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Archive for February, 2009

MARINATED PORK FILLET

February 23rd, 2009 3 comments

Ingredients

2 pork fillets

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup soy sauce

Method

Butterfly the pork fillets.  Mix together the ingredients in a shallow glass dish and marinate the fillets for 30 minutes.  Remove the pork from the marinate and broil/grill in the oven or on a grill for about 20-30 minutes until just cooked.  Meanwhile pour the marinade into a small pan and boil for 1 minute.  Slice the pork and pour the marinade over.

Serves 6

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SPICY ASIAN SOUP WITH BUNASHIMEJI

February 23rd, 2009 Comments off

Ingredients

Asian Chicken stock: 4 cups organic chicken stock, 2 garlic cloves smashed, small piece of  fresh ginger sliced, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander stems, 1 teaspoon tamarind paste or juice of 1/2 lemon, pinch of salt

Soup:

4 cups Asian chicken stock

1/2 to 1 teaspoon chile powder

4 small shallots sliced

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3oz/100g Bunashimeji (Beech mushrooms) or other mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

2 scallions/green onions sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander leaves

Method

Bring the stock ingredients to boil in a large pan and simmer for 30 minutes.  Strain through a cheesecloth and return to pan.  Bring the stock to a simmer and then stir in chile powder (to taste), mushrooms and shallots.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.  Stir in fish sauce and soy sauce and simmer for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the mint.  Serve topped with scallions/green onions and cilantro/coriander.

Serves 4

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CHICKEN SALAD WITH BLACKBERRIES AND BLUE CHEESE

February 22nd, 2009 1 comment

Ingredients

3 cups baby spinach leaves or mixed lettuce washed and dried

1 cup blackberries

1/2 cup blue cheese cut into small pieces

1/2 cup walnut pieces

2 chicken breasts (poached, grilled or rotisserie) cut in small strips

1 pear washed and cut in pieces

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

To make the dressing whisk together the vinegar, oil and pepper in a small bowl.  Place all the other ingredients in a salad bowl and toss with the dressing.

Serves 4

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MANDARIN PANCAKES

February 21st, 2009 1 comment

Ingredients

450 g (3½ cups) plain flour

300 ml (1¼ cups) boiling water

1 teaspoon oil

roasted sesame oil

Method

Sift the flour into a bowl (I use my Kenwood mixer), pour the boiling water in, mixing slowly.  Add the oil and knead to a firm dough.  Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, or until smooth.  Divide the dough into three equal portions, roll each portion into a long cylinder, then cut each cylinder into 8 pieces.  While cooking the pancakes, keep the pieces covered with a damp tea towel.

Working with 2 pieces at a time, roll each piece into a ball and press into a flat disc with the palm of your hand.  Brush one disc with sesame oil and put another disc on top.  Use a rolling pin to flatten each pair of discs into a 15 cm (6 in) pancake.

Heat an ungreased frying pan over high heat, then reduce heat to low.  Place the pairs of pancakes, one at a time in the pan.  Turn over when brown spots appear on the underside.  When the second side is cooked, lift pancakes out and carefully peel them apart.  Fold each pancake in half, cooked side in and set aside under another damp cloth.

Reheat pancakes in a steamer over simmering water for about 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 24 pancakes

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MU SHU PORK

February 21st, 2009 1 comment

Ingredients

250 g (9 oz) pork fillet or loin, trimmed of fat

¼ cup light soy sauce

¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch)

5 dried Chinese mushrooms

20 g (1 oz) dried black wood ear fungus

4 tablespoons oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped

1 leek, white part only, finely shredded

¼ small Cinese cabbage, stem and leafy sections separated and shredded

½ teaspoon sugar

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup hoisin sauce

12 Mandarin pancakes

Method

Cut the pork across the grain into slices about 5mm (¼ in) thick, then cut into thin matchstick size shreds.  Place shreds into a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the rice wine, the sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of the cornflour and toss to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain and squeeze out any excess water.  Remove and discard stems and shred the caps.  Soak the fungus in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain and squeeze out any excess water.  Shred the fungus.

