Lime-Kissed Stuffed Avocados

I seriously thought the planets were aligning when I found out that Sheryl Crow was releasing a cookbook. I've been a fan since I was 16 years old, and it was just perfect! Nevertheless, it took me a couple of months to wait for it to be available in local stores (because we want to support our bookstores), but it has never become available in Australia. So I got it online, because retail most times stock only what would sell, but forgets that money can be made with the less popular items. Anyway, I came across this recipe while we were on our recent summer road trip, and what better time to do it than when we've got friends together for Christmas lunch! It's easy to put together (even with a camp kitchen), and don't worry too much about making substitutes with spices and seasoning, just have it the way you like it.

4 ripe avocados
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2  teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh store-bought salsa, preferably organic
Blue corn or flax seed tortillas, preferably organic

Cut the avocados into halves and remove pits. Carefully scoop the flesh from each avocado, leaving the skins intact so that you can refill them. Transfer the avocado flesh to a glass mixing bowl. Add the lime juice, salt, cumin, garlic powder, and pepper and mash with a fork or potato masher. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Spoon the avocado back into the scooped-out skins. Garnish the top of each with a tablespoon of fresh salsa.

Serve with organic blue corn or flax seed tortillas.

Preserved Lemons

I can't quite remember how or why I wanted to learn how to preserve lemons. It might've been the fact that using fresh lemons instead of preserved ones for a tagine didn't quite work, or the fact that I could never find preserved lemons at the shops. In fact, I haven't found preserved lemons at the shops! I've always been a fan of making things myself, so when my friend Vince was giving away loads of lemons from his tree (I gave him fertiliser and compost from my worm farm in return), I got creative and looked up Lemons in The Cook's Companion. There was also a whole lot of Lemon Loaf over the season! Anyway, you can always split the lemons into smaller jars, but always be sure to cover the lemons in juice, so keep a good number of extra lemons for this. Thanks also to Tarsh and Maz for giving me all their extra jars when I started making these. I've used them in a Fish Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Chickpeas, and more recently to season our steaks for a Rustic French Rub.

250g coarse kitchen salt
10 thick-skinned lemons, scrubbed and quartered
1 bay leaf, torn into pieces
2-3 cloves
1 stick cinnamon, broken into pieces
extra lemon juice (optional)

Scatter a spoonful of salt into a 1 litre sterilised (see STERILISE below) jar.

Tip lemons into a wide plastic tub with remaining salt and mix well.

Massage fruit vigorously, then pack into jar, curved-side out, inserting pieces of bay leaf, cloves and splinters of cinnamon stick at intervals.

Press down hard on fruit to release as much juice as possible. Spoon salt mixture left in tub over fruit.

Cover with extra lemon juice, if required. (If a wedge of lemon is not covered with lemon juice, it sometimes develops white mould. It doesn't look great, but it is harmless.)

With a clean cloth dipped in boiling water, wipe neck of jar free of salt, and cap tightly.

Let the lemons mature for at least a month in a cool spot (not the refrigerator) before using.


STERILISE

Wash jars in hot soapy water and then rinse them in hot water. Put into a stockpot of boiling water for 10 minutes and then drain upside down on a clean tea towel. Dry thoroughly in an oven set at 150 deg C. Remove the jars from the oven to fill them while still hot. Once jars have been removed from oven, avoid any contact with their interior surfaces.

Chocolate Brownies

This has become something which I turn to when I need to make something quick, which is enjoyed by everyone, despite it being one of the only recipes I make without my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. All done by hand! I sometimes make these after we're done with dinner, sometimes over a movie, when I've promised to bring something in to work the next day. What you get is beautifully moist brownies on the inside, and the salt bringing out the taste of the dark chocolate. It's also become a great gift for birthdays, and I've even had these sent to friends in Perth via post!

170g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
60g unsweetened dark chocolate, chopped
175g unsalted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease and flour a 33-cm x 23-cm baking tin.
Melt cooking chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.

Once the chocolate is lukewarm, stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in sifted flour and salt until just combined, then stir in chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into prepared tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle over chopped walnuts. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Cut in squares and serve at room temperature.

