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. 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.

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.

Macadamia Parmesan Pastry base

Oven Ready Chorizo Pesto Flan

Two tart posts in a row (almost)?? And chorizo…sorry guys, but I ate something similar at a cafe recently and as usual, figured I could improve it!

Just a word, well a rant actually. I know I appear to happily write away to myself, churning out a {delicious} recipe a week on average, but my stats are telling me there are at least 1500 of you a month that drop by, so how about a mention? I of course have my regulars and thanks to both of you, (hahaha) but seriously, I don’t get paid a million $$ and in fact the best that I can claim is the occasional food/product gift. Comments just keep me hanging in there and help me remember why I’m here. Rant complete.

SO, back to the tart at hand! There are a few processes involved in this recipe, but should you feel the need for speed, you can always purchase pesto, roasted capsicums and of course, pastry shells…but all at your own risk. And I must say, that for a gal who loves all things pastry, this is a fragrant, crispy, flan base that could almost be eaten in it’s own right as crackers…hmnnn, there’s a thought…oh wait, almost did that already!

Of course with the good ole Thermomix, nothing takes that long really, so start your engines…lets get cracking!

NEED:

1 batch Pesto thinned down with juice 1-2 lemons

Pastry;

75g parmesan

150g roasted and salted macadamia nuts

210g plain flour

1 egg yolk

sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

1tsp mustard powder

65g ice cold water

Filling;

500g (when peeled and de-seeded) pumpkin cubed

4 small red onions peeled and cut into thin wedges

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

sea salt to taste

EVOO to taste

3-4 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 roasted and peeled red capsicums (red peppers)

2 chorizo sausages sliced thinly

few handfuls baby spinach

250g crumbled feta

DO:

Make pesto and set aside.

Preheat oven to 200oC.

Make pastry by placing parmesan into Thermomix bowl and milling until fine, about 20 seconds on speed 8.

Add macadamias and mill for 8 seconds on speed 8.

Add remaining ingredients and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4 or until a crumbly mixture forms. Tip out onto floured board and bring together with hands to form a disc. Line 1 or 2 loose bottomed flan tins, (I used a rectangular tin and had almost enough for a second 23cm round tin) and place in freezer for 30 minutes.

Blind bake for 15 minutes until golden around edges. Cool.

Filling;

Prepare pumpkin and onion and place onto baking paper lined tray. Sprinkle onion with brown sugar. Salt vegetables and drizzle with EVOO and Red Wine vinegar. Roast for 30 minutes in 200oC oven, stirring once if necessary to help even caramelization.

Layer the cooked pastry shells with roasted onion and pumpkin, strips of red capsicum, sliced chorizo,  a few spinach leaves and the crumbled feta. Drizzle generously with the pesto and return to 160oC oven for around 10 minutes or until the chorizo is sizzling and the spinach wilted.

Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve sliced cold.

NOW don’t make me get cranky, tell me via comment what your favourite tart is, and we’ll all stay friends!

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!

Having returned from Singapore with more baggage than I left with (and I’m not talking about the check in kind), largely because I ate my way through as much food as possible in the two weeks…I am now contrite…time to pay up.  But then, I did tell you I was getting on a healthy kick…I have been drinking more water than any bladder should legally hold, trying to cut carbs, and stick to high protein…this was fairly light as a meal, and certainly delicious. The double bonus was that is was quick and pretty well a self assembly job. I lined everything up on the bench and let them at it. To make it slimmer, leave the grated cheese out, though it does help stick everything together! ‘O’-le!!

NEED:

Handful each coriander (cilantro) and oregano

120-130g each Parmesan and cheddar cubed

140g chorizo sausage chopped in large pieces

1/2 red onion

2-3 cloves garlic

few spring onions/shallots

3 cherry tomatoes per quesadilla, halved

1 green capsicum/pepper diced

1-2 avocados

Kernels cut from 1 ear of corn

200g crumbled feta

8-10 large tortilla wraps (I used 1/2 spinach and 1/2 sundried tomato wraps)

Olive oil as needed for frying

DO:

Place coriander and oregano into Thermomix bowl and chop for 3-4 seconds on speed 7. Set aside.

Place cheeses into Thermomix bowl and grate for 10 seconds on speed 7. Set aside.

Place sausage, onion and garlic into Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6. Cook for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed soft.

Prepare remaining toppings and set aside.

Lay out each wrap and top with grated cheese, sausage mixture, herbs, and a little of each of the other toppings finishing with the feta and a small amount of the grated cheese. Top with another wrap of choice.

Meanwhile heat a large fry pan on Induction 6 for around 6-7 minutes.The pan should not be smoking, but fully heated.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and place the quesadilla into the pan, cover and cook for around 2-3 minutes, turn over carefully and repeat.

Slice into quarters and serve with fresh lime wedges and additional coriander leaves. You could add a dish of sour cream and fresh sliced red chillies to serve if desired.

