editor, Author at The Kind Cook

Caramelized Peaches

on June 6, 2012

Food just doesn’t have to be hard. Quick, easy, cheap and yum dessert idea. I had an urge to caramelise some peaches but they aren’t in season, so I just grabbed a can from the supermarket last night and they were just lovely. I gave them a go on the BBQ first but I achieved a much deeper colour and caramel cooking them in a pan on the stove top.

YOU NEED

Some canned peach halves in syrup

#optional – some coconut/ soy yoghurt or ice-cream

YOU DO

Heat a little oil in a non stick pan. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, gently remove a few peach halves from the can and place in the pan. You don’t want a ton of juices in the pan because they will stew instead of grill. Don’t over fill the pan either. Heat the peaches until they become a lovely charred look and the sugars from the fruit and syrup caramelise.

That’s it!

Serve with coconut yogurt or coconut or soy ice cream. I get my coconut yoghurt from my local organic grocer. It’s a brand called COYO.

Serves: Makes as much as you want.

Time: I didn’t time this but it’s a quick recipe

Freezing: Not suitable.

Note: If you can get fresh peaches, just brush them with some pure maple syrup and them cook them J

Apricot Balls

on June 6, 2012

TWO ingredients and a few minutes.

I had a random hankering to make some apricot balls recently, despite my intense dislike for dried fruit! I had never made them before, so I did some research. All the recipes I found had butter, condensed milk though so I figured I would just source plant based alternatives. I also wanted the Apricot Balls to have a lovely smooth texture.

In my 1st attempt I skipped the butter but bought some soy condensed milk and they were nice. Then I made some without any sweetener. The apricots are sweet enough so I figured why add sugar. Because I didn’t add a sweetener I needed less coconut, so these are quite soft. After some refrigeration that they will firm up though.

YOU NEED

1 X 225 gram pack of “soft and juicy Mediterranean” apricots. (I used Angus Park brand which I picked up in the supermarket)

½ cup desiccated coconut

An additional ¼ cup of desiccated coconut

YOU DO

Blend the first 2 ingredients until they are combined and smooth.

Place the additional ¼ cup of coconut into a shallow rectangle Tupperware container (or small tray).

Ball the mixture, (about a heaped teaspoon per ball) and place the balls into the container along with the coconut. Shake the container back and forward until all the balls are covered in coconut.

Cover and refrigerate.

DONE.

Serves: Makes 24 balls

Time: Takes circa 7 minutes

Note: There is no reason you can’t blend your mixture for less time so that you have chunks and if you can’t find “super juicy apricots” which are much sticker than normal apricots just add a little pure maple syrup when you blend the apricots. Or coat the balls in a little water so that the coconut sticks.

Warm Mexican Rice Salad

on May 29, 2012

YOU NEED

2 cobs of corn, cut into 8 pieces each

1 large brown onion, peeled and diced

1 green capsicum (also known as bell pepper), core out and fairly finely sliced

1 1/2 cups of long grain white rice

1 tin of crushed tomatoes (I use organic Italian crushed tomatoes)

2 cups of vegetable stock

1/4 cup oil (I used rice bran oil)

1 bunch of coriander, washed well, stems finely sliced and leaves roughly chopped

2 tablespoons of dried oregano

2 bullet chillis for garnish, sliced lengthways, seeds out (or not) and finely sliced

YOU DO

Gently heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the rice and stir to combine and coat the rice.

Add the tomatoes, stock and oregano, bring to the boil then reduce to a light simmer and cover.

While the rice is cooking lightly steam the corn, Then toss the capsicum and corn in large pan with a small amount of oil until coloured. (Doing the corn on the BBQ works beautifully and you get that lovely smoked flavour that works so perfectly with Mexican dishes.)

Once the rice is ready (takes approx 20 minutes) stir through the capsicum, corn and coriander and serve garnished with the chilli.

This is a great salad to serve with a Mexican meal, to take to a BBQ or portioned into work lunches.

