Cauliflower and Toasted Crumbs

Ingredients

Serves 4 as side dish or entree

1 tight head of fresh white cauliflower
1 head of garlic
1 x 7 g tin anchovies – drained, blotted of excess oil and chopped
1/2 loaf sour dough bread to yield 1 to 1.5 cups coarse breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons lemon thyme
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Cut cauliflower into 1” chunks and blanch. Separate garlic cloves and blanch (five minutes in boiling water then into ice water and drain). Peel garlic after blanching and gently sauté in some of the extra virgin olive oil until almost cooked through and almost golden (around seven minutes). Add the lemon thyme and cauliflower pieces and cook till pieces golden and cooked through. Add breadcrumbs and brown then chopped anchovies and freshly chopped parsley, garlic cloves and it’s ready to serve. Add Grated pecorino if desired.

Originally from: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef/txt/s1749831.htm

Greek butterflied Leg of Lamb

butterflied Leg of Lamb
Greek yogurt
garlic
oregano
olive oil
lemon juice & finely grated rind
salt & pepper

The Marinade mix is reasonably flexible - usually I use around 400mls of yogurt, the rind & juice of a large lemon. A tablespoon or so of crushed garlic & about the same of oregano - a good quantity of olive oil to loosen it up and you are ready to marinade.

I normally cut the lamb down to try and get it to a even thickness - It's not required but it makes cooking easier.

Antony
--

Stephen Leacock - "I detest life-insurance agents: they always argue that I shall some day die, which is not so."

Ricotta & Walnut Stuffed Field Mushroom on Herbed Polenta with Buttered French Beans and Roast Pepper & Port Jus

Recipe serves: 4 A Little Background

This dish is great to cook if you are vegetarian and just as good if you aren’t. As a person that is completely content in their carnivore ways, I can happily attest that this is one vegetarian dish that I am more than happy to put in front of me in place of a meat laden dinner plate. The grilled polenta provides a delicious and substantial foundation, the roasted mushroom is a tender and juicy centre piece, the fresh beans offer the crisp spring factor while the roast pepper and port reduction is the perfect naturally sweet and slightly decadent sauce to unite it all. Enjoy this dish, no matter what side of the carnivore/vegetarian fence you are on.

What you'll need
For the Roast Pepper and Port Jus

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ small onion, (diced)
• 1 clove garlic, (finely chopped or crushed)
• 410 grams (15 oz) roasted red pepper flesh, approx 4 red peppers/capsicum
• Keep ¼ cup of the liquid that collects in the bottom of the sweating bowl when roasting the peppers
• ½ cup of port
• ½ cup vegetable stock
• 3 bay leaves

For the Polenta

• ½ small onion (finely diced)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped or crushed)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine
• 1.5 cups polenta meal
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1.5 cups pure cream
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1.5 tbsp fresh oregano (chopped)

For the Mushrooms

• 4 field mushrooms (Portobello) approx 8-10 cm (3-4 inches)
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup onion (finely diced)
• 2 tsp garlic (crushed)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp honey
• 500 grams Ricotta
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• Sea salt flakes
• Black pepper mill

• 2 tbsp bread crumbs (extra)
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

For the Beans

• 500 grams French beans (tips removed)
• 2 tsp butter
• Sea Salt
• Black pepper mill

What to do
For the Roast Pepper and Port Jus

• Sauté the onion in the olive oil (2 minutes).
• Add the garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent.
• Increase the heat to high.
• Add the pepper (capsicum) flesh and continue to sauté for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Add the port and allow the alcohol to burn off over high heat.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Add the vegetable stock and bay leaves.
• Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes, allow to cool slightly.
• Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.
• Taste for seasoning; add more port if a richer flavour is desired.

For the Polenta

• Over medium heat, sauté the onion for 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent.
• Add the oregano.
• Add the wine and cook it off.
• Add the cream and milk and bring to simmer (do not boil).
• Using a sturdy whisk, add the polenta in a steady stream and stir until it is all combined.
• Continue to cook for approx 10 minutes, (the polenta will stop sticking to the side of the pot when it is finished).
• Season to taste and pour into a flat tray to set.
• Use a tray that will allow the polenta to set about 2 cm (1 inch) deep.
• Once set cut into portion sizes and grill or fry at time of serving.

For the Mushrooms

• Preheat oven to 180 (350 fahrenheit)
• Roast the walnuts for 10 minutes and remove.
• Increase oven to 200 (400 fahrenheit)
• Clean the mushroom and remove the stems
• Chop the stems
• Sauté the onion and stems in the olive oil (2 minutes)
• Add the garlic and cook until onion is translucent
• Add the thyme and remove from the heat
• Combine the ricotta, honey, cooled walnuts, 2 tbsp of bread crumbs, nutmeg, and onion mixture.
• Season liberally to taste with salt & pepper.
• Fold together, and fill mushrooms until even with the top of the mushroom.
• Combine remaining bread crumbs and parmesan and a little more salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the mushrooms
• Bake at 200 (400 fahrenheit for 20 minutes).

For the Beans

• Boil a pot of salted water.
• Add the beans and cook for 1-2 minutes until vibrantly green.
• Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the butter, season with salt and pepper and toss until coated.

Assembly and Timing

• Make the Roast Pepper and Port Jus first, it can be made the day before.
• Make and set the polenta next, it can also be made the day before.
• Arrange all the ingredients for the remaining items.
• Prepare the Mushroom.
• While the mushrooms cook, grill or fry the polenta and boil the water for the beans.
• Warm the Jus.
• Once the mushrooms are out of the oven you can begin plating.
• Blanche the beans last while plating the rest.
• Enjoy!

English Muffins

PREP TIME	25 Min
COOK TIME	20 Min
READY IN	2 Hrs 15 Min
Original recipe yield 18 muffins (approximately)

INGREDIENTS

• 235 ml milk
• 25 g white sugar
• 7 g active dry yeast
• 235 ml warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 50 g melted shortening
• 750 g all-purpose flour
• 6 g salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the milk, yeast mixture, shortening and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add salt and rest of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise.
3. Punch down. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or empty tuna can. Sprinkle waxed paper with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover and let rise 1/2 hour.
4. Heat greased griddle. Cook muffins on griddle about 10 minutes on each side on medium heat. Keep baked muffins in a warm oven until all have been cooked. Allow to cool and place in plastic bags for storage. To use, split and toast. Great with orange butter, or cream cheese and jam.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/English-Muffins/Detail.aspx

Perfect Pizza base

Base:
2 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
3 1/2 cups of Bread Flour Either white or wholemeal
1 1/2 cups of Water
1 Tablespoon of Honey
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil or Canola Oil

Wack it all in the bread maker - once the dough is done roll out on a lightly flowered bench until you have the thickness you want.

Tomato Fritters

Looks like it will never work when you mix it, even looks wrong when you are spooning into the pan. Somehow all comes together when cooking

• 10 to 12 small tomatoes, green or ripe, cubed or chunked into bite size pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or onion flakes, optional
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1 tablespoon crumbled crisp bacon
• 1/3 cup butter or corn oil

Mix well your cut tomatoes, flour, cornflakes, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, onion, garlic, crumbled bacon and butter or corn oil. Take heaped tablespoons full of mixture.

Place into palm of hand to shape into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Place into medium preheated nonstick coated skillet.

Cook until desired golden brown. Turn only once. Serve hot as side dish or with honey or molasses.

Serves 4.

Originally at: http://www.thatsmyhome.com/farmers/tomato-fritters.htm