Parmesan Shortbread

Ingredients

150g plain flour
75g grated parmesan 
100g butter
1 egg yolk

Directions

1. Mix into a dough 
2. roll out 
3. cut 
4. bake at 180 until edges golden (15-20 min)

Smoked Salmon Terrine

Ingredients

500g Smoked Salmon

500g Ricotta

1 bunch dill

Juice of 1 lemon

Powdered vegetable stock (to taste)

Directions

1.     Take the ricotta, lemon juice and dill. Blitz in food processor until smooth and creamy (5+ minutes)

2.     Season to taste with the vegetable stock (blitz in-between each addition)

3.     Line a dish with cling film, then cover with a single layer of smoked salmon.

4.     Spoon some of the ricotta into base of dish and spread.

5.     Cover with salmon

6.     Repeat until there is either no more room in the dish, no more salmon or no more ricotta.

7.     Wrap with cling film and refrigerate.

Hot Cross Buns

16g  sachets dried yeast

1 1/4 cups (310ml) milk, warmed

1/4 cup (60g) caster sugar

4 cups (600g) plain flour

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground mixed spice

1 tsp salt

60g butter

1&1/2  cup sultanas

½ cup candied peel

2 eggs

1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour

1. Whisk yeast, milk and caster sugar until the sugar dissolves. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2.  Sift plain flour with cinnamon, mixed spice and salt into a large bowl. 
3. Use your fingertips to rub in butter.
4. Stir in sultanas, peel, eggs and yeast mixture. 
5. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead 5 mins. 
6. Put in large greased bowl. Cover. Leave in warm spot 3/4 hour. 
7. Punch down. Knead until smooth. Shape into 12 balls. Put into 30cm x 20cm greased baking tray. Set aside 1/4 hour.
8. Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine self-raising flour and 1/4 cup (60ml) water. Pipe crosses onto the buns. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and bake for a further 15 minutes.

Zucchini Pasta

350g of pasta shapes (shells, penne etc)

1 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic chopped

25g butter

4 large zucchini grated

175g ricotta cheese

50g cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

finely chopped garlic chives

1. Cook pasta as per instructions;
2. In a frypan soften the onion and garlic in the butter;
3. Add the zucchini and cook for a further 2 minutes;
4. Add ricotta and heat gently, stirring constantly. Season to taste and stir through chives;
5. Mix drained pasta with sauce in an oven proof dish;
6. Sprinkle with cheddar and grill until melted.

Winter Peasant's Soup

2 Carrots

Half Bunch Celery

Turnip

Parsnip

Couple of potatoes

1/2 small cabbage

1 Onion

Couple of chicken thighs

200gish chuck beef

2 Kransky

200g Bacon bones

Packet of italian soup mix

Vegetable stock

1. Peel and coarsely chop all root veg;
2.  Finely chop celery (including leaves) and onion;
   
3. Finely chop cabbage.
4. Put a LARGE saucepan on the stove (This makes A LOT of soup) and heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil;
5. Add celery and onion to pan and cook stirring until soft;
6. Add water until the pan is 3/4 full;
7. Add stock, and other vegetables;
8. Cube meats roughly and throw in pot;
9. Throw bacon bones in pot;
10. Rinse soup mix and then add to pot;
11. Simmer for about 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
12. Enjoy.
13. 
    

Butterscotch Sauce

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup cream
50g butter
1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until all sugar dissolved and all butter melted. (Needs good constant stirring or the sugar will stick and BURN!)

You should have plenty of this left over after serving with the date pudding. Goes well on icecream.

Tim's Secret Sticky Date Recipie

1 1/4 cups pitted dates
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 tsp baking soda
60g butter, cubed
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self raising flour

1. Turn oven to 180°C and grease and line a cake tin;
2. Add dates, boiling water and bicarb soda to a bowl and let soak for 5 minutes;
3. Add contents of bowl to sugar and butter in a blender or food processor;
4. Process until just blended;
5. Add eggs and flour;
6. Process until just combined, stopping to scrape flour from sides to ensure proper mixing;
7. Pour into tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cooked through(i.e. skewer comes out just clean). You may want to cover with foil at the 30 minute mark if the top is getting too crisp;
8. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out of tin and serving with butterscotch sauce and cream or icecream.
   

Scones

2 Cups Self Raising Flour
3/4 cup milk
30g Butter
1 tsp sugar

1. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips. It should look like breadcrumbs when you are done;
2. Add sugar, and then stir in the milk. You should get a soft but not sticky dough (if need be, add more flour. SLOWLY!);
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and gently shape the dough until it is about 2.5 cm thick;
4. Cut out scones with a pastry cutter, gently shaping leftover dough back into a 2.5 cm slab to continue cutting until you run out of dough;
5. Place in a 22o°C oven for 12-15 minutes. The scones will be golden brown;
6. Serve with jam and cream.
   