Makes 24.

Avgolemono - Greek Egg and Lemon Soup

I tried this recipe when I found myself with bags of lemons from our friend's garden harvest. We had Lemon Loaf, Preserved Lemons, and used the Rustic French Rub quite a lot during this time. My friend Thomai was appalled that I had added soy sauce to the seasoning at the end, but I must say it did the trick for me.

1.5 litres well-flavoured Chicken Stock, free of fat
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup long-grained rice
3 large eggs
juice of 2 lemons

Bring stock to simmering point. Adjust seasoning and drop in rice. Simmer for 15 minutes until rice is cooked.

Beat eggs and lemon juice until frothy. Add a ladleful of hot stock to egg mixture and continue to whisk. Remove stock from heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Quickly tip in egg mixture, stirring to mix well. Taste again for salt and pepper. Serve at once.

Sticky Date Cheesecake

You wouldn't believe it, but this cheesecake is truly equal parts sticky date pudding and cheesecake. It's that good! I'm always drawn to sweet desserts with a little spice, and this one is balanced perfectly. You're not going to regret it!

2 cups (280g) seeded dried dates
3/4 cup (180ml) water
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
750g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
2 eggs

Caramel sauce
25g butter
1/3 cup (75g) firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) cream

Preheat oven to 160 deg C / 140 deg C fan-forced. Grease 24cm springform tin; line base and side with baking paper. Place tin on oven tray.

Combine dates, the water and soda in small saucepan; bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes. Cool mixture 5 minutes; blend or process until smooth.

Beat cheese and sugar in a medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add spices, eggs and date mixture; beat until combined.

Pour mixture into tin; bake about 1 hour. Cool cheesecake in oven with door ajar.

Refrigerate cheesecake 3 hours or overnight.

To make caramel sauce, combine ingredients in small saucepan; stir over low heat, until smooth. Bring to a boil; remove from heat.

Serve cheesecake drizzled with warm or cold sauce.

Serves 12.

Potatoes and Carrots with Seeds and Fragrant Spices

This was one of the dishes I made for Yentl's Jewish Feast Fiesta, a little video night we held at home with friends. We surprised each other with all the offering on the night!

6 medium carrots (about 1 pound)

1 large or 3 medium potatoes (about 1 pound)

1/3 cup Biblical Butter, or safflower or canola oil

1 tablespoon freshly grated, peeled gingerroot, or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

4 teaspoons each poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and coriander seeds

2 teaspoons each turmeric and cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder or sweet paprika

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

Freshly chopped cilantro or Italian parsley, for garnish

To prepare the vegetables, top and scrape the carrots clean but do not peel. Halve lengthwise and chop. Scrub the potatoes well, dry (do not peel), and cut into medium dice.

Heat the Biblical Butter or oil in a large skillet with cover on medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the pan. Set aside.

Add the ginger, garlic, poppy, sesame, and coriander seeds to the pan and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Lower heat, and return the vegetables to the pan.

Add turmeric, cumin, chili powder or paprika, salt, and boiling water. Mix gently, cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender, adding additional tablespoons of boiling water if necessary.

Stir in the yogurt and heat, but do not boil. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro or parsley.

Osso Buco

Another great way of using cheap cuts of meat for beautiful meals. This is fantastic during those cold winter nights, when a little hearty food goes a long way. Serve on a bed of mashed or roast potatoes.

4 thick or 8 smaller slices veal shin
salt
freshly ground black pepper
plain flour
50g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
250g tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped or 1 x 400g can peeled, chopped tomato
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 cups Veal or Chicken Stock or water
1/2 quantity Gremolata

Roll veal in seasoned flour, then brown in butter and oil in an enamelled cast-iron casserole. Arrange meat in a single layer, with the side that has the most marrow visible uppermost. Pour on wine and allow to bubble up quite strongly. Add tomato, garlic and enough stock to barely cover meat. Put baking paper, cut to fit, on top of liquid to protect meat and delay evaporation.

