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Recipes

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coconut panna cota 016faW

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pouring cream

400 ml.  coconut milk

1 tsp. Queen vanilla bean paste (or use 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped)

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 tsps. gelatine powder

Seasonal fruit, to serve

 

Method:

1. Place the cream, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla bean paste in a saucepan. Cook stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove form heat and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Place 2 tablespoons of boiling water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle over gelatine powder and stir until dissolved. Cool slightly, then stir into the warm cream mixture. Strain cream mixture into a jug.

3. Lightly oil (I used coconut oil) 6 x 6cm (tall) dariole moulds. Place on a tray and pour in cream mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.

4. To serve, turn onto a serving plate and serve with fresh seasonal fruit and micro herbs (optional). You can also serve this with raspberry coulis if you like.

oysters-3-ways 016fW2

 Ingredients:

15 Oysters

Oysters Kilpatrick

1 Bacon rasher, coarsely chopped

2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs. tomato sauce

1 Spring onion, chopped

 

Ponzu & Chives Dressing

1 Small garlic clove, finely chopped

2 Tbs. Ponzu

1 Tbs. Chives, chopped

 

Mirin & Sesame Dressing

2 Tbs. Mirin

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tsp. Sesame oil

1 Small red chilli, chopped

 

Method:

 

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.  Heat a small frypan and cook bacon until crispy.

Meanwhile, mix all the liquid ingredients. Place oysters on a baking tray, top

with bacon and drizzle with sauce. Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with spring onion.

2. For the ponzu and chives dressing: Mix ponzu and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle the sauce over oysters and sprinkle with chives.

3. For the mirin dressing: In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil. Drizzle over oysters and top with chilli.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

choc pancakes 020-EditW

Ingredients:

2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups milk

100g dark chocolate, chopped (I used 70% dark chocolate)

1/2 cup thickened cream

8 strawberries, halved (you can use any type of fruit you like)

1 tbs. Queen vanilla bean dusting sugar (for dusting)

 

Method:

1. Combine flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Add the beaten eggs and milk and whisk until smooth.

2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and spray with oil spray. Cook about 1/4 cup of batter for 2 minutes each side or until cooked through (make sure you don’t over cook the pancakes as it will burn easily and you will have that bitter taste). Transfer to a plate.

3. To make the ganache, place chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until smooth.

4. Divide pancakes among serving plates and drizzle with chocolate. Top with strawberries or your favorite fruit. Dust with vanilla bean powder (you can use icing sugar if you like).

 

For a flavor packed starter or snack, try this bruschetta topped with chargrilled capsicum and zucchini. I love it drizzled with balsamic glaze or vino cotto which gives it a bit more mellow and fruity taste. I can drizzle vino cotto on just about anything!

 

Ingredients:

1 large red capsicum, cut into large flat pieces, discard seeds and membrane

2 zucchinis, thinly sliced (use a mandolin)

100g Creamy Feta Cheese

4 thick slices of baguette bread or pane di casa

1 tbs. olive oil

3 tbs. store bought balsamic glaze or Vino Cotto

 

Method:

1. Preheat grill on high heat. Place capsicum, skin side up, onto the grill. Grill for 10 minutes or until skin is black. Place into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Stand for 10  minutes. Peel, and discard skin. Cut into strips.

2. Meanwhile, grill the zucchinis for 2 minutes. Set aside.

3. Preheat grill on medium high heat. Grill both sides of bread slices until toasted. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with capsicum, zucchini, feta cheese and drizzle with balsamic glaze or vino cotto. Season.

 

 

Bruschetta 008fixW

char-grilled 017fixW

char-grilled 015fixW

char-grilled 005fixW

goats cheese and sweet onion tart 013fW

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups plain flour

170g unsalted butter, chilled, chopped, plus extra

2 tbs black chia seeds

4 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

2 small red onions, thinly sliced

1 tbs. brown sugar

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

240g button mushrooms, chopped

300ml cream

230g soft goats cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Salad greens, to serve

Balsamic glaze, to serve

 

Method:

1. Place flour, 120g butter and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add chia seeds, 1 egg and 1tbs iced water and pulse until mixtures comes together in a smooth ball. Shape into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Melt remaining butter in a frypan with a dash of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft. Add sugar and balsamic vinegar. Cook for a furhther 5 minutes or until onion is caramelised. Set aside to cool.

3. Heat 2tbs of olive oil in a clean frypan and add 20g of butter. Cook mushrooms until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool completely.

4. Grease a 26cm loose-bottom tart pan. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured clean surface to 3mm thick, then use to line prepared pan. Chill for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

5. Prick pastry base with a fork, then line with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or rice and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking paper and weights, then return to the oven for a further 6-10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius.

6. Place remaining eggs, egg yolk, cream and goats cheese in a clean food processor. Season with a pinch of salt and whiz until smooth. Spread onion and mushroom mixture over pastry base and top with the goats cheese and cream mixture. Return tart to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until filling is just set. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Serve with salad greens.

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