Sweet Potato Empanadas

 

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow/brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 sweet potatoes, grated
• 1 cup canned lentils
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked/sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon milk
• Puff Pastry sheets
• Sesame seeds

Here’s What to Do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Sauté the onion until golden, approx. 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a further minute.
3. Add sweet potatoes, lentils and seasonings. Cook for about 15 minutes, until sweet potato is cooked.
4. To make empanadas, use cookie cutter to cut circles of pastry, add 1 tablespoon of sweet potato mixture, fold over and seal with egg wash.
5. Repeat with remaining filling and pastry.
6. Arrange empanadas on parchment lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, approx 30-40 minutes.

Cook’s Notes:

• Empanadas are a baked or fried Central/Latin American savoury pastry. They’re also popular in the Philippines too! 
• Alternative fillings: cheese & onion, minced beef & potato, sun dried tomato & goats cheese, chicken & mushroom, black beans & corn, Nutella & banana, pumpkin & spinach.

Gazpacho (chilled tomato soup)

Serves 6

Soup Ingredients:

• 800g large ripe tomatoes
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
• A pinch of caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Here’s what to do:

1. Peel the tomatoes: make a small cut in the skin of the tomatoes and plunge them briefly into a pan of boiling water for a few seconds, then scoop out and drop into a bowl of cold water.
2. Remove the skins, then quarter and remove the seeds. 
3. Place the tomatoes in a blender with the rest of the ingredients (reserving a little of the red pepper, red onion, cucumber and spring onion for garnish). 
4. Blend until smooth, adding a splash or two of water to loosen if it’s too thick. 
5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 
6. Transfer to a bowl, cover and place in fridge to chill for 2 hours. 
7. Serve chilled soup in bowls topped with croutons and vegetable garnish. 

Gingerbread Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 75g butter
• 3 ½ tbsp golden syrup
• 60g soft light brown sugar
• 175g plain flour
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger

Here's what to do:

1. Add butter, golden syrup and light brown sugar to a pan. Stir on a low heat until sugar has dissolved.
2. Add flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger to a mixing bowl then stir together. Make a well in the centre and pour in the sugar and butter mixture.
3. Stir together to form a dough (or use your hands).
4. Wrap in cling film and let chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
5. Lay the dough between two sheets of baking parchment. Press dough lightly with a rolling pin. Give a quarter turn than repeat.
6. Give it a final quarter turn, then start to roll backwards and forwards, giving regular quarter turns. Until dough is roughly thickness of a $1 coin.
7. Using a biscuit cutter to cut out the shapes.
8. Bake at 190°C for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
9. The biscuits won't be firm but will harden when left to cool outside the oven.
10. Decorate with piped icing (optional).

Receive 10% Off Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes.
Quote CAS10 when booking. http://www.expat-kitchen.com

Vanilla Plum Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients:
   •  300g unsalted butter, softened
    •  1½ cups sugar
    •  3 eggs
    •  Rind of one lemon, grated
    •  1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
    •  ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    •  1 cup of yoghurt or buttermilk
    •  3½ cups self raising flour, sifted
    •  8 plums or 4 peaches/nectarines, stones removed and sliced

Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a large cake tin.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until a light pale colour.
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Continue to blend together.
4. Mix in the lemon rind, vanilla and cinnamon.
5. Gently fold in the yoghurt/buttermilk and flour.  Don’t over mix.
6. Spoon mixture into a large flat baking tin.
7. Place the fruit on top, don’t push in.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the cake tin before turning out.
10. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or cold.

Receive 10% Off Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes.
Quote CAS10 when booking. http://www.expat-kitchen.com

Banana, Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate cookies

Makes 24 smallish cookies

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups ripe bananas, well mashed
• 1tsp real vanilla extract
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
• 2/3 cup almond meal
• 1/3 cup finely shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1tsp baking powder
• 175g good quality dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
  
  

Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a baking tray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: bananas, vanilla extract and coconut oil.
3. In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, sea salt and baking powder.
4. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Leaving the oats to soak a bit will make them much easier to bind.
5. Stir in the dark chocolate (can be replaced with dried fruit).
6. Take heaped tablespoons and form patties on the baking tray.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
8. Allow to cool completely before storing in an air tight container.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Receive 10% Off Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. 
   
