JAPANESE SALAD DRESSING

JAPANESE SALAD DRESSING
(Hakata Mon Style)

One of my old favourite places to eat in Beaverton (Oregon) was a Japanese place called Hakata Mon that a very close friend introduced me to. Unfortunately, I hear the place is no longer there, but one thing I will never forget is their wonderful salad dressing...that, and their Udon dishes with the wriggling tuna flakes on top!

Recently, my family was at a local teppanyaki style restaurant here and their salad dressing took me back to Hakata Mon in Beaverton. I asked if I could buy some to take home or if they could share the recipe, but I just got the shy Asian “no, sorry”. Darn it!!!

Well, I am pretty good at identifying and recreating flavours (if I really put my mind to it), so I Googled Japanese dressing recipes and have been experimenting. I have found a really good combination that is incredibly close and exceptionally tasty, so here it is...go ahead and give it a go (unless you have nut allergies, in which case I will post a nut-free Miso dressing recipe for you soon).

One thing I suggest too, is that you cut your greens fairly finely and grate in other veggies like carrots, courgettes (zucchinis) and beetroot. There's not much worse (in foodie terms) than not being able to enjoy a salad because the greens are still whole and too difficult to manipulate with either a fork or chopsticks! I use fancy curly lettuce and cut it into fine ribbons then add chopped or torn herbs and other grated veggies.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Small Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
½ Tsp Crushed Ginger
½ Cup Chopped Celery
½ Cup Peanut Oil
1/3 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Ketchup
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper to Taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a large jug and puree with an immersion blender (stick blender) until smooth and no longer lumpy. Alternatively, you can combine everything in a standard blender, so long as it will liquify the chunks.

That's it! This one is just too easy not to try, and you will be ever so grateful you did!
Enjoy!

PANCIT CANTON

PANCIT CANTON

I love this dish! There are many, many different versions of this Filipino dish and you can add just about anything you like in the form of different meats, and veggies and even different sorts of noodles. It doesn’t need anything else because it’s wonderful just like this, but different people have different tastes, so modify away!

The only key ingredients that truly make it a genuine pancit, and are non-negotiable, are: Onions, Garlic, Chinese Sausages and noodles…everything else is a personal choice!

I love the baby mung bean sprouts, so I added them to my recipe. I also sometimes add baby corn or water chestnuts, but this recipe is to be modified according to your own taste, so feel free to add or subtract away…you’ll need to multiply too if you plan on taking it to a party because this dish goes FAST!!!

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp Oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, crushed
500 Gm Meat , (sliced Chinese sausage, and anything else you want to add)
1 Stalk Celery, diced
1 Shredded Carrot
¼ Head of Cabbage
250 Gm Mung Bean Sprouts
4 Cups Stock (Chicken, Beef, Veg…doesn’t matter)2 Eggs, sliced
3 Spring Onions, chopped
*Noodles
*Sesame Oil
*Sesame Seeds, lightly toasted
*Good Soy Sauce to brown and season the noodles (I used Mushroom Soy Sauce)
*Freshly Ground Black Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in the saucepan and soften the onion first.

Next, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute before adding the next ingredients. The onion should just start to brown.

Now add a bit of soy sauce and black pepper.

Next, add your Chinese sausage (essential ingredient for this dish and cannot be substituted, to my knowledge) and any other meat you like (shredded chicken, shrimp, diced beef, etc.), and cook until the sausage pieces begin to brown.

Now add the celery, carrots, cabbage & bean sprouts and cover the pan allowing the veggies to steam for a few minutes. At this stage you can choose to add more soy sauce & pepper for flavour if you like.

Meanwhile, boil some stock for your noodles and cook the noodles in your stock according to the package (use pancit canton noodles if you can find them, but rice stick noodles and many others are perfectly acceptable for this dish).

Now, grab a large bowl and combine the noodles and the cooked mix really well.

Top it all off with your egg slices, a bit of sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and the spring onions (scallions).

This is a wonderfully tasty dish and can be served hot or cold.

STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

There are a few things that I really love to cook with, yet fail to use regularly on account of my daughter’s finicky palate. One of those items is the mushroom...Portabellos (or Portabellas) to be more specific, no matter how you like to say or spell it. Since my daughter has yet to develop a more refined appreciation for some of nature’s bounty, I only make these types of recipes once in a blue moon (which also means that I am making another separate dish for her).

Just how did I become this easily manipulated??? Well, one only needs to look into that little angelic face and stare into those deep hazel eyes as the lashes flutter so innocently when she says “please Mummy?” to know she has the upper hand. (sigh) Ah well, she doesn’t get away with murder though...I choose my battles carefully and, I still grate some carrot and courgette into her mac-n-cheese before presenting her supper to her. (Yeah, okay...I know.)

The mushroom is such a vital flavour in so many dishes...stroganoffs, gravies and sauces, even in some soups, so I can’t go totally cold turkey now, can I? No, I usually need to dice them up so finely that our little darling cannot detect any “chunks” and that is, for the most part, a satisfactory compromise. However, sometimes I just need to really savour a genuine, pureley perfect mouthful of this fungi (usually accompanied by some form of another fungi relative – cheese).

