Vegetarian Nachos

This is the second recipe in our family favourites series.  Recipes that you make, time and time again and you are never quite sure - who in the family it was, that gave you the recipe. It's also very handy to whip this dish up, because the ingredients are mainly what you have in the pantry. With all our family favourites feel free to tweak to your family's taste, we like it hot so you may want to tone down the chilli and cayenne pepper.

Ingredients

1 Medium/large brown onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Oil
1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes or half a bottle of tomato sugo sauce
2 x long red chillies, finely diced (seeds in if you can take the heat)
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (reduce to what you like)
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Packet of corn chips
Cheddar cheese, grated, as much as you like (My son Andrew tells me "you can never have too much cheese"!)

Extra Ingredients (if you have them)
Roasted red peppers, chopped
Corn sliced off the cob

Method

Heat Oil in a deep sided, heavy based frypan.
Sauté chopped onions until softened, add garlic, fry for just a minute, burnt garlic is bitter.
Toss in kidney beans, and all of the spices, stir to combine and let toast for a 5 minutes or more.
Add chopped tomatoes and stir.
Using a potato masher, gently squash bean mixture till it resembles a bubbling mixture but not so smooth as not to have some lumps and bumps.
Add any extras you want at this stage.
Heat oven grill
Place half the packet of corn chips on an ovenproof dish.
Spoon out the bean mixture over the corn chips, ensuring some ends are left not covered.
Then sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
Grill for 5-10 minutes until golden and gooey.

Serve with remaining corn chips, sour cream, guacamole and coriander.

Delicious
Mamma Marmalade

Rice Pudding Creamy and Delicious

Rice Pudding reminds me of English dinners, my Grandmothers and holiday comfort cooking.

Rice Pudding :   recipe from    Feed Your Inner Cook

Holidays often mean a fridge full of leftovers.  Excess milk can be tricky to use up easily.  

This recipe is excellent when the milk is still fine but nearing it's 'use-by' date.  
I particularly like adding a touch of ground Cardamom when the rice is almost cooked instead of the traditional nutmeg or cinnamon.  Cardamom is often called the Queen of Spices with a subtle camphor, bayleaf, minty peppery aroma.  Deliciously different.  A little pinch transforms this pudding from comfort food to exotic. Plus, it will keep for a few days once refrigerated.

Preparation                  5 minutes
Cooking               20 - 30 minutes - needs regular stirring whilst on stovetop.  

Ingredients      I have included measures for small and large sizes.

                                   Small                                   Double
Rice                              5 tablespoons (1/2 cup)       1 cup
Boiling water             1/2 cup                                    1 cup
Milk                              3 cups                                  6 cups
Sugar                          3  tablespoons                      6 tablespoons
Vanilla extract           1/2 teaspoon                           1 teaspoon
Cinnamon or nutmeg      pinch                              1/2 teaspoon
or 
Cardamom ground         pinch                              1/4 teaspoon   Increase to your taste
Method
Place rice in a large saucepan.
Cover with the boiling water and simmer rapidly until water almost evaporates.  
Stir constantly and watch it carefully. Do not boil dry. 
Slowly add the milk and stir well.
Bring to a slow boil.  Stir constantly and keep an eye on it as likely to boil over.
Reduce to a simmer.  Stir regularly.  Remove any 'skin' that forms.
Add the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon or nutmeg  OR cardamom
Stir and slowly simmer until thick and rice is cooked.  Taste to check rice is soft.
simmer until desired consistency, spoonable, but not too runny.
Allow to cool slightly and serve.

OPTIONS
variations:   lovely served with stewed apples or prunes 

Rice Pudding:  Recipe from     Feed Your Inner Cook

Plus:  Check out our earlier post for golden crust baked rice pudding
 http://feedyourinnercook.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/creamed-rice-with-golden-crust-simply.html

Enjoy!  Colleen

Chicken with Tarragon Salsa Verde

A dear friend bought me a copy of  Nigella Lawson's "Instant Italian Inspiration" and I am very grateful, it's one of those "coffee table" recipe books with beautiful photography and Nigella's chatty description of the recipes.  It never fails me, if I am seeking inspiration for something that appears simple but looks impressive and tastes sublime.

