Quaffability

Butterfly Quail w/ Quail Egg Caeser Salad

2009-11-26T08:52:00.002+11:00

Ingredients:

Quail-

4 Quail
3 Garlic cloves, crushed or thinly sliced and chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
knob of butter
salt and pepper to taste
sprig of fresh thyme, roughly chopped
a few leaves of Tarragon, roughly chopped
1.2 lemon, thickly sliced, optional

Salad-

3 or 4 leaves of Cos Lettuce, rolled and chopped into 1 inch strips
dozen quail eggs, hardboiled and shelled
1/2 -3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
4 slices sourdough or baguette, cut into 1cm cubes
6 rashers rindless bacon, cut into thin strips
olive oil cooking spray
salt and pepper

Dressing-

2 egg yolks
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 -4 anchovies, sliced thin
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tspn dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil

Method:

Butterfly the quail along the backbone. Remove the backbone and spread the quail flat. If you have time, a nice touch is to remove the bones of the rib cage also. It will make eating the quail easier.
Mix the herbs, garlic, lemon (if used), salt and pepper and olive oil and place in a shallow dish with the quail. Marinate for at least an hour at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge. Reserve juices for cooking.
For the salad, place the bread cubes in a baking tray and spray lightly with the cooking oil, and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat, add more oil if needed. Place the tray in the oven at 200 degrees C for 8 - 10 mins until golden. Set aside to cool completely.
Cook the bacon in a frying pan until crisp and drain on paper towel.
Put all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and leave in fridge until ready to serve.
Heat a non-stick frying pan to high heat. Add olive oil and the knob of butter. Arrange the quail in the pan and coat with marinade juices. The pan should be very hot and the quail shouldn't take much more than 5 mins to cook.
In a salad bowl, mix the lettuce leaves and parmesan, toss in the bacon and croutons. Cut the quail eggs in half and add to salad.
Dress the salad, and serve.

-Enjoy!

I made this dish using some quail that my ex- gave me. Her father's latest hobby is breeding quail, chickens, ducks and geese for eggs and meat, and so some eventually found its way to my kitchen. This is a very summery dish, full of great outdoor food flavours that's great to enjoy with a white wine on the patio.

Chinese Roast Pork

2009-10-14T14:39:00.003+11:00

Ingredients

1kg of Pork Fillets
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red food colour
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 sliced up spring onion (for garnish - optional)

Method

Mix all ingredients except port in a bowl and microwave or heat till honey and sugar is melted into the mix.

Place the Pork into mix, and coat, then cover in glad wrap, and place in fridge. Allow it to marinate for at least an hour.

Remove pork and let it drain, then place it on a wire rack above a baking tray.

Place in oven heated to about 150 C and baste regularly with mixture, keeping it moist. Rotate the pork as it cooks.

Once cooked, remove, slice thin, and either add to rice, eat as it is, or compliment a stir fry.

Enjoy!

Mulled Wine - My style

2009-06-29T15:07:00.003+10:00

INGREDIENTS

2 bottles Red Wine (any type)
1/2 cup sugar
handful of cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
half an orange

METHOD

Pour the wine into a large pot and heat over medium heat. Do not bring to the boil, but keep the wine hot.
Mix in the cloves, sugar and cinnamon sticks. Slice the orange into the thin slices and put into the wine also.
Stir gently, and cover. Heat for about 10 to 15 mins and the wine is aromatic. Be sure to stir occaisonally, and monitor the wine so that it doesn't boil.
Strain the wine through a mesh collander into another pot or bowl, then pour into empty wine bottles or carafe.

Serve hot, with a teaspoon of sugar to taste.

-Enjoy!

Great winter drink, and as its so easy to make there's no reason why you can't have mulled wine on hand whenever you feel the urge to have a few spiced wines! I've been making lots of this lately as my wine rack is in dire need of purging. A lot of my reds are due to be drunk, and the table wines I have make excellent specimens for mulled wine creation. You can even re-use the cinnamon sticks, or leave them in the bottles to slowly infuse more spice into the wine. Serve with a thin sliver of orange in the cups for added flair.

You can also substitute the orange for lemon for a slightly zingier taste.

