Mini Lemon Meringue Pies

Ingredients

12 frozen sweet tart cases

Lemon Curd Filling

½ cup lemon juice

100g unsalted butter

½ cup caster sugar

1 egg

3 egg yolks

Meringue Topping

3 egg whites

3 tablespoons caster sugar

pinch of cream of tartar

Method

To make lemon curd filling: heat lemon juice and butter in a small saucepan and simmer until butter has melted. Add sugar, egg and yolks and cook, whisking continuously until mixture becomes thick and glossy. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until cooled completely (approx. 30mins - 1hr).

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the tart cases on a baking tray. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown.

Meanwhile, make meringue topping: use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add cream of tartar and sugar, a tablespoonful at a time, beating until sugar has dissolved between each addition. Continue beating until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Spoon meringue mixture into a piping bag.

Spoon the lemon mixture evenly among the tart cases, being careful to not overfill (approx.1 tablespoon per tart). Pipe a swirl of meringue mixture on top of each tart or use the back of a spoon to create peaks.

Place under heated grill for 60-90 seconds until meringue is lightly golden brown or run a kitchen blowtorch over the meringue. Stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot or cold with cream or ice cream.

Salmon Nicoise

Recipe adapted from Masterchef- February 2012 issue, page 70

Serves 4

Ingredients

600g baby potatoes
200g green beans
4 eggs
extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
4 x 150g skinless, boneless salmon pieces
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
250g cherry tomatoes
1 butter lettuce
70g kalamata olives

White wine vinaigrette

1 eschalot
½ lemon
1 clove garlic
¼ bunch basil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 anchovy fillets

Method

1. Scrub potatoes. Place in a saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Trim beans, add to pan, then cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander, then refresh under cold water. Add eggs to saucepan and cook for 7 minutes for almost hard-boiled.
3. To make vinaigrette, chop eschalot and place in the bowl of a food processor. Squeeze over 1 tablespoon lemon juice and crush over garlic. Pick basil leaves and add with mustard, vinegar, oil and anchovies. Process until smooth.
4. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Drizzle oil over fish. Roughly chop fennel seeds, scatter over fish, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until just cooked. Rest in pan for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into 1.5cm-thick rounds and place in a bowl. Halve tomatoes. Add to potatoes with beans and half the dressing, then toss to combine. Peel and slice eggs then add to bowl. Wash and dry lettuce, then toss in a separate bowl with remaining dressing.
6. Layer potato mixture, lettuce and salmon on a platter, flaking salmon as you go. Scatter with olives to serve.

Beef Shakshuka with Smoked Eggplant

This is a modern take on the classic Middle Eastern breakfast dish, Shakshuka. It's a pretty impressive one-pan meal and really fills you up!

Recipe adapted from Yottam Ottolenghi

Ingredients

4 eggplants (aubergines) (1.1kg gross)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 large onion, finely chopped (200g net)
6 garlic cloves, finely diced (20g net)
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (add up to ½ teaspoon for extra heat)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons tomato paste
300g beef mince
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (100g net)
2 teaspoons (15g) finely chopped preserved lemon
4 eggs
¾ teaspoon sumac
3 teaspoons chopped parsley

Tahini sauce
40g tahini paste
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons water

Method

Use a sharp knife to pierce the eggplant in a few places and place each directly over a naked flame on the stovetop. Cook on medium heat, turning occasionally with metal tongs, for 20 minutes, or until outside is totally burnt and eggplant starts to collapse on itself.

Alternatively, place the pierced eggplant on baking tray lined with foil and place under a hot grill, turning every 20 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from tray and place in a colander. Cut a single slit in each eggplant, from top to base, and allow the juices to strain. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, avoiding all black skin, and set aside. You should have about 370 g eggplant flesh.

To make the tahini sauce, whisk together the ingredients until thick and rich. You may need to add a splash of water if it is stiff.

Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the onion, garlic, chilli, cinnamon and cumin and sauté for 6 minutes, until softened and coloured a bit. Add the beef, salt and some black pepper. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring, for 5–6 minutes, or until browned well. Mix in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, preserved lemon and eggplant flesh and cook for another 5 minutes. Add up to 90 ml of water if the sauce is becoming very thick. Make four small wells in the mix and break an egg into each. Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, until the eggwhites are cooked but the yolks are still runny. Covering the pan with a lid will hasten the process but will make the yolks look a bit cloudy.

Remove from the heat and dot with dollops of tahini sauce, sprinkle with sumac and finish with the parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

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.

