pomegranate seeds
Ingredients:
1 cup organic white quinoa
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 red onion, small dice
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup firm ripe mango, diced
1/4 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
20 g butter
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls lemon juice
20 x green prawns, deveined, tails intact
Method:
1. Combine water and quinoa in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine mango, onion and pomegranate arils in a large bowl. Add quinoa. Stir in coriander leaves, olive oil and lemon juice. Season. Toss to combine. Place in the refrigerator until required.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large non-stick fry pan. Cook prawns on medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until prawns begin to turn pink or until cooked through. Season. Serve prawns on skewers with quinoa
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Ingredients: 2 x 4 racks of lamb, Frenched-trimmed For the Harissa: 1 medium red capsicum, quartered, seeded 4 dried long red chillies 3 red bird’s-eye chillies, halved, seeded 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 tsp. caraway seeds, toasted, ground 1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted, ground 1 tsp. sugar 3 tbs. olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste |
For the Quinoa: ½ cup quinoa 1 cup water ¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds 1 firm ripe mango, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces ¼ red onion, diced ¼ cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped 1 tbs. fresh lemon juice |
Method:
1. To make harissa, place dried chillies in a small heatproof bowl. Pour over 1 cup of boiling water and stand for about 10 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat grill to high and place capsicum skin-side up and cook for 10-15 minutes or until skin is blistered and darkened. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cool for 10 minutes. Rub off skins and discard.
3. Process capsicum, fresh chillies, soaked chillies, ground cumin, ground caraway, garlic, sugar, oil and ½ tsp. of salt in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Rub lamb with harissa paste. Stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to marinate.
5. Preheat oven to 180. Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse under cold running water. Place in a bowl and cover with water. Set aside for 20 minutes to soak. Drain.
6. Place the quinoa and 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender and liquid is absorbed. Separate with a fork and set aside to cool.
7. Heat 2 tbs. oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add lamb, fat-side down, and cook, turning on all sides, for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer lamb racks to a roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes until lamb is medium or until cooked to your liking. Rest lamb for 10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, combine mango, pomegranate seeds and onion in a large bowl. Add quinoa and gently toss to combine. Drizzle with lemon juice. Season with salt. Lastly, toss in the coriander leaves. Place lamb on serving plates with quinoa salad. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Note: Add more chillies to make it spicier and fewer chillies to reduce.
If fresh mangoes are unavailable, substitute for frozen mangoes (thawed) or canned mangoes.
Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour
1 1/4 tspn bicarbonate soda
1 tspn salt
1/4 tspn baking powder
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cups cocoa powder
170 g butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup caster sugar
2 x eggs
1 tspn vanilla essence
250 g dark chocolate, chopped (for frosting)
250 g butter, softened (for frosting)
1/2 cup pure icing sugar, sifted (for frosting)
2/3 cups sour cream (for frosting)
1/4 tspn salt (for frosting)
200 g dark chocolate, chopped (for ganache)
100 g unsalted butter, chopped (for ganache)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line the base and sides of a 9cm – deep, 20cm round loose base cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix hot water and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl until dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter for 30 seconds and then gradually add sugar. Beat for 2 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time and then beat in the vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add the flour mixture and cocoa mixture in three parts until just blended.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool cake for 20 minutes. Turn cake onto a wire rack, top-side up. Cool completely.
7.To make the frosting: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until melted. Cool for 5 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in chocolate, then sour cream, beating until well combined.
8. Cut cake into 3 even layers. Place base on a serving plate. Spread with 1/2 of the frosting. Repeat with the second layer. Refrigerate while preparing the chocolate ganache.
9.To make the chocolate ganache: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water (again, don’t let the bowl touch the water). Gradually add butter and stir until smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Drizzle over the cake and decorate with pomegranate seeds and cherries. Serve immediately.
