Lentil and Ricotta Easy Frypan Lasagne

I stumbled across this recipe a while ago and have adapted it with extra herbs and veggies to make an easy meal that tastes like lasagne - without the hour of preparation.  Wilbur went back for seconds without realising there was no meat - he is finding lentils are actually tasty! Plus it is a great way to use up a few bottom of the crisper veg, reducing waste.     Enjoy!   Colleen               

Lentil lasagne by Feed Your Inner Cook

Lentil lasagne by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation   5 minutes

Cooking       15 minutes frying then 15 - 20 mins baking in oven

Serves            4 - 6  especially if served with salads

Ingredients

splash olive oil

1 brown onion - diced

1 garlic clove - crushed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (400 gram approx) tin brown lentils - drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 zucchini, grated and squeezed of excess liquid ( in a Chux cloth or teatowel)

1  400 g tin diced tomatoes plus 1/4 tin water -ie rinse the tin

3 big handfuls baby spinach leaves

Pepper, some fresh rosemary chopped, or thyme OR dried herbs

big handful fresh basil leaves - torn - reserve some for garnish

a little fresh parsley - chopped

shake of dried chilli flakes (optional)

2 fresh lasagne sheets (usually in the supermarket fridge section) - tear into large ribbons

150 - 200 gram tub Smooth ricotta  (one of the few times I prefer tub to fresh ricotta)

2 cups grated cheese

some grated parmesan cheese

few cherry tomatoes - halved (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to  190℃

In a large frypan (check it is safe to go into oven OR cook then pour into oven pan later)

warm the oil and gently fry the onion until soft

Stir in the garlic and the tomato paste then the drained lentils and balsamic vinegar.

Add the grated zucchini, diced tomatoes, water from the tin, then spinach leaves.

Just cook until spinach begins to wilt - a few minutes.

Add your fresh and dried herbs plus some pepper and chilli flakes.

Stir to combine, turn off the heat.

Spoon 1/4 of the mixture into a bowl to add back in later.

Place the torn lasagne sheets over the cooked mixture in a single layer, tucking a few pieces into the mixture.

Spoon the 1/4 reserved mixture back over the lasagne sheets.

Using a teaspoon, dollop ricotta all over, then, half swirl some of the dollops through a little bit.

Sprinkle over the grated cheese and grated parmesan.

Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes on top, pushing in slightly.

Sprinkle with a scattering of dried herbs if desired.

Pop the pan into oven and bake for approx 15 - 20 minutes until golden and cheese oozes.

Garnish with reserved basil leaves if desired.  TIP - rub a tiny bit of olive oil over the fresh basil leaves before garnishing so they don't wilt too quickly on the hot topping.

Serve with a green salad.

Enjoy!   Colleen

Stuffed Pork Fillet

 Often I will buy a range of meats to have on our weekends at Uki. But then I am faced with the challenge of turning them into something delicious for dinner.  Last Saturday I had one good sized pork fillet, but was not inspired to have our usual that is, pan frying the medallions and adding a cream and mustard sauce.  So a quick hunt of the internet and I came up with a combination of ingredients to stuff my pork fillet.  All remained was to wrestle the stuffing to stay inside while I wrapped and tied it.

Note: It may be worthwhile checking out a You Tube video on how to slice a pork fillet into a flat piece of meat.

Ingredients

1 x medium to large pork fillet

3 x Tablespoons softened cream cheese

1 x Tablespoon of either pesto or capsicum dip

2 x bacon rashers, diced and cooked

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 x red onion, sliced

Salt and Pepper

1 x Dessertspoon butter

Dash of Olive Oil

1 x Dessertspoon Balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup tasty cheese, grated

Paprika or spice rub of choice

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Make balsamic onions - Place butter and olive oil in a frypan, once melted add onions and a little salt and pepper and stir until softened. (approx 10 minutes) Then add vinegar, stir to combine and then set aside to cool.

Take your pork fillet, trim of fat and any silver skin.  With a very sharp knife, starting from near the bottom of the pork fillet, run the knife along the length to open up, continue to cut down the centre each time flattening a little more pork meat against the board until it is opened up like a book. Refer note above.

You can then use a meat hammer and gently pound the meat rectangle.

Start by gently spreading the cream cheese over the meat leaving a small space around all edges.