Chicken ready to enjoy, presented on a camphor laurel board from Esther & Cameron



Ingredients

4 Chicken breast fillets, skin n
2 sprigs of fresh Tarragon
Pepper freshly ground
Olive oil


Small bunch of parsley, leaves only approx. 20g
Approx. 5g fresh tarragon leaves
1 spring onion in including green section, roughly chopped
Zest and juice 1 unwaxed lemon
1 teaspoon salt flakes
6 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Place 1 tablespoon olive oil into a shallow ovenproof dish in which the breast fillets will set snuggly, place chicken in dish toss gently to coat in oil and have skin side up. Top with freshly ground pepper.  Tuck sprigs of Tarragon between chicken.

Cook in oven for about 30-45 minutes depending how large the chicken breasts are, until skin is golden and chicken is cooked, but still moist.

Rest chicken whilst you make the salsa Verde
For the sauce:

Combine parley and tarragon leaves with the spring onion, lemon zest, salt flakes and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a container you can use a stick blender to whiz into a paste, adding the lemon juice and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil slowly as you blend.  Add any juices that have come from the cooked chicken and whiz again.

Cut the chicken into slices/pieces and drizzle the tarragon salsa Verde over the top and arrange on a serving platter.

Serve with baked ratatouille or favourite salad.

Wonderful!

Mamma Marmalade








Pearl Barley with Mushrooms, Macadamias and Labna

Byron Bay is a sublime part of Australia and home of “The Farm” restaurant by the Three Blue Ducks chefs who create delicious fresh food sourced from their farm or local producers. Inspired by their cookbook, here is my take on their Mushrooms and Pearl Barley recipe.  It is so satisfying and hearty – packed with flavour but not heavy.  I swapped the bread sauce for Labna, instructions in an earlier post.  Hope you enjoy!

Be sure to go to “The Farm” restaurant if you are visiting Byron Bay and also enjoy a drive into the Mount Warning region and the delightful town of Uki  including a visit to

Esther and Cameron at the Buttery for Handmade Uki treasures.  

Check out information links at end of this post

Preparation   10 minutes

Cooking         30 - 45 minutes

Serves           4 - 5 

Ingredients

Make the Labna the night before    OR  use a 4- 5 tablespoons of thick Greek Yoghurt

http://feedyourinnercook.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/labna-make-your-own-low-fat-quick-no.html

plus

250 gram Pearl Barley

600 -750 gram Mushrooms sliced preferably mix Swiss Brown or Portabello, Enoki and Oyster

Macadamia Oil – Australian    50-60 ml to stir through cooked barley ,plus splash for sauté

1 -2 shallots, finely sliced

1 lemon – zest and a splash of  juice

Baby spinach leaves – a good handful

Some flat leaf parsley – finely chopped

Mixture of flat leaf parsley, mint, tarragon or lemon thyme leaves for garnish - chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

10 -12 Macadamia nuts – chopped and lightly toasted

Method

Add barley to large saucepan of boiling water. Reduce to a simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes

Drain.  Return cooked barley to the saucepan and stir through 50-60 ml Macadamia Oil, parsley and a little salt and pepper to your taste.

While Barley is simmering: 

heat a frypan and gently toast the chopped Macadamias til just golden. Remove from pan.

Next:  add a little Macadamia Oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms, the thick ones first.

Add the Shallots and baby spinach leaves and stir through.   

Finish with a very small splash of Lemon juice

Taste and  add salt and pepper if needed

Spoon the warm Barley into bowls.  Top with the mushroom mixture.

Dollop with a little Labna or Greek Yoghurt.

Garnish with lemon zest and the chopped mixed herbs. 

More information on

Three Blue Ducks Byron Bay  http://www.threeblueducks.com/byron/home-byron

Esther and Cameron Handmade Uki shop at The Buttery Uki

http://estherandcameron.com/pages/handmade-uki

FaceBook Esther and Cameron Uki

Tweed Heads, Mount Warning and Uki region 

http://destinationtweed.com.au/experiences/nature-eco/page/2/

http://www.ukivillage.com.au/

Happy cooking, Happy Travels and ... Happy Eating!