Sweet Potato & Caramelised Onion Quiche

Recipe adapted from Australian Good Taste Magazine, August 2005 issue, page 59

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
280g orange sweet potato (kumara), peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
1 sheet (27 x 27cm) ready-rolled frozen quiche shortcrust pastry, just thawed
185ml (3/4 cup) thickened cream
3 eggs, lightly whisked
2 tablespoons finely shredded fresh basil (or basil paste)

Method

1. Line a round 22cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin, with removable base, with pastry and trim any excess. Use a fork to prick the base. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.  
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until onion caramelises. Add the mustard and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
3. Cook the sweet potato in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well. 
4. After pastry has rested, cover the pastry base with non-stick baking paper and fill with pastry weights, rice or dried beans. Place tin on hot baking tray in oven. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights, rice or beans. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C. 
5. Cover pastry base with caramelised onion and top with sweet potato. Whisk together the cream, egg and basil in a jug. Pour into pastry base. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until golden and set. Serve with, mixed green salad leaves or coleslaw.

Notes & Tips

To freeze (for up to 3 months): Set aside for 1 hour to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour to cool completely. Label, date and freeze.
To thaw: Place in fridge for 12 hours.
To reheat: Preheat oven to 180°C. Remove plastic wrap. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until warm.

If you don't have any pie weights, not to worry! You can freeze the pastry in the tin for 15minutes instead of chilling it in the fridge since freezing pastry in the tin removes the need for 'blind baking' with baking paper and weights 

Smoked Salmon, Poached Eggs and Asparagus

Ingredients

150g smoked salmon
150g green asparagus
2 medium sized eggs
2 slices sour dough bread
1 litre water
50ml vinegar
salt and pepper

Method

1. Bring half the water to boil in saucepan. Poach the asparagus for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Discard water.
2. Bring the remaining water to the boil and add the vinegar. Crack an egg into a bowl and gently lower the egg to poach in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg from the water. Repeat with remaining egg.
3. Meanwhile toast the sourdough bread. Butter.
4. Divide the asparagus, egg and salmon onto toast. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

How to poach eggs like a chef:

1. Tear a square of cling film. Drizzle with oil, and spread with your fingers to evenly grease. Lay into a small cup or bowl, overhanging the sides. Break the egg into the cling film and pull the plastic up to gather it around the egg.
2. Expel all the air around the egg, and twist the cling film to shape the egg. Tie the plastic, sliding the knot down close to the egg to preserve the shape. Place into a pan of simmering water and poach until the white has set but the yolk is still runny.
3. Lift from the water and, using scissors, carefully cut the cling film below the knot. Gently peel away the cling film.

Reference from: Masterchef Australia, The Cookbook Volume One page 62

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

4 eggs, at room temperature
4 English muffins, split
20g baby spinach leaves
100g smoked salmon

Hollandaise Sauce

1 tablespoon water
3 egg yolks
125g butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

Method

To make hollandaise sauce: process water and egg yolks in a food processor until creamy. With motor running, slowly add butter in a thin stream. This should take 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover surface with cling film.

To make poached eggs (the way professionals do it): Tear a square of cling film. Drizzle with oil, and spread with your fingers to evenly grease. Lay into a small cup or bowl, overhanging the sides. Break the egg into the cling film and pull the plastic up to gather it around the egg.

Expel all the air around the egg, and twist the cling film to shape the egg. Tie the plastic, sliding the knot down close to the egg to preserve the shape. Place into a pan of simmering water and poach for 5 minutes, until the white has set but the yolk is still runny.

Meanwhile, toast muffins. Top muffin base with spinach leaves and smoked salmon.

Lift the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, place on top of the smoked salmon and using scissors, carefully cut the cling film below the knot. Gently peel away the cling film.

Drizzle with hollandaise sauce and season well. Serve.

Notes & Tips

Hollandaise sauce is a simple emulsion of butter, egg yolks and lemon juice. It is made easily in a blender or food processor and can be kept warm in a bowl sitting over warm water, the surface covered with cling film to stop a skin forming.

Mushroom & Tomato Frittata

Frittatas are great. They're easy to make and with your own imagination, can be packed full of most staples or leftovers in your pantry and fridge. You can substitute the ingredients in this recipe with whatever you have on hand, use garlic butter instead of butter, substitute parsley with baby spinach or other herbs, add parmesan instead of cheddar etc. Whatever suits you and your family!

Ingredients

30g unsalted butter
200g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
2-3 vine ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
6 eggs
50g cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method

1. Preheat the grill to high.  
2. Melt 20g of the butter in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and tomato wedges, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until tomato is just softened. 
3. Lightly beat eggs with 1½ tablespoon water in a large bowl. Stir in cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Melt remaining butter in the frypan over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture, stir briefly, then cook for 5-6 minutes until golden underneath and nearly set. Place pan under hot grill for 3-4 minutes or until just set and top is golden. Slide onto a board, cut in half.