On another note, I also have so say how truly impressed with the speed of my new Dell device - WOW! This is going to make blogging, Facebook networking, emails, web surfing and all of that other fun stuff SOOO much easier now. Even my hubby likes the "flash new system", so I think I done picked a good'n y'all! ;o)

So, without further adieu...


INGREDIENTS:

10 Portabello Mushrooms
2 Cups Breadcrumbs
150 Gm (5 Oz) Camembert Cheese
50 Gm (2 Oz) Pariggiano Reggiano, freshly grated
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Red Onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp (good handful) Basil, finely chopped
¼ Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
*2 Tbsp Sour Cream
*Serve as a side sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F)

In a food processor, finely chop the mushroom stalks, cheeses, garlic, onion and basil.

Add in the breadrumbs, milk, and oil and pulse a few times just to combine, as you still want a fairly coarse mixture. Add a bit more milk if it is too dry to stick together.

Roll the stuffing into 10 roughly equal sized balls and flatten each into each mushroom cap. Press moderately to make sure the stuffing gets into the mushroom gills.

Arrange the stuffed mushrooms in a single layer in a baking dish and cook for 15-20 minutes before turning the oven to grill/broil for an additional 5 minutes to brown the tops.

Regular white onions can be used in a pinch and if you don’t like Camembert cheese you can try substituting another semisoft cheese in its place. Also, croutons or even fresh bread may be used instead of crumbs, however, if you use fresh bread slices, cut back on (or eliminate) the milk.
Happy cooking!

HEARTY BEAN & BACON SOUP

With winter in the air down here in Kiwiland, and colds, flu and potential sports injuries lurking around the corners, we are trying to keep our strength and immunity up with warm and hearty nutritious meals that aren’t too difficult to prepare.

This is my slow-cooker crock pot version, but if requested I can also provide the stovetop method for you. (Just let me know, no worries!)

Yesterday I was an ugly day outside, but I had a wonderful birthday. We began the day with our daughter’s hockey game, followed by a movie with a friend (we saw The Reader and I think we both really enjoyed it!), and the grand finale was my wonderful husband preparing dinner for us. I even received text messages from my closest mates, flowers from my friend & neighbour and even a lovely inspirational gift & message from another friend.

I should have photographed my hubby’s gorgeous meal of roasted leg of pork with roasted pumpkin, potatoes, and carrots. He even made broccoli to balance out the colour palate a little. I was only allowed minimal access to the kitchen and the smell was driving me crazy...in a really good way, of course! I was allowed to make a simple white wine gravy to go with his lovely meal, but it certainly could have stood on its own without my sauce.

Anyway, another week begins and I am very happy and grateful for the amazing people in my life. I am happy to be healthy (other than the annoying remnants of a cough/cold) and beginning another year here in paradise.


INGREDIENTS:

3 Cups Haricot Beans (White Navy Beans)
1 Cup Milk
30 Gm Butter
8 Rashers Bacon, finely diced
1 Onion, finely diced
3 Stalks Celery, finely diced
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
4 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Cup Corn Kernels
1 Small Handful Parsley, chopped
*Salt & Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

Soak beans overnight in cold water.

Drain well and pick out any small stones and/or organic material that may have made their way into the packaging.

Now, place the beans with the chicken stock in a slow cooker/crock pot set on high.

Melt the butter in a pan and quickly sauté the celery & onion with a little salt and cook until they start to soften – do not brown these veggies. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Add the softened celery, onion and garlic to the pot and quickly brown the bacon and add that to the pot as well.

Leave to cook on high for about 6-8 hours (I cooked mine from 10am until 6pm and it was perfect). If you work all day and want to set it up to begin cooking at 7 or 8 am then eat around 6pm...you can cook it on the low heat setting instead.

About 30 minutes before dinner time, scoop out about 2-3 cups of beans (drain as much of the liquid from that as possible), and add the milk before pureeing with an immersion/stick blender and returning that puree to the pot.

Now add the corn and stir to combine, allow this to cook another 20-30 minutes before cutting off the heat and stirring in the parsley.

Taste for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper if needed...I found I didn’t need any additional seasoning at all.

FETA CHEESE SOUFFLÉ

A few days ago I decided to try something totally new for me – soufflés. I had never tried them before, but I can certainly see how one could get carried away experimenting with them. They are a bit rich, but very light and just the right tangy cheese flavour to satisfy... I have to say too, that these were much easier to make than I had originally anticipated. They took about 35 minutes, more or less, from start to finish.

I recently saw an episode of Iron Chef America where the secret ingredient was ham...the challenger made a twice baked ham soufflé and it looked REALLY good. My soufflés aren’t quite that sophisticated or fancy, and they are only once-baked, but they were quite tasty. I didn’t need my "Plan B" after all! Hehe.

My own humble opinion of this particular recipe is that the pepper and the cheese in the soufflé were really complimented well by the creamed spinach sauce that I made for a side. This was inspired by a tiny cookbook “The Fast Egg” that I recently acquired from a local book shop. I thought it might have some interesting new ideas and I was in need of a bit of inspiration lately.

Anyway, now that I have the gist of it, I think I can come up with a few new flavour combinations to impress lunch or dinner guests in the future. So long as the experimental creations turn out as nicely as these did, I will be more than happy. So...watch this space for future soufflé ideas.

