Lemon coconut slice

Election Day is almost here.
Around Australia, thousands of volunteers are preparing jams and cakes to raise funds at Polling Booth Community Stalls for their schools, swim clubs and community groups.  We want to thank these wonderful people and share our recipe which incorporates that most coveted Election Stall winner - lemon curds and passionfruit butters.  These bottles of golden sunshine give a tangy layer which oozes when you bite in - a small square of this indulgence is all you need and it best shared over a cuppa with friends. Variations of this recipe fill so many cookbooks with good reason - an enduring crowd favourite and always delicious. Enjoy!

Lemon Coconut Slice by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    15 minutes

Cooking          15 minutes, then let cool then 30 minutes cooking then cool before serving

Ingredients

90 gram butter – cubed

½ cup sugar

1 egg

¾ cup Plain Flour - sifted

¼ cup SR Flour   - sifted

350 – 400 ml Lemon Butter or Passionfruit Butter – whisked with a fork to soften and smooth.  I like to combine both as I love them so much

Topping

¼ cup caster sugar

1 ½ cups Desiccated Coconut

½ cup Shredded Coconut  plus additional small amount to sprinkle over topping

OR  use 2 cups Desiccated Coconut

Method

Preheat oven to 180˚C  and line pan (approx. 30cm x 22cm x 4cm deep)  with baking paper

In the bowl of electric mixer – beat the butter, sugar and eggs until fluffy

Then mix in by hand the sifted flours

Dot the mixture across the base of lined pan. Use a small piece of baking paper to gently push the mixture across the base.  Mixture is sticky and paper helps.

Place pan in fridge 10 minutes to cool.

Then bake the base for approx. 12 – 15 minutes until golden.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.  Needs to be cool before topping.

Once cool, pour over the Lemon Butter.  About 1 cm depth is good if possible

Dollop the topping over the Lemon Butter layer. Don’t push down heavily. It is ok to have a few spaces with Lemon Butter peeking through.

Gently sprinkle over a little of the Shredded Coconut

Bake for approx. 25 – 30 minutes until golden.

Allow to cool in pan.

Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Can be served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Keeps well (if you hide it!) in an airtight container either chilled or at cool room temperature.

                                           Enjoy!  Colleen

Lemon Coconut Slice by Feed Your Inner Cook

                                  

Chicken and Kaffir Lime Leaf Stir-Fry

The colours in this dish are eye-popping and vibrant - you just know it must be delicious and good for you!  Aromatic and tastes divine – yet so easy to prepare! No need to say more - Delish!

Chicken and Kaffir Lime Leaf Stirfry by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    10 minutes

Cooking          10 minutes

Serves             3 – 4

Ingredients

3 – 4 chicken thigh fillets, finely sliced and some fat removed

Splash Sesame Oil

2 onions – finely sliced

3 stalks celery – sliced

2 – 3 shallots. Sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger – finely sliced

5 Kaffir lime leaves.  For 3 – remove middle vein and very very finely shred the leaves.  Leave 2 whole – crush lightly in your hand to release aroma  (to remove later)

1 red chilli – sliced   OR  1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes  - adjust to your preference

¼ - 1/3 red cabbage.  Finely shredded

Handful cashews

2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Mirin

2 teaspoons white Miso paste  OR  red miso paste is ok instead

2 tablespoons Thai Basil – small leaves if possible

Noodles to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan.  Add the onion and cook until softened

Add celery and shallots.

Stir in the ginger, chilli and shredded Lime leaves and well as the 2 whole leaves.

Add chicken pieces and cook. Stir well

Stir in the shredded cabbage and cook until just starts to wilt.

Whisk the soy sauce, mirin and Miso paste in a cup with a fork until combined.

Add to the pan and stir to thoroughly coat with the sauce mixture.

Toss in the cashews.

Remove the 2 whole Kaffir lime leaves and discard.

Top with the Thai Basil leaves and serve with noodles.

