Date Milkshake

This is a very popular drink in California USA. Its really refreshing on a hot day and the sweet flavour of the dates is delicious.

Ingredients

6 medjool or other high quality soft dates, pitted
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of cream
8 ice cubes
cinnamon

Method

Put the dates, cream, half the milk and ice in a blender with a pinch of cinnamon. Blend on high for 1 minute then add the rest of the milk and blend for another few seconds. Pour into a chilled glass and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Italian Ham and Spinach Tart

This is another recipe adapted from 'Jamie at Home' by Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients
1 recipe of savoury shortcrust pastry recipe
a knob of butter
olive oil
3 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced
350g spinach, swiss chard, nettles or borage, washed and thick stems removed
a few sprigs of fresh oregano or marjoram, leaves picked and chopped
sea salt and cracked black pepper
500g crème fraîche or cream
150g fresh parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating
3 large free-range or organic eggs
200g of cooked smoked ham, torn into shreds or chopped

Method

Make the pastry and leave in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll the pastry into a rectangle about 1/2 cm thick.

Grease a tray with butter and line it with the pastry. Trim off any excess leaving a 1 cm border. Pinch the border to give a rim to the pastry. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°. Blind bake the pastry in the preheated oven for 6 - 8 minutes until lightly golden. This stops the pastry going soggy when you add the filling. Next heat olive oil in a large pan and gently fry the onions on a low heat for 10 minutes until they're soft and sweet but dont let them colour. Turn up the heat, add the garlic, spinach and most of the marjoram or oregano. Season lightly and stir. Take of the heat when the spinach has wilted - only a couple of minutes.

To make the filling, put the crème fraîche or cream into a bowl and stir in the parmesan, eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the spinach mixture over the pastry, sprinkle over the ham and spoon the cream mixture evenly over the top. Grate over a generous helping of parmesan, sprinkle over the rest of the herbs and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling and the filling has set. Serve with watercress dressed in olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Chorizo

This pasta dish is perfect on a hot summer day. I know its not exactly authentic but the chorizo goes beautifully with it.

Ingredients

1/2 packet of spaghetti
1 chorizo sausage
3 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 - 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 spanish onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
olive oil
fresh parsley, chopped
fresh parmesan, grated
sea salt and cracked pepper

Method

Cook the spaghetti in boiling, salted water until al dente. In a heavy based pan heat the oil and fry the chorizo for a few minutes on a high heat. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and cook for a further minute. Turn the heat off and add the tomatoes, lots of olive oil and the pasta so that the tomatoes are warmed through without being cooked. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper and a good handful of parmesan.

Butternut Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients

1/2 butternut pumpkin, chopped into small cubes
40ml dry white wine
1/2 cup of arborio rice
500ml organic chicken stock
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
handful of grated parmesan
10 sprigs of chives, chopped
1 tablespoon mascarpone
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
olive oil
sea salt and cracked pepper
squeeze of fresh lemon

Method

Warm the stock in a saucepan. Fry the pumpkin in olive oil until it is browned and just cooked. In a new pan fry the garlic and onion in butter until it is translucent then add the rice and stir until glossy. Add the wine, stir well and simmer until it has all be absorbed. Add the pumpkin and start adding the stock, 1 ladleful at a time. Simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed before adding the next. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly until the rice is tender. If you run out of stock use a little hot water. Take of the heat and stir in the mascarpone and parmesan. Season to taste and add the chives and a squeeze of lemon to freshen it up.

Couscous with Vegetables

Kesksou Bil Laymoun

Ingredients

couscous
carrot
turnip
cabbage
zucchini
pumpkin
onion
tomato
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of saffron
coriander and parsley
olive oil
sea salt and cracked pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and cook the onions for a minute. Add the herbs and the hard vegetables. Cook until tender then add the saffron, ginger and the rest of the vegetables. Stir to coat in the oil. Pour enough boiling water over the couscous to cover and leave for about 30 seconds. Then pour the couscous over the vegetables and add 1/2 cup of water. Cover with a lid for five minutes so the steam cooks the couscous. The couscous should be light and fluffy, not soggy at all and there should be no liquid left in the pan.

Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemon and Chickpeas

Tajine Djaj Bi Zaytoun Wal Hamid

Ingredients

1 free range, organic chicken cut into 8 pieces
2 onions, chopped
chermoula
olive oil
preserved lemons, about a tablespoon
(use the whole piece of lemon and the juice)
1 tomato, chopped
green olives, as many as you like
sea salt and cracked pepper
diced potato and zucchini optional
1 cup of chickpeas, soaked and cooked or 1 can of rinsed chickpeas

Chermoula

1/4 bunch parsley
1/4 bunch coriander
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon mace
2 teaspoons ground ginger
pinch of saffron
1 bay leaf

Method

Fry the onions in oil and add the chicken pieces and cook for a few minutes. Add the ingredients of the chermoula and cook for a few minutes to release the flavour of the spices. Add the preserved lemon, tomato, potato and zucchini if using and 2 1/2 cups of water. Simmer for about an hour. Check the seasoning and add the olives and chickpeas, simmer for another ten minutes or until the chicken is tender.

