Fish & Potato Chowder

As I couldn't stomach the thought of coming home on a cold winter's night and having boring old whiting and potatoes, I decided to try a chowder.

2 fillets fish (could also use a seafood marinara mix)
2 large potatoes, diced
veg (I used 1/2 cup each of frozen peas & corn, defrosted)
1 large onion, sliced
butter
white wine
stock (approx 2 cups, weak)

Melt butter in pot and saute onions, then add chopped potatoes and wine. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, then add stock and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are almost tender. Add fish and vegetables, simmer until fish is cooked through. Remove 1/2 of soup from pot and put into food processor or blender. Blend well and return to pot. Serve with some nice warm bread.

Part 3, Seafood Red Curry

1/4 cup water
1 medium onion, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp bottled red-curry paste
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
bok choy and other Asian veg, as preferred
1/2 kg seafood marinara
1 tablespoon fish sauce
rice, to serve

Cook onion in oil in a wok. Reduce heat, then add garlic and curry paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk, salt, and 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in vegetables and return to a boil. Cover pot, then reduce heat and cook at a brisk simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Gently stir in seafood and simmer curry, partially covered, until vegetables are tender and seafood cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in fish sauce and salt to taste. Serve curry with rice.

Asian-style Tapas, part 1

It's hubs birthday weekend, so I decided to do up a few Asian/Pacific Island dishes. The first is Poisson Cru, or Tahitian Salad. It can be served as an appetiser or main,

1/2 kg fresh ahi tuna, diced into 1/2 in cubes
1/2 c fresh lime juice
1/2 c coconut milk
1/2 c diced cucumber, sliced
4 to 5 scallions, green & white portions, split lengthwise and minced
1 fresh green or red chile, seeded and minced (optional, I am using a jalapeno from father-in-law's garden again)
2 tablespoons shredded coconut (optional, I am using just a bit of dried shredded coconut)
3/4 tsp salt, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium tomato, squeezed to eliminate liquid, and diced

Combine al ingredients but tomato and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Mix in tomato and serve straight away.

Fish in Tahini Sauce W/Roast Lemons

I only use my tahini for hummos, which I don't make that often, so I was pleased to see another recipe I could use it in. My trip to Central Market for veg isn't til next week, so I'm having to forego the onions in this one, at least this time around.

white fish fillets
salt, olive oil
3 lemons
1 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 cup water
2 large onions, thinly sliced
cilantro for serving

Preheat the oven to 200C. Rub fish with salt. Juice 2 of the lemons and slice the 3rd lemon. Combine tahini with the lemon juice and stir until the mixture is thick and lightened in color. Stir in the water to form a thin sauce. Lightly oil a baking dish and place the lemon slices in it. Place the fish over the lemon slices and rub with a little oil. Place the fish in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, saute onions in some oil until softened. Add the onions to the tahini sauce. After the twenty minutes, remove the fish from the oven, it should be thick and opaque. Pour the tahini sauce over the fish, scattering the onions on top (optional: reserve a little extra tahini to drizzle on before serving). Return the fish to the oven and bake another 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and is bubbling all over. Let cool before serving, with cilantro as garnish.

Fish w/Olive, Tomato & White Wine

Yes again I should have taken a picture but I was just to keen to begin eating.

2 fish fillets (whatever you like)
olive oil
white wine
1 small onion, diced
1 large head of garlic, diced
2 small tomatoes, chopped
12 kalamata olives, cut in half lengthwise

In one pan, heat up some olive oil, then fry fish a few minutes on each side or until cooked through. In the other, heat some olive oil and saute onion and garlic a couple of minutes, then add tomatoes and olives, as well as a healthy dash or two of white wine. Cook through (simmer for about 5 minutes) then place fish on plate and top with tomato, olive & wine mix.

Mash, on the side
3 large red potatoes
butter
ranch salad dressing
milk
sea salt & pepper, ground
fresh dill

Boil potatoes and using hand masher, mix other ingredients in.

Roasted Broccoli with Prawns

I made the above last night (photo courtesy of The Wednesday Chef). I also added some seafood extender, and mixed it up slightly different than this recipe.

1 head broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt (might try sea salt next time)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/4 kg prawns, shelled and deveined
1/4 kg seafood extender
juice from 1/2 lemon
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 160C. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, dash or two of salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and chili powder. Place broccoli onto 2 non-stick baking sheets .In the same bowl, combine prawns and seafood extender, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, dash or two of salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp & seafood extender to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 5 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges.

Christmas at Our House

I'm stealing other people's recipes for Christmas eve and Boxing Day, and eating at the in-laws on the day, aside from brekkie.