Next spread over the capsicum spread or pesto, then add the grated tasty cheese.

Next layer is the onion mixture, then a layer of spinach topped with the cooked bacon.

Cut 6 pieces of kitchen string and slide under the fillet, spaced evenly apart.

You may need another pair of hands to assist in rolling and tying the fillet.

Starting from the edge most away from you, roll the meat, whilst squeezing the stuffing into the roll as you go. 

Once rolled to the other side, have someone tie off each string.

Dust the outside with your favourite spice rub or paprika.

Place in an oven dish and cook for 30-40 minutes or until pork is just cooked, you don't want to dry it out.

Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, slice into medallions and then remove string.

Serve with salad.

Mamma Marmalade

Sweet Potato and Coconut Curried Red Lentil Salad - for Dinner

One of my favourite and most versatile salad recipes is the sublime Belinda Jeffery's   clever Fragrant Spiced Red Lentil and currant salad that I have shared on this blog previously.  It is an absolute winner for flavour and is a firm favourite in my home. 

On the weekend I was a bit overenthusiastic and made an rather large quantity.  My usual options for changing or reinvigorating the salad are to add some fish or protein along with additional vegetables.  This time however, I wanted a quick dinner, so I warmed some already roasted chunks of sweet potato, added spoonfuls of the red lentil salad and stirred through some coconut milk.  The tang from the salad vinegar is quite zingy alongside the coconut.  Garnished with a little fresh mint or coriander - a quick to prepare warm variation using a favourite recipe.  

Belinda Jeffery lives in the beautiful Northern New South Wales region which grows an abundance of enticing fruit and vegetables. Pop into the village of Uki when you visit this picturesque region.             Enjoy!  Colleen 

Preparation    5 minutes -  Fragrant Spiced Red Lentil and currant salad already made

Cooking          5 - 10 minutes  - if your salad and sweet potato are already prepared.

Serves            depends on quantity used.  Mine serves 4

Ingredients

Fragrant Spiced Red Lentil and currant salad  click on this link for blog recipe

1 large sweet potato - peeled, cut into chunks and roasted

a little oil

couple of handfuls of baby spinach leaves

approx 125 ml (1/2 cup) coconut milk  - add gradually, might not need all of this

freshly chopped mint or coriander to garnish

Method 

Warm the roasted sweet potato chunks in a splash of oil.

Stir in baby spinach until just wilted.

Add several large spoonfuls of the prepared Red lentil salad and gently combine.

Pour in a little coconut milk and gently stir through. You want it to be creamy but not sloppy so add gradually. Taste and adjust if needed with touch salt, pepper or herbs.

Serve garnished with fresh mint or coriander

Enjoy!  Colleen

Pumpkin, feta and caramelised onion roll

Vegetarian meals are on my table most nights and this pumpkin roll is easy to mostly prep ahead of time and can be varied with the addition of different herbs and options such of semidried tomatoes or black olives . The recipe is from "Delicious : Faking It" and can be served with steamed green veggies or a green salad or tomato salad if you prefer. I often make it with just one pastry sheet and reduce the filling accordingly - which is enough for dinner for 2 people and lunches the next day.  

Having a stash of pre-roasted pumpkin in your freezer will be it even faster to prepare. 

            Enjoy!  Colleen

Preparation    20 minutes including prepping the pumpkin

                        you could just use one piece of pastry and half the filling mix

                        Filling can be prepared ahead of time ready for assembly later on
Baking            30 minutes for pumpkin.  Allow to cool. Then  30 minutes for pastry roll

Ingredients     

Essentially:  use the pumpkln and cheese basics and add/vary what you want to add - 

500 gram pumpkin - after been peeled, cubed and roasted (approx 30 minutes)  Allow to cool

TIP:  I peel, cube and roast a large pumpkin then freeze any pumpkin I don't use for another time.   Roasted pumpkin cubes are so handy for quick dinners 

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves  (option: sage leaves or thyme leaves)

2 slices frozen puff pastry - almost thawed, don't let it get too soft or it's too hard to handle PS you could just use one piece of pastry and half the filling mix

few tablespoons of Caramelised Onion jam (jar is fine) More or less depending on your preference, just not excessive or will be soggy

shake of dried chilli flakes (optional)

1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic (optional)

a couple of semi sundried tomatoes or black olives finely sliced would be nice option too

50 - 100 gram feta cheese crumbled (Option: goat's cheese) 

1 egg, beaten - for egg wash

Optional: poppy seeds or sesame seeds for sprinkling over top

Some additional caramelised onion jam for serving option

Method

Peel, cube and roast pumpkin (approx 30 min) with a little olive oil, rosemary, a little salt and pepper to your taste. I like a bit of pepper for flavour.  Allow to cool at least 15 - 20 min

Place the cooked cubes in a bowl and sprinkle over the optional chilli flakes, garlic, sundried tomato pieces . Stir just enough to combine.