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking Oil Spray
¼ Cup Bread Crumbs
30 Gm (2 Tbsp) Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
4 Eggs, separated
¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
150 Firm Feta Cheese, crumbled


DIRECTIONS:

First, preheat the oven to 200° C/400° F.

Next, spray your soufflé dishes (6 one-cup capacity dishes or 3 two-cup capacity dishes or mugs), with cooking spray and coat in bread crumbs then place them onto a cooking tray.

Make a roux by melting your butter in a small saucepan and adding the flour to cook for a minute or so.

Once the roux paste is ready, add the milk and bring to a gentle boil just briefly and remove it from the heat once it has thickened.

Pour this hot mixture into a large bowl and quickly stir in the egg yolks (barely beaten), the pepper, and the cheese – allowing it to cool for approximately 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. (You can add a tiny amount of cream of tartar or white vinegar to stabilize the whites if you wish).

Next, you gently fold the whites into the yolks mixture in two batches.

Now, divide the mixture amongst your prepared soufflé dishes and bake about 15 minutes or until they are puffed and lightly browned on the tops.

I served mine with a creamed spinach sauce that was a fantastic compliment to the slightly spicy and cheesy soufflés.

Here’s how:


INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Baby Spinach Leaves, wilted (steamed, boiled, micro waved, etc.)
(Alternatively, thaw out a half cup or so of frozen spinach)
⅔ Cup Cream or Evaporated Milk
*Salt

*Amounts vary to individual tastes


DIRECTIONS:

To make a quick creamed spinach sauce, just steam a good bunch of fresh leaves or thaw out a portion of frozen spinach so that you have about a half to a cup of wilted leaves, give or take.

Blend or otherwise puree the leaves whilst slowly adding the cream/milk and return this mixture to heat in a small saucepan. Add a bit of water or regular milk if the consistency is too thick for your liking.

Heat until warmed through and salt to taste.

Bon appetite!

PIEROGIES

(MADE WITH POTATO, ONION, CHEESE AND PORK)

So, some of you might be thinking, “What the heck is a pierogi?”, well, I guess I like to describe it as a Polish dumpling something akin to raviolis...large raviolis.

When I was in high school, my friend’s dad used to make these and, later on I would buy frozen ones (not this good though) when they were available through Schwanns if they came through my neighbourhood in California or Oregon. I could also sometimes find them in grocery store frozen sections, but they would usually be disappointingly lacking in flavour.

Traditionally, I believe the most popular type of pierogi is simply mashed potato, cheese and sautéed onion. I like mine a little more substantial, so I usually add minced beef or pork and mushrooms (if I can get away with it, as my daughter has not yet learnt to appreciate them). These dumplings are usually served with a side of sour cream and a serving of some sort of veggie. Pierogies are great as a snack or as a meal and you can make them pretty much any size you like. These little beauties can also be refrigerated (uncooked) for several days or, frozen for up to several months.

If you make the dough ahead of time, the rest sort of falls into pace and really takes about the same amount of time as any other dinner might. The pierogies can be eaten as they are after boiling them or, fry or bake them afterward to give them a lovely crispy crunch. Whichever preparation you prefer, these will be a nice treat.


DOUGH ~ INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
½ Tsp Salt
1 Lg Egg
½ Cup Sour Cream, plus extra to serve with the pierogi
¼ Cup Butter, softened (or oil)
1 Tbsp Butter

DIRECTIONS:

To prepare the pierogi dough, mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl.

Next, beat the egg in a separate bowl or mug and then add it to the flour mixture.

Now, add the sour cream and the softened butter and combine well. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or so of water (I used the water reserved from boiling the potatoes).

You will need to work the dough approximately 5-7 minutes, or until it is no longer overly sticky – adding spoonfuls of additional flour one at a time, if needed (I don’t usually need to).

Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 20-30 minutes (overnight is good); the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.


FILLING ~ INGREDIENTS:

1-2 Tbsp Butter
2 Med Onions, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
4 Lg Potatoes, boiled and mashed
500 Gm (1 Lb) Pork Mince (Ground Pork)
*Salt & Pepper
1 Cup Colby Cheese, grated (just about any cheese works in these)

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

First, heat the butter in a large pan and sauté the onions in it until they begin to soften then add the garlic, continuing to cook until the onions become clear.

Set aside the onions and cook the pork, seasoning with salt and pepper and cooking until the meat is cooked through.

Lastly, add in the onions, mashed potatoes and cheese and mix well before setting the filling mixture aside to cool.


ASSEMBLING THE PIEROGIES:

First, roll the pierogi dough on a floured surface until about ¼ inch thick, or thinner (like a ravioli).

Next, cut ovals or circles of dough (similar in size to a CD). Use whatever you are comfortable with – cookie cutter, drinking glass, Tupperware lid, or just use a knife. You may opt to make larger or smaller pierogies, if you wish.

Afer tasting the filling for seasoning, place a small amount of filling (roughly 1-2 tablespoons or so, depending on the size you cut the dough into) onto each piece of pierogi wrapping and fold it over, forming sort of a semi-circle, pressing the edges together and pinching with your fingers or with the tines of a fork. If the edges do not stick together well, slightly moisten them with water and try again. I don’t have trouble unless I get the filling mashed into the seal. :o)

A few at a time, cook the pierogies in a large pot of boiling water. They will be done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes). Rinse in cool water and allow to dry – I lay them out n a baking rack over a baking sheet and they dry pretty quickly.

