NAME: _ Squidly Noodles
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
approximately 1 young squid tube per person
approximately 1/4 brown onion per person
1 serve medium thin spaghetti per person (or use fettucini)
1 small clove or 1/2 a large clovegarlic per person
1/4 to 1/2 small red chilli per person (depending on spiciness wanted)
1tbsp olive oil
1tsp grapeseed oil
METHOD:
Prepare the ingredients - slice the squid tube into 2mm thick rings, cut the tentacles separately if desired, slice the onion into crescents 3mm thick. Chop the garlic medium, 1mm - 2mm cubes is fine. squeeze out the seeds and dispose of, and slice the chilli into thin rings.
Start the water boiling, clean salted water sufficient to boil the pasta in. When the water starts boiling place the frypan on medium heat with the oil and drop in the onion crescents and chopped garlic, fry gently for a few minutes, then put the pasta into the boiling water and the squid and chilli rings into the frypan.
Occasionally toss the contents of the frypan and stir the pasta to prevent clumping. Toss a tablespoonful of the salted pasta water into the pan to soften the onion with steam, if desired sprinkle a pinch of salt over everything. The onion should be medium brown and the squid rings gone white as the pasta is done.
Drain the pasta and refresh under cold water for a fw seconds, then put pasta in the frypan and toss lightly to coat all the pasta.
SERVING:
Serve immediately. Enjoy.
NOTES:
This recipe comes out like pasta con aglio e olio but the sweet onion and the mild squid flavours really seem to pop out. Squid seems to have no redeeming dietary features that I can see, but some things don't need no steenking justification...
As it's our winter coming on here in Australia, I am tending towards foods with a few extra carbs and calories - this is a natural cycle our bodies go through as a survival thing. By avoiding trans fats and using EVOO and grapeseed oil at least we can feed the need without too much harm
Monday, 28 April 2008
Fried Pork Liver and Onions
NAME: _ Fried Pork Liver and Onions
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
As much pork liver as you want. I can generally eat 300g - 500g at a sitting
1/4 of a medium brown onion per 200g approximately
tbsp of olive oil
tsp of grapeseed oil
White sourdough bread, toasted, about two slices per person
METHOD:
Slice the onion into thin (3mm at the widest edge) wedges so it forms many litte "crescents" of onion. Cut the liver into 1cm slices in whichever direction takes your fancy, I generally split it into two or three lenghtways slices as large as possible.
Frypan should be large enough to take each batch of liver and onion without piling up. Start the frypan at medium heat, put in the onion wedges and collect to one side, place in however many slices of liver as fit with it and keep going on medium heat.
Once the underside of the liver has sealed, flipt each piece over and lightly salt the sealed side. Do this again once the other side has sealed. Toss the onions to prevent any overcooking. Let the liver stay until lifting a corner reveals crispiness and browning, at which stage, turn it one last time, toss the onions again, and allow the undersideto crisp to the same doneness.
SERVING:
Serve layer of dark brown fried onion on toast topped with the slices of liver, and a lettuce/tomato vinaigrette salad on the side.
NOTES:
Liver is much maligned, mostly because Lambs Fry is the only way many people know it from, and that's probably one of the least appetising types of liver and the worst possible way to cook it, too... Lamb liver is slightly bitter (strike one) and has a soft pasty texture (strike two) and has a lot less in common with our body chemistry than pork liver. (strike three and that's out of the menu!)
It contains many key hormones minerals and vitamins that we need. Cripsy fried like this, it is delicious and the thorough cooking should kill any chance of parasites - never eat undercooked liver - and the light caramelised taste of the onions sets the flavour perfectly.
You could use beef or lamb's liver but the texture and flavour are not the same, pork liver has a firm meaty texture and a less bitter and more nutty favour. Pork body chemistry is also closer to ours and provides some things that mutton and beef don't. In moderation (i.e. don;t cook this every day for a month) some pork product every month is good for us.
If you're on the Body Friendy Zen Cookbook diet, make this meal at times when you're taking soya products more as it will balance the active ingredients in the soya perfectly.
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
As much pork liver as you want. I can generally eat 300g - 500g at a sitting
1/4 of a medium brown onion per 200g approximately
tbsp of olive oil
tsp of grapeseed oil
White sourdough bread, toasted, about two slices per person
METHOD:
Slice the onion into thin (3mm at the widest edge) wedges so it forms many litte "crescents" of onion. Cut the liver into 1cm slices in whichever direction takes your fancy, I generally split it into two or three lenghtways slices as large as possible.
