Spicy Bean Soup- Serve with Garlic Bread- What a Lunch

My daughter Katie and her friend Justine... here they are flanking our friend Mr Heinz

both make this lovely healthy Bean Soup.
Heaps of Protein from the beans, lots of vege and some cayenne to get your blood buzzing!
I ruined the health bit, by serving it with Garlic Bread, which was oozing with lovely Herby Garlicky butter.

Juice TV staff were very pleased with this.

The recipe below would feed 4 people as lunch.
6 people as a Starter, of course, I trebled the recipe for the staff lunch

You can use any stock you like
Vegetable for the Vegies in your life or Beef, Chicken.
I made stock from a Bacon hock, really means winter to me.

SPICY BEAN SOUP
1 cup /can black beans drained
1 cup or can of kidney beans drained
2 bay leaves

30 mls olive oil
3 carrots chopped
2 celery sticks
1 onion chopped
1 -2 cloves garlic crushed
Sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1/4 -1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
50 ml red wine
5 cups Beef/Chicken or Bacon stock
1 cup of water
Salt and pepper.

Garnish with fresh coriander and sour cream (optional)


Heat oil
Aadd carrots onion celery and garlic and
Cook over low heat for 8-10mins

Stir in cumin, coriander, cayenne and oregano
Salt to taste

Add the wine stock and water
Stir to mix all the ingredients together
Add bay leaves
Bring to the boil
Reduce heat, then cover and simmer for about 20mins - stirring occasionally.

Transfer half the soup [including the solids] to a food processor or blender.
Process till smooth.
Return to the pan and stir to combine well.

Reduce the soup a bit and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Serve with the garnish

Filo Fish Parcels-Blue Cod - King of the Sea

I was watching an old Taste of NZ programme on Food TV and Peta Mathias went Bluff Oysters and Blue Cod tasting. Both, some of the world's best seafood.
At a restaurant in Bluff, (sorry cant remember it's name) the Chef, (can't remember his name either) demonstrated his 2 most favourite ways to cook Blue Cod. This beautiful fish is so sweet and flaky and just superb.
We had our friend Stu from Oz, here for the night. Blue Cod is not always available but my friendly Fishmonger was able to oblige.
Don't want to alienate our Australian friends, but our cold water fish is far superior.
Good chance to give him a treat, with this delight.
Like the Chef, I cooked it two ways
Simply pan fried in butter and olive oil, with a squeeze of lemon juice

AND this fabulous little Filo Parcel

Actually even though this fish is marinated in flavoured cream, it is not too bad for the Calorie Count.
The Chef had olives in his marinade. I replaced that with lemon zest.
Thought the olives might just overpower the delicate fish

For 3 people
2 sheets Filo pastry per parcel
Melted Butter
60 gms of fish per person

Marinade
150 mls cream
Leaves of about 3 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
Zest of a lemon
Sea salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Marinate the fish for about an hour

Drain on a rack

Meanwhile take a sheet of Filo
(Don't forget to keep a damp tea towel covering your Filo to stop it from drying out)
Brush with melted butter
Lay another sheet on top
Place a piece of fish at one end

Roll up into a parcel and brush all over with melted butter
Place finished parcels on a baking sheet

Bake in an pre-heated oven 195C for about 15 minutes

1 parcel each with a small filet of Pan Fried Blue Cod
Divine
Just serve with some Sea Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper and  wedge of Lemon

The beautiful pan fried Cod on the bottom.
Delicious
Now I decided, as I am cooking seasonal food at the moment, to make a
Cabbage and Potato bake
Not only is seasonal food more tasty but currently any out of season foods are enormously and crazily expensive.
A lot of this produce comes from Queensland and because of their damaging floods this year, their crop production is way down.
So all the more reason to go with the flow.
Cabbage, blanched, is such a beautiful colour , unfortunately by the time the bake is cooked, it doesn't look so good, but the taste is terrific.
I also cook the potatoes for a few minutes to get them started
You can prepare this dish, par cook it and finish off 30 minutes before you need to eat.

