Gnocchi with Mushroom and Proscuitto

Sydney has been inundated with rain for the past couple of weeks. Weather that has been so bleak, with chilly days and nights only means we stay indoors. We eat, drink, watch TV, watch movies have friends over for a meal or go out to dine and most importantly for me, cook.
The time to try recipes, old and new.
I decided to revisit gnocchi, a dish I haven't made for years.
Coupled with a great red wine, we all loved it. The trick is in the potatoes I think. Buy a variety that is Not for roasting or chips. I used  dirty old desiree potatoes and cooked them in their skins. Cooking them in their skins helps keep the potato flavour and stops them from going too soggy. Soggy potatoes don't make good gnocchi. I mixed it with a little pumpkin to change it and make it a little lighter on the bite. It look like this is a lot of work . It isn't really and is well worth the effort.


650 gram potato washed and scrubbed. Any potato that is good for mashing is suitable.
250 gram jap pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 cup plain flour


200 grams mushrooms
5 slices prosciutto
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup Parmesan
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
300 ml cream
1/4 teaspoon thyme
8 sage leaves

Turn the oven on to 180C.
Boil the potatoes in their skins, until cooked. Don't overcook them. Set aside to cool
Cut the pumpkin into similar size pieces and place in the oven on a tray to roast the until cooked.
Once the potato is cooled the skin will peel off very easily.
Mash the pumpkin and set aside.
Sieve the flour and salt onto a piece of baking paper and push the potato through a mouli or a sieve onto the flour.
Add the mashed pumpkin.
Break the egg on top and slowly mix the ingredients together with your hands, until the lot is a soft dough. Don't handle it too much, it will come together nicely. If you feel it is a little wet, add a little more flour.
Cut pieces of the dough and roll gently with your hands to form a long sausage shape.
Cut into approx 2 cm pieces and push each piece gently with a fork. This allows the sauce to adhere to the dough, better.
Set them all aside on a clean baking sheet until ready to cook. Sprinkle with a little flour.

Place the prosciutto and sage on a baking tray in the oven and cook until crisp approx 10 mins for prosciutto. Watch the sage as it will easily burn. Set aside when cooked.
Put water on to boil in a large saucepan you would use for pasta and bring to the boil.
Cook the garlic and mushrooms in butter until mushrooms are just cooked.
Add the cream and chicken stock and boil until the cream separates a little and thins out. Add thyme and season.
When the water comes to boil, add the gnocchi to cook. It will take a couple of minutes to rise to the surface which means it will be cooked.
Add the gnocchi to each plate with a little sauce and crunch the prosciutto over the top with some sage and Parmesan. Delicious !

                                           
                                             Gnocchi with Mushroom and Proscuitto
                                         

Fat little "dumplings" ready to be cooked

Thai Massamun Lamb Shanks

We are off to the southern highlands to stay with wonderful friends for a Xmas in July, well August this week end.
It is also another week end of sport viewing . The first game of the Bledisloe Cup is on and everyone is for ever hopeful about the Wallabies.  If you aren't going out to the game, get some friends around to watch it and a wintery do ahead meal is in order and this is perfect.
I made it this week, delicious. Although I have also made Osso Bucco for a casual dinner for friends last night and Asian Beef Pies for tonight for twelve.
All of these meals can be done and ready so you can spend time with your guests.
Of course I like to make my own paste but a bought one is fine if you are familiar with it. You may have to add extra of the seasonings.
Saturday night we will be indulging in Turkey with all the trimmings, which we are making.
We have cheated on the pudding, we have Heston Blumenthals puddings, they are absolutely delicious.
Look out for them this coming Xmas if you aren't inclined to make a pudding. I am not a fan of bought ready made food, but they are seriously worth consideration.
This is for 6 people.