Savoury Muffins...Mmmm

2009-06-18T12:01:00.002+10:00

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups self raising flour
4 large eggs
water or milk for consistency
1/2 cup diced bacon
1 medium onion
1 cup grated tasty cheese
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 deg C
In a large mixing bowl put the flour in and make a well. Lightly beat eggs and mix into the flour with salt and pepper, adding the milk or water as needed to form a thick batter.
Mix in remaining ingredients, saving a little of the cheese. Spoon mixture into muffin trays or individual ramekins, and top with remaining cheese.
Place in oven and bake for 20 mins, or until golden brown. Check if they are done inside by inserting a wooden skewer into one muffin and pulling it out. If the skewer is clean then they're ready.

-Enjoy!

Easy one to make thats always a winner. I handed these out at a social gathering recently and i used puff pastry bases to make them a cross between muffins and quiches. My mate PJ wanted the recipe (probably so his girlfriend could bake them for him) so here it is.

Variations are boundless, you can put anything you want into the mix besides the bacon, onion and cheese. Leftover roasts, veges, different cheeses, different meats, you name it. If its savoury, you can muffin it. Put chocolate or berries and/or jam into the mix with sugar and you got sweet muffins.

Ginger and Garlic Short Soup

2009-06-01T14:41:00.003+10:00

INGREDIENTS

2 ltrs chicken stock
2 tspn mince ginger (or fresh ginger grated)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1/4 cup bamboo shoots
1/4 cup baby corn
1 egg, beaten
1 bag frozen chinese wontons (or about a dozen )

METHOD

Bring chicken stock to the boil and add the ginger, garlic and carrot.
Simmer for 5 mins and add remaining vegetables, then wontons.
Cook for a further 5 mins (or more depending on instructions for wontons if using frozen).
Drizzle egg into soup while stirring gently and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Easy one today, makes for a light but flavoursome dish that I put together for our Chinese student boarder living with us at the moment. He devoured it with his usual voraciousness and went for a second helping. I'm not sure if it reminded him of home or he was just really hungry!

Anyway, easily modified to go with chicken instread of wontons, but their fairly easy to find if you know a local asian grocer. For more fun you can even make your own wontons, I know you can purchase the little skins to put minced seafood in.

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

2008-12-11T12:22:00.003+11:00

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Method
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Thanks to Katy for this one, she sent this little gem to me in an email and really makes dessert a charm if you're feeling lazy. This email was accompanied by a little quote:

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Spaghetti with Pine Nuts, Sundried Tomatoes and Pesto

2008-08-19T10:15:00.002+10:00

Ingredients:

1 packet of Spaghetti, cooked
80g of Pine Nuts
3 Rashers of streaky bacon
8 - 10 good sized sun dried Tomatoes
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tblspn chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup chopped fresh flatleaf (continental or Italian) Parsley
2 or 3 cloves garlic, peeled
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

While the pasta cooks, take about a quarter of the pine nuts and add them to a mortar and pestle with the garlic. Pound into a rough paste and add a lug of olive oil. Add the chopped herbs and pound into a rough pesto and put to one side. Strain the pasta, add pepper and olive oil to taste, put to one side.
In a frying pan, heat another lug of olive oil. Put the remaining pine nuts in the pan and stir until they begin to brown, then add the balsamic vinegar. Roughly chop bacon into strips, and the sun dried tomatoes into thin strips. Once the liquid has coated the nuts and began to thicken, add the bacon.
Once the majority of the liquid has thickened, add the tomato and fry until the bacon is cooked to taste, about 5 minutes.
Add the pine nut and bacon mix to pasta, add the pesto and stir through. Serve immediately.

Great for lunch when you have friends over, as it's simple to make and doesn't take long at all. Optionally you can add almond slivers to the pine nuts and bacon, and you can add baby spinach or basil leaves to the pasta when you stir it all through. Experiment with your own herb combinations to make different pestos, or add Ricotta cheese or mascarpone to make a creamy pesto. Cumin seeds, crushed with Coriander, parsley and fennel seeds or tumeric make a nice pesto, especially when you substitute the sun dried tomatoes for roasted capsicum or peppers. I've also used a good dukkah mix instead of pesto before. Possibilities are limited only by your imagination and your pantry.

Enjoy!

