Tag: recipe

Damien Pignolet’s Tiny Omelette of Goat’s Cheese & Pine Nuts

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 1

Nat and I had a simple French lunch a Sunday or two ago and I cooked this omelette from Damien Pignolet’s book, ‘french’.

It’s a book I have had for years and it’s just lovely 80s and 90s French from his various restaurants. (If you haven’t, Bistro Moncur in Woollahra is a wonderful long lunch!)

This omelette is predictable delicate and just a lovely way to kick things off; I doubled it so that we had a small omelette each.

Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp crème fraîche
2 tsp pine nuts, toasted until pale golden
1/4 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp unsalted butter
2 tsp rosemary oil (below)
1 tbsp rindless mature goat’s cheese, broken into small pieces

Method

  1. Place the egg, egg yolk, crème fraîche, and pine nuts in a small bowl for each omelette. Season with a tiny pinch of salt, freshly cracked black pepper and thyme leaves. Using a fork, break the eggs and yolks, lightly mixing the ingredients so that streaks of white and yolk are still visible – this ensures lightness of texture in the omelette.
  2. Heat the butter and rosemary oil in a blini pan, pour in the egg mixture, wait a moment for it to set, then shake the pan and, using a spatula or fork, draw the cooked egg away to allow the raw mixture to flow underneath and cook. While the omelette is still quite moist, add the goat’s cheese, flip half the omelette over and turn out onto a warm plate.

Rosemary oil

To make the rosemary oil, put 4 tbsp of olive oil in a small ovenproof bowl with 2 tbsp rosemary leaves and place in a 150c oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool then strain into a bowl or storage jar; the oil will keep for several days. This quantity is enough for 9 tiny omelettes. Rosemary oil can also be used to sauté potatoes, along with some garlic, or to brush on a small fish such as red mullet before grilling.

Dianne Bibby’s Bobotie Filo Parcels

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Makes: 20

New Years Eve 2024 and we are off to Nat’s parents for Champagne, a swim with the family and counting down the minutes.

My main was this always brilliant Doner Kebab, with the chicken slow cooked and caramelised.

But it was Nat’s starter of these Bobotie filo parcels that won the night.

They’re awesome.

The addition of the Mrs Ball’s chutney means it doesn’t need to be on the side. The sultanas add a sweetness to balance the excellent spice. The addition of the milk-soaked bread keeps the whole thing moist.

The buttery filo pastry and then the egg wash with the black (or white) sesame seeds finishes it off.

Sophisticated? No. And neither expected.

Delicious? Absolutely yes.

I promised my brother-in-law Greg – of South African heritage – I would type these up for his mother – Elaine – who has not only published a cookbook and is a fantastic cook and entertainer, though is also a subscriber of this blog!

Elaine’s specialty is South African. Think Bobotie, Bunny Chow and Cape Malay Curry.

Actually, that’s not fair.

Elaine’s speciality is just great food and sharing the experience of cooking and enjoying it with friends and family.

I’ve had the pleasure.

Catching up with Elaine is always electric. She is as mad about food as I am and we share stories and all sorts of promises.

I don’t think I have had Elaine’s Bobotie and I am not convinced Greg shouldn’t be cooking these for his mother instead, though this recipe is for Elaine and hopefully her next family gathering.

Delicious? Will most definitely be.

Ingredients

2 sliced white bread, crusts removed and soaked in 200ml milk
2 tbsp golden sultanas
45ml freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
20gm salted butter
1 large brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, finely grated
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of half
500gm lean beef mince (Nat used turkey mince)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp Mrs Ball’s chutney
1 c chicken stock
2 tbsp almond flour
20 sheets filo pastry
4 tbsp melted butter
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 30ml water)
Sesame seeds, for finishing

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the sultanas in a small bowl, cover with the orange juice and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, carrot and ginger and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  4. Turn up the heat, add the mince and cook until nicely browned and just starting to catch on the bottom of the pan. Season with 1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper; mix in all the spices and cook for a further few minutes.
  5. Stir in the milk-soaked bread along with the milk, drained sultanas, cinnamon, chutney, stock and almond flour. Cover partially with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the carrots are soft, the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has reduced. Set aside to cool.
  6. Lay one sheet of Filo pastry on a bench with the shorter edge facing you and brush with the melted butter.
  7. Lay another sheet on top and brush with butter. Cut the sheet into 3 strips (approximately 15cm each).
  8. Place one heaped tbsp of the filling mixture on the very top of the sheet allowing 2cm from the bottom. Take the bottom right corner of the Filo pastry strip and fold it diagonally towards the opposite side of the strip to form a triangle.
  9. Then take the bottom left corner of the strip and fold diagonally towards the opposite side.
  10. Continue folding in the same way to ensure you keep a triangular shape.
  11. Brush each triangle with the egg wash, scatter with sesame seeds and cook for 18 – 20 minutes or until golden.

