Mexican Meatball Soup

Well I managed to make dinner, (and take a pic and write up the recipe!)…what a superstar! I am off to NSW tomorrow morning for 5 Celebrate and Bake classes using a thermomix…I had a final edit on my big book chock full of thermomix methods and recipes this morning plus a photo shoot for the front cover or something…glamour, glamour all the way! (You should see me at the moment, and then you would recognise the irony in that!) Dinner Spinner, my self published thermomix recipe book, has come in handy for me already..but this is not in it and of course (dear reader) I must look after you all on here still…for free…right? SO happy Mexican Soup…and yes…it feeds a tribe…did I mention? All using a Thermomix!

Soup;

20g Fini EVOO

3 onions, quartered

1/2 red chilli

4 garlic cloves

300-350g capsicum

40g Umami Paste

2  bay leaves

500g water or liquid stock

2 x 400g tins diced tomatoes

100g Chunky Tomato Salsa

Sea salt to taste

Meatballs;

3-4 cloves garlic

40g red onion

1/2 red chilli (that would be the Other half)

600g beef fillet, cubed

300g pork fillet, cubed

60g polenta

30g whole milk

1 large egg

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 tsp ground cumin

SERVE:

Sprigs coriander

Crumbled tasty cheese of choice

Fresh lime wedges

Steamed long-grain white rice as needed

DO:

Make meatballs first; Preheat oven to 200ºC and line a large tray with baking paper.

Place garlic, onion and chilli into Thermomix bowl and chop 2 sec/speed 6. Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining ingredients.

Mince 20 sec/Reverse + speed 8-9 until desired consistency is reached. You may need to assist the process with the spatula.

Form walnut sized meatballs and arrange on tray. Bake for 30 minutes until well browned and fragrant.

Meanwhile, without cleaning the bowl,  make the soup;

Place EVOO, onions, chilli and garlic into Thermomix bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 6. Saute 5 min/Varoma/speed 1.

Add remaining ingredients to Thermomix bowl and cook 16 min/100ºC/speed 1.

Serve over steamed rice and meatballs, topped with cheese, coriander and lime juice.

AND DONT BURN YOUR TONGUE in your haste to down this fantastic soup!

Chunky Tomato Salsa

An almost instant flavor hit to most things savoury, add it to any Mexican cuisine, tomato based sauce, or just bring on the Corn Chips and you have a healthy snack sorted in seconds. (Well, after the prep work is done!) This has the potential to keep in the fridge for up to three weeks, but we all know that is a pipe dream. It will be eaten almost immediately!

NEED:

600g Roma tomatoes (approx, do NOT use 1/2 tomato, whole tomatoes only)

1L water for steaming

Iced water in a large bowl

80-100g red onion

1 clove garlic

Handful coriander leaves and stalks

1 flame grilled red chilli (discussion below)

1 tbsp raw sugar

Good pinch sea salt

1 tsp ground cumin

130g tomato paste

50g white wine vinegar

Juice 1 lime

Corn chips to serve

DO:

Score the base of each tomato with a cross. Place tomatoes into Varoma dish. Pour water into Thermomix bowl and steam tomatoes 10 min/Varoma/speed 4. Cool tomatoes by plunging them into iced water. Peel.

Place onion, garlic, coriander and chili into Thermomix bowl and chop 2 sec/speed 6. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add remaining all ingredients (do I have to specify this?) other than Corn Chips but including tomatoes into drained Thermomix bowl and cook 60 min/80ºC/speed 2. Cool completely.

Serve with diced avocado as a garnish and with lots of corn chips…or toasted tortilla wedges, or as the sauce for char grilled chicken or beef strips wrapped in soft tortillas; you see where I am going with this? Its another pantry item…yes, I think so!

Now to the flame grilling discussion: Place whole chilli on an open gas flame and turn it a few times until it is charred and the flesh is soft. This will not take ages, but nor will it take seconds. When you are happy that it is well charred, place into a glass bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chilli to sweat. Rub the blackened skin off prior to using in the recipe. This will add a lot of flavour to the salsa.

