Chicken Scrolls

Sometimes we pick up these Chicken Scrolls that the butcher makes. He always makes them so huge, plus with all that puff pastry they're too decadent to eat very often. I thought I'd try to replicate them. Everyone just hooked in. Bunny pulled up outside and said the yummy smells were wafting out the front.

500g chicken breast fillets - bashed with meat mallet to thin out
1 packet frozen spinach - thawed and then squeeze out the water
grated cheese, tasty and parmesan
two cloves of garlic - chopped
ground salt and ground pepper
two sheets puff pastry

Place the puff pastry sheets end to end. Layer, the flattened chicken, spread out the spinach, sprinkle on the garlic and spread out the grated cheese.





Roll up as tightly as possible, into a long sausage. Then slice and place flat onto a baking tray. Cook in a hot oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with vegetables and gravy.

Chicken Tikka Masala

This was absolutely delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by the whole family. I love using jar pastes, but this just blows all those others out of the water. While the quality of the pastes is very very good, making it yourself from scratch is just an amazing flavour. It's like a taste party in your mouth.

1 green chilli deseeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
large knob of fresh ginger, peeled
1 heaped teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon tomato paste
stems of coriander which you are going to use as garnish
1 small onion
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
generous pinch of ground coriander
1 teaspoon tumeric

500g chicken breast (thigh fillets would be better and I'll use them next time)

1 red capsicum, chopped
1 green capsicum, chopped
2 large handful snow peas
2 carrots, julienned
1 can evaporated milk (instead of using coconut milk which is high in saturated fats)

Chopped coriander for garnish
natural yoghurt (*see note)

Moosh up the first lot of ingredients in a food processor. I could have done them in the mortar and pestle, but this was much much faster. Cover the chopped chicken with the paste and leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight to enhance flavour.

Heat wok, cook chicken on high heat, it actually chars a bit which adds to the flavour. Let it sit for a few minutes before you even stir. When you stir add the carrots and capsicum in a layer to cook above the chicken. Turn the heat down at this stage and cook chicken for another few minutes depending on size of chunks of chicken. Add snow peas to soften, not too early because you don't want them mushy. You can add some water to deglaze the wok and add extra steam for vegies to cook. Add can of evap milk, heat through, but do not let it boil.

Serve on bed of basmati rice, with chopped coriander and generous dollop of natural yoghurt. *European yoghurt has a nicer consistency.

Enjoy.

Chilli Con Carne

I cooked a dish tonight that was absolutely wholesome, delicious, full of flavour and nothing like the recipe I was actually cooking. I'd copied a recipe from Jamie Oliver's website because I was interested in the combination of vegetables he added, but that was where the similarity ended. I tasted it, about half an hour after it had been simmering away, and honestly, I wouldn't have been able to eat it. So, here's my recipe.

500g Minced Pork and Veal
2 large brown onions, chopped
1 capsicum, chopped (I used yellow, but red or green would be great too)
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 sticks of celery chopped
3 large cloves garlic
1 can chick peas
1 can red kidney beans
2 cans diced peeled tomatoes

2 heaped teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon salt
generous sprinkle maggi seasoning
2 tablespoons mild mexican chilli powder
1 heaped teaspoon sweet paprika

Guacamole for serving
1 large avocado
half finely chopped white onion
1 medium clove garlic
chilli sauce
salt
Must all ingredients together for guacomole

For serving
1 packet plain corn chips
freshly baked bread rolls
chopped coriander

Using a large saucepan, cook all vegies to soften, then add mince, tomatoes, one of the cans filled with water, chick peas, kidney beans and all the spices. Bring to boil and them simmer for a couple of hours.

Serve this delish meat dish, with a generous dollop of guacomole and coriander. You can add sour cream too if you wish - dh did, I felt my meal was already decadent enough. We used the corn chips and bread rolls for dipping and scooping. This was a hit with everyone, even Sammy had seconds, which is rare.

Pizza Scrolls

Served 3 kids and 1 adult for lunch

3 sheets puff pastry
left over bits of
ham, bacon, pepperoni (I'm not good at quanities, I just use what's on hand, or what I think, and then usually decrease it, so I don't have too much)
grated cheese
Pizza sauce
half onion, chopped

Spread out pastry
Spread out a little pizza sauce - not much
Evenly spread mixed up other ingredients.
Roll up pastry. If your knife's not sharp, place into freezer for easy slicing.

I just sliced them up and then placed the scrolls flat on a baking tray. Cook scrolls in a hot oven for 16mins.

Delish, easy lunch.

* Apologies for the photo, it was of the leftover ones as I didn't think to photograph them until my gf asked for the recipe. Most of the others looked better.