Heat a wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat until very hot.  Sirf-fry the port mixture for a couple of minutes until the meat is brown and cooked.  It may be necessary to do this in batches. Remove and set aside.  Rinse and dry the wok.

Reheat the wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until hot.  Add the eggs and stir fry to scramble, then move to one side of the wok.  Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until very hot.  Stir fry the garlic, ginger, mushrooms and fungus for 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add the leek and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the cabbage stems and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the leafy cabbage sections, and cook for a minute or until the vegetables are just tender.

Combine 1½ tablespoons of the soy sauce, the remaining rice wine and cornflour, the sugar, black pepper and the meat and add to the sauce and simmer until thickened.

Combine the hoisin sauce, the remaining soy sauce and 1½  tablespoons water in a small bowl.  Serve the pork with the pancakes and sauce.

Serves 4

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TOMATO SAUCE

February 21st, 2009 Comments off

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 plum tomatoes, quartered

Sprig each of rosemary, oregano and thyme

Method

Cook the onion and garlic in the oil, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown.

Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until soft.

Add the herbs and transfer to a food processor.  Blend to a puree.  Press through a sieve to make a smooth sauce.

Season to taste.

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HERB AND FETA BAKED CHICKEN

February 21st, 2009 Comments off

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless

2 tablespoons each chopped fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme (or any other fresh herbs available)

125g (4½ oz) feta cheese, cut into 8 sticks

1 tablespoon milk

2 tablespoons flour

salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Open the chicken thighs.  Divide the herbs among the thighs.   Place a piece of feta in the centre of each thigh.  Season and roll up to enclose the cheese.

Put the thighs in an oven proof dish.  Brush with milk and dust with flour.

Bake at 180°C (360° F) for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with tomato sauce

Serves 4

Feta chicken

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THAI STYLE FISH

February 21st, 2009 3 comments

Ingredients

 4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon fish sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons white wine

600 g (1 ¼ lb) whole fish like snapper, tarakihi, or fish steaks like hapuku

2 spring onions, cut into julienne strips

Method

Mix together the garlic, fish sauce, lemon juice, ginger, chilli sauce, coriander, rice wine vinegar and wine.

Place the fish on a large piece of double thickness heavy foil.  Pour the marinade over the fish and sprinkle with the spring onion

Wrap the fish in the foil to make a parcel.  Cook over medium heat on a barbecue plate for about 30 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  Alternatively, bake in a medium oven (180°C/360°F)

Serves 4

Thai fish

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CURRIED CARROT SOUP

February 18th, 2009 1 comment

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon Madras curry powder

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

2 cups chopped onions

4 cups peeled, sliced organic carrots

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

5 cups of organic chicken broth

Plain yoghurt

Method

Grind the coriander and mustard seeds finely.  Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan.  Add the seed powder and curry powder .  Fry gently for about 1 minute.  Add the ginger and fry this for 1 minute.  Add the onions and fry for 3 minutes or until softened.  Add carrots, stock, lime peel and lime juice.  Bring to the boil and then cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.  Blend the mixture in a blender until smooth adding more stock if necessary.  Return to the pan to reheat.  Serve with a dollop of yoghurt.

Serves 6

soup

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CHEESE TRIANGLES

February 17th, 2009 2 comments

Ingredients

250g Feta cheese

180g Gruyere cheese, grated

2 eggs, lightly beaten

15 sheets filo pastry

½ c olive oil

125g butter, melted

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180° C. In a bowl, mash feta with a fork. Add the Gruyere cheese, egg and pepper. Mix well.
  2. Cut filo sheets into half, lengthways. Working with one strip keep the rest of pastry covered with a damp tea towel. Brush strip with combined oil & butter, then fold in thirds. Brush again with oil & butter.
  3. Place one tablespoon of filling on the corner of the pastry strip. Fold the corner over the filling to form a triangle. Continue to fold until the filling is enclosed & the end of the pastry strip is reached. Repeat with remaining pastry & filling.
  4. Place the triangles on a lightly oiled baking tray (or use baking paper). Brush with oil & butter mixture. Bake for 20 mins until golden & crisp

cheese Triangles

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