   Quote CAS10 when booking. http://www.expat-kitchen.com

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 large chicken breasts
• Salt & Pepper to season
• 6 slices Swiss Cheese
• 6 slices ham or prosciutto
• 2 eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 200g breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying

Here’s what to do:

1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
2. On a chopping board, place a chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with a mallet until 1cm thick. Repeat.
3. Remove plastic wrap and place a slice of cheese, then a slice of ham, another slice of cheese and another slice of ham. Roll the chicken and place in a new sheet of plastic wrap ensuring chicken is wrapped up in a tight roll. Repeat.
4. Chill rolls in fridge for at least 1 hour.
5. After the rolls are set, unwrap and coat in flour and shake off excess.
6. Then dip in egg mixture, drip off excess and coat in breadcrumbs.
7. To cook, heat oven to 180°C.
8. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry chicken cordon bleus for 2-3 minutes each side until golden. Transfer to a baking tray and cook for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
9. Slice the chicken and serve with green vegetables or a salad.

10% off Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10  when booking.

Almond Apricot Teacake

Ingredients

• 2¼ cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 170g butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2½ cups chopped apricots
• ¼ cup sliced almonds

Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat pen to 180˚C. Grease and line a 9” cake tin.
2. In a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs, one at a time, while mixer is running. Finally, add the vanilla extract.
4. Add in flour mixture, one cup at a time.
5. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Press one into the cake pan. Spread apricot slices over the pressed dough. Break the rest of the dough into rough chunks and drop over the fruit. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and some extra sugar.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

***************

10% off Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10

when booking.

Aloo tikkis

 Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green chili, minced
• 200g coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups breadcrumbs
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Here's what to do:

1. Peel and boil the potatoes until soft.
2. Mash in a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.
3. Into the mixing bowl, add the onion, green
4. chilli, fresh coriander, ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and 2 cups of the breadcrumbs. Mix well.
5. Add more breadcrumbs, a little at a time, if the cutlets are difficult to bind.
6. Shape the mixture into cutlets and coat each cutlet in the remaining breadcrumbs.
7. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan and pan-fry
8. the tikkis in batches until golden brown on each side.
9. Serve with chili dipping sauce or a mint chutney.

Receive 10% off Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10 when booking. For more details:  www.expat-kitchen.com

Avocado & Tomato Salsa Wonton Cases

Makes 36

Ingredients:

• Olive oil spray
• 36 Shanghai wonton wrappers
• 1x 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 avocados, mashed
• 1/3 cup natural yoghurt
• 10-12 drops red Tabasco pepper sauce

Here’s What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Spray 36x 30ml (1½ tablespoon) capacity mini muffin pans with oil to lightly grease. Place a wonton wrapper in each pan and press to line base and sides. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Set aside in the pans to cool completely.
3. Combine the tomato, onion, coriander and lemon juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, place the mashed avocado in a bowl. Add the yogurt and stir to combine. Add the Tabasco sauce to taste.
5. Spoon the avocado mixture evenly among the wonton cups. Arrange on a serving platter. Top with the tomato mixture and serve immediately.

Cook’s notes:

• Step 1-2 can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Store wonton cases in an airtight container.
• Step 3 can be prepared up to four hours ahead. Store mixture in an airtight container in fridge.

Asian Bean Shoot Salad with Honeyed Cashews

Ingredients:

• 400g beansprouts
• 40g bunch of coriander
• 100g cashew nuts
• 1 tbs honey
• 2 large red chillis
• 1 ripe mango
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 lemon or lime

Here's what to do:

1. Place beansprouts into a large bowl.
2. Put a few coriander leaves aside, to use later as a garnish. Slice up the remaining coriander and add it to the beansprouts.
3. Place a frying pan on a low heat, add a splash of olive oil and the cashews. Toast them until they start to colour.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and drizzle over the honey, making sure the cashews are completely coated.
5. Finely slice the chilis.
6. Halve and peel the mango, remove the stone and slice or cube the flesh.
7. Add mango, chilis and cashews to the salad.
8. Make dressing with soy sauce, sesame oil, extra virgin olive oil and the juice from one lemon or lime. Adjust to taste.

Receive 10% off Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10 when booking.

