This is the love child of a donna hay recipe I read last year (oh how I miss living with Liz and her subscription) and a nadine abensur one I tested out on friends a couple of weeks ago. Both originals are divine, but the donnay hay is very filling and fatty and the nadine abensur was a bit oily and work intensive (who has time to make dukka when they get home at 6pm?)
Anyway, this is a combo of the two, but with my own touches (e.g. the sweet potato, which goes so well and looks so pretty...)
feeds 4
Ingredients:
4 Beetroot
2 Sweet potato (equal amount to beetroot)
Greens (not lettuce!): Baby Spinach, Rocket, Green Beans and/or Asparagus
3 cloves Garlic
dessert spoon of brown sugar
large handful of fresh sage leaves (must be fresh)
400-500g of haloumi (depending on whether it's a main or not, you can add / subtract haloumi)
good splash tabasco
olive oil
salt & pepper
juice of 1 lemon
half handful chopped parsley
1. Roughly chop sweet potato and beetroot and place in a baking dish (if you are serving at a dinner party and want it pretty use two baking dish, dividing the ingredients that follow so that the beetroot doesn't dye the potato pink)
2. Crush garlic and add to dish
3. Sprinkle over brown sugar, salt & pepper
4. Spread whole sage leaves through mixture
5. Splash with tabasco
6. Then splash with olive oil so that the veges are shiny and coated but not swimming in the stuff!
7. Use your hands to rub the flavourings into the veges making sure that garlic, sage etc are evenly spread around the dish
8. Bake at 180 degrees (celsius) for about half an hour-40 mins or until veges are cooked, but not mushy at all! It's nice when there is a firmness to the beetroot (though the potato can be super soft...mmmmm)
Just before they're cooked...
9. Arrange greens on plate
10. Fry sliced haloumi (in chunky chip sized pieces or larger if you prefer)
11. Pile roasted veges on the greens, place haloumi on top, sprinkle with parsley, squeeze on lemon juice and serve!
Notes re originals:
The Donna Hay was the above vege roasting process, but only with beetroot and cooked slower. Then the beetroot was placed on top of fettucine that had parmesan, marscapone and goats cheese melted through it. This is DIVINE.
The Nadine Abensur was with beetroot and fennel roasted with oil (too much oil), garlic, tabasco, salt, pepper. Then you stirred through dukkah and parsley and served on a bed of rocket with haloumi pieces and lemon squeezed over the top.
Monday 27 April 2009
Monday 20 April 2009
tomato, sage and vege pasta
I made this for dinner, based on what was in the fridge and which herbs in the garden were looking most bountiful. It was surprisingly delicious for something thrown together so I thought I'd share.
Ingredients:
- Pasta (I used spinach spaghetti)
- Button Mushrooms
- Peas
- about 4 fresh sage leaves per person, chopped small
- a teaspoon of brown sugar
- half an onion, diced very small
- a cup of oven roasted tomato sauce (posted below) or any simple tomato / garlic pasta sauce
goats cheese to garnish (I stand by Meredith Marinated Goats Cheese as the best goats cheese, indeed the best cheese maybe in Australia)
1. Fry onion mushrooms and sage in olive oil (if you have sensibly purchased Meredith cheese, use a little of the oil in comes marinated in. I never chuck out this oil but use it for salad dressings and sauces. Fry for about 5 minutes
2. Sprinkle brown sugar into the mixture and fry for a further 5 minutes.
3. Add sauce and peas and cook to combine.
4. Cook pasta and then add to sauce and mix to combine.
5. Crumble goats cheese over the top and eat! Yum!
Ingredients:
- Pasta (I used spinach spaghetti)
- Button Mushrooms
- Peas
- about 4 fresh sage leaves per person, chopped small
- a teaspoon of brown sugar
- half an onion, diced very small
- a cup of oven roasted tomato sauce (posted below) or any simple tomato / garlic pasta sauce
goats cheese to garnish (I stand by Meredith Marinated Goats Cheese as the best goats cheese, indeed the best cheese maybe in Australia)
1. Fry onion mushrooms and sage in olive oil (if you have sensibly purchased Meredith cheese, use a little of the oil in comes marinated in. I never chuck out this oil but use it for salad dressings and sauces. Fry for about 5 minutes
2. Sprinkle brown sugar into the mixture and fry for a further 5 minutes.
3. Add sauce and peas and cook to combine.
4. Cook pasta and then add to sauce and mix to combine.
5. Crumble goats cheese over the top and eat! Yum!
Tuesday 14 April 2009
what to do with a fuckload of tomatoes
Tish and I went dumpster diving on Friday. I shall elect NOT to rant and rave about how depressing it was to see an abundance of wasted food chucked into dumpsters, nor shall I mention that it is a travesty that some shops lock their dumpsters so the food cannot be taken, that they would rather it wasted than consumed by those who cannot afford their produce.*
* I am aware that I can afford their produce and am considering taking the majority of what I find next time to charity. This was my first dumpster dive so more of an information seeking mission, a site visit if you will.