6 lamb shanks
2 cans coconut milk
300 ml chicken stock
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons tamarind puree
150 gram massamun curry paste ( homemade is preferred )
fresh coriander
500 gram sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 2 cm pieces
100 grams pearl onions or 1 very large onion cut into eights
Rylstone olive oil

Seal the lamb shanks in a little Rylstone olive oil.
Fry the curry paste in remainder of oil. add the coconut milk and stock and bring to a simmer.
 Add fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind puree, and continue to simmer for a minute to allow flavours to infuse.
Add the lamb shanks and cook in a 160C oven covered for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove and ad the sweet potato and onion and cook for a further 1/2 hour.
Serve with steamed rice and freshly chopped coriander.

Asian Style Beef Pie

The weather forgot to be winter for a week, but the cold is back with a vengeance.
So another little tummy warmer for the family dinner or smart enough for entertaining casually.
This is not strictly a pie nor Asian except for the Thai spices. The flavours are subtle and the pie is quite rich, with the addition of the pureed sweet potato. You could always use pastry or another variety of potato as an alternative.
It can be totally made with the inclusion of the topping and sit waiting to pop into the oven to warm through half an hour before serving. Delicious and easy.

1 kilo beef chuck cubed
Rylstone olive oil
2 onions chopped finely
2 carrots sliced and quartered
2 cloves garlic crushed
1tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 teaspoons palm sugar
1 large red chilli or 2 small very finely chopped.
750 ml beef stock
2 shallots

2 large sweet potato or 500 gram
large knob butter
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons crushed ginger
large knob butter
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons crushed ginger
3 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans ( optional )

 Drizzle beef with oil and brown in a casserole dish in two or three batches over a med heat.
Add the carrots onions and garlic and fry gently for a couple of minutes stirring it through the beef.
Add the stock, soy sauce, fish sauce,  palm sugar and chilli and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for one and half hours. Add chopped spring onions just before serving.
Steam sweet potato and mix through butter and milk with the crushed ginger. Add the pecans last if using.
Divide the mixture into four ovenproof ramekins and top with the sweet potato and warm in a moderate oven for about half an hour.
Serve with steamed Asian greens.

Tomato Soup with Chorizo

Another simple winter lunch or dinner. Of course fresh tomatoes would be far more delicious, however they are not as beautiful in the winter and are more expensive. This is very quick, filling and tasty and with the addition of milk it makes it a little softer on the palate.

1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 large jar tomato passata
1 tin chopped tomatoes
750 ml chicken or vegetable stock
3 spring onions
handful of basil leaves
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1-2 cups milk  
2 chorizo

Chop onion and garlic and sweat in a little olive oil in a large pot on stovetop.
Add tomato passata and tinned tomatoes, chopped spring onions, sugar, cumin and basil.
Simmer for about 20 minutes to let flavours infuse.
Slice chorizo and then cut each slice again into quarters. cook separately in fry pan until just done.
Blend the soup mix with a handheld stick or in a blender.
Add the milk  and lastly the chorizo. Adjust seasoning and serve with crusty french bread.
If you don't want it to be a little creamy omit the milk. Alternatively you could add a dollop of cream at serving for each diner to swirl through as they are eating.

Mexican Mac and Cheese

My sister and I recently had the pleasure of visiting my daughter in New York and were lucky enough to go to some wonderful restaurants. She works as an interior designer  in hospitality and helped us decide from the millions of restaurants on my list. So many to choose from. In fact she told me you could eat out every night in New York for 58 years and never eat at the same place twice.!
We dined in many very good restaurants and enjoyed a wide variety of cuisines.
What does astound me is the Americans love of Mac and Cheese, or Macaroni and Cheese as it is correctly called. It is on many menus in very good restaurants, maybe with the addition of lobster, or duck to take it to another level.
There are restaurants totally dedicated to the dish and people line up to buy it.
Although there was Macbar near me in Soho, I didn't go there. I haven't eaten Mac and Cheese since a small girl but thought I would give this a try to remind me what all the fuss is about. I was pleasantly surprised. I made mine with a little touch of Mexican. A simple family winter meal. Play around with ingredients and change it next time.