Chilled Cucumber, Mint & Pea soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups frozen green peas 
• 1½ cup vegetable stock
• A few mint leaves
• 1¼ cucumber, diced (reserve some for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoon sour cream
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Here’s what to do:

1. Sauté onion for a few minutes until translucent, adding a bit of sugar to help it caramelise.

2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.

3. Add peas and mix well for 1-2 minutes.

4. Add vegetable stock, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes on low heat.

5. Let cool and transfer to a blender.

6. Add cucumber and a few mint leaves and puree until smooth.

7. Add olive oil, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons sour cream and puree again.

8. Season with salt and pepper.

9. Transfer to fridge and chill.

10. Serve soup with a swirl of sour cream and a garnish of diced cucumber and mint leaves.
     
     
    
    
     
    
    
    
    
    ****************************
    
    Receive 10% off at Expat Kitchen -  Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10 when booking.

****************************

Passionfruit Syrup Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup passionfruit pulp
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 150g butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup thick Greek natural yoghurt
• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

Here’s what to do:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160˚C and lightly grease cake tin.
   
2. To make the syrup, place passionfruit pulp, water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
   
3. To make the cake, place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 10-15 minutes until pale and creamy.
   
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   
5. Add yoghurt and beat until well combined.
   
6. Fold through the flour and spoon into cake tin. Bake for 35 minutes.
   
7. Allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes. Turn out onto serving plate. Spike all over with thin skewer. Drizzle cake with syrup and serve while still warm.

 

Receive 10% off at Expat Kitchen

Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10 when booking.

Vegetarian Mee Goreng

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

• 250g dry noodles
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 8 shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly
• 1 cup carrot, cut into strips
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 100g bok choy
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp Kechap Manis (Indonesian sweet soya sauce)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• ¼ cup scallions, chopped
• Calamansi lime

Here’s what to do:

 

1. Bring a pan of water to boil and cook the dry noodles until ‘al dente’. Plunge the noodles into  cold water, drain and set aside.

2. Heat the cooking oil in a wok and fry the shallots and garlic.

3. When they start to brown, add the carrots.

4. Cook for a few minutes and add the cabbage and bok choy.

5. Add the white pepper, Kechap Manis, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and noodles.

6. Mix well and cook until heated through.

7. Garnish with scallions and calamansi

10% off Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10 when booking .-  www.expat-kitchen.com

Recipe: Chicken and Sundried Tomato Meatballs with Mustard Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 60g butter
• 500g minced chicken
• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and finely  chopped
• 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon plain flour
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper 

 

Here’s what to do:

1. Combine mince, sundried tomatoes, ¼ cup parsley, pine nuts, parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg and1 clove garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Knead the mixture with clean hands, slowly adding water and kneading between additions until incorporated. Form mixture into small balls.
   
2. Heat 40g butter and oil in a large non-stick frypan, panfry meatballs until browned and cooked through. Keep warm.
   
3. Wipe excess fat from pan, add remaining butter and garlic, fry for 30 seconds, add flour and cook for another minute, add white wine and mustard, bring to the boil for 1 minute until thickened slightly then stir through remaining parsley.
   
4. Serve meatballs with steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes, drizzled with the mustard sauce. 

 


10% off Basic, Intermediate and Baking Helper Cooking Courses & Focus Classes. Quote CAS10 when booking.

Smoked Salmon and Feta Rolls

Makes 15

Ingredients:

• 200g Feta
• 200g Ricotta
• ½ Small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• ¼ cup pine nuts, dry roasted then 
• roughly chopped
• 50g Arugula/rocket
• 15 x 16cm rice paper rounds
• 100g smoked salmon
• Lemon wedges to garnish

Here’s what to do:

1.  Make a paste with feta, ricotta, pine nuts, onion, lemon zest, lemon juice and dill
2. Soak one sheet of rice paper round in bowl of lukewarm water until soft.  
3. Place 1-2 tablespoons of feta mixture on rice paper, top with Arugula/Rocket and sliced salmon, roll and fold in side to enclose the filing.  
4. Repeat with the remaining rice paper, salmon and feta mixture.  
5. Serve with lemon wedges.

