Zabaglione

I had 6 egg yolks left over from another recipe/dish I had made. Not content with just throwing them into the bin, I decided to make Zabaglione which is a simple Italian dessert made with just egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine. This light and fluffy custard however gave my arms such a work out! Just a few minutes into whisking the custard over the simmering water, I could feel my arms aching from all that whisking! Maybe next time I'll try using the electric whisker- not sure if it'll give me the same results but at least it'll be less painful- on another note, at least I'm enjoying the fruits of my labour whilst eating the Zabaglione, or should I really be saying that my hips just keep getting wider :P

Serves 4-6


Ingredients

6 egg yolks
⅓ cup caster sugar
¼ cup Marsala wine or dry white wine
Strawberries, lady fingers or biscotti, to serve

Method

1. Half-fill a pot with water. Bring the water to a simmer and reduce the heat to low.
2. Whisk the yolks, sugar and wine together in a large, round bottomed stainless steel bowl until frothy.  Set the bowl containing the custard mixture over the water; the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Continue to whisk over the pot of simmering water until light and fluffy and forming soft peaks - approx. 10 minutes. 
3. Whilst whisking the custard mixture make sure the water does not boil. This ensures that a gentle, even heat thickens the mixture without scrambling it. Whisking traps air in the yolks for a light, fluffy mixture.
4. Continue whisking until the mixture triples in volume, froths up and becomes pale.
5. When it reaches the desired consistency, take the bowl out of the pot. Continue whisking for a minute or two to prevent the custard from sticking to the bowl.
6. Pour the zabaglione into glasses and serve with strawberries and/or biscuits like lady fingers or biscotti.

Notes & Tips

The whisking is done over simmering water so that the egg yolks cook as they thicken into a light, foamy custard. The mixture must not get too hot during cooking or it will become grainy. If it begins to feel warmer than body temperature, remove the bowl briefly from the heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture cools. Then return the bowl to the heat and continue cooking.

Zabaglione may be served warm or cold. A cold one is whisked off the heat until cooled. Traditional zabaglione must be made just before serving. The warm froth can be served as a dessert by itself or as a sauce over cake, fruit, ice cream or pastry.

In France, this is called sabayon

Pear and Rocket Salad

What I really love about this salad is the explosion of flavours- the crunchiness that comes from the hazelnuts, the saltiness from the pancetta and goat's cheese, the fresh taste and sweetness of the pears, the bitterness of the rocket and the acidity from the dressing. This salad is a great accompaniment to any meat dish and just so simple to put together.

There are 2 ways I like to use the pear when making this salad. The first way is to caramelise the pears and the second way is to just thinly slice the pears lengthways using a mandolin and serving it fresh/uncooked. I tend to caramelise the pears in Winter since it's cold and I don't often feel like eating cold salad, but in Summer I tend to just slice the pears and have it fresh. Whichever way, both work with this salad.

Adapted from the recipe in Notebook magazine, March 2 2010, page 7

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 pancetta slices
2 Williams pears, peeled and cored
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 bunch baby rocket (approx. 65g), washed
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
50g goat's milk cheese

Method

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, turning occasionally, for 2 minutes or until golden-brown and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.  
2. Combine the vinegar, oil, mustard and honey in a screw-top jar and shake until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 
3. Arrange the rocket leaves onto a serving platter. Coarsely break up the pancetta and sprinkle over the rocket with the pears and hazelnuts. Crumble over the goat's cheese. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

Notes & Tips

To make caramelised pears, heat 20g butter and 1 tbsp brown sugar in a small non stick frying pan over medium heat. Add pears (cored and cut into wedges) and sauté for 2-3 minutes until light golden.

To slice the pears thinly, use a mandolin.

Osso Bucco

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 x 350-400g, centre bone cut pieces of veal osso buco
50mL extra virgin olive oil 
2 onions, finely diced 
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 anchovy fillets 
1 cup dry white wine
800g tinned crushed tomatoes
1 cup veal or beef stock 
2 large sprigs of fresh thyme
2 large sprigs of fresh sage
1 large sprig of fresh rosemary 
1 fresh bay leaf 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the puree:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped good quality anchovy 


Method

Season the veal with the sea salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and brown the veal osso buco pieces evenly on all sides. The veal should be well coloured but be careful not to burn the meat.

Remove the browned veal shanks from the pan and set them aside in the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, garlic, anchovy and herbs and sauté slowly for about 5 minutes or until translucent.  Turn heat up and then add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Cook until the wine is almost completely reduced before adding the tomatoes and veal stock.

