GRILLED SWEET CORN+GARLIC AIOLI

Grilled corn is a great addition to any meal and due to its versatility, could be served as a salad or as a side dish or just as a tasty snack.  It is very low in calories, has no carbs, not much sugar or cholesterol and most importantly it tastes great.

I sometimes grill the cobs so I can add the kernels to a salad.  Their smoky flavour and different texture bring a totally new dimension to any simple salad making it look more colourful and exciting.

It is a great accompaniment to any grilled meat or chicken, especially burgers.  Barbecuing your proteins and vegetables at the same time is also a great time-saver and therefore, ideal for a mid-week quick dinner fix.

So let's get cooking.

To feed 4 people you need:

4 cobs corn, husks and leaves removed

2-3 tbs olive oil
1 tbsp sweet paprika
4 pieces of foil about 15cm in length

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: If you are in a great rush, you can cut the cobs in half to speed up the cooking process.  I also find that the small pieces are much easier for handling.  Cut four pieces of foil, each to accommodate 2 pieces of corn.  Place the cob pieces, or two halves, in the centre of the foil, splash with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper and rub the seasoning all over the corn, seal the foil on all sides into parcels, repeat for the remaining pieces.  

Pre-heat the BBQ to 180C and arrange the parcels on the griddle.  To make sure that the corn is cooked evenly, turn the parcel around every 5 to 7 minutes depending on the size of the cob until the kernels have browned but not burnt.  It may take you between 15 to 20 minutes to cook the corn, so if you are barbecuing any meat too, add it to the grill later.

Once the corn is cooked, remove it from the grill and bring to the table.  Let everyone unravel his own parcel but be careful that it is quite hot.

Grilled corn is quite tasty on its own but I love to serve it with garlic aioli on the side.  Aioli is a lovely and pungent type of mayonnaise that is used to enhance the dish to give it a real kick.

There are as many versions and names for this condiment as there are chefs and cooks, however here is my take on garlic aioli.  It is quite easy to make, I personally love Jamie OIiver's recipe and follow it when I have time.

Mine, however, is a short-cut version where I use commercially made mayonnaise but it tastes good nevertheless.  

You need:
2 tbs Whole Egg mayonnaise

1 tbs fat free yogurt 

1 tbs cold water (if needed)

1 clove garlic finely grated

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

A pinch of cayenne paper or chili flakes (for the heat lovers)

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, if the mixture looks too thick, add a splash of cold water but make sure it is not runny, place in a small bawl and serve alongside the corn.

WATERMELON AND BASIL SALSA

Sweet, savoury and crunchy this watermelon salsa is a perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat or chicken. 

It reminds me of a hot Sydney summer and I love to eat it chilled.  I think it goes especially well with my Chicken Tabaka, the sweetness and crunchiness of the watermelon enhances the crispiness of the chicken skin and the aroma of basil highlights the flavours of the meat.

To make a salsa you need:

600 gm watermelon flesh

Half a cup of tightly packed basil leaves

½ of a red chili, seeds removed

1 small red onion finely chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Cut the watermelon into pieces of similar thickness and then slice them into thin long strips.  Holding it all together, turn the whole lot around by 90 degrees and again slice into thin strips.  You will end up with a very evenly, finely sliced little cubes of watermelon which is what salsa is all about.  

Add finely chopped red onion, chilies and torn basil leaves, pour in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Mix the salsa gently and give it a taste.  The saltiness should be in perfect balance with the sweetness, you should also taste some salt and the aroma of the basil leaves.  Adjust the seasoning to your liking and serve as an accompaniment to “Chicken Tabaka” or other grilled meat.

Enjoy!!!

PAN - ROASTED VINE BABY TOMATOES WITH PINE NUTS

In of the SundayLife magazine's publications Adam Liaw (an Australian lawyer and a celebrity chef) shared with us a couple of summer recipes which his family loves to eat around this time of the year.  He also made an interesting comment on how the Asian cuisines are all about seasonal eating, quoting the Japanese saying “All good food has its time” and I couldn’t agree more.  When I was living in Russia 22 years ago, we didn’t have the luxury of fresh fruit and vegetables supplied to us every day of the year, we ate what was in season and enjoyed full flavours developed naturally due to their natural cycle of life.

