Braised Chicken Using Fish Sauce & Dark Soy Sauce

Simple and quick recipe for those who have no time like myself. Tasty and great served with rice and some chopped up cucumber drizzled with soy sauce and some chilli if desired.

When I was younger mum always made this for me, since I always asked for it.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of Chicken Breast chopped up in any size or shape you want
• 1x Chilli chopped up
• 2x Cloves of Garlic minced up (optional)
• 3x Tablespoons of Thicken Dark Soy Sauce (Kecap sauce)
• 2x Tablespoons of Fish Sauce
• 1x Tablespoon of Peanut Oil or any other oil
• Pepper to Taste
• 1x Cup of Chicken Stock

Method:

Heat up a wok, add in oil garlic, chilli and chicken, fry till nice and brown. Add in fish sauce and dark soy followed by the chicken stock. Reduce heat, simmer until thicken and serve!

Serves: 4 with rice

Time: ~20 minutes

Cost: $15

Baked Crumbed Rosemary Garlic Chicken with Chinese Vegetables I Found in the Fridge

Ingredients:

• 1x Butterflied Chicken Breast from your local butcher
• 1x Cup of wholemeal bread crumbs
• 6x Cloves of garlic (I love garlic!!)
• 1x bunch of rosemary
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Olive Oil
• Chicken Stock
• 1x Cup of light creme
• Some dry white wine
• 1x chopped white onion

Method:

• Cut breast in half, then dry with a paper towel. Remove excess fat if desired.
• Cover the brest in olive oil and salt and pepper and leave to sit in the fridge
• Using a mortar and pestle. Combine rosemary leaves (discard the stem), garlic, breadcrumbs, some olive oil, some more salt and pepper to taste and smash it to bits.
• Smear the breadcrumbs all over the chicken, make sure it covers the entire breast and leave to sit in the fridge. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
• Start with the sauce, add into a hot pan some olive oil and then garlic, onions and cook till translucent. Add in the wine and watch it flame up, ohh yeah :)
• Add in stock & creme, reduce
• Add in salt and pepper to taste, I suggest making it a tad strong
• Pop chicken into oven whilst sauce is thickening, bake for around 20 minutes or until cooked
• Serve with some vegetables (I found this in the fridge pre-cooked lol)

Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Cost: $15

Pan Fried Rump With Seeded Mustard Served on Brown Rice

Summer's not to far around the corner people, enough with the hearty food time for serious healthy food! High in protein, low in fat, great amino acids and iron, none other than BEEF! When buying meat, never EVER buy it from a supermarket, support your local butcher and get it there. Firstly the meat is fresher and secondly cheaper, not to mention there are usually less or zero preservatives.

To make it even more healthy, I decided to serve this on a bed of brown rice rather than mash or white rice.

Ingredients:

• 1x kg of Rump
• Salt & Pepper to rub over steak
• 2x Tablespoon of Olive oil
• 1x Teaspoon of Oregano (optional)
• 2x Cups of Brown rice
• 2x Teaspoons of seeded mustard
• Instant gravy (I'm being lazy, was a quick meal, usually I would make my own)
• 3x Cloves of Chopped Garlic
• 1x Chopped Spanish Onion
• Some cheap wine to de-glaze the pan

Method:

• Cook the brown rice before you do anything, it takes much longer to cook in the rice cooker (mine has a mode for brown rice, w00t!) If you don't have a rice cooker, hit up the web on instructions
• Dry the rump with paper towels, transfer onto a place and rub with salt and pepper & olive oil
• To make 'lazy gravy', add some olive oil to a pot and carmelize the onions & garlic, then add in instant gravy mixture, reduce heat and leave to simmer
• Heat up a non-stick pan and add in the 1x tablespoon of olive oil, cook the rump on high heat around 2~3 minutes each side or until nice and coloured. Reduce to medium heat and cook either side until done to how you like it
• Remove the rump, and cover it up with foil and let it rest
• Increase the heat again and add in splash of wine to de-glaze the pan (this is where it flames up and really impresses chicks!)
• Add in the 'lazy gravy', mix and scrap off all meaty bits left on the pan, reduce heat and simmer until thickens up, remove and then transfer to gravy jug
• Portion rump, and plated up
• Add 1x teaspoon of mustard to each piece of rump and smear over with a butter knife
• Serve with gravy over the rice & meat...

