Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with lime dipping sauce January 16, 2007

With the Japanese cuisine explosion a few years, things like teriyaki, sushi and yaki soba, which had never been heard before suddenly became all the rage.

Now I know teriyaki has been done to death. Now we’ve all tried it and decided if we like it or not, the quest is on to find a fabulous teriyaki recipe.

If you’re the type of cook to pour your marinades out of a bottle, welcome to my world. However, occasionally, I like to be bold and try and impress my husband so he will buy me things.

This recipe was a hit last night. I suggest you give it a try next time you have your eye on a new pair of shoes that you want for your birthday.

The magic ingredient in this recipe is Mirin, which is a sweet rice Japanese cooking wine. If you cannot get Mirin, go for some sake mixed with sugar.

Ingredients for teriyaki sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup Mirin

2 tbsp sugar

For skewers

4 chicken breasts, sliced lengthways, fat and junk removed

For dipping sauce

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

2 tsp lime zest, grated

1/3 cup toasted sesame oil (if you only have vegetable or olive, that will do)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar, to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 tbsp water

Method
Pour all ingredients in a pan.

Stir the mixture well.

Put the pan on low heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Remove from the heat and cool the mixture.

Store the sauce in a clean bottle in the fridge.

When you’re ready to use the sauce, pour it into a bowl.

Add sliced chicken breast and mix to coat thoroughly.

For best results, marinate, covered in the fridge overnight. However, if you’re time-poor, marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge prior to cooking.

Thread chicken onto skewers. Some people like to do this before they marinate. The choice is yours.

Cook skewers on a hot grill, turning occasionally until cooked through. The sugar in the sauce will cause it to caramelise, then burn quickly. You will have crunchy sweet black bits on the chicken, this is my favourite part!

To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients together and that’s all there is to it! Enjoy!

Portuguese Chicken Salad December 29, 2006

This yummy salad was something I put together this afternoon because I was too lazy to make anything else.

I dare say this salad is a healthier alternative to the chips and ham sangers you are possibly contemplating.

It was fricken delish!

I’ve used yellow plums in the recipe but if you can’t get them, you can also use mango for that beautiful sweetness.

This is a very yummy, dead easy lunch for those lazy days.

Ingredients

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks

1/2 small cucumber, finely diced

1/2 tomato, finely diced

1 yellow plum, sliced thinly

olive oil, to serve

balsamic vinegar or dressing, to serve

1 chicken breast

Portuguese seasoning or spice rub

Method

Rub the Portuguese spice rub or seasoning over the chicken breast, ensuring you coat all of it well.

You can throw the breast on a hot grill, but for those too lazy to get the grill going like me, just put it in a non-stick pan with a smidge of olive oil and cook it over med-high heat until cooked inside and the outsides have a slightly charred appearance.

Wrap the chicken breast in some foil and set aside to rest for a few minutes.

Arrange your carrot matchsticks in the middle of your plate.

After the chicken has rested for a few minutes, slice it thinly against the grain and arrange atop the carrots.

Mix your plums, tomato and cucumbers in a bowl with a drop of olive oil.

Sprinkle your tomato, plums and cucumbers over the chicken and let it tumble down the sides.

Drizzle some olive oil and basalmic vinegar over the plate and gobble it all up!

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Thai Fish Cakes & Snowpea Salad with Japanese Dressing December 21, 2006

 

You need:
Ingredients for Salad

250g mangetout (snowpeas), trimmed & blanched
50g snowpea sprouts
1 red capsicum, julienne
½ teaspoon dashi granules
1 ½ tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
seasoning

Ingredients for Fish Cakes

450g white fish fillets, skin & bones removed
45g rice flour
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons coriander, chopped
3 teaspoons red curry paste
1 teaspoon red chillies very finely sliced
100g green beans, very finely sliced and blanched
2 eschalots, very finely sliced
vegetable oil for shallow frying

Method:
Method for Salad

1. Combine the snowpeas, sprouts and capsicum in a bowl.

2. Dissolve the dashi in the hot water and add the soy, mirin, sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vegetable oil and half the sesame seeds.

3. Pour over the snowpea mix toss well and season.

4. At service sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds over the salad.

Method for fish cakes

1. Cut the fish into small pieces and process until smooth in a food processor. Remove from the processor and place in a cold mixing bowl.