Chocolate Croissant Pudding

 Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 4 Croissants
• 250g 65% Dark Chocolate, 
• grated
• 3 eggs
• 125g caster sugar
• 250ml full cream milk
• 120ml thickened cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C
2. Beat eggs in a large bowl
3. Add  sugar, milk, vanilla and cream and beat until smooth
4. Split croissants lengthways in half, and layer in
an oven proof dish
5. Pour egg milk mixture over croissants
6. Gently press croissants to absorb liquid
7. Sprinkle chocolate over the liquid
8. Bake for 30 – 45 minutes

Receive 10% off at Expat Kitchen 

http://expat-kitchen.com 

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Bun Baked Pudding

Ingredients

• 6x Hot Cross Buns
• 4x Eggs – yolks only
• 75g Caster Sugar
• 600ml Thickened Cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• Pinch Salt
• 30g Sultanas
• 50g Flaked Almonds
• 50g unsalted butter, melted

Method 

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°
2. Cut hot cross buns in half, brush each side with butter then close them up again.
3. Put into rectangular baking dish approx. 40cm x 20cm.
4. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture turns pale and thickens.
5. Put the cream into a small pot on a low flame and gently bring to boil, stirring as you do.
6. Once boiling, pour a small amount of the boiling cream over the egg yolk mixture and whisk well. Repeat with another small amount, whisk well. Add the remaining cream and whisk again. 
7. Add the vanilla essence and salt, whisk further.
8. Pour the custard mixture over the buns and let stand for 6 minutes to absorb the liquid.
9. Sprinkle sultanas and almonds over the hot cross buns.
10. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
11. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden and just set.

Receive 10% off at Expat Kitchen - http://expat-kitchen.com 

Chicken rice with sweet soy & Asian Greens

Super healthy, low fat and simple

By Expat Kitchen (http://expat-kitchen.com/)

Serves 4

Ingredients

I whole chicken, cleaned
¼ cup salt-reduced soy sauce
¼ cup kecap manis
2 ½ cups water
½ cup Shou Xing wine (Chinese rice wine)
2 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
4 spring onions, ends trimmed, left whole
3cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into matchsticks
3 garlic cloves, bruised
1 whole star anise
500gm Chinese greens (bok choy, choy sim, baby kalian, Chinese spinach)

Serve with:

Sesame oil
Ready fried crisp shallots
Long red chilli, thinly sliced
4 cups ready steamed rice

Here’s what to do:

Place the soy, kecap manis, water, wine, stock, spring onion, ginger, garlic and star anise in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Remove any scum. Add chicken and simmer for ½ an hour. Cover. Set aside for 60 minutes to poach.

Transfer the chicken to a clean work surface. Chop and slice into portions. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Strain the poaching liquid through a fine sieve into a large jug. Discard the spring onion, ginger, garlic and star anise. Return 560ml (2 1/4 cups) of the poaching liquid to the pan. Discard the remaining poaching liquid. Bring to boil, turn off and add Asian greens. Blanch for 3-5mins until tender but still crisp

Chickpea Crunch

Submitted by Expat Kitchen  (http://expat-kitchen.com)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 tsp butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp curry powder
1 Butternut squash, peeled and cubed (can substitute with local/Japanese pumpkin)
4 cups of chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

To garnish:

½ cup natural yogurt (optional)
Finely chopped coriander

Here’s what to do:

1.  Heat butter in a pot and cook  onions until glassy.
2.  Add curry powder cook for 1 minute.
3.  Add pumpkin and allow to sweat for 3 minutes.
4.  Add stock, allow to boil.
5.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until pumpkin is soft.
6.  Blend until smooth.
7.  Season with salt and pepper.
8.  To garnish: Swirl spoonful of yogurt and sprinkle coriander, serve immediately.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 tsp butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp curry powder
1 Butternut squash, peeled and cubed (can substitute with local/Japanese pumpkin)
4 cups of chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

To garnish:

½ cup natural yogurt (optional)
Finely chopped coriander

Here’s what to do:

1. Heat butter in a pot and cook  onions until glassy.
2. Add curry powder cook for 1 minute.
3. Add pumpkin and allow to sweat for 3 minutes.
4. Add stock, allow to boil.
5. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until pumpkin is soft.
6. Blend until smooth.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. To garnish: Swirl spoonful of yogurt and sprinkle coriander, serve immediately.