Preparation Time: 10 minutes (excludes cooking rice, my cooker takes 1 hour)

Cooking Time: 15 minutes (meat & gravy)

Servings: Two

Cost: ~$15

Lamb Chop Ratatouille without Zucchini

 Decided to make Ratatouille on the weekend and went shopping for the produce in Canley Heights. Turns out asian stores do not stock zucchini, so that was a fail. On the upside dish turned out fantastic nevertheless and Brooke enjoyed it!

Ingredients:

• 4x Lamb Chops (leave fat on if desired, also can use lamb cutlets)
• 2x Cans of Roast tomatoes (can roast your own if you have time)
• 1x Eggplant (cubed in nice chunky sizes)
• 2x Onions (diced, not too finely)
• 4x Cloves of garlic (diced finely, you can use less, I just love garlic)
• 2x Cups of button mushrooms (cut into quarters or however you like them)
• 1x Cup of beef stock
• 1x Teaspoon of Paprika
• 2x Teaspoons of Oregano
• 2x Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to Taste

Method:
Combine cracked pepper, salt, paprika and oil to lamb chops and leave it to rest in the fridge whilst preparing the vegetables.

Heat up a heavy base pan, add olive oil and brown lamb either side. Do not cook lamb at this stage, ideally you would want to spend around 1~2 mins either side on high heat, remove lamb, and leave to rest.

Immediately turn out heat and add in onions, garlic, eggplant and cook till nice and coloured. Add in mushrooms, then everything else. Leave to simmer for around 15 minutes or until thickens. Add in salt and pepper to taste.

Once base is complete, add in lamb stir and cover the lamb. Immediately close the lid and turn off the heat and let it sit for around 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with some nice crusty bread or even on its own!

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time:  25 minutes
Servings: Two
Cost: ~$15

Steamed Spare Pork Ribs in Black Bean Sauce & Ginger

Great food on those cold nights where you're craving something warm and tasty. These ribs are best served with some piping hot rice and some chopped cucumbers to soak up the sauce. Best thing is, this meal can be knocked up really quickly and left to cook unattended whilst you get up to kinky shit or shower.

Ingredients:

• 2x Strips of Spare Pork Ribs, cut up
• 2x Tablespoons of Black Bean Sauce & Garlic
• 1x Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
• 1/2 cup of Dry White Wine or Chinese Rice Wine
• 1x Tablespoon of Soy Sauce
• A Shit Load of Pepper, well as much as you want really :)
• 2x Tablespoons of Corn Starch (Plain Flour is fine too)
• Handful of sliced ginger

Method:
Combined everything together in a mixing bowl and leave to sit in fridge for 1~2 hours if desired. If you're in a hurry there's no danger in not. Setup the steamer with water and bring to a boil.

Whilst the steamer is heating up, heat up a wok or pot and add some olive oil, fry up the contents until all liquid has solidified then immediately transfer contents into a bowl then into the steamer. Steam for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked.

Serve with some veggies, even preserved veggies and piping hot rice.

Time to Prepare: 10 minutes
Time to Cook: 25 minutes
Cost: $8 (meat only, assuming you have everything else)

Fried Fish with Lemon Grass & Chilli

 

Simple, quick dish I knocked together and smashed down before I hit the gym. It's packed full of protein and it quite healthy when cooked with olive oil. The presentation sucks, I know!

 

Ingredients:

• 1x Barramundi Fish Fillet (Other Fish will also do)
• 4x Table Spoons of Minced Lemon Grass
• 4x Chopped Chili
• 1x Teaspoon of Salt
• 1x Tablespoon of Fish Sauce (Make Sure It's an Asian Brand)
• 1x Tablespoon of Olive Oil

 

Method:
Cut the fish in pieces (if you like) or leave it whole, rest it aside. Combine Lemon Grass, Chili, Salt, Fish Sauce, and Olive Oil into a Pestle & Mortar or Blender, then mix and bash the ingredients till it's combined well. Try NOT to turn it into a paste or some sludgy green shiet. Apply to all of the mixture to Fish Fillet and let it sit in the fridge for around 15 minutes. Using a Wok, add liberal amounts of Olive Oil, roughly 1 cm in height, the ideally covering the fish.