Bring to the boil before adding into the slow cooker- make sure the sauce covers the veal. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly, if the tomatoes are not as ripe and sweet as they should be a little sugar should be added. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the cut but will take somewhere between 4 to 6 hours on low setting.

The veal should be fork tender, with the meat just beginning to separate from the bone when you remove them from the slow cooker. Do not remove until meat is falling off the bone. 

To make the purée, combine the garlic, anchovy and parsley.

After you have removed the veal from the sauce, stir in the puree.  Serve veal pieces with equal portions of creamy polenta and spoon a little of the veal sauce over the top of the veal pieces to finish.

Soft Creamy Polenta

This traditional Italian staple makes a fantastic warming side dish for meat, chicken, fish or vegetables.

Ingredients

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
1 cup coarse polenta (cornmeal)
125ml (1/2 cup) thin cream
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
40g butter
Salt & finely ground white pepper

Method

1. Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Use a wire balloon whisk to stir the stock. Gradually add the polenta in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly until all the polenta is incorporated into the liquid (whisking ensures the polenta is dispersed through the liquid as quickly as possible). Don't add the polenta too quickly or it will turn lumpy. 
2. Reduce heat to low (cook the polenta over low heat otherwise it will cook too quickly and you will need to add extra water/stock). Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and the polenta is soft. (To test whether the polenta is soft, spoon a little of the polenta mixture onto a small plate and set aside to cool slightly. Rub a little of the polenta mixture between 2 fingers to see if the grains have softened. If the grains are still firm, continue to cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the polenta is soft.)  
3. Remove from heat. Add the cream, Parmesan and butter, and stir until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes & Tips

The hot polenta may splatter as it cooks, so use a long-handled wooden spoon to avoid being scalded.

Lamb Shanks with Thyme and Rosemary

I love eating lamb shanks with the meat falling off the bone and this slow cooker recipe will do just exactly that! This is a great Winter recipe that I keep going back to. It's so easy to make since all I have to do is just pop all the ingredients into the slow cooker, set it on low heat and 4-6 hours later, a nice hearty meal awaits- minimal time, minimal fuss, maximum flavour!

Recipe adapted from taste.com.au- July 2008, page 4

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks, French trimmed
plain flour, for dusting
salt and cracked black pepper
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 Spanish onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can crushed tomatoes (with roasted capsicum)
3 cups (750ml) beef stock
3 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
75g baby spinach leaves
100g mushrooms, sliced
Roast potatoes, to serve, if desired

Method

1. Add the carrot, onion, garlic, tomatoes, beef stock, rosemary and thyme into a slow cooker. 
2. Dust the lamb shanks in the flour, salt and pepper, and shake off excess. 
3. Heat a little olive oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Cook the lamb shanks, in batches, for 3-4 minutes or until browned. 
4. Add lamb shanks into the slow cooker, cover with the lid and cook for 4-6 hours on low setting.
5. When almost ready to serve, stir through the mushrooms and baby spinach leaves. Cook for a few more minutes or until leaves are wilted. Serve with roast potatoes if desired.

Notes & Tips

The size of shanks can vary, so ensure all the shanks will fit in the pot before commencing.

Sweet & Sour Pork

A bit fiddly, but well worth the effort. I find that marinating the pork overnight is a must for this dish – the flavour is so much more intense. The double frying is also essential to get that incredibly crispy texture of the pork fillets. For a healthier version, you can pan fry the pork instead.

Ingredients

600g pork scotch fillet, cut into 1.5cm pieces or 1.2kg pork spare ribs
Vegetable/peanut oil for deep fry

Marinade
3tbs cornflour
2tbs cold water
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
6 tsp light soy sauce
4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sea salt

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 tbs peanut oil
1 green capsicum, chopped
1 red capsicum chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 brown onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup (125ml) white vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs tomato sauce
1 cup (250ml) water
2 tbs cornflour mixed with 2 tbs water
½ small ripe pineapple, peeled and chopped or use 425g can pineapple pieces in natural juices if fresh unavailable
Red food colouring (optional)

Batter
1 cup tapioca flour
Salt and pepper

Method

1. For the marinade: blend cornflour with water in a medium-sized bowl until dissolved. Add egg yolks, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and mix well to combine. Add to pork. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight if time permits.
2. For the sauce: heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, capsicums, carrot and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, tomato sauce and water until sugar dissolves. Combine the cornflour and 2 tbs water. Add to the pan and whisk until it comes to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the pineapple. Add red food colouring if desired. Set aside.  
3. Heat the deep fryer to 190°C. Meanwhile, make the batter by combining the flour with some salt and pepper. 
4. Dip the marinated pork cubes in the batter. Deep-fry pork in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the deep fryer. Deep fry until pork is almost cooked through/golden brown. 
5. Remove from deep fryer and drain on kitchen paper.
6. When oil is reheated again, return the pork to the hot oil and deep-fry for a further 3 minutes, or until lightly browned, crispy and cooked through. 
7. Remove from deep fryer and drain well on kitchen paper.
8. Combine pork with sweet and sour sauce. Serve with rice.

