editor, Author at The Kind Cook

Rhubarb, Rosewater & Lime Sorbet

on April 26, 2012

Rhubarb reminds me of my late grandma whom I adored. She and my Pappy use to grow it in their garden that they had for almost 60 years. Grandma would stew it and serve it with mountains of ice cream. Memories of my Grandma are centered around the food she use to make. She use to smell like roses too and would put rose scented soaps in her draw. She had the loveliest soft pink cardigan she use to wear also, so blossom trees in bloom with their beautiful pink buds and the scent of rose remind me of her as does rhubarb, short bread yo yo’s, caramel slice and warm hugs.

The colour of this sorbet and the ingredients are a tribute to a beautiful, kind and loving lady. I miss her every day, all these years later. I wish she was still here to see and share my passion for food.

YOU NEED

275mls of rhubarb juice (approx 2 bunches of rhubarb)

1/8 cup of fresh lime juice

1/2 cup of agave syrup

1/2 cup of water

3/4 teaspoon of rosewater

YOU DO

Bring the water and agave to the boil. Stir well to combine.

Add the rhubarb and lime juice, stir to combine, remove from heat and add the rosewater.

Pop the mixture into a metal tray and place in the freezer for a couple of hours till frozen.

Once frozen it’s still icy so just blend it and pop back in the freezer until it firms up again (approx 45 mins to an hour) and serve.

Apart from the freezing time this is SO fast and SO easy to make.

Servings: Made 2 decent serves or 4 more dainty serves 🙂

Time: The preparation and cooking time took me less than 20 mins.

Daikon Patties

on April 26, 2012

I had never in all my years of cooking, made anything with daikon, but someone asked me on The Kind Cook Facebook page about it. It got the little wheels in my head churning and then the other day I was at my organic grocers and I spotted a daikon.
I just threw in a bit of this and a bit of that, so you may want to change some of the ingredients. But I just went with Asian flavours that I thought would complement the daikon. I also wanted texture and crunch which is why I added the nuts.
I also really wanted little chunky patties. This meant the middle warmed through but essentially remain uncooked. Daikon can be eaten raw though, so I have no concerns there and the outside has texture. I guess if you flatten them if you wish to.
I didn’t think I would daikon, BUT I love these. It’s always cool to experiment with something new too. And the outcome was incredibly fragrant with the sesame oil and spring onions

YOU NEED

2 loose (ish) cups of daikon, peeled and grated

1/2 cup of spring onion aka “scallions”, washed and finely sliced

1 very generous teaspoon of sesame oil (mine over flowed by accident but turned out to be a nice amount)

3 teaspoons of sesame seeds

3 teaspoons of egg replacer, mixed well with 3 teaspoons of water until it forms a watery paste

1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder (I didn’t have any fresh on hand)

2 tablespoons of roasted and salted peanuts, crushed or roughly chopped

4 teaspoons of flour (I used red rice flour but use whatever is at hand and gluten free if that’s what you require)

1/2 cup of bread crumbs (always check the ingredients as most bread crumbs contain some dairy, eggs, fish etc)
oil for cooking

YOU DO
Once you have peeled and grated the daikon, place it on a plate and sprinkle a teaspoon of salt over the top. Leave it there while you collect and prepare all your other ingredients.

Once you have all your other ingredients washed, chopped and ready to go, throw them all into a large bowl.

Then go back to you daikon plate and grab handfuls of the daikon and squeeze all the water out of it. You want it to be as dry as possible. Once you have done that just throw it into the bowl with all the other ingredients.

Combine all the ingredients together and form into small balls, then flatten slightly into patties.

Press each patty down into the bread crumbs. Repeat for the other side.

Heat some oil in a large pan and cook the patties for a few minutes on each side until they are a golden brown.

Serve immediately with chilli and or tamari.

Yields: 8 small patties

Time: 30 mins

Freezing: Not suitable.

Honeycomb

on April 26, 2012

I found this old recipe from about 15 years ago, just the other day. It was one I use to make at a hotel in the city when I was still a chef. I haven’t made it since but didn’t recall it being such a logistical nightmare.