Pesto Pasta

One thing that's really struck a chord with me of late as far as cooking is concern, is the importance of the quality of your ingredients. I've always used the best I could afford, but I've now learnt, that not only will good ingredients end in a good result, but you can keep things fairly simple. This point is really highlighted when I make my own pesto. I love pesto - absolutely love it. Even the bought stuff is okay, but when you eat a homemade version - it's just heaven on a fork. Even my dh doesn't clamour for the 'meat' when I cook Pesto Pasta. As my beautiful greek basil bushes are doing so well, I gave them a trim, in the name of this dish.....I can't wait for the basil to grow quickly enough so I can make it again. It's so fast and easy to make and you need a food processor or bamix or something that will chop it all up nice and fine and mooshy.

Pesto
2-3 cups fresh basil, if you're using home grown stuff you can use the stalks that aren't woody
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (extra for garnish)
1/4 cup olive oil
60g Parmesan cheese
I added a little water, you could add more oil if you wish.

Moosh it all up in the food processor. Refrigerate until use.

Cook pasta ( I prefer fettuccine for this) , drain and then toss into a large bowl with all the pesto. Stir, place in bowls add freshly ground peppercorns, more pine nuts and coarsely grated parmesan.

I guarantee you will be licking the sides of the bowl when you finish. I used the lot for two good size serves - the kids didn't have any. Maybe next time!

Salsa Chicken and Wedges

Tami: I'm so pleased that you and your family enjoyed the hamburgers. You have inspired me to continue on with my recipe blog. I just haven't taken the time of late, and often I make things which I forget........

Salsa Chicken and Wedges

Serves 2 adults and three kids.

Two large Chicken breast fillets cut horizontally to make more
a jar of salsa
thinly sliced ham
grated cheese

Wedges
5 pontiac potatoes (smallish)
1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
medium chilli powder
coarsely ground sea salt

Chop potatoes in quarters and place in a bowl with oil, chilli powder and salt. Mix with hands to cover. Place on tray with baking paper.

Using the excess oil, add the chicken breast pieces into the bowl and cover them with the chilli mixture too.

Place on baking papered tray. Layer a thin slice or two of ham, then grated cheese and then spoon on salsa. I find the thicker salsa works best rather than the really runny one as you lose some of the water and it can make a mess if you're not careful. Use a cookie tray that has sides, so it'll catch the excess juice.





Cook the wedges in hot oven for 15 mins. Turn oven down a bit to around 180 (350) and then cook the chicken and wedges for 20 mins. So the wedges have a total time of 35 mins - we like the crunchy here.....



Serve with a green salad.

Hamburgers

I don't have a photo of them assembled because I wasn't thinking of putting it on here.

500g Pork Mince, Beef mince, or pork and veal mixed together would all be great
1 egg
small handful of fresh parsley
a couple of tablespoons of greek basil
a tablespoon of fresh oregano
1-2 teaspoons salt
2 cloves of garlic crushed
two slices of crust, chopped into small pieces

Mix everything together, I find it easier with my hands, I can mix it up better and ensure there's no clumps of herbs or bread. Sit in the fridge for an hour or so for the flavours to meld and for the bread to soften.

Mould into patties in the palm of your hand and cook in hot pan with peanut oil. Turn when brown. In a seperate pan fry some onions and bacon.

I just put them on nice thick toast bread with lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayonaisse and
BBQ sauce (and onions and bacon).

Absolutely delicious. I don't know how people can eat that mixed up mince from the fish and chip shop which has no flavouring blech........I've made a Thai variation before, where you add
. garlic
. coriander, fresh chopped
. onion
. bread
. fish sauce
. egg

and then on the bread I put carrot which has been cut with the peeler, snow pea sprouts and sweet chilli sauce. We all love them.

Vegetable Fritters and Dipping Sauce

Vegetable Fritters
3/4 Cup besan flour (ground chickpeas)
3/4 cup self raising flour
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
1 cup water
1 medium potato chopped finely
1 small eggplant chopped finely. I used two finger eggplants
1 medium zucchini chopped finely
250g cauliflower. I used broccoli because the caulis are really expensive at the moment, but they would definitely have tasted better than the broccoli

Oil for deep frying. I prefer peanut oil

Sift flours into a large bowl, stir in garlic, garam masala, chilli powder, seeds and coriander. Make well in centre, stir in water mix to batter, mix in vegies.

Deep fry heaped tablespoons of vege mixture. I like to deep fry this kind of thing quite slowly. It still needs to sizzle of course, but if you cook it a little more slowly, then all the vegies are cooked through. Turn when golden and finish cooking, the second side usually takes less time. I take them out and drain on paper towel in a baking dish and keep in in the oven, while I cook the other batches.

Yoghurt Dip
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup plain yoghurt (I prefer vaalia, because it’s more creamy and tastes better)
1 small fresh red chilli chopped (we like it hot so I left the seeds in, for the kids I would take most of them out)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Fry the cumin seeds dry in a pan, just until they are fragrant. Let them cool and then add to yoghurt, along with the other ingredients. This takes best made ahead, as the seeds soften.


This made quite a few fritters and we had lots left over as we used it for an entree. They werent as nice the second day, so if you don’t want about 25 or so fritters, you may need to halve the mixture. The recipe says it makes about 45 but they must cook for pygmies lol.......