Have oven preheated to 190℃ and line a baking (with lip) tray with baking paper

You have the option of making 2 thinner rolls or 1 wider roll:

for 2: Place one of the almost thawed pieces on the baking tray close to one of the long sides so that half pastry hangs off the tray - only keep the freezer plastic on the hanging pastry for now - you are going to fill the base then flip the hanging pastry on to top of roll mixture.  You will then repeat on the other baking tray edge with the 2nd piece of pastry   

OR

for 1 : use one piece of pastry on base, fill then cover with 2nd piece of pastry for a wider roll 

this is easier and less fiddly - just means roll will be wider 

OR 

just use one piece of pastry and half the filling mix

Use a fork and prick the base pastry in several places leaving a 2cm border

Spread a couple of tablespoons of caramelised onion jam over pastry base leaving 2cm border

Spoon the pumpkin mixture over so it resembles a long sausage roll filling and heaped up only enough for pastry to enclose.  Leave the 2 cm border 

 (If making 2 separate rolls - use half the mix on each pastry)

Sprinkle over with some crumbled feta

Brush the pastry borders with egg wash

Roll over the remaining pastry to enclose the filling . Be sure to remove any of the freezer plastic from the pastry

Press the edges to enclose the filling and seal the roll

Cut several slits across the top of the pastry with a sharp knife. Make them a wider than my pic

Brush all over with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds if desired

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until puffed and golden.

Serve with a green salad.

Enjoy!  Colleen

Pork Chops in BBQ sauce

Midweek meals are sometimes difficult to make interesting.  But as you may have come to realise, the two contributors to this blog rarely prepare standard meat and 3 veg fare like they had in their childhood.  So with the dilemma  of 2 plain pork chops looking at me I was on the hunt for some spices to make them pop.  The following is a marinade that you don't need to make ahead of time as the chops actually cook in the sauce. So it's super quick for a midweek dinner with the added benefit that all the ingredients are already in the pantry.

   

Ingredients

Marinade

3 Tablespoons quality BBQ sauce

1 Tablespoon Soy sauce

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon brown sugar

2 Teaspoons Balsamic vinegar

1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 Teaspoon salt

1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less if not keen on heat)

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Prepare the pork chops by combining 1/2 Teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder (i didn't have any) and paprika. Rub this over the pork chops and then season with salt and pepper.

Combine all the marinade ingredients into an oven dish. Add the pork chops and baste.

Place in the oven on the top shelf because at the end of the cooking we will be grilling to make golden and crunchy.

Cook chops for 20 minutes, turning and basting every 10 minutes.

Turn oven to grill and then allow a further 5-7 minutes each side until edges are caramelised.

Top with fresh herbs and serve.  

Our accompaniments were mashed pumpkin and sautéed cabbage, bacon and fennel seeds. 

Mamma Marmalade

No Knead Focaccia

You need this recipe for No Knead Focaccia!  It comes from the SBS TV website and is made with basic ingredients and very little effort. My Grandson loves helping make this "fox-shar" so I hope you do too!  Stir the ingredients together the day before you want to bake and leave overnight in the fridge. Childs-play ! (with supervision!) It only takes a few minutes arranging simple herbs and a few sliced vegetables to make it 'Arty' and fun.  Delicious dunked in a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar or with a smudge of butter.  Best eaten on the day it is baked - which won't be a problem!   Enjoy!  Colleen

Preparation    10 minutes 
Resting           1 hour plus overnight plus approx 45 minutes before baking
Baking             20 - 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups   00  Tipo Flour (bread flour)

1 teaspoon instant yeast (I sometimes use one sachet) 

1 teaspoon Salt

Olive oil (1 1/2 tablespoons) plus more for baking later

2 cups barely lukewarm water, a tiny bit warmer than room temperature but not warm

slices of vegetables and herbs for decoration if desired

Sea salt flakes to sprinkle before baking

Method

Use a large mixing bowl as the dough will expand on rising. 