                                Enjoy!  Colleen

Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup

Aaah Winter!!!  Soups are so versatile and satisfying. This soup has a deep warm flavour from the fresh and ground ginger - and ginger is so good for you!  Whenever I make a big pot of soup I always try and squirrel away a few containers into the freezer for those crazy days which seem to happen quite regularly in my life!  Lovely people pop in to visit and it is so easy to whip up a steaming bowl of warming soup - "here's one I prepared earlier!" . Best of all, many of my homemade soups do double-duty to form the sauce for a quick stir-fry or curry. So satisfying and better for you than take-away and it's on the table in no time! 

For a change, instead of boiling, try roasting the sweet potato before adding to the soup - this deepens and intensifies the flavour.  If I have the oven on, I often toss a tray of sweet potato or pumpkin on to roast, store it in the fridge and use in a recipe later in the week. You can even freeze the cooked veg in containers ready for your next soup making adventure! 

 

sweet potato and ginger soup by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    10 minutes

Cooking          30 minutes

Serves             6 -8

Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into chunks  (TIPS AND HINTS – see below) This is approx 2.5 kg  un-peeled 

Splash of Olive Oil

2 onions – chopped

3 tablespoons Fresh ginger – finely sliced.  Plus 1 extra tablespoon to add at the end

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 – 4 teaspoons cumin seeds  (plus extra to toast for optional garnish)

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 red chilli – chopped  OR  approx. 1 teaspoon chilli flakes  -  adjust to your preference

1 teaspoon ground Turmeric

3 stems Lemongrass .  Tough outer leaves removed.  Finely slice the white portions

1 – 2 Kaffir Lime leaves – leave the leaf whole, but partially snip the leaves to release flavours

1 litre Salt reduced Vegetable stock

400 ml tin coconut milk

400 ml water (re-using and rinse the coconut milk tin)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Ground white pepper to add at end

Salt to taste (because you used salt-reduced stock)

½ cup coriander leaves – chopped.   Some for stirring through at end, and a little for garnish

Method

Use a very large deep saucepan (one pot makes it easier to blitz the soup later and saves on washing up!)

Bring a kettle of water to the boil.  Transfer the water into the saucepan and add the sweet potato chunks. Boil for 5 minutes and drain well.  Set sweet potato aside and return pan to stove-top.

Gently heat the oil in pan and add onion, ginger, cumin, chilli, turmeric and lemongrass. Cook for a few minutes to release aromas.

Add the whole lime leaf (it will be pulled out prior to blitzing)

Stir in the vegetable stock and the chunks of sweet potato.  Simmer 15 minutes

Remove the lime leaf

Take pan off the stove.  Using a electric stick blender, gently blitz the soup until smooth.

Return the saucepan of soup to the stove and reheat to simmer.

Add the coconut milk, the water and brown sugar.  Stir through without boiling.

Taste and add a little extra very finely grated fresh ginger and some of the chopped coriander.

Taste and add some ground white pepper and perhaps some salt.

To serve

Sprinkle with some dry toasted cumin seeds  and some fresh coriander leaves.

TIPS AND HINTS

Option – Roast the sweet potato chunks and refrigerate overnight if desired or use immediately.  Omit the boiling method and add the roasted sweet potato and continue recipe as above.

Freezing

This soup freezes and defrosts really well! I like to freeze it in small containers which later defrost quickly - makes a great standby for unexpected hungry visitors

TIPS AND HINTS

THAI INSPIRED SAUCE OPTION

This soup is super! It can do double duty as a quick sauce for a Thai flavour curry or stir-fry.  Simply brown your meat, add some chunky vegetables, cook, stir through some of this soup like a sauce, adjust the seasonings if required and serve with rice or noodles.  Easy!
                                                     Enjoy!   Colleen

Quick Egg Curry and Rice

Eggs are such a great standby when you need to whip up dinner in 30 minutes or less. There are so many variations of egg curry recipes -  I enjoy sharing this gentle curry flavoured dish and it's creamy golden sauce that envelops the eggs with chunks of crunchy green beans and fresh red tomato peeking through. Change the amount of curry powder to suit your taste, add some cauliflower for variety or even a handful of leftover cooked chicken - endless variations - all delicious!

