Dinner for Stu

Our friend Stu was arriving to stay and we had a family dinner…Of course this is always a good opportunity to try out more dishes for the blog.
Emily at work told me about some cauliflower fritters she had had for dinner the previous night. This got me thinking. I was planning to make the Cauliflower Soup in the previous post for the first course…maybe we could turn this into cakes...
Got wondering which herb to use and decided to try sage.
It worked well.
So here we go

For 8 people
1 ½ cauliflowers broken into florets
1 onion chopped
1 litre chicken stock

1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup ground almonds
2 -3 eggs
8 sage leaves finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour (optional)
Rice Bran oil

½ cup best mayonnaise
1 chili chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Cook the cauliflower and onion till soft
Drain well (save the stock it will make great soup.
Blend with a stick blender don’t make it too smooth
Add almonds and parmesan
Whip the eggs and add with sage leaves to mixture
Add 2 eggs first you probably will need 3 but test the water first.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put into fridge about an hour
Form into patties this quantity made 20.
Fry in oil till golden

Serve with the Lime Chili Mayo
Just mix all ingredients together chill for about an hour to meld the flavours

Sicilian Styled Fish with Squashed Basil Potatoes
Jamie Oliver has been cooking some great food…I really want to cook almost everything
So I do apologise if you get sick of seeing his name. I also apologise for the photo my camera was running out of batteries and that was the last shot before it failed…
Anyhow!!!


Sicilian Fish

200 gms white fish per person e.g. Hapuka, Swordfish
Several stalks rosemary
4 lemons thinly sliced
1 jar capers
8 tablespoons Olive oil
1 jar anchovies
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut fish into chunks about 4 cms and place in a bowl
Put rosemary leaves capers and oil into mortar
Scrunch up with the pestle and add to the fish
Massage fish well
You can do this in advance and keep in fridge till ready

Heat oven to 220C
Into your roasting pan lay out the fish
Season with S & P
Cover with lemons and anchovies
Pour over any remaining marinade
Cook for 20 minutes






The Potatoes
Jersey Bennes
Handful of basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil I used the Italian Colonna Orange infused oil…this is like liquid gold a sensational oil

Cook the potatoes till fork tender
Drain
Add basil and as much oil as you feel fit
Squash up with a fork
This is divine!

Serve with a crisp green salad.

Now dessert

Wicked Crème Caramel with a twist of Lime

This quite rich but delicious
To feed 8

The Caramel
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons water
Bring to boil and simmer till it turns golden about 15 minutes
Keep an eye on it...it can turn from golden to burnt in seconds.

Meanwhile prepare The Custard

2 cans condensed milk
Equal amounts of whole milk
Zest 3 limes in strips
1 vanilla bean split scrape seeds out
6 eggs

Scald milks with lime and vanilla seeds and pod
And strain

Beat eggs in a bowl
Temper eggs with a little hot milk
This is to reduce the chance of scrambling the eggs.
When mixed add rest of milk

To compile the dessert
Light butter ramekins
Pour a little caramel into the bottom of each ramekin
Be careful it is very hot.

Then share the custard between the ramekins

Bake at 150C in a bain marie for 25- 30 minutes
It should still tremble a little in the middle

Cool and then chill for at least 3 hours.

To serve either put a dob of whipped cream on top
A little lime zest for garnish











Or you can turn them out

This is a really rich dessert and the only thing to go with it is
Another Jamie idea

Thin Sliced Pineapple with Mint Sugar. Yum!!!

12 mint leaves
½ cup sugar
Bash in mortar and pestle till all mixed together










Peel pineapple
Cut into quarters
Remove stringy old core
Thinly cut long slices
Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with minted sugar



How about that!
What an easy dessert.

Sicilian Fish Teamed with some 'Citrusy' Cous Cous - What a Lovely Birthday Lunch

We have been up to Omaha Beach for our Friend Sheryl's Birthday
Isn't this idyllic

Wasn't quite warm enough for swimming or actual sunbathing but just to be on the beach is enough.
Our menu was a beautiful Goats Cheese Tart supplied by Sheryl's friend Sue for the starter.