Combine the flour, instant yeast and salt and stir well.  I use a Danish Dough Hook but a regular spatula or  large spoon is okay.

Mix the oil into the water and pour gently into the flour mixture

Stir really well to mix together into a sticky dough.

Leave the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for an hour.

Check after an hour that the dough is starting to rise and pop the bowl into the fridge overnight. You can leave for 2 nights if you prefer, I have only done overnight.

Next day

Generously oil a baking pan - mine was 24cm x 34cm x3cm

Tip the dough onto the pan and oil your hands then moosh with your fingers so the dough gets to the edges

Preheat oven to 200 ℃

Leave the pan of dough in a warm place to rise again - approx 30 mins and it will rise by about a quarter size

Oil your fingertips again and push indents into dough again. Decorate as desired and sprinkle with some sea salt flakes.  Allow to rise again approx 10 minutes.

Drizzle with some more Olive Oil

Bake for approx 20 - 30 minutes until middle of loaf springs back when pressed  and crust is lightly golden.

Enjoy!    Colleen

Roast chicken with rosemary and garlic rub

 Sometimes the most delicious dinners are the most simple. Start with the very best ingredients a small addition of some dried and fresh herbs and you have a winner.  In this recipe I have used Tweed Real Food's Garlic and Rosemary rub combined with some fresh herbs from my garden.  I usually roast chicken with lemon wedges, but have you seen the price! I did have some of my parents organic limes so substituted lime for the lemon.

I like to support Australian farmers so I subscribe to  Piggy in the Middle and receive fresh chicken, pork and eggs direct from the farm each month.

The added benefit of this rub is that it has no added sugar so fits in with my kids eating Whole 30 and hubby's keto diet.

       

Ingredients

1 x Organic/Free Range Chicken

1 x sachet Tweed Real Food Garlic and Rosemary Rub (or substitute)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Dried Chilli Flakes

Lemon/lime

Fresh Rosemary, Bay Leaves

1 x head of good garlic

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Give the chicken a quick rinse under running water inside and out.  

Pat dry with paper towel

Cut chicken into 2 with kitchen scissors (Can leave whole)

Pop fresh herbs and lime into a baking dish, place chicken halves on top.

Drizzle a little EVOO over the chicken then sprinkle on rub and dried chilli flakes.  

I add a whole garlic because the family love the taste of squishy baked garlic cloves.

Pop the roasting dish into the oven and cook for 50- 60 minutes depending on the size of the chicken.

Mamma Marmalade

Pistachio Pinwheel Biscuits

I finally discovered the easiest way to have delicious biscuit treats in my kitchen - give a lovely person a fabulous cookbook for their birthday and they make them for you ! Perfect! This recipe is from "Dessert Person" by Claire Saffitz and a big Thank You to an even sweeter Claire for cooking and bringing these nutty swirls along to share!  

Hope you enjoy these too - Colleen

Preparation       45 min plus 1 - 1 1/4 hours refrigeration 

Baking               15 - 20 minutes

Makes                32

Ingredients

90 gram  (2/3 cup) shelled pistachios
170 gram butter, room temperature, diced

3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons icing sugar 

2 large egg yolks   - only yolks needed in this recipe

1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract

1 cup Plain Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups Almond flour

1/2 cup Demerara sugar (for rolling)

Method

Finely grind pistachios in a food processor until gravelly but NOT fine or a paste. Tip into a small bowl.

Re-use the food processor to mix the butter and icing sugar until smooth and creamy.

Add yolks and almond extract pulsing until smooth and light.

Add flour and salt and barely pulse to a stiff dough, scrape down sides as needed.

Remove 2/3rd of dough to a medium bowl and use a flexible spatula to combine added almond flour (into medium bowl)

Tip the medium bowl dough onto a piece of baking paper about 36 cm long. that is on a baking sheet - a tray without 3 edges, so you can roll per below.

Pat the dough into a thinner layer and top with another piece of baking paper.  Roll the dough until it is about 12x8 inches or 30x20 cm and about 1/4 inch thick.