Stout Beef

1 kg Chuck Steak cubed and rolled in plain flour
2 onions chopped finely (I cheat and use frozen, less tears that way)
1 500g bag mixed vegetables
beef stock
red jam (raspberry, strawberry or whatever)
1 longneck of stout (I like using Sheaf Stout)
Small splash olive oil
bay leaf
pepper

1. Add the olive oil to a large saucepan and heat;
2. add onions and cook until browned, then add meat and brown that, stirring so it does not stick;
3. once meat is browned, add the stout and about 2 cups of beef stock;
4. add mixed vegetables, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer until meat is tender, adding more water or stock if needed, and stirring occasionally so it does not stick to the pan. It should take an hour or two;
5. now add a tablespoon of jam and stir in well. Taste. If too bitter- add more jam, too sweet- add some white wine vinegar, not savoury enough -add more stock powder. Go slowly with this, you dont want to over do it and ruin the stew.

Now you have one very hearty, tasty stew. Eat with mash potatoes, in a pie, with bread or just on its own.

Chilli Vinegar

Chillies
1 bottle white balsamic vinegar

1. Slice the chillies in half;
2. remove the plastic spout thing from the vinegar bottle;
3. Add the chillies to the vinegar;
4. replace the spout thingy;
5. put in the back of a dark cupboard for a few weeks;
6. Enjoy
   

Eggs Benedict

4 rashers bacon
2 english muffins
2 1/2 tbsp vinegar
4 eggs
2 pitted black olives
Hollandaise Sauce

1. Bring a large shallow pan of water to the boil whilst you perform the next two steps
   
2. Cook the bacon until crisp and toast the muffins;
3. Put the bacon on the muffins and keep warm whilst you poach the eggs;
4. Crack the eggs one at a time into small bowls or cups;
5. Stir the water in the pan to create a slow whirlpool motion;
6. Slowly slide in the eggs one at a time. If your pot is large enough you can do them all at once, if not, do them one or two at a time. It should take 2 or 3 minutes for the eggs to cook. Carefully remove them with a slotted spoon;
7. Once the water has dripped off the egg, place it on the bacon and muffin, and then cover with Hollandaise Sauce and half an olive.
   

Hollandaise Sauce

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water
45 g clarified butter* melted
1/4 tsp lemon juice

1. Whisk the yolk with the water in a heat proof bowl until foamy;
2. place the bowl over a pan half filled with simmering water and whisk until thick. The bowl should not touch the water;
3. slowly add the butter, over a very low heat, whisking constantly;
4. once all the butter is incorporated, strain the sauce into a clean bowl;
5. stir in the lemon juice and then season with salt and pepper.
   

*85g butter makes 45g clarified butter.
Heat the butter in a small pan until melts over a low heat without stirring.
Skim the froth off the top, then carefully pour the clear yellow liquid into another container, leaving the white sediment.

Mango Salsa Chicken

2 Mangoes or 1 tin
1 bunch garlic chives
1 tbsp chilli vinegar
1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 shallot
1 full chicken breast
light soy sauce
1 cup rice
2 tbsp pistachios
2 tbsp slivered almonds
salt and pepper

1. remove flesh from the mango and cube;
2. slice shallot and garlic chives finely and place in a bowl with the mango flesh;
3. cover with balsamic and chilli vinegars;
4. Stir well and leave for at least an hour, but preferably overnight;
5. Add 1 and 1/2 cups water to the rice in a microwave proof bowl;
6. cook in the microwave for approx 14 minutes (this may be shorter or longer depending on your microwave);
7. While the rice is cooking, slice the chicken into thin strips, and mix with a healthy slug of light soy sauce;
8. Cook the chicken in a medium hot fry pan;
9. When the rice is cooked, stir through the almonds and pistachios;
10. Serve the chicken over the rice, with the mango salsa. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    

Porkadilly

2 Pork Loin Chops
2 shots scotch (good way to get rid of that last dreg you cannot face drinking)
2 tbsp light sour cream
meat tenderiser
dill weed
1 tsp vegetable stock powder

1. Sprinkle pork with tenderiser and leave 10 min;
2. Heat a frypan, and then add the pork when water splashed onto the pan sizzles;
3. Pour 1/4 shot scotch over each loin;
4. Turn loins when halfway cooked and pour another 1/4 shot over each;
5. When pork cooked, remove from pan and place on a plate and cover to rest;
6. Deglaze pan with remainder of scotch, and add a generous amount of dill weed;
7. Add sour cream and adjust to taste with stock powder;
8. Serve with boiled potatoes and green salad.
   

Sea Egg

Since I will not be home tomorrow, I thought I'd make myself a bento lunch like the ones I will be making for my lovely and myself this semester.