Notes & Tips

Serve frittata with salad leaves

Hazelnut & Espresso Macarons

I'm not a big fan of macarons. I'm not a big fan of meringues either but somehow I don't mind pavlova...
Feeling inspired after watching Adriano Zumbo make macarons on his TV show the other day, I decided to give it a go.

Not bad for a first attempt I must say! Would I ever make them again? Probably not. It was way too time consuming- probably took me a few hours to make and prepare and not even a minute to eat!

Recipe from The Dairy Kitchen Cookbook, page 19

Makes 16
Ingredients

1¼ cups pure icing sugar
125g hazelnut meal
3 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup caster sugar
½ cup thickened cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground coffee beans
1 teaspoon coffee essence (optional)
200g good quality white chocolate

Method

For the macarons, process icing sugar and nut meal in a food processor until very finely ground. Sift the mixture, discarding any leftovers.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar, beating well between additions until sugar has dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Gently fold in nut mixture in batches. The mixture should run slowly down the sides of the bowl when tilted. If the mixture is too firm, add a little more runny egg white.

Using a piping bag with a small plain nozzle, pipe 4cm circles of the mixture onto baking paper lined trays. Stand trays at room temperature for at least 2 hours or until a dry glossy crust forms. Bake at 140°C for 15-17 minutes, until just firm but not coloured. Cool completely before using a metal spatula to carefully remove from trays.

For the ganache filling, heat the cream and coffee in a small saucepan until just simmering, remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth and glossy. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until thick. Sandwhich macaron shells together with piped ganache.

Notes & Tips

Assembled macarons will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container.

For dark chocolate espresso macarons, substitute dark chocolate in the ganache and lightly dust ground coffee over macaron shells before baking.

Creme Caramel

There are few desserts I find more satisfying than a Crème Caramel. Smooth, sweet and creamy, it’s a taste sensation. Creme Caramel put simply is a baked custard sitting on a syrup sauce...... as opposed to creme brulee, which is custard with a hard caramel top.

Recipe from Woman's Day magazine, Issue 3: January 17 2011, page 55

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups caster sugar
¼ cup water
300ml carton cream
1 cup milk
3 eggs
3 egg yolks

Method

Preheat oven to moderately slow, 150°C

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cold water. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, brushing down sides of pan occasionally with a wet pastry brush, for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture is a deep golden caramel colour.

Pour caramel toffee mixture evenly between 8 x ½ cup ramekins, swirling each so that it comes about 2cm up the sides of the ramekins. Place in a baking dish. Set aside to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, combine cream, milk and remaining sugar. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat. Cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and egg-yolks together.
(In this photo it looks like I have 8 egg yolks but 2 of the eggs that I used just so happened to have twin yolks!)

Whisk in milk mixture. Pour custard into ramekins and add enough hot water to baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. The hot water creates an even distribution of heat, which helps the custard to set gently and evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes until set. Remove from pan and cool completely. Chill overnight. Dip ramekins in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen. Turn out onto a serving plate to serve.







Notes & Tips

Pour the custard through a strainer when adding it to the ramekins, to remove any sediment. This will make the custard silky smooth.


Variation

To make coconut crème caramel, substitute the milk with light coconut milk and add 1 teaspoon coconut essence. Garnish with toasted shredded coconut and lime rind

Creme Brulee

Hubby bought me a blow torch as a wedding anniversary gift. I was so excited to receive another kitchen toy to use and decided to test it out by making some crème brulee. It works pretty well and caramelised the sugar quite nicely :)

Recipe adapted from Masterchef 2010, Masterclass 4 season 2

Serves 4

Ingredients

600ml thickened cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
6 egg yolks
¼- ½ cup caster sugar
120g demerara sugar

Method

Step 1: Preheat oven to 120°C.

Step 2: Place the cream, vanilla bean and seeds in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to scalding point, then remove from heat. Remove vanilla bean and discard.

Step 3: Whisk together egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl for 2-3 minutes or until thick, creamy and pale.

Step 4: Pour hot cream over egg yolk mixture, continuing to whisk until well combined. Strain mixture into a jug, evenly divide between 4 x 200ml ramekins.

Step 5: Carefully place ramekins in a deep roasting pan. Pour boiling water into pan to come halfway up the sides of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with foil.

Step 6: Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the custard has just set (custards should still have a slight wobble when done). Remove ramekins from the water bath, and set aside to cool. Refrigerate, covered for at least 4 hours.

Step 7: Sprinkle demerara sugar evenly over the surface of the baked custards. Run a kitchen blowtorch over the custards, or place under a preheated grill until the sugar bubbles and caramelises. Set aside for 5 minutes or until toffee sets. Serve.