For 3 people I used
Melted butter to grease the dish and to brush the potatoes for that extra flavour
4 med potatoes sliced thinly
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 med onions sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cabbage broken into leaves
1 tsp Massel Stock powder, dissolved in 1 cup hot water
50 gms fresh breadcrumbs
40 gms grated cheddar cheese

Blanch the cabbage in boiling salted water
About 1 minute
Remove and drain
Remove the stalks, they are just a little tough
Add potatoes and cook for about 4 minutes
Drain
Saute the onions in a pan with Olive oil till soft
Set aside


Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together

Now to assemble
Grease the casserole dish
Put a layer of potatoes
Brush with melted butter
Half of the onions
Season with S & P
Layer of Cabbage

Another layer of potatoes and onions
Brush with melted butter
Season

Cabbage
Potatoes
Brush with Butter
Pour over the hot water with chicken stock
Cover and bake in 180C for about 30 minutes
You can put this aside now and leave till you need it
Cover with Breadcrumb and Cheese mix

Back into oven for another 25 minutes
Test with a knife point
Make sure it goes right through easily and it is piping hot
Leave for about 5-10 minutes then
Serve

Cold Cut Pie

Apparently at Easter American Italian families make. Cold Cut Pie.
I was watching Cake Boss on Food TV. Buddy the star of the show and the owner of Carlos Bakery, is a loud Hobroken, American Italian. The cakes that come out of that shop are amazing.
It’s a great show. Actually this is the only savoury dish that they make there.

Courtesy of a Blog called Deedee Delights, I got this information about this dish… it seems that during Lent & the 40 days of fasting, this cold cut pie was made by the Italian women on Good Friday, as an abundance of meat & richness that was abstained during Lent. It was prepared, cooked, and chilled on Good Friday, but could not be cut & eaten before noon on Easter Saturday. Although some people serve it on Easter Sunday. Many Easter dishes were made in advance so the local Priest could come and Bless the prepared foods for the Feast of Easter.
If you go to deedee’s blog click here you will see the real recipe

At first I thought it looked reminiscent of New Zealand’s Bacon and Egg pie. On second glance after Googling it, I found it has far more complex ingredients than the humble but delicious Bacon and Egg Pie. Also its more like a quiche.

And it is not pastry but dough.
This is my version, my Husband is not keen on Deli meats, so I bought Sopresso which, with it’s chili content, was a compromise and worked well, just enough flavour

So I had some ricotta and spinach mixture in the fridge, I bought some Italian Sopresso, Mozzarella and Parmesan, you could add any other appropriate cold cuts.
This was a great success

It is best eaten at room temperature
Don't cut until it cools.
The custard needs to set.
Its hard to give quantities, seriously you can add whatever

For a 23 cm pie
I used a packet of Sopresso chopped
1/2 cup ricotta, mixed with spinach, lemon zest, garlic
Cubes of mozzarella
Grated Parmesan
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Go easy on the salt as most of the ingredients are salty.

I used my Basic White Bread Dough
2 cups white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 packet yeast (8gms)
230 mls hand hot water

Put yeast and sugar in 200 mls of hand hot water
Stir
Leave about 5 minutes to activate the yeast
put the other ingredients into the food processor
Whiz for a second or two
Add yeast mix
Let it whiz, not too fast..
If it is not forming into a ball slowly add a little more water, until it does
the dough should have left the sides of the processor
Knead about 2-3 minutes on the bench

Form a nice smooth ball 
Turn the ball over so it has a nice smooth skin
and place into a greased bowl
Toss it around to make sure it is oiled
Leave to rise about 1 hour

Punch down and do the same knead again

Proportion the bread into 2/3 for the base and 1/3 for the lid
and leave for a second rise
Around 30-40 minutes

On a floured bench roll out the larger piece and line
a baking tin.
I used a quiche tin with a removable base
Fill with your wet mixture

Roll out the lid and cover mixture
Crimp edges together
And bake at 190C
Turn it around after 20 minutes
Bake for another 15 minutes
Carefully take it out of the tin and put on a cooling rack
If the bottom is looking a little white and soft
Pop it back in the oven for another 5 or so minutes

Cool on a rack,
Cut a big fat slice and Enjoy

There was leftovers
Lunch today. Yes

Chocolate Orange Pots - Sable Cookies

I’ve been trialing these little puddings, I made them a couple of weeks ago for the Grandchildren for their dessert. They were great and So Simple. So with the advent of friends for lunch. Let’s make Chocolate Orange Pots. Once again courtesy of Nick Nairn.

I discovered very quickly that I had made a mistake, they wouldn’t set. So I stuck them in the Freezer my guests didn't mind, but to me they just tasted like a Chocolate milkshake.
This frustrated me (a lot) so I made them again for family dinner.
Still wouldn’t set.
After some soul searching I worked out I had used the wrong kind of Chocolate.
I used Melts, thinking it would be easy. WRONG
So today, Staff lunch. I just had to try it for the last time.
Yipee it worked… I bought 72% Cocoa and yes they set.

Plus I have been looking around for a Sable Cookie, to have with these little pots.
After trying a couple of recipe I came across this one from
The "Old" Joy of Baking web site. Perfect.

