in halloumi. Cook until golden brown on each side. Place on a serving tray/plate, sprinkle with oregano and lemon juice. Enjoy.
4
Steamed Artichokes with Hollandaise Sauce The Globe Artichoke is the flower of a perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean. When buying, pick artichokes that feel heavy for their size. We first cooked this recipe as an entrée for our friends in Auckland Karen and Craig; long before they were married. From memory this was one of our first dinner parties. It was at a flat in Parnell so small that you could not swing a cat. Our dinner table was a small wooden coffee table, which we all comfortably sat around on the floor. Serves 4
ingredients
4 artichokes 2 egg yolks 1 lemon, juiced ¼ cup of cream
½ tsp mustard powder 50g butter ¼ tsp salt pepper to taste
method
Cut off bottom stem and place them in a steamer over salted boiling water for 25-30mins or until soft, do not cover whilst steaming turn prevent them turning brown. When you have about 5mins remaining prepare the sauce. Melt butter in metal bowl over simmering hot water. Add lemon juice, egg yolks & cream. Whisk constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from heat. Add mustard & salt and beat until smooth. It is important to test the taste, we often find it needs more lemon juice. Tweak as necessary for desired taste. Makes 3/4 cup. Serve artichokes on plates with sauce in separate small bowl. To eat artichokes peel each petal off and dip fleshy/meaty end in sauce. Suck out the meat (soft white part at bottom of petal) by placing between teeth and pulling remaining petal out. Do not eat the whole petal as it is a bit chewy and not so tasty. Discard remaining petal. As you work you way around the artichoke you get more meat and less petal until eventually you are left with the heart. Enjoy the heart with a generous portion of your remaining hollandaise, or if you are like Mark pinch some of the other persons remaining sauce
5
Potato Salad This salad is great for barbecues, and every time I make it I am asked for copies of the recipe. The secret ingretient is the brand of mayonnaise I only use Best Foods Real Mayonnaise. This brand can be tricky to get in Australia because it is not available in supermarkets, continental deils usually have it. In New Zealand Kato makes a great mayonnaise, this would be my second preference. Whenever I have tried store-bought potato salads, I always find the ‘tatos are undercooked and al-dente, I like them to be very well cooked and soft. My mum is an expert of the different varieties of potatoes, I generally just go for the ones that have purple skin and creamy yellow flesh, and use them unpeeled in this recipe.
ingredients
8 large potatoes, washed and cubed ½ jar best foods real mayonnaise Ÿ cup shelled pistacho nuts 1 red onion, chopped 2-3 finely sliced spring onions 1 lime
method
Boil the potatoes until they are very soft, drain. Gently mix in the nuts, red and spring onions, and mayonnaise. Squeeze lime juice over the salad and garnish with extra nuts or onion. This can be served warm, or made ahead and chilled.
6
Insalata Caprese Insalata Caprese (salad in the style of Capri) is a simple salad from the Italian region of Campania. Good quality buffalo milk mozzarella and vine ripened tomatoes are best.
ingredients
ripe tomatoes mozzarella (room temperature) basil leaves balsamic Vinegar olive oil
method
Slice tomatoes and cheese into thin pieces. Arrange on a platter one after the other, tomato, basil leaf and cheese. Finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper
Escago In South Africa there is a family restaurant called Mikes Kitchen, and as kids we used to go there for our birthdays. This is the kind of restaurant with a salad bar, and kids place mats that have pictures that can be coloured in with the crayons on the tables. My favourite meal to have was snails to start and ribs for the main. Snails may look unappetising, but the delicate meat gently heated in garlic is delicious, and encourage everyone to try it. Canned snails can be bought in European delis.
ingredients
1 can of snails 6 cloves garlic 2 tbs white wine butter chives or parmesan fresh crusty sourdough bread cut into fingers
method
Process the garlic, butter, wine, and herbs to a smooth consistency. Place the snails in a snail oven-proof dish and back at 220째C until the butter has melted and the snails are hot. Serve with bread which is great for mopping up the garlic butter.
7
Couscous Salad When we first moved to Brisbane we had to wait for our furniture to arrive from NZ, which we were told could take a couple of months. Therefore we took out a threemonth lease in a small hotel in Kangaroo Point, opposite the Story Bridge Hotel. The move proved to be pretty tough in many ways, and was Ross’s first Christmas away from his family. Therefore we made sure that our first Aussie Christmas dinner, cooked on the hotel communal bbq beside the hotel pool (it was a humid 36°C) was as good as any in the past. On the menu – Tiger Prawns in garlic butter, Szechuan fish and this recipe couscous salad. Ross’s garlic butter was so potent that the hotel lobby stunk for days. This is Mark’s favourite salad as it contains “the fruit of the god’s” – mango. For 4 long years he suffered without them in NZ, which only imports mangoes from the Philippines and South America, and they just don’t cut it. As a surprise, when Mark landed back in Australia, Ross had purchased a whole tray (24 in total). They were gone in a couple of days. Now, we have tried this recipe missing an ingredient here and there (usually because the stupid supermarkets didn’t have them) and can honestly say this recipe needs them all. Most important are the mango, lime and coriander (sorry Greg). Also try and use a good quality couscous. San Remo brand, common in most supermarkets is not good and turns out gluggy. The couscous needs to be quite fluffy as the remaining ingredients are quite moist.
