Lazy Satay Curry

Confession: Sometimes I just don't have fresh coriander in the house.

I know, its such a foodie fail. But, like most people, I just don't. Therefore, sometimes I have to come up with things that taste delicious from stuff I find in the house and no fancy ingredients. This here satay is one of them. Sure it's not like the legitimate stuff from your local Thai takeout, but it'll do in a pinch, and as a bonus, it's vegan.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
A few handfuls of whatever vegetables you have (I used capsicum,carrot, mushrooms and beans)
1 tablespoon whatever curry paste you have on hand
1 400g can coconut milk
1/2 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon sambal oelek or any other chili you might have
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1. Saute the onion in the oil for a few minutes, then add the curry paste. Cook 1 minute.

2. Add everything else and simmer 15-20 minutes.


And there you have it. A pantry dish for lazy nights.

Christmas

Hope it was a good one!

Rum Balls

I am such a liar.

There is no rum in these, nor will there ever be. Well, if I make them there won't be.

I can't say I enjoy liqueur or alcohol in anything sweet. I still remember my excitement one afternoon at the school gate, when someone's mama brought rum balls to give out to the kids. Rum balls are seriously one of the only sweet things I not only eat but truly enjoy. I bit into that glorious little bundle of condensed milk, chocolate and coconut with gay abandon, and immediately wondered what the hell was wrong with it! This wasn't the rum balls of my dreams - this one tasted weird and icky and had some kind of foul tinge to it. I was assured it was only rum essence, given I was about nine years under age, but I was bitterly disappointed. Now looking back on it, all I can think about is Garth in Wayne's World 2 when Honey Horneye gives him an adult drink and he spits it out and exclaims "oh, this coke's gone bad!"

Garth, I know exactly what you mean.

While we're on the subject, rum balls or truffles or dream balls or whatever you want to call them, should never include sultanas or be made from Weet Bix. Thank you.

Ingredients:
1 packet Arnott's Marie biscuits, or plain sweet biscuits (250g)
1 400g tin condensed milk
1 cup coconut
2 tablespoons cocoa

Directions:

1. Crush the biscuits either with a potato masher or in a food processor until reasonably small crumbs.

2. Add condensed milk, coconut and cocoa and mix.

3. Roll into balls, roll in coconut and leave in fridge at least an hour to set.


I recommend making two batches, just quietly....

Easy Microwave Fudge

Um, why have I not made fudge before?

This is stupidly easy. And fast. I had no idea.

To appease my family's sweet tooth, I made two batches, one with M&Ms, and one with crushed candy canes on top. I like cooking, they like chocolate, we are a match made in kitchen heaven.

Plus, I like condensed milk, and this just means I get more of it.

Ingredients:
1 400g can sweetened condensed milk
100g butter, cubed
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbs golden syrup
100g chocolate (any type), chopped if not in bits.

Directions:

1. Put the condensed milk, butter, sugar and golden syrup in a glass bowl.

2. Cook on high in the microwave for 6 minutes, stirring at 2-minute intervals.

3. When there are bubbles all over the surface, stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth.

4. Pour into 20cm pan lined with baking paper. If you want toppings, add them now.

5. Cool in fridge for 1 hour. Cut into pieces.



I still get excited about shapes my measuring cups make. dork.



This is how it should look when it's ready for the chocolate.



Shortbread

Shortbread is another of those gifts I like to make and then have to make more because I eat it all.

Again, shortbread + tea = perfection.

Ingredients:
250g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup rice flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 150C.

2. Put caster sugar and flours into a bowl. Rub in butter with fingertips until dough starts to stick.

3. When the dough comes together, squeeze into a ball and spread out evenly onto a tray covered in baking paper. Prick all over with a fork and score lines where you would like to cut into pieces.

4. Bake for 15-30 minutes until starting to brown slightly around the edges.

5. Cool on the tray and cut into squares.

Peach Jam

This year, I have decided to make all my christmas gifts - and it has been amazing. What you think would be extra effort and work actually isn't. Well, to me anyway. It's hot, I'm pregnant, I'm not excited about the hordes of shoppers, I hate the constant struggle over that "perfect present", and I'm spending more time at home lately so am kicking it old-school and putting that time to good use. This way everyone gets something they like to eat or use and I haven't spent a fortune on one of the tons of presents they're going to get that day anyway.

Besides, I get to keep one of just about everything.... a good trade off!