375 grams macaroni or elbow pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup plain flour
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 red capsicum, finely chopped
2 small chillies finely chopped
1 can red kidney beans
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra cheese
handful of chopped coriander
S&P

Cook the macaroni or pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Set aside.
Fry the onions, garlic, chilli and capsicum in a small amount of oil until soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Melt the butter and mix in the flour and make a roux. Add the chicken stock and mix really well. Warm the milk and gradually add it to the stock mixture. Mix the two cheese into the roux and stir until the cheeses have melted.
Return the onion, capsicum, chilli and garlic to the sauce. Add the drained kidney beans and mix through. Adjust the seasoning. The mixture shouldn't be too thick as it will also thicken whilst baking.
Stir the pasta and the sauce together.
Preheat the oven to 160C
Place in a an ovenproof casserole and sprinkle with the extra cheese and chopped coriander
Bake for approx 30-40 minutes.

Spicy Beef Casserole

The weather has turned ! After a glorious May of sun filled days and low to mid twenties temperatures, winter has finally arrived. Cold wind and snow on the alps, our minds turn to warm comfort food, stews braises and casseroles.
This beef casserole is quick easy and adaptable. The slow cooking guarantees tender meat and a rich sauce. It can be made the day before and will probably taste the better for it.
You can add vegetables or peppers and chilli for a bit of variety.


1 kg Beef chuck or blade
Rylstone Olive Oil
2 onions finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1 cinnamon stick
zested rind of an orange
440 can tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
700 mls beef stock
S&P to taste


Heat the oven to slow 160C
Chop the beef not too small, 2 inch cubes.
Heat the oil in a covered ovenproof casserole dish .
Add the beef and cook in batches until just coloured, keeping the temperature on medium to high. Remove and set aside.
Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook until just translucent.
Add the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste and all the spices and stir through.
Bring to a simmer before returning the beef to the pot.
Place into the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove give it a stir and add the orange zest. Return to oven for approx another hour or until meat is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. All ovens vary so cooking time is only a guide.
The cut of meat usually determines the cooking time, but the cheaper cuts are best and do require at least 2 hours cooking .

Spicy Beef Casserole

Poached Pears in White Wine and Vanilla

Pears are in season now and are the most beautiful dessert. They are easy and light and with the addition of the sweet syrup just enough to satisfy.
I am not a fan of heavy desserts, particularly in winter after a usually hearty main.
They can be poached the day before, or the morning of, if entertaining.
Serve them with whipped cream, ice cream, mascarpone sweetened with a little icing sugar, cream and lemon curd for a change and an almond tule or crostini. In fact any crunchy little biscuit would be yum. Chocolate sauce is also a beautiful addition if you want something richer.
Great cleansing dessert after a spicy Thai or Indian, not traditional of course, but perfect just the same.
You must use a vanilla bean, no vanilla essence, it is never the same.


6  firm unripe pears ( I like brown bosc ) choose pretty shaped fruit that stands up if you can, with stalk intact
2 cups water
2 cups white wine
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean with the seeds scraped out
zest of a lemon

Peel pears with a vegetable peeler leaving the stalk .
Simmer all of the above ingredients until the sugar has dissolved and stand the pears upright in the liquid. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. About  1 1/2 to 2 hours for the cooking time is good, but it will vary depending on the variety and ripeness of the pears.  It will take at least 30 minutes and if you have pears that are ripe and feel they are cooked or starting to fall apart remove from the syrup and let the syrup reduce down a little more.
Top up with more water if necessary.
The syrup can be used to poach any fruit and can be kept in the refrigerator in a clean glass jar for months.

Ginger and Coconut Slice

A winter afternoon favourite, with a cup of tea. I hadn't made this for years and made it recently for a day at the country picnic races. Perfect for the occasion and easily transportable.
The icing can vary and this makes it taste a little different each time.
I have used lemon and orange juice to the icing. Whilst the ginger isn't a strong taste, you could put some small slithers of glace ginger into the icing if you love the ginger element . Its old fashioned and delicious.
It very quick to make only 20 minutes in a moderate oven, no excuse !!! Easily doubled.