ingredients
1 large tomato 1 avocado coriander splash of olive oil knob of butter
1 Lebanese cucumber 1 mango 1 cup of water 1 cup of Couscous juice of 1 or 2 limes (or 1 lemon)
method
Pre prepare your salad ingredients as follows. Cut tomato into quarters and de-seed. You only want the flesh as it will make the couscous too wet. Dice remaining tomato flesh and place in the salad bowl. Dice the Lebanese cucumber and place in bowl with the tomato. Cut two mango cheeks with skin in place, and then dice. Cut avocado in half and as with the mango, dice within the skin. Set these two aside until the end. Chop coriander, not too fine and throw in salad bowl. Prepare the couscous as per instructions on the packet or use the following as a general guide. Bring water and oil to boil and remove from heat. Add couscous and allow water to absorb. Fluff couscous with a fork or whisk and stir through butter. Add couscous to salad bowl. Scoop out of skins the mango and avocado dices and add to the salad bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over all ingredients and mix through.
8
Roas Capsicum & Tomato Soup This recipe is quick and easy but oh so yummy. Be careful if you have any sensitivity to capsicum or tomatoes, as your skin will probably turn the same colour as the soup. We found this out when we served the soup to one of our friends. Oops.
ingredients
4 capsicums halved 8 tomatoes halved splash of olive oil 3 cups vegetable stock basil salt and pepper to taste parmesan crusty bread
method
Pre heat oven to 220째C. Cut capsicum in half and remove seeds. Place in oven tray with halved tomatoes skin side up and roast for 30-40 mins or until capsicums skins have started to blacken. Remove from oven and allow to cool for approx 5 mins. Place capsicums in plastic bag and allow to sweat for 5 mins. Remove from the bag. Peel off and discard the capsicum skins. Place remaining flesh and the roasted tomatoes in a food processor with the stock and blend until smooth. Heat soup on the stove until hot and stir through the basil. Season with the salt and pepper to desired taste. Serve soup in a deep bowl, topped with grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread on the side.
9
Onion Jam Onion is one of my favourite ingredients, and a great way to spend a long Sunday afternoon is making this Jam. I am not much of a jam expert- I probably get this from my mom who burnt a batch of jam so badly she had to buy a new attachment for her drill to clean the pot. Getting this to set can be tricky- I just keep adding jamsetta until I think it is ready, if you are not happy with the constancy you can always reboil the jam and add more pectin. Onion Jam is great on sandwiches with ham, or on crackers with aged cheese or baked ricotta, it also makes a good replacement for the chutney in our Shepherds Pie recipe. I have tried replacing the cardamom with cloves for a different flavour, this is also delicious.
ingredients
4 whole garlic bulbs 5 cups chopped brown onions ¾ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 tsp salt ½ tsp ground ginger 6 cups raw sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil ¼ cup butter ½ cup fresh lemon juice 1 tbs mustard seeds ¾ tsp white pepper 1 tbs cardamom seeds 2 sachets jamsetta
method
Remove the papery skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut top off garlic bulbs; brush with oil. Wrap each bulb in foil. Bake at 200°C for 30 minutes or until softened. Cool for 10-15 minutes In a large thick bottomed heavy duty ovenproof pot sauté onions in butter for 30-40 minutes at 200°C or until lightly browned. Squeeze garlic into pot. Stir in the cider vinegar, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, ginger and cardamom. Bring to a rolling boil. Gradually add sugar stirring constantly. Return to boil for 3 minutes. Add jamsetta; bring to a full rolling boil for 6-10 minutes. Skim off foam. Pour hot mixture into sterilised jars leaving a 2cm at the top. Seal with melted wax for storage.
10
Lazy Dog No, this isn’t a recipe Ross has brought back from China, or a recipe involving Mischa – our lazy greyhound. It comes from our favourite breakfast spot in Brisbane- Brown Dog, where every Saturday Ross Mark and Mischa would jump in Ula (our Saab convertible) to join our friends for a bitch, perv and most importantly, good coffee. Of course we were patrons well before Brown Dog hit the big time after a fabulous review in the local rag. Then everyone wanted to be there – including the lawyer to Australia’s representative at Guantanemo Bay, and the newly appointed female Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh. Anna was particularly impressed with Mischa – a brown dog at Brown Dog! Being such regulars we also became friends with the owners. Soon we were attending a family 21st and gate crashing their party as we walked home one night. Brown Dog has many memories and a place we cannot miss when in Brisbane. The Lazy Dog was one of the items on the breakfast menu at Brown Dog and Ross’ favourite.
ingredients
ham scrambled eggs fresh sourdough or Turkish bread hp sauce cheese (optional)
method
Lightly toast the bread under grill, add ham and heat slightly, make a sandwich all the ingredients and tuck in.