Uncover the dough and leave on tray, refrigerate until firm approx 15 min.

The remaining 1/3rd of dough is still in the food processor. Add the ground pistachios and pulse about 7 times until blended and green. Set aside at room temperature.

Remove the slab dough from fridge and plop tablespoon size blobs of pistachio dough across surface of dough.  Use an offset spatula to spread pistachio dough across in an even layer but leave a 1/2 inch border on the 2 longer sides. (If desired, have the pistachio dough a little thinner at the ends for the final 1/2 inch of it's layer, helps with the swirl effect)

Start at one of the longer sides using baking paper to assist. Roll dough into tight spiraled log. Wrap the rolled log in baking paper and refrigerate until dough is firm, approx 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180 ℃ and line 2 large rimmed baking trays with baking paper.

Have an upper and lower oven rack in place in the oven.

Sprinkle the demerara sugar over a cutting board.

Remove log from fridge, unwrap and roll across the sugar, pressing down firmly as you roll so sugar adheres to entire log.

Use a sharp knife and cut the thinnest slice from both ends to neaten and expose the swirl pattern.

Cut the log in half across the middle crosswise, then cut these in half again to make quarter logs. then cut all logs in half again to make eighths - this makes for even slices. 

NB before each cut - roll the  log pieces on the cutting board to keep them round.

Cut each of the eighth pieces into four slices so you will have 32 biscuits.

Place the biscuits evenly over the 2 trays with space to spread slightly.

Bake on upper and lower oven racks - halfway switch and also rotate trays.

Bake until golden around edges approx 15 to 20 minutes in total. Check regularly so they don't overbake.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets.

Enjoy!   Colleen ... and Claire .... and Claire!

Chicken and Ham Pot Pie

 Now if like me, you have some leftover cooked chicken and a leg of ham that needs to be used and you have exhausted all recipes, I suggest you give this a try.  It's very tasty and ideal if you are following a keto or low carb diet. In truth no one will tell the difference.

Pie by Feed Your Inner Cook

Pie by Feed Your Inner Cook

           

Ingredients

300g cooked chicken (or thereabouts) cut into cubes

200g ham (or thereabouts) cut into cubes, you can substitute with bacon

1 Tablespoon butter

Olive Oil

1 small or 1/2 medium carrot, diced

2 medium stalks of celery, diced

1/3 cup leek or onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme or parsley, chopped

110g cream cheese (1/2 cup)

1 cup of thickened cream

1/4 cup of chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dough

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella 

2 Tablespoon cream cheese

2/3 cup almond flour

1 medium egg beaten, to brush the top 

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Heat 1 Tablespoon of butter, plus a dash of olive oil and saute leek/onion, carrots, garlic, celery and thyme.

Cook until soft and golden, about 6 minutes.

Add cooked chicken and ham and combine.

Add cream cheese, cream, stock salt and pepper, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 1-2 minutes until cream cheese has melted and all ingredients incorporated.

Take off the heat and make the dough.

Place the mozzarella and cream cheese in a small saucepan, stir until melted and combined.  Add almond flour and mix to form a dough.

Roll the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to approx 1/2 cm thick.

Use the top of the individual pot pie dish to cut a circle with a sharp knife.

Spoon the chicken mixture into the individual pots. Place the circles of dough on top sealing the edges.  Cut to slots in the pastry lid with a knife and brush the some beaten egg.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.

Mamma Marmalade

Asian Bean Sprout and Mango Salad

 

One of our most popular blogs from way back in 2015. It's worth a revisit.

With summer entertaining fast approaching, having a varied repertoire of interesting salads is a must. This salad from Jamie Oliver is a welcome change to the boring lettuce, cucumber and tomato combo. Light and refreshing with the mango, crunch from the bean sprouts and cashew nuts and soy sauce, sesame oil and coriander round out the Asian flavours.

Ingredients

Bunch of fresh coriander

400g packet of bean sprouts

Olive oil

100g cashew nuts

Honey for drizzling

1/2 fresh red chilli

1 small ripe mango

Soy sauce

Sesame oil

1 lime or lemon

Method

Set aside a few sprigs of coriander for decoration, pick the leaves off the rest of the bunch and place in a large serving bowl.

Finely slice the coriander stalks, add to the bowl, and add bean spouts.