I made Sicilan Fish accompanied by a Moroccan  Cous Cous
Both of these dishes are great for a crowd, really simple to prepare and easy to expand.
The flavours worked really well together.
This Fish Dish is best with a meaty fish
The flavours are quite strong...e.g. Rosemary, capers, anchovies and lemon
Meanwhile the Cous Cous complements, with Orange, Currants and Pinenuts

For the Fish
200 gms white fish per person e.g. Hapuka, Swordfish
Several stalks rosemary
4 lemons thinly sliced
1 jar capers
8 tablespoons Olive oil
1 jar anchovies
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut fish into chunks about 4 cms and place in a bowl
Put rosemary leaves capers and oil into a mortar
Scrunch up with the pestle and add to the fish
Massage fish well
You can do this in advance and keep in fridge till ready

Heat oven to 220C
Into your roasting pan lay out the fish
Season with S & P
Cover with lemons and anchovies
Pour over any remaining marinade
Cook for 20 minutes

On this occasion for added luxury I scattered some roasted prawns just before serving
Plus a little chopped parsley is nice

Got this idea for the Cous Cous from Mrs Ina Garten The Barefoot Contessa
I added Zest of an orange to marry with the marinade
And some rocket leaves for colour and bit extra bite
Also I made a dressing with the juice of the orange and some olive oil
This was so tasty.
And of course I made little cakes with the leftovers for lunch the next day.

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped shallots
3 cups Homemade Chicken Stock or canned broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup currants
Zest of 1 orange
2 handfuls rocket

Dressing
Juice of 1 orange  about 2 tablespoons 
4 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch sugar

Directions
Melt the butter in a large saute pan,
Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.
Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil.
Off the heat and add the couscous.
Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Add the pine nuts, currants,orange zest and rocket to the couscous,

Toss with the dressing
Serve.

So the next day we had leftovers
I added a couple of eggs to the mixture
Rolled into balls and flattened to a patty
Roll in fresh bread crumbs

Place in fridge for about an hour to set
Fry in vegetable oil (I like Rice Bran)
Voila

These were delicious served with some meaty sausages and a Feijoa Chutney
Of course a birthday Cake was in order
This recipe also came from Ina Garten
Originally for cupcakes

It makes 30 cup cakes but I decided to turn half of the mixture into a 'Cake' Cake
You have to have a real cake for a birthday
Covered with Vanilla Lemon Frosting
Perfect.
It is a beautiful mix. Think it will always be my Birthday Cake from Now on
(Unless you want chocolate)
Our Grandson Joseph was in charge of lighting the candles

Preheat the oven to 170C Fan bake.
For the Cup Cakes
Prepare muffin tins, I used Paper linings
The quantities below are for the full Monty

I halved the mixture and made 2 batches
1 batch made 15 Cup Cakes
The other made the Cake


For the "Cake" Cake
I prepared a 20cm tin
Lined the bottom with baking paper and greased and floured the sides

Ingredients
18 tablespoons (290gms) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

225 gms (about 1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 lemon, zested 
3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Now to make the cake,

Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
(I used a hand beater, that is fine)
On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time,
then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest,
scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth.
Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed.

Fill tins to ¾ and bake in oven
Bake 18-20 minutes.

Test with a skewer until it comes out clean
You may find it needs extra time just keep an eye on them

With the Big Cake, I tested after 50 minutes
Could take up to an hour
Just test with the skewer
Cool to room Temperature.

Vanilla Lemon Frosting

250 grams cream cheese at room temperature
115 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1 lemon
350 grams icing sugar, sifted

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed,
cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and lemon juice.
Add the icing sugar and mix until smooth.
Smother your cakes
For the festive look I sprinkled a few Silver Cashous over the top
Happy Birthday Sheryl

Excellent Gazpacho - Summer Perfect for those on The Paleo Diet

Watermelon Gazpacho

My Friend John is a Celiac, on a Gluten Free diet and recently he has embraced The Paleo Diet.
It’s a challenge this diet but through John and through his wife JT, I have access to a couple of Paleo Cookbooks
I found this recipe in a book called
Nom Nom Paleo- Food For Humans

This is probably the nicest Gazpacho I have ever had.
I guess it is the Watermelon... it adds a sweetness.
The coriander was an odd choice I thought, but it was just there in the back ground.
Little added back taste

I have only got an average blender, so I found that the best way to get the vege pureed was to whizz them in the food processor
Then when I added the liquids and watermelon
I finished off in the blender

1 kg ripe tomatoes
1 hot house cucumber  approx 450 gm peeled
2 small shallots peeled and coarsely chopped
1 med red pepper seeded cored and diced
4 fresh stalks of coriander with leaves chopped
3 cups cubed and seeded watermelon (about 500 gms)
1 extra tomato for garnish chopped
2 tbs sherry or cider vinegar
⅓ cup extra virgin Olive Oil
Plus a little extra for garnish

1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional

Fill a a large pot with water and bring it to the boil
Prepare a large bowl with iced water
Make a small cross on the bottom of each tomato

Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato and drop them into the boiling water
Blanch for 30 seconds
Remove and drop into iced water

After a few minutes the skin will just peel off easily
Core and roughly chop them

Finely dice ⅓ of the cucumber and set aside for garnish

Roughly chop up the rest of the cucumber

Toss the tomatoes, cucumber, shallot, red pepper and coriander into blender and puree until the vegetables are liquified.

