Chilli Cheesy Scones

Chunky Chili with Chilli Cheesy Scones

I have been completely snowed at work, I mean I am not even Twittering…well not as manically as usual anyway. And might I add it’s a thankless task, insanely cooking day and night, night and day as though every recipe in the world has to be Thermomixed! Sometimes, I just like to cook using something else….(Pick yourself up off the floor, don’t give up on me just yet!)…I DID still use the Thermomix in this recipe, how could I not? Just not the entire recipe! This is really family food at its best; savoury, rustic, easy, loved by all. It is easily tweaked to increase or decrease quantity, and of course wholesome!

A little while ago, I purchased an enormous  Cuisinart slow cooker which has proved very useful on many family occasions. It holds up to 6.5 litres and so therefore this recipe feeds up to 12 adults…but simply halve recipe if not feeding an army. And FYI the Cuisinart mob do smaller slow cookers for those of you who don’t HAVE to feed an army!

So, to the Chunky Chipotle Chilli with Cilantro/Coriander and Chilli Cheesey Scones! I always was a sucker for alliteration…

NEED:

Scones;

1 small dried chilli

170g good quality Parmesan cubed

110g Taleggio (no substitutes please, and yes I know I jumped continents and cuisines…but oh YUM!)

50g unsalted butter

SR flour

Good pinch salt

210g sour cream

DO:

Preheat oven to 200C.

Place chilli, cheeses and butter into Thermomix bowl and chop for 8 seconds on speed 8.

Add remaining ingredients and with dial set to closed lid position, knead for 1 minute on Interval speed or until well combined.

Turn out onto floured Silpat mat and bring together with hands and extra flour if needed. Roll out and cut into scone sized rounds. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. Keep warm until service.

NEED:

Chilli;

3-4 onions peeled and halved

5 cloves garlic

2-3 dried chipotle chillies soaked and rehydrated in boiling water or to taste

3tsp each ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and sweet paprika

1tsp ground cinnamon

1kg cubed casserole beef

1kg cubed pork neck

Sea salt to taste

2tbsp rapadura sugar (or brown sugar)

680g tomato puree

140g tomato paste

2x tins kidney beans drained and rinsed

1 tin chick peas drained and rinsed

2tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Fresh coriander (cilantro), oregano, mint to taste

Diced fresh tomatoes, black olives and lime wedges for garnish

Steamed rice to serve

DO:

Place onions, garlic, drained chillies and all ground spices into Thermomix bowl and chop for 5-6 seconds on speed 7. Scrape into Slow Cooker and add meat, tomato puree and paste salt and sugar.

Now this is where you gotta love a Slow Cooker…turn it onto the lowest setting and cook for 24 hours…yes folks, you read it correctly, 24 hours. It smells divine after about 4 hours, and simply mouthwatering any time after that.

During the last hour add the vinegar, beans and chick peas, they really just need to heat through without breaking up. (If you wanted to use dried beans you can add them in with the other ingredients at the beginning of the cooking time.)

SERVE:

Scoop some rice into each bowl, split the scones and top with the chilli. Add fresh chopped herbs, tomatoes, olives and lime wedges to taste.

I have made this many times over the years and have added a few touches here and there…needed a blog post this week, got invited to bring a dish tonight to friends, and voila, two birds with one stone. Here we have Chicken Kaukswe, a Burmese (P.C. Myanmar) curry, very mild, very fragrant with any number of possible variations. The recipe I worked from originally was one my mother used to make who had been given it by a Burmese friend, and because I like to think I’m Australia’s answer to Martha Stewart, I have tweaked it a few times, and Thermomixed and induction-ed it as well…enjoy! (This is not unlike my Mexican Chicken Soup, though different flavours completely…but the same help yourself idea…which you will remember I love!)

NEED:

1 whole free range chicken

3-4 tbsp turmeric

enough water to almost cover chicken

200g rinsed yellow lentils

1-2 tins coconut cream

salt to taste

juice 2 lemons

Paste:

5-6 cloves garlic

2 large brown onions peeled and quartered

3-4 cm peeled fresh ginger

3cm shrimp cake/paste

2 dried chillies

2 tbsp turmeric

50g oil

Accompaniments:

5-6 sliced hard boiled eggs

1/2 small finely shredded cabbage

5-6 spring onions/shallots sliced

crispy  noodles

soft egg noodles

coriander/cilantro sprigs

sliced fresh chillies

sliced white onions

lemon wedges

DO:

Rub chicken with turmeric and place into large pot. Fill almost to cover the chicken with water and simmer on Induction 6 for approximately 30 minutes or until chicken is well cooked. Turn chicken over and allow to cool before removing flesh from bones and discarding bones.

Make curry paste by putting all paste ingredients into Thermomix bowl and chopping for 4 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down lid and sides of bowl and repeat. Scrape down before sautéing for 4 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1. Place into pot with de-boned chicken and stock. Add lentils and cook on Induction 5 for 15 minutes.