-James, the Not So Skinny Cook

Mushroom Soup

2008-08-01T11:16:00.003+10:00

Ingredients:

About 1 kg Mushrooms (button or cup)
8 Large Swiss Brown Mushrooms
10 Oyster Mushrooms
45g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
2 spring onions, chopped
1 Spanish, or red Onion, chopped
2 Litres Chicken or Vegetable Stock
250ml Cream (light preferably)
3 Garlic cloves, crushed or grated (I grate all my garlic)
Handful of chopped fresh thyme leaves
handful of chopped continental (flatleaf) Parsley
4 or 5 tblsp Mascarpone cheese
1 lemon

Method

Place the dried Porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiled water, and place to one side. In a large pot, heat a large lug of Olive Oil and add the onions and mushrooms (excpet the Porcini. Once the mix started to get moist and fragrant, add the herbs and garlic (save a little of the thyme for garnishing if you wish).
Simmer for about 10 mins and then add the stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When the Porcini is soft strain into another bowl to remove grit, and save the water. Chop half the Porcini and add to the mushrooms, put the other half to the side for later. Add the Porcini water.
Simmer for about 20 mins, then allow to cool a little. Take half the soup and process it, or use a chef master mixer, then return it to the soup. Place soup back on heat. Add Cream and bring to the boil, then remove from heat
Pour into bowls, garnish the remaining Procini mushrooms in the centre of each bowl, and ladle with a spoon the juice of 1 lemon between the bowls. Lightly dust with the zest from the lemon and any thyme that you reserved. Serve with a big dollop of the Mascarpone, and thick crusty bread.

Every once in a while I make something that pretty much ruins meals for me. By this I mean that once I've had it my way, I cannot conceivably order it at a restaurant ever again. I did it with Spaghetti Bolognaise, and now I've done it with this Mushroom soup. Up until about 3 or so years ago, I was not a fan of any mushrooms but there was this Cafe that I used to live above (next door to a porn shop) in Kings Cross, Sydney. They served a massive 3 egg omelette with mushrooms in it which totally rewired my taste for mushrooms. Unfortunately the Cafe is no longer there, but I'll never forget those Omelettes. And so began my exploration of mushrooms.

This recipe is another Jamie Oliver recipe variation, I dont think he uses cream, from Jamie's Dinners (Page 148).

Enjoy!

-James, the Not So Skinny Cook

Tomato and Sausage Bake

2008-07-22T12:52:00.000+10:00

Ingredients

1kg Tomatoes
500g gourmet Sausages (I use fat chicken and garlic snags)
2 or 3 strips of streaky Bacon
1.5 - 2 cups Balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
1 tblspn Rosemary roughly chopped if fresh
2 tspn thyme
2 or 3 Bay leaves
1 tin Tiny Taters (or baby potatoes)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 or 3 Garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Tasty Cheese, grated (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to around 190 degrees. Pour oil into oven proof deep dish and layer bacon in the bottom. Put in oven for about 5 mins until fragrant.
Cut the cores out of the tomatoes, about 2 or 3 cm in, and place hole down in dish. They should be snug fit. Place back in oven for about 10 mins, then remove from heat. Roughly remove the skins (should be wrinkly now) and then add the herbs and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Roll sausages in oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and sausages to the tomatoes and pour the vinegar and a little olive oil over the lot. Return to oven and bake for a further 30 - 40 mins. If cheese is used, add to the top in the last 10 mins.

This is a variation of a Jamie Oliver recipe, one a mate and I have made on occaison and its a favourite. You can substitute the taters for chunky crusty Itallian bread if you like, or just about anything you can think of. The more gourmet they snags, the better the dish so dont just use cheap ones, and they have to be thick snags for this to really shine. You can accompany this dish with mashed potato, polenta, rice, pasta, or chunks of bread. By all means, use several diffferent types of sausages!

Enjoy!

-James, the Not So Skinny Cook

Simon's Ordeal

2008-06-24T08:46:00.000+10:00

Hey folks, today's post is in support for Simon. Last weekend he checked himself into the Navy's version of rehab, in an effort to get himself sorted out good and proper. I've known Simon for some 4 or 5 years now, and although he's not my oldest friend, he's one of my closest. He recognized that he has a problem and is taking steps to overcome it and become a better person, and that's something we can all strive to achieve. They say that you can like a man for his qualities, but love a man for his flaws, and this is true where Simon is concerned. I've lost count of the times when I've just rolled my eyes and groaned at Simon's escapades but despite his tomfoolery and hooliganism, his bad judgement and even badder temper, I know that inside he is a noble and brave person and has an amazing capacity for love. 90% of his troubles have their roots in either the bottle or some other excess, but now that's going to become a thing of the past. So, if and when you read this, Simon, I wish you all the best, and to anyone else out there; in support for what Simon's doing, I want you all to give up something that you know you do to excess while Simon is in the tank (1 month). Our own private, non-denominational Lent.

So, a toast....to noble causes!