Good quality ham is best
11
Eggs Benedict Rumour has it that Lemuel Benedict, a retired Wall Street stock broker, wandered into the Waldorf Hotel in 1894 and, hoping to find a cure for his morning hangover, and ordered “buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon and a hooker of hollandaise”. And since then many variations have been created. I love smoked salmon, and Mark does not, this is great because I can eat twice as much, and Mark’s version uses ham. We have not mastered the correct way to poach eggs, and when we have tried we always end up with a watery mess, so we use and egg poacher
ingredients
400g smoked salmon 4-6 slices shaved ham 2 thick slices fresh bread (Turkish, sourdough, or English muffins) 2 egg yolks 1 lemon, juiced ¼ cup of cream ½ tsp mustard powder 50g butter ¼ tsp salt pepper to taste
method
Make the Hollandaise Sauce by melting butter in metal bowl over simmering hot water. Add egg yolks & cream. Whisk constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from heat. Add lemon, mustard & salt and beat until smooth. It is important to test the taste, we often find it needs more lemon juice. Tweak as necessary for desired taste. Poach the eggs to preference (hard or soft), and lightly toast the bread, Stack the bread, salmon or ham, and top with hollandaise sauce and freshly ground black pepper.
12
Bunny Chow Bunny chow is a slang term for a South African fast food consisting of a hollowed out loaf of bread filled with curry. It was created in Durban, during the 1940s, home to a large community of people of Indian origin. The dish was developed while apartheid was still in effect. One story has it that a restaurant run by people known as Banias (an Indian caste) first created the scooped-out bread and curry dish, in Grey Street, Durban. The food was a means to serve take-aways to excluded people, before take-away plates were invented. Bunny chows come in quarter, half and full loaves. When ordering a bunny chow in Durban, the local slang dictates that you need only ask for a “quarter mutton� (or flavour and size of your choice). Bunny chows are strictly a messy fingers affair, locals find the use of utensils quite amusing. Our version is a cheats version, making this great for a quick mid-week meal, and uses a curry mix, we get these from Indian supermarkets, or in South African shops you can get traditional Durban curry mix. We like to use Kangaroo meat in our curries, adding an Aussie variation, but any meat can be used. Fresh crusty unsliced white bread is best.
ingredients
curry mix 1 tbs oil 400g kangaroo filled, diced 2 potatoes, cubed 2 carrots, sliced bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped unliced loaf of fresh bread
method
Heat the oil in a pan, and add the kangaroo, browning on all sides in batches. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pan and brown. Return the kangaroo to the pan with the curry mix and cook as per the directions, until the potatoes are soft. Halve the loaf of bread, and pull out the soft filling, leaving the crust. Stir coriander into curry, and spoon the curry into the bread halves. Top with the bread filling, and serve with Mrs. Balls chutney.
13
Zucchini, & Mushroom Pizza This is a great midweek dinner, which we through together one night. We think it stands up to many a good pizza – including the famous Chicago deep-dish pizza
ingredients
2 fresh pizza bases, or flat bread such as Lebanese or pita bread 1 chicken breast, quartered 250g sun dried tomatoes, plus some oil from jar 1 small chili or 1 tsp of chili flakes (optional) 1 zucchini, grated 6 button mushrooms or 3 portobello mushrooms sliced thinly 400g tub of baby boccocini or approx 4 larger balls, diced 15-20 large kalamata olives extra grated mozzarella cheese (optional) smoky bbq sauce
method
Pre heat oven to 220°C and preheat pizza stones or flat baking tray. Poach chicken breast in pot of salted boiling water for 10-15 min or until cooked. Meanwhile, take bases out of packet. You could make the bases yourself, as Ross used to, however the novelty will soon wear off. Create a tapenade by blending the sun dried tomatoes with the chili flakes and oil. Spread over bases generously. Shred or cut chicken and divide between pizzas. Layer with the grated zucchini, sliced mushrooms and mozzarella. Scatter the boccocini and olives over the pizza and transfer to pizza stones and cook for approx 10-12 min or until cheese has melted and begins to brown. Serve with smoky bbq sauce drizzled over each pizza. Don’t forget the pizzas in the oven, this is what the look like after 1 hour
15
Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs This recipe is one that is never the same but always good. The measurements below for the marinade are all approximations, as Ross never measures anything. So tweak if necessary. The bitterness of the marmalade is offset by the sweetness of the honey, and because there is so much sugar your bbq will also get pretty dirty – and there is also a high probability of the odd flame or two so don’t leave the bbq unattended. We find ribs can be quite expensive, but they are much cheaper and easier to get in Chinatown.
