James' Lemongrass Coconut Chicken
Recipe by James Ryan
Ingredients:
Basmati rice
Kaffir lime leaves
1 x stalk lemongrass
3 x cloves garlic
Green beans
Eggplant
Shrimp paste
Paprika
Thai basil
600ml coconut milk
400ml coconut cream
Asian greens
Lime (small)
Fresh birds-eye red chilli (use a pinch of chilli flakes if Nath, Nat and Shaun don't want to be too spicy!)
500g stir fry chicken breast
1 knob of galangal
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 x onion
1 x tablespoon of butter
Salt
Olive oil
Method:
Slice eggplant, salt heavily and let sit for 30 min then cook on 180 fan forced for 15-20min.
Chop onion finely, crush garlic cloves.
Heat a tablespoon of butter, a generous amount of olive oil and salt in a pot. When butter melts add in the garlic and onion. Lid to go straight back on to allow the onion to saute without burning (stir regularly on low-medium heat).
Move onions to a wok. Once onions are translucent, add in shrimp paste, basil, galangal, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, chilli, lemongrass, paprika (for colour and flavour) & lime juice (poke a toothpick into the lime and squeeze - a tablespoon worth is plenty).
Let those ingredients sit in the wok with the onions on a low-medium heat, lid on for a solid 30 min.
Add in the eggplant.
Whilst that's going, cook the stir fry chicken breast on medium heat - add olive oil, salt and a touch of garlic to the saucepan (add a scoop of the sauce to get the flavours going then ***secret*** add in a splash of white wine. - try to cook the chicken to ¾ done (it'll cook to perfection when added to the wok later).
Start prepping your rice to cook (I usually use a rice cooker towards the end) however when you cook the rice, make sure to add 200ml of coconut milk into the rice cooker or pot.
Once the chicken is nearly there, add it to the wok. Add in the remaining coconut milk, coconut cream and kaffir lime leaves.
Let cook for 5 mins before adding in your greens + green beans - place lid back on still on medium heat and let them steam through.
Salt to taste and if the lemon overpowers the dish at this point add brown sugar.
Serve on a bed of rice.
Rebecca's Famous Ranch Salad
Recipe by Rebecca Brown
Ingredients & Method:
Cos Lettuce: If you want to make a fancy salad use whole (washed) leaves. For a casual, effortless salad, slice the leaves.
Carrot: Peeled & grated
Chicken Strips: Cooked as per directions. Leave whole (for fancy) or chop (for basic style).
Tater Tots / Potato Gems: Cooked as per directions.
Bacon bits: Fried is best (see notes).
Ranch Dressing
To Serve:
Lay lettuce and grated carrot in a bowl, top with chicken strips, tater tots and bacon bits, and drizzle with ranch dressing.
Optional to top with some finely grated parmesan cheese.
Notes:
To make cooking easier, the chicken strips, potato gems and bacon bits can all go into the oven together.
Spicy Apple & Salted Caramel Pork Ribs
Recipe by Damian Klose
Notes:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1.5 hours - 2 hours
Serves: 4
Cooker: Oven
Ingredients:
Ribs
2 racks of pork ribs
2 tablespoons honey
100g butter sliced
Dijon mustard
Rub
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped extra dried apples
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon celery powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper finely ground
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Sauce
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup thickened cream
125 g unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
Method:
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.
Remove the membrane from the ribs then rub in the Dijon mustard all over.
Rub dry ingredients into the ribs.
Cover up ribs, leave for a half hour and preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place ribs on a baking tray and cook for 1 hour. Take them out and drizzle them with honey and sliced butter.
Double-wrap your ribs, return them to the oven and turn up the oven to 350 degrees for 1 hour while the ribs are resting.
To make the sauce, heat the sugar in a pot on high heat, and keep stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Immediately add small cubes of butter until combined.
Slowly add the cream until combined and allow to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in salt.