Frypan should be large enough to take each batch of liver and onion without piling up. Start the frypan at medium heat, put in the onion wedges and collect to one side, place in however many slices of liver as fit with it and keep going on medium heat.
Once the underside of the liver has sealed, flipt each piece over and lightly salt the sealed side. Do this again once the other side has sealed. Toss the onions to prevent any overcooking. Let the liver stay until lifting a corner reveals crispiness and browning, at which stage, turn it one last time, toss the onions again, and allow the undersideto crisp to the same doneness.
SERVING:
Serve layer of dark brown fried onion on toast topped with the slices of liver, and a lettuce/tomato vinaigrette salad on the side.
NOTES:
Liver is much maligned, mostly because Lambs Fry is the only way many people know it from, and that's probably one of the least appetising types of liver and the worst possible way to cook it, too... Lamb liver is slightly bitter (strike one) and has a soft pasty texture (strike two) and has a lot less in common with our body chemistry than pork liver. (strike three and that's out of the menu!)
It contains many key hormones minerals and vitamins that we need. Cripsy fried like this, it is delicious and the thorough cooking should kill any chance of parasites - never eat undercooked liver - and the light caramelised taste of the onions sets the flavour perfectly.
You could use beef or lamb's liver but the texture and flavour are not the same, pork liver has a firm meaty texture and a less bitter and more nutty favour. Pork body chemistry is also closer to ours and provides some things that mutton and beef don't. In moderation (i.e. don;t cook this every day for a month) some pork product every month is good for us.
If you're on the Body Friendy Zen Cookbook diet, make this meal at times when you're taking soya products more as it will balance the active ingredients in the soya perfectly.
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Sometimes, No Recipe, Just a Joke
But it does involve condiments....
A few years ago, there was a Mensa convention in San Francisco, and several members lunched at a local cafe.
While dining, they discovered that their salt shaker contained pepper and their pepper shaker was full of salt.
How could they swap the contents of the bottles without spilling, and using only the implements at hand? Clearly this was a job for Mensa!
The group debated and presented ideas, and finally came up with a brilliant solution involving a napkin, a straw and an empty saucer. They called the waitress over to dazzle her with their solution.
"Ma'am," they said, "we couldn't help but notice that the pepper shaker contains salt and the salt shaker ... "
"Oh," the waitress interrupted. "Sorry about that." She unscrewed the caps of both bottles and switched them.
A few years ago, there was a Mensa convention in San Francisco, and several members lunched at a local cafe.
While dining, they discovered that their salt shaker contained pepper and their pepper shaker was full of salt.
How could they swap the contents of the bottles without spilling, and using only the implements at hand? Clearly this was a job for Mensa!
The group debated and presented ideas, and finally came up with a brilliant solution involving a napkin, a straw and an empty saucer. They called the waitress over to dazzle her with their solution.
"Ma'am," they said, "we couldn't help but notice that the pepper shaker contains salt and the salt shaker ... "
"Oh," the waitress interrupted. "Sorry about that." She unscrewed the caps of both bottles and switched them.
Thursday, 4 October 2007
Fasoulia
NAME: _Fasoulia (Beans with Lamb)
(pictured here in early stages, just prior to simmering for several hours)
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1/2 kg lamb pieces (see notes)
1/2 kg green beans (see notes)
50g lamb suet (beef suet will do at a pinch, or olive oil)
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tbsp pomegranate syrup or molasses
1 tsp salt
1 large brown onion
2 garlic cloves
bunch fresh oregano or 1 tbsp dried
1 tsp black cumin seed
5 to 10 bay leaves
1 tin crushed tomatoes or 1/4 kg fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped
4 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
(optional) about 100g finely diced bacon
METHOD:
(See notes) Cut the lamb into small chop sized pieces, cut the onion into thin crescent slivers. finely chop the garlic and the fresh oregano. (See notes) Trim the beans but leave as long as possible.
Heat the suet and oil in a large heavy based pot, drop in the onion, and wait, tossing occasionally, until onion is glassy. Add garlic and the lamb pieces, allow to fry for at least another ten minutes so, turn the meat over every two to three minutes. Add salt, cumin seeds, bay leaf, and the oregano, fry for another five minutes to release flavours.