Cover casserole and simmer for 45 minutes on top of stove (or in an oven set at 160 deg C). Check that meat is still just covered with sauce - if not, add a little more stock or water and replace baking paper. Cook for another 30-45 minutes - by this time the sauce should have reduced and become thick and the meat should be quite tender. If the meat is not ready, cook for a further 15-30 minutes. To reduce the sauce if it is too liquid, remove lid and increase heat for 5-10 minutes.

To serve, transfer meat very carefully to a hot serving dish or individual plates and scatter with gremolata.

Gremolata

"This is a classic Italian garnish for Osso Buco. It is equally good on any sticky braised veal dish, baked fish or braised artichokes or witlof."

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley
grated zest of 2 lemons

Lightly mix all ingredients and scatter over dish before serving.

Aromatic Chicken Pilau with Cinnamon, Tomato & Nutmeg

This is one of the easiest meals to prepare, and always a crowd pleaser. I'm always a fan of bunking something in the oven and having some drink with friends before dinner is ready.

I have tried this with whole drumsticks and wings, and it's taken more time in the oven, so bear this in mind if you do find yourself with a bulk buy pack from the freezer you want to use up.

Serves 6-8

750g mixed chicken breast and thigh fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
75g ghee or 2 tbs oil
2 x 5cm cinnamon quills or 10 pieces cassia bark
10 cloves
10 green cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
6 garlic, finely chopped
10cm piece ginger, finely grated
2 large onions, halved thinly sliced
1 tbs coriander seeds, roasted, ground
2 tsp cumin seeds, roasted, ground
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp kashmiri or regular chilli powder
400g fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 cups (400g) basmati rice
12 curry leaves
Chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.

Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Melt ghee in a large, flameproof casserole over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaves and sizzle for a few seconds until aromatic. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and ginger and cook gently for 2-3 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until very soft and lightly golden. Add ground coriander and cumin, nutmeg and chilli and fry for a further 2 minutes.

Stir in chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly coloured all over.Add tomato, turmeric, 2 cups (500ml) water, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in rice and curry leaves. Bring back to a vigorous boil, stir once, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. (You could do this on the stove if you can maintain a constant low heat).

Remove pilau from the oven and stand for 5 minutes, then fluff it up with a fork. Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander.

Eggs Poached on Tomato (Tamatar kothmir per eeda)

This is a recipe I originally posted in April 2006, but I am sharing this again after I cooked this for brunch this morning. I'd invited our friends Karen and Michelle over for brunch without much notice, and I was trying to think of a vegetarian dish I could put together quite easily. A quick drop-in at the supermarket before bedtime, and an early-ish start to make bread rolls from the Basic Bread Recipe, and brunch was ready by the time they arrived!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (3fl oz/90ml) vegetable oil and melted unsalted butter combined
3 yellow (brown) onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 lb (1 kg) tomatoes, (about 7 medium), unpeeled, finely chopped
3 fresh green chili peppers, finely chopped
2/3 cup (1 oz/30 g) chopped fresh cilanto (fresh coriander)
8 eggs

In a large, wide, heavy frying pan, heat oil and butter mixture over medium-low heat. Add onions and salt, and cook uncovered, stirring often, until onions are golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

Add ginger and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and chili pepper, and cook uncovered. stirring often, until tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes. Add cilantro and mix well.

Spread tomato mixture evenly in pan and use a spoon to make eight evenly spaced indentations in mixture. Break an egg into each indentation, cover pan and cook over low heat until eggs are just set, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 8 as part of an Indian meal.

Note: This dish is excellent for breakfast or brunch, served with toast or bread rolls.

Soy-Braised Pork Belly

I couldn't believe I found pork belly at the supermarket over the weekend. One whole slab of it, just waiting to cooked nice and slow, so it melts in your mouth. Lucky I found a recipe quickly enough, then took the plunge and adapted it for the slow cooker. I found some time while waiting for our Simplest Beef Stew dinner, to marinate the meat for next night's dinner. I also learned from someone at work to prep ingredients in the crock pot, and skip pre-heating the slow cooker, allowing it to heat up then cook through the day in its own time. Here I've included the original method, then what I have done for the slow cooker.

