Cooking

Khanom Chan

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cans coconut milk (800mL)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rice flour
2 cups tapioca starch
1/2 tsp jasmine extract
1/2 tsp pandan extract

Method:

Place sugar, coconut milk and water into a saucepan. Stir on medium heat until the sugar completely dissolves. Set aside to cool.
Prepare your steamer. Place an oiled tray into your steamer so that the tray heats up.
Combine rice flour and tapioca starch in a bowl.
Gradually add in the cooled coconut milk mixture (approximately half a cup at a time) and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or by hand (I prefer using my hand as I am able to feel for lumps a lot better).
Once the mixture is smooth, pour the mixture through a strainer.
Stir the mixture and divide into two portions. Place jasmine extract into one portion and pandan extract into the other portion. Mix each portion well.
Place a layer of jasmine mixture onto the tray in the steamer (The amount you place onto the tray will depend on your tray size, but you are aiming for a thickness of 2-3mm). Steam for 5 minutes.
Place a layer of pandan mixture onto tray. Steam for 5 minutes. Repeat this process using alternating mixtures until there is no mixture left. (Remember to give each mixture a good stir before pouring it onto the tray). Steam the final top layer for 8 minutes.
Allow the contents of the tray to cool.
Remove from tray and cut into small portions.

Overall:

This sweet, sticky, chewy dessert is one of my all time favourites and I am thrilled to have a perfect recipe for it.

Pea and Spinach Risotto

Recipe adapted from The Healthy Chef

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice
1L stock
2 cups water
500g green peas (frozen or fresh)
4 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
Parmesan
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice

Method:

Heat olive oil in a pan and saute onion and garlic until softened.
Add the rice and stir through for about a minute.
Add 2 cups of stock and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until absorbed. Continue adding stock and then water, 1 cup at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more.
Blanch the peas for 1 minute in boiling water and then drain.
Add half the peas into a high performance blender or food processor and puree with half the spinach until smooth. Combine the pea and spinach puree along with the whole peas and spinach into the risotto and stir through.
Add parmesan, salt, pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice to taste.

Overall:

I don’t think I’ve ever made a risotto this green before! This risotto was creamy and light, and tasted almost too good to be healthy.

SunPork Fresh Foods – Tasting Event

SunPork

I recently had the exciting opportunity to attend a tasting event that showcased SunPork’s expanding range of pre-prepared pork products. This stylish event was held at Eureka 89 and the views were truly spectacular!

SunPork Drinks

The night began with a few cocktails and we later settled down to enjoy the mouth-watering menu created by Eureka Head Chef Renee Martillano.

Shredded Chicken Arancini with Lemon Aioli

Mini Pork Schnitzel with Tomato Chutney

Shredded Beef Empanada with Aji Dipping Sauce

Pork Belly Rasher in Korean BBQ Sauce, Radish Slaw, Confit Apple, Apple Cream

Shredded Pork Croquette, Seared Scallop, Fennel Puree

Peri Peri Pork Schnitzel, Labneh, Braised Cos

Slow Cooked Pork Ribs in BBQ Sauce, Potato Rosti, Mushroom Crisps

Slow Roasted Pork Belly, Celeriac Puree, Grilled Fennel

Apple, Rhubarb, Fennel and Pork Skin Crumble

Chocolate

Attending this event reinvigorated my love for pork! Everything was simply delicious however the clear stand outs for me were the shredded pork croquette and the pork skin crumble dessert (who would have imagined that pork skin would be incredible in a dessert?). SunPork Fresh Foods is the largest pork producing group in the Southern Hemisphere and is 100% Australian owned and operated. Our menu was inspired by SunPork pre-prepared products which are perfect for busy people who want delicious home-made meals that can be easily made with minimal time and effort. SunPork Fresh Food products are available at Woolworths and their range includes Pork Schnitzels, Slow Cooked Pork Belly, Smoked Pork Chops, Sweet and Spicy BBQ Pork Ribs as well as a wide variety of fresh pork products. For recipes and more information visit: www.sunporkfreshfoods.com.au.

*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of SunPork Fresh Foods and KDPR.

High Tea

Every now and then I get a hankering for high tea. I love how fancy everything is, from the elegant set up to the finger sandwiches to the tasteful little desserts. Oh and let’s not forget about the tea. Unfortunately most places charge an exorbitant amount for high tea so I figured why not host my own high tea party instead.

My sandwiches included:

– smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese

– grilled capsicum and hummus

– cheddar cheese and tomato

– egg and mayonnaise

Top Tier: Classic vanilla cupcakes

Middle Tier: Chocolate brownies, Anzac slice, Lemon tarts, Button cookies

Bottom Tier: Classic scones, Mini quiches, Cheese and spinach triangles

Overall:

Preparing for this was fun and easy. Everything was homemade except for the quiches, the triangles, and the lemon tarts (which I put together using store bought tart shells and lemon curd from a jar). My guests were super impressed and we all ate until we could no longer move. (I kept refilling the tiers and eventually gave everyone some food to take home as there was so much leftover). This was definitely a great experience and is something anyone can do.

