Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic 🇫🇷

This classic French dish featuring lots of garlic is traditionally cooked with a whole chicken.  I use chicken thigh portions with their skin on and bones in which guarantees every bite to be flavourful and moist.  Team it up with the best quality garlic you can find - 40 gloves of it, but there is no peeling or chopping involved, thanks heavens.  Whole cloves go in to roast slowly with the chicken until their flesh becomes so soft that it starts to ooze out of the caramelised skin, infusing the meat with sweetness.  The aroma wafting from the oven as it cooks is amazing.

Note: Unhappy with the quality of imported garlic and the price of the local varieties, I grew my own in three large garden tubs last year with the most satisfying results. (See photo on the left.)  Homegrown is worths the effort!

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 heads good quality garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.2kg / 2lb 10oz chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 5-6 spring onions, chopped
• 8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Separate heads into 40 cloves of garlic.  Remove the papery excess but do not peel.
2. Heat oil in a shallow casserole pan over medium high heat until hot.  Brown the chicken, skin-side down, in 2 batches until golden.  Flip to brown the other side.  Transfer to a plate.
3. In the same pan, add spring onions and half of the thyme and sauté with the residual oil over medium heat for 1 minute.
4. Place 20 cloves of garlic into the pan.  Transfer chicken and its juices back to the pan and arrange them, skin-side up, snugly against each other in one layer.  Place the remaining 20 cloves of garlic and thyme on top.
5. Add wine and let it simmer for 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover the pan with a lid and cook in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 1 to 1¼ hour until the chicken is tender and the garlic has softened up beautifully.
7. Serve warm with mashed potatoes or sourdough bread to mop up the lovely sauce (and make sure each person has their fair share of garlic.)

Mango Scrap Syrup

There is no shortage of recipes featuring Australian mangoes on this blog and here's another one to top it off before the end of their season.  Save the pits and peels after you enjoy the mango flesh.  Put the scraps in a large sealed plastic bag in the freezer and when you have about half a kilogram (a little over a pound) of it, use them to make the most delicious syrup for your drinks and desserts.  No wastage.

Makes about 1 cup of syrup

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1 lb 2oz mango pits and peels
• rinds of 2 lemons
• 1 cup sugar

METHOD

1. Place mango pits, peels and lemon rinds in a large mixing bowl.  Toss to combine.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for 4-5 hours, stirring every hour, until the sugar has completely dissolved and a syrupy sauce is formed.
2. Strain the syrup using a mesh strainer over another large bowl, pressing the scraps gently with a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible.
3. Discard the scraps and pour syrup into a clean glass bottle or jar with lid.  Serve syrup over ice with soda water for a sparkling beverage or use as a cocktail ingredient.  Drizzle over ice cream and yoghurt for a sweet treat.  The syrup can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

 

Pork Medallions with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Australian pork has been promoted in a long running national marketing campaign highlighting its versatility and deliciousness for everyday meal.  Here, you can 'get some pork on your fork' as the tagline suggests, using the tenderest cut doused in a delectable, creamy mushroom sauce.  Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz thinly cut pork loin steaks or pork fillet
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 French shallots, sliced
• 250g / 9oz button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 100ml / 3½fl oz  white wine
• 400ml / 13½fl oz chicken stock
• a few sprigs of thyme
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• 100ml / 3½fl oz thick cream
• sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat until hot.  Brown the pork medallions on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove and set aside.
2. Melt butter in the same pan over medium heat until foaming.  Add the shallots and mushrooms and sauté for about 8 minutes until softened but not fully cooked.  Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 minute.
3. Stir through the flour and cook for 2 minutes until well combined with the ingredients.  Add the wine and let it come to a boil.
4. Gradually stir in the stock until a smooth sauce is formed.  Toss in the thyme. 
5. Stir in mustard and cream and let it simmer until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve hot.

Roast Butternut Pumpkin with Tahini Sauce

For those who love pumpkin but hate cutting it up, which could be a tedious job, here's a recipe for you.  Use butternut pumpkin that has already been halved from the shop and send it to the oven as is with just a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  (Scoop out the seeds after the pumpkin is cooked - it's easier.)  Then, it's a matter of taking it to the next level with a drizzling of creamy tahini sauce, almond flakes for crunch and chopped mint leaves for freshness.  Roast some red onion wedges on the side for an extra bite of natural sweetness.  