750 g (1 lb 8 oz) pork belly, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) cubes
4 tablespoons peanut oil
5 cm (2 in) piece ginger, finely sliced
1/2 cup shao hsing wine
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
5 cups water
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

To remove any impurities from meat, place pork belly in a large pan or stockpot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then drain, discarding water. Rinse pork thoroughly under cold running water and drain well.

Heat oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add pork and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients except vinegar and simmer gently, covered, for 50 minutes or until pork is tender. Stir in vinegar and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6 as part of shared meal.


SLOW COOKER ADAPTATION

Prepare your meal the day before. I doubled all portions, and excluded the peanut oil and 5 cups of water, they are not required for the slow cooker.

Place the pork belly pieces in the crock pot of your slow cooker. Place all other ingredients, except peanut oil, water and vinegar, in a separate bowl and mix well. Pour mixture over pork, mix well, then cover crock pot with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, remove cling wrap from crockpot, and cook covered in your slow cooker on low for about 10 hours. Stir in vinegar just before serving.

Kem Trai Bo - Avocado Ice Cream

Of all the ice creams I've made, this is probably the most 'controversial' flavour. It remains divided among friends. Some like it, some have called it frozen guacamole. It almost has a savoury taste that most people are not used to in ice cream, expecting it to be sweet somehow.

I'd love to try a batch again, and it may have been a little chewy when I did it, as the avocados may not have been 'very ripe' enough.

125ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup) milk
375ml (13 fl oz / 1 1/2 cups) pouring (whipping) cream
1 1/2 very ripe avocados
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons condensed milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
100g (3 1/2 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

Put the milk and cream in a saucepan and bring it to the boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, remove the flesh from the avocados and blend it in a food processor with the lemon juice, condensed milk and salt. As soon as the cream comes to the boil, blend it from the avocado in the food processor. Whisk the egg yolks while continually whisking. Pour the mixture back into a clean saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirringly constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and pour it into a bowl and place over ice to cool.

Put the mixture in an ice cream machine and churn until frozen, or place in a freezer and whisk it every half hour until frozen. It will take 4-5 hours to freeze.

A Cracking Burger

Ever had one of those meals you've longed to cook, and it all happened off the cuff on a Sunday afternoon? I always wanted to make burgers in the summer, and it's taken me until autumn to do this. It came to me when I was expecting Tarsh and Maz over Orange and Cardamom Ice-Cream in the afternoon, when I decided to make up burger buns (use the Basic Bread Recipe), and ended up using minced chicken for this recipe. There wasn't much talk when we got down to dinner! We also did get round to ice-cream for dessert.

Serves 6

12 Jacob's cream crackers
8 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard
500g good-quality minced beef (or minced chicken)
1 large egg, preferably free-range or organic
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 cos or round lettuce
3 tomatoes
1 red onion
3 or 4 gherkins
6 burger buns
optional: 6 slices of Cheddar cheese

To make your burger
Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands, and put them into a large bowl. Finely chop the parsley, including the stalks. Add the parsley, mustard and minced beef (or chicken) to the bowl. Crack in the egg and add a good pinch of salt and pepper. With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up well. Divide into 6 and pat and mould each piece into a roundish shape about 2cm thick. Drizzle the burgers with oil, put on a plate, cover and place in the fridge until needed (this helps them to firm up).

To cook your burger
Preheat a large griddle or frying pan for about 4 minutes on a high heat. Turn the heat down to medium. Place the burgers on the griddle or in the pan and use a spatula to lightly press down on them, making sure the the burger is in full contact. Cook them to your liking for 3 or 4 minutes on each side - you may need to cook them in two batches.

To serve your burger
Wash and dry a few small lettuce leaves, tearing up the larger ones. Slice the tomatoes. Peel and finely slice the red onion. Slice the gherkins lengthways as finely as you can. Place all this on a platter and put in the middle of the table with plates, cutlery, ketchup and drinks. Remove your burgers to another plate and carefully wipe your pan or griddle clean with kitchen paper. Halve your burger buns and lightly toast them on the griddle or in the pan. Also great with a chopped salad.