So here you go… Chocolate Orange Pots with Sable Cookies
This makes 5 servings, it is very rich, you don’t need much
To get the orange flavour, you should buy Orange Chocolate, or as I did, infuse the cream with Orange peel.

125 gms Good Chocolate chopped into little pieces
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cream
1 large egg
3 strips orange peel

Place chopped Chocolate into a blender
Put orange peel, milk and cream in a pot
Slowly bring to the boil

When it starts to boil
Add to chocolate
Let sit about 20 seconds, for the chocolate to melt
Whiz for 30 seconds
Add egg
Whiz 45 seconds
Pour into little ramekins
Done

Into the fridge for at least 2-3 hours
You can keep them overnight but not much longer

Sables (French Butter Cookies)
140 gms unsalted butter at room temperature
100 gms granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


2 cups white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt


Egg wash
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy (2-3 minutes)
Add eggs and vanilla

In another bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt

Add flour mix to the butter mix and beat till just incorporated
Do not over-mix
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work bench
And lightly knead the dough, a few times, to bring it together
Make into a ball,
cut in half,
wrap both halves in plastic wrap and
place in fridge for about 1 hour till its firm.
When you are ready, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper
Remove 1 portion of the dough and on a lightly floured bench
Cover with the plastic wrap for easier rolling
Roll out to about 1 cm thick
Using a 5 cm cutter, cut out the cookies and
place them on the baking sheet
Place this baking sheet with the cookies on it, back into the fridge for another 15 minutes
Meanwhile pre heat the oven to 175C

Combine the egg with water for the egg wash
Take them out brush with the egg wash and using a toothpick make a little criss cross pattern
Into the oven for 12 – 14 minutes till they are golden brown

While they are cooking, prepare the second portion

Cool, they will keep for up to a week in an air tight container.
So short and crisp, I love them Thank you Joyofbaking.com

It's a happy Crew

Soups One Thin. One Thick- Perfect for Lunch

Its that time of the week again. Lunch at Juice TV.
Soup is proving very popular. I decided to do some research and find something new. I have always admired Nick Nairn and he has a cookbook called New Scottish Cookery.
This may seem like an Oxymoron, given The Scots are responsible for The Deep Fried Mars Bar.
BUT there is always an exception.
Anyway I loved the look of his Soups. In fact the whole book is great.
I picked two.

Both of these soups are on http://gillisnetdiary.blogspot.com
The Calories have been counted

First I made a Spicy Fish Soup
I have made a few changes to his recipe, so I guess it’s mine now.
I decided to steam bake the fish first, till just cooked, then flaked it and added to the stock.
I have remade this soup and used Monk Fish. It was divine
That's the fish to sue I reckon

1 tablespoon Rice Bran Oil
2.5 cm piece of root ginger cut into tiny matchsticks (julienne)
2 large cloves of Garlic sliced into slivers
1 large red mild chili sliced finely
1 birds eye chili chopped finely (This add that extra heat)
1 stick lemon grass bashed
2 Kaffir Lime leaves finely sliced
1200 mls chicken stock (I used Massels Chicken stock powder)
3 tablespoons Fish Stock
1 tablespoon Gluten Free Soy Sauce
Juice of 1 lime
I tablespoon  Palm sugar or brown sugar
4 spring onions finely shredded
200 gms sliced mushrooms
10 cherry tomatoes halved

500 gms of a meaty fish (I used Ling, it is cheap and worked well)
Oil spray
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
50 mls white wine
1/2 spring onion finely sliced


Spray of oil
Garnish
3 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan
Add ginger, garlic, chillies and lemon grass
Cook over a low heat until just softened about 8 minutes
Add stock, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, kaffir lime leaves and lime juice
Bring to the boil
Add mushrooms and spring onions,
Simmer about 10 minutes
Add tomatoes

Meanwhile, lightly oil a gratin dish
add the fish
Season with a little salt, freshly ground black pepper
Pour over white wine
Spray with a little oil just to moisten it.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes

Take the fish out of the dish.
Keep the stock for further use
Flake and add to the pan
Just bring back to a simmer
Garnish with coriander and freshly ground black pepper

Serve
To accompany this soup I made a Potage.
One thin soup, one thick. Nice mix I think

Parsnip, Parmesan and Chili Soup
Another great choice.