Next, sauté a bit of chopped onion in butter (to season the pan) until the onions are soft, before adding the pierogies and pan frying them until they are lightly crispy. Alternatively, you can put the butter and onions onto a baking sheet to crisp them in the oven instead (about 180° C for 8-10 minutes).

We love pierogies and hope you will too.

ENJOY!

SWEDE (RUTABAGA) IN CREAM

The first time I purchased “swedes” here in New Zealand, I was asked by the gentleman at the checkout counter, “How do you eat those?...I thought they were only good fodder for the cows and horses.” I was a little astonished, actually, as I had used them in soups, and stews (as rutabagas) in the States. I had also eaten them mashed along with potatoes at holiday time when visiting friends. It was interesting to see that even with the Kiwi ingenuity and general “green” attitude so prolific ‘down under’, that they would have overlooked such a versatile veg that is so inexpensive to buy, healthy, and downright tasty.

The stereotypical Kiwi will proudly value their resourcefulness and green thumbs. They try to save the planet, save the whales, and hang their clothes on a line in the garden to save electricity rather than using the dryer in their laundry (apparently dryers are only for rainy days and Americans – hehe). So, how is it that the poor swede has been overlooked as a good source of nutrition – especially in such a challenging economic era...where a block of cheese can cost, at it's worst, about NZ $10-12 and a dozen eggs or a loaf of bread can easily be over NZ $5-6???

Well, no matter the reason, I will introduce a few ways to bring this poor little root to the forefront again and give people a few options to try and really enjoy this ‘darlin’ for what it can be.

Here is the first, but certainly not the last, recipe for the swede.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Swede (Rutabaga), approx 1.5 kg (3 Lbs)
2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Cream
1 Tbsp Flour
1 Tsp Sugar
*Pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp Parsley, finely chopped

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

The first thing to do, is to cut up and boil the swede/rutabaga. They are tough, so the easiest way is to quarter them before peeling with a vegetable peeler, then cut it into bite-sized cubes before carefully dropping them into boiling salted water about 1 inch deep. Use about 1 teaspoon of the salt in this water.

Boil the swede/rutabaga for about 15-20 minutes or, until fork tender (much like boiling potatoes).
Move your oven rack to a position about 6 inches from the top and preheat your oven grill (broiler).

Next, drain the pieces well, and then return them to the saucepan.

In a separate bowl or mug, combine the cream, remaining salt, flour, sugar and pepper before pouring it over the swede/rutabaga in the saucepan and cooking over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken slightly and heat completely.

Now turn this mixture out into a shallow baking dish and place into the oven under the grill/broiler to brown slightly. The cream will puff slightly and turn a golden brown.

Once it has been removed from the grill/broiler, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

This is a lovely alternative (lo-carb option) to potatoes as a side dish as well!

Bon appetite!

CROSTINI WITH CHIVES,

FETA & BELUGA LENTILS

This is only but one lovely way to enjoy the unique legume known as the beluga lentil. I suppose it could be referred to as a poor man’s caviar with its beautiful sheen and jet-black colouring. These little gems are tasty in pilafs, vegetarian or otherwise, as well as hors de’oeuvres. I found a bag of these little black beauties at my local wholesale market and thought they looked interesting so I would give it a go and see what I could do with them.

I did a little research and discovered that Beluga Lentils are names for their caviar-like appearance in the fact that they remain whole and unbroken once cooked properly and maintain a shiny appearance, much like beluga caviar. I have only tasted caviar on two occasions and I still don’t understand what all of the fuss is about. To me it is just a VERY salty and VERY fishy condiment that really has no business in my kitchen. These little impersonators, on the other hand, are quite tasty and just as elegant to work with.

Combine these lovely legumes with cheese, chives and a garlic crostini and you have a winning combo, for certain.

I was recently asked to cater for a friend’s medi-spa, Beautyworx, as she was having a holiday demo night for her preferred clients. I was happy to oblige and anxious to try a couple of new nibble recipes I had recently discovered in this food blogosphere.

Along with these crostinis, I also made up some cucumber boats with herbed cream cheese, basil leaves and grape tomatoes, a fruit skewer porcupine with white chocolate truffle dipped strawberries, baby-banoffi-bites with a rich chocolate ganache to hold the crusts firmly in place, and my own twist on a Kiwi favourite – the brandy snap (with a bit of kahlua in the whipped creamy filling).

In any case, here is my favourite recipe from that evening and it was truly a hit! Not a crumb was left to be seen…or eaten!

INGREDIENTS:

1 French Stick (baguette)
200 Gm (about 8 oz) Good Feta Cheese
2 Tbsp Cream Cheese, softened
1 Tsp (more or less) Freshly Cracked Pepper
¼ Cup Freshly Chopped Chives
3-4 Cloves Garlic, peeled & halved
* Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Cup Beluga Lentils, cooked in stock

* Amounts vary to individual tastes.


DIRECTIONS:

I pre-boiled my lentils in about 2 cups chicken stock for about 40 minutes, until tender, but you can use whatever stock you like or even just boil them in salted water, careful not to overcook them and end up with a mushy mess.

Preheat the oven to about 180 degrees C / 350 F.

Diagonally slice the baguette into 1 cm thick pieces and rub each on both sides with garlic.