And that’s why at this time of the year (Australian summer) that I thoroughly enjoy the taste and the variety of tomatoes, especially baby tomatoes on the wine, for their aroma, sweetness and juiciness which make them taste great in salads, roasted or pan-fried.

As much as I enjoy them in my summer salads, they become an excellent side dish to accompany your roast lamb or a beef dish.

My favourite way of wine baby tomatoes is just pan-fried them with a handful of pine nuts and a splash of balsamic vinegar to enhance their sweetness and caramelisation.

Here is how I do it.

You need:

One or two branches of vine baby tomatoes

2 tbsp pine nuts

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

Method:

Place a pan on the stove over medium-high heat and add olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, throw in pine nuts and season with salt and pepper.  Roast tomatoes for about 5 minutes, then give the pan a good shake and continue cooking until the skin on the tomatoes collapses into "wrinkles".  

Splash balsamic vinegar, give another shake and serve alongside your main course.

Enjoy!!!

SMOKY SWEET POTATO WEDGES

Who does not love potatoes:  fried, sautéed, boiled, roasted – all these delicious variations have been a staple food for millions of people all over the world for centuries.  However, now more and more people are watching their diets and look for a healthier alternative to this “packed to the rafters” carbs loader.

The solution to this dilemma in my kitchen is sweet potatoes – similarly versatile and very tasty but a much lighter and healthier option.  Two of my most popular recipes are making a mash or roasting them, hence my "Sweet potato wedges" recipe.  I use ground chipotle (smoke-dried jalapeno) because it has this delicious smoky flavour and brings a bit of heat but if you are not a fan of this spice, you can add few dry chili flakes, a pinch of cayenne pepper or hot paprika for an extra kick.

To feed 4 people you need:

2 medium size sweet potatoes

½ tsp smoked paprika
4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled 

1/3 of ground chipotle (optional)

2 rosemary sprigs

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 180C.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into wedges about 2 cm thick and 8-10 cm long.  Place garlic on a chopping board and lightly flatten with the back of a knife. I then place them into a plastic bag with all the other ingredients and give everything a good mix.   I learnt this trick from Nigella Lawson, not only does it ensure that each piece is covered evenly with the spices but your hands remain clean.   

Once it is done, empty the bag onto the roasting tray, spray the wedges evenly and place it in the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally so the wedges get a nice brown colour all over. 

Serve alongside any meat or fish dish or on its own as a healthy snack.

Enjoy!!!

RADISHES + CUCUMBER SALAD+MESCLUN LEAVES IN A MUSTARD DRESSING

This salad ticks all the boxes we love in a salad:  simple, fresh, crispy flavours with crunchiness of radishes enhanced by the softness of the cucumber flesh, all happily married under the complexity of the mustard dressing. 

I like to serve it alongside the dishes with rather milder flavours and softer textures such as burgers or roast meets or chicken.

You need:

4-5 medium radishes 
1 medium cucumber

1 tbs of coriander leaves

3-4 green shallots finely slices

A bunch of mesclun salad or any salad leaves to your liking

Mustard dressing:

2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp of Dijon mustard

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

1 tsp of honey

Freshly ground pepper and salt

Wash and thinly slice the radishes, a cucumber and the shallots.  Place in a bowl together with the salad leaves and chopped coriander leaves.  

Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small jar, give them a good shake, check the seasoning and pour over the salad. Give it a toss and serve alongside your main course.

Enjoy!!!

SINGAPOREAN FISH (ASSAM FISH)

There are not many cooking shows that I watch but I always make sure to watch Food Safari presented by “trendy and funky host Maeve O'Meara teaches viewers about a new culture in each episode of this Australia-based series, including how to prepare recipes from that episode's featured region”.  Each episode explores a new cuisine with the help of professional chefs and home cooks who show us their tips and secrets, chef’s recipes and classic favourites. 