Handy in the Micro wave

2008-06-17T10:05:00.001+10:00

Handy in der Mikrowelle

Vegie and Beef Pasta Bake

2008-06-16T10:22:00.000+10:00

Ingredients:

500g Beef Stirfry strips (or diced beef)
2 Cups pasta (Penne, Rigottini, Fusili)
1 Medium Zucchini, diced
1/3 Cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, diced
3 fresh chili peppers, cut into thin slivers (or 3 tspn chili)
1 Carrot, diced
2x 440g Tins diced Tomatoes
1 Capsicum, diced
2 cups grated Cheese (any type will do)
2 crushed Garlic cloves
2 Tblspn Paprika
2 Tspn Oregano

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Cook Pasta according to instructions and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat 2 tblspn Olive oil and saute onions and carrots for 5 mins, then add chilis, garlic, paprika and oregano.
Add meat to pan and brown, then add zucchini and cabbage and cook for about 5 mins. Add capsicum and cook for another 5 mins. Veges should still be slightly el'dente (helps keep their nutritious value).
In a large oven proof greased deep dish, layer the drain pasta and then the meat and vege mix. Cover evenly with the tinned diced tomatoes. Top with cheese.
Place in oven and bake for 15 mins, or until golden brown on top.

Put this number together when I saw I had fresh veges that needed eating, and some beef strips that i was planning on making a stroganof with. More or less chili can be used, depending on taste, and for a twist you can put about a cup of cream in with the tomatoes, and stir through half a cup of cheese as well as topping it with cheese. Or use diced cheese through the tomato. Possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!

-James, the Not So Skinny Cook.

Soused Fish with Saffron and Onions

2008-05-28T15:27:00.000+10:00

450g snapper or trevally or red mullet
plain flour for dusting
olive oil for frying
salt
2 large onions, peeled and finely sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 fresh bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
3/4-1 cup water
2-3 tsp sugar
1 tbsp toasted pinenuts (optional)

Chef: Brigitte Hafner

Photo: Marina Oliphant

Source: The Age
Tuesday May 10, 2005

German, Quick, Contemporary, Healthy, Dairy free, Starter

This isn't really a "pickle" - the fish is first fried then marinated in a sweet and sour sauce of onions, vinegar and sugar. It's very delicious.

Method
Cut the fish into small bite-size pieces. Lightly dust with flour and pan-fry in olive oil over low-medium heat until just cooked through on both sides. Season with salt, then place in a deep enamel or glass dish.

In a pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and gently cook the onions and carrots until pale golden and soft. They should not brown. Add the saffron, cook a further minute then add the bay leaf, vinegar, water and sugar. Reduce heat and cover with a lid.

Cook for 5 minutes then pour the hot liquid over the fish. Allow to cool completely before serving.

To serve
Sprinkle with toasted pinenuts if you wish and enjoy with a crisp salad as a starter or light lunch.

Serves 4 as an entree.

Who does this remind you of?

2008-05-23T16:12:00.001+10:00

Resounding Rotisserie Results!

2008-05-10T08:31:00.000+10:00

Well folks, its been a week or so and I've finally uploaded the photos from the spit roast night, and its a pleasure to say that it was a great success. It took some time to cook (sorry to Sarah who we kept shouting "Its ready!" several times only to realise the veges weren't cooked or the marinade needed thickening or what not) but in the end the wait was worth it.

We put potatoes and carrots in aluminium foil with olive oil and butter in the coals just before we put the meat on, and that was the main hold up with the meal. Next time I think we'll put the fire on a fair bit before the meat is due to come out of the oven so that by the time its ready to go on the fire has died down sufficiently.

We also found that the marinade left over in the roasting pan fit perfectly over the rotisserie tray, and that opened up a whole world of possibilities. We left it on the heat for a while and added a cup or so of the red wine that I had opened while we were enjoying the fire on a particularly cold night (notice my red face?).

Plans are being formulated for a double chicken spit, not sure what marinade to use this time, maybe a honey soy or similar.

Anyway, we had fun, plus we have plans for more enticing and titilating recipes.

Enjoy!

-James, The Not So Skinny Cook

The Spit Roast

2008-04-29T10:32:00.000+10:00

Well, I've decided to take advantage of the old woodfire BBQ housing thats sitting in my backyard and I've gone and bought a small rotisserie. Its hopefully going to fit in the top of it and tonight we're going to try out one of Jamie Oliver's BBQ sauce roast recipes (see below). Got a nice leg of lamb ready to go and as soon as I'm getting home we're starting right away.