I love jam, it goes so well with toast, or crumpets, or scones or pikelets, or just about anything you can have with tea, which is obviously going to appeal to me! Jam seems so terribly British, and makes me think of the Famous Five eating huge slices of thick, freshly-made bread with churned butter and home made jam.

Jam is insanely easy to make. And tastes way better than the store-bought stuff, even the ones in fancy jars. Isn't that always the way?

And because I like to make things easy, I've made this out of canned peaches. But you don't have to.

Ingredients:

2 large tins canned peaches (should be equivalent to 1.5 kilos of fresh)

1.5 kilos warmed sugar

Juice from 1 lemon

50g packet Jamsetta

Directions:

1. Warm the sugar in a 160C oven for 6 minutes.

2. Drain the peaches and add to a huge pot - you want the whole mix to only occupy 1/3 of the pot.

3. Mash the peaches to as much of a goo as you can. Add the warmed sugar and Jamsetta and stir constantly over medium heat until dissolved.

4. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously 10 minutes. Have ready some saucers in the freezer. Place a level teaspoonful on a cold sauce and after 30 seconds, drag your finger through it. If it crinkles, it's ready to jar. If not, try again in three minutes with a new saucer.

5. Leave to cool 5-10 minutes, then spoon into warm, sterilised jars and seal straight away.

May the Famous Five be with you.

Artichoke Ravioli with Tomatoes

Oh boy. ohboyohboyohboyohboy.

I know tons of people that clip recipes and save them for "someday", but never end up making them. Actually, the first thing people ask me when I tell them I have thousands of recipes saved is "yeah, but do you actually make them?" and then are genuinely surprised when I say yes. Part of the reason for this blog is that I was always making something new from a recipe I found somewhere. My point to all this rambling is if this recipe looks good to you, PLEASE make it. It is so unbelievable and SO worth you breaking from your regular cooking routine.

Please.

I have adapted this recipe from Epicurious because I couldn't be bothered making my own ravioli dough. Understandable, right?!

This would probably serve 2 very generously as a main dish, but feel free to double.

Ingredients:
1 packet refrigerated wonton wrappers (mine had 30, which was just right).
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt, pepper
1 large egg white

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medim tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup water
1 cup cream
1/2 cup parmesan
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Heat butter in frying pan over moderately high heat and saute onion, stirring occasionally about 6 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and saute 2 minutes. Remove and cool slightly.
3. Add cheese, parsley, yolk, lemon juice, salt, pepper. You can put it in the food processor  but I didn't bother.
4. Lay out half your wonton wrappers and place a scant tablespoon mixture on each one. Brush around edges with egg white and stick the top wonton wrapper on.
5. Cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.

6. While ravioli is cooking, saute the chopped tomatoes with the butter and olive oil for 1 minute. Add water and cook, stirring 5 minutes until soft.

7. Place a layer of ravioli in greased baking dish and top with 1/3 cream, tomatoes and cheese. Repeat.

8. Bake uncovered until ravioli is heated through and cream is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

9. Drool.


Next time I'm thinking of making this into a lasagna, just to cut even more corners!






Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Artichoke-Ravioli-with-Tomatoes-236983#ixzz18AjUq2XZ

Ministry of Food: Rogan Josh

Recently, I blogged about my new cookbook, Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food and the hope that he has to change the fundamentals of home cooking.

In it, Mr Oliver has asked to learn a recipe from each section and pass it on to at least four other people. Here is my offering from the "Easy Curries" section... and oh my goodness, it's amazing. Usually I steer far clear of making actual Indian or Thai recipes, as it never seems to taste as good as the take-out dishes. I knew Jamie wouldn't let me down.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 medium onions
1 fresh red chilli
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
Small bunch of fresh coriander
Vegetable oil
A knob of butter
4 bay leaves
sea salt and pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
800ml stock or water
1/2 a jar of Patak's Rogan Josh curry paste or Jamie's recipe
2 handfuls red lentils
A bunch of your favourite veggies - I used carrot, broccoli (including stems), snow peas, potato and capsicum
200g natural yoghurt

Directions:

1. Peel, halve and finely chop the onions. Finely slice the chilli, peel and finely chop the ginger, pick the coriander leaves from half the bunch and leave aside for sprinkling. Chop the remaining coriander, including stalks.

