Lemony Parmesan Ricotta Fritters with Warm Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

During Spring in Queensland we no longer yearn for hearty casseroles but it is still a bit early for summery salads.   These Donna Hay inspired creamy lemony Ricotta Fritters match perfectly with the warm crunch from the Brussels Sprouts topped with pine nuts and optional avocado.  A final zing of fresh lemon juice adds that kick of citrus freshness to 'spring' your tastebuds to life. The fritters can be prepared ahead of time - ready for a quick cook and partnered with a salad laden with green goodness.

Ricotta Fritters         (see below for Warm Salad)

Preparation    10 minutes

Cooking          8 – 10 minutes

Serves            4

Ingredients

500 gram firm Ricotta (purchase from deli/supermarket deli) Fresh, not the tub style from chiller section 

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese OR Grana Padano  (NO need for best quality)

¼ cup Self Raising Flour – sifted over the cheese

1 egg – lightly beaten

A little Sea Salt and good amount Freshly cracked black pepper

Option: if you like a little heat add some ground white pepper

Splash Olive Oil

To serve :  Wedges of Lemon

OPTIONS:  depending on what flavours you fancy.  Add any of:

small tin of drained and rinsed corn kernels

handful baby green peas -thawed if using frozen. Or precooked if using fresh.

couple of very finely sliced green shallots

stalk of fresh celery – very finely diced

couple of stalks of either parsley or mint or dill – finely shredded or thyme leaves etc etc 

Method

I find using plastic food gloves the quickest easiest way to prepare these fritters.

In a large bowl break up the ricotta cheese into crumbly texture and mix through the Parmesan, flour, salt, pepper, egg and – if using – add the optional ingredients

Form the mixture into patty size portions, about 1 ½ cm thick   OR    divide into Heaped tablespoon  segments

HINT:  At this stage

You could save onto a baking paper lined tray, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour before required to cook  OR  cook immediately

To cook

Heat a little Olive Oil to slick a wide frying pan or griddle.  Have on medium heat or they will burn.

Lower the fritters into the pan, flatten slightly  and cook

For 1 ½ cm fritters approx. 2 min on each side

For smaller tablespoon size – approx. 1 minute per side. 

If needed, drizzle with a little Olive Oil before turning.

Serve immediately with wedges of lemon and either salad or my Warm Salad (see below)

Warm Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

This should be enough for 4 as a side to the Ricotta Fritters  - add more if you like                                                                            

Preparation:  5- 10 minutes

Cooking:       10 minutes

Ingredients

Pine nuts – handful - toasted

Splash Olive Oil  and a splash of Avocado Oil

1 onion – very finely diced

1 Bacon rasher – very finely diced   OR a little Pancetta diced

½   -  1 red chilli – finely diced  (depending on your preference – leave out or add more)

300 -  400 gram small Brussels Sprouts – trimmed and quartered

2 handfuls green beans – topped, tailed and cut into 1 cm slices

150 – 200 gram Baby Spinach Leaves

150 gram Baby Kale leaves

Splash of lemon juice  and Zest from 1 lemon - reserve the lemon and serve remaining wedges on the side

Salt and Pepper to taste

OPTIONS:  some finely diced cooked beetroot   and ½ avocado sliced

Method

Use a large wide frypan

First – dry toast the pine nuts. Watch – don’t burn.  Remove from pan.

Add a little oil and soften the onions.

Stir through the bacon and chilli 

Add the Brussels sprouts and soften.

Stir through the sliced beans.

Season with a little salt and good amount of pepper

Cook then when they still retain a slight crunch remove from heat.

Toss through the spinach and kale leaves to wilt. May need to put on heat til just wilted.

Squeeze a tiny amount of lemon juice through and sprinkle over the lemon zest.

If using: top with the optional beetroot or avocado.

Sprinkle the pine nuts over just before serving. 

Serve immediately with an additional wedge of lemon

Enjoy!   Colleen

Chilli Jam Scallops with Asian Greens

So quick to prepare!

Serves 4

 

 

 

2 bunches of Chinese Broccoli trimmed, cut into 6cm lengths

20 scallops without roe

11/2 tbs chilli jam

2 tsp olive oil

1 red eschalot thinly sliced

2 tsp light soy sauce

 

 

Steam the Chinese Broccoli for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Set aside.

 

Meanwhile, toss the scallops with a tbs of the chilli jam. Heat a fry pan over medium high heat and add 1tsp of the olive oil. When hot, add the scallops and pan fry for 1 minute on each side until just cooked. Remove from the pan and cover to keep warm.

Add remaining tps oil to the pan, reduce heat to medium and add onions cooking until softened, about 3-4 mins.

Add remaining 1/2 tbs of chilli jam and broccoli, tossing to coat. Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce.

Serve vegetables with the scallops.

 

From my favourite magazine...."Delicious"

 

Cutlets



Thai Prawn Green Curry

Serves 4

 

I really enjoyed blending the ingredients for the curry paste on this dish. Such "heady"  aromas! Any leftover curry paste will keep in the fridge under 2cm of oil for up to 10 days.

 

 

Curry Paste (makes 1 cup)

 

1/3 cup coriander leaves plus 2 tbs chopped coriander stalks

4 lemongrass stems (pale part) chopped

6 long green chillies, seeds removed

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

5cm piece ginger, chopped

2 red Asian eschalots, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbs fish sauce

 

 

Place all curry paste ingredients in a food processor and whiz until a smooth paste.