Carrot Cake

I felt like doing some baking today, so I made this carrot cake which is just so moist and full of taste. WARNING though- It's not for the diet conscience.

I would normally add ½ cup walnuts to my carrot cake but today I just simply forgot! So I added some to the top of the cake as decoration instead :P

The mini carrots around the cake are made out of marzipan. Marzipan is a sweet almond and sugar paste. It can be moulded into any shape and is commonly sculpted and painted into fruit, animals, and flowers. When used to ice a cake, marzipan can be rolled into thin sheets and draped over the cake. It is then carefully smoothed down to provide a uniform look- wedding cakes are commonly iced this way.

You can easily make your own marzipan or purchase it in the baking section of your supermarket. I didn't have any in my pantry and just made it from scratch. I used ½ cup almond meal, ½ cup icing sugar, ½ eggwhite and 1 drop vanilla extract. I then kneaded all the ingredients together until I had a smooth pliable dough. The marzipan carrots are easy enough to make, and they just simply look adorable on top of carrot cake or cupcakes!

Adapted from the recipe in Fresh Living magazine- 9 August 2004, page 53

This recipe makes one 20cm round cake or sixteen 1/3 cup capacity cupcakes

Ingredients

Oil, to grease
2-3 (about 300g) carrots

1 cup self-raising flour
½ cup plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
½ cup golden syrup
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Icing

250g spreadable cream cheese (softened)
½ cup icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence

Marzipan carrots

Marzipan
Red and yellow food colouring
Icing sugar for dusting
Edible sprigs of herbs for decoration, such as dill or parsley (optional)



Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 20cm (base) round cake pan lightly with oil, and line with non-stick baking paper. Peel and grate the carrots, and set aside. Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon into a large bowl. Mix well together.
2. Put the brown sugar, oil, golden syrup, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl. Use a balloon whisk to mix until combined.  
3. Pour the oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to stir gently until just combined. Stir in the grated carrot and walnuts. 
4. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 1 hour. Set aside for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  
5. To make the icing, place the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until mixture is light and fluffy.
6. Spread the icing over the cake. Decorate cake as desires

To make the marzipan carrots

Coat your hands with icing sugar, or wear plastic gloves (this prevents the marzipan from sticking to your hands).

Knead the marzipan until it has softened slightly. Flatten the marzipan into a disc, and add a few drops of red and yellow food coloring to the middle, using a ratio of 1 drop red to 2 drops yellow. Fold the marzipan into a ball and begin to knead the color throughout the dough, adding more food coloring if desired, working until the marzipan is one uniform color.

Roll the dough into small balls the size of a 5 cent piece. Roll the balls between your palms, elongating them into thin tubes and tapering one end, so that they are shaped like carrots.

Take a toothpick and, holding it perpendicular to the carrots, make horizontal indentations all along the length of the carrot to create slight creases.

If desired, poke holes in the tops of the carrots, and insert the sprigs of herbs to be the carrot leaves.

Store marzipan carrots in an airtight Tupperware container for up to two weeks

Potato & Leek Soup

The nights are getting colder so warm yourself up by making this creamy potato and leek soup!

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 brown onion, halved, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
4-5 medium (about 700g) peeled desiree, pink eye or pontiac potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
2 leeks, pale section only, washed, dried, thinly sliced
1.25L (5 cups) salt reduced chicken stock
3 thick slices day-old white bread, crusts removed, cut into 2cm cubes
½ cup thickened cream
Pinch of salt
2 tbs finely chopped fresh chives

Method

1. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the potato and leek and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until leek softens. 
2. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potato is soft. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.  
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C. Place bread in a roasting pan. Drizzle with remaining oil and toss until bread is evenly coated. Toast in preheated oven, shaking pan occasionally, for 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove croutons from oven and set aside. 
4. Transfer one-third of the potato mixture to the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan. Repeat in 2 more batches with the remaining potato mixture. 
5. Place the soup over medium heat. Add the cream and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until hot. Taste and season with salt. 
6.  Ladle the soup among serving bowls. Sprinkle with chives and top with croutons. Serve immediately.

Notes & Tips

This soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To blend soups, use a stick blender, jug blender or food processor.

