editor, Author at The Kind Cook

“Cream” of Cauliflower Soup

on March 26, 2012

YOU NEED

1 small brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon of rice bran oil

1 small head of cauliflower, leaves removed and cauliflower cut into rough florets

1 large potato, peeled, washed and roughly chopped

2 cups of vegetable stock (I use Massel Brand)

2 cups of Bonsoy (I used Bonsoy in this because it is sooooooooooooooo creamy)

1.5 teaspoons of salt

pepper to taste

YOU DO

Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add the onion and sauté till coloured.

Add all of the rest of the ingredients except for the Bonsoy. Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer till the vegetables are tender.

Remove from the heat. Add the Bonsoy. Blend, check the seasoning and serve.

Servings: Have not yet recorded.

Time: 30 minutes

Freezing: Have never frozen this one

Bean Dip

on March 25, 2012

This is a great one for dinner parties. Dips are always such a welcomed dish to any occasion. It’s such an easy recipe but results in a rich, creamy fragrant treat.

Seriously, who needs to buy dips from the supermarket when they are this easy, cheap, fast and delicious to make at home.

YOU NEED

1 X 400 gram can of butter beans, washed well and drained

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (I use an organic cold pressed olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

YOU DO

Blend

Drizzle some olive oil over the top and serve.

Servings: Have not recorded.

Time: 5 minutes

Freezing: Have never frozen this one

Black Sticky Rice & Mushroom Gyozo

on March 24, 2012

As with most of my recipes, they begin with something I need to use up. Today it was mushrooms.

I started out with the intention of making a mushroom soup but felt inspired to find a use for some black sticky rice I recently purchased. I also was curious to make gyozo for the 1st time.

It was so much easier than I had imagined. I hope you give it a shot.

YOU NEED

1 packet of round dumpling skins. (You won’t need them all)

1/3 cup of black glutinous rice, rinse well then cook in plenty of boiled water until tender. (The packet didn’t have instructions in English but mine took about 30-40 minutes.)

2/3 of a cup of water chestnuts, washed, chopped into small dice

2/3 cup of spring onion, washed and finely sliced

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon of minced ginger

1 small brown onion, peeled and finely diced

1/2 teaspoon of fresh red chilli, finely diced with seeds and all

1 cup of mushrooms roughly chopped into small bits. #I used field mushrooms, as that is what was in the fridge

1 teaspoon salt

oil for cooking

YOU DO

While your rice is cooking, heat some oil in a pan, turn down to a medium heat and cook the onion until it starts to colour, add the garlic and the ginger and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.

Add the chilli and the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have softened coloured and cooked right down.

Throw in the spring onions, water chestnuts and salt and cook for a another couple of minutes and set aside

Once the rice is cooked add it to the mushroom mix and stir well to combine.

Lay out your dumpling skins. Place approximately 1 teaspoon of mixture in the middle of each skin. DON’T be tempted to overfill them because you will tear the skins and/or struggle to seal them.

Wash your hands and get a small dish of cold tap water and place next to your dumpling rows. Wet your fingers with the water and dab you fingers around half the dumpling skin circle on the side furtherest away from you.

Doing 1 dumpling at a time, gently pick up the side closest to you and gently fold it over the top of the filling…folding away from you. Gently press the flat half moon side of the gyozo. Repeat this process untils all your dumpling skins are now little half moon gyozos.

Using a fork make small indentations on the flat part of the gyozo. This helps close the seal and also decorates it. As you finish your batches pop the aside on a spare bit of bench or plate and lay out your next batch.

Once all your gyozos are assembled, put a large non stick pan on the stove top and add approx a centimetres worth of water into it, along with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and bring to the boil. Place your gyozos in batches (not touching) into the pan, flat side down and cover with a wok top.

Cook on high heat with top on for a few minutes, then remove the top and allow the water to evaporate. As the water gets lower turn the heat down to a simmer until all the water is gone. Check that your gyozo are not sticking. If they are just add a little more oil and continue cooking until almost all the water is almost gone and the bottom of your gyozo are coloured and put aside. Repeat this process in batches until all your gyozo are cooked.

You should end up with sticky, steamed tops and crunchy, coloured bottoms.

