Paella Rice with Spring Vegetables

When some immature baby carrots needed to come out of a bed at the local farm to make room for new planting, I took a handful home and made this lovely rice dish with fennel and asparagus.  They look and taste like spring.  Baby or Dutch carrots are sold in the shops in bunches with their green tops attached (which makes nice pesto).  I use Spanish paella rice and cook it in a heavy-based shallow casserole pan, with the vegetables added in stages to maximise their flavour, retaining colour and texture.  Arborio rice can also be used if you like a more creamy, risotto-like consistency.  In any case, adjust the amount of liquid, heat and cooking time to ensure the grains are 'al dente'.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 litre / 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• a good pinch of saffron
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, chopped, reserve fronds for garnishing
• 1½ cup paella rice (or arborio rice)
• 150g / 5½oz Dutch (baby) carrots, scrubbed clean, skins left on
• 200g / 7oz asparagus with woody ends snapped off, sliced into 2-3 sections
• sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• lemon wedges, to serve

METHOD

1. Heat the stock in a saucepan until hot.  Stir in saffron and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a heavy-based shallow casserole pan over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic and fennel.  Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the rice.  Stir to mix with the vegetables for 2 minutes.
4. Add ⅔ of the stock, then lay the carrots on top of the rice to cook gently until they begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes.  Do not stir.
5. Lay the asparagus on top of the rice and add the remaining stock.  Cover and cook over low heat for another 8-10 minutes until the asparagus is just cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Taste the rice to see if it is cooked through.  It should be soft but not mushy.  Add some hot water and cook a little longer if needed.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Let the rice rest, covered, in the pan for 5 minutes.
7. Scatter Parmesan over the rice and garnish with chopped fennel fronds.  Serve with lemon wedges.  

 

Cozy Zucchini Soup

Those who have grown zucchinis in their home garden would agree that under the right conditions, they can grow rather big over a short space of time.  So if they are in season or you have a glut of it, make a big pot of delicious zucchini soup.  It's super easy using good quality shop-bought vegetable or chicken stock, onion and garlic, a potato or two for thickening the soup and a hand-held processor to whisk them all up.  Stir in a little cream, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice for richness and good flavour.  Enjoy with crusty bread.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2-3 zucchini (about 1kg / 2lb 4oz), cut into cubes
• 1 large potato, peeled & cut into cubes
• 1 litre / 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• sea salt, to taste
• a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup cream
• 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until soft.  Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 minute.
2. Add the zucchinis and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until coated with oil.
3. Add the potatoes and stock.  Cover and bring it to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the zucchinis are cooked.
4. Turn off the heat.  Using a handheld food processor, blend the soup until smooth or to your desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Let the soup simmer over low heat for 1-2 minutes to warm through.  Stir in cream, grated Parmesan and lemon juice.  Serve hot.

 

Pork & Bamboo Shoots Curry 🌶🌶

Traditionally, thinly sliced pork belly is used in this spicy, tantalising Southeast Asian curry.  I substitute with tender pork fillet (tenderloin) which offers a similar melt-in-your-mouth effect without being too fatty.  These go into a simmering red curry sauce infused with fresh ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves to cook for just a few minutes.  Bamboo shoots add contrasting texture, absorbing the rich flavour of the sauce without losing their crunch.  A quality shop-bought red Thai curry paste (such as the Ayam or Valcom brand if available) will give you good results.  Use precooked, vacuum-packed bamboo shoots available from Asian grocers instead of the tinned variety.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 250g / 9oz precooked vacuum-sealed bamboo shoots*
• 1 small green capsicum, sliced into strips
• 500g / 1lb 2oz pork fillet (tenderloin)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 heaped tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1½ cup water
• 2-3 lemongrass, cut into 2-3 sections, bruised with a rolling pin to release flavour
• 40g / 1½ oz ginger, peeled & cut into thick slices
• 4 makrut lime leaves
• 400ml / 13½fl oz tinned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar

*Once opened, vacuum-packed bamboo shoots should be used promptly or stored in a container with fresh water in the fridge up to a few days.  For more delicious recipes using bamboo shoots, take a look here and here.