 

Fry the fish until golden brown on each side, then rest on paper towels. Drain oil using a strainer to collect fried bits of lemon grass and chili, this will be used as the garnish and also packs heaps of flavour.

 

Serve on a bed of rice and some chopped up veggies such as tomatoes, cucumber, etc.

 

Time to Prepare: 15 Minutes
Time to Cook: 10 Minutes
Cost: ~$10 (Fish, Lemon Grass, Chili)

My Version of Vietnamese Lemon Grass & Red Chili Chicken with Beans

Simple and quick meal that would put a smile on many faces. This meal is best cooked using an Asian iron wok, the ones you see in Asian restaurants, if not available a thin saucepan would do the trick too!

Meal is great served with plain rice or even some nice crusty bread, but to keep it more authentic, I suggest rice :)

Ingredients:
- 1x Chicken Breast
- 3x Lemon Grass Stalks
- 5x Red Chili
- 2x Onions
- 5x Gloves of Garlic
- 1x Tablespoon of ABC Dark Soy
- 2x Tablespoons of Fish Sauce
- 1x Cup of Chicken or Pork Stock
- 1x Teaspoon of Pepper

Time to Prepare: 25 Minutes
Time to Cook: 20 Minutes
Cost: ~$12 (Chicken, Lemon Grass, Chili)

Crumbed Chicken with Creme Cheese Garlic Coriander Stuffing

This idea was inspired by my last attempts of making it but I think this time it turned out better.

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breasts
• 200g of Creme Cheese
• 50g of Butter
• 2~3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• a bunch of chopped coriander leaves & steams
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Bread crumbs
• Olive Oil
• Cooking Twine
• Veggies to steam
• Cream
• Milk
• Chicken Stock
• Dry white wine

Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins in the oven or until cooked (Chicken) 15 mins (sauce)
Cost: $10 (had most of the ingredients in the pantry)

Apple Basket Thingos

Brooke made this, I take no credit :/
But it was yummy :)

Rustic Chicken with Herbs

Great for a cold night ontop of rice or some bread for dunking, serves easily 4+

Ingredients:

• 4x Chicken Marylands from local butcher, don't go to a supermarket! it's rip and it's not fresh
• Small button mushrooms
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Leek
• Cream
• 2x cups of chicken stock
• Garlic
• Tarragon
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Pepper

Preparation Time: 30 mins (Wash/Chop/Chop Chicken/Peel)
Cooking Time: 1.5 hours (Fry chicken/Simmer)
Cost: $15.00

Simple Tomato Soup with Mint

Tomato soup, simple and great as a starter on a cold autumn day, serves 4~6 depending on portion size.

Ingredients:

• 2 kgs of Tomatoes (roast them till soften in the oven)
• Handful of mint leaves
• Chicken stock
• Raw sugar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Cracked pepper
• Cream to serve (optional)

Prep Time: 15 mins (Depends how fast you can chop)
Cooking Time: ~1 Hour (Roast/Simmer/Blender Sexy Time)
Cost: < $8.00 (Includes stuff lying around the house)

My Take on Chocolate Fondant

I usually don't like to bake nor do I like to make desserts, but I gave it a go when Brooke asked me to make her dessert. Didn't turn out so bad!

Used a recipe from Donna Hay but added extra egg whites to make it more fluffy (well I think it does right?)

Here goes:

• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 500 grams of dark cooking chocolate
• 100 grams of unsalted butter
• 50 grams of plain flour
• 50 grams of caster sugar (normal is fine too)

Melt the shet together on top of a saucepan with water and stir it in well, then baked for around 9 mins each and left to cool. I did trial is a few times before I got it right.

Bolognese made from SCRATCH! with Whole Meal Spaghetti

Bolognese made from scratch, started around 4:00 pm, didn't eat till Underbelly started, how good was it? Anyways, fresh, bolognese sauce made from scratch is so much nicer than the stuff in jars. Made using around 2kgs of tomatoes, 3x diced spanish onions, 4x carrots, 1x garlic, 1/4cup of olive oil, fresh basil, oregano, 1x chilli, 2 cups of red wine, pepper, sea salt, parmesan cheese, 2x cups of beef stock & beef mince.

