Quail Eggs Benedict with Osetra Caviar

A tasty amuse bouche for a dinner party!

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
12 quail eggs
12 2-inch round croutons
Hollandaise sauce (recipe follows)
Osetra Caviar

 

Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer.
Add the vinegar.
Gently break the quail eggs, one by one, into the simmering water and poach for 1 minute.
Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Place one cooled, poached quail egg on each crouton.
Top with a little hollandaise sauce and caviar.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
1 egg yolk
4 ounces clarified butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
dash of Tabasco sauce
salt 
Freshly ground black pepper

Beat egg yolk.
Place bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Beat the egg until thickened, pale yellow and doubled in volume.
Remove the bowl from the heat.
While beating, slowly add the butter in a slow, but steady stream.
When the butter is incorporated, add the lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Mix well.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Keep warm.

Smoky Paprika Salt

2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon crystalised salt  (maldon sea salt)
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
1 pinch cayenne

Pumpkin & Three Cheese Pasta Bake

Good comfort food for a crowd that isn’t too bodgy.  Don’t overthicken the bechamel.  And yes, it’s a lot of milk but you do need it even though it may look a little runny at first.  It does thicken up a lot - it just takes a few minutes of whisking and heat before it does.
 

Ingredients
2 kg pumpkin peeled & cut into small chunks, (Queensland blue is a good choice)
¼ cup Verjuice or sweet balsamic
200g persian fetta (or danish can substitute)
200g cheddar cheese, grated
1 bunch rosemary, chopped

500g big fat pasta tubes or spirals

 

Cheese sauce

160g unsalted butter
160g plain flour
2 l milk
1 tablespoon grated nutmeg
300g grated Parmesan
2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method 

Line a roasting tray with baking paper, add the pumpkin, chopped rosemary, sea salt & black pepper, drizzle with a little evoo & ¼ cup verjuice.
Roast at 200 C for half hour until the pumpkin starts to colour and is tender.
To make the cheese sauce; melt the butter in a medium sized pot and take to nut brown then add the flour, mixing well to combine.
Remove from the heat and pour the milk in slowly, using a whisk to avoid lumps.
Place back on the heat and continue to stir until the sauce starts to thicken, cooking for a few more minutes.
When the sauce coats the back of a spoon, add the nutmeg and stir in the grated Parmesan, stirring continuously until the cheese has melted.
Taste the sauce and add a little salt if necessary – be careful to only add salt after you’ve added the cheese as often the cheese is all the salt you’ll need.
Directly cover the top of the sauce with cling film and set aside until needed.
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add the cheese sauce to the macaroni and mix through well, then add the pumpkin and toss through gently, break up the Persian fetta and add this to the macaroni too.
Pour the macaroni mixture into an oven proof dish, top with the grated cheddar and bake at 200 C (given that every oven is different it could take between 10 and 20 minutes).

Serves 12-16
Recipe: Maggie Beer

Eggplant and Persian Feta Rolls with Warm Parsley, Garlic and Balsamic Dressing

Made this for Jannah’s birthday a couple of years ago as part of a lebanese banquet type affair. These rolls are UN-FREAKING-BELIEVEABLE!  It’s a lot of work unfortunately but I promise you they are worth it.   Obviously the relish can be made well ahead of time.  The eggplant does tend to tear a little but just go with it.  The flavour is tremendous.

.INGREDIENTS

Relish
2 brown onions - peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small knob of ginger - chopped
1 small green chilli - chopped
2 tbsp brown mustard seeds
1 cup malt vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp curry powder
6 ripe tomatoes - roughly chopped
2 large eggplant - cubed
olive oil

Dressing
½ bunch flat leaf parsley - roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
50ml Giusti White Label (8 Year) Balsamic Vinegar
100ml Possenti Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt, pepper
1 tomato peeled - deseeded and chopped

Rolls
2 large eggplant - sliced thinly lengthwise
300g Yarra Valley Persian Feta
salt, pepper
olive oil

