Easy Lamb Cutlets

Recipe adapted from Coles Magazine

Ingredients

500g potatoes (par boiled)
500g frozen baby carrots
olive oil spray
16 lamb cutlets
3 tbsp mint sauce
2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs
250g frozen green beans

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Arrange potatoes and carrots in a baking dish. Spray with oil and bake for 20 mins. Reduce heat to 200°C.
2. Sear lamb cutlets in batches, in a hot non-stick frying pan, until just brown on each side. Arrange over vegetables and brush with mint sauce. Scatter rosemary sprigs over dish.
3. Return to oven for 15-20 minutes to cook the meat. 
4. Serve with green beans, cooked according to packet directions.

Portuguese Custard Tarts

Ingredients

2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
225ml cream
150ml milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 sheet puff pastry

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a twelve hole (80ml capacity) muffin tray.
2. Put the eggs, sugar and cornflour in a pan and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the cream and milk until smooth.
3. Place the pan over a medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain the custard into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool.
4. Meanwhile, cut the puff pastry sheet in half, put one half on top of the other and set aside for 5 minutes. Roll up the pastry tightly from the short end and cut the pastry log into 12 x 1cm rounds. 
5. Lay each pastry round on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out until each is 10cm in diameter.
6. Press the pastry rounds into the muffin tin. Spoon the cooled custard into the pastry cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry and custard are golden. Leave the tarts in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 
7. Brush the top of tarts with sugar syrup glaze (optional)

To make sugar syrup glaze:
Ingredients

4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons cornflour
5g gelatine powder

Method

1. In a small pan, add water, sugar, cornflour and gelatine powder. Whisk all together thoroughly until no lumps remain and all the cornflour and gelatine has dissolved.
2. Over medium heat bring to a boil and boil all ingredients 3 to 4 minutes, stirring consistantly. Remove from heat. Cool for 3-5 minutes. (Do not cool for longer then 5 minutes, or your glaze with set).
3. When glaze has slightly cooled, using a basting brush or a silicone basting brush, lightly brush a coat of sugar glaze over each tart until all is covered. Can repeat if neccessary to get the desired shine look or consistancy.

Egg & Onion Stir Fry

Growing up, this was one of my favourite dishes that I would love to eat. It's very home-style and makes a great side dish.

Ingredients

5 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, sliced half moon
spring onions, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Whisk eggs, water, sugar and salt together in a bowl then set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a fry pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add onions and fry until soft and translucent
4. Add egg mixture, cook for a few minutes then turn off the heat to allow residual heat to cook through the eggs. Garnish with spring onions

Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake Recipe

Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Oriental Dinner Party Cookbook, page 15

Ingredients

2 eggs, room temperature (70g each)
½ cup caster sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
60g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
¾ cup self-raising flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Sift the flour and bicarb of soda into a small bowl.
2. In another bowl, whip the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until thick.
3. Stir in milk and butter; whisk in the sifted flour and soda until incorporated.
4. Line an 18cm bamboo steamer with a sheet of grease proof paper, pour mixture into steamer.
5. Cover, place steamer over wok or pan of boiling water, cook over high heat 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  
6. Turn cake onto wire rack. Serve warm.

Notes & Tips

This cake is best served piping hot from the steamer. If a bamboo steamer is not available, an aluminium steamer can be used instead.

Strawberry Mousse

Strawberries are back in season, so time to make a light, fluffy and creamy strawberry mousse for dessert.

Ingredients

2 x 250g punnets strawberries, hulled, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon strawberry essence (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup pure icing sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon gelatine
200ml thickened cream
1-2 drops red food colouring (optional)
3 egg whites

To decorate/serve:
Extra strawberries, halved or quartered (depends how big they are)
100ml thickened cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
a few sprigs mint leaves

Method

1. In a food processor or blender, combine strawberries, strawberry essence, lemon juice and icing sugar and process until smooth. Strain into a large bowl and discard seeds. 
2. Meanwhile, whip the cream until slightly thickened/soft peaks form. Set aside. 
3. Combine water and gelatine in a small heatproof jug. Whisk until gelatine dissolves and liquid becomes clear. Add to strawberry mixture. Stir through well.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of cream to strawberry mixture. Whisk gently until well combined. Fold through remaining cream. Add a few drops red food colouring if desired.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Fold through strawberry mixture until well combined. 
6. Wet moulds with water. Spoon mousse into 6 x ½ cup capacity glasses or ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set.
7. To decorate the mousse: Use an electric mixer to beat cream and icing sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. 
8. Place the cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe on top of the mousse. Arrange a strawberry and some mint leaves next to the cream.