Next, brush each side of the bread pieces with oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet for toasting.

Toast each side between 6-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Whilst the bread is toasting, mix the feta cheese and the soft cream cheese (cream cheese is to bind and keep the topping from falling off of the crostini).

Now add in the cracked pepper and chives and drizzle in some olive oil. The oil is to help incorporate all of the herb flavour and keep the cheese moist. It also tastes incredible.

All that is left now, is to top your crostinis and to share and enjoy!

There are two good ways to use the lentils. You can start topping the crostinis with the cheese mixture and then a small scoop of lentils on the top of the cheese or, you can mix in some lentils with the cheese and top the crostinis with the blended mixture.

I opted for the former then garnished with chives to give them a bit more of an elegant presentation for my friend’s party, but I mixed the lentils in another batch at home afterwards for the family and both ways are VERY tasty!

Best wishes to all of my friends and family for a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.

Cheers!

FRESH NZ CRAYFISH SALAD

(aka Spiny Rock Lobster to those in North America)

First, I need to share a little story.

Just after arriving in NZ over 3 years ago now, my husband took me over to meet one of his many sisters and her hubby. We arrived just before her husband and his boat, as he had just returned from a dive with several huge creatures nearly as big as our daughter! I was then asked if I liked crayfish or scallops, to which I promptly replied, “uhm, not crayfish, but scallops are nice…I do like lobster though.”

I didn’t understand at the time why they might ask me about crayfish when we were looking at enormous lobsters (sans front claws though) here and, where I grew up, crayfish were smallish muddy horrible things that weren’t worth all of the effort to catch, soak in clear water overnight, clean and cook just to get one bite of meat from each of the little beasts.

So, we carried on with our visit and I think we even went home with some lovely NZ scallops (also quite huge and attached to some funny orange bit – more on that later). It wasn’t until later that evening at home when I realized in talking to my husband, that we could have probably taken one of those huge lobsters home if I hadn’t said I didn’t eat crayfish! What – you actually call those gigantic granddaddy lobsters crayfish???

Well, it’s been an ongoing joke ever since…Tiff “blew her chips” (meaning lost her chances) to get any fresh crayfish from now on.

Now, fast-forward to this weekend and my brother & sister-in-laws were on their way to visit another sibling nearby and popped by on their way to drop off a crayster – or lobsfish…you know what I mean… It was a great surprise and just in time for lunch – YUM! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH!)

I basically borrowed a slightly modified version of a friend’s cauliflower recipe over at Cooking Dunkin Style and topped the creamy, cheesy cauliflower with the diced up crayfish meat. What a treat! I usually eat lobster with the traditional clarified butter, but I have learned to do things a bit differently here.

So, in a nutshell, here is one more nice way to have lobster/crayfish!


INGREDIENTS:

Cauliflower
Mayonnaise (Best Foods/Hellmans)
Milk
Diced Onion
Grated Tasty/Cheddar Cheese
Crayfish
Salt & Pepper

All of the amounts are really up to the individual, so just go with what works for you.

DIRECTIONS:

The crayfish was boiled and chilled in advance, so all I really needed to do was crack that baby open and carefully pull out all of the meat, then dice it up and set it aside.

I cut up the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces next and put them all into a microwave-safe glass dish.

Next, I put a couple of good dollops of mayo into a jug and added just enough milk to make it easy to pour over the cauliflower.

After that, I sprinkled diced onions evenly over the top and covered the whole thing with grated cheese.

To cook it, I placed baking paper over the top and nuked it in the microwave until the cauliflower was tender and the cheese was melted and beginning to brown (about 5-7 minutes).

To serve it, I just mixed up the cauliflower and scooped some into a bowl then topped it off with the crayfish meat and a bit of salt & pepper.

Couldn’t be easier, really…or more tasty.

Thank goodness that our daughter has not yet developed a fondness for crayfish, as it is currently about $100 NZD per kilo (2.2 Lbs)…that is approximately $50 per pound…or, $25-30 per pound in US dollars! :o) Doesn’t sound so bad that way, does it? LOL

CARROT, APPLE AND WALNUT SALAD

Yesterday afternoon was nice. I had a few friends over and we had a lovely lunch. I prepared this salad with ham & tomato sandwich wedges…then we indulged a bit on banoffi pie (next post, I promise). The weather outside was delightful and, as usual, we shared stories, photos and lots of laughter.

Anyway, I really suggest giving this salad a try as it is fresh and tasty with a bit of crunch from the nuts. You can adjust any of the measurements really, to suit your own tastes, but it is one that should be given a try.

This salad was inspired by a lunch out with another American friend recently. We had lunch at a place called “One Red Dog” at Queen’s Wharf after riding the ferry out to Days Bay and back that morning. Funny story there, but in the interest of keeping it brief, I will just say that in the end we had to RUN for the ferry back to town and we certainly earned our lunch that day! LOL

The guys on the boat said they have become pretty astute at picking out the people late for the ferry as they often allow an additional 5 minutes or so for the last passengers running around the bays. Yes, they laughed at us, but so did we…we could laugh because at least we knew at that stage that we had a ride back home!