ingredients
Chinese rice wine vinegar 2 strips of pork ribs Marinade 4cm piece of ginger 5 cloves garlic ¼ cup honey ½ cup marmalade (what ever flavour you prefer, ginger works well, or try blood orange) 1/3 cup soy sauce 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
method
Place the ribs in a roasting dish and half cover with water and a splash of the rice wine vinegar. Cover with foil and bake at 200°C for 1 hour Process ginger and garlic together into small chunky pieces. Combine them with all remaining ingredients and tweak as you feel necessary. Cook this mixture on a medium heat until thickened. When the ribs are cooked, drain off the water and cover with the marinade. Preheat the bbq grill on high. When hot, place ribs on the bbq and reduce to a medium heat. Using the remaining marinade, baste one side then turn. Repeat regularly to build the layers of marinade on both sides. When you have used most/all of remaining marinade basting the ribs they should be ready to eat. Serve with our couscous salad and/or over-baked potatoes.
16
Capsicum Pasa This one is a new addition to our list, as we have only discovered since moving to Perth. The last thing we want to do is slave in the kitchen, especially midweek after work. This recipe is super fast and delicious and quickly became one of our favourites. It is particularly good if your loved one is out of town (as it is so easy), however much more enjoyable together.
ingredients
5-6 Capsicums cut into thin strips 2 chorizo sausages olives (fat kalamata ones are best) olive oil pasta of choice (large format mega-pasta is best) zest of 1 lemon basil (1 bunch shredded) pepper grated parmesan
method
Preheat Oven to 220. Slice capsicum thinly and place in baking tray. Dice and add chorizo and whole olives. Give generous splash of olive oil then place in oven and cook for approx 25-30mins turning after 15mins. Meanwhile bring large saucepan to boil to cook pasta. Cook as per directions. We prefer big round pasta but what ever floats your boat will be fine. Try and time so your pasta and capsicums finish together. Drain Pasta then mix into cooked capsicum/chorizo/olive mix. Add basil and lemon zest, and season with pepper. Place into bowls and sprinkle with shaved parmesan.
17
Filei Calabresi Milano Delicious magazine is the Australian equivalent of Cuisine Magazine in New Zealand and where we discover many of our recipes. This one is a recent find and allows us to use some of our herbs growing in the garden. Good quality Italian sausage from your local deli or European butcher makes big difference (these are easier to find than a large Chinese sausage; see p25).
ingredients
2 tbs olive oil 2 red onions 500g good quality Italian sausage (skin discarded). 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbs chopped rosemary Âź tsp dried chili flakes 1 cup tomato passata 1 cup beef stock 400g of Filei Calabresi pasta (or any good quality pasta of choice) 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley 100ml thickened cream 80g grated parmesan salt and pepper
method
Heat oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add onion and cook till a light golden colour. Add sausage meat and garlic and cook for 3-4mins breaking up meat to cook through. Add rosemary, chili passata and stock. Season sauce with salt and pepper and then cook over a low heat for 15-20mins. Meanwhile cook pasta according to the instructions. Drain and add pasta to the sauce then stir in parsley and cream. Serve in pasta bowls with scattered parmesan on top.
18
Marinated Kangaroo with Alpine Salad Who knew Skippy could taste so good, and be one of the healthiest pieces of meat you can eat. Mischa, Bosie and Chad also love Kangaroo. Kangaroo works really well with sweeter sauces/marinades however also works well with Cajun spices if you prefer. The ratios of jam to balsamic can be tweaked to taste.
ingredients
Kangaroo 4 cloves garlic ½ cup blackberry Jam Ÿ cup balsamic vinegar 2 tbs olive oil salt and pepper to taste 2 kangaroo fillets
Alpine Salad 100g salad greens (endive, rocket, or baby spinach) Âź cup walnuts 1 tbs honey 1 tbs lemon juice 1 tbs olive oil 3-4 shredded sage leaves
method
Mince garlic in small food processor or chop finely. Combine with jam, balsamic vinegar and olive oil then pour over kangaroo. Marinade overnight. On a hot bbq cook the fillets and baste regularly with remaining marinade. Cook to personal preference but we have found it is best to not over cook kangaroo. To make the salad dressing melt the honey in the microwave for a few seconds to soften, whisk with the lemon juice, olive oil and sage leaves. Combine the dressing with the salad greens and walnuts. Allow the meat to rest for a couple of minutes before serving
19
Pumpkin & Pancetta Risotto Pumpkin is one of Mark’s favourite vegetables, so this recipe always goes down well. You need to get the pancetta from a deli, and ask them to slice it into 1cm thick slices (I always get odd looks from the Italian lady at the Re-Store here in Perth because I want it sliced so thick), you will only need 2 slices for the recipe, and regular pancetta can be used for a milder finish. This recipe also works well with chicken, mushrooms, and asparagus.