METHOD

for relish
Blend the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli with the mustard seeds and half the vinegar in a food processor till smooth
Fry the mixture gently in olive oil.
Add the cumin, coriander, tumeric and curry powder and cook a few minutes.
In a separate pan saute the eggplant till coloured then add the tomato, cook a few minutes then add the onion/spice mixture.
Add the brown sugar and remaining vinegar.
Season with salt and pepper then cook approx 30 minutes till eggplant is soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Cool the mixture.

for rolls
Place the eggplant strips on oiled baking trays.
Add salt and pepper then bake in a hot oven till soft and well coloured.
Cool.
Lay three eggplant strips together then place a spoon of the relish in the centre then top with some of the Persian Feta.
Roll tightly then place on an oiled tray.
Repeat with the remaining mixture.

dressing
Warm the olive oil in a pan with the garlic then whisk in remaining ingredients.
Keep warm.

to serve
Place the rolls in a moderate oven and heat gently to warm through - approx 5-10 minutes.
Place a roll on warm, entree plates and spoon the warm dressing over and around the rolls.

Note: The eggplant rolls can be served at room temperature, sliced and served as a canapé or with mixed leaves as a light lunch dish.

Recipe by: Anthony Musarra
Serves 6

Uriah/Bill/Patricia’s Fig Tart

Below is the recipe exactly as I got it from Uriah…  it’s absolutely fan-freaking-tastic.  It doesn’t need anything else.  It’s moist, sweet and delicious as is.

 

okay here’s my recipe (when I say my recipe I really mean Bill Granger who really means his friend Patricia Wells but who’s counting)

 

PASTRY

 

125g     UNSALTED BUTTER MELTED & COOLED (I prefer European unsalted cultured butter)

90g       CASTER SUGAR

175g     PLAIN FLOUR

A PINCH OF SALT

2 TABLESPOONS OF ALMOND MEAL (this ends up soaking up any of the juice from the fruit so it doesn’t effect the pastry)

 

 

FILLING

 

170 ml (2/3 CUP) CREAM

2 EGGS BEATEN (fresher the best obviously)

2 TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT (would be better with real vanilla though)

3 TABLESPOONS CASTER SUGAR

2 TABLESPOONS PLAIN FLOUR

FIGS (I use about 6 figs quatered but you could use more or less. Pears are also an excellent option as would be blueberries or cherries)

 

-preheat oven to 180 & grease a 24cm loose-bottomed (oh vicar!) tart tin.

-to make pastry, stir together butter & sugar. Add the flour & salt & stir to make a soft dough. Press into the tart tin & blind bake on a tray for 12-15 mins or until just brown and slightly puffy.

-Remove and sprinkler the almond meal over.

 

-Meanwhile make the filling by whisking together the cream, eggs, vanilla & sugar. Add the flour & whisk well.

-arrange the figs and pour the cream filling over.

 

-return tart to the oven for another 40-50 minutes then leave to cool. Voila.

Orange Blossom Carrot Salad

We had a catered dinner at mum & dad’s place on wednesday night for mum’s birthday.  This salad was fantastic.  Loved it.  The brilliant summer sun orange-ness of it looked fab on the table too!  Their recipe did not include sultanas/raisins for which I am eternally grateful - there’s nothing I hate more in a dish.  Ok so maybe that’s an exaggeration but still, hate ‘em!  So personally I’d drop them from this recipe.  Also I reckon I’d bump up the mint content.  Again, that’s just personal preference. 

Ingredients

1 lb carrots (with small cores) peeled and coarsely grated
1/2 cup golden or crimson raisins
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp freshly juiced lemon juice
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp orange flower water
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or more to taste
salt and pepper, lightly sprinkled to taste
chopped fresh mint for garnish

Method

Combine all the ingredients except mint.
Chill in refrigerator several hours or overnight.
Serve garnished with slivers of mint leaves.

Serves 6-8.

Spicy Sticky Ribs

1 rack pork belly ribs

Marinade -
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 fresh red chillies
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil

Honey Mix -
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. 