So, without further adieu…

INGREDIENTS:

¼ Cup Walnut Oil
¼ Cup Riesling Verjuice
*1 Tbsp Honey
*1½ Tbsp Wholegrain or Mild Dijon-style Mustard
* 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
*Salt & Pepper
3-4 Med-Lg Carrots, grated or julienned
1-2 Braeburn or Fuji Apples, grated or julienned
¼ Cup Currants
¼ Cup Walnut Pieces
2-3 Cups Baby Spinach Leaves

*Amounts vary to individual Tastes


DIRECTIONS:

In a small measuring jug or large mug, combine the oil, verjuice, honey, mustard, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Some of the measurements will vary, but the measurements given are approximately what I tend to use in my own.

Now whisk the dressing to emulsify the ingredients.

Next, in a medium-large salad bowl, combine the carrots, apples, currants, walnuts, and spinach. I suggest grating or julienning the apples just before serving and having the salad dressed and tossed prior to serving to protect the apples from going brown too quickly. If you do it in this fashion, the apples will stay crunchy and will not tend to discolour much at all.

Now, enjoy this light & fresh salad on it’s own or with a sandwich or pasta as I do!

SUMMER BROCCOLI SALAD

(No actual cooking involved!)

Well, ballet and swimming are finally over for this year and the recital was just lovely. I have been working and playing hard since Thanksgiving, but I have not forgotten about my little pages here.

It has been pretty warm here these last few nights and, wouldn't you know it, my oven element blew the other day, so it's been BBQ for several evenings (which is really lovely in this weather) but I wanted something more substantial than just the average sausages and rolls, etc..

Here is a yummy recipe to try if you are hankerin for something other than a green salad or cole slaw to accompany any main dish.

This is one of my most favourite summer salads and I have even been known to eat it on it's own as my lunch for the day.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Head Broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ Red Onion, finely diced
1-2 Carrots, grated
1 Cup Bacon, finely diced & fried crispy
¼ Cup Currants (or raisins)
¼ Cup Pumpkin Seeds (or sunflower seeds, pine nuts, cashews, etc.)
½ Cup Mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellmans type)
1 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
¼ Cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Sugar
*Salt & Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, mix all of the vegetables and then add the bacon, currants (or raisins) and nuts (or seeds).

Next, prepare the dressing in a measuring jug or large mug. I rarely measure anything when making dressings for salads, so adjust the amounts to suit your own taste and to get the consistency that you prefer.

For maximum flavour, dress and chill the salad for at least 2 hours before serving.

That’s it – simple as anything and VERY tasty. One of my favourite summer salads and it’s brilliant with any BBQ and/or pot-luck style dinner.

BACON & PORCINI RISOTTO

This is one of my all time favourites. It's a smooth and creamy comfort food with loads of flavour. Here in New Zealand it can be challenging to find certain items (such as porcini mushrooms), so I get my special ingredients at the Mediterranean Food Warehouse in Newtown.

I buy the dried porcinis and soak them prior to use. In this case, the obvious option for me, was to dice the dried mushrooms and then add them to the stock before bringing it to a boil. This way, the gorgeous procini flavour was able to develop in the risotto from the start. Otherwise, if you have access to fresh porcinis, you also have the option of adding them with the bacon as I have indicated below. Either way, this dish is "to die for"!

This recipe makes quite a large pan full, so you may opt to cut in in half...personally, I like leftover risotto for lunch the next day, so I don't mind.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 Litres (6-6.5 Cups) Stock of your choice (I used Chicken)
2 Large Onions (finely chopped)
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
75 Gms Butter (approx 2.5 oz)
¼ Cup Verjuice (or ½ Water-½ Lemon Juice Mixture)

500 Gms (about 1 Lb) Diced Bacon
½ Cup Diced Porcini Mushrooms
300 Gms (5 oz dry/uncooked) Arborio Rice
3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1 Tbsp Oregano
¼ Cup Packed Freshly Chopped Parsley/Cilantro
150 Gms (~5 oz) Parmiggiano Reggiano Cheese (finely grated & FRESH)
*Fresh Parsley Garnish
*Freshly Ground Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes

DIRECTIONS:

Firstly, fry off the bacon until the bits begin to go crispy, then set aside.

In a large chef's pan or other wide-bottom pan that can hold 8 cups or so of cooked risotto...heat the oil & butter and start to cook the onions. Do not brown the onions, just cook until they start to soften.

Whilst the onions are cooking, you will need to boil the stock and keep it hot in a smaller saucepan until it's used up.

When the onion starts to go clear, add the rice and stir to coat well. It will almost look "glassy" and transparent on the grain ends when well mixed. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Now increase the heat and add the verjuice (or substitute) and stir until the liquid soaks completely into the rice.

Reduce the heat again and begin adding the hot stock to the rice pan one-cup at a time. Stir constantly and only add the next cup after the previous one has been absorbed into the rice. Repeat this until 2/3 of the stock is gone. This takes about 20 minutes - stirring constantly.

Now add in the bacon, mushrooms, garlic, and oregano then increase the heat once again.

Add the last 2 cups or so of the stock one cup at a time, as before and stirring constantly (about 10 minutes) until the risotto is smooth & creamy.

Taste for seasoning and check that the rice is cooked through.

Finally, remove from heat and stir in the Parmiggiano and parsley/cilantro and that’s it!

You may also wish to serve this with an extra drizzle of EVOO, additional parsley and cracked pepper. Even my picky daughter (who claims to hate rice) loved this one!