Chicken Biryani with Pistachios

From my understanding, Biryani is a recipe that takes all day, (and then some) if done in the traditional manner! It is also a dish cooked with the bone in the meat, which naturally adds flavor as well as nutrition, the variety of spices used is wide and every region/family has its own version! I believe that cooking all day with love for the dish, the flavours and the potential diners is wonderful and there are occasions when I do that, but not tonight! At the risk of offending the true Biryani aficionados, and throwing caution to the winds and WAAAY too busy to spend a whole day on one recipe, armed with a trusty Thermomix…(what else??) this is my version. And damn delicious it is too…if I say so ‘may-self’! You can use brown/red/white or black rice if you wish or a combo and if you are really going out on a limb, how about replacing the rice with quinoa….there are no bones, no layers of rice and chicken, it is simple in the extreme. So perhaps I should call it something else? Suggestions willingly accepted.

NEED:

1/2 cinnamon stick

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp dried chili flakes (or to taste)

1 tsp sea salt

6 cloves garlic

2 eschalots

1 brown onion (80g)

20g piece peeled ginger

20g EVOO

1200g chicken thigh fillet, cut in large pieces

400g liquid chicken stock

400g water

200g rice of choice

50g dried currants

2 bay leaves,

2 tsp cardamom seeds

Pinch saffron threads

50g butter or ghee

Pistachios, almonds or other nuts of choice, toasted

DO:

Place cinnamon, coriander, chili flakes and salt into Thermomix bowl and mill 5 sec/speed 10.

Add garlic, eschalots, onion, ginger and EVOO and chop for 2 sec/speed 6. Saute 8 min/Varoma/speed 2.

Add chicken and stock and cook 6 min/100ºC/Reverse + speed soft.

Preheat oven to fan forced 200ºC.

Pour chicken mixture into large oven proof dish and stir through water, rice, currants, bay leaves, cardamom seeds and saffron threads. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Check liquid and add more water if needed. (Rice will absorb more or less water depending on variety used.)

Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Stir through butter or ghee.

Serve with nuts and sliced chili’s and garnish with fresh bay leaves. A dollop of natural yogurt is also nice.

Aish Bel Lahm

Look, lets not beat around the bush….this is Middle Eastern Pizza…or Gozleme, without the folded bit….amongst other things. This is designed to feed a small army….so I suggest if there is only two of you, invite the neighbours for a street party or at the very least, get the kids to bring home a few strays on the night you decide to make this recipe. (Or halve it, bread and topping can both be halved.)

If you would like to use fresh yeast, I suggest that is a great idea…activate it first by heating it for 2 min/37ºC/speed 2 along with the liquid, and without the flour. Then add the flour etc and proceed as directed.

NEED:

680g bakers flour

60g olive oil

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp dried yeast

3 eggs

Good pinch sea salt

300g warm water

Topping;

Handful fresh Italian parsley

Few black peppercorns

2 onions peeled and halved

500g beef or lamb mince

salt to taste

1 leek cleaned and sliced

2tbsp tahini

30g pomegranate molasses

200g crumbled feta

Few poppy or Nigella seeds

DO:

Place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mix 10 sec/speed 6.

Knead 2 min/Interval speed.

Turn out onto oiled Silpat Mat, wrap tightly and allow to prove in warm draft free place for up to 2 hours or until doubled. (Or if you are lucky enough to have it, use the bread rising setting in your Kleenmaid oven!)

Topping;

Place parsley into Thermomix bowl and chop for 3-4 sec/speed 5. Set aside.

Place peppercorns into Thermomix bowl and mill 8 sec/speed 8.

Add onion and chop 3 sec/speed 6.

Add mince and cook 10 min/Varoma/Reverse + speed soft.

Add seasoning, leek, tahini and molasses and cook  5 min/Varoma/Reverse + speed soft.

Assemble;

Roll dough out into small rounds and dollop meat mixture into the centre of each one. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or Nigella seeds and place into preheated fan forced 220°C oven for approx 10 minutes or until puffed and fragrant. Top with feta and parsley and serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges.