Matty Matheson’s Sichuan Chilli Oil Smashed Cucumber with Soy-Cured Egg (Salad)

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Serves: 4 – 6

As Matty Matheson says it:

This is just one of the best things ever. The textures and tastes set you up for a perfect meal. Normally, smashed cucumbers are often served simply as a side to just nibble on while you’re waiting for noodles or dumplings to come out. I think this treatment takes the cucumbers to more of comprehensive dish. This is so refreshing. The soy eggs are just Banana Town. Since we’re making a cookbook, we could make something like this a main event. I’m so hyped on this salad, and I know this will be a staple for you and your family or friends, or maybe your lover

This is a sophisticated Asian salad, no doubt.

The black vinegar chilli crisp dressing is sensational and I’ve prepared it separately for different salads of rocket, avocado and poached green beans with great effect.

The soy sauce eggs are the lux element. This shows effort and it won’t go unnoticed.

Christmas is the time for salad and winding down.

This salad is worth every bit of effort.

And save that dressing on its own. Chilli crisp is brilliant.

(There are 5 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds in total here: just a pre-warning.)

(And the eggs need no less than 6 hours resting and ideally overnight.)

Ingredients

Soy Sauce Egges

6 eggs
1/2 c water
1 c soy sauce
3/4 c mirin

Cucumber Salad

2 English cucumbers, cut into 6cm strips*
Salt
1/2 red onion, sliced as thinly as possible
1/2 bunch coriander, chopped
1/2 bunch spring onions, chopped
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Black Vinegar Chilli Crisp Dressing

1/4 c chilli crisp**
2 tbsp black vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 small knob ginger, grated
2 tbsp grapeseed oil

Method

  1. Starting with the soy sauce eggs: bring a large pot of water to the boil and carefully lower each egg into the pot and set your timer for 6 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath until they get cold, then peel them.
  2. To marinate the eggs, place a Ziplock bag in a small bowl. Fill it with the water, soy sauce and mirin, add the eggs and squeeze out the air to ensure the eggs are fully covered by the soy mixture. Seal and store in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours and ideally a day.
  3. When you are ready to make the salad, get ready to smash the cucumbers. Lay them out on a chopping board and smash them with the bottom of a pot. Transfer them to a strainer set over a bowl, generously salt them and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes: when done, press them with paper towels to remove all the moisture you can.
  4. In a large bowl, mix the red onion, coriander and spring onions.
  5. Make the dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients and combine/shake well.
  6. Carefully remove the soy eggs from their bath and break them up gently with your hands. Be artful.
  7. When you’re ready to serve, get a large platter out. First put down the smashed cucumber. Toss with the dressing. Top with the broken up soy eggs. Add the coriander, onion and spring onions and top with the sesame seeds.

* I used Lebanese. There are apparently 100 varieties of cucumber in the world and whilst they vary (seedless vs non-seedless, thicker vs thinner skin), I lost no sleep over this.

** I cannot – cannot – overemphasis the need to find this which isn’t hard. The substitute is not jarred chilli or chilli oil. In fact, even the best substitute suggestions on Google are lukewarm and suggest you get off your arse.

Vefa Alexiadou’s Easy Cheese Appetizer (Tiromezes)

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

If ever there was a correlation between simplicity and brilliance, this is it.

Cooked by Nat as a starter to a long, Christmas, Greek lunch, we both agreed that this appetizer was just “stunning”.

If you’ve read my blog, you’ll know I am into my superlatives: though hand-on-heart, this dish is stunning.

I followed up with this Arni Pesto accompanied by a wicked mushroom pilaf by Nat and with Champagne, the sun and the holidays starting, this was a lunch to celebrate.

Ingredients

4 square, thick slices feta cheese
1 large tomato, cut into 4 rounds
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried oregano
Pepper
Olive oil, for drizzling

Method

  1. Preheat the broiler (grill).
  2. Put the cheese slices side-by-side in a shallow flameproof dish. Put a tomato slice on top of each feta square and top with the slices of chilli. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.
  3. Cook under the broiler for 6 – 8 minutes until the chilli and tomato are lightly browned.
  4. Serve immediately: ideally with a delicious ouzo apparently. We had none, though if you do, please tell me. I actually get it. Reminds me of Oysters Charentaise where you have an oyster, a bite of a spicy sausage and a good sip of cold, white wine: heaven.

