Barbecued Pork Fillet with Vietnamese Caramel Sauce

You will lick the plate with this one! Sweet and sticky caramel sauce with a combination of sweet and spicy flavours works perfectly with pork fillet. Tried and tested from my favourite recipe mag- "Delicious"

  

To serve 4 people

• 1 pork fillet
• 1tbs fish sauce
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• handful coriander leaves

Vietnamese Caramel Sauce

•  2 tbs brown sugar
• 2 tbs caster sugar
• 2 tbs light olive oil, + extra to brush
• 11/2 tbs fish sauce
• 11/2 tbs lime juice
• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

For the sauce, place the sugars and 2 tbs water in a small saucepanover low heat and cook, stirring until the sugars have dissolved. Increase heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes or until reduced. remove from heat and allow to cool slightly ( not too cool or you will have toffee!) Add oil, fish sauce, lime juice and chilli and stir to combine. Set aside.

Cut the pork fillet in half crossways. Combine the fish sauce, sugar and garlic in shallow dish. Add the pork and leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes in the fridge.

Lightly oil a chargrill pan, place over medium high heat and cook pork on all 4 sides for 3-4 minutes. Rest for a couple of minutes before slicing thickly.

Pour the caramel sauce over the meat and scatter coriander leaves over the top.

I served with lightly stirfried asian greens.

Cutlets



Carrot and Cumin hearty Soup

This is one of my favourite and easiest soups to serve for the family - not too spicy, perfect for leftovers, satisfying and delicious.  Inspired by a Valli Little recipe.  

Preparation  10 minutes
Cooking        30 minutes of simmering with a stir now and then - easy.
Serves          4 - 6

Ingredients

4 teaspoons cumin seeds - lightly dry roast.  Use 1 teaspoon in the soup and the rest for garnish.
1 tablespoon olive oil.  You may want to use a bit more - up to you.
Pinch of dried chilli flakes
small shake of ground turmeric
small shake of ground cumin
2 onions - chopped.
5 - 6 carrots (600g) - washed, chopped.   (Will be blended later).
1 cup red lentils - well rinsed  and clean
5 cups Salt reduced chicken stock  - or use 1 litre stock and 1 cup water

Options

a little drizzle of cream to swirl on top
Salt and pepper to adjust seasoning -   to your taste


Method

Before making the soup 

use your saucepan to dry roast the cumin seeds - just till you can smell the aroma.  
Use 1 teaspoon in the soup and remove the rest for garnishing later.

PS Use a large pan - because you will be blending the soup later - and if you are going to use a stick-blender it will need room to mush the veggies around and froth up a bit. This will stop it splattering over you.


Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat.
Cook the onion, then the chilli and spices for a few minutes until onion softens.
Add the carrots, stock and then the lentils and bring to a gentle boil
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 20 - 30 minutes.
Check carrots are tender.
Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Check flavour and adjust with a little salt and pepper if necessary.
Use a stick blender to puree til smooth.
        Alternatively - use a  blender and puree in small batches  OR a potato masher.
If you feel the soup is a little thick for you, add a few drops of boiling water from the kettle to get the consistency you would enjoy.  Mix through very thoroughly.

Serve with a sprinkle of the reserved cumin seeds 
Option -  a drizzle of cream if desired and a few chunks of crusty toast.
                                              
                                                  Enjoy!   Colleen

Vegie patties kids love

These falafel and haloumi burgers are so tasty, even the meat lovers in your life won't realise they are meatless. If you ever have any leftovers they are great popped in the lunch box cold with either some tzatziki or sweet chilli sauce.

Ingredients

2 x 400g tin of chickpeas

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 green chillies roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 green shallots, chopped

1 cup coriander leaves

1 teaspoon salt flakes

180 g grated haloumi

2 tablespoon plain flour

2 tablespoon olive oil

Method

Drain chickpeas and rinse well, drain again.

Place chickpeas in a food processor, add spices, chillies, garlic, shallots, coriander leaves and salt.

Process until well combined but not smooth, some texture in the chickpeas is good.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, stir in the flour and grated haloumi.

Using wet hands, shape the mixture into patties.

Place on a tray lined with baking paper, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Fry or BBQ patties 5-10 minutes each side, turning gently as required.

Serve with salad.

Mama Marmalade

My mum's sponge cake

My parents are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this year, and if you ask my dad (and hopefully my husband) what are the ingredients of a happy marriage, I am sure good cooking is right up there.  Mum is rightfully proud of her sponge cake making ability, every Friday was baking day and as a young girl I would race home from school to sample her home cooked delights.

Ingredients

4 large eggs organic is best at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar
A pinch of salt

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup custard powder

1 teaspoon bi carb soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon butter melted with 3 tablespoon milk

Method

Beat eggs, sugar and salt until thick and creamy.

Add sifted flour, custard powder, cream of tartar and bi carb soda.

Fold in heated milk and butter.

Pour into 2 greased tins and bake in moderate oven (180 degrees c) for 20-25 minutes.

Happy Anniversary Mum & Dad

Mama Marmalade

Celery & Parsnip Soup

Serves 4-6

 

 

 

Celery and fennel give this soup a lovely fresh, delicate flavor.

Warm and soothing is a good description!