Add chopped tomato, tomato paste, pomegranate syrup or molasses, vinegar, and enough water to totally submerge the meat. Allow to come to a simmer and add the prepared beans and lemon juice, bring to a simmer again, and then leave on a low simmer for several hours, until meat is falling off bones and beans are very tender.
SERVING:Serve hot to warm, in bowls, and with crusty dense bread. May be served with a dollop of yoghurt, too - in which case, supply lemon wedges too.
Serve four hungry people, or eight less hungry ones with the bread...
NOTES:
Lamb: I find that offcut ribs and belly flap makes the best meat for this dish, as you're anyway simmering it for hours and it will be tender and flavourful.
Beans: While a French cassoulet used fava beans or other, this is a dish for green bean pods, be they stringless, string, round, or other. The main thing is to get very fresh beans for this, make sure they are firm and that they snap not bend. The very best beans will give the very best flavour.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Because this dish contains both tomato paste and grape seed oil, and also pomegranate, it is suitable for the Body Friendly Zen Cookbook diet.
FATS: approximately one full allowance of fats per person if feeding four, or about 1/2 the daily allowance if serving 8.
CARB: Depends on the bread and how much.
Remember, Active ingredients are an approximate "average per meal" allowance for an average person, when served in the serving sizes suggested and are very rough guides only.
Sunday, 23 September 2007
Silver Beet and Gnocchi
NAME: _Silver Beet and Gnocchi
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 bunch silverbeet
1 tbsp flour
100g thin sliced rolled pancetta
1/2 medium onion
1 clove garlic
50g tasty cheese
2 tsp olive oil
500g potato gnocchi
salt
1 vegetable stock cube
METHOD:
Wash the silverbeet carefully and shake off the water. Cut the silverbeet leaves from the stems, cut into 3cm strips, place in steamer basket and put on to steam. Meanwhile slice the onion, garlic, and pancetta thinly and fry over low heat in the 2 tsp of olive oil. Select several silver beet stems and slice thinly across, add to the pan and continue to cook over low heat.
Place four slices of pancetta between paper towel and microwave for 3 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool and crumble up, serve in a bowl to sprinkle over each plate. Dice or grate the cheese and set aside.
When the silverbeet has steamed to limpness, lift it from the steamer and place aside, boil water for the gnocchi, and when boiling, add the gnocchi and boil until they rise to the surface, then about a minute more. Drain the gnocchi, refresh with cold water and set aside.
When the onion garlic pancetta and silverbeet stem mixture has softened, add the flour and stir well, allow to fry a minute or two longer, then add about 250ml of water, the cheese, and the vegetable stock cube. Stir until thickened, add water (or, if desired, milk) to make a rich creamy sauce, then add the steamed silverbeet and stir through well. Salt to taste.
SERVING:
Serve immediately, spoon the silverbeet and sauce over each plateful of gnocchi and garnish with crumbled pancetta. Mild green olives are a nice side to this dish.
NOTES:
The whole meal takes about 15 minutes if you do things concurrently, and now in the spring is the time to find good fresh leafy greens for your diet. Light steaming preserves the taste and nutrients in the silverbeet, and the pancetta with a tasty cheddar cheese is a lovely counter to the slightly bitter taste of the silverbeet.
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 bunch silverbeet
1 tbsp flour
100g thin sliced rolled pancetta
1/2 medium onion
1 clove garlic
50g tasty cheese
2 tsp olive oil
500g potato gnocchi
salt
1 vegetable stock cube
METHOD:
Wash the silverbeet carefully and shake off the water. Cut the silverbeet leaves from the stems, cut into 3cm strips, place in steamer basket and put on to steam. Meanwhile slice the onion, garlic, and pancetta thinly and fry over low heat in the 2 tsp of olive oil. Select several silver beet stems and slice thinly across, add to the pan and continue to cook over low heat.
Place four slices of pancetta between paper towel and microwave for 3 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool and crumble up, serve in a bowl to sprinkle over each plate. Dice or grate the cheese and set aside.
When the silverbeet has steamed to limpness, lift it from the steamer and place aside, boil water for the gnocchi, and when boiling, add the gnocchi and boil until they rise to the surface, then about a minute more. Drain the gnocchi, refresh with cold water and set aside.