Christmas Eve
Wassail in the Crockpot, from A Year of CrockPotting
Lamb Rogan Josh, from Boozy Susie

Mary's Rum Cake:
1 c chopped pecans or walnuts
glace cherries (my optional addition to the recipe)
1 18 1/2 oz. pkg yellow cake mix (or make your own!)
1 3 3/4 oz. pkg Jell-o vanilla instant pudding/pie filling
4 eggs
1/2 c cold water
1/2 c oil
1/2 c dark rum

Glaze:
1/4 lb. butter
1/4 c water
1 c sugar
1/2 c dark rum

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease & flour 10" tube or Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts & glace cherries over bottom of pan. Mix all cake ingredients together. Bake 1 hour. Invert on serving plate after cooling on wire rack. For glaze, melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Prick top of inverted cake with toothpicks and drizzle and smooth glaze over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until glaze is used up.

Christmas Day
Shrimp & Blue Cheese Oysters for brekkie, the latter from Intercourses, an Aphrodisiac Cookbook

Blue Cheese Oysters:
1/2 c cumbled blue cheese
1/4 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 c seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp butter, softened
8 shucked oysters, on the half shell

Mix blue cheese, garlic, breadcrumbs and butter. Arrange oysters on a baking tray and top with mix. Bake at 350F for about 10-12 minutes.

Boxing Day
A cheese, pate and olive platter
Paula's Ribs
Homemade Cole Slaw, from Closet Cooking

Aussie Fish Burritos

We had Barrumundi last night and there was so much of it, I only cooked half, so tonight I'm going to make fish burritos, as I have quite a few of the fixings. They won't be like traditional fish tacos, but they'll still be good.

Tortillas
Refried Beans
Barramundi
Shredded Lettuce
Carrots, shaved
Cheese
Lime
Sesame Oil
Cayenne
Cumin
Dill
Salt & Pepper

Heat oil in pan. Dust fish with seasonings. Fry on both sides until cooked through, then break apart into small pieces and squeeze lime over fish. Warm tortillas and refried beans. Spread beans on tortillas, top with fish, shredded lettuce, carrots and cheese. Wrap up and feast on!

Salmon with Orange Honey Glaze

3/4 c Orange juice
1 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
Ginger, sliced (optional)
Salmon
Flour
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Cooking Spray

Mix first 5 ingredients together, boil, then stir for about 8 mins or until syrupy. In meantime, coat salmon in flour, salt & pepper, then fry in non-stick pan until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Place on baking tray lightly sprayed with cooking oil and spoon or brush glaze over, then cook for about 4 minutes on 200C.

Tuna and Sweet Corn Tortilla Wraps

Great for work lunches or appetisers if cut up into bite sized pieces.

Tuna, canned
Sweet corn
Mayonnaise
Avocado, cut up and 'squashed'
Baby spinach
Salt & Pepper to taste
Wraps/Tortillas

Mix tuna, corn & mayo. Spread avocado on tortilla wraps, salt & pepper, and cover with baby spinach. Spread tuna mix over. Wrap up and enjoy!

Coconut Curry

My very first curry attempt! Made this with some fish fillets last night, although you can use prawns or scallops, or a mix.

Fish (such as cod fillets), cut up into 2 inch pieces
1 c chopped onion
2 cloves crushed garlic (recipe called for 4, and I only used 1 but would use more next time)
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp diced red chili
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 can)
1 can coconut cream
4 fresh bay leaves, chopped
1 capsicum/bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
chili powder and curry powder to taste

Spices I didn't have which can be added:
1 tsp tumeric
pinch ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
2 tbsp frsh coriander leaves

Saute onion and garlic in oil for about 4-5 minutes. Add spices, capsicum, ginger and saute a couple of minutes more. Add tomatoes and coconut cream; mix well. Add fish and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice. (I might also add pineapple next time around.)

Scallop & goat cheese salad

Scallops
Red onion
Goats cheese
Lettuce
Olive oil
Lemon
Fresh ground pepper

Saute onion and scallops in olive oil, pepper to taste & fresh squeezed lemon juice until cooked through. Place on top of lettuce and add cheese, then pour oil mix on top.

Tuna Noodle Casserole Melt

Normally I hate tuna noodle casserole---it can turn out very watery & bland. I cooked it up about two nights ago, taking suggestions from a few people as well as adding some things of my own, and really enjoyed it.

approx 2 cups fusili pasta
2 tins tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg sharp shredded cheddar
1 onion
pepper to taste
milk as needed
3 tomatoes
1 cup (ish) breadcrumbs
olive oil
butter

Cook pasta while cooking onion in olive oil til tender. Mix together cooked pasta, cooked onion, tuna, cream of mushroom soup, large handfull of shredded cheddar, milk, and pepper. Put in slightly buttered casserole dish and top with remaining cheese, breadcrumbs and sliced tomato.

Pasta w/Smoked Salmon

This recipe takes about 10 mins and is really good.

1 pkg smoked salmon
1 container creme fresh
parmesan to taste
pepper to taste
pasta

Cook pasta. In separate pan, mix all other ingredients until warm and salmon cooked to your taste (can use ham as well). Mix pasta and salmon/sauce together. Serve!