ingredients
½ butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed 2 cups arborio rice 300g hot pancetta, cut into 1cm cubes 1 brown onion, chopped ½ cup dry white wine 5-6 cups warm chicken stock cup grated parmesan or romano cheese 150g baby spinach leaves, washed and dried butter salt pepper olive oil
method
In a large pan melt the butter until it is nut-brown, be careful not to burn it. Add the pumpkin and cover the pan, turning occasionally to brown the cubes on all sides until they are soft. Set aside half of the pumpkin and puree half with a dash of wine to a smooth consistency. Brown the onion an pancetta in the same pan, adding a little oil if needed, once cooked set this aside, but do not drain the fat, leave this in the pan. In the same pan add the rice and cook on a high heat for a few minutes until it is starting to brown, add the wine. When the wine is absorbed, turn down the heat and add the stock, half a cup at a time, waiting until each addition is well absorbed. Keep adding the stock until the rice is cooked and soft. Stir in the pumpkin pureé and season with salt and pepper In a large bowl combine the rice with the pumpkin, pancetta, onion, spinach and cheese. Stir until the spinach is wilted. Garnish with extra cheese, and serve.
21
Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon Thyme Butter This is so easy to make, and probably the only vegetarian meal we regularly cook. Fresh thyme can be tricky to get in supermarkets, and there is nothing more frustrating than planning this meal, and then not being able to get a key ingredient, so we have planted our own herb garden with plenty of fresh thyme.
ingredients
250g ricotta cheese ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese 1 egg lightly beaten ½ cup plain flour ¼ cup Italian/continental parsley chopped sea salt and cracked pepper Extra parmesan cheese to serve Lemon thyme butter 80g butter 2 tsp thyme leaves 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind 2 tsp lemon juice
method
To make the lemon and thyme butter, place butter, thyme, lemon rind and juice in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until butter is melted. Set aside and keep warm. Place ricotta, parmesan, egg, flour, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl and combine well. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a long ‘rope’. Cut into 2cm pieces and lightly press with the back of a fork. Cook in batches in lightly salted water for 2-3 mins or until cooked through. Remove from water and place in serving bowls. Spoon over the lemon butter and top with extra parmesan and cracked black pepper to serve.
22
Icanhascheezburger.com
INSERT CHEEZBURGER
ingredients
1 onion 2 cloves of garlic 400g lean beef mince Âź cup bread crumbs (approx) 1 tbs dried oregano 1 egg 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce sliced aged cheddar bread rolls sliced tomato cos lettuce leaves tomato sauce (All Gold from your local South African store is best)
HERE Chad loves cheezburgers
CHEEZBURGER
method
Halve onion and slice one of the halves into rings. Puree the other half with the garlic and add mince, bread crumbs, oregano, egg and Worcestershire sauce. Combine using hands then flatten mixture into large rectangle. Cut into square shaped patties. You should get 4-8 depending on how thick you like your patties. Cook patties on hot bbq along with onion if like Mark you prefer cooked onion with your burger. When patties are almost done place the aged cheddar on top to melt. Assemble burger on the bread rolls using the cheese patties, tomatoes, onion, lettuce and of course some tomato sauce.
IZ FINGER LICKIN GOOD
23
Yum Cha Cha Cha “Yum cha” is a term in Cantonese which means “drink tea”. It refers to the custom of eating small servings of different foods while sipping Chinese tea in Cantonese speaking areas of southern China. It is an integral part of the culinary culture of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau. The tea is important, for it is said to help digest the rich foods. In the past, people went to a teahouse to yum cha, but Dim Sum restaurants have been gaining overwhelming popularity of late. With this all said, Mark and I prefer this with chilled Rosé. Auckland (Howick), Brisbane and Perth all have fantastic little Chinatowns, and on a Friday night after work we often stop in and grab a variety of frozen wontons, dim sum, buns, crab balls etc. Place in steamer and cook for approx 10-15mins or as per directions. Assemble on platter and enjoy with a selection of sauces. Our preferences are Sweet Chili, Hoi Sin, Kepis Mantis Soy Sauce, and chili flakes. Bamboo steamers are ideal for cooking this, also cheaply available from Chinatown.