It is quite an eye opener as she discovers and shares with you some places right here in Sydney that you never heard of nor visited before.  On the few occasions that we followed her story and paid homage to the show by eating at a place that was featured on Food Safari, we were never disappointed.

What I also like about this show is that because the recipes are shared by home cooks they are very easy to follow.  You can just envisage yourself walking around your own kitchen at a comfortable pace cooking a delicious dish that will be thoroughly enjoyed around the dinner table later on.

It was during an episode about Singaporean cuisine that one dish caught my attention, Tamarind or Assam Fish.  It was a mention of tamarind paste that gave my test buds a jump-start as the combination of sweet and sour tastes is one of my favourites.   Despite the fact that you can only find this condiment in the Asian aisle of most super-market, I quite often use it as a substitute for lime juice in salads or whenever sourness is required.  It is great for dipping sauces, however, be mindful of how much you add as it is quite strong.

I dutifully scribbled down the ingredients and watched the episode closely in order to re-create it later in my own kitchen and to share it with you, my dear readers.  I, however, have tweaked the recipe to make it more suitable for our palates and simplified the process without compromising the flavours.

To feed 4 people you need:

800 gr of Spanish mackerel cutlets

2-3 tbsp of plain white flower

2 tsp tumeric powder

3 tbsp of olive oil

2 tbsp of brown sugar

1 lemongrass stalk

3 tomatoes, chopped into cubes

½ L water

2 tsp tamarind paste

2 long green chilies

For the spice paste:

2 red onions peeled and quartered

1 red chili (deseeded)

3 cm piece of ginger

3 tbsp fish sauce

½ head of garlic

Method:

 Place all the ingredients for the spice paste into the food processor and blend into a paste.  To maker a tamarind water, just pour water into a bowl, add tamarind paste and mix well.

Spread the flour on a big plate, sprinkle with tumeric powder, salt and pepper and mix. Dip each piece of fish into the mixture on both sides shaking off the excess.  Pre-heat the frying pan over medium heat, add oil and when hot, fry the fish for about 3 minutes on each side until slightly golden.  Remove and place on a paper towel to draw away the extra oil.

In the same pan, fry the spice paste for a couple of minutes until fragrant then add tomatoes, pour over the tamarind water, throw in lemongrass, green chilies, some salt and sugar.  Bring slowly to the boil and have a little taste - the flavour should be a mix of hot, sweet and sour and salty.  Gently slip the fish back into the pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Serve with brown rice (healthier version) and Asian Slaw 

Enjoy!!!

SALAD VERDE WITH RED VINEGAR AND MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE AND POMEGRANATE SEEDS

This salad is extremely easy to make and quick to assemble (there is no cooking per se), it involves minimum of ingredients and most of all, its tangy test and fresh crispiness of the ingredients are a great accompaniment to almost any dish you cook whether it is vegetarian, meat, fish or poultry.  

You need:

2 heads of baby cos lettuce

2 medium cucumbers

A handful of chopped fresh herbs (coriander, dill or parsley depending on your taste)

Pomegranate seeds to serve

 

For the vinaigrette:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp red vine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp honey

Salt & freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

Remove the stems from the lettuce and then slice each lenghtwise into quarters and arrange on a plate.  

Using a potato peeler, remove the skin from the cucumbers and continue peeling off the ribbons until you reach the seeds that need to be discarded.  Place the cucumber ribbons over the lettuce.

Finely chop the herbs and sprinkle over the salad.  Take a whole pomegranate, slice it in half, place one half into the palm of your hand seeds down and holding it over the salad, start beating it with a wooden spoon.  This method should easily release the seeds with minimum damage to their shape.

Place all the ingredients for the dressing into an air-tight container and give it a good shake, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Once satisfied, pour the dressing over the leaves and serve alongside a Whole Roast Chicken or use it as a base for Stuffed Mushrooms.

SPICY CARROT SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS AND CRANBERRIES

Fragrant spices, bright colours, exotic flavours – this Middle Eastern style salad ticks all the boxes and tantalises your taste buds. I often serve this salad alongside my Moroccan Lamb Stew or other main dishes with similar flavours.  Having said that, it could be served next to other dishes with rather subtle and delicate tastes by way of contrast that helps you to appreciate the different textures and flavours.