                                                                                   Enjoy!  Colleen

Lemon Freekah Chicken with Fetta and Kale

So good it deserves an encore!

Lemony freshness seems to pop out of this photo. All the family loved my version of a delicious Donna Hay recipe. Freekah is roasted green wheat grains which give a rich nutty flavour that works so well with the chicken and kale.  The plumped up lemony currants give it zing whilst the nuts add crunch and the fetta rounds it out with creamy saltiness.

Perfect served warm for a family dinner but equally satisfying as leftovers the next day with a green salad.

Serves 5 -6

Preparation 10 minutes

Cook             50 minutes (of which 40 minutes is simmering time)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Australian olive oil

2 brown onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red chilli finely sliced (optional – to your taste)

1 cup freekah – rinsed well then drained

2 cups (500 ml) Chicken Stock  (Salt reduced)

2 chicken breast fillets – skinless. (250 gm).  Cut into bite size slices

¼ cup pistachios – roughly chopped

¼ cup dried currants – soaked in a dash of lemon juice to plump up

½ bunch of kale. Removed from tough stem and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

200 gram fetta – crumbled

Pepper and salt – if needed.  To your taste.

½ cup mint leaves

¼ cup dill sprigs

Method

Heat a dash of oil in a large frypan. (use one that has a lid for later).

Add the sliced chicken and quickly brown until almost cooked.  Remove from pan and place in a bowl. Cover with alfoil and keep warm.  Chicken will be returned to pan towards ending of cooking.

Add onion to the pan.  Stir until softened slightly then add the garlic.

Add freekah, stock and chilli.  Stir and bring to boil.

Cover pan with lid and reduce heat and then simmer for 40 minutes.  Check and stir if needed.

If it is drying out too quickly, reduce heat slightly and add a little water.

Taste a little of the freekah to check it is cooked and not hard. Adjust cooking time if needed.

Return the chicken to the pan and then stir through the kale. 

Continue simmering the covered pan for another 5 minutes.

Stir through the nuts, currants, zest and fetta.

Taste and add pepper and salt as needed.

Top with mint and dill.

Serve.

                                              Enjoy!  Colleen

Corn and Feta Pikelets



Looking for that classy starter for a picnic, dinner party or even something nutritious for kindy or school lunches?  This versatile base can be topped with all manner of deliciousness.
This recently made it into our picnic basket for an evening at the "Simply Red" concert, it sure did impress fellow attendees.

Great to make ahead and freeze also.

Ingredients

Half a tin of creamed corn (220gm)
1/4 cup of milk
150gms feta
1 egg
2 green spring onions
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon dried mint
1 cup Self Raising flour
Black pepper


Method

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined.

Heat a small amount of oil in a frypan and spoon in a large teaspoon of batter. Turn once browned on one side and cook till pikelets are still moist but cooked through so there is no raw mixture.

Cool then top with favourite topping.

Topping ideas

Smoked Salmon and sour cream
Guacamole
Caramelised onion
Prawn & Dill
Salsa of fried chorizo, herbs, tomato and chilli (pictured recipe)

Mamma Marmalade

Panna Cotta

 

This is a failsafe basic Panna Cotta recipe for you to "pimp" with any flavour combination you are after.  Here we have included lime zest in the Panna Cotta and then topped with some diced mango.

Ingredients

480ml milk
4 sheets gelatine (available at good delis)
240ml cream
Zest of 1 lime
1/2 vanilla pod, split lengthways
100g caster sugar

Method

Place 60ml of the milk in a small bowl and pour the gelatine on top. Stir to combine and set aside.
Place the remaining milk in a saucepan, add cream, lime zest and vanilla pod.
Heat gently until it starts to simmer.
Add the sugar, stir to dissolve.
Add the gelatine mixture and stir constantly to dissolve the gelatine completely.

Pour into your favourite mould and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until well set.
Either top with fruit in container or unmould by gently running a small knife around the edge of the custard and upending onto individual serving plates.

Serve with berries or tropical fruit.

My favourite

Mamma Marmalade

Rouladen

Looking for a tasty dinner to serve to your friends following a Paleo or no carbohydrates diet?

