Pesto prawns on the BBQ

These prawns turned out really well, and according to Finney (prawn aficionado), they didn't overwhelm the flavour of the prawn, and were perfect on the barbeque.

Basil Pesto

1 bunch basil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup toasted pinenuts
1/3 cup grated strong italian hard cheese - parmigianno or asiago
good pinch salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup good olive oil

Whiz all but olive oil in the food processor into a chunky paste then gradually add olive oil until combined.

Pesto can be used as a dip, fold through cooked pasta or as a marinade for fish, chicken or prawns.

For the prawns, I used 500g green prawn cutlets (ie peeled, cleaned but tail still on) and used about 2/3 of the above pesto to marinate for a couple of hours. Add a glug or two extra olive oil if needed.

BBQ until prawns are cooked. Voila

Rrrraspberry Crrrreme Crrrrrush aka Raspberrry Meringue Trifle

I had to come up with a kid friendly summer dessert so decided to invent a triffly-like pudding (everyone like trifle right?) with meringue and raspberry. 

Was pretty happy with the result and let Jack and Mali have naming rights. They collectively settled on 'Raspberry Creme Crush' with rolled 'rrrr's' of course.  They gave this creation 11/10 in Masterchef rating style.

Jelly layer - bottom of bowl
2 x pkts raspberry jelly made up with 2/3 amount water
1 1/2 cups raspberries added

Set in fridge

Creme layers
2 x pkts Weight watchers strawberry pudding - made to instructions
250 ml thickened cream with 1 tbs icing sugar - whipped to soft peaks
1 1/2 cups raspberries

1. Make up pudding to instructions and add to top of set jelly
2. Top with raspberries
3. Top with whipped cream

Meringue layer
I went back to my 'Cookery the Australian Way' bible for the meringue recipe, but the following is fine:

2 egg whites
pinch salt
pinch creme of tartar
1/2 cup caster sugar
Couple drops red/pink food colouring

1. Beat egg whites with salt and tartar still peaks form
2. Gradually beat in sugar until thick and glossy
3. Beat in food colouring for a pale pink meringue
4. Put spoonfuls of mixture on a lined baking tray and bake at 120 degrees C for 2 hours (then leave in turned off oven for a few hours until dry)
5. Crumble meringues over trifle.
6. Refridgerate until needed - Voila

Cocktails

Here are two cocktail recipes, just for you Daxuan.

Sex on The Beach
20 ml Chambord
15 ml Midori
90ml pineapple juice
60 ml cranberry juice

Shake all ingredients together with heaps of ice.


Absolut Cracker..Makes 2
4 large strawberries,
2 tsp sugar
1 lemon juiced
60ml prepared earl gey or ladt grey tea, cooled
90ml Absolut Vanilla vodka
30ml Chambord, or other berry liquer

Muddle strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in glasses.
Place all ingredients in cocktail shaker half filled with ice.
Shake well and pour.
Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper.

Pedro ximenez and grand marnier

Pedro ximenez and grand marnier is a great flavor combo. Either on ice, stirred together with a cinnamon stick or added to .......

Crunchy Thai chicken rounds

Kathy put me on to this tasty recipe from the Women's Weekly. Although I can never find it on their web site :(

250g chicken mince
2 tblspns coconut milk
1 1/2 tblspns sweet chilli sauce
2 tspn finely chopped fresh lemon grass
1 1/2 tblspns lemon juice
2 tblspns finely chopped coriander
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large green cucumbers (800g)

Cook chicken in heated medium non-stick frying pan, stirring until browned slightly, cool 5 mins. Process chicken until finely chopped.
Combine chicken with coconut milk, sauce, lemon grass, juice, coriander & garlic in medium bowl, cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Cut cucumbers diagonally into 1cm slices.Divide chicken mixture among slices. Top with coriander leaves, if desired.
Makes 25

Quinoa, rice and lentil salad with spicy cauliflower

I hadn't cooked quinoa before, so I thought it was time. I spotted this recipe in The Age Epicure this morning. It's quite tasty and healthy!

200g quinoa
200g red rice
150g black lentils
100ml olive oil, 3 tbs extra
2 brown onions, sliced
100g dried cranberries
1 orange zested and juiced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp groiund coriander
1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cauliflower, broken into florets
200g pistachios
1 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

Dressing:
1 lemon juiced
1/2 - 1/2 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt & pepper

Cook quinoa in pot of boiling salted water for 12-14 mins.
Drain and set aside.
Cook rice and lentils in pot of boiling water for 20 mins.
Drain and set aside.
Heat frying pan with 100ml oil. Add onions and caramelise.
Soak cranberries in ornage juice. until plump.
Mix cumin, flour and ground coriander and toss the cauliflower in this mix,
Heat 3 tbs oil in frying pan and fry cauliflower over low heat for 10 mins.
Toss drained quinoa, rice and lentils with the cauliflower.
Add onions, cranberries and zest and juice, nuts and herbs.
Shakle dressing ingredients rtogether and add to salad.
Mix well.

Doughnut Flavoured Muffins

Yes I make muffins often becuase they are good lunch box fodder. I know doughnut flavoured muffins sounds odd, but really you could call them cinnamon-nutmeg muffins. I love cinnamon, so I guess that's why they work for me!

2 ½ cups flour
2 ½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp nutmeg
½ cup oil
1 1/8 cup sugar
1 1/8 cup milk
1 large egg
Berry jam

TOPPING
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup sugar
1 – 2 tsp cinnamon
Set oven to 190C. Put muffin liners in 12 muffin pan.
Into large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
In another bowl mix together oil, sugar, egg & milk. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stirt to combine. Spoon mixture to half fill muffin pans. Add half teaspoon of jam in centre of each muffin, then top up with remaining mixture. Bake for 20 mins. Remove from oven and while still warm brush with the melted butter then sprinkle with combined sugar and cinnamon.