Sweet Quince Paste (Membrillo) 🇪🇸

Little I knew about quinces in the past came from the nursery rhyme 'The Owl and the Pussycat'.  These unremarkably looking fruits had never caught my eye, until a friend gave me a few from her tree and suggested I make quince paste out of them.  Hard and tart they might be, cooking quinces with sugar and lemon juice transform them into a sweet, aromatic Spanish delicacy that goes famously well with cheeses.  It's not difficult to make, requiring just a little patience and stamina stirring the pot to prevent the paste from sticking as it thickens.  This recipe makes a big slab of quince paste, which you can cut into blocks, give some to friends and enjoy the rest on your cheese board.  Wrapped in plastics, they can be refrigerated up to 3 months or frozen up to 1 year.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 quinces (about 1.2kg / 2lb 10oz  )
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• white sugar (about 1kg / 2lb 4oz)

METHOD

1. Wash and rub off fuzz from skin of quinces.  Peel and core, then slice into chunks.
2. Place quince fruit, lemon juice and water in a large pot with deep sides.  Cook, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes or until soft.
3. Puree the fruit with a stick blender or food processor until smooth.  Weigh the puree and return it to the pot.  Gradually add an equivalent measure (1 to 1) of sugar.  Stir over low heat, without boiling, until all the sugar has dissolved.
4. Cook uncovered over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, for 45-60 minutes, or until the mixture thickens up and turns a deep orange or ruby red.  The hot mixture will bubble up and splatter a little at this stage, so wrap a tea towel around your hand for protection.
5. Line a 20cm / 8" square baking dish with baking paper.  When the paste is ready, pour it into the dish and smooth the top.  Let it cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until firm.
6. Invert the quince paste onto a platter.  Slice into blocks and enjoy with your cheese and biscuits.

 

Tricolour Vegetarian Stuffed Capsicums

Just about every cuisine around the world has their version of stuffed capsicums.  Here's a vegetarian take filling roasted, tricolour capsicums with a flavourful combination of brown rice, black beans, cherry tomatoes, warm spices, topped with melty cheese.  Tantalisingly delicious, they are sure to brighten up any table as an appetiser, side dish, or a light lunch.  (If you have some thick-skinned Anaheim chillies and like it hot, they can be stuffed too for a fiery taste sensation!) Use leftover or precooked brown rice conveniently available in packages from the supermarket, or you can follow instructions here to cook a batch.

Makes 6 

INGREDIENTS

• 125g / 4½oz cooked brown rice
• 3 large capsicums (1 red,1 green & 1 yellow for the tricolour effect)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
• 200g / 7oz cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 250g / 9oz tinned black beans, rinsed and drained
• ⅓ cup fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

METHOD

1. Half each capsicum from stem to base.  Remove seeds and membranes.
2. Place halved capsicums in a bowl.  Rub them all over with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
3. Arrange capsicums with cut sides facing up on a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Bake in a preheated 200°C /400°F oven for 10 minutes or until they are softened and a little blistered around the edges.  Remove the tray from oven and allow the capsicums to cool slightly.  Drain off any liquid pooled inside their cavities.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent.  Add garlic, cumin powder and chilli powder.  Sauté for another minute.  Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to wilt, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from heat.  Stir in rice, black beans and chopped coriander.  Have a taste of it and season with salt to taste.
6. Stuff each pepper generously with the rice mixture.  Top with grated cheese.  (It doesn't matter if some cheese land on the baking paper.  They can be scraped off easily later and served with the capsicums.)
7. Bake in a preheated 200°C /400°F oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and golden in spots.  Serve warm.

 

Pork Mince with Eggplant Thai Style 🌶

Pork mince appears frequently in Asian stir fry recipes.  They are easy to use, require little cooking time in the hot wok and go with just about any vegetables.  In this recipe, I give a popular Chinese dish featuring pork mince and eggplant a Thai twist by flavouring it with fish sauce, palm sugar, fresh chillies and garnishing with basil leaves.  A different flavour profile from the classic Sichuan version, lighter perhaps but equally delicious.  Use the long and slender Asian or Lebanese eggplants which have more delicate skin and less seeds than the standard variety, which means no salting or soaking treatment is needed to remove any bitterness prior to cooking. 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons palm sugar
• 200g / 7oz Asian eggplant
• 250g / 9oz pork mince
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-2 red cayenne chillies, finely chopped*
• a handful of fresh basil leaves

*Deseed chillies if you prefer less heat.