Served with wholemeal spaghetti, damn that stuff takes long to cook!

Time to Cook: 4.5 hours

Cost: $22

My Version of a Shepherd's Pie :)

Tried to do something different with the pastry, turns out I didn't use enough.. but hey I know for next time :)

Pie made from scratch, with cauliflour mash, peas, carrots, beef mince, red wine, spanish onions, garlic, grated parmesan cheese, beef stock, black pepper, sea salt, butter & cauliflour.

Time to cook: 1.5 hours
Cost: ~ $15.00

Steamed Fish with Soy, Ginger & Shallots (You Yankies call it Scallions)

Quick simple, yet healthy meal.. steamed Snapper with Soy, Ginger & Shallots. Great when served with pipping hot rice!

 

Ingredients Used:

• Soy Sauce
• Sesame Oil
• Ginger
• Shallots (you Americans call them scallions)
• Pepper
• Coriander as garnish

Method:
Slap everything with the exception of the coriander and steam it for around 15 minutes or until fish is just cooked. Turn off heat and sprinkle with coriander and close lid. Serve as is for sharing, or portion if you're a pansy.

Cost: $20

Bacon & Egg Stuffed Rolls with Hollandaise Sauce

Bacon & Egg with Hollandaise Sauce Stuffed into a dinner roll, neat idea aye? Saw it once on a cooking show when I was home sick *cough cough*

Time to Cook/Prepare: 1 hour
Time to Eat: 10 mins

Scotch Fillet with Mushroom & Cauliflour Mash with Red Wine Jus!

Healthy and simple.... tried making cauliflour mash for the first time ever! Turned out pretty good, but I over did the milk a tad, could have been fluffier though :/
Time to cook = 1.5 hours
Time to eat = 10 mins

Johnny's Version of a Fish Pie!

 

Ummmmmmmm Fish Pie......... Had some left over pastry from Brooke's baking adventures so I gave making a pie ago!

Ingredients:

• 1x Barramundi Fillet (cut up in bit size chunks)
• 2x Cups of Fish Stock
• 3x Potatoes (peeled/washed/cubed)
• 1x Leek (chopped up)
• 4x Gloves of Garlic (chopped up roughly)
• 2x Carrots (peeled/washed/cubed)
• 1x Onion (chopped)
• 2x Cups of Frozen Peas
• Salt & Pepper
• 2x Tablespoons of Corn Starch
• 1x Egg Yolk (for egg wash)
• Pastry

Method:
Add some olive oil to a pot and fry up the garlic and fish then remove the fish. Add in all other ingredients and simmer till it thickens up. Add fish back and combine. Mix 2x tablespoons of corn starch with some cold water, then add to mixture. It will make it all nice and gooey!

Using a nice pie dish, add in filling and arrange pastry to cover the bowl and filling, you may add as many layers depending how much you love pastry. Complete with an egg wash using a brush.

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees, and cook for around 20 minutes. Remove and stand for a further 10~15 minutes prior to eating (it's damn hot!)

Time to Prepare: 30 minutes
Time to Cook: 40 minutes
Cost: ~$20

Zucchini Flower Tempura Stuffed with Camerbert Cheese & Basil

Some quick and easy to bang together, works great as an entree

Ingredients:

• Zucchini Flowers
• Camerbert Cheese
• Basil
• Tablespoon of Olive Oil
• Cold Soda Water
• 1x Egg
• 1/2 Cup Plain Flour
• 1/2 Cup Corn Flour
• Salt & Pepper

 Method:

Carefully wash the Zucchini Flowers and leave it to dry, whilst it is left to dry, finely cut up the basil and combine with the camerbert cheese, olive oil + salt & pepper to taste. Peel back the flowers, and delicately stuff each one, closing the petals to seal it.

To make the batter, beat up one egg and mix in the flour, add Soda water really slowly and mix until it is a nice light paste.

To cook, fill up a pot with approximately 3 cm of oil. Carefully coat each flower in the batter and cook until golden.

Time to Prepare: 15 minutes
Time to Cook: 10 minutes
Cost: $10