To feed 6 people, you need:

8-10 medium carrots

1 big red chili, de-seeded

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated

½ cup of dried cranberries

½ cup of mint leaves torn

1 tbsp of coriander leaves chopped

3 tbsp pistachio nuts, slightly toasted

For the dressing:

½ cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Peel the carrots and grate them either with a grater or using a food processor, whatever is available and easy to use.  Finely chop the chilies and add to the salad together with garlic and cranberries.

Using a small jar with an air-tight lid, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and give it a good shake, have a taste and adjust so that you are happy with the balance of sweet and sour with a slight tang coming from the mustard.  Also bear in mind that the cranberries will add some sweetness too.

Pour the dressing over the salad, add nuts and mint and coriander leaves and mix quite well, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning.  Keep the salad in the fridge until serving.

The flavours of this salad are quite bold; however they should complement each other nicely.  And don’t worry that it might be too hot because of the chilies, the mind leaves are there to keep the heat under control.

Enjoy!!!

WINTER WARMERS - SPICY FISH SOUP

I like to serve this soup during the winter months as it has a warm kick which we crave at this time of the year thanks to the lovely combination of heat coming from the chilies, the smoky flavour of paprika and the sourness of the lime juice, enhanced by the smell of fresh seafood - it is truly one pot wonder for the body and soul.  

You need (for 6-8 people):

800 gr of seafood marinara (see Hot Tip)

3 tbs of olive oil

1 large brown onion, peeled and cubed

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

2X400 g cans of peeled and chopped tomatoes

1 L of chicken or fish stock

2 tsp of smoked paprika

1 tsp of sweet paprika

Chili flakes as many or as little as you like

1-2 tsp of brown sugar

juice of half a lime

2 bay leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

1 tbs of flat leaf parsley finely chopped

1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1 packet of flat bread

Optional:

Thicken the soup by adding a can of lentils or any of your favourite beans to turn it into a meal.

Method: 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onions and garlic but do not let them go brown, add all the ingredients except for the marinara, bring to the boil and let the soup simmer for about 10-15 minutes for the flavours to fully develop.  Give it a taste bearing in mind that the soup should have a distinctive taste from the heat, sourness and sweetness, so adjust the ingredients accordingly to maintain the perfect balance.  Add more sugar and sweet paprika, if the sourness is over-powering or more lime juice if not sour enough.  Also, the heat of the soup can be controlled by adding small amounts of chili flakes until you reach the degree of heat that suits your taste buds.

Once you are happy with the taste, gently submerge the seafood into the pot.  After cooking for about 5 minutes, check if it is ready.  Stir in parsley and serve.

Instead of regular bread, I use flat bread which I brush with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, then slice into strips about 2 cm thick and grill in the oven until crispy and golden brown.  These strips could be served with other soups such as my Pumpkin Soup and Lentil Soup.

Hot Tip:  I find the combination of fish, calamari, octopus and mussels is ideal; all of the ingredients are cut to the same size, cleaned and ready to cook).  

Enjoy!!!

PUMPKIN SOUP

In my previous post I shared with you one of my family's winter favourites, lentil soup.  Today is pumpkin's soup turn to take centre stage.

The recipe and cooking technique are very simple, however it requires some prep.

To feed 6 people you need:

1 kg of pumpkin (peeled and cubed) – I am not fussy about what kind of pumpkin to use

3 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)

1 red onion (peeled and cubed)

2 L of boiling water

4 cubes of chicken or vegetable stock or vegetable stock for vegetarian option

Salt and freshly ground black paper

1 tbs of chopped coriander or chives (to your taste) to serve
Pouring cream to serve

Method:
When preparing the vegetables, bear in mind that the potatoes need to be sliced into smaller chunks then the pumpkin as it takes longer to cook.