24
Pad Thai-ish This recipe goes way back to about 2001 when living in Parnell. It has become one of our favourites. It is not very traditional, but is very tasty, and a good mid-week meal.
ingredients
1-2 tbs sesame,peanut or vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves crushed 250g pork mince 1 packet rice noodles 2 eggs 3 spring onions chopped ¼ cup coriander chopped 1 juicy lime 1 avocado sliced and diced Satay Sauce ¼ cup peanut butter 1 cup sweet chili sauce 1 tbs fish sauce
method
Prepare sauce by mixing heaped scoop of peanut butter in a bowl with the sweet chili sauce and fish sauce. The measurements are only approx so if sauce seems too thick add a little more sweet chili sauce. Set aside till required. If using dry rice noodles prepare by cooking in boiling water until soft then drain. Heat oil in wok then add garlic. Fry for approx 30sec or begins to change colour then add meat and cook through. Make a small well in base of wok and add eggs. Scramble the eggs and then stir in the rice noodles and satay sauce. After 1-2mins add remaining ingredients. Mix through all ingredients ‘till well combined. Enjoy.
25
Char Kway Teow (CKT) While living in Auckland Mark worked at DFS, a duty free store which catered mainly to the Asian tourism market. Opposite DFS was a foodcourt called Food Alley, which has a variety of Asian restaurants grouped together in this dingy old building. If you did not know of it and were passing by you probably wouldn’t venture in, however the food at this place was exceptional, and most important in Mark’s eyes, cheap. Food Alley exposed us to many dishes from throughout Asia, often recommended by the girls Mark worked with. CKT however is a dish not from our Food Alley days. While living at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane there was a Malaysian restaurant nearby. CKT was the dish of choice from this eatery and still a favourite noodle dish when eating out. We have now created a version ourselves based around a recipe we found online. It’s best to be organised and prepare all the ingredients before starting the cooking process.
ingredients
2 pkts dried rice noodles (preferably square in shape often called rice flakes) 6-8 tbs peanut or vegetable oil 6 lap cheong (Chinese sweet sausage) sliced diagonally into thin pieces. nb the sausage we use comes in a packet of 6 and are small so if you find a big Chinese sausage congratulations! Apparently they do exist however we are still yet to find one. Oh and you may need to use less. 1 cup prawns de-veined and tails on. (Preferably green prawns) 1/2 cup squid sliced thinly into rings (frozen rings are fine) 3-4 eggs scrabbled 4 spring onions chopped 2 cups bok choy (the leafy section) or Chinese vegetables of choice. nb these leafy sections will shrivel so don’t panic if it seems a lot 4 tbs sweet soy (kepis manis) 6 tbs soy sauce chili flakes (optional) Pan Roasted Chili Paste 3 tbs peanut or vegetable oil 4 cloves garlic minced or chopped finely 1 tbs belecan (dried shrimp paste) 1 tbs raw or brown sugar 1 ½ cups sambal oelek (chili paste)
26
method Pan Roasted Chili Paste Heat wok with oil. Add the garlic and stir for approx 30 secs. Add the belecan and continue to cook for approx 2-3mins. Add Sambal Oelek and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow paste to thicken. You should see the oil begin to separate and colour turns to a dark reddish brown. Remove from wok and set aside. This should make enough for 2-3 dishes and any extra can be stored in the fridge. Char Kway Teow Ensure all ingredients required to be pre prepared are ready to go. In a bowl or cup mix the sweet soy with the regular soy sauce and set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and add the noodles. Allow to cook until al-dente. Cool with cold running water and drain well. It is important not to cook fully as the noodles will continue to cook when stirfrying. If overcooked they will tend to break up a lot during the next step. Heat wok with oil. Add lap cheong and cook for approx 1 min. Add noodles and approx half of the soy sauce mixture. Stir fry over high heat for a few mins. Add prawns and squid and continue to cook. When prawns begin to turn pink and egg and 4 tbs of the pan roasted chili sauce. Stir through then add the greens and remaining soy sauce. Stir until the greens have wilted and the noodles become slightly charred. Serve hot and add chili flakes if you like an extra punch.
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Shepherds Cottage Pie There is some debate on the name of this dish, Ross likes to call it Cottage Pie, and Mark insists that it is Shepherds Pie, according to Wikipedia, both names are acceptable. In preparing our book of favourite recipes for you all to enjoy, we had to make our Shepherds Pie in the heat of Perth’s summer, which is 35°C-40°C on a regular basis. Having combined the two, we highly recommend this to be a winter recipe.
ingredients
1 tbs oil 1 onion chopped 500g mince 2 tbs plain flour 2 tbs tomato sauce 2 tbs chutney (we use Mrs Balls) ¾ cup beef stock 3-4 potatoes (peeled and chopped) 1 cup grated cheese salt and pepper
method
Place potatoes in boiling water and cook while preparing the mince. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and cook until clear. Add mince and cook through. Drain any excess fat. Sprinkle flour over the mince and cook for approx 1 min. Add tomato sauce, chutney and stock. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer for 5mins or until thickens. Season with salt and pepper then set aside. When potatoes are cooked, drain and then return to the saucepan. Over a low heat mash the potatoes to remove any excess moisture. Add ½ the cheese and mix till smooth. Place mince mixture in small ovenproof bowls and top with potato. Sprinkle with remaining cheese then place under the grill. Once the cheese is golden brown remove and serve.