Daniel Gritzer’s Fettuccini Alfredo

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

I’ve read Alfredo recipes that add cream, which I think is akin to adding cream to Carbonara. It’s amazing in a dodgy pizza restaurant in Newtown or Brooklyn, though hardly traditional or subtle.

This recipe from Serious Eats goes back to the original recipe with nothing but pasta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter and salt: no pepper, nothing else.

In terms of pure joy, this is it.

As part of Nat’s search for the World’s Best Pasta and in a slipstream of cooking the simplest pasta, the original Alfredo made the cut and came out way ahead.

If you can make your own fettuccini, power to you.

It really is pure joy.

Use a younger Parmigiano-Reggiano, pour a glass of cold Riesling and sit in the sun with a bowl of this pasta and prepare to be amazed.

Pure joy.

Ingredients

115gm good unsalted butter, diced
115gm grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese plus more for serving
Salt flakes
500gm fresh fettuccine pasta

Method

  1. In a large heatproof bowl, combine butter and cheese.
  2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; drain, transfer the pasta to the bowl with the cheese, retaining 1/2 c pasta water.
  3. Add the pasta water to the pasta, butter and cheese and using tongs, toss the pasta repeatedly until the butter is melted and a creamy, emulsified sauce forms. Add more pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Season with salt, sprinkling more cheese at the table.

Paul Farag’s Potato Rosti with Cultured Cream and Bottarga

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Serves: 4

Wow.

This as starter or a side. Just brilliant.

By Paul Farag, the genius behind Sydney Turkish 2-hater Aalia, this recipe has a little technique behind it, though it’s otherwise simple and elegant.

What we loved about it was the drama of serving two large Rostis so that everyone can get in on the fun.

The shaved bottarga is just lux. Add caviar if you really want to impress.

I say it every time, though when I find a new potato dish that is a home run, I’m so excited.

(Nat found it, cooked it and I can no credit other than to be typing this up.)

We’re BBQing lobster on Christmas Eve – an annual tradition with Nat’s parents – and this rosti is going to make Nat’s mother so happy: just need to someone cook all that ghee without her seeing!

(If you don’t have a mandoline fitted with a julienne attachment, now might be the time.)

Ingredients

1gm sebago potatoes, peeled*
200gm ghee, melted
200gm crème fraîche
10gm bottarga or roe, caviar
1 bunch chives, finely chopped

Method

  1. Using your mandolin fitted with a julienne attachment, cut your potatoes into fine matchsticks.
  2. I rarely interrupt a recipe other than to suggest a wine or to keep stirring, however I say this as someone that made four cauliflower pizza bases one Friday night, not realising I would need to food-process, steam something like 20 cauliflowers and then suffer through the purgatory of squeezing the hot wet rice of 20 cauliflowers: do not julienne 1kg of potato with a knife. Just don’t.)
  3. Using your hands, squeeze out all the excess liquid, then place potato in a large bowl. Toss the potato with half the ghee and season well with salt flakes and freshly ground pepper.
  4. Place a non-stick pan with a 23cm base (use a sheet of baking paper to line the pan if your pan isn’t non-stick) over medium-low heat. Add half the potato mix, spreading it evenly to cover the base of the pan, lightly shaping it to a neat circle, but trying not to push down too much.
  5. Cook for 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. When ready to flip, place a chopping board over the pan and flip onto the board. Place half the remaining ghee (50gm) in the pan and transfer the rosti back to the pan, uncooked side down and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes until deep golden colour. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel. Repeat the remaining process with the remaining potato mixture and ghee.
  6. To serve, place a good dollop of crème fraîche on top of each warm rosti, finely shave bottarga over the top and sprinkle with chives.

* Yes, you can buy them in Australia.

Vefa Alexiadou’s Pork Chops in Wine

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

Another excellent and simple Greek dinner from Vefa Alexiadou’s ‘Greek Cookbook’.

We were after a quick Monday dinner and this totally hit the spot.

Alongside a green salad and some pan-fried potatoes with oregano and feta, this is how you celebrate beating Monday.

Plus now that you have an open bottle of red or white wine, well, you know…

Ingredients

4 large pork chops, 1.5cm thick
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
2/3 c dry white or red wine
4 lemon wedges
Fried potatoes and greens, to serve

Method

  1. Season the chops with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet or frying pan large enough to hold the chops in a single layer. Add the chops and cook over medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
  2. Pour in half the wine and cook for a few minutes until the alcohol has evaporated, then pour in 5 tbsp water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
  3. Increase the heat and let the chops sizzle. Pour in the remaining wine and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until the alcohol has evaporated. Serve immediately on warmed plates with 1 – 2 tbsp of the wine sauce, garnished with lemon wedges and accompanied by fried potatoes and greens.