Reduce temperature to Induction 4 and add 1 tin of coconut cream, salt and lemon juice. Simmer for up to an hour or until flavours are well blended and lentils are disintegrated. Add additional coconut cream if soup thickens up too much or as needed. (It bears noting that this tastes better the next day…so the Curry No Hurry adage holds…the flavours meld together better if time is on your side.)

Prepare accompaniments in separate dishes and allow everyone to help themselves, ladling the hot curry soup last over the top of noodles, cabbage, herbs, onions and eggs etc.

The great thing about this dish is that it can serve as many as you need it to, simply by adding accompaniments, or lentils and stock ad infinitum!

Thai Beef Salad

Sorry, its Friday afternoon at the end of a long week, and so I am not only tired, but silly to go along with it! Thai Beef Salad is one of my favorites and lately I have been on a mission to find a nice one in a restaurant that I could rely on to deliver the taste hit that I crave…no luck! So had to come up with my own, here it is. Although we have had  nothing but rain here all week (mid November, what is going on??) I am primed and ready for some hot weather eating. Hope you enjoy this on a leisurely evening…cooking time of approximately 5 minutes…how much more leisurely could you get? Enjoy!

Thai Beef Salad

Marinade NEED:

55g Tamari or soy sauce

55g fish sauce

50g honey

Juice ½ orange

Juice 1 lime

Handful coriander leaves

Handful mint leaves

1 small chilli (deseeded if desired, for more heat leave seeds in)

2 large cloves garlic

3cm piece peeled ginger

Marinade DO:

Place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 8. Drizzle over meat and leave for around 3-4 hours if possible.

Dressing NEED:

Juice 1 lime

25g Tamari or soy sauce

Juice ½ orange

2tbsp sesame oil

20g fish sauce

1 small chilli (deseeded if desired, for more heat leave seeds in)

2 large cloves garlic

3cm piece peeled ginger

Few coriander leaves

Few mint leaves

Dressing DO:

Without washing bowl after making marinade, place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and blend for 10 seconds on speed 8. Set aside until assembling the salad.

Salad NEED:

100-150g Asian vermicelli noodles

400-500g rump steak cut in strips

2 tbsp olive oil

200g sliced mushrooms

3 diced tomatoes

½ thinly sliced red onion

1 ruby grapefruit peeled and segmented

Few sprigs mint/coriander

Mixed salad greens of choice

Salad DO:

Place vermicelli noodles into insulated bowl and cover with boiling water.

Drain marinade from beef strips and set aside. Place olive oil into Thermomix bowl and heat for 2 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2.

Place beef strips into Thermomix bowl and cook for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on Reverse + speed soft.

Meanwhile, assemble the remaining salad ingredients on large platter.

Drain noodles and toss with about half the dressing.

Place dressed noodles on top of the salad, add beef and drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Chorizo and Lime Fajitas

If it is Mexican, Thai, Italian, involves cheese, (or as you  know can be classed as dessert), I am there! This is Mexcian flavored and involves cheese, so a big scorer…plus with lovely weather, this is great for a day by the pool. I have been looking at Christmas recipes as well, and will have to increase my bakers dozen to a few bakers dozen I think! I have so many in my head…(and therefore providing me with my own built in flotation device) that I just don’t have the time to get them all on here! (Any volunteers out there for testing/eating/writing?) Life is never dull and in fact I am heading off to Canberra and Sydney in literally moments, so this is my attempt at keeping you all on the hook! Keep in touch via comment, (yes folks, if you have seen Julie and Julia you will know that comments are the lonely bloggers life line!!) and I promise to be back soon to flood your inbox with amazing Christmas stuff…K? In the meantime, enjoy!

Chorizo and Lime Fajitas

NEED:
170-200g red onions peeled and halved
Generous pinch sea salt
Juice 2 limes
150g long grain rice rinsed
250-300g sweet potato peeled and cubed (approx 1-2 cm square)
1L water
2 chillies
350g sliced chorizo sausage (approx 3)
7-8 flour tortillas
Crumbled feta to taste
Salad greens to taste

DO:
Place onion, salt and lime juice into Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5. Set aside and allow to marinate for a couple of hours if possible.
Place rice into basket with sweet potato on top, add water to Thermomix bowl, insert basket and cook for 15 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3. Set aside and empty water from bowl.
Place chillies into Thermomix bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 6. Add chorizo and sauté for 10 minutes at Varoma temperature on Reverse + speed 1. Spoon off excess fat if desired and add rice and sweet potato to bowl.
Stir together gently for 5 seconds on Reverse + speed 1.
Cook one tortilla at a time over a direct flame for 10-15 seconds on each side, or in a dry hot fry pan. Arrange on work surface.
Divide the chorizo mix between tortillas, top with red onion and lime relish, crumbled feta and fresh greens. Wrap tightly and cut in half to serve.

]]> http://tenina.com/2009/10/feeling-chilli-tonight/feed/ 2 http://tenina.com/2008/08/holy-guacomole-batman/ http://tenina.com/2008/08/holy-guacomole-batman/#comments Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:51:19 +0000 Tenina http://cravepublishing.com/steamovencooking/?p=379

Yeah I know, but it got your attention right???? I visited a whole food supermarket this week and amongst other goodies I bought a medley of beautiful peppercorns, some coriander (cilantro) and of course I am still working with those lemons from last week…I can almost see the bottom of the bowl I put them in! Oh and of course I had an avocado that needed eating..perfectly ripe and a beautiful green. So here is my herb-ey, pepper-ey, take on Guacomol-ey.