1. Mixed Salad leaves
   
2. Green Seedless Grapes
   
3. Bhuja mix
   
4. Carrot Slices
   
5. Rockmelon
   
6. Seafood Omelette
   

Seafood Omelette

50g Marinara Mix
1 large egg
Handful Salad leaves
2 tbsp milk
salt and pepper

1. Finely chop salad leaves and place in a bowl;
2. Add egg and milk to the bowl and beat with a fork until well combined;
3. Cook marinara mix in a fry pan until almost cooked, then remove from pan;
4. Pour 1/3 of the egg mixture into the frypan, and sprinkle seafood on top;
5. When egg has mostly solidified, fold it in half, then pour another 1/3 of the egg mix into the pan;
   
6. Flip the cooked "log" onto the flat, then add the remaining egg;
7. Cook briefly on all sides, then remove from pan and slice into rounds.
   

Creamy Marinara Pasta

100g Marinara mix
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
Vegetable stock
2 tsp cornflour
1/2 a red capsicum
2 shallots
1/2 cup grated cheese
small pasta of choice

1. Chop shallot and capsicum into fine pieces;
2. In a saucepan combine marinara mix, capsicum, shallot, milk, water and stock. Heat on low until a boil is reached;
3. Mix cornflour with enough water to make paste, and add to saucepan. Boil for 30 sec to 1 minute and remove from heat;
4. Add cheese and stir;
5. Serve on small pasta.

Spiced Fish Fillets

1/8 cup milk
2/3 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp chilli powder or 1 small dried chilli (Don't be afraid, the yoghurt takes away the heat)
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
4 tbsp plain flour
2 white fish fillets (anything really. Basa, Nile Perch, or you can go better, whiting, snapper etc)
olive oil
1 small cucumber, diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 shallot, finely chopped
salt and pepper

1. In a mortar and pestle, or blender, grind spices together, then add stock and flour, stirring together well;
2. Place mix in a bowl, or deep plate large enough to fit fish;
3. In another bowl, or deep plate large enough to fit fish, mix milk and 2 tbsp of the yoghurt;
4. Dip the fish in the milk mixture, then coat in flour mixture;
5. Heat small splash of olive oil in pan. Cook fish for about 2 minutes each side, until flesh is no longer translucent and flakes easily;
6. Whilst fish is cooking, mix yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and shallot. Season with salt and pepper to taste;
7. Serve fish with yoghurt sauce and a green salad.
   

Salsa Rossa Fish

1 punnet cherry tomatoes
1/2 onion chopped
white balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vegetable stock powder
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic chopped finely
2 fillets firm white fish
1/4 cup flour
2 cups mixed salad leaves
1 slice multigrain bread
salt
pepper

1. Chop the tomatoes into quarters and add to a hot frypan along with onion, chopped garlic and a small splash of olive oil;
2. Cook on moderate heat until all ingredients are soft, then add vegetable stock powder and a generous splash of vinegar;
3. Cook down until vinegar is reduced. Season to taste, then place to one side.
4. Cube the bread, then dry fry to make crutons;
5. Season the flour, then dredge the fish in it;
6. Heat olive oil in a pan, then cook the fish until done (flesh should flake easily);
7. Serve on a plate with the salad and your dressing of preference
   

Gingerbread

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
4 tablespoons ginger
2 tablespoons allspice
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2 cups plain flour

1. In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves to boiling, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat; stir in soda (it will foam up).
3. Stir in butter till melted.
4. With a fork, stir in egg, then flour.
5. On a floured surface, knead dough till mixed. Divide dough in half, wrap half with plastic wrap; set aside.
6. Roll half the dough, with a rolling pin, slightly thinner than 1 cm
7. Cut with cutters.
8. Bake at 180C on a cookie sheet for 1o minutes; cool on a wire rack.

Bento Noodles

1 bundle Soba Noodles
4 scallops
6 green prawns
Broccoli Florets chopped finely
Cauliflower Florets chopped finely

1. Cook noodles
2. Heat fry pan and stirfry the vegetables. Put them to one side with the noodles;
3. Stirfry the prawns and scallops until cooked;
4. Combine all ingredients and stir fry briefly;
5. Serve with Soy sauce.
   

Green Pizza

4 Lebanese Breads or tortillas
1 packet frozen spinach
100g ricotta
50g ham chopped finely
bunch basil
100g semidried tomatoes
100g fetta cubed
Pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella

1. Blend thawed spinach with ricotta;
2. Spread on tortillas;
3. Scatter toppings on pizzas;
4. Cover lightly with Parmesan and mozzarella;
5. Grill until done.

The toppings can be added to or changed completely. Prawns are good, as is honey soy chicken, smoked tuna, etc. Go wild.