Wrap cashews in a clean tea towel and bash with a rolling pin, place in a frypan and on a low heat add some olive oil and toasts and turning occasionally until golden.

Remove from the heat and add a good drizzle of honey.

Finely slice the chilli and mango and add to the salad bowl.

Tip the honey toasted cashews over the top.

Dress with lugs of soy sauce, sesame oil, and extra virgin olive oil and the juice of the lemon/lime.

Toss to combine with your hands.

Decorate with saved coriander sprigs.

Crunchy fresh and delicious.

Mamma Marmalade.

Chocolate, Coffee, Pecan Biscotti

 For newer followers of FYIC I wanted to repost one of my very popular recipes. This Biscotti is  inspired by the very talented Belinda Jeffery.  I once had the compliment from "Wilbur" that it was the best Biscotti he had ever had.  High praise indeed!  It makes an excellent home baked gift for Christmas presents.  It keeps quite well in a sealed jar if you can resist not eating.

Ingredients

80g roasted pecans, halved (can substitute other nuts)

1 3/4 cups plain flour

3/4 teaspoon bi carb soda

3/4 teaspoon baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules

120g best quality dark chocolate, chopped

125g unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar

1 large egg or 2 small eggs lightly beaten to get 75ml of egg (easiest to measure in a glass measuring jug)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Line a large oven tray with baking paper.

Combine the flour, bi carb, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Using a small sieve press the coffee granules through with the back of a spoon into the bowl, whisk for a minute to combine ingredients.

Add the pecans and chocolate and mix so they are coated with the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl beat the butter and caster sugar for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add egg is slowly beating in between. 

Add the vanilla.

Combine the flour mixture above and fold until a soft dough forms.

Press the dough gently together and then divide in half and and place on oven tray. From into a log shape. 

Leave space between the 2 logs as the mixture will spread when baking.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden.

Remove and leave to cool until just warm to the touch.

Turn oven down to 160 degrees Celsius and line another tray with baking paper.

Gently transfer the logs whilst still warm to a board and cut into approx 7 mm slices with a very sharp knife.  Do not try to cut too thinly or they will crumble.

Lay the slices flat on the prepared trays.

Return to oven and bake until crisp and golden about 15 minutes, turning them over half way through.

When ready remove the trays from the oven and leave the biscotti to firm up a little, then carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

Store into air tight containers until ready to gift wrap and give to friends.

Delizio

Mamma Marmalade

Miso Chicken

A dinner recipe that can be mostly prepared ahead of time is always a great .  This is my take on Donna Hay’s recipe.  You can marinate the chicken, pop it in fridge and later on whilst chicken is cooking, make some delicious salads or greens to serve alongside.   Great flavour and easy to adapt to veggies you have to hand.   Enjoy!  Colleen  

miso chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation     10 minutes  
TIP:  Prepare chicken in marinade in morning, pop in fridge ready for quick cook dinner that night.
Cooking            30 minutes
Serves               I usually allow 1 sometimes 2 thigh fillets depending on how hungry folks are, because I serve with heaps of veggies
 
Ingredients
6 (approx. ¾ - 1 kg) chicken thigh fillets – trimmed, halved
Marinade
¼ cup white miso paste  - use 1/3 cup if you prefer -  Miso is very salty
¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
½ - 1 tablespoon soy sauce – use 1/2 , taste then add more if needed.  Soy sauce is also very salty.
 
Option: layer some par-cooked sliced veg (pumpkin, cauliflower, potato) on base of tray if desired
 
Garnish options: Sesame seeds, coriander leaves, Shredded shallots
 
Serve with Green veggies, salad, noodles etc
 
Method
Preheat oven to 200 – 220 C◦ and prepare baking tray
Layer Par-cook sliced vegetables into prepared tray OR cook sliced veg with a drizzle of oil for 20 minutes before adding chicken fillets
 
Marinade
Use a deep bowl (fits chicken in later) to thoroughly whisk and combine all marinade ingredients.
Taste and check if you need the extra miso/soy
Add the chicken fillets and mix to cover well with marinade.
If preparing ahead of time: cover and store in fridge.  Remove from fridge 10 min before cooking.
 