Quick Egg Curry and Rice by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation     10 minutes

Cooking           20 minutes

Serves 4 - 5

Ingredients

8 eggs  –  2 each.    Add a couple more if you want

Splash oil

2 onions – finely chopped

1 red chilli – seeded and finely sliced (or use some dried chilli flakes)

2 – 3 cloves garlic – crushed

Good size 4 – 5 cm chunk fresh ginger – peeled and grated

12 fresh curry leaves – removed from stem

1 tablespoon Curry Powder.  I used Madras.   Use less or more depending on your taste.

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground fennel

½ teaspoon Fish Sauce  (could add a little more instead of salt if you prefer)

½ teaspoon Soy sauce  

Handful fresh green beans – trimmed and cut in 1/3rds

3 – 4   ripe Roma Tomatoes. Chopped roughly – not too small

400 ml tin coconut milk

White pepper and salt – Taste first and add accordingly

Fresh coriander for garnish and stir through at end

Cooked rice to serve.

Option

Any leftover cooked chicken meat – roughly chopped.

Method

Have eggs at room temperature.  Place in a large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to boil.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes.   Cool in bowl of water and then peel.

Using a wide large frypan, heat oil and stir in onion.  Simmer and stir until soft and golden.

Add chilli, garlic, ginger, curry powder, curry leaves, turmeric and fennel. Cook for a few minutes.

Add coconut milk and bring to boil. Then reduce heat to low.

Simmer for 5 minutes or so until sauce thickens a little.

Toss in the beans and cook for a few minutes.

Stir in the tomato and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Taste and add Fish sauce and soy sauce and a little of the coriander.

Add the eggs and warm through.

Taste sauce and add extra pepper and salt to taste.

Serve over rice and garnish with some fresh chopped coriander.

OPTION

If you have a little leftover cooked chicken meat

Stir through to warm when adding the eggs.

                                               Enjoy!  Colleen

Cauliflower and Lemony Tuna Pasta

I love having a few recipes on hand that can be on the table in less than 30 minutes using ingredients I usually have in the pantry and fridge.  This easy dinner is inspired by a Donna Hay recipe - feel free to add a few more veggies  - spinach leaves, kale or broccoli would work well.  Play with the type of pasta you serve too! Spaghetti, Linguine and lots of different pasta shapes easily add variety and textural change - Enjoy!

Cauliflower Tuna Pasta by Feed your Inner Cook

Preparation     10 minutes
Cooking           20 minutes .  Pasta cooks within this time-frame approx 10 - 12 min.
Serves              4  (might even be leftovers!)

Ingredients

Pasta - approx 300 - 400 gram cooked.  Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water.

splash Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 onions - sliced
1/2 cauliflower - chopped into bite size florets.    add a bit more if you like
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds (optional)
1 clove garlic - crushed
1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
1/2 cup frozen peas - thawed a little
425 gram tinned good quality Tuna - well drained

1 lemon - zest,  and later juice of 1/2 the lemon
1 tablespoon baby capers
6 sprigs fresh tarragon - leaves only
2 sprigs flat leaf parsley - chopped finely
Pepper and Salt - to your taste

a little freshly grated parmesan
optional - a little lemon balm to garnish

Method

Boil water in a kettle and pour into a large saucepan. Return to boil.
Add the pasta and cook for packet recommended time.  

Heat the oil in a wide frypan that has a lid.
Add the cauliflower florets and the onion.  Stir well over a medium heat. Cover and stir from time to time until starts to soften.
Add the dried tarragon, celery seeds, garlic and stir again.  Only cover with the lid again if cauliflower taking a long time to soften.
Reduce heat to low-medium. Add the greek yoghurt and stir through the cauliflower.

About now, drain the pasta and reserve some of the cooking water.

Add the baby capers, peas, drained tuna and lemon zest. Do not over stir or the tuna will become mushy.
Add in and stir in the drained pasta. 
Sprinkle over the tarragon, parsley and lemon juice and lightly mix through.
Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  I like to add some pepper.

To loosen the sauce if necessary, add a little of the reserved pasta cooking water and gently stir through.

To serve - sprinkle with a little grated parmesan and a few lemon balm fronds.

                                                  Enjoy!   Colleen