By adding some avocado and beans you can pump up the fill factor. Its quick, cheap, easy and I love it,

Servings: 2

Time: Approx 30 minutes

Freezing: Not suitable

Sweet Asian Greens w/ Almonds & Sticky Rice

on May 28, 2012

YOU NEED

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of minced ginger

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

red chilli (to taste), cut in half lengthways and sliced finely

½ cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon of soft brown sugar (or agave)

2 tablespoons of mirin

1 bunch of bok choy, washed well and ends trimmed

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed

handful of Chinese broccoli, ends trimmed

good handful of green beans, top and tailed

1 bunch of spinach, washed well, ends trimmed

handful of almonds

1 cup of glutinous rice (I get mine from my local Asian grocer). Otherwise steamed basmati or brown rice goes beautifully with this dish too.

YOU DO

Cook the rice as per packet instructions

Heat the oil in a wok (or large pot), gently sauté the garlic, ginger and chilli.

Add the hoisin, sugar and mirin. Stir till the sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are well combined.

Steam your vegetables. I just barely cook my veg. I like it quickly coloured but super crisp. I do my asparagus and Chinese broccoli 1^st for a minute or so and then I add my beans for another minute or so and finally my bok choy and spinach.

Reheat the sauce, add the veg and toss it through the sauce. Throw in your almonds.

DONE.

Serve with rice.

Servings: 2

Time: Approx 30 minutes

Freezing: Not recommended

Notes: You could cook your vegetables in the wok, but I prefer not to because my sauce reduces too much so just gently steam them and add them once cooked.

Cheesy Cauliflower Fritters

on May 22, 2012

I loved the pakoras I made recently and they have been such a hit so I wanted to play with some similar ideas with some other vegetables. After a couple of experiments I got to cauliflower but I felt more like a cheesy type fritter than a heavily curried, garlic and herb infused batter, so I skipped all those ingredients this time around and just used a couple of more mild flavours, some nutritional yeast and coated the cauliflower lighter in the batter.

This is another great one for a cold Sunday afternoon snack or for lunch on flat bread with hummus and salad or for a party.

YOU NEED

1/4 cauliflower head

1 cup chickpea flour (also known as besan flour or garbanzo flour)

water ( I have not given an amount because the amount varies between flours)

1 teaspoon of onion powder

5 tablespoons nutritional yeast (this is what makes it taste cheesy). I get my nutritional yeast from my organic grocer, from health food stores and online.

1 long red chilli, halved, seeded and finely sliced

1 teaspoon of salt

oil for frying (I use safflour or rice bran for frying)

extra salt for garnish

YOU DO

Heat a small pot of oil. I highly recommend getting a thermometer. You can pick them up for $20-$30. I judge the heat by look and experience but if you are unsure you will always know you have your oil at the right temperature. I also test the oil by throwing a tiny piece of bread into the oil when I think it’s ready and if the bread goes straight to the top and sizzles, the oil is hot enough.

While the oil is heating mix all the ingredients, except for the cauliflower in a large bowl until well combined and you have a thick batter. Just add water very slowly until you reach a thick batter. It needs to be thick though.

Cut the cauliflower into thin slices. You will find you will end up with some lovely complete slices of cauliflower and lots of smaller bits.

Put the cauliflower into the batter and mix well. The cauliflower will have a thin coating of batter. Enough for a crunch once fried.

Carefully place the cauliflower pieces, a few at a time into the oil and fry till golden brown. Place onto draining paper and season again with salt while the oil is still hot.

Serve immediately.

Serves: Yields a good amount but actual fritter pieces is always going to vary depending on how you cut the cauliflower. This quantity makes enough for half a dozen people to snack on along with other nibbles.

Time: This took me about 20 minutes

Freeze: Not suitable.

Smoky Corn Chowder

on May 17, 2012

I posted this picture a millennium ago, promising a recipe and after 4 play arounds, I have finally achieved the consistency and flavour I was after.

I LOVE CORN and I love chowder and like most things with a little experimenting, you can achieve a dairy free version.

I hope you like it too.

YOU NEED

corn kernels from 6 cobs of corn (I use organic)

3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

3 large celery ribs, washed well and chopped into a fine dice

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon of ginger

1 litre of vegetable stock

an additional 250ml of vegetable stock

250ml of Bonsoy (I chose this plant based milk because it is very creamy in textures)

1 large bunch of coriander, washed well, stems finely slices and leaves roughly chopped

#optional ~ liquid smoke (for that smoky flavour)

YOU DO

In a small pot put 2 of the potatoes and the 250ml of stock in a small pot, bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and gently simmer until the potato is tender. Blend and put aside.