50 gms butter
200 gms onions sliced
900 gms parsnips, peeled and finely sliced
1 red chili finely sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt or Vegeta  which is great seasoning
1 litre Hot water

50 gms Parmesan
Snipped Spring Onions tops or chives to garnish

Melt the butter in a large pan
Add onions and sweat till just soft BUT not brown
Takes about 8 minutes
Add Parsnips, Chili and seasoning
Toss vege together
Add hot water bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes
Stir Grated Parmesan into the soup
Into the blender whiz till smooth
Check and adjust seasoning if necessary

Serve with snipped  Spring Onions/Chives          

Gilli's Chilli Soup

I got an idea from my Friend Rex, who was telling me about a great Chilli Bean Soup he has been making. He is going to give me the recipe.
Meanwhile I decided, I would borrow this idea and make up a soup from my Pantry and Fridge
I had some Leftover Meat sauce and a tin of Black Beans,
I can make Chilli soup from this.
It was really good.
When you are eating chili and you need to blow your nose, there is a nice after burn… but the food is not searingly hot I think you have the spice mix, just right.
If you go across to Gillis Net Diary I have calculated the calories. Filling, healthy and Lo-Cal
So here we go
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 Med Onion finely chopped
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
1 med Carrot chopped into cubes
1 stalk Celery chopped

180 Meat sauce
700 Water
1 can Cherry Tomatoes.
1 can Black beans drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon Sugar


1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Celery salt
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Oregano
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a pot
Add onions
Season with Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté till tender
Add garlic continue to cook another 3-4 minutes
Add carrots, celery and Black beans
Season with the spices
Chili Powder. Celery salt. Cumin and Oregano

Gently cook about 5 minutes to cook out the raw taste of the spices.

 Meanwhile put the leftover Meat Sauce in a blender with the water
Whiz
Add to pot
Place the tomatoes in the blender, just a quick whiz just to break it down
Into the pot
Add sugar
Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 – 40 minutes
You need the carrots to be tender
Taste and adjust the seasoning it will probably need a little more salt

Just before you serve Add lime juice and Parsley

So nice for a cold Winter's Day

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup- Lets have Onion Bread and Carrot Cake

Lunch day at Juice TV
I have posted this soup before, but it's winter and we all need more tasty soups people. to keep us warm. This is great, cheap and makes heaps. Just lightly spiced I thought it was great.
To accompany it, I made my Basic white bread and added some spicy caramelised onions.
AND a delicious  Carrot Cake. The cake I got from the Everyday Baking Programme on Food TV.
It was easy and quick.

Spiced Carrot Cake ( In My Net Diary Everyday Baking Carrot Cake)

1/4 cup vegetable oil,  plus more for pan
1 cup (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour,
plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 cup finely shredded packed (about 2 medium) carrots

Quick Glaze
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 170C
Brush an 8-inch round cake pan with oil.
Place a round of waxed or parchment paper in the bottom;
brush with oil, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cardamom, and salt; 
set aside. 
In a small bowl, whisk eggs, sugars, yogurt, and oil until smooth.
Gently mix egg mixture into dry ingredients until moistened; mix in carrots. 
Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes
(if browning too quickly, tent cake with aluminum foil).
Cool in pan, 15 minutes.
Turn out of pan, remove paper, and cool completely on a rack, right side up.
Apply glaze, or dust with confectioners' sugar.

Quick Glaze
In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
until a smooth but thick glaze forms (too thin a glaze will be absorbed by the cake).
Place a piece of waxed paper under cooling rack for easy cleanup.
Spoon glaze back and forth over cake, forming a pattern.
Keep cake on cooling rack until glaze is set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Onion Bread
2 cups white flour  
1 tsp salt                
1 tsp sugar              
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 packet yeast (8gms)  
230 mls hand hot water

Put yeast and sugar in 200 mls of hand hot water
Stir
Leave about 5 minutes to activate the yeast
put the other ingredients into the food processor
Let it whiz not too fast
If it is not forming into a ball slowly add more water until it does

Turn out onto bench and start kneading by pulling edges into the middle
like a little parcel
Place in a greased bowl for about 1 hour to rise

Meanwhile
Finely slice a peeled red onion
Saute in 1 tablespoon olive oil
Add 1 tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander

Sea salt
Freshly brown black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon finely cut fresh coriander roots and stalks
Cook till soft and turning brown
Set aside and Cool
Take out the bread lay on the lightly floured bench and cover with the onion mixture

Push all the edges in and knead with till it forms a smooth ball
Back into greased bowl and cover for another 30 minutes

 When it has doubled

Take this lovely doungh and press down to a rectangle on a greased and floured tray

Bake at 205C about 20 minutes
Remove. it should sound hollow when you tap it
If not back in the oven about 5 more minutes