METHOD

1. Combine light soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl.
2. Cut eggplant diagonally into 1cm / ½" slices.
3. Place eggplant in a heatproof rimmed dish.  Set up a steamer station* and fill the bottom pan with water.  Cover and turn the heat on high.  When the water is boiling, carefully lower the dish  into the steamer.  Cover and let the eggplant steam for 8-10 minutes until tender.  Set aside to cool slightly, then roughly chop.
4. Heat wok over high heat until hot.  Add 2 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat.  Add eggplant and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Remove and set aside.
5. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, garlic and chillies to the wok over high heat.  Stir fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Add mince and spread them out in a thin layer to caramelised for a minute or so, then tossing them around to cook through.
6. Transfer eggplant to the wok.  Add light soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce and palm sugar.  Stir fry for 2 minutes to combine.
7. Remove to a serving plate and garnish with basil leaves.  Serve hot with steamed rice.

*For instructions on how to set up a steaming station, see my recipe for steamed chicken with Chinese sausages.

Beef Pot Roast

Just when I thought summer would never end in Perth, autumn crept in with a burst of wet weather - no better time to cook a cosy pot roast for the family to enjoy.  Not a huge amount of work involved and you have your protein, vegetables and carbohydrates all in one pot.  I cook this in a Dutch oven ( or a heavy-based pot with a tight-fitting lid) on the stove top and once the slow cooking is on its way, nothing else needs doing other than putting the potatoes in 20 minutes or so before end time.  The meat will be meltingly tender and the gravy deliciously rich.  The recipe can be adapted for a slow cooker or the oven if you like.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 /kg / 2lb 5oz beef blade, topside or chuck roast
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 celery stalks, sliced into 2.5cm /1" pieces
• 2 carrots, sliced into rings, sliced into 2.5cm /1" pieces
• 1 parsnip, sliced into 2.5cm /1" pieces
• 2 tablespoons plain flour**
• ½ cup red wine
• 1½ cup beef stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 3-4 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons flat-leave parsley, finely chopped, for garnishing

*Other root vegetables such as swedes, turnips or kohlrabis also work, adding natural sweetness.

** Essential for thickening the gravy during the cooking process.

METHOD

1. Pat the roast dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the meat.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven (or a heavy-based pot with a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat until hot.  Brown the roast aggressively all over, several minutes on each side, using a sturdy, long-handled pair of tongs for turning.  Remove and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium.  Add onions and garlic to the residual oil in the pot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add celery, carrot and parsnip and cook for another minute until coated with oil.
4. Stir in flour.  Toss the vegetables around and cook for 1-2 minutes until the flour is well incorporated.
5. Pour in wine.  Let it sizzle for 1 minute until slightly reduced.  Deglaze by scraping brown, caramelised bits off the pot with a wooden spoon.
6. Add beef stock, thyme and rosemary.  Bring to a simmer.
7. Return the beef to the pot.  Cover it with a piece of crumbled up baking paper to make a cartouche to keep the beef moist during slow cooking.  Put the lid on the pot and cook on the stove top over very low heat for 1 hour and 45 minutes, turning the meat around half way through.  Check the level of the liquid as you do so and add more water or beef stock if it is looking dry. 
8. When the meat is very tender (check with a fork), add the potatoes to the pot.  Let it cook for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft but not mushy.  There should be plenty of gravy.
9. Let the meat rest in the pot for 5 minutes, then remove it to cool completely before carving.
10. Serve the meat with the vegetables and gravy.  Garnish with parsley.

 

Basil & Tomato Fried Rice

I had some leftover brown rice overnight in the fridge and turned them into a quick meal for two with a handful of basil and cherry tomatoes.  Meat free with no apologies as it is simply delicious.  Basil and tomatoes not only grow well together, they taste good together - something to do with their opposing flavours and aromas.  The sweetness and acidity of tomatoes are complemented by the fresh, mildly anise-like notes of basil.   Brown rice which has a nutty flavour and slightly chewy texture allows them to mingle and brings out their best.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg, beaten
• vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200g / 7oz cherry potatoes, slice larger ones in half, leave smaller ones whole
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 300g / 10½oz cooked brown rice*
• a large handful of basil leaves

*Click here for instructions on how to cook brown rice.  You can use white rice instead of brown rice, if like.  Make sure the cooked rice is completely cooled before using.  Leftover rice overnight from the fridge is perfect.