Add the watermelon, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using)

Taste and adjust for seasoning

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully chilled

If the soup separates, just pop it back into the blender for a quick whizz

Ladle into cups or bowls

Garnish
Toss the diced cucumber and tomatoes with Sea salt and Freshly ground black pepper and couple of teaspoons of olive oil

Top the soup
 I served little dinner rolls with the Gazpacho
This is from the recipe from this post Easy Bread

The main course was simple,
Sicilian Fish  For the recipe click here
Roasted Kumera and a Rocket Salad

Naturally there were some left overs
Pre-dinner I put out some prawns and smoked mussels
There were leftovers
So next day what did I make BUT
Fish Pie
In The Save With Jamie Series. He mentioned that it was a good to keep some Frozen Fish in the Freezer. It is snap frozen immediately it is caught.
Not that great to pan fry but perfect for Fish Pie or Fish Cakes
A great standby

Turned the Bread Rolls into Crumbs
Grated 100 gms cheddar cheese
I had some cooked Kumera, no necessary but an added extra

Made a simple Bechamel Sauce

1 litre whole milk
1 bay leave
1/2 onion studded with 3 cloves
8 black freshly ground black pepper corns
75 gms butter
50 gms white flour
2 tablespoons Chopped Parsley
 

Heat milk with the bay leave, black peppercorns onion and cloves to infuse flavour
The melt butter in pan
Add flour and cook for about 5 minutes to get rid of raw taste
Strain milk and add to pan



Whisk well to combine and bring slowly to the boil stirring all of the time
To make sure there are no lumps
Simmer for about 5 minutes

Take off heat set aside

Meanwhile prepare seafood
10-12 cooked prawns
10 smoked mussels
2 filets Frozen white fish



Chop mussels into 3
Cut up fish
Remove tails from prawns

Add to Bechamel sauce
Add cooked Kumera



Pour into Gratin dish
Mix Breadcrumbs and Grated Cheese together
Sprinkle over the top

Bake 180C for 30 minutes
Till bubbling and turning golden

 Dish up and devour

Food from New Orleans and Decorating Lesson 3

There has been so much going on during the past week and in between we have to cook and eat.
Monday was our Juice TV Awards our big night for Artists and the Record Companies showcasing the best in New Zealand Music.

It was a great night once again. We have had some beauties in the past with some excellent bad behaviour but it seems that most people were reasonably under control this year. Pity I love the stories of people making drunken fools of themselves.

Tuesday dawned. Lesson 3 of the Cake Decorating. I am dreaming about this now. 2 nights would you believe.
We had to go armed with 8 cup cakes each so I went around to Katie’s house and we made the cakes and iced them ready for decorating.

Also we had to make bases for which are used to complete roses. You can catch them top right hand corner. We made real butter cream icing so that these lovely little cakes could be eaten the next day. As it turns out we didn’t actually decorate the cakes but we had a shot at roses and drop flowers. The staff got the cakes.It seems that I have a tendency to make fully blown roses. If you want peonie roses I'm your girl.

Katie meanwhile can make beautiful rosebuds.

To divert for a second they having been making a new footpath in our street since October 1st…here they are diverting water from a deluge to stop our garage flooding.

This the 10th of October and the concrete is finally being laid. In a couple of days we will be able to drive into our garage again

Just as well…I am catering for a staff party on Thursday…Emma is leaving us to work in her family business. I thought let’s treat the kids to New Orleans food.

Our first visit (and the beginning of our obsession with things Cajun) to New Orleans was in 1988. Easter. Staying at the Monteleone Hotel in Royal Street. We were urged to join our friends Jude Finch and Leighton Smith who had planned their trip there
He is a broadcaster here in New Zealand on NewstalkZB the major talkback station
and has been responsible for several hundred New Zealanders visiting this wonderful city. He even took tours.
We personally talked at least 14 people into joining us over the next 4 years. Not bad for people living so far away.