Notes & Tips

Placing custards in a dish full of ice keeps the custard chilled and stops it overcooking while the sugar caramelises under the grill (or blowtorch). Placing the custards as close as possible to the grill also speeds the process. If using the grill, position the grill rack as close to grill as possible and preheat it to medium high.

Salad Nicoise with Slow Roasted Vegetable Ravioli

This light dinner dish is a modern twist on the French classic!

Adapted from the Latina Deliciously Fresh Recipe Book, page 20

Serves 4

Ingredients

625g pack fresh slow roasted vegetable ravioli
4 eggs
375g green beans, blanched and halved diagonally
4 large vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
2 x 185g cans tuna in olive oil, drained, reserving 2 tablespoons of oil
¼-½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly torn
8 small anchovy fillets, torn lengthways
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly cracked pepper, for serving

Method

1. Add ravioli to large saucepan of boiling water. Return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, place eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 4 minutes. Cool in cold water, peel and cut into quarters.
3. Combine ravioli, beans, tomatoes, tuna, olives, parsley and anchovies in a large bowl.
4. Combine reserved oil from tuna and lemon juice in a screw top jar.
5. Add dressing to salad and gently combine. Serve topped with eggs and pepper.

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

Tomato & Egg Stir Fry

Tomato and egg stir fry is a popular and humble Chinese dish that is often served at home. My dad's version includes tomato sauce and sometimes a bit of sweet chilli sauce. I prefer to not add the tomato sauce and enjoy the natural flavours of the tomatoes instead. This dish is really simple, inexpensive to make and quite healthy. It's a delicious accompaniment to any Chinese meal.

Serves 2
Ingredients

4 large eggs
3-4 tomatoes (cut into thin wedges)
½ teaspoon salt
3 dashes white pepper powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons cooking oil
3 shallots, chopped

Method

Break the eggs into a bowl and use chopsticks to beat the eggs until they break thoroughly. Add salt, sesame oil, white pepper powder and lightly beat to blend well. Set aside.

Heat up a wok with 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add the egg mixture into the wok, and use your spatula to spread the eggs. Keep stirring until the eggs form lumps. Gently break the lumps into smaller pieces. As soon as the eggs are cooked, dish out and set aside.

Clean the wok and heat it up again with 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Drop the tomato wedges into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Add sugar and water into the tomatoes. Cover it with the lid and let it cook for about 30 seconds. Transfer the eggs and chopped shallots into the tomatoes, stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, dish out and serve immediately.

Garlic Chives Omelette

I had a bunch of garlic chives sitting in the fridge today so I thought I'd make a simple home style Chinese stir fry for dinner tonight. This dish is so simple to make and is ready to eat in minutes! Perfect to make on a busy night.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 bunch garlic chives, chopped
4-5 large eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Heat wok over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil, then add the chopped garlic chives
2. Add beaten eggs, salt and pepper, then fry until eggs are set and brown
3. Serve hot with jasmine rice

Bitter Melon (Fu Gua) Omelette

Some fruit and vegetable grocers stock bitter melons. If yours doesn't they can be purchased at an Asian grocery store. There are usually 2 types/varieties of bitter melon to choose from. One is long and large and the other is smaller. If you prefer a less bitter taste, than choose the bigger one which is pale green and has bigger bumps on its surface. The smaller one is very bitter.

Serves 2-4 as part of a multi-course meal

Ingredients

1 bitter melon, cut in half with seeds removed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4-5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. Add ¼ tsp sugar, dash of salt and pepper to the beaten eggs.
2. Slice the bitter melon thinly then add to boiling water seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1tsp sugar for approx. 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat wok with 1 tbsp oil and when oil is hot, add in the chopped garlic and the bitter melon.
4. Pour eggs over bitter melon and fry until eggs are set and brown.
5. Serve hot.
   

All in One Quiche

Whip up this easy quiche for a fuss-free lunch or dinner. Plenty of vegies in this recipe to help you meet your daily vegetable intake requirement :)

Serves 4

Ingredients

¾ cup pastry mix
¾ cup grated cheese
1 teaspoon butter, softened
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
310g can corn kernels, drained
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
50g diced ham
1 tomato, deseeded, diced
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 small carrot, grated
1 small zucchini, grated (liquid squeezed out)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C. Lightly grease a 3cm deep, 24cm (base) quiche dish
2. Combine pastry mix, cheese, butter, eggs and milk in a bowl. Stir well.
3. Add corn, onion, basil, ham, tomato, parsley, carrot, zucchini, and salt and pepper to egg mixture. Mix well. Pour into prepared quiche dish.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.
5. Serve

Notes and tips

Ham can be substituted with 1 small barbecued chicken, skin removed, meat shredded