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• half a butternut pumpkin
• 1 red onion, quartered
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup toasted almond flakes
• a handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

Tahini sauce:

• ⅓ cup tahini
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup water
• a pinch of salt

METHOD

1. Line an oven tray with baking paper.  Place the pumpkin and onions on the tray and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of oil.  Sprinkle over a little salt and pepper.
2. Roast in a preheated 200°C /400°F oven until the pumpkin flesh is tender, about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the pumpkin.  The onions need a little less cooking time so keep an eye out and remove them from the oven before they get too burnt.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the tahini sauce by combining tahini, lemon juice, water and salt in a small jug.  Mix into a smooth sauce.
4. When the pumpkin is cooked, scoop out and discard the seeds. Drizzle over the tahini sauce and the remaining spoonful of olive oil.  
5. Scatter over the almonds and chopped mint.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cut pumpkin into thick slices and serve with the onions.

 

Vietnamese Style Noodle Salad with Pork Meatballs

Western Australia was officially the hottest place on earth last Christmas Day.  With temperatures soaring to above 40C in Perth, the last thing anyone wants to do is slaving over a hot stove.  Turn some pork mince into tasty meatballs, cook outside on the barbecue and serve them in an Asian noodle salad.  This recipe is inspired by the Vietnamese 'Bun Cha' featuring lots of fresh herbs, raw and pickled vegetables as well as the quintessential 'nuoc mam' dipping sauce.  Cool and refreshing, this is a lovely meal for warm summer evenings.

*Skip the chillies if you don't like it spicy but do use plenty of fresh herbs. The meatballs can also be grilled or pan fried if you prefer.

Serves 3

INGREDIENTS

• 150g / 5¼oz dried rice vermicelli noodles
• a big handful beansprouts
• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
• a handful coriander leaves
• a handful basil or mint leaves
• 1 cup pickled daikon & carrots
• 1 red cayenne chilli, chopped, for garnishing

For the meatballs:

• 500g / 1lb 2 oz pork mince
• 2-3 spring onions, finely chopped
• ¼ cup coriander stems and roots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce 
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
• pinch of white pepper

For the Nuoc Mam dipping sauce:

• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 red cayenne chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
  

METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil.  Add rice vermicelli noodles and cook for about 5 minutes or according to package instructions, stirring occasionally.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Leave in a colander to dry. 
2. In a large bowl, combine pork mince, spring onions, coriander stems and roots, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, lemongrass and pepper.  Mix well with your hands.
3. Shape mixture into little patties.  Wet your hands with a little water as you proceed to prevent from sticking.  Makes about 10-12.  Place them, separated from each other, on a large platter and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm them up.
4. Cook meat patties on a hot barbecue, about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown all over.  Remove from heat.

For the Nuoc Mam dipping sauce:

1. In a small bowl, combine hot water with sugar.  Stir to dissolve sugar.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings as required to achieve a balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavours.

To ensemble:

1. On each individual serving plate, place a portion of noodles and a few meatballs on top. 
2. Arrange fresh herbs, bean sprouts, cucumber slices, pickled daikon and carrots on the side.
3. Drizzle some of the dipping sauce over the meat patties and noodles.  Serve the rest of the sauce in small individual dishes.  Garnish with chopped chillies.

 

Pickled Cucumbers

A friend of mine gave me some homegrown cucumbers plus a recipe for pickling them, so there's no excuse not to experiment, at home on Boxing Day after the hustle and bustle of Christmas.  They are easy to make and turn out very nice.  Tangy and full of crunch, pickled cucumbers are a perfect condiment for burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches.  Serve them on crackers with cheese, alongside meatballs and cold cuts, on top of nachos. Chop some into your potato, chicken and noodles salad too.

Makes 4-5 jars

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg / 2 lb 4 oz cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 3 cups white vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 whole small red chillies
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 3 whole cloves

METHOD

1. Wash 4-5 medium size glass jars and lids with hot soapy water.  Rinse well with hot water.  Sterilise by placing them onto a baking tray, then into a preheated 120°C/250°F oven for 20 minutes, or until they are dry and ready to be used. 
2. Cut cucumbers crossways into slices.  Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt.  Gently mix and allow to stand overnight.
3. Next day, rinse cucumbers under cold water and drain.
4. In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, chillies, mustard seeds, peppercorns and cloves.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
5. Add cucumbers.  Bring to the boil and remove from heat immediately.
6. With a pair of tongs, transfer cucumbers to warm sterilised jars, filling them up with the pickling solution and the spices.  Seal with lids and leave them to cool.   When the lid 'pops' after a few minutes resulting in a little depression in the centre, you know your jar is airtight. 
7. Label and date each jar.  Allow 1 week infusing time for the pickled cucumbers to develop flavour before using.  Store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.  Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within a few weeks. 