In a large pot heat a little oil and gently sauté the celery for a few minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir a minute or so longer.

Add the corn and the 1 litre of stock bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the potato and continue to simmer until the potato is cooked.

Just prior to serving, add the Bonsoy and the additional 250ml of stock and potato that you cooked earlier to the soup, bring it back to the boil and add the coriander and the liquid smoke to taste if you are using it and serve with crusty bread or corn chips.

# You can also use a little burrito or fajita Mexican seasoning for that lovely smoky taste if you do not have liquid smoke.

Servings: Serves 4.

Time: Takes about 35-40 minutes.

Freezing: Not suitable.

Thai Red Curry w/ Lentils & Vegetables

on May 14, 2012

YOU NEED

1 X 400 gram can of lentils (I normally buy and cook dry lentils, but I wanted a fast dinner)

a couple of handfuls of green beans, top and tailed and washed

1 bunch of Asian broccoli, with the woody ends removed

1 bunch of fresh spinach, washed

1 large red onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 large carrots, not peeled and chopped into large chunks

4 large pieces of pumpkin with skin off and the seeds removed

handful of fresh basil leaves, washed

1x 400gram can of coconut milk

1x 270 gram can of coconut cream

4 tablespoons of red curry paste (I use “Asia Specialties Red Curry Paste which I get in Aldi)

a couple of fresh lemons to serve

YOU DO

Steam all your vegetables (except the spinach). I steam my carrots for 15 minutes or so until they are tender and then remove them and put aside. Then I steam my pumpkin until its tender and lastly my broccoli and beans for only a couple of minutes because I like them crunchy.

While your vegies are steaming, sauté the onion in a large pot with a little oil (or water) until softened. Add the curry paste and stir for a minute or 2 on a low to medium heat.

Add the coconut milk and cream and whisk. Add the lentils and the cooked vegetables and bring everything to the boil.

At the last second toss in your spinach and basil, stir to combine and serve with steamed rice.

Squeeze some fresh lime over the top when you serve it too.

If you are a tofu person, some cubes of firm tofu heated through the soup is a lovely addition to this too.

Servings: Serves 4.

Time: Takes 30-45 minutes.

Freezing: Not suitable

Pad Thai

on May 11, 2012

YOU NEED

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ tablespoon fresh minced ginger

1 small red chilli, finely sliced

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

¼ cup soy sauce (or Tamari if you want this to be gluten free)

¼ cup soft brown sugar (or you could use agave instead if you prefer)

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons peanut butter (I only had smooth but crunchy would be brilliant in this)

200 grams rice noodles

2 cups Chinese cabbage, finely shredded

1 cup spring onion, washed and finely sliced

1 large bunch coriander, washed well, roots finely sliced and leaves roughly chopped

#optional 200 grams tofu (I use Blue Lotus Organic), cut into cubes

½ cup peanuts

handful dried shallots

YOU DO

Heat the oils in a wok and sauté the ginger, chilli and garlic on a low heat. Turn the heat off.

Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, lime juice and peanut butter together in a bowl, add to the wok and stir to combine.

Cook or soak the noodles as per the packet instruction and drain. Be careful to not overcook them.

Bring the sauce in the wok to the boil and add the noodles, cabbage, spring onion, coriander and tofu, is you are using it. Mix everything well.

Serve immediately and garnish with the peanuts and dried shallots.

Yields: 2 serves.

Time: Takes about 25 minutes.

Freezing: Not suitable.

Sesame Toffee Fruits

on May 10, 2012

I have been playing around with this concept all day. Toffee apples remind me of my childhood. My favourite part was always the toffee though and I could never get through a whole apple after tackling all that toffee. So I have done bite sized toffee fruits.

I tried melon this morning which was an epic fail. I also tried using brown sugar for the toffee….another epic fail. When I was a professional chef I made loads of toffee but it’s been a while and this is my 1st attempt in years.

