A simple dough, almost ready for the oven
This is only my second loaf. A very simple recipe that I’ll share once I have it right. Wish me luck!
My bread experiment
Monthly Archives: April 2015
Eggplant Parmigiana
Eggplant parmagiana
Preparation Time
About an hour including cooking time
Ingredients
- 1 x eggplant
- ½ a butternut pumpkin
- 3 x tomatoes
- 1 x onion
- 1 x egg
- ½ a cup of flour
- 2 x cups of panko crumbs
- 1 x cup of cheese
- 2 x cloves of garlic
Method
Slice the eggplant into 1.5cm rounds. Coat them in flour, dip them in beaten egg and crumb well with panko crumbs. Slice the pumpkin into 1cm slices and fry until golden. Sauté the onion and garlic. Slice the tomato into half-centimetre rings and heat through in the microwave. Fry the eggplant until golden brown. Top with the tomatoes, onion mix, and cheese. I heated them for half a minute in the microwave to melt the cheese, but you could grill them lightly instead. Serve with salad or vegetables.
What worked?
The eggplant was delicious, without needing to be salted. It was firm and very tasty.
What didn’t work?
The panko crumbs were slightly over-cooked. I’d cook it a bit less next time.
Any surprises?
Nope!
Cost?
Under $10 for three serves.
Quote
The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: love for those you are cooking for.
– Sophia Loren
Cauliflower Soup
Preparation Time
About an hour including cooking time
Ingredients
- 1 x Large cauliflower
- 1 x Leek
- 1 Tablespoon of chicken stock powder
- 1.5 Litres of water
- 1 x Stalk of fresh shallot
- Small carton of sour cream
- Fried shallots
Method
Chop the cauliflower into chunks. Slice the leek into 0.5cm rings. Place in a pot on the stove with water and chicken stock. Boil until tender. Use either a blender or stab mixer to blend the mixture to a thick soup consistency. Return to the pot and add two tablespoons of sour cream. Stir through, reheat and serve. We garnished with an extra scoop of sour cream, fried and fresh shallots.
What worked?
It worked and was delicious.
What didn’t work?
Nothing.
Any surprises?
No surprises – a really simple recipe.
Cost?
Under $15 for four serves.
Quote
A recipe has no soul, YOU as the cook MUST bring soul to the recipe.
~ Thomas Keller
Thai-Inspired Tuna Wraps
Thai-inspired tuna wraps
Preparation Time
About 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 x 425g Tin of tuna in brine
- Half a bunch of coriander
- Half a continental cucumber
- A white or red onion
- 3 x Mint leaves
- 1 x Tomato
- 1 x Teaspoon of lime juice
- 1 x Teaspoon of fish sauce
Method
Open and drain the tuna. Dice the onion, cucumber and tomato. Finely slice the coriander and mint leaves. Put all of the ingredients in a bowl, adding the lime juice and fish sauce. Mix well and serve on your choice of flat bread. We paired it with hummus and chilli sauce, and garnished it with a coriander leaf.
What worked?
Very simple to make and serve.
What didn’t work?
Really juicy tomatoes can make the wraps drip.
Any surprises?
Also works well as a dip with crackers.
Cost?
Under $10 for two serves, assuming you have fish sauce and chilli sauce in the fridge.
Pasta-free Chicken Lasagna
Pasta-free Chicken Lasagna
Preparation Time
Around 20 minutes preparation and 45 minutes cooking but, as we all know, ovens vary.
Ingredients
- 500g Chicken mince (or any mince)
- 3 Tablespoons of pasta sauce. We used Leggos Napoletana but you can choose whatever you like
- 375g of ricotta cheese. We used smooth, but any will work
- 1 Egg
- As much spinach as you want. We used half a prepared bag
- 1 x Punnet of mushrooms, sliced. Quantity based on nice, even layers
- 2 x Zucchini, sliced length-ways in half-centimetre slices
- Grated cheese. We used lactose-free, as much as you need to cover the top
Method
Preheat the oven to 180° celcius (350° fahrenheit). Brown the mince in a frying pan. Add the pasta sauce and simmer for a minute. Set aside for later.
Combine the ricotta cheese and egg in a bowl. Slice the zucchini. Use a third of the chicken mince to create a layer in an oven-proof dish. Add a layer of zucchini slices, and then half the remaining mince. Then add a thin layer of the ricotta mix. Add an even layer of spinach, followed by an even layer of mushrooms. Add the remaining meat, then more ricotta mix and a final layer of zucchini. Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven and add a layer of grated cheese. Bake for a further 20 minutes, or until the lasagna is heated through and the cheese is browned.
Serve and enjoy! We paired the lasagna with home-made garlic bread.
What worked?
The chicken mince was tasty without overpowering the other ingredients.
What didn’t work?
Nothing.
Any surprises?
We accidentally bought smooth ricotta instead of firmer varieties (oops). So, the lasagna was amazingly moist, in fact juicy after baking. The taste was still excellent!
Cost?
About $15 for 6 generous serves.
Jelly Cream
Jelly Cream
Preparation Time
Approximately 5 minutes plus setting time.
Ingredients
- 1 x pack of jelly – I used port wine flavour, but any flavour should work
- 500ml of boiling water
- 5 tablespoons of thickened cream
- Chocolate and cream to serve
Method
Using boiling water, dissolve the jelly crystals in a heat-proof jug. Add 5 tablespoons of cream instead of the usual cold water. Stir the mixture and pour into serving bowls. Put the bowls in the freezer until the mixture sets – I left it for a couple of hours. Add a drizzle of cream and shave some chocolate on top before serving.
What worked?
Creamy texture, great colour and delicious.
What didn’t work?
Nothing.
Any surprises?
Yes! The jelly and cream separated, making two layers.
Cost?
Under $5 for two serves, not including leftover chocolate and cream.
The Versatile Cook 