Thai Mango Sticky Rice 🇹🇭 (Gluten Free)

The famed Thai mango sticky rice is not difficult to make at home.  You need glutinous rice (which is gluten free in spite of its name) soaked overnight and then steamed to make them 'sticky'.  Added to your shopping list is a tin of good quality coconut cream and some lovely mangoes that are ripe but firm to the touch.  Traditionally, sticky rice is steamed inside a conical bamboo basket over a metal pot filled with water.  For a small quantity of rice, as in this recipe, an ordinary steamer basket lined with a wet cotton cloth over a saucepan works well.  Mango sticky rice makes a scrumptious dessert.  The dense, slightly chewy texture of the rice creates a delightful mouthfeel against the natural sweetness and juiciness of the mango.  In Thailand, it is a street food eaten for breakfast as well as a snack throughout the day.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 250g / 9oz glutinous rice
• 300ml / 10½oz coconut cream
• 40g / 1½oz caster sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large mangoes
• 2 teaspoons toasted black sesame seeds

METHOD

1.  Place glutinous rice in a large bowl with enough cold water to submerge.  Use your hand to gently swirl the rice around to rinse.  Pour off the starchy water.  Repeat two or three times until the water runs clear.
2. Add clean water to cover the surface of the rice in the bowl by about 2.5cm/ 1".  Allow to soak overnight.
3. When ready to cook, line a steamer basket with a clean, wet cotton cloth.  Drain the rice with a sieve and spread it out in the basket.  Fold over the edges of the wet cloth to cover the top, then cover the basket with lid. 
4. Fill a large saucepan matching the size of the bamboo steamer with 5cm /2" of water.  Bring it to the boil.  Place the steamer basket on top and steam over medium high heat for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and clump together a little.  Check the water level in the saucepan during the steaming process midway through and add more hot water if required so it doesn't boil dry.  
5. While the rice is steaming, place 250ml / 9oz of the coconut cream, sugar and salt in a small saucepan.  Stir for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar over low heat.
6. Tip the cooked rice to a large bowl and stir in the warm coconut cream, a little at a time, until well combined and glossy.
7. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 50ml / 1¾oz of coconut cream with a pinch of salt.
8. Prepare the mangoes.  For best presentation, use their 'cheeks' only by slicing them off either side of the mango and then cutting each cheek into thick slices with a sharp knife.  Carefully slice off skin.
9. Divide the sticky rice between plates.  Arrange mango slices on top of the rice.  Spoon over the salted coconut cream and garnish with sesame seeds.  Serve at room temperature.

*Any leftover sticky rice can be wrapped up with plastic into packages and refrigerated up to a day or two.  To reheat, unwrap and place rice in a microwave safe dish, sprinkle with a little water, cover and warm up on medium power for about 1 minute (depending on the amount of rice.)  Fluff rice up with a fork before serving.

 

Crispy Skin Barramundi Fillets with Miso Butter Sauce

Native to northern Australian waters, Barramundi is a great tasting fish renowned for its delicate flesh and mild flavour.  I like fillets of them panfried with crispy skin, then served over a simple miso butter sauce.  Add a scoop of steamed rice and vegetables on the side, you have a light, nutritious meal.  (This recipe works for salmon fillets as well.)  Miso is a traditional Japanese fermented soybean paste known for its rich savouriness.  Shiro (white) miso is lighter and sweeter than Aka (red) miso which has a stronger, deeper flavour.  Use whichever one you  prefer.  Miso and butter together makes a delicious sauce that goes particularly well with fish.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Barramundi fillets with skin on, about 270g / 9½oz
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the miso butter sauce:

• ½ cup vegetable stock or water
• 2 tablespoons miso
• 50g / 1¾oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions

METHOD

1. Pat fillets dry with paper towel.  Sprinkle the skin and flesh side of fillets with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium high heat until hot.  Place the fillets in the pan, skin side down.  Cook for 4 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and crisp.  Turn the fillets over and cook over medium heat for a further 2 minutes or until just cooked through.  
3. Make the sauce by placing stock or water in a small saucepan to the boil.  Whisk in the miso until smooth, then bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to low and whisk in the butter, a little at a time, until the mixture is well combined.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and half the spring onions.
4. Divide the sauce between 2 plates.  Place the fillets, skin side up, on top of the sauce.  Garnish with the remaining spring onions.  Serve immediately with rice and vegetables. 