INGREDIENTS

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp fennel seeds
5 cloves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a bunch of fresh thyme or lemon thyme, leaves picked
a bunch of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped, a few whole sprigs reserved
the zest and juice of 1 orange
1 bulb of garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
4 heaped tsp sweet smoked paprika
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
150ml organic tomato ketchup
8 tbsp olive oil
10 bay leaves

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degree's C
To make your marinade, grind the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and cloves in a pestle and mortar with some salt and pepper. Chop the thyme and rosemary leaves, orange zest and garlic together finely. Put into a bowl with the ground spices, then add the rest of the marinade ingredients and mix together.
Slice the meat (in the case of lamb) with 4cm holes and rub the marinade into the slices.
Place the meat in a snug-fitting roasting tray, top with any leftover marinade and cover loosely with tinfoil. Bake the meat in the preheated oven until sweet and tender. This will take an hour and a half, or an hour if you like your lamb a little pink on the inside.
Put the roast on the spit, and continue rubbing the marinade on the meat with the leftover rosemary sprigs or a basting brush, roast until charry and sticky on the outside.
Meanwhile, pop your roasting tray on the barbie or over a gas hob and let the juices reduce a bit. Serve the meat dripped with the reduced marinade.

This recipe is originally done with a rack of ribs and a chicken as well, so you'll probably have plenty of sauce. Feel free to bottle it for later use or just use less when you make it. Or use ribs and a chicken as well.

Enjoy!

James The Not So Skinny Cook

Had to show you this....

2008-04-08T21:06:00.001+10:00

Cooking at Mums!

2008-03-24T10:30:00.001+11:00

A little while back I paid a visit to my Mother and little, sorry Younger Brother and treated them to a cooking fiesta. Money was a tad tight for them so they had been living off the same bolognaise and sausages for a while now. So... Out comes my polished Italian cooking skills, newly honed under the tutelage of a drunken Italian Chef by the name of Flavio. I made them some fettucine Arabiatta, Boscaiola, the Chili and garlic bread, Pizzas, and Mexican Tortillas Fajitas style.

Here is a couple of pics:

Pancakes!

2008-03-24T10:09:00.000+11:00

INGREDIENTS

2 cups self raising flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla essance
1 egg, lightly beaten

METHOD

Place flour in a mixing jug or bowl, make a well and add the milk, egg and vanilla essence.
Using a whisk, mix ingredients until no longer lumpy. Alternatively use a mixing tool, like a Mix Master, or Chef Master or electric egg whisk are an easier way.
Coat a frying pan with oil and place on a medium heat. Add a small amount of butter and pour pancake mix into frying pan, about 15 cm diameters worth.
Once the bubbles have either slowed or stopped forming on the top of the pancake, flip it or just scoop it up with an egg flip and turn it over.
After a couple of minutes the pancake should be ready, just check the under side to see if its golden. Place the pancake on a plate and place in the oven at lowest setting to keep warm. Continue making pancakes until there is no more mixture, adding each pancake to the plate in the oven.
Serve with any number of toppings (see below)

This ones up here because its an easy way to make pancakes, and i think tastes better than the plastic jugs you get in the supermarkets. The mix will be fairly thick and the pancakes will come out fat and fluffy. Some ideas for toppings are as follows:

lemon and sugar
whipped cream and jam
ricotta cheese and jam
maple syrup or golden syrup
maple/golden syrup with vanilla ice cream
honey
scrambled eggs and parsley

The list goes on.

Enjoy!

James The Not So Skinny Cook

Creamy Tomato Pasta

2008-03-24T09:45:00.000+11:00

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of pasta (Penne, Travelle, Shells, your choice Fettucine is also good)
200ml light cooking cream
3 tblspn low fat Ricotta cheese
400g tin of diced italian tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
4 rashes of bacon cut into small strips
garlic, 2 or 3 cloves, crushed
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh parmesan, grated
1 tsp chili, finely chopped - optional

METHOD

Cook pasta as per intructions, drain and set aside.
Cook the onion with some oil or butter in a deep frying pan or large pot until it becomes soft and translucent (about 3-5 mins). Add the bacon and garlic and cook for a further 5 mins.
Add the can of diced tomatoes and half the parsley, plus the chili if you used it. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins.
Reduce the heat to low and add the cream, Ricotta and half the parmesan. Mix thoroughly and then toss in the pasta, ensuring all the pasta is coated in the creamy sauce.
Serve and garnish with the remaining parsley and parmesan, add Salt and cracked Pepper to taste.