I use to love honeycomb though, especially choc dipped ….but alas all commercial honeycomb that I have found to date contains gelatine and I don’t really want to eat boiled skin from a pig or any other such “food products” in my treats. Needless to say I was excited to find this old recipe.

I am not going to lie to you though..it was a bitch to make and took me 3 attempts. It is such a simple recipe but the timing is paramount.

Satisfying if you can manage it though because then you can make cheesecakes, cupcakes, truffles or just coat it in chocolate.

YOU NEED

3 1/2 cups of castor sugar (yep, this one’s not a health food)

1/2 cup glucose

1 tablespoon of bi carb soda

1 cup of water

YOU DO

Read **ALL** my tips at the end

Sift the bi carb into a small bowl.

Lay a number of overlapping sheets of baking paper on a clear bench space

Get a baking tray and half fill it with ice and cold water and sit it near the stove.

Place the sugar, glucose and the water in a large pot. You definitely need a large pot. Bring it to the boil (don’t stir it at any point), and simmer till the toffee only JUST starts to colour.

Turn off the heat immediately. Add the bi carb and quickly stir it through the toffee. (It bubbles right up at this stage)

QUICKLY pop the pan into the tray of ice for a minute and the then quickly pour the mixture onto your baking paper. Wait for the honeycomb to set and then break it into portions.

Store in an air tight container in your pantry

Servings: I didn’t record how much this makes but it makes a decent quantity.

Time: I haven’t timed it yet either.

Freezing: Not suitable.

Notes: Definitely sift your bi carb or you will get lumps in your honeycomb.

This is absolutely not a recipe to make with children as the toffee reaches extremely high temperatures.

Don’t be tempted to push your toffee to colour or it will burn. I added my bi carb and turned off the heat as soon as I saw colour starting around the edges.

Do not be tempted at any point to touch or try the toffee until it has cooled completely.

GOOD LUCK 🙂

Cinnamon Scented Pumpkin & Black Bean Curry

on April 24, 2012

Just as the name suggests this is a sweet curry. It’s a quick fragrant nourishing meal for a cold night. It’s also beautiful to have for lunch the next day.

YOU NEED

1 small brown onion, peeled, cut into large dice

1 small red chilli, halved lengthwise, seeds removed and finely sliced

1 large tablespoon of curry powder

½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 can of good quality crushed tomato

1 cup of vegetable stock

2 cups of pumpkin, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 can of black beans, well rinsed and drained

YOU DO

Get your rice cooking If you are going to serve this with rice.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan and gently sauté the onion and chilli until they have softened and the onion has started to *caramelised. See Notes.

Put the curry powder in a small dry pan and carefully dry roast it over a low heat. Stir it as you go and only roast for a minute or 2 to bring the aromatics of the curry out.

Add the curry and the cinnamon to the onion and stir them over a low heat until they are well combined. Add the tomatoes, stock, black beans and pumpkin. Bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the pan and continue cooking until the pumpkin is tender.

I serve this with steamed brown rice and garnish it with loads of fresh washed coriander just before serving.

Yields: 2 large serves

Time: 25 minutes

Notes: Caramelising the onion is an important step. It means to cook the onion until it starts to brown and the natural sugars have come out. This gives the onion a sweeter, caramel flavour.

You can get black beans at well stocked health food stores and some supermarkets. If you can’t find back beans just substitute them with kidney beans or chick peas.

Formal Fruit

on April 24, 2012

I don’t really have a recipe for these. All you need is some dairy free dark chocolate and dairy free white chocolate (I used Sweet William brand for both today which is found in the health food aisle of many supermarkets and in health food stores), some lovely big strawberries and a just a little too much time on your hands 🙂

All you do is pop a piece of baking paper on your bench. Melt your white chocolate and holding the green tops of each strawberry, dip the entire fruit into white chocolate. Be careful to scrape all the excess from the bottom of the strawberry against the chocolate bowl before you lay it on the baking paper. Repeat until all strawberries are covered. Allow the white chocolate to set. I usually pop them in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

Then just melt your dark chocolate and one by one dip the strawberries into the chocolate on their left side and then on their right side, leaving a white chocolate triangle visible at the front of each strawberry. Once again scrape all the excess from the bottom of the strawberry against the chocolate bowl before you lay it on the baking paper. Repeat till all are done and allow the chocolate to set.

