by Dom on September 28, 2009
Chicken and Smoked Speck Sausage with black truffle sauce
375g pork mince
325g chicken breast, minced
120g Italian mortadella, diced ( mortadella is a soft pork based salami popular in north Italy)
10g garlic
7g black truffle, finely diced
1 cup pure cream
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
200g double smoked speck (smoked raw ham seasoned and air cured)
For the sauce
10g black truffle, finely diced
1/4 tsp salt
Good pinch pepper
8 tbsp olive oil
14g garlic minced
70g butter
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cup chicken stock
Combine the pork mince, chicken mince and diced mortadella in a bowl, add in the cream, diced truffle, minced garlic and seasoning and stir to combine. Lay down a piece of baking paper large enough to cover the surface of a large baking tray, layer the speck to form a large rectangle large enough to cover the sausage and shape the meat into a large sausage on top of the speck and close to the edge. Using the baking paper as a guide, start to roll up the speck around the sausage meat length wise to form a large roll. Tighten the ends of the sausage by twisting the baking paper and wrap the whole sausage in foil. Place onto the baking tray and refrigerate for 1/2 an hour. Pre heat the oven to 175c and bake the sausage for 1 hour turning it once during the cooking process. Remove the sausage from the oven and leave it wrapped for 15 mins to rest.
To prepare the sauce
Combine the diced truffle, the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, let it stand while preparing the other ingredients. In another small bowl, combine the minced garlic with the butter and flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the stock, lemon juice and the vinegar and stir to combine, season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large frypan over a moderate heat and warm the olive oil with the truffle, sauté gently for about 5 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon. Gradually add the stock, flour and butter mix whisking vigorously ensuring that no lumps form. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes until thickened. Turn of the heat and set aside.
heat a large frypan over moderate hot heat and open the foil and baking paper. Sear off the outside of the sausage until crispy. Slice the sausage into 1 1/2 cm slices, serve onto a plate and garnish with the truffle sauce on the side. Serve the sausage with wilted spinach, sautéed mushrooms and soft polenta.
by Dom on September 28, 2009
Makes approximately 20 depending on size
800g mixed mushrooms
½ cup dried forest mushrooms reconstituted in hot water until soft and squeezed dry
1 cup plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup soda water
1 egg
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
Zest of ½ orange
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Onion jam
Using a food processor blend the mushrooms until they resemble minced meat but not completely mushy. Pour the mushrooms into a bowl and add the chopped parsley, thyme, orange zest, parmesan and garlic. Combine the flour with the baking powder and whisk the egg into the soda. Mix the flour through the mushrooms and pour in the soda and egg mix. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.
Take spoonfuls of the mushroom mix and shallow fry in the hot oil until golden. Serve garnished with onion jam and aioli.
by Dom on September 28, 2009
Mushroom, marsala and almond pate with lavosh and goats cheese
1 cup blanched almonds, roasted
1/4 cup butter
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
300g white mushrooms, chopped
200g field mushrooms, chopped
3 tbsp cream
¼ cup marsala
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Melt the butter in a large fry pan and add in the onions and garlic, sauté until softened and stir in the chopped mushrooms in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, salt, thyme and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and most of the pan juices have evaporated.
In a food processor or blender, whirl the toasted almonds to form a paste. With motor running, add oil and whirl until creamy. Add mushroom mixture and blend until pate is smooth.
by Dom on September 28, 2009
Cauliflower with spiced tahini sauce
Serves 4-6
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground coriander
½ cup coriander leaves, chopped
2 onions, sliced thinly along the grain
1.25kg cauliflower broken into florets
150ml vegetable stock
1 tsp plain flour
2 tsp tahina
2 dsp lemon juice
½ tsp grated ginger root
½ tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pan and add in the ground and fresh coriander, sliced onions and cauliflower. Toss to cover with spices and add in the stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cover for 15 minutes. Combine the tahini, flour and the lemon juice together and mix it with ¼ cup of the cauliflower juice. Pour the flour mix back into the cauliflower and simmer for a few minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt, pepper, ground cumin and remove from the heat. Allow to sit for a few minutes for the flavours to come together and serve.
by Dom on September 28, 2009
Tomato, preserved lemon and split olive salad
5-6 tomatoes, firm and ripe, using some different varieties of tomatoes is great for this salad
3 radish, thinly sliced
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
1 red onion, peeled and sliced thinly with the grain
1 whole preserved lemon, flesh removed, washed and thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive il\
200g split green olives with seeds
Juice of ½ lemon
1 ½ cups each of mint, parsley and coriander
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper
Mix the green olives with the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, preserved lemon and salt and pepper and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Blanch and skin and deseed the tomatoes and slice into thick slices, place the tomatoes into your serving bowl. Add the diced cucumber, spanish onion, radish and the picked herbs. When ready to serve pour over the olives and dressing and toss gently. Serve with crusty bread or along side tagines or cous cous.
by Dom on September 28, 2009
Coriander and yoghurt chutney
½ bunch of fresh coriander, washed well and roots removed
½ bunch of fresh mint, leaves only
½ red onion chopped
1 green chilli, seeds removed and chopped
1 clove garlic (optional)
2 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp Black pepper
1 dsp lime juice
½ cup thick natural yoghurt
Put all ingredients in a blender except the yoghurt and blend until minced. Combine the relish with the yoghurt and adjust the seasoning.
by Dom on September 28, 2009
Spicy Rice
Serves 4
1 tsp ghee
2 tsp mustard seeds, brown
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ginger minced
2 tsp garlic minced
1 onion, finely diced
1 cup Rice
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup grated coconut
¼ cup coriander leaves
¼ cup mint leaves
salt to taste.
Place the ghee in a rice cooker mustard seeds, cumin seeds, the garam masala, ginger and garlic paste, chopped onion, chopped tomato, rice, chili powder, salt, coriander and mint leaves cover with water. Allow to cook normally.
by Dom on September 28, 2009
Paneer and cashew curry
Serves 6
3 cups paneer, cubed
1 tsp turmeric
Good pinch salt
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp ghee
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves Garlic minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2 green chillies, chopped deseeded
¾ cup chopped cashews
1 cup lite coconut milk
½ cup water
2 tbsp tomato Puree
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
½ cup water
1 dsp sugar
Fresh coriander for garnish
Place the paneer in a bowl with the turmeric , salt and lemon juice and marinate for 15 or 20 minutes.
Soak cashews in the coconut milk for about 15 min or until ready to use.
Heat the ghee in a medium size non-stick wok on medium to high heat.
Add Onions and fry until they start to dry out.
Add Ginger, garlic and green Chilli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, stir well and cook until oil separates.
While the sauce is cooking, blend soaked cashews and coconut milk in a blender until smooth. To the onion mix add cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garam masala and cardamom and mix well.
Add the blended cashew mixture and mix well. There should be no lumps in the sauce.
Add Water, salt and sugar and bring to boil.
While waiting for the sauce to boil, sauté cubed paneer in 1 tbsp oil, on medium to high heat in a non-stick pan.
Once paneer is light gold/brown in colour, take it out on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Add the paneer to the coconut sauce and mix.. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.