PS I'd still make this quantity even if it was just for 4 people. I'd wrap the extra 2 burgers in clingfilm and put them into the freezer.

Crispy Asparagus Soldiers With Soft-Boiled Eggs

There's so much to experiment with breakfast, and it's great on weekends when I can try something new. I'd been eyeing this recipe after coming across this over the Easter weekend, so when Naomi was craving some of this on Facebook this morning, I took it as a sign and decided to drop in at the shops after walking Cajun for some asparagus and prosciutto (I didn't find pancetta, but they're the same, no?). Naomi didn't make it out of bed to our place though. I added a slice of fruit toast for each of us, but I'd already served up two eggs each for Nick and myself, so we were stuffed by the end! Luckily I didn't use salt at the end, as the prosciutto was pretty salty on its own.

Serves 4

12 medium asparagus stalks, woody ends removed
12 rashers of thinly sliced pancetta or smoked streaky bacon
olive oil
4 large free-range or organic eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220 deg C (425 deg F or Gas 7). Wrap your asparagus stalks in the pancetta with the tips poking out, and place in a roasting tray or earthenware dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the pancetta is crispy and golden.

While the asparagus is cooking, you can get on with soft-boiling your eggs. Carefully place them into lightly salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain, cut off the lids and put them in egg cups for individual servings, or into an egg box if serving as nibbles at a party. Serve 3 asparagus soldiers each for dipping into your egg, with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Orange and Cardamom Ice-Cream

My first batch of homemade ice-cream! I was so excited to try this on the weekend, after I got the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment from Nick for our 8th anniversary. It turned out well, but it may have been a little too soft when we served it. I really should have chilled the mixture before churning it, but it was pretty amazing to see it double in size and getting to a beautiful consistency. It was great served with Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar.

3/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
1/2 cup concentrated orange juice
seeds from 5 cardamom pods, crushed
1 1/4 cups cream

Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

Lightly beat eggs in an electric mixer.

Pour on boiling syrup, beating until volume has doubled.

Beat in orange juice and cardamom seeds.

When well blended, stir in cream.

Churn in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until needed.

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar

I got reminded recently of when I made this earlier in the year, when we cooked Risotto with Bacon and Mushrooms and Braised Shallots in Tuna Sauce for our friends in Sydney. I thought it would be the perfect accompaniment to my first homemade Orange and Cardamom Ice-Cream. I ran out of castor sugar earlier today, so I used raw sugar, which still worked fine.

1 punnet strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon castor (superfine) sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 200 deg C (400 deg F). If the strawberries are on the large size, cut them in half. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

Tear off a large piece of aluminium foil - it will need to be about 40cm (16 in) in length. Fold the foil in half and make a 2cm (3/4 in) fold along each side, but not at the top (aim for an envelope shape).

Place the strawberry mixture inside the foil parcel, and make a fold along the top to secure. Place the parcel in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let the parcel sit, unopened for a few minutes.

Serve at the table. The aroma that's released when the parcel is opened is really something special. Arrange the warm strawberries in martini or wine glasses, accompanied by a generous dollop of creme fraiche or custard.

Simplest Beef Stew

This has got to be the easiest stew I've ever done. There was no need to brown the meat, it's a chuck-it-all-in-the-pot type meal, which left us time to walk Cajun after we closed the shop, relax around home, and have dinner ready without hassle.

1.5 kg chuck or blade steak, cut into large cubes
60 g plain flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1 x 400g can tinned tomatoes in juice
1 glass white wine
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 stick celery, finely sliced
3 carrots, cut into chunks
3 potatoes, cut into chunks
salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Roll beef in flour mixed with paprika (easiest to do in a plastic bag, or with my Tupperware Season Serve). Put into an enamelled cast-iron casserole that will hold ingredients comfortably with not too much extra space.

Whizz tomatoes and their juice in a food processor, or crush roughly with a wooden spoon, and add to meat.