Then pipe little buttons and bow ties onto each strawberry and serve.

Simple but sweet 🙂

Orange & Almond Hot Chocolate

on April 22, 2012

It was overcast outside today and I was feeling rather glum and felt like chocolate. I love the combination of orange and chocolate too, so this is something I have had on my mind to try out for a while and it seemed like the perfect day to give it a go.

Whenever you have a recipe idea that you have never made before you worry it’s not going to work or live up to the picture you have in your head. I was worried the orange was not going to be strong enough or way too strong but it worked out PERFECTLY and with next to no effort and no need to do a few trial runs. The result was just as I had hoped… rich, sweet, generously scented with orange and really decadent tasting.

This will now be a family treat in our house on a cold day or when someone feels down and needs that warming feel of homemade hot chocolate.

YOU NEED

1 cup of almond milk (found pretty much everywhere these day. I buy Australia’s Own organic almond milk or make your own. See my Almond Milk Recipe)

1 large orange

1 tablespoon of pure cocoa

1/2 to 3/4 of a tablespoon of pure maple syrup or agave (if you dont’ have maple syrup or agave just use sugar)

YOU DO

Slice the rind from the orange then very carefully remove all the white pith from the rind.

Put the almond milk in a small pot with the orange rind and **slowly** bring to the boil. This is important because you want to give the oils in the orange peel time to impart their flavour into the milk.

Add the drinking chocolate and the agave and whisk till combined. Turn off the heat. Remove the orange rind.

Pour into your favourite mug and serve.

Servings: Serves 1.

Time: Took me less than 10 minutes to make.

Freezing: Not suitable

Vietnamese Vermicelli Salad

on April 19, 2012

Spicy, sour , fragrant, crunchy, simple and delicious. This salad packs a punch!

YOU NEED (for the salad)

2 x100 gram packs of vermicelli rice noodles

1 large red capsicum (also known as bell peppers), core removed, seeds out and very finely sliced

2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

a handful of spring onion (also known as scallions), washed, cut in 1/2, sliced into thin strips lengthwise

1 bunch of Vietnamese mint, washed and roughly chopped

a good handful of sweet basil, washed and gently torn

1 cup of crushed, salted and roasted peanuts

YOU NEED (for the dressing)

2 limes, juiced

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

1 small red chilli, halved and finely sliced (I have some that are REALLY hot at the moment and decided to live on the edge and not remove the seeds)

2 lemon grass stems, finely sliced. If you don’t have lemon grass stems, use a tablespoon of bought minced lemon grass. Do get fresh lemon grass if you can though, as it adds a nice crunch and is so fragrant).

1 tablespoon of coconut sugar (alternatively use soft brown sugar)

5 kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped

YOU DO

Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until they are well combined and set aside.

Prepare the noodles as per the packet instructions. If you are using hot water refresh them in cold water immediately and drain them. Grab handfuls of the noodles and roughly chop them with scissors. Shorter noodles make the salad easier to eat.

Combine the noodles with the rest of the ingredients (except for the nuts).

Add the dressing to the noodles mixture and stir well to combine.

Garnish with the crushed peanuts and serve.

Yields: Makes enough for 4. Or for 2 very hungry people

Time: 25 minutes

Notes: Just use normal mint if you can’t get Vietnamese. It’s not the same but you need mint because it gives the salad a cooling element.

Chilli Sans Carne

on April 19, 2012

Chilli con Carne is a recipe my mum likes to make and I love bean recipes so it was only a matter of time before I played with a veg version.

For those of you looking for a fast, easy dinner. I just used what was in the pantry and honestly it was up in 20 minutes flat.

It’s rich, warming tasty and uncomplicated. If making it for children you can simply leave the hot cayenne powder out.