100 grams butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
3/4 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Icing

1 1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons butter
a couple of tablespoons of either orange or lemon juice
zest of whichever fruit used

Melt the butter and golden syrup together and leave to cool slightly.
Place all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the egg. Mix together with the butter, golden syrup mixture. It should come together as a soft dough.
Line a square baking tray with Glad Bake and press the mixture evenly into the tin.
Bake at 170 for 20 minutes.
Melt the butter for the icing and blend with the icing sugar and juice. Use as much juice as you need to blend it together, so as its not too runny.
Remove and ice when cool.  Garnish with zest. Slice and serve

Red Curry of Vegetable Soup

This is so easy, filling and delicious. Perhaps not an authentic Thai dish, but if you have all the ingredients which you will do if you are a fan of Thai food, it takes no time at all to make.
I served it with a dollop of yoghurt and some pappadams for a change, definitely not Thai !
A great hearty meal for a winter Sunday night.
Play around with the vegetables, but use a starchy one as it will help thicken the soup.


2 cups chicken stock ( vegetable is fine too )
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped into smallish even pieces
1 large zucchini sliced and quartered
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
handful of chopped coriander
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
plain yoghurt
Lime leaves, finely sliced
pappadams
Rylstone olive oil

Fry the curry paste in the oil until fragrant.
Add the chopped onion and garlic and stir until translucent. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk and combine together.
Add the sweet potato first and simmer gently until nearly cooked. Then add the zucchini and chopped coriander. Lastly add the seasoning, brown sugar, fish sauce and salt. Taste and adjust if necessary.
As the vegetables are cooking the liquid will thicken. Simmer gently until all vegetables are soft.
If you feel its too thick add some more stock, too thin, cook a little longer.
Serve with yoghurt and poppadoms and garnish with lime slices.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

These tasty morsels are a treat for all the family. Basically a fancy way to serve chicken, perhaps a bit of work involved but they look fabulous and go along way.
You can use tenderloins, breast or thigh. I prefer thigh because they are a moister cut of meat, better for barbequing. You could also use beef or pork for a change.
The peanut sauce recipe makes about 2 cups, so you can make quite a few satays to go with it.
The meat I also prefer to be cut in longer thinner strips, before threading onto the skewers.
If you choose the buy your meat already cut in cubes, give them a gentle bash with a meat mallet to flatten slightly. If you don't  they can take a long time to cook all the way through.
Westerners seem to prefer to use peanut butter to crushed peanuts. I have used both methods. The peanut butter version is thicker and creamier, the crushed nuts a little crunchy and lighter in consistency

1 kilo Chicken thigh fillets thinly sliced
Wooden skewers ( soaked in water to stop them burning )
1/2 cup Coconut milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped Lemongrass
1 tablespoon Turmeric powder
1 tablespoon Coriander powder


Peanut Sauce

1 cup unsalted peanuts
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon tamarind puree ( you may use lemon juice )
3 tablespoons sweet thai chilli sauce or chilli powder to taste
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup water


Alternative Peanut sauce

1 cup  crunchy peanut butter
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon tamarind puree
2 tablespoons Red Thai Curry Paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup water

Slice the thigh fillets thinly. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together some salt. Place the sliced chicken into a plastic bag with the coconut milk mix and leave to marinate for at least an hour. This could also be done the night before.

Thread onto the wooden skewers at one end  leaving more than half free to keep from the flame of the barbecue.

Sauce
Which ever sauce you like the look of.....
Place the ingredients into a food processor all together and blend. You can keep any left over in a screw top jar in the fridge. You may need to add some more water when reheating to serve.
Also fabulous with noodles. Play around with the ingredients for alternatives.

Peanut Sauce made with fresh peanuts 

Peanut Sauce made with Peanut Butter