Roast Chicken Pasta
Roast Chicken Pasta
- · Omit sun-dried tomatoes.
- · Use frozen chopped spinach if you like; thaw, then squeeze out excess liquid.
Serves 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 6 chicken drumsticks
- · Cooking oil spray
- · 375g penne
- · 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- · 4 rashers bacon, rind removed, chopped
- · 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- · 1 cup chicken stock
- · 1 cup cream
- · ½ cup drained sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- · 1 bunch English spinach, shredded
- · ½ cup shredded parmesan
Method:
- Place chicken in a roasting pan. Spray with oil. Roast for 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove meat from bones. Discard bones. Chop meat roughly.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10-12 minutes or until tender but firm to the bite; drain. Return to pan.
- Spray onion with oil, Heat a large frying pan over moderate heat. Cook and stir onion for 2 minutes. Add bacon and garlic: cook and stir for 5 minutes more. Add stock and cream. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato and chicken. Remove sauce from heat.
- Add sauce, spinach and half the parmesan to pasta. Season with salt; toss to combine. Spoon into bowls; top with remaining parmesan. Serve at once.
Pad Si Ew
Pad Si Ew
- · Use frozen mixed vegies.
- · Add toasted sesame seeds of you like.
- · You can use thinly sliced beef rump steak; cooking times will vary
Serves 4
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 6 chicken drumsticks
- · Cooking oil spray
- · 450g packet fresh rice noodles
- · ½ cup chicken stock
- · 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- · 2 tablespoons Chang’s oyster sauce
- · 1 medium red onion, halved, cut into thin wedges
- · 175g bunch broccolini, cut into 3 equal lengths
- · 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- · 3cm piece fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
- · 2 baby bok choy, roughly shredder
- · 150g snow peas, trimmed
- · 1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed
- · 1 fresh long red chilli, thinly sliced
Method:
- Place chicken in a roasting pan. Spray with oil. Roast for 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove meat from bones. Discard bones. Chop meat roughly.
- Meanwhile, soak noodles in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Using a fork, spereate strands. Drain well. Combine stock and sauces in a small bowl.
- Heat a wok over moderately high heat. Spray onion with oil. Stir-fry onion for 2 minutes. Add broccolini, garlic and ginger to work; stor-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken, noodle and remaining vegies, except chilli, to wok; stor-fry for 1-2 minutes or until hot. Add stock mixture; bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Spoon into bowls; top with chilli. Serve at once.
Chermoulla Paste
Chermoulla Paste
- · Stir leftover paste with natural yogurt or sour cream to make a dip.
- · Chermoulla is a North African spice paste. Use on fish or chicken.
- · Store leftover paste, covered, in fridge.
Makes about 2/3 cup
Preparation: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 1 cup chopped coriander
- · 1 small red onion, halved, chopped
- · 2 fresh long green chillies, chopped
- · 2 fresh long red chillies, chopped
- · 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- · 1 small lemon, zest finely grated, juiced
- · 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- · 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- · 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Method:
- Process all ingredients to form a paste.
Chermoulla Lamb With Beans
Chermoulla Lamb With Beans
- · Cook lentils rather than buying. Simmer 1 cup raw brown lentils for 30 minutes or 1 cup red lentils for 8 minutes or until just tender. Drain; cool under cold water.
- · Cook lemons on grill if you like.
Serves 4
Preparation: 20 minutes + 30 to marinate
Cooking: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- · Chermoulla Paste (recipe follows)
- · 8 x 150g lamb loin chops
- · Cooking oil spray
- · 250g green beans, topped, cut in half diagonally
- · 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
- · 400g can brown lentils, rinsed
- · ½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- · 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- · 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- · 1 clove garlic, crushed
- · Natural yogurt & lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
- Make Chermoulla Paste as recipe directs. Place lamb and half paste in a glass bowl; turn lamb to coat. Cover with plastic food wrap; chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a char-grill or barbecue on high. Spray lamb with oil; grill lamb, brushing with remaining paste, for 3-4 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer lamb to a plate. Cover with foil; rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook beans in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until bright green and tender. Drain; refresh in cold water. Transfer beans to a medium bowl; add tomato, lentils, parsley, juice, oil and garlic. Toss to combine. Season with alt and pepper.
- Spoon bean salad onto plates. Top with lamb. Serve with yogurt and lemon wedges.
Cajun Meatloaf
Cajun Meatloaf
- · Use leftover meatloaf as a sandwich filling.
- · Process 1 slice white bread for crumbs.