Scarborough Fair Dip

300g Ricotta
1 Bunch parsley
1 bunch rosemary
1 bunch thyme
1/2 bunch sage
Salt and pepper
Olive Oil

1. Place ricotta and finely chopped herbs in blender;
2. Blend until smooth, adding olive oil when needed for liquid;
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper;
4. Serve with crackers or crusty bread
   

A chicken caper

1 Chicken Breast per person
1 tbsp Capers per breast (finely chopped)
10g Butter per breast
1 clover garlic per breast (more if you want)
Small amount of grated cheese (cheddar works well)
Salt and pepper to season
Enough bacon to cover top side of breast.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
   
2. Mix the capers, cheese and garlic.
3. Cut a slit in the breast to make a pocket and place butter inside, along with caper mixture.
4. Roll thinner parts of the breast under itself so it is all approximately the same thickness.
5. Cover in bacon. Use toothpicks or cooking string if you need to to get the bacon to stay on. Just make sure you remove them before eating.
6. Bake for approximately half an hour or until done.
7. Serve with couscous, mixed vegetables and white sauce that has had a tbsp of Dijon mustard added.
   

Chicken Curry

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
3 tbsp plainflour
3 tbsp curry powder
750g chicken cubed
350ml chicken stock
1 tsp garam marsala
1 bunch coriander (cilantro)
1/2 lemon
4 tbsp light sour cream

1. heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan;
2. cook onion and garlic until they're soft;
3. in a bowl mix the flour and curry powder and toss the chicken in it;
4. add the chicken to the onion and garlic and cook until browned;
5. add the remaining flour and curry powder and cook for one minute;
6. add the stock and bring to the boil stirring;
7. simmer for fifteen minutes;
8. add coriander and garam marsala and cook for a further five minutes;
9. remove from heat and add lemon juice and sour cream;
10. served with rice, plain yogurt and sliced cucumber.
    

Pide

1 quantity chilli mince
1 quantity Naan dough (up to step 5)
1 cup grated cheese
Anything else you would like to include. Spinach, capers, feta etc all work well
Lemon quarters and sour cream to serve

1. Split dough into two portions;
   
2. Roll until 5mm thick;
3. Spread chilli mince, cheese and other toppings on center of dough;
4. Close by tucking edges together;
5. Place on a greased tray and place it in a hot oven for fifteen minutes or until brown;
6. Serve with lemon and sour cream.
   

Naan Bread

2/3 cup milk
2 cup plain flour
1&1/2 tsp yeast
1&1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp yoghurt

1. Mix milk at about blood temperature with yeast and sugar. Cover and leave to stand for 10 min;
2. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl before adding the yeast mixture, melted butter and the yoghurt;
3. Mix into soft dough and knead until smooth and elastic (about five minutes);
4. place dough in a lightly greased bowl cover and let stand in a warm place to 1/2 hours or so until dough is doubled in size;
   
5. Punch down dough and knead for five minutes;
   
6. Divide into six pieces and roll until about 3mm thick;
7. Place under a hot grill until browned and puffed on each side. To flavour, brush with melted butter and seasonings before grilling.
   

Chilli Mince Lasagne

Place chilli mince on pancake and roll;

Place in oven proof dish. Repeat;

Spoon white sauce over the top of rolled pancakes;

Sprinkle top with more cheese and place in oven until warmed through.

Pancakes for Lasagne Sheets

(Not for breakfast pancakes, they involve lemonade and self raising flour)

1 egg
2 cups plain flour
2 ish cups milk
2 tbsp oil or melted butter.
pinch salt

1. Mix all of the above in a large bowl;
2. Let stand half hour or so;
3. pour 1/2 cup of mixture into hot frypan (light spray of aerosol oil helps stop sticking)
4. Flip when surface appears no longer runny.

Chilli Mince

This is chilli mince, not chilli, despite what other people may say.
This is a chilli.
This is not

500g mince beef
2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 sachet taco seasoning (TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACOS!!!!)
1 tin refried beans
cumin (to taste)
chilli powder (to taste)
Mexican spice mix (to taste)

1. Fry garlic briefly;
   
2. Add mince and brown then drain off oil (if like me you couldn't afford the really nice stuff.);
3. Add beans and cook in briefly;
   
4. Add other ingredients, adjusting seasoning to taste. (If very dry add a little water or stock)

White Sauce

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1&1/2 cup milk
stock powder
1 cup grated cheese

1. Melt butter;
2. Add flour and cook briefly;
3. Add small amount of milk and whisk briskly to avoid lumps;
4. Quickly add more milk, stir in well, then add rest of milk;
5. Bring to boil on gentle heat, stirring continuously;
6. Add stock to taste;
7. Take off heat and stir cheese through.