Pound the garlic cloves with the spices to make the spicy marinade, then add the olive oil. Cover all the pork with the marinade, then place in a roasting tray, cover with foil, and cook for 20 minutes.

Mix the orange and lime juice and zest with the honey. Remove the pork from the oven take off the foil and brush the meat with the honey mix. Continue to cook at 190C for about 25 minutes, basting occasionally.

Serves 4.
Chef:  Jamie Oliver

Chinese Sticky Chicken

Easy-peasy mid week dinner.  Add some stir-fry veg and bob’s your uncle.  Or handy for finger food.

Ingredients
1 1/2 kg chicken pieces
1/3 cup dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions
Marinate chicken pieces in all the other ingredients for at least 2 hours, turning pieces now and again.
Arrange in a single layer in a roasting dish and cook in a 160 C oven for 30 minutes,
Turn pieces and cook a further 25 minutes.

Tomato & Lentil Soup

Every time I make this, everyone is in raptures.  It is good.  And there are NO shortcuts if you want it to taste as good as you remember it.  I am very flexible with the spices I use - I use whatever is in the cupboard that is in the same spanishy vein.  I serve it chunky with crusty bread for a lazy sunday night dinner or puree it finely and serve in shotglasses for a cocktail/dinner party.  It was my mum’s recipe originally which I’ve purloined and messed with.

Ingredients
1 tin whole or chunky crushed tomatoes (not pureed)
1 tin lentils
1 stick celery, finely diced
1 big carrot, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1/2-1 litre good quality, salt reduced stock (packet is fine for a sunday-night dinner but home made will be better for a dinner party)
1 cup white wine
1/2 tsp good quality smoky paprika
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, freshly toasted and ground with mortar & pestle
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, freshly toasted and ground with mortar & pestle
1 pinch of dried chilli flakes (to taste)
2-3 dashes of angostura bitters
1 small tub of greek yoghurt (add a little lemon juice to taste)

Into a heavy-based saucepan, drizzle a good lug of olive oil and warm on a medium-high heat.
Add the celery, carrot and onion.  Saute for a couple of minutes till everything starts to soften.  Don’t colour.
Add the garlic.  Saute for about a minute.  Again, do not colour it.
As soon as the garlic really starts to smell fragrant, quickly throw in all the spices and stir through.
Add the wine.
Let the wine sizzle up and then cook down for a minute or so till the alcohol has cooked off.
Add the bitters and stir through.
Add the tomatoes and the stock.  The amount of stock to add depends on a couple of things.  How long you intend to cook it for and how chunky or soupy you prefer your soup. If I only have half an hour to spare then I’ll add maybe 1/2 litre whereas if I have an hour and a half then I add a litre.
Bring back to the boil then reduce heat to a simmer and place lid on top.
Allow to cook on low for as long as you can up to an hour and a half or so.  It’s not particularly fussy.
Puree for a sexier finish or serve chunky for a comfort-food feel.
Dollop each bowl/shotglass with a little yoghurt.
Sprinkle some paprika very lightly over the top.

Lemony-Lemon Cupcakes

I stole these from Frankie… the magazine not some random person that I’ve implied you should know (although the magazine, you really should!).  These cupcakes are lovely, lemony and a little sticky.  Not a huge cake fan but I do like lemon things and these are really lemony.  And everybody loves them… even when they get squashed.

Ingredients
125g butter
1 cup castor sugar, plus 1/4 cup extra
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups SR flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup almond meal
1 lemon, rind and juice
Glace orange slices (which I never bother with… it’s a bit frou-frou really)

Method
Preheat oven to 180c
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter well.
Add 1 cup castor sugar and beat again.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour and salt.
Add milk, almond, and lemon rind.  Fold Together.
Grease a 12-whole cupcake pan.
Divide mixture evenly into holes.
Bake for 25-30 mins - till a skewer comes out clean.
In a saucepan, combine lemon juice and extra sugar.
Heat till sugar is dissolved.
While the cupcakes are still hot, pour the syrup over the top.
Slice the glace orange into small segments (8 per slice) and place on top while hot.