Looking good.
Now onto the main event
Red Lentil and Carrot Soup  (In My Net Diary look under Gillis Carrot and Lentil Soup)

I used the food processor to chop the vegetables and it was brilliant
You may notice Vegeta. WE discovered this in Croatia they put it in everything. You can buy it here. It is a Vegetable Stock powder. Gluten free Great flavour. A must for the pantry


55 gm unsalted butter      
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger 
1/2 tsp ground allspice     
1/2 tsp ground cumin     
1/2 tsp ground ginger     
and 1/2 tsp ground chili powder  
1tsp curry powder 
1 tsp ground coriander 
300 gms onions finely chopped   
143 gm parsnip      
100 gms chopped celery
1 k g sliced carrots    
200 gms swede peeled and chopped  

85 gms split red lentils     
25 gms long rain rice     
1 . 75 litres water
Vegeta 3 tablespoon    
400 ml can lite coconut cream  
2  tablespoons fresh lime juice 

MethodMelt the butter in a heavy based pan and
Add ginger, allspice, cumin, chilli powder
and Curry powder and coriander

Cook over a low heat for about 3 minutes stirring constantly
Add the vegetables and Vegeta
Stir to combine and cook about 8 minutes
Stir in lentils and rice
Then the water

 Bring to boil and simmer around 30 minutes till the vege are tender and the lentils break up

Into the blender
Bring back to boil
Add coconut milk and lime juice
Taste and adjust if necessary

Dont boil again just reheat
Just add Fresh coriander and serve

Grandma's Basic Beef Stew

This Thursday at Grandmas, I decided to make Beef Stew and Dumplings for the Grand-kids.
Its winter now don't you know and basic stick to the ribs food is necessary.
I wasn't sure how it would go but they loved it and second helpings all around
except of course for the littlest.
I used Rachel Allen's Dumpling Recipe, which is basically Irish Soda Bread.
The dumplings were very tasty but need to be eaten pretty soon after cooking. By the time I got to my dinner they were a bit heavy. I think I might try one of my scone recipes next time, could be lighter.
BUT the Stew was a Triumph and it is so basic and so tasty. I chopped the Mushrooms very fine as I know the kids are not wrapped on them. Make it small and hide, I say.


840 gms Blade Steak
3 tablespoons seasoned Flour
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 medium  Onions chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large Carrot chopped
1 stalk Celery chopped
150 gms finely chopped Mushrooms
1 medium Courgette grated
50 mls white wine

2 Massel Beef Stock cubes
2 litres Hot Water
2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup

Cut beef into cubes and dust with seasoned flour
Put 2 tablespoons olive oil into a med hot pan
Drop in the beef and brown.
Don't overcrowd the pan, you want a nice crust on the beef, for that extra flavour
Pop the cooked beef into your casserole dish
Add onions cook gently till soft
Season with little salt and pepper
Add celery, carrot and continue to cook till soft
Add to casserole

Add 1 more tablespoon oil to pan and add mushrooms
Season and after about 2 minutes, add courgettes
Continue ot saute about another 3 minutes
Add white wine and reduce down
Place in the casserole
dissolve the stock cubes in hot water
Use a little to get any scraps from the pan
All into the casserole along with the tomato ketchup
Stir well, Make sure everything is just covered.

Into 160C oven
Cook for about 2 hours
The aroma filled the kitchen.
Yum

While I was cooking the kids were cooking too
They love to make flower soup

Last week they were so enthusiastic, they completely denuded my Purple Pansies
Well I guess they needed de-heading
It made beautiful Purple Flower soup though

The Dumplings
Pre heat the oven to 230C

350gms plain flour
3/4 level tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
300 mls buttermilk

Mix with claw hand till it blends  together
Onto floured board
Press out to 2-3 cms thick
Cut into small scones

Place on top of stew not too close together

Brush with beaten egg and a little water

230C for 10 minutes
200C for 20 minutes

The kids love my Broccoli
I just break it into florets
Blanch in boiling salted water, for about 3 minutes
Drain and run cold water over it, to stop cooking and keep green

When you are ready to serve
Heat a pan to medium
Add 1 tablespoom olive
and 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Just cook for a couple of minutes be careful not to brown
It could become bitter
Toss the Broccoli in the oil and cook for a couple of minutes till they heat up
Grind some black pepper on top
And a good squeeze of lemon juice.


For pudding Banana Fritters
Pieces of Bananas dipped in Batter
Fried and then rolled in cinnamon and suge
Eaten in the hand with cream and molten Nutella

Ms Mia did a lovely presentation of hers