I shall instead tell you what I did with the wealth of fresh (fridge fresh!) roma tomatoes we found in Petersham. Four boxes we filled, FOUR BOXES.
I made:
SLOW ROASTED TOMATOES
Ingredients:
Roma Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Flavourings: I did 'Paprika and Tabasco' and 'Caramelised Balsamic' but world really is your oyster (or rather your tomato)
Preheat oven to 120 degrees celcius
1. Halve the tomatoes lengthways, as in the knife should slice through the little green core bit at the top where the tomato was attached to the plant - what's that called anyway?
(obviously WASH them first if they've been in a dumpster)
2. Cut out the 'core' - basically the middle bit and the seeds. You don't need to be to careful, just get the main middle section out!
3. Lay them on a tray on baking paper, skin side down.
4. Splash with a little olive oil (not too much) and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Now you could cook them now (as per instructions below) or you could add flavourful fun. Up to you.
5. For the brown sugar and balsamic, I just splashed and sprinkled the two on - not too much. Likewise with the paprika and tabasco. You could try herbs (used dried though - more flavour) or chilli or curry or anything. But nothing that will burn if cooked for a long time, like cheese or garlic.
6. Put tomatoes in the oven and cook very slowly, at 120 or even lower if you have a fan forced oven - 100 celcius perhaps.
7. Cook for about 3-4 hours, but watch them to make sure they don't burn and turn them over if the skin starts to char. I often then turn off the oven and leave them in it overnight, drying out til morning.
Eat!
OVEN ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE
Ingredients:
Roma Tomatoes
Garlic (about 1 garlic clove to every 5 tomatoes)
Olive Oil
Salt
1. Slice just the tops off the roma tomatoes (don't chop too much!) - by tops i mean just the bit where the tomato was joined to the vine.
2. Cut the garlic cloves into slivers lenthways (each clove into 4-5 pieces) and wedge the slivers into the top of the tomatoes til they are embedded (into the soft, seedy part in the centre)
3. Places the tomatoes in a casserole dish and splash liberally with olive oil (quite a lot, but not so they are swimming in the stuff!)
4. Sprinkle on salt
5. Slow roast at 120 degrees for 3 hours, do not let them char at all!
6. Blend til smooth, and then use as pasta sauce, pizza sauce, dipping sauce or on vegetables, in lasagne, on poached eggs etc etc. Change the flavour by adding herbs, balsamic vinegar, or whatever you like in sauce!
* I am aware that I can afford their produce and am considering taking the majority of what I find next time to charity. This was my first dumpster dive so more of an information seeking mission, a site visit if you will.
I shall instead tell you what I did with the wealth of fresh (fridge fresh!) roma tomatoes we found in Petersham. Four boxes we filled, FOUR BOXES.
I made:
SLOW ROASTED TOMATOES
Ingredients:
Roma Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Flavourings: I did 'Paprika and Tabasco' and 'Caramelised Balsamic' but world really is your oyster (or rather your tomato)
Preheat oven to 120 degrees celcius
1. Halve the tomatoes lengthways, as in the knife should slice through the little green core bit at the top where the tomato was attached to the plant - what's that called anyway?
(obviously WASH them first if they've been in a dumpster)
2. Cut out the 'core' - basically the middle bit and the seeds. You don't need to be to careful, just get the main middle section out!
3. Lay them on a tray on baking paper, skin side down.
4. Splash with a little olive oil (not too much) and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Now you could cook them now (as per instructions below) or you could add flavourful fun. Up to you.
5. For the brown sugar and balsamic, I just splashed and sprinkled the two on - not too much. Likewise with the paprika and tabasco. You could try herbs (used dried though - more flavour) or chilli or curry or anything. But nothing that will burn if cooked for a long time, like cheese or garlic.
6. Put tomatoes in the oven and cook very slowly, at 120 or even lower if you have a fan forced oven - 100 celcius perhaps.
7. Cook for about 3-4 hours, but watch them to make sure they don't burn and turn them over if the skin starts to char. I often then turn off the oven and leave them in it overnight, drying out til morning.
Eat!