Drizzle over ribs and serve
Vanilla and Pistachio Cheesecake
Recipe by Jess Bushby
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cookie Crust
250g chocolate short dough crumbs
120g butter, melted
35g caster sugar
Cheesecake
1kg cream cheese, room temperature
308g caster sugar
5 eggs
367ml cream
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons vanilla
122g pistachio paste
Decoration - white or dark chocolate curls, fresh raspberries, chopped pistachios
Method:
Preheat oven to 160°C and boil some water for the water bath.
Put a flat sheet of baking paper on the base of a 10" springform cake tin and then close the sides of the tin to lock it in place. Wrap a few layers of aluminium foil around the tin (hugging the tin) so that no water can get in when it's placed in a water bath. Put the springform tin in a deep baking dish that allows a little space around the tin.
Mix the crust ingredients and press into the base of the tin. Set aside in the fridge or freezer.
Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.
Scrape down the bowl after each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla and lemon juice to the cream cheese base and mix until smooth.
Divide the cheesecake base into two bowls. Leave one bowl as a plain vanilla cheesecake mixture. Add the pistachio paste to the other bowl and mix well.
Pour the pistachio cheesecake mix base into the prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring the air bubbles to the surface. Place the springform tin into a larger baking dish and pour boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the springform tin (this is easiest done while sitting on an oven shelf).
Bake for 25 minutes, until it is semi-set but not completely baked. Pour the remaining vanilla cheesecake batter gently on top of the pistachio layer, return to oven and finish baking for another 1 hour (total baking time approx 1 hour 20 mins).
Let the cheesecake cool in the springform and refrigerate overnight before removing the sides of the tin and sliding off the base of the tin. Decorate with chocolate curls, pistachios and raspberries. To serve, cut with a warmed knife.
Pierogis (or for our family, Varenyky)
Recipe by Bianca Kostecki
Notes:
12 servings (5 pierogi per serving)
Ingredients:
Potato Filling
5 medium potatoes, peeled
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
125g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
90g mozzarella cheese, shredded
Pierogi Dough
250 ml warm water
60 ml whole milk
2 Tbsp sour cream
3 Tbsp extra light olive oil, or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp fine sea salt, (plus more for cooking)
500 g all-purpose flour, measured correctly
Toppings
300g bacon, chopped
2 large onions, diced
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
sour cream, optional, to serve
Method:
How to Make Potato Cheese Filling:
Place potatoes in a pot, add enough water to cover potatoes then bring to a boil over medium/high and continue cooking 25 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and cool 5 minutes then mash potatoes until smooth.
Mash in salt, melted butter and cream cheese. Mash in shredded mozzarella cheese. Partially cover and set aside while rolling out the dough.
To Make Pierogi Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl if mixing by hand), whisk together warm water, milk, sour cream, egg, oil, and tsp salt until blended.
Using the dough hook attachment (or wooden spoon if done by hand), add 2 cups flour and mix on speed 2 until incorporated. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, letting it incorporate before adding more. Add the last bit of flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, just until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, or to your hands. Knead on speed 2 or by hand for 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
How to Mold Pierogi:
Divide dough into 2 pieces. Cover the second piece and thinly roll the first piece out onto a floured surface to just under 1/8" thickness.
Use a 3" diameter round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough, keeping them as close as possible (collect scraps and keep covered to re-use). Add 1/2 Tbsp of potatoes over each round (a mini scoop makes portioning easy).
To form pierogi, pull the 2 edges together and pinch tightly to seal. To ensure a tight seal, crimp the edges a second time with a pinch and twist motion. Cook or freeze pierogi for a future dinner!
How to Make Bacon/Onion Topping:
Make the topping before boiling the pierogi so it's ready to drizzle to prevent sticking. In a medium skillet, saute bacon. Once crisp, add onion and melt in butter and remove from heat.
How to Cook Pierogi:
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and salt. Add fresh or frozen pierogi in batches. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the water has returned to a boil and the pierogi float to the top. Remove to a bowl with a strainer or slotted spoon.
How to Serve:
Serve pierogi in a bowl and drizzle bacon/onion mix on top (include the butter) and serve with sour cream.