This is your salvation, the flavours make every mouthful a taste sensation, thank you Samantha for sharing your zucchini pasta idea.

Ingredients

Rouladen

6 slices thinly cut veal or topside steak
German mustard
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
300mls Water or beef stock
Olive Oil

Stuffing
400g pork or veal mince
1 small onion grated
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Mix all together

Zucchini Pasta
4 zucchini
Trim both ends off zucchini
Using a peeler, peel slices of zucchini from each side, avoiding the seeds in the middle.
Sauté with olive oil and crushed garlic until al dente.

Stuffed Tomato
4 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
2 slices of Capsicum, charred, and chopped
2 small chillies, finely chopped (available from the deli)
1 roasted artichoke heart, chopped (available from the deli)
4 olives, chopped
6 sprigs of thyme, chopped

Combine all ingredients, scoop out flesh of tomato, add half of the flesh to the stuffing ingredients.
Spoon stuffing into Tomato.
Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour.

Roulades Method
Preheat Oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Flatten meat between two pieces of cling wrap with a rolling pin or meat cleaver.
Spread mustard over the meat, then spoon a dessertspoon of stuffing at one end.
Roll up and tie with kitchen string or secure with a small skewer or toothpick.
Heat oil in a large heavy base casserole pan fry the roulades until brown on all sides.
Remove roulades and add onion, carrot and celery to the pan.
Sauté for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Add stock or water, scraping all meat crust from the bottom of the pan.
Return roulades to the pan, cover and pop in a moderate oven for 2 hours.

Very healthy

Mamma Marmalade

Chicken Bacon and Almond filled Croissants

Sometimes I wonder where the years go.  I can remember making this recipe in the 1980's!! Eeeeck! So, it is very retro - and still tastes great!  A classic and a family favourite.

During the weekend, family members were popping in and out.  I needed an easy, pre-prepared, simple to serve one plate nibble / quick bite option ready to serve with the minimum of fuss. I used some purchased roast chicken - the takeaway chook - but if you have some leftovers of your own cooked chook this is a great way to revive leftovers.

My Chicken, Bacon and Almond filling is so versatile - an easy sandwich filling, a dip or spread with crackers and celery, or, like I did here, slice open some croissants - regular or mini size, stuff with the filling and pop in the oven for a few minutes. Delish served like an open grill too - is that retro enough for you?  So good whichever way you choose to serve them.

Chicken Bacon and Almond Filled Croissants by Feed your Inner Cook

Preparation  10 - 15 minutes.  This is mainly chopping and assembly
Cooking       Chicken is already cooked so allow 5 minutes to cook almonds and bacon.

Measurements are very flexible - if you want a looser consistency for a cracker dip spread - add a bit more sour cream or mayo.  It is up to you - and adjust the ingredients to your preference.
  
Double this if you want - will keep refrigerated for a couple of days

Ingredients

¼  large  OR  ½ small cooked chook depending on size ( or grilled chicken fillets) cooled

4 rashers bacon. Fat and rind removed. Cooked, cooled and chopped

4 tablespoons slivered almonds (lightly toasted)

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 tub (250 - 300ml approx) thickened Light Sour Cream

dash of mayo   (a tablespoon more/less)    - to your taste

ground cracked black pepper.    (Extra salt if you prefer - bacon is salty)

options: few mushrooms, chopped shallots, etc

Method 

Mix together in a large mixing bowl until the desired consistency.  

or

In food processor   ( Hint - do not overprocess)     

zap chook, bacon, herbs as thickly/finely as desired

Then add cream, mayo.  Zap till just mixed through.

 Add the almonds and do a very light zap to just mix in.

Serving options:

Filled croissants – baked preheated moderate oven 5-10 mins  (best if using a chunky consistency)

Sandwich fillings (better finely processed – your preference)

Grilled open sandwich  - spread on toast and lightly grill

           

Spread for crackers, mini toasts, bagel crisps, or serve with celery sticks etc etc.  Best if finer and looser consistency.

