Instructions
PORK NYONYA CURRY WITH APPLE AND CHILLI SAMBAL
Serves 4
2 cups coconut cream
2 red onions, thickly sliced
1 red capsicum, diced
12 cloves garlic, sliced
6cm piece ginger, cut into fine batons
¾ cup Nyonya curry paste*
500ml chicken stock
¼ cup fish sauce
600g pork loin, cut for stir fry
8 Kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
1 bunch coriander, chopped
juice of 2 limes
1 cup fried shallots
4 long red chillies, seeds removed
2 Tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup caster sugar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 apple, peeled and coarsely grated
rice and finely-slice green shallots, to serve
1 Pour half the coconut cream into a wok set over a high heat and cook fro 5 minutes, until it separates into oil and solids. Cook for 1 more minute, until aromatic, then add the onions, capsicum, half the garlic and ginger. Cook for 3 minutes, until softened.
2 Mix in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute, until the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the wok, then add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add half the fish sauce, pork and lime leaves and simmer gently until the pork is just cooked.
3 Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining coconut cream, coriander and lime juice, then top with shallots.
4 Purée the chillies, with the remaining fish sauce and garlic, soy sauce and sugar until smooth, then mix in the vinegar and apple. Serve as a condiment with the curry, rice and green shallots.
*Nyonya curry paste is available from many supermarkets (look for Ayam brand) or head to fast-ed.com.au to grab a homemade recipe.
YOGHURT BREAD WITH BLUE CHEESE AND OLIVES
Makes 4 loaves
500g self-raising flour
2 tsp fine salt
500g natural yoghurt
1 red onion, finely sliced
200g blue cheese, crumbled
½ cup pitted green olives, sliced
1 bunch sage leaves, chopped
finely-grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, then mix in the yoghurt and stir to combine. Knead lightly, then set aside. Mix the onion, cheese, olives, sage, zest and chilli in a second bowl.
2 Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each out to a large disc. Top with the onion mixture roll up, then roll out again. Cook on a moderate barbecue grill for 3 minutes each side, until golden.
CHOCOLATE-APPLE LAYER CAKE WITH TWICE COOKED STRAWBERRIES
Serves 4
200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
200g unsalted butter
5 eggs
350g raw caster sugar
250g almond meal
2 tsp natural vanilla extract
2 apple, peeled and sliced very finely
¼ cup sweet wine
2 punnets strawberries, quartered
¼ cup dark rum
200g mascarpone
¼ bunch mint, finely chopped
chocolate curls and whipped cream, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 190°C. Melt the chocolate and butter together gently, then whisk in the eggs, 200g sugar, almond meal and vanilla. Spoon into 8 lined individual cake tins and bake for 20 minutes, until just set.
2 Mix the apple slices with 50g sugar and the wine and set aside. Place half the strawberries, the remaining sugar and the rum in a small saucepan and cook gently until the berries soften and a sauce forms. Strain and discard the pulp, then add the remaining berries to the liquid and cook again gently until just tender.
3 Spread the mascarpone on half the chocolate cakes, then top with the drained apple slices and mint. Finish with the remaining chocolate cakes and serve with whipped cream, chocolate curls and the strawberry sauce.
‘POLLO PIBIL’ – YUCATAN-STYLE CHICKEN WITH ACHIOTE, GRAPEFRUIT AND APPLES
Serves 4
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 grapefruit
Juice of 4 oranges
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp caster sugar
100g achiote paste
salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
1.5kg chicken chopped into 8 pieces
2 apples, peeled and diced
¼ cup vegetable oil
chopped oregano, fried red onions, sour cream and tortillas, to serve
1 Combine the juices, garlic, sugar and achiote paste in a blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then rub onto the chicken pieces.
2 Pour the oil into a large French oven and sear the chicken pieces briefly, then pour in the marinade. Add the apple pieces, fit the lid, then cook for 25 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked and tender. Serve with oregano, fried onions, sour cream and tortillas.