I always imagined post Arnies corny line that if I should ever have an Italian Restaurant, it would be called Pasta La Vista…in the absence of such an occurrence, this is probably the next best thing. I LOVE homemade pasta and of course with the help of Thermomix, nothing could be easier. I dashed home from work, whipped up a  batch of dough, let it rest whilst I searched for the arm to my pasta roller, and after working up a sweat as I scoured cupboards and drawers with no luck, gave up on the home made and quickly cooked some fettucine I had in the pantry, still did an outstanding sauce and yes, we were eating in no time. As for the lost art of rolling pasta? Hasta la Vista baby!

NEED:
40g fettucine per serving, cooked as directed on package

300g butternut pumpkin cubed and roasted

handful fresh herbs of choice

3 cloves garlic

50g romano cheese

150g pine nuts toasted in dry pan

juice 2 lemons

kalamata olives

few semi dried sundried tomatoes

100g Danish feta

sea salt and EVOO to taste

DO:
Roast pumpkin and set aside.

Place herbs into Thermomix bowl and chop for a few seconds on speed 7.

Place garlic and cheese into Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9.

Add pine nuts, juice and enough EVOO to make a fairly thin pesto. (I used 100g)

Toss pesto through warm pasta, add olives, tomatoes, roasted pumpkin and then crumble feta over the top. Drizzle with additional EVOO and garnish with a few fresh herb leaves. Eat immediately.

Pasta is always stunning served with fresh French Sticks…with or without the garlic butter.  Looks like I’m going to need a Ciabatta recipe up here, if I’m going to help keep European Union relations in good shape! And no I didn’t find the rest of the pasta roller…looks like I’ll be needing a brand spanking new one!

Beef Steak, prior to cooking!

Just a little ego stroking first…see that button to the right of screen? CLICK on and VOTE…5 hats for me…please! Someone has nominated me as a top food blog…we are not talking Perth, or even Australia, this is a global thing and I have to say, the company I am in is awesome, as far as food blogs go. I am flattered, but have now become competitive, so go vote. (That out of the way, we can proceed!)

I saw a friend in Singapore shred beef, painstakingly, one shred at a time, with a fork…not kidding, a table fork, and although the end result was stunning, I couldn’t quite imagine spending a couple of hours cooking, then shredding beef, chicken or any other meat for it to be wolfed down as quickly as it would be in my household! So; in a fit of daring, I gave the old Thermomix a chance to prove to me once again that it is the appliance in my kitchen and sure enough, we have been shredding all over the place! (Is that a good thing?)
I also love Mexican food and so yes, here we are, South of the Border again…perhaps I should start a restaurant…any takers?
Shredded Beef Taco Salad

NEED:
Dressing:
Handful coriander
1 chilli
1 clove garlic
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp ground cumin
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Juice 2 limes
100g olive oil
Beef:
500g beef steak
1 litre GF beef stock
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
150g vintage cheddar cheese cubed
Iceberg lettuce to taste
1 tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
100g sliced black olives
Few spring onions/shallots sliced
1 punnet grape tomatoes halved
1 red capsicum diced
1-2 avocados pitted and diced
Corn chips to taste

DO:
To make dressing place coriander, chilli and garlic into Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6. Add remaining dressing ingredients and blend for 10 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
Without washing bowl, prepare beef by placing into basket and inserting into Thermomix bowl. Pour stock over and cook for 20 minutes at 100ºC on speed 2. Drain stock and reserve for another use. Place cooked beef into Thermomix bowl and shred for 5 seconds by turning the dial slowly up to speed 6.
To assemble salad, place cheese into clean and dry Thermomix bowl and grate for 8 seconds on speed 9.
Arrange lettuce over the bottom of a shallow serving dish or platter.
Spoon beef mixture evenly over lettuce and then top with layers of beans, olives, spring onions, tomatoes, capsicum and avocado’s. Finish with corn chips and drizzle with dressing just prior to serving.

Oh and should the pic not quite do it for you, I am making this AGAIN and will be hoping that my camera does not play up…so use your imagination…it will shred, trust me!

Go crackers!

Now that could seem a little tasteless, if they weren’t so darn tasty! Full of linseed, a little Chia to chia you up, no soy, but plenty of phyto estrogens going on…and we all know how good they can taste! Crackers with no wheat as well, which as you all know is my new mantra, (well for this week!!)

I was craving bread-like, crunch-like, something to dip into dip-like…so, like… made these!

NEED:
2 cloves garlic
50g Parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp each ground coriander, cumin and cayenne
120g polenta
120g linseed
200g rye flour
20g Chia seeds
2 tsp granulated yeast
1 tbsp sugar
50g EVOO
1 tbs sea salt
200g warm water

DO:
Preheat oven to 175oC.
Place garlic, Parmesan, and dry spices into Thermomix bowl and mill for 8 seconds on speed 9. Set aside.
Place all remaining ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mix for 7 seconds on speed 7.
With dial set to closed lid position, knead on Interval speed for 1-2 minutes until sticky dough is formed.
Tip dough out onto floured Silicone Mat and bring together by hand. Divide into four and working one piece at a time, roll as thinly as possible between 2 layers of baking paper.
Sprinkle with topping and roll into dough with paper.
Lay on baking tray and score with pizza cutter into whatever shapes you desire.
Bake for 10 minutes and then remove until all crackers are cooked. Break apart and mound onto one tray. Leave in 70o oven until fully crispy! (About 30 minutes)
Wrap in foil and keep in the fridge for total crispy-ness to remain…but I bet they will be gone the moment any dip gets near them!