Place the marinated chicken pieces over the par-cooked veggies, pour over any remaining marinade
Cook for approx. 30 minutes until chicken cooked and golden.
Garnish as desired and serve with Green veggies, salad, noodles etc
         Enjoy!   Colleen

Greens and Goat Cheese Pie

This fantastic recipe from Belinda Jeffery ensures you "eat your greens" in the most delicious way.  Packed full of nutritious dark leafy greens, you feel virtuous just eating it.  Don't be put off by making the olive oil pastry, it is remarkably elastic and very forgiving.  After all it is meant to look rustic.

 

Ingredients

Pastry

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chilled water

Filling

1 kg of well washed leafy greens (spinach, cavolo nero, chard, kale, mustard greens whatever you can lay your hands on) and chopped. Keep the chopped stalks separate from the chopped leaves.

1/3 cup olive oil

2 large leeks or onions, finely chopped

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

100g parmesan, grated

300g ricotta

freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/2 teaspoon

200g marinated goat's cheese

1/3 cup dill, finely chopped (if available)

1/3 cup mint, finely chopped

2 tablespoons, chopped parsley

2 teaspoons salt

freshly ground black pepper

extra olive oil for brushing onto pie

2-3 teaspoons of nigella seeds (if available) to sprinkle on the top

Method

To make the pastry, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to distribute.  Make a well in the centre and pour in the olive oil.  Mix it in with a fork. 

Drizzle the cold water, mixing until the the flour becomes a dough and starts to clump together.  Briefly knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a ball, turn out onto a floured board and knead for 3 to 4 minutes until it feels smooth and elastic.  Shape into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap, place in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Line a large round pizza pan with baking paper allowing a 3cm overlap all around.

Heat olive oil in a pan, add the chopped stalks, leeks/onions stir until softened (approx 10 minutes).  Then add the chopped green leaves and stir until wilted.

Put greens into a bowl and allow to cool a little.

Add eggs, parmesan, ricotta and nutmeg. Mix everything together (hands are the perfect tool).

Finally add in half the goat's cheese, along with all the herbs you are using and salt and pepper.

Take the dough from the fridge and on a lightly floured bench top, roll out using a rolling pin and your hands to stretch the dough until it forms a very thin circle that will overhang the pan by 8cm all around.

Easiest to pat it out to begin with and then use the rolling pin, it is very elastic and stretches.

Using the rolling pin to lift the pastry off the bench and drape over prepped pan.

Place the green filling on the centre of the pastry and using a large pallet knife spread to the edges of the pan. Dot the remaining goat's cheese over the top.

Now the impressive part!

Gently pull an edge of the overhanging pastry up with your fingers so it stretches and stretches and becomes quite thin, then fold it towards the centre of the torta, mine reached the centre but you can leave a little peek through by going about an inch from the centre. Repeat this all the way around the edge until the filling is partially enclosed in the pastry.

Using your finger tis to gently "stipple" the surface of the pastry and using a pastry brush, gently paint with olive oil, if using Nigella seeds sprinkle these on top.

Place the pie in the oven and bake for about 35 - 40 minutes, or until it's puffed up and golden (I could have left mine a little longer).

It's best to slide the pie onto a board or serving plate within a few minutes, otherwise it is hard to transfer.

So good for you and so tasty.

Note: Slices freeze well.

Mamma Marmalade

Wilbur's Spiced Lamb Sausage Rolls

There is a traditional and passionate football contest in Australia between Queensland and New South Wales teams known as "State of Origin".   In our home it is known as the one time of the year that I cook Wilbur a 'footy feast' such as sausage rolls.  I have previously posted the Chicken and Fetta Sausage Rolls but I also do a spiced lamb version - of course it is filled with lots of veggies too! These freeze really well, unbaked, for later and I have included tips for freezing. If you don't want to use all the mixture for sausage rolls, it is equally delicious as a Savoury Mince on Toast retro brekkie or brunch served with fresh tomatoes and more greens.