                           Enjoy!  Colleen.   PS some great stuff was made in the eighty's 

Plum and Tomato salad

I believe you need to have an abundance of salad recipes to keep on hand so when called upon to "bring a salad" you don't arrive with lettuce and tomato on a plate.  My clever niece Melinda brought this delicious summer salad to one of the many birthday "get togethers" we had recently.

Ingredients

3 plums
8 heirloom or black Russian tomatoes, cut into irregular shapes
100g (good quality) ricotta, crumbled
Basil leaves to garnish

Dressing
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt flakes
1/4 cu0 (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of ground white pepper

Method

For the dressing, simply combine all ingredients in a small screw cap jar and shake.

Slice the cheeks off the plums, then cut into wedges.
Place plums and tomatoes in a bowl, top with dressing and gently toss to combine.

To serve, arrange plum and tomato mixture onto a serving platter or large bowl, top with crumbled ricotta and garnish with torn basil leaves.

The flavours combine beautifully.

Mamma Marmalade

Banana, Oat and Walnut Loaf

Strange black objects lurk in my freezer. 

Whenever a banana remains unloved in the fruit bowl I pop it into a freezer bag and into the freezer – skin and all.  I don’t mean those bananas that are only fit for chooky food or the compost – just the ones that are a bit sad and past their eating best.  They are never wasted –  just remove from the freezer and allow to defrost a bit.  Remove the skin and your banana is ready to be mashed or pureed into it’s rightful flavoursome glory. Cakes, slices, smoothies - no waste.

This Banana Loaf recipe is quite different – not only does it make use of those frozen bananas, but there is no butter – just the small tin of Evaporated milk – a bit different!  The result is a dense but moist banana loaf with the extra goodness of Rolled Oats, walnuts and spices.  It is even better the next day!

Preparation      5 minutes

Cooking          50 minutes – 1 hour 10 min

Ingredients

3 medium - large bananas, well mashed (if small you might need 4)

185 ml tin Carnation Evaporated Light Milk

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

¾ cup Rolled Oats  plus   extra to sprinkle on top before cooking

2 cups Self-Raising Flour - sifted

Small pinch of salt

½ teaspoon each of nutmeg and cloves

¼ cup sultanas

¼ cup walnuts – chopped  plus   extra to sprinkle on top before cooking

Method

Preheat oven 175 °C  (I find 180 is a tad high – so just under – depends on your oven)

Line a large loaf tin (approx. 26cm x 14cm min) with nonstick baking paper

Mash the bananas well and set aside.

Whisk the Tinned milk, sugar and eggs together in a large bowl

Fold in the bananas

Add half the flour, fold through then add the rest of flour, salt and Oats

Stir through the spices, sultanas and nuts.

Pour into prepared tin 

Sprinkle over the extra rolled oats and a few chopped walnuts

bake approx. 50 min – 1 hour 10min.  Depends on moistness of bananas

Check after 30 min and rotate pan in the oven.

Cake is cooked when skewer inserted, comes out clean.

When cooked, remove from oven and place on rack to cool whilst still in pan.

Cake will firm up once cool.

Serve warm or cooled.  With a spread of butter if desired.  

                                   Enjoy!  Colleen

Sticky Roasted Lemongrass and Chilli Chicken

Inspired by Donna Hay – an easy recipe that can be prepared in advance or straight away. Quick preparation, great flavours and very versatile. My niece was visiting for lunch on a humid Brisbane January weekend so this was perfect to serve with just-wilted bok choy and lots of crunchy cabbage and colourful vegetables.  A tropical fruit platter served for dessert hit the spot as a palate pleaser following the sticky flavours of this chicken recipe.  If you don’t have bone-in thigh fillets it also works well with skinless thigh fillets (will be less fatty which is good!) or drumsticks.

Preparation:       5 minutes for chicken  (Option:marinate in the fridge for a few hours if you like)

                           10 minutes for chopping vegatables

Cooking:           25 - 30 minutes for the chicken.  5 mins for bok choy. 