Malabar Fish Curry

Can you have too much fish curry? Already posted one earlier in the week to help Mrs Azzura Gelati, with her dailydinnerdilemma…am now thinking that will be a feature on my app…How do you all feel about that? Apparently she loved it, (and I quote; “ and the true test was I actually followed the recipe. I never do that. You are way better than those arsey #masterchef contestants!’) and so hoping we get the same repsonse here kids…enjoy!

NEED:

Coconut Relish;
1 large green chilli
3-4 coriander roots and stalks
35g peeled ginger
Juice 1 lemon
200g frozen young coconut (Asian stores)
Curry;
4-5 large cloves garlic
1 red chilli de-seeded
1 small piece palm sugar
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp cinnamon
700g white fish fillets cubed in large pieces
250g prawns , peeled
25g peeled ginger
1 large green chilli, de-seeded
1 large brown onion, peeled and quartered
20g oil
400g tin coconut milk
120g water
1 tbsp TM stock concentrate
Juice 1 lime
Fresh coriander leaves, sliced red chillies and lime wedges to serve

DO:

Make coconut relish by placing chilli, coriander and ginger into Thermomix bowl and mincing for 3-4 sec/speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl and add juice and chunks of coconut, slightly thawed. Mill for 7 sec/speed 8.
Set aside.

Place garlic, red chilli, palm sugar, turmeric and cinnamon into Thermomix bowl and mince for 3-4 sec/speed 7.

Place cubed fish and prawns into ThermoServer and scrape marinade over. Rub into the fish and prawns and leave for at least 1 hour.

Without cleaning bowl, place ginger and green chilli into Thermomix bowl and mince for 3-4 sec/speed 7. Add onion and oil and chop for 3 sec/speed 4.
Sauté for 5 min/Varoma/Reverse + speed soft  with MC off.

Add coconut milk, water, stock and juice and cook for 15 min/100ºC/Reverse + speed soft.

Add fish and prawns and any residual marinade and cook for 2-3 min/100ºC/Reverse + speed soft.

Pour into ThermoServer to rest before serving with steamed rice, coconut relish, coriander, red chillies and lime wedges.

Golden Fish Curry and Rice

OK, so we’re supposed to eat more fish, and I have to admit, I don’t eat anywhere near enough, I am way too busy testing recipes that normally don’t have fish as the starring ingredient…but this is one of my older recipes that appeared in last year’s Thermomix calendar. It is fragrant and quick, and definitely a great way to include fish in your weekly menu. I have another one of these fragrant curries up my sleeve as well…so stay tuned if you like this one….more to come.

NEED:

3 cm peeled ginger
Few kaffir lime leaves
1-2 red chilli es, de-seeded or to taste
3 cloves garlic
20 g dried prawns
1 tbsp ground turmeric
2 tsp tamarind purée
1 tbsp oil
20 g palm sugar
500-550 g coconut cream
1 kg white fish fillets cubed
1 tbsp fish sauce
Juice 1 lime
Few sprigs coriander to garnish

DO:

Place ginger, lime leaves, chillies, garlic, prawns, turmeric, tamarind purée, oil and palm sugar into Thermomix bowl and chop for 4 sec/speed 6-7. Scrape down sides of bowl and sauté for 4 min/Varoma/speed 1.

Add coconut cream and cook for 8 min/100°C/speed 1. (It is OK if the oil separates.) Add fish, fish sauce and lime juice and cook for 9 min/100°C/Reverse + speed soft.

Garnish with coriander and additional lime wedges, serve with steamed rice….and feel your heart breathe a sigh of relief….

Tom Yum with Prawns

I have wanted to do this for ages. I absolutely love Tom Yum and always made it with a bought paste, until now! A bit of investigation, a little tweaking, and here we have it. The paste is a recipe in its own right and of course will keep for ages in an airtight jar in the fridge and can be used for anything that Tom Yum paste can be used for. So I give you not one, but two recipes…you gotta ‘LIKE’ that kids?