 

2 tbs sunflower oil

1kg peeled green prawns

200ml chicken stock

400ml coconut milk

8 kaffir lime leaves

1tbs fish sauce

2tsp brown sugar

2tbs lime juice

1 tbs green peppercorns in brine, drained

 

Heat 1 tbs of oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add 4 heaped tbs of the curry paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add prawns, tossing to coat. Add stock, coconut milk, lime leaves, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and peppercorns. Cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes until the prawns are cooked through. Divide the curry among bowls, garnish with some coriander leaves and served with steamed jasmine rice.

 

Cutlets



Hummus Dip

Why pay up to $7 for shop or deli bought Hummus when in a matter of 5 minutes or less you can make your own?

Another gorgeous ceramic bowl and plate from Kim.A.Aitken Ceramics (available online at www.Estherandcameron.com)


Ingredients

1 x 600g can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
3 garlic cloves crushed
100ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 x Tablespoons tahini paste (this lasts for months in the fridge so worth the purchase)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of water (or enough to give a smooth consistency)

Method

Place all ingredients (except water) into a bowl and using a stick blender or food processor combine.  Then add sufficient water and process to a smooth consistency.

Place in a serving dish and sprinkle sweet paprika or ground cumin on top.

Serve with toasted Turkish bread or crackers.

Great nutritious addition to school lunch boxes.

Mamma Marmalade

Lemon & Blue Cheese Pasta

Serves 4

 

 

Balance the richness of blue cheese and cream with a hint of tangy lemon zest, to give this dish a silky texture.

 

 

100g soft blue cheese, plus some extra to crumble ( I used Gorgonzola Dolci)

40g unsalted butter

400g tagliatelle or fettucini

165ml thickened cream

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp lemon thyme leaves, chopped

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

 

 

Place blue cheese in a bowl with the butter and blend together with a fork.

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Keep pasta warm while you make sauce.

Add cheese mixture to the pan and slowly combine with the reserved cooking liquid and the cream, whisking continuously until it comes together to form a sauce.

Add the lemon zest, thyme and nutmeg. Season to taste, then return pasta to the pan and toss to combine.

Serve in warmed bowls and top with some crumbled blue cheese.

So quick to prepare and delicious to eat.

Buon Apetito!

Cutlets





Jaipuri Chicken Curry

Serves 4-6

 

Here is my version of a recipe that I cut out from the newspaper over  a decade ago. You can alter the chilli to suit your family's taste buds.
 

 

You'll need

 

8 x Chicken Marylands with skin on ( free range is preferable )

2 tblspn vegetable oil

3 cloves

3 cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick, crumbled
2 bay leaves, crumbled

1 onion, chopped

3 large cloves garlic, crushed

1 tblspn fresh root ginger, grated

1/2-2 tspn red chilli powder, to taste

1 tspn turmeric

2 tspn coriander powder

1 x 400g chopped tomatoes

1/2 tspn garam masala

3 tbpsn chopped fresh coriander

 

Here's how

Heat oil in large saucepan and brown chicken pieces all over. Set aside on paper towels. In a small non-stick pan, add cloves, cardamom seeds, crumbled cinnamon stick and crushed bay leaves and fry until fragrant. Crush in a mortar and pestle and then tip into the pot where the chicken pieces were browned adding the onion and fry until golden brown. Add crushed garlic and grated ginger, then sprinkle with chilli, turmeric and coriander powder. Fry until fragrant. Add tomatoes and heat. Add the browned chicken pieces and stir well, bring to the boil then cover and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken is falling off the bones.
Sprinkle with garam masala and stir to combine. Top with freshly chopped coriander.
Serve with steamed basmati rice, some red dahl, natural yoghurt and poppadums.

You will love the aroma that wafts through your kitchen!

Cutlets

 

 



Flat Bread - Flat Out - fast fast fast and easy easy easy

Super easy Yoghurt Flat Bread

This is a very popular recipe with just reason.  Once you have this recipe saved, you will always have fresh bread options at your fingertips –literally!  

The serving variations are endless – I have used it to accompany a curry as a change from rice, or served with a Moroccan flavoured meal, even as a variation on bruschetta and it is delicious with eggs, bacon, mushrooms and avocado for a lazy breakfast.

Preparation and rolling:  10 minutes

Cooking:                           approx 3 -4 minutes per flatbread

TO INCREASE QUANTITIES:  simply use the 1:1 ratio and mix to your quantity - Easy!

Ingredients

250 gram SR flour – sifted

250 gram Greek Yoghurt

Good pinch salt

OPTION: During the rolling process:  Add your preference of a sprinkle of: 

dried herbs, or finely sliced fresh herbs,  or chilli flakes, cracked pepper, or finely sliced shallots

Method

Combine the ingredients and form a soft round dough.

Divide into 3 or 4 (depending what size flatbread you want)

Dust a bench or board with some sifted Flour to make a suitable rolling surface and also dust the rolling pin.  Keep the flour handy – sometimes the mix is sticky and sucks up a bit of dusting flour.

Sometimes a piece of non-stick baking paper helps.

Roll to desired thickness - not too dense - say thin pizza thickness.

During the rolling process: 

If desired, sprinkle through a little of your choice of herb/spice additions.

Continue to roll into the flatbread

Have a char grill hot and oiled, will only need to cook for a couple of minutes each side.

Use in lots of different ways – lunch, dinner even breakfast.

                        Enjoy!   Colleen