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Beef, Stout & Potato Pie We could live on this sort of food from Easter ‘til Melbourne Cup Day and be none the worse for it. This is a fantastic Sunday evening meal, it takes a while to prepare, and is a great way to spend a chilly winter Sunday afternoon, best served with our alpine salad (see kangaroo recipe on p18), and a pale ale. The pies can be frozen, and then defrosted and heated in a hot oven for an easy mid-week meal.
ingredients
1kg chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes ¼ cup plain flour, seasoned 20g unsalted butter 2 tbs olive oil 2 onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 carrots, finely chopped 1 tbs tomato paste 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 400ml Guinness or Irish stout 1 bay leaf 300g chat potatoes, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes 375ml beef stock 6 sheets puff pastry 1 egg beaten
method
Lightly coat beef in flour, shaking off and reserving excess flour. Heat butter and oil in a large flameproof casserole or saucepan over a medium-high heat. In batches, brown beef all over for 3-4 minutes, then remove and set aside. Add onion, garlic and carrot to the pan (with a little extra oil if needed) and stir for 2-3 min. Return beef to the pan, stir in paste and reserved flour, add sauce, stout, bay leaf, potato and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 1½ hours or until the beef is tender and sauce is thick. Cool completely Preheat oven to 190°C. Cut two 2cm stirps from the sides of each pastry sheet. Set aside. Cut pie lids from remaining pastry, 1cm wider then the top of six 2-cup (500ml) pie dishes or ovenproof bowls. Press the pastry strips around the rim of each pie dish to make a ‘collar’. Carefully pour in the cooled beef mixture. Brush the top edge of the ‘collars’ with a little water, and then top with pie lids and press firmly around with a fork the edges to seal well. Make 2 cuts in each pit top and brush with egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
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Butter Chicken ingredients
2 Qantas airfares to auckland (Air NZ, or Emirates if not available) 1 table booking; call Meena on +64 9 377 9090 (tell her Mark sent you) several bottles of byo wine
method
Sadly, there is no recipe to this dish – which we have possession of anyhow. Having traveled many countries, and trying many incarnations of this heavenly dish, only one restaurant; the scene of many special occasions including birthdays, anniversary’s, farewells and pre wedding dinners, has truly satisfied us. And such regulars were we that despite not returning for over 12 months, on our last visit the staff still remembered our names. That restaurant is Oh Calcutta, 151 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland 1052, New Zealand www.ohcalcutta.co.nz
Hot ‘n Spicy Nuts Our Hot n Spicy nuts go down a treat at any party, these are great served with ice cold beer.
ingredients
500g assorted unsalted nuts 2 tbs coarsely chopped fresh rosemary ½ tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp soft brown sugar 2 tsp maldon salt 1 tbs unsalted butter, melted
method
Pre heat the oven to 180°C. Toast nuts for approx 10mins or until they become a light golden brown colour. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients. Add the toasted nuts and mix thoroughly. Serve warm.
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Crème Brûlée In one of my favourite movies Amélie, the lead character Amélie Poulain says she loves nothing more than cracking the crispy sugar on the top of Crème brûlée, and I could not agree more. The hardened tortoiseshell layer of sugar on the top of crème brûlée reveals a smooth eggy cream. This recipe is very easy to make, and is guaranteed to impress. We are lucky enough to have a gas powered grill which is great for melting the sugar, but I recommend investing in a chefs blowtorch (I find wielding it somewhat rewarding too), although I have successfully made this many times under a very hot grill on a regular oven. This is a mixture of several recipes, and some use a baking method, I prefer making the custard on the stove-top because you can easily control the thickness, there is nothing more disheartening that going to all the effort to have a runny result. This can be set in one large pie dish, or 4-6 smaller rammekins.
ingredients
600ml double cream 1 vanilla pod 8 egg yolks 3 tbs caster sugar approx 6 tbs raw sugar
method
Put 20cm pie dish, or rammekins into the freezer for at least 20 minutes. Half fill the sink with cold water. This is just a precaution in case the custard looks as if it’s about to split, if it does plunge the pot into the water and whisk the custard. I have never had this happen, but it is a good insurance policy. Put the cream and vanilla pod into a saucepan and bring to boiling point, but do not let it boil. Beat the eggs and caster sugar together in a bowl, and still beating, pour in the cream. Fish the pod out, split it in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds, add this and the remains of the pod to the custard mixture. Rinse and dry the pan and pour the custard mix back in. Cook over a medium to low heat until the custard thickens. About 10 minutes should do it. You do want this to be a good voluptuous créme, so don’t err on the side of runny caution. If the custard does split plunge the pan into the water and whisk the mixture until smooth, or remove the vanilla pod and use a soup mixer to process it to a velvet consistency. When the custard is thick enough remove the vanilla pod, and pour the mixture into the chilled pie dish or rammekins. Place this into the fridge to chill. Sprinkle evenly with the raw sugar, and burn with a blowtorch until the sugar melts starts to blister. This can then be left in the fridge, but take it out 20 minutes before serving.