PALAK PANEER

Sorry, it's been a few days...just been so very busy sorting out Thanksgiving plans for 30 people or so, and trying to assist with the school's upcoming "Lamb & Calf Day Gala", which coincidentally means I'll be baking again today for the cake stall on Saturday!

Anyway, this is a new recipe I had seen one version of and decided to give it a go and see if we liked it. Our daughter wasn't crazy about it, but she did well. I think I might put it into a pita bread next time.

Okay, Palak Paneer is an Indian spinach curry with homemade fried cheese. Palak means spinach and Paneer is cheese. This was my first time attempting to make palak paneer and it was quite fun (and tasty). I had no idea how easy it would be to make cheese at home – how REALLY easy!!! I love spinach and feta, Mediterranean style salads and things, so I thought this would be a good challenge for me.

This dish would ideally be served wrapped in a flatbread like naan or a pappadum. I quite liked the sort of "squeaky" texture of the fresh cheese and might opt to make some herbed cheese with some of my favourite flavours thrown in for future gatherings!

INGREDIENTS ~ PANEER:

2 Litres (8 Cups) Whole Milk
6 Tbsp Plain Unflavoured Yogurt
4 Tbsp Fresh Lime/Lemon Juice


DIRECTIONS:

First, whisk the yogurt and citrus juice together and set aside.

In a large stockpot, slowly and carefully bring the milk to a boil, stirring constantly.

Once boiling, immediately remove the milk from the heat and stir in the citrus/yogurt mixture.

You will immediately see the milk begin to form curds.

Now, return the pot to the heat and continue to boil until the curds stop developing, about 2 minutes.

Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth and carefully pour the contents of the pot over the cheesecloth and allow it to drain away all of the clear liquid.

Allow the curds to drain until the cheesecloth is cool enough to handle and then twist the cloth as tightly as possible to remove any excess moisture that remains in the curds.

Put the wrapped curds in the refrigerator between two plates and weight it down with heavy cans (or other heavy items) to smash it into a flat disk about a centimetre or two thick for at least three hours to allow it solidify.

When you are ready to fix supper, unwrap the cheese, cube it, and brown it in a preheated pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium high heat.


The paneer takes a bit of planning, but the results are so very worth it. I feel like a genuine Kiwi milkmaid or something and I didn’t have to pinch a teat or anything! Ha!

Now, for the curry dish…


INGREDIENTS ~PALAK PANEER:

500 Gms (about 1 Lb) Frozen Spinach, thawed
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1 Tsp Ginger, finely minced
1 Small Onion, diced
100 Gms Small Mushrooms, washed (sliced and/or canned shrooms are okay)
1 Green Chilli, finely minced
1 Tsp Garam Masala
*Flaky Sea Salt
*Canola Oil Cooking Spray, or comparable substitute
1 Batch Paneer, cubed and browned (recipe above)

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

First, combine thawed spinach, garlic, and ginger in a blender and puree then set it aside.

Now spray a large pan with a generous amount of canola spray and place over medium heat.

Add the onion and chilli and cook it until it begins to brown.

Now that the onion is beginning to brown, add the mushrooms and get them heating through.

Next, add the spinach puree and garam masala and continue to cook until all of the ingredients are heated through and well combined.

Lastly, add the cubed and browned paneer then salt to taste.

Serve with a flatbread such as naan, or with pappadums.

Enjoy.

CARROT, KUMARA & LENTIL SOUP

Last night was one of those where I had been so busy during the day that I had forgotten to properly plan a meal for the evening. I remembered a clever recipe that a new American friend had recently shared with me and I was ready to give it a go.

This was a very healthy option for us and, as it was a tad bit chilly, it turned out to be the perfect solution...but OOOPS!!! Looking at the recipe, I scanned through to make sure I had all of the necessary ingredients and something about "crock-pot" and "6-8 hours" cought my eye!! Oh, crap - what am I going to do now?!?! Well, bugger it - I decided to try it on the stovetop as I have done with my other lentil recipes and WHEW!!! I made the right decision!

So, I have Heather's original method and my stovetop method here for you and I can tell you they are both solid! She has made this for her friends and relatives in the slow cooker and I can fully attest to the stovetop method as we all enjoyed this soup immensely last night!

I have to say that my daughter doesn't normally eat kumara, but disguised in this soup she really enjoyed it (YEA!!). I have to admit that sweet potatoes were always something I hated growing up, but I do enjoy the occasional roasted kumara now. I guess our tastes do change as we get older - so long as that doesn't mean outgrowing chocolate covered cherries, I'm down with that! ;o)

So, without further adieu...here we go...

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp Rice Bran Oil
1 Lg Onion (red or brown)
2-3 Lg Carrots, peeled and grated
1-2 Stalks of Celery (or 1 Lg Celeriac Bulb), chopped
1 Tsp Coriander
1 Tsp Ground Cumin (adjust for taste)
1 3/4 Cups Lentils (I used red lentils)
2 Lg Kumara (or sweet potato), diced
6-7 Cups Stock (beef, chicken, or veggie)
1 Cup Cream
*Salt and Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.


INSTRUCTIONS:

First, in a large stockpot, lightly sauté the onion and celery/celeriac until the onions begin to soften and go clear.