So, turn on the telly, wear Maroon, eat some lamb sausage rolls and shout "Queenslander!"  Enjoy! Colleen (and Wilbur)

Spiced Lamb Sausages by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation

Cooking

Serves

Ingredients  (You can make the full amount and freeze excess for next time)

500 grams Lamb Mince

5 sheets frozen Butter Puff Pastry - defrosted. Leave pastry on the plastic paper.

splash of Olive Oil

1 onion - finely chopped

2 garlic cloves - crushed

1 carrot - peeled and very finely diced (or thick grated)

3 large celery sticks - finely diced

1 generous knob of ginger - peeled and finely grated

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon dried mint leaves

good pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)  and/or tablespoon Tomato Chilli Relish 

1/2 teaspoon Celery Salt (optional)

4 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 handfuls baby spinach - chopped

1 loose cup parsley (and mint) leaves - then finely chop

2 eggs - keep separate  and lightly beat one for mixture NB the other beaten egg for brushing pastry at end. You can thin the egg wash out with a little water to extend if needed

salt and pepper to your taste

Sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 200 ℃ and line 2 -  3 oven trays with baking paper.

Heat a small splash of olive oil in a large frypan (lamb will give off fat too) and gently fry the onions then add garlic, diced carrot and celery until they soften slightly.

Add the minced lamb and brown, stir, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.

Add the spices and salt and pepper to your taste.

Stir a tablespoon of bread crumbs in at a time.  You might not need all - needs to be moist but not too dry.

Toss in and wilt the spinach then add the parsley/mint

Stir in one of the beaten eggs (2nd egg is for brushing the pastry later)

Mix well. Taste and season (add chilli or spices etc if more needed).  

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly

Prepare pastry

cut pastry in half length ways to create 2 rectangles. Leave on the pastry plastic paper.

Place a small  roll of the filling mixture in the centre of each of the pastry rectangles length ways (ie long roll of mixture with an inch or so of pastry either side long length way.

Brush the exposed pastry lightly with a little of the beaten beaten egg You can thin the egg wash out with a little water to extend if needed

Fold one long side of pastry over the filling roll then fold the remaining pastry over that pastry to encase the filling in a sausage roll shape. Check the pastry is enclosing the filling and pastry is connected together.

Gently roll the pastry roll over so the seam is at the bottom of the roll.

Using a sharp serrated knife cut the rolls into portions - I usually make mine about 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches long

Remove from the plastic pastry paper and place onto the prepared oven trays.

Lightly brush pastry tops with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds if desired.

Bake for approx 20 minutes until cooked and golden.

Serve with variety of dipping sauces - Tomato, chilli, bbq etc etc

To Freeze - filled and rolled  but   unbaked

Prepare as above and place either back onto the pastry plastic paper or baking paper.

Keep a little space between each mini roll then place flat into either a freezer safe container or bag.  Freeze keeping flat.

When ready to use

Remove from freezer and allow to defrost (a few hours preferably) in the fridge.

Bake as per above but increase time if needed by 5 minutes or so.

Option

Keep any left over filling mixture and reheat for a very Retro Brekkie or Brunch of Savoury Mince on Toast with fresh sliced tomatoes and extra greens.

Enjoy!  Colleen

Banana Cream Pie with Maple Caramel

Well it's celebration time in house. From November right through to Christmas it is Birthday season!  For my combined Daughter In Law and Granddaughter's birthday lunch I tried this easy to make but utterly decadent pie.

Banana cream pie.  Feed Your Inner Cook 

Ingredients

200g digestive biscuits

1/3 cup of salted peanuts

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

100g melted butter 

500g mascarpone

1/2 cup of thickened cream

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 large bananas sliced thinly

Maple Caramel

1/4 cup maple syrup

20g butter, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt flakes

1 tablespoon whiskey (optional)

2 1/2 tablespoons thickened cream

Method

Maple Cream

Put maple syrup into a small saucepan heat on high for 2-3 minutes or until the syrup starts to thicken slightly.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and salt. Then stir in whiskey (if using) and the salt.

Place in the fridge to cool.

Grease a 22 cm loose bottom tin and line the base with baking paper.

Tart

Place the biscuits, peanuts and cinnamon in a food processor.  Process until finely crushed.  Add the melted butter and process to combine.  Spoon into the prepared tin and using a spoon press down and make it level.  Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.

Combine in a medium bowl, mascarpone, thickened cream, sugar and whiskey (if using), beat with an electric mixer until firm peaks.

Transfer the biscuit base to a serving plate.

Spoon half the mixture onto the biscuit base.

Top with half the sliced banana.

Repeat with the remaining mascarpone mixture and banana.

When ready to serve drizzle over the maple caramel.

Delish !

Mama Marmalade