· Serve with sour cream.
Serves 6
Preparation: 20 minutes + 10 to cool
Cooking: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 800g lamb forequarter chops, fat trimmed
- · 1 small brown onion, chopped
- · 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- · ½ cup fresh soft breadcrumbs
- · 1 clove garlic, crushed
- · 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- · 1 large potato, peeled, cut into 5mm pieces
- · 150g kumara, finely chopped
- · 2 bacon rashers, rind removed, chopped
- · 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- · 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- · Mixed salad leaves, to serve
Method:
- Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan forced. Grease and line a 5-cup, 19×19cm (base measurement) loaf pan with baking paper, extending it at long sides for handles. Cut lamb from bone, reserving bone to make stock. Chop lamb. Process lamb and onion until finely minced
- Transfer mince mixture to a large bowl; add egg, breadcrumbs, garlic and seasoning; mix well. Spoon mixture into prepared pan; smooth surface. Combine potato, kumara, bacon and rosemary in a medium bowl; press over top of loaf. Drizzle with oil; cover with foil. Bake for 20 minute.
- Remove foil; bake for 45-50 minutes or until firm and cooked. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a chopping board to slice. Serve with salad leaves.
Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 6
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 1.2kg lamb forequarter chops, fat trimmed
- · 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- · 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
- · 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- · 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- · 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- · 400g can diced tomatoes
- · ½ cup beef stock
- · 1/3 cup tomato paste
- · 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- · 2 bay leaves
- · 1/3 cup shopped flat-leaf parsley
- · 3 large potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
- · 40g butter, plus extra, melted, to brush
- · 2 tablespoons milk
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease 6 x 1 ½-cup ovenproof bowls; place on baking tray. Cut lamb from bone, reserving bones to make stock. Chop lamb. Process until minced finely.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Cook and stir onion, carrot and celery for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add mince, cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, for 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in tomato, stock, paste, sauce and bay leaves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley. Remove bay leaves.
- Meanwhile, steam potato in a steaming basket over a saucepan of simmering water for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl; add butter and milk. Mash until smooth; season with salt.
- Spoon lamb mixture into prepared bowls. Top with mash. Brush with melted extra butter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve at once.
Caraway Lamb Triangles
Caraway Lamb Triangles
- · Use sesame or cumin seeds instead of caraway.
- · For a complete meal, serve with a mixed green salad or mashed kumara.
- · You can buy lamb already minced; you will need about 250g
Serves 4 (Makes 20)
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 500g lamb forequarter chops, fat trimmed
- · 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
- · Cooking oil spray
- · 1 clove garlic, crushed
- · 1 tablespoon Middle Eastern spice blend
- · 1 small carrot, finely grated
- · ¼ cup toasted silvered almonds
- · ¼ cup coarsely chopped coriander
- · 20 sheets filo pastry
- · 1 ½ tablespoons caraway seeds
- · Bought pesto dip, to serve
Method:
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Cut lamb from bone. Discard bone; chop lamb. Process lamb until finely minced.
- Spray onion with oil. Heat a large frying pan over moderate heat. Cook and stir onion for 2 minutes. Add mince; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Stir in garlic and spice; cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from heat. Stir in carrot, almonds and coriander; mix well.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. For each triangle, place 1 sheet filo on a plat surface. Spray with oil. Fold in half lengthwise, twice, to make a long, thin strip. Spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of filling onto one end of strip; fold and roll to enclose filling, into a triangle. Place on prepared trays.
- Spray triangles with oil; sprinkle with seeds. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Serve with clip.
Croque Monsieur
Croque Monsieur
- · Traditionally dipped in an egg mixture here is a slightly more lightly flavoured option.
- · Add sliced tomato to sandwiches.
- · Use salami instead of ham.
Serves 2
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
- · 4 thick slices white bread
- · 4 slices leg ham
- · ¾ cup grated tasty cheese
- · 40g unsalted butter
Method:
- Spread mustard over bread. Top half the slices with ham and cheese. Top with remaining bread.
- Melt butter in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Cook sandwiches for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and cheese melts. Cut in half. Serve at once.
6 Things to Remember When Driving In a Strange City
Driving in a strange city strange to you, you quickly discover two things – first, that most signs are for drivers who know where they are going, and second, drivers who know where they are going have little tolerance for drivers who don’t. Here are some hints to ease your on-wheels introduction not only to new street patterns, but to a new city’s particular pace, rhythm and unwritten rules of the road.