Paste;

NEED:

2 stalks lemon grass, white part only

3 kafir lime leaves

30g galangal

25g Nam Prik Plao (Roasted chilli paste)

2-4 Thai birds eye chillies (I used 2, with seeds)

75g eschalots (about 1 large)

10g gula melacca (melaka? rock pam sugar? jaggery?)

25g fine shrimp paste

20g fish sauce

35g peanut oil

Good handful coriander, roots, stalks, leaves

Juice and zest 1 lime

DO:

Place all ingredients into mixing bowl and blend 30 sec/speed 5 then increase speed and blend a further 1 min/speed 6.

Scrape down sides of bowl and lid and cook 15 min/Varoma/speed 2 with the MC on an angle to allow reduction.

Soup;

NEED:

3-4 cloves garlic

30g ginger

1L water

400g tomatoes chopped

1 birds eye chilli

200g mixed mushrooms

100g baby corn

1kg prawns in shell

DO:

Place all ingredients, except mushrooms, corn and prawns into mixing bowl with cooled paste.

Place prawns into Varoma dish and set into positon.

Cook 15 min/Varoma/speed 2.

Add corn, mushrooms and cook a further 15 min/Varoma/speed 2.

When soup is cooked serve with the following accompaniments;

Shredded Chinese cabbage

Diced tomatoes

Sliced spring onions/shallots

Diced red caspicum

Lots of fresh coriander leaves

Lime wedges

You can pretty much add any other chopped veggies that make it for you! Or add chicken, or pork…I think this might make me a Tom Yummy Mummy!

Well here I go again…the fruit in the salad routine! Can’t help it, just adds that piquancy that a salad needs. This salad is quick, to the point and totally great to increase or decrease to suit the numbers you are feeding. Add more spinach, avocado, prawns, peanuts, and/or pineapple to suit.

A great summer option, or as in this case, autumn (‘fall’ down under) option…we are still having 35°C (95°F) days here! Frankly I’m looking forward to a good ole rainy day and the chance to cook up a batch of soup or something, but in the meantime, this sort of food reminds me of why I love summer. My pic was compromised somewhat due to the earlier setting of the sun, (damn Thermomix office that holds me till all the good light has gone)! And of course I am off to Melbourne this week, of all weeks, for a food shoot on a work project with a proper stylist and photographer and everything, so this pic hardly sells me does it…oh so much to learn, and so excited to do so…I may never come back!

NEED:

Dressing;

3 cloves garlic

1/2 red onion

50g fish sauce

juice of 3-4 limes (50-60g)

40g EVOO

2 tbsp palm sugar

3 handfuls fresh mint leaves

few sprigs fresh coriander leaves

1 bunch chives thinly sliced

1 *roasted large red chili sliced thinly

Salad;

300g peanuts

500-600g forzen prawn cutlets (use fresh, but alter cooking time significantly!)

1 whole pineapple, peeled, cored and diced

1-2 large avocadoes peeled and diced

200g baby spinach

DO:

Make dressing by placing garlic, onion, fish sauce, lime juice, EVOO, palm sugar, mint and coriander into Thermomix bowl and blending for 15 seconds on speed 6.

Add chives and chilli and stir through for a few seconds on Reverse + speed 3. Set aside. (You can premake the dressing and allow flavours to blend for up to 24 hours prior to use. This dressing would also be excellent on other salads.)

Roast peanuts by placing nuts into 200°C oven and cooking for 10 minutes or until fragrant. Cool slightly.

Prepare prawns by placing into paper lined Combi Steam Oven tray, or Varoma tray and steaming for 15 minutes. (This time refers to frozen prawns, if using fresh you will need significantly less time.)

Gently toss all salad ingredients together with dressing and add a few extra coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

*I roasted my own chillies by simply placing them on top of the naked flame on my Kleenmaid wok burner for around 5-7 minutes. I did need to keep turning them (used one, saved one) until they were fairly evenly charred. Wrapped them in foil after that, until the skins blistered and rubbed off easily. The flavour difference in doing this is significant…and it is so easy and quick to do, I hope you try it.