Next, add cumin and coriander and cook just long enough to bring out the aromas of the spices (about 1-2 minutes).

Now, add the stock, grated carrot, diced kumara and lentils to the sautéed mixture to your stockpot on the stovetop, or combine it all in a crock-pot.

For the stovetop method, bring the contents of your pot to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and leave covered to cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep lentils from sticking to the bottom.

For the crock-pot method, cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Now, approximately 30 minutes before ready to serve, puree the soup carefully using an immersion/stick blender.

And lastly, add the cream, salt & pepper to taste.

Thank you Heather for your contribution to NuKiwiKitchen! Much appreciated – this will become a regular in our house now as well. Also, this is a great vegan/vegetarian meal if you use veggie stock.

Cheers.

MOCK WHITEBAIT FRITTERS

(Makes about 8 fritters)

For any of my North American mates, they will be wondering why on earth these are called Mock Whitebait Fritters when they are clearly potato, onion and cheese fritters or (minus the egg, flour, milk and baking powder) a potato rosti. The answer, my friends, is in the missing key Kiwi ingredient – WHITEBAIT.

Rather than ruining a perfectly good recipe by adding miniscule fish that I wouldn’t taste anyway, I have replaced the little critters with raw grated potato, which give the same effect with no fishy smell! In addition, I avoid the incessant teasing from Kiwis and Aussies alike about “topping and tailing” them first – yeah , right! I didn’t just fall of the taro truck you know!

In any case, these are brilliant for breakfast or even just for a snack. So…give this recipe a go!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Eggs
5 Tbsp Flour
4 Tbsp Milk
1-2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1 Cup Grated Colby Cheese
½ Med Onion, grated or finely chopped
1 Large Potato, grated
2 Tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Rice Bran Oil
*Freshly Ground Black Pepper ~or~ Cayenne Pepper
*Flaky Sea Salt

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

First beat the eggs in a large bowl.

Add the flour, milk, and garlic and blend well (another great additive is chives).

Combine the mixture well and add the cheese, onion and potato.

Next, heat the oil in a pan and when it’s nearly hot enough, add the baking powder to your mixture and blend it well before cooking.

Now scoop about ½ to 1 cup of the mixture into the hot pan and flatten out like a pancake.

Once the fritter is golden brown on the bottom, flip it over and brown the other side.

Serve these wonderful fritters with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives and/or with fresh tomato slices. They are best if eaten hot, so serve immediately.

KIWIFRUIT GLAZED – BALSAMIC PORK SPARE RIBS
(Adapted from Ming Tsai’s recipe from Simply Ming )

Now, I have had some really good spare ribs before...but this was really amazing! The bones literally fell out of the meat it was so tender, and the salsa gave the meat an extra depth that was phenomenal.

Note To Self: Buy a bigger rib rack next time...MUCH bigger!

I don't think much more needs to be said here - just see for yourself! (Bugger there aren't any leftovers for my lunch!!!)

THE DAY BEFORE…Make salsa and cure ribs.

INGREDIENTS – SALSA:

4 Kiwifruit, diced

1 Tbsp Ginger, finely minced

1 Large Red Onion, diced

¼ Cup Coriander, packed

2 Thai Chillies, stemmed and finely minced *Alternatively use 1 Tbsp Thai Chilli Sauce

½ Cup Lime Juice

*1 Shot Tequila (optional)

*Flaky Sea Salt

*Freshly Ground Black Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, gently mix all the ingredients then, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Allow to stand covered overnight in the refrigerator for flavours to fully develop.

Remove from fridge at least one hour before use and allow it to warm to room temperature.

RIBS: The day before, rub the ribs with salt and pepper and let cure overnight.

THE DAY OF…Cook ribs and prepare a simple side salad.

INGREDIENTS – RIBS:

1½ - 2 Kg Baby Back Ribs, cut to fit

1 Cup Good Balsamic Vinegar

¼ Tsp Chinese Five Spice

½ Tsp Ground Coriander

1 Cup (more or less) Ginger-Kiwi Salsa

500 Gms (about 1 Lb) Red Potatoes, scrubbed, boiled and halved

6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar

2 Tbsp Parsley Leaves, finely chopped

*Flaky Sea Salt

*Freshly Ground Black Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F).

Puree 1 cup Ginger-Kiwi Salsa in a blender or, use an immersion (stick) blender to blend until smooth.

Prepare ribs by rubbing off any excess salt and pepper first, then place ribs into a large deep pan.

Next, add the vinegar so that a 1/4-inch layer is on the bottom and cover tightly with foil.

Bake in the oven for 1 to 1 ½ hours, checking ribs at 1 hour, and continuing cooking until all the vinegar is evaporated.

Now either transfer ribs to a grill and slather with more or less 1 cup of the pureed Ginger-Kiwi Salsa or, keep them in the pan and slather with blended salsa and change oven setting to grill/broil to colour well.

Meanwhile, to make a simple German potato salad: Toss hot (or warm) potatoes with bacon, olive oil, vinegar and parsley.

Check for flavour and season if necessary.

Serve the potato salad on a large dish and top with sliced ribs and reserved salsa.

The bones just fall out and the meat is moist, succulent and full of gorgeous flavour.

Now, TUCK IN and savour!!!

(Nothing but empty bones left at the end of the meal!)