This recipe is so easy to make, and tastes great. For the vegetarians out there, you can easily substitute the bacon for sliced or diced capsicum, or even mushrooms. This dish can be modified to include diced chicken breast or thighs, Italian sausages, or 400g of cooked chicken mince. More chilli is great for the adventurous sort. My wife and I also discovered that this dish is wicked served cold the next day also!

Enjoy!

James The Not So Skinny Cook

Chilli and Garlic Bread

2008-02-04T14:26:00.000+11:00

INGREDIENTS

200g butter
2 tblspn dried Chilli
6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
salt
Turkish Bread

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
Slice bread along its length sideways
Grate or finely slice garlic and mix with butter, Chilli and parsley in a small dish or mixing bowl. Whip butter mix until the mixture is slightly melted and spreads well, add salt to taste.
Spread butter mixture onto Turkish bread evenly, and place in the oven with the butter side up.
Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden. Serve hot.

You can add more or less of the ingredients to taste, I prefer more garlic and perhaps less chilli, but more chilli always goes great when the boys are drinking. I learnt this one off an Itallian Chef called Flavio at a mates bucks weekend. We were in charge of food and I made Chorizo omlettes (recipe to come) and we both put together this garlic bread before the stripper came. At about 3:30 that morning after we got back from the pub Flavio put together this fantastic Fettucine Arrabiatta, which I'll try and recreate before I post it. Flavio works at a restaurant in Sydney called Taste. At least I think he does, it might be Prima Taste. I was pretty drunk.

Enjoy

James the Not So Skinny Cook.

Fettucine Boscaiola

2008-01-30T09:47:00.000+11:00

INGREDIENTS

15g dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
375g fresh fettuccine
30g butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
300g mixed mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon thinly sliced sage leaves
4 eschalots, diced
1 cloves garlic, sliced
¼ cup dry white wine, Madeira or port
½ cup cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms and set aside to re-hydrate (20-30 minutes) and soften.
Cook pasta in large pot of salted, boiling water, (5-6 minutes) until al dente and drain. Drain mushrooms and strain liquid through a fine sieve to remove any dirt; reserve liquid and slice mushrooms thickly.
Heat butter and olive oil together in a large, non-stick frying pan and cook fresh mushrooms, sage, eschalots and garlic until starting to sweat and caramelise. Add sliced porcini and wine, sauté. Add some porcini water and add a dash of cream and pepper. Bring back to the boil and reduce slightly.
Add drained pasta and, if necessary, a little of the pasta cooking liquid to thin the sauce slightly. Serve hot.

I use either home made fresh pasta, or the gourmet pasta from a deli or supermarket. The dried instant stuff is ok for bulk stuff or just for plain pasta for that really special dish, say you're entertaining in-laws or cooking for your date, i recommend going all out and using the good stuff. It makes all the difference with good pasta dishes. Find yourself a good Italian Deli in town somewhere and ask them whats good for your dish.

Enjoy.

James the Not So Skinny Cook

Just a joke I wanted to share...

2007-11-20T06:37:00.000+11:00

Three Italian nuns die and go to heaven. At the Pearly Gates, they are met by St. Peter. He says,
"Sisters, you all led such exemplary lives that the Lord is granting you six months to go back to earth and be anyone you wish to be.
The first nun says, "I want to be Sophia Loren;"
And *poof* she's gone.
The second says, "I want to be Madonna and *poof* she's gone.
The third says, "I want to be Sara Pipalini.."
St. Peter looks perplexed. "Who?" he asks
"Sara Pipalini;" replies the nun.
St. Peter shakes his head and says, "I'm sorry, but that name just doesn't ring a bell." The nun then takes a newspaper out of her habit and hands it to St.Peter. St. Peter reads the paper and starts laughing. He hands it back to her and says.
"No sister, the paper says it was the ' Sahara Pipeline' that was laid by 1,400 men in 6 months."

If you laughed, you're going straight to hell!

James the Not So Funny Cook

Feta & Pine Nut Cheese Strudel

2007-11-19T18:19:00.000+11:00

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 3/4 cups feta cheese, crumbled
250g ricotta cheese
2 tblsp chopped basil
4 spring onions, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
9 sheets filo pastry
40g butter
2 tblsp olive oil
2-3 tspn sesame seeds

Method:

Preheat oven to moderate (180 degrees C). Mix together pine nuts, feta, ricotta, basil spring onion and eggs. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Brush each sheet of filo with the combined melted butter and oil and stack them one on top of each other.
Spread the cheese filling in the centre, covering an area about 10cm x 30cm. Fold in the ends of the pastry, then fold in the sides to enclose the filling. Carefully turn the strudel over and place on a baking tray, seam-side-down. Lightly brush the top with a little melted butter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Bake for 35 mins or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve warm with relish, chutney or salad.