Watercress, Brocollini and Pomegranate Salad

You know me and fruit in salad…I think my kids have even stopped complaining about fruit showing up in a savoury salad because they are either;

A) resigned to the fact,

B) used to it or

C) enjoy it themselves now.

Colleagues are not so good with it, but I am trying to win them over. (When I say ‘them’ I am actually referring to one young lady who knows very well to whom I refer!)

Because I love top ten lists myself, and because I have so many salads showcasing fruit (including a new one just for this post!), an article with them all in one spot, ready for bookmarking seemed like a good idea. I also love the idea of a special salad being a bit more festive. With our hot Christmases in Australia, the old hot dinner on Christmas Day is long gone, and so a special salad recipe or ten can come in handy. Hope you enjoy!

So here goes;

ONE;

This is my new kid on the block.

NEED:

4 small bunches brocollini

generous amount of water cress leaves or other bitter greens of choice

Seeds of 1 pomegranate

1/2 thinly sliced red onion

water for steaming

Dressing;

2 cloves garlic

60g red wine vinegar

60g honey

Sea salt to taste

50g EVOO

DO:

Place enough water in Thermomix bowl to reach the 1L mark. Bring to the boil for 8-10 minutes on Varoma temperature on speed 4.

Place trimmed and washed broccolini into Varoma dish and set  aside. When the water is steaming, set Varoma into position and cook for 7 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 4. Remove immediately and place into ice bath to cool.

Drain bowl and make dressing by placing garlic into Thermomix bowl and mincing for 3 seconds on speed 5. Add remaining dressing ingredients and blend for 10 seconds on speed 6. Pour over sliced red onion and allow dressing to soften onion for 15 minutes.

Arrange greens on salad platter, add broccolini and onion with dressing. Top with Pomegranate jewels and voila. Beautiful and delicious, (and dare I say it? A little fruity)! Season to taste with black pepper and grainy sea salt.

TWO:

I love Thai flavours and a Thai Beef Salad is something I find hard to beat. So although not completely conventional, the fruit (grapefruit) in this just tips it into awesome for me. Of course it is optional, but I dare you, try it and let me know what you think.

THREE:

Originating from my darling sister in law who now lives in the States and whom I miss every day, I make this Broccoli and Grape Salad, just to reminisce sometimes! Tangy dressing, salty bacon, sweet grapes and barely steamed broccoli. Can’t really go wrong!

FOUR:

While not strictly complying to the fruit in the salad criteria, but rather in the dressing, Seafood Eatfood has never failed me. It is a little festive, a few Asian flavours are in there, great the next day as a cold lunch, can be easily increased to feed a crowd, is really so simple and easy…what more could you want at Christmas time?

FIVE:

OK, probably should have been number one…LOVE Fruity Harvest Salad and have even been known to add roasted nectarines when in season. This is a great accompaniment to roasted meats, particularly pork. Seriously, if you want to impress when asked to bring a salad, this should be your choice. Still in my old format (pre Thermomix days) feel free to go ahead and do what you will with Thermomix when you can!

SIX:

Probably Pineapple is one of the best foils for salty, think about all those Hawaiian Pizza days…or channel your inner 60′s dinner party with baked ham and pineapple…this Carribean Salsa salutes those flavours, adds some heat and is also fantastic with ham, or beef, or fish, or pork, or fried chook…anything you feel like really!

SEVEN:

Not quite a waldorf salad, Chicken with Grapes and Walnuts is what a waldorf salad becomes when it grows up! A lovely citrus and cranberry dressing make it perfect for Festive entertaining. Or serve with crusty fresh bread to make a great light lunch for friends.

EIGHT:

Again a bit of a cheat entry, Chicken Salad with Chilli Citrus Dressing is another example of the dressing (with fruit) lifting an ordinary salad above the mundane and into the heavenly. The dressing in fact can be used on any number of salads, kept in the fridge for around 3 weeks and never fails to impress. Great in the party season as well because you can cheat and buy a cooked chicken, simply make the dressing (all of about 1 minute) and with a bag of greens, punnet of tomatoes, you are ready to be the hostess with the mostess in no time.