OVEN ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE
Ingredients:
Roma Tomatoes
Garlic (about 1 garlic clove to every 5 tomatoes)
Olive Oil
Salt
1. Slice just the tops off the roma tomatoes (don't chop too much!) - by tops i mean just the bit where the tomato was joined to the vine.
2. Cut the garlic cloves into slivers lenthways (each clove into 4-5 pieces) and wedge the slivers into the top of the tomatoes til they are embedded (into the soft, seedy part in the centre)
3. Places the tomatoes in a casserole dish and splash liberally with olive oil (quite a lot, but not so they are swimming in the stuff!)
4. Sprinkle on salt
5. Slow roast at 120 degrees for 3 hours, do not let them char at all!
6. Blend til smooth, and then use as pasta sauce, pizza sauce, dipping sauce or on vegetables, in lasagne, on poached eggs etc etc. Change the flavour by adding herbs, balsamic vinegar, or whatever you like in sauce!
RANDOM FACT:
I played a tomato in a musical in second year uni. My first line was 'And I am a tomato.'
I played a tomato in a musical in second year uni. My first line was 'And I am a tomato.'
Tuesday 7 April 2009
My Wish List
or 'I wish I were Richer'
or 'buy me presents?'
1. a big heavy mortar and pestle. i think whizzy things with blades are over rated. and i like the violence and mess of a mortar and pestle.
2. knives. i have one beautiful, expensive knife bought for me by clever housemates last year, but oh how i would like a set. in a pretty block with a knife sharpener.
3. muffin trays. these aren't expensive. i should just go and buy them really.
4. a fondue set like Amanda had in Switzerland. god it was beautiful. big heavy ceramic pot with an elegant burner underneath. and the cheese fondue she made in it was better than sex.
5. a lifetime supply of meredith marinated goats cheese.
6. teaspoons. we don't have any. i am thinking of having a 'bring a teaspoon party' inspired by Soccer Girl.
7. a pressure cooker
8. a strainer. it's mildly ridiculous i haven't bought one for the new house. i keep just 'making do.' they cost $3. ridiculous.
9. a bar mix. i don't like lumpy soup.
10. a compost bin and a big supply of flower pots and seedlings and someone with gardening skills to get the vege / herb garden going. wife needs a farmer.
fuck i love kitchenware
or 'buy me presents?'
1. a big heavy mortar and pestle. i think whizzy things with blades are over rated. and i like the violence and mess of a mortar and pestle.
2. knives. i have one beautiful, expensive knife bought for me by clever housemates last year, but oh how i would like a set. in a pretty block with a knife sharpener.
3. muffin trays. these aren't expensive. i should just go and buy them really.
4. a fondue set like Amanda had in Switzerland. god it was beautiful. big heavy ceramic pot with an elegant burner underneath. and the cheese fondue she made in it was better than sex.
5. a lifetime supply of meredith marinated goats cheese.
6. teaspoons. we don't have any. i am thinking of having a 'bring a teaspoon party' inspired by Soccer Girl.
7. a pressure cooker
8. a strainer. it's mildly ridiculous i haven't bought one for the new house. i keep just 'making do.' they cost $3. ridiculous.
9. a bar mix. i don't like lumpy soup.
10. a compost bin and a big supply of flower pots and seedlings and someone with gardening skills to get the vege / herb garden going. wife needs a farmer.
fuck i love kitchenware
Sunday 5 April 2009
Basic Vege Pasta Formula 1
I'm often disappointed by vegetarian cookbooks and restaurants when they are packed with dishes I could've come up with myself, dishes that involve really obvious combinations of flavours (you mean spinach and feta go well together??? No! what a surprise!)
A recently purchased exception to this is 'enjoy' by Nadine Abensur - just reading it makes my mouth water and nearly every recipe is something new to me in flavour, form, process or presentation (Saturday night's attempt - Roast Beetroot & Fennel with dukkah, croutons and griddled haloumi was a bit oily but I think I can improve it on second try).
But I forget in my whingeing that not everyone grew up vegetarian and not everyone was throwing dinner parties at age 12. So here's one of my basic pasta formulae. It's not really original - it incorporates recipes read, experiments done and the Viv Butter Secret* (and it always changes according to what is in the fridge). But it's good and a great place to start for beginners wanting to add more veges to their diet. It's also great if you have small amounts of a variety of vegetables in the fridge.
* the Viv Butter Secret: for months I tried to recreate my friend Viv's version of this pasta, but mine never really lived up to hers and her kitchen was too small for me to sneakily watch over her shoulder while she made it for me. Finally I squashed my pride and asked her secret. Butter, she said. A shitload of butter. Now some people may not like the pasta so rich but if you are indulging, then fry the vegetables in a big knob of butter rather than a little bit of olive oil, which I use normally.