Nonya Fried Rice

If you haven't figured it out by now, I like food and I like to eat. Which shouldn't come to anybody's surprise that I also like to watch cooking shows. However, I don't often cook what I watch on T.V. as most of the stuff that's cooked on the telly these days is too gourmet or fine dining for me. When I come home from an exhausting day at work, I don't want to necessarily be slaving away in the kitchen for 3 hours on a meal that will be eaten in 30 minutes and that doesn't taste nice reheated the next day for work. I tend to cook more easier, simpler, practical meals on a work night and occasionally on a weekend or a day off I might try a recipe that requires a bit more effort.

Watching Poh's Kitchen the other day, I saw her make a dish called Nonya Fried Rice. It looked quite easy to put together and the flavours of this Malaysian style fried rice intrigued me so much that I decided to give it a go and to my surprise I quite liked it (and so did hubby). There is a spicy prawn flavour as you eat the fried rice (that comes from both the dried shrimp and fresh prawns), with the refreshing and cool taste of the cucumber. The cucumber also adds a nice crunch and bite to the dish.

It's great to see Poh (the runner's up to season 1 Masterchef) have her own T.V. show and share some of her Malaysian recipes with the wider audience in Australia.

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large red chillies, chopped and seeded
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 shallots, chopped
¾ cups dried shrimp, soaked in boiling water
10 green prawns, peeled deveined and cut into small pieces
1 ½ cups jasmine rice, cooked
2 tbs light soy
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp white pepper
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 telegraph (long thin) cucumber, quartered lengthways, seeds sliced off and discarded (for maximum crunch) and then sliced diagonally - about 2 to 3 mm

Method

1. Pound the chilli, garlic and shallots to a paste in a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, chopping finely will be completely appropriate.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok till hot and add the paste and sauté till it is rich and aromatic. (If finely chopping the aromatics, add the garlic first to the wok, and cook briefly, then the shallots and chilli and stir fry till aromatic).
3. Pound drained dried shrimp in mortar and pestle till shredded, or blitz in a food processor to a crumbly consistency. Add to the wok and stir fry till fragrant. Add prawns and stir fry till just cooked. Immediately add rice, soy, salt, sugar and white pepper.
4. Cook till rice has separated, and tender.
5. Make a well in the middle of the wok pushing rice to the sides. Tip in the egg and let it sit for a while so the bottom has a while to caramelise. With an eggflip turn it over on the other side till that is also nice and brown, then chop it with the eggflip so little pieces of it cook all the way through. Add the cucumber and give it all a final toss so everything is incorporated, checking for seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes & Tips

The trick to cooking great fried rice is to pre-cook the rice and put it in the fridge overnight spread out on a baking tray lined with a sheet of baking paper. This makes the grains stay separate and prevents the fried rice from getting stodgy when cooking.

Lemon Diva Cupcakes

I finally had the chance today to make these Lemon Diva Cupcakes. The original recipe is from Julie Goodwin, winner of Masterchef season 1. I see why she won the cupcake challenge. These cupcakes are moist, fluffy and they do certainly pack a punch in terms of lemon flavour!

Makes 12

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 3 lemons
2 eggs
1⅓ cups self raising flour
½ cup milk

Icing

125g unsalted butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
1½ tbs lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 12 hole medium muffin pan (1/3 cup capacity) with paper cases. Using electric beaters, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy. Mix through the lemon zest.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Gently fold through the flour and milk in two alternate batches. Divide the mixture evenly among the paper cases.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and springy when touched. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
4. To make the icing, use electric beaters to beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the icing sugar a little at a time, beating constantly. Add half the lemon juice and beat until well combined. Add the remaining lemon juice a little at a time. Using a 1cm fluted nozzle, pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes.

Barbecued Lime & Mint Chicken Skewers

These lime and mint chicken skewers are great to whip up for a BBQ. They're simple, tasty and full of citrus flavour from the limes.

Ingredients

2 limes
2 long fresh green chillies, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup light olive oil
½ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
800g chicken thigh fillets, fat trimmed, cut into 2cm pieces
1-2 tbs water
½ cup bought tzatziki
Fresh mint leaves, to serve
Lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Finely grate the rind of the limes. Juice the limes. Place the lime rind, lime juice, chilli, garlic, oil, coriander and chopped mint in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a glass or ceramic bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 2 hours to marinate. 
2.  Thread the chicken onto skewers. Brush with marinade. 
3.  Preheat a barbecue grill or chargrill on high. Cook the skewers for 5 minutes each side or until cooked through.
4.  Gradually add the water to the tzatziki until it reaches the consistency of thickened cream. Place the skewers on a serving plate. Top with mint leaves. Serve with lime wedges and tzatziki.

Notes & Tips

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for 20 minutes for this recipe to prevent them from burning. Alternatively, use 12 metal skewers.