Thai Red Fish Curry - using shortcuts

This is a 'use what's there' recipe - a quick combination of lots of veggies and some pantry staples for a quick and nourishing family meal - any leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day.  Instead of salmon, use chicken (even leftover BBQ chook) or what you have on hand.  

Favourite Son was popping in around dinner time on his way back from Splendor in the Grass Music Festival, with a bit of a cold, needing something flavoursome and hearty. Instead of serving the salmon fillets whole as part of my intended meal - I simply cut the fillets into chunks, added a few more veggies and had enough for 4 people - fast, fresh, delicious.  And, yes, he gave his Mum a big hug thank you! Aaah!   Enjoy!  Colleen

Salmon Thai Red Curry by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    5 minutes

Cooking        15 minutes

Ingredients

Packet of long-life noodles (I used Hokkien) Soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes, drain then add noodles to pan just before serving

2 Salmon fillets (approx 120gm each)  or Chicken thigh fillets etc - cut into chunks about 1 inch square (roughly)

check your veggie crisper for what works with Thai flavours (eggplant, broccoli, those half capsicums, cauliflower, cabbage - great way of combining a few vegg)

This is just a suggestion of veggies to use 

2 onions - sliced

2 cloves garlic - crushed

Capsicum (red, green, yellow) sliced

1 zucchini - cut into large half-moons

1/2 cauliflower - cut into florets

1/2 cabbage - shredded

3 shallots - sliced into 2 inch batons

2 handfuls baby spinach leaves

1 tin good Coconut Milk (approx 270ml) 

2 -3 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (use to your taste)

some chopped lemongrass (optional)

some grated ginger

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Dried Chilli flakes - or use fresh  (optional)

Pepper (optional)

Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce (optional)

Some Thai Basil leaves for garnish (optional)  I have some in my herb garden

Roasted nuts or Cashews for garnish (optional)

Method

while the fish is cooking - Boil some water,  soak your noodles for a couple of minutes in a bowl, drain and leave aside.

Heat a pan and add a splash of oil

Gently cook the salmon pieces, turning carefully until almost cooked through.  Remove from pan into a bowl and keep aside until end.

Add a little more oil to the pan and cook the onions, then add Red curry paste. Stir well.

Stir in the garlic, ginger, lemongrass and the chopped veggies.  Add the veggies depending on how long they take to cook - eg spinach last as it wilts so quickly

When veggies are half cooked - add the coconut milk,  and stir well.

Add the remaining veggies that need minimal cooking and stir through.

Now taste - do you need extra curry paste, heat, pepper, salt (Fish Sauce/Soy Sauce) - adjust and add to your taste.  Cook through and stir in well.

Return the fish pieces and the noodles to the pan and stir gently through so they are warm.

Serve with the optional basil / nut garnishes

                                                   Enjoy!  Colleen

Low Carb Cheesecake (No Artificial Sweetener)

If you or a family member are trying to minimise their "carbs" but crave a touch of sweet -  but don't like the idea of using artificial sweeteners, then give this recipe a try.  It is delicious and only approximately 14 grams of carbohydrate per slice (without the topping). Also Gluten Free.

Ingredients - Crust

1 3/4 cups fine almond flour
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup of melted unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients - Cheesecake

2 x 250g packages of cream cheese
2 cups of thickened cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla

Ingredients - Chocolate Ganache layer - (Can be omitted to keep the carb content lower)

80g dark chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons of thickened cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Grease a 10" springform tin.

To make crust, combine almond flour, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and mix thoroughly, it should resemble damp sand.

Press evenly over the bottom of the springform tin.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until golden and set.  Cool.

Make ganache by placing chocolate in a small heatproff bowl. hen heat the cream in a small saucepan on the stove on medium heat, once it has come just to the boil, remove from heat, add vanilla and salt. Pour over chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds, then stir constantly until chocolate is melted. Cool slightly.  Pour ganache evenly over baked crust, smoothing all the way to the edges.
Place in refrigerator whilst preparing cheesecake filling.

Place cream cheese and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat the thickened cream and 1/4 cup of sugar. Beat until stiff.

