simple Archives - Sugar et al

Chicken Meatball Stroganoff

23|06|2015

I am truly overwhelmed and touched by your heartfelt and beautiful messages on my last post. It makes me warm and fuzzy even during the coldest days in Sydney. If I happen to mention Sydney winters to my cousins and extended family in the Northern Hemisphere, they don’t take me seriously. Like ‘what is she talking about?!’ I agree, our winters are not the coldest. There’s no shoveling snow around the sidewalks, or snow covered trees, or turtlenecks trending around here. And of course no Christmas carols! But for a sunshine loving person, this is hard enough. Then to add to that, school holidays have started. Keeping the boys entertained is a task by itself especially when the daylight is fleeting. The one thing I am enjoying however is that I am cooking new and different things for the excited little boys. This is the first time ever that I have been bombarded with so many requests.

Most kids love meatballs. Basically, anything edible in that shape goes down well with my boys. If it happens to be meat/poultry, even better. When I buy chicken mince, I make a big batch of meatballs and store in the fridge to be added to a variety of sauces or gravies on different days of the week. They tend to get a little dry and firm in the fridge but reheating them in a sauce/gravy generally softens them up. Another tip that I have learnt through experience is that meatballs are best when browned first in a shallow frying pan and then finished in the oven. They remain soft and juicy.

Looking for variety, something that I am always guilty of I chanced upon this recipe. It sounded like a great way of serving meatballs. Beef Stroganoff is a big favourite of mine especially the sour cream and mushroom based sauce. So, it was a matter of adding the two together. The resulting dish is deliciously creamy, wholesome and ridiculously easy to put together. If you are a fan of creamy sauces, you will love this one!

Meatball Stroganoff
Serves 4

500 g chicken mince
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 brown onion (use other half for the sauce), finely chopped
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (by running 1 slice of bread through a food processor)
1 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 brown onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup fresh/canned mushrooms
2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp canned tomato puree
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
Pasta, to serve with

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Combine chicken mince, garlic, onion, worcestershire sauce, mixed herbs and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on a plate. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning, for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and keep aside covered in foil.

Make the sauce : Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté onion and garlic for 4-5 mins, until tender. Add mushroom. Cook on high for 4-5 mins, until browned. Stir in tomato and paprika. Pour stock, bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 mins, until liquid is reduced by half. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in sour cream and sauce. Simmer for 1-2 mins, until heated through. Add the meatballs and simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm with fettucicne pasta.

3 Simple and Quick Weeknight Recipes With Salmon

2|06|2015

Dinners with Salmon are common in my house. Since salmon is quick to cook, healthy and delicious the idea is to add it to dishes that cook faster. Then dinner is always a breeze. I also love the fact that I can pick up a pack from the supermarket that is just ready to cook…no prepping! Since salmon can be cooked in so many ways, flavored with a variety of sauces and marinades and served alongside a diverse range of vegetables, grain or meal, there is no end to the number of recipes one can have. I decided to share a few of my favorite ways of to eat Salmon today.

Sticky Asian Salmon with Soba Noodles Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and a great option for people on a gluten free diet (make sure you read the label properly). It also cooks very quickly which is the reason I pair it often with salmon. For some heat, you could add chopped red chillies to the marinade.

Sticky Asian Salmon With Soba Noodles And Greens
serves 4

4 skinless salmon fillets
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 tsp olive oil
Asian greens (chopped broccoli, snow peas, green peas, chives), to serve
salt, for seasoning

Mix the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Use 2 tablepoons of the mixture to marinate the salmon. Place a frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil. When heated, pan fry the salmon fillets till cooked to your liking (about 2-3 mins on each side). Remove the fillets and keep aside.
Meanwhile, cook the noodles as per instructions on the back of the pack. Drain well. Rinse. Leave aside.
In the same frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the broccoli and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the remaining greens. Pour the remaining marinade and noodles and mix till combined. Season.
Serve the noodles warm along with the salmon.

Roasted Maple Salmon With Pumpkin, Fennel and Truss Tomatoes : This is a great weeknight dinner option where you whisk up a quick sauce, chop a few vegetables and roast everything together. The oven does most of the work! There is sweetness from the maple syrup and heat from the chillies so you experience a wonderful balance of flavour.

Roasted Maple Salmon With Pumpkin, Fennel And Truss Tomatoes
Serves 4

4 salmon fillets (skinless or with skin), cleaned, prepped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp mixed herbs
salt, to season
10-12 cherry truss tomatoes
2-3 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
1/2 butternut pumpkin, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (200 degrees C fan forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the olive oil, maple syrup, crushed garlic, chilli flakes, mixed herbs together in a small bowl.

Place the salmon, pumpkin, fennel and tomatoes on the prepared baking tray. Pour the oil and maple syrup mixture all over. Gently toss to combine. Roast for 15 minutes or till salmon is cooked through.
Remove tray from oven. Move the salmon aside and wrap in foil to keep warm. Roast the vegetables for a further 10 minutes or until soft and lightly browned. Serve warm with noodles, pasta or bread.

Coconut Poached Salmon : This is an old recipe from my archives. One that is made over and over again at home. Salmon fillets are poached in coconut milk along with a few Asian ingredients. I am not going to rewrite the recipe as it remains pretty much the same. The only extra thing I have added here is a pinch of turmeric. The original recipe did not have it. You take your pick…with or without turmeric! It tastes amazing both ways.