Apricot & Almond Chicken Breast
Recipe by Ashley Reid
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Ingredients (serves 4):
4 chicken breast
2x 200g South Cape apricot and almond cream cheese
100ml vegetable oil
1 bunch of broccolini
1 medium sweet potato (400g ish)
6 large royal blue potatoes
50g butter
100g grated tasty cheese
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 brown onion
1T seeded mustard
100ml dry white wine
500ml thickened cream
Salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 180c
Peel potatoes, dice and boil till cooked through
Once cooked, drain and mash with butter, grated cheese and 50ml of cream. Salt and pepper to taste
Cut a pocket into the chicken breast
Stuff 1/2 a wheel of cheese into the opening
Season and sear the chicken in a frying pan
Place into a baking tray and cook for 15-20 minutes
In the same pan from the chicken, sauté the fine chopped onion and garlic. Add seeded mustard and deglaze with the wine. Reduce and add cream and reduce
Steam and then sauté the broccolini
Serve with all components
Strawberry Yoghurt Cake
Recipe by Libby Hickling
Ingredients:
2 1/2 (375g) cups self-raising flour
250g fresh strawberries, chopped coarsely
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1 cup (280g) Greek yogurt
125g unsalted butter melted (Lurpak butter is best)
1/2 cup (40g) flaked almonds
icing sugar, for dusting
greek yogurt extra ( to add to cake when serving on the side)
Macerated strawberries
250 g Strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon caster sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 180'C (160"C fan forced). Grease 22cm springform pan: line base and sides with baking paper.
Sift flour into a large bowl; stir in strawberries, sugar, vanilla paste, eggs, yogurt and butter until just combined.
Spoon mixture into pan; smooth the surface. Sprinkle with almonds.
Bake the cake for 50 minutes OR until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean; cover the cake loosely with foil halfway through baking if almonds are over-browning.
Leave cake in pan for 10 minutes, Release fing and transfer cake to a wire rack to cool.
Macerated strawberries: Combine ingredients in a small bowl; stand for 20 minutes.
Top cake with macerated strawberries and dust with icing sugar; serve with extra yogurt.
Cheesy Garlic Bread Prosciutto Potato Bake
Recipe by Tam Sheldon
Ingredients:
Potato Bake
800g potatoes
7 slices prosciutto
2 T Homemade French onion soup mix
Combine:
¼ C dried onion flakes
½ t onion powder
½ t garlic powder
¼ t celery salt
¼ t pepper
½ t dried parsley
½ t salt
½ t tumeric
20 gm butter
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 x garlic clove, crushed
150 g Bergbaron Reserve (or gruyere) cheese, grated
1 1/4 C cream
1/3 C white wine
¼ t chicken stock powder
Salt and pepper
Garlic Bread Cubes
1 x diamond ciabatta bread roll 95g – 1 ½ - 2 cm cubes
2 local garlic cloves, finely dice
60 g good quality butter
5 garlic chives, thinly sliced diagonally
30 g shaved Parmesan
30 g grated mozzarella
¼ C fresh parsley, fined chopped (plus 1 T for garnish)
½ t fresh thyme
Method:
Combine stock powder, cream and wine on a low heat and reduce slightly for approx. 20 mins.
Pre-heat oven to 180.
Peel and thinly slice potatoes. Place in a pot and cover with warm water. Par-boil for approx. 10 mins.
Fry 3 rashes of the prosciutto until slightly crispy and place on baking paper. Add butter, onions and garlic to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Layer half portions in a 20cm round baking dish of the potato, onions, French onion soup mix, salt and pepper, and Bergbaron cheese, then repeat.
Cover dish with a lid and bake for 30 min or until the potatoes are nearly tender.
Add the GB butter and garlic to the prosciutto pan. Once it becomes foamy add the bread cubes and the parsley and thyme and fry for a further couple of minutes.
Spread the garlic bread cubes over the potato bake and bake for a further 10 mins with the lid off.
Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan/mozzarella and bake for a further 10 mins or until golden.
Serve topped with crispy prosciutto, fresh parsley and chives.