RUSTIC TORTILLAS
Makes 30
4 cups nixmatalised masa flour
2 tsp fine salt
2½ cups water
1 Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl then ad the water and knead until a smooth dough forms. Divide into 30 pieces, then roll out or flatten with a tortilla press. Cook on a hot griddle until golden, then serve.
CARAMELISED APPLE TART WITH RAISINS AND WALNUTS, VANILLA-RUM CREAM
Serves 4
½ cup caster sugar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla paste
4 apples, peeled and cut into fine wedges
½ cup raisins, chopped
½ cup walnuts, chopped
2 sheets puff pastry
500ml cream
100g icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ cup rum
1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine the sugar and butter in a 24cm ovenproof non-stick frying pan set over a moderate heat and cook, stirring often, until a medium-dark caramel forms. Turn the heat to low and add the apple pieces. Cook for 5 minutes, until the apples are softened. Set aside to cool slightly.
2 Arrange the apple pieces and their sauce in four individual pans, then top with the raisins and walnuts. Cut the pastry into 4 discs slightly larger than the pans, and drape over the apples, tucking in the edges. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is risen, golden and crisp.
3 Combine the cream icing sugar, vanilla bean paste and rum in a small saucepan and boil until slightly thickened. Invert the warm tarts onto plates, then serve with the cream.
CRAYFISH PAELLA WITH PICKLED APPLE RELISH
Serves 4
1 brown onion, diced
2 red capsicums, diced finely
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
4 chorizo sausages, sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1g saffron
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 lemons, zested
6 anchovies
1 cup medium grain rice
1 cup dry sherry (Amontillado)
2 cups chicken stock, hot
1 large crayfish tail, diced
24 scallops, roe-on
12 mussels
chopped coriander and mint, lemon wedges, to serve
1 Sauté the onion and capsicums in olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat until softened. Add the tomatoes, season generously with salt and pepper, then cook until a dry soffrito forms.
2 Set a large frying pan or paella pan over a medium heat and fry the chorizo slices for 5 minutes, until crisp. Add the garlic, spices, zest and anchovies and fry briefly. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute, until the grains appear translucent.
3 Pour in the sherry and cook until absorbed, then stir in the onion soffrito and half the stock. Cook, stirring occasionally until absorbed. Add the remaining stock and arrange the crayfish, scallops and mussels on top. Cook without stirring until the liquid is absorbed and the meats are cooked. Serve topped with herbs and lemon wedges.
PRAWN AND APPLE SAGANAKI WITH FETA AND OREGANO
Serves 4
1 brown onion, finely diced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
36 large green King prawns, peeled and de-veined
8 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 long red chilli, finely diced
½ cup dry white wine
400g can cherry tomatoes
2 tsp raw caster sugar
salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
½ bunch oregano leaves
½ bunch parsley leaves
150g feta, crumbled
½ cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
crusty bread, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 190°C. Sauté the onion in olive oil for 2 minutes in a saganaki pan, until translucent, then add the prawns, garlic and chilli and cook for 3 minutes, until the prawns are pink.
2 Pour in the wine, simmer briefly, then ad the tomatoes, sugar and season generously with salt and pepper. Simmer for 3 minutes, then mix in the oregano and parsley.
3 Top with feta and spinach, then bake for 5 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.
INDIVIDUAL APPLE-HONEY CAKE WITH PECANS, RICOTTA AND BLUEBERRIES
Serves 4
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1½ cups leatherwood honey
½ cup raw caster sugar
100g sour cream
2½ cups self-raising flour
2 apples, peeled and coarsely grated
1 cup pecans, chopped
1½ cups ricotta
¾ cup icing sugar
seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 punnets blueberries, halved
1 Preheat oven to 190°C. Combine the oil, eggs, half the honey, caster sugar and sour cream in a bowl, then whisk until smooth. Mix in the flour and grated apple, then spoon into individual cake tins. Scatter with half the pecans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer can be inserted and removed cleanly. Set aside to cool.
2 Whisk the ricotta, half the icing sugar and the vanilla, until smooth, then set aside. Crush half the blueberries with the remaining icing sugar, the mix in the remaining berries. Serve the warm cakes with ricotta, blueberries and a drizzle of the remaining honey.