2. Add the rice flour, fish sauce, egg, coriander, curry paste and chilli. Mix until well combined.

3. Form into 6 even sized patties.

4. Heat the oil in a fry pan and shallow fry over a low heat until golden and cooked through.

Serving Suggestion: n.b Mirin is Japanese rice wine.

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Veggie, pesto and fetta parcels December 20, 2006

Preparation time: 40 mins Total cooking time: 30 mins Serves 4

You’ll need
30g butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
150g asparagus spears, trimmed and chopped
1 carrot, cut into julienne strips
1 zucchini, cut into julienne strips
6 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
90g mild feta cheese, crumbled
8 sheets filo pastry
60g butter, melted
1/3 cup good-quality ready made pesto
2 tsp sesame seeds

Here’s how
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat the butter in a large frying pan, then add the garlic and vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until just tender. Cool completely and fold in the feta. Divide the mixture into four equal portions.

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2. Work with four sheets of pastry at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp tea towel. Brush each sheet with melted butter and lay them on top of one another. Cut in half widthways and spread 1 tablespoon of the pesto in the centre of each half, leaving a 2cm border lengthways. Place one portion of the vegetable feta mixture on top of the pesto. Repeat the process with the remaining pastry, pesto and filling.

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3. Brush the edges of filo with a little butter, tuck in the sides and fold over the ends to make four parcels. Place on a greased baking tray, seam-side-down, brush with remaining butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Cut in half diagonally and serve hot with tomato chutney.

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Source: The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook (Murdoch Books)

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Caprese skewers December 18, 2006

This recipe should make about 24 skewers and is perfect for a light snack, lunch or party!

Ingredients

1 cup (250 mL) balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup (75 mL) extra virgin olive oil

24 x baby bocconcini

1 pt grape tomatoes (red and yellow)

2 x large bunches basil

24 x 6-inch (15 cm) bamboo skewers

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Method

1. In saucepan, over medium heat, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until reduced to ½ cup (125mL). It will thicken as it cools.
2. In a bowl, whisk together reduced vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.

3. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking to combine.

4. Trim basil leaf if necessary, and wrap each boconccini. Skewer wrapped cheese and one grape tomato (alternate red and yellow tomatoes if using, for contrast). Serve with dipping sauce.

Recipe source

Image source

Tomato, Bocconcini and olive tart December 18, 2006

Chef: David Scherer
Wide Bay Institute of TAFE

For the pastry:
130g wholemeal plain flour
130g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
130g butter
1 egg, beaten

For the filling:

• 1 tablespoon seeded mustard
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 6 Roma or cherry tomatoes, sliced into 5mm rings
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 50ml olive oil
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 150g grated cheese (Gruyere or Emmental)
• 150g bocconcini cheese, sliced into 5mm rings

Method:

For the pastry:
Combine the flours, salt and butter into a bowl and rub in the butter to form breadcrumbs.

Pour in the egg and work together to form a dough, do not over work.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll the pastry out and blind bake in two 22cm tart forms, remove from the oven and set aside.

For the filling:

Pre heat the oven to 175°C.

Spread the mustard and olives over the tart shell base.
Combine the tomato, herbs, garlic, olive oil and seasoning together.

Alternate the cheeses and tomato mixture in layers on the tart base to form an attractive design.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, remove and allow to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Crispy Coconut Chicken December 16, 2006

Summer is one of my favourite seasons, purely because of the food. Summer is also BBQ time down in the Great Southern Land and you know when you want to bring along something to knock people off their feet? Well, this recipe will do that because it’s so yummy. But fattening. So keep the Weight Watchers girls away, or they will despise you forever.

Now this recipe can be made two different ways, depending on when and how you’re serving. You can serve it in bigger pieces for a dinner- let’s say by making three strips from one chicken breast. Alternatively, you can cube the chicken breast and thread it onto the end of some bamboo skewers to serve it as a light lunch or as your BBQ show-stopper.