METHOD

1. Rinse bamboo shoots under water, then cut into slices.  (Slicing them crosswise into a few sections then lengthwise makes interesting comb-shaped pieces as pictured above.)  Blanch them in a small saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute, then drain.
2. Trim fat and sinew off the pork.  Slant your knife at a 45-degree angle and cut the pork across the grain into thin slices.
3. In a large, heavy-based saucepan fry the curry paste in the oil over low heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes.  Pour in the water and bring it to a boil.  Add the lemongrass, ginger and lime leaves.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.
4. Pour in the coconut milk.  Stir in fish sauce and sugar.  When the curry starts to boil, add the pork, bamboo shoots and capsicums.  Cook for 5-8 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until the pork has changed colour.  Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce and sugar if necessary.  Serve with steamed rice.

 

Tofu Soup with Chicken & Pickled Mustard Greens 🇨🇳

This is a type of Chinese soup called a 'gung' (羹) in Cantonese, that is traditionally cooked in a wok, thickened with cornflour for a smooth velvety finish.  It is often served at the banqueting table, featuring a delicious mix of seafood, meat, delicacies and vegetables.  My simple version here is comfort food, with cubes of silken tofu mingling with shreds of tangy, crunchy pickled mustard greens and slivers of tender chicken in a hot broth.

*Chinese pickled mustard green is a versatile ingredient that works wonders in soups, stir fries, stews, or as a topping for noodles and congee.  Click here and here for other recipe ideas.  You can find pickled mustard greens in vacuum-sealed packages from Asian grocers as well as some supermarkets. 

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 packet silken tofu (300g /10oz)
• 60g / 2¼oz Chinese pickled mustard greens
• 150g /  5½oz chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups chicken stock
• sea salt, to taste
• a pinch of white pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water in a small dish, for the slurry
• 2 tablespoon spring onion (green parts only), finely chopped, for garnishing

For marinating the chicken:

• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon Chinese Shaoxin wine
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

METHOD

1. Gently invert tofu from its packet onto a dish, draining off any water that comes out of the packet by tilting the dish slightly over the sink.  Pat the tofu dry with paper towels.  Slice the block into 20 cubes by cutting lengthways into 4's and widthways into 5's. 
2. Soak the pickled mustard greens in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, then rinse in a colander to remove some of their saltiness and sourness.  Squeeze out any excess liquid with your hands, then cut the greens into small pieces.
3. Slice chicken breast with your knife slanting at a 45-degree angle against the grain into thin slivers.  Place in a bowl and marinate with salt, wine, cornflour, water and oil.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat until hot.  Add chicken and sauté for a few minutes until just cooked.  Remove to a dish and set aside.
5. Clean wok.  Heat the remaining tablespoon oil over high heat and sauté mustard greens for 1 minute.  Stir in sugar.
6. Pour in stock.  Bring to a boil and season with salt and white pepper, to taste.
7. Slide the tofu cubes into the soup and bring it back to a simmer.
8. Give the cornflour mixture in the small dish a stir and add to the soup.  Mix it in by pushing the tofu around gently with the back of a wok scoop or ladle, careful not to break them up too much.
9. Continue to cook until the soup has thickened to a lustrous gravy in consistency.   Stir in the cooked chicken.  Scatter chopped spring onions on top.  Serve hot.

Chocolate Scones

Morning / afternoon tea doesn't get better than this - chocolate scones still warm from the oven served with a dollop of cream, enjoyed with your favourite brew.  It's time for a break to rejuvenate and savour life's simple pleasures.  To make them light and fluffy, sift your dry ingredients, use cold butter, work quickly with the dough, and make sure the oven is very hot.

Makes 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1¾ cups self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting work surface
• ¼ cup baking cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 30g / 1oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 100g / 3½oz dark baking chocolate block, roughly chopped into pieces
• thick cream or butter, to serve

METHOD

1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the butter cubes, then rub in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs.  
4. Make a well in the flour mix and add most of the milk (reserving 1 tablespoon).  Using a cutlery knife, cut the milk through the mixture.  When the milk has been absorbed, use your hands to turn it into a dough.  
5. Scatter some flour onto a work surface and tip the dough out.  Add chocolate pieces and gently knead until just combined.  Pat into a disc about 4cm / 1½" thick.  
6. Use a 5cm / 2" round cutter to cut out 8 scones, re-rolling the dough as needed.
7. Arrange scones closely together on the prepared baking tray so their sides are just touching.  Brush tops with remaining milk.  
8. Bake in a preheated 200°C/400°F oven for 10-15 minutes until well risen.  Let the scones cool for a few minutes before serving them warm with dollops of thick cream or butter.