 

 

Basque Cheese Cake (with gluten-free option) 🇪🇸

Decadently rich and creamy, this Basque cheese cake will delight your family and friends this Christmas or at any celebratory occasions.  Originated in San Sebastian, Spain's Basque country, it is a crustless baked dessert with luscious, dreamy texture and a signature 'burnt' top.  The key ingredient is good quality cream cheese - plenty of it.  This recipe is written for a small cake which comfortably serves 6-8 but you can double it to make a large one using a bigger cake tin.  It is also only moderately sweet, for my taste.  A handheld electric mixer or stand-mixer would do most of the work for you.  The cake can be made gluten-free by substituting that single tablespoon of plain flour required with GF flour.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz cream cheese*
• 200g / 7 oz thickened or heavy cream
• 100g / 3½oz caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon plain flour or gluten-free flour
• 3 extra large eggs

*I use Australian made Philadelphia cream cheese.

METHOD

1. Line a 19cm / 7½" round springform or loose base cake tin with enough baking paper so that it extends past the edges of the tin.  This will help you remove the cake from the tin later on.
2. Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature, then place it into a large bowl and process with a handheld electric mixer until soft and smooth.  (A stand-mixer can also be used.)
3. Pour in the cream and process until incorporated.
4. Add in the sugar, salt and vanilla.  Process until well combined.
5. Sprinkle in flour and mix, then add eggs, one at a time, blending until incorporated.  
6. Scrape  down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a flexible spatula, then transfer mixture to the prepared cake tin.
7. Bake cake in a preheated 200°C /400°F oven for 40-45 minutes.  The cake is done with the top is golden brown and almost burnt looking.  Remove from oven.  The centre of the cake will be wobbly, which is fine as it will settle in the cooling process.
8. Allow the cake to rest in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it together with the baking paper onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Place it in the fridge to chill.  
9. Remove the baking paper around the cake to cut and serve.  The cake can be kept in the fridge for  about 5 days.  Leftover cake can be frozen for up to 1 month.  Defrost in the fridge until soft and ready to eat.

 

Prawns & Tender Vegetables Stir Fry

Freshness and deliciousness on a plate comes with succulent prawns stir fried with tender vegetables requiring only a toss in the wok.  I use wild caught Australian prawns, broad beans in their pods, asparagus, snow peas and pre-cooked, vacuum-packed bamboo shoots available from Asian grocery stores.  (Frozen broad beans can also be used and if you are not keen on bamboo shoots, substitute with parboiled slices of carrots.)  After initial preparations, the dish comes together in minutes as soon as the ingredients hit the wok.  This is Cantonese stir fry in its element.  Serve with steamed rice.

*Note that no cornflour slurry is used in this instance to thicken the sauce, to keep the dish light and fresh tasting.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 12 medium size raw prawns
• 100g / 3½oz pre-cooked, vacuum-packed bamboo shoots, rinsed and sliced
• 100g / 3½oz snow peas
• 6-8 asparagus spears
• 8-10 broad beans in pods or 130g / 4½oz frozen broad beans
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 thumb-sized slices of ginger 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxin wine
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon malt vinegar or rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons water

METHOD

Preparation of ingredients:

1. Remove heads and shells from prawns, leaving the tails intact.  Make a slit on the back of each prawn to expose and remove the vein.
2. Snap off the stem end of snow peas, then pull to remove the fibrous string down the length of the pod.
3. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus, then slice each spear into 2 or 3 sections. 
4. Remove broad beans from their outer pods (unless you are using frozen broad beans). 
5. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and blanch the asparagus for 1 minute.  Remove with a slotted spoon, then refresh under cold water.   
6. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the broad beans for 2 minutes.  Drain and refresh under cold water, then gently squeeze the beans out from their casings.

Cooking:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until very hot.  Add the prawns and stir fry for 1 minute until they curl up and change colour.  Remove from wok and set aside.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok.  Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.  Add bamboo shoots, snow peas, asparagus, broad beans and prawns.  Toss to combine with ginger and garlic.
3. Add wine, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil.  Stir fry for 30 seconds.
4. Pour in water and stir fry for a further 30 seconds.
5. Remove from wok and serve immediately with steamed rice.