Lamb Tajine with Apricots and Prunes

Tajine Bil Barkok Wal Loz

This is one of the most well known Moroccan tajines. It is sweet and succulent and full of flavour.

Ingredients

800g diced lamb
olive oil
100g apricots, fresh or canned
2 onions, chopped
about 12 stoned prunes
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of saffron
2 teaspoons ground ginger
fresh parsley (1/4 bunch)
fresh coriander (1/4 bunch)
sea salt and cracked pepper
roasted almonds, chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a tajine or heavy based casserole and saute the onion until translucent. Add the ginger, saffron and cinnamon, fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the lamb and saute for a few minutes. Pour in enough water to cover the meat and bring to the boil. Add the prunes and apricots. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until tender. Add more liquid if it becomes to dry while it is cooking. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve with crusty bread or couscous.

Gnocchi with Burnt Butter and Sage

Its really important to use the best quality unsalted butter you can get in this dish.

Ingredients

1 serve of gnocchi, about 500g
1/3 cup unsalted butter
about 20 sage leaves
sea salt and black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method

Melt the butter in a frying pan and then add the sage leaves. Cook until the butter has stopped foaming and has turned a nut brown colour and the leaves are crisp (about 6 minutes).
Cook the gnocchi in boiling, salted water for 6 minutes then drain and add to the frying pan. Toss to coat with the burnt sage butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and eat immediately.

Sage

My tiny sage plant

Sage is a small perenial shrub with woody stems, greyish leaves and small blue flowers. It is native to the Mediterranean which means it is perfect for our climate here in Adelaide. It is a member of the mint family and is used as a culinary and medicinal herb.

Sage has a slight peppery flavour and in Western cooking it is often use to flavour fatty meat such as pork, duck and eel. It is also used in pâté, meat loaves and sausages and goes very well with cheese. It is commonly used in Italian cooking, sautéed in olive oil and butter until crisp then pasta such as gnocchi is added.

Its botanical name 'Salvia' is derived from the Latin word 'salvatio' which means 'to heal' and sage has for centuries been considered one of the most important medicinal herbs.

It is said to aid digestion (hence its use in rich and fatty dishes) and is used in medicinal teas to relieve symptoms of colds, headaches and nervous tension. The infusion can also be used as an antiseptic mouthwash for sore throats, ulcers and bleeding gums. The dried leaves can be ground into a powder and rubbed on the teeth to clean, strengthen and whiten them. The Greeks and Romans used sage on snake bites and sores and even today some people use an infusion for skin disorders. Its even thought to be a cure for dandruff and the plague and has been found effective in managing Alzheimer's disease! Sprigs of sage left among clothes are believed to discourage insects and rodents.

Baklava

Walnut and Pistachio Baklava

Ingredients

Filling
1 1/2 cups of walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup of pistachios, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
350g filo pastry
150g unsalted butter

Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup of honey

Method

Preheat oven to 180°. Mix the nuts and spices together for the filling. Combine syrup ingredients and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove cinnamon stick before using. Line a square cake tin baking paper and brush with melted butter. Cut the pastry to fit the tray. Place a sheet of filo in the tray then brush with melted butter, repeat 6 times. Sprinkle in an even layer of the nut mixture and then 4 more sheets of filo brushing with butter between each layer. Repeat until you have used all the nut mixture then add 6 sheets of pastry for the top layer. Brush the top with butter and cut into pieces before you bake it. Bake for one hour until golden brown. If it is getting too brown cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Pour the on the cooled syrup and leave to cool. Store in a cool place at room temperature.

Beautiful Zucchini Carbonara

Beautiful Zucchini (Courgette) Carbonara

Adapted from 'Jamie at Home' by Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 medium zucchini
250g penne
2 free range organic egg yolks
50ml double cream
2 good handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil
6 slices of pancetta or smoked bacon, sliced
a small bunch of fresh thyme

Method

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Halve and slice the zucchini on an angle (so they are roughly the same size as the penne), discarding any fluffy middle bits. Add the penne to the pan and cook according to the packet instructions.
To make the carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan, add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon for a few minutes. Add the zucchini slices and two big pinches of black pepper to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the zucchini become coated in the lovely bacon flavored oil, and fry until the are lightly golden and the bacon is crisp.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the bacon and zucchini, then remove from the heat and add the creamy sauce and some of the pasta water. Stir together quickly, sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan and serve (do not put back on the heat or the eggs will scramble).

Butter Bean, Chorizo and Red Onion Soup

I love this recipe from Gordon Ramsay's book 'Fast Food', its really delicious and so quick to make. Its also really nice with cannellini beans.

Ingredients

225g chorizo sausage, skin removed
3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 Spanish onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
few thyme sprigs
2 x 420g cans of butter beans, drained and rinsed
sea salt and black pepper
squeeze of lemon juice
large handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Chop the chorizo into small pieces. Put the kettle on to boil.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy based saucepan and add the onions, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring for two minutes then add the chorizo.

Tip in the butter beans and pour in just enough boiling water to cover them. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about ten minutes.

Season generously with salt and pepper and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Scatter over the chopped parsley and ladle the soup into warm bowls to serve.