James the Not So Skinny Cook.

Rocotta Con Fritters

2007-11-16T08:29:00.000+11:00

Ingredients:

200g Low Fat Ricotta
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
420g can corn kernels, drained
3 spring onions, chopped
2 tblsp snipped fresh chives
cooking oil, or spray
100g low fat ricotta extra
1/3 cup ready made spicy tomato chutney

Method:

Place the ricotta, egg, egg white and milk in a bowl, and beat together until smooth. Stir in the flour, corn, spring onions and chives. Season with salt and pepper.
Spray non-stick frying pan liberally with cooking oil. Add heaped tblsp of mixture to the pan, four at a time, and flatten to about 1.5cm thick. Cook for 3-4 mins each side. Drain on crumbled paper towels. Serve fritters in a stack of 3 and top with a tblsp of extra ricotta and a tblsp of tomato chutney.

Marinated Tofu with Vegetables

2007-11-16T08:17:00.000+11:00

Ingredients:

500g firm tofu, cut into 2cm cubes
1/3 cup shoyu (japanese soy sauce)
1/4 cup mirin (rice wine vinegar)
2 tblsp finely chopped fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
oil, for cooking
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into batons
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
150g snow peas, thinly sliced

Method:

Combine the tofu with the soy sauce, mirin, ginger and garlic in a glass or ceramic bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat the wok until very hot, add 1 tblsp oil and swirl it to coat. Drain tofu, reserving marinade. Stir-fry the tofu in 3 batches over high heat until it is golden brown. Heat 1 tblsp oil between batches. Remove all the tofu from the wok and drain on paper towels.
Reheat the wok, add 1 tblsp oil and stir-fry the onion, carot and capsicum over medium-high heat for 3-4 mins, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the snowpeas and cook for 3 mins.
Increase heat to high and add the reserved marinade, tossing the vegetables in the marinade until they are thoroughly coated and the sauce boils. Return the tofu to the wok and toss until the mixture is well combined and the tofu is heated through. Season well with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

James the Not So Skinny Cook

Lemon and Spinach Risotto

2007-11-15T17:10:00.000+11:00

Ingredients:

1.5 litres vegetable stock
1 cup (250ml) dry white wine
40g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cups (440g) arborio rice
300g English spinach, trimmed and chopped
1 tspn finely grated lemon rind
2 tblsp lemon juice
1/4 cup (60ml) cream
3 tblsp free flat leaf parsley
1/4 (25g) freshly grated parmesan

Method:

Heat stock and wine in saucepan, cover, and keep at a low simmer.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 mins, or until soft. Stir in the rice until well coated.
Add 1/2 cup (125ml) hot liquid and stir constantly over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding more liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, for 20-25 mins or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and creamy. Before adding the last 1/2 cup of stock, add the spinach, lemon rind and juice.
Remove from heat, stir in the cream, parsley and Parmesan and serve immediately.

James the Not So Skinny Cook

Coconut & Lemon Grass Risotto Cakes

2007-11-15T16:53:00.000+11:00

INGREDIENTS:

120gm Arborio rice
20gm chopped onion
20gm butter
½ litre stock
200ml coconut milk
2cm chopped lemon grass

METHOD RISOTTO:

Boil the coconut cream and stock, season with salt and pepper, let it simmer until use.
In a thick based saucepan, sweat onion and lemon grass with butter, then add rice, carefully coat the rice with butter with a wooden spoon, add some boiling stock, let it absorb the liquid before adding more stock, cook the risotto for about 12 minutes. Remove from heat, shape the risotto into 4 patties using an egg ring.
Heat up some butter in a fry pan, then fry the risotto cake until brown and crispy on both sides.

Great (and simple) recipe to have as either a side or a main, enjoy!