Leighton had been before and raved about it. He got us excited and it was the first of 5 years in a row to this wonderful city. We had the best time…The Food, the Music, the Drinks. How about the Hurricanes at Pat O’Briens …one of my favourite bars. They have dueling Pianos. It’s a 4am finish after a night there. We loved Mr B’s…we loved everything…
Of course everyone must go to the New Orleans School of Cookery where we learned lots of secrets that produce Cajun Food. The Roux, The Trinity, (onions, bell peppers and celery) the seasonings (hot and spicy), Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie, File Gumbo, Pralines, Etouffee the list goes on.
The fabulous Farmers Market with the juiciest tomatoes.

Beignets at Café du Monde always best very late at night.
On our subsequent visits which then were always at Jazz Fest, anyone who had accompanied us to the Crescent City got dragged along to the Cookery School.
What a fantastic time we had.

It was distressing to hear about Hurricane Katrina. I loved that city and it looks like they have fought back. I do hope so.

All in all I guess we have spent the best part of 6 weeks there over that 5 years. Met some wonderful people. One such good friend Mr Cliff…he found us in the rain on Day 1 1990 Jazz Fest. Born and bred in NO currently living in Texas. The source of much NO knowledge and lots of fun. Too many stories to tell here. Don’t want to bore anyone. One of many highlights was a visit to Cliff’s parents where they got out the huge pot and turbo burner and cooked us the famous “Crawfish Boil.”
Wonderful. Thanks to the Rodrigue family for such a treat.

The photo shows the first recipe sheets we were given by the school.
Plus “La Bouche Creole” by Leon E Soniat Jr a well thumbed book minus its cover.
Our Teacher Chef was the Famous Joe who was responsible for Joe’s Stuff Cajun Seasoning. (On their website I see that Joe is no longer there and I can’t find any reference to him but Big Kevin who took one of classes is still there large as life.)
As you might understand I don’t have any Joe’s Stuff left but have successfully made my own using the recipe of another famous New Orleans’s Chef Emeril Lagasse. He calls it his Essence.

Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

So for Emma’s Party
I decided to make
Muffuletta
Gumbo
Dirty Rice
Sicilian Fish
And Chocolate Mandarin Bread with Castello Cheese

I used the recipe for Muffuletta from another well used cookbook
by Terry Thompson
I took her advice and made my own Muffuletta Bread.
Simple just use the food processor.

1 cup warm water 45C
1 tablespoons sugar
1 pkt 8gm dried yeast
About 3 cups bread flour (I used 00 Italian Flour)
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (I used olive oil)
Sesame seeds

Combine water and sugar, stir in yeast
Leave to stand till foamy 5-10 minutes
In food processor with steel blade add flour salt & oil
Blitz a couple of seconds
Add yeast mixture process till dough forms a bowl about 5 seconds
Stop machine check consistency of dough
It should be smooth and satiny.
If dough is too dry add more warm water 1 tablespoons at a time.
If dough too sticky add a little more flour.
Process 20 seconds to knead.
Turn out onto floured board from a ball and place in a well oiled bowl turn to coat all sides.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel Let rise in a warm placer until double in bulk. About 1 ½ hours.

Punch dough down turn out onto floured surface
Form dough into a round loaf about 10" diameter
Sprinkle top with Sesame Seeds
Cover very loosely let rise again till doubled in bulk about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 220C
Uncover bread and bake in center of oven 10 minutes
Turn heat down to 190C bake a further 25 minutes
Loaf is done when it sound hollow when tapped on its bottom.

Cool completely on rack before using.

Of course the complete Muffuletta Sandwich which is so famous in New Orleans must have the wonderful Olive salad. Recipe courtesy of Terry Thompson.
Thinly sliced salami.
Thinly sliced ham and thinly sliced provolone cheese (I used Gruyere)

To make the Olive Salad
1 large jar olives pitted and loosely broken up
6 garlic gloves
1 cup drained pickled onions
4 celery stalks thinly sliced
2-3 jalapeno peppers sliced
2 tablespoons chopped drained capers
1 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tbs red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil

Drain olives reserve 3 tablespoons brine
Combine olives, garlic, onions, celery, jalapenos and capers

In a small bowl whisk olive brine oregano, freshly ground black pepper and vinegar until combined
Add olive oil in a slow steady stream whisking constantly
Pour dressing over salad toss

Will keep about 5 weeks in refrigerator.