 

Steamed Prawns with Silken Tofu

I like my seafood steamed as the process preserves their natural sweetness and catches all their lovely juice in the dish they are cooked in.  Not much to wash up afterwards when you also serve directly from the dish, steaming hot.  For this recipe, morsels of prawn coated in Japanese sake, egg white and cornflour are piled on top of wobbly slices of silken tofu and steamed until they turn opaque, finished with a touch of soy.   

Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS

• 1 packet silken tofu (300g /10oz)
• 12 medium size prawns (or 200g / 7oz prawn meat)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon Japanese cooking sake
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• a pinch of salt
• a few coriander leaves, for garnishing

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

METHOD

1. Make the sauce by combining soy sauce and sesame oil in a small dish.
2. Remove heads and shells from prawns.  Make a slit on the back of each prawn to expose and remove the vein.  Cut each prawn into 2-3 sections.  Place in a bowl  
3. Combine prawns with egg white, sake, cornflour and salt.
4. Gently invert tofu from its packet onto a 20cm /8" heatproof dish with sides about 4cm / 1½" high (similar to the one pictured above).  Drain off any water that comes out of the packet by tilting the dish slightly over the sink.  Pat the tofu dry with paper towels.  Cut the tofu lengthwise in half, then crosswise 4 times into 10 equal slices.
5. Arrange the tofu slices to cover the base of the dish, then spoon the prawn mixture over the top.
6. Steam the dish for 6-7 minutes or until the prawns are just cooked and turn opaque in colour.  Pour the sauce over.  Garnish with coriander leaves.  Serve hot directly from the dish.

Setting up a steaming station:

If you don't have a tier steamer pot, you can use a wok, a large saucepan or a frying pan with a lid to set up a steaming station.  Make sure the heatproof dish fits into your pan leaving some space around it for the steam to come through.  You will also need a steamer rack to support the dish inside the pan.  Fill the pan with water to a depth of about 4 cm / 1½", and bring to a boil.  Place the dish with the prepared food on top of the rack, and cover to steam.  Heat may be reduced but water must be kept boiling during the process.  A useful tool to have is a steamer lifter that allows you to safely lift the hot dish out of the pan without scalding your hands.

Sugar Snap Peas & Chinese Sausage Stir Fry 🇨🇳

This classic home-style Cantonese stir fry is so simple, bringing together the tender-crispness of sugar snap peas with the savoury richness of Chinese sausage (or 'lap cheung') - a perfect pairing.  Snow peas also work.  I blanch the peas and immediately plunge them in ice water to retain their colour and crunch.  All they need then is a toss in the wok with the sausages, a little garlic and salt for a delightfully clean taste. 

Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS

• 285g / 10oz sugar snap peas or snow peas
• 1-2 Chinese sausages*
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• a pinch of salt

*Chinese sausages or 'lap cheung' in Cantonese are available from Asian grocers and some supermarkets in their International food aisle.  Go for those made locally in Australia rather than the imported variety.  They are used in a number of recipes on this blog and can be frozen in freezer bags for up to 6 months.

METHOD

1. Snap off the stem of the peas and pull down the side to remove any tough fibres.
2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.  Tip in peas and blanch for 30 seconds.  Remove peas from the saucepan using a spider strainer and plunge them immediately into a large bowl of ice water to cool.  Drain and set aside.
3. Cut the sausage(s) diagonally into thin slices.
4. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat.  Add sausage and garlic.  Stir fry for a minute or until the sausage renders its fat and turns translucent.
5. Add the peas and a pinch of salt.  Stir fry for 1 minute or until the peas are coated with oil.  They should still be crunchy and bright green in colour.  Serve immediately.