James the Not So Skinny Cook

Stir-fried Crispy Tofu in a Hot Bean Sauce

2007-11-15T12:39:00.000+11:00

Ingredients:

500g firm tofu, cut into small cubes
2 tblsp peanut oil
1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
2 tspn finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup (130g) rice flour
oil, for cooking
2 onions, cut into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tspn soft brown sugar
1/2 red capsicum, cut into short, thin strips
5 spring onions, cut into short pieces
2 tblsp dry sherry
2 tspn finely grated orange rind
2 tblsp hot bean paste

Method:

Place tofu in a non-metallic bowl with the peanut oil, Add the soy sauce and ginger, cover and refrigerate for 30 mins.
Drain the tofu, reserve the marinade, and toss several pieces at a time in the rice flour to coat heavily. Heat the wok until very hot, add 1/4 cup (60ml) oil and swirl to coat. Add the tofu and stir friy over medium heat for 1 1/2 mins, or until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. repeat with the remaining tofu. Keep warm. Drain any oil from the wok.
Reheat the wok and stir fry the onion, garlic and sugar for 3 mins, or until golden. Add the capsicum, spring onion, sherry, orange rind, bean paste and the reserved marinade. Stir and bring to the boil. Return tofu to the wok, toss to heat through, and serve.

James the Not So Skinny Cook

A note from the Not So Skinny Cook

2007-11-15T12:17:00.000+11:00

Well, its a couple of months since I've started this blog, and so far it's just a couple of recipes. So I've decided to put something of merit into words so you can get a feel for what this is about. Aside from food.

I made this blog in a fit of inspiration in response to a good friend of mine wanting some vegetarian recipes from a cook book that I own. Her name is Apryll and you can find her popular blog here.

If you're keen on design she's the blogger for you (there's your free plug Apryll, tee hee). But seriously, as far as design goes she's got her head screwed on.

But I digress. This blog was started instead of just emailing her a bunch of recipes, in lieu of my book philosophy that I'm lending to my collection of recipes as well. My philosophy was garnered from some advice that one of my former bosses told me about books.

He said "Once you read them, give them freely to someone else. The gift of a good story is one of the best gifts you can give and receive."

And so here it is, recipes that I either found interesting, fun, particularly good eating, or just because Apryll wants to cook it. I apologise to those of you who are not vegetarians as the first several recipes will be that way inclined, but i assure you that more will follow that are definitely NOT vegetarian. I apologise to those of you that ARE vegetarian but i believe that food of all sorts are to be enjoyed regardless of which animals were harmed in the making.

I take no responsibility in how the knowledge garnered here is used (isnt that what the German scientists said in World War 1?) I am merely a conduit for the flow of great recipes and the joy that good food brings. Something to keep in mind when reading this; NEVER TRUST A SKINNY COOK!

Stay sharp and enjoy, fellow food lovers!

James the Not So Skinny Cook.

Crab & salmon cheesecake

2007-11-14T12:22:00.000+11:00

Ingredients (serves 8)

1 1/4 cups (100g) grated parmesan
3 1/2 cups (250g) fresh white breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
120g unsalted butter, melted
1 tbs olive oil
5 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
750g cream cheese, chopped
3/4 cup (185ml) thin cream
5 eggs
350g fresh crabmeat
3 tbs chopped dill
450g hot-smoked salmon* or trout fillets, flaked
Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Chervil sprigs, to garnish (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fanforced). Grease a 26cm springform pan.
Combine cheese, crumbs and butter, then press onto base of pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden. Allow to cool.
Heat oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook spring onion, chilli and garlic for 1-2 minutes until soft. Cool. Place cream cheese in a food processor with cream and eggs, and process until very smooth.
Transfer to a bowl, then stir in onion mixture, crab, dill, fish, zest, juice and cayenne. Spread mixture in pan and smooth top. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Cool, then slice and garnish with chervil (if using).

Notes & tips

* Hot-smoked salmon and trout are available from most supermarkets.

Thanks to Katy for this one!

-James the not so skinny cook.

Mexican Bean Chowder

2007-10-10T04:00:00.000+10:00

Ingredients:
3/4 cup dried red kidney beans 2 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 cups dried mexican black beans 2x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon oil 3 cups vegetable stock
1 onion, chopped 1 red capsicum, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 green capsicum, chopped
1/2 - 1 teaspoon chilli powder 440g can corn kernels
1 table spoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons tomato paste
grated chedder, to serve light sour cream, to serve

Method:

1- Soak the kidney beans and black beans in seperate bowls in plenty of cold water overnight. Drain. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 mins, or until tender. Drain.

2- Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic, chilli powder, cumin and coriander and cook for 1 min. Stir in the tomato, stock, capsicum, corn and tomato past. Cook, covered for 25-30 mins. Add the beans during the last 10 mins cooking. Stir Occasionally.

3- Serve topped with the grated Chedder and a spoonful of light sour cream.

Enjoy!

James the not so skinny cook.