Lime Aioli with Home Made Fries

Ever thought that local pizza, (chicken, hamburger, fish and chips) lacked flavor/substance/nutrition. Well you were right on all three counts! So bookmark these tips and stop calling the pizza shop when you get home at night tired and out of ideas…and not only eat cheaper, eat better nutritionally as well.
Just got home from a five hour drive from down south of the State (Albany for the un-Australian) and having eaten rather well down there at the Festival of the Sea (Fresh sardines, oysters, yabby pies, local cheeses, seafood cooking demos etc.) unable to face a bowl of cold cereal, I quickly whipped up a batch of Lime Aioli (for which my breath will pay all week, but what a way to go!) and then cooked some homemade oven fries with Parmesan…we were eating within 40 minutes and I was nearly asleep on the couch simply waiting for the fries to be done…so;

LIME AIOLI
NEED:
3-4 cloves garlic
2 eggs seperated
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp cider vinegar
400-500g flavorless oil
pinch sea salt
juice 1 lime

DO:
Place peeled garlic into TM bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 6.
Add egg yolks and mustard and insert Butterfly.
Beat for 2 minutes at 37oC on speed 4.
Add vinegar and then with blade turning at speed 4 add oil through hole in lid by drizzling slowly over a period of 4 minutes.
Add egg whites, salt and lime juice and beat briefly just to combine before scraping down sides of bowl and blending for a few more seconds.
Serve immediately with home made fries.

HOME MADE OVEN FRIES
NEED:
6-7 Ruby Lou potatoes
50g Parmesan cubed
2 tsp paprika
few tbsp plain flour
sea salt to taste
drizzle of oil

DO:
Preheat oven to 190oC. Line 2 large baking trays with paper.
Cut fries equally and dry in clean tea towel.
Place Parmesan and paprika into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds until very fine.
Using only half the potatoes at a time, dredge with flour, salt and Parmesan mix. Repeat with other half. Divide between 2 trays, drizzle with oil and bake in hot oven until browned and crispy.
Serve while hot with Lime Aioli, and try not to spill it down your chin now…really!

Other suggestions for quick fast food at home would include Pizza Scrolls or Pizza itself, which with Thermomix is no longer challenging or time consuming. Or steam a piece of salmon, toss a salad and make a quick Gremolata to go with the salmon and suddenly those fish and chips you were thinking of look pretty darned expensive and awful!
Soup of course can be the quickest meal in the Thermomix ever, so watch this space for a few more souper ideas coming your way as the weather gets colder….if it ever does! I have an eight minute fresh soup up my sleeve that I will unveil any day now…just waiting on that temp to bottom out or at least drop a degree or 10! Until then, no more excuses for fast food days!

So I taste this amazing dip in the States right? But it’s from Costco…and they don’t do a recipe blog, so once again, I’m trying to put stuff together to repeat the taste….Lucky for me I have the Thermomix, the food processor of the Gods….so should be easy yeah?  (Channeling Jamie Oliver right here!) Here is my ode to Artichoke Spinach Dip…without a sniff of Costco in sight!

NEED:
150 grams each sour cream and good whole egg mayonnaise (or make your own!)
200 grams feta cheese
100 grams parmesan cheese
1 jar (320 grams) marinated artichoke hearts
5 large cloves of garlic peeled
250 grams frozen spinach, thawed and drained (Pat dry with paper towel and squeeze excess moisture out before adding)
additional grated parmesan cheese to taste (Thermomix Speed 8 for 3 seconds)
(No salt is required in this recipe as the cheeses have plenty!)

DO:
Drain artichokes and prepare garlic.
Add all ingredients except spinach to Thermomix bowl.
Blend on Speed 8 for approx 30 seconds or until creamy in texture.
Add well drained spinach and pulse for 10 seconds until blended.
Taste and add salt if necessary.
Refrigerate until needed.
Place dip into heatproof bowl.
Sprinkle with grated parmesan and cook in hot oven until bubbly.

SERVE:
With Pita crisps, crostini, water crackers, fresh vegetables or corn chips of choice. Or you can be a bit pukkah (Jamie again!) and put the dip into a bread basket like I did…Wrap completely in foil leaving the top open to toast the parmesan. Wrap the lid in foil also to heat it up and cook in hot oven for approximately 20 minutes. Eat the basket as the dip goes down…I served this tonight for a big family dinner and there was not a crumb left…but then, they are a bunch of hungry horrors at the best of times!