- Before your trip, get a good map and pore over it. Your best sources: the library (which should have a road atlas); a state highway map (which will have insets of detailed sections of major cities); The Automobile Association of America members have access to their stock of local maps. Study the map before you leave to anticipate problems before you encounter them.
Note the names of major streets, the directions in which they run and their location relative to each other – what is parallel to what and which ones cross. Even if you get lost, knowing the names and directions of major streets helps when asking for directions. Some arteries may also be highways with route numbers, and route signs are often easier to spot than street names when you are behind the wheel.
Locate on the map the street that is your destination, and note its relation to the major streets, including the ones you may encounter if you overshoot your mark. Notice the numbers of the nearest freeway exits, too. Remember that street names may appear at several different exits, but every exit does have its own number; figure out which one you need and you won’t get lost.
- Get oriented. East us east and west is west, and you’ll need to know which is which, particularly in cities where directions are part of the address, such as “NE” or “SW.” If a mountain range is to the west of the city or a lake is to the north, noting that fact will be helpful. Or use distinctive buildings, radio towers – whatever is available to mark a direction. Don’t count on the sun; darkness or a heavy, overcast sky can disorient you.
- Discover the street pattern. In some cities, streets are laid out in a simple grid. Perhaps overlaid with a diagonal or two. Other towns are spider webs. Some cities make it easy, by numbering streets or naming them alphabetically; in others they’re named after American presidents, so if you’re not lucky enough to remember that Polk served after Tyler, you’re likely to get lost. Whatever the pattern, discover it.
Also, consider the one-way streets. For instance, are all odd-numbered streets northbound? On detailed city maps, arrows sometimes indicate the direction of individual streets’ traffic flow. Once you’ve checked that pattern, however, remember that reality can differ from the map. When driving in a city that was once familiar but which you haven’t visited recently, it’s especially important to remember that thoroughfares that used to move in one direction can now be a solid stream of traffic flowing in the other.
Street numbers offer another pattern worth observing. In which direction do street numbers get bigger? And do they increase in both directions from a particular thoroughfare or only in one direction from a river or lakefront?
- Learn the sign language. Cities have individual ways of placing directional signs and street names. Some cities confound strangers by posting only the names of the cross streets and never naming the street you’re on, except at main intersections. Other cities re more helpful, announcing the name of each upcoming street with large signs at midblock.
- Notice what the locals do. This is especially important in terms of driving speed. Obviously you always drive at a speed at which you’re comfortable, so if the tempo on the main arteries tightens your grip on the steering wheel, either stay well to the right to find alternate routes. If, on the other hand, traffic moves at a more leisurely pace than you’re used to, ease off: you may attract police attention if you proceed at your usual speed.
One important question: How do the locals respond to yellow lights? If the yellow lights are seen as “hard,” most drivers will treat them as what they were designed to be: preliminary reds, requiring that you stop. In a “soft yellow” city, many drivers will treat the lights as a trailing green, and press on to cross the intersection before the red light appears. If you’re in a “soft yellow” city, wait a beat at a changing red to be sure no drivers are about to shave the light.
- Be more attentive than usual to personal safety. You should always look out for your personal safety on the road – but be doubly alert in a city unknown to you. Always lock your doors and conceal your valuables. Stow all luggages out of sight and while at the wheel put your purse under a seat or out of view. Drive with all windows up.
Ask about high crime areas. A map shows streets’ names and layouts, but it cannot characterize a district as one that strangers should avoid. Ask where those areas are, and until you know, stick to the superhighway and maintain arteries.
Minted Lamb With Pea Couscous
Minted Lamb With Pea Couscous
- · You can also use frozen broad beans in couscous. Peel off the outer skin before adding.
Serves 4
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- · 8 x 150g lamb loin chops
- · 1/3 cup mint jelly
- · 1 1/3 cups couscous
- · 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- · 1 1/3 cups boiling chicken stock
- · 1 clove garlic, crushed
- · 1 small carrot, coarsely grated
- · 120g fresh ricotta, crumbled
- · 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- · Lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
- Preheat a char-grill or barbecue on moderately high. Place lamb and jelly in a large bowl; turn to coat. Grill lamb, brushing with jelly, for 2-3 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer lamb to a plate. Cover with foil; rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place couscous and peas in a large heatproof bowl; stir in stock. Cover with plastic food wrap; set aside for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Using a fork, fluff and separate grains. Add garlic, onion, carrot, ricotta and parsley. Season with salt; stir to combine.
- Spoon couscous onto plates; top with lamb. Serve with lemon wedges.