METHOD

1. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok over medium high heat until hot.  Pour in the beaten egg.  Tilt and swirl the wok to spread it into an even layer.   Cook for about 30 seconds until just set.  Flip and then break up the egg into rough pieces with your spatula.  Remove from the wok and set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok over medium high heat.  When hot, stir fry the onion until softened, about 1 minute.  Add the garlic and stir fry for another 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing them around in the wok together with the onion and garlic until the tomatoes begin to wilt and soften.
4. Add the rice, soy sauce and half the basil.  Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, breaking up clumps gently with spatula.  Let the rice soak up the juice coming out of the tomatoes and coat in oil. 
5. Add the egg and remaining basil.  Give it a final toss to mix.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Chicken and Cannellini Beans Casserole

Chicken thigh portions with bone-in and skin-on are one of my favourite cuts for braising and casseroles as they are juicy and full of flavour.  Brown them in the pan for colour and then a variety of ingredients can be added to make a hearty, delicious family meal.  In this recipe, I pair thighs with cannellini beans to include some nutritious, high-fibre legumes.  Bake them in the oven with cream to add richness and a generous amount of thyme for their subtle herbal aroma.  Serve with crusty bread and a green salad.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1.2kg / 2lb 10oz chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on 
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 knob of butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• a few sprigs of fresh or dried thyme, plus extra thyme leaves, to serve
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 cup cooking cream
• 400g / 14oz tinned cannellini or butter beans, rinsed and drained

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a shallow casserole pan over medium high heat until hot.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then brown them, skin-side down, in 2 batches until golden.  Flip to brown the other side.  Transfer to a plate.
2. Add a knob of butter to the pan.  Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic and thyme.  Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until the onion softens. 
3. Stir in stock, cream and beans.  Bring it to a simmer.
4. Transfer the chicken and all their juices back to the pan, skin-side up.  Bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove and discard sprigs of thyme.  Scatter extra thyme leaves over the chicken.

 

Easy Thai Fish Curry 🇹🇭

Make this easy fish curry with authentic Thai flavours with just a few ingredients.  Get yourself some nice white fish fillets, good quality Thai red curry paste, coconut cream, fish sauce, palm sugar, a few 'makrut' lime leaves and you are ready to go.  I use West Australian wild caught Goldband Snapper fillets for their clean, sweet taste and firm texture.  Poach them gently in the curry sauce until just cooked.  Slivers of lime leaves scattered over the curry liven it up with fresh aroma.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4 fresh makrut lime leaves
• 250g / 9oz white fish fillets
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 heaped tablespoon Thai red curry paste
• 200ml / 7 fl oz coconut cream
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)

METHOD

1. Remove the tough central vein of lime leaves by folding the leaf in half and cutting it away with a sharp knife.  Stack the leaf halves, roll them tightly into a cylinder, then slice them into very thin slivers.
2. Slice fillets into large even-sized pieces.
3. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.  Add the curry paste and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the coconut cream, fish sauce and sugar.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer.
5. Add the fish and cook gently over low heat for about 5 minutes, moving the pieces around occasionally, until they change colour and are just cooked.
6. Have a taste of the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary.
7. Scatter over slivers of lime leaves.  Serve with steamed rice.

 

Nectarines Baked with Honey, Orange & Cardamom

Located on coastal plain Perth is relatively flat, but 30-45 minutes drive from the city there is the beautiful Perth Hills region dotted with orchards where you can pick your own fruits such as these lovely nectarines (pictured above) during the summer months.  While they are naturally sweet and juicy to eat, bake them with honey, orange juice and fragrant cardamom pods for a little indulgence.  Yellow nectarines with their slight tartness neutralised in the cooking process work particularly well in this recipe.  Have them for breakfast and dessert with yoghurt or thick cream on top.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 5 ripe but firm nectarines
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 4 cardamom pods, bruised
• 1 orange, juiced
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt or thick cream

METHOD

1. Cut the nectarines in half horizontally until your knife hits the pit.  Hold each nectarine in your palm and twist to separate.  Loosen the pit by cutting around it, then ease it out with your fingers.
2. Place nectarines in a baking dish large enough to hold them snugly in a single layer, cut-side up.
3. Drizzle with honey.  Scatter over bruised cardamom pods and seeds.  Pour over orange juice.
4. Bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 15 minutes until tender and golden.  Serve with yoghurt or thick cream.