Serve immediately with soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce

Servings: Made approx 30. Maybe a couple more as I was testing them on the way 🙂

Time: Haven’t timed

Freezing: Perfect for freezing. I popped a lot in the freezer on a plate (not touching) and once frozen popped them in a sealed container for a quick dinner or snack for another day.

Roasted Potato, Garlic & Rosemary Soup

on March 17, 2012

This is the easiest soup to make and is packed with flavour. It’s one I have been making since I was a professional chef and remains a family favourite on wintery nights.

Easy. Creamy. Fragrant. Cheap. Filling, Meat free, Dairy free. Soup recipe.

YOU NEED

1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into rough cubes

4 large sprigs of fresh rosemary

4 medium cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1.25 litres of vegetable stock (I use Massel Brand because it is gluten free)

Salt/pepper to taste

YOU DO

Preheat your oven to 180%

Put the potatoes, rosemary and garlic into an oven tray. Place them in the oven and cook until the potatoes are tender.

Once the potatoes are cooked put the tray contents into a large pot. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Remove the rosemary stems and blend until the soup is smooth. Check the seasoning and serve.

Servings: Serves 4

Time: 15 – 20 minutes preparation. Approximately 45 minutes of cooking. This will depend on what size you cut your potatoes and your oven strength.

Notes: Add more stock if you want a more watery consistency.

You also can use half stock and half milk for a creamier result. Just use your favourite plant based milk. (I use creamy rice milk – Australian Own Organic brand)

Easy “Cheesy” Lemon & Pea Baked Risotto

on March 14, 2012

YOU NEED

½ cup water

1 medium brown onion, peeled and finely diced

1/2 cup of dry white wine

3 cups of vegetable stock

½ teaspoon of salt

pepper to taste

1 cup of Arborio rice

1 teaspoon of lemon rind

1/4 cup of nutritional yeast flakes, also known as savoury yeast.

extra ½ – 1 cup of stock

1/2 cup of garlic chives, washed and finely sliced

1 cup of frozen peas

2 handfuls of fresh spinach, washed

YOU DO

Preheat your oven to 200c

Heat the ½ cup of water in an oven proof tray. Add the onions and sauté on a medium heat until the onions are soft.

Add the wine and simmer until it has almost evaporated.

Add the stock, salt, some pepper and the rice. Stir to combine and bring to the boil. Then tightly (& carefully) cover the tray with foil and place it into the oven for 20 – 25 mins. #Mine was ready after 20.

Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the oven and stir through the nutritional yeast (ensuring it’s well combined). If the risotto is a little dry, place the tray on your stove top on a low heat and add a little of the extra stock until you get a desired consistency.

Check the seasoning. Throw in the peas (I throw them in frozen), chives and spinach. Serve immediately.

Servings: 2 large serves

Time: 15 minutes preparation. 20-25 minutes cooking. For my 20, I was just drinking homemade lemon squash 🙂

Notes: Nutritional yeast is available in most health food stores. This is what gives you the “cheesy” flavour.

Summer in a Glass

on March 13, 2012

YOU NEED

the flesh of 1 mango

1 cup of fresh pineapple

1 large orange

1 fresh lime

1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

handful of ice

YOU DO

Juice all the fruit. Mix through the ginger.

Pour into a glass.

Add ice.

Sit in the shade on a hot day, listen to the birds and watch the butterflies!

Servings: 1

Time: 5 minutes

Freezing: Best to drink straight away

Semi Dried Tomato & Macadamia Nut Spread

on January 17, 2011

YOU NEED

1 x 340 gram jar of semi dried tomatoes
1 cup of unsalted macadamia nuts

YOU DO

Place the semi dried tomatoes, the macadamia nuts and the oil from the semi dried tomato jar into blender and blend until you get your desired consistency. #I like mine quite lumpy. That way you get the crunch of the nuts.

Quick party dip. Use it as a sauce and toss some fresh cooked pasta through it. Spread it on sandwiches. I love it with falafel. IT. IS. DELICIOUS.

Yields: Approximately 2 and 1/4 cups.

Time: Less than 5 minutes.

Notes: There is need for salt or pepper as the semi dried tomatoes are so intense in flavour. If the flavour is too strong, (I love it as is) just add some dairy free cream cheese, which you find in Coles. That will soften the flavour.

#Note, I don’t have a fancy pants blender. I work with an old el cheapo hand blender until I can save up for a brilliant replacement.