 

• 1.5L chicken stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 1/2 bunch celery stalks, chopped ( I used the inner stalks for sweeter flavor)
• 2 large parsnips(about 450g)peeled and cut into 1cm rounds
• 2 baby or 1 large fennel bulb, finely chopped, fronds reserved
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup pure thin cream

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped celery, parsnip, fennel, onion, garlic, and bay leaves and gently cook, stirring , for 15 minutes until just starting to colour.

Add stock and bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Allow soup to cool for a few minutes, then remove bay leaves. Puree the soup with a stick blender until smooth.

Return soup to saucepan, fold in the cream and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Careful not to boil or cream will separate, just reheat gently)

Ladle into warmed soup bowls, scatter with fennel fronds and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve with crusty bread.

So easy, but delicious!

 

Cutlets



Thai Pumpkin and Kaffir Lime Curry

This is one of my favourite ‘bubble away on the stove and add bits to it’ recipes. 

Nigella’s recipe was the inspiration and foundation of this very flexible recipe that I continue to alter depending on what is hiding in the fridge. The lime - squeezed over just before serving, gives it a real lift and zing.

If !! there are any  left overs, it tastes even better the next day!

Please don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients. 

Just put in the essential flavours, with the pumpkin, plus your choice of any extra vegetables, then let it bubble away and stir occasionally.  See the options list for Nigella’s Seafood additions to this dish.  The magic flavours of this dish come from the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and fresh limes combined with the red curry paste - so you can make it mild or spicy if you prefer.

My apologies -   The pumpkin in the photo does not look very chunky and appealing - although it still tasted wonderful !  - sorry – I got a bit distracted  .... reading / looking at Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbooks   http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/stories/yotam-ottolenghi    .... and the pumpkin wasn’t the only thing that turned to mush ..…

Preparation  15 minutes

Cooking        20 – 25 minutes (which is just stirring and adding now and then)

Serves  4 – 6  depending on how many extra veggies / chickpeas you add.

Ingredients

1 kg pumpkin – peeled, and cut into bite-size pieces.  You can also use pre-roasted pieces – just add it in a bit later than you would the raw pieces as pre-cooked would need less cooking time.

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste. 

(depends on your preference – start with 2 teaspoons if you prefer it quite mild, allow to cook and maybe add another teaspoon a bit later)

400 ml tin of coconut milk

1 litre Chicken Stock (salt reduced) or you could use Vegetable stock (salt reduced) if preferred

2 tablespoons Fish Sauce

3 tablespoons Brown Sugar  or  Caster sugar

3 lemongrass stalks, cut into thirds, and squash and bruise the sections with knife handle. You can also finely, finely slice a little of the white base to add if you like

6 kaffir lime leaves:   3   have the middle vein removed and then super finely shredded. 

The remaining 3  – crush a bit in your hand and then add in whole leaves

Half a Red capsicum - diced

1 cup peas (frozen is fine)

Handful fresh beans – trimmed

Couple of handfuls of red lentils – these will almost disappear and thicken the curry

1 ½ teaspoons turmeric

Red chilli – finely sliced  or shake of chilli flakes (leave out if you prefer it milder)

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Coriander leaves or parsley leaves. And / or  Finely sliced shallots

PLUS   Cooked Rice to serve

You can also add to the base curry mixture  -   any of your preferred choices (all or some – whatever you like) such as these suggestions:

½ cauliflower  –trimmed and cut into bite size bits

Broccoli – bite size pieces

Chickpeas – either 1 tin well rinsed and drained or similar amount of pre-cooked

3 little shakes of Dashi powder (optional) – comes in sachets – sorry the amount is not more specific

Baby spinach leaves

Pakchoi or bok choy  - sliced or shredded

SEAFOOD OPTIONS:  (as Nigella does in her recipe – but I don’t)

You could include peeled prawns and/or boned salmon fillet cut into bite size pieces. Cook these first in the pan, remove, cook the curry and then add the seafood back in at the end to warm through.

Method

Use a large wide stove-top pan.

Skim the thick part of the coconut milk from the tin and heat in the pan with the curry paste. 

When it starts to sizzle,(don’t let it burn) mix well and add the remaining coconut milk.

Stir in the Sugar, Fish Sauce, Lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, Turmeric, Chilli, (Dashi if using)

Add the stock and stir well.  Bring to gentle boil.

Add the raw pumpkin pieces and any other raw vegetables that need longer cooking time.

Stir the red lentils through the curry.

Add the red capsicum if using.

Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.

If the curry seems to be getting too thick add some more coconut milk or water or stock.

If using pre-cooked pumpkin, add in after curry and vegetables have cooked for about 10 mins

When almost finished cooking – remove the lemongrass stalks and whole kaffir lime leaves.

If using - add the chickpeas, green peas and green beans

Stir and then add the spinach, bok choy etc. and allow to wilt.

If using seafood - Gently stir through the pre-cooked seafood to warm through.

Once warmed, take off the heat and Stir in the lime zest and the squeezed lime juice.

Taste and if necessary add a little pepper or salt as needed.

Sprinkle the chopped coriander / parsley / shallots over.

Serve over rice with extra lime wedges if desired.

                                    Enjoy!   Colleen