When the onion garlic pancetta and silverbeet stem mixture has softened, add the flour and stir well, allow to fry a minute or two longer, then add about 250ml of water, the cheese, and the vegetable stock cube. Stir until thickened, add water (or, if desired, milk) to make a rich creamy sauce, then add the steamed silverbeet and stir through well. Salt to taste.
SERVING:
Serve immediately, spoon the silverbeet and sauce over each plateful of gnocchi and garnish with crumbled pancetta. Mild green olives are a nice side to this dish.
NOTES:
The whole meal takes about 15 minutes if you do things concurrently, and now in the spring is the time to find good fresh leafy greens for your diet. Light steaming preserves the taste and nutrients in the silverbeet, and the pancetta with a tasty cheddar cheese is a lovely counter to the slightly bitter taste of the silverbeet.
Monday, 27 August 2007
Cute New Vegetables
Okay a quick post on nutritive and local. I posted a bit here on the subject but there's a few things that aren't covered by that brief post nor the article I linked to.
I've been buying local and to me that means within a few kilometres of Perth (and specifically me!) where possible. Things that are cool at the moment are kohlrabi, a turnip-like vegetable that's currently in season, and some cool black potatoes you can see in this picture, which are purple inside. Only place I've found those potatoes to date is at the Magic Apple continental supermarket on the corner of Nicholson Rd and Albany Highway, who aren't always local produce but at least they are always fresh and of reasonable value.
The more observant among you might recognise the shopping bag in the background as coming from the Yuang Chan Vegetable Market at Canning Vale Market City, it's another place that has veges that just rule. What they sell is always fresh and crisp.
Now to those black potatoes: I have no idea what they are (I found them next to the kipflers but the two are not alike at all) and due to the beautiful plum purple colour of the flesh I am concluding that these are potatoes that have antioxidant properties. Due to the soft nature of the flesh I am also concluding that these are actually a variant of sweet potato, which is fine with me to because the are beautiful drizzled with melted butter and sprinkled which chopped chives. No I didn't peel them, the skins are washed and fine, and it hasn't killed us...
Anyhow - the main thing is that both these places are within a few kilometres of me and both have extremely good fruit and vegetables at the moment - so I'll make an effort to provide a few recipes as I come up with them.
For your part, you have to make the effort and break out of the "ColesWorth Rut" and start buying your fruit and vegetables from markets where the produce is more likely to be fresh and local! And if you don't, I'll send Ghostie after you!
Well, not really, he wouldn't know how to say "ROWR!" but he does get distressed every time the Big Supermarkets take away another choice from us. And you should, too, and remember to ALWAYS BUY LOCAL FIRST...
I've been buying local and to me that means within a few kilometres of Perth (and specifically me!) where possible. Things that are cool at the moment are kohlrabi, a turnip-like vegetable that's currently in season, and some cool black potatoes you can see in this picture, which are purple inside. Only place I've found those potatoes to date is at the Magic Apple continental supermarket on the corner of Nicholson Rd and Albany Highway, who aren't always local produce but at least they are always fresh and of reasonable value.The more observant among you might recognise the shopping bag in the background as coming from the Yuang Chan Vegetable Market at Canning Vale Market City, it's another place that has veges that just rule. What they sell is always fresh and crisp.
Now to those black potatoes: I have no idea what they are (I found them next to the kipflers but the two are not alike at all) and due to the beautiful plum purple colour of the flesh I am concluding that these are potatoes that have antioxidant properties. Due to the soft nature of the flesh I am also concluding that these are actually a variant of sweet potato, which is fine with me to because the are beautiful drizzled with melted butter and sprinkled which chopped chives. No I didn't peel them, the skins are washed and fine, and it hasn't killed us...
Anyhow - the main thing is that both these places are within a few kilometres of me and both have extremely good fruit and vegetables at the moment - so I'll make an effort to provide a few recipes as I come up with them. For your part, you have to make the effort and break out of the "ColesWorth Rut" and start buying your fruit and vegetables from markets where the produce is more likely to be fresh and local! And if you don't, I'll send Ghostie after you!
Well, not really, he wouldn't know how to say "ROWR!" but he does get distressed every time the Big Supermarkets take away another choice from us. And you should, too, and remember to ALWAYS BUY LOCAL FIRST...
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