2. Put large casserole dish on medium high heat, add a couple of tablespoons oil and the butter.

3. Add onions, chilli, ginger, coriander stalks and bay leaves and cook 10 minutes until onions are soft and golden. Add carrot and any root vegetables, cook 5-7 minutes.

4. Add balsamic vinegar and cook 2 minutes, add tomatoes, stock/water and curry paste.

5. Stir in the lentils, bring to boil, then turn heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 50 minutes.

6. Add softer vegetables: capsicum, broccoli etc and simmer 10 minutes.

7. Serve with rice, poppadoms, chutney, pickle, anything you like!


Jamie's Rogan Josh Paste:

2 cloves garlic
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
75g roasted peppers, from a jar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons groundnut oil
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 fresh red chilli
1 small bunch fresh coriander
Spices for toasting: 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns.

First peel garlic and ginger. Put a frying pan on medium heat and add spices for toasting to the dry pan. Lightly toast them a fewminutes until golden brown and smelling delicious, then remove pan from heat. Add the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine, or put in food processor and whiz to fine powder. Whiz toasted spices and mix with rest of ingredients until a smooth paste.

Love

Meanwhile, HOW excited was I to be interviewed about love (one of my favourite topics) at We Heart Life recently...

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Once upon a time, I joined a Facebook group called "Raisins, stay the f**k out of my cookies". And I meant it. If I was to eat a cookie, fruit was never welcome. Why fruit when you can have a lovely chocolate chip? Or chip of any other variety? Fruit cookies were for weirdos.

Well, colour me weirdo now, as I have come across a delightful recipe that features none other than the feared raisin.

Given that this pregnancy has seen me turn to the chocolate box or the biscuit barrel far more than I ever have in my life (which isn't saying much), I figured that if I were to eat a biscuit or nine with my tea, it should probably have some kind of goodness in it.

Now I'm not one of those crazies that insist every piece of food that goes into someone's mouth must be healthy. I'm not campaigning for McDonald's to cut their calories and add more salads or to ban all fried foods on Earth. While I agree that there should be more nutritious options available, I understand the idea of food that is bad for you and tastes damn good and hell, you've gotta just enjoy yourself a little every now and then. Which I normally would do. But since I now eat twelve biscuits* a day instead of a year, I would much prefer they not whack me in the face with a ton of sugar and fat and pretty much no goodness whatsoever. Hence the move toward this recipe.

It's crunchy on the outside, the merest hint of chewy in the middle, the raisins are plump and kind of caramelised on the outer edges, and the whole thing has a subtle spice flavour. I'm a fan.

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C.

2. Soak raisins in hot water.

3. In a large bowl, mix flour, soda, salt and spices. Mix in rolled oats, sugar and nuts.

4. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add oil, vanilla, raisins and water.

5. Pour into dry ingredients and mix well.

6. Roll into balls and place on a baking tray, slightly flattening them as you do so.

7. Bake 10-13 minutes until edges are golden. The longer you bake, the crunchier they get :)


*Exaggeration may or may not have just occurred.

Original recipe here

Veggie Pot Pie

To me, Pot Pie just screams comfort food. Not particularly popular in Australia (to my knowledge), it seems to have quite the following overseas. I especially remember one episode of South Park in which Cartman screams to the cat: "NO kitteh! This is mah chicken pot pie!". Understandable.

While pie was always a favourite growing up, tasteless vegetables in some kind of whitish goo enclosed in pastry never really did it for me. I steered far clear of chicken pies and anything that didn't look "normal". Thankfully, after concocting my own recipe for a pot pie's innards, I am now a veggie pie devotee. As is Veggie Dad. He even turned to me early this morning and declared he was already looking forward to the leftovers for lunch. #WIN!!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 potato, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup each frozen peas and corn
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup vegetable stock/broth
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (there is a vegan option)
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Gently saute the onion and garlic over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of the butter and a splash of olive oil until soft.

3. Add carrots, potato, peas and corn and raise heat to medium-high.

4. When the peas and corn thaw out, add the mushrooms for a minute or two. Add the other tablespoon butter.

5. Sprinkle over the flour and stir to mix. Add the broth and milk and stir quite rapidly to get up all the flour from the bottom of the pan and mix until smooth.

6. Turn down the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until veggies are tender.

7. Pour into a casserole dish and cover the top with the pastry. brush over a little milk or egg and poke some holes in the top to allow the steam to escape. You can also do these in smaller individual ramekins.

8. Bake 10-15 minutes until the top rises and puffs and is golden brown.