Add remaining ingredients to casserole and stir.

Press a piece of baking paper over contents and cover with lid. Cook in oven, undisturbed, for 2 hours.

Taste for seasoning. Check if meat is tender and cook longer if necessary. Offer stew with a bowl of yoghurt and maybe a small bowl of sliced pickled dill cucumbers.

Green Pea Soup from 'The Witches'

This is probably one of the best soups I've ever made. I found this book at a second hand bookshop in Northcote, and I couldn't resist. It's a good sign when there was no need to add salt or pepper at the table.

Serves 4-5

You will need:
2 large saucepans
food processor
sieve

1oz (25g) butter
12 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 small potato, roughly diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
12oz (350g) frozen peas
1 1/2 pt (900ml) chicken stock
salt and pepper

Garnish:
6oz (175g) frozen peas
5 fl oz (150ml) double cream

Melt the butter in a large saucepan.

Add the spring onions, potato and garlic.

Cover with a lid and sweat for 10 minutes.

Add the peas, stock, salt and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer slowly for approx 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and liquidise.

Pass through a sieve into a clean saucepan.

Reheat, adding the peas to garnish and cook until just tender. Add the cream and heat through, correcting the seasoning.

Serve in warm soup bowls with hot crusty bread.

Vanilla-Flavoured Sweet Potato with Oranges

Another one of those dishes I wanted to try after a weekend hanging out with the cookbooks. I've been researching Japanese food, and I liked the lightness of this dish. Unfortunately, I cooked it too early while preparing dinner, so it was quite cold by the time the Roast Pork Loin was ready. I may also have simmered the liquid for too long. Oh, but smell the orange and vanilla!

Serves 4
225g (8oz) sweet potato, peeled
1 orange, sliced
1 vanilla bean, slit lengthways
50g (2 oz) granulated sugar

Chop the sweet potato into chunks 2.5cm (1in) thick and soak in cold water. Drain, then put the chunks in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Drain off the cooking water. Add the orange slices, vanilla bean, sugar and 450ml (16fl oz) of fresh water to the pan and cook until the potato is soft.

Take out the chunks of potato and transfer them to a serving dish. Reduce the liquid by half and drizzle it over the potato.

Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo and Cheese

There shouldn't even be a recipe for this, it's really a make it up as you go along type breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning.

5 large eggs
a handful of chorizo, sliced liked matchsticks
a handful of mozzarella cheese, grated
a pinch of dried Rosemary
salt and pepper, to taste
a knob of butter, for cooking

7 slices of bacon (optional)
peanut oil, for frying

3 or 4 slices of bread, even better if it's homemade

Break the eggs in a bowl, and beat lightly. Stir in chorizo and cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Be mindful that chorizo may be salty, so go easy on the salt.

If serving with bacon, pre-heat your frying pan now to medium high heat. Pre-heat a saucepan on medium-low heat, then melt a knob butter, and swirl butter around base of saucepan. When butter starts to sizzle, pour in egg mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, leaving egg to cook without stirring for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour peanut oil into pre-heated frying pan, then spread out pieces of bacon, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until bacon is brown on both sides.

Place two plates in microwave, and heat for 2 minutes. Check in on your eggs while bacon is cooking, start turning and stirring egg with a wooden spoon. You want to get a runny consistency, slightly firm, but still wet. Stir regularly, as cheese will brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from heat when still slightly wet. It will continue to cook in its own heat.

Place slices of bread in toaster, and spread with butter when ready.

When bacon is cooked, remove warmed plates from microwave, lay a kitchen towel on one plate, and transfer bacon to plate.

Place buttered toast on warmed plates, spoon egg onto toast, and lay bacon on the side. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Coffee

I found this in Hot Drinks, a new book I found at The Book Grocer last weekend. I found some vanilla beans in the pantry, and had them ground with my coffee beans this morning. The aroma was there even before I made my espresso shot. Mmm...

1 oz. coffee beans
2 vanilla beans, roughly chopped
milk and sugar, to taste (optional)

Serves 4

Put the coffee beans and vanilla beans in a coffee grinder and grind finely. Use this mixture to make coffee in a your preferred method adding milk and/or sugar if you like.