Now to assemble

Cut loaf horizontally
Cover with 1 cup olive salad
Then cheese

Salami and ham

Cover
Press down and wrap tightly with plastic wrap
Refrigerate at least 1 hour

This is not essential but it gives the flavours more time to meld.
I nearly forgot to take a photo so here is the last slice just before I cut into it and handed it around.

You must make this…it is wonderful and so so simple

So now onto the Gumbo and this is the recipe from The New Orleans School of Cookery 20 years ago.
I am very proud of my Gumbo its pretty good.
I use chorizo sausage…andouille is not that easy to come by here. I also like the 'heat' in the chorizo.
Also I don’t use file or okra…sorry

Making the Cajun roux is different from the original French roux.
It is made with oil (authentic cooks would use lard) and cooked for quite a long time to get the colour you desire.

They taught us the quicker high heat method and I find this the easiest.

This recipe will yield 15 or so portions.
Great for a crowd.

1 cup oil rice bran not olive oil
1 chicken cut up
3 tablespoons Emeril’s Essence
3 large chorizo sausages
1 cup flour
4 cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped green and red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
8 cups stock
Sea salt
Cayenne pepper to taste
2 cups chopped green/spring onions
600 gms green prawns

Dry Sherry to be served at the table
Cooked rice (optional)

First prepare the vegetables
When the roux is cooked you need to add them immediately to cool down the very hot roux and stop it from scorching.
Place the vege in the pot you are going to cook the gumbo in.

Season the chicken with essence and brown in oil
Pop into oven and cook for about 15 minutes
Remove till cool enough to handle and break off from bones.

Slice chorizo and brown in pan remove and set aside.

Strain this beautifully flavoured oil from chicken and chorizo and strain out bits.
Top up to 1 cup to start the roux.

The Roux

Heat oil till just smoking
Add flour all at once and whisk.
Keep on whisking over high heat we are aiming for a nice brown roux
This will take about 5-8 minutes to get the desired colour.
The roux funnily enough doesn’t thicken just gets browner.
If it looks like it is about to burn take it off the heat for a minute or two whisking all the time

This is the perfect colour for me
Now throw it immediately into the vege

Cook until vege soften

Add chicken and sausage to pot

Gradually stir in stock and bring to boil
Reduce to simmer and cook for and hour or so
Best to make it to this stage in the morning. The longer it sits the better

There is quite a film of oil on the top and I remove that just before I add the prawns and spring onions.

So remove the oil bring back to the boil
Add prawns and spring onions
Cook for 10 minutes and serve.

You can serve with boiled rice but I prefer to have it as is.
Its fab

PS On that first trip to New Orleans we left Jude and Leighton, flew to Naples and spent a week on the beautiful Amalfi Coast where in Ravello we bought those stunning plates and bowls above.1988. How about that.?

The rest of the dinner
Sicilian Fish
I used lovely Mahi mahi bought from the Auckland Fish Market.

There is a huge range of fabulous fish

It’s pretty good.

I also accompanied the fish with Dirty Rice.

I didn’t authenticate this recipe as normally it has chicken livers in it which gives it the name. We had a couple of vegos and I didn’t think they would have liked it.
Anyhow
A simple rice and tasty rice dish
Here is the recipe from Michael Smith Chef At Home

Dirty Rice

1 tub Chicken Livers
1 tablespoons Olive oil
The Trinity
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green and red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Emeril’s essence to taste


1 cup rice
2 cups stock

Garnish
Chopped parsley and spring onions

Brown chicken livers in olive oil

Add vege and cook till soft
Season
Add rice and stock
Bring to boil
Turn down very low
Cover and cook till all the liquid has been absorbed.

Then to finish off

The wonderful Chocolate and Mandarin Bread
With White Castello Cheese.

All washed down with wine left over from the Awards
Yes there was wine left over…believe it or not

There was a replay of the awards show and everyone got probably their first chance to see the finished show.
When you are performing and producing a TV show you don’t get to relax and enjoy so it was an excellent opportunity to do just that.

Below Emma on the floor receiving her going away present.
A fab handbag.

Once again a fun night.

On Friday we had a big decorating practice
Here are my roses and drop flowers.
Katie has got the knack of the smaller roses.

But here is the work of the professionals.

Same day.
We went to Molten an excellent restaurant in Mt Eden.
(Best food I’ve had for a while absolutely stunning in fact)
Two doors down are the City Cake Company
Would you believe a cake and cup cakes with roses.
We’ll get there one day.

Our dinner companions

Ms Lana Ms Jeannie and
Ms June