November 2012 - Poached peaches with lemongrass

So I finally got around making something from this issue. I have lost my cooking mojo a bit. It has all just been food for sustenance rather than presentable food. I really wanted to make the tarts on the cover but I just didn't get around to it plus no one but me to eat them.

I did make a lime & herb marinated chicken but it ended up being completely different than the recipe in the magazine so decided that I couldn't use that one. 

There is a fregola salad recipe that I was considering making but for some reason I just couldn't seem to get all the ingredients together at once. I also do not have fregola but I thought that I might be able to use pearl couscous. 

In the end, out of frustration at having not made something, I decided to make Jamie Oliver's poached peaches with lemongrass. They were very good, nice and refreshing. I would probably bash the lemongrass around before adding it in. I reduced the poaching liquid down to a syrup to serve with them. I have also used them chopped up on my breakfast cereal. 

Chicken & watermelon salad with balsamic chilli dressing

This is another of those throw together on a whim with what is in the fridge meals, well except for the watermelon I bought that tonight. I really wasn't sure how it was going work initially but I was very happy with the end result. It was very refreshing but full of taste and just filling enough for an evening meal. I don't have amounts for any of this as I just threw things in so just go for it and see how it turns out. 

red onion, finely sliced 

roasted capsicum, torn (I used bottled in oil) 

sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (I used vacuum packed dry ones)

watermelon, cubed

blueberries 

bocconncini, torn

basil, chopped

roast/poached/grilled chicken sliced 

rocket

Dressing

chilli paste

black cherry balsamic 

extra virgin olive oil

pinch salt

Combine all ingredients for salad except the chicken & rocket.

Mix ingredients for dressing until emulsified and pour over salad. 

To serve, place rocket on the plate place chicken around the rocket and pile salad on top. 

Sticky char siu spare ribs

Almost a year about I filled my freezer with bulk meat purchased from my local butcher. I have used the majority of it but there is still a few things left. It really should have been used up long ago, meat doesn't last forever in the freezer but I will just continue my way through. It is not like it is going to hurt me it just tends to get a bit freezer burnt and not tip top any more. As part of my purchase I bought pork spare ribs, which here in Australia is pork belly sliced into "chops" rather than what we call the American-style spare ribs. It really would be easier if we could all have the same name for things. Anyway, I have several different ways to make them. Most of which are ways that my mum cooked them. 

Anyway, I found this recipe for Sticky Char Siu Spare Ribs and thought that it would be nice to try something different. I ended up putting some ginger and chilli in, although I didn't put in nearly enough chilli as there really wasn't any kick to it. I baked them as per the recipe but they really weren't "sticky" so I put them under the grill for about 10 minutes and they came out perfectly. I served with rice and steamed broccolini and asparagus. 

Marinated Fennel Salad

This is the second salad that I made last night. I had a bulb of fennel in the fridge that had been there for a while and I really wanted to use it in something. Since was a warm evening I decided that a salad was the best way to use it. I had a bit of a search on the internet and found this recipe. I made a couple of changes and would make a few more if I made it again. I would decrease the amount of oil it ended up just too much. I would also reduce the amount of vinegar as it was very tart. I added a tsp of garlic olive oil and a tsp of dried oregano. I think I would add more as it didn't really come through. I had wanted to put dill in but what I had had gone slimy, yuck. Although perhaps even just some parsley would have worked. I think that it needed to be served with some sort of green leaves. Rocket would have been nice but lettuce would have been fine. It did go well with the apple, carrot & celery salad and the rissoles. With just a few more tweaks I think it could be a regular for me.

Apple, carrot & celery salad

If you have been reading for a while you will know that I am keen on finding side dishes that can be the focus of the meal. Those that you can have with a chop or a steak or in this case some rissoles. I did two salads to go with them tonight. The first is this apple, carrot & celery salad. It was very fresh and such great flavour. It was quick to make too. Next time I would put a bit more mint in. My plant is still small and I didn't want to take too much off it. 

Apple, carrot & celery salad

2 celery stalks

1 large carrot

1 red apple, quartered & cored 

1 green onion, finely sliced 

1 tbsp mint, finely chopped (I think I would use 2 next time)

1 tbsp flat parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp lime juice 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1/2 tsp honey

large pinch salt

Using a v-slicer slice the celery thinly then use julienne blade and do carrot & apple. 

Combine celery, carrot, apple, onion, mint & parsley in a bowl. 

Mix lime juice, oil, honey and salt until emulsified. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (I had mine in the fridge for about 20 minutes)