Ingredients

6 – 8 bone-in Chicken thigh fillets, skin on.   Or  use skinless thigh fillets  or  drumsticks

3 tablespoons very finely chopped lemongrass (white part) 

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes    Option:  finely shredded fresh red chilli for garnish

1 tablespoon freshly grated Ginger

¼ cup Brown Sugar

¼ cup Fish Sauce

¼ cup Soy Sauce

Cubes of peeled sweet potato or pumpkin (sized as need to cook within the 25-30 min)

Drizzle of oil - peanut etc

Sesame seeds

Extra Low Salt soy sauce

Extra tablespoon brown sugar

Vegetables and noodles to accompany

Your choice of

Noodles

Sesame oil

Red onions finely sliced

Bok choy

Cabbage – finely shredded

Carrot, celery, capsicum – finely sliced

Other vegetables of your choice - snow peas, beans, halved cherry tomatoes etc

  

Method

Preheat oven to 200° C.

Use a large plastic freezer bag and combine the lemongrass, chilli flakes, ginger, sugar and sauces.  Moosh around to combine well.

Add the chicken pieces into the bag and push the mixture on to the chicken.

If you want, seal the bag and allow to marinate in fridge for a few hours.

Otherwise,

Place the chicken pieces in a shallow roasting pan. Don't pour the marinade into the pan or food will stew but not roast.

Scatter the cubes of sweet potato or pumpkin between the chicken pieces.

Brush some of the marinade over the chicken, drizzle a little oil over the veggies and sprinkle chicken pieces with a little sesame seeds.

Bake for 25 – 30 mins, turning regularly and basting til golden.

Gently boil (watch carefully or it will burn) the remaining marinade in a very small saucepan with the additional low salt soy sauce and brown sugar for at least 10 minutes as it has been in contact with raw chicken.  Add a spoon of water if necessary.  Do not burn. Simmer til thick and sticky.

In the meantime, prepare some noodles according to packet directions. Drain well.

Using a frypan, heat a little sesame oil and quickly cook the onion then add the bok choy until just wilted.

Remove from heat.

Toss the vegetables and noodles into a large serving platter.

Top with the cooked chicken pieces and cooked cubed vegetables.

Drizzle with the thick sauce.

Garnish with your choice of sliced shallots, shredded red chilli or finely sliced celery, coriander etc.

Enjoy!   Colleen

Cure your own Salmon

This is the most impressive but deceptively simple dish to WOW your guests with.  Curing your own Salmon will give you bragging rights for the entire year of 2016.  Nigella Lawson has a no fail recipe that produces an outstanding result.
You may need to borrow my 83 year old mother and my ham knife to achieve these fine slithers of Tasmanian salmon, and hopefully your fishmonger will pin bone the fish for you.
Thanks Bill for managing to photograph the food before it was hoovered up.

Ingredients

Side of Salmon min 1.5kg (pin boned with skin on)
1 tablespoon Hot English mustard
2 tablespoons Gin
3 tablespoons Sugar
4 tablespoons Salt (Kosher or Maldon) Note do not use cooking salt
1 cup finely chopped dill

          Sliced red onions and capers for decoration

Method

Combine in a bowl, sugar, salt, gin and mustard to form a slurry.

Place salmon skin side down in a ceramic or glass dish.
Paste the above mixture all over the salmon, top with chopped dill.
Cover with cling wrap tucking in around the salmon so no air is encased, cover with baking paper and then weight down with heavy tins of food.
Place in the refrigerator for 3 days.

When ready to serve, remove salmon and with paper towel wipe off slurry and dill.
Finely slice and top with onions and capers.

Superb !!!

Mamma Marmalade

2015 Christmas Greetings from FeedYourInnerCook

Christmas is a time to reflect, think of others, show family and friends how grateful we are to have them in our lives, support those in need in our community and remember those no longer with us. It is not the money, it is time and true generosity of spirit. We celebrate the opportunity to gather together, share special moments and make special memories. Whether your loved ones can be at your table or within your heart - raise your glass and may we all wish for a more peaceful 2016 for everyone's loved ones.

Window display Hamley's ToyStore. London

This year the FeedYourInnerCooks really "seized the moment" and were very fortunate to travel far and wide - it feels like a dream -but we wore out our shoes exploring amazing places, tasting fresh incredible food and meeting wonderful people in places such as  Umbria, Oxford, Cambridge, Sweden, Croatia and the  magical Swedish island town of Visby - Hej Hej!!  