Breakfast Thieves

Spanish Gypsy Dance

Spanish morcilla (black pudding) served with crisp rosemary and parmesan polenta bars, Chilean pebre (salsa), cherry tomatoes, pickles, basil oil and perfectly poached eggs

★★★☆☆

The Legend

Spicy baked eggs with spinach hot chorizo, mushrooms, green peas, sweet corn and feta served with herbed garlic bread

★★★☆☆

Leprechaun

Crisp fried sweet corn fritters on puree of chipotle and grilled corn, pickled beetroot, yuzu-avocado mousse and perfectly poached eggs

★★★☆☆

Overall:

There were so many things I liked about Breakfast Thieves: the captivating menu, the well presented food, the charming decor and the efficient service (although our food did come out before our coffees which was a bit unusual). This place is definitely worth visiting.

Breakfast Thieves

Shop1, 420 Gore St, Fitzroy, VIC

(03) 9416 4884

http://www.breakfastthieves.com.au/

Ricotta Hotcakes with Banana and Honey

Original recipe from Taste.com.au, however I tweaked it slightly.

Ingredients:

1 cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarb of soda
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
130g fresh ricotta
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
25g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 a lemon rind, grated
Olive oil
Sliced bananas and honey, to serve

Method:

1. Sift the flour, bicarb and salt into a bowl and stir in sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, milk, egg, melted butter, and lemon rind, beating well until smooth. Gradually whisk this into the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan and pour in batter to form hotcakes. Cook over medium heat until bubbles appear over the surface and then flip over and cook until both sides are golden brown.

3. Serve hot with banana slices and a drizzle of honey.

Overall:

These hotcakes were so good that the banana and honey were not really needed. Each hotcake was soft and fluffy with slightly crispy edges. The fresh ricotta gave some subtle creaminess and the lemon rind added some zesty freshness. Another quick and easy recipe.

Chicken Cacciatore with Double Corn Polenta

Ingredients:

Chicken

4 chicken breast fillets, cut into thirds
salt
pepper
1/2 cup plain flour
olive oil
1 large red capsicum, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
fresh basil leaves

Polenta

2 cups milk
1 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Mix thoroughly.

2. Lightly coat the chicken with plain flour.

3. In a large pan heat the oil, add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Set aside the chicken.

4. Heat more oil in the pan and add the capsicum, onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat until the onion is soft.

5. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and oregano and bring to a boil.

6. Return the chicken to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer.

7. Meanwhile, prepare the polenta. In a medium saucepan, bring milk, water, and fresh or frozen corn kernels to a boil.

8. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly until incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened. If polenta is too thick, add more water.

9. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.

10. Serve polenta on plates with the chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Overall:

Simple to make and super delicious!

Reindeer Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pretzels
M&M’s (I used brown milk chocolate M&M’s for the eyes and red crispy M&M’s for the noses, but any colour/type is fine)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add egg and mix.

3. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix just until blended.

4. Form dough into 3cm balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand.

5. Place cookies on a greased tray and gently press pretzels onto each cookie.

6. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.

7. Remove from the oven and IMMEDIATELY (and gently) press M&Ms in for the eyes and an M&M for the nose.

Overall:

How cute are these cookies? They are slightly crumbly, not overly sweet, have a wonderful peanut butter flavour, and are simply perfect for Christmas.

Sushi “Cake”

How time flies! It’s been a whole year since I made a Fruit “Cake” for my mum’s birthday and I needed another cake alternative for this year. I saw a savoury sushi “cake” at a work lunch a few years ago and I remember thinking to myself: THIS IS GENIUS!

Ingredients:

3 cups sushi rice
8 tbsp sushi vinegar
425g canned tuna
4 eggs
Smoked salmon
Cucumber
Avocado

Method:

1. Rinse rice under cold running water (stirring occasionally with your hand to remove any excess starch) until water runs clear. Drain well.

2. Place rice and water in a rice cooker to cook (easy option), or in a large pot to cook. If cooking in a pot, have the pot covered and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook (covered) for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. (If rice is still not soft, add more water) Remove from heat. Set the rice aside and allow it to cool slightly.

3. Using a wooden spoon, gently fold in sushi vinegar.

4. In a loose base cake pan, place half the sushi rice on the base of the pan. Layer on the tuna and then layer on the remaining sushi rice.

5. Make an omelette from the eggs (I added a splash of soy sauce to my omelette), and place the omelette on top of the sushi rice.

6. Arrange the smoked salmon, cucumber and avocado on top of the “cake”.

7. Remove pan from around the “cake” and serve.

Lemon and Coriander Hummus

Recipe:

400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 – 1/2 cup water (depending on how thick you want your hummus to be)
small bunch of coriander, finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chilli sauce (optional but recommended!)

Method:

Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until fully combined and smooth. Spoon into a bowl and serve.

Overall:

Super tasty, super quick and super easy. ANYONE can make this.