YOU NEED

1 large red capsicum (also known as bell pepper), seeds and core out and cut into a smallish dice

2 large brown onions, peeled and finely diced

1 can of baked beans

1 can of red kidney beans, well rinsed

1 can of chickpeas, well rinsed

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1 can of good quality tomato soup

2 cups of vegetable stock (I use Masell brand)

1 teaspoon of cumin powder

1 teaspoon of hot cayenne powder

# optional – oil for cooking

YOU DO

Get some rice on and cooking to serve this with….

Heat some rice bran oil in a large pot (alternatively just heat a little water instead of oil). Add the onions and cook on a low to medium heat till they are soft and browned. Add the garlic, cumin, cayenne and capsicum and cook for another minute or so.

Add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine, bring to the boil and gently simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with rice, vegetables or salad.

# I would also suggest a teaspoon of smoky paprika would be awesome in this, to add depth and a “meaty” tone to it.

# This is S#P#I#C#Y, so if you are cooking it for the family, reduce or eliminate the cayenne.

Servings: 4-6

Time: Takes me about 20 minutes to make this one.

Freezing: Should be fine for freezing.

Pomegranate Glazed Vegetable Salad

on April 17, 2012

This a beautiful dish served with a nut roast with all the trimmings of gravy and roast potatoes. It’s also a gorgeous offering for a bbq along with other salads or can just be enjoyed as a meal.

YOU NEED

3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunky rounds

1 small sweet potato, cut into chunks

¾ cup of orange juice

3 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses

½ teaspoon Chinese five spice mix

1 handful of coriander roots, washed well and sliced finely

1 handful of fresh spinach

1 handful of raw walnuts

2 tablespoons of olive oil and some extra for serving

salt and pepper for seasoning

# optional pomegranate seeds for garnish

YOU DO

Pre heat your oven to 200c

Steam the carrots till they are partly cooked. You want to remove them when you can pierce them with a skewer or fork but you still get some resistance.

Place the cooked carrots and raw sweet potato chunks into a large bowl.

Combine the molasses, orange juice, the 2 teaspoons of olive oil and spice mix and pour into the bowl with the carrots and sweet potato. Stir well to combine

Place everything into a lightly greased oven tray and cook till the vegetables are tender and caramelised. This will take 30 – 40 minutes

Once the carrots and potato have finished cooking, remove them from the oven. Then very gently mix them with the coriander roots, walnuts, spinach, a little more olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve.

Serve warm or cold.

Yields: Makes enough for a lunch for one person or a small side for up to 4 people.

Time: 10 minutes prep and about 40 minutes cooking

Notes: I cook my carrots while I am gathering all my ingredients and doing my prep.

I would normally put pumpkin in this too because it adds sweetness to the salad which is a lovely balance for the sour of the pomegranate molasses.

Chilli Bean Potato Bake for 1

on April 17, 2012

YOU NEED

1 small brown potato, peeled and **very finely** sliced

½ small brown onion, peeled and finely sliced

½ can of red kidney beans, washed well and drained

¼ cup rice milk (I use Australian’s Own Organic rice milk)

1 large clove of garlic

½ teaspoon of smoky paprika

pinch of hot dried chilli flakes

3 tablespoons of tomato puree

½ teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of sugar

# nutritional yeast is a nice addition but don’t worry if you don’t have any.

YOU DO

Preheat your oven to 180%

Heat some oil in pan, brown off the onions, add the garlic and stir for another minute or so.

Add the paprika, chilli flakes, tomato puree, beans, salt and sugar. Stir to combine and bring to the boil. Set aside

Heat a little oil in a separate pan (just enough that it won’t stick) and gently cook the thin slices of potato one side, then turn them and do the other side.

Layer the potato and bean mix. If you have nutritional yeast sprinkle a bit on each layer.

Pour the milk over the top. Put your final layer of potato mix on the top. Glaze the potato on the top with some rice milk. Top that with nutritional yeast if you have some and place your dish into the oven. Cook until the potato is completely cooked, the dish is hot and the top layer of potato has browned. This takes approx 30 mins.

Serves 1 but you can easily increase to serve more. Double for 2 people, triple for 3 etc.

Servings: 1

Time: I haven’t timed this one.

Freezing: Not suitable for freezing