Tomato and Sausage Bake

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

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

Handy in der Mikrowelle

Vegie and Beef Pasta Bake

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:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Cook Pasta according to instructions and set aside.
   
2. 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.
3. 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).
   
4. 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.
5. 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

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?

Resounding Rotisserie Results!

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