Colin Fassnidge’s Pork, Marjoram & Parmesan Rind Rigatoni

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4 – 6

I was worried this wouldn’t be a special pasta, though there is something very special about it. There is a real nuance in the flavour and it’s just lovely.

Definitely the marjoram. Definitely.

Could also be the parmesan rind.

Could be that I really slowly cooked it down and then let it sit for a few hours.

Definitely was because it was a mid-week dinner.

We had dinner at Pelengrino2000 for Nat’s birthday earlier in the week and this is exactly what I would have expected from them.

1-hat stuff.

Hat’s off Colin Fassnidge. First recipe and it hit it out of the park.

Ingredients

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 bunch marjoram, leaves picked and finely chopped, stalks finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
500gm pork mince
1/3 c white wine
700ml tomato passata
2 parmesan rinds (substitute 1/2 c finely grated parmesan) plus extra finely grated to serve
350gm spaghettini or rigatoni

Method

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over low-medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, marjoram stalks and chilli, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is softened. Increase heat to high, add pork and cook for 10 minutes or until evenly browned.
  2. Add the wine and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes or until the liquid is reduced slightly. Add passata, parmesan rinds and 3/4 marjoram leaves, and bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes to reduce slightly and develop flavour. Discard rinds.
  3. Meanwhile, cook your pasta al dente, reserving 1/3 pasta cooking water.
  4. Toss pasta and reserved cooking water through the tomato mixture. Scatter with remaining marjoram leaves and extra parmesan to serve.

Vikrant Kapoor’s Chickpea Curry (Channa Masala)

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

Zaafran used to be one of Sydney’s best Indian restaurants. My best mate Giles and I would often go there for lunch, overlooking Darling Harbour and the city.

As Darling Harbour (now demolished) slowly merged from a stylish shopping centre and destination to a tourist trap full of ugg boot and opal sellers, Giles and I stopped visiting. Though what great memories and food: nothing beats a midweek lunch and a bottle of cold white.

This is the second Vikrant Kapoor recipe I have cooked. The first was this tremendous barramundi, something that was simply 5-star.

This chickpea curry’s simplicity is deceptive. The clarity of the flavours is just awesome and it was just a perfect side to this Pushpesh Pant Chicken with Fenugreek Leaves.

Arguably, it was much more than a side. Brilliant.

Ingredients

1 large potato, unpeeled
1 tbsp ghee
1 large onion, chopped
1 large tomato, puréed
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
450gm canned chickpeas, drained
1 tsp salt
Coriander leaves, to garnish

Method

  1. Cook the potato in a pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool, then peel and cut into cubes. Set aside.
  2. Heat the ghee in a frying pan, add the onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and chickpeas and 1/2 c lukewarm water and cook for 5 minutes or until hot. Garnish with coriander.
methi-murg

Pushpesh Pant’s Chicken with Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Murg)

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

When I told the owner of our local Indian grocer I wanted fresh fenugreek leaves, he asked why. I explained that I was cooking this curry and he was totally confused by the quantity asked for and doubted it would work.

(It turns out it is also easier to buy frozen fenugreek leaves rather than fresh, though the result is of course the same.)

This curry was superb: it absolutely worked. Served alongside this chickpea curry, it was just a brilliant meal.

The marinade can be made the night before, perfect for a mid-week treat. Open a good red and thoroughly enjoy.

Ingredients

2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 onions, sliced
2 tbsp natural yoghurt, whisked
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 medium-sized chicken, cut into pieces (I substituted 1kg chicken thigh)
3/4 c vegetable oil
2 large cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
3 green chillies, de-seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp ground caraway seeds
2 c fenugreek leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt

Method

  1. To make the marinade, combine the ginger garlic paste, 1 onion, the yoghurt, chilli powder and turmeric together in a large, shallow bowl and season with salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat well, then cover and set aside in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
  2. Heat half of the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over low heat, add the marinated chicken and cook for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the chicken is slightly browned. Pour in 3 1/4 c water and cook for about 30 minutes, or until 2/3 of the water has evaporated and the chicken is cooked.
  3. Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon, chillies, ground caraway seeds and the remaining onion and fry for 1 – 2 minutes or until the cardamom swell. Add the chopped fenugreek leaves and fry for 3 – 4 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and simmer together until the leaves are fragrant, then squeeze over the lime juice.