BASIC PASTA FORMULA
to make vegan, omit cheese or use soy cheese - it'll still be great!
Ingredients:
1. pasta (any kind you like)
2. Garlic
3. Onion (optional)
4. Vegetables, which hold their colour and shape well. I recommend: broccoli, asparagus, green beans, peas, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin or sweet potato, baby spinach, rocket, sweet corn...the list goes on...
5. Cheese. I recommend: Danish feta (it melts better than greek or australian) / goats cheese, blue cheese (gorgonzola, stilton, roquefort etc) or mozarella and parmesan (grated parmesan or romano should always be included, as well as one of the above if you like)
6. Herbs. Parsley, chives, oregano and rosemary work well. If using feta cheese, I really recommend, thyme and mint (and add some lemon juice!!! and even a little chilli!)
7. Salt & Pepper
Process:
1. Fry 1-2 cloves garlic, a little diced onion and chopped mushrooms (if using) in olive oil (or butter! see above) in a deep pan on a low heat
2. Chuck in whatever vegetables you are using, chopped into bite size pieces.
3. Stir fry fro about 10 minutes - the vegetables must not be overcooked and should still have a little crunch. Don't be afraid to taste test to check this!
4. Turn off the heat and then sprinkle /crumble your cheese (grate if it is in a block) over the vegetables. Don't stir through yet, just let the cheese sit melting on top of the hot vegetables.
5. Boil water for pasta and cook according to packet instructions. I test pasta along to way to check for when it is cooked, as instructions aren't always right. You want it al dente (which means NOT overcooked)
6. Turn heat back on vegetables. If they have run out of liquid add butter, oil or a little pasta water to help the cheese melt to a sauce.
7. Add chopped herbs.
8. Drain pasta and add to veges/cheese stirring til combined.
9. Eat with freshly grated parmesan.
Most of all, experiment. Try different herbs. Try lemon juice. A splash of balsamic vinegar or white balsamic vinegar. Chilli. Sour cream. Whatever else you think of!
A recently purchased exception to this is 'enjoy' by Nadine Abensur - just reading it makes my mouth water and nearly every recipe is something new to me in flavour, form, process or presentation (Saturday night's attempt - Roast Beetroot & Fennel with dukkah, croutons and griddled haloumi was a bit oily but I think I can improve it on second try).
But I forget in my whingeing that not everyone grew up vegetarian and not everyone was throwing dinner parties at age 12. So here's one of my basic pasta formulae. It's not really original - it incorporates recipes read, experiments done and the Viv Butter Secret* (and it always changes according to what is in the fridge). But it's good and a great place to start for beginners wanting to add more veges to their diet. It's also great if you have small amounts of a variety of vegetables in the fridge.
* the Viv Butter Secret: for months I tried to recreate my friend Viv's version of this pasta, but mine never really lived up to hers and her kitchen was too small for me to sneakily watch over her shoulder while she made it for me. Finally I squashed my pride and asked her secret. Butter, she said. A shitload of butter. Now some people may not like the pasta so rich but if you are indulging, then fry the vegetables in a big knob of butter rather than a little bit of olive oil, which I use normally.
BASIC PASTA FORMULA
to make vegan, omit cheese or use soy cheese - it'll still be great!
Ingredients:
1. pasta (any kind you like)
2. Garlic
3. Onion (optional)
4. Vegetables, which hold their colour and shape well. I recommend: broccoli, asparagus, green beans, peas, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin or sweet potato, baby spinach, rocket, sweet corn...the list goes on...
5. Cheese. I recommend: Danish feta (it melts better than greek or australian) / goats cheese, blue cheese (gorgonzola, stilton, roquefort etc) or mozarella and parmesan (grated parmesan or romano should always be included, as well as one of the above if you like)
6. Herbs. Parsley, chives, oregano and rosemary work well. If using feta cheese, I really recommend, thyme and mint (and add some lemon juice!!! and even a little chilli!)
7. Salt & Pepper
Process:
1. Fry 1-2 cloves garlic, a little diced onion and chopped mushrooms (if using) in olive oil (or butter! see above) in a deep pan on a low heat
2. Chuck in whatever vegetables you are using, chopped into bite size pieces.
3. Stir fry fro about 10 minutes - the vegetables must not be overcooked and should still have a little crunch. Don't be afraid to taste test to check this!
4. Turn off the heat and then sprinkle /crumble your cheese (grate if it is in a block) over the vegetables. Don't stir through yet, just let the cheese sit melting on top of the hot vegetables.