Well another trip to the supermarket to get different fruits, 4 wasted cups of organic brown sugar and a lot of pot watching later, I have cracked the jackpot.

They look so beautiful on the platter. It was hard to really capture just how beautiful. They would be a great “petit four” at a dinner party.

YOU NEED

a collection of Medjool dates, giant red grapes, green grapes and strawberries.

4 cups of white castor sugar

1 cup of water

1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar

1/3-1/4 cup of sesame seeds

YOU DO

Pop the sesame seeds into a small deep dish and place next to your stove top.

Lay out a sheet of baking paper on your bench next to the stove top and the dish of sesame seeds.

Spike all your fruits all with a small bamboo skewer. Be careful now because the more you move them now, the more likely you are to make the whole for the skewer to big and the fruit will drop off.

Bring the sugar and water to the boil in a small pot, until all the sugar has dissolved. Using a wet pastry brush gently brush the sides of the pot.Try not to touch the sugar and water mix with the brush.

Once the sugar mix comes to the boil add the cream of tartar and turn heat down to a low simmer.

Simmer till the toffee becomes “hard crack”. This feels like a millennium. As the toffee gets closer DONT walk away from it. You can tell if its hard crack when you dip a teaspoon into the toffee and then let toffee from the spoon drip into a cup of ice water and when you pull the toffee out of the water it cracks and doesn’t bend. (If you don’t push the toffee to this point it will be extremely chewy and difficult to eat. If you push the toffee too hard though it will start to get too brown and from there will rapidly turn black.) Just keep an eye on it when it starts to colour and turn the heat off as soon as it gets to a “hard crack”. If you think you are close, carefully dip one of your fruits, let it cool and see if the toffee cracks when you bite it.

Once the toffee is ready, dip the fruit into it, one at a time until all of the fruit is covered in toffee. Scrape the excess toffee off from the fruit on the edge of the pot and sip into the sesame seeds. Set aside on the baking paper and repeat process until all your sesame toffee fruits are done and serve.

This is a cheap recipe with only a few ingredients. Just don’t be afraid to tackle toffee. It’s a rewarding outcome. A plateful of glossy, sweet, sesame fruit 🙂

Servings: Varies depending on what fruit you use, what size it is and how much toffee you use before it gets too hard to work with. I ended up with a decent size platter of toffee fruit bites though.

Time: Have not yet timed

Freezing: Not suitable for freezing.

Notes: Caution this is NOT a dish to do with the kids. Toffee is extremely dangerous. At no point dip your finger into the toffee. If a piece of fruit falls in, use a spoon to get it out and discard it.

Caramel and Coconut Banana Bites

on May 10, 2012

If you haven’t noticed yet, I LOVE coconut. I also LOVE caramel and see no reason why people use butter to create it. I also like a treat. I hope you love this dish as much as I do 🙂

YOU NEED

2 bananas

150 grams of self raising flour

¼ teaspoon bi carb

1 cup of soda water

½ – 1 cup of desiccated coconut

½ cup of coconut milk

½ cup of soft brown sugar

icing sugar to garnish

oil for frying (I use rice bran oil)

YOU DO

Get a small pot of oil on and heat it until it is hot enough to make a tiny piece of bread sizzle once it hits the oil. # Note the optimum temperature for frying is 180 c. Investing in a temperature gauge, even if you fry very occasionally is really helpful.

Place the desiccated coconut on a plate and set aside.

Put the coconut milk and the brown sugar into a small pan, bring to the boil and simmer on a medium heat until it thickens.

While your caramel is on the go, sift the flour and bi carb into a bowl and whisk in the soda water until you have a smooth batter.

Peel each banana and cut them into 3 or 4.

With one hand, dunk a banana piece into the batter (shake off any extra…this is messy). Then with your other hand gently roll the battered banana through the coconut until it is covered.

Carefully pop in the oil and cook till golden, then gently pull out with tongs. Set aside on draining paper. Repeat till all pieces of banana are battered and cooked. Serve with the caramel, dust with icing sugar and serve straight away with coconut ice cream.

Servings: Serves 2 fabulous portions or 4 polite serves 🙂

Time: Took about 30 minutes

Freezing: Not suitable