Get the recipe here

Chocolate, Raspberry And Pomegranate Clafoutis

20|05|2015

In the last couple of years we have changed houses several times. Renting gives you the absolute freedom to explore different neighborhoods, scenery, lifestyles, landscape, people etc. When we packed our bags, a few years ago and left for a new country, I doubt if we ever imagined that a rather large part of our belongings would still remain in those bags, lest we move again within the finite boundaries of a dynamic country. I still have boxes that were taped years ago and remain unopened till this day. Old books, albums, glassware. showpieces and so on. Why unwrap them when you might have to pack again? On the other hand, the things we acquired in recent times continued to grow along with storage to accommodate them. Choosing a place to live, initially is more about the external aspects than internal ones. Easy access to stores, parks, hospitals and proximity to the buzz of the city centre. Over time these get replaced by a different set of priorities. For us it was the school for the boys. Fortunately we were able to move closer to the school which was a blessing considering the significant amount of time they will be spending there.

Lately, we have been craving the sense of security and settling down that comes with owning a house. Where you unpack for a good 20 years at least! You don’t fret ovet a teeny chocolate stain on the carpets because the house you are living in belongs to someone else. Where you can colour the walls in ombre shades and hang pictures of children and cakes side by side. Over the last few weeks, we have been looking at properties in various locations and it dawned upon me that my dream house would be a combination of bits and ideas from 3 display homes that I have been to and an old house. Probably that is why it is a dream! The only challenge is the school. Do we limit ourselves by the distance to the school or do we focus on the suburb even though commute time may go up. Heaps to consider, assess and evaluate and I have been quite preoccupied with these thoughts.

Fortunately, there is not much to think about when deciding a quick dessert for the colder months. It is clafoutis for me, over crumble this autumn. Simple, quick,warm and full of variety. If you look up clafoutis recipes, the most common ones are the cherry, peach and berry clafoutis. Every time I tasted this beautiful dessert before this, I wondered what would stop someone from adding more texture to the batter. Without a doubt, classics are a hit for a reason and I would lick my spoon every time I had one. But I am equally adventurous and I had to put in a few other elements to find out myself, if is does any justice to the dessert. I was happy with the result. A warm chocolate flavored sweet treat, melt in your mouth, tart raspberries, nutty hazelnuts and sweet crunchy pomegranate seeds.

Now you tell me, would you dislike eating something like that? Do you like to be experiment in the kitchen? What would you consider before owning a house…convenience, space, stylish interiors or comfort?

Chocolate, Raspberry And Pomegranate Clafoutis

1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup hazelnuts, skinned, toasted
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup unprocessed cocoa powder
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp powdered cinnamon
Icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 9 inch oven proof dish (I used a tart pan) with melted butter. Place the raspberries, pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts on the base of the pan. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, cocoa, and sugar in a large bowl. Do not over mix the batter. Pour the batter over the raspberries, pomegranates and hazelnuts. Bake for 40 mins or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.. Let clafoutis rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm with fresh cream or ice cream.

Chocolate Almond Coconut Cake

8|08|2014

A few days ago, I chanced upon a carton of almond milk. You can read about it here. It is no secret how much I love almonds and I use them quite often in my recipes. However, creating with almond milk was a first. I made simple and healthy banana blueberry almond popsicles to get a feel of how it would work in a recipe. The nuttiness was there and it proved to be a great dairy alternative. I was impressed. I wanted to add it to anything and everything. Most of all, I was curious to know how almond milk would work in a cake or a baked item. Would it add an element of texture? Would it take away some of the moisture that regular milk/buttermilk/sour cream contributes? Will I get a crisp crust on my cake? Anything that lends itself well to a cake is up there on my ingredient list. So I put it to the cake test.

Chocolate and coconut are another combination that works well together. I discovered that when I made the Chocolate Coconut Slice. In bar form, when they tasted so good, I could imagine what it would do to a cake. The cake turned out just the way I wanted it to be. It was moist, it had texture from the coconut and almonds. It had the richness of cocoa and a crisp crust like a brownie. You could taste all the elements in the cake. And I loved how rustic it looked.

I have put my carton of almond milk to good use. Some sweet recipe and a savoury. The cake would still work if you use regular milk instead of almond milk. But if you like almonds or if you get your hands on some almond milk, it is worth a try. I like the cracked top and rustic appearance so much that I decided against adding a ganache or glaze to the cake. A generous sprinkling od icing sugar did it for me. I kept the styling along the same lines. You could glaze it if you are looking for more chocolate in the cake. Or even add chocolate chunks to the cake batter. In any case, this cake is going to go through a few different variations in my house. With almond milk as a constant, of course. I can’t wait to share more with you.

Chocolate Almond Coconut Cake
Serves 6-8

160g butter, softened
1 cup castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup almond milk
Icing sugar or dessicated coconut, for dusting

Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Grease a 18 cm round cake pan. Line with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla essence together. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition

Sift the flour and the cocoa over butter mixture. Add the coconut and the almond meal. Stir to combine. Add the almond milk. Stir to combine. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar or dessicated coconut.