5. Boil water for pasta and cook according to packet instructions. I test pasta along to way to check for when it is cooked, as instructions aren't always right. You want it al dente (which means NOT overcooked)
6. Turn heat back on vegetables. If they have run out of liquid add butter, oil or a little pasta water to help the cheese melt to a sauce.
7. Add chopped herbs.
8. Drain pasta and add to veges/cheese stirring til combined.
9. Eat with freshly grated parmesan.
Most of all, experiment. Try different herbs. Try lemon juice. A splash of balsamic vinegar or white balsamic vinegar. Chilli. Sour cream. Whatever else you think of!
Thursday 2 April 2009
tips for kids
Bridget asked for vegetarian recipes for kids. don't have time for recipes right now but here are some tips:
1. Hide the Health: vege burgers, vege burgers, vege burgers. A good lentil or tofu burger always works cos it has sauce and cheese and salad and is messy and fun. That's how my parents got me to eat my lentils.
2. Colour: lentils and beans and such can be murky and brown when served to kids as dahl or stew. Try them in a colourful salad, or blend them into tomato or pumpkin soup (with cheesy toast) or at least put something colourful next to them!
3. Dips: here you can get kids to eat vege sticks AND good vitamins by way of humous, avocado, canellini bean dip etc.
4. Encourage kids to participate: get them to google a vegetarian recipe with things they like in it and then cook it together. In the same vein, buy vegetarian cookbooks with lots of pictures for them to get excited and choose stuff they like.
5. Vegetarian Pizza: yum.
6. Make a night of it: Find a local vegetarian restaurant and take the kids there.
1. Hide the Health: vege burgers, vege burgers, vege burgers. A good lentil or tofu burger always works cos it has sauce and cheese and salad and is messy and fun. That's how my parents got me to eat my lentils.
2. Colour: lentils and beans and such can be murky and brown when served to kids as dahl or stew. Try them in a colourful salad, or blend them into tomato or pumpkin soup (with cheesy toast) or at least put something colourful next to them!
3. Dips: here you can get kids to eat vege sticks AND good vitamins by way of humous, avocado, canellini bean dip etc.
4. Encourage kids to participate: get them to google a vegetarian recipe with things they like in it and then cook it together. In the same vein, buy vegetarian cookbooks with lots of pictures for them to get excited and choose stuff they like.
5. Vegetarian Pizza: yum.
6. Make a night of it: Find a local vegetarian restaurant and take the kids there.
Middle Eastern Orange Cake
Gluten Free! But not vegan...sorry
This is an absolute steal, not mine at all. But it is SUCH a good cake and someone (Hi Audrey!) emailed me, asking if I knew anything wheat free, so it seemed an opportune time to post. I have a similar recipe at home using pistachios but haven't had the time to try it out. Will do though!
NB: don't do as my mum did the other day and leave the oranges on the stove while you go out for a glass of wine. Charred oranges - no fun!
This is AWESOME served with chocolate gelato...mmm...
Claudia Roden's Middle Eastern Orange Cake
From Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion
2 large oranges, washed
6 eggs, beaten
250g ground almonds
250g sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Boil oranges, barely covered with water, in a covered saucepan for 2 hours. Allow to cool, then cut open, remove pips and chop roughly, including the rind.
Preheat oven to 190°C and butter and flour a 24cm springform tin. Blend oranges and eggs thoroughly in a food processor. Mix ground almonds, sugar and baking powder in a bowl, then add orange mixture and whisk to combine. Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour. If cake is still very wet, cook a little longer. Cool in tin before gently turning out.
This is an absolute steal, not mine at all. But it is SUCH a good cake and someone (Hi Audrey!) emailed me, asking if I knew anything wheat free, so it seemed an opportune time to post. I have a similar recipe at home using pistachios but haven't had the time to try it out. Will do though!
NB: don't do as my mum did the other day and leave the oranges on the stove while you go out for a glass of wine. Charred oranges - no fun!
This is AWESOME served with chocolate gelato...mmm...
Claudia Roden's Middle Eastern Orange Cake
From Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion
2 large oranges, washed
6 eggs, beaten
250g ground almonds
250g sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Boil oranges, barely covered with water, in a covered saucepan for 2 hours. Allow to cool, then cut open, remove pips and chop roughly, including the rind.
Preheat oven to 190°C and butter and flour a 24cm springform tin. Blend oranges and eggs thoroughly in a food processor. Mix ground almonds, sugar and baking powder in a bowl, then add orange mixture and whisk to combine. Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour. If cake is still very wet, cook a little longer. Cool in tin before gently turning out.
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