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Blueberry Banana Bread This has become one of our weekly rituals on a Sunday. Ross doubles the recipe below and bakes approx 3 loaves for our weekly breakfast. Each morning while Ross catches an additional 30mins of sleep Mark will make fresh coffee and toast some of the banana bread for breakfast.
ingredients
1 ¾ cups self raising flour ¼ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt ½ cup sugar 2 eggs ¼ cup milk 75g melted butter 1 cup mashed banana 1 cup frozen or one punnet of fresh blueberries
method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Mix in sugar. In another bowl beat eggs then stir in milk, butter and banana. Combine with the dry ingredients until combined (don’t over mix) place mixture into loaf tins which have been greased/lined. Bake for 45-55 mins or a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for approx 10mins then turn out onto a cooling tray.
Eskimo Pie Inspired by a cocktail from a now defunct bar in Auckland called the Vodka Bar, the Eskimo Pie became a favourite at many of our parties in particular when living in Whakatane. The ratios below can of course be varied to your personal taste and are a general guide only. Our good friend, and chief cocktail maker Yvonne (pronounced Why窶天on for those not in the know) took this as license and made some of the most lethal Eskimos in history. An Eskimo Pie is a Kiwi treat made of vanilla ice cream covered in a thin layer if chocolate, and does not have a stick. If unavailable use something like a Magnum or similar. Another alternative is 70% dark chocolate and vanilla bean ice cream.
ingredients 4 eskimo pies 2 shots of vodka (serves 2)
method
Place in a blender and combine till chocolate is fine. Serve in chilled martini glasses. Garnished with shaved chocolate
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Tiramisu The phrase tira mi su literally means ‘pick-me-up’ when translated from Italian, referring to the combination of coffee and sugar, and this is a great way to end a meal. You need to use real espresso coffee, before we had our espresso machine, I would go down to our local café a buy 2 or 3 strong long blacks. I also like to use good quality cocoa, my favourite is Droste Dutch cacao. This recipe needs to be made several hours ahead, but ideally is should be made a day before so the coffee can really soak into the sponge biscuits. Marasala is a fortified wine, that can be bought cheaply at liquor stores.
ingredients
2 cups strong black coffee 1/2 cup marsala 3 eggs, separated 1/3 cup[ caster sugar 250g marscapone 300ml thickened cream, lightly whipped 1 large packet sponge fingers (savoiardi or boudoir) cocoa, for dusting
method
Pour coffee and marsala into a shallow dish and set aside. Beat egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer until they are pale and thick. Add the marsapone and whipped cream, mixing gently until just combined. Beat the eggwhites until soft peaks form. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the eggwhites into the marscapone mixture. Dip biscuits into the coffee mixture to soak up the coffee, (careful - the go soggy quickly), and line the base of a 20cm square ceramic dish with the coffee soaked biscuits. Cover the biscuits with one-third of the marscapone mixture. Repeat layers 2 times, ending with the cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Dust generously with cocoa and serve.
Conversion Tables OK, this is included for our millions of American readers, I can’t comprehend imperial weights and volumes, so it much be hard going to other way. We will still insist on spelling litres correctly and so on.
oven temperatures Gas Mark 1/4 1/2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
weight Grams 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
volume Mililitres 100 200 250 300 400 500 600 700 750 800 900 1000
Fahrenheit 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 475
Celsius 110 130 140 150 170 180 190 200 220 230 240
Description Very cool/very slow
Ounces 3.5 7 10.5 14.1 17.6 21.1 24.6 28.2 31.7 35.2
Kilograms 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Pounds 0.220 0.440 0.661 0.881 1.102 1.322 1.543 1.763 1.984 2.20
Ounces 3.38 6.76 8.453 10.144 13.525 16.907 20.288 23.669 25.360 27.051 30.432 33.814
Litres Gallons 0.1 0.026 0.2 0.052 0.25 0.066 0.3 0.079 0.4 0.105 0.5 0.132 0.6 0.158 0.7 0.184 0.75 0.198 0.8 0.211 0.9 0.237 1 0.26
cool very moderate moderate moderately hot hot very hot
Cooking made easy with the biggest tools in the kitchen
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ross@chrystall.co.nz chacha.mark@gmail.com www.pantone801.com www.flickr.com/photos/pantone801