NEED:
1 large avocado
2 teaspoons of multi colored peppercorns crushed (I used mortar and pestle)
handful coriander/Italian parsley
1 small chilli de-seeded (or not depending on taste)
generous pinch sea salt
rind and juice of lemon
2 cloves garlic
1/4 red onion
4-5 chives
1 tomato
3 tablespoons Greek style yoghurt (or sour cream)

DO:
Place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl.
Gradually increase speed to 8-9 for around 30 seconds.
Taste and season as needed.

SERVE:
On a beautiful dish with fresh corn chips. We used the left overs on Chicken fajitas. And of course we did NOT have the dish below…but if only !

DO:
Chop all fish fillets into square chunks.
Place all seafood in ceramic dish and process in Steam Oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked.
Cool slightly.
Meanwhile make dressing by placing all ingredients into bowl of Thermomix and whizzing together on Speed 4 until just combined. (Don’t overmix or you will get an emulsion rather than a dressing.)
Dress each plate with salad greens
Add steamed seafood
Add red onion
Drizzle with dressing and serve with lemon wedges and Green Rice.
USE:
A beautiful dish to serve, it will add to the taste…I can assure you!

NEED:

I cup chopped fresh coriander
1 fresh green chilli
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 ½ cups chicken stock.
1 ½ cups rice.
Olive oil.
Clean tea towel

DO:

Chop all herbs.
Heat heavy based pan on induction with splash of olive oil.
Fry rice until toasted and turning white.
Stir in stock and bring to the boil.
Boil uncovered until liquid is almost gone.
Turn heat down to Induction 2.
Cover with clean tea towel and lid and use timer to cook
for a further 10 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in herbs. Serve immediately.
You can steam the rice in the stock in the Steam Oven using a flat ceramic tray and then seperately fry the herbs in a pan, simply adding them together at the end. This should take 25 minutes in the steam oven.

Chicken with Orange Chili Dressing

OK, I know the last post was a wintery soup option…and this is your summery salad option…but the sun was shining today and citrus is fantastic at this time of year!

The dressing itself can go with all sorts of cold meats and salads…don’t limit yourself to using it for this recipe only. Think fish as well, though use a little less dressing or you will literally taste nothing else. (I do like the strong flavours of coriander/cilantro, mint and chilli, but they can drown out a delicate fish, so approach with caution!)

NEED:
Dressing;

70-80g EVOO (optional)
Juice 1 orange
Juice 2 limes or lemons
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 small red chilli (de-seeded if desired)
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp sugar
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Handful each coriander and mint leaves
1 large avocado chopped rustically!!

DO:
Place all dressing ingredients except avocado into Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6.
Taste and add more citrus juice if required.
Taste and blend, taste and blend until happy with result.
Pour over chopped avocado and refrigerate up to 12 hours.

NEED:
Salad;

4 boneless chicken breasts
2 tablspns olive oil
8 handfuls mixed salad greens
½ red onion finely sliced
¼ red cabbage, shredded
3 oranges zested coarsely over greens, then peeled and segmented
Additional avocado to taste
Asparagus spears, at least 2 per person.

DO:
Put oil in fry pan and sear chicken breasts briefly on Induction 9+.
Place chicken into Varoma dish and place asparagus spears onto Varoma tray.
Place 1L of water into Thermomix bowl and set Varoma into position. Steam for 20-25 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3 until breasts are cooked through.

Remove asparagus early, once bright green and set aside.

Gently toss remaining salad ingredients.
Place sliced chicken and asparagus on top of salad and pour dressing over.
Serve immediately.

NEED:
4 egg whites
pinch salt
2/3 cup caster sugar
dash vanilla essence
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1/4 cup boiling water
Piping bag with large nozzle

FILLING:
300 mls whipping cream
125 grams white chocolate
1 cup frozen berry mix
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup caster sugar

DO:
Line cookie tray with Baking Mat.
Preheat oven to 120 degrees, (Fan forced)
In clean dry bowl beat eggwhites with salt until foamy.
Add sugar a little at a time along with vanilla, vinegar and chilli.
Beat for around 4 minutes until holding stiff peaks.
Add boiling water a little at a time and continue beating.
Put mix into piping bag and pipe 12 small pavlovas.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Turn off oven and leave for a further 40 minutes.
Remove and cool.

FILLING:
Melt white chocolate on Induction (1). Cool.
Whip cream until thick.
Fold melted chocolate through cream until blended. Keep chilled.
Meanwhile make a berry coulis by placing remaining ingredients in small pan on Induction (3).
You can add a little alcohol of choice here if desired.
When liquid is reduced, mash berries with a fork then chill mix.

SERVE:
Assemble by pushing in the top of each pavlova gently with your finger.
Dollop white chocolate cream generously over the top.
Spoon berries on and if desired lay a VERY thin slice of chilli across the top.