You can also substitute some nice firm white fish filets in place of the chicken if that tickles your fancy.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 chicken breasts (cubed if you are threading onto skewers), sliced into long, thick strips or bites. The choice is yours.
• 1 1/2 cups coconut cream
• Cooking Oil, for frying
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 1/2 cups Toasted Coconut
• 1/3 cup toasted coconut, extra
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon Granulated Garlic (use 1 tsp fresh minced garlic or garlic powder alternatively)

METHOD

Combine flour, salt, pepper, coconut cream and garlic in a medium bowl. Mix until the batter is smooth.
Add 1 cup of toasted coconut (if you need to toast it yourself, lay it on some baking paper and pop under the griller until fragrant. Don’t leave it unattended, or it will burn, just to spite you!).

Use a wok or similar deep pan to heat the oil. It needs to be deep enough to cover the chicken pieces and have them floating about freely.

Dip the chicken pieces into the batter (Or the end of the skewer, if applicable- ensure that you have threaded the chicken onto the skewer all the way to the end and leave one end free for you to hold, kind of like an icy-pole).

Roll the chicken in some extra toasted coconut and pat the coating down firmly.

Drop into hot oil and cook until the coconut is crispy and golden and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Drain chicken on paper towels and serve hot.

Serve the chicken pieces with a yummy delicious sauce like a lime dipping sauce or a tarty aioli. I will be doing a few dipping sauce recipes shortly, so check back often if you’re interested.

Enjoy. And save a little bit for the Weight Watchers’ girls, they deserve it.

Vietnamese rice-paper rolls with cabbage and smoked salmon December 8, 2006

Everywhere you look these days it’s sushi and Vietnamese rice paper rolls. I’m not a fan of sushi, even though I have never tried it- it doesn’t appeal to me. However, if you’re after a light lunch that’s perfect for impressing guests or a loved one, these delicate rice-paper rolls with smoked salmon are sure to impress. There is nothing better than serving something up that looks like you spent a lot of time and effort making it when in reality, you just slapped it all together. This recipe will serve 6 people apparently, although one hungry husband and 12 hour work-day seems more realistic.

INGREDIENTS

300g shredded green cabbage (approx 4 cups)

1/2 red capsicum, finely shredded

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsps toasted sesame seeds

2 tbsps rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

6 x 20cm round rice-paper sheets

125g smoked salmon, cut into long strips

METHOD

Combine the cabbage, capsicum, onion, sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce and sesame oil into a bowl and toss well.
Dip one rice paper sheet in warm water and lay flat on a working surface.
Pile some cabbage salad on the lower third of paper and top with a sliver of salmon.
Roll up firmly, tucking in one side as you go. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and pop in the fridge for up to 2 hours.

If you’re doing these for a cocktail party or just want to be posh and drink wine, a Chardonnay goes perfectly.

Roast Vegetable Tarts with Blue Cheese December 8, 2006

Okay, the days of tarts being for fancypants chefs are over. Nowadays, with easily bought frozen pastry, a few key ingredients and some creative flair, even the most lazy cook can pull off these stylish tarts for a laid-back summer lunch or snack. You can vary the vegies used to suit what’s in season…or what’s in your fridge.  Get as creative as you like- you can’t really stuff this up people! This recipe serves 4-6 people, or two hungry fatties.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1cm slices
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
• 1 witlof, halved lengthwise
• 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (if you’re not using freshly ground black pepper yet, turn this bloody computer off, go to the supermarket and get yourself one of the bloody pepper grinders!)
• 125g blue cheese, crumbled
• 90g softened cream cheese
• 1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT use use packaged grated Parmesan. I’ve tasted cotton string with more gusto- buy a wedge of fresh Parmesan and grate as you need it.)
• 1 large egg
• 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, defrosted
• 18 black olives, stoned

METHOD 

1. Combine the vegies in a baking dish, toss with oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Bake in a 220 C oven for 12 minutes, stirring once.
3. Combine cheeses in a bowl and beat until smooth.
4. Stir in the egg.
5. Lay one pastry sheet on a work surface, cut off the corners to make a rough circle.
6. Spread with half the cheese mixture, leaving a 5cm border, and top with half the vegies and half the olives.
7. Now here is the easiest bit- you will laugh so hard at how easy this is. Fold the edges over, crimping them with your fingers to seal them.
8. Now you’ve done one, repeat with the remaining ingredients and chuck them in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden.
9. Serve them warm with a tossed garden salad- scrumptious!