NINE:

Again I am pretty well cheating with the Traffic Light Salad as well…in that the grapes are merely a suggestion. Fantastic at a BBQ of which I am confident there are no shortages at this time of year, (at least in the Southern Hemisphere folks!)

Last but not least,

TEN:

Number 10 is a johnny come lately; I have enjoyed it twice now, and have yet to photograph it…but try this on for size.

1 bag baby spinach leaves, tossed with thinly sliced red onion.

Drizzle with EVOO (and you know my stance on EVOO I hope.)

Add 1 tin of drained mandarin segments, freshly cracked black pepper, sea salt and some toasted pine nuts. Drizzle with just enough of the drained liquid to moisten and again…voila…faster than a trip to the store…you are eating amazing and delicious Fruit in (Savoury) Salad…again. And one hopes without any complaints from the peanut gallery!

Char Sui Pork Bun, De-Constructed!

WARNING: Long ingredient list…but don’t be put off!

You could call this ‘De-constructed Pork Buns or Pot Stickers’…almost. As you know (if you read this blog regularly), I am into anything that is easy and quick, can be adapted to feed 1000′s, and naturally, gotta be tasty. Pork Buns officially fill most of the said requirements, but these are easier and quicker still! And yes, I did the Char Sui Pork myself…see note below.

NEED:

Water Dough Pastry;

50g rice

150g bakers flour

50-100g boiling water

pinch salt

Oil Dough Pastry;

200g bakers flour

pinch salt

50g oil

50-70g hot water

Dressing;

1 dried chilli

2-3 cloves garlic

2cm piece peeled ginger

1-2 tbsp sugar

50g soy sauce

20g Chinese black vinegar

Juice 1 lemon

Remaining Filling;

600g Char Sui Pork, sliced

1/4 Chinese cabbage, shredded

A few sliced spring onions (shallots)

Bean shoots to taste

Crispy fried shallots to taste

500g cubed and roasted sweet potato

Roasted peanuts to taste (optional)

Few sprigs coriander

DO:

To make hot water dough, place rice into Thermomix bowl and mill for 1.5 minutes on speed 10. Add remaining ingredients and only about 50-60g of the water, mix for 6 seconds on speed 6.

With dial set to closed lid position, knead for 1 minute on Interval speed. (Add more water at this point if not forming sticky dough.) Turn out onto Silpat mat and wrap tightly. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile make the oil dough by placing all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mixing for 6 seconds on speed 6. With dial set to closed lid position, knead for 1.5 minutes on Interval speed. Wrap tightly and allow to rest for at least 10 mintues.

Place both doughs back into Thermomix bowl and with dial set to closed lid position, knead for 2 minutes on Interval speed.

Roll into long sausage shape and cut into rounds which you then roll flat into large circles before placing into a hot, well oiled fry pan, Induction 7-8. Add a ‘slosh’ of  water and cover the pan immediately so that the wrap is steamed. When the water has almost evaporated, remove lid and when golden, turn and brown the other side. Set aside, but keep warm until service.

To make Dressing, place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and blend together for 15 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.

Assemble wraps as you would any other, salad, sweet potato, dressing, pork, garnishes and more dressing…don’t forget anything now! Is there something you would like me to ‘de-construct’ to make it simpler? Let me know…perhaps that should be my new alter ego…Recipe Doctor.com, or De-Constructs R Us! (Only in my spare time of course!)

Char Sui Pork

Make the Char Sui marinade by placing to taste honey, sugar, oyster sauce, five spice powder, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, Chinese wine, chilli, garlic and ginger into Thermomix bowl and mixing until blended. Heat for 4 minutes at 60C on speed 1 to form a syrup. Marinate up to 2 kg of pork fillet slices for several hours. (I marinated for around 24 hours) Cook under a very hot grill until charred and fragrant. Slice as needed.