An Excellent Dinner

I am starting to panic…I have been cooking up so many wonderful recipes I am running out of time to write them up.

Anyhow!!!
Had some people for dinner and this menu was really excellent.

We started off with Corn Pudding, went onto Steamed Fish with Stir Fried Rice Noodles and finished off with Honey Ricotta Cheesecake.

The corn pudding is really like a soufflé. I cooked this is in 200ml soufflé dishes.
This recipe is enough for 6 people as a starter.
Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients it is very simple

I bought a new wok from the chinese supermarket and there it is in the background well seasoned. It performed really well. In the foreground are the sauteed vege for the Corn Pudding.




Vege
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 green/red pepper
1-2 red chilies finely chopped
1 cup sweet corn (I used frozen corn)
2 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
2 tbs thyme
Salt and pepper

Seasoning
1 cup cream
Good grate of nutmeg
1 tsp chili flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Batter
2 cup corn (frozen)
1 cup milk
6 eggs
4 tbs flour
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup gruyere cheese
2 tbs chives chopped
2 tbs parsley chopped

Heat oven to 180C
Sauté the vege in oil till translucent
Add seasoned cream mix stir and cook for a couple of minutes

Meanwhile put all the batter ingredients in the food processor and whiz up
Add vege to batter and pour into greased soufflé dishes
Place dishes into a bain marie and cook for about 35 minutes

I took this photo when I made this as a lunch in one large dish
Gives you a chance to see what it looks like inside.





Now let’s give the wok a go.

Steamed Fish with Stir Fried Rice Noodles
This was really superb. Took a bit of juggling when cooking for 5 but here are ingredients for 2 people. Cooking as per normal for Chinese food is quick but you need to have all your ingredients ready to go.
Just love those rice noodles so so simple



Garnish
2 cloves garlic sliced
3 tbs vege oil (I used peanut)
Sea salt
Sesame Oil
1 chili sliced
Spring onions cut into julienne strips


100 gm filet of fish per person
Sea salt
Ginger cut into julienne strips
Soy sauce


100 gms rice noodles per person

Stir Fry
2-3 tablespoons Peanut oil
1 clove garlic finely chopper
2 cms ginger finely chopped
1 chili finely chopped
½ tin water chestnuts halved
Bean sprouts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Right ready to go let’s get the garnish under way
In a small pan gently heat peanut oil and fry sliced garlic till it just turns brown
Remove garlic set on paper towel and season with a little salt.
Add a few drops of sesame oil to pan and set aside.

Place noodles in a bowl cover with hot water leave for about 2 minutes, drain rinse under cold water, drain again toss with just a smidgen of oil to stop sticking together.

Steam fish in your favourite steamer I used a bamboo steamer over a wok.
Season the fish with salt and place strips of ginger on top and steam. Should only take about 3-4 minutes.

Keep warm

Now Stir Fry

Heat wok till it is very hot.
Add oil and throw in garlic, ginger and chili, stir well
Add water chestnuts spring onions and bean sprouts, toss around

Add noodles season with salt & pepper, Hoisin sauce and soy sauce

Serve onto platter place fish on top pour over warm garlic oil, another splash soy sauce
And finish off with spring onions and crispy garlic
Top with a few slices of red chili for colour.

Finally the Cheese Cake. I saw this cooked in the Everyday Italian programme.
I thought the Biscotti base was a great idea.



Grease and line a 23 cm spring form pan
Heat your oven to 170C (don’t fan bake)

Crust
175 gms biscotti (any flavour)
75 gms butter melted

Filling
500 gms cream cheese
250 gms ricotta
¾ cup sugar
5 tbs honey
Zest of I orange
1 tbs orange juice
4 eggs

To Serve
Whipped cream
Pureed berries

Crush the biscotti in food processor to fine crumb
Add melted butter Mix well.
Press into pan
Push down lightly with back of spoon to even the crust
Bake 15 minutes
Remove and cool a little

Meanwhile in your food processor whiz up cream cheese and ricotta
Add sugar and honey whiz
Add eggs 1 at a time
Add zest and juice of orange

Pour over cooked base and bake in a bain marie for 1 hour and 5 minutes
Cool and then chill in fridge at least 8 hours.


I served this with some whipped cream with pureed berries marbled through.

Not too bad at all.