Place pieces of pumpkin, potatoes and onions in a pot, pour over boiling water, crush 4 cubes of stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Using the blender, blitz the soup until the smooth consistency and give it a taste.

Add some salt if required.  The soup will be quite sweet due to the nature of the pumpkin.  You can always spice it up with just a few chili flakes and a lot of freshly ground black pepper

When serving, pour into a soup bowl, spoon a cream with a tea spoon and sprinkle it over the soup.   You can have some fun with it – try to draw dots and cross some lines with the cream, creating some sort of pattern like a real pro.  Sprinkle with chopped herbs and freshly ground black paper.  Serve with warm crusty bread. 

Enjoy!!!

WINTER WARMERS - LENTIL SOUP

Now that winter is on our doorstep, the temperature is in decline and the days are becoming shorter and darker  (in OZ that is), it is high time for some comfort food and I am going to share with you three of my favourite soups: lentil, pumpkin and fish. 

All are very easy to make, as they do not call for many ingredients and they are my family’s all time favourites.  As a matter of fact, at a recent dinner party I served a fish soup as an entrée and was awarded 10 out of 10 for it by my guests.

First, lentil soup, probably the easiest of them all.

You need (for 6 people):

1 brown onion, cubed

4 tbs of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic (sliced)

1 cup of red lentils (rinsed)

2 L of water

4 cubes of chicken or vegetable stock

1 400 g can of tomatoes (whole or diced as long as they are peeled)

1 tbs of tomato paste

1 sprig of rosemary

Red hot chili powder (optional, to taste)

1 tsp of smoked paprika

Half tsp of sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil to serve

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a cooking pot and sauté the onions and garlic until soft and translucent but don’t let them go brown.  Stir in tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.  Add lentils, a can of tomatoes, rosemary, pour 2 litres of boiling water and crumble 4 cubes of chicken stock.  Let it come to the boil, if you use whole tomatoes, grab a masher and give them a crush.   Reduce heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.  Give it a taste and adjust seasoning.  I like to add some smoked paprika and a sprinkle of hot chili powder for a kick.  Also, if you don’t favour the taste of sourness coming from the tomato paste, you can soften it up by adding half a teaspoon of sugar.  Chicken stock is usually quite salty, but you can add more salt if you wish.

When serving, pour the soup into bowls, drizzle over with extra virgin olive oil and and grind over some black pepper.  Serve with the warm crisp bread.  

Enjoy!!!

SINGAPORE NOODLES WITH PRAWNS FROM THE STREETS OF BANGKOK

This recipe is my life saver – quick, easy with a minimum of ingredients and maximum flavour - no wonder it is one of the most popular dishes cooked on the streets of Bangkok.

Keep a pack of pre-cooked noodles in your pantry and a pack of frozen prawns in the freezer and with the help of a few fresh vegetables your midweek dinner will be cooked in a flash.  And you can always substitute fresh vegetables with a can of corn kernels or frozen peas, just keep the flavours sharp and fresh.

To feed 4 people you need:

1 pack of Singapore noodles or any noodles of your choice

2 eggs lightly beaten

250g fresh or frozen prawns, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp rice bran oil or any vegetable oil

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 red capsicums, deseeded and cut into strips

½ tsp tumeric

200g (half a bunch) gai lan (Chinese broccoli) chopped

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1½ tbsp sesame oil

8 spring onions, chopped diagonally for nice presentation

1 cup bean sprouts

Method:

Prepare the noodles as per the instructions.  

Heat half of the oil in a wok over medium heat and once heated, add the egg mixture swirling it gently for 1 minute or until the eggs are almost set, then slide on to a board, slice into strips and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil, add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until softened.  Then add sliced capsicum, tumeric and gai lan and continue cooking for another minute or until the broccoli has just wilted.

Add the prawns and stir fry them for about 2 minutes.  Then add noodles, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and sesame oil.  Gently toss it all together so the noodles are fully covered with the sauce.

Slice the omelette into strips and stir through together with bean sprouts.  Sadly, I don’t like bean sprouts at all and never use them in cooking.

Serve garnished with spring onions and lime wedges.

Enjoy!!!