Gently combine cheese cream and whipped cream mixture.

Pour cheesecake filling over crust.

Place cake in refrigerator overnight or for several hours.

Remove from tin and

Serve with a small drizzle of berry coulis or in our instance some Davidson's Plum sauce.

Yum Yum

Mamma Marmalade

Panettone French Toast - Christmas in July treat

Panettone is a wonderful Christmas treat - a rich buttery Italian fruity bread loaf.  I love buying an extra one and storing away for July when the Queensland weather has a lovely cool crispness and we can really enjoy a winter indulgence.
Serve with a warmed bowl of berries and some vanilla speckled cream to really make your breakfast or brunch really feel special.  Enjoy!!    Colleen

Ingredients      (these are measurements for 2 serves)

Toast
1 thick (1 1/2 inch at least) slice of Panettone per person

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or you could use castor sugar)
Shake each of - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg.
1 tablespoon butter
splash of Light Olive Oil  - this has a very mild flavour.  Or splash of sunflower oil.  
TIPS & HINTS combining the light oil with the butter slows the butter burning too quickly

Berries
mixture of sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries.
I like to add a couple of teaspoons of Sutton's Apple Syrup from Stanthorpe (see below)

Cream
1/4 cup cream
teaspoon icing sugar 
tiny dab of Pure Vanilla Bean Paste - preferably organic

Method

Lightly whisk the eggs, milk, sugar and spices in a bowl and then pour into a dish where you can lay the panettone flat for it to soak up the eggy mix. I used a pyrex baking dish approx 33cm x 20cm x 5cm deep
Soak the bread for approx 15 min or more - turning to ensure it is well soaked.

While the bread is soaking
Warm serving plates 
Gently heat the sliced berries with the apple syrup - until warm, not soggy. Transfer to a warm bowl 

Whisk some sifted icing sugar into the cream with the dab of vanilla paste until just combined - you want pouring consistency

Warm a wide pan on the stove and melt the butter/oil until begins to foam.

Transfer the bread slices to the pan using a wide slide.
Cook approx 2 mins per side until golden - keep an eye on these - burn quickly.

Serve on warmed plates with the berries and cream. Yuuuuuum!!

From the Granite Belt, Stanthorpe area - we like (and paid for our own) Sutton's Apple Syrup suttonsfarm.com.au  also if you are in the area be sure to stop at Pyramids Road Winery and say Hi to Warren and Sue - Stanthorpe is a great spot to visit in Queensland!
      
Enjoy!     Colleen

Chicken and Leek Gratin

Don't you get so excited when you receive a new cookbook from one of your favourite authors?  My "Essential" by Annabel Langbein arrived on the doorstep and I couldn't wait to try out one of her recipes for dinner that night.  I chose this Gratin and I am sure you will find it delicious and surprisingly easy to put together.  The fresh herbs really elevate this dish.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon butter
2 leeks finely sliced
Salt and pepper
6 boneless chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup of pouring cream or chicken stock

Crumb

1/4 loaf of day old crusty bread
2 cloves of garlic
2 anchovies (can omit)
1 large handful of fresh parsley
Zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan
1/2 Teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves

Method

In a heavy based fry pan, heat the butter and add sliced leeks.  Season with salt and pepper.
Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until soft, about 15-20 minutes.

Marinate chicken by combining Chicken, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, thyme, cayenne pepper and salt in a glass or china dish.
Allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

To make the crumb, tear bread into rough pieces and pulse in a food processor to make coarse crumbs, set aside.

Place garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, anchovies, parsley and melted butter into the food processor and whiz to combine.  Add bread crumbs and Parmesan, whiz to combine.

Remove the leeks from the heat and add the cream or chicken stock.
Spread evenly over the base of  shallow large oven dish.
Arrange chicken on top and then cover with the crumb mixture.

This can be chilled at this stage for several hours.

When ready to cook, pop chicken in  a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius until fully cooked and crumbs are golden, approx 3/4 to 1 hour.

Great on a cold winter's night.

Mamma Marmalade