Manhattan Cheesecake

This is one of the cakes I return to time and again, but quite surprisingly, I haven't done one since I got my KitchenAid in July last year. It was a breeze on the KitchenAid this time, and it's the first time I've blitzed the biscuits in the chopper attachment of my faithful stick blender. I then transferred the biscuits to my stand mixer, and poured in the melted butter for a better mix-through for the base. I also made up the topping on the same night, then chilled it in the fridge after it cooled, so it was all ready the next morning. The cake in the photo below didn't last very long when I brought it to work today.

Sunflower oil, for brushing
85 g (3 oz) butter
200 g (7 oz) digestive biscuits, crushed
400 g (14 oz) cream cheese
2 large eggs
140 g (5 oz) caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
450 ml (16 fl oz) soured cream

For the berry topping:
55g (2 oz) caster sugar
4 tbsp water
250 g (9oz) fresh blueberries
1 tsp arrowroot

Preheat the oven to 190 deg C (375 deg F or Gas Mark 5). Brush a 20-cm (8-inch) springform tin with oil. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the biscuits, then spread in the tin. Stir in the biscuits, then spread them in the tin. Place the cream cheese, eggs, 100g (3 1/2 oz) of the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla essence in a food processor. Process until smooth. Pour over the biscuit base and smooth the top. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and leave for 20 minutes. Leave the oven switched on.

Mix the cream with the remaining sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl. Spoon over the cheesecake. Return it to the oven for 10 minutes, leave to cool, then cover with clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.

To make the topping, place the sugar in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the water over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat, add the blueberries, cover and cook for a few minutes, or until they begin to soften. Remove from the heat. Mix the arrowroot and remaining water in a bowl, add to the fruit and stir until smooth. Return to a low heat. Cook until the juice thickens and turns translucent. Leave to cool.

Remove the cheesecake from the tin 1 hour before serving. Spoon the fruit topping over and chill until ready to serve.

Variation
You can vary the look and flavour of this cheesecake by using other berries to replace some or all of the blueberries, such as raspberries or blackcurrants.

Steamed Egg Custard with Prawns and Shiitake

This is one dish I've been wanting to try for some time, so when I was thinking of what to cook for Sunday brunch, the request being "something light", I thought this variation on eggs at brunch would work well. I used chopped fishballs because I was out of prawns, and it worked a treat. Remember to cool your chicken stock (stick it in the freezer for a while if you need to) before mixing with the egg, or the heat might cook the eggs before they're steamed! I also used a pizza tray on a ring rack, in place of a bamboo steamer. The egg custard didn't turn out as silky smooth as I expected, but I loved it taste wise. Nick is not a fan of shiitake mushrooms, so I ended up finishing half his serving.

160g peeled uncooked prawn flesh, chopped
2 teaspoons shaoxing rice wine
pinch of white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 large or 12 small shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained and squeezed
4 large free-range eggs
1 1/4 cups (310ml) chicken stock
pinch of salt and white pepper

Topping
1 spring onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil with a few drops of sesame oil mixed in

Serves 4

Half fill a wok with water, place a large bamboo steamer on top. Ensure the steamer will hold 4 Chinese rice bowls or ramekins around 25cm in diameter comfortably.

Combine the chopped prawns, shaoxing pepper, sugar and soy sauce and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the woody stems of the shiitake and slice. Set aside.

In a bowl, briefly mix the eggs, stock and salt and pepper. Using a pair of chopsticks do slow figure 8s to do the mixing, rather than madly whisking, you will achieve a much silkier result.

Divide the prawns, mushrooms and egg mixture into the 4 bowls and steam with the bamboo lid on for 7-10 minutes. The custards should be an opaque creamy colour when done and still very wobbly.

Remove the bowls from the steamer, sprinkle each one with the chopped spring onion and 1/2 teaspoon of the soy sauce. Heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan, until beginning to smoke. Immediately pour over each egg custard but be careful, there will be spitting. Serve while hot.