To all the kind, welcoming people who made our trips so special and memorable -                           we say "Thank you and Tack!"

                A truly Happy, safe Christmas and serene 2016 to all our wonderful readers. 

Beautiful Visby. Sweden

Window display. Stockholm

Exeter College Oxford

Carnaby Street London

View from Balcony. Umbria.

Cheers!  Colleen and Mama Marmalade

Panettone, Limoncello and Blueberry Trifle - It's Too DUANE Good!!!

Now, this is a SUPER BOWL - filled to the brim with luscious Limoncello soaked Panettone and berry trifle .. my thanks to Wilbur for fighting off the hordes of barefoot partygoers and taking this photo ... despite Duane reaching in with "his" spoon!!  The flavours are lemony light and summery and the panettone adds great texture and a perfect change from the usual sponge - yes it is laden with yummy calories but .... mmmmmm - and apparently it is even better the next morning .. for breakfast!

PS This is for you Duane - Cheers!

Time:  First prepare the jelly.
            Allow at least one hour to prepare all ingredients and layer into bowl. 

Best made the day before serving 

Ingredients - this is a general guide and will depend upon your dish size.  I made a BIG bowl.

Essentially you are creating layers of custard, cake, fruit with jelly then nuts and cream and repeating until bowl is full.  Extras can make a spare dessert for another day as it will keep refrigerated for a few days.  Good luck hiding it in the fridge.

Panettone - a large boxed cake is usually 800gram - 1 kg.  Lightly remove crust (can leave on if you forget, but remove the burnt bottom) and slice approx 2cm thick

Limoncello - avoid brands that have a rough aftertaste.  (I have used various including Villa Massa and Lemon Z.)  A little goes a long way

Custard - either make it yourself or fine to buy a good quality brand (approx 1 kg) 

Cream - the thick dollop type   - approx 600 ml

Peaches - 800/850 gram tin of quality Australian tinned peaches well drained

Nuts - I used a couple of handfuls of chopped macadamias.  Or use flaked almonds

Jelly - I made up 2 x 85gram packets of natural Lemon jelly with a little less water than suggested.  Or you could make your own from scratch to enhance the flavour.  Allow to set in fridge prior to using. 

Lemon Zest - I used very fine zest of 2 lemons

Blueberries - I used 2 x 125 gram punnets

Raspberries  - 1 x 125 gram punnet

Mint leaves -  a very small handful to decorate top just prior to serving.  This really adds a 'fresh zing'

Silver Cachous and Icing Sugar to decorate top just prior to serving

Method

Make the jelly and chill preferably for 4 hours minimum to set. When set cut into small chunks for easy layering

Drain the peaches, chop the nuts and clean the berries.

Have large glass bowl (you'll want to show off those layers!!) and ingredients to hand.

SO

Spoon a small amount of custard in base of bowl.

Remove crust from panettone and slice horizontally.  Place 1 slice on a large dinner plate and drizzle a small amount of Limoncello using a spoon.  You want it to be a little moist but not soaking. Do one slice at a time.

Place panettone slice over the custard.

Cover with a little more custard, then the peach slices, some of the jelly, blueberries, a scattering of nuts and zest and small dollops of cream.

Repeat the layers until bowl is almost full.

For the topping,  cover with cream. Dot with a few spoonfuls of custard.
Refrigerate overnight.
Just prior to serving
Decorate with raspberries, the remaining blueberries, a few nuts, lemon zest, small mint leaves and if desired, a few silver cachous and a final dusting of icing sugar.

Serve with bowls of the remaining custard and cream.

Serve ... then ....    Stand back !!!

I have also served this using strawberries and took a raspberry blueberry version to Diner en Blanc in small individual jars for easy transporting and serving - All are delicious!!

                                       









  Enjoy!  Colleen !  

Mango and chocolate tart

 

Curtis Stone was the creator of this stunning tart, what a winning combination chocolate pastry, mango jelly and chocolate mousse filling.

It looks impressive but don't tell the guests how easy it is to make.

Ingredients

Tart 
200g plain flour
55g icing sugar
35g Dutch cocoa
100g chilled butter, roughly chopped
3 egg yolks

Chocolate Filling
300ml thickened cream
400g milk chocolate (good quality) roughly chopped

Mango Jelly
3 x 5g leaves titanium strength gelatine
2 large ripe mangoes, flesh roughly chopped
60ml orange juice

Method

Use a 26cm loose bottom tart tin.

Process flour, sugar, cocoa, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolks and process until mixture just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and using the heel of your hand, bring pastry together. Shape into a round disc, wrap in a plastic wrap then refrigerate for an hour.

Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 4mm thick. Use pastry to line tart pan. Trim edge and using a folk to prick base. Rest the pastry in freezer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make chocolate filling, place cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring almost to the boil. Remove from the heat add chocolate then stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 180C. Line tart shell with baking paper, filled with weights (dried beans /rice) then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weight and bake for further 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Pour chocolate filling into tart shell then refrigerate for 30 minutes or until filling is just set.

To make jelly, place gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 3 minutes to soften, then squeeze out excess water. Meanwhile blend mango in a blender to a puree. Using the back of a spoon, push through a fine sieve into a bowl. (you need 300ml). Place orange juice in a saucepan over low medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add gelatine and whisk to combine.

Pour jelly over chocolate in tart shell. Spread evenly. Refrigerate for 1.5 hours or until set.

Remove tart from pan. Dip a large sharp knife in hot water, dry the blade, then cut tart into slices to serve.


Stunning!
Mamma Marmalade

marinated pork ribs with Asian flavours

This is the second recipe in our Family Favourites Series - marinated pork ribs with Asian flavours.  Just by using staples from the pantry you can make this quick go to family dinner packed with flavour.

Ingredients

600g free range pork spare ribs
1 dessertspoon Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoon Peanut or Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 dessertspoon honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated turmeric or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
2 small chillies finely chopped
Sesame seeds and garlic flowers/chopped coriander for garnish

Method

Combine all the above ingredients in a glass/ceramic non reactive dish.
Add spare ribs in a single layer, using a fork, prick each rib and then turn over and repeat.
Marinate in the fridge for 3 hours if you have the time, turning every so often.  Even 30 minutes will do.

Preheat griddle pan and once hot place spare ribs in a single layer.
Cook for 5 minutes on one side, turn and cook for a further 5- 8 minutes or until cooked through.
(If you want to crunch up the skin just use tongs to hold the skin side directly on the pan)

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and garlic flowers or chopped coriander as garnish.

Serve with nutty brown rice for a delicious family favourite.

Hint: I store my sesame seeds in a small glass bottle in the freezer, no waste and always on hand.

Hope this becomes one of your family favourites.

Mamma Marmalade

Roasted Vegetables and CousCous Salad

Sometimes a recipe is so good it deserves an encore.  We had so much interest in this salad recipe (thank you!!)  and we have made it many times since - it is a real winner and the perfect solution for so many summer events.  Great served on it's own, an side at a barbeque lunch or with some shredded chicken or lamb tossed through - versatile and easy - Encore! 

At this time of year when you get invited over for lunch and you offer to bring "a salad" you need to look for something a little different, that transports well and will also be a hit on the tastebuds.  This roasted vegetable and couscous salad inspired by Annabel Langbein, that I took to my friend Lesley's house ticked all the boxes.

Ingredients

2 red onions, peeled
3 medium beetroots, washed
200g pumpkin, peeled
3 medium carrots, peeled
2 sweet potato, peeled
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon maple syrup or golden syrup
Salt and pepper
2 cups couscous
lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup of mint leaves torn
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup of shelled unsalted pistachios nuts, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Halve the onion lengthwise and cut into 2 cm pieces. 
Cut beetroot, pumpkin, carrots and sweet potato into 2 cm pieces.

Toss into a large roasting dish in a single layer (you may need two trays). 
Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup and season with salt and pepper.

Cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and start to caramelise.

In a large serving bowl, mix the couscous, lemon zest, salt and boiling water.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.

Add the roasted vegetables, mint and lemon juice to the couscous and